The Celtics Not Only Officially Locked Up The 2 Seed, They Also Made A Little NBA History Along The Way

Brian Babineau. Getty Images.

It's hard to believe we're really at Game 82 of the NBA schedule. I feel like we were just at training camp and now we're only a few days away from our collective lives being dominated by 16 wins. They say time flies when you're having fun, and I have to say, after experiencing the 2025-26 Boston Celtics regular season, I'm inclined to agree. This was fun as shit. 

To think, a team that began the year 0-3 and then was 5-7 midway through November, would finish the year with no fewer than 55 wins is pretty incredible. So much so, there have only been 4 teams in NBA history that have started the year 0-3 and then went on to win 55+ games. Usually when you're 0-3, you stink and have a disaster season. The Boston Celtics? They start 0-3 and end up having one of the more dominant seasons of any team in the entire NBA. Top 4 record, 2nd best offense, 4th best defense, 4th best net rating, 2nd best point differential in the East (4th in NBA), the list goes on and on. What you just experienced does not generally happen when looking through NBA history, and that's before we even get into the specific context of the 2025-26 season. 

The fact that this is guaranteed to be the lowest win total of the Mazzulla Era, and that number could be as high as 56 is something that I feel like people don't truly grasp. Let's just look at Celtics history. 

As it stands ahead of the finale, their 55 wins are the most wins in a non-Mazzulla season since Brad's 55 wins in 2017-18. If they win tomorrow against Orlando? The 56 wins would be the most in a non-Mazzulla season since 2010-11, more than a decade ago. There have been 80 seasons of Celtics basketball, including some of the best teams in the history of the sport. Should this year's team hit 56 wins, it will be the 12th highest win total in franchise history. Pretty crazy to think about the fact that there are only 11 more successful teams in Celts history than the "gap year" Celtics. 

I suppose when you're coming off 61, 64 and 57 win seasons that things can start to feel normalized, but let's remember that there are teams out there who haven't hit 55 wins at any point in their entire existence. The Hornets have been around for 36 years and are still looking for their first 55+ win season. The Pelicans, for example, have only hit 56 wins once in their 24 years. Winning 55+ games in the NBA is not easy; there were only 4 teams in the league this year to do it, and for the Celts to be in that group is nothing short of incredible.

They finish a top 2 seed, a position the Celts officially took over on January 15th when they hit 25-15. From there, they did not spend a single day outside of the top 2 at any point over the remaining 42 games.

Giphy Images.

Now with Tatum back in the mix, it's all just so surreal. Who knows what the postseason might bring, but to think of where we were in May to where we are now, ahead of another attempt to climb the NBA mountain, I'm mostly thankful. This could have easily been the season from hell, and instead, we were gifted one of the best seasons in Celtics history with as good a shot as any legit contender to actually win the whole damn thing. That's nuts.

It also doesn't hurt that before that journey begins, this team also treats us to some NBA history. Let's dive in.

The Good

- It feels only right that we begin with the recipient of the Red Auebach Award, Payton Pritchard. In my opinion, a fantastic choice for arguably the most significant trophy you can win outside of a Larry. When I think of everything that it means to be a Celtic both as a player and a competitor, it's hard for me to think of a player who embodies that more than Payton Pritchard. Tremendous Celtic and a no brainer decision for the award that's intended to represent what it means to be a true Celtic. 

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Add in the fact that this was a game against a lottery team which we all know means Pro Am Pritchard time, he certainly did not disappoint

Ho hum, just a little 21/10 off the bench on 7-14 (5-9) in his 29 minutes. Here's a fun fact, did you know no player in NBA history has more 20/10 with 5 3PM performances off the bench than Payton Pritchard? Any player, any era, in all of history.

He also became the first player in Celtics history with multiple 20/10s off the bench. When the only other player to ever do something like that is Larry Bird, I'd say that's pretty damn impressive.

All year, I've always felt like people have underappreciated Pritchard's season. When he was asked to be a starter, he produced at a starter level. He proved that he was good enough to be a starting guard in the NBA. When it was time to move him back to the bench, not only did he do it willingly and without complaint, but he went right back to being the best 6th man in the entire NBA. He shows up in big games, he shows up against good teams, he's completely unlocked a new offensive arsenal to the point where he leads the entire NBA in isolation scoring. 

Watching him play these last few weeks, I see a player who is locked in and ready for the postseason. It's no secret they are going to need this level of production and execution from Pritchard if they want to make a deep run, and he certainly looks ready for the challenge.

