Underdog stories are always compelling. They usually involve a person or a group of people overcoming adversity in an unordinary set of circumstances. While this season's Boston Celtics aren't exactly grabbing at the coattails of a revitalized Golden State Warriors team, they represent a feel-good situation, worthy of fans support.
The golden days of the "Splash Brothers" appeared to be long gone. After losing to the Kawhi Leonard-led underdog Toronto Raptors in 2019, Golden State missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time in seven years. Going 15-50 in the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign indicated an impending rebuild might be in the cards. Aside from Draymond Green and Stephen Curry, the roster was littered with no-names that screamed tanking. During the down-stretch, Klay Thompson was snake-bit by bad luck, missing two full seasons with a torn ACL, and then an Achilles injury.
But then, all of the sudden, the team struck gold in the draft and free agency. Key contributor Jordan Poole was taken in the first round in 2019, former first-overall pick Andrew Wiggins finally came into his own after being dealt to the Warriors, and Kevon Looney developed into a crucial sidekick role. A team that once rested its fate on the shoulders of several superstars suddenly has a well-constructed roster.
Golden State has the ideal combination of veterans with playoff experience, castoffs who've reinvented themselves, and youngsters looking to build their brand. As much as it may've been easy to root against the Kevin Durant-led Warriors, there's reason to like this year's team. At the same time, dynasties are only meant to last a certain period of time, and there's something off-putting about the possibility of a second phase of dominance.
As for the Celtics, they almost feels like an impersonating, copycat version of the early dynasty Warriors. They have a solid core of young players, in Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Marcus Smart. Derrick White and Peyton Prichard are perfect complementary pieces, and they've taken over games at times. Rookie head coach Ime Udoka has been the fearless, unquestioned leader.
They're playing with an unparalleled level of physicality and mental toughness that makes them a tough out in a postseason setting. And there's certainly a comparison to be made to North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis, who led the Tar Heels to the NCAA national championship game in his first year. Udoka looks the part of an up-and-coming top coach in the NBA.
Celtics president Brad Stevens, who preceded Udoka as head coach, did an excellent job constructing the roster before transitioning to a front office role.
Similar to Steve Kerr's predecessor, Mark Jackson, Stevens assembled and motivated a high-quality roster, primed to win a championship. Unable to reap the rewards of his labor, Jackson was axed from the guest list, and denied entrance at the party he planned before it even started. Golden State went on an impressive run, starting with their first title the year after he left.
Stevens was the brain behind constructing the roster and setting the culture. Evidently, he felt Udoka was the ideal on-floor successor. Taking a step back allowed Stevens to be the store manager, opening the door for someone else to be the floor supervisor. As good as Stevens was in his previous role, Udoka might be better equipped to push this team harder in the locker room.
Aside from Warriors fans and obligatory bandwagoners who conveniently hop on the Curry hype train, most sports fans should be rooting for Boston in this NBA Finals. They have a young, humble, well-rounded team that's easy to get behind. And they have a likable coach, who helped knocked off the Brooklyn Nets, defending champion Milwaukee Bucks, and Miami Heat en route to the championship series. Anyone who beats the ex-champs and the NBA's early-season darling deserves credit.
Golden State's glory days should be over -- reaching five straight NBA Finals with three Larry O'Brien trophies in its display case at Chase Center should be enough. It's another team's time to shine, and the Celtics feel like they're one championship away from beginning a dynasty stretch. Getting the band back together for a reunion tour may ultimately result in gold, but few fans should be hoping it happens.
And given how the unpredictable, unforgiving, and momentum-driven part of sports takes over, fate is always tricky. This Celtics team feels destined to win an NBA title. Golden State is a massive, pesky, roadblock standing in the way, and they're a massive threat. But believing in the luck of the Irish has a better feel to it than supporting the same-old, cool Bay Area squad.
Jack Stern is a columnist and an associate producer for CBS Sports Radio. You can follow him on Twitter @J_Stern97.