"Good old fashioned ass-whooping": Jrue Holiday's unfiltered response to Clippers beatdown
Jrue Holiday acknowledged that the Boston Celtics were outplayed at home, revealing vulnerabilities even as they remain the NBA's leading team. They suffered a significant 19-point loss to the LA Clippers, with a final score of 96-115 at the TD Garden on Saturday, Jan. 7. Despite having the best record in the NBA, the Celtics' standing dropped to 35-11.
The Celtics' shooting performance was subpar, registering only a 36% success rate from the field, in stark contrast to their opponents, who managed an impressive 44%. Additionally, the Clippers committed four fewer turnovers than the Celtics, contributing to the decisive loss on their home court.
In the post-game interview, Celtics guard Jrue Holiday candidly acknowledged that the Clippers outperformed them in every aspect of the game.
"Good old-fashioned ass whooping," said Jrue Holiday on the media scrum. "They did everything better. Rebounding, transition, 50/50 ball... they were a step ahead.
"Definitely humbling. I think to be able to come home and get your butt kicked but its a long season and we can learn from this."
Jrue Holiday's seven-point performance adds to Boston Celtics' humiliation at home against the LA Clippers
The LA Clippers faced humiliation on their home court in the initial encounter with the Boston Celtics. Still, they turned the tables during their visit to Boston, securing a dominant 115-96 victory.
Prized off-season catch Jrue Holiday struggled to find his way around the Clippers defense, shooting 2-of-11 from the field to finish the game with only a subpar seven points. He also had four assists, three rebounds and one steal in the loss.
Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 21 points, but the team struggled collectively, shooting only 35% from the field and 25% from beyond the arc. The absence of seven-footer Kristaps Porzingis due to a sprained left ankle was evident as the Clippers exploited the interior of the Celtics' defense.
On the other side, Kawhi Leonard led the charge with 26 points in just 29 minutes, supported by Paul George's 17 points. Los Angeles orchestrated a decisive 21-0 run in the third quarter, seizing control of the game and avenging their earlier 37-point home loss to Boston.
The Clippers win against the Celtics marks their fifth game in a row and their ninth win in ten games.
The loss snapped the Boston Celtics' three-game winning streak and they have a chance to bounce back hosting the next six games at the TD Garden. Among the teams that are scheduled to visit them from Jan. 29 to Feb. 9 are the New Orleans Pelicans, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards.