Oct 10, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) is congratulated by forward Paul George (13) after making a basket during the first half against the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images
Welcome to the Boston Celtics Vibes Report!
The NBA season’s is about to start and with it comes renewed (possibly forced) optimism about whether the Celtics can get back into title contention after a couple years of disappointing and premature playoff exits.
As is our nature, the Garden Report season preview trends more silly than serious. But that’s not to say there’s not some reasonable, level-headed analysis mixed in—and maybe, just maybe, a dash of trolling as well.
So sit back, relax, tell the harpsichord player to resume playing and let the ridiculousness of another year of Garden Report BOLD predictions wash over you.
Sherrod: Payton Pritchard named East All-Star
Having already established himself as one of the best Sixth Men in the NBA, Payton Pritchard is indeed ready to take that next leap and become viewed as one of the league’s better guards, period. He is coming off a season in which he averaged a career-high 17 points to go with 5.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds—all career highs.
And while it is unclear if he’ll be a key reserve or with the starting unit, Pritchard’s impact on the Celtics when it comes to winning is undeniable. But this season, Pritchard will take his game to that next level and be seen more for his impact as an NBA player and not just as a super-sub.
There will surely be players in the league with better scoring numbers than Pritchard. But do they contribute to winning the way he does? That’ll be the separator for Pritchard to garner his first All-Star berth in 2027.
Noa: Payton Pritchard will be an All-Star
I said I’d die on this hill three years ago, and my impending death gets closer every year. But I figured I’d just double down on this one rather than making another claim that probably won’t happen. If the Celtics are a Top 3 seed, as I expect them to be, there’s a good chance they will have a second All-Star in addition to Jayson Tatum, and Pritchard is the most likely candidate, provided he puts together a good shooting season.
Toscano: Jayson Tatum doesn’t acknowledge Jaylen Brown’s tribute video
The Jaylen Brown reunion will be quite the sight in Boston. And Brown will get the most deserved video tribute since Pierce and Garnett. But there’s one guy in the building that night that I’m predicting won’t have any interest in it. Maybe I’ll be wrong, and I really hope I am wrong. Tatum and Brown have a lot to be proud of, and they definitely needed each other to bring a championship to Boston. But when the video tribute goes up for Brown, I’m not sure Tatum‘s eyes will follow. That would be wild though.
Zannis: Celtics Fans buy Twitter, Edit all their offseason Celtics takes, claim credit for Jaylen Brown trade.
Yeah, you’ve heard me say this before, and this definitely doesn’t apply to everyone, but really guys? Really? It’s ok to have hated the Jaylen Brown trade. It’s ok to think Brad didn’t get value. It’s ok to think this deal impacts how competitive Boston can be in Tatum’s remaining prime years. It’s ok to still be dubious about the Celtics present and future.
But to reframe the roster shakeup as a seamless, genius evolution of team basketball and post Brad nodding GIFS every time the Celtics lock up a journeyman with a guaranteed contract feels like forced optimism. There’s cope, and then there’s overcompensating.
This might be one of the worst trades I’ve seen in a long time.
I’m still in shock that Brad Stevens would make this deal.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) July 1, 2026
There is just no possible way anyone can think this trade HELPS Tatum's prime. Just no way.
— Dan Greenberg (@StoolGreenie) July 1, 2026
Manning: Devin Carter breaks into the Celtics’ rotation
He’s starting the season with mononucleosis and might need to spend some time in Maine to find his footing, but Carter led the Celtics’ win in Cleveland in the preseason opener in such a compelling way that he still made the team despite missing over one week of camp. His defense, change-of-pace abilities as a ball-handler and any bump up they can create in his shot should impact a team that currently has aging Mike Conley as its depth guard. As a bonus: Mazzulla lets Conley coach a game again during the year.
Toscano: Devin Carter is Celtics best offseason acquisition
Celtics acquisition thanks to the Sacramento Kings. But after only one game, it’s very clear to see why Joe Mazzula was singing his high praises, and how this guy can find a role on this year’s Celtics team. We already know he’s leaped Mike Coley Junior in the depth chart. But I actually think Carter can find himself in the rotation whether it’s for a quick jolt like Pritchard used to give them in his early years, or as a reliable Pesky two way player that can be used to situationally. Either way, Carter can have an affect in games. I think he becomes this year’s Queta in terms of how he’s exceeded all expectations.
