[Post Game Thread] The Boston Celtics (2-3) fight to live another day and force a game 6, as they defeat the Miami Heat (3-2) by 110 - 97. Jayson Tatum puts up a 21/8/11 stat line in a win

[u/Nyhrox]

97 - 110
Box Scores: NBA - Yahoo

GAME SUMMARY
Location: TD Garden (19156), Clock: Final
Officials: Bill Kennedy, Marc Davis, and David Guthrie

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Total
Miami Heat	20	24	28	25	97
Boston Celtics	35	26	29	20	110

TEAM STATS

Team	PTS	FG	FG%	3P	3P%	FT	FT%	OREB	TREB	AST	PF	STL	TO	BLK
Miami Heat	97	40-78	51.3%	9-23	39.1%	8-10	80.0%	10	41	20	13	6	16	2
Boston Celtics	110	40-79	50.6%	16-39	41.0%	14-19	73.7%	12	43	23	9	13	9	4

PLAYER STATS

Miami Heat	MIN	PTS	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	ORB	DRB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	±
Jimmy ButlerSF	33:35	14	5-10	0-2	4-6	0	5	5	5	2	0	2	1	-24
Kevin LovePF	13:44	6	3-7	0-1	0-0	3	3	6	0	0	0	0	0	-11
Bam AdebayoC	31:53	16	8-15	0-0	0-0	2	6	8	3	2	1	6	2	-15
Max StrusSG	24:10	3	1-5	1-4	0-0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	-20
Kyle LowryPG	30:18	5	2-6	1-3	0-0	0	2	2	1	0	0	4	1	-5
Caleb Martin	31:49	14	5-12	2-5	2-2	1	4	5	0	0	0	2	2	-8
Cody Zeller	04:07	4	2-2	0-0	0-0	1	1	2	0	0	0	1	0	-3
Duncan Robinson	27:44	18	7-10	2-3	2-2	0	3	3	9	0	0	1	5	7
Haywood Highsmith	36:00	15	6-9	3-4	0-0	1	1	2	1	2	0	0	2	2
Nikola Jovic	03:20	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	6
Omer Yurtseven	03:20	2	1-2	0-1	0-0	2	1	3	0	0	1	0	0	6
Udonis Haslem	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Tyler Herro	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Victor Oladipo	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Gabe Vincent	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Boston Celtics	MIN	PTS	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	ORB	DRB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	±
Jaylen BrownSF	36:52	21	9-18	3-5	0-0	2	0	2	2	3	0	1	1	16
Jayson TatumPF	40:52	21	8-16	1-6	4-6	0	8	8	11	2	0	4	2	19
Al HorfordC	29:01	6	3-7	0-3	0-0	5	6	11	5	1	1	0	0	10
Derrick WhiteSG	37:05	24	8-11	6-8	2-3	1	2	3	1	2	0	1	3	18
Marcus SmartPG	29:55	23	7-12	4-6	5-6	1	2	3	2	5	0	2	0	20
Grant Williams	26:49	6	1-4	1-4	3-4	2	2	4	0	0	1	0	3	-9
Malcolm Brogdon	07:55	0	0-2	0-2	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3
Robert Williams III	17:55	6	3-3	0-0	0-0	0	4	4	1	0	1	0	0	10
Payton Pritchard	04:32	0	0-2	0-2	0-0	0	1	1	1	0	0	1	0	-8
Sam Hauser	03:20	3	1-4	1-3	0-0	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	-6
Luke Kornet	03:20	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	-6
Justin Champagnie	02:22	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	-2
Blake Griffin	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Mike Muscala	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Danilo Gallinari	00:00	0	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

rnbapgtgenerator by /u/f1uk3r

[u/DIXtICon]

somehow only ended up being a 13 point game but it was never even close

[u/cerealman2020 → u/DIXtICon]

I started feeling nauseous when they cut it to 10 with 50 seconds left

[u/I_Set_3_Alarms → u/cerealman2020]

Yeah I felt more relieved by that Hauser 3 than I expected to be lol

[u/johnnybarbs92 → u/I_Set_3_Alarms]

Same. I said that was the dagger and my wife was very confused.

