With a roster full of current and potential All-Stars, reliable and defensive-minded veterans, as well as a head coach considered to in the top tier of the NBA”s head coaches, the Boston Celtics were heralded as one of the league’s elite teams entering the season. After an up-and-down 2018-19 campaign, media and front offices executives may believe that the expectations for Boston — that of a championship-contender who could dethrone the Golden State Warriors in the 2019 NBA Finals — were too high.
However, because on paper the Celtics are one of the NBA’s upper echelon teams, any assertion that Boston isn’t as dominant as a team as they were projected to be is seen as evidence that the team is underachieving.
Celtics head coach Brad Stevens and team leaders like Kyrie Irving and Marcus Smart undoubtedly agree. Furthermore, former Celtics have started to air their frustrations and concerns about the mental makeup of Boston’s current squad.
Consequently, seeing that Celtics veteran forward Marcus Morris (Sr.) downplayed Boston’s 107-96 victory over the Washington Wizards by saying the win “felt normal” and that the Celtics are “supposed to win” conjures up images of the team Boston was supposed to be. The team that they aren’t, or at least haven’t been able to be on a consistent basis.
With a 38-25 record, the Celtics are currently ranked fifth in the Eastern Conference standings after being projected to be the top team this side of Golden State.
Teams like the Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks, led by new head coaches and MVP candidates, have been the surprise teams of the East with their dominant play all season while the Philadelphia 76ers have impressed with their acquisition of star talents in Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris.
That Boston hasn’t been able to play up to those teams levels is indicative of an issue with the Celtics intangibles; they have the talent but they don’t often have the prerequisite energy, urgency or unity to beat the teams they should, win on the road or battle back when opposing teams go on runs with consistency.
Morris is right in that Boston should be the favorites against most of their opponents and because of the roster and coaching personnel they have, they often are.
Still, as everyone knows, the Celtics have underwhelmed thus far throughout the season. That will have to change and soon.
