technical details
  1. is_video => true
  2. alias => "boston\/\/celtics\/celtics-marcus-morris-when-i-look-us-i-see-bunch-individuals"
  3. nid => "846771"
  4. title => "Celtics' Marcus Morris: \"When I look at us I see a bunch of individuals\""
  5. is_chrome_page => false
  6. article_body => "<p>BOSTON -- The Boston Celtics suffered a second straight head-scratching defeat, losing 123-112 to the Los Angeles Clippers after leading by as many as 28 points.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>But the factors leading up to the loss and the emotionless reaction by most players afterwards, speaks to what may be a much larger issue looming inside the Celtics locker room that could torpedo their hopes of making a deep postseason run.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Marcus Morris said the Celtics have not been having fun for a while, even as the wins piled up and they climbed their way back into the upper echelon of teams in the East.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI watch all these other teams in the league, they\u2019re jumping on the court, all the stuff that looks like they\u2019re enjoying their teammates\u2019 success,\u201d said Morris, who added, \u201cAnd they\u2019re playing together, and they're&nbsp;playing to win. When I look at us I see a bunch of individuals.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ouch.<\/p>\n<p>Morris\u2019 comments come on the heels of Boston (35-21) having lost two straight with the bigger picture being the Celtics winning 10 of its last 13 games which has allowed them to climb up a couple spots to the No. 3 seed in the East.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>So I asked him, what has to change?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe goal has to be to win; the bottom line,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have to play to win. That\u2019s sacrificing, playing hard; that\u2019s sacrificing, being a better teammate. That\u2019s sacrificing, whatever it is we have to put it to the side. No one\u2019s getting traded. The trade deadline is over. We\u2019re competing for a championship and that\u2019s how we have to approach the game. Win, lose or draw, you\u2019re gonna lose games. But we don\u2019t have no attitude, we don\u2019t have no toughness. We ain\u2019t having fun. It\u2019s gonna be a long season.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u2618\ufe0fCLIPPERS 123, CELTICS 112<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/boston\/celtics\/celtics-suffer-epic-collapse-losing-123-112-clippers-after-being-28-points\"><strong>Stars, Studs &amp; Duds: An epic collapse<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/boston\/celtics\/boston-fans-boo-celtics-after-historic-meltdown-vs-clippers\">Home fans boo Celtics<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/boston\/celtics\/kyrie-irving-departs-game-sprained-knee\">Kyrie (knee) leaves the game<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Actually, it\u2019s not going to be that long if their effort, focus and attention to detail remains as sporadic as it has been for most of this season.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Following Saturday\u2019s loss, Celtics head coach Brad Stevens alluded to some potential changes he might look to make in order to address those wickedly poor stretches of play this team tends to experience in the second and third quarters of games.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI need to go back and look at what I can do to help us manage those minutes better,\u201d Stevens said.<\/p>\n<p>Morris will leave that up to Stevens to decide what\u2019s the best course of action as far as any potential changes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>But he said on multiple occasions that he\u2019s on board with whatever changes have to be made in order for this team to get back to winning games and having fun in the process.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf he wants to take me out of the starting lineup, get some juice in there, I\u2019m with it,\u201d Morris said. \u201cBut I\u2019m trying to win; that\u2019s the main goal. The trade deadline is over. This is the team we\u2019re rockin\u2019 with. At the end of the day, it\u2019s unacceptable what we did tonight, very unacceptable for a team of our caliber.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>While Saturday\u2019s loss may have been the catalyst to Morris\u2019 comments, he made it clear that this has been an issue within the locker room for some time now, even in stretches in which they were winning games.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s been a little minute,\u201d he said when asked about how long has this particular issue been going on. \u201cWe had talks about it. For us to be a championship team, that has to change. Win \u2026 that has to be the first goal. Whatever that takes, I\u2019m with it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Up next for the Celtics will be a road test at the revamped Philadelphia 76ers, a team that\u2019s fighting for the No. 3 spot along with Boston whose roster was upgraded at the trade deadline with a couple of additions headlined by Tobias Harris.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Boston has shown a knack for rising to the level of elite competition, so the facing the Sixers comes on time, right?&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s not about one game, it\u2019s not about two games,\u201d Morris said. \u201cIt\u2019s about this entire experience. We have a great team. We have a lot of names, a great team. But if it\u2019s not fun, not together, then how can we win? I\u2019ve never seen a team not having fun, bonding well on the court, win a championship. If the goal is to win a championship, that has to change first.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But is this team capable of making that change?<\/p>\n<p>Morris believes they can, \u201cbut you have to start \u2026 gotta start somewhere,\u201d he said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/myteams-nbc-sports?utm_tags=nbcsbos1075\">Click here&nbsp;<\/a>to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.<\/em><\/p>\n"
  7. author => "A. Sherrod Blakely"
  8. mps => {"author":"A. Sherrod Blakely","league":"","sport":"","sponsor":""}
  9. published => "1549774860"
  10. created => "1549775343"
  11. changed => "1549779126"
  12. status => "1"
  13. hero_image_credit => "USA TODAY Sports Images"
  14. tags => [{"tid":"7411","name":"Brad Stevens","url":"brad-stevens"},{"tid":"27516","name":"Marcus Morris","url":"tags\/marcus-morris"},{"tid":"7421","name":"Boston Celtics","url":"tags\/boston-celtics"}]
  15. section => "Celtics"
  16. team => "Boston Celtics"
  17. image => {"uri":"public:\/\/archive\/assets_article\/boston\/2019\/02\/10\/morris_hasntbeenfun_1920x1080_1440197699599.jpg","alt":"morris_hasntbeenfun_1920x1080_1440197699599.jpg","title":"Marcus Morris says Celtics lack attitude and toughness"}
  18. video_url => "https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/boston\/video\/marcus-morris-says-celtics-lack-attitude-and-toughness"
  19. is_mediaid => true
  20. mediaid => "M3Ew2q_aT_3u"
  21. video_autoplay => true
  22. video_automute => false
  23. mpx_account_id => "BxmELC"
  24. player_id => "boston_article"
  25. chrome_data => "{\"league\":\"\",\"sport\":\"\",\"sponsor\":\"\"}"
  26. sponsor => ""
  27. region => "boston"
  28. fb_url => "https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dialog\/share?app_id=318214485357680&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fboston%2Fceltics%2Fceltics-marcus-morris-when-i-look-us-i-see-bunch-individuals&display=popup"
  29. tw_url => "https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Celtics%27%20Marcus%20Morris%3A%20%22When%20I%20look%20at%20us%20I%20see%20a%20bunch%20of%20individuals%22&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fboston%2Fceltics%2Fceltics-marcus-morris-when-i-look-us-i-see-bunch-individuals&original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fboston%2Fceltics%2Fceltics-marcus-morris-when-i-look-us-i-see-bunch-individuals"
  30. mailto => "mailto:?subject=Celtics%27%20Marcus%20Morris%3A%20%22When%20I%20look%20at%20us%20I%20see%20a%20bunch%20of%20individuals%22&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcsports.com%2Fboston%2Fceltics%2Fceltics-marcus-morris-when-i-look-us-i-see-bunch-individuals"
  31. tags_hide => []
  32. type => "article"
  33. meta => {"file":"\/mnt\/gfs\/rsnunited\/sites\/default\/files\/archive\/article\/boston\/celtics\/celtics-marcus-morris-when-i-look-us-i-see-bunch-individuals.json","assets":["public:\/\/archive\/assets_article\/boston\/2019\/02\/10\/morris_hasntbeenfun_1920x1080_1440197699599.jpg"]}
  34. orig_image => {"uri":"public:\/\/2019\/02\/09\/morris_hasntbeenfun_1920x1080_1440197699599.jpg","alt":"morris_hasntbeenfun_1920x1080_1440197699599.jpg","title":"Marcus Morris says Celtics lack attitude and toughness"}
  35. article_type => "article"
Celtics

