Things were so much easier when there were no expectations. The “try hard” teams of Brad Stevens’ early years were fun because they gave good effort, showed flashes of excellence, and above all, exceeded our low expectations. This year’s team is pretty much the opposite of that which is why it is time for this team to pick a lane.
Ever since Isaiah Thomas led this team to the playoffs, they’ve been straddling the line between “rebuilding” and “competing.” They were able to do so because of the Nets trade and the treasure trove of draft assets that came with it.