LIVE: Celtics vs Raptors Postgame Show | Garden Report - video Dailymotion

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The Celtics closed out 2024 in dominant fashion with a 125-71 victory over the Raptors on New Year's Eve. The Garden Report Postgame Show break down all the action from Boston's final game of the year,  0:00 Instant Reaction 12:00 - Holiday's impact 21:06 - Celtics' upcoming trip 28:42 - Derek White & Jordan Walsh's growth 47:00 - Tatum's shot creation 1:00:14 - Effort versus slump 1:05:20 - Celtics' road trip preview 1:10:41 - Jaylen Brown's impact  CLNS Media is Powered by:  💰 Prize Picks - https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CLNS Download the app today and use Code CLNS when you sign up & Get $50 instantly when you play $5!  🎫 Gametime - https://gametime.co Take the guesswork out of buying MLB tickets with Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code CLNS for $20 off your first purchase. Download Gametime today. Last minute tickets. Lowest Price. Guaranteed. Terms apply.

Transcript

00:00:00Our dad's all about showing up to play hard, doing what it takes to win.

00:00:07If you want to cement legacy, win another.

00:00:09He's your third center.

00:00:10You don't want to pump him up too much, but it's hard not to.

00:00:14This is maybe the most I've ever agreed with you.

00:00:20Hey, boy, Manning here.

00:00:24Happy New Year's Eve.

00:00:26Fresh start for the Celtics here after their recent struggles, and they got it going early.

00:00:31Before midnight, before even nighttime here in Boston, a nice early start.

00:00:36You can see the fireworks going off behind me here, Sherrod joining us from home.

00:00:42He was here for the star and ugly start in this one through about 10 shots or so for

00:00:46each team.

00:00:47I think the first 10 shots in this game were three, Sherrod, and all misses by either team.

00:00:53Then from that point on, all Celtics, more defensive intensity than we've seen in recent

00:00:59weeks from them.

00:01:01Great three-point shooting effort after that slow start.

00:01:03I think they made 17 of their next 29 through the ensuing quarters, and this one was over

00:01:08in three quarters.

00:01:09The bench crew got out there for the entirety of the fourth.

00:01:14This wasn't going to be an easy game, and it ended up being that, I think, because they

00:01:18took it seriously from, I'd say, the first couple minutes on there, and just destroyed

00:01:24the Raptors.

00:01:25You had Kelly Olenek, Scotty Barnes, Bruce Brown on the other side.

00:01:29This wasn't a walk-through game, but they made it look like it, and we'll hear from

00:01:31Joe Mizzoula right now before we get Sherrod's thoughts on this one.

00:01:36Joe, just the impact that Drew made on his return.

00:01:39Yeah, I mean, obviously, getting him back healthy was big time.

00:01:43I just think he brings stability, especially to our defensively.

00:01:46It's another guy that can pressure the ball.

00:01:48It's another guy that can guard different positions.

00:01:50It's another guy that can execute defensively in different ways, and then he didn't get

00:01:55a ton of looks, but he made the ones that he got.

00:01:59Just I think his impact and his presence means more to us than he probably realizes.

00:02:03There was a lot of talk recently about effort and how offense and defense, how all that

00:02:09stuff plays into things.

00:02:10You have a night like Al Horford had, where he doesn't hit a shot, but it still seemed

00:02:15like he made a pretty positive impact with his passing and his defense and all the other

00:02:19stuff.

00:02:20Do you hold that up as an example of how you can still impact the game even if your shots

00:02:25aren't falling?

00:02:26Yeah, I mean, that guy, I would say he does that regardless.

00:02:29You can never tell if he's playing well or not by his effort on both ends of the floor.

00:02:35He does things that don't even get on the score sheet.

00:02:38There was a play in front of our bench where he just got a great screen and roll, read

00:02:43it right, rolled, and got a guy an open look.

00:02:46He's a huge stability factor, especially in situations like this where we want to be playing

00:02:53better.

00:02:54He kind of sets that standard.

00:02:55The 45 points in the first half and then 45 in the third quarter alone, what did you see

00:03:01that changed that allowed you guys, was it just shots were going in or what was different

00:03:05for you guys in that quarter?

00:03:06Yes, shots were going in.

00:03:08Joe, kind of to follow up on that, you've talked a lot, I mean constantly, about the

00:03:14process and results and stuff like that.

00:03:16I'm curious how much of a process it was to instill that mindset since you got here.

00:03:20Was that something the guys already believed in or was that something you had to coach up?

00:03:24No, these guys have been well coached before I got in here, so no.

00:03:28But in situations like today, for example, where it's 3-2 after the first media timeout

00:03:33in, I thought every shot we took was a good shot and I thought every shot we made them

00:03:40take except for the missed layup was a great shot.

00:03:43Can you have an understanding of, that's the process that we're talking about, right?

00:03:48You take a look at Milwaukee where we end up winning that game, but the first quarter

00:03:52they make like six open above the break threes and one corner three.

00:03:57We're getting great looks, we're not making them, they are.

00:03:59We're executing the game plan, can you continue to stick with it?

00:04:02I think the best thing about the team is just their mindset to have an understanding of

00:04:06where we're at, where we're trying to get better, whether you win or lose.

00:04:10I don't think there's much difference in the locker room after a game like today as the

00:04:13other night.

00:04:14There's still 15 possessions we have to get better at, still stuff that we've got to work

00:04:18on and they understand that, so that's a good thing.

00:04:21That not getting too high or too low, whether shots are going in, shots are not going in,

00:04:26winning, losing, is it still rewarding to see the results of the process or is it just

00:04:30about not overreacting to any which way?

00:04:33Yeah, it depends on what reward you're looking for.

00:04:38To me the reward comes at the end of the season, so it just depends on what reward you're looking

00:04:45for.

00:04:46But to go back to the guys, they just compete at a high level, even when they're not playing

00:04:50well their intentions are to win and we've just got to continue to be better.

00:04:54I think this is good for us, where we're at.

00:04:59Was there any difference in the preparation over the last two days?

00:05:02No, because of the 3 o'clock game we met yesterday as a team, watched film.

00:05:08There's obviously points of the season, you're always going back and forth on what you're

00:05:13trying to emphasize versus what you can fix now, what needs to be fixed then, what you

00:05:17want to fix 10 games from now, so you kind of lump those into different categories.

00:05:22Yesterday coming in on an off day, we were able to do both, we were able to focus on

00:05:27Toronto, but hey, here's where we've got to really fix right now, this has to get fixed

00:05:30now.

00:05:31We've got to emphasize this now, and I think you're just constantly going back and forth

00:05:35in that because of the schedule, so yesterday was 50-50, Toronto and then here's what we've

00:05:39got to get better at, here's what we've got to emphasize right now, fix right now.

00:05:42Did you see noticeable improvements on those emphases today?

00:05:45Yeah, no question, and I think it's going to change personnel-wise, but there was definitely

00:05:50carryover on like, hey, we've got to get this right right now, and that's kind of what you're

00:05:55looking for, and so there was definitely an attention to detail on that.

00:05:59And how do you play a game like this, you know, they're struggling, they're short-handed,

00:06:04how do you try to play a full game and judge your performance after knowing the opponent?

00:06:11Again, you have to be able to take those 15 possessions today that we weren't great at.

00:06:16In the first quarter, we gave up four layups that they just missed, we gave up an offensive

00:06:20rebound dunk that they missed, if we lose that game, those plays become highlights instead

00:06:24of lowlights, and so regardless of what the result of today was, it's like, here's what

00:06:30we did well, which most of the time it's 75-80%, here's what we didn't do well, and you know,

00:06:35you can't get the highlights and the lowlights confused, like there's still stuff that we'll

00:06:38show next film session that, you know, here's great carryover, but here's where if this

00:06:42was a closer game, what it cost us, and that's kind of where you're always at.

00:06:46But highlighting the plays, I think when you see the last lineup of Nemi, Drew, Jordan,

00:06:52X and Jaden go in, and you have to take those possessions just as serious as the start of

00:06:56the second quarter, and Nemi's block off the rim in transition, X's loose ball, Jaden's

00:07:01ball pressure, Jordan and Drew, so like those things, you have to reward them and you've

00:07:05got to coach those just as much as you would do in a loss or in a, you know, second quarter.

00:07:10Felt like throughout the game, the process offensively and the ball movement were excellent,

00:07:16but the results took a little bit to catch up.

00:07:18What did you see in terms of both sticking with that approach offensively and then not

00:07:22allowing it to impact defensive execution?

00:07:24Yeah, I think that's the key.

00:07:26And you could, you know, you could say what came first, the defensive execution or the

00:07:30shot making, and I think that that's where the game's connected, that's what we're always

00:07:33talking about.

00:07:34I think the competitiveness and the shift activity and our ability to just kind of fly

00:07:38around a little bit is kind of what kept us in it.

00:07:41And I think that's what you're fighting for, that mental toughness to be able to do that

00:07:45regardless of the result at the other end, that's what you got to get to.

00:07:48There was a clear attention to detail to, you know, just the tendencies and the focus

00:07:52and the things that we, you know, focused, we need to fix right now.

00:07:55There was great attention to detail, you know, you take a look at 21 turnovers, had something

00:07:59like 20-something deflections, 14 steals.

00:08:01So that stuff's important and that stuff is that we got to continue to, you know, get

00:08:05better at.

00:08:11Joe, you're closing out your second full calendar year as coach of the Celtics and, you know,

00:08:15in soccer they talk a lot about new managers will come in, you know, raising the standards

00:08:19or keeping the standards high.

00:08:20I'm curious, what does that idea mean to you as you're kind of getting deeper and deeper

00:08:24into this job?

00:08:26To me it's just the responsibility and ownership of what it means, you know, to work for the

00:08:32Celtics.

00:08:33I mean, this job isn't what it is if the people before you didn't set the standard, you know,

00:08:38with the winning and the way they won and the tradition of it.

00:08:42So to me it's just you have to carry that responsibility and the ownership to do that

00:08:46and, you know, I think the best part is, you know, I told the guys before the game it's

00:08:50three o'clock on a Tuesday, we've lost more home games this year than we have last year.

00:08:55And look at the passion that they have for who we are, that's the responsibility that

00:08:59we have.

00:09:00And so, thankful for that, but for three o'clock Tuesday afternoon to get the passion is kind

00:09:06of why this job is the best job and that's where the responsibility comes in, we got

00:09:10to bring it.

00:09:11So when we don't, we all feel that, you know, we feel we know that.

00:09:15When we do, you got to keep doing it.

00:09:17So that's the best part about it and however long I'm here, we're just trying to keep that up.

00:09:24All right, there's Joe Mizzou after a bounce-back win and sure, I'm not singing their own praises.

00:09:31I do think he was pretty defensive over the last week or so here of their performance,

00:09:35including before this game, which we'll get into in a little bit.

00:09:39But when your team's able to respond like this to a string of bad games, which we've

00:09:43seen in recent years, I like the fact that he's not going too high after this response

00:09:50and wasn't too low, you know, from their standpoint, after the walls.

00:09:56I would have liked to have heard more urgency in that moment, but I do think he has a good

00:10:02hand on the pulse of the team, what he needs to say, what he needs to do, and some good

00:10:06comments in there about the meeting and the attention to detail and regrouping on the

00:10:10off day yesterday coming into this one.

00:10:12I think it showed.

00:10:13They were just sharp, especially on defense.

00:10:16They gave up 12 points in the first quarter, Sherrod.

00:10:19Yeah, and I think that really is the one thing that, you know, the last few weeks when we're

00:10:25talking about what's not working for the Celtics and why do they not seem like themselves,

00:10:29it really does come back to their defense.

00:10:31That has been, to me, the one thing that no matter how well or woeful they're shooting

00:10:36the ball, when they played really good defense, they've given themselves a great opportunity

00:10:40to win regardless of what's happening offensively, and I thought this game was an example of

00:10:44that.

00:10:45I mean, you look at the way they played in the first quarter.

00:10:47I mean, they shot 33% from the field, and that was up from a really horrendous start

00:10:52to the game, and they had a double-digit lead, and the only way you can do that and shoot

00:10:57that poorly and have a double-digit lead is you've got to defend at a high level, and

00:11:01I thought they did that throughout the course of this game, and once the offense got on

00:11:05track, now all of a sudden you're looking at the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics,

00:11:09a team that could throttle you by 50 points and do it with relative ease and not even

00:11:15play a great game.

00:11:16This was a good game, but this was not a great game.

00:11:19When you look at how they started, you look at how they just, again, just were able to

00:11:23kind of navigate and manage their way through that really rough beginning to finally wind

00:11:30up shooting better than 50% from the field, better than 50% for three-point range, got

00:11:34everyone in an active roster involved in the game, and this was a quality victory, the

00:11:42kind of victory that as you close out the calendar year, you want to build on this,

00:11:46and the timing of it, and I'm sure we'll get into it a little bit later, but when you look

00:11:49at the four games they got coming up on the road, this is the type of performance that

00:11:54you want to go into that stretch having had so that you can build off of that going forward.

00:12:01I thought important, too, to get Drew Holiday back today.

00:12:04I didn't know how this game was going to go, Sherrod.

00:12:06I actually expected both of those guys to sit out again, and Porzingis did miss his

00:12:10third strike game with the ankle sprain, but Holiday looked refreshed, sharp, three steals,

00:12:17three to 13 for Boston in this one.

00:12:20The offensive rebounding, I thought, gave them a big boost early.

00:12:23They only got one in this game, but had his hands in on a few others, and overall just

00:12:28made the most of his minutes.

00:12:29I like the ball movement through him.

00:12:32When it got to him, he's just a guy that solidifies them, especially on the defensive end, and

00:12:38they've missed him badly.

00:12:40They have, and the thing about Drew more than anything, Bobby, is that he gives them an

00:12:44added presence on the perimeter defensively, and I don't think we really recognize until

00:12:49this last four or five games just how big a down-low effect his absence has on this

00:12:54team defensively.

00:12:56Not only do you lose one of your best perimeter defenders, you also lose one of your better

00:12:59help defenders, and that impacts everyone else on this team who doesn't have that help

00:13:05defender floating around who can make some things happen.

00:13:08It certainly affected Derek White, I thought, in a negative way, Al Horford, negative way,

00:13:13Tatum, Brown.

00:13:15They've found a line of their guys who've been pretty good defensively, in large part

00:13:20because of Drew Holiday and what he brings from a help side defensive standpoint, and

00:13:24from a guard your yard type of standpoint as far as how he defends who he's matched

00:13:29up with.

00:13:30Do you think that's why White racked up four blocks in this one?

00:13:34It's not a coincidence, because remember, when Drew Holiday is not around, Derek White

00:13:38cannot be as good a help side defender as we know he's capable of, because he has added

00:13:44responsibilities with Drew's absence.

00:13:47I don't think it's a coincidence that his best games defensively typically happen when

00:13:51Drew's out there.

00:13:52It's not even so much as him trying to outperform Drew, as much as it is Drew's able to do his

00:13:59job and then some, which allows Derek to then do his job and then some.

00:14:03Next thing you know, you're beating the crap out of teams by 50 points.

00:14:07And Bobby, before we go any further, we need to be very clear and put this game in perspective.

00:14:12This is one of the worst teams in NBA, Toronto, by far, they've lost now 11 in a row.

00:14:19They're not at full strength.

00:14:21And so what the Celtics did was what we saw them do last year.

00:14:24And that is if a team is not at full strength and they're not very good, this is what you're

00:14:28going to get.

00:14:29You're going to get absolutely throttled.

00:14:31It was great to see the Celtics gradually build up, frankly, treating Toronto the way

00:14:37you're supposed to treat a bad team and that's beat them bad.

00:14:41Get that game out of the way quickly and allow some of your younger guys, some of your end

00:14:44of the bench guys, to get some burn in something other than practice.

00:14:50I want to see too, some of the stats guys were telling me this might've been just short

00:14:54of the biggest lead in Celtics history.

00:14:58I don't know if that's 100% right and there's still some play-by-play stuff there, but they

00:15:03just kept building and building.

00:15:05And I did wonder how it was going to go into the fourth quarter, where they put all the

00:15:08bench guys in.

00:15:09I know Pritchard and Howes were still out there for a couple minutes, but was this lead

00:15:12going to grow or was this lead going to shrink and there would be maybe a walk of shame?

00:15:17And they grew it and a ton of credit to those guys as well for keeping the foot on the gas.

00:15:23And that I thought was pretty much the story of this game.

00:15:25Each lineup that came in elevated the lineup before and as good as Holiday and White were

00:15:31in this game, this is another excellent Pritchard night.

00:15:35He was just sensational, defensive intensity, breaking up plays.

00:15:40I felt like he had two or three steals himself or at least knocked two or three balls out

00:15:45in this game.

00:15:46Yeah, he had three steals, four assists, six rebounds, 19 points and a plus 36, just short

00:15:51of Jason Tatum in terms of plus minus in this game.

00:15:54It feels like every night he's five of eight from three.

00:15:57The consistency is back.

00:15:59He's had like one game out of every 10 where he slipped up and then he's back to this standard.

00:16:03And this is what you expect from him.

00:16:05I think we've debated a couple of times, Sherrod.

00:16:09Is he closer to the guy we've seen in the past who's up and down or is he going to be

00:16:12bringing 20 points a game to you at this point?

00:16:15And I think you expect 20 points a game from him or close to it.

00:16:19Well, the thing that he did in this game that I thought was really good, and this was particularly

00:16:23noticeable in the first half when it was still relatively a game of sorts, was aggressiveness.

00:16:30I thought he was aggressive not only in terms of what he did in the half court set, but

00:16:34when the Celtics got a defensive rebound and they got the ball in his hand, he was quickly

00:16:37pushing it up, quickly attacking the kind of stuff that he needs to do more often because

00:16:43that's when he's at his best.

00:16:45That's when the Celtics team is at his best.

00:16:47When they're putting stress on a defense, when he's pushing it up quick like that, you

00:16:51don't know whether he's going to pull up for a transition three, which he did on a

00:16:54couple of occasions.

00:16:55And I knocked at least one of them down in the first half.

00:16:58And when he's able to do that, it just puts a different level of pressure and creates

00:17:04a greater challenge for teams defensively because when Pritchett's on the floor often,

00:17:08he's maybe at best maybe the second or third option.

00:17:12And so with Tatum and Jalen on the floor, and obviously Brazilius wasn't out there,

00:17:17but that's another main guy.

00:17:18And also Derek White sometimes is more of an offensive option than Pritchard.

00:17:23His ability to be aggressive, be assertive, force defenses to play a little bit harder

00:17:29than they maybe expect to play and get set quicker because he's pushing it up.

00:17:34It makes him more impactful.

00:17:35It makes the Celtics a tougher team to match up with.

00:17:39And the result is what we saw tonight, a 54-point beatdown of a team that's not very good.

00:17:48You're muted, Bobby.

00:17:51We'll hear from more of the Celtics in a little bit here.

00:17:53Absolutely sure.

00:17:54Just domination in this one.

00:17:57This is what they did against teams like this last year, as you mentioned.

00:18:00Good night to pick more on me and the Celtics stat lines here on prize picks.

00:18:06They are back.

00:18:07I want to announce that.

00:18:08I don't know if I should be, but they are back.

00:18:10You shouldn't do that, Bobby.

00:18:11You're just setting them up.

00:18:15Dammit.

00:18:16Dammit, Bobby.

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00:19:40You know I've been loving the Wembanyama blocks as his impact just grows and grows.

00:19:44Pritchard threes, I think that's a good one right now as well.

00:19:48All that and more.

00:19:49I feel like Tatum's starting to heat up a little bit here too after a slow start.

00:19:53With the rebounding numbers, absolutely.

00:19:55Yeah.

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00:20:03More from our other sponsors here in a little bit.

00:20:05Noah Dalzell is going to be joining us pretty soon as well.

00:20:10In fact, she's right here getting set up.

00:20:12We're going to hear from more Celtics in a little bit.

00:20:15And Sherrod, you mentioned it.

00:20:18You're not going to go there yet, it sounds like.

00:20:20Are the Celtics back?

00:20:23They are not.

00:20:24This was a good, I think, building block, mile marker on that road.

00:20:32But this upcoming trip, I think, is really going to be, I think, the true test of where

00:20:36they are.

00:20:38These are all good teams.

00:20:39These are the kind of teams that if you're going to win a championship, you're going

00:20:42to have to go through teams of this caliber to do so.

00:20:44And for them to go into a stretch where these games are all in a row, these are all teams

00:20:49that if you're the Celtics, it's not a big stretch to think you could potentially see

00:20:55these teams in the NBA Finals.

00:20:58I think they all have that type of potential.

