The Celtics aren't having fun right now, according to Marcus Smart
Marcus Smart: “We gotta have fun again. We’re not having fun. We’re not playing with that energy, that same fire. That’s just what it is. We gotta pick it up. We gotta continue to try to help one another. Nobody said this was going to be easy."
— Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) March 19, 2021
Are we suprised by this statement made from Marucs? I wouldn't be having fun on that team either; us fans are also not having a fun time watching them. You can see it in their play recently; they're exhausted, getting frustrated with each other more frequently and you can tell that they are losing trust and confidence in each other. This worries me a little bit because it brings me back to that dreadful 2018-19 season where it was clear that no one was having fun. What was the outcome of that season? Kyrie, Horford, Morris and Terry all walked. The situation in that season was pretty different to this one, but regardless we can't afford for our players, especially the best ones, to be unhappy.
The reason for their unhappiness is most likely because of their underwhelming performance so far this season, but I can't help but think that there could be some issues in the lockeroom thanks to that 2018-19 season. Every night someone is failing to do their job and after a while I'm sure some players can't help but start pointing fingers at other players, creating tension within in the team. I'm just speculating, but when a team like the Celtics continues to underperform on a daily basis I have to imagine that there might be some "differences" within the team. Another thing is that playing for a Boston team adds a lot of pressure; if the team doesn't play up to par, then fans get openly frustrated and perhaps that noise is getting to the players. The Celtics are getting slander from local and national media at this point (not that they don't deserve it), so it's not like they can't hear the noise. Every player has social media, so they can see how people are talking about them. If I were in their shoes then I would be pretty discouraged as well, but that's what they signed up for, so they have to deal with the noise and find a way to compete. Again though, I am just speculating.
The Celtics are currently 20-20, the 8th seed in the East and have been struggling for about two months now. Marcus said it best, the best way for them to start putting things together is by playing with that same energy they used to have and to try and have fun again. It's been a rough season with a lot of close losses, so I don't blame them for losing spirit. Luckily there's still time for change. It starts with the simple things; they have to get hyped up on the bench, help each other up from the ground and show that they trust each other to do their jobs. Who knows, maybe the biggest issue with this team is actually that they aren't having fun and once they find that energy again then things will turn around.
The Celtics need to beat the Kings tonight!