Getty Images Celtics kneel during the National Anthem prior to Game 2 Thursday night
Tempers reportedly boiled over from the court into the Boston Celtics‘ locker room in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat Thursday night.
According to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, screaming and yelling could be heard just outside the team locker room, accompanied by objects being tossed around the room. Washburn also added that after yelling in the locker room, Celtics guard Marcus Smart stormed out screaming expletives.
Marcus Smart is screaming in the #Celtics locker room and there is a bunch of arguing going on. Smart comes out say “y’all on that bullshit!” Team is imploding. Smart is in bathroom and there is still screaming coming from locker room.
Smart declined to speak to the media.
Some players, including Smart, have left. Smart declined to speak with media. #Celtics
“Guys were emotional after a hard game, hard loss,” Stevens responded when asked about the incident. Kemba Walker, on the other hand, took a different approach; he pretended to be oblivious.
“Nothing happened in the locker room,” Walker said. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, to be honest. We’ll be fine. We’ll be fine.”
Jayson Tatum, who finished with 21 points on 8-of-14 from the floor, didn’t offer much of an explanation either but did, much like his head coach, did offer some perspective.
“I don’t know who said that,” Tatum responded. “I mean, we’re 0-2. I mean, we’re frustrated; that’s team sports. You’re not supposed to be happy we’re down 0-2. But, (it was) nothing out the ordinary, just talked about the game. It’s cool, got to go get ready for the next one.”
Boston Celtics’ Game 2 Collapse
For the second consecutive game, the Celtics squandered a double-digit lead in the second half before they teetered back-and-forth with a one-possession advantage that eventually dissipated in less than a minute.
Jimmy Butler was effective on both ends of the floor down the stretch. He finished with 14 points, 4 steals, including a costly Celtics turnover that resulted in Butler saving the ball from going out-of-bounce to an easy layup in transition.
After blowing a 17-point lead in the second half, the Celtics held the Heat to 2-of-10 from the floor at the beginning of the final frame before Miami swung back. Goran Dragic and Butler were responsible for a quick 5-0 Heat run that broke a tie game (95-95) and then Crowder’s field goal expanded Miami’s lead to seven (102-95).
Jaylen Brown’s back-to-back 3-pointers teased Celtics fans with a potential comeback in the final minute but when his game-tying 3-pointer from the corner clanked off the rim and into the hands of Bam Adebayo with only 12.6 left to play; the Celtics’ fate was sealed.
Brad Stevens Looks Ahead to Game 3: ‘We Just Have To Play Better
Now, faced with an 0-2 hole for the first time in the postseason, the pressure is on the Celtics now more than ever with the risk of being on the brink of elimination staring them in the face ahead of Saturday’s Game 4. For Stevens, the issue is beyond tactical, it’s about his team sticking to what got them the big 17-point lead in the beginning.
“I thought we did a good job attacking to the corners on several occasions,” Stevens said about his team’s defense. “We missed shots. We drove it, dumped it to the roller and he just missed but Adebayo had a big part of that.
“This isn’t about zones and defenses and offenses,” Stevens said bluntly. “We just have to be better.”
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