Ranking Celtics' top competitors in East after NBA All-Star break originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Editor’s note: From now through the end of the regular season, we will be ranking the toughest competition for the Celitcs in their quest to get back to the NBA Finals.
The Boston Celtics have exceeded pretty much all expectations so far in the 2025-26 NBA season.
They are second in the Eastern Conference standings with a 36-19 record and one of three teams ranked top eight in both offensive and defensive rating.
Jaylen Brown is among the top candidates for league MVP. He is averaging a career-high 29.2 points per game, but his impact this season goes far beyond scoring.
The C’s are legit, and if Jayson Tatum comes back from an Achilles injury, Boston will be one of the title favorites when the playoffs arrive in April.
Who are the top competitors for the Celtics in the East right now? Let’s rank the top three, along with a few wild cards.
1. Detroit Pistons
Record: 41-13
The Pistons took a huge step last season by reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2019 and playing the Knicks tough in a hard-fought six-game first-round series. Detroit has taken another leap this season and should be viewed as a serious title contender.
One of the most impressive Pistons stats is their 7-2 record against the other top-five teams (Celtics, Knicks, Cavs, Raptors) in the East standings, including a 3-0 record versus the Knicks and 2-1 record against the Celtics.
Detroit ranks No. 9 in offensive rating, No. 2 in defensive rating, No. 2 in net rating, No. 3 in rebound percentage, No. 1 in steals per game, No. 1 in blocks per game and No. 3 in points allowed per game. This is an elite defensive team with loads of size, shot blocking and depth.
Cade Cunningham is a bona fide MVP candidate. The star point guard is averaging 25.7 points, 9.7 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game. He’s averaging 28.8 points and 9.3 assists in three games against the Celtics this season.
A huge issue for the Celtics against the Pistons has been rebounding. Detroit is plus-31 on the glass in the three meetings this season. The trade-deadline addition of Nikola Vucevic should help address that issue for Boston if these teams play in the postseason.
2. New York Knicks
Record: 35-21
The Knicks do not fear the Celtics, and why should they after eliminating Boston in the Eastern Conference semifinals last season? New York is 2-1 versus Boston this season, and in those games the Knicks are scoring 111 points per contest and shooting 40.8 percent from 3-point range.
The Knicks are a very good defensive team and have plenty of quality wing defenders (Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, etc.) to throw at Jaylen Brown and Boston’s other top scorers.
The Knicks also rank No. 3 in offensive rating, No. 5 in net rating, No. 6 in assist-to-turnover ratio, No. 5 in rebound percentage and No. 8 in effective field goal percentage. They have an elite scorer in Jalen Brunson, too, who has a long highlight reel of clutch shots late in games, including the playoffs. Nine players for the Knicks are averaging nine or more points per game.
The Knicks’ size, length and abundance of guys who can score make them tough to beat.
David Butler II-Imagn Images3. Cleveland Cavaliers
Record: 35-21
The Cavs are one of the hottest teams in the league with a six-game win streak and a 9-1 record over their last 10 games. The James Harden-for-Darius Garland trade has worked wonders for Cleveland so far. The Cavs are 4-0 since the trade and Harden has made a seamless transition. He’s averaging 18.5 points, 8.8 assists and 5.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 45.8 percent from 3-point range.
For the season, the Cavs rank No. 2 in points per game, No. 6 in offensive rating, No. 9 in defensive rating and No. 9 in assist-to-turnover ratio.
One issue for the Cavs is 3-point defense. Cleveland ranks 26th in opponents’ 3-point percentage (37.0), and that’s a concern against a team like Boston that ranks No. 9 in 3-point percentage.
Harden is a great player, but his teams have always failed to meet expectations in the playoffs, and he’s a huge reason for a lot of that disappointment. That said, Donovan Mitchell is one of the league’s best shot-makers and creates his own shot better than most players. Having Mitchell as a wingman could be very beneficial for Harden come playoff time.
David Richard-Imagn ImagesWild cards
The Charlotte Hornets are 10-2 in their last 12 games and occupy the 10th seed (final play-in tournament spot) as of Friday morning. Over that span, the Hornets rank No. 4 in offensive rating and No. 7 in defensive rating. Rookie guard Kon Knueppel is averaging 18.8 points per game (second-highest among rookies) and shooting 43.2 percent from 3-point range.
The Hornets have not played the Celtics yet this season, but they will meet three times before the playoffs, beginning March 4 in Boston.
The Philadelphia 76ers could be a tough out in the playoffs, too. It’s understandable if some fans might laugh at that idea, especially since the Sixers and Joel Embiid consistently fail to deliver when it matters most.
But the backcourt duo of All-Star Tyrese Maxey and rookie VJ Edgecombe is no joke. And Embiid, despite his past playoff struggles, is capable of dominating. Embiid is averaging 26.6 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, and Philly is 19-12 when he plays. His 29.9 points per game since New Year’s Day ranks third-best among all players.
The Celtics and 76ers wrap up their season series Sunday, March 1 at TD Garden. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on NBC.