Can Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo and Paul Pierce rediscover the championship form they displayed in 2008? (US PRESSWIRE)

Something is missing from the Boston Celtics and the team’s All-Star point guard senses it too.

After the Celtics were embarrassed by the Bulls and Heat, both games on national TV, Rajon Rondo admitted that his team is not the same battle-tested unit that flipped the switch during last season’s playoffs and made it back to the NBA Finals. “We’re a completely different team. It’s not the same team,” Rondo told the Boston Globe. “We’re not going to be able to turn it on like we did year. I don’t know what we’re waiting on but these types of games [against the top teams] we have to find a way to win. It’s a roller-coaster and right now we went back down today.”

Rondo also believes the Celtics are not playing with enough urgency, and they need to wake up before it’s too late. Is he right? Maybe so. But Rondo’s claim is probably not the real reason why the Celtics have struggled since the All-Star break. And not having center Kendrick Perkins, who is now in Oklahoma City, is only one aspect of the team’s recent slide.

The biggest reason why the Celtics are not playing at optimum level is simple: they have trouble scoring points.

Despite giving away Perkins, who may be one of the best low-post defenders in the Association, the Celtics’ defense has remained stout, limiting teams to under 90 points per game and 43% shooting from the field. However, the same can’t be said on the other end of the floor. Boston is currently 22nd in the league in scoring (96.6 points) and averages only 75 field goals per game, which is the fewest in the league.

Because the Celtics don’t hoist up a lot of shots, this puts a tremendous amount of pressure on their defense to keep the games close and each offensive possession is magnified. Even though the team shoots 48% from the field (which is the best in the league), the Celtics have to be near perfect on offense each game, and puts a tremendous burden on older players like Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett.

Rondo is absolutely on point when he said the Celtics are “not the same team.” But it’s not about getting the new players such as Jeff Green, Nenad Krstic, Troy Murphy and Delonte West into the mix. It’s more about The Big Three have declined and could be on their last legs.

During their championship season in 2008 and the season after that, head coach Doc Rivers used to rely on Pierce to create offense and put pressure on the defense by drawing fouls. But Pierce’s game has declined the last two seasons. His scoring has dipped from 20.5 in 2008-09 to 18.8 this season. He is also not getting to the foul line as much, attempting only 5.7 per game compared to 6.1 last year and 6.8 in 2008-09.

Allen’s numbers has also declined the past two seasons, as his scoring average has dipped to 16.6 from 18.2 two seasons ago. And despite a major rebirth this season, Garnett’s scoring average (14.8) is a full point lower than his PPG from 2008-09 (15.8).

One of the reasons why GM Danny Ainge decided to trade Perkins was to upgrade Boston’s second unit and get more scoring. Although Green is an upgrade from Marquis Daniels at small forward, he’s only giving Boston 9.4 points per game off the bench which is only two points better than what Perkins was averaging (7.3) before the trade.

Rivers is not about to waste Pierce, Allen and Garnett during the regular season, but all signs point to a major struggle to produce points once the playoffs begin with very little help from the supporting cast.

Kevin Garnett spent his prime years in Minnesota before moving to Boston three years ago.

Kevin Garnett can sympathize with LeBron James because he went through the same difficult decision three years ago.

Prior to coming to Boston in 2007, Garnett called Minnesota his NBA home for 12 seasons and the best his Timberwolves could do was reach the conference finals. Garnett stayed loyal to the Timberwolves even through the lean years, but his persistence to stay with the club cost him some of the prime years of his career.

“Loyalty is something that hurts you at times because you can’t get youth back. I can honestly say that if I could go back and do my situation over, knowing what I know now with [the Celtics] organization, I would have done it a little sooner,” Garnett said after the Celtics eliminated the Cavaliers in Game 6 of the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals.

“He should plan on making a decision not just him but for his family, his future.”

Garnett, who turns 34 on May 19, finally won that elusive NBA title in 2008 and now has an opportunity to win another one as his Celtics take on the Orlando Magic in the 2010 Eastern Conference finals.

