In Recreation 1 in opposition to the Philadelphia 76ers, the Boston Celtics stored issues shut. They crumbled on protection, and James Harden nailed a game-winner to seal their destiny.
In Recreation 4, the Celtics stumbled out of the gates earlier than embarking on a powerful comeback to ship the sport to additional time. However on the ultimate two performs of the additional interval, they didn’t execute, and Philadelphia earned the win.
In Recreation 5, the Celtics failed.
They failed to point out any coronary heart. They didn’t play with power. They didn’t comprise Joel Embiid. They failed to protect Harden within the pick-n-roll. They failed to point out up in a house recreation that had main implications for the remainder of their season.
But their response remained the identical.
“I believe that we could be higher,” stated Jaylen Brown. “And I believe that we’ll be higher.”
We have heard these platitudes earlier than. Their fixed calmness deserved reward as they haven’t let dangerous losses, or huge wins, go to their heads.
However after a efficiency just like the one on Tuesday evening, that reward must exit the window.
From the leap, Embiid and the 76ers pushed Boston to the restrict. They went up early, main by as many as 14 factors within the second quarter. Philadelphia poured in 25 or extra in each quarter, together with 30-point quarters within the first and third.
Philadelphia was outworking them at each flip, however hey, no less than the Celtics tried their greatest.
“I believe we had the best intentions to play as arduous as we might,” stated Joe Mazzulla.
Except the Celtics have rebranded as a horseshoes squad, shut isn’t ok. Intentions don’t result in wins until they’re become outcomes. And in Recreation 5, they by no means even got here near carrying out that objective.
And if the post-game semantics weren’t irritating sufficient, Recreation 5 was apparently the primary time Boston has performed poorly this postseason.
“That was the primary time within the playoffs that we didn’t play properly, in my view,” stated Mazzulla.
Recreation 5 bought so dangerous that the Celtics followers at TD Backyard, who had been useless silent for a lot of the contest, rained down boos within the fourth quarter. The Celtics had been booed with every mistake, between durations, and at each signal of defeat.
However even the dismay of their followers wasn’t sufficient to kick the Celtics into form.
“We’ve gotten booed earlier than. So, it’s not something new,” stated Jayson Tatum. “Bizarre to say, however we’ve been in that place earlier than. We didn’t play properly immediately. Followers can see it, you guys noticed it, and we all know that.”
After a win or a one-off loss, even within the postseason, Boston’s pragmatism must be revered. Their skill to brush issues off is one in all their greatest traits.
However after a loss like Recreation 5, their blase solutions, particularly relating to the boos from their hometown followers, had been nothing in need of deflating.
Boston nonetheless has an opportunity to win the sequence, and in the event that they get their minds proper, it’s not inconceivable for them to win Video games 6 and seven. However actions converse louder than phrases.
The Celtics repeatedly spew out the identical guarantees to enhance and study from their errors, however based mostly on their play in Recreation 5, they aren’t able to make good on these pledges.
And in the event that they aren’t prepared now, there’s an opportunity they by no means can be.
