Short recap because who the hell is reading this story anyway?

Bottom line is that the Sixers showed up on Friday night and displayed some effort and heart. At least they didn’t quit on each other, and they ratcheted the defense up a notch, adjusting their pick and roll defense and exhibiting some pride. They very easily could have just packed it up, folded entirely, and expedited their departure from the bubble.

Problem is they just didn’t make enough shots, finishing 29.5% from the floor and hitting just nine of their 39 three point efforts. The fact that they were even in this game is a minor miracle, but also a testament to the defensive showing. Two things can be true at the same time.

This was actually a tie ball game late into the fourth quarter, somehow, and then the familiar collapse took place, allowing the Celtics to cover a -6.5 spread in the span of a little more than two minutes.

At 3:01 in the fourth quarter, with the score 92-92, this is the list of possessions that ended the game:

  1. Celtics possession: great defensive effort, Jaylen Brown air ball (tie game, 92-92) 
  2. Sixers possession: Josh Richardson missed three, Tobias Harris offensive rebound, Joel Embiid fouled (Sixers 94-92)
  3. Celtics possession: hard hedge on a Boston pick and roll, defensive breakdown, missed three pointer (Sixers 94-92)
  4. Sixers possession: Embiid turnover, leading to a run out and Brown layup, plus foul (Celtics 95-94)
  5. Sixers possession: Embiid turnover,* run out, Josh Richardson clear path foul, giving Boston possession + free throws (Celtics 96-94)
  6. Celtics possession: Kemba Walker iso step back dagger (Celtics 98-94)
  7. Sixers possession: Richardson three pointer blocked (Celtics 98-94)
  8. Celtics possession: Marcus Smart fouled (Celtics 100-94)
  9. Sixers possession: Tobias Harris missed stepped back three (Celtics 100-94)

At this point they fouled Smart again and the game was over. Embiid missed a three to put the icing on the cake, and that was your 8-0 Boston run to end it.

In their last five meaningful possessions, the Sixers mustered two points on two foul shots, committed two* turnovers, and didn’t hit a single field goal. The asterisks above* are because the second turnover went into the books as a blocked shot, but it was Embiid sort of wildly going into a crowd and believing that he was fouled.

Here’s that clip, with the clear path incident included:

It’s just insane to me how they play a GREAT defensive possession to force the Jaylen Brown air ball, then string together four straight mistakes in less than 60 seconds. It’s mind-boggling, it’s predictable, and it’s going to get their coach fired.

Here’s a video clip showing the final two field goals that they missed. The Richardson shot is actually really good defense from Tatum, with help on a PNR switch and recovery close out, but the Harris miss is just some perimeter hot potato with nobody stepping up to the plate:

So this series is over. They competed in game one but didn’t have it in the fourth quarter. Game two was a wash, and in game three they just didn’t hit enough shots and didn’t execute down the stretch.

Said Brett Brown after the game:

I feel bad for the players for the loss. I think defensively we did what we needed to do to win the game. Offensively the quantity of misses is just hard to overcome. I feel the historical reference of the daunting task at hand (down 3-0), and we all get that. My mind is truly on trying to find a win. I believe sincerely that wins sometimes change everything. The mindset, the circumstance. In this case that’s an obvious comment.

We’re gonna go try to get a win.

There’s not much else he can say at this point. He knows he’s a lame duck coach and that this was probably the best counterpunch his team was able to throw.

At least there was some demonstrative frustration as he left the floor:

That’s all I’ve got for a recap. I am sorry. I truly am. I just don’t have any juice for this team and can’t muster the motivation to write about a third straight loss at 10:44 p.m. on a Friday night. I’m sure you feel just as exasperated watching them, but the good news is that change would appear to be on the horizon.