Celtics need 'short-term memory' facing elimination in Game 6 - ESPN

BOSTON — The Boston Celtics picked an inopportune time to have their worst overall game of this postseason.

A 115-103 loss to the 76ers in Game 5 on Tuesday night put Boston in a 3-2 series hole with Game 6 in Philadelphia on Thursday night.

«We dropped the ball tonight,» Celtics guard Jaylen Brown said. «Couldn't stay in front of anybody. Couldn't get a stop when we needed to. Missed a lot of wide-open shots, gave everything up that they wanted us to give up. That was the story of the game. But got to have a short-term memory.»

The Celtics never led after midway through the first quarter, shot just 39.8% from the field and finished with their lowest point total (103) of these playoffs. They shot 6 for 22 against the Sixers' zone defense and 4 for 15 overall when contested by Joel Embiid.

Meanwhile, the Sixers shot 50.6% from the field, as both Embiid (33) and Tyrese Maxey (30) finished with 30 points. James Harden added 17 points and 10 assists and Philadelphia shot 10-for-17 off his passes.

«We just didn't have it today,» said Celtics star Jayson Tatum, who finished with 36 points after starting 0 for 5 in the first quarter.

Added coach Joe Mazzulla: «That was our first really, really bad game of the playoffs. It doesn't come at necessarily the best time, but we just have to shift our perspective and we've got to get ready to play the next game.»

The Celtics left their previous two defeats in this series — a 4-point loss against the Embiid-less Sixers in Game 1 and an overtime loss in Game 4 — lamenting missed opportunities. They had chances to win both and entered Tuesday vowing to be better with their late-game execution.

But after losing two games it had an opportunity to win, Boston was bombarded by Philadelphia