Golfing with a 0-3 lead in the region's final: The key to Boston's utopian revival

Unlike some golfers in the NBA like Stephen Curry or Chris Paul, bigman Boston Celtics Al Horford doesn't even know what golf is. The photo time of “Big Al” was never used to experience 18 holes of golf and stand for hours in the sun.

So what made Horford spend his only day off to organize a golf session with his teammates right in the middle of the Playoffs, especially when the Boston Celtics are leading 0-3 in the Western Finals?

After 3 consecutive defeats, Al Horford and his teammates clearly understood their position in the series against Miami. Errors, lack of focus or tactical problems, both individually and collectively, are understood by all team members.

Coach Joe Mazzulla, who was strict and determined, also faltered when calling the students to have a team meeting. Perhaps even though he did not want to, he still had to drag his students into a heavy and tiring ice surgery.

As the most experienced player in the dressing room, Al Horford understands that this is no longer the time to berate and torment each other. Anyone can see that the Celtics are not playing badly, they just have problems keeping the advantage and letting the opponent go upstream.

Of course, that is also a professional error and needs to be dealt with thoroughly. However, the story here is more psychological than tactical. The cohesion between the players gradually lost, which coach Mazzulla himself also admitted at the press conference after Game 3.

The problem is to find unity and mutual trust among team members. Equally important was the joy they had when they were doing something together, having fun with each other, something that a third consecutive losing streak certainly couldn't bring.

In the end, Al Horford made the bold decision to tell coach Joe Mazzulla to skip the post-Game 3 team meeting, then organize a small "team-building" session at Topgolf.

"We took it out and didn't cut it at all," Grant Williams told The Athletic.

“Instead of focusing on basketball, we turned to each other, rediscovered brotherhood and camaraderie. Somehow, it was as if we had disconnected from basketball and the series finals, playing together and having a good time.

In the past, we used to watch movies as a team, go to dinner together. But it was the first time we had a real activity together (golf). The bandage surgery was rescheduled to the next day."

The funny thing is that none of the Celtics know how to play golf, including the "picker" Al Horford, each shot sent the ball around instead of hitting the target of the hole at the end of the road.

It's okay because they don't play golf here. Horford brought the brothers to Topgolf for fun, and that's what they got from teasing each other after every stroke. Just like that, the worries and pressures of basketball seem to disappear.

“After all, in every NBA team, it is always said that the connection between players always extends beyond the confines of the football field, to everyday life.

Teammates in competition are like friendship or brotherhood. There are times when we just want our friends or brothers to be okay, but many times the pressures of life take us away and make us forget about other aspects.

Of course, basketball here is still work and something we need to take seriously. But the joy with these brothers, with this second family is just as important," Al Horford shared.

The day the Celtics team pulled together to play golf, the score of the Eastern final series was still 0-3. As of today, Boston has equalized 3-3 after Derrick White's crazy tip-in at the end of Game 6.

It was that fun session instead of ice surgery that brought the Celtics to the threshold to do something that has never appeared in NBA history, which is a successful comeback from a 3-0 difference.

"Just one moment, one day like that has brought us to where we are," Jaylen Brown told reporters after a 104-103 win at Game 6.

“We were able to surrender and give up, accepting defeat as something we deserved. But no, that's not how this team operates and plays."

And then victory heals everything. From Game 3 to Game 4, the atmosphere of the Boston Celtics locker room was different. Joy, jokes, images of children running around making jokes reappeared.

“For those who have the opportunity to be around our team, they will see how close the dressing room is and how much fun it is,” said Derrick White, Game 6 game-winner.

“Everyone is very close and always have fun with each other, even though some are single, some are married, and some are fathers. When things get tough, pointing and blaming is the easiest option.

But we didn't choose to do that, instead the whole team stood by each other, trying to motivate each other to get through it together. The fun is back and now we have one more win to achieve," White added, looking to Game 7 of the Eastern finals series.

“Thinking back, that day was like a big turning point for the whole team. It helps us to look back at ourselves, regain confidence in ourselves and trust each other. It brought back what we've been through, winning and losing together over the years," Horford recalls.

“The team didn't play well in the first three games and didn't deserve to win. But then we regained our confidence, went game by game and got to this position," said Jayson Tatum.

“We still have an important game ahead of us, one more victory to be achieved. Whatever the outcome may be, I'm proud of my teammates, grateful to be fighting with this team."

It all started with Topgolf, the brand probably needed to pay Al Horford and the Boston Celtics for taking them on Twitter after Game 6.

They were able to stay at home that day, tormenting each other during the intense ice surgery. But then they put it back for about 24 hours and enjoy a good time together.

Thanks to teasing each other at each stroke, this team has eliminated the tremendous pressure mountain after the first three matches and revived strongly to the present time.

(According to The Athletic)