Boston Celtics: 3 takeaways from backbreaking Game 4 loss vs. Bucks

2. The Celtics’ bench is still missing in action

Social media loves to blame stars. Twitter, which can very quickly become a hellscape of hot takes, loves nothing more than to take aim at the likes of Kyrie, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and many others. However, losses so often fall on the less seen players. In the Celtics’ case, it’s the lack of production from their bench.

Irving did not play well, and his lack of scoring efficiency is definitely a large part of why the Celtics weren’t able to scratch out a win in their home arena. However, the more striking aspect of the past two games is the complete lack of production from the bench.

While the Bucks were able to get incredible outings from role players Pat Connaughton and George Hill, the Celtics’ bench was only able to put together 23 points in Games 3 and 4 combined. The return of Marcus Smart was supposed to be marked by an explosive performance from the rest of the team. Instead, it was more of the same, as the second unit shot 17.6 percent from the field in Game 4.

Smart’s offensive production was lacking, as he led the bench in shot attempts with seven, while making just one of them. It’s hard to blame Smart, considering he rushed himself back from a torn left oblique injury in just four weeks. It’s also difficult to blame Gordon Hayward, who has struggled all season to find consistency in the offense after his horrific injury a year ago.

However, Smart shooting 1-for-7, and Hayward — who no longer seems to be struggling with health as much as he struggles with trusting his body — putting up only two points in 27 minutes is, frankly, unacceptable.

Hayward will have an entire offseason to continue to rehab his injury, and hopefully he will be back to his expected level next season, whether that’s in Boston or somewhere else. But he has shown more than enough flashes of his old brilliance that playing nearly 30 minutes in a playoff game and only contributing two points on five attempts cannot happen.

Hayward’s injury will likely linger over Celtics history. His missing all of last season rushed Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown into roles they weren’t necessarily ready for, and interfered with the timeline Danny Ainge had carefully constructed.

After a season that felt toxic at its worst, in large part because players were either unaware or unwilling to commit to their roles, the Hayward injury feels like a big reason why the season soured. It also feels like a reason why the bench has faltered.