The Boston Celtics experienced a stunning defeat in what can be described as one of the most peculiar basketball matchups of the 2023-24 NBA season. They surrendered the largest fourth-quarter lead in franchise history against a short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers team on March 5 in Cleveland.
Despite the absence of an All-Star player in Donovan Mitchell and another starter, Max Strus, the Cavaliers appeared to be at a disadvantage for the majority of the game. Their roster looked depleted, and the situation worsened when Evan Mobley suffered a severe ankle injury midway through the third quarter, sidelining him for the rest of the contest.
Then came the fourth quarter, and chaos ensued.
With a comfortable 93-71 lead and just under nine minutes remaining, the Celtics witnessed a shocking turn of events as they squandered a 22-point advantage to a remarkable 34-13 run by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Throughout this stretch, the Cavs averaged an impressive 3.8 points per minute, while the Celtics struggled, managing a mere 1.4 points per minute.
It was a perfect storm that ultimately led to the downfall of the Boston Celtics. While the Cavaliers deserve commendation for their remarkable 105-104 victory, the Celtics found themselves facing a combination of scorching hot shooting from the Cavs and a cold streak from their own team. Just two days after their impressive performance against the Golden State Warriors, where they made 25 three-pointers at a 51% clip, the fourth-quarter Celtics couldn’t seem to hit a shot, even if they were aiming for the ocean.
In a truly stunning turn of events, the Celtics failed to make a single jump shot in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers were on fire from beyond the arc, shooting 8 out of 11 from three-point range in the same quarter. Unexpectedly, Dean Wade emerged as the hero off the Cavaliers’ bench, spearheading the remarkable comeback with a career-high 23 points, including 6 successful three-pointers out of 9 attempts.
With a day of rest ahead, the Boston Celtics will have time to regroup and prepare for their highly anticipated showdown against the defending champions, the Denver Nuggets. The unforgettable collapse against the Cleveland Cavaliers could serve as a powerful source of motivation for the Celtics, spurring them on to secure a bounce-back victory in their upcoming game.
Boston has only experienced back-to-back losses once this season, and that occurred back in November. However, history has shown that the league’s top-ranked team has responded resiliently to some of its most notable defeats by embarking on impressive win streaks.
According to Kristaps Porzingis in his postgame interview with NBC Sports Boston, he expressed that the loss was beneficial for the team.
Porzingis emphasized in his postgame interview with NBC Sports Boston that the loss was beneficial for the team, stating, “Good loss for us … It’s healthy for us. We do have the feeling we’re pretty much going to win every game, we’re invincible… A little bit of that feeling is always there. It may be healthy, but it’s also healthy to get a loss here and there.”
The top teams in basketball often glean more lessons from losses than victories, a belief that head coach Joe Mazzulla has consistently emphasized in his interviews throughout the season. In January, Mazzulla provided valuable insights following an unsightly loss the Celtics had endured against the Los Angeles Clippers.
“Sometimes, winning a game that you don’t feel you earned can mask the lessons you need to learn. Conversely, losing a game you deserved to win can provide valuable insights. Ultimately, it’s about absorbing the information and using it to improve in the next game.”
With the Celtics currently on track for the highest offensive rating in basketball history and boasting the third-highest number of three-pointers made of all time, the contrast of only scoring 49 points and sinking just five three-pointers in the second half seems almost surreal. It’s a stark reminder of the unexpected nature of the loss itself, which feels equally unbelievable.
MVP contender Jayson Tatum had a scorching start to the game, tallying 22 points on 7-of-9 shooting in the first half. However, the second half painted a different picture for the five-time All-Star. In a surprising twist, Tatum struggled, shooting a dismal 1-of-11 from the field over the final two quarters. Meanwhile, the other four Celtics starters collectively shot 23-of-52 from the field, with only six combined free throw attempts.
In essence, the Celtics relaxed their intensity and suffered the consequences. In the NBA, becoming too complacent can be one’s own worst adversary. As Jaylen Brown remarked to Jared Weiss after the defeat, “that’s what happens when you don’t match the gas.”
Like numerous Celtics fans, Tatum is eager for his team to rebound against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets, hoping for a return to their characteristic performance level. In his postgame press conference, he expressed anticipation for Boston’s upcoming game.
“Just hoping to bounce back from tonight. We didn’t necessarily play like ourselves in that second half. This year, we’ve done a really good job of responding. I look forward to us bouncing back and playing better on Thursday.”
With Round 2 of Denver vs. Boston drawing all the attention, the Celtics are poised to seek revenge on national television for the challenging loss they suffered against Denver back in January. Boston, coming off a recent defeat, has emerged as one of the most formidable teams in basketball. Fans eagerly await to see if the 48-13 Celtics can maintain their undefeated record following a loss this season.
In what could be a preview of the NBA Finals, the Celtics are expected to approach the game with tremendous urgency, recognizing its significance as one of the most crucial matchups of the year. With their 11-game win streak recently snapped, the Celtics have the opportunity to harness their latest loss as motivation to start a new streak. It’s time for a fresh beginning.
Leave a Reply