Boston Celtics 'CANDY' win over Memphis | Need MORE Neemias Queta?

Summary

Locked On Celtics – "Candy" Win Over Memphis & Need for More Neemias Queta?

Host: John Karalis
Guest: Tom Westerholm
Date: November 14, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this episode, John Karalis welcomes Tom Westerholm to break down the Boston Celtics’ blowout win over the depleted Memphis Grizzlies. The hosts debate what, if anything, can truly be learned from such an easy matchup, coining it a “candy” win for its lack of nutritional value. They discuss the continued development of younger players, with deep dives on Neemias Queta’s evolving role at center and Jordan Walsh’s potential “emergence.” The conversation blends analysis, humor, and Celtics fandom while tackling the big question: What do these feel-good moments mean for the team’s growth and playoff aspirations?

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Breaking Down the Blowout: The “Candy” Win

Segment: 03:13-11:38

• The Celtics dominated a Grizzlies squad so undermanned that Karalis joked the press could have subbed in. Both hosts agree wins like this are mostly about feeling good rather than learning much about the team’s true potential.
• Tom Westerholm:

  “It was candy... you know, it doesn’t really do anything for you. Doesn’t have any real nutritional value. But you know what? I don’t know, man, sometimes it’s Halloween. Sometimes you just need to have some candy.” (05:07)

• Karalis and Westerholm note that it is valuable for struggling players like Derrick White and Peyton Pritchard to see shots fall and regain confidence, even if the quality of the opponent is low.
• Karalis stresses that sometimes, for any competitor, feeling “like yourself” for even one night can break out of a mental funk—something both White and Pritchard seemed to experience.

  “You need that reminder, that reward… it’s good to see them execute, maybe against the better teams... they won’t be executing as well, but just to see it, recognize it, complete it—just like, good, you did it. Nice.” (06:08)

• Restating the idea:

  “That win was as important as any other win this season just for that reason.” (11:19)

Notable Quote

• “Sometimes you need to dangle a little piece of chocolate... Like the Celtics, I thought... those were shots the Celtics were missing. So maybe the process of getting those shots was a little bit easier. But I’m just happy that those shots ended up falling.”
  — John Karalis (06:03)

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2. Neemias Queta: Ready for More?

Segment: 15:57-23:40

• Karalis, a self-described Queta skeptic, thinks both he and the Celtics need to find more ways to utilize Queta’s growing passing and improved basketball awareness—especially in short roll situations (i.e., catching the ball off screens before reaching the rim).
• Queta still struggles to stop and make decisions in the short roll—he is often “too out of control.” Improving this could let the Celtics run more versatile offense and create easier shots.
• John Karalis:

  “If he can do that and the Celtics can trust him in the short roll, you can run an offense that gets it to him, that he passes to, then he now relocates—dunker spot, goes and sets another pick. I think that can really free up a lot in their offense.” (16:46)

• Tom Westerholm:

  “He has such a better sense of what to do, how to move, where to be— it’s significantly better... If you can find Neemi, like, he shoots like seven of eight frequently. The shots that he scores are so easy... His shots are super easy and, you know, easy offense is good.” (17:38)

• There’s optimism that with improvement controlling his body and making quick reads, Queta could either become a dependable backup or even, as Karalis puts it, “an incredible number two for the Celtics if he does all of these things.” (23:22)

Notable Quote

• “Against the good teams, it’s going to be too much to ask Jalen to always get by his man... Get into that short roll and make a quick pass.”
  — John Karalis (19:54)

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3. Emerging Talent: Is Jordan Walsh’s Breakthrough Real?

Segment: 27:05-34:38

• Discussion shifts to the pattern of “emerging” young Celtics, with Karalis wondering if Jordan Walsh’s strong play is the “real” deal or another tease.
• Tom Westerholm:

  “I think this one sticks... With Jordan Walsh, there is a defensive presence that is really specific... You put [him] on Tyrese Maxey, and [Walsh] makes his life hell for an important part of the game.” (28:14)

• Walsh’s defensive impact—particularly his ability to slow down elite scorers—sets him apart compared to other prospects.

  “Cleaning the Glass: Jordan Walsh, 116 possessions, real small sample size, but plus 20.6 in the on/off. That’s 94th percentile, second best on the team behind Keda. The answer: only play Keda and Walsh.” (29:09, Westerholm)

• Karalis is cautiously optimistic and would like to see more consistency and strong showings against top competition before fully believing in Walsh’s breakthrough.

