April 17, 2025 • 32 mins
Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens joins the show for an exclusive and lengthy conversation about this team and its pursuit of a second straight title. He touches on everything from bringing the team back, to the potential of this team actually being better than last season's team, to some of his most viral memes and pictures. Meghan Ottolini and Marc D'Amico dive into the film to preview the upcoming NBA playoffs series between the Celtics and the Orlando Magic, and also rewind through a strong finish to the regular season, including JD Davison earning an NBA contract, Jrue Holiday receiving the Red Auerbach Award, and Derrick White picking up the Tommy Award. Taylor Snow joins the set to spotlight Neemias Queta’s insane dunk score, Payton Pritchard’s Game 82 heroics and Sam Hauser’s lights-out free throw percentage.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Coming up on this episode of Celtics Weekly, we go
court side with Brad Stevens, hear from Christops Porzingis on
the road ahead, and break down some game tape from
the Orlando Magic for round one. The playoffs start.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Now.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Welcome into Celtics Weekly.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Megan Atilini here with mart Denique.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Finally, the most wonderful time of the year for holiday fans.
It is playoffs, Mary, playoffs. To you, Mary, playoffs. You
are audience and just at the top here I want
to say, because now it.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Is playoffs, we're taking this show to a whole other level.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
We do.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
We have a guest later that you guys are gonna
absolutely love. But you are a part of the show too,
So you can like subscribe to our YouTube channel for
the Celtics and call went below with anything that you
want to see in the show.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Any feedback.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Be nice, yeah, yeah, don't say anything bad about us.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
You're going to do that. We'll keep your comment yourself.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
You can be mean about us, be nice to the Celtics.
The Celtics, by the way, coming off a tremendous final
week of the regular season.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
So Mark, let's get right into our weekend.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Let's do it. Let's rewind it.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
The Celtics capped off their season with a back to back.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
With the Charlotte Hornets.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Well it wasn't quite a back to back, but say
that Friday Sunday Mini Series sixty one win season and
just an excellent time over the last week.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Including that Orlando Magic game.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Earlier in the week that was a loss, but we'll
get to the Magic end of the later.
Speaker 4 (01:41):
We don't talk about losses to the Magic, okay.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Just an excellent time to see the bench players, see
guys that are deeper in the rotation, because you know
those guys always.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Spring up in the postseason when you at least.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
Expect one hundred percent and you got it. We're going
to talk about it later about Peyton Pritchard and how
well he plays at the end of the season in
Game eighty two. Every year, Taylor Snow is coming in
with some great stats. But yeah, you've got to give
those guys some run, all while getting your main guys
some rest. And that kind of recipe leading into a
week of practice just sets the team up perfectly for
what we.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Hope will be a long playoff run.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
You get the bottom of the rotation some extra minutes,
get them some rhythm, get them feeling good about themselves.
And then you get those other guys that have already
played sixty seventy games twenty five to thirty five minutes
to now, you get those guys a little bit of rest.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Get them healthy for Game one.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
So hopefully they're all feeling good by the time three
thirty comes on Sunday.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
The guys at the top of the rotation, though, they
also got a ton of accolades, yes at the beginning
of that little Ninni series against the Hornets, because you
had Drew Holiday accepting the Red Hourback Award, which is
a prestigious award all about what makes a Celtic a
Celtic really the attributes on and off the floor, And
(02:54):
you can see him accepting this award before the game
last Friday night, and Drew Holiday somebody who we will
hear later in the show. Many in this building wanted
to be a Celtic for quite a long time.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
Some might say some people are in love with him
as a basketball it's just we'll touch on that later. Yeah,
but no, this is like he could win NBA Teammate
of the Year every year.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
That's just who he is, Like, think about what he did.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
He's a multi time All Star, came to Boston and
literally said, what do you guys want me to do?
If it's all of the dirty work, I will do it.
If it's nothing that has to do with scoring, I
will do it.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
And guess what.
Speaker 4 (03:31):
He did it last season and helped the Celtics win
an NBA championship, and nothing has changed since then. He's
still the same guy. He's still willing to do all
of the dirty work, and that is exactly why he
won that award. He's the perfect teammate and the Celtics
are blessed because they have multiple guys who fit into
that category. But he deserved that. I was happy to
see him get it. I'm pretty cool for a guy
(03:52):
who's only been here for a couple of seasons.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
And despite some dirty tricks from Luke Cornett, the Tommy
Award of course on our time.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
The best promover. I'm not.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
That's all for the Celtic that sacrifices life and limb
and sometimes teeth for the team that went to Derek White.
I mean, we all loved the cane Cone, but Derek,
Derek deser.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
He did his best and in the end, Luke, I
just have to tell you you can't argue against the
numbers if if you want the award, you have to
win them on a nightly basis throughout the season to
have the highest tally. This isn't something that the fans choose,
This isn't something that well, I guess the media chooses
in terms of NBC Sports bossing each night. But you've
got to put yourself into position to win that award.
(04:39):
So you finished too shy. I think it was fourteen
to twelve the tally at the end of the season.
But there's always next year. So congrats to Derek White
and Luke Cornett. You've got something to strive for.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Well. The exciting thing is in terms of political campaigns,
now Luke Cornett has the name recognition. Yeah, so maybe
we'll see some lawn signs around the area.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Please Can we see that happen? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (05:00):
Youah, talk to our marketing department about that.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
The Celtics also rounded out their fifteen man roster for
the playoffs. In an awesome development, JD. Davison g League MVP.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
He gets bumped.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
Up to the Boston roster and he gets his two
year contract to play at this level, which is just
I mean, it's just such a wonderful story for him
and who he's grown since joining the Celtics organization in
twenty twenty two.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
And you know, we don't.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Know how much we'll see of him in the postseason,
but super fun story.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
Yeah, he's I'm so happy for him that all of
the work has paid off to get him to this moment.
Like when he got to sign his name on that
dotted line. That just had to feel so good to
validate everything that he has put in since he's been drafted.
It all worked out for him. And I love not
only this for JD. Davison, but Brad Stevens. This is
(05:53):
a tendency now, like this is a thing in a
trend that he likes to do every year.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
We've seen it.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
We just saw it last year when MIAs Kaida got
a contract, when he put in the effort and showed
the promise.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Now it's happening to j. D. Davison. He likes to.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
Reward guys for doing the right thing and developing. So
anyone who's drafted in the future in the Celtics, you've
got to think about that opportunity especially if it's a
second rounder. You put in the effort and you make
the development leaps that the Celtics are asking for, all
while being a great teammate, and it's going to happen.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
Brad Stevens is going to make sure of it.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
It's a testament to the Celtics organization that if you
do the work, it's going to pay itself out. And
on that note, I mean, we were both at practice
this week. We got to talk to one kristaps Porzingis.
So let's move on to small bites. Here's Kristaps Porzingis
discussing the road ahead.
Speaker 5 (06:44):
I feel like every year is different, every run is different,
every game is different. So what we can what we
can prefer is to have a harder, harder run than
we had maybe last year, you know, because last year
we really were really really dominant and you know kind of.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Look, maybe.
Speaker 6 (07:04):
It's a pretty like easy run for us.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
By the way, he was sitting down as he always
does for the media, he's such a polite guy. Yes, yes,
but the thing that stood out to me was just
like the acknowledgment, it was outward acknowledgment that this is
not going to be easy, like these guys know that
they are playing against some really good teams. Orlando is
not a number seven seed like they would have had.
(07:27):
I would venture to say they would have had home
court advantage. If they didn't have all of these injuries
throughout the season, they would have had a home court
advantage in the first round. This team is really good.
They're missing some guys, but they are still really good.
So it's going to be tougher in the first round.
