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“Joker: Folie à Deux” disappoints fans

(Image courtesy of IMDB.) “Joker: Folie à Deux failed to meet expectations of fans and the box office.”

Aaron Preziosi
Connector Editor

Following 2019’s “Joker,” director Todd Phillips initially wanted to keep the film a profound standalone piece. However, following the record-breaking success of the film, having grossed over $1 billion, and being the first R-rated film to do so, Phillips expressed interest in making a sequel. In 2022, the film’s sequel was announced, and last month, on October 4, it was realized in the form of “Joker: Folie à Deux”.

Fans were initially excited for the follow-up to the blockbuster film. “Joker” was praised for its thrilling, cerebral depiction of the classic comic book villain and giving him a believable, grounded backstory that creates empathy without excusing his actions. The film broke a lot of ground in terms of not just theatrical depictions of the Batman mythos, but comic book films in general, which created high expectations for the sequel. Fans were looking forward to whatever direction Phillips would take the sequel, expecting Batman to make an appearance, or Joker to grow more into the role of costumed supervillain.

To the surprise and dismay of fans, “Joker: Folie a Deux” is instead a jukebox musical, starring Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck and his Joker alter ego, and Lady Gaga as “Lee Quinn”, the film’s take on Harley Quinn. She is obsessed with Joker but doesn’t care about Fleck, which is an attempt to create a dichotomy between the two characters with Quinn attempting to bring out Joker and tell a love story, and Fleck trying to get away from his Joker persona and lead a more normal life. The film attempts to tell a serious story, inline with “Joker” before it, but is ultimately dragged down by its own genre choice. The premise of Joker and Harley living a troubled romance is nothing new either, with countless films, TV shows, comics, and even video games having told the story already. In some, Harley is head over heels for the clown prince of crime. Others, she is totally over him and living her best life. “Folie à Deux’s” Lee seems to flip-flop between the two thanks to Phoenix’s depiction of Joker being torn between his two personalities, which degrades Gaga’s performance. Much like the two main characters of the film, the script itself seems to be torn between a serious psychological thriller like “Joker” before it and a downright satirical, ridiculous musical.

To say the film falls flat would be an understatement. 2022’s “Morbius”, one of the worst-performing films of all time, made $39 million during its opening weekend. “Joker: Folie à Deux” only made $37 million, making box office history in the worst way possible. Things do not improve for the film in terms of gross profits, either, having only grossed $201 million when its budget was $190-200 million. Warner Bros’ projected losses are anywhere from $125 to $200 million.

“Joker: Folie à Deux” tries to say a lot and push boundaries much like its predecessor, but unfortunately stumbles and falls on its face throughout its entire runtime. Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga are amazing actors and they deserve better than half-baked musical distortions of what could have been an amazing take on a classic pair of characters.
Grade: D

“Coraline” celebrates 15th anniversary

(Image courtesy of IMDB.) “Coraline crawls into the Other World, unaware of what waits for her.”

Aaron Preziosi
Connector Editor

“Coraline,” the first film produced by stop-motion specialist studio Laika, returned to theaters on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, marking 15 years since its initial release in 2009. While “Coraline” is Laika’s first film, it remains the most iconic thanks to its unique visual style and distinct characters. The film’s 15-year anniversary release features newly remastered stereoscopic 3D, which helps the meticulously handcrafted visuals pop even more.

The actual content of the film remained unchanged for the re-release. Coraline Jones arrives in a new town with her parents who seem to have no time for her. Absorbed in their work, they leave her to explore their new house as she sees fit, during which she encounters a mysterious locked door. Behind it she finds a brick wall, but as she wanders in the night she finds it has been replaced with a mysterious tunnel which leads her to an idyllic “other world.” There, she meets button-eyed doppelgängers of her parents who dote on her and see to her every whim. Coraline hates her father’s cooking, so her Other Family makes her all kinds of rich, lavish food. Her real parents hate mud and dirt, but when she expresses she wants to play in the mud and rain, her Other Parents express their love for mud and how they use it in everything. The lengths the Other Family goes to in order to love Coraline are borderline unsettling, but she falls right into their arms which leads to her becoming disillusioned with the real world. She begins to fight with her real mother and father and drives them away.

