The Boston Celtics had an unpredictable, somewhat unprecedented season when looking at the big picture.
They upset most predictions — by a lot! — and finished near the top of the Eastern Conference. They were led all season by Jaylen Brown, the 10-year pro who put together his best season and one of the best in franchise history.
In the second-to-final month of the regular season, the Celtics welcomed back Jayson Tatum from a 10-month rehabilitation after a torn Achilles tendon.
At midseason, Boston made a trade for the aging-but-skilled Nikola Vucevic, indicating an aggressive pursuit of a deep postseason run.
Big man Neemias Queta exploded as a Most Improved Player candidate.
So many positives to take away from the season.
Yet so many negatives to take away from how the season ended.
After a stunning blown 3-1 lead in the first round of the playoffs, many are left wondering what changes are brewing in Boston.
And, as is often the case when a supposedly contending team finishes way short of expectations, all eyes turn to the head coach.
Boston Celtics Make Stance Clear on Head Coach for 2026-27 Season
The Celtics’ season ended on a sour note. Losing a 3-1 lead, whether it’s the 10th seed that made it out of the play-in or the top seed in the conference, is never comfortable.
GettyJaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics.
After storming past the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 4 of the first round, Boston looked invincible.
Two straight road games, two straight dominant wins.
Now all the Celtics had to do was go back home and wait to celebrate with their fans by the end of the night.
Wrong.
Brutal losses in Games 5 and 6 sent the series to a Game 7 in TD Garden. That was where head coach Joe Mazzulla tried a funky new lineup in the gravely ill-timed absence of Jayson Tatum. Perhaps it wasn’t the best time to experiment, but some would also argue in defense of the 37-year-old coach.
Yes, ending the season on a Game 7 home loss after possessing a 3-1 lead is brutal. But it appears Mazzulla, a championship-winning head coach, will retain his position with the Celtics.
According to Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe, Mazzulla’s job is safe for next season.
“Despite the dispiriting loss to the 76ers, all indications are that Mazzulla will be back next season, too,” Himmelsbach wrote. “He is expected to be named NBA Coach of the Year in the coming days.”
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It was a bad, frustrating, tormenting loss. Be that as it may.
But Mazzulla is worthy of applause for the job he did with the Celtics when considering the totality of the 2025-26 season.
Boston was picked to downright suffer without Tatum, who ruptured his Achilles tendon 12 months ago in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Plenty of experts predicted the Celtics would win no more than 45 games.
Mazzulla instead coached his team to the kind of season that convinced most by the second quarter of the season that the Celtics were contenders.
Many envisioned the teams East would once again have to go through Boston to reach the NBA Finals. Of course, that prognosis was wrong, but there is still something to be said about winning 56 games darn games.
With a fully healthy Tatum back in the mix next season, the Celtics will be right back in the fold as a popular choice to win the Eastern Conference barring sweeping changes this summer.
Celtics Make Major Decision on Next Season’s Head Coach After Playoff Collapse