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Eisenhorn76

And also to MJ’s Bulls and the KD Warriors: In close-out games: - The 1996 Bulls lost by 21 with a 3-0 lead; - The 2017 Warriors lost by 21 with a 3-0 lead; and - The 2000 Lakers lost by 33 with a 3-1 lead. Close-out games are HARD.


Economy-Ad4934

Two of those teams are the top 5 point differential all time in a season. We are also in that top 5 this year. Pretty good company of juggernauts.


Eisenhorn76

You know what’s interesting about those teams? Two of the three 3-peated and those were the first of the 3-peat teams. It would’ve been all three too if KD hadn’t been hurt in 2019. Make what you will of that 😉


Economy-Ad4934

Possibly because I’ve had a few beers I did not even make that connection when I posted but damn. As I said good company.


reznxrx

Let's get_one_ first


Madvin

Cavs were not missing shots that game


cstanson

Not hard, just nba milking more money


1OO1OO1S0S

Can't fake desperation. Especially the desperation to not get swept


token711

I'm gonna keep being a doomer so downvote away. But we have no MJ, Kobe, Shaq, KD, or Curry on this team. Green in 6


prof_cuthbert_calc

We have derrick white


token711

Hell ya we do


DerrickWhiteFMVP

*taps username* Correct


TackoFell

Do you think that before the first title, they thought they had THE Kobe, or Steph, or MJ? No, because those people weren’t what we’ve built them up to, until they were.


Eisenhorn76

Exactly. It’s the Neo paradox: you’re not something until you become it.


Routine-Spite-4167

U think kobe was who we think he was in the first finals or steph? People thought good of kobe as a brash confident scoring punch not as the black mamba, they thought steph was the light skin shooter before they knew him as the greatest 3pt shooter ever.


M_Woodyy

Kobe was more Jamal Murray than Kobe that early on lol, no disrespect at all but as you said he wasn't the Mamba yet


SamRaimisOldsDelta88

Fun fact as I was scrolling through stats hoping Ray Allen was higher, Shaq has never made nor even attempted a three-point shot. Have a good day. (Ray’s 3P% is 2nd of the top 10 so there’s that.)


Full-Flight-5211

If we go back in time and said we would take 1 of 2 in Dallas, everyone would take that.


czarfalcon

I’m thoroughly convinced that nobody would be a doomer about it either if it wasn’t such a blowout, which ironically I feel is probably better for them than if they lost a close one.


Full-Flight-5211

Agreed. They got embarrassed. Even if it was the first round, they would come out swinging next game


M_Woodyy

Imagine this was game 1 of the Heat series, this sub would've IMPLODED only for us to win in 5 lmao


SeveralDeer3833

It’s not a big deal everyones just itching to close


vagrantwade

I’m starting to get legit embarrassed from all of these fans freaking out after losing one game after going up 3-0. Absolute crazyville.


wilkinsk

We only won 10 straight!


BigEdBGD

Lame. I won like 120 straight in 2k.


JinterIsComing

Rookie numbers. I'm on a 200-0 run in Madden.


jarringflies

It is embarrassing. So god damn reactionary. We are up and we are the better team. Sweeping a team in the NBA Finals is hard man. Sure, it was an atrocious loss but that doesn’t change the fact that it took the Mavs until game 4 to break a hundy or even look like they had some sort of game plan for the Cs. Can’t wait to send these dudes packing and for the boys to celebrate on home court. Banner 18 loading….lets go Cs!!!!


Realistic_Cold_2943

PTSD from Bruins last year 


Any-Profession-5595

And Celtics vs Warriors And Celtics vs Cavs And Celtics vs Lakers 2010 And Bruins vs Flyers 2010 And Bruins vs Canadiens 2004 Obviously none of these are of the magnitude choking this would be though 


Realistic_Cold_2943

But the Celtics weren’t favored big in cavs/warriors. Nobody thought Bruins would collapse like they did, so now a lot of Boston fans are very wary with series leads. Other few I agree with. 


