Looks mighty grim for the aging, injury-racked Celtics tonight in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final in the all-white surroundings of the Miami Heat’s home court. Only an injury to Lebron James will prevent the Heat from moving on to the NBA Finals, simple as that.
The Celtics have already pulled off their one minor-miracle win on South Beach in this wildly unpredictable series, and nearly pulled out a second win down there. But to expect them to do it again tonight would defy any sense of reality. Sorry about that.
Unless……unless they can shoot, rebound and defend better than they have in any previous game of this most memorable series. Which I can’t expect to happen. Just the way it is. Lebron woke up in Game 6. That was the real Lebron James. Expect another game like that from the man-child tonight and salute the Celtics for what they have given us the last 5+ weeks — a delightful example of what a bunch of old guys, led by a younger little guy (Rondo), and boosted by occasionally timely bench support can do.
After the Bruins’ offense-less performance and the meddiocrity of the Red Sox, the Celtics saved us the past month and more.
Then again, if they somehow do pull off a major miracle tonight, I give them a 50-50 chance of beating the Thunder. At least we’ve got a seventh game to watch, when I laughed at such a suggestion 10 days ago. Celtics get to a seventh game? C’mon. Well they have. I shan’t forget this playoff run for many moons to come.