If the Celtics lose to Miami is their regular season a failure?

[Celtics/Run]

Considering they did obtain a better record than last season while beating every top contender except Dallas, I say no....

[Roy H.]

I don't think beating last year's record is much of an accomplishment.

If you'd told me before the season that we'd go into the playoffs with the #3 seed, with question marks about our identity and health, I wouldn't call that a success.  So I guess I'll go with "no, it wasn't a failure, but yes, it wasn't a success, either".  Pre-February, of course, the answer would have been completely different.

That said, the regular season doesn't matter that much.  We have an uphill climb, but there's still a chance.

[PseudoElite]

Pretty much what Roy said.

Not a failure, not a success either.

The Celtics have a chance to get HCA over the Lakers and the Heat if they win their next 3 games, it's now or never for HCA.

[celtics2]

Definitely a failure. This team needed a Dr House most of the season. We lost way too many games we should have won. No excuses. We may pay the fiddler now in Miami for not taking care of business.  

[incoherent]

I'd say this season so far is a huge success.

KG is healthy.

Pierce is healthy.

Ray Allen is healthy.

Rondo is healthy.

[celticinorlando]

losing home court vs miami in round two despite winning the series 3-1 is a total failure

[wahz]

Well, yes if we lose to Mia and if we end up the 3 seed and have the same situation as last year for hc, you bet its a failure, yes. There is no way this team wasn't built to compete for hc, it was and they told us so too. So the Celtics blew it and it was about a domino effect of injuries, bad decisions, and the trade messing with chemistry.

[PseudoElite]

Celtics CAN win the next 3 games to secure HCA over Miami AND (more importantly) get HCA against Lakers for a possible finals matchup.

It's unbelievable luck that the Lakers lost 4 in a row, Celtics really need to seize the day now, Carpe Diem.

[Donoghus]

I don't see any reason that one has to judge the regular season.  I guess if you feel HCA is a huge thing, then maybe.

When it comes down to it, I've just been waiting for mid-April.  Aside from injuries, I really haven't had much reason to get alarmed or get excited judging by the regular season.  Just doesn't do it for me with a championship contender.  With a rebuilding, youth-laden squad?  Sure.  But not in this instance.

[Who]

Any time you win 57/58 games, it's been a successful season.

And especially so when your team has suffered through several injuries as the Celtics have this season.

[Yvette]

The important thing is we have to try and win every game as much as possible no matter what the conditions are. That's the goal of every basketball team in the NBA...

[j804]

I'd say this season so far is a huge success.

KG is healthy.

Pierce is healthy.

Ray Allen is healthy.

Rondo is healthy.

I agree while it would be a huge facepalm starting off so great with things looking different from last year and say falling to the third seed. You have to be happy at least that the core veteran Big Three in Paul, Ray and KG are at least healthy.

[Raising 18]

Celtics CAN win the next 3 games to secure HCA over Miami AND (more importantly) get HCA against Lakers for a possible finals matchup.

It's unbelievable luck that the Lakers lost 4 in a row, Celtics really need to seize the day now, Carpe Diem.

so its lucky the lakers lost games, but when the celtics lose games it seems its because they suck.. why is that?

[Roy H.]

Celtics CAN win the next 3 games to secure HCA over Miami AND (more importantly) get HCA against Lakers for a possible finals matchup.

It's unbelievable luck that the Lakers lost 4 in a row, Celtics really need to seize the day now, Carpe Diem.

so its lucky the lakers lost games, but when the celtics lose games it seems its because they suck.. why is that?

I think it's because the Lakers were 17-1 prior to their losing streak, while the Celtics have hovered around .500 for the past six weeks or so.

[Bahku]

Not remotely, IMHO ... you can never judge any team's entire season by one game, and we have completely dominated Miami this year. Guess it's a half-full half-empty kind of thing, and I like to judge a team's season by it's entirety.

Some would say last year was a failure, and it was in terms of not acquiring the championship, (which is the ultimate goal), but it was also a very successful regular season, and an incredibly resilient post-season, coming up only a few points away from the trophy.

I don't think you can look at this the same way, though, because our regular season is already successful, despite what happens Sunday ... 2nd seed or 3rd, the majority of other NBA teams would consider as a successful regular season.

But to say a whole season is a failure, (or not a success) because of one game? That makes very little sense to me, statistically or practically, and while seeding can certainly help, it is far from the deciding factor when it comes to the playoffs, (even in college as we've seen this year, and there is much more quality inbalance between teams in the NCAA).

(Not to mention what we've accomplished with the incredible amount of injuries and drama we've had to endure).