Your favorite team is the Boston Celtics. With that, you have some privileges and you have some misfortunes. There are ups and there are downs with any team, but being a Celtics fan means there are some specific ups and downs that you will face. Let's go through some of them.
Upside: you have the most championships out of any NBA team
This is your ace in the hole whenever you get into an argument about what is the best franchise in NBA of all time. At 17 NBA championships, no team comes close to reaching that record. The Celtics' legacy in the NBA stretches back all the way to the 50s when a lot of these championships were won.
However, this ace in the hole is a double-edged sword. If you use it too much, people will say that you're living in the past due to the fact a lot of these championships were won in the distant past. It's the New York Yankees equivalent of gloating about 27 World Series. A lot of them happened when the competition was a fraction of what it was today. seven-foot tall Bill Russell was being guarded by centers barely averaging a height of six feet which were probably UPS drivers at their day job. I'd be surprised if he didn't win 11 rings. In conclusion, this is your strongest argument but can also be your downfall if overused.
Downside: Lebron James dominates your conference
LeBron James: the bane of the Eastern Conference if you aren't a Cavaliers fan.
Arguably the best player of all time, it is a disturbing trend that whatever team Lebron is on, that team goes to the NBA finals. A player who has been to seven consecutive NBA finals, it can be argued that Lebron owns the Eastern Conference. As a Celtics fan, you always have to worry about the inevitable meet up with Lebron James if you ever hope to see your team win a championship.
Thankfully, it seems that Lebron is finally losing steam. His team is falling apart with recent trades and stagnant offseason moves. Sooner or later, King James is going to get dethroned by a team, and it's looking like the Celtics. The Celtics had the best record in the east last year and only has room to grow. Which leads us to our next upside.
Upside: by being such a marketable team, the Celtics are always in free agency talks with big-name players
If you follow the NBA offseason, you always hear during the free agency where potential stars may go. You may also notice that the Celtics are always in the trade rumors with those big name stars. From Kevin Durant, Paul George, and Blake Griffin to Gordon Hayward, Chris Paul, and even Lebron James himself, the Celtics are always rumored to be a potential spot. Just the thought of a star coming to your team would fill any fan with excitement, and as a Celtics fan, it is never a feeling that fades away. However, the confirmation of these rumors is another story which leads to our next point.
Downside: most free agency rumors just stay rumors
As earlier stated, if you follow the free agency, the Celtics are always a potential spot for players to sign. Unfortunately, more often than not these rumors never become a reality. Those names I stated earlier (Kevin Durant, Paul George, Blake Griffin, Gordon Hayward, Chris Paul and Lebron James) were all at one point potential players that could sign with the Celtics. The only one that did sign to the Celtics was Gordon Hayward. The problem with being a part of the free agency and trade rumors so frequently is that most of the talks are purely speculation. We as fans have almost zero proof to confirm anything that is told to us. We can only trust the sources that NBA media analysts rely on.
But, we should focus on who we have.
Upside: our team is young and has the potential to be something great.
The Celtics have a star in Kyrie Irving from a recent trade, Gordon Hayward, Jayson Tatum, Marcus Morris and Al Horford. In my opinion, this is the ideal starting players. Young, explosive scorers who can also defend. Also, the team needs good chemistry, and an NBA Finals appearance looks very attainable. Add key role players coming off the bench, and I think they the Celtics have a shot at whoever wins the western conference. Although, one thing I worry about concerning the team.
Downside: the reliability of rookies
The Celtics have had a wide array of experiences with their draft picks.
Players like Kelly Olynck, Fab Melo, Jared Sullinger and much more all were supposed to grow into star players but ended up lingering to an average or below average performance game to game. So this makes me worry about the reliability of our future stars. The front office has gotten better with drafting, and the rookies looked great in the summer league, but the transition into the NBA is a difficult one and players will get left behind. I have hope with the rookies will live up to the expectations given to them, but I do it with caution.
Concluding thoughts
Being a Celtics fan is certainly quite the experience. You go through a lot of adventures. These adventures are either fun, or they make you question your loyalty.
Either way no matter how angry you get at poor drafting, failed contract signings or Lebron James, everything balances out when you know are a fan of one of the best and marketable franchises in the NBA.
