New year, same Celtics

The Boston Celtics remain one of the NBA’s hottest teams, winning their sixth game in their last seven on Wednesday night, beating the Kings 120-106 in Sacramento.

Celtics exceeding expectations

Not long ago, 2025 looked like a year Boston would rather erase from memory. Jayson Tatum’s playoff injury ended any realistic hopes of defending the 2024 championship, even though the Knicks, who eventually knocked them out, did not make it easy. With their franchise star facing a long recovery, the Celtics made a clear financial decision over the summer, moving on from key pieces of that title team to cut costs. Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and Al Horford were all gone.

Everything pointed to a transition year. The expectation was a team stuck near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, chasing lottery odds while waiting for Tatum to return. Instead, Boston closed out 2025 far better than anyone predicted, sitting third in the East after winning far more games than projected.

Boston carries momentum into 2026

That momentum has carried straight into the new year. The Celtics opened 2026 with a road win in Sacramento against a Kings team that, at this point, can safely be described as one of the league’s worst. Sacramento entered the night second to last in the West at 8-26, had lost nine of its previous 11 games, and was coming off a 41-point blowout loss to the Clippers.

Still, the Kings did not go quietly. Boston trailed for much of the first half before sneaking into the locker room with a slim 62-61 lead. The Celtics looked ready to pull away early in the third quarter, scoring the first seven points and building an eight-point cushion, but Sacramento answered with an 11-0 run to swing the lead back. By the time the fourth quarter began, the game was tied at 88.

Derrick White flips the switch

That was when Derrick White took over. Through three quarters, White had just two points on 1-for-6 shooting. Over the final 12 minutes, he erupted for 14 points. His three-pointer gave Boston a 93-90 lead, and moments later, with the Celtics up four, back-to-back threes from Jaylen Brown and White in a 27-second span pushed the margin to double digits.

From there, the outcome was no longer in doubt. Even Brown fouling out with more than two minutes left did not change the script. The All-Star guard finished as the game’s leading scorer with 29 points, adding 10 rebounds and four assists.

Depth continues to define the Celtics

Boston once again showcased its depth, with seven players scoring in double figures. Payton Pritchard had 16, Sam Hauser added 15 while knocking down five of seven from three-point range, Anfernee Simons scored 14, Neemias Queta chipped in 13, and Luka Garza finished with 11.

Hugo González did not reach double digits, scoring just three points on a single made three-pointer, but his impact went well beyond scoring. In 19 minutes, he posted a team-best plus-20, along with six rebounds, one assist, one steal, and a steady stream of winning plays that have quickly become his calling card.

The Celtics remain third in the Eastern Conference, two wins behind the Knicks for second place and three and a half games back of the Pistons, who are currently leading the East despite not playing their best basketball of the season. For Boston, it is hard to imagine things going much better.

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