<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 18px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 16px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: #0000FF;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 16px;    text-decoration: none;}ul {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 16px;}ol {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    padding: 0px 0px 0px 15px;    font-size: 16px;    border-left: 2px solid black;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 12px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;    background-color: #EFEFEF;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article><header><figure><img src="https://clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/CELTICS-NEWS.jpg"></figure><h1>Marcus Smart sounds off after overcoming early season ‘turmoil’</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2021-11-20T09:40:02-08:00">November 20th, 9:40am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2021-11-20T09:40:31-08:00">November 20th, 9:40am</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/chris.spiering.3" rel="facebook">Chris Spiering</a>Chris graduated from the University of San Diego with a Communication Studies Degree. He spent his final year as the Sports Editor for the USDVista newspaper. He contributes about the NFL and NBA but follows most sports. Chris also covers the San Diego Loyal SC for East Village Times.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Right when November hit, the Boston Celtics were on a three-game losing streak. After the 128-114 loss to the Chicago Bulls, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-marcus-smart-calls-out-jayson-tatum-jaylen-brown-after-embarrassing-meltdown-vs-bulls/">Marcus Smart</a> expressed his concerns with how the Celtics’ stars were playing.</p><p>He called out stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown for not passing the ball as much as he would like them to. Smart has never been one to keep his emotions to himself. Although, this time it came with some consequences. Tensions rose within the organization as Tatum and Brown were not happy about the statement. The team formed a players-only meeting that seemed to have worked because the Celtics are 6-3 since those comments.</p><p>The team is starting to get back on track and looked really good against the Los Angeles Lakers Friday night. All the drama is in the past and that is exactly where Smart wants it to be.</p><blockquote>“New coach, relatively new team, new roles, trying to get that chemistry together on both ends,” Smart told reporters after the game, per MassLive. “Within the players, the coaches, the coaches within themselves, the players within themselves, we’re human. Things aren’t going to go as perfectly as we planned.”</blockquote><p>Things certainly went as planned Friday night against the Lakers. The team was without Brown but Smart scored 22 points with eight rebounds and six assists. Tatum scored 37 points and had 11 rebounds to go along with it. Dennis Schroder scored 21 points against his former team and the Celtics blew the Lakers out 130-108. <a href="https://twitter.com/StoolGreenie/status/1462073979082997766">The defense between Smart and Schroder</a> played very well against the Lakers’ stars.</p><p>Smart had more words after the win that correlated back to his previous comments.</p><blockquote>“It’s what you do when things go that way that you don’t think they should go. Not how you react to it and I think we’ve been reacting really well. I think we had some turmoil early on, that’s part of it, just trying to figure out a way to get each other going. And we’re doing it, it’s coming along. Obviously, we still have a lot of work to do, but we’re on the right path.”</blockquote><p>The Celtics certainly do seem like they are on the right path as of late. Their next game is Saturday, Nov. 2o against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The game starts at 7:30 ET and it is the second of a four-game homestand.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Marcus Smart sounds off after overcoming early season ‘turmoil’

