There are five NBA teams that have played three games in the first four nights of the season.

Two of them (Miami and Oklahoma City) are 3-0. Another, the Boston Celtics, are 0-3. The two others are the Lakers (1-2) and the Warriors (2-1).

Undefeated records for those first two teams should come as no surprise. Pretty much half the staff at SheridanHoops.com predicted they would met in the finals. 

But then we have the third team, the Celtics, who were known to be older and less deep this season, but who were expected to have enough juice to beat a team like the Hornets, one of the league’s bottom dwellers.

But what did they do Wednesday night — a night that saw Dwyane Wade win the game for Miami at Charlotte on a 10-foot bank shot with 29 seconds to go — in their third straight road game, against a team that was missing its best player (Eric Gordon, bruised knee)?

Hold your noses, Celtics Nation, because your team stunk up the joint in New Orleans, losing by 19.

“We’ve let too many people score in our paint in all three games that we’ve played so far,” Boston’s Ray Allen said. “We’re being tested. … Our backs are up against the wall, so we’ve got to come out swinging.”

Think Danny Ainge is ready yet to admit that last year’s trade of Kendrick Perkins was a mistake? Hornets big men Emeka Okafor, Chris Kaman and Carl Landry had six buckets apiece, combining for more field goals that the entire Boston starting lineup. Yes, being without Paul Pierce for a third straight game was a contributing factor. But losing by 19? To that team?

The blog Red’s Army sums it up in their headline and the accompanying photo, and with this text: “It’s terrifying to think we may see more efforts like this one. I’m not prepared to jump to any conclusions about the season, but I’m scared. Jermaine O’Neal (2 points, 1-6 FG, 6 rebounds) is decomposing before our very eyes. He’s incapable of scoring no matter how close he’s to the rim. I’m not kidding when I say Greg Stiemsma (6 blocks, 4 rebounds) should be this team’s starting center. I don’t want to discuss Kevin Garnett (8 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists). It hurts too much. “We looked old tonight …” — Doc Rivers.

No that we’ve gotten past the best photo caption and headline, it’s time for the best and worst statistical lines of the night. The winner in the positive column is LeBron James, whose 32.7 scoring average leads the league after he had 35 points, seven assists and six rebounds in Miami’s 96-95 win at Charlotte (although coach Eric Spoelstra drew up the game winning play for Wade, not James).

The worst belongs to Russell Westbrook, whose 0-for-13 shooting night was overcome by Durant’ 32 points in Oklahoma City’s 98-95 victory over Memphis. Durant missed five of his first six shots but then made nine of 10. He is averaging 31.7 points, one less than James’ 32.7, and Durant (.559)  also has a slight deficit to James (.589) in the field goal percentage category.