You remember the "King in the Fourth," right? It feels like forever ago, but honestly, it’s only been about nine years since Isaiah Thomas was turning the TD Garden into a literal furnace every other night. That Celtics 2016 2017 roster was weird. It was a bridge between the "Big Three" era and the Jayson Tatum era, but for one magical winter, it was the best team in the Eastern Conference.
They finished 53-29.
Most people forget they actually snagged the number one seed over LeBron James and the Cavaliers. It wasn't because they had the most talent—far from it. It was because Brad Stevens had a group of guys who played like their hair was on fire. You had a 5'9" point guard playing like an MVP, a rookie Jaylen Brown finding his footing, and Al Horford proving why "The Average Al" nickname was the biggest lie in basketball.
The roster that defied gravity
If you look at the names on paper now, it’s a trip down memory lane. You’ve got the core starters: Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, Jae Crowder, Amir Johnson, and Al Horford.
Isaiah was the sun. Everything revolved around him. He averaged 28.9 points per game, which is still one of the most absurd scoring seasons in Celtics history. He was basically unguardable in the pick-and-roll. Teams would throw double teams at him, and he’d just slither through them. It was peak "heart over height" stuff.
Then you had the "pest" factor. Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart were a nightmare for opposing guards. Honestly, if you were a ball-handler coming into Boston that year, you knew you were going to leave with some bruises. Bradley was arguably the best on-ball defender in the league at the time, and Smart was... well, he was Marcus Smart. Taking charges, diving for loose balls, and making winning plays that didn't show up in the box score.
The Big Men and the Bench
Al Horford was the big free-agent prize. He signed a four-year, $113 million deal that summer. People complained at first because he didn't grab 15 rebounds a game. But he did everything else. He was the "glue guy" on steroids. He’d hit a trailing three, find a cutter with a perfect pass, and then anchor the entire defense.
The bench was a mix of veterans and young guys:
- Terry Rozier: Before he was "Scary Terry," he was a spark plug off the bench.
- Kelly Olynyk: The guy who basically won Game 7 against the Wizards with a 26-point masterclass.
- Jaylen Brown: Just a 20-year-old rookie then. He only played about 17 minutes a game, but you could see the athleticism was off the charts.
- Gerald Green: The ultimate "microwave" scorer. He’d come in, hit three triples, and sit back down.
- Jonas Jerebko: A fan favorite for his hustle and occasional "Swedish Larry Bird" moments.
What really happened in the playoffs
The post-season was a rollercoaster. It started with tragedy. Isaiah Thomas lost his sister, Chyna, in a car accident just before the first round started. Watching him play through that was one of the most emotional things I've ever seen in sports. The Celtics went down 0-2 to the Bulls, and everyone thought the season was over.
Then Rajon Rondo got hurt for Chicago, and Boston ripped off four straight wins.
The second round against the Wizards was a bloodbath. It was the "Funeral Game" series. Kelly Olynyk became a Boston legend in Game 7, and IT dropped 53 points in Game 2. It was pure chaos. By the time they reached the Eastern Conference Finals against Cleveland, the tank was empty. Isaiah’s hip finally gave out, and LeBron was, well, LeBron. They lost in five, but the city didn't care. That team had given everything.
Why this specific group still matters
The Celtics 2016 2017 roster was the end of an era. That summer, Danny Ainge traded Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, and Ante Žižić for Kyrie Irving. It was a cold-blooded move. Ainge saw an opportunity to get a superstar and he took it, even if it meant moving the guy who had become the soul of the city.
Looking back, that 2017 team was the ultimate "overachiever" squad. They weren't supposed to win 50 games. They weren't supposed to be the one seed. They certainly weren't supposed to make the ECF with a roster where the leading scorer was 5'9".
It was a group built on chemistry and a very specific type of grit. They had elite perimeter defense, a stretch-five who could pass, and a closer who didn't know how to quit. It’s the blueprint for what the Celtics eventually became—versatile, tough, and deep.
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Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you want to understand why the modern Celtics are built the way they are, study this roster.
- Look at the defensive versatility: This was the beginning of the "positionless" defense Brad Stevens loved.
- Evaluate the Horford effect: Notice how his spacing opened up lanes for small guards. This is still happening today with Kristaps Porziņģis.
- Appreciate the Isaiah Thomas peak: Don't let the end of his career overshadow how dominant he was in 2017. He finished 5th in MVP voting for a reason.
Go back and watch the highlights of Game 2 against the Wizards or the regular-season win against the Warriors. You'll see a team that played for each other. It wasn't the most talented roster in Boston history, but it might have been the one with the most heart.