The Boston Celtics are fresh off a loss they won’t forget any time soon.
Not only did they drop the ball vs. an undermanned Oklahoma City Thunder team.
Not only did they allow that undermanned team to put up 150 points in regulation against them.
But on top of that, they were ran off the court due to their lack of effort and intensity.
That was personified by Marcus Smart, who was tossed after throwing a tantrum and jawing at the officials, with coach Joe Mazzulla having to hold him back.
Marcus Smart ejected vs. OKC: Here's a look at what happened #BOSvsOKC pic.twitter.com/ZcTaC71bde
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) January 4, 2023
Needless to say, Mazzulla was far from satisfied with his team’s effort.
“May not be the most popular thing to say, but you gotta go through some s*** if you want to get to where you want to get to, whether it’s good or bad, and that’s just how it is. And so we have to go through it and we’ll be judged by how we handle it,” the coach said. “[I] said the same thing [to the team], I said after the Phoenix game. Whether you win or lose, it’s a level of humility you have to have in the NBA because those things happen. And effort and getting outplayed is unacceptable.”
Malcolm Brogdon and Jaylen Brown admitted they looked past the Thunder and had what they deserved for not taking them seriously.
As for Smart, he didn’t address the media after the ejection, but you better believe he’s not happy with his team’s tendency to just go through the motions.
NEXT: Jaylen Brown Has Honest Admission About Celtics Loss