Moments after the Celtics defeated the Heat 100-98 in double overtime at TD Gardens Arena, Paul Pierce spoke with ESPN’s Doris Burke and that’s when Burke delivered the bad news to the Celtics’ team captain. Pierce’s facial reaction pretty much summed up how the Celtics felt about losing their All-Star point guard for the rest of the 2013 season.

“Oh my God!,” Pierce tells Burke. “We just gotta rally around each other. I feel for [Rondo]. He was having such a great season, making the All-Star team. It’s disappointing news, but guys gotta be ready to step up.”

Watch the interview:

“Obviously the Rondo news is pretty tough. I knew it before the game, no one else knew it,” Rivers said. “I told them after the game. Pretty emotional in the locker room.”

Rondo was averaging career highs of 13.7 points and 5.6 rebounds along with 11.1 assists this season.

A very somber Kevin Garnett added, “It’s tough on everybody. [Rondo] has become the heart and soul of this team, coming into his own. We just try to be supportive for him.”

Carmelo Anthony confronts Kevin Garnett after the two got tangled and words were exchanged. (GETTY IMAGES)

For someone who is supposed to be a most valuable player candidate this season, Carmelo Anthony still acts like an immature high school teenager.

Anthony was suspended one game by the NBA on Wednesday for confronting Kevin Garnett after the New York Knicks’ loss to Boston on Monday. Anthony, who was angry about Garnett’s choice of words during a fourth-quarter altercation, went toward the Celtics’ locker room after the game and later waited for Garnett outside Boston’s team bus. Are you serious? This is like sophomore stuff? Not even a high school senior will do this kind of thing.

Anthony didn’t believe he would be suspended because he said he was just looking to talk to Garnett, not fight. But NBA executive vice president of operations Stu Jackson ruled otherwise.

”There are no circumstances in which it is acceptable for a player to confront an opponent after a game,” Jackson said in a statement. ”Carmelo Anthony attempted to engage with Kevin Garnett multiple times after Monday’s game and therefore a suspension was warranted.”

Jackson said Anthony confronted Garnett ”in the arena tunnel, near the players’ locker rooms, and in the parking garage.” The incident by the bus, with New York police and Knicks coach Mike Woodson nearby, was captured on videotape. Anthony and Garnett received technical fouls with 9:03 remaining in the Celtics’ 102-96 victory, arguing with each other from the baseline to midcourt after a physical exchange on Boston’s previous possession. It was Anthony’s eighth technical foul this season, which is the most in the league.

After the game, Anthony went the wrong direction toward the Celtics’ locker room in hopes of finding Garnett. Anthony said he was upset because of what Garnett said, though wouldn’t elaborate on what it was. Whatever was said, it certainly didn’t warrant a gangster-type move by waiting for Garnett out in the parking lot.

”There’s certain things that you just don’t say to men, another man,” Anthony told the Associated Press. ”It’s over with for me. Whatever happened last night, happened. The words that was being said between me and Garnett, it happened, can’t take that away. I lost my cool, I accept that, but there’s just certain things that push certain people’s buttons.”

Anthony was clearly affected by Garnett, shooting just 6 of 26 from the field. He said the All-Star forwards eventually spoke and sorted out the matter.

For Anthony to be considered a legit star in the NBA, he has to clean up his act. He can’t be going around picking fights with a future Hall-of-Famer outside the arena. Whatever happens on the court should stay on the court. Anthony’s reputation definitely took a major hit after this incident.

Brooklyn Nets forward Kris Humphries (left) gets in a shoving match with Celtics Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo, and Jason Terry. (GETTY IMAGES)

Rajon Rondo loves Kevin Garnett like a big brother. And when big brother got roughed up unnecessarily by the former Mr. Kardashian, little brother immediately jumped in and got in the mix.

