Celtics Should Sit Starters Until Playoffs After Ugly Loss Vs. Knicks
BOSTON — The Celtics (clearly) don’t intend to put their best foot forward entering the NBA Playoffs, and it became abundantly clear during Thursday night’s 118-109 loss to the Knicks at TD Garden.
Enough is enough.
Yes, Boston’s already clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Yes, the team’s already secured its home-court playoff advantage, and yes, the Celtics have validated themselves as the top dog this season — which won’t change, regardless of how the final two matchups unfold. But all of that begs the question: does any of that buy Boston the leeway to take a knee and run out the clock until the playoffs officially begin?
“I did not like the effort level in the first half,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said when reflecting on Boston’s 69-48 halftime deficit.
While the Celtics have earned the liberty of not being impacted by the result of the final few weeks of the regular season, that’s not the reality of the rest of the conference. Therefore, it’s easy to interpret why teams like the Knicks, while shorthanded, would refuse to bow to anyone in the league. Boston learned yet another lesson the hard way in playing down to a New York team that’s now improved to 16-19 without three-time All-Star forward Julius Randle. What’s growingly difficult to understand is why the Celtics suddenly succumbed to bad habits knowing they translated to last season’s playoff run and held them back from a second straight trip to the NBA Finals.
If the starting five, the horse that Boston’s ridden toward its highest win total since the 2007-08 finals-winning squad, sees no reason to value the final few matchups, then force value. Mazzulla’s reached the point where the Celtics shouldn’t be forced to sit the starters after falling in double figures to the Knicks, and instead rest Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White.
NBA Legend Issues Dire Warning To The Boston Celtics
Throughout the regular season, the Boston Celtics have asserted their dominance over their opponents.
Securing the best record in the league and clinching the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference several weeks ago, their performance has been nothing short of impressive. Undoubtedly, the cohesive roster and team chemistry have been instrumental in their success.
However, as the playoffs loom closer, the Celtics cannot afford to become complacent or rely solely on their past achievements.
This sentiment was echoed by Charles Barkley on the NBA on TNT following the Celtics’ lackluster first-half performance against the New York Knicks on Thursday, April 11th.
“If they’re gonna play like that, they shouldn’t play. I know they’re gonna finish with the best record but, man, you just can’t turn it off and turn it on.”
“If they’re gonna play like that, they shouldn’t play. … I know they’re gonna finish with the best record but, man, you just can’t turn it off and turn it on.”
Starting sluggishly, the Celtics struggled in the initial half before regaining their rhythm in the second. Despite narrowing the point gap in the later stages, Barkley emphasized the need for a reality check for this team.
Barkley’s concern lies in the Celtics’ tendency to reserve their best performances for when they feel inclined, rather than consistently delivering their utmost effort. With the playoffs posing a different level of competition, entering them with anything less than peak performance could spell trouble.
History has shown that teams entering the postseason on a downward trajectory often face challenges. If the Boston Celtics fail to reverse their current trend, it could result in an earlier playoff exit than they anticipate.
That’ll open the door for Xavier Tillman Sr. to get starting minutes at the five, and for Jaden Springer — who’s made 14 appearances off the bench — to play alongside Payton Pritchard. That’s value in games deemed meaningless against the Hornets and Wizards.
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