Get to Know Your Boston Celtics Starters

The Boston Celtics are phenomenal this season and are in the playoffs. Everyone is talking about them. Celtics this, Celtics that. If you are new to New England like me or have never been a basketball fan, also like myself, you probably have no idea what everyone is talking about, and that's no fun.

Me personally, I know Al Horford is on the team (because my home state is Florida and Horford played college ball there), and I've heard of that Taytum guy. This is embarrassing.

I want to be cool and partake in the sports talk with people around me. From my colleagues to my UberEats driver, everyone is talking Celtics and it's time for me to educate myself on who this team is. Below is a cheat sheet of the starters for us bandwagon Celtics fans and non-basketball fans.

Kristaps Porzingis has Been Injured for the Boston Celtics

Kristaps Porzingis will make you check your spelling 5 times (I know because I just did). At 7 feet tall, he was the starting big man for the Celtics until he rolled his ankle in the first playoff series this season against the Miami Heat.

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The center did start practicing again before game 2 against the Cavaliers and is currently on a week-by-week basis to return. Despite his injury, every proper bandwagon fan should at the very least know his name and how to pronounce it. Click here for a YouTube video of Porzingis highlights and most importantly, announcers pronouncing his name.

Al Horford Plays in Porzingis's Place for the Boston Celtics

Al Horford played for the University of Florida in the early 2000s and won two NCAA National Championships. He is 6'9" and what's most impressive is that he is almost 38 years old and playing lights out! (Lights out is an expression meaning very well.)

Al Horford has been starting at center in place of the injured Porzingis. He is from the Dominican Republic and is a 5-time NBA All-Star. If you really want to impress true Celtics fans, you may want to throw out all of the NBA teams Horford has played for: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics from 2016-2019, Philadelphia 76ers, Oklahoma City Thunder, and then back to the Celtics.

Jason Taytum is the Small Forward/Power Forward for the Boston Celtics

Jason Taytum may play small forward, but he's still 6'8." Taytum is only 26 years old and was drafted in the first round in 2017 at the 3rd pick (that's really good for those who aren't familiar, and a significant detail to know to impress others).

Jason Taytum went to Duke for college and was born in St. Louis, Missouri. As you can tell by the photo above, Taytum is a star on the court and off. Jason is a 5-time NBA All-Star and holds the record for most points scored in an NBA All-Star game with 55.

With his volunteer work at Boston Children's Hospital and how many points he scores on average per game, it's important to have Taytum as one of our favorite players.

Jrue Holiday Plays Point Guard for the Boston Celtics

Jrue Holiday is on a $100 million guaranteed contract with the Boston Celtics that will run through the 2027-2028 season. He is a talented point guard and has played for several teams, including the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021 where he and the team won the NBA Championship.

Holiday is a 2-time NBA All-Star and a 5-time NBA All-Defensive Team member. Holiday also played for the USA Olympic team in 2020 and won a gold medal.

Derrick White is the Shooting Guard for the Boston Celtics

Don't be confused by the photo. That was a charity baseball game that the Boston Celtics shooting guard participated in. Derrick White was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs and was traded to the Celtics in 2022.

It was a great trade for Boston, as White has averaged over 15 points a game for the Celtics this season, and averages almost 50% of his shots from the field (which is impressive). If you want some more facts about White to show off to other Celtics fans, he is from Colorado and has two sons, with one being named after musician Jimi Hendrix.

And finally, Jaylen Brown Plays Shooting Guard/Smal Forward for the Boston Celtics

Jaylen Brown entered the NBA Draft in 2016 after only one year of college at California. He was selected in the first round of the draft by the Boston Celtics with the 3rd pick (if you remember from earlier in the article, that is a very good thing).

Jaylen Brown has been selected as an NBA All-Star 3 times. If the Celtics make the Finals, this will be the second time Brown has assisted the team to reach the pinnacle game. On July 25, 2023, Brown signed a five-year contract extension worth up to $304 million, making it the most lucrative deal in NBA history.

There we have it—our Boston Celtics cheat sheet. We are now ready to cheer on the boys of Boston with the best of 'em. Go Celtics!