Life was pretty grim for the Boston Celtics on April 18th, 2017. Despite opening the NBA Playoffs as the Eastern Conference’s number one seed and playing against a Chicago Bulls team that looked more like a created team in NBA Live 2012, the C’s were staring down the barrel of an 0-2 hole and a road trip to Chicago after blowing both games on their home court.
People were legitimately talking about whether the Celtics, both statistically and according to the “They’re getting rocked by a 35-year-old Dwyane Wade” test, were the worst #1 seed in NBA history and if they’d faceplant themselves into the (very short) list of #1 seeds that blew it against an 8-seed.
Fortunately, the man, the myth, the legend that set the record for Super Bowl comebacks in 2014 and then pile-drove his own record for biggest Super Bowl comeback ever into oblivion in February was there to pick up the pieces.
Tom Brady’s message to the Boston Celtics was simple: get to work.
April 21st, 2017, 11:46am. Seven hours before the Celtics took the court for Game 3 in Chicago.
Win.
Game 4 on Sunday? Win.
Game 5 when the Celtics went back home to the Garden, where the Celtics had yet to win a postseason game this season?
Win.
Game 6, back in the Windy City?
Win, series over.
Two days off and another Sunday afternoon rumble with the Washington Wizards, a much better team that also hates Boston’s guts?
Win.
And Tuesday’s prime-time-for-crime-time bone-crunching Game 2?
Win, and a fifty-burger for star point guard Isaiah Thomas.
You guys like charts? I like charts! Here’s a chart of all those wins!
Aaaaaaaaaaand let’s just go ahead and draw a line where Brady told the C’s to step up and go ham:
Six straight wins, zero losses, round 1 playoff enemy and the team that basically was the Patriots in the 90s vanquished, and a commanding 2-0 lead heading into Game 3 in Washington on Thursday night.
And all because Tom Brady stepped up and told the C’s what time it was.
Of course, it also helps when half the team shows out at the game, too:
Patriots players at the @Celtics game tonight.
— Only In Boston (@OnlyInBOS) April 27, 2017
Andrews
Brissett
Cooks
Fleming
Garoppolo
Gilmore
Mitchell
Ninkovich
White
☘ pic.twitter.com/GbqOggckx5