After an 87-79 loss in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, this Boston Celtics team leaves a lasting legacy for me, and the city.
If you’re a Boston Celtics fan, you know the story by now.
Every year for the past decade, the C’s have attempted to put a team together that can finally dethrone LeBron James. And every year for the past decade, Boston, as well as every other squad in the Eastern Conference, has failed to get over that hump.
On Sunday night, in front of the Boston Garden, James put up 35 points and 15 rebounds en route to another masterful Game 7 performance.
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According to NBA stats, LeBron averages 34.1 points per game in elimination games, which is the most in NBA history. The Cleveland Cavaliers bested the C’s 87-79 in an ugly offensive game where the Celtics shot an abysmal 7-39 from three, and 34 percent from the field. Terry Rozier, who became a folk hero earlier in the playoffs, finished 0-10 from three in a contest where he looked nervous every time he put up a shot.
Jaylen Brown, the other go-to scorer, went 3-12 from three. In the end, the C’s needed at least one of them to show up, and neither did.
On the other side, Cleveland received much needed help from J.R. Smith and Jeff Green, who combined for 31 points. Green shot 50 percent from the field and hit two huge threes in the third and fourth quarters to keep the momentum on the Cavs side.
In the end, LeBron will play in his eighth straight finals against a Golden State Warriors team that benefits from four future Hall-of-Famers and a top three coach in Steve Kerr.
Meanwhile, the Celtics will head into the offseason with probably the highest ceiling out of any team in the NBA, never mind just the Eastern Conference.
The status of Marcus Smart
Other than smoothly integrating Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward back into the lineup without any drama amongst the other guards and forwards, the front office must also figure out what to do with Marcus Smart.
The guard reportedly told ESPN that he is “worth more than $12-$14 million.” When the summer hits, it will be interesting to see where the restricted free agent lands.
Without going too deep into the logistics of what the Boston Celtics should do with regards to their future, it’s important to recognize their accomplishments this season, even through adversity.
After Gordon Hayward tragically broke his foot back in October, ironically against the Cavs, it seemed like all was lost. But Coach Brad Stevens rallied his team together and rattled off sixteen straight wins.
After Kyrie Irving announced that he would be out for the rest of playoffs because of surgery, home court advantage looked pointless. But, Boston pushed through a seven game series with the Milwaukee Bucks, dominated a five game series against the upstart 76ers, and took King James to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals. They were basically a couple of threes away from finally getting past the best player of our generation.
A rejuvenated fan base rode their beloved team to a 10-0 home playoff record before Game 7. The Garden felt different than in recent years. There was a certain energy within the building that hasn’t been experienced since the Larry Bird era.
Terry Rozier credited the Boston fans multiple times for lifting them up throughout the season, and in a postgame interview with Michele Steele after Game 2 against Cleveland, Rozier stated that the Celtics needed everything they could get from the fans to win that game. Not to mention, the C’s came back down eleven, and won by thirteen. LeBron started with 21 in the first quarter of that contest, but only put up 20 the rest of the game after Boston went on their run.
Something about this marvelous journey will always be remembered. Even with multiple guys in only their first or second years, the Celtics still played like seasoned veterans. They represented the city of champions in the best possible way, and left a legacy that will always be remembered by me, and fans everywhere. Their performance was inspiring for kids who looked up to someone like Jayson Tatum or Al Horford.
A young star is born
In the fourth quarter of Game 7, Jayson Tatum unleashed a massive dunk on James to cut the lead within three. Immediately following the slam, Tatum got right in LeBron’s face to show that he won’t back down, even against someone who’s been in the league for fifteen years, and gave pointers to Tatum when he was just a kid. A couple of possessions later, Tatum splashed a huge three to put the Boston Celtics up by one.
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Remember, just eight months ago, LeBron generated a massive block on the rookie, welcoming him to professional basketball in the first game of the season. Tatum responded wth the game of his life, finishing with 24 points in 42 minutes. It looked like the Boston fans would once again push their squad over the top, thereby immortalizing this group within Boston sports lore. Tatum almost became a legend in his first year. Instead, King James was once again too much to handle.
This Boston team is extra special for me, as I personally was dealing with a couple of tragedies in my own life. The Celtics became an outlet for escaping my daily routine for two plus hours out of the day.
The resilience and toughness this team displayed for an entire season of adversity cannot be overlooked, and it sets a great example for people who are looking for inspiration. They played for the love of the game, and the city of Boston fed off of that intensity. They felt like our kids, and we were proud parents watching them grow up before our very eyes. I will miss watching them with my family and friends every other night, whether it be in my dorm room at college, or my grandparents house in Agawam, Massachusetts.
Luckily, most of them will be back next year. Brad Stevens will gear them up for another title run, this time with two of the best players in the league.
End of a rivalry?
Sadly, the Boston Celtics probably won’t get another crack at LeBron, at least in the Eastern Conference. It would have been nice to best him at least once.
As with everyone else in Massachusetts, it sickened me when James finished an and-one to put the game away in the final seconds of Game 7. Like I said earlier, we’ve seen this story before. It’s like the Fast & Furious movies. You know you’re going to get the same plot line every summer, but people still watch anyway. That’s what it feels like watching LeBron. Every time there is a sliver of hope, he crushes it with another 40-point triple double.
Regardless, I’ve had the privilege of watching one of the greatest players to ever play the game of basketball. James has stated multiple times that he stays true to basketball, his family, and his teammates. He shares important life lessons that all of us can learn from. It looked like the Celtics represented that lifestyle too this year, which is why they came the closest to dethroning the king. LeBron just lives by those principles better, and that was the difference.
When Tatum dunked on LeBron, it was a perfect representation of a team who experienced a year full of ups and downs, buzzer beaters, and comebacks. LeBron payed his respects to Tatum following the waning seconds of Game 7. He knows the rookie will be a superstar, and so does everyone else.
Next: The 5 faces of the Boston Celtics: The coach, the stars and the future
It’s a winter and summer that the city of Boston will always reminisce about. It’s a winter and summer that I will look back on and smile about for the rest of my life. Let the bright future begin for the Boston Celtics.