The Daily Sports Page

The Boston Celtics enter the 2026-27 season under a markedly different roster after trading Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason. Boston finished 58-26 last year and was eliminated by Philadelphia in the first round of the playoffs. Joe Mazzulla remains the head coach in his fifth season, holding a 238-90 record with the franchise, and the Celtics open the regular season on Oct. 20 at Detroit.

Several veteran departures reshape Boston’s lineup: forward Jaylen Brown, center Nikola Vucevic and forward Anfernee Simons are gone. Incoming additions include forward Paul George, center Mitchell Robinson and guard Mike Conley Jr., moves that leave only a few pieces from the core of the 2023-24 championship team intact.

Jayson Tatum is the clear on-court anchor following rehabilitation from a ruptured right Achilles tendon; he missed all but 16 regular-season games and did not play in Game 7 of the playoff series because of knee stiffness. Paul George, at 36, arrives healthy after a strong playoff showing with the 76ers last season. Mitchell Robinson brings upgraded rim protection and additional options at center; Neemias Queta is expected to remain the starter with support available from Robinson and Luka Garza.

The coaching staff faces a task integrating new players and adjusting an offense that has previously leaned heavily on 3-point shooting. Mazzulla comes into the season with a recent example of getting the most from his roster when the team played without Tatum during his recovery last season. Role players to monitor include Derrick White, who adjusted his shooting mechanics after a difficult shooting year, and Payton Pritchard, who started a career-high 50 games last season and posted career bests of 17.0 points, 5.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds after winning the 2024-25 NBA Sixth Man of the Year award; Hugo Gonzalez is also entering his second NBA season.