Celtics' Jaylen Brown gets 100% real about Thunder after rare loss
01/06/2025 01:49 PM
All-Star Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder 105-92 at the Paycom Center, snapping a three-game win streak amid a four-game road trip. Kristaps Porzinigis called the Celtics' second half 'stupid' in their execution as the Thunder held them to 27 points after halftime. Brown credited Oklahoma City for its approach to closing out a 13-point win with a 29-12 run in the final frame.
After the loss, Brown talked about the Thunder upping their game in the second half, per The Oklahoman's Joel Lorenzi.
"Tip our cap to OKC tonight. Tougher playing team in the second half," Brown said. "Also thought they benefited from the level of physicality they were able to get away with. Our offensive spacing gotta be better."
After scoring 21 points in the first half, Brown was held scoreless after halftime as the Thunder put the defensive clamps on the 2024 Finals MVP. Thunder guard Lu Dort took over defending Brown in the second half before putting the finishing touches on OKC's game-ending run with three threes down the stretch that put the Celtics away for good.
Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and two steals. Porzingis finished with 19 points and nine rebounds, and Derrick White added 11 points, four assists, and three blocks.
Gilgeous-Alexander's 33 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, and three steals, Aaron Wiggins led the bench with 15 points, and Dort finished with 14 points and six rebounds.
After going 8-6 in December, Porzingis revealed that the Celtics held a team meeting to regroup. Then, the Celtics won back-to-back games against the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Houston Rockets before losing to the Thunder amid Jaylen Brown’s scoreless second-half performance on Sunday.
Kristaps Porzingis makes 'stupid' admission after Thunder loss
For Celtics center Kristapas Porzingis, Sunday's loss to the Thunder was a story of two halves. After heading into halftime with a ten-point lead (65-55), the Thunder held the Celtics to 15 third-quarter points before they were outscored 50-27 by the Thunder in the second half.
After the loss, Porzingis addressed the Celtics' second-half struggles, per CLNS Media's Bobby Manning.
"We were fine [in the first half]. Once they turned it up a little bit in the second [half], we played stupid, and we just gave some possessions away," Porzingis said. "And once you start giving up possessions, it was just downhill for us and the rest of the time was just battling uphill."
Porzingis: "Once they turned it up a little bit in the second (half), we played stupid." pic.twitter.com/IebfOLUtw7
— Bobby Manning (@RealBobManning) January 5, 2025
The Celtics will wrap up their four-game road trip against the Nuggets on Tuesday night.
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