Celtics botch final play in Game 4 loss to 76ers

The Boston Celtics lost Game 4 of their Eastern Conference semifinals series 116-115 in overtime after botching the final play.

The 76ers had taken the lead on a 3-pointer by James Harden with 19 seconds left. That gave Boston plenty of time for their final shot attempt.

Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla declined to call a timeout and instead let his players handle the final play. Jayson Tatum got the ball but made his move to the basket too late. The lane was clogged so he passed to an open Marcus Smart, who attempted a shot just after time expired.

Marcus Smart hit a three that would’ve won the game but the buzzer had expired. What a game 😲 pic.twitter.com/uofkfyAlzI

— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) May 7, 2023

The basket did not count because Smart’s shot came after the game had ended, giving Philly a 116-115 win to tie the series at 2-2.

After having brutal Games 2 and 3 in the series where he was too passive, Harden stepped up in Game 4. He shot 16/23 for 42 points and made six 3-pointers. In addition to the winning three-pointer, Harden also made a shot to tie the game at the end of regulation.

The series now returns to Boston for Game 5 on Tuesday.