It's going to be tougher in the second round. And
if they keep advancing out of the first round and
keep going farther like, it's going to be so much
more difficult than it was last season. So I love
(07:48):
the fact that Joe Mazula has probably said it to
them and now they are saying it to us. It's
in their brains. We know this is going to be
difficult before they even.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Start, absolutely, And I think for Christops saying that, like
you can say that it was an easier road when
you won the championship. This time around, the entire league
adjusts to respond to you, and that's what the Celtics
have had to contend with the entire regular season.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
To your point, mark the point.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
Of the play in tournament and what it's done for
a team like Orlando is that's a team that has
the talent of a playoff team, but they got some
tough luck along the way. So don't discount anybody that
the Celtics are going to see on the run going forward.
We hope that's a very long run. So we definitely
have the right mindset.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
Yeah, no question, like this is this SERI is gonna
be tough. Next series is going to be tough. And
I just love the mindset that these guys like that
that happened on Wednesday, They've still got like three days
until game day Thursday Friday, say four days, I guess,
and they were already talking about how this is going
to be more difficult. So they're in the right frame
of mind and hopefully that leads to them going in
the right direction once tip off starts on Sunday.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
We have a lot to look forward to with this series,
and we will preview the series later in this show,
but first time now for Tailor Made Stats. This is
the part of the show when we go to the
most intelligent number of Celtics Weekly that's Taylor Snow of
Celtics Docks scoring.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
You keep that to yourself. Mister, what do you have
for us this week?
Speaker 7 (09:13):
All right, I'm starting off with a fun stat. The
NBA debuted a new dunk score stat this season, which
basically they take all this tracking data such as maximum
ball height, speed of the ball through the net like this,
the level that you know what you're avoiding at there
but thank your shirt, the level of the defensive contest,
(09:33):
all this into one kind of wow factor and number.
And the reason I'm bringing this up is because last
week in Orlando, Nimiyas Kida posted the fourth highest dunk.
Speaker 8 (09:42):
Score of the season in the NBA. There it is
right there.
Speaker 7 (09:45):
He had a max ballhead of eleven point six feet.
And here's Jalen Brown. He actually had the sixth highest
back in November against Chicago.
Speaker 8 (09:54):
So it's the top six.
Speaker 7 (09:55):
Let's go yes, And it's really cool how they combine
all these these tracking points to one massive score.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
And the standard yeah yeah.
Speaker 4 (10:05):
He was like chest bumping the stanchion like it was
gonna say like, hell yeah, nice dunk.
Speaker 7 (10:10):
And the Celtics only the only team in the NBA
with two guys from the top six dunk scores this season.
Speaker 8 (10:16):
It's a nice job by those two guys.
Speaker 4 (10:18):
This dunk score rating, whatever you want to call it,
I feel like it's basketball's version of like exit v
low in baseball.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
I feel like it's this fun stat that everyone likes
to see.
Speaker 8 (10:27):
It's basically like a season long dunk contest.
Speaker 3 (10:30):
All right, well we've got to the top six. Love it.
Speaker 7 (10:33):
Next stat, Peyton Pritchard scored thirty four points in the
season finale. I was kind of thinking, it seems like
Peyton goes off in every season finale, which that's because
it's true. He has averaged twenty eight point five points
per game in game eighty two s, which I think
that is a stat. It might seem a little obscure,
but it kind of tells a story of how Peyton. Basically,
(10:55):
he plays at a high level every single game of
the season, doesn't matter if there's nothing at stake, whatever,
He's always playing at the same level. And only three
other guys of average at least twenty points per game
in game eighty two's, and all of them are Hall
of famers. They're also all kind of iron man type
of players like Peyton, don't miss a lot of games,
play really hard, so that that was a really neat
(11:15):
nugget on paid.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
Very Taylor snow stats. Yeah, this is a very Taylor.
Speaker 7 (11:19):
This one is also very on brand too. Sam Howser,
he shot three for three from the free throw line
in the season finale and that secured a one free
throw shooting season for him.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
I love this one.
Speaker 7 (11:34):
I love this So just the third player in NBA
history to shoot one hundred percent with at least a
thousand minutes played.
Speaker 8 (11:39):
Admittedly, he did not attempt a lot of free throws.
Speaker 7 (11:42):
But I kind of like this that because the other
guys on this list all have ties to the Celtics,
obviously Peyton Pritchard, Tony Snell, who didn't miss a free
throw in his final three NBA seasons, and he played.
Speaker 8 (11:53):
For the main Celtics last Season's crazy.
Speaker 7 (11:55):
Yeah, so Sam doesn't get to the free throw line often,
but he doesn't miss.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
So it's two may be connected because you don't want.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
To send somebody to the line who is perfect when
they get there in the same house.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
Probably not, am I remembering incorrectly? Didn't Lucarnet shot one
hundred percent from the free throw line last year.
Speaker 8 (12:11):
He was one hundred percent from three point range.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
Because ah one, I remember thinking about that last at
the end of last season.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
Probably didn't hit a thousand minutes either last year.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Now all right, well he was perfect in a different way.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
Yes, they all are as every Celticus.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
We had to hit you with a quick message, don't
go anywhere, because on the other side we have a
fantastic guest.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
You don't want to miss it.
Speaker 6 (12:34):
Not leave and the way we go Tatum, step two
is right and drain to three two begin up? What did.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
Pritchard has opened in the corner for three.
Speaker 9 (12:46):
The Boston Celtics make an NBA record twenty nine threes.
Speaker 6 (12:49):
It's not Opening night.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
Three point game for the time.
Speaker 4 (12:56):
Take up the.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
Ten seconds left it over time. Tatum's gotta go in
a hurry. He pulls up Ye.
Speaker 6 (13:07):
Rocks into the paint, return to Derek White. The hot
hand has.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
Another three, circle the rim and it falls in good.
Speaker 6 (13:13):
What come on?
Speaker 9 (13:16):
Richard has just knocked out his tenth three half the night.
Speaker 6 (13:21):
Peyton Pritchard pull up three.
Speaker 4 (13:22):
Got it.
Speaker 9 (13:23):
The twenty twenty five Boston Celtics have broken the NBA
rucord for most threes in a season. Plays Gedian and
Island shoots over the top Hens Gos history for Derek White,
the new Celtics single season record holder for three pointers made.
Speaker 6 (13:39):
Down by three Tatum steph back away from.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
Mananobi three in the air, chaseon Tatum ties the game
with two point nine.
Speaker 9 (13:47):
Ago m Shall pass out to the right side, deep
three the Amos home for Derek White.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
He's putting that three point shooting title away.
Speaker 6 (13:54):
Celtics franchise history of two sixty five.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Welcome back, Thanks for hanging out with us.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
We are stepping it up here in Celtics Weekly for
the playoffs, and we have President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens. Brad,
thanks so much for taking the time to join us today.
Where else to start? But the question of when you
knew that you were going to be able to bring
back so much of last.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
Year's team and how exciting has it been to be
able to.
Speaker 9 (14:27):
Have those guys, Well, you don't really know until after
free agency hits. Obviously we knew that there were going
to be some small changes with regard do We knew
we were probably going to make a pick in last
year's draft, and so you would have that person on
your roster and it turned out that you know, he
replaced Fee and then you know, we knew that we
(14:47):
bumped up Nimi right at the end of the year,
and so there was a you know, we were hopeful
that we would be able to have him and then
being able to resign Luken Xavier kind of you.
Speaker 6 (14:57):
Know, we're really though only things he did last year
around free agency.
Speaker 9 (15:04):
A lot of the other stuff was extensions, but you know,
Tatum was still going to be under contract, White was
still going to be under contract.
Speaker 6 (15:10):
Those guys who are going to be here regardless.
Speaker 9 (15:13):
But you really value continuity and you do wrestle a
little bit with do you need to shake things up
a little bit with your group to give it a
little bit of a boost even when you win, you know,
to add a little bit of extra motivation in the preseason,
add a little bit more you know, in practice, whatever
it may be. And you know, we just felt like
(15:36):
this group, not only the way they complimented each other
on the court, but their competitive character was so special
and so elite that they will figure out how to
become the best that they can be and they will
really put their signature on it. And now I feel
good about the regular season we've had, and we know
(15:58):
that the challenges are tough.
