- Boston Celtics gallantly lost to the mighty Miami Heat in Game 7
- Heat will now compete against the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals
- Ironically, Celtics beat Heat in Game 5
It’s unbelievable that Boston Celtics gallantly lost to the mighty Miami Heat in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals; it’s a historical loss.
Heat will now compete against the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals following their victory over Celtics. Ironically, Celtics beat Heat in Game 5 in what widely appeared as a gallant effort in keeping their dreams of reaching the NBA Eastern Conference Final alive.
They shot 50% at the TD Garden Arena forcing Miami Heat to commit 16 turnovers ending in 27 points. In the end, Celtics walked back home with 110 points while Heat only had 99 points.
Moreover, Celtics performed at the same level of play in Games 4 and 5 as they did throughout the regular season. The final two games saw a considerable improvement in their 3-point shooting after they struggled in the first three. Somehow, they managed to shoot only 29%, including a 16-for-39 (41%) during their Game 5 encounter with Miami Heat.
With at least 40% shots from beyond the arc this season, the Celtics are an incredible 38-2, but they are 29-31 when they don’t. But, in a twist of events, Jimmy Butler and company thumped the Celtics in Game 7. Thus, the big question is; what made Boston Celtics lose in this game?
Boston celtics vs Miami Heat. Photo/AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell
1. SHOOTING CHANGE
The Boston Celtics have consistently been a team that shoots a lot of threes, despite the demands of their fanbase for a more varied offence. Being a perimeter-heavy offence has its drawbacks because it can occasionally go dry from deeper range for entire games due to shooting volatility, which is a genuine problem.
In an effort to find an offence that can quickly attack the three-point line, Joe Mazzulla has guided the Celtics away from their defensive identity. A major factor in the Boston Celtics’ inability to win the series at the TD Garden in front of their own supporters was their 21.4% shooting from beyond the arc in Game 7.
JAYSON TATUM LAST MINUTE INJURY
Jayson Tatum pulled up for a jump jumper on the first play of Game 7, but he landed awkwardly. The All-NBA forward appeared to be in real discomfort on the replay and was seen rolling his ankle.
Tatum was obviously having a hard time having an impact on the proceedings as he went up and down the court the rest of the night while grinning. The worst-case scenario for Boston was that Jayson Tatum’s injury occurred because he is the team’s best player and because Jimmy Butler was ruined by him in their respective Game 6 contests.
Boston celtics vs Miami Heat. Photo/CNN
His ankle injury was painful because it set the tone for the Boston Celtics’ defensive approach throughout the rest of the game. This gave Miami Heat an upper hand in having sweet revenge by crushing this team.
JAYLEN BROWN WAS UNDER INTENSE PRESSURE
Focus shifted to Jaylen Brown to step up to the plate as Jayson Tatum fell further down the offensive pecking order for the Celtics after his injury. The Georgian native, however, couldn’t guide his team to victory. It was difficult to predict moves during the game and make decisions quickly.
Brown had a record eight flaws in Game 7. His performance brought up concerns about his ability to take the initiative offensively and serve as the primary ball-handler once more. Instead, he chose to keep his head down and repeatedly forced himself into traffic before either making a poor pass or restarting the offence as the shot clock wound down.
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