THE CELTICS PUNCH BACK AND KICK THE SHIT OUT OF THE BUCKS TO TAKE GAME 2!!!

Maddie Meyer. Getty Images.

NOW THAT IS HOW YOU RESPOND. THAT'S THE CHAMPIONSHIP CALIBER BOSTON CELTICS I REMEMBER WATCHING FOR THE LAST 5 MONTHS. WE ALL WANTED TO SEE HOW THIS TEAM WOULD RESPOND AFTER THAT VERY EMBARRASSING GAME 1 PERFORMANCE AND IT WAS BETTER THAN I EVEN IMAGINED. I WAS TOLD GIANNIS WOULDN'T STUGGLE OFFENSIVELY AGAIN JUST LIKE I WAS ALWAYS TOLD KEVIN DURANT WOULDN'T STRUGGLE AGAIN AND ALL I SEE IS GIANNIS GOING 11-27 AND THIS GAME NEVER REALLY BEING CLOSE. CELTS LED BY AS MUCH AS 25 POINTS AND IT NEVER GOT INTO SINGLE DIGITS. A COMPLETE AND UTTER ASS KICKING AT A TIME WHEN THIS CELTICS TEAM NEEDED TO KICK SOMEONE'S ASS. YOU GO DOWN 0-2 AND YOUR SEASON IS ON LIFE SUPPORT. THE FACT THAT I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT MAKES ME VERY HAPPY. NOW IT'S TIME TO GO WIN GAME 3 AND TAKE BACK HOMECOURT. THIS TEAM JUST HELD THE BUCKS TO UNDER 90 POINTS WITHOUT THE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR WHICH IS NOT ONLY WILDLY IMPRESSIVE BUT ALSO AWESOME BECAUSE WE GET TO ADD THE DPOY FOR GAME 3. DID I MENTION THAT GIANNIS ONLY SHOT 11-27? 

OH YOU THOUGHT WE WERE DONE WITH THE YELLING WE MOST CERTAINLY ARE NOT DONE WITH THE YELLING. CAN WE TALK ABOUT JAYLEN BROWN FOR A SECOND HOLY SHIT. THE CELTS NEEDED THEIR TWO STARS TO SHOW UP AND CARRY AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY DID. THEY SET THE TONE EARLY AND THE REST WAS HISTORY. NOW PLEASE GIVE ME A MOMENT TO COMPOSE MYSELF SO I CAN STOP TALKING LIKE AN ASSHOLE

(exhale)

Season saving win. No other way to say it. I saw a team that refused to be intimidated and what a difference that made. This time, they were the aggressors and it was their physicality that set the tone. They got back to playing the right way and taking care of the basketball and wouldn't you know it, the Basketball Gods rewarded them

Whatever Ime said to this team, it worked. After looking liek the 2021 Celts in Game 1, this was the version we're used to. The one that will make your life hell on the defensive end. The one that will move the ball and trust in one another to make the right play and come through. Tell me that's not exactly what happened? They were disciplined in their roles and the needed adjustments from Game 1, especially when it came to Giannis. Ime ditched the doubled and told his players to suck it up and stop him. They responded by doing just that. Grant with the game of his life, Playoff Al shutting down the best player on earth at age 36, Rob doing cool Rob shit, it was as close to perfect as you can get.

And how bout finally not missed every 2pt FGA they take. Shocking what can happen when this team just plays normal. Turns out, their normal is pretty fucking good. There's still a ton of more work to do, you gotta now get one in a very tough arena to play but let's not pretend this team isn't elite on the road. One of the best road teams in the NBA last time I checked. Beating the Bucks isn't some unachievable task, they just did it in rather convincing fashion. I'm sure they're 3 point shooting will regress a little bit, but this team can make open threes. Grant is suddenly going to miss from the corner? I've been told that since October and it still hasn't happened. 

Biggest thing over these next 3 days is health. Jaylen grabbing his hammy like that is now the biggest thing in my life. I need him to rest up and rehab. Let Smart's "thigh" bruise heal (it's definitely his shoulder) and Al/Grant get their well deserved rest. I'd also like Derrick White in the gym working on that jumper. Need him to start making shots eventually. 

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In the meantime, we exhale. This team was tasked with punching back and that's exactly what they did. Now let's keep this shit going. See everyone in the morning.