For the Celtics, last year is in the rearview. The championship is behind them, and now it’s all about doing it again.
Even though this season is its own journey, comparisons to last season are inevitable. That’s exactly where the Celtics want to be—back on top, and with 15 of 17 players returning from last year’s championship squad, it’s no surprise people keep drawing the parallels.
So, how do the 2024-25 Celtics stack up against last year’s historically dominant team? With the quarter mark of the season behind us, it’s the perfect time to reflect as those early-season trends start turning into real identities.
Let’s take a look at how the 2024-25 Celtics compare to the 2023-24 Celtics through the first 24 games.
Record: 2023-24: 19-5, 2045-25: 19-5
The record is the same, but the losses tell a different story.
This year, Boston’s five losses have come by a combined 20 points, with none by more than two possessions. Last year, their first five losses totaled 38 points, including two defeats by 10 or more points (113-96 to the Magic and 122-112 to the Pacers).
The Celtics are the only team this season that hasn’t suffered a double-digit loss.
Point differential: 2023-24: +211 (+8.8 per game), 2024-25: +226 (+9.4 per game)
Boston’s point differential is 15 points higher through the first 24 games this season than it was last year.
A season ago, 11 of their first 19 wins were by double digits, with three of those wins coming by 20+ points and six by 15+ points.
This season, they’ve again won 11 games by double digits, but with five of those victories coming by 20+ points and seven by 15+ points.
What’s particularly impressive is that the Celtics have used 11 different starting lineups this season. Their preferred five—Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Kristaps Porzingis—have only played together in three games so far, compared to 15 games at this point last season.
Offensive rating: 2023-24: 118.3, 2024-25: 120.2
Offensive rating simply measures a team’s offensive efficiency by calculating the number of points scored per 100 possessions. This year, Boston’s offensive rating has been slightly higher than it was last season.
Part of that is Boston’s three-point volume. At this point last season, the Celtics were attempting 42.6 threes per game, knocking down 36.9%. This year, that number has grown by nearly nine attempts per game (51.4) while shooting a fraction better at 37.0%.
The 2024-25 Celtics are on pace to become the first team in NBA history to average over 50 three-point attempts per game, surpassing the 2018-19 Houston Rockets, who held the previous record at 45.4 attempts.
Just like last season, their dominance on the perimeter is a nightmare for opponents. Through 24 games a season ago, the Celtics made 377 threes compared to their opponents’ 328 (+147 point advantage).
This year, they’ve more than tripled that advantage on the perimeter, having made 456 triples to their opponents’ 302 (+462 point advantage).
Even more impressive, 356 of their 456 threes (78.0%) have been assisted. Of their 1,234 total attempts, 531 (43.0%) have been "wide open" (closest defender 6+ feet away), and another 510 (41.3%) were "open" (defender within 4-6 feet). Only 4% of their attempts have come with a defender closer than four feet.
Joe Mazzulla has drilled into this team the importance of spacing and making the right reads, which has led to these high-quality looks. Boston’s three-point attack is tough to defend when they space the floor, especially since all of their top eight shooters have career three-point percentages above the league average (35.4%).
Also of note, the Celtics have 47 fewer turnovers. Their 283 are the third-fewest in the NBA, while their assists are up by 18.
Defensive rating: 2023-24: 109.6, 2024-25 110.8
It may not seem like it from the eye test, but despite all the chatter about the Celtics’ defense, their efficiency is nearly identical to last season’s.
The most significant drop-off, however, has been in rim protection. Through the first 24 games last year, the Celtics allowed just 45.2 points per game in the paint (4th fewest), with opponents shooting 59.1% from within five feet and 37.3% between five and nine feet. This season, those numbers have jumped to 51.7 points per game (6th most), with opponents shooting 63.3% from inside five feet and 39.1% between five and nine feet.
Those numbers have already started trending down with the return of Kristaps Porzingis – who, at this point last season, had played 18 games averaging a team-high 1.6 blocks per game.
But beyond rim protection, most of the Celtics’ defensive metrics remain consistent. Opponents are making 12.6 threes per game, shooting 35.8%, which is slightly below last year’s 13.7 made threes at 36.7%. From the field, opponents are hitting 46.5% of their shots, a slight increase from last year’s 44.8%. The volume of shots is essentially the same—90.0 attempts per game this season compared to 90.9 last season.
