Celtics Power Rankings Roundup: Where Does Boston Rank Heading into 2026-27 NBA Season? image
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A new NBA season officially begins on Tuesday, October 20. The Celtics will open things up in the afternoon. What can we expect from the new-look team?
Jayson Tatum officially leads the team after Jaylen Brown got traded to the 76ers. With the trade came Paul George, who aims to win his first NBA Championship alongside Tatum. The team also signed Mitchell Robinson and Mike Conley.
Will Tatum be healthy for a whole season? What can we expect from Payton Pritchard after securing a new deal with the Celtics? There are several questions, especially: How far can they go in the playoffs this year?
Several NBA experts gave bold predictions for the Celtics heading into the 2026-27 season.
Celtics Power Rankings Roundup
ESPN: No. 6
ESPN predicts that the Celtics will win 51.3 games and have a 97.2% chance of making the playoffs. Why not 100%? ESPN is waiting to see how the Celtics are affected by the Jaylen Brown trade.
The thought is that Jayson Tatum will return to his All-NBA level before his Achilles injury. A strength for the Celtics will be three-point shooting, while the team’s free-throw rate is seen as a potential weakness.
The Sporting News: No. 3
The Sporting News projects the Celtics will have a 54-28 record, with two less wins than last season. Steph Noh believes Paul George is the perfect fit for Joe Mazzulla's system and that former Knick Mitchell Robinson may be the most underrated addition to the team.
The Athletic: No. 6
Per The Athletic, there’s zero doubt the Celtics will host a playoff game. Law Murray believes the Celtics are in a good place this year despite losing Jaylen Brown. The main focus for the Celtics should be how Boston can do in the possession battle and what Jayson Tatum can do now that he is the true leader of the team.
theScore: No. 10
Despite a small sample size, theScore was impressed with the teamwork shown by Jayson Tatum and new signing Mitchell Robinson. It’s believed Robinson, who helped the Knicks win the NBA Finals, is a great fit for the Celtics.
Yahoo Sports: No. 9
The best case scenario for the Celtics, per Yahoo Sports, is the No. 1 seed, with the worst case being the sixth seed. The level of production needed from a hopefully healthy Paul George and Jayson Tatum will be one to monitor, as will the question of who will be relied on more: Neemias Queta or Mitchell Robinson?
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