Speaker 6 (16:00):
It's going to be the case no matter what well.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
We had you.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
Back on media day, everyone was talking about, well, it's
eighty five ninety five percent of the team is coming back,
and that hasn't happened with many defending champions. Now we're
at the end of the season, some curious from you
watching an eighty two game sample size, and maybe inherently
by some guys being injured, is it possible that this
team is actually better in some ways than last year's team.
(16:24):
I think a lot of people out there would be like, well,
they won sixteen and three in route to a championship.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
But I think is it possible?
Speaker 9 (16:29):
I think just watching us play, watching us operate on
both ends of the court, watching us cover for each
other on defense, intuitively, watching us play, you know, as
I like the phrase, unconsciously competent on the offense, where
you're just making the right play and read because you've
played with somebody you know where they're supposed to be. Yeah,
you can see that. Does that mean that we will
(16:50):
always play that way?
Speaker 6 (16:51):
No? Does that mean that the opponents won't be better?
Speaker 4 (16:54):
No?
Speaker 9 (16:55):
I mean that's the that's the beautiful part about competition,
and you've got to constantly feed that and you've got
to constantly nurture that to keep playing your best. I
like everything we've done up to this point, we've prepared well.
We're in a good spot. Our guys have shown that
(17:15):
they can go through good, bad, and other to get
to where.
Speaker 6 (17:20):
They ultimately want to go.
Speaker 9 (17:21):
But we're very respectful of what's ahead, and what's ahead
to start is a very good Orlando team and they
will do everything they can to not make us play
as well as we have and not make us as
good as last year.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
Yeah. We heard Christaps talk about that earlier in the show.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
Absolutely, Yeah, preparing for that physicality. I'm curious for you
because now that you've been in this executive role for
several years at this point, what about this role compared
to your time as a coach with the Celtics has
kind of surprised you in that you didn't necessarily think
that's something I'm really going to enjoy, and then now
that you've been in it, you go, oh, okay, okay.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Pretty good.
Speaker 6 (18:01):
Well.
Speaker 9 (18:02):
I think as you get older, right, things become a
little clearer and for me, I just get such great
enjoyment of seeing people, whether it's players or people on
our staff, you know, become the best they can be,
or become the best version of themselves, or become a
great player, or you know, move up within our organization
(18:24):
or move on away from our organization and take a
new role. I think that those things are all like
super rewarding. And when you are just tasked with a
coaching staff and a team, you're not in charge of
the whole sixty people in basketball ops And I think
that that's to me, the biggest difference in the two roles.
A lot of people ask, like, what is the main
(18:45):
job you have? It's people just automatically assume it's assemble
the roster and sit and eat popcorn and the popcorn parts, right,
But the roster is maybe too It feels like two
to five percent of the job. It feels like, you know,
you're dealing with all the constituencies around the team, and
you really feel a great deal of responsibility for the
(19:05):
sixty people in the building. And I felt that even
more as we go through an ownership change and you
want them all to understand how much their daily impact
helps our basketball team with us, our studs, you know,
win a one possession game on the road.
Speaker 4 (19:23):
These are perfect segues for my questions. But Brad, you've
multiple questions. Yes, yes, it's perfect. You've sat in the
coach's seat and then you've sat in the president's seat.
I'm curious, from watching and being involved in it from
both perspectives, what is like one commonality that you take
from those perspectives of success in the playoffs, Like, what
is the thing that stands out to you from watching
(19:45):
from both of those angles that you need to have
to find success in the postseason.
Speaker 9 (19:50):
Listen, Joe and I, as well as anybody in the building,
appreciate how hard it is to win a game, you know,
any game. The other teams out there, they're trying. The
team we're playing is super talented. They've got high draft picks,
they've got great physical ability, and one of the best
(20:10):
defensive teams in the league. Right they have guys capable
offensively individually of going off down into their bench.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
Like, we know how hard it is to win again,
we've seen and we against us, and.
Speaker 9 (20:23):
I think we also respect then how hard it is
to win for and how hard it is to win
another four.
Speaker 6 (20:29):
And that's just the reality of it.
Speaker 9 (20:31):
I mean, I think when you're in the arena and
you've lived it and you've coached against these guys, and
you've coached against these players, you know you don't take
for granted the winning part. Doesn't mean you over celebrate it,
but you understand how hard it is. And and that's
why a lot of times in interviews people will say, well,
(20:52):
that's coach speak, blah blah blah. No, that's real, like
like you try to guard Polo Bank, right right, So anyways,
that's a I think that that's what it's. The common
hasn't changed from seed to sea.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
Shall we transition into a little bit of a lighter topic.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
Yeah, why don't we get a little one here, because
we've been talking a lot of basketball.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
This is this interview, Bratt is really all about you.
Speaker 6 (21:18):
So and we're done with basketball, and I wanted to
do I'm sure this will be exciting.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
I wanted to go into some of our favorite viral moments,
especially from fans on social media, and so the first
one that we have should be pretty easy to remember.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
It was just last month.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
It was Chris Tops walking the runway and Phoenix and
you're hitting them with the too small photo bombing him.
How aware were you of the photographers here?
Speaker 6 (21:45):
Yeah, I.
Speaker 9 (21:48):
Familiar with the hallway, familiar with the walk, k new
kristapso was in front of me.
Speaker 6 (21:53):
I wanted to get Tatum that night because he would
he sat with you.
Speaker 3 (21:55):
You were thinking about this.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
I was, I was.
Speaker 6 (21:57):
I was behind them both. Tatum went through the the.
Speaker 9 (22:02):
Whatever the security thing first, and then I was behind Christaps.
So so Keith didn't see it. Keith sliney and so
when I did it, and then I walked by him
and said, check your camera, I.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
Saw of them. It was one of them. Isn't out there?
Speaker 4 (22:16):
It was?
Speaker 6 (22:17):
It was.
Speaker 9 (22:19):
It's not going to be every night, but occasionally you
just got to be on your toes, like Kristaps just
can't walk so blind and oblivious.
Speaker 6 (22:24):
Like we need this, We need this with this coffee.
We need this guy to be alert, head on a swivel.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
All that the coffee hasn't kicked in yet.
Speaker 6 (22:33):
That's why coffee has not. There's still a lot in there.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
All right, let's transition into our next one.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
So of course you remember this. This is true holidays.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
We were actually just talking about this. How much you
love this guy? Have you said?
Speaker 4 (22:43):
Have you seen this over least that was like when
he first got here. Yeah, that was introductory confers right there.
Speaker 6 (22:48):
Love the guy more now, like having spent a year with.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
Him, how do you look at him now? I can't even.
Speaker 9 (22:55):
I think this was after our I think this was
after our first prack this okay, And and we did
a drill. We did a defensive drill, but just a
typical shell drill. And Phil Pressey, who played my first
two years coaching here, so he's a heck of a
player and a great ball handler, was in the drill
(23:16):
and he caught it and Drew crept into him and
Phil couldn't function and backed up five feet like couldn't function.
And that was the moment last year that I knew like,
oh we're different, and you can see it. And so
that's what I'm thinking about what I'm looking at right there,
Like there it.
Speaker 6 (23:34):
Is you can everybody.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
Basically you with the hard eyes emoji.
Speaker 9 (23:40):
Yeah right, I love you as a basketball it's a
basketball life as hard right.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
So our third one is from early in your role
that you're in now. And this is just a little
evil Brad.
Speaker 6 (23:56):
Is what.
Speaker 4 (23:59):
On social media get sent out anytime anyone in the
public realizes that what you did was a genius move
or a genius decision on this way or another.
Speaker 6 (24:08):
Again, it's past. Maybe we should tamper it now.
Speaker 4 (24:11):
From a basketball perspective, though, do you have you I
know you have a Twitter, You're probably not on there
very often, but.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
Have you seen this go around? As lady sent this?
Speaker 9 (24:19):
I think I think this was maybe it was at
a Bruins playoff game one year, or it was it
was at some other event, right, because I wouldn't have
been relaxed, or at the time we were all wearing suits,
so it wasn't at one of arguments, this.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Is you relaxed?
