For anyone who wrote off the Boston Celtics after Gordon Hayward's catastrophic injury on opening night, now is a good time to jump back on the bandwagon.
The Celtics are winners of their last seven games following their 101-94 comeback victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night, making them the first team in NBA history to begin a season with an 0-2 record and follow it with a seven-game winning streak.
| Date | Opponent | Result | Leading scorer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 20 | at Philadelphia | 102-92 W | Kyrie Irving (21 points) |
| Oct. 24 | vs. New York | 110-89 W | Jaylen Brown (23 points) |
| Oct. 26 | at Milwaukee | 96-89 W | Al Horford (27 points) |
| Oct. 28 | at Miami | 96-90 W | Kyrie Irving (24 points) |
| Oct. 30 | vs. San Antonio | 108-94 W | Kyrie Irving (24 points) |
| Nov. 1 | vs. Sacramento | 113-86 W | Jaylen Brown and Kyrie Irving (22 points) |
| Nov. 3 | at Oklahoma City | 101-94 W | Kyrie Irving (25 points) |
Hayward's injury occurred midway through the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Oct. 17, and yet, despite losing such an integral piece of the puzzle, Boston still had a chance to win it late on a potential game-tying 3-pointer from Kyrie Irving. The team then had to play the next night against the Milwaukee Bucks on a quick turnaround after an emotionally exhausting performance, falling 108-100.
Since then, the Celtics have regrouped and found success on the back of the Association's top defense, having allowed just 91.8 points per 100 possessions in the six wins prior to Friday's matchup against Oklahoma City.
Jaylen Brown and rookie Jayson Tatum have thrived in larger roles, Al Horford is finding a rhythm with his shot, and Irving is basking in the spotlight he yearned for with the Cavaliers and leading the Celtics as their floor general.
Related: Kyrie and the kids proving to be Celtics' winning formula
Boston is the first team in the Eastern Conference and second in the league to reach seven wins, and now owns the league's strongest winning percentage at .778.
They host the 6-3 Orlando Magic on Sunday, who lost by 22 to the lowly Chicago Bulls on Friday. After that, the Celtics' next three games are against teams that currently have a combined record of 9-17, so their winning ways likely won't be coming to a halt anytime soon.
