Recapping The Celtics First Round Series
The Boston Celtics got off to a rough start to open the playoffs, but they’re back on track
Just before their first-round playoff series began, Isaiah Thomas, the Boston Celtics star point guard, would discover that his sister, Chyna, died in a car crash. Following that, it only got worse for the Celtics and Thomas.
Thomas would struggle in Game 1, as the rest of the team, and they would fall short at home. The Celtics’ regular season woes of giving up big leads and struggling on the glass would also continue.
Game 2 would be much of the same, sadly.
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The Celtics would fall once again, and now had their backs against their wall with two upcoming road games. Rebounding was poor, emotion was low and effort was weak; Boston was bound for a first round exit, even as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Boston would get a blessing in disguise, though.
Rajon Rondo, the Bulls starting point guard, would go down with a thumb injury and miss the rest of the series. That would help catapult Boston into a four-game win streak which would clinch them the series.
In those four games, Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley would play exceptional, but some under radar performances from Al Horford, Gerald Green and Terry Rozier really put them over the top.
Green and Rozier, especially, are proving their worth and will definitely see more minutes against the Wizards.
Defeating Washington won’t be easy, though.
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Thomas played well in Round 1, but Rondo and Canaan are practice dummies compared to John Wall. He will need to be on his A game all series long. Boston will also need to continue improving on the boards and need an even bigger performance from Al Horford to get past Gortat. Only time will tell.