The Boston Celtics are 4-6, a respectable record for such a young NBA season. After beating the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night 101-90, the Celtics are back on the winning track. However, Boston found itself in a number of close games just a few weeks back and due to their lack of execution, they dropped very winnable ball games.
Boston is actually a pretty good team when it comes to the statistics. While the Celtics rank 28th overall in points allowed (109.4), they also rank 12th in the league in the rebounding category (42.7 per game), third in points per game (107.4), and they're actually number one in the league when it comes to assists per game (26.4). These are numbers that should be respected around the league and for a young team, they're pretty impressive.
However, Boston has not done its job when it comes to closing the deal down the stretch in games. Before Wednesday's win against the Sixers, Boston lost a very tough game against the Phoenix Suns with a final score of 118-114. The Celtics held a lead in that game going into the final few minutes but within the last five minutes, they saw their lead vanish and a deficit grow. Avery Bradley made a horrible cross-court pass, which was picked off by Eric Bledsoe for an easy bucket. Jeff Green was stripped of the basketball, and the Celtics looked erratic and confused.
When it came to their 121-122 loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers not too long ago, Rajon Rondo couldn't even get a shot off at the end of the game. Little things matter in a ball game and while the Celtics have a lot to work on in order to avoid getting into extremely tight situations, they also have to learn how to seal these games.
A part of closing games is making costless throws and against the Suns, the Celtics shot just 64.5 percent from the stripe, a concerning number no matter what the game situation. Jeff Green was supposed to take on the role of the 'closer' when Paul Pierce left. While Green has had his moments (most notably last season against Miami), he hasn't been a consistent force. Captain Rajon Rondo is a fantastic floor general, but his shooting woes make it difficult to label him a 'closer'. Rookie Marcus Smart could develop into a closer given sometime. In tight situations he has shown that he is not afraid to take a big shot and if he works on his offensive game, he could be a consistent closer down the line.
However, the Celtics need a closer now and while it's hard to find someone who can replace Paul Pierce, who was more than willing to take that final shot, the Celtics need to find someone to at least try to fill his sneakers. With that being said, Wednesday night against Philadelphia, Jared Sullinger managed to get hot and put the ball in the basket during all the key moments. Sullinger has shown in the past that if he is given the ball, he will not hesitate to work his offensive game and get a good shot off. Whenever a shot was needed on Wednesday night, Sullinger seemed to be there to hit it. While he might not be the automatic choice in most people's heads, he's shooting 48 percent from the field on the season.
When the Celtics need offense, Jared Sullinger is there to provide it. After losing the ball on constant occasions due to trying to do too much in the final seconds, the Celtics should look for Sullinger on the block and let him work on his man. This opens up the floor and if he is double teamed, he can simply throw the ball out to a guard, and an open shot will be available. If the Celtics relax and let the big man do his job, they might start closing a few more of these games.