Celtics start key stretch of schedule on Thursday

To call this week a measuring stick for the Celtics would be an understatement. For when the Green take the court this Thursday in Orlando, they will be embarking on a 3-games-in-4-days epic affair that could have ramifications far surpassing this season.While the Green have certainly had an inconsistent start to the NBA season, for the first time in nearly 12 calendar months they are relatively healthy. While Kevin Garnett and Glen Davis are still not 100 percent, it is still fair for both Celtics fans and Celtics management to use this upcoming stretch of games as a determining factor as to just how good this Celtics team can be.With the trading deadline approaching, GM Danny Ainge will soon need to make some difficult decisions, and while the Celtics still have not come totally clean as to the extent of Garnett’s injury, what Ainge does (or does not do) over the next month will tell Celtics fans all they need to know about the short-term championship aspirations of the team. The elephant in the room, of course, is Ray Allen and his expiring maximum contract. With a handful of stellar free agents soon to become available, opposing general managers will be calling, and Ainge will have no choice but to listen. The fact is, if the Celtics truly believe that Garnett is on his way to a 100-percent return, then trading Allen is not an option as his value to the Celtics is as a player and not as an expiring contract. The Celtics have maintained that they have zero intention of trading their All-Star shooting guard, and while Allen certainly has not been the superstar this year that he has been in years past, he is still an elite player with a flair for the dramatic. That being said, if the Celtics struggle this week against three teams that they will have to beat to win a championship (Orlando, Atlanta, and the Lakers), Ainge would have to strongly consider any trade ideas that bring the Green young proven talent that could help them win banner 18 in future years.It is very rare in sports for one week to not only make a season, but entirely change the direction of a team. Thursday, when Garnett and the Celtics take the floor in Orlando, they will not only be playing against the Magic, they will be sending a message to Ainge and the NBA’s 29 other general managers. By the time the Green exit the court Sunday evening in Boston, we will know exactly what that message is.