Now They Are History: C's Laid An Egg In Gm. 7 Of The ECF Vs. The Heat, Losing 103-84 At TD Garden

 

    In a season filled with incredible highs and lows, it is only fitting that with everything to play for-namely a spot in the NBA Finals and a place in history as the first team in the league to ever recover from a 3-0 deficit-the Celtics fell right on their faces for the entire world to see. They shot an appalling 21% on 3-pointers (9-for-42) and yet they refused to ever change their gameplan even as it quickly became clear that those shots were not going to fall. Tonight at TD Garden in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, they got off to a terrible start by scoring 15 points in the first quarter (tied for their lowest scoring opening frame of the year) and they never really recovered as the Heat blew them out 103-84 to clinch the series 4-3. Miami became only the second team ever to reach the NBA Finals as an eight seed after the 1998-99 Knicks. They will meet Denver-who has been off for roughly three weeks-in Game 1 on Thursday (8:30, ABC) in the Mile High City. Boston's superstar wing Jayson Tatum (14 points, 11 rebounds) sprained his left ankle on the first possession of Game 7 but that does not excuse the terrible performance by the rest of his teammates namely the Celtics' supposed other star wing Jaylen Brown (19 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks, career-high 8 turnovers) who was dreadful throughout most of this series. 

    Tatum admirably hobbled around for 42 minutes but with him at clearly less than 100%, the C's desperately needed somebody else to step up. That turned out to be guard Derrick White (18 points) who seemed to be the only Celtic who was not scared of the moment but still he is Derrick White so he can only do so much in this type of high level contest. After Boston (5-1) lost their first elimination game of this postseason and finished under .500 (5-6) at the Garden in the playoffs, I think we have to stop saying that the Celtics are the better and/or more talented team. Throughout this series, the Heat were the more poised, tough, smart and relentless club. In truth, it was not even that close when it came to those important facets of the game. Miami's superstar wing Jimmy Butler (game-high 28 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals) was named MVP of the Eastern Conference Finals which in truth should have gone to small forward Caleb Martin (26 points, 10 rebounds) who was the most consistent player on the Heat all series long. 

    I am also done saying that Miami's center Bam Adebayo (12 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists) is their second best player because he is not. Still, the Heat all know their role so despite his struggles for much of this series, they survived it because of guys like point guard Gabe Vincent (10 points) and forward Duncan Robinson (10 points, 2 steals off the bench) who always seem to make the right play. Meanwhile nobody else on the Celtics cracked double figures in scoring as point guard Marcus Smart (9 points), center Al Horford (8 points, 8 rebounds) and backup center Robert Williams (8 points, 6 rebounds) were all OK but ultimately not good enough. There is also a reason that teams are now 0-151 in NBA history when they trail 3-0 in a playoff series. It is supremely difficult to win four games in a row right after dropping the first three games. Boston was this close to making incredible history but now all that will be remembered is how poorly they played in Game 7 on their home court. 

    This was one last wretched performance as the C's trailed by as many as 23 points. Just like I will refuse to solely blame this loss on Tatum's rolled ankle, I also cannot totally pin this on Boston's rookie head coach Joe Mazzulla. However, if the Celts' front office decides to bring this jabroni back next season, I might puke. All you need to do is watch a clip of Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra-arguably the best in the NBA-talking to his team during a huddle or how he explains things in his post-game press conferences to realilze that he is an adult while Mazzulla is a green infant not ready for this spotlight yet. The easiest thing to do in pro sports when things don't go your way is to fire the head coach, however considering that Boston has had three different head coaches in the last three seasons (Brad Stevens, Ime Udoka and Mazzulla), do you really think that Stevens will want to fire another young head coach? 

    The more pressing matter is what to do with Brown who is now eligible for a super max deal. Boston cannot simply run it back with the same exact roster and expect things to change for the better. I doubt that they would be bold enough to shop Jaylen but you have to consider anything to make the team better no matter what it takes. This also flipped the narrative from last season's NBA Finals that Jaylen is the gamer while Jayson fades in the clutch moments. All I know is that like the Bruins in 2019-the Celtics could not have dreamed of a more favorable path to a title and yet they puked all over themselves when it counted most. In all likelihood, they would have lost anyway to the Nuggets in the NBA Finals but that is besides the point. They did not even give themselves that opportunity by burying themselves alive (going down 3-0) and coming back from the dead only to epically fail one last time. 

Derrick White's Miracle Putback At The Buzzer Sends C's To Game 7 Of ECF Vs. Stunned Heat

 

    If the Celtics win the NBA title in a few weeks, the play at the end of tonight's Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals will live on in league and franchise history forever. Down 103-102 with only a few seconds potentially left in their bizarre season, guard Derrick White darted to the rim and was able to grab an offensive rebound and quickly put it in right before time expired. Boston won 104-103 at Kaseya Center to even the series 3-3 and send it back to TD Garden on Monday night (8:30, TNT) for what should be an absolutely bonkers atmosphere for Game 7 with a spot in the NBA Finals on the line. The Celtics are down to a short list of now only four teams in NBA history that have forced a Game 7 after trailing in a series 3-0. Of course the previous three all lost as they look to become the first of 150 teams (!!!) to complete this impossible task. 

    This was the 2022-23 Celtics at their best and worst as center Al Horford fouled the Heat's struggling superstar small forward Jimmy Butler (team-high 24 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists) taking a 3-pointer with three seconds left in regulation. Butler was a James Harden-esque 5-for-21 from the field but he almost made up for that by going 12-for-14 from the free throw line including calmly draining all three of those gift free throws to put his team up 103-102. At that point, this was a game that Miami should have locked up but weirdly, I would not call this an outright choke since the winning play was so fluky. The Celtics played well enough in the first three quarters-particularly in the first half-that it should not have come down to this. However, like so many other times this season (regular season and postseason), they could not close out a game as they appear to tighten up and simply try to run the clock out which is impossible in basketball against a legitimate, tough-minded opponent. 

    Celtics superstar small forward Jayson Tatum (game-high 31 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks) was not much better than Butler in terms of shooting (8-for-22 from the field including 0-for-8 on 3s which seems impossible for him) but he was a perfect 15-for-15 on free throws. Shooting guard Jaylen Brown (26 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals) had one of his patented fast starts followed by long stretches of foul trouble (4) and ugly turnovers (4). He was 8-for-10 on free throws though which is no small feat for him. Point guard Marcus Smart (21 points) had his second very strong performance in a row while center Robert Williams added 10 points and seven rebounds off the bench. Unless Butler goes crazy in Game 7-which is always a real possibility-Miami will win this series because of their undrafted guys. Small forward Caleb Martin (21 points, 15 rebounds) started and still played great while point guard Gabe Vincent returned with 15 points on his gimpy ankle, shooting guard Max Strus added 10 points and forward Duncan Robinson (who went to Governor's Academy and Phillips Exeter!) continued to impress with 13 points off the bench. Butler's rough outings have rightfully been focused on lately but Miami's center Bam Adebayo (11 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists)-their second best player-has been terrible in his own right. He went 4-for-16 from the field which seems like a misprint since he doesn't shoot 3s or anything from too far away from the basket. 

