Even so, what are we doing here?
Losing a basketball game is never fun, but it’s even less enjoyable when the outcome leaves you wondering why the hell the Celtics were even playing for.
That’s about as far as I could go. Just under two minutes remained in the fourth quarter when I began writing this article’s introduction. The Celtics were down 14 and, according to ESPN Analytics, had a 99.8% chance of losing. I usually feel comfortable beginning a piece when one of the teams has less than a fifty percent probability of winning.
However, the Celtics must have taken offense at what I did because they came charging back, reducing the deficit to three points, and forcing overtime after a last-second miss by Kristaps Porzingis. Even though the Celtics lost, I was on the verge of deleting the intro.
I also refuse to overreact to a two-minute burst of grandeur since I watched the entire game, which was 46 minutes of somewhat-sketchy to downright uninspiring Celtics play. Yes, the Celtics started to make easy jumpers, run in transition, and play genuinely solid defense, which resulted in a 13-2 run that lasted 90 seconds and almost ended the game’s lackluster play.
Because, aside from that run, a large portion of the game raised the same query I raised at the two-minute mark: what the heck are we doing? Since that’s a somewhat wide subject, I’ll answer it in smaller, more manageable chunks before bowing it in a melancholy manner.
It is just plain wrong to put up a meager 16 points in a rivalry game—and the Celtics vs. 76ers is a real rivalry—soon after winning Eastern Conference Player of the Week. Tatum struggled to establish himself offensively, frequently dribbling into double teams or having his finishing opportunities obstructed by Joel Embiid’s omnipresent arms.
Tatum also effortlessly executed the action that was by far the worst in his repertoire: the raising of his palms in the air, shocked that he had not received a call. When he is offensively irritated, he frequently turns to talking about officiating, but that only makes matters worse. Tatum’s arms in the air always tell me that this won’t be an easy game.
The 76ers also used a zone defense, which had him hand the ball over to open shooters who had been having trouble hitting the French bakery’s broadside all evening. It is also likely that 76ers coach Nick Nurse used a zone to stop Tatum from putting smaller defenders in a position where they are completely overwhelmed by the triple threat. It has been his signature move the entire season, so it was difficult to find a different cadence.
Brown played a significant role in the late run, but that was about it; the night was genuinely horrible. He made poor mistakes both on and off the court as well as in defense, and he appeared disoriented throughout the game, firing brick after brick. Tyrese Maxey, who controlled the second half with unwavering offensive resolve, repeatedly exposed him.
Brown’s shortcomings aren’t necessarily more severe than those of other stars in a similar position, as I’ve stated numerous times, but the way he makes errors looks so bad that they seem worse than they are.
