When the 2018-19 NBA campaign began, the Boston Celtics were the odds-on favorite to win the Eastern Conference. Yet, the Eastern Conference Finals are beginning on Wednesday night, and the Celtics are somehow not participating.
Just how did that happen?
Expected to win 60 games by many people going into the year, Boston finished with just 49 victories and ended up in fourth place in the East standings. It was then eliminated by the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the playoffs.
There were obvious chemistry issues throughout the season, and while the C's clearly looked like the best team on paper, they simply were not able to put it together on the court, and owner Wyc Grousbeck pointed out the disparity between talent and actual production:
“It was really tough,” Grousbeck said on 98.5 The Sports Hub. “Like every fan, we're all annoyed, upset and disappointed. I feel like there was a mismatch between the talent on paper and how it was expressed on the court.”
This marks the first time the Celtics are not taking part in the Eastern Conference Finals since 2016, and the funny thing is this current group is infinitely more talented than the 2017 and 2018 clubs, the latter of which came within minutes of advancing to the NBA Finals.
Boston will now enter a pivotal offseason in which Kyrie Irving is a free agent and may end up taking his talents elsewhere. Or, the C's could trade for Anthony Davis while also keeping Irving, which would completely alter the NBA landscape.
It should be an interesting summer in Beantown.
Follow Us
Subscribe