Enough is Enough

Well many of you I am sure were waiting for this, some of you expecting it and some of you just want to read what is running through my mind as the Celtics as far as I am concerned have entered into their first Code Red status since this group came together in the summer of 2007. Road loses, especially out west are part of the process, but losing to the Knicks, then the Bobcats and then at HOME to the Rockets has put the Coach in another place...PANIC. The thing about it is that it is not a mystery as far as what is going on out on the floor.

There is a lack of intensity on both ends of the floor. There are too many wasted possessions on offense either forcing the ball into the post against what looks like the best match-up possible or Rondo dribbling back and forth along the baseline like Steve Nash. Rondo, along with Pierce and Allen must attack on the bounce but some of these decisions and possessions are killing them and the Coach!!!

The depth has clearly become a cause for concern. The second unit has been in question since James Posey left for New Orleans. However, they started the season fairly well, and they were quite good durinig the 19 game winning streak, but not right now. There is a lack of scoring punch and there is a lack of a consistant commitment on the defensive end. This team has been about getting stops. Stop after stop, after stop and then executing offensively in transition. That is no where to be found right now. The kick out 3's on the break, the trailer coming down the middle of the lane attacking the rim, and the ball reversals have become few and far between.

So the Coach is asking himself, how does this get fixed? Do they need a closed door meeting to go at each other? I am sure that has been done already. Does Doc Rivers take the blame as the head coach? He needs to absorb some of it. Maybe it has been better game planning by opponents to slow down the Celtics...has the rest of the league figured something out? The one thing the Celtics were vulnerable to last year were athletic wings who could penetrate and create opportunities for themselves on the dribble as Joe Johnson, Jason Richardson and of course LeBron James proved numerous times last season. But in the finals the Green kept Kobe in check on their way to the title. There is no way that losing James Posey is the reason they are in this slump. Talking heads say they are a tired team. Really? Tired at new year's? I can understand a lull right before or after the all-star break, but this play, this lack of intensity and this lull can not continue, not with the LeBron and the Cavs waiting at home...