The Celtics aren’t without flaws.
Sure, you probably knew this. But Boston’s recent skid is evidence that even the NBA’s best teams aren’t infallible and therefore need to be open-minded as the season progresses.
So, are the C’s willing to add to their roster before the Feb. 9 NBA trade deadline?
Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens on Friday shed light on the organization’s expected approach while holding his first formal media availability since before training camp.
“Sure. I mean, that’s my job,” Stevens told reporters. “When I was coaching, I always told the guys, ‘Let the game tell you what to do.’ Well, let the game tell us what to do over the next couple of months. Just like any other thing, I’ve gotta be able to take a step back, I’ve gotta be able to sift through what’s a blip and what’s real. But listen, we want to win. There’s no question about it. We have a really good team and hopefully we are playing great over the next couple of months, but we’ll evaluate that and we’ll make the decisions that, right or wrong, we think may give us the best chance of winning.”
The Celtics no longer sit atop the NBA standings after dropping five of six, including three straight at home to the Orlando Magic (twice) and Indiana Pacers. Still, Boston entered Friday with a 22-10 record, good for second in the Eastern Conference behind the Milwaukee Bucks, and obviously have championship aspirations after losing to the Golden State Warriors in last season’s NBA Finals.
As such, one shouldn’t bank on the Celtics making a panic move, especially with the NBA trade deadline a month and a half away. But the next several weeks, in theory, could magnify Boston’s weaknesses to the point where Stevens considers certain changes.
After all, Boston came oh-so-close to hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy last season. Anything less than Banner 18 this season could be viewed as a disappointment.
