In an NBA where top stellar talent reigns supreme and high-profile rotation players dominate discussions among fans, bench end units are often overlooked. Things were different for the Boston Celtics this season, however. Their strength in depth means that even the X-Men and XI-Men on their roster are likely to play elsewhere.
However, rather than arguing over who should fill the big man’s third spot or get consistent minutes as a groundbreaker off the bench, we became intrigued by the positive nature of Boston’s bench unit.
Bus 1 Boys has become a thing — so much so that there have been rumblings about some of the merchandise in the pipeline. Comprised of Luke Kornet, Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, Mike Muscala, and Blake Griffin, it’s oozing personality and camaraderie.
“We go way back,” Pritchard said of Griffin in mid-November. “We have a good relationship. He did it for a long time, you know. He was an incredible player, so, someone you can learn from.”
When we look back at the 2022-23 season in years to come, Bus 1 Boys will be nothing more than a footnote. Our discussion points will center around Ime Udoka’s comment. Joe Mazzulla’s timeouts and the convergence of the three-point streak, and how the Celtics dropped three games to open the Eastern Conference Finals.
Sure, there will be fond memories of cheering for Blake Griffin during games and joking about how Sam Houser is a defensive wall despite how he was hounded by opposing teams instead of managing their act. But really, the sentiment was a “be there, or you miss it” kind of experience, and honestly, that sucks.
Basketball is supposed to be about having fun. We’re supposed to get caught up in the lighter sides. Every year, we seem to focus more on results and less on experience. If you’ve been a Celtics fan this season, you know who the Bus 1 Boys are, and enjoyed every random photo, quote, or video that popped up to give us another glimpse into the bench unit’s time together.
Recreating this type of group is not easy. Sure, Mike Muscala, Sam Hauser, and Luke Cornet will all return next season. However, the two core members who made up Bus 1 Boys, are expected to move on this summer. Pritchard has made it clear he wants a deal according to The Athletic’s Guy King. While Griffin’s contract is up, he will likely find himself a new team or explore retirement.
What made Bus 1 Boys so captivating was their packaging of a Celtics roster that was all on the same page. For the majority of Boston’s starting rotation, they had never experienced another locker room. So, for guys like Griffin, who walk through the door and immediately start singing the praises of loneliness backstage, it was exactly what fans wanted to hear — and so, we lived it through the Bus 1 Boys stories.
“This group is incredible,” Griffin said on the Feb. 27 episode of From the Rafters. “Everyone will talk to everyone, and everyone has a thing with everyone. We’ll sit on a plane sometimes, and someone will have, like, an NBA debate, and it’ll be like screaming guys.”
Now as we put last season behind us and begin to turn our attention to what next season might hold, Bus 1 Boys as we knew them will be nothing more than a memory. Both the vibes we loved and the locker room unity they represent will be reasons to keep our excitement levels up.
After all, no matter what happens throughout the summer, this Celtics team will still be among the best in the Eastern Conference. They will still go into the season with high expectations and a fan base that will cheer them on every step of the way. In some ways, we seem drawn to the Celtics’ bench rotation because they were like us: fans cheering from the sidelines, enjoying the moment, and simply being escorted from the ride.
The only difference was, from time to time, they would actually step onto the field and be the people we were rooting for – but who among us hasn’t had that dream before? In a season that gave us so much, we can also look back and remember the bench press crowds who were just as fun and captivating as the Celtics were trigger-happy from deep.