No NBA team has recovered from a 3-0 hole. But there's always a first time for everything.
If things are purely based on statistics, then the Boston Celtics’ fate in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals is doomed. No NBA team has recovered from a 3-0 disadvantage.
But for two straight games the Cs defied the math against the Miami Heat to live another day.
Boston’s confidence-boosting 110-97 win in Game 5 should be enough to make the Heat sweat. Jimmy Butler though, looks like a person who won’t panic by back-to-back losses. Miami is still very much in control, and the series will shift back to Florida on Sunday.
Jaylen Brown though issued a very strong message.
“They let us get two, so don’t let us get another,” Brown confidently said after the game.
That might sound like poking the bear, but Brown has a point.
If the Heat does lose Game 6, Celtics will have all the momentum heading into Game 7. And the celebrated franchise has a history of dominating at home in that do-or-die scenario.
Not to mention, Boston is finally hitting shots.
“Tonight we were the tougher playing team. We set the tone from start to finish. We got a great team win, we hit shots.”
On Friday, four Celtics scored 21 or more points including Brown, Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, and Marcus Smart.
Miami will have to right the ship or they will be the butt of all 0-3 jokes for years, even decades.