[u/rikki-tikki-deadly → u/johnnybarbs92]

She was probably confused because thanks to the announcers this postseason she thinks a "dagger" can happen repeatedly before halftime.

[u/braisedbywolves → u/rikki-tikki-deadly]

It does in Macbeth

[u/ChampagneCJ → u/braisedbywolves]

Wtf spoilers!

[u/not_a_cockroach_ → u/cerealman2020]

All those blown double digit leads and games we lost against the Heat despite winning 3 quarters from as far back as the bubble have broken us.

[u/rikki-tikki-deadly → u/DIXtICon]

I was NOT comfortable seeing that lead slide to 10 inside two minutes left.

[u/toastyfries2 → u/rikki-tikki-deadly]

I think it snuck up on the announcers. He said something like the Celtics are up by 10, and you could hear the surprise in his voice that it was so close

[u/DungeonsAndDuck → u/DIXtICon]

that's because the final third of the 4th quarter was the miami heat vs the maine celtics lmao

[u/w311sh1t → u/DungeonsAndDuck]

It’s still a crime against humanity that they changed it from the Maine Red Claws

[u/InAingeWeTrust → u/DungeonsAndDuck]

it was also the bench players on the Heat

[u/DungeonsAndDuck → u/InAingeWeTrust]

yeah but that goes against my narrative, so please delete your comment

[u/Faliberti → u/DungeonsAndDuck]

bench players dont exist for miami, they can all shoot 52% from 3

[u/homefree122]

Jimmy Butler only took 10 shots. I simply do not understand how that’s possible.

[u/Erik5858 → u/homefree122]

Felt like he took the night off tonight.

[u/rikki-tikki-deadly → u/Erik5858]

Jimmy "I'm Not Even Supposed To Be Here Tonight!" Butler

[u/WasProbablyBanned → u/homefree122]

too busy pump faking

[u/MC-Jdf → u/WasProbablyBanned]

Honestly one of those games where Butler tries to fish for fouls too much, which almost never goes well.

[u/elcapitandemundo → u/MC-Jdf]

Celtics have also stopped biting on them so often

[u/MySilverBurrito → u/MC-Jdf]

It’s annoying as fuck. Because guy is insanely good at finishing through contact. But every now and then, he does this bait for fouls all game, not even attempting to shoot the ball.

Edit: his touch around the basket is insane through contact. But games like tonight, it’s like he just chucks the ball at the basket, more concerned about the contact than scoring.

[u/MC-Jdf → u/MySilverBurrito]

I mean Butler trying to draw fouls so often is a big part of why he gets so much space in jumpshots, that and his elite deceleration.

But yeah it’s gross to watch when he tries to only flail backwards and not try to shoot.

[u/MySilverBurrito → u/MC-Jdf]

That’s the thing, you can see when he actively trying to finish through the contact after getting his guy to fake.

Compare that to just straight up flopping, where all his touch around the basket disappear because he’s not even attempting to make the basket.

[u/bodhibell02 → u/MySilverBurrito]

I'm very happy to see a Heat fan noting this. I'm a C's fan and my god I like Jimmy a lot...but when he resorts to the leg flailing and falling down on jumpers...kill me man. It's such lame fucking basketball

[u/ColdPressedSteak → u/homefree122]

He was legit bad for long stretches. There were some possessions where he couldn't decide what he wanted to do and just dumped the ball off to someone else with 5 sec left to go in the clock

He's going to need to be great again if they want to avoid this epic collapse. That or Duncan Robinson continues to trend upwards and just nails 10 3's in game 6

[u/ZdenekTheMan → u/ColdPressedSteak]

Robinson struck the fear of God in me every time he touched the ball

[u/lferreira86 → u/ColdPressedSteak]

Duncan has honestly been extremely good on offense. Celtics gotta start putting him on switches and having him guard Brown/Tatum to keep him off the floor.

[u/GokuVerde → u/homefree122]

The dog has left the building

[u/rawchess → u/GokuVerde]

The dawg tonight: 😴

[u/Flabbypuff → u/homefree122]

He legit pump faked on almost every jump stop and stood there to look for someone to bail him out. Shit was weird, like the entire Celtics team except for Rob Williams knows you're not gonna shoot that.

[u/TomShoe02 → u/homefree122]

Celtics finally stopped letting him switch onto their weaker defenders for easy points.

Good to see Mozzarella finally getting it.

[u/WickerShoesJoe → u/TomShoe02]

Celtics finally stopped letting him switch onto their weaker defenders for easy points.

That's part of it. Ben Taylor mentioned in this week's Thinking Basketball how he is pretty much done with this "switch everything" defensive idea, beacause it gave the offense whatever matchup they wanted. He pointed out that when JT stayed on Butler, shots were much thougher. Now that the team realized that, they're doing better.

[u/Jayson_Tatum → u/homefree122]

Hunting for fouls doesn't help

[u/GokuVerde → u/Jayson_Tatum]

Harassment: Harden hunting for fouls

Empowering: Dog-Master Butler

[u/TheSaltySloth]

Kid in the back of Inside has a “Putin, ISIS, Kim Jong Un, Kyrie” shirt on lol

[u/RabbitWolfie]

Mazzulla seems to have watched more film of the Heats and less of Ben Affleck this week

[u/NoShameInternets → u/RabbitWolfie]

Brad called him into his office, put on the game films and blasted a fog horn every time Mazzulla should’ve called a timeout but didn’t.

[u/CreatiScope → u/NoShameInternets]

Then you must not remember that Brad was absolutely guilty of letting the guys try to stop opponent runs on their own too.

[u/TraanPol → u/RabbitWolfie]

The spirit of Jeremy Renner possessed him

[u/DriveByStoning → u/TraanPol]

Brad: We're going to hurt some people

Joe: Whose car are we gonna take?

[u/homefree122 → u/RabbitWolfie]

But The Town is so fucking good still

[u/pfqq → u/homefree122]

I like The Departed

[u/ThanosIsDoomfist → u/pfqq]

I mean yeah, the Departed is way better lol

[u/00764 → u/ThanosIsDoomfist]

The movie is so good that it makes Mark Wahlberg seem amazing in it. One of the best pieces in a movie surrounded by top tier talent from the top down. One of my favorites.

[u/mkhimau5 → u/00764]

I'm the guy that does his job, you must be the other guy!

[u/piececurvesleft → u/mkhimau5]

How’s ya motha

[u/mkhimau5 → u/piececurvesleft]

She's tired from fuckin' my fathah

[u/SterlingMallory]

Boston winning this series and espn analytics being right after all would be hilarious

[u/Zloggt → u/SterlingMallory]

Imagine the smugness that’ll come from whatever nerds help crunch those numbers…

[u/souttous → u/Zloggt]

Could it possibly match the smugness of redditors tho? Seems impossible

[u/CIark → u/Zloggt]

Imagine the silence from the suburban teenagers on /r/nba that smugly said the analytics guys were idiots tho

[u/bwtwldt → u/CIark]

Rooting for the stats nerds tbh

[u/undermon → u/SterlingMallory]

Analytics are always right, haven't you learned that from Jokic dominating the playoffs this year

[u/poneil → u/undermon]

And Derrick White being a fringe All Star level player, as per 538.

[u/Duke_Vladdy → u/poneil]

Everytime I watch White he turns into Steph so I get it

[u/RetroFrisbee → u/Duke_Vladdy]

Please keep watching

[u/Palifaith]

I blame this on Shakira, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez.

[u/Burger_Gouger → u/Palifaith]

Jeter and Arod being in Miami is def the catalyst for all of this, and thats a fact

[u/IAmNotKevinDurant_35 → u/Burger_Gouger]

I know its his hometown team and all but ARod being one of the primary owners of the timberwolves and cheering for the Heat is kind of weird. Could you imagine if Joe Lacob was at the game today rooting for the Celtics?

