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Gorman: Time For Celtics To Regain Defensive Identity

BOSTON (CBS) -- The Boston Celtics were one of the NBA's best defensive teams for a good stretch of the season, but that identity has taken a bit of a backseat recently as the team has molded into a high-scoring squad.

The Celtics have scored 100 or more points in 20 of their last 23 games (going 14-9 over that stretch), but each of their last seven opponents and nine of their last 12 have also hit the century mark. Boston's defensive identity is one that will need to return to soon, and Celtics play-by-play man Mike Gorman thinks the team will get that message with a tough stretch ahead.

"Occasionally, teams forget who they are and what got them there. I think they'll get the message back pretty quick," Gorman told 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich. "These are important games coming up against Milwaukee on Thursday and Miami on Saturday. As coach [Brad Stevens] was saying the other day, they're as close to second as they are to ninth [in the Eastern Conference]. All games are important, and Milwaukee gives the Celtics trouble because they're very athletic along the front line, something the Celtics have a tough time countering."

Gorman is glad Danny Ainge didn't do anything drastic -- or at all -- at last week's trade deadline, keeping the team together for at least the rest of the season.

"We're playing meaningful games in March with a shot at home court. Why would you mess that up, and I'm glad they didn't," he said. "I think the best plan for the Celtics is to chase someone like Al Horford in the offseason, keep their draft picks and hope they guy lucky with the bouncing balls, and go into next year with one of the Top 3 college players in the country and a free agent and I think they'll have a pretty good team."

Gorman also touched on Marcus Smart's flopping, haunted hotels and autograph hounds on the road. Listen to the full segment:

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