The time is now: Celtics might not get a better opportunity

The time is now for the Boston Celtics. You only get so many opportunities in life, and none, in recent years, have been better than this one for Boston.

The Celtics have become the NBA version of the boy who cried wolf. They've made it to the Eastern Conference Finals in six of the last eight seasons, but the NBA Finals just once, a 2022 loss to the Golden State Warriors.

The Celtics even led that series, 2-1, before dropping the final three games against Golden State.  

With all the close calls, but no titles to show for, eventually these Celtics can't be taken seriously anymore. 

And while the Celtics are walking that plank right now, things could not have lined up for them any better this postseason.

In the opening round, they first faced the Miami Heat, who were without their best player in Jimmy Butler. Then the Celtics sparred with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who were also snakebitten by injuries by the end of the second-round matchup.

Now, in the Eastern Conference finals, the Celtics are already up 2-0 on an Indiana Pacers team that just lost Tyrese Haliburton to an injury. The Pacers have outscored opponents by 59 points this postseason when Haliburton is on the floor, but have been outscored by 35 when he's not. 

That's not even considering the way the Pacers somehow lost Game 1 of the series, or the fact that Rick Carlisle seemed to throw in the towel with a whole quarter remaining in Game 2. 

Plus, the Celtics have been able to do this, despite the rollercoaster performances from Jayson Tatum.

Even the Kristaps Porzingis injury, the one piece of adversity dealt the Celtics' way, has lost all urgency due to the cakewalk that is the Eastern Conference playoffs.

If (once?) the Celtics are able to get past the Pacers, they will then deal with the Dallas Mavericks or the upstart Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA Finals. Two good teams, but not the Stephen Curry-led Warriors that Boston had to deal with three years ago. The top two seeds in the West have already been eliminated.

There's no shame in losing to the dynastic Warriors. But one of these two teams? That'd be a different story for the Celtics. 

In this era of extreme parity in the NBA, if the Celtics can't get it done now, then when would they?

They're running out of opportunities and won't find one better than this postseason.

The Celtics have long been the bridesmaids, hoping to one day be the bride. And this postseason is like finding the perfect partner and being one week from the wedding.