Tag: 2023 Eastern Conference Finals

Back to Boston we go: Three thoughts on a season-saving 116-99 Game 4 Celtics win

Boston lives to fight another day after a big Jayson Tatum performance and a gutsy Game 4 win Tuesday night in South Beach.

The Boston Celtics will live to fight another day after earning a season-saving 116-99 Game 4 victory against the Miami Heat Tuesday night. With an early summer vacation perilously close, the Celtics tightened the screws and secured a crucial win behind sharp shooting and a bit more defense. With Jayson Tatum contributing 34 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists. All told, it was a more composed scoring effort across the board, and at long last the Celtics truly looked like the more dominant team.

It wasn’t necessarily a pretty win. Boston was down early and showed some familiar warts. The Celtics coughed up 10 turnovers, for example. And Miami wasn’t about to take this one lying down, either. The Heat were predictably poised and tenacious. Still, Boston combined timely shooting and playmaking to overwhelm Miami’s defense, outscoring the Heat 66-43 in the second half and extending the series at least another game.

Here’s what you may have missed from Boston’s 116-99 Game 4 victory Tuesday night against Miami.

PHOTOS-Celtics at Heat: Boston survives Miami 116-99, forces Game 5 at home

Let’s take a look at some of the best moments captured in images in Game 4 of the East Finals between the Heat and Celtics.

The Boston Celtics were staring down the end of their season at the tipoff of Game 4 of their East finals series vs. the Miami Heat, and when the final buzzer sounded, the Celtics still had a shot at winning Banner 18 with a masterpiece put forth by star forward Jayson Tatum (34 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists), winning 116-99 on the road.

Solid support from Jaylen Brown (16 points), Derrick White (16 points), Grant Williams (14 points, 6 boards), and Al Horford (12 points, 7 rebounds) sealed the win to force a Game 5 at home as the series now shifts back to Boston.

Let’s take a look at some of the best moments captured in images in Game 4 of the East Finals between the Heat and Celtics.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=590969556]

Anonymous coach, exec unsurprised by Boston Celtics’ playoff struggles vs. Miami Heat

“To win in the playoffs, you really have to play well,” one said. “It’s not that complicated.”

Fans of the Boston Celtics might be shocked by their team’s disappointing performance in the 2023 East finals against the Miami Heat. However, reporting from Heavy’s Steve Bulpett suggests the Celtics’ postseason struggles are no surprise to a few anonymous sources on other teams’ payrolls.

“There is a pattern of behavior that is common here,” said one unnamed head coach.

“Last year it seemed they had two terrible games in every series they played,” shared another anonymous source, this one an executive. “Now you throw in them losing Game 2 when they weren’t terrible, and this is where you are.

“To win in the playoffs, you really have to play well. It’s not that complicated. And when you have Marcus Smart and (Jaylen) Brown and (Al) Horford and (Malcolm) Brogdon … I’m not sure, other than Robert Williams, who has played well.”

“There’s like six players that are having terrible playoffs in comparison to their regular season. And their offensive struggles may have led to so many of the defensive challenges that they’ve had. It’s dispiriting.”

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=590969556]

[mm-video type=video id=01h12m8rvj9fr6fh2bm7 playlist_id=01eqbzegwgnrje4tv2 player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01h12m8rvj9fr6fh2bm7/01h12m8rvj9fr6fh2bm7-7980e6f4de9b2756434f090881f4dfa9.jpg]

Just how hot is Joe Mazzulla’s seat after this performance vs. the Miami Heat in the 2023 East finals?

How much will Boston’s front office admit their own mistakes in not giving Mazzulla experienced assistants?

Just how hot is Joe Mazzulla’s seat after this Boston Celtics performance vs. the Miami Heat in the 2023 East finals? Those who are saying that Mazzulla was more or less set up to fail have some good points, but regardless of whether that may be true or not, the Celtics also need to make some hard decisions about whether the first-year head coach is the right man to lead the team as it tries to contend for a title.

How much will Boston’s front office admit their own mistakes in not giving Mazzulla experienced assistants as several left the roster over the course of the season? And what are we putting on the players here?

The hosts of the Athletic “NBA Show” podcast recently assembled to talk it over and had some strong feelings about some of the above issues.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear what they had to say about Mazzulla’s future in Boston.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=590969556]

[mm-video type=video id=01h12m8rvj9fr6fh2bm7 playlist_id=01eqbzegwgnrje4tv2 player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01h12m8rvj9fr6fh2bm7/01h12m8rvj9fr6fh2bm7-7980e6f4de9b2756434f090881f4dfa9.jpg]

Has Joe Mazzulla lost the Boston Celtics’ locker room?

More importantly, if he has, what should the Celtics’ front office do to remedy such a situation?

