The Boston Celtics lost by 30 points to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals. They still lead the series 2-1, but it was definitely a bad look.
But when teams have an off night and get blown out, there is something coaches like to do in order to motivate them and get them itching to make for a poor performance. Brad Stevens is no different on that front.
In a recent practice session, Stevens showed his Celtics the film from Game 3, which must have been a particularly difficult experience for the players. But Stevens, as well as many coaches around the league, think watching game film from a tough loss is therapeutic, per Jay King of the Athletic.
Brad Stevens: “There’s nothing more therapeutic than watching a bad film session and then coming to the gym and getting it out of your system.”
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) May 21, 2018
Many teams do this. It has proven helpful, and many players admit to the practice working as a motivational tool. After the Celtics suffered a loss like they did on Saturday, they will need to make the necessary adjustments to at least make the game more competitive.
What's interesting is the idea that a playoff team needs extra motivation after a loss. The Celtics are a well-coached, well-oiled machine most of the time and have a knack for delivering when it matters despite the collective youth of the team. Perhaps the team needs the film session because it's so young.
But make no mistake: The Celtics have the kind of team demeanor that allows them to view film of a bad loss, learn quickly from it, and use it to their advantage in the next game.
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