Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Boston Celtics fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
This week we asked Celtics fans just how worried they were about the team. At the time they were 5-5 in their last 10. Now they are 8-7 in their last 15 games, so not much has changed.
The majority of fans indicated that they are moderately concerned, and I think that seems about right.
They are still the defending champs and have certainly shown signs of their dominance. In fact, they are running at about last year’s win pace.
How is your team doing compared to last season? pic.twitter.com/pRDjpU5TkG
— Sravan (@SravanNBA) January 10, 2025
But something just seems a bit …off with the team since the start of December.
The Celtics are 8-7 in their last 15 games
In that span, Boston ranks 5th in offense and 4th in defense
But in 4th quarters during that span, Boston ranks 8th in offense and 26th in defense
— Cameron Tabatabaie (@CTabatabaie) January 11, 2025
We also asked fans about the reason for the team’s struggles, and most answered that it has to do with a lack of intensity or focus.
I can’t say that this is altogether surprising. Prior versions of this team had a maddening inconsistency that always seemed related to either focus or following through with effort for a full 48 minutes. Last year’s team seemed to power through the normal let-down games (like say the first game home after a long road trip). This year’s team doesn’t look as sharp game-in and game-out.
Things could certainly level out. The team is on pace to win 58 games and their remaining strength of schedule is 3rd easiest according to Tankathon. So there’s a chance that this team can finish with a similar record to last year’s team and hit the ground running in the playoffs.
In the end, all that will be remembered is the playoff results. However, many times those results are a direct result of the habits formed across the regular season. So this team probably needs to figure out how to recapture whatever drove them last season.