Celtics Lab NBA Basketball Podcast

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

The Boston Celtics won Game 4 of their 2024 NBA Eastern Conference first round series with the Miami Heat to take a commanding 3-1 lead at Kaseya Center on Monday night, but the win came at a cost. The Celtics lost star big man Kristaps Porzingis to what is being described as a calf strain, and could miss substantial time as a result. How does Porzingis' injury impact the rest of the series vs. the Heat? Assuming Boston advances (and we should), how do the team's rotations change in terms of minutes distribution of frontcourt minutes change -- and who gets them? The hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast took a deep dive into Boston's Game 4 results and what it means for the team moving forward. We also take a quick look around the league at some other developments that may impact Boston as well, focusing on what we want to see in Game 5. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks and the Game Time app. 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 let their fans down with a mediocre effort against the Miami Heat in Game 2 of their first round series, the level of urgency reminiscent of a mid-December tilt of little consequence. Attacking the Celtics with a relentless assault from deep on one end, and denying the use of Kristaps Porzingis as a 'safety valve' on the other, Boston has given Miami life by not understanding the gravity of the moment yet again. But rather than dwell (too much) on the loss, the hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast convened postgame to talk through what Boston can do better in Game 3. From specific adjustments to the overall approach to the game, we shared our thoughts on what we want to see from the Celtics in the first home game for the Heat of the series. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks. 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 played like a finely-tuned luxury car in their 114-94 blowout of the Miami Heat on Sunday in Game 1, and it was thanks in part to the addition of star big man Kristaps Porzingis this past offseason. To take stock of that Game 1 win, what we expect to see in Game 2, and a quick chat about Porzingis' luxury car collection (all Mercedes-Benz) the hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast put together an extraordinary start to their 2024 postseason coverage. Do the Heat need to play dirty to win? Should key players come out earlier when Boston is up big, and will they match Miami's physicality? Can the Celtics maintain their focus through all four quarters? But most importantly, get the inside scoop on KP's love for some of the most interesting vehicles you'll see on the streets of the city of Boston. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks. 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 NBA is inching closer to a new, inevitable round of expansion, and based on what we have heard from league commissioner Adam Silver, it might not just be within the US and Canada. And while Mexico City might not be among the frontrunners, the growth of the league in popularity around the world will only continue to grow. What will NBA expansion look like this time, and in the future? How is it different for fans and international media to enjoy the NBA we have now? And what else might the future of the Association look like, with the accelerating growth of the NBA continuing apace? To talk over all of the above and his recent trip to cover the end of the Boston Celtics' 2023-24 season and the playoffs ahead of them, CLNS Media's "Celtics Lab" podcast linked up with British Basketball League and Give Me Sport's Josh Coyne. To get a bead on the international future of the NBA (and the Celtics in the first round), make sure you don't miss this special bonus episode of the pod. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks. 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' regular season is over, and the team is gearing up for the 2024 NBA Playoffs while waiting to hear back on whether any members of the organization will take home some hardware for their league-best season. But it is not just Boston in the title hunt this postseason suiting up with letters on the front that read "Celtics". The team's Portland-based G League affiliate, the Maine Celtics, are also in the mix to hang a banner, with Maine poised to win their first-ever G League title in that league's finals' decisive Game 3 vs. the Oklahoma City Blue. To get properly up to speed on the Maine Celtics' title run and Boston's postseason hardware potential, the hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast caught up with Noa Dalzell of Celtics Blog. We get into Maine's surprising journey to the G league Finals, and take a microscope to which Cs might win what awards. We even get into some New England-isms and their icky origins on what, in the City of Boston, was "Mike Gorman Day." The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks. 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 own the best record in the NBA for the 2023-24 season and have an absurd 15-game lead over the next-closest team in the East, the Milwaukee Bucks. Records seem to be breaking on a regular basis, and we keep hearing about how this iteration of the Celtics are an all-time ball club. But do they have what it takes to win it all? And are these records and this history we keep hearing about Boston making truly comparable to other champion Celtics squads? Or are we getting the Boston hype machine keyed up ahead of another disappointment on the league's biggest stage? To get the necessary context for what this version of the ball club looks like vs. earlier title teams, the hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast sat down with Heavy's Steve Bulpett. On the beat since Larry Bird was lacing them up, he helps us put this Boston ball club in the proper context ahead of the 2024 NBA Playoffs. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks. 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 all but locked up the top spot in the league, as well as home court in the East heading into the 2024 NBA Playoffs. Everything seems to be aligning for Boston to make a deep postseason run fans hope ends in a title. At least, save one. It seems the path back to the finals might have just gotten considerably tougher for the Celtics with word that Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid is set to return to the court. The perennial MVP candidate will have to play his way into shape as the regular season winds down, but at least as things stands at the time of writing, the Sixers are the leading candidates to face Boston in the first round. To find out where Embiid and Co. are in terms of health and play, the hosts of the "Celtics Lab" podcast sat down with Sixers Wire editor Ky Carlin to talk all things Philadelphia - Boston. We also touch on the other likely candidates and get caught up on what little news is still percolating up in the final weeks of the 2024 stretch run. