Boston Celtics: Top 10 moments of the 2018-19 NBA season

1. The 22-point Game 1 upset in Milwaukee

The Celtics carried all the momentum from the first round into the Fiserv Forum on April 28, when they took down the top-seeded Bucks in a 22-point victory. Boston relied just as much on its defense in this matchup as the offense, holding MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo to just 22 points on 7-of-21 shooting.

It was perhaps the Cs’ highest high in the playoffs, given that the rest of the series didn’t quite pan out for them. Kyrie propelled Boston on offense with his best shooting night of the series (12-for-21), scoring 26 points while adding 11 assists and seven rebounds.

Even more astounding was Al Horford’s individual defensive effort on the Greek Freak. Horford finished with 20 points and 11 boards, and was a big reason why Antetokounmpo was ineffective to open the series.

https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1122647935219408896

Unfortunately, the Boston Celtics’ quick fall from grace following the Game 1 win now leaves them with a flurry of concerns for the 2019 offseason and free agent marketplace. The team’s inability to get the job done this year begs the question as to whether Kyrie Irving will remain a part of the team, and which — if any — superstar will take his spot should he decide to leave.

Regardless of this summer’s concerns, general manager Danny Ainge always seems to put this franchise in a position to be successful and competitive. With a massive pool of free agents this summer, the Celtics should still be a superpower in the East next season again.