Boston Celtics once more pushed to brink after unraveling in fourth quarter of Recreation 5 vs. Golden State Warriors

SAN FRANCISCO — So many issues went within the Boston Celtics‘ favor in Recreation 5 of the NBA Finals.

Golden State Warriors famous person Stephen Curry did not make a Three for the primary time in a postseason recreation. After struggling together with his shot all sequence lengthy, Jayson Tatum had capturing night time.

And, for a change, the Celtics not solely did not get demolished by the Warriors within the third quarter — however outplayed Golden State throughout the body.

However, in any case of that, the sensation emanating from the Celtics was considered one of remorse, as Boston scored 5 factors over the primary eight minutes of the fourth quarter and watched Golden State draw back for a 104-94 victory, giving the Warriors an opportunity to shut out the sequence Thursday night time at TD Backyard.

“Clearly we’re somewhat discouraged after having such third to return out within the fourth and never execute like we wanted to,” Al Horford mentioned. “We felt like we had alternatives, type of began enjoying like we have been enjoying earlier within the recreation. That is undoubtedly, , robust.

“Our backs are in opposition to the wall. That is the time that we have a look at one another within the eyes and we acquired to determine it out. We have now a chance now. Obtained to determine it out. There isn’t any tomorrow for us.”

It appeared there could be a tomorrow, in some way, for Boston after Recreation 5 — regardless of how terribly the Celtics started the sport. Whereas the Warriors got here out of the gates like a home of fireplace, sending the Chase Heart into one spherical of rapturous applause after one other with their frenetic play, the Celtics spent the opening minutes shifting across the court docket prefer it was a regular-season recreation in February, reasonably than Recreation 5 of the Finals.

Turnovers — the telltale stat of Boston’s postseason — reared their ugly head as soon as once more. The Celtics dedicated 18 in Recreation 5, persevering with a development by these playoffs of going 13-2 once they commit 15 or fewer turnovers, and now going 0-7 once they have 16 or extra.

And whereas a lot of them got here in trademark Celtics trend, with Boston carelessly tossing the ball round, in addition they have been a product of Golden State dashing the Celtics up and out of the rhythm that Boston is so profitable at sustaining when at its finest.

“Credit score to them,” Jaylen Brown mentioned. “They are a actually good defensive group. Disciplined and sound. They’ve pressured us to do what clearly we do not do finest. We simply acquired to proceed to acknowledge the sport, see the sport and make in-game changes. Care for the ball when it comes all the way down to it.

“One other recreation with too many turnovers. It value us.”

It was additionally one other recreation through which each Brown and Tatum acquired outplayed by a Warrior. Brown was misfiring all night time, ending with 18 factors, 9 rebounds and 4 assists however going 5-for-18 from the sector and 0-for-5 from 3-point vary. Tatum, in the meantime, lastly shot the ball properly, going 10-for-20 from the sector and 5-for-9 from 3-point vary, however had 4 turnovers and went 1-for-5 within the fourth quarter, when it appeared like he may need been fatigued in a recreation he performed over 44 minutes.

“We rode them somewhat longer,” Celtics coach Ime Udoka mentioned when requested about Boston’s fourth-quarter fade after climbing again into the sport. “Fatigue might’ve performed a component in that, whether or not it is bodily or a few of the decision-making, turnovers there. Type of went with the new palms that acquired us again within the recreation.”

After that disastrous first half — one which noticed Boston trailing by solely 12, reasonably than the twice that quantity the Celtics possible deserved to be down by — the Celtics flipped their anticipated script on its head for the most recent time in these playoffs by scoring the primary 10 factors of the second half and fully outplaying Golden State within the third quarter after being outscored by 49 factors in that interval over the primary 4 video games.

However Golden State scored eight factors within the remaining 80 seconds of the third quarter to retake the lead heading into the fourth, after which outscored Boston 18-5 over the primary eight minutes of the fourth quarter to place the sport away — and push the Celtics to the brink.

And, whereas Golden State once more deserves credit score for a way the Celtics fell aside, it additionally was the most recent reminder — even inside a recreation — of how wildly this Boston group swings backwards and forwards. After lacking their first 12 3-pointers of the sport, the Celtics ripped off eight straight makes in a row, producing one clear take care of one other. And, as they tore the Warriors aside within the third quarter, they repeatedly, and crisply, executed their recreation plan.

Then the fourth quarter began, and all of it fell aside.

“Yeah, they’ve ramped up the physicality,” Udoka mentioned. “They’re switching fairly a bit extra. As you noticed within the third quarter, anytime we do not get stagnant, go one in opposition to the gang, it could look fairly straightforward, get the photographs we wish.

“Like I mentioned, simply should have carryover from recreation to recreation. Not solely that, however quarter to quarter. A 35-point third quarter after we’re shifting the ball, entering into the lane, penetrating, kick, getting the wide-open photographs we wish, now we have to have that carry over into the fourth. To principally solely have 14 or so till the younger guys got here in late clearly was an evening and day quarter from the third and the fourth.”

Nonetheless, even in any case of that, Boston stays assured it could dig itself out of this gap. Why? Effectively, partly, as a result of Boston has been on this place on a number of events on this postseason.

“I’ve mentioned it earlier than: You higher be assured, proper?” Tatum requested. “We ain’t acquired to win two in in the future. We simply acquired to win one recreation on Thursday.

“We have been on this scenario earlier than. So it is not over. Obtained to win on Thursday. That is all we acquired to fret about proper now.”

The Celtics have been down 3-2 in opposition to the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks within the Jap Convention semifinals, earlier than occurring the street and successful Recreation 6 in Milwaukee — through which Tatum scored 46 factors — after which coming again house and successful Recreation 7.

Boston then went on the street and received Recreation 7 within the Jap Convention finals in opposition to the Miami Heat, although the Celtics needed to survive a close to historic collapse within the remaining minutes of the fourth quarter to win that recreation.

Now, the Celtics should dig out of yet one more gap to hold Banner 18 within the TD Backyard rafters.

“I ain’t acquired no selection,” Brown mentioned, when requested why he’s extra assured than he has ever been in his group’s probabilities of successful an NBA title after Monday’s loss. “We do not have no selection. It is win or go house at this level. We labored extremely onerous all season to place ourselves on this place. I nonetheless really feel like now we have so a lot better basketball to play that we have not performed within the final two video games.

“I am hoping that the subsequent two video games we play Celtic basketball and put our greatest foot ahead like I do know we will. I do know town goes to be behind us. It may be a giant Recreation 6. Wanting ahead to it.”