The Boston Celtics were 5-7 after a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 11. It was fair to wonder at that time whether this Celtics team had what it took to make the playoffs, or if they would sink to the NBA Draft Lottery for the first time since 2014.

No one is wondering about that scenario anymore.

Since that loss in Philly, the Celtics have been on an impressive run with a 10-2 record in their last 12 games. This stretch has seen the Celtics rise up the Eastern Conference standings to third place with a 15-9 record following Sunday’s road win against the Toronto Raptors.

What’s fueling this surge from the C’s? Let’s look at four key trends from this 12-game span (Nov. 12 through Dec. 7).

Offensive rating is elite

No team has a better offensive rating than the Celtics’ 128.6 over their last 12 games. The next-closest is the Denver Nuggets at 125.9.

A couple factors are leading to this high offensive rating for the C’s. During this stretch, they rank No. 3 in points per game (122.8), No. 3 in field goal percentage (50.3), No. 4 in 3-point percentage (41.2), No. 3 in second-chance points (17.4) per game and No. 9 in points off turnovers (18.8) per game.

“We’re definitely going through a stretch of shooting luck, that’s for sure,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said after Friday’s win over the Los Angeles Lakers at TD Garden.

“We’re definitely shooting the ball better than we were, so that does make everything seem better. But I think you come into the season with an identity and a level of execution that you wanna have, and then you learn more about your team.

“As we continue to evolve offensively and have guys in different spots, playing different lineups, working the reads, what the matchups are, what the coverages are, what the spacing should be … I think we came in with an identity of how we wanted to play, and I think it’s ever-evolving just based on the season. I think the guys are doing a good job of understanding that.”

The Celtics’ offense has been much better of late, but there’s still work to be done on the defensive end of the floor. Boston is 16th in defensive rating during this 10-2 stretch.

Jaylen Brown playing like an MVP

Brown deserves to make a huge jump in NBA.com’s next MVP ladder rankings. The 2024 NBA Finals MVP is playing arguably the best basketball of his career right now.

Over the last 12 games, Brown is scoring 30.6 points per game (sixth-highest in the league), while shooting 47.6 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from 3-point range. He’s also averaging 7.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game in that span.

Brown’s consistency has been huge for the Celtics. He has scored 30-plus points in six of his last seven games, and he’s hit that mark in 13 games overall, tied for second-most in the NBA this season.

Brown’s 29.1 points per game average this season would rank third-highest in team history.

The 29-year-old wing is playing like a legit No. 1 franchise cornerstone. He has put the Celtics on his back while Jayson Tatum is out of the lineup due to injury. Brown is well on his way to earning an All-NBA selection for the second time in his career.

Derrick White finding groove from 3-point range

Brown has been fantastic, but one man can’t carry a team to a 10-2 record alone, especially when that stretch includes games against a lot of opponents that are currently in a playoff spot. White has stepped up in a major way over the last 12 games, and the numbers speak for themselves.

White was shooting 28 percent on 3-pointers over the first 12 games of the season. He shot 39.8 percent from beyond the arc over the last 12 games.

“Derrick is finding his stride as well,” Brown said after Friday’s victory over the Lakers. “When Derrick starts checking his pockets for threes, that’s a good sign for our team.”

The uptick in 3-point shooting percentage for White has been the most prominent driver of his improvement. White has never shot worse than 38.1 percent from 3-point range in a full season with the Celtics, and he’s now at 33.8 percent overall after his recent surge.

White has averaged 23.5 points, 5.5 assists and 4.3 rebounds over the last six games. The Celtics need this kind of effectiveness from the veteran guard to maintain their place in the top three of the East standings.

Jordan Walsh providing a spark at both ends of the floor

It’s not a coincidence that the Celtics’ 10-2 run started with Walsh being inserted into the starting lineup. The 2023 second-round pick has been one of the most improved players this season.

His defense has always been very good, and it’s one of the primary reasons why he was drafted in the first place.

But you could argue that the most profound improvement in his game has come offensively.

He is averaging 14 points on 76.5 percent shooting (63.6 percent from 3-point range) over the last five games. He’s not just hitting a bunch of 3-pointers, either. Walsh is scoring points in the paint, too, including second-chance points from offensive rebounds and put-back dunks.

The key for Walsh is maintaining this level of play on a consistent basis. The fact that teams need to respect his ability to stretch the floor as an outside shooter a lot more than they did in the past is a huge game-changer for Boston.

The Celtics needed a role player (or two) to take a huge leap with Tatum out, and Walsh has filled that role extremely well so far.