“I don’t know what’s going through his mind,” Garnett said of James, who can become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and leave his hometown team of Cleveland.

“He’s a different individual. I haven’t spoken to him or anything, but the world is his. Whatever he wants to do, whatever decision he makes is probably going to be best for him and his family.”

Despite all of his limitations, Garnett – who turns 34 this month – can still impact a game in many ways and he is, without a doubt, STILL the most valuable player on the Boston Celtics.

Rajon Rondo is the most dynamic player on the Celtics, Paul Pierce is their best one-on-one player and Ray Allen is their best shooter. But all three have been able to stay in their proper roles because of Garnett.

With Garnett playing the backline of Boston’s defense, Rondo is free to freelance on defense, and Pierce and Allen can push up and play their opponents tighter without fear of getting beat off the dribble. KG is the conductor of Tom Thibodeau’s defensive philosophy, a well-orchestrated scheme that is built on packing the box and protecting the driving lanes, smothering pick-and-rolls and closing out on outside shooters.

The Celtics’ air-tight defense has managed to turn LeBron James into a reluctant scorer, and their masterpiece was on display in Game 5 when they held the two-time NBA MVP to zero field goals midway through the third quarter and cruised to a 120-88 rout to take a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series.

“We just change up looks,” Garnett explained. “You know, the player of [LeBron's] status and his ability, he’s so damn good that some of the schemes we just try to slow him down and put extra bodies in places to where he sees a group or a crowd.”

A frustrated and somewhat demoralized James was limited to 15 points below his season average, made just three of 14 shots from the field and was 0-for-4 from 3-point range in Game 5.

“I wouldn’t say he was frustrated, but I could see he was trying to throw this on myself,” Garnett said about James, who is nursing a strained and bruised right elbow. “He was very aggressive, you could see he was ducking his head going to the basket, trying to set up guys and get them easy shots. All the things he usually does. You see him start to take over the game it’s because he’s getting fouls, he’s getting and-ones. I thought we did a good job of crowding him and controlling everybody else.”

Kevin Garnett and the Celtics defense has been superb against LeBron James and the Cavaliers. (NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)

James’ struggles in the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals is more of a product of the Celtics’ defense than LeBron’s elbow, the Cavs’ lack of passion or energy, Mo Williams’ disappearing act, Shaquille O’Neal’s rust, or Mike Brown’s in-game adjustments.

“If we have an open look, we have to keep stepping in and knocking them down. You gotta give Boston credit. When we do get open looks, they’re doing a good job of flying out and contesting and trying to run us off the 3-point line as best they can. So, we either gotta let it go or attack the rim.”

With Garnett playing in the post on offense, the Celtics can throw the ball inside and work their offense inside-out. This keeps defenders attached to Allen and Pierce, and affords Rondo more room to collapse the defense with dribble penetration.

The Celtics love the Kevin Garnett-Antawn Jamison matchup and the Cavaliers have not been able to solve this problem through six games. Jamison, who is only 6-7, simply can’t handle Garnett on the block, and his outside shot hasn’t been consistent enough to pull Garnett out of the paint on defense.

“When we are aggressive, especially on both ends, it’s hard to beat us. I really, really believe that. We are a defensive team that can score the ball and at the end of the day we have to hang our hat on that,” said Garnett, who is making 50% of his shots from the field and averaging 18.2 points in the series. Meanwhile, Jamison is shooting 46% and averaging 13.2 points in the series.

And then there is Garnett’s intangibles.

He is the voice of Boston’s locker room. Rondo may be team’s best player and Pierce is the team captain, but Garnett is the team leader.

When KG talks, everyone listens. When KG leads, everyone follows.

Boston didn’t have its leader in last year’s playoffs, and it showed last May when the Orlando Magic eliminated the Celtics in seven games in the conference semifinals. Garnett painfully watched from the bench as the visiting Magic celebrated on Boston’s home floor in Game 7.

