Best Playoff Matchups, Jayson Tatum & Jaylen Brown PUPPET MASTERS, Scheierman vs. Hauser

Summary

Locked On Celtics Podcast – March 27, 2026

Episode Title: Best Playoff Matchups, Jayson Tatum & Jaylen Brown PUPPET MASTERS, Scheierman vs. Hauser
Host: John Karalis (with guest Tom Westerholm)

---

Main Theme

This episode dives into three core Celtics topics:

• What first-round playoff matchup the Celtics should prefer
• How Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s “gravity” and playmaking have evolved, especially in the OKC win
• The debate over who should start between Sam Hauser and Baylor Scheierman

The conversation, filled with practical and insider Celtics insight, provides context from the regular season, playoff implications, and deep basketball talk, all while maintaining the casual, authentic Locked On charm.

---

Segment 1: Choosing the Best First-Round Playoff Matchup (01:12–10:32)

Key Points:

• The Celtics now sit a full game ahead of the Knicks after the Charlotte Hornets beat New York.
• Debate: Who’s the preferred first-round opponent—Charlotte Hornets, Orlando Magic, or another?

Insights & Discussion:

• John Karalis shares he’d rather face the Hornets:

  "I don't care that they're checked out ... Even if it's a four game series, a five game series, [Orlando is] a table, ladders and chairs match each game and you just get ... I don't want to see that. I would rather run up and down with the Charlotte Hornets and, and try to outscore them than have to slug out a 92 to 88 win over the Orlando Magic." (06:05)

• Tom Westerholm agrees that Charlotte is preferable due to their defensive weaknesses and inexperience:

  "I guess Charlotte makes some sense because there are going to be defensive targets on Charlotte ... You could do worse than that for sure. But they're tough ... they're a lot of fun to watch ... They've got that youthful energy." (04:49)

• Tom’s caution: Charlotte plays with a looseness (“they're gonna make it uncomfortable for you”), but the Magic’s physicality gives more concern for Boston over a longer series.

Notable Quotes:

• John: "I'd rather face the Charlotte Hornets. And a lot of people yesterday told me I'm crazy...I do not want to face the Orlando Magic ... I know they have that DNA." (06:05)
• Tom: "It does kind of track [that Charlotte is preferable] ... The playoffs are such a different animal ... Preparation time before the postseason really matters." (09:31)

Memorable Moment (Play-In Depth):

• John runs down Charlotte's recent win/loss record, highlighting that many wins have come against weaker opponents.

  "They have a win over Sacramento, Memphis win, Orlando, win Miami win ... but these are all wins over not great teams ... It's not like they're beating a murderer's row here." (09:41)

• Conclusion: Charlotte has momentum but remains untested against the league’s best, making them a more favorable playoff draw despite recent success.

---

Segment 2: Tatum & Brown’s Gravity Game – Playmaking Mastery vs. OKC (16:06–24:30)

Key Points:

• The Celtics’ recent win over the Oklahoma City Thunder was their best “gravity game” of the season, led by Tatum and Brown’s playmaking and manipulation of defenses.

Core Insights & Examples:

• John:

  "Tatum and Brown ... had their best game, reading the game, reading the floor, and their best game in kind of manipulating the defense, understanding what the defense was doing, working off one another." (16:06) "We got the shots that we wanted. We started our offense when we wanted ... It's about making the defense ... do what you want." (17:39, 23:27)

• Tom highlights two exemplary plays:
  1. Tatum forces a switch, gets the matchup he wants, then Derrick White sets a back screen—opening Jalen for 3:

     "Everything about that play ... that's exactly what we talk about when we want to see the Celtics stars work together." (18:51)

  2. Pick-and-roll with Tatum and Garza, showcasing Tatum’s timing:

     "Tatum, at his best, is so good at ... that kind of like, draw the defense ... Zip it, and then ... that's the guy's wide open for a layup ..." (19:39)

Notable Quotes:

• Tom: "[Tatum’s timing] is simple but difficult. And Tatum, at his best, is so good at that." (19:39)
• John: "When you're the threat that [Tatum] is ... when you're the threat that Sam [Hauser] is ... you've just got people thinking." (23:27)

Memorable Moment:

• Tatum, postgame, calls himself the "best rebounding non 7 footer in the NBA."
  Tom: "That's something that he's thought about. ... It’s cool to see Tatum coming back on that level as well." (24:01–24:30)

---

Segment 3: Who Should Start – Scheierman or Hauser? (27:00–34:29)

Key Points:

• The debate: Is Sam Hauser’s shooting gravity still more valuable than Scheierman’s recent hot streak and energy?

