We're Just Maddeningly Inconsistent...

[Phantom255x]

The injuries definitely hurt, especially the ones that have hit our center group during the year, but it just feels like this team, as talented as it is, has not put it together and haven't really shown that they can in the near future as well.

They'll have a fantastic game where you'll watch and say, "THAT'S the team we know and the team we saw last year that was so close to the Finals", but then the following game they'll come out flat and suffer a bad loss. What makes it a bit worse is that it's not just 1 great game, 1 bad game, it feels like it's 1 great game against an elite team followed by 2-3 bad, pathetic games even against some mediocre teams. We're seemingly playing down to the bad/mediocre teams as well.

Some games, our bench sucks, and some games our bench does well but the starters suck.

And we seem to be relying way too much on the Morris/Kyrie/Tatum trio, to the point where if even just 1 or 2 of them don't play particularly well, we're just doomed from the get go for that game.

I know we're capable of coming back in games to win, but we can't make a habit of falling behind early and trying to mount a comeback. We've unfortunately done that way too many times this year and I think as Forsberg mentioned on Twitter, we're like 2-12 this season when we fall behind by more than 12 points.

Hayward has still looked sluggish and is figuring things out, but to use that as the "sole reason" we're not doing so well is just plain wrong.

Fortunately there's still a lot of time left in the season and none of the teams above us have "run away" with the East and a Top-3 seed, but unless things improve and we become more consistent (rack up wins, take care of business and put more 48-minute efforts out there), then we'll be destined to be a 4-6 seed this year and not a Top-3 seed in the East, which is what we need if we want to make the ECF and have a chance at the Finals (home court is CRUCIAL!).

[CF033]

I think it's mostly due to a lack of team chemistry so far and IMO the integration of Hayward def has a pretty big role in that. To me it looks like guys often just don't get how to play together efficiently for stretches or don't get what their role should be.

[LilRip]

Hayward needs to play with starters imo. Not a fan of running things through him until he can get back to the old Hayward.

[Phantom255x]

IMO it's mostly due to a lack of team chemistry so far and IMO the integration of Hayward def has a pretty big role in that. To me it looks like guys often just don't get how to play together efficiently for stretches or don't get what their role should be.

I agree with that. But the way Hayward and the entire team played in the 2nd half to me showed glimpses of what can be with this team going forward 

[ozgod]

We’re a work in progress. When we get it together for a full 48 we’re going to be rolling a lot of teams. I’m much more bullish on this team than their results indicate, I think they will be humming come April.

[mctyson]

They have a regular season rotation right now and it is causing inconsistency, with injuries adding to that and the integration of Hayward.

When the playoffs happen (assuming health) that rotation will shorten drastically.  That is party why they succeeded last year - roles were defined and guys could just play.

That and Kyrie will not have a game where he takes less than 15 shots, unless it is blow out win/loss.

[Phantom255x]

We’re a work in progress. When we get it together for a full 48 we’re going to be rolling a lot of teams. I’m much more bullish on this team than their results indicate, I think they will be humming come April.

Just got to hope the 1st or 2nd seed is still attainable come March and beyond. We also don't want to potentially fall too far behind some of the other teams ahead of us (although we are still well within striking distance as of today)

I trust we'll be able to move up 1-2 spots in the standings relatively soon (when schedule eases up again) but TOR/MIL seem solidified at the Top-2 spots at the moment.

[Rosco917]

We're a team stuck between still developing young players and veterans ready to win now. A healthy Hayward was supposed to be the bridge between the two. And he would have been if that horrible injury didn't happen.

A healthy Hayward would have given us time to see how Brown and Tatum would fully develop. Instead, we have a team growing impatient with the youth while trying to find a reliable second option behind Kyrie. Hayward was supposed to be that player.

Until (if) Hayward comes back, the organization needs to either step back and wait for the youth to develop (most likely a 2-year plan) or step up and trade a young player or two.   

[PhoSita]

The Celts have too many guys who are question marks on any given night.

They need more players whose role is stable and whose production can be counted on.

Smart and Morris are the best examples of that, which is why it makes sense they've been elevated to the starting lineup. 


