Boston Celtics have no reason to worry as future remains bright

The Boston Celtics fan base, which is one of the proudest fan bases in the NBA, has no reason to worry about the future of the team.

Dear Boston Celtics fans,

I understand that this is a very difficult time for the fan base to endure. Watching your beloved team fall two games short of an NBA title has to be very disappointing and heartbreaking being so close to securing that coveted NBA-leading 18th championship.

I understand that it’s a rough time and that it’s a long wait until the beginning of next season when another opportunity arises but these fans should be very proud of their team The players have no reason to hang their heads because many didn’t believe that the Celtics would even beat the Brooklyn Nets and make it out the first round.

Many didn’t believe that the Celtics would take out the defending champions Milwaukee Bucks. Then taking the Miami Heat to a Game 7 in the Eastern Conference Finals in a physical and grueling series. When a team loses a championship series, it’s normally the star of the team that will shoulder most of the blame.

Fans may feel like he could have done more, been more aggressive, or just step up and rise to the occasion in crucial moments. And even if that particular star player goes out and plays to historic proportions, he will still be criticized and blamed despite him getting the team that far. Despite all of the negativity coming from the media about Jayson Tatum’s performance in the Finals, let’s shine a light on some of the positives.

The first thing is the maturation that took place this season as he developed into the unquestioned leader of the Celtics. Yes, he has made his fair share of mistakes and has lost his composure at times but what great player hasn’t? Even the best have struggled and has had to experience the grind and adversity of several NBA postseasons in order to get to the Finals. And let’s not forget the fact that we are talking about a 24-year-old with the very most upside and potential in the league and he hasn’t really reached his prime yet.

Ever since the Celtics drafted Tatum, the team has qualified for the playoffs every year as they go deeper into the playoffs each year. The Celtics are definitely trending in the right direction with Tatum as their franchise cornerstone. For his very first Finals experience and the huge expectations that were placed on his young shoulders, he did well despite the turnovers. As with all young developing players, Tatum has flaws that he must correct in order to transcend to the next level.

Tatum must learn how to get to the foul line more consistently instead of settling for jump shots that are contested deep into the shot clock. He has to apply the pressure on the defense in high leverage situations because he has the size and strength to impose his will on most defenders. He can’t worry about the refs calling fouls every time he attacks the basket and focuses more on finishing instead.

Most of all, Tatum must cut down on the turnovers. He averaged a career-high during the regular season with 2.9 per game and set the record for most turnovers in NBA postseason history with 100 total turnovers.

Hopefully, the turnovers are an issue that can be fixed by diversifying the offense and finding ways for Tatum to score without having the ball in isolation. For this Celtics fan base, patience is the key. The fans have to realize that their team is in much better shape than 29 other NBA teams.

They have two bonafide young superstars in Tatum and Jaylen Brown, a first-year head coach who exceeded expectations, a general manager who personally know these players and knows how to construct a championship roster.

With that being said Boston fans have no reason to worry. As a matter of fact, they should be ecstatic because it won’t be too much longer until they raise banner No. 18 to the rafters in TD Garden.