During the Celtics' media day, and with confidence after the title won last June, Jaylen Brown did not hesitate to say that, against small teams, it was the Boston substitutes who were going to do the job.
“An evening where we play the Pistons who, without disrespect, have been in difficulty for several years, we will let Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser play, who can score 30 points or attempt 10 3-point shots. We will still win this meeting. »
Facing the Hawks (4 wins in 11 eleven matches upon arriving in Boston) without Trae Young and at home could clearly resemble the easy matches on paper that Jaylen Brown is talking about. Except that the evening was more difficult than expected. And the winger recognizes it himself.
“Mentally, we are too careless” he assures. “We weren't connected as usual, we need to improve in this area. We didn't know how to fight as usual. We are not a perfect team. It's a new season, a new journey and we can't wait to experience these moments. »
Too many mistakes, too much negligence
The Celtics, who led for a large part of the match, were therefore trapped by excessive complacency, facing an energetic team. Because the Hawks stole 16 balls, took 20 offensive rebounds and scored 68 points in the reigning champions' racket!
“They dominated us in every area, they deserve to win”admits Joe Mazzulla. “They played harder, more physical than us. They grabbed 20 offensive rebounds and forced 20 turnovers from us. They grabbed rebounds and scored layups in front of everyone. »
Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum alone lost 11 balls while the Celtics lost 12 on average before this match… The first also missed three free throws in the last three minutes.
The Hawks were desperate for additional ammunition when Joe Mazzulla's troops wasted possessions and opportunities. From then on, the team that wanted it the most logically ended up winning.
“It's already difficult to win in the NBA, but if you give second or third chances, and lose balls instead of taking shots, it becomes even harder,” laments Jayson Tatum, who did not score a basket in the last quarter. “We let go at the end of the third quarter and we gave the Hawks a chance to get back into the match. »
