With the Celtics set to appear in their 23rd NBA Finals this year, we look back on some of the greatest Finals moments in the franchise’s storied history.
"We want Boston!" has been a common refrain among fanbases throughout the NBA playoffs. The chants were heard in Miami, Cleveland, Indiana, and even New York before the Knicks fell to the Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The Celtics quieted those crowds by cruising through the first three rounds and into the NBA Finals, where they will face off against the Dallas Mavericks. Unsurprisingly, Dallas fans promptly followed suit with "We want Boston!" chants of their own.
Judging by how this postseason has gone, they should be careful what they wish for. That's the subject of the hype video the Celtics released ahead of Thursday's Game 1, narrated by legendary New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.
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"Really? You want Boston? Take it from me: that's a bad idea," Brady says. "The (Heat) culture? History. Cleveland? Done for. ... And Indy? Over with. But us? We're still here. Right now, you're gonna want anyone but Boston."
Watch the video below:
Dallas presents Boston with by far its toughest test yet in these playoffs, but the Celtics are heavy favorites for a reason. They earned the No. 1 overall seed with a historic 64-18 regular-season record and have lost only two postseason games. They certainly aren't a team fans should "want" their team to go up against with a championship on the line.
The NBA Finals will begin Thursday at TD Garden at 8:30 p.m. ET. Coverage begins on NBC Sports Boston with Celtics Pregame Live at 7 p.m. ET.
