Jaylen Brown’s A+ MVP candidacy and other midseason Celtics grades

ByNBAUSA



Halfway through the 2024-25 regular season Boston Celtics were 29-12 and did what was expected of them. The C’s were just six months removed from winning and were hoping to repeat as champions given their nearly identical roster.

Halfway through the 2025-26 regular season The Celtics are 26-15 and are exceeding expectations in every way. Boston lost multiple starters during the offseason, and Star forward Jayson Tatum suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon last Maymaking the 2024 title feel like eons ago and seriously hampering any chance of a 2026 banner.

Or at least that was the assumption.

The Celtics’ impressive record shows they overcame significant roster changes and regained their winning ways under a new identity. With Celtics star Jaylen Brown leads the way on the court and head coach Joe Mazzulla commanding the sidelines, Boston posted the second-best offensive rating in the entire NBA.

These aren’t just great stats either, as they translate into wins, and the Celtics currently hold the second seed in the Eastern Conference. To better understand how this stunning offense is performing — and why Boston is outstanding during a season it was expected to suffer through — let’s take a look at the Celtics’ top five scorers and rank their performances 41 games into the 2025-26 campaign.

Jailen Brown

Brown has already accomplished a lot during his illustrious 10-year NBA career, but even he is reaching new heights this season.

The 2024 NBA Finals MVP is averaging a career-high 29.7 points per game despite averaging more minutes in three other seasons, including last year. While his field goal attempts have obviously increased without Tatum around, his field goal percentage has not decreased. In fact, he’s shooting 49.1% from the floor, which is better than last season and just shy of his career-best 49.9% conversion rate from two years ago.

Brown has scored the fourth-most points of any player so far this season and is shooting a career-high 79.1 percent from the free throw line, an area of ​​his game that has previously struggled. And while the Georgia native wasn’t known as a shooter when he entered the league, he connected on 36.7% of his shots from beyond the arc — his best percentage since the 2020-21 season.

For his efforts, Brown was named an All-Star starter for the first time ever. He’s now a five-time All-Star, and it’s clearly deserved, as the Celtics’ offense depends on him and his defense on the other end is good enough to qualify him as one of the best two-way players in the game.

In short, with a lot of pressure and chances against an injured Celtics team, Brown delivered his best season yet.

Grade: A+

Celtic full-back Derrick White has also faced extra pressure this season. With Tatum out for an extended period of time, the 31-year-old was expected to remain consistent defensively while increasing his scoring output.

White has largely done just that, averaging a career-high 18.1 points per outing and playing over 34 minutes per game for the first time in his pro career. The only problem is its effectiveness. The former San Antonio Spur is shooting a career low 39.7% from the field and under 33% from deep to the boot.

However, what White offers has never been just about shooting. The Celtic favorite has made the eighth block of any player in the Association this season, and the most of any defender. His average of 1.5 blocks per game is a career high and highlights how excellent his rim protection has been for a Celtics team that lost a lot of size in the offseason.

White is by no means having a career year. However, his defensive presence and ability to stay healthy (he’s only missed one game so far) are critical for a shorthanded Green team.

Grade: B+

Reigning Sixth Man of the Year Peyton Pritchard is just coming off the best season of his life. So it’s no shock that his current year hasn’t been all that spectacular.

The Celtics point guard has moved into a starting role and is averaging a career-high 16.6 points per game while playing a career-high 32.7 minutes per outing. Like White, his shooting dropped a bit as his attempts increased. Pritchard’s 44.7% field goal percentage is his lowest since 2022-23, and he is shooting a career-worst 33.6% from 3-point range.

But his ball handling is still as good as ever. The six-year Celtic barely averages more than one turnover a contest despite his usage increasing, and he averages 5.4 assists per game, tied for the most by White on the Celtics this season.

While his shooting numbers aren’t as outstanding as usual, there’s reason to believe he’ll find a better bottom of the net in the second half of the season. Pritchard holds herself to high standards and is not one to lose confidence, no matter how long the slump lasts.

Grade: B

Boston boasts a long line of Sixth Man of the Year candidates, and guard Anfernee Simmons could be next.

The first-year Celtic is shooting 40.7% from deep and has bounced back quickly from a rough start to the season. He is shooting a season-high 49.2% from the floor in January and has scored in double figures in eight of his last nine games.

The former Portland Trail Blazer was used to the starting position, but has adjusted to coming off the bench for the Celtics. Simmons leads the NBA in scoring, and the Celtics are 12-0 when he scores 17 or more points this season.

Defense has always been considered the 26-year-old’s biggest weakness; however, Simmons stood his ground and over time earned Mazzula’s trust. And while his stats aren’t the best of his career due to his changed role, he still proved valuable to the Celtics, so much so that he may have taken himself off the trading market.

Grade: A-

Nehemiah Kueta

The Celtics knew what they were going to get from most of their returning players, but one of the biggest question marks surrounding the team was the top five.

Celtic center Neemias Kueta has largely solved that pre-season mystery. The former Boston player is now a full-time starter for the C’s, averaging career highs in minutes, points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals per game.

Cueta is shooting 66% from the field — the third-best percentage in the entire NBA — and has played as a reliable big man that the Celtics desperately need. In addition, the 7-footer has been a solid screen, keeps his fouls in check and owns the second-best net rating on the Green team behind rookie wing Hugo Gonzalez.

With all of this in mind, it’s not surprising that the game-to-game numbers reveal that Boston is significantly better when Cueta is on the court:

Cueta may have more to unlock with his game, having not hit a 3-pointer in the NBA, but he proved he is capable of doing so this summer during EuroBasket. Aside from the threes, Cueta has developed into a true professional with the Celtics, and his defense and rebounding are vital to their current (and future) success.

Grade: A





2026-01-19 22:43:00

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