Sports Redux: Best. 23 Game Start. EVER.

Cousy, Russell, Auerbach, Havlicek, JoJo, Cowens, Bird, Parish, Kevin Gamble. In all the Celtics' many many championship seasons, no Green team has ever started 21-2. Until now.

The 2008-09 Celtics reached that lofty plateau last night by toying with and flamebroiling an overmatched Wizards team. Ray Allen got the ball rolling with a bunch of early threes, and the C's never looked back, as they got seven guys in double figures, got the starters out of there early, and made a national TV audience change the channel with the 122-88 rout.

How do the reigning champs prepare for the worst team in the East? "It doesn't take them much. I swear they, like, search the newspapers to find something," said Doc Rivers, creating a mental image that we love. And how does the worst team in the East react afterwards? "I think that we just saw the best team in the league," said a shellshocked Wizard coach Ed Tapscott.

If there's any room for concern, it's that KG was wearing a big white knee brace, instead of his usual smaller black one. He says it's nothing to worry about, adding, "I’ve got wraps in places y’all don’t even see." We'll take your word on that, Kevin. In more evidence that the Celtics are so much more than just a basketball team, Ray Allen organized a team trip to the D.C. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Ray said he's been a number of times, and wanted teammates to see it and learn something.

It's back home tonight, and things will be a little special, since the Hornets are in town, which means that James Posey will collect his 2008 Championship ring. Posey says he "caught the ceremony on a halftime show when they were going over it" on Opening Night, and Paul Pierce expects the fans to give James the love he deserves, even though it's going to be weird and sad watching him hug Hornets on their way onto the court.

Matt Cassel is back with the Patriots as they prepare for Sunday in Oakland. He didn't talk to the media (would you?), but the team is united in saying that they love him (Heath Evans said, "I just kind of wanted to wrap my arms around him"), they're happy to be there for him at this tough time, and they think getting back in the routine will probably be good for him.

Photo by Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP.