No Matter How Bad Things Get For the Celtics, They'll Never Be the 76ers, So There's That

Ladies and gentlemen, the Philadelphia 76ers! The Celtics had the honor of meeting the NBA's current version of the Washington Generals tonight at the Wells Fargo Center and after a sketchy first quarter (where they trailed 27-22), Boston (4-6 overall, 2-2 away) rallied for a 101-90 win over Philadelphia (0-11 overall, 0-5 home).

The Sixers are a complete nightmare, they appear well on their way to another 26-game losing streak like last season, haha why not 0-82 this time? Now that is something to shoot for, they finished 19-63 in 2013-14. And we thought being a Celtics fan these days is rough (it usually is) but how about Sixers fans? Seeing that sorry team, you understand why nobody in such a great sports town goes to see them anymore or remotely pays attention to their constant losing ways.

I feel bad for Massachusetts natives Michael Carter-Williams (11 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists) and Nerlens Noel (10 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals) who are in their second and first seasons (Noel missed all last season recovering from a major knee injury) respectively with this D-League squad. It's silly to think that all this losing and constant talk of tanking won't have some negative side-effects on such impressionable young guys. They are both immensely talented and it would be a real shame to see it go to waste for much longer (MCW was the Rookie of the Year last season).

After going 0-3 on a painful homestand, the Celts just needed a victory especially considering the minefield they face in their next four games: at Memphis, vs. Portland, vs. Chicago and vs. San Antonio. With no real size inside for the home team, the Celtics' big guys were able to take advantage. Brandon Bass had a game-high 23 points and six rebounds off the bench while Jared Sullinger added 22 points and nine rebounds. Marcus Thornton put together his best game as a Celtic with 13 points and four steals off the bench and Jeff Green scored 11 points. Rajon Rondo had nine points, 13 assists, five rebounds and two steals.

If you play Fantasy Basketball, Sixers reserve guard Tony Wroten (21 points, 7 assists) is definitely an under-the-radar player that you want to own. Other than MCW, Noel and him, it's a team of journeymen nobodies like Henry Sims (14 points) and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (11 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals).

In the first half, I briefly entertained thoughts of Boston losing this game and it nearly drove me to tears (not really but you get the point). The C's woke up in the second quarter (24-19) to enter halftime tied at 46. Boston's defense held Philadelphia to 22 points apiece in the final two quarters while they put up 27 and 28.

Keeping Philly to just 90 points represented Boston's best defensive outing of the young season. The Celtics shot 9.9% better from the field (49.4-39.5), dished out 10 more assists (season-high 32-22), scored six more fast break points (24-18) and eight more points in the paint (54-46).

In a hilarious scheduling quirk, the Celts' mini two-game road trip takes them from facing the worst team in the league to the best. The Grizzlies lost 96-92 tonight in Toronto but they still have the best record in the NBA at 10-2. If you decide to watch Friday's (8, CSN) game from the FedEx Forum, make sure that you have plenty of alcohol to get you through what could be a very ugly contest (if you support the Celtics).

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So Apparently The Bucks Own The Celtics This Season

A wise man (former NFL head coach Bill Parcells) once said that "you are what your record says you are." At 13-13 after tonight's 99-94 overtime loss to the Bucks (14-11, 7-6 away) at TD Garden, Boston (9-5 home) is the epitome of a .500 basketball team.

Every promising win seems to be followed by a depressing loss and vice versa. We are almost a third into the 2012-13 season and the Celtics thus far have no real identity and they have yet to play with any consistency from game to game. Paul Pierce (35 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals) tried his best to carry the team on his shoulders but unlike on Wednesday vs. Cleveland when he had 40 points, it wasn't enough. His 3-pointer with two seconds left in regulation tied it and ultimately sent it to overtime.

Would you believe Milwaukee finished the season series with Boston 3-1? I guess the C's don't want to see them in the playoffs-something I don't think has ever been written in the last 20 years. Monta Ellis had 27 points, seven rebounds and five assists, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute added 20 points and six rebounds, Larry Sanders had 17 points and 20 rebounds while Brandon Jennings put up 12 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists.

Kevin Garnett (12 points, 7 rebounds) was the only other Celtics starter in double figures. Jason Terry (1 of 15 from the field, 1 for 9 on 3-pointers) finished with four points in what had to be one of if not the worst game of the his excellent career. Rajon Rondo dished out 11 assists with four steals while Jeff Green (14 points, 4 steals, 2 blocks) and Courtney Lee (11 points) played well off the bench.

I guess the good news for Boston is that they don't play again until Christmas afternoon. They travel to Brooklyn (12 p.m., ESPN) to face the Nets (13-12, 2nd in Atlantic Division), who have already beaten them twice this season. It's the start of a grueling four-game road trip that sends them to California to meet the Clippers, Warriors and Kings.

We'll have to monitor Green's condition since he took a nasty elbow to the cheek late in overtime which chipped some of his teeth. He appeared in serious pain going off the floor to the locker room. That's the last thing the Celtics needed at this point when they are struggling so much to begin with and Green has been the most up and down player on the team.

UPDATE 12/23: Chris Wilcox could miss three or four weeks with a thumb injury and Leandro Barbosa is out on Christmas at Brooklyn but he's expected to play in Los Angeles.

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His gross thinning hair could use a trim but Nenad Krstic can play for me any day

Listen, I love Kendrick Perkins but as I made abundantly clear in the aftermath of his trade to Oklahoma City, it was time to let the trade pan out before we make any conclusions.

That is still true, nothing will be settled until at least the playoffs when we see Nenad Krstic and Jeff Green play in games that really count. However, can we at least admit already that Krstic is way better than we all thought? Plus, Green's potential is huge with Rondo in his life and the unselfish ways of the Big Three.

The Celts (46-15) won their fifth straight, 89-83 over the Bucks (23-38) last night at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee.

Krstic had 17 points and Green added 11 points off the bench as Boston continued to survive despite a severe lack of healthy bodies (nine players dressed last night).

The Bucks have injury problems of their own, most notably with Andrew Bogut's large frame parked on the bench. As currently constituted, they're not very good but Brandon Jennings (23 points, six rebounds, five assists) is never an easy matchup when his shot is falling.

Paul Pierce scored 23 points, Kevin Garnett posted 14 points, 11 rebounds and three steals while Ray Allen notched 13 points in his return to his first NBA home (which nobody remembers). Rajon Rondo was held in check by Jennings as he only managed six points, eight assists but eight turnovers. No problem, Pitbull, I mean Carlos Arroyo was signed over the weekend.

The game wasn't sealed until there was less than 30 seconds left in the fourth. KG swatted a layup by Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (19 points), Paul Pierce converted an And-1 off an inbounds play (haha really) and that was it.

John Salmons (11 points) was the only other Buck in double figures for the offensively-challenged team.

Boston led 27-26 after the first quarter but Milwaukee found itself up 49-43 at halftime. The Celts woke up in the third quarter (26-16) and the defense won them this one with a strong fourth quarter (20-18).

Sasha Pavlovic memorably airballed his first shot as a Celtic but he made up for it with a big 3-pointer in the fourth. Troy Murphy is still looking for his first basket, all he's made is three free throws so far.

The Cs shot 51.5% to 41.3% for the Bucks. Milwaukee made three more 3-pointers (8-5) and grabbed six more rebounds (39-33). Boston dished out three more assists (23-20).

Delonte West could be back on Wednesday and Arroyo is expected in uniform when the Celtics host the Los Angeles Clippers at TD Garden.