Could the Boston Celtics end the season as a .500 team?

The Boston Celtics currently sit ninth in the Eastern Conference with 10 wins in 18 games. Joe Mazzulla is slowly figuring out his best rotations and substitution patterns. However, the team has struggled to build any momentum throughout the opening month of the season, as their rebounding issues have allowed opposing teams to hang around in games the Celtics should have won.

When you have a roster constructed around multiple champions, but backed up by young talent fighting to prove they belong in the league, it's hard to find the right balance. Nevertheless, if the Celtics are seriously intending to be a competitive team this season, stacking wins together will be a core part of the blueprint.

During a recent episode of the "Bob Ryan and Jeff Goodman NBA Podcast," Bob Ryan shared his belief that Boston will ultimately end the season as a .500 team. He pointed toward the Celtics' inability to control the glass and how they could struggle to consistently win games as they prioritize player development in Jayson Tatum's absence.

You can watch the full podcast episode by clicking on the embedded video below.

Watch or listen to the "Celtics Chronicle" podcast on:

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3QnlPcS

Spotify: https://bit.ly/40JRevf

Apple: https://apple.co/45sAUBG

Substack: https://bit.ly/3WoA0Cf

This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Could the Celtics end the season as a .500 team?