BOSTON — After finishing off Orlando in the first round, Jayson Tatum explained how winning the title last year had changed what it felt like to play this season.
Without the guillotine of never having won a championship threatening above him anymore, the Celtics star relished playing unburdened.
“I’ve just enjoyed this season of playing carefree basketball and not having that hang over my head,” he said.
Well, a burden has returned. It’s a different one, but just as ominous. The monkey has climbed back on the Celtics’ back and doubts are front and center again.
After an ugly loss on Wednesday, the Celtics are in trouble. Big trouble.
Wednesday’s loss might be the last game they play at TD Garden this year. The very idea of that was stunning just a few days ago. But New York could complete the sweep in Manhattan this weekend. And why shouldn’t they? They’ve been terrific in big moments all series.
Down 2-0 to an inferior Knicks team, Boston will be low-hanging fruit for the next two days, waiting for any expert with a microphone to question their game plan, their execution and their toughness.
For the second straight game, they didn’t confront their 3-point shooting woes and change strategy.
For the second straight game, they took a 20-point third-quarter lead and watched the Knicks rip it away.
And for the second straight game, Boston had the ball in the final seconds with a chance — to tie on Monday and to win on Wednesday — and one of their $50 million superstars didn’t even get a shot off.
The Celtics played the fourth quarter like they could hear the footsteps of the Knicks gaining ground.
“Two games we were up 20 points and somehow we come out not with wins. It’s inexcusable,” Jaylen Brown said. “But we’re going to learn from it. We’re going to respond.”
That’s the right sentiment, but he had no answer for why they didn’t learn from Game 1 when they were up 20 points and somehow came out without a win.
Joe Mazzulla’s strange philosophies and wacky quotes come off as entertainingly colorful when they’re winning, but it leaves him wide open to criticism when the Celtics lose in spectacular fashion.
He walked off the floor with a time-out in his pocket on Wednesday. A play stoppage that might have broken Knicks’ momentum during their comeback in the fourth quarter or advanced the ball and given the Celtics a few more seconds to operate on the impotent last possession.
If the Celtics lose this series, his journey from hero to hot seat will be incredibly quick.
For Tatum, the new burden is, or at least should be, not letting an opportunity slip away. One championship is nice. But Tatum set his own bar higher. He’s talked about wanting to be a Celtic legend. About pursuing Larry Bird.
He might never play on a team with this much talent ever again. Luxury tax penalties will likely force the Celtics to offload salary this summer and Al Horford and Jrue Holiday aren’t getting any younger.
Maybe Brad Stevens will pull a rabbit from his hat, but realistically, Boston probably won’t be as good next year.
As special as last year was, if the Celtics lose this series, it will be reframed in a different light. Suddenly, last year’s postseason dominance will look more like a run over a collection of injured opponents than a statement of greatness if this year’s team goes quietly.
Whether Tatum is being hampered by his wrist, his confidence or some unknown ailment, he is shooting 28.6 percent from the field and 25 percent from 3-point range in this series.
Tatum didn’t speak after the game. His press conference was cancelled when a fire alarm caused TD Garden to be briefly evacuated.
But nothing he could have said would have mattered on Wednesday. Something better spark some urgency in him or the Celtics, or Boston could flame out in a hurry.
Brown spoke for the team.
“Not an ideal situation, being down 0-2. But what’s done is done. You’ve got to make sure we’re ready to come out,” he said and later added: “It should sting. Let it sting. Let it sting for the night. Then tomorrow’s a new day, we move forward.”
