In terms of optimism, the high point of the Celtics' season—one that would nearly be derailed by locker room rifts, inconsistent effort and questions about the commitment of the franchise player—arrived on a cool October evening, in a chandeliered ballroom on the ground floor of the Westin hotel near Boston's waterfront. There, a few hundred season-ticket holders and a slew of deep-pocketed, beer-buzzed corporate partners gathered to cut checks for the Celtics Shamrock Foundation and listen to players and coaches speak. The team had just completed a lackluster 1–3 preseason, but what did that matter? Small forward Gordon Hayward was coming back from a gruesome ankle injury, star point guard Kyrie Irving had publicly declared he was staying for the long haul and LeBron James had decamped to the opposite coast.
Hold on Tight: The Celtics Are Still the NBA Playoffs’ Biggest Wildcard
