The Boston Celtics took on the New York Knicks on Sunday and there were many people who thought they’d walk away as victors.
That’s because the game was held at TD Garden, giving the Celtics a home-court advantage.
As well, the Knicks were without superstar Jalen Brunson, which only hurt their chances.
It was a long game – it went into double-overtime – and in the end, the Celtics lost, 131-129.
This marked the second consecutive loss for the Celtics and the second defeat against a New York team, as they were taken down by the Brooklyn Nets just days before.
After the game, Jayson Tatum spoke about the team’s recent little rough patch, saying, “We gotta get our groove back. I’m confident that we will.”
"We gotta get our groove back, I'm confident that we will."
Jayson Tatum on Celtics' recent struggles pic.twitter.com/v4cno0Aagj
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) March 6, 2023
Tatum was trying his hardest to earn a win for the team on Sunday, scoring 40 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists on 40% from the field.
That was met with strong work from Jaylen Brown (29 points), Al Horford (20 points and 14 rebounds), and others.
But the Celtics couldn’t slow down the Knicks, especially in overtime as Immanuel Quickley got hot and made life miserable for Boston.
Should Celtics fans be worried?
The team is still the second-best in the East with a 45-20 record, just a game-and-a-half behind the Milwaukee Bucks, whose incredible winning streak recently came to an end.
They still have what it takes to storm through the playoffs and make the Finals.
Yet, it’s not common to see the Celtics lose two games in a row, especially from teams that are lacking some of their usual power.
They will attempt to bounce back on Monday when they take on the Cleveland Cavaliers.
NEXT: Jayson Tatum Comments On The Celtics Recent Struggles