Just a week ago, the Celtics were smiling all the way from Los Angeles to Dallas.

They had defeated the two-time defending NBA champion Lakers with a stirring comeback and were 3-2 on their trip through the West with two games remaining on the seven-game journey.

The franchise's first winning post-All Star sojourn since 1990-91 was at hand. The C's talked about the wild and happy flight to Texas, one on which no one rested, choosing instead to go over each detail of the victory in LA.

Since beating the Lakers, 109-108, the Celtics have lost three straight