Celtics look like contenders on paper, but the numbers tell a different story when games get tight. With most of their losses coming in clutch moments, Boston has developed a worrying late-game problem that could define its season if it is not fixed.
The Boston Celtics entered the 2025-26 season with moderate expectations and one of the league's most talented rosters, even with Jayson Tatum sidelined by injury.
Yet, as of January 13, 2026, one glaring weakness has become impossible to ignore: they struggle in clutch situations.
Despite a strong overall record and elite numbers in many statistical categories, Boston has consistently faltered when games are on the line.
A look at their crunch-time performance – along with recent late-game collapses – reveals a contender with a serious Achilles' heel.
Celtics Collapse in Clutch by the Numbers
In games defined as "clutch" (within 5 points in the final 5 minutes), the Celtics have been outperformed on both ends of the floor.
They are just 8-12 in clutch contests, meaning 12 of their 15 losses (a whopping 80%) have come in tight games.
Boston's overall net rating on the season sits at a healthy +7, third-best in the NBA, but in clutch time that figure nosedives into the negatives.
Their clutch net rating is about -13.5 points per 100 possessions (as of January 14), ranking 27th in the league. In other words, when the game gets close, the Celtics perform like a lottery team.
Several stats illustrate this dramatic drop-off.
Defense has been the biggest culprit. Boston's overall defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) is a middling 114.3 (14th in the NBA), but in clutch minutes it balloons to an abysmal 123.6 range.
That one of the league-worst clutch defensive ratings means the Celtics simply cannot get critical stops.
Astonishingly, Celtics' opponents have grabbed 41% of available offensive rebounds in clutch situations.
Offensively, the Celtics also regress when it matters most. Their season-long offensive rating is an elite 121.4 (2nd in the NBA), but in clutch time, it plummets to 110.2 (16th).
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That 11-point drop underscores a faltering execution under pressure. This dip is not due to poor shooting accuracy – ironically, Boston actually shoots the ball very well in clutch moments.
In fact, the Celtics boast the fifth-best true shooting percentage in clutch scenarios, a sign that when they get shots up, they're efficient.
The real problem is getting those shots and maximizing possessions.
Amid these struggles, Derrick White has emerged as an unlikely clutch contributor – and arguably one of the few bright spots in crunch time.
The steady combo guard has shown no fear in big moments, often being the one to step up when others falter.
White's clutch shooting has been superb; dating back to last season's run and continuing into this year, he has hit a number of huge three-pointers and timely buckets in the final minutes of games.
In fact, White, as a Celtic, has posted eye-opening clutch shooting splits (62% from three in clutch situations last year) and was touted as a sleeper candidate for the league's new Clutch Player of the Year award.
This season, his role in clutch sets has grown. With Boston's offense sometimes devolving into isolation, White often finds openings off kick-outs or makes smart cuts, being the best Celtics player in the clutch.
Light Criticism and Looking Ahead
It's important to note that all is not lost in Boston. The Celtics are still a top-tier team by most measures, sitting near the top of the Eastern Conference standings.
Much of their clutch downfall seems fixable with focus and adjustments. Their half-court offense can be tweaked to generate better looks.
Defensively, a renewed emphasis on boxing out and sticking to principles in late-game situations could help; these are things a veteran team can clean up.
Some of Boston's clutch misfortune might even be attributed to variance – a few unlucky bounces or miraculous shots by opponents.
But as the sample size grows, the pattern is undeniable and cannot be brushed off as mere bad luck.
In the meantime, the Celtics will continue to hear the criticism and answer the same uncomfortable questions after each narrow defeat.
Until they turn those late-game Ls into Ws, this alarming clutch stat will continue to hang over their season – a stark reminder that even giants can stumble when the pressure is highest.
Nojus Stankevičius
Nojus Stankevičius began his basketball writing journey in 2023, when he started studying Journalism at Vilnius University. In 2024, he participated in the BasketNews Academy. Then, a year later, in 2025, he officially joined BasketNews as a Daily Writer, marking the beginning of his professional career in sports journalism.
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