This story first appeared in SLAM 251.
It’s hard to believe, but there was a time when the Boston Celtics weren’t a top team. You have to hand it to them, though, and they got off to a good start, winning nearly 11 consecutive titles from 1957 through the next decade. After that, unless the trophy resided in Bean Town, they pretty much stayed in the championship conversation until the late 80s. Despite their rich, dynasty-defining mark in NBA history, something changed in the early ’90s. The combination of Larry Bird inevitably calling time on his storied legacy, then the tragedy of Reggie Lewis, who died in 1993, meant that some shocking seasons followed.
Sure, some solid drafts were made for potential franchise players (we see you, Toyin), and there were some savvy signings (lots of love, Dana). But the chemistry was lacking, and the newly constructed TD Garden (then the FleetCenter) seemed an unworthy new address for the Posters imported from their old home. Boston’s lack of success would be reflected in their notable absence from the first five years of SLAM covers (not counting the iconic gate joints), not seeing their proper face until 1999, number 35 to be exact.
In the 1998 NBA draft, the Celtics would use their 10th pick to select Paul Pierce. Despite Pierce’s hatred for the franchise (understandably, he was from Cali), he would prove to be a great pick, putting up numbers that put him in the Rookie of the Year conversation at the end of the 98-99 season.
This conversation seemed to be wide open and bumped into the SLAM offices in what could be a toxic way. Some of the team picked Vince (Rookie of the Year), Scoop was hoping for J-Will, and Tony J picked The Truth. “If we were a band, we’d break up,” is how Tony described how real it is at the SLAM Dome. The three dope jerseys were a compromise, and as a result, the Celtics would cement their greatest basketball achievement of the decade; their first SLAM cover.
Boston’s journey to a championship these past few years has been a long flight with ups and downs. I know I speak for the hoops community when I say it’s unfortunate to see such a storied franchise continue to build on its legacy and reclaim its place as the best in NBA history.
Undoubtedly.
