The Boston Celtics have been a consistent winner over the last decade.
Despite dealing with a lot of injuries (and a much different roster) as of late, the Celtics still remain one of the elite teams in the league.
Jayson Tatum has yet to play in a game this season.
That said, one of the biggest reasons for their strong play has been the output of All-Star forward Jaylen Brown.
LeBron James Made His Feelings Clear About The Boston Celtics
Recently, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James spoke about the Celtics (via Mind the Game).
James: “They’re not giving up on the season, which a lot of people was talking… They still have championship DNA, they still have guys on the team that won the championship and they still got a championship coach… This is a team that over the last few years have led the league in three-point attempts per game.”
The Celtics are currently the second seed in the Eastern Conference with a 35-19 record in 54 games.
They have won seven out of their last ten games (and are 18-9 at home).
Last season, the Celtics lost to the New York Knicks in the second round of the 2025 NBA playoffs (in six games).
Lebron on the Celtics this season:
“They just assigned JT to the Maine team, it’s looking like he’s ramping up to play this year… they still have championship DNA and they have a championship coach… they didn’t throw in the towel this season when everyone thought they were.” pic.twitter.com/okEoNXGl9g
— jb (@lockedupjb) February 17, 2026
Jayson Tatum is coming off a season where he had averages of 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.1 steals per contest while shooting 45.2% from the field.
Therefore, it’s very impressive the way they have been able to collectively replace his production.
If Tatum comes back, they have an excellent chance to win their second title in three years.
Jayson Tatum with a message as he reached the 40-week mark in his rehab ❤️
(📹: @jaytatum0) pic.twitter.com/wo72fbA5AK
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 17, 2026
On the other side, James and the Lakers are the fifth seed in the Western Conference with a 33-21 record in 54 games.
They have won six out of their last ten (and are 18-11 on the road).
On February 22, the Lakers will host the Celtics in Los Angeles.
Brad Stevens and Co. rank 2nd in CBS Sports’ power rankings for the best front offices in the NBA — only trailing the Thunder
“The nine months or so they’ve had since losing Jayson Tatum to a torn Achilles have been basically flawless.” — @SamQuinnCBS pic.twitter.com/gs4lfibmfe
— SleeperCeltics (@SleeperCeltics) February 17, 2026
James is in his 23rd season (and eighth playing for the Lakers).
He has also spent time with the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers.
