I’m not sure about anyone else, but I find myself extremely emotionally exhausted today.
You know, typical post Game 7 stuff.
They say there’s nothing greater in sports than a Game 7 and I sort of have to disagree.
Those things are the absolute worst.
If possible, I would like to avoid any and all Game 7s for the rest of the playoffs.
All day yesterday I kept thinking the same thing to myself.
There was no way the Celtics season could end like this.
At the same time, I fully understand that at times, the Boston Celtics make no goddamn sense.
They zig when we think they’re about to zag.
It is both our blessing and our curse when it comes to following this team.
When you’re leading, the clock moves slower than you’ve ever seen before.
When you’re down, the clock moves at a rapid pace.
Being down 5 feels like you’re down 15, and being up 15 feels like you’re tied.
Until that clock hits 0.0, Game 7s are torture.
Just like they have so many times before.
It’s all part of the package.
What are we talking about today if the Celts lose Game 6 and Tatum goes 1-14 (0-6)?
What are we saying today if they choked away Game 7 at home?
It’s a disaster.
Calling it a failure wouldn’t even do it justice.
The Good
- How do I say this while still remaining someone level headed.
Jayson Tatum is going to go down as one of the greatest Celtics to ever walk this earth.
He is that guy.
He is the chosen one.
Call it whatever you want, it all means the same thing.
Tatum looked so much more in control on his drives compared to what we saw in Game 6.
Going up against MIA, that’s going to be HUGE.
Best of all, there was no settling.
In a Game 7, I can understand the appeal of going for knockout plays.
But when the game is in the balance, you cannot settle defensively.
How many times did we see Tatum get Embiid on the perimeter and attack?
Once they got the lead, then came the dagger 3PA.
It was a perfect offensive approach in the biggest game of his life.
Was this the greatest game we’ve ever seen Jayson Tatum play?
That’s a tough one.
It’s another 1A/1B situation for me I think.
I guess maybe he does have that killer instinct we hear so much about?
For reference, the #1 defense in the NBA this season had a Drtg of 109.9.
That 2022 Celtics playoff defense everyone raves about?
Especially one that employs the league MVP and one of the best offenses in the league during the year?
That is championship level clamps.
The plan was in place and the players' execution was flawless.
Malcolm told us that.
So how did his adjustments and plan work to end the series?
I know how important offense is.
I understand that the Celts need to make their 3PM if they want to win.
But everything, and I mean EVERYTHING will always come back to how they defend.
In the playoffs, you have to be able to not only get stops, but consecutive stops.
Why did Game 7 open up into a blowout?
Not just because Tatum went nuclear, but becaue this team got consecutive stops.
Holding a team to 10 points in a quarter?
With the season on the line?
The Celtics have the luxury of unleashing Horford on Embiid and completely removing him from a basketball game.
We see it every single time these two face off against each other.
The Celtics season is over if Al Horford does not put this man in jail.
Once Embiid started to get frustrated, Joe adjusted and started to send delayed doubles from all angles.
If he knows what’s coming and how you plan to double, he can pick you apart.
Their collective approach from the coach on down was flawless.
There was the potential for things to snowball after the slow start like they did in Game 5.
Instead, this team took a breath, hunkered down on defense and eventually the shots dropped.
That’s the pop in of in game resilience they are going to need the rest of the way.
Considering they combined for 76 points, I say they answered the call.
One play can change everything, and from that moment on the Celts closed 85-53.
They woke up the beast.
The margins are everything.
Harden had been cooking him all series and look at how he did in that matchup.
A total of 0 points on 12 possessions.
Where the hell did that come from?
The Bad
- I’d say probably the 1st quarter fits here.
The interesting thing was the Celts slow shooting start wasn’t 3PA related.
Only 6 of their first 25 FGA were from deep, which is why this was a little concerning.
Can’t beat them straight up so you have to resort to those tactics.
This is partly how you knew the Sixers were cooked before the game even started.
Hey, I guess it worked though as the Sixers were given more FTA in this game.
Unfortunately, they got dick stomped anyways.
I look forward to Woj’s follow up tweet about that.
I think we’re all set with this section for today.
What would we even put here?
There really wasn’t a disaster worthy enough outside of the 1st quarter play.
If it were up to me, this is how every blog would go.
I will say this though.
I get that the 7 man rotation was a must for this series.
Great adjustment by Joe.
But I do also believe playoff fatigue is real.
If things get dicey, shorten it.
As they say, you do no win a title for making the Conference Finals.
That is not the goal.
On some level, maybe this was destiny.
A rematch of last year and the bubble ECF, it’s going to be an absolute war.
There are going to be ups and downs, highs and lows, awesome plays and dumb plays.
