Celtics Lab NBA Basketball Podcast

The Boston Celtics have finished their run in the NBA's Las Vegas Summer League, leaving the remaining trickle of news and the trio of Celtics playing for Team USA as the last flickering flames still burning from Boston's banner season. But given we are on the threshold of the dog days of summer, we'll take what we can get when it comes to Celtics basketball. And not all of that trickle of news is minor -- Boston extended key reserve forward Sam Hauser on a team-friendly deal, for starters. This week on the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast, we link up with "Green With Envy" cohost Will Weir to talk about the Hauser extension, Team USA's recent struggles and what might be behind them. We even get into a little Celtics trivia for good measure, so dust off your old programs (or hit up basketball reference dot com, depending on your age) to study up and play along. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks and Gametime. If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," "Celtics Lab," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the NBA draft and the league's 2024 free agency period over with for all intents and purposes, we know what every team in the league is going to look like on opening night. With that knowledge, we can begin to project how the order of each conference will come together once the games start getting played as the Boston Celtics pursue another title. And with an eye to how the Association's Western Conference is likely to look come the 2025 NBA Playoffs, the hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast linked up with Thunder Wire editor Clemente Almanza. We of course talk about how the Oklahoma City Thunder have reshaped their roster, and who else might threaten to come out of the conference as a potential obstacle to Boston hanging Banner 19. We also get caught up on what little news there is from Las Vegas Summer League, Team USA, and the usual grist of the offseason beat. Check it out! The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks and Gametime. If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," "Celtics Lab," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The vast majority of action in NBA free agency for the 2024 offseason has gone down, with rosters around the league looking more or less finished barring any unexpected trades. So with that in mind, we can begin to assess how the order of the league will look when opening night finally arrives for the 2024-25 season. And to get a handle on how movement in the Eastern Conference may have shifted the plate tectonics on which the order of the East will be forged, the hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast sat down with Sixers Wire editor Ky Carlin. We get into which teams (or is it the singular team?) have elevated their games to contender status, which have fallen out of it, and even touch on the conference's emerging middle class. So, to get up to speed on the new landscape of the East and how threatened the Celtics should be by it (if at all), make sure to tune in to this episode. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks and Gametime. If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," "Celtics Lab," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Boston Celtics already had more than enough going on when news broke that Wyc and Irv Grousbeck would be selling their majority share in the team. That very day, the ball club's front office extended not only starting point guard Derrick White to a team-friendly deal, but also star forward Jayson Tatum to the largest deal in NBA history. So there were plenty of balls in the air when the details of the potential sale broke. Multiple reports at times seemed to conflict in places with one another, and the deeper details beyond the breaking news are still to fully emerge. To help us wrap our heads around what was going on with the news of the Celtics being for sale, the hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast linked up with Axios Business Editor Dan Primack. We also get into all that Boston has been up to in free agency and beyond as the team begins the work of building out the roster for a run at Banner 19. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks and Gametime. If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," "Celtics Lab," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network. Listen to the "Celtics Lab" podcast on: Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Boston Celtics are your 2024 NBA World Champions, but if they want to repeat in 2025 to hang Banner 19, they are going to need to avail themselves of every advantage ahead of the 2024-25 season, particularly the looming 2024 NBA draft. For the vast majority of the team's fans, this is one draft we have not been paying very much attention to, given the Celtics' recent run to and victory in the finals. But securing low-cost rotation help will be key to making a potential dynasty viable, meaning Boston really needs to nail their two picks in this draft. To that end, the hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast sat down with For The Win draft expert Bryan Kalbrosky to pick his brain about the prospects we know the Celtics have worked out -- and several we think they should have. Get up to speed on all things 2024 NBA draft from a Boston point of view in this episode. