Celtics Coach Struggling To Find Answers Going Into Pivotal Game 6

The Boston Celtics were able to climb their way back into Game 5 against the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals, but things took a sharp left turn for them in the fourth quarter and then suffered a 104-94 loss.

Despite wearing a face mask during his interview with the media in the postgame presser, head coach Ime Udoka’s frustration with the Celtics was highly evident in the tone of his voice.

Udoka was asked about their slow start to the game and conceded that he simply could not explain it.

“We lacked the physicality earlier on, they took the fight to us a little bit early and we were struggling to finish in the paint. That was pretty evident early on. Poor start overall, it’s hard to explain why that is, but we got back in,” said Udoka.

From the get-go, the Warriors were firing on all cylinders as they sought to take a commanding 3-2 lead in the Finals, even going up 51-39 by the end of the second quarter.

The Celtics subverted fan expectations coming out into the third as they mounted a strong comeback to outscore the Warriors, 35-24, which allowed them to have a brief taste of a lead.

However, Andrew Wiggins' 26-point, 13-rebound outing shot down any hope of the Celtics winning Game 5.

Their vaunted three-point shooting touch haunted them in Game 5 as they missed their first five attempts from beyond the arc and ended the night with just 11-of-32 makes.

Jayson Tatum himself had about four gnarly airballs that drew cheers and jeers from the crowd at the Chase Center as the Celtics were left floundering about for answers in the fourth.

Joining Tatum was Warriors star Stephen Curry who failed to convert a three-point shot out of nine attempts for the first time in how many years.

Asked about whether it was a missed opportunity for the Celtics to capitalize on Curry’s bad shooting night, Udoka had this to say.

“We had a better job on him, got a little more physical there, switched up the coverage a little bit. But [Curry] passed it on to the others and any time you got Wiggins with 26, [Klay] Thompson with 21, [Gary] Payton [II] and [Jordan] Poole with 15 and 14 off the bench,” he initially mentioned.

“They’re making up for some of the things he was doing. Overall, solid job on him, but I don’t know if it was our defense as much as offensive struggles.”

As the series shifts back to the hallowed halls of the TD Garden in Boston for Game 6, the Celtics face a do-or-die scenario from here on out and Udoka will need to find the answers quickly.