However, after being delighted and loved by the doppelgängers of the Other World, her Other Mother expresses to Coraline that she wants her to stay there forever and sew buttons onto her eyes. Coraline vehemently refuses, rightfully creeped out by the prospect. The Other Mother initially accepts Coraline’s decision but doesn’t stop pushing, becoming more and more insistent on the girl staying in the Other World. When Coraline tries to escape, the Other Mother becomes enraged and transforms into a tall, ghastly form, nearly as thin as a skeleton, and traps Coraline in a dark mirror. It is then that she learns from other children trapped in the mirror that the Other Mother is not what she seems; she is a malicious entity called the Beldam that feeds on the souls of children to live.

After being freed from the mirror by an unlikely friend, Coraline escapes to the real world. When she realizes her real parents have been taken by the Beldam, she comes up with a plan to challenge the Beldam, save her parents, and free the souls of the other children she encountered. This third act serves as an excellent parallel to the imagery of the rest of the film. Where the first act served to establish the distinction between the dreary, foggy real world and the vivid, idyllic Other World, the second begins to distort those vivid colors into ghastly shapes and horrifying implications, and the third lays the true nature of the Other World bare for the viewer to see in all its terrifying, gothic glory.

All in all, “Coraline” is a delight to watch even 15 years after its release. While it was intended for a younger audience, the themes of neglect and gratitude can resonate with all ages, and the visuals are absolutely stunning. Its theatrical rerun may be over, but “Coraline” can still be enjoyed on nearly every streaming platform.
Grade: A-

“Call of Duty: Black Ops 6” review

(Image courtesy of IGN.) “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 debuted to positive opinions.”

James Guiry
Connector Staff

Call of Duty Black Ops 6, 20th installment of the Call of Duty games and the 6th game in the Black Ops series, has finally been released and it has been garnering good reviews from IGN, Google, GameSpot, and more. The game features multiplayer, zombies, warzone, and campaign modes.

The campaign takes place in an alternate reality. In 1991, in the middle of Operation Desert Storm, CIA operatives are tasked with extracting the Iraqi Minister of Defense, Saeed Alawi. Alawi informs the operatives that there is a paramilitary group after him. Alawi is killed and the CIA operatives responsible for the extraction are suspended. The operatives decide to investigate the group on their own. More trouble ensues leading to a captivating storyline. Forbes said “the cutscenes are masterfully crafted.” The campaign adds real historical figures such as Bill Clinton and Saddam Hussein adding a layer of realism to the fictionalized story. Overall, the campaign has been well received.

The multiplayer is a pretty standard Call of Duty multiplayer mode. There are nine game modes to choose from including Team Deathmatch, Hardpoint, Search and Destroy, and more, with “hardcore” versions of some of these modes. There are also featured game modes that include a special type of gameplay, like Infected and Gunfight, or modes which feature a single map such as Nuketown 24/7. This is the first Call of Duty game to add “omni-movement,” or the ability to sprint in every direction. This gives players the ability to do more with diving, sliding, and crawling. It adds a 360-degree range of motion in the prone position. This leads to the movements looking more realistic, which is a focus of this game. The movement has really stepped up from past Call of Duty games.

Unlike the last two installments in the Call of Duty franchise, this game includes the beloved zombies game mode. This game mode has players team up with one to three other people or fight alone against waves of zombies. The zombies get harder and harder to defeat as the rounds go on, and the game doesn’t end until all four players are down at once or choose to extract. This game also adds “elite” zombies which are harder to kill and show up at random times throughout higher rounds. The standard perks are included plus a few new ones. They added the ability to split doors and play half and half with a teammate, a satisfying change which makes progression a lot less frustrating.

The game is visually appealing; however, it is not very different from previous entries when everything is said and done. Activision is clearly focused on the microtransactions with the “Vault Edition Upgrade.” It is a lot like other Call of Duty games in the past, and fans feel as if after the many years of Call of Duty games, Activision could stand to innovate a little more. Ultimately, Black Ops 6 is a satisfying entry to a storied FPS series. It is available for $69.99 on all platforms, or free with Xbox Game Pass.

Grade: B-

Tyler, the Creator releases “Chromakopia”

(Image courtesy of Apple Music.) “Chromakopia is Tyler, the Creator’s most complex work yet.”

