There’s almost certainly no Boston Celtics fan who could’ve predicted the start to the season that this team has had. Through 24 games, they sit third in the Eastern Conference with a record of 15-9. This edition of the Celtics has been a joy to watch, by all accounts.
Expectations were low, they’ve been exceeded, and the squad is full of likable underdogs.
What else can a fan ask for, right?
This team has spent the entire first quarter of the season proving doubters wrong. It’s part of the roster’s DNA.
Literally.
People, including myself, spent the summer discussing the possibility of watching ping pong balls at the NBA Draft Lottery next spring. No one expected this group to play competitive basketball, never mind be great, after they learned Jayson Tatum would miss significant time with a torn Achilles.
From Jaylen Brown, to Josh Minott, to Jordan Walsh, and Neemias Queta, just about everybody on the team has silenced those who did not believe before the season.
Jaylen Brown, 'overpaid,' yet, seemingly destined for an All-NBA selection
The disrespect Brown faced, in particular, was mindboggling. Significant doubt about his ability to lead this group of misfits headlined most national discussions around the Celtics. It’s all pretty funny because this is a player who was named Finals MVP just under 18 months ago.
Did people forget that he can hoop?
Sure, Brown struggled towards the end of last season. But it was for good reason. He battled through a torn meniscus due to his desire to contribute to the team in any way possible, even if it wasn’t at his highest level.
There’s part of this where Brown’s supermax contract extension is a factor, too. Much of the discourse over the past two seasons was centered around him being overpaid, and Boston eventually needing to find a trade partner to take back on the lucrative deal.
Fast forward to now, and he’s leading the third-place Celtics with tremendous poise. Brown is averaging a career-high in scoring, at 29.1 points per game, while somehow scoring more efficiently as the top option, shooting 49.6% from the field and 36.3% from long range. Not to mention he’s tallying 6.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists per outing on the side.
If he continues this, the “overpaid second star” will almost certainly wind up on an All-NBA team, possibly the First Team, when the spring rolls around.
Josh Minott and Jordan Walsh have saved their careers
Minott and Walsh’s career arcs have mirrored each other quite a bit thus far. The two forwards, drafted a year apart (Minott in 2022, Walsh in 2023), have seen little opportunity in the NBA in their early tenures, but never impressed in their limited chances.
Heading into the season, there was a real reason to believe that this could be it for both of them.
“I mean, I’d almost consider this the one,” Minott said of his mindset heading into his first year with the Cs.
Man, have they made the most of it. Both men have split the starting power forward responsibilities, with Minott earning the nod early, then Walsh taking over the spot in recent weeks.
Their defensive-minded approach just does something for the Celtics’ energy. Not only did Boston find two versatile, switchable defenders, but both men have been shooting the cover off the ball.
Minott, a career 33.6% three-point shooter in three seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, has drilled 44.6% of his triples in Boston on 2.8 attempts per game. Walsh, a former Celtics’ second-round pick, is making 45.7% from beyond the arc on 1.8 tries each night.
The frontcourt duo has played a huge role in making up for the rebounding presence lost with Tatum’s absence. They’ve combined for 9.5 boards per game this year with the star forward sidelined with a torn Achilles.
Neemias Queta is a starting-caliber center
Boston’s biggest question mark, from a team perspective, was always the center spot. It’s not easy to feel great when the first, second, and third-string centers all find new homes during the offseason.
That insecurity becomes louder when the bulk of the responsibilities end up with Neemias Queta, who hasn’t had consistent opportunity since entering the league in 2021. In his limited minutes with Boston over the prior two seasons, Queta showed flashes of promise, but also plenty of room to improve his touch around the room and discipline as a defender.
It just didn’t feel likely that he’d fare well in the Celtics’ starting lineup.
Through a month and a half of hoops, Queta’s actually been one of Boston’s more important players. He’s one of the league leaders in on/off point differential, and looks far more comfortable playing real minutes than most people could’ve dreamed.
Queta’s screen-setting has quietly stood out, too. He’s used his strength to set his teammates up for open looks quite nicely.
The Portuguese big man is shining in the more glamorous categories, too, posting 10.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game in 22 appearances. To make things sweeter, he’s managed to avoid fouling out regularly despite an increase in minutes. Queta’s totaled six fouls just twice this season so far.
Not bad.
The “nobody believed in us” identity can be cliché at times in sports. Sometimes teams that are clear favorites will try and adopt the underdog mentality, and it’s easy to see through. That’s simply not the case with the 2025-26 Celtics. They understood the challenge in front of them. They understood that people were writing them off after the significant roster changes this past summer.
They just don’t care, and it’s fantastic.