This team is AMAZING

[esel1000]

January 20th, 2012. I went to a celtics game at TD Garden, Celtics Vs. Suns. I watched as the celts struggled against a pretty lowly Suns squad, only score 71 pts, and fell 5-9. Fast forward to the all star break. The Celts were still sub .500, 15-17.

Back then, it was all over the media and celticsblog. They're too old. Its year 5 of a 3 year plan. Blow it up.The graph on the front page entitled "How do you feel about the Celtics?" was dipping lower and lower. It seemed like 8/10 posts described a trade scenario with Rondo or a member of the big 3. Jeff Green had a heart ailment. Wilcox developed one. JO went down and was done for the season. I'll never forget a quote I heard on WEEI following a Celtics blowout loss to the Mavericks. "It seems as though we have to force people to listen these days," was said. And at the time all I thought was... you're absolutely right.

All-star break happened. The usual, eventful weekend. But who could have guessed that during that weekend, a transformation had begun. A team was reborn. The Celtics weren't just good following the break. They were great.

KG was moved to center. All of a sudden he looked a decade younger. Avery Bradley emerged as a magnificent player and huge part of this team in the wake of injuries. The Truth was playing his best basketball of the big 3 era. And the Celtics were winning. Best record following the all-star break turned this 15-17 team into a 39-27 team to finish this season, clinch the atlantic that had practically been awarded to Philly halfway through the season, and gain the number 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. Suddenly Ainge looked like a genius for not blowing it up, a move that many people were shocked and some even upset by as they viewed a team they felt was going nowhere.

Now look... This old, banged up, injury plagued team is in the Eastern Conference Finals. The final 4. If that doesn't surprise you to the least, you don't have feelings. 3 months ago, this team was written off. On contenders or pretenders, the espn guys wrote them off as pretenders. It was chicago or miami, and no one else. Now, this team is in the freaken ECF. That is unbelievable.

Say what you will at this point. That the Celtics had have no shot against the Heat, and even if they get to the finals, OKC or the Spurs will wreck them. Believe that if you want. Even if it's true, look how far the Celtics had come. Polled a few months ago, im pretty sure half the people on this blog didnt think the celtics would even make the playoffs. Now they're halfway to a championship. Call them old, call them injured. Beating the Heat, beating OKC, beating the Spurs... those feats are not as difficult to me as being a 15-17 team come all star break and now finding yourself in the ECF. That's nothing short of amazing.

Say what you will, but this team has a chance. And even in a worst case scenario, if the Celtics are swept by the Heat, well... if you look at this season in full, this was a huge success. This team has a hell of a lot of heart, and two whiny Miami superstars cant take that away.

You proved us wrong before Celtics. Now go and beat the heat!!! And go bring 18 to Boston!!

[LarBrd33]

Back when JO was starting a center we looked pretty hopeless.  A starting center either needed to appear out of thin air or we needed to blow the thing up.  I didn't anticipate that Kevin Garnett would switch to center and completely save this team from doom.  Not much changed... Garnett just plugged the massive hole and started playing better than he has EVER played in Celtic green.   IF anything, you can boil it down to Kevin Garnett proving everyone wrong.  MVP of the team... incredible... absolutely incredible.

That said, we couldn't have asked for an easier path to the Finals than the one we are getting.  We have injury problems, but still are trotting out our starting 5.  Had Al Horford been healthy all series, we probably would have lost to them.  A healthy Bulls team probably would have destroyed us.  We were gifted a garbage fringe playoff team in the 2nd round and still took them to 7 games.   Now we're looking like we'll get to face the Miami Heat with 1/3rd of their team on the shelf (since it's a 3 player team).  Couldn't ask for much more.  Still... people are expecting us to get swept next round. 

Bottom line:  It IS amazing that Kevin Garnett carried us to the ECF considering how we looked earlier this season.  As unlucky as we've been this year... we've also been pretty darn lucky with this cake road map to the finals.  We probably should have swept both rounds.

[Celtics18]

This team is amazing, and I absolutely believe they have a very good chance of upsetting the Miami Heat.  Game one will be huge.  The pressure will be off the Celtics, but if they carry the energy from this seventh game over against a possibly over satisfied Miami squad, game one could be stolen.  It'd be on from there.