Liam O’Keefe
Connector Staff

On Monday, Oct. 28, Tyler, The Creator released his much anticipated album “Chromakopia.” The expectations for this album were very high and Tyler delivered as usual. The album shows off a great blend of different styles of production and rhythm. From the upbeat drumbeats and clicks in “Darling, I” to the slow piano featured in “Like Him,” this album has something that almost everyone will enjoy stylistically.

Lyrically this is the most vulnerable Tyler has ever been. The album is very introspective and shows off a more reserved and wary side of him we have not seen before. Tyler’s last album “Call Me If You Get Lost” is very braggadocio in nature with Tyler spending the majority of the album victory lapping his career, flaunting his money and fame. However, “Chromakopia” gets much more personal discussing Tyler’s anxieties with growing old and his family life.

This style of the album is reminiscent of Kendrick Lamar’s most recent album “Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.” Both albums take a good look at the artists’ internal struggles and are very honest about the artists’ pasts, especially relating to family. Tyler has been very open about his lack of a father growing up in the past, such as in the song “Answer” on the album “Wolf” where Tyler sings about how his dad was never there for him. We never knew the true reason for Tyler’s father’s absence until listening to the song “Like Him” where Tyler’s mother says he looks just like his father, yet Tyler feels a disconnect as if he’s chasing something that isn’t there. On the song’s outro, Bonita Smith, who voices his mother on the entirety of the album, admits to Tyler that his father’s absence was in part her fault, and encourages Tyler to not hold a grudge towards him.

Tyler led fans into believing that “Chromakopia” would have no features on it on social media by tweeting “no features” just days before the album release but that was not the case. The album features a vast number of hidden features that only enhance the experience. While Frank Ocean, who many theorized would make an appearance on the album, was yet again a no show, the track list is littered with talent. The first track, “St. Chroma,” features Bonita Smith in the intro and Daniel Caesar in the chorus, Teezo Touchdown has a verse on “Darling, I,” Childish Gambino makes an appearance on the intro and outro of “I Killed You,” and “Sticky” has a large cast of artists featuring GloRilla, Lil Wayne, and Sexyy Red.

“Chromakopia” marks a significant evolution in Tyler, The Creator’s artistry, showcasing his ability to blend diverse musical styles while offering a deeply personal narrative throughout. It may be a while before we see another full-length project from Tyler, but until then, “Chromakopia” offers an assortment of thought-provoking songs that provides a fresh perspective on Tyler as a person and encourages listeners to reflect on their own lives and griefs in the same way he’s done on this project.

Trying to compare this album to any of his others is virtually impossible on an objective level due to the vast differences in theme. The production level is on par with his past albums and the story he tells throughout the piece is entertaining to watch unfold out in front of you. All in all, “Chromakopia” is some of Tyler’s best work, and is worth listening to.
Grade: A-

The celebrity double standard

(Photo courtesy of Cincinnati Enquirer) “Chappell Roan has reached new levels of fame with her recent musical output.”

Jesse Nguyen
Connector Editor

 

It’s no secret celebrities receive hate. It’s basically part of the terms and conditions of becoming one, where under public scrutiny celebrities are bound to receive backlash, no matter what they do. What I find particularly interesting though is how fans administer hate to these celebrities, what factors are at play when choosing who to hate, and who not to.  

Perhaps the biggest and most recent celebrity to receive hate is Chappell Roan, who recently gained popularity in 2023. Her music celebrates queer, feminist culture and has lyrics that inspire joy and authenticity. This, however, isn’t the reason she’s been scrutinized online lately.

Roan has been the subject of hate because of how she responds to harassment. Roan has been outspoken about her experiences with being famous and what it entails. In an interview with The Face, Roan says “I feel like fame is just abusive. The vibe of this – stalking, talking shit online, [people who] won’t leave you alone, yelling at you in public – is the vibe of an abusive ex-husband. That’s what it feels like. I didn’t know it would feel this bad.” 

Many people, particularly those on social media, have expressed that they feel Roan is not fit to become a celebrity. Some popular thoughts about Roan I’ve personally seen going around are “she should just retire,” “not cut to be famous,” “why is she always complaining?” And videos of Roan yelling at rude paparazzi have been a subject of controversy, where people again believe she is “doing too much.” At the end of the day, Roan is a human being. The dynamics of celebrities and fans have been so warped in recent years that this simple fact is often forgotten. Roan is not a terrible person for not wanting to endure the harsh realities of being a celebrity.  

