Celtics Not Panicking, But Have 'All In Mentality'
BOSTON (CBS) – This group of Celtics have never faced an 0-2 series hole in the playoffs, but the NBA veterans are not ready to panic just yet.
"I don't see any panic," Captain Paul Pierce said on Friday. "It's just about us responding, taking care of home. We're not down 3-0, so no need to panic. Just need to take care of home. It's easier said than done, but that's what we're faced with and we have to do it one game at a time."
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"No one said getting here was going to be easy," said forward Kevin Garnett. "No one said it would be a simple process. We understand that. I think our mentality is it's an all in mentality."
"The urgency is there, this is it," Garnett added. "We've used all of our lifelines, this is it. I hate to say it that way but it's true. It's not a 'cool kind of keep your composure,' we have to get the next game."
With Game 3 against the Miami Heat on Saturday, Pierce said the Celtics need to just take it one game at a time.
"It's tough being down 2-0 but they held serve at home," he said. "It's a seven game series, we still feel like it's going to be a long series. We feel like we have to hold court and figure out a way to get a game down in Miami."
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Before they think about a return trip to South Beach, the Celtics need to make sure they defend their home court.
"I still don't think we've played our best basketball, and we have to do that," said Garnett. "We can't just come out here and be talking about it. We're not on the white sands of the beach anymore, we're in the jungle. Hopefully that will do good for us."
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The Celtics return home should also mark the return of Shaquille O'Neal. The center is has not played since April 3, and before that February 1. His presence in the paint should help deter Lebron James and Dwayne Wade from driving so effortlessly to the hoop, but Boston cannot rest their laurels on just one man, however big he is.
"There are no saviors," Doc Rivers said. "We have to save ourselves as a group."
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"I like our chances, especially with our backs against the wall," said Pierce. "We've been a team that's been able to respond over the course of the last few years when we've come across adversity. This is what I'd call adversity, being down 2-0 in our home building. I expect us to respond in a very positive manner."
