This morning I excitingly lit up the newly released Patina Cigars Oro de Nicaragua Robusto. I have been eagerly awaiting this blends’ arrival and I was absolutely not let down! It was a flavor bomb and performed perfectly, even ROTT.
As good as a start to the day that I had, the Celtics tried to bring me down! I didn’t stay up to watch them face the Nuggets last night, as a 10:00 PM start time is way too late for me on a weekday.
This is the second and last regular season meeting between these teams this year. These two are the favorites to be playing in the finals, and I agree with that assessment. I really needed to see the Celtics win this one to give me any hope that they could dethrone the defending champions. They let me down..
Fortunately it was another close, hard fought loss. However, if C’s games are any kind of close in the final minutes, I still don’t have confidence in them to pull out the W. This is coming off of the epic Cavaliers’ comeback win over the Celtics a few days ago. A game that ended with another classic Tatum isolation brick (the same shot he failed to hit the first time the Celtics and Nuggets played this year).
Now, the foul call on that shot was aggravating and potentially ruined a Kristaps putdown game winner, but it was not a foul and the reversal was the right call. That call was not the issue. The issue was a collapse in the Celtics play and Tatum trying to play hero ball, when he is statistically not a good performer in those positions. Tatum carried that over into last night’s game as he just did not show up. He shot poorly from the field, scoring only 15, and had 5 turnovers, and he missed a wide open clutch shot with under a minute to go.
Jaylen Brown had a heck of a night last night going for 41, 14, and 4, with 2 steals, on 55% shooting. Too bad he went 50% from the line (7 for 14). He almost drained a couple contested, last ditch effort threes at the end of the game. Would've been a fitting way to go out. KP had a solid game as well (24 and 12). In both meetings this year, KP has at least contributed. In the first meeting Jaylen didn’t show up and Jayson had a subpar night. In this second meeting Jaylen went off and Jayson didn’t show up.
The Celtics are first in offensive rating (121.4) and second in defensive rating (110.3), while Denver is tenth in offensive rating (117.2) and ninth in defensive rating (113). Yet the two times these teams met the C’s average 104.5 points and the Nuggets 108.5. Both of these regular season meetings had a “Finals feel” to them, and, unfortunately, went the way I think a finals matchup will go… The C’s are a powerhouse regular season team, but there is something that needs to change for me to think they have a chance to win it all. In the clutch, in close games, and in big games it seems that the Celtics fall when the other teams elevate.
Take care,
-Trevor