Boston Celtics had a really bad, no-good, horrible week

A three-game losing streak for the Boston Celtics can be described succinctly and bluntly: They’ve really been stinking up the joint.

And that’s a hard thing to say for someone who generally tries to stay positive about Boston’s play.

Life on the court hasn’t been pretty for the Celtics, especially in the fourth quarter this season. Playing directly into this theme, a Friday night performance saw the Celtics score only 15 points in the fourth against the Sacramento Kings. It wasn’t the source for all their problems, but ultimately contributed to Boston’s 107-96 loss and being swept by the Kings this season.

Frustratingly inconsistent might be putting it too mildly in regards to the Boston Celtics in 2020-21.

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Friday night’s result followed up an even more baffling loss on the road to the Cleveland Cavaliers. A game in which the Celtics were down 17 at halftime and battled back to only disappear down the stretch, losing by seven.

This after Boston defeated the Cavs by 38 earlier this season.

The week began so well, too, with a resounding victory over the Houston Rockets. Boston took some time to wake up in this game, too, but by the end were 27-point victors. And that was followed by a game against the Utah Jazz. A competitive effort that ultimately saw a two-point lead entering the fourth turn into an eight-point defeat.

Despite the 1-3 record last week and falling to eighth-place in the Eastern Conference, it wasn’t all bad. Namely, the stellar play of Robert Williams.

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Williams continued to prove his worth to this team, providing valuable minutes off the bench.

In the four games last week, Williams averaged 14 points and 11 rebounds per game. He was efficient in his scoring, too, missing only six shots (26-32) in this span.

Williams also did a nice job protecting the rim on defense, collecting 11 blocked shots.

He did all of this averaging only 20 minutes per game. Williams brings an energy and intensity to the court that Boston is often at times missing. One of the goals for head coach Brad Stevens should be to give Williams more minutes, much like the 27 he played against Cleveland.

That perhaps would involve tweaking the rotation not to give Williams the starting nod — Boston’s opening minutes are not the problem — but to find ways to give him more time in the fourth quarter. Right now, it’s more about how Boston is finishing games rather than beginning them.

No matter the case, if Williams continues on this trajectory, he will play a very important part in Boston’s future.

Boston Celtics: The week ahead

Handicapping the Celtics is growing increasingly harder to do this season. The team should have easily gone 3-1, possibly 4-0, in recent games. The next five games won’t be an easy task, with four road games on the agenda.

It starts at home with the Orlando Magic, who are coming off an eight-point victory over the Brooklyn Nets that snapped a nine-game losing streak.

Next up is night one of the road trip. The Celtics take on the Memphis Grizzlies, who Boston defeated by 19 in December.

A huge two-game set at the Milwaukee Bucks is up next. The teams have met only once so far this season, an opening-night Boston win back when the future seemed so much brighter.

Closing out this week of games is a Saturday meeting with the Oklahoma City Thunder. This will be the first meeting between the two teams this season.

A 4-1 record over the course of the next seven days is again entirely doable but at this point going 3-2 would be a pleasant surprise.

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The best hope is that the Celtics find a way to make the playoffs, where maybe a newfound mojo and chemistry can lead this team to a deep run. Until then, it’s best to remember this team is one of youth and needs the veterans to lead the way. And to hopefully find the path to success once again.

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