The Boston Celtics were eliminated from the NBA Playoffs on Friday night, but their exit from the postseason may be the end of a glorious era in the illustrious franchise’s history. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett have spent the better part of the last half decade playing together and trying to bring home a title to Boston. They succeeded once, but this may have been the final ride for two of the NBA’s greats.
Paul Pierce would be a great loss for the Celtics, as he’s the truest superstar they’ve had for the last decade, and his loyalty to the team is something head coach Doc Rivers pointed out after the game.
“He’s done so much for this franchise,” Rivers said. “We live in a day and time where guys change teams like socks. Paul has chosen to stay here throughout his career when he could have by all rights chosen to leave.”
Rivers also mentioned that Pierce will go down as one of the greatest Celtics ever and that his teammate Kevin Garnett is one of the toughest competitors he’s ever coached.
Those don’t sound like the words of a head coach certain his stars will be back next season. Last season Rivers was more upbeat about the possible return of Garnett and Pierce, but the tone was much more somber this time around and it really didn’t demonstrate confidence that anyone will be back next season — including Rivers.
There was speculation over recent years that Rivers would take a break from basketball to focus more on his family. His son Austin Rivers has already gone through college and is playing in the NBA, and that’s a journey Rivers missed out on for the most part. Moving away from basketball may be what’s best for Rivers, and the fates of all three men are likely tied very close together.
Ray Allen left last season, but the rest of the Boston gang stuck together. That’s not something you should bet on happening again, as one of the three remaining men leaving likely means the other two will follow. Some think that Pierce can still play a few years, but he won’t be suiting up for anyone other than the Celtics and Garnett may play one more year but it won’t be in Boston.
There’s an outside chance they all band together and try to make one more run at a title, but that was the mantra last season. At some point, one of the last runs is truly the last run and chances are, we just witnessed that on Friday night.