After watching last year’s title repeat quest end in a rash of injuries – the behemoth of which came to Kevin Garnett’s right knee – there was a distinct plan this summer. Sign a big man who can shoot (Rasheed Wallace), and a ball-handling wing man (Marquis Daniels or Grant Hill). If they could bring back free agent Glen Davis, that would be a bonus.

Entering training camp, the feeling was that it all had worked out so perfectly. Wallace would provide veteran leadership, another post presence at times, and stretch the defense. Daniels would provide a legitimate backup for Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo, and would help make Eddie House more effective with less responsibility off the bench.

Garnett was getting healthy. Davis was back. Even Shelden Williams might be able to lend a hand for the whole season as fan-favorite Leon Powe recovered from a torn ACL in Cleveland for half of it.

The only thing that could stop this team was age, injuries, and perhaps themselves.

But to this point, all three potential pitfalls have conspired to keep the Celtics stuck just north of the middle of the Eastern Conference. Remember when Wallace said the C’s could win 72 games and nearly everyone nodded in agreement.

Assuming they win tonight’s game against the historically inept Nets, they will be on pace to win 56.

Not awful. Not the Bruins. But not a championship contender either.

Injuries have surely been an issue. The season started with The Artist Once Again to Be Known as Big Baby breaking his thumb in an SUV fight, and Tony Allen unable to shake the aftereffects of offseason foot surgery. Daniels, Garnett and Pierce have since all missed significant time due to their own ailments.

When Daniels and Pierce both return to the lineup – perhaps as early as Sunday – it will mark the first time this season the Celtics will be at full strength.

But getting everyone back on the floor and getting back to the level where this team is a serious title contender is another matter.

First, everyone must be playing at peak effectiveness – not just available to dress.

Garnett must be able to consistently get spring back in his knee and return to being one of the best defensive players the game has ever seen without looking every fourth night like someone filled his knee brace full of lead.

Pierce must find a way to avoid the types of bangs, bruises and twists that he defiantly played through earlier in his career, but may be catching up to him at age 32.

Ray Allen must find a way to keep his shooting stroke as steady as it was while he was in the heyday of becoming one of the greatest shooters to ever play the sport.

Wallace must figure out how to play defense in the Celtics’ system, and must be disciplined enough to stay on the box when his 3-point stroke is off, instead of routinely conjuring up images of a latter-day Antoine Walker.

Daniels must not only get back on the floor, but also be the dynamic force on the second unit the Celtics hopes he would be instead of the guy who averaged a quiet 5.7 points per game while getting settled in the first 19 games of the season.

Eddie House must be the player he was against the Heat on Wednesday and less like the player he has been the bulk of the first 47 games – having Daniels back should help most there.

Davis and Tony Allen must provide consistent energy off the bench. Who would have thought we’d be at the start of February and consider Tony Allen to be one of the bright spots of the season? Oceanic Flight 815 better not have brought us back to the alternate universe of December 2006.

Williams must stop using his Twitter account. And stop reminding everyone that Powe will soon be suiting up the for the Cavaliers when he could have soon be returning to the parquet after nine months on the mend.

Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins must continue doing exactly what they are doing. Of all the facets of this roster, those two have come closest to fulfilling the highest expectations for each.

There was reason to have the highest expectations for this team this season. All the tools were there. But over the first 47 games, some of those tools have been broken, and others have had limited effectiveness due to rust.

Hopefully, coming out next week’s All-Star break, they will all be in place in the toolbox.

It’s time to finally sharpen those blades. Because so far this season they have not given much indication they are capable of getting the ultimate job done.

(Scott Souza is a staff writer for the MetroWest Daily News. His Celtics coverage can be read at www.metrowestdailynews.com. For updates and analysis, check out the “Courtside View” blog at blogs.wickedlocal.com/Celtics/.)