[Smutzy#9]

Back when JO was starting a center we looked pretty hopeless.  A starting center either needed to appear out of thin air or we needed to blow the thing up.  I didn't anticipate that Kevin Garnett would switch to center and completely save this team from doom.  Not much changed... Garnett just plugged the massive hole and started playing better than he has EVER played in Celtic green.   IF anything, you can boil it down to Kevin Garnett proving everyone wrong.  MVP of the team... incredible... absolutely incredible.

That said, we couldn't have asked for an easier path to the Finals than the one we are getting.  We have injury problems, but still are trotting out our starting 5.  Had Al Horford been healthy all series, we probably would have lost to them.  A healthy Bulls team probably would have destroyed us.  We were gifted a garbage fringe playoff team in the 2nd round and still took them to 7 games.   Now we're looking like we'll get to face the Miami Heat with 1/3rd of their team on the shelf (since it's a 3 player team).  Couldn't ask for much more.  Still... people are expecting us to get swept next round. 

Bottom line:  It IS amazing that Kevin Garnett carried us to the ECF considering how we looked earlier this season.  As unlucky as we've been this year... we've also been pretty darn lucky with this cake road map to the finals.  We probably should have swept both rounds.

That being said, look at the finish to the regular season we had. I think its amazing with the start we had, and the final stretch of the regular season we still finished 5th

[mctyson]

I was thinking about this for a while after the game last night, and I know it has been a weird season, but...

This has to be the most injured team ever to reach a Conference Finals, correct?

We have lost 4 significant rotation players for the season to injury: Green, Oneal, Wilcox, Bradley.  While one of those losses was actually a gain in some respects (Oneal), the other 3 were losses of varying degree.

We have one starter and one rotation player who are playing with injuries that, had the team been out of contention, would have ended their seasons:  Ray (bone spurs) and Stiemer (plantar fasciitis).

So you could even say that we have experienced 6 "season ending" injuries with this roster.

(This does not even include Pierce's knee, KG's hip flexor, whatever the hell is going on with Rondo...heck for all we know Doc is probably injured too. But leave that aside, everyone is nicked up this time of year.)

I really believe we should all think about this for second.  I know people feel we had an easy path to the ECF, but because of those injuries there has been nothing easy about this entire season, let alone the playoffs.  Our roster has been decimated by injuries, more so than any roster of any team I follow in my recollection.  To have that happen and still make the Conference Finals is a tremendous feat.  I honestly can't say I will see that again in my lifetime.

I know D-Rose blew out his ACL, and that totally changed the complexion of these playoffs.  And yes that one injury, and its impact, might be worse than our multiple injuries when you factor in how much he means to the Bulls.  I guess you could throw Horford and Howard in here too, but Horford came back to play for ATL (and played really well) and we still beat them, and Orlando wasn't beating Indiana and Miami anyways.

Still, I am confident in saying that the 2012 Boston Celtics are probably one of the most, if not the most, injury-riddled teams ever to make a Conference Finals (you could even say in any sport), which truly makes this team even more amazing when you factor in that everyone said they would collapse because of our age.


 

[SHAQATTACK]

I was totally wrong on how far the Celtics would advance.  After the first 25 games I was in dispare. 

The end of the season was a wonderful ride.

With all the injuries , Green , Wilcox and JO out.  Resurgence of KG and Bradley.  Now with Bradley gone , its amazing the team has gotten so far .   The next series is very more daunting.

If they don't win another game , thats fine, cause they have already far surpassed any expectations I've had for many months.

GO CELTICS!!

[Celtics4ever]

I root for us good or bad.  I am more of a C fan than a NBA fan.

Just imagine how amazing we would be with Green, Wilcox and Bradley with us now.   What this team has had is "heart".   

But the true test follow.....

[scaryjerry]

Back when JO was starting a center we looked pretty hopeless.  A starting center either needed to appear out of thin air or we needed to blow the thing up.  I didn't anticipate that Kevin Garnett would switch to center and completely save this team from doom.  Not much changed... Garnett just plugged the massive hole and started playing better than he has EVER played in Celtic green.   IF anything, you can boil it down to Kevin Garnett proving everyone wrong.  MVP of the team... incredible... absolutely incredible.

