NBA Halloween: 5 scariest early-season trends
By Alex Mcewen
Bad basketball in Boston
The Celtics underwent some big changes in the offseason aside from the roster changes, former head coach Brad Stevens shifted from the bench to the front office. His replacement was Ime Udoka; it’s taking a little time for the C’s to adjust to Udoka’s coaching style.
The Celtics currently rank 19th in defensive rating (107.7) and 20th in offensive rating (103.5); the numbers get worse as the Celtics allow the most points per game in the league clocking in at 118.3. Those are poor numbers for a team that was pegged as a contender coming into the season.
The Celtics going 0-15 from three in a half, while Montrezl Harrell banked one in from halfcourt at the halftime buzzer basically explains this game.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) October 30, 2021
Boston needs Marcus Smart to return to the defensive anchor they have depended on for years. It’s not all on Smart, he needs more from the rest of his teammates as well. Jayson Tatum has established himself as a superstar in this league, with his squad struggling he must find a way to do more.
It appears bad defense may be beginning to impact their offense, as they went 0-15 from distance during the first-half versus the Washington Wizards on Saturday afternoon.