BOSTON — The Celtics would be the surprise of the East if not for the Pistons’ revival. Boston sits third in the East in a season many expected them to throw away because of Jayson Tatum’s long recovery from Achilles surgery. A supposed gap year has shifted into real playoff contention. Their recent stretch served as a major test, and they passed with an A+.
The Results Are In: Celtics Pass Test With A+ Grade
Overachievement Turns Into Sustained Momentum
When I wrote my one-month check-in a few weeks ago, I noted Boston’s striking overachievement. The team has only improved since then. The Celtics own the league’s second-best offense, trailing only the high-flying Nuggets. They also hold a top-five net rating. Mazzulla-ball continues to drive winning as they lead the NBA in three-point makes despite some early-season shooting struggles.
A Difficult Stretch Begins at Home
Over the last two weeks, Boston faced its toughest run of the season. It began with a two-game homestand against Orlando and Detroit, both top-four seeds in the East. Orlando missed several key players, including Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs, but Boston still handled business. The Celtics led for nearly the entire game and built a margin as large as 26 points.
They did not enjoy similar injury luck against Detroit. The Pistons had their full ten-man rotation. Boston, meanwhile, missed its premier big, Neemias Queta. Yet the Celtics overcame Cade Cunningham’s 42 points and secured a clutch win.
A Narrow Loss in a Coin-Flip Game
Then came the only loss in this run, a tight matchup against Minnesota. Jaylen Brown showed leadership again by scoring 41 points. The result turned on an unlucky sequence. Both teams have struggled in close games; Boston sits at 7-7 in the clutch, while Minnesota stands at 6-5. The final shot came from Anthony Edwards, who hit one of the wildest game-winners of the season. If you replay that look 100 times, he might make it 10. The Celtics were inches from an eight-game winning streak.
A New Streak Takes Shape
Boston then launched its current five-game streak by beating Cleveland in another clutch contest. Both teams missed key players, with Boston arguably suffering the more impactful absences. The Celtics followed that win with victories over New York, Washington, the Lakers and Toronto. Washington was the only losing team in that group, yet the average margin of victory across the four games reached 20 points. That number was boosted by a 45-point demolition of the Wizards.
A+ and Still Climbing
The Celtics have passed this demanding test with an A+ grade. With Tatum nearing a return and a consolidating trade likely ahead, Boston may not have revealed its ceiling yet.
© Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
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