The Boston Celtics have been chasing the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference all season. The Pistons have led the East pretty much wire-to-wire, while the Celtics have been looking up at them from the two seed for most of the year.
However, their fortunes have changed a bit lately. Detroit recently lost Cade Cunningham to a mild collapsed lung, while Boston got one of its best players back in Jayson Tatum.
The Celtics have surged with Tatum back in the lineup, going 7-2 with him and Brown together. That includes Boston's big win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, the best team in basketball, on Wednesday.
Following that victory, former NBA All-Star DeMarcus Cousins believes the Celtics have surpassed the Pistons as the best team in the East.
"Celtics are easily the best team in the east right now." 🍀
After beating the defending champion OKC Thunder last night, @boogiecousins sees a path for Boston to win another championship.
He also believes Tatum at 70% is better than majority of the league. pic.twitter.com/4cQXQnbVlH
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) March 26, 2026
"I think the Celtics easily slide in as the best team in the East right now," Cousins said on Thursday's episode of "Run It Back." "I think they have a strong chance regardless. This is a championship team. They have championship DNA. They have the experience."
Cousins also thinks getting Tatum back is huge for Boston, even if he's not quite himself yet.
"They got one of their best players back coming off a big injury. A 70 percent Jayson Tatum is still better than I would say 90 percent of the league," Cousins added. "So, with all that being said, I absolutely believe this team has a chance."
While the Celtics are still four games behind Detroit and are running out of time to catch them in the standings, Boston is the betting favorite to win the East. Assuming they don't suffer any major injuries down the stretch, the Celtics look like the deepest, most complete, and most talented team in the conference, not to mention the most experienced in the playoffs.
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