The Boston Celtics' Future Doesn't Look So Grim After All

As I predicted late last night, Celtics head coach Doc Rivers mercifully gave his aging Big 3 the night off tonight and yet Boston was still able to win.

The Celts (36-25, 15-16 away) completed their back-to-back-to-back 2-1 this weekend with a 94-82 win vs. the Charlotte Bobcats (7-52, 4-24 home) 94-82 at Time Warner Cable Arena.

Most Celtics fans are scared to death of the great unknown that is life after KG, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen either retire or move on. Well a future with Rajon Rondo (20 points, 16 assists), Avery Bradley (22 points), Brandon Bass (22 points, 9 rebounds) and Greg Stiemsma (8 points, 6 blocks, 5 steals, 4 rebounds) doesn't look so bad, does it?

Without his usual crew, Rondo took more of a leadership role (yes I said that) and he did a nice job as he recorded double-digit assists for the 22nd straight game.

The Bobcats are winding down what will statistically end up as one of the worst in NBA history regardless of season length. Gerald Henderson led Charlotte with 22 points, Derrick Brown had 15 points and seven rebounds, D.J. White scored 13 points and D.J. Augustin handed out 10 assists.

Boston swept the season series 3-0 and best of all, they only have five games left in the regular season. After the NHL playoffs started last week, these NBA games just don't have the same pop (not that Celtics-Bobcats ever makes you take notice). The NBA playoffs start two weeks from yesterday, with Boston's final regular season game a week from Thursday. Those can't come soon enough as far as any NBA fan is concerned.

The Green and White close out this bizarre four-game road trip on Tuesday night (8:00 p.m., CSNE) at Madison Square Garden against the Knicks. Any game there is always special but the Celtics and Knicks have developed a nice, albeit one-sided rivalry, the last few seasons. Boston is 2-1 against their Atlantic Division foe.

Garnett and Pierce will be back, I'm not sure about Allen but it doesn't get much better than Boston vs. New York in any sport. Am I right rest of the America? (ducks)

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Improbably, The Sixers & Celtics Are Now Tied Atop The Atlantic Division

If I told you that on March 27, the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers would possess the same record, you would probably take it assuming you were a Celts fan.

This weird season is starting to get interesting for Boston since winning the Atlantic Division would ensure a No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. That would give them a puncher's chance in the playoffs because they would have home-court for the first round.

That's big picture but tonight in Charlotte, the C's (27-20, 10-14 road) did enough to beat the Bobcats (7-40, 4-18 home), 102-95 at Time Warner Cable Arena.

By winning their second game in two nights and vanquishing the NBA's worst team, the Celtics pulled into a deadlock with the 76ers (who still own the tiebreaker since they're 2-0 against Boston so far this season).

Paul Pierce wouldn't let his team lose as he poured in a season-high 36 points plus 10 rebounds, four assists, three steals and three blocks. Did I mention that he was 15 of 18 from the free throw line? Kevin Garnett did his part as well with 24 points.

Brandon Bass scored 15 points, Rajon Rondo notched 13 assists and Avery Bradley had 11 points. Ray Allen missed his third straight game with an ankle injury, he's expected back in the lineup for the next game.

I don't think I've ever heard of this but leave it to the Bobcats to do something wacky: their bench outscored the starters 59-36. If not for Gerald Henderson's 21 points, the other four starters accounted for a pathetic 15 points. I don't know how Bobcats head coach Paul Silas does it; he must drink heavily and cry himself to sleep every night.

Byron Mullens had 18 points and seven rebounds off the bench along with Derrick Brown who put up 16 points and seven assists. D.J. White and Reggie Williams both scored nine points while former UConn star (how much things can change in a year) Kemba Walker had seven points and seven assists.

Boston looked like they might roll as they jumped out to a 33-15 lead but as they usually have this season, they almost immediately gave it back. The C's were only up 52-50 at halftime. A solid third quarter (30-25) and enough plays in the fourth (20-20) allowed the Celtics to survive a game that they led from start to finish.

It being Charlotte, the quietest and most funeral home like NBA arena, it only makes sense that the stats prove it was also bizarro world stuff. Boston attempted 10 more free throws (45-35) and made nine more (34-25). They also had four more rebounds (37-33), six more steals (8-2), eight more fast break points (17-9) and 14 more points in the paint (44-30).

