The Boston Celtics wrapped up their 2026-27 preseason schedule with a perfect 4-0 record, capped by a 125-120 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on October 16. The exhibition games revealed a team building significant advantages on the glass and a more disruptive defensive identity as the regular season approaches.
Jayson Tatum appears to be back at his All-NBA level. In his two preseason appearances, he averaged 21.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game while shooting 48% from the field and 39% from three-point range. His two-man game with new center Mitchell Robinson was particularly effective, creating easy looks at the rim.
Tatum scored in all his typical ways, showing improved ability to split defenses on pick-and-rolls. His three-point shot was sharp and his defense was top notch. One area for growth is drawing more fouls; he attempted just one free throw across the two games. Increasing that number could easily boost his scoring average.
Two areas stood out: offensive rebounding and forcing turnovers. Head coach Joe Mazzulla emphasizes dominating the margins, and the offensive glass is a big one. Over four preseason games, Boston posted a league-best 38.2% offensive rebounding rate. Mitchell Robinson, arguably the NBA's best offensive rebounder, will boost this effort.
Defensively, the Celtics aim to be elite. In the two games the starters played, they held the Charlotte Hornets to an 89.4 offensive rating on October 14 and the 76ers to a 95.5 rating on October 16. More importantly, they forced turnovers at a high rate. Philadelphia coughed it up on 20.9% of possessions, and Charlotte had a staggering 28.8% turnover rate with 29 total giveaways. New addition Paul George, who had five steals against the Sixers, is central to this aggressive scheme.
The preseason provided a strong foundation, but the real tests begin now. Boston opens its 2026-27 regular season on the road against the Detroit Pistons on October 20. The team's early success will hinge on translating its preseason strengths-dominant rebounding and a turnover-forcing defense-into consistent regular-season performance. Fans can track the upcoming schedule on our schedule page.
The Celtics' other preseason victories included a 114-93 win over Charlotte on October 14, a 144-106 rout of Philadelphia on October 10, and a 124-113 victory in Cleveland on October 8. This 4-0 run, while just exhibition, builds clear momentum for the campaign ahead.
