Heading into this season, the Boston Celtics were perceived as one of the best defensive teams in the Eastern Conference. The combination of their young, athletic players and savvy veterans, plus head coach Brad Stevens' reputation as one of the best young minds in the league was more than enough to convince people that they can go head-to-head and neutralize the likes of the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets.
But here we are in March, and the Celtics just accomplished something that tells the story of their defense all season in a nutshell: they have allowed 114 points or more in six straight games now.
The Celtics have allowed 114-plus points in six straight games for the first time since 1970.
— Boston.com Celtics News (@BDCCeltics) March 24, 2019
During that six-game stretch, the Celtics faced the Los Angeles Clippers, Atlanta Hawks, Sacramento Kings, Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia 76ers, and Charlotte Hornets. They went 2-4 in that span, and three of those teams aren't making the playoffs this season.
One major factor behind their defensive struggles is the absence of Al Horford and Aron Baynes, the top centers in their rotation. When those two are healthy, Boston is only allowing around 95-plus points, but that increases to 102 without them.
To make things worse, their third string center Robert Williams suffered a back contusion earlier in the Celtics' 124-117 loss to the Hornets.
Both Horford and Baynes are dealing with injuries and are expected to be back within the week, while Williams is still being evaluated and an update should be released soon.
Boston has been inconsistent all season long, but they're still a pretty confident team. However, they need to figure out a way to play better, otherwise their hopes of winning a championship could end in the first round of the playoffs.
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