The Boston Celtics fumbled once again. There’s no question about it.
With a chance to take full control of their Eastern Conference semifinal series with the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 4, the Celtics ducked under the bed sheets at the worst time imaginable, and it cost them.
This was the case when the C’s crumbled in the fourth quarter of Game 5 against the Atlanta Hawks. Opponents continue to hold Boston accountable for its blunders, snowballing them into pivotal game-costing mistakes that’ll leave any Celtics fans nauseously aching until Game 5.
And it’s hard to imagine that in the event the Celtics advance to the conference finals to face the Miami Heat or New York Knicks, that Erik Spoelstra or Tom Thibodeau won’t be salivating at the opportunity to make Boston pay for a bone-headed miscue here and there, right?
The Celtics were a wreck in Game 4 in Philadelphia, setting up their own trap and giving the 76ers full control of when to put them away. Looking back, here are three moments where the Celtics went wrong, leading to a 2-2 series heading into Game 5 on Tuesday night:
Joe Mazzulla’s failure to call a (needed) timeout in overtime
Overcoming a 16-point deficit in the second half positioned the Celtics to record their most impressive victory of the NBA playoffs and make a stance reminding the rest of the league of who they are moving forward.
But there are two parts to getting that job done. There’s overcoming the deficit itself then there’s sealing the deal and closing out the game. Boston was halfway there and head coach Joe Mazzulla, who’s coached like a first-year guy in several instances thus far, paid for his lack of experience once again. Granted, perhaps it was entrusting the players that haunted Mazzulla in crunch time.
In overtime, with the Celtics trailing the Sixers, 116-115, Mazzulla elected to allow Boston to play out its final possession. Now, with a Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown-led squad, this shouldn’t be an issue. At their respective ages and with plenty of playoff experience, should Mazzulla need to play it ultra-safe with the Jays? Well, yes technically he should. But that continues to be a roll of the dice that hasn’t paid off.
Marcus Smart’s attempted 3-pointer came just a second late after the Celtics played hot potato, poorly making use of their final seconds by not getting their offense set and ultimately pushing Philadelphia to the finish line.
“At the end of overtime, hindsight is 20/20, I should’ve called (a timeout) to help us get a 2-for-1 or get a couple of more possessions,” Mazzulla said Monday, per NBC Sports Boston video. “Obviously with 14 seconds left down one (points), you wanna get as many chances as you can. Definitely learn from that.”
Jaylen Brown’s no-show in fourth quarter/overtime
There’s no question that Brown is the second-most important player on the Celtics. He’s the Robin to Tatum’s Batman, he’s an All-Star and his performance is critically impactful on Boston’s chances any given night.
But now seven seasons with Boston, Brown still doesn’t seem to get it.
After taking 13 shot attempts in the first three quarters of Game 4, Brown shot just three in the fourth quarter and overtime. Why? There’s no question that Brown wants to be one of the faces of the Celtics, prideful in being one of Boston’s leaders, which he mentioned back on March 26 when going up against the San Antonio Spurs without Tatum.
“When you get the opportunity to be the guy that everybody’s kind of leaning on, it’s a privilege, it’s an honor,” Brown said in March. “So I don’t take those moments for granted. I come out each and every night, I strap up my shoes and I get ready to go.”
That’s the exact mindset that needs to be applied, not just said, when the occasion presents itself. There’s no reason a player of Brown’s caliber should be reminded that if it’s not Tatum, it’s him. Leading by example and taking over when your team is in dire need comes with the territory of being a star.
“I guess I got to demand the ball a little bit more,” Brown told reporters, as seen on NBC Sports Boston’s postgame coverage.
Now it’s up to Brown to decide whether or not he’s willing to switch the energy and step up to the challenge in Game 5.
Giving Marcus Smart the final shot (twice!)
There’s little to no explanation required. Yes, the look was as wide-open as can be, but that doesn’t exonerate the Celtics of much-deserved blame for not getting the potential game-winning shot attempt in the hands of either your best player, Tatum, or your second-best player, Brown.
Heck, even Al Horford, the elite shooter himself, finished the regular season with a team-leading 44.6% 3-point percentage. Therefore, giving Smart, who shot just 33.6% from beyond the arc in the regular season, the big-time shot doesn’t make sense.
Tatum and Brown can’t hide from the bright lights of postseason basketball. They were given a much-improved roster — arguably the most talented in the NBA — so it’s their job to make it work, not to seek a bailout from teammates on shots they should take in the first place.
In overtime, Tatum repeated that mistake once more, feeding Smart while the offense took a slow-paced, lackadaisical approach with the game on the line.
“I waited a second too late when they came to double,” Tatum said of the overtime assist to Smart, per league-provided video. “When (Joel) Embiid came over, tried to kick it out, but I probably should have went a dribble or two earlier.”
Granted it almost worked in Game 1 when Smart drew two 3-point plays in the fourth quarter, which the Celtics found a way to fumble. But if that’s the formula for a push toward Banner 18, maybe it’s time for to start cleaning out the lockers and making offseason arrangements. Because while the Celtics continue to play unsure basketball in the most important moments, opposing teams are far too smart and ready to attack and eat whatever Boston’s laying down on a silver platter.
