Boston Celtics: Difficult early schedule is culprit to shaky start

The Boston Celtics’ early-season struggles could be chalked up to a difficult early schedule. 

I don’t believe many had the Boston Celtics penciled in at 2-4 through the first six games before the season. Nevertheless, the Celtics are now facing an uphill battle as they enter the third week of the NBA season.

As the Celtics struggle and many question their viability as a potential dark horse contender in the Eastern Conference, which is what many had them pegged as before the season, it’s important to look at why and how the Celtics have been struggling.

On one hand, yes Boston has been inconsistent to start the year. The team hasn’t found its footing under first-year head coach Ime Udoka as they have a bottom-third offense and defense. Of course, that matters.

But there is more context that goes beyond just the Celtics players getting used to a new head coach and their early-season inconsistencies. The Celtics have had quite a difficult schedule to open the season.

Looking back, in their first six games, the Celtics have played five teams that will likely either make the playoffs or be in the running for one of the final playoff seeds in the Eastern Conference.

The only “easy” game that the Celtics have played this season was against the Houston Rockets. Aside from that one game, the Celtics have had their hands full with a schedule that includes the New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Charlotte Hornets, and Washington Wizards (who they have played twice).

Of course, you can make an argument that there have been plenty of other teams that have had a difficult schedule to start the year and that they’re not 2-4 through six games. That’s a fair argument.

But the Celtics not only have to deal with the difficult schedule but also with learning a new system under a new head coach. In addition to integrating multiple rotation players this season.

Are there probably some other issues that the Celtics have to iron out, but I think it’s only fair that they get the necessary time to adjust. It was never going to be an easy transition for the Celtics, but the ceiling for this team rivals some of the other contenders in the Eastern Conference.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll learn more about this team. The talent is in place. Now it’s about embracing the new coach, adjusting to the new personnel, and playing more consistently on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor.