Do you remember where you were on Jan. 5, 2007?
The Boston Celtics do. They were in Memphis on that historic Friday night, beating up on the Grizzlies with a 128-119 shootout win, behind 26 points from Wally Szczerbiak.
Over a month has passed since, and the world has changed dramatically. David Beckham now has a bigger contract than the GDP of Grenada, Peyton Manning's jewelry box is no longer empty and the city of Boston has been held ransom by dozens of crazed cartoon characters.
But one thing has yet to change - the Celtics' win total. The men in green improved to 12-20 with that fateful win in Memphis, and a month later, they're 12-36, no longer contenders for anything, save for the lottery pick that may land them Kevin Durant in this year's draft.
But if Celtics history has taught us anything, it's that all things - good and bad - must come to an end at 16. Just as the Celtics may never win a 17th championship in our lifetimes, they're not going to lose a 17th-straight game, either.
Tonight the Celtics host the New Jersey Nets, who have lost four of their last five, with the only win coming by two points over the horrendous Atlanta Hawks. The Celtics won their last match-up with the Nets - in East Rutherford no less - thanks to a 29-point, 14-rebound performance from Al Jefferson. Given the defensive ineptitude of Jefferson's opposing power forward, Nets veteran Jason Collins, there's no reason that last month's double-double shouldn't happen again. This pick's for you, Al.
The pick: The streak ends now. Finally. The Celtics win a game.
-by Evans Clinchy
