41-20, 12 of their last 14, 2nd in the East. and 1st in the Atlantic Division.
The Boston Celtics were never supposed to be this good. After losing a superstar in Jayson Tatum, the Celtics have remained elite despite not having their main offensive engine. With the 2nd best Net Rating (+8.3), 2nd best Offensive Rating (120.9) and the 5th best Defense (112.6), Boston has cemented itself as one of the league’s contenders for years to come, and that starts with Jaylen Brown.
Jaylen Brown’s Rise & The Celtics’ System Strength
Jaylen Brown’s Evolution into a True Alpha
Without Tatum, Brown has been thriving as the Celtics 1st option in the 2025-26 season. 29 PPG is not only a career high for him, it is top 5 in the NBA, not to even mention the 7.1 RPG and the playmaking leap he has made since Tatum’s tear, averaging 5 APG. JB has been scoring at a high level all season, scoring 20+ in 49 games (3rd in the NBA), and 28 games with 30+, showing a clear improvement from what we have seen in the past.
Brown’s usage has shot through the roof, from 28.5% last year to 35.5% this season is a 26% increase from just 1 season, showing his clear skills as a natural bon leader. This season has done 2 things for Boston, allowed Brown to operate to see if he is truly a capable 1st option, and 2, see if the Celtics can really operate without Jayson Tatum, and they have accomplished both feats in 2026, regardless of a potential Tatum return.
Why the Celtics Remain Elite as a Team
There is a reason why the Celtics are so good, and it isn’t just because of the rise of Jaylen Brown. They have the most balanced team in NBA history, 107 PPG allowed, which means they only allow teams to score 107 points per game, which ranks 1st in the NBA. Their roster is curated to be able to guard every position, and switches only make it worse, all because of 1 man, Joe Mazzulla.
Joe Mazzulla might be one of the smartest coaches in NBA history. With the Celtics barrage of 3 Pointers every game (3rd in Makes and 2nd in Attempts), Mazzulla consistently emphasizes on volume, and with their offensive rebounding focus, they score on most possessions. The Celtics run a very balanced roster, with every getting a chance, since Mazzulla likes to rotate the ball to get the best shot, instead of letting the best players go isolation scoring every single time.
Boston might be the slowest team in the NBA, with a pace of 94.69, yet they continue to dominate, and that is all about control and depth, it is evident in the box scores. They have a 6-1 record without Brown this season, including a 108-81 victory vs the Bucks without Brown and Queta, Pritchard stepped up and scored 25. The Celtics have 6 players scoring more than 10+ a game, which invlove mainly Brown (29 PPG), Derrick White (17 PPG), and Pritchard (17 PPG).
But the question still lies, when will, and more importantly, how will Jayson Tatum return?
Jayson Tatum: Injury, Resume, and Reintegration
Injury Timeline & Career Context
Jayson Tatum’s Achilles tear might have been one of the most devastating in recent times, an Achilles, at least 10 months recovery and ridiculously high precautions must be taken in order for it not to be reaggravated. Tatum already in his young career is a perennial All-NBA forward, who has scored 25+ in his last 5 seasons. The recovery he has made since April has been inspiring, now participating in 5 on 5 scrimmages, and a possible return in early March Vs Dallas is looming, but minute restrictions will apply.
Achilles Injury:
• Torn right Achilles (May 2025 playoffs)
• ~10 months recovery
• Now participating in 5-on-5 scrimmages
• Possible return early March (vs Dallas)
• Likely minutes restriction: 20–25 initially
Fit, Benefits, and Risks Upon Return
When Tatum returns, Mazzulla’s entire offensive plan must get rewritten, since Tatum is the star player, but don’t expect it immediately. Jaylen Brown would still have to do a lot of scoring, since it will take a while for Tatum to get back into it. Even with Tatum adjusting, the Celtics immediately enhance their playoff ceiling, they strengthen late game offense (Which is where I would play Tatum the most early on), defensive versatility increases and the locker rooms get a psychological lift.
Now Jayson Tatum could legit be rusty for a 1-2 Weeks, which is good. It gives him time to build back up that teammate chemistry, to allow that usage redistribution between him and Brown to happen slowly instead of immediately, he get’s to recalibrate not only his shot, but his ball dominance and allows him to stay healthy for a lot longer now. The Celtics are already acting and operating like contenders, with Tatum returning, it shifts them from resilient to inevitable.
Even though the team has maintained a 41-20 record without Tatum, I don’t think the Celtics have what it takes to actually win it all without JT. They might have an elite superstar now in Jaylen Brown and their defensive identity looks stronger then ever before, but their system was designed for Tatum as the 1st option, and I think Boston knows he is still their guy. Boston has about 20 games left, if Tatum returns well, they might have another championship run on their hands.
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