The Celtics are again – CelticsBlog

The Boston Celtics fanbase must get its act collectively.

The previous 2-3 weeks have been an absolute rollercoaster trip. Whether or not we had been appearing just like the sky was falling over a small March dip or dropping our minds over a number of non-committal Jaylen Brown quotes from an interview in January, the fanbase has felt…clenched…because the All-Star break got here to an finish. However that notion doesn’t match actuality.

Robert Williams is again on the ground trying like Robert Williams once more. Marcus Good is again getting hit within the jewels each sport. The steadiness has been returned to the group. It’s time to de-clench. The run has begun.

I believe we have to begin with establishing one thing crucial right here. Elite groups dropping basketball video games in March has no bearing in anyway on them successful a title. Seeding is essential, however the Celtics have been the very best street group in basketball this season. A 24-14 file away from TD Backyard is freakishly good and an 8-4 street file within the playoffs final season ought to once more calm anybody’s nerve’s about seeding.

I do know you don’t need to push it, however all of us watched the Celtics win two Recreation 7s on the street simply final playoffs. Heck, I used to be within the constructing for his or her sport towards Miami. Whereas I’ll always remember the sound of Jimmy Butler’s missed 3 clanging off the rim like he threw an precise brick at it, a win is a win is a win.

However regardless of these data and people very spectacular wins, Celtics followers had been dropping their minds over a mid-March loss to the Houston Rockets. Certain, you by no means need to lose to the Rockets at any level, nevertheless it’s JUST one other random street sport on the schedule. Identical factor with them dropping a barn-burner to the Jazz on the street a number of days later. Paradoxically, regardless of Celtics followers claiming the sky is falling, the Celtics would face off towards the Sacramento Kings, the #2 seed within the West, simply eight days later and beat them by nearly 30 in their very own home. One thing isn’t matching up right here.

After all of the chaos and tumultuousness because the All-Star break, the Celtics at the moment sit at 51-23. Regardless of a rookie coach, Rob Williams taking part in 30 video games, Marcus Good coping with accidents, and Jayson Tatum taking pictures sub-30% on pull-up 3s, the Celtics have already handed their win complete from final season. After one of many nice 2nd half runs in NBA historical past, the 2021-2022 Celtics completed the season 51-31. This group will simply surpass that quantity and may even move the 2017-2018 group that completed with 55 wins. They’ve the third greatest offensive ranking, the 4th greatest defensive ranking. They lead the NBA in internet ranking! This group is actually, actually good!

I’m undecided if it’s a case of ridiculously excessive expectations, nevertheless it looks like nobody apart from the meanly titled “inexperienced teamers” are even having fun with this season anymore. By the way in which, can we finish that time period? Shaming individuals for being optimistic in direction of the group they assist is a resoundingly bizarre factor to do, particularly for a fanbase that’s as massive because the Celtics.

Anyway, my bigger level is that watching an excellent basketball group is meant to be enjoyable. The Celtics are about to complete their seventh straight season of 48+ wins (I’m overtly ignoring the 2020-21 COVID season), they’ve the 2nd most wins within the NBA in that span with 343! That’s a whole lot of successful!

Photograph by Maddie Meyer/Getty Photographs

I urge of you Celtics followers, get pleasure from this group. The title run is right here, Rob Williams is again, Tatum appears to be like like himself once more, Jaylen Brown has been face-meltingly sizzling for a month now. It’s time to de-clench and get behind this group once more.

Earlier than we shut this out, let’s even have an actual dialog about Jaylen Brown. Initially, I believe we must always all respect how advanced of a human being he’s, but additionally how prepared he’s to share that aspect of him with the fanbase. Most athletes are very guarded and refuse to point out their hand. Jaylen has at all times been fairly clear about the place his head is at and the place his priorities are. He’s not with out errors or missteps, supporting Kanye West within the midst of his controversy might not be the very best look, however he’s given adequate explanations for his relationship and has publicly moved on from it.

After two current interviews the place he talked about his previous and future with the Celtics, I believe the Celtics fanbase was cut up nearly in half on receiving information that an athlete desires to be paid the utmost quantity by the group they play for. It was a bit startling, none of his quotes urged he didn’t need to play for the group or was actively seeking to depart. Right here is the total quote:

“We’ll see how they really feel about me over time and I really feel about them over time. Hopefully, no matter it’s, it is smart. However I’ll keep the place I’m wished. I’ll keep the place I’m wanted and handled appropriate.”

Possibly I’m simply biased, however this looks as if a fairly easy quote. “I’ll keep the place I’m wished. I’ll keep the place I’m wanted and handled appropriate.” That claims to me, if the Celtics pay me what I’m price, I’ve no cause to depart. Isn’t…isn’t {that a} utterly regular factor to say? Don’t all of us need to be correctly paid and revered by our employers?

To not point out, he’s a VP with the NBPA! His entire job is to publicly and privately signify the participant’s curiosity as a complete. Him taking below-market offers or publicly stating that he’s going to remain it doesn’t matter what wouldn’t mirror nicely on his place. Should you listen, he has acknowledged a number of occasions how a lot he cares about his VP position. I don’t suppose he’s going to sacrifice that simply to make Celtics followers pleased throughout interviews. I believe should you take an goal take a look at this case, Jaylen Brown will doubtless be a Boston Celtic for a really very long time if they’re prepared to pay him what he’s price. I can’t think about him leaving a championship-contending group in its prime if they provide him the total max, however even when he does, he’s given Celtics followers every thing he may throughout his time right here, regardless of them probably not giving him that very same respect again.

I believe Celtics followers have been caught up an excessive amount of within the trivia of this season. It’s straightforward to get sucked in with expectations being this excessive, however when you broaden the scope, the state of affairs appears to be like far more promising. #2 seed within the East. Group getting wholesome on the proper time. Jaylen Brown taking one other leap on the court docket. Tatum being aggressive on the rim once more. Rob Williams is definitely on the court docket, taking part in basketball!

When the Celtics are in the midst of their playoff run in a few month’s time, nobody goes to be occupied with a random loss to the Rockets in March, we’re all going to be on the edges of our seats hoping they’ll get via one other robust Japanese Convention playoff bracket. This can be a particular group taking part in for a particular franchise hoping to get to the very pinnacle of the game. I’m not a playing man, but when I used to be, I do know the place I’d put my cash proper now.