Similarly, Tom Holland, who is most famously known for playing Spider-Man in the Marvel cinematic universe, has had similar thoughts. On Jay Shettys podcast, Holland says “I really do not like Hollywood, it is not for me… I am always looking for ways to kind of remove myself from it to kind of just live as normal a life as possible.” Holland is essentially saying the same thing Roan says, but nobody really seemed to care or take offense to his feelings. In fact, I noticed this when it comes to male celebrities: nobody really seems to care.  

I can immediately think of Pedro Pascal, who was decently popular as Oberyn Martell in “Game of Thrones” but skyrocketed in popularity as The Mandalorian. A huge fan base grew around Pascal, and he unanimously became known as “daddy,” an attractive older man. Which is fine, he is attractive, but there was a point in time where he was asked in every interview about this “daddy” identity of his, and the overt over-sexualization of him just turned into blatant objectification. Pascal is an extremely talented actor, which is something I feel many people overlook in favor of his physical appearance.  

Sometimes, however, hard work and talent aren’t the only things overlooked by physical appearance. When it comes to specifically male celebrities, I noticed physical appearance helps mask severe controversies surrounding some of them. Some of my closest friends are completely oblivious to the fact that Brad Pitt had abused Angelina Jolie and their children, or that Henry Cavill dated Tara King, a 19-year-old teenager when he was 32. While the age gap is perfectly legal, it’s still odd in my opinion. Additionally, Cavill has said some controversial things on the #MeToo movement, a social movement against sexual harassment and rape culture. During an interview with GQ Australia, Cavill said “I think a woman should be wooed and chased… It’s very difficult to do that if there are certain rules in place. Because then it’s like: ‘Well, I don’t want to go up and talk to her, because I’m going to be called a rapist or something.” 

 

All my friends who think Cavill is attractive had no prior knowledge about his dating history or that he said this. Funnily enough, I think the only reason people are so aware of Leonardo DiCaprio’s dating history (women under 25) is because he is not as attractive as his younger self. Brad Pitt and Henry Cavill are/were debatably the most attractive men in Hollywood, so its not totally surprising people choose to ignore these details about them. Still, I wish we as consumers were more acutely aware of the people we are supporting. I just see a jarring contrast and an unfortunately common pattern to how we give attractive male celebrities the benefit of the doubt but attack female celebrities for no real reason.  

‘It’s my right to mess with them’: UMass Lowell students face off with campus demonstrators

(Courtesy of Conor Moyer) “Counter-demonstrator Alex Hernandez dances in front of preaching demonstrators on Oct. 30”

Conor Moyer

Connector Staff

Outside UMass Lowell’s McGauvran Center, elementary school children on a field trip walked past an unusual spectacle: preachers wielding signs that proclaimed “Evolution is a lie” while thundering warnings of hellfire. The demonstrators had chosen this day—which they call “National Sin Awareness Day”—to convert the campus’s bustling walkways into an impromptu revival, their forceful calls for repentance echoing across the grounds and even through O’Leary Library’s floors. Gripping a Bible, one preacher sporting a Red Sox hoodie proclaimed: “The wages of sin is death, and the soul that sins will die. Sex out of marriage, homosexual or otherwise, is sin.”

As the preachers shouted warnings, other demonstrators handed out literature and read verses from tattered mini Bibles to passing students. Larry, who declined to provide his last name, was one of those members.”I can’t watch the mainstream media lies anymore. All they do for me is make me afraid to speak the truth,” he said. “They aggravate me because they’re supporting abortion, spilling innocent blood, sexual immorality, pornography—they spread everything sinful. Particularly in this deep blue state, that propaganda is just unbelievable.”

Another demonstrator who could be seen yelling was Sean Bishop, head preacher of Grace Reformed Church in Amesbury, Massachusetts. Bishop, who is the leader of the demonstrations,  didn’t hesitate to share his views on the LGBT community: “Just as God can change a drunkard to be sober, God can change a homosexual to be straight,” he declared. “We don’t hate them; we just believe they’re lost and need Christ.”

