Jan. 18, 2026, 9:38 p.m. ET
The Boston Celtics have surprised both fans of the team as well as NBA analysts with their top-two start in the Eastern Conference standings at the midpoint of the 2025-26 NBA regular season as much as anyone. And we can include other head coaches around the league as well based on what we have been hearing in recent days.
In pregame media press conferences ahead of the Hawks’ recent drubbing at the hands of the Celtics, Atlanta head coach Quin Snyder weighed in on what he has been seeing from Boston since the start of their current campaign. “(Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla)’s done a terrific job for starters,” explained Snyder via CLNS Media. “A new group all adjusting to each other on some level. Some of their foundational guys clearly are, Jaylen (Brown) being the obvious one (with) the year he’s having.”
“He’s a special player,” added the Hawks coach. “He’s been that. When you see Payton Pritchard’s evolution in the league, he plays great defense, and he’s been doing those things, so I think things get spread around different places.”
“So they’ve had a lot of guys that, maybe in I wouldn’t say different roles, but just like any team, you evolve with each other.”
“But it’s a credit to their players and how unselfish and connected they are, that’s continued. They have been that and they are this year. And then also the job that Joe has done, getting those guys to adjust.”
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