Enjoyment as a Celtics fan

[Roy H.]

I'm stealing one of Redz's posts to start a new thread:

It's incredible what this team has done so far this season.

It's one of the more enjoyable seasons in a long time so far.  And we've had some pretty enjoyable seasons! The Tatum reintegration process is going to very interesting.  There are so many different ways it could go (most of them good, I think).

This made me think...  how many seasons since 2008 *haven't* been enjoyable?  We haven't been contenders every year, but going back to the 2008 season, almost all of these teams have been fun to root for.

Which teams in that stretch haven't been at least fun to watch?  Those teams from 2019 to 2021 weren't that enjoyable, but otherwise we've been pretty blessed as fans, I think. 

[Phantom255x]

Besides some of those years right after the Pierce-Garnett trade where the team was rebuilding and sort of tanking, I did not enjoy 2019 at all. I tried to, and was feeling high after their ECF run in 2018 but man it was a miserable experience with Kyrie. Even then, they swept the first round and won Game 1 against the Bucks on the road, but it completely went downhill right after again.

It's partially why 2024 felt rewarding. We've seen talented teams and superteams on the C's or around the league that just doesn't work or doesn't have the chemistry. Not 2024, they gelled beautifully and just overwhelmed most teams. No drama, the Jays played together too

[Donoghus]

Off the top of my head, 2018-19 was probably least enjoyable one. Kyrie drama plus the East semi flameout.  That season started with such high hopes coming off the conference final run the year before plus the return of Hayward but things just never did click that season. 

2010-11 was frustrating due to the injuries and the fracture among fans regarding the Perkins trade.  The expectations for Shaq fell flat and you could see the New Three aging.   That was another season that started with super high hopes.

[RMO]

Off the top of my head, 2018-19 was probably least enjoyable one. Kyrie drama plus the East semi flameout.  That season started with such high hopes coming off the conference final run the year before plus the return of Hayward but things just never did click that season. 

2010-11 was frustrating due to the injuries and the fracture among fans regarding the Perkins trade.  The expectations for Shaq fell flat and you could see the New Three aging.   That was another season that started with super high hopes.

I would agree with 2018-2019.  If I recall I really soured on the team in the conference semis because of the Kyrie stuff.  Couldn't even watch the last game because I was just disgusted.

Another problem with that season was the whole AD drama which continued into the summer.  I'm happy with how things turned out but I'll admit at the time I really wanted to get him.  That and the whole signing with Klutch and the scheming to get him with Lebron and the lakers.  I was compulsively checking my phone for any rumor or update I could find.

[SparzWizard]

Non-enjoyable really had to be 18-19 and 20-21.

19-20 left a sour taste in my mouth losing to the 5-seeded Heat.

22-23 was kinda trash going into the postseason, 24-25 wasn't fun either. All those winnable games the C's dropped. It's like they were rolling over to teams.

I enjoyed 21-22 but hated the end result; C's could've capitalized in the 4th quarter of Game 4 and take a 3-1 lead, but that's all she said when the turnovers started piling. 23-24 definitely most enjoyed!

[tenn_smoothie]

Any season with Kyrie. The guy constantly did things to detract from team unity. Not showing up on the bench for the Game 7 vs Cleveland and then shooting us out of the game that ended our season vs Bucks and then saying that he should have taken more shots in the post presser are two perfect examples.

The Perk trade in 2011 ruined a team that I loved and took away our one advantage over the other contenders - toughness and interior muscle.
And Danny decided we needed athleticism instead (so we could look like every other top team).

[slightly biased bias fan]

Any season with Kyrie. The guy constantly did things to detract from team unity. Not showing up on the bench for the Game 7 vs Cleveland and then shooting us out of the game that ended our season vs Bucks and then saying that he should have taken more shots in the post presser are two perfect examples.

The Perk trade in 2011 ruined a team that I loved and took away our one advantage over the other contenders - toughness and interior muscle.
And Danny decided we needed athleticism instead (so we could look like every other top team).

If I remember correctly the Perk trade had more to do with his upcoming free agency.

Contract negotiations revealed that Perkins would cost too much money. Instead of losing him for nothing, Ainge gambled that the Celtics could use multiple veterans to cover for Perk, and get a long term asset in Jeff Green.

[trickybilly]

No doubt contract based.

But he listens, he learns, he's smart as a whip, and didn't understand the extent of his offensive and defensive role and technique respectively. Maybe he's found it. Maybe he likes it and will sign for a discount.

Also, yeah, trade Simons. We can't afford him now. This video is a nice breakdown of his historic +/- spike.

https://youtu.be/Sy6N9ogl8C0?si=w_aCsyuYD4LOiZO5

EDIT: I don't know this dude, first vid seen. I don't subscribe and click and all that. Most quasi AI or full AI YouTube stufft sucks. Just a good math vid with good quali (interviews with A) and quan (+/- spike) data. We've found Jamal C.

