The Celtics have virtually all the momentum going into Eastern Conference finals Game 7 and they’re pretty heavily favored in Monday night’s game at TD Garden.
For most NBA teams, those factors would fall into the encouraging category. But this Boston team is a unique bunch.
Not only have the Celtics struggled at home in the playoffs in recent years, but they have a tendency to not show up in games they’re supposed to win. These trends prompted a sense of wary for ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, who on Monday morning was asked about his level of trust in the Celtics to win a fourth straight game over the Heat.
“Not very, because the Celtics play well when they’re behind, not so much when they’re ahead,” Windhorst said on “Get Up.” “Remember, they were up by nine points with a little under four minutes left of Game 6 and they almost lost it because they completely froze up offensively down the stretch. This team does not handle prosperity well.”
But while Windhorst is reluctant to have faith in the Celtics, there is one historical note he can’t ignore.
“I don’t know that there’s a group of players out there in the whole league right now who has as much Game 7 experience,” the NBA insider said. “This is their fourth Game 7 in the last two seasons and they are 3-0 in the other ones. You have to respect that.”
Should the C’s collect another Game 7 win, it will mark their second consecutive trip to the NBA Finals. They also will become the first team in league history to win a playoff series after initially trailing 3-0.
