The Boston Celtics have an impressive roster. Even though there were major changes in the offseason. Jayson Tatum is not on the active roster for the 2025-26 season, but head coach Joe Mazzula likes what he’s seeing with his team.
The Boston Celtics are attracting attention ahead of the 2025-26 season. This is strange, since the Celtics have long been the favorites. Unfortunately, Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury caused people to question the team’s strength.
Head coach Joe Mazzula remains confident in his squad, especially with Jaylen Brown taking on the responsibility of being the star player. In addition to him, the Celtics still have Derrick White and Payton Pritchard, who should also have big years.
Anfernee Simons is another new signing who could make a difference. Outside of the core group of players, Mazzula is confident that veteran Chris Boucher could also be an underrated player for the Celtics.
As a veteran with two championships under his belt, Boucher knows how to contribute to his team’s success. He may not be a star, but he knows how to play his role. For the Celtics, Boucher could be a useful player as he has strong traits on both ends of the floor.
Mazzula has a history of head coaches refraining from facing off against Boucher. Now they are on the same team, and as of 2023, Mazzula has long forgotten about the incident.
The Celtics head coach likes what he’s seen from the 32-year-old veteran. Throughout training camp and the preseason, Mazzula learned that the Celtics have an impressive depth of players with experience that Boucher can rely on.
“He’s been great. Anything basketball-wise. I’ve gotten to know him and his family off the court, and he just cares. He cares about winning, he cares about people, he takes pride in his work ethic,” Mazzulla said of Boucher in a press conference.
“There are a few guys who don’t play at all, whether it’s shootarounds or games, and this guy is one of them. It’s great to see that energy at 32 years old on and off the court.”
Even if the Celtics are not favorites to win the Eastern Conference this season, they do have a coach capable of leading them. They are not far from a successful team as they have already won the championship with Mazzura in 2024.
Tatum’s injury is serious, but there are rumors that he could return midway through the season. That’s wishful thinking for the Celtics, but the rest of the team is still very talented. Boucher was one of them, able to stretch the floor and protect the rim.
Despite being a rookie, Boucher gave his honest opinion about Mazzula. He believes they have the same character and they all want to win games and go far in the postseason, so this should be a good sign.
The Celtics are doing well with Mazzula at the helm. It’s time for them to make a mark, considering that most people’s attention is not on them. If they can stay under the radar and win consistently, they could be the team that helps the Celtics succeed.