The Boston Celtics have played four games since the week long All-Star break, and haven't exactly looked like world beaters. The Celtics have gone 2-2, which is not awful, but there have been some obvious flaws in the Celtics game.
The Celtics first game break from the game may have been their most disappointing in the four game stretch. The Celtics lost to the Jazz in Utah, 111-93. The Jazz are not a great team, and considering the fact that the Celtics are in third place in the Eastern Conference, they should beat teams like Utah. It was apparent during this game that some of the Celtics were still on vacation.
They were able to bounce back on Sunday when the team traveled to Denver to take on the Nuggets. The Celtics handled the Nuggets, and came away with the 121-101 win. The Nuggets are considered in the leagues lower tier of teams, so the Celtics should be expected to win these kind of games.
The Celtics had a quick turnaround before their next game, as they played the second game of a back-to-back on Monday in Minnesota. This one was a heart breaker, as the Celtics fell to the Timberwolves 124-122. Marcus Smart tried to steal the win with a three at the buzzer, but fell short. Isaiah Thomas was noticeably open on the play, and may have been the better option in that situation. Regardless, how can you give up 124 points to a team who is 18-40 on the season? I understand that it was their second game in a row, but playoff teams shouldn't have those types of games.
Boston had a few days off before heading home and hosting the Bucks tonight. The Celtics looked good for most of the night, although they let Milwaukee creep back into the game in the fourth quarter. The Celtics were able to hold on though, as Isaiah Thomas put on a show and secured the 112-107 win.
If the Celtics are going to compete in the Eastern Conference, they will need to pick it up here in the home stretch. They will need to lock down on defense, and play better on the road if they want to succeed.
No comments:
Post a Comment