Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of followers throughout the NBA. All year long we ask questions of essentially the most plugged-in Boston Celtics followers and followers throughout the nation. Join right here to take part within the weekly emailed surveys.
This week we requested Celtics followers simply how nervous they have been concerning the workforce. On the time they have been 5-5 of their final 10. Now they’re 8-7 of their final 15 video games, so not a lot has modified.
The vast majority of followers indicated that they’re reasonably involved, and I feel that appears about proper.
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They’re nonetheless the defending champs and have definitely proven indicators of their dominance. In truth, they’re working at about final 12 months’s win tempo.
However one thing simply appears a bit …off with the workforce because the begin of December.
The Celtics are 8-7 of their final 15 video games
In that span, Boston ranks fifth in offense and 4th in protection
However in 4th quarters throughout that span, Boston ranks eighth in offense and twenty sixth in protection
— Cameron Tabatabaie (@CTabatabaie) January 11, 2025
We additionally requested followers concerning the purpose for the workforce’s struggles, and most answered that it has to do with a scarcity of depth or focus.
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I can’t say that that is altogether stunning. Prior variations of this workforce had a maddening inconsistency that at all times appeared associated to both focus or following via with effort for a full 48 minutes. Final 12 months’s workforce appeared to energy via the conventional let-down video games (like say the primary sport dwelling after an extended street journey). This 12 months’s workforce doesn’t look as sharp game-in and game-out.
Issues may definitely stage out. The workforce is on tempo to win 58 video games and their remaining power of schedule is third best in accordance with Tankathon. So there’s an opportunity that this workforce can end with the same document to final 12 months’s workforce and hit the bottom working within the playoffs.
In the long run, all that might be remembered is the playoff outcomes. Nevertheless, many occasions these outcomes are a direct results of the habits fashioned throughout the common season. So this workforce in all probability wants to determine recapture no matter drove them final season.
