Do Celtics Fans Feel Grateful?

[green_bballers13]

The Celtics are 40-12. They are 4 games up on the second best team in the NBA. What would make some fans happy? 15 game lead? 20 game lead?

I bet some will say that the regular season doesn't matter- it's all about winning a championship. Is that the standard? Be miserable until they win a championship (despite a dominant regular season), then be happy for 5 minutes, then expect another championship?

I think this is a good team, but they aren't great. They have things to work on. 40-12 is a great record. I feel that we are lucky to have the opportunity to root for this team.

[Who]

I think this is a good team, but they aren't great.

This is a great team. Feels like 2008 all over again.

[green_bballers13]

I think this is a good team, but they aren't great.

This is a great team. Feels like 2008 all over again.

I think this is what I'm talking about. They haven't won a ring yet, so I don't know where the expectation of ring or bust is coming from. I think its unrealistic and setting some people up for disappointment.

I've read some people say that fans are short for fanatic. Does that mean we need to accept irrational thoughts as valid arguments?

[liam]

I'm very grateful. After watching all through the 90s this is heaven. We have a team that is competing at a high level every year. I can't really ask for more than that. A lot of things have to break your way to win it all. Go Celtics.

[celticinorlando]

Grateful? Yes.

Want to see them play to their abilities? Yes.

Iv'e lived through the glory years of the 80s

I've lived through the 90s that were bleak

Got rewarded in 2008 (but it should have been at least 1 more title with that group).

The burning down and rebuild around the J's

Lived through the growing pains of the J's

Now want to see them pay it off.

[perks-a-beast]

I feel very grateful. I've been a Celtics fan for 20 years, and off the top of my head the team has only missed the playoffs 3 times in that span.

However, I can't shake the feeling of bad luck ever since KG went up for that alley oop that fateful night in Utah in 2009. I've been walking on eggshells with this team ever since, always feeling like impending doom is just around the corner.

[JSD]

I think this is a good team, but they aren't great.

This is a great team. Feels like 2008 all over again.

I wouldn't go quite that far. I think this Celtics team could be great if they cleaned up their finishing down the stretch of games. They're right on the doorstep of greatness.

This Celtics team is 4-4 in games decided by 3 points or less and 2-3 in overtime. So they're essentially 6-7 in close games. That's not great.

[green_bballers13]

I think this is a good team, but they aren't great.

This is a great team. Feels like 2008 all over again.

I wouldn't go quite that far. I think this Celtics team could be great if they cleaned up their finishing down the stretch of games. They're right on the doorstep of greatness.

This Celtics team is 4-4 in games decided by 3 points or less and 2-3 in overtime. So they're essentially 6-7 in close games. That's not great.

I agree. The Celtics have young talent, but they don't have a KG. Tatum is probably a little better than Pierce. Ray Allen is probably as good as JB or KP.

Garnett is the difference on defensive and setting a tone for everyone. I'm not sure if there are any other players in the league right now that were as intense and locked in as KG.

[liam]

I think this is a good team, but they aren't great.

This is a great team. Feels like 2008 all over again.

I wouldn't go quite that far. I think this Celtics team could be great if they cleaned up their finishing down the stretch of games. They're right on the doorstep of greatness.

This Celtics team is 4-4 in games decided by 3 points or less and 2-3 in overtime. So they're essentially 6-7 in close games. That's not great.

I agree. The Celtics have young talent, but they don't have a KG. Tatum is probably a little better than Pierce. Ray Allen is probably as good as JB or KP.

Garnett is the difference on defensive and setting a tone for everyone. I'm not sure if there are any other players in the league right now that were as intense and locked in as KG.

Curry.

[Kernewek]

I think this is a good team, but they aren't great.

This is a great team. Feels like 2008 all over again.

I wouldn't go quite that far. I think this Celtics team could be great if they cleaned up their finishing down the stretch of games. They're right on the doorstep of greatness.

This Celtics team is 4-4 in games decided by 3 points or less and 2-3 in overtime. So they're essentially 6-7 in close games. That's not great.

This is hard to assign any weight without context. How does this compare to, say, the 2008 team or 2011 squad under similar circumstances? Or, to be more current, even any other title contending team around the league this year?

[Who]

I think this is a good team, but they aren't great.

This is a great team. Feels like 2008 all over again.

I wouldn't go quite that far. I think this Celtics team could be great if they cleaned up their finishing down the stretch of games. They're right on the doorstep of greatness.

This Celtics team is 4-4 in games decided by 3 points or less and 2-3 in overtime. So they're essentially 6-7 in close games. That's not great.

