Favored position

The Celtics’ victory over the Cavaliers yesterday was no surprise, and not just because they were hitherto a perfect nine of nine at the TD Garden. Certainly, they made their mark in Game Five of the East Finals the way they did in all their other previous playoff victories; they played with intensity from the get-go and until the outcome was secure, their strength of will overcoming perceived deficiencies in talent. It’s why they prevailed pulling away even though they managed to shoot only 36.5% from the field.

To be sure, the Celtics entered the series as underdogs, handicapped as they were by the absence of their two brightest lights due to injury. Which is to say they were right where they wanted to be, counted out early but supremely confident of their capacity to defy conventional wisdom. And after their first two homestands, they proved themselves right. Odds based on advanced analytics had them representing the conference in the championship set-to for the first time since 2010.

Needless to say, the narrative will be the same in Game Six. The Celtics will want to close out the best-of-seven affair tomorrow, but doing so will mean bucking a trend that has had them winning just one match on the road through their current postseason run. The flipside is that they know what to do; they need to keep playing “with force,” as head coach Brad Stevens is wont to underscore. And even as National Basketball Association annals are replete with examples of experience trumping youth, they’re fortunate to have both.

Indeed, the Celtics grew up hard, but fast. And while there can be no doubting the Cavaliers’ resiliency borne of countless playoff wars, they have stamina on their side. Yesterday, they looked ready and able to keep plodding on, never mind Stevens’ conscious decision to tighten the rotation to seven. Meanwhile, the wine and gold looked, well, exhausted, displaying questionable fitness reflective of an up-and-down 2017-2018 campaign.

In other words, the Celtics know the real score. When they trek to the Q tomorrow, they understand their position as favorites, and will resolve to justify it via a relentless effort from the outset. They also know the Cavaliers will be desperate and, therefore, dangerous, especially with all-world LeBron James eager to bounce back and underscore his preeminence. When all is said and done, though, they’ll accept no outcome other than what they believe they deserve for leaving everything on the floor.

The Celtics know the real score. When they trek to the Q [for Game Six], they understand their position as favorites, and will resolve to justify it via a relentless effort from the outset.