"This is about the lack of focus"- Shaquille O'Neal rips Boston Celtics after they choke in Game 1 at home
NBA legend-turned-TNT-analyst Shaquille O’Neal had some strong words following the Boston Celtics' 119-115 Game 1 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night.
O’Neal gave some credit to the shorthanded Sixers, who won despite being without superstar big man Joel Embiid (knee). Philly was led by star guard James Harden, who ended with a playoff career-high 45 points after O’Neal had challenged him to score 35.
“After watching the great Steph Curry last night, I knew that James was gonna have to have a big game because their big guy was out,” O’Neal said. “He’s the No. 2 option, I knew he was going to have a big game. I was only asking for 35, but he gave me 45.”
However, O’Neal then shifted the conversation towards the Celtics, who he felt lacked focus all game long:
“But this isn’t about Philly, this is about the lack of focus from Boston,” O’Neal said.
O’Neal said that there is no excuse for the Celtics to lose at home to a team missing their best player:
“I said at halftime on today’s episode of, ‘When You Mess Around,’ this is what happens,” O’Neal said. “There is no way without Joel Embiid that you’re supposed to lose to this team ever. Ever, ever, ever, ever, ever. They messed around and let James get going, and they kept it close.”
"It's no way without Joel Embiid, you're supposed to lose to this team. EVER."
@SHAQ reacts to Philly's stunning Game 1 win in Boston https://t.co/oejPNC1eqh
Shaquille O’Neal compares Boston Celtics’ Game 1 loss to Sacramento Kings' Game 7 loss to Golden State
Later on in his postgame analysis of the Boston Celtics’ Game 1 loss to Philadelphia, Shaquille O’Neal compared Boston to the Sacramento Kings.
That comes after the Kings allowed the Golden State Warriors to hang around in the first half of their Game 7 matchup in Sacramento on Sunday. The Warriors then ended up outscoring the Kings 64-42 in the second half to win 120-100.
“What worries me is when you’re a road team, and you stay close, anything can happen in the fourth quarter,” O’Neal said. “Like when I was watching the Sacramento game last night, I was like, ‘You know what? Sacramento is playing pretty good, but Golden State is a little too close for me.’ And then in that third quarter, you know, we all know what happened, Steph Curry goes crazy.”
O’Neal then reiterated that Boston will need better focus moving forward to avoid being upset by Philly:
“But this is about Boston,” O’Neal said. “You know, lack of focus, and hopefully this doesn’t bite them now. All the stuff we talked about earlier, and Joel can get a couple of days rest.”
Following their Game 1 win, the Sixers have taken a 1-0 lead over the Celtics in their Eastern Conference semifinals series. Game 2 takes place on Wednesday in Boston.
Also Read: "Maybe he’s him" - Sixers fans in awe of James Harden who explodes for 45 in Game 1 against the Celtics