Teams tend to move towards .500 in close games. Fewer possessions for difference in talent to show. More randomness. So bad teams tend to do better in close games and get closer to .500 while good teams tend to do worse in close games and be closer .500.

It is not abnormal.

[JSD]

I think this is a good team, but they aren't great.

This is a great team. Feels like 2008 all over again.

I wouldn't go quite that far. I think this Celtics team could be great if they cleaned up their finishing down the stretch of games. They're right on the doorstep of greatness.

This Celtics team is 4-4 in games decided by 3 points or less and 2-3 in overtime. So they're essentially 6-7 in close games. That's not great.

This is hard to assign any weight without context. How does this compare to, say, the 2008 team or 2011 squad under similar circumstances? Or, to be more current, even any other title contending team around the league this year?

The 2008 Celtics won 2 out of 3 overtime games and were 8-6 in games decided by 3 points or less.

The 2023 Nuggets were 3-0 in overtime games last season and 7-5 in games decided by 3 points.

Regarding the 2024 Celtics, I believe they are on the verge of greatness but have not yet reached it. I am hopeful to see their improvement in winning close games down the stretch to instill the same level of confidence I had while watching the 2008 Celtics.

[BitterJim]

I think this is a good team, but they aren't great.

This is a great team. Feels like 2008 all over again.

I wouldn't go quite that far. I think this Celtics team could be great if they cleaned up their finishing down the stretch of games. They're right on the doorstep of greatness.

This Celtics team is 4-4 in games decided by 3 points or less and 2-3 in overtime. So they're essentially 6-7 in close games. That's not great.

No, they're 6-6 in those games, one of those OT losses was also a 3 point game.

And then 2-1 in games decided by 4 points. 1-0 in games decided by 5 (excluding OT). 2-0 in games decided by 6 (excluding OT). The sample sizes are so small that it just turns into cherry picking, and the difference between a 3 point game and a 6 point game is making one last second 3, so the final score can be deceiving. I much prefer the metrics where it's games that were within X points in the last couple of minutes.

[SCeltic34]

I'm very grateful.  Grateful to Ainge who was a fantastic GM.  Grateful for Stevens for doing an impeccable job building on what Ainge established after the KG and Pierce trade to Brooklyn.

I'm very grateful for the Jays.  Of course the expectations are high and it will be a massive disappointment if we don't hang banner 18 within the upcoming seasons.  But even if we don't, I've enjoyed watching two #3 picks develop into one of the most formidable, if not the most formidable, duos in the entire league.  It's uncommon to have two draft picks develop into legitimate All-Stars in successive fashion.  We have a 1st team All-NBA player in Tatum and a 2nd All-NBA player in Brown.   Despite their stardom neither are high-maintenance players, and both want to be in Boston.   As a fan you can't ask for more than that, and if you are then you're simply being unrealistic and unreasonable.

I’m grateful to have moved on from Udoka, who proved that he cannot be a legitimate leader of men.  He selfishly put himself before his own players and the most storied franchise in NBA basketball.  Real leaders, real men lead by example.   He did not deserve to represent the Celtics.  I’m glad he was shown the exit sooner than later.

Our roster is absolutely stacked and our core is locked in once we pay Tatum.  We’re in great shape.  This is another potential golden era.  Again, can’t really ask for more than that.

[liam]

I'm very grateful.  Grateful to Ainge who was a fantastic GM.  Grateful for Stevens for doing an impeccable job building on what Ainge established after the KG and Pierce trade to Brooklyn.

I'm very grateful for the Jays.  Of course the expectations are high and it will be a massive disappointment if we don't hang banner 18 within the upcoming seasons.  But even if we don't, I've enjoyed watching two #3 picks develop into one of the most formidable, if not the most formidable, duos in the entire league.  It's uncommon to have two draft picks develop into legitimate All-Stars in successive fashion.  We have a 1st team All-NBA player in Tatum and a 2nd All-NBA player in Brown.   Despite their stardom neither are high-maintenance players, and both want to be in Boston.   As a fan you can't ask for more than that, and if you are then you're simply being unrealistic and unreasonable.

I’m grateful to have moved on from Udoka, who proved that he cannot be a legitimate leader of men.  He selfishly put himself before his own players and the most storied franchise in NBA basketball.  Real leaders, real men lead by example.   He did not deserve to represent the Celtics.  I’m glad he was shown the exit sooner than later.

Our roster is absolutely stacked and our core is locked in once we pay Tatum.  We’re in great shape.  This is another potential golden era.  Again, can’t really ask for more than that.

Well said!