With 2009 Playoff Exit in Past, Celtics Turn Focus to Defeating Magic

In the proud history of the Celtics’ franchise, the men in green had never lost a playoff series after taking a 3-2 lead. Never, that is, until they went into Orlando for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals last spring, putting that 32-0 historical record on the line.

The story didn’t end well for the Celtics, who blew their first 3-2 advantage ever against Dwight Howard and the Magic. Doc Rivers’ team, defending champions of the NBA at the time, lost back-to-back games and were forced to start summer vacation early.

You would think that a crushing blow like that would linger with you a little while. You’d think you’d carry it with you in the offseason, turning it over in your mind in the days and weeks after.

A year later, Doc wasn’t so sure.

“I don’t know,” the Celtics’ coach joked Saturday. “I took a suitcase with me in the offseason.”

That’s the mentality of a lot of Celtics — don’t worry about history. Don’t bother to dwell on past mistakes; just focus on basketball and the history will take care of itself.

The team’s captain sees it differently, though.

“When you go into the offseason and you don’t win a championship, you use things like that for motivation,” Paul Pierce said. “Whatever your motivation in the offseason is that you use to get you going, it is what it is. But that was one of my motivations. Just the way we went out, especially on our home court, it really left a bad taste in my mouth. Hopefully, if we get this series win, it can erase some of that.”

Starting at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, the Celtics have a chance to expunge the bad memories in their past and avenge last year’s loss to the Magic, now the defending East champions. They’ve had a year to reflect and a year to improve.

“It’s hard to really say what lessons we learned,” Ray Allen said. “We took them to seven games and we played well. Despite being hampered, we still played well, and we could have won and moved on. So it’s hard to say.”

But these teams won’t be the same. The Celtics will be bolstered by the return of a healthy Kevin Garnett, who missed last postseason with a knee injury. They’ve added Rasheed Wallace and Michael Finley to beef up their bench. And they’ve had a year to monitor the improvement of youngsters Rajon Rondo and Glen Davis.

In Orlando’s corner, this is the first postseason with Vince Carter in the fold, and it’s the first time they’ve faced the Celtics with a healthy Jameer Nelson running the point.

“You’re talking about pretty much two different teams,” Pierce said. “You know, obviously with what Jameer means to that team, from not having him and Vince Carter, and us adding KG to the starting lineup in this series, and adding Rasheed also. Definitely two different teams.”

Both teams are back and better than ever. And for the Celtics, this is a chance to exorcise old demons.

“It feels good,” Pierce said. “We’re getting the opportunity to play against the Orlando Magic at their full strength, with us at our full strength. You know, you’ve got the two best teams in the Eastern Conference, full strength, going at it to see who goes to the championship.”