When you get out-rebounded by 20 (50-30), the game shouldn't have been as close as it was. And you definitely shouldn't have a chance to win the game late in the fourth.
With 3:21 left in the game, Deron Williams hit a three-pointer to bring the Jazz within 4, 85-89. But Deron was in foul trouble and there was no one to stop Rajon Rondo. He made 8 of the last 11 points for the Celtics and the Jazz couldn't come up with a big shot on the other end.
The biggest tragedy was that Paul Millsap had a career game with 32 & 10. It should have been one of the highlights of his young career, but instead he'll only remember the loss. Millsap is making it easy to forget about Boozer. Right now we're a prett good team as is. But it's Boozer that makes as an elite team. A steady 1-2 of Boozer and Millsap is too much for pretty much any team to handle. And if one's having an off night, the other is usually there to pick up the slack.
We could have used Boozer tonight on the glass. The Celtics are big and Rondo is a great rebounder. But I don't think anyone expected to get out-rebounded by 20. That was the reason for the loss, plain and simple. The Jazz didn't get the second and third shots that they're acccustomed to getting. Every other stat was pretty much even across the board.
The other reason for the loss was that we didn't have any bench tonight (outside of AK)- Boston didn't either.. But when ther other team's bench struggles, that's normally when the Jazz bench picks it up and beats the snot out of them.
You hate the outcome, but the team didn't disappoint me like they had in previous games. You can't question their effort tonight. And losing to a team that had won 14 straight, at their place, isn't really shameful.
But I hope the Jazz can taste it. They're on the brink of being the elite team that everyone knows they can be. I think everyone's little down on themselves right now. It's hard to break out of that. They just need a couple of breaks to come their way to boost their confidence again.
The road trip doesn't get any easier. A win in NJ would do a great deal for adding a bit back to their swagger.
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Paul Millsap interview,