Podcast Summary: Green With Envy – The Athletic’s Es Baraheni Joins the Show to Explore the Celtics’ Evolving Identity

Date: February 24, 2026
Hosts: Will & Greg
Guest: Es Baraheni (The Athletic)

Overview

This episode of "Green With Envy" dives deep into the Boston Celtics’ evolving identity and coaching philosophy, featuring NBA writer and podcaster Es Baraheni. Together, Will, Greg, and Es examine the Celtics’ on-court development, Joe Mazzulla’s coaching impact, the anticipated return of Jason Tatum, and the broader landscape of true contenders in the East. The conversation is insightful, nerdy, and occasionally lighthearted, delivering sharp analysis for Celtics fans as well as wider NBA enthusiasts.

Main Themes & Key Discussion Points

1. Celtics’ Evolving Team Identity

(04:15–08:10)

• Cohesion & Buy-in: The current Celtics group is described as the "most fun" in years due to deep buy-in across the roster and a lack of off-court drama.
• Missoula’s Philosophy: Joe Mazzulla now has a roster tailored to his preferences, having moved on from players with "personalities he had to worry about" (04:45), allowing him to imprint his system fully.

Quote – Greg:

"It's the first season that Joe Missoula has really been able to like, coach a team that didn't have like, personalities that he had to worry about... He's just got guys that he's willing to throw out there for however many minutes... Everybody's bought in, Everybody's bought it in the system." (04:45)

• Plug-and-play Success: The offense’s consistency, regardless of which bench players are featured, is compared to systems in OKC and Denver.

2. Offensive Evolution: System Over Stars

(09:19–13:36)

• Shift in Philosophy: Previously, Tatum and Brown hunted mismatches. Now, the Celtics’ offense more closely resembles the Indiana Pacers—big on pace, ball movement, and egalitarian shot distribution.
• Team-first Play: Players are held accountable for system mistakes, e.g., Hugo Gonzalez being benched for missing a corner pass (10:00).
• Soccer Influence: Missoula’s soccer background influences Celtic’s dynamic off-ball movement (13:36).

Quote – S. Baraheni:

"They run more pick and roll now than they did last year... they weaponize defenses that sag off by letting great pull-up shooters knock down shots. I love the blend of concepts—the offense feels like it borrowed from the Pacers and from Premier League soccer." (11:51–13:36)

3. Coaching, Adaptability, and Player Empowerment

(20:05–26:17)

• Coaching Flexibility: Missoula is praised for adapting the system to his roster’s strengths—moving from a strict three-point focus to incorporating the midrange more than ever.
• Empowering Role Players: Not just stars, but players like Peyton Pritchard and Derrick White are empowered to operate in the midrange and read the game.

Quote – S. Baraheni:

"They were 29th in midrange frequency for the first three seasons under Missoula, and now they're like top three or four in the league... and they don’t even have Tatum, who’s long been known for midrange shots!" (20:05)

• Accountability Across Roster: All players, including Jalen Brown, are benched if effort lags.

Quote – Will:

"If you do not play hard, you will sit. And so that's, I think, one of the most important things." (24:41)

4. The Jason Tatum Question: Reintegration After Injury

(27:54–38:10)

• Return Concerns: Tatum’s return looms large—how does an All-NBA franchise player fit into a newly balanced, flowing system?
• Role Adaptation: The hosts and Es discuss Tatum taking a "hyper role-player" approach early, focusing on defense, rebounding, and off-ball shooting, before (hopefully) reasserting stardom if healthy.

Quote – S. Baraheni:

"If Tatum can come in and give you 20, 25 minutes a night of just like maximized role player, and eventually you have a change up... when Jalen Brown is off, you have this ISO mismatch-hunter." (28:40–31:56)

• Small-ball Possibilities: Tatum’s size (6’10”) provides new flexibility for five-out, all-wing lineups, especially effective against smaller frontcourts.
• Defensive/Board Impact: Tatum "becomes the best rebounder on the team the moment he’s back on the court" (35:19).

5. Postseason Outlook: True Eastern Conference Contenders

(38:10–54:07)

• Four Contenders: Es sees four teams with true ECF potential: Celtics, Knicks, Cavs, Pistons (38:18).
• Pistons Analysis: Detroit is legit, but questions linger about their lack of perimeter shooting and a reliable second option behind Cade Cunningham.
• Matchup Dynamics: There’s a "love triangle" of matchups—the Celtics can handle the Pistons, the Knicks challenge the Celtics, and the Pistons have the Knicks’ number.
• Cavs and East Depth: Cleveland is fourth-best but still requires a "show me" playoff moment; injury-prone Sixers are omitted from the top group.

Quote – S. Baraheni:

"There are going to be very matchup-dependent playoff series based on who you end up playing... and it might determine whether you're an Eastern Conference finals team, a finals team or a second round out." (52:29)

6. Is the East as Strong as the West?

(54:40–57:17)

• Bold Prediction: Es argues the East’s depth and top-tier teams stand toe-to-toe with the West this season, citing advanced metrics and improved mid-tier competition.

Quote – S. Baraheni:

"I'm gonna say the East is just as good as the West this year... If you go and look at net rating, three of the top four teams in net rating this season are East teams." (54:40)

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• Missoula’s Philosophy and Evolution:

"Not trying to fit a square peg through a round hole in terms of the system or the philosophy... adapting the system to run more and shoot more midrange shots is a testament to his flexibility." (20:05)

• Missoula Coaching Critique:

"Before the Tatum injury in that Knicks series, I thought he was pretty bad. That, like, I thought it was probably the lowest point I felt about Joe as a head coach." (19:59)

• Tatum as a Super-Role Player:

"If Tatum can come in and give you 20, 25 minutes a night of just maximized role player, and eventually... [be] ISO mismatch hunting type of player that can get a bucket too... that's probably the best way for this season’s team." (28:40)

• Matchup Dynamics:

"There's a bit of a love triangle going on here... the Celtics can match up well against the Pistons... Knicks match up well against the Celtics... Pistons match up well against the Knicks." (52:29)

Timeline of Key Segments

• [04:15–08:10] - Celtics’ fun-factor and Joe Missoula’s team buy-in
• [09:19–13:36] - Offense evolution: from isolation to movement, Pacers/OKC influences
• [20:05–26:17] - Missoula’s coaching flexibility and player empowerment
• [27:54–38:10] - Reintegration of Jason Tatum: opportunity and challenge
• [38:10–54:07] - Eastern Conference playoff landscape; deep-dive Celtics/Pistons/Knicks/Cavs
• [54:40–57:17] - East vs. West: Is the East on par?

Bonus: Lighthearted & Memorable Moments

• Mustache Maintenance Break:
  A five-minute tangent on beard/mustache care, with Es and Greg swapping grooming tips and debating the merits of fake movie mustaches (15:35–18:21).

Quote – Will:

"Your wife likes it. That's the ultimate. And number two, I think it's all about the confidence." (16:36)

• Es’s Birthday Guest Appearance:
  Greg jokes that Es is a top-three all-time podcast guest and a special treat for his birthday (01:50–02:15).

Final Thoughts

This episode offers a comprehensive, insightful look into the Celtics’ transformation under Joe Missoula and the broader NBA landscape. Not only does it break down scheme and strategy with clarity and wit, but it forecasts the team’s challenges and opportunities as they contend for Banner 19. The banter is lively and personal, with plenty of nerdy X’s and O’s discussion, making it a must-listen (or read) for Celtics diehards and students of the modern NBA.