Speaker 1 (24:37):
I guess, Okay, see, because I think this is probably
the most diplomatic face I would imagine a human being having.
Speaker 9 (24:45):
So that looks like something's possible.
Speaker 6 (24:50):
Yeah, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 4 (24:52):
All right, we're turning the clock back slowly here. But
this one is from a long time ago. This one
is the college days. We never got to see fiery
bread here at the South is you kind of toned
it down on the sidelines.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
Do you remember this moment where this what drew this look?
Speaker 9 (25:07):
It was a terrible, terrible call in the last two
minutes of a round of thirty two game that we
suld have wanted to go to the sweet sixteen. So
this is I'll forgive that. I'll forgive the person. Eventually,
it was a terrible call. I can't get fined for that. No, No, No,
years later, twenty thirteen, No, it was a bad call.
(25:28):
You never got that animated, though. I feel like in
the NBA, is there a reason? Did something change there?
Speaker 6 (25:34):
Did you?
Speaker 3 (25:34):
Was it? Lambers did detest? Yeah?
Speaker 9 (25:36):
I think the I think I think that that whole,
like even keelness, got way overblown because the only time
it really it started with the NCAA tournament runs we
were an underdog. Part of it is you've got to
be level, you've got to stay that way. But I
had a lot more moments like that, or I certainly
felt like that a lot more than Yeah. I feel
(25:58):
like it's caught early on the was it the jet
one's rough? My college coach sent me one of him
doing that when he was coaching me. After he saw that,
and he's like, see it doesn't Apple doesn't far from
the Juri the records.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
I think it's great.
Speaker 6 (26:15):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
I love and I think fans love to see Brad Stevens.
Thank you so much, Thank you so great to catch
up with you.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
Hopefully we'll get to have you on Celtics Weekly again
another time. And it's a very long playoff run that
the Celtics are just getting started with right now, Let's
take a look ahead at.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
Their opponent in the Orlando Magic.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
Round one is here and we know the Orlando Magic
are the opponents for the Boston Celtics, So we're gonna
give you a little series preview. Which tricky mark about
this series is that you want to look at the
regular season and say, hey, guys, what three times but
you got different lineups, you got stars who were sitting
out from both teams. So what can you take from
(26:55):
the regular season and say, Okay, this is what this
series is going.
Speaker 8 (26:58):
To look like.
Speaker 3 (26:59):
Guys were in there's no question about that.
Speaker 4 (27:01):
But there's still like fundamentals of the way each team
approached the game, principles of the way they approach the game,
And that's what I try to pull for a few
clips that we can look at and see, like, okay,
first and foremost, how do the Celtics like to defend
Palo Bankeerra, because that's going to be item number one
on their to do list. And then secondly, how do
the Orlando Magic, who are one of the best defenses
(27:21):
in the entire NBI believe number two in defensive efficiency
during the regular season? How do they become so great defensively?
So let's dive into it right now. We're going to
start out with ban Cao. This is a Celtics defending
Palo Banko. And look, we've got all the main players
out there right this is the main five for the Celtics.
So Tatum is matched up on ban Caro, and you
want to see. The very first thing that we see
(27:42):
here is communication. Porzingis and Tatum communicating for Tatum to
know that he's the guy who has to get over
the screen. So that's the first part we can roll it.
He gets over, Now freeze it right here. You can
already see with the first dribble or two that Polo
Bankeero is taking to dribble to the basket. Porzingis is
leaning in, Derek White is leaning it, and if we
fast forward a little bit and let this play, all
(28:04):
three of them are there to challenge the shot. This
is what the Celtics did all season when they faced
off against ben Carro. Make him see a wall of people,
make him see traffic, make sure that he doesn't get
easy shots in.
Speaker 3 (28:17):
A one on one environment. Now, does that mean that
the Celtics won't defend him one on one?
Speaker 4 (28:21):
Occasionally they will, like Jalen Brown has done it during
the regular season, but they like to show him a crowd.
So let's take a look at another example of this
that also happened this season. Here it is Drew Holliday
is now defending him, and by the way, all five
Celtics defend Paulo ben Caro freeze it right here. You've
got Tatum playing along with his arms eye, You've got
Horford staying on this side of the paint when his
(28:43):
man Anthony Black clears out to the weak side.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
And you're gonna say, all three of these guys.
Speaker 4 (28:49):
Playing with lank and making sure that Paulo ben Caro,
who's trying to post up here at the elbow against Drew,
sees a crowd.
Speaker 3 (28:56):
So as we unveil this play, as you can see
everyone is pulling in.
Speaker 4 (29:00):
Horford comes over for the double, but Palo ben Caro,
he saw Tatum up front.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
He knew he couldn't go there.
Speaker 4 (29:06):
He wound up spinning to the baseline and firing one
up here that misses as well. But again another example
if we roll it back of the Celtics making him
feel a crowd around him, and that's.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
Really I gotta say, like, it's excellent defense, and it's
very smart and great awareness.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
It is a sign of respect a plow.
Speaker 3 (29:23):
Van Caro one hundred percent.
Speaker 1 (29:26):
I know people look at the first round Pallo van Carroll.
He missed a lot of time this year because of
unfortunate injury. But the Celtics are playing in that way
because he is a superstar and he demands.
Speaker 4 (29:35):
The attention and he's gonna make a lot of those shots,
by the way, like it doesn't matter how they defend him.
He's that level of a player. He's gonna make a
lot of those shots. Those are just two examples where
he missed them. So that's talking about defending him. Now,
what is it when the Magic are defending the Celtics.
This team, We've heard it throughout today's show, we heard
it at practice on Tuesday and Wednesday. Orlando is physical
(29:56):
and they are one of the best defenses in the league.
And these are a couple examples. So vel and Queen
right here is going to be the defender on Peyton pritcheard.
If we can see Peyton Pritchard catch up, Look how
quickly Trebling Queen closes out and takes away that space
exactly like that is what the Magic do to the tee.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
They are alert to shooters.
Speaker 4 (30:15):
And Peyton Pritchard, as we know, is one of the
best shooters in the league.
Speaker 3 (30:18):
That is what they do.
Speaker 4 (30:19):
Now if we roll the clip Peyton Pritchard, sixth Man
of the Year, it's gonna happen.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
He winds up making this shot anyway, But a great.
Speaker 4 (30:25):
Contest from Treveling Queen the coach. I guarantee you watched
this play and said I'm good with that. Like you
closed out, you took away his space, and you challenged
the shot. Great defense, better offense. Now we can play
another example here of the of the Orlando Magic being
physical and closing out.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
Here's Queen again defending Jason Tatum.
Speaker 4 (30:45):
If we roll it just a little bit farther, you
can see there we go a little bit of physicality
beating Tatum to the spot. Now he challenges Tatum on
the shot forces a miss.
Speaker 3 (30:55):
Now the Celtics get the offensive rebound. Now watch this.
Speaker 4 (30:58):
Watch Sam Houserd catch this and Anthony Black immediately like
there's no hesitation. That's the scouting report. That's the way
Orlando plays. They close out, they take away space, and
they are alert to shooters, and then when they need to,
they will play with physicality.
Speaker 3 (31:12):
So we can watch it again and see this all
in fold.
Speaker 4 (31:15):
But the bottom line is that the Magic are great,
not only because they are capable defenders across the board,
but they know the scouting reports. They are alert, they
take away space, and they are physical.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
I'll tell you what, with this series, you're gonna get
some of the best offensive play on the perimeter and
some of the best offensive.
Speaker 4 (31:34):
Although we might see some low scoring games like this
round is Taylor made to see some tailor made stats.
He should have talked about that, right, This is Taylor
made for seeing some low scoring affairs. So it might
not be one twenty to one fifteen, one thirty to
one twenty. We might see some scores in the nineties,
low one hundreds.
Speaker 3 (31:52):
In this series.
Speaker 1 (31:53):
It's gonna be a fun one, So don't miss Celtics
get away You're coming at you on a Thursday here
this week because of the special schedule going into the playoffs,
but we'll be with you next Wednesday and every Wednesday hopefully.
