For my spring semester at BU, I have a couple of classes that require me to report on Boston.  One is a sports journalism class.  This post is my first in a series on the Boston Celtics.

In the past four days, Doc Rivers has threatened to reexamine the Celtics roster and Paul Pierce has admitted he believes the team lacks mental toughness.

Gary Washburn, Celtics beat writer at the Boston Globe, uses his recent pieces to document coach and player reactions to the Celtics losing streak.  Boston won six straight games earlier in January, but after Tuesday night’s 95-90 loss to the Cavaliers the team has dropped four in a row.

Rivers and Pierces’ comments even came before the symbolic loss in Cleveland, where the Celtics played well for stretches but squandered a fourth quarter lead to an 11-32 team (albeit one led by a 40-point performance from Kyrie Irving, who became the youngest player in NBA history to score 40 against the Celtics).

Now the Celtics are 20-21.  They face the Knicks, the Heat and the Hawks in their next three games.  All three teams are heading for the playoffs, and the Knicks and Heat are vying for the top seed.  The Celtics have not been under .500 halfway through a full season since 2006-2007, when the team finished 24-58.

But through 33 games of last year’s 66-game season, the Celtics were 16-17.  That team finished the regular season 23-10 and was a game away from the NBA Finals before LeBron James decided to spend more time at the rim.

The whole team is a year older.  Rajon Rondo has not taken the step forward as a shooter that coaches, teammates and fans hoped he would.  But this team is still far from in danger of missing the playoffs.  Right now Boston has a three and a half game lead on Philadelphia for the final playoff spot in the East.  Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner have been pleasant surprises for the 76ers thus far, but the team is 2-8 in its last ten.  And Andrew Bynum may never play a game wearing a 76ers jersey.

All the playoff teams in the East are within seven and a half games of each other.  Jared Sullinger continues to strengthen his game (he recorded his second double-double of the season against Cleveland) and Avery Bradley is recovering from a rib injury.  Part of River’s job is to motivate the team; It’s just a muscle he hasn’t had to flex in public often with leaders like Pierce and Garnett.  Creating a sense of urgency is important, but the Celtics have plenty of time to prove they are still a threat to the Heat and the rest of the East.  Winning seventy percent of their remaining games like last season is unlikely.  But this team still can work its way into a secure playoff spot.  And if they do finish eighth, Garnett, Pierce and Rondo may have a chance to redeem themselves against Lebron and former teammate Ray Allen.