00:21:01Obviously, things have to go a certain way for that to happen.

00:21:04But this is a great litmus test to see what the Celtics are.

00:21:07And as I mentioned earlier, this is the kind of performance that you want to have going

00:21:12into a game like that.

00:21:13The kind of performance that reminds people that you are the defending NBA champions.

00:21:19And if you don't show up, you're going to get embarrassed.

00:21:23The Celtics, and they were able to do it, you know, without even playing a great game.

00:21:27I thought they played a good game, but this was by no means a great game.

00:21:31Joe Mazzullo kind of alluded to that a little bit, as far as like, there's still plenty

00:21:35of footage that they're going to be able to show the guys that they need to get better

00:21:39at, things that they can improve upon going forward.

00:21:41And that's a great feeling as a coach and as a player, to win a game by 54 points and

00:21:46still have clear and undeniable levels and layers that you can ascend to going forward.

00:21:52So this was, again, good win, certainly dominant in every sense of the word, but there's still

00:21:58room to get better.

00:21:59And I think that has to be the motto and the mindset of this team, that you have to keep

00:22:04getting better.

00:22:05You have to keep your foot on the gas of improvement, because that's the only way you're going to

00:22:09win another title.

00:22:10Because the teams that are competing for a championship this year are all better for

00:22:14the most part.

00:22:15The teams that legitimately can knock you off the throne.

00:22:18And you have to step your game up, because you are no longer a hunter.

00:22:21You are the hunted.

00:22:22And that takes a different kind of intensity, a different kind of focus, and a different

00:22:28level of understanding how you have to approach games.

00:22:32And I thought this was a very good beginning of the turning point for them to embrace,

00:22:37not just being a defending NBA champion, but what it takes to win at a level that they're

00:22:43comfortable with, that they've done in the past.

00:22:45So I'm looking forward to seeing how they handle this upcoming West Coast trip.

00:22:50Yeah, I think we all are fast and furious post-games on this New Year's Eve.

00:22:55The Celtics are not waiting around tonight.

00:22:57Here's Derek White talking after this win.

00:23:00I know everybody steps up when guys are down, but having Drew out, knowing the impact that

00:23:07he can make.

00:23:08I mean, when you guys have had some of the struggles recently, was there any point in

00:23:14that stretch where you look ahead and you're like, come on, Drew, are you ready yet?

00:23:17Are you ready yet?

00:23:18Can you get ready to come back or anything like that?

00:23:22Come on, Drew, get out there.

00:23:23You don't want to rush him.

00:23:24Come on, Drew, come back.

00:23:25We need you.

00:23:26He's going to compete with us, but- We're only second in the East.

00:23:34Out there and start to be more like whole again.

00:23:39Derek, you guys started off pretty cold from three in this game.

00:23:42Joe always talks about process over results.

00:23:44That's something he says to us all the time, so I can only assume he says it to you guys.

00:23:48Was that something that you guys knew in your guys' game before Joe got here versus how

00:23:54much did it take for him to instill that mindset of only focus on the process and try

00:23:58to ignore the result of the shot you guys made?

00:24:02I think just being consistent, trusting the work that you put in, and he just always has

00:24:10the most confidence in us, and so we're making the right reads and we're getting good looks.

00:24:17That's something that over a long period of time is going to be beneficial for us, so

00:24:21just know that there's going to be ups and downs in the game, but if you have the right

00:24:27reads, the right process, in the long run it'll work out for us.

00:24:31How hard is it not to get caught up with the result of the shot?

00:24:36You missed a shot.

00:24:37How much frustration goes into that, and is that something you have to grow out of from

00:24:42your younger parts of your career to now?

00:24:44How does that work?

00:24:45Yeah, I think it's definitely something that I've learned over time, just having a lot

00:24:53of confidence in that next shot.

00:24:55You can't get that last shot back, and there's no point really dwelling on it, and so just

00:25:01focusing on that next shot, continuing to put a good shot up there, and then everybody

00:25:09says it takes one to get hot, so just kind of have that mindset.

00:25:14Derek, this time last year, team record 23-6, fans were hooting and hollering every single

00:25:20night.

00:25:21This year, record really hasn't been that much different.

00:25:22You guys are 24-9, yet things seem to be a little bit louder, so I'm curious for you,

00:25:27what's the biggest difference for you this season versus last season at this time?

00:25:31I don't know.

00:25:34I think we're still hooting and hollering, so it's nice to go out there and compete.

00:25:42They're always going to have our back, but every season's going to be a little different.

00:25:46Every season's going to have ups, every season's going to have downs, and so it's not going

00:25:51to be exactly like it was last year, and so we understand that, and we just got to understand

00:25:56that there's a lot that we can improve on.

00:25:58We got to continue to get better.

00:26:00Derek, what's the mentality of kind of getting yourself out of maybe a slump?

00:26:06You're 3-3 today.

00:26:07It seemed like you were comfortable, just like that relaxed kind of motion.

00:26:12Is that it?

00:26:13I mean, what do you do when the ball isn't going in and you feel like you're doing everything

00:26:17to make it go in?

00:26:19Yeah.

00:26:21I feel like, even like last game, I had like three in and outs that, I mean, those are

00:26:27good shots and those are something that you got to stay with, and so even though I didn't

00:26:32do too great last game, I was pretty confident coming into today, and I mean, just like I

00:26:38said earlier, just trusting the work, trusting the process, and I feel like I've gotten a

00:26:43lot of good looks, and I just got to trust my form, trust the shot, and knock it down.

00:26:48So, Derek, today you surpassed 400 blocks in your regular season career.

00:26:54How would you describe your defensive style?

00:26:59I don't know exactly how I would describe it, but that's pretty cool.

00:27:04I didn't know I was close, but just go out there and try to get a stop, try to make it

00:27:10difficult, and just be a shot blocker is kind of something fun, so I don't know how I would

00:27:18describe it, but that's a lot of fun.

00:27:20Sam has been dealing with the lower back pain that flares up on him.

00:27:24It's impacted him at times, and then recently goes three for six from three the other night,

00:27:29four of seven today.

00:27:30What have you seen in terms of him just battling through it and trying to make an impact,

00:27:34and then finally now it seems like recapturing his rhythm?

00:27:37Yeah, I think it's tough when you're in and out of the lineup and you're hurt, and you

00:27:43kind of just don't have that rhythm, so every time he shoots the ball, I think it's going

00:27:48So the more times we can get him good looks, and it's just pretty to watch him shoot, and

00:27:55I think he got the prettiest makes in the NBA, so just getting the rhythm, getting more

00:28:01reps, but he's always working hard, and it's always good to see him have success.

00:28:07One more for you, Derek.

00:28:09The 2024 calendar year coming to an end.

00:28:12Celtics officially won 62 games this year.

00:28:15It's a lot of games.

00:28:16How do you take that number and get it even higher?

00:28:19For what it's worth, this century, 2008 Celtics won 68, so how do you maybe even aspire to

00:28:24something like that?

00:28:27Just win every game we play, and I think we would have more than that, but I don't know.

00:28:34It's pretty cool, a little stat there, but just continue to get better, and we're going

00:28:41to know what the end goal is.

00:28:44Yeah, that's interesting.

00:28:46I didn't even notice that either.

00:28:49403 blocks for Derek White in his career now.

00:28:53Tied Kyle Korver, who had a lot of blocks, I guess.

00:28:56Wow.

00:28:57I didn't know that either.

00:28:58Yeah, definitely did not see that coming.

00:29:01He played for a long time, though.

00:29:03Korver had 1,200 games.

00:29:06White has played 450 at this point, so a lot fewer per game.

00:29:12Who else is around here?

00:29:13Robert Reed, Montrezl Harrell, Anderson Varejao at 407.

00:29:22Dwayne Dedman.

00:29:24Dwayne Dedman is on that list?

00:29:26Yeah, he had 409.

00:29:30Other than Korver, Bobby, pretty much every name that you read off is a power forward

00:29:37slash center type.

00:29:40Or a big, big wing, and Derek is a legitimate guard who's blocking shots like no guard

00:29:47we've seen before.

00:29:48I mean, I think Derek is listed at what, 6'5", 6'6"?

00:29:52Yes.

00:29:53Something like that?

00:29:54He's probably one of, if not the best shot blocker at his size ever.

00:30:00You don't see guys that size playing against guards in this day and age who block shots

00:30:05the way he does.

00:30:08And it was good to see Noah's Jaden Springer stock get some action today.

00:30:13It's good to see that.

00:30:14My Jaden Springer stock?

00:30:15I'm on my Jordan Walsh stock today.

00:30:18I can only do one at a time, but yeah, that Jordan was great in garbage time.

00:30:22But no, it was good to see Jaden play.

00:30:24I like any game where everybody gets a chance.

00:30:27So I was going to ask Noah, because I don't pay close attention to those minutes.

00:30:31Oh, I'm locked in.

00:30:33I'm like closing my computer, locking in in the fourth quarter.

00:30:36What did you take from the fourth quarter?

00:30:39That was the best I've seen Jordan Walsh play in the NBA.

00:30:41I mean, I know he's not playing against the best competition, but he's just,

00:30:46it ceases to never, I'll never get over the fact that he looked so bad in July.

00:30:52And not just like he was missing his shots, he just looked completely out of sync,

00:30:55out of control on every drive.

00:30:57I was looking for something positive to hold onto there, and there was really nothing.

00:31:01And now, six months later, he's looking to be like, he can be the best player

00:31:05on the floor in those moments.

00:31:06And 10 points in the fourth, that's his career high.

00:31:09So that really stood out to me.

00:31:10But NeNe had good energy.

00:31:11They've had, the last couple games, that group has had much better energy

00:31:15and flow than they did earlier in the season.

00:31:18Earlier in the season, I was like, they're not the same stay-ready group

00:31:20from last year that was like coming in and continuing the run.

00:31:22But they've gotten some good chemistry.

00:31:25Yeah, I thought it was smart.

00:31:27I thought it was smart to keep Pritchard and Hauser in there to start too.

00:31:29Sherrod, go ahead.

00:31:31Yeah, I was just going to just add to that.

00:31:33We're starting to see some of the rationale behind getting guys like Walsh

00:31:38and NeMe and those guys minutes throughout the season.

00:31:41And it may have had a negative impact on winning games.

00:31:45But the thing that they've been talking about all season long is that everything

00:31:52is about winning a championship.

00:31:53Everything is building towards winning a championship.