The Boston Celtics and the Brooklyn Nets are not what you call natural rivals, but after Wednesday night’s scuffle the heat index just went up a few notches. With under a minute left in the first half and Brooklyn ahead 51-36, Nets forward and Kim K’s former beau Kris Humphries gave Garnett a hard shove that forced KG to hit the floor hard. The Celtics, especially Rondo, felt the hard foul was unnecessary so naturally the rest of the Celtics came to the aid of KG. Rondo escalated the whole brouhaha by giving Humphries a forearm shove; then Jason Terry got in there, followed by Brandon Bass, Paul Pierce, and KG. Before you know it, the entire Boston franchise wanted a piece of Humphries.

”We all back each other,” Garnett said. ”We take a lot of pride in putting on this jersey. I know I do. This ain’t the Girl Scouts or the Boy Scouts. That’s what it is. It’s the NBA. You’ve got to get used to it.”

After the officials were able to restore some order, Humphries, Gerald Wallace, and Rondo were all ejected. The disqualification cost Rondo his double-digit assist streak, as the run ended at 37 which tied the second-longest streak in NBA history.

It’s probably a stretch to call this a brawl because there were more pushing and shoving than actual punches thrown. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being compared to the Detroit-Indiana brawl at The Palace in Auburn Hills, this little melee at the TD Garden was more like a 4. Watch the altercation:

Fenerbahce Ulker’s Baris Ermis drives through the Celtics defense in a preseason game in Istanbul. (EUROLEAGUE)

The Boston Celtics’ world tour hit an early snag when Gang Green lost its preseason opener, 97-91, to Turkish pro team Fenerbahce Ulker.

Fenerbahce Ulker, one of Europe’s top club teams, scored 23 points off 25 Boston turnovers and held the Celtics to 18 points in the second quarter. Bo McCalebb, regarded as one of the best point guards in the Euroleague, more than held his own in his head-to-head battle with Boston All-Star guard Rajon Rondo. McCalebb sliced the Celtics defense all game, splitting double teams and creating offense off the drive-and-kick. He finished with 21 points, grabbed four rebounds, and had five assists.

“The reason I played good tonight is not that the game was televised in the States and it was not who was playing against me, Rajon Rondo. When I play against any good player I try to give my best,” said McCalebb, who played college ball at the University of New Orleans. “It’s not personal. And it was a really special night for us after playing a very hard game in the Turkish Cup a day before against Galatasaray Medical Park. We are happy to give our fans a very exciting win.”

McCalebb’s backcourt teammate, Romain Sato, led all scorers with 24 points, including a clutch 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter that sealed the win for the European club. Bojan Bogdanovic (drafted by the Brooklyn Nets) netted 11 points, including three 3-pointers.

Some new faces had decent debuts for the Celtics. Rookie forward Jared Sullinger led the Cs with 16 points and eight rebounds. Forward Jeff Green also had 16 points and looked very comfortable despite missing all of last season due to heart surgery. Jason Terry, wearing No. 4 in Celtic green, scored 12 points off the bench on 4-for-7 shooting. Courtney Lee started the game at shooting guard in place of Avery Bradley.

Turkey pro player Omer Onan with Celtics forward Paul Pierce. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

After trailing 18-8 early, the Celtics went on a 19-8 run — capped by Rondo’s 3-pointer at the buzzer — to take a 27-26 lead. But that lead quickly evaporated as Bojan Bogdanovic (drafted by the Brooklyn Nets) knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers to push Fenerbahce ahead. The home team took a 55-45 lead at halftime and never trailed in the second half as Celtics head coach Doc Rivers rested starters Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Rondo. Rondo is already in midseason form, scoring 13 points and dishing out nine assists.

The Celtics have been in Istanbul for a week, and Garnett feels the experience can only help bond the team.

“We are a family in a village, we can look at it like that. When we hit that floor or go outside of these walls, we take care of each other,” said Garnett, now entering his sixth season as a Celtic. “So we’re looking for those kinds of things when we come out of Turkey. Not just being your teammate, but being your brother.”

Kevin Garnett and Antawn Jamison will become free agents this summer. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

There are some quality players available this summer for those teams that have money under the NBA’s salary cap and here is one jabroni’s opinion on the top talent available:

1-Kevin Garnett

KG played well in the postseason and showed that he can still bring his A game when needed. For the first couple rounds of the playoffs, he was the NBA’s possible postseason MVP.

