Tonight Danny Ainge can pat himself on the back one more time for his signature move, as its payoff concludes and unleashes the Nets from its grasp.
The Celtics will head to the playoffs for the third straight year this weekend, following only one season away in 2013-14. First, they’ll say goodbye and thank you to the Nets, who will head home after finishing at the bottom of the east for the second straight season.
Ainge traded for Kevin Garnett, a move that brought Boston its 17th championship, but his rebuild through Brooklyn that followed by boldly dumping Garnett and a still-productive Paul Pierce might supersede the original move as his best.