The Boston Celtics are set to begin their title defense on Sunday when they host the Orlando Magic at TD Garden in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series. After finishing the regular season as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, Boston enters the postseason as one of the top contenders to win it all once again.

Leading the charge is superstar Jayson Tatum, who wrapped up another stellar season, averaging 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game. The six-time All-Star continues to cement his legacy, becoming the first Celtic to average 25+ points in five consecutive seasons—surpassing franchise legend Larry Bird, according to the team.

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0)

Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

The Celtics have made the playoffs in each of the last 11 seasons and have been a fixture in the Eastern Conference Finals since Tatum’s arrival in 2017. In that span, they’ve reached the conference finals six times and made two trips to the NBA Finals, in 2022 and again last season in 2024.

Ahead of Sunday’s playoff opener, Tatum shared his thoughts on what this time of year means to the city of Boston.

“It’s the best time of year to be in Boston,” Tatum said, noting the energy around the playoffs far outweighs the typical summer excitement.

The Celtics will look to feed off that energy and start their postseason run strong against a gritty Magic team. The two teams split their regular season series 2-2, including a surprising 20-point loss to Orlando on April 9, a game where Boston’s offense was held to just 76 points.