  “Right now, he’s making the most of it. I want to see it again... I want to see it five, six, seven more times. And if he’s still this good, then great. I want to see it against better teams.” (32:54)

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4. Celtics’ Big Picture: Depth, Confidence, and the Grind

• Both hosts share the view that games like this are critical for maintaining team morale and giving fringe players a true opportunity. With the NBA’s “second apron” salary restrictions and injuries, unexpected contributors like Queta and Walsh can be season-shaping.
• There’s a clear sense that while nothing from this “candy” win is decisive, the Celtics are building something that could matter later—especially if young role players seize their moments.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It was candy... it doesn’t really do anything for you. Doesn’t have any real nutritional value. But you know what? Sometimes it’s Halloween. Sometimes you just need to have some candy.”
  — Tom Westerholm, on the Grizzlies win (05:07)

• “His defense is like, outlier enough that I’m like, I think that what we’re seeing here is kind of an emergence.”
  — Tom Westerholm, about Jordan Walsh (30:13)

• “I want to see it five, six, seven more times. And if he’s still this good, then great. I want to see it against better teams...”
  — John Karalis, on whether Walsh is for real (33:08)

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Important Segment Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment Description | |------------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | 03:13 | Start of “candy” win analysis & confidence talk | | 09:16 | On Pritchard’s haircut as a change-of-routine metaphor | | 15:57 | Deep dive: Neemias Queta’s development and fit | | 17:38 | Westerholm’s thoughts on Queta’s growth and role | | 19:44 | Why the Celtics’ offense often looks so hard | | 23:40 | “Queta can be an incredible number two for the Celtics” | | 27:05 | Is Jordan Walsh’s “emergence” real or a mirage? | | 29:09 | Walsh’s impact by advanced stats | | 30:13 | Westerholm “all-in” on Jordan Walsh’s development | | 32:54 | Karalis wants more proof from Walsh against stronger foes |

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Tone & Style Notes

• Playful, self-deprecating humor: The hosts make vintage wrestling and basketball references, often poking fun at themselves—“I'm a man of the people, Tom. I don’t have that kind of, you know, money to throw around... I’m just a common man” (11:57).
• Candid Celtics passion with analytical grounding: The conversation blends insider observation with advanced stats (plus/minus, on/off data), always in an accessible, conversational style.
• Encouragement for listeners to “ride the roller coaster” with young players, even as seasoned analysts remain (justifiably) skeptical.

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Final Takeaways

• The Celtics’ blowout of an undermanned Grizzlies team is a “candy” win—a morale booster with little evaluative weight.
• Neemias Queta’s improved awareness hints at a bigger role, provided he sharpens his passing and body control.
• Jordan Walsh’s unique defense could make his emergence “real,” but the hosts want more evidence before declaring him a mainstay.
• These games are key for building depth and giving young players meaningful growth opportunities in a long NBA season.

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For complete Celtics coverage, catch John Karalis on Locked On Celtics every weekday!

Transcript

[A]

It's the Locked On Podcast Network your team every day.

[B]

The Kia Sportage Turbo Hybrid has a bold design, a spacious interior with 232 horsepower and a 12.3-inch panoramic display to keep the adventure going and fit with the way you live. And with SiriusXM, every drive comes alive, bringing you closer to the music, sports talk and podcasts you love right in your vehicle or on the SiriusXM app. Every SiriusXM equipped Kia Sportage Turbo Hybrid includes a three month trial subscription to SiriusXM, so the experience begins the moment you drive. Learn [e-mail] Sportage Hybrid Kia Movement that inspires.

[A]

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[C]

Yup, yup yup.

[A]

Be town be ever ready it's the seas. Who else could it be? What they gonna now screaming like J.T. corralis we kept the madness every game, every practice prime time Depp and D White on the sideline Rennie J's how we started raising band that's how we finish Locked on Celtics pot. Home of the winners. Welcome back to the Lockdown Celtics Podcast right here on the Lockdown Podcast Network where it's your team every day. Your team's the Boston Celtics. I talk about them every Monday through Friday plus bonus podcast on the weekends when they play. So make sure you're subscribed. Get this show on any podcasting app on YouTube. Get into the comment section. This show is free for everybody, so let's have some fun together. I'm John Corrales, beat writer for Boston Sports Journal. I've been covering the team for 20 years now. I've been doing this podcast for 10. I've written a couple of books. Thank you for making this podcast network the Lockdown Podcast Network the number one sports podcast Pat Podcast Network the number one sports podcast network in the world. All right, just Slow it down. Execute, John. Today's show is brought to you by FanDuel. New customers, you bet five bucks, you get 300 in bonus bets. So sign [e-mail] to get started. Later on, we'll talk about Jordan Walsh. Is this truly his emergence? I feel like we've been faked out by a few emergences. Is this the one that sticks? Second segment. Nimius Keda. Do the Celtics need more of him? I've been a pretty strong critic of his, but maybe they need more of him. Let's start with. Is this win over the Grizzlies? Was it. Was it too easy? Did it really tell us anything? Did we get anywhere with this? And to do that, we're going to get with Tom Westerholm, everybody.

