That’s really all I feel this morning after what we watched that night.
Well, that’s not true the more I think about it.
If last night felt familiar, it’s because it was.
We experienced the exact same frustrating home playoff performance against the Heat that ultimately ended the Celts season.
Instead, we are in the exact same spot.
This time without Jimmy Butler, but with an approach that looked all too familiar.
The only thing that remotely deserves to be in this section is the play of the two best players.
They have done their part.
In fact, it was the exact opposite.
Losing a game like that is what makes it all so fucking annoying.
- OK, we’re good here.
Let’s move on.
The Bad
- Alright, where would everyone like to begin?
If it’s OK with everyone, I would like to start with Joe Mazzulla.
Let’s start with the overall defensive approach.
This approach is insane to me for a variety of reasons.
It was why the Celtics lost the series.
Here’s where the first playoff fear came to life.
I can understand given what happened in Game 1, seeing if something similar would work in Game 2.
But once it was clear you should not do that, you have to adjust.
That’s the whole point of this roster right?
There’s enough talent on the floor to where you don’t need to extend guys.
If Tatum cools off over the next few possessions, then sub him out.
If not, then great!
The strategy issues weren’t just defensively, which is not particularly great.
That did not happen.
And finally, the contest comment after the game.
I dunno if Joe was trying to protect his players or something, but we all have eyes.
- So let’s talk about that 3pt defense.
I think once you actually look at how they were generated, there’s a difference.
Some are clearly strategy related, but some are just piss poor effort.
There were also wide open 3s that were generated off Bam screens.
Look, he’s just not going to be called for illegal screens.
The final group is what I would consider just piss poor effort.
Sorry, but those two plays are not a Joe Mazzulla or strategy issue.
That’s a player issue, and something we saw all too frequently in this loss.
In other words, the playoff fear of MIA’s 3pt shooting came to life.
That’s the Heat’s formula, they need to survive off points off TOs.
If you consistently flirt with the 17-20 point range, that’s how they pull off their upsets.
The proof is in the pudding.
In the 2019-20 ECF, in the 4 losses the Celtics averaged 16.8 opponent points off TOs.
Oh that’s right, they lost.
If you give up points off TOs, you are going to lose.
It’s as simple as that.
When you get careless with the ball, you are playing into the Heat black magic.
It allows them to get out in transition, and with that comes the typical dagger 3PM.
We saw it play after play after play.
- Getting virtually zero production from your 3 bench players is not going to cut it.
Payton Pritchard not even taking a shot in his 20 minutes.
At some point, the players who are on the floor are actually going to have to produce.
Look at these lineups!
Double bigs with KP/Al?
- Game after game after game I have to listen to people complain about the Celtics 3pt shooting.
About how they can’t rely on that and they need to attack the basket blah blah blah.
They want the Celtics living by the 2pt shot.
Last year, the Celts had 61 points in the paint, and lost.
Because they did not match the Heat’s 3pt production.
They lost that battle 16-10 and only took 29 3PA, which is an awful number.
Last night, the Celtics won the points in the paint battle 46-26, and lost.
Because they did not match the Heat’s 3pt production.
They lost that battle 23-12 and only took 32 3PA.
They were essentially beaten by Mazzulla Ball, just like we saw in the losses last year.
It’s not complicated, it’s math.
Both teams took 75-80 FGA.
Both teams made 37 FGM.
So how did they lose by 10?
Another playoff fear came to life.
- The Celtics need a much more aggressive Derrick White moving forward.
As one of the best shooters on the team, he’s past the days of being passive.
When the Celts get passive Derrick, stuff like last night happens.
- When playing the Heat, you should probably pick a poison.
The Celtics did neither in his game.
- The Celtics have won back to back home games in a playoff series just twice since 2021-22.
There was the 4 game sweep of BKN and then the 2-0 start against ATL last year.
In total, just 2 times in 8 series is very bad.
With that came some playoff fears.
For Porzingis, the fear for him was what happens if he disappears?
A 1-9 (0-4) performance and a -32 in his minutes, I mean holy hell.
Not only was he a non-factor, he was virtually unplayable.
That, is a big time concern.
Then there’s Jrue.
That’s something I heard a lot of when it comes to his playoff issues.
Now that he’s a 5th offensive option, it’s no big deal.
It is a big deal.
It’s a very big deal.
Sorry, that is nowhere CLOSE to being good enough.
I don’t care if you’re the 5th option or the 1st option.
The playoff offensive dropoff isn’t just legit, it’s an issue.
To deny that fear is playing out is to deny what is happening in front of your face.
So here we go, the hard way it is I guess.
Now, it is the Celtics who have all the pressure in the world.
