Disinterested

After losing their second straight home game to an inferior opponent, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and the Celtics seem to have lost their killer instinct. 

As if committing an uncharacteristically high 20 turnovers Wednesday night in an embarrassing 90-87 defeat at home to the Memphis Grizzlies wasn't bad enough, the Celtics' lackluster play continued Saturday night against the lowly Charlotte Bobcats. Looking to avenge their loss against Memphis just days before, the Celtics raced out to an early lead before crashing and burning in the fourth quarter against a team playing without three of its best players in Stephen Jackson (strained hamstring), Tyrus Thomas (bruised ribs) and Gerald Wallace (traded at the deadline to Portland).

Not only were the Celts outscored 30-15 in the final quarter, but Boston blew a 13 point lead and seemed to be in some sort of late-season coma. Their defense, the pillar of their championship run in 2008 and the one thing they continue to hang their hat on to this day, faltered horribly. Of course, not every shot the Celtics take will go in, but the one thing Doc Rivers has always been able to rely on- even through tough times- has been defense. On Saturday night, the Celtics didn't play an ounce of it.

"Our defense really broke down in the fourth quarter," said Paul Pierce. "Regardless of however our offense in going- it's been struggling as of late- we still should be able to put together a defensive run."

In fact, the come-from-behind victory was so surprising that not even the Bobcats' head coach, Paul Silas, saw it coming.

"I just didn't know that we had it in us to really score like we did, especially in the fourth quarter," explained Silas, the former Celtic great. "Truthfully, I did not think we had a chance to win this ball game."

So, after two straight sub-par performances against teams well-below the Celtics in the standings, the question must be raised:

Are the Celtics in serious trouble?

Doc Rivers, for one, seems to be pointing towards yes.

"The way we're playing shocks me. Our attitude shocks me," said Rivers. "I just think we've become very, very selfish, not just as far as trying to get our own (shots), but everything is about how we're playing individually, instead of how the team is playing."

Brace yourselves, Celts fans, it gets even worse.

"A guy struggles, he pouts, he moans. Everything is me, me, me on our team right now, feeling sorry for themselves instead of giving themselves to the team and playing."

So there you have it. Forget about losing the number one overall seed to the surging Chicago Bulls. The Celtics now have a much bigger problem: The most unselfish team in basketball is now playing selfish basketball.

Their stars are faltering. For some reason, KG, Pierce, Ray and Rondo have hit the skids lately. To make matters worse, the backlash of the Kendrick Perkins trade is coming back to haunt the Celtics. Since trading away their lone intimidating presence in the paint, the Celts are just 9-7, a far cry from their  blazing pace for much of the season. Adding insult to injury, they look far too pedestrian without Perk in the middle, devoid of grit, poise and hard-nosed effort.

"It's not about making excuses," said Ray Allen (before making an excuse). "But I think the chemistry with the new guys is still being built."

In the end, Celts fans must ask themselves: is this just a case of a veteran team that has hit the doldrums of March and become bored and disinterested? Are they tired of the regular season and simply waiting for the playoffs to turn the switch back on?

Or is there something much worse going on? Are the Celtics Big Three finally showing their age? Did the trade of Perk destroy the Celtics unparalleled chemistry? Will the new guys be able to step up before it's too late?

While opinions will no doubt differ on the matter, the die-hard Celts fan can't help but worry.

But then again, a wise man once said, the day is always darkest before the dawn.