Since Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown assumed leadership of the franchise in 2019, the Celtics have adopted several trends.
Boston racks up numerous victories, fueled by Brown and Tatum’s offensive outbursts during the regular season. Despite occasional unexpected losses, they cruise into the playoffs, where they manage to secure series wins, positioning themselves for a shot at the championship.
This season appears to be aligning well, although setbacks like Thursday’s disappointing defeat against the Cleveland Cavaliers at TD Garden are reminders of avoidable challenges.
However, it’s not yet the moment for alarm.
The Cavaliers brought their A-game, and after witnessing Darius Garland struggle for weeks, he and Donovan Mitchell unleashed their firepower in the third quarter, nailing 7-of-10 three-pointers, while the Celtics went 0-for-8.
As Eddie Palladino famously put it, that sealed the game for Cleveland.
Boston seems to accept that not every game will be a win, with Tatum especially acknowledging this loss by highlighting the team’s resilience throughout the season.
Tatum said, as reported by Jay King of The Athletic, “The world expects us to win every game by 25 points, but that’s not realistic. We’ve faced adversity before. We’ve lost 16 games this year, and I believe we’ve responded well each time we’ve faced defeat.”
The Celtics indeed lost 18 games and faced challenges in bouncing back, evident in their four instances of consecutive losses this season. It’s a trend we’ve observed earlier.
However, there’s no need for alarm yet. The remedy for this loss appears similar to what was needed after a Game 2 loss to the Miami Heat in the previous round: improved shooting and containing Donovan Mitchell’s playmaking impact.
While Mitchell’s scoring prowess is notable, his facilitation role, particularly evident in the first half against Cleveland despite his low scoring, is crucial.
Additionally, a regression to their mean in three-point shooting for the Cavaliers, coupled with Boston’s enhanced urgency, as highlighted by Brown post-loss, can help turn things around for the Celtics.
Brown’s sentiment, as shared by King, underscores the importance of defensive focus in the playoffs, regardless of offensive struggles. Maintaining defensive intensity is crucial even when shots aren’t falling.
The Celtics have the capability to bounce back in Game 3, drawing from their prior experiences this postseason. A single off-night, like Thursday’s, shouldn’t be overly concerning. However, sustained issues could alter the narrative moving forward in the playoffs.