{"id":66645,"date":"2024-03-08T13:46:35","date_gmt":"2024-03-08T18:46:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=66645"},"modified":"2024-03-08T21:56:06","modified_gmt":"2024-03-09T02:56:06","slug":"3-takeaways-from-the-celtics-recent-losses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/03\/08\/3-takeaways-from-the-celtics-recent-losses\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Takeaways From The Celtics Recent Losses"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Celtics followed up an incredible 11-game win streak by dropping back-to-back games for the first time since November. Including a blown 22-point lead in the 4th quarter against the Cavs on Tuesday and a lackluster performance against the Nuggets on Thursday. These back-to-back losses tell us a lot about the Celtics. Let\u2019s break down what we learned from these games.<\/p>\n<h2>3 Takeaways From The Celtics Recent Losses<\/h2>\n<h3>Clutch Time Issues<\/h3>\n<p>Clutch time play is a consistent concern with the Celtics. Despite noticeable improvements and taking care of business in clutch time during their 11-game win streak the end of the Cavs game was a disaster. With a 93-71 advantage with nine minutes left, this game should have been a sealed deal for the Celtics. Instead, the Cavs outscored the Celtics 34-11 in the final nine minutes. This set the franchise record for the largest blown 4th quarter lead since 1997. Furthermore, the Cavs were playing without <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/m\/mitchdo01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Donovan Mitchell<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/m\/mobleev01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Evan Mobley<\/a> making Boston\u2019s collapse even worse.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">LARGEST BLOWN 4TH QUARTER LEADS BY CELTICS<br \/>22     Tonight at Cleveland, Lost by 1<br \/>19      Nov. 14, 2014 vs Cleveland, Lost by 1<br \/>19      Nov. 11, 2006 at Cleveland, Lost by 1<br \/>18      Mar. 23, 2019 at Charlotte, Lost by 7<br \/>18      Mar. 3, 2020 vs Brooklyn, Lost by 9<br \/>(Since 1996-97)<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Dick Lipe (@DickLipe) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DickLipe\/status\/1765214682074218824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">March 6, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>This collapse happened for the Celtics on both ends of the floor. Offensively the Celtics went ice cold going 0-8 from beyond the arc. Everyone outside of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/p\/porzikr01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kristaps Porzingis<\/a> couldn\u2019t find quality looks at the rim or from the mid-range area making it impossible to overcome the\u00a0abysmal shooting. Furthermore, the Celtics&#8217; inability to generate rim pressure and get to the free-throw line was a massive factor. Defensively the Celtics rotations and closeouts were beyond sloppy. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/w\/wadede01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dean Wade<\/a> poured in five three-pointers and 20 points in the 4th quarter. While Wade hit a couple of difficult shots in this incredible performance the Celtics defense continuously gave him open looks and were delayed closing him out. Joe Mazzulla also controversially held onto a timeout with the game on the line. Ultimately this loss shows us that closing games is still a major <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/02\/24\/5-questions-for-the-celtics-post-all-star-break\/\" target=\"_self\">concern<\/a> for the Celtics.<\/p>\n<h3>The Celtics Must Adapt To Different Styles<\/h3>\n<p>While a lot can be learned from the Nuggets game the most impactful takeaway is the Celtics failed to adapt their style. This was on full display in both games against the Nuggets this year. Both games were grinded out defensive games with shooting struggles from both teams. This style of game has been challenged the Celtics for years. The Nuggets swept the series despite shooting 25% and 19% from three. The Celtics weren\u2019t much better shooting 31% and 28% from beyond the arc. Denver&#8217;s suffocating physical defense forced the Celtics into bad shots and turnovers.<\/p>\n<p>Despite a brilliant 41-point performance from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/b\/brownja02.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jaylen Brown<\/a> the rest of the Celtics&#8217; starters were largely ineffective scoring the ball. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/t\/tatumja01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jayson Tatum\u2019s<\/a> lack of aggression and scoring was perhaps the biggest issue. Overall the Celtics offense outside of Brown was lackluster and they failed to consistently find high-percentage shots. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/j\/jokicni01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Nikola Jokic<\/a> dominated from the post and generated easy looks throughout the game. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/g\/gordoaa01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Aaron Gordon<\/a> also found consistent open looks at the dunker spot due to Boston\u2019s poor rotations and defensive awareness.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The difference between the Celtics and Nuggets in clutch situations: <\/p>\n<p>Denver has a formulaic approach to creating advantages and they\u2019re guaranteed a good shot every trip down the floor. Boston seems haphazard in their approach, often settling for looks. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/XhkemMOf8K\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/XhkemMOf8K<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JustEsBaraheni\/status\/1766129388528050307?