Boston Celtics fans Even a blowout loss counts for just one loss

Celtics fans, how would you feel if you had known in advance that your guys would have a 3-1 lead returning to TD Garden for Game 5 of the NBA Finals?

That’s right, isn’t it? Yes, it’s 3-1 and the only reason you might be feeling down is because Boston lost the most recent game. If the Celtics had instead lost Game 3 and won Game 4, you’d have more confidence. It’s all about recency bias and perception.

So, we’re here to say, come in off the ledge, Celtics fans. Believe it or not, playoff games are separate entities. One team winning a blowout does not guarantee that team winning the next game, too. There’s no carryover of points or momentum. A loss by 38 points counts the same as a loss by one point.

Obviously, the Game 4 debacle hit extra hard because the Larry O’Brien Trophy was in the Dallas arena, all polished and ready to be handed to the Celtics. The champagne was on ice. It hurts to miss out on that. But knowing by the third quarter that it was time to look ahead to Game 5 hurt much less than, say, losing Game 6 at home on a hellacious shot in the final seconds of double overtime.

(Two days later, Boston won Game 7 and Banner 12 at Milwaukee, which was in the Western Conference at the time.)

Face it: The Celtics were probably due to lose after winning 10 straight playoff games and nine in a row on the road dating back to last year’s postseason. And it takes extraordinary circumstances for them to lose.

In one respect, if they had to lose, being humiliated in the worst Celtics playoff loss ever should provide extra motivation for payback.

Just look to recent history for an example of that situation: the 2017 Warriors took a 3-0 Finals lead but were then blown out by 21 in Cleveland. The Dubs went home and closed out the series in five despite LeBron James dropping 41 and 13 for the Cavs.

Some examples from Celtics history:

• In the 1982 Eastern Conference Finals, the Larry Bird Celtics buried the Sixers in Game 1 by 40 points. The Cs were throwing lob passes to third-stringers in the last moments. But Julius Erving’s Sixers were a proud bunch. They won Game 2 in Boston and went on to take the series in seven, winning the final in front of a stunned Boston Garden crowd.
• In the ’85 NBA Finals, a similar scene played out. The Celts crushed the Lakers in Game 1 by 34 points. Scott Wedman literally could not miss, hitting 11-of-11 with four threes. The rout was nicknamed The Boston Massacre. Yet Los Angeles came back, 109-102, to steal Game 2. They won the title in six.
• And one for the good guys: The 1984 Celtics were run off the court in Game 3, losing at LA, 137-104. In postgame, Bird said his teammates played “like sissies.” People were saying the series was over, but the Cs fought back (literally), won Game 4 in overtime, and the title in seven.

In each case, the players took their embarrassment personally and were driven to have the last word. That’s not unusual.

The question now is: will the current Celtics have the pride to put this series away on Monday? If not, then of course we should all be concerned. But for now…

They will be playing in front of home fans who will surely have their intensity cranked higher than high; Kristaps Porzingis was active for Game 4 and presumably will play in Game 5; and if you like omens, the date will be June 17, the 16th anniversary of the 2008 championship clincher.

Probably best of all, the Mavs now have the Celtics’ attention.