(W)NBA Recap: Confetti

Wassup y’all! Ya boy (it me, ya boy) is back with the latest recap of the NBA and WNBA since we last spoke.

Congratulations to the Boston Celtics for winning their 18th championship as a franchise, defeating the Dallas Mavericks in five games. Jaylen Brown was named Finals MVP, and Boston completed their dominant regular season and postseason with a title. From the first game of the regular season until the last game of the Finals, the Celtics went 80-20, literally winning 80 percent of their games. As much as luck and injuries matter in a championship team’s journey, the critics still have to beat the opponents in front of them. Otherwise, those of us around basketball would chastise them for being so good but not completing the championship mission—like how the sentiment was in 2022 after Boston lost to the Golden State Warriors in six games.

With this victory, the Celtics as a while as well as individual players get to quiet a lot of criticism and skepticism around them. The team itself has won a title for the first time since 2008, and has surpassed the Lakers in most championships since the NBA began. In the 77-year history of the Association, Boston has won 18 of the titles, which is nearly a quarter of them. One of the marquee franchises in American sports once again sits atop the NBA.

For the players, we can start with 38-year-old Al Horford, who is now the first Dominican-born player to win an NBA title. Before the Celtics won, Horford had played in the second-most playoff games without having a championship, which is a testament to him always contributing to winning teams. There is Jrue Holiday, who felt slighted after getting traded from Milwaukee in the Bucks’ pursuit of Damian Lillard. Holiday was a key component in Milwaukee’s 2021 championship, and he along with Kristaps Porzingis were acquired by former head coach turned GM Brad Stevens in a effort to finish the playoff run with a title. The team succeeded and both Holiday and Porzingis were key complementary parts.

But of course, the main storyline her centers Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. They’ve been teammates for seven years. They have done a lot of winning too but be so young. At 26 and 27 respectively, Tatum and Brown are both All-Star and All-NBA selections, and have now captured that elusive title that a lot of people thought would permanently affect their legacies had they not won this series. In their words, “What they gonna say now?” As a champion, while the journey for another one includes the weight of the first one, it’s balanced with the confidence and understanding of what it takes to complete it. It also comes with the ability to have the last laugh. I’m sure for everyone on this iteration of the Celtics, there is relief alongside the joy. Yes, the crown is heavy. But the confetti is, too.

And just like that, the 2023-24 NBA season is over. It has been quite the journey.

There won’t be any Till Takes this recap. I’d simply like to say regarding the W, this question:

Can we please focus more on the hoop?

This isn’t at all to say to ignore those topics in and around the WNBA that are important to the conversation. But there are so many voices whose comments are aimed at, “the other side of the aisle.” What I mean by that is instead of simply being in support of whomever, every comment is a dig at the opposing side or fan base. Think of it like this: I enjoy apple juice. Imagine if every time I had a delicious cup of it, I made sure I took a jab at those who drink orange juice instead of simply enjoying what I drink. To me, it feels like the sport itself is becoming secondary to whatever causal movement people want to champion. Yes, there will always be naysayers and those who will look to undermine the good things being built. That isn’t something limited to the W . And I’m also not suggesting to never refute those folk with fact-based rebuttals. But again, the balance must include the thing we are all already watching—the basketball. The issue is that people would rather not learn the basketball but still believe they can form expert opinions on everything on and off the court. As we celebrate the obvious and lovely growth of those who watch the W, we must understand that the confetti is heavy and so is the crown of carrying the W with proper balance and strength so it doesn’t topple over and become the things we don’t like about the other sports.

That’s it for this recap. We’ll talk soon.