Yes, I am still floating.
How could anyone not be right now?
Now up a commanding 3-0 in these Finals, it has my brain in an interesting place.
The majority of my brain is telling the rest of my body that this thing is over.
The Celts delivered the death blow.
It’s how the entire world is talking right now, and for good reason.
At the same time, my brain also remembers 2023.
It hasn’t happened in NBA history, but that doesn’t mean itcan’thappen.
I’m still a believer in respecting the Basketball Gods, because they are always watching.
How do I know that?
This couldn’t have happened to a better fanbase!
Cheering injuries is never a good move, especially when your season is on the line.
As we saw, the Basketball Gods do not take kindly to that behavior.
So I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate that the Finals are technically not over.
It’s first to 4, not first to 3.
All the Celts have done so far is put themselves in a fantastic position to achieve their ultimate goal.
Things look good for them, but they still have to execute.
But you know what I am going to do?
Enjoy the shit out of this.
I can’t get enough.
I am so drunk on Celts Kool Aid I might never recover and that’s fine by me.
They’re 1 win away.
It’s pretty surreal, I can’t lie.
It’s happening, so let’s talk about it.
The Good
- We’re not changing things at all.
Can we take a second and talk about how completely ridiculous that is?
In 2024 while being fully healthy?
During the season, the Mavs averaged 117.9 points a game.
Heading into the Finals, they had a 115 ORTG.
Luka and Kyrie were laudedas the best offensive backcourt in NBA history.
The Wolves while good, do not have the best defense on the planet.
The Thunder while good, are not there yet.
So far in these Finals, the Mavs are averaging 95.3 points a game with a 102.1 ORTG.
Read those numbers again.
We haven’t seen their defensive ceiling yet as wild as that sounds.
What the Celts have shown in this series is that above all else, defense comes down to effort.
Are you willing to give what it takes to get the job done?
It’s like we’re all proud parents watching our kids achieve their dreams.
We’ve been there since the very beginning, through ALL the ups and ALL the downs.
Through the joy and the pain.
The Celtics are who they are because they have them BOTH.
When his shot disappeared a little bit in the second half, enter Jaylen Brown.
When the Celts needed buckets late, Jaylen rose to the occasion just like he had all season long.
The dunk to end the 3rd was like 7 years of frustration all coming out at once.
His midrange jumper with 1 minute left to ice the game was the shot of his life.
To me, that’s what makes this even more special.
We asked the Jays to deliver, and they did.
- Let’s be very clear about something here.
Allow me to explain.
Both the Celtics and the Mavs made 38 FGM.
The Celts shot 37% from three, the Mavs 36%.
FTA were 16 for DAL and 14 for BOS.
Things were as even as you’re able to get.
So what was the difference?
The Mavs shot just 25 3PA, the Celts 46.
They were +24 (17-9) from behind the arc, which ultimately was the difference in the game.
Do people see the light now?
In today’s NBA, you cannot trade 2s for 3s, especially against an elite shooting team.
Just do the math.
It’s time to give Joe Mazzulal his rightful credit.
He’s been the best coach at every stage of this playoff run, and this is not debatable.
We also should mention the ball control from the starting backcourt.
To finish a game like this on the road with a combined 1 TO from Derrick/Jrue is legitimately insane.
Holiday hasn’t had a TO in a playoff game since like Game 4 against CLE.
We are now about to enter Game 4 of the NBA Finals in case you weren’t aware.
It’s too much.
You know, the one thing everyone told us the Celtics could not do.
Very impressive for a team that “wasn’t battle-tested”!
- With no KP, it meant that the “others” were going to have to step up.
Hauser got things started with some of the best play of his playoffs.
Instead, they were trapped on Hauser Island.
First, shoutout Joe for going that route and not Kornet like we all expected.
The Stay Ready Group stayed ready and delivered in the biggest game of the season.
It legitimately changed the game.
- Of all the players on this roster, I am most happy for Al Horford.
One more win and he becomes immortal.
Nobody, and I mean nobody in the league deserves it more than Al.
- So much of the Celts success this year comes back to their resiliency.
This version of the roster does not panic.
They are able to take your best punch on the chin and not even flinch.
That’s what championship teams do.
When the Mavs went on their massive run in the 4th quarter, the Celtics did not panic.
They took it on the chin, dug in defensively and fought back.
That’s what championship teams do.
I put that on the two best players and their growth.
I put that on Joe for the belief he has instilled in this team.
I put that on maturity.
I put that on Jrue and Derrick’s calmness, it all works together.
For me, this was the final piece.
The Bad
- I think it goes without saying what we’re putting here.
That’s so them and why we both love and hate them.
Everyone else seems to be able to do it, but not us.
But you know what?
If this is what it takes to win a title, so be it.
I’ll go through that hell every single time.
The dude had legit 7 fouls if not more in this game.
Do not let those assholes off the hook.
It’s what we were told every single day for 10 straight days leading into the Finals.
10 in a row means we ignore this section forever.
If they make it 11, see ya next season.
So now we wait.
Friday cannot come soon enough.
15 (!!!!!!!)
