Celtics' Thomas: 'We're not as good as we thought we were'

After adding Al Horford to a 48-win team, the Boston Celtics entered the 2016-17 season with greater expectations than they've had in years.

So far, the Celtics have looked mediocre, dropping three of their first six contests while posting a point-differential of minus-1.7. Following Sunday's blowout defeat to the Denver Nuggets, All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas suggested that Boston may have overestimated its capabilities heading into the season.

"We’re not as good as we thought we were," Thomas told Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. "When we don’t come out with a sense of urgency, we’re not a good team."

While the Celtics haven't been great, injuries have played a large part in the team's poor play. Kelly Olynyk, Jae Crowder, and Horford have all missed time this season, leading Brad Stevens to trot out less than ideal lineups.

Boston's defense has been particularly poor at times, ranking just 29th in defensive efficiency heading into Sunday's contest. The Celtics' lack of rim protection continued to plague them versus the Nuggets, as Emmanuel Mudiay and Danilo Gallinari attacked the basket with ease.

"I think they said we are the smallest team in the NBA, and we're definitely playing like it," Thomas told Brian Robb of CelticsHub.com.

Boston will look to bounce back on Wednesday when they play the league's 26th-ranked offense in the Washington Wizards.