Kristaps Porzingis and the #Celtics aren’t panicking about this stretch: “If we were panicking, I wouldn’t tell you. But we are not. But we are in a bad moment right now, for sure… We have to be honest and look at ourselves individually.” 🎥 @NBCSCeltics
Celtics' Kristaps Porzingis drops NSFW response to brutal Raptors loss
When the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors met just ahead of 2025, the C's handed their Atlantic Division rivals their worst loss in franchise history. Toronto seemed to remember that 54-point beatdown, as the rebuilding Raps came to play on Wednesday night and upset the Green Team, 110-97.
Vegas had the Celtics as double-digit favorites on the road, yet they never held more than a seven-point lead. In fact, the Raptors largely controlled the contest before dominating the fourth quarter.
Boston scored just 15 points while shooting 30% from the field in the final frame. Meanwhile, the Raptors shot 40% from the floor and nabbed seven offensive rebounds in the last 12 minutes, which helped extend possessions and ruin any chance at a comeback for the C's. To make matters worse for Boston, Toronto shot an impressive 54.5% overall in the second half and found open shots all night.
Following the disappointing defeat, Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis had no problem admitting he wasn't proud of his team's performance, per Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.
“Tonight feels like s**t right now, and we played some bad basketball,” he said.
Porzingis was one of the few Celtics who had a respectable showing in Canada. The Latvian big man recorded 18 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks in 34 minutes of play. He converted on seven of his 11 field goals and was the only Celtic starter to shoot north of 50%. Backup point guard Payton Pritchard also made seven of his 11 shots, leading Boston with a team-high 20 points.
How bad was the Celtics' starting lineup against the Raptors?
Without Porzingis and Pritchard, the C's hit 22 of their 69 shots (31.8%). Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined for 26 points on 31 attempts, with only four of those points coming in the crucial fourth quarter.
Fellow starter Derrick White also had an off night, mustering six points in 21 minutes and posting a brutal plus-minus rating of minus-29. Despite some open looks, he went 1 for 7 from deep and has connected on one 3-point attempt in his last three outings.
Like Porzingis, Tatum didn't mince words when asked about his slumping squad, via John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal.
“We're going through some s**t right now,” Tatum stated. “It's tough, but we said after the game we got to go through it together, as best we can, stick together.”
The Celtics are now 2-3 in their last five games and 28-12 overall. The reigning champions aren't panicking, however, they know they can be better. And they'll have to improve if they want to keep pace with the league-leading Cleveland Cavaliers, who are 34-5 and in first place in the Eastern Conference.
In addition, Boston's upcoming schedule isn't getting any easier. The Celtics have back-to-back matchups with teams they've already lost to this season, as they host the Orlando Magic on Friday evening and the Atlanta Hawks exactly 24 hours later.
After those home games, the C's embark on a four-game road trip to face the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Dallas Mavericks all in the span of five days. Tatum and company will truly need to stick together to stay on track before the much-needed All-Star break arrives in February.
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