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

[165bows]

If healthy, we're getting banner 19.

No team can beat this team in a 7 game series

OKC has my respect. Until we beat them, I won't know that we can. They'll almost surely have HCA.
CLE with Hunter also deserves respect, but I like our odds.
Those are the only two teams that could take us to 6 or 7. Confident against CLE; nervous against OKC. But if healthy, you're right that the Cs are the favorites.

100% agree they deserve real respect in OKC.

Personally I’d add Denver to the list, kind of an old fashioned set up where there are 4 heavy weights and you know you’ve got to knock off two of them to win the title.

[Larry_Russell]

No team can beat this team in a 7 game series

OKC has my respect. Until we beat them, I won't know that we can. They'll almost surely have HCA.
CLE with Hunter also deserves respect, but I like our odds.
Those are the only two teams that could take us to 6 or 7. Confident against CLE; nervous against OKC. But if healthy, you're right that the Cs are the favorites.

100% agree they deserve real respect in OKC.

Personally I’d add Denver to the list, kind of an old fashioned set up where there are 4 heavy weights and you know you’ve got to knock off two of them to win the title.

Sure they all deserve respect.

But I am not sold on Thunder or on Cleveland. They have been playing playoff level basketball all season. I dont think either team has another gear. Celtics have been coasting at times this season, working for the playoffs exclusively. Its obvious that we have another, big, gear that we can kick into.

[31to6]

OKC has my respect. Until we beat them, I won't know that we can. They'll almost surely have HCA.
CLE with Hunter also deserves respect, but I like our odds.
Those are the only two teams that could take us to 6 or 7. Confident against CLE; nervous against OKC. But if healthy, you're right that the Cs are the favorites.

100% agree they deserve real respect in OKC.

Personally I’d add Denver to the list, kind of an old fashioned set up where there are 4 heavy weights and you know you’ve got to knock off two of them to win the title.

Sure they all deserve respect.

But I am not sold on Thunder or on Cleveland. They have been playing playoff level basketball all season. I dont think either team has another gear. Celtics have been coasting at times this season, working for the playoffs exclusively. Its obvious that we have another, big, gear that we can kick into.

I won't penalize OKC and CLE for doing what the Celtics did last year. I have confidence in the Celtics, but OKC punched the Cs in the mouth in the second half of their game in early January -- maybe the only time this year where I thought a Celtics loss wasn't due to what the Celtics were doing (but rather, the other team being really good).

I don't think the Cs are worried about CLE. They've played well against them -- but to me, Donovan Mitchell is one of the scariest dudes in the league. Can easily win a game or two in a series by himself -- and if hot, maybe more.

I agree with 165bows' inclusion of Denver. Jokic and Playoff Murray deserve that.

Hopefully we have a good healthy stretch run and playoffs -- may the best team win!

[Larry_Russell]

I won't penalize OKC and CLE for doing what the Celtics did last year. I have confidence in the Celtics, but OKC punched the Cs in the mouth in the second half of their game in early January -- maybe the only time this year where I thought a Celtics loss wasn't due to what the Celtics were doing (but rather, the other team being really good).

I disagree, I thought the Celtics played pretty junky in the 2nd half of that game. Very sloppy, Tired performance. 6th game in 10 nights and the middle of a trip to Minny, Houston, OKC and Denver. Team was tired.

3rd quarter Celtics shot 1-12 from 3 and 2-6 from the paint and 1-3 from midrange shots
4th quarter Celtics shot 2-9 from 3 and 0-7 from the paint and made one midrange shot

Celtics shot terribly that 2nd half. TERRIBLY

4th quarter OKC shot 5-7 from 3 and 5-9 from paint.


Celtics had no energy and no effort in the 2nd half.

[165bows]

100% agree they deserve real respect in OKC.

Personally I’d add Denver to the list, kind of an old fashioned set up where there are 4 heavy weights and you know you’ve got to knock off two of them to win the title.

Sure they all deserve respect.

But I am not sold on Thunder or on Cleveland. They have been playing playoff level basketball all season. I dont think either team has another gear. Celtics have been coasting at times this season, working for the playoffs exclusively. Its obvious that we have another, big, gear that we can kick into.

I won't penalize OKC and CLE for doing what the Celtics did last year. I have confidence in the Celtics, but OKC punched the Cs in the mouth in the second half of their game in early January -- maybe the only time this year where I thought a Celtics loss wasn't due to what the Celtics were doing (but rather, the other team being really good).

I don't think the Cs are worried about CLE. They've played well against them -- but to me, Donovan Mitchell is one of the scariest dudes in the league. Can easily win a game or two in a series by himself -- and if hot, maybe more.

I agree with 165bows' inclusion of Denver. Jokic and Playoff Murray deserve that.

