Even after they blew a double-digit lead for a 3rd time in 4 nights, lower than 24 hours faraway from an exhausting double-overtime recreation, the shorthanded Celtics had the right alternative to outlive, and proper their struggling ship in Cleveland.
Grant Williams – an 82.7% free-throw shooter – stepped to the road with 0.8 seconds left in a tie recreation with two pictures to offer the C’s a lead. When Donovan Mitchell stepped in entrance of him in an effort to ice him, Williams exuded confidence, showing to mouth, “I’m gonna make both.”
But then Williams’ worst nightmare unfolded. He missed each free throws. Marcus Smart’s inspiring tip-in try fell off the rim, sending the sport to additional time.
The Celtics couldn’t get better.
Down three starters – together with Jayson Tatum – the depleted Celtics ran out of gasoline. They constructed one other huge lead behind a robust first half, led by as many as 15 and by double digits halfway via the fourth quarter. But for a 3rd consecutive recreation, they couldn’t shut the deal. Their offense went chilly, the Cavaliers earned some well timed second-chance buckets down the stretch and Donovan Mitchell’s 40 factors finally completed them in a brutal 118-114 loss on Monday night time.
Jaylen Brown had 32 factors, 11 rebounds and 9 assists in 45 minutes – an evening after he logged 47 minutes – and Malcolm Brogdon returned after lacking two consecutive video games to attain 24 factors to guide an impressed bench effort. But it was finally not sufficient – once more – after their third additional time lack of the season towards the Cavs.
After blowing a 28-point lead in Friday’s loss to the Nets and one other second half, double-digit lead in Sunday’s loss to the Knicks, the Celtics nonetheless couldn’t study their lesson. The C’s are persevering with to slide at an inopportune time.
“It’s part of it,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla instructed reporters in Cleveland. “We did loads of good issues for a very long time. Coming off the double additional time recreation, the second night time of a back-to-back, enjoying three-and-a-half quarters rather well, after which simply not executing down the stretch. You need to undergo these issues.
“For me, in order to experience success, you have to have failures. I don’t like losing. I hate losing. But I understand it, and I know that you need to do it in order to get to where you want to get to.”
The Celtics constructed their double-digit lead behind a formidable offensive first half. They cooled down within the second half, however sturdy protection stored them forward by 11 with 5:26 remaining earlier than they collapsed once more.
Their offensive execution waned beneath drained legs, which included eight consecutive missed pictures. They misplaced the sport on the glass, the place Lamar Stevens got here up with three of his six offensive rebounds within the last minutes, which led to seven second-chance factors for Cleveland. Mitchell lastly heated up and gave the Cavs a one-point lead – their first for the reason that opening quarter – with 24.7 seconds to go.
“We haven’t learned about late-game offensive rebounding yet, and this might be the fifth or sixth loss, and so that part pisses me off,” Mazzulla stated.
The Celtics regarded like they may persevere when Derrick White’s ensuing 3-pointer took a pleasant bounce to retake the lead. But Mitchell drew a questionable foul on Williams with 5.8 seconds left. The C’s challenged, but it surely was unsuccessful and Mitchell made each free throws to tie the sport. Then, and not using a timeout, Payton Pritchard went coast-to-coast and obtained an excellent take a look at a layup. It missed, however Williams was fouled on his tip-in try.
Williams – who has had a tough final week – missed two probabilities at redemption.
“Tell him I love him. It’s part of the game,” Mazzulla instructed reporters. “He didn’t miss them on purpose. Have to be able to move on from it.”
The Celtics took a three-point lead in additional time however the Cavs responded with a 7-0 run, capped by a monster jam from Mitchell. Brown made it a two-point recreation on a formidable drive. But with 18 seconds left, after Mitchell missed a jumper, Darius Garland got here down with one other Cavs offensive board. He made two free throws to seal the sport.
“We just have to pick up on some patterns that I think are holding us back a little bit and correct it, be better, be sharper, finish games better, keep leads better,” Brogdon instructed reporters. “I think that’s really going to be the big thing for us. Keeping leads.”
Mazzulla stated after Sunday’s loss to the Knicks that he wasn’t involved with the Celtics’ latest struggles – they’ve now misplaced 4 of their final 5 video games and are two video games behind the Bucks for first within the Eastern Conference – however some alarming tendencies are mounting. With 16 video games now remaining earlier than the playoffs, this seems like an essential second within the Celtics’ season as they tackle their points and work out the way to apply their classes to a championship run.
“You just have to, at times like this, shift your perspective,” Mazzulla stated. “What are you going to give attention to? …
“Who are we when we’re at our best? And why are we not at our best? And what does that look like, and how do we maintain that?”
Source: www.bostonherald.com