00:31:55And the one thing that these guys know in their journey is that you're going

00:31:58to need a certain amount of depth to win a championship.

00:32:01And it's good that these guys are getting not just experience but confidence.

00:32:05I mean, it's one thing to be out there playing.

00:32:07It's another thing to be out there playing well.

00:32:09And I think we're starting to see more Jordan Walsh playing well

00:32:13when he's out there than not.

00:32:15And I think a lot of it is just comfort.

00:32:17A lot of it is just understanding what he has to do and embracing the role

00:32:22that they kind of carved out for him.

00:32:24He's just a little do a little bit of everything out there.

00:32:27They want you to defend.

00:32:28They want you to rebound.

00:32:29They want you to just basically be a game changer, someone who can impact winning

00:32:34and make positive plays regardless of what that is.

00:32:37And he of that kind of that the guys that are on that bubble rotation-esque level,

00:32:44I think he's doing a really good job of giving Joe Mazula a guy that he's going

00:32:48to look to potentially if he gets in a pinch in the playoffs because he knows

00:32:52this guy has been on the floor and has had success and is just a bit more comfortable

00:32:57with his ability to make an impact.

00:32:59And the guys around him, I think, are more comfortable with looking to him

00:33:03to do some things.

00:33:04Yeah, and we're one month in the deadline or so here.

00:33:07I think you've got to start to take a look, an extended look at some

00:33:10of these bench guys and get a good feel for where you're at into that second unit,

00:33:14especially if there's going to be a guy missing here or there.

00:33:17Can you count on Cato for playoff minutes this year?

00:33:20Can you count on Walsh for postseason minutes this time around?

00:33:24Because those guys are pretty much your next players up off that bench,

00:33:28especially if they don't have a strong level of trust in Xavier Tillman.

00:33:31But I would get him some more looks down the stretch too here just to see

00:33:35what you have going into that deadline.

00:33:37They're reportedly in the mix again on bringing back Lonnie Walker

00:33:41when that deadline comes around.

00:33:43I believe that's February 18th, they said, the buyout one there

00:33:47from his Lithuania team.

00:33:50They have a bunch of different options here.

00:33:53Could you bring back O'Shea?

00:33:55The reason I wouldn't go there is because I think Walsh can step into that role.

00:33:58I know he's young, I know he's been inconsistent,

00:34:01and I don't love the role he plays offensively when he's playing

00:34:04with the regular cast of characters here.

00:34:06The fourth quarter, you see him with the ball in his hands, he's creating.

00:34:10I think that's a better version of Walsh, similar to what we saw in Maine,

00:34:14than him just standing in the corner shooting threes there.

00:34:17With him specifically, and I do have a high level of belief

00:34:20knowing him being able to be a rotation guy for them when someone goes down.

00:34:24When you're full, you're probably playing your regular eight-man cast of veterans.

00:34:29But when someone goes down, I like the idea of him bringing energy,

00:34:33I like the idea of him crashing the glass, being a defender on the perimeter

00:34:39and inside too.

00:34:40There's a lot to love here, but it's got to gain some consistency

00:34:44because there's been a lot of performances where he just comes out,

00:34:47misses a couple shots, the confidence isn't there offensively.

00:34:50I actually thought Drew Peterson passed him by

00:34:52through those couple games he played because he came in with great confidence,

00:34:56took shots, knew what he needed to do, where he needed to be.

00:34:59That's where Walsh is still getting to.

00:35:01I think the only way you can overcome that is getting him

00:35:03some regular minutes here.

00:35:05Yeah, and that's why I'm always in favor of, honestly, him getting minutes.

00:35:08Any one of these guys, it's low risk, high reward is how I see it at this point.

00:35:14Honestly, one thing I'll disagree with that you said,

00:35:16I actually feel like he's better.

00:35:17He's historically been better when the ball's not in his hand.

00:35:20That's what made today so impressive.

00:35:22This was actually one of the first times that I've seen him really comfortable

00:35:25with actually being the primary scorer in a unit of five.

00:35:28He wasn't that in Maine for the most part.

00:35:30They had him kind of emulating that more catch-and-shoot threes role,

00:35:33which he's never fully gotten 100% comfortable in,

00:35:37and I still think he can get there, but it's still more of a concept

00:35:40and aspiration than something that we've actually seen play out.

00:35:42He wasn't putting up crazy numbers in Maine.

00:35:44Baylor Shireman is already blowing him out of the water stats-wise

00:35:47as far as what he's putting in night-in-night-out in the G League,

00:35:50and that's a result of how they were playing him.

00:35:52So I like the fact that today we actually saw some evolution,

00:35:57some growth in an area that I felt like he was still kind of an open question mark,

00:36:01and honestly, Jalen Brown was talking to him the entire game.

00:36:05Every time out, he was pulling him aside and seemed very happy

00:36:08with what he was seeing, but it was funny.

00:36:09From the first time he went in, he went over to say something to him,

00:36:11and then the rest of the fourth quarter, he was kind of locked in on coaching up Jordan.

00:36:15I posted a couple clips of it, but it was pretty cool to watch.

00:36:18It seems like there's a full level of investment from everybody else

00:36:21in his development as well, and Tatum actually said—

00:36:23I wrote a story about it this morning, but Tatum said last game,

00:36:25we actually need him—I don't want to get the quote wrong,

00:36:29but he said we need him to achieve what we want to achieve here.

00:36:31He's actually very important to what we're trying to do during the season.

00:36:34I don't think I would have expected anybody to say that about Jordan Walsh

00:36:37heading into the season, so it's been a good few months for him.

00:36:41Jordan Walsh, even though they're different kind of players,

00:36:44I do see their evolutionary growth with the Celtics similar to Avery Bradley,

00:36:50a guy that was—Jordan obviously is a bigger player,

00:36:53but a guy that doesn't have a definitive role, doesn't necessarily do all the things,

00:36:57as Noah pointed out.

00:36:58He's not a guy that's just going to create his own shot.

00:37:02I don't think that comes naturally to him, but I think it's a skill

00:37:04that he can develop over time.

00:37:06Just like Avery wasn't a natural ball handler or scorer,

00:37:09he became a pretty good one.

00:37:10He found spots where he can make an impact,

00:37:12and I think Jordan is going to figure that out over time.

00:37:15The only reason I say that, Shrad, not that I think he's going to be out there

00:37:19dealing the ball and creating shots himself and all that.

00:37:22I just think you need to find a way to make defenses guard him,

00:37:25and whether he's screening and rolling and catching the ball there

00:37:29or bringing the ball up the floor, which we saw him do in the preseason,

00:37:32I think he needs to be in the action somehow because if he's in the corner now,

00:37:35I think that defense is just going to ignore him.

00:37:39True.

00:37:40Yeah.

00:37:41I mean, that's what we've seen historically,

00:37:42and so it's all about is he going to hit his shots.

00:37:44He's taken – I think he's like 8 of 28 on the year or something,

00:37:47so it's such a small sample that it's hard to gauge anything.

00:37:50He was around league average from the G League last year,

00:37:52so ideally – like I don't want to overdo it with Jordan.

00:37:55I like covering him.

00:37:56I think he's a fun player to kind of monitor his development,

00:37:58but ideally he's not somebody that you're really relying on

00:38:01when it comes to playoff time,

00:38:03but he is somebody that's eating some of those regular season minutes,

00:38:05similar to how we saw Sam Hauser, not last season but the year prior.

00:38:08He had a pretty sizable regular season role.

00:38:10He didn't really play much in the playoffs,

00:38:12but that set him up I thought for the following year

00:38:14to actually be one of their most important bench contributors in the playoffs.

00:38:17So maybe Jordan, you know, he's not –

00:38:19I don't know that he's ready right now at 20 years old

00:38:21to play really high-pressure minutes in June,

00:38:25but this year is going to be important to actually getting him there eventually.

00:38:28So I love what we're seeing out of him,

00:38:30and I love that they got a good run today,

00:38:32and it wasn't just him.

00:38:33Drew Peterson looked comfortable.

00:38:34Like a lot of guys just looked a lot better than they had previously.

00:38:37Not that we should be scrutinizing every moment of, you know,

00:38:39their blowout minutes, but they were a pretty rough unit, that five,

00:38:42compared to the five from last year that was like O'Shea Brissett

00:38:45and Lamar Stephens.

00:38:46Like that group was a lot more comfortable,

00:38:48and this year I felt like that was hurting their net rating.

00:38:50So it's good that they're back.

00:38:53Yes, and we'll continue to discuss this game.

00:38:56We'll get some thoughts on the regular contributors here too,

00:38:58but another good night for Walsh, and the more he can stack those up

00:39:01I think is going to help him stay involved here,

00:39:03and he's gaining momentum.

00:39:04We said it last game as let's say the ninth guy,

00:39:07the O'Shea Brissett in this rotation.

00:39:09And a similar skill set, I would say, similar limitations,

00:39:12role, position, all of that.

00:39:15So younger, less experienced, skinnier.

00:39:18So I think there are some uphill battles there for him to succeed

00:39:22in a high leverage situation.

00:39:24But players like that have surprised us before,

00:39:27and we'll keep an eye on him.

00:39:29I want to shout out game time right now.

00:39:32Plenty of road games coming up.

00:39:35So if you're in let's say Minnesota or Houston, Denver,

00:39:40or Oklahoma City over the next four games,

00:39:42good chance to see the Celtics, get yourself in the building

00:39:45for what should be some great games.

00:39:47And then some home games coming up later this month as well

00:39:50into the new year.

00:39:52Pelicans, I believe, are going to be here.

00:39:54You've got the Kings coming up.

00:39:56So those should be midweek games, a little more manageable,

00:39:59or weekend games rather.

00:40:01So if you want to go see the Celtics, go to the game time app

00:40:04or any event, concerts, all of it's over there available.

00:40:08I just got some Kendrick Lamar tickets for May

00:40:10and plenty of other events over there as well.

00:40:13Bruins, you've got Patriots' final home game coming up this weekend

00:40:17if you want to go see them one more time.

00:40:19Great deals for them over there as their season completely goes to hell.

00:40:24But all kinds of events and sports, baseball coming up before you know it

00:40:30as well, and it's all available in the game time app.

00:40:32So use the code SEALONUS.

00:40:34Get $20 off your first purchase.

00:40:35Terms apply over there.

00:40:37Best seats, lowest price guaranteed over on game time.

00:40:40We'll have panoramic views of your seats as well.

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00:40:45Get $20 off your first purchase.

00:40:47Terms apply.

