BOSTON – The Boston Celtics held a lengthy team discussion following Friday night’s loss to the Milwaukee Bucks – a discussion they later classified as a positive and a step in the right direction for their long-term success.
“It was just the team trying to get on the same page, get everything together,” Jaylen Brown said after Boston’s 120-107 defeat. “We’re trying to do something special, so we’re trying to make sure we’re clicking on the same cylinders.”
The Celtics have had trouble clicking at different points of the season, including during the last three games. So, the players and coaches felt it would be best to get together and consult with one another on how the team can move past the up-and-down nature of their campaign thus far.
Boston started off the season on a tear, winning six of its first eight games, with most of those wins coming against quality opponents. The C’s then lost eight of their next 12, before reeling off eight straight victories from Nov. 26 to Dec. 14. That winning streak ended last weekend in Detroit, and the Celtics have since lost to Phoenix and Milwaukee, respectively, at home.
“I think everyone can see that we’ve had some inconsistencies regarding our play,” said Kyrie Irving. “So, I think this was the time to address it.”
It was a serious meeting, and a constructive one. A group of colleagues just trying to get on the same wavelength so that they could help each other improve.
“Anytime you’re in a work environment, or any team I’ve played on, when you’re not playing well, you’ve got to talk it out and just try to be better the next day,” said Jayson Tatum. “We’ve just got to play harder. The last three games I don’t think we played as hard as we did the previous eight when we were winning. Playing hard usually translates to winning.”
Winning is hard when a team is missing three of its veteran players. Boston is currently without Aron Baynes (hand surgery), Al Horford (sore left knee) and Marcus Morris (sore right knee), leaving their frontcourt depleted of three experienced leaders.
Though, the active group believes that they should be able to find a way to win regardless, by utilizing the available talent that they have.
“I don’t think we’ve ever been a team to make excuses,” said Irving. “Obviously we’d love having those guys backs – we know how instrumental they are for our team’s success – but this gives our young guys a great chance to really see what the grind of the season looks like.”
According to Irving, the thick of that grind is just about to begin.
“There’s forty-nine more games to go, and this is where teams really show what they’re made of over the next 20 games, the next 30 games or whatnot,” said Irving. “And this a very unique position for certain guys to be in. We’re asking them to do a lot more than what we’ve asked in the past, including myself – I’m asking myself to do a lot more on both ends of the floor. It just takes a total, collective unit out there.”
Every participant from Friday night’s discussion could agree upon that.
“We’ve gotta keep going forward, keep building,” said Brown. “We’re trying to do something as a unit, so we’re trying to be together and make sure we’re on the right page. And we’re going to do that.”
The Celtics have talked the talk. Now, they will look to walk the walk toward consistency and long-term success.
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