The NBA All-Star break wasn't quite a reset button for the Boston Celtics, as a five-day respite simply can't undo the damage incurred late in the first half of the 2009-10 season.

But it's a little bit like a cheat code that might have restored the Celtics' energy level -- dangerously low before the break -- to full strength for the second half of the year. So the question becomes, does Boston have enough in the tank to beat the game?

During their recent struggles, the Celtics always had a built-in excuse for failure, most notably that they didn't have their entire roster healthy. Then Marquis Daniels, the so-called final piece of the puzzle, returned last week from left thumb surgery that sidelined him for 28 games, and Boston still dropped its final two games of the first half.

So players suggested they simply needed the All-Star break to refresh for the stretch run. Five days away from basketball would heal some of the physical wounds, and allow them to refocus mentally.

All of which makes Tuesday night's visit to Sacramento the first of what should be a string of "big games" over the next 32 contests to close out the regular season.

Will the Celtics truly emerge refreshed from the break, or was it just more hollow promises?

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