[u/shangrila117 → u/IAmNotKevinDurant_35]

What’s he gonna do, cheer for the Wolves?

[u/Burger_Gouger → u/IAmNotKevinDurant_35]

Thanks I hate it

[u/IAmNotKevinDurant_35 → u/Burger_Gouger]

It would be real weird right? He actually used to be a minority owner of the celtics lol

[u/a_crappy_lite → u/Palifaith]

Taylor Swift in shambles

[u/ChiefKeef786 → u/a_crappy_lite]

Swifties in shambles

[u/longconsilver13]

Schill game 6. Game 7 anything can happen

[u/MadlibVillainy → u/longconsilver13]

Would losing in 7 hurt even more than a sweep ? I don't even know anymore.

[u/longconsilver13 → u/MadlibVillainy]

The sweep would've been embarrassing and demoralizing. But if we lose to Miami teams twice in home game 7s I might lose my sanity

[u/AdventurousTwo383 → u/longconsilver13]

Panthers are from Ft Lauderdale but that somehow makes it worse

[u/jpaxlux → u/MadlibVillainy]

At this point I'm just enjoying making Heat fans uncomfortable af lmao

There's less shit talk here after every W

[u/MadlibVillainy → u/jpaxlux]

Yeah at least we're not going out without à fight. But this team has a lot to answer from, we shouldn't be some sort of outsiders trying to make a comeback , not with this roster. But if it's that mentality that help them win , they should absolutely consider themselves as outsiders. No low effort, no arrogance, go get them boys.

[u/Kyler1313]

I'm not saying the Celtics are going to come back to win this series... But the Celtics have come back from 3-2 deficits in the playoffs twice in the past year. They are certainly making it interesting...

[u/DungeonsAndDuck → u/Kyler1313]

they did it last week.

[u/Kyler1313 → u/DungeonsAndDuck]

Yep, and against Giannis last year, both series had somewhat close Game 6s on the road and pretty dominant Game 7s at home. We will see if this series follows that path.

[u/CBJfan03 → u/Kyler1313]

2004: Boston Red Sox were down 3-0 to the NY Yankees in the ALCS. They came back and won the series, and then won the World Series breaking the curse.

2010: Boston Bruins were up 3-0 against the Philadelphia Flyers in the ECSF. They eventually lost that series. In Game 7, they were up 3-0 and lost the game 4-3. The next year they won the Stanley Cup, breaking a 39 year drought.

2023: The Boston Celtics are down 3-0 to the Miami Heat in the ECF. ???

Idk what will happen in this series but Boston has always been apart of 3-0 series comebacks. Just something to think about.

[u/smash-smash-SUHMASH → u/CBJfan03]

we can mention 28-3 too

[u/BlockedbyJake420 → u/smash-smash-SUHMASH]

Falcons fans: we can also not mention it

[u/tasty_scrote → u/CBJfan03]

Boston fans hold the families of the players hostage

[u/LordMcBucketz → u/CBJfan03]

It’s not the same but the Patriots came back down 28-3 in the Super Bowl too

[u/DuckDucks]

The statistical models licking their lips rn

[u/FredDupe]

THE BUFFALO WANTS TO GO BACK TO COLORADO

[u/GGezpzMuppy → u/FredDupe]

Let the man roam ffs. Stop holding him back and he can lead you to the championship

[u/SilverMagnum → u/GGezpzMuppy]

Y’all giving us the Buffalo is why I wasn’t mad you guys got Wemby. I love you Spurs boys because of that.

[u/raceforseis21 → u/SilverMagnum]

We still love our fivehead

[u/1337speak → u/FredDupe]

Hear me and rejoice! You Miami Heat have had the privilege of being saved by The Great Forehead. You may think this is suffering. No... it is salvation. The universal scales tip toward balance because of your sacrifice. Smile... for even in death, you have become children of Derrick White.

