In previous seasons, when faced with adversity, the Celtics often seemed poised to surrender.
They would grow desperate, resorting to heavy isolation and settling for ill-advised shots, ultimately relinquishing any chance of a comeback.
Sometimes, you’re up against a team having one of those nights where every shot seems to go in. That’s exactly what happened in Game 2, with the Heat breaking records by sinking 23 triples at an incredible 53.5% from downtown. In situations like that, frustration and desperation can creep in, especially in the playoffs. It’s occurred plenty with the Celtics over the years. But on Thursday night, it was a different story for the Celtics, as highlighted by veteran Danny Green on WEEI’s “Slammed” podcast.
“I was looking to see what Boston’s body language was and how they reacted to every time [Miami] hit a three. And it didn’t seem like at any point that they lost poise, lost control, or lost confidence and like, got down like, ‘Oh, this game is over.’ If I saw that in the third or fourth quarter, their body language wasn’t good, I would’ve been like, ‘Alright, this game is over.’ They are just trying to play hero-ball one-on-one. I didn’t see that, in particular, for Boston, and I didn’t see that throughout most of the game at all,” Green said.
“Their body language didn’t change much. They didn’t get down on each other or start self-destructing. They still continued to play the game and did not let the fact that Miami was making shots get them down. So, that was a good sign to me that and let me know that they did have some more maturity because I’ve seen in the past – obviously, they had different groups then or different players that, I wouldn’t say, self-destruct, but you would see like the trickle-down effect of guys kind of getting on each other or getting upset and frustrated with each other. I didn’t see that last night.”
Despite their efforts to claw back into the game, a slew of mistakes plagued the Celtics, including weak perimeter defense, stagnant offense, turnovers, and missed free throws. These miscues proved insurmountable, resulting in a 111-101 loss and allowing Miami to even the series at one game apiece as they head to South Beach.
Alongside Boston’s own mistakes, Miami’s hot shooting, coupled with Boston’s lackadaisical perimeter defense and co-stars struggling due to the team’s sluggish offensive pace, was the story of Game 2, and it served as a not-so-gentle wake-up call for the Celtics.
“That was a wake-up call for them,” Green said. “I’m sure they’ll get back to the film – refocus and lock in.”
The Celtics’ ability to refocus and respond has been a strength this season. Boston posted a 14-4 record after a loss, much to the credit of their “win the moment” mindset, which Green outlined as a critical factor in postseason play.
“Huge. That’s more than half the battle,” said on the importance of mindset in the postseason. “Staying locked in and focused for 48 minutes for that duration is more mentally and emotionally taxing than it is physical. People know how hard it is to get to the Finals. The team that wins is usually the team that is more locked in and focused. Half of the time, it’s not even the team that’s the most talented or has the best team. It’s the team that’s well-coached. It’s the team that’s the most disciplined. And that can sustain that mental endurance.”
“It’s a long marathon of trying to stay locked in,” Green added. “The mental part of it is a huge aspect and the team that’s usually the mentally toughest is the one that’s the last team standing.”
Green, a three-time NBA champion with the Spurs, Raptors, and Lakers, understands what it takes to succeed at the highest level and the scarcity of such opportunities. As the Celtics aim to steer clear of past immaturities, Green emphasizes the importance of keeping the thought of this rare opportunity at the forefront of their minds.
“You don’t get this opportunity many chances. Teams don’t stay together forever. You got to take advantage of the opportunities you have,” Green said. “It’s one of those things that they have to kind of wake up and realize and understand – especially the guys that have been there and continue to keep that hunger, and the coaching staff kind of keep reiterating to them like this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, you guys may never get this again. It doesn’t happen all the time where you have a team like this or a group like this to do something special.”
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