A couple of years ago, the Boston Celtics looked like an unshakeable team. Success was rewarded by keeping the core intact. But after last season’s playoff performance, key pieces like Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, and Al Horford are all gone. Then, Jayson Tatum is still rehabbing. Last season, these players, including Jaylen Brown, started 281 games, and over the past two seasons, they combined for 584 starts. Now, at the start of the season, the Celtics are missing a core group that used to bring a lot of experience. So, Boston has to figure out a new lineup without that veteran continuity.

Celtics insiders Noa Dalzell and Bobby Manning were on the ground at the Celtics’ training camp on Day 3, giving fans a first look at what could be the team’s final starting five. Manning then noted, “I wasn’t surprised to see in the first seconds of the clip there, Pritchard, White, Hauser, Brown, Queta together.” Yes, the Celtics are making it obvious, but this isn’t the only core you get to see as the Celtics start the 2025/26 season.

Manning continued, “And before Boucher arrived, that to me was obvious, like who’s going to start for this team. I’m sure we’ll see different groups. I’m sure we’ll see them have injuries and things that change that unit throughout the year. But it makes sense to me, Wednesday in Memphis, that would be the group.” The reason this group is leading the pack?

Experience. These five have spent more time on the court together than anyone else on the roster, and it shows. Even Manning noted, “those are the guys who have played together the most, and those are the guys who have the most experience here in Boston.” NBC Sports Boston predicted weeks ago that a similar lineup could be key.

The report noted that over the last two seasons, these 5 players have logged 67 minutes together with a solid +9.6 net rating. Offensively, they’ve been electric, scoring at a 144 rating, hitting 41 percent of their threes, and boasting a 68.7 true shooting percentage. But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. When it comes to defense, this group has struggled.

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They’ve allowed 168 points over 125 defended possessions, with opponents getting to shoot 41.5 percent on threes and shooting 62.2 percent overall. So while they’re a scoring machine, the Celtics will need to tighten up at the other end if this five-man crew is going to dominate. Boston head coach Joe Mazzulla recently confirmed that one of them would definitely be locked in as a starter.

Sam Hauser. “He’s a great player,” Mazzulla said, pointing out that the Celtics have gone 32-8 in games Hauser has started during his career. That kind of track record makes him a reliable piece to build around. Pairing Hauser with Jaylen Brown gives the Celtics a solid offensive punch, while the backcourt depth with Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, and Anfernee Simons adds even more scoring options.

With Neemias Queta likely starting at center, this lineup could generate plenty of 3-point shots, keeping the offense flowing and balanced. The Celtics are all set with their roster to hit the court this Wednesday for their first preseason game against the Grizzlies. Wrapping up the first week of training camp, the verdict from the squad? “Fast.”

This season, the goal is simple: pace, pressure, and nonstop aggression. “Think of a NASCAR pit stop where you just don’t stop moving,” veteran forward Xavier Tillman explained. The team is leaning on its young core, staying quicker and more athletic, which makes this fresh starting five likely on the horizon.

Is Jayson Tatum coming back this season?

Talk about having a hard night. Jayson Tatum has been facing it for the last five months. Back in May, during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the New York Knicks, he tore his right Achilles and had surgery. Usually, injuries like this take around 9 to 12 months to heal, meaning most expected him to miss the entire season. But Tatum is not usual and is returning withing 5-6 months.

The 27-year-old spent his whole summer in Boston, treating his rehab like a full-time job. While he was expected to miss the season and return in 2026-27, recent updates hint otherwise. Being optimistic has definitely helped Tatum. But the Celtics are being cautious and not rushing in. Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated shared that people close to Tatum are “pumping the brakes pretty hard on the anticipation game because they know this injury is a tricky one. It’s a tricky one to fully recover from.”

Tatum himself recently told Mannix that after a recent on-court workout at the Auerbach Center, it was “the first time he’s felt like a basketball player again.” Clearly, he’s determined to return as soon as possible, rehabbing six days a week and keeping a date circled on his calendar for when he wants to step back into action.

Adding to the excitement and speculation, Tatum was recently spotted back at his old stomping grounds at Duke for Countdown to Craziness. Between his viral workout videos and his presence at Duke, it’s clear Tatum is pushing hard to get back, and if he returns this season, it would be nothing short of remarkable.