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fans of the Boston Celtics (and, truthfully, the entire league) can't watch their favorite team without a gambling segment, an ad about betting, or an opportunity to gamble. And when the game ends, more and more of the players playing it are jumping on their podcasts to talk about it. With the lines between multiple, entangled businesses that make up the NBA ecosphere blurring more with every passing day, what are the benefits -- and more importantly, the risks -- of these phenomenons? Is the ubiquity of sports gambling here to stay? Can we expect the same objectivity from NBA players acting as new media as we can from the old? And what potential concerns might be coming down the pike that we have yet to even think of? To talk about the blurred lines of today's NBA landscape (and a bit about the Celtics), the hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast linked up with Sopan Deb of the New York Times. We get into everything from LeBron James' new podcast with JJ Redick to how these blurred lines both fuel and threaten the NBA's bright future. So, tune in for a headier look at the league while we slog through the rest of the stretch run. The Celtics Lab podcast is sponsored by Prize Picks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

March Madness is officially here, and fans of the Boston Celtics tend to start paying attention to the college game around now if they have not been the whole time with their favorite NCAA squad. Potential Celtics draft prospects can be scouted by the casual college basketball fan and pros both, and old rivalries transcend NBA allegiances for a bit of extra sauce at the next level. Speaking of the stretch run, Boston is in the thick of it, with health and rest as important as seeding usually is for Boston, having all but sewn up the league's best record. What can we expect from the Celtics' coming tilt with the Milwaukee Bucks, and are there any trap games on their looming six-game road trip? The hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast took a magnifying glass to which prospects we ought to keep an eye on as potential Boston draft picks, waxed nostalgic about Celtics players in tourneys past, and got you up to speed with the news. Apologies in advance for one of the mics being murky; our enthusiasm for our tech concerns was premature. 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. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Boston Celtics are firmly within the thick of the NBA's 2024 stretch run as they try to wrap up loose ends on the court and nagging injuries while also getting into postseason form. That is not exactly the easiest of needles to thread, but they have a favorable schedule and the right personnel to pull it off, particularly given the lead they have over the rest of the East. But what exactly is that schedule ahead of them? And when can they rest players, and what concerns remain to be addressed between now and the start of the 2024 NBA Playoffs? The hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast linked up with WEEI's Justin Turpin to talk over what they want to see from the Celtics in the rest of the stretch run on a recent episode. From addressing late-game execution issues to getting everyone rest who needs it, they cover the gamut of issues in front of Boston before the playoffs. The crew also gets caught up on the trickle of Celtics news making the rounds as well. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks. 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 been playing like a ball club full of All-NBA players, even if they will likely only have two -- and it has not shown more this season than in their 140-88 demolition of the Golden State Warriors at TD Garden on Sunday afternoon. Exorcising the demons lingering from their 2022 NBA Finals loss to the Warriors in a big way, now the question in front of Boston as they dive into the stretch run is how long their league-leading win streak will end with the easiest remaining schedule in the NBA. And while we're talking about All-NBA, where are those presumed Celtics All-NBA players likely to fall among their elite peers in the league, and who else might join Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown on which All-NBA teams? The hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast sat down to tease out who they think will make which teams, and where Boston's players stand among them on their most recent episode. We also get caught up on the news and look back and the Celtics' week of excellent play. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks. 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: 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 NBA's 2024 trade deadline and All-Star Break are behind the Boston Celtics, and the stretch run to the 2024 playoffs ahead of them. With the best record in the league and a massive lead over the next-closest team in the Eastern Conference and among the easiest schedules left in the Association, what questions are left to answer for the Celtics in the regular season? What full-season hardware is on the table for Boston players, coaches, and execs? What will the team's final record look like? When will they start resting players? What should they do with their last open roster spot? Is there a bench player who can still earn a spot in the postseason rotation? The hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast linked up with Jake Issenberg, cohost of the "First to the Floor" podcast, to talk all these issues over and more. We even get into how trench warfare is the new midrange offense, but you'll have to tune in to find out what that has to do (if anything) with Celtics basketball. 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. