You don’t go through a title run without adversity.
Sure, last year’s run to Banner 18 included just three losses, 10 wins by 10 or more points, and only one game in clutch time entering the Eastern Conference Finals, but by the end of it, Boston had faced and conquered a variety of playoff obstacles before hoisting the Larry O’Brien.
After a five-game first round series against Miami that was without a single clutch minute, the Celtics have already reached that situation twice in four games against the Magic, and even in the games that didn’t, they had to ward off a team that never truly went away.