Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell takes a shot over Celtics guard Marcus Smart during Cleveland’s 118-114 win over Boston on Monday night in Cleveland. Ron Schwane/Associated Press
There are still 16 games left in the regular season, but the Boston Celtics are feeling at least some pressure after losing their last three games. Boston blew another double-digit lead in the fourth quarter in a 118-114 loss in overtime to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday night.
While there’s still a month left to go before the playoffs start, Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon said there’s “definitely urgency” after their recent string of defeats.
“I think it’s less even about the playoffs and just about this road trip coming up,” Brogdon said. “I was talking to Blake (Griffin), we really need to win this game against Portland so we can leave Boston on a good note, a positive note starting the road trip. These are six teams on the road that we should beat, that we need to beat. It’s really that simple. Going undefeated is the goal and the expectation.”
The Celtics host the Trail Blazers on Wednesday before embarking on a six-game trip. Games against the Hawks, Rockets, Timberwolves, Blazers, Jazz and Kings will provide a test for Boston.
While the Celtics are still in the race for the No. 1 seed in the East, their margin for error is slowly starting to slip away as the first-place Bucks continue to win. Boston is two games behind the Bucks and only two games above the third-seeded Sixers. Those are important considerations heading into the playoffs.
“You just continue to control what you can control, and that’s really it,” Celtics guard Marcus Smart said. “We put in the work and basketball’s a game of runs. It’s a lot of ups, it’s a lot of downs. The tide’s going to turn, we just gotta really hold it off until it turns and just keep playing and doing what you’re supposed to do.”
Celtics Coach Joe Mazzulla said he had “zero concern” with the Celtics after their double-overtime loss to the Knicks. The Celtics have lost three straight games, but have shown some life recently. Boston was short-handed against Cleveland, playing without three starters, including Jayson Tatum. The Celtics did blow their lead, they were one made free throw from Grant Williams away from victory.
So the Celtics will look to regroup after falling to 3-4 since the All-Star break. Boston doesn’t look completely in sync after some struggles but there’s still time to fix their issues.
“We came back out from the break and everybody lost their rhythm on both ends of the floor,” Smart said. “We’re struggling and trying to get back. Each and everybody is, in their own unique way, just trying to help this team and, at the same time, getting into a rhythm. And it’s tough. But you gotta do it, you gotta figure it out.”
AFTER A ROUGH February, Grant Williams was setup for a night of redemption against the Cavaliers on Monday night. The power forward propelled Boston’s strong start with four 3-pointers in the first half and appeared ready to rescue the team from another fourth quarter collapse by drawing a loose ball foul with 0.8 seconds remaining in regulation in a 109-109 game.
Before Williams attempted his first shot at the line, Donovan Mitchell attempted to play some mind games with the Celtics’ reserve. Williams appeared to say he was going to hit both free throws in response as part of some trash talk from the Cavs’ delay tactics. But Williams missed both free throws, sending the game into overtime as the Celtics fell 118-114 to the Cavs.
Williams exited the locker room before the media was allowed in. His head coach and teammates came to the defense of the 6-foot-6 forward in the wake of Boston’s third straight loss.
Jaylen Brown had a similar sequence in a loss to the Knicks last month where he missed two free throws that could have ended the game in regulation.
“It happens,” Brown said. “I’ve been in that position before and that’s what should fuel you into being better.
“You can’t let it be a spirit breaker. Grant has had a great career. The reason why he’s been successful is because of his confidence. And now is one of the moments where his confidence is going to be tested. A lot of people are now seeing some of the adversity he’s going through. And you’ve gotta respond as a man. You’ve gotta be better. You can’t let it take you down. You can look at it and go two different ways. You can go up or you can go down. I want him to go up.”
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