    Boston led 34-29 after the first quarter and Miami responded to cut their halftime lead to only four points (57-53). The third quarter was even more of a rock fight that the C's came out on top of (22-19) giving them a 79-72 lead heading into the fourth quarter. In terms of played out analogies, I will say that the Heat are like cockroaches led by Butler-who might as well be The Undertaker in a casket match-because they are virtually impossible to kill. The Celts had been up by as much as 13 points earlier on and they shot 8.1% better than the Heat from the field (46.7%-43.6%) but they managed to survive a brutal time shooting 3-pointers (Boston hit only 7-of-35 while Miami was a much better 14-of-30 aka 46.7%). The C's hit six more free throws (29-23), they blocked twice as many shots (8-4), scored 10 more points in the paint (42-32), had four more second chance points (16-12) and eight more fast break points (12-4).

    The stakes could not be any higher in Game 7 for the cardiac Celtics who improved to 5-0 in elimination games this postseason which is an incredible mark. By winning the last three games in a row and given how Game 6 ended, it is not a reach to think that they might have finally broken the Heat's amazing fighting spirit. Still, this is not the Hawks or Sixers that we are talking about. These same teams played in an identical Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals last year that Boston just squeaked out in Miami so there is no reason to think that this will play out much differently than that did. The C's opened as an eight-point favorite but I am still not comfortable risking any decent amount of money on this bi-polar club. The previous six games do not matter at all, Game 7 is the only thing that anyone will remember from this series; either Boston pulls off the greatest (series) comeback in NBA playoff history or Miami bounces back in the nick of time to save themselves from Yankees and Falcons type infamy. Get some rest these next few days, Memorial Day night should be a truly special atmosphere at the Garden. 

We've Got A Series Now (!!!!) As Boston Rolls To A 110-97 Victory In Game 5 Of The ECF Vs. Miami

 

    Basketball is a simple game so it is amazing what happens when you can pair great team defense with some fantastic long-range shooting. Tonight at TD Garden, the Celtics continued to claw their way back into the Eastern Conference Finals as they led from start to finish in a complete 110-97 Game 5 win that cut the Heat's lead down to 3-2. Game 6 is in Miami on Saturday night (8:30, TNT) and in many ways, that looks like a must-win for the suddenly reeling (is that too strong?) Heat. Boston improved to 4-0 facing elimination this postseason and for the first time all year, they had four guys score 20+ points: guard Derrick White had a game-high 24 points and two steals, point guard Marcus Smart added 23 points and a playoff-career high five steals, superstar small forward Jayson Tatum had a great all-around game with 21 points, 11 assists, eight rebounds and two steals while shooting guard Jaylen Brown added 21 points and three steals. Center Al Horford had 11 rebounds, five assists, a steal and a block as he continues to help out even if he isn't scoring much.

    All playoffs long, this is the version of the Celtics that we had been waiting for. Sparked by Tatum going to the hoop at will, they were aggressive from the start and as they showed in the second half of Game 4-when they are on, the Heat have no chance to fully stop them. Miami's point guard Gabe Vincent missed tonight's contest with an ankle injury and his absence was felt all night since that forced the Heat to start old and washed up Kyle Lowry (5 points, 4 turnovers in 30 invisible minutes) in his place. Miami's supposed dynamic duo of small forward Jimmy Butler (14 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals) and center Bam Adebayo (16 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals) were likewise completely ineffective. All you need to know about how much that Boston locked down Miami in Game 5 (holding them under 100 points for the second straight game) was that New Hampshire native Duncan Robinson led the Heat with 18 points and nine assists off the bench. Not only that but something called Haywood Highsmith-which sounds like a fake name-dropped 15 points off the bench in his first extensive minutes of the series and small forward Caleb Martin notched 14 points and five rebounds off the bench even though he tweaked his knee pretty badly in the first half. 

    The C's blitzed the Heat in the first quarter (35-20) and never really let up as they led 61-44 at halftime then 90-72 going into the fourth quarter. There are a few key stats that really illustrate just how much Boston dominated Miami: the Celts shot 16-for-39 (41%) on 3-pointers and they had more than twice as many steals as them (13-6) thanks to seven more turnovers by the visitors (16-9) which gave the home team eight more points off turnovers (27-19). Boston led by as much as 24 points and numerous offensive rebounds especially early on gave them 10 more second chance points (17-7) for the game.

    The Celtics are listed as a three-point favorite for Game 6 and even though you cannot totally trust them just yet, all the signs are there that this historical comeback could actually happen. We all know that no NBA team (out of the 150 that faced this predicament) has ever won a series that they trailed 3-0; Boston is the 14th to make it to a Game 6 and if they can force a Game 7 in Boston (which would be on Memorial Day), they would only be the fourth club in league history to pull that off. The momentum has totally shifted their way now and all the pressure is on Miami since I think most believe that Game 6 is by far their best chance to end this series once and for all. I know my long weekend just got way more exciting and wow, if the Celts can win their third game in a row, they are that close to pulling off something that I thought was nearly impossible to do in the NBA. Celtics in seven?  

In Game 4 Of The ECF, The Celts Staved Off Elimination With A Complete 116-99 Win At Miami

 

    In the grand scheme of things, tonight was likely just a stay of execution for the 2022-23 Celtics but hey, at least they showed up and competed en route to an impressive 116-99 victory at the Kaseya Center in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Miami still leads the series 3-1 and keep in mind that in addition to no teams ever rallying from a 3-0 deficit in NBA history to win that series, only three have even forced a Game 7. So yeah, the C's still have an insane amount of work to do but at least we can think about them for a few more days and not focus all of our attention on the mediocre Red Sox (26-23). Game 5 is Thursday (8:30, TNT) at TD Garden. Tonight's win was notable for a few reasons besides the obvious of avoiding an embarrassing sweep at the hands of the eight-seeded Heat; Boston improved to 5-3 on the road this postseason while also staying unbeaten (3-0) when they face elimination and furthermore, Miami suffered their first home loss this postseason (5-1).

    What makes this Celtics team so baffling is that results like this should be more of the norm given the talent and depth gap between them and the Heat. It is beyond frustrating that it took them this long to find a way to finally put a little pressure on Miami and show that the Heat are not this unstoppable force that the C's made them seem in this series especially in that pathetic Game 3 performance that is best forgotten ASAP. Boston's superstar small forward Jayson Tatum (game-high 33 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 blocks) had his third 30-point game of the series but this was the first time when he truly felt like the best player on the floor. Conversely, his All-NBA cohort shooting guard Jaylen Brown (17 points, 2 steals) continued to struggle but luckily, his teammates were there to pick him up. The other three starters for the Celtics-guard Derrick White (16 points, 2 steals, 2 blocks), center Al Horford (12 points, 7 rebounds) and point guard Marcus Smart (11 points, 6 assists, 2 steals)-all scored in double figures. Additionally, power forward Grant Williams (14 points, 6 rebounds, steal, block)-the same guy who did not play a single minute in Game 1 thanks to head coach Joe Mazzulla's stupidity-proved that he is a very valuable guy off the bench in the right situation. 

