Last night the Boston Celtics won their eleventh straight game and sit atop the NBA at 19-2. It seemed impossible that this team could even hope to duplicate its furious 20-2 start of last year, yet at 19-2 they look to better this mark. Could last year's 20-2 be more impressive with an 8-0 start and the seemingly instant galvanization of the Big Three? That marked an unprecedented time in Boston sports with the 9-0 Patriots, 8-0 Celtics and the Red Sox coming off their second world series in four years. Does the latter make last year's hot start all that more impressive or does this 20-2 carry the same punch. The first Celtic loss arrived at the hands of the new look Pacers in the season's third game, and was a double digit defeat. In the 2007 campaign the first lost came against the Magic in a pulse pounding finish on the road. After this 104-102 debacle Boston soared in 11-1 fashion to reach an NBA best 20-2. This team would peak at 29-3 before losing wasn't an anomaly. Losing only twice in November and once in December my preseason forecast of 63-19 (those who know me remember) seemed more than accurate. However, the Celtic's bettered even an overly positive fan's educated wish with 66-16 and an NBA championship.
That is all fine and dandy, but what you ask does this have to do with this year's 20-2 squad who is actually 19-2 and has to get past a resurgent Indiana (who handed them a 16 point loss) before the true duplication of last year's first twenty two. The current 2008 record is clearly more impressive than last year's, especially due to the premature loss on the first of November. After ascending Banner 17 this team's hunger for the upcoming regular season was in question and logically so. This year's preseason prediction (courtesy of The Cutter) has the Celtics in the 50 win category more specifically at 57-25. The losses of bench heroes Posey and PJ Brown, the championship hangover, the ever aging Big Three, and the emerging reliance on the young Celtic bench looked to all be reasons for a decline.
If the 2008 C's could reach 29-3 it would be again more impressive than before because of the road required. First they would have to win against the Pacer's and then against the only team unbeaten by the Celtics all of last year, the Washington Wizards. After getting the Wizard monkey off their backs Boston would then also have to beat the Posey Hornets, upstart and Celtic vengeful Hawks, improved Philly, always tough Utah, and of course the hungry arch rival Lakers.
Regardless of the 2008-2009 Boston Celtic win loss tally this team is hungry and ready to prove us all wrong by winning their historic 18th NBA Championship.
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