The Celtics are a good team — not great, not bad, just solid. Their performances so far have reflected that. When everyone is locked in, they can compete with anyone in the league. But when they’re not, they tend to drop games they should be winning. 20 games in, 11 wins, it’s fair to say they’re a good team.
The Celtics are, in fact, pretty good this year, albeit flawed. These 20 games have shown us a scrappy, often unpredictable group with a true roster-wide Stay Ready mindset, making each game a unique, unknowable, and sometimes amazing experience. Before the season I projected a true middle ground of 41 wins, roughly putting them in the 7-8 seeding range. With the group playing at its current level, I still believe that, and that adds a fun wrinkle to a wide-open Eastern Conference.
I do think that the Celtics are good. I am not sure how good they are but I am enjoying watching them more than I thought I would. The first 20 games have shown us that these young guys could be pretty good but the way Joe Mazzulla has coached this team up has been awesome. It has proven a lot of his supporters (myself included) right that he is an elite coach.
Gio Rivera
The Celtics sit at 11-9 entering Monday night — a justifiable spot, but one that lacks context. Without Jayson Tatum, it’s unrealistic to expect Boston to hover near the top three in the Eastern Conference, yet what we’ve seen so far suggests they should be better positioned. Boston has already surrendered five 40-point quarters through its first 20 games, surpassing last season’s total of three, and ongoing defensive lapses, offensive inconsistency, and an inability to sustain an identity for a full 48 minutes have contributed to a misleading No. 8 seed. In reality, the Celtics could — and probably should — be in the top six, especially given they rank fourth in offensive rating (119.1), commit the fewest turnovers in the league (11.5), and sit seventh in offensive rebounds (13.2) despite moving on from their three most-used centers last season. It’s still tricky to pin down who the 2025–26 Celtics truly are, but they project as a middle-of-the-pack team capable of clearing the 40-win plateau and securing a top-eight finish in the conference.
Simon Pollock
These Celtics are good! Just…not that good. They’ve won six of their last eight games, which includes ending the Pistons’ nearly-franchise-best win streak and taking down the Magic and the Cavaliers. At this quarter pole of the season, the Celtics have the #11 net rating (4.2). Boston fans have been treated to Neemias Queta and Jordan Walsh shining as they’ve taken on more responsibility.
And yet, Jaylen Brown’s 36.3% usage rate (Statmuse) is at a career high and feels nigh unsustainable. The team is last in pace. The center rotation behind Queta is shaky and unresolved. And that sweet offensive rating that Gio mentioned belies what the eye test reveals: this team can really get stuck in the mud. Brown gets triple teamed, Payton Pritchard dribbles into walls, and Derrick White is still looking for scoring consistency.
11-9 is right on target for these Celtics. They look like a team that no one would want to play on a given night, but not one consistent enough to win a seven-game playoff series.
Nirav Barman
The Celtics are a good team, not necessarily based off of talent, but because of a commitment both to the gameplan and the process. Joe Mazzulla clearly has had his influence on the players this year, and the kids are hungry to prove themselves. Boston could make a run for a playoff spot this year, and should at the least be considered play-in contenders. These first 20 games have shown me that the coaches have a clear vision for this team, and adding a few good pieces in the offseason can get us right back to the top when coupled with Jayson Tatum’s return.
Steve Hooper
The Celtics are pretty much where I expected them after 20 games. If we were doing a tier ranking for the East I’d probably put them high B. In terms of power rankings, they are surging with an impressive 7-3 record in the last 10 games. Surprises so far this season Jordan Walsh, has been like found money. The growth and development of Neemias Queta has also been terrific to watch and the advanced stats are eye popping. Mr Consistent has been Jaylen Brown, he has more than answered the call. Brown is eleventh in the league in scoring and absolutely deadly in the mid-range. If some balls bounced their way, this team could easily have more than 11 wins so far.
Good, not great, but very solidly good. Too good to tank (barring injuries – and it is worth noting that they’ve mostly been lucky in that regard). Probably not talented enough to compete for a championship, even with a fully healthy Jayson Tatum. In the East, a team headed by Tatum, Brown, White, and a bunch of replacement level players could certainly win a couple of rounds in the playoffs. But as usual the goal is banners, so the measure of this season should be how we equip the team to compete for those banners in the near future. The good news is that (thus far) it seems like we have a keeper in Neemias Queta (either as a starter or high level rotation big). Guys like Walsh and Minott have developed nicely as well. And perhaps most importantly, Jaylen Brown keeps evolving as a player. These are all good signs, and could very well be worth a lot more than a few extra ping pong balls. This team is still solidly good, which means the leap back to great could be closer than it appeared a few months ago.
