The Celtics are feeling the burden of their slow start. The phrase “next play” comes up frequently during chats with players, with many believing they have dwelt too heavily on mistakes instead of forging ahead to handle upcoming obstacles.



Players have widely touted the bigger picture, especially star Kyrie Irving, who has repeatedly stressed he will exercise as much patience as anyone in the process of figuring this out. But there is a delicate balance between that desire for patience, and the pressure this team feels to live up to high standards right away. That applies not just to the entire team, but to individual players who were widely expected to show progress. This always promised to be an interesting mixture with Irving and Gordon Hayward returning from injuries, but the early results have suggested the adjustment has been more difficult than the players anticipated. During this underwhelming 9-8 start, the Celtics locker room has taken on a...