    Miami's superstar small forward Jimmy Butler (team-high 29 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, steal, block) was not nearly as effective as you might think-save for a strong third quarter-since he shot 9-for-21 from the field. Boston's defense was really good and they completely neutralized center Bam Adebayo (10 points, 5 rebounds, steal) who is undoubtedly Miami's second best player. Point guard Gabe Vincent (17 points) and small forward Caleb Martin (16 points off the bench) were both good but neither of those scrubs went crazy which was a marked improvement for the Celtics from the last few contests. Also, Vincent rolled his ankle in the third quarter and managed to return to action but that is an injury to monitor on Thursday. They say that role players always perform better at home so hopefully both of those guys can come back to Earth even further in Game 5 but we will have to see it to believe it. 

    Things certainly did not start out too hot for Boston as they trailed 29-23 after the first quarter and 56-50 at halftime. They were fantastic in the third quarter though (38-23 including a 19-2 run that gave them an 18-point advantage) and that carried over to the fourth quarter (28-20) as Miami went ice cold and had no response for the Celtics' lockdown defense and pinpoint 3-point shooting. For the game, Boston shot nearly eight percent better from the field (51.2%-43.6%), they hit 10 more 3-pointers (18-8), handed out 10 more assists (28-18), they had three more steals (8-5), five less turnovers (15-10), eight more fast break points (18-10) and 13 more points off turnovers (27-14) than Miami. 

    Beware of people (mostly fanboys) trying to talk themselves into a historical comeback by the Celtics being right around the corner these next few days. Remember that this is the same club that is under .500 at the Garden (4-5) this postseason so they will have to win Game 5 before I ever start to take this seriously at all. It is hard to fathom that they could go 0-3 at home in the Eastern Conference Finals so hopefully they show some more pride and find a way to extend this series back to Miami for Game 6. If that happens, then we will have something to talk about as the Heat would have to start feeling a bit uneasy about how things are crumbling apart.

Just When You Thought Things Couldn't Get Worse, The C's Lie Down In Game 3 Of The ECF

 

    It is hard to remember a more pathetic performance in a must-win playoff game than the one submitted by your Boston Celtics tonight in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Kaseya (huh?) Center. They never bothered to even show up as the Heat broke their will and destroyed them 128-102 to take a 3-0 series lead. FYI teams in NBA history that have trailed 3-0 in a playoff series are 0-149 in winning that series so yeah, Boston's season is for all intents and purposes over. Who would bet on this group of gutless players and inept head coach to be the one to break that neverending streak? Game 4 is on Tuesday (8:30, TNT) so I hope that the Celts enjoy their last few days on South Beach before their season abruptly ends well short of their goal of an NBA title (that will make it 15 years and counting for that once proud franchise). 

    There really is not that much to say after an ass-whooping like what we just witnessed. It will surely cost head coach Joe Mazzulla his job-making it four head coaches for the Celtics in four seasons which is gross-but for once, he was far from the major problem in this disaster. Nope, getting swept by Miami (which is the lock of the century now) should make Boston's front office take a long hard look at their overrated roster. Were we naive to think that the Celtics' star tandem of small forward Jayson Tatum (14 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals) and shooting guard Jaylen Brown (12 points, 6 rebounds) are really good enough to lead them to a championship? They were two wins away last season but now, it feels like they are way behind with no titles on the horizon. 

    For the second straight game, another undrafted (sorry Coach Spo for pointing this out) nobody for the Heat had the game of his life. Step right up immortal point guard Gabe Vincent who dropped a game-high 29 points right on Boston's face. If that wasn't bad enough, former Williams College star forward Duncan Robinson added 22 points and guard Caleb Martin (Game 2's unlikely star) notched 18 points off the bench for the home team that can now taste another NBA Finals appearance-this time against Denver who is similarly up 3-0 on the overhyped Lakers. The Heat's superstar small forward Jimmy Butler (16 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals) and center Bam Adebayo (13 points) barely had to break a sweat as their minions did the job for them in Game 3. Shooting guard Max Strus added 10 points in the embarrassing defeat for the C's. 

    This was a true stinker of the highest order as Boston was never reasonably competitive: they trailed 30-22 after the first quarter, 61-46 at halftime and 83-63 headed into the final frame which prompted Bazooka Joe to pull all his starters for good. The Celtics might as well have not been there since the Heat shot a blistering 56.8% from the field and hit 54.3% (19-of-35) of their 3-pointers. Watching this team has become a painful chore akin to hate watching a TV show that you used to love; you know that you should just tune out but for some silly reason, you keep coming back and pretending that it is going to get better. It is not but at least this farce will reach its rightful conclusion on Tuesday. Get this terrible product out of our faces because we cannot take it anymore. Yuck.

The Celtics Are In Serious Trouble After Choking Away Gm. 2 & Losing 111-105 To The Heat In ECF

 

    One of the many givens in the NBA playoffs is that when the home team loses Game 1 of a series, they are basically a lock to even the series with a win in Game 2. Too bad nobody told the Celtics that as they watched Miami close on a 24-9 run tonight as the Heat stunned the TD Garden with a 111-105 victory. Miami heads home with a shocking 2-0 series lead and the possibility of them sweeping Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals is now squarely on the table. There are many reasons why the Celtics find themselves in this major hole but the crazy part is that despite their superior talent, this is the rare instance in the league where the more connected team (the Heat) continue to find a way while the C's self-destructed in crunch time yet again.

    Miami's star small forward Jimmy Butler (team-high 27 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks) was not as good as he was in Game 1 but this time, he got even more help from the Heat's nameless others. Backup small forward Caleb Martin set a playoff career-high with 25 points off the bench, center Bam Adebayo (22 points, 17 rebounds, 9 assists) just missed out on a triple double, NESCAC legend Duncan Robinson scored 15 points off the bench and Celtics Summer League alum Max Strus notched 11 points in the enormous win for the eighth-seeded team in the Eastern Conference. 

    Unlike Game 1, this loss cannot be pinned nearly as much on Celtics superstar small forward Jayson Tatum (34 points, 13 rebounds, 8 assists), not when shooting guard Jaylen Brown (16 points) was nowhere to be found, shooting a terrible 7-of-23 from the field. Center Robert Williams had 13 points, backup point guard Malcolm Brogdon scored 13 points off the bench and guard Derrick White notched 11 points off the bench. For Boston, two of their starters were complete black holes offensively as point guard Marcus Smart (7 points) and center Al Horford (2 points) combined for nine points in 52 minutes of action. Yuck.   

    Both teams had huge runs in the first half as the C's led 25-24 after one quarter and the Heat rallied to take a 54-50 advantage at halftime. An awful third quarter doomed the home team in Game 1 so at least they rectified that by making Game 2's third quarter their best frame (outscoring Miami 33-21). Going into the fourth quarter up eight points (83-75), most teams would be in good position to squeeze out a win but not this flawed team that fell to 4-5 at the Garden this postseason-while the other three teams remaining in the playoffs are all still unbeaten at home. After weirdly not playing a single minute in Game 1, backup power forward Grant Williams (9 points) reappeared in 26 minutes off the bench. He actually played pretty well considering how sporadic his playing time has been this postseason but he made the fatal mistake of getting in Butler's face and talking trash to the last guy in the NBA that you want to do that to. On the one hand, you appreciate Grant's willingness to mix it up (Tatum would never dare to do something like that in his entire life) but that blowing up in his face was so predictable.

    Miami had seven more steals (9-2) as sloppy Boston committed its usual truckload of turnovers (15-10). Even if we did not admit it, tonight was basically a must-win for the Celtics since so few teams comeback from a 2-0 series deficit in the NBA. With that said, Boston's season will unquestionably be on the line Sunday night (8:30, TNT) in Miami for Game 3. Not much else needs to be said; if they win they at least will get another game at the Garden but if they lose and go down 3-0 (which no NBA team has ever recovered from), goodnight Celtics. 

Jimmy Butler (35 Pts, 6 Stls) Is Still A Bad Man As Miami Takes Game 1 Of ECF From Boston 123-116

 

    The roller coaster of emotions that is the Celtics showed no signs of slowing down as they followed up Sunday's Game 7 blowout of the Sixers with a humbling 123-116 loss to the Heat tonight at TD Garden in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Miami's superstar small forward Jimmy Butler (game-high 35 points, 7 assists, career playoff high 6 steals, 5 rebounds) was predictably brilliant as the Heat used a ridiculous third quarter (where they outscored Boston 46-25) to overcome a 13-point deficit and hang on for a 1-0 series lead. The C's apparently have not learned anything from their past mistakes as they lost Game 1 of the ECF last year vs. Miami and they even gagged away Game 1 against Philly a few weeks ago. The good news is that they obviously won both of those series but how many times can you count on that happening?

    We expect Butler to be a bit of a one-man show but that was far from the case this evening since center Bam Adebayo added 20 points, eight rebounds and five assists, point guard Gabe Vincent (WHO?) and shooting guard Max Strus both scored 15 points apiece while small forward Gabe Martin and backup point guard Kyle Lowry each notched 15 points off the bench as well. For the home team, their superstar small forward Jayson Tatum had about the quietest 30-point performance that you will ever see. Somehow he did not take a single shot in the fourth quarter as his team tried to rally (outscoring Miami 25-20) and he compounded that with three mind-numbing turnovers including two traveling violations. 

    Boston's star shooting guard Jaylen Brown put up 22 points, nine rebounds and five assists but he also was not much of a factor particularly after his hand started gushing blood late in the contest (seriously, that still hasn't fully healed yet?). Point guard Marcus Smart (13 points, 11 assists, 2 steals) had a double-double but he was pretty quiet after a great first half. Center Robert Williams (14 points, 7 rebounds) was in the starting lineup again and came out strong but he was mostly relegated to the bench in the second half which was strange. Backup point guard Malcolm Brogdon scored 19 points while guard Derrick White tossed in 11 points off the bench.

    The first quarter was pretty competitive as the Celts led 30-28 and then 66-57 at halftime. The Heat's offense was pathetic in the regular season where they were the lowest scoring team in the league but they have picked it up in a major way during this unlikely playoff run. Still, how do you let Butler and this collection of undrafted nobodies set a franchise record for points in a quarter (on the road no less!)? Miami beat Boston at their own game because they shot better from the field (54.1%-51.9%), hit six more 3-pointers (16-10), they had twice as many steals (12-6) and they committed three less turnovers (15-12). 

    It is impossible to predict anything with the C's this postseason but they did win Game 2 vs. the Sixers so I would expect a better and more focused effort on Friday (8:30, TNT) against the Heat. The difference though between Atlanta, Philadelphia and Miami is that the Heat are not going to just fall apart on their own. This is a very proud group that has been to the Eastern Conference Finals in three out of the last four years and they made the NBA Finals in the 2020 bubble. Boston will have to contain Butler more and make sure that the others do not go off as much as they did in Game 1. Nobody thought that this series would be easy for the Celtics but this was a sobering punch to the mouth right away, good times! 

Tatum (51 Pts) Sets NBA Gm. 7 Record As Celts Eviscerate 76ers 112-88 To Reach ECF Vs. Heat

 

    For the second year in a row and the fifth time in the last seven seasons, the Celtics are going to the Eastern Conference Finals. How they got there this time was the crazy part as Boston's superstar swingman Jayson Tatum erupted for a 51-point, 13 rebounds, five assists and two steals masterpiece as the C's broke open a close Game 7 this afternoon at TD Garden with a 28-3 run in the third quarter which pushed them over the finish line 112-88 over the Sixers. Their reward is a rematch with the Miami Heat who they memorably beat in seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals last season. After trailing 3-2 in this series (just like last year when they were down 3-2 to Milwaukee in the second round), it was a very Happy Mother's Day for the Celtics led by Tatum who had the game of his young life while also setting an NBA record for the most points ever in a Game 7. 

    Philadelphia actually got off to a very solid start as they led 29-23 after the first quarter before Boston rallied for a 55-52 halftime advantage. The third quarter-where the Celtics outscored the Sixers 33-10-is the type of playoff frame that gets head coaches fired. Then again, if you were Philly's head coach Doc Rivers, would you want to continue to work with noted dogs and playoff chokers like MVP Joel Embiid (15 points, 8 rebounds) and former MVP James Harden (9 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 steals) who both rolled over and let this blowout transpire without any sort of fight back? What would have been an extremely rough off-season for Tatum if the C's had lost will likewise be a deservedly unkind summer for Doc, Embiid and Harden since the Sixers blew a golden chance to reach the franchise's first Eastern Conference Finals since way back in 2001.

    This will forever be remembered as "The Tatum Game" but Boston also got a solid performance from its other star-shooting guard Jaylen Brown who had his face bloodied but did not slow down as he added 25 points, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Tatum did what true superstars and (future?) MVPs do in Game 7s by putting his team on his back. The only other Celtic who scored in double figures was backup point guard Malcolm Brogdon who notched 12 points off the bench. Did I mention that Sixers power forward Tobias Harris led them with 19 points and five rebounds? Haha what else needs to be said about a gutless team that also received 17 points from point guard Tyrese Maxey and 11 points from wily veteran forward P.J. Tucker? 

Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals is on Wednesday (8:30, TNT) at the Garden and there will be no extra days off as each contest will be two days apart with the same exact start time. Heat superstar Jimmy Butler needs no introduction but this is yet another series where Boston rightfully enters it as a heavy betting favorite. Interestingly enough with Lakers-Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals tipping off on Tuesday (8:30, ESPN), this is the exact same final four that the NBA got in the 2020 bubble playoffs. Let's not get ahead of ourselves but it would be fantastic to see another Celtics-Lakers NBA Finals. More importantly, the Celtics have to quickly shift their focus to a team that while missing its sniper shooting guard Tyler Herro is still tougher and markedly better than the Hawks and Sixers. Boston is once again the superior team on paper but Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra is maybe the best in the game so if the C's slip up, Miami could certainly upset them and reach the NBA Finals just like they did in 2020. 