Speaker 3 (32:06):
Hey, we'll see Let's keep the thing going.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
Your whole future.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
And we welcome all of your feedback comments like, subscribe
all of it.
Speaker 2 (32:16):
You guys are a part of the show too. Thanks
for hanging out with
Coming up on this episode of Celtics Weekly, we go
court side with Brad Stevens, hear from Christops Porzingis on
the road ahead, and break down some game tape from
the Orlando Magic for round one. The playoffs start.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Now.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Welcome into Celtics Weekly.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Megan Atilini here with mart Denique.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Finally, the most wonderful time of the year for holiday fans.
It is playoffs, Mary, playoffs. To you, Mary, playoffs. You
are audience and just at the top here I want
to say, because now it.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Is playoffs, we're taking this show to a whole other level.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
We do.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
We have a guest later that you guys are gonna
absolutely love. But you are a part of the show too,
So you can like subscribe to our YouTube channel for
the Celtics and call went below with anything that you
want to see in the show.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Any feedback.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
Be nice, yeah, yeah, don't say anything bad about us.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
You're going to do that. We'll keep your comment yourself.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
You can be mean about us, be nice to the Celtics.
The Celtics, by the way, coming off a tremendous final
week of the regular season.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
So Mark, let's get right into our weekend.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Let's do it. Let's rewind it.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
The Celtics capped off their season with a back to back.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
With the Charlotte Hornets.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Well it wasn't quite a back to back, but say
that Friday Sunday Mini Series sixty one win season and
just an excellent time over the last week.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Including that Orlando Magic game.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Earlier in the week that was a loss, but we'll
get to the Magic end of the later.
Speaker 4 (01:41):
We don't talk about losses to the Magic, okay.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Just an excellent time to see the bench players, see
guys that are deeper in the rotation, because you know
those guys always.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Spring up in the postseason when you at least.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
Expect one hundred percent and you got it. We're going
to talk about it later about Peyton Pritchard and how
well he plays at the end of the season in
Game eighty two. Every year, Taylor Snow is coming in
with some great stats. But yeah, you've got to give
those guys some run, all while getting your main guys
some rest. And that kind of recipe leading into a
week of practice just sets the team up perfectly for
what we.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Hope will be a long playoff run.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
You get the bottom of the rotation some extra minutes,
get them some rhythm, get them feeling good about themselves.
And then you get those other guys that have already
played sixty seventy games twenty five to thirty five minutes
to now, you get those guys a little bit of rest.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Get them healthy for Game one.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
So hopefully they're all feeling good by the time three
thirty comes on Sunday.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
The guys at the top of the rotation, though, they
also got a ton of accolades, yes at the beginning
of that little Ninni series against the Hornets, because you
had Drew Holiday accepting the Red Hourback Award, which is
a prestigious award all about what makes a Celtic a
Celtic really the attributes on and off the floor, And
(02:54):
you can see him accepting this award before the game
last Friday night, and Drew Holiday somebody who we will
hear later in the show. Many in this building wanted
to be a Celtic for quite a long time.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
Some might say some people are in love with him
as a basketball it's just we'll touch on that later. Yeah,
but no, this is like he could win NBA Teammate
of the Year every year.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
That's just who he is, Like, think about what he did.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
He's a multi time All Star, came to Boston and
literally said, what do you guys want me to do?
If it's all of the dirty work, I will do it.
If it's nothing that has to do with scoring, I
will do it.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
And guess what.
Speaker 4 (03:31):
He did it last season and helped the Celtics win
an NBA championship, and nothing has changed since then. He's
still the same guy. He's still willing to do all
of the dirty work, and that is exactly why he
won that award. He's the perfect teammate and the Celtics
are blessed because they have multiple guys who fit into
that category. But he deserved that. I was happy to
see him get it. I'm pretty cool for a guy
(03:52):
who's only been here for a couple of seasons.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
And despite some dirty tricks from Luke Cornett, the Tommy
Award of course on our time.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
The best promover. I'm not.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
That's all for the Celtic that sacrifices life and limb
and sometimes teeth for the team that went to Derek White.
I mean, we all loved the cane Cone, but Derek,
Derek deser.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
He did his best and in the end, Luke, I
just have to tell you you can't argue against the
numbers if if you want the award, you have to
win them on a nightly basis throughout the season to
have the highest tally. This isn't something that the fans choose,
This isn't something that well, I guess the media chooses
in terms of NBC Sports bossing each night. But you've
got to put yourself into position to win that award.
(04:39):
So you finished too shy. I think it was fourteen
to twelve the tally at the end of the season.
But there's always next year. So congrats to Derek White
and Luke Cornett. You've got something to strive for.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Well. The exciting thing is in terms of political campaigns,
now Luke Cornett has the name recognition. Yeah, so maybe
we'll see some lawn signs around the area.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Please Can we see that happen? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (05:00):
Youah, talk to our marketing department about that.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
The Celtics also rounded out their fifteen man roster for
the playoffs. In an awesome development, JD. Davison g League MVP.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
He gets bumped.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
Up to the Boston roster and he gets his two
year contract to play at this level, which is just
I mean, it's just such a wonderful story for him
and who he's grown since joining the Celtics organization in
twenty twenty two.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
And you know, we don't.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Know how much we'll see of him in the postseason,
but super fun story.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
Yeah, he's I'm so happy for him that all of
the work has paid off to get him to this moment.
Like when he got to sign his name on that
dotted line. That just had to feel so good to
validate everything that he has put in since he's been drafted.
It all worked out for him. And I love not
only this for JD. Davison, but Brad Stevens. This is
(05:53):
a tendency now, like this is a thing in a
trend that he likes to do every year.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
We've seen it.
Speaker 4 (05:58):
We just saw it last year when MIAs Kaida got
a contract, when he put in the effort and showed
the promise.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Now it's happening to j. D. Davison. He likes to.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
Reward guys for doing the right thing and developing. So
anyone who's drafted in the future in the Celtics, you've
got to think about that opportunity especially if it's a
second rounder. You put in the effort and you make
the development leaps that the Celtics are asking for, all
while being a great teammate, and it's going to happen.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
Brad Stevens is going to make sure of it.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
It's a testament to the Celtics organization that if you
do the work, it's going to pay itself out. And
on that note, I mean, we were both at practice
this week. We got to talk to one kristaps Porzingis.
So let's move on to small bites. Here's Kristaps Porzingis
discussing the road ahead.
Speaker 5 (06:44):
I feel like every year is different, every run is different,
every game is different. So what we can what we
can prefer is to have a harder, harder run than
we had maybe last year, you know, because last year
we really were really really dominant and you know kind of.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Look, maybe.
Speaker 6 (07:04):
It's a pretty like easy run for us.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
By the way, he was sitting down as he always
does for the media, he's such a polite guy. Yes, yes,
but the thing that stood out to me was just
like the acknowledgment, it was outward acknowledgment that this is
not going to be easy, like these guys know that
they are playing against some really good teams. Orlando is
not a number seven seed like they would have had.
(07:27):
I would venture to say they would have had home
court advantage. If they didn't have all of these injuries
throughout the season, they would have had a home court
advantage in the first round. This team is really good.
They're missing some guys, but they are still really good.
So it's going to be tougher in the first round.
It's going to be tougher in the second round. And
if they keep advancing out of the first round and
keep going farther like, it's going to be so much
more difficult than it was last season. So I love
(07:48):
the fact that Joe Mazula has probably said it to
them and now they are saying it to us. It's
in their brains. We know this is going to be
difficult before they even.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Start, absolutely, And I think for Christops saying that, like
you can say that it was an easier road when
you won the championship. This time around, the entire league
adjusts to respond to you, and that's what the Celtics
have had to contend with the entire regular season.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
To your point, mark the point.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
Of the play in tournament and what it's done for
a team like Orlando is that's a team that has
the talent of a playoff team, but they got some
tough luck along the way. So don't discount anybody that
the Celtics are going to see on the run going forward.
