There’s a reason so few people outside of New England enjoyed the Boston Celtics’ run through the 2024 NBA Playoffs. As Bostonians were catching confetti on Causeway and booming on Boylston, the rest of the fan landscape was snoring. And if they weren’t, they were picking apart the Celtics’ accomplishments.
That’s because for anyone who doesn’t rep the green and white, Boston’s playoff run was completely and utterly boring.
The Celtics are super boring, and that's how Boston fans should like it
For the past decade, the Celtics have been a consistent face in the postseason, and they’ve been a legitimate contender since the Isaiah Thomas years. Six Eastern Conference finals appearances in 10 years say it all. They have been on the cusp of glory for so long that when they finally achieved it, nobody was surprised.
Instead of reacting with elation and content, the general feeling was relief. Or, in the case of those who were praying on Boston’s downfall, tedium.
The Celtics don’t play a boring brand of basketball. Quite the opposite, actually. Boston won the 2024 NBA Championship because of an elite, well-rounded offensive system and a defensive scheme that allowed little room for opposing stars to shine.
Everyone from Jayson Tatum to Jaylen Brown to Payton Pritchard had their moment throughout the playoffs. On the court, the Celtics are a fun basketball team.
Unfortunately, that’s not what the general NBA is looking for.
Storylines are king in 2024. Luka Doncic nailing a step-back game-winner and trash-talking Rudy Gobert was blasted all over social media. Anthony Edwards going at Kevin Durant in Round 1 made headlines. The injured New York Knicks storming through a heated Joel Embiid stole the show. And all of those plots were rightfully boosted, as they were entertaining. But that’s where the Celtics don’t shine through for general fans.
Their playoff run included very few game-stopping moments. Outside of the Indiana Pacers series (and even that ended in a sweep), Boston dominated. Almost every game was either a complete blowout or a comfortable win. They only lost three games en route to the title, taking drama completely off the table.
And while that was great for the anxious hearts of Celtics Nation, it was a disaster for the national media and fans looking for an entertaining postseason.
It was as if NBA fans around the world were handed a book to the playoffs, and the ending was spoiled on the first page, but they had to read the entire novel anyway.
Even this summer, the Celtics brought back nearly the exact same roster, eliminating any room for intrigue for those looking to be amused by change.
Boston’s dominant style of basketball and incredibly talented roster made the 2024 playoffs boring for anyone who wasn’t rooting for the guys in green. And that’s just how Celtics fans should like it.