You know, "panic" probably isn't the right word to use in the headline right there. Panic implies a comprehension of what's happening to you, anticipation of what horrors might be coming. That's not what's happening in the Celtics-Hawks series right now. Everyone — on both teams — seems so shocked that they're staring wide-eyed at what's happening right in front of them. It's too much to absorb.
Not even Hawks fans understand what's happening.
From where we were coming home after Game 2 to where we are now, it's just night and day. I'm trying to think of an adjective to describe the win and the energy in the building, but the Thesaurus is failing me, so I am forced to make up my own words. It was spectnomenal. It was fantasterful. It was ricoculous.
If you think Hawks fans are stunned, though, man, Celtics fans sound downright lobotomized.
Did that really just happen? Was it all a bad dream? I knew going to bed last night that those would be my first thoughts waking up. I have to admit that I'm still dumbfounded. I don't know if I'm supposed to sooth people's fears and assure them that everything's going to be alright or if I should be slamming on the panic button and declaring a threat level green in Celtic Nation.
Inevitably, the spotlight is falling on Kevin Garnett, who, jeez, can he really come up short again? (Garnett wasn't much help late last night.)
Listen, it still seems pretty likely that the Celtics are gonna win this series. But, man, the Hawks suddenly got awfully scary. A first-round exit? For the team the reinvigorated basketball in Boston? No way that could happen, right? Right?