Celtics’ expectations continue to rise after close loss to Thunder

The Celtics are no longer a surprise. 

In reality, they haven’t been for a long time. 

They’re no longer the “little engine that could” or a feel good story that have held fans' attention through the dark Boston winter months. 

They are — and maybe always have been — a title contender, and Thursday night’s 104-102 loss to the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder only solidified that fact. 

Once again Boston walked into a game it shouldn’t have won, and it very nearly did. If a Payton Pritchard three falls, the Celtics would have been making headlines as the rest of the world woke up Friday morning. 

Whether or not Pritchard's shot fell, or that Jayson Tatum and Derrick White dressed in street clothes on the bench, doesn’t change the fact of what this Celtics team is capable of — the franchise’s 19th world championship. 

That should be the ceiling of this team, not a second round exit or a hard fought battle in the Eastern Conference Finals. It should, and can be, another run to The Finals. 

Thursday night didn’t necessarily open any eyes to what Boston is capable of however.

Jaylen Brown has been playing like an MVP all season, and his 34-point outing, including going blow-for-blow with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander down the stretch, only provided further proof of the All-Star delivering in big moments. 

The bench, led by the likes of Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, Luka Garza and Baylor Scheierman emerged as key contributors and carried the Cs through the first half against the Thunder until Brown took over. 

Boston had every chance to win the game. Gilgeous-Alexander delivered like he has been for the last two years, consistently finding his spot and robotically delivering smooth jumpers. If Chet Holmgren didn’t have an offensive rebound fall in his arms, the Celtics would probably head to overtime with another chance to pull out a win. 

“I thought it was a phenomenal basketball game,” Pritchard said. “They got lucky tonight.” 

Questions can be raised about whether the younger guys can truly replicate the performances in postseason environments, but from what they have consistently shown all year and the state of the conference, Boston should have more than enough to go up against the likes of the Knicks and Pistons. 

Not to mention that Tatum more or less looks like Tatum in his three games since returning last week. Sure there are stretches where it is clear he is still trying to find his way, but with a month and a half before the Cs will truly be threatened, it appears he’s going to get back to a level close to where he was last May. 

This isn’t a “gap year” or a “let’s just have fun and see what happens” type of season. There are only so many true chances a team and its core have at winning a title. That window appeared to slam shut as Tatum writhed on the floor at Madison Square Garden. 

Well, 10 months later he’s back and the window, with the help of Brown, Joe Mazzulla and the roster Bard Stevens pieced together despite serious financial constraints, is back open. 

Thursday night didn't provide this realization. The Celtics didn't play much differently than what they have displayed since they found their footing in November, but it is another example in what is growing to be a long list of them competing with the league's best time and time again.

The expectation should be that Tatum and Brown can ride duck boats down Boylston this June. 

Anything else is a missed opportunity.