OK. It’s only one game. No time to panic. But … I’m about to panic. The Celts blew a 20-point lead and ended up losing to the Knick in OT last night, as the Globe and Herald glumly report. They’re in pleasant shock in NY. … The WSJ notes that it was an extraordinary night in general for the NBA, with both the heavily favored Celts and Thunder losing. But why do I think the WSJ wouldn’t be going so ga-ga over the outcomes if a New York team wasn’t involved? (See Journal’s headline above.) The NY-centric national media has a way of doing that. … Before last night’s game, I was thinking of the Celts in 6. I’m sticking to that outcome, though more nervously so now.

Update – From a Hub Blog reader: “I HATE losing a national game broadcast by NY based announcers.”

The same reader added: “The less said (about last night) the better. They can’t win down 2 rotation players, plus 2 more hobbled players, and 1 valiant but aging player. Watching all those missed threes was like watching slot machine players who can’t stop pulling the lever.”

Update II — 5.7.25 – Two days later, the same HB reader has calmed down a bit. Just a bit: ” I feel slightly less worse about Celtic choke in Game 1 after watching the Cavaliers choke in their Game 2 against the Pacers.  WHAT – A – FOURTH QUARTER! But I’m still pissed about Monday night, so much so that I can’t hate the Knicks.  They saw their opportunity and took it.   I can and do still hate the NY-centric media coverage of course. ”