Damn It Feels Good to Be a Gangsta

SPORTING GOODS

Even Dan Shaughnessy is feeling good enough right now to resist coming down as the wet blanket.

He points out that Boston teams have now won 12 straight playoff games: 8 by the Sox, 3 by the Patriots, and now 1 by the Celtics.

The last time the Celtics won their division, they also played the Pacers in the first round, sweeping them in 3 games.

That team's leading scorer was Reggie Lewis (R.I.P.). Second leading scorer Larry Bird only played in 45 games as his ailing back got worse and worse. Robert Parrish and Kevin McHale were still kicking around and contributing, while other key players included Kevin Gamble, Ed Pinckney, Rick Fox, and John Bagley.

Although the big 3 were still around, this certainly wasn't the legendary Celtics of the '80s, and the dark period was about to set in. The good news for this year's division champ playing the Pacers is that the age factor is not bearing down on the team; it's not now or never, just now would be nice. And surprising.