The Boston Celtics, recent winners of 19 consecutive games now find themselves mired in their first slump of the 2008-09 NBA season. When we last checked in on the Celtics ten days ago, they had dropped three of four games. At that time, we cautioned readers not to write off Boston and reminded everyone that this was a bump in the road.

Since then, the Celtics lost another three games in four tries and now trail the Cleveland Cavaliers by two games for first place in the Eastern conference.

Thankfully for Celts fans, Boston righted the ship with a win Sunday night. Nevertheless, the team’s prolonged slump has drawn attention from all the major media outlets. Analysts have accused the team of everything from being overrated to having to desire to win.

Former Celtics player Cedric Maxwell gave his opinion on ESPN this weekend. According to Maxwell, the problem boils down to an overall lack of offensive production. He cited the fact that Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett have all slipped offensively in recent weeks. This could be the result of age-related decline or just slumps coinciding with each other.

One missing piece that has hurt the 08-09 Celtics is James Posey. Posey, an excellent three-point shooter, was also the second-best defender on the team after Kevin Garnett. Over the offseason, the Hornets offered Posey a four-year contract that the Celtics refused to match. Right now, they’re probably second-guessing that decision as the Celts have no one that comes off the bench to drill threes the way Posey did.

Tonight, the Celtics get another easy opponent, the Toronto Raptors. In their last ten meetings, the Celtics have won by an average of 11 points. The Raptors present another opportunity to get Boston back on track.

Nevertheless, the Celtics have been passed by the Cavaliers for first place in the Eastern conference and the red-hot Orlando Magic are just a game behind them. It would not be surprising to see the Celtics finish third overall, as the Cavaliers and Magic are both younger teams that are likely to withstand the long season better than Boston.

Rumors abound that the Celtics are considering bringing in Knicks malcontent Stephon Marbury. Despite the character issues, Marbury could be exactly what this team needs; an offensive threat to alleviate pressure on the Big Three. If the asking price is reasonable, GM Danny Ainge has to look into acquiring Marbury and giving his offense a needed shot in the arm.

Tagged with: boston celtics, cleveland cavaliers, james posey, nba, nba season, orlando magic

Related News Headlines

• NBA Power Rankings For The Week Ahead
• The NBA Power Five – January 12th Edition
• Midseason Glance: MVP
• NBA Beat
• Rest of the West?
• Cavs, Lebron James First To Clinch Playoff Berth
• Tracy Mcgrady To Miss Balance of NBA Season
• New York Knicks And Marbury Finally Part Ways
• Celtics Recovery Comes At New Jersey’s Expense
• History of Basketball

BasketballNewsOnline.com Latest

• 2009 Men’s ACC Tournament Predictions and Day One Schedule
• Providence Ends Depaul’s Upset Run In Big East Tournament
• 2009 Big East Conference Tournament Schedule and Predictions
• The 2009 Men’s ACC Tournament Schedule – Picks and Predictions
• Number One Seeds For The NCAA Basketball Tournament – Who Will Get Them?
• Carolina Whips Duke Yet Again For Season Sweep
• Charles Barkley Begins Jail Sentence
• 2009 Men’s ACC Tournament Looks Like Another Duke-Carolina Party Going In