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NBA's All-Star Week has passed, and with it, attention now turns to the stretch run and whatever races for season-long hardware that is not already sewn up. This season, that includes the 2024 Most Valuable Player award. It feels like star Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum is making a late push to get in the running, but how exactly does the MVP voter think about such late risers for the award? To get an idea about the politics and other invisible elements of MVP voting, the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast linked up with the mind behind ESPN's annual MVP straw poll, Tim Bontemps. Join us as C Lab cohost Cameron Tabatabaie gets into the nitty-gritty of the 2024 MVP race and how voters tend to approach the award race with Bontemps in a special bonus audio-only episode of "Celtics Lab". The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by FanDuel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NBA's 2024 All-Star Game has come and gone, and with it the successes of the Boston Celtics who participated. The week of All-Star festivities saw some significant changes, but perhaps none more so than the actual All-Star Game itself. Gone were the target score endings and charities for each quarter of the event, along with the East vs. West dissolving playground-style team choosing. The ostensible goal -- stronger player efforts on both ends of the court -- was decidedly not reached with a record-breaking offensive output. But it wasn't all bad -- what were the good, bad, and irretrievably broken aspects of the week-long event? To talk through the state of All-Star Week, how the Celtics did in it, what needs to change and what was done right, the hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast linked up with Thunder Wire editor Clemente Almanza. We also touch on the post-deadline order of the West, where OKC sits in it and who will come out of it in the 2024 NBA Playoffs, so buckle up for a bumpy ride into what All-Star was and can be. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by FanDuel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NBA's 2024 trade deadline has come and gone, and with it the ability to make trades to improve the Boston Celtics' roster. But Boston picked up Xavier Tillman, Sr. and Jaden Springer ahead of the deadline to bolster their deep rotation before the 2024 postseason arrives. The league around the Celtics did not stand still, with several teams in the East also making moves to try to challenge Boston in the playoffs. On, in particular, may challenge the Celtics in ways they likely couldn't have before. Thankfully, Boston still has an open roster spot to add a buyout or unsigned prospect in case that mystery Eastern Conference ball club can give the Celtics more than we collectively expect. To talk through the new order of the East and what Boston can do to fortify their spot atop it, the hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast took out a magnifying glass to scour the option available to the Celtics. And to see if there are any threats who might spoil a return to the league's biggest stage for Boston. Come for the news, stay for the surprise top target the crew collectively settles on in this week's Lab. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by FanDuel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NBA's 2024 trade deadline now perhaps better measured in hours than in days. And knowing what the range of possibilities that exists for the Boston Celtics to choose from to make moves to bolster their roster for a push to the 2024 NBA Finals is a good place to start. What can the Celtics do to get better? Which moves are more likely, and which make little sense? Who are the likely targets, and which ones might surprise us? More importantly, what is off the table for Boston's front office, and which trade targets should the Celtics be pursuing? To get our bearings for what should be an impactful if comparatively quiet trade deadline for Boston, the hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast linked up with "How Bout Them Celtics!" cohost Jack Simone to talk ourselves through his recent trade deadline primer for Celtics Blog. We also touch on the news, recent games, Marcus Smart's return, Joel Embiid's knee, and a ton more, so be sure to tune in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Boston Celtics have by most accounts the best top six players in the entire NBA to match their league-best regular season record. So, it can be easy to forget about the rest of the team. The so-called "Stay Ready Crew" mostly does just that -- keep themselves in the right frame of mind and state of health in case their number is called. And those numbers do get called, with players like Oshae Brissett and Lamar Stevens bringing energy and matchup-dependent options that have sparked wins for Boston, while the sharpshooting duo of Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser wreak havoc on opposing defenses. And if it were not for the likes of Luke Kornet and Neemias Queta defying expectations as reserve big men, you can be sure there would be less wins to the Celtics' name this season. Which players matter most to the team's title aspirations? Which might be on the move ahead of the 2024 NBA trade deadline? What talent does Boston have in the pipeline in Maine? And who will see the floor in the postseason? To answer all of these key questions not quite getting the attention they deserve, the hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast linked up with Celtics Blog's Noa Dalzell. The self-proclaimed Boston bench beat reporter who has a bead on a certain crew that stays ready, join us in a deep dive into the Celtics' reserves. The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by FanDuel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the final returns from the annual fan vote for the league's starters in the 2024 NBA All-Star Game set to go down in Indianapolis, Indiana in the month of February and the reserves selected by league coaches, we will soon get an answer to how many Boston Celtics will suit up for the annual exhibition tilt. Based on the earlier rounds of returns, it's looking all but certain that the Celtics will end up with at least two All-Stars in 2024. But the possibility of three or even four is on the table for Boston with a little luck. To try to get an idea of what we can expect for the Association's 2024 East All-Stars (and how many Boston players will be included), the hosts of CLNS Media's "Celtics Lab" podcast got together with NBC Sports Boston's Chris Forsberg to try to prognosticate the 12-man roster for the East. We also get into the latest trade buzz, and look back on Boston's recent spate of excellent play (with a hiccup in Denver, of course). The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by FanDuel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices