Confident Celtics ‘in a great spot’ as Game 5 nears

SAN FRANCISCO — The Boston Celtics know that, as soon as once more, they didn’t make the most of securing residence court docket by dropping Recreation 4 of the NBA Finals Friday night time.

However, because the collection shifts again right here to Chase Middle for Recreation 5 Monday night time with the collection now turning right into a best-of-3 affair for the NBA title, Boston stays assured it will possibly as soon as once more safe the street win it must get the job carried out.

“You possibly can take positives out of something,” Celtics ahead Jaylen Brown mentioned. “Clearly, I believe we will be in a greater place than we’re in, however we’re not. It is 2-2. Nonetheless, nothing to hold your head about. A number of nice basketball remains to be in entrance of us. We take our errors and study from them and also you apply it as greatest you possibly can going ahead. I nonetheless assume we’re in a fantastic spot.

“I am excited to see how we reply over the following couple of days. I imply, it is thrilling. It is the largest stage on the earth. I am going to take our group, our guys, versus anyone. So I am trying ahead to it.”

There’s loads of cause for Brown to really feel optimistic about Boston’s possibilities in opposition to the Golden State Warriors. Sure, the Celtics should win at the very least yet one more street recreation to win the NBA title, however they’ve — to date in these playoffs — had extra success away from residence than taking part in at TD Backyard. Coming into Recreation 5, the Celtics are 8-3 in street video games on this postseason — in comparison with going simply 6-5 at residence.

And, on prime of that, Boston has received all seven video games it has performed after a loss to date in these playoffs – and has gone 13-1 in such video games for the reason that Celtics started turning their season round in late January.

“We clearly put ourselves within the place to stretch the lead and be up 3-1,” Celtics coach Ime Udoka mentioned. “However, backside line is we’re 2-2 and we earned that as properly, not being down 0-2 or 1-2 or regardless of the case could also be. And so I am positive they mentioned the identical factor about Golden State after we beat them right here. We all know it is a lengthy collection. Like I mentioned, we have been battle examined in two seven-game collection in Milwaukee and Miami.”

These experiences in opposition to Milwaukee and Miami within the Japanese Convention semifinals and finals, respectively, are additionally a part of Boston’s confidence transferring ahead. The Celtics went on the street and received elimination video games in opposition to each groups in their very own constructing, which supplies them confidence they will do the identical factor this time round.

“(Recreation 4) was a troublesome loss, and we perceive that,” Tatum mentioned. “We have been right here earlier than. That is third time in a row I really feel like we have been right here. So we all know what it takes. We all know what now we have to do and a focus to element and issues like that. I am assured like I’ve been all playoffs, assured in the truth that we’ll reply and play higher for almost all of the sport (Monday).”

The opposite issue Boston is concentrated on is that there are clear issues that the Celtics can management that, in the event that they do them, ought to result in optimistic outcomes. When Tatum has at the very least seven assists in a recreation this season, Boston is 18-2 – together with recording 15 consecutive victories. In an analogous vein, when Boston commits 15 or fewer turnovers on this postseason, the Celtics are 14-2 — together with victories in Video games 1 and three.

Conversely, when Boston commits 16 or extra turnovers, it’s 0-6 — together with its losses in Video games 2 and 4.

“I believe the narrative will get shifted to Curry and what he is doing,” Udoka mentioned. “However in our wins and losses, they’re scoring the identical factors. Lots has been reliant on our offense, to your level, within the fourth quarter. However even all through the sport, we had a number of alternatives, being up 5, six, seven, and poor offense or turnovers allow them to again within the recreation. The distinction within the recreation that we stretched the lead was we took benefit of these alternatives. We have been stable. And in opposition to this staff, anytime you run some poor offense, flip the ball over, stay ball turnovers, allow them to get out, we all know how shortly they will get again within the recreation.

“That was the case in Recreation 4 once we had our possibilities.”

One factor hanging over the Celtics heading into Recreation 5, because it has been all through this collection, is the standing of beginning heart Robert Williams, who has been coping with ongoing soreness in his left knee.

Williams was plus-6 in 31 minutes in Recreation 4, ending with 7 factors, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, a steal and two blocks, however requested out of the sport with lower than 4 minutes to go within the fourth quarter after an ungainly touchdown on that ailing left knee, during which Williams is coping with a bone bruise and that he had surgical procedure on his meniscus two-and-a-half months in the past.

Each he and Udoka, nonetheless, mentioned that he was feeling higher Sunday, and have been optimistic about him being on the court docket as soon as once more in Recreation 5.

“Feeling good,” Williams mentioned. “Somewhat sore, however on the facet of the higher days (I’ve had).

“I used to be truly in search of the clip (to see what occurred). I can not essentially let you know if it was the leaping or the touchdown, however typical soreness, man. However like I mentioned, I really feel okay.”

Udoka went on to say that there was no particular play that triggered Williams’ damage, and that whereas he should undergo his regular pregame testing to find out if can go, Udoka felt assured Williams would be capable to.