Editing Boston Celtics (section)

====2017–2019: Kyrie Irving saga====
By the end of the off-season, only four Celtics' players remained from the [[2016–17 Boston Celtics season|2016–17 team]],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Suddenly, only four Celtics remain from the 2016–2017 team – The Boston Globe|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/celtics/2017/08/22/celtics-turn-over-roster-time/RsW2CQloAYAye2DSSq3JFK/story.html|website=BostonGlobe.com|access-date=October 25, 2017|archive-date=May 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220514155101/https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/celtics/2017/08/22/celtics-turn-over-roster-time/RsW2CQloAYAye2DSSq3JFK/story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> with [[Marcus Smart]] being the longest-tenured Celtic from the [[2014 NBA draft]]. On the team's opening night game in the first quarter against the Cavaliers, Hayward suffered a fractured tibia and dislocated ankle in his left leg,<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Rapaport|first=Daniel|date=October 17, 2017|title=Gordon Hayward Suffers Dislocated Ankle, Fractured Tibia in First Quarter of Season Opener|url=https://www.si.com/nba/2017/10/17/gordon-haywayd-injury-news-update-serious-leg-injury|access-date=November 15, 2017|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|archive-date=October 18, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171018174656/https://www.si.com/nba/2017/10/17/gordon-haywayd-injury-news-update-serious-leg-injury|url-status=live}}</ref> causing him to be ruled out for the rest of the regular season.<ref>{{Cite web|date=October 28, 2017|title=Celtics granted $8.4M player exception for Gordon Hayward|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/21196166/boston-celtics-granted-84m-disabled-player-exception-gordon-hayward|access-date=November 15, 2017|website=ESPN.com|archive-date=November 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115143723/http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/21196166/boston-celtics-granted-84m-disabled-player-exception-gordon-hayward|url-status=live}}</ref> Despite the loss, the Celtics went on a [[List of National Basketball Association longest winning streaks|16-game winning streak]], which also went down as the fourth-longest winning streak in the teams' history.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Staff reports|title=Boston Celtics' winning streak ends at 16|url=http://www.nba.com/article/2017/11/18/boston-celtics-longest-winning-streaks|website=NBA.com|access-date=November 23, 2017|archive-date=October 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020181207/https://www.nba.com/article/2017/11/18/boston-celtics-longest-winning-streaks|url-status=live}}</ref> The Celtics finished the year with a 55–27 record, good enough for second place in the Eastern Conference. In the playoffs, they defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round in seven games, and continued the feat in the Conference Semifinals by defeating the Philadelphia 76ers in five games before losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in seven games in the Conference Finals.
[[File:Kyrie Irving free throw (cropped).jpg|thumb|Kyrie Irving played for Boston for two seasons making two all star appearances.]]
The Celtics finished the [[2018–19 NBA season|2018–19 season]] with a 49–33 record. Analysts started questioning the team's performance and chances for the championship when the Celtics had a 10–10 record after the first 20 games on November 24, 2018.<ref>{{cite web|last=Goss|first=Nick|date=November 20, 2018|title=Paul Pierce gives honest take on Celtics' disappointing start to season|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/paul-pierce-gives-honest-take-celtics-disappointing-start-season|access-date=May 11, 2019|website=nbcsports.com|archive-date=July 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727022619/https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/paul-pierce-gives-honest-take-celtics-disappointing-start-season|url-status=live}}</ref> The Celtics then won the next eight games improving their record to 18–10.<ref>{{cite web|last=Green|first=Dave|date=December 14, 2018|title=Celtics putting up unprecedented numbers over 8-game win streak|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/celtics-putting-unprecedented-numbers-over-8-game-win-streak|access-date=May 11, 2019|website=nbcsports.com|archive-date=July 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727015932/https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/celtics-putting-unprecedented-numbers-over-8-game-win-streak|url-status=live}}</ref> During the eight-game win streak, the Celtics defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 128–95, the New York Knicks 128–100, and also defeated the Chicago Bulls by 56 points (133–77), setting a record for the largest margin in a victory in franchise history, while also tying the record for largest victory margin by an away team.