Robb: 3 Reasons Fans Shouldn't Be Panicking About Celtics' Slow Start
By Brian Robb, CBS Boston
BOSTON -- The Celtics are in the midst of their second three-game losing streak of the season and the team's fanbase is starting to understandably get a bit nervous. How exactly is a team that was supposed to win over 50 games this year still hovering around the .500 mark 25 games into the 2016-17 season? Count Jae Crowder among those looking for answers.
"We'll still trying to figure it out," Crowder told reporters Wednesday night after losing to the Spurs. "Haven't got there yet, obviously, and it shows in games like this. From top to bottom, we just haven't figured it out."
With trade speculation starting to ramp up, the question looming for Danny Ainge is just how much time he wants to give this team to figure out things out before making major changes. The short answer is longer than two months. Despite an ugly record, there are some signs of positives beneath the surface for the green and those alone should keep Ainge from doing anything too rash just yet. With that in mind, here are a few reasons Celtics fans shouldn't panic about this team just yet.
1. Injuries have loomed larger than you think
The Celtics have only had their full starting five for 10 games this year and are 7-3 in those contests. That winning percentage is a mark almost any fan would have taken coming into the year. The victories have yet to come against any elite teams, but with five of the top seven players in of the team's rotation (Thomas, Crowder, Horford, Smart, Olynyk) missing significant stretches of the year, it's at least understandable the team has come up empty on that front thus far given their lack of margin for error.
2. Bad luck in close games
A missed layup in Houston, a foolish foul on a 3-point attempt in New Orleans, and a case of the turnover yips during crunch time Oklahoma City. The Celtics have lost a few games quite handily, but they're also two plays away from being firmly planted as the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. Boston's net rating (+1.2) lines up with their record (13-12) but some improved execution in close games would easily change the vibe around where the team currently stands as we pass the quarter pole of the season.
3. A minor tweak could make a major impact
From day one of the Celtics' season, it's been clear the team has a serious flaw on the defensive rebounding front. The departure of Evan Turner and Jared Sullinger combined with adding subpar rebounders (Horford, Jaylen Brown) as their replacements has left Stevens without a true anchor in the paint when the team needs a board. There are a host of those players that will be available on the trade market in the coming weeks as teams fall further out of the playoff chase around the league. Instead of doing some splashy involving the team's core, a minor move could be exactly what the C's need to become a more complete team.
Brian Robb covers the Celtics for CBS Boston and contributes to NBA.com, among other media outlets. You can follow him on Twitter @CelticsHub.
