Expectations are high, but the team's early performance this season, as well as their run to the Finals last season, is what brought them up. I think it would be fair to say we would all be very disappointed if they didn't go all the way, especially given that at our best it looks like we can beat anyone. The problem is that when we're not playing teams that are deemed "worthy opponents" the team doesn't come out with the right mental approach. I did a spreadsheet of our wins and losses, and categorized each team as a playoff or lottery team based on their current standing, and looked at their record:
Vs lottery teams: 30 games, 23 wins, 7 lossesLosses: Orlando (3), Chicago (2), Pacers (1), Thunder (1)
Wins: Detroit (4), Charlotte (4), Toronto (2), Washington (2), Chicago (2), Lakers (2), Atlanta (1), Houston (1), SA (1), Thunder (1), Pacers (1), Orlando (1), Kings (1)
Vs playoff teams: 34 games, 22 wins, 12 lossesLosses: Cleveland (2), NY (2), Miami (2), Brooklyn (1), Denver (1), Golden State (1), Clippers (1), Bucks (1), Suns (1)
Wins: Philly (3), Brooklyn (3), Dallas (2), NOP (2), Miami (2), Memphis (2), Phoenix (1), NY (1), Golden State (1), Denver (1), Clippers (1), Bucks (1), Cleveland (1), Minnesota (1)
If you look at the record, we've shown we can beat pretty much any team if we are clicking on all cylinders. The problem is with the losses where they are largely self inflicted, where the team just didn't display the same level of desperation or mental fortitude as the opponent. Like the early Chicago losses, or the three Orlando losses, getting 150 points put on them by the Thunder, or the latest Brooklyn loss to a team of journeymen. These are all mental fails.
Obviously it's a long season, they get bored and burned out and jaded, etc., and relative to every other team in the league they're still in a prime position. But because they're not playing as well as they did earlier in the season it's understandable for fans to be slitting wrists, because they set those expectations for themselves with their performance earlier in the season.
Last year it was the opposite - it was a fun run because we all slit our wrists in October, November and December, by new year we were one game above .500 and so nobody expected anything of the team, and so all that could happen is for us to be pleasantly surprised. It also probably created a sense of urgency in the team because at one point we weren't even in the playoff picture and they had to treat every game like it mattered, which it did. This year I think they take games off here and there, whether it's boredom or preserving themselves for the playoffs or whatever it is. If you look at Golden State they're in a similar situation particularly with the younger players who haven't met the expectations they set for themselves at the start of the season.
I do think the angst is excessive though. I'm not prepared to throw in the towel just yet. I think this team is still in a great position to contend come playoff time. I think the problems they have are mental, and not structural, and I'd rather they go through their lull now than in April. Of course I could be wrong but I think they are just waiting to get to the playoffs, whether they get the No1 or No2 or even No3 seed matters less to them than it matters to us. We beat Milwaukee in a Game 7 because we had HCA over them, but we also beat Miami when they had HCA over us. End of day I think we have a team that can win home or away in the playoffs. What will be interesting to observe is whether they can show the mental fortitude to put their best foot forward come playoff time. Going to be fun to watch
Topic: If the Celtics don’t win a ring this year…. (Read 2955 times)