The Celtics Just Won 10 of 12 and Nobody's Stopping Them From Banner 19

The Boston Celtics are playing some of the most dangerous basketball in the entire NBA right now, and they're doing it exactly when it matters most. After that ugly loss to Minnesota on March 22nd that dropped them to just a one-game lead in the race for the 2 seed, they made a choice: let it slide, or fight back. They fought back. Hard.

Since then, it's been almost impossible to watch. Ten wins in their last 12 games, with 10 of those 11 coming with Jayson Tatum actually in the lineup. Five of those wins came against playoff teams, and none were even remotely close. The only loss on this run? A back-to-back on the road. Now they're sitting three games ahead of the Knicks in the loss column with just four games left to play. The Cavs? Four games back. The seeding race that looked shaky six weeks ago is basically done.

Tatum Is Playing Like a First-Team All-NBA Monster

Here's what's actually wild: Jayson Tatum is only 14 games back from an Achilles injury, and he's performing at a level that frankly shouldn't be possible this soon. Yeah, he missed the 65-game mark so All-NBA is off the table, but come on. Look at what we're actually watching.

Another 20/5/5 night (only Jokic has more this season), and his rebounding numbers since the return? Playoff Tatum energy already. You know how every postseason Tatum flips a switch and averages 30/10/6? That's basically what we're seeing right now, especially lately, as he gets back into real game shape: 26/12/8. He's racked up 9 double-doubles in his first 14 games back. Let that sink in.

The pull-up 3-pointer, the most important shot in the entire Celtics offense? He's hitting at 48.0% over the last four games on 6.3 attempts per night. Go back ten games and it's 40.7% on nearly six a night. That's the shot that tells you when Tatum is fully locked in, and he's locked in.

Fully Healthy and Peaking at the Right Time

Both Tatum and Vucevic are now back in the lineup, which means theoretically the Celtics can get even better than what we're already watching. And what we're already watching is one of the best teams in the entire NBA. The schedule down the stretch looks like it could be tough on paper, but Boston has turned it into a showcase. These remaining games against teams they might face in the playoffs? Those reps matter. That information matters.

The early results are pretttayyy good. With games against Charlotte, New York, New Orleans, and Orlando to close it out, the focus shifts. A couple more wins should lock in the seeding. After that, it becomes about one thing only: health. Get through the final games clean, rest during the Play-In, and then the hunt for Banner 19 officially begins.

Crazy to think we're already here in early April with the Celtics staring at 53+ wins and a top-two seed locked in. But that's sports, baby.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.