Celtics Brought Back to Earth This Week

So maybe it’s time I took back a lot of what I’ve written about Boston. Not the trash-talking of last season, but the guarded adulation of 2008-09. Because, after swaggering like crazy and playing to back it up, the defending champs seem to have hit a wall.↵↵There was the loss to Los Angeles on Christmas Day, which stopped that historic winning streak (and the team’s momentum) dead in its tracks. Then came defeat at the hands of the lowly Warriors. But losing to Portland last night, and simply not looking right ... that’s a team falling back to earth, and fast.↵
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↵In a clash of the titans, someone has to lose. A team like the Warriors can sneak up on the mighty, especially in the wake of an emotionally and physically draining game. Portland, though, is exactly the kind of team Boston has to beat to maintain world supremacy, or at least the right to chatter like crazy whenever any opposing player gets in their personal space. So that’s why it’s not a good sign that, after deciding to strategically tweak Garnett’s minutes, Rivers played the Ticket for 37 and got only seven points for it. Ray Allen also had a dismal night. Oh, and the failure to notice that Portland had six men on the floor at one point, and scored under these terms -- which, strangely, can only be repealed if it’s pointed out during the play. Not exactly sharp and ruthless.↵
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↵Look, Celtics faithful, this isn’t the end of the world. In my book, you’re still the favorite to win the title. And let’s not forget that the Cavs just lost to the Heat, a team hovering around .500 and quite possibly in rebuilding mode. This is just proof that, as I said earlier, this season’s powerhouses aren’t quite invincible, unstoppable, or immune to human error. They’re the cream of this year’s crop, but not looking to elbow their way into the pantheon. Or, to put it another way, maybe part of the problem with Boston is that they’d become convinced they were on the fast-track toward greatness. Maybe this miserable week will bring back some of that focus, or at least allow them to be realistic about the fine line between adrenaline and arrogance.↵

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