"You didn't watch the game tonight" - Charles Barkley mocks the Boston Celtics as they get blown out in Game 3
The Boston Celtics were blown off the court in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat. Gabe Vincent led the Heat with a game-high 29 points to push Miami to a 3-0 advantage and a game away from the NBA finals.
Vincent, who was interviewed by Charles Barkley and the Inside the NBA crew, still lauded the Celtics despite the lopsided win. “Sir Charles” thought the Heat guard was just too polite and told him this:
"Clearly you didn't watch the game tonight. ... Go look at the tape again."
Vincent: "[The Celtics] are a really good team...they're not gonna lay down."
Chuck: "Clearly you didn't watch the game tonight. ...Go look at the tape again." 😂 https://t.co/ipZZRWdSDK
The Boston Celtics were in the game perhaps only until the first quarter. There was a sense of inevitability to the way the Miami Heat dismantled Boston’s defense. Erik Spoelstra’s charges were deliberate and methodical in the beatdown of the current Eastern Conference champs.
The win was so dominating that even Jimmy Butler did not play to his usual standards. Duncan Robinson played his best game of the entire playoffs, scoring 29 points on 5-7 shooting from behind the arc. Caleb Martin, who has outplayed both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown added 18 points, hitting 4-7 from deep.
The night, though, belonged to Gabe Vincent. He quarterbacked his team with the poise of a veteran point guard. Vincent was 11-14 from the field and hit 6-9 from behind the arc.
Kyle Lowry, the former All-Star and veteran playmaker, sang Vincent’s praises after the game. The former undrafted rookie is not flashy but he gets the job quietly done.
The Boston Celtics were lambasted for seemingly quitting in Game 3
The Boston Celtics own 17 championships, tied with the LA Lakers for the most in NBA history. They are a proud franchise that has employed some of the best players in league history.
The way the Celtics played today didn’t sit well with many fans, including former players.
Magic Johnson, the iconic former Lakers point guard who was part of numerous battles with the ‘80s Celtics, had this to say:
"In my 44 years of being associated with the NBA I never thought I’d see a Boston Celtics team, a franchise with 17 Championships, quit. I know Celtics fans all over the world must be disgusted and devastated. The Miami Heat blew them out 128-102 in Game 3."
In my 44 years of being associated with the NBA I never thought I’d see a Boston Celtics team, a franchise with 17 Championships, quit. I know Celtics fans all over the world must be disgusted and devastated. The Miami Heat blew them out 128-102 in Game 3. twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
At halftime, Charles Barkley called out the Celtics’ effort as embarrassing.
Former Celtic Eddie House, who was part of the 2008 championship team in Boston claimed this:
"I feel like the Celtics have quit on their coach... it looks like a team that's already defeated."
"I feel like the Celtics have quit on their coach... it looks like a team that's already defeated."
@EddieHouse_50 reacts to the Celtics blowout loss in Game 3 https://t.co/iiKw8z4rKb
Game 4 will be on Tuesday with the Boston Celtics desperately hoping to avoid a sweep.
Also read: "I have to be better"- Joe Mazzulla says he has lost the Celtics locker room after Game 3 loss