Rate Your Celtics Excitement Level

[BigSoxFan]

Busy offseason for Brad as he made 2 significant trades for Porzingis and Jrue. Some other semi-intriguing role players have joined as well. Some fan favorites now have new addresses.

So, how does your excitement for the 2023-2024 season compare to this time 1 year ago? Personally, I haven’t been this excited for a Celtics season since the Big 3 in 2007-2008.

I just feel like they finally get over the hump this year and this starting lineup should be a blast to watch. The Jrue acquisition really pumped me up.

 

[jezza1918]

Lots of eggplant emojis have been sent out on various text threads the last couple days. That’s all I got.

 

[JCizzle]

I know you can't plan around health (not like you could with TL or Brogdon either) and it sucks losing a homegrown guy like Smart...BUT this team is just on another level compared to any iteration I can remember. You mention the Big 3, but this team is like the Big 5 or 6. Just so much fucking talent. I'm beyond excited and will be hoping for health every game.

 

[RorschachsMask]

 

[bankshot1]

I've been in a heightened state of arousal for years regarding the Celts and achieving a mutually satisfactory ending. I'm all in once again.

 

[tims4wins]

After they lost the finals but then added Brogdon, I thought they had the missing piece. The Schilling/Foulke to the 2003 Sox. But a bunch of things didn’t quite pan out last year beginning with Ime.

So if the question is pre Ime situation, I am more excited but not significantly so. If post Ime situation, I am significantly more excited. So I voted the 2nd option.

 

[luckiestman]

I’m more interested in seeing how the team looks because it’s different but not more excited.

 

[Light-Tower-Power]

I was excited prior to the Holiday trade but significantly more excited now that he's onboard. This is the sickest starting 5 in my lifetime. Only thing keeping me from fully running through a brick wall is losing Smart even if it was necessary. I wanted him to get a ring more than anyone.

 

[Koufax]

I had been very interested in the Celtics in the last few years because so much of its talent was home grown. Now its not the same. Losing Smart and Rob took a lot away. I'm losing interest fast.

 

[InstaFace]

"I remember, finding out about Jrue..."

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6TnilbMphA

 

[Jakarta]

I voted about the same only because my excitement has been at the highest possible level both years. A team coming off a finals appearance, adding Brogdon, and being the favorite to win it all - hard to be more excited than that. This year there is a similar excitement based on the roster and coaching staff improvements.

 

[Jed Zeppelin]

Last summer I was as excited as possible after a Finals loss and then the Gallo injury and Ime situation really put a bit of a damper on things. The early season surge erased those feelings but ultimately they regressed back to the post-Gallo/Ime damper and that never really faded despite the length of the playoff run. Excited about stabilized coaching situation and improved roster.

So I am feeling probably similarly excited as I was pre-Ime and definitely more excited than post-Ime.

I have grown tired of Smart. Particularly the constant awful backbreaking turnovers. Love the guy but I certainly don’t shed any tears that #17 cost us most of our homegrowns at the time and I won’t for #18 either, especially since the team is still led by two such players who are both extremely fun and great.

 

[Bunt4aTriple]

I said the same. I was at a 9 last year and while I think the roster is even better to start this year, I am just a bit more anxious about the prospect of them not getting over the hump. Not pessimistic, I just feel a tad more urgency this year.

 

[luckiestman]

I was excited prior to the Holiday trade but significantly more excited now that he's onboard. This is the sickest starting 5 in my lifetime. Only thing keeping me from fully running through a brick wall is losing Smart even if it was necessary. I wanted him to get a ring more than anyone.

You didn’t see ‘86? That sucks

 

[radsoxfan]

Not pessimistic, I just feel a tad more urgency this year.

I think Wyc and Brad feel the same way....

 

[radsoxfan]

You didn’t see ‘86? That sucks

A lot of people here didn't see that team, hard to believe but it was 37 years ago.... scary! I was only 3 years old, so I saw that team but didn't really see them.

This starting 5 would give just about any starting Celtics team since 1986 a run for its money.

