Season preview: Major changes in store for new-look Celtics | Sports

Just five months after Jayson Tatum ruptured his Achilles, effectively ending any chance the Celtics had at roaring back to defeat the Knicks in the 2025 Eastern Conference semifinals, Boston is back for a new campaign.

The new-look squad will trudge through much of the regular season — if not all of it — without the services of their bona fide superstar, vastly altering expectations for the Joe Mazzulla-led group. Many hoops “experts” are pegging the Celtics as a middle-of-the-pack team in the East; some have them missing the postseason all together.

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Nick Giannino covers the Celtics for CNHI Boston. Contact him at 978-675-2712 or ngiannino@northofboston.com.