The Boston Celtics were not supposed to be good this year, not after losing Jayson Tatum to an Achilles injury and losing a big chunk of their roster last summer. Some doubted they would make the playoffs, and others wondered if they might tank.
The Celtics did get off to a slow start, but they quickly rounded into form and have been one of the best teams in the NBA ever since.
Entering play on Tuesday, they have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference at 47-24 and the fourth-best record in basketball. They're also fourth in net rating, second in offensive rating and fourth in defensive rating.
Now that Tatum's back, Boston is favored to win the East and looks like a legit Finals contender.
After surpassing expectations all season, the Celtics received an "A" for their stellar campaign from FanDuel's "Run It Back" on Tuesday.
The Celtics' surprising season grades out as an A ☘️
"Jayson Tatum back in the lineup is unreal... Jaylen Brown in MVP talks... this team is the real deal." - Chandler Parsons
"Boston has never seen themselves as a second-grade team... they're not #1, they don't want an A+." -… pic.twitter.com/zOuliYEfTL
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) March 24, 2026
"Jayson Tatum back in the lineup is unreal... Jaylen Brown in MVP talks... this team is the real deal," Chandler Parsons said.
"Boston has never seen themselves as a second-grade team... they're not number one, they don't want an A+," Lou Williams agreed.
Regardless of what happens in the playoffs, this season has already been a smashing success for Boston. Jaylen Brown has played at an MVP level, Joe Mazzulla deserves Coach of the Year and several players have stepped up and/or broken out, including Neemias Queta, Luka Garza and Hugo Gonzalez.
It's been quite the ride for the Celtics. They've done enough to put themselves in a prime spot down the stretch: soon, it will be time to see how far they can go.
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