Kevin Garnett sent the Celtics an inspirational message before Game 3 vs. the Bulls
Kevin Garnett hasn’t taken the floor for the Boston Celtics since May of 2013. But to hear Avery Bradley tell it, the legendary power forward still managed to play a major role in helping this year’s squad pick itself up off the mat and get back into its first-round series with the Chicago Bulls.
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After Boston finished off a commanding 104-87 Game 3 win to get on the board in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal matchup with the Bulls after dropping the first two contests at TD Garden, ESPN sideline reporter Adam Schefter asked Celtics guard Avery Bradley (15 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, two steals in 36 minutes) if he saw any difference in his team’s energy after two straight lackluster efforts to start the best-of-seven series. The All-Defensive Team guard told Schefter that the C’s got a little extra motivation — on top of not wanting to fall into an 0-3 hole, that is — from the franchise’s former emotional centerpiece, who sent the team a recorded message that hit on the topic of rallying around grieving teammate and All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas:
Said Bradley:
Isaiah [Thomas] played a clip from KG before the game, and it kind of got us going a little bit. KG said some inspirational words for us, and it reminded us that, you know, Celtics, we’re always supposed to be the hardest-playing team, every single night. We’re supposed to use Isaiah’s family — use that as inspiration, to come out and play hard for him and his family. And that’s what we did tonight.
From his play on the court helping spark the Celtics’ 2008 run to Banner No. 17, to his trade to the Brooklyn Nets helping Danny Ainge amass the cache of picks that makes Boston one of the NBA’s most favorably positioned franchises for the future, to his pre-Game 3 motivational missive, Kevin Garnett is the gift that keeps on giving to these C’s.
KG gave Celtics an inspirational talk.
Sign him to a max coaching contract NOW.
— CelticsBlog (@celticsblog) April 22, 2017
Oh my god, KG saved the season
— Michael Pina (@MichaelVPina) April 22, 2017
KG still inspiring the Celtics?
????????????????
— John Karalis ???????? (@RedsArmy_John) April 22, 2017
The Celtics still trail the Bulls, 2-1, in their best-of-seven series, with Game 4 coming Sunday in Chicago. But they’ve got a pulse now, thanks in part to KG.
All these years later, Kevin Garnett still pumping up the Celtics and motivating the team in the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/JiRTIW8ZtG
— Chris Forsberg (@ESPNForsberg) April 22, 2017
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Dan Devine is an editor for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at devine@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!
