C’s B-team falls in 2OT
Nearly topple Wizards
The Patchwork Celtics debuted last night with all sorts of wrinkles. Think of Guerschon Yabusele as a starter, Shane Larkin as the first guard off the bench and Semi Ojeleye as a featured Swiss Army knife defender.
Indeed, think of every part of Brad Stevens’ stripped-down lineup as a Swiss Army knife, because the Celtics found a use for virtually everyone left on his bench.
Only the result failed them, in double overtime.
The Celtics, minus Kyrie Irving, Al Horford, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, Daniel Theis and of course Gordon Hayward, thus lost to Washington, 125-124.
Bradley Beal scored 29 of his 34 points from the second half on to pace the Wizards. Marcus Morris, in his most prolific night as a Celtic, scored 31. Unfortunately, what the Celtics forward remembered most was the play he didn’t make — leaving Washington’s Jody Meeks open in the right corner to hit a game-tying 3-pointer with 2.4 seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime.
“Tough. We had a lot of chances to win. Me being a veteran, I put that on me, committing to the ball knowing they needed a three,” he said. “(Meeks) made a great play, but that was my bad.”
Ironically, while talking to his twin brother last night — the Wizards’ Markieff — Morris broached the subject of Markieff’s foul of Kyrie Irving at the end of regulation on Feb. 8 in Washington. Irving’s free throws sent the game into overtime, and onto a Celtics win.
“This time, I did a bonehead play and came in and they hit a 3 for overtime, so twins do dumb (things), I guess,” he said. “Those shots happen, but being around the league for awhile I should have known better, committing when I knew they needed a three. Tatum missing free throws, that happens. Guys miss free throws all the time. But I put that on myself.”
Tatum missed a free throw with 24 seconds left in regulation that would have given the Celtics a four-point lead, and another in an attempt to complete a three-point play with three seconds left in the first overtime that would have given the C’s a one-point lead.
“I wish I hit that second free throw,” said Tatum. “Hopefully we wouldn’t have had to go to second overtime. I wish I hit that last shot, but we play again on Friday (in Orlando), so I’m gonna focus on that game.”
The Celtics started to lose hold in the second overtime period, with backto-back threes from Beal and Markieff Morris giving Washington a 122-117 lead with 2:45 left.
Abdel Nader scored, but Beal immediately drove for a three-point play and a 125119 lead.
But Greg Monroe scored his 16th point of the night, Beal missed, and Terry Rozier cut the Washington lead to 125-124 from downtown with 46 seconds left.
Beal missed again, with Rozier grabbing the rebound, only for Tatum to miss a last ditch 3-point attempt.