Celtics vs. Heat Game 1: Boston's Early Woes Prove End of Line Is Near

Perhaps the Boston Celtics should have been worried when absolutely nothing came easily in the first two rounds of the postseason.

But, if they weren't concerned then, they should be now.

In and of itself, losing Game 1 against the Miami Heat—in Miami—shouldn't sound too many alarms. The Celtics could still make a series of this.

The bigger concern is that for the umpteenth time in this postseason, Doc Rivers' veteran squad ran out of gas—especially on the offensive end.

Monday marked the ninth time in these playoffs that Boston didn't score at least 90 points. Of those nine games, this team didn't reach 80 points on three occasions. And, in 14 total postseason contests, the Celtics have scored 100 or more points just three times.

Sure, this is a defense-first team, but that doesn't justify what's happening on the offensive end of the floor.

The Celtics have made under 30 percent of their three-point attempts in the postseason, lacking any real perimeter game to speak of. They aren't getting off nearly enough shots, nor are they getting to the free-throw line.

Somehow, a controlled pace and defensive intensity have translated into a stagnant offense.

Kevin Garnett deserves endless recognition for his ageless performance, but his veteran counterparts haven't been so lucky.

Ray Allen scored just six points Monday night, going just 1-7 from the floor. Paul Pierce scored twice as many points, but it took him 18 shots to get there. Both have dealt with recent injuries, and their combined 70 years on this earth probably isn't helping matters.

As always, Doc Rivers deserves a lot of credit for keeping these two playing as well as they have.

While Boston may have lucked out by avoiding a healthy Chicago Bulls team in the second round, this club has certainly had its share of bad luck too. And, for the most part, they've still prevailed.

How much longer that will last is anyone's guess.

The Celtics know how to beat Miami—they proved it in April.

But, even the most committed of Celtics fans have to be wondering if this is where this core's run ends. Unless these guys rediscover the fountain of youth (and health) soon, they'll be in store for a long offseason of uncertainty and almost inevitable change.