Keyshawn Johnson criticizes Paul Pierce after Celtics’ Game 2 loss.

On Thursday morning, Keyshawn Johnson had some words for Paul Pierce.

For weeks, Pierce has appeared on “Undisputed” with Johnson and Skip Bayless, where he has consistently discussed the Boston Celtics’ power.

The Celtics were surprised to lose to the Miami Heat on Wednesday night, and Pierce was nowhere to be found on Thursday morning.

“How do you like them apples?” Johnson inquired of the absent Pierce, who was pleased with Boston’s setback and the implications for their future playoff prospects.

.@keyshawn's got a message for @PaulPierce34 who playing hooky after Celtics loss:

"How do you like them apples?!" 😂😭 pic.twitter.com/h7Y4NcKFIM

— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) April 25, 2024

Pierce, like many others, believed that the Celtics’ climb to the top and appearance in the NBA Finals were inevitable.

He was undoubtedly surprised to see them lose in Game 2 at home.

The Heat came out strong, hitting a postseason record 23 three-pointers in the contest.

It was extremely difficult to minimize them, and the Celtics simply lacked an answer for the Heat.

The reaction to their loss exemplifies what happens when a team’s expectations are set so high.

Johnson was only one of many individuals ecstatic with the loss, and there is now much discussion about what went wrong and how Boston can get back on track.

To be fair, it was only one loss, and the Celtics remain the favorites in this series.

However, when a team is considered practically unstoppable, every setback is disastrous.

Everyone is now paying close attention to what happens in game three.

If the Celtics can rebound and win again, Boston fans will relax.

But if the Heat wins another game, Pierce might be wise to skip further episodes of “Undisputed.”