Celtics’ Defense Lacks Championship Effort, Says Eddie House
Eddie House criticizes the Celtics for their recent defensive struggles after a loss to the Pacers, emphasizing the need for improvement.
Boston, Celtics, Eddie House, NBA, Defense, Pacers
Boston: The Celtics are in a bit of a rough patch lately. They lost to the Indiana Pacers 123-114, and it’s becoming a worrying trend for the team. They’ve dropped four out of their last six games, mainly because they can’t seem to stop their opponents.
It looked like they were back on track after a big win against the Pacers on Friday, but Sunday was a different story. The Pacers shot nearly 53% from the field and scored 66 points in the paint. Ouch!
Former Celtics player Eddie House didn’t hold back on his thoughts during the postgame show. He said the team has taken a step back and isn’t putting in the defensive effort needed to win a championship. He stressed that defense is what travels, not just shooting.
House still believes the Celtics can be a championship team, but he’s not convinced they’re giving the effort on defense. That’s a big deal, especially since they had one of the best defensive ratings last season.
Coach Joe Mazzulla also weighed in after the loss, saying that the defensive issues are a collective responsibility. Everyone needs to step up, from the coaching staff to the players.
Looking ahead, the Celtics really need to bounce back in their next game against the struggling Toronto Raptors. The schedule is about to get tough, with a road trip coming up after that. Mazzulla seems excited about the challenge, though, saying it’s going to be fun.
Mark your calendars for the Celtics-Raptors game on New Year’s Eve at 3 p.m. ET. Let’s hope they can turn things around!