If The Celtics Want To Win The NBA Title, It Starts With Winning Game 3

Jesse D. Garrabrant. Getty Images.

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I would like to just take a moment and thank Adam Silver and the schedule makers for making sure every game of the ECF happens every other day. I know the players probably don't love it, but after the Celts having each of the first two rounds with 10 billion days in between games, this is a nice change of pace. Especially when things are going well at the moment. Having to wait 2-3 days would have been less than ideal for my mental and overall health. I also would like to thank them for making today's game primetimes, and not a weird afternoon start. I know it's going to be brutal to get yourself to 8:45pm, but I love the idea of everyone having all day to get all fucked up before they make their way into the Garden so they can make that place a madhouse. 

With that said, let's talk Game 3.

Massive game. Just like Game 2 only now the Celts in a way control their own destiny. What we have tonight is our second "swing game" opportunity. How big is this game? Well, the loser has to then win 3 of the next 4 to make the NBA Finals. That's…a pretty big ask no matter what side it is. We knew that for the Celts to win this series, they were going to have to win a game on the road. Whether it be Game 1, 2, 5, or 7, unless they were able to go to South Beach and pull out a W, they're season would be over.

By taking one of the first two, they've created quite the opportunity. Winning tonight starts to really put the pressure on. Up 2-1 with a home game to play, all the Heat are going to be thinking about is falling down 1-3. I expect to get their best punch tonight, not just because of what happened in Game 2 but also because they are getting reinforcements

plus, there's also the fact that the Celts have shown an ability to drop games at home so far in these playoffs. Granted, that was Giannis, but if you don't think Jimmy Butler can elevate himself to a point where he could steal a game on the road, you haven't really watched all that much of Playoff Jimmy Butler. 

Now with Lowry back, I expect a much more effective P&R game with Bam as well. The ability of Lowry as a shot creator is what the Heat offense has clearly been missing in their halfcourt offense, and he solves a lot of those problems. The fact that he's a pullup threat and plus passer simply makes the gameplan different. We'll see how he moves, but I'm just going to assume he's 100% and go from there. If he's not and the Heat still play him, that could end up being a positive. If he's back to normal, he's a factor you have to address.

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That's why the Celts need to be focused and locked in from the start. Make Kyle Lowry prove that his hamstring can handle it. If they move the ball, take care of the ball, and rebound, they have a real opportunity tonight. Up 2-1 with a game at home for a chance to go up 3-1 is massive. It really comes down to this. Do you want to have an opportunity to close this series out at home? Win these next two games. That's a tall task, I get it. But look, to take the leap and finally break through to the NBA Finals, you have to jump. You have to actually do it. 

The Celts have earned the chance to have a favorable path through the rest of this series, and now it comes down to what they do with it. They could fumble it, play like assholes and make stupid mistakes. Maybe they are slow on rotations and Tatum/Jaylen have an inefficient shooting night. Maybe the threes don't drop. They could also come out just like Game 2 vs MIL and absolutely destroy you. The point is, every time we needed to see this team respond, they have. I don't have to worry about how they will handle losses anymore. But what about wins? What about when you have a real opportunity to take a very important step forward. They did the hard part, they won in Miami. As long as you take care of your home games, you don't have to do that again for the rest of the series in order to make the Finals. 

This team is 32-15 in their own building this year. Last time we were there, they won Game 7. Tied 1-1 with 3 of the next 4 at home is about as good as it realistically gets and it's why the split for the lower seed in the first two games is so important if you can get it. When the Celts got embarrassed, they came out with one of their best games of the season. Now we'll see what the Heat do after they were just embarrassed on their own floor for the world to see. This is a team you do not consider dead and buried until they are actually dead and buried, and my hope is the Celts treat this game like they are down 0-2. 

These "swing games" are important for a reason. If you want to win an NBA title, you have to take it, and that is exactly what the Celts need to do tonight. Protect your home floor and you advance. It's as simple as that.