Your Morning Dump… Where it’s the NBA, and a big early lead means nothing

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big story line. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

We have seen many things out of this Boston Celtics team this season.

A fourth quarter implosion was not one of them – until Wednesday night.

Boston blew a dominant performance only to have a chance to steal the game back in the closing seconds.

But a last-second turnover (they had 14 on the night) by Isaiah Thomas would be the final miscue that ultimately sealed the Celtics fate as their three-game winning streak came to an end following a 106-102 loss to the Mavericks.

CSNNE – Celtics implode in 4th quarter, fall short in 106-102 loss

Make no mistake: Boston did not lose Wednesday’s game in the final seconds. As coach Brad Stevens noted afterward, “That was certainly a play that Isaiah would like to have back, but that wasn’t what lost us the game. I thought that we had too many spurts of not-urgent-enough play and that probably hurt us more.”

ESPN Boston – Celtics must relearn how to win close games

Nothing worse as a basketball fan then watching your team dominate the first quarter then watching them slowly give it away for the last 3

— Jack Bardsley (@BostonsBigFour) November 19, 2015

After enjoying three straight wins by wide margins against quality opponents, Boston fans were pumped up for last night’s visit to the Garden by the Dallas Mavs. Dirk Nowitzki and his guys came in with a 7-4 record, but the Cs were 6-4 and in first place in their division for the first time in a couple years. Many fans, myself included, felt the Celtics would meet the challenge and extend the winning streak.

Sure enough, the Celtics were on fire early, led by 18 points after just eight-plus minutes, and finished the first quarter ahead 31-16. Fans were celebrating in the Garden and on Twitter. Except the NBA plays a 48-minute game. A big early lead really means nothing.

For the next two quarters, Dallas was able to creep back into it. They shot 27-52 in the second and third quarters combined, while getting every call from the refs (you know it’s true when not just Tommy but Mike Gorman complains about the refs).

The Celts recovered to lead by 10 early in the fourth, but then gave it away again. The Mavs took their first lead of the night with four minutes left, then held on. Boston missed some makeable shots, fell asleep on defensive rotations, and gave up two killer three-pointers after failing to rebound Dallas misses. Even Isaiah Thomas – who has come through for them so often – hurt the cause twice in the final minute by trying to play hero ball.

“The (18-point lead) was so early,” Brad said in the post-game. “It’s so hard to rest on the laurels of a lead in this league.”

Isaiah added: “I know one thing, we just took our foot off the pedal. That whole second half was different from the first half.”

Both reactions are so true. The natural thought in the case of this Celtics squad is that they’re young and still figuring out how to play together, how to win. That may be, but blowing big leads happens to every single NBA team during the long, 82-game season. Every one.

Now let’s hope some lessons were learned, because a huge home-and-home set is coming up with the Brooklyn We-Have-Their-First-Round-Draft-Picks. It’ll be a good early test to see if the Celtics can beat the teams they are supposed to beat.

On Page 2: The ‘Crowder-for-Powell’ trade

It would be inappropriate to suggest the Celtics owe their emerging identity to one man. They are tough because they feature a load of tough players who all buy into Stevens’ message. They have a great defense because they unleash a number of plus defenders within a system that fits. They share the ball because they acquired good passers and a coach who emphasizes unselfishness at every chance. But even with those admissions, the Celtics are a lot like Crowder: young, rugged and unwilling to submit to limitations or more talented opponents. […]
“Sh– happens, right?” team owner Mark Cuban said Thursday. “There’s a lot of risks I’ve taken that have worked out just fine. They’re not all gonna work. I think when it’s all said and done, that Crowder-for-Powell trade will be a break even.”

MassLive — Jae Crowder has already made the Rajon Rondo trade a success

Cuban was trying to be funny, and he was correct as far as his Dallas team is concerned. All they have left from that lopsided deal is Dwight Powell, who wasn’t even getting playing time for the Celtics when they were near the bottom. But Cuban won’t be laughing if the Cs end up with his 2016 first-round draft pick, which was part of that trade and is only protected for the top seven.

Rondo was a polarizing player here, no doubt. I was always a big Rondo fan and didn’t want him traded, but it truly was the correct move by Danny Ainge. All the drama surrounding Rondo disappeared from Boston; the Celtics gained a team leader and building block in Crowder; and another lottery pick may materialize. Dallas also screwed their own playoff chances last season by bungling their relationship with Rondo. This season, the triple-double machine is playing well again, and it’s not for Cuban’s team.

Hmm, I don’t feel so bad about last night’s loss now.

And, finally: The Rockets quit on a guy who played with a broken foot
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Celtics fans were upset about Kevin McHale’s firing yesterday because he was one of the greatest to ever wear green, and we’re loyal. We remember episodes such as when Larry Bird called out his teammates after a blowout loss in the ’84 finals, and in the next game McHale boldly clotheslined Kurt Rambis to turn the series around.

When Dwight Howard signed in Houston, he said he expected McHale would “…really help me grow as a player – help me as a post player and help my overall game.” Yet, when McHale challenged Howard and this Rockets team to play harder, they turned their backs.

It’s a rotten outcome for Kevin, obviously, but it’s also incredibly ironic. As a player, McHale was so competitive, so driven, that he played the 1987 playoffs with a broken right foot. He stayed on the court against medical advice because he knew the Celtics had a strong chance to win the title – but only if he was in the lineup.

That year the Celts survived two grueling seven-game series in the East and went all the way to Game 6 of the Finals before being eliminated. McHale appeared in 21 playoff games, averaging 39.4 minutes, 21.1 points and 9.2 rebounds, while shooting .584 from the field.

To recap: He played at an all-star level, against the best competition in the world, nearly 40 minutes a game, with a broken foot!

Today, at age 57, McHale walks with a noticeable limp, the result of injuries suffered through his career – especially the broken foot. That’s how committed he was to his teammates and coaches. And now he’s out of a job because his selfish players have no heart, no character.

While Kevin’s firing is unjust, the silver lining is: he still gets paid, and no longer has to coach those chumps.

Carlisle loves McHale: “He walks with a limp because of the sacrifices he made to be one of the greatest champions in history.”

— Jay King (@ByJayKing) November 18, 2015