00:40:49All right.

00:40:50What stood out to you most from this one, Noah?

00:40:52We talked a little bit about White.

00:40:54Holiday's return was certainly impactful.

00:40:57And Pritchard just being Pritchard again.

00:41:00He's just so consistent in his role at this point.

00:41:03Giving them a bench boost.

00:41:04And they needed it again, Noah.

00:41:06Just a brutal start for the starters to begin this one.

00:41:10Yeah.

00:41:11You know, it's hard to make too many big, like,

00:41:14takeaways or assertions from this game just given who they were playing.

00:41:17And I thought it was funny that Joe Mazula said postgame that it was the

00:41:20atmosphere in the locker room was the same after that type of win

00:41:23compared to the loss the other night.

00:41:25But ultimately, I think what turned things around was Derek White found an

00:41:29offensive rhythm in the first quarter when they really needed it.

00:41:31And they're so much more dynamic offensively when he's not just a weapon,

00:41:36but he's really, really hard to guard.

00:41:38And he sometimes can be the best offensive player on the floor, it feels.

00:41:41And I certainly felt that way at points last season.

00:41:43So, he was huge in the first.

00:41:45And then just, you know, the third quarter shot making.

00:41:48They were due for one of those quarters.

00:41:49I feel like it's been a really long time since we've seen just them hit

00:41:52everything.

00:41:53And last year, it felt like a common night.

00:41:55And Joe said it's literally just the fact that they made those shots.

00:41:58But the shot making certainly helps when they only scored three points in the

00:42:02first five minutes and they were up by one versus when if they had been

00:42:05playing a better team.

00:42:06I think they probably would have been in trouble there just because the

00:42:08Raptors fumbled a couple opportunities.

00:42:10So, I do think that there were some big, you know, there was,

00:42:13the Raptors were helping them.

00:42:14But defensively, I felt, you know, Drew Holliday being back in the lineup,

00:42:17he just cleans up so many of their mistakes.

00:42:20Somebody needs to make a YouTube video that's like 40 minutes long that just

00:42:23highlights all of the plays that he saves.

00:42:25Because a lot of times it's not things that show up on the box score.

00:42:28It's not a block.

00:42:29It's not a steal.

00:42:30But he's just making the right play at the right time.

00:42:32And I think that, you know,

00:42:33this held the defense noticeably his absence really helped today.

00:42:36Or sorry, his, what's the opposite of absence?

00:42:40Presence.

00:42:41Presence.

00:42:43Drew Holliday, speaking of presence,

00:42:45Presence present in the locker room right now talking about his night.

00:42:50Shoulders okay.

00:42:51You know, sucks to sit out.

00:42:54So, felt great to be back and obviously be in this arena and play in front of

00:42:59the fans and last game of the new year.

00:43:02So, and then, I don't know, I think it was just a hit or something like that

00:43:08where my shoulder just kind of felt weird.

00:43:11And then over time just got worse and worse.

00:43:14Hit four, five, and three.

00:43:16Did it feel good?

00:43:17It felt, I mean, yeah.

00:43:19Maybe the hit is what helped it.

00:43:21Maybe it got my shoulder in line and now I can see a three or two go in.

00:43:26So, again, it felt good.

00:43:28I think just obviously basketball is a physical sport

00:43:31and being hit a couple times a day, a couple times felt good,

00:43:35a couple times hurt, but we'll manage.

00:43:37Yeah, you know, I think teams are challenging us.

00:43:40I think the game is becoming more physical, which is good,

00:43:43and I think that's a benefit for us where we can do the same,

00:43:47and I think we showed that tonight.

00:43:48Joe has said he wants this defense to be a little more active

00:43:51when it comes to forcing turnovers and getting your hands on balls.

00:43:54Is that something that exceeds your expectations?

00:43:57I get it, yeah, I do.

00:43:58Come on, Joe.

00:43:59Is that something that you enjoy as a defense first guy?

00:44:03Boy, the eyes, balls, my gosh.

00:44:06I think it's just about being active.

00:44:07He's always doing that.

00:44:08And that's something that I always feel like I like to do.

00:44:11Think the game, especially in the defensive end,

00:44:13and be able to get deflections, start the break, and things like that.

00:44:18So that's definitely fun for me, being more active.

00:44:21I think probably about the seven-minute mark in the first quarter,

00:44:24I was gassed and my lungs were going crazy.

00:44:27But, yeah, it's fun to be able to kind of scramble

00:44:31and run around and be as active as possible.

00:44:36Wow.

00:44:37Love it.

00:44:38Love it.

00:44:39They literally shot out of his head.

00:44:42Yeah, I love seeing him back out there.

00:44:44He hit that 3-2 before halftime.

00:44:46I thought that was an important moment.

00:44:48White had a similar shot at the end of first.

00:44:50Those kind of shots help them build on each quarter and grow that lead

00:44:53and play better each quarter than the next.

00:44:56So I love the pace in this game.

00:44:58He's part of that too.

00:44:59And his offensive rebounding too, Noah.

00:45:01I feel like now that O'Shea's gone, Cornette's pretty good too,

00:45:04Kate, of course.

00:45:05But I guess among the non-centers, he's their best offensive rebounder.

00:45:09And they need that.

00:45:10Again, if you're going to miss a lot of threes like they have lately,

00:45:12you've got to be in there on the offensive glass.

00:45:14And he's a guy who's always there.

00:45:16His angles to the rim are great.

00:45:19Richard too, offensively.

00:45:20But I think Drew's had some big ones and big moments in the playoffs.

00:45:24When I think of offensive rebounding, it's less the numbers.

00:45:26He just knows when he needs to do it, and he makes it happen.

00:45:29But, yeah, that was funny, the shoulder fixing his shot line.

00:45:33Because I do feel like sometimes a little injury,

00:45:35you're away from the game for a little, maybe it did help him.

00:45:38Because he was in a pretty tough stretch there.

00:45:40And he looked really confident shooting.

00:45:42Yeah, I'm sure he was getting shots up too,

00:45:44and just getting some rest and being more fresh.

00:45:48I'm sure all that helped.

00:45:49Because he did look worn down, fatigued.

00:45:52Whether there was something physical going on there too.

00:45:55It wasn't the best version of holiday to begin this year.

00:45:58And I think that was another difference compared to last year

00:46:00that we saw through the opening stretch.

00:46:02So if he can get going here, that's going to be a major help for them.

00:46:05And he's the kind of – it's great to get the Cato minutes

00:46:08and Walsh and all these other guys off the bench.

00:46:11But when you're going up against the Thunder

00:46:12and the Nuggets of the World's Ride, Houston,

00:46:15you want your holidays and Tatums and Browns.

00:46:18I guess we've got to mention Tatum in this one too.

00:46:20He didn't shoot great to start.

00:46:22But third quarter he comes out and scores eight straight, I believe.

00:46:27The third one being a three-point foul that he hit two of three on.

00:46:31He got on the ball.

00:46:32I don't know why.

00:46:33It's actually what I probably would have asked Joe tonight in the presser,

00:46:35why Tatum's been more off the ball.

00:46:38And even at the start of this game, he was in the corner a little bit,

00:46:40missed some shots that went in and out.

00:46:42So I like the shots that he got in this game.

00:46:45But I think there's a stat I saw out there that they're like 10-1

00:46:49when his usage goes way up.

00:46:51And more recently it's been a little bit more Brown,

00:46:54some other guys on the ball, and him floating

00:46:56and playing off the ball a little bit.

00:46:58I like the fact in the third quarter there he was able to get on the ball,

00:47:01create his own shot.

00:47:02That last shot he hit two where he tossed the ball to Coronet,

00:47:05repositioned himself, and created a ton of space for himself for a three.

00:47:10Looks so nice.

00:47:12And just a good game, even if it wasn't his most efficient

00:47:15or statistically dominant for Tatum.

00:47:17I felt like he got in full control as the game went on.

00:47:20Yeah.

00:47:21And Tatum, when you start looking at his just numbers,

00:47:24like the last five, six, seven games,

00:47:26he's been playing at a really, really high level.

00:47:29But I think the thing about Jason is that whether he shoots the ball well

00:47:33or not, he's 25 points walking every game.

00:47:36He's going to find a way to get those numbers.

00:47:39But this was a game where I just thought that he got off to a rough start,

00:47:43but he just kind of got into his flow, got into his rhythm,

00:47:45and was part of their ability to just make this a non-game

00:47:49for more than a half.

00:47:51You're going to need that from your best player.

00:47:53You're going to need him to be that guy.

00:47:56And in a game like this against one of the worst teams in NBA,

00:48:00this is how you're supposed to play.

00:48:02Play well early.

00:48:03Get on the bench late.

00:48:05Rinse, recycle, repeat.

00:48:06We saw this happen all the time last season,

00:48:09and it was one of the reasons why I think him and a lot of those guys

00:48:12who logged pretty big minutes in the playoffs looked so fresh,

00:48:16because they had a season in which they were able to get way more rest

00:48:19than I think they were accustomed to because they were beating the breaks

00:48:22off a team so early and making it a non-game for the most part.

00:48:26So they need to have a few more of these before the season is out

00:48:30so that Jason and Jalen and the rest of those guys can not only get some

00:48:34much-needed rest, but that they can continue to develop that second unit

00:48:39and then what I call that second-plus unit,

00:48:41the guys that aren't going to probably play,

00:48:43but you want to still get them ready just in case they are going to be

00:48:47called upon, the Jordan Walsh's of the world.

00:48:49So this was a good performance for Tatum to do what he needed to do

00:48:53and position his Celtics to, as a team, come away with more than just a win,

00:48:57but also a little bit of player development in the process.

00:49:00Yeah, and he was the reason.

00:49:01He was the big key in that third quarter.

00:49:03I mean, he had 18 points on six shots, hit four or five from three.

00:49:07So that was the crux of that third-quarter explosion that kind of turned this

00:49:11from a 10-point game at the half to a massive, massive blowout.

00:49:15And so, yeah, I think when he starts hitting those kinds of shots,

00:49:18I've said this before, but the Celtics are unstoppable.

00:49:21You know, he's unstoppable.

00:49:23And the reality is that he doesn't need to hit those shots constantly

00:49:26for them to be great, and we saw that in the playoffs last year

00:49:29where he wasn't really hitting his threes and they were still great.

00:49:31But when he does, and it's going to be from time to time,

00:49:34like those are the kinds of games that you're going to get.

