Ron Artest Isn't Walking Through That Door

Good thing, too. The last thing this team needs is a loose cannon to disrupt the emerging mix of veterans and youngsters under the brilliant tutelage of Coach Doc Rivers.

The results of this hard work were evident in last night's satisfying 85-71 win over the similarly Artest-less Pacers. Captain Paul Pierce threw down 25 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in the victory and Mark Blount (rumored by some as part of a trade for Artest) nailed a season-high 22.

But it was the defense, the hallmark of the great Celtic teams of the past, that shone brightly on this night at the Toronto Dominion BankNorth Garden (let's not forget that the place is named after Canadian bankers!). Maybe the Marcus Banks activation has lit a fire under the whole Celtics team. Good.