BOSTON (WHDH) – With a big win on the road against the Charlotte Hornets Sunday night, the Boston Celtics have clinched a playoff spot for the 12th straight season and are yet again an NBA finals contender.
The team is in a strong spot as the two seed with eight games to go in the regular season.
On Sunday, Jayson Tatum scored 32 points, Payton Pritchard scored 28 points, and the Celtics defeated the Hornets 114-99 for their third straight victory.
“I think it’s a testament to the alignment of the organization and the players,” said Celtics Head Coach Joe Mazzulla. “We’ve shifted players over the last five years a bunch of different ways, but winning still remains the most important thing. It’s a minor milestone, I wouldn’t say that it’s a true definition of success, but I think it’s the definition of consistency.”
The playoffs seamed to be a distant thought for the team when the season began, with Tatum expected to be out long-term while recovering from tearing his right Achilles tendon in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals in 2025. Tatum eventually returned earlier this month, 10-months after suffering that injury.
The 28-year-old’s absence forced a number of new names to step up to the delight of Celtics’ General Manager Brad Stevens, who believed it could happen before the season began.
“Let’s see what this team looks like, let’s put our very best foot forward,” Stevens said in September 2025. “Let’s let Joe, the staff, the players, let’s all work to maximize ourself and with an attitude of no ceilings, no limitations, and go after it.”
Jaylen Brown even poked fun at some of the team’s doubters, posting on social media after a game he did not play in: “50 wins in a gap year.”
Now the team is celebrating a season that will stretch into the playoffs like the 11 that came before it.
“I think that starts with the players that put on the jersey, and have an understanding that winning is the most important thing, and how serious they take it. So I think a lot of it has to do with them,” Mazzulla said.
The 12-year postseason streak is the third longest all-time in franchise history. The Celtics also have 19-year and 14-year streaks.
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