The 2021-22 campaign ended in heartbreaking fashion for the Boston Celtics after their NBA Finals loss to the Golden State Warriors. The C’s put together a great playoff run but they ran out of gas down the stretch and couldn’t get out of their own way at crucial times.
Despite the tough end to the season, there were still a lot of great moments that this team can look back on and be proud of. They endured some of the lowest of lows and the highest of highs which made everything they achieved feel just a little bit sweeter in the end.
These 2021-22 Boston Celtics developed an identity to be at their best with their backs against the wall and they wore that like a badge of honor. It could be frustrating at times for this young squad to take the hardest road but it certainly led to some awesome and memorable moments.
With this in mind, here are 6 of the best moments from the 2021-22 season for the C’s:
Top Boston Celtics moment No. 1) Opening night thriller in the Big Apple
Opening night of the 2021-22 season was absolutely electric for the Boston Celtics and their fanbase.
Fans have to wait for months to see their favorite teams back in action for the start of a new season. That anticipation can eat away at them to the point where it makes them anxious for the opening tip-off.
A full offseason of changes and developments all lead to opening night and it’s safe to say C’s fans were incredibly anxious to get started.
The Celtics were coming off of a rocky 2020-21 season and were eager to start a new chapter with Ime Udoka running the show whilst being in charge of this newly constructed roster.
The Boston Celtics kicked off their season with a road game in New York against the Knicks. Both teams went back and forth all night long and the atmosphere was simply otherwordly. Just when New York seemed to deliver the final blow in regulation, the C’s gave fans their first glimpse of their resilience.
After falling behind 109-98, Boston went on an 18-7 run over the final 4:28 in regulation to force overtime. This run included a contested 3-pointer from the logo by Jaylen Brown and a Marcus Smart buzzer-beater to tie the game at 116.
An extra five minutes was not enough to separate the two historic rivals, however, as they needed a second overtime to decide a winner.
Unfortunately for the Celtics, it was the Knicks who made the big plays down the stretch and who had just a little bit more in the tank.
Jaylen Brown was ridiculous and finished with 46 points while flirting with a triple-double. It was without question one of the best performances of his young career.
Yes, it was disappointing to see the Boston Celtics come up short and start the season 0-1 but every fan can look back and remember how thrilling it was to start the season with fireworks like that.