Has what happened after 2008 left a bitter taste in your mouth about that era?

[Eja117]

I could see how the era was frustrating, but 2008 was and is awesome and totally worth it. Also it hasn't exactly left the cupboard empty or anything.

Doc and Ray are the biggest things bothering me from this time followed by Big Baby.

[Timdawgg]

During the Finals, I called my credit card company for an increase on my credit limit just in case it went to game 7.  I was expecting at least $2K per ticket, and I would have paid it.

THANK GOD WE WON IN 6!  I'd still be paying it off.

I'll remember that year like I remember 1986, which was possibly the best Celtic team ever.

Since then?

KG's arrival made us favorites, and his injury made us underdogs every year afterward.

Danny kept bringing in old guys, rather than looking to upgrade.  Sheed was, IMO, a mistake.  IF he would've been in shape during the season, 2010 game 7 would've been in Boston, and perhaps his back spasms in game 7 don't bother him.  And perhaps then we win #18, who knows.

Danny got conservative really quick after the KG trade, no longer the gambler.

LA had the guts to trade Shaq shortly after a 3-peat, when he was still the most dominant big man in the game.  Danny wouldn't have the guts.

But yes, everything went wrong after 2008, just as everything went right that year.

For those around at that time...everything else reminds of 1987-1992. Very similar paths...Still great teams with injuries affecting the title chances. 1987 was still one of  my favorite Celtics years even with the painfull loss to the Lakers. We were lucky in the last 5 years to still go through the ride...as "unlucky" as we were with the outcomes.

[Mr October]

I have a lot of good memories during the years that followed 2008. The 2009 team played with a ton of guts even after KG went down and was still a force in the playoffs. The duels between rondo/ray and rose/Gordon were amazing. The 2010 playoff run was glorious until Perkins got injured. I still got a heck of a 2 month ride watching those guys kicking everyone's butts.

The next year, we got shaq and looked like world beaters until he went down. Then rondo got taken out. I am bitter about the 2010-11 season, so many things went wrong in that one year.

The 2012 playoff run was cool, but we were beating low seeds or injured teams. That never feels as good as when you can beat the best, and watch teams play with fear against the celtics defense.

That 3 1/2 year window from fall 2007- winter 2011 was awesome, even with the injuries.

[gpap]

Guess I am in the minority here AND maybe I am hard to please

To answer the question (nice post by the way) YES, I do have a bitter taste in my mouth.

The Celtics SHOULD have won more than one NBA title during the KG era and they didn't.

I also think excuses are being made for the shortcomings in their quest for banner 18 from 2009-2013. Here some reasons why I think we should won another NBA title, came up short and it did not have anything to do with injuries (which by the way, are part of the game.)

1.) During the 2008-09 season, I feel like Danny took his eye of the ball. REMEMBER, going into the season we lost James Posey and PJ Brown (and to a smaller extent, Sam Cassell) who played a pretty big role in the 08 title run.

Danny really didn't acquire anyone to replace them, thus we had a weaker bench. In fact, if I remember, the only players Ainge acquired for the 2008-09 season were Patrick O'Bryant and Stephon Marbury.

O'Bryant had bust written all over him (and was then subsequently traded) and Marbury was clearly done as well.

Even with KG's injury, DA should've gone out and acquired another body or two for a repeat run and he didn't.

I remember at the time, after KG's injury, the prevailing thought was "oh KG will only miss 2-3 weeks, and be back plenty strong for the playoffs. The team will be fine." Well, that wasn't the case. AND by the way, that was BEFORE the trade deadline, only further emphasizing Ainge's fault in not being proactive to help provide the team with enough healthy bodies for the stretch run.

2.) The 2009-10 season. Remember, this was the year where the Celts were 23-5 by Christmas and then 27-27 the rest of the way. Quite frankly, the Celts got lazy in the 2nd half of the season. They were good enough where they were able to get away with it and crush Miami, Cleveland and Orlando in the playoffs.

But against the Lakers in the finals, the basketball gods were not kind and the Celts complaceny from the regular season caught up with them in the finals.

The Lakers had home court advantage that year and they earned it because they were a higher seed.

Had the Celts played harder during the regular season, they could've locked up HC and probably beaten the Lakers as HC played a big role in that series

3.)The infamous Perk trade during 2010-11: Sorry folks, it might not be popular opinion, but this was BIG.

