With the season over, the Celtics mirrored on the previous, current, and way forward for the staff on Saturday.
After fouling out within the third quarter, Jaylen Brown had given all the things he had.
Regardless of 20 factors, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists, the Knicks have been up 35 and the Celtics’ season was successfully over.
“Dropping to the Knicks appears like dying,” Brown mentioned after elimination. “However I used to be taught that there’s life after dying. So, we’ll prepare for no matter’s subsequent.”
Proper now, the “no matter’s subsequent” is an enormous query mark. Jayson Tatum might not return from an Achilles rupture till subsequent subsequent season. Brown didn’t disclose a meniscus tear that he’s been coping with since March and he might probably have offseason surgical procedure. Rumors and hypothesis are swirling that Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Vacation, and Sam Hauser might be cap cuts with second apron penalties on the close to horizon.
After only a day to course of the loss and the tip of their back-to-back bid, the staff returned to Boston and several other gamers addressed the media with questions on their collective future collectively.
Vacation put it bluntly.
“We had a reasonably good common season,” Vacation mentioned. “Clearly, took care of enterprise there with a 60-win season [with] everyone pretty wholesome…I simply felt like we fell quick.”
With the sting of a second-round exit — identical to each championship staff’s destiny since 2019 — nonetheless contemporary, it’s straightforward to neglect simply how spectacular this squad has been over the previous two seasons. It took over fifteen seasons for the Celtics to document back-to-back 60-plus wins. If it weren’t for the brand new collective bargaining settlement and its restrictions, it wouldn’t be inconceivable to run it again once more.
We nonetheless have a extremely, actually nice alternative and an excellent window to achieve success and win a championship once more,” Vacation continued.
“I feel that we had the perfect staff within the league. Clearly, we did it final 12 months, however the chemistry that we constructed final season after which coming into this postseason and the way we have been feeling, I really feel like we’re disillusioned in ourselves, and we let the group down and town down.”
For the veteran who has gained two championships in two totally different cities, he has a eager consciousness that alternatives like this may be fleeting. Payton Pritchard provided a extra huge image perspective although.
“I have a look at it just like the Spurs. You contemplate them like a dynasty. They by no means went back-to-back, however since they by no means went back-to-back — all these years that they didn’t win, are they a failure or did all these years assist them win the following championship?,” Pritchard provided. “It’s about attacking the following 12 months and the 12 months after that and by no means giving up on making an attempt to realize being on prime of the mountain once more.”
If subsequent season does grow to be a spot 12 months like many have prompt together with CelticsBlog’s Jeff Clark, don’t be stunned if we don’t see both of the Jays on Opening Night time. Gamers deeper down into the rotation might see extra minutes early. Pritchard, the reigning Sixth Man of the 12 months, might see himself thrust into the beginning rotation. Hauser might use the summer season to heal from the again challenge that plagued him all 12 months and proceed his enchancment attacking shut outs and changing into greater than only a wing shooter. After years in improvement, it’s time to seek out out what Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, and even JD Davison can convey to the staff.
Nonetheless, the chilly actuality is that the CBA was constructed to dismantle dynasties. If Brad Stevens elects to go younger, Boston’s getting older core might quickly be out the door. The Warriors and Nuggets know that lesson all too effectively after Klay Thompson, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Bruce Brown left their respective groups as cost-cutting departures.
After which there’s Al Horford, the venerable pillar of Banner 18. He enters free company at age-39 with loads of fuel within the tank. It’s unimaginable to consider #42 suiting up in something apart from the inexperienced and white, however timing and tax penalties might dictate not simply the entrance workplace’s choice, however his as effectively.
On Saturday, Horford was requested about his plans.
“For me, it’s simply too quickly to speak about that stuff,” Horford mentioned of his looming free company. “I’ll take a while right here with my spouse, with my children. It’s not even been a day. There’s nonetheless so much for me to course of, simply feeling all the things out from final evening. That was troublesome.”
Whether or not he’s again in Boston is a query for an additional day. It’s clear although that he’s had an enduring affect on not simply the end result on the parquet, however his impression on Celtic Satisfaction.
However, maybe much more vital than his on-court affect has been his regular presence within the locker room.
“You possibly can’t exchange Al,” mentioned Payton Pritchard. “So, I undoubtedly hope we get that discovered. As a result of his locker room presence alone is simply essential, after which having him on the courtroom. For all of the younger guys, simply to see how he goes about his enterprise, how skilled he’s. He’s only a chief.”
Horford was nominated for the NBA’s Teammate of the 12 months Award for the second consecutive season. He finally didn’t win the award — however in his teammates’ eyes, it didn’t matter.
“Al’s about pretty much as good a teammate as I’ve ever seen,” Luke Kornet mentioned. “Actually, the perfect one I’ve ever seen.”
His presence permeated its means into all his teammates and if Boston is to rebound shortly from this devasting finish, it will behoove Stevens to attempt to replicate the tradition that’s been within the room since he began.
“I actually just like the aggressive character of all the blokes within the room. Group to staff, there could be a wide selection of issues, however the quantity of friction you have got with guys finally making an attempt to do no matter it takes to win could be very low and I really feel like everyone seems to be so prepared to purchase into no matter that takes and no matter it appears to be for the state of affairs,” Luke Kornet mentioned of this 12 months’s staff. “Up and down the roster, everyone seems to be enjoying to win and for the staff’s success, and I really feel like that’s a reasonably uncommon factor to have.”
After the Celtics season resulted in 2021, Stevens made the transfer from the bench to the entrance workplace and two weeks later with the playoffs nonetheless in full swing, he made the shrewd commerce of bringing again Horford from Oklahoma Metropolis for Kemba Walker and a primary spherical choose. That transfer would usher in a sequence of trades that might finally culminate in a championship in 2024.
For now, there’s no telling what Boston’s future holds. The primary domino might be as seemingly inconsequential as that perceived wage dump of Walker. However in addition to he understands constructing a basketball staff when it comes to Xs and Os, Stevens can be a meticulous decide of character and what it means to play right here. Don’t suppose that this summer season will solely have the wage cap and steadiness books in thoughts.
“We at all times wish to symbolize the Celtics and Boston in one of the simplest ways doable,” Horford mentioned. “After we play and we’re on the market, we wish to ensure that we mirror town and the folks and the followers.”
