Celtics
“I really feel just like the Celtics have give up on their coach. Let’s name it what we actually see.”
NBA Corridor of Famer Shaquille O’Neal posed a easy query earlier than TNT’s “Contained in the NBA” crew began to interrupt down the “highlights” in Boston’s blowout loss to the Warmth in Recreation 3 of the Jap Convention Finals.
“Because the Celtics give up, can we give up?” O’Neal requested.
O’Neal’s dragging of the Celtics was an indication of issues to return, as a number of former NBA gamers opined about Boston’s dreadful displaying in a essential playoff matchup on Sunday night time.
Whether or not it’s the C’s star gamers Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown failing to ship (26 complete factors) or their defensive fortitude eroding towards a Warmth group that shot 54.5% from the sector, the TNT crew had a area day choosing aside Joe Mazzulla’s squad.
“That was humiliating,” fellow Corridor of Famer Charles Barkley famous.
“We welcome you to ‘Contained in the NBA’, introduced by Kia,” host Ernie Johnson mentioned. “Although it feels much more like a ‘Forensic Recordsdata ‘episode after watching that.”
“Wait, we’ve acquired to indicate the highlights of that factor,” Barkley joked.
Barkley, who predicted that the Celtics have been going to win Recreation 3 forward of tip off, blasted Boston throughout halftime for his or her lack of effort. The Celtics trailed Miami, 61-46, on the break.
“I’m embarrassed for the Celtics,” Barkley mentioned throughout TNT’s halftime report. “That show of basketball — no psychological toughness. Complaining on each single name. They made the refs mad as a result of they complain on each single name.
“The dearth of psychological toughness is embarrassing. I’ve been lucky and blessed to play towards the Lakers and the Celtics, the 2 finest organizations in NBA historical past. That was a humiliation for the Celtics. Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Larry Hen, M.L. Carr, Kevin McHale, the most effective participant I performed towards. That was embarrassing as a Celtics fan.”
One NBA legend who battled towards Hen, McHale, and a number of the Celtics greats of yesteryear concurred with Barkley.
In my 44 years of being related to the NBA, I by no means thought I’d see a Boston Celtics group, a franchise with 17 Championships, give up,” Magic Johnson tweeted. “I do know Celtics followers all around the world should be disgusted and devastated. The Miami Warmth blew them 128-102 out in Recreation 3.”
Isaiah Thomas, who willed the Celtics to a number of fourth-quarter comebacks throughout his time in Boston, agreed that the group referred to as it quits lengthy earlier than the ultimate seconds mercifully ticked off the clock at Kaseya Middle.
“Rattling they actually tappin out! Smh,” Thomas tweeted.
On NBC Sports activities Boston’s postgame present, former Celtic Eddie Home puzzled whether or not or not the gamers on the courtroom have began to tune out Mazzulla.
“The largest takeaway is the Miami Warmth are simply extra ready,” Home mentioned. “Rattling that, let me say this: I really feel just like the Celtics have give up on their coach. Let’s name it what we actually see. I really feel that these guys on the market don’t imagine in what their coach is doing.”
Although Mazzulla assumed a lot of the blame throughout his postgame presser, each Barkley and O’Neal pressured that the gamers on Boston’s roster must even be held accountable.
“To start with, Coach, give up saying ‘me.’ Let’s say ‘we — We weren’t able to play.’ I do know he’s attempting to do the best factor, take a bullet for the group,” Barkley mentioned of Mazzulla. “However he can’t be saying ‘me.’ … That was embarrassing for the Boston Celtics, one of many biggest franchises in sports activities historical past. However he took all of the bullets. … He can’t take all of the blame for what these Celtics are doing.”
“I respect Joe Mazzulla for taking all of the blame. However I don’t need to hear that,” O’Neal added. “As a famous person, I can not go 6-for-17. Chuck, as my different famous person, he can’t go 6-for-18. Let’s simply maintain it actual — The Celtics are approach too cool for me. They’re too cool. … Jimmy [Butler] and them, they arrive out, they’re enjoying good, clear basketball. … Celtics got here out with no sense of urgency. The Warmth knew what they needed to do. And so they’re dedicated to doing it. They’ve been doing all of it yr.”
Regardless of the 0-3 gap that the Celtics discover themselves in, Warmth guard Gabe Vincent added on TNT that Boston has an excessive amount of expertise to roll over in Recreation 4.
“They’ve acquired stars. They’re not going to give up,” Vincent mentioned.
“Clearly you didn’t watch the sport tonight,” Barkley responded.
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