PHILADELPHIA -- Six months ago, when it became clear that Celtics rookie head coach Joe Mazzulla was timeout averse, he repeatedly explained his philosophy on allowing his team to navigate high-pressure situations.
"In order for us to be a great team, we have to handle those situations and we've got to build an awareness and we've got to know how to execute," Mazzulla said back in November.
Six months later, his team still hasn’t quite learned how to thrive in those moments.
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It’s why much of the brunt for a brutal Game 4 loss in Philadelphia will fall on Mazzulla’s shoulders. Let us stress this now: He alone is not to blame for Boston’s bad decision-making. But after six months, Mazzulla has to realize that he has to do more to save his players from themselves.
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Let’s also temper this slightly by noting that, if Marcus Smart hits a wide-open 3-point look at the end of regulation, the spin today is a whole lot cheerier given how well the Celtics played throughout the fourth quarter of Game 4. Alas, it’s hard to be positive after a gut-punch loss (no matter how hard Al Horford tried to suggest as much).
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You should be mad that Jaylen Brown bafflingly decided to leave a red-hot James Harden alone beyond the 3-point arc at a moment where a triple was just about the ONLY thing you couldn’t allow. You should be mad that Mazzulla didn’t call a timeout with 19 seconds left and the Celtics down one point to implore his team to go fast, and that he didn’t spring into action when Boston showed no immediate urgency. You should be mad that Jayson Tatum waited so long to attack that Boston never got off a shot before the final buzzer.
Brown owned his miscue, calling it a bad read. But he has to know that, even if Joel Embiid muscles home a tough shot in single coverage, the worst-case scenario is a second overtime.
Tatum admitted he should have gone faster. To his credit, he made the right decision to pass out when the Sixers sent multiple bodies at him, including Embiid, on his final drive. But Tatum waiting so long to get the ball and attack in that spot is inexcusable.
Mazzulla could have prevented both instances. He has to implore his players to give up anything but a 3-pointer coming out of Philadelphia’s timeout. When the Celtics limp into their action with 19 seconds on the clock, Mazzulla has to call timeout and tell them to move. Even if the Celtics go quick and miss, there’s a chance to foul, call ANOTHER available timeout to advance the ball, and get another chance to extend the game.
It’s wild to us that a team that trips all over itself to maximize every possible 2-for-1 situation at the end of quarters, often settling for less-than-ideal first-possession shots, is still oblivious to basic late-game principles when they matter most.
We respect that Mazzulla wants his players to feel empowered in those moments. But they just haven’t consistently shown the ability to make good decisions in those situations. It’s been six months. Call the timeouts.
But here’s what gnaws at us more than just the poor execution: The Celtics' general lack of urgency. And we’re not just talking about that final possession.
The Celtics are overflowing with talent and have been presented a very agreeable path back to the NBA Finals. These opportunities cannot be taken for granted. Too much crazy stuff happens in this league. Injuries, roster changes, drama. You have to embrace every chance when you’re a surefire title contender.
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Maybe some of these missteps won’t matter. The Celtics are a more talented and deeper team than the Sixers. Yes, they've been burned twice by loud Harden games. Can he do that twice more over three games? Probably not. But the Celtics have left open the door with their haphazard nature.
The Celtics just don’t seem to learn from their missteps. This core consistently complicates its path. Last year, that culminated in the team running out of gas on the Finals stage. The playoffs are not easy but the Celtics sure do love upping the degree of difficulty.
Everyone needs to be better. Your superstars can’t make bad decisions in key spots. And your coach has to put his team in the best position to thrive.
For six months we’ve heard how the Celtics were being prepped for these situations. And they haven’t consistently met the moment.