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 observe the top of video games. However the winter west coast journey — through which Boston often performs each Los Angeles groups, Golden State and perhaps one different California workforce — has quietly change into one of the vital vital elements 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 had been 21-5, using 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 pieces fell aside.
They acquired 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 time beyond regulation 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 disintegrate, nevertheless 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 and so they 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 acquired stabbed within the coronary heart by Stephen Curry hitting a brutal game-winning shot in time beyond regulation. However issues didn’t disintegrate; 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 an alternative of falling aside, they activated. Oh, after which they received Banner 18. No large deal.
You may name these street journeys blips, however I believe they’re proofs of idea about what this workforce can do towards adversity, towards groups they don’t have a variety of expertise towards, and in locations they aren’t used to taking part in. 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 acquired 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 constructing this street 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 had been good, however the Lakers noticed the return to the regarding established order. That’s too middling for a way gifted 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 might do wonders for a workforce that’s bordering on comatose as we method the All-Star Break. However don’t sleep on these winter street journeys. They matter. And this one does, too.
