Why did the Boston Celtics lose a key Game 5 closeout tilt in which they were up by 13 points in the fourth quarter? “Careless mistakes from all of us that came back to bite us in the end I’m sure we wish we could have back,” explained Jayson Tatum to the media after the game. “I think that we had some bonehead plays, some fouls, and gave them some opportunities to get going,” offered Jaylen Brown.
So, the Celtics were not only admittedly careless but were so in a way that actively aided their opponent — and they know it. If Jayson Tatum is the leader of this team at least in terms of setting an example, to go 1-of-10 from beyond the arc immediately after saying that the Celtics (per MassLive’s Brian Robb) must “go in there with the mindset that we (have to) win to survive” is disrespectful.
Disrespectful to his teammates for lying to them. Disrespectful to the fans for not giving his best effort when it counts. And disrespectful to the legacy of the team that he plays for by treating one of 16 potential postseason wins needed to hang Banner 18 like a contest in the middle of November.
The St. Louis native (and head coach Joe Mazzulla, Brown, and the rest fo the team) ought to try “just being aware of learning from … mistakes from last year that made the road a little tougher,” as a wise man once said.
Because despite the Celtics’ wishes of wanting a mulligan on Game 5, that’s not how the playoffs work by design. Win, or go home — and right now, it’s looking like Boston’s destiny is far more likely to do the latter.
Please, prove us wrong.
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Story originally appeared on Celtics Wire