Faced with their biggest challenge yet, the Boston Celtics responded in a huge way in Game 7 on Sunday.
Holding Giannis to 38.5% shooting, they kept Milwaukee under 85 points for the 109-81 win. For the first time in years, the Celtics are back in the Conference Finals and just 8 wins away from a Championship.
On Twitter, fans exploded the timeline with all kinds of reactions. Here are some of the best we found:
The Milwaukee Bucks have been eliminated from the NBA playoffs so they get the Coach Carter send off: pic.twitter.com/dHV6UdX2ms
— The Pettiest Laker Fan 🤫 (@ThePettiestLA) May 15, 2022
Got to love the hardwood KG jersey 👍🏻 #BostonCeltics #KG pic.twitter.com/l4pLzG2XwL
— jacob rivera-guerrero ⛳️🏌 (@jacobo1512) May 15, 2022
How sweet it is!#Celtics pic.twitter.com/pe4py3liMy
— Ray Laboy (@RayLaboy5) May 15, 2022
@Emilixno17 … was the Celtics game good or not? Can’t tell 😂 pic.twitter.com/xHnX6tSv2K
— Nat💋 (@SpeedySainzJr) May 15, 2022
Ya love to see it!#BostonCeltics pic.twitter.com/1NuoTqILlE
— CeeJay Layton (he/him) (@ceejaylayton) May 15, 2022
Nothing but respect for Giannis. Absolute monster and clear best player alive. Glad he already got his ring so this summer isn’t filled with moronic takes about him not being good enough.
— Céad Míle Fáilte (@ColeyMick) May 15, 2022
Way too good today @celtics Eastern Conference Finals bound #NBAPlayoffs2022 pic.twitter.com/oVBrBf2H8P
— Steve Merrill (@sgredv) May 15, 2022
https://twitter.com/Scorpio_AMS/status/1525963733163458562https://twitter.com/CelticsRiley/status/1525963984335212544
PACK EM UP. CELTICS ALL DAY BABY LETS GOOOO🍀🍀🍀CELTICS IN 7✋🏽✌🏽️
— Ricky Arias (@ricky_arias24) May 15, 2022
If you had told me in December that Grant Williams would have a heroic game 7 performance to knock the defending champs out of the playoffs I would have said you’re a psycho
— Boston Diehards (@Boston_Diehards) May 15, 2022
i have been rooting for the celtics this series because they’re a more fun team to me but i just thought about how we have to see sad giannis now and am questioning everything
— Molly Morrison (@mollyhannahm) May 15, 2022
Killed their fucking spirits.
Demoralized the best player in the world.
Snuffed out the champs.
THIS IS WHAT THE BOSTON CELTICS ARE CAPABLE OF.
NO ONE CAN STOP US.
THIS IS OUR FUCKING YEAR. ☘️
— Taco Jay’s Tacos ☘️ (@KryntNBA) May 15, 2022
The hero of the game was undoubtedly Grant Williams, who dropped 27 points and 6 rebounds on 45% shooting. After an epic, hard-fought series against the defending Champs, they won and proved they are ready to take the next step. But how far can they really go?
The key for Boston, as it has been all season, will be their defense. If they can carry this elite and masterful display for two more series, it could be enough to bring the Celtics their first title in the Tatum era. At the very least, they have a good future ahead of them with Tatum on the roster.
“That’s why he gets paid the big bucks,” said Marcus Smart after Jayson’s 46-point performance in Game 6. “That’s it right there for moments like that. I was telling him the whole game, just be you man and he was. That’s what we lean on him to do.” “He took that game over in the fourth and brought us home.”
Whether the Celtics end with a Championship or not, the future isn’t as clear for Milwaukee. They have Giannis, who is a 2x MVP winner, and a bunch of supporting players around him that can only be described as expendable. Whatever they do this summer, a number of roster moves might be necessary for the Bucks to re-take their place as the team to beat.
For now, it’s the Celtics who are in control and fans are going to enjoy their victory before putting attention on the looming series against Miami.