Has Joe Mazzulla lost the Boston Celtics’ locker room in their 2023 Eastern Conference finals series against the Miami Heat? Could it have happened even earlier in the postseason, or perhaps even in the 2022-23 regular season? More importantly, if he has, what should the Celtics’ front office do to remedy such a situation?

After the Celtics’ embarrassing Game 3 loss to the Heat, such questions have been circulating in the wider NBA media sphere, with no clear answer for Boston as their season may be grinding to an unexpected halt. With hints of the same issues in the prior two rounds, the importance of what the Celtics do to address this situation can’t be emphasized enough.

Jason McIntyre, the host of the Volume “Straight Fire” podcast, weighed in on all of the above on a recent episode.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear what he had to say.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=590969556]

Boston’s Blake Griffin has cameo in 2023 remake of ‘White Men Can’t Jump’

Griffin has a cameo in the new version featuring Sinqua Walls and Jack Harlow.

If you have seen the remake of the classic hoops flick “White Men Can’t Jump” recently, you might have noticed a familiar face playing a role in the new version of the 1992 classic starring Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson. Your eyes are not deceiving you!

Veteran Boston Celtics big man Blake Griffin has a cameo in the new version featuring Sinqua Walls and Jack Harlow, as well as a credit for executive producer. Ironically, another player for a team currently in the 2023 East finals who is not seeing much floor time, Miami Heat wing Tyler Herro also has a cameo in the movie.

Streaming exclusively on Hulu, the network describes the remake as a “modern retelling of the iconic 1992 film that celebrates the streetball hustling culture of Los Angeles.”

“Juggling tenuous relationships, financial pressures, and serious internal struggles, the two ballers-opposites who are seemingly miles apart- find that they might have more in common than they imagined possible.”

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=590969556]

What happened to this Boston Celtics team this season?

Are the Celtics happy? Is Boston committed to winning? And what needs to change?

What happened to this Boston Celtics team this season? Having transformed from a team that was two wins from a title to a ball club struggling to beat the eighth seed in the East finals after escaping close calls in each of the prior two rounds the identity of this team is entirely impossible to pin down.

As a team that did the latter with defense as the focal point with the former a result of an offensive focus, the Jekyll-and-Hyde aspect of Boston has infuriated fans all season long. Are the Celtics happy? Is Boston committed to winning? And what needs to change?

The hosts of the WEEI “Greg Hill” show weighed in on all of these concerns on a recent show.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to see what they had to say about this most unfortunate situation.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=590969556]

Are the Boston Celtics’ struggles vs. the Miami Heat Joe Mazzulla’s fault?

Does Cowherd have a point here, or should we expect more from the players in the postseason?

While it seems like most analysts of the Boston Celtics are spreading the blame for Boston’s troubles vs. the Miami Heat in the 2023 Eastern Conference finals on a mix of the players, front office, and head coach Joe Mazzulla, it seems at least a few are putting the fault squarely on Mazzulla.

Among those analysts is the host of the eponymous “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” show, which has Cowherd claiming that the players deserve little of the blame pie’s slices, with the first-year coach primarily to blame. Does Cowherd have a point here, or should we expect more from the players in the postseason? And what about the front office?

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear what he has to say about calling foul on Mazzulla’s coaching job this season.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=590969556]

How not replacing veteran coaches is coming back to hurt the Boston Celtics, now on the brink vs. Miami

The Celtics’ Game 3 loss highlighted the negative impact of not replacing veteran coaches who have left the team.

The Boston Celtics‘ recent performance in a crucial Game 3 against the Miami Heat in the 2023 East finals has highlighted the negative impact of not replacing veteran coaches who have left the team since the 2022 NBA offseason.

Fans of the team expressed their disappointment and frustration with the Celtics’ lackluster effort, with many describing it as pathetic and embarrassing. The team’s failure to show up in a game of significant importance raised concerns about their direction and the necessary changes that must be made.

NBC Sports Boston’s Chris Forsberg and the Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn recently made an appearance on the “Arbella Early Edition” show and discussed how Boston’s inexperienced coaching staff’s inability to hold players accountable and communicate the team’s strategy.

To hear their thoughts on how coaching impacted this series, take a look at the clip embedded above.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=590969556]

Boston Celtics at Miami Heat: How to watch, broadcast, lineups (Game 4)

Can the Celtics make magic happen with their season, reputation, and perhaps future on the line?

The Boston Celtics choked away Game 3 of their 2023 East finals series with the Miami Heat, and now face a series deficit that no team has ever recovered from in the nearly 80-year history. Can the Celtics make magic happen with their season, reputation, and perhaps future on the line?

If you happen to be looking for a way to watch the on-court action live on cable television or a local or national online streaming service that carries the game, keep reading while we get you up to speed on everything else you need to know about the game. Along with player injuries and likely starters for both teams,  we of course will have how to watch it listed below.

Let’s begin with the players available to play.