Anatomy of A Skid

Anatomy of a Skid
Looking into the sputtering Boston Celtics
by rick olivares

Steve Kerr was the first former Chicago Bull to make mention of the record. In fact, he's become the tank topped version of the 1972 Miami Dolphins who year after year break out the bubbly when teams see their hitherto unblemished record -- their flirtations with an undefeated record -- come crashing down to earth.

Kerr was a part of the 1996 Chicago Bulls which smashed the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers' season record of 69 wins by winning 72 en route to the NBA championship (they finished 87-13 including the playoffs).

The Boston Celtics certainly looked to be on their way to getting to 70 after posting a 27-2 record heading into Christmas Day. Since then, they're at 29-9. The Cleveland Cavaliers who were the latest team to paste the defending champion Celtics have six losses; the same as the Lakers so no one looks to give the Bulls' record any challenge for the remainder of the season.

But what has happened to Boston? Everyone has their own theory about it and the prevailing theory is that they're running on empty as they had their foot on the gas pedal since Opening Day. There's truth to that but didn't Michael Jordan drive his team harder (after all they won two waves of three-peats) and that is significantly a more difficult feat?

But this isn't about His Airness and win-loss records. This is about the Boston Celtics state of health. I'm not going to buy into any theories about ageing because how does one age so quickly and in a matter of days? Pure hogwash and unintelligible babble. That is for folks who never played the game.

If you look at the 2007-08 NBA season, the 66-16 Boston Celtics were 29-4 on January 9, 2008. They lost their game to the Charlotte Bobcats that night 95-83. They went on to lose 4 of their next 9 games as they finished January with a 36-8 record. By the time February rolled around they won only 4 of their next 9 matches before they found their groove.

So this is nothing new. They're sputtering and are probably in need of spare parts to get them going heading towards the playoffs.

So Dr. Phil, er, Dr. Rick, what's wrong with Boston?

Okay, it's like this...

1) Opponents are stopping Rajon Rondo. If Kevin Garnett is the team's adrenaline surge Rondo is the team's fuel injection. Rondo was off to the races and he gave the Celtics a boost with those youthful legs. For a while there, I thought that he had stolen Rafer Alston's playground "Skip to my Lou" moniker because of his speed and moves.

Since the Christmas loss to LA where he was harassed into 3-12 shooting and a measly 6 points, the third year guard out of Kentucky has scored double digits in four of the next 8 matches and only was for a win. He has shot poorly in all those games save for one -- a loss to Washington. Rondo gives Boston another weapon and when he isn't shooting well, everyone else can double Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.

2) The bench. The only one who can shoot in this shameful bench is Casa -- Eddie House and no one will confuse him with Reggie Miller except on a blue moon. In the nine games since December 25, Boston's bench mob has been outscored 6 times. In the game against the Bobcats, only two of Charlotte's bench players put points on the board yet they still outscored the Celtic's reserves!

The scoring comes from different players and there is no one reliable enough to reprise James Posey who helped inside and out. Their lack of depth has forced Glenn Rivers to play his starters long minutes. When you think about it, they've been playing long minutes these past two years. At some point they will feel fatigue so are they tiring now? This team is one injury (from their starters) away before they freefall. And no, Stephon Marbury is not the answer. If Danny Ainge doesn't know that by now then he should turn in last year's Executive of the Year Award.

3) Their defense has taken a hit. If Boston was the number one defensive unit last year, this season they've fallen to seventh in the rankings. In the 9 games since Christmas, save for the Sacramento Kings and the Washington Wizards, the main man of every club they've play has lit them up for points. Kobe Bryant had 27. Stephen Jackson had 28. Lamarcus Aldridge had 20. Yao Ming scored 26. Gerald Wallace nailed 23. Wilson Chandler dumped in 31. And LeBron James scorched them for 38.

Can't win if the opposing team's main man lights them up.

At this point Danny Ainge has no one to trade for any help and who in their right mind would want to help the defending champions? They've already mortgaged their future to the Minnesota Timberwolves when they acquired Garnett so short of sending away one of their starters, they have no choice but to either look across the Atlantic for help or maybe convince Reggie Miler (they tried that last year albeit unsuccessfully) to trade his suit for Celtics green. There's Jannero Pargo and Carlos Delfino who are both playing ball in Russia. Pargo is said to be the target of the Lakers who are currently leading the league with the Cavaliers. Delfino they could use because Glen Davis is not the answer in the middle.

There are a lot of long shots at the moment but whatever it is, the Celtics need to do something or else they'll witness the coronation of a new NBA champ.