Wow, the Celtics are terrible

Found court side. Nice handles!

Is this the best year ever in the Asso- ciation? Well, maybe, in that there really haven't been many years to choose from where both the Celtics and Lakers miss the playoffs. (Woo! Got a little giddy just reading that.)

Anyway, the C's blew a touch and go game at home with the no longer hot but still plenty warm Knicks, who watched the home team stumble and fumble the game away on last minute turnovers. Adding to the fun is the fact that the C's fell to 20-22, have lost five in a row, and could easily see that stretch to seven, seeing how their next two games are the surprisingly competent Hawks and the defending champion Heat.

But let's get into the guts of this one, and enjoy the possibility of actual multi-sport misery for this region, beyond the Patriots collapse and the strong potential that the Red Sox are going to be an also-ran...

> Paul Pierce going 6 for 15 and looking all kinds of spent in the fourth quarter, instead of taking over against the division rival

> Kevin Garnett delivering a 8-12-2 night in his first appearance against the Knicks since finding new depths of classlessness with his trash talk about Carmelo Anthony's wife

> The bench giving 24-12-3 in a combined 79 minutes, in a home game

> New York winning despite Anthony and JR Smith combining to shoot 14 for 44

> This loss coming after head coach Doc Rivers played the "Some guys might get traded" card

> The team still clearly missing the defection of Ray Allen, with replacement Avery Bradley going 2 of 7 from the floor, including some open corner threes that are pretty much a have to have for any NBA team employing a shooting guard

> Rivers playing mix and match with minutes, with nothing much happening in the way of flow or cohesion

> And, well, the basic body language of a team that was more interested in individual numbers, rather than selling out for teammates.

Now, the Celtics have the great good fortune to play in the East, and the past knowledge that they can flip the switch. But the season is half over, and they are not on pace to win half of their games. Not only is the window of opportunity shut, but there might not even be a window to look out of any more.

So all I need is my Sixers to somehow rip off 10 or 20 in a row, and we'll have the Best Season Ever...