Celtics 2025-26, Off-Season/Training Camp Thread

[ConstableGeneva]

Head-to-Head Records of Top 4 Teams from Each Conference:

1. OKC: 8-3
2. BOS: 7-3
3. CLE: 8-4
4. HOU: 8-4
5. MEM: 3-5
6. NYK: 3-5
7. DEN: 2-7
8. MIL: 1-9

[Curmudgeon]

We're on that good old Celtics track, one step forward and one step back.

[Fierce1]

White just broke out of a shooting slump against Dallas and the Cs rest him and 2 other key players against the Rockets.

Guess we will never see the top 8 or 9 players play together for consecutive games.

No continuity.

[Hal14]

Tillman is really struggling. At this point he should be way near the bottom of the rotation. At this point this imo should be the depth chart:

Starters: tatum, brown, KP, white, Jrue

Core bench pieces: Al, Pritchard, Hauser, Kornet

Fill in when needed: Queta, Springer
Walsh, Peterson

Only in garbage time:
Tillman, Scheierman

I also might give Watson a look with the big club. He potentially could give us what we were hoping Tillman would give us - a PF/small ball 5 type of guy. Not super tall but strong, tough, rugged..cam move his feet quick, defend out on the perimeter, switch on D. Make smart plays, be in the right spots, move the ball and hit open 3's.

Watson hit 3 threes in his last game with Maine. He's had a bunch of games now with 4+ threes in a game. He's hit 14 threes in his last 5 games (35.8% from 3 in that span) and his FT shooting is also getting better which indicates improved touch..75% FT over his last 20 G league games.

During warmups before last night's game, he his 4/5 from 3 here:

Read on Twitter

Sunday's game vs Orlando's G league team:

Watch on YouTube

:10 Smooth catch and shoot 3
:55 catches it. Shot fake, nice drive and kick to the open shooter
1:53 catches lob, throws it down

[threrf23]

Tillman is really struggling. At this point he should be way near the bottom of the rotation.

He should probably be in rehab or something. I don't buy that he is healthy.

[Bar Fight]

Are we the least clutch defending champions ever? I think the '99 Bulls may have us beat

[Mr_Mojo_Risin]

While I'd prefer to be above .500 the last month or so, I'm personally pretty happy with how the season is being managed. A few things seem very clear to me:

1) Health and precaution with load and niggles are being closely managed and prioritized over chasing a seeding.
2) Related to above, effort and style of play is being tailored to keep gas in the tank later (not at playoff levels on defense and less driving).
3) Coaching, especially related to the lineups on the floor, subbing patterns, double bigs and different zone and trap methods are being experimented with and prioritized over chasing a seeding. We've seen a bunch of miscommunications and problems here but better to learn and understand the our full range of options now.

I'm not going to pretend everything is rosy with our players habits, rhythm and motivation because it's clearly not either.

However I think the approach is sound, hopefully it pays off.

[Fierce1]

While I'd prefer to be above .500 the last month or so, I'm personally pretty happy with how the season is being managed. A few things seem very clear to me:

1) Health and precaution with load and niggles are being closely managed and prioritized over chasing a seeding.
2) Related to above, effort and style of play is being tailored to keep gas in the tank later (not at playoff levels on defense and less driving).
3) Coaching, especially related to the lineups on the floor, subbing patterns, double bigs and different zone and trap methods are being experimented with and prioritized over chasing a seeding. We've seen a bunch of miscommunications and problems here but better to learn and understand the our full range of options now.

I'm not going to pretend everything is rosy with our players habits, rhythm and motivation because it's clearly not either.

However I think the approach is sound, hopefully it pays off.

Spot-on!

If I said that, there would be a lot of push back.

Some of the Celtic fans are just not seeing the whole picture.

[Smart2Nesmith43]

The Celtics are the only team in the top 5 of offensive and defensive ratings this season.

[Tatumfor2]

The Celtics are the only team in the top 5 of offensive and defensive ratings this season.

[Fencer reregistered]

https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-celtics/2025/02/01/jayson-tatum-clutch-player-of-the-year-odds-stats-analysis/

[redslastlaugh]

3) Coaching, especially related to the lineups on the floor, subbing patterns, double bigs and different zone and trap methods are being experimented with and prioritized over chasing a seeding. We've seen a bunch of miscommunications and problems here but better to learn and understand the our full range of options now.

Respect your take but I think the coaching has been lacking imagination especially on lineups, subs and dealing with low energy lulls. Seems like Joe has settled in that with full health, Sam, Al, PP and Luke are the only bench players who are gonna play. Horford has had some nights where he just looks too slow, Sam’s had nights where he looks really stationary bc of the back spasms, and PP seems like he’s either a 20 piece or he’ll get you 5pts. Joe has not invested anything into developing Scheierman, a 24 year old 1st rd pick. And right now, the three high energy guys: Springer, Walsh, Queta are not seeing rotation minutes when the team is full health.

Im kinda bummed with how Joe has been coaching these last 20 or so lackluster games. I want to see some more intensity and variability out of bench groups and I think more than 8-9 should play.

[reload141]

While I'd prefer to be above .500 the last month or so, I'm personally pretty happy with how the season is being managed. A few things seem very clear to me:

1) Health and precaution with load and niggles are being closely managed and prioritized over chasing a seeding.
2) Related to above, effort and style of play is being tailored to keep gas in the tank later (not at playoff levels on defense and less driving).
3) Coaching, especially related to the lineups on the floor, subbing patterns, double bigs and different zone and trap methods are being experimented with and prioritized over chasing a seeding. We've seen a bunch of miscommunications and problems here but better to learn and understand the our full range of options now.

I'm not going to pretend everything is rosy with our players habits, rhythm and motivation because it's clearly not either.

However I think the approach is sound, hopefully it pays off.

Bingo mate.

I’m absolutely not worried at all.

[Fierce1]

Celtics finish the month of January at 10-6.

Not great, but not bad either.

[brackdan70]

The Cs started 16-3, and hence have gone 18-12.
Our expectations are pretty high. Finish it off 26-7 to get 60 wins.

[Fierce1]

The Cs started 16-3, and hence have gone 18-12.
Our expectations are pretty high. Finish it off 26-7 to get 60 wins.

The more realistic target now is 57-25, just like 2023.

[phincsfan]

I’ve been harping on minutes played by the starters and the lack of minutes played by the reserves. Saying that seeding isn’t important but that health is. I’m convinced now that the core and the staff agreed that it’s gonna be a long season and physical sacrifice is needed to work through this slump because this offseason will truly be an offseason unlike last summer.

This back to back documentary will be great in 2036

[ConstableGeneva]

Read on Twitter

Ainge couldn’t pull it off, probably didn’t want to let go of Semi Ojeleye. Lakers killed that dream.

[ConstableGeneva]

I don't know how it's even possible but the Celtics are the only team that's top 5 in both offense and defense.

CleaningtheGlass: 4th in ORtg, 5th in DRtg
stats.NBA.com: 3rd in ORtg, 5th in DRtg

On DunksandThrees, it's OKC (5, 1) and BOS (2, 5).

[ConstableGeneva]

Per CTG, the Celtics (10-4) currently have the best win % vs. the top 10 teams in the league (in terms of net rating). They rank 2nd in offense and 4th in defense against those teams. Cavs have the 18th best defense with that same criteria.