Jrue Holiday shares candid response to Clippers’ domination of Celtics as originally featured on NBC Sports Boston
Despite boasting the NBA’s premier record, the Boston Celtics’ performance on Saturday night at TD Garden failed to reflect their standing.
The Celtics endured their most devastating defeat of the season at the hands of the Los Angeles Clippers, managing a mere 36 percent shooting accuracy from the field and a dismal 25 percent from beyond the arc (10 for 40), resulting in a resounding 115-96 loss.
The disparity in performance was even more pronounced than the score suggests; Boston found themselves trailing by a staggering 36 points, with their starting lineup contributing a mere 38 points collectively in a game that was effectively over after three quarters. When queried by NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin about the team’s performance, Celtics guard Jrue Holiday minced no words.
“It was a thorough drubbing,” Holiday remarked in his postgame interview. “They outperformed us in every aspect. From rebounding to transition play, even securing loose balls — they consistently outplayed us. Undoubtedly humbling, I’d say, to return home only to suffer such a defeat.”
The lackluster showing on Saturday followed one of Boston’s most impressive offensive displays of the season, a commanding 143-110 victory over the Miami Heat on Thursday night, during which the Celtics boasted a remarkable 63.8 percent field goal accuracy and an impressive 55 percent conversion rate from beyond the arc. While the absence of big man Kristaps Porzingis due to an ankle sprain was a notable setback, the team’s failure to produce points was nonetheless unexpected, especially given their dominant record at TD Garden, where they boasted a 20-1 record prior to the game.
Holiday expressed hope that the team’s humiliating defeat at the hands of the Clippers serves as a catalyst for avoiding similar disappointments in the future, particularly following triumphant performances.
“We’re aware that it’s a grueling season,” Holiday added. We can retain the important lessons we learned from this encounter. It’ll serve as a constant reminder, especially following strong showings in preceding games.”
With the Celtics enjoying a relatively smooth season thus far, leading the Eastern Conference by a three-game margin over the Milwaukee Bucks and ranking among the league leaders in both offensive (third) and defensive (second) ratings, there has been little cause for complaint.
However, consecutive home defeats to Western Conference powerhouses in the form of the Denver Nuggets (a narrow 102-100 loss on Jan. 19) and the Clippers may serve as a much-needed wake-up call.
Despite this setback, Boston has yet to succumb to consecutive losses, indicating a resilient mindset as they prepare to face the New Orleans Pelicans at TD Garden on Monday night.