The Boston Celtics planned to send a message to the Golden State Warriors and the rest of the NBA on Saturday night, but when the final buzzer sounded on the Celtics’ 2022 NBA Finals rematch, it was clear that the message was that the Dubs still own plenty of real estate in the minds of Boston’s players with the Warriors winning 123-107.
Regardless of assurances postgame from star forward Jayson Tatum that this was just a regular game to the Celtics, his and his teammate’s uncharacteristic play told a very different tale. Jaylen Brown, who admitted that the Warriors had gotten them out of their game, and Malcolm Brogdon looked to be the only players up to the task at Golden State, with interim coach Joe Mazzulla falling short vs. Dubs coach Steve Kerr.
Let’s take a look at what NBA and Celtics Twitter had to say about Boston’s big flop in the Bay.
Celtics Lab 158: Robert Williams III dominates the mailbag ahead of his return https://t.co/J3bNFFvQ9P
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) December 9, 2022
–oOo–
First quarter
These two teams don’t like each other very much
— Cameron Tabatabaie (@CTabatabaie) December 11, 2022
Offensive showcase, they said
— Dr. Justin Quinn (@justinquinnn) December 11, 2022
Blake with the tip in!!!!
— Brian Barrett (@itsbrianbarrett) December 11, 2022
Man I'm so in on the Marcus Smart post-ups keep them coming please
— Ethan Fuller (@ethman43) December 11, 2022
9 second-chance points in the first 7 minutes for the Warriors.
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) December 11, 2022
Celtics are pressing to start, calm down and look for better shots
— Skull Berg (@designer_smarf) December 11, 2022
Tatum is all kinds of out of sorts to start this one. Two early fouls, shoot is off and lost Curry in transition to give him a three.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) December 11, 2022
Second quarter
That felt like the worst offensive quarter for the Celtics regulars since October
— Brian Robb (@BrianTRobb) December 11, 2022
This has been an ugly start for the Celtics anyway. It would be even uglier without Malcolm Brogdon.
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) December 11, 2022
Celtics down by 10 early in the 2nd here in San Francisco…. https://t.co/X3sXJSwgEc
— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) December 11, 2022
Poole's consistently generating floaters from inside the paint out of the pick-and-roll. Not something the Celtics will want to concede all game. It'll be interesting to see if and when they raise their pick-up point.
— Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) December 11, 2022
Tatum seeing ghosts from the Finals
— Sam LaFrance (@SamLaFranceNBA) December 11, 2022
Tatum needs to have a talk with himself at halftime, then come out and drop one of his unstoppable third quarters.
— Mike Dynon ☘️🏀 (@MikeDynon) December 11, 2022
Jaylen Brown and Malcolm Brogdon are the lone #Celtics who have shown up to play so far. Still, BOS trails only 44-39 in 2Q. #Warriors
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) December 11, 2022
Their record isn’t great but still feel like the Warriors will be on a different level than any other Western Conference contender when all is said and done.
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) December 11, 2022
Blake Griffin beasted Kuminga, drew the foul, and Kuminga is the one who ended up on the floor
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) December 11, 2022
Celtics refuse to change the way they’re defending against screens
HAVE to switch. Cannot play drop defense anymore. It’s ridiculous. https://t.co/ie9F63TZjE
— Jack Simone (@JackSimoneNBA) December 11, 2022
wonder when/if c’s go small or start switching ball screens while big. klay is cooking
— Michael Pina (@MichaelVPina) December 11, 2022
i want someone to do a Kornet Kontest in front of Kornet so he cant see when someone is shooting a 3.
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) December 11, 2022
Terrific close to the half from the #Celtics. Didn’t play great overall and only trail the Warriors by five at the break. Once Jayson Tatum’s shots start falling they’ll be in good shape.
— Adam Kaufman (@AdamMKaufman) December 11, 2022
Third quarter
Tatum is thinking way too much. Trust your instincts
— Riffs Man (@Riffs_Man) December 11, 2022
Scott Foster ladies & gents
— Mike Kawano (@KawanoMike) December 11, 2022
I don't know why we review these, because there is no consistency in how these landing space flagrant fouls are called.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) December 11, 2022
Don't know why Grant didn't try something at the rim there.
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) December 11, 2022
Klay Thompson is on a MISSION right now
— Amina Smith (@aminajadeTV) December 11, 2022
The Warriors have had the Celtics on their heels all game. Golden State's free-flowing offense and Boston's bigs playing in deep drops against PnR's has the former dictating terms and processing the game faster.
— Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) December 11, 2022
#Celtics had just two turnovers in the first half. They've got four in the third quarter alone.
— Abby Chin (@tvabby) December 11, 2022
Some brutal love and trust misses in this quarter.
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) December 11, 2022
It's really feeling like a who wants it more type of matchup. Warriors near the bottom of the west, but playing like their lives depend on it. Weird because they're the defending champs and it feels like those roles should be reversed.
— Amina Smith (@aminajadeTV) December 11, 2022
Fourth quarter
Three quarters of the 2021 Celtics so far tonight. See what happens here in the 4th.
— John Zannis (@John_Zannis) December 11, 2022
Comeback plz pic.twitter.com/HAM2SMw4Hn
— Celtics Lab Podcast (@CelticsLab) December 11, 2022
Celtics missing Rob and Horford and tonight https://t.co/Wtn2Qp34TC
— Cameron Tabatabaie (@CTabatabaie) December 11, 2022
How on earth was that a legal bucket with no foul or violation lol
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) December 11, 2022
don't do that, don't give me hope
— CelticsBlog (@celticsblog) December 11, 2022
Celtics can stretch this game out if they keep getting to the line.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) December 11, 2022
Not going to go so far as to say this loss undoes all the good that came before it this season. It doesn’t. But a lot of people nationwide are going to really question what the Celtics are made of after tonight’s performance.
— John Zannis (@John_Zannis) December 11, 2022
The Warriors have been great all night long, and their tone was set from the start by the Splash Brothers. Boston just didn't have it tonight and couldn't keep up.
— Marc D'Amico (@Marc_DAmico) December 11, 2022
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