The 2018-19 season has been a rollercoaster for the Boston Celtics, who currently sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings entering Thursday night's games.
Boston was picked by many experts and fans to win the Eastern Conference and reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 2010. But instead of rolling through the NBA, the C's are 22-15 and have lost several games in disappointing fashion.
Although the Celtics have not started the year as many would have hoped, team owner Wyc Grousbeck remains confident that 2018-19 can be a special season.
"I think it’s just knowing that we’re in the mix and will have a chance to make some noise in the East and have it be a special season," Grousbeck told the Boston Globe's Adam Himmelsbach. "It’s not a special season right now. Can it become a special season? I still think it can. But we’ve got work to do."
It's still early, but the Celtics might need to make a move before February's trade deadline to give the roster the best chance possible for playoff success. A major move doesn't seem likely, particularly because the C's can't trade for New Orleans Pelicans superstar Anthony Davis until the summer (unless Kyrie Irving is involved in the deal), but if a marquee player did become available, you can bet the Celtics would at least be in the mix.
"Well, this team is stacked with a lot of talented players on reasonable contracts, and a ton of draft picks," Grousbeck said, per Himmelsbach. "So that’s why our phone is already ringing. Our history is that we try to make the big deal and have gone for it. We try to put banners in the rafters. There’s only one so far [from our ownership group]. We’d like to have another one up there, and that may require another move, or just continued growth with these guys. We’ll have to see."
The Celtics know they won't be judged by regular-season success (or a lack thereof). The goal is to take the next step and get to the NBA Finals, and then bring home banner No. 18. If that happens in June, fans won't care about the ups and downs of the regular season that have unfolded over the last few months.
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