So, here we go again: 48 minutes stand between the Celtics and an NBA title this evening at TD Garden.
That last bit is significant. This town has seen plenty of titles this century, but rarely with its own eyes: of the 12 titles won by Boston’s four major pro teams, just two — the Celtics in 2008 and the Red Sox in 2013 — were clinched here in Boston.
Yeah, maybe it’s cheating, since half of those championships were won by the Patriots at neutral sites, but still. It’s not something we see all that often.
So that, in part, is what’s on the line for the Celtics this evening as Game 5 of the NBA Finals approaches. Well, that, and not putting themselves in a position to suffer the worst playoff choke in NBA history. So, you know. No pressure.
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Let’s get into it.
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About last night and what’s on deck
Here’s what you need to know
- 🏀 Kristaps Porzingis is once again listed as questionable as he continues to recover from an ankle/foot injury sustained in Game 2. I can’t imagine he’s ready to play meaningful minutes, but I guess there’s only one way to find out.
- 🏀 Kyrie Irving said some weird stuff, again. A little taking of responsibility, but also something about the Celtics being a cult? Not really sure.
- 🏒 Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final is on Tuesday night in Florida, with the Oilers looking to continue their comeback from a 3-0 series deficit.
Up next: Game 5 of the NBA Finals is tonight at TD Garden. Tip-off on ABC is set for 8:30 p.m. Here’s your preview.
In the know: Chad Finn on adjustments for Game 5
Amin: There’s certainly a case for burning the tape on Game 4, but the way the Mavericks dominated Boston inside was so stark. How do you think Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics might try to remedy that interior issue in Game 5?
Chad: Stark is the perfect word there. The Mavericks outscored the Celtics 60-26 in the paint and outrebounded them 52-31, including 13-4 on the offensive glass. There is some concern for me that the rebounding differential is the one thing from Game 4 that might be close to sustainable for Dallas. The Mavs are just bigger. It was noticeable too when Tatum would get by his defender, only to run into roadblocks in the paint.
How to remedy it? A few ways. Better effort and focus, foremost. The Celtics were caught in no-man’s land so often in Game 4, whether rebounding or pursuing loose balls.
Dereck Lively II was fantastic in Game 4, but I’m not sure he’ll be the same player in front of the Garden crowd. Same goes for most of the Mavs’ role players.
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And of course, there’s the true wild card – Kristaps Porzingis. I don’t think a Willis Reed moment is out of the question, but it would be a surprise if he can give them significant minutes.
I do hope the Celtics manipulate the crowd a little bit with his status – the roof will fly off the place if he comes out of the tunnel after everyone else and does his usual sweeping waves to the crowd. Make ‘em think he’s going to play even if he’s not.
Amin: It’s been an up-and-down series for a few guys, from Jayson Tatum’s slow scoring start to Jrue Holiday’s particularly rough night on Friday. Who in particular do you need to see more from if the Celtics are going to close this out on Monday night?
Chad: Yeah, I’m comfortable saying we’re never going to see another minus-38 out of Holiday ever again. That might have been the craziest statistic out of all the dismal numbers from Game 4. I think he’s going to have a monster game tonight.
One hundred games into this, we know exactly what this team looks like when it is playing its best. The ball moves, mismatches are exploited over and over again, the energy on both ends only briefly wanes, and Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown pick their spots to go into iso-mode.
Game 4 was the opposite of that. Tatum was fine in the first quarter, but Brown looked as out of sorts as he did in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals last year, and no one else could make a shot.
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Seeing a few 3s drop early would be huge. And, as difficult as it is to do, they have to forget what’s at stake. Play with the effort that was absent in Game 4, share the ball, value every possession, take advantage of mismatches, and never lose focus of the moment. If they can do that, this thing ends tonight.
What’s good?
Here we go. Game 5. Got tickets? Do they cost more than your rent payment this month?
If you’re headed to the Garden, the usual reminders: Canal Street will be shut down to cars hours before the game. The Celtics’ entertainment teams and DJ will be out celebrating a few hours before tip. And the giveaway tonight: Special “Whatever It Takes” shirts in green, white, and black — they’ll spell out “617,” “BOS,” and “18″ on the seats.
A few reminders if you don’t have tickets but are heading out to celebrate: We’re not looking to go Vancouver in 2011, folks. Have fun, but keep it civil. Drink lots of water. Tip your bartenders. And get home safe. — Katie McInerney
For the group chat
With TNT likely set to lose its NBA rights in the next media deal and star personality Charles Barkley planning to retire after next season, this may really be it for “Inside the NBA,” perhaps the best studio show we’ve ever had.
So with just one season to go of Charles, Shaq, Kenny, and Ernie, here’s a completely unscientific ranking of my five favorite moments from the show’s run.
(And in the interest of keeping my job, there will be no inclusions regarding the fine people of San Antonio.)
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5. My favorite Chuck one-liner, and the renamed segment it spawned.
4. I will never get sick of watching Charles and Shaq clowning the Rockets-Clippers locker room incident and resulting “police presence” at Staples Center. “Hello? Police? Chris Paul’s trying to beat me up!”
3. The bigger they are, the harder they fall.
2. Shaq is a rather confident, boastful guy, so he bet Charles $20 that he could eat an extremely spicy chip without making a face. Spoiler alert: He could not.
1. The gas argument, in which Shaq more or less proved that the ability to do basic math is not as common among the populace as you would think. (I’d also like to note that one of my co-writers of this newsletter apparently agrees with Shaq, and it’s really affected our working relationship.)
Hopefully next season isn’t the last we’ll see of these guys. But if it is, it’s been a heck of a ride.
Go deeper
A second-chance shot at the Finals clincher presents itself to the Celtics. Will they score?
Now that the embarrassment has subsided and the egg has dried, the Celtics realize they are still up three games to one in this NBA Finals. Regardless of the doubts that may have crept up from their 38-point loss in Game 4, the Celtics still control the series. Read more from Gary Washburn here.
Kyrie Irving acknowledges mind-set in Boston led to wrong approach with Celtics legends
Kyrie Irving said he took the wrong approach with Celtics legends after he was traded to the team in 2017. Instead of going back, looking up the history, and reaching out to those who came before him for wisdom, Irving said he took on a “go with the flow” mind-set. If he had the chance to go back and do things over again, Irving, who has since played for the Nets and now Mavericks, said he would have been the one reaching out for advice instead of expecting others to come to him. Read more in the Celtics notebook
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Sullivan: A championship at home is a rare occurrence
Do you remember where you were when the Red Sox broke the curse? When Tom Brady stood under the confetti for the first of his six Patriots Super Bowls? When Tim Thomas turned himself into a human wall and anchored a Stanley Cup for the Bruins? Of course you do, whether it was home, out with friends, or in a local bar, you remember. You know where you were, and I know where you were not. At Fenway Park. Or at TD Garden. Or in Gillette Stadium.. Read the full column from Tara Sullivan.
Amin Touri can be reached at amin.touri@globe.com.
