The Boston Celtics have won 10 of their last 12 games, achieving a 15-9 record with the league's fifth-best net rating and second-ranked offense, despite missing Jayson Tatum and several centers. Players like Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard have stepped up significantly in their absence. The team has extended its winning streak to five with a 121-113 victory over the Raptors.
The Boston Celtics have defied expectations this season, posting a 15-9 record after an initial 0-3 start, including 15 wins in their last 18 games. They recently defeated the Raptors 121-113 on Sunday, marking their fifth straight win against strong opponents like the Magic, Pistons, Cavaliers, Knicks, and Lakers. These six teams hold a combined 94-49 record, and Boston has beaten them by an average of nearly 10 points per game.
Without Jayson Tatum, one of the league's top offensive talents, and with centers Kristaps Porziņģis, Al Horford, Jrue Holiday, and Luke Kornet sidelined, the Celtics rely on a high-volume three-point strategy. They attempt 43.8 threes per game, making a league-high 16, and have shot 41.2% from deep over the past three weeks, the third-best mark in the NBA. Overall, they connect on 50.3% of field goals in that span.
Jaylen Brown has emerged as a key scorer, averaging 29.1 points per game, seventh in the league, with 102 points over his last three outings. He shoots a career-high 49.6% from mid-range on six attempts per game and has increased his isolation and pick-and-roll usage. Brown noted, "A lot of people look at the game analytically, and they look at the percentages or whatever, but for me, to get into a comfort zone on the floor helps make all the other shots so much easier."
Payton Pritchard has also excelled, boosting his two-point volume to six attempts per game while shooting 61.6% from 4-14 feet, the best among qualifying point guards. He makes 57.5% of off-the-dribble twos. Derrick White and Sam Hauser are regressing positively from three, with White at 41% and Hauser at 42.5% over their last seven games.
Unexpected contributors include Neemias Queta, who averages 10 points, ranks 10th in blocks with 31, and grabs top-10 offensive rebounds. Jordan Walsh has secured a starting role, playing 21 minutes per game with strong defense and a +7.6 on/off split. The Celtics' approach emphasizes probing defenses for open threes rather than drives, dribbling 2.59 times per touch, second in the league.