Eddie House breaks down how the Celtics were able to limit Miami Heat leader, Jimmy Butler to win Games 4 and 5.
Two very confident teams will take the floor Saturday night at Kaseya Center.
After the Celtics' wire-to-wire victory in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals at TD Garden on Thursday, Heat star Jimmy Butler guaranteed his team would finish the job and win the series despite letting Boston narrow Miami's 3-0 series lead to 3-2.
But the Celtics are just as confident that they can make history as the first NBA team to come back from a 3-0 playoff series deficit. At Boston's shootaround prior to Game 6 in Miami, All-Star Jaylen Brown told our Abby Chin the coaching staff has motivated the players by referencing the 2004 Boston Red Sox, who became the first MLB team to surmount a 3-0 series deficit in the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees.
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Apparently that motivation tactic has worked.
"The more games that we win, the more the fans talk about it," Brown said about the comparisons between these Celtics and the '04 Red Sox. "The more the coaches are bringing it up in the locker room, saying 'It's possible' and 'It can be done.' And we believe too.
"We believe that, one, that we're the better team in this series. We haven’t played like it. And two, that this is our destiny to be able to make it to the next level. So, history is at our doorstep, and we've got to respond."
Between Butler's and Brown's comments, it appears both teams have some bulletin board material if they want it.
The Celtics come into Saturday's game with plenty of momentum after double-digit wins in Games 4 and 5. The pressure will be on the Heat to close out the series at home and avoid traveling to Boston for a Game 7 with history on the line.
Then again, the Celtics are the better team on paper will be trying to avoid becoming just the second team in NBA history to lose to a No. 8 seed in the Conference Finals. (Ironically, the Heat were the other, falling to the New York Knicks in 1999.) Miami also should get a boost from starting point guard, who is expected to return for Game 6 after missing Game 5 due to a left ankle sprain.
Check out Brown's full interview with Abby Chin in the video below.
