Remember Ime Udoka after the loss to the Bucks in game 5 of that series? He was upbeat and confident and talking about the opportunity to come back and win it.
Not so last night.
https://www.bostonsportsjournal.com/2022/06/14/karalis-ime-udokas-frustration-shows-as-his-green-celtics-struggle-under-the-finals-spotlight
Unlike Milwaukee, Ime is at a loss this time.
Ime had his own problems in this game. He called Boston's second timeout with 2 minutes and change left in the second quarter and did not call Boston's third until Golden State had taken full command of the game with 9:30 left in the 4th.
The Celtics high water mark was 66-61 with 3:55 to go in the third after a well-executed Grant 3-point play. After that it was 71-67 with 1:38 to go after Smart was fouled and hit 1 of 2. By the end of the quarter it was GS by a point, 75-74. Even before Poole's long bank shot at the end, GS fueled its comeback by a stretch where they shot 3-4 from three. At no point during GS 14-8 run to close the quarter (or even the 8-3 run in the final 1:38) did Ime call a time out. Then Golden State opens the 4th with an 7-0 run and only then does Ime call time. Over the next 5 minutes GS outscores the Celtics 9-5 and Ime calls his 4th time out with 4:40 left, down by 12. He loses one at the 3 minutes mark and then calls his next one with 1:19 left to wave the white flag.
Ime stood there for 6 minutes watchng his team lose control of the game and chose not to intervene. He wasn't trying to save timeouts for use later - he only called 4 while the game was at least somewhat competive. He could have been more aggressive in time out calling earlier in the game, too. Called only 2 in the whole first half - which the Celtics played terribly in.
Weird.