Celtics Lack Attacking Mindset, Go Cold Down Stretch In Loss To Hornets

A Marcus Thornton 3-pointer brought the Boston Celtics to within two with less than five minutes to play.

But from that point forward, it was all Charlotte Hornets, all the time.

The Celtics’ offense completely disappeared down the stretch Monday night, allowing the Hornets to turn a tight contest into a 96-87 win.

After Thornton’s three made it 87-85 Hornets with 4:31 remaining in the fourth quarter, Boston managed just two more points on a Rajon Rondo layup after the outcome was long decided.

The lack of production was most evident in the final minutes, but the Celtics’ offense struggled throughout the second half. They managed just 42 points over the final 24 minutes (21 in each quarter), 13 of which came during a Marcus Thornton hot streak early in the fourth. Ball control also was an issue, as the Celtics turned it over six times in the final nine minutes.

“They were a lot better than us in the third quarter, there’s no question,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens told reporters after the game. “We made a little bit of a run at the start of the fourth, but then we couldn’t quite get over the hump.”

The Celtics actually finished with a higher shooting percentage (43.7 percent) than the Hornets (41.7 percent), but their offense simply looked stagnant and out of sync — a far cry from the intensity they displayed in Monday’s comeback against the Washington Wizards. Charlotte employs a slow, methodical attack, and it used it to control the pace of the game.

Nowhere was this more apparent than in the free throw department. The Hornets got to the line 29 times to the Celtics’ 10, a product, Stevens said, of an aggressive mindset the Celtics sorely lacked.

“They attacked, and we fouled,” the coach said. “Absolutely no excuses on my end. We didn’t attack like they attacked, and they attacked and got to the line. Part of that is who they are — they have a lot of cutters and drivers, and obviously Al the post. They were much more attacking-oriented than we were.

“They earned all of those trips to the line. Every one of them.”

Thornton, one of just four Celtics players who attempted free throws in the game, agreed.

“We have to start putting the onus on the refs to make calls, and that’s by being aggressive,” he said.

The Celtics ended too many of their possessions with jumpers rather than driving to the rim and, as they have at times this season, relied too heavily on the 3-pointer. The C’s attempted 23 threes in the game but were successful on just five, and players not named Marcus Thornton were a cool 2-for-15 from beyond the arc.

“Part of it is who we are,” Stevens said of his team’s hesitancy to drive to the hoop. “We’ve got some guys that are catch-and-shoot guys, that aren’t guys that traditionally will floor the ball and get to the rim. You continue to work with guys, and hopefully they continue to add to their game.”

When those catch-and-shoot guys are hitting shots, that’s fine. When they’re not — as was the case for Avery Bradley, who scored just four points on 2-of-9 shooting — well, you saw the result.

Thumbnail photo via Sam Sharpe/USA TODAY Sports Images