Boston Celtics
“50 wins in a gap year.”
The Celtics didn’t need Jaylen Brown or Derrick White on Sunday to beat Charlotte. Barry Chen/The Boston Globe
It didn’t take long for the Celtics to leave the court at the Charlotte Spectrum Center on Sunday Jaylen Brown To take it to social media.
Brown – who missed Sunday’s road game against the Hornets with left Achilles tendinitis – enjoyed Boston’s record after the Celtics took down one of the league’s hottest teams, 114-99.
“50 wins in a gap year,” Brown said on X, adding a shamrock emoji.
For all the talk about the Celtics staring at a lost season in 2025-26 next Jayson TatumAfter an Achilles tendon injury and the loss of several key players last season, Boston has not lost its status as a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference.
Boston’s win over Charlotte not only improved the Celtics’ record to 50-24, but also secured a playoff berth, with Boston advancing to the postseason for the 12th straight year.
It is the longest active playoff series across the NBA.
Boston has now reached the 50-win mark for five straight years as well.
“It’s just a testament to the alignment of our organization and the players,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzola he said of the 50-win streak during NBC Sports Boston’s postgame coverage. “We have changed players over the last five years in many different ways.
“But winning is still the most important thing. It’s a small accomplishment. I can’t say it’s a real definition of success, but it’s a definition of consistency.”
Although the Celtics still have work to do when it comes to boosting their playoff seeding in the next few weeks, Boston has remained on the court as one of the best teams in the league throughout the year.
Not only was Brown sidelined Sunday, but guard Derrick White also missed the game with a right knee contusion.
Despite those two starters being ruled out, Tatum had his best game since returning from a ruptured Achilles tendon. He scored a season-high 32 points in just 31 minutes.
“He was very efficient with his movements, got into his groove, and looked like JT tonight,” Payton Pritchard, who had 28 points, six rebounds and six assists, said of Tatum. “He’s a killer. Very encouraging. We know that if we want to win a championship, we need him at a high level. It’s definitely encouraging and he’s getting better every game and he looks more and more like himself.”
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