Sinking feelings
Celtics, down 2-0 to Heat, looking more like a team in total disarray
ORLANDO, Fla. — So is this what implosion looks like in person?
Screaming in the locker room by multiple parties. Items, sounding like chairs, being thrown, a voice that soundedlikecoachBradStevensscreamingforhisplayers to calm down. A shirtless Marcus Smart walking to thebathroomtellinghisteammates,“Y’all onthat[expletive]!”
ThatiswhathappenedThursdaynightaftertheCeltics’ second consecutive disheartening loss to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals. Again, the Celtics raced to a big lead, then blew it because they forgot howtoplaysolid, fundamentalbasketballagainstazone defense. They came back to take the lead again, only to watch Jimmy Butler and his buddies take their lunch moneyagain in the waning minutes.
Theresultwasa106-101loss, andtheCelticsaredown 2-0toateamthat’sbetterconnected, morecohesiveand, quite honestly, doesn’t believe theCeltics canbeatthem.
Facing that reality, the Celtics’ locker room imploded after the game. The used-to-be-close Celtics were screaming at each other. How come they can’t score against thezone? Whydidso-and-sotakethatbadshot? Why was Butler allowed to get two critical steals on hustle plays, whiletheCelticswatchedasButlercreated two layups?
After the locker room fracas, which lasted about 20 minutes, the Celtics were of fewwords. They’re embarrassed. The Heat are laughing in their faces. Whatever the Celtics have, the Heat have a counter. Go ahead and takea17-pointlead, we’ll comebackandbeatyouanyway.
Last year’s Celtics team gave up after falling behind
to the Milwaukee Bucks, with Kyrie Irving headed out the door before the decisive Game 5. This year was supposed to be different. The Celtics were supposed to be as connected as they have been in years, but that’s obviously not the case.
Theyareangry, andplayersarepointingfingersateach other, oratleasttheywere. Theycameoutofthemeeting rathercalm, brushingitoffasnormalfollowingaloss. But this wasn’t normal.
The Celtics can’t find ways to win. They can’t find waystoscore. TheyturnedBamAdebayointoShaquille O’Nealinthethirdquarter. Theywastedanotherdoubledigit lead and then madenobig plays downthe stretch. TheyleftallthosespecialplayoffmomentstotheHeat. Jaylen BrownwastheonlyCeltictoacknowledgethe postgame argument was out of the ordinary.
“Just a lot of emotions flying around,” he said. “Obviously, we feel like we could have, should have won, and we didn’t. I think that’s why we love Marcus — he plays with passion [and] he’s full of fire.
“That’s what I love about him the most.”