The Never Weres

This Celtics’ season should end on Thursday with a loss in the losers bracket of the play-in tournament. This, unfortunately, is not a prediction. I think that they could win one of the games. But, hear me out, they shouldn’t. They should lose both of the games and put this awful season to bed. And then they should make changes. Some of them which most fans might not like.

But first, let’s look at the options of winning either play-in game. A win Thursday night and they get to face the Nets and get swept by a team that features Kyrie Irving. As a Celtics fan, it is not something I want to sit through for a week. There is zero chance of them winning this series. Then to watch the dapfest with Kyrie after the games will put me over the edge.

That of course is if Kyrie finds it in himself to make it to the games. Something he wasn’t able to do during his Celtics run. But hey, being there for your team in a Game 7 does not outweigh fixing your deviated septum.
The other scenario for the play-in tournament is to lose against the Wizards and then beat the winner of the Pacers vs. Hornets game. This would mean matching up against the top-seeded Sixers. Hard no for me. Another sweep and another matchup where there is zero chance to advance. And insufferable Sixers fans, which I have none of in my life but I know they’re out there. There is no road to the second round for this team which is why they should take after Nick Van Exel and break each huddle with “1-2-3 Cancun”.

Rip the Band-Aid off and start making changes. I am not in the camp that it has to be Brad Stevens just yet. I have leaned more towards replacing Danny Ainge than Stevens. The roster is not good past Tatum and Brown. There is not a single player that I wouldn’t mind seeing traded away or cut other than those two. I like Marcus Smart and I think he is a good guy off the court and in the locker room. But, I think that he thinks he is maybe the best or second-best player currently on the team and that shows with too many early shot clock pull-up threes and too many one-on-one possessions for him.

I get Smart has been around the longest and is considered the heart and soul of the team but sometimes the unpopular decision is the right one, i.e., Lawyer Malloy in 2003, Nomar in 2004 😦 and the other 50 surprising moves that Belichick has made. This team is going nowhere with Kemba being paid what he is, no way to stop people over 6’10”, and without a Point Guard that can facilitate the offense with two All-Stars who are 24 and 23 years old respectively on the roster. The days of Tatum and Brown taking turns on offense while people stand around isn’t going to cut it. My biggest fear is looking back at the early part of this decade and seeing they squandered a chance when they have two you All-Stars that can easily be the best two players on a championship team.

So with a loss tonight and a loss on Thursday this season can finally end. It has been tough to watch from a fan point of view. Based on everything you hear it has sucked for the players and coaches as well. I think that the biggest change has to start at the top. Ainge has done some great things but eventually, new voices need to be heard. This hasn’t been a Spurs-like run. There are no new championship banners with this collection of people so a shakeup shouldn’t be so blasphemous. I believe I speak for all realistic Celtics fans, at least the ones in my group texts, that winning in the play-in tournament is not worth it. The window is always closing with NBA stars moving so frequently now and the Celtics need to move fast before theirs slams shut.

(Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images)