00:49:36So that might be, honestly, one of the big factors

00:49:38for why the final score is what it was,

00:49:40was just the stretch that he got in in the third quarter

00:49:42that kind of put the game out of reach.

00:49:44And this Raptors team is not the kind of team

00:49:45that's going to be able to sustain that.

00:49:48Yeah, and interesting stuff before the game too.

00:49:51Noah, the pre-season, the pre-game storyline.

00:49:56I guess she asked the question of the year to Joe Mizzoula.

00:49:59Three years, Bobby. Thank you.

00:50:01The question of Joe Mizzoula's tenure.

00:50:05Me, not so much.

00:50:06It was Joe before the game talking about effort versus results

00:50:12or whatever Noah got into here.

00:50:18When people are struggling to make threes or missing shots,

00:50:22it's like, okay, they're in a slump.

00:50:24But when it's defense or rebounding or things like that,

00:50:26it feels like, okay, players are being lazy or not.

00:50:29Oh man, that is the most profound statement in my three years

00:50:33is what you just said.

00:50:35The most profound statement of all time.

00:50:37Yes, it is so easy to blame effort

00:50:40as opposed to just make a shot.

00:50:42You know our expected defense is number one

00:50:46in the last 10 games

00:50:47and our layup percentage defense is number one

00:50:49in the last 10 games.

00:50:51And our expected points per shot defense is number three

00:50:54in the last 10 games.

00:50:55But you know what our three-point percentage is?

00:50:5728th.

00:50:59So, man, me and you are just going to grow

00:51:03in our relationship together.

00:51:06I'm looking forward to it.

00:51:07Thank you, yes.

00:51:08God, man, finally.

00:51:09We do have to play better though on both ends of the floor.

00:51:12Last question, Bobby.

00:51:13Joe, you mentioned-

00:51:14Try to follow that one up, Bobby,

00:51:15because I'm sure you're going to, you know.

00:51:16I tried my best.

00:51:17I'm sure he won't.

00:51:22So-

00:51:23I'm sure he won't was crazy work.

00:51:25Damn.

00:51:26So, Noah, love, flowers, candy.

00:51:31Bobby, a chicken and gun.

00:51:34Oh, boy.

00:51:36What a nasty thing to say.

00:51:38Wow.

00:51:39I feel like he's right.

00:51:41Go ahead.

00:51:42No, I was going to say my interpretation of that

00:51:44was that I think he knows we like do a thing together,

00:51:47like a show together.

00:51:48Because maybe not, but I was just like,

00:51:51I feel like the way he slandered you,

00:51:52I felt like it was in jest.

00:51:54If not, I'm sorry, but-

00:51:56Oh, don't be sorry.

00:51:58Well-

00:51:59No, I'm sorry if Bobby got slandered as a friend.

00:52:03It was interesting to say the effort versus detail thing.

00:52:11I'm sure he brought it to the locker room.

00:52:13He seemed to like that so much.

00:52:15But was this an effort thing, Sharad, tonight?

00:52:18Was this them locking in, playing harder?

00:52:21They certainly played faster.

00:52:23I don't know.

00:52:24We've had this effort conversation a million times now,

00:52:26and it goes back to his untrained eye comment the other day,

00:52:28which I really didn't like.

00:52:29I like that even less than him dissing me right there.

00:52:32Bobby is still-

00:52:33I can see the seam coming out of the neck right now.

00:52:35Every time Bobby brings that up-

00:52:36You didn't interpret it as a joke, Bobby?

00:52:38No.

00:52:39I don't know.

00:52:40I don't care.

00:52:41But effort.

00:52:42Was it effort, Sharad?

00:52:43Was that the name of the game today?

00:52:45I don't think so.

00:52:46I think it was a combination of just the Celtics, our superior team,

00:52:49and the Celtics played a squad that was basically just trying to just show up,

00:52:55literally just physically be in the building.

00:52:57Now, there's some things that they did better as the game wore on.

00:53:00There's no doubt about that.

00:53:01But I don't think they necessarily played with great effort in this game.

00:53:05I just think they played a good game against a really crappy team.

00:53:09Really great effort is hard to come by or at least notice

00:53:15when you're playing a really bad team.

00:53:17I didn't think their effort was necessarily off the charts,

00:53:21but I didn't think it sucked either.

00:53:22I just think their effort was, I think,

00:53:25at the level that it should be relative to the opponent they were playing.

00:53:29I don't think it was great, but I don't think it was horrible either.

00:53:34They just did what they needed to do.

00:53:37That's pretty much, yeah.

00:53:39I don't think effort was a factor in this at all.

00:53:42I really don't.

00:53:44I think this might have been clipped out of the clip that we just showed,

00:53:47but he said, or maybe it wasn't, and I was just traumatized from watching that,

00:53:51but he said that there's 10 to 12 possessions.

00:53:54He said, I want to be clear.

00:53:55There's 10 to 12 possessions that we have to do better,

00:53:58and those are defensive issues and effort and things like that.

00:54:01I think the point that I took away from it,

00:54:04and at least what I would say, is that there's always 10 to 12 possessions,

00:54:08and there were tonight as well.

00:54:09They were last year after wins where they won by 30,

00:54:12and so it's just that when they lose, those are very noticeable plays,

00:54:16and they're plays that you want to fix,

00:54:18and they're plays that you go back and re-watch and pick apart

00:54:20if you're in the media or if you're a fan or whatever,

00:54:22because they cost you the game, right?

00:54:24But usually they're able to win those games,

00:54:27despite the fact that those 10 to 12 plays are still there,

00:54:29and so I think the question is,

00:54:31is it realistic to expect that 10 to 12 to become four?

00:54:34Probably not for most NBA teams.

00:54:36That's just kind of the nature of things.

00:54:38So I think he would say that this most recent stretch,

00:54:41the issues of play have not been the effort,

00:54:43but that doesn't mean that the effort isn't perfect

00:54:45because it's never really perfect, if that makes sense.

00:54:48I did a whole discussion about this with my dad on my podcast on CLNS,

00:54:53so we talked all about just how that sometimes can be misconstrued

00:54:57if you're watching where if you're going to get a rebound

00:55:00or you're trying to get a steal, things that have happened on the floor,

00:55:03you might be wanting to get that rebound or that block,

00:55:06and now it's a foul because you're just out of sync.

00:55:08It starts on offense, but it kind of trickles through the game,

00:55:11and I do think that someone like Derek White,

00:55:13I would say that is what we've seen.

00:55:14Maybe that doesn't speak for everybody's struggles,

00:55:16but someone like him, I think his timing has just been off across the board,

00:55:19and maybe it starts with his threes,

00:55:21or maybe it's all one thing that got fixed at once,

00:55:23but you could feel how his offense and his defense

00:55:25were both just more in sync today.

00:55:28Some of it, I think, Bobby.

00:55:29Can we jump in, Bobby, real quick?

00:55:31Sometimes I think we kind of conflate effort and attention to detail,

00:55:35which are two very different things.

00:55:37You can have great effort and just not be locked in

00:55:39to the little minute aspects of the game,

00:55:42and other times you're completely locked into that stuff,

00:55:44but you're not necessarily given the type of physical or effort that you should,

00:55:48and I think the Celtics, they sometimes –

00:55:51the players kind of – there's an ebb and flow of sorts, I think,

00:55:54with some of the players when it comes to their attention to detail

00:55:57and their effort, and when you're defending champions,

00:55:59you can have good effort, but there's a high probability

00:56:02that you're playing a team that's going to have great effort,

00:56:04and I think that's sometimes where they're not necessarily having bad effort

00:56:08as much as it is they're just not having as great an effort

00:56:11as they need to in order to win because I don't think you can show up

00:56:15and win and play the way they do night in, night out

00:56:18and not have a pretty good amount of effort out there.

00:56:21It's those nights where you see them not necessarily getting those 50-50 balls

00:56:26even though they have great opportunities to do that,

00:56:28or nights where they're not closing out.

00:56:30They're just letting Indiana Pacers shooters just walk into threes

00:56:33with no hands up and not even attempting to close out.

00:56:36That's when it becomes – the effort becomes a bigger question,

00:56:39and to Noah's point, sometimes those 10 to 15 plays

00:56:42that you wish you could take back or you wish you could do better,

00:56:46sometimes they become like 20, 25-ish on those bad loss nights

00:56:51like the Indiana games.

00:56:53Yeah, I thought those Philly and Indy games were pretty rough there,

00:56:56and John wanted to be here badly today.

00:56:59He couldn't, but he did weigh in on this.

00:57:01LeBron, good old X.

00:57:04To address Joe Mazzullo's pregame comments about slump versus effort,

00:57:07slump is a term used by players and optimistic fans to explain why issues

00:57:12that may or may not be related to effort and or regression.

00:57:15Effort is something anyone can plainly see with their own eyes

00:57:18and affects both offense and defense.

00:57:21The reason why you don't slump on defense is because without effort,

00:57:24you can get exposed defensively.

00:57:26You can get by with poor effort on offensive shots or falling,

00:57:29which is why when they're not falling, we sometimes lazily refer to it

00:57:32as a slump.

00:57:33The reality is most of the time you're playing below your expected level.

00:57:37It's due to lack of effort.

00:57:42I wish he was here because I disagree.

00:57:45I'll go to the other phrase we use, Noah, because they play down

00:57:47their opponents quite a bit.

00:57:49We talk about that or when guys are out on the other side.

00:57:52Is that a lack of effort though when you play down to your opponent?

00:57:59No, I'm asking the question.

00:58:01I mean, do you see that as a lack of effort when you play down

00:58:04to your opponent?

00:58:05I don't think it is.

00:58:06I just think that to me is more about attention to detail than effort.

00:58:11You're not doing the little things that you would need to do in order

00:58:15to blow this team out.

00:58:17But you still more times than not are going to win.

00:58:19Effort to me is when you're just simply not – and you can have bad effort

00:58:24on offense too, even when shots are going down.

00:58:27Even defensively, you can have good effort and just not be effective.

00:58:32I mean, if your team is full of guys who are 6'9", 6'10",

00:58:37and are slow, and you're playing a team that's 6'7", 6'8",

00:58:40across the board and athletic, you can have great effort

00:58:42and still get smoked by 30 because of your personnel.

00:58:46That's the one factor that you have to take into account

00:58:49when you're talking about effort, attention to detail,

00:58:52and things of that nature.

00:58:54But the Celtics, I think their effort has been solid,

00:58:58but I do think that they have had lulls where if they weren't

00:59:03the defending NBA champion and there weren't this level

00:59:05of expectations, it wouldn't be so bad.

