Boston Celtics fall to lottery teams: Cause for concern?
By John Canady
The Boston Celtics are one of the best teams in the NBA, yet they continuously seem to run into a wall when they play below-.500 teams. Are the Celtics struggles a cause for concern? Or is this just a very fixable bump on the road to the NBA finals?
The Cs have fallen short on multiple occasions this year against rebuilding teams. The most recent loss came on March 13 against the Houston Rockets. Outside of that, the Celtics have lost three straight games to the Orlando Magic .
The Boston Celtics are a legit contender to win the NBA finals, but with losses like these, it’s hard to be confident at all times — and their issues go further back than just this season alone. The franchise seems to have a recent trend of playing down to their competition, and at times, it results in terrible losses. So the main question at hand is: should Celtics fans be concerned with the lack of competitiveness against lottery teams?
The Concerns for the Boston Celtics
The postseason is right around the corner, and losing close games to lottery teams is impacting the C’s seeding in the Eastern Conference. Having home court advantage in the playoffs is more important than some may realize, and the Celtics, of all teams, understand the importance following their Game 7 win over the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals last year.
Another problem with the Celtics struggles is the obvious timing. Post-All-Star break is the time for playoff teams to solidify their rotation entering the postseason. Most teams stick to 7-8-man lineups, and the Cs are going to have a hard time finding their desired lineup if they aren’t able to find success against under-.500 teams.
The light at the end of the tunnel
What’s the positive in all this? The Celtics have Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown on their roster. Arguably the best duo in the league, who now have NBA Finals experience under their belts and plenty of playoff experience. This duo has constantly risen to the occasion and will likely do the same when it’s time to step up to the big stage.
Although it can be concerning, the Celtics found themselves at the top of the league for a reason. With arguably one of the most well-rounded rosters in the league and seasoned veterans such as Al Horford and Blake Griffin, the Celtics have what it takes to figure it out when the time comes.
The NBA is filled with talent from top to bottom, and any team can steal a win on any given night. Nonetheless, Boston has the talent and the leadership to figure things out as the season winds down.