8 takeaways as Celtics drop catastrophic Recreation 3 loss to Warmth

Celtics

The Celtics are about to be eradicated. They give the impression of being prepared for the season to be over.

The Celtics dropped one of many worst losses possible on Sunday, falling to the Warmth 128-102 in Recreation 3 of the Japanese Convention finals. They now path the sequence 3-0.

Listed here are the takeaways.

1. Barring probably the most miraculous turnarounds in NBA historical past, Recreation 3 marks the de facto finish of a weird street for the 2022-23 Celtics.

We are going to get to all the pieces that went fallacious — and there was lots of it — however we should always begin by attempting to contextualize the historic beatdown the Warmth simply administered. They seemed higher within the opening minutes. They couldn’t miss within the first half. The Celtics got here out of the break down 15, however they shattered rapidly and the sport bought out of hand.

The Celtics, who had been gifted what seemed to be an excellent path to the NBA Finals, are about to be eradicated from the playoffs. Worse: They give the impression of being able to be achieved.

It’s price remembering that the Warmth did this to the Bucks as nicely. One thing clicked into place in Miami simply because the playoffs started and turned a bunch of gamers who managed simply 44 regular-season wins into sharp-shooting superstars. Possibly the Warmth Tradition persons are on to one thing.

However the Celtics are on the verge of falling within the convention finals but once more. Most groups by definition don’t make the convention finals, and the Celtics get there usually, however don’t be stunned if modifications are so as. Sunday’s sport — particularly given the 2 video games that preceded it — will go away a nasty style within the mouths of lots of people within the Celtics’ entrance workplace.

2. Let’s speak about what went fallacious. It’s laborious to pick what particularly doomed the Celtics in a cacophony of failures, however we are able to begin with the 3-point capturing. The Celtics completed 11-for-42 from deep as a workforce, however these numbers are a little bit overly pleasant due to the bench. Jayson Tatum was 1-for-7, which by some means was higher than Jaylen Brown at 0-for-7. Marcus Good and Malcolm Brogdon had been each 0-for-3. For the sequence, the Celtics are actually capturing roughly 29 p.c.

The Celtics win once they make 3-pointers and usually lose once they don’t. That’s usually the case throughout an NBA that’s more and more dominated by 3-point pictures.

If you need a easy reply as to why the Celtics are dropping, that could be the perfect you get. The Warmth are getting extensive open seems and flattening 3-pointers just like the 2014 San Antonio Spurs, and the Celtics are doing the other.

3. The failures of Tatum and Brown will comply with them into the summer season. Neither participant performed within the fourth quarter, which can have helped restrict their turnovers to a few apiece. Each tallied simply two assists. Brown particularly seemed mystifyingly shaky, however Tatum was little higher. Early within the sport, he tried a spin transfer in opposition to Jimmy Butler, and the Warmth star slapped the ball away as if Tatum was a freshman competing in opposition to the varsity.

Tatum talked extensively all year long in regards to the ache of dropping within the Finals. The Celtics don’t seem like they should fear about that this 12 months.

4. Joe Mazulla was closely criticized for not doubling Jimmy Butler, however doubling Butler (16 factors, 5-for-13 capturing) wouldn’t have modified Sunday’s end result within the slightest. Gabe Vincent went 11-for-14 from the ground. Duncan Robinson is now some extent guard, apparently. Caleb Martin, in the meantime, is prime Duncan Robinson. Robinson, Martin, and Vincent mixed to make 15 3-pointers, which was practically thrice as many because the Celtics’ whole beginning lineup (six).

Mazzulla stated after the sport that he didn’t have the Celtics able to play and took the blame for the loss, however that merely doesn’t ring true. If the Celtics — who’ve been right here earlier than and gained — really weren’t prepared for a must-win Japanese Convention finals sport, that’s a failure the gamers deserve to carry for the summer season.

5. The Celtics’ two hardest enjoying gamers within the second half had been Grant Williams and Robert Williams. Neither performed within the fourth quarter, as a result of there was no level to anybody within the rotation enjoying within the fourth quarter (Marcus Good bought a little bit run, as if Mazzulla was close-but-not-quite able to admit defeat).

6. The Celtics took 11 of their 17 free throws within the fourth quarter. Whether or not that was a failure of the Celtics themselves (which is what the attention check would recommend) or a failure of the officers (what Celtics gamers who complained all through the sport definitely appeared to suppose) is a little bit unclear.

7. You may’t sum up a playoff sequence with one play, however Bam Adebayo definitely tried to within the first half.