1. Full disclosure: this model of the Takeaways goes to be a little bit rambling, a little bit little bit of a rant and possibly overly unfavourable. This area isn’t written from the first-person perspective, which means you don’t get a whole lot of “I feel…” or “I need…”. It’s by no means been the intention of the Takeaways.
That stated…I simply can’t at this time.
When Sport 1 of the Boston Celtics second sequence in opposition to the Philadelphia 76ers ended, I used to be annoyed, upset and indignant. I had hoped that sleeping on it and rewatching with less-emotional eyes within the morning, that issues would come into focus.
Nope. Frustration, disappointment and anger will nonetheless rule the day.
I discovered myself beginning, deleting, re-starting and re-deleting the Takeaways a number of occasions over. Analyzing what went proper and what went mistaken felt hole and was solely serving to amp up the general emotions of discontent.
So, as a substitute you get this. The angsty, upset, and ranty (that’s not even an actual phrase!) model of the Takeaways that we attempt to solely write a few occasions a 12 months. Apologies and no arduous emotions when you skip proper on by and transfer to Sport 2. I want I may.
For me, I’m annoyed with the Celtics. I’m upset within the Celtics. However I’m indignant with myself.
I’m a middle-aged grown man with a household. I shouldn’t permit a sports activities crew to personal and management my demeanor this fashion. As an alternative, I’m performing like every little thing I inform our daughter to not be after she loses a recreation. Even worse, she’s upset a couple of recreation she really performed in with a gaggle of teammates she loves and that love her. She has actual causes to be in her emotions.
I’m upset a couple of crew I observe from about 1300 miles away. I shouldn’t be this upset, however right here I set in a cranky, bitter temper on a phenomenal sunny spring morning. Such is life as a sports activities fan, I suppose. We join this as kids and it most likely by no means ends till the ultimate buzzer on life sounds.
On the precise Celtics level of this, I suppose I simply have a number of questions:
What was that?
How did you retain doing the very same issues on the finish of shut video games?
Why? Simply…why?
I’ve watched this play at the very least 50 occasions now. I’m looking for readability that may by no means come:
Even when the shot-clock violation ought to have been known as, it doesn’t matter. If this was reversed, we’d all need the Celtics to have gotten the run-out layup too.
I’m not even mad that nobody from Boston chased after Maxey. Nobody was catching him anyway.
I’m largely confused as to why any one of many a number of Celtics who turned down pictures on this possession turned down these pictures. And what on the planet was Malcolm Brogdon considering? Even when he misplaced observe of the clock, no matter. That occurs, even when it was a nasty time for that to occur. However what the heck was that move? Maxey’s protection on the play was so dangerous that he was guarding a ghost that had lengthy since glided away. But, Brogdon threw it proper to him.
What’s already been forgotten is the Boston got here proper again and Jayson Tatum earned and made two free throws to regain the lead. Then this occurred:
I like Al Horford. He’s been certainly one of my favourite gamers within the league earlier than, after and second Celtics tenure included. However James Harden and Tyrese Maxey had been in search of Horford on switches all recreation lengthy, identical to Trae Younger and Dejounte Murray had been doing within the first spherical.
It’s not on Al Horford that he can’t swap out to guards anymore and deal with them simply as simply as he can deal with a giant. He’s virtually 37 years outdated. These days are gone, minus right here and there.
To be truthful to Joe Mazzulla, he tried to pre-switch and to let Horford bounce swap (he mainly stayed residence on the baseline and others switched round him) for big parts of the second half. However late within the recreation, groups fall again into their consolation degree. There’s not even actually a purpose for Marcus Sensible and Al Horford to even swap that motion above. They did it as a result of that’s what they’ve at all times accomplished.
And that’s not ok. Horford’s protection wasn’t even that dangerous. He was proper on the shot, as a lot as you could be with out blocking it or fouling. However Sensible might need hounded Harden into taking pictures one thing extra off-balanced and rushed later within the clock.
Or, Sensible may have fought by means of the display, whereas Horford hedged, they usually may have compelled Harden to offer it up. Another person may have run as much as present a second physique to Harden. There have been quite a few issues that would have been accomplished that didn’t contain the Sixers finest participant delivering a dagger.
Transferring on…
The Celtics nonetheless had an opportunity. They had been solely down two with 8.4 seconds on the clock, so that they had a whole lot of choices. That is what they did:
It’s arduous to fault Marcus Sensible for attempting to put it off to Jayson Tatum for the simple one. However it’s fairly clear that this both isn’t what was known as or somebody missed what was known as. Both manner, Jayson Tatum wasn’t on the identical web page as Sensible was and it was one other dangerous turnover.
Right here’s the opposite killer. That was the Celtics fourth turnover after a break in motion. Three got here on ATO performs and one got here on a quarter-opening play. That’s extremely sloppy and simply can’t occur in a playoff recreation.
So, my frustration is available in with all of that sloppiness. It’s all largely unforced and simply messy.
My disappointment comes with the Celtics overtly admitting that they relaxed after they came upon Joel Embiid was out for the 76ers.
I’m upset that Jaylen Brown noticed precisely three pictures after a giant first quarter, together with solely two within the fourth quarter. And, sure, he had some dangerous turnovers, however these got here within the third quarter. Brown wanted to see the ball extra late. That’s on him, his teammates and Mazzulla.
I’m upset that Boston discovered a solution to lose a recreation the place they shot 58.7% from the sector and outrebounding their opponent by 10.
I’m upset that the Celtics turned it over 16 occasions and let the Sixers shoot 50.6% from the ground.
I’m upset that Boston once more crapped their pants late within the fourth quarter with the identical stuff we’ve hated for at the very least 4 years working, below three totally different head coaches.
I’m additionally indignant. However I’m not indignant with the Celtics.
I’m indignant with myself.
As I stated, I’m indignant for letting this influence me as a lot because it does. However largely, I’m indignant for anticipating it to vary and to be totally different. I’m Charlie Brown and the Celtics are Lucy with the soccer. I preserve hoping I’ll get to kick it, however simply once I consider it essentially the most, the Celtics yank it away and find yourself on my again questioning why I ever trusted them within the first place.
