Regardless of What Happens, We Should Still Be Very Proud of this Team

[blackberry33]

First off, I'm still holding out for a miracle tonight.  It looks bad, very bad.  However, it looked very bad in 2004 too, and the Sox pulled it out.  Unfortunately, the Sox only had to rely on a hurt Curt Schilling for one game.  We need to rely on a hurt Rondo for 3. 

That said, win or lose tonight, we should still be very proud of what this team accomplished the past 4 years. 

First and foremost, we won a title.  In the past 35 years of the NBA, only the Pistons, Bulls, Rockets, Spurs, and Lakers have done better than us, and only the Heat have matched us.  While I'm very disappointed that we didn't win in '09 and '10 (and quite possibly this year) we still have done much better than most NBA teams have and a lot to be happy about.   

Second, we've had the pleasure of seeing basketball played the Celtic Way and quite simply the right way.  Just like the old days, no one cared about scoring, everyone played as a team, and the team played tough, gritty defense.  In an NBA often dominated by self-obsessed ball-hogs who play matador defense, it's been an absolute joy to watch this team for the past 4 years. 

As I said, I'm not waving the white flag yet: I'm holding out for the miracle.  But win or lose tonight, the past 4 years have been darn successful and this team (and it's fans) have a lot to be proud about. 

[dang] right these guys kill themselves out there trying to win every night!!

[JoT]

I'm very proud of this team and what they've accomplished. Yes they're 1-3 right now, but at least they didn't accept their fate and give up like Purple and Gold in LA. At least this team didn't embarrass their franchise with the horrible blow out loss in the playoffs.
If they lose well it's not meant to be and hopefully they get their chance next year with a healthy team and if they win then that will make it all better for me this week. Just hope they never give up and sense doubt because of the position their in. Just hope they remember Boston as a city has had teams come back and defy odds and the Celtics franchise did it 2 times in their history.

[makaveli]

[dang] right, no matter what happens this team will stay in my memory as one of the best I've ever seen

[albas89]

Living in Europe, I was staying up all night, till 5am-6am for most of the season and the whole playoffs these last 4 years(since I had access to the internet)...

well, I didnt regret one moment, not one moment... this team is something I will always remember, proud of watching the whole run and proud that I'm here tonight to say "thank you" to these guys!! they taught me what basketball is all about and what Celtics pride is about... they didnt exceeded my expectations on the number of titles they won, but for sure they exceeded my expectations on terms of devotion and playing the basketball the right way, which is very important to me!!

so... let's go celtics, I'm happy to be here tonight no matter what happens!!!

[SHAQATTACK]

Yea, there were alot of improved teams out there this year.  And the Celtics are to that point in age where your body starts going down hill faster and faster. I have really injoyed this group . Probally as much as the Larry Bird teams.

I really hope DA will try and keep a decent team for us to watch....I had become very disinterested after Reggie Lewis.  It was just painful to watch before they bought this group together. Everytime I 'd check in their was a smear going on , celtic had no decent 7 footers, the team was a disaster.

I hope the owner and DA will bring in some fresh new legs and provide us with more "HOPE" once again. And maybe a NEW superstar to take over from PP and KG roles.

All I want for XMAS is DWIGHT HOWARD in green Boston jersey , oh I can dream can't I 

[Senninsage]

Win or lose, I'll sure as hell be proud of them.

[celticslove]

i'm proud of this team no matter what happen. 

[Mr October]

PRIDE

[PosImpos]

Really, really  hard for me to feel proud of this team after the way this game ended.  Four years of contention and you're gonna go out on that ugly turnover?  Awful, just awful.  Sickening.

But it was clear in every single game of this series, the Celtics just had no energy whatsoever in every single fourth quarter.  The one game they won, they won it in the 3rd quarter.

Window = shut.  Father time wins, young guys move on.  Oh well.

It's been a great run, but I've had enough Celtics basketball for quite some time.  Not looking forward to watching any more ultra predictable 4th quarter collapses.


Don't get me wrong, I love this team and I'm proud of everything they've done, but the end to that game was just really hard to stomach.

[Birdmanbr]

do not agree at all: it's hard to not committ turnovers when you are so banged up like we were in this series and we just lost because they have 2 freaks of the nature in lebron and wade.

I love this team and their effort.

[The4Time2Doctor0]

            Jermaine O'Neal      
   Kevin Garnett       Jeff Green
   Paul Pierce       
   Ray Allen       Delonte West
   Rajon Rondo       Avery Bradley

[PseudoElite]

I'd like a young team please, tired of 4th quarter collapses.

[FrDrake]

This is a great thread and I gave the OP a TP.  I feel like this was most definitely the last game for Doc and KG on the C's and most probably for Ray Allen too.  I grew up as a kid watching Bird, McHale and Parish and didn't even realize how good we had it. Then I suffered through all the tragedies of the 90's and I still believe that Rick Pitino's middle name starts with an F and ends in an "ing".  

KG, PP, Ray Ray, Rondo, and Perk brought back Celtics pride.  I'm sad they lost tonight (of course) but I love this team and appreciate their collective heart.  

Instead of screaming at the TV I tried to just appreciate watching three aging hall of famers playing together one last time.

[PosImpos]

I'd like a young team please, tired of 4th quarter collapses.

Hard not to agree.  I love Ray, Paul, KG, and I even liked Shaq when he was able to play.  But man, am I sick and tired of watching them lose double digit leads and fall apart late in games because their energy meter is down at Empty.

[Redz]

yup