In a first-round matchup against the Miami Heat without an injured Jimmy Butler, the No. 1 seeded Boston Celtics likely felt very good about their chances to advance to the second round of the NBA playoffs. And for good reason (even with bizarre reactions to end-game sequences).
But after the Heat stunned the Celtics in Boston in Game 2, it appears the Celtics may have counted their chickens before they hatched. That’s never a good sign against a team that eliminated you in last year’s Eastern Conference Finals.
On Thursday, Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis talked about what happened in Boston’s stunning defeat. He ended up admitting that the Heat made the Celtics think too much about the right play, in effect “freezing” them from simply reacting and taking the game as it comes.
Uh, I probably wouldn’t have said that out loud about a team that is clearly mentally tougher (and better coached):
Porzingis on the challenge #Heat present: "They make us think. They do this on one possession, then they do another thing on another possession, then they switch, then they don't. So that can freeze you a little bit, because you start to think a little bit, then you rush." pic.twitter.com/UGLqMzww9u
— Bobby Manning (@RealBobManning) April 25, 2024
There were two correct tacts to take when diagnosing what went wrong for the Celtics as a player (at least in public).
Porzingis could’ve gone with the rah-rah route, saying something like, “We’re going to win the next game, guaranteed.” That would’ve projected much-needed confidence. Or he could’ve been matter-of-fact and said, “Yeah, they played well, they deserve credit, but we’ll be OK.” That also would’ve been reassuring to hear after quickly losing homecourt to an injured No. 8 seed.
Instead, he said the Heat made the Celtics overthink. Oof.
My guy. Now is not the time to admit the Heat — especially these Heat — can rattle you and take you out of your game. If the Celtics weren’t in trouble before, it sure seems like they are now.