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">March 8, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The game showed a contrast between the two title favorites. The Nuggets were able to overcome poor shooting and still found great looks shots all while playing physically imposing defense. Whereas the Celtics had no consistent scoring outside of Brown and questionable defensive effort at times. In short, the Nuggets were able to adapt while the Celtics failed to adapt to this style. In a playoff-style game the Nuggets championship experience was on full display. This should serve as a reminder the road for a title still goes through Denver.<\/p>\n<h3>The Celtics Need Superstar Tatum<\/h3>\n<p>Tatum was incredible throughout the Celtics 11 game-win streak. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.statmuse.com\/nba\/ask?q=tatum+stats+from+2%2F4%2F24+to+3%2F3%2F24\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Averaging<\/a> 28 ppg, 8.5 rpg and 6.5 apg during the stretch. Tatum found the perfect balance of taking over games and making a well-rounded impact. His play and the Celtics&#8217; level of dominance put Tatum somewhere within <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/02\/28\/is-jayson-tatum-a-mvp-candidate\/\" target=\"_self\">MVP<\/a> conversations. However, in both the Cavs and Nuggets games Tatum was underwhelming, to say the least. Tatum was 0-9 in the 4th quarter of the Cavs game. This included a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.celticsblog.com\/2024\/3\/6\/24092482\/jayson-tatum-should-not-have-taken-last-shot-against-cleveland-cavaliers-boston-celtics-joe-mazzulla\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">difficult<\/a> mid-range attempt with 2 seconds left which was later called an offensive foul sealing a loss for the Celtics.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Jayson Tatum left Stephen A. \u2018heartbroken\u2019 after struggles in Celtics\u2019 loss to Denver \ud83d\udc94 | First Take\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VxAtpHZ_4lo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Against the Nuggets Tatum got off to a hot start but completely disappeared down the stretch. Tatum scored just seven points in the second half while shooting 2-7 from the field and 0-2 from three. Tatum couldn\u2019t take advantage of the non-Jokic minutes in the late 3rd quarter and early 4th. He struggled to be aggressive against a lineup with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/m\/murraja01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jamal Murray<\/a> and 4 Nuggets bench players. Having your star disappear and losing the non-Jokic minutes is a recipe for disaster against the Nuggets. Despite the Celtics&#8217; well-rounded talent they clearly need Tatum to play like a superstar to be at their best. Come playoff time an aggressive yet efficient Tatum will be necessary to have true success.<\/p>\n<h3>The Last Word<\/h3>\n<p>To be clear these recent two losses shouldn\u2019t make fans panic. The Celtics are less than a week removed from an absurd 11-game win streak and still hold a dominant 7.5-game advantage above the 2-seed. During that win streak, the Celtics had the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/nba\/story\/_\/id\/39680114\/sources-karl-anthony-towns-surgery-torn-meniscus\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">best point differential<\/a> over a winning streak of 10 games or more of all time. They also became the <a href=\"https:\/\/spectrumlocalnews.com\/me\/maine\/sports\/2024\/03\/05\/celtics-streaking-toward-playoffs-with-another-50-point-victory#:~:text=They%20are%20the%20first%20NBA,53%20against%20Sacramento%20in%202022.\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">first team ever<\/a> to have three 50-point wins in a single season. This included a dominant 52-point blowout against the Warriors. In the big picture, the Celtics are an elite team and still <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/02\/10\/tiers-on-tap-evaluating-the-eastern-conference-after-nba-trade-deadline\/\" target=\"_self\">top contenders<\/a>. However, these recent losses highlight underlying concerns with the team. These issues can\u2019t happen consistently, especially in the playoffs. Ultimately adapting to different styles, closing out games, and stars playing at an elite level will be crucial for Boston\u2019s regular season success to fully translate in the playoffs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Celtics followed up an incredible 11-game win streak by dropping back-to-back games for the first time since November. Including a blown 22-point lead in the 4th quarter against the Cavs on Tuesday and a lackluster performance against the Nuggets on Thursday. These back-to-back losses tell us a lot about the Celtics. Let\u2019s break down [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4779,"featured_media":66677,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,5,62],"tags":[450,798,138],"class_list":["post-66645","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-celtics","category-nba","tag-jaylen-brown","tag-jayson-tatum","tag-kristaps-porzingis"],"modified_by":"Eamon Cassels, Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66645","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4779"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66645"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66645\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/66677"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66645"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66645"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66645"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}