Sherrod: Celtics Win the East
The uncomfortable conversation that few want to have about this Celtics team is that, on paper at least, they are a deeper, more talented team than they were last season. That’s why so many prognosticators have done a complete about-face when it comes to where this team will finish with Jaylen Brown shipped off to Philadelphia for Paul George. The Celtics have better depth now than they did a year ago, when they finished second in the East.
Of course, Boston will need some help along the journey to be the top seed in the East. The three teams most agree on paper at least are ahead of Boston—New York, Cleveland, and Philadelphia—all have concerns that could derail their chances of being the top team in the East.
The Knicks are defending NBA champions, but they let Mitchell Robinson go to Boston for nothing, and their contract dispute with Karl-Anthony Towns has the potential to be a season-long distraction that may impact their regular season success.
Cleveland added Peyton Watson via trade, which gives them an improved defender on the wing. But the Cavs’ growth depends a lot on the development of Evan Mobley, who continues to show stretches of greatness followed by the kind of disappearing act you can’t have from the guy who is being groomed to be your best player.
The 76ers have all their super-talented starters. As we saw in the preseason, the talent to be great is there. But the flaws of this team—depth and long-range shooting—may be what keeps them from being the best team in the East.
Meanwhile, Boston has an elite scorer (Jayson Tatum) as well as top-shelf defenders like Derrick White up and down the roster. For them, health and cohesiveness will be key. If those two things come together, Boston may very well quickly become the team to beat.
Noa: The Celtics Make the Eastern Conference Finals
Not really sure if this is bold enough, but for the past two years, the Celtics have been eliminated in the first two rounds of the playoffs, and I think that streak ends this year. This team is going to have a remarkable defensive identity and will make a much harder run than many envisioned when the Jaylen Brown/Paul George trade first took place. And they’re going to be really deep and able to put together lineups without major deficiencies, as we’ve already seen in preseason. I project the Celtics will be a Top 3 seed and at least make the ECF.
Manning: Celtics Finish as East Top Seed
Injuries and Jaylen Brown’s absence initially had me thinking that this team would take a step back into the middle of an improved Eastern Conference. Instead, a 4-0 preseason saw them beat two starting contenders with their bench players, showing a step forward in the interchangeability we saw from the team last season. They again look like the team that can beat anyone on any given night, no matter who’s available.
Toscano: Paul George (not Jaylen brown) makes all Defensive Team
For all the talk of Jaylen Brown being the best 28 player in the NBA, it’s Paul George, who can probably actually make that claim over the course of his career. George has multiple all defensive team honors, and it is my belief that this year he will earn another one. He seems to fully buy into his role, and allowing Jayson Tatum to be the guy on offense. I think this will allow him to focus more on the defensive end and become one of the good Three and D players in the league. It seems that George Has found his love for the game, at least that’s what he’s saying. What better way to show that than on the defensive end, where effort is everything.
Zannis: Paul George will NOT finish his career with Celtics
Ok, yeah I know this doesn’t seem that bold but since Celtics fans tend to take everything at face value I just felt it needed to be pointed out.
Rule of thumb I think every fan needs to live by. If you think something about a player on another team then they come here, your opinion of them CAN’T CHANGE! So….if say you believe another rival team’s player is nothing but a name and some broken ass washed up old dude on a terrible contract and then he gets traded here, well……you see where I’m going?
I can say honestly that Paul George WAS one of my favorite NBA players of the last 10-12 years. I love his game. I love the fact that George seems to like it here and that he’s embracing his role and has become Tatum’s best buddy overnight. But Paul George is not here to replace Jaylen Brown. He is not here to simulate 75% of what Jaylen Brown could do. He is NOT here to be the Robin to Tatum’s Batman. At this stage of his career he is a role player with a bad injury history and a contract that the Celtics will most likely try to role into a player upgrade in the very near future. In the meantime, enjoy the good vibes, temper expectations and wait for the inevitable.
Sherrod: Jordan Walsh Named All-NBA Defender
We have seen flashes of Jordan Walsh defending at an All-NBA level. But this year, we see him take his game defensively to another level for Boston. And they will need him, too. Whether that’s coming off the bench or starting, Walsh’s versatility as a defender will provide him a lot of opportunities to pick up where he left off last season when, in flashes, his defense was exceptional.
