Celtics and Bruins, some season-ending thoughts ...

Celtics vs. Heat: The better team won: Celtics’ fans might want to argue over whether the better team won the Miami Heat-Celtics best-of-seven Eastern Conference final series (the Celtics lost 4 games to 2), but clearly that was the case. When Games 1, 2 and 6 were on the line, and with the Celtics holding 12, 14 and 6 point leads, respectively, the Celtics failed to show an ability to close out those games, losing all three, and they collapsed in embarrassing fashion down the stretch in Game 6, the clincher. Everyone agrees that their bench isn’t strong enough, but it remains to be seen what kind of players Celtics’ basketball boss Danny Ainge will be able to add to the roster.
Celtics fans should root for the Heat, who played with a lot of heart against the Celtics, in the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. (The Heat are trying to recover from what, entering tonight’s game (Tuesday, Oct. 6) is a 2-1 deficit.) The Lakers, especially with the Heat’s injured players, have the edge.
Rooting interest: Here’s one reason to root on the Heat: a win by the Lakers would allow them to tie the Celtics (at 17 apiece) for the franchise with the most NBA championships. Of course, the Celtics won 11 of 13 in the late 1950s and 1960s, but haven’t won since beating LA in 2008 (they lost to them in seven games two years later), while the Lakers haven’t won a title since that 2010 win.
The Bruins: The best thing we can say about the Bruins’ playoff run in the bubble is that they lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champion. The Tampa Bay Lightning have had the Bruins’ number for years, and that was the case again this season. …. The Bruins will look differently next season with free agency and trades. Goalie Tuukka Rask may be unwelcome after leaving the bubble in the midst of the Carolina series, and the Bruins also might have to bid goodbye to defenseman Torey Krug, who will enter free agency; Krug will be missed.