Choke Jobs and Squandered Opportunities: The Boston Bruins and Celtics' Playoff Woes

Welcome to Missing the Point, the podcast where we dive into the latest sports headlines and dig deeper into the stories that matter. This week, your hosts Michael Marcangelo, Bob Kelly, and Rayshawn Buchanan are breaking down the Boston Bruins' shocking elimination from the Stanley Cup playoffs in the first round, as well as the Boston Celtics' disappointing loss in game one of the Eastern Conference semifinals to the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Bruins had a historic regular season, winning a record-breaking 65 games and scoring 135 points, but it all came crashing down when they lost three straight games to the Florida Panthers at home. We discuss whether this ranks as one of the most giant choke jobs in Boston sports history, alongside the infamous 2007 Patriots and 1986 Red Sox.

We also take a look at the Bruins' history of losing in critical situations, including their defeat in game seven of the 2019 Stanley Cup finals and their loss to the Blackhawks in 2013. We'll also examine the team's future, including the potential retirements of players like Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and David Krejci.

Moving on to the Celtics, we analyze their lackluster performance in game one against the Joel Embiid-less 76ers. Despite shooting lights out on offense, hitting 58.7% of their shots, the Celtics played little-to-no defense and made no adjustments as James Harden heated up. The result? An inexcusable 119-115 loss and a squandered opportunity to set the tone for the series.

We'll hear from the players themselves on what went wrong and what they need to do to turn things around. But enough talk - it's time for action. Harden turned back the clock with a phenomenal 45-point performance, including the game-winning triple over Al Horford with 8.1 seconds left.

We'll break down the game's pivotal moments and what the Celtics need to do differently in game two to come out on top. Tune in to Missing the Point for all the analysis, insight, and opinions you need on the latest sports news.

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TIMESTAMPS

00:06 The Collapse of the Boston Bruins and Celtics

03:03 Bruins' Gut-Wrenching Loss to Flyers:

04:53 Analysis of the Boston Bruins' Playoff Performance

07:45 Analysis of the Boston Bruins 2022-2023 Season:

09:40 Boston Bruins' Game Six Loss in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs

13:42 Jim Montgomery's Coaching Decisions in Bruins' 2023 Playoff Series Loss to Panthers

15:48 Boston Bruins' Neutral Zone Turnovers in Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Playoffs

18:17 Boston Bruins' Playoff Struggles and Bruce Cassidy's Firing

20:25 Boston Bruins' Decision to Fire Coach Bruce Cassidy

27:01 Examining the Bruins' Core and Its Big-Moment Failures

28:28 Reflecting on the Boston Bruins' Unbelievable Run: 2010-2023

32:40 Time to Blow it Up and Rebuild for the Future?

38:50 Celtics Playoff Round Two: James Harden Goes Off for 45 Points

41:00 Joe Mazzulla's Struggles and Al Horford's Frustration

42:23 Boston Celtics' Loss to Philadelphia 76ers

47:28 Poor Offensive Performance in Recent Basketball Game

49:34 Boston Celtics' Struggles in the Playoffs

55:13 Boston Celtics' Lack of Defensive Identity and Accountability

59:10 Boston Celtics Championship Chances

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Hosts: Michael Marcangelo, Rayshawn Buchanan, Bob Kelly

Producers: Craig D'Alessandro

Inquiries: [e-mail]

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