‘When you mess around, this is what happens’: Shaq calls out the Celtics for their lack of focus
"This isn't about Philly, this is about the lack of focus with Boston."
The Philadelphia 76ers did not have MVP candidate Joel Embiid on Monday night, and Al Horford admitted that the Celtics let his absence affect their intensity.
James Harden dropped a playoff career-high 45 points and led Philadelphia to a 119-115 victory at TD Garden in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
TNT basketball analyst and former Celtic Shaquille O’Neal called out Boston for its lack of focus during “Inside the NBA” after the game.
“This isn’t about Philly, this is about the lack of focus with Boston,” O’Neal said. “I said at halftime on (Monday’s episode) when you mess around, this is what happens. There’s no way without Joel Embiid you’re supposed to lose to this team ever … they were messing around, they let James [Harden] get going and keep it close.”
The Celtics led most of the fourth quarter, but when it came down to crunch time Harden was able to seal the deal with his clutch shooting. A crucial Malcolm Brogdon turnover with 33.5 seconds to go gave Philadelphia the lead.
Boston let Philadelphia hang around too long without Embiid and they paid for it with a Game 1 loss.
“What worries me, is when you’re a road team and you stay close, anything can happen in the fourth quarter,” O’Neal said. “Like when I was watching the Sacramento game last night and it was like ‘you know what, Sacramento is playing pretty good but Golden State is a little too close for me’. And then that third quarter, we all know what happened, Steph Curry goes crazy. But, this is about Boston. Lack of focus. Hopefully this doesn’t bite them now.”
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