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.

With the Celtics trailing, 94-91, with 1:43 left, Bradley missed another 3. And finally, with the Celtics trailing by the same 3-point margin, Jared Sullinger’s 3-point attempt hit nothing but the backboard with 1:08 left. Boston returned to its 3-point chucking ways when it wasn’t necessary and missed an opportunity for a strong road win against a playoff-contending team.

The Celtics were 7 for 29 from 3-point land and 29 for 57 on 2-point shots. They didn’t take enough 2-point shots.

“I thought the one time we got a great look and it was an extra pass to Avery in the corner and it was a great look,” Stevens said of Bradley’s first 3-point miss in the sequence. “The other time it was OK. Hey, both teams were really tuned in at that point, defensively. Their length and athleticism gave us problems. We tried to post [Sullinger] and we tried to get him down there as much as possible and Giannis [Antetokounmpo] did a good job guarding the actions to get him there.

“They could turn it up a notch with their length and athleticism at the end. They did a good job.”

Boston Globe – Celtics relying on 3-pointer to a fault

It’s hard to entirely blame the late game struggle on an infatuation for the three-pointer/home run swing. As Brad Stevens said, the corner three for AB was a good look; the problem was that Bradley had only made 4 of his 14 shots prior, and wasn’t feeling it. The Sullinger three was a decent look as well, but it was way off the mark. It just seemed like both teams were at a point in the game where the first decent shot was being taken, since both defenses were so locked in. On top of that, this roster doesn’t really lend itself to penetration when an opposing defense is tuned in. Marcus Smart took the ball to the hoop a few times, but my gut says he’s uncomfortable doing that down by three with the game on the line. Turner tried a few times, but Giannis’ length was just too much to get a shot up.

Tommy Heinsohn basically predicted the outcome before last night’s game — he said that the team wouldn’t be able to win with reliance on the three on the road, since the hoop tends to shrink in those situations. Maybe that wasn’t true for Pierce or Ray Allen, but it probably does have an effect for the younger guys. For now, it’s often the best option given a lack of penetrators or a dominant center.

Page 2: Speaking of three point shooting…

The league’s player tracking data hammers home just how well Thornton understands his role at this stage of his career. Of the 111 3-pointers he had put up entering Saturday’s game, only one had been against what the league defines as “very tight” defense (a defender within 2 feet). Thornton only fires away with space and his 3-point percentage escalates the more open teams leave him, climbing from 35.9 percent with 2-4 feet of space, to 42.6 percent at 4-6 feet, and 45.8 percent with more than 6 feet to operate.

Thornton thrives in catch and shoot beyond the arc (41.3 percent), but has also been efficient off the dribble (34.5 percent). On Saturday, he also had some success inside the arc while driving hard at the basket.

ESPN Boston – Thornton’s impact is hard to ignore

Thornton has been on fire the past few games.

In the wake of the Rondo and Green trades, it seemed like the season would certainly trend towards player development and subsequent losses. That’s mainly why I was upset to see Thornton consistently get minutes over James Young after Thornton returned from an injury in January. Now, we understand Stevens and the team have their eyes set on the 8th seed. Maybe management doesn’t want playoffs, and would like to move Thornton and Bass, but given the recent solidity from both of these guys, is it best to ship them away?

People often point to Philly and say that the losing culture they’ve built is too harmful to young players. As far as our own rebuild is concerned, where is the harm in keeping these guys? We’ve seen Young and Thornton share the court together, and it’s actually been very effective. If keeping Thornton and Bass means we finish 9th or 10th we’ll be stuck with a draft pick in that range, and that’s the only downside. The reality to me, is that outside of the 5th pick, there isn’t much of a clear talent ranking in the following picks. Wings like Justise Winslow and Kelly Oubre should be available, as well as rim protectors like Willie Cauley-Stein or possibly Myles Turner. If someone told me the Celtics would miss the playoffs by a game or two and still end up with a top-rated rim protector in the draft, I’d call the season a success. Even if the Celtics do make the playoffs, Danny is primed to package future picks to move up if there’s a guy he wants.

The rest of the links:

ESPN –  Dean Smith dies at age 83

SactownRoyalty – The delays in hiring George Karl becoming clear

Masslive – Brandon Knight’s big make, Jae Crowder’s big miss, and a series of empty possessions to regret