Boston Celtics: 3 takeaways from Game 3 loss vs. Bucks

3. The Celtics need to learn to fight through adversity

Kyrie Irving had choice words regarding the officiating in Game 3, after a third quarter that included 17 free throw attempts for the Bucks, eight from Giannis Antetokounmpo alone.

"A guy comes down, 6 times in a row, gets free throws, what are you really going to do? It’s slowing the game down, so, the run you would hope to make in a quarter like that doesn’t happen … it’s getting ridiculous at this point. It’s just slowing the f***ing game down."

The shoddy officiating certainly didn’t help the Celtics. At times, it felt like the calls were actively deflating Boston’s chances of winning the game, but really it was only deflating their will to fight through it.

Boston didn’t lose this game because of officiating. They lost the game because of an inability to overcome it.

While Milwaukee found its stride by attacking the rim in transition and creating opportunities to draw fouls in the paint, the Celtics opted to try to claw back into the game with ill-advised shot selection.

The Cs settled for contested 3-pointers early in the shot clock, and neglected the set that had been Milwaukee’s bane in this series. They will never be able to control foul calls, but they can control how they approach the halfcourt offense.

The Irving-Al Horford pick and roll that was so effective in Game 1 was nowhere to be seen during Game 3.

Much like Game 2, where the Celtics shot selection deteriorated as Milwaukee added to their blistering 28-2 run in the third quarter, Horford didn’t attempt a single shot in the third quarter of Game 3. He only attempted one in the third quarter of Game 2.

The Celtics, when they’re going well, are a cohesive unit that behaves like a well-oiled machine. When the going gets tough, they tend to favor hero ball and isolation over player movement and set plays. Their tendency to panic into bad shots when the going gets tough is what beats them.

Officiating certainly doesn’t help, but the Celtics aren’t doing themselves any favors by going away from the sets that work.