With 23 seconds remaining and the shot clock turned off, the Boston Celtics had a chance to salvage what was presumably a game that they had in the bag when they were up by 18 with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter. However, backup guard Terry Rozier attempted an ill-advised triple with a defender draped all over him with still 17 seconds in the game clock.
The shot clanked off the rim and the Celtics blew another huge lead and lost on the road, 124-117.
Following the game, Celtics head coach Brad Stevens took the blame for Rozier's crucial missed 3-pointer, per Boston.com.
Brad Stevens on Terry Rozier’s final three-point attempt: “On the end of the day, that should not be on Terry. If anything, that should be on me. I don’t blame him for that.”
— Boston.com Celtics News (@BDCCeltics) March 24, 2019
Brad Stevens had a chance to call a timeout to set up a play for the Celtics. He's known for setting up good “After Time Out plays” whenever his team needs a bucket. And they surely needed one on this possession. However, he opted to let them play it out with one final chance to tie the game.
With a 3-point deficit and superstar Kyrie Irving being held in check, the ball was in Terry Rozier's hands. He raced down towards the middle of the paint, but stopped on his tracks and pulled back. After dribbling out of the 3-point arc, he saw daylight for about a split-second and pulled up. However, Devonte Graham got a hand up in time to make a good contest. And that was the ball-game.
Another bad loss for Boston. Chalk up another disappointing outing for the Celtics, which were touted in October as heavy favorites to make the Finals in the Eastern Conference.
With nine games remaining on their schedule and with plenty of chemistry issues clouding the team heading into the post season, can the Celtics turn it around just in time for their playoff run?
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