BOSTON — The Celtics were left with an unfamiliar feeling following Sunday’s loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
For the first time in six months, there was no “next game.” There was only next season.
The 101-93 defeat in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series served as the final act for the 2014-15 Celtics — a team that blew its admittedly low expectations out of the water by winning 40 games and battling the high-powered Cavs in one of the most competitive four-game sweeps in recent memory.
Boston’s roster redefined the term “in flux” in coach Brad Stevens’ second year at the helm, with 22 different players seeing game action for the C’s (tying a team record) and a half-dozen others passing through without ever pulling on a green-and-white jersey.
Yet despite that massive turnover, the Celtics remained competitive. So competitive, in fact, that the playoffs basically started a month early for Eastern Conference bubble teams like the Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers.
That extended playoff push — on top of the actual postseason itself — afforded the Celtics a wealth of what Stevens, borrowing a business term, called “corporate knowledge,” which he says will be tremendously beneficial to his team moving forward.
“I think above the four (playoff) games, maybe the last few months, having to play from behind the last few months and accomplishing something and then measuring yourself against the best in the East in a lot of people’s eyes,” Stevens said after Sunday’s loss. “We have a lot of information.
“And that’s really good. We know where we can get better, we know individually where we need to improve, we know collectively where we need to improve. And the best thing that I take from this year is that there’s growth, there’s building, there’s progress. Now, we have to build on it. That’s the challenge, right? I mean, that’s the hard part is now continuing it and build on it. But we’ve got a good environment. That’s a real positive moving forward.”
The Celtics, as they’re presently constituted, still are nowhere near ready to contend for anything more than a playoff spot. More roster changes will ensue as Danny Ainge looks to give his squadron of role players the star or two it needs. (Kevin Love, anyone?)
They’re on the right path — there’s no denying that. Marcus Smart, Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder, to name a few, all have the potential to be key contributors on a title contender. Boston’s balanced roster was among the NBA’s deepest this season, as its stockpile of draft picks will be for the next half-decade.
But for now, Stevens and his club are saving any celebrations for when they actually have something to celebrate.
“I think the best way to phrase it is, I like our progress but I like to win,” Stevens said. “So, I’m disappointed right now. But it’s not at anybody or at myself or at any — it’s just, you’re disappointed to lose. We have to get better. We have to get better in every which way, and that’s the challenge ahead. Because winning’s a lot more fun.”
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
