They Damn Tried.

Always look for the good. Always look at the bright side of life.

It's hard to absorb those clichés when you see your team - the team you've watched all 82 regular season games, the team you saw play hard in every game of the playoffs, the team you saw play their hearts out in the 2010 NBA Finals until the last remaining seconds - lose.

After playing 106 games all-in-all, they fell short of attaining the highest prize.

Game 7 will undeniably be logged in history as a classic thriller. However, for the Celtics, the city of Boston and fans all over the world who were a witness to their championship run, it can only be called a heartbreaker.

They gave it all they've got in a last ditch effort to survive the intense hostility of the Laker crowd, with momentum and fate seemingly placed against them.

From one angle, it looked like their backs were not just against any wall - but the Great Wall of China - as they got outrebounded in both ends of the floor by Laker bigs and Kobe Bryant. Early fouls haunted them in the game and while they managed to maintain the lead for the most part in three quarters, it was obvious that by the start of the 4th, the momentum belonged to the Purple and Gold.

Even a last minute display of three-point barrages by Wallace, Allen, and Rondo were not enough to get them back into the game.

But they tried. They damn tried. And if you're a Celtic fan at heart, you gotta be proud by the tremendous and inspiring effort shown by our team.

This was a team that was underestimated from the start of the season, haunted by injuries, and finished 4th in the East in the regular season. They were ill-favoured to advance in the playoffs - some even predicted them to get knocked down in the first round. They have proven a lot to be in the position that they are in right now ... even if they fell one game short.

Sure, we have to absorb the after effects of the Laker bandwagon and millions of fans worldwide rooting for the defending champions. Sure, we're uncertain about how next season will turn out for Boston (who's staying, who's going, what’s gonna happen next and when are we going back to the Finals). Sure the memory of this Game 7 will haunt us for years and quite possibly, decades to come - along with the "what ifs" that accompany them.


But they tried. They damn tried.

I don't care if Paul Pierce said he isn't a legitimate Celtic if he doesn't win at least 2 championships ... because the TRUTH is, he is and forever will be.

I don't care about the talks on Ray Allen if he'll be traded to another team due to his age and inconsistency shooting the three. Yes, his first miss on the free throw line was in Game 7, but that doesn't eclipse his major contributions for Boston and him still being arguably the best 3-point shooter in the NBA.

I don't care if they think Kevin Garnett is already slow and old and might possibly be a liability next season. His primal scream in the Garden still rocks and he remains the Big Ticket, the team's defensive anchor, and a sterling example for future players in Boston on what it means to play with passion and pride.

Rajon Rondo's experience has just been taken to the next level. The same with Big Baby Davis and Tony Allen. It didn't kill them and it would only make them stronger.

Nate and Rasheed have only played a single season with the Green, but have given us a lot of memorable games where they have proven worthy to wear a Celtic jersey.

The bench stood up and rose to the challenge. All of them are worthy of our respect.

Doc Rivers, I hope you still stay next season. You don't have to light up another Red Auerbach cigar to know that you the man!

They will not be bringing home the trophy, but putting that aside, you can't ask for anything better than what the Boston Celtics have proven as a TEAM.

They tried. They damn tried. And while it hurts for the most part, knowing that they gave it their all is more than enough for me.