Team Deserves Applause

[LarBrd33]

I don't care if we get dominated by the Cavs... what the team accomplished this season is pretty awesome.  Since the roster moves quieted and the players found their identities, the team has been exceptionally competitive.  The players have put up very respectable statistics and likely improved their trade value considerably. 

You gotta hand it to Danny Ainge.  He tore this team down to the bare bones.  Nothing but scraps left.  Cashed in everything for future assets.  And yet somehow the players he put out there fit.  With Stevens guidance, they found a way to win games.  THey finished the season as well as you could possibly hope.  I'm not sure if they can hang with the Cavs, but they'll be as prepared as possible and they'll give it 100% effort.  These guys play like Boston Celtics. 

I thought we'd lose the culture with the loss of KG and Pierce, but it's back.  We had a single down year and now here we are... back to being an overachieving, gritty, fringe playoff team.  Not much difference from the character of this squad and the tail end of the KG/Pierce era.  I hope we can build this momentum into next season and beyond.  The culture is in place.  Now we just need to land a star or two capable of pushing us to the next level.  Free agency will be very interesting.

[Chris22]

Danny got rid of the deadwood and brought in good players.

[LarBrd33]

What's interesting is that Ainge traded everyone for future draft picks... and yet this team is arguably better than the one that went 41-40 in 2012-13 and got beat by the Knicks in 6 games.

That's kind of remarkable, isn't it?  The bulk of the assets we've received for Doc Rivers, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo and Jeff Green haven't even come yet... and the team is probably better.   

We literally got rid of everything of value for 2015-2019 draft picks... and yet the team improved before the picks even arrived.  It's nuts. 

Danny Ainge is incredible. 

[anewframe]

I love this post. I completely agree.

[SHAQATTACK]

Yup.....pulled playoff season out of thin air.......I was prepared for another 20-25 win season .

So even though .500 was quite reached ......you want at least a winning percent in theory

Amazing ....nearly twice the wins than I expected  !   

I didn't realize how bad some of the players were we got rid of actually were .   They were really holding the team back.

If IT had not been mugged by the Heat players ......I think we would have won maybe 2-3 extra games and went .500 or a game over.

[anewframe]

Yeah I was also wondering what might have happened if IT hadn't been taken out. Also if he hadn't got ejected versus the Lakers. Might have been able to jump in for the 6th seed over .500.

[fairweatherfan]

What's interesting is that Ainge traded everyone for future draft picks... and yet this team is arguably better than the one that went 41-40 in 2012-13 and got beat by the Knicks in 6 games.

That's kind of remarkable, isn't it?  The bulk of the assets we've received for Doc Rivers, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo and Jeff Green haven't even come yet... and the team is probably better.   

We literally got rid of everything of value for 2015-2019 draft picks... and yet the team improved before the picks even arrived.  It's nuts. 

Danny Ainge is incredible.

Yup, it's amazing that we've still got three CONSECUTIVE Brooklyn picks (assuming we're better than them in 2017, which feels safe) in our back pocket, plus several other picks, and a bunch of cap space, and trade exceptions...we don't have the marquee young guys that can't win, but it's a good spot to be in regardless.

[JohnBoy65]

TP! You couldn't be any more right. Take a step back. This team won 40 games. Sure the East isn't that great, but we are 10 wins away from being happy campers! I am overly excited to watch this team in the playoffs. You're right, I'm not sure what they can do, but i hope it's something special!

Go Celts!

[Chris22]

What's interesting is that Ainge traded everyone for future draft picks... and yet this team is arguably better than the one that went 41-40 in 2012-13 and got beat by the Knicks in 6 games.

That's kind of remarkable, isn't it?  The bulk of the assets we've received for Doc Rivers, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo and Jeff Green haven't even come yet... and the team is probably better.   

We literally got rid of everything of value for 2015-2019 draft picks... and yet the team improved before the picks even arrived.  It's nuts. 

Danny Ainge is incredible.

Ainge picked up guys who are young and can shoot and play hard. I think Ainge and Brad get that the NBA today is all about the three point shot. And I love that he traded Rondo and Green. I couldn't stand those guys.

[Chris22]

Yeah I was also wondering what might have happened if IT hadn't been taken out. Also if he hadn't got ejected versus the Lakers. Might have been able to jump in for the 6th seed over .500.

Good point. Your first TP.

[MrMorrill]

I believe they'd still make the playoffs if there was a 16 team setup not a bad season. It will be interesting if they can break .500 next year. Toronto won 49 maybe the celts can battle for the Atlantic title again? Toronto did not look hot to end the year....

[tstorey_97]

The last two years have been a study of Brad Stevens. Think about it, for the last 164 games, he has been the only constant on this team.

The first half of this season, his roster would not let him play "his" system and there was little he could do about it. The team was lottery bound and our debates related to "percentage possibilities" for getting the #1-#3 pick.

Early this season I watched Pressey, Smart et al dig the regulars out of a loss against the Wiz and Stevens leaving the bench in for OT while the starters watched. The bench throughout the season has always epitomized the "Stevens way."

Once the trades were complete, the coach had 100% buy in. The guys started to play for each other. The starters tend to suffer against good NBA teams, but, once the bench gets in? They wear them down.

It is a very entertaining brand of ball. No Celtics player is "key." They have won with each of them out for injuries or otherwise.

I hate to lay the reason for success at any one person's feet as it is a team sport, but, at the ends of these games? There isn't a coach in the NBA who wants to go up against Stevens. He doesn't have any stars to worry about so he rotates 9 guys four times in 43 seconds of play.

Team that is hot and has nothing to lose, very dangerous.

Stevens has created an android basketball player named "Marcus Thomas." Ridiculous offensive skills and a mad man on defense. Just where you gonna get that?

[Rosco917]

Nothing is better than a young over achieving Celtic team. 

I was laughed at by friends when I predicted 35 wins!

When Rondo and Green we're traded, i was very happy. It was time to take the training wheels off. I was prepared to view a young loosing team, desperately trying to grow up. Never did I think the team would provide the excitement it gave this year.

I am very optimistic for 2016.

[acieEarl]

40 wins!!! I think the vegas line over for wins was 25.

East or no East that's still pretty remarkable for a team that traded their two "stars" and a coach who at times couldn't remember guys names as players were coming and going at such an alarming rate.

Hard not to like this group of guys. You can see the other teams getting p---ed off, as they would come in and think Boston was an easy W. Only to get out worked and out hustled by the young Cs.

[LarBrd33]

What's interesting is that Ainge traded everyone for future draft picks... and yet this team is arguably better than the one that went 41-40 in 2012-13 and got beat by the Knicks in 6 games.

That's kind of remarkable, isn't it?  The bulk of the assets we've received for Doc Rivers, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo and Jeff Green haven't even come yet... and the team is probably better.   

We literally got rid of everything of value for 2015-2019 draft picks... and yet the team improved before the picks even arrived.  It's nuts. 

Danny Ainge is incredible.

Yup, it's amazing that we've still got three CONSECUTIVE Brooklyn picks (assuming we're better than them in 2017, which feels safe) in our back pocket, plus several other picks, and a bunch of cap space, and trade exceptions...we don't have the marquee young guys that can't win, but it's a good spot to be in regardless.

I recently accidentally stumbled into a sports collectables show at a local mall.  One guy had a big book of random autographed basketball cards.  I went through it... he was selling them for 3 for $10.  He probably had like 20 Robert Parish cards in there for some reason (he said he has Robert's home address).  I grabbed one of those for sure.  Grabbed a couple others.  I almost yelped for joy when I found a Danny Ainge autographed card in there.  It was a Ainge in a Sacramento Kings uniform, unfortunately.  I bought the card... but would have greatly preferred a picture of Ainge in his GM suit.    Danny the GM is a legend.