Sam Hauser didn't sugarcoat it when he described the Celtics' defeat in Game 4 against the Dallas Mavericks: "That was a butt-whupping. That's it. They just beat us. Not much to it, honestly." His blunt assessment mirrored the sentiments of his teammates following the 38-point drubbing, marking the third-largest margin of victory in Finals history. The Celtics tipped their hats to the Mavericks' performance, but there was also a palpable sense of resolve to bounce back.
"We had the right mindset and right intentions," Jayson Tatum remarked. "We wanted to come out and play super well and win, but it just didn't go that way tonight." Despite the setback, Tatum and his teammates maintained a forward-looking perspective. "We are fortunate. We get another opportunity on Monday."
This mindset echoed throughout the team. Jaylen Brown emphasized the importance of regrouping and preparing for the next challenge. "We just regroup. We keep our same mentality, and we come out and get ready to fight in another battle on our home floor."
The Celtics' locker room was filled with a mix of humility and determination. Jrue Holiday, the veteran with a championship ring, stressed the importance of teamwork and urgency. "You've got to do it together as a team. Everybody has to be clicking and being, again, the more desperate team. We've just got to go back home. I think locking into tendencies, locking into the game plan, and I think we'll be okay."
As the Celtics processed the defeat, the plan was clear: learn from the mistakes, make the necessary adjustments, and come back stronger. "We always say you lose by two or you lose by 30, they all count the same," Tatum noted. "But we do need to be better. We're not making any excuses. We need to be better, and we will. We will be better."
Coach Joe Mazzulla echoed this sentiment, focusing on what the team could control. "There's a lot of stuff that we can control," he said. "We'll go back on the film and we'll watch that, and we'll really try to be disciplined and control it.”
The Celtics knew they needed to address their shortcomings, but they were also determined not to dwell on the loss. Instead, they aimed to channel their energy into preparing for Game 5. "Move on to Game 5 and the chance to close it out Monday at home," was the underlying theme from Boston after the disappointing Game 4 performance.
Tatum's reflection on the loss was particularly telling of the team's mentality. "They played well tonight and we didn't," he admitted. "But, you know, we are fortunate. We get another opportunity on Monday.” The Celtics understood the gravity of the situation but were committed to turning things around.
The team's resilience was evident in their approach. They knew that analyzing the game film and understanding their mistakes were crucial steps in their preparation. "We'll go back on the film and we'll watch that," Coach Mazzulla reiterated. "We'll really try to be disciplined and control it."
Jaylen Brown's words summed up the team's collective mindset: "You know, we always say you lose by two or you lose by 30, they all count the same," he said. "But we do need to be better. We're not making any excuses. We need to be better, and we will. We will be better." The Celtics were committed to using the loss as a learning experience and were determined to come out stronger in the next game.
Jrue Holiday's experience and perspective were invaluable to the team. "Everybody has to be clicking and being, again, the more desperate team," he emphasized. "We've just got to go back home. I think locking into tendencies, locking into the game plan, and I think we'll be okay."
The Celtics' focus was on unity and improvement. They knew that their success depended on playing as a cohesive unit and executing their game plan. "You've got to do it together as a team," Holiday stressed. "Everybody has to be clicking and being, again, the more desperate team."
Looking ahead to Game 5, the Celtics were determined to turn the page on Game 4's defeat. They understood the importance of maintaining their composure and staying focused on the task at hand. "We just regroup. We keep our same mentality, and we come out and get ready to fight in another battle on our home floor," Brown reiterated.
The aftermath of Game 4 was a mixture of disappointment and determination for the Celtics. They recognized their shortcomings but were resolute in their belief that they could and would perform better. "There's a lot of stuff that we can control," Coach Mazzulla said. "We'll go back on the film and we'll watch that, and we'll really try to be disciplined and control it.”
The Celtics' approach to moving forward was methodical and focused. They aimed to address their mistakes and make the necessary adjustments to ensure a better performance in Game 5. "Move on to Game 5 and the chance to close it out Monday at home," was the team's mantra as they prepared for the next challenge.
As the Celtics geared up for Game 5, their message was clear: learn from the past, focus on the present, and prepare for the future. "You know, we always say you lose by two or you lose by 30, they all count the same," Tatum said. "But we do need to be better. We're not making any excuses. We need to be better, and we will. We will be better."
The Celtics' determination to improve and their commitment to teamwork were evident as they looked ahead to the next game. With the support of their fans and the lessons learned from Game 4, they were ready to take on the challenge and fight for victory.
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