The Boston Celtics got embarrassed by the Miami Heat in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals down in South Beach despite the NBA Finals looming. In a game the Celtics had to win, they lost by 26 points.
After the game, Boston head coach Joe Mazzulla pointed fingers at one person: himself
“I just didn’t have them ready to play,” Mazzulla said. “I have to get them in a better place to be ready to play and that’s on me.”
The Celtics now trail the Heat 3-0. No team in NBA history has come back from a 3-0 series deficit in the playoffs. All-Star Jaylen Brown, who scored only 12 points while shooting 6-of-17 from the field and 0-of-7 from beyond the arc in Game 3, said it was “embarrassing” how Boston played in Game 3.
“I don’t even know where to start,” Brown said. “We can point fingers. But in reality, it’s just embarrassing.”
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The Celtics were outscored by the Heat 30-22 in the first quarter, 31-24 in the second quarter and 32-17 in the third quarter. Superstar Jayson Tatum, who finished with 14 points in Game 3 on 6-of-18 shooting from the floor and 1-of-7 shooting from 3-point land, believes he and his teammates need to show more pride in Game 4.
“As tough as tonight was, we just got to try to move on,” Tatum said. “Prepare, get ready, practice, film and stuff for tomorrow. Obviously, we’re in a tough position. But we’ve got to have some pride, bounce back and just be better come Tuesday.”
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The Heat are one win away from reaching the NBA Finals for the second time in the Jimmy Butler era. The Celtics, who made it to the Finals last season, are being thoroughly outplayed by Butler and Co. on both sides of the ball.
“Tonight was tough,” Tatum said. “From the beginning of the game, we were turning the ball over. We didn’t shoot the ball well, they shot extremely well. It felt like we never recovered.”
If the Celtics get swept, don’t be surprised if Mazzulla is fired.
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