For the second time in the series, the Boston Celtics were handed a defeat because of a great performance from James Harden of the Philadelphia 76ers.
Harden was a menace to Boston on Sunday, scoring 42 points and going 6-of-9 from the three-point line in a tight 116-115 overtime victory for his Sixers.
On Monday morning, many people were wondering how the Celtics let him get away with it.
Celtics analyst Chris Gasper bluntly asked, “Where are the adjustments?”
Is defending James Harden the key to the Celtics/Sixers series? pic.twitter.com/snStvNECkc
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) May 8, 2023
Gasper isn’t too happy with the way that Harden has been treated in the pair of Boston losses.
In the opening game of the series, Harden went wild and stole a win on the road.
He was then properly guarded for the next two games but Boston let him get away with it again on Sunday afternoon.
Gasper noted that Jaylen Brown expertly defended Harden for the majority of the last few games.
However, this idea wasn’t concocted by head coach Joe Mazzulla.
According to Gasper, it was Brown himself who proposed that he guard Harden.
He was also told he’d have to ask and get permission from Marcus Smart to do so.
Gasper and others are a bit upset with Mazzulla right now.
He has done very well coaching the team during the regular season but has made a few clumsy missteps so far in the playoffs.
Not containing Harden is one of the biggest.
Now the series is tied at 2-2 as it heads back to Boston.
Can Mazzulla, Brown, and the rest of the roster figure out how to adjust and finally silence Harden once and for all?
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