BOSTON (WHDH) - This year’s Celtics team has proven to be a special group for many reasons.
One such reason has been on full display throughout this year’s NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks in the form of the team’s chemistry and team mentality.
“Basketball is a team sport,” said Celtics center Al Horford. “We’ve been through a lot of adversity as a team these past few years. So, to be at the cusp of doing this is something that is special.”
“I think you see how we celebrate each other when somebody gets a big dunk of a big three or when somebody gets a big stop,” said teammate Jrue Holiday. “That really brings energy.”
Six Celtics scored more than 10 points in Game 1 of the finals. Five players notched double digits in Game 2.
After Xavier Tillman stepped up with a timely three-pointer in Game 3, his teammates were quick to praise him.
“Xavier was amazing tonight,” Horford said in a postgame interview.
“We’re all not selfish people,” said Payton Pritchard, who delighted fans with his own timely three-pointer in Game 2. “We want each other to succeed and that helps our team win and we all succeed from that.”
The Celtics will take the court for Game 4 at 8:30 p.m. Friday in Dallas.
Despite the pressure that comes with their 3-0 series lead and the opportunity to end the series with a win, coach Joe Mazzulla said his team is working to stay focused on fundamentals.
“We’re the most vulnerable in this,” he said this week. “…We have to [retain] that sense of urgency. We have to have an understanding of our environment and we have to know that we’re just as vulnerable as anybody else is in this situation.”
“We’re not satisfied,” said Celtics forward Jayson Tatum. “Even now, up 3-0, nobody is celebrating or anything. We still feel like there’s a lot more that we can do. There’s a lot more that we want to do.”
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