It's Safe To Say The Celtics Title Defense All Comes Down To Today

Brian Babineau. Getty Images.

Well folks, this is it. Welcome to the biggest game of the 2024-25 Celtics season. Due to their own ineptitude, the reality for the Celtics and for us as fans is that they have entered the Danger Zone. The margin for error? Gone. The situation is pretty self-explanatory: you either win today, or NBA history says your title defense is over.

While it's the first to 4, there's no need to sugarcoat it. Down 0-3 is a death sentence until proven otherwise. And sure, the Celts nearly made that comeback in 2023, but there's a reason it's never happened before in NBA history. I suppose there's a first time for everything, but 159-0 is 159-0. In the second round, that number is 48-0. 

The frustrating part is that this situation was completely avoidable had you simply not blown back to back 20 point leads. If that happened once? It's not the end of the world. But twice? Shit like that is why we're here. 

And while none of this is anything you don't already know, please understand that I'm mostly writing this blog because I am antsy as fuck and need a way to occupy the next 4 hours. What better way than to nervously ramble on the blog? It's therapeutic at a time like this. I understand that when you're in this spot, you may need something to help your nerves, which is why I'm here. When it comes to bouncing back after losses on the road, the Celts are among the best on the planet at doing just that

That's our reason to believe to get things started. If there's one thing that is true of the entire Tatum/Brown Era, it's that they are resilient as fuck. When their backs are up against it, they find a way. 

When it comes to playing on the road, remember that this group is historic. Not just good, historic

Advertisement

They won both games at MSG this season, including a game in late April that had both sides completely healthy. Knicks had all their guys, including Mitchell Robinson, Celts had all their guys, and they pulled out the big 119-117 OT win with Tatum playing great (and KP who had 34). 

That's reason to believe #2.

Next up? The Boston Celtics have not lost 3 games in a row in 2 years. Not since the 2023 ECF. For a moment, ignore the fact that this series is basically a carbon copy of that series and instead focus on the fact that since Game 3 in 2023, the Celts have played 194 games without losing 3 straight. 

Just. Be. Normal. 

That's reason to believe #3

Next up? Remember what this team has done on the road in the postseason this entire decade. Since 2019-20, no team in the NBA has more road playoff wins than the Boston Celtics. None.

Now, some of those 29 wins include non-Mazzulla Era Celtics, so let's trim things down to since he took over in 2022-23. Those results? Still the most in the NBA

14-5 on the road in the playoffs during the Mazzulla Era, they are certainly capable of doing it today. It won't be easy, MSG is going to be insane, but nobody this decade is more equipped to handle this situation than the defending Champs. 

That's reason to believe #4

In order for this to happen today, it goes without saying that the Jays are going to have to be at their best. The good news is that so far in these playoffs on the road, Jayson Tatum is averaging 36.5/11.5/3.5 in his 2 road playoff games. AT MSG this year (2 games) Tatum averaged 36.0/6.5/4.5 on 50/44% splits

Given his first two performances and his track record of stepping up on the road in the playoffs, it feels like Tatum is due. We've seem him do it several times when elimination was on the table. Going into MIL in Game 6 and dropping 46. Going into Philly and burying them late in the 4th. In 2023, he had 33/11/7 in Game 4 in MIA and then 31/12/5 in Game 6 in MIA. In 2022 in Game 7 in MIA, he had 26/10/6

Advertisement

The point is, this is not Tatum's first rodeo, and he has the body of work that should give you confidence.

That's reason to believe #5

I will fully admit. You just watched a blogger cope in real time, and really this blog may have been more for me than it was for you, but if you're a Celts fan and you needed some reasons to believe today, I do hope this helped. It's beyond frustrating that this is the position the team is in, but you can't change the past. All you can do is respond and take this thing one game at a time. Win today, and the door cracks open. That's all that matters right now.

Avoid the kiss of death 0-3 hole, and keep your title defense alive. Please.