The Boston Celtics' mental preparation for Games 4 and 5 of their Eastern Conference Finals series against Miami was aided by unassuming locker-room advice.
After the film session on Tuesday morning, Matt Reynolds, a member of coach Joe Mazzulla's staff, made a statement.
Recalling Reynolds' advice, one of the players said, "Don't ruin the season off a bad week."
Simple yet profound, that quote fit for a fortune cookie helped the Celtics focus on the team they had been and how they had played for the majority of this 2022–23 season instead of their dismal 0–3 series start.
They increased their defensive vigilance considerably, packing the lane to harass the Heat inside.
However, the challenges Boston is currently facing may call for someone with stronger oratory skills.
One of Churchill's sayings that strikes me as particularly relevant right now is, "When you're going through hell, keep going."