The Boston Celtics nearly pulled off a miraculous comeback Wednesday night against the Pacers in Indiana. But this game was lost in the first three quarters, and the team's two All-Stars both hold themselves accountable.
"I just really didn’t like the way I started the game,” star forward Jayson Tatum said after Boston's 135-132 overtime loss. "I set the tone in a negative way and my energy wasn’t where it needed to be, and I just felt like that had a domino effect. We were a step behind on offense, on defense, so I take a lot of the blame for that. I just wanted to pick it up in the second half."
Tatum struggled with his shot out of the gate, going 1-for-6 from 3-point range in the first quarter. On the other end, the Celtics allowed 35 points to the Pacers, the most they've given up in a first quarter this season. Their defensive struggles continued in the second and third quarters, as Indy hit the 100-point mark by the end of the third frame while leading by 14.
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While Tatum thought he came out flat, teammate Jaylen Brown put the blame on himself for not matching the Pacers' energy.
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"Our energy was lackluster, and a lot of that is on me,” Brown said after the game. “I have to be better for my guys. Just converting at the rim, simple stuff, making open shots.
"We put ourselves in a hole early in the game, just not converting open looks, not being physical enough on drives, finishing at the rim, and a lot of that is on me."
If Tatum had a rough shooting night, Brown's night was even worse; he went just 1 for 11 from 3-point range (11 for 30 overall) and missed a pair of clutch free throws down the stretch.
That's the bad news. The good news is that despite their two best players having off nights, and despite trailing by as many as 24 points in the second half, the Celtics still found a way to force overtime with a furious fourth-quarter rally. Boston outscored Indy by 16 points over the final five minutes of regulation to stun the Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd and give fans flashbacks to the Eastern Conference Finals, where the Celtics won several games in the closing minutes en route to a series sweep.
Another silver lining? It's clear the defending champions have high standards and are well aware of when they don't meet it. Head coach Joe Mazzulla actually struck a more optimistic tone after the loss, perhaps because he knew Tatum and Brown weren't happy with how they carried themselves.
If the Celtics are able to hold themselves accountable after losses, that will go a long way toward avoiding losing streaks and maintaining their spot as the NBA's best team. The 4-1 C's are back in action Friday in Charlotte against the Hornets at 7 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Boston.