[u/Dafatveteran → u/FredDupe]

If Derrick White has a million fans, then I am one of them. If Derrick White has ten fans, then I am one of them. If Derrick White has only one fan then that is me. If Derrick White has no fans, then that means I am no longer on earth. If the world is against Derrick White, then I am against the world.

[u/TehHillsy → u/Dafatveteran]

If Derrick White has only fans then I am a subscriber.

[u/JohnnyWinss → u/FredDupe]

He's R O A M I N

[u/justamobileuserhere → u/FredDupe]

Let him roam

[u/bb15555 → u/FredDupe]

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY. WHEN IN ROAM BABY

[u/smoltanboi]

chris i'm sorry for talking so much shit a week ago can you please add me back to the group chat

[u/saggysocks → u/smoltanboi]

N O

[u/Both_Funny4896]

If we’re ever going to see a 3-0 comeback, this is the chance

[u/JohnnyWinss → u/Both_Funny4896]

Well firstly through Derrick White all things are possible so jot that down

[u/Chadwiko → u/JohnnyWinss]

^Great White Buffalo

[u/guccimane333 → u/JohnnyWinss]

Noted

[u/nibbinoo8 → u/JohnnyWinss]

that doesn't sound right but i don't know enough about derrick white to dispute it

[u/LMAOOOOOOOOOOOO101 → u/Both_Funny4896]

Yeah this Celtics team is just so much more talented, especially with the injuries racking up for the Heat. It’s not even close, and they’d have the potential game 7 at home

[u/destroyerofpoon93 → u/LMAOOOOOOOOOOOO101]

the other times a team came back from 3-0 and made it to game 7 they were all the visiting team. This would be the first time the home team forced a game 7.

[u/The_Assassin_Gower → u/destroyerofpoon93]

Yeh, I don't think we've seen the far better team go down 3-0 early before. If there was ever a chance it's now

[u/Zloggt → u/LMAOOOOOOOOOOOO101]

All that matters is if we see a repeat of Game 3…or one of Game 4…

[u/sidighjd → u/LMAOOOOOOOOOOOO101]

The Heats entire win condition is to shoot unsustainably hot from 3

[u/homefree122 → u/sidighjd]

Hey it’s kind of worked so far

[u/iAmTheRealLange → u/[deleted]]

Regression to the mean, baby!

[u/Dongsquad420BlazeIt → u/iAmTheRealLange]

They only need one more game of it

[u/Conis1 → u/Dongsquad420BlazeIt]

I am terrified lol

[u/Plies- → u/sidighjd]

45% from 3 against the Bucks

29% against the Knicks

Like 48% vs us in games 1-3. I was so annoyed lol.

Though tbf when you're this outmatched talent wise you have to live and die by the three. Everyone clowns the Harden CP3 Rockets for missing 27 straight but that strategy was the only reason they had a good chance against the best team ever assembled.

[u/floatersforalgernon → u/LMAOOOOOOOOOOOO101]

If Miami cannot finish this off next game, Boston will take Game 7.

[u/luke_workin → u/floatersforalgernon]

To be honest, it would be quite fitting for these Celtics to get it all the way to a Game 7, then just fall apart at the end and lose at home.

[u/Borktista → u/luke_workin]

Exactly. It’s written in the stars

[u/TomasRoncero → u/Both_Funny4896]

8 seed team up 3-0, makes sense

[u/Uncircled_swag2 → u/Both_Funny4896]

Jaylen Browns brain is so massive he purposefully played bad so he could be the first to come back 0-3

[u/homefree122 → u/Both_Funny4896]

Said it last game and I'll say it again: if there was ever a team to come back 0-3, could be this Boston team. And I fucking hate it.

[u/HorsNoises → u/homefree122]

Also logically it would make sense that the first team to choke it would be an overachieving 8 seed.

[u/ColtCallahan → u/HorsNoises]

But Spoelstra as the only coach in history to do it would be wild.

