Tonight at TD Garden, the Boston Celtics host the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5, and they should approach the game like it’s Game 7.

Everyone anticipated that the Celtics would sweep the series in four games with ease. It wasn’t. Proceed. I don’t consider myself a conspiracy theorist, but since the Mavericks destroyed the Celtics 122-84 in Game 4 on Saturday at American Airlines Arena in Dallas, I’ve discussed a few times with friends and supporters how Boston intentionally lost to win an 18th championship banner at home.

They must lose again or the Mavericks will acquire too much momentum to halt. It makes no difference why or how they lost. The Celtics are unquestionably the superior club, but before the Mavericks think they have a shot, they must put up a strong show in Game 5 to close out this series and win the championship.

After Game 4, Jayson Tatum of the Celtics gave thoughtful answers to all of the inquiries. He stopped saying things like “they played faster and took more shots than we did” and “they played better than we did.” He didn’t appear overly bothered about Dallas’s increasing lead. Joe Mazzulla, the coach, gave the typical “give them credit” response. The Mavericks were not going to get any bulletin-board stuff from the Celtics.

Mazzulla told reporters during Game 4 that “Dallas is a great team and you’re going to have to earn it.” “There are many things under our control. We’ll watch the film again and make a sincere effort to exercise self control and discipline.

Ignore the movie. Just play your game and burn the cassette. For the Celtics to be successful, their greatest players must be available. Depth will also be a crucial component. Boston must play a near-perfect game to stop Dallas from gaining any momentum. Think of this as Game 7. Play shrewdly, make few mistakes, and take advantage of lucky bounces. (For this kind of thing, luck is always a factor.) Play with a purpose and passion that is unmatched. Act with integrity, as it will come down to which team member wants it the most.

Tatum must play well all around the floor, from both ends to the other. It is imperative that Jaylen Brown stays a leader both on and off the court. Al Horford, Derrick White, and Jrue Holiday must establish themselves early and frequently.

Following Game 4, Brown remarked, “These are the moments that can make you or break you.” “We must get back together. We must examine it and draw conclusions from it. We must accept it and take it on. Attempting to accomplish our goals will be challenging. Although we didn’t anticipate everything to be simple, this doesn’t mean we should give up.

Holiday, who represented the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021, is the only member of the Boston Celtics team to have won an NBA Championship. He realizes that the last win is the most difficult to attain.

“You must work as a team to complete the task,” he stated. “We’ll be OK, I think, if everyone can click and play like the more desperate team—locking into tendencies and locking into the game plan.”

The Celtics haven’t dropped back-to-back games in the playoffs, but they only lost back-to-back games three times in the regular season. Like the Mavericks in this series, Boston had to force a seventh game in the Eastern Conference Championship last season after falling behind the Miami Heat 0-3. That game and the series were ultimately won by the Heat. In this series, the Celtics do not intend to let Dallas come back.

The Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 131-92 on June 17, 2008, to win the NBA Championship. The jubilation was mind-numbing, and the atmosphere was electrifying. In that Game 6, Boston’s Big Three—Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett—were outstanding. With 10 assists, Pierce scored 17 points. With his 26 points, Allen hit seven 3-pointers. In addition, Garnett scored 26 points to help the team win.

Thus, sixteen years later, the Celtics have another chance to create history.

Tatum declared, “It’s going to be as loud as it’s ever been in my seven years as a Celtic.” “I’m eager to return home, enjoy Father’s Day on Sunday, and play for a title on Monday.” It ought to be a great time.

As if it were Game 7.

“They won’t make it easy on us,” stated Sam Hauser of the Celtics.