Failed late-game offensive execution lets Celtics down in loss to Nuggets

The Boston Celtics scored 4 factors within the final 5 minutes of their Friday night game in opposition to the Denver Nuggets.

Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray mixed to shoot 29-of-43 (67.4%) from the sphere, and Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown shot a mixed 2-of-16 (12.5%) from three-point vary, however Boston nonetheless managed to carry the Nuggets to 102 factors on the night time and located themselves one shot away from time beyond regulation.

All of it got here all the way down to the final 5 minutes.

They shot simply 2-of-10 in clutch time, with their solely makes being a Brown layup on the 4:51 mark and a monstrous Tatum dunk with 1:41 remaining.

4 of the Celtics’ eight clutch-time misses had been three-pointers, all of which had been stand-still bounce pictures that simply didn’t fall—two Derrick White misses, one from Al Horford, and one from Brown.

“Actually, I nonetheless assume we bought numerous nice appears to be like,” Tatum mentioned. “A kind of occasions within the fourth quarter, we bought the offensive rebound twice, or thrice, and we had three beauty from three. And I really feel like we simply sort of missed some pictures late within the sport.

“However Joe mentioned it within the locker room: we nonetheless moved the ball fairly effectively for essentially the most half, [and] generated some beauty. [They] simply didn’t go down after we wanted them to.”

Photograph by Brian Babineau/NBAE through Getty Photos

The opposite 4 pictures had been taken by Tatum, who took only one three-pointer within the second half after a 1-of-7 exhibiting from distance. Nonetheless, all 4 of his misses within the clutch had been two-point pictures.

As the sport neared its finish, the tempo slowed down. Each groups fought to get the very best shot, and in flip, possessions bought longer and longer, particularly with the offensive rebounds each groups had been snagging left and proper.

Boston, at their greatest in fast-paced conditions and with the ball zipping across the perimeter, fell into the slog of late shot clock pictures. Mixed with their lack of shot-making, it made for a brutal offensive exhibiting within the fourth.

The sport in the end got here down to 2 Tatum pictures within the closing 18 seconds of the sport.

With simply over 20 seconds left within the contest, the Celtics bought a turnover, and Tatum rushed the ball to the opposite finish. Relatively than resetting the offense and slowing the tempo, Tatum ran.

He bought by way of Jokic and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, however the two-time MVP poked the ball lose, resulting in a wild layup try over Jamal Murray.

“In these conditions, you at all times wish to be aggressive,” Tatum mentioned. “After which let your instincts take over and attempt to make the best play. However I missed a few bunnies on the finish. I gotta be higher and simply actually end these.”

The Celtics may have milked the clock down up 101-100 and went for the ultimate shot, however Tatum tried to make a play, and it didn’t work out.

It was a clumsy drive that resulted in zero factors for the Celtics, however a possession they’re keen to stay with.

“Properly, your greatest participant has the ball and a possibility, and whether or not it was on two or three guys, he bought a layup and simply missed it,” Joe Mazzulla mentioned of the play. “So I imply, the stability is you belief your greatest participant to make a play, and [he] simply didn’t make it.”

Photograph By Winslow Townson/Getty Photos

Boston fouled Aaron Gordon shortly after, sending the 62.2% free-throw shooter to the stripe. One make and one bizarre lane violation ruling later, the Celtics gained an odd bounce ball choice and had the ball with an opportunity to tie or take the lead down 102-100.

After a Mazzulla timeout, Boston’s first try at a play failed. So, he referred to as one other with just below 5 seconds left within the sport.

“Properly, that they had a foul to provide. So, I used to be ensuring that we simply bought the shot and bought into the set that we needed,” Mazzulla mentioned. “And so, I wasn’t certain after they had been going to make use of their foul to provide. So, getting JB in his spot, I assumed he bought into the paint, and he did an excellent job kicking it out. After which they had been about to make use of their foul to provide once I referred to as the timeout.”

Tatum bought the ball with Caldwell-Pope on his again. He circled and threw up a middy, however it missed.

“I feel I sort of rushed it. And that’s on me. At the back of my thoughts, I wasn’t certain in the event that they had been going to foul. They needed to foul to provide. However I had extra time than I gave myself, so I ought to have [taken] some extra time. However you may’t return. So, [it’s] one thing I can study from.”

With 5 minutes left within the sport, the Celtics had been up 96-95. The ultimate 5 minutes noticed a mixed 11 factors scored, and Boston’s offense wasn’t capable of help their protection, which held the Nuggets to 3-of-10 taking pictures in that point, together with 0-of-5 within the final two minutes.

The Celtics might find yourself being content material with their shot choice, however they didn’t fall after they wanted to. And in opposition to a group as proficient because the defending champs, that’s typically all that issues.