Fast forward to May, 2010, the Celtics are on the verge of returning to the conference finals and another date with the Magic. But this time, the Celtics have their old Big Ticket with them.

After winning his third consecutive NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard has clearly established himself as the best stopper in basketball.

Howard was second in the league rebounds (14.1) and fourth in blocked shots (2.3), and his presence in the middle allowed the Magic to be the fourth-best defensive team in the league in points allowed (93.7 points). He made NBA history last season when he led the league in rebounding (13.2) and blocked shots (2.8) in consecutive seasons (2009 and 2010). The 6-foot-11, 275-pound All-Star center was a near unanimous choice as the league’s top defender, garnering 114 of a possible 120 first-place votes.

Howard becomes the first player in NBA history to win the award three straight years. Other multiple winners of the award are Ben Wallace, Hakeem Olajuwon, Dikembe Mutombo, Alonzo Mourning, Dennis Rodman and Sidney Moncrief.

OneManFastBreak.net ranks the five best defenders in the NBA (regardless of position):

1) DWIGHT HOWARD, Orlando Magic, center
Howard stops and alters shots like a great goalie in hockey. Orlando’s entire philosophy on defense is to funnel all the scorers to Howard, and more often than not Howard ends up protecting the basket with his incredible jumping ability and intimidating raw power. No big man in the league defends the paint better than Superman II.

2) KEVIN GARNETT, Boston Celtics, forward
When KG joined the Boston Celtics in 2007, the Celtics instantly became the best defensive team in the league. Garnett is a unique talent who covers a lot of ground with his length, but he plays with tremendous passion and intensity that filters down to his teammates. Garnett plays the pick-and-roll better than anyone in the Association, and is also an incredible weakside or help defender. He rarely plays out of position on defense, and he never backs down from a challenge. When given the opportunity, he certainly can defend all five positions.

3) RON ARTEST, L.A. Lakers, forward
Age may have robbed Artest of his quickness but definitely not his power. Ron-Ron uses his hands very well, and he has extremely strong hands. At 250 pounds, he likes to put his body on opposing scorers to take away their air space and thrives on physical contact. But his biggest strength is probably his reputation, as most players are afraid to go at him.

4) TABO SEFOLOSHA, Oklahoma City Thunder, guard
If basketball fans can flashback to the 2006 NBA playoffs, that was the year we were introduced to Thabo and his defensive prowess. As a rookie with the Chicago Bulls, Sefolosha gave Dwyane Wade fits with his quickness and length. One team who was paying attention to Sefolosha’s defense was the Thunder, who picked him up in the 2008-09 season and he has become a regular starter with OKC. Because Sefolosha doesn’t “wow!” anyone with his stats, he tends to get overlook by the media. But you ask all the great scorers in the league, from Kobe Bryant to D-Wade, they’ll agree that Thabo is a first-team all-defender.

5) KIRK HINRICK, Chicago Bulls, guard
Suns coach Alvin Gentry says that Kirk Hinrich is the best on-ball defender in the league. That’s high praise for a guy who doesn’t get enough credit for his ability to make it extremely tough on perimeter players to score. Call it The Hinrich Maneuver. Just ask Wade, who always struggles against the former Bull and current Hawk. Atlanta became a much better defensive team when they acquired Hinrich.

6) GERALD WALLACE, Portland Trail Blazers, forward
Wallace finished 13th in the rebounds (10.0) in 2009-10, which is very impressive for a small forward. He also ranked 17th in steals (1.5) and 42nd in blocks (1.09) that season. He earned the nickname “Crash” for his penchant for crashing to the floor, the stands and the basket padding. Wallace is a solid one-on-one defender, but he is even better as a weak-side defender. His stats were down in 2010-11, but that was mainly because he moved to a new team and he is barely getting used to Nate McMillan’s system. Give him a full year and he should fill up the stat sheet.

