For a team that was ostensibly in a rebuild, the 2014-15 Boston Celtics enjoyed one heck of a surprising season.
They traded their two highest-paid and longest-tenured players, lost multiple rotation players to injuries for extended periods, had a roster in near-constant flux and somehow only got better as the season went along.
That season ended Sunday, when the Celtics were swept out of the first round of the playoffs by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Head coach Brad Stevens naturally sees plenty of positives to take away from the campaign, but he also has his sights set on bigger and better things.
"Last few months, having to play from behind and accomplishing something, then measuring yourself against the best in the East ... Best thing that I take from this year is there's growth, building and progress," Stevens said after the season-ending loss, according to the Celtics' official Twitter feed. "We've got to build on it. We've got a good environment. ...
"(I) like our progress, but I like to win. Disappointed now, but not at anyone. We have to get better ... that's the challenge ahead."
To the extent that momentum can carry over from one season to the next, the Celtics have plenty of reason to believe they'll be able build on their surprising success. They finished the season on a 10-3 surge and went 20-11 after dealing for point guard Isaiah Thomas at the trade deadline.
Even though they weren't able to get a game off the Cavaliers - currently the overwhelming Eastern Conference favorites - they were no pushover and finished within single digits in three of the four games.
"It was a sweep, but it was not a walk in the park," said Cavs head coach David Blatt. "They made us battle to win all of these games."
Another reason Stevens sees for optimism is that the Celtics are building a solid cultural foundation, with blue-collar guys who work their tails off and take nothing for granted.
"I'm not a salesman," Stevens said. "Only thing I can say is you want to be part of a great environment. We've got a good foundation and culture."