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks and Gametime. If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," "Celtics Lab," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After five trips to the Eastern Conference finals over the previous six seasons, the Boston Celtics have finally hung Banner 18. And while winning Banner 19 is the logical next step for the Celtics, if the path to Boston's current title has taught us anything, it's that there are a lot of moves required to push a team over the top. To that end, the hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast linked up with "How Bout Them Celtics" cohost Jack Simone to take stock of what Boston likely has on their agenda once they get done celebrating the title they just won. We spend a little more time reflecting on the historic win, then turn our attention to the 2024 NBA draft, free agents, and extension candidates. We also gloat a bit, pull back the curtain on what happened at TD Garden late into the night, debate whether Celtics fans are over their ire at Kyrie Irving, and touch on the trickle of news starting to percolate up again. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks, and Gametime. If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

They did the thing, finally. The Boston Celtics are your 2024 NBA Champions after a historic 2023-24 NBA regular season and an equally historic run to the long-coveted Banner 18. The game and series were won with teamwork and defense in classic Boston style, sending beloved Boston broadcaster Mike Gorman off with a proper closeout to a storied career. With the win, Celtics mystique has been reborn, a new generation of superstars established, and a new era of greatness for the most storied ball club in the history of the league. There will be time enough soon for detailed breakdowns of the game, the series, and the season. But tonight, your "Celtics Lab" podcast hosts of the CLNS Media network simply soaked it in, and shared their thoughts on this historic moment and what it means to Cameron Tabatabaie, Alex Goldberg, and Justin Quinn. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks, and Gametime. If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Boston Celtics have taken a commanding 3-0 series lead vs. the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals, thanks to some clutch play from Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum as they combined for 61 points in Boston's 106-99 Game 3 victory, and elite defense late in the game's second half. That the win came with star Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis having to sit out the game with an injury sustained n game 2 makes the outcome even more impressive given the haymakers Dallas threw early. Now, Boston finds themselves with a series lead that has never been overcome and a chance to close out the finals on the Mavericks' home court. Will they win this series in four or five games? Will Porzingis play again in the finals? Where are the haters who told us Boston has no bench and wilts under pressure? And most importantly, how many bouquets of flowers do we collectively need to give the Jays, Joe Mazzulla, and Brad Stevens? The hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast took it all in after Game 3 with an eye to what might be coming next. Revel in the Celtics being on the cusp of the long-coveted Banner 18 with us as we try to soak it all in. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks and Gametime. If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Boston Celtics beat the Dallas Mavericks 105-98 in Game 2 of their 2024 NBA Finals series to take a 2-0 series lead at TD Garden this past Sunday (June 9) night. This puts the Mavs in a position that 36 other teams in the finals have found themselves in: a 0-2 series deficit, something only 5 of those teams have ever come back from. Can the Mavs win Game 3 at home now that the series shifts to Texas, and increase the odds of becoming the sixth-ever ball club to accomplish such a tough feat? Or is this series inching toward the inevitable hanging of Banner 18 in Boston this summer? What would have to happen for either team to win Game 3, and beyond it, the series? To get a read on which way this series is more likely to go, the hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast, Alex Goldberg, Cameron Tabatabaie, and Justin Quinn, linked up with WFAA's Irvin Castellanos to talk all things Celtics - Mavs Game 3. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks and Gametime. If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Boston Celtics took Game 1 of the 2024 NBA Finals in emphatic fashion thanks to a surprisingly spry Kristaps Porzingis in his first game in the '24 NBA Playoffs in over a month, and perhaps the best defensive game of Jaylen Brown's career. Even on a night that saw Jayson Tatum go 6-of-16 from the floor, he still found ways to impact the game, and Boston as a whole limited Dallas to just 9 assists and 4 shot attempts between bigs Daniel Gafford and Derrick Lively II. The Celtics roared out to a 29-point lead only to see the Mavs cut it to 8 points in the third frame, but a healthy dose of the clamps coupled with a trademark Boston scoring barrage put Dallas away for good. To talk over what they saw in Game 1 of the series, the hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast, Alex Goldberg, Cameron Tabatabaie, and Justin Quinn, convened postgame from TD Garden. They also preview what might be coming in Game 2 of the series on Sunday evening, so if you want to gloat a bit or just need to get your bearings, this is the pod for you. