The Celtics won a title with defense, but a successful defense of their championship without Garnett and Leon Powe proved too much to ask.

"I remember before the season," Pierce said, "when people asked me if I thought we'd repeat, and I said, `Yeah, we have a great chance to repeat, but only if we're healthy.'"

And as it turned out, Pierce and Ray Allen were also hurt. Coach Doc Rivers said on WEEI yesterday that Pierce played with bone spurs, but he didn't say where, and Allen had a sore hamstring, explaining their subpar playoff performances. Rivers said Pierce and Kendrick Perkins, who reinjured his left shoulder, may require surgery, but Perkins doesn't think he will.

Despite Garnett missing 25 games, the Celtics finished the regular season with 62-20, winning just four fewer games than the year before when they went on to end their 22-year championship drought. The 62 wins tied for the sixth most in the franchise's 63-year history, but during the short window of the Big Three the Celtics will be judged by winning championships, not regular-season games.

The opening-round series against the Bulls may have been one of the most exciting in playoff history, and the short-handed Celtics also showed a lot of heart in the second round against Orlando until the fourth quarter of Game 7, but this season ended too soon after such a promising start.

The Celtics were fortunate to overcome a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win Game 5 against Orlando, but they wasted a 10-point lead in Game 6. They can say they could have won the series, but they can't say that they should have. A victory in Game 7 without Garnett should have left all Celtic fans satisfied with their postseason performance, even if Cleveland swept them in the Eastern Conference finals. But the disappointment of that Game 7 loss will linger.

"I can't speak for everybody," Perkins said, "but I know it's definitely motivation for me. This is the first summer in a few years where I can go out there and work. I couldn't work last summer because of my shoulder surgery. This summer I plan on going 120 percent and come back a totally different player next year."

Next year could be the Big Three's last chance to win a second title together. Allen enjoyed his most efficient regular season, shooting 48 percent to tie a career high, making 40.9 percent of his 3-pointers and sinking 95.2 percent from the foul line to set a club record, but his hamstring injury obviously slowed him during the playoffs. His contract expires after next season, and he'll turn 34 in July. Garnett turned 33 yesterday, and Pierce will be 32 in October. At their ages, all three are susceptible to injuries.

There's every reason to believe that the starting five will return intact next season, but the bench clearly needs an upgrade.

The Celtics can't look to the draft for much help because they sent their first-round pick to Minnesota in the trade for Garnett. Powe's knee injury hurt the Celtics in the playoffs, but boosted their chances of re-signing both him and Glen Davis this summer. There shouldn't be a lot of interest from other teams in signing Powe after he underwent major surgery on his left knee for the third time.

Davis excelled offensively in Garnett's absence, but he's nowhere near the defender. Re-signing him should be high on Danny Ainge's agenda. Signing Rajon Rondo, who has two years left on his rookie deal, to a long-term contract should be No. 1 on Ainge's list, but it won't be cheap. Rondo was the team's best player in the first round against the Bulls, and he's only 23.

Stephon Marbury and Mikki Moore were awful this year. Don't expect either of them to return. Rookie Bill Walker could help out if given the chance. Walker is a far more polished player than J.R. Giddens, the Celtics' first-round pick last June.

It may be time to cut ties with Tony Allen, who simply can't stay healthy long enough to get in a rhythm. Gabe Pruitt has done nothing to deserve coming back, either.