It's truly sad that Boston's very own fans have started copying haters...

[BballTim]

Not for a second did I think the celtics would get swept by the heat last year. Did anybody really think that? I think 5 games were the furthest people were going when it came to not giving the celtics a chance.

  I don't know when you started with the forums but after the team got off to a poor start last year the vast majority of the posters were talking about the Celts being complete toast and having no chance whatsoever of making any noise in the playoffs if they even managed to get to the playoffs. I can remember people claiming that anyone who thought the Celts had a chance of overtaking Philly in the standings was delusional.

I wasn't one of those people, but in their defense, Philly's start was scorching, and our's was underwhelming.

I don't think anyone saw Philly's second half collapse, or our second half surge.

  I found the thought that a 6 or 7 game lead with 35 or so games left was insurmountable to be a little ridiculous.

[Boris Badenov]

Not for a second did I think the celtics would get swept by the heat last year. Did anybody really think that? I think 5 games were the furthest people were going when it came to not giving the celtics a chance.

  I don't know when you started with the forums but after the team got off to a poor start last year the vast majority of the posters were talking about the Celts being complete toast and having no chance whatsoever of making any noise in the playoffs if they even managed to get to the playoffs. I can remember people claiming that anyone who thought the Celts had a chance of overtaking Philly in the standings was delusional.

Yup. I was firmly in the "blow it up" camp.

My all-time most embarrassing moment as a C's fan was scheduling a trip abroad in June of 2010, because I was sure they'd lose before then. I ended up being able to watch only one of the games on TV.

[CelticConcourse]

Not for a second did I think the celtics would get swept by the heat last year. Did anybody really think that? I think 5 games were the furthest people were going when it came to not giving the celtics a chance.

  I don't know when you started with the forums but after the team got off to a poor start last year the vast majority of the posters were talking about the Celts being complete toast and having no chance whatsoever of making any noise in the playoffs if they even managed to get to the playoffs. I can remember people claiming that anyone who thought the Celts had a chance of overtaking Philly in the standings was delusional.

I wasn't one of those people, but in their defense, Philly's start was scorching, and our's was underwhelming.

I don't think anyone saw Philly's second half collapse, or our second half surge.

  I found the thought that a 6 or 7 game lead with 35 or so games left was insurmountable to be a little ridiculous.

I actually saw we had a chance to get to the fourth seed, but I was expecting HCA. Oh well  I was loling at the "analysts" who said we'd miss the playoffs.

[kg is king]

Here's the way I look at things (and you can check my previous posts if you don't believe me):

We're beating the Knicks.  I'm not afraid of them, not even a little.  Then, we'll play the Pacers, who we've had success against this year.  I'm confident against them.

Unfortunately, those two series are going to drain us and we'll be left to take on the Heat, absolutely exhausted.  However, I believe we match up very well with the Heat, so who knows?

One last thought, regarding that potential Celtics-Heat series: people forget, Danny didn't build this team to win a title, he built it to beat Miami.  So, despite losing Rondo and Sully, we still have the parts to give the Heat all they can handle.  We won't be a favorite, I'll tell you that, but judging by the past few years, that's just the way this team likes it.

Go Celtics.

You can't just write off the loss of Rondo. Yes, Danny built this team to beat Miami. But one of the biggest pieces to that quest is Rondo. Rondo gives us the biggest positional advantage over the Heat. As far as I can tell, Rondo is half the puzzle.

[CelticsFan9]

Here's the way I look at things (and you can check my previous posts if you don't believe me):

We're beating the Knicks.  I'm not afraid of them, not even a little.  Then, we'll play the Pacers, who we've had success against this year.  I'm confident against them.

Unfortunately, those two series are going to drain us and we'll be left to take on the Heat, absolutely exhausted.  However, I believe we match up very well with the Heat, so who knows?

One last thought, regarding that potential Celtics-Heat series: people forget, Danny didn't build this team to win a title, he built it to beat Miami.  So, despite losing Rondo and Sully, we still have the parts to give the Heat all they can handle.  We won't be a favorite, I'll tell you that, but judging by the past few years, that's just the way this team likes it.

Go Celtics.

You can't just write off the loss of Rondo. Yes, Danny built this team to beat Miami. But one of the biggest pieces to that quest is Rondo. Rondo gives us the biggest positional advantage over the Heat. As far as I can tell, Rondo is half the puzzle.

And I totally agree with that.  Rondo was our biggest advantage.  Obviously, our chances of beating them our are lesser than before.

That doesn't mean the rest of the team doesn't work.  The parts we have still match up well even without Rondo.