7) KOBE BRYANT, L.A. Lakers, guard
Because of injuries and wear-and-tear on the body, Kobe has lost some of his aggressiveness on defense. But when Phil Jackson needs to apply the glove on an opposing team’s scorer, he often calls on No. 24. Bryant’s best attribute is his preparation and intelligence. He does his homework off the court and scouts his competition.

8) RUSSELL WESTBROOK, Oklahoma City Thunder, guard
During Team USA’s scrimmages in Las Vegas while they prepare for the FIBA World Championship, head coach Mike Krzyzewski teamed Westbrook and Rajon Rondo in the backcourt against a team comprised of college standouts. Westbrook and Rondo were so good defensively the collegians could barely get the ball past halfcourt. Westbrook is the point man of OKC’s defense. He sets the tone because of great ability to redirect an offensive player and his incredible skill to jump the passing lanes.

9) JOSH SMITH, Atlanta Hawks, forward
Smith has grown into a borderline All-Star player and his defense sets the tone for the Hawks. His former coach, Mike Woodson said, “You think back six years ago, Josh Smith has come a long way. I tip my hat to him because he’s worked over the years and has developed into a player.” Smith averages eight rebounds, nearly two steals a game and is one of the best shot-blockers in the NBA from the forward position.

10) JOAKIM NOAH, Chicago Bulls,
When Noah was sidelined with an injury, the Bulls struggled. When he returned, the Bulls became one of the beasts in the East. Noah plays with great energy and anchors the Bulls’ defense. He not only defends his position, but he also helps his teammates. He is among the league leaders in rebounds (10.4) and blocks (1.5) and loves to compete.

The Celtics defeated the Heat, 85-76, in Game 1 of their first-round series, but it came with a heavy cost as Boston won’t have one of its star players for Game 2.

With 40 seconds left in the fourth quarter and the Celtics ahead 81-75, Garnett and Heat guard Quentin Richardson got into an altercation near the Miami bench and several players got into a yelling match, which turned into a giant shoving match. As Garnett was trying to escape the brewing melee, he threw an elbow to Richardson’s jaw which drew a technical foul and an ejection from the game.

The NBA law clearly states that any punch or elbow that is thrown and connects will draw an automatic one-game suspension. Based on the video evidence, the NBA suspended Garnett for one game.

“It is what it is. You make your bed and you gotta lay it in. I gotta be smarter than that. Composure is everything in the playoffs. I gotta have better composure next time,” Garnett said during the postgame news conference.

Game 2 is scheduled for Tuesday, April 20, at TD Banknorth Garden.

“I saw Paul hurt his shoulder, and I was trying to give him some room and I saw Q standing over him talking nonsense. Before you know it, mayhem started. I thought Q showed a bit of disrespect by standing over [Pierce],” Garnett explained.

Garnett claimed that he didn’t remember throwing the elbow at Richardson, and he said all he was doing was making sure his teammate, Pierce, was OK after he saw him laying on the floor in pain.

“I don’t even remember elbowing anybody, I just remember guys were grabbing me,” Garnett said. “I saw Jamal Magloire grab me and, you know, me and D-Wade was talking. Next thing I know, Doc was yelling at me.”

Garnett said Pierce and Richardson have somewhat of a history, dating back to the days when Richardson was with the New York Knicks. Richardson, who once criticized the Celtics for talking too much trash, got tangled up with Pierce near sideline that resulted in Pierce suffering a stinger on his right shoulder.

Forward Glenn Davis will probably take Garnett’s place in the starting lineup.

10. STEVE NASH, guard: Nash was a very good point man in Dallas and posted some very good numbers. But when he got traded to Phoenix, some media members must have developed some kind of Alzheimer’s because they voted him MVP…twice! Sure, his stats got better and his Suns teams were fun to watch. But Nash’s game hasn’t changed since Don Nelson made him a full-time starter. The knock on Nash is that he’s the only two-time league MVP who has NEVER gotten past the conference finals.

