Malcolm Brogdon reveals Celtics’ mindset before pivotal Game 2 vs. Heat

Brogdon reveals Celtics’ mindset before pivotal Game 2 vs. Heat originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics resume their Eastern Conference Finals series with a pivotal Game 2 against the Miami Heat on Friday night at TD Garden.

The Celtics had a nine-point lead going into halftime of Game 1, but the Heat prevailed with a series-opening victory after outscoring Boston 46-25 during a dominant third quarter.

The good news for the Celtics is they have won eight consecutive Game 2s played at the Garden. Their last Game 2 loss at home was back in the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals versus LeBron James‘ Cleveland Cavaliers.

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What’s the Celtics’ mindset entering this matchup?

“We gotta be down for one another, ride or die — I think that’s really the term that comes to mind,” Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon told NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin in an exclusive interview.

“Ready to go to war. This series is a war. It’s a physical, an excellent team we’re playing. But we’re also an excellent team. We have to remember that. We believe we’re the best team in the league, so we have to play like that every night.”

The Celtics franchise has faced a fair amount of adversity over the last year and a half. Brogdon wants the C’s to draw from those experiences to help them even the series Friday night.

“I think we have to rely on our maturity and our poise,” Brogdon told Chin. “I think this is a battle-tested team from going to the NBA Finals and going through the gauntlet the guys did, and then this year having a target on our back.

“Having made that run, teams were playing us like we had one the championship. We’ve been through many battles and ups and downs. We’ve had guys come and go out of the lineup. These guys have experienced a coaching change. There’s been some serious adversity for this team. I think we need to rely on that and remember that and put it to the test.”

The Celtics were in a similar position last season against the Heat in the conference finals. They dropped Game 1 after the Heat used a red-hot third quarter to build a huge lead. Boston responded with a 25-point win in Game 2.

The challenge facing the Celtics on Friday night is not an unfamiliar one for this group. They’ve responded well to these situations over the last two years, evidenced by their 11-3 record following a loss in the playoffs during that span. This group knows what’s at stake and how to rise to the occasion.