BOSTON — It’s been an up and down season for the Boston Celtics, and as of late, things mostly have been pointing down. So it didn’t come as a total shock that the C’s were topped by the Houston Rockets, winners of their last five, on Sunday at TD Garden.
But Sunday was downright ugly at times, as the Celtics trailed by 20 points for a good chunk of the action and allowed James Harden to go off for 42 points in the loss.
After the game, Harden noted the Celtics’ obvious talent but said he hadn’t seen enough of them to pinpoint the reason for their recent struggles.
“No, I mean I haven’t watched enough of their games,” said Harden. “But obviously they have a really, really talented group and are very well coached.”
He also acknowledged Kyrie Irving’s ability to impact games.
“Kyrie brings a different identity to the game,” said Harden. “With his scoring ability — tonight I think he had six or seven assists — he’s a very impactful player.”
Obviously, Irving has been one of the most — if not the most — important players on the court for the Celtics. He has the ability to take control of games, and on Sunday notched 24 points with nine rebounds. The 26-year-old was 7-of-11 from the floor while going 3-for-5 from beyond the arc. But that wasn’t enough to get the win, and Irving was once again short with the media after the game, pointing to some obvious discontent in the Celtics’ locker room.
Boston has defeated some of the best teams in the NBA this season while also losing to some of the worst. To put it simply, they are an enigma.
As of late, it seems the C’s are struggling more than usual. With the loss to the Rockets on Sunday, the Celtics have lost seven of their last 10.
