Inside The Celtics

Celtics Share Their Perspective on Failing to Meet the Moment in Game 5 Loss to Sixers

After falling flat in Game 5, the Celtics head to Philadelphia with their season on the line.

Bobby Krivitsky

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The Celtics faceplanted on Tuesday night. They were reluctant to attack Joel Embiid at the rim, had minimal success when they did, and the Sixers' switch-heavy defensive scheme bogged down Boston's offensive operation.

Aiding that was Al Horford going 0/7, each miss from beyond the arc in a scoreless performance, and Marcus Smart repeatedly passing up open shots having the hosts essentially playing on four-on-five offensively.

The Celtics shot below 40 percent from the field and went 12/38 (31.6 percent) from beyond the arc. Conversely, Philadelphia carved up Boston's pick-and-roll defense, stepping into open looks throughout Tuesday's 115-103 win. The visitors knocked down 50.6 percent of their field-goal attempts, including 12/30 (40 percent) of their threes. 

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Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Embiid led the way with 33 points. James Harden registered 17 and a game-high ten assists, masterfully orchestrating the Sixers' offense. Tyrese Maxey also made the hosts pay for its poor pick-and-roll defense, putting 30 points on the board.

After a loss that pushes the Celtics to the brink of elimination, Joe Mazzulla expressed, "That was the first game of the playoffs that we didn't play well, in my opinion," adding, "We just have to shift our perspective and get ready for the next game."

Regarding whether his team played as hard as they could've on Tuesday, Mazzulla stated, "I think we had the right intentions to play as hard as we could." 

Given the Celtics have lost seven of their last nine home playoff games and repeatedly failed to capitalize on opportunities like the ones they had in Game 1 with Embiid sidelined and Game 4 when they blew a late lead in regulation and overtime, it's also fair to question if there needs to be more of a look under the hood with this team.

Mazzulla addressed that too, citing his team not playing free in its Game 5 defeat. "I think when you have the intentions of really, really wanting to win, it doesn't work out well for you sometimes."

"No level of regret," continued the first-year bench boss. "At the end of the day, there's nothing we can do about it right now...We shift our minds toward what we can control."

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Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Jaylen Brown, who finished with 23 points and struggled at the free-throw line, where he went 3/8, stated, "(We've) got to have a short-term memory. We dropped the ball tonight. (We) couldn’t stay in front of nobody. (We) couldn’t get a stop. (We) couldn’t make a shot…That was the story of the game."

Looking ahead to Game 6 in the City of Brotherly Love with the Celtics' season on the line, Brown conveyed the following.

"We've got in front of us a great opportunity, and to mull in the past would take that opportunity away from us. We've just got to come out and play Celtics basketball."

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Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Jayson Tatum, who went 0/5 in the first quarter before finding success attacking downhill, finishing with a game-high 36 points, also shared his perspective on his team's inability to meet the moment.

"Nothing we can do about tonight. It happened. It's unfortunate. We wish we could change it, but that's not how life works, can't go back in time. Just got to get ready for Thursday."

And as the defending Eastern Conference champions head to Philadelphia with their season on the line, the four-time All-Star is ready to turn the page to get ready for Thursday's must-win matchup.

"Go out there and compete. Not put too much pressure on ourselves. Go out there and follow the game plan. Try to relax; I think we were a little tight today. So go out there and relax. Obviously, play hard and things like that; compete at both ends and play the right way. There's no secret answer. Go out there and play how we know we're capable of, and we'll see."

Smart, who registered 14 points and four assists in Game 5, also shared his outlook on what unfolded Tuesday night, simply stating, "Everything went wrong."

Further Reading

Here's What Stood Out in Game 5 Loss: Celtics Falls Flat as Sixers Push Them to Brink of Elimination

Derrick White Named to 2022-2023 NBA All-Defensive Second Team

Jaylen Brown Shares His Evaluation of Celtics' Late-Game Offense He Mostly Wasn't Involved in

Joe Mazzulla Explains Why He Didn't Take a Timeout in Celtics' Game 4 Loss to Sixers

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Game 4 Loss to Sixers: Boston Falls One Play Short of 3-1 Lead

Joe Mazzulla Sheds Light on Keys to Celtics' Defense Stifling Sixers in Game 3 Win

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Game 3 Win vs. Sixers: Boston Shows Its Championship-Mettle, Takes 2-1 Series Lead

Celtics Praise Jaylen Brown for Setting Tone in Game 2 Win vs. Sixers: 'It's as Good of a Game as I've Ever Seen Him Play'

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Game 2 Win vs. Sixers: Renewed Defensive Commitment, Three-Point Barrage Even the Series

Film Room: Recalibrating Celtics' Defense for Game 2 Against Sixers

Published
Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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