Since mid-December, Boston Celtics fans have been on a little bit of a rollercoaster ride. First, the team dropped five out of six games, then they won four straight, now they’ve lost their last two games heading into Thursday’s matchup with Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks, who have won seven straight.
The most glaring issue for the Celtics over the last month or so, has been their inability to knock down shots that they had been making earlier in the season. Over Boston’s first 26 games they shot the lights out. They ranked fourth in the NBA in field-goal percentage, shooting 49.3%, and first in 3-point percentage, making 40% of their attempts. Over the last 12 games it’s been a completely different story for the boys in green. They rank 28th in both categories, making just 44.6% of their field goals and 31.1% of their threes.
There have been plenty of other factors besides shooting. Some examples include increased turnovers, inconsistent effort on the defensive end, and less creativity on offense. However, the drop off in shooting efficiency has shown the most correlation to the success of the Boston Celtics.
Brad Stevens could fix the Boston Celtics shooting problem himself
And no, that doesn’t mean Brad is going to suit up and drill a few threes.
In a recent article, NBC Sports Boston’s Chris Forsberg highlighted four storylines for fans to keep an eye on in the new year. Forsberg discussed the recent shooting slump of rotation wing Sam Hauser and the possibility of the Celtics seeking an upgrade ahead of the February 9 NBA Trade Deadline:
"“Sam Hauser’s slump has now stretched over a month. In the 16 games since November 30, he’s shooting 33.8 percent from the floor and 28.1 percent beyond the 3-point arc. Once dancing among the NBA’s plus/minus leaders early in the year, Hauser is minus-45 over those 16 games. He’s held a positive plus/minus in only six of those games, although four of those have come since Christmas Day.”"
Hauser’s slump comes after an encouraging start to the season, serving as a fill-in for the injured Danillo Gallinari. He was a marksman through his first 26 appearances, shooting a reliable 45.5% from deep. His recent struggles have caused fans to start asking questions about his ability to help the team as the season rolls on. Forsberg touched on the possibility of Hauser being replaced:
"“Hauser needs to find his offensive mojo in January and tighten up his defense, or it might force Stevens to more aggressively explore wing options whom the team can trust more in potential playoff minutes.”"
Forsberg didn’t go into detail about potential Hauser replacements, but over the next month names will start to get thrown around in potential trade scenarios.