We hope that's a very long run. So we definitely
have the right mindset.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
Yeah, no question, like this is this SERI is gonna
be tough. Next series is going to be tough. And
I just love the mindset that these guys like that
that happened on Wednesday, They've still got like three days
until game day Thursday Friday, say four days, I guess,
and they were already talking about how this is going
to be more difficult. So they're in the right frame
of mind and hopefully that leads to them going in
the right direction once tip off starts on Sunday.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
We have a lot to look forward to with this series,
and we will preview the series later in this show,
but first time now for Tailor Made Stats. This is
the part of the show when we go to the
most intelligent number of Celtics Weekly that's Taylor Snow of
Celtics Docks scoring.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
You keep that to yourself. Mister, what do you have
for us this week?
Speaker 7 (09:13):
All right, I'm starting off with a fun stat. The
NBA debuted a new dunk score stat this season, which
basically they take all this tracking data such as maximum
ball height, speed of the ball through the net like this,
the level that you know what you're avoiding at there
but thank your shirt, the level of the defensive contest,
(09:33):
all this into one kind of wow factor and number.
And the reason I'm bringing this up is because last
week in Orlando, Nimiyas Kida posted the fourth highest dunk.
Speaker 8 (09:42):
Score of the season in the NBA. There it is
right there.
Speaker 7 (09:45):
He had a max ballhead of eleven point six feet.
And here's Jalen Brown. He actually had the sixth highest
back in November against Chicago.
Speaker 8 (09:54):
So it's the top six.
Speaker 7 (09:55):
Let's go yes, And it's really cool how they combine
all these these tracking points to one massive score.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
And the standard yeah yeah.
Speaker 4 (10:05):
He was like chest bumping the stanchion like it was
gonna say like, hell yeah, nice dunk.
Speaker 7 (10:10):
And the Celtics only the only team in the NBA
with two guys from the top six dunk scores this season.
Speaker 8 (10:16):
It's a nice job by those two guys.
Speaker 4 (10:18):
This dunk score rating, whatever you want to call it,
I feel like it's basketball's version of like exit v
low in baseball.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
I feel like it's this fun stat that everyone likes
to see.
Speaker 8 (10:27):
It's basically like a season long dunk contest.
Speaker 3 (10:30):
All right, well we've got to the top six. Love it.
Speaker 7 (10:33):
Next stat, Peyton Pritchard scored thirty four points in the
season finale. I was kind of thinking, it seems like
Peyton goes off in every season finale, which that's because
it's true. He has averaged twenty eight point five points
per game in game eighty two s, which I think
that is a stat. It might seem a little obscure,
but it kind of tells a story of how Peyton. Basically,
(10:55):
he plays at a high level every single game of
the season, doesn't matter if there's nothing at stake, whatever,
He's always playing at the same level. And only three
other guys of average at least twenty points per game
in game eighty two's, and all of them are Hall
of famers. They're also all kind of iron man type
of players like Peyton, don't miss a lot of games,
play really hard, so that that was a really neat
(11:15):
nugget on paid.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
Very Taylor snow stats. Yeah, this is a very Taylor.
Speaker 7 (11:19):
This one is also very on brand too. Sam Howser,
he shot three for three from the free throw line
in the season finale and that secured a one free
throw shooting season for him.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
I love this one.
Speaker 7 (11:34):
I love this So just the third player in NBA
history to shoot one hundred percent with at least a
thousand minutes played.
Speaker 8 (11:39):
Admittedly, he did not attempt a lot of free throws.
Speaker 7 (11:42):
But I kind of like this that because the other
guys on this list all have ties to the Celtics,
obviously Peyton Pritchard, Tony Snell, who didn't miss a free
throw in his final three NBA seasons, and he played.
Speaker 8 (11:53):
For the main Celtics last Season's crazy.
Speaker 7 (11:55):
Yeah, so Sam doesn't get to the free throw line often,
but he doesn't miss.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
So it's two may be connected because you don't want.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
To send somebody to the line who is perfect when
they get there in the same house.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
Probably not, am I remembering incorrectly? Didn't Lucarnet shot one
hundred percent from the free throw line last year.
Speaker 8 (12:11):
He was one hundred percent from three point range.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
Because ah one, I remember thinking about that last at
the end of last season.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
Probably didn't hit a thousand minutes either last year.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Now all right, well he was perfect in a different way.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
Yes, they all are as every Celticus.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
We had to hit you with a quick message, don't
go anywhere, because on the other side we have a
fantastic guest.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
You don't want to miss it.
Speaker 6 (12:34):
Not leave and the way we go Tatum, step two
is right and drain to three two begin up? What did.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
Pritchard has opened in the corner for three.
Speaker 9 (12:46):
The Boston Celtics make an NBA record twenty nine threes.
Speaker 6 (12:49):
It's not Opening night.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
Three point game for the time.
Speaker 4 (12:56):
Take up the.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
Ten seconds left it over time. Tatum's gotta go in
a hurry. He pulls up Ye.
Speaker 6 (13:07):
Rocks into the paint, return to Derek White. The hot
hand has.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
Another three, circle the rim and it falls in good.
Speaker 6 (13:13):
What come on?
Speaker 9 (13:16):
Richard has just knocked out his tenth three half the night.
Speaker 6 (13:21):
Peyton Pritchard pull up three.
Speaker 4 (13:22):
Got it.
Speaker 9 (13:23):
The twenty twenty five Boston Celtics have broken the NBA
rucord for most threes in a season. Plays Gedian and
Island shoots over the top Hens Gos history for Derek White,
the new Celtics single season record holder for three pointers made.
Speaker 6 (13:39):
Down by three Tatum steph back away from.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
Mananobi three in the air, chaseon Tatum ties the game
with two point nine.
Speaker 9 (13:47):
Ago m Shall pass out to the right side, deep
three the Amos home for Derek White.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
He's putting that three point shooting title away.
Speaker 6 (13:54):
Celtics franchise history of two sixty five.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Welcome back, Thanks for hanging out with us.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
We are stepping it up here in Celtics Weekly for
the playoffs, and we have President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens. Brad,
thanks so much for taking the time to join us today.
Where else to start? But the question of when you
knew that you were going to be able to bring
back so much of last.
Speaker 2 (14:23):
Year's team and how exciting has it been to be
able to.
Speaker 9 (14:27):
Have those guys, Well, you don't really know until after
free agency hits. Obviously we knew that there were going
to be some small changes with regard do We knew
we were probably going to make a pick in last
year's draft, and so you would have that person on
your roster and it turned out that you know, he
replaced Fee and then you know, we knew that we
(14:47):
bumped up Nimi right at the end of the year,
and so there was a you know, we were hopeful
that we would be able to have him and then
being able to resign Luken Xavier kind of you.
Speaker 6 (14:57):
Know, we're really though only things he did last year
around free agency.
Speaker 9 (15:04):
A lot of the other stuff was extensions, but you know,
Tatum was still going to be under contract, White was
still going to be under contract.
Speaker 6 (15:10):
Those guys who are going to be here regardless.
Speaker 9 (15:13):
But you really value continuity and you do wrestle a
little bit with do you need to shake things up
a little bit with your group to give it a
little bit of a boost even when you win, you know,
to add a little bit of extra motivation in the preseason,
add a little bit more you know, in practice, whatever
it may be. And you know, we just felt like
(15:36):
this group, not only the way they complimented each other
on the court, but their competitive character was so special
and so elite that they will figure out how to
become the best that they can be and they will
really put their signature on it. And now I feel
good about the regular season we've had, and we know
(15:58):
that the challenges are tough.
Speaker 6 (16:00):
It's going to be the case no matter what well.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
We had you.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
Back on media day, everyone was talking about, well, it's
eighty five ninety five percent of the team is coming back,
and that hasn't happened with many defending champions. Now we're
at the end of the season, some curious from you
watching an eighty two game sample size, and maybe inherently
by some guys being injured, is it possible that this
team is actually better in some ways than last year's team.
(16:24):
I think a lot of people out there would be like, well,
they won sixteen and three in route to a championship.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
But I think is it possible?
