0-2 is not a bad thing for this Celtics team.

Reasons why:

- They lost to two good teams that are essentially the same from last year's teams. With Pierce out, the Knicks and Heat have a step up on the Celtics, seeing as they're starting five, if anything, are improved over last year's squads. Also, Pierce tends to guard the Knicks' and Heat's best players - Anthony and James. With him out, things aren't the same.

- Duh! Pierce is out. Pavlovic is starting. Again, Pavlovic is starting! And, Daniels is his only backup. In a few weeks, Pierce will be starting, Pietrus will be backing him up, and Daniels will be backing up Allen. Pavlovic will, most likely, be cut be year's end.

- The Celtics defense looks atrocious, but they have more new guys than holdovers from last year, so it is going to take time to work things out. The shortened pre-season hurt this progression big time. Things will get worked out over the course of the year. Getting Pierce and Pietrus in will help. However, they cannot come out as passive as they have in the first half of the first two games. It's tough to come back from 15 down, especially when the offense isn't clicking.

- The Knicks and Heat came out fast and strong looking to hit the Celtics hard. The Celtics took the Knicks' best shot and lost by two off a horrible foul call; and the Knicks proceeded to celebrate like they won a playoff series. The Celtics' aren't handling well the Heat's best shot, but then again the Heat are a better team right now. Let's see if the Heat last the season - injury- and focus-wise.

- I know there are fans out there that don't like to blame the refs, but the refs have completely hosed the Celtics in the first two games. The fourth quarter just started in the Heat game and the Heat have shot 30 free throws - incl. the ludicrous call on the Bosh fast break. The Knicks shot 34 in the Christmas day game, including the game-winning two that were wrapped in a present with a huge bow for Anthony - that was clearly a clean steal by Daniels. Rondo has gotten tagged with a technical in the Heat game for calling out a ref who didn't make the right call and Daniels was tagged with a "clear path" foul, giving the Heat free throws and the ball, and that foul is rarely, if ever, called. In the Knicks game, the Celtics got tagged with three technicals, two of which were ludicrous. Joe Crawford, Danny Crawford, and Dick Bavetta need to be gagged, bagged, and dragged off into retirement land.

- The Celtics only need to stay healthy enough to get a top-6 seed, avoiding the Heat and Bulls in the first round. Unless the Celtics lose two of the Big-4 for a majority of the season, they'll accomplish this feat.

This season is about the playoffs, not the first two games. Let's see what the Celtics can do with a full squad and a full season behind them. I'm excited to see them play come playoff time.

Let's not sweat the first two games.