- There's nothing quite like seeing some of the best shooters on earth get on a roll. Once they reach that flow state where you know everything they throw up is not only going in, it's not even going to come close to touching the rim. Pure as pure gets.

When that player is Sam Hauser, you know you're in for something special

Quick question, is this good?

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Now, let me first say what we're all thinking. Where the fuck was this the night prior against the Knicks? I didn't even need 8 3PM in that game, half as many would have done the trick! That was annoying. I know it shouldn't be, but it was. I am who I am.

You know how this year is the lowest win total of Mazzulla's career and the number could be as high as 56 so really it's not even that bad? The same is also true of Hauser's 3pt shooting. He's going to finish 39% deep for the first time in his basketball life being under 40%. It's literally never happened at any level that Hauser has ever played. You have to be a pretty decent shooter in my opinion if the worst percentage you've ever shot in your life is 39% on high volume. 

Hauser is another guy who is going to need to show up consistently for the Celts to make a deep run. His shooting and floor spacing is a big weapon when it's on, and given he's really the only wing with legit playoff experience, he needs to be a reliable option. Guys like Walsh, Baylor, Hugo etc are all going in with zero playoff experience. We have no idea how they'll react in those moments, which is why Hauser needs to be solid. 

I'm not saying the bar has to be 8-12 from deep, but I need things to be closer to last night than how they looked against the Knicks.

- We've had a few peak Mazzulla Ball performances this year

But I'm not sure it gets much better than what we witnessed in this game. 

144 points

29 3PM

59 3PA

35 AST

The Celtics became the only team in NBA history to have multiple 29 3PM performances, which is the current NBA record for makes in a game. They had their shot to break the record with 30 at the end, but man when this team is locked in like this from deep, where 10 total players make at least 1 3PM, I mean good fucking luck

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Again, could have used some of this shooting in the first half against the Knicks instead of going 5-21, where 20 of the 3PA were open/wide open, but I digress. I know this came against a horrific defense, but I don't give a shit. What a ridiculous display of shotmaking and a nice reminder of what this team is capable of on any given night. Does it seem like we get these types of shooting performances more against dogshit teams than the good ones? Sure. But that doesn't mean it's not in there somewhere and can be unleashed at any moment. 

There are some instances during the year where you'll see a team randomly get hot from deep, but this is more the norm for this era of Celtics basketball than anything else. They've hit 29 twice. They usually lead the NBA every year in games with 20+ 3PM. Mazzulla Ball has solved offense in the NBA, and we have the success and records to prove it.

- But of all the 29 made 3s, there is not a single one that tops this

If you watched Neemy during Euro Basket, you knew he had this top of the arc 3 in his bag. We've seen it only a few times this season, and it's fitting that last night was the night we finally saw him make one. There was already no doubt that Neemy is the center of the future, but this confirms it. That form looked pretty damn good! I'm not saying he's about to be Al Horford, but if he can make an opponent pay every once in a while for sagging off him like that? In addition to everything else he already does?

VERY VERY VERY BIG DEAL

The rise and development of Neemy's season is easily one of the best storylines of the year for me. Another example of a player who embodies everything it means to be a Celtic. Works hard, remains humble, executes, great teammate etc. From DNP-CDs to being a top 10 center in the NBA and doing shit we haven't seen a Celtics big do since Robert Parish. That rules, and nobody deserves this success more than Neemy.

- I remain so extremely Hugo pilled it's not even funny. I'm not sure how or when it's going to happen, but I feel confident that at some point during this run, Hugo is going to have a playoff moment

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There are a few things watching Hugo at this stage of the season that feel way better than where we were at the start. The most impactful, is the corner 3pt shooting. Did you know Hugo shot 41% from the corners this season? If you look at his shot map, he's more than acceptable from the corners and pretty damn good from the left wing

My brain is now fully at the point where when I see Hugo get an open corner 3, I assume it's going in. That's a WILD development considering where he was as a shooter when the season started.

The other area he feels way more comfortable in is putting the ball on the floor and attacking closeouts. Pairing that skill with improved shooting is a pretty big deal, and he looks so much more confident with his handle while also attacking the rim with a purpose.

Earlier in the year, it felt like Hugo would just put his head down and dribble into the paint just so he could pull off the Euro step. He didn't really have a plan outside of that move. Now? I see a player make a quick move, attack with force and finish strong at the rim with either hand. 

