← Locked On Celtics - Daily Podcast On The Boston Celtics
Locked On Celtics - Daily Podcast On The Boston Celtics
CELTICS POSTCAST- Terrible 4th Puts Celtics in an 0-2 Hole with Series Moving to New York
00:25:29
The New York Knicks took their 1st lead of the game late in the 4th Quarter and in the end held on for a 91-90 victory over the Celtics in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Final series at TD Garden on Wednesday night. The Knicks go home to New York for the next 2 games up 2 games to none in the series. Jayson Tatum could not get off a shot on the Celtics final possession. The Celtics missed 14 shots at 1 point in the 4th Quarter. ----- Scoring Leaders: Jaylen Brown and Derrick White both finished with 20 Points for the Celtics. Jayson Tatum was held to 13 Points, but he also collected another Double-Double with 14 Rebounds. Jrue Holiday scored 8 of his 10 in the 1st Half. -----
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Steve Lennox
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Locked On Celtics Host
You are Locked on Celtics Postcast part of Locked on Sports Boston on the Locked on podcast network your team every day.
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Steve Lennox
Wow. Wow. All that needs to be said right now is the Celtics are down two games to none to the New York Knicks in the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals. The Knicks did not lead until late in the fourth quarter. The Knicks hold on Jason Tatum opportunity to win. It did not as the Celtics lose game two and very similar to their game one loss. We do welcome you to our latest Locked on Celtics postcast. I'm Steve Lennox, longtime college basketball play by play announcer, national show host ESPN Radio Satellite radio, always respected Larry Bird's talent but to this day believe as black and white Converse the absolute worst basketball sneakers of all time. You're right where you need to be. You are locked on with our latest Locked on Celtics postcast providing reaction to every Celtics playoff game on the Locked On Sports Boston YouTube channel as well as a Locked on Celtics podcast feed which you know is free and available wherever you get your podcasts. On our latest Locked On Celtics postcast we're going to discuss Jason Tatum going down the middle of the floor, took what the defense gave him, got the dunk to put the Celtics up one with 18.5 on the clock. Brunson fouled its two free throws and that turned out to be the game Great defense by the Knicks for the second straight game on the Celtics final possession results in a turnover and the Celtics down.02 in the series. Go to New York for the next two games. We do want to hear from you, our everydayers and our first timers. Join the Conversation Watching live with us on the Lockdown Sports Boston YouTube channel. Hit that comment button and join the conversation. You can also hit me up on the X and follow as well at Lennox on hoops. KP off the bench. Available. Had a nice little stretch in the second half for the Celtics, but the Celtics just need a whole bunch of everything right now. Down two games in this series and for 94.5 of the people out there who thought this was going to be Celtics in five. Yeah, you were wrong. Celtics now need to get this series back to Boston for game five if necessary right now because the Knicks, if they hold serve and win two at home, Celtics season is over. That's what you're looking at. And you can't go to bed tonight, put your head on the pillow thinking, hey, I like this series coming back where the Celtics win the next two in New York. Now it could happen. One of the best records in NBA playoff history on the road during the regular season. But everything for the regular season right now for the Celtics, you can really throw out the window. And right off the top. I mean Brunson held in check, but Brunson down the stretch, you defend him for 36 minutes or so, you defend him for three and a half quarters and all of a sudden he just gets going. And Mikhail Bridges got going in the fourth quarter and when Bridges gets going on one end, he usually is getting going on the other end. But this is the thought I had as The Celtics missed 14 straight shots at one point in the fourth quarter. This is what I thought.
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Locked On Celtics Host
This is what you'll be talking about.
