Oftentimes, head coach Joe Mazzulla, as well as other players and staffers, are seen around the Celtics’ facilities wearing shirts and sweatshirts that read “mindset” outlined in Celtics colors.
A season ago, it became the Celtics’ rallying cry. It’s the focal point of their identity: the idea of not skipping any steps, keeping a business-like approach, and playing their brand of basketball for a full 48 minutes with great attention to detail on both ends of the floor.
Its ubiquity underscores its significance, not just as a slogan but as a guiding principle driving the team’s success.
However, the commitment to that identity hasn’t been there over the last month. There have been flashes – Friday night’s 37-point win – but it hasn’t been there consistently, with Sunday’s 123-114 loss to the Pacers as the latest example, as the loss dropped Boston to 7-6 in December, their most losses in a month since March 2023.
“It’s an inconsistency on either one [offense or defense],” Mazzulla said. “A couple of games, it was our offense. A couple of games, it was our defense.”
“Inconsistency” has been the theme for the Celtics throughout the month of December. That purposeful approach we’ve grown so used to seeing has wavered at times – and the Celtics are feeling the consequences. They now sit 4.5 games behind first place in the Eastern Conference, their largest deficit in two years. They’re just a game away from falling to third place, somewhere they haven’t been since March 19, 2023.
“I think this might be the toughest stretch that I’ve been on since I’ve been here with the Celtics. It’s going to bring us closer together,” said Derrick White. “There are ups and downs to every season. We’re just in one of those downs, and we’ve got to figure it out together.”
Such slumps are rare for this Celtics squad. Over the past two seasons, they’ve dropped four out of six games only three times—it didn’t happen once last year.
The disappointment is apparent. As White reflected on the rough patch, he pulled the hood of his sweatshirt over his head. A .528 December feels foreign for a team that has won 73.8% of its games over the past three seasons.
“I think we have the humility because we’ve been through it,” Jayson Tatum said when asked if there could be a level of confidence contributing to the skid. “There’s parts of the season where we took it for granted, and I think we’ve learned from that. But I think we’re just at a point in the season where we’re not happy where we’re at and we all have to understand that we’ve played a part in where we’re at right now.”
Sure, there are some mitigating factors—most notably the limited availability of their preferred starting five (White, Holiday, Brown, Tatum, and Porzingis), which has played just six games together, logging a total of 85 minutes. The team also hasn’t had its full roster available for a complete game this season
But the Celtics don’t have time for excuses. They’re getting the classic “defending champs” treatment, becoming a statement game for opponents every night. They need to rise to that challenge—something they haven’t consistently done, in large part because of the defense.
“We should be used to that,” said Tatum. “It’s been like that for the last few years. We’ve got to start swinging first. We’ve got to get back to that.”
Seven of the nine Pacers who played before garbage time on Sunday night shot over 50%. Indiana finished with 123 points as a team despite making just nine threes. Their dominance in the paint was the key, scoring 66 points inside and matching their transition total from Friday night by halftime. They shot 52.9% from the field on the night.
“We gotta get back to emphasizing the defensive side of the ball. It’s kind of slipped over the last few games,” Jaylen Brown said after the game. “We’ve had some great moments this season, and maybe some comfort has slipped in. I mean, offensively, we’re fine. I just think defensively, we gotta find ways to get more stops and be more consistent protecting the basket, helping each other, communicating, and we just haven’t emphasized that enough.”
Tyrese Haliburton became the latest guard to torch the Celtics, dropping 31 points, with 18 coming in the paint on 9-of-11 shooting. Between Donovan Mitchell (35), Ja Morant (32), Zach LaVine (37), Tyrese Maxey (33), and now Haliburton, a guard has scored 30+ points against the Celtics in five of their losses this month.
“We’ve got to pay attention to the tendencies,” Mazzulla said when discussing how to limit guard penetration. “We just have to know where we can help from and force more kickouts – It starts at the point of attack.”
Too often this season, the Celtics have drifted away from the principles that propelled them to success last year. Yes, every season is different, and the team has openly recognized that what worked one year doesn’t guarantee the same results the next. But when they stick to the principles the team is built on—starting with defense—they’ve shown flashes of that dominant form from last season. It’s not a question of ability; it’s a question of desire and execution.
“Understand it’s a long season. We’ve got a lot of basketball left. We are so far from our ultimate goal — it’s so far down the road,” said Tatum. “Every year, there are good moments and not-so-good movements. It’s about how you navigate the roller coaster of the season. Some stretches are better than others.”
The good news for Boston is that they still have time to rediscover their identity and get back on track. But they can’t afford to just coast anymore; the urgency to lock in and play with purpose is growing, especially with what’s to come.
After their New Year’s Eve game against the 7-25 Toronto Raptors, the Celtics will face arguably their toughest stretch of the season—an arduous four-game road trip against the Timberwolves, Rockets, Thunder, and Nuggets.
“I’m actually really excited about it,” said Mazzulla. “It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be great.”
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