It. Whichever team brings this in the NBA Playoffs wins and whichever team doesn’t bring this in the NBA Playoffs loses. A simplistic fact with profound implications. Legacies, reputations, seasons, rosters all on the line, each depending on shots falling or failing in order to stay alive. LeBron and the Heat had their collective basketball lives on the line and they — specifically he — turned “it” on in a 98-79 Game 6 rout of the Celtics in TD Garden last night to force a final battle royale. Miami made shots fall, including LeBron’s 45 on 19 of 26 shooting, and made the Celtics’ shots fail, holding KG, Ray and Paul to 12, 10 and 9 points apiece. Miami seized the moment. Boston seized up. But despite the intensity disparity, the Celtics still had plenty of control over what was happening to them. Battle-tested as any squad over the last 5 years, they basically just crapped the bed, leaving their fans’ brains to freeze-reboot-repeat and their probable final run together on life support. The C’s still have a chance to bring “it” in Saturday’s South Beach Game 7 but Game 6′s blown opportunity to advance to the Finals makes you wonder whether or not they have any it left to bring.
NBA Kicks Heat-Celtics Game 6 kicks recap…
