I was accepting of the 0-2 start, as you can read here.

However, after watching the Hornets game (back-to-back, or not), I'm beginning to remember why I was hesitant during the off-season in wanting to bring back Doc to coach this team. My hesitancy was worded as such: “Due to Rivers’ reliance on his starters and the general offensive ineptness of the team [they finished 17th in offensive efficiency last season], I wish that he would be let go [at season’s end]. I want a more exciting and competent offensive coach. My rationale is that, with KG’s authority on defense and a mediocre defensive-minded coach (Ass’t or Head), the team will be fine on defense. I am concerned about their offense, which was stagnant at times, DOA at others.”.

Now, it seems the team is suffering on offense (for reasons we've seen over the past three seasons) and defense (due to new players and a shortened training camp). With a below-average offense, the team needs its defense to be superior. It is not. The rotations aren't there, KG and JO are looking old, and Rondo is lackadaisical (Norris Cole and Jarret Jack owned Rondo during the past two games - how can Rondo be a top-5 PG if he cannot contest a Cole jumper or keep Jack out of the paint?).

Pierce and Pietrus will help, as will time together on-court for the team to gel. New guys have to learn the defense. Doc has to spice up the offense. Too often, when the initial offensive set breaks down, the ball ends up in Rondo's hands with the shot clock running down, leading to a hoisted jumper, which isn't Rondo's specialty.

The reason I see the team being under .500 for a while is because during the course of January they play: Indiana three times, Orlando twice, Dallas, Chicago, OKC, and Phoenix (the same Phoenix that handed us our worst loss last season). They have seven games they should absolutely win: Washington three times, Cleveland twice, New Jersey, and Toronto. Should win? Need to win. They already lost to the Hornets without their best player (Eric Gordon). That's nine tough games against seven winnable games, and they're already 0-3. Oh, and January has four back-to-backs.

February doesn't get much easier: NY, Memphis, Lakers, Chicago twice, Dallas, OKC, and Milwaukee, with four more back-to-backs.

I'm not calling it quits by any means (I'm wearing my 1986 Celts shirt at work right now!), but the Celtics cannot lose many more games before they're in serious jeopardy of finishing this season under .500 - which would still probably get them into the playoffs (and that's an entirely different story). Another injury this season could decimate this team, leading to a complete Danny Ainge-assisted blow-up. Let's hope the winning ways come back sooner rather than later, because time, believe it or not, is already running out. If the team cannot fix these issues during the regular season, they won't fix them in the playoffs.