The turmoil has piled on for the Boston Celtics ever since they walked out of Philadelphia after a romp of the 76ers in Game 4.
Game 5 happened. Game 5 ended in disappointment.
Game 6 happened. Game 6 ended in anticipatory anxiety.
The Celtics are now gearing up to play a Game 7 two days after star Jayson Tatum sat the final 16 minutes of the previous game after sustaining apparent lower-leg trouble.
Tatum, 28, shot down any concern after the game and stated that he expects to be good to go Saturday night in the biggest game of Boston’s season.
Beyond just the concerns over Tatum’s health, the Celtics are reeling at a dangerous time.
History has taught us a thing or two about what can happen when a team loses its mojo after going up 3-1 in a series.
What does Boston have up its sleeve in Game 7?
Concerning Stat Says it All About the Boston Celtics
In a matter of days, the Celtics have gone from many people’s cinch favorites to win the Eastern Conference from potentially losing in the first round.
But things can also change quickly for the better in the NBA. Boston could very well cruise to a Game 7 win and return to its dominant-self in the second round and no one will remember the season could’ve ended in round one.
GettyBoston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum drives the ball. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
But if the Celtics hope to win Game 7, it’ll start with their first five guys to hit the court.
According to Celtics reporter Brian Robb, Boston’s starting five is posting a negative net rating and a lowly offensive rating so far in the first round.
“Celtics starting five has a -9.4 net rating in 58 minutes in this series,” Robb wrote in an X post. “Offensive rating for that group is a putrid 96.5 points per 100 possessions.”
For a lineup led by a pair of perennial All-NBA talents, these numbers are quite alarming.
But this series has seen a weird mish-mash of outcomes for Boston’s starters. In six games this series, the Celtics haven’t yet produced a game where all their starters flourished.
Even the best game Tatum and Jaylen Brown played in tandem — Game 3 in Philadelphia — each star went for 25 points. Good and enough for a win, but not enough to jump off the screen. (Minus those two late 3-point daggers by Tatum).
Is Boston Unraveling Right Before Everyone’s Eyes?
Let’s just put it this way: When a 3-1 lead turns into a 3-3 tie, history is on the verge showing itself.
Losing Game 7 would certainly go down as a Boston collapse. For a team picked by many to run through the East, losing in the first round would unleash some uncomfortable questions this offseason.
That noted, the Sixers are showing they are more than a formidable opponent, especially with Joel Embiid back in the mix.
Embiid, 32, is only just over three weeks since emergency appendectomy but apparently still has enough to punish the Celtics like he did in Game 5.
Game 7s often come down to each team’s stars.
For Boston, the subpar play of Brown, league MVP candidate, have not gone unnoticed. The 29-year-old Boston star has shot over 50% in only one game this series. Meanwhile, Tatum has converted just 14 of his last 32 shots from the field.
Tatum and Brown could very well steal the show, because they are just extremely capable.
Or, the power of Embiid and speed of Tyrese Maxey could overwhelm, giftwrapping the C’s an early vacation.
Celtics Hit With More Bad News Ahead of Do-or-Die Game 7 vs 76ers