Celtics

"Perhaps not a terribly productive meeting. Maybe not even beneficial."

Celtics meeting
The Boston Celtics watch play on the bench during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls. AP Photo/Michael Dwyer

The Celtics held a player’s only meeting after their loss to the Chicago Bulls on Monday, but according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the meeting accomplished very little.

“[Marcus] Smart, [Jayson] Tatum, [Jaylen] Brown, they did talk about the collapse against the Bulls and Marcus Smart’s comments after the game about those two not passing the ball,” Wojnarowski said on ESPN. “It was emotional at times, but in the end, perhaps not a terribly productive meeting. Maybe not even beneficial.”

Smart stirred up controversy after the 128-114 loss when he called out Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown for not passing the ball.

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“I think everybody’s scouting report is to make those guys try to pass the ball,” Smart said. “They don’t want to pass the ball and that’s something that they’re going to learn. They’re still learning and we’re proud of the progress they are making, but they are going to have to make another step and find ways to not only create for themselves but create for others on this team.”

According to Wojnarowski, the problems for the Celtics are nothing new. Last season’s team had problems as well, and in the Disney World Bubble, the Celtics had a locker-room meltdown. Per reporters who were there, players could be heard yelling and likely throwing things at each other.

“These are issues with this team and this group that have been going on for a while,” Wojnarowski said. “They changed the president in Boston. They changed the head coach. These issues remain and now at 2-5 and playing the Magic tonight, Ime Udoka — the first year Boston head coach — this is a situation he has to address and help this team work through the way that Brad Stevens and it haunted his regime, especially near the end last season.”

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The Celtics held a nine-point lead over the Magic midway through their game on Wednesday.