NBA 2018-19: 3 key takeaways from the Boston Celtics' performance so far
Win-loss record: 20-14 (5th in East)
After losing to the Eastern Conference Champions Cleveland Cavaliers in the Conference Finals last season, the Boston Celtics came into this season with a lot of renewed hope. With Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward making their return to the team, everyone expected them to be a force to reckon with.
Some NBA pundits even went ahead and called them the team to beat in the East even with Kawhi Leonard being traded to the Toronto Raptors. However, that did not happen as the Celtics are currently under-performing and continue to figure out the right combination. In this article, we take a look at three key takeaways from the Boston Celtics' performance so far this season.
#3 Celtics are still far from being true contenders in the playoffs
On paper, the Celtics team looks like they are built to challenge any of the teams in the league. However, that has not been the case in reality as they are struggling to pick up wins against good teams.
Most of their wins in December came against weak teams that are not really contenders. With the amount of talent that they have and the kind of season that they are having, it is safe to say that the Celtics have not yet figured out the right combination.
Coach Brad Stevens was given the tough task of handling things with both Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward back in the starting lineup and he has struggled to hit a home run. The frequent changing of lineups is also affecting the players' performance and the Celtics might need to trade some of their young players if they want to make some noise in the playoffs this season.