Jayson Tatum's Focused on How the Celtics Respond Entering Showdown vs. Bucks After 19-Point Loss to Wizards

After a disappointing night in D.C., the Celtics are ready to turn their attention to Thursday's game vs. the Bucks.

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In Tuesday's 130-111 loss to the Wizards, the Celtics shot 11/44 (25 percent) from beyond the arc. Their defense suffered for it.

Having to consistently match up in transition is challenging enough. But the defeat in the nation's capital was the latest example of Boston's focus and energy suffering from the defending Eastern Conference champions' poor shooting.

The Celtics provided minimal resistance, physicality, and their pick-up points should've been higher. Their lack of on-ball pressure contributed to surrendering 62 points in the paint.

Washington took six more shots than Boston but was more efficient, knocking down 54.5 percent of them compared to the visitors shooting 48.4 percent from the field. That included the hosts making two more threes on seven fewer attempts.

The Wizards also generated 19 fast-break points and converted 12 Celtics' giveaways into a 16-10 advantage in scoring off turnovers. They also parlayed six offensive rebounds into 14 second-chance points.

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"We’re not perfect," expressed Marcus Smart after the loss. Smart was probably the best player on the floor for Boston. He often facilitated quality opportunities the Celtics couldn't capitalize on, and he was their only player to shoot above 33.3 percent from behind the arc, making four of seven attempts.

Smart, who finished with 14 points, five assists, matching Jayson Tatum for a team-high, and two steals, added, "We’re human. There are going to be games when we don’t make shots. There’s gonna be games when you make shots. Tonight they made shots – they made a lot of them. So, you tip your hat off to those guys."

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Jaylen Brown, who registered 18 points and four assists, shared that Boston had its pregame routine disrupted, which, "threw everybody off."

But the two-time All-Star stated that's no excuse for what happened, and the Celtics are "trending in the right direction," so they'll "throw it away, (and) get ready for the next one."

While it may be too late for Boston to reclaim the one seed entering the playoffs, since the defending Eastern Conference champions trail the Bucks by 2.5 games with six left on their regular-season slate, any hope of doing so hinges on bouncing back with a win Thursday in Milwaukee.

That's what Jayson Tatum's focused on.

"We gotta respond, and I feel like we will," he stated after Tuesday's loss. "We will play better. We will come out with more pop. We will come out with more energy; more focus. Just learning from this game, not caring at all. Move on to the next one. All I care about is how we respond — and I’m sure that we will."

Further Reading

Jaylen Brown Says Traffic on the Way to the Game 'Threw Everybody Off' Before Celtics' Loss to Wizards

Joe Mazzulla on Early Benching of Celtics' Stars in Loss to Washington Wizards: 'Just Looking for a Different Look at That Time'

Jayson Tatum Reacts to Celtics Potentially Letting Hope for the 1 Seed Slip in Loss vs. Wizards

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Loss vs. Wizards: Cold Shooting Dooms Boston in Costly Defeat

Former Warriors' Director of Performance Keke Lyles Shares His Perspective on Load Management, Changing Stephen Curry's Movement Patterns, And What's Helped Jayson Tatum's Durability

Jayson Tatum Provides Insight on Summer Conference Call with Jaylen Brown and Brad Stevens Amid Kevin Durant Trade Rumors

Jaylen Brown Addresses Non-Committal Comments About Celtics' Future: 'I'm Focused on Helping Lead My Team for Another Playoff Run'