So-called championship pushed groups all the time know when to rise to the event. They know when it’s time to make their transfer in a recreation, however particularly in a sequence.
Based on the proof at hand, the Celtics are a far cry from being championship caliber proper now.
In Game 5 in opposition to the Sixers on Tuesday night time, with the sequence tied 2-all, the Celtics wanted to convey their “A” recreation. They wanted to impose their will and take command of the sequence.
They may not afford to dilly dally, then activate the jets at crunch time. They ought to have discovered their lesson lengthy earlier than this. They ought to have already realized that tactic didn’t work in Game 4, in addition to a number of different video games throughout this postseason run.
Talk about embarrassing, with 3:55 to go, down by 20 factors, Joe Mazzulla emptied the bench and put within the subs. Even worse, the staff was booed off the courtroom at totally different occasions by a Celtic fandom that not often is pushed to that finish.
At least the scrubs confirmed just a little extra urgency through the 115-103 Game 5 loss.
Bottom line: The Celtics have made their mattress. Blame Mazzulla if you’d like, however in the end, it nonetheless comes right down to a staff that’s underperforming throughout crunch time. They mainly took a powder through the worst potential time.
“That was the first game of the playoffs that we didn’t play well, in my opinion,” Mazzulla stated following the loss. “So we are able to’t lose our perspective. We performed actually good basketball, and that was our first actually, actually dangerous recreation of the playoffs.
“So it doesn’t come at necessarily the best time, but we just have to shift our perspective and get ready for the next game.”
It’s arduous to imagine it’s gotten so far, however the C’s are down 3-2 headed to Philadelphia for Game 6.
In arguably the most important recreation of the 12 months, a recreation Celtics guard Malcolm Brogden dubbed a “must-win” on the outset, the Celtics had been wiped off the courtroom by a hungrier staff.
What went mistaken, Celtics guard Marcus Smart was requested after the loss?
“Everything. Everything went wrong,” Smart stated. “They made every right play. They made every hustle play. Everything went wrong for us that can go wrong.”
Maybe the Sixers are merely a greater staff – an idea that didn’t appear potential in the beginning of the playoffs. Maybe the Celtics, just like the Bruins, can’t lower it when the stakes are the best.
Wasn’t Joel Embiid 1-10 in opposition to the C’s within the postseason heading into Game 4? Aren’t the C’s so significantly better on paper?
Well, the Celtics wanted their stars to shine, and as soon as once more, so lots of them didn’t ship within the pivotal recreation of the sequence.
As good as he’s, Jaylen Brown simply can’t hit a free throw with the sport within the steadiness, and it’s been a killer. The Celtics had trimmed the result in 11 with 9:16 to go. Tyrese Maxey hit a 3 to place it again as much as 14, however then Brown clanged a pair of free throws. The Sixers by no means regarded again after these misses.
While Brown had 24 factors, he was 3-for-8 from the road, 2-for-6 throughout crunch time. He was additionally saddled with early foul hassle. On the entire, the staff was 25-of-34 (73.5 %) from the road, which is unacceptable presently of 12 months.
It was loss of life by missed free throws. Even extra of a humiliation.
Al Horford?
He was the bagel man. He went 0-for-7 from three-point-land on the night time. He was 0-for-6 on 3-pointers within the first half, which tied him for essentially the most makes an attempt with no make in a half in Celtics postseason historical past.
Super sixth man Brogdon wasn’t significantly better, hitting on simply 3-of-9 pictures.
Championship groups can’t win with efforts like that.
As for Jayson Tatum, he completed with a game-high 36 factors. Don’t let the numbers idiot you. As in Game 4, he couldn’t hit the facet of a barn door for a lot of the primary half. He had two factors within the first quarter, going 0-for-5 from the sphere.
His numbers acquired higher on the half, however solely as a result of he determined to go to the ring, given his shot was failing him. Unlike Brown, he delivered from the free throw line, hitting 11 of 13 makes an attempt.
The C’s had been presupposed to have a lethal one-two punch with Tatum and Brown. One, or the opposite, or each, delivered continuously through the common season. And at totally different factors through the playoffs, they’ve come by way of. But foul hassle, being absent on the scoresheet for 1 / 4 or a half, isn’t getting the job finished.
And after a 12 months to develop and mature, and study from the expertise, each Tatum and Brown appeared prepared to hold the Celtics. Only it hasn’t occurred in the way in which many had hoped.
In this sequence, Embiid is doing a greater job of carrying his staff, and delivering knockout blows. He had 33 factors, and was aided by Maxey (30 factors), who was deadly with the three-point shot.
In Games 1 and 4, it was James Harden who delivered.
As Sixers coach Doc Rivers predicted previous to tip-off, Game 5 would come right down to “making shots … it’s a make-miss league, that’s the bottom line.”
The Sixers made 50.6 % of their subject aim makes an attempt. The C’s related on solely 39.8 % (33 of 83). They had been woeful from three-point land (31%), whereas the Sixers had been 40 %.
“The energy wasn’t right. It could have been better, way better,” Smart stated of the Celtics. “We know that, we understand that. And tonight speaks volumes. It shows that, if you’re not ready, you’re going to go come out, any given moment, this can happen, so you tip your hat off and move on to the next one.”
It speaks volumes a few staff that claims it has “unfinished business” and needs to win a championship, after dropping out final 12 months.
It speaks volumes a few so-called championship pushed staff.
Source: www.bostonherald.com