More good news is that the Celtics face the Bobcats one more time, on April 15 back in Charlotte. I wouldn't guarantee a win against almost anybody but that's a W staring them in the face, Boston will be 3-0 against Charlotte.

After one game at the Garden, then this, the C's return home again for one contest. Al Jefferson and the Utah Jazz make their only appearance of the season on Wednesday. The Jazz are right in the thick of the last few seeds in the Western Conference playoffs; at least this meeting isn't in Utah where they possess perhaps the best home-court advantage in the NBA (Mormon power!). The Jazz are a quality team and Wednesday should be much more entertaining than the two dull exhibitions (Wizards, Bobcats) that Boston has played in the last two nights.

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Paul Pierce Passes Larry Bird For 2nd All-Time In Celtics Career Scoring Mark

Tonight, Paul Pierce etched his name further in the record books as one of the greatest Boston Celtics in franchise history.

He dropped 15 points, nine assists and eight rebounds as he passed Larry Bird for second all-time in career scoring for the Green. Boston (14-10) won its fifth straight, 94-84 over the Charlotte Bobcats (3-22) at TD Garden on a night that was all about Pierce.

John Havlicek is No. 1 all-time with 26,395 points, Pierce is second with 21,797, Bird is No. 3 with 21,791, Robert Parish is No. 4 with 18,245 and Kevin McHale is No. 5 with 17,335.

The former 10th overall pick of Boston in the 1998 draft (IE. right after I graduated from eighth grade!) has had a turbulent 13 years. The pudgy former Kansas star has grown up before our eyes both on and off the court. Plus, you have to give him a ton of credit for sticking with a team that was often terrible. He was rewarded with the NBA title in 2008 and he helped the C's reach the Finals again in 2010. More than anything, I'll always remember Pierce for a few things: 1) his clutch ability, 2) his durability and 3) his underrated all-around game.

Hell the Celtics wouldn't be where they are right now, winners of nine of their last 10, if it wasn't for Pierce. Once he got in shape this season, he helped drag them out of irrelevancy by playing some of his best basketball in years. I wouldn't say this for most guys since I think it's corny but Pierce deserves to be a Celtic for life.

This particular game was anti-climatic since it's whole purpose was just to see Pierce pass Bird; everybody knew that the Bobcats-the NBA's worst team-wouldn't beat the Celtics no matter what.

Kevin Garnett had his second consecutive 20+ point game (first time since the beginning of last season) with 22 points and seven rebounds. Ray Allen added 17 points while Rajon Rondo had 10 points, 14 assists and zero turnovers. Brandon Bass put up 13 points off the bench.

Ironically, Garnett (23,659) and Allen (22,583) both have more career points than Pierce at the moment. Extra credit to the Truth though for getting it done with one team while those guys have been on multiple squads in their illustrious careers.

I feel bad for Kemba Walker. The rookie guard from UConn is stuck on a team that is awful and going nowhere (in the standings) for a while. He had 16 points and seven rebounds, imagine if he was on the Knicks or in another good market? Reggie Williams led the Bobcats with 21 points while Derrick Brown had 20 points (10 of 10 shooting) off the bench and Byron Mullens notched 11 points.

After forcing numerous 3-pointers in the first half to get the record, Pierce finally came through with 10:22 left in the third quarter as he drained a three from Rondo that put Boston up 48-40.

I'd run through more of the details from the game but you already got all the information you need. It's best to avoid thinking too much about the Bobcats, they'll make your brain hurt.

Things figure to pick up on Thursday since the Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant come to Boston for the only time this season (barring a Finals rematch). Pierce got this record out of the way so they can just focus on beating their most hated rival. Should be an entertaining contest, the Lakers are decent since Kobe is still Kobe plus Andrew Bynum is healthy and Pau Gasol is solid as always. The problem is that Derek Fisher still starts at point guard and LA's bench might be the worst in the NBA.

Greg Stiemsma will be with the Celtics all season since his deal is now guaranteed. He's good insurance as a backup center for when zombie Jermaine O'Neal and Chris Wilcox are hurt which will certainly happen.

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