Your Morning Dump... Where I've figured out Doc's next move

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

If more than two debatable things have to come through for things to work out for a team, they’re probably already cooked. They’re just hanging around until someone serves them up.

If KG can stay healthy (he hasn’t).

If Paul Pierce [stats] can stay healthy (he hasn’t).

If Ray Allen has one more year like his great years left in him (he doesn’t).

If Glen “Big Baby” Davis is ready to grow up (he wasn’t).

If they can get as much out of this set of bench players as they did during the championship run of two seasons ago (they haven’t).

If Tony Allen is ready to become the player Ainge thinks is locked inside him (he isn’t).

Herald - Celtics Have Too Many Ifs To Contend (Ron Borges)

What's the singular thing that can bring the Celtics, a team that appears disinterested, lazy and selfish, together? The media.

Ron Borges is the latest writer to kick the Celtics. Gerry Callahan has written two columns recently begging Danny Ainge to shake up the roster. On national TV, Jeff Van Gundy said the Celtics were no longer an elite team. Read any of my postgame recaps of the past month, I'm sure I've said much worse.

The big, bad, brash Celtics are suddenly an underdog. Nothing motivates the troops better than doubt. Think 2001 Patriots.

Here's the speech I'm suggesting for Doc:

Nobody believes you guys can turn this around. KG - they say your finished. Paul - one blogger says you are wearing cement shoes. Sheed - they say you are fat, lazy and a locker room cancer. Ray - no one thinks you even belong on this roster. No one, and I mean no one, considers us championship contenders. Is that true? (Guys mumble 'no') I said, Is that f***in true?! (Guys yell 'No') I can't hear you! (KG leads an obsenity laced tirade which ends with NO!). Bring it in... Celtics hoo-rah, Celtics hoo-rah, Celtics hoo-rah...1-2-3 Ubuntu.

Boom. The guys come together, rattle off 12 straight wins, go 27-5 after the All-Star break and return to the top of the mountain.

On Page 2, Paul Pierce's wheelchair joke.

Yesterday morning was busy at the end of Concourse C in New Orleans International Airport. Passengers were waiting for a flight from Dallas, not much room to move, and there was Paul Pierce [stats], maneuvering through a gauntlet of luggage while in a wheelchair.

Say what?

“Ah, it’s nothing, I’m just kiddin’,” said Pierce, who plans to participate in All-Star Weekend despite a strained left foot.

Herald - How Paul Pierce Rolls

The rest of the links:

Globe - Cs Welcome Needed Break | CSNNE - Mirror, Mirror on the Wall | Team Closure to Team Collapse | ESPN Boston - History Repeating Itself with Big 3 | WEEI - Rondo's All Star Plan | Shelden Williams - Tweeting Machine | Real GM - Danny's Critical Juncture | Celtics Hub - Approach of the Dinos? | USA Today - Late Game Stumbles Hurt Celtics, Fuel Trade Talk | Herald - Celtics Slam on Breaks