As a spectator, it can be difficult at times to completely trust the Boston Celtics when it looks like the sky is falling. Especially after years of watching the team seemingly let opponents come back from the dead.
The fourth quarter of the Celtics’ Game 3 win over the Dallas Mavericks felt like it was going to be another disappointing chapter in the book of playoff collapses. After ballooning the lead to 21 points with 11:07 left to play, Boston looked like me and the rest of the CelticsBlog staff trying to hoop out there.
You could’ve blinked twice and the deficit would’ve already been cut to single digits with 8:01 remaining. In the coming minutes, the Mavs continued their push and cut it down to just one point, but that’s as far as they got.
Did it feel surprising that the Celtics managed to hold off Dallas’ incredible run?
At the time, yes.
But, this isn’t something that anyone should’ve been shocked by. This version of the Celtics has been telling us that they’ve got things under control all season long. Time and time again, they’ve issued responses to haymaker runs from opposing teams, including this very Mavericks team.
Dallas made a final 9-0 push in the closing minutes to try and steal Game 2 in Boston, but a big block from Derrick White, followed by a clutch drive from Jaylen Brown put a stop to it.
Wednesday turned out to be yet another example of Boston’s poise in the big moments.
“If you want to be a champion, you have to be resilient in those moments, and we showed that tonight,” said Jayson Tatum.
Once Dallas had chipped the difference down to just one, Boston ripped off a quick 5-0 run to push the lead back to six. That run was fueled by — you guessed it — resiliency.
Their first field goal in over three minutes came by the way of a putback layup by Jaylen Brown, who had crashed the offensive glass on a Tatum miss.
Immediately after, Jrue Holiday picked up Kyrie Irving in the backcourt to pressure the ball. His hounding defense caused PJ Washington to rush over and set an illegal screen, resulting in a turnover and quick stop for the Celtics.
Holiday then threw one of the prettiest passes you’ll see to find Derrick White for an open three, which put Boston up by six.
Despite the unreal wave of momentum that the Cs were battling at the time, they remained poised in the biggest stretch of the night and controlled the things that they could control.
“I think even though that lead dwindled fast, we found ways and moments to overcome it,” Brown told reporters. “In that fourth quarter I was proud of, we made some big-time plays. Jrue Holiday, D-White, JT was physical, aggressive. Got to the paint, and we were able to finish it.”
Boston has continuously found was to bend without breaking, and it may have all-but captured their 18th NBA championship in Game 3.
