Is it time for the Celtics to panic?

The Boston Celtics lost their 12th game of the season on Wednesday, falling to the rebuilding Toronto Raptors 110-97. The Celtics continue to look susceptible when defending teams that like to pressure the rim, while their three-point-heavy offense has fallen by the wayside. 

Joe Mazzulla's team has stuttered since the start of December. The hot start to the season is now a distant memory and, in some respects, has created a false sense of security for the fanbase. After all, they're 12-8 in their last 20 games, meaning the team's struggles have stretched throughout half of the season thus far. 

“We're going through some s--t right now,” Jayson Tatum said during his postgame news conference. “It's tough, but we said after the game we got to go through it together, as best we can, stick together.”

Boston's issues appear to run deep. It's not as simple as giving more effort on the court or working for better shots. There are multiple players working through tough spells, and it's fair to assume the coaching staff is missing Charles Lee, who joined the Charlotte Hornets as head coach during the summer. 

Mazzulla's team came into the season with expectations of challenging for another championship. The Celtics dominated the NBA last season, and after bringing 90 percent of the roster back, likely felt that they could repeat their success. 

"You just have to enjoy the challenge of of going through it," Mazzulla said. "That's a great test of what the NBA season presents...we just gotta figure it out, we gotta work through it."