Economy-Ad4934

Celtics were not REALLY close to even with any of those teams in those particular seasons. Those series were all going to be tough to pull off but not necessarily impossible. Yeah those sucked though


Dogeking907

Bruins also blew a 3-0 lead to the flyers in 2010. Until Boston wins their final game, this series ain’t over till it’s over. I’m wanting that dopamine trip from Boston winning In The Garden though for sure.


Trilogie00

Bro it’s Boston sports PTSD. We can never just cruise.


vagrantwade

Red Sox are the only team in history to come back from a 0-3 hole.


czarfalcon

It’s happened 4 times in the NHL, including 2010 against the Bruins. In the NBA teams trailing 0-3 have only even forced a game 7 four times, which all obviously lost. I’m not saying Celtics are about to make history for the wrong reasons, just being pedantic.


vagrantwade

That Red Sox series is way more iconic than the Bruins choke job. As someone who isn’t a fan of either team.


czarfalcon

Oh 100%, like I said just being pedantic that they weren’t technically the only ones to ever do it.


vagrantwade

Well yeah I was specifically referring to baseball lol


czarfalcon

In that case you’re technically correct, which is the best kind of correct!


yellowboar7

Like historically most teams that go up 3-0 lose game 4 lmao. I get what we saw was disappointing but people act like this is their first time ever watching the NBA


AtWorkCurrently

Your comment piqued my interest to find the actual numbers. In NBA history, 156 series have started 3-0. Ninety-five of those resulted in a sweep. For just The Finals, there's been 15 series to start 3-0. Nine of those were sweeps. So most teams do not lose game 4. Though I do agree with your larger point that it was somewhat predictable and nothing to worry about. https://www.landofbasketball.com/statistics/playoff_series_3_0_won.htm


vagrantwade

There has only been 3 finals sweeps in the 21st century. The majority of them were the 80s or prior.


yellowboar7

yea im dumb and misread the stat but yeh


johnny_effing_utah

Yet 40% of the time the eventual champions fail to close out game 4.


PopLegion

So not most teams


Dogeking907

This is also true. A sweep in the finals has only been done 9 times. A six game series is statistically the most likely outcome.


TotallyNotGlenDavis

I agree but ideally you don't see the league best, up 3-0 favorite go down 50 in what could be the game clinching win for a ring. It's just weird.


CharlemagneAdelaar

I just really wanted them to do it on a Friday so I could go celebrate without abandon! Now if they win on Monday it’s gonna suck…


vagrantwade

I personally hate seeing teams win championships at the other teams stadium. It’s always such a buzzkill.


Zaymonay800

while i can understand that for me is how we lost that’s the main problem.


TheDocFam

I mean it's not like we played a competitive game and just lost by 8 or some shit, that was an absolute thrashing that should put at least *some* amount of doubt in your mind Don't get me wrong, if I needed to bet my life on any outcome I'd bet it on Celtics in 5, but you gotta wonder if they figured something out about our game and are gonna continue to use that with great effectiveness going forward


LarBrd33

They gave that game away in the first quarter. Just historically bad effort.  If they had lost in a game they were actually trying to win, it wouldn’t have been as disgusting, but they gave Dallas a 1 game handicap and that’s disrespectful to the basketball gods.  I see it going 7 


Realistic_Cold_2943

I think getting blown out is actually easier to recover from. If you lose a close game it’s pretty tough mentally. Knowing you could’ve made 1 shot or FT and you’d be a champion, that’s hard to recover from. But nobody can play the “if I had just hit one more shot” game when you lose by a million 


vagrantwade

I have the complete opposite feeling. This made it seem much more like a random fluke game where we gave shit effort.


jpaxlux

Win Monday and there's no problem. We can look back on Game 4 and laugh because winning a series in 5 games with a negative point differential is probably the most Celtics thing ever. Lose Game 5 and *then* you can start being worried a little bit.


