Celtics Hall of Famer Calls Out Boston Strategy in Playoff Collapse

A Boston Celtics legend has taken umbrage with the club's playoff strategy against the New York Knicks.

After posting a 61-21 record and securing the Eastern Conference's No. 2 seed, the then-reigning champion Celtics seemed ideally positioned to repeat.

But it was not to be. Health issues impeded the availability and consistency of starters Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, and soon Boston found itself on the cusp of a 3-1 hole against the New York Knicks in the second round of the playoffs.

That's when things went from bad to worse.

Six-time All-Star power forward Jayson Tatum ruptured his Achilles tendon in the waning minutes of the contest, dooming Boston to an eventual six-game series defeat.

Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe recently spoke with Hall of Fame former Celtics point guard Bob Cousy, who turned 97 on Saturday.

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The former six-time champ reflected on Boston's approach to the Knicks series, and ripped the inferiority of New York as a competitor.

“You have to be there to have a sense of what’s going on, and I’m not,” Cousy said. “I get the impression that [coach Joe] Mazzulla did a good job and had their attention. But in the playoffs, in my experience, the best team wins. There are upsets occasionally, but I have no understanding of how the Celtics could collapse, especially against the [expletive] Knicks. As the Knicks proved in the next round, they were not a legitimate contender.“

Bob Cousy Rips Celtics' 3-Point Shooting Approach

Shaughnessy told Cousy that several pundits believe part of the problem in the playoffs was the Celtics' dependence on long range shooting.

“I like the [3] as a weapon,” Cousy said. “But not as the first [expletive] option. It’s always going to be there for you. It’s not something you have to create," Cousy said. "You’re going to have it when you want it. So why eliminate the other options?"

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Knicks All-NBA point guard Jalen Brunson, unlike Boston stars Tatum and Brown, prioritized driving inside and generating his offense that way.

"I know we’re into analytics. I can’t fight with the computer, but I know what I experienced," Cousy added. "And in my judgment, there are benefits to attacking the basket first. I’ll go to my grave disagreeing with Danny [Ainge] and Brad [Stevens] about this. Obviously the coaches they hire share that philosophy. So that’s what we’ve got.“

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