Joe Mazzulla Sees This Positive Overshadowed In Celtics’ Recent Rut

BOSTON — There aren’t too many good feelings surrounding the Celtics at the moment with Boston having lost four out of their last five games.

But Celtics interim head coach Joe Mazzulla didn’t have to search hard for a positive despite the recent rut his team is in.

Even with the Celtics not playing up to the level they were at the beginning of the season, Mazzulla has seen his team make strides on the defensive end.

Questions arose on that side of the floor when the Celtics got off to a lackluster defensive start, but those concerns have been quelled with Boston now possessing a top 10 defensive rating (110.6) in the entire NBA.

And Mazzulla believes Boston’s defensive improvement is now being overshadowed with the focus turned to the hiccups they’ve experienced on offense — the Celtics have had their lowest scoring outputs of the season in two out of their last four games.

“I think that’s what makes it positive for where we’re at, this kind of rut that we’re in,” Mazzulla said prior to tipoff against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday. “In order to be a great defense in the NBA it starts with effort, so it’s not an issue for our team right now. I think we’re doing a lot of great things on both ends of the floor. Just have to be a little bit better.”

Getting Robert Williams back has certainly aided the Celtics on defense, giving them some rim protection they desperately needed.

But if they look to continue their upward trajectory on the defensive end against the Pacers, they will have to do so without a major piece to the unit as reigning Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart has been ruled out for the contest.