Blast to the past: A look back at the 2008 Boston Celtics

The 2008 Boston Celtics seemed destined to win the title during the 2007-08 season.

The Boston Celtics of the late 2000s and early 2010s can’t be called a dynasty. The Big 3 of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett only won the one NBA championship in 2008.

But the Celtics of that era can be called successful. Perhaps even trend-setting, for they were arguably pioneers of the “super team” era.

The Celtics had one of the most magical, single seasons in league history during that 2007-08 campaign. The season before, they were 24-58 and hadn’t made the playoffs for a second straight year. Heading into the 2008 playoffs, the Celtics had the league’s best record at 66-16.

When Allen and Garnett both joined the team via trade, it wasn’t the same as when LeBron James linked with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to play for the Miami Heat. With that move, James changed the NBA in his own right.

Though the two moves were executed differently, the collection of elite talent that was amassed remained the same.

Garnett was in the middle of his prime, coming off his ninth straight season of averaging a double-double. As one of the best shooters ever, Allen had his best season scoring-wise in the 2006-07 campaign. During that last year with the Seattle Supersonics, Allen averaged a career-high 26.4 points per game and shot 37.2% from the 3-point line.

Pierce had always been a talented scorer. He’s second on the franchise’s all-time leading scorer list with 24,021 points.

But he still never had enough talent around him. He once went as far as the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2002 postseason, when the Celtics lost to the New Jersey Nets in six games. During the 2006-07 season, Pierce averaged 25.0 points per game, 5.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists.

So when Pierce, Allen and Garnett came together, they were all at the peak of their powers. Their team defense from that season, anchored by Garnett, is some of the best ever. According to NBA.com stats, the Celtics had a defensive rating of 98.1.

Along with the trio of All-Stars, the Celtics also boasted a talented point guard in Rajon Rondo. Rondo was perfect for that roster. As a high IQ player, he could be a pure floor general, while also help the team defend the perimeter. During that season, Rondo averaged 5.1 assists; during the playoffs, he dished 6.6 assists a game.

It was hard to imagine anyone beating the Celtics that season. They seemed destined to earn what would be their first title since 1986. What added to their dominance, though, was how they shared the ball. Boston was tied for eighth in assists per game during its championship season.

Neither Pierce, Allen or Garnett averaged at least 20 points a game. Pierce led the team in scoring that season with 19.6 points per game.

After the Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in 2008, they remained a contender. They continued to be a tough match for the Lakers, playing them in the NBA Finals again during 2010; the Lakers won in seven games.

The Celtics also were especially hard for the Heat to beat, as they pushed Miami to seven games in the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals. When the Heat beat Boston, though, the Celtics’ trio of Pierce, Garnett and Allen had officially fizzled out.

Allen joined the Heat in free agency during 2012, and following the 2012-13 season, Pierce and Garnett were traded to the Brooklyn Nets. 

Though the trio only appeared in two Finals, Pierce, Garnett and Allen ushered in an exciting era for the NBA. Their success led to teams like the Heat among others forming Big 3s.

With the win in 2008, the Celtics only added to their legacy as one of the most storied franchises in league history.

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