Tatum (19 Pts) Wakes Up In The 4th Quarter As The Celts Survive Game 6 Vs. The Sixers, 95-86

 

    With his team's season on the brink, Celtics superstar small forward Jayson Tatum (19 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks)-named to the All-NBA First Team on Thursday-was nowhere to be found for the first three quarters of Game 6 tonight at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. He started 0-for-10 from the floor and then 1-for-14 before he finally woke up with four clutch three-pointers in the fourth quarter. Luckily for him and the C's, NBA playoff games are still at least four quarters long so the same guy who was a puddle with three (!!!!) points in the first 36 minutes, was somehow the same guy who outscored the Sixers by himself 16-13 as the Celtics locked down Philly for a heart-stopping 95-86 victory to tie the series 3-3. Game 7 of their roller coaster second round playoff series will be on Sunday at TD Garden (time and channel TBD), Happy Mother's Day! The winner of that deciding contest will advance to the Eastern Conference Finals vs. either Miami or New York (the Heat are currently up 3-2 in that playoff series). 

    Celtics head coach Bazooka Joe Mazzulla was under immense pressure as well entering this game (not quite as much as Tatum but still the microscope was squarely on the seemingly overmatched rookie head coach) but to his credit, he responded with a brilliant lineup change: he started center Robert Williams (10 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks) over guard Derrick White (9 points) for Boston's vaunted double big lineup. It worked perfectly as the C's got off to a great start: they led 29-22 after the first quarter and 50-43 at halftime after being up by as much as 16 points in the first half. Philly made their move in the third quarter-outscoring Boston 30-21-to take a two-point advantage (73-71) into the final frame. Only seven Celtics played in Game 6 but they all made valuable contributions. Point guard Marcus Smart was their best all-around player with a team-high 22 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and two steals. Shooting guard Jaylen Brown-part of his first All-NBA Team (the 2nd)-added 17 points and six rebounds while power forward Al Horford grabbed 11 rebounds. 

    The Sixers really only had two guys that did much of anything: MVP center Joel Embiid had a game-high 26 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks while point guard Tyrese Maxey matched him with 26 points, five rebounds and three steals. Playoff James Harden was in full effect as he stumbled his way to just 13 points (on 4-of-16 shooting), nine assists, seven rebounds and three steals. The rest of Philadelphia combined for 21 points which needless to say will not get it done in a potential close out game against a legitimate opponent. This was the second time in the series that the Celtics held the Sixers in the 80s (they scored 87 in the blowout Game 2 loss) so it is no surprise that Boston shot 42.3% from the floor and Philadelphia bricked their way to 36.1%. The Celtics made seven more 3-pointers (15-8), pulled down 12 more rebounds (50-38), dished out four more assists (22-18) and scored six more fast break points (24-18) than the flawed home team. Boston survived despite having six more turnovers (17-11) which led to seven more steals for Philadlephia (14-7). That is a tough way to live and they will have to clean that up for Game 7 if they want to continue their postseason journey. 

Speaking of Sunday, who really knows what to expect from either club? Philly won Game 1, Boston took Games 2 and 3, the Sixers won Game 4 in OT then shocked the Celtics in Game 5 before the C's responded in Game 6 when their backs were officially against the wall. For historical context, the Sixers have not been to the Eastern Conference Final since 2001 with Allen Iverson. Conversely, Boston is trying to get back there for the second season in a row and the third time in the last four years. Remember that the Celtics are only 1-2 at the Garden in this series (and 3-3 in this postseason) so simply being at home does not make this an automatic victory. Let's hope that this series keeps mirroring last season for Boston in this spot vs. Milwaukee where they won Game 6 on the road then came home to beat them in Game 7. They never seem to make things easy on themselves but if the Celts can just win on Sunday, that will make us feel a whole lot better (at least temporarily).

After Not Showing Up In Game 5, The Celtics Are Now On The Brink Of Elimination Vs. The Sixers

 

    In the biggest game of the season, Boston never showed any type of urgency and as a result, they fell flat on their face 115-103 to Philadelphia tonight at TD Garden. The Sixers now have a stunning 3-2 lead in their second round playoff series with a chance to send the Celtics home for the summer on Thursday (7:30, ESPN) back at the Wells Fargo Center. There is absolutely no excuse for the Celts as they got off to another fatal slow start and never recovered as NBA MVP and Philly's star center Joel Embiid (team-high 33 points, 7 rebounds, 4 blocks) dominated them along with the Sixers' very talented young point guard Tyrese Maxey (30 points, 7 rebounds) who had by far his best performance of this postseason. Boston's stars-small forward Jayson Tatum (game-high 36 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals) and shooting guard Jaylen Brown (24 points, 6 rebounds)-had nice numbers on paper but their team trailed by as much as 21 points so that all seems pretty hollow in reality.

    For a team that was a whisker away from a 3-1 series lead on Sunday, this is quite a dramatic change for the C's. They never really displayed any type of pulse as Philly led 33-26 after the first quarter and 58-49 at halftime. Nothing changed for the better in the third quarter as Philadelphia outscored Boston 30-23 and they cruised to a surprisingly easy road victory in the all-important Game 5 on the road. Keep in mind, when in NBA history when a playoff series has been tied 2-2, the team that has won Game 5 has gone on to win that series 82% of the time. Sixers shooting guard James Harden (17 points, 10 assists, 8 rebounds, 2 steals) and power forward Tobias Harris (16 points, 11 rebounds) both recorded double doubles in the win while shooting guard Danuel House Jr. added 10 points and five rebounds off the bench for Philly. Point guard Marcus Smart was the only other Celtic to score in double figures but he just had 14 points and shot 2-of-7 from the floor. 

    Boston's lack of energy all night and the way that they simply rolled over against what we thought was an inferior opponent is beyond scary. Yes, the Celtics rallied from a 3-2 deficit in this same exact spot last season against Milwaukee but it is tough to continue to live like this and expect to survive it again and again. The Celtics' defense has been a major weakness in this series (and truthfully all playoffs long) since the Sixers have scored 115+ points in each of their victories. Boston also fell to 3-3 at home in this postseason which will never get it done. Philadelphia wanted it more as they grabbed a whopping 13 more rebounds (49-36) than the home team and thanks to Embiid, they blocked four more shots (5-1). All series long, the C's have driven to the rim only to get stuffed by Embiid, maybe they could adjust to that a bit more?  Philly also had 10 more fast break points (15-5) than Boston which is hard to explain since head coach Doc Rivers' team plays a pretty deliberate style other than Maxey. 

    There will be so much on the line in Game 6 for the Celtics: head coach Joe Mazzulla's job should most definitely be in jeopardy if they lose and more importantly, we would have to wonder if Tatum and Brown will ever get it done together since they seemingly could not ask for a better path to an NBA title than what has unfolded for them this postseason at least in the Eastern Conference. Seeing the Bruins pull a Bruins and choke in the first round of the playoffs after a record setting regular season was bad enough but watching the Celtics piss away this wonderful opportunity would be arguably even harder to take since the NBA is typically so much more predictable and driven by its stars.

