Tonight's Loss to the Bulls: Or, Why Ray Allen Shouldn't Come Off the Bench.

I know that, in the previous post, I argued the Celtics should consider moving Ray Allen. I stand by that assessment.

But that would obviously take place during the off-season. And I wrote it because Danny Ainge has said the breakup of the Big Three is inevitable.

Tonight, the Celtics lost to the Chicago Bulls. And I think, in part, it was due to the decision to bring Ray Allen off the bench.

He's a guy that needs to start. If he doesn't, then he'll take awhile to warm up. His production, then, will shrink. And it will hurt the team.

It, too, would damage the chemistry between Rondo, Pierce, Garnett, and, of course, Allen. He, as a bench player, would have to acclimate himself to the second unit. That takes some time.

It's too late in the season -- and too close to the playoffs -- for the Celtics to be playing with lineups. Bradley, of course, has played well -- and the Celtics are something like 10-1 without Allen.

But they should stick with what works. Rondo, Pierce, Garnett, and Allen won a championship. Let them all start together, and then change things once the season ends.

Or else, expect more losses and sloppy plays.

Ray Allen.

It breaks my heart to write this. It really does.

But I think, come this off-season, the Celtics should do a sign-and-trade. They should send Ray Allen to another team.

He's been injured for six games. Avery Bradley -- a young, promising, second-year kid -- has started in his place. And he's done well:  he's played impeccable defense, and he's managed to score. He, unlike Allen, doesn't sit at the three point line. Rather, he drives and cuts, and he's good at it. This has added a nuance to the Celtic offense, and it's something they've lacked most of the season.

When Allen returns, they should move him back in the starting lineup. It's only fair. But Doc should make sure Bradley receives significant minutes.

And then, when the playoffs end -- with, hopefully, a Boston championship -- they should move him to another team. Allen, though old, still has some value. The Celtics could pick up a young point guard. They don't have any -- besides Dooling -- on the roster. Bradley is a two, as he has proven over this stretch. Moore, also, is a two.

They need someone solid -- a guy who can really give Rajon Rondo some rest.

And this has to happen. Ainge shouldn't hesitate. He's mentioned that he's willing to make any move that will help the team win. This should be it.

Ray Allen is a consummate pro. He's a guy's guy. And he, like his coach, is a great family man. But, anyone who has watched the Celtics play this past week has noticed a dramatic improvement. They've won five. And they demolished a healthy Miami Heat.

This, to any objective observer, shows Ray Allen to be the most expendable Celtic. Kevin Garnett has played splendidly, and he can play at the five or the four. Paul Pierce will always be The Truth.

But Bradley has proven himself to be a player with tremendous upside. Let him develop.

Ray, it's time to go. Best of luck. But, you can't play for us anymore.  So long, and have a great rest of your career. We'll always remember you.

Get Johnson More Minutes.

He had eleven points in ten minutes. And he shot perfectly from the floor.

Let the man play.

A Note to the Magic: Fire Stan Van Gundy.

The Orlando Magic should send Stan Van Gundy packing.

I'll be honest:  I don't like him. I think he's annoying, and he's a poor representative of basketball coaches. He complains a lot. He whines. And, he can't manage his temper.

But he, like his brother, does know how to coach.

His players, however, have seemed to stop listening. The Celtics, for all intents and purposes, should not have beaten the Magic -- especially twice. Those wins did serve as a teaching tool, though. Orlando clearly has some problems with cohesion and resolve; they had trouble finishing the game. And, they became frustrated when the Celtics took command.

Plus, it's no secret that Dwight Howard is looking for a way out. Stuff like that never bodes well for locker rooms.

So, if the Magic want to perform this season, either Howard or Van Gundy has to go. And, it would be absurd for them to trade Howard, even though his name has been in speculation for months. They let a megastar go once before:  Shaquille O'Neal. They can't let it happen again.

So, a new coach might help keep order and control egos. Stan Van Gundy, too, doesn't really have an inspiring personality:  he's biting, aggressive. Players find him hard to work with.

I doubt you're listening, Otis Smith. But, if you are, take my word.

Let him go.

Winning streak.

Well, I'm surprised.

The Celtics -- though without Rondo, Allen, O'Neal, Dooling, and others; these injuries seem to come and go -- seem unstoppable, as they have torn through three teams that would qualify as legitimate contenders. Plus, the Washington Wizards -- a team that would be good if it could get its act together.

They've done it with rookies, roll players, and a rejuvenated Pierce and Garnett.

And they've done it with heart and perseverance and resolve.

Pierce, in particular, has been impressive. He's proving that he can still lead this time:  his scoring is down, but his assists are way, way up. Players are learning from him.

Also:  I want to see more of E'Twaun. Get it?

The season's looking up. I'm happy.

Regarding last night's Celtics vs. Pacers game:  Were Lou Amundson and Scott Pollard separated at birth? To my knowledge, they're the only two NBA players that have ever rocked the Samurai ponytail.

David West is tough, smart. It's a shame he didn't come to Boston. Oh, well. As players like to say:  "That's the business."

Paul Pierce

A memo to Danny Ainge:  Don't trade Paul Pierce.

Don't break up the 'Big Three.'

To do so, of course, would be to utilize the Chicago Bulls methodology of rebuilding. In 1999, following the retirement of Michael Jordan, then-General Manager Jerry Krause sent most of the squad packing -- and, in return, he acquired a slew of young players. He, and the rest of the organization, wanted to start over.

It didn't work. Chicago was, until recently, one of the worst teams in the NBA.

And so it would be with the Celtics if Ainge uses the same approach.

The Celtics should make trades -- any team should attempt to make improvements. But, it would be fallacious to assume that dumping Garnett, Pierce, and Allen would immediately yield success. These players, even if they don't possess the same explosiveness as they once did, still bring something extremely important to the team:  leadership, poise, and seriousness.

To lose that would leave the Celtics without guidance in the locker room.

And it would also be a slap in the face of the greatest Celtic since Larry Bird. Pierce, as well as Allen and Garnett, deserve to retire in Boston. 

I hope Ainge -- and the rest of the Celtics Front Office -- keeps that in mind.

An Aging and Decaying Boston Celtics -- and Others

Well, I knew this would happen.

Basketball pundits, in their infinite wisdom, seemed to forget that older players get worn, weary. A condensed season, in their mind, would guarantee success for older teams -- experience would propel them through the grueling schedule. Young teams, conversely, would get overwhelmed.

I knew that wasn't true.

The Boston Celtics right now are struggling -- as are other older teams. Chicago, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and the other Los Angeles have some of the best records in the league. This, of course, can be attributed to a good front office and solid, serious coaching. But, it's something else, too.

They're all young.

Normally, youth would be a problem. Young players can be unsure, but they can also be head cases. Here, though, it's helped:  they don't have battered bodies. So, they could jump right into the NBA season. They quickly adapted.

Older teams, like the Celtics, can't take the stress. Let's look at Paul Pierce. He can't jump anymore. He's slow. He's exhausted.

Or take Tim Duncan. Gone are the days of 20 points and 10 rebounds. Instead, fans should expect 9 and 7 -- maybe more, maybe less.

And this won't change -- unless GMs make good deals, of course. Formally dominate teams will fade and others will take their place. Los Angeles is a great example:  the Lakers -- who would have thought -- are being eclipsed by their in-house rival, the Clippers.

Interesting things are happening. Sekou Smith, who writes for NBA.com, alluded to this in his 'Hang Time Blog.' The lockout, it seems, brought more than just headaches.

It brought a changing of the guard.