The Boston Celtics weren’t supposed to be here. Not after the injuries.
Not after the roster shake-ups. Not after losing Jayson Tatum to a torn Achilles and watching their title-winning core splinter.
But here they are, scrapping, grinding, and winning - even when the odds say they shouldn’t.
Over the past week, Boston has flipped the script on what we thought we knew about this team’s depth. They’ve played three of their last four games without key starters - sometimes one, sometimes two, and in one case, losing a starter just six minutes in.
The result? A perfect 3-0 in those games.
That’s not just resilience - that’s a team finding its identity in the chaos.
Sunday’s 117-115 road win over the Cavaliers was the latest and loudest statement. Yes, Cleveland was banged up too, but they still rolled out three 2025 All-Stars in Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley.
Meanwhile, Boston was on the second night of a back-to-back, missing Derrick White and Neemias Queta. No problem.
Payton Pritchard poured in a career-high 42 points, and Jaylen Brown delivered a triple-double with 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists. But this wasn’t just about the stars - the Celtics got a full-team effort, and that’s what made this win so impressive.
Let’s start with Jordan Walsh. The rookie has gone from being outside Joe Mazzulla’s rotation to starting - and thriving - in meaningful minutes.
Against Cleveland, he posted his first NBA double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, six of those on the offensive glass. He was relentless, and his hustle changed the game.
One moment stood out: after a Cavs defensive rebound in the fourth quarter, Walsh ripped the ball away and earned a trip to the line. That sequence halted Cleveland’s momentum and swung things back toward Boston.
But Walsh wasn’t just making noise on the boards. Defensively, he took on the challenge of guarding Donovan Mitchell - a player who’s torched the Celtics in the past.
According to NBA player tracking data, Walsh was matched up with Mitchell for 43 partial possessions. Mitchell’s line in those minutes: 2-for-8 shooting, just four points, two turnovers, and no trips to the free-throw line.
That’s elite-level defense from a rookie still learning on the fly.
“Tonight, I thought you saw the best version of what [Walsh] is on both ends of the floor,” Mazzulla said after the game. “He can be that every night, and he’s learning that, but that’s the Jordan that we need if we want to get to a different level this year.”
Then there was Xavier Tillman, stepping into the starting lineup for Queta and making the most of his moment. Tillman had been buried on the bench, logging just one appearance in the previous 11 games.
But when called upon, he delivered - nine points, six rebounds, three steals, a block, and not a single foul in 30 minutes. That’s the kind of veteran poise that doesn’t show up in highlight reels but wins you games.
“X is the ultimate professional,” Mazzulla said. “Whether he plays every game or he misses 10 games, I have a level of trust that he’s going to go out there, he’s going to execute and he’s going to do exactly what we want. That’s really hard to do in this league, and you can’t take a guy like that for granted.”
Even the rookies down the bench got their shine. Hugo Gonzalez hit a clutch three and added a steal, helping Boston build a seven-point lead midway through the fourth. And Amari Williams, who hadn’t seen the court since the first quarter, came in cold with 0.6 seconds left to contest Mobley’s final shot - a miss that sealed the win.
Mazzulla called it out in the locker room afterward: “Amari, not playing [much] in the game and then having to go in in a need-two situation - like, you don’t understand how important those details are. Every possession gives you a chance, and you end up guarding the guy on that last play. That’s a great mindset win.”
With the victory, Boston improved to 11-9 overall and 6-2 in their last eight. During that stretch, they’ve taken down the Cavs twice, the first-place Pistons, and the surging Magic - all teams with Eastern Conference title aspirations.
Next up: the Knicks at TD Garden on Tuesday, followed by a Friday night clash with the Lakers and a Sunday road trip to face the Raptors. It’s a tough stretch, but this team’s already proven they don’t back down.
The ceiling for this Celtics squad is still a mystery. But what’s clear is they’re not folding.
Not after the injuries. Not after the upheaval.
Not now. They’re one game out of sixth in the East and just 2.5 games back of second.
And if this past week is any indication, they’re not going away anytime soon.