The Boston Celtics were up by 30 points and well on their way to an easy win over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night.
But they ended up walking away with a shocking 120-118 loss to the Hawks.
Following the game, Jayson Tatum opened up about the disappointing, disheartening defeat.
“We f—– the game up and we know that,” Tatum said, per NBC Sports Boston.
Instead of dwelling on the loss, Tatum said that Boston needs to “take it on the chin and get ready for Thursday.”
Jayson Tatum: "We f—– the game up & we know that… take it on the chin and get ready for Thursday" pic.twitter.com/uYgsqlokkD
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) March 26, 2024
Tatum put up MVP-caliber numbers during Monday’s game.
He scored 37 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists during the game.
Jaylen Brown was also very solid with 24 points, while Kristaps Porzingis posted 17 and Payton Pritchard scored 15 points.
All of that led to a massive advantage over the Hawks and what looked like a sure-fire win.
But the Hawks hung around and fought hard during the second half.
Tatum said that his team needs to focus on the next game and plot a victory for it.
As luck would have it, that game will also be against the Hawks in Atlanta.
This means that the Celtics will be able to get revenge or suffer another troubling loss.
Before Monday’s loss, the Celtics had won nine games in a row.
They are in the midst of a six-game road trip and will face the New Orleans Pelicans and Charlotte Hornets after Thursday’s rematch with the Hawks.
Then they have only one more road game left in the regular season, which means they can pay more attention to their postseason plans and their goal of winning their next championship.
The Celtics remain easily the best team in the NBA but now is not the time for them to make mistakes and give up easy wins.
NEXT: Joe Mazzulla Reacts To Celtics' Collapse Against Hawks