This is without a doubt the most successful franchise in NBA history. They had the longest championship streak in the league, winning eight straight titles from the late-1950’s to the middle of the 1960’s, behind such legends as Bill Russell and Bob Cousy. In sum they have a record 17 NBA world championships. They’ve had some of the best players in the world wear their uniform. Talk about basketball in anywhere in the world, and the Boston Celtics must figure in that conversation in one way or another.

In 2008 they won their last NBA title, when they assembled a new Big 3 in Bean Town, three players who have Hall-of-Fame credentials, who will in all likelihood become first-ballot inductees as soon as they become eligible. 7-foot forward-center Kevin Garnett, 6-foot-7 swingman Paul Pierce, and 6-foot-5 guard Ray Allen, all came together in 2008 and talk of a new Celtics dynasty became rife all over the league. Pierce had remained faithful to Boston throughout the rebuilding years when the franchise went through a 20-year title drought. Allen came in to bring more scoring sock from the perimeter. When Garnett came aboard, bringing with him his incredible physical gifts and intensity, it seemed Boston would once again become the cream of the NBA.

Although that last title is just two years removed, it seems ages ago. That promise of establishing a new green and white dynasty did not quite pan out. Boston may have its Big 3, but beyond those guys they don’t seem to have much. While Rajon Rondo is emerging as an elite pointguard, he is far from being a part of a “Big 4”, and his development seems stuck in second gear. His inability to keep it together consistently in critical games keeps him on the bench in the dying minutes. In their last loss to hated rival Los Angeles, he sat out the last minute and a half when the Lakers came back from 11 points down as Eddie House ran the team. True, Rondo had 21 points and 12 assists in that game, and he cut up the Lakers defense almost at will, but his inability to hit the jumper and the freethrows consistently still make him a liability in end-game situations. Sure enough he muffed a 15-foot jumper form the side that could have sealed the deal for Boston. Instead, Kobe Bryant added to his superstar status by sinking the winning shot to give LA the 90-89 victory.

Overall, Boston as a team seems incapable of playing the ferocious, lock-down defense they played during the 2008 title run. Arguably the biggest reason for this letdown is Garnett’s gimpy knees. Garnett, 33 years young, had surgery on his knees that had him sit out 10 games this season. Last season, he was unavailable in the playoffs when Dwight Howard and Orlando made their charge towards the NBA Finals. Without the 7-foot lion protecting the rim and with little else available as a backup in that regard, the Celtics have been unable to stop teams from making baskets in tight games. Bryant was just the latest in this respect, as Boston also lost to Orlando and then Atlanta in games decided down the stretch. Since the Magic are the reigning Eastern Conference champions, and the surging Hawks look set for an even bigger finish this season, the Celtics ought to be worried – these will likely be the same guys they will have to go through in the East Playoffs. “We could always fall back on our defense, but lately guys just score on us,” said head coach Doc Rivers.

Rasheed Wallace was brought in precisely to address situations such as this. But the 6-foot-11 veteran simply is not in the same league as Garnett when it comes to crashing the boards, blocking shots, and just plain shutting opposing teams down. Wallace can hit everything from a three-pointer to a jump hook in the lane, but he does not play the defense Garnett does. He was brought in to be a complement to Garnett and provide valuable rest minutes for KG, not to be another KG should the original break down. KG just has not been able to recover and get after the ball like he used to due to his problematic knees. “You have to adjust, your body needs to adjust, just like everybody else getting long in the tooth,” said Lakers head coach Phil Jackson.

Allen is another question mark for the Celtics. He will be making $20 million in the last year of his contract, and at 34 years young, he will likely not be re-signed by Boston. They would of course love to get some one of value for Allen, but that is not the easiest thing to find in the NBA. They would love to get a younger, not-as-expensive 2-guard, and maybe trade Allen’s huge but expiring contract to any team looking to create some space in their payroll over the next year and a half. Allen is not kidding himself, and likely knows he will not be part of Boston’s plans in the near future. Boston’s dilemma now is whether or not Allen will stay on for the remainder of this season in one last championship drive, or to give him up now in exchange for a less-experienced guard and basically have the team suddenly degenerate into rebuilding mode midway into the season. Certainly they will not be getting the likes of Dwayne Wade or Michael Redd or Joe Johnson coming in just like that at this point.

Pierce, the last piece of the Big 3, is also relatively the healthiest. However we all know that Pierce really isn’t much without the other two, and without any significant help from the bench. He might lead the NBA in scoring, but without any real help the team will barely sneak into the eighth spot in the East Playoffs. Rivers needs his entire Big 3 on line and healthy, or at least within 90% in the case of Garnett. Orlando, Atlanta and of course Lebron James and Cleveland are all young teams with young legs, not exactly the best match for an aging and injury-prone squad like Boston. Heck, Boston had a hard time against Andrew Bynum in the Lakers game, how do they stop Howard, or Josh Smith and Al Horford, never mind James.

Maybe the leprechaun’s luck has run out.