Celtics 2026-27 NBA season predictions after schedule release

There are going to be endless debates regarding whether or not the Celtics should have pulled off the Brown trade, especially after all this seemingly did was strengthen the 76ers, a direct rival, which then made them a more appealing destination for LeBron James in free agency.

The comparisons are going to run rampant all season long. But the regular season is a different animal compared to the playoffs. For starters, earning success in the regular season requires consistency, durability, and a reliable formula to earn wins, while in the playoffs, adaptability, mental fortitude, and top-shelf talent reign supreme.

With that said, the Celtics have always managed to churn out victories like it’s nobody’s business, and not much should change even with Brown’s departure. Boston’s formula for victory is clear. Their goal is to outproduce their opponents from beyond the arc, win the possession battle by taking care of the boards and avoiding turnovers, and play strong defense on a nightly basis.

George allows the Celtics to play to their strengths even further. As he showed in the playoffs, he is still a top-tier perimeter defender and glue guy, and now that he’s 36 years of age, he’s more reliant on the three-ball than ever. The Celtics will have Tatum anyway to soak up the first-option role that Brown had last season.

Boston has won at least 51 games in each of the past five seasons, and barring some unforeseen injury woes, there’s no reason to think that they won’t be the same old regular season wins machine they’ve been for the past half-decade.

Meanwhile, the 76ers might encounter some fit issues, especially to begin the season, and Joel Embiid’s health is undoubtedly going to be managed heavily with the playoffs in mind. Philly, of course, is going to be a beast in the postseason if the entire team is healthy. But getting there is going to be a ride for them.

With that in mind, the Celtics should finish above them in the standings and finish with homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Payton Pritchard wins his second Sixth Man of the Year award

It’s not quite clear what direction the Celtics will be taking as far as their starting lineup is concerned. There are some who believe that Payton Pritchard, despite all the usage that Brown’s departure opened up, will remain in a bench role to keep the rotation balanced.

Someone has to run the second unit, and 38-year-old Mike Conley doesn’t seem like the man for the job anymore. (Conley is helpful, of course, as a locker room presence and as a third-string guard at this stage of his career.)

If the starting lineup has Tatum, George, and Derrick White anyway, perhaps Boston can still thrive with a lower-usage player like Baylor Scheierman or Hugo Gonzalez as the fifth man instead of Pritchard.

Pritchard, in 29 games off the bench last season, averaged 17.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game. Had he been eligible to win the award (one has to come off the bench in more games than he starts), he might have been a repeat winner of the award, taking it over Keldon Johnson.

Should the Celtics commit to him being back to a sixth man role on a full-time basis, there’s no reason to expect Pritchard to not win the Sixth Man of the Year award once more.

Hugo Gonzalez earns Most Improved Player consideration

Hugo Gonzalez’s name became known even to the casual fan overnight because of the rumors that the Celtics refused to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo because it would have required them to give the 20-year-old Spanish international away (along with Jaylen Brown).

If true, this would have been shocking, as Gonzalez averaged just 3.9 points per game in a bench role for the Celtics during his rookie campaign. Nonetheless, what became clear was that the Celtics are truly high on Gonzalez and have high hopes for him considering how young he still is.

The sky is the limit for Gonzalez; if he can become more consistent with the three ball and his defense, powered by a 6’10.75″ wingspan, he could become the team’s nailed-on starter at the two. If he starts the majority of his games, averages around 10 to 12 points while playing incredible defense for a Celtics team that’s winning on most nights, he should garner some consideration for the Most Improved Player award.

It is unlikely for a sophomore to ever win that award, but the strides Gonzalez is about to make next season are going to make voters think about ignoring that convention.