What's Up With The Celtics Struggles

The Boston Celtics are enduring one of their worst skids of the season, with two weeks remaining until the All-Star break. While significant changes are unlikely before then, here are some strategies they can implement to address their mistakes and rebound effectively after the break.

Focus has been a glaring issue for the Celtics since winter. Numerous games this season have seen players’ emotions derail close contests, leading to losses in the final moments.

Consider their mid-December game against the Chicago Bulls. Jaylen Brown and Joe Mazzulla each received technical fouls late in the fourth quarter, allowing the Bulls to pull away with a win. A championship contender like the Celtics should not lose to a rebuilding team such as the Bulls.

A similar incident occurred against the Atlanta Hawks, where Jason Tatum got into a heated altercation with Onyeka Okongwu. These bouts of immaturity have plagued the Celtics but seem to have intensified recently. Addressing this issue is imperative. The coaching staff, led by Mazzulla, must instill greater composure and discipline to prevent these lapses from costing the team crucial games.

The Celtics’ three-point shooting has also seen a notable decline, an issue that seems to resurface annually. Their team shooting percentage has dropped from 39% last season to 36% this year. While a 3% dip might not appear drastic, it has a significant impact, especially considering the Celtics ranked second in three-point shooting last season and now sit 14th.

Last year, the Celtics thrived with a spread-out, five-wide offense that eliminated the need for a traditional center clogging the paint. However, this season, the inconsistent play of Kristaps Porziņģis and the aging Al Horford have forced the team to rely on Luke Kornet and Neemias Queta for critical minutes.

Neither Kornet nor Queta is a reliable three-point shooter, and their limited post-scoring ability further hampers spacing and offensive flow. This issue could resolve itself as Porziņģis gets more time to recover and returns fully prepared to contribute.

The stars also need to step up. Brown has not delivered the anticipated boost in production after being snubbed from the U.S. Olympic team, shooting just 32% from beyond the arc, down 3% from last year.

Similarly, Tatum’s three-point percentage has dipped from 37% to 35%. While the team’s shooting is in a slump, there is optimism that it will improve after the All-Star break.

The Celtics’ issues are fixable, and the All-Star break offers an ideal opportunity for rest and recalibration. Currently sitting as the second seed in the Eastern Conference, the team is well-positioned to overtake the Cleveland Cavaliers for the top spot.

While the Cavaliers have enjoyed strong contributions from their role players, it’s likely their performance will level off over time.

It’s worth noting that the Celtics face slumps like this almost every season. It’s better to encounter these growing pains now rather than in April, when the playoffs begin. Mazzulla must keep the team focused and channel their emotions constructively. Leadership starts with him, and it’s critical to ensure emotions don’t lead to self-sabotage in high-stakes games.

By addressing their lapses in focus and improving their shooting consistency, the Celtics can put themselves in a strong position to make a deep playoff run. The All-Star break is a pivotal moment for this talented roster to regroup and refocus on their championship aspirations and be the first team to win back to back championships since the 2017-2018 Golden State Warriors.

Alec Brown is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him please email aeb6680@psu.edu.