As shell-shocked as Boston Celtics fans were to lose the Eastern Conference Finals in the way that they did, the team owner was apparently downright livid with their performance.
According to The Athletic, Celtics managing partner Wyc Grousbeck was fuming after the team fell into their 0-3 hole against the Miami Heat. Per the report, he went to the team’s locker room and told them to “play with some balls” in what has been described as a “fiery” speech.
Blake Griffin told the outlet that the team agreed with what Grousbeck said though admitted that they shouldn’t have needed his prodding in the first place.
“(He) was right, but we shouldn’t need that. As soon as we got to the locker room, we were just so frustrated,” Griffin said.
It seemed to work for the time being though. The Celtics would win the next three games to become just the fourth team to force Game 7 after falling into an 0-3 hole. However, a 103-84 home loss to the Heat caused them to fall.
After the Celtics fell into an 0-3 hole against Miami, Wyc Grousbeck stormed into the locker room & issued a challenge.
He told them to play with some balls, sources told @TheAthleticNBA
Behind the scenes of Boston’s roller coaster season w/ @ByJayKing https://t.co/4VNE0crcyq pic.twitter.com/f2WQGC9RxI
— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) June 1, 2023
The 2022-23 season was a tumultuous one for the Boston Celtics.
They started the year by suspending and ultimately firing head coach Ime Udoka one year after he led them to the NBA Finals. A terrific regular season ensued.
Then the playoffs came around and they came close to elimination at the hands of the Philadelphia 76ers by falling into a 3-2 deficit before storming back to win the series in seven.
Then the Eastern Conference Finals against the Heat came around and we all know how that went.
Do the Celtics have some soul-searching to do this summer?