The Boston Celtics are no strangers to dominance. They’ve had 14 seasons with 60+ wins in franchise history, and they’re flirting with that milestone again. Moreover, with tonight’s dominant victory against the Nets, they became the third team this year to reach the 50-win mark—only behind the top-seeded Cavs and Thunder. But as they approach the final stretch of the regular season, there’s a debate brewing within the team—chase the top seed, or prioritize health for a deep playoff run?

At least publicly, Kristaps Porzingis is leaning toward one answer.

Addressing the Cs’ fifty-win accomplishment, KP said during the post-game presser, “No, we didn’t set a milestone to get to 50 or a specific number. Still, how many games we have left? 14 or something?… 13? So, maybe we should win rest of 13 games and we would end up with 63. That would be a decent number.” The Latvian star believes the ideal scenario for his team would be to win all the remaining games and potentially overtake the Cavs for the first seed.

However, Porzingis clarified that they are taking it day-to-day, “We don’t have any specific goal. We just go game by game and yeah, see where we end up.” Well, it will be a massive challenge for the Celtics to live up to KP’s claim as they will begin a six-game road trip on Friday. But even with the disadvantage of playing in enemy territory, Porzingis’ expectations are sky-high.

When asked what a successful road trip would look like for the Cs, he said, “For us, probably 6-0 no. I would say for us. We’ll see. I mean, obviously, we expect to win every game. Maybe, I don’t know handful of games this season that we were not favorites. So, I don’t know what the betting odds will say but probably yeah, trying to win every game… Yeah, 6-0, come back home would be perfect.”

Looking at how dominant the reigning champs have been all year, it’s not impossible for them to go undefeated in this last stretch of the regular season. But there is one major concern they need to keep in mind before gunning for 63 wins—health! An issue that has even caused fights in their locker room.

Jayson Tatum’s confession raises concern as Kristaps Porzingis claims “I wanna definitely play” amid illness

At this point, the Cs look set as the second seed in the East. The big question now? Do they push for that No. 1 spot, or prioritize rest to ensure their stars are healthy for the playoffs? According to Jayson Tatum, that debate has gotten heated.

In a recent interview with CLNS Media, a reporter asked Tatum how the team was balancing playing time versus health. His response? “A lot of head-butting for sure.” Not surprising. JT is one of the league’s biggest warriors, playing through pain unless he absolutely has to sit. He’s consistently among the NBA’s minutes leaders, averaging 36.6 per game this season. And if it were up to him, he’d be on the floor every night.

“I’ve come in arenas; I’ve seen a lot of Jayson Tatum jerseys and kids with my shoes on,” he explained. “It might be for their birthday or a Christmas gift or whatever. I try to stay ready and play as much as I can, especially games on the road.”

The Celtics, however, have a different approach. They know Boston can win even when Tatum takes a break—evident in their recent victories over the Jazz and Trail Blazers, both games he missed. But from Tatum’s perspective, this isn’t just about winning. It’s about showing up for the fans.

The internal struggle is clear: Tatum wants to play, the Celtics want to protect him, and the playoffs are fast approaching.

Even Porzingis, who recently missed eight straight games due to an illness, wants to suit up for as many games as possible. “Yeah, I wanna definitely play. I need to get in the best shape. Now after the illness, it’s taken me a little bit. But yeah, with each day a little bit better,” he shared.

And his health? “Feeling all right. Feeling a little better with each day I would say. Energy is going back up. Yeah, but still for sure working my way back into the best shape,” KP said.

Clearly, no player wants to miss games at this stage in the season. But Porzingis also understands that availability in the playoffs is the top priority, “Just working my way back to the best shape and look forward to having my best shape now going into the postseason.” Winning 63 games sounds great, but does it really matter if the Celtics aren’t healthy for the playoffs? That’s the real battle being fought behind the scenes.

Tatum’s desire to play every game, Porzingis’ slow return from illness, and the franchise’s long-term vision are all clashing at the moment. If history is any indicator, the Celtics could make a run for 60+ wins—but at what cost? Would you rather see them chase history or prioritize rest for a championship run?