HILADELPHIA - With the Celtics playing better than expected, it's easy for coach Jim O'Brien to say he had complete confidence his players could perform at their current level, that he never had any thoughts of personnel changes. But it's true. O'Brien always believed the nucleus when he took over should be the nucleus of the future, that the players at Boston's core were playoff-caliber.

Want proof? Just ask chairman of the board Paul Gaston, who met with O'Brien and general manager Chris Wallace shortly after the two signed long-term contracts last April.