The Boston Celtics aren’t a bad basketball team, but they have played far below expectations.
Just beyond the midway point of the season, the Celtics own a 25-18 record, which is good for fifth place in the conference. They’re 5-5 in their last 10 games and have lost three straight heading into Wednesday’s home tilt with the Eastern Conference’s top team, the Toronto Raptors.
Entering the season the Celtics were pegged as conference favorites, and it was justified, as they made it to Game 7 of the conference finals last spring sans Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. And with Irving and Hayward back in the fold and talent bursting out the seams, it only seemed logical Boston would blow the doors off the East.
But in the eyes of one player, it’s the loads of talent that might be hindering the Celtics.
In an interview with Yahoo! Sports’ Vincent Goodwill, backup point guard Terry Rozier admitted there may be a bit too much talent.
“’I don’t think we’ve all been on a team like this,” Rozier said to Goodwill. “Young guys who can play, guys who did things in their career, the group that was together last year, then you bring Kyrie and Hayward back, it’s a lot with it.”
When asked if the roster was too talented, Rozier didn’t back down.
‘Too talented, yeah. Too talented.’”
While that may be a somewhat jarring admission, it’s highly unlikely Rozier is alone in his sentiments.
It would take a really colossal meltdown for the Celtics to miss the playoffs, so they essentially have the next couple months to continue trying to work out their issues before playoffs hit.
And if they do that, well, it’s pretty clear they have the talent to be legitimate contenders.
