BOSTON – Long after the Celtics showed a second 20 -point lead in as many games in their semi -final series of the East Conference against the New York Knicks, Jaylen Brown was sitting silently in his locker, looking straight. In front of him, as is the case in all their lockers, there was a quote from everyone, Phil Jackson.
“You are only a success when you perform a successful act. You have to start again.”
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There is no best descriptor for what the champions in title of the NBA face after a 91-90 defeat in match 2 of their second round eliminatory series. The Celtic trail 0-2. The two were heartbreaking losses. And they head on the road for match 3 on Saturday at Madison Square Garden, who was almost lost.
These Knicks are not impressed by the previous success of Boston. They will not give anything to the Celtics either.
As Kristaps de Boston said, Porziņģis, “nobody feels sorry for us.”
In fact, the Knicks can take everything from these Celtics. They did it in match 2, as they did in match 1, taking up a deficit of 20 points and third quarter. It had the same appearance, even if it didn't feel the same thing. It was not Monday, when the Celtics settled for too much 3 points and became too comfortable with their advantage. They were uncomfortable with Wednesday's advance, hesitating to take these same photos.
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“We just haven't been executed,” said Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla.
Never has been more clear than final possession. After Jalen Brunson's two free throws gave Knicks their 91-90 advantage, Boston was 12.7 seconds to play for the victory. Mazzulla did not call a dead time. Instead, the Celtics organized the same game as they had on their previous possession, which released Jayson Tatum for a green light dunk, but this time, it was bottled – first by Mitchell Robinson, then by Og Anunoby and finally by Mikal Bridges, who, who, As he did in match 1sealed victory with a flight. Tatum never had his blow.
He also could not explain after the match, while a fire alarm evacuated TD Garden at 10:30 p.m., just as he had to start his availability of the press. It was an appropriate end to two miserable shooting performances for all Celtics – but especially Tatum, which scored 13 points on 19 shots. It should have been 20.
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“I thought he had looked at an angle,” said Mazzulla. “I didn't shoot him, so he missed time.”
The game was lost well before this time. The Celtics took an advantage of 73-53 with 3:12 to play in the third quarter. They had a probability of a 99% victory. The Knicks had not led a second. Then the Celtics became tight, or “antissy”, as Brown said. They returned the ball out of four of their next five possessions, while New York closed the quarter on an 8-0 race. Again, they had offered a more manageable deficit in New York.
And once again, the Knicks took their opportunity. Bridges, which started match 0 for 8 since the field, caught fire, scoring 14 points in the last 12 minutes, including seven successful games which reduced Boston's advance to 84-77 in half in the fourth quarter. A few moments later, Brunson buried a 3 that silenced the crowd. Everyone in the building could feel what the Celtics had to feel. This cannot happen. Again.
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As Porziņģ said, “in the end, it's almost a bet if the game is so close.” It is not so much a bet as a roulette against the Knicks, especially when Brunson, probably closest to the game, takes care.
Tatum had a look as great as he had all the series in the right corner – one that would have given the Celtics an advance of 89-80 with 3:39 on the left – and he landed for a long time. Instead, Josh Hart's Floater reduced Boston's advantage to 86-82, and the three-point game from Karl-Anthony Towns reduced it to a minute later.
You could practically hear the fold of 19,156 fans present at the same time. If someone did not feel the pressure that it was Brunson, the clutch player of the year of the NBA, who had fought for much of the night, mainly kept by Jrue Holiday. He made a ridiculous 18-foot horseman to give the Knicks their first advance of the night, 87-86, and his transition layup pushed the advance to three with 57 seconds to play.
Four consecutive points of Tatum, including a driving dunk, made the lead in Boston, 90-89, only for Brunson to strike again, pulling a shooting fault 15 feet from the basket. He of course made both.
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“It's about concentrating simply, having a clear mind and trying to win the game,” he said. “It's my state of mind.”
Now the Celtics must answer this call. They were already here – and fell 0-3 in Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals in 2023. They lost this series in seven games. Except that they were not here Before, Blow out consecutive tracks of 20 points. How does someone respond mentally?
“In a way, it eliminates all of us,” said Porziņģis, projecting confidence. “I don't know, if you check the chances, maybe the Knicks are the favorites now to win. Who knows? We had to win, so that we are in this hole right now – with our backs against the wall, we have nothing to lose.”
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The chances are equal, by Betmgm. But for the point of Porziņģis, for all the terrible vibrations of the collapse, there was a feeling of calm among the members of the staff of the Celtics and the members of the family in the aftermath of an amazing second defeat. There were murmurs of “twists and turns” and, “it's a series of seven games for a reason”.
Then there was brown, looking at his locker, soaking in emotion. What was happening through his head?
“What is done is done,” he said. “We have to make sure that we are ready to go out for match 3. I think we are due for many brands. I think we have had a lot of good shots that evening that have not entered. We just have to relax, resume deeply and play Celtics basketball. Just as we are down 0-2, we can link this thing.”
