The Boston Celtics fell two wins short of earning the franchise’s 19th NBA title, leaving the team to deal with the crushing reality.
The Celtics held a 2-1 series lead over the Golden State Warriors, but lost three straight games, ending with a Game 6 loss on their home floor.
Although Boston failed to win the 2022 NBA title, head coach Ime Udoka voiced that he hopes that the loss can help push his team to reach that ultimate goal in the future.
“It’s going to hurt. It will hurt for a while. Probably that stuff never goes away. I’ve lost one before,” Udoka said via ESPN.
“That was part of the message. Let it propel us forward, the experience. Growth and progress that we made this season. Obviously, getting to your ultimate goal and fall a few games short is going to hurt. There are a lot of guys in there [that are] very emotional right now.”
The Celtics blew past the expectations in their first year under Udoka, which saw them possess one of the league’s top defenses. Meanwhile, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown finally find cohesion to lift the team toward being a legitimate NBA title contender.
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Tatum may have struggled offensively in the NBA Finals, but he has taken the next step toward being one of the league’s top players. Brown showcased his poise and reliable scoring ability.
The question becomes what will the Celtics add to the roster to further elevate themselves to secure an NBA title.
