AFTER COMING WITHIN ONE GAME OF THE NBA FINALS LAST SEASON, THE BOSTON CELTICS ARE BACK.
OK, SO THAT WAS OPENING NIGHT LAST OCTOBER.
WHEN WE MET A CELTICS TEAM PREDICTED TO RUN AWAY WITH THE EAST.
WHAT HAPPENED WAS A BIT MORE COMPLICATED.
THE ONLY THING CONSISTENT ABOUT THE BOSTON CELTICS IS THEIR INCONSISTENCY.
>> TO BREAK DOWN THIS ROLLER COASTER SEASON, OUR SPORTS REPORTER, BOB HALLORAN.
WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE COVERING THE CELTICS THIS YEAR?
SURPRISING.
I THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE A FANTASTIC TEAM AND THEY NEVER HIT THEIR STRIDE.
THEY SHOWED FLASHES OF IT.
>> TO FIND THIS TEAM’S TRUE IDENTITY, LET’S START AT THE TOP, WITH ITS BEST PLAYER WHO HAS TAKEN THE MOST HEAT.
KYRIE IRVING IS ONE OF ONLY TWO CURRENT CELTICS WITH AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP.
THE FACT THAT WE DISCUSSED LAST YEAR.
>> TO WIN A CHAMPIONSHIP IS THE HARDEST THING YOU HAVE EVER DONE.
I WANT OUR GUYS TO UNDERSTAND HOW SPECIAL IT IS TO BE ON A TEAM ON THAT LEVEL.
>> ANOTHER KEY PLAYER, GORDON HAYWARD, WHOSE COMEBACK BATTLE WAS CHRONICLED IN THE DOCUMENTARY SERIES, THE RETURN.
HE STRUGGLED EARLY, BUT IS ENTERING THESE PLAYOFFS ON A HIGH NOTE, WITH A CHANCE FOR REDEMPTION.
>> THERE’S DEFINITELY NERVES, ANXIETY.
I WOULDN’T BE HUMAN IF I DIDN’T HAVE THAT.
I WANT TO PROVE TO MYSELF THAT I CAN BE THE PLAYER I WAS.
>> A YOUNG PLAYER PEOPLE ARE WATCHING IS STARTING FORWARD JASON TATUM.
EVERYBODY HAS THE SAME GOAL, TO WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP.
THAT IS OU GOAL, TO BE ONE OF THE LAST TEAMS STANDING.
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED THAT YOU’RE ABLE TO TAKE TO THE POSTSEASON?
>> THERE ARE A LOT OF UPS AND DOWNS.
THE TEAM THAT CAN TAKE THE MOST ADVERSITY WINDS.
ONE PIECE OF A DIVERSITY THAT IS HEADLINE NEWS IS THE INJURY TO MARCUS SMART.
>> HAS BEEN CALLED THE HEART AND SOUL OF THE TEAM, SO IF THEY DON’T HAVE THEIR HEART AND THEIR SOUL FOR AT LEAST TWO ROUNDS, MAY BE LONGER.
FAN FAVORITE ARON BAYNES WILL BE CALLED UPON TO INFUSE SOME OF THAT MISSING HEART.
>> EVERY TIME MY NUMBER I CALLED, I JUST TRY TO GO OUT THERE AND BRING ENERGY ON THE DEFENSIVE END.
WE CAN OVERCOME AS A GROUP AS LONG AS WE STICK TOGETHER.
DESPITE THE CHALLENGES, THIS CELTICS TEAM ENTERS THE PLAYOFFS AS THE NUMBER FOUR SEED, WITH A HOME SERIES OPENER AGAINST THE INDIANA PACERS.
MORE ENCOURAGING, THEY STILL HAVEN’T PLAYED THEIR BEST ALL.
WE HAVE YET TO SEE HOW GOOD WE CAN BE.
WE HAVE A LOT TO FIGURE OUT, A LOT TO DO.
>> THAT SENTIMENT IS AS TRUE NOW AS WHEN THE SEASON OPENED, BUT THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT IF THEY DON’T LIVE UP TO IT THIS WEEKEND, THEY SEASON COULD BE OVER.
I STILL BELIEVE IN THE QUALITY OF THE TEAM.
THEY HAD TO SHOW SOME REAL URGENCY AND PLAY AS HARD AS THE HAVE ALL YEAR.
THROUGH IT ALL, COACH BRAD STEVENS PATROLLED THE SIDELINES.
CAN HE RE-CREATE LAST YEAR’S POSTSEASON MAGIC?
IF SMART WAS THE TEAM’S HEART AND SOUL, THE OWNER STILL BELIEVES HIS FIFTH-YEAR COACH IS THE HEART AND SOUL OF THE ORGANIZATION.
>> THAT IS NICE TO SAY, BUT WE ALL PLAY A ROLE.
FOR ME, I AM AN INDIANA KID.
I GREW UP IN INDIANA AND WHEN I TURNED ON THE TV SUNDAYS, LARRY BIRD WAS PLAYING FOR THE BOSTON CELTICS.
>> THE CELTICS GENERAL MANAGER PLAYED WITH BIRD ON THOSE GREAT 80’S TEAMS AND IS THE MASTERMIND WHO ASSEMBLED THE CURRENT SQUAD.
>> HAVE TO BE IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME.
WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF GOOD FORTUNE.
TO GET KERRY IN A TRADE.
>> HE MAKES IT SOUND EASY, BUT AS WE’VE SEEN THIS YEAR, TALENT IS THE FIRST STEP IN CREATING A CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM.
CHAMPIONSHIPS MUST BE EARNED AND PLAYERS LIKE AL HORFORD EMBRACE THE OPPORTUNITY.
DANNY WANTED YOU FOR YEARS.
HOW DID HE GET YOU?
HE SOLD ME ON WHAT IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
THEY TOLD ME THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO GET PLAYERS, THAT PLAYING IN BOSTON IS GOING TO BE LIKE NOWHERE ELS