Readopt "ubuntu", practice "do no harm", and the Celtics are back - almost

 I truly believe that injecting two philosophies into the present Celtics culture will solve most of their shortcomings. Additional age, seasoning - and a new player or two - will fill the rest of the void.

The first step concerns ubuntu, a philosophy that coach Doc Rivers introduced to his 2008 Championship team. The entire phrase is "Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu", meaning that a person is a person through other people, a team concept perfect for today's NBA players.

Accept it or reject it, but the ibuntu idea worked for Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and the rest of the Title crew. It also can function for Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and their comrades. 

On the front-office front, “primum non nocere,” , or "do no harm", appears to be on Danny Ainge's mind. He has to be saying, I can't screw this up! With three present-and-past All-Stars, a Defensive-Player-of-the-Year candidate - and a young rebounding/rim-protecting center on the rise - Ainge can't afford to trade tomorrow for today via a major shakeup in the middle of the 2020-21 season.

Realizing that hindsight is easy, the Kyrie Irving, Al Horford and Gordon Hayward deals just didn't work out. One more such move, and Celtics fans may forget the Kevin Garnett heist and the Brooklyn Nets ransacking. With not many more years in Boston looming for Danny, he would not like to be remembered for dismantling a team with such a large Title window.

I write this acknowledging that, even if the installation of these two concepts worked, a few changes in the roster are still needed to bring this team back to a level that can seriously contend for a Title this season.

Just wondering. Where does the blame lie for the Celtics struggles this season. Make your choice from my hierarchy ladder. Fans are at the bottom of the list & left out - with the least control over outcomes & the recipients of the most-widespread stress.

— Tom Lane (@CelticsSentinel) March 20, 2021

 My recent Twitter poll clearly shows my followers point fingers - for the most part - at Danny and the Celtics players as responsible for this team's woes. Teamwork and a restrained-but-effective change or two in the roster may put this current, underachieving Celtics crew back on track.