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 18px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 16px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: #0000FF;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 16px;    text-decoration: none;}ul {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 16px;}ol {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    padding: 0px 0px 0px 15px;    font-size: 16px;    border-left: 2px solid black;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 12px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;    background-color: #EFEFEF;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article><header><figure><img src="https://clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/celtics-news-jayson-tatum-gets-brutally-honest-with-marcus-smart-over-team-privacy.jpg"></figure><h1>Jayson Tatum gets brutally honest with Celtics teammate Marcus Smart over team privacy</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2021-11-07T10:13:31-08:00">November 7th, 10:13am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2021-11-07T10:13:31-08:00">November 7th, 10:13am</time><address><a>John Tan</a></address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum was on point in addressing Marcus Smart’s recent comment about his game.</p><p>The wake of the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-boston-gives-concerning-update-on-jaylen-brown-injury/">Celtics</a>‘ 128-114 loss to the Chicago Bulls has generated quite a buzz in the NBA as C’s defensive guard Marcus Smart didn’t hold back when he said that Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown “<a href="https://www.espn.ph/nba/story/_/id/32530325/marcus-smart-calls-jayson-tatum-jaylen-brown-pass-ball-celtics-lose-third-straight">don’t want to pass the ball</a>.”</p><p>Smart went on to reveal passing the ball was “something they’ve been asking” Tatum and Brown to do in recent times, a statement Tatum was obviously not happy about.</p><p>According to the two-time NBA All-Star, such comments from Smart should have stayed within the Celtics dressing room but he also admitted that he is still trying to improve his game.</p><blockquote>“I think you know,” Tatum said after a 109-106 loss to the Mavericks when quizzed if he thinks Smart’s comment should’ve stayed in-house via <a href="https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2021/11/jayson-tatum-on-marcus-smarts-comments-and-if-it-shouldve-stayed-private-i-think-you-know.html">Mass Live</a>. “I wouldn’t come out here and tell you guys about our game plan specifically. I think the more of it is it happened. You can’t change it. We still a team, we still figuring it out, we still trying to win games. It’s not like upset or sad about whatever. You know, it happened. I’m a big believer of whatever happened, happened. You can’t change it. Let’s move on and try to figure it out.”</blockquote><p>Tatum further divulged that the Celtics had already talked about the issue with him, Brown and Smart. Moreover, he also stressed that what happened was just “part of the business.”</p><blockquote>“You see everything people say and you hear everything, but that’s part of it,” he added. “I should be worried if you guys stop talking about me. That would be a problem. But it’s part of the business, part of what I do, and take it with a grain of salt.”</blockquote><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Jayson Tatum gets brutally honest with Celtics teammate Marcus Smart over team privacy

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 18px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 16px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: #0000FF;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 16px;    text-decoration: none;}ul {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 16px;}ol {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    padding: 0px 0px 0px 15px;    font-size: 16px;    border-left: 2px solid black;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 12px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;    background-color: #EFEFEF;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article><header><figure><img src="https://clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Celtics-Marcus-Smart-Brad-Stevens-Jayson-Tatum-Jaylen-Brown.jpg"></figure><h1>Celtics GM Brad Stevens reacts on Marcus Smart calling out Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2021-11-04T19:39:27-07:00">November 4th, 7:39pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2021-11-04T19:39:27-07:00">November 4th, 7:39pm</time><address><a>Justin Bell</a></address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-jaylen-brown-breaks-silence-on-marcus-smarts-criticism-players-only-meeting/">Boston Celtics</a> general manager Brad Stevens has publicly reprimanded Marcus Smart on Thursday after the veteran guard openly lambasted his teammates, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, for being selfish basketball players. It was not necessarily what Smart said, but rather how he went about saying it that had Stevens irked the most.</p><blockquote>“I think any time you have things to say, you say it to the person or people,” Stevens said, according to <a href="https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2021/11/brad-stevens-wishes-marcus-smarts-comments-on-jaylen-brown-jayson-tatum-were-kept-private-thats-the-way-it-should-be.html">Brian Robb of Masslive.com</a>. “Whether they’re right wrong or whatever, you say it directly to the person. I think it’s important — you have to be willing to have difficult conversations and put your name on it.”</blockquote><p>After a tough loss to the Chicago Bulls on a night that the Celtics blew a 19-point lead, tensions bubbled over when Smart criticized Tatum and Brown.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Marcus Smart shares his thoughts after the Celtics' loss to the Bulls. <a href="https://t.co/6bBBcKSKTw" target="_blank">pic.twitter.com/6bBBcKSKTw</a></p><p>— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNNBA/status/1455379850122956800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">November 2, 2021</a></p></blockquote><p></p></figure><p>Obviously, Stevens wants to keep his team from reaching a breaking point that comes after players stop trusting one another. Smart has always been a very emotional player so you have to understand where he is coming from. He wants to win just as much, if not even more than anyone else on the Celtics so you have to respect his passion.</p><p>That respect could be lost, however, if you don’t respect other people, so that is where Smart will have to make amends. As Stevens said, conversations like this are necessary sometimes for teams to grow as a unit. But the message just has to be delivered in a more professional way than Smart chose to go with.</p><p>As of posting, the Celtics have a 4-5 record.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Celtics GM Brad Stevens reacts on Marcus Smart calling out Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 18px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 16px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: #0000FF;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 16px;    text-decoration: none;}ul {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 16px;}ol {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    padding: 0px 0px 0px 15px;    font-size: 16px;    border-left: 2px solid black;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 12px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;    background-color: #EFEFEF;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article><header><figure><img src="https://clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Celtics-news-Jaylen-Brown-breaks-silence-on-Marcus-Smart_s-criticism-players-only-meeting-thumbnail.jpg"></figure><h1>Celtics star Jaylen Brown breaks silence on Marcus Smart’s criticism, players-only meeting</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2021-11-04T08:35:09-07:00">November 4th, 8:35am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2021-11-04T08:35:09-07:00">November 4th, 8:35am</time><address><a>Julian Rhim</a></address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>In a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/bulls-news-demar-derozan-nails-it-after-chicago-makes-history-19-point-comeback-celtics/">devastating loss to the Chicago Bulls</a> where the Boston Celtics saw their 19 point lead dwindle down to a blow-out loss, Marcus Smart had strong criticism for stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. He claimed that the two were not passing the ball enough, especially in late-game situations where defenses were primarily focused on the team’s leading scorers.</p><p>After a players-only meeting was conducted Tuesday and the Celtics went on to beat the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, Jaylen Brown finally broke his silence on the comments he received from Smart. <a href="https://theathletic.com/2934560/2021/11/04/celtics-players-confronting-issues-after-team-dinner-preludes-victory-in-orlando/?source=emp_shared_article">Per Jared Weiss of The Athletic</a>:</p><blockquote>“Obviously in the midst of trying to win games, it’s something that we probably didn’t need,” Brown said of Smart’s public critique. “But we all communicate and talk to each other. So we’re always trying to find ways to win and I’m open to any and everything when guys bring it to me, coaching staff. I’m always watching film, trying to better myself and be a better basketball player and find ways to make my teammates better. So it felt good to get a win today.”</blockquote><p>To say the least, the Celtics have been underachieving this 2021-2022 NBA season. After current president of basketball operations and former head coach Brad Stevens gave the leashes of the team to Ime Udoka, the organization had high hopes of success. Yet, the team holds a 3-5 record and happens to be one of the bottom four teams in the Eastern Conference.</p><p>While the Celtics’ roster revolves around Brown and Tatum, the core pieces of this lineup include Smart, as well as off-season additions in Dennis Schroder, Josh Richardson, and Al Horford. Though there are plenty of well-known names and capable players at the team’s usage, there have been serious struggles to put it all together.</p><p>Jaylen Brown and his co-star Jayson Tatum average nearly 51 points a game as a duo. After these two, there is a significant drop-off in points averaged per game. The Celtics will need to play more well-rounded team basketball if they want to change the negative fortunes of this season.</p><p><b><i>*Watch NBA games LIVE with</i></b><a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/nba/?irad=356361&amp;irmp=492408"> <b><i>fuboTV (click for free trial)</i></b></a><b><i>*</i></b></p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Celtics star Jaylen Brown breaks silence on Marcus Smart’s criticism, players-only meeting

