The NBA postseason is a proving ground for teams and players alike. In Boston’s case, after losing last season in the conference finals to Miami, this first round series was just as much a test of mental fortitude as it was of pure skill.
With a litany of players sidelined for the Heat including star Jimmy Butler, the Celtics were favored on paper, but there were still murmurs of Miami having an edge on Boston mentally. An upset road win in Game 2 by Miami only further stoked criticism of the Celtics after giving up a historic amount of three pointers.