Eddie House has strong response to Celtics’ defensive woes after Toronto loss – NBC Sports Boston

It might be unfair to call it a “championship hangover” since they’re still second in the Eastern Conference standings, but the Boston Celtics’ tough stretch continued Wednesday night in Toronto.

The C’s fell to the Raptors 110-97 in one of their worst all-around performances of the 2024-25 season. They shot just 39.6 percent from the floor while allowing Toronto to make 50.6 percent of its shots.

Boston is now 7-7 over its last 14 games with three double-digit losses in its last five. Defensive struggles have arguably been the primary reason for these lackluster results, and former Celtics guard Eddie House didn’t hold back in his assessment of the team’s recent efforts on that end of the court.

“Yeah, it was ugly,” House said of the Celtics’ loss. “I’m just trying to figure this team out right now. … We talk about 3-point shooting and our field goals and everything else with that, like how we score the basketball, but to me it’s the total. It’s the defense in last month we have put together a quarter here and a half there have not seen it.

“I don’t know what it is. I don’t know if it’s fatigue, I don’t know if it’s just the dog days of January and the end of December, whatever the case may be, but we each get the team’s best shot. So it’s not something we have to be like, ‘Oh man, we’re surprised we’re getting everybody’s best shot.’ You know what I mean. You’re going to win a world championship. I don’t know. I just feel like (the Celtics) were a step slower (allowed) in the limited area. It’s just too many.

The C’s loss drops them to 28-12 on the season, still second in the East, but falling further behind (6.5 games) the first place Cleveland Cavaliers in the conference. House isn’t worried about the Celtics’ repeated chances yet, but he believes it’s time for “self-reflection” for the reigning champions.

“There’s no panic button to push,” House said. “But there has to be some self-reflection on the part of this team to look and say, ‘Hey man, it’s just not good enough.’ Especially what you’re trying to do because you’re building habits right now and those habits that become built and which happens are not good habits.

“If you’re going to repeat, the main focus of this repetition is that it has to happen on the defensive end to allow yourself to be as big as you are on the offensive end.”

Boston will look to bounce back on Friday when they welcome the Orlando Magic to TD Garden. Tip-off for the match is set for 7 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Boston.

See the full reaction from House and the Celtics Postgame Live crew below or on YouTube: