Magic Johnson Is Stunned To Watch Celtics With 17 Champions Quit, Calls For Major Changes
Many people have expressed their disapproval of the Boston Celtics’ 128-102 defeat in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday. This includes Magic Johnson, a great in the NBA, who lamented the Celtics’ “quitting” in light of their illustrious past.
Magic Johnson Is Stunned To Watch Celtics With 17 Champions Quit, Calls For Major Changes
“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,” Johnson wrote on Twitter.
“I know Celtics fans all over the world must be disgusted and devastated.”
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.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) May 22, 2023
It’s time for the Boston Celtics to make significant changes, Johnson continued in a subsequent post.
The Heat humiliated the Celtics to the point where Magic Johnson, who is typically adverse to controversy, attacked his old foe on social media.
It’s time for the Boston Celtics to make major changes.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) May 22, 2023
Johnson said that Celtics supporters should be “disgusted” and “devastated” following a defeat so severe that head coach Joe Mazzulla rested his starters for the entirety of the fourth quarter despite his team trailing by 30 points.
The lopsided result doesn’t accurately reflect how demoralized the Celtics appeared on the court as the margin grew throughout the contest. The Lakers legend was astounded by the sight since it was something he had never witnessed since joining the league in 1979.
Magic Johnson ripped into the Celtics after the team rested its starters in the 4th quarterhttps://t.co/HwFcLqbX1v
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) May 22, 2023
Following Game 3, Charles Barkley piled on the Celtics without hesitation. In fact, as his team was interviewing Heat guard Gabe Vincent, who had a game-high 29 points, the Hall of Famer and NBA on TNT analyst took a dig at the C’s.
“Clearly you didn’t watch the game tonight,” Barkley replied when Vincent said he expects the Celtics to come out strong in Game 4. “Talking about well-coached and don’t lay down? Hey, go look at the tape again.”
“The Heat broke their spirits yesterday.”
@ShannonSharpe on Magic Johnson tweeting that the Celtics ‘quit’ and need to ‘make major changes’ pic.twitter.com/7oEeI7jjPb— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) May 22, 2023
For the most of the season, Boston’s offense has been quite reliable. In Game 3, though, none of their players were able to find their shooting range, and their offense essentially collapsed.
Johnson and the Celtics have a contentious past, to put it mildly. The Lakers icon has a lot of respect for Boston despite a generational rivalry with Larry Bird that led to some excellent basketball.
Joe Mazzulla threw his clipboard in frustration during this Celtics timeout during Game 1 vs. the Heat 😳 pic.twitter.com/KZSHlk7xwz
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 18, 2023
Tuesday, 8:30 p.m. ET, is the time for Game 4 in Miami.
Jaylen Brown vs the Heat so far
16.7 PPG
6.3 RPG
3.3 APG
37/10/50% splits
39% TSCeltics down 0-3 😬 pic.twitter.com/CU5cku77wD
— MVP43🐐 (@StepBackPascal) May 22, 2023
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