The Boston Celtics, despite holding the NBA’s best record, experienced a surprising and lopsided loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night. 

The Celtics, who entered the game with an impressive 20-1 home record, were thoroughly defeated in a 115–96 loss. The final score did not reflect the one-sided nature of the game, and Celtics guard Jrue Holiday provided a candid assessment of the performance.

Holiday characterized the loss as a “good old-fashioned a– whooping” and acknowledged that the Clippers outperformed the Celtics in various aspects, including rebounding, transition play, and winning 50-50 balls. The defeat served as a humbling experience for the Celtics, especially as they returned home only to face a decisive defeat.

“They did everything better. Rebounding, transition, 50-50 balls–it seemed like they were a step ahead. Definitely humbling, I think, to be able to kind of come home and get your butt kicked.”

The game saw the Celtics struggle on multiple fronts, shooting just 36% from the field and 25% from three-point range. The Clippers dominated, building a lead that reached as much as 36 points, and the Celtics found themselves trailing by 31 points entering the fourth quarter.

Jayson Tatum was the lone Celtics starter to score in double figures, contributing 21 points. Only three players on the Celtics managed to surpass 10 points in the game. 

Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with an impressive performance, recording 26 points, seven rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. The loss highlighted the challenges and inconsistencies that even the top teams in the league can face on any given night.