State of the Celtics

I'll preface this by saying I didn't catch a second of the game last night. Besides the fact I was out and about, why would I bother tuning in to a Celtics-Bobcats game? Michael Jordan's squad is probably one of the most boring teams in the NBA, especially since they salary-dumped Gerald Wallace and essentially waved the proverbial white flag on the season. It's a game you just expect the Celtics to win, and it's not a matter of how, but by how much.

So apparently the Celts held 66-55 lead heading into the final quarter, stretched it out to  a 13-point lead early on in the 4th, and then allowed a 16-0 run and wound up losing 83-81. What's more inexcusable, scoring just 15 points in the 4th quarter, allowing a 16-0 run, or just 81 overall against the Charlotte Bobcats? 

The Celts are in a 4-6 funk since March 9, and have topped the century mark in points scored just once in the span. And that was in the first game. What's even more startling is that they've topped 90 points just twice. That's not a misprint. I know the Celtics already have the Atlantic Division wrapped up and what not, but they would be well advised to keep pushing for the no. 1 seed in the East. There's a big difference between playing Indiana in the first round over Philly or the Knicks. Not to mention the home-court advantage. We saw how that turned out last season. 

I'm not saying I'm worried about the Celtics. They've still been leaps and bounds better this regular season than the last, where they turned on cruise control after Christmas and played .500 ball until the playoffs. But the East is far more dangerous this season. Chicago and Miami are better than any team the Celtics had to knock off last season (and despite the fact the Heat will win fewer games than last seasons Cavs, let's be real here). Aside from whoever winds up "winning" the 8-seed, there will be 7 well-deserving playoff teams in the Eastern Conference. We've seen how Atlanta has played these Celtics over the past several years. Though the Knicks have been brutal of late, you can't completely write them off yet. Philly is going to be a tough out. And I haven't even mentioned Orlando yet, with no Kendrick Perkins to cover Dwight Howard. 

This is still a championship-caliber team. Whether the Celtics play up to that billing, it's all on them now. We know what they're capable of, but are they up for the challenge?