Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big story line. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump

It’s as simple as this: With five games to play, currently eighth-seeded Boston owns a one-game advantage over both the Heat and Pacers. If the Celtics win their final five games — or simply keep pace with whichever of their closest Eastern Conference rivals finish strongest — Boston is guaranteed a trip back to the NBA postseason after just a one-year absence while rebuilding on the fly.

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There’s still work to be done to secure a playoff berth. Boston’s five remaining games feature four playoff-bound opponents, including a home-and-home series with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Boston will cross its fingers and hope that LeBron James & Co., with the second seed essentially in hand, elect to rest bodies when the teams meet twice next weekend. Alas, that’s out of their control.

For a short time this week, Boston didn’t have control of its postseason opportunity. It needed the Nets or Heat to stumble. They did, now the Celtics must capitalize.

ESPN Boston – Celtics control their playoff opportunity

Thank goodness I don’t coach this team (for more reasons than I care to list) because the highs and lows of going from the 8th seed to the 9th or 10th seed and then back up to 7th would be too much for me to handle on a nightly basis (the juggling egos, drawing up plays and watching endless hours of tape would be a breeze).

As the Cs were run over by the Bucks in the third quarter last Friday, and the Nets took care of business against Toronto, I left the Garden thinking that was finally the night to do the Celtics in. Much like I figured a few Wednesdays’ earlier against Miami, or that Sunday evening against Detroit was that night.

Then I remembered what conference the Celtics play in and concluded that night probably won’t come until a little over a week from now in Milwaukee. As long as the Cs keep showing incredibly resiliency down the stretch and the rest of the 8-seed competitors have their own versions of that night, this really is anyone’s race. It would help if the Cavs want to rest Lebron and Kyrie on the second night of this weekend’s upcoming home-away.

The Cs haven’t had three days off since just before the all-star break, when they followed up a Saturday night loss in Milwaukee with an Evan Turner, buzzer-beater home win against the Hawks. The Celts could use a little more of that magic in their only ESPN* game of the year on Wednesday night in Detroit. A victory in that one could go a long way in getting the Cs another ESPN game or two in a few weeks. In the playoffs. Buckle up.

*Assuming a Celtics/Hawks playoff series isn’t banished to the dark, dark depths of my cable box on NBATV.

On Page 2: But seriously… that Stevens’ timeout

But then there was this tiny admission: “You don’t win very often with 2.6 seconds.”

Most coaches wouldn’t have got that far. The original play was called with four seconds left, after Lou Williams’ 3-pointer gave the Raptors a 116-115 lead.

Stevens wanted to see if Evan Turner would break free, and when the Celtics swingman was smothered by coverage, he wanted to stop play before Smart made the inbounds pass.

But Stevens was unable to act before the rookie point guard inbounded the ball to a decidedly less appetizing option — Jared Sullinger at the top of the circle. The big forward lumbered toward the right side of the lane, winding up for what had the makings of a running Tommy Heinsohn hook, when Stevens stopped the play.

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“He just had a quick mind to call a timeout,” said Thomas. “He’s got so many plays in his playbook, he called a great play.

Boston Herald – Brad Stevens’ timeout still drawing raves

It’s not just that Stevens’ ATO plays in crunch time make Doc Rivers’ ATOs look like plays from a middle school recreational league, it’s that he has the awareness to abort mission when the play doesn’t go as planned. Most coaches will build  safety valves and second options on last-second inbounds plays, but Stevens recognized immediately that even a second or third option on that play wouldn’t do. Considering he wanted to call the TO before Marcus Smart even inbounded to Jared Sullinger, Stevens had just one idea in mind. When it didn’t come to fruition, he scrapped the play completely.

In a year of unsung heros and a turnstile roster, Brad Stevens is the Celtics’ MVP.