The Celtics got here into Sport 2 with an 81.9% likelihood of successful, in keeping with ESPN analytics. As an alternative, they misplaced by 10 to an undermanned Warmth group lacking two of its 4 main scorers.
Kristaps Porzingis, who’s had a traditionally environment friendly yr from the put up, struggled immensely, ending with simply 6 factors on 1 of 9 capturing.
Jrue Vacation shot simply 4 of 12.
The Celtics have been held to 18 third quarter factors en path to a loss that the broader basketball neighborhood didn’t see coming.
The response goes to be – and has already been – sensationalized. The Miami Herald’s headline recapping the sport reads “Warmth shock Celtics” and CBS Sports activities’ “Miami stuns Boston.”
The Celtics have been ‘humiliated,’ in keeping with a whole bunch at house on Twitter. The sudden end result alerts that they’re ‘frauds.’
The outcry is the results of wildly unrealistic expectations heading into the matchup. Forward of Sport 2, the Warmth have been 14.5 level underdogs, a surprising line for any postseason sport, notably contemplating the actual fact Miami eradicated Boston final season. ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins, whereas recognized for his fiery takes, mentioned after Sport 1 that there was zero likelihood for the Warmth to steal even a single sport within the sequence.
“The Miami Warmth may go one hundred pc from the sector and one hundred pc from the three, they usually’re nonetheless gonna get swept on this sequence,” Perkins mentioned on NBA Countdown.
It’s clearly not a remark that may be taken at face worth, but it surely displays a broader misunderstanding of the boundaries of Miami Warmth basketball — and of the problem of successful NBA playoff video games.
After struggling a Sport 1 blowout, Erik Spoelstra — as he’s performed numerous occasions earlier than —made strategic tactical changes. Seeing that Jayson Tatum lit them up for 10 assists on the Sunday, Miami moved away from doubling, as an alternative crowding passing lanes, denying Kristaps Porzingis comfy positioning within the put up, and pushing catches larger throughout the board.
Joe Mazzulla, Jaylen Brown, and Jrue Vacation mentioned at observe this week that they knew a distinct Warmth group would present up on Wednesday, and that was definitely the case.
The dominant narrative getting into this sequence is that Miami must outshoot the Celtics with a view to have an opportunity. They did simply that, hitting a franchise playoff document 23 three-pointers. The Warmth shot 53.5% from past the arc, making their fourth playoff sport up to now two seasons with 50% capturing from three towards Boston – no different group has multiple towards anybody.
Media, followers, and analysts can categorical outrage and shock on the end result, however the gamers themselves received’t.
“We knew it wasn’t going to be straightforward,” Jayson Tatum mentioned after the loss. “There’s numerous historical past between these two franchises, particularly just lately. No matter seeding, or who’s in or who’s out, it’s the playoffs. Particularly with that group, it’s by no means going to go how folks anticipate it to go.”
Jayson Tatum’s evaluation of the loss:
“We knew it wasn’t going to be straightforward. There’s numerous historical past between these two franchises, particularly just lately. No matter seeding, who’s in or who’s out, it’s the playoffs.”
“It’s by no means going to go how folks anticipate it to go.” pic.twitter.com/450qGWNQni
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzellNBA) April 25, 2024
These two groups have now confronted off in 4 of the final 5 postseasons. In 2020, Miami took the sequence in six video games within the Orlando bubble. In 2022, the Celtics received their revenge in seven. Final spring, the Warmth received in seven.
Many predicted a Celtics sweep, however that’s simply not how competitors between these two groups has fared over time. No Jimmy Butler is definitely a roadblock, however Miami’s success has at all times predicated on the opposite guys stepping up.
In 2020, it was Goran Dragic who averaged 20.5 factors towards the Celtics. Final yr, it was Caleb Martin placing up 19.3 within the Japanese Convention Finals and capping issues off with a 26-point Sport 7 efficiency.
Martin had one other massive efficiency final night time in entrance of a hostile TD Backyard crowd, ending with 21 factors on 7-12 capturing, whereas comparatively unproven guys like Nicola Jovic (3-4 from three), Jaime Jaquez (3-6 from three) and Haywood Highsmith (3-5 from three) all contributed their fair proportion. Tyler Herro was the motive force of all of it, ending with 14 assists in a playmaking masterpiece.
“Guys are within the NBA for a motive,” Tatum mentioned. “Everyone is succesful. There’s numerous succesful shooters on the market. Anyone can get scorching.”
The outcomes implies that the#1/#8 match-up now turns into a best-of-five sequence between Miami and Boston. The winner advances to the Japanese Convention Semifinals, and the loser goes house. Miami advantages from house courtroom benefit for the sequence, together with the skin notion of enjoying with home cash.
However Joe Mazzulla doesn’t view the end result of Sport 1 as stunning. All yr, he’s pressured that the Celtics aren’t taking anybody evenly, and that no result’s assured. That nothing is given.
It’s straightforward for analysts at house to say something wanting Celtics in 4 is a shame as a result of expertise disparities between the rosters.
Joe Mazzulla on whether or not it’s good for the Celtics to face adversity:
“It’s unlucky that shedding a sport is adversity. The character of the playoffs is opposed itself. To suppose your not going to have ups and downs by way of that run, you’re not being sensible.” pic.twitter.com/jIhTqmEVgX
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzellNBA) April 25, 2024
However to the folks on the within, that’s simply not the case. The 2008 Celtics famously went to 7 video games within the first spherical towards the eighth seeded Atlanta Hawks. Mazzulla and his employees have studied that playoff run and numerous others with a view to embrace the understanding that the trail to successful all of it has seemed completely different for each NBA champion.
“It’s unlucky that shedding a sport is [considered] adversity,” Mazzulla mentioned. “It’s simply the character of the playoffs. It’s opposed itself. To suppose that you simply’re not going to have ups and downs all through a run, you’re not being sensible.”
