Three things from Celtics-Hawks

Despite blowing a 30-point lead, the Boston Celtics’ loss to the Atlanta Hawks means nothing all the same — at least in the grand scheme of things.

However, it again raises questions about their late-game offense, but outside of that, there isn’t much to take away. The Celtics took their foot off the gas and stopped playing at full force, and it caught up to them. But the one seed is locked up, and now they’re just coasting to the playoffs.

That said, losing brings some less fun things to talk about.

Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

1. Missing Porzingis

This cannot happen.

The Celtics have been making these passes all season. The main reason they brought Kristaps Porzingis into the fold was to spread out opposing defenses.

That doesn’t work when they aren’t taking advantage of the space he makes for himself.

As the Celtics were floundering in the third quarter, Porzingis found himself open above the three-point line, and Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown failed to find him.

Even if Bogdan Bogdanovic would have closed out in time on the second shot, Porzingis could have swung it to the corner to Payton Pritchard.

Instead, Tatum and Brown settled for contested shots that both missed, and Porzingis was left out to dry like a best friend whose high-five attempt wasn’t seen.

2. Tatum eight-second violation

Tatum had a pretty great game. He was aggressive when he needed to be, he (mostly) made solid passes, and he attacked well at the end of the game rather than taking step-back threes.

But this was bad.

This isn’t a niche play, but considering the grand scope of the game and Boston’s final few minutes of lackluster play, it may be forgotten about.

At this point, the Hawks had mounted a 30-point comeback. The Celtics were up by just a single point with less than nine minutes in the game. And he dribbled the ball up the floor too slowly?

Mistakes happen. Brain farts happen. This was just the worst possible time for it to occur.

3. Sam Hauser gravity

Ending on a positive note, this play from Sam Hauser was pretty fun to watch unfold.

Maybe it was just bad defense by Garrison Matthews, but Hauser’s shooting ability deserves some of the credit.

Because of how lethal Hauser is from beyond the arc (except in this game), Matthews overreacts to his movement off the ball, anticipating him running around the Porzingis screen.

Instead, Hauser shifts his momentum, cuts into the paint, and brings two defenders with him for a brief moment. Had Al Horford recognized this quicker, Porzingis’ three would have been much more open.

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