After starting the season 16-3, the Boston Celtics are in the midst of a 16-6 skid.
By no means are the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference in immediate trouble, but going 5-5 in their last ten games, plus a heartbreaking loss by way of a last-second shot Monday night to the Houston Rockets, there is a lot of discomfort in New England.
In the 114-112 defeat to Houston, there were few bright spots. The shooter of the last-second floater, Amen Thompson, hit a career high in scoring with 33, while Dillon Brooks shot a franchise record 10-three pointers on his way to a 36 point outburst.
Jayson Tatum struggled from the field shooting 5-14 with 19 points while Jaylen Brown carried a majority of the load shooting 10-23 and finishing with 28 points.
Payton Pritchard added 15 points off the bench including the unsuccessful full-court heave as time expired.
All the Celtics can do now is look ahead to the Wednesday afternoon contest against the Chicago Bulls.
In what will most-likely be a bounce back game against the 20-27 Bulls, Boston may not be playing with their star.
Jayson Tatum was downgraded to questionable on the NBA’s latest injury report with right knee tendinopathy.
As head coach Joe Mazzulla stated last month when Tatum was a late scratch in a victory against the Detroit Pistons, this injury, “comes and goes. It’s nothing serious.”
Boston will play Chicago at home and then embark on a three game road trip stopping to play the New Orleans Pelicans, Philadelphia 76ers, and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers are currently the holders of the No. 1 seed in the East with a record of 37-9.
Other Celtics on the injury report include Sam Hauser and Al Horford who are both questionable. Their three two-way players in JD Davison, Baylor Scherierman, and Anton Watson are all listed as out against Chicago.