Tully Tuesday, Banner 18 edition

The Finals performance of the Celtics was perfectly capped by their leader Jayson Tatum, “What are they gonna say now?”

The Celtics for all intents and purposes were destined to win the NBA Finals this season. They were the best team in the NBA, and maybe the most complete team since the Warriors in 2016-2017. Two stars, and so many role players it reminded me of a few of those sandwiches from last week.

I’m a fan, but admittedly dedicate my winter viewing to the Bruins despite the bullshit of NESN not being on Youtube TV. But the Celtics are a great embodiment of Boston Sports and last night was no different.

When a team wins a Championship one of the first things a player or coach will say is “We have the best fans in the world.” And they’re always right. There is the moment of clarity late in a Championship (probably a little earlier last night) where as a fan you realize what is happening and realize all you’ve wanted is happening right in front of your eyes. Last night it was at this moment, that Celtics fans knew Banner 18 was a guarantee.

Fittingly, it’s an 18-point game when Payton Pritchard launches this bomb. It was good from the moment it left his hand and the ensuing eruption from the crowd and the Celtics bench was the moment as a fan you can get beyond the anxiety, nerves, and doubt to be exuberant, to take your shirt off and wave it over your head. The game was over, the series was over, and the 16 year drought from Boston’s most winningness franchise was over as well.

Sure, there were periods in the last 16 years and the times before even the 08 Championship that were worth Eruptions like this one, some of Isiah Thomas’ runs, the playoff run before the Warriors series, the moment the Celtics won the lottery and knew immediately the over zealous donkeys in Philadelphia were going to trade their pick for Markelle Fultz. But last night was a culmination of a lot of bad days in Celtics green. Last night was about Ricky Davis, Isiah Thomas, Marcus Smart and the long list of players who you talk about when the Mountains are blue. The Celtics began the 21st century in a dark place, and their two Championships are ultimately the 2 or 3 big decisions that landed the plane. In 08 it was going out and getting Garnett that later turned into getting Ray Allen. Switching back and forth between dominant and desperate to beat an all-time Laker team and one of the 3 best players of all time in the NBA Finals. This year it was about realizing Marcus Smart wasn’t the key to the Celtics winning and there was more needed. Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Sam Hauser, Derrick White, Joe Mazzulla, Horford’s return, were the catalysts to a historical run of 80-21 in their 101 games played this season.

Think about the coaching cycle the Celtics have been in with Brad Stevens stepping down and Ime Udoka getting caught on a ring camera trying to recreate the Ray Allen tweet. Joe Mazzulla should get all the credit and the praise that he deserves for as long as he’s in Boston. He’s the guy you want your son, brother, friends, to be, and certainly the guy you want running your favorite basketball team. Look at the other bench, Jason Kidd was an all time NBA player in his own right, but he never had the chance to make an adjustment the entire series, Mazzulla was 3 steps ahead the entire series and completely evolved from even last year’s version of himself. Boston is about guys like that, short guys doing whatever they can to get a leg up, and being ready with their fists up when it’s time to throw down.

The Celtics get the brunt of the hate from being associated with the Patriots, people hate Boston because of the Patriots and should with how dominant they were in the last two decades. But when you take a step back and look at the Celtics they are 1-12 on the bench with guys who have been doubted and told they weren’t Championship players. From Tatum, to Horford, to Porzingis all the way down to Cedric Tillman and Sam Hauser. These aren’t guys that you’re loading up on NBA Jam to dominate, in fact you’re probably opting for the Mavs with Luka and Kyrie or the Suns or insert team name here. The Celtics worked because of that mentality and because of the combination of each player together just wanting their moment last night in a flood of confetti. And they got it.

Soak it in Boston, this team is your horse for the next decade, it’s not the Patriots, it’s certainly not the Red Sox and the Bruins are moves away from being close in a tough conference. The Celtics are it, and they don’t look to be done any time soon. One last time

One Month until Training Camp. Giddy up.

Til Next week

TTm