Jalen Rose believes Thursday night will mark the Celtics’ final home game of the 2023 NBA playoffs.
Miami had Boston on the ropes in the Eastern Conference finals, but the Celtics avoided a 10-count with a Game 4 win Tuesday night in South Beach. Not only did Boston save its season, but it played in a fashion that suggested Joe Mazzulla’s team could continue to chip away at the Heat’s series advantage.
A second straight win over Jimmy Butler and company wouldn’t surprise Rose, but the NBA guard-turned-analyst doesn’t see the best-of-seven set going the distance.
“The bottom line is this: The Boston Celtics are going to go on to lose this series,” Rose said Wednesday on ESPN’s “This Just In.” “NBA history is the prime indicator because the 150 times a team has been trailing 0-3, they went on to lose the series. Jimmy Butler, along with the Joker (Nikola Jokic), have been the top two players in these playoffs. Don’t be surprised if the Celtics go back and win Game 5, but this thing would be over no later than six. It’s not even going seven.”
Rose’s ESPN colleague, Mike Greenberg, is on the other end of the spectrum. The “Get Up” host believes the Celtics will become the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-0 series deficit en route to another Finals appearance.
Boston will try to prolong the series Thursday when it hosts Miami for Game 5. Tipoff from TD Garden is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET.
