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#1 Gratitude
This final week or two has been robust, proper? Nothing to play for. A transparent drop off from the hassle we’ve seen all through the common season. Some losses that would not have occurred if the Boston Celtics have been enjoying at their greatest. It’s simple to get involved or have questions in regards to the teaching workers’s resting coverage.
It’s additionally simple to seek out the negatives in these moments. You start to marvel if it’s actually so simple as flicking a swap as soon as the playoffs start. You ask your self if taking your foot off the gasoline is the fitting extra. Then, you attempt to rationalize what you see with the argument about staying recent and avoiding accidents.
The reality is, 29 different fanbases got here into the season dreaming about being on this state of affairs. They dreamt about their workforce working away with the primary seed of their convention and having the season wrapped up weeks earlier than the schedule ended. Just one workforce did that this season, this workforce.
In some unspecified time in the future, it’s price simply sitting again and having fun with what has been an extremely memorable season. The kind of season you inform your kids about. The kind of season you inform your kids’s kids about. A historic season. A season that would doubtlessly go down in Celtics lore as probably the greatest within the trendy period.
I’m selecting to be glad about that slightly than worrying about “what ifs” and “can they’s.”
#2 Pleasure
One recreation. That’s all that’s left within the Celtics regular-season schedule. Whenever you look previous it, there’s a chasm of unknown ready. The play-in match will dictate who the workforce faces within the first spherical. Proper now, that might be the Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks, Miami Warmth or Philadelphia 76ers.
It doesn’t matter who finally ends up being the primary domino in Boston’s story; they must fall. In reality, each workforce must fall. That’s how championship runs work. That’s how dominance is asserted. And this workforce has confirmed themselves to be dominant. One thing is thrilling about this workforce. What’s extra, one thing is thrilling about seeing a workforce you’ve watched develop and develop stroll into the unknown with one aim and all of the instruments crucial to realize it.
Even when the “Core Six” sat out on Friday night time, the workforce nonetheless took care of enterprise. They nonetheless cooked. They nonetheless dominated. I’m beginning to get excited for the playoffs now…Are you?
#3 Younger and Wild and Free
In opposition to the Charlotte Hornets, the Celtics rolled out a lot youthful expertise. Jaden Springer, JD Davison, Drew Peterson, Jordan Walsh, Neemias Queta, Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser — all of those guys are within the early innings of their careers. All of them discovered methods to have an excellent recreation.
An indication of a related workforce is when the top of the bench and two-way guys can step into the rotation and execute the sport plan at a excessive stage. Seeing so many younger gamers placed on a powerful efficiency wasn’t solely encouraging, it was enjoyable. It was enjoyable to see some new actions. Some new playstyles. And to see everybody hustling their butt off on each side of the ground.
Springer is enjoyable. I like his power and his dedication on protection. Walsh’s wingspan is so nuts, and his three-point jumper appears approach smoother. Queta made a huge impact and confirmed why he is not too long ago earned a multi-year take care of the workforce. We may go on, however you get the image.
The purpose is, even when the Celtics rolled out their backups and the backups to their backups, they nonetheless discovered a option to crush it.
#4 Kornet, Pritchard and Hauser
Playoff prepared. No different option to put it. Pritchard has taken his recreation to a different stage previously few months. He’s been such a enjoyable sub-story because the Celtics have been closing out the season. If he can maintain this stage of manufacturing off the bench all through the postseason (and sure with a dip in minutes) he may have a big position to play within the workforce’s probabilities of success.
The identical will be mentioned about Kornet and Hauser. Each have been stable this season. Kornet has particularly impressed me. It seems like he’s gotten higher and higher because the season has progressed. Throw in Hauser’s motion capturing and the mid-range jumper he’s beginning to add to his recreation when attacking closeouts off the dribble, and that trio seems like it could actually make an impression when checking into playoff video games.
The Celtics are proving exceptionally gifted at creating expertise in-house — which is an indication of a well-run and high-level group.
#5 The Maine Line
We noticed a bunch of the G-League roster on the courtroom towards the Hornets. They’ve acquired lots of back-and-forth touring forward of them this week. Nonetheless, seeing the connectedness between them and the execution they convey is enjoyable.
“I feel it’s only a testomony to the teaching workers, the entrance workplace, and the gamers, and it reveals the continuity all through the complete group,” Mazzulla mentioned after the sport. “… I’m excited to go to that recreation on Monday.”
We’ll doubtless see these gamers once more when the Celtics face the Washington Wizards on Sunday. And should you’re tuning into the Maine Celtics over the following few days, you’ll get one other shut have a look at them.
Nonetheless, from subsequent week, it’s all in regards to the playoffs, and I’m right here for it!
Wanting forward
Another recreation. The consequence doesn’t matter — we’ve recognized this for some time. Nonetheless, it will likely be enjoyable to place a bow on the season and eventually flip our consideration towards the postseason and a possible championship run. I’ll be right here on Monday to write down my closing takeaways article of the regular-season…Then, we needs to be again to a full 10 after every recreation, with tons to unpact.
Have an awesome weekend!
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