To quote from Bill Sy on the front page of CB:

But Irving is already a star and will command a max contract in July. For players like Rozier and Brown (and Tatum to an extent), they’re trying to be stars in whatever minutes are doled out to them. When they hear “screen for a teammate” or “there are just other opportunities for you to be a basketball player other than having the ball in your hands,” those “little things” could be construed as supporting roles supporting a Best Actor bid.

The Celts need more players who are 100% committed to being great supporting actors, e.g. Marcus Smart.  A big part of the struggle the team's had so far is that many of the "supporting cast" are guys who actually would like to be seen as ripe for a lead role. 

That's not to say they're selfish, just that their idea of trying to find success within the team system is trying to shine in the ways that potential-leading-men shine.


The Celts need more players like Steve Buscemi and Jon Turturro.  Yep.  That's the takeaway.  More Buscemi.

[Phantom255x]

And today, start off great. Hold SAS to 46 in the first half. Then give up 46 in the 3rd quarter SMH.

[ozgod]

And today, start off great. Hold SAS to 46 in the first half. Then give up 46 in the 3rd quarter SMH.

We are inconsistent not just over this season but within games as well

[GreenWarrior]

we would've been fine this season if we didn't force hayward into the starting line up, when he wasn't ready and still isn't. the dude is basically a stump out there... probably worse actually because someone would at least accidentally trip over a stump to let you know they were there, he contributes nothing.

stevens sacrificed a lot by starting hayward and there's no excuses this is one of those decisions that needs to be judged harshly because he has yet to prove he can coach a NBA superstar laden team.

plus this "inconsistency" comes in large part because of the style of play/philosophy.

this game against the spurs though. honestly from the get go none of these guys seemed like they were ready really dig in and scrap out a win. they thought they were going to get away with playing the way they did(which wasn't great) in the 1st half and that would be enough. they were wrong.

it's pretty bad looking at every game on the schedule and thinking "we could lose every game" and we actually could.

[Somebody]

we would've been fine this season if we didn't force hayward into the starting line up, when he wasn't ready and still isn't. the dude is basically a stump out there... probably worse actually because someone would at least accidentally trip over a stump to let you know they were there, he contributes nothing.

stevens sacrificed a lot by starting hayward and there's no excuses this is one of those decisions that needs to be judged harshly because he has yet to prove he can coach a NBA superstar laden team.

plus this "inconsistency" comes in large part because of the style of play/philosophy.

this game against the spurs though. honestly from the get go none of these guys seemed like they were ready really dig in and scrap out a win. they thought they were going to get away with playing the way they did(which wasn't great) in the 1st half and that would be enough. they were wrong.

it's pretty bad looking at every game on the schedule and thinking "we could lose every game" and we actually could.

Hey! He contributes to losing, the disrespect!

[SHAQATTACK]

we would've been fine this season if we didn't force hayward into the starting line up, when he wasn't ready and still isn't. the dude is basically a stump out there... probably worse actually because someone would at least accidentally trip over a stump to let you know they were there, he contributes nothing.

stevens sacrificed a lot by starting hayward and there's no excuses this is one of those decisions that needs to be judged harshly because he has yet to prove he can coach a NBA superstar laden team.

plus this "inconsistency" comes in large part because of the style of play/philosophy.

this game against the spurs though. honestly from the get go none of these guys seemed like they were ready really dig in and scrap out a win. they thought they were going to get away with playing the way they did(which wasn't great) in the 1st half and that would be enough. they were wrong.

it's pretty bad looking at every game on the schedule and thinking "we could lose every game" and we actually could.

maybe they need to.   Brad has not got this team playing together and believing in themselves .  One quarter of effort is not gonna get it done ....LOL

[Phantom255x]

I still stand by what I said in the original post, that this team can still beat anyone (even the league’s best) on any given day. They have the talent to do it.

Maybe that’s a good thing when things get shortened/magnified in a playoff series but in a 82-game season the inconsistency can unfortunately hurt us.

Got to survive this stretch and then when the schedule eases up in January we’ve got to pounce again. No one’s running away with the East (yet).

We haven’t played well but it also feels like some teams are just getting hot against us (Rockets and Spurs making everything - even the contested shots).

At this point, just move on and focus on the next game.