Both the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat are under mounting pressure heading into game seven of the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday, May 29.
Just when everything was pointing toward the Celtics ending the series in six games, Jimmy Butler provided the Heat with a superstar-level performance to even the series and force a win-or-go-home scenario on Miami’s home turf at the ATX Arena.
Now, the Celtics’ young stars have to prove themselves, or the current season will be deemed a failure, and all of their accomplishments since the turn of the year will quickly be forgotten. Furthermore, questions surrounding the long-term fit between Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum will quickly resurface, and we’ll be in for a summer of discontent from the fan base.
According to ESPN’S Stephen A Smith, Tatum and Brown need to perform at an elite level due to their anonymity during the second half of game six. The ESPN analyst also warns Boston’s stars that Butler is going to be coming for them, and will be doing everything within his power to progress to the NBA finals.
“How not replicating your effort in game six. How about Jaylen Brown scoring more than two points in the entire second half. How about Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown not combining for a grand total of one shot in the first eleven minutes of the fourth quarter, that would help, that would help immensely. These are the two stars of the Boston Celtics, and now that Jimmy Butler has reminded you that there is a star on the Heat, and he’s coming for you, it’s incumbent on the stars to step up and answer the call.
We know about everything else they’ve gotta’ do defensively, do your job as supplementary parts. But game seven’s come down to the stars, and the stars for the Boston Celtics have got to show up, otherwise, we’re going to remember them not so fondly for years to come,” Smith said on a recent episode of SportsCenter.
Jayson Tatum Continues to Believe
Tatum will need to take more than four shots in the final two quarters of play if he wants the opportunity to contend for the greatest prize in basketball, but, when speaking to the media following the Celtics May 27 loss, the St. Louis native was quick to inform reports he was still confident about his team’s chances of booking their place in the NBA Finals.
“Scale of 1-10? 10, I mean, It shouldn’t be any less than that, right? It’s the last game. This is what it’s all about. So, on a scale of 1-10, it’s a 10 for my confidence level in myself and the group. It’s no secret. It’s Game 7, a trip to the NBA Finals, there’s a lot on the line. A couple of us have been in this situation before, so we know what’s at stake. We know how much this means to everybody. We know that going into the game,” Tatum said.
So far in the post-season, Tatum has competed against some of the most talented players the league has to offer. The Celtics opened up their playoff run against the Brooklyn Nets and Kevin Durant, winning in four, and then progressed onto the Milwaukee Bucks, winning in seven. So, Tatum knows what’s required of both him and his team, and they have proven capable of winning with their backs against the wall, so Jimmy Butler, however talented, shouldn’t scare the All-NBA wing heading into their do-or-die meeting.
Game Seven’s Are Unpredictable
Sure, the Celtics won their game seven against the Bucks to progress into the conference finals, but that game was in front of their hometown crowd. On May 29, the Celtics will be forced to play in Miami’s arena, with their fans watching on from the stands.
Like it or not, home-court advantage is important in do-or-die situations. It’s no secret that role-players tend to up their production levels at home, and a noisy arena can get inside the head of younger stars.
I came into this season believing that a second-round exit was a good outcome for a Celtics team that was clearly in transition.
So, whatever happens tonight, this year has been a success IMO
Boston can’t allow any external factors to affect their games, and more importantly, they can’t afford to start the contest slowly – something which has affected them in each of their losses throughout the series.
Game sevens are always unpredictable, and a lot will come down to which team is healthier and which stars find their rhythm during the game. But if the Celtics want to improve their odds of making it to the NBA finals, they need to do everything in their power to get Tatum and Brown firing on all cylinders, because when that happens, the team is nearly unstoppable on offense.
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Stephen A Smith Sends Warning to Celtics: ‘He’s Coming for You’