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2008: Best Year In Celtics History
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I know, I know. Everyone is always in a rush to declare things as "the best ever." Trust me, I think it's ridiculous too. It lacks perspective.
But the year 2008 really has been the best year in Celtics history. I'm not talking about this season or last season. I'm talking about January to December. The calendar year. Here, I'll prove it.
2008 saw the Celtics give one of the best players of all time a championship ring. Kevin Garnett is a freak of nature. He's a 7 footer who plays like a 6'5" wing man. He redefined what people looked for in a big man. His intensity is well documented, as is his charm in front of the cameras. I don't need to go into what KG is, or has been. All anyone really needs to know is that he's in the Hall of Fame's Hall of Fame. In 2008, he got the one thing that had eluded him his entire career. And he got it because he was a Celtic.
2008 saw an all-time great Celtic get his due. Paul Pierce is what every fan should want from a player. He's a lifer, which is rare these days. His frustrations are handled in-house, rather than in the media. He does good things in the community and he has learned his lessons from past problems. But without a ring, Pierce could never really enter that exclusive club with Larry Bird, Bill Russell, JohnHavlicek and the rest. No only did Pierce get his championship in June of '08, he was officially greeted as one of the greats when Hondo handed him that trophy in November of '08.
2008 saw the emergence of the next great Celtic. Rajon Rondo is a rare talent. He's greased-lightning fast with a knack for finding billiards-style angles all over the court. Rajon has gone from facilitator to leader in 2008. When last season started in 2007, Rondo was a guy who was trying to make his All Star teammates happy. In 2008, especially recently, Rondo has taken the next step to team leader. He has earned the respect of superstar teammates. The league is now experiencing an emergence of great, young point guards... and Rondo is in that lead pack.
2008 saw the return of one of the greatest rivalries in sports. I didn't care if the Celtics beat local Boy Scout Troop 18 for the title. After 20 years of waiting, I just wanted to see a banner go up. But being a life-long C's fan, I relished the opportunity to beat the Lakers for it all. Celtics-Lakers is a rivalry almost as old as the NBA itself. Some of the greatest stories in Celtics history come at the expense of the Lakers. My favorite comes from Game 7 of the 1969 Finals. Bill Russell noticed the balloons hung above the court in Los Angeles in anticipation of a Lakers win. The Celtics won the game by 2, and won their 11th title in 13 years. There was also Kevin McHale clotheslining Kurt Rambis. The first Bird/Magic Finals matchup in 1984. I can go on... but I don't have that much space. I'm just thankful that it's back.
2008 is seeing the best team in the NBA get even better. Celtics history isn't written in one book, it's written in volumes. The term "storied franchise" is made for the Celtics. So when anyone, or any team, does something that other Celtics teams haven't done... then you're pretty damn good. Last year's team, which finished with 66 wins, was one of the best teams in Celtics history. This year's Celtics have gotten off to a better start than any other Celtics team. Ever. It's almost as if last season was a warm up. As of this writing, they're on a 17 game winning streak. People are starting to talk about this Celtics team as the best Celtics team of all time. Oops, there we go again with the ridiculous, perspective-less coronation of something current as "Best ever." History will determine where this current team stands among the other Celtics teams before it. But I do know this: I can't think of a better 12 month stretch in Celtics history.
