HR 3 - Celtics post mortem continues

The WEEI Afternoons podcast delivers a scathing post-mortem of the Boston Celtics' historic collapse in the first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs, where they squandered a 3-1 series lead to the Philadelphia 76ers. Hosts Rich Shurtin' Lee, Ken Laird, and Ted Johnson lead a fiery discussion with former Celtics player Brian Scalabrini and viral rant from Kendrick Perkins, who lambasts the team for lack of urgency, poor in-game adjustments, and failure to protect home court. The episode captures a rare moment of collective fan and media outrage, with guests emphasizing that the team’s identity vanished in the playoffs despite a strong regular season. Perkins’ raw, profanity-laden critique—calling out the Celtics for refusing to adapt, shooting too many threes, and allowing the 76ers to dominate their home arena—epitomizes the frustration. Scalabrini adds nuance, defending Joe Mazzulla’s bench decisions while acknowledging the team’s failure to maintain their margin-based identity under pressure. The conversation also touches on Jason Tatum’s absence in Game 7, the controversial postgame camaraderie between Tatum and Joel Embiid, and the broader cultural shift in the NBA where players are friends off the court but still compete fiercely. The hosts conclude that this collapse may finally force the Celtics to make wholesale changes, marking a turning point for a franchise long accustomed to forgiveness.