The Boston Celtics may be entering the 2025-26 season without their superstar Jayson Tatum, but one team insider believes the C’s are still poised to surprise the league.
With Tatum sidelined for the entire season due to a torn Achilles suffered during the playoffs, many have written the Celtics off as Eastern Conference contenders. But according to NBC Sports Boston’s Chris Forsberg, fans shouldn’t count them out just yet.
“I think at Christmas, the Boston Celtics will be a top-four team in the Eastern Conference,” Forsberg boldly stated on The Off C’season podcast. “They’re just too good to sink as low as the play-in or lottery range — unless something goes terribly wrong.”
Forsberg admitted that the margin for error is razor-thin without Tatum. “You’re one Jaylen Brown twisted ankle or a bad hamstring for Derrick White away from a very different story,” he added. “But if Brown, White, and Payton Pritchard stay healthy, this group will outkick expectations.”
A New-Look Celtics Roster
This offseason has brought major changes to Boston. The team traded away key veterans Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis in a move to clear cap space. In return, they’ve brought in Anfernee Simons and Georges Niang to bolster the depth chart.
While this current roster might lack the firepower of past seasons, Forsberg believes it’s built for resilience.
“Everyone thinks this is a gap year, maybe even a soft tank. But this team is going to be better than people think — especially under a strong coaching staff.”
The Playoffs Still Within Reach
Even without Tatum, the Celtics still boast a playoff-caliber trio in Brown, White, and Pritchard. Forsberg argues that their chemistry, experience, and coaching can carry the team to a top-four seed — at least in the early stages of the season.
Of course, the Celtics’ long-term ceiling remains limited without their MVP-caliber forward. But Boston still has enough talent and grit to remain competitive in a wide-open Eastern Conference.
Whether they hold that top-four spot or slide down the standings as the season progresses remains to be seen. Either way, one thing is certain — this “gap year” may end up being more than just a waiting game.