[u/TeaAndCrumpets4life → u/Both_Funny4896]

Yeah people throw that 0-150 stat around but how many of those are higher seeded teams just blowing out lower seed teams?

[u/AcrobaticFeedback → u/TeaAndCrumpets4life]

I always assumed the first time this comeback happens it will be due to massive injury changes that happen throughout the series. Just think it’s impossible for a team that is good enough to sweep to be down 0-3 without injury luck. Because the team literally has to sweep to win the series.

[u/Bladespectre → u/Both_Funny4896]

Don't do that. Don't give me hope.

[u/silverxsmoke]

Bro if the Celtics win this series..

[u/Sim888]

Sir, a second Celtics win has hit the Los Angeles Lakers.

[u/Wilee_E_Coyote → u/Sim888]

We won the morale finals, now we want to get to the real won

[u/GGezpzMuppy → u/Wilee_E_Coyote]

They sitting at Cancun airport waiting for your delayed flight

[u/homefree122 → u/GGezpzMuppy]

Chris Paul also gonna fly in from Phoenix.

[u/Otaku_Instinct → u/Sim888]

eastern conference's 9/11

[u/purpleornavy → u/Sim888]

The ‘didn’t get swept but the Lakers did’ banner is gonna be so fire

[u/GGezpzMuppy]

Celtics has to realise they can only go so far as the Buffalo carries them.

Let the man take charge and he will carry the Jays to the promise land.

[u/Wilee_E_Coyote → u/GGezpzMuppy]

This is not the Jay’s team, its the buffalo’s and his wild wings

[u/WickerShoesJoe → u/Wilee_E_Coyote]

This is not the Jay’s team, its the buffalo’s and his wild wings

Dammit, I love it. I was already happy with the win, now I'm laughing like a hyena and it's so late were I live lol

[u/Lawful_Rebellion]

You’re welcome for the additional Inside the NBA episodes folks

[u/un5chanate → u/Lawful_Rebellion]

Single most important part of a Celtics wins for neutral fans. Once it goes all ESPN, unless the game are each awesome to watch, it will be annoying AF.

[u/Gnartopia]

Who is wearing the bloody sock for game 6?

[u/Faliberti → u/Gnartopia]

brogdan bloody sleeve game

[u/ktgop]

the celtics really had to go down 0-3 to play like they give a fuck

[u/BlazeBloom]

Celtics can complete the Reverse Sweep as long as they don't play any close games.

[u/comfypillow → u/BlazeBloom]

Also they can do it if they win them

[u/JimboLodisC → u/BlazeBloom]

I was sweatin' up by 20 cuz I knew they could whip out a 15-0 run

[u/m4n715]

At least it's a TNT series getting extended. If I had to listen to Mark Jackson through game 6 I'd be pissed.

[u/mtaylor808]

It is very difficult to resist the masculine urge to say Celtics in 7

[u/a_crappy_lite → u/mtaylor808]

Just give in

[u/comfypillow → u/mtaylor808]

SAY THE THING

[u/beamingleanin]

if we choke a 3-0 lead im becoming a warriors fan

[u/JohnnyWinss → u/beamingleanin]

That's too easy. Start rooting for the Wizards

[u/jts921 → u/JohnnyWinss]

Fuck that, root for Orlando

[u/igonnawrecku_VGC → u/jts921]

At least Orlando has a future. The Wizards are a dumpster fire that’s been burning since 2017

[u/byteturtle → u/igonnawrecku_VGC]

May interest you in a team that is even worse at choking and everyone hates instead?

[u/igonnawrecku_VGC → u/byteturtle]

I’d rather not be a Grizzlies fan, but thanks for the offer

[u/KingSwagamemnon → u/igonnawrecku_VGC]

"Whyd he say fuck me for?"

