The Boston Celtics didn’t seem something just like the 64-win workforce that dominated the Jap Convention when the possibility to shut out the Dallas Mavericks was on the desk in Sport 4 of the NBA Finals.
“That was embarrassing by the Celtics,” Barkley mentioned after Sport 4 Friday evening on NBA TV. “They really thought the Mavs had been gonna give up. They got here out nonchalant, lackadaisical. … Should you’re the Celtics, and clearly I nonetheless really feel excellent about them within the collection, however that was so unprofessional the best way they performed that recreation tonight.”
Regardless of having a commanding 3-0 collection benefit, urgency was at an all-time low for the Celtics. The offense was stagnant, lacked power, and it was clear as daylight that Boston’s beginning 5 was in no form to compete with Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and a determined Mavericks workforce combating for its life. This grew to become particularly evident when by halftime, the Celtics had solely totaled 35 factors on 29.7% capturing from the sphere with seven turnovers.
That divot was a lot too deep, accounting for Boston’s ugly 122-84 loss.
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Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who mixed for 61 factors in Sport 3, laid an egg by pitching in 25 factors collectively. Boston’s star tandem was shockingly stumped by Dallas and its defensive depth, forcing impatient and undisciplined passes and shot makes an attempt till it was time for head coach Joe Mazzulla to take away all of the starters and unload the bench in rubbish time.
“If the Celtics come out simply jackin’ up jumpers, going by means of the motions, Dallas has an opportunity,” Barkley added.
The strain could also be on the Mavericks, who’re getting into yet one more win-or-go-home situation in Sport 5, nevertheless, the Celtics are neck and neck, too. Boston hasn’t misplaced twice consecutively all through the postseason or greater than twice consecutively within the common season. To go 0-for-2 in close-out possibilities after taking a 3-0 collection lead, reserving a possible Sport 6 in Dallas, would open the door for a good higher outpour of outdoor narratives — truthful and unwarranted.
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That every one may be averted with a Larry O’Brien clincher on Monday evening.