9. DIRK NOWITZKI, forward: Zeeee German has easily been the best European player the past 10 years and is still the only Euro to win the Maurice Podoloff  trophy as the regular season MVP. Nowitzki, who has redefined the power forward position as the “soft” forward position, can sometimes get lost in a physical battle but when he’s allowed to float near the top of the free throw line, he is one of the deadliest shooters the game has ever seen.

8. DWYANE WADE, guard: When Pat Riley drafted Wade in 2003, the fortunes of the Miami Heat turned for the better. Nicknamed “The Flash” by Shaquille O’Neal, D-Wade rose to prominence with his spectacular play in the postseason. He powered the Heat to the Eastern Conference finals in 2005 in only his second season, and then lifted the Heat to a NBA championship in 2006. His place his history was permanently etched when Wade captured the MVP of the Finals with a spectacular series against the Mavericks.

7. CHAUNCEY BILLUPS, guard: His career took off when Larry Brown became the head coach with the Pistons. At 6-3 and well over 200 pounds, Billups is one of the most physical point guards in the league. He overpowers smaller guards and he is deceptively quick enough to get past most PGs. Billups’ crowning achievement came in 2004 when he led the Pistons to a victory over the Lakers in the NBA Finals and was named the series MVP. Nicknamed Mr. Big Shot, Billups is one of the best clutch shooters when the game is on the line and his supreme confidence never wavers.

6. ALLEN IVERSON, guard: From 2000 to 2007, A.I. had all the answers. He was the most dominated little man in the game and a certain Hall-of-Famer. Iverson was an explosive scorer, a player who can had the great ability to overcome any type of defense. All defenders were at his mercy when he isolated at the top of the key. During the decade, Iverson hit the 30-point scoring average five times and was named the 2001 league MVP. He took the Sixers to the NBA Finals that year, but lost to the Lakers in five games. A.I. was also a polarizing figure off the court. He was the poster boy for the Hip-Hop generation with his trademark cornrows and countless tattoos. His “we’re talking about practice!” soundbite has become a timeless loop on SportsCenter.

5. LEBRON JAMES, forward: Even though he came to the party late, LeBron James has certainly left an indelible mark in just seven seasons. He was the most heralded and super hyped high school player to ever enter the NBA, and was tabbed the Chosen One by Sports Illustrated. King James has changed the culture in Cleveland after the Cavaliers made James the No. 1 overall selection in the 2003 draft. James’ arrival gave Cleveland sports fans a ray of hope, something that has been absent for years because of past failures by the Cavaliers, Browns and Indians. In his fourth season, James powered the Cavs to the franchise’s first appearance in the NBA Finals. Then, in 2009, James captured the league MVP, joining Jim Brown, Otto Graham, Brian Sipe, Al Rosen and Lou Boudreau as the only Cleveland pro athletes to be named MVP. LeBron will move up on this list if he ever wins a NBA title.

4. KEVIN GARNETT, forward: The Big Ticket has redefined the power forward position. Before KG, power forwards were like plow horses whose were main jobs were to protect the centers and the guards and, outside of a few guys like Kevin McHale, Charles Barkley and Karl Malone, did most of the dirty work. But Garnett had the unique ability to play inside and outside and could outrun most guards in the open court. From 2000 to 2005, KG’s stat line was 22-12-5. His length was also a huge weapon on defense as he could defend any of the five position players. KG was named regular-season MVP in 2004 and, after getting traded from Minnesota to Boston, won a championship ring with the Celtics in 2008 that pretty much sealed Garnett’s legacy. If it weren’t for the next guy on this list, Garnett would be the No. 1 power forward in the history of the Association.

3. TIM DUNCAN, forward: Nicknamed The Big Fundamental by Shaq, Duncan was a picture of consistency the past 10 years and the foundation of the San Antonio Spurs’ mini-dynasty. Duncan was named regular season MVP in 2002-03, earned NBA Finals MVP in ’03 and ’05, and a member of the All-NBA first team seven times. The Spurs were consistently one of the better defensive teams in the league because Duncan was such a great help defender. At times, Duncan was overlooked because his game is unspectacular. But let me ask this? Is averaging 20-plus points, grab 10-plus rebounds and block nearly two shots a game unspectacular? Thought so. My only knock on Duncan is that he was reluctant to play center because of the physical nature of the position. He was more finesse. But I’m not hatin’ on Timmy D. He will go down in history as the greatest power forward in the history of the game.

