Even In Defeat, The Boston Celtics Strike Fear Throughout The NBA

The Boston Celtics dropped a pair of high-profile games this week. Their fans should be stoked.

Okay, so losing sucks; but the ways in which the NBA’s most winningest franchise fell to the top two teams in the Western Conference should provide plenty of hope going forward. Especially for a team with championship-or-bust expectations.

Let’s break it down. On Tuesday night, in what was Jayson Tatum’s third game back since returning from a ruptured Achillies suffered during last year’s playoffs, the Celtics took on a surging San Antonio Spurs squad led by MVP candidate Victor Wembanyama.

Celtics Test Spurs Despite Brown Ejection

The high-profile matchup warranted the game be nationally televised, and the action didn’t disappoint. The teams traded buckets — and blocks — for much of the first half, resulting in a 58-all draw by halftime.

The Celtics went on to lose the game, played on San Antonio’s home court, by nine points. But they did so with their own MVP candidate, five-time All-Star Jaylen Brown, having played a little more than one and a half quarters. That’s because Brown was shockingly run from the game after receiving a pair of controversial technical fouls while arguing a clear none call midway through the second quarter.

‘My Night Got Ended Short’

“Obviously, I was pissed that I didn’t get to compete in that game,” Brown told reporters following the game. “That was another big-time matchup that I had circled on my calendar. Obviously, playing against the Spurs, (they’re) a good team, and I came out to a great start. Felt great. I felt like I was ready to have a big-time performance. And you know, my night got ended short.”

Brown finished with eight points and seven assists in a mere 15 minutes of action, with Coach Joe Mazzulla’s team relaying on its depth — and recently cleared other superstar — to keep things competitive. And that they did as Derrick White’s 34 points and Tatum’s 24 points kept the visiting team in it until the game’s waning moments.

Without Tatum, Celtics Hang Tight With NBA’s Best

Now fast-forward to Thursday night. This time the Celtics were up against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder and MVP frontrunner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Like their previous contest, the Celtics were once again shorthanded — though thankfully not at the result of a controversial call — as Tatum was given night off in management of his comeback from injury. Without Boston’s All-NBA superstar and White in the lineup, Vegas listed the Thunder as 8.5-point favorites, and like so many times before, the Celtics defied the odds.

Motivated Brown Shines In ‘Big-Time Matchup’

This time it was Brown, perhaps motivated by his early exit against the Spurs, who led the Celtics with a team-high 34 points, seven assists, and six rebounds. The game, despite Vegas’s prediction, was tight throughout, with the Thunder securing the two-point victory with just .08 seconds remaining.

“Big-time matchup,” Brown told reporters following the game. “We’ve just got some young wolves, man. We play inspired basketball. Come out every night and we compete regardless of who’s on the floor. We’re not afraid of nobody. And we play together and play as a team. I’m proud of my group. I’m proud of our approach to every game. And we came out on the road, and we put their name to the test.”

End Of My Celtics Rant

Nobody likes to lose, especially this iteration of the Boston Celtics. That being said, Mazzulla’s team had every reason in the world — in both contests — to cut their losses, conserve energy, and live to play another day.

To get to where this team wants to be, however, hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy at the conclusion of the NBA Finals, that mindset can’t set in. And it didn’t.

Fans of the Celtics should be thrilled with the way their team played in defeat, and there’s no doubt the opposition has taken notice.