The Celtics have things to work on as the playoffs approach.
The Boston Celtics are all-in on winning a championship and anything else will be considered a disappointment. They have the best record in the NBA by a wide margin after two blockbuster trades improved their roster in the offseason. The Celtics have the number one offense and are third in defensive rating. They are the title favorites but still have issues to sort out if they plan on winning it all.
Boston has made the conference finals five times in the last seven years, but Jayson Tatum is still chasing his first championship. Jrue Holiday is the only current Celtics player with a title ring. Can Boston finally exercise their playoff demons and win another ring? They have been close, including reaching the NBA Finals in 2022, but continue to fall just short.
Things feel different this season. Boston is elite in almost every category, and the franchise has the most talented top six in the world. Still, these issues could come back to bite them in the postseason if they are not sorted out.
3. Complacency
Fans saw it up close on March 25. Boston raced out to a 30-point lead in the first half and figured the Hawks were no match, especially without Trae Young, but Atlanta had other ideas. They stormed back and pulled off one of the most improbable wins of the season when De’Andre Hunter sank a triple in the final seconds.
2. Too many 3-pointers
No team in the NBA attempts more 3-pointers than the Celtics. Boston’s 42.6 per game is 3.2 more than the Mavericks, who take the second-most. They are not a fast-paced team. The Celtics are hunting those attempts, but former big man Kendrick Perkins thinks it could become a problem.
1. Late-game offense
Everything tightens up in the playoffs. The Celtics will have to win close games if they plan on taking home the title. Much has been written about their late-game woes. They have performed well in clutch situations as defined by NBA Stats, but the numbers get worse as the clock ticks down.
In the final 30 seconds and the game within three points, the Celtics are just three of 17 from the field and two of those makes are 3-pointers. If Boston gets inside the arch, they are one of 11. It is a small sample size, but the shot selection portends a larger issue.
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