The Boston Celtics blew a 3-1 series lead to the Philadelphia 76ers and lost Game 7 at TD Garden. At home. To a seven seed. For a franchise built on banners, this collapse was a rare low point, especially since they’ve beaten the Sixers in every playoff series since 1982.
Jayson Tatum didn’t play in the season-ending loss because of a knee injury, but this outcome was less about his absence and more about the Celtics not having the roster equipped for a deep postseason run. In fantasy, the Celtics remain one of the better franchises, with five players ranking in the top 100 across points in category leagues. Let’s recap Boston’s season and peek into what’s ahead.
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Jaylen Brown was ready
Jaylen Brown rightfully emerged as Boston’s rock, earning All-Star, All-NBA and MVP attention while carrying the team through most of the season without his co-pilot, Tatum. Brown flew past his third-round ADP in High Score, finishing 9th in per-game value, averaging 50 fantasy points per game. In 9-cat, he was dinged for giving the ball away 3.6 times per game, but he would’ve been a top-30 player if punting turnovers. It was a career year for JB after posting 29-7-5 with 48/34/80 shooting splits. He’s well worth a third-round pick next year, too.
Tatum defied the odds and became a league winner
Tatum was the second-most rostered player on the top-500 public Yahoo teams after returning for the final month of the NBA season. Not only did he play over 30 minutes a night, but he was effective in those minutes, averaging 22 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists across 16 games. There was considerable rust on his jump shot, as he connected on just 41% of his FG attempts and 33% of his 3s. Still, the fantasy managers who scooped him up before his return legitimately got a league-winner. Tatum performed at a second-round value in High Score and 9-cat formats.
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Though Tatum missed Game 7 with a knee injury, having a full offseason to strengthen his legs and work on his shooting stroke will be great for his long-term outlook. I’d feel comfortable selecting him as a first- or early-second-round pick next season.
Derrick White and Pritchard hold it down
Among role players, Derrick White continued to provide elite steals, blocks and threes, cementing his value as a two-way guard and reliable fantasy starter. Payton Pritchard broke out in a starting role, showcasing shooting and playmaking that should secure him a lucrative extension this summer and keep his fantasy outlook stable. Neemias Queta also grew into a dependable rotation big, finishing 75th in 9-cat leagues, while Nikola Vučević struggled during his tenure with Boston. I doubt Vučević returns, which makes his fantasy value uncertain as the offseason approaches.
Final thoughts
Boston now enters a pivotal offseason. Pritchard’s contract situation will be one to watch, but he’s likely to be retained at a reasonable price and sustain his seventh-round value in fantasy. Queta is also eligible for an extension and should see an uptick in playing time with Vooch gone. Queta went undrafted in 85% of leagues, but with his defense and low-end double-double potential, he’s trending towards a top-80 guy next season.
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The front office has done a great job of moving money around to get under the aprons. However, the bench depth is weak, and it showed in their first-round exit. It might be time to do something bold — like trade Derrick White in order to build out the roster beyond Tatum, Brown and Pritchard. As it stands, we can trust Brown, Tatum, White, Pritchard and Queta will be top 100 fantasy picks heading into 2026-27.