Boston Celtics Facing Biggest Challenge of Season

The Boston Celtics took some time to adjust to life without Jae Crowder, but they were able to take advantage of a favourable schedule and have put together four straight wins, in response to four straight loses prior to that. The Raptors were the lone playoff team the Celtics faced during their four game winning streak but it was clear that they got back to playing the way they were prior to the Crowder injury.

It has happened multiple times this season when the Celtics have had to adjust to key injuries to players. The Celtics endured a similar drop in play immediately following the injury to Kelly Olynyk, and when Marcus Smart initially went down (at the time he was a part of the starting unit) they clearly had to go through an adjustment period. Sure enough, each injury slowed the Celtics down, until they were able to find a way to function without one of the key pieces to their rotation.

Jae Crowder was clearly the most significant of these injuries but an increased role for Evan Turner, Terry Rozier and Jonas Jerebko, tied into the return of  Olynyk, have got the Celtics back on track, and they may even be better off because of the injury. The problem is that even if the Celtics have improved in areas because of Crowder’s injury, they are about to go through the most important stretch of their season, and they will need to step up their game once again to get through it without Crowder.

The Celtics, Hawks, Heat and Hornets are all separated by 1.5 games in the eastern conference and this upcoming stretch is the kind that can take the Celtics out of the running for the three seed, unless, of course, they continue to build on the momentum of their four game winning streak and find a way to get out of the next three game.

The Celtics will start with a matchup against the Clippers, followed by the easiest of the three against the Trail Blazers, and then they get their second chance to topple the number one team in the league, the Golden State Warriors. The Celtics will have another opportunity to bounce back with a much easier schedule following these three games, but the race in the east is far too close to be able to drop three games and still stay in the hunt.

The Celtics may have had three game stretches they were against a similar quality of opponents. They have not, however, had a more important three game stretch this season, and they have to go through it without one of their two best players in Jae Crowder. The Celtics have made the right adjustments in order to get back to playing well. Unfortunately, playing well is not enough for the Celtics against these next three opponents.

At full strength, the Celtics cannot afford to concede anything to this level of opponent but they can put themselves in the best position of the season if they manage to come out of these three games with a winning record. Finding a way to beat these kinds of teams without Crowder will, in addition to giving the Celtics the most momentum they’ve had all season long, give them more trust in the secondary players that had to step up without Crowder.

Even at full strength the Celtics’ next three game stretch would be daunting. Without Crowder there is not much doubt to this being the most challenging three game stretch of the season. Throw in that they are all on the road and the Celtics will have to bring their play to new heights in order to come out successful.

The Celtics have been playing with their back against the wall and have been looking to prove doubters wrong all season long. Unfortunately, the right mentality will not be enough in this series. The Celtics have seen the likes of Turner and Olynyk step their game up and while that is enough to take down a team like the Suns, they cannot have any liabilities on the court against their next three opponents.

Brad Stevens will have his biggest challenge of the season, attempting to make sure the Celtics find a way to make up for the impact lost with Crowder, and the players will have their biggest challenge of the season, trying to find a way to take down teams that are almost universally regarded as more talented.

If the Celtics can have success over this three game stretch that can set the tone for them going into the playoffs. The Celtics still have a lot of work to do, induing the final three games against three of the teams that are separated by 1.5 games in the east. However, that three game stretch becomes much less daunting if the Celtics can find success during this Western conference road trip.

Next: Who Should the Celtics Hope to Play in Round 1

The Celtics have been pushed to their limits multiple times this season but they will have to take it to another level. The Celtics are facing some of the most talented teams in the league and they have to do without without one of their two most talented players. This is the kind of a stretch that will challenge them like no time before, but it is also the stretch that can further validate their position as contenders in the east.