Joe Mazzulla points finger at himself with Celtics down 3-0 - ESPN

MIAMI — Sunday morning, before the Celtics put their season on the line in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals, Jayson Tatum was asked why Boston has been so good away from home over the past two postseasons.

«We've had no other choice,» Tatum said. «It was either win, or the season was over with.»

Well, the Celtics didn't win Game 3. And, as a result, they find themselves staring down an 0-3 series deficit — something 149 teams before them have failed to overcome.

After the Miami Heat obliterated the Celtics on Sunday night, leading by as many as 22 points in the first half and 33 in the game en route to a 128-102 victory, Tatum and the Celtics will have to summon something truly magical to turn this series around and prevent the eighth-seeded Heat from advancing.

«I don't even know where to start,» Jaylen Brown said. «We can point fingers. But, in reality, it's just embarrassing.»

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla pointed fingers at one person: himself. In virtually every answer he gave, Mazzulla said some variation of the same thing: the loss was on him for his failure to have Boston ready for the biggest game of its season.

«I just didn't have them ready to play,» Mazzulla said. «I have to get them in a better place to be ready to play, and that's on me.»

Later, Mazzulla was asked whether Boston's defensive identity has been lost during these playoffs, as the Celtics went from being second in the league in defensive rating during the regular season to 10th in the playoffs, allowing 3 more points per 100 possessions in the postseason.

«Yeah, I think some of that defensive identity has been lost,» Mazzulla said, «and we have to get that back.»

Mazzulla's players defended him, with Brown saying it was a «collective