Celtics

BOSTON -- The Boston Celtics suffered a second straight head-scratching defeat, losing 123-112 to the Los Angeles Clippers after leading by as many as 28 points. 

But the factors leading up to the loss and the emotionless reaction by most players afterwards, speaks to what may be a much larger issue looming inside the Celtics locker room that could torpedo their hopes of making a deep postseason run. 

Marcus Morris said the Celtics have not been having fun for a while, even as the wins piled up and they climbed their way back into the upper echelon of teams in the East. 

“I watch all these other teams in the league, they’re jumping on the court, all the stuff that looks like they’re enjoying their teammates’ success,” said Morris, who added, “And they’re playing together, and they're playing to win. When I look at us I see a bunch of individuals.”

Ouch.

Morris’ comments come on the heels of Boston (35-21) having lost two straight with the bigger picture being the Celtics winning 10 of its last 13 games which has allowed them to climb up a couple spots to the No. 3 seed in the East. 

So I asked him, what has to change?

“The goal has to be to win; the bottom line,” he said. “We have to play to win. That’s sacrificing, playing hard; that’s sacrificing, being a better teammate. That’s sacrificing, whatever it is we have to put it to the side. No one’s getting traded. The trade deadline is over. We’re competing for a championship and that’s how we have to approach the game. Win, lose or draw, you’re gonna lose games. But we don’t have no attitude, we don’t have no toughness. We ain’t having fun. It’s gonna be a long season.”

 

☘️CLIPPERS 123, CELTICS 112

Actually, it’s not going to be that long if their effort, focus and attention to detail remains as sporadic as it has been for most of this season. 

Following Saturday’s loss, Celtics head coach Brad Stevens alluded to some potential changes he might look to make in order to address those wickedly poor stretches of play this team tends to experience in the second and third quarters of games. 

“I need to go back and look at what I can do to help us manage those minutes better,” Stevens said.

Morris will leave that up to Stevens to decide what’s the best course of action as far as any potential changes. 

But he said on multiple occasions that he’s on board with whatever changes have to be made in order for this team to get back to winning games and having fun in the process. 

“If he wants to take me out of the starting lineup, get some juice in there, I’m with it,” Morris said. “But I’m trying to win; that’s the main goal. The trade deadline is over. This is the team we’re rockin’ with. At the end of the day, it’s unacceptable what we did tonight, very unacceptable for a team of our caliber.”

While Saturday’s loss may have been the catalyst to Morris’ comments, he made it clear that this has been an issue within the locker room for some time now, even in stretches in which they were winning games. 

“It’s been a little minute,” he said when asked about how long has this particular issue been going on. “We had talks about it. For us to be a championship team, that has to change. Win … that has to be the first goal. Whatever that takes, I’m with it.”

Up next for the Celtics will be a road test at the revamped Philadelphia 76ers, a team that’s fighting for the No. 3 spot along with Boston whose roster was upgraded at the trade deadline with a couple of additions headlined by Tobias Harris. 

Boston has shown a knack for rising to the level of elite competition, so the facing the Sixers comes on time, right? 

“It’s not about one game, it’s not about two games,” Morris said. “It’s about this entire experience. We have a great team. We have a lot of names, a great team. But if it’s not fun, not together, then how can we win? I’ve never seen a team not having fun, bonding well on the court, win a championship. If the goal is to win a championship, that has to change first.”

 

But is this team capable of making that change?

Morris believes they can, “but you have to start … gotta start somewhere,” he said. 

Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.