[u/windando5736 → u/igonnawrecku_VGC]

At least Orlando has a future. The Wizards are a dumpster fire that’s been burning since 2017

If by 2017, you mean 1979 (which was both the last time we won at least 50 games in a season and the last time we made it past the 2nd round of the playoffs - we've done neither since), then bet. 44 straight years of terrible-to-mid basketball since then.

2017-present have actually been pretty "good" years by Wizards' standards. 2 playoff appearances (as 8th seeds, lost in 1st round both times). 1 40+ win season, and only 1 season below 30 wins. Compare that to the Wizards from a decade ago:

2008-2013: 0 playoff appearances. 0 seasons above 30 wins. Only 3 seasons above 20 wins. Finished 15th, 14th, 13th, 14th, and 12th in the conference.

And then you have an entire decade and a half that was awful before that:

1988-2004: 1 playoff appearance (8th seed, swept in 1st round). 2 seasons above 40 wins. 9 seasons with 30 wins or less. 7 seasons with 25 wins or less. 2 seasons with less than 20 wins. Finished as a double-digit seed in 13/16 seasons, the 3 exceptions being the 2 years with above 40 wins (9th and 8th seed) and one more year as a 9th seed.

No other NBA team comes lose to our consistency in mediocrity over the past nearly-half-century. Ownership refuses to rebuild, yet also refuses to try to bring in good players via FA or trades. They're just content with reaching the playoffs as a 7 or 8 seed once or twice a decade and get knocked out in the 1st round 90% of the time and the 2nd round the other 10%.

If you want to become numb to pain and never feel let down again because you will never have even the slightest expectations of success, there is no better way than by becoming a Wizards fan.

[u/neongem]

Regardless of who wins, I'm just glad the Celtics have decided to make this a series. Two sweeps with over a week in between Finals starting would've been boring asf.

[u/Zzyzx8]

We were all clowning on Marcus Smart but he might have been cooking

[u/jrlandry]

This was an absolute masterclass by Tatum that the stat sheet won’t show

[u/maize_and_beard → u/jrlandry]

Incredible on defense and he ran the entire game on offense tonight. Not his best shooting night, but an incredible all around performance.

[u/truth_2_point_0 → u/maize_and_beard]

We can only hope he's saving a signature Game 6 Jay 40 piece. How deep is the fuel tank man, this series is Tatum's story to write at this point. If he fizzles out so be it, but imagine if he can rise to it. Charge up that spirit bomb lads. Because Jimmy's gonna be looking to do the exact same thing and take over in game 6. He's mostly been chillin but he's well capable of summoning a 40 piece of his own esp at home.

[u/jetpack_operation → u/truth_2_point_0]

As long as we don't let Jimmy just switch on to our weakest defender all game, I'll be happy with our effort against him.

[u/igonnawrecku_VGC → u/maize_and_beard]

He shot great from 2, just couldn’t hit a 3. Points were low because he didn’t take as many shots as he normally does

[u/NOPNOFNOG12 → u/jrlandry]

He set the tone with that monster first quarter, came out breathing fire.

[u/SweetSmplAlchemy]

Mouthpiece Curry. Untucked Kyrie. Headband Lebron.

Elimination Game Celtics.

[u/VisitTheWind → u/SweetSmplAlchemy]

Below .500 Hawks

[u/champloo_express → u/VisitTheWind]

Below .500 Hawks is an all time great team, better than the 96 Bulls and KD Warriors. Change my mind.

[u/MVPRondo → u/[deleted]]

Second to the one game over .500 Hawks, who infact have never won a game.

[u/OrdinaryFortune8690]

The nuggets are loving this…an absolute slug fest in the ECF

[u/theprodigy64 → u/OrdinaryFortune8690]

I dunno if I'm the Nuggets I don't think I want to see the Celtics in the Finals, short rest or not that would be a team with a ton of momentum coming off a historic comeback (also home court).

(ideal scenario would be Heat in 7 for them lmao)

[u/LouieM13]

“Don’t let us get one.”

