The Boston Celtics faced the Sacramento Kings on Friday night, suffering a disappointing 114-97 defeat at home. The setback was particularly frustrating as the Kings played without their key player, De'Aaron Fox. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla addressed the team's struggles post-game, noting that consecutive empty possessions and the Kings scoring took a toll on their overall performance.

Despite having a solid record of 27-11 this season, the Celtics have struggled recently, going 5-5 in their last ten games. They are set to host the New Orleans Pelicans next, aiming to bounce back from this loss. In the game against the Kings, the Celtics allowed a 38.3% shooting rate from three-point range and could not contain Domantas Sabonis, who recorded a double-double with 23 points and 28 rebounds.