Boston Celtics Getting Respect From National TV
The Boston Celtics are getting some added attention this year with 22 games on national TV
The Boston Celtics surprised a lot of people by contending for a top three seed in the east last year and the addition of Al Horford to one of the younger and more promising teams in the league is generating a lot of excitement. Expectations are changing in Boston and it is no surprise that they have, by far, their most nationally televised games in the Brad Stevens era with 22.
The Celtics took a huge jump from the seven national TV games they played last season, but that should not come as a surprise. In addition to being regarded as a top team in the eastern conference now, they are an exciting team to watch each and every night. The Celtics plays with the energy and an intensity that fans can feed off of. The once band of misfits developed a kind of cult following, but they no longer have to be seen as an under talented group, and they should be producing the best product we have seen since Stevens took over.
The Celtics also deserve those national TV games based strictly on the excitement factor they established last year. As maddening as Boston’s shooting struggles were, it lead to a lot of big runs and a lot of big comebacks. The Celtics bring that never say die attitude and it lead to some of the most spectacular games last season.
Of course, there were the two meeting against the Golden State Warriors. An overtime thriller that had the Warriors on the brink of losing their first games of the season. Then, they were able to stop the longest home wining streak in the history of the NBA. Perhaps better than even those two was Avery Bradley‘s absolute stunner following Evan Turner‘s improbable and one to take down the Cleveland Cavaliers at the buzzer.
The Celtics have proven that they are going to be one of the most exciting teams in the league, and that is all they need in order to get those nationally televised games. While the Celtics as a franchise are used to that kind of stage, this is unchartered territory for this current Celtics core.
Brad Stevens is yet to play double digit games on national TV and they are yet to escape the first round of the playoffs. They will be getting a to more attention and it is hard to tell how such a young team will react. Although, with the maturity their young players have shown and Stevens’ unwavering demeanour, they could be in line to benefit from all the extra exposure.
What this national attention could also lead to is a slight change to that underdog perception. The Celtics have been looked at as overachievers and underdogs when compared to some of the better teams. Now, any success by the Celtics will not be a secret, and with only the Cavaliers and the Bulls getting more national TV games in the eastern conference (Knicks were also tied at 22), the hype could be very real throughout the season.
In the end, how many national TV games a team plays should be inconsequential to the team’s success, but it is refreshing to see the Celtics getting this kind of attention. The Celtics want to separate themselves as a top team in the east, and they want to return to the kind of powerhouse they were during the Paul Pierce/ Kevin Garnett days.
This Celtics squad still has a ways to go to reach the talent level of that core that won a championship in 2008, but one thing remains absolutely true: they continue to rebuild at an incredible pace.
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On the court, the Celtics proved they were on the brink of being true contenders in the east last year and getting the 22 nationally televised games confirms that the excitement and intrigue around this Celtics team is not only coming from within.