As the Boston Celtics sit in second place in the Eastern Conference at 35-19 through 54 games entering the NBA All-Star break, there’s a mix of surprise and optimism surrounding the fan base and local media.
With the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers trailing Boston by just 0.5 and 1.5 games, respectively, there isn’t much breathing room near the top of the conference. Most observers—including myself—did not expect the Celtics to be in this position before the season began. So, let’s dive deeper into my outlook of Boston’s season so far.
Signature wins and an MVP candidate
Likely the primary storyline of Boston’s season has been Jaylen Brown’s ascension to yet another level, along with his ability to lead as Jayson Tatum continues to recover from an Achilles rupture.
Brown, who is making his fifth All-Star appearance, was recently listed as sixth on Shaun Powell’s latest weekly version of NBA.com’s Kia MVP Ladder. His consistency and durability have propelled Boston into legitimate conversation in the Eastern Conference. Prior to the season, many viewed this campaign as a “gap year” for Boston. Instead, it has been anything but.
Throughout the Tatum-Brown era, pressure has defined the Celtics. They’ve often thrived when expectations were high. This season, however, the pressure has looked different—Boston entered the year without overwhelming expectations, overlooked in many preseason discussions. Brown has embraced the responsibility that comes with being the primary option and vocal leader.
Brown hasn’t necessarily had to do it all by himself, though.
Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, and a resurgent Neemias Queta have all delivered impactful performances, which have helped Boston stack signature victories—Nov. 30 versus Cleveland, Dec. 2 against New York, and a Jan. 3 win against the Los Angeles Clippers, to name a few.
The latter featured an efficient, career-high-tying performance from Brown, a 50-point outing on 18-26 FG and 6-10 3PM (NBA.com). Brown has undoubtedly silenced the critics who questioned whether he had the capability of shouldering the burden of being the number one option on a contending team.
An active trade deadline
Before the February 5 NBA trade deadline, Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens made several cost-cutting moves, dealing Xavier Tillman Sr., Josh Minott, and Chris Boucher in efforts to reduce salary and move under the league’s luxury tax threshold.
These three moves were largely met with understanding from the fan base. Tillman had essentially fallen out of the team’s rotation dating back to the 2024 Finals, while both Minott and Boucher had not seen significant time on the floor in weeks.
The more highly disputed move, though, was the team shipping out guard Anfernee Simons to the Chicago Bulls. Simons had been thriving in a sixth-man role, averaging 14.2 points per game in 49 games while playing just under 25 minutes per night (NBA.com). In return, Boston acquired center Nikola Vučević. The 35-year-old veteran, who spent five-and-a-half seasons in Chicago, has long been coveted by Stevens, dating back to Vučević’s days in Orlando.
Through Vučević’s first three appearances in Boston, mixed reactions are understandable. From a fan perspective, moving a productive scorer in Simons raises questions. However, Simons ultimately wasn’t in Boston’s long-term plans, especially with both his minutes and scoring opportunities likely shrinking upon Tatum’s return. Vučević, despite defensive limitations, brings veteran stability and reliable frontcourt depth alongside Queta and Luka Garza.
What’s to come for the rest of this season?
With 28 games remaining, staying the course may be Boston’s best approach. The second half begins with a challenging West Coast road trip featuring matchups against the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, and Denver Nuggets.
Along with the aforementioned starting five of Brown, White, Pritchard, Hauser, and Queta, contributions have also been felt from Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, and 20-year-old rookie Hugo González. The bench group will be tasked with maintaining their level of play as the games begin to increasingly hold more weight.
Boston appears firmly positioned to avoid the Play-In Tournament and should secure a top-six seed, barring a significant collapse. Catching conference-leading Detroit might be unlikely, but remaining within this season’s very competitive 2-4 seed range is well within reach.
Getting closer to full strength
Meanwhile, there is growing optimism surrounding Tatum’s recovery. According to last week’s report from ESPN’s Shams Charania, Tatum has progressed to participating in controlled five-on-five scrimmages and recently worked through practice segments with the Maine Celtics. Although there’s still no timetable for Tatum’s return, it’s a big box to check off as far as a recovery milestone.
Whether Tatum rejoins the team on the court this season or not, Boston’s performance to this point qualifies as overachieving. A healthy Tatum would undeniably elevate them, but they also need to remember that he needs to be at one hundred percent before returning.
If he does make his comeback at TD Garden before season’s end, it would make for an unforgettable moment for the fan base, and this resilient Celtics group would welcome him back without hesitation.
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