Training camp started for the Boston Celtics one year ago in the longest season ever, making it understandable if they chose to take the easy way out and bow out to the Miami Heat.
Their second-half Game 5 Eastern Conference finals blitz in Friday’s 121-108 win kept them alive for another 48 hours, two wins from the NBA Finals, one loss from a trip away from the mental and physical exhaustion the Orlando bubble represents.
More than ever, the Celtics proved they are the more talented team, possessing players who are proven commodities even at tender ages.