The Big Lead

Celtics star states NBA championship goal despite Jayson Tatum's absence

Jayson Tatum's teammate has claimed the Boston Celtics are looking to win another NBA championship in the 2025-26 season.

By Divij Kulkarni

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum talks with Celtics guard Payton Pritchard in a timeout against the Washington Wizards.
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum talks with Celtics guard Payton Pritchard in a timeout against the Washington Wizards. / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
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The Boston Celtics currently look very different than they were in 2024, when the team claimed an NBA championship. Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis have been moved elsewhere during the offseason, but the biggest issue is the terrible injury suffered by franchise superstar Jayson Tatum.

During the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks, Tatum suffered a devastating Achilles injury. This will see the 4-time All-NBA First Team member miss a majority of next season. And despite the magnitude of his absence, teammate Payton Pritchard has big aspirations.

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"We're definitely trying to be a playoff team. We're trying to win a championship," Pritchard said. "It's not even about playoffs, we have one standard in Boston and it's to win a championship.

"Everybody in that locker room will have the goal of competing for a championship. And we will do everything in our power necessary to go for that. That’s what (the fans) should know."

A scout recently explained that Tatum is looking a lot better than players dealing with Achilles tears at this stage of recovery. That's interesting, and perhaps part of the reason why Pritchard seems confident enough to state that the team's goal remains to win it all.

The East is hardly incredibly strong, and remains up for grabs going into next season. If the likes of Pritchard can help Jaylen Brown and Derrick White carry the team to the postseason, a late Tatum return could mean it's a possibility.

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