The Boston Celtics have been battle-tested multiple times in the past.
From falling in the NBA Finals to almost overcoming a 3-0 deficit in the Eastern Conference Finals over the past couple of years, those shortcomings have molded this core’s character.
Now, they’re finally about to reap what they’ve been sowing for years.
Notably, a big part of that has had to do with Joe Mazzulla and how he’s been able to keep his team grounded through the highs and the lows.
As shown by NBA insider Justin Turpin, that was on full display after their blowout loss in Game 4, letting the players know that it was okay to smile during wars (via WEEI).
Joe Mazzulla has done a tremendous job of keeping his team grounded throughout the season—never letting the highs get too high or the lows get too low.
His message after Game 4 was no different.
"It’s okay to smile during wars."@WEEI⤵️https://t.co/zkAQNCeAwe
— Justin Turpin (@JustinmTurpin) June 17, 2024
The Celtics drew plenty of criticism for being overly confident ahead of Game 4, as it seemed like they were thinking about the championship parade before finishing the job.
This team had a reputation for blowing games they were supposed to win, which is why plenty of fans were skeptical about their ability to get the job done this season, even after they dominated throughout the course of the regular season.
It’s more than evident that both the players and Mazzulla have learned from those shortcomings and mistakes of the past, and they don’t want that to happen again.
They should take a ‘one game at a time’ approach from now on.
And with their home crowd rooting for them and their opponents being against the wall, they should be able to close out the deal on Monday night.
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