Maybe no one as good as 2008 KG, but the KP and White as the 4th and 5th starters (unless Jrue is 4th best?) are definitely better than Perk and 2nd year Rondo.

 

[Eagle3]

I had been very interested in the Celtics in the last few years because so much of its talent was home grown. Now its not the same. Losing Smart and Rob took a lot away. I'm losing interest fast.

I take it you weren't interested in KG and Ray Allen. Or excited about Parish, DJ, and Walton.

I understand your point of view, but Its virtually impossible to win a NBA title with the key players all being home grown talent. For the Celtics you'd have to go back to the 70s.

 

[Bob Montgomerys Helmet Hat]

I'm crazy excited. I'm really looking forward to rooting for Jrue and Kristaps on my team. I love Marcus, and always will, but he's aging in dog years.

 

[radsoxfan]

I take it you weren't interested in KG and Ray Allen. Or excited about Parish, DJ, and Walton.

I understand your point of view, but Its virtually impossible to win a NBA title with the key players all being home grown talent. For the Celtics you'd have to go back to the 70s.

Agreed.

I get that perspective more (at least to some degree) if a team is purely mercenary.

But as long as the team is built around Tatum and Brown, that's as much or more "homegrown" you can reasonably expect in today's NBA. The role players are always going to shuffle around.

The last couple years were atypical with the # of home grown role players, but they had their chance.

 

[ifmanis5]

 

[Ale Xander]

I was more excited last year, certainly pre-Gallo injury

 

[Montana Fan]

I was excited prior to the Holiday trade but significantly more excited now that he's onboard. This is the sickest starting 5 in my lifetime.

This starting 5 would give just about any starting Celtics team since 1986 a run for its money.

I agree with both of your excitement levels and somewhat the comments. However, I personally haven’t been as excited as I am this year, for a starting five, since Kyrie, Gordon, JB, JT and Big Al. Health…yada, yada, I think that team would have been the balls had they stayed healthy.

 

[lexrageorge]

Excited. But also a bit nervous because the team went all in, so I hope it works out.

 

[lars10]

I agree with both of your excitement levels and somewhat the comments. However, I personally haven’t been as excited as I am this year, for a starting five, since Kyrie, Gordon, JB, JT and Big Al. Health…yada, yada, I think that team would have been the balls had they stayed healthy.

I think because of the Gordon year my excitement is tempered. I remember watching that game and just feeling so deflated after weeks of watching how well that team played together..

The difference this year is that I think there's more depth here and the starting five is better.

I honestly don't understand people that can't get excited because Rob and Smart were traded. Teams have to change year after year. Last year felt like a turning point (at least for me) with the two of them. The Celtics top two players need players that are either as good as them or defer to them. Porzyingis' game with his passing and shooting ability from behind the arc seems perfect for Brown and Tatum cutting or getting open shots. Holiday seems like a solid team-first defender.. he may not be flashy, but he also doesn't seem to have to be flashy to create turnovers or shut down his man.

I'm excited about this team in general.. especially as Tatum and Brown start getting into the primes of their careers after having a pretty great start, but increasingly the NBA is all about the playoffs and being healthy and hot when you get there. After watching both the Celtics and Bruins last year.. the only thing that matters is the playoffs.

 

[lars10]

Excited. But also a bit nervous because the team went all in, so I hope it works out.

Did they? The C's still have a tone of assets at their disposal..no?

 

[Jimbodandy]

Did they? The C's still have a tone of assets at their disposal..no?

They do. For some reason this story that the "Celtics traded all of their draft capital" is full-on Mandela Effect urban legend territory. Celtics have their own firsts in the next four drafts (2024-2027) and either theirs or San Antonio's in 2028. They also have a truckload of seconds. They traded an extra (bonus) 2024 and their 2029 pick. Their only year without a first round pick is six years from now.

 

[lars10]

They do. For some reason this story that the "Celtics traded all of their draft capital" is full-on Mandela Effect urban legend territory. Celtics have their own firsts in the next four drafts (2024-2027) and either theirs or San Antonio's in 2028. They also have a truckload of seconds. They traded an extra (bonus) 2024 and their 2029 pick. Their only year without a first round pick is six years from now.

