Before Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals, Jayson Tatum was asked about the Boston Celtics' success on the road in the playoffs. He emphasized that they had no other option but to win, or else their season would be over. Unfortunately, the Celtics did not emerge victorious in Sunday's contest, resulting to a daunting 0-3 series deficit--a situation that no team in NBA history has been able to overcome.
The Miami Heat dominated the Celtics in Game 3, holding a significant lead of 22 points in the first half and eventually extending it to 33 points before securing a decisive 128-102 victory. Tatum and the Celtics now face a daunting task of staging a remarkable comeback to prevent the eighth-seeded Heat from advancing.
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Celtics' Embarrassing Performance
Jaylen Brown expressed his frustration, labeling the team's performance as embarrassing. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla took responsibility for the loss, acknowledging that he had failed to prepare the team adequately for such a crucial game. He admitted his role in the defensive decline, as the Celtics dropped from second to 10th in defensive rating during the playoffs and conceding three more points per 100 possessions.
Mazzulla accepted the need to regain their defensive identity and acknowledged that it was his responsibility to guide the team in that direction.
Despite his self-criticism, Mazzulla's players defended him, with Brown emphasizing that it was a collective effort and that each player understood the magnitude of the situation, per The Sporting News.
The Celtics now face an uphill battle, needing an extraordinary effort to reverse their fortunes and avoid elimination at the hands of the resilient Heat.
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