In the NBA Playoffs, there are going to be games that you have to win ugly. Game 4 against the Cavaliers hit every branch of the ugly tree, but a win is a win. In fact, in the two road wins in Cleve-we're-not-here-for-the-weather-land, the Celtics collected just 37 assists combined. Both were ugly affairs of maybe too much mismatch-hunting and isolations.
Two nights later in Boston, it was back to the beautiful game. In Game 5, the Celtics dished a postseason-best 32 dimes in the series clincher. Seemingly playing off the energy of a raucous TD Garden, the ball movement in turn had more energy, too.