Should KG’s C’s be happy about #40? G. Land

With their 104-97 win over Indiana last night, the Celtics became the first team to break 40-win ground this season. Great accomplishment, right? Well, we’re not quite sure how the basketball gods feel about the first team to touch that plateau.

In ’06-07, the Mavericks sprinted to a 40-9 record (matching Boston’s current mark) on a 113-97 mushing of Memphis. They didn’t really lose any steam, as they hit 60 wins before losing 12 games. But it all fizzled so quickly when the Nellie circus came to town in April. Soo quickly.

In ’05-06, the Pistons rolled to 40 before anyone else in the League. En route to a 64-18 record, Detroit topped the Clippers on February 8th, 2006 for No-40 in a 97-87 W. It wasn’t a good omen. Months later, they watched Dwyane Wade dismantle their vaunted defense for 28.4 points per night over six games. The Pistons didn’t have anything to show for the first 40 wins of the season either.

Get the picture?

Perhaps Ray Allen does. It’s an accomplishment that he’s never achieved over his 12 years. But he doesn’t think that’s a reason to celebrate.

“The first half of the season, a lot of teams will be talking about it. But it really doesn’t get you anything. It gets teams to play harder against you. We’ve just got to get some rest during the [All-Star] break and be ready to buckle down.”

Ray’s got the right attitude. Teams prove themselves after All-Star. The road to the break means nothing on the road to the playoffs.

But if history teaches us anything, there might be one lesson that contradicts Allen’s assertion. He says that 40 wins doesn’t get you anything. Ask the Mavs and the Pistons – they might say that it gets you nothing.