Charles Barkley went viral on May 25, as he tried and failed to mimic a Bostonian accent. During a TNT broadcast during the Boston Celtics' game five victory over the Miami Heat, in the Eastern Conference Finals, Barkley was asked to read a script in the recognizable accent.
While Barkley's impression was certainly entertaining, it was the Boston Celtics' performance during the game that captured fans' attention. After losing their first three games of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics bounced back by winning their last two games.
Now, Boston sits one game away from drawing the series level and forcing a game seven. However, the Miami Heat still need just one win out of their next two games to send Boston home and advance to the NBA Finals.
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Should the Celtics win the series, they will be the first team in NBA history to overturn a 3-0 start to a playoff series. Yet, while the Miami Heat will likely be feeling some pressure, they can rest assured that they boast one of the most in-form players of the postseason thus far.
Jimmy Butler has impressed the basketball world, producing averages of 29.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. To go along with those statistics, Butler is also shooting the ball at a 50.5% clip from the field and converting his three-point attempts at a 33.3% rate.
Joe Mazzulla speaks on inspiration
When speaking to the media on May 25, Joe Mazzulla discussed how he has been drawing inspiration from an encounter with young cancer patients.
"Honestly? I met three girls under the age of 21 with terminal cancer. And I thought I was helping them by talking to them, and they were helping me. And so, having an understanding about what life is really all about. And watching a girl dying and smiling and enjoying her life, that's what it's really all about. And having that faith and understanding.
He continued.
"Another thing is, you always hear people give glory to God and say thank you when they're holding a trophy. But you never really hear it in times like this. And so, for me, it's an opportunity to sit right where I'm at and just be faithful. That's where I'm at."
Joe Mazzulla has been under the microscope this season. When the Boston Celtics suspended head coach Ime Udoka for a breach of organizational policy, Mazzulla was promoted to the head coaching role.
Joe Mazzulla has led the Celtics to a 57-35 regular-season record and his team is two wins away from returning to the NBA Finals for the second straight season. Regardless of the playoffs results, it's fair to say that Joe Mazzulla has had an impressive year as a rookie head coach.
Mazzulla could use some experienced assistants on his coaching staff next season. Over the last 12 months, the Boston Celtics have lost Ime Udoka, Will Hardy, and Damon Stoudamire, so there is a clear need to bring in some new faces.
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