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Steve Lennox
The Celtics are down 2 nothing in the series. Tom Thibodeau has out coached Joe Missoula and it's not even close now is it all in the lap of the head coach Joe Missoula. No, it's not. Joe Missoula did not miss 14 straight shots in the fourth quarter. But the shot selection for the Celtics, you've got a lead and you're continuously throwing up three pointers. Yes, it's what they do, you know, played intramural basketball after I was done with the JV squad at Division 3 Brockport back in the 1990s. We didn't have a three point line in intramurals and my good Friend in college, Jimmy G. Jimmy Grosio said to a kid one time, stop shooting threes. They don't count for three. And the guy looks at him and says, that's my shot. The Celtic shot is a three point shot. Mel Bridges coming alive 14 in the fourth quarter. And you thought Mikhail Bridges going inside, that big, big dunk against White, that was actually in the third quarter. Sorry, it was an Anobi in the third quarter. But in the fourth quarter. Bridges coming alive 14 in the fourth, hit a 3, 9 0, run eight point lead at that point. White missed on a three plus eight, under five and a half to go. White fouled by Hart in transition after A Brunson miss. Two free throws, up by 10, up by 10. 86, 76. Second chance for the Knicks on an offensive rebound, kept the possession alive. Brunson knocked down a three, the lead seven. Tatum missed on a three. Hart hit a floater 13, two run at that point for the Knicks five point game. Brown, guess what? Missed on a three, under three to go. Town's offensive rebound hit the shot. Free throw, one point game. Brunson hit against Holiday 19, two run, Knicks first lead. Brown a miss. 12 straight misses. I already said 14 straight misses. White was fouled by Brunson with 115 to go. And then Brunson with a strong taken to finish a 212 run. Tatum, a couple of free throws. Celtics over eight minutes without a field goal. Tatum went right down the middle. They had an idea out of the timeout. Hey, if they give it to you, go the dunk in the one point lead. And then you had a foul and you fouled Brunson. You knew the ball wasn't going to be out of his hands. But Joe Missoula right now being now coached by Tom Thibodeau and I think it's night and day now you've got Tatum, you know, Tatum's not hitting shots. Tatum didn't have a real big first half in terms of scoring. And all of a sudden Reggie Miller on TNT starts talking about, well, maybe it's the wrist, maybe it is, maybe it isn't. But all of a sudden that comes into the picture. 30 to 17, Knicks outscored the Celtics in the fourth quarter. Let's get to you. I, I, I, I don't know what to tell you. Horrible fourth quarter. The defense on Brunson for majority of the game, they held him in check until it became crunch time and the top clutch player. And I'm tired of hearing it, tired of hearing it. KP doesn't start the game. Cornette gave you some minutes. Horford, you might be running him into the ground. He's going to give you everything he can. But at this point in time, the Knicks are younger and they're more active and Carl Anthony Towns, you got to figure out how to keep him off the boards. I mean a jumper from like the top of the key, the old high school three point line. I think it was in the first half. No, it was in the second half. And he just, he just had a terrific night. And I don't see how this changes in game three. Now you have two full days, you have Thursday off, Friday off. But how are you going to rebound from this? You know, Kevin Millar has been on ness and broadcast for the Red Sox during this Ranger series at Fenway over the last couple of games. And Millar, you know, back in 2004, don't let us win one. Well, right now I, I don't know that the Knicks are going to let the Celtics win one. Let's get to your comments. I'll tell you what, again, I said 94.5% of the experts out there saying this was going to be a cakewalk. Nothing's been easy so far in the playoffs for the Celtics. And I never said it was going to be. In fact, during the season I said this is not going to be easy. It's kind of a cakewalk. Last year you had things fall your way in a lot of different instances. But that fourth quarter when you have the lead and they're on a run, you've got to get to the basket, you've got to figure out how to get to the basket. Tatum took a near corner three had all the time in the world. Never even dawned on him to drive on the baseline and go to the basket. Defender came out, defender was even late. I mean yet all the time in the world and he still missed on the three pointer. I don't know how you make the adjustments, but they need to be made and it's on the five on the floor. Fat man Olympics. How do we keep choking leads? You miss 14 shots in a row, there's no adjustments and you don't match their intensity. They were going after it and the the refs whistle to whistle and it was a near end to end victory for the Celtics. That did not happen. The referees were consistent all night long. Lakers nation Knicks sweep Boston. That's not. Are, are you actually allowed to come into someone else's postcast on the lockdown sports network as A Lakers fan. And, and, and, and do that. Lakers Nation is doing that right now. Knicks broom sweep Boston one take. Thanks a lot, Tatum. Wtf. We know what that one means. Long live Red. Smile with tears, I believe. Emoji one take. Lakers Nation. Where is this coming from? Aiden? I don't know why KP isn't playing down the stretch. All of a sudden he's got an issue. Difficulty breathing, catching his wind, different things. And you know, there's no physical. It's, it's, it's an ailment. He's dealing with some sort of virus that, you know, it didn't like, look like it was over when he got back. It's playing pretty well. And now all of a sudden it's not an ankle, it's not a knee, it's not a shoulder, it's