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 18px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 16px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: #0000FF;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 16px;    text-decoration: none;}ul {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 16px;}ol {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    padding: 0px 0px 0px 15px;    font-size: 16px;    border-left: 2px solid black;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 12px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;    background-color: #EFEFEF;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article><header><figure><img src="https://clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/image_2021-11-02_212045.png"></figure><h1>Seeds of Celtics’ ‘dysfunction’ planted long before Marcus Smart call out</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2021-11-02T06:33:14-07:00">November 2nd, 6:33am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2021-11-02T06:37:16-07:00">November 2nd, 6:37am</time><address><a href="https://medium.com/@rpsalao">R.P. Salao</a>Check out my best stuff on Medium - medium.com/@rpsalao.I also post quality NBA YouTube content - tinyurl.com/SalaoYouTube.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Boston Celtics are in dire straits this season after one of the worst fourth quarter collapses in NBA history. Leading by 14 points entering the final frame against the Chicago Bulls on Monday night, they ended up on the wrong side of a 39-11 smacking in those final 12 minutes to somehow lose 128-114.</p><p>Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-jayson-tatum-jaylen-browns-troubling-move-after-epic-collapse-vs-bulls/">weren’t available for comment</a> after the game, but Marcus Smart more than made up for their absence. The Celtics guard was calm yet highly critical of his two All-Star teammates, emphasizing that both Brown and Tatum need “pass the ball” more and create plays for others.</p><p><a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSCeltics/status/1455368935919034370?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1455368935919034370%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fclutchpoints.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost-new.php">Via</a> NBC Sports Boston:</p><blockquote>“There’s only so much I can do without the ball in my hands,” said Smart after the Celtics’ collapse. “I just sit and stand in the corner. We running plays for our best players. Every team knows that. They do a good job of shutting that down. We can’t allow that. We can’t keep trying to go to those guys. We have to abort that. Find another way to get them the ball in other spots. I can only do so much when I’m standing in the corner.”“I would just like to play basketball,” Smart continued. “Every team knows we’re trying to go to Jayson and Jaylen. Every team is programmed and studied to stop Jayson and Jaylen. I think everybody’s scouting report is to make those guys pass the ball. They don’t want to pass the ball.”</blockquote><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">.<a href="https://twitter.com/KendrickPerkins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">@KendrickPerkins</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisForsberg_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">@ChrisForsberg_</a> debate Smart’s comments on Celtics offense 👀 <a href="https://t.co/dcUJNp3BBh" target="_blank">pic.twitter.com/dcUJNp3BBh</a></p><p>— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSCeltics/status/1455368935919034370?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">November 2, 2021</a></p></blockquote><p></p></figure><p>Smart wasn’t necessarily wrong in his assessment, but it felt a lot like airing out the Celtics’ dirty laundry in public rather than keeping things under wraps for the team to resolve such matters in private.</p><p>Both the comments and the massive collapse have since brought up a firestorm of reactions that put the spotlight on the Celtics as a team potentially in flux.</p><h2><b>The Celtics “dysfunction” isn’t new</b></h2><figure><img src="https://clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Jaylen-Brown-Jayson-Tatum-Bulls-Celtics.jpg"></figure><p>This isn’t the first sign of dysfunction within the franchise, either. As veteran guard Kemba Walker was traded away before this season, a <a href="https://theathletic.com/2660873/2021/06/19/an-inside-look-at-the-factors-that-led-to-the-inevitable-break-up-between-kemba-walker-and-the-celtics/">bombshell report</a> from The Athletic’s Jared Weiss dropped that shed light on some internal problems within the organization.</p><p>There was reportedly a “tension-filled” relationship between the Walker and current Celtics president and then head coach Brad Stevens allegedly due to the fact that he was harder on Walker than the other top players who had been there longer.</p><p><a href="https://theathletic.com/2660873/2021/06/19/an-inside-look-at-the-factors-that-led-to-the-inevitable-break-up-between-kemba-walker-and-the-celtics/">Via</a> The Athletic:</p><blockquote>According to multiple team sources, there was some dysfunction in the locker room, with the relationship between Stevens and Kemba Walker characterized as tension-filled. Sources also suggest that Stevens was also perceived to be harder on Walker than on other top players.This came in the wake of Gordon Hayward’s departure, after which sources said Hayward told Stevens he needed to establish a stronger voice with players if they were going to win.</blockquote><p>Both Kemba Walker and Gordon Hayward haven’t really been known for being controversial figures in the locker room throughout their careers. But their sentiments seemingly echoed one another in that the culture currently existing within the Celtics organization was at least somewhat problematic.</p><figure><img src="https://clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Brad-Stevens-gets-brutally-honest-on-Marcus-Smart_s-struggles.jpg"></figure><p>Marcus Smart knows it too. The same report indicated that he was vocal about holding members of the team accountable as early as the 2019-20 season but was largely ignored.</p><blockquote>Team sources suggest Smart was alone in trying to establish that accountability last season, with teammates often tuning him out. It reached a boiling point when he and Jaylen Brown were involved in a heated confrontation after Game 2 of the 2020 Eastern Conference finals as <a href="https://theathletic.com/2076247/2020/09/18/shams-inside-the-celtics-heated-locker-room-scene-following-game-2/" rel="noopener">reported by <i>The Athletic</i>’s Shams Charania</a>.</blockquote><p>The subpar culture that exists has seemingly been an open secret among players. Brooklyn Nets big man Blake Griffin was reportedly <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-rumors-blake-griffin-was-told-by-boston-player-to-stay-away-from-mid-season-move-due-to-apparent-dysfunction/">warned against joining the Celtics midseason</a> last year by an anonymous player on the roster.</p><p>The dysfunction hasn’t been as publicized as other situations like the Ben Simmons drama with the Philadelphia 76ers. But there have been smattering of hints here and there that point to things not being perfectly sunny in Boston.</p><p>The season is still at its infancy with not even 10% of games being played thus far. There’s no reason to panic just yet. But where the Celtics go from this point forward feels crucial in determining where the franchise is headed as a whole. Will they be able to fix this or will these issues fester even further?</p><p>The debacle of the Bulls collapse coupled with Marcus Smart’s incendiary statement could be the spark they need to turn things around while they still can. But it could just as well be the impetus for sweeping changes within the franchise sooner rather than later.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Seeds of Celtics’ ‘dysfunction’ planted long before Marcus Smart call out

