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There’s a lot not to like about the NBA these days.
Everything that Kyrie Irving says, for example, and his approach to showing up to work when he feels like it. And then there’s the ever-growing load management, players taking games and nights off regularly to save energy for the playoffs.
But we actually now have something to revere, respect, admire, and like. It’s the Boston Celtics basketball team that is going to win the NBA Finals and will eventually take out the Golden State Draymonds with the series tied at 2-2.
Just think about what this Celtics team is all about. The two most talented players, Jalen Brown and Jason Tatum play selflessly with each other. They’re not about outscoring each other so people think one or the other is better. They’re about sharing the ball with each other depending on who is open, getting the best shot, and making the best play to get the victory.
They both have egos, of course, but you can tell they’re not concerned with whether people think one guy is the best player. They’re focused on playing smart team basketball and if that means one guy scores more on a given night, that’s fine – as long as they win.
Marcus Smart is another guy who plays winning basketball. The guys love playing defense and diving on the floor, so much so that he was the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year. He doesn’t care how many points he scores – although he can go for more than 20 and has during these NBA playoffs.
He’s motivated by stopping guys from scoring – a rarity in the NBA where guys prioritize scoring because it’s more fun and more glamorized than defending. Smart will D you up. And offensively he’ll hit the open man with a back door bounce pass, or whatever is necessary.
Then there’s Al Horford. This guy rebounds, defends, hits open teammates, and doesn’t complain ever about not getting enough shots. When his teammates get him the ball for an open spot, he shoots and often sticks it. But that’s not what he’s about. He’s about doing all the less lauded deeds on the court that help his team win. He’s never selfish. It’s never a game about Al Horford. When he plays, he’s all in on collaborating with his teammates in various ways that help the team collectively finish ahead at the end.
There are others. The team’s center, Robert Williams, keeps playing on a bad knee and never demands to have the ball or be the center of attention. But he does do his best to block shots and protect the rim on defense. You don’t find many guys who just go out and play hard without asking for the ball while playing through pain.
I don’t remember an NBA team as selfless as this one except for maybe the 1972 New York Knicks. There are egos as there always are, but you can tell by the way they play they’re all committed to one goal, winning the NBA championship. All the other selfish stuff you often see in NBA players and teams doesn’t exist.
It’s a refreshing and beautiful team to watch. They’re getting close to nirvana, and it’s because of, most of all, their selfless approach to the game of basketball, downplaying their individual stats and egos while raising up each other with team cohesiveness and trust.
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Sammy Sportface, a sports blogger, galvanizes, inspires, and amuses The Baby Boomer Brotherhood. And you can learn about his vision and join this group's Facebook page here:
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