The miracle of the Celtics
Boston continues to win tons of games and tons of playoff series despite a changing cast, lots of disruptions and plenty of opportunity for hard resets. Here's to consistent excellence that doesn't always make sense.
Boston continues to win tons of games and tons of playoff series despite a changing cast, lots of disruptions and plenty of opportunity for hard resets. Here's to consistent excellence that doesn't always make sense.
Good morning. Let's basketball.
When you think of the NBA's most legendary long runs, the 1950s and '60s Celtics, the 1970s and '80s Lakers and the early 2000s Spurs come to mind. Those legendary Celtics went for 19 consecutive winning seasons between 1950-51 and 1968-69, and won 11 rings over the span (including eight straight at one point) with an average record of 54-28 (adjusted for an 82-game schedule). The Lakers had 16 straight winning seasons between 1976-77 and 1991-92, with five titles and an average record of 56-26 in that time. From 1997-98 through 2018-19, the Spurs had 22 consecutive winning seasons with five titles and an average record of 57-25.
Success has many parents, but you can attach names to those eras. Bill Russell and Red Auerbach. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson. Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich.
Quietly, the modern Celtics are putting together a similar run. It's not an exact replica of those full-on dynasties, but since 2007-08, a span covering 19 years, Boston has had two losing seasons, with two championships and an average record of 51-31. It's an echo of the eras gone by – a little less all-consuming, a little less dominant, but impressive nonetheless.
