The Celtics let a division rival beat them on their home floor in front of a national TV audience on Christmas Day.
It’s not like the Sixers (11-17) have been dominant this season. They have regained some of their swagger, winning four of their last five behind the stellar play of Tyrese Maxey, who dropped 32 points or more in three of those contests.
There’s a lot of basketball left, but if the season ended today the Sixers wouldn’t even be in the Play-In Tournament. The effort that the defending champs turned in on Christmas was unacceptable, with players saying as much in postgame press conferences.