There were a lot of problems in game four, but the Boston Celtics know how to bounce back from a bad game
The Boston Celtics know they did not play well enough to win game four, but they still do not want to give the Philadelphia 76ers real life in this series. There have been consistency problems with the Celtics all year long, and there is no reason to read too much into this one loss.
The Celtics know they cannot be tentative, and Brad Stevens will surely have an adapted approach to make sure T.J McConnell is not going to destroy any more games. That being said, very little went right in this one, and everyone knows that they can be better.
The Celtics know how they need to come together in order to bounce back, and they should have no problem doing that in game five for their home crowd.
A lot of people want to look at the officiating for this game. For as bad as it was, the Celtics still know they could have won the game if they stepped up, while most players took a step back in game four.
More from Hardwood Houdini
- Boston Celtics’ two-way contract decision will be made after training camp
- Proposed trade sends Boston Celtics playoff killer to the Cs from rival
- ‘Face of Germany’s stunning run’ in FIBA World Cup not the only ex-Boston Celtics player to win gold
- Proposed Boston Celtics trade target pitched for reunion with fired coach
- Battle For Banner 18: Will Boston Celtics battle historical foe in 2024 Finals?
Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart were the only ones who really lived up to scoring standards, and that was on a 2-6 night from deep for Tatum. The Celtics know this is not about any one individual improving, because that is not enough.
The entire team knows they did not play to their standard, and getting just 16 assists is one of the first places you can look. The Celtics were not taking enough good shots and were absolutely abused in the paint.
The 76ers put in all the hard work that got them the easier looks, and the Celtics were not able to respond, even if they were able to do a solid job defending the three point line.
The Celtics know they have the defenders to get the job done in this one, and if they step up on that end, then things will come together everywhere. The Celtics know that defense is how they bounce back from this, and it is why they can still be so confident in their ability to win game five.
The Celtics have played well enough in these playoffs, and are aware of how off they were in game four. The Celtics know they have to be better, but they also know it will not automatically happen. There is a good chance gave five will be the toughest game of the series, but the Celtics still know they have to put in the work to bounce back.
The Celtics have been bouncing back from near impossible situations all year long, so no one is too concerned about the 76ers taking one game at home. The Celtics have won on both courts, and have looked like the better team in three of these games.
Next: Celtics chances to win the East in 2018
The 76ers are the team that still have more things to figure out, because they still do not have an answer for when the Celtics play well, and one bad game is not going to ruin everything they established in getting that initial 3-0 series lead.