this illness. You knew when he didn't start the game that something was up. And is there cause for concern right now with Kristaps Porzingis? Yeah, there is. There's also cause for concern for Jason Tatum. Fat Man Olympics. The thing is we are choking leads and losing by one possession. It's not like we have gotten blown out. No, you haven't. But it's certainly disturbing the way you've lost these two games. Brunson's bucket late in the fourth quarter, their first lead of the game and you can't hold on. You had a great stretch in that third quarter. Anunoby called for the charge on the vicious dunk on White. White took it. Kevin Harlan. Bravery and courage on the part of White. Hyperbole from Kevin Harlan. Go figure. And then White had a basket at the other end to go up 11. Tatum had a bucket after a stop And Tatum cable live in that third quarter. Brown hit a 3, up by 14. I understand live and die by the 3, but you can't die by the 3 in the fourth quarter like that. That's all. You just stood on the three point line. You, you got looks but you weren't knocking them down. And you really, it's been a couple of games in the Orlando series, but overall haven't shot at a very good percentage on the three point line. You know, the Celtics were up 12 going to the fourth quarter, up by 12. This is playoff basketball. You're at home and you can't close these two games out. 20 point lead in the third quarter and in game one. And yeah, Mikhail Bridges just came alive. But again, as I said, Tatum missing on a three, Brown missed on a three, White missed on a three. That was under five and a half to go. You're up eight. All you need is a bucket on a possession. You keep missing threes. It's not a regular season game. You need to get inside. I mean, they give you the penetration. You could pull up and knock down a shot. Now, again, the Knicks defensively were terrific in the fourth quarter. And again they were just more active across the board. But the Knicks, I mean, they were 50%. They were 12 of 24 overall. Knocked down three threes in the fourth. The Celtics were 5 of 24 and 2 of 11 on the three point line. They were 5 of 5 at the free throw line. But it just, just not enough in holiday. I think 8 of his 10 in the first half. I mean, you had 6 from Pritchard in the fourth quarter as he knocked down a couple of threes, but those were early on. White 0 for 3 in the fourth quarter. Brown 0 for 4. Tatum 1 for 5. Horford running out of gas, perhaps 1 for 6. And Porzingis had just two shot attempts. I don't know what to tell you. It's going to be awfully hard to win this series. Hey, if we're talking about winning this series, it's going to be in Boston in the game seven. You're not winning four in a row. You're really not. You've got the next two in Boston game five or next two in New York at Madison Square Garden, game five. You might be down three one. You're gonna have to win two games in New York again. Best record in the regular season, one of the best records in NBA history when it comes to road play. But right now, this team is showing you through everything out the window from the regular season. You've lost two in a row. You were 19 and 2 and 1 and oh, 19 and 2 during the regular season after a loss 10 in the playoffs so far after a loss. Throw that out the window. I mean, you could lose game three and you have three straight losses for the first time since last season. Long live Red with those emojis. One take wants Laker fans to leave. Aiden. I don't know why KP is not playing down the stretch. We hit that one, Michael. This team gave up on winning late in the third quarter. Tatum making boneheaded plays. JB turning it over. Yeah, I mean, how many times? Dribbling into the defender and losing the basketball, putting the ball on the floor and just physical play and losing the basketball. Brown did that countless times, it seemed. Soul Man 2025. Jason Tatum trying to act like Kobe too much. Ooh, game three, you got two days off. But Joe Missoula right now, I, I don't see how you can make an argument that he's not been out coached in this series so far over the first two games by Tom Thibodell. Because it's, it's pretty obvious right now. We'll hit it to some of the numbers of the night, gave you some of the stats and stuff. But again, you know, I mean, you could, you could be down 30 in this series and down 3 0. I don't, I mean, could this series really end on Monday in New York at Madison Square Garden with a sweep by the New York Knicks? Right now it's on the table. Right now it's on the table. That's worth repeating. Locked on Celtics Postcast Part of the Locked on Sports Boston YouTube channel. Your team Every day we are presented by Open Phone. If you're running a business, you know that every missed call is money left on the table. Think about the last time you had an urgent need, maybe for a plumber or a service provider. If the first person didn't answer, did you wait? Probably not. You moved on. That's why you need OpenPhone. OpenPhone is the number one business phone system to streamline and scale your customer service and customer communications, all from an app on your phone or on your computer. OpenPhone lets you manage business calls and texts from a single app. The shared Inbox feature is a game changer. You and your team can simply jump into any conversation instantly without missing a beat. And their AI agent handles after hours calls, answers common questions and caches, captures leads so you never miss out on a customer. 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Steve Lennox