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks and Gametime. If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Boston Celtics will take the court against the Dallas Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals on this coming Thursday (June 6) evening at TD Garden. And despite the fact that Boston was widely seen as a chief contender even before the 2023-24 regular season and the Mavs much less so, both clubs share a number of parallels that should make this an absolutely scintillating finals matchup. The prodigal sons of Kyrie Irving and Kristaps Porzingis not only returning to face their former teams, but also a place that amplifies their talents. Two younger coaches finding their stride at the same time, and two stars in Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic battling to be the next face of the NBA. The lists go on and on, but perhaps more important than any other, these teams are both highly adaptable, extremely skilled, and deep. The tactical aspect of this series in particular should be one of the best we've seen in a long time. To talk it over, the hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast linked up with former Mavs Moneyball editor Andy Tobolowsky. Join us for everything you need to know ahead of Game 1. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks, and Gametime. If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Boston Celtics punched their ticket to the 2024 NBA Finals when they defeated the Indiana Pacers in just four games to win the league's Eastern Conference finals, and now we have Boston's finals opponent set with a winner for the Western Conference finals as well. That victor will be the Dallas Mavericks, who needed five games to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves in the West finals on this past Thursday (May 30) night. The matchup will be laden with narratives we have been hearing for years now, from Kyrie Irving and Kristaps Porzingis' return, two oft-critiqued coaches being the last two playing, among many, many more. Ahead of a full preview, the hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast decided to take a tour of all the narratives we should be expecting -- and which ones we think actually matter. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Gametime. Take the guesswork out of buying NBA tickets with Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code CLNS for $20 off your first purchase. Download Gametime today. Last minute tickets. Lowest Price. Guaranteed. Terms apply. Go to https://gametime.co ! If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Boston Celtics beat the Indiana Pacers 105-102 in Game 4 of their 2024 Eastern Conference finals, sweeping the Pacers to advance to the 2024 NBA Finals as they await to see which of the Dallas Mavericks and Minnesota Timberwolves Western Conference finals series. The Celtics will have a 10-day gap between the final buzzer and the start of the finals, plenty of time for injured Boston big man Kristaps Porzingis to finish healing up, and veteran forward Al Horford to get a little rest. Boston earned their Bob Cousy award for their efforts, and Jaylen Brown the Larry Bird Eastern Conference finals Most Valuable Player award as well. We'll have plenty of time to dive deep into whichever club (probably Dallas) the Celtics will play for the 2024 NBA title, but for today, join the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast hosts as they revel in the Game 4 win -- and pay their respects to Bill Walton's passing -- rest in peace. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks and Gametime. If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Boston Celtics defeated the Indiana Pacers 126-110 in Game 2 of the NBA's 2024 Eastern Conference finals thanks to a career playoff-high matching 40 points from Jaylen Brown. But it came at the expense of backup big man Luke Kornet's wrist being sprained on a team already thin at center; will Boston be okay with Kornet on the bench?. On the other side of the court, however, we saw Pacers star Tyrese Halliburton leave the game injured in the second half with what initially appeared to be a re-aggravation of the hamstring injury that kept him out for significant time this season. Will he be able to play when the series shifts pack to Indiana for Game 3, and if not, is a sweep incoming? The hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast reacted to the win postgame from the Garden (excuse the Wi-Fi issues, please), seeing some small ball looks that paid off -- and defensive lapses that did not. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks and Gametime. If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Game 1 of the Boston Celtics Eastern Conference finals series with the Indiana Pacers is in the books, and the Celtics have a 1-0 series lead with their 133-128 win. But it took overtime to pull it off, and Boston digging deep with a few lucky breaks to pull out the win, a few minor mistakes over the course of the contest nearly costing them the win in their own arena of TD Garden (and home court advantage with it). Perhaps having been burned so many times before in similar situations helped them find the necessary gear, but there are some serious concerns in need of a fix for Boston to advance to the 2024 NBA Finals. How will they manage to stay afloat in their frontcourt rotation with Kristaps Porzingis still several games away from a return? Can they keep using drop coverage so liberally? And what players off their bench can make an impact in this series? The hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast linked up with Kory Waldron, the host of the "Full Access Hoops" podcast to break down what we saw in Game 1 and what we expect in Game 2. Make sure you check it out to get up to speed on all things East finals. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks and Gametime. If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network. Listen to the "Celtics Lab" podcast on: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Boston Celtics have defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 113-98 in Game 5 of their 2024 Eastern Conference semifinals series to advance to the NBA's 2024 Eastern Conference finals. It came via a massive game from veteran Boston big man Al Horford, and it also saw perhaps the best postseason play from star Celtics forward Jayson Tatum as well. As an added bonus, the team will get a bit of rest while they wait to learn their opponent in the next round from the New York Knicks - Indiana Pacers series. How do we feel about the East semis victory? Do we have any lingering concerns for the next round? When do we think Kristaps Porzingis will return to the court? Who will Boston play, and who do we want them to play? The hosts of the "Celtics Lab" podcast sat down after the win to talk about all of the above. Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what they had to say about the Al Horford game, the Cavs series, and what comes next. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks and Gametime. If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Boston Celtics have a commanding 3-1 series lead vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers in their East semis second round series. But there were moments in the contest where old Celtics habits crept back in and put the game's outcome in doubt, with fans of the team predictably melting down on social media in response to those mistakes. Do we need to worry about more of the same should Boston advance? And why is this still happening on some nights? Shouldn't they be better on nights when key players like Donovan Mitchell aren't available? And who taught Derrick White how to be a master of dad jokes? If you're wondering why that last question came up, it's because the hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast connected with Derrick White's dad, Richard White, to enlist his help in killing bad narratives (and getting to the bottom of the best humor out there, at least in our opinion). We get into the Game 4 win and what might be coming down the pike in future games and rounds so be sure to check it out! The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks and Gametime. If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Game 2 of their 2024 Eastern Conference semifinals series with the Boston Celtics, the Cleveland Cavaliers came out with a plan and stuck to it. The Celtics, on the other hand, came out with an all-too-familiar lackluster effort that cost them a potentially critical contest. Boston should have anticipated a hungry Cavs squad would be prepared to fight back after a flat Game 1 performance, yet played without focus or energy for much of the game. How will both teams react in Game 3 as the series shifts to Cleveland? What do we expect to see from both ball clubs in response to what went down in Game 2? And how close will the injured players from both rosters be to return? The hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast linked up with Evan Dammarell of "Locked On Cavs" for a crossover episode, so each show can pull back the curtain on how the other side of the series is seeing things. Be sure to tune in to get a bead on what to expect from both squads now that we have a postseason series on our hands. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks and Gametime. If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Boston Celtics finally know their opponent for the NBA's 2024 Eastern Conference semifinals series. With the Cleveland Cavaliers emerging victorious in their first round series vs. the Orlando Magic, Boston's next opponent is locked in. And with that knowledge, the Celtics and their fans can begin to get an idea of the potential contours of this series. How dangerous are the Cavs for the Celtics? What are their weaknesses and strengths? How do they match up with Boston, and what else do we need to know about this series? The hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast walked us through the looming second round series with Cleveland on their most recent episode. They also get us up to speed on the status of Kristaps Porzingis' soleus injury and take stock of the other postseason series unfolding around the league. So buckle up as we prepare for what we hope will be a fairly smooth run to the East finals for the Celtics, barring a miracle from the Cavs. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks and Gametime. If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Boston Celtics got their revenge against the Miami Heat for sending them fishing in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals, instead kicking off the Heat's postseason with a Game 5 win over Miami in their 2024 NBA Eastern Conference first round series. The 118-84 blowout was a fitting end for longtime Celtics broadcaster Mike Gorman's 43-year career, and now Boston waits for star center Kristaps Porzingis to heal up and for a winner to emerge from the Cleveland Cavaliers - Orlando Magic series. The Celtics will face the winner perhaps as soon as next Sunday (May 5). What do we need to reflect on from this series, and what else is coming down the pike? The hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast got together postgame to get us up to speed with all things Boston and postseason. We also give Celtics president Brad Stevens his flowers for a well-earned Executive of the Year award. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks and Gametime. If you enjoy this pod, check out the "How Bout Them Celtics," "First to the Floor," and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices