Top > Sport > 2007 > February > 2007-02-23

Celtics Get a Win and a Break

Still holding on to the NBA?s worst record with 13 wins in 51 games, and breaking a franchise record with 18 straight losses, the Boston Celtics have to really be happy with the win they managed to work out against the Milwaukee Bucks. The home win against a team missing its leading player, Michael Redd, was nonetheless welcome by players and fans alike. A 117-97 win and the return of forward Paul Pierce to the line up have the Celtics? confidence back up. "I feel like we can beat anybody, regardless of East Coast, West Coast, South, whatever," said forward Al Jefferson.

This may turn overly optimistic as the team will return from the All Star weekend break straight for a five game Western Conference road trip, playing against Sacramento, Phoenix, the Lakers, Utah and Houston. So far they have met four for the team, all except for the Rockets, and have lost all four games. Coach Doc Rivers acknowledged this will be a difficult task, saying ?Listen, we`re going on a five-game road trip now out West, so it doesn`t get any easier.?

It is worth mentioning though that the Celtics, although youthful and fresh, have suffered from terrible luck and games missed due to injuries. The team has lost 157 man games this season so far. Team leader Pierce and lead supporter Wally Szczerbiak had not played together since mid December. That was when they still won games, consecutive games at that ? a five game winning streak.