What lessons can the Boston Celtics take from their 2022 NBA Finals loss to the Golden State Warriors?

It isn’t just heartbreak one should take from such a lost opportunity.

The Boston Celtics may not have won the 2022 NBA Finals in their battle with the dynastic Golden State Warriors squad that snatched Banner 18 out of their hands with a Game 6 victory on Thursday night, but they did break through to the league’s biggest stage for the first time in their current iteration. And though that may well feel like little more than a participation trophy to a franchise with such a storied history and lofty expectations, it is also a necessary step towards winning it all.

What can the Celtics say they have learned about what it takes to win at the highest level of the postseason? What slights can they use to motivate themselves to yet another gear should the opportunity present itself in the future? There is not just self-pity and anger to take from a loss.

The hosts of ESPN’s “NBA Today” recently sat down to discuss this, with Richard Jefferson, in particular, making the claim that if nothing else, the Celtics are not pretenders moving forward.

Check out the clip embedded above to hear their views on the lessons that Boston ought to have learned from their Finals loss this week.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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