Jeff Green: Celtics Championship Window Officially Closed After Diagnosis

Jeff Green will miss the entire 2011-12 NBA season, which means the Boston Three Party era is officially dead.

The Celtics announced that their sixth man won't play this season after doctors discovered an aortic aneurysm in his heart.

Green's health is obviously the most important aspect of this issue, and it's good to see that he will be taking every precaution. He'll be back next season and should have a long career.

But in the meantime, the Celtics are completely screwed.

They're about to embark on a brutal schedule, playing 66 games in 120 days. Kevin Garnett has already complained about it—and the season hasn't even started yet. 

Every team will be affected by the shortened schedule, but its negative impacts on Boston stand out. Paul Pierce, Garnett and Ray Allen are 34, 35 and 36, respectively.

Those old legs will be worn down constantly, as the Celtics play multiple back-to-backs and even back-to-back-to-backs.

Boston was completely reliant on Green's energy, youth and versatility. He could play either the forward position and was one of the few players on the roster who wasn't alive during the Carter administration.

Now his minutes will go to Marquis Daniels and Sasha Pavlovich. If you're a Celtics fan, that sentence should be absolutely terrifying.

Everyone knew that Boston's championship window was closing fast. With Green out of the picture, it just slammed shut.