[C]

Hey.

[A]

Thank you. Thank you.

[C]

How's it going, Tom? I'm good, man. I'm stoked to be here on the limited number one, the number number one Celtics podcast.

[A]

I'm like the champ in Harlem nights. Anybody old? Any old? Anybody old enough to remember that one? The stuttering champ from Harlem Knights? Not this guy?

[C]

No.

[A]

Anybody over here?

[C]

No?

[A]

Okay. The people who cheered knew, I'm on a real run. Oh, yeah. Okay. Delayed. Delayed audience reaction on that one. But they figured it out. They googled it, right? Trust me, it's a great reference from 30 years ago.

[C]

Nailed it.

[A]

I'm on a roll. I'm on a roll with just ancient references that nobody gets. So, Tom, the Boston Celtics beat the tar out of the Memphis Grizzlies. I hope the people listening could hear the air quotes, because that really wasn't much of a team. I didn't care that it was a team that was so bad that we in the media were like, hey, anybody bring their sneakers? We might be able to get up a few points against these guys and make ourselves. Feels good. Feel good. Yeah. What do you feel about how easy.

[C]

It's good that you guys still have your swagger after the. After everything that happened before the season.

[A]

Listen, man, it's all you can do. It's like. It's. It's. It's like the. The old wrestling jobbers. They used to go out and we'd lose every match, but you'd come out and talk into the mic and be like, Hulk Hogan. You're going down. And they come out and wax you. And then. Yeah, that's. That's. That's weird. We're the jobbers with the Barry O's. Anybody? Anybody on that one? No. Yes.

[C]

They Googled it.

[A]

Tom. What's your take?

[C]

Yeah, I mean, I think I. I think it. So here's the funny thing, right? It felt like the begin. It felt like the preseason, right, where we watched the Celtics just beat the crap out of teams that were clearly overmatched because they weren't playing anybody. The good news for the Celtics is that one counted. Like, this one counted. You get to put this one in the standings and everything. Like, it's right there. That's another. It's another victory. You're one step closer to 500 after that one. Like, I think my. My biggest takeaway from that game is that, like, it was candy, you know, it was. It. You know, it doesn't really do anything for you. Doesn't have any real nutritional value. But you know what? I don't know, man. Like, sometimes it's Halloween. Sometimes you go around and you get a bunch of candy, and you just. Just. Just. Sometimes it's just nice to have some candy. And, like, that's okay.

[A]

Snickers, Milky Ways, you know, like. Like, if you want them, like Sour.

[C]

Patch Kids every once in a while, you know, sometimes that's.

[A]

That's what's. You just need it. You need the reward.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

You got a kid, sometimes you need to dangle little piece of chocolate in front of the kid to be like, okay, I will do this thing that you need me to do. Like, okay, fine. Here's your piece of chocolate. Like the Celtics, I thought, look, a lot of these shots that the Celtics got, they were missing in prior games. Regardless of who was out there, those were shots the Celtics were missing. So maybe the process of getting those shots was a little bit easier. But I'm. I'm just happy that those shots ended up falling. And if you need to get your confidence up against a bad team and be like, oh, yes, I do remember, I am, in fact, Derrick White. I am Peyton Pritchard. Not like some scrub that some people, like bots are on on Twitter, telling, you know, whatever. You just kind of need that reminder that. That reward. So you're right. There's nothing really to take. Like, when I talk about, like, it was good to see them execute, maybe against the, you know, the better teams in the. In the con, in the whole league against good teams, they won't be executing as well, though. You know, the passes will get tipped and whatever. But, you know, just to see it, recognize it, complete it just, like, good, you did it. Nice. Let's just take it and move on and just focus on the Clippers now. Yeah.

