What are the real concerns for the Celtics amid their first rough patch? first appeared on NBC sports Boston
The Boston Celtics have so rarely lost consecutive games in the past 14 months that the first losing streak of the 2024-25 season probably registers higher on the concern meter than it should. Still, there’s no denying that the Celtics, who have lost four of their last seven, are in a bit of a rare funk.
Poor scheduling, injury woes, and a championship goal on their backs have contributed to Boston’s first basketball stretch of the season. No one is hitting the panic buttons, but with a tough, road-heavy schedule coming up in January, it’s worth considering which areas the Celtics need to clean up faster than others.
The Celtics looked like a wrecking ball with a 16-3 record through the first five weeks of the season. They got Kristaps Porzingis back at the end of that stretch and it looks like he’s in another gear a lopsided win over the Clippers.
But Boston has sputtered a bit since. The C stumble against East-leading Cleveland in the regular season after Boston ended the Cavs’ season-opening streak on Nov. Losses to Chicago, Orlandowe had Philadelphia last week he will leave the group taking inventory of his mistakes.
So what is the real cause for concern and what is just a blip on the radar? Let’s address some of the more noticeable issues and choose a “call of concern” (1 being the least, 10 being the highest):
Porzingis’ health and production
When the Celtics hammered the Clippers on November 25 in Porzingis’ season debut, it felt like we had a glimpse of their full potential with their 7-foot-2 big man back on the floor.
Boston’s offensive rating over its first 23 games is 120.6, second-best in the NBA. Over the last seven pointers, the number is down to 113.1. Boston’s net rating in 299 minutes of court time is +3.1 and spikes to +12.6 in his 325 minutes off the floor.
Some starts and stops don’t help anyone see consistency. Porzingis has tweaked one of his legs on three different occasions since returning, as well leaving the Christmas Day game with a bruise on his left ankle after an early stumble.
Boston’s starting five of Porzingis, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday, and Derrick White averaged -4 in 85 minutes together. That includes a low offensive rating of 110.7. A season ago, that team was +11 in 623 minutes combined.
Maybe it’s as simple as Porzingis getting — and staying — healthy. But the Celtics simply haven’t tapped into what made that team so dominant a season ago. Porzingis should be the thing that takes this team to another level; instead it feels like they went the other way.
Anxiety meter: 6. It’s most important that Porzingis is healthy in May and June, but getting a long run with all the pieces of this core healthy will be helpful now, too.
Hauser’s back woes
Sam Hauser has missed seven games early in the 2024-25 season with a back injury after missing just five games the past two seasons. More about: When Hauser came, he struggled to make an impact.
That has been expected over the last two games, as Hauser has taken – and missed – just one shot over 30 minutes of floor time against the Magic and Sixers. A plus/minus darling, he is minus-17 over the last two games.
Like Porzingis, it has been start-and-stop with Hauser. He missed one game to start the month against Miami, but came back to hit 9 of 18 3-pointers over a two-game stretch against Detroit and Milwaukee. Alas, the back worked up again and forced him to lose three of the next four games.
The Celtics need to figure out how to get Hauser feeling himself again. Even with Payton Pritchard is handling the Sixth Man of the Year conversationThe bench hasn’t been doing well this season in part because of Hauser’s efforts. Boston is blessed with depth, but Hauser is as important to the team as he was as dominant as he was a season ago.
Anxiety meter: 5. Back injuries are tricky. We suspect that Hauser is trying to push through the pain. Boston distinguished itself with bench play last season and a more effective Hauser would go a long way to healing what that team did.
Changes
Boston’s turnover rate through the first 23 games of the season was a mere 11.8 percent, the second-best mark in the NBA behind only Oklahoma City. That number has spiked to 13.1 percent over the last seven games.
But it’s Boston’s somewhat sloppy combination with an inability to force moves on the defensive end that has hindered the team lately. The Sixers had just six turnovers Wednesday, most of which came in the Celtics’ feverish attempt to rally late.
Anxiety meter: 2. The Celtics will clean up the ball protection problems, but they need to work hard to force opponents into turnovers. Boston is creating just 13.4 turnovers per game, tied for 25th in the NBA. The Celtics’ transition woes reflect their need to focus on more details.
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The Celtics are now 11-5 at TD Garden with their loss on Christmas Day – this after posting a 37-4 record at home last season.
It’s clear that, after losing Game 7 on their home turf in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals, the C’s prioritized home court control last season. This year, they haven’t tapped into the Garden power as well.
Boston has now lost to Golden State, Atlanta at the beginning of the NBA Cup, Memphis has Marcus Smart’s backChicago, and Philadelphia at home.
Anxiety meter: 3. Ironically, two of Boston’s three playoff losses came at home last season. But they were better at home turf defense a year ago. They need to take advantage of all the opportunities in the Garden.
Derrick White’s slump
White looks like he’s making a strong case for All-Star inclusion, but for the second straight year, a small early-season slump could conspire against him.
Over his last nine games, White is shooting 37.3 percent from the floor and 32.5 percent from 3-point range on nine attempts per game. White sat out a late-November game against the Cavs with a foot injury and hasn’t been quite physical since. It’s fair to wonder if all the basketball over the past 14 months has been adding up, too.
Anxiety meter: 1. While it may hinder his All-Star chances, White always seems to find his way. His “Treasure” numbers (1.8 steals and 1.1 blocks per game) were measured over the last nine games; you just need to close more on both sides.
End memory(s).
Ultimately, it feels like the Celtics simply need to adjust to the details. It’s a long time and it’s hard to bring it every night when your ultimate goal can’t be done until June. But Boston has been a little lax in areas.
Health didn’t help that cause, but the Celtics rarely used availability as an excuse last season. Boston’s depth should be what differentiates itself and the Celtics need more from anyone on the court.
Boston hasn’t responded well to physicality and speed lately. We’re eager to see if an uptick in high-profile opponents in January forces the Celtics to take a more consistent approach, and how they respond to going on the road.
The bottom line is that this team just hasn’t played consistently enough lately. They have shown the ability to play at a championship level but often endure painful struggles on both sides of the floor. You need to be committed to playing hard for approximately 48 minutes.
That’s not easy when you can’t achieve any of your main goals in December or January. But the team needs to get back to building better habits. Teams looked less comfortable at times against Boston, especially on the court, and it’s time for the Celtics to send a reminder that they are champions, and they have plans to keep that crown this June.
