If Celtics have title hopes, then late-game course of wants enchancment

If Celtics have title hopes, then late-game course of wants enchancment initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Boston

Nineteen.

Jayson Tatum dribbled the ball 19 instances earlier than hoisting the ultimate shot in Cleveland on Tuesday evening, a back-rim miss on a contested fadeaway because the Celtics fumbled away a 22-point fourth-quarter lead and watched their 11-game profitable streak finish towards the undermanned Cavaliers.

The Celtics had 19.1 seconds to generate a high quality look, chase a second-chance alternative, and/or foul to increase the sport. As an alternative, Tatum dribbled the ball 19 instances whereas Joe Mazzulla’s overdue request for a timeout went unnoticed, and the Celtics suffered a loss for the primary time in over a month.

Let’s get a couple of disclaimers out of the way in which right here earlier than we (mildly) vent:

The Celtics had a horrendous fourth quarter that featured loads of missteps, which solely served because the lukewarm appetizer for the overcooked closing possession. The Celtics by no means ought to have been in a spot the place Tatum even had the possibility to dribble out the ultimate 19.1 seconds and accept a suboptimal look.

Boston has been significantly better in crunch-time video games (rating inside 5 factors, closing 5 minutes) this season. In 2022, the Celtics have been an impossibly unhealthy 13-22 in crunch-time video games and nonetheless marched to the NBA Finals. Historical past suggests there isn’t a such factor as crunch time momentum and groups can spend the season studying learn how to thrive in late-game conditions.

It feels unseemly to vent a couple of staff with a 48-13 file with a 7.5-game lead over the closest rival within the Jap Convention. However with championship aspirations comes heightened scrutiny of the miscues. And late-game execution is without doubt one of the few nits we will nonetheless decide with this clearly gifted staff.

However now the venting: Tatum completely can’t go that slowly on the ultimate possession. Mazzulla completely can’t let Tatum go that slowly on the ultimate possession. A staff that prides itself on enjoying with tempo, transferring the basketball, and figuring out an excellent matchup can’t accept a 19-dribble fadeaway.

A single loss doesn’t change how we view this staff. The Celtics are nonetheless the championship front-runner with a loaded roster. However a championship front-runner with a loaded roster completely shouldn’t fumble away a 22-point lead towards a Donovan Mitchell-less Cavs staff.

Sure, the Celtics’ crunch-time numbers look good this 12 months. However they get rather less attractive the extra you crunch:

And there are different regarding numbers if you zoom in on the crunchiest of moments:

We perceive Mazzulla’s want to make use of tense regular-season moments to construct the staff’s composure for when the postseason arrives. There can be instances on the postseason stage the place Mazzulla received’t be capable of name a timeout earlier than essential possession. You may completely make a case that it’s much better to take these lumps now than when it issues most.

The Celtics, dominant all through their latest profitable streak, hadn’t even performed a crunch-time recreation since Feb. 11 in Miami. Mazzulla dismissed the notion that the staff may be rusty in these conditions. However the irritating half for observers is that Boston doesn’t all the time appear to study from previous missteps.

You may completely study from losses. We’re merely unsure we’ve seen that progress with this staff, at the least in late-game moments. And it’s simple {that a} increased proportion of video games will set off the clutch standards within the postseason. The Celtics, having routinely made their lives harder by extending collection in previous years, ought to want to personal these moments.

Or perhaps they’ll simply blow the doorways off opponents all through the playoffs and it received’t matter. You may re-share this text and mock the consternation in the event that they cruise by Could and June.

With little left to perform this common season, we yearn to see tangible progress.

Kristaps Porzingis, eternally the beacon of positivity, recommended this was an excellent loss for the Celtics. We’re not able to go that far however we perceive his suggestion.

We like the way in which Tatum took some accountability for the late-game woes. We like how Mazzulla didn’t cover from the truth that his staff went too sluggish (and likewise subtly needled Tatum for a bonus-inducing foul within the closing two minutes with Boston already trailing by three).

And we actually like Jaylen Brown’s daring declaration that Boston couldn’t simply dismiss the loss and the way he yearned to study from the movie. You recognize the outdated saying: Those who can’t keep in mind the previous are condemned to repeat it.

We’re completely nitpicking. However when 9 of your 13 losses got here in one-possession video games with underneath three minutes to play, it appears to counsel that, 1) You barely ever get blown out (which is nice!) and a couple of) You’re struggling to shut out shut video games (which isn’t good).

You nearly actually received’t survive within the postseason when you can’t win shut video games. The Celtics have the most effective offense within the NBA and may’t have a 17-point fourth quarter. The Celtics have the second-best protection within the NBA and may’t let Dean Wade key a 34-point Cavs outburst.

And even when we’re completely fantastic with the notion of placing the ball in your finest participant’s fingers for the ultimate shot, you merely can’t watch Tatum dribble 19 instances over 19 seconds and let the sport come right down to a contested jumper.

If the Celtics win Thursday evening in Denver — notably in a crunch-time recreation — everybody will neglect about Tuesday’s trip-up. However, at the least for a second, the uncommon stumble reveals there’s nonetheless room for enchancment from a staff that always seems prefer it’s on one other degree than the remainder of the league.