Category: Reactions

Panthers fans recall franchise’s most painful ‘what ifs’ on Twitter

Panthers fans were in their bag on Wednesday . . . if that bag was one big sorry sack of sad, sick and unsightly moments.

Carolina Panthers fans don’t root for the sorriest franchise in football, but you wouldn’t know that by their turnout on Wednesday.

The NFL on ESPN Twitter account posted a prompt for users, asking what they think is their team’s biggest “What if . . . ?” And, in what was a sad and impressive showing, the Panthers faithful responded with plenty of downers.

Here are just some of their most painful replies . . .

‘There’s no secret answer’ to Boston’s postseason woes, says Jayson Tatum after Celtics’ Game 5 loss

“(We’ll) go out there and play how we know we are capable of and we’ll see,” suggested Tatum of Game 6.

After another disappointing outing for the Boston Celtics in a key postseason tilt, the media asked Jayson Tatum why the Celtics played so poorly in a game where the stakes were so high.

“I think we were a little tight today,” he replied, stating the obvious.

The St. Louis native continued, saying the team needs to “go out there and relax and obviously play hard … (and) compete on both ends and play the right way,” as he recycled usual post-loss platitudes without much in the way of conviction.

“There’s no secret answer,” he added in a moment of honesty.

This team is what it is, and if they move the ball, touch the paint, and hit their 3-point shots, no one can stop them. But if an opposing team can junk up any part of that process — or the Celtics do it to themselves — they are and will remain an eminently beatable team.

“(We’ll) go out there and play how we know we are capable of and we’ll see,” suggested Tatum for what the Celtics’ response for Game 6, the team’s season on the line.

One way or another, we will see.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Fans, media pan use of drone footage for Game 2 of Boston Celtics – Philadelphia 76ers East semis

While there were some fans who thought the novel means of getting a new angle on the action was interesting, the consensus on the drone seemed to be pretty strongly negative,.

The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers are used to having a lot of eyes on them in the regular season, never mind in Game 2 of the NBA’s 2023 Eastern Conference semifinals, but players and fans alike were in for an unexpected twist to that dynamic with a drone filming the action during the game.

While there were some fans who thought the novel means of getting a new angle on the action was interesting, the consensus on the drone seemed to be pretty strongly negative, with complaints ranging from the distraction from the game itself it caused in the arena to the poor frame rate making for a bad viewing experience at home.

Let’s take a look at what was being said about the drone on social media.

Celtics Lab 184: A look around and ahead in the playoffs, and some Game 5 grumbles

After an embarrassing Game 5 loss, we elected to focus more on the postseason ahead (we hope) for Boston.

The Boston Celtics told us they were not messing around this time, and like Lucy and her football in “Peanuts,” we fell for it once again. The Celtics mailed in their Game 5 performance against the Atlanta Hawks in the first round.

While we’d be remiss to avoid it altogether, on the latest episode of the CLNS Media “Celtics Lab” podcast, we elected to focus more on the postseason ahead (we hope) for Boston.

While we certainly say our piece on what went wrong in Game 5, we’re more concerned about the games ahead of the Celtics in the remaining tilts of their series with Atlanta, a potential second-round collision with the Philadelphia 76ers, and how injuries and unexpected twists are reshaping the narrative of the 2023 NBA postseason before our very eyes.

Is the path to the finals really opening for Boston, or is it exactly the sort of scenario that tends to bring out the worst in the Celtics? Who will end up in the conference finals? And how is the West’s postseason playing out?

We also get into things much bigger than basketball, from accountability and second chances in the NBA to honoring those who’ve shared the best of themselves with us along the way.

The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Fan Duel and Better Help.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Celtics, NBA Twitter react to Timelord’s return, Boston’s sloppy loss to Orlando Magic

Sloppy defense, rushed offense, and a generally poor overall effort that has been a staple of the Celtics’ recent play in road losses to teams like the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers (and very nearly, the Los Angeles Lakers as well) let one get away from Boston.

The Boston Celtics were supposed to roar like a lion with their starting center Robert Williams III finally back in the fold in their Friday night home matchup with the Orlando Magic but went out like a lamb despite solid play from Timelord as bad habits crept back in.

Sloppy defense, rushed offense, and a generally poor overall effort that has been a staple of the Celtics’ recent play in road losses to teams like the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers (and very nearly, the Los Angeles Lakers as well) let one get away from Boston in what could have been a celebratory occasion had the Celtics taken a more dangerous Magic seriously.

Let’s take a look at what Celtics and NBA Twitter had to say about the loss.

