Celtics Regular Season Thread 2026-27

[Jiri Welsch]

Starting to worry the Celtics may have the same issue they did last year. Namely, they can beat bad teams but are not good enough to actually win against the top teams.

What gives you that impression? Just team construction or evidence from this season?

The early evidence, I suspect.  We've played two teams that are above .500, and lost to both of them.  The teams we have beaten are a combined 10-29.

Yes, and some of those wins have been pretty lackluster performances.

[slamtheking]

Starting to worry the Celtics may have the same issue they did last year. Namely, they can beat bad teams but are not good enough to actually win against the top teams.

What gives you that impression? Just team construction or evidence from this season?

The early evidence, I suspect.  We've played two teams that are above .500, and lost to both of them.  The teams we have beaten are a combined 10-29.

Yes, and some of those wins have been pretty lackluster performances.

preseason, I had this team pegged as the 5 seed (behind NY, Philly, Cle and Det) and possibly as low as 7 depending on how Kawhi holds up in Toronto and how Hali and Zubac hold up in Indy.  Even with the nice record they have now I'm not seeing anything that's making me question that evaluation.  If they can consistently hang with the top teams this season and win almost all their home games against that competition and a fair number of road games, then they may be better than I think they are.

My concern that's been developing is that the JB trade may be the beginning of the downward spiral of this team.  it's not that PG hasn't been better than expected because he has and Tatum has looked really good for the most part, it's that the rest of the roster isn't looking better than last season and for the most part, is either equal to or worse than they were last year.  I don't think Brad has the assets to move for another JB-level player to add to Tatum going forward without gutting all the picks and youth on the roster and we'll end up like current Miami --> 2 top players and not much else resulting in a team underperforming expectations.

[Roy H.]

...  the rest of the roster isn't looking better than last season and for the most part, is either equal to or worse than they were last year.

I almost started a thread on this last night, as I was thinking the same thing.  It seems like none of our players (outside of Tatum, obviously) are better than they were last year.  That's despite the argument that having JT and PG would lift the role players more than JB did, as they're superior passers and shooters.

On the broadcasts they keep talking about our depth, but we don't have *good* depth, and there doesn't seem to be a lot of upside there, either.

[Ilikesports17]

Starting to worry the Celtics may have the same issue they did last year. Namely, they can beat bad teams but are not good enough to actually win against the top teams.

What gives you that impression? Just team construction or evidence from this season?

The early evidence, I suspect.  We've played two teams that are above .500, and lost to both of them.  The teams we have beaten are a combined 10-29.

Meh. Its not like theyve been great against bad teams either save the two Bulls games. Could have easily lost to Brooklyn,injured Orlando and even Milwaukee last night.

I think the team is just not doing well right now. If their level continues like this they wont even beat the mediocre teams. I dont suspect it remains this way tho. If it does, then so be it, built around the wrong guy. Blow the whole thing to smithereens.

[Vermont Green]

...  the rest of the roster isn't looking better than last season and for the most part, is either equal to or worse than they were last year.

I almost started a thread on this last night, as I was thinking the same thing.  It seems like none of our players (outside of Tatum, obviously) are better than they were last year.  That's despite the argument that having JT and PG would lift the role players more than JB did, as they're superior passers and shooters.

On the broadcasts they keep talking about our depth, but we don't have *good* depth, and there doesn't seem to be a lot of upside there, either.

This is true...so far anyway.  If you do some simple comparative analysis (which rarely results in accurate conclusions in sports), the team added Tatum and George while subtracting Jaylen Brown (I am ignoring Mitch Rob for now).  Tatum and George are > than Jaylen Brown.  So if the 2026 team is < the 2025 team, the entire reason is the rest of the team.

I would say that pretty much everyone of the rest of the team is playing below what they did last season.  Pritchard, White, Queta, all of them.  The question is what is causing it.  Is it just a slow start due to early season adjustments to new players?  Are other teams defending "the rest of the team" better?  Is it regression to the norm?  Did these "rest of the team" players play better off of Brown than Tatum?

I don't know the answer.  My gut feeling is that they will all play better and the team will gel and be better overall.  But I can't say I am 100% confident of that.

[Goldstar88]

...  the rest of the roster isn't looking better than last season and for the most part, is either equal to or worse than they were last year.

I almost started a thread on this last night, as I was thinking the same thing.  It seems like none of our players (outside of Tatum, obviously) are better than they were last year.  That's despite the argument that having JT and PG would lift the role players more than JB did, as they're superior passers and shooters.

On the broadcasts they keep talking about our depth, but we don't have *good* depth, and there doesn't seem to be a lot of upside there, either.

Completely agree. Mitch Robinson has been a disappoint so far. Baylor and Hugo look about the same as last year. Pritchard is off to a slow start. Same for D-White, overall. Hopefully some guys step up because this team doesn?t look that deep or talented.

[Who]

Is the depth that bad?

PG - Pritchard - elite backup PG
 C - M Robinson - above average to elite backup C
SF - Hauser - above average backup SF

SG - Baylor - average backup SG
SF - Hugo - below average to average backup SF
SF - J Walsh - below average backup SF

Now one of those guys needs to be a starter.

That is a good bench in my eyes. More than good. A very good bench. You have high level bench pieces in Pritchard (guard), MR (big) and an above average bench piece in Hauser (wing). Then you have a 4th bench piece in Baylor who is average / solid.

How many teams in the league have 4 bench guys that good? I imagine it is a short list.

Plus some playable guys behind the main 4 bench pieces in Pritch, MR, Hauser, Baylor -- Hugo, J Walsh, L Garza ... Conley, R Harper Jr, Devin Carter. Again, more quality in the deep bench than most other teams have.

[Roy H.]

Is the depth that bad?

PG - Pritchard - elite backup PG
 C - M Robinson - above average to elite backup C
SF - Hauser - above average backup SF

SG - Baylor - average backup SG
SF - Hugo - below average to average backup SF
SF - J Walsh - below average backup SF

Now one of those guys needs to be a starter.

That is a good bench in my eyes. More than good. A very good bench. You have high level bench pieces in Pritchard (guard), MR (big) and an above average bench piece in Hauser (wing). Then you have a 4th bench piece in Baylor who is average / solid.

How many teams in the league have 4 bench guys that good? I imagine it is a short list.

Plus some playable guys behind the main 4 bench pieces in Pritch, MR, Hauser, Baylor -- Hugo, J Walsh, L Garza ... Conley, R Harper Jr, Devin Carter. Again, more quality in the deep bench than most other teams have.

I think you're ranking most of those guys based upon reputation, though, not necessarily what they've shown this year.