**Celtics Eye Top Spot in NBA All-Time Standings This Season**

The Boston Celtics launch into the new NBA season as defending champions and are poised to potentially ascend another significant ranking. Currently trailing the San Antonio Spurs by a slim margin in the league's all-time won-lost standings, the Celtics have a viable route to claiming the top position in the coming months.

San Antonio leads active teams with a winning percentage of .596, while Boston closely follows at .594. If the Spurs finish the season with a balanced 41-41 record, the Celtics would need to secure a 47-35 record to surpass them in the standings.

The race doesn't end there. The Los Angeles Lakers, holding the third position with a .591 winning percentage, also have a mathematical shot at advancing to either the No. 1 or No. 2 spot this season. The competition among these top teams is expected to remain tight, given their historical success.

Further down the list, the Utah Jazz enter this season ranked fourth in all-time standings with a .540 winning percentage, significantly trailing the top trio. For the past decade, from 2014-15 through 2023-24, the Spurs have consistently maintained the highest winning percentage among active teams.

The Celtics last held the top spot at the end of the 1996-97 season. The Lakers then dominated the standings for 17 consecutive seasons before the Spurs claimed the lead. As the new season unfolds, all eyes will be on Boston to see if they can reclaim the pinnacle of NBA history.