The Latest Chapter in the Comeback Chronicles of the Boston Celtics

Down 2-1 for the second straight playoff series, the Celtics' ability to bounce back from adversity is real. They face their greatest challenge to date heading into a must-win Game 4 matchup.

What we have seen thus far in this Miami-Boston Eastern Conference finals is what we would like to call a basketball anomaly.

According to Elias, the Heat is the first team in NBA playoff history to win two quarters in the first three games and have a series lead.

This reality for the Celtics shows both the promise and the problems that have arisen from the ashes of a club bound for the NBA lottery the first couple of months of the season, into becoming a defensive juggernaut during the regular season which catapulted them to the No. 2 seed in the East.

None of that matters now, not with a must-win Game 4 matchup at the TD Garden on Monday.

This season has been full of “must-win” games for the Celtics which comes with the territory when you take such an unconventional path towards winning like they have.

They opened their playoff journey against Brooklyn, arguably the most potent 1-2 offensive punch we’ve ever seen on a team seeded so low to start the playoffs when you factor in Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

The Celtics were chided by fans and the media to run and hide as best they could from the Nets, and to avoid playing them altogether if they could.

But the Celtics, like their coach Ime Udoka, isn’t about that duck-and-cover approach.

Not only did they embrace the Nets, but they sent Brooklyn home in just four games, completing the only playoff sweep we have seen thus far during this playoff season.

Boston lost not one but two home games to the defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks in the second round, only to win on Milwaukee's home floor twice and eventually move on to where they are now after eliminating the Bucks in seven games.

So here they are once again looking to rebound from a home loss, facing a team that they have already beaten on the road.

The overall stats are mostly in Boston's favor, with none more telling than how Bizzaro-world this series has been when you consider Boston has only lost two quarters to the Heat in this series, and yet they are down 2-1 in the best-of-seven tilt.

It’s in part why despite Game 4 being a big game, there are no signs of nervousness or anxiety among the Celtics players or coaching staff.

The inexplicable loss at home in Game 3, was a head-scratcher for many. And the comeback in which Boston came within one point in the fourth after having trailed by as many as 26 points, was just as difficult in describing.

It just doesn’t make a lot of sense how wild the swings are with this team when it comes to their play.

But that is in part why they are so damn enjoyable for fans of all fanbases to watch.

They have made-for-TV talent in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. There’s an emerging stud (if he can stay healthy enough) in Robert Williams III who was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive Second Team this season. You love the way Al Horford has turned back the hands of time and has been chipping in with one big game after another in the postseason.

And is there a tougher player than Marcus Smart?

He puts his body through a basketball torture chamber every night, whether it’s taking hard falls after drawing charges or simply getting his body banged, pushed and tossed around trying to get to a loose ball or a rebound.

This team has a little bit of something for everyone, which keeps us all guessing as to what we can expect next.

In Game 4, there’s an unquestioned belief that a Celtics loss would all but slam the door on their season with it becoming a matter of when not if it’ll end at the Conference finals stage of play.

But as we saw near the end of the regular season and in the playoffs, this team has shown itself to be resoundingly strong after when dealt with the adversity of defeat.

Boston’s Game 3 loss was their fourth loss in the postseason.

Their record after the previous four?

That would be 4-0.

And they haven’t just won those games; they have won them going away with the average margin of victory being 17.3 points.

So while disappointed with the Game 3 loss, the Celtics find themselves in a familiar spot that recently has been a jumping-off point for success which keeps hope alive that this is just another bump along the journey towards Banner 18.

Full Court Press publishes at least twice a week (and then some in-season), bringing you the best Celtics/NBA coverage with veteran NBA journalist Sherrod Blakely. If you like reading Full Court Press? Please subscribe and leave your thoughts, ideas, etc in the comments section. And if you want to get your friends on the Full Court Press team, forward away. You ️can also follow my Facebook page at @sherrodblakely.

One more thing…Newsletters to check out: Open Court, Pucks with Haggs