The Boston Celtics lost to the tanking Oklahoma City Thunder, and NBA Twitter let them have it.
The Boston Celtics have had some head-scratching losses this year, but Tuesday’s defeat might be their most confounding and inexcusable one yet.
In a 119-115 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Celtics gave up a very winnable contest at home against an OKC squad that’s actively trying to lose games … and was doing a pretty remarkable job at it, coming into the night riding a 14-game losing streak.
Still, even with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Al Horford out, the Thunder’s C-squad was too much for a Celtics team that’s fighting for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference. With this latest loss, Boston is now sitting in sixth place at 32-30 — tied with the Miami Heat.
Lu Dort led OKC with 24 points, while Darius Bazley chipped in 21 points and 10 rebounds. Boston was led by 39 points and 11 boards from Jaylen Brown, as well as a career-high 28 points off the bench from Payton Pritchard.
NBA Twitter couldn’t believe the Celtics lost at home to the Thunder
Worst loss of the year? Celtics Twitter sure seems to think so.
https://twitter.com/CullerSports/status/1387219310272200708?s=20
The Celtics really lost at home to OKC tonight, who were on a 14-game tanking streak.
— StatMuse (@statmuse) April 28, 2021
One of the rare games where both teams lost. pic.twitter.com/64anEaFWnu
At this rate, we should expect Boston to help losing teams get back in the win column:
Detroit had lost 5 of 6 & 15 of 20.
— Jim Murray (@bigjimmurray) April 28, 2021
Then they beat the Celtics on 2/12
Chicago had lost 5 of 6 & 13 of 18.
Then they beat the Celtics on 4/19
OKC had lost 14 straight & 17 of 18
Then they beat the Celtics 0n 4/27
Surprised by this tonight?
You haven't been paying attention.
Even in a game played without Jayson Tatum, the disappointment is incredibly real for Celts fans right now.
@KendrickPerkins is NOT happy with the Celtics after their loss to the Thunder pic.twitter.com/ihBuYCE8Es
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) April 28, 2021
Watching the Celtics lose to a team that had lost 14 straight pic.twitter.com/EHHrbU4uXx
— Boston Diehards (@Boston_Diehards) April 28, 2021
One key stat that kept coming up is how Boston managed to lose to a Thunder squad that committed a whopping 27 turnovers.
The Celtics just lost to the Thunder, who had 27 turnovers and entered tonight with a 14-game losing streak....
— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) April 28, 2021
The Celtics lost to a team that turned the ball over 27 times. I didn't even know you could do that
— Dan Greenberg (@StoolGreenie) April 28, 2021
People also felt the need to point out the similarities between Boston and the Heat, who have also lost some head-scratching games this season.
This is the most connected Celtics and Heat fans have felt in ... ever.
— it’s always Heat in 8 (@Alf954) April 28, 2021
Heat and Celtics. pic.twitter.com/JPUrMp4L5Z
— Will Manso (@WillManso) April 28, 2021
While the effort level has waned for Boston all season long, some felt the need to point out that it can’t all be blamed on head coach Brad Stevens, and that COVID-related absences have taken a toll as well.
If the Celtics let Brad Stevens go, he’d have five interviews immediately and Boston fans would be wondering why they let a guy go who made the conference finals 3 out of the last 6 years prior to his two best players hitting their primes.
— Josh Eberley 🇨🇦 (@JoshEberley) April 28, 2021
The @celtics missed 167 games for COVID according to Fansure.
— Sean Deveney (@SeanDeveney) April 28, 2021
Pacers, Cavs, Pels, Hawks, Pistons, Clips, Blazers, Thunder, Warriors, Hornets & Magic combined to miss 157 games bc of Covid.
11 teams and the Celtics missed 10 games more COVID games than the entire group combined.
It’s also worth noting that, despite how disappointing this season has been coming off a run to the Eastern Conference Finals in the NBA bubble, the Celtics aren’t the only conference finalist to suffer from the shortened offseason:
Between injuries and general poor play, the runs to the conference finals seem to have taken a toll on the final four teams from last season.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) April 28, 2021
Lakers - key guys injured
Nuggets - key guys injured
Heat - key guys injured, played poorly
Celtics - key guys injured, played poorly
Here’s hoping Boston figures things out … or not, because the Twitter reactions will be entertaining either way.