A Midseason Letter to the Celtics
A majority of the NBA community spends the season complaining, speculating, or praying about their team making a move or doing something to improve their chances at winning. The only exceptions to this could be the Milwaukee fan base, because, you know, they’ve been historically amazing this year. But other than that almost every team has been known to complain about something this season.
NBA fans love to complain. And even if there’s not much to complain about, people will always find something. Like the Heat and the Grizzlies. Both teams are having better seasons than most expected, and yet I bet there are plenty of fans out there who are finding something to complain about.
As a Celtics fan, there’s been plenty. Not enough bench scoring. Ainge not making a move at the trade deadline. A plethora of injury problems.
But you know what, I don’t want to complain anymore. Unless it’s something happening to the team that impacts our chances of winning (like the referees against the Lakers the other night), I don’t want to complain anymore.
This year’s Celtics team is the most fun I’ve had watching basketball since Isaiah Thomas was destroying the early rounds of the playoffs because it was his vengeance series dedicated to his sister. That had me pumped and ready to go. The city was so behind Isaiah and supporting him through the tragic loss, that I was so eager to tune into every game and see what he would do next.
Last year, I’m not going to lie, there were times where I just didn’t care to tune in. By the end of the Bucks series, I was so over basketball. Some people ruined it for me. There was no excitement, no inspiring storyline, no entertainment to follow. Let me clarify something, I am in no way calling the horrible passing of Isaiah Thomas’ sister entertainment, because a tragedy like that is anything but. I’m simply saying that my wanting to support Isaiah and the city’s rally cray behind him made me want to tune into Celtics games.
This year there are so many storylines I want to watch. The “prove you wrong” tour of Jaylen Brown after getting his massive contract extension. The development of our five new rookies into real NBA players. Kemba Walker as he emerges as a Boston favorite. Tacko Fall doing anything. (I mean, he made a TikTok for God’s sake) And my favorite, Jayson Tatum’s emergence into NBA superstardom.
I could tune in to any Celtics game on any given night and catch one of these storylines in action, and I couldn’t be more grateful. I wouldn’t want to be a fan of any other team in basketball, because there’s no one out there like the Celtics.
Thanks, Boston. You never fail to amaze me.
Signed,
Jack Simone
A Grateful Celtics Fan
