all star fever ???? schedule??? or draining flu???

[rollie mass]

Being finally tuned athletes a bout of illness can effect a whole teams game. Maybe, its simply all star fever as Tatum is over dribbling and finishing throwing up some awkward shots.
The Spurs gave a demonstration of movement and quick decisions ,cuts and kick outs.
And that was on the road and a back to back.
Once a winter flu ripped through our 12-0 team and we then lost three of four by one point. Our team was defence oriented and we were a step slower.

[Surferdad]

No excuses, man! Plenty of teams have had injuries, illness or bad schedules, and many of them are playing better without their key stars.

I don't care how much talent you have, if players don't focus on every possession, and play HARD you ain't going nowhere.  This is on Brad Stevens.  He cannot motivate this team.

[Moranis]

Boston is 25-11 and the 3 seed in the East.  If you knew that before the season started you would take it an instant based on just about every preseason projection of the team.  The team was overperforming early on and may just be regressing to the mean a bit.  Or maybe it is just a bad 3 game stretch. 

[cons]

im worried hayward is still fighting injuries maybe? he has looked horrible again. hard to explain, hes been so up and down.

[jambr380]

It looks like a pick-up game out there with the constant isos and everybody else standing around. The Cs were becoming well known for constantly keeping the ball moving up until this recent stretch, but that seems to have dissipated into the wind.

Also, our prime time defenders are not doing their jobs. Pretty good players like Ish Smith and Josh Richardson have been lighting up Smart. I realize this also has a lot to do with our defensive rotations - Kanter has been getting switched on to guards far too often for instance - but we just look a half step slow out there, and, dare I say, lazy.

[Donoghus]

Probably a variety of things.  Travel, flu bug, the January trudge through a long season. Setting into some bad habits probably due to some fatigue of 3 games in 4 nights.   Don't forget it was the back end of a back to back which haven't exactly been this team's bread & butter.

[A Future of Stevens]

Boston is 25-11 and the 3 seed in the East.  If you knew that before the season started you would take it an instant based on just about every preseason projection of the team.  The team was overperforming early on and may just be regressing to the mean a bit.  Or maybe it is just a bad 3 game stretch.

This. I feel like the team has bought into the high activity level of a typical Brad Steven's team early, but with the new year have gotten away from that. Compound that with the fact that this team has played 6 games starting 12/31 (6 in 10 days.) A few of them were gimmies, but you have to give the effort every night.

Our defense is predicated on swarming and providing effort to disrupt their flow (simplistic definition.) Without the effort at our advantage (wings) we are destined for stretches like we have had.

[rollie mass]

Marcus was out three weeks and came back with some weight loss
Kemba is like an Ironman and he missed three games.
Jaylen had to go to hospital with it.
Theis was down with it recently and played with sore knee and shoulder.
The schedule has been all over the map and with juggled start times.

[Sophomore]

It looks like a pick-up game out there with the constant isos and everybody else standing around. The Cs were becoming well known for constantly keeping the ball moving up until this recent stretch, but that seems to have dissipated into the wind.

Also, our prime time defenders are not doing their jobs. Pretty good players like Ish Smith and Josh Richardson have been lighting up Smart. I realize this also has a lot to do with our defensive rotations - Kanter has been getting switched on to guards far too often for instance - but we just look a half step slow out there, and, dare I say, lazy.

This is the baffling thing to me. They *were* moving the ball and having success. The players all said they were happy and the reporters who travel with them were buying it. What happened? Why go away from what works and what makes you happy?

It seems to be fatigue - lack of focus and consistent effort. If that's right, I've got two reactions. Yes, the season is long, and it's a grind.  They're human.  But they're the best of the best, and as a fan I want to watch the games and enjoy them. If they don't care enough to play hard I may not care enough to watch them.

And, the other teams have a long season too. Why are we coming out with less focus and fire than some pretty bad teams?

[DrinkinCelticKool-Aid]

I'm starting to doubt the magic of magic of Brad Stevens. I watched him in the post game presser after the Spurs game and he seemed to be pretty ho hum about the loss, and gave his typical, "there are a lot of good teams in the league and if you don't play hard you'll get beat."
He needs to own up to his team looking like hot garbage. It's on him to light a fire under his team and have them ready to play. I think he sits back and let's each player manage themselves as opposed to him leading the group. This team is beginning to look like last years team. If this years team winds up getting fully healthy, then lays a turd again in the playoffs, Brad needs to be looked at seriously.