[C]

And, you know, to that point, right? There's nothing wrong with getting a, you know, bouncing back from a loss, getting a big old win, and then having a couple of days off to kind of be like, okay, right? That felt good. Like, you go into a break, like, feeling like, okay, all right, this is good. We can kind of regroup. You can take a look at where things are, get a better sense of. Of who we want to play, like. Like, how we want to play. What. What. What's worked, what hasn't worked. Like, it just. You know, it feels a heck of a lot better to go into a little break here off a win. And I think it's. It's nice, too, right? Because it's not. It's not the kind of victory that, like, leaves you with this, like, false sense of overconfidence. Like, yeah, we're world beaters. It's like, no, no. Go into this break feeling good, and you get to reexamine some things. And I don't. You know, I don't think that this team would lie to itself and trick itself into saying, like, okay, yeah, like, we've looked like a contender, you know, in. In the early going, right? It's like, no, there's. There's a lot of things that need fixing. A lot of, you know, kind of areas that they need to pay a little bit more attention to, have a little bit more focus. Like, all those things are true, but you get to kind of look at those with a more positive lens now, like, okay, but we can do some of these things. And, like, you know, you just. That little lens of positivity, I think is really important, because, like you said, we're talking about, like, Derek White, Peyton Pritchard. We've been talking all year about how they're just. They're just missing shots, missing shots that it feels like they should probably be able to make. So you get to look at all these little things that you can do to improve yourself and have that little bit of confidence, have that little bit of, like, yeah, no, I can breathe. I can shoot. It's okay.

[A]

So, you know, you listen to Peyton Pritchard talk about, like, yeah, this morning I got my hair cut, and it became a funny little thing, but there's actual something, actually, something serious there in that. His. In his mind, he needed something. He needed something to change. And so, yeah. Is a haircut anything? The haircut didn't do a damn thing.

[C]

Yes, it did. What could play good?

[A]

It. Everybody knows this, but when you're searching for things and you're like, you know, look, I'm just gonna get my hair cut. I'm gonna do something different like that. And Derek after the game was like, I tried just about everything. That's a sense of. I don't know. You want to go as far as desperation, but maybe we're like, they. They were 1112 games into this season, and, like, it's. It's still not. You don't feel like yourself. You don't feel like yourself. And that's. That's. That can be debilitating, you know, if you let it go long enough. You. When you start to not be yourself in any sense, never mind just basketball in any sense, everybody has that moment of, like, wait a minute. I'm just. I'm not feeling like myself. And you know how that. It wears on you. Well, yeah, so that means the next time you miss an open shot, you just be like, oh. You know, and that. That gives the other team just a slight opening. Those things compound themselves. And getting this performance against anybody, could have been against the media team, Getting this performance gets you that feeling of, like, okay, feel like myself again if not for just one day. That feeling of normalcy is enough to make you feel good. Now you do. You take that into three days of film and practice and shooting, and you can go through all the little you get, time to breathe and really examine everything. So I think. I think that win was as important as any other win this season just for that reason.

[C]

Yeah, I. It could be. It could also just be candy, but it. It could prove to be very. It could. It genuinely. It. It could prove to be very helpful.

[A]

I think it's just really fancy candy, you know? You know, like, it's. It's. It's the expensive candy. It's still candy, but it's like, you put a lot into it. You got to really work to. To afford that candy.

[C]

So it's like maple sugar candy, you know, Like.

[A]

Yeah, you know, the. The. Well, I don't really.

[C]

I don't know any other expensive candies.

[A]

