The Celtics are facing a lost year

Ugh. What a rough year so far. More than halfway through the season and we’re sitting at 20-21, under .500 and looking every bit like a lottery team. Of course since a large portion of other teams are also struggling, that doesn’t even put us in a good draft position. The Celtics (as of Sunday morning) are in 8th place in the East. They are 1.5 games out of 4th place and 3 games above 11th.

A win streak could still salvage this season somewhat, but if this losing streak continues, the already sad season could turn downright depressing. Can a move at the deadline provide the spark that turns this season around? Consider me skeptical at this point. We put our hope in the All-Star break to provide rest and a chance at re-starting the season. We put our hope in Marcus Smart returning to give us a jolt of life. So far, nothing has worked.

This team is so confusing. I like several of the players a lot. I don’t like the team as a whole. It is hard to put a finger on exactly why, but I think it has something to do with the lack of consistent effort, which leads to some atrocious offensive sets and all-too-often porous defense. There’s a little too much one-on-one in the offense which leads to guys standing around and not enough pressure on the defense. On the other side of the ball, rotations are wild, the other team is getting into the paint at will, and every night someone on the other team is posting ridiculous numbers on the Celtics.

That’s just not fun to watch as a fan. In fact, it is mentally exhausting to sit through. I’m not even excited for today’s game. And this is me speaking, the Captain America of Celtics fans (old, PG-13, and annoyingly upbeat and optimistic).

Something needs to change. Like I said the other day, this team needs a trade if only to shake things up. I don’t care if it is a sideways deal or if it is a slight overpay. If we keep the status quo, that’s the equivalent to punting the season. Some might argue that it is too late to “save” this year but even if a championship isn’t realistic (it isn’t), there’s a lot to be gained by turning things around and finishing strong.

Going the other direction could have long lasting impacts on this club. The primary fear being that it could snowball into several years of struggles that would waste years of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s careers. If things get dark enough, they’ll look for light at the end of the tunnel elsewhere in just a few short years. That can’t be allowed to happen.

Blame the coach if you want. Blame the GM, too. Everyone gets a share of the blame pie this year. I just want them all to put their heads together and figure something out before it is too late. Sorry, that’s not the greatest analysis in the world and sounds a bit like a grumpy child demanding a better dinner. But as a fan, I’m frustrated and fed up and growing increasingly impatient with the way things have gone this year.

I want to believe in this team again. I want to enjoy watching them again. Give me some reason to watch beyond the occasional Rob Williams highlight block. There’s still time to (sort of) turn this around and end the season with dignity. I hope.