Arguments & Analysis:

• Tom:
  • Scheierman is shooting better recently (42% over last 15); Hauser is shooting only 34%.
  • But, "the rest of the NBA knows exactly who Sam Hauser is and what he does ... Sam Houser can end a game in like five minutes ... you're not leaving Sam Houser and as a result, Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown are going to get better opportunities." (27:00)
• John:
  • Hauser’s gravity warps the defense, enabling the star wings to playmake more effectively. Even when he misses, defenses panic and adjust.
  • Specific OKC example: "Sam Houser misses a shot. If he makes that, it's 9-6...All of those...are extraordinarily wide open, very makeable shots. It's far more noteworthy that he missed them than if he had made them." (29:20)
  • Hauser’s off-ball threat, rebounding, and defense further cement his value.
  • On Scheierman: "I just like the Sharman kind of role right now off the bench ..." and that his energy is more of a spark in relief.

Notable Quotes:

• Tom: "What Sam Houser brings is more now than just the three-point shooting. It's also the threat of the three-point shooting ... Sam Houser can beat you. He's beaten teams." (28:00)
• John: "All you want from a guy like Hauser is the opportunity to beat a team once or twice in a playoff series ... So many of these plays ... aren't even possible without the gravity that Sam Houser brings." (30:41)

Final Thoughts:
Both agree the best rotation features Hauser starting, with Scheierman excelling in a 15–20 minute bench role.

---

Closing Notes and Notable Moments

Podcast chemistry & inside anecdotes:

• Tom and John reminisce about covering games together, including surviving an earthquake at a past NBA event. (15:28)
• Tatum’s rebounding self-praise is flagged as a sign of his confidence and return to form. (24:01–24:30)

Notable Quotes:

• John on Tatum and Brown: "They're like puppet masters out there." (theme throughout Segment 2)
• Tom on Shireman’s rise: "Everybody loves a new story. But ... the fact that Sam Houser is an old story ... is far more valuable to the Celtics at this Stage." (28:00)

---

Timestamps of Major Segments

• Best Playoff Matchup Debate: 01:12–10:32
• Tatum & Brown ‘Gravity’ Game Analysis: 16:06–24:30
• Scheierman vs. Hauser Starting Debate: 27:00–34:29

---

Takeaways for Celtics Fans

• The Celtics should hope for a Hornets first-round matchup, not the Magic, due to playoff bruising and the Magic’s physical style.
• Tatum and Brown have reached new playmaking heights, not just scoring but manipulating defenses as “puppet masters.”
• Despite recent shooting struggles, Sam Hauser’s floor-spacing threat is still more valuable for the starting lineup—Scheierman thrives best off the bench.

To summarize, the episode combines playoff speculation, scheme breakdown, and rotation analysis—indispensable for any Celtics diehard or educated NBA follower.

Transcript

[John Corrales]

It's the Locked on podcast Network your team every day.

[Ad Voice / Commercial Announcer]

There's nothing like your first Mac. Here's what people online are sharing. Rhain says. Everything is just so smooth and fast. I still can't get over it. Syncing stuff between my phone and this is just chef's kiss. Rincredible488 says Apple Silicon basically cures low battery trauma. That's how they felt with their first Mac. How will you introducing the all new MacBook Neo, an amazing Mac at a surprising price. Find out more on apple.com Mac you're juggling a lot, but you can still squeeze in a financial plan with the Northwestern Mutual financial advisor as your partner. It's not only possible, it's personalized. So if you're tying the knot, closing on a house or welcoming a little one, you'll be ready for whatever life tosses your way. It's the right time to feel less stressed and more certain. That's a better way to money. Let's get [e-mail] the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

[John Corrales]

Now on the Locked on Celtics podcast, should the Celtics start Baylor Scheireman or Sam Houser? Plus gravity Locked on Celtics pot, home of the winners. Hey, welcome back to the Lockdown Celtics podcast. I'm John Corrales. Today's show is brought to you by FanDuel. During the tournament, FanDuel is offering 300 bucks back in bonus bets for every day. Every day for 10 days. Head to FanDuel.com right now to get started. Later on, we'll get into the Baylor Shireman, Sam Houser debate. Arguments for and against each guy. It's gonna be an interesting discussion there. In the second segment, we'll get into the gravity of the Jays in that OKC game. I thought that might be the best gravity game we've seen from those guys, which led to incredible passing. But we're going to start with the Celtics catching a break. I don't know if it's catching a break anymore. Charlotte Hornets beat the New York Knicks. And we're going to talk about it with our guy, Tom Westerholm.

[Tom Westerholm]

What up?

[John Corrales]

What's up, Tom?

[Tom Westerholm]

No, no, not much. How are you?

[John Corrales]

I'm doing. I'm doing okay, actually. You know, fighting. I'm. I was. I was. Questionable. Yeah, like the Joe Missoula quote, go to bed questionable, wake up probable. Yeah, definitely, definitely questionable. But hey, we're fighting through. And isn't the Joe Missoula quote that

[Tom Westerholm]

you go to bed questionable and you might wake up Dead like that.

[John Corrales]

No, that's probably what he wants to say. Yeah, but that's. I think, I think it's go to bed questionable, wake up probable. Okay. All right.

