4 bad losses in 2 weeks

[SHAQATTACK]

load mgmt could upset a teams rhythm and confidence playing as such.

Celtics make up may not be such to absorb load mgmt subtractions without setting off a string of losses.

[Birdman]

Don’t know why Danny didn’t try to shore up the bench before season began..guess he thought the 4 picks was all he needed lol..if Walker or Tatum go down for a long time, we are done for sure

[Fafnir]

Don’t know why Danny didn’t try to shore up the bench before season began..guess he thought the 4 picks was all he needed lol..if Walker or Tatum go down for a long time, we are done for sure

We had a deep bench last year, how'd that go? The plan was to clear the decks of shot happy veterans and then add role playing pieces that would fit better.

Besides they used their cap space on Kemba and one exception on Kanter, those were their primary resources to bring in new players. He could have made a trade I guess but it was hard to get one done given how many players were FAs. Does Jordan Clarkson "fix" the bench? Eh....

[fairweatherfan]

It's been a rough stretch. This is the doldrums of the season but we needed to rack up more easy Ws and we haven't brought it. Last night the worst of the bunch.

[Birdman]

You have to bring it every night, no matter who u play..Bet Bird, Magic, Kobe and Jordan would

[seancally]

I'll be glad to get to the All-Star break and give the guys a chance to reset. Hopefully we hit the second half of the season in stride, like we started the year. Something to be said for the amount of lineup changes and guys who've been in and out due to injury.

I'm certainly in favor of shoring up the bench; if there's a Bertans trade or some other similar move that can consolidate some of our 8-12 guys and a pick, or something, great. That 2-seed would be nice. Right now Philly is sitting in 6th. Toronto got their guys back, Indy is going to get Oladipo... it's not out of the question that Philly ends up at No. 6. Finishing less than second would be a disappointment.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Can’t lose those games if u are contending for a title..

I mean this isn't true? Plenty of contending teams have bad stretches.

I am worried about their recent decline, but the real mark of the better teams is that they bounce back not that they never have the down stretch.

I have no idea what to expect tonight.

Anything can happen, and nothing would surprise me, but I'm expecting a loss, and a fairly convincing one. So far this season the Cs are 3-3 on the second half of back-to-backs, with all 3 wins against bad teams (Knicks, Suns, Bulls) and all 3 losses against good teams (Sixers, Raptors, Sixers). Tonight they're playing the best team in the NBA, on the road, and the Cs played last night so of course all of these young bucks (pardon the pun) are "tired."

[GreenCoffeeBean]

Teams with good size in the front court know the playbook to abuse us and make life hard on us. Those teams are going to take high percentage shots all night long and our only way to beat them is to shoot great from 3.

[LilRip]

Just a lack of respect for their opponent. I thought the C’s started the game laid back defensively, giving up a bunch of open shots. It was like they were already looking ahead to the Bucks game and expecting to win off of sheer talent.

We’re not good enough yet to just “flip a switch”.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Teams with good size in the front court know the playbook to abuse us and make life hard on us.

Yet Brad continues to prefer small-ball.

our only way to beat them is to shoot great from 3.

Something they don't do often enough.

[nickagneta]

Slept in a bit today so just getting to read CS.

Did something happen while I slept? Did I pull a Rip Van Winkle?

The Celtics were 27-12 and on a 57-58 win pace and one of the top teams in the league when I fell asleep. Did something change because suddenly they are destined for a sixth seed and according to another thread every player on the bench but Kanter and Smart need to be replaced. I haven't seen it yet but I am sure someone is complaining about needing to make a trade for a big, too.

What happened while I slept? Was it that loss to Detroit?

Tsk. Tsk. Those bad, bad, bad Celtics. Don't they know they are supposed to go 98-0, win every game by 30 or more, never have a bad stretch in a game and win the title every year. Stupid Celtics!!!!

[PhoSita]

It's January.

There's no need to panic. 

Even great teams have slumps.

The Celts are probably not a "great" team but they're very good.

They still have the 6th best record in the league (half a game back of 3rd).

They have the 4th best point differential in the league.



There's just not much to gain by trying to make any major moves during this season. 



At the end of the day, the Celts have Tatum, Brown, Kemba, and Smart plus Brad as coach.  I'm not worried, even if this year ends up in a place that's somewhat less exciting than the team has been at times early in the season.

[Spicoli]

Lost to a hurt Toronto team
Lost to a average Spurs team
Lost to a bad Washington team
Lost to a bad Detroit team

Can’t lose those games if u are contending for a title..before season I said bout 5 or 6 best team in East and looking like I’m going be right unfortunately..hopefully they can turn it around but Danny got to start with this bad bench that we have

Lowry and VanVleet got into the middle of the floor and picked us apart.

Derozan, White, and Walker got into the middle of the floor and picked us apart.

Ish Smith and Troy Brown got into the middle of the floor and picked us apart.

Derrick Rose got into the middle of the floor and picked us apart.

I'm definitely seeing a pattern in these losses. The Celtics cannot keep guys from getting into the middle of the paint off of a simple pick and once they get there they either have a wide open practice shot or they dish it off for an easy 3. This defense has been exposed.

[Spicoli]

We need a real star and a leader. Maybe Beal can be that player.
Hopefully Smart plus young assets does it!
I think Smart has to go (matching salaries) . He is too volatile and that can cost us dearly in close playoff games.

I agree.  There doesn't appear to be a real leader on this team, it is a committee approach.  I wish there was more of a hierarchy and defined roles.

Same! This team is inconsistent because the coach refuses to give guys consistent minutes and roles.

[nickagneta]

We need a real star and a leader. Maybe Beal can be that player.
Hopefully Smart plus young assets does it!
I think Smart has to go (matching salaries) . He is too volatile and that can cost us dearly in close playoff games.

I agree.  There doesn't appear to be a real leader on this team, it is a committee approach.  I wish there was more of a hierarchy and defined roles.

Same! This team is inconsistent because the coach refuses to give guys consistent minutes and roles.

Out of the top 7 guys of Kemba, Brown, Tatum, Hayward, Theis, Smart and Kanter, the Celtics have lost 45 player games to injury or illness. There have only been 5 games out of the 39 they have played that all 7 rotation players have been healthy enough to play. There have been multiple games of at least two of those players being out and a couple of games or so of three of those players.

Add in long term injuries to Langford, Timelord and Poirier and having a bunch of inconsistent rookies, and what you see is a coach trying his best to balance the development of young players getting rotation minutes, with needing to win while overcoming the loss of a rash of injuries to rotation players, while attempting to keep some semblance of consistency in roles and minutes.

I think Stevens has done a great job of getting this team to 27-12 considering the injuries and being stuck with one of the youngest and most inexperienced benches in the league. His hierarchy is clear:

1A Kemba
1B Tatum
1C Brown
4 Hayward
5
6
7 Smart
8 Kanter
9 Theis
10 Everyone else.

And if someone is out, everyone move up. Next man up.