|
After experiencing a thrilling comeback from 0-3 down to 3-3, everyone almost believed that the Celtics would carry the momentum and defeat the Heat decisively in Game 7. However, things didn't go as planned, and the Celtics suffered a 19-point loss in Game 7, right in front of their home fans. What could be the reason for the heavily favored Celtics to fall apart?
That day, the atmosphere in the Boston arena was subdued. As time passed and the point difference grew larger, Celtics fans gradually realized that their team would miss the NBA Finals. Before the game started, most Celtics fans believed that their team would achieve what no team had done before in NBA history - coming back from 3-0 down to win the series. However, this hope was shattered when their star player, Tatum, got injured.
Tatum, who had performed exceptionally well in this series, was the core of the Celtics. Even in Game 6, he scored 31 points and was the best player on the court. However, in Game 7, Tatum got injured early in the game after colliding with another player during a layup. Despite the injury, Tatum played the entire game, but he couldn't perform at his best. Instead of the 31 points he scored in Game 6, Tatum only managed to score 14 points in Game 7.
In Tatum's absence, another Celtics star, Jaylen Brown, should have stepped up. Unfortunately, he didn't. Instead, he committed a staggering 8 personal turnovers, which took away any suspense from the game. Brown had been unhappy about not being the Celtics' first option and had been in contract disputes with the management. He demanded a contract that paid him more than Tatum, causing ongoing conflicts. Now, with Tatum injured, Brown's poor performance in the Eastern Conference Finals laid bare his limitations. His disappointing play led to the end of negotiations for a new contract worth $295 million over 5 years. |
This post contains more resources
You have to Login for download or view attachment(s). No Account? Register
x
|