The Streak, the Tank and the Al: A Bookend to Another Flawless Celtics Season

At the start of the 2006-2007 NBA season, I can safely say that I wasn't the only fan with high hopes for the Boston Celtics. A young team with no where to go but up, the Celtics players seemed to be itching for a chance to break through into the postseason and gain some valuable playoff experience, while working hard to keep up with the league's powerhouses. Early on, after a 0-3 start, those visions were undoubtedly fading from the minds of Celtics fans. Still, the faith remained (as did coach Doc Rivers), and soon enough the C's were pounding teams like it was nothing. New Jersey. New York. Philadelphia. Denver. Charlotte. This team, containing mostly young players who had yet to remove their training wheels, was looking down on the rest of its division with little pity and lots of confidence.

A few days later, the team would find out that leader and captain Paul Pierce would miss a significant period of time due to a foot injury. The injury fueled a fire within Celtics fans: it was the youngsters' chance to prove themselves.

To make a long story short, the Celtics dropped 18 straight games, falling into an otherworldly state of depression that seemed endless (for the fans, too). The return of Pierce sent the Boston community into a mild state of content, but it wouldn't last: the Celtics are currently the worst team in the Eastern Conference, headed towards yet another quiet May and a stagnant June. The glory days of the '60s Celtics are all but lost, and the front office is scrambling to find any way to dig themselves out of the ditch they have created.

Just another flawless season for the Boston Celtics.

Whether a team wins 10 games or 70 games, it's always a joy to look back on the season that was: finding that tiny bright spot, selecting the biggest disappointment, and looking ahead to what is sure to be another productive season.

Bright Spot
Right now, there is no easier question than "What was the lone bright spot in the Celtics' disappointing season?", because the answer will be the same no matter who you ask: Al Jefferson. Big Al, destined to be a star from the moment he was drafted out of high school, erupted over and over again this season, rewriting all his career highs and solidifying himself amongst the elite big men in the NBA. He outplayed the likes of Tim Duncan and Dwight Howard, he led a young Celtics team who seemed to be without a leader, and he gave us all a reason to keep watching this team next season and in the distant future.

Disappointment
Almost as easy to answer as the previous question, the biggest disappointment in the Celtics' season is the fact that they were a disappointment. Coming off a season in which they went 33-49, nobody in the Celtics' fan base was expecting worse. In fact, many of us were looking up towards 40 or 41 wins and a possible playoff berth, but neither came true. In fact, the Celtics dropped their win total by almost 10, currently sitting at 24-57 with one game remaining in the season. Did they tank? Quite possibly. Do we mind? I'll let Greg Oden and/or Kevin Durant answer that one. The Celtics finish the season at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, but I can now safely say that there really is no where to go but up.

Looking Ahead...
Let me start this off by reciting next year's starting lineups if the Celtics get either Greg Oden or Kevin Durant:
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Delonte West
SF: Paul Pierce
PF: Kevin Durant
C: Al Jefferson
or...
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Delonte West
SF: Paul Pierce
PF: Al Jefferson
C: Greg Oden
Pretty solid, eh? That's five guys capable of averaging 10+ points, and Oden and Durant are both established defenders. With one of those two lineups to go along with a bench containing Wally Szczerbiak, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair and Kendrick Perkins, I can see some big things. Then again, injuries are always a possibility. Still, and I may say this every year from now until 2020, the future looks bright.