[Tom Westerholm]

First, I, I guess I just got that from the essence of Joe Missoula,

[John Corrales]

because he likes to say things about dying and, like, a lot of. But that, that, that's not the quote, not the one I was thinking of. He might have said something about.

[Tom Westerholm]

I do enjoy Joe.

[John Corrales]

Joe is. He's a character. He is a character. So the Celtics are now a full game ahead of the New York Knicks. Thank you, Charlotte Hornets. Thank you, Charles Lee. And you know, your Charlotte Hornets beat the. Beat the Knicks. A late comeback for the Knicks, but still the Hornets were able to kind of hold on and. Okay, first of all, thank you. But also, I had a debate last night with multiple people at the game about, do you want to, do you want to face the Hornets in the first round? Do you not want to face the Hornets in the first round? Who would you rather face? And I understand, I understand that the Hornets are like, look, they look good. They look good. But I don't know, am I, am I being too, like, dismissive when I say I don't trust them in the playoffs yet?

[Tom Westerholm]

I don't think that's dismissive. I think it's fair to have questions about a team that has, you know, historically had such a hard time actually winning games. Right? Like, that's. I think that's fair. I do think it's funny to be thanking them at this stage because it's like, ah, let's wait till after Sunday because if you're a Celtics fan, to be thanking this team because they're. Celtics are gonna go visit them and we'll see. We'll see how grateful the Celtics actually are to the, to the Charlotte Hornets. Yeah, I mean, I, I think, you know, the thing about the, the thing about the bottom of the east this year is that you're gonna get a team that is significantly over.500. You know, you're not getting, you know, this isn't like, this is like previous years where you. Trey Young, is not on the Hawks anymore. They're good now. Like, you know, like, you're not getting a Hawks team. That's. That's three games under.500 for the eighth team.

[John Corrales]

Right?

[Tom Westerholm]

Like, you're getting, you know, like, yeah, you're, you're getting. Or you might be getting Orlando, who lost six in a row, but before that won a bunch of games in a row and is streaky and like, they've got guys you, you might get, you know, like, you might get the Sixers. I don't know. I mean, like this 4, 5, 6 games of Tyrese Maxey for, for an appetizer. Sound fun? That doesn't sound fun. You know, No, I, I, I guess Charlotte, whoever it is, I, I guess to me they're, it's, it's tough to kind of pick one out. I guess Charlotte makes some sense because there are, there are going to be defensive targets on Charlotte. Right. You know, there's going to be people you can attack in the playoffs. That matters a lot. So you could do worse than that for sure. But they're tough, man. I, I, they're a lot of fun. They're a lot of fun to watch. They've got a lot of, that kind of youthful energy that it makes me think that they'll, I think if you, I think if you face Charlotte, I'd be surprised if you sweep them because I think they've got that, that kind of like, sure, I don't think we're gonna win, but we're gonna, we're gonna make it uncomfortable for you.

[John Corrales]

Sure. Right. Like we can get into a fight, but we're both going into the hospital, no matter who, even if you beat me.

[Tom Westerholm]

Although, Although literally, that's the Magic though, right?

[John Corrales]

Listen, I'm sorry to interrupt, but that's why I don't want to face the Magic. Like, my number one team I don't want to face is the Orlando Magic. I'd rather, I would rather face the Charlotte Hornets. And a lot of people yesterday told me I'm crazy for, for saying that, but I do not want to face the Orlando Magic because I don't care that they're checked out. I don't care. They're going to get Jamal Mosley fired. I think Franz Wagner is coming back. I think they're, they're still a big, tough team. I still think they play super, super physical in the playoffs. A lot of that stuff is allowed and I just, I don't want to see these guys get even. If it's a four game series, a five game series, it's just, it's a table, ladders and chairs match each game and you just get, you know, I, I don't want to see that. I would rather run up and down with the Charlotte Hornets and, and try to outscore them than have to slug out a 92 to 88 win over the Orlando Magic. I just, I know it's a different team than last year. But I also know that they have that DNA. I know they have. They still have a lot of those players. And I. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'm wrong, but I just. I think that's the type of team that hurts the Celtics more than. I know Charlotte just waxed the Celtics, but I know. I think the Orlando Magic are the type of team that hurts Boston more than the. Than the Charlotte Hornets kid.

[Tom Westerholm]

And I.

[John Corrales]

And I don't trust them yet because they're relying on a rookie. They're relying on LaMelo Ball. I don't. Like he's playing great, but also, once the playoff spotlight comes on, is he. Is he going to revert back to, you know, crazy mellow and trying to take, like. I. I still think there's going to be a little bit of that leftover stuff that hurts Charlotte. So I don't know. I'm. I'm not. I'm not basing my opinion on the stats necessarily. I'm basing it on more of a feel kind of thing.

[Tom Westerholm]

The eye test.

[John Corrales]

Some might.

