Boston Celtics head coach Ime Udoka directs his team during the Celtics home opener against the Toronto Raptors (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The Boston Celtics are off to a rough start to begin the season. In their first seven games, we’ve seen them get blown-out, take three games into overtime (including two double-overtime games), and we’ve seen the entire team fail to connect from behind the arc in multiple games.
With an improved team of both players and coaches, it’s fair to question some of first-year head coach Ime Udoka’s decisions to start the season, specifically his lineups and rotations.
The Boston Celtics need to question some of Ime Udoka’s decisions
To start this off, Udoka needs to first figure out his rotation. This is especially important since this is the first time in a few years that the Celtics have adequate depth throughout the roster.
However, Udoka rarely utilizes more than four players off of his bench. In fact, the Boston Celtics have only deployed greater than four players from the bench in four out of the seven games this season.
Furthermore, Udoka falling to utilize his full roster is beginning to cost the Celtics games. In all three of the overtime games, Udoka elected to play only four and five bench players, respectively.
There have even been games where Udoka has decided not to play Payton Pritchard and Aaron Nesmith, who are two young contributors that were poised to produce in a big way for Boston in just their second year.
As the head coach of the team, Udoka hasn’t set his team up for success to start the season. He needs to create a rotation that will work for the duration of a game and not just one half.
Although the double-big lineup has worked up to this point in regards to the starting unit, it depletes the unit rotating in. In turn, this forces the Celtics to run small more often than what’s truly necessary.
the double-big lineup has worked</a> up to this point in regards to the starting unit, it depletes the unit rotating in. In turn, this forces the Celtics to run small more often than what’s truly necessary.</p>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-437419" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/11/02/boston-celtics-concerned-udoka-decisions/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2021%2F11%2F1347267717.jpeg" alt="Boston Celtics" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2021/11/1347267717.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2021/11/1347267717-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">Ime Udoka of the Boston Celtics argues talks with Juancho Hernangomez #41 against the Miami Heat (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Ime Udoka has had some questionable rotations with the Boston Celtics</h2>
<p>The first occurrence of this limited rotation came during the second game of the season against the Toronto Raptors. Udoka deployed Dennis Schroder, Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford, Grant Williams, and Pritchard to close out the end of the first quarter. Not to discredit this group, but it would work much better if there was a true center holding down the position.</p>
<p>As the season has progressed, it’s evident that Udoka is electing to use Grant Williams over more suitable players for the center position. In doing so, Williams has played the five over the likes of Enes Kanter and Juancho Hernangomez.</p>
<p>It’s worth a quick mention that Hernangomez does not naturally play the center position. However, he’s a big body who can maneuver around the court and hold his own under the basket well.</p>
<p>Perhaps it could be as simple as this? Udoka’s <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/11/02/boston-celtics-concerned-udoka-decisions/"https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/27/boston-celtics-marcus-smart-thrive-pg/">initial plans of having Marcus Smart be the starting point guard</a> aren’t working out so well, and I feel that could be the root of a majority of Boston’s problems in the early parts of this season.</p>
<p>There isn’t any identity at the point guard position, which leads to very few plays being initiated or executed. To me, that’s on the shoulders of the head coach for not making the necessary adjustments.</p>
<p>In his short time here, Udoka called out one of his stars in Jaylen Brown for being too “inconsistent” in games. He’s also suspended Smart for missing a team flight, benched Grant Williams for complaining to the referees, and has questioned the effort level which the Boston Celtics are displaying. When is it time to call Udoka out for all of his inconsistencies and coaching decisions?</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/11/02/boston-celtics-concerned-udoka-decisions/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Udoka's decisions are leading to team turmoil </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-437421" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/11/02/boston-celtics-concerned-udoka-decisions/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1062,w_1593/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2021%2F11%2F1348157615.jpeg" alt="Boston Celtics" width="1593" height="1062" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2021/11/1348157615.jpeg 1593w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2021/11/1348157615-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1593px) 100vw, 1593px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1593px;">Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics looks on from the bench during the fourth quarter of the Celtics home opener against the Toronto Raptors (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Poor decisions by Ime Udoka are causing issues for the Boston Celtics</h2>
<p>It’s fair to say some of Udoka’s coaching decisions are starting to tear the team apart. After Monday’s home loss to the Chicago Bulls, Marcus Smart was very honest and straightforward with the words he had to say.</p>
<blockquote><p>“Every team knows we’re going to Jayson and Jaylen, and every team is programmed and studies to stop Jayson and Jaylen. I think everybody’s scouting report is to make those guys try and pass the ball. They don’t want to pass the ball and that’s something that they’re going to learn. They’re still learning and we’re proud of the progress they are making, but they are going to have to make another step and find ways to not only create for themselves but create for others on this team.” – <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/11/02/boston-celtics-concerned-udoka-decisions/"https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-celtics/2021/11/01/marcus-smart-pass/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marcus Smart, per Tom Westerholm of Boston.com</a></p></blockquote>
<p>In the above quote, Smart called out Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown for playing hero ball while not creating plays for the team. However, in the quote below, Smart questions the role he’s been given by Udoka. Smart says that he is unable to help the offense when the ball isn’t in his hands and he’s simply standing in the corner.</p>
<blockquote><p>“There’s only so much I can do without the ball in my hands, I just stand in the corner. When we’re running plays for your best players, every team knows that and they do a good job of shutting that down. We can’t allow that, when they shut that down we can’t keep trying to go to those guys, we gotta abort that and find them another way to get them the ball in spots that they need the ball. And like I said for me, I can only do so much standing in the corner, or when I come up and give the ball away.” – <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/11/02/boston-celtics-concerned-udoka-decisions/"https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-celtics/2021/11/01/marcus-smart-pass/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marcus Smart, per Tom Westerholm of Boston.com</a></p></blockquote>
<p>Smart is allegedly the starting point guard, however, he finished with zero assists against the Bulls on Monday night. If a point guard is finishing with zero assists, it’s assumed that there aren’t many plays being run.</p>
<p>Udoka needs to do a better job of running plays and making necessary adjustments throughout the course of a game. Unfortunately, through seven games, he’s failed to do that.</p>
<p>All in all, as much as the Boston Celtics players need to do a better job, the coach also needs to improve just as much (if not more).</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Celtics lack of focus and effort is a big inconsistency" data-url="https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/30/celtics-focus-effort-inconsistency/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/11/02/boston-celtics-concerned-udoka-decisions/"https://hoopshabit.com/2021/10/30/celtics-focus-effort-inconsistency/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Celtics lack of focus and effort is a big inconsistency </a> </div>
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