It’s been a strange couple of months in Boston. After getting bounced by Philadelphia in the opening round of the 2026 postseason, the Celtics went big-game hunting and pursued Giannis Antetokounmpo. That chase fractured the team’s relationship with Jaylen Brown. In a sense, the C’s chose Jayson Tatum over Brown by keeping the former out of the Antetokounmpo negotiations. Then came the trade.
Boston sent Brown, a former Finals MVP who finished sixth in MVP voting in 2025-26, to Philadelphia for 36-year-old Paul George, two first-round picks (2028 and 2031), and two second-rounders (2028 and 2030).
NBA media and fans absolutely ripped the move, as the package was widely viewed as underwhelming. The deal also sent Brown to a division rival, and it directly resulted in the 76ers adding LeBron James.
Despite all of that, I believe the Celtics are the top team in the East. George slides in as a veteran No. 2 behind Tatum, who should be healthier as he gets further removed from his Achilles tear. George’s best days might be behind him, but he’s an elite shooter, he still competes on the defensive end, and he’s completely okay with taking a backseat to Tatum. That matters on a roster built around Tatum’s game.
Boston also made a big addition by signing former Knicks center Mitchell Robinson to a three-year, $47.4 million deal. He gives them a rim protector and an offensive-rebounding machine. He’ll have to compete with Neemias Queta for the starting job, but Brad Stevens now calls the frontcourt a “position of strength.”
Then there’s Joe Mazzulla, one of the best coaches in basketball, who says the thing he’s most excited about is “the unknown.” That’s classic Mazzulla.
Perhaps Mazzulla will have some new wrinkles to throw at teams, but the reality is that Boston deserves the benefit of the doubt as long as he’s coaching a talented roster. And this roster is not only insanely talented, but deep and versatile, too. I love the group to fly Over the win total, and I think the Celtics have a shot at representing the East in the NBA Finals.
BURNING QUESTIONS
Is Tatum actually 100% healthy?
Tatum didn’t shoot the ball incredibly well after returning from his Achilles injury last year, but he averaged 21.8 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in 32.6 minutes per game. He looked well on his way to returning to an All-NBA level, especially after averaging 23.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 6.8 assists against the 76ers while shooting 47.5% from the floor and 36.5% from three.
The issue is that Tatum had to miss Game 7 of that series because of pain in his left knee. The fear with that type of injury is that it could stem from overcompensating while recovering from the Achilles tear. That is the biggest swing factor on Boston’s ceiling.
Has Boston sorted all of this out? The Celtics made a bold decision in choosing Tatum over Brown. Tatum has been a better two-way player throughout his career, and he’s a little younger. But that decision will age poorly if Tatum’s health isn’t there.
Will increased responsibility lead to another leap from Pritchard?
After the Brown trade, people scrambled to figure out why the Celtics did what they did. While they did that, I started digging into some numbers. One thing I found was that Pritchard absolutely torched opponents when playing without Brown. Per 75 possessions, he scored 26.7 points while chipping in 7.6 assists and 5.3 rebounds. He looked like a legitimate No. 1 option when given the opportunity to cook.
Pritchard won’t have free rein this season, as Tatum is still the alpha in Boston. Still, the Celtics are very likely looking to empower Pritchard a little more, and that should mean another increase in production. He’s earned a bigger role. Last year, the highly skilled guard averaged 17.0 points and 5.2 assists in 32.4 minutes per game. Is it crazy to think he’ll push that to 20+ points per game? I don’t think so.
Are we sure this team is worse than it was last year?
I understand that what went out versus what came in looks rough in the Brown trade, but how about comparing the 2025-26 roster to the 2026-27 roster? Last year, the Celtics cruised to 56 wins despite mostly having Brown and not having Tatum. This year’s team swaps in Tatum, a better two-way player, for Brown, and adds George and Robinson. That’s more talent in the door, plus a real upgrade at center.
I’m just not sure I see a big dropoff from Boston, which is why the Over is one of my favorite win total plays. I also have some action on the Celtics to win the championship. I believe in this coaching staff and this collection of players. Leaps from guys like Hugo Gonzalez and Jordan Walsh would only make Boston more dangerous.
All in all, I’ll be buying whatever shares of the Celtics people are selling.
WIN TOTAL BEST BET: Over 50.5
