Boston Celtics season preview: Opening schedule, win projection and everything to know for 2026-27

The 2026-27 NBA season is here! Check out our team previews, including power rankings, best- and worst-case scenarios, and fantasy advice.

East:Atlanta Hawks • Boston Celtics • Brooklyn Nets • Charlotte Hornets • Chicago Bulls • Cleveland Cavaliers • Detroit Pistons • Indiana Pacers • Miami Heat • Milwaukee Bucks • New York Knicks • Orlando Magic • Philadelphia 76ers • Toronto Raptors • Washington Wizards

West:Dallas Mavericks • Denver Nuggets • Golden State Warriors • Houston Rockets • LA Clippers • Los Angeles Lakers • Memphis Grizzlies • Minnesota Timberwolves • New Orleans Pelicans • Oklahoma City Thunder • Phoenix Suns • Portland Trail Blazers • Sacramento Kings • San Antonio Spurs • Utah Jazz

BOSTON CELTICS2025-26 finish

Record: 56-26 (2nd in the East, lost 4-3 in first round to 76ers)

Offseason moves

Draft: Chris Cenac Jr. (No. 27), Dillon Mitchell (No. 40)

Signings: Ron Harper Jr. (re-signed for 3 years, $9 million), Amari Williams (re-signed to two-way contract), Mike Conley Jr. (1 year, $3.8 million), Mitchell Robinson (3 years, $47 million), Neemias Queta (4-year, $56 million extension), Jordan Walsh (3-year, $15 million extension)

Trades:Paul George (from 76ers)

Key departures:Jaylen Brown (traded to 76ers), Nikola Vučević (signed with Magic)

Current roster

Jayson Tatum has a new co-star in Boston. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)Maddie Meyer via Getty ImagesPreseason Power Rankings: No. 9

What's exciting: Could this be the best version of Jayson Tatum we've ever seen? There's no ambiguity that it's his team now, so it'll be fascinating to see how he handles that responsibility. But it's also possible that Tatum's usage stays close to the same and it's a committee of players that fill what's lost from Brown. Will Derrick White have a bounceback year? He forgot how to shoot last year, but he could have refound it this summer. Could Payton Pritchard take a leap? Last season, Pritchard averaged 26.7 points and 7.6 assists per 75 possessions without Brown on the floor. What will Baylor Scheierman or Hugo González look like with more chances? And could George end up having a healthy season that builds on his strong finish in Philadelphia? There are a lot of paths for the Celtics to end up even better.

What's concerning: The big concern in Boston entering last season was the center position. Even though Robinson was signed, that's still the case now. Queta had a good season but really struggled against Joel Embiid in the first round by logging 4.1 fouls in 21.7 minutes per game. Robinson is a historically injury-prone player and had his minutes managed by the Knicks. I have no concerns about Joe Mazzulla finding the best ways to replace Brown, but the center spot remains a question. — Kevin O'Connor 

Preseason Power Rankings: How all 30 teams stack up ahead of 2026-27

Fantasy watch

The battle that matters here is Neemias Queta versus Mitchell Robinson, because Queta was a top-75 9-cat guy last year. How much does Mitchell threaten that ceiling? A lot, potentially. Same profile (boards, blocks with minimal usage) and direct minutes competition; I project Queta wins the job outright, but if not, that ADP could be looking suspect. The offset is Robinson himself. He's always banged up, so even in a timeshare Queta should play more games overall. Oh — and will Baylor Scheierman start at shooting guard? — Dan Titus

Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Basketball league for the 2026-27 NBA season

2026-27 schedule

Opening week: 10/20 at Pistons, 10/23 vs. Knicks

Complete schedule

Betting perspective

51.5 — win total

+225 to win division

+1400 to win NBA Finals

Best case, worst case

Best case: No. 1 seed

The Celtics already have the (regular season) formula down: suppress turnovers, win the glass, take a ton of 3s, and keep their opponents off the free throw line. Staying true to those principles, paired with (or at least, headlined by) an MVP-caliber season from Tatum, feels like an easy-to-envision pathway to the East's top seed.

Worst case: No. 6 seed

There's a level of production needed from the big-name wings (Tatum, George) for this team to reach its ceiling. Injury woes to either would limit the floor, and I do have mild concerns about how jumper-dependent the team may be. — Nekias Duncan