Green With Envy: A Boston Celtics Podcast

Episode: The Celtics Are Over .500, But Anfernee Simons Clearly Does Not Fit
Date: November 19, 2025
Hosts: Will (Mike Gorman), Greg Manakis
Theme: Assessing the Celtics’ above-.500 record, dissecting the Anfernee Simons fit, trade hypotheticals, rotation outlook, and state of the Eastern Conference.

Episode Overview

This post-game episode finds Will and Greg celebratory yet critical of the Celtics’ recent win over the Brooklyn Nets—a 113-99 victory that puts Boston above .500 for the first time this season. The hosts dive into what’s fueling the team’s momentum, the persistent Anfernee Simons puzzle, Joe Mazzulla’s rotation experiments, and trade hypotheticals. The show mixes sharp analysis, fandom, and humor throughout as the duo ruminates on Boston’s hunt for a stable playoff position and potential roster upgrades.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Celtics Over .500: Reasons for Momentum

• Will sets the stage by acknowledging the "not the prettiest win in the world, but a win nonetheless" (01:01).

• Greg reflects on early-season skepticism:
  “There was a moment early in the season where I didn’t know that we’d ever get [over .500]… it’s nice. We have to win the games against the Nets and against crappy teams.” (02:19)

• Key: Winning these “must-have” games and not dropping games to weaker opponents (03:00).

2. Joe Mazzulla’s Rotational Adjustments

• Will observes a carousel approach to lineups:
  “It felt like [Joe] just couldn’t find a five that he liked… everyone else, on a night like this… you just simply can’t lose that game.” (03:50)
• Greg notes the deep bench: "He played 11 guys tonight... 10 of those 11 guys played over 11 minutes" (05:22).
• Ugo and Boucher are out of the rotation; Ugo’s up-and-down rookie treatment discussed (05:22).

3. Jalen Brown’s Role & Third Quarter Heroics

• Jalen had a slow, limited first half (10 mins) due to illness and lackluster play, but Pritchard and Simons filled in offensively (05:45).
• Will: "Ultimately Jaylen had to come out and put up 17 points in the third quarter for this to turn into a Celtics win." (07:05)

4. The Anfernee Simons Conundrum

• Simons: Bright first half, invisible in second; overall, not the fit hoped for.
  • “There’s issues with the way Simons plays, the way Mazzulla utilizes him… outside of that first half, he felt invisible.” (06:16)
• Greg: "He’s not a two-way player. That’s the biggest thing with him… if he’s not super hot, then Joe’s like, 'I don’t really know why I should play this guy.'" (07:42)
• Notable stat: Five assists, decent first half, but only 12 mins in the previous game (Clippers), near-zero impact (08:03).

5. Trade Talk — Moving Simons, Targeting Upgrades

a. Simons-for-Terance Mann Proposal (Michael Pina, The Ringer)

• Greg floats scenario: "Save $10M, get under the first apron" (08:47).
• Will: Mixed feelings. Remembers Mann’s impact with the Clippers, but unimpressed seeing him on Brooklyn. “In theory, I like him… but he’d be kind of redundant here” (09:33).

b. Simons-as-Salary Fodder for a Center

• Will proposes swings for a bigger fish using Simons’ contract:

  • Ivica Zubac (Clippers): “Pie-in-the-sky idea… would solve a lot of problems. I’d risk decent draft equity if we could get it done.” (14:36)
  • Outlined specifics: Celtics send Simons, Hauser, two unprotected firsts for Zubac and Bogdanovic (14:51).
  • Clippers might reject, but a sell-off could make it feasible.

• Other potential targets:

  • Day'Ron Sharpe (Nets): A “buy-low” scenario. “He stuck out tonight—would look quality next to Nemius Kaeda” (19:03, 20:13).
  • Daniel Gafford (Mavs): More complicated, but worth exploring (16:52).

