Adversity is Preparation for Greatness

No excuses. For the first time in this series, the Milwaukee Bucks outscored the Celtics in the fourth quarter and pulled out a miraculous win on the road. The Bucks dominated Boston on the offensive glass all game, and it was only fitting that Milwaukee won the contest on Bobby Portis’ jaw-dropping seventh offensive rebound. A stellar third quarter by Jaylen Brown, and a 14-point lead at the beginning of the fourth, but the Celtics find themselves in must-win territory going forward. The entire season has been encapsulated by running through adversity, and when things are not going in the right direction, Boston always continues to push.

C/O: Jim Davis/Globe Staff

From a mediocre team that almost everyone had written off in the month of January to a club that has turned itself into a championship contender. There is no doubt that despite the tragedy at the end of Game 5, Udoka and the rest of the crew are going to come out ready to fight for their lives. From an RJ Barrett buzzer-beater at Madison Square Garden to a blowout loss on the road in Indiana, the Celtics have been through a whole lot, and anyone who thinks this series is over is far from correct.

After the Celtics' collapse, head coach Ime Udoka spoke on the performance, stating, "Offensive rebounds...The story of the game. They had 17 for 20 second-chance points and a large majority of those came in the second half. They only had six in the first half so we were doing a good job as far as that...To give up 14, especially on those specific plays where they got kick-out 3s -- some were long rebounds so they were a little bit tougher. But we gotta find bodies on those and then the free throw one stands out...We made it tougher on ourselves now. It'll make it sweeter when we bounce back."

As Udoka spoke in the postgame, Boston got bullied on the glass once again. While the rebounding gap was not as bad as in the previous games of the series, it stuck out the most due to the play that clinched the arguably the biggest contest of the series. Bobby Portis, who did not play the entire fourth quarter of Game 4, came up huge for the Bucks down the stretch and snatched a game-high 15 boards against a team that was missing its starting center due to knee soreness.

The Celtics had just 10 turnovers the entire game which is the fewest giveaways in a single game in the playoffs so far. The problem lies in the fact that eight of those turnovers were in the second half of the contest. Tatum and Brown combined for 60 points, but it was the execution down the stretch that did this team in. After a back and forth first quarter, Boston adjusted its physicality up a notch and was in full control of the game in the second and third quarters. Grant Williams and Derrick White were doing a terrific job on both ends of the floor to help supplement the offense that Tatum and Brown were putting together.

Clutch games have continued to be the reason why this team has reached the next level this season. During the regular season, the Celtics were 26th in the NBA in offensive rating in clutch time and were 27th in the league in clutch time turnovers before the postseason. While the Celtics' regular season does not dictate much of who they are right now, it shows where some of their flaws lie as they now come back to bite them in the moments that matter the most.

When the Celtics fell apart on the road in Minnesota back in December, it would have been simple for Boston to give in on a season that looked lost at that point. The narrative of the rest of the season shows that none of that happened. Udoka and the Celtics adjusted to the way he wanted them to play, and the rest was history as Boston put together the biggest second-half turnaround in NBA history. Going down 3-2 after getting home court back in Game 4 is more than demoralizing. From key turnovers to poor shots down the stretch, Boston knows it has to be better or its season will be coming to a close before the blink of an eye.

C/O: Barry Chin/Globe Staff

The Celtics want multiple drives and kick-outs on the offensive end, as more ball movement creates an even better shot each time down the floor. Getting into the teeth of the Bucks' defense is going to be the key to taking down this Milwaukee team that has the best defensive rating in the playoffs so far. Blame can be put on anyone for the loss on the parquet floor in Game 5, but ultimately it was the entire team that got them in this position in the first place.

Every player has contributed in their own way throughout this unique season, and that is what makes this Boston team one of a kind. If anyone can flip the script on Friday night against the defending champions on the road it is this Celtics team that has been through more than a typical playoff team has in order to get in the spot they are currently in.

48 minutes of basketball to decide the fate of the entire season. The keys to walking out of the Fiserv Forum with a win have to be to take care of the basketball when it matters most, and don't settle for the first open shot, those are the keys. When Tatum is at his best, he is in attack mode and going to the basket with a full head of steam. 2-11 from beyond the arc for Tatum as he continues to struggle from three in this series. The solution, get into a two-man game and attack the bucket, and with the athleticism and creativity Tatum possesses, he knows how to finish around the rim.

C/O: Getty Images

There is no blame pie being split around the dinner table after Game 5. The Celtics caved in when they thought they had the game won. Using this as a stepping tool rather than a brick wall is going to be what decides the season. While the winner of Game 5 in a tied series wins the series over 80% of the time, none of those teams ahead 3-2 had to face a team as determined and talented as the 2021-2022 Boston Celtics. Fourth quarters have been Boston's strength, but in the matter of just minutes, it turned into its worst weakness.

If the Bucks think this series is over after stealing two games on the road, they are lying to themselves. Two close games in this best-of-seven, and both of them went the way of the defending champions. Udoka and the coaching staff have to find a way to combat that from happening once again. The postseason has always been about executing in the biggest of moments because the margin of error is so small when the clock is under two minutes. Even on another bad shooting night, the Celtics had this game won if only they had boxed out on a free throw. It isn't about the past anymore, it's about the present, and for Boston, that is what they have lived by this entire season.

Adapting and adjusting to the circumstances at hand has been something Udoka has seemingly mastered throughout the season. Adversity has defined this team from the first game of the season until now. Sometimes things don't always go the way that everyone wants them to, but that doesn't mean it is time to throw in the towel. Game 6 in Milwaukee is going to either be the end of Boston's season or possibly the beginning of an incredible story. After watching this Celtics' season unfold, it is hard not to pick the latter.