Inform me when you’ve heard this one earlier than. After coming back from a profitable highway journey, the Boston Celtics fell flat at residence.
Thursday’s beatdown by the hands of the Dallas Mavericks marked the third-straight letdown for the Cs on this very spot.
3-1 western journey…blown out at residence by Sacramento.
3-1 western journey…lose at residence to Houston
3-0 highway journey…down 21 after 3 at residence to Dallas.
— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) February 7, 2025
The Keep Prepared group made issues fascinating within the fourth quarter, however this recreation was something however shut. The Mavericks have been in full management for almost all of the evening.
Boston’s stars didn’t actually have it, and the bench gave them nothing till they have been down by 27 factors.
Dallas’ lead grew as the sport went on and it felt like anytime Boston took a step ahead, they’d additionally take two steps again.
For instance, there was a defensive possession late within the third quarter the place Payton Pritchard blocked Kyrie Irving’s shot on the perimeter. When the shot acquired blocked, the group discovered power that they’d been missing for your complete evening, and Pritchard took off on a quick break.
It was a fantastic probability for the Celtics to try to use the momentum to vault again into the sport.
As a substitute, Pritchard virtually instantly had the ball stolen from him, and Dallas went down and instantly scored.
This recreation was filled with moments like this the place the Cs merely couldn’t get out of their very own method. They constantly shot themselves within the foot with turnovers and missed layups, which head coach Joe Mazzulla considers equal to turnovers as a result of they put the crew at an obstacle in the identical method.
The truth that all of us watched this kind of efficiency from the Celtics after they swept their current highway journey is equally as stunning as it isn’t.
On one hand, you’d suppose that they’d be capable to carry that momentum upon returning to TD Backyard. This was a nationally televised NBA Finals rematch in any case. The constructing had nice power and the crew on the opposite aspect of the ground had one thing to show. It’s only a disgrace that the Cs didn’t really feel the identical method.
On the identical time, the letdown loss at residence has turn out to be a pattern for this group.
I don’t know what it’s, however they only don’t win video games there like they did final season once they logged a file of 37-4. Rapidly, they’ve turn out to be gracious hosts for all guests and are 16-10 this yr at TD Backyard.
Dallas performed a fantastic recreation. They shot 55% from the sphere and 45% from lengthy vary. There’s no disputing that they have been dialed in. It’s going to occur. Groups are going to come back into city with one thing to show, however Boston must get again to being up for the problem.
Now we’ve reached some extent the place typically they’re up for it, and typically they’re not. Thursday was the latter.
I don’t suppose that is the kind of recreation that ought to be overreacted to. It shouldn’t destroy your week or hinder your perception on this crew. It simply appears like they’re bored, identical to they have been bored when the Sacramento Kings got here to city final month and when the Houston Rockets have been right here final week.
It felt like an absence of focus held them again in these video games once they fell aside in a pair of fourth quarters, simply because it did in opposition to Dallas once they missed layups and coughed the ball up.
