Celtics Win! All Heart!

The Celtics win! That’s right, ESPN. The Celtics won, not the Heat. With a clutch shot by the Truth and back-to-back clutch free throws by an injured Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, the game was over. The Celtics, like Muhammad Ali, have shocked the world.

Prior to game start, all the analysts at ESPN and other major media outlets told you how Miami was going to win. Chris Bosh coming back to play and the prodigal children of the NBA, LeBron James and Dwayne Wade, were going to be too much for the aging, injured Celtics. Much like Ali against George Foreman, the Celtics were told to just quit, that there was no way they could win … hang ‘em up.

The Heat came out to start the game on fire and were getting everything they wanted. The Celtics couldn’t buy a shot and they were fumbling the ball all over the place like it was a football game. Somehow, they managed to stay in the game. That somehow was their defense. It kept them in the game. At the half, the Celtics were only down by 2. How did that happen? Miami played great and the Celtics played terrible, yet they ground it out. I read an article by this no-nothing writer for one of the major media outlets before the game. He stated that the Celtics just can’t score so there was no way they could beat the Heat. Really? Go watch the game. Miami couldn’t score against the Celtics either. Why? Defense. Both teams are very good defensively.

In the fourth quarter, Miami jumped out to a lead. The Celtics continued to fight and grind the game out until it was time. Like Ali did against Foreman, they took all the Heat had to give and, when the opportunity arrived, the Celtics provided the knockout blow. Paul Pierce, as he has always done in his career, dropped a bomb in the face of LeBron and nailed it. He was actually fouled on the play by LeBron. That is another story we won’t get into.

The Celtics, like Ali, are no longer able to dance around the ring and beat you with their pure athletic talent, but with their ring savvy and unbelievable heart, they are hard to beat. They are champions. Like Ali, these Celtics are giving life lessons to the world. It takes more than talent to be a champion; it takes big balls and heart – something the Celtics have in spades.