For the last week or so, the Boston Celtics have been without Larry Bird, and just recently, also without the services of Robert Parish. I sat back at home and watched the Celtics vs. Pistons game and saw the Celtics thoroughly embarrassed by a team that was playing without possibly their best player (Isiah Thomas). The team looked horrible, lost and confused without Larry and Robert playing. What's even worse is that the leading scorer that night was a player who's up there in years, the injured Kevin McHale.

Is this a look at the not so distant future when Larry, Robert and Kevin retire? As for me, I believe that unless they improve themselves with a soild base of youths quickly, when these above mentioned players retire, the Celtics are going to be a team on a serious downslide. n