The Celtics beating the Sixers is always sweet, but beating them this way is extra sweet, especially because Al Horford played such a critical role. John Karalis of Boston Sport Journal gets into the beauty of a win like this and how it fits right into the rivalry, the great individual performances from Jaylen Brown and Derrick White, the nice contributions from Malcolm Brogdon, Grant Williams, and Robert Williams, and how it was nice to see Jayson Tatum shake off a bad game and do other things to help win. Plus, why Joe Mazzulla needs to be able to go with whoever is playing well, even if it means a regular sits, if that's what the game calls for.

The Celtics looked foggy but they were good enough to hold off the Pacers 142-138, which is basically an All-Star game score. Jayson Tatum put up big numbers but didn't play well, but he still combined with Jaylen Brown for 61 combined points, putting them pretty close to history in the NBA. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal talks about that, the overall vibe of a win a lot of people might have thought would be cleaner, and the great games from Malcolm Brogdon and Derrick White. Plus, why a good problem to have is still a problem, and the problem facing Joe Mazzulla is a tough one.

The Celtics get back to business on Thursday night, beginning a 23 game, 7-week stretch run that will shape their playoffs. The have a few things they need to prioritize, including keeping that top seed, keeping Derrick White hot, and making sure Grant Williams is at his best. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal and Tom Westerholm discuss those things and give you ONE more quote from All-Star that we can all agree is flat-out positive.

Jaylen Brown talked about the sacrifice he was making as a member of the Celtics and how he could get a bigger role somewhere else if he really wanted to. Jayson Tatum said Ime Udoka was his most favorite coach. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal and Tom Westerholm discuss why those comments mean nothing negative in the short term, but do open up some questions in the longer term. Plus, the number one priority for the Boston Celtics over the last month-and-a-half: Getting that starting unit right.

There's a lot of talk about fixing the All-Star game to make it more competitive, but do we really want to see guys like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown play in a competitive All-Star game? John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal thinks the NBA should lean into where this game is going to find solutions for All-Star weekend. Plus, mailbag questions on ending the double-big lineup, re-signing Blake Griffin, Kevin Love's buyout and plans to sign with Miami, and my favorite NBA cities.

Jayson Tatum dropped 55 on his way to the All-Star game MVP, Jaylen Brown scored 35 to lead Team LeBron, but it was Joe Mazzulla who really scored big points in Salt Lake City. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal explains that, and then is joined by ESPN's Kendrick Perkins to discuss the Celtics and his own career, which is all part of his new book, "The Education of Kendrick Perkins"

The Celtics finally took the step of officially naming Joe Mazzulla head coach, giving him the title and a contract extension. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal has that, plus mailbag questions about buyouts, Payton Pritchard's future, roster building, team chemistry, and dream interviews.

Marcus Smart made a surprising return to the lineup and immediately made an impact on the Celtics with six steals. Jayson Tatum was the beneficiary of a few of those, but his huge third quarter helped keep the Celtics ahead of the surging Pistons. John Karalis talks about Smart's immediate impact, what he saw that makes him think this was a first glimpse at a truly full-power juggernaut, and the message to the team heading into the break.

The very injury riddled Celtics very nearly pulled off an overtime win against the almost full-strength Milwaukee Bucks, but even though they lost, there were a lot of little wins in the game (especially one where, if it becomes a thing, makes this game the biggest win of the year). John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal gets into the points that were proven, what happened with Robert Williams only playing 13 minutes, and what happened (or was supposed to happen) on the last play of the game for Boston.

Payton Pritchard has been vocal about his desire to play elsewhere, but he also remains focused on winning when he's on the floor. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal thinks Pritchard has a point, and it's very understandable that he would love it in Boston but also want a bigger role somewhere else. Plus, Kane Pitman of Locked On Bucks joins the show to preview Celtics/Bucks Tuesday night, even though the C's will be exceptionally shorthanded.

The Celtics depth was on full display again as 8 of 9 players scored in double figures, led by Derrick White and Sam Hauser. The Celtics put on another 3-point shooting clinic and their rebounding was clutch to hold off the Grizzlies. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal has all that, the other big performances, and why Jayson Tatum still played well even though he onlys scored 16 points and shot poorly.

Derrick White was hitting everything he took early on in the Celtics win over the Charlotte Hornets and the Celtics builts a 28 point lead. But then they started turning the ball over so much, Joe Mazzulla needed to put Jayson Tatum back into the game. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal gets into all that, why White's such a good player who epitomizes .05 basketball, and the very good Mike Muscala debut.

The Celtics traded for Mike Muscala at the trade deadline, giving up Justin Jackson and two first round picks. That's the only move the Celtics made, but John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal and Tom Westerholm think Brad Stevens might have a tool to use that could have made him more conservative at the deadline. Plus, some surprise that Danilo Gallinari is still around, the deal for Jakob Poeltl that got rejected, a look at what the rest of the league did, and more.

On a night where they were without Marcus Smart, Al Horford, and Robert Williams, the Celtics lost Jaylen Brown to a facial fracture before halftime. On top of that, the only got 12 points from Jayson Tatum against the full strength Philadelphia 76ers, and they still managed to come away with the win. Blake Griffin, Malcolm Brogdon, Grant Williams, Derrick White, and Sam Hauser were all huge. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal has all that and why this was one of Joe Mazzulla's best-coached games.

The trade deadline is Thursday at 3 p.m. and there are some wild rumors swirling involving Celtics. Jaylen Brown/Kevin Durant rumors just won't die and the league definitely has interest in Grant Williams. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal and Tom Westerholm discuss the fact and fiction behind these rumors, why Brad Stevens should be taking advantage of a prime opportunity to talk Grant Williams with other teams, and why Pritchard shouldn't be the guy dealt off the bench (but someone else should).

Jayson Tatum started slow in Detroit, which would have been a problem without Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart, but Derrick White and Sam Hauser were up to the task to carry the Celtics until Tatum could get going. He did more than that in the second half, exploding for a monster third quarter and returning in the fourth to hold off the Pistons. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal has all that and why none of it would have happened if it wasn't for Robert Williams.

Kyrie Irving is being traded to the Dallas Mavericks. How does his move away from the Brooklyn Nets impact the Boston Celtics? Plus, teams are calling Brad Stevens about Grant Williams. What should the Celtics do? John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal dives into both of those topics before looking a critical stretch of the schedule and, yes, a look at the loss to the Phoenix Suns.

Jaylen Brown is officially an All-Star and Kelly Olynyk's name has surfaced in Boston Celtics trade rumors. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal has a look at how far Brown has come this season and then explains the things other media outlets aren't telling you about the Kelly Olynyk rumors that have surfaced. Plus, an interview with Sam Pollard, director of the new documentary "Bill Russell: Legend," releasing on Netflix on February 8.

The Celtics put together as complete a game as you'll see in the NBA, coming out to a 30 point first quarter lead and basically crusing the rest of the way behind big nights from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal is basking in the glow of a win the Celtics needed and discussing the second quarter stretch where Boston decided they were not giving back the lead. Plus, Robert Williams had an important contribution, as did Derrick White and Malcolm Brogdon.

The Boston offense has taken a dip recently, and there's one place no one has talked much about that could be the key to fixing it all. Plus, Jayson Tatum is playing a ton of minutes, and Brad Stevens and Joe Mazzulla say the minutes aren't that big of a problem if he's resting enough. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal disagrees with that, in part, becasue there aren't many opportunities to rest. All that, plus, people asking about specific players like Saddiq Bey and Jarred Vanderbilt in a quick mailbag.

Joe Mazzulla is going to be the head coach of Team Giannis in the All Star game, which is a nice moment that he should celebrate. Plus, the officials union tweeted an apology about the LeBron James foul, which has John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal pissed off. John and Tom Westerholm discuss those things before getting into some of the names the Celtics could be pursuing at the deadline, like Jakob Poeltl, Alec Burks, PJ Washington, and more. Plus, one tricky little tool at Brad Stevens' disposal that could be a creative use of his traded player exceptions.

The Boston Celtics beat the Los Angeles Lakers in overtime, but it probably doesn't get to that point if the refs call a foul on LeBron James' drive. But the Lakers reaction to the foul is hysterical high drama, and it makes the way the game ended almost worth it. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal and Tom Westerholm discuss that, Jaylen Brown's immediate shot at redemption, Malcolm Brogdon being brilliant, and Joe Mazzulla smartly using his timeouts at the end of the game.

The Boston Celtics have now lost 3 straight games, partly because they didn't do the "small, boring things" necessary to win. Plus, Jalyen Brown struggled in this one, and admitted as much. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal discusses those things, why the numbers show Jaylen should change his shot profile a little to maximize his strengths, and why Joe Mazzulla scored a couple of points in the debate over his timeouts.

The Celtics went through a tough weekend in Florida, and while Joe Mazzulla didn't have many options to limit his guys' minutes due to injuries, he had ways to try to get guys fresh for the stretch run, including using extra timeouts as getting guys an extra minute off their feet. But John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal thinks Mazzulla gets too absorbed in the final minutes of close games, and doesn't separate himself from the game enough. John and Tom Westerholm discuss that and the Jayson Tatum turnover, including why he makes different decisions when he's tired, and why it leads to him approaching the play with more of a scorer's mentality than a passer's one.

The Celtics looked like they were going to get out of Miami with a win, but Bam Adebayo and the Heat had other ideas. The Celtics gave up a 15-0 fourth quarter run and watched a 10 point lead turn into a 5 point deficit in a hurry. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal is in Miami to discuss what should have been a celebration of big games by Jayson Tatum and Derrick White, but turned into an examination of what went wrong down the stretch. Plus, why it's okay Joe Mazzulla didn't call a timeout, what Tatum saw before his turnover, the overall minutes load being an issue, and an update on Marcus Smart's status.