2. SHAQUILLE O’NEAL, center: Dominant. That’s the best way to describe Shaq, also known as The Diesel, Superman, The Big Aristotle, and The Big Shaqtus. Though he only won one regular season MVP award (2000), you could argue that Shaq was the best player in the Association from 2000 to 2005, and could have easily won five consecutive MVPs. He did, however, manage to win three consecutive NBA Finals MVPs. The only person to ever pull that off is the great Michael Jordan. O’Neal averaged 30.7 points and 15.4 rebounds in 23 playoff games in 2000, and averaged 30.4 points and 15.4 rebounds in powering the Lakers to a record-setting 15-1 mark in the 2001 playoffs. In his prime, and when healthy, no player in the league commanded such big attention as O’Neal did. Sometimes a double was not enough to slow down Super Shaq because he would simply overpower mere mortals who got in his path.

1. KOBE BRYANT, guard: Bryant scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors in 2006. Meditate on that one for a few seconds…EIGHTY-ONE points! I never saw Wilt Chamberlain score 100 points in 1962, and no one seems to have any footage of that game. I’ve seen the box score but that’s it. I have Kobe’s 81-point game at Staples Center on my DVR and I still can’t believe a NBA player, while competing against paid professionals, can score that many points. Michael Jordan’s best scoring output was 69 points. Kobe surpassed that in the third quarter! Jordan is the ultimate barometer for today’s NBA superstar. His six NBA championships is considered the benchmark because, let’s face it, nobody is going to beat Bill Russell’s 11 rings. Jordan supporters say MJ was a once-in-a-lifetime player and there will never be another like him. ESPN’s SportsCentury series tabbed him the No. 1 athlete in the past 100 years. Well, obviously those people who said MJ is the greatest is completely ignoring Kobe Bryant.

Last summer, the Red Sox stumbled out of the American League pennant chase and was forced to watch the hated New York Yankees win the World Series.

Then last month, the Patriots were eliminated by the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild-Card round of the NFL playoffs and will have to watch the Indianapolis Colts, their AFC nemesis, play in the Super Bowl.

Now, the Celtics are waving the white towel faster than you could say “M.L. Carr!” losing 11 of their last 18 games since Christmas Day and recently got stung on national TV by The Black Mamba and the rival Los Angeles Lakers.

Loyal fans in Beantown still claim that the window of opportunity to win championships is still open for their beloved teams. However, the one opponent you can’t overcome is Father Time and the Red Sox, Patriots and Celtics have all fallen victim to his wrath.

The Celtics were one of the heavy favorites to win the Larry O’Brien Trophy when the season started, opening as a 2-1 pick to advance through the Eastern Conference playoffs and 4-1 to win the NBA championship according to BetUS.com.

But lately, the 2008 champs have begun to show some wear and tear, losing six of its last 10 games and, in a four-day span last week, the Celtics suffered a regular-season sweep by the Hawks, blew a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter against the Magic and lost at home by a point to the Lakers.

And to complete the cycle of bad luck, All-Star forward Paul Pierce, strained his left ankle against the Wizards Monday and is now day-to-day.

“Boston remains one of the most overvalued teams in the league,” said Covers.com experts Sean Murphy, who dropped Boston two slots from No. 6 to No. 8 in his latest NBA power rankings.

“They have done a fairly good job taking care of business against weaker opponents, but when stepping up in class, they’ve been awful,” says Murphy. “Those are the spots you really want to focus on if you plan on fading the Celtics.”

Head coach Doc Rivers said that his aging team needs to play with a sense of urgency. But if Rivers is pressing on the gas pedal now and building a ton of mileage in February, the Celtics could be running on empty come May and June.

