Together they can

How's this for a cliche; game 4 is an absolute must win for the Celtics.  After getting waxed on their home floor friday night, the green team will need to even the series today, if they have an aspirations of playing into late May, or even June.  And, with the Big 3 likely on their last title run, this game carries even greater importance.  I must admit, it's pretty scary to think about both the long, and short-term future of this club.  This team, as currently constituted, will not take the floor again next fall.  With a General Manager that isn't afraid to shake up the roster, and a group of aging veterans, there are likely wholesale changes coming this summer, win or lose.  For Celtic fans, the proposition of re-builing this team is pretty frightening, considering we spent almost 20 years fighting to become relevant, and now that relevance is seemingly on it's last legs, if you will.  Prior to winning their 17th title, the team was mired in mediocrity, at best, and suffered some serious hard luck, highlighted by the death of two players, poor drafting, bad free-agent signings, and overall mismanagement.  There was a dark cloud looming over this club for a long time, and I fear that this cloud may be waiting to cast it's ugly shadow once again.  There's only one way to build a great team, and that's luck.  You become a bad team, enter the draft lottery, and hope that the ping-pong balls take a friendly bounce.  If luck is on your side, you give yourself the chance to get a franchise player, if it's not, you're screwed.

Now, despite all of the prognostications of doom, I'm told the Celtics will indeed take the court today against the Cavaliers.  Honestly, there isn't a more reactionary fan base than the fan's of this team.  I understand that friday's performance was dismal, but it's still only one game, and there's still plenty of hooping to be done, hopefully.  I'm hoping the building is a little more lively today, as I'm told friday's atmostphere was somewhere between a funeral, and 6 o'clock mass at the local church.  I know the celtic's didn't help matters, but you gotta bring it people, they need you, and it really does help.  This morning I envisioned Kevin Garnett reinacting that scene from Rocky IV, the one where he leaves in the middle of the night, get's in his sports car, and just drives, all while "no easy way out" is playing.  In the movie, Rocky is contemplating whether or not to fight Drago, after Apollo had died against him in the ring.  Similarly, KG knows this is likely his last chance at another ring, so it's time to leave everything they have on the floor, starting today.  I know a lot of fans have given up, and many actually jumped off the tobin bridge friday night, but a win today and it's all knotted at two, baby.