Speaker 9 (16:29):
I think just watching us play, watching us operate on
both ends of the court, watching us cover for each
other on defense, intuitively, watching us play, you know, as
I like the phrase, unconsciously competent on the offense, where
you're just making the right play and read because you've
played with somebody you know where they're supposed to be. Yeah,
you can see that. Does that mean that we will
(16:50):
always play that way?
Speaker 6 (16:51):
No? Does that mean that the opponents won't be better?
Speaker 4 (16:54):
No?
Speaker 9 (16:55):
I mean that's the that's the beautiful part about competition,
and you've got to constantly feed that and you've got
to constantly nurture that to keep playing your best. I
like everything we've done up to this point, we've prepared well.
We're in a good spot. Our guys have shown that
(17:15):
they can go through good, bad, and other to get
to where.
Speaker 6 (17:20):
They ultimately want to go.
Speaker 9 (17:21):
But we're very respectful of what's ahead, and what's ahead
to start is a very good Orlando team and they
will do everything they can to not make us play
as well as we have and not make us as
good as last year.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
Yeah. We heard Christaps talk about that earlier in the show.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
Absolutely, Yeah, preparing for that physicality. I'm curious for you
because now that you've been in this executive role for
several years at this point, what about this role compared
to your time as a coach with the Celtics has
kind of surprised you in that you didn't necessarily think
that's something I'm really going to enjoy, and then now
that you've been in it, you go, oh, okay, okay.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Pretty good.
Speaker 6 (18:01):
Well.
Speaker 9 (18:02):
I think as you get older, right, things become a
little clearer and for me, I just get such great
enjoyment of seeing people, whether it's players or people on
our staff, you know, become the best they can be,
or become the best version of themselves, or become a
great player, or you know, move up within our organization
(18:24):
or move on away from our organization and take a
new role. I think that those things are all like
super rewarding. And when you are just tasked with a
coaching staff and a team, you're not in charge of
the whole sixty people in basketball ops And I think
that that's to me, the biggest difference in the two roles.
A lot of people ask, like, what is the main
(18:45):
job you have? It's people just automatically assume it's assemble
the roster and sit and eat popcorn and the popcorn parts, right,
But the roster is maybe too It feels like two
to five percent of the job. It feels like, you know,
you're dealing with all the constituencies around the team, and
you really feel a great deal of responsibility for the
(19:05):
sixty people in the building. And I felt that even
more as we go through an ownership change and you
want them all to understand how much their daily impact
helps our basketball team with us, our studs, you know,
win a one possession game on the road.
Speaker 4 (19:23):
These are perfect segues for my questions. But Brad, you've
multiple questions. Yes, yes, it's perfect. You've sat in the
coach's seat and then you've sat in the president's seat.
I'm curious, from watching and being involved in it from
both perspectives, what is like one commonality that you take
from those perspectives of success in the playoffs, Like, what
is the thing that stands out to you from watching
(19:45):
from both of those angles that you need to have
to find success in the postseason.
Speaker 9 (19:50):
Listen, Joe and I, as well as anybody in the building,
appreciate how hard it is to win a game, you know,
any game. The other teams out there, they're trying. The
team we're playing is super talented. They've got high draft picks,
they've got great physical ability, and one of the best
(20:10):
defensive teams in the league. Right they have guys capable
offensively individually of going off down into their bench.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
Like, we know how hard it is to win again,
we've seen and we against us, and.
Speaker 9 (20:23):
I think we also respect then how hard it is
to win for and how hard it is to win
another four.
Speaker 6 (20:29):
And that's just the reality of it.
Speaker 9 (20:31):
I mean, I think when you're in the arena and
you've lived it and you've coached against these guys, and
you've coached against these players, you know you don't take
for granted the winning part. Doesn't mean you over celebrate it,
but you understand how hard it is. And and that's
why a lot of times in interviews people will say, well,
(20:52):
that's coach speak, blah blah blah. No, that's real, like
like you try to guard Polo Bank, right right, So anyways,
that's a I think that that's what it's. The common
hasn't changed from seed to sea.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
Shall we transition into a little bit of a lighter topic.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
Yeah, why don't we get a little one here, because
we've been talking a lot of basketball.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
This is this interview, Bratt is really all about you.
Speaker 6 (21:18):
So and we're done with basketball, and I wanted to
do I'm sure this will be exciting.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
I wanted to go into some of our favorite viral moments,
especially from fans on social media, and so the first
one that we have should be pretty easy to remember.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
It was just last month.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
It was Chris Tops walking the runway and Phoenix and
you're hitting them with the too small photo bombing him.
How aware were you of the photographers here?
Speaker 6 (21:45):
Yeah, I.
Speaker 9 (21:48):
Familiar with the hallway, familiar with the walk, k new
kristapso was in front of me.
Speaker 6 (21:53):
I wanted to get Tatum that night because he would
he sat with you.
Speaker 3 (21:55):
You were thinking about this.
Speaker 2 (21:56):
I was, I was.
Speaker 6 (21:57):
I was behind them both. Tatum went through the the.
Speaker 9 (22:02):
Whatever the security thing first, and then I was behind Christaps.
So so Keith didn't see it. Keith sliney and so
when I did it, and then I walked by him
and said, check your camera, I.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
Saw of them. It was one of them. Isn't out there?
Speaker 4 (22:16):
It was?
Speaker 6 (22:17):
It was.
Speaker 9 (22:19):
It's not going to be every night, but occasionally you
just got to be on your toes, like Kristaps just
can't walk so blind and oblivious.
Speaker 6 (22:24):
Like we need this, We need this with this coffee.
We need this guy to be alert, head on a swivel.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
All that the coffee hasn't kicked in yet.
Speaker 6 (22:33):
That's why coffee has not. There's still a lot in there.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
All right, let's transition into our next one.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
So of course you remember this. This is true holidays.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
We were actually just talking about this. How much you
love this guy? Have you said?
Speaker 4 (22:43):
Have you seen this over least that was like when
he first got here. Yeah, that was introductory confers right there.
Speaker 6 (22:48):
Love the guy more now, like having spent a year with.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
Him, how do you look at him now? I can't even.
Speaker 9 (22:55):
I think this was after our I think this was
after our first prack this okay, And and we did
a drill. We did a defensive drill, but just a
typical shell drill. And Phil Pressey, who played my first
two years coaching here, so he's a heck of a
player and a great ball handler, was in the drill
(23:16):
and he caught it and Drew crept into him and
Phil couldn't function and backed up five feet like couldn't function.
And that was the moment last year that I knew like,
oh we're different, and you can see it. And so
that's what I'm thinking about what I'm looking at right there,
Like there it.
Speaker 6 (23:34):
Is you can everybody.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
Basically you with the hard eyes emoji.
Speaker 9 (23:40):
Yeah right, I love you as a basketball it's a
basketball life as hard right.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
So our third one is from early in your role
that you're in now. And this is just a little
evil Brad.
Speaker 6 (23:56):
Is what.
Speaker 4 (23:59):
On social media get sent out anytime anyone in the
public realizes that what you did was a genius move
or a genius decision on this way or another.
Speaker 6 (24:08):
Again, it's past. Maybe we should tamper it now.
Speaker 4 (24:11):
From a basketball perspective, though, do you have you I
know you have a Twitter, You're probably not on there
very often, but.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
Have you seen this go around? As lady sent this?
Speaker 9 (24:19):
I think I think this was maybe it was at
a Bruins playoff game one year, or it was it
was at some other event, right, because I wouldn't have
been relaxed, or at the time we were all wearing suits,
so it wasn't at one of arguments, this.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Is you relaxed?
Speaker 1 (24:37):
I guess, Okay, see, because I think this is probably
the most diplomatic face I would imagine a human being having.
Speaker 9 (24:45):
So that looks like something's possible.
Speaker 6 (24:50):
Yeah, that's right, that's right.
Speaker 4 (24:52):
All right, we're turning the clock back slowly here. But
this one is from a long time ago. This one
is the college days. We never got to see fiery
bread here at the South is you kind of toned
it down on the sidelines.