If I've read correctly.. the team that people may be thinking of is the Bucks? The C's are actually set up pretty freakin well as far as I can tell.

 

[InstaFace]

Correct, the Bucks have about as much future draft capital as Kevin McCarthy has political capital right now.

 

[JakeRae]

I agree with both of your excitement levels and somewhat the comments. However, I personally haven’t been as excited as I am this year, for a starting five, since Kyrie, Gordon, JB, JT and Big Al. Health…yada, yada, I think that team would have been the balls had they stayed healthy.

This team is across the board as good or better than that team was though. Jrue is better than Kyrie (it’s close before you factor in personality/leadership and then not close at all); White is better than Jaylen was; Jaylen is even or better than Hayward was; Tatum is on a different stratosphere from where he was; and Porzingis is equal to or better than Horford was. The Tatum difference is the really big one. That team was positioned to be really well rounded and dangerous at all levels. It was exciting because it was a potential contender. This team is a juggernaut. It may not perform to that level, but on paper I don’t think there is another team besides Denver that is close (Denver might be better). Even the Bucks don’t come close because the gap between our 3-5 and theirs more than makes up for the moderate edge Giannis and Dame have over Tatum and Jrue. Brook and Middleton are still good but declining and don’t compare favorable to Jaylen and Porzingis and then White is massively better than Connaughton.

 

[lovegtm]

This team is across the board as good or better than that team was though. Jrue is better than Kyrie (it’s close before you factor in personality/leadership and then not close at all); White is better than Jaylen was; Jaylen is even or better than Hayward was; Tatum is on a different stratosphere from where he was; and Porzingis is equal to or better than Horford was. The Tatum difference is the really big one. That team was positioned to be really well rounded and dangerous at all levels. It was exciting because it was a potential contender. This team is a juggernaut. It may not perform to that level, but on paper I don’t think there is another team besides Denver that is close (Denver might be better). Even the Bucks don’t come close because the gap between our 3-5 and theirs more than makes up for the moderate edge Giannis and Dame have over Tatum and Jrue. Brook and Middleton are still good but declining and don’t compare favorable to Jaylen and Porzingis and then White is massively better than Connaughton.

Since Tatum was drafted, this is the first team where I haven't been talking myself into "chemistry", or "good fits", or "deep team". They just flat-out are good.

It's fun to be rooting for the flat-out really good team, particularly when the core stars have been part of the story arc, and the guys like Jrue and DWhite are really likeable.

I agree that, if you do the 1-5 matchups, we are better than the Bucks. However, I want to wait and see how the Dame/Giannis offensive pairing works out: sometimes you get incredible boosts from putting two superstars together, and the amount of space they'll have to work with is scary.

 

[lovegtm]

Also, while I really enjoyed the homegrown aspect (Smart/Jaylen/Tatum/Grant/peak TL + PP and Hauser on the bench would be a very good team in the East), it had also become a bit tiring.

The same mental issues over and over, the same crunchtime offense struggles (I know the regular season numbers, but it was always a playoff slog).......as a fan, I'm ready for a change.

 

[snowmanny]

Also, while I really enjoyed the homegrown aspect (Smart/Jaylen/Tatum/Grant/peak TL + PP and Hauser on the bench would be a very good team in the East), it had also become a bit tiring.

The same mental issues over and over, the same crunchtime offense struggles (I know the regular season numbers, but it was always a playoff slog).......as a fan, I'm ready for a change.

Totally agree. They needed to find a different formula. Hopefully this is it.

 

[Eddie Jurak]

I was very, very excited last year because I thought 2021-22 was a year to build on in which they came 2 wins away from a championship. and I thought Brogdon was the perfect addition.

So I would say about this year, but last year I expected a ring.

 

[HomeRunBaker]

Last summer I was as excited as possible after a Finals loss and then the Gallo injury and Ime situation really put a bit of a damper on things. The early season surge erased those feelings but ultimately they regressed back to the post-Gallo/Ime damper and that never really faded despite the length of the playoff run. Excited about stabilized coaching situation and improved roster.

