Typically you’re going to lose video games, even once you’re the Boston Celtics. There are going to be nights the place there’s completely nothing that you are able to do to cease a scorching shooter or a workforce that simply has it going.
Tuesday…properly, Tuesday was not a type of nights.
Boston’s NBA Cup loss to the Atlanta Hawks was flat-out gross — disgusting even. Over the course of 48 minutes, the Celtics shot themselves within the foot (ft?) over and over. They handed the Hawks the entire additional probabilities doable by turning the ball over and permitting a plethora of offensive rebounds.
“They performed tougher, and so they performed extra bodily than we did,” stated head coach Joe Mazzulla, after his workforce’s 117-116 defeat to the Trae Younger-less Hawks. “They obtained 20 offensive rebounds, and compelled us into 20 turnovers. You let a workforce outshoot you by a shot margin like that — you’re not gonna win.”
I imply, simply check out the ultimate bucket for the Hawks. Boston really obtained the miss that they have been on the lookout for, they only couldn’t safe the board to shut out the possession.
The whole night time was riddled with performs like this. Seconds earlier than the above, Atlanta discovered a lifeline as a result of Cs’ lack of urgency on the glass. Boston had three gamers proper beneath the basket after Jalen Johnson got here up quick on a floater, but the ball discovered none of them. As a substitute, it discovered Johnson who then dished to Larry Nance Jr. for a wide-open triple.
Right here’s a glance:
The Hawks getting Capela or Okongwu on a guard constantly produced factors within the paint and offensive rebounds. However the play beneath was essentially the most inexcusable of the night time for the Celtics.
It exemplifies why they weren’t happy with their effort or focus. pic.twitter.com/p4JmvYbfZJ
— Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) November 13, 2024
While you pair this with the lack to throw an entry go, as Mazzulla stated, “you’re not going to win.” Particularly when that sloppiness leads to you taking simply 3⁄4 of the photographs that the opposing workforce did.
That’s proper.
Atlanta took 100 photographs to Boston’s 75.
In keeping with Jaylen Brown, that differential stemmed from carelessness.
“We anticipated to win, (we have been) too careless,” he stated. “And it confirmed. I believe that the primary class the place it confirmed was on our turnovers. It’s uncharacteristic of us to have 20 turnovers, beneath any circumstance. I simply suppose that was a show that, you already know, we weren’t in sync like we usually could be.”
Brown additionally took accountability for these turnovers, saying that it’s on him, in addition to Jayson Tatum to maintain the ball. He identified that the 2 mixed for 11 of Boston’s 20 turnovers.
Whereas the Cs have been careless, the Hawks nonetheless clearly needed to win this sport.
“They have been simply extra aggressive,” identified Derrick White. “They discovered a method to each 50/50 ball and appeared like they needed it slightly extra.”
In keeping with White, a few of that aggression comes from the added alternative that guys like Dyson Daniels and Jalen Johnson see whereas their star, Younger, is out. Daniels posted a team-high 28 factors and 6 steals, whereas Johnson logged a triple-double.
“I believe when guys are out, different individuals are simply wanting ahead to that chance and simply enjoying wild and free and taking pictures confidently. We simply should up our depth stage in the beginning of video games and simply perceive that’s why groups are attempting to do.”
As bewildering as which may be to followers, it logically makes a ton of sense. After all, these guys are going to be chomping on the bit. The issue lies with the Celtics feeling like they’ll be simply superb no matter that.
Positive, White and Brown have been each accountable on the podium and completely deserve a mulligan, particularly contemplating the consistency they’ve proven over the previous season and past. However their play ought to replicate that accountability.
We will’t fake that the Cs haven’t regarded slightly lackluster for the previous week or so. That they had fallen behind early of their earlier two video games, then began sluggish once more on Tuesday. It’s definitely not time for the panic button, however it could be time to showcase the identical aggression and physicality that helped them storm again in opposition to the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday. It’s in there, we’ve all seen it, and that makes the NBA Cup loss that rather more disappointing.
