Celtics Starter Pushes Back On Narrative About Game 1 Meltdown

The Celtics didn’t start off on the right foot in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Boston initially appeared bound for more success after needing only five games to dispatch the Orlando Magic in Round 1. The reigning NBA champions held a commanding 20-point lead over the Knicks with a quarter and a half to play in regulation Monday night at TD Garden.

But not only did New York erase that massive deficit, it outlasted Boston in overtime to secure the second-round series opener and take home-court advantage away from Joe Mazzulla’s side. Many viewed the result as a wake-up call for the Celtics, but Derrick White didn’t really see it that way.

“I mean, it’s the playoffs. We didn’t expect it to be easy,” White told reporters Tuesday, per a video shared by CLNS. “We didn’t think we were going to sweep every time. You never really know what to expect with a playoff series. We wanted to get Game 1, but it’s time to move on to the next day and learn where we can get better.”

White and company also aren’t in unfamiliar territory. The Celtics suffered bad losses at home early in their first two series last postseason and responded with three straight victories on both occasions. At this point, there should not be any panic among Green Teamers.

However, the C’s obviously can’t just assume history will repeat itself this time around. They’ll need to go out and earn it starting Wednesday night when the longtime rivals meet for Game 2.