Celtics see power struggle
Road is tougher as foes improve
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HOUSTON - The Celtics realized the road would be especially rough this season even before Saturday's 95-79 loss to Indiana in their first away game. And the Eastern Conference road could become even more difficult as the Detroit Pistons acquired Allen Iverson in a trade with Denver for Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess yesterday.
"I was hoping they traded all five of their starters," coach Doc Rivers joked while preparing for tonight's game against the Houston Rockets. "All of them to the West, with no return.
"I look at it like Detroit needed to make a change. They've been together so long. It's an interesting trade, and there will be more of them, because of the fact they want to win now and they feel they need to make a change to win it. They are on that age line. They've got to do it soon, otherwise the starters will start going the other way in age. You're going to start seeing that a lot."
The Celtics made radical changes before last season, the moves paying off in an NBA championship.
"I don't think we shook up the process," Rivers said. "We did, only as far as turning it around quickly. We changed our players and we changed our culture, and when you do both, it usually turns out pretty good."
But the Celtics were getting into tunnel vision mode after practice at the University of Houston.
"Only time will tell," guard Sam Cassell said of the Iverson trade. "He is a great player, but we have to concentrate on us and don't worry about that. No matter who we play, we have to be ready to play.
"It was a rude awakening [Saturday] night. This team has come back from big deficits, but the way we play is to take the lead and stay ahead. That was a wakeup call."
Several Celtics spent the final minutes of practice at the free throw line. They were 21 for 35 from the foul line against Indiana and are shooting .667 in three games.
"We missed five or six in row at one point," Rivers said. "It didn't matter, but if we made them, it would have been a different game because we would have been [within 4 points of the lead], and it changes the mind-set."
Houston is among several teams whose acquisitions appear to be paying off. The Rockets added Ron Artest in the offseason, and they have won their first three games.
"Guys are healthy right now, which is the biggest thing," Rivers said. "[Artest] gives them a better identity, a tougher identity. They have a protector for Tracy [McGrady] and Yao [Ming]."
The Celtics might have been surprised by Indiana's intensity, but Rivers expects them to shift into another gear.
"We're going into the lion's den 41 times a year and that's fine," Rivers said. "I enjoy that. I enjoy the intensity and it will help us in the long run, it will make us a better team for when the playoffs start."
Said Kevin Garnett, "When we used to play the Spurs, the Lakers with Shaq, the Bulls, I was always jacked up. We have to put ourselves in those positions, and we've been there countless times."
Cassell practiced at full speed but is expected to be on the inactive list.
"I'm here for the postseason," Cassell said. "Doc's getting me ready, he'll give me enough time, then activate me. I'm in good shape, I'm in better shape than last year, and when my number is called, I'll be ready."
McGrady said the Rockets are attempting to copy the Celtics' success.
"I know how they made it work," McGrady said. "All three of those guys played on bad teams. They really hadn't accomplished a lot. KG did make it to the Western Conference finals. Ray Allen, he was very successful. Paul [Pierce] got out of the first round several times. Other than that, I think those guys were hungry.
"All three guys were just hungry, all three of them were unselfish players, and what matters the most is all three sacrificed.
"You know how unselfish I am, Yao's the same way, and for people who don't know, Ron is like that as well. Everything is nice around here. We're getting too old. The window is closing."
Marc J. Spears of the Globe staff contributed to this report.
