Celtics Address a Glaring Issue They've Yet to Solve: 'We've Got to Find a Way to Play a Complete 48 Minutes'

The Nets outscored the Celtics 100-68 in the final three frames, erasing a nearly 30-point deficit.

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Whether it was almost blowing a 20-point lead vs. the Lakers in Los Angeles, walking through the finish line at the end of their 117-113 win over the Cavaliers on Wednesday, or letting a 28-point advantage slip through their fingers in Friday's loss to the Nets, maintaining their focus has been an issue for the Celtics.

Sometimes, the repercussion is putting more mileage on Jayson Tatum's odometer. Other times, like Friday, the result is a defeat that could contribute to the Bucks having home-court advantage against them in the Eastern Conference Finals, should the two meet up on that stage.

Boston now sits a game back of the Bucks, who can expand their lead when they host the Sixers Saturday night.

Still, it's that Mar. 30 matchup in Milwaukee that looms large. The Bucks, coming from Indiana, will be on the second night of a back-to-back, while the Celtics will have been off the night before.

So, perhaps the defending Eastern Conference champions will win that tilt, reclaim the one seed, and prove that maintaining their focus in the playoffs isn't an issue.

Until then, it's fair to question why this issue persists. If it's not solved, it will prove costly in the playoffs.

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Friday, Jayson Tatum registered 22 points, a game-high 13 rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and a steal. However, he also went 0/8 from beyond the arc and had more turnovers (four) than anyone else.

After the game, the four-time All-Star shared his perspective on what went wrong.

"We started off well, lost our composure a little bit as a group, they kept rolling, we didn't necessarily regain it, and it just became tough to come back."

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Jaylen Brown generated a team-high 35 points, his 17th game with at least 30. He also grabbed five rebounds, dished out four assists, swiped three steals, and had a block. But he also committed four of Boston's 19 giveaways, which led to 21 points for Brooklyn.

Post-game, Brown conveyed how head coach Joe Mazzulla handled the defeat in the locker room.

"He was pretty even-keeled today. Everything that we did out there kind of spoke for itself, and we're a mature team that('s) been there before. We just blew a 28-point lead, so we already know how lackadaisical that is, so there's nothing for him to really say."

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Derrick White contributed 16 points, four rebounds, three assists, and a block off the bench, but he had three of those 19 turnovers.

White offered the following about the Celtics getting outscored 100-68 in the final three frames.

"They were playing harder, they were getting to the 50/50 balls, and I felt like we were trying to overcompensate, trying to get our energy back...kind of led to us struggling."

White also addressed the fact that even in an era where the high volume of threes makes practically no lead safe, depending on how much time is left on the game clock, Boston hasn't protected sizable advantages as well as it should.

"It definitely has happened more times than we want, obviously. Everything was happening so easy there at the beginning of the game, and then they just started playing harder, and we didn't do a good job of responding. That's on us as a group and each individual, so we've got to find a way to play 48 minutes, whether we're up 28 or it's a back-and-forth game. Whoever plays better in those 48 minutes is gonna win, so we've got to find a way to play a complete 48 minutes."

But with Friday's loss in the rearview and another game on Sunday, Tatum expressed it's time for the Celtics to turn the page.

"Get some rest; get ready for the next game. Honestly, there's nothing we can do but move on. Essentially, don't harp on it. We can't change it, and get ready for the next one."

Further Reading

Joe Mazzulla Shares His Perspective on the Roots of the Celtics' Collapse vs. Nets

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Loss vs. Nets: Boston Backslides at a Time It Needs to Tighten Up

Jayson Tatum on Load Management: 'I Just Think About the Young Kid, the Kid Inside Me from St. Louis That Dreamed About Being in the NBA'

A Top Celtics Free-Agent Target Signs Elsewhere, Where Does Boston Go from Here?

Jayson Tatum Unveils Jordan Tatum 1's