That said, we couldn't have asked for an easier path to the Finals than the one we are getting.  We have injury problems, but still are trotting out our starting 5.  Had Al Horford been healthy all series, we probably would have lost to them.  A healthy Bulls team probably would have destroyed us.  We were gifted a garbage fringe playoff team in the 2nd round and still took them to 7 games.   Now we're looking like we'll get to face the Miami Heat with 1/3rd of their team on the shelf (since it's a 3 player team).  Couldn't ask for much more.  Still... people are expecting us to get swept next round. 

Bottom line:  It IS amazing that Kevin Garnett carried us to the ECF considering how we looked earlier this season.  As unlucky as we've been this year... we've also been pretty darn lucky with this cake road map to the finals.  We probably should have swept both rounds.

Cute way to look at it, and i think KGs play was the biggest reason for the turnaround but it wasnt the only one, Bass moving to the 4 and the starting lineup playing consistent and solid enabled KG to do what he did, Avery Bradleys coming of age really really helped, and Rondo continuing to improve and transition as leader was key.
KG struggled against Lavoy Allen much of this series, hes been fantastic but somehow that gets lost

[Corey]

All they've done is beat teams they were supposed to beat. They lucked out with the Rose injury, Orlando's implosion, and Horford/Smith missing games in the ATL series.

I'll call this team amazing if they find a way to beat the heat. Until then, they've just been handling business.

[cltc5]

So many emotions this year.  Ugh. I'm just gonna enjoy one game at a time form here on out.  there's only 14 potential games left for this team.  Im gonna relish each moment.  All the injuries, yet we win the divsion and we made it to the ECF.  What a legacy!

[henr1k]

I agree. This team is AMAZING.

People often don't appreciate something until it's gone. We've all done it.

Even though it has been frustrating at times to watch this team's struggles, especially in the first half of the season, I personally enjoyed every single moment of it.

Not only because we are watching 3 future hall of famers on their last ride but because of the way they play for each other, because of great team chemistry we are witnessing.

I know it may sound corny, but this team showed me what Celtics pride is all about.

Lets do it. No. 18!

[SHAQATTACK]

All they've done is beat teams they were supposed to beat. They lucked out with the Rose injury, Orlando's implosion, and Horford/Smith missing games in the ATL series.

I'll call this team amazing if they find a way to beat the heat. Until then, they've just been handling business.

Well said, I think to beat the Heat , now without Bradley, we are going to need another lucky break come our way to advance. I guess stranger things have happened in sports.

Like another poster commented , I'll just enjoy the ride with PP , RA and KG these last games.

[Prof. Clutch]

There's a wonderful and magical quality to basketball that I love: Teams constantly change over the course of the season.

Philly was flying high for a large portion of the season while the Celtics struggled but that's not where things ended up. The ebb and flow shifts dramatically and how we feel at the beginning of the season, at the beginning of the playoffs, or even at the beginning of Game 7 has no effect on what will actually happen when the lights come on. We form our opinions on what we watch the team do, but the momentum with this team seems to change from moment to moment.

With 4 minutes left and a 3 point lead I turned to my brother when Pierce fouled out and asked him who was going to lead the team to victory. He guessed Rondo who at that point had 7 points and looked kind of disengaged, I didn't buy it. I never would have believed that he would explode in the last few minutes for 11 points.  In basketball things just seem to suddenly and sporadically change.

You are right, this team is amazing.

[esel1000]

All they've done is beat teams they were supposed to beat. They lucked out with the Rose injury, Orlando's implosion, and Horford/Smith missing games in the ATL series.

I'll call this team amazing if they find a way to beat the heat. Until then, they've just been handling business.

A sub .500 team at the all star break is in the ECF. I'm not entirely sure how many times that has happened in history, but it's definitely a small number. People keep saying we should have beaten teams like the hawks and Sixers. Says who? Both teams were better seeds than the celtics for 3/4 of the season, and the hawks ended with a better work. People didnt even think this team was going to make the playoffs. I'll admit getting the Sixers in the 2nd round was a bit lucky, though we beat the Sixers team that beat the Bulls in their current form in 6 games (I guess Noah would have been back at this point, but im not sure). Getting to where they are right now with how they were just a few short months ago in the face of injuries is amazing. If they get to the finals.. thats just insane haha

[esel1000]

Basically my point with this post is to get some optimism going on this board and remind people what this team has accomplished this season in contradiction of our original beliefs and the media's as reports coming out saying that the celts have no shot vs the heat in the ECF. I'll believe it when I see it. Heart > ESPN "experts"

Also I just want to appreciate what this team has done