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.
Perhaps it’s as a result of the video games begin so late, and I discover myself staying up till one within the morning to observe the tip of video games. However the winter west coast journey — by which Boston often performs each Los Angeles groups, Golden State and possibly one different California crew — has quietly grow to be one of the essential components of the final three Celtics seasons, and this 12 months’s is sneaky essential.
I can’t show it, however the 2022 model of this “let’s go play each crew on the West Coast” factor broke the Celtics. The Celtics had been 21-5, using excessive and possibly about to steamroll their well past 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 had been again and hauntier than ever. They misplaced 4 of their subsequent 5, with their lone win coming in additional time in opposition to the Los Angeles Lakers.
After all, Boston rebounded. They got here one sport and one Miami-Warmth-witchcraft ritual away from making the Finals once more. Yeah, it didn’t actually disintegrate, but it surely was stunning, and it set a wierd tone for the season going into the All Star break. And ultimately, they couldn’t get it accomplished.
Then, once more, final season, the Celtics set off on their winter west coast journey they usually had been absolutely 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 additional time. However issues didn’t disintegrate; Boston rebounded from the loss and went bananagrams on the league, successful their subsequent two west coast video games by a mixed 62 factors. As an alternative of falling aside, they activated. Oh, after which they gained Banner 18. No large deal.
You possibly can name these highway journeys blips, however I feel they’re proofs of idea about what this crew can do in opposition to adversity, in opposition to groups they don’t have quite a lot of expertise in opposition to, and in locations they aren’t used to taking part in. I’ve, and do, assume they’re extraordinarily essential.
And now we’re right here. The Celtics mauled the Warriors, squeaked out a bizarre and admittedly kinda-hilarious sport in opposition to the Los Angeles Clippers, and bought embarrassed by the Los Angeles Lakers on the again finish of a back-to-back. With just one sport left in opposition to Dallas, they stand on the precipice of constructing 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 in opposition to the Warriors and Clippers had been good, however the Lakers noticed the return to the regarding established order. That’s too middling for a way gifted this crew is.
Highway journeys like this let you know 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 will do wonders for a crew that’s bordering on comatose as we strategy the All-Star Break. However don’t sleep on these winter highway journeys. They matter. And this one does, too.
