This Celtics team has proven once and for all they are not Championship caliber
Tatum, Brown, Smart, Joey Mazz. Start where you want. I don’t give a shit who you think deserves the blame for this most recent rendition of the Celtics shitting the bed in embarrassing fashion. I can make a case for everyone, but the real answer is all of them.
If we really want to boil down the responsibility it falls on Jayson Tatum, though. He is regarded as a top 5 player in the league and has yet to record a field goal in the 4th quarter of the ECF. We can’t say this is new or outside the norm for the young superstar either. His inability to take control of bad situations creates an endless cycle.
Tatum goes quiet
Jaylen Brown starts to try to take over in Tatum’s absence. Turnovers and stagnant offense sets in.
Marcus Smart tries to fill all of the gaps all at once, because he’s the longest tenured Celtic. Tatum falls further into the dark.
Roll players are vaulted into position above their head leading to abysmal shooting and uninspired defense
Coach fails at reaching and motivating his Gen X, Dukie, Superstar.
Rinse repeat
I understand a coach can only do so much in the NBA, but holy shit is it apparent when the team starts to tune him out and ultimately he loses loses the room. The past 2 weeks for the Celtics under Mazzula have been a microcosm for what we saw in 2021, the last year under Brad Stevens. The players think they know more than the coaches. They tune out the message and completely abandon whatever shit game plan Joey Mazz drew up. They were not completely void of it under Udoka, but it seemed like the bounce back was faster and more sturdy. Udoka clearly garnished the respect of his players in a way Mazzula has not. Speaking of Ime. Fuck him and his roaming dick piece. I’m starting to see an “anti” “anti Joe Mazzula” movement which I will not get behind, because Joey Mazz is a tool, but the sentiment is correct. He was thrust into a shit situation because Ime couldn’t help himself from thrusting his situation in the Boss’ wife.
Mazzula can not go unscathed here. They seriously have to consider bringing in a veteran coach with NBA experience. The shift in mentality with Joey Mazz and his 3pt shot obsession has destroyed the identity of this team. They got away with it most of the season because of their talent. However, when you combine the lack of defensive focus/intensity with an absent leader during hard times you get a team that truly lives and dies by the 3. This has always been a cardinal sin. I don’t give a fuck about the nerds analytics and the modern game. That shit works in the regular season and if your name is Steph Curry. If your only way to win consistently is by shooting plus 40% from behind the line as a team eventually you’re going to get beat.
There is 0.0% chance this gutless Celtics team is the first ever NBA franchise to battle back from 0 - 3. With that confirmed it’s time for changes. Smart, Brown, Timelord. Tatum? Take your pick. The energy in that room needs to shift. They have created a front running culture with no ability to respond to being punched in the face. I’d start with Smart and go from there. More on that later here.
The greatest disservice we have been dealt as Boston fans in the spring of underachievement between the Celtics and Bruins is forcing us to pay attention to baseball before July 4th. Four months of Chaim Bloom’s Basement is a far cry from The Summer of Duck Boats we had our eyes on.