Robb: Celtics Get Their Swagger Back During 4-Game Win Streak
BOSTON (CBS) -- Less than two weeks ago, while the Celtics were facing a season-high three-game losing streak, Jae Crowder wondered aloud in the locker room about his team's confidence.
"I don't think we're playing with the same type of swagger," Crowder said back on December 18 after a loss to the Hawks. "Those guys started building that swagger within themselves. You started hearing them yell and talk and be excited. We don't show any passion, any excitement any more. We have to get back to that."
That call to action has been heard loud and clear in the past 10 days by Crowder's teammates. Boston has responded to the slide with a season-high four-game winning streak, capped on Sunday with a 100-91 victory over Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks.
"That's what you call getting your swagger back," Crowder announced after the win. The small forward scored 18 points Sunday night and helped make life tough for Carmelo Anthony on the other end of the floor in a victory that had plenty of vital contributors.
There was Evan Turner who paced the offense with 18 points off the bench, including a variety of circus shots in the paint.
Isaiah Thomas fought through a rough shooting night to score eight straight points for Boston late in the fourth quarter once New York cut a 13-point deficit to five with four minutes remaining.
Boston also got a boost from the return of second-year guard Marcus Smart, who had missed six weeks of action with a left knee injury. He only played 12 minutes off the bench as Brad Stevens eased him back into action, but his defensive energy provided a spark for his teammates in the win.
"It was great. Marcus is always a ball of energy," Turner said. "I think he played well tonight for not playing live or practicing for a while. It's great to have him back. He made some big shots, especially that three in the fourth quarter. It helped a lot."
Smart's return brings the Celtics one step closer to having their full arsenal of weapons, and the timing couldn't be better for the green. Boston has plenty of winnable games over the next week (LA Lakers, home-and-home with Brooklyn) that should provide ample opportunity for Brad Stevens and Company to make a run toward the top of the Eastern Conference.
"We're just coming out confident," Crowder said. "Guys are stepping into shots. Guys are taking pride on the defensive end and that's what it's all about, that transition into getting wins. I think once we keep figuring that out, we'll continue to get better."
Turner believes the recent success all comes down to playing with energy, a trait the Celtics have been known for during the highs and lows of the Stevens era.
"Right now, we are getting back to trying to execute and be great defensively," he said. "That's pretty much it. Communication has been pretty good. We've just been trying to play hard, close teams out and be the aggressor. I think we have been doing a great job of being the aggressor, moving people around and coming out with the most energy."
At 18-13, the Celtics are five games above .500, the best mark they've had since the Big Three era, and are just 1.5 games out of the second seed in the crowded East. With a soft schedule looming ahead, the time is ripe for the C's to produce a little bit of separation from the pack.
Brian Robb covers the Celtics for CBS Boston and contributes to NBA.com, among other media outlets. You can follow him on Twitter@CelticsHub.