Before this deal, the Celts were the best team in the East. They had beaten Miami 3 times and it looked like no one was going to stop them.

After the trade, the team was never the same. I do recall the Celts winning some games right after they acquired Green/Krstic, but by the time they played Miami in the playoffs, they were badly missing Perk and his toughness.

Alot of people point to Shaq's injury as the reason why we came up short. This should've been expected when you acquire a 39 year old player who's a big man with a history of injury concerns.

4.) Not landing David West and OJ Mayo: This one, I am not sure if you can blame Danny or anyone for that matter. I guess the only criticism you can put on Ainge is either he should've gotten someone else after West picked Indy and NOT listened to KG/PP about keeping the hobbled Ray Allen in the proposed OJ Mayo deal.

Would acquiring West or Mayo have helped the Celts beat Miami?: Tough one. I am thinking probably not. Lebron's game 6 performanc was so awesome, that I am not sure even Bill Russell in his prime would've been able to help the Celtics.

But make no mistake about it. Not being able to acquire another player didn't help during the 2011-12 season.

5.)Once again, no trades during the 2012-13 season other than Jordan Crawford: Once again, other than acquiring Crawford (which didn't really do much) Danny was unable to acquire more talent to help the Celts. Both KMart and Birdman were out there, and they later ended up going to NY and Miami.

So, between the Celts playing 500 ball in the 2nd half of the 09-10 season and Ainge's trade deadline failures (both from the failed Perk deal or just failing to make a deal altogether to help the team) this is why we only saw one title during the new big 3 era.

Another title should've been won. I expect more from the greatest franchise in the NBA.

[Fafnir]

The idea that the 09-10 could have competed for home court with the lakers ignores the health of the team. They started losing because Pierce/KG were banged up. Then once they were back they coasted because at that point they weren't getting a top seed and the focus was health.

The era was awesome and I'm sad its over. 2010 will always be a big what if in my mind, but that's the nature of sports.

[SHAQATTACK]

I have a lot of good memories during the years that followed 2008. The 2009 team played with a ton of guts even after KG went down and was still a force in the playoffs. The duels between rondo/ray and rose/Gordon were amazing. The 2010 playoff run was glorious until Perkins got injured. I still got a heck of a 2 month ride watching those guys kicking everyone's butts.

The next year, we got shaq and looked like world beaters until he went down. Then rondo got taken out. I am bitter about the 2010-11 season, so many things went wrong in that one year.

The 2012 playoff run was cool, but we were beating low seeds or injured teams. That never feels as good as when you can beat the best, and watch teams play with fear against the celtics defense.

That 3 1/2 year window from fall 2007- winter 2011 was awesome, even with the injuries.

TP......as usual saved me time sayin the same thing. 

[MBunge]

It was frustrating watching such a great team just flat out not compete some nights in later seasons but that will fade with time.  The only thing I'm bitter about is that I don't think that team does or will get the respect it deserves.  Even with their struggles in the playoffs, that title team put together one of the most dominant seasons in league history and was arguably just 2 knee injuries away from winning at least 2 more championships, putting them among the all-time elite.

But, much like they'll forget about LeBron and company losing to a Dallas team they had no business losing to, the KG-era Celts will be largely forgotten because they weren't supposed to be as great as they were.

Mike

[PhoSita]

Not at all. It was an excellent era. It could have been better , but it was still awesome .

Yep, exactly.

Lots of ups and downs.  They were all flawed teams, some more than others.  But they were all pretty great at times, too. 

We'd be pretty spoiled if we asked for more out of that whole era, honestly.  We are very fortunate that the right circumstances arose for Ainge to make the trades that brought KG and Allen here in the first place, and all things considered we're fortunate that the team came away with a title and some deep playoff runs.

How often does a group of stars toward the end of their primes come together and immediately mesh into an elite winner?  Even LeBron, Wade, and Bosh -- a younger and perhaps overall more talented group -- couldn't win it all their first season together.

[freshinthehouse]

Nothing but good memories from that era.  And as far as KG getting hurt, when you build a team around a bunch of 30+ year old talent, some of them getting hurt is part of the deal.

[LarBrd33]

If in 2008, if you had imagined the WORST case scenario playing out after that title it pretty much did and went like this:

- KG suffers major injury during 2009 season and will NEVER be the same. Misses most of the season and playoffs

- Lakers go on to win back to back titles. One over your Boston Celtics in 2010 that went to a game 7.

