Celtics’ Rough Patch: No Big Deal or Warning Sign?

Insights and reflections after observing the Lakers dominate the Celtics on Thursday evening…

So, should we be concerned about Boston now?

The nationally broadcast thrashing at the Crypto.com Arena was a disaster. The Celtics were down by 11 at the end of the first quarter, 19 by halftime, and 15 going into the fourth quarter before Joe Mazzulla conceded. The Lakers dismantled Boston’s top-10 defense, hitting 47.2% of their shots and 42.9% from beyond the arc.

Everyone has off days. However, the Celtics have been struggling for a few weeks now, suffering defeats to the Bulls, Raptors, and Hawks, and barely overcoming the Pelicans and an injured Clippers squad. After a strong start of 21–5, Boston has gone 10–9 in their last 19 games. Despite maintaining top-10 rankings in both offensive and defensive efficiency during this lackluster period, their effort has been inconsistent at times.

“January has been a challenging month for us,” Jaylen Brown commented. “We need to keep pushing forward without making excuses for the games we’ve lost. There are games we should have won, but at this stage, we need to focus on putting our best foot forward.”

Midseason slumps are not uncommon. The phenomenon of a championship hangover is well-documented. Denver experienced similar rough patches last season. The Warriors were a .500 team around the middle of the 2022–23 season, largely due to Draymond Green’s issues. It’s not out of the ordinary for Boston, which has fought hard for nearly six years to reach their peak last season, to have periods of complacency.

Yet there are warning signs. Brown’s shooting accuracy has declined over the past two months. Derrick White’s has as well. Jrue Holiday’s efficiency stats are among his career lows. Meanwhile, Boston’s once formidable defense doesn’t seem as impenetrable as it was for most of last season.

Is it time to panic? Probably not, although Celtics president Brad Stevens should seriously consider trading more draft picks for another strong player to take over some of Luke Kornet’s minutes. But this is still essentially the same team that achieved a 16–3 record in last season’s playoffs. Boston still ranks No. 2 in the Eastern Conference and holds the third-best point differential in the NBA. Any serious concerns will likely arise after the All-Star break.

“This is just part of navigating through the season,” Brown added. “Anything can happen. We need to finish strong through the All-Star break and then prepare for the playoffs, staying the course, because I believe we are still the best team out there. We just need to pull it all together.”

HE’S DOING THAT AT 40?! pic.twitter.com/qCYsBuaRGh

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) January 24, 2025

With their victory over Boston, the Lakers improved to a 24–18 record and now hold the fifth spot in the Western Conference standings. LeBron James and Anthony Davis have made it clear that the team is not yet a contender, with Davis stating earlier this week that he would like to add a center to allow him more time at power forward. Two potential targets, according to sources, are Washington’s Jonas Valančiūnas and Utah’s Walker Kessler, both of whom are under reasonable contracts.

Speaking of the Celtics—have you heard they are for sale? It has been over seven months since the ownership group led by Wyc Grousbeck announced their intention to sell the team, and while there has been notable interest from potential buyers—in November, Grousbeck mentioned reporters that there was “a lot of interest” in the iconic franchise—no deal appears to be close.

While Celtics officials have expressed no concerns about the pace of the sale—the team reportedly expects four to five bids this month—many in the league are wondering if anyone will meet Grousbeck’s asking price, estimated to be around $6 billion. Despite being one of the NBA’s premier franchises, Boston does not own the arena it plays in and has a payroll that could saddle new owners with hundreds of millions in luxury tax penalties if the roster stays the same.

“A question potential owners of any team, whether it’s the Celtics or an expansion team, have to ask is ‘are these good investments?’” a rival team executive told Sports Illustrated. “You invest $5 billion, $6 billion, how do you make money from that? We may be reaching a point where the only buyers are ultra-wealthy individuals who view owning a team as a trophy or casinos.” 

With Jimmy Butler suspended (again), speculation about a potential trade continues to grow. However, while Miami continues to engage in trade discussions for Butler, the Heat are not close to finalizing a deal, sources familiar with Miami’s strategy told SI.

As SI and others have reported, Phoenix is Butler’s preferred destination. The Suns caused a stir this week when they completed a picks-only transaction with Utah, acquiring first-round picks in 2025, ’27, and ’29 in exchange for Phoenix’s unprotected first in ’31. However, while Miami is interested in draft capital for Butler in discussions across the league, they have made it clear they are not interested in taking on any long-term contracts. This includes that of Bradley Beal, who has two years and $111 million remaining on his contract for next season.

Finding a third team for Beal—challenging under the best circumstances—may be impossible. Beal, as has been repeatedly noted, has a no-trade clause, with sources close to the Suns star indicating that he would only waive it for a move to a contender.

Ultimately, there’s a strong possibility that Butler will remain on the Heat’s roster beyond the Feb. 6 trade deadline.

It’s interesting to note Shaquille O’Neal’s defense of Jimmy Butler on TNT on Thursday. O’Neal, who had a positive relationship with Pat Riley early in his tenure with the Heat before things turned sour, said he understands Butler’s feelings.

“You don’t want me, I don’t want to be here”

Things get HEATED in Studio J as the Fellas talk Jimmy Butler pic.twitter.com/AYyXAdk7Q6

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) January 24, 2025

“I just think in this situation, it’s more about human nature,” O’Neal said. “I know exactly how Jimmy feels. I’ve been in this situation many times. ‘All that I’ve done for you, and you don’t want to give me what I want.’ So human nature kicks in.”

Shaq didn’t receive much support from the panel and he won’t find much league-wide support either. The fact is Miami has made a commitment to Butler, who can opt in for the final year of his deal and collect $52 million next season. That the Heat don’t want to commit any more than that to a player who will be 37 at the start of the 2026–27 season is just smart basketball business.

While Nikola Jokic continues to perform remarkably during Denver’s recent upswing—boosting his chances of clinching a fourth MVP title—one of the most compelling stories of the season has been the resurgence of Russell Westbrook. The Nuggets are 17–5 with Westbrook starting. He’s averaging 14.7 points as a starter, hitting 53% of his shots and 35.4% of his threes, while injecting a level of intensity Denver has been missing.

14 points and counting for Russ pic.twitter.com/dReR5a35lY

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) January 24, 2025

Westbrook’s career seemed to be nearly over after the Clippers waived him last summer. The Nuggets haven’t just revived him—he has revived Denver.

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