At 95 years old, Bob Cousy do not lose your sense of priorities. The leader, who won six titles with the Celtics, still follows his heart club. And he can't wait to see the Celtics win another title.
“I'm 95 years old, I have one foot in the grave and I can barely move. I know I'm playing overtime. And one of the last things I want to be able to see is the Celtics hanging the 18th banner. I will be very proud to see this”, he explains to the Boston Globe. “This puts us ahead of the Lakers (17 banners). To have been a part of this is the best legacy I could hope for. »
Good news for Bob Cousy, the Celtics are very close to achieving this because no team has ever managed to come back from 0-3 in a playoff series (out of 156 occurrences).
“I think the Celtics will be on the golf courses by the end of next week,” assured the legend of the C's before Game 3. “This series will be played over four or five games. […] Dallas' strong points are (Luka) Doncic and Kyrie Irving. But their strengths clash with the defensive strengths of the Celtics. Doncic looks like a trucker, but he's an incredible athlete. The Celtics took away his quick 3-point shot and he mainly relies on the stepback. And that's the shot the Celtics want because it's not a dangerous shot. »
Bob Cousy, fan of the Celtic “backcourt”
And the Celtics have strengths. Particularly on the back line, with Jrue Holiday and Derrick White who were in great form during Game 2, the first as MVP of the match, the second with a decisive counter.
“The Celtics backcourt defense with Holiday and White is as good as any in the league. I can't tell you how happy I am with these two guys. They were really lucky to have Holiday. I can't believe the guys in Milwaukee let this kid go.” formulates Bob Cousy, like Jayson Tatum after Game 3. “He takes what the game gives him and doesn’t force anything. In Game 2, with the focus on Tatum, Holiday took open shots and he made them. »
Besides, Derrick White's counter reminds Bob Cousy of good memories. He compares this “block” to that of Bill Russell against the Hawks, during the 1957 Finals.
“Tommy Heinsohn always said that Russell's block was the most athletic action he had ever seen”remembers Bob Cousy. “White's didn't really look like that, but it was great. He came from behind and was in a tough position and obviously he not only has incredible timing, but he jumps better than you think. He's extremely athletic, and that's a bonus. We didn't know we were getting this from him, and Popovich must feel bad every day of his life since he let that little one go. »
