Jayson Tatum
Boston Celtics Still the Team to Beat in the East, Says Lou Williams
The Boston Celtics might not finish the regular season as the Eastern Conference’s top seed, but there’s a growing consensus among NBA fans and analysts that they remain the best team in the East. Despite not surpassing last year’s regular-season record, many—including former Clippers legend Lou Williams—believe this Celtics squad is stronger than ever.
Williams recently shared his thoughts on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back show, highlighting what makes Boston such a formidable contender. While stars like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown continue to shine, it’s the Celtics’ supporting cast that has elevated them to another level.
“We’ve been talking about the supporting cast more than those guys,” Williams said. “We talked about Payton Pritchard and Derrick White making history. That’s what makes them a better team. When you can add like that to what they’re already doing, that makes them successful, that makes them a good group.”
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are not why the Celtics are a better team this season:
"We talk about the supporting cast more than those guys. We talked about Payton Pritchard and Derrick White. That's what makes them a better team." – @TeamLou23 pic.twitter.com/vYlX19dAlQ
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) April 1, 2025
Boston’s depth has been a major storyline this season, with role players stepping up in key moments and keeping the team steady throughout the grind of an 82-game season. Unlike other contenders that have suffered significant losing streaks or mid-season turbulence, the Celtics have remained consistent, another factor Williams pointed out.
“Just how steady they’ve been—you don’t hear about them going on losing streaks, you don’t hear about the adversity that other teams go through,” Williams said. “This team is just steady. That’s one of the things that makes them a better team than who they were last year.”
The Celtics' record doesn't reflect this, but they are BETTER this season than last 👀
"They're able to play slower in the half-court or they can play fast and shoot more 3's than anybody. I don't see an issue with them going into the postseason this year." – @ChandlerParsons pic.twitter.com/9Q7fh21sJn
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) April 1, 2025
As the postseason approaches, the path to the NBA Finals in the East looks increasingly like a two-horse race between the Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers. If either team fails to reach the Conference Finals, it would be viewed as a massive disappointment.
For Boston, the challenge isn’t just securing a top seed—it’s proving that this deeper, steadier squad is built to win it all. And if their role players continue to step up, as Williams suggests, the Celtics may have the perfect formula to capture Banner 18.