The Celtics Beat Themselves As The Sixers Escape Game 4 With 116-115 OT Win To Tie Series 2-2

 

    Anybody that has ever watched the NBA can tell you that every detail and a single possession or two can be the difference between winning and losing an important playoff game. Apparently the Celtics' woefully overmatched head coach Joe Mazzulla has not received that crash course yet as his team blew a golden opportunity to take a stranglehold of its second round series vs. Philadelphia. Instead of coming home with a 3-1 series lead, the series is knotted up 2-2 following Philadelphia's 116-115 overtime victory this afternoon at the Wells Fargo Center. There are a million ways to breakdown this utterly predictable loss by the Celts but it really came down to this: their point guard Marcus Smart (21 points, 7 assists) had a chance to win it at the end of regulation but he missed a 3-pointer and then their superstar small forward Jayson Tatum (24 points, 18 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 blocks) could have taken a shot at the end of overtime that would have clinched it but instead, he took too long then threw it out to Smart for a three that he could not shoot in time before time ran out. Ugh. 

    For all the crowing we hear non-stop from the team, fans and bobo media members about how Tatum and Boston's star shooting guard Jaylen Brown (23 points, 5 assists) are the best tandem in the league, that sure was not the case in Game 4. Philadelphia's much-maligned shooting guard James Harden (game-high 42 points, 9 assists, 8 rebounds, 4 steals) and the NBA's MVP center Joel Embiid (34 points, 13 rebounds) dominated the contest and outscored Boston's dynamic duo 76-47. You cannot argue that the Celtics have a deeper roster but playoff games are usually decided by star players and there was no question which pair was ready for this moment and which one came up short yet again in a key spot. If Tatum and Brown are as good as we think that they are (or maybe can be), they simply cannot lose this series to a washed up/playoff choker like Harden and out of shape/injury prone Embiid.

    Truth be told, if the C's had somehow pulled this off, it would have been a miracle since they sleepwalked through much of the proceedings. They trailed 27-19 after the first quarter and 59-50 at halftime when it felt like it should have been much more in favor of the Sixers. Despite being up by as much as 16 points and playing to a draw in the third quarter (33-33), you knew that Philly would have a hard time closing it out since they are not a very good team after all. True to form, Boston stormed back in the fourth quarter (24-15) with an excellent defensive frame (finally!) but it was still not enough to prevent overtime.

    Both teams only played eight guys apiece in the entire game and point guard Tyrese Maxey (14 points, 8 rebounds) was the only other Sixer to score in double figures. Boston's guard Derrick White added 12 points while center Al Horford (10 points, 7 rebounds, 5 blocks) was immense defensively. Sixth Man of the Year and backup point guard Malcolm Brogdon (19 points, 8 rebounds) continued to play great as he earned more minutes (36-31) off the bench than White who hasn't been nearly as effective as he was in the first round series against Atlanta. I know that little Joey will not do it but starting Brogdon over White in Game 5 seems like a nice lineup change to me but what do I know?

    Just like many other times in the up and down regular season (which sounds crazy for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and NBA title favorite) and thus far in the playoffs, the C's will always be their own worst enemy-somewhere the 90s one-hit wonder band Lit smiles. They owned many of the stats in Game 4 except the most critical: the Sixers had three times as many steals (9-3), they committed three less turnovers (10-7), they hit three more free throws (19-16) and scored 10 more second chance points (19-9) than the Celtics. Game 5 on Tuesday (7:30, TNT) at TD Garden is obviously the biggest game of the season for the C's and like Game 2, it feels like a pseudo must-win because if they go down 3-2, it is tough to see them winning two elimination games with how all over the place they tend to be. 

Boston Regains Home Court Advantage With A Thorough 114-102 Victory In Game 3 At Philly

 

    The Celtics kept the positive momentum going tonight in Philadelphia as they picked up an impressive 114-102 win at the Wells Fargo Center in Game 3 of the second round to take a 2-1 series lead. Boston improved to 3-1 on the road in these playoffs while they also handed Philadelphia their first home loss of the postseason. It was a true team victory for the C's since all five starters scored in double figures led by star small forward Jayson Tatum (27 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals) and star shooting guard Jaylen Brown (23 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists). Sixers center Joel Embiid (game-high 30 points, 13 rebounds, 4 blocks) was presented with his NBA MVP award before the game but none of his teammates could really step up to help him most notably shooting guard James Harden (16 points, 11 assists, 6 rebounds) who continued to be ice cold from the floor (3-for-14) for the second game in a row. The C's will have a great chance to really take a stranglehold in the series on Sunday afternoon (3:30, ESPN) in Philly. 

    They never built up a huge lead-the most that they led by all game was only 13 points-but Boston is clearly the better and deeper club and it showed in Game 3 as they had control for most of the contest. Philadelphia was up 29-28 after the first quarter but Boston took a 57-50 lead into halftime after center Al Horford's (17 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals) clutch buzzer-beating 3-pointer. The Celts kept it going in the third quarter (31-27) and sealed it with a solid fourth quarter (26-25). Boston just has too many weapons when compared to the more limited Sixers. Point guard Marcus Smart added 15 points and three steals for the winners while shooting guard Derrick White scored 13 points with six rebounds and backup point guard Malcolm Brogdon-the reigning Sixth Man of the Year-tossed in 15 points and six assists off the bench.

    Behind Embiid, I think that Philly's lightning fast point guard Tyrese Maxey (13 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks) is the only other guy that you really fear these days but he was held in check in Game 3 going 4-for-16 from the floor. Shooting guard De'Anthony Melton scored 14 points off the bench and Haverhill's own small forward Georges Niang added 10 points but neither of those guys is capable of doing much more damage than that in a tight playoff game. For once, it was nice to see Boston's defense propel them this postseason as they shot 44.2% from the field while Philly was under 40% (39.7%). The C's grabbed three more rebounds (45-42) and handed out for more assists (25-21) than the Sixers. Boston also had two more steals (9-7), four more points in the paint (32-28), four more second chance points (11-7) and eight more fast break points (15-7). None of those statistics sound like much but when you add them all up on the road in a tough environment, they can be the difference between a 2-1 series lead or trailing 2-1 which would completely change the complexion of Game 4 for both teams. 

    Speaking of that, let's hope that the Celtics have finally learned their lessons from the regular season not to mention the Hawks first round series and they can continue to shut the door on the overmatched Sixers. There is no need to go any further than five games with Philadelphia who has no business reaching the Eastern Conference Final this year. Boston has the blueprint to defeat Philly: Embiid can have a big game but as long as the Sixers' others are contained, the C's should take a commanding 3-1 series lead with a chance to close it out back at TD Garden on Tuesday. The Celtics are the best team remaining in the East no doubt and maybe in the NBA so it is nice to see them finally start to play like that on a consistent basis.

MVP Joel Embiid's Return Did Not Matter As Celts Destroyed 76ers 121-87 In Game 2 To Even Series

 

    You have to love the NBA playoffs where it feels like you are just as likely to see a nailbiter game as a regular season style blowout. Tonight at TD Garden, the Sixers surprisingly got the newly minted NBA MVP Joel Embiid (15 points, 5 blocks in 27 minutes) back in the lineup but then they proceeded to get run over by the Celtics 121-87 to tie the series at one game apiece. Philadelphia's shooting guard James Harden who dropped 45 points in a shocking Game 1 upset looked more like his indifferent, playoff choker self as he had 12 points (on 2-of-14 shooting!) and 10 rebounds in 32 minutes. You figured that Boston would win this one but with the way it transpired, it is hard to draw too many conclusions from this glorified exhibition game. The series now shifts to Philly with Game 3 on Friday (7:30, ESPN). 

