The Celtics’ preseason was worth paying attention to, but not for the usual reasons.
Boston has had plenty of summers that came with real buzz - 2007 with the arrival of the Big 3, 2017 with Kyrie, Hayward, and the Jays, and 2023 with Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. This time, though, the excitement came from something different. The Celtics made a move that felt backward on paper: they traded for a downgrade because they believed the way the team functions matters more than the raw talent on the roster.
That’s the strange part. Talent-wise, Boston is technically worse. But the expectation is that the Celtics will be stronger where it counts most, on the margins.
That showed up over the preseason. The games were fun because Boston kept finding ways to handle problems without losing control of the bigger picture.
Were they flawless? No.
But that was never really the point. This season, the Celtics are built to absorb those off nights and keep moving.
That’s the idea behind the new-and-improved Mazzulla Ball.
It’s about maximizing possessions, sure, but it’s also about staying functional when things get messy. The game against the Hornets made that plain.
Charlotte won the three-point battle 16-11, a 15-point difference that should have swung the night. Instead, Boston still rolled to a 21-point win.
The Cavaliers game told a similar story. Cleveland had its starters on the floor in the first half while Boston was leaning on its second unit.
That should have tilted things toward the Cavaliers. Instead, the Celtics controlled the pace and won anyway, thanks to their dominance on the offensive glass from start to finish.
The headline wasn’t just that Boston went 4-0 in the preseason. It was the way those wins came together. For anyone who understood what the Celtics were trying to build, the results were a pretty satisfying confirmation.
There was plenty of curiosity about whether Boston would really play the kind of sharp, efficient basketball it was supposed to - especially after trading Jaylen Brown away. By the time the preseason ended, the optimistic view had held up.
Now the only thing left is to see whether it carries over when the games start counting.
In Other News...
Paul George Is Giving Celtics Fans A Reason To Dream
Paul Georges arrival has added a different kind of buzz around Boston, the sort that goes beyond roster construction and into how a veteran views the game this late in his career. After dealing with injuries and a suspension in recent years, George sounded energized about the opportunity in front of him, and his comments have only fed the sense that the Celtics may have landed more than another talented wing.
For a team that already expects to be judged by its ceiling, that matters. Boston does not need Paul George to rediscover what he once was so much as to tap back into the confidence and joy that can make a deep roster feel even more dangerous, and his presence has given fans a fresh reason to imagine what this group could look like when it is fully up to speed. [Read more 🡒]
Paul George Just Created A Real Celtics Roster Question
Paul George is already giving the Celtics a different kind of midseason storyline, one that goes beyond what he can do on the floor. After arriving from Philadelphia, he sounded genuinely energized about the fit in Boston, talking up the organization and the kind of environment that comes with it. For a team that always has its eyes on the present and the next title run, that kind of buy-in matters almost as much as the basketball.
The bigger question now is what comes next for Boston and George once the initial excitement settles. His contract situation leaves the Celtics with decisions to make down the line, and there is already reason to wonder how aggressively they will try to map out the future around him. For a franchise that likes to stay ahead of the calendar, this is the sort of roster wrinkle that can linger well beyond the current season. [Read more 🡒]
Payton Pritchards Celtics Role May Matter More Than Fans Think
Payton Pritchards place in the Celtics rotation may end up being more important than where he stands on the lineup card. Boston still expects him to be a major offensive presence and, with Jayson Tatum at the top of the pecking order, Pritchard is projected to function as the teams second option in plenty of possessions. Even without a starting role, he is in line for significant minutes and should remain part of the group the Celtics trust late.
Joe Mazzulla has given no public hint that Pritchard is heading into the starting five, and the guard himself appears unconcerned with that distinction. What matters more for Boston is how often he is on the floor, particularly when the game tightens up and the closing lineup is being decided. For a team with title expectations, that kind of usage can matter more than a pregame introduction. [Read more 🡒]