Nobody expected the TD Garden to feel this quiet in October. When news broke that Jayson Tatum would miss the bulk of the year with an Achilles tear, the vibe in Boston shifted from "championship defense" to "survival mode" pretty much overnight.
Honestly, if you looked at the Celtics win loss record after the first week of the 2025-26 season, you probably would’ve bet against them making the play-in. They started 0-3. It was ugly. They lost to a rebuilding Detroit team and got bullied by the Knicks. But things change fast in the NBA.
As of January 15, 2026, the Boston Celtics sit at 24-15.
That’s good for 3rd in the Eastern Conference. It’s a record that feels like a minor miracle considering the roster turnover. They aren’t the "superteam" of 2024 anymore. This group is grittier, weirder, and way more reliant on the three-ball than ever before.
Breaking Down the Celtics Win Loss Record This Season
You can't talk about this year without talking about the "Mazzulla Ball" evolution. Joe Mazzulla just hit his 200th career win in December, becoming the third-fastest coach to do it behind only Phil Jackson and Steve Kerr. Not bad for a guy people were calling a "glorified assistant" a few years back.
The splits tell a story of a team that doesn't care where they play.
- Home Record: 12-7
- Road Record: 12-8
- Last 10 Games: 6-4
They are currently chasing the New York Knicks (25-14) and the Detroit Pistons, who—believe it or not—are leading the East at 28-10. Seeing the Celtics behind Detroit in 2026 feels like a glitch in the matrix, but the Pistons are for real.
Boston’s scoring is hovering around 116.6 points per game, which is middle-of-the-pack (14th in the league). But their defense? Still elite. They’re allowing only 110.1 points, ranking 2nd in the NBA. They’ve managed to stay afloat by turning games into rock fights.
The Jaylen Brown MVP Campaign
With Tatum out, Jaylen Brown has basically turned into a one-man wrecking crew. He’s averaging 29.5 points per game. He’s taking six mid-range jumpers a night and hitting them at nearly 50%. It’s high-volume, high-efficiency stuff that most critics didn't think he could maintain as the primary focal point.
But it isn't just Jaylen.
Derrick White is playing like an All-Star snub. He’s putting up 18.6 points and leading the team in blocks (1.5) and steals (1.3). Then you have the Payton Pritchard leap. Pritchard is averaging 17 points and over 5 assists. He’s no longer just a "spark plug" off the bench; he’s a legitimate floor general.
Why the Bench is Saving the Season
If you looked at the roster in the preseason, you probably saw names like Neemias Queta and Luka Garza and thought "garbage time."
Wrong.
Queta has been a revelation. He’s nearly averaging a double-double with 10.1 points and 8.2 rebounds on 65% shooting. He has effectively replaced the vertical spacing they lost when Kristaps Porziņģis left.
And then there's Anfernee Simons. Bringing him in was a gamble, but he’s providing 13.5 points off the bench and shooting 40% from deep. When the Celtics get hot from three—like they did against Cleveland when they canned 21 triples—they look unbeatable. When they go cold, they lose to teams like San Antonio.
Historic Context: How This Compares to the Dynasty Years
The Celtics win loss record throughout history is legendary. We’re talking about an 80-season legacy with a 3,719-2,516 overall record (.596 winning percentage).
- The 2023-24 Peak: That 64-18 season was the gold standard.
- The 2024-25 Hangover: They still won 61 games but got bounced in the Conference Semis.
- The 2025-26 Grind: At the current pace, they’re looking at a 50-win season.
Compared to the 66-win Larry Bird era or the 2008 Big Three, this team feels "small." They rank 30th in pace. They play slow. They grind out possessions. It’s a total 180 from the high-flying transition offense we saw during their 18th championship run.
Is the Record Sustainable?
There’s a massive "if" hanging over the TD Garden.
Jayson Tatum’s recovery is ahead of schedule. There are rumors he could be back by late March. If the Celtics can keep their record around the .600 mark until then, they become the most dangerous 3rd or 4th seed in NBA history.
But there are cracks. They struggle against size. In their recent loss to Indiana (96-98), they got out-rebounded and looked tired. Their reliance on the three-point line (taking 42.6 per game, 2nd in the NBA) means they are always one cold shooting night away from an upset.
What to Watch Moving Forward
If you're betting on the Celtics or just tracking the standings, keep an eye on the upcoming road trip. They face Miami tonight, followed by Atlanta and Detroit. These aren't "gimme" games anymore.
- Watch the Queta/Garza minutes: If they can't protect the rim, the perimeter defense collapses.
- Monitor Jaylen Brown’s usage: He’s playing 34 minutes a night. At some point, the fatigue might kick in.
- The Atlantic Division race: They are only 1.0 game behind the Knicks. Winning the division still matters for playoff seeding.
The Celtics win loss record right now reflects a team that has found its identity in the absence of its best player. They aren't the favorites anymore, and honestly, they seem to like it that way.
To stay ahead of the curve on the Eastern Conference standings, you should track the "Expected W-L" stats on sites like Basketball-Reference. Currently, the Celtics have an expected record of 27-12 based on their point differential. This suggests they’ve actually been a bit unlucky in close games. If that regression to the mean happens, expect a winning streak coming soon.
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Check the injury reports 2 hours before tip-off specifically for Sam Hauser and Derrick White. Their presence determines whether Boston has the spacing to win. Without them, the floor shrinks, and even Jaylen Brown can't save the day.