Hopefully we have a good healthy stretch run and playoffs -- may the best team win!

Honorable mention to Houston (and Ime's BDE) playing the role of "spunky aspiring contender who might knock a real contender out and go farther than they should before they ultimately lose."

[phincsfan]

I won't penalize OKC and CLE for doing what the Celtics did last year. I have confidence in the Celtics, but OKC punched the Cs in the mouth in the second half of their game in early January -- maybe the only time this year where I thought a Celtics loss wasn't due to what the Celtics were doing (but rather, the other team being really good).

I disagree, I thought the Celtics played pretty junky in the 2nd half of that game. Very sloppy, Tired performance. 6th game in 10 nights and the middle of a trip to Minny, Houston, OKC and Denver. Team was tired.

3rd quarter Celtics shot 1-12 from 3 and 2-6 from the paint and 1-3 from midrange shots
4th quarter Celtics shot 2-9 from 3 and 0-7 from the paint and made one midrange shot

Celtics shot terribly that 2nd half. TERRIBLY

4th quarter OKC shot 5-7 from 3 and 5-9 from paint.


Celtics had no energy and no effort in the 2nd half.

The C's were in control of that game and then got complacent and OKC started to hit shots. Those two are an easy equation for a win regardless of the deficit.

Denver is definitely the team that can push a 7th game against the C's because of Joker. Cavs and Thunder superstars don't scare me.

[Parliament10]

I won't penalize OKC and CLE for doing what the Celtics did last year. I have confidence in the Celtics, but OKC punched the Cs in the mouth in the second half of their game in early January -- maybe the only time this year where I thought a Celtics loss wasn't due to what the Celtics were doing (but rather, the other team being really good).

I disagree, I thought the Celtics played pretty junky in the 2nd half of that game. Very sloppy, Tired performance. 6th game in 10 nights and the middle of a trip to Minny, Houston, OKC and Denver. Team was tired.

3rd quarter Celtics shot 1-12 from 3 and 2-6 from the paint and 1-3 from midrange shots
4th quarter Celtics shot 2-9 from 3 and 0-7 from the paint and made one midrange shot

Celtics shot terribly that 2nd half. TERRIBLY

4th quarter OKC shot 5-7 from 3 and 5-9 from paint.


Celtics had no energy and no effort in the 2nd half.

The C's were in control of that game and then got complacent and OKC started to hit shots. Those two are an easy equation for a win regardless of the deficit.

Denver is definitely the team that can push a 7th game against the C's because of Joker. Cavs and Thunder superstars don't scare me.

I think that OKC is the Threat to worry about. They've been at the Top of the Western Conference for 2 years in a row.
They should have been in the Finals against us last year. But, the Mavericks took them out.

They work on their G League, perhaps better that the Celtics do. Our Minor League Teams did meet in the Finals, last year.
Where they beat us, in the Best-of-3, despite being down the first Game.

Cavs, are the only other Team that can shake a stick at us. We'll face them in the Conference Finals.

[Fierce1]

Joe going with the double big lineup is doing wonders for the Celtic defense.

Since you can't totally shut down everything, I think their approach is to protect the paint and live with the opposing team jacking up 3s.

Rim protection and rebounding are very good when the Cs use the double big.

KP and Luke as secondary defenders are masking their weak perimeter defense.

[31to6]

Joe going with the double big lineup is doing wonders for the Celtic defense.

Since you can't totally shut down everything, I think their approach is to protect the paint and live with the opposing team jacking up 3s.

Rim protection and rebounding are very good when the Cs use the double big.

KP and Luke as secondary defenders are masking their weak perimeter defense.

Double big would/will also specifically be helpful against CLE, NYK, OKC, and Jokic in any playoff matchups — good foresight to develop it, Joe!

[Fierce1]

Joe going with the double big lineup is doing wonders for the Celtic defense.

Since you can't totally shut down everything, I think their approach is to protect the paint and live with the opposing team jacking up 3s.

Rim protection and rebounding are very good when the Cs use the double big.

KP and Luke as secondary defenders are masking their weak perimeter defense.

Double big would/will also specifically be helpful against CLE, NYK, OKC, and Jokic in any playoff matchups — good foresight to develop it, Joe!

Totally agree.

[Larry_Russell]

Joe going with the double big lineup is doing wonders for the Celtic defense.

Since you can't totally shut down everything, I think their approach is to protect the paint and live with the opposing team jacking up 3s.

Rim protection and rebounding are very good when the Cs use the double big.

KP and Luke as secondary defenders are masking their weak perimeter defense.

Double big would/will also specifically be helpful against CLE, NYK, OKC, and Jokic in any playoff matchups — good foresight to develop it, Joe!

Not against the Cavs please.

Force them to try to adjust to us, not us adjust to them.

