The difference is that this coincides with the time we got AB back, and to me that means something because over that stretch we have clearly improved defensively, and have been back to playing championship level defense.
We've had offensive struggles in between but we did last year as well. Fact is, as long as we play elite level defense we give ourselves a chance to beat anybody.
Our offense seems to be clicking without Rondo as well (better spread of scoring) and I believe were something like 4-1 now in games played without Rondo this season. Our defense has been suffocating with AB and Lee starting together in the backcourt, and Terry, Green, Barbosa and Lee all look more active offensively when they are given a chance to be more involved in offense.
Call me crazy, but I feel like even Pierce, KG and Bass have been playing with a stronger sense of urgency since Rondo went down.
Sometimes adversity brings people together, and being underestimated makes a group want to get together and prove their doubters wrong. With Rondo these guys probably feel less needed, but without him they are probably conscious of the fact that they need to put every bit of effort in if they want to win games. Plus they probably know being traded is a higher risk now than ever if they don't pull their weight.
Either way we've been much better team since Bradley's return (one or two of our losses in that stretch were without him) and after one little 3 game streak were right back to .500 again.
Lets have some faith people - our guys have gone further with less in the past!
P.s. TP to the original poster for these stats!