Last night the Celtics lost to the LA Clippers, a team that is considered a championship caliber team. The Celtics lost by just a sole possession in overtime. Sure, the loss stinks. We can all admit that. We’d rather a win. However, the social media reaction was pretty amazing all things considered and the outlook on the season somehow grew even more promising.
Last year, after big losses, the fanbase would rip this team apart. But after last night’s loss there was this overarching “we still believe” theme going on throughout Celtics Twitter. That, right there, is the difference between this team and last year’s in terms of resonating with fans. But enough about last year… I just wanted to mention that and acknowledge the different vibes going around after a big loss.
This team is legit. It is as simple as that. They just lost to the Clippers, a team that has been penciled in as a finals participant since the offseason. So the fact that the Celts lost to them at all shouldn’t be too shocking. But the green team actually stuck around and had multiple upon multiple chances to win that game.
The Celtics didn’t have Gordon Hayward, a guy that can be the best player on the floor on any given night. On top of that, the new star in town, Kemba Walker really didn’t show up at all. He finished with just 13 points on 4-17 shooting. But like I said on my Live Show after the game (video will be at the end of this), I am not worried about Kemba. Would it have been nice for him to show up in a crucial game like that? Obviously. All I am saying is it is still very early in the year and still very early into Kemba’s time with the team. That type of thing happens in the playoffs? Then maybe we can start ragging on him. Just for right now, let’s view the fact that they were inches away from winning that game without their best player even playing remotely well as a big positive.
Speaking of positives, how about Jayson Tatum? Remember when he went 1-18 for 5 points vs Dallas? And haters were coming out of the woodworks to claim he’s a bust? Well, he’s averaged 24 points per game since that outing including his 30-point night vs the Clippers. A game in which he was really the only one out there that seemed to have the thought “this is a big game, let’s show out tonight” in his head.
My greatest point here is that the Celtics have now lost to the Kings by one point in a game that they just played terribly overall. They could’ve easily won that game. Then, they lose to possibly the best team in the league…in overtime…by one possession… They could easily be 13-1 at this point, and the sole loss would’ve been opening night.
I have probably said it a million times at this point. I have probably tweeted it two million times as well. THIS TEAM IS LEGIT. They aren’t over-achievers. No. They are a really, really good team that desereves to be atop not only the conference but the entire league. The Celtics have Hayward, I think they win that game. Kemba decides to show up even for the second half, I think they win that game. Lou Williams doesn’t go ballistic, I think they win that game. Patrick Beverly doesn’t learn how to shoot all of a sudden, I think they win that game. The refs don’t make a crucial and inncorrect game-changing call, I think they win that game. If any single one of those happen, just one, the Celtics could’ve been walking out of LA with a big time win. They didn’t, so again that stinks. But I am not worried about this team. I am not even remotely down on this team…
And I think 99.999999% of Celtics Nation is right there with me.
PS: This team is LEGIT
Photo: NBATV Video Screenshot