Right here lies “Celtics Insurance coverage,” the emotional hedging tactic that I relied on for the previous few seasons to guard myself from blown leads by the Cs. Nearly any time they’d put collectively a large lead, I’d open up my Rhode Island Sportsbook betting app (they’ve a monopoly right here, I can’t use DraftKings) and throw 5 {dollars} on the opposing crew’s moneyline.
Now, the technique is borderline ineffective. Excluding the Dean Wade-led Cleveland Cavaliers, it doesn’t seem to be groups are capable of dig themselves out of holes once they’re taking part in Boston anymore.
Beneath I’ve compiled NBA.com’s “lead tracker” for every of the final eight Celtics video games, excluding their loss to the Denver Nuggets. I left that one out as a result of they by no means fairly took management of that matchup and spent many of the evening taking part in from behind.
Grid View
Boston has made a behavior out of bending with out breaking as of late. Even within the loss to Cleveland, the Cs had been capable of fend off a third-quarter run from the Cavs. As quickly as Cleveland obtained shut, Boston took management of the sport again and constructed their lead again as much as 22 factors.
It was an terrible loss, make no mistake. However, it took some of the unbelievable “man within the zone” moments in current historical past paired with a stone-cold Cs offense for the comeback to occur. Even with all of that happening, the speaking level that got here from that loss wasn’t in regards to the collapse, however moderately about Jayson Tatum’s shot choice with an opportunity to win the sport.
Other than that, the Celtics have proven an incredible quantity of focus as of late. Any time their opponents have appeared primed to take management of the momentum, Boston has buckled down and gotten baskets, stops, or each.
Positive, you possibly can simply say, “effectively, they shouldn’t even let it get to that time.”
Sadly, that simply isn’t all that real looking. Basketball is a recreation of runs, particularly on the skilled degree. It’s not school, the place groups are simply merely outmatched at occasions. NBA gamers are within the league for a purpose and are able to making an influence at any time — shoutout to Dean Wade and Caleb Martin.
The essential factor right here is the expansion that the Celtics have proven over the previous 12 months. Final season, the Cs appeared primed for one more run again to the NBA Finals, but got here up quick. They coughed up a pair of second-half 12-point leads in Video games 1 and a couple of of the Jap Convention Finals towards the Miami Warmth. Had they held on to even ONE of these two leads, they in all probability would’ve discovered themselves again within the Finals.
As a substitute, they went residence sooner than anybody thought that they’d and the roster underwent a significant makeover final summer time.
Oddly sufficient, the warning indicators had been there. At about this time final 12 months, Boston misplaced three straight video games and blew an enormous lead in all of them.
On March 3, they coughed up a 28-point benefit towards the Brooklyn Nets. Two days later they let a 14-point third-quarter lead slip away towards the New York Knicks. Then, within the “Imma make ‘em each” recreation, they fumbled a 15-point edge towards Cleveland.
This 12 months, the Celtics haven’t even misplaced three consecutive video games, by no means thoughts placing collectively three straight collapses. I imply, it’s even shocking in the event that they play poorly for a couple of quarter.
It helps that the roster is way improved. Boston now has a number of offensive choices that they will depend on, moderately than simply Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Vacation, and a much-improved Derrick White have all had their moments in crunch time this 12 months.
The sheer distinction in composure, focus, and expertise ought to have followers feeling good in regards to the “Clap Again Celtics” heading into the playoffs in simply over a month.