<ref>{{cite web|agency=Associated Press|date=December 9, 2018|title=Celtics throttle Bulls by 56 points as both teams set records|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401071064|access-date=May 11, 2019|website=[[ESPN]]|archive-date=December 10, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181210100830/http://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401071064|url-status=live}}</ref> The Celtics finished the regular season in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. During an April 7 game, [[Marcus Smart]] injured his hip and was ruled out for the rest of the regular season and the first round of the playoffs.<ref>{{cite web|date=April 10, 2019|title=Celtics' Marcus Smart sidelined 4–6 weeks with oblique injury|url=https://www.nba.com/article/2019/04/10/report-marcus-smart-torn-oblique-out-two-rounds|access-date=May 11, 2019|website=nba.com|archive-date=April 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417105948/https://www.nba.com/article/2019/04/10/report-marcus-smart-torn-oblique-out-two-rounds|url-status=live}}</ref> In the [[2019 NBA playoffs|2019 playoffs]], the Celtics swept the Indiana Pacers in the first round, and then lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in five games.<ref>{{cite web|last=Murphy|first=Mark|date=May 8, 2019|title=Celtics eliminated in ugly Game 5 loss to Bucks|url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/05/08/celtics-season-comes-to-ugly-end/|access-date=May 11, 2019|website=bostonherald.com|archive-date=May 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190511081457/https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/05/08/celtics-season-comes-to-ugly-end/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-06 |title=Why did Kyrie Irving leave the Celtics? Revisiting guard's promise to Boston, decision to sign with Nets {{!}} Sporting News Australia |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/au/nba/news/kyrie-irving-leave-celtics-promise-nets/85f6bc4afeac27caa1012f4d |access-date=2024-09-16 |website=www.sportingnews.com |language=en-au}}</ref>

The Celtics held four picks in the [[2019 NBA draft]]. Following a series of transactions, the team landed [[Romeo Langford]] with the 14th pick and also added [[Grant Williams (basketball)|Grant Williams]], [[Carsen Edwards]], and [[Tremont Waters]] (2020 G-league Rookie of the year).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://boston.cbslocal.com/2019/06/21/everything-the-celtics-did-at-the-2019-nba-draft/|title=Everything The Celtics Did At The 2019 NBA Draft|date=June 21, 2019|access-date=July 10, 2019|archive-date=July 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190710223929/https://boston.cbslocal.com/2019/06/21/everything-the-celtics-did-at-the-2019-nba-draft/|url-status=live}}</ref> During the 2019 off-season, Irving and Horford signed with the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers, respectively. Irving left, despite promising to stay in Boston.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-06 |title=Why did Kyrie Irving leave the Celtics? Revisiting guard's promise to Boston, decision to sign with Nets {{!}} Sporting News Australia |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/au/nba/news/kyrie-irving-leave-celtics-promise-nets/85f6bc4afeac27caa1012f4d |access-date=2024-09-16 |website=www.sportingnews.com |language=en-au}}</ref> On June 30, 2019, the Celtics and point guard [[Kemba Walker]] agreed to a four-year maximum contract worth $141 million. On July 6, 2019, the Celtics officially acquired Walker in a sign and trade with the Charlotte Hornets; the Celtics sent guard Terry Rozier and a protected 2020 second-round draft pick to Charlotte in exchange for Walker and a 2020 second-round draft pick.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nba.com/hornets/charlotte-hornets-acquire-terry-rozier-boston-celtics-sign-and-trade-deal-kemba-walker|title=Charlotte Hornets Acquire Terry Rozier From Boston Celtics In Sign-And-Trade Deal For Kemba Walker|website=Charlotte Hornets|access-date=July 10, 2019|archive-date=July 9, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190709161126/https://www.nba.com/hornets/charlotte-hornets-acquire-terry-rozier-boston-celtics-sign-and-trade-deal-kemba-walker|url-status=live}}</ref> On July 1, 2019, the Celtics agreed to a two-year contract with center [[Enes Kanter]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/27098241|title=Celtics pick up Kanter on 2-year, $10M contract|date=July 10, 2019|website=ESPN.com|access-date=July 10, 2019|archive-date=July 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190710223926/https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/27098241|url-status=live}}</ref>