Add in his elite defense and general ability to cause chaos while on the floor, and you can see why there is so much excitement around the development of Hugo.

Plus, he's clearly been created in a lab by Joe Mazzulla

so really none of this should be a surprise.

- Nice little get in and get out showing from Jaylen after he sat the Knicks game with an efficient 23 in his 28 minutes

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and while the 7 TOs were pretty gross and absolutely cannot happen in games that matter, I'm just thankful Jaylen got out of the game injury-free. We nearly had a bit of a situation on our hands after a reckless closeout (which wasn't called btw)

and really the only thing that mattered from Jaylen in this game was that he walk away injury free. It's why I may need Brad to kidnap Payton Pritchard so he can hold him out tomorrow. Let the Maine Celts get their run in. I don't want to see a single top 10 rotation player on the floor tomorrow against ORL, even though I know Pritchard will probably force his way in.

- It was also great to see Vuc start to catch a rhythm, which is something he's been able to do against all the bad teams he's played as a Celtic. It's the good ones that have given him some trouble, but with his second half against the Knicks and then his solid showing last night. I know the team was bad, but if we can live in a world were Vuc is able to give 14/4/5 on 5-7 (3-5), to me that's more than enough in his role

You can see the flashes of how his skillset can help this team. The rebounding, the passing, the spacing and shooting. It's all there in theory. The question is if these things will show up in the games that matter against elite competition. If it does? Watch out. If it doesn't? Thankfully there may be a backup plan.

- Enter Garzilla, another player who has had a tremendous season and has embodied everything it means to be a Celtic. The ultimate stay-ready player, it's remarkable how Garza can go from DNP-CDs to immediately playing as if he never fell out of the rotation. Instant impact the second he steps onto the floor

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Sadly he was the only player to not hit a 3 despite taking a few, but other than that this was another Garzilla masterclass. Elite effort, multiple AND1s earned through sheer will and determination. Good enough defense and rebounding, it was all great and more of the same when it comes to Garza lately. The fact that there have been multiple stretches this season where Garza's play was not only needed, but was actually impactful is one of the better storylines of the entire season. This is a guy who virtually never played in his career, he comes here and gets an opportunity and instantly makes the most of it. A player who works hard and buys in is something that every elite team needs, and watching Garza's hard work turn into success is about as good as it gets.

The Bad

- I know it doesn't matter and had no impact on the game, but allowing 67 points to that Pelicans team in the second half wasn't what I would call "great". Back to back 30+ point quarters including 36 in the 4th was pretty gross, and maybe this is just me still being salty about the horrific defense the Celts played int he second half against the Knicks, but that was annoying.

- As stated above, the 7 TOs for Jaylen was far too many. More than half of the teams total (13), we are getting a little turnover happy as the playoffs approach which has me a little uneasy. We know teams are going to get into his space, we know they're going to be physical and try and force the ball loose. How Jaylen handles his ball security this run is going to go a long way in determining what happens. We can't live in a world where he's throwing up 5-7 TOs a night, and the same is true for Tatum. His TOs have been way too high as of late as well.

So even though this was a game that didn't matter and was never in jeopardy, those are things that will kill this team if they happen at this level in about a week.

- I'm not sure what Garza was thinking going for that dunk with around 40 seconds left as the Celts were trying to break the 3pt record. Read the room man! We knew Joe was going to call things off once things got down to around 30 seconds, so those possessions were all we had! Pass up the dunk and find a shooter, Mazzulla Ball 101! That's what made Baylor's miss at the end so tough, because we were robbed of two chances in the final minute.

- Anyone else still get pissed any time they see Jordan Poole solely because of that halfcourt shot in the 2022 Finals? No? Just me and my deranged brain? That will haunt me for the rest of my life I'm thinking.

The Ugly

- I dunno man, they won by a billon, had a lead as large as 41 and only had 1 lead change and 1 tie. Nothing to really complain about if we're being honest and nothing that really fits this section. Maybe Amari getting DNP-CD? I could have used some Amari minutes.

With only the finale remaining, I think it's safe to say that this has been one of the more enjoyable Celts seasons of my lifetime. We all had no idea what to expect, and the reality turned out to be the best case scenario is pretty much every area. Internal development, team success, Tatum's return, it was all better than we could have dreamed for. But now the hard part starts. After tomorrow, you wipe the slate clean and none of the last 6+ months matters. It then becomes about execution and 16 wins. I can't wait.