Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big storyline. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

“When it comes easy, we’ve been good,” Stevens told reporters in Atlanta. “When it gets tough, we haven’t. … Simple formula.”

After watching the host Hawks rally from a 23-point deficit for a 109-105 triumph on Tuesday evening, Stevens decried his team’s lack of physicality and grit. He suggested that Atlanta simply wanted it more than Boston, and there may be no more damning incrimination for a Stevens-coached team than the suggestion of subpar effort. Heck, that should have been an impossibility on Tuesday considering the Celtics haven’t posted a victory against anyone except the winless Sixers since Nov. 8.

[…] “I’ve said this before and I believe it to be true: The game honors the more physical team,” Stevens said. “It does night in and night out. We’ve just got to improve in that area. … It is what it is. I’m not crazy enough to think that if it doesn’t change, we’ll be sitting up here a lot like this.”

ESPN Boston: Stevens: “When it gets tough, we haven’t”

I tweeted last night that this team appears to have a glitch that sets everyone’s awareness to zero in the second half or the 4th quarter of games.  To top it off, guys get lost and, in turn, get deflated.  Their second half yips seem to have claimed squatters rights to their skulls, leaving their brains and basketball IQ in the locker room at halftime.

What Stevens is doing here is trying to challenge his guys to fight, because once something like this is in your head, your willingness to fight is the first thing to go.  It happens to all of us from time to time.  It happens to you at your job, when no matter what you do, you know something is going wrong and you’re going to have to stay late.

What do you do in that situation?  Buckle down and get your work done early?  Or do you say “F this” and check out the latest stupid debate spamming your Facebook wall?

Human nature is a powerful adversary in times like this. It’s difficult to fight the instinct to accept fate and march forward against what seems to be not only an opponent, but some invisible force that’s stacking the odds against you. But that’s what people have to do every day in situations serious to simple.

We all have different thresholds of what we’re willing to accept. We all have different levels of fight in us. This is the challenge that Brad Stevens really faces… figuring out those levels, and figuring out who stays or goes in the long run.

I get that it’s frustrating for people watch Brad Stevens stick with certain guys or seemingly not make adjustments, but he’s got a bigger picture in mind than just winning a game in Atlanta.  He’s got to figure out the level of fight in his guys. He’s got to give guys the weeks, or even months, they need to reveal their true selves on the court so when the trade deadline or the offseason comes, he’s got enough information to determine certain things about certain players… and that applies from Rajon Rondo down to Dwight Powell.

Stevens calling out his team’s toughness is a button he’s pushing to see who responds tonight.  He’s looking to see who says “F you, coach, I’ll show you who’s tough” and responds to the challenge… and who says “F this” and doesn’t.

Effort is on the players.  The desire to fight for wins is on the guys in the locker room.  Rondo said “it starts with me” after last night’s game.  He’s said that before… more than once.  If he’s going to say it and invite that, then now’s the time for it to start.

The effort is a team-wide problem. Every individual has to have that “thing” in him to get out there and dive and claw and lay Schroeder on his ass to earn those points if he’s really going to be the one to kill the C’s.  But if Rondo wants it to start with him, then it’s going to have to start with him.

If the coach is calling out his guys, then it’s time for Rondo to rally his guys and lead the charge. It’s time to get those guys to snap out of their haze and fight.

To quote Rage Against The Machine from their epic THIS MAKES ME WANT TO FIGHT SOMEONE RIGHT NOW song Guerilla Radio (nsfw lyrics)…

It has to start somewhere It has to start sometime. What better place than here, what better time than now?

Related links:  Globe:  Hawks rally to beat Celtics  |  Stevens rips Celtics’ toughness after loss

Page 2: STFU Evan Turner

Korver burned the Celtics again, scoring 24 points on 6-for-7 shooting from long distance and added 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Korver committed no fouls in 37:29, something not lost on Turner following the 109-105 loss.

“They started pressuring and it’s tough to score when you have two hands inside your jersey as well,” he said. “At the same time, I got a foul call on Korver and they said I pushed him and tripped him and he just fell. He can’t guard to save his life and he’s grabbing Marcus Thornton and he’s grabbing me and he has no business being in the game on the defensive end but what can you possibly do if they’re allowed to have their hands on you?”

Globe: Evan Turner annoyed by officiating in loss to Hawks

This is a guy venting some frustrations after another frustrating loss.  But it’s really hard to look at that quote and not thing “Shut the fuck up, Evan.”

Need I remind you that it was your horrible defense in stretches against Korver that allowed him to hit 6 of 7 from 3?

We get that you’re frustrated, but a little self-awareness goes a long way.

Related links:  Mass Live:  Turner: Korver can’t guard to save his life

The rest of the links:

Herald:  Schroeder takes lesson from Rondo  |  Celtics burn in Atlanta  |  ESPN Boston:  Another second half collapse  |  CSNNE:  Celtics a “24 minute” team in loss  |  Green leads C’s in 2nd half  |  Celtics blow 23 point lead in loss  |  Boston.com: The only thing you need to know about the loss to Atlanta  |  WEEI:  Celtics fold in 2nd half  | Magic 9 ball: Rondo trade barometer 3.0