As hyper-focused as we are on the Boston around here, it is easy to lose track of the rest of the league. The Celtics have struggled for much of the year, but so has much of the NBA. Sure, there are some teams that have managed good records, but someone has to win the games.
Wednesday marks the one-month mark of the lockout-shortened season, and several consequences of the compressed campaign have already come to light. Field-goal shooting, free-throw shooting and three-point shooting in the NBA are all down at least 15 percent. Turnovers have increased by an average of .8 per game, the largest jump in 29 years.
That doesn't even tell the whole story either. The season has already been a roller coaster ride for everyone. One night everything is clicking, the next night it all falls apart or vice versa. The Jekyll and Hyde routine is wearing fans emotions raw too.
To illustrate this point, consider that the Pacers beat the Celtics soundly the other night. The Celtics turned around and destroyed the Magic who then turned around and beat the Pacers last night (and we get to play both of them in the next couple of days). The Indy fans are having a little trouble processing this.
It’s only one game | Pacers Insider | The Indianapolis Star | IndyStar.com
It [was] just days ago that fans raved about the Pacers after they went into Hollywood and beat the Lakers behind an incredible performance from Roy Hibbert. Then two nights later some fans are cringing and thinking the bottom has fallen out on the Pacers after Orlando easily beat them over at the Fieldhouse. "Pacers were pathetic tonight, lackluster w/ no defense, if we r to be an elite team, we can’t have off nights like tonight," one person said on Twitter. "I am beginning to doubt Paul George. Not aggressive enough on the offensive end," another person wrote. It’s only one game.
So at least we aren't alone in our hand wringing and bi-polar tendencies as a team and a fanbase.