With Jayson Tatum as playmaker, the Celtics had a dream start on the Atlanta floor: 49 points scored in 13 minutes and a lead of 30 points (68-38) with four minutes remaining. And then, nothingness! While they were aiming for a 10th victory in a row, the Celtics will simply stop playing. They first suffered an 18-6 at the end of the first half, then they suffered a 19-4 after returning from the locker room.
So skillful in the first quarter, the Celtics will sign a terrible 1/15 at 3-points in the second half, and they will fall back into their mistakes with a lot of isolation from the Tatum-Brown tandem. A stat proves it: only one decisive pass in the 4th quarter! The two friends will have the match point, but the first will first lose a ball, while the second will miss his 3-pointer.
Jaylen Brown uses the automotive metaphor
Result: a narrow defeat, 120-118, against a weakened, but miraculous, Hawks. This is quite simply the biggest comeback in Hawks history since the NBA implemented play-by-play.
“We were leading by 30 points, and we kind of took our foot off the accelerator” explains Jaylen Brown. “We relaxed a little. We were a little distracted and it cost us dearly. We had the right approach, but tonight wasn't the best example. »
When you're aiming for the title, and you're dominating the NBA like the Celtics have been doing since the start of the season, you can't afford to relax. “It’s like we’ve taken our hands off the wheel, but it doesn’t matter if we’re 30 points ahead or 5 points behind, we have to have the same approach and the same mindset.” repeats Jaylen Brown. “It will be a challenge for us heading into the home stretch of the season knowing we have secured first place in the Eastern Conference. We still have to work on ourselves.”
Don't ruin everything before the playoffs
As he has been doing for 15 days, Joe Mazzulla continues to rotate his squad. That night, Derrick White, just voted Player of the Week, joined Jrue Holiday on the bench. Without its pair of backs, the defense took on water after the break, especially on outside shots.
“We had a very good start, but it’s a good lesson to have let a team hang on and make the difference,” notes Joe Mazzulla. “Things like this are going to happen. We must learn to manage them, to manage the 'runs'. They defended us well and I think we missed some very good chances. They are to be congratulated for their physical density. When you let guys get closer, when you allow different role players to express themselves, no matter who you play in the NBA, once the game gets close, anything can happen. They shoot 50% from 3-point range, that changes everything in the game. We shot 29%. »
For Jayson Tatum, “ the pill is difficult to swallow“. But for the All-Star winger, playmaker for a night, the Celtics have only themselves to blame. “We ruined the match, and we know it! We are adults and professionals. We know that we didn't do what was necessary to win. »