[Tom Westerholm]

Some might call it. Yeah, no, I. But I. I hear what you're saying. I. I think, honestly, the more we.

[John Corrales]

Because when we.

[Tom Westerholm]

When we started talking about this before, I. I was. I was more on the Orlando camp just because I don't think they're that good. But, like. Yeah, but I. I do see what you're saying, and I also. I also think that it's. It's worth noting that, yes, the Hornets just wax the Celtics, but, like, the playoffs are such a different animal. The playoffs, you know, you have so much time to prepare for each game. You're so laser focused on each game. You're so laser focused on picking out the weaknesses of the other team. And Charlotte does have weaknesses that you can pick on. You know, like. And Orlando does, too, but Orlando. But like you said, like, you know, if OKC ever has to kind of break up its team a little bit, Lou Dort should go to Orlando. Right. Like, that's. That's the kind of team that they are. So I. Yeah, I. I guess I would. I think. I think you're right. I think I would rather face Charlotte if I were the Celtics between those teams. And it, you know, again, again, I think one of the reasons I don't want to say that I want to face Charlotte is because I've actually enjoyed Charlotte quite a lot this season. Like, I'm enjoying this run of theirs. I don't want to be disrespectful to them and be like, oh, Man, I want. I want to see the Celtics play them. But honestly, just from a. Just from a logistics perspective, it does. It does kind of track, and I think it really matters. The preparation time before the postseason really matters.

[John Corrales]

Can I just work backwards on Charlotte's schedule in their wins and losses? Okay. Yeah. Yeah. New York beat New York. Good win.

[Tom Westerholm]

Good dub.

[John Corrales]

Beat Sacramento, Memphis win Orlando, win Miami, win. Okay, Orlando, Miami are, like, in that same class, right. Lost the San Antonio win over Sacramento. Beat Portland, lose the Phoenix, lose to Miami, beat Boston. Right. Okay. Beat Dallas, Portland, Indiana, Chicago, Washington. These are all wins over not great teams. This is a lot of wins over a very weak schedule. Losses. Cleveland, Houston, beat Atlanta. Lost to Detroit, beat Atlanta, Houston, New Orleans. Okay. They have a win over San Antonio way back at the end of January. Dallas, Memphis, Philadelphia, Washington, Orlando. All wins still. All not great teams. Right. They have a couple quality wins, but they have a lot of bad teams that they faced. Yeah.

[Tom Westerholm]

So what I'm hearing is that they took care of business against the bad teams, and then they also picked up dubs against the Celtics, the Spurs, and the Knicks. I mean, those are. Yes, in two wins to sniff at.

[John Corrales]

No, they're not. But they also have losses to Miami, Phoenix, San Antonio, Cleveland, Houston, Detroit. Like, so I'm just saying. I'm just saying. Yes, they've. They handled their business. You're supposed to handle your business, but they haven't had the toughest schedule in the world. And so I'm. I believe that Charlotte has done a great job. I'm not trying to. I'm not trying to take away from their accomplishments. What I am saying is that there's. They've been. They've been taking advantage of a lot of opponents that, yes, you can say they should be beating them great. But. And they are. But those are. It's not like. It's not like they're beating a murderer's row here. You know what I mean? So against the. Against the good teams. Okay. Yeah, they get the win. They get the win against New York. That's a good win. They almost blew it, but it's a good win. The. They smoked Boston. Yeah. Boston never had it from the beginning of that game. Never had it. I'm just. I don't know. I. I just. I'm gonna leave it there because I'm gonna start repeating myself. People in the comments. Let me know. Let me know what you think. Would you rather face Charlotte? Am I a lunatic? Am I. Am I. A. A lot of people want to call me a. Lately so join in the fun there. Just leave it there. Okay, let's get back to the fun of the win over okc. Boston Celtics beat an elite team in Oklahoma City Thunder. And there's a lot to talk about that, particularly the Jays. The gravity, having both of those guys, how important that is. That's coming up next. Today's show is brought to you by Prize Picks. You got to download that Prize Picks apple because the playoff push is heating up. The tournament hoops are here and there's no better way to get in on the action than Prize Picks. When it always where it always feels good to be, right? Every bucket, every dime, every big moment means you're playing. Means more when you're playing on Prize Picks. It's the number one daily fantasy sports picks app and it's incredibly simple to play. The best part about Prize Picks, you just pick more or less on two or six player projections and and it's quick, simple, easy to follow. You can mix sports in the same lineup. Basketball, baseball, hockey. Baseball's here, so go give it a shot. And there's early payouts feature and that's a game changer because if your player gets hot, then you can lock in a win before the game even ends. So download the Prize Picks app today. Use the code LOCKDOWN NBA to get $50 in lineups after you play your first five dollar lineup. That's locked on. NBA to get $50 in lineubs after you play your first $5 lineup. Prize picks. It's good to be right. Today's show is also brought to you by TurboTax. It's tax time. But for a lot of us, the old way of doing taxes is a lot. Trying to book an appointment that's not the most convenient. Sitting in a waiting room with a stack of papers emailing back and forth and wondering if they really get your situation. But this year you're getting a major upgrade. Intuit TurboTax now has in person locations nationwide. You can meet face to face with a real tax expert and your documents get uploaded straight to your TurboTax app on the spot. And just like that, you're done. Your TurboTax expert works to get you every dollar you deserve, while you get real time notifications as you go about your day. It's the relief of walking in and meeting a real person and then walking out knowing your taxes are being handled right. Head to turbotax.com local to find a store near you and book your appointment. Thank you for making Lockdown Celtics your first listen every day and Making it the number one Celtics podcast in the world on the number one sports podcasting network in the world. So happy to have you here Monday through Friday, bonus podcast throughout the week and then when they play on the weekends, like this Friday night game against the Atlanta Hawks post game podcast, bonus podcast there. So subscribe if you're new to the show. I'm John Corrales. I'm a beat writer covering the Celtics for Celtics on SI. I've been covering this team for about 20 years now and doing this podcast for 10 and working with my guy, Tom Westerholm for I don't even know how many years it's been. I mean, it's been a while.

