The good and the bad for the Boston Celtics is a conversation that must be had. Who knew that there could be something wrong with the 40-18 Celtics, but that’s what happens. There’s a hell of a lot more criticism that comes with being the best team in the East. In all honesty, there shouldn’t be many problems with Boston, but unfortunately, there is.
The Good:
Being silent on trade deadline day was a risky move, but the signing of Greg Monroe was huge for Boston. Monroe provides a hard-nosed style of play along with experience. He can provide that spark off the bench in addition to Terry Rozier, Marcus Morris, and Daniel Theis. He may not be a starter in Boston yet, but he’s a guy that can mentor Baynes and possibly see more minutes when the time is necessary.
Terry Rozier has been the x-factor for the Celtics lately, as he’s recorded his first career triple-double in the absence of Kyrie Irving. His ability to get out on the break and rebound for his height is something that shouldn’t go unnoticed. Rozier went from almost being traded away to the Celtics first option off the bench.
The Bad:
The topic of discussion on Deadline day was getting rid of Marcus Smart. He’s a liability for Boston on the offensive end. It doesn’t help that the Celtics aren’t going to have him available until after the All-Star break. Smart is one of Boston’s best defenders on-ball and off-ball, and even though his absence shouldn’t have any long-term effects, it’ll still cause problems right now with certain match-ups.
Boston has lost seven of their last 16 games, creating a rough stretch for the C’s. It’s that time of the season where the exhaustion, injuries, and lack of play really starts to kick in. When the Celtics go and suffer losses to teams like the 76ers, Magic, Pelicans, and Lakers, you’d start to scratch your head and wonder why those losses happen. These losses lead to more “must-win” games. The losses to the Raptors and the new look Cavs are two that have a ton of value when looking at the outlook for the season.
Luckily for Boston, the All-Star break is in a few days, because they could really use the load off. With the C’s being a half-game behind Toronto for the first-seed, the Eastern Conference is starting to look a bit more open than many expected.
The Celtics have a matchup with the Clippers tomorrow at the Garden, and if the Raptors lose tonight against the Heat, then Boston can very well take back the one-seed heading into the break. The momentum can be on Boston’s side moving forward, despite all the good and bad.