2-Gerald Wallace

He has decided to opt out and test the free agent market. Wallace is an excellent defender that can also provide 15 points per game to a team that needs a third or even a fourth option on offense. And he will get paid.

3-Chris Kaman

He might be often injured, but he will be in demand. That’s for sure. When DeAndre Jordan signed a four-year contract worth $12.8 million per season before last season, this assured Kaman will get a very similar deal since he is a better offensive option at center. Kaman would be a very nice fit on a team like the Boston Celtics that need a legit center in the low post.

4-Kris Humphries

Humphries isn’t a top 5 PF, but he averaged just under 14 points per game and 11 rebounds per game. He is a solid option that would be a seamless fit for a lot of teams. If the Indiana Pacers hadn’t signed David West last year he would have been a perfect fit on their team. Some team will be very happy with a very good young player.

5-Goran Dragic

Talk about a player that took advantage of an opportunity. Dragic averaged 18 points and eight assists per game in 28 starts when Kyle Lowry got injured. He is a good ball-handler, passer and a solid outside shooter.

6-Spencer Hawes

A lot like Humphries, he isn’t a top-five center, but he is a top-10 center in the NBA. He reminds me a lot of a younger Brad Miller. He’s a good rebounder and passer, a solid scorer and an improving defender.

7-Ray Allen

He can still shoot and would be a solid fit on the Los Angeles Clippers or Chicago Bulls.

8-Nate Robinson

He probably isn’t a starter for most teams, but he provides a lot of energy and scoring off the bench.

9-Brandon Bass

Bass decided to opt out to test the free agent market after a solid season in Boston where he averaged 12 points and six rebounds.

10-Antawn Jamison

His starting days might be numbered, but he’d be an excellent sixth man on a contending team that needs instant offense on their second unit. You wouldn’t want to bring him in to start because he tends to be a chucker, but a very viable option as a backup.

Others that are available are:

Andre Miller

He is a steady influence as a PG and could play late into his career like Jason Kidd has. His game isn’t built on speed and quickness, but rather intelligence and smart basketball play.

Leandro Barbosa

A solid scoring presence off the bench, but he is slowing down a bit.

Carl Landry

Undersized tweener forward, but he gets the most out of his talent and plays hard. He hustles and provides a lot of energy off the bench.

Darren Jacks is contributor to OneManFastBreak.net. Email him at djroxalot@gmail.com.

In five years together in Boston, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen reached the Eastern Conference finals three times and won one NBA title. (GETTY IMAGES)

With 28 seconds left in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals, the Miami Heat had a double-digit lead and the Boston Celtics were running on fumes. Celtics coach Doc Rivers knew it was time to wave the white flag and pull his starters off the court.

‘We had nothing left,” Rivers said. ”That’s how it felt, as a coach . . . But overall, I don’t know if I’ve ever had a group like this.”

There was a lot of emotion on the Celtics’ sideline as Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo headed for the bench. Garnett and Rivers shared a poignant moment as the two men hugged it out while time ticked away on what could be the final time Boston’s Big Three — plus Rondo — will ever wear Celtic green.

In the five-year era of the “Big Four” — or the Fantastic Four, whichever you prefer — the Celtics posted a 69% winning percentage during the regular season, won five Atlantic Division titles, made three trips to the Eastern Conference finals, reached the the NBA Finals twice, and raised one championship banner.

That one NBA title will be the signature moment for the Fantastic Four, but the group also left a lot of titles on the table because of injuries, trades, and one freak elbow injury to Rondo in the 2011 playoffs.

“I wish we had a healthy run. This team won a title, got to another one lost in Game 7 [against the Lakers in 2010] where they had a shot to win. Got to the Eastern Conference final one game away on the road banged up,” Rivers said. “Because of really Kevin’s injury I don’t know if we could have gotten any more out of the group. I would have loved to have seen this team in this whole stretch where Kevin was injury free.”

The injury Rivers was referring to was the knee injury Garnett sustained during the 2008-09 season, which knocked him out of the playoffs and it took KG a full season to completely recover from it.

It is not a certainty that general manager Danny Ainge will break up Boston’s Fantastic Four but, because of age and expiring contracts, it will be very difficult to keep the nucleus of the Celtics with Garnett and Allen becoming unrestricted free agents this summer.

The group knew all season long, especially during the playoffs, Who knows what next season could bring.

Boston battled injuries all season, all the way to the end. Allen said he’ll need surgery soon to repair bone chips in his right ankle. Pierce has been playing through a sprained knee ligament.

It all hurt. Nothing hurt more than the final buzzer Saturday night.

”It’s probably the worst feeling that we feel, in our lives, in our careers,” Allen said. ”There’s nothing you can do about it. There’s one team that wins that last game. We want to be that team every year. We’ve been through a lot. We’ve won a lot of games. At the end of every season, it always feels like it’s it.

”This one hit me hard,” Allen continued. ”We wanted it so bad.”

Allen fought through a painful ankle injury for much of the playoffs while Pierce played through a banged up knee. Garnett, 36, had a resurgence in the playoffs and looks like he’s got a couple of good years left. Rondo and Pierce remain under contract so they’ll be back. There is a strong possibly that Garnett will return to Boston, but Allen seems to be headed into free agency.

The loss of Allen won’t hurt as much because the Celtics have Avery Bradley and Mikael Pietrus to plug in his spot. Losing Garnett, however, would be devastating.

“Well, [Kevin’s] been everything for my career,” Pierce told ESPN Boston. “Just his locker room presence, his desire, his determination, his leadership. I’ve said it before, when Kevin first got here, he really changed the culture of everything we did around here — from the practice habits to on the court, just the discipline. He made everybody accountable, from the ball boys to the chefs to the guy who flew the plane. Everybody was accountable.”

Pierce continued: “It was tremendous to just have him around. The culture he brought — it would be great for me to end my career with Kevin. I have a couple years left, and who knows what his future’s going to bring. Hopefully management can do something to bring him back, maybe add some pieces to this team, that we need, to get over the top. If not, it’s been a tremendous run.”

Chris Bosh scores 19 points and had three 3-pointers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Anyone who thinks the Miami Heat can win a championship without Chris Bosh needs to have their heads examined. Bosh may be the Joker, or the wild card, in Miami’s Batman and Robin dynamic but his presence was the biggest reason why the Heat are advancing to the NBA Finals.

Bosh scored 19 points in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals in Miami — only his third game back since an abdominal injuring sidelined him for weeks — and Miami got a huge lift from his career playoff best three 3-pointers. His final 3-pointer came with 7:19 left in the fourth quarter with the Heat up by only a point, 83-82. He took a pass from LeBron James and knocked one down from the corner, a backbreaking trey that sparked an 18-6 run by the Heat en route to a 101-88 victory.

“It was big time. Every shot, every defensive play, every defensive rebound,  his energy, and his effort. We missed him. Happy to have him back at the right time,” James said of his teammate, who was 8-for-10 from the field and grabbed eight rebounds in 31 minutes off the bench.

“If it weren’t for [Bosh], who stepped up and made some plays, we wouldn’t have won this game,” added James, who led the Heat with 31 points despite shooting just 9-for-21 from the field. James, Bosh and Dwyane Wade (23 points) scored all 28 points for Miami in the fourth quarter.

“That was the biggest challenge I’ve ever had in my life,” Bosh said. “To make sure that I say ready so when the time did come I’ll be able to contribute instead of trying to get my legs under me and being a non-factor.”

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra inserted Bosh back in the lineup for Game 5, but played just 14 minutes because Spoelstra thought it wouln’t “be fair” to Bosh to throw him into the fire after dealing with a serious injury. Bosh said he felt fine and could have played more minutes. Spoelstra rewarded his big man in the next two games by increasing his playing time.

