If the Celtics have proven anything in the past month, it's that they're not a second half team.

Last night, after outscoring the New Orleans Hornets 55-43 in the first half, the Celtics starters throw in the towel and let rookie point guard Darren Collison make a half empty New Orleans Arena forget about Chris Paul for 24 minutes. 

The Celtics played exceptionally well in the first half, and for a minute made Celtics fans all over forget about the teams recent trend of blowing double-digit leads in the 3rd quarter. But before you could say Darius Songalia, the Hornets had gone on a wild tare and had the Celtics on their heals. 

It didn't help that the Cs went 3-13 from the free throw line in the 2nd half, and were out-rebounded 47-37, which included 9-5 on the offensive glass. The turnaround jump shots that were falling in the first half were clanging off the rim. Darren Collison was penetrating the Celtics defense at will, scoring 13 of his 25 in the 2nd half.

Give Glen Davis some credit for being the only big man to crash the boards after halftime. Credit Marquis Daniels for keeping the C's on the board in the 3rd quarter. And give partial credit to Rasheed Wallace for making his most accurate Tim Duncan impression on the block. 

Even without Ray Allen, this Celtics team consisting of 3 all-stars shouldn't have lost to a fringe team in the Western Conference that is missing their best player. Now it's time for all-star weekend, and maybe on Tuesday this tea will be ready to play solid 2nd half basketball.

 

1. Controlling the boards- keeping Dwight Howard off the offensive glass
2. Defending Rashard Lewis- although he doesn't necessarily light up the C's, he always seems to get open shots against us.
3. Ball movement. The C's offense is most dangerous when the ball is moving.

If the Celtics can do all of this, they should be in good shape. The only benefit of not having Pierce in the game is ball movement. The ball moves better at times when Pierce isn't holding it and going 1 on 1. Not to bash Pierce, but having him out of the game could mean better ball movement. 

Are the Celtics trying to keep games close just for dramatic effect? Maybe they want to keep the fans in their seats, so they deliberately play half-heartedly for 36 minutes. By the time the fourth quarter is underway and the Celts are losing, they some how flick on the intensity switch and run their opponents out of the building.

Tonight’s game against the New Jersey Nets appears to be just that. Only once during a short stretch in the opening quarter did the Celts look focused and full of energy. Then suddenly, Devin Harris and Brook Lopez morph into Stockton and Malone and put the Nets on top at the half, 55-51.

KG continues to pull himself through the games, as it is clear that he’s handicapped. The loss of his lateral mobility is apparent as the Celtics defense isn’t half as intense and stifling as they were in November and December. The team continues to ride the offense of our backcourt with Pierce on the sidelines with a sprained left foot.

Does this mean the Celtics are doomed come playoff time? Not necessarily, but letting a team like the four-win New Jersey Nets stick around for 3 and ½ quarters isn’t very convincing. These Celtics will have to dig deep to beat the Eastern Conference’s elite (Cleveland, Orlando and Atlanta), and with the trade deadline coming up, it’s plain to see that a roster move may be necessary.

Eddie House shouldn't have to pull the Celtics out of their rut in the 4th quarter. He did a magnificent job doing so tonight, but it really shouldn't come down to that. Pierce is out, and we all know he controls the basketball in the end, and 2-0 without him is pretty good, but their has to be a better way of getting wins against the basement teams of the league. With time, the Celtics will get healthier and get their timing right, but how much time do they have?

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Time to check out the latest trade rumor involving Ray Allen. Now I know it's just a rumor, but what fun are trade rumors if you cannot pretend they're real for a minute?

 

Rumor has it, The Chicago Bulls front office has inquired 

What we lose: A durable, veteran, hall of fame shooting guard who helped bring a title to Boston two years ago. His scary 3-point shot has overshadowed his reliable midrange game and driving abilities. He has one of the quickest shooting releases in the game, the unique ability to drive and score without lightening-quick speed, and one of the highest basketball IQs in the league. Despite being a 34 year old shooting guard on his 14th NBA season, Allen has missed just 12 games in the past 2 and 1/2 seasons. His only knock is that he is streaky, especially during the post season. In the end he always comes out on top, but has left Celtics fans scratching their heads after having dismal games in the playoffs.  Clearly his best days are behind him, but Ray Allen has a lot of basketball games left in him. 

What we gain: A highly skilled point guard in Kirk Hinrich. He may not be dominant like Rondo or Chris Paul, but he is a solid backup, and would be terrific insurance should Rondo ever go down. He has a career 3-point shooting average of 37.8%, and has only once missed a considerable amount of games due to injury (31 games last season). Hinrich was a thorn in the Celtics' side in last years first round playoff series. He will give you everything he has on both ends of the floor every night. 

It's rumored that the Celtics would also receive Tyrus Thomas in the deal. A gifted athletic forward, Thomas has been a major disappointment for the Bulls, being selected 4th overall in the 2006 draft, before All-Stars Rudy Gay, Brandon Roy, and Rajon Rondo. It's also rumored that the Celtics would throw in a bench player such as Brian Scalabrine or Tony Allen, and we all know who would be the bigger loss.

With the trade deadline looming, expect to hear more rumors regarding Ray Allen's whereabouts by then end of the month. With the team getting back on track after a rough January, don't be surprised if Ray stays in the bay state.

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If there is one player on this team whose statistical success comes and goes with the Celtics winning and losing, it is that of backup shooting guard Eddie House.

It has been said in the past that Eddie House is the Celtics' 'team barometer'. When Eddie is taking and making open jumpers, the team is moving the ball nicely and executing on offense. Eddie's 16 point performance last night, which included 5-9 field goal shooting, 2-4 3-point shooting, and a perfect 4 of 4 from the free-throw line, was a tell-tale sign of how well the Celtics are playing as a team.

With Paul Pierce out of the game with a sore left foot, it was only necessary that others pick up some of the scoring slack. With Rondo and KG passing the ball like a hot potato (14 and 9 assists), players were getting more opportunities to score. Ray Allen found some light at the end of the tunnel, scoring 23 points, while Rondo added 22 to his magnificent all-star stat line, which included 14 assists, 6 rebounds and 3 steals.

And let it be known that 5 the 16 points Eddie tossed in last night were in the fourth-quarter. One play included a fast break lay-up, something you don't see from Mr. House on a nightly basis. It can be said of Eddie that he hasn't been having a great season, but then again, the entire team has hit some rough terrain this year, thus proving tat Eddie House is the ideal measurement of the team's success.

Allen proves to be a valuable asset to Celtics. Here's why:

After losing three straight games to elite teams, the Celtics needed something. Anything that could get this team back on track and winning again. Talks of trading Ray Allen, and KG's inability to anchor the defense have been swirling around the NBA for days. Pierce has looked tired at times. Rondo can only do so much to get the team going. Ray hasn't been himself as of late (possibly due to the rumors). Sheed has been inconsistent. Someone needed to step up.

That man is Tony Allen.

Yes, he's still on the team. He has been for six seasons. Tony often finds himself hidden behind the shadows of the big three and Rondo. It was very apparent after the signing of Marquis Daniels that Tony's minutes would take a hit. He's been remembered for busting his knee in 2007 while attempting a dunk after a blown whistle. It was a play which destroyed the terrific season he was having, and following the 2007 makeover, Allen's services were not needed and he was confined to garbage minutes.

An uneducated Celtics fan remembers bone-headed plays and poor shot selection when Tony Allen comes to mind. A smart Celtics fan knows what Allen is capable of, and can do for the Celtics in their current state. Having a 'slasher' like Tony is a valuable commodity to a team in a sort of transitional phase like the Celtics. Two seasons removed from 2008, they've lost a lot of the intensity and discipline they once had. The fear of god which once struck in the hearts of opposing teams is no longer an issue, as  the Clippers, Warriors, and Sixers have pulled off victories against these Celts. 

It is hard not to love Tony Allen because he has no fear. The man is fearless. Time after time, Doc has put him in pressure situations, and never once has be backed down. Often he is assigned to guard 1st option scorers on elite teams, and never gives an inch. He has taken on back-up point guard duties, and has done a considerable job doing so. Hes even sacrificed the flashy Sportscenter dunks for the sake of the team. 

And now Pierce is hurt. The extent of his foot injury hasn't been disclosed yet, but regardless he is banged-up. A perfect opportunity for Tony to see more minutes and give this team the B12 shot it needed. The big three may be nearing the end of the road, but the balance of youth, basketball IQ, and veteran leadership makes for a competitive squad perfectly capable of making one last run.Boston Celtics scheduleBoston Celtics schedule