Celtics primed for a second half run?

There's been WAAAAY too much "woe is us" stuff going on around here lately… especially for a team that is now 31-16.  That, by the way, is good enough to be a game out of 2nd in the East and have the 5th best record in the NBA.  I'm sure the fans of a couple dozen other NBA teams would like to have our kinds of problems.

But I digress…

The All Star break is around the corner.  And the Celtics are primed to come out of the break blazing for a couple of reasons.

1: Health

Kevin Garnett is getting stronger.  Paul Pierce will get through his little nagging injuries (after avoiding what could have been a bad one).  And Marquis Daniels is coming back in a couple of games.  

The Celtics will come out of the break (knock on wood) with something they literally haven't had all season:  A fully healthy squad.  Now we can toy with lineups based on matchups.  Glen Davis can play one of the big spots if Doc wants go small.  A big lineup of Quis, Pierce, Sheed, KG and Perk can be rolled out there.  Doc will have options that haven't existed yet this year.

2: Schedule

The end of February is not going to be easy, but March will.  Yes, the Kings, Knicks and Nets help round out February… but so do the Lakers, Blazers, Nuggets and Cavs.  But the C's March opponents currently have a mediocre 388-385 combined record.  And if count Detroit for a second time (the only team we play twice in March), that record is 404-416.

Then in April, the C's close out the season (after the April 5 Cavs game) with the Knicks, Raptors, Wizards, Bulls and two games vs. the Bucks. 

Get it?  After the grueling gauntlet of a first half schedule, things lighten up for the Celtics… and the C's came out of that gauntlet, as I said before, with a 31-16 record while dealing with injuries and a sprinkle of locker room tumult.

How are things going to go for a healthy C's team against a lighter schedule… especially as they find more cohesion?  And then once the playoffs start, the days of back-to-backs (the C's have 6 after the break) are done.  There's at least a day of rest after every game.

Yeah, the C's are older than most teams.  But things are shaping up to break favorably for an older team.  The C's have weathered a storm… now when they stare across the water from the bow of their weathered and beaten ship… they see blue skies, and calm waters.