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With their backs against the wall, the Celtics were victorious
in two win-or-go-home games against the Bucks and a Game Seven
against the Heat that punched their ticket to the Finals.
Golden State, meanwhile, were blown out in their two road
close-out opportunities this postseason.
"We've been in this position before," Celtics forward Grant
Williams told reporters on Wednesday.
"It's one of those things where you embrace it. It's exciting.
It's what you live for really."
Trailing the Warriors 3-2, Boston will likely need a big night
from forward Jayson Tatum, who has been at times brilliant but
also vanished during key stretches of the series.
"It's not over with," Tatum said.
"I think having done it before should give you even more
confidence that you can. Not that it's going to be easy or it's
going to be given to us, but you should be extremely confident
as long as you got a chance. We got a chance tomorrow."
Tatum said he felt no need to give a "hero speech" to motivate
his team.
"We know what's at stake," he said.
"Everybody in that locker room should and is going to understand
what we got to do, what's on the line."
To force a Game Seven back in San Francisco, the Celtics will
need to avoid the mistakes that hurt them in the last two games,
namely turnovers and stagnant fourth quarter offense.
They also need to spend less time arguing with the referees,
something they did throughout Game Five, head coach Ime Udoka
said.
"We've got to spend our energy on the game, and everything else
going on in between, rather than the referees," he said.
"That's an area we can be better at, for sure."
(Editing by Toby Davis)
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