The Celtics’ Offense Has Been Much Better Than Expected

A Fundamentally Sound Offense

With a win on Sunday against conference foe Toronto, Boston is now 12-4 over their last 16 games. They once again boast one of the best three-point shooting offenses in the NBA, ranking third in three-pointers made (383).

However, Celtics players and coaching staff alike have emphasized the importance of taking care of the basketball. This has manifested in Boston committing a league-low 282 turnovers on the season.

When the offense has struggled, head coach Joe Mazzulla has pointed to his team’s protectiveness of the ball as what keeps them competitive.

“Another game where we haven’t turned it over,” he said after a win against Washington. “It goes a long way. People will watch a game and be like, ‘oh, they’re missing a lot of shots,’ but they very rarely watch a game and be like ‘oh, we’re doing a great job not turning it over.’ It’s been one of the strengths of the team…”

A Rebounding Resurgence

In addition to their ball security, the Celtics are averaging 12.9 offensive rebounds per game, good for top five in the association and a +1.6 increase from 2024. But the season didn’t open that way.

After Boston’s first handful of games, they were woefully out rebounded, with Mazzulla frequently sounding off on it to the media. Boston’s leading rebounder (8.2), Neemias Queta, credited the film room for their drastic improvements.

“We watched a lot of film on where we can get better… A lot of times, rebounding is all about effort. Hitting first, making sure your guy doesn’t get it, go get it with two hands,” said Queta in late November.

Fan-favorite guard Derrick White echoed a similar sentiment, saying “We got a long way to go, but beginning of the year, it seemed like we had a longer way to go than we do now.”

White said it best. The season has still not even reached the halfway mark. In order to maintain their play and position in the Eastern Conference, they’ll have to face more trials and tribulations.

Regardless, there is a sense of cautious optimism in the air on the streets of Boston. With every impressive win, the Celtics warn the rest of the league they are not to be taken lightly.