Why does Boston Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck think his team is overrated?

The Celtics owner gave an honest view of the team and what it achieved last year and that’s to say, that they’re good, but not as good as you might think.

Boston Celtics’ Wyc Grousbeck is staying grounded

If there was one standout story last season in the NBA, it’s got to be the Boston Celtics. Though they didn’t win the championship, they overcame a less than ideal start to become one of the most dominant teams in the league. Between there ominous defense and the breakout of two genuinely talented young players in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, The Celtics booked their place in the NBA Finals. While they would end up falling to the Golden State Warriors in six games, the signs of greatness were there.

At least that’s what many thought. Indeed, a number of analysts have picked the Celtics to repeat as Eastern Conference champions and possibly lift the Larry O’Brien trophy as well. Curiously, that is not the way that Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck sees it as continues to abstain from getting carried away. Speaking in a recent interview, Grousbeck explained that he prefers not to look at last season as a precursor to a repeat in the coming campaign. “I loved being right there with them. It was thrilling. The other side of the coin is I think that we’ve now been overrated,” Grousbeck said. “I think that performance was a bit overrated in the public mind, or my own mind, because I’m the one saying it. [We were] a finalist and two wins away from winning it, but when you look back, Brooklyn was a tough series, and then we had to go seven games [against the Bucks and Heat]. Then we lost [to Golden State]. So, we’re not a hands-down team to repeat as Eastern Conference champions. I think we’re a quality team.”

Does Wyc Grousbeck have a point about the Boston Celtics?

Here’s the thing, while they must be credited for getting to the NBA Finals, the reality is it was not a path without several moments where they could have been eliminated. One could easily for example, that had Khris Middleton not suffered an unfortunate injury; their road could have ended with the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round. There was also Jimmy Butler, whose missed 3-pointer in the final moments of Game 7 would have brought an end to the Celtics run. Where the finals are concerned, Boston - it must be said - did take a 2-1 lead over the Warriors, but would essentially capitulate after that with three consecutive losses to bow out of the series.

To that end, one can appreciate Grousbeck’s point. Essentially, the franchise’s owner is attempting to manage expectations. On the other hand, it would be silly to deny Boston’s obvious title credentials With Tatum soon to be on the MVP shortlist, and Brown more than fulfilling his role as the No. 2 man in the team, the Celtics are already spoilt for choice before we consider Marcus Smart, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. This is all to say, with a young and talented core along with the likes of Robert Williams III and Al Horford, it just might be that Grousbeck has got it wrong. If that’s the case, we’re betting he’ll be happy about it.