“I can’t say that I see them as a championship contender this season,” Murphy said. “In my opinion there are at least three teams better than them in the East: the Cavs, Magic, and Hawks. Even the Raptors are making a push, and although they’ve struggled against the Celtics this season put them in a seven-game series and I think they would give them a run.”

Before the Celtics can begin to look ahead to playoff matchups they have some serious health issues that need to be addressed, mainly the status of Kevin Garnett. The 33-year-old All-Star forward has been in and out of the lineup the past two seasons and his troublesome right knee is about as stable as the U.S. economy.

Garnett is without question the linchpin that holds the Celtics title hopes. When he’s healthy, the Celtics have a championship swagger. But when he’s hobbling like Willis Reed, Boston becomes very vulnerable.

“I think this team really lost its momentum at the end of last season when KG went down and missed the playoffs,” Murphy explained. “Everything came together for them two years ago, and now they’re having a really tough time getting back their mojo, so to speak.”

Garnett has amassed more than 40,000 minutes during his 15-year NBA career. That’s more minutes than what Larry Bird, Charles Barkley, Dominique Wilkins and David Robinson each logged during their entire careers.

“KG has been around for a long time, and while he is still an elite player, I don’t think we’re ever going to see him play at the level he did earlier in his career,” Murphy said.

Ray Allen, the third cog of Boston’s Big Three, is struggling to match last season’s numbers. Through 46 games, the 34-year-old shooting guard is averaging 15.7 points per game (the lowest since his rookie year) and is making just 34 percent of his 3-point shots, the worst of his 14-year career.

Allen is a free agent after this season and, according to Murphy, there’s a good chance the Celtics are not going to bring him back next season.

Could this be the last time we see Boston’s Big Three wearing the Celtics uniform?

“They’ve already gotten their rings and I think you can clearly see that this is the beginning of the end for the star trio in Boston,” Murphy said.

This article also appears on Covers.com.

Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett are shouldering too much of the burden on offense and defense for the defending world champions. (THE BOSTON GLOBE)

Something is definitely wrong with the Boston Celtics.

Though the defending NBA champs are still a major driving force in the East, the Celtics’ high-powered engine is beginning to leak and their once tireless energy on defense is showing some wear-and-tear. Coach Doc Rivers also hinted the team is severely missing two key cogs from last season’s championship run: James Posey and P.J. Brown.

Both were outstanding bench players during the 2008 NBA playoffs, and their absence has exposed the Boston bench and forced Rivers to rely more on Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, who is beginning to show signs of fatigue.

Garnett may not admit it, but he’s not the same player. The effort and the intensity is still there but KG’s offense has fallen dramatically and his rebounding has become just average. KG still wants to push forward, but his gas tank is running close to empty.

To compound matters, The Big Ticket recently got punched out of the lineup when he injured his knee against the Denver Nuggets. He will be sidelined two to three weeks.

The loss of KG, coupled with the way the bench has disappointed this season, GM Danny Ainge rolled the dice by acquiring point guard Stephon Marbury and forward Mikki Moore. Instead of adding younger legs to an aging roster, Ainge took on two old individuals who know nothing about winning.

Marbury’s selfish acts are well documented. He’s all about himself. When he arrived in New Jersey, the Nets got bad. When he was traded to Phoenix, the Suns became average. When he landed in New York, the Knicks went into the tank.

Moore is a journeyman who has never played for a contender. His best years were spent in Sacramento when the Kings were far removed from playoff picture.

The loss of Posey – who signed with New Orleans during the offseason after Ainge refused to sign him to a longer deal – has had a more dramatic impact on the Cs. Boston was hoping 6-1 guard Tony Allen would stem the loss of the 6-10 forward, acting as the Celtics’ sixth man. But Tony A. has been a huge disappointment. He has struggled from the field all season and, for someone who is known for his defense, Allen has not been able to impose his will on that end of the court. Last season, Posey gave the Celtics solid defense and timely shooting off the bench.

