"The Celtics were a combination of unlucky and inattentive in the final minutes, which is not a good combination for a team that can no longer get by on talent alone. First, some unlucky: With 2:20 remaining, Sixers rookie V.J. Edgecombe fired up a 3-pointer that bounded high off the back rim and seemed to scrape the rafters before falling back through, which gave Philadelphia a crucial two-possession advantage at 100-96."
"Then with the game even in the closing seconds, Justin Edwards missed a go-ahead jumper (more on why in a minute), and the Celtics might have had an opportunity to win the game with just under 10 seconds remaining if Jaylen Brown hadn't missed a box out on Kelly Oubre, who laid the put-back up and in. That left the Celtics with 8.7 seconds and a two-point deficit."
"The Celtics got further unlucky on the final play, and once again Celtics fans might be looking to the Last Two Minute report for cold comfort tomorrow around 5 p.m.: After Derrick White inbounded to Brown, Brown dished back to him for a 1-on-1 advantage against Andre Drummond. Drummond poked the ball free, but he appeared to make a lot of contact with White's arm as he did so. White's heave found the hands of Neemias Queta, who rushed his put-back attempt a bit and couldn't send the game to overtime."
The Celtics fell 102-100 to the 76ers in a chaotic finish highlighted by late-game miscues and unlucky bounces. Jaylen Brown led Boston with 24 points but missed a crucial box out that allowed Kelly Oubre to convert a put-back. Earlier, V.J. Edgecombe hit a high-arcing three that scraped the rim and restored a two-possession lead. On the final possession Andre Drummond poked the ball free while appearing to make contact with Derrick White, and Neemias Queta rushed a put-back that missed. Jordan Walsh delivered nearly 30 productive minutes off the bench, and attention to details remained a central coaching emphasis.
Read at Boston.com
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