ESPN.com · Oct 19, 2023
The Celtics' closing opportunity: Why the stakes are higher than ever
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THE FINAL SECONDS ticked off the Game 7 clock as the Boston Celtics suffered through a heartbreaking dose of déjà vu.
For a second straight season, Boston was home to a championship celebration -- for the opposing team. In June 2022, it was the Golden State Warriors who hoisted the Larry O'Brien Trophy on the TD Garden parquet floor after a title-clinching Game 6 win.
In late May this year, it was the Miami Heat, who for the second time in four years had prevented the Celtics from reaching the Finals, stopping Boston's bid to become the first NBA team to win a seven-game series after trailing 3-0 in the Eastern Conference finals.