Was that fun? 5 Takeaways from Celtics/Hornets

#1 Gratitude

This last week or two has been tough, right? Nothing to play for. A clear drop off from the effort we’ve seen throughout the regular season. Some losses that wouldn’t have happened if the Boston Celtics were playing at their best. It’s easy to get concerned or have questions about the coaching staff’s resting policy.

It’s also easy to find the negatives in those moments. You begin to wonder if it’s really as simple as flicking a switch once the playoffs begin. You ask yourself if taking your foot off the gas is the right more. Then, you try to rationalize what you see with the argument about staying fresh and avoiding injuries.

The truth is, 29 other fanbases came into the season dreaming about being in this situation. They dreamt about their team running away with the first seed in their conference and having the season wrapped up weeks before the schedule ended. Only one team did that this season, this team.

At some point, it’s worth just sitting back and enjoying what has been an incredibly memorable season. The type of season you tell your children about. The type of season you tell your children’s children about. A historical season. A season that could potentially go down in Celtics lore as one of the best in the modern era.

I’m choosing to be grateful for that rather than worrying about “what ifs” and “can they’s.”

#2 Excitement

One game. That’s all that’s left in the Celtics regular-season schedule. When you look past it, there’s a chasm of unknown waiting. The play-in tournament will dictate who the team faces in the first round. Right now, that could be the Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat or Philadelphia 76ers.

It doesn’t matter who ends up being the first domino in Boston’s story; they will have to fall. In fact, every team will have to fall. That’s how championship runs work. That’s how dominance is asserted. And this team has proven themselves to be dominant. Something is exciting about this team. What’s more, something is exciting about seeing a team you’ve watched grow and develop walk into the unknown with one goal and all the tools necessary to achieve it.

Even when the “Core Six” sat out on Friday night, the team still took care of business. They still cooked. They still dominated. I’m starting to get excited for the playoffs now…Are you?

#3 Young and Wild and Free

Against the Charlotte Hornets, the Celtics rolled out much younger talent. Jaden…