Boston Celtics: a green miracle into 2022 NBA Finals

Juanma Rubio CELTICS The green miracle

[{"selector":"#anim-cae23ac6-63dd-4a1b-a964-eedbc04c2d5b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.31330%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c3d6fc28-d4b5-492a-bcc2-9303eeacecc4 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(38.66604473152464%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"fill":"both"}] The Boston Celtics return to the NBA Finals twelve years later, after losing the Eastern Finals in three of the previous five seasons.

[{"selector":"#anim-0a3ac741-f5f3-47d9-836e-11aaaaca2c26","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -167.39528%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fda2690b-b595-4482-b80d-c9f5c7d67d9e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.9345794392523364)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"forwards"}] It is their fifth win in a Game 7 away from home. Only they have a winning record in final away matches.

[{"selector":"#anim-df95fa48-4257-4b86-a8f3-6d6341822099","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.31330%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bc9305b2-af74-460d-b7e6-97b4b8058a34 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-4.4581068940295605%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] Home court advantage in the seventh sees a win 77% of the time. But something is changing: it's 6-9 in the last fifteen.

[{"selector":"#anim-48c3ea32-de88-4826-bf65-0835f8500c97","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.31330%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eba49afb-ee80-4be1-b535-1ec6d243e3e2 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-26.556745372543354%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] The Celtics concluded a miraculous resurrection: on 21 January they were 23-24, with a negative score, and out of the playoffs spots.

[{"selector":"#anim-7ba48124-6a4a-4929-9b0e-5b8e0ab7ab75","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.31330%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2699f517-10e2-4538-bb23-103d4a33282f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.9174311926605505)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"forwards"}] The last team to reach the Finals with so much to do was the Houston Rockets, in 1981. They were 22-28 after 50 games.

[{"selector":"#anim-9e2b8f7d-107f-46ec-afe4-0d4902a02f57","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -163.29693%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-594f125f-e6a2-4af8-af2d-a679004984f6 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-4.374151660473811%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] Between 22 January and April 11, the Celtics (28-7) had the NBA's best offense and best defense.

[{"selector":"#anim-e3f1bf92-05d2-4392-8b52-082c85631a69","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.31330%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fb6a10dc-3454-4cea-8c3f-241c7d248f4a [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-14.10659747134205%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] Now it's exhaustion to be dealt with. Only the 1988 Lakers won the Finals after playing seven games in the previous two rounds.

[{"selector":"#anim-5cfed99c-2f05-4749-9a53-80f163d88bb6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.31330%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eb1f9724-8faa-4922-9045-cba42c521ec8 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.819672131147541)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"forwards"}] The Celtics are 7-2 away from home home in the playoffs and now play the Warriors who haven't yet lost on their home court: 9-0.

[{"selector":"#anim-c26f0820-23c6-432d-9503-ead0a2e1dd95","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.31330%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-510f5488-b0dc-44ff-bc91-b079ceadbb0e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(56.04223214754243%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] The Warriors have home-court advantage, but the Celtics are the only one with a winning record against them since their dynasty began in 2015.

[{"selector":"#anim-bac975ba-d6d6-4e82-aef7-29354d57e431","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -183.78869%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9a468558-c181-4258-851f-051d52a1464a [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.9174311926605505)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"forwards"}] In a repeat of the 1964 Finals (Celtics winning 4-1), it's a contest between two of the only three remaining original franchises.

[{"selector":"#anim-978bea85-b853-4da8-999e-1e313acd3b68","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.31330%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-44ba996e-47b6-45dd-9429-ec68a388f5ee [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.8771929824561403)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"forwards"}] The Celtics and Warriors are also two of the three teams with the most rings (17 & 6) and most Finals appearances (22 & 12).

[{"selector":"#anim-bf503d03-b8e3-47ca-83ff-0fba02c9d39b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.31330%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5f29c105-91de-43d7-84dd-1b4c18425e5d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-62.329545225962605%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] The Warriors, when still in Philadelphia, won the first NBA (then BAA) ring in 1947. That was 75 years ago.

[{"selector":"#anim-b7ac95c8-7ea5-45dd-bc9e-61fce626473f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 170.67397%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aa09fc9d-38b3-49ef-92f9-6d7cdbdabdb9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.8547008547008547)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"forwards"}] Then came the great Celtics dynasty: nine rings in a row and 11 in 13 years between 1957 & 1969, the like we've never seen again.

[{"selector":"#anim-9d3b1d38-782f-4617-abe1-b8d49be4f513","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 173.95267%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c2764593-2758-4ac1-b604-0726c6d37029 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.8771929824561403)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"forwards"}] They say defenses win championships, and the 2022 Finals pit this season's best two by numbers against each other.

CURRY and the mega big three of the Golden State Warriors