Man, watching the Celtics right now is a total roller coaster. One night they're dropping 146 on the Clippers, and the next they’re losing a 98-96 heartbreaker to a Pacers team they should’ve probably handled. If you’ve been refreshing your phone for NBA scores Boston Celtics lately, you know exactly what I mean. It’s inconsistent. It’s frustrating. But honestly? It’s also kind of fascinating to see how Joe Mazzulla is keeping this boat afloat.
The big elephant in the room is Jayson Tatum. He’s been out since that brutal Achilles surgery, and let’s be real—you don’t just "replace" an MVP candidate. You basically just pray Jaylen Brown goes nuclear every night.
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The State of the Scoreboard: January 2026
If we’re looking at the raw data, the Celtics are currently sitting at 24-15. That puts them 3rd in the Eastern Conference, trailing behind those surprisingly gritty Detroit Pistons (28-10) and the New York Knicks (25-14).
They just finished a rough little stretch. On January 10th, they dropped a close one to the Spurs, 100-95. Then, just a few days ago on Monday the 12th, they lost that 98-96 nail-biter in Indiana. It’s been a "two steps forward, one step back" kind of month. They did beat Toronto 125-117 on January 9th, which felt like they were finding their rhythm, but the consistency just isn't there yet.
Jaylen Brown is essentially carrying the entire offensive burden. He’s averaging 29.5 points per game. That’s elite. But when he has an off night, or when teams double-team him the second he crosses half-court, things get dicey. In that Pacers loss, Brown was actually out with back spasms, and you could feel the void. Derrick White stepped up with 18 points, but shooting 7-for-21 isn't going to win you many games in today's NBA.
Who is actually playing?
The roster looks a bit different than what we’re used to. Here’s the current vibe on the floor:
- Jaylen Brown: The undisputed Alpha right now.
- Derrick White: Doing everything. Blocks, steals, and somehow leading the team in minutes (34.3 per game).
- Payton Pritchard: He’s been a spark plug, averaging about 17 points and over 5 assists.
- Anfernee Simons: A huge mid-season addition. He’s been coming off the bench lately but scoring in bunches—he had 16 in the Pacers game.
- Neemias Queta: The surprise of the season. He’s 7-feet of pure energy, averaging nearly a double-double over the last two weeks.
Why the Celtics Scores Look Like a Heart Monitor
Why are they so up and down? It’s the defense. Or rather, the lack of a consistent defensive anchor with Tatum out.
Statistically, they have the 2nd best opponent points per game (110.1), which sounds great on paper. But look closer at the losses. When they lose, they’re often giving up massive runs in the fourth quarter. They play at the slowest pace in the entire league—literally 30th out of 30 teams. They’re trying to grind out wins, which works when shots are falling, but leaves zero margin for error.
Take the game against Denver on January 7th. A 114-110 loss. They played "correct" basketball for 44 minutes, then the wheels just fell off. Without that superstar "closer" gravity that Tatum provides, the offense gets stagnant. Everyone stands around watching Jaylen, and if the refs aren't blowing the whistle, the lead evaporates.
Injuries are the real story
It isn't just Tatum. Josh Minott has been sidelined with a nasty ankle sprain—he's expected to miss tonight's game in Miami too. Sam Hauser has been dealing with hamstring issues. When your rotation is this thin, you start seeing heavy minutes for guys like Luke Garza and Baylor Scheierman. They're fine players, but they aren't who you want guarding Bam Adebayo on a Thursday night in South Beach.
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What's Next on the Calendar?
If you’re tracking NBA scores Boston Celtics for the rest of the month, the schedule isn't doing them any favors. They are in the middle of a road-heavy stretch that will test their depth.
- January 15: at Miami Heat. This is huge. Miami is 21-19 and desperate to climb the standings.
- January 17: at Atlanta Hawks. Trae Young usually smells blood when the Celtics' perimeter defense is hobbled.
- January 19: at Detroit Pistons. This is the big one. The Pistons are leading the East. If Boston wins this, it sends a message.
- January 21: vs Indiana Pacers. A chance for revenge at TD Garden after that two-point loss on Monday.
Actionable Insights for Celtics Fans
Keep an eye on the injury report about two hours before tip-off. Specifically, look for Jaylen Brown's status. He’s officially "off" the injury report for the Miami game, which is a massive relief for Celtics fans. Without him, the offense is basically Derrick White and vibes.
Also, watch Neemias Queta’s minutes. If he’s playing 30+ minutes, it usually means the Celtics are winning the rebounding battle. If he’s in foul trouble early, they tend to struggle against physical teams like Miami and Indiana.
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Basically, expect a bumpy ride until April. The goal right now isn't the #1 seed—it's just staying healthy and keeping a top-4 spot so they have home-court advantage when the playoffs start. Check the scores, but don't panic over a January loss in Indy. This team is still dangerous, just a little bruised.
Monitor the betting lines for the "Under" on total points. Since the Celtics play at the slowest pace in the league and have a top-tier defense, their games often end up being low-scoring grinds. This is especially true on the second half of back-to-backs when the legs get heavy.