Celtics Discuss the Roots of Their Offensive Struggles and the Keys to Getting Back on Track

Since losing to the Warriors, the Celtics' offense ranks 28th in points per game.

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

The Celtics are generating 118.2 points per game this season, the most in the NBA. But since their loss to the Warriors in an NBA Finals rematch ten days ago, Boston ranks 28th in that category, per NBA.com.

With Jayson Tatum ranked second in the Association in minutes, Jaylen Brown averaging 35.8, Marcus Smart logging 33.2, and Al Horford playing 30.9, fatigue is a noticeable factor in the Celtics' recent struggles as they've lost four of their last five games.

Also, regression was inevitable for a rotation filled with players shooting above their career averages. But neither that nor fatigue tells the entire story of an offense that most recently registered 92 points in a second-straight home loss to the Magic.

There's been quality shots that didn't go down. But with defenses switching more frequently, playing passing lanes more aggressively, and defending with more physicality, Boston's on and off-ball movement has become less effective, and its attempts at the rim have lessened.

There's also a need to challenge defenders more to get and keep them in rotation.

The play below starts with a cross-screen from Horford for Brown, who then fakes a handoff to Derrick White, which Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero don't switch.

Wagner gets drilled on a pick from Horford, that the latter is lucky didn't result in an offensive foul. But the rest of the Magic defenders are well-positioned to deter Brown from attacking the basket, so he snakes back to the left, then swings the ball to White.

Banchero bites on the latter's pump fake, leaving his feet, allowing White to get into the gap. That forces Bol Bol to rotate, leaving Grant Williams open for a three from his corner office.

WE'LL TAKE IT! Grant from his corner office

Tune in to the 2nd half now: https://t.co/uSr28gG7oX pic.twitter.com/eaxUBozNZJ

— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) December 18, 2022

Plays like that haven't happened enough recently.

On the heels of Tuesday's practice at the Auerbach Center, the Celtics discussed the roots of the recent offensive struggles that have translated to the league's lowest field goal percentage (41.6 percent), including the second-worst success rate from beyond the arc (28.6 percent).

Boston's bench boss, Joe Mazzulla, expressed the following about the impact of teams switching with greater regularity against them on and off the ball.

"It takes away our speed; it takes away our off-ball (activity) a little bit, it takes away our general flow of what we're trying to do, so we just have to fight for that."

Mazzulla also addressed the influence of teams playing passing lanes more aggressively.

"I think teams are inching out a little bit, making it an indecision, do we shoot it or do we pass it, and I think we have to continue to do a great job, once we get into the paint of making that right read."

After going back and watching the film of Sunday's loss to Orlando, Malcolm Brogdon agreed with the answer the Celtics cited post-game as to why their offense has slowed down after its historic start to the campaign.

"Missing shots. I think that's the biggest thing, honestly. I think we're moving the ball. If you watch us, we're getting a lot of open shots; we're just missing shots we've been making for the first 25 games, so we've got to make some shots; it's really that simple."

When asked about the difference in the attempts created from side-to-side ball movement compared to a drive-and-kick, Brogdon conveyed, "I think you get better shots when you touch the paint, you get inside, you drive it, you kick it.

"Inside-outside is always better basketball than side-to-side, and we've been getting those shots, we've been getting good shots; we've just got to make them."

Regarding creating more opportunities at the cylinder, Brogdon replied, "we definitely can. I think a big piece of it for us is spacing. Generating good offense, getting shots at the rim, and I think a lot of that is on me, because I think I'm one of the better drivers on the team, guys that can get to the rim.

"I think I've got to get to the rim more. But as a team, we've got to put more pressure on the rim, attack the paint, get to the corners, flatten the defense, and have better spacing."

And when it comes to counteracting teams packing the paint, Boston's sixth man stated, "we've got to space them out. When our spacing's right, when we're making the right plays, when we're touching the paint and kicking out, it slowly gets them to get out of the paint, to space, and get them spread out a little bit so (that) we have those things to attack."

Further Reading

Celtics Fans Certainly Will Love What Robert Williams Said After Loss to Magic

Celtics Star Jaylen Brown Opens up After Boston's Second Straight Loss vs. Magic

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Loss vs. Magic: Boston Stumbles Down the Stretch, Falling for the Fourth Time in Five Games

Breaking Down the Top 5 Plays from Sunday's Celtics-Magic Game

Joe Mazzulla Discusses Robert Williams' Return to a Celtics Team That Found a New Identity Without Him