Brown is retired and seems perfectly satisfied with one championship ring on his finger. Boston’s small front line could definitely use Brown’s size and experience (6-11, 255) in the interior, something 6-6 Glen “Big Baby” Davis and 6-6 Leon Powe will never be able to provide. Big Baby and Powe are both overmatched inside and neither is capable of stopping the other team’s post player.

Though he has vastly improved his offense this season, starting point guard Rajon Rondo is far from a finished product. Rondo is still limited offensively, relying too much on that one-handed runner. It will also be interesting to see how he responds to having Starbury in his ear (as if the kid from Kentucky does not get enough lip service from KG, Doc and Pierce).

After starting the season 27-2, Boston is only 17-11 since and 1-3 against its two main competition for the Larry O’Brien trophy: Cleveland and the L.A. Lakers.

If the Celtics wish to return to the NBA Finals, their bench will need to play better and take pressure off The Big Three. The question is, “Are they capable?” We’ll soon find out.

San Antonio's Tim Duncan is ahead of Boston's Kevin Garnett when it comes to championship rings. Duncan owns four while KG has one. (GETTY IMAGES)

Tim Duncan is the greatest power forward in the history of the NBA! Shhhhh. Don’t say it too loud because someone may hear it and tell Timmy. In case you don’t know, the San Antonio Spurs’ super stud prefers the low-key approach.

The big man from the Virgin Islands is not one who boasts about his accomplishments. It’s not his style. This season, Duncan surpassed 10,000 rebounds for his career, making him the 33rd player in NBA history to do so. When someone brought it up to the Big Fundamental, he said “It just means I’m getting older.” Last month, he became only the 14th player in league history to surpass 2,000 blocks.

Duncan is one of only four players in league history to have at least 18,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, 2,500 assists and 2,000 blocks. The other three are Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

While most great players embrace the spotlight and thrive on being loud and proud, Duncan chooses to be just one of the guys. His actions speak volumes, though. He owns four championship rings, two league MVP trophies and three NBA Finals MVPs. His name has been on the all-NBA teams and all-defensive teams 11 times. San Antonio has never missed the playoffs in the Tim Duncan Era.

OneManFastbreak.net rates the best power forwards in NBA history:

1) TIM DUNCAN: The total package. Can change the game on both ends.

2) KEVIN GARNETT: His stock rose five spots after helping the Cs raise championship banner No. 17 last June. Defense is KG’s big ticket. Has the size, speed and wingspan to guard all five positions. His entry into the 1995 NBA draft straight from high school and the $120-million contract he signed when he was in Minnesota forever changed the game.

3) KARL MALONE: Great individual numbers, but no rings.

4) CHARLES BARKLEY: See Malone.

5) KEVIN McHALE: The long arms and the steady diet of post moves drove opponents batty. Very underrated defender and made Larry Bird a better player.

6) JAMES WORTHY: Whether he played small forward or power forward, “Big Game” James was Magic Johnson’s go-to guy when the Showtime Lakers needed a hoop. Nothing small about Worthy’s game. He blended power and speed, and is one of best finishers on the break.

7) BOB PETIT Had to pay homage to the original “best PF.” The great Bill Russell said that “Bob made ‘second effort’ a part of the sports vocabulary.” Won an NBA title in 1958 and was league MVP twice.

8) DENNIS RODMAN: Ignore all the antics and the off-the-court issues and you have a unique player who might one of the five best defensive players of all time. Phil Jackson calls him one of the smartest players he’s ever coached. While a number of players has struggled to learn Jackson’s triangle offense, Rodman learned it in a week.

9) BOB McADOO: One of the greatest scoring forwards in league history. A three-time NBA scoring champion and MVP of the 1975 regular season. Helped the Los Angeles Lakers win the championship in 1982 and 1985. Elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000.

10) ELVIN HAYES: The Big E was and still is the face of Houston basketball – in college and at the pro level. His signature baseline turn-around jumper has been imitated but never duplicated.