Boston followers know the staff is in one other golden age of rivalry.
However how lengthy can it final?
The Celtics secured their fifth consecutive 50+ win season since 2021-22 with a 114-99 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday evening — the franchise’s thirty eighth season with 50+ wins and its fourth time hitting that mark at the least 5 seasons in a row (essentially the most of any staff within the league.)
That alone places this run amongst a few of the biggest extended stretches of rivalry in NBA historical past.
I imply, positive, the staff hasn’t received 11 championships in 13 years just like the Invoice Russell Celtics or racked up 18 consecutive 50+ win seasons whereas profitable 5 rings just like the San Antonio Spurs.
Nonetheless, it’s a uncommon accomplishment for NBA groups to win 50+ video games in at the least 5 straight seasons. Out of 30 groups within the league right this moment, 14 have by no means completed it (15 when you don’t rely the Seattle Tremendous Sonics’ historical past for the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder.) That features the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks — initially the Tri-Cities Blackhawks — regardless of being two of the league’s 11 founding franchises alongside the Celtics.
That features traditionally dangerous groups just like the Charlotte Hornets and the Washington Wizards, but it surely additionally options groups which have had dominant stretches over time, just like the Miami Warmth, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers and Houston Rockets.
Total, at the least 5 consecutive seasons of fifty+ wins has solely been achieved 22 occasions all through NBA historical past. Solely 11 of these situations featured runs of greater than 5 consecutive seasons and solely 4 have been runs of at the least 10 straight seasons with 50+ wins.
The latter is topped by the Spurs’ aforementioned 18-season run from 1999-00 to 2016-17, the Los Angeles Lakers’ 12-year stretch from 1979-80 to 1990-91, and the Dallas Mavericks’ 11-season run from 2000-01 to 2010-11. Boston’s personal 10-season run from 1958-59 to 1967-68 completes the listing.
The Celtics additionally recorded 9 consecutive seasons with 50+ wins below Larry Chook from 1979-80 to 1987-88, beginning with 61 wins in Chook’s first season.
Whereas it might be outlandish to say the staff’s present five-season run might stretch on lengthy sufficient to compete with the Spurs for the highest spot, Boston’s personal franchise file might very nicely be inside attain of the present core.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been on the core of the staff’s present five-season run of fifty+ wins because it started in 2021-22, when the Jays led the Celtics to 51 wins and the Finals for the primary time below Coach Ime Udoka.
Regardless of flaming out in opposition to the Warriors and shedding Udoka to scandal, the run solely ramped up the following 12 months below the management of Coach Joe Mazzulla, who revamped the offense, unlocked Derrick White, and steered the staff to 57 wins.
After falling one win wanting one other Finals journey, Normal Supervisor Brad Stevens used a few of his managerial magic to amass Jrue Vacation and Kristaps Porziņģis. The newly assembled staff then rattled off 64 wins and received the 2024 NBA Finals.
Boston once more broke the 60-win threshold in 2024-25 with 61 wins, despite the fact that the Celtics struggled with accidents and diminished play in key roles over the 12 months. The staff then misplaced Tatum to a ruptured proper Achilles tendon within the Japanese Convention Finals and offloaded Vacation, Porziņģis and Al Horford within the offseason. Boston even misplaced backup heart Luke Kornet to the Spurs in free company.
That’s the place this run of fifty+ win seasons most likely ought to have ended. However, as we’ve seen this season, this staff is just too good for that.
In lieu of Tatum for 62 video games and 4 of the 2024-25 staff’s different top-nine gamers, Brown, Mazzulla, Pritchard and White nonetheless led the staff to a 50+ win season. On the similar time, Stevens introduced the staff under the second apron and repositioned it for future monetary flexibility, all whereas sustaining every bit of the core.
And now, Tatum’s again — and dropping 32 factors in opposition to a red-hot Hornets staff on 52.2% taking pictures from the sphere and 50% from three-point vary.
So, if the staff didn’t fall wanting 50 wins this 12 months, when will it?
Effectively, it may very well be some time. Perhaps even lengthy sufficient to satisfy or surpass the staff’s 9- and 10-season runs.
The 2 greatest items of the core, Brown and Tatum, are nonetheless solely 29 and 28 years outdated, respectively. They each have three assured years remaining on their contracts after this season ends. Derrick White, who many could contemplate to be the third core piece, is 31. He’s locked up for one more two years and has a $34,844,000 participant possibility for a 3rd, at which level he’ll be 34 and will not discipline affords of greater than $30 million per 12 months from different groups.
Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser are each 28 years outdated. Pritchard’s contract extends via 2027-28 and Hauser’s via 2028-29.
If Stevens can discover a method to lock up Neemias Queta when his present deal ends in 2026-27, the 26-year-old may very well be the Celtics’ beginning heart for years to come back. That could be tough, given Queta’s breakout this season and Boston’s delicate monetary state of affairs, but it surely ought to be attainable for the reason that staff could have the Chook rights to re-sign him.
The staff additionally incorporates a deep bench stuffed with younger gamers who might show very important to Boston’s future success. Baylor Scheierman, 25, Hugo González, 20, and Jordan Walsh, 22, have all proven their value this season and will develop to change into necessary complementary items.
Even Boston’s management is comparatively younger. Mazzulla is 37 years outdated and the youngest coach within the NBA. Stevens is 49 years outdated, which isn’t precisely younger for the position, however younger sufficient to foresee years to come back with him on the helm. As made obvious this season, each stay on the high of their video games.
So as to meet or surpass the franchise file for consecutive 50+ win seasons, the staff must string alongside one other 5 seasons following this one.
Age shouldn’t be an issue. Whereas White will likely be 36 in one other 5 years, Brown and Tatum ought to be 34 and 33, respectively. The Jays could have the remainder of their athletic primes to pursue the file over the 5 seasons earlier than that, then a pair extra years of elite play to doubtlessly surpass it earlier than ageing out of stardom. Mazzulla will likely be nearly as outdated as the common NBA head coach by then.
Reaching 50 wins with the Jays of their primes shouldn’t be an excessive amount of to count on, both. Hell, the Celtics solely had one in all them for almost all of this season and the staff should end it with nearly 60 wins (58 in the event that they win out.) If Stevens can retain them when their contracts expire and keep a good roster round them, 50 wins ought to be inside attain yearly they continue to be at an elite degree.
Nonetheless, regardless of the staff’s seemingly sturdy footing midway via the trek to 10 consecutive seasons of fifty+ wins, any Celtics fan who watched the 2007-08 season is aware of that, as Kevin Garnett screamed after profitable the Finals, something is feasible — and never all the time in a great way.
There’s a purpose 5 consecutive seasons of fifty+ wins has solely occurred 22 occasions in all of NBA historical past. Between accidents, free company, monetary problems and the pure decline of ageing gamers, groups must be each well-piloted and outright fortunate to make such a streak occur. For this staff to match the franchise file, it will want to perform that uncommon feat twice in a row.
The largest questions for the Celtics shifting ahead will likely be: 1) can Stevens proceed to keep up a aggressive roster whereas strolling the veritable monetary tightrope that’s the 2023 Collective Bargaining Settlement? and a pair of) how a lot will Tatum’s Achilles damage affect his availability and effectiveness in future seasons?
In answering the primary query, I believe this 12 months works as an ideal demonstration that Stevens is up for the duty. He piloted the Celtics out of the second apron whereas sustaining a roster that may compete for a chip. Assuming Boston stays below the luxurious tax subsequent season, the repeater tax will reset and Stevens will likely be free to as soon as once more spend on a contending staff.
As for the second query, solely time will inform. Regardless of combating effectivity, Tatum has appeared spectacular since his return. He’s racked up rebounds at a fair greater charge than he did earlier than his damage and stepped proper again into his position as flooring common, utilizing his ever-present gravity to lure assist defenders earlier than stringing a move to an open man. On high of that, Tatum has had a number of stretches the place he has caught fireplace from the sphere, dropping midrange pictures and step-back threes harking back to his greatest days earlier than the damage.
Nonetheless, Achilles accidents have notably impacted different gamers’ longevity over time. Even Kevin Durant, the mannequin of the right way to return from an Achilles damage, has averaged nearly 16 fewer video games performed per season than he did earlier than his return (not counting this 12 months.) On a optimistic be aware, Durant has performed 71 video games thus far this season and 75 in 2023-24. However, if Tatum misses extra time shifting ahead, it’ll on the very least cut back the staff’s margin of error for reaching 50 wins per season. If Brown suffers a long-term damage and Tatum can’t be his ordinary workhorse self, Boston’s 50+ win season streak could be at excessive danger of snapping.
Whether or not this Celtics core reaches the franchise file or not, their run of 5 consecutive 50+ seasons is already cemented in historical past amongst solely 21 others, and followers ought to be pleased to know that they might be watching one of many biggest extended stretches of rivalry in NBA historical past.
