The Boston Celtics dropped another home game, this time to the Indiana Pacers, and once again, our defense was the culprit. It’s a simple fix, but one that’s becoming increasingly frustrating to address.
Look, I get it. Sometimes guys need rest, and you can’t control where the schedule lands. But when you’ve got fans traveling from all over the world to see the champs play, you owe them your best effort. And that effort was sorely lacking against the Pacers.
Jaylen Brown hit the nail on the head post-game when he mentioned some comfort might have set in. There it is - they’re admitting they’ve gotten a little too cozy. The Celtics know what they’re capable of, but that’s part of the problem. They’re not making vacation plans for June, but they’re also not bringing that hunger every night.
The Pacers, on the other hand, came to play. They always bring it against us, and after getting embarrassed last game, you knew they’d come out swinging. We should’ve been ready for it.
Our defensive rating in this game was a whopping 124.2 - that’s five full points worse than the Utah Jazz, who currently hold the worst defense in the league. We’ve been relying on our shooting to carry us, and when that fails, we’re in trouble.
The Defensive Breakdown
We started hot from three in the first quarter, going 7-of-16. But as our shooting cooled off, our defensive effort never picked up. We’re spending too much time relying on our offense to carry us through games. Defense isn’t sexy, but it wins championships.
When our shooting slipped in the fourth (1-of-12 from three), we had no defensive foundation to fall back on. We cut the lead to two at one point, but the Pacers responded with a 13-0 run. Credit to them - they didn’t wilt under pressure.
The bottom line is the effort isn’t there defensively. It’s not an execution thing or a scheme thing - it’s a choice. And right now, the Celtics are choosing to coast on their offensive firepower rather than locking in on both ends.
For more insights and a deeper dive into the Celtics’ defensive woes, tune into the Locked On Celtics podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Celtics Podcast:
• Jaylen Brown’s strong performance against the Pacers
• Tatum and Horford’s shooting struggles
• The importance of making the right offensive reads
