The Celtics are so divided, they can’t even agree whether they are divided.
“We have to be a lot more connected as a team,” coach Brad Stevens told reporters. “That’s been the theme for a while.”
“Nobody is together,” guard Marcus Smart said. “We’ve got to have everybody on the same page doing the same things at the same time.”
Kyrie Irving, do you agree?
“That’s Marcus’ opinion,” Irving said.
But do you agree? Irving declined to answer.
That’s the state of the Celtics after they were routed, 118-95, in Toronto on Tuesday, a possible playoff showdown that did not live up to the hype because the Celtics didn’t.
Since the All-Star break, Boston is 0-3, including an embarrassing loss to the Bulls. Since Feb. 1 — when Irving appeared to renege on his long-term commitment to the Celtics, saying, “Ask me July 1,” when asked if his mindset had shifted from that summer announcement — Boston is 5-5. A team that took LeBron James’ Cavs to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals without Irving and Gordon Hayward has slid to fifth in a LeBron-less East.
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On Tuesday, it was the Raptors who looked like the greatest threat to the Warriors, getting 21 points on 15 shots from Kawhi Leonard, 25 points and eight rebounds from forward Pascal Siakam, easily beating a team that doubled their trips to the free-throw line (Boston attempted 28, Toronto 14).
But the Raptors shot 49 percent from the field, which is where Stevens laid the blame, saying they were taking too many “shortcuts” on defense. Irving had a familiar, curt answer.
“I don’t know,” said Irving, who scored just seven points on 3-of-10 shooting. “It’s up to Brad.”
All this dysfunction while the Bucks keep rolling, the Raptors have built a title contender, the Pacers are the quietest 40-21 team in history and the 76ers have amassed the best starting five outside of Golden State. Only one of the East contenders has a compass pointing south.
“I thought we were outplayed in every which way,” Stevens said.
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