The first 16 minutes on Friday night time went about in addition to they probably may for the Boston Celtics, who had a 28-point lead over the Brooklyn Nets early within the second quarter. But as an alternative of cruising to a different snug win in opposition to an Eastern Conference opponent, they have been booed off the ground a couple of hours later after an embarrassing 115-105 defeat.
With 7:23 to play within the second quarter, Jaylen Brown hit a layup to place the Celtics up 51-23. Over the rest of the sport, the Nets outscored the Celtics 92-54 to finish the most important comeback within the league this season. The 28-point turnaround was additionally the biggest comeback in Nets franchise historical past.
While the Celtics finally misplaced the sport within the second half, the actual turning level was the tip of the second quarter, when the Nets closed the body on a 16-4 run. As many groups with massive leads are inclined to do, the Celtics took their foot off the gasoline and misplaced focus, and the Nets took benefit. Nothing summed that up higher than the ultimate sequence, when the Celtics botched a easy inbounds play, which led to a buzzer-beating layup for Dorian Finney-Smith to chop the deficit to single digits going into the break.
The Celtics, for no matter purpose, have been by no means in a position to regain their focus or their depth. During his broadcast interview in between the third and fourth quarters, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla even admitted that the Nets have been “taking part in a bit of bit more durable” than his workforce.
“That was the primary time we could not get it again,” Mazzulla added postgame. “I assumed all year long we have achieved a superb job of sustaining our composure and our poise. In moments like that, when the opposite workforce begins to play nicely and modifications their mindset, we simply have to regulate to the atmosphere. It’s laborious.”
But it wasn’t only a case of higher effort. The Nets have been making extra performs on either side of the ball as nicely. Mikal Bridges completed with 38 factors, 10 rebounds and 4 assists, whereas Cam Johnson (20), Finney Smith (17) and Dinwiddie (17) all had not less than 17 factors. The Nets additionally compelled 19 Celtics turnovers, which they became 21 factors on the opposite finish.
“They beat us in each analytical class attainable,” Mazzulla stated. “If we do not decide to the margins, irrespective of how laborious we play, we’re not gonna win. They bought extra 3s up, they bought extra pictures up, they bought extra free throws, they bought extra offensive rebounds and so they turned it over much less. You can play as laborious as you need, you are not gonna win like that.”
The Celtics have handled inconsistency and weird outcomes this season. They’re 1-3 in opposition to the Orlando Magic, trailed the Indiana Pacers by 30 in a recreation they finally misplaced by 5, and have been blown out by 33 factors by an Oklahoma City Thunder workforce that was with out Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
This, loss, although, is the worst of all of them. They have been at house, taking part in a workforce that simply traded its two finest gamers and had misplaced 4 in a row coming into the sport and had a 28-point lead. But whereas many followers and media members are rightfully involved about what such a collapse says about their playoff prospects, Tatum and Co. don’t really feel the identical means.
“We misplaced, it was powerful. Disbelief? No, we did not play nicely,” stated Tatum, who marked his twenty fifth birthday with a capturing line of 10 of 23 from the sector and 0 of 8 from 3. “They performed higher than we did, and normally you lose. So it is not disbelief, I do not even know if it is anger. We play too many video games to be indignant. Move on, prepare for the following one. It is what it’s, primarily.”
