As of Monday, May 15, the underdog Boston Celtics pushed their way to a stunning victory over the Washington Wizards in Game 7 of the series. Although the game was close with a score of 115-105, the Celtics made some very precise plays that gave them a seat in the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2012.

The Celtics started off the series strong, winning the first two games, only for the Wizards to come back and tie the series at three games apiece coming into Game 7. With the Celtics coming off a loss in Game 6, they were determined to make the most of Game 7, regardless of the outcome. 

More specifically, Celtics forward Kelly Olynyk had the game of his life, clenching a redemptive performance after he was benched for Game 6.

 With the Wizards trailing behind the Celtics in the fourth quarter, Olynyk made some absolutely brilliant plays. He dropped 14 points off multiple three-pointers in the fourth quarter alone. With a little over a minute left in the game, Olynyk made two fabulous shots and forced a turnover, giving them a six-point lead. Olynyk was not done yet, with another layup and three-pointer in the quarter to give the Celtics the boost that they needed. Overall, he finished with 26 points, five rebounds and four assists in the game, making his stats a career playoff high for him as he helped lead the Celtics to victory against the Wizards.

 Although Olynyk played a game for the ages, it was not without the help of many other star players. All-star point guard Isaiah Thomas played a very significant role in the win as well. With his great outbreak in the beginning of the series with a stellar 53 points in Game 2, the Wizards had been relentless in sending multiple defenders his way to try to curb his plays. However, that did not stop his drive as he took the court in Game 7 totaling 29 points, two assists and two turnovers after what has been a more-than-difficult playoff series for him. Following the devastating death of his younger sister after a fatal car accident prior to the start of the playoffs, Thomas has made several cross-country trips to be there with his grieving family but he continued to push on. 

His strength and determination even during his rough time truly embodies the spirit of the Celtics as a team.

Thus, even with multiple defenders on Thomas, he was still able to boost the advantage for Olynyk to come back and make outstanding plays that rattled the Wizards. Throughout the night, as well as the season, the Wizards leaned on their star guards Bradley Beal and John Wall excessively. 

They both played the entire second half with a combined 90 minutes. Their strong resistance and plays began to dwindle down as Wall missed his final 11 shots in the fourth quarter as they began to tire. 

Although the Wizards are a fantastic team with much motivation and drive when it comes to basketball, Game 7 showed the talent and diligence that the Celtics have. Together, they embody what it means to be a team and work with each other in order to achieve the amazing victory they accomplished on Monday.

 In the meantime, the Celtics will now prepare to take on the favored Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals. 

Although they are playing a team that is 8-0 in the postseason and that has had much rest and time to regenerate, with their drive and determination, the Celtics will definitely put up a fight and show the world why they were ranked as the number one seed in their division.