1. Boston needed a gut check
Leave it to Terry Rozier to be honest about Game 3. Being one of the more outspoken players of the postseason, Rozier took no time explaining the kick in the gut the Celtics received, and needed.
Terry Rozier thinks Game 3 was the wake-up call the Celtics needed. https://t.co/ZuEVBgATcG pic.twitter.com/09SYxDRvAV
— theScore (@theScore) May 20, 2018
After controlling the tempo for most of the series, Boston found itself in a 3-point shooting contest on the road Saturday. Let’s just say they came up short with results.
Boston finished Game 3 shooting 6-for-22 from deep, much to the chagrin of Brad Stevens:
Brad Stevens, in his first postgame answer, pointed toward the C's taking far too many long, contested, pull-up jumpers.
— Marc D'Amico (@Marc_DAmico) May 20, 2018
Cleveland, on the other hand, nailed a whopping 17 on their way to shooting 50 percent from deep on the night. Every team is allowed to have a bad night, however. Earlier in the playoffs, both the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors lost first round Game 3s in blowout fashion, only to return with a blowout of their own in Game 4.
Next: 2018 NBA Mock Draft - Doncic still No. 1 in post-lottery edition
Sometimes we all need a reminder that we’re not invincible. We need to be shown that past performances don’t always guarantee future or present success. Given the stubborn nature of the Celtics, we should expect a much different team to arrive Monday for Game 4.