The demonstration drew an immediate response from students. Student Alex Hernandez, dressed in full costume as LGBT indie artist Will Toledo of Car Seat Headrest, played music and danced around the demonstrators. “I love messing with them,” Hernandez said, “though I feel bad for the children on field trips here.” They said the preachers created a “hostile” environment, dismissing their anti-evolution message as “idiotic” and “pseudoscience.”

Another student arrived as freshman AJ Maclu arrived with a black speaker, blasting AC/DC’s “Back in Black” and songs by Chappell Roan. “They legally can’t be kicked off. It’s their right to do this. But it’s also my right to mess with them,” Maclu said. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Maclu was direct about their intentions: “I’m actively making fun of them. The more Chappell Roan I play, the better.”

From her post at O’Leary Library, student worker Emily Lindtveit watched the tableau unfold, “I don’t think it’s making the impact they think it is,” she said. “Some of them are nicer than others, and then there are others that condemn you to hell while you walk to class.”

The preachers remained unmoved by the opposition. “The Bible even says it. The preaching of the word is foolishness to those who don’t believe,” Larry stated. “Our job is not to convert people; our job is to proclaim the word.”

As music continued to compete with preaching, students adapted to the unusual scene. Some engaged in debate, others chose to ignore the demonstrations entirely. Through it all, protest music and biblical proclamations created an unexpected backdrop to an otherwise ordinary fall day at UMass Lowell.

Bestselling author Elizabeth Strout encourages aspiring writers and reminds us all that nobody is ordinary

(Photo courtesy of The Washington Post) “Elizabeth Strout”

Nicholas Rossi

Connector Contributor

Pulitzer Prize winner and best-selling author Elizabeth Strout sat down in front of a large crowd in Mahoney Hall’s Comley Lane Theater at UMass Lowell on Oct. 30, 2024, to talk about her career and her newest book “Tell Me Everything”. Strout was joined by bestselling author and UMass Lowell English department faculty member Andre Dubus III, who asked her questions about her craft, her characters and the many inspirations behind her well-known catalogue of critically acclaimed and award-winning books.

A wide range of people filled the seats in the theater as UMass Lowell students, professors or fans not affiliated with the school. Starting at 5:30 p.m., with a brief introduction from UMass Lowell English faculty member Maureen Stanton, Strout and Dubus walked out on stage to a table with two elegant high back chairs surrounding it. The conversation that ensued gave the audience insight into Strout’s mind and sense of humor, showing how she considers her readers every time she writes and how things like landscape inspire her writing.

“I’m always thinking about the reader. I’m always writing for a reader,” said Strout, who went on to explain how each time she writes, the experience of her reader is in the forefront of her mind. “The reader sits across from me, and the reader has no gender, but is a presence, and the reader is patient, but not super patient…and interested but not desperately interested.”

Strout showed the audience that her writing is not mechanical and that it isn’t solely something she does for herself, but rather how she makes a conscious effort to ensure that those who read her work are engaged, stimulated, and satisfied. Strout explained how she uses weather and landscape throughout her work to give the reader a break from the drama of the story and how she uses drama to balance out her description of the landscapes.

“Weather is so important to us, and I didn’t know you could write about it in an interesting way,” said Strout, when explaining how she initially realized she could use the elements to enhance her writing and the reader’s experience.

“It’s my job as I write to give this reader something that is worth the reader’s while. A part of that includes thinking. ‘Has there been too much noise on the page? Has there been too much noise in this book? Do they need their eyes to rest on landscape?” Strout said. “Then if there is too much landscape, let’s have a little snap, crackle, pop or something,” Strout said, referring to the pops of action she fits in between her use of landscape in her writing.

“It works beautifully,” said Dubus.

“Well it’s because I’m thinking, and always keeping the reader in mind. Always.” Strout said.

“Tell Me Everything”, which was released Sept. 10, 2024, is Strout’s newest novel and was selected as Oprah’s Book Club winner and has already made it on to the New York Time’s Best Seller list. Taking place in the fictional town of Crosby, Maine, “Tell Me Everything” is the story of a murder and its investigation as it surrounds some of Strout’s most well-known characters.

Strout brings Olive Kitteridge, Lucy Barton and Bob Burgess together in “Tell Me Everything.” all whom she has previously written about in their own prospective books. Strout says this book is about the unrecorded events in our lives that nobody hears but are so valuable and rich. “What parts of yourself are in there that nobody gets into see?” Strout says she asks herself as she writes. “That’s what is always interesting to me. I’m just so interested in ordinary people. But they’re not ordinary. Nobody is ordinary. Really, truly. The older I get the more I realize, wow, the stories people have are extraordinary.”

