The Celtics simply did one thing they didn’t do all of final season.
After their late comeback try on Christmas in opposition to the 76ers fell flat with a defensive lapse in opposition to Tyrese Maxey, Boston misplaced their third of 4 video games. If not for a volcanic Jayson Tatum end in Chicago, we might be speaking concerning the group’s first four-game dropping streak since 2021.
Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Vacation’s absence down the stretch didn’t assist yesterday, however these bumps and bruises have gotten a part of the 2025 group’s story because the calendar flips. Porzingis missed the primary 17 video games, laying the groundwork for defensive inconsistency that plagued Boston by its first 30, and Wednesday marked his third decrease physique tweak in 11 video games again from offseason leg surgical procedure.
A number of illnesses have held Vacation out of 4 contests and restricted his effectiveness. Sam Hauser entered the season with a again harm that’s persevered all through the schedule.
“There was no second (I damage it),” Hauser mentioned in October. “Simply form of on-and-off. May very well be simply a few years of taking part in basketball.”
That’s not what you need to hear from a participant whose 11 threes and protection closely aided the 4-1 Finals win over Dallas. Hauser logged 79 common season video games final season, when the Celtics completed with the fewest minutes misplaced to the coaching room of any within the East.
One main blow to Kevin Garnett’s knee thwarted the 2009 Celtics’ repeat try. This group, to this point, has been stricken by paper cuts rapidly including up. They’ve performed their greatest to handle them. Al Horford and Porzingis relaxation their typical back-to-backs. Tatum skipped video games in consecutive weeks whereas coping with knee tendinitis and Derrick White returned from a foot sprain after lacking one earlier this season. He’s required remedy since.
They’re not utilizing any of it as an excuse, however Porzingis, Vacation and others have shot far under their requirements, possible as a result of them missing rhythm. The Celtics fell to fifteenth in three-point proportion following losses to Philadelphia and Orlando, who restricted their makes an attempt and effectivity. Final 12 months, on the league’s highest quantity, they tied the Thunder for first-place at 38.8%. They’re right down to 36.5%, and whereas their defensive effectiveness is in line statistically with final 12 months’s, they’re not as prolific at slowing the three. They’ve wavered between prioritizing the inside and perimeter defensively whereas making an attempt to power extra turnovers. Towards Philadelphia, it took 45 minutes for the Celtics to document their first steal as Maxey repeatedly torched them. Faster guards have damage Boston.
“There are moments the place we have now to play more durable,” Joe Mazzulla mentioned on Wednesday.
“We’re taking part in inconsistent basketball. We gotta be higher at each ends of the ground. We gotta be extra constant at each ends of the ground.”
The Grizzlies shaded away from Vacation and dared him to beat them. The Bulls matched Boston’s three-point makes an attempt. Caleb Martin and Philadelphia took benefit of the Celtics’ defensive hedging. Opponents have discovered methods to at the least trouble a seemingly invincible foe, and when Boston’s down one participant, they’ve struggled to seek out constant wing depth to step into extra minutes regardless of Drew Peterson’s shock affect late final month.
Oshae Brissett isn’t round, and whereas The Boston Globe reported that the Celtics will assess non-guaranteed contract releases and trades forward of subsequent month’s Jan. 9 deadline to handle these offers, vital assist isn’t arriving to a group restricted by the second apron and luxurious tax — particularly one slated to endure an possession change within the coming months. When that occurs, the group actually received’t be the identical.
The stretch forward between December and January might drastically shift how we view them. Two video games in opposition to an Indiana group quickly discovering itself, that pushed the Celtics as exhausting as anybody final 12 months, await this weekend earlier than Toronto visits Boston after taking them to additional time earlier final month.
To start 2025, the Celtics go to Minnesota and Houston back-to-back, Oklahoma Metropolis and Denver in one of the crucial troublesome highway journeys possible. If malaise and a championship hangover have precipitated their troubles — that point away on the highway might clear up them.
“It’s positively completely different (this 12 months),” Horford mentioned. “To Joe’s level, there have been some inconsistencies … we don’t like dropping, we don’t like dropping at dwelling particularly. We simply must be higher … for us, we’re determining being on this place. One of many issues that doesn’t get talked about, final 12 months we had been fairly wholesome all through. I feel this 12 months has been plenty of in-and-outs … there are completely different dynamics.”
The wake-up name already got here on Christmas, their fifth dwelling loss this season after struggling solely 4 in 2024. The Magic had mustered a miraculous effort on Monday following Moe Wagner’s emotional ACL tear whereas Boston discovered minutes earlier than tip-off that Tatum couldn’t play. That state of affairs made sense as a one-off loss after dropping there final fall.
The lackluster effort to open a nationwide showcase two days later made much less sense and will begin a dialog about the place the group goes. Losses to the Lakers with out Anthony Davis and LeBron James occurred to the championship Celtics, who would’ve gathered themselves sooner.
Don’t underrate unhealthy indicators and definitely don’t deal with this season as if it’s the identical 12 months. Even when a lot of the roster stays, they haven’t produced or been obtainable on the similar fee. If not for Tatum, White and Payton Pritchard’s scorching begins, it will’ve been extra obvious how completely different this group seems to be to this point. They’ve doubled-down on threes and seen diminishing returns. Some stunning efforts, beginning with their NBA Cup letdown in opposition to the Hawks, mirrored a gaggle that felt a return to the Finals could be inevitable.
But, not like final 12 months, they’ve spent six days in first place. They’ve wanting up at Cleveland, now 4 video games above them, since Oct. 30.
The 2023 Celtics, albeit in far completely different, tumultuous circumstances, took a return to the championship spherical with no consideration till crimson flags current all season factored into falling behind 0-3 within the Jap Convention Finals. We’re not there with this group, however this month supplied a wanted reminder that it’s a brand new 12 months and the identical focus, depth and a focus to element as earlier than is the one strategy to repeat.
That urgency, the lightning in a bottle that sparked their run following an offseason shake-up, is difficult to duplicate. It’s why no one has repeated since 2018; Mazzulla obsessed over determining why over the summer season. They’ve admitted they didn’t understand how exhausting it will be till the early setbacks. Brad Stevens forecasted them when requested about working it again in camp, anticipating that they’d overcome them.
“I typically wouldn’t thoughts a tweak or two,” he mentioned. “These issues can impress you and provide you with a jolt, can provide the juice that you simply want. I feel these guys are galvanized by one another. It’s not fully the identical. We received a pair guys that aren’t right here that had been superior for us … I do suppose that these guys, they’ve a novel chemistry that I actually imagine issues. They deserve the chance to assault this problem collectively.”
