The Boston Celtics Are Dead
Nathaniel S. Butler. Getty Images.
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There will be no history. There will be no 1-150. There will be no miraculous comeback. There will be no repeat shot at the NBA Finals. In Game 7 on their own floor, the Celtics had everything in front of them. Just take care of things at home, that's all that stood in front of them. Given how they got there, I don't think that was an outrageous ask.
What did they do? The same shit they've done this entire postseason. They choked at home. Badly.
Things started with Jayson Tatum fucking up his ankle on the very first possession of the game
That changed everything for Tatum. I don't blame the guy considering his ankle went basically 90 degrees, but it changed how aggressive he could be offensively. Tatum only took one shot in the first quarter and you could tell it was bothering him all night. He didn't exactly have the best night offensively, but he obviously had a reason.
After starting the game making 4 of their first 6 shots, the Celts then went on to miss 18 of their next 21, and that was basically the game. Their 15 first quarter points were the fewest they've scored in the entire postseason. On the other end, you had the Heat once again making every shot they take. You have to give them credit for going into that arena and putting up the shooting splits they did. They finished 48/50% with Caleb Martin exploding for 26 points on 11-16 shooting. Every time they needed a big shot, the Heat made it.
When the Celtics had to answer, they couldn't. Instead what we got was absolutely the worst shooting performance of their season. Just 39/22% splits, I almost don't know how to explain it. Open shots, wide open shots, it didn't matter. Nobody could make a shot to save their lives. That's the problem with Game 7s, all it takes is one bad night and your season is over.
But the shooting is just part of the equation. The Celts season is over in part because they were once again careless with the basketball. Another 15 TOs that led to 19 Heat points. That is exactly how every single loss to this team has happened. You play stupid, you deserve to lose. The Celts were careless early, careless late, it didn't matter. That is so fucking frustrating. In the biggest game of the season, you are that careless with the basketball. That is inexcusable.
Then there was the performance of Jaylen Brown.
In these big games, your stars have to carry you. You need them to show up. Jaylen had maybe his worst game of the series which is saying something considering how poor his series was to start. The Celtics cannot survive getting just 19 points on 8-23 shooting (1-9) and 8 TOs. That's right, you did not misread that number
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8 TOs.
If you're curious, the Heat had just 9 as a team.
Let's call this what it was. It was a choke. You can't ask for more than Game 7 on your own floor, and now the Celts have experienced what MIA did last year. To get absolutely blown out? Pathetic. All you probably needed was one big punch early, and instead, the Celts missed every single shot they took which allowed MIA to hang around and then separate.
The NBA Finals were at stake, and the Celts couldn't get it done. They had every opportunity to do so, and they fumbled it. Butler came ready. Caleb Martin came ready. They took this win.
I'm honestly still in shock this is the performance the Celts put up. It felt like they had turned a corner after that Game 6 prayer. All they had to do what show up and everything was right there. Instead, they lost 3 games in the ECF to the 8 seed. That is indescribable. It's the first time we've ever seen it in the Tatum/Brown era. This is just the 2nd time the Celts did not win a series once they got to 3 wins.
For a moment, they were so close to glory. Instead, they're dead. The entire year, the entire comeback, all for nothing. I don't even know what more to even say. We'll regroup in the morning.