Kyle Korver

Al Horford

Tyler Herro

Fred VanVleet

Marcus Smart

Patty Mills

Eric Bledsoe

Larry Nance Jr.

Willie Cauley-Stein

J.R. Smith

2x All-Defensive

2014-15 All-Rookie

2018-19 All-Defensive

Boston Celtics

Career

https://twitter.com/smart_MS3/status/1452380438077509639/

Happy birthday to the fam @FCHWPO …the big 25!

https://twitter.com/smart_MS3/status/1439226275076390914/

Good morning everyone, especially President  Washington!     1&gt;2 

https://twitter.com/smart_MS3/status/1439003285101371393/

“The smell of the midnight lamp is very unwholesome. Never defraud yourself of sleep, nor your walk.” - John (2nd place) Adams 

2021 translate- get off your consoles at 2am. 

https://twitter.com/smart_MS3/status/1438996279351287808/

John Adams gonna be ok. 

But he still 2nd place.

https://twitter.com/smart_MS3/status/1405953489558196224/

One of the best teammates I’ve ever had! Fam for life! @KembaWalker 

https://twitter.com/smart_MS3/status/1398674286446092291/

Seventeen thousand+
two hundred+
twenty six = 

https://twitter.com/smart_MS3/status/1381411761925074946/

The air was thin in Denver cause I felt light as feather 🪶...

Gritty team win. Just the way I like it. 

https://twitter.com/smart_MS3/status/1380736153167523841/

If I could get all the prayer warriors out there to pray for my brother @Ford_5 and Coach Ford’s family right now, it’s needed. Need to lift him up in 🙏🏾 and healing.

2021-22 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
10.5	3.7	5.5	0.3	2.3

2021-22 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
10.5	3.7	5.5	0.3	2.3

Marcus
Smart

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Seeds of Celtics’ ‘dysfunction’ planted long before Marcus Smart call out

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