[Kevin OConnor]

Just enjoy the ride.

[WeMadeIt17]

I too have fallen victim to hating on this team at times. I do believe this team can beat the Knicks in the first round. And could go further. Would like to have Rondo though. But just because some of us are upset with the effort or what we see some times doesn't mean we are haters. I believe in this team. We will ALL cheer this team on when the playoffs come win, lose, or draw.

LETS GO CELTICS!

[tarheelsxxiii]

TP x 2. This is what a fan forum is supposed to be about 90% of the time. And I do agree on all accounts, without eyes wide shut.

[j804]

I like your optimism, but one of us is misremembering things.  I think plenty of Celtics fans counted the team out last year, and the year before, and the year before that. 

I think the team has proven plenty of times that they're a totally different team in the playoffs.  I fully expect them to beat the Knicks, and I won't be surprised if they go farther than that.

I'm torn right down the middle a part of me feels the way you do but a part is scared of the Knicks, but you want to know why? Its because we won't have number nine. That guy is pretty good and a big reason we went as far as we did last year.

[Lightskinsmurf]

Here's the way I look at things (and you can check my previous posts if you don't believe me):

We're beating the Knicks.  I'm not afraid of them, not even a little.  Then, we'll play the Pacers, who we've had success against this year.  I'm confident against them.

Unfortunately, those two series are going to drain us and we'll be left to take on the Heat, absolutely exhausted.  However, I believe we match up very well with the Heat, so who knows?

One last thought, regarding that potential Celtics-Heat series: people forget, Danny didn't build this team to win a title, he built it to beat Miami.  So, despite losing Rondo and Sully, we still have the parts to give the Heat all they can handle.  We won't be a favorite, I'll tell you that, but judging by the past few years, that's just the way this team likes it.

Go Celtics.

I agree with most of this. I'm sorry but I'm just not on the knicks bandwagon like some of you. I would go as far as to say the celtics losing to the knicks would almost shock me. A borderline shock.

The celtics will bring their A game. Its the playoffs so we no longer have to worry about them taking nights off. The knicks will live by the 3 and they might win a game or two doing that but they will die by that same 3 in this series.

[Big Rondo]

I have a slightly different take than the OP, albeit perhaps more abstract.

I always think of Boston fans as among the hardest on their own teams, at least this was my impression up until about ten years ago. Boston teams were the lovable losers, but losers for  sure. I think it had something to do with the Red Sox, who kept getting close, then blowing it all.

The Celtics on the 80s were s rare bright spot, but then. Birds back went out, and Reggie and Len happened. And Karma seemed restored. We were losers again.

Then we had the Pats and Red Sox of the early 00s, and then the Celtics, and then the Bruins. And I noticed a big change. People in Boston started to expect their team to (gasp) win.

But there's now been a few years' drought, and I see Bostonians reverting back to old form. Reverting back to tradition. Namely, fear of expecting too much, bc it always ends poorly for us.

So, I don't see it as sad, but just the way things are in Boston. It's normal.

Is this referring to Boston fans? Believe it or not, most of us here aren't even from Boston! I, for one, don't care for any other Boston teams, just the Cs. But I do believe we are rough on our fans. You know the old saying... "hating the one you love most." Seems right.

But it is an interesting theory.

As a Boston fan, I can vouch for this. I don't really get this "rah rah" attitude Cs fans outside of the Boston sports circle have about the team. Its the same guys you hear talking about what an accomplishment is is to take the heat or lakers to 7 games as if that was some achievement to hang our hats on  .

Until these guys show some grit and determination to pull out the tough ones when it really counts, they're deserving of any pessimism and skepticism they receive. The 04 Sox had it, the 01,03,04 Pats had it, the 08 Cs looked strong throughout the regular season, and the Bruins won like four 7 game series on their way to getting it done.

What have these 13 Celtics done to show me anything? Not that I don't think we can beat the Knicks  but I'm talking about winning it all. For me and other true Boston fans, anything else is just another wasted season.

[Mr Green]

C's may not have #9 but we still got #5 and #34 plus a deep squad of good ballers. Every season the C's coast through the regular season and play hard when it matters in the playoffs, it ain't nothing new.

Don't forget last season Doc almost got us to the Finals with half an active roster and while Ryan Freaking Hollins was at center, peeps need to just relax and bleed green.

I love our chances to make the finals, especially with the east being so weak this season.

[Juneauz]

Remember last year, when we were led by one of the greatest playoff-performers in the game, who goes by the name of Rajon Rondo?

[pearljammer10]

Dont worry, all the negative talkers will jump back on the bandwagon after we make it to the ECF.