Justin Turpin

The saying goes, “Give them an inch, they take a mile.” The Boston Celtics are living that reality right now. Their 114-97 loss to the Sacramento Kings is the latest example.

Coming off a loss, it looked like a get-right game, with many expecting a blowout. Instead, it became the most recent chapter in what’s been a month-long stretch of underwhelming play from the Celtics, with the Pelicans punching above their weight.

The Celtics have earned the benefit of the doubt. A team that won 64 games and breezed through the NBA Finals with a 16-3 postseason record doesn’t just forget how to play basketball. However, there needs to be a sense of urgency.

A 27-point win over a – albeit banged up – playoff-caliber Orlando Magic team was exactly what the Celtics needed. A night where everything clicked for Boston as they returned to being the dominant, well-oiled machine fans have been looking for.

The Boston Celtics are now 10-9 since starting the season 19-4. During this stretch, they’ve been just 5-6 at home and have only won consecutive games twice. Every time they’ve taken a step forward, they’ve followed it up with two steps back.

Saturday’s meltdown against the Hawks put the Celtics right back at square one. But they did what they’ve done best this season: responded. Now 12-1 after a loss, they’ve been beating opponents by an average of 21.7 points per game.

Perhaps Wednesday night will go down as “The Jaden Springer Game”—his most impactful performance as a Celtic and one that could shape his future in Boston, especially with the NBA trade deadline just two weeks away.

For the fifth consecutive season, Jayson Tatum will represent the Boston Celtics as a starter at the All-Star game. It’s the 26-year-old’s sixth overall selection, and the third straight year he’s been voted in as a starter.

The Celtics have been clear in their messaging: last year is last year. All the habits and identities they built a season ago must be rebuilt. So far, we’ve seen flashes of it, but nowhere near the level it needs to be.

Despite their inconsistency over the past seven weeks, the Celtics looked every bit like the team that dominated the Mavericks in the NBA Finals seven months ago, cruising to a 122-107 victory.