Poll: Will the Celtics reach the finals by 2020

[Donoghus]

Wonder what kind of results this poll would've gotten in spring 2007.  Things can change very fast in the modern NBA.

True.

Celts had Paul Pierce back then, though, and a top 5 pick on the way.  I think there'd have been more optimism back then, given those factors, and it would have been justified.



Actually, the closest analog for the situation the Celts were in back then would probably be the current Knicks.  While not a huge likelihood, I'd say the Knicks have a much better shot at making the Finals in the next 5-8 years than the Celts do.

Pre-lottery, definitely.  Post-lottery, it was like a stomach punch and we were all scrambling to find plan Bs to try & remain optimistic.  Rashard Lewis, Shawn Marion....... 

Luckily, everything turned out well then. 

[SparzWizard]

Would be fitting to win banner 18 in 2018.

[LGC88]

I don't see it as who will be our talents going forward and make my mind based on them. I'm seeing the entire picture and it's a beautiful one. Everything is on pace for a franchise to be on top very fast :
- Owner that can't wait to spend money
- Cap space for the next 3 years
- A great and modern coach
- Young promising talents
- Versatile assets to accommodate any opportunity that might come (draft, trades, FA).
- A deep bench (with great chemistry) that is, as today, almost as important as having stars to win it all.
- All the people working in the organisation & the players on the same page.
- A team on the rise
To win nowadays, it takes much more than having stars in your team. You need it all.

[JHTruth]

IDK. Lebron/Irving/Love in Cleveland of course. Pacers will be good for awhile. Chicago and Atlanta have fairly young cores. No, I don't think so barring some huge talent infusion of some combo of Aldridge/Durant/Cousins etc..

[fairweatherfan]

Wonder what kind of results this poll would've gotten in spring 2007.  Things can change very fast in the modern NBA.

True.

Celts had Paul Pierce back then, though, and a top 5 pick on the way.  I think there'd have been more optimism back then, given those factors, and it would have been justified.

Rationally, yes, but as Dons mentioned that was just about an all-time low for modern Celtics fans. 

Right now I'd argue we have more assets on aggregate than we did then, but the problem is that it's more assets of poorer quality.  But if we can consolidate those assets into a handful of quality pieces, we could easily be in a stronger position than we were in 07.  Huge "if" of course, and even that would just be setting the table for a KG/Ray style all-in play, but the possibility is there.

Agreed that the Knicks have a somewhat similar situation, though they don't have a secret up-and-coming All-Star like Rondo in their back pocket, unless Hardaway blows up.  But it wouldn't surprise me if they try and go the same route we did that off-season.

[Who]

I think Celtics type of rebuilding -- retooling on the run, no high draft picks, starting point with no star talent -- often takes around 5-6 years to put together a new title contender. And that is with excellent work from its team's GM.

So two years in already. Probably 3-4 more years. That would be 2018-19 or 2019-20 when Boston start putting a legit contender on the floor. Probably fail to get to the Finals right away so unlikely to make another Finals by 2020 I reckon.

That is my base expectation level anyway.

[Moranis]

I have a hard time believing the Cavs won't be in the next 3 Finals (unless James gets hurt) so that really pushes this out until the latter part of the decade.  I'd like to hope that Boston has a franchise player (or two) in place by then, but I don't think it is all that likely or that the team will be there.  Obviously that could change dramatically over the next couple of seasons, but I just don't see it as all that likely so I voted no.

[adam.jones614]

Must be drinking the green kool aid because I find it far more unlikely that we won't at least be finals contenders by 2020. Between brad, our huge stockpile of picks (Brooklyn picks are the equivalent to solid bars of gold) and young talent, and the cap space we're set to have for the next few seasons I think we'll be in good shape. I'd say by the end of the summer we'll almost certainly have a b list to A list free agent signed that will change the team. In fact I'd put my tommy where my mouth is and bet a tommy point!   

[LilRip]

We will need 2 or 3 lucky breaks to make it back to the Finals, IMO. I think one of the breaks needs to happen via draft and then the other one is via trade/FA. And then, Marcus Smart needs to turn into something special. Hopefully, at least one of those 3 things happens before next offseason.

Because I'm a believer, I will vote Yes!

[BornReady]

Really more than 50% said yes

I may be pessimistic but we don't know whose a keeper on our roster and who goes
The foundation is not laid out yet to expect us to reach the finals within 5 years