Boston Celtics
The 2022-23 Boston Celtics can be defined by going down 0-3 to the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, rallying to win three straight games, but ultimately losing Game 7 at home in the Garden.
What did we learn?
The Celtics did not make NBA history.
The Celtics were not the first team to come back from down 0-3 in a playoff series, but they were the fourth team to ever force a Game 7 after dropping the first three games.
It took a miraculous Derrick White tip-in buzzer-beater in Game 6, a game they had given away, but they lived to die another day.
Way back when, the Celtics started the season on a rip-roaring run, racing out to a 21-5 record with some of the best shooting numbers the game has ever seen. It helped to get past the Ime Udoka scandal that derailed their preseason vibe.
No Udoka, no problem. It looked like 34-year-old Joe Mazzulla stepped in and could fill those shoes on the fly. (Narrator: He could not.) JoeMazz would receive the official title of head coach and was given an extension, but this occurred a couple of months before the playoffs.
The C’s ran through teams at the beginning of the season with an absolutely insane offense and nutty shooting performance that was flat-out unsustainable. The J-Team was clicking on all cylinders like the January 2022 switch had already been flipped.
But the shooting dropped back to earth and the C’s became mere mortal, falling back to the Eastern Conference pack. They did close the season strong again, winning 12 of the last 16 games, but the Bucks had one more win in the end, so it was the 2-seed for a second straight year.
The Hawks made the Celtics sweat a little bit in the first round, a 6-game series that was a lot closer than people thought it would be.
Then the Celtics went down 3-2 in the second round just like they did last year. This time it was against the Sixers, but once again it was Tatum who brought them back to life in Game 6 on the road. He waited until the final minutes of the fourth quarter to catch fire and hit four 3s after starting ice cold. In Game 7, Tatum erupted for 51 points, a new playoff Game 7 record, besting Steph’s 50 from the round prior.
And so, it was the Celtics and Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals for the third time in four years.
The Celtics quickly found themselves staring at an 0-3 hole as they continuously shot themselves in the foot by taking ill-advised 3s and constantly turning the ball over, their calling card in these playoffs. Execution on the court belongs to the players, but many called out JoeMazz for his lack of player accountability and refusal to call time outs.
Either way, the C’s buckled down the hatches and were able to pull out three straight wins. Forcing a Game 7 after going down 0-3 is certainly a valiant effort, but the reliance on 3-point shooting and turnover issues were still there.
The Celtics shot 9-of-42 from 3 (21.4 percent) and had 15 turnovers in Game 7.
It’s tough to win any game with those numbers. It was disheartening that it happened in the biggest game of their lives with another trip to The Finals at stake. The C’s chances in Game 7 also dropped precipitously when Tatum rolled his ankle on the first play of the game and never looked the same.
The Heat rolled to a 19-point win in Boston. It was the Celtics’ sixth loss at home in the playoffs where they finished with a 5-6 losing record.
Brad Stevens and the Celtics have a big decision looming in the Tatum-Brown conundrum. On one hand, Brown — who is eligible for the max after his All-NBA selection — does not seem like a $50 million player. (Brown shot 16.3 percent from 3 in the ECF with 3.6 turnovers per game but did have a hand injury.) And some have asked the question, how far do Tatum and Brown really get you as your No. 1 and No 2?
But the answer to that is a 2-1 lead over the Warriors in the Finals last year and three trips to the Eastern Conference Finals in the last four years.
Perhaps that’s not enough.
It’s Championship or bust in Boston.
And the J-Team has yet to deliver.
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Additional Notes
Brodgon was the Sixth Man of the Year, but he was injured during the Heat series, scoring 2 points over the last five games. Injuries have unfortunately always been present in the Brogdon conversation.
Al Horford had an insane year shooting the ball. 44.6 percent from 3 on 5.2 attempts per game.
Marcus Smart’s defense was not the same level as last year when he was Defensive Player of the Year, and the Celtics’ defense as a whole took a step back. Apparently that was all the Boston brass needed to see.
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Did our preseason Over/Under prediction hit?
This number is just too ridiculously high in a gauntlet East. Under 53.5 wins.
Celtics 2022-23 record: (57-25)
Nope. The number was high for a reason.
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What’s Next?
Marcus Smart is OUT and Kristaps Porzingis is IN. The Celtics definitely needed some more size, but now they say goodbye to Smart, the heart and soul of the C’s and the longest-tenured Celtic.
Brogdon was the one traded for Porzingis until he wasn’t, supposedly for his physical. So if Brogdon stays in Boston, that might be a little bit awkward.
The Celtics still need somebody to steer and guide the offense. Derrick White will probably become more involved, but they’ve never had a true table-setting point guard.
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