Bulpett: Celtics News: Rival Exec Questions Playoff Viability - Heavy.com
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GettySharing a few thoughts on the Boston Celtics just two games away from their season’s halftime…
After Saturday’s affair in Atlanta, they turn their skis toward the downhill 41 to the playoffs — a party many of those in the hoop cognoscenti believed they’d be able to enter only through the play-in door. Yet they’ve given up the gap year ghost, and even after consecutive losses by a combined seven points they woke up Tuesday third in the Eastern Conference, a game behind New York.
It’s enough to get a reporter hit repeatedly with the wide-eyed question of how far the Celts can go this season.
To this, we have questions of our own — and yours can’t be answered before these:
Will Jayson Tatum come back to play?
If so, how much time will it take for his obvious talents to blend with what is clearly a different rotational recipe than the one he left?
How will Jaylen Brown downshift at least slightly to accommodate the new (old) weapon?
And, perhaps most importantly, will there be any major changes to the Boston roster by the February 5th trade deadline? People talk about Anfernee Simons having value in the market (scoring talent and an expiring contract), but the development of some of the young guys has improved their worth in the marketplace, as well. And don’t forget there are still first- and second-apron concerns that could affect the decision making process.
But with all that being said — and asked — the rest of the league, while majorly impressed with what Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics have accomplished and established in terms of competitive fight, isn’t entirely sold on their postseason potential.
As one league exec told Heavy on Celtics, “It’s a whole different game in the playoffs. You get to focus in on your opponent — how you want to deal with their strengths and exploit their weaknesses. Boston deserves all the respect in the world for how hard they work and how they get contributions from so many people. But you’re not going to spend a whole lot of time preparing for them in the regular season, especially with how little we practice now.
“If they can do what they’re doing now when it gets to the playoffs, it’ll be the best story in basketball. But who knows what they’ll look like then? Who knows what any of us will look like? We’re all just one injury away from big trouble.”
Changes Have Led to Opportunities for Celtics Players Like Neemias Queta & Hugo Gonzalez
On the other hand, changes and injuries can lead to opportunities:
— Neemias Queta is playing better than most Celtic followers had a right to expect — and I think he’ll get even better with the fouling thing. But as a non-perimeter-shooting big, the Celts have had to move away from how they used the position with the versatility of Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford.
It’s in this area that Mazzulla has had to be most creative, as he looks to create the spacing he so craves.
— Did any of you think Hugo Gonzalez, 19 for three more weeks, would look this good right away?
Liar.
His numbers have been nice, and his hustle has gained him appreciation from the Celtics’ green collar fan base. Sure, hard work should be a given, particularly from a kid trying to fit in with a new team in a new country, though Gonzalez has taken it to a Dave Cowens kiss-the-parquet level.
But what caught my eye even at the start of the season was his grasp of the game. He sees the floor in a way that some never do or will. As is the case with reading a quarterback’s eyes, you can see Hugo’s thought process unfold quickly as the game pieces move around him. Whereas so many players exist quite well in their own world, this 6-foot-6 guy has a 30,000-foot view. He has a veteran-level ability to anticipate the flow — like, damn, he SAW that.
Right now, Gonzalez is earning his keep with hard defense and running to spots at the other end of the floor. But just wait until you see how an offense can flow through him as he gets more touches in the coming years.
As the Celtics navigate the aprons, Hugo is Brad Stevens’ ace in the salary cap hole.
What Does the Future Hold for Anfernee Simons?
It’s been interesting to see the perception of Celtic followers change regarding Simons — from anticipating that he’d be traded minutes after arriving to, hey, microwavable scoring off the bench is a fun thing to have.
If he makes it to the end of the season in Green, his unrestricted free agency will almost certainly price him out of town. But if the pieces align with Tatum’s health and a well-executed deal for size, Simons could be a very interesting part of springtime in Boston.
His shooting percentages are up, but his minutes are down more than 25 percent from last year in Portland. Still, he is a threat to go off at any moment and alter a game’s course.
I’m laughing as I bring back this enthusiastic preseason quote about Simons from an opposing exec: “As the kids say, he’s a bucket. He is. That dude is a bucket. He can really fill it up. And remember, he was averaging around 20 in the West. What do you think he’s going to do in the Eastern Conference, which is a LOT less competitive? How’s he not going to score and score big?”
Not to equate the two shooters beyond a relative sense, but as of this moment, Mazzulla is to Simons as Dean Smith was to that Jordan dude.
That’s understandable, considering the makeup of the rotation, but as defenses lock in on Jaylen Brown and, potentially, Tatum in the postseason, Simons could be making some of those handful of plays that Mazzulla likes to say decide the outcome.
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NBA Exec Warns Celtics ‘Deserves All the Respect’ But Questions Postseason Viability
Steve Bulpett Jan 13, 2026 at 3:15pm
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Vinny Natale
Jack Jemsek
as defenses lock in on Jaylen Brown and, potentially, Tatum in the postseason, Simons could be making some of those handful of plays that Mazzulla likes to say decide the outcome.
