Skip to content

Celtics' Stevens looking to tweak lineup

Rob Carr / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Change could be afoot in Beantown.

After surging out of the gates with a 21-4 record in their first 25 games, including a 16-game win streak, the Boston Celtics have cooled considerably. Boston has gone 6-9 since returning from its game in London against the Philadelphia 76ers on Jan. 11, losing its grip on first place in the Eastern Conference to the Toronto Raptors after three consecutive losses.

With the new-look Cleveland Cavaliers also in their rearview mirror, Celtics head coach Brad Stevens plans to take a long look at his rotation after the All-Star break to avoid slipping any further.

"It's going to be a tough ending if we don't change a little bit, and I'll look at what I can change, as well," Stevens said after Wednesday's loss, according to ESPN's Chris Forsberg. "I think we're probably due for some of that."

Despite their recent skid, the Celtics are still the best defensive team in the NBA, allowing approximately 100.9 points per 100 possessions. Offensively, however, their 104.4 points per 100 possessions are 21st, with the Miami Heat being the only other team in a playoff position that scores less efficiently.

"We'll look at everything," he said. "Obviously, you're always looking for small tweaks defensively and offensively, but we haven't gotten enough out of our rotations and subs and all those things. We'll take a deeper dive into that."

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox