MIAMI — As he processed the Celtics’ gutless Game 3 loss a day later, surrounded by a throng of media inside a ballroom on the Four Seasons Hotel early Monday afternoon, Malcolm Brogdon agreed with the characterization that the defeat was “stunning.”
But the warning indicators that one thing like this could possibly be coming have been there for weeks, a minimum of. They struggled to place away the Hawks. They barely managed to get by the 76ers. Now, they’re being uncovered by the Heat in embarrassing vogue.
“I think we’ve taken a few steps back, I think, in these playoffs overall,” Brogdon mentioned. “I think it’s showing because we’re playing a very disciplined, consistent, well-coached team. But I think in the Atlanta series, I think in the Philly series, I think we got away with things that now are biting us. So that’s definitely troubling.”
Truthfully, these purple flags have been there earlier than the playoffs. After a sizzling begin to the common season, the Celtics’ flaws have been uncovered in a number of losses to inferior groups. When their pictures weren’t falling, it affected their protection. They ignored groups they need to beat. It resulted in a handful of embarrassing losses just like Sunday evening’s catastrophe.
Joe Mazzulla admitted Sunday that the Celtics have misplaced a few of their defensive identification that made them so nice final season. Brogdon took it a step additional: The Celtics haven’t had an identification this season, and, by some means, are nonetheless looking for it within the Eastern Conference Finals.
“I think Miami is one of the teams, one of the few teams in the league, Miami, Denver, there are only a few of them that have a really strong identity and they play by it every single night,” Brogdon mentioned. “They’re tremendous dedicated to it. And, for us, our identification has waned all yr lengthy. We’ve been making an attempt to determine who we’re, as a result of I believe we’re such a terrific, proficient scoring workforce, however once we don’t make pictures we bought to depend on our protection, and our protection isn’t constant each evening.
“When we don’t make shots, our defense wanes, it slips. And that’s something we’ve talked about. It’s something we’ve tried to work on. It’s something we’ve been extremely aware to, but it’s continued to be an issue for us.”
Now, it’s most likely too late to beat it. Even although they’re conscious of how a lot their protection has declined, it retains occurring.
“I think defense should be the identity,” Brogdon mentioned. “I think when you get to the end of the playoffs, the Eastern Conference Finals, the Finals, it’s the best defensive teams that are going to take that step forward and win a series. And I think we’ve seen that. Shots aren’t going to fall every night. That’s just the reality of the league. It’s a miss or make league. So our defense has to be our calling card.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com