THE CELTICS STORMED BACK FROM THE DEAD TO STEAL GAME 3 AND TAKE A COMMANDING 3-0 SERIES LEAD!!!!!!
Nathaniel S. Butler. Getty Images.MY FUCKING HEART.
I'm going to be completely honest with you right now. I have no idea what I am typing at the moment. You may as well be reading a blog written by a dead person, because holy fucking shit. I really hope this is coherant and makes even a lick of sense, because my hands are legit shaking as I type. What a win. What a game. What a team.
You would think that by NOW we as fans are used to the Celtics dragging us through the depths of hell before ultimately finding a way to win a game they have no business winning, yet every time it happens I can feel myself losing years off my life. I mean make no mistake about it, the Celtics were horrendous for about 2.5 quarters of this game. Give the Pacers credit, with no Haliburton in the lineup it didn't seem to matter one bit, they played their ass off. They brought the intensity that you tend to see from a team with their season on the line, and god damn did they shoot the shit out of the basketball. Look at this!
They were floating at around 70% for 2.5 quarters and built a lead by as many as 18 points. The Celtics point of attack defense was worse than dogshit. I'm not sure what that might be, but that's how bad it was. No resistance whatsoever, Nembhard and McConnell ate this defense alive, and everyone was foaming at the mouth to get their Celtics takes off.
And then they woke up. To end the third quarter we saw the Celts start to lock in defensively. They never quit, they just kept chipping and chipping away. Not overreacting to big Pacers makes, just staying the course and executing. Exactly what champions do this time of year. On the road, in a position to steal a game you have no business stealing, and for the second time this ECF, the Celtics found a way
Advertisement
I don't even know how to process what Al Horford just did in this win.
Advertisement
23 points, 7-10 from deep, and the biggest rebound of the game in the final seconds. If that doesn't get you jacked up, you might be a dead person. Horford is old as shit and he's willing to die for this team, it's incredible.
And Jrue? I mean what else is there to say? He saved the game. Those of us who have been paying attention had a feeling a moment like this was going to happen
and it wasn't just that final steal that was so huge. Jrue finished with 3 steals on the night and there were several he forced on Pacers drives throughout the 4th that helped spark this comeback. Then, he stepped up to the line and made his FTs. He made his AND1. When it came time for someone to make a championship play, Jrue Holiday delivered on multiple occasions. That's fucking huge.
We also shouldn't forget the Jays, who once again were fantastic
Advertisement
I'm going to be honest, I'm probably going to have to rewatch this win because I'm pretty sure I blacked out. Up 3-0, the Celtics did what they had to do to effectively end this series and punch their ticket back to the NBA Finals. You took the Pacers best punch on the chin and won anyway. Now close this shit out in 4 and let's rest up for the biggest series of our lives.
We'll regroup in the morning. For now, DRINK THE FUCK UP!!!
11 down, 5 to go