What Champions Do...

When the Coach arrived back at the Gramercy Estate following some mother's day family dining he knew that the Game 4 waiting for him on his DVR was simply the season on the line for the Celtics. Last night's Celtic win in Orlando is simply why so many of us still watch and still care.


It was a perfect example of a team digging deep and finding a way to stay in a must win game with their somewhat fatigued and at times this post season inconsistent best player and captain leading the way despite foul trouble.



It was a team so thin on the front line finding a way to create points in the paint early and then rotate players just enough and at just the right times to stay out of serious foul trouble.


It was a six foot point guard grabbing 14 rebounds.


It was a big man with a chronically bad left shoulder battling Superman every second he was on the floor.


It was Big Baby's extra jump shooting on the day off in between games 3 and 4 clearly paying off.


It was Doc Rivers yet again drawing up a masterpiece in the huddle and the players trusting it and running it every step of the way.


It was a defending champion refusing to believe the talking heads.


It was pure guts.


It was Celtic Pride.

Say what you want about the shorthanded Celtics, be a hater, jump on the Cleveland, Orlando, Denver or LA bandwagon's, please, please do the Coach and the thousands of other Celtic die hards that favor, we don't need you or want you for that matter. This is about something more than flashy highlights, no look passes and dunks on the fast break.


This about giving 100% of yourself to the team no matter the circumstance, no matter how the deck seems to be stacked against you.


This about having your teammates back because you know he will do the same for you.


This is why basketball has the ability to be an incredible teaching tool for people whether they are young or old, no matter the location, the socioeconomic situation or the skill level.

This is why the Coach became the Coach.