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Celtics, NBA Twitter react to Boston getting blown out by the Clippers at the Crypt

More disconnected play and a lack of mobile, competent depth in the frontcourt sunk the Celtics.

The Boston Celtics were supposed to right the ship against another West Coast team that had been struggling as of late after dropping a contest to the Golden State Warriors over the weekend. But instead, Boston found themselves the fulcrum for the Los Angeles Clippers to right their ship instead as Kawhi Leonard played his best game of the 2022-23 season against the Celtics Monday night.

More disconnected play and a lack of mobile, competent depth in the frontcourt with both Al Horford and Robert Williams III unavailable hinted Boston may yet need to bolster its frontcourt, as the Celtics struggled against a bigger Clips squad.

Let’s see what Celtics and NBA Twitter had to say about only the second time this season Boston has lost consecutive contests.

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Boston Celtics alumni, NBA react to Paul Silas’ passing

The Creighton standout played for Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets, and Seattle SuperSonics organizations over the course of his career as a player beyond Boston.

Three-time NBA champion Boston Celtics alumnus Paul Silas has passed away at age 79 per the Boston Globe’s Bob Ryan, sending shockwaves through the wider Celtics alumni and NBA communities.

The Creighton standout played for Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets, and Seattle SuperSonics organizations over the course of his career as a player beyond Boston, and the Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers, and several other ball clubs as a head or assistant coach over a three-decade career on the other side of the clipboard. Silas’ careers as a player and a coach touched the lives of many around the NBA community, many of whom took to social media to share memories of the Arkansas native’s life.

Let’s take a look at what they had to say about the Celtics champion forward.

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NBA, Celtics Twitter react to Boston flopping 123-107 in Golden State

Regardless of assurances postgame from star forward Jayson Tatum that this was just a regular game to the Celtics, his and his teammate’s uncharacteristic play told a very different tale.

The Boston Celtics planned to send a message to the Golden State Warriors and the rest of the NBA on Saturday night, but when the final buzzer sounded on the Celtics’ 2022 NBA Finals rematch, it was clear that the message was that the Dubs still own plenty of real estate in the minds of Boston’s players with the Warriors winning 123-107.

Regardless of assurances postgame from star forward Jayson Tatum that this was just a regular game to the Celtics, his and his teammate’s uncharacteristic play told a very different tale. Jaylen Brown, who admitted that the Warriors had gotten them out of their game, and Malcolm Brogdon looked to be the only players up to the task at Golden State, with interim coach Joe Mazzulla falling short vs. Dubs coach Steve Kerr.

Let’s take a look at what NBA and Celtics Twitter had to say about Boston’s big flop in the Bay.

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NBA, Celtics Twitter react to Boston’s 125-98 utter destruction of the Suns

It is not very often one sees the sort of offensive beatdown that the Boston Celtics laid on the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night.

It is not very often one sees the sort of offensive beat down the Boston Celtics laid on the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night. The Celtics smacked the (then) West-leading Suns, 125-98.

To add insult to injury, that score disguises just how thick Boston laid it on through the game’s first three quarters. The Celtics were up by as much as 45 points in what was supposed to be a pitched battle between the two conference leaders on the night of Chris Paul’s return from a lingering heel injury that had the veteran point guard sidelined for a month.

Let’s take a look at what NBA and Celtics Twitter had to say about the blowout win.

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Celtics Lab 157: Making sense of royal NBA fans and World Cup play with Josh Coyne

In our first of our series of ‘Peer Review’ special episodes, we get into some Celtics-adjacent phenomena in the world of sport.

For many fans of the Boston Celtics, common British sports phenomena like having the Prince and Princess of Wales in attendance of your favorite team’s game or the political component of supporting one’s (association) football team can be somewhat mystifying. It was a very British-inflected week for Celtics fans with the royal family in attendance for Boston’s first tilt against the Miami Heat and the ongoing World Cup a point of interest for Boston fans and players both.

To that end, the hosts of the CLNS Media “Celtics Lab” podcast thought it our duty to bring on Celtics Lab O.G. and resident British soccer fan and complicated-relationship-with-British-royals-haver Josh Coyne to make sense of it all for the first in a special episode series we’re calling Peer Review.

Host Justin Quinn and Coyne get into some of their (and the Celtics’) mixed emotions on having the royals in attendance last Wednesday, get up to speed on the good and the bad of the World Cup, and wrap things with an all-time Boston soccer squad.

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Check out this episode whether you love footy or are as clueless about it as Justin is — no soccer knowledge required.

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Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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