Getty Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kristaps Porzingis
Things were not pretty for the Boston Celtics when they played the Milwaukee Bucks on January 11, when the Bucks had built a 37-point lead by halftime. The game was out of hand, and TNT said as much in its explanation for switching over to a game between the Dallas Mavericks–New York Knicks.
TNT moves off the Celtics-Bucks blowout in the 3rd quarter.
“So, this game is out of hand, obviously. 100-62… And Oklahoma City, by the way, is up 36 at the half, so we’re not going there. So, we’ll try the Knicks and the Mavs, and it’s a 47-28 game…” – Ernie Johnson 🏀📺😂
Fans had diverse reactions to TNT’s decision to stop showing the Celtics-Bucks game, which was 100-62 with just over three minutes left in the third quarter, in favor of the more competitive game in Dallas, where the Mavericks were ahead 47-28 with 11:12 to go in the second quarter.
“NBA gotta stop having national TV games when a team is on the second leg of a back to back,” one fan posted on X, referring to the fact that the Celtics had beaten the Minnesota Timberwolves 127-120 in overtime the night before.
@awfulannouncing NBA gotta stop having national TV games when a team is on the second leg of a back to back
“I don’t blame them and this is from a Celtics Fan,” another fan posted.
@awfulannouncing I don’t blame them and this is from a Celtics Fan
Another fan called out the channel for not airing Bucks blowouts.
“When the bucks were destroying the heat a couple years ago TNT cut away from the game to just show Steph Curry warming up for the next game. They don’t pull this [expletive] for any other team but apparently can’t show any Bucks blowout victories in their entirety,” the fan wrote.
@awfulannouncing When the bucks were destroying the heat a couple years ago TNT cut away from the game to just show Steph Curry warming up for the next game. They don’t pull this shit for any other team but apparently can’t show any Bucks blowout victories in their entirety.
TNT resumed showing the Celtics-Bucks game for the entire fourth quarter. The Bucks won 135-102
TNT’s Charles Barkley Makes Bold Claim About Celtics
Before the Celtics took on the Bucks, “TNT on NBA” panelist Charles Barkley spoke highly of Boston.
“No disrespect to the champion Nuggets or the LA Clippers. Those are the second and third best teams in the NBA. There’s nobody in the NBA on the level with the Celtics right now. They are the best team. I think they’re the best team by far,” Barkley said during the “NBA on TNT” pregame show.
“There’s nobody in the NBA on the level with the Celtics right now.” – Chuck 👀
Barkley’s take turned out to be badly timed, given the Celtics, who were playing their fifth game in seven nights, suffered a 33-point loss to the Bucks. Still, even with the loss, the Celtics are still three games ahead of the Bucks in the Eastern Conference.
Jrue Holiday’s Thoughts on Second-Half Benching
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla pulled the starters from the game when the second half started. Jrue Holiday, who played his first game back in Milwaukee since being traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in October 2023 and then traded four days later to the Celtics, commented on Mazzulla’s benching him and the other Boston starters.
“He asked us, and, you know, we wanted to fight,” Holiday, who was with the Bucks from 2020 to 2023, told reporters, via NBC Sports Boston’s YouTube Channel. “We wanted to stay in there and play, but sometimes, as coaches or as players, sometimes, you have to listen to your coaches, too. So, I appreciate Joe for that. Because again, I think, as a coach, he definitely does care about our well-being. And he also knows that we’re gonna fight to the end, no matter what the score is.”
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Fans React to TNT Moving Off Celtics-Bucks Game