Could the Boston Celtics join their brethren, the Bruins, and find a way to lose a 3-0 series lead against Orlando, as the Bruins recently did against the Philadelphia Flyers; could there be two monumental playoff collapses in the same city and in the same year? Yes, it is, of course, possible. It is also possible that there could be a blizzard on Boston Common tomorrow.
Neither is likely to happen.
In a crushing defensive display that made the offensive numbers Cleveland put up against Boston in our late series resemble the numbers Golden State used to routinely put up by comparison, the Celtics routed the Magic tonight in Boston, 94-71, to move to the brink of the NBA Finals. The Celtics will attempt to administer the knockout blow in the series on Monday night.
The game was not even as close as the final score, as the Magic put a dent in the lead in garbage-time in the fourth quarter - a dent about as effective as a rock against the turret of a tank.
Orlando ended up shooting 37% for the game, a number also aided by the fourth quarter. And the Most Feared Center in the World, the Center Able To Make Another Team Remake Its Roster to Attempt to Beat Him in the Playoffs? Three of 10 from the field, one of four from the line for a cool 7 points, with seven rebounds.
These Eastern Conference playoffs have resembled the plot of a Stephen King novel this year, and the only horrors are being suffered by the Celtics' opponents. Could things still change?
Yes, they could. But to reiterate, if the Celtics end up losing this series, please make sure Boston Common has snow shovels on stand-by.