The Boston Celtics have gone from a perennial title contender to a roster filled with players who are learning what it takes to be consistent at basketball's highest level.
"You're seeing a group of guys that are just learning the league; learning how to execute one night, but also turn that into consistency, turn that into habits, and then just deal with the ebbs and flows of the season," Joe Mazzulla told Hardwood Houdini after a recent practice session at the Auerbach Center.
There will be ups, like Josh Minott's career-high 21-point performance in a win against the Washington Wizards, one of nine straight starts, and Jordan Walsh converting his potential on the defensive end into impressive displays against individuals ranging from Tyrese Maxey and James Harden to Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
There will also be lows, like Friday night's 113-105 loss to the Brooklyn Nets in an NBA Cup contest. What made that defeat so disappointing was that the hosts failed to match the effort of an opponent who entered this game with a 2-12 record.
The Nets were determined to even the score after losing 113-99 to the Celtics on their home floor on Tuesday. The latter had the chance to build on climbing over .500 for the first time. It was an opportunity to add to their win total before an upcoming gauntlet against the Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons, Minnesota Timberwolves, Cleveland Cavaliers, and New York Knicks. Yet they didn't share Brooklyn's sense of urgency.
Celtics learning what it takes to be consistent
If anyone could get away with not showing up on Friday, it was Jaylen Brown. However, as he's well aware, one doesn't have that approach and become an All-NBA Second Team selection and a Finals MVP.
Brown played through a hamstring strain to start the season. Even when back-to-back contests arrived, he refused to sit. In the Celtics' rematch with the Nets, despite five fouls, he still registered a team-high 26 points on 9/18 shooting. The four-time All-Star also grabbed eight rebounds, dished out four assists, and swiped two steals in 32 minutes.
After the loss, he didn't hide his frustrations with his team's approach.
"Come ready to play or don't come at all," he said bluntly. "We've got to have some enthusiasm for the game."
His head coach co-signed that sentiment.
"They played better than us throughout most of the game," expressed Joe Mazzulla. "I think that's the bigger story."
Brown, who also stated that he needed to play better, spent much of his time at the podium challenging his teammates.
"End of the day, we all got a job to do. We [are] all getting paid to do what we love to do. Come ready to play basketball, or you're doing a disservice," voiced Brown. "Everybody's got to come and be ready to do their job and have great energy, enthusiasm, and want to win. That's what it's about at the end of the day, Celtics basketball."
"We've got to come ready to play. We just went through the motions today. I don't understand it," Brown said, continuing to convey his disappointment with what unfolded on the parquet.
While Boston went 11/32 [32.4 percent] from behind the arc, missed eight in the restricted area, and 19 in the paint in total, the nine-year veteran won't accept that as an excuse for a lack of effort.
"Regardless if you're making or missing shots, I mean, regardless of anything, we've just got to come out and play with great energy, great enthusiasm for the game, like, want to win," Brown told Hardwood Houdini after the loss. "It just didn't seem like that was the case tonight."
Whether it's his approach to consistently meet the rigors of the NBA schedule or how Jayson Tatum is relentlessly attacking his rehab, as those on the roster try to carve out their place in the league, work to capitalize on the opportunity in front of them, the franchise's star wings are a shining example to follow.
Even during a widely labeled gap year from title contention, and while one of them works his way back from perhaps the most devastating injury in sports, their approach and the standard they hold themselves to haven't changed.
If that doesn't rub off on a teammate, it casts doubt on that individual's ability to develop the habits needed to become consistent and achieve the success they desire.