Still, gotta trade him.

EDIT: Not sure the plus minus being historic is accurate.

EDIT: Oh, OP answer. Maybe like Phil Pressey down slope of zenith. Also, always hated the Sullinger years. Maybe the same years?

[slamtheking]

I wouldn't say there was a version of the team I didn't like or root for but I definitely couldn't stand Kyrie while he was here after that first season.  that first season of Kyrie was a soul crushing one with Hayward going down a few minutes into the first game.

[boscel33]

Dang, people are forgetting that 13-14 season finishing at 25-57.  That was tough to watch.  Go have a look at that roster!

[tenn_smoothie]

Any season with Kyrie. The guy constantly did things to detract from team unity. Not showing up on the bench for the Game 7 vs Cleveland and then shooting us out of the game that ended our season vs Bucks and then saying that he should have taken more shots in the post presser are two perfect examples.

The Perk trade in 2011 ruined a team that I loved and took away our one advantage over the other contenders - toughness and interior muscle.
And Danny decided we needed athleticism instead (so we could look like every other top team).

If I remember correctly the Perk trade had more to do with his upcoming free agency.

Contract negotiations revealed that Perkins would cost too much money. Instead of losing him for nothing, Ainge gambled that the Celtics could use multiple veterans to cover for Perk, and get a long term asset in Jeff Green.

Then you pay Perk to stay, which he certainly wanted to do. I will always believe that 2011 team, motivated by the 2010 finals loss, would have won the title.
They were a determined, angry bunch and had an advantage over all the other "athletic" contenders. They were also genuinely as close as any pro team gets.

[otherdave]

It has been a few years since we have re-litigated the Perk trade, so I guess it is time to debate this again.

Like it or not, management decided they were not going to pay Perk his fair market value in the off season due to cap management reasons.  So it was either trade him or let him walk for nothing.  They chose to make a trade.  I trust that Ainge got the best return possible.

I have never understood the tremendous love some fans afford Perk.  If you go back and take a close look at the 2008 run, Perk was rarely in the game during crunch, clutch time in the 4 qtr.  KG took over center and James Posey played.  Pierce, Garnett, Allen, Rondo, Posey won that title for us.  Perk meh, he was often in foul trouble.

[SparzWizard]

It has been a few years since we have re-litigated the Perk trade, so I guess it is time to debate this again.

Like it or not, management decided they were not going to pay Perk his fair market value in the off season due to cap management reasons.  So it was either trade him or let him walk for nothing.  They chose to make a trade.  I trust that Ainge got the best return possible.

I have never understood the tremendous love some fans afford Perk.  If you go back and take a close look at the 2008 run, Perk was rarely in the game during crunch, clutch time in the 4 qtr.  KG took over center and James Posey played.  Pierce, Garnett, Allen, Rondo, Posey won that title for us.  Perk meh, he was often in foul trouble.

He was a key player on defense. Had he not tear his ACL in Game 6 of 2010, the Celtics win that game and Banner 18.

I think they also wanted to trade him so the Celtics can get some help for Paul Pierce as they desperately needed a backup SF (Marquis Daniels suffered a severe neck injury and was done for the year). Plus we also had both O'Neals (Shaq and Jermaine) at the time

[Celtic Fan Forever]

2017 was a genuinely enjoyable year. IT was incredible and we fought and played hard every single game. Tough defenders with Smart, Bradley, Crowder. A younger Horford making a huge impact. Rookie JB showing flashes. We knew we weren?t winning a title but that team was fun and had some epic playoff moments.

2018 was fun too but overshadowed by the Hayward and Irving injuries. But watching first year JT and second year JB step up in big playoff games was great. And Scary Terry.

After that it wasn?t fun for a while. 2019 was awful and disappointing given our level of talent. I liked when we had Kemba, mostly because he wasn?t Kyrie, but his knees were done ? and we were still too shorthanded in 2020 and JB was injured for the 2021 playoffs.

2022 was epic but ended horribly. That Nets sweep, the Bucks and Heat series were incredible, but we could not stop Curry when it mattered.

2023 was beyond disappointing. We fell down 0-3 to a much inferior Heat team and after the awesome DWhite play in game 6 I thought we had it. But unfortunately a Tatum ankle injury led to another brutal exit.

2024 felt more like ?finally? then pure enjoyment but I did love watching that team play together.

2025 was another disappointment like 2023. Blowing leads at home and choking games away, and this time a more significant Tatum injury.

This year reminds me most of 2017. Drastically exceeding expectations, young guys and role players stepping up, and showing a lot of grit. I am enjoying this season far more than I ever thought I would. I hope Tatum can come back and elevate us even more. We have a real shot to win the east if he does.