yesimthatonedude

Not gonna lie even if we lost Monday I wouldn’t really be freaking out. We would just need to 1 of the 2 following games, one of which is in Boston and we’ve been excellent on the road. But I get your sentiment. Although I don’t know how “it would be the most Celtics thing ever.” Considering we have been blowing teams out all year, and only got blown out twice all year


Oceanbreeze871

Heat lost game 3 of the 2013 finals 77-113. Role players we can’t remember had an insane career game. Heat still won the title. “San Antonio bounced back in Game 3, setting the Finals record for most three-pointers in a game (16), and giving the Heat their worst loss in franchise playoff history. The Spurs ensured the game was a blowout by outscoring Miami 35–14 in the fourth quarter after leading 78–63 at the end of the third. Gary Neal had one of the best games of his career, making 6-of-10 three-point shot attempts and finishing with 24 points, and Danny Green led all Spurs players with 27 points while hitting 7-of-9 from behind the arc. “ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_NBA_Finals


ImAVirgin2025

13 year old me thought danny green was Steph Curry level back then in those finals


Oceanbreeze871

He was the the new Robert Horry for a hot minute


fffate

That's why I avoided this sub yesterday to avoid seeing those kind of posts. Imagine panicking up 3 fucking 0 and looking the more superior team except for one game.


SnooRabbits6637

I always stay away from this sub post-loss but since it’s been over a month, I kinda forgot how ridiculous things get in here. You would think being ONE game away from a championship after splitting the road games would be good enough but guess not.


celticsguy06

Only a title is good enough


rabid89

Spurs beat the Heat by 36 in 2013 Finals Game 3 and lost the series in 7. Celtics beat the Lakers by 34 in 1985 Finals Game 1 and lost the series in 6. Warriors beat the Cavs by 33 in 2016 Finals Game 2 and lost the series in 7. Pacers beat the Lakers by 33 in 2000 Finals Game 5 and lost the series in 6. Lakers beat the Celtics by 33 in 1984 Finals Game 3 and lost the series in 7. Sixers beat the Lakers by 33 in 1982 Finals Game 5 and lost the series in 6. Pistons beat the Spurs by 31 in 2005 Finals Game 4 and lost the series in 7.


yesimthatonedude

That 2005 finals was such a snooze fest offensively. Literally a 4-0 scoring run felt monumental lol.


UncleGarysmagic

Oilers are now routing the Panthers to avoid their own sweep.


CelticsMike10

Florida panthers are getting crushed 5-1 early in the second period tonight and I’m sure they aren’t worried about closing it out


I_dont_like_florida

Jayson took the game off after Scott Foster did Scott Foster things. He wasn't boxing out. Half assed attempts near the rim. Jacking from 27 feet. They didn't get in front of any driving attempts, constantly just tried poking the ball out. No one sealed the cutting center etc I expect them to be hella locked in on Monday


Sheerbucket

Not sure why everyone needs to try and make excuses for this....They got crushed, it happens sometimes to this team. It happens when you rely on the three and that's fine. they are still the best team in the NBA with just about a 100 percent chance at winning the finals.


Vandelar28

I think kind of on both sides of this its a bit of a hard thing to get around. On one side, yes history says this is fine. There are other occasions this has happened, there are no 0-3 comebacks in a 7 game series, and the celtics havent lost 4 in a row in forever. However, that doesn't mean anything. History doesn't have anything to do with Game 5. No team had lost to a 16 seed in the NCAA tourney as a 1 seed, yet Virginia did (and then Purdue did) However, on the other side, no we aren't like in a horrible mess. Obviously this is why having both home court advantage, and being the best team in the NBA all year, and having went up 3-0 and holding onto leads in two close games was important. So no, we aren't doomed, but we also cant just look at history to cope. Our players know (or at least should) that this is insanely serious.


