Udoka: Celtics lack mental toughness after blown lead vs. Knicks

Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka didn't hold back when discussing his team's second-half collapse on Thursday to the New York Knicks.

After the Celtics blew a 25-point lead to lose a heartbreaking 108-105 contest on RJ Barrett's buzzer-beating 3-pointer, the first-year head coach told reporters his team lacked mental toughness, according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps.

"We need some leadership. Somebody that can calm us down and not get rattled when everything starts to go a little south," said Udoka, according to Forbes' Chris Grenham.

The failure to execute in late-game situations has been a trend this season for Boston, as the team fell to 2-11 in games decided by five points or fewer.

The Celtics mustered just 42 second-half points, with half of those coming from star forward Jayson Tatum. Guard Marcus Smart was the only other Celtic to put up more than four points in the second stanza.

Beyond the result on the court, the defeat also saw the Knicks jump the Celtics for 10th place in the Eastern Conference, pushing Boston out of the current play-in picture.

The 18-21 Celtics will have a couple of days to bounce back before once against squaring off against New York on Saturday night.