The Boston Celtics cannot take things for granted against the Kings
The Boston Celtics are on one of the more improbable streaks of the season. Despite being decimated by injuries, they managed to take down two of the best and hottest teams in the league against the Thunder and Blazers. The secondary players have stepped up in a way that might have seemed impossible before the injuries, and now they should have Jaylen Brown back in the lineup too.
Unfortunately, with good injury news comes bad, because Marcus Morris is going to miss this one with ankle issues, taking away the guy who have been their most important offensive player during this stretch.
The Kings are going to be the weakest team they have played since that streak of injuries started, and they will be doing it with some of those players returning. If the Celtics come out against the Kings with the same mentality they had against the Thunder and Blazers, this one should be over quick.
The danger, however, is that the Celtics once again start to take things for granted. We have seen stretches this season where it appeared as thought they just expected their talent to save them in the clutch, and it has cost them.
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The Celtics know that they are more talented than the Kings even with their top players sidelined, but they cannot play that way. The Celtics are getting maximum effort and intensity from anyone who sees the court, and teams have not figured out exactly how to handle it yet.
The Celtics have been looking for and finding any possible advantage they can get, no matter how small, against these teams that have that talent advantage. If the Celtics decide they do not need to do that as much because the Kings do not have that kind of talent, they could be in line for a disappointing loss.
The Celtics have played down to their competition too often this season, and that becomes even more dangerous when they are not at full strength. The Celtics can look at how well these bench players have played, and think they should have no problem doing that against a weaker team.
The reality is that the way these guys have been playing may not be sustainable, no matter who the competition is. They could be in line for another brutal shooting night, and that is not something they can overcome if they are not playing with higher energy, and continue to function well no matter how many shots are falling.
One of the most impressive things for these players is that they are killing themselves on the court, despite being pretty well locked in the two seed. The Celtics do not have a lot more to play for in the regular season, as it would take epic collapses for either of the top two seeds to change.
The injuries have put that chip on the shoulder of these guys, and it is allowing them to bring their absolute best, even if the situation may not fully call for it.
The Celtics can easily survive a loss to the Kings, but this does not look like a group who will be thinking about that. They still look like a team that wants to prove everyone wrong, even if it does not help their situation on paper that much. On top of that, these secondary players know Morris’ absence opens the door for them to prove something more before the playoffs.
Next: Jaylen Brown Probably to Return
The Celtics know that it is important to keep winning games as you enter the playoffs, even if it does not get you home court. The Kings are a team that can often be taken for granted, but it would be a bitter shame for these guys to throw away all that great play by not showing up for the easier competition.