Celtics in ‘hardest stretch’ since he joined Boston

Derrick White sat on the podium with the hood of his black Celtics sweatshirt on his head.

He rubbed his brow as he was requested about Boston’s lack of defensive depth in it’s 123-114 loss to Indiana Sunday night time. The loss concluded a tough December for the defending NBA champions.

After profitable 16 of their first 19 video games, the Celtics started to backslide and completed the month 7-6. They’ve misplaced 4 of their final six video games, three of them in opposition to groups which can be at eighth place or decrease within the convention standings.

Boston let Tyrese Haliburton (31 factors, 7 assists, 11-19 capturing) slash into the paint and carve up its protection like a vacation ham. The Pacers, whom the Celtics demolished by 37 factors on Friday night time, earned a style of revenge on their approach again to the Midwest.

“I believe this is likely to be the hardest stretch that I’ve been on since I’ve been right here with the Celtics. It’s simply going going to deliver us nearer collectively,” White stated. “You’ve simply bought to know that everyone’s bought their greatest pursuits in thoughts and simply have one another’s again. It’s going to deliver us nearer. There’s ups-and-downs in each season, so it’s a type of downs and we’ve bought to determine it out collectively.”

The Celtics traded for White in February of 2022. They misplaced 5 out of six throughout mid-December in 2023, dropping contests in opposition to Golden State, the Clippers, the Pacers, and two in opposition to Orlando. Additionally they misplaced 4 out of 5 that March.

However, White’s level remains to be clear. These stretches don’t occur usually for the Celtics. They didn’t see something prefer it final 12 months, they usually have to determine cease the slide.

The competitors will solely get harder subsequent week. After a New 12 months’s Eve tilt with the struggling Raptors, the Celtics will hit the highway to tackle Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves.Then, they’ll journey to Houston and Oklahoma Metropolis, who’re each top-3 within the West proper now. The highway journey concludes with a tilt in opposition to three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets.

“I’m really actually enthusiastic about it,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla stated of the upcoming stretch. “It’s going to be enjoyable. It’s going to be nice.”

Defensive points have been on the forefront, notably with level guards who’re adept at moving into the lane.

Ja Morant dropped 32 on the Celtics in a win earlier this month. Tyrese Maxey torched Celtics on Christmas Day, posting 32 factors and 12 assists in opposition to three turnovers. Haliburton was simply the newest guard the Celtics struggled to remain in entrance of.

“We simply have to concentrate to the tendencies, No. 1,” Mazzulla stated. “And we’ve got to know the place we will help from No. 2 and power extra kick outs and extra a number of efforts there. However, it begins on the level of assault with our particular person protection and it strikes to our staff protection off the ball the place we will help.”

Taking part in with out Jrue Vacation and Kristaps Porzingis actually didn’t assist, but it surely’s not an excuse contemplating how Boston dealt with Indiana within the earlier recreation.

“I believe speaking,” Jaylen Brown stated. “Tendencies are one factor, but it surely’s rather a lot completely different whenever you’re on the market they usually’re coming at you full-speed, particularly a staff like Indiana. I believe we’ve bought to be extra alert and comunicative to assist one another. It looks like they bought quite a lot of layups as a result of we weren’t recognizing the place we might assist from.”

“They didn’t shoot quite a lot of threes, in order that signifies that they shouldn’t have gotten that many layups,” he added. “We might have protected the basket a bit of bit higher and we didn’t tonight. However, I believe we see it. Recognizing the place we might be higher and and construct from there. We’ve bought a tricky stretch coming.”

Final week, Mazzulla stated the Celtics have been taking part in inconsistent basketball. The development has continued, particularly on protection.

“We’ve simply bought to do a greater job,” Mazzulla stated. “We’ve bought to do a greater job teaching protection, we’ve bought to do a greater job in our particular person protection, we’ve bought to do a greater job in our staff protection.”

White stated he isn’t involved about this Celtics group, which is only a recreation in entrance of the third-place Knicks.

“Simply belief the character within the locker room,” White stated. “I do know the kind of guys which can be in that locker room and people are the kind of guys that I need to go to warfare with. So, I’m assured in that.”

Khari A. Thompson

Sports activities Reporter

Khari Thompson covers skilled sports activities for Boston.com. Earlier than becoming a member of the staff in 2022, Khari coated faculty soccer for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.