The Boston Celtics' Loss to the Dallas Mavericks Proves Nothing

The Boston Celtics lost another close close game to the Dallas Mavericks last night. Do they care? Absolutely not.

For the first time this year, the Celtics see the light at the end of the tunnel: Mickael Pietrus. In his first game with the Celtics, Pietrus only scored five points, but he showed that he will certainly be a valuable asset. He can knock down threes, run the floor and even apply pressure on defense. But most importantly, he allows Paul Pierce to get some rest.

Pierce, who only played 30 minutes last night, hasn't hit his stride yet. He looked tired and passive for three quarters, which is apparently because Celtics coach Doc Rivers had him running sprints on the treadmill earlier in the day. 

Nonetheless, the Celtics looked like their old selves down the stretch because of Pierce. He got to the free-throw line, made a great pass to Garnett and nailed a clutch, game tying three-pointer with 25 seconds left.

How did Pierce get things going after three-plus quarters of ineffectiveness? Rest. He spent the first half of the fourth quarter sitting on the bench. The Celtics must be overjoyed to finally have a viable alternative in Pietrus.

Everyone knows what the Big Four are capable of, but the Celtics' depth has been a welcome surprise. Brandon Bass looks phenomenal, averaging 12.3 points and six rebounds per game. 

Keyon Dooling is both an offensive threat and defensive presence. Even though his shot might be the ugliest in the NBA, it's more than effective at 40 percent from three-point range. Thanks to Dooling, the Celts don't drop off too much when Rondo takes a breather. 

And, both sophomore Avery Bradley and rookie Greg Stiemesma look like defensive studs.

Doc went 11-deep last night—no starter played more than 38 minutes—and they still almost beat the defending champs.

Doc knows what he's doing. He needs to win games, but he can't do so at the expense of the Big Three. He needs them to be healthy and rested for the playoffs.

The real problem for the Celtics is Rajon Rondo. He's at his best in the open court and pushing the fast break, but the Big Three just can't keep up.

Allen, the ageless wonder, will definitely run with Rondo, but Garnett and Pierce need to save their legs for the playoffs. It doesn't help that their half-court sets have looked stagnant this season, but a healthy Pierce should alleviate that issue. If Rondo can strike a good balance between pushing the break and slowing things down, this team can be very effective.

The Celtics are a lot like Ron Paul. They're old, this is probably their last run and nobody thinks they can win. But they'll be considered dangerous come playoff time, and they'll most definitely be nipping at the Heat and Bulls' heels.