If this is the end of the Celtics run............

[Jaycelt]

I'd say unsuccessful. If we could've built around Bassy Telfair, Gerald Green and drafted Jeff Green out of the gates we'd probably be looking at 6 or 7 championships. Paul Pierce wouldn't have an issue w/ that, right?

Yeah, because all of those guys have had such wildly successful careers. 

[StartOrien]

I'd say unsuccessful. If we could've built around Bassy Telfair, Gerald Green and drafted Jeff Green out of the gates we'd probably be looking at 6 or 7 championships. Paul Pierce wouldn't have an issue w/ that, right?

Yeah, because all of those guys have had such wildly successful careers. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xECUrlnXCqk&feature=related

[Neurotic Guy]

I'd say unsuccessful. If we could've built around Bassy Telfair, Gerald Green and drafted Jeff Green out of the gates we'd probably be looking at 6 or 7 championships. Paul Pierce wouldn't have an issue w/ that, right?

Yeah, because all of those guys have had such wildly successful careers. 

I'm pretty sure he is being sarcastic. Anyone known as StartOrien has got to have a good sense of humor.

[OsirusCeltics]

I'd say unsuccessful. If we could've built around Bassy Telfair, Gerald Green and drafted Jeff Green out of the gates we'd probably be looking at 6 or 7 championships. Paul Pierce wouldn't have an issue w/ that, right?

Yeah, because all of those guys have had such wildly successful careers. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xECUrlnXCqk&feature=related

LOL anyone who says Family Guy is better than the Simpsons is craaaazy haha

[Mr October]

I've said all along that everything after 2007-8 is gravy.   It doesn't take away the disappointment of losing in the playoffs (or the Finals), or watching the Lakers win banners, but... this was an unanticiapted run and I'll be forever grateful for it.

Yup after winning the title in 08, everything after that is house money.

This era is a success no matter how things end this season or next.

And I think this season has a chance to end very nicely for us. I certainly think Boston has the weapons to win against Miami.

[Roy H.]

It would be a minor disappointment due to circumstance, but still a success.

[MBz]

I'd say unsuccessful. If we could've built around Bassy Telfair, Gerald Green and drafted Jeff Green out of the gates we'd probably be looking at 6 or 7 championships. Paul Pierce wouldn't have an issue w/ that, right?

Yeah, because all of those guys have had such wildly successful careers. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xECUrlnXCqk&feature=related

This is the best video response I've ever seen. It's so tough to judge sarcasm on the internet unless it's blatantly obvious.  We should start using this all time.  Anyways, I think it's been a success.  We won a championship, had 4 winning seasons, had an eastern conference semi finals appearance without KG, an NBA finals appearance, and who knows how this year will end out.   Can't ask for much more than that.  Of course it be nice to win a championship every year, but in this NBA, it's unlikely.

[dwlefty13]

Unsuccessful

The Big 3 needs to win 2 championships to be successful, giving that the Lakers won 2 championships during this span. If the Celtics finish with the same amount of championships this era as the Lakers (2), than it one can argue a mild success.

[dark_lord]

-eastern conference finals without kg
-2 finals appearances
-1 championship

how can anyone say that isnt a success, since they won 24 games the season b4 the big three?!?

[PosImpos]

Successful.  The Celtics have been contenders for the last 4 seasons, and have two Finals appearances in that span with 1 championship.  Nobody can complain about that.

It isn't the Celtics' fault that they weren't gifted KG in the same way that Gasol was gifted to the Lakers.  The Gasol trade is what guaranteed the Lakers 2-3 championships in a 4-5 year period.  It is what it is.  

If the Celtics could have kept Big Al and traded Perk to the T-Wolves instead (which would make the KG trade comparable) they'd be ultra dominant, too.

To put it another way, if the Lakers had to give up Bynum or Odom in order to get Gasol (as they rightfully should have), they wouldn't be on their way to a three-peat right now.

[18isGREATERthan72]

Definitely a success.  In the last 10 years, there have been five teams to win a championship.  5 teams in the last 10 years out of 30 teams.  Celtics are one of those teams.  I can live with that.

[Celticsfan336]

Was it successful?

First off, if your going to give up hope on this season already you need to look back to recent playoffs. It 1 game.

But if we win this year, it will be succesful. If we win next year, it will be a legacy.

If we do not win 1 more, without making it to the finals, we underachieved.
If we do not win 1 more, but make it to 1 or 2 more finals, we will be considered a great team that couldnt win in the finals.

[StartOrien]

I don't understand how anyone could say anything less than successful. We took a miserable team, and parlayed that into a perennial contender for the past 4 years without giving up much (Jefferson and some draft picks). In 3 years we've won the finals, made it to the finals, and lost in the quarterfinals w/o KG - which was a heckuva fun playoff for us if nothing else. We're now again contending for another Championship.

When this era does end, we continue on with an all star PG and a ton of cap space in what is now again an appealing market (younger players have gotten to see what our fan base looks like when we've got the slightest chance of winning).

How in the world is that not a success?

[Dante]

Gasol was not the key piece: it was and it is Bynum, abnd if Bynum had been available in 2008, we would probably not have beaten the Lakers in 2008. Even if we had reached the Finals this year and play the Lakers, we have nobody to guard Bynum and Gasol at the same time. We just dont have thr horses. We have Shak? Really, where is he?

[PosImpos]

Gasol was not the key piece: it was and it is Bynum, abnd if Bynum had been available in 2008, we would probably not have beaten the Lakers in 2008. Even if we had reached the Finals this year and play the Lakers, we have nobody to guard Bynum and Gasol at the same time. We just dont have thr horses. We have Shak? Really, where is he?

Disagree.  Gasol was the true Finals MVP last year, and Bynum was little more than a scape-goat (his absence was, rather).  Not until the second half of this season has Bynum stepped up and made as much of an impact on the Lakers as he is making now.  Part of the reason he's standing out so much this season is that Gasol has taken a bit of a step back.

Don't kid yourself, though -- Pau is the key for the Lakers.  On most teams he would be the best player, but on the Lakers he is the second best.  That is what makes them such a scary team.