Let’s focus on two negatives and one positive due to the defeat.
While relinquishing a 30-point advantage, the Boston Celtics’ defeat to the Atlanta Hawks holds little significance in the broader context. Nevertheless, it prompts renewed scrutiny of their late-game offensive strategies, though there are few other notable observations to make.
The Celtics eased off and failed to maintain their intensity, which ultimately led to their downfall. Nonetheless, with the top seed secured, they are now merely navigating towards the playoffs. Nonetheless, defeat inevitably invites less enjoyable discussions.
1. Yearning for Porzingis
This is unacceptable. Throughout the season, the Celtics have been executing these passes regularly. The primary purpose of acquiring Kristaps Porzingis was to create space against opposing defenses.
However, this strategy falls flat when they fail to capitalize on the opportunities he creates. Amidst the Celtics’ struggles in the third quarter, Porzingis found himself open beyond the three-point line, but Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown neglected to locate him.
Even if Bogdan Bogdanovic had closed out in time on the subsequent shot, Porzingis could have swung the ball to Payton Pritchard in the corner. Instead, Tatum and Brown opted for contested shots, both of which missed, leaving Porzingis unutilized like a forgotten friend attempting a high-five.
2. Tatum commits an eight-second violation.
Tatum had a solid performance overall. He displayed aggressiveness when necessary, delivered mostly accurate passes, and effectively attacked the basket instead of settling for step-back threes towards the end of the game.
However, his eight-second violation stands out as a significant error. While it might not seem like a crucial play in the grand scheme of the game, given the context of Boston’s lackluster performance in the final minutes and the Hawks’ remarkable 30-point comeback, it cannot be overlooked.
With the Celtics holding only a slim one-point lead with less than nine minutes remaining, Tatum’s slow dribble up the floor was a costly mistake. Though mistakes are inevitable, this one occurred at the worst possible moment.
3. Sam Hauser’s gravitational pull
To conclude on a positive note, witnessing this play unfold by Sam Hauser was quite entertaining. While it could be attributed to poor defense by Garrison Matthews, Hauser’s shooting prowess deserves recognition.
Due to his remarkable accuracy from long range (except in this particular game), Matthews overreacts to Hauser’s off-ball movement, anticipating him to navigate around the Porzingis screen. However, Hauser cleverly alters his direction, driving into the paint and drawing the attention of two defenders momentarily.
If Al Horford had recognized this development sooner, Porzingis would have had a considerably more open three-pointer opportunity.