Charles Barkley blasts ‘mentally weak’ Celtics after ugly loss to Lakers

Things did not go according to plan for the Boston Celtics in Thursday night’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers. After the game on Inside the NBA, Charles Barkley did not hold back in his criticism.

Boston fell to the Lakers 114-105 in a game that was not as close as the final score indicates. Los Angeles held a commanding 60-46 lead at halftime and cruised to victory. For Boston, the loss was made worse by Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis both being out. After the game, Barkley was asked by his Inside the NBA co-host Ernie Johnson if it was the worst loss of the season for the Celtics. His response was clear.

“Easily, those other two teams, they’re contenders — the Nuggets and the Clippers,” Barkley said, referencing the two other teams to beat the Celtics at TD Garden this season. “But to lose to a team without LeBron and AD, Reggie [Miller] said it — I said it at halftime, Ernie. I’m really concerned about my Celtics’ mental toughness. You can win games on talent. But you have to win games in the playoffs on toughness. You have to be mentally strong. You have to take care of the ball. And this team here, to me, they’ve got great talent. But they’re mentally weak.”

"Worst loss of the season for the Celtics in your mind?" – Ernie Johnson

"Easily… You have to win games in the playoffs on toughness… You have to be mentally strong… This team here, to me, they've got great talent, but they're mentally weak." – Charles Barkley https://t.co/hfb1HowoQ7 pic.twitter.com/9eoMqXAjib

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 2, 2024

“Mentally weak” is not a criticism that should be thrown around lightly. And to be fair to Barkley, it’s hard to argue with his comments.

For most of the season, the Celtics were literally unbeatable in Boston, as they won their first 20 home games of the year. In less than two weeks, they’ve fallen to the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers and now the Lakers. And while the Nuggets and Clippers are two of the best teams in the Western Conference. The Lakers were not only playing without James and Davis but entered Thursday night’s game at 24-25 on the season.

Fortunately for the Celtics, they still have the NBA’s best record at 37-12. But if Barkley is correct and mental toughness is an issue, it won’t be easily fixed by playoff time.

[Photo Credit: TNT]