Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla pinpointed the exact moment when the game momentum shifted against their favor, leading to their 105-104 loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Celtics secured a 16-point lead by the end of the third quarter, but signs of vulnerability started to emerge as they entered the fourth period.
"I think it started when we gave up the layup with seven seconds left at the end of the third quarter. Closing those quarters (and) starting those quarters are important. You give that up, you give them a little life," Mazzulla said after the game.
The Celtics even managed to establish a 22-point lead with nine minutes remaining in the game, but the tables turned drastically as they were ultimately outscored 34-17 in the fourth quarter.
"I thought we just went cold. I thought we had some really good possessions where we didn't make the shot," the Celtics coach added.
The Celtics had their league-best 11-game winning streak snapped, but they retained the NBA's best record at 48-13.
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Undrafted forward leads rally and sets career high
Cavaliers forward Dean Wade spearheaded his team's comeback, sinking five 3-pointers and scoring 20 points in the fourth quarter alone, outscoring the entire Celtics team during that period.
The 27-year-old was not picked in the 2019 NBA Draft but has been with Cleveland from 2019 to 20.
"The rim looked like a swimming pool," the 6-foot-9 player said. He scored a career-high 23 points for the evening, adding eight rebounds, one assist, and two steals.
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