Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Celtics Focused on Eastern Conference, Not NBA Finals: 'You don't want any feelings of regret; We have a chance to do something special'
For the Celtics, getting to the Eastern Conference Finals required going into Milwaukee and defeating the defending champions in their building to force a Game 7 in Boston. It took a 46-point masterpiece, arguably the best performance of Jayson Tatum's career, considering the stakes and having to outduel Giannis Antetokounmpo, who scored 44, to extend the Celtics' season.
After extinguishing the Heat in the second half of Game 5 on Wednesday, outscoring Miami 56-34 in the final two quarters before both teams emptied their benches, Boston's the team coming home with its opponent on the ropes.
Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports
The Heat look fatigued, and they're dealing with a laundry list of injuries that have resulted in Kyle Lowry looking like a shell of himself. The same goes for Jimmy Butler since missing the second half of Game 3 due to a knee injury. Tyler Herro's missed the last two matchups due to a groin injury that may keep him from playing Friday.
But the hardest win to earn in a playoff series is the one that ends the opposition's season. Led by its battle-tested veterans, Miami will rally around the thought of ruining the party and sending the series back to South Beach for Game 7.
When the Celtics came home with a 2-1 lead, they lacked urgency in Game 3, and it cost them. They know they can't lose focus if they're to deliver the knockout blow.
Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports
After his team's 93-80 win in Game 5, Tatum spoke about the need for Boston to stay locked in on the task at hand.
"Don't look past them; don't believe what you guys say on TV that we're going to the championship. We came into tonight with the mentality that it was a must-win game, and we need to carry that mentality over. We need to go into it like we're down 3-2."
When asked whether this opportunity feels different than the last time he was a win away from reaching the NBA Finals, Tatum replied: "Yeah, it does. My rookie year, being up 3-2, obviously (a) different team now. I'm a lot better. JB is. We're older. We've been through tough times."
Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports
Jaylen Brown, who finished Wednesday's win with a game-high 25 points, scoring 19 in the second half, and going from four turnovers in the first two quarters to none in the final two frames, expressed: "This is a great opportunity. Leave everything on the floor. You don't want any feelings of regret. We have a chance to do something special."
Al Horford, who's been a steadying force for this Celtics team throughout this playoff journey, said his message to the team between now and Game 6 is "just continuing to do what we've been doing. Preparing, getting our rest, approaching that game on Friday at home, and (to) just do what we do."
Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports
Ime Udoka offered a reminder that "they beat us there already, so we have to come out with the same urgency as these last two wins and put it away."
Thursday, before the Celtics flew back to Boston, Udoka discussed his team's motivation to reach the NBA Finals for the first time. He cited a calming effect to the group's experience, with the core of this roster playing in the conference finals on multiple occasions.
Between going through this before, which for Udoka includes advancing to the Finals and winning a championship with the Spurs as an assistant in 2014, and the tests they've past to put themselves on the verge of playing on the NBA's brightest stage, Udoka knows his team can meet the moment, stating, "none of us are fazed by this."
Further Reading
Jayson Tatum Points to Winning, Growth as a Playmaker for All-NBA First Team Selection
What Stood Out from Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals: In a Must-Win Game, Celtics Deliver
