Locked On Celtics - Daily Podcast On ...

Locked On Celtics is a daily Boston Celtics podcast by Boston Sports Journal beat writer John Karalis. It's an inside look at the C's from a former professional basketball player who is at practices & games. Hear from players, call in to the voicemail line, and hear from some great guest hosts. It's the #1 podcast choice for Celtics fans. Part of the Locked On Podcast network.

Sports
Basketball
1
Boston Celtics get big games from Derrick White...
Derrick White had a big first quarter, Jaylen Brown had a huge second quarter, and Jayson Tatum had the big third quarter to help the Celtics recover from blowing an early 16 point lead. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal gets into all of that, why White is such a smart basketball player, and how the Celtics have grown into a team that doesn't let one bad quarter linger. Also, why this game was an argument against Tatum winning the MVP.
32 min
2
Boston Celtics three biggest challenges to clos...
The Celtics have 27 games left before the postseason begins and they have pretty firm control of the East. What are the three biggest challenges they face to close the regular seaon? John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal gets into the mental challenge Boston faces, how they can fine tune the gameplan without giving too much away, and finding the best way to give the guys the rest they need while ramping up for the playoffs.
30 min
3
Larry Bird vs. Anthony Edwards: All-Star compet...
Larry Bird said it was important for everyone to compete when the best basketball players in the world get together. Anthony Edwards said the last thing guys will do is compete during what's supposed to be a break. John Karalis and Tom Westerholm get into both sides to see who's making a good point, why the All-Star game is probably dead as we know it, and why it's not a bad thing for things to go this way no matter how bad it looked over the weekend.
34 min
4
Mailbag: Jaylen Brown booed, Jayson Tatum MVP, ...
We open up the mailbag to answer questions about why Jaylen Brown keeps getting booed and whether he'd do well to embrace a villain role. Also, is Stephen A. Smith right about Jayson Tatum being the MVP frontrunner? Where has Larry Bird been and why isn't he around the Celtics? John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal gets into all of that, as well as the potential to get back some former Celtics, getting all five starters some postseason awards, the little things players do that absolutely amaze me, and why the Brooklyn Nets fired Jacque Vaughn.
36 min
5
Boston Celtics Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum perfo...
All-Star weekend is over, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum performed well, and both walked out of Indiana under their own power, so it was a big win for the Celtics and Celtics fans. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal discusses the game (and a possible fix for it), Tatum meeting Larry Bird for the first time, and Brown's dunk contest performance.
32 min
6
Can anyone catch Boston Celtics? Should they fe...
The Celtics are at the break and they have a pretty commanding lead. It's looking pretty good for them to hold onto that top seed, barring anything catastrophic. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal and Tom Westerholm discuss why this is a team that should be appreciated, even with their flaws. Instead of worrying about what they might not do, appreciate what they are doing. Plus, with the six-game lead in the East with such little time left, can they be caught? And is there any reason to be afraid of any playoff matchups?
37 min
7
Boston Celtics beat Brooklyn Nets by 50 for Joe...
The Celtics woke up Wednesday and chose violence on Valentine's Day, destroying the Brooklyn Nets by 50 in a wire-to-wire, no let up blowout win. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal gets into that, the casually great Jayson Tatum game, Kristaps Porzings playing great before tweaking an ankle, Derrick White, and then Jordan Walsh getting surprise run. Plus, Joe Mazzulla gets his 100th win, and John thinks it's all about his approach to the team's mentality that makes him very effective.
36 min
8
Jayson Tatum scores 41, Boston Celtics hold off...
The Celtics were attacking early and then Jayson Tatum went off to build a big lead. He had 41 points and 14 rebounds and it looked like Boston was going to cruise, but Brooklyn made a late run to cut the lead down. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal gets into all that, why the Celtics looked like they were experimenting a lot in that game, how Jaylen Brown did in his stint as the primary initiator in the fourth quarter, and why the first quarter was the best evidence for Joe Mazzulla's basketball math.
33 min
9
Mailbag: Gritty Boston Celtics, keeping the cor...
This week's mailbag gets into a lot, like some grittiness being unlocked thanks to the Celtics win in Miami, playing down (or up) to their competition, the state of the defense, and feelings about playoff opponents. Also, John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal gets into how long this core can stay together, how Jayson Tatum can draw more fouls, and Celtics PA guy, Eddie Paladino.
35 min
10
Boston Celtics, Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingi...
The Celtics narrowly held on in a very intense finish against the Miami Heat, finding a way to make the couple of plays they needed to win the game. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal explains why this was a great opportunity for the Celtics to get reps against a tough team in a playoff atmosphere, and it's something Joe Mazzulla loved. Plus, why the coaches use a game like this as a teaching tool, hoping to get some valuable film for down the road, and why the first half of this game was almost perfect for the Celtics.
32 min
11
Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis power Boston C...
It wasn't pretty, but the Celtics got 69 combined points from Tatum and Porzingis to get a shaky win over the Washington Wizards. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal gets into why it's fair to question the effort, but also fine for the Celtics to downplay it as a concern. Plus, the one thing this game shows to prove Boston is a true contender. And then reaction to Brad Stevens talking trade deadline deals.
28 min
12
Boston Celtics add Jaden Springer at trade dead...
