When there’s a winner there’s a loser. Sometimes a player can do everything in their power to win a game and still lose. Just as often, a player’s performance can cost their team the game. These players are favorably called bobbleheads.
Boston Celtics
Blowing a 3-1 series lead is a rare and embarrassing feat. It has not happened in any major sport since 2023, and not in the NBA since 2020, until it happened twice in 2026. The Orlando Magic blew a lead to the Detroit Pistons, and much more shockingly, the Boston Celtics saw their series lead evaporate against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Boston came into the first round of the playoffs as the two seed in the Eastern Conference, facing a team and franchise famous for perennially choking in April and May.
The three games after the Celtics took a 3-1 brought great joy to fans of any of the other 29 teams. The Celtics decided they simply could not trust their all-star center, Nikola Vučević, to guard 76ers' center Joel Embiid in the biggest moments, which meant Luke Garza was in the Celtics starting lineup for game 7. This didn't change much though, as Embiid still had a good night, giving Philadelphia 34 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists to close out the series and complete the comeback.
The offensive side of the ball was not any better for Boston, who shot under 30% from the 3-point line, culminating in them going 13/49 from beyond the arc in a 9-point game 7 loss.
Cincinnati Reds: The bullpen
It has been a long time since the Cincinnati Reds last won the World Series in 1990. Since then, they have not seen much success at all — their only postseason series win came in 1995. That 30-year drought marks the MLB’s longest.
However, it was only in 2023 that the Reds had an all-star closer in Alexis Diaz. Since that campaign, he has fallen off and floated around different teams and the Reds’ bullpen has not found much success either.
This was especially apparent in the Reds’ recent series in Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs, which saw them get swept in a series where the first three games all ended in walk-off fashion.
In all three games, Cincinnati's bullpen surrendered a late lead in increasingly dramatic style. This was the first time a team was walked off 3 days in a row since 2019, but the Reds would not have to worry about making history as game 4 became a bullpen game after starting pitcher Rhett Lowder got injured early, and the Cubs routed the Reds bullpen to complete the 4-game sweep.
Los Angeles Lakers: Austin Reaves
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This series isn't over yet, but game one was not encouraging for anyone on the Lakers, especially guard Austin Reaves who needs to pick up the slack in the absence of Luka Dončić.
Reaves went just 3/16 from the field and 0/5 from the three-point line. This 18.8% performance was historically bad, as it was the worst shooting performance from a Laker in the postseason in 35 years.
This is unfortunate for Reaves and the Lakers, as he is eligible for a max contract this summer, but he won't get it if he plays like this when the lights are brightest.
Marley Herndon is a beat reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on X @Dailylob
