Post#106 » by BigTrade92 » Fri Jun 14, 2024 2:59 pm
It’s been 16 long years since Pierce, Garnett and Allen formed the Big 3, gelled instantly and accomplished the goal of Banner 17.
Been waiting for this day to arrive since the moment Sasha Vujacic’s two free throws sealed Game 7 for the Lakers in 2010.
In so many ways, this Celtics journey was worth the wait.
KG injuring his knee and never fully recovering. Rondo getting his elbow snapped by Wade in 2011. Lebron going nuclear in 2012 in Game 6 and 7 to put our storybook ECF run to an end.
The Big 3 era ending with the infamous trade to Brooklyn and the Gerald Wallace and Khris Humphries dark times beginning.
Brad Stevens arrival. The scrappy teams that followed, Jordan Crawford performances and hoping that guys like James Young, Kelly Olynyk and Jared Sullinger broke out into stars.
The insanely fun Isaiah Thomas “little guy/king of the forth” run. Finally signing our first big time free agent in a long time in Al Horford and that magical ride to the 2017 ECF.
Hoping to finally return to glory with the Irving trade, Hayward signing and the drafting of Smart, Brown and Tatum.
The devastation of Hayward snapping his ankle, minutes into the 2018 season and the magical run to Game 7 of the ECF that followed, led by rookies and young players, all while Kyrie decided to get a “nose job” and miss the game.
Injuries, indecision and having our former All Star quit on us against the Bucks and take his ball and run to Brooklyn, and then to make matters worse, lose to them the next year, while hobbled by injuries.
A pandemic, a bubble and a run to the ECF only to get humbled by Spo, Butler and the Heat.
The depature of Ainge, the shifting of Stevens and the hiring of Udoka. The noise of Brown and Tatum being able to co-exist and play together.
Finally breaking through to the Finals, beating Miami in a slugfest 7 games, only to have hopes of 18 crushed by the dynasty Warriors, led by all-time great Curry and a performance of a lifetime by Andrew Wiggins.
The Udoka scandal and having to replace our head coach, who led us to our only Finals appearance in a dozen years, just days before the season by an inexperienced Mazzulla.
The fight and determination to block out the noise and get back to the Finals, going down 0-3 and the epic ride of tying the series on a miraculous last second shot by White, only to have our All NBA star twist his ankle minutes into Game 7.
Trading Marcus Smart, the longest tenured Celtic, having Brad Stevens evolve into the best GM in the NBA, fleecing Holiday and Porzingis to build a wagon, with his coaching pick in Mazzulla settling into his role as leader and the growth and maturity by Brown and Tatum to become great, together.
And now, after all that, they’re here. Ready to put up Banner 18.
Enjoy the ride my fellow Celtics fans.