The Boston Celtics find themselves in an unexpected slump, dropping their fourth game in seven outings.
Their latest setback came in a narrow loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, raising concerns as they approach the season’s midway point.
Head coach Joe Mazzulla has faced increasing scrutiny over the recent performances, particularly regarding questions about player motivation.
However, Mazzulla firmly dismissed these concerns.
“I would never say that we’re not motivated. I think you know I would never say that. So I don’t think that’s the case in a lot of the things,” Mazzulla said, via Justin Turpin of WEEI.
The coach instead explained that their recent struggles stem from execution and communication breakdowns.
He emphasized that while their defense has faced criticism, the team had shown its capability just two games prior with a dominant performance against the Chicago Bulls.
“So I just think when you’re in a tough stretch, and when it’s not going well, the easiest thing for the untrained eye to see is defense, effort, motivation. Those are just kind of words that people throw around,” Mazzulla said.
Despite their recent challenges, bright spots remain. Jayson Tatum delivered another stellar performance on Christmas Day with 32 points and 15 rebounds.
The Celtics maintain their strong position in the Eastern Conference standings with a 22-8 record, good for second place.
They now turn their attention to consecutive games against the Indiana Pacers, when the Celtics will look to regain their winning form and address their recent inconsistencies.
