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Celtics Determined to Avoid Warriors Celebrating a Title on Their Home Floor: 'All the motivation in the world'
The Celtics are 6-6 at home this postseason. Since sweeping the Nets, they're 4-5 against the Bucks, Heat, and Warriors at TD Garden. Now, preserving their title hopes hinges on protecting their home court.
Jaylen Brown made it abundantly clear Game 6 being inside TD Garden is a source of fuel for the Celtics.
"All the motivation in the world. Game 6 on our home floor, in front of our fans, last game in TD Garden, nothing more needs to be said."
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Along with wanting to feed off one of the most advantageous home environments in the NBA -- at least that's usually the case -- there's also the desire to prevent Golden State from enjoying a championship celebration on the TD Garden parquet.
"It's been addressed today. We already had that mindset. We know what's at stake," said Brown. He added: "Come out on our home floor and leave it all out there."
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Jayson Tatum expressed: "It's great being back home. It's the last home game of the season. (I'm) looking forward to being in front of the crowd, knowing they're going to be behind us, giving us that extra boost of energy as they have my whole career," adding, "it's going to be fun, it's going to be a great atmosphere."
But does Tatum feel like the Celtics again having their season and title aspirations on the line calls for him to become more vocal?
"We're all professionals and adults. We know what's at stake. Everybody in that locker room should and is going to understand what we have to do and what's on the line. It shouldn't take a hero's speech or anything like that. Everybody should be juiced up and ready to play."
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The Celtics energy and assertiveness at the start of the game will show you if they're ready to play. Their ability to sustain those elements while limiting turnovers should put them in a promising position to force a Game 7.
As Ime Udoka put it: "You've got to do things well to start the game, not put ourselves behind the eight ball like we did last game. As confident as we are and the situations we've been in, we understand Golden State's a high IQ, well-coached team that's not going to beat themselves; you have to go out there and take it."
Further Reading
Turnover-Prone Celtics Understand Ramifications of Not Solving Their Worst Habit
Celtics Address Perplexing Slow Start to Pivotal Game 5 of NBA Finals
[Film Room] Keys to Celtics Getting Jayson Tatum Going in Game 5 of NBA Finals
Tony Parker Sizes Up the NBA Finals, Talks Ime Udoka and His Collaboration with MTN Dew LEGEND
The Anatomy of the Celtics' Fourth-Quarter Comeback in Game 1 of NBA Finals