- Lebron leaves Cleveland and forms a super team in Miami for 2011, 2012 and 2013 putting an end to the era.

Was 2008 incredible? Of course. But could it have played out any worse for us afterwards? WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN is what I always find myself going back to. It has taken away from that joy I felt back in 2008 when KG screamed, "Anything's Possible!"

Everything that happened since made our 2008 title feel like a footnote in NBA history.  A purchased title in the middle of Kobe/Duncan dynasties... and then a tailspin back to irrelevance.

I think we should have won another title.  But really we weren't supposed to win in 2008 either.  It almost would have been better to have lost to the Lakers in 2008... had the lakers repeat in 2009... and then finally beat them in 2010...

[mmmmm]

Definitely not.

That 2008 team was historically one of the greatest teams ever.  I've been following the NBA since ... well, since before a lot of posters on this board were even born.

And the level of dominance and the fundamental _completeness_ of that team was just a true joy to experience.

It is far more than just Game 6.   They dominated in the regular season (with a ridiculous net point rating).   They were forced to fight through two major gauntlets in the conference semi's and ECF, against teams that were not just going to roll over for them.   And then they crushed the hated Lakers with that epic Game 6.

Nothing can ever take that away.   Nothing.

[pearljammer10]

The only thing that has left a bad taste in my mouth is trading Perkins for Green. I will always defend how much that trade killed us then and over the next couple years after.

[D.o.s.]

Definitely not.

That 2008 team was historically one of the greatest teams ever.  I've been following the NBA since ... well, since before a lot of posters on this board were even born.

And the level of dominance and the fundamental _completeness_ of that team was just a true joy to experience.

It is far more than just Game 6.   They dominated in the regular season (with a ridiculous net point rating).   They were forced to fight through two major gauntlets in the conference semi's and ECF, against teams that were not just going to roll over for them.   And then they crushed the hated Lakers with that epic Game 6.

Nothing can ever take that away.   Nothing.

Agreed. 2008 was one of the 11 greatest teams in NBA history, if you go by W/L. 66-16 is nothing to sneeze at.

[wahz]

For all you saying, "oh golly gee no, winning that title was what counted,"the heading says, "Has what happened AFTER 2008 left a bitter taste in your mouth about the era?"

OF COURSE! Bad things happened and bad moves were made. If Perk is healthy for game 7 in 2010, I think we win it. That would have moved me into the "golly gee things were great" column. But it was an unmitigated DISASTER what has happened since 2008 so yes, I for one, have an awful taste in my mouth for what has transpired since June 2008.

I am a pretty optimistic guy so I am HOPING the flipping of the elderly stars pays off and a new era emerges and makes it all worthwhile. But we need some luck and brilliance starting in with this years lottery.

[gpap]

During the Finals, I called my credit card company for an increase on my credit limit just in case it went to game 7.  I was expecting at least $2K per ticket, and I would have paid it.

THANK GOD WE WON IN 6!  I'd still be paying it off.

I'll remember that year like I remember 1986, which was possibly the best Celtic team ever.

Since then?

KG's arrival made us favorites, and his injury made us underdogs every year afterward.

Danny kept bringing in old guys, rather than looking to upgrade.  Sheed was, IMO, a mistake.  IF he would've been in shape during the season, 2010 game 7 would've been in Boston, and perhaps his back spasms in game 7 don't bother him.  And perhaps then we win #18, who knows.

Danny got conservative really quick after the KG trade, no longer the gambler.

LA had the guts to trade Shaq shortly after a 3-peat, when he was still the most dominant big man in the game.  Danny wouldn't have the guts.

But yes, everything went wrong after 2008, just as everything went right that year.

Exactly! If we are going to shower Danny Ainge with adulation and praise for assembling that 2007-08 team, then I think he also deserves blame for not helping us get back to a championship from 2009-13.

After the KG deal, he started making some very questionable moves which really didn't help (O'Bryant, Marbury, Perk for Green deal, not acquiring more key talent in the final 2 years of the big 3 era, not acquiring proper depth in lieu of KG's injury in 2009.)

I did actually like the Rasheed Wallace, Shaq and Jermaine O'Neal signins at the time they happened BUT now you look back and realize, none of them really panned out.

I also think Ainge did a horrendous job putting that 2012-13 team together with pieces that just didn't fit together (Jet, Courtney Lee, etc.)