NBA Boston Celtics News: How the Team Can Get Back on Their Feet
The National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star break is now over, and the league's players have to get back to reality once again to contend for a top 8 spot in their respective conferences. As for the Boston Celtics, the break provided them with a lot of insight and perspective as they attempt to become legitimate contenders for the Eastern Conference.
Multiple sports news sources seem to agree that Boston's biggest issue at this point is their team's overall health. Point guard/shooting guard hybrid Marcus Smart has to get healthy in order for the Celtics to operate on an optimum level. As reported by Fan Sided, the team "desperately" needs Smart's contributions from the bench in order to provide their superstar, Kyrie Irving, some rest for the entirety of the game.
Smart is known to be a player who can contribute on both sides of the court, playing with tenacious defense, as well as having the ability to make plays for himself and his teammates. Another injured teammate, Shane Larkin, is another point guard that alleviates the pressure from Irving. Fortunately, he is expected to step on the hardwood floors of the basketball court soon.
During the All-Star Weekend, Golden State Warriors star player Kevin Durant shared his thoughts on the Boston Celtics' drop in power rankings, stating that "Irving is asked to do a lot out there to score for that team, and as a point guard that can be tiring." He also alluded to the fact that most of the players in the Celtics' roster are still young and developing players.
On another note, the Celtics' game has been seen fluctuating, even during their best moments in the season — wherein, at one point, they even managed to go on a 16-game winning streak. It is apparent that despite their acquisition of Kyrie Irving before the season even began, and some key draft picks, the team still has a long way to go before they can assert a decisive game plan given their roster.
