Inside The Celtics

Gabe Vincent Says He Sensed Celtics Were 'Not Fully Right Internally' in Eastern Conference Finals

The Celtics went down 3-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals, rallied to force a Game 7, but lost a mostly uncompetitive matchup after Jayson Tatum hurt his ankle on the first play.

Bobby Krivitsky

Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports
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The Celtics entered an Eastern Conference Finals rematch with the Heat with home-court advantage and more talent on paper than Miami.

But in Game 1, the visitors delivered a third-quarter haymaker, outscoring Boston 46-25 en route to a series-opening victory. Two nights later, the hosts blew a 12-point fourth-quarter lead.

That was the matchup where Grant Williams provoked Jimmy Butler in the final frame, resulting in the latter, who had 18 points through more than three quarters, ripping off nine, propelling the Heat to a second-straight victory at TD Garden.

Game 3 was even uglier, as the Celtics fell 128-102. With their backs against the wall, they channeled their inner-2004 Red Sox, trying, like the latter, to become the first team in their league to erase a 3-0 deficit. They nearly did, rallying to force a winner-take-all tilt in Boston.

But after Jayson Tatum hurt his ankle on the game's first play, compromising his ability to lead his team back to the Finals, the hosts didn't have much of a pulse. Shooting 39 percent from the field, including 9/42 (21.4 percent) from beyond the arc, didn't help. Neither did Jaylen Brown's career-high eight turnovers.

Speaking about that series on The Old Man & the Three with JJ Redick and Tommy Alter, Gabe Vincent, who averaged 15.8 points in the Eastern Conference Finals, and converted 5.2 three-point attempts at a 51.6 percent clip, conveyed the following about the Celtics.

"If you're not fully right internally, I feel like it shows in different ways," stated the former UC Santa Barbara Gaucho. "I obviously don't know if they were right internally or weren't, but that was kind of the feel I had."

Like Vincent, who signed a three-year, $33 million deal with the Lakers this summer, Boston sensed something was off, shaking up its core, trading the heart and soul of the team, Marcus Smart, and acquiring Kristaps Porzingis in a three-pronged gamble the Celtics hope leads to capturing Banner 18 this season.

Further Reading

Negotiations Between Celtics, Jaylen Brown Hit a Snag

3 Up, 3 Down from Celtics' Summer League Win vs. Lakers

Here's What the Celtics Received in Finalized Grant Williams Sign-and-Trade

Celtics and Clippers Reportedly a 'Resounding No' for Damian Lillard

The Latest Intel on Celtics' Negotiations with Jaylen Brown

Sam Cassell Discusses What Brought Him Back to Boston and What He'll Bring to the Celtics

Celtics Reportedly Attend Former All-Star Point Guard's Private Workout

Oshae Brissett on Joining Celtics: 'I Just Want to Go Win'

Marcus Smart Reflects on His Time with Celtics: 'I Left Everything I Had'

Evaluating Celtics' Options in Free Agency

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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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