Speaker 3 (25:04):
Do you remember this moment where this what drew this look?
Speaker 9 (25:07):
It was a terrible, terrible call in the last two
minutes of a round of thirty two game that we
suld have wanted to go to the sweet sixteen. So
this is I'll forgive that. I'll forgive the person. Eventually,
it was a terrible call. I can't get fined for that. No, No, No,
years later, twenty thirteen, No, it was a bad call.
(25:28):
You never got that animated, though. I feel like in
the NBA, is there a reason? Did something change there?
Speaker 6 (25:34):
Did you?
Speaker 3 (25:34):
Was it? Lambers did detest? Yeah?
Speaker 9 (25:36):
I think the I think I think that that whole,
like even keelness, got way overblown because the only time
it really it started with the NCAA tournament runs we
were an underdog. Part of it is you've got to
be level, you've got to stay that way. But I
had a lot more moments like that, or I certainly
felt like that a lot more than Yeah. I feel
(25:58):
like it's caught early on the was it the jet
one's rough? My college coach sent me one of him
doing that when he was coaching me. After he saw that,
and he's like, see it doesn't Apple doesn't far from
the Juri the records.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
I think it's great.
Speaker 6 (26:15):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
I love and I think fans love to see Brad Stevens.
Thank you so much, Thank you so great to catch
up with you.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
Hopefully we'll get to have you on Celtics Weekly again
another time. And it's a very long playoff run that
the Celtics are just getting started with right now, Let's
take a look ahead at.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
Their opponent in the Orlando Magic.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
Round one is here and we know the Orlando Magic
are the opponents for the Boston Celtics, So we're gonna
give you a little series preview. Which tricky mark about
this series is that you want to look at the
regular season and say, hey, guys, what three times but
you got different lineups, you got stars who were sitting
out from both teams. So what can you take from
(26:55):
the regular season and say, Okay, this is what this
series is going.
Speaker 8 (26:58):
To look like.
Speaker 3 (26:59):
Guys were in there's no question about that.
Speaker 4 (27:01):
But there's still like fundamentals of the way each team
approached the game, principles of the way they approach the game,
And that's what I try to pull for a few
clips that we can look at and see, like, okay,
first and foremost, how do the Celtics like to defend
Palo Bankeerra, because that's going to be item number one
on their to do list. And then secondly, how do
the Orlando Magic, who are one of the best defenses
(27:21):
in the entire NBI believe number two in defensive efficiency
during the regular season? How do they become so great defensively?
So let's dive into it right now. We're going to
start out with ban Cao. This is a Celtics defending
Palo Banko. And look, we've got all the main players
out there right this is the main five for the Celtics.
So Tatum is matched up on ban Caro, and you
want to see. The very first thing that we see
(27:42):
here is communication. Porzingis and Tatum communicating for Tatum to
know that he's the guy who has to get over
the screen. So that's the first part we can roll it.
He gets over, Now freeze it right here. You can
already see with the first dribble or two that Polo
Bankeero is taking to dribble to the basket. Porzingis is
leaning in, Derek White is leaning it, and if we
fast forward a little bit and let this play, all
(28:04):
three of them are there to challenge the shot. This
is what the Celtics did all season when they faced
off against ben Carro. Make him see a wall of people,
make him see traffic, make sure that he doesn't get
easy shots in.
Speaker 3 (28:17):
A one on one environment. Now, does that mean that
the Celtics won't defend him one on one?
Speaker 4 (28:21):
Occasionally they will, like Jalen Brown has done it during
the regular season, but they like to show him a crowd.
So let's take a look at another example of this
that also happened this season. Here it is Drew Holliday
is now defending him, and by the way, all five
Celtics defend Paulo ben Caro freeze it right here. You've
got Tatum playing along with his arms eye, You've got
Horford staying on this side of the paint when his
(28:43):
man Anthony Black clears out to the weak side.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
And you're gonna say, all three of these guys.
Speaker 4 (28:49):
Playing with lank and making sure that Paulo ben Caro,
who's trying to post up here at the elbow against Drew,
sees a crowd.
Speaker 3 (28:56):
So as we unveil this play, as you can see
everyone is pulling in.
Speaker 4 (29:00):
Horford comes over for the double, but Palo ben Caro,
he saw Tatum up front.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
He knew he couldn't go there.
Speaker 4 (29:06):
He wound up spinning to the baseline and firing one
up here that misses as well. But again another example
if we roll it back of the Celtics making him
feel a crowd around him, and that's.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
Really I gotta say, like, it's excellent defense, and it's
very smart and great awareness.
Speaker 2 (29:21):
It is a sign of respect a plow.
Speaker 3 (29:23):
Van Caro one hundred percent.
Speaker 1 (29:26):
I know people look at the first round Pallo van Carroll.
He missed a lot of time this year because of
unfortunate injury. But the Celtics are playing in that way
because he is a superstar and he demands.
Speaker 4 (29:35):
The attention and he's gonna make a lot of those shots,
by the way, like it doesn't matter how they defend him.
He's that level of a player. He's gonna make a
lot of those shots. Those are just two examples where
he missed them. So that's talking about defending him. Now,
what is it when the Magic are defending the Celtics.
This team, We've heard it throughout today's show, we heard
it at practice on Tuesday and Wednesday. Orlando is physical
(29:56):
and they are one of the best defenses in the league.
And these are a couple examples. So vel and Queen
right here is going to be the defender on Peyton pritcheard.
If we can see Peyton Pritchard catch up, Look how
quickly Trebling Queen closes out and takes away that space
exactly like that is what the Magic do to the tee.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
They are alert to shooters.
Speaker 4 (30:15):
And Peyton Pritchard, as we know, is one of the
best shooters in the league.
Speaker 3 (30:18):
That is what they do.
Speaker 4 (30:19):
Now if we roll the clip Peyton Pritchard, sixth Man
of the Year, it's gonna happen.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
He winds up making this shot anyway, But a great.
Speaker 4 (30:25):
Contest from Treveling Queen the coach. I guarantee you watched
this play and said I'm good with that. Like you
closed out, you took away his space, and you challenged
the shot. Great defense, better offense. Now we can play
another example here of the of the Orlando Magic being
physical and closing out.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
Here's Queen again defending Jason Tatum.
Speaker 4 (30:45):
If we roll it just a little bit farther, you
can see there we go a little bit of physicality
beating Tatum to the spot. Now he challenges Tatum on
the shot forces a miss.
Speaker 3 (30:55):
Now the Celtics get the offensive rebound. Now watch this.
Speaker 4 (30:58):
Watch Sam Houserd catch this and Anthony Black immediately like
there's no hesitation. That's the scouting report. That's the way
Orlando plays. They close out, they take away space, and
they are alert to shooters, and then when they need to,
they will play with physicality.
Speaker 3 (31:12):
So we can watch it again and see this all
in fold.
Speaker 4 (31:15):
But the bottom line is that the Magic are great,
not only because they are capable defenders across the board,
but they know the scouting reports. They are alert, they
take away space, and they are physical.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
I'll tell you what, with this series, you're gonna get
some of the best offensive play on the perimeter and
some of the best offensive.
Speaker 4 (31:34):
Although we might see some low scoring games like this
round is Taylor made to see some tailor made stats.
He should have talked about that, right, This is Taylor
made for seeing some low scoring affairs. So it might
not be one twenty to one fifteen, one thirty to
one twenty. We might see some scores in the nineties,
low one hundreds.
Speaker 3 (31:52):
In this series.
Speaker 1 (31:53):
It's gonna be a fun one, So don't miss Celtics
get away You're coming at you on a Thursday here
this week because of the special schedule going into the playoffs,
but we'll be with you next Wednesday and every Wednesday hopefully.
Speaker 3 (32:06):
Hey, we'll see Let's keep the thing going.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
Your whole future.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
And we welcome all of your feedback comments like, subscribe
all of it.
Speaker 2 (32:16):
You guys are a part of the show too. Thanks
for hanging out with
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