In Game 7 Saturday night, Spoelstra called Bosh the Heat’s “most important player” because he not only occupied Kevin Garnett on offense but his length made it tougher for the Celtics to get rebounds and easy looks at the basket.

“I thought about it everyday,” Bosh said. “I worked hard with the coaching staff and the doctors, and trainers and we relentlessly worked everyday.”

Bosh’s big-time game in the series clincher is a great sign for the Heat because they will need their All-Star forward to be at his absolute best in the NBA Finals against a very long and talented Oklahoma City Thunder squad.

Tyson Chandler changed the culture in New York with his defense. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler was recently named the 2012 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, breaking Dwight Howard’s three-year stranglehold on the award. Chandler helped improve the Knicks defense significantly and was a big reason why the team earned a playoff berth despite numerous injuries. So why in the world was Chandler on the second team of the all-defensive teams? Much like the do-nothing Congress, the NBA coaches and media couldn’t agree on who belongs on the list of top defenders.

The coaches had LeBron James, Serge Ibaka, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul and Tony Allen on the first team. Chandler was included in the second team, along with Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo, Luol Deng and Kobe Bryant. James and Ibaka deserve to be on the first team, but Howard should have swapped places with Chandler. And why is Kobe even on the second team? He’s not even the best defender on his own team.

To settle the debate, OneManFastBreak rates the 10 best defenders during the lockout-shortened 2011-12 season:

SECOND TEAM

10) DWIGHT HOWARD — The Magic center had an up-and-down season on the off the court. He was caught in messy situation with Orlando management with the whole free agency threat, and then he was embroiled in a bizarre incident with head coach Stan Van Gundy. Despite all those distractions, Howard still managed to average a league-best 14.5 rebounds and second-best 2.2 blocked shots.

8) SHAWN MARION — Mavericks owner Mark Cuban thinks The Matrix belongs in the conversation with guys like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Tony Allen in terms of perimeter defense. “There’s nobody who’s better defensively outside the center position than Shawn Marion,” Cuban said. The Dallas owner may be on to something because how many players can guard premier power forwards and point guards? “Marion is the only guy who comes to mind,” said Mavs coach Rick Carlisle.

8) KEVIN GARNETT — The Big Ticket somehow has discovered the Hot Tub Time Machine this season, leading Boston team to a No. 4 seeding in the Eastern Conference playoffs on the strength of his leadership and defense. KG will go down in NBA history as one of its best defenders. He’s just one of a handful of players who can defend all five positions. When you look up energy and effort in the program, you see a picture of Garnett’s face.

Kevin Garnett remains a defensive force for the Celtics. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

7) TONY ALLEN — The former Celtic and current member of the Memphis Grizzlies earned his reputation as one of the toughest perimeter defenders in the league during the NBA Finals when he went toe-to-toe with Lakers star Kobe Bryant. Allen gets up in your face and doesn’t allow much air space between him and his opponent. He’s also one of the best help defenders in the league, and among the league leaders in steals. Allen can lock down on shooting guards and point guards, and occasionally small forwards.

6) LUOL DENG — The Chicago Bulls owned the best defense in the NBA and a big reason for it was Deng. Coach Tom Thibodeau says the Bulls are able to do what they do on the defensive end because of Deng’s versatility. “Lu can guard small forwards, power forwards, shooting guards,” said Thibodeau. Deng got snubbed last season when he wasn’t even included in the first or second teams. Anyone who still ignores Deng’s defense is looking more and more foolish each season.

FIRST TEAM

5) ANDRE IGUODALA — The Philadelphia 76ers were one of the best teams in terms of field-goal percentage, and a big reason why was Iguodala. The longtime Sixer was seventh in the NBA in steals (1.7) and only Kevin Durant (8.0) and LeBron James (7.9) had a better rebounding average among small forwards. Despite those numbers, Iguodala remains underrated as a top-flight defender because the Sixers are not on national TV each week. But Iggy Hops have convinced the experts after finishing seventh in the Defensive Player of the Year voting.

