Season Ends Too Early

There is little that needs to be said.

With a sputter and a fart, the Celtics managed to flame out in Game 7, at home no less, losing 101-82 to the Magic for their last game this season. There are few things worse than losing such a crucial game, by such a large deficit.

It's not hard to see how the Celtics could have choked so badly: they lost KG and Powe for the entire Playoffs, their bench was lacking in suitable talent and chemistry, and, let's face it, nobody thought they would beat Cleveland anyway.

In the 4th quarter the C's were outscored 35 to 21, and that says it all right there. After such a long, strenuous series with Chicago, after playing every other night for nearly 2 months, there was only so much left in the tank. There was nothing more they could do, and all we can do is look back on this year as an excellent achievement in what can be accomplished when your key player is out for nearly the entire season, and when your bench falls apart to next to nothing.

For what it's worth, the Celtics showed that their team is still ripe with talent and ability, but also when you cut the legs out from under something, it fails to stand. This season and post-season can be viewed as a portrait for what could have been. They fell short, but it's obvious why they did. They were tired and overworked, and fought as hard as they could, but it never should have gotten to this point. It never should have come down to a blowout at home.

But, Kevin Garnett will be back next year, so will Ray and Paul, and the bench will remained intact for the most part, not to say the new pick-ups well aquire. It won't be another 20 years before a banner is yet again raised.