Celtics refuse to overreact to blowout loss to Bucks: ‘Just wasn’t our night’

Stomped. Bulldozed. Molly-whopped. Outclassed.

All of these describe the Boston Celtics’ pathetic outing on Thursday night in opposition to the Milwaukee Bucks. The sport resulted in a 135-102 win for the hometown Bucks, and it was by no means even shut.

Recent off of an extra time win in opposition to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday at TD Backyard, the Celtics had been on the backend of a back-to-back after enjoying additional ball the night time earlier than. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Vacation, and Derrick White all performed 38+ minutes, and the previous two cracked 40.

Boston had each excuse within the guide, together with an absent Al Horford, however none justify a 33-point defeat. Now, there’s solely the trail ahead.

“The following sport,” Jrue Vacation said when asked about one of the simplest ways to get well from a blowout loss.

Thursday night time’s blowout is tied for the fourth-largest since 2001. Milwaukee, the two-seed within the East, dominated Boston in each aspect of the sport. But regardless of the loss, some key truths nonetheless prevail.

The Celtics are nonetheless the highest seed within the East. They nonetheless have a three-game lead over the Bucks. They’re nonetheless the one staff within the NBA with fewer than 10 losses. They nonetheless have the very best internet ranking in basketball.

Shedding is unhealthy. Shedding by double digits is worse. Shedding by 33 factors is embarrassing. However head coach Joe Mazzulla has emphasised a day-to-day strategy for the Celtics this season, and no win or loss, even of this magnitude, will change that.

“Should you have a look at our staff over the course of those [38 games], we’ve developed a toughness, a mindset,” Mazzulla said. “We’ve finished loads of nice issues on back-to-backs. We’ve finished loads of nice issues [while short-handed]. And tonight simply wasn’t our night time. And I feel it’s a must to have the humility to know that on occasion.”

Mazzulla pulled the starters at halftime, waving the white flag within the face of close to sure defeat. Boston’s common rotation ended the night time taking pictures 16-of-50 (32.0%) from the sphere and 1-of-16 (6.3%) from behind the three-point line. Within the first half, the Bucks shot 28-of-49 (57.1%) from the ground and 11-of-22 (50.0%) from behind the three-point line.

The Celtics might have rotated higher on protection. They might have crashed the glass higher. Their shot choice might have been higher. There have been a couple of thousand points of the sport wherein the Celtics might have been higher.

However for a staff that has had as a lot success because the Celtics have this season, the one subsequent step is to maneuver on. Watch the movie, establish any execution-based errors, and transfer on.

Considerably altering a gameplan that has led to the very best report within the league due to what is sort of actually an outlier efficiency can be irrational. They usually haven’t any intention of doing that.

“Every part’s in regards to the gamers,” Mazzulla said. “And so, as you proceed to hearken to life from the participant’s perspective and also you have a look at the intentions and the character of your staff, and a yr of expertise for myself.

“So, I belief our character; I belief our staff. It’s a must to have a look at this and say, ‘OK, is that this a one-off? Is that this a pattern? Is that this one thing it’s a must to be involved about?’ If you have a look at stuff like that, the reply isn’t any, no.”

Getting blown out by a possible future playoff opponent is ugly. And it is a sport the Celtics will undoubtedly maintain behind their minds till their March thirtieth rematch in opposition to the Bucks. However for now, all that issues is the Houston Rockets and their matchup on Saturday night time.

“I feel, with the kind of staff now we have, the resiliency now we have, how we play, and we really feel like we play the best method, we’re [always] going to come back out and struggle,” stated Vacation. “And once more, it wasn’t a scarcity of us not hustling or enjoying onerous. We all know that once we step out onto the court docket, we’re going to present it our all. So, [I’m] not anxious.”

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