If there was one word to describe the Boston Celtics season so far, it would probably be ‘inconsistency’. Whether that’s the team coming out flat and uninspired or just not being able to hit shots down the stretch in a clutch game situation, the Celtics just haven’t been able to stack up a consistent streak of wins as they’ve flirted with a .500 record for several weeks now.
And last night, that ‘inconsistency’ showed again as the Celtics fall to the Cleveland Cavaliers, 117 – 110, their third loss in four games and bouncing them back to .500 at 20 – 20.
Brad Stevens has no plans to leave Celtics for Indiana head coach opening https://t.co/J3BCvlYhgN
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) March 18, 2021
Following a 2-0 lead for the Celtics, the Cavaliers took control of the game and did not look back for one second, leading by as many as 21 points. Despite a late fourth quarter run by Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, like they had in Tuesday’s loss to the Utah Jazz, to cut Cleveland’s lead to three points, the Celtics couldn’t withstand clutch playmaking down the stretch from Collin Sexton and Darius Garland, who combined for 54 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists.
Though Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum combined for 57 points, what stood out was the lack of 3-point shooting from All-Star duo, hitting only 5-of-23 from downtown.
Marcus Smart added 19 points, hitting 4-of-9 from deep. Robert Williams stuffed the stat sheet off the bench, scoring 13 points, 14 rebound, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 4 blocks.
Losing wire-to-wire against a team like the Cleveland Cavaliers is not what you’d like to see in a projected championship contender. The Celtics will look to bounce back at home on Friday against the Sacramento Kings.
This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!
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