BOSTON — After a robust exhibiting out west, the Celtics had an opportunity to get proper at dwelling. Two letdowns later, there may be extra questions than solutions for the defending champs.
The Kings prolonged their lead within the fourth quarter of a blowout on Friday earlier than the Pelicans’ squandered theirs when CJ McCollum narrowly missed an opportunity to win it on the buzzer. Jayson Tatum and the Celtics escaped on Sunday after he missed two game-sealing free throws.
“It’s only a funky stretch, I suppose,” Tatum mentioned. “Shoutout to the Pelicans. They performed very well tonight. I don’t suppose they play like that on a regular basis, nevertheless it’s take a look at for us … anticipate all people’s greatest shot … I keep in mind my rookie 12 months, we weren’t 8-30 or no matter, however I keep in mind after we performed the Warriors, it was an enormous deal. ‘They gained the championship final 12 months. This can be a huge matchup. This can be a huge recreation.’ So simply understanding the place we’re at, our place on this league, and I believe it’s simply gonna make us higher that no matter who we’re enjoying, we gotta anticipate one of the best from them.”
Boston witnessed many staggering taking pictures performances in opposition to them within the first half of 2024-25, Dejounte Murray’s the most recent, and their opponents’ three-point effectivity elevated to 41.2% since New 12 months’s Eve.
The Celtics have additionally struggled to recreate the magic their beginning lineup produced a 12 months in the past, falling to a -8.9 internet ranking with that group on the ground following Sunday’s slender win. Performances have dropped everywhere in the roster and whereas effort emerged as an issue not too long ago, the Celtics additionally fought themselves — missed layups, free throws and two weird out-of-bounds performs by Derrick White exaggerating their current points in opposition to New Orleans.
It’s all created cheap doubt with this crew. Defensive points fashioned early whereas Boston experimented with forcing extra turnovers. They’ve see-sawed attempting to plug completely different holes on that finish with the long term defensive numbers admittedly enhancing over final 12 months. They’ve awaited a regression on offense after taking pictures over 38% final 12 months to guide the league alongside Oklahoma Metropolis. They continue to be caught nearer to the NBA common now, simply above 36%. That’s made them extra extraordinary regardless of a 28-11 begin and a shot profile that Joe Mazzulla approves.
“Final 12 months, thus far, the offense was really worse from an anticipated foundation, however the precise was higher, they usually had been taking pictures 39% versus 29% (from three) … we have now to be higher, nevertheless it’s basically in a coaching camp kind with this specific group,” Mazzulla mentioned addressing the offensive manufacturing. “I don’t actually have a solution for that. What I do know is we have now to maintain up the method of preventing for one of the best shot, giving up one of the best photographs, making the required performs to win, executing, constructing belief, constructing accountability amongst one another, we simply must proceed to work that course of with one another.”
The variations over final 12 months ought to have the crew asking extra questions internally because it assesses itself forward of the commerce deadline. Kristaps Porziņģis admitted a number of instances that his return from surgical procedure and a number of accidents since added to the current inconsistency. He’s quickly improved on offense throughout current video games, however the Al Horford beginning lineup fared higher to start the 12 months. Would a switch-up work there?
Video games the place the Celtics regarded slower and fewer athletic than their opponents, together with the Thunder loss, begged for Neemias Queta’s presence in spots the place three wholesome facilities in entrance of him prevented him from enjoying. They may use a depth wing, and have an open roster spot together with restricted commerce flexibility in the event that they wish to make a transfer.
No matter what they do, the top-seven rotation will resolve their destiny. We’ve mentioned the variations in comparison with final 12 months. Sam Hauser, Derrick White and Jrue Vacation’s bumps and bruises have clearly restricted their effectiveness. Jaylen Brown, who handled a shoulder damage, fell to the worst taking pictures effectivity since his rookie season this week as he adjusted to first quarter exits. Tatum, who scored with staggering effectivity within the first half, needed to stability taking up with enjoying the precise approach.
As a result of that’s how they did it final 12 months.
It’s clear, on the midway level, that if the Celtics do repeat it gained’t be how they did so final season. Oklahoma Metropolis and Cleveland’s scorching begins have made not less than a number of the Celtics’ postseason path beginning on the street look inevitable. Perhaps that’s for one of the best — heightened consciousness in opposition to these foes and Boston’s dwelling file that’s already worse than final 12 months’s might provoke this group when the postseason they’re clearly ready for arrives in April. However the habits that arrange playoff success must change into extra constant now, they usually’re nonetheless attempting to determine precisely who they wish to be on each ends.
“There are two nice groups within the league which might be having historic seasons. They change into they change into the reference level of ‘oh, you’re not pretty much as good since you’re not them,’” Mazzulla mentioned on Sunday. “They’re nice. Nice groups have historic years and we’re on our personal path that we have now to have the ability to work via. Simply because we had been this final 12 months, you’ll be able to’t take without any consideration the small print, behavior, execution, togetherness, belief. All that stuff needs to be rebuilt, and I believe typically when you have got the identical crew, we have now this expectation that we’re simply gonna decide up there and it’s completely different. Completely different 12 months, individuals are in several areas, so we have now to re-establish that and you need to work that. It simply takes time.”
These days, they’ve shot fewer threes whereas desirous to be that taking pictures crew from one 12 months in the past. They’ve struggled to handle opponent taking pictures due to these uncharacteristic performances in opposition to them. The hassle points on protection deliver me again to 2023, and regardless of no dysfunction that clearly that group is seen this time round, the overall lesson from that spring about how purple flags throughout a seemingly rock-solid common season can pop up later would possibly show relevant. Mazzulla defended that crew’s statistically sturdy protection all 12 months till admitting, down 0-3 within the Jap Convention Finals, that they misplaced their defensive id.
Whereas that wasn’t the problem on Sunday, step one towards righting the ship might come from a jolt. My thoughts goes towards an Oshae Brissett or Lonnie Walker IV reunion. Each gamers might infuse wanted power, whether or not via rebounding or taking pictures, they usually turned well-liked throughout their stays in Boston. They’d additionally come at half-off minimal salaries and luxurious tax hits, although Walker would require a buyout from his Lithuanian membership.
Issues haven’t felt proper to start 2025, a part of it evaluating themselves to the excessive normal from a dominant 2024 run fueled by urgency, half coming from the pure problem in recreating that. Then, there’s a scarier mixture that they’re not pretty much as good and the league has caught up. The reality is a few mixture of all 4 components.
Regardless, this current stretch ought to function a wake-up name that hasn’t completely hit them. They’re getting there, as Mazzulla acknowledged on Sunday.
“The final word praise is we’re 28-11 and these are the forms of conversations that we’re having,” he mentioned. “So, it’s an attractive place to be in. I’m severe, I believe it’s nice. It’s an important normal and an important expectation to have and we have now to ship. So, everyone knows that … what’re we the third crew within the league now? Which isn’t nice, nevertheless it feels like a morgue in right here and that’s the way it must be, due to the place we’re attempting to get to. It’s the final word praise and we simply proceed to work via it.”
