Disturbing Trend or Aberation?  As the February 5th rematch
against the Lakers draws closer, I sense history making an
attempt to repeat itself. Prior to the first meeting, our
stellar defense took some games off. Instead of holding teams
below 90 points and below 45% from the field during the lead-up
to Green-Purple I, the Celtics decided that defense wasn't as
important as they once thought, and were now trying simply to
outscore their opponents.  The below chart illustrates. In four
of the five games preceding the loss at Staples, the opponent
either scored more than 90 points against the Celtics, shot 45%
or better from field, or both. During the SLUMP, in which we
lost 7 of 9, the opponent scored more than 90 points and shot
better than 45% in every loss but one, the loss to the Knicks,
who scored 100 points but only shot .415.  In the first seven
wins of the latest winning streak, the Celtics defensive
dominance returned for the most part. In all but one of those
seven games, the Celtics held their oppo