Force Mobley to have to guard Tatum, cause Tatum cooks him

[Fierce1]

Joe going with the double big lineup is doing wonders for the Celtic defense.

Since you can't totally shut down everything, I think their approach is to protect the paint and live with the opposing team jacking up 3s.

Rim protection and rebounding are very good when the Cs use the double big.

KP and Luke as secondary defenders are masking their weak perimeter defense.

Double big would/will also specifically be helpful against CLE, NYK, OKC, and Jokic in any playoff matchups — good foresight to develop it, Joe!

Not against the Cavs please.

Force them to try to adjust to us, not us adjust to them.

Force Mobley to have to guard Tatum, cause Tatum cooks him

If fully healthy, Cs start and end games with the regular starting 5.

It's when the Cs go to the bench that the double big will be used.

[ConstableGeneva]

Good thread to make us appreciate how good our players and coaching staff are. And that we don't just "play 5-out and chuck threes." Also, ball in Tatum, White, or PP's hands to initiate offense please. 98% of the time.

Read on Twitter

[ConstableGeneva]

Lou Williams, on TD Garden's visiting teams' locker room:

"Boston is the worst. It feels like there's still Gatorade on the floor from when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played. They still lay out the fruits on the towel on the table. It's not in the basket, in the catering, it's just laid out," Williams said. "There is a damn ice bath in the shower that doesn't work. Boston is gonna hate this, but I'm sorry, ya'll did this. Half the shower heads do not work."

Isn't this on purpose? Why would you want to make your enemies feel welcome and comfortable? Didn't they have horror stories too in the 80s in the old Boston Garden?

[phincsfan]

Lou Williams, on TD Garden's visiting teams' locker room:

"Boston is the worst. It feels like there's still Gatorade on the floor from when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played. They still lay out the fruits on the towel on the table. It's not in the basket, in the catering, it's just laid out," Williams said. "There is a damn ice bath in the shower that doesn't work. Boston is gonna hate this, but I'm sorry, ya'll did this. Half the shower heads do not work."

Isn't this on purpose? Why would you want to make your enemies feel welcome and comfortable? Didn't they have horror stories too in the 80s in the old Boston Garden?

I’m trying to write a rebuttal, but I actually always liked Lou.

[Celts17Pride]

Last night's Celtics broadcast they said that the 1972-1973 Boston Celtics have the best road record in franchise history with a record of 32-8 and winning percentage of .800 Pct.

This current Boston Celtics team has a record of 24-6 and winning percentage of .800 Pct on the road with 11 games remaining. The remaining games are as follows:

@ Det
@ Mia
@ Brk
@ Utah
@ Port
@ Sac
@ Pho
@ SA
@ Mem
@ NY
@ Orl

If the Celtics keep their focus, it seems to me that there is a decent chance the Celtics finish 9-2 or better and become the best road team in Boston Celtics history.

[165bows]

Lou Williams, on TD Garden's visiting teams' locker room:

"Boston is the worst. It feels like there's still Gatorade on the floor from when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played. They still lay out the fruits on the towel on the table. It's not in the basket, in the catering, it's just laid out," Williams said. "There is a damn ice bath in the shower that doesn't work. Boston is gonna hate this, but I'm sorry, ya'll did this. Half the shower heads do not work."

Isn't this on purpose? Why would you want to make your enemies feel welcome and comfortable? Didn't they have horror stories too in the 80s in the old Boston Garden?

Has Lou williams even played since the 90s?

[ConstableGeneva]

Last night's Celtics broadcast they said that the 1972-1973 Boston Celtics have the best road record in franchise history with a record of 32-8 and winning percentage of .800 Pct.

This current Boston Celtics team has a record of 24-6 and winning percentage of .800 Pct on the road with 11 games remaining. The remaining games are as follows:

@ Det
@ Mia
@ Brk
@ Utah
@ Port
@ Sac
@ Pho
@ SA
@ Mem
@ NY
@ Orl

If the Celtics keep their focus, it seems to me that there is a decent chance the Celtics finish 9-2 or better and become the best road team in Boston Celtics history.

They sweep and they beat the current best road record in LEAGUE history. Lose one and they tie.

[keevsnick1]

Celtics need to go 18-6 the final 24 games to hit 60 wins. They went 18-6 in their final 24 games last year. looking at the remaining schedule it certainly feels p[possible they hit that mark again.

Back to back 60 win seasons with back to back titles and pretty much the same roster each year would probably cement them as one of the better teams of all time.

[redslastlaugh]

Having defeated Dallas for banner 18, it’d be fun to win #19 this year against OKC, come back in 2026 and beat Minnesota for #20, then vanquish a healthy Wemby-led Spurs team for banner #21 in June 2027.

At that point the Boston Celtics would have functionally conquered the I-35 highway.