[Tom Westerholm]

2018, 2017.

[John Corrales]

Yeah, yeah. Eight years.

[Tom Westerholm]

Yeah.

[John Corrales]

Ish. Yeah. Yeah. Pretty good.

[Tom Westerholm]

So, like, several basketball games you and I have taken in.

[John Corrales]

Yeah, we have taken in many games together. We've seen a lot of good players, a lot of good teams.

[Tom Westerholm]

Survived an earthquake.

[John Corrales]

We survived an earthquake. Yes. The. The massive, devastating earthquake that mildly shook the Thomas and Mac center.

[Tom Westerholm]

Scared the crap out of me, though. I'm not gonna. I'm not gonna lie to you.

[John Corrales]

I've never had this. The only worst earthquake I've been in. So. Yeah, same. I was not. I was not thrilled about it. Be honest.

[Tom Westerholm]

I wasn't pumped.

[John Corrales]

It was not. It's not my happiest moment in my life. So. But what. What makes opponents shake is the vision.

[Tom Westerholm]

Welcome for that.

[John Corrales]

Yeah, we love. Nothing podcasters love more than making a good transition and then noting it in the moment. Tatum and Brown against the OKC Thunder had their best game, reading the. Reading the game, reading the floor, and their best game in kind of manipulating the defense, understanding what the defense was doing, working off one another.

[Tom Westerholm]

I just.

[John Corrales]

I really think, think it might have been one of the better games we've seen in that regard. I'll go. Recency bias. One of the best I've ever seen.

[Tom Westerholm]

Yeah, I mean, it. That's tough. Just because, you know, like, what. What Joe Missoula said yesterday when somebody asked him, like, was that the best game of the season? And he was like, well, I don't know. I mean, you know, I hate to.

[John Corrales]

Well, I'm not asking you to list all of them. What I'm saying. What I'm saying is I've. I've. I haven't seen them do it much better than. Than this in terms of the. The way they kind of saw what was happening, made the plays off of what was happening, attacked who they needed to attack. Jalen did A great job in kind of like, taking advantage. Jason did a great job, too. Taking advantage of what the. What help was being shown to them.

[Tom Westerholm]

Yeah.

[John Corrales]

And then kind of manipulating that help to say, okay, I want you to go there now. So I'm gonna. I'm going to hesitate. I'm going to fake. I'm going to dribble this way, and now you're going to do what I want you to do. And Jalen said it after the games, like, we got the shots that we wanted. We started our offense when we wanted. And I thought that was. This was one of the best examples of them doing what they wanted, how they wanted, and the gravity of their games kind of opening things up for everybody.

[Tom Westerholm]

Well, and especially given what we saw last year when the Celtics played the Thunder, it was. You know, the Thunder just. Just ran rampant over the Celtics last year. And this year, it just doesn't. It doesn't look the same. You know, it hasn't looked the same in either game. But especially yesterday, I mean, I thought there were the two plays that I thought really kind of summed it up, right? There was the one I posted about it. I think. I think a couple other people did, too, but, like, I had it, and I think I had it first, but there was a. There was Tatum, you know, like, forced a switch and got Mitchell on him, right? And he's on one side of the floor. Jalen's on the other side of the floor.

[John Corrales]

And.

