The Boston Celtics entered the playoffs as the heavy favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference, riding high after a 56-win regular season. But in a stunning collapse, they blew a 3-1 series lead against the Philadelphia 76ers, marking their first playoff loss to Philly in 44 years. For a team with championship aspirations, this first-round exit is nothing short of devastating.

So, what went wrong? Let's break it down.

First, the Celtics ran into a 76ers team that got healthy at exactly the right time. Philadelphia seemed to peak when it mattered most, and Boston simply couldn't match their momentum. But the real story lies in the Celtics' own failures, particularly from beyond the arc.

Boston ranked eighth in the NBA this season in three-point shooting at 36.7 percent. But when the lights were brightest, the shots just wouldn't fall. Over the first six games, they shot a passable 35 percent from deep, but the losses told a different story. In Game 2, they went 13-of-50 from three. In Game 5, it was 11-of-39. Game 6 saw them hit just 12-of-41. And in the decisive Game 7, they managed only 13-of-47, including six straight misses in crunch time.

That kind of shooting slump is a death sentence for any team, especially one that relies so heavily on the three-ball. While other playoff teams have found ways to win even on off nights, the Celtics couldn't adapt. They lacked the inside game or the mid-range consistency to compensate, and it left them one win short of advancing.

Derrick White's struggles were a major factor. The hero of Boston's 2024 title run, White started the series a miserable 5-of-25 from deep. Though he caught fire briefly in Game 7, he went cold again down the stretch. For a team that needed every bucket, White's inconsistency was a dagger.

In the end, the Celtics' collapse is a cautionary tale about the dangers of relying too heavily on one style of play. In the playoffs, you need to find a way to win even when your best weapon isn't working. Boston couldn't do that, and now they're left wondering what might have been.