If you flipped on the TV during a random Tuesday in November and thought your screen’s saturation was broken, you weren't alone. That neon-adjacent, forest-drenched floor isn't a glitch. It’s the Celtics in season tournament court, and it has become one of the most debated pieces of hardwood in basketball history. Honestly, it’s a lot to take in at first glance.
Boston fans are protective of their parquet. It’s sacred. For decades, that alternating light-and-dark wood pattern was the only thing allowed at the TD Garden. Then the NBA Cup (formerly the In-Season Tournament) showed up and basically said, "Let's paint the whole thing green."
The Parquet Drama and the 2025 Redesign
Last year, the biggest gripe in Boston wasn't even the team’s play. It was the floor. The inaugural 2023 tournament court was... well, it was flat. It was a solid green slab with a "runway" stripe down the middle. Fans hated it. They felt like the soul of the Garden had been sanded down and replaced with a giant Kermit the Frog.
The NBA actually listened.
For the 2024-2025 season, the Celtics in season tournament court brought back the parquet. Kind of. Designer Victor Solomon, who headed up the creative direction for all 30 NBA Cup floors, integrated the iconic parquet outlines back into the green-painted wood. It’s a "parquet revival" that tries to bridge the gap between the league's need for "vibrant marketing" and Boston’s obsession with tradition.
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The color is still loud. Very loud. It’s a deep, saturated Celtic green that covers almost every square inch, aside from the black borders and the NBA Cup trophy silhouettes looming in the paint.
What changed from the first version?
The 2023 version featured a tan "runway" down the middle and a black "Celtics" logo. This year? The center-court logo switched to "Boston" in solid white. The baseline text also went from green-with-white-trim to a stark, clean white. It’s sharper, sure, but it’s still a massive departure from the Red Auerbach era.
Is it actually dangerous for the players?
This is where things get serious. It’s not just about aesthetics; it’s about safety. Back in 2023, Jaylen Brown famously slipped during a tournament game against the Toronto Raptors. He didn't just stumble; he tweaked his groin and called the floor "unacceptable."
"We’ve got to make sure the floor is safe to play on," Brown said at the time. "We can't put our players out there and risk their health."
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He wasn't the only one. Luka Dončić and Tyrese Haliburton both voiced concerns about the painted surfaces being slicker than the traditional natural wood finish. The league responded by moving all production to a single manufacturer, Robbins. They are the gold standard in basketball flooring.
Robbins claims the finish used on the Celtics in season tournament court is the exact same grip-tested coating used on the regular parquet. The problem might not be the paint itself, but rather the condensation that happens in multi-purpose arenas. Since the Celtics share the TD Garden with the Bruins, the ice underneath the floor can sometimes cause moisture to seep up through the wood, especially when a layer of opaque paint is trapping it differently than raw wood would.
Why the NBA is forcing these "wonky" designs
You might be wondering: Why bother? Why mess with the most iconic floor in sports?
Basically, the NBA has a "Kramer, what's going on in there?" problem. They want a casual fan flipping through channels to know instantly that they aren't watching a normal regular-season game. If the floor is bright green and has a giant trophy at mid-court, you know it’s a Cup game.
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- Identity over tradition: The league is prioritizing "visual cues" for TV.
- Sponsorship: Emirates is the title sponsor now, and they want a distinct environment for their investment.
- The "Vegas" vibe: Everything about the NBA Cup is designed to feel like a high-stakes tournament, leading up to the finals in Las Vegas.
Looking at the 2025-2026 Season and Beyond
As we move deeper into the 2025-2026 cycle, the "shock factor" of the Celtics in season tournament court is wearing off, but the debate remains. Some fans have grown to love the "Green Monster" underfoot. Others are counting the days until the tournament ends so they can see the classic wood again.
The 5x5 grid pattern seen on many of this year's courts represents the five players on the floor and the five teams in each group. It’s a lot of symbolism for something people usually just want to see a ball bounce on.
What to watch for in the next home game:
- The White "Boston" Logo: Look at how much it pops compared to the old black "Celtics" font.
- The Parquet Lines: See if you can actually spot the wood grain through the green paint. It's much more visible this year than last.
- The Slip Factor: Keep an eye on the corners. That’s where the "dead spots" or slick patches usually show up during high-humidity nights in Boston.
If you’re planning on attending a game or just watching from the couch, realize that these courts are here to stay. The NBA Cup is a revenue machine, and the visual branding is a huge part of that. Love it or hate it, the bright green floor is the new "November look" for the Boston Celtics.
Your next move: If you're heading to the Garden for a Cup game, try to get a seat in the lower bowl early during warmups. The way the arena lights hit the painted green surface is completely different from the matte look of the regular parquet—it's worth seeing the "glow" in person at least once.