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Do the Celtics lose because they are being lethargic and unmotivated? Or do they lose their composure and get down on themselves when they are down and thus look lethargic and unmotivated? Chicken or the egg, it doesn't really matter at the end of the day. It is just painful to watch as a fan.
So when you see them snap out of their funk and start to display some of that swagger that we've all come to know and love, you know things are going well.
The Boston swagger is returning. After beating Indiana, Pierce stated that he’s confident the Celtics can beat anyone. Following the Atlanta win, Jason Terry explained that "cream shall rise to the top." During the New York game, Garnett woofed enough that Carmelo Anthony waited for him outside the Celtics bus. Pierce blew kisses at the Madison Square Garden crowd. Sullinger snatched rebounds with force, pumped his fist through the air, and then told reporters afterward: "My role is to be that nagging rookie nobody likes." Bradley isn’t a rookie, but, like Sullinger, he certainly plays as if he wants no friends.
That is the Celtics that I want to watch. They've been talking the talk all year, but they're finally walking the walk and it is a lot of fun.
Again, it seems like a chicken or the egg sort of thing. When the ball is going in, you get more confident and the rim looks larger and you make more shots and upward it goes. It is a long season and there will be plenty more speedbumps and cold streaks for this team ahead. But it is refreshing to see them finally get a nice hot streak heading into a 5 game homestand that they could really (knock on wood) take advantage of (see below).