Deep-diving into the Boston Celtics’ recent struggles

In the midst of a six-game road trip, the Boston Celtics blew another large lead to the Jazz, suffering its second questionable loss during this stretch.

Ever since the Boston Celtics stepped away for the All-Star break, they have never been able to recover the momentum created from the first half of the campaign. Sure, there have been sparks of hope from time to time, but it does not last long. Not only it is on the court, but Jaylen Brown recently expressed his criticism with part of the Celtics’ fanbase. The vibes around this ball club are not quite what many thought they would be as the postseason nears. Whether is it an inability to snatch a defensive rebound late in the game, or the complacency on the offensive end with a large lead, the Celtics are not playing the kind of basketball that is needed with just 10 regular season contests remaining.

Heading into the most important time of the campaign, the Boston Celtics want to be playing more like the Philadelphia 76ers at the moment. Despite becoming the second team in the Eastern Conference to clinch a playoff berth, Boston has gone 5-5 in its last 10 games, allowing Doc Rivers’ team to propel into the No. 2 seed. It is one step forward, and two steps back for Joe Mazzulla’s men right now.

One night they are able to hold off Damian Lillard in the fourth quarter to defeat the Trail Blazers, and in the next, Boston blew a 19 point advantage to a team that won just two of its previous seven games. Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo have the chance to pull away from Boston during a period in which its quality at both ends of the floor is not up to standards. Collecting home court advantage to at least the conference finals could prove vital with the top-three teams out East separated by so little.

After Grant Williams knocked down his second three in the final 6:30 of the fourth quarter, the Cs were up by six with just over 2:31 left to play in regulation. Surely, even without Al Horford and Marcus Smart this team would be able to hold on to a lead against a potential lottery bound team.

Not only did the offense stall, and settle for jump shots late, but the miscommunication of Malcolm Brogdon and Williams caused Utah’s only All-Star Lauri Markkanen to get a clean look at a three to bring the game within one. On the next offensive possession down the floor, there was no movement at all. Everyone stood still around the perimeter and watched Tatum attempt to take on a lengthy Jazz team that has an interior shot-blocking presence.

The late-game decision making is not at all present for Boston right now. Mistakes compound mistakes. The moments of brilliant play on both ends of the floor, but when it matters the most, the Cs are unable to put the nail in the coffin. Jayson Tatum has shot under 40% from beyond the arc in the fifth straight game. It is quite simple, if Tatum is not controlling the halfcourt offense, Boston lacks rhythm.

The question for the people around the city of champions right now is if this year’s team has the ability to finish what it failed to do last June. The uncertainty is beginning to creep in just months after this ball club was tearing through its schedule in the month of January. To put it in perspective, no team in the entire NBA right now has a worse fourth quarter net rating over the last 10 games than the Cs. Staying locked in from the jump to the final buzzer the rest of the way in the regular season is essential even though a postseason berth is already confirmed.

The Boston Celtics have not been able to close out games

A -17.3 sums up what has been a brutal stretch for this team late in games. Mazzulla accepted the blame for Boston’s failure to close out the game. Derrick White played zero minutes in the fourth quarter as the Cs moved to 4-7 in the last 11 games that are within one possession in the final two minutes. The amount of improvement needed is quite concerning for a team that should be polishing up some of its weaknesses with just 10 contests left. Mazzulla is still learning as a head coach, and the changes on the injury reports each game without question make it difficult for him to stick to any sort of consistency.

The talent, and leadership from top to bottom on this squad is enough to get this ball club through this storm. Late game execution must be better. On both the player and coaching side of things. Games are not decided within the first 36 minutes. If Boston can learn that sooner rather than later, home court advantage would not slip away into the hands of the East’s other two powerhouses.