6. Young Players, Development, and Rotational Power Rankings

• Will and Greg discuss rookie minutes and Mazzulla’s willingness to shuffle young wings:
  • “Every two weeks, we might as well start power ranking these three guys [Ugo, Minot, Walsh].” (22:50)
  • Shireman’s audition: Meh. “It looks funky in a way that’s not appealing… it feels sloppy” (23:10, 23:52).
• Notable: Jordan Walsh’s development and mentorship under Jalen Brown (26:36), learning defensive assignments, and adjusting to different matchups (“Tonight didn’t really… little bit of foul trouble, so he doesn’t really play as much”—28:16).

7. Eastern Conference Standings & State of Competition

• Standings rundown (33:58)

  • The Pistons lead at 13-2, then Cavs, Raptors, Knicks, Sixers, and Hawks round out top six.
  • Celtics sit 9th at 8-7.
  • Bucks (without Giannis) in freefall (35:02).
  • Wembanyama and Giannis injuries: Both teams treading water (35:58).

• Playoff landscape:

  • “If Tatum comes back and the Celtics are hanging around the six seed, there’s no reason why the Celtics can’t, with a healthy Jason Tatum and a nice Anthony Simons trade, get up into that four/five.” (37:53)
  • Greg: Only Pistons, Cavs, Knicks are “definitively better than the Celtics” (37:53).

8. Jaylen Brown’s All-Star-Level Play

• Will and Greg heap praise:
  • Greg: “Jaylen Brown has been unfucking believable this year… it all started when Joe Mazzulla was just like, ‘Oh, we’re just gonna... make you do all the things you do good and just make you do them great.’” (41:42)
  • Will: “It’s up into the right. That’s where it’s going. The season could be really, really depressing if it was going the other way, but Jaylen Brown has been awesome.” (42:35)
  • On critics who don’t watch closely:
    Greg: “How many of those people are actually watching the Celtics? …he was the whole reason the Celtics won the game.” (43:14)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Not the prettiest win in the world, but a win nonetheless.” – Will (01:01)
• “He’s not a two-way player. That’s the biggest thing with [Simons]…” – Greg (07:42)
• “If he’s not super hot, then Joe’s like, ‘I don’t really know why I should play this guy.’” – Greg (07:42)
• “Pie-in-the-sky idea… [Zubac] would solve a lot of problems. I’d risk decent draft equity if we could get it done.” – Will (14:36)
• “Every two weeks, we might as well start power ranking these three guys…” – Will (22:50)
• “Jaylen Brown has been unfucking believable this year.” – Greg (41:42)
• “It’s up into the right. That’s where it’s going.” – Will on Jaylen’s value (42:35)
• “Only the Pistons, Cavs, and Knicks are definitively better than the Celtics.” – Greg (37:53)
• On the Eastern Conference: “Just a bunch of blah…” (37:53)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Win over Brooklyn / Celtics above .500 discussion: 01:01 – 03:50
• Joe Mazzulla & Rotations: 03:50 – 05:45
• Jaylen Brown’s performance and illness context: 05:45 – 06:16
• Dissecting Anfernee Simons’ fit: 06:16 – 08:49
• Trade ideas involving Simons: 08:49 – 17:35
• Breakdown of potential center targets: 14:36 – 21:14
• Power ranking the wing rotation (Walsh, Minot, Ugo): 22:50 – 25:57
• Walsh’s growth and Jalen mentorship: 26:36 – 28:20
• Eastern Conference Standings rundown: 33:58 – 37:53
• Praise for Jaylen Brown & closing thoughts: 41:42 – 43:14

Episode Tone

Casual, playful, deeply knowledgeable—fans talking to fans, poking fun at themselves, all while deploying sharp basketball analysis. The hosts’ banter and realism add personality: there’s skepticism, optimism, and a healthy sense of Celtics fatalism.

Final Thoughts

This episode captures Celtic fans’ cautious optimism. Boston climbs above .500—barely—but glaring roster construction issues persist. Trade talk is realistic, not speculative, as the hosts look for tangible ways to build around Jaylen’s stellar play and prepare to reintegrate Tatum. Mazzulla’s willingness to tinker, the fascinating young-wing “power rankings,” and the dynamic standings in the East all point toward a Celtics team—and fanbase—striving to make sense of a season where opportunity is still up for grabs.