What is going on with the Boston Celtics?
After the Celtics made quick work of the Sixers in the first round they followed through by dispatching the defending champion Raptors and seemed poised to push that same effect through the Eastern Conference Finals against a very different looking Miami Heat.
However, we’ve seen two games now where the seemingly insurmountable double-digit type leads at halftime have whittled away in 20+ point scoring differences in the 3rd quarter and an absolute continued collapse through the 4th and overtime.
Last night’s 13 point halftime lead blow resulted in an overtime loss and turned ugly after the game. While the NBA during this bubble setup has barred press from being in the locker rooms like normally seen after games, those reporters and broadcasters who are in the bubble were witnesses to loud noises and shouting coming from the Celtics locker room. Reports are that it turned even physical with Boston stars Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart needing to be separated from each other.
Brown commented on it during his postgame “Zoom press conference”, saying “It’s really just a lot of emotions just flying around. Obviously, we feel like we could have won, we should have won but we didn’t. So just a lot of emotions flying around. That’s it.”
Coach Brad Stevens seemed to echo his players saying “Guys were emotional after a hard game, hard loss.”
Kemba Walker and Enes Kanter wanted to brush off the situation taking to their respective Twitter accounts to call it “nothing” and say that “there’s too many bu*****t rumors out there.”
The Celtics now have their work cut out for them in an 0-2 hole which they will try to reverse when they take the floor for Game 3 after a day off on Friday. Game 3 is slated to tip-off at 8:30pm on Saturday night.