The Boston Celtics lost a pivotal game 4 in the Eastern semis at home Monday night. More importantly, Celtics fans — maybe even Celtics players — lost faith in the team’s best individual offensive weapon. This game, this situation, is why the team dismantled a No. 1 seed almost down to the rivets in order to bring in The Guy Who Knows the Formula. Throughout the season, he rambled about the lack of maturity of his teammates, ineffective game plans, and how no one but he knew The Formula.™ Trust him, he said, he’ll have the answers when it’s all on the line in the playoffs.

Look, I know this sounds like Angry Superfan Rants After Big Loss. It is. It’s also a calling out of hypocrisy.

I started looking for the specific most damning quotes of the 2018–19 season, and you know what? I don’t much enjoy nitpicking the exact words that come out of a person’s mouth, off-the-cuff, after tough losses throughout the year. Suffice to say, a lot of fingers have been pointed and responsibility offloaded. My guys are too young and They just don’t get it.

I don’t even like criticizing a person’s behavior off the court. The game is the game, regardless of how the player surmises it afterward in the locker room. This isn’t the NPRA (National Public Relations Association). Say some wild shit. What’s it matter? Who cares?

“Who cares? I’m a basketball player … For me, the 22 shots? I should’ve shot 30.”

This kind of play, this kind of mentality, does not uplift a team. At the risk of sounding entirely too Old Head — you don’t have to give the people what they want! The adoration of the AAU mixtape crowd on the ’Gram and movie deals inked off the power of a litany of NBA Street–style moves does not make one an NBA superstar. Making winning plays and earning the respect of your peers does.

Listen if y’all think that me and my boy @paulpierce34 was going to go against the grain in this series y’all crazy! Win, lose or draw I was riding with the Bean! Just realized that Kyrie not a Batman! Hell @isaiahthomas took the Cs to the ECF! Hell they got there last year! 🤷🏾‍♂️

— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) May 7, 2019

A great player affects the game in more ways than sick crossovers and ridiculous English off the glass. He or she makes plays for the team. That’s how you put joy in the game. Look at the body language of this Celtics team. The joy is missing.

I’m over self-proclaimed superstars.

I’m sick of superstar team-ups.

Good (premature) riddance to the 2018–19 Boston Celtics.

Get off my lawn!

“He’s done in Boston … [his] teammates will help him pack.”

—@JalenRose on Kyrie Irving pic.twitter.com/00UEzMPYyl

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) May 7, 2019