Noa: Hugo Gonzalez will average 10+ points per game
Between Hugo, Jordan Walsh, Sam Hauser, and Baylor Scheierman, it’s hard to predict who will get the most opportunities and shoulder the most responsibilities. It might just be some preseason bias, but I think Hugo’s defensive upside, combined with his seemingly improved shooting, will give him some early chances. I think one of these guys inevitably plays heavy minutes, and although I’ve waffled on this a bit, preseason sold me it’s most likely to be Hugo.
Manning: Hugo Gonzalez wins NBA Most Improved Player
Between his defensive intangibles, a potential starting role and vastly improved shooting, Hugo Gonzalez’ scoring average and the general perception of his game will bump up so much that he’ll hover in this conversation. There’s always some hesitation to crown second-year players in this category, given that they’re expected to get better, but if Boston ends the season with the best record in the East with him in the starting group, he’ll carry a far stronger case.
Zannis: Hugo Gonzalez, Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, Ron Harper Jr, and Sam Hauser merge into one Voltron like Super Robot to create the perfect player. Individually, they all remain mid.
Find me something you love as much as Celtics fans love mid tier-home grown role players or reclamation projects. Don’t get me wrong, I like a lot of things Hugo, Baylor and to a lesser extent Harper Jr and Jordan Walsh. Heck, Hauser too when he gets on a heater.
But reality is these guys are, and may remain super valuable role players on a team that is deeply lacking in top-end talent. If there’s a leap to be made I’m banking on it being Gonzalez. If even one of these guys develops into an every day starter on a championship caliber team that’s a HUGE win. But for now and maybe forever they remain excellent role players on a good team that will look for upgrades at the trade deadline or next offseason.
Toscano: Mitchell Robinson is Celtics 3rd center
Or maybe I should say Robinson is your “third-quarter “center. If you remember one play Robinson made in the fourth quarter of the NBA finals, it was literally the only one. Granted it was a big one, an offensive rebound off a missed free-throw late in the deciding game that helped seal the win for New York. But other than those four minutes in that fourth quarter, Robinson never saw the court in any fourth quarter of the NBA finals.
And to be honest, he was not very effective in the other three quarters in any of those NBA finals games. Hack-a-Mitch essentially kept him out of every fourth quarter all postseason. He logged less than 40 total minutes. No, this is not a surprise.
Obviously the Celtics know this about his game. But I just find it hard to fully buy in to him. There’s no doubt he can help this team, but at just 18 minutes a game? Relying much more heavily on Queta and Garza, or going small.
Manning: 76ers win the NBA championship
Maybe this shouldn’t be considered bold given the talent that this team has assembled, but between preseason injuries, an uphill battle to develop chemistry in year one and the everlasting questions about Joel Embiid’s ability to play out an entire postseason, I sense a relatively low consensus around Philadelphia’s outlook. Four out of their five starters lost to the Celtics’ G-League unit, and it wouldn’t stun me at all to see Boston finish not only ahead of the Sixers in the regular season standings, but by a wide margin. That won’t matter, as we saw in the 2-7 meeting between these teams last spring. If the Sixers reach the postseason with some semblance of health and everyone buys in, with all players carrying an incentive to do so, they’re one of the 3-4 teams with the best chance of winning it all. Bonus bold take: it wouldn’t stun me at all if Jaylen Brown or Embiid end up in an Anthony Davis trade before the deadline.
Manning: Less than 1.5 Joe Mazzulla Bobby Manning Blow-Ups this Season
In fact, you might even hear a ‘good question’ in one of our exchanges.
Zannis: Joe Mazzulla plays on Team Media this year, injures 2 assistants. Refuses to pass to Bobby.
The Mazula-ssaince is real. Whether it’s visiting all his players in the summer, allowing his assistants and trusted veteran players to make executive decisions on the sidelines, or making sure that an arch nemesis gets to ask a question on media day. Coach GPT is learning and evolving into a sentient being.
Joe’s transformation into a real boy extends this year to a media game in which he joins Team Media rather than ridicules them. Even on the same team, Joe refuses to pass to Bobby.
Celtics Season Predictions
Noa: 52-30 (3rd) Lose in Conference Finals
Bobby: 55-27 (1st) Lose 2nd round to 76ers
Jimmy: 50-32 (4th) Lose 2nd round
Sherrod: 51-31 (1st) Lose Conference Finals
Zannis: 58-24 (1st) Lose 1st round
Finals Prediction
Noa: Spurs over Knicks
Bobby: 76ers over Thunder
Jimmy: 76ers over Spurs
Sherrod: Spurs over Knicks
Zannis: Pacers over Rockets