It truly isn’t hyperbole to call last night’s loss to the injured and ailing Oklahoma City Thunder the worst of the season for the Boston Celtics.
The narrative is a rough one. Coming off of 14-straight losses, OKC was able to knock off a Cs squad that was down several players but still should have had enough talent to win at home.
Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, Evan Fournier, Tristan Thompson, and Semi Ojelye is a lineup that fans from a season ago would think would be formidable enough to survive the losses of Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum, and Robert Williams against a Thunder team with several unsigned midseason acquisitions auditioning for a long-term role on a team that has traded anyone considered a win-now veteran at a rapid rate in recent years.
Luguentz Dort and Darius Bazley hung 45 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists on the Cs last night. I could go on.
But let’s see what a Boston beat reporter has to say about it:
No more debating worst loss of season for Celtics
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) April 28, 2021
That just about seals it. Last night was the fattest L the TD Garden has seen since Snoop Dogg was in attendance in January 2020 at Lakers-Cs before the world stood still last March.
Given Kendrick Perkins’ similar sour taste from last night’s stinker, it isn’t a shock to see a local analyst agree. Robb possesses up close and personal access to the Boston Celtics, and has witnessed a team that has lost its spark from just a season ago.
The personnel has shifted plenty, but the team just doesn’t have the same intensity, possibly due to tired legs from a shortened postseason while definitely being due to COVID-19-related absences disrupting chemistry and momentum.
No matter what is plaguing this team, they have little time to sulk with the Charlotte Hornets in town tonight.