The Boston Celtics started 27-2 and looked like they were going to be the team to beat the Chicago Bulls historic 72-10 season in 1995-96. The season looked like one long holiday, but Christmas Day began with coal in their stockings and by New Years Eve it looked like Boston would have to make a resolution to play better defense.

Including that 83-92 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, the team has lost five of its last seven games. The latest loss was to the Bobcats in overtime 106-114. At first people were saying that the subsequent loss to the Golden State Warriors was just a hiccup in the long season. Well, this funk can still just be a momentary lapse, but the team seriously has to find out what is going on.

The defense that used to contain penetration is allowing everybody from point guards to lumbering centers to get passed defenders. The offense that used to operate with the smoothness of the conductors wand at the Boston Pops is stagnant. Every team wants a piece of this club and Garnett, Allen, and Pierce are letting every team, good and bad, knock them down.

Rajon Rondo is playing very poorly. He had an awful line of 3 points off 1 of 7 shooting, 3 assists and 2 turnovers in 26 minutes in the Knicks game. Against the Charlotte Bobcats he had 16 points and 6 assists, but also had 9 turnovers.

Paul Pierce is showing up on the box score with nice scoring numbers, but they resemble the types of games he had to have when he was just trying to keep the Celtics playing .500 ball, before the arrival of KG and Ray Allen.

There has been talk of adding Stephon Marbury to the bench, but I do not think a combustible element like Starbury would do much to quell any mounting tension in the locker room.

I have heard it said that the team is just coming down off the high of winning an NBA championship and a 27-2 start, and having watched the Chicago Bulls during that incredible 72-10 season I recognize a simple slump when I see one. Though Boston will probably wake up soon and go back to blowing away teams, I think that the dream to catch the first Jordan-Pippen-Rodman team gas faded away.

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