Kind of at a loss here. Back to your comments. We go A lot of people are shocked right now. The Knicks aren't. And give them credit, they came into Boston Owen four during the regular season, finished with 51 wins during the regular season. They're two victories now away from the Eastern Conference finals. The real Darrell checking in and right there. Michael Painful. Yeah, it is painful right now because they're better than this. They really are. And, and I really do think they would have benefited by playing some more guys off the bench trying to get some sort of spark and you would have known. Shireman, Keda, anyone else you want to think about bringing them off the bench if they, you know, in the first minute, if they didn't provide a spark, they're right down. They're right back on the bench. But the Knicks continue to play their guys big minutes and they're just getting contributions. The real derail. The Knicks believe they can. Yeah, they do. 100 Boston hopes they can win. They crumbled in the fourth quarter once again. Yeah, and there were times during the regular season where it was, you know what this is, you know, down the stretch, won a couple of games late. But where's your go to guy? And where's your go to guy defending? I mean Holiday defended against Brunson still was able to hit on a shot from up top. Just to the right of the top of the top of the key the real Darrell. The Knicks are smelling blood. And that broom against Boston. It's on the table. It's absolutely on the table. Michael. KP is melting down. Tatum and Brown are hurt and not playing right. Yeah, I mean very well. We'll never know the severity of the injuries. You can, you know, Brown 20 points. Is he able to finish the way he would be at 85, 90. I mean is he at 85? He's out there. You got to play. If you're out there and playing those injuries go to the side. You've got to be able to produce. You've got to figure out a way. Cameron just felt like they're not connected as a team. No passing the ball. It's all isolation basketball. We're not even. Well they are trying but yeah, the assists, that's always a big number. That was a big number all season long for me. The Celtics final total, lot of one on one. Final total on assist 17 and they were in the teens against Orlando for the most part. Sixteen turnovers. Sloppy on both sides really was. I mean times where you had, you know, an empty possession on one end, you, you go to the other end, it's either a turnover, a bad shot. So it wasn't just one sided in that, in that instance of, you know, turnovers. Well, you want to blame turn turnovers. Both teams turned over the ball. I, I think the biggest thing right now, Aiden checks on it. You've got. They are, they're settling for three pointers. They think they're going to shoot at the same percentage they did during the regular season. That's not happening. Derrick White's played very well in the first two games of this series. He's defended, he's gotten the loose balls, he's made shots. But right now I have on the rundown KC, you know, concern for KP, there's concern for JT as well. You go down 03 in this series, you're down 02 right now. Be the first time all season where you've lost three straight games. I mean you want to, you want to test the metal right now that's where the Celtics are. You want to spend 5 minutes on cliches as to where they're at. We'll begin and stop with their backs are to the wall. This is adversity. And you've got the next two in New York. You've got Thursday off. You've got Friday off and then game number three. And this, you know, I. I dropped it last night on the Red Sox postcast. It was a must win for the Red Sox and the Celtics in Game 2. One out of two doesn't cut it. Red Sox avoided a fourth straight loss, able to pick up a win against the Rangers. That series even one one. But on the other side, playoff basketball, you're down.02 and you lose the first two games at home. The real Dorel Saturday is win or get ready to go to Fiji or get ready for the summer. Yeah, that's where it's at. That's where it's at right now. DL double X fibs greater than Missoula right now. I believe that 100 and I think you're going to hear that over the next 48 hours. And leading into Saturday afternoon in game three at Madison Square Garden, Fat Man, I believe that Orlando really beat these guys up bad. The Knicks had a physical series two against Detroit, and they played one extra game. The real Darrell. This is where we're going to close. The real Darrell poses the question, do you think this team wins Saturday? I want to believe that. I really do. I mean, a couple of years ago, they go down 30 against the Heat, right? Force a Game 7 and lose the kind of energy that it's going to take to get back in the series. You win this series and hey, real quick, Cleveland's down oh two, and Cleveland really more injuries because their guys aren't playing. But are we really going to see Rick Carlisle and the Pacers against Tom Thibodeau and the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals? Right now that is very much up on the table. The real Doral. I'm going to go to bed thinking they're going to win game three, but man, it's going to take a whole lot to get back in this series. The Knicks right now, they're playing at a higher level. They really are. And if you didn't get the whistle in the first two games at home, usually you get the whistle in the playoffs at home. We'll see. We'll see. But the Knicks have been gearing up for this. They've had it on the calendar once. The Celtics were two and they were three. Let's get to the second round and roll the dice. They've rolled the dice and they've come up big time in the first two games of this series. Regroup, Regroup. We'll see. There's a lot to figure out here. Leading into Saturday in game three. I mean, I mean, you're really looking at right now you've got to get game three. If somehow, some way, you go home for game five. Two, two. It's going to take huge effort on the road in New York. Huge effort. Hey, Lockdown Sports Boston number one place to hang out immediately after every Celtics playoff game. Locked on sports your team, your Celtics in the 25 playoffs every day.
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