Going into this season, the Boston Celtics squad may have been looking to attempt a potential two-peat. After all, having already secured more championship titles than any other NBA team, how else could the squad stand out? However, things started taking a rough turn by the end of December, as the team lost more consecutive games than over the past 14 months.

Now, they have added to their woes by scoring fewer points in the 2 half than any other Celtics squad since 2012. Amidst this, an explanation needed to be given.

In the aftermath of the Boston Celtics-Oklahoma City Thunder matchup, Kristaps Porzingis engaged in a Q&A session. Addressing the 105-92 loss, he let out a sort of ‘Woah’ type whistle when learning that his squad only made 27 points in the second half!

The Latvian did not shy away from taking responsibility. He stated that some of the gameplay was forced, including insufficient space among teammates. In the end, Porzingis admitted, “It’s like a mix of everything, but I would say we didn’t play up to our level at all offensively in the second half, and think some of the things need to be looked at, and just give each other more space, more freedom”.

The last time the Celtics performed on a similar abysmal level during the game’s final 24 minutes was on January 6, 2012. The then-squad faced the Indiana Pacers and scored only 25 points in the first 24 minutes of play. This allowed them to tie the franchise record for the lowest-scoring half in team history. Shooting an abysmal 26.2 percent from the field, they made 9-of-34 shots. Even Ray Allen, returning from the flu, could not break the slump. Despite scoring eight points in the first quarter, the defense held him scoreless in the second. However, his eight points still led the team at halftime.

Kristaps Porzingis and Co. faltering in the 2 half allowed the Oklahoma City Thunder to overcome a double-digit deficit, with OKC outscoring the Celtics 29-12 in the 4 quarter. As a result, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s team has now recorded its 15th straight regular-season win (excluding the NBA Cup loss).

As highlighted by NESN, the Thunder kept their rivals at bay with a stellar performance from Gilgeous-Alexander. Furthermore, their defense held the ‘men in green’ 8-of-40 (20%) from the floor after the first half. However, they also benefitted from the Celtics squad’s struggles, as they had lost touch with their typical long-range shooting prowess. The game ended with the visiting team just shooting 9-for-46 (19.6%) from deep.

Furthermore, they also went 1-for-13 from 3-point range in the 3 quarter. Porzingis himself didn’t choose to perform to the mark he had set in the previous games. While he did make 19 points, he also shot only 6-12 (50%) field goals, and 1-6 (16.7%) three-pointers. As a result, his efficiency rating was recorded as -17 for the game.

Having judged the recent performance, Porzingis highlighted his belief in where the fault in the team’s performance lay. Fortunately, his analysis has indirect backing from two of his most prominent teammates.

Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum repeat Kristaps Porzingis’s ‘space’ issue: “We just have to match that physicality”

Alongside Kristaps Porzingis, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum also addressed the media post-game. With a -7 and -12 efficiency rating respectively, the duo showed that they could have handled things better. There were lapses offensively. However, it should also be remembered that the Celtics allowed 17 points to be made off 16 turnovers. Therefore, if Porzingis highlighted a lapse in spacing, he may have had a reason for the same.

Addressing the gap, Jayson Tatum admitted, “Obviously, teams are scouting us and trying to disrupt us, and we just have to match that physicality for 48 minutes and own our space. And, least is possible is to not let them dictate where we’re supposed to be, where we want to get to, that’s really important to us.”

Similarly, JB highlighted the issue’s root when spacing is bad. He stated “It’s just a lack of poise… second half, the whistle wasn’t on our side. It’s fine, we just have to adjust faster… credit to OKC, their physicality set the tone in the second half.”

The Boston Celtics are fortunately not in too bad of a condition during the ongoing season. Thanks to a 26-10 win record, they occupy the 2 seed on the Eastern Conference points table. However, the recent matchup highlighted that OKC can prove to be a tough competitor. Especially if the two teams end up clashing in the playoffs.

Since they are both in different conferences, they won’t meet until the NBA Finals. Therefore, having now understood the root of the problem, it is up to Kristaps Porzingis and Co. to improve upon their faults.