Last Call: Boston Celtics and Teams That Need to Make Most of Short NBA Season

Unless you're the Los Angeles Lakers, there is a window of opportunity for every NBA team. 

For these five teams, that window is closing.

Whether it's because star players are getting older or having their contracts expire, these teams really need to take advantage of the fact that the season is short, so their players stay fresh for the playoffs and push the sun back up in the sky for one last time before the window is shut tight. 

Boston Celtics

Ray Allen is 36. Paul Pierce is 34. Kevin Garnett is 35. 

It's been well documented that the Big Three have become the Old Three. Ever since they came together in 2007, the Celtics won just one title. 

After their championship victory, the Celtics would often get bruised, battered, or just tired in the playoffs. A shortened season along with a long offseason could've helped the Celtics recover and stay healthy throughout the season.

However, they're 4-8 so far and the prospects look dim. 

The only bright spot on the team is Rajon Rondo and Doc Rivers has instilled all of his confidence in him to lead the team.

The Celtics will probably bounce back later on in the season. Allen, Pierce and Garnett may be old but they have enough in the tank to get them in the playoffs and go deep. Most of their losses have come to elite teams like the Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, twice to the Indiana Pacers, the New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks and Chicago Bulls.

That's an arduous schedule. As things get easier for the Celtics, they'll recover and make one last push before their window closes. 

San Antonio Spurs

After winning 61 games last season and losing in the first round to the Memphis Grizzlies, it was clear that the San Antonio Spurs' window of opportunity was closing. 

They just gassed out at the end of the season.

That being said, they've made several young additions like DeJuan Blair, Kawhi Leonard and Gary Neal to lead the team after Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili become inept in leading a team. 

This team still belongs to Duncan, Parker and Ginobili and, while the Spurs are drafting well to remain competitive in the future, this short season was a good opportunity for their core to avoid injury and stay fresh for the playoffs, where they collapsed last season. 

Duncan and Co. aren't going to have many more opportunities. It's just the nature of the game. 

Orlando Magic

There's a good chance that Dwight Howard could leave this summer. Once he's gone, the Orlando Magic will more than likely turn into the Cleveland Cavaliers of last season. 

The Magic have always been a one-man team and part of the reason why they weren't able to win an NBA championship is because Dwight never had any help. 

As much as the Magic are trying to get him help in Disney World, Howard still carries the team on his shoulders. The Magic haven't traded Howard yet leading one to believe that they're going to give it one more try with Howard. 

They're putting all their chips in and it'll be wise to surround him with at least some help at the deadline.

They're currently 9-3 and life is good with Howard, but the Magic know that they can hit the cellar very quickly once he leaves. 

New Jersey Nets

Does Deron Williams even want to be in New Jersey?

He still hasn't signed an extension with the Nets and with the team at 3-11, Williams wouldn't mind playing for a more competitive team. (Rumor has it that the Lakers have a 37-year old starting point guard in Derek Fisher.)

This was supposed to be the season that the Nets made the playoffs. They were supposed to take advantage of a shortened season, stay healthy (which they haven't), and prove to Deron that this team wants to win. Perhaps acquiring Dwight Howard would've made this team a playoff team.

They had to do something to convince Williams that the New Jersey Nets were his team for the future.

They still have time and, while it will be difficult to turn things around, maybe a hot second half could at least show Williams that once Brook Lopez returns from injury the team will be a contender in the East. 

Miami Heat

It's not that the Miami Heat's window for a championship is closing. LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade are all under contract long term.

But their quest for a dynasty is closing. 

LeBron and the Heatles wanted numerous titles when they joined together in South Beach. They came close last season and are the favorite to win it this season.

The Heat clearly are the most ready team to win it all.

The Mavs went through changes, the Knicks don't play defense, the Magic are one-dimensional, the Lakers couldn't get Howard, the Clippers need to develop chemistry, the Spurs and Celtics are too old and the Thunder don't have enough depth.

Finally, the shortened season makes it more difficult for these teams to address those problems because there just isn't enough time.

The Heat developed chemistry last year and they have three stars in their prime. There is no reason why they shouldn't start their dynasty this year.

If they don't, the ridicule will continue for LeBron and we'll continue to hear the same old lame jokes about LeBron's phone only being able to vibrate and not ring.