Boston Celtics and 5 Playoff Teams That Are Headed for a Massive Collapse

Age and injuries can be a cruel, cruel mistress to NBA teams. 

Like a 90's pop band on a reunion tour, teams can only achieve so much success before they have to reinvent themselves and add something new.

For these next five teams, it's no different.  Instead of hanging on to past success with aging stars or upcoming free agents, it may be best to blow up the roster now with an injection of youth before current players completely lose their value.

Here are five of the NBA's best quickly headed to basketball purgatory unless major moves are made.

Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics started out the 2010-2011 season with a bang, knocking off the Miami Heat 88-80 in what was the highest-rated basketball game on cable television ever with over 7.4 million viewers.

They ended the season with a collective whimper, losing to the same Heat squad they dominated in the regular season in only five games, unable to top 97 points in any of the contests.

The future in Boston appears cloudy, at best. 

As it stands only Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Avery Bradley and rookies JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore are under contract for 2012-2013, with Jeff Green likely to sign an extension when the season resumes.

Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen are both 35 and free agents after this season.  While it's feasible that both could resign with the club for a significant discount, neither are the players they were in the Celtics championship run of 2008.

Danny Ainge knows this, which is why he pulled the trigger to get Jeff Green to inject some youthful scoring into their aging roster.  Johnson and Moore will help, but with the original Big 3 all at least 33, time is ticking on another championship run.

With Garnett and Allen possibly playing their last season in Boston, 2011-2012 may mark their last chance together to get it done.

New Orleans Hornets

Who honestly expects Chris Paul to stay in New Orleans?

The Knicks will be in need of a point guard and Paul will be tired of depending on Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza to help carry the Hornets to the playoffs.

In a perfect world, Paul stays and New Orleans brings in another star to help take some pressure off the former Demon Deacon, but this world is far from perfect.

New Orleans would be wise to trade him this season, along with Okafor's terrible contract and get a little return before he bolts for what many would assume be the Big Apple.

San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs have been a staple on how to run a small market team for over a decade now, but that staple is quickly rusting away.

Aging stars coupled with bad contracts could spell the end of the Spur dynasty, unless some moves are made.

Tony Parker could be traded, although George Hill is no longer around to take over the point guard position.  Kawhi Leonard is a nice acquisition, although he'll see limited minutes unless Greg Popovich wants to bench $40 million man Richard Jefferson.

Any way you look at it, this is an old roster who's quickly being passed up by the Grizzlies and Thunders of the league.

They could still win 50 games next year, but this is a team on a steep decline with no proven young talent set to take over.

Orlando Magic

Even if Dwight Howard signs an extension with Orlando, the Magic are quickly on the decline.

After making the Finals in 2009, Orlando has exited the playoffs earlier and earlier and last year was bounced in the first round by the Atlanta Hawks.

J.J Redick for $6.5 million.  Hedo Turkoglu at $10.6 million.  Gilbert Arenas playing for the bargain price of $19 miliion.

How did it get so ugly, so fast?

Otis Smith shouldn't trade Howard, but he should do everything in his power to acquire at least one impact player that could convince Howard the team is making improvements, instead of regressing as it appears to be doing.

However, if the trade deadline has passed and the Magic are only hovering around .500, it might be best for all parties involved if Dwight is dealt.

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks, fresh off an NBA championship, could be headed toward a major hangover.

Dallas went all-in last season, trading for Tyson Chandler after giving Brendan Haywood $55 million and trading for Caron Butler the year before while already having Shawn Marion under contract for $8 million a year.

The move paid off, obviously, but it's also put Dallas in a tough position.

As it currently stands Tyson Chandler and J.J. Barea are due for big contracts, and Jason Terry and Jason Kidd will want new deals after next season if Kidd decides not to retire.

With no room to sign any outside free agents, Dallas will have to stick to what they already have, and hope it doesn't age too quickly.

Right now the team is at a championship level.  Looking two years down the road however, the Mavericks will owe over $40 million just to 35-year-olds Dirk Nowitzki and Shawn Marion and a 33-year-old Brendan Haywood.

Yikes.