The Boston Celtics took down the Golden State Warriors on Monday night, earning a dominant 125-85 victory at Chase Center. For the past few weeks, the Celtics have been struggling to live up to the lofty standards the fanbase has for them. Prior to their win in San Francisco, they were 8-8 in their last 16 games.
On the other side of the coin, the Warriors’ season has been far more disappointing. Despite their recent stretch, the Celtics are still 30-13 on the season. The Warriors? Just 21-21. That puts them on the outside looking in of the Play-In Tournament. Missing the playoffs would be disastrous.
After Boston’s win over the Warriors, Stephen Curry subtly laughed at how much Celtics Nation is panicking.
Stephen Curry on Celtics fans: 'I don't know what they expected'
When asked about what it’s like defending a championship, Curry explained the difficulties, also noting that the Celtics fanbase shouldn’t be worried.
“It’s a marathon of a season, especially— You do have a championship kind of aura about you, and you can kind of carry that, but you’re getting everybody’s best shot every night,” Curry said to Noa Dalzell of SB Nation. “Teams spent all season trying to figure out how to beat you because you’re the one that was holding up the trophy. And now you’re kind of held to a championship standard, knowing that you’ve accomplished it.
“There are going to be lulls throughout the season. It kind of happens. But you try to get to the playoffs with a good identity, good momentum, good confidence, good health. And then you just roll the dice and try to run it back. I don’t know what people expected. They’re 30-13, they’re going alright.”
Steph Curry on the process of trying to defend a title:
— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) January 21, 2025
“Teams spent all summer trying to figure out how to beat you, because you're the one that was holding up the trophy.”
“I don’t know what people expected, but they’re 30-13. They’re doing alright.” pic.twitter.com/3YaOVnbsas
That last part should be the focal point for fans. “I don’t know what people expected.”
Few players in the league know more about defending a championship than Curry. He knows more about the seasons after winning a title than most, and certainly more than anyone on the current Celtics roster.
When the idea of the Boston fanbase being disappointed with the Celtics’ performance this season was brought into the equation, Curry couldn’t keep the smile off his face. It was as if he was saying, “How are people upset with how Boston is playing this year?”
There’s certainly a middle ground to be had. The Celtics haven’t been living up to their own standards for the past couple of weeks. But at the same time, overreactions have been rampant.
And Curry mocked the very idea that Celtics fans are upset right now.