The Celtics missed an opportunity to put the Sixers away and end the series last night on a clean 4-0 sweep as they fell 102-93 to Philadelphia. While some serious home cooking from the refs didn’t cause the C’s to lose, it certainly didn’t help. Basically all of Boston’s top players were in foul trouble mid-way through the 2nd quarter, which is unusual to say the least.
#Celtics in slight foul trouble at the half
Cs: 16 personal fouls
76ers: 8 personal foulsTatum: 3
Smart: 3
Morris: 3
Brown: 3
Ojeleye: 2
Baynes: 1
Rozier: 1— Celtics News (@CelticsNewsNBA) May 7, 2018
Thats 4 rotation players and 2 of your top 3 offensive threats already forced to take their foot off the gas just to make it through the game (Marcus Smart fouled out later anyways). Hell Brad Stevens even had to jump in and get a technical foul just to prevent the refs from tossing Jaylen Brown on a shaky call later in the night.
Aside from all that nonsense though, the Celtics were sloppy, forcing up prayer shots and turning the ball over way too much.
Game 4: #Celtics were in foul trouble from the jump. They turned the ball over 15 times. #Sixers out-rebounded them by 10 overall and 16-6 on the offensive glass. Philly out-shot Boston 94-75.
In many ways it feels like a miracle the C’s only lost by 11 or were within 6 late.
— Adam Kaufman (@AdamMKaufman) May 8, 2018
I know we were ready to curb stomp Philly, but they are a pretty damn good team and when you make a boatload of mistakes anybody is going to make you pay for that.
In Scary Terry News, Terry Rozier finished with 11 points, 8 rebounds and a near fist fight with Joel Embiid.
Tensions ran high between Joel Embiid and Terry Rozier in Game 4. pic.twitter.com/eYNGlMsynQ
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 8, 2018
Just to put this into perspective, Joel Embiid is 7’0″ tall and Rozier is 6’2″ Thats a full 10 inches Rozier is giving up and he don’t give a shit. Gotta love the tenacity. And even on a night where he only shoots 4-11 Terry is still feeling himself.
Scary Terry is feeling himself. #Celtics #Sixers #76ers #NBA #NBAPlayoffs #Boston pic.twitter.com/qhxUL5rJGK
— The 300s (@The300sBoston) May 7, 2018
Also getting into it with Embiid was one Marcus Morris who were both jawing and talking shit throughout the game. Morris was able to body Embiid in the trash talk department though.
Marcus Morris just told Joel Embiid to go get his shine box.#Celtics #Sixers #76ers #NBA #NBAPlayoffs #Boston pic.twitter.com/3AuMNcj4Vz
— The 300s (@The300sBoston) May 7, 2018
At least I think it was Marcus?
When you’re from North Philly and gotta watch your own back. pic.twitter.com/J8P0DWeZEp
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) May 7, 2018
What really put the nail in Celtics coffin though was this sequence late in the game. Down 10 with 7 minutes to go the C’s were in a good spot to chip away, play D, and extend the game. Instead they uncharacteristically started playing hero ball and forcing a bunch of terrible looks rather than taking what was given to them. Over the next 5 minutes here’s what the Celtics did on offense.
Terry Rozier 3 pt MISS
Marcus Smart 2 free throws
Marcus Smart layup
Jayson Tatum 3 pt MISS
Terry Rozier 3 pt MISS
Marcus Morris 3 pt MISS
Jayson Tatum 3 pt MISS
And that was basically the game. Down 10 points with plenty of time left the Celtics force five three pointers and miss them all. Not great.
The Celtics will now look to close out the series back at home on Wednesday night. The Sixers and TJ McConnell (19 pts) in particular are starting to feel themselves a little bit, but put them back in the Garden and get ahead early and this team will roll over. Lets put this team away so we can actually face the final boss in the Eastern Conference Finals with some gas left in the tank.
My biggest concern? LeBron finished off his sweep of the Raptors so now he’s just chilling on his couch getting extra rest waiting for us…
The 300s 