After a thrilling comeback attempt on Monday night, the Boston Celtics came up just short against the Utah Jazz. The final score was 104-102, setting up an exhilarating conclusion. The game was held at the TD Garden. In that dramatic final minute, a key officiating decision would spark fury from an entire fan base.
This is a Celtics team that is 3-5 on the season. Late in the fourth quarter, they were clinging to a very narrow one-point lead as Jaylen Brown isolated at the top of the key. Keyonte George seemed to step on his foot and slip down, causing Brown to step on him, trip over him and ultimately lose the ball. The mishap came with under a minute to go, giving the Jazz ample time to take advantage of the blunder.
Lauri Markkanen took advantage and dunked every opportunity he had, including this alley-oop on a fast break. His stellar offensive display helped put Utah ahead, 103-102, with just 44 seconds left to go. The game only got more heated as each team battled to maintain possession.
Celtics head coach Ime Udoka was understandably unhappy with the officials post game. Kevin Scott, the crew chief, vigorously justified the move. He took heat for not calling a foul on the original play with Brown and George.
“During live play the crew observed George slip and fall just prior to Brown slipping on the same spot resulting in the ball becoming loose prior to any contact,” – Kevin Scott
With only one second remaining, Jusuf Nurkic sealed the victory for the Jazz with a turnaround hook shot, bringing an end to a tightly contested battle. Brown gave an exhilarating performance, scoring 36 points in just 37 minutes. Sadly for him, his on-the-field heroics weren’t sufficient to bring home a victory for his team.
That frustration bubbled over for Brown as he took to the mic following the game to discuss the rough officiating.
“You can’t have a mistake like that as an official at that point in the game,” – Jaylen Brown
Celtics’ loss a rough opening chapter to their season as they fight through closing line issues CelticsBlog. THE FINAL SCORE shows how razor thin the margins can be in NBA games. Your critical calls are what tip the balance and can truly make all the difference.
The Celtics are refocusing and recommitting to getting back to playing their best basketball. They just have to be smart enough to learn their lessons from this and focus on finishing games. The Jazz, led by their rookie Walter Clayton Jr., celebrated a hard-fought victory that showcased their resilience and ability to perform under pressure.
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