2008.
It was 2008, roughly 11 years ago, the last time the Boston Celtics brought home what all NBA teams desire: the Larry O’Brien trophy.
A lot has changed since then, both for the Celtics and the league.
Boston fell from the best team in the league to championship contender, dropped all the way into the lottery in 2014, and has slowly climbed its way back to contender since. It seemed like Boston was finally ready to take that final step this year and get back on top, but doubt has crept in as the season has gone along.
Since the Celtics’ fall from the top and subsequent rebuild back, a lot has changed both within the organization and throughout the league. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest changes.
League Parody
Super Teams
One of the biggest changes within the league since 2008 is the creation of super teams. It can be argued that the Celtics started this trend, pairing a former MVP in Kevin Garnett with all-stars Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. Rajon Rondo became an all-star in 2010 as well, giving the Celtics four all-stars on the roster.
Back in 2008, super teams were rare. The Western Conference, which is now loaded with talent across the board and has a few big threes of its own, was spread out more evenly than today.
In today’s NBA, super teams rule the NBA. The first place Bucks have three players who have made an all-star appearance. The Raptors are getting it done with just two, followed by the 76ers and Celtics who have three each as well.
In the West, the Warriors are the talk of the town with six players who have made an all star team. The Nuggets have three, followed by the Rockets and Thunder who each have only two. Back in the day, it wasn’t quite as usual to see multiple all stars on so many teams.
Players on Their Own
Back in ’08, the Lakers were carried by Kobe Bryant (this was the season he won his lone MVP). Kobe was supported by solid role players like Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, and Derek Fisher. After those four role players, names start to pop up like Kwame Brown, Chris Mihm, and current Lakers’ head coach Luke Walton.
The second seed in the West back in 2008? The New Orleans Hornets, who aren’t even a team anymore. Led by Chris Paul, the Hornets won 56 games in 2008, finishing just one game shy of the top seed (prime CP3 was really something else). His supporting cast consisted of players like Tyson Chandler, David West, and Peja Stojakovic. Paul would go on to play just three more seasons in New Orleans before he was almost traded to the Lakers (thanks for ruining that one, David Stern), and eventually landed with the Clippers to form what would become known as Lob City.
Carmelo Anthony, who has somehow became a laughing stock these past two seasons, was still rocking the dreads in Denver (and scoring 25.7 PPG on 49% shooting). The Nuggets, with the help of Melo, Allen Iverson, and Kenyon Martin (the third leading scorer on the team) won 50 games in ’08, barely enough to earn the eighth seed in the Western Conference playoffs (what?!).
Other superstars around the league had yet to pair up as well. Some of the best players who were playing without big name teammates include LeBron James (Cavaliers), Dwyane Wade (Heat), Dwight Howard (Magic), Dirk Nowitzki (Mavericks), Chris Bosh (Raptors), and Deron Williams (Jazz).
Offense
Player Scoring
Boy oh boy has offense ramped up in the past 11 years.
The leading scorer in 2008 was LeBron James, who averaged 30.0 PPG. He was followed by Kobe Bryant (28.3), Allen Iverson (26.4), Carmelo Anthony (25.7), and Amare Stoudemire (25.2). That’s right, the fifth leading scorer in 2008 averaged just 25.2 PPG. You might find yourself wondering, “how can he average just 25.2 as the fifth leading scorer?” Here’s how.
This season, the leading scorer is James Harden who is averaging an astounding 36.0 PPG. He is followed by Paul George (28.1), Stephen Curry (27.9), Kevin Durant (27.4), and LeBron James (27.3). To find a player this season who averages as few points as Stoudemire did in 2008, you have to jump down to the 12th leading scorer, Devin Booker (25.1 PPG).
Team Scoring
As player scoring has increased, so too has team scoring. In 2008, a whopping 17 teams averaged fewer than 100 points per game. That’s over half the league.
In today’s NBA that number hasn’t just dropped, it’s vanished. No team averages fewer than 100 points per game this season. The Grizzlies come the closest, averaging 101.8 points per game, which is still almost a full two points over 100. In terms of offensive rating, three of the top six offensive season of all time took place after the 2008 season.
The highest scoring offense in 2008 belonged to the Warriors, who averaged 111.0 points per game. Only three teams – the Warriors, Nuggets and Suns – managed to average at least 110 points per game that season.
This year, 18 teams average more points per game than the NBA leading Warriors did in 2008. Only 10 teams still average under 110 points per game, compared to the 27 that existed 11 years ago. Interestingly enough, the Warriors still lead the NBA in scoring this season with 118.0 points per game.
Celtics Changes
Coaching
While Boston’s management has remained the same under Danny Ainge, its players and coaches have not.
Doc Rivers coached Celtics the last time they won a championship. It was only his fourth season leading the green and white, but he still managed to prove himself a valuable asset. After some initial head butting with Celtics star Paul Pierce, Rivers figured out a system that worked and led his team to an NBA championship.
