Boston take on a new look around Tatum
Paul George has taken Jaylen Brown's place, while Mike Conley and Mitchell Robinson strengthen the squad. After a first-round exit, Joe Mazzulla's Celtics must find a new balance between their core players and the new arrivals.
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Boston won 56 games in 2025–2026 and finished second in the Eastern Conference. That record did not stop them going out in the first round of the playoffs, beaten by Philadelphia in seven games. For a team used to chasing the title, the season ended far too soon.
The major change came in July: Jaylen Brown left the Celtics for the Sixers, and Paul George made the move in the opposite direction. Jayson Tatum remains Joe Mazzulla's focal point. But the coach must now build his combinations around a different pair of forwards, with Derrick White and Payton Pritchard running the perimeter game.
56-26 regular-season record
points scored per 100 possessions
points conceded per 100 possessions
points ahead per 100 possessions
per game: the offence lives away from the rim
possessions per game: the slowest team in the league
Rankings among 30 teams, 2025–2026 regular season.
Leading 3-1, then losing it all
Score margin, game by game
vs
Series totals: 746 points scored, 726 conceded. Boston had never lost a playoff series after leading 3-1. Jayson Tatum, who has a knee injury, missed Game 7.
George arrives, the bench gains experience
George is not the only reinforcement. Mike Conley adds an experienced point guard, useful for running the stretches when the main creators rest. Mitchell Robinson provides an extra option at centre. Brown and Nikola Vucevic are no longer in the squad this autumn.
- →Paul GeorgePhiladelphia · Jaylen Brown trade (July)
- →Mike ConleyMinnesota · veteran point guard
- →Mitchell RobinsonNew York · centre
- ←Jaylen BrownPhiladelphia · Paul George trade (July)
- ←Nikola VucevicNo longer in the squad
The first glimpse of George in his new colours was encouraging: 13 points and five steals on his preseason debut against Philadelphia. That exhibition game does not yet tell us how his partnership with Tatum will work over a full season. It does at least show that the newcomer can contribute without his impact being measured only by the number of shots he takes.
Five months of change
Lost Game 7 to Philadelphia after leading 3-1.
Paul George arrives from Philadelphia, with Jaylen Brown going the other way.
George's first preseason game in Boston: 13 points and five steals.
Season opener, away at Detroit.
Jayson Tatum, the reference point to get back
Tatum must again become the offensive reference point after his late return from injury in 2025–2026. With George, Boston can spread responsibility more widely across the wings. White and Pritchard remain essential: they must keep the ball moving and stop the attack from being reduced to a series of one-on-one duels.
2025–2026 regular-season averages, over 16 games after his return from injury. Tatum missed Game 7 against Philadelphia.
What Boston must replace
Who scored in 2025–2026
Points per game, 2025–2026 regular season. Brown was Boston's top scorer; George arrives averaging 11.4 fewer points per game.
The three-point shot, player by player
Red line: Boston average, 36.7%. Attempts per game. Tatum and White, the two highest-volume shooters, are below the average. George: 2025–2026 season with Philadelphia.
Mazzulla's first options
A starting five of Pritchard, White, George, Tatum and Neemias Queta looks coherent on paper. That is an SNA projection, not a lineup announced by Mazzulla. Robinson can offer a different look inside; the choice will depend on the combinations sought and on who is available.
Ball handling
Shooting
On the wings
Young player to watch
Inside
Indicative layout. Tatum, circled, remains the offensive focal point. Each player opens their SNA profile.
The second unit is not short of solutions. Conley can run the offence, Sam Hauser can bring shooting, while Jordan Walsh, Hugo González and Baylor Scheierman must find their place on the wings. Chris Cenac Jr. is among the young players to watch. Luka Garza and Amari Williams complete the options in the frontcourt: not all of them will get the same minutes.
The squad: 21 players
The official list includes 21 players as of that date. It shows the preparation squad, not a final rotation. Versatile players are grouped by broad position families.
| Player | Status | Pts | Reb | Ast | 3PT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guards | |||||
| Devin Carter | – | – | – | – | |
| Mike Conley | Newcomer · Minnesota | 4.5 | 1.7 | 2.9 | 33.7 % |
| Hugo González | 3.9 | 3.3 | 0.5 | 36.2 % | |
| Hayden Gray | – | – | – | – | |
| Ron Harper Jr. | 4.2 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 35.0 % | |
| Payton Pritchard | 17.0 | 3.9 | 5.2 | 37.7 % | |
| Baylor Scheierman | 5.5 | 3.5 | 1.5 | 39.9 % | |
| Milos Uzan | – | – | – | – | |
| Jordan Walsh | 5.4 | 4.0 | 0.8 | 38.4 % | |
| Derrick White | 16.5 | 4.4 | 5.4 | 32.7 % | |
| Forwards | |||||
| Chris Cenac Jr. | – | – | – | – | |
| Tucker DeVries | – | – | – | – | |
| Paul George | Newcomer · Philadelphia | 17.3 | 5.3 | 3.6 | 39.2 % |
| Sam Hauser | 9.2 | 3.8 | 1.5 | 39.3 % | |
| Gabe McGlothan | – | – | – | – | |
| Dillon Mitchell | – | – | – | – | |
| Jayson Tatum | Leader | 21.8 | 10.0 | 5.3 | 32.9 % |
| Centres and big men | |||||
| Luka Garza | 8.1 | 4.1 | 1.0 | 43.3 % | |
| Neemias Queta | 10.2 | 8.4 | 1.7 | 12.5 % | |
| Mitchell Robinson | Newcomer · New York | 5.7 | 8.8 | 0.9 | – |
| Amari Williams | 1.4 | 1.8 | 0.5 | – | |
2025–2026 regular-season averages. George: Philadelphia (37 games); Conley: Minnesota (54 games); Robinson: New York (60 games). Tatum: 16 games. "–": no NBA game with Boston in 2025–2026 or unverified data. Each name opens the player's SNA profile.
An ambitious contender with a balance to rediscover
Weapons
- Two creators on the wings, Tatum and George, to share the load.
- Guards who can take responsibility: White and Pritchard, plus Conley for the second unit.
- Several options at centre: Queta, Robinson, Garza.
- A solid base: 2nd-ranked offence and 4th-ranked defence in the league in 2025–2026.
Areas to work on
- Bringing these qualities together in the same sequences.
- Replacing the habits built up with Brown, the team's top scorer (28.7 points).
- Keeping an outside threat (42.1 three-point attempts per game) while still getting shots after moving the defence.
- Getting the big men to make their weight felt near the rim to avoid forced long-range shots.
Boston retain what it takes to aim for the top places in the East: creators on the wings, guards capable of taking responsibility and several options at centre. The question will be whether those qualities can be combined in the same stretches of play. George's arrival does not automatically replace the habits built up with Brown.
The Celtics attempted 42.1 three-pointers per game in 2025–2026. They need to keep a threat from the perimeter while also getting shots after moving the defence. The big men must also make their presence felt near the rim so that every difficult possession does not end in a forced long-range shot.
This team has the means to aim for direct playoff qualification and a deeper run than last spring.
George's arrival does not automatically replace the habits built up with Brown. The series lost to Philadelphia after leading 3-1 sets the standard for this season.
Tuesday 20 October 2026 at 20:00 Brazzaville time · match centre
- The team’s live schedule appears here.
Countdown to tip-off.