BOSTON — The Celtics not only failed to score and protect their home floor advantage in Thursday night’s Game 2 loss, but they allowed the Cavaliers to find their offensive confidence from anywhere on the floor.
It’s uncharacteristic for Boston to drain just 22.9% of its 3-point attempts, lead by no more than nine points, and score only eight points on the fast-break. But it’s flat-out inexcusable when on the other end of the floor, where effort and engagement are tested, the Celtics allow every Cavaliers player who logged over 10 minutes to shoot over 50% from the field, and get out-rebounded, 44-31. Cleveland had thrown Boston off its A-game, and in response, the Celtics starters accepted their early exit of shame with 4:58 left in the fourth quarter.
The wave of disappointed Boston fans who turned their attention from the court to the exit signs at TD Garden knew it, and so did Jaylen Brown.
“Maybe we missed some shots and we let that translate,” Brown explained after the stunning 118-94 loss. “It’s the playoffs. We can’t let that happen. I don’t care if you missing shots, you gotta guard a guy on the other end. … You can’t miss shots and then allow them to make shots on the other end. That was unacceptable.”
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Boston’s defensive woes posed signs of a rough night in the making. In the first quarter, Cleveland got ahead of the Celtics with an 11-5 run, which saw Boston miss seven consecutive shot attempts, including three at the rim.
It wasn’t pretty, it kept the home crowd stagnant for all the wrong reasons heading to halftime with an even 54-54 score, and it wasn’t enough to spark any motivation once the second half began. The Celtics came up empty on all eight of their 3-point attempts in the third quarter, taking desperation heaves that allowed the Cavaliers to get ahead in transition and pick them apart.
“I think when we did attack the rim, collectively as a group, there was a lot of kick-out opportunities that we missed,” Jayson Tatum felt. “And then 41% from the field and 22% from the three — we just didn’t make shots. You know, it’s a make-or-miss league.”
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Through it all, Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell had no problem piling on the scoreboard pressure. He drilled a deflating 27-foot three before the third-quarter buzzer sounded before posing still and locking eyes with Boston fans who sat in disbelief. For the second straight Game 2 this postseason, the Celtics looked unprepared and allowed a less-talented opponent to embarrass them in their neck of the woods.
“I think when you lose a game like that it could be a combination of tactics, a combination of effort, combination of like a little bit of all those things at times,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said. “Not to say it was one thing the entire time, but it’s probably a combination of those.”
Boston has 48 hours to revamp and prepare to respond.
Featured image via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