Brad Stevens stands at the helm now, leading an entirely different group of players. In his first five seasons he posted an impressive .539 winning percentage, but is yet to recreate the magic that Rivers did in his fourth season.
Players
Ball Handlers
The Celtics ran the offense through Rajon Rondo in 2008. Despite playing as a pass first point guard, Rondo averaged just 5.1 APG, turning the ball over 1.9 times per game. Rondo did manage 10.6 PPG on a loaded team, taking nine shots per game.
Kyrie Irving facilitates this year’s Celtics, averaging a career high 7.0 APG and turning the ball over 2.6 times per game. He carries a much larger scoring role than point guards of the past, averaging 23.4 PPG on 17.9 shots per game.
Small Forwards
Paul Pierce started at small forward for the Celtics in 2008 and led the team in scoring, averaging 19.6 PPG on 13.7 shots per game (roughly nine fewer shots than Irving averages this season). He contributed in other aspects of the game as well, pulling down 5.1 RPG and dishing out 4.5 APG.
Youngster Jayson Tatum is the starting small forward for years to come (we think). Tatum can fill it up and is proving so this year, averaging 16.1 PPG on 13.2 shots per game. Tatum does his part to contribute outside of scoring as well, averaging 6.2 RPG and 1.9 APG.
Big Men
Kevin Garnett was a key piece of the Celtics’ 2008 championship run, both on offense (18.8 PPG on 53.9% shooting) and defense (9.2 RPG, 1.3 BPG). Garnett was the heart and soul of the ’08 Celtics, and his grit and grind shined through every time he stepped onto the parquet floor in TD Garden.
Al Horford is the big man Boston relies on today. Making max money, Horford averages 13.0 PPG on 52.9% shooting, as well as an impressive 4.0 APG. He’s also pulling down 6.7 RPG in addition to blocking 1.3 shots per game. He adds a strong, much-needed veteran presence to a young team that is fairly inexperienced outside of last season.
Gone But Not Forgotten
Hall of Famers
Sadly, not everybody can play forever, and in the past 11 years we’ve seen plenty of incredible players wrap up their NBA careers. Some of the biggest names, in order of when they retired, include…
Shaquille O’Neal (2012)
Shaquille O’Neal, a.k.a. Shaq, Diesel, The Big Daddy, Superman, etc., retired after a brief stint with the Celtics from 2010-11. His career is highlighted by his three consecutive Finals MVP awards from 2000-02, his four NBA Championships, and his 15 NBA All-Star game appearances.
Kobe Bryant (2016)
Kobe Bryant spent all 20 of his NBA seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, which is rare to see in today’s NBA given how often players are moved around. In his illustrious career, Kobe won one MVP award in 2008, five NBA Championships (two Finals MVPs), and 18 all-star appearances. Kobe retired trailing only Wilt Chamberlain and Michael Jordan for most 50 point games in NBA history with 25, but passed both of them in total scoring to finish third all time (33,643 points).
Tim Duncan (2016)
Considered by many to be the greatest power forward in NBA history, Tim Duncan finished his impressive career not long ago. Known as The Big Fundamental, Duncan was known for playing a slower, perhaps less entertaining style of basketball. That style still won him five NBA championships, three Finals MVP awards, and two NBA MVP awards.
Notable Celtics Retirements
Some notable Celtics retired since the last banner was hung, including the three that were to thank the most for the championship. The Finals MVP in 2008, Paul Pierce, retired in 2017 and had his number 34 retired by Boston this past season. Despite what Rachel Nichols might tell you, he was and always will be a fan favorite in Boston.
Kevin Garnett eventually returned to Minnesota – where he began his 21 year NBA career – before retiring just one season earlier than Pierce in 2016. Garnett was the only member of the Celtics’ big three to win an NBA MVP award, as well as a Defensive Player of the Year award.
Ray Allen decided to call it quits in 2014 after capturing his second NBA Championship with the Miami Heat. Although he had an ugly exit from Boston, many of his teammates have moved on and forgiven Allen for what happened in the past. Allen is now the only member from this big three to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (for now).
Recapturing the Magic
The Celtics have changed a great deal over the past 11 years, that much is clear. The league has too, and not much is the same as it once was. Plenty of teams have a chance to win the Finals this year, but only one can come out on top. The Celtics are in that conversation, but if they want to stand out as favorites the one thing they should keep the same from their last championship run is the team chemistry.
Coaches and players formed a bond that was unbreakable in 2008. Ubuntu, a word that was popular in the Celtics locker room in ’08, roughly means “I am who I am because of you.” This term is what held the team together, what pushed the players through their tougher times, and what motivated the Celtics to accomplish what they did that season. The video below (worth the watch) explains the culture that the Celtics embraced during their championship run.
https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/video/anything-possible-ubuntu
If the Celtics want to achieve what they once did, introducing this type of locker room culture is key. One word that whenever spoken unifies and motivated a group, not just an individual. One word that transforms teammates to family, an ordinary team into a championship team. If the Celtics want to win the NBA Finals again anytime soon, finding their new ubuntu may be the only way.
