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Celtics' Latest Playoff Collapse Exposes Fatal Strategic Flaw
TL;DR
The Boston Celtics suffered a playoff collapse against the Philadelphia 76ers despite statistical advantages. Their inefficiency on offense, particularly in 3-point shooting, was a critical factor in their defeat.
Key points
- Celtics had statistical advantages over the 76ers
- Inefficiency on offense led to playoff collapse
- Celtics struggled with 3-point shooting in crucial games
Boston CelticsPhiladelphia 76ers
Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla
Celtics' Latest Playoff Collapse Exposes Fatal Strategic Flaw originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
On paper, the Boston Celtics should've beaten the Philadelphia 76ers. The Celtics outscored them by 20 points over the course of their seven series, outrebounded them by 40 and recorded more assists, steals and blocks.
So why didn't they? The simple answer is that Boston was much less efficient on offense, finishing with a worse field goal percentage, 3-point percentage and free throw percentage. That's largely because they took and missed far too many 3-pointers, especially over the final three games when they went just 36-for-129 (27.9 percent) from beyond the arc.
Boston missed a staggering 93 threes in those three games combined, including 36 in their Game 7 loss. The Celtics bricked 24 in the second half alone, going 6-for-30 from downtown after halftime and 2-for-13 in the fourth quarter.
They weren't shooting the ball well, but as usual, they didn't adjust. They doubled down on threes, and in the end, it cost them the game and ended their season.
Q&A
What strategic flaws did the Celtics expose in their playoff collapse?
The Celtics' strategic flaw was their reliance on 3-point shooting, which proved inefficient, especially in the final three games of the series.
How did the Celtics' performance compare to the 76ers in the playoff series?
The Celtics outscored the 76ers by 20 points, outrebounded them by 40, and had more assists, steals, and blocks, yet lost due to poor offensive efficiency.
What were the Celtics' shooting percentages during the playoff series?
The Celtics finished with worse field goal, 3-point, and free throw percentages compared to the 76ers, significantly impacting their playoff performance.
