The Boston Celtics' Toughest Playoff Series

To be sure, the Celtics were not at the top of their game. But it was the toughest series of the playoffs for the Celtics. It will be forgotten under the glaring lights of the super-hyped NBA Finals, and the league's golden glitter boy MVP. The Detroit series is marked as where the Celtics "got their groove back." The upstart Hawks and their newfound fans received notoriety in going the distance against the league's regular-season "champs" before being knocked out in the last round. Mike Woodson played Mickey to the Hawks athletic version of Rocky Balboa. But it was the Cleveland Cavaliers that gave Boston its toughest series. Doubts started to creep in when things had not gone as expected in the first round against the Hawk. In the glow of the Finals victory, we forget how grim it was looking. The back page of the Boston Herald from Apr. 30 read: C's in Choke Hold Will go down as biggest collapse in Hub history if they fail to oust Hawks You would think Game Seven was going down that ... (link)