[Tom Westerholm]

And then, like, the whole team. You saw the whole team actually kind of come together. Like, Derrick White sneaks in, sets a back screen so that the Thunder can't close out to Jalen. Luca Garza does the same thing. It's almost this, like, open door elevator set. And then. And then Tato just right between. Right. Right through the elevator doors directly to Jalen for a three. And it's like everything about that play was. Was. You know, that's exactly what we talk about when we want to see the Celtics. We want to see the Celtics stars work together. That is Tatum manipulating the defense, Tatum getting the switch that he wants, the Celtics going through the motion to get Tatum the matchup he wants, which then forces the defense to all pay attention to him, which takes their attention off of Jalen, which gives Jalen an open three, and he just, you know, like, just perfect, right? So, I mean, there's. There's that one, and. And then, you know, like, it was really cool yesterday because I just felt like we. You know, we've seen little glimpses of Jason Tatum Is back. Jason Tatum is back. Jason Tatum is. Is improving all this stuff, but yesterday there was. There was a pick and roll that he ran with Luca Garza right where every. It was in the second half. Everything. He just. He waited precisely the right amount of time to get to let Luca Garza spring free when Garza rolled. And there is. It's. There's, like, There's a timing to it that. That the best pick and roll players make look simple, and it just isn't simple. It's. I guess it. Or I guess it is simple, but it's. It's. It's hard to time. It's. It's simple but difficult. And. And Tatum, at his best, is so good at. At, you know, that kind of like, draw the defense. Draw the defense. Draw the defense, Draw the defense. Zip it. And then they get, you know, and then that's. The guy's wide open for a layup, and Garza got a wide open layup off it. It's, you know, and I mean, and Tatum, to be clear, was the second best player in the game. Jalen was amazing. Jalen was awesome. But it was. It was, you know, it was cool to see Tatum operating and manipulating the game at the level that he can because that. Because we've seen Jalen be awesome all year at this point, it's like, oh, yeah, Jalen had 31 8. That's a. That's a good Jalen game. Know, you just kind of were like, kind of shrug your shoulders a little bit because that's how good he's been. To see Tatum manipulating the game, like, that was really encouraging to me.

[John Corrales]

Yeah, the. The way. Okay, so I remember that. That pick and roll, that's the one where Garza was, like, wide, wide open. I want to say somebody was in the corner. Might have been Sam. Might have been Sam in the corner.

[Tom Westerholm]

One of the shooties.

[John Corrales]

Yeah, one of the little shooty guys. Which. This kind of bleeds into this next discussion about starting Baylor or Sam. The argument that I'm gonna make for starting Sam is part of that play, so I might as well start talking about it now. Yeah, the. When Jalen and Jason are doing what they do, it's. It's about making the defense. Right. Do what you want. So like you were saying, you want to. You're going to blitz me. I know you're going to blitz me. No problem. Come. Come here, come here, come here. I'm good. Oh, no.

[Ad Voice / Commercial Announcer]

Oh, no.

[John Corrales]

You're chasing me. And then, woof. There goes that pass. But because Sam is in that corner. You're. All you got to do is look at Sam. Just look at him. And the guy who's like, oh, I can't give up this corner three. And that looks like the pass that is most likely. That's a dangerous pass. You just look and the defense just kind of leans once you just see that lean. These guys are so good, so fast with their decisions that as that guy's leaning, the ball's now going the other way. It's like, ah, man, wrong decision. And so it's. It's very much like Joe Missoula when you talk about the. The whales, the killer whales, or, you know, just lions on a hunt. You just. You're trying to get the prey to make one mistake and then you pounce on it. So the Celtics are capable of making the defense, putting the defense in such tough positions because of this. And what we saw from Jalen and Jason is that you don't like. Jason doesn't even have to be at his best finishing and all that stuff. When, when you're the threat that he is, it's all about the threat level.

[Tom Westerholm]

Yeah.

[John Corrales]

When you're the threat that he is. When you're the threat that Sam is and everything now you've just got people thinking. The defender is thinking, what am I going to do? What am I going to do? I got to react to something. And if you, if you can play that game, you make him react one way, you know which you're just looking to see which way he reacts. I'm just going to go the other way. That's the beauty of that, what they do. Also the beauty of Joe Missoula's offense. Well, let's continue this conversation.

[Tom Westerholm]

Yeah, I, I assume that we're going to come back to Baylor and Sam. Can I just real quick. I loved Tatum calling himself the best rebounding non 7 footer in the NBA because that was something that, like just talking about him coming back at a crazy level, I enjoyed. I enjoyed the heck out of that because it's like that's something that he's thought about. You can tell that's something that he's like, you know, he didn't just say that off the cuff. He didn't discuss. He has given that some real thought. So it also cool to see Tatum coming back on. On that level as well.

