Joe Mazzulla names one schematic blunder Celtics must fix, it's not about Jayson Tatum
The Celtics had a lot of early season struggles come out against the Rockets which Coach Joe Mazzulla wants to fix, none of them concern Jayson Tatum, though.
Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla singled out a specific schematic blunder that the team must rectify, emphasizing that it isn't solely related to star player Jayson Tatum. Following a 109-93 loss to the Houston Rockets, which came after a five-game winning streak, Mazzulla pointed to Mitchell Robinson's performance as the issue.
Robinson has consistently underperformed in offensive rebounding, averaging just 1.8 ORBs and 4.5 total rebounds per game, a sharp decline from his season-high averages of 8.8 ORBs and 4.2 total rebounds. Moreover, his offensive rebounding percentage (ORB%) has plummeted from a career-high 23.9% to a current 10.6%. While the Celtics still boast a team ORB% of 28.9%, which ranks 11th in the NBA, their defensive rebounding has plummeted to 69th in the league.
Despite Tatum's efforts to keep the score close, the team's inability to capitalize on second-chance opportunities has become a glaring weakness. Mazzulla stressed that Robinson's positioning and playmaking role have contributed to this issue. The coach expressed his concern about Robinson's effectiveness, suggesting that adjustments to his scheme are necessary to address the team's rebounding woes.
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