BOSTON (AP) -Celtics coach Jim O’Brien had seen a decline in Vin Baker’s play of late and suspected that Baker may have faltered in his recovery from alcoholism.

“This was not necessarily a complete shock to me,” O’Brien said after the team’s practice Wednesday morning.

“I saw a deterioration in his play – what I would consider a significant deterioration in his play from the beginning of the year,” the coach said. “I was not sure of what the problem was. I knew that he was not the player he was a month ago.”

Baker was suspended Tuesday for three games for failing to comply with the conditions of his aftercare program, derailing what had been one of the feelgood stories of the NBA season.

The 6-foot-11 power forward got off to a strong start this season – his second with the Celtics – after missing most of last year because of his struggles with alcoholism. But he was scoreless in his last two games after losing his starting job.

He said Monday night, before the Celtics loss to Detroit, that his aftercare program was going “great.”

But the Celtics said Tuesday that they were notified of Baker’s noncompliance by the doctor who oversees the program. That results in an automatic fine of an undisclosed amount and a three-game suspension, effective immediately.

“We received a notification yesterday and it’s an automatic trigger everybody agreed to that was designed by medical professionals,” Celtics Managing Partner Wyc Grousbeck said. “I hope it’s just a phase of the program that leads to the better outcome.

“It was doing great for a long time,” he said. “I can tell you everybody in the Celtics organization is feeling badly for Vin, and supportive.”

O’Brien, Grousbeck and team captain Paul Pierce all said they haven’t spoken to Baker since the suspension.

“I have not spoken with him, but it’s not because I haven’t tried,” O’Brien said.

“Calls are out and I expect that we will be talking to Vin very soon,” Grousbeck said.

Baker is scheduled to miss home games Wednesday against Orlando and Friday against Cleveland and a road game Sunday against Houston.

The suspension ends Jan. 13, when the team plays at Milwaukee.

“It’s an unfortunate circumstance. We really give our support to Vinny,” Pierce said. “We’re here to lend a helping hand. Right now he’s going through a difficult time.”

Pierce said the team discussed Baker’s suspension during a meeting before practice.

“I don’t think it’s going to be a distraction,” he said. “We talked about it this morning. We still have a job to do.”