At the free-throw line, Boston is still keeping opponents off the line, allowing just 18.7 free throws per game, the second-fewest in the league—nearly identical to last season’s 19.0 (also second-fewest).
The transition defense has slipped slightly. Opponents are scoring 14.5 fastbreak points per game, up from 12.5 a year ago. And just like last season, the Celtics aren’t forcing many turnovers, with opponents averaging 13.7 per game (sixth fewest), a minor uptick from last year’s 12.8, which was also the sixth-fewest.
Net rating: 2023-24: 8.7, 2024-25: 9.3
The 2023-24 Celtics finished the season with an 11.6 net rating, setting a new franchise record that surpassed the 2008 championship team. That 11.6 rating ranks fourth all-time in NBA history, behind only Michael Jordan’s 1995-96 Bulls (13.4), the 1996-97 Bulls (12.0), and the 2016 Golden State Warriors (11.6), led by Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant.
However, at the 24-game mark last season, their net rating was 8.7—remarkably second in the NBA at the time, trailing only the Philadelphia 76ers (12.1), who eventually finished seventh in the Eastern Conference and were bounced in the first round.
This season, through 24 games, Boston’s net rating is even higher at 9.3—third in the league behind the Cavaliers (9.7) and Thunder (11.9)—despite having its full top six available for only one game. Even then, Derrick White exited early in the third quarter with a foot injury.
Historically, teams with a net rating of 10.0 or better tend to win big. Of the 13 teams that have reached that mark—including last season’s Celtics—nine (69.2%) went on to win the NBA Finals.
Also worth noting --although this will change throughout the season -- as of right now, the Celtics have the second-easiest remaining strength of schedule, with opponents posting a collective winning percentage of .476
Clutch: 2023-24: 9-4, 2024-25: 10-5
Clutch time in the NBA is defined as the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime when the score is within five points. The Celtics lead the league with 10 clutch wins this season, one more than they had through the first 24 games last year.
In those clutch situations, Boston has recorded a 129.3 offensive rating (2nd), a 118.6 defensive rating (21st), and a 10.7 net rating (5th). Last season, they posted a 119.1 offensive rating (10th), 103.5 defensive rating (6th), and a 15.7 net rating (8th).
Their offense has been among the best, averaging a league-high 12.1 clutch points on 50% shooting from the field and 35.3% from deep—up from last year’s 8.6 points on 48.4% shooting and 33.3% from three. However, the defense has taken a slight step back, allowing 10.2 points on 43.5% shooting, compared to 6.8 points on 42.9% shooting last season.
It’s also worth noting that the Celtics have played 20 more clutch minutes in their first 24 games than they did a season ago.
Are the Celtics better this year?
The numbers suggest they’re on track to be. What helps is that, across the board, players are continuing to improve.
Jayson Tatum keeps evolving, particularly as a facilitator, averaging a career-high 5.7 assists to go with 28.2 points (second-highest of his career) and 8.9 rebounds (another career-high) while maintaining strong defense.
Jaylen Brown has continued to grow in his leadership role. He brings the Celtics an edge and swagger, while also evolving as a playmaker. He’s averaging a career-high 4.6 assists, along with 25.0 points (second-highest of his career), 6.0 rebounds, and 1.2 steals.
Derrick White is playing more confident than ever, posting a career-high 17.3 points on 45.0% shooting from the field and 39.0% from deep, alongside 4.9 rebounds (career-high), 4.9 assists, and a steal and block per game, showcasing his elite two-way presence.
Al Horford continues to improve as a three-point shooter, hitting 2.3 per game (tying his career-high) on a career-high 5.2 attempts, shooting 41.4% from deep.
And, of course, Payton Pritchard, who should not only be in the conversation for Sixth Man of the Year but also Most Improved Player, is averaging career-highs across the board with 16.1 points on 48.7% shooting from the field and 43.0% from three, along with 3.4 assists and 3.2 rebounds.
You could go down the entire roster, and while individual numbers may dip slightly as the Celtics get healthier, the point remains clear: many players are playing the best basketball of their careers, and collectively, they’ve mastered how to complement each other perfectly.
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