Despite the Celtics’ flaws and inconsistencies over the past two months, one thing has remained clear: they seldom experience losing streaks. Even following a disappointing collapse or lackluster defeat, the Celtics consistently bounce back in their next outing.
C’s coach Joe Mazzulla was surprised to discover that the team has only lost consecutive games once this season. After beating the Mavericks on Saturday at the American Airlines Center, the Celtics now have a record of 13-1 after a loss.
“For us, we just stick together and understand the standard we set, so we don’t get overly stressed,” Mazzulla said. “When we lose, we know why it happened and we’re frustrated. And when we win, we still recognize there are 10-15 possessions we need to improve on. The connectivity and balance within the group are really important.”
The only time this season that the Celtics faced a losing streak was in December when they lost back-to-back games against the Magic and the 76ers on Christmas Day. Other than that, they have avoided consecutive losses. So even with an 8-6 December and an 8-5 January, the C’s have managed to sidestep losing streaks.
However, it hasn’t been all positive amid the Celtics’ ups and downs. The downside of their resilience is that they haven’t been able to put together longer winning streaks. They’ve had some modest runs but haven’t built on them like they did in previous years. Nevertheless, it’s important to put their struggles into perspective.
“We just need to keep working,” Jaylen Brown said. “It’ll come. We have to keep fighting. If you want to achieve your goals, you need to face tests and rise to them. It’s been tough, with shots not falling and moments feeling a bit chaotic. The energy hasn’t been what we’re used to.
“But that’s okay. Just keep your mindset and spirit high, lift your teammates’ spirits, and go out and play basketball. The tide will turn.”
This ongoing stretch hasn’t met the Celtics’ expectations — they are aware of that and accept it. The offense has been inconsistent with sporadic shooting, and they haven’t shown the steadiness from game to game. Various issues have cropped up, be it in crunch-time execution or elsewhere.
Given the Celtics have one of the most talented rosters in the league, they’re expected to rise to those higher standards. That’s part of being the reigning champions. Unlike previous seasons when they dominated, not all trends have been favorable. However, their resilience—especially after losses—means that even their struggles carry the note that the process isn’t completely falling apart.
The C’s return home after another successful 3-1 road trip out West, marking the second time this month they’ve embarked on a four-game road trip against Western teams and come back with a 3-1 record. The champions have shown vulnerability, but they usually don’t let their issues escalate into prolonged losing streaks. As Kristaps Porzingis noted, they’re seeking to regain the edge that has been lacking this season.
“We’re definitely working on getting our killer instinct back,” Porzingis said. “We want to have that. There have been moments we’ve looked great and others not so much; it’s been a mix. So, it’s important for us to continue building on what we have in games like these.”
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