    Five Celtics scored at least 12 points led by shooting guard Jaylen Brown who had a game-high 25 points and backup point guard Malcolm Brogdon (23 points, 6 rebounds) who hit a game-high six 3-pointers off the bench. C's superstar small forward Jayson Tatum had the worst playoff performance of his career (7 points, 7 rebounds in 19 minutes) as he battled foul trouble but it could not have mattered less as point guard Marcus Smart and shooting guard Derrick White each scored 15 points. Hell, even power forward Grant Williams came out of witness protection to toss in 12 points off the bench in extended minutes (29). 

    Boston was in control the entire way as they led 28-22 after the first quarter and 57-49 at halftime. It was all about the third quarter though as the C's outscored the Sixers 35-16 which made the fourth quarter largely irrelevant (Boston took that 29-22 just for kicks). As you would guess, the numbers were staggering in the home team's favor: the Celtics shot 7.5% better from the floor (46.7%-39.2%), they hit 14 more 3-pointers (20-6), grabbed five more rebounds (46-41), handed out twice as many assists (26-13), had three times as many steals (6-2) and five less turnovers (11-6) than the Sixers. Boston also notched seven more second chance points (21-14) and eight more points off turnovers (13-5) as they were up by as many as 36 points. 

    Embiid playing in Game 2 was a strange decision because you figured Philly winning Game 1 would buy him a little more time to rest and get his body right. He has never been known as the most in-shape guy in the league but lumbering around with a bulky new knee brace, he seemed even slower than usual which is saying something. They are just lucky that he did not get hurt but they still got what they came for in the first two games: a road win at the Garden. Boston will have to win at least once in Philadelphia to take this series so why not promptly get that out of the way on Friday? You cannot be too overconfident given how they struggled to put Atlanta away in the first round not to mention losing in Game 1 to Philadelphia but the Celtics are simply a better team than the Sixers so hopefully they continue to play like that moving forward.

In Tonight's Episode Of Boston Sports Failure, The Celtics Dropped Game 1 To The Sixers 119-115

 

    So apparently we live in sports hell now. For the second straight night, we were treated to an excruciating setback for the home team as this time the Celtics did the honors by losing Game 1 of their second round playoff series to the Sixers 119-115 at TD Garden. Philly's superstar center Joel Embiid (knee) was out and the Celts were a 10.5 point favorite, therefore no problem right? Nothing is certain though with this ultra talented but bipolar club. Sixers shooting guard James Harden tied his playoff career-high with 45 points (including the dagger go-ahead 3-pointer pictured above). Game 2 is Wednesday (8, TNT) back at the Garden and Embiid could return then, gulp. I am still confident that Boston will win the series but why do they keep making things more difficult on themselves? 

    When we take a step back like Harden (sorry), this result is not surprising at all especially considering how Boston repeatedly stumbled in the first round vs. Atlanta. Despite multiple players that are considered good defenders, their team defense is currently a complete mess. I know that every team scores 100+ points in each game in the NBA these days but this is getting ridiculous for the C's. Besides losing home court advantage right away in this series, the Celtics wasted a fantastic performance by its star small forward Jayson Tatum (team-high 39 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists) along with a team shooting performance that seems impossible to lose with-58.7% from the floor and 17-of-18 from the free throw line. Turnovers absolutely killed them as they had a whopping 10 more (16-6) than Philadelphia which simply cannot happen in the postseason if you hope to win anything.

    Harden was the headliner but the others on the Sixers also stepped up with the likely NBA MVP sitting on the sidelines. Point guard Tyrese Maxey scored 26 points, power forward Tobias Harris added 18 points and five rebounds while something named Paul Reed had a double-double (10 points, 13 rebounds) as Embiid's dollar store replacement. Finally, shooting guard De'Anthony Melton scored 17 points off the bench for Philly. Celtics shooting guard Jaylen Brown started out fast and finished with 23 points and six rebounds, point guard Marcus Smart added 12 points and seven assists (but also 6 turnovers) and center Al Horford notched 11 points and six rebounds. Guard Malcolm Brogdon (20 points) was great off the bench but he couldn't entirely make up for shooting guard Derrick White's (4 points) worst game of the playoffs and maybe the entire season. 

    In a high scoring first quarter, the Celts couldn't miss and they led 38-31 but it was all downhill from there as the Sixers took each of the final three quarters. Philadelphia cut it to 66-63 at halftime and it was tied at 87 going into the last frame. Philly hit seven more 3-pointers (17-10) and had seven more steals (10-3) than the hosts which led to seven more points off turnovers (20-13). The Celtics pulled down 10 more rebounds (38-28), dished out nine more assists (26-17), they scored 24 more points in the paint (66-42!!!!!) and four more fast break points (14-10) and yet somehow they still found a way to lose on their home court. I refuse to panic and call Game 2 a must-win (YAWN!) but yikes, things would get pretty sketchy if the Sixers can take a 2-0 lead in the series.

Two Needless Games Later, The Celtics Knocked Out The Hawks 128-120 To Win The Series 4-2

 

    They made it way too hard on themselves-even in the Game 6 clincher-but let the record show that the Celtics finally got the job done with a 128-120 victory tonight against the Hawks at State Farm Arena. Boston won the series 4-2 and advances to the second round to face Philadelphia which will start on Monday (7:30, TNT) at TD Garden. Just like in Game 4's win there, the Celts dynamic duo of shooting guard Jaylen Brown (game-high 32 points, 5 rebounds) and small forward Jayson Tatum (30 points, 14 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 blocks) both reached 30+ points. This one was too close for comfort most of the way as Atlanta led by two points (100-98) going into the fourth quarter but thankfully, the C's played their best frame in the fourth (30-20) to get this over with and avoid a Game 7 on Saturday back at the Garden.

    We all believe in Boston's depth and if they make another real run this postseason, that should be a key to their success. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla played nine guys this evening and they all scored. Besides the Jays, point guard Marcus Smart (22 points) and center Al Horford (10 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals) were both very solid while backup point guard Malcolm Brogdon tied his series-high with 17 points off the bench. Shooting guard Derrick White (7 points) and center Robert Williams (4 points, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks, 2 steals) both had their worst games of the series but that was overshadowed by the rest of the supporting cast aka "The Others" (thanks Shaq!) stepping up for them. 

    It was another high scoring game from the start as Boston led 35-34 after the first quarter and by one point at halftime (68-67). The Hawks star point guard Trae Young (30 points, 10 assists) was on fire to begin the contest with 25 points in the first half alone but the Celts locked him down in the second half as he finished 9-for-28 from the field. Small forward De'Andre Hunter (20 points, 6 rebounds), point forward John Collins (16 points, 2 blocks), shooting guard Dejounte Murray (14 points, 11 assists, 7 rebounds) and center Clint Capela (10 points, 10 rebounds) all scored in double figures but it was not enough to extend the series any further. Shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic (12 points) and power forward Onyeka Ogkongwu (11 rebounds, 2 blocks) were both good off Atlanta's bench in limited minutes. 

