It's far too early for most fans of the Boston Celtics to be thinking about which players their favorite team will end up taking, but not the experts.

"When we're not giving our all, I think that's the most deserved boos," Kristaps Porziņģis said after Friday's loss to the Kings.

The reality is nobody fears the Celtics anymore. Opposing know they can win at the Garden, and are throwing various defenses to which Boston's offense can’t consistently respond.

A competitive game Friday night turned ugly late for the Celtics, who were run off their home floor by the shorthanded Sacramento Kings.

Despite the expectations placed on the NBA's reigning champions, the current campaign has delivered the latest step in the Celtics' maturation in a humbling fashion.

The Celtics are now just 3-5 in their last eight home games, which is more losses than they had at home all of last season.

The Sacramento Kings entered Friday night’s matchup against the Boston Celtics amid a five-game winning streak, but they knew they would have a tough test against the defending champions. Instead, the Kings dominated the Celtics, defeating them 114-97, pushing their winning streak to six games.

Domantas Sabonis collects 23 points and a career-high 28 rebounds, leading Sacramento to its sixth straight win, 114-97.

(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) Boston Celtics’ Payton Pritchard (11) drives past Sacramento Kings’ Malik Monk during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) Sacramento Kings’ Domantas Sabonis (11 ...

The Supreme Judicial Court ruling in the Milton lawsuit is a win for Healey and Campbell, but could slow implementation of the state’s ambitious housing law.

After building an early lead, the Warriors couldn't hold on late as the Kings roared to a second-half comeback.

Golden State is two games into a stretch that many believe will be critical in determining the club's direction at the trade deadline. Eight of the nine games are at home (the meeting with Sacramento is the lone road contest), but the early results -- including a tougher-than-expected 122-114 win over the Wizards -- have not been encouraging.