[John Corrales]

The best rebounder under seven feet. Yeah, that's. That's just a great line. Yeah, let's do that when we come back. All right. Today's show is brought to you by fanduel it's tournament time. One of the best times of the year. Brackets busted or not, they are filled. Buzzer beaters, upsets. It's non stop action from opening tip off to the final cut down of the nets. Right now FanDuel is giving you a new customer. A way to stay in all the action all all tournament long. You get up to 300 back in bonus bets every day for 10 days. That means 10 chances to stay involved throughout the entire tournament. You can mix it up however you want. Game picks, futures, even same game parlays for bigger potential payouts. It's perfect for the tournament because every day there's something new. Different matchups, new storylines and more ways to get involved as the bracket unfolds. So head on over to FanDuel.com to sign up. Today it's FanDuel.com when you sign up it's going to ask you for your to to set a limit, set your budget so you can gamble responsibly. Only bet what you can afford to lose in case you go cold. They will help you gamble responsibly at FanDuel. Get in on this is Jake from Lock Dawn. When the game's on the line, the best know when to pass because the

[Tom Westerholm]

right assist can change everything. And off the court, it's no different. That's where your State Farm agent comes in. Whether it's protecting your car, your home or helping you prep for the unexpected, they'll help set you up with a game plan that works for you.

[John Corrales]

Like a good neighbor. State Farm is there.

[Tom Westerholm]

Coverage options are selected by the customer. Availability and eligibility vary by state.

[John Corrales]

Action. Thanks for making Locked on Celtics your first listen. Every day you're in every day are with me Monday through Friday plus those bonus podcasts. Now join me on the Everydayer club. Use the code March. You'll get a free month. Five bucks a month, 50 bucks for the year. But you want to go get that free month with the code March at locked on celtics.supercast.com the everyday club gets you ad free episodes and you get access to the Discord server for in game chats as well. But the ad free episodes is the real selling point because some people don't like the ads. So five bucks a month and they're gone. That's as simple as you want. Locked on celtics.supercast.com all right, so Tom, I kind of tipped my hand on the start. Baylor start. Sam, where are you on it?

[Tom Westerholm]

Yeah, no, I, I, I'm, I you not only did you tip your hand? You kind of tipped my hand. We did not talk about this beforehand, which is annoying. But you, you stole it. No. So I, it's interesting, right, because Baylor has been shooting a lot better over the last 15 games. It's like he's shooting something like 42. Sam over that same stretch has been shooting like 34. It's, it's, it's, it's notable and it's a notable sample size. So I was, but I, but I'm, I'm with you on Sam because of the threat level. Right? Because, and partly because like the rest of the NBA knows exactly who Sam Houser is and what he does. And I, I think Baylor Scheireman is going to be a really good NBA player. Over the last, you know, couple of, couple of months, I've really, I, I, you know, I, I've, I, I, I, I, I still, I still believe in Jordan Walsh, but I've kind of been kind of like slowly kind of trying to the locomotive instead of. Sure. I, I think very highly Baylor Shireman, I think he's going to be a really solid NBA player. Yeah. But I think that the NBA for the Celtics purposes, what Sam Houser brings is more now than just the three point shooting. It's also the threat of the three point shooting. You're not gonna leave Sam Houser open. You just won't like, you're not gonna dare Sam Hauser to beat you because Sam Houser can beat you. Like he's beaten teams who have like, you know, that that has happened. And not only that, Sam Houser can end a game in like five minutes. You know, like he, you, if you leave him and he gets hot, that's a 15 point swing. Like that it happens very, very quickly. You're not leaving Sam Houser and as a result, Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown are going to get better opportunities or they're going to find Sam Houser. Either way, like, either way it's a, it's a nice win for the Celtics. So I like, Shireman's been really good and the defense is awesome and it's fun, it's fresh. You know, like the mullet thing is like, you know, it's like fun. It's all, you know, it's all a good time. Everybody loves a new story. But I, I think that the fact that Sam Houser is an old story is like, is the fact that Sam Houser is somebody who the NBA is very familiar with to me is like far more valuable to the Celtics at this Stage.

[John Corrales]

So let's just look at last this OKC game. So six three, six three okc. Early nine three, actually. Sam Houser misses a shot. If he makes that, it's 9 6, they come down and miss. Sam Houser misses another shot. If he makes that, it's nine nine, they come down and miss. OKC come back. Hauser misses another shot. If he hits that, it's 12:9. Instead it's 11:3. After SGA makes his jumper. It could have been 12:11. Boston.

[Tom Westerholm]

Yeah.

[John Corrales]

And all of those. I'm not like, I'm not going out on a limb by saying Hauser could have made all of those shots.

[Tom Westerholm]

Oh no.

[John Corrales]

Those are all extraordinarily wide open, very makeable shots that he.

[Tom Westerholm]

It was far more noteworthy that he missed them than that.

[John Corrales]

That's right.

[Tom Westerholm]

Than if he had made them. Yeah.

[John Corrales]

And so if that instead of them going out on an 113 run, the Celtics could have been there with the 1211 lead. And who knows how the game goes. And it's, it's. It doesn't work exactly like the way I laid it out. But that's.

[Tom Westerholm]

Well, especially because if Hauser makes one of those, then the thunderstorm panicking like so things would have gotten weirder. Like he.

[John Corrales]

Right.

[Tom Westerholm]

The other threes would not have been as open if he made one of them because then the thunder would have been like crap.

[John Corrales]

And then. But then instead of the Celtics going into the second quarter down 11, who knows what happens?

