Sullinger: 'People think we're sweet, soft'

CSNE

A.SHERROD BLAKLEY

For Jared Sullinger, there was no need to sugarcoat Boston's 101-88 loss at Washington, a game that was far more lopsided than the final score would indicate.

"Teams are just coming out smashing us in the mouth," Sullinger said. "We just have to be prepared for that. People feel like we're sweet, we're soft. We just have to play tougher."

Indeed, Washington (21- bullied Boston (10-18) in every way imaginable, whether it was physically punishing them around the basket or using their athleticism on the perimeter to blow by Boston's defenders who looked more like toll booth turnstiles.

Washington won the battle on the boards by a decisive 48-36 margin. The Wizards outscored Boston 44-34 on points in the paint.

Doing a significant amount of the damage for Washington were former Celtics Paul Pierce and Kris Humphries, who had 17 and 18 points, respectively.

"They're really deep," Celtics head coach Brad Stevens said of the Wizards. "And Hump (Humphries) played with incredible energy all night. He came out and just reallyy tossed us around for a few possessions in front of our bench and scored, had the huge tip-dunk late."

That was just one of the many plays made by the Wizards that showed their physical superiority.

After the game, Stevens blamed himself for much of what went wrong on Saturday.

But he's only part of the problem.

Sullinger nailed it as to what Boston's biggest problem is this season.

They are too easily pushed around because they have players who are good but far from the type that can play physical for an extended period of time.

And as you look at their roster, there's no one around who has that kind of personality that can bring out the physicality needed.

Boston has a roster full of skilled players whose games are more finesse than physical.

And it's only going to get worst until this roster undergoes another shake-up and brings in some toughness either through trades between now and the Feb. 19 trade deadline, or during the offseason.

But until then, the group in tow now has to find a way to be tougher, both mentally and physically.

Otherwise, it'll be more and more teams treating them like pushovers who can do nothing but pad their win totals.

"It's very disrespectful," Sullinger said. "Only us guys in the locker room can change that."

112288

Thanks Sully.

I have been saying this in posts for the past year.

No one cares to introduce the opposing teams players to the RED AUERBACH PARQUET FLOOR!

112288

And as you look at their roster, there's no one around who has that kind of personality that can bring out the physicality needed.


what?

how about SULLINGER?

if he can't be a "physical" player, then he has little to no upside in the NBA.

Sully
Crowder
Wallace
Smart

they are ALL physical players.

quit being a bunch of pansies and stick your collectives heads in their and bloody some noses guys.

KDP

You are right! Sully did that last year and either fouled out or got tossed out of many games...........he's not afraid to mix it up............I guess the coaching staff asked him to dial it back.

Why?

112288

I feel that this has also been a problem at the end of most games as well as at the beginning.

The Celtics have been "punched-in-the-mouth" so many times this year that they can be considered nothing but soft.  This is also not something that is new or has only happened since Rondo was traded.

If a team is not full of 'tough' guys even the softer guys play tougher when at least one guy steps up.  I think that you will see that the many good teams from year to year either are tougher than the current Celtics as a team or at least have that one tough guy that makes everyone else a little bit braver and more confident.

Since Sullenger was quoted saying that the team is too soft, then it has to be HIM who starts making this change for his team.  He at least seems to recognize the problem.  Smart has too much other stuff to worry about.  Wallace and Crowder do not start.  Green, Bradley, Zeller, Olynyk, Turner, etc are not that type of guy.

Equal talent and parity on a roster is OK, but one thing about all the past good Celtics teams that the current team seems to miss is the concept of everyone has a role to fill, each guy knows his role and then performs in his role for the good of the team.   I think that usually guys figure out such things for themselves, but coaches can certainly mandate roles as well.