The last time the Boston Celtics lost three games in a row was in 2023. Following a grueling seven-game series against the Philadelphia 76ers, they entered a series against the Miami Heat, who they had beaten in the same spot a year prior. But Boston got jumped. The Heat won the first three games of the Eastern Conference finals and, despite a valiant comeback effort, won Game 7 as well.
It’s been 587 days since the Miami Massacre in Game 3. But that streak was on the line Friday night, and a loss may have sent the most unstable fans into a complete panic.
Monday saw the Jayson Tatum-less Celtics squad blow a 15-point lead to an Orlando Magic team that was missing Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, among others. Then, on Christmas Day, Boston allowed the Philadelphia 76ers to beat them on their own floor—a result Jaylen Brown knew they needed to atone for.
“Obviously, playing on Christmas Day is a privilege, and we kind of let our fans down on our home court,” Brown said. “And we appreciate everybody for taking the time out of their day to watch us, and we didn't put our best foot forward. So, I think we wanted to come out and respond today.”
And respond he did.
Celtics were extra motivated to beat Pacers, but not out of frustration
Brown answered the call for holiday amends in the best way he knew how—by utterly dismantling the Indiana Pacers.
The reigning Finals MVP started the game a perfect 9-of-9 from the floor, including a series of ferocious slams that sent TD Garden into a frenzy. As Rick Carlisle burned through timeouts, Brown burned through nylon, giving the Pacers no room to breathe.
By the time Brown missed his first shot of the night with 5:21 to go in the second quarter, Indiana finally got a chance to catch their breath. But at that point, they were already staring down an 18-point deficit.
As a product of their dominance, losing has become a rarity for this Celtics group. One that gets picked apart and analyzed by media and fans alike. But for as much as fans hate to see Boston lose, the players hate it more.
“I think the mentality is always to win every game, obviously. Everybody in this locker room hates losing,” Jordan Walsh said via NBC Sports Boston. “Losing a game, everybody hates that feeling. Everybody wants to come back and show everybody else that, ‘Yeah, we lost this game, but watch what we do next game.’”
And when a loss hurts as much as the Celtics’ ugly defeat on Christmas, a little extra motivation tends to seep in.
“Yeah, for sure,” Walsh said. “Coming off of a loss, and one that we know we should have played harder and then won, that definitely probably added a sense of, ‘Alright, we got to completely dominate these guys and dominate this game.’ So, going in and just knowing that the perspective is a little different.”
But there’s a difference between the players and the fanbase.
For Celtics fans, living and dying by wins and losses is a way of life. Except, because Boston wins so much, their victories are expected. Often met with relief rather than bliss. The satisfaction of a win is almost quelled, in a way.
Losses are the opposite. Even the smallest, meaningless loss turns into a dramatic problem that needs solving.
While Brown, Walsh, and the rest of the Celtics may have felt a small twinge of urgency to show out after their Christmas Day shortcomings, they weren’t angry. There was no sprinkling of frustration or panic spread amongst the team.
In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Wins and losses are equal. Results don’t matter in the school of Joe Mazzulla—only process.
“I think where our guys are motivated is to just kind of stay an even keel,” Mazzulla said. “Like this doesn't really matter just as much as last game's loss doesn't matter because we have a game in whatever it is. 48 hours.
“So, can't be distracted by the result. You have to stick to the process of what you're doing well, what you're not doing well, where you can get better. And our guys do a great job of that.”
That separation of emotions is what helps the Celtics stay on track. Boston isn’t devoid of emotion. They simply know how to channel their energy into progress.
And unfortunately for Indiana, the sting of disappointing the Celtics faithful just two days prior was more than enough to fuel a monster performance on Friday night. They had no plans of losing three in a row. That streak will live to see another day.