The Celtics are back!
August 30th 2007 23:55
The NBA season is still a couple of months away but the excitement is palpable especially in the East. The Eastern conference has been a basket case ever since Michael Jordan retired from the Chicago Bulls in 1998, with the conference delivering only two champions since – the 2004 Detroit Pistons and the 2006 Miami Heat.
The East has a dynamic history of delivering legendary teams – notably in the ‘80s when the conference was as strong as the current West and delivered sides such as the 76ers, Celtics, Pistons and Bucks, who were a precursor to the great Bulls sides of the Jordan era.
However some dynamic moves in the offseason may have revived a former great franchise. The Boston Celtics have been irrelevant since the great Larry Bird succumbed to an aching back and retired in 1992.
Apart from a brief revival in the early ‘00s when the Pierce/Walker combo was firing, the Celtics fans have long suffered. The franchise was at its peak in 1986 when arguably the greatest team in NBA history stormed through the regular season to win 67 games and eventually defeat the Houston Rockets in the Finals.
With Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parrish at their peak, Boston looked invincible – particularly when they drafted prodigy youngster Len Bias with the number two pick in the lottery.
Boston’s golden era – which had netted three rings in five years - appeared capable of extending well into the ‘90s. However the Celtics’ downhill spiral started will the death of Bias – just two days after he was drafted.
Clogging heavy minutes during an unrelenting workload, Bird and McHale’s bodies started to wilt and suddenly the Celtics’ dynasty was over.
In the early ‘90s a new star by the name of Reggie Lewis appeared to become the new saviour of the franchise and the logical replacement for Bird as the team leader.
However more tragedy would follow the team, with the death of Lewis following the ’93 season. For the next 14 seasons the Celtics’ mystic was well and truly buried, with the demise of the Boston Garden, the failure of the Tim Duncan sweepstakes and the death of Red Auerbach sinking the franchise faster than the Titanic.
The ‘06/07 season was perhaps the most miserable season in the franchise. There have been worse seasons statistically but the Celtics disgraced their fans and their legendary singlet.
The Celtics owned the second worst record in the league and subsequently missed out on the coveted Oden/Durant sweepstakes – appearing to consign the Celtics to another decade of doom and gloom.
However just when it all seemed too bleak and depressing, the Celtics pulled off some stunning coups that suddenly have revived the once hallowed club and suddenly a 17th ring is not out of the prospect.
With the addition of Kevin Garnett along with the sharp-shooting Ray Allen to complement Paul Pierce, the Celtics suddenly own the best trio of players in the league.
In a weak conference, the Celtics have the nucleus of stars to prevail into the conference finals and arguable are the favourites to win the East.
It’s amazing what an offseason can do. Just over a month ago the franchise was dead and buried; now it is one of the favourites to take out the conference, and most important is relevant again.
The NBA needs a successful Boston Celtics and fortunately they have arrived.
The East has a dynamic history of delivering legendary teams – notably in the ‘80s when the conference was as strong as the current West and delivered sides such as the 76ers, Celtics, Pistons and Bucks, who were a precursor to the great Bulls sides of the Jordan era.
However some dynamic moves in the offseason may have revived a former great franchise. The Boston Celtics have been irrelevant since the great Larry Bird succumbed to an aching back and retired in 1992.
Apart from a brief revival in the early ‘00s when the Pierce/Walker combo was firing, the Celtics fans have long suffered. The franchise was at its peak in 1986 when arguably the greatest team in NBA history stormed through the regular season to win 67 games and eventually defeat the Houston Rockets in the Finals.
With Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parrish at their peak, Boston looked invincible – particularly when they drafted prodigy youngster Len Bias with the number two pick in the lottery.
Boston’s golden era – which had netted three rings in five years - appeared capable of extending well into the ‘90s. However the Celtics’ downhill spiral started will the death of Bias – just two days after he was drafted.
Clogging heavy minutes during an unrelenting workload, Bird and McHale’s bodies started to wilt and suddenly the Celtics’ dynasty was over.
In the early ‘90s a new star by the name of Reggie Lewis appeared to become the new saviour of the franchise and the logical replacement for Bird as the team leader.
However more tragedy would follow the team, with the death of Lewis following the ’93 season. For the next 14 seasons the Celtics’ mystic was well and truly buried, with the demise of the Boston Garden, the failure of the Tim Duncan sweepstakes and the death of Red Auerbach sinking the franchise faster than the Titanic.
The ‘06/07 season was perhaps the most miserable season in the franchise. There have been worse seasons statistically but the Celtics disgraced their fans and their legendary singlet.
The Celtics owned the second worst record in the league and subsequently missed out on the coveted Oden/Durant sweepstakes – appearing to consign the Celtics to another decade of doom and gloom.
However just when it all seemed too bleak and depressing, the Celtics pulled off some stunning coups that suddenly have revived the once hallowed club and suddenly a 17th ring is not out of the prospect.
With the addition of Kevin Garnett along with the sharp-shooting Ray Allen to complement Paul Pierce, the Celtics suddenly own the best trio of players in the league.
In a weak conference, the Celtics have the nucleus of stars to prevail into the conference finals and arguable are the favourites to win the East.
It’s amazing what an offseason can do. Just over a month ago the franchise was dead and buried; now it is one of the favourites to take out the conference, and most important is relevant again.
The NBA needs a successful Boston Celtics and fortunately they have arrived.
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Comment by Tristan
on Personal dispatch: Sachin and Shane, chalk and cheese
Interesting stories tho.