    Boston shot four percent better from the floor (50%-46%), they hit three more 3-pointers (18-15), they made two more steals (7-5), had three more blocks (10-7) and three less turnovers (10-7) than Atlanta. The Celtics scored four more points in the paint (54-50) and a whopping 14 more fast break points (18-4) than the Hawks. Rest ahead of the next series is what Boston cost themselves by losing not once but twice to Atlanta. As such, Games 1-4 (along with a possible Game 5 and Game 6) are all two days apart for the Celts and Sixers. This is the third time since 2018 that Boston has met Philadelphia in the postseason and we should feel confident since the C's won the other two times. They also went 3-1 against Philly during the regular season with the Sixers' lone win coming when the Celtics sat many key players. It should be fun with former Celtics head coach Doc Rivers now in charge of the Sixers and Philadelphia is certainly much more a sports city and fan base than Atlanta. Get some rest and be ready to roll on Monday for what should be a much more intriguing playoff series. 

Did That Really Just Happen? The Celts Shockingly Choked Away Game 5, 119-117 To The Hawks

 

    From a Celtics perspective, things could not have lined up much better for them to eliminate the Hawks this evening in Game 5 of their first round playoff matchup at TD Garden and move on to a more interesting second round series against the Sixers starting on Saturday. Boston was a 13.5 point favorite and Atlanta's second best player guard Dejounte Murray was suspended for a game after bumping a referee following his team's loss in Game 4. Instead, the C's blew a 13-point lead with 6:10 left to play in the fourth quarter en route to a gross 119-117 loss to the Hawks. Atlanta's star point guard Trae Young (game-high 38 points, 13 assists, 2 steals) had his second great game in a row and he hit an absolute dagger 3-pointer (from 30 feet away!) with 2.1 seconds left in regulation. Now the C's have to go back to Atlanta for Game 6 on Thursday knowing that they should have closed this series out already. 

    If you have paid attention to the Celtics at all this season, losing in this dramatic fashion was completely in character for who they have been in 2022-23. They love blowing huge leads and losing to inferior opponents, there were countless instances of them doing that during the regular season. You hoped that would change in the playoffs but they have lost twice to the Hawks which is a joke. They will win this series eventually but losses like this can take their toll and cast doubt that they will be able to buckle down in a similar situation against better teams down the line. After they both scored 31 points in Sunday's Game 4 win, C's shooting guard Jaylen Brown (team-high 35 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists) showed up in a big way while small forward Jayson Tatum (19 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists) did not as he went 1-for-10 on 3-pointers. 

    We worry about Boston's rookie head coach Joe Mazzulla inexperience and that was on full display as Atlanta's head coach Quin Snyder coached circles around him. With Murray out, the Hawks were basically a one man team and yet the Celtics could not contain him in crunch time as he scored Atlanta's final 14 points. The Celtics also allowed power forward John Collins (22 points) to finally do something in this series while shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic (18 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks) played well and small forward De'Andre Hunter added 13 points while his backup Saddiq Bey notched 12 points off the bench. 

    For Boston, shooting guard Derrick White (18 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks) continued his fine play while point guard Marcus Smart (10 points) struggled and yet Muzzalla had him in the whole time while things fell apart late in the fourth quarter and backup point guard Malcolm Brogdon (14 points) sat for the final seven minutes which is a troubling trend that has sadly carried over from the regular season. Center Robert Williams (10 points, 7 rebounds) wasn't nearly the same impact player that he was in Game 4 while center Al Horford (6 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 blocks) is not scoring at all lately (3 points) but he at least is doing other positive things to contribute.

    It should never have come to this since the Celts led by 10 points (92-82) entering the fourth quarter but somehow they could not complete the job on their home court. Atlanta hit seven more 3-pointers (19-12) than Boston, while they added five more second chance points (17-12) along with six more points off turnovers (14-8). The C's started slowly-trailing 30-27 after the first quarter-and the second quarter was the only time that they really asserted their authority (39-28) on the Hawks. The Celtics could not really put Atlanta away in the third quarter (26-24) though setting the stage for an epic playoff choke job. The good news for the Celts is that they still have a great opportunity to get back to the NBA Finals if they can just get their act together. Then again, if they fall short of that, everyone will immediately point back to this terrible loss as a sign that were not not a true title contender this season after all.  

Celts Bounce Back From Hideous Game 3 Loss To Beat The Hawks 129-121 & Take A 3-1 Series Lead

 

    I still have my doubts whether the Celtics can consistently focus and play enough defense to win an NBA title this postseason but at least they got back untracked tonight with a 129-121 victory over the Hawks at State Farm Arena. This should have been the close out game of an easy first round sweep but Boston messed that up by somehow losing to Atlanta 130-122 in Game 3 on Friday. Oh well, the gentleman's sweep should be completed on Tuesday (7:30, NBC Sports Boston) back at TD Garden. The Celtics' two stars showed up in a major way as small forward Jayson Tatum (7 rebounds, 3 blocks) and shooting guard Jaylen Brown both scored a team-high 31 points. The Hawks' lone star point guard Trae Young had by far his best outing of the series with a game-high 35 points, 15 assists and two steals but shucks, it was not enough to tie up this pointless series. 

    Boston came out with a purpose in the first quarter as they took a 35-25 lead. They still were up by double digits heading into halftime (65-53) after point guard Marcus Smart's (19 points) late three-pointer. Atlanta made its push in the third quarter (34-27) but the C's did just enough to hold on in the fourth quarter (37-34). That essentially ended this series since pretty much nobody rallies from a 3-1 hole in the NBA playoffs which is rather pathetic but mostly true. 

    The Green are far deeper than the Hawks as shown by the fact that three other guys scored in double figures: shooting guard Derrick White (18 points) along with point guard/Sixth Man of The Year Malcolm Brogdon (14 points) and center Robert Williams (13 points, game-high 15 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks) who were both great off of the bench. Center Al Horford played 34 minutes, took two shots that he missed but still had a real impact with 11 rebounds, five assists and two steals. Small forward De'Andre Hunter added 27 points and seven rebounds for Atlanta while shooting guard Dejounte Murray notched 23 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Center Clint Capela (10 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals) was the only other Hawk to reach double digits. 

    With injuries to Giannis and Joel Embiid already, the Eastern Conference playoff picture is really beginning to open up in Boston's favor which makes it so important for them to eliminate an inferior opponent like Atlanta ASAP. Philadelphia-who they completely own-awaits them in a second round series that could start as soon as Saturday. The Celtics shot eight percent better from the field (51%-43%), they grabbed seven more rebounds (49-42), they scored 12 more points in the paint (56-44) and 10 more fast break points (18-8). If I know anything about a hapless franchise like the Hawks, they will barely show up for Game 5 and Boston will blow their doors off while we all get loose on Canal Street. Ideally, the Celts can build up a big lead on Tuesday allowing their starters and key bench guys to not have to play big minutes to get this done.