Celtics’ owner Wyc Grousbeck had a stern message for the locker room after their Game 3 loss to the Heat in the ECF
For the Boston Celtics, their 2023 postseason came to an end in Game 7. The Celtics were down 3-0 to begin the Conference Finals and then rattled off three wins in a row. That forced a Game 7 in Boston that they lost, 103-84. Before making their comeback, Celtics’ owner Wyc Grousbeck had a stern message for the locker room after their Game 3 loss. He did not hold back.
After reaching the NBA Finals last season, the Celtics looked poised to make a return heading into the playoffs. Their struggles started in the first round vs the Hawsk, a team they likely should’ve swept. Regardless, the Celtics won that series in six games.
In the Semi-finals and Conference Finals, Boston struggled to play consistent basketball. There were games where they outclassed their opponent. Then there were others when the Celtics looked discombobulated. Boston if a championship-caliber team in the NBA. Anything less than that is not up to their standard.
After a 128-102 Game 3 loss to the Heat, Celtics’ managing partner Wyc Grousbeck went off on the team.
His message that players need to “play with some balls” left the locker room stunned, several team sources told The Athletic.
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— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) June 1, 2023
Wyc Grousbeck told the Celtcs to “play with some balls” after their Game 3 loss in the ECF
The Boston Celtics put themselves in quite a predicament after the first three games of the Eastern Conference Finals. After a 128-102 loss in Game 3, it looked like the Celtics might get swept. Game 4 was to be played in Miami and the Celtics were going to have their backs against the wall.
Game 3 ended and Grant Williams asked everyone to leave the locker room so the players could have some space. Celtics’ owner Wyc Grousbeck did not like that move by Williams. Grousbeck said something to the effect that he has been building this franchise for over 20 years. He also said that Boston’s players needed to “play with some balls”.
Veteran big man Blake Griffin didn’t think that Grousbeck needed to make those comments to the team. However, he didn’t exactly think he was wrong either. Whether Grousbeck’s comments had any effect, the Celtics did rattle off three wins in a row to tie the series. They fell short in Game 7 and ended the season on a poor note.
Source: Basketball Insider
