The Boston Celtics choked away Game 5 to the Atlanta Hawks in pretty epic fashion, ultimately falling 119-117. Trae Young and the Hawks outscored the Celtics 37-25 in the final quarter, extending Atlanta’s season and forcing the action back to Georgia.
By many measures this was a historic loss for Boston, and the Celtics were outscored 20-6 in crunch time. Given the team’s championship aspirations, this was a real hole in the boat for players, coaches, and fans. The mood after the loss was somber, though there were scantly signs of panic or worry. All-Star forward Jaylen Brown was particularly resolute in his postgame comments.
“There’s definitely a lot of emotion,” Brown said. ” Up twelve and we smoked the game. But my mind set and mentality is to get ready for the next one.”
Time for the Boston Celtics to play like champions – or book a beach vacation https://t.co/NurqwH4sK2
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) April 26, 2023
Brown was dialed in early, and scored 23 points in the first half alone. He finished the game with 35 points and 7 rebounds, and was the engine for Boston all evening long.
Hot shooting kept Atlanta in the game, however. When the Celtics defense began to falter in the fourth quarter, the Hawks pounced. Trae Young’s epic 3-pointer to ice the game simply punctuated a great comeback for Atlanta and a serious choke job for the Celtics.
Still, Brown was more interested in maintaining a calm demeanor than panicking after the game. It was clear he understood the Celtics blew an opportunity.
“I missed some shots,” Brown said. “We just let the game get away from us a little bit. They just hit shot after shot down the line. You give a team life, you to leave it up to chance. And that’s what we did tonight.”
Joe Mazzulla spoke about Ime Udoka becoming the head coach of the Houston Rockets and explained why he values forgiveness and second chances in life. https://t.co/0gF3AI92cJ
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) April 26, 2023
Brown was the primary defender on Young as he hoisted his hero 3-pointer to lift the Hawks over the Celtics. Brown suggested his defense could have been better, but that wasn’t really the reason Boston lost.
“I could have picked him up a little bit better,” Brown said. “But maybe we shouldn’t have been in that position in the first place.”
Still, Brown showed a determination after the game to play up to Boston’s ceiling. He wasn’t willing to let this setback derail the club’s long-term goals.
“We’ve been in many situations like this before,” Brown said. “It’s unfortunate. But you can look around and point fingers, or you can take ownership of the situation. You’ve got two chances to win one. So, come out and get ready for the next game.”
Atlanta outscored Boston 37-25 in the fourth quarter on Tuesday as the Celtics choked away a Game 5 victory and a chance to advance to the next round. https://t.co/OsPfjRkbv5
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) April 26, 2023
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