We often wonder what opposing teams, their beat reporters and bloggers are saying about the Celtics. Here’s a look at some enemy chatter from the Bay area.
In my 3+ years covering the team at home, I’ve never seen a team take a hit and get up the way these Celtics did. This doesn’t at all mean they’re better than the likes of the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers, or even the Los Angeles Clippers. In all honesty, a playoff series with a healthy GSW team would likely end in a sweep with the small lineup taking over.
But if there ever is the mythical blueprint to be made, written, and sculpted, this team might have found it, no matter how impossible the task. Boil the pace to a simmering and gross mess, answer the run with your own, and hold just enough composure at the end when the final tornado whirlwinds into your backyard. The Grizzlies and Cavaliers have accomplished the first and third part but never could recover from the death knell attacks.
These Boston Celtics did, if only for a night.
First off, I’m suddenly confident the Celtics could take one game from the Warriors in a playoff series. Their two games this season have been absolute bloodbaths. The blogger’s use of healthy is particularly annoying because the absence of Andre Iguodala was offset by the absence of Jae Crowder. But I digress…
The Celtics ‘success’ against Golden State is more of a result of match-ups and styles than blueprint. The ability of Boston’s guards (Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart) to harass Steph Curry and Klay Thompson cannot be overstated. It’s not something Cleveland or San Antonio can mimic. I’m willing to bet all the playoff teams in the West will be calling Danny Ainge this summer asking, “How can we get Bradley?”
Yes, the Celtics can play at the Warriors pace on both ends. As for the composure part, in Brad they trust. The intangible never-say-die attitude comes from Isaiah Thomas and Stevens.
What we witnessed last night is one of the reasons why I’m so excited about this team. Imagine the possibilities when the roster gets a couple of major upgrades, i.e. max contract players, this summer.
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