The Celtics have won 17 NBA titles, the most in NBA history. Last year, the Celts contributed to that with their first title since 1986, but a repeat of last season proved to be too difficult a task. The Boston Celtics were eliminated from their quest for an eighteenth banner on Sunday, as the Magic won Game 7 to set up their battle for the Conference Championship against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The team’s playoff chances were supposed to have disappeared when Kevin Garnett’s knee decided to give way a month before the playoffs started. The “Big Three” were now short one, and they looked tired and old. Limping to the finish line, the Celtics managed to stave off the Orlando Magic for the number two seed in the division. This two seed allowed them to play a Chicago Bulls team that was unfortunately peaking at just the right time.

Taken to the brink by the seventh seeded Bulls, many of the fears for the defending world champs were confirmed. If the Bulls were able to make the round one series one of the best that has ever been played, the Celts would have no chance against LeBron and his Cavaliers. However, the seven game series against the Bulls showed that the Celts had hearts of champions and were still looking to make a run in the playoffs with or without Garnett and Leon Powe.

Rajon Rondo stepped it up big time, almost averaging a triple double as he took on Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose. The seven game series included seven overtimes, and in the end Boston was able to advance to face the Orlando Magic. Exhausted but not about to give up, they traded back and forth the first four games after losing the first, and found themselves in another tight series tied at two games a piece.

After a victory in game 5, Boston needed only one more win to advance, but Dwight Howard proved to be too much for the depleted Celtics team. The Boston Celtics could not hold on, and were finally eliminated after the roller coaster ride that was the 2009 playoffs. “Well played,” was all sophomore Nitin Rajinikanth could say about his beloved Boston team. Basil Halperin added, “It was too bad to see their season come to an end, especially after the Chicago series.”

“We still felt like this was a team that could have gone to the championship and won it, regardless of the injuries,” captain Paul Pierce said following that last game, according to ESPN. “It felt like we ran out of gas.” Nevertheless, this team will be a driving force once again next season as it comes back hungry for victory.

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