00:59:08But because they are the champions, because you know that teams

00:59:11are circling that game against Boston as one of,

00:59:14if not the biggest game of the year, you're going to have to play

00:59:17with a greater level of effort more consistently,

00:59:20and I don't think they've done that as well as they should

00:59:24have done so far this year.

00:59:26And the effort might lapse at times within games now.

00:59:28It could fluctuate within games too.

00:59:30So I know it can sound demeaning to the players or the team,

00:59:36and I think that's why Joe has the greatest problem with that

00:59:39when we bring it up, but there are games I feel like

00:59:42where effort's an issue, and in a game like this,

00:59:44the effort raised to a level that allowed them to dominate

00:59:47obviously a worse team than the last couple that they saw here.

00:59:51But their effort was constant and grew throughout this game.

00:59:54Even the transition I'll point to is a way that they got ahead

00:59:57of the defense.

00:59:59They maximized stops.

01:00:01They piled up stops throughout this game, forced turnovers,

01:00:03all that different kind of stuff.

01:00:05And yeah, certainly the misses can contribute to the defense,

01:00:08defensive issues and energy maybe on that end.

01:00:11But I think it's attributable to effort.

01:00:14I think their effort, not to say that they have zero sometimes

01:00:17and a hundred other times, but it can fluctuate a little bit.

01:00:21The Cavs did it when they were winning championships.

01:00:23The Warriors, I'm sure, did it too.

01:00:25It happens.

01:00:27But I don't think there's anything wrong with calling it

01:00:29for what we see.

01:00:32Yeah, I mean, and I've said that as well.

01:00:34I think their effort has not been consistent every single time,

01:00:37but I still think we're attributing struggles to intentions

01:00:42and your efforts when your struggles can be attributed

01:00:45to your confidence, to your rhythm, to your flow,

01:00:47to how in sync you are with your teammates and with the ball

01:00:50and the basket.

01:00:52I think it is kind of simplifying it to just say that if you're –

01:00:56I'm rereading John's tweet here because honestly it's throwing me

01:00:59off a little bit, but what I'm interpreting,

01:01:01and if John is here I would ask him,

01:01:03but is it just saying that pretty much if you're in a slump

01:01:06it's always because of effort?

01:01:07Because that's kind of how I'm reading it.

01:01:09Because you could be in a slump.

01:01:10I think on the defensive end he's saying –

01:01:12well, yeah, he said it could happen on offense too.

01:01:14Right.

01:01:15And I don't think – I think that's just –

01:01:17I would disagree with that as just –

01:01:19I think you can struggle in a lot of different ways

01:01:22and you can struggle because you're out of sync.

01:01:24And, again, like one of the things that I've been thinking about is

01:01:27some guys look like they lost confidence during the stretch,

01:01:30and it's not that they don't have confidence as NBA players.

01:01:32Obviously they do.

01:01:33They are all on big contracts and have a career full of success to show for.

01:01:38But in a specific moment, like that might not be enough.

01:01:41And seeing Derek White, like I keep bringing him up

01:01:43because he's somebody that I think always plays hard and always tries,

01:01:46and he's the epitome of like a hardworking player on the floor.

01:01:49There have been so many moments during these last few weeks

01:01:51where I felt like he was just down on himself

01:01:53and that was impacting his decision-making.

01:01:55It was impacting, you know, taking shots,

01:01:57overcompensating for shots that he normally wouldn't take.

01:01:59And so it's not just a lack of effort.

01:02:01Maybe sometimes it spilled over to like he put his head down

01:02:03and then he actually made a bad defensive play.

01:02:05And like that specific play, you could tie back to that.

01:02:08But I think it's doing him a disservice to say like that's all that was.

01:02:12Because to me…

01:02:13Yeah, when he said the other night,

01:02:16this is the worst stretch I've had since I've gotten here.

01:02:19I thought he was talking about himself, not the team.

01:02:22Because they've had worse stretches as a team than this, I feel like.

01:02:25I think he was talking about himself.

01:02:27Which would be wrong

01:02:29because he definitely had worse stretches during the regular season

01:02:31when he first got here.

01:02:32But maybe he's not even realizing that.

01:02:33Like he's actually been okay.

01:02:34It just seems like he's been in his own head.

01:02:36And so I think the things that I would bring into the conversation,

01:02:39that's just my opinion and maybe I'm off on this,

01:02:41but I would say confidence and rhythm are the two things that are missing

01:02:44alongside effort.

01:02:45Like that's a component here.

01:02:47But being in a good flow on offense or defense

01:02:49is something that you may not realize.

01:02:51Like why am I not able to snap it back into it?

01:02:53Like I'm trying my best and I'm not where I need to be

01:02:55and I'm off on rotations.

01:02:57I'm showing up to the arena early and I really want to play well today.

01:03:00Like that's what I think has been a little bit missing

01:03:03from the conversation.

01:03:05And it's not necessarily what Joe was even talking about.

01:03:07But that's what I would add.

01:03:09But I get John's point.

01:03:10But I think that slumps can just be a lot of different things too.

01:03:17Yeah.

01:03:18So they certainly got back into a rhythm in this game.

01:03:21I liked how the three-point percentage built throughout it.

01:03:23I liked how they turned defense into offense.

01:03:25That's what we expect to see from them.

01:03:27And, of course, it was one of the worst opponents in the league.

01:03:29Raptors lose their 7th or 11th straight, rather, in this one.

01:03:33I mean, I liked how they look on paper.

01:03:35I didn't know how this game was going to go going into it.

01:03:37But I had a pretty good sense once Holiday was back in

01:03:39that they were probably going to win this one.

01:03:42But 56-point lead in the fourth quarter?

01:03:46I don't think anyone saw that coming here.

01:03:48So a high, high level of domination, intensity, and effort

01:03:53in this one from the Celtics.

01:03:55And a great win to get them back on track, I think.

01:03:57And I think they're going to bring a high level of focus

01:04:00and intensity to this road game.

01:04:01Sometimes, Stroud, I feel like to look ahead,

01:04:03and Thursday's the first game up there in Minnesota.

01:04:06Minnesota's won three straight.

01:04:08They have a tough game tonight against the Thunders.

01:04:11So if you want to watch them and the Thunder,

01:04:13who are coming up on Sunday,

01:04:14they're playing each other tonight at 8.

01:04:17It's not going to be easy, but I think with the Celtics healthy,

01:04:20and poor Zingas, by the way, worked out before the game,

01:04:23wasn't wearing anything on that ankle, looked pretty good.

01:04:25I actually thought he might play in this one after watching that,

01:04:28but I'm sure he'll be back for one of those back-to-back games here.

01:04:32I feel pretty good about them going into this stretch,

01:04:34I think, with the personnel that they're going to have back here,

01:04:38the stakes in these games, the opponents,

01:04:40and just being on the road sometimes.

01:04:42I feel like, Stroud, you get the best out of a team

01:04:44when they're on an extended road trip.

01:04:46Like, Indiana just got right on the road.

01:04:48You've had different, like, come-to-Jesus moments on plane rides

01:04:51out to the West Coast, whether they stick or not.

01:04:54I feel like sometimes into these road trips,

01:04:56you can get a team coming together, spending enough time together,

01:05:00and talking things out together that you get some of their best play here.

01:05:03So I think this is good timing for this stretch into the new year.

01:05:06Yeah, it is.

01:05:07It is, and there's a definite galvanizing dynamic

01:05:10that comes about when you're on a road,

01:05:12particularly for a Celtics team that has won a championship,

01:05:16and they're trying to just basically recreate that mojo that they had a year ago.

01:05:20And these are the type of stretches where it can get them closer

01:05:24to where they want to be,

01:05:26and that is playing the best version of who they are right now.

01:05:30And they're going to be challenged.

01:05:32These are good teams that they're playing,

01:05:33and so they're going to have to absolutely step their game up

01:05:35from an effort standpoint, from an attention to detail standpoint,

01:05:39from an execution standpoint.

01:05:41All those things have to come into play

01:05:44for them to have a successful road trip.

01:05:46And I think they will.

01:05:48I mean, I think that they're in a good place now.

01:05:50I think the guys have embraced the fact that, you know what,

01:05:53we just have to really lock in and treat these games,

01:05:57treat these opponents, give them the respect that they've earned.

01:06:00I mean, Minnesota, remember, they were one of the best teams

01:06:03in the Western Conference a year ago,

01:06:05and they're starting to get right again, even with all the changes they've made.

01:06:08Oklahoma City, once again, is near the top of the standings.

01:06:12You know, Denver, you know, they're not that far removed

01:06:14from being the NBA champions.

01:06:16So there are some teams, and Houston is one of the big shockers

01:06:21in the NBA this year, you know, with Imei Yudoka,

01:06:23who is definitely in that short list of Coach of the Year candidates,

01:06:27for sure, for what he's done.

01:06:28So this is a stretch that is going to challenge the Celtics,

01:06:31and we've seen in the past they tend to be at their best

01:06:35when they feel as though they're being challenged.

01:06:37And so we'll see if that theory holds up these next four games,

01:06:41because none of these games should be a blowout.

01:06:43I think, you know, if the Celtics are able to get, you know,

01:06:46two or three of these games, put it in the win column,

01:06:49if you can get one or two as a double-digit victory, that's really good.

01:06:54But I definitely don't anticipate they will win all of these games going away,

01:06:58anything even close to what we saw tonight.

01:07:01Well, I'll be remote on Thursday,

01:07:03but Noah's going to head to Houston for the Friday game.

01:07:06What are you most looking forward to from this trip, Noah?

01:07:10Yeah, I think I would echo what Shirvat just said about just,

01:07:13I do think that they get up for these challenging stretches.

01:07:15And Joe said it after the Pacers lost,

01:07:17but he's really excited about this road trip.

01:07:19I think they all are.

01:07:20It's a really impressive slate of four teams.

01:07:22I think they all pose issues in different ways.

01:07:25And defensively, three out of the four teams

01:07:26are near the top of the league right now.

01:07:28So it's going to put some pressure on your offense, which is good.

01:07:30So I'm just excited to see how they respond.

01:07:32I mean, again, we said this after the blowout Pacers win.

01:07:35Nobody was going to walk away with big assertions about this team

01:07:39based off of a big win over a Pacers team

01:07:41on the second night of a back-to-back.

01:07:42I feel the same way about this game.

