Injuries Catch up to the Boston Celtics Quickly
Two sudden injuries left the Boston Celtics lifeless against the Phoenix Suns
Just when the Boston Celtics finally got back to full strength, they announced that both Avery Bradley and Al Horford would be sidelined for their Sunday evening matchup against the Phoenix Suns. With the Clippers up next on the second night of back to backs, the Celtics felt confident in their ability to be cautious considering how bad the Suns have been this season.
Injuries aside, the Celtics played one of their worst games of the season against the Suns. They were down by double digits for a large portion of the game and blew multiple opportunities to close out the game in the clutch. The Celtics got lazy and took this game for granted, and now they are in a rough situation.
The Celtics said there were no long term issues with Horford or Bradley, but with how cautious they have been with injuries, it is no guarantee they play against the Clippers, or even the Warriors. The Celtics had an opportunity to close the gap between them and the Cavaliers to just two games, and now, in just a few days, the race for the top seed could be completely out of reach.
The Celtics certainly suffered without Bradley or Horford out there, but this was one of the least inspired efforts on their part. Isaiah Thomas brought them back in the fourth quarter, but this is a game that should not have to be won or blown on the last possessions.
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The Celtics once again played down to their competition, and this time things went disastrously wrong on the final possessions. The Celtics have been dealing with injuries for the majority of the season, making it clear that the problem goes far beyond that in this game. The Celtics should now realize how much more difficult even the easy games will be with players sidelined, and they need to adjust their approach against teams that have no business keeping up with them.
The Celtics blew this one because they could not do the easy things. Finishing in the paint and free throws were the biggest problems, and directly led to what could be the worst loss of the season. Celtics fans will maybe appreciate Horford a little more after this one, but that does not change the way the players on the court played.
Injuries are a part of every team every season, and this game i an example of exactly what cannot be done while facing that adversity. The Celtics did nothing to bring the extra energy they need with players sidelined, and they assumed that they would be good enough shorthanded with minimal execution on either end.
The Suns played with much greater intensity and focus, while the Celtics sat back and let them do whatever they wanted. Terry Rozier and Jordan Mickey had strong games, but they need a lot more than that with Horford and Bradley out.
The Celtics will regroup and, if nothing else, this game will make sure their approach changes for these next two games, which will be the toughest two game stretch for the remainder of the season.
The Celtics also missed out on an opportunity to get some separation form the Wizards and the Raptors, and that may be the biggest loss from this game. The Wizards edged out a close victory against the Magic, making this one of the most potentially damaging loses of the season. The Celtics can feel great about their chances at the two seed largely because of the strength of their remaining schedule.
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The Celtics have a lot of games against inferior teams, but if they continue to play down to the competition, that will not matter. Even at full strength, the Celtics know that the product they put on the court is unacceptable in any situation, and hopefully this can be the wake up call that ensures it never happens again.