Boston's offense needs some work, but don't panic - yet


The Boston Celtics have some work to do, that much is clear.

Over the last few games, the team has been relying on an offense which doesn't actually exist yet to bail them out of games they could easily  win with even a semblance of play from last season on either end of the court, yet this dangerous combination continued until they lost a game they had no business dropping last night.

The nuts-and-bolts are not a differential equation, rubik's cube, or even a Jenga stack; Boston's woes are obvious, and infinitely soluble. The question is, how long will it take? The team has been chucking up high-percentage shots at a ridiculous rate despite the fact the shots aren't falling, and while rust and health is an excuse to an extent, eventually, someone has to take it to the rack.

The defense is present, but a notch below what we saw last year, particularly with the starters, save Al Horford and, oddly, Kyrie Irving. Irving and Gordon Hayward clearly have some more healing or at least re-adjustment to do also, and that can't be rushed any more than Aron Baynes' hammy can - but there's no good reason why everyone is deferring to everyone else when there is ball movement, now or ever.

We all know these guys are professional, and the egos were checked at the door five minutes into Game One of last season, so get yours when the opportunity is there- if you're open, shoot the ball.

Somehow, a contested jumper five seconds into a possession seems to be the only other option in Boston's offensive repertoire right now, and the combination is like a parody of the San Antonio Spurs' ball movement juxtaposed with a mockery of the Golden State Warrior's shooting. It's painful to watch, and it needs to stop.

I probably sound like I'm about to tell some kids to get off my lawn, and to be honest, I'm not far. But I'm also a lot more optimistic about this team than I probably seem; I'm just irritated I have to be writing this article this early into a season, because this team is (I think) really special - they just need to stop believing me (and us) when we say that, and focus on effort, execution, and trust that it'll work out in the end.

For more stories by Justin, click here.



Image: Brian Babineau/NBAE;
Follow Justin at @justinquinnn
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