Enduring a Tough Season

Things went from bad to worse for the Celtics in the 2006-07 campaign, dropping 18 in a row at one point and winning only 24 games all season. Injuries cost team leader Paul Pierce half the season, breaking his streak of All-Star Game appearances, while Wally Szczerbiak played in only 32 games. One bright spot came from rookie point guard Rajon Rondo. Acquired in a draft deal with the Phoenix Suns, Rondo played in all but three games and led the team with 128 steals, setting a franchise record for steal percentage. He also made the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. After the season, a frustrated Pierce publicly challenged Celtics leadership to build a championship team around him. They responded by trading for league stars Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. The rest is history.