The Celtics led by three points yesterday when Giannis Antetokounmpo inbounded to Khris Middleton 35 feet away from the basket with five-tenths of a second left in regulation.
Middleton’s smooth, easy release found net at the buzzer, and the Celtics collectively groaned. Overtime? Overtime despite Terry Rozier’s apparent game-winning 3 a half-second earlier? After he baked Eric Bledsoe with a crossover before draining it?
“I think everybody probably thought the game was over with 0.5 left,” said Marcus Morris. “We guarded the 3-point line, he got a long 3 and made it. Like I said, it’s the playoffs.