76ers guard-forward Andre Iguodala can guard any perimeter player (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

4) RAJON RONDO — Rondo is pound for pound the toughest guy in the league. The man came back to a basketball game after dislocating his elbow. Most guys in the league would have been halfway to the hospital if that happened to them. The Celtics remain one of the hardest teams to score on because they have a great backline defender in Garnett and an absolute pest in the frontline in Rondo. He is always among the league leaders in steals, and no point guard in the Association rebounds better than Rondo.

3) LEBRON JAMES — Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra marvels at how LeBron can cover so much ground on the defensive end it almost looks like there are five LeBrons out there. The Heat employ a help defense principle, which dates back to Pat Riley’s days as a Lakers coach. James has turned into the linchpin of the Heat D with his ability to guard every position on the court and, when Spoelstra needs to cool off a hot scorer, he usually calls on James to be the shutdown defender.

2) TYSON CHANDLER — Where would the New York Knicks be without Chandler? Right near the bottom of the league in defense like they’ve been in years past. It was amazing what Chandler did in his first season in Gotham. Not only did he contribute offensively with his league-leading 67% field goal percentage but he changed the culture of the Knicks by quarterbacking the defense from his center position. New York went from being the 22nd-ranked defense to fifth best in 2012.

1) SERGE IBAKA — Serge Ibaka earned the moniker Serge “Iblocka” for his penchant for sending away shots near the rim. The Oklahoma City Thunder power forward had a mind-bloggling 241 blocks (3.7 average) during the regular season which led the NBA by a mile. The next guy was L.A. Clippers center DeAndre Jordan who had a 135.

Oklahoma City Thunder forward Serge Ibaka (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

This is just Ibaka’s third season as a professional so the sky — or his case, the rim — is the limit for the man from Brazzaville, Congo. Ibaka finished second to Chandler in the DPOY voting with 294 votes to Chandler’s 311. But you have to wonder if Ibaka was playing in New York and Chandler was in Oklahoma City those votes would be flipped around.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Kevin Garnett has become the focal point of the Boston Celtics offense in the 2012 NBA playoffs. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

What is going on with Kevin Garnett? He is shooting lights out from the perimeter, rebounding like a Rodman and squawking like Sidney Dean on the Venice Beach courts. This is 35-year-old Kevin Garnett we are talking about. He is supposed to be washed up and ready to have his number retired. But somehow he appears to be rejuvinated and is in total beast mode.

Garnett scored 27 points against Philadelphia in Game 3, making 12 of his 17 field goal attempts and dominating his center matchup with Spencer Hawes. KG also grabbed 13 rebounds in 30 minutes of all-out fury, something we haven’t seen since his days as The Big Ticket for the Minnesota Timberwolves when he was an absolute double-double machine. In Game 1, he burned the Sixers with 29 points on 12-of-20 shooting. In the series clincher against the Atlanta Hawks, KG pumped in 28 points on 10-of-19 from the field.

Has KG discovered some kind of Hot Tub Time Machine and flashed back to 2003? Did Hawks owner really ticked him off to the point where he’s taking it out on everyone else? Or did the move to center full-time enabled him to create more space for his patented face-up jumper because opposing big men are reluctant (or just too slow) to contest his shot? Whatever it may be — and the Hot Tub Time Machine is probably the best theory at this point — Garnett is playing out of his mind and the Boston Celtics are absolutely loving it.

“He’s rebounding, he’s defending, he’s talking. He was really upset after [Game 2] because he didn’t think we played the right way as a team. And if you know Kevin it’s all about doing things right for the team,” said Celtics coach Doc Rivers.

“It’s really how he’s been relentless in the post.”

KG has been on a tear ever since Hawks co-owner Michael Gearon Jr. called the Celtics are “old” and Garnett “the dirtiest guy in the league” during the Celtics-Hawks series in the opening round. Garnett has had five 20-plus points in the 2012 playoffs, and his Game 3 performance in Philly was only the second time in his playoff career in which he had more than 25 points, over 70 percent shooting and more than 10 rebounds. The last time we saw these same numbers from KG was back in 2003 when he was running with Wally Szczerbiak, Troy Hudson, Latrell Sprewell and Sam Cassell.

