The Celtics are heading back to the NBA Finals with the belief they can win it all this time

INDIANAPOLIS — There were no champagne bottles in sight for this eyewitness account. The gray folding table centering Boston’s visitors locker room inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse was covered with cans of beer and puddles of hazy IPA. The Celtics are waiting to uncork those bubbly bottles after next round, should they capture the real crown, an 18th banner in franchise history after Boston swept Indiana with a 105-102 victory in Game 4 on Monday night.

“We understand what we need to do and lock in and do whatever it takes to get four more wins,” said Derrick White, after the Celtics’ do-everything guard splashed the game-winning triple with 45 seconds to spare.

That didn’t stop staffers and players from posing with the Eastern Conference finals trophy, named after Celtics great Bob Cousy. They belted Drake lyrics oozing from a massive JBL speaker. Sam Hauser, Boston’s reserve marksman, used a pair of scissors to crack a hole in the bottom of one beer, and joined an equipment manager to shotgun the can. And then another. Kristaps Porziņģis, who has been out with a calf injury since the first round, calmly poured a Corona into a white paper cup. Luke Kornet, who sprained his left wrist in Game 2, grabbed a Kona Big Wave before walking out the door.

Even with that missing 14-feet of frontcourt firepower, Boston handled two crunchtime contests at Indiana with exemplary execution when every small element matters most. These players and personnel certainly believe this is an evolved team from the one that reached the Finals stage two years ago, that claimed a 2-1 series edge over Golden State before the Warriors flipped the script and Stephen Curry clinched his fourth ring. Porziņģis is expected to be ready for Boston’s likely matchup with Dallas more than a week away on June 6. Jrue Holiday has proven to be worth every piece of the significant package Boston traded to Portland for his veteran services.

Yet the difference, Boston seems to believe, is not just who’s wearing the Celtics’ classic green. “I think we’ve just applied everything that we’ve learned,” said Jayson Tatum.

“Time has…

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Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-05-28 05:52:54

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