The Curse of "Unfinished Business"

[footey]

I don't know who at Celtics offices came up with "Unfinished Business" as a 2023 playoff campaign slogan. But the moment I read it (didn't they even have T shirts with that slogan??) I had a bad feeling.  There is something entitled in that slogan, as if to almost say, "when we get back into the NBA Finals this time, we plan to finish the job and win it all." 

Giannis after the Bucks devastating defeat to the Heat last night said something very profound, and quite germane to the Celtics' current mindset:

"They were playing to beat us and we were playing to win a championship....We Were a little bit ahead of ourselves, to be honest."

I am starting to feel the Celtics have a similar mind set in their series vs the Hawks. Certainly their fans do.

Let's focus on beating the Hawks tonight.

[johnnygreen]

That is a great quote from Giannis. This has been the problem with this Celtics team. Too many times, they're focused on the next great team they play, instead of the team they just need to play today.

[W8ting2McHale]

That is a great quote from Giannis. This has been the problem with this Celtics team. Too many times, they're focused on the next great team they play, instead of the team they just need to play today.

Bum Phillips had a great quote about “Kicking the Door in” after leading the Houston Oilers to the AFC championship 2 years in a row but not making it to the Super Bowl.

He and the Oilers never made it to the Super Bowl and got bounced in the first round of the playoffs instead.

[RMO]

Not that it has anything to do with the slogan but wasn't there a book written about one of the early 1990's Celtic seasons with that same name?

[Redz]

I don't know who at Celtics offices came up with "Unfinished Business" as a 2023 playoff campaign slogan. But the moment I read it (didn't they even have T shirts with that slogan??) I had a bad feeling.  There is something entitled in that slogan, as if to almost say, "when we get back into the NBA Finals this time, we plan to finish the job and win it all." 

Giannis after the Bucks devastating defeat to the Heat last night said something very profound, and quite germane to the Celtics' current mindset:

"They were playing to beat us and we were playing to win a championship....We Were a little bit ahead of ourselves, to be honest."

I am starting to feel the Celtics have a similar mind set in their series vs the Hawks. Certainly their fans do.

Let's focus on beating the Hawks tonight.

I have gained a ton of respect for the Hawks.  They have played their asses off each game.  If the Celtics don’t match that intensity, they Hawks have a shooters chance at beating the C’s.  It’s crazy that Celtics have enough talent to almost get away with lackluster effort some nights.

[Surferdad]

....  There is something entitled in that slogan, as if to almost say, "when we get back into the NBA Finals this time, we plan to finish the job and win it all." 
....

This does not suggest a sense of entitlement to me. They know THEY still have to execute.

[86MaxwellSmart]

Yeah, but the worst Curse was Idiot Doc Rivers Hanging that Blank Banner in the training facility after we won in 2008.

Agreed on that Giannis quote, he's spot on.

[RJ87]

It's a slogan that the marketing and communications department came up with. Let's not overthink it.

I think it's a vast improvement over "C Us Rise" and "Rise Together." Man, those were cringey.

[GetLucky]

It's a slogan that the marketing and communications department came up with. Let's not overthink it.

I think it's a vast improvement over "C Us Rise" and "Rise Together." Man, those were cringey.

Agreed. "We're one superstar" was a brutal one as well.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

It's a slogan that the marketing and communications department came up with. Let's not overthink it.

I think it's a vast improvement over "C Us Rise" and "Rise Together." Man, those were cringey.

GREEN RUNS DEEP
C US RISE
ITS NOT LUCK

I liked all 3 and still do

[scaryjerry]

Yeah, I hate it. Totally unnecessary. You’re one of the most historic franchises in sports, no need for a dorky campaign slogan.

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

I don't know who at Celtics offices came up with "Unfinished Business" as a 2023 playoff campaign slogan. But the moment I read it (didn't they even have T shirts with that slogan??) I had a bad feeling.  There is something entitled in that slogan, as if to almost say, "when we get back into the NBA Finals this time, we plan to finish the job and win it all." 

Giannis after the Bucks devastating defeat to the Heat last night said something very profound, and quite germane to the Celtics' current mindset:

"They were playing to beat us and we were playing to win a championship....We Were a little bit ahead of ourselves, to be honest."

I am starting to feel the Celtics have a similar mind set in their series vs the Hawks. Certainly their fans do.

Let's focus on beating the Hawks tonight.

fans can do as we please. we are not playing. we can look ahead all we want. 

[Roy H.]

It depends on the makeup of a team.  Personally, I like it as motivation.  It's a reminder:  we didn't finish properly last year.  Let's do better.  We beat ourselves.

I'm not sure that Joe is the proper coach to deliver that message, and I'm not sure that the team has the killer instinct to pay more than lip service to the slogan.  But, it's something that a team should buy into.

[tenn_smoothie]

Yeah, but the worst Curse was Idiot Doc Rivers Hanging that Blank Banner in the training facility after we won in 2008.

I thought they hung that blank banner after the 2010 finals loss (screw job).

[tenn_smoothie]

It depends on the makeup of a team.  Personally, I like it as motivation.  It's a reminder:  we didn't finish properly last year.  Let's do better.  We beat ourselves.

I'm not sure that Joe is the proper coach to deliver that message, and I'm not sure that the team has the killer instinct to pay more than lip service to the slogan.  But, it's something that a team should buy into.

There are a lot of "shoulds" about this team that I fear will never materialize.

They are on the soft side of mental toughness and now have a coach who just aggravates that trait.