Celtics get their ‘a** kicked’ in OKC, Marcus Smart, and Doncic up next
The Boston Celtics have fell back into that lack of effort funk. In the worst defensive effort of the season, the C’s got blitzed by the young Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night, 150-117.
In losing their second consecutive game on the current four-game road trip, simply showing up is proving to be not enough for a Celtics team that can beat any team when they bring their best game. Unfortunately, they can lose any game when they don’t show the type of effort that has landed them the best record in the NBA.
Is the energy about to shift Jaylen Brown?
"“We got our ass kicked. That’s what happened,” Brown said following the embarrassing loss. “You come out, you take it for granted and that’s what happens. We probably had it coming to us. Came out the last couple of game, we pick and choose when we want to play.“We wasn’t connected, didn’t have each other’s back out there. No help side defense, we didn’t guard our yard. Those young boys over there came out and made us look bad. They embarrassed us. They kicked our ass and that’s what happened.”"
Boston Celtics not showing up against lesser teams
There is a trend with this Celtics team that showing during the first half of this NBA season. They get up for the good teams and fall to young teams like the Thunder, Orlando Magic and Indiana Pacers. Why?
Like Brown said, they aren’t taking these teams seriously. They certainly didn’t come to play against a Thunder team without their best player, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. That makes Tuesday night’s performance even more embarrassing.
As for where the Celtics effort and defense went. Well, Robert Williams III did not play in this game, but still, it just came down to effort and allowing a young team to take it to them. With teams like the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks on their tails, they can’t afford to just give these games they should win away.
Jayson Tatum, Brown, Marcus Smart and the entire team better get it together or else that early season momentum is going to look like a mirage.
Celtics guard Marcus Smart has a not so good homecoming
There may not have been effort Tuesday night in Oklahoma City, but there was some fueled emotion as Marcus Smart was called for a second technical foul on the night that led to an automatic ejection.
The technical came in the third quarter when Smart disagreed with a foul called by female referee Lauren Holtkamp. On a night in which his team was being embarrassed on the court, Smart shouted words toward Holtkamp which led the Celtics fiery guard to be thrown out of the game.
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It didn’t stop there as Smart had to be retrained as he continue to go at Holtkamp verbally. Was he going after her to confront her? On a frustrating night Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla just wanted to make sure his player didn’t get into any further trouble.
"“I wasn’t worried he was going to go after (her), I was just making sure that he didn’t,” Mazzulla said following the game. “I just wanted to protect him, that’s all. But just, whatever the case happened between him and the referee – they made the call, and I just made sure I protected him to get him out of there.”"
Now it’s time for Smart and his Celtics teammates to turn that frustration into energy on the court as they hope to salvage this four-game road trip.
Next up is Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks
If the Celtics were humiliated by a short-handed Thunder team, imagine with Luka Doncic and the Mavericks will do if the team doesn’t show up with effort.
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This is where Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown really must show their leadership in making sure their team bounce back following the embarrassing loss. With how things have been trending this season for the team, they will probably have no problem getting up for a Mavericks team slotted as one of the best teams in the Western Conference.
After losses to the Denver Nuggets and OKC, the Boston Celtics need to win this game to get back on track as suddenly their status as the top team in the East is in jeopardy.