So I am feeling probably similarly excited as I was pre-Ime and definitely more excited than post-Ime.

I have grown tired of Smart. Particularly the constant awful backbreaking turnovers. Love the guy but I certainly don’t shed any tears that #17 cost us most of our homegrowns at the time and I won’t for #18 either, especially since the team is still led by two such players who are both extremely fun and great.

I've had a steady flow of excitement for a couple years now but like JZ I feel it's difficult to accurately answer this question as it's based off the timing of "last year" with the Ime stuff. I don't think many recognize how much our ship was rudderless without a full and/or experienced coaching staff behind JM.

As to the last paragraph, I sure hope the expectations on Jrue aren't what I'm fearing. I read elsewhere of fans being glad Smart's carelessness is no longer our worry.....oh boy. Jrue, for all the good he brings, is much more loose with the ball than Marcus ever was.

 

[bigq]

I’ve been really excited for the Celtics for six years now. I’m about as excited about this team as I was in 2017-18 when I was nearly certain that adding Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward to a roster that had gone to the ECF the prior season was the recipe for a championship. Even though that team could not pull it off it’s been a really fun ride for a good long time now and the coming season is going to be a blast.

 

[Devizier]

As to the last paragraph, I sure hope the expectations on Jrue aren't what I'm fearing. I read elsewhere of fans being glad Smart's carelessness is no longer our worry.....oh boy. Jrue, for all the good he brings, is much more loose with the ball than Marcus ever was.

I think a lot of what people didn't like about Marcus was his shotmaking. I'm actually not going to say selection because he was mostly taking good looks, just missing them. Jrue is definitely better on that front and doesn't really jump out on turnover metrics either. I mean he's not Shai or FVV in that category but he's pretty much average for a starting point guard.

 

[lexrageorge]

Did they? The C's still have a tone of assets at their disposal..no?

Let me clarify. It's not that the Celtics don't have any assets if they fall short this season. It's just that falling short of a championship would be a tremendous disappointment. And a championship is by no means guaranteed. The Bucks and the Nuggets would likely stand in the way, formidable opponents both, to say nothing of other potential contenders.

Really wanted this core to win the big one against the Warriors, and then avenge the loss this past season. But weaknesses got exposed both years. If they don't win this season (which is a better than 50% chance outcome), then I start to worry that this era becomes the "almost" era, which would be disappointing.

 

[HomeRunBaker]

I think a lot of what people didn't like about Marcus was his shotmaking. I'm actually not going to say selection because he was mostly taking good looks, just missing them. Jrue is definitely better on that front and doesn't really jump out on turnover metrics either. I mean he's not Shai or FVV in that category but he's pretty much average for a starting point guard.

I'm referring to his "careless" turnovers and not necessarily amount of them. He will bring some WTFWHT? moments to New England living rooms this winter.

 

[MyDaughterLovesTomGordon]

I was pretty excited last year! I think the Cs have an even better shot at the title, but my excitement for the season is about the same because:

- as a fan, being the favorite kind of sucks. Title or bust leaves a lot if room for disappointment

- I hate regular season punted games. I know there are new rest rules, but I feel like we’re going to lose Wizards and Blazers games just because it’s time to give PRabbit 35 minutes to see what happens.

- it feels even more like we’re just one injury from a lost season, so every bad fall is panic button time.

It’s fine. I think the Cs are better now. But this season - like last season - is going to be a bit nerve-wracking.

 

[Toe Nash]

I had been very interested in the Celtics in the last few years because so much of its talent was home grown. Now its not the same. Losing Smart and Rob took a lot away. I'm losing interest fast.

I get this but their two best players were drafted by them which is only true of the Warriors (non-KD version of course) and Nuggets among recent teams in the finals. Plus, they didn't add any of their key pieces through FA signings, they were trades of...homegrown players.

 

[tims4wins]

I get this but their two best players were drafted by them which is only true of the Warriors and Nuggets among recent teams in the finals. Plus, they didn't add any of their key pieces through FA signings, they were trades of...homegrown players.

Exactly. It's kind of like when the Sox traded homegrown prospects for Sale. Did Sale come up with the Sox? No. Was he a huge piece of 2018? Absolutely! Did it stain that title? Not in the least!

Or even make the comp to the last Celts title. PP, Perk, Rondo, all home grown. Ray Allen came via a trade - of the Celts draft pick. KG came via trade - of home-grown Al Jefferson. Most of the role players were FAs like House, Posey, etc.

 

[lovegtm]

...
- I hate regular season punted games. I know there are new rest rules, but I feel like we’re going to lose Wizards and Blazers games just because it’s time to give PRabbit 35 minutes to see what happens.
...

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I really enjoy the games when they just let the scrubs go for it. If 1-2 stars have to play with them too because of rest rules, so much the better. The Milwaukee OT game last season was one of the most fun games of the year, as were the scrubs games in late 2022.

 

[Cornboy14]

I'm about the same. I believe the team is better - but I loved watching 36, 44 and yes, even 12.

 

[InstaFace]

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I really enjoy the games when they just let the scrubs go for it. If 1-2 stars have to play with them too because of rest rules, so much the better. The Milwaukee OT game last season was one of the most fun games of the year, as were the scrubs games in late 2022.

I just want it mutually agreed. Ok, we're playing our #2 and #3 and resting #1, right? Great, even playing field, let's ball. I find that about 95% as entertaining as a full strength matchup. "Watch these scrubs get clowned by a full strength opponent", not so much.

Also, if Silver really digs in on the rest rules, you'll see a bunch of DNP-CDs replaced by 1-minute walking cameos. There's just no way to enforce it if a team really wants to rest their players and is willing to punt a game.

 

[lovegtm]

I just want it mutually agreed. Ok, we're playing our #2 and #3 and resting #1, right? Great, even playing field, let's ball. I find that about 95% as entertaining as a full strength matchup. "Watch these scrubs get clowned by a full strength opponent", not so much.

Also, if Silver really digs in on the rest rules, you'll see a bunch of DNP-CDs replaced by 1-minute walking cameos. There's just no way to enforce it if a team really wants to rest their players and is willing to punt a game.

The league explicitly said that the 1-minute walking cameo was not allowed.

The league has a LOT of latitude to enforce subjective policies that it thinks are for the good of the league. I don't think they're going to let teams loophole this one.

 

[RorschachsMask]

I get the homegrown thing, but give me high level elite play over that, all day. Elite basketball is art, IMO.

 

[Jed Zeppelin]

To be honest I think the Celtics are not really going to be one of the teams trying to manipulate the rules. They have two studs in their physical primes, they’re going to play. Maybe they’ll have some shorter minute games but they aren’t going to do 12 minute cameos or whatever.

 

[bigq]

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I really enjoy the games when they just let the scrubs go for it. If 1-2 stars have to play with them too because of rest rules, so much the better. The Milwaukee OT game last season was one of the most fun games of the year, as were the scrubs games in late 2022.

In the coming season I am eager to see how the roster develops from 7-10 or so. Those guys are going to get a lot of run when one or more of the top 6 get games off for injuries or load management. A couple of the 7-10 guys are going to improve substantially and may make meaningful contributions in the playoffs.

The season is a long 82 game grind. As much as I would like it if the Celtics steamroll the opposition and win 70 games on the way to a 1 seed I won't be on the edge of my seat complaining that the team shit its pants losing a meaningless game in December to a team they were supposed to beat. The 1 seed and seeding in general doesn't matter.

 

[wade boggs chicken dinner]

Jrue is definitely better on that front and doesn't really jump out on turnover metrics either. I mean he's not Shai or FVV in that category but he's pretty much average for a starting point guard.

If the Cs can cut down on some of the mindless TOs that have plagued them the last couple of years - particularly in the playoffs - that will be a huge upgrade in play.

Hopefully because the offense is so deep, there will be more room and less ability for teams to dig into JB and JT.

 

[lovegtm]

I get the homegrown thing, but give me high level elite play over that, all day. Elite basketball is art, IMO.

Yes, the enjoyability of basketball skyrockets when a lot of talent is in one place. Similar to soccer in that regard.