In Defense of Leaving Early When Your Team Has Already Lost
The Boston Celtics are having a bit of a problem with Game 2s this postseason. It wasn’t too long ago that they allowed the Miami Heat to waltz into TD Garden and push them around to even a first-round series at a game apiece. This caused all kinds of handwringing and overreaction before Joe Mazzulla’s group snapped back into In order to earn a date with the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference semifinals, the team completely and promptly eradicated all remaining vestiges of Heat culture.
Thus, it must seem somewhat familiar to Celtics supporters to witness their team stumble once more in place of building on their victory in Game 1. It’s understandable if people are a little anxious about the long-term implications of Kristaps Porzingis’s departure after the Cavaliers destroyed their parquet floor on Thursday night, winning 118-94. More than that, it’s simple to understand their choice to leave the game early as a group because the result was known long before the final whistle.
Just so we’re all working with the same set of facts: the Celtics were trailing by 24 points with less than five minutes to play and Mazzulla had just waved the white flag in the form of emptying his bench. At that point there was probably some minuscule chance that Boston would author a comeback but not even Fields Medal-winning professor Gerald Lambeau could solve for X. So the people who paid their hard-earned money to see their Favorite team trashed everything, destroyed the atmosphere, gathered their belongings, and left for the parking lots or public transportation.
it is ok. Well, they ought should.whatever the opinions of the NBA community that mocked them may be. Look, it’s not very good optically. However, give it serious thought: Is there anyone in your life who has ever discussed optics? Are you fond of that individual? Do they utter things like “bad look” and your ears start to close and your eyes glaze over?
It’s true that some Boston fans chastised Miami supporters for acting hypocritically a while back, such as showing up late and departing early. However, making fun of someone who is grieving and aware that it’s over for admitting defeat is trading on this idea that someone else has to sit and stew in a place they don’t need to exist. It took me decades of being a fan before I realized there was no reward for hanging around in the stands or watching the game after my team was already certain of defeat. You just sit there, pouting, hoping for an 11-0 run that “would make things interesting” down the stretch, or a score that reduces the lead to 25 points, feeling fairly pitiful and prolonging the inevitable.
After a tough night at the old sports casino, it’s quite acceptable to head straight to the car. Some would contend that it’s the exclusive means of exerting agency. Who wouldn’t take the exit door if you were in hell and it existed for whatever reason?
