As the teams get ready to fight for playoff spots and many are trying to secure the best possible seeding, while others already have one foot in the next season, clear-cut favorites are starting to profile themselves in each respective conference. Even though most of the talk around league circles still has the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder as the main favorite, teams like the Denver Nuggets and the surging Detroit Pistons can also be heard mentioned among that elite group.
However, according to Reggie Miller , everybody is sleeping on the Boston Celtics . Sure, they might not have their nominally best player at the moment, Jayson Tatum , but even without him, they are just as dangerous to shake things up in the East when the postseason rolls around.
"I'm gonna say this: with or without Tatum, even if Tatum doesn't come back, the Celtics are the scariest team in the Eastern Conference," Miller emphasized in his latest appearance on "Dan Patrick Show."
"And the reason being is there's no expectations, because people thought this was going to be a gap year, without Tatum. And that way that Jaylen Brown , his name certainly should be in the MVP discussion along with Cade Cunningham…" he continued.
With Tatum sidelined since the start of the season due to the Achilles tear he suffered in last year's playoffs, there has been one guy who stepped out of the bunch and kept them afloat. Of course, we are talking about Jaylen Brown .
JB has been the driving force behind this Celtics squad that many believed would fight just for a playoff ticket before the season.
Considering they lost their superstar and unloaded key championship pieces like Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis , it seemed like a logical chain of events. However, Brown showed why he is the 2024 Finals MVP and turned on the jets to provide the boost that was needed after such a heavy offseason hit.
Jaylen's performances have legitimately placed him in the wider circle of the MVP conversation. With Joe Mazzulla calling the shots from the sidelines and the reliable impact of Derrick White and Payton Pritchard , the Celtics have all the tools to make serious noise in the wide-open Eastern Conference.
"I'm just telling people… 'People, pay attention to Boston.' And if Tatum comes back, it will be a seamless transition," Miller further argued.
Now, the question remains: will Tatum suit up again this season, either in the regular part of the year or the playoffs?
All recent reports suggest that he is getting closer to that long-awaited return to action. And although many believe his comeback could potentially hamper the trajectory the squad has built without him, the Hall of Famer strongly disagrees. Miller thinks they are already strong enough to push toward the Finals, and adding Tatum would only be the cherry on top.
JT has been with the team the entire time. He sees how they are playing without him, and he definitely would not force himself back into the saddle if it was not necessary. If anything, his presence would elevate what is already working.
The Celtics are now sitting in second place in the Conference with a 38-19 record, and Miller warns that they could be the overlooked team that makes it all the way.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Feb 25, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
