Celtics loss to Cavs highlights need for late-game improvement NBC Sports Boston [Video]

Nineteen.

Jayson Tatum dribbled the ball 19 times before hoisting the final shot in Cleveland on Tuesday night, a back-rim miss on a contested fadeaway as the Celtics fumbled away a 22-point fourth-quarter lead and watched their 11-game winning streak end against the undermanned Cavaliers.

The Celtics had 19.1 seconds to generate a quality look, chase a second-chance opportunity, and/or foul to extend the game. Instead, Tatum dribbled the ball 19 times while Joe Mazzulla’s overdue request for a timeout went unnoticed, and the Celtics suffered a loss for the first time in over a month.

Let’s get a few disclaimers out of the way here before we (mildly) vent:

1. The Celtics had a horrendous fourth quarter that featured plenty of missteps, which only served as the lukewarm appetizer for the overcooked final possession. The Celtics never should have been in a spot where Tatum even had the chance to dribble out the final 19.1 seconds and …