The identical factor retains making or breaking the Boston Celtics, 12 months in and 12 months out. It’s not three-point taking pictures. It’s not accidents. It’s…
…the annual winter west coast journey.
Possibly it’s as a result of the video games begin so late, and I discover myself staying up till one within the morning to look at the top of video games. However the winter west coast journey — wherein Boston normally performs each Los Angeles groups, Golden State and perhaps one different California workforce — has quietly develop into one of the crucial vital components of the final three Celtics seasons, and this 12 months’s is sneaky vital.
I can’t show it, however the 2022 model of this “let’s go play each workforce on the West Coast” factor broke the Celtics. The Celtics have been 21-5, driving excessive and perhaps about to steamroll their well beyond their NBA Finals hangover into Banner 18. However then… they performed the Golden State Warriors, and all the things fell aside.
They bought destroyed by Golden State. Jayson Tatum performed horribly, nothing labored, and all the issues that had sunk the Celtics again in June have been again and hauntier than ever. They misplaced 4 of their subsequent 5, with their lone win coming in extra time towards the Los Angeles Lakers.
In fact, Boston rebounded. They got here one recreation and one Miami-Warmth-witchcraft ritual away from making the Finals once more. Yeah, it didn’t actually collapse, however it was stunning, and it set an odd tone for the season going into the All Star break. And in the long run, they couldn’t get it carried out.
Then, once more, final season, the Celtics set off on their winter west coast journey they usually have been totally loaded and never taking any prisoners. They got here in on a tear, however they misplaced to the Warriors… in Golden State… once more. They didn’t get destroyed — they bought stabbed within the coronary heart by Stephen Curry hitting a brutal game-winning shot in extra time. However issues didn’t collapse; Boston rebounded from the loss and went bananagrams on the league, profitable their subsequent two west coast video games by a mixed 62 factors. As a substitute of falling aside, they activated. Oh, after which they received Banner 18. No massive deal.
You may name these highway journeys blips, however I feel they’re proofs of idea about what this workforce can do towards adversity, towards groups they don’t have a whole lot of expertise towards, and in locations they aren’t used to enjoying. I’ve, and do, suppose they’re extraordinarily vital.
And now we’re right here. The Celtics mauled the Warriors, squeaked out a bizarre and admittedly kinda-hilarious recreation towards the Los Angeles Clippers, and bought embarrassed by the Los Angeles Lakers on the again finish of a back-to-back. With just one recreation left towards Dallas, they stand on the precipice of creating this highway journey one other nice turning level for this squad. Coming into this 12 months’s version, Boston was in a rut, going win-loss-win-loss-win-loss-win-loss of their final seven. Two wins towards the Warriors and Clippers have been good, however the Lakers noticed the return to the regarding established order. That’s too middling for the way proficient this workforce is.
Highway journeys like this inform you who you actually are. This one hasn’t fairly advised me a lot, solely extra of the identical confusion and inconsistency. However they nonetheless have an opportunity to go three for 4, one thing that may do wonders for a workforce that’s bordering on comatose as we method the All-Star Break. However don’t sleep on these winter highway journeys. They matter. And this one does, too.
