The Boston Celtics played far from their best basketball in Friday night’s Game 3 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, yet still found a way to stay in it to the very end.
In a series that isn’t expected to go much further than the now-required five games, Boston took Atlanta’s best punch and will now be afforded an opportunity to respond. That is what the Celtics have done all season long, and the expectation is for the Celtics to eventually meet the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round some time next weekend.
Despite the lack of worry, Jayson Tatum is accepting responsibility for the dropped playoff contest.
“I’ve gotta play better, I think,” Tatum said postgame, per NBC Sports Boston. “I had some timely turnovers. Especially my reads at the rim, maybe trying to get fouled. I’ve gotta make some better decisions in some of those moments, in timely situations. This one tonight is on me.
“… I know I get a lot of credit when we win, and I have to take the blame when we lose,” Tatum said. “Rightfully so. And I’ve gotta play better. Gotta make some better decisions in some of those moments. I will. I didn’t think we were gonna win every game in the playoffs. They played well tonight. We come back, get some rest, watch film, learn from it, and I’m extremely motivated and confident that we’re going to play better next game.”
Tatum finished Game 3 with a respectable 29 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals, but finished as a minus-four and shot just 4-for-11 from 3-point range. It was a fine game, but not the one that could bail his Celtics teammates out of a sloppy defensive night.
“This one kind of hurt a little bit,” Tatum said.
