Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports
Kristaps Porzingis Assesses Celtics Last Attempt in Loss to 76ers
The second quarter was a disaster for the Boston Celtics Wednesday night at the Wells Fargo Center. They got outscored 39-27. They gave up 18 points in the paint. The Philadelphia 76ers generated an 11-2 advantage on fast-break opportunities. And the hosts converted five offensive rebounds into eight second-chance points.
It was a game-changing 12 minutes. After halftime, the Celtics took 18 of their 24 shots from beyond the arc despite making only 27.8 percent of them.
The 17 points they produced represent the fewest they've scored in the third frame this season.
The need for a more diverse offense was a problem that plagued Boston throughout this rivalry clash. It's a long-standing issue for a team that must develop a more balanced attack to give itself the best chance to end this season with the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
But to the visitors' credit, they didn't let their long-range struggles take from their focus and effort on defense. That kept them in the game.
They nearly capitalized on it and stole a win on Wednesday, staging a late 10-0 run.
And when Jaylen Brown, who finished with 11 points on 13 field-goal attempts, shook off his shooting woes to drill a pull-up three, then locked up Tyrese Maxey, leading to a shot clock violation.
That gave the Celtics the ball back, trailing 106-103 with 8.1 seconds left. After struggling to get open, nearly resulting in a five-second violation, Derrick White found Kristaps Porzingis, who pump faked, then elevated for a clean look at the game-tying three.
Unfortunately for Boston, his shot drew iron, resulting in a second-straight loss and falling off its perch atop the Eastern Conference. The 76ers, now 6-1, move ahead of the 5-2 C's in the standings.
After the loss, Porzingis, who finished with 29 points, leading all scorers, conveyed the following about the game's final play.
"As I went into the shot, I kind of went into it as if it was like a mid-range shot," expressed the seven-foot-three center. "I jumped a little higher. I usually don't do that for threes. So, I just shot it bad, and as soon as it left my hand, I felt it was short. But it was a good look, (a) clean look. It was a good play by Joe (Mazzulla). And yeah, we couldn't ask for anything else."
Further Reading
Celtics Enamored with Threes That Don't Love Them Back in Loss vs. 76ers
Examining What Went Wrong for Celtics' Offense in Loss vs. Timberwolves
Here's What Stood Out as Celtics Suffer First Loss This Season in OT Tilt vs. Timberwolves
Jayson Tatum Discusses the Bond Between Him and the City He Stars In
Here's Where Jaylen Brown Impressed Joe Mazzulla the Most in Celtics' Win vs. Heat
Kristaps Porzingis Gives Glimpse of How He'll Boost Celtics Late-Game Offense
Under Joe Mazzulla, Celtics Rebuilding Brotherhood Between Past and Present