[Tom Westerholm]

Yep.

[John Corrales]

And this is. And this is it. So all you want from a guy like Hauser is the opportunity to beat a team once or twice in a playoff series. But more than that, so many of these plays that were just gushing over with Jason and Jalen, so many of these plays aren't even possible without the gravity that Sam Houser brings in. Spain picking rolls. Sam Houser setting a back screen now changes the dynamic. People are afraid of him. And if he's flaring out to. To the three point line, somebody has to go account for him. And that changes how the who's protecting the rim. And that changes a lot of different things. So is Sam Houser hitting shots right now? No, he's in a slump again. This is what he does. He has the swings for. For Sam are a little bit more pronounced than other three point shooters, but when it swings back, it swings back in a big way and everybody knows that it swings back in a big way and they don't want to see that. So. But you made the point. And I'll just Repeat it. Sam does other things. He rebounds. He is a good defender. I forget what I. I saw somebody in a game recently, not the OKC game, just waving people away and be like, I've got Sam. I'm going at Sam Houser. I got him. It might have been the Minnesota game.

[Tom Westerholm]

I was gonna say it was Bones Highland. And he actually did. He actually did get him because, like, I saw. I clocked that too, but.

[John Corrales]

But he didn't. But not on the possession that I was thinking of because he. He missed on that one. So Bones. Okay, It's. He's not like a. A lockdown like Blue Dort, but he. There are Bones Highland saying, I got Sam Houser. It's not a guarantee that you're going to beat Sam Houser. Like, Sam holds his own. And like I said, he rebounds, he passes, he will get to the rim. He'll do other things that help you when he's still not making the three pointer, but the threat of the three is just too much. And I, I just like the Charman kind of role right now off the bench. It just that. That energy, that spark that he gives, I think it's just more meaningful when it's one of the J's and you have him out there and not to mention, like, you can throw him out there as part of small ball lineups and you still have, like, a stout. Like, he could play the four if Tatum's playing the five, Baylor can play the four in a small ball lineup, and you can. You can kind of mix and match that way.

[Tom Westerholm]

That Nebraska football strength.

[John Corrales]

There you go.

[Tom Westerholm]

Midwest, baby.

[John Corrales]

So I'm. I'm gonna still start Sam Houser. I still think that's. That's the more meaningful way to go.

[Tom Westerholm]

And I mean, not to put too fine a point on it, I love the Celtics rotation. If their rotation in the postseason is those five starters. Peyton, Pritchard, Baylor, Shireman, one of the good bigs. Like, that's. That's a good team, man. You know, and obviously it's a good team if Hauser's on the bench instead, too. Like, that's, you know, for sure. But. But I, Yeah, I like. I like the Shireman role there. I. You know, 20 minutes of Shireman in a playoff game. Yeah. 15 minutes of Shireman in a playoff game.

[John Corrales]

Sign me up.

[Tom Westerholm]

That's great. That is. That is a. That is. That is a good rotation.

[John Corrales]

I like it. All right. I think it's a good podcast, so let's wrap it up.

[Tom Westerholm]

All right.

[John Corrales]

Quit while we're ahead. Appreciate you Tom. Thanks to everybody for listening and watching. Do appreciate you being here with us Monday through Friday. Got bonus podcasts throughout the week and on weekends like Friday night when they play. I'll have a bonus podcast after that game so only way to get them all is if you subscribe. So do that and then I would love it if you share the podcast. Tell everybody they should be listening to and watching the Lockdown Celtics podcast here on the Lockdown Podcast Network. It's your team every day

[Tom Westerholm]

calling all daydreamers and date nighters.

[John Corrales]

Come immerse yourself in the rich culture

[Tom Westerholm]

of Texas and dig into our mouth watering barbecue. Trailblazers can explore our natural wonders

[John Corrales]

and

[Tom Westerholm]

beach lovers will wonder why they've never felt so relaxed before. You're invited to discover experiences you can only find in Texas. Visit traveltexas.com and plan your trip today.

[John Corrales]

Let's Texas the tournament is on and fanatics merch is 30% off with pays a fast online checkout offered by banks and credit unions. Snag all your team members gear, jerseys, caps, bomber jackets, even fuzzy rhinestone slippers with pays. Your actual card numbers aren't shared with merchants, so you can lock in your gear with added security and rock those fuzzy slippers with confidence. Use Payze with code PAYZPERKS for 30% off at Fanatics until March 31, 2026. Terms [e-mail] pays.

[Ad Voice / Commercial Announcer]

Not every sale happens at the register before AT&T business Wireless checking out customers on our mobile POS systems took too long. Basically a staring contest where everyone loses. It's crazy what people will say during an awkward silence. Now transactions are done before the silence takes hold. That means I can focus on the task at hand and make an extra sail or two. Sometimes I do miss the bonding time. Sometimes.

[John Corrales]

AT&T business Wireless connecting changes everything.