At the outset of the 2017-2018 NBA regular season, the Celtics’ roster seemed Finals-bound. Two key offseason moves by genius General Manager Danny Ainge completely revamped a Celtics team that already held the top record in the Eastern Conference the year before; only 4 players remained from their previous EC Finals playoff run. The first move of the summer was the signing of free agent Gordon Hayward from the Utah Jazz. Hayward was the most coveted signee of the offseason, averaging 21.9 points per game for the Jazz and leading an otherwise weak roster to the playoffs. This addition could take some of the pressure off of their previous point guard Isiah Thomas, who miraculously averaged 28.9 points and finished 5th in MVP ballots at only 5’9”. Ainge’s next play, possibly the most influential trade deal in years, was trading star Isiah Thomas and the Nets’ 2018 first round pick for Cavaliers’ point guard Kyrie Irving. At the time, this deal swapped arguably 2 of the best guards in the East between opponents in the ECF the season prior. This deal made headlines with few able to decide who came out with the better deal. However, when Thomas’s lingering hip injury did not fade (as far as halfway through the regular season) and then dealt to the Lakers for average players, it became clear that the Celtic’s acquisition of Irving was the better choice. CSN writer Jessica Camerato claimed that this trade shifted the balance of the East, making the ECF run through the Celtics instead of the previously dominant Cavaliers.

So, with but weeks left until the season opener, a road game against the Cavs, the Celtics appeared the favorite in the East to advance to the Finals and even end the dynasty of the Golden State Warriors (champions of 2 of the last 3 seasons). However, many hardships would befall the Celtics in the coming weeks.

Merely 5 minutes into the season opener, Hayward leaped towards the basket for an alley-oop. After colliding mid-air with a Cav, he landed awkwardly on his leg and suffered one of the most gruesome injuries on live TV in memory. With millions watching the top contenders in the East kick off the season, Hayward’s left ankle stuck out of his leg at almost 90 degrees. He sat in agony and disbelief looking at his mangled leg. Immediately, Celtics fans across the nation knew this injury ended Hayward’s debut season in Boston and greatly dampered their chances at a Finals run.

However, the mighty Celtics would not let the devastating loss be the end of their season. They still had a top 3 point guard in Irving, previous top-3 draft picks in Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and seasoned veteran Al Horford. After 2 losses to start the season, the C’s would win in their next 16 contests, defeating elite teams such as the Warriors, Raptors, and Thunder in that stretch. They would hold the best record in the league for months to come. Atop the NBA, it seemed as if nothing could take down the new-look Celtics.

Months later, Boston still held the number 2 seed in the East with about a month remaining in the regular season. That’s when yet another crushing blow to the team took place. Kyrie Irving, undoubtedly their best player, was ruled out for the rest of the season after a surgery on his knee. The injury had plagued him for the better part of the second half of the season, but no one thought the recovery time would sideline him for the rest of the year. With their 2 best players deactivated, it seemed as if the hype for the 2017-2018 season was all for nothing.

So, the playoffs came. The Celtic’s starting line up was full of young, yet inexperienced talent. Aside from Tatum and Brown, who consistently led the team like veterans with both scoring and leadership, 3rd-year player Terry Rozier emerged. The biggest question entering the playoffs was “how will Boston replace Irving?”. While a player of that caliber cannot truly be replaced, Terry Rozier came pretty close, shocking the world. Rozier played out of his mind, garnering the status of bon-a-fide starting point guard and nickname “Scary Terry”. His most recognizable moment was his insane crossover and step-back 3 pointer on Eric Bledsoe (who had been trash talking Rozier leading up to the series) to put Boston in the lead with .5 seconds remaining.

Overcoming incredible odds, the Celtics beat the Bucks, led by “Greek Freak” and “future MVP” Giannis Antetokounmpto, in 7 games. Their game 7 victory proved that the young team could still step up and win in clutch moments.

Next up was the Philadelphia 76ers, featuring 2nd team All-NBA center Joel Embiid and surefire rookie of the year favorite Ben Simmons. Some of ESPN’s most noteworthy analysts, like First Take’s Stephen A. Smith, had already given the series to the Sixers. He predicted to his cohosts, “I got an announcement to make. Are you ready for this? 76ers [are] going to the Eastern Conference Finals.” This ultimately untrue declaration was a result of analysts’ underestimation of the Celtics’ young players and bench.

The team out of Boston once again stunned the basketball world, beating the Sixers in 5 games, 4-1, and blowing them out in half of their victories. Ultimately, Philadelphia’s star power was not enough to win even a pair of games against the Celtics, a team with no weakness. The unsung heroes of the Celtics, who I’ve mentioned, finally received much-deserved praise from fans and analysts alike.

However, Boston’s greatest challenge still awaited them: Lebron James and the Cavaliers (but mostly Lebron James). Lebron, fresh off a series sweep of the number one seeded Toronto Raptors, looked invincible; and that he was. He had put together another MVP caliber season in his 15th year, seemingly improving with age against all odds. Throughout his current playoff run, he consistently dropped 40 points and made insane plays in clutch time (late in close games). All but 3 of ESPN’s top basketball analysts had chosen the Cavs to take the series; however, they had done the same for the series against Milwaukee and Philadelphia where the Celtics came out on top. Game 1 arrived, hosted by the Celtics in the famous TD Garden. Then it happened; the Celtics beat Lebron by 25 points, 108-83. The basketball world was at a loss for words. The Celtics defensive unit, led by forward Marcus Morris, held James to a measly 15 points all game. On the other end of the court, scoring was led by Brown, Morris, and Al Horford, each surpassing 20 points. They would continue their amazing play, taking game 2 by 13 points. Now, the spotlight turned on the Celtics.

Rookies Tatum and Brown, praised locally for their great play all season at such a young age, were now being nationally recognized by the biggest names in the sport. NBA legend Kobe Bryant even make an episode of his show, Detail, analyzing Tatum’s game footage from the playoff thus far. Coach Brad Stevens, a basketball mastermind, garnered “coach of the year” titles from many professional analysts for his genius plays drawn up during timeouts, which usually led to easy buckets for the C’s. This temporary high against the Cavs was shortlived, however. Lebron would lead his team to victories more overwhelming than those of the Celtics in their two-game home stand. They won by an average of 19.5 and never trailed in points after the 1st quarter of either of those games. The trend would continue, with the Celtics bouncing back at home in game 5 just to be bested once more by the Cavs in Cleveland for game 6. Game 7, again in Boston, loomed for both fan bases.

This critical match was a crossroads for two different schools of thought. Some put their support behind the Celtics, who were 10-0 at home all postseason. Others favored Lebron who could not possibly lose to the rookie Celtics in game 7 of the ECF; surely he would find a way to win. And sure enough, he did. Along with support from his teammates, James took down Boston 87-79 on their home court.

While this year did not yield a championship, as a Celtics fan, I can say that I am proud of and impressed by the season they pieced together. Only returning 4 players from last year’s roster, the Celtics finished 2nd in the East in the regular season despite losing their two best players. Even better, they upset two young and explosive teams on their way to being the closest to knocking Lebron James out of the East in the past 8 years. The future is bright for Boston basketball fans; a top-4 team in the league, led by first and second-year players, returns two all-stars next season. If they can stay healthy, the Celtics should be the favorites to win the East and can definitely challenge the current dynasty in Golden State. This “Cinderella Season” is just a taste of the next victory-filled decade for the Celtics.