Brad Stevens made another move for the Celtics, bringing in Jaden Springer from the Philadelphia 76ers in a move that confused Philly fans and might prove to be a pretty good long-term play for Boston. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal and Tom Westerholm discuss that move and how it sets Boston up for a pretty good supporting cast around Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and everyone else down the road. Also, have the Knicks vaulted above everyone else to become Boston's biggest challenger?
37 min
13
Boston Celtics ride Derrick White, Kristaps Por...
The Celtics got a less than stellar defensive effort but still managed to get past the Atlanta Hawks thanks to monster nights from Derrick Whtie (especially in the fourth quarter) and Kristaps Porzingis. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal gets into the game, why Trae Young getting the All Star nod over White is a travesty, and then some more on the Xavier Tillman trade.
27 min
14
Trade Reaction: What Xavier Tillman Brings to t...
4 min
15
Mailbag: Top seed, Boston Celtics mental toughn...
Opening up the mailbag to get questions on the chase for the top seed in the East, trade deadline moves, Blake Griffin, Boston's mental toughness, and offensive rebounding. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal gets into all those answers, plus a deeper dive into Mazzulla ball, the MVP race now that Joel Embiid is out, and how bench guys view trades that get them more minutes on worse teams.
38 min
16
Jordan Walsh mentality, Boston Celtics trade ru...
Jordan Walsh scored his first points as a pro against Memphis, but that's not the most impressive thing he did in that game. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal gets into the shots he DIDN'T take that were most impressive. Also, trade rumors involving Kelly Olynyk, Andre Drummond, Jae'Sean Tate, Delon Wright, and why they are probably not going to happen. And then Jaylen Brown is considering the dunk contest, which is something John says is a bad idea.
32 min
17
Boston Celtics smash Memphis Grizzlies, Marcus ...
The Celtics got a business-like blowout win over the decimated Grizzlies, who were playing a bunch of guys we've never heard of. But it only happened after Kristaps Porzingis started getting aggressive. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal gets into the nice bounceback win before diving into Marcus Smart's return, the great reaction by the crowd, and why it was probably good that he didn't play.
29 min
18
Boston Celtics take Los Angeles Lakers lightly,...
The Lakers were missing LeBron James and Anthony Davis and the Celtics took them lightly... a recipe for disaster. The Celtics were awful in the first quarter and then the Lakers got hot and never lost their lead. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal discusses the brutal loss, why the Celtics deserve all the scorn they get for this one, but why the team has to move on. Also, Jaylen Brown made the All Star game.
28 min
19
Kristaps Porzingis impact on Boston Celtics vs....
Looking back at the Celtics win over the Pacers, Kristaps Porzingis didn't get enough credit for his impact on the Celtics by opening up driving lanes for his teammates. Plus, John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal and Tom Westerholm have more love for Derrick White, more on Joe Mazzulla's mentality, and then a look at what turned out to be a pretty damned good month of January.
37 min
20
Boston Celtics get 55 from Jayson Tatum, Jaylen...
The Celtics came out on fire, and it looked like they might run away with another home game against the Pacers. Derrick White was blistering hot to start the game, and Jayson Tatum was nearly perfect in the second. But the Pacers kept getting offensive rebounds and second chances and they erased a 20-point lead. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal gets into the hot start and the collapse, why the Pacers had plenty to say about the lead disappearing, Boston's ability to recover, and why Joe Mazzulla loves games like this.
32 min
21
Derrick White goes from cold to hot, fuels late...
This game started just like the Clippers game, and for a while it looked like the Celtics were about to go down a similar road. But Derrick White got hot in the middle of the fourth quarter and the Celtics joined him in turning what looked to be a sure loss to Zion Williamson and the Pelicans to a big win. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal is at TD Garden with the wrap up, why things started to turn in the second quarter, and why this game proves you don't just abandon the game plan because shots aren't falling.
32 min
22
Boston Celtics too predictable? Record against ...
Jayson Tatum said the offense can't get too predictable after their loss to the Clippers. Is there something to what he said? Is Boston doing something that can be schemed against in the playoffs? John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal and Keith Smith of Spotrac discuss that, whether Boston's record against the top seven teams in the NBA is something of concern, and what Boston's options are for adding to the team at the trade deadline.
47 min
23
Boston Celtics can't hit anything, get blown ou...
The Celtics came out and played well enough. Their first quarter wasn't bad at all, except for them missing 73% of the shots they took. They still had a chance, but the weight of more and more misses got to be too much for their defense, and it turned into a blowout. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal gets into what happened to the Celtics on a tough night in Boston.
16 min
24
Boston Celtics blow out Miami Heat behind Krist...
The Celtics put up 143 points in an offensive clinic that was probably their best shot-generation game of the season. They could barely miss a shot, and Kristaps Porzingis punished the Heat and every kind of defense they threw at Boston. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal gets into all of that, why the rebounding was probably the biggest reason for the blowout, and all the other big performances in a remarkable offensive game.
31 min
25
Mailbag: Boston Celtics trades & buyouts, Jayso...
We dive into another mailbag to answer questions on buyout and trade candidates (and the rules you need to know about them), the Tatum and Brown duo, and why it's hard for them to play off one another (even though they should do it a little more), the team's emphasis on shooting 3-pointers, and Jayson Tatum's clutch gene. John Karalis of Boston Sports Journal gets into all that and then discusses star rivalries, Luke Kornet's disappearing 3-point shooting, tribute videos, the NBA belt, and more.
35 min