01:07:44But if they're able to string together a really good road trip,

01:07:46I think we can maybe kind of perceive these December struggles

01:07:50as December struggles

01:07:51and not something that's indicative of a bigger picture thing.

01:07:53So I've said this a million times,

01:07:55but I do feel like this road trip is going to tell us a lot about this team.

01:07:57And I'm really excited just to get things started.

01:07:59I'm going to be in Houston, but they've been such a,

01:08:02to me, I wasn't expecting them to be as good as they've been.

01:08:04And I always think that the Celtics, you know, it's a good testament.

01:08:08You've been high on them, right Bobby?

01:08:12Or was that just the Hornets?

01:08:13I just love Ime.

01:08:15I think he's a great coach who instills a level of defensive excellence.

01:08:21I mean, they're,

01:08:22they're at the top of the league and the thunder and all time defense to

01:08:25mention them.

01:08:26And they're right at their heels.

01:08:27There's the number two.

01:08:28So I don't love the team.

01:08:30I don't love the personnel.

01:08:32I'm interested to see how that evolves into the future there,

01:08:34but he hasn't playing well,

01:08:35especially Easton who's become incredible.

01:08:37And I'm in Thompson.

01:08:39Who's probably one of the best defenders in the league.

01:08:41Now he got suspended for that brawl, two games.

01:08:44I think he'll be back for Friday.

01:08:46I want to say,

01:08:47he just got two games for that.

01:08:48They're so random with suspensions.

01:08:50I felt like a four,

01:08:54maybe five gamer.

01:08:55I thought,

01:08:56I thought,

01:08:57but wow.

01:08:58Yeah.

01:08:59He's out for the Boston game.

01:09:00So he won't be there on Friday,

01:09:02but everyone else will on that Houston team.

01:09:05No,

01:09:06we'll be there and I'll be joining everybody,

01:09:09including Joe sway.

01:09:10Maybe we'll get him on that first show in Oklahoma city on Sunday.

01:09:13And that could be a finals preview.

01:09:15And that's what I'm looking forward to most is how they match up with that

01:09:18team.

01:09:19I know chats out and I know there's going to be a better version of the

01:09:22thunder that they see down the line,

01:09:23but they've still rattled off this massive win streak.

01:09:25I think 11 games now,

01:09:27Shay,

01:09:28as scale said on the broadcast became the odds on favorite for MVP.

01:09:32So ton to watch from that game will be indicative of what we may be seeing

01:09:37June.

01:09:38Probably not given where each team's at health wise and all of that,

01:09:41but a good first taste of that,

01:09:42of that match up in the thunder of rock,

01:09:45the Celtics the last couple of times that they've played down there last

01:09:49year's game was a nice close one,

01:09:51but that's what I'm looking forward to three 30 a week,

01:09:54less than a week from now on Sunday,

01:09:56but first Minnesota on Thursday,

01:09:59first game of the new year before we wrap this up,

01:10:02Sharon favorite 2024 memory.

01:10:05And we'll be a similarly successful 2025 for the Celtics here.

01:10:10I think probably.

01:10:16It has to do with Jalen Brown.

01:10:18And it really is not one moment.

01:10:20It's just,

01:10:21well,

01:10:22Jalen,

01:10:23I mean,

01:10:24think about it.

01:10:25You,

01:10:26you've been basically Robin your entire time in Boston and on the biggest

01:10:29stage,

01:10:30you become the biggest player you use.

01:10:32Not only do you get it done in the Eastern conference finals,

01:10:35you didn't take it to the next level and get it done during the NBA final.

01:10:38So to me,

01:10:39Jalen Brown is my Celtic story of the year because the way that he is

01:10:43elevated himself,

01:10:44not only in terms of what he's capable of doing,

01:10:48but just what he's done for the franchise while still staying true to

01:10:51himself.

01:10:52As a Celtic.

01:10:53So he's my story of the year.

01:10:55What do you got Noah?

01:10:57I just,

01:10:58I need some clarification on the question.

01:11:00Is it Celtic story of the year?

01:11:02Is it my year?

01:11:03What's the parameters here?

01:11:05I mean,

01:11:06obviously covering a championship,

01:11:09my first year covering the NBA,

01:11:10I feel like I won the jackpot just having that experience.

01:11:13And I think that,

01:11:14I think,

01:11:15you know,

01:11:16just seeing how many things that we discussed become true was very cool.

01:11:19Jalen Brown is my favorite story as well.

01:11:21And now seeping into this,

01:11:22this season seeing just paid and purchase evolution has been really fun

01:11:25because he's obviously somebody that I really believed in when he wasn't

01:11:28playing a lot.

01:11:29But yeah,

01:11:30I have to just say from on a personal level to actually get the chance for

01:11:32my first game being credentialed last fall to then,

01:11:35you know,

01:11:36eight months later covering the finals was very cool.

01:11:41It will only go down from here.

01:11:43Noah,

01:11:44I've heard that charade from so many people.

01:11:46They were like,

01:11:47you peaked in year one.

01:11:48You're never going to have this much fun again.

01:11:49So just decide if you want to.

01:11:50That was a cool.

01:11:51Nice ride.

01:11:52You were,

01:11:53you were there for it.

01:11:54How to compare to,

01:11:55you must've been there in oh four,

01:11:56right?

01:11:57Detroit.

01:11:58Yeah.

01:11:59Clinching night.

01:12:00Yeah.

01:12:01They at home or on the road.

01:12:02I can't remember.

01:12:03That was at home.

01:12:04I will.

01:12:05I'm trying to remember.

01:12:06All right.

01:12:07So yeah.

01:12:08You had the celebration and all that at home too.

01:12:11Yeah.

01:12:12For that one.

01:12:13Yeah.

01:12:14That was a cool night.

01:12:15We were obviously all there.

01:12:16Yeah.

01:12:17I mean,

01:12:18it was,

01:12:19I mean,

01:12:20it was,

01:12:21I mean,

01:12:22it was,

01:12:23I mean,

01:12:24it was,

01:12:25I mean,

01:12:26it was,

01:12:27I mean,

01:12:28it was,

01:12:29I mean,

01:12:30it was,

01:12:31I mean,

01:12:32it was,

01:12:33I mean,

01:12:34it was,

01:12:35I mean,

01:12:36it was,

01:12:37I mean,

01:12:38it was,

01:12:39I mean,

01:12:40it was,

01:12:41I mean,

01:12:42it was,

01:12:43I mean,

01:12:44it was,

01:12:45I mean,

01:12:46it was,

01:12:47I mean,

01:12:48it was,

01:12:49I mean,

01:12:50it was,

01:12:51I mean,

01:12:52it was,

01:12:53I mean,

01:12:54it was,

01:12:55I mean,

01:12:56it was,

01:12:57I mean,

01:12:58it was,

01:12:59I mean,

01:13:00it was,

01:13:01I mean,

01:13:02it was,

01:13:03I mean,

01:13:04it was,

01:13:05I mean,

01:13:06it was,

01:13:07I mean,

01:13:08it was,

01:13:09I mean,

01:13:10it was,

01:13:11I mean,

01:13:12it was,

01:13:13I mean,

01:13:14it was,

01:13:15I mean,

01:13:16it was,

01:13:17I mean,

01:13:18it was,

01:13:19I mean,

01:13:20it was,

01:13:21I mean,

01:13:22it was,

01:13:23I mean,

01:13:24it was,

01:13:25I mean,

01:13:26it was,

01:13:27I mean,

01:13:28it was,

01:13:29I mean,

01:13:30it was,

01:13:31I mean,

01:13:32it was,

01:13:33I mean,

01:13:34it was,

01:13:35I mean,

01:13:36it was,

01:13:37I mean,

01:13:38it was,

01:13:39I mean,

01:13:40it was,

01:13:41I mean,

01:13:42it was,

01:13:43I mean,

01:13:44it was,

01:13:45I mean,

01:13:46it was,

01:13:47I mean,

01:13:48it was,

01:13:49I mean,

01:13:50it was,

01:13:51I mean,

01:13:52it was,

01:13:53I mean,

01:13:54it was,

01:13:55I mean,

01:13:56it was,

01:13:57I mean,

01:13:58it was,

01:13:59I mean,

01:14:00it was,

01:14:01I mean,

01:14:02it was,

01:14:03I mean,

01:14:04it was,

01:14:05I mean,

01:14:06it was,

01:14:07I mean,

01:14:08it was,

01:14:09I mean,

01:14:10it was,

01:14:11I mean,

01:14:12it was,

01:14:13I mean,

01:14:14it was,

01:14:15I mean,

01:14:16it was,

01:14:17I mean,

01:14:18it was,

01:14:19I mean,

01:14:20it was,

01:14:21I mean,

01:14:22it was,

01:14:23I mean,

01:14:24it was,

01:14:25I mean,

01:14:26it was,

01:14:27I mean,

01:14:28it was,

01:14:29I mean,

01:14:30it was,

01:14:31I mean,

01:14:32it was,

01:14:33I mean,

01:14:34it was,

01:14:35I mean,

01:14:36it was,

01:14:37I mean,

01:14:38it was,

01:14:39I mean,

01:14:40it was,

01:14:41I mean,

01:14:42it was,

01:14:43I mean,

01:14:44it was,

01:14:45I mean,

01:14:46it was,

01:14:47I mean,

01:14:48it was,

01:14:49I mean,

01:14:50it was,

01:14:51I mean,

01:14:52it was,

01:14:53I mean,

01:14:54it was,

01:14:55I mean,

01:14:56it was,

01:14:57I mean,

01:14:58it was,

01:14:59I mean,

01:15:00it was,

01:15:01I mean,

01:15:02it was,

01:15:03I mean,

01:15:04it was,

01:15:05I mean,

01:15:06it was,

01:15:07I mean,

01:15:08it was,

01:15:09I mean,

01:15:10it was,

01:15:11I mean,

01:15:12it was,

01:15:13I mean,

01:15:14it was,

01:15:15I mean,

01:15:16it was,

01:15:17I mean,

01:15:18it was,

01:15:19I mean,

01:15:20it was,

01:15:21I mean,

01:15:22it was,

01:15:23I mean,

01:15:24it was,

01:15:25I mean,

01:15:26it was,

01:15:27I mean,

01:15:28it was,

01:15:29I mean,

01:15:30it was,

01:15:31I mean,

01:15:32it was,

01:15:33I mean,

01:15:34it was,

01:15:35I mean,

01:15:36it was,

01:15:37I mean,

01:15:38it was,

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