Despite Jayson Tatum's season-ending injury, the Celtics secured the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 56-26 record. Jaylen Brown led the team with an average of 28.7 points per game, supported by a strong roster.
Cade Cunningham
Ranking Celtics' Playoff Opponents: Pistons, Knicks Among Threats Blocking Path to NBA Finals originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Many basketball fans and analysts expected the Celtics to experience a slide in the standings after Jayson Tatum suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Instead, Joe Mazzulla's squad masterfully navigated a competitive Eastern Conference, securing the No. 2 seed with a 56-26 record.
Jaylen Brown carried a heavy offensive burden with Tatum sidelined, averaging 28.7 points per game, but he also got plenty of help from a surprisingly deep Boston squad. Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Neemias Queta and Sam Hauser all made significant contributions throughout the 2025-26 campaign.
Now, with Tatum back in the rotation, the Celtics have an opportunity to capture their 19th NBA championship. However, there will be a few other contenders standing in their way.
Let's rank the teams in the East that could challenge Boston.
The Pistons completed a massive turnaround under head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, clinching the No. 1 seed after finishing last in the Eastern Conference in 2022-23 and 2023-24.
The engine behind Detroit's resurgence is the All-Star duo of Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren. Cunningham has masterfully orchestrated the offense with 23.9 points and 9.9 assists per game, while Duren has become a double-double machine and premier rim protector. Their chemistry is supported by veterans like Tobias Harris and Duncan Robinson, providing elite outside shooting and postseason experience.
The road to a championship banner could go through Detroit, as the Pistons possess both the home-court advantage and defensive blueprint to end a playoff run.
The memory of last year's playoff series still lingers over the Celtics. Boston blew multiple leads against New York, and Tatum went down in Game 4.
Heading into the postseason as the No. 3 seed, New York is once again a threat to knock out Boston. Under Mike Brown, the Knicks have transformed into a relentless scoring machine, ranking fourth in the NBA in offensive rating (118.7). This surge has been fueled by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, both of whom earned All-Star selections this year.
What makes New York a particularly terrifying threat is its ability to match Boston's wing depth with Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart. The Knicks willĀ enter the playoffs with the supreme confidence of a team that knows exactly how to handle the Celtics' system.
By pairing James Harden's elite playmaking with Donovan Mitchell's explosive scoring, the Cavs created a backcourt that constantly puts pressure on opposing defenses. After the All-Star break, Cleveland had a top-five offensive rating and effective field goal percentage. The Cavaliers also possess a strong frontcourt with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen patrolling the paint.
Cleveland has been comfortable on the road this season (25-16), so it won't be concerned about starting a series away from home. With star power and shooting all over the floor, the Cavs are well-positioned to play spoiler in a potential showdown.
After a 20-25 start to the season, the Hawks quietly finished 26-11 over their final 37 games. Jalen Johnson emerged as a rising star, averaging 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game. Offseason acquisition Nickeil Alexander-Walker also made a huge leap, scoring 20.8 points per game and shooting nearly 40 percent from 3-point range.
Defensively, Atlanta can present problems on the perimeter with the length and activity of Alexander-Walker and Dyson Daniels. With Onyeka Okongwu waiting at the rim and Trae Young no longer available to target, the Hawks went from No. 18 in defensive rating last season to No. 10 this year.
Boston can't overlook an Atlanta team that is playing its best basketball at the right time.
While Tyrese Maxey has blossomed into a star, averaging 28.3 points per game, there are always health questions surrounding the Sixers. Joel Embiid appeared in 38 games this season, and Paul George was right behind him at 37 games.
If Philadelphia escapes the NBA Play-In Tournament, it has a high ceiling with a talented trio of Maxey, Embiid and George. Unless Embiid can find a rare window of sustained health, though, Boston should be able to overwhelm Philadelphia.
The Celtics secured the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 56-26 record despite Tatum's season-ending injury.
Jaylen Brown led the Celtics in scoring, averaging 28.7 points per game.
Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Neemias Queta, and Sam Hauser all made significant contributions throughout the season.
The Celtics finished the 2025-26 season with an overall record of 56 wins and 26 losses.
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