When addressing the team in the locker room following their Game 2 win over the Dallas Mavericks, Joe Mazzulla begged his team to "be hungrier."
"We've gotta be hungrier," the coach said. "We've got to be hungrier."
The Celtics have successfully fought against complacency all season long. Why would they start now?
History would suggest the Celtics are in good shape. Teams that win the first two games of the NBA Finals go on to win the series 86.1% of the time (31-5), and those who win the first two at home win the series 84.4% of the time (27-5).
However, the Celtics have built their 78-20 record this season on the idea of having the right mindset and not skipping any steps. The way they view things, there is always room for improvement, even for a team that's two wins away from reaching the top of the basketball world.
"You almost got to play like you're down 0-2 rather than up. That's hard to do. You got to go into that mind frame, that focus," Jaylen Brown. "Now we are playing like that, rather than you let comfort, you let some of those things kind of seep in. You just try to stay focused and try to harness the mind as much as you can. The mind is a powerful thing. It's hard to grasp some of those things as you are taking them in. If you can kind of focus your mind on what you want it to focus on, you'd be surprised what you can do."
Maintaining a sharp focus has been central to the Celtics' success all season long, a principle they must uphold as they head to Dallas. Staying attentive and disciplined will be critical as they look to put a 3-0 stranglehold on this series.
"For us, it's just continuing to do what we've been doing all year," Al Horford said. "Being consistent on the defensive end. On offense, playing the way we want to play. Just being consistent. Our team has done this all season. Now, we have a great opportunity in Game 3 to come in here. We understand it's not going to be easy. It's going to be a tough game."
Games 3 and 4 could present new challenges, starting with the obvious one: the possibility of missing Kristaps Porzingis due to a medical rarity.
"KP has been tremendous for our group, not just in the Playoffs, but all season long. It's obvious him on the floor just helps elevate us to a different level," Jaylen Brown said. "But we've been priding ourselves on a next-man-up mentality. We prepare for these moments to be able to play with or without anyone. It just requires somebody else on our team to step up and everybody to buy in to get a full team victory."
"Just means someone is going to have to step up. We trust every single person on this team," Derrick White added. "They've stepped up this whole postseason."
Despite the potential challenges, the Celtics are prepared. They've navigated similar situations before, posting a 9-1 record in the 10 games Porzingis missed this postseason. Yet, they remain focused on the task at hand, knowing that their mindset and focus on the controllables will be crucial as they head to Dallas.
"It's how we come out for Game 3. Got to be the more desperate team," Pritchard said. "I think if we take care of business and really come out with a purpose, we'll be all right."
Indeed, desperation, coupled with focus and determination, can go a long way. In professional sports, the team that wants it more typically comes out on top. With their mindset and constant focus on winning the day, the Celtics have forged a historic season—now, with a win in Game 3, they can inch closer to validating that season with a championship ring by just being themselves.
"Trying to be the hungrier team," Jrue Holiday said on the approach entering Game 3. "We're going to go out there and try and execute a game plan, and I think most of us just try and do it together as a team."
