SAN FRANCISCO — As disappointing as Saturday’s loss was, the Celtics’ response 36 hours later at Chase Center was impressive.
The Celtics have spent the first half of this quest to repeat season wildly inconsistent and erratic at times, and there was no better example than that befuddling overtime loss to the Hawks. And while this Celtics team may lack the consistency of their predecessor, they are still capable of dominance because they possess poised veterans.
Monday’s 125-85 victory over the Warriors was the perfect comeback and beginning to this key road trip.
Jrue Holiday shook off Saturday’s two blunders and played stifling defense. Jaylen Brown continues to look revitalized after an uncharacteristically lackadaisical game last week in Toronto while the Celtics not only matched the Warriors’ early intensity, they exceeded it, then pummeled their West Coast rivals in the second half.
There is no time for the Celtics to concern themselves with Golden State’s issues such as injuries or lack of support for Stephen Curry. They needed this type of nationally televised dismantling in which the starting five continue to gain cohesion, 3-pointers begin falling, and the defense plays with a presence.
There has been collective acknowledgement that this season will be more difficult than last, primarily because repeating is nota civilized endeavor. It will require more guile and focus, and there are times when focus can be an issue during an arduous season, such as Saturday.
What was more important than that loss was the Celtics’ response because they showed character Monday, leading for the final 39:55, avoiding mental lapses, and giving most of their frontline players a reduced workload.
Holiday took full responsibility for Saturday’s loss. And he handled Monday like a 16-year veteran. Bad losses can’t be allowed to linger. Winners come back strong.
“We’re resilient; we take things seriously,” Holiday said. “Even on our worst day, we know that you have another chance to come out and play. I don’t think there’s anything too drastic or too crazy up and down, pretty normal.”
The reality is that the Celtics are not going to win every night and there are nights where they will fail miserably. What’s been surprising about this season is those stretches where lack of focus supersedes talent. And also the Celtics are having to deal with outside expectations of near perfection compared to the reality that losing is another unwanted but elemental part of this journey.
“For me personally, I think it’s just winning,” Holiday said when asked what inspires this resiliency. “I think there’s a joy to basketball. That’s a reason why we play. Even though it’s not going to be [a joy] every game but playing for your teammates, making great plays, having the crowd into it. Sometimes on those days when you’re a little down, it’s hard to get yourself going in the game, making plays for other people, getting the crowd to really have your back, boost your energy.
“This is a little kid game we do for a job and we get paid quite a bit to do it. I think times like that, it’s just really fun, out there having fun.”
Monday was fun, but there are nights when the game isn’t fun, such as Saturday, such as last week against Toronto, games the Celtics enter as heavy favorites and are expected to cruise because they are the defending champions. The challenge for players is to differentiate outside expectations and those in the locker room.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla was asked during his postgame sessions if those Boston faithful actually expected for there to be no chaos or dilemmas this season.
“I think it’s different what people expect of us and what we expect of us,” Holiday said. “Obviously we expect greatness. I think sometimes people expect some unrealistic expectations. I think we’re all mentally tough enough to be able to go out every game and do what we’re supposed to do.”
Brown refrains from discussing his personal or on-court journey. He tends to refer to the team when discussing the topsy-turvy past few weeks. Like Mazzulla, he appears motivated by the struggles, undaunted by the process of repeating and unmoved by outside expectations.
“Every year presents its own challenges and you just have to make adjustments on the fly, just embrace it,” he said. “Just try to come out and do what your team needs you to do to help get a win, and continue to have solitude in that. I think that we are still learning and growing as a unit. I think we’re in a spot that if we continue, I think will be better for in the long run, but it’s been a process.”
Losing Saturday makes winning Monday even more rewarding. It’s only one game. Only one win, but winning’s hard. The encouraging aspect of this resounding victory is the Celtics looked like the team that those on the outside expect to vie for a repeat even though they are light years from being a finished product.
“You have to love it because it’s hard to win in this league,” Brown said. “You can’t take it for granted. You have to fight. It hasn’t been as easy as we would have liked and I think that’s good for it. It’s not supposed to be. It shows you how hard it is to win night to night. You can’t skip steps or details. Us losing has been reminders of that. We have to get that back and build on it.”
Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at gary.washburn@globe.com. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.