“I don’t want to come off kind of wrong, but I really go with my craft and I take it very seriously,” said Garnett, who turns 36 on May 19, at the end of the Hawks series. “I put a lot of work into my craft. I take it very seriously. I always have, since ’95, since I’ve been able to come into the league and it’s almost like you guys are shocked. Like this ain’t what I do every day, like this ain’t what I was made for. It does come off disrespectful at times. I put a lot of work and time into this, and there are certain levels I expect from myself.

“I take this very seriously, so you guys calling me old, that number defies. You have no idea what you are doing when you say those ‘old’ comments. I appreciate that. I don’t read your columns, but it gets back to me.”

What’s also fueling Garnett and the Celtics is the clear path to the NBA Finals has been paved. The Chicago Bulls are out and the Miami Heat are hurting without Chris Bosh. This could be the final year of Boston’s Big Three and Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and KG are playing like there is no tomorrow and are letting it all hang out for one last hurrah.

Can Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo and Paul Pierce rediscover the championship form they displayed in 2008? (US PRESSWIRE)

Something is missing from the Boston Celtics and the team’s All-Star point guard senses it too.

After the Celtics were embarrassed by the Bulls and Heat, both games on national TV, Rajon Rondo admitted that his team is not the same battle-tested unit that flipped the switch during last season’s playoffs and made it back to the NBA Finals. “We’re a completely different team. It’s not the same team,” Rondo told the Boston Globe. “We’re not going to be able to turn it on like we did year. I don’t know what we’re waiting on but these types of games [against the top teams] we have to find a way to win. It’s a roller-coaster and right now we went back down today.”

Rondo also believes the Celtics are not playing with enough urgency, and they need to wake up before it’s too late. Is he right? Maybe so. But Rondo’s claim is probably not the real reason why the Celtics have struggled since the All-Star break. And not having center Kendrick Perkins, who is now in Oklahoma City, is only one aspect of the team’s recent slide.

The biggest reason why the Celtics are not playing at optimum level is simple: they have trouble scoring points.

Despite giving away Perkins, who may be one of the best low-post defenders in the Association, the Celtics’ defense has remained stout, limiting teams to under 90 points per game and 43% shooting from the field. However, the same can’t be said on the other end of the floor. Boston is currently 22nd in the league in scoring (96.6 points) and averages only 75 field goals per game, which is the fewest in the league.

Because the Celtics don’t hoist up a lot of shots, this puts a tremendous amount of pressure on their defense to keep the games close and each offensive possession is magnified. Even though the team shoots 48% from the field (which is the best in the league), the Celtics have to be near perfect on offense each game, and puts a tremendous burden on older players like Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett.

Rondo is absolutely on point when he said the Celtics are “not the same team.” But it’s not about getting the new players such as Jeff Green, Nenad Krstic, Troy Murphy and Delonte West into the mix. It’s more about The Big Three have declined and could be on their last legs.

During their championship season in 2008 and the season after that, head coach Doc Rivers used to rely on Pierce to create offense and put pressure on the defense by drawing fouls. But Pierce’s game has declined the last two seasons. His scoring has dipped from 20.5 in 2008-09 to 18.8 this season. He is also not getting to the foul line as much, attempting only 5.7 per game compared to 6.1 last year and 6.8 in 2008-09.

Allen’s numbers has also declined the past two seasons, as his scoring average has dipped to 16.6 from 18.2 two seasons ago. And despite a major rebirth this season, Garnett’s scoring average (14.8) is a full point lower than his PPG from 2008-09 (15.8).

One of the reasons why GM Danny Ainge decided to trade Perkins was to upgrade Boston’s second unit and get more scoring. Although Green is an upgrade from Marquis Daniels at small forward, he’s only giving Boston 9.4 points per game off the bench which is only two points better than what Perkins was averaging (7.3) before the trade.

Rivers is not about to waste Pierce, Allen and Garnett during the regular season, but all signs point to a major struggle to produce points once the playoffs begin with very little help from the supporting cast.