-Marcus Smart

[u/ThanosIsDoomfist → u/LouieM13]

"Dont let us get one"

-Me after having one jack in the box taco, eyeing the other 5 in the bag

[u/kob424 → u/LouieM13]

“Don’t let us get one.”

-Kevin Millar
-Marcus Smart

[u/joebos617]

yankees fans are having ptsd

[u/HokageEzio → u/joebos617]

2004 isn't a real year.

[u/StridingNephew]

"Sam Hauser with a dagger three, and the Celtics climb back to 3-2 against the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals" is not a sentence I expected to see this season

[u/FredDupe]

This sub better hope we lose in game 6. Or else we will be insufferable

[u/ktgop → u/FredDupe]

if we win this series i will never stop talking about it

[u/MiaCannons]

Thank you Highsmith, Caleb, and Duncan for actually showing up tonight.

Highsmith is definitely going to be in the rotation next game even if Vincent can play. He was an absolute dog on defense. Didn't bite on any pump fakes and stayed glued to his man.

Disgusted with what I saw from Jimmy, Bam, and Lowry. All of them were way too indecisive with what they wanted to do which lead to a ton of turnovers. Bam was probably the worst of them because most of his were due to having butterfingers instead of bad passes.

Spoiler: Dribbling half the shot clock away then passing the ball once for an iso isn't good offense. Neither is driving in the paint, instantly stopping, then pivoting a bunch to either put up a contested shot or trying to force a pass.

[u/EarthWarping → u/MiaCannons]

No Gabe and I think the series is over. Kyle isn't that guy anymore.

[u/Solid-Confidence-966]

Another elimination game master class for Tatum

[u/bcallahan2 → u/Solid-Confidence-966]

Glad to see people actually watched their televisions tonight

[u/arob770]

4 Days in May

[u/hellflower666]

You'd think with all the Celtic lowlights and Heat highlights posted, the Heat were up by 20 in the 4th

[u/gfatcho → u/hellflower666]

Fr what was up with that? We’re jerking off highsmith while not even showcasing the lockdown defense from insert celtics player here??

[u/BPeachyJr → u/gfatcho]

It was all one guy lol

[u/DiseaseRidden]

Miami put Mazzulla into a chokehold. Their fucking mistake.

[u/JohnnyWinss → u/DiseaseRidden]

He's coaching with a boner. He's truly unstoppable now

[u/Janice_Ant]

Okay this is the PHI series all over again with the 3-2. Cmon Celtics lemme see a historic moment.

[u/lazy-waffle]

Why don’t the Celtics just steal more often 🤔

[u/Viscously-Organic]

Oh god oh fuck they’re gonna do it aren’t they

[u/HornyHindu]

TOP O' THE MORNING, MOTHERFUCKERS!!!

p.s. the ROAMING BUFFALO brought the HEAT tonight!

[u/a_crappy_lite → u/HornyHindu]

GIVE

[u/HornyHindu → u/a_crappy_lite]

ME

[u/shortpersonohara → u/HornyHindu]

THE

[u/bigvahe33 → u/shortpersonohara]

GOLD

[u/Uncircled_swag2]

They rewrote the script because some of you guys were getting wild saying Butler was better than Tatum all time

[u/KyleShanadad]

I will move to the middle of nowhere, build a hut, live off the land, and never interact with society again if we are the first team to blow a 3-0 lead

[u/Mynamedoesntfuckingf]

Ah yes, a series turnaround thanks to the help of

checks notes

Grant Williams

[u/Dreamlifehunting]

The buffalo was roaming.

Elimination game Tatum.

Is this happening?

[u/Tominio7]

Gonna be embarrassing if ESPN predictions prove to be accurate after all

[u/Shwaziland]

Horrible night to be a hater. Cs in 7

[u/instant_ostrich]

Plenty of teams have come back from 3-2....

[u/AmbitionExtension184]

MIA stops shooting the best 3P% in conference finals history and 2 straight blowouts.

[u/TastyRainbows]

"don't let us get one"

[u/[deleted]]

All I asked for was a bloodbath in the East and that's what we're getting.