Some final thoughts on Celtics season 2025-26

[Vermont Green]

I hope both Tatum and Brown work on their handles in the off season.  We had way too many turnovers.   This has always been an issue with Jaylen.

BOS averaged 11.9 TOV per game in the series, 3rd best for all teams in the first round.  OKC and PHI were tied for best with 10.7 TOV per game.  It is similar if you look at opponents points off TOV.  BOS was 3rd best at 12.9 pts/gm given up off TOV (90 total for the series), PHI 2nd best at 12.7 pts/gm given up off TOV (88 total for the series), and OKC leading the way with only 10.3 pts/gm given up off TOV (they only played 4 games).

Brown had like 10 offensive fouls and averaged more turnovers(3.6) than assists (3.3).

That's turrrrrrible

That part is true, but the original post said "we have way too many turnovers", which is simply not correct.  Overall, as a team, in spite of how bad Brown can be at times, they take care of the ball quite well.

Also, I would quibble with equating "bad handles" to turnovers.  As you say, many of Brown's turnovers result for offensive fouls, pushing off with his forearm.  If he cleaned that up, his overall turnovers would not be all that bad.  And I don't disagree that Brown should work on this "handles".  That part is fair.  It is just simply not true that the teams turns it over way too much.

[angryguy77]

They lost 1st round. When you have two top 10, possibly top 5 players on the team, that?s a wasted season.

Only fans in title town think that way.   The rest of the country does not compete every year at the highest levels.

I think the series loss was a disappointment, but give full credit the Sixers coming to play and playing high level D.    I think the season was a big success.   We over achieved many thought we could struggle to be a .50% win team.   The team was fun to watch and competitive most nights.

The real failure here was people thinking we have a clear path to the finals based on an overachieving team and a guy rushing back from a injury.    That is on us, not the team.

"They were frauds, and it's your fault for believing in them"

They didn't look like frauds in the reg season for the most part. They played like an 8th seed the last 3 games. They didn't have a clear path, but they were playing the best ball in the conference heading into the playoffs. It wasn't unrealistic expectations to beleive we should have been in it longer than the first round.

[SparzWizard]

They lost 1st round. When you have two top 10, possibly top 5 players on the team, that?s a wasted season.

Only fans in title town think that way.   The rest of the country does not compete every year at the highest levels.

I think the series loss was a disappointment, but give full credit the Sixers coming to play and playing high level D.    I think the season was a big success.   We over achieved many thought we could struggle to be a .50% win team.   The team was fun to watch and competitive most nights.

The real failure here was people thinking we have a clear path to the finals based on an overachieving team and a guy rushing back from a injury.    That is on us, not the team.

"They were frauds, and it's your fault for believing in them"

They didn't look like frauds in the reg season for the most part. They played like an 8th seed the last 3 games. They didn't have a clear path, but they were playing the best ball in the conference heading into the playoffs. It wasn't unrealistic expectations to beleive we should have been in it longer than the first round.

The C's were the 2 seed and at times almost took the 1 seed from Detroit. They just mentally didn't show up and the coach sat on his hands doing nothing and finally only made some adjustments in Game 7. Where said adjustments blew up in his face.

[jambr380]

Not only were we the 2 seed, but we also had a 3-1 seed. Before this year, the team was 32-0 all time when up 3-1. While we did overachieve in the regular season, this is a stain on the organization and an embarrassing performance from the supposed more experienced team.

We'll get over it because we lost in the 1st round and it's not nearly as devastating emotionally as losing in the Finals or ECF. We also are about where we thought we would be coming into the season. Unfortunately, we have pick 27 instead of say pick 17.

At the very least, we know that Tatum is still Tatum and he won't have to make his big comeback next season. That part is over. Now let's see how we build around him. And let's be clear, moving forward, it should only be about how we build around Tatum. Everyone else is on the table in the right deal.

[CFAN38]

I agree with most of the OP.


After letting it settle for a few days these are my very broad thoughts on this season and next.

Rotation
Playing deep into the bench is a great way to develop talent and win regular season games. This should continue as it also takes minutes off of the established vets over an 82 game season.

The deep bench style is a problem in the playoffs when your top 8 typically play 95% of the minutes. Maybe next season the playoff rotation needs to be planed for/implemented earlier in the regular season?

Bigs
Queta proved himself as a capable starting 5 for a playoff team. However if the team has championship aspirations he needs to be the 1A and have a legit 1B behind him. Meaning his back up needs to be as good as he is and reliable. This can be either a redundant skill set play or a change of pace big. Garza and Vuch are really good regular season backups but nothing more than emergency 3rd bigs in the playoffs. Having Al instead of Vooch changes the series immensely.

Wings
The youth movements play this season will pay dividends next season but for 25/26 the Cs really played with 5 wings who are 7th man in a playoff rotation (Hauser, Walsh, Baylor, Hugo, and Harper). Great players but not yet at the level to really be the 5th starter on a contender. Hugo is the guy who could make the soph jump and change this. If no major moves happen this off-season I can see Hauser being traded to open the wing minutes up and help bring in a big or future draft capital. JB and JT need to be given another healthy season together before any JB trade is ever considered. I hate the media speculation with JB but that's the nature of modern sports.

Guards
I feel this area of the roster is just too thin. If and when White/PP struggle the Cs really have no one to turn too. I would love to see the Cs bring in a combo guard to develop behind them. Simons showed us that a scoring combo can work in this system and while I understand (cap) and agree (needed a Center) with the Simons/Vooch trade if it didn't happen Simons possible shoots the Cs into the second round. This is where I really like Meleek Thomas in this draft.



Next Season
This is probably a homer take but I wouldn't look to make a big splash move.

Let Vooch walk and try to sign a better system fit, maybe go back to the green well with R-Will, KP, or AL? Figuring Garza/Williams can give good productive reg season minutes while keeping one of those 3 hopefully healthy,

Look for a combo/PG in the draft to develop and ideally get some reg season minutes behind White and PP

Move Hauser to either target a big or a combo guard. In doing so open up minutes for Hugo/Walsh/Baylor one needs to emerge as the 5th starter by the deadline or a trade is needed.

ALT plan; move PP to the starting lineup and look to sign a Colby White like (6'4+) combo guard as the 6th man. With a better option behind Queta and a healthy JT this roster can on D easily insulate PP as a starter allowing his minutes to be staggered with another stronger scoring option.