“Tell Me Everything” reflects Strout’s fascination with the unknown happenings of everyday people and their experiences. Much of the book deals with conversations between the characters that reveal things about their lives and their internal worlds, which causes the reader to reflect on their own unrecorded life experiences.

“The stories that Olive and Lucy tell each other in Olive’s apartment are extraordinary,” said Dubus as he referred to the scenes in “Tell Me Everything”. “They find themselves really just telling stories about people who will never have the story recorded.”

After sharing her writing process and the inspiration for “Tell Me Everything”, Strout left the aspiring writers in the audience with her best bit of advice. “I can only say that if you really know that you are a writer then just don’t stop. You’re gonna have to go through rejections, and that’s the story.” The crowd laughed as Strout added, “But don’t stop.”

Celtics lose 135-132 overtime thriller to Pacers

(Photo courtesy of Sports Illustrated) “Jaylen Brown defends Pascal Siakam”

Jake Messer
Connector Editor

On Wednesday night, the Boston Celtics suffered their first setback of the 2024-25 NBA season, losing to the Indiana Pacers 135-132 in an overtime thriller. This marks the first time the Celtics have lost to the Pacers since Jan. 8 of this year.

The Celtics struggled to get going throughout most of the night, as the team went 19/57 beyond the arc and struggled to keep up with the hasty Pacers. Despite the loss, forward Jayson Tatum finished with 37 points and 8 rebounds, including hitting the clutch three-pointer with 13.1 seconds left to send the game to overtime.

“We got a good group, a good unit, but we can’t take it for granted,” said forward Jaylen Brown after the game. “We had an opportunity to win tonight and we didn’t pull through.”

Even though the defending champions lost to the Pacers, the game highlighted the team’s backbone and tenacity. Head Coach Joe Mazzulla could have easily waved the white flag and sent the bench players into the game early in the fourth quarter, as the team was behind as much as 24 points, but he did not. Allowing his team to gain confidence in themselves, even on a night when things just didn’t go their way, showed the confidence Mazzulla had in his team.

With that being said, the Celtics are still off to a great start this season, going 4-1 through their first five games. With a key 119-108 victory at home over the Milwaukee Bucks, the Celtics seemingly have maintained their winning ways from the previous season.

Guard Derrick White continues to be one of the most underrated point guards in the NBA. This season, he is averaging 19 points while shooting 55% from the field. In addition, he is also averaging a block a game while having the highest assist-to-turnover ratio on the team with five.

Stepping up big this year is guard Payton Pritchard, who is an early candidate for the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award. Pritchard has provided a huge spark coming off the bench, averaging 16 points on 45.6% from the field all while only playing 27 minutes a night. His ability to score coming off the bench will be invaluable to the Celtic’s success throughout the season.

However, the biggest impact has come from forward Jayson Tatum, who is an early candidate for NBA MVP this season. With an average of 30.2 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists, Tatum has been playing some of the best basketball throughout his entire career. In regards to the award, it isn’t a top priority for Tatum currently, as he is focusing on winning Banner 19.

“If you’re an MVP, you’re dominating, you’re efficient and you’re impacting winning,” Tatum said. “Championships are the most important, but being the best version of yourself is also important as well.”

One player who is missing from this team this season is center Kristaps Porzingis, who has been out this season due to a leg injury he suffered in last year’s playoffs. Porzingis had surgery to repair the rare leg injury sometime after the finals.

Porzingis is currently rehabbing the leg and working to get back to the court this season. At this point, there is no official timetable for his return. However, it is being reported that he could be back on the court as soon as early December if all goes to plan.

Looking ahead, the Celtics will play their NBA Cup Group Stage games this month. On Nov. 12, they will host the Atlanta Hawks. One week later, they will host the Cleveland Cavaliers. They will wrap up the group stage games on the road against the Washington Wizards a few days later.

Winning a championship is hard. Winning back-to-back championships is even harder as you carry a target on your back. The Celtics will look to overcome this challenge and go back-to-back for the first time since the Bill Russell-led Celtics did in the 1960’s.