When the Celtics returned to the Auerbach Center on Thursday to evaluate the movie from their Game 1 loss to the Heat, nothing stunned them.
“It was pretty much what I thought,” Joe Mazzulla stated.
“It looked exactly like it looked last night,” Robert Williams added. “Long film session. Not much more to say.”
It was ugly. After holding a double-digit lead early within the third quarter, the Celtics let go of the rope. The Heat surged with a 46-point interval to take management. Almost the whole lot went incorrect for the Celtics, who misplaced their sense of urgency and objective, and it mirrored in each a part of their play.
This has been a theme for the Celtics, who’re unbeatable and dominant for stretches however have hassle staying constant and locking in for a full 48 minutes. It’s price them loads of occasions this season. It’s alarming that it continues to occur at this stage of the season, in crucial video games.
“We get tired of doing the little things sometimes,” Marcus Smart stated after the loss.
“We’ve got to make sure we do those little things, and we can’t get bored with those, and we’ve got to realize what has got us the lead or what was working for us.”
Mazzulla noticed parallels between what occurred on Wednesday and in Game 1 of the 76ers collection, when the Celtics held a 12-point lead late within the first half earlier than letting their opponent discover some momentum. The Heat trailed by 9 at halftime on Wednesday, however Mazzulla thought the best way they ended the half was vital.
“It happens before you even stop to think that it’s happening, and in both games it’s been that way where we’re up 13, we build a good lead, and with two minutes to go in the quarter we kind of give a team life,” Mazzulla stated. “So that’s why end of quarter, start of quarters, and just executing is so important.”
On Wednesday, it snowballed to absurd ranges. The Celtics overlooked the small print which might be required, particularly in opposition to a staff just like the Heat.
“You can’t take the simple things for granted, no matter the stakes, no matter the importance or the game or the series or the situation that we’re in,” Mazzulla stated.
The Celtics are assured they’ll reply in Friday’s Game 2 like they’ve so many occasions after powerful losses, however even they acknowledge that this sample of solely enjoying with urgency when completely wanted has change into an issue.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that we’ll come out ready to play in Game 2 but the problem is we can’t keep relying on that,” Williams stated. “Go back to the culpability thing. We can’t rely on our backs being against the wall. … We have to fix it.”
Payton in, Grant out
Payton Pritchard had solely performed vital minutes in two video games throughout this run – Game 2 in opposition to the Sixers in rubbish time, Game 5 in opposition to the Sixers when the C’s have been looking for a spark – however Mazzulla noticed the guard as a part of the sport plan in opposition to the Heat. Pritchard was the eighth man off the bench in Game 1 and performed 12 minutes, however was a non-factor after lacking each pictures he took.
“I liked his shooting, I liked his aggressiveness. I like his ability to change the momentum and the energy of the game,” Mazzulla stated of the choice to play Pritchard. “I think he brings a level of physicality in our pick-and-roll defense, which is important in this series. So I just think he’s able to do all of those things.”
Grant Williams didn’t play for a fifth time throughout these playoffs as his function continues to decrease. Williams performed 30.4 minutes per sport in all seven in opposition to the Heat in final season’s Eastern Conference Finals, but it surely’s unclear if he’ll play an element within the rematch.
“We have a plan to use the depth we need in order to give us the lineups we think can really help us and obviously in the playoffs when minutes are expanding you look to play seven or eight guys throughout and I think at the start Payton gave us an opportunity with his shooting, his playmaking and his pick-and roll-defense,” Mazzulla stated. “Like we said before, Grant is always gonna be ready, and we’ve built a lot of versatility in our lineup where we can go a lot of different ways. We trust that anybody we call on will be ready.”
Deja vu?
The Celtics have been in the identical place after final season’s Game 1 that unfolded equally, once they held a double-digit first-half lead earlier than the Heat reeled off a 39-14 third quarter en path to a victory. But that doesn’t precisely put them comfortable this 12 months.
“Last year was last year,” Derrick White stated. “This is a different year, different team.”
White missed Game 2 final season due to the delivery of his son Hendrix. This 12 months, his son’s birthday can even come on the day of Game 2.
“That’s the deja vu I’m happy about,” White stated.
Long distance scarcity
Mazzulla usually judges how properly the Celtics offense performs by the variety of 3-point makes an attempt they put up. They have been second within the NBA this season with 42.6 3-point makes an attempt per sport. But they solely took 29 in Wednesday’s loss, which he stated was a product of a number of elements on each ends.
“You take a look at how we got them,” Mazzulla stated. “When we get stops and are in a position to get out in transition, we’re in a position to get these. They switched defenses and switched extra within the second half, and switching defenses gradual you down and it’s important to combat on your spacing, combat for benefits. You should combat to create separation, and so having the ability to make the adjustment on how we play versus one protection versus a switching protection is vital.
“So we just have to fight for that and we can generate those threes by creating separation, by creating advantages.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com