Boston Celtics 2025 Season Review
Calendar icon Updated 30 Jul 17:40

Boston Celtics 2025 Season Review

Giorgi Natsvlishvili

The Boston Celtics started the season hot as the defending NBA champions, looking to repeat. However, their title defence came to an abrupt and heartbreaking end in the Eastern Conference semifinals. 

Despite a strong regular-season performance, the loss of superstar Jayson Tatum to injury was just too much for the team to handle, as the New York Knicks eliminated Boston in six games, realistically signalling the end of an era for their championship core.

Performance

The Celtics posted an impressive 61-21 record, finishing first in the Atlantic Division and second in the Eastern Conference. Boston managed to maintain their elite status with the eighth-ranked offence (116.3 PPG) and second-ranked defence (107.2 PPG allowed), continuing to show everyone that they’re a defensive-minded team first and a scoring one second.

Their advanced metrics also stayed quite strong overall with an offensive rating of 120.6 (second in the NBA), a defensive rating of 111.1 (fifth), and a net rating of +9.4 (third), which put them at the top of the league. However, Boston played at the league’s slowest pace, ranking 30th out of 30 teams, which did hurt them down the stretch, even if it had been a deliberate choice under coach Joe Mazzulla.

With those great team numbers, it’s understandable that they also had some solid individual performances across the roster. Jaylen Brown led the team in scoring at 22.2 PPG, followed by Kristaps Porzingis (19.5), Derrick White (16.4), and Payton Pritchard (14.3). Tatum may not have been the best scorer, but he did lead the team in both rebounds and assists, which really showcased his all-around game. 

It was honestly disheartening to see them fall apart so fast, especially given their depth, with Pritchard making a name for himself as the frontrunner for Sixth Man of the Year.

Playoff Performance

The Celtics started their playoff run strong, coming out of the gate swinging in the first round, dropping the Orlando Magic on their head with a 4-1 gentleman’s sweep. However, their season took a dramatic turn in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Knicks.

Despite sweeping the regular-season series 4-0 and averaging an eye-popping 130.2 points per 100 possessions against New York, the playoffs saw them fold like paper. The series completely shifted in Game 4 when Tatum ruptured his right Achilles tendon with three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. 

To make matters even worse, he had already dropped 42 points that game, which, if he continued, would probably go well over 50, grabbing the dub.

Without their superstar, Boston couldn’t recover in any way, shape, or form. The Knicks closed out the series with a dominant 119-81 victory in Game 6 at Madison Square Garden, ending the Celtics’ one-year title reign. The 38-point margin marked the Knicks’ largest postseason win in franchise history and secured their first trip to the Eastern Conference finals in 25 years.

This year’s playoffs were absolutely brutal with injuries, and Boston weren’t spared. Jrue Holiday missed time with a sore hamstring, Jaylen Brown played through a bone bruise and right knee posterior impingement, and Jayson Tatum was already dealing with a sore wrist before his catastrophic Achilles injury. 

Next Season Outlook

Unfortunately for Celtics fans, they’re facing a rather uncertain future heading into 2025-26, with Tatum’s recovery timeline casting a shadow over everything. 

With that type of injury, you can expect him to miss the entire 2025-26 season. Just look at Kevin Durant, who missed 18 months after his 2019 Achilles rupture. However, Tatum’s youth (27 years old) and the rapid surgical intervention within 12 hours give him a better chance than KD.

Even so, the team must confront harsh financial realities. The Celtics are projected to have a potential record-setting payroll exceeding $500 million in salaries and luxury tax penalties if they maintain their current roster. 

With five players scheduled to make $28 million or more next season, Boston have no choice but to take apart their championship core – they just can’t afford it. 

Reports suggest that the Celtics have already finished up a couple of deals, sending Kristaps Porzingis to Atlanta and Jrue Holiday to Portland. Moreover, key free agents like Al Horford and Luke Kornet most likely won’t return to the roster either, weakening the bench.

Boston hold the 28th and 32nd picks in the 2025 NBA Draft, which, unless they get lucky, probably won’t grab any real game-changing players to make up for this loss. As a second-apron team, the Celtics will need to sign free agents via veteran minimums while facing serious restrictions on trades.

All this points to a grim reality: the championship window that seemed wide open just months ago is pretty much gone now. The roster is still playoff-calibre without a doubt, but competing for another title without their franchise cornerstone will be virtually impossible. 

The 2025-26 season will likely serve as a transitional year, focused on financial restructuring while hoping for Tatum’s successful return in 2026-27.

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