1968

[footey]

I remember the '68 playoffs like it was yesterday (insert sad face emoji here). 

The Philadelphia 76er's, defending NBA champions (who took Celtics out in 5 games the prior year following a 68-13 record setting regular season), were led by Wilt Chamberlain, Lucious Jackson, Hal Greer, Chet Walker, Billy Cunningham, and Wally Jones. That team was the Goliath to our David Celtics.

You think Giannis was impossible to stop?  You should have seen Wilt Chamberlain back in the day.  He would have eaten GA for lunch.

Those Sixers cruised to take 3 games in a row from us after we managed to win the first game in Philly.  Two of the Philly wins were in Boston.  It was do or die for us game 5 in Philly.  We had to take 3 in a row, with 2 of them played in Philly's brand new stadium, The Spectrum.

Sound familiar?

Guess what happened?

Game 1 @ Philadelphia (April 5): Boston 127, Philadelphia 118
Game 2 @ Boston (April 10): Philadelphia 115, Boston 106
Game 3 @ Philadelphia (April 11): Philadelphia 122, Boston 114
Game 4 @ Boston (April 14): Philadelphia 110, Boston 105
Game 5 @ Philadelphia (April 15): Boston 122, Philadelphia 104
Game 6 @ Boston (April 17): Boston 114, Philadelphia 106
Game 7 @ Philadelphia (April 19): Boston 100, Philadelphia 96 (The Celtics become the first team in playoff history to come back from a 3-1 series deficit)

Look, I know it's not looking good. And I know this team does not have the same pedigree as the 67-68 Celtics. But let me tell you this: It looked just as dire for us back then as it does right now. 

Right now, all we have to do is win a basketball game. In Milwaukee.  We've proven we are capable of doing that.  So let's do it again, tonight.

Go Celtics!!!

[Emmette Bryant]

Yeah I remember listening to Johnny Most call the series on my transistor radio.

You're correct, the Celtics have come back from 3-1 deficits. The teams that have done it, though, had players like Bill Russell and Larry Bird.

I guess we'll see.

[GreenEnvy]

TP.

This can be done.

[BringToughnessBack]

Nice find! Can Smart be our a Russell.?

One game, like you said..let’s just win this one and worry about rest next time. TP

True champions step up when the deck is stacked against them. Tonight will show a good deal about character of some of our players.

[GreenShooter]

Yeah I remember listening to Johnny Most call the series on my transistor radio.

You're correct, the Celtics have come back from 3-1 deficits. The teams that have done it, though, had players like Bill Russell and Larry Bird.

I guess we'll see.

Those teams also had about 6-7 Hall of Famers and some borderline ones.

[Walker Wiggle]

I agree. Too early to call it a season. Let 'em play the games.

With all that said... one more reminder of how awesome Bill Russell was and how little respect he gets in comparison.

[droopdog7]

TP for the positive post.  I'll be watching and rooting til the very end.

[celts55]

Don't really remember this, but were the Celtics so dysfunctional all that year? Did they play with the same lack of effort as these Celtics the last few games? Did they stop competing as soon as they missed a few shots?

I for one believe it's over because they have given me no reason to believe otherwise. I could live with them losing 3 in a row, if they were being competitive, but they look like they are looking forward to the season to be over. I see no reason to feel differently if that's how they feel.

[Chris22]

We won't win if Stevens continues to go small.

[Phantom255x]

TP for this. And wow, you've been around a while. My parents weren't even born yet in 1968 LOL.

[Redz]

It's doable, but that team had just a wee bit more of a winning pedigree

[SHAQATTACK]

Yeah I remember listening to Johnny Most call the series on my transistor radio.

You're correct, the Celtics have come back from 3-1 deficits. The teams that have done it, though, had players like Bill Russell and Larry Bird.

I guess we'll see.

Wait ! ....whut ...we don't have Bird or Russell .....yikes .....but we got Rozier