Why Celtics are going to win Eastern Conference after Game 1 flex vs. 76ers

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Why Celtics are going to win Eastern Conference after Game 1 flex vs. 76ers

Colin Loughran, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Tue, Apr 21, 2026 ·

4 min read

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By almost all accounts, this season was supposed to be a gap year for the Boston Celtics . Head coach Joe Mazzulla and All-Star Jayson Tatum clearly did not receive the memo.

After dismantling the Philadelphia 76ers 123-91, the Celtics made a serious case that they are the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. All-Stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined for 51 points and led the team to a convincing opening salvo.

Despite only getting Tatum back from a devastating Achilles tear recently, the Celtics have shown they’re a real threat. The 28-year-old’s shocking comfort and the team’s well-established culture could be the two factors that spur a trip to the NBA Finals.

Many may now be praising them, but it is clear that Boston refuses to take their eyes off the prize as the tournament heats up.

“At the end of the day, you know, we work for the Celtics,” Mazzulla told reporters. “We have the best job in the world…I mean, this place will be around. This place was around before me, it’s going to be around way after me, and I hope they’re much better in the future than we are right now…Praise is just as dangerous as criticism. You just have to remind yourself that neither one lasts too long and really at the end of the day, they’re going to forget about you eventually.”

Jayson Tatum has looked better than many expected

Across 16 regular-season contests, Tatum averaged 32.6 minutes, 21.8 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 5.3 assists. While his minutes and scoring dipped, given that the team was attempting to grant a proper runway back from recovery, he never appeared far from his typical level.

It could be said that Tatum has looked better each time he’s taken the floor since returning. During Sunday’s game against Philadelphia , the St. Louis native collected 25 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists while shooting 9-of-17 from the field.

Teammates have taken note of Tatum’s progress, and may be a driving force behind their overall chemistry.

“It’s pretty nuts how far he’s come and how fast he’s gotten back,” said forward Sam Hauser . “It just shows how determined and committed he was to his rehab and wanting to get back, and the belief he had in us — the chance we have to hopefully make a deep run — so it’s pretty impressive what he’s doing.”

The Celtics’ culture is well established

Fans and pundits could always debate where Mazzulla ranks among the NBA’s elite coaches. But he’s helped cultivate a culture strong enough to endure any setback.

This is not solely Mazzulla’s doing, but players like Tatum and Brown, who were with the franchise while Brad Stevens and Ime Udoka were at the helm, have bought into his intense style.

Such a dynamic was critical earlier this season when the contingent did not know whether or not Tatum would be able to come back. Even with Brown experiencing an MVP-like campaign, Boston had to play a scrappy brand of basketball that would allow them a chance to stay towards the top of the standings.

“We’ve been the harder-playing team all year,” Brown told Ben Rohrbach of Yahoo Sports. “That can’t change now that the playoffs have started. It’s just honing in on the details and winning the fight.”

The Celtics won a title in 2024 as the best team in the association. Their path towards a similar outcome has looked much different this season, but the organization’s security has remained steady enough for Mazzulla to wonder if the league’s Coach of the Year award should be repurposed.

“If it were Staff of the Year, it’s different, if it were Organization of the Year – but at the end of the day, I haven’t made one basket all year,” Mazzulla told Noa Dalzall of CelticsBlog.com. “Our staff hasn’t made a basket. We haven’t gotten a block. We haven’t ran back on defense. We didn’t play in a back-to-back. We didn’t have to play hurt. We haven’t really done s**t. So, if you don’t have the guys to be able to put you in position, it doesn’t really matter. I’m just grateful – the greatest gift I have is I get to coach a bunch of guys that care about winning and being a part of the culture that we have.”

When push comes to shove, the Celtics might be the most talented team in the East, but it will be their players’ grit and connectivity that will determine how far they go this spring.

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