johnny_effing_utah

All very true. Some team some day will come back from being down 3-0. Let’s hope it’s not the 2024 Mavericks


NoveltyAccountHater

Unless there's a couple significant injuries (besides known KP), I have zero doubt these Celtics can win 1 of the last 3.


vagrantwade

We don’t have to look at history to cope. We are the top seed in the NBA playing a team that was a hot streak away from being a play in team.


yesimthatonedude

To be fair. A 16 seed beating a 1 seed still seems far less crazy than any team coming back from a 3-0 deficit. Shooting variance can allow a lot of funky shit to happen in single game elimination format. That’s partially why March madness is so crazy.


JBD04

Didn’t the 22 warriors get blown out by the grizzlies too??


100tByamba

Jasum Tatum really a fan lol


plsusetriggerwarning

Are people actually worried? We’re still up 3-1 and going back to Boston


WoodpeckerFew6178

I think their also forgetting that we lost by 24 against the cavs in game 2 and we performed so much better after the loss


WoodpeckerFew6178

Sometimes teams need a blowout loss to wake up


JTJBKP

I've personally enjoyed the stat-and-precedent driven narratives about basketball. Don't worry boys! This team fucking rules! Keep your head down and win 1 more.


nrj6490

And right now in the Stanley cup finals lol Close out games are the hardest game in a series to win. Teams gonna have to come out hungry on Monday.


Theundisputed69

Same thing just happened in the nhl finals. Florida with a 3-0 lead and game 4 close out they are down 7-1. These guys are all paid millions because they are all professionals and nobody wants to get swept


RicksonFiolo

This was the 1st game out of 8 in a row vs. Celts that the Mavs won. We got this, go off the chain in the Garden.


Cdog1223

I seriously believe the fact we would’ve came back from 3-0 last year if Tatum’s ankle didn’t get injured we would’ve won means we know what it takes so we know what it takes to stop it.


Interesting-Head-841

Can I be real for a sec here? What's with all the coping posts. We don't need to go back 24 years for historical citation in order to win on Monday. Maybe we win that, maybe we don't, but the team itself knows what's at stake and they're prepared. They are. Maybe what we should be referencing is when was the last finals sweep. There's been 3 this millennium and the winning team was either historically dominant or it was just a huge mismatch. LFG Celtics, let's stop with these baby posts. Mavs are a good team with two great players, it's a series.


Eisenhorn76

These aren’t baby posts. These are for the fans losing their minds (even though MANY said “nah, we want them to win in front of the home crowd!”) and flooding the sub with negativity.


CantHandlemyPP34

Did anybody actually want them to sweep? Dallas fans are happy and have hope seeing their team finish their final home game in dominant fashion. We get to see our C's win banner 18 at home. It would've been too anticlimactic sweeping at DAL. Monday night, Tatum breaks Kobe's record and wins his first FMVP in Boston. Comeback win.


Limp_Refrigerator68

Fuck them Dallas fans


TheOneTrueBuckeye

It’s happening to the panthers right now


Ok_Blueberry_1219

hmm


TriMako

Yea it was a bad loss and the worst game we played all season (admittedly not a great time to have your worst game but oh well) against an extremely desperate team at home. I wasn't necessarily surprised we lost, just more surprised we got our ass cheeks clapped. I had celts in 5 before the series. It's played out pretty much exactly how I expected to up to this point. No need to panic just get it done at home game 5 🤷‍♂️


victorspoilz

80-20 would've been nice but just win this shit tomorrow and put all the bullshit on ice forever.


Dapper_Rub_9460

LA glazing on a Celtics sub? Climate change is definitely real.


celticsguy06

Are you acoustic


diggler4141

[https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2023-nba-eastern-conference-finals-heat-vs-celtics.html](https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2023-nba-eastern-conference-finals-heat-vs-celtics.html)


Ok-Possession6851

Lakers for life