I can't, like. Yes. I'm a man of the people, Tom. I don't have, like. I don't have that kind of, you know, money to throw around. I'm just common. Common man. Anyway, I don't know what's wrong. It's a Friday. This is a very Friday show. The Mishkeda. Look, I still have my thing with him. I think there are things that he needs to improve greatly, but seeing the way they're playing and having gone through now 13 games and seeing what has worked and what hasn't, I think he and the Celtics both need to work together to figure out how to use him even more. And I'll explain that when I come back. Today's show is brought to you by Drip Drop. When I'm hydrating, everything just works better. My focus, my energy, my mood, everything. Even my beautiful, beautiful skin. That's why I've been using drip drop. It's Dr. Developed hydration that keeps me running at full power no matter what my day looks like. Drip Drop isn't your average sports drink. It delivers three times the electrolyte, electrolytes and half the sugar of leading brands using a science backed formula trusted by medical professional professionals, firefighters and over 90% of top college and proteins pro teams. Boy, you know what I'm gonna do? I need a Drip drop right now. And I've got my sugar free watermelon. I'm gonna put this in my drink. So my next few segments, they are going to be even better than what I'm doing now because I like Drip Drop. It's part of my daily routine and it goes boop. You can see it on YouTube. It's going in. It'll dissolve during this ad read. Tastes great. The sugar free watermelon is really, really good. The secret weapon for staying sharp or getting sharp, getting energized, whether it's after a workout. So when I go to the gym, I come out one of these things of Drip Drop, one of these little packages gets me right very quickly in the morning after, you know, a weekend where you feel dehydrated. This really gets you right. So Drip Drop is offering you 20 off your first order. Check it out@drip drop.com. use the promo code locked on MBA. That's drip drop.com promo code lockdown. NBA for 20 off. Stock up now before, before it runs out. Keep your body and mind performing at their best with Drip Drop. Today's show was also brought to you by Wayfair. Holiday season is around the corner. My wife came home with little light up Christmas trees already. Which means it's time to get your house ready for guests. Thanksgiving desk, guests, Christmas guests, other holidays that you might celebrate. Around this time, you can head on over to Wayfair for their Black Friday sale. It's here to help your space and make it shine. Best part, you don't have to wait. Wayfair's Black Friday deals are happening all month long with up to 70% off. From sofas to spatulas, we like to kind of mix things up. Every once in a while I'll end up seeing my text messages start to light up from my wife. Wayfair Links and now I know it's time to rearrange a room. Whatever your price point is, they've got it for you. Whatever your style is, they've got something for you. Don't miss out on their Black Friday deals. Head over to Wayfair.com now to shop Wayfair's Black Friday sale for up to 70% off. That's Wayfair. W A Y F A I R.com sale ends December 7th. Thank you for making Lockdown Celtics your first listen. Every day. Check out Lockdown NBA Lockdown NBA game night. They've got you covered. Game night's got you covered seven days a week for the every game in the association. Lockdown NBA has your Monday through Friday big stories covered. All on the number one sports podcast network on the planet. Tom Watching the Celtics run through Namishkeda, I think Keda in the short roll is something that they're missing out on for two reasons. Number one, the Celtics are missing him a lot of times on these roles. Number two, he's not that great at stopping himself and making it a short role. And when I say we need more from Neemi, I think they need to see him more, find him more and hit him more just so they can collapse the defense a little bit more easily. Because I think he's seeing the game well enough where he's making enough good passes. Or I'm like, okay, you know what? I think his passing has gotten better this season and I'm starting to be like, I kind of trust him to make the right decision, much like you started to trust Luke Cornett. But what he doesn't do like Cornette did is stop on a dime in the middle of the paint and make the right decision. He's too out of control. His body's moving forward too much. He got an offensive foul against the Sixers. He survived one early in the game. Celtics missed the shot. But he just needs to be more aware of the defense and control in more control of his body. Something I say on every podcast, basically. But if he can do that and the Celtics can trust him in the short roll, then you can run an offense that gets it to him that he passes to. Then he now relocates dunker spot goes and sets another pick. All that other stuff, I think that can really free up a lot in their offense.

[C]

Yeah, I think the biggest Neemi takeaway this season has just been like, you can see all the work that they've, that they've done with him in terms of like developing and progressing sort of his, his basketball awareness. Like, he just has such a. Yeah, he does. He has such a better sense of, of how to, of what to do, how to move, where to be. All that stuff. Like it is, it is significantly better. What you're not seeing, you're exactly right. We're not seeing him stop on a dime like Luke Cornett. We're also not seeing him kind of make the same types of reads that we used to see. They're similar, but. But we're not seeing the same type of stuff that we used to see from Robert Williams, right? Where Rob was, Rob was a really good passer. Like, that was something that kind of just went under the radar with him. And he's, he was such a, when he was healthy, he was such a good player, man. He was really good. And like Neemi's not at that level yet, but I think that's, I think that's what you're kind of hoping to at least draw the essence of, right, is to get that level of that, that. That ability to kind of read things quickly, read things a little bit quicker than he is currently reading them, although it has improved. But just, just getting that level of, of awareness that, that ability to, to get the ball out. I mean, I think, you know, I mean the other thing, and it sounds incredibly simple, right? But if you can find Neemi, like he, he shoots like seven of eight frequently. You know, the shots that he scores are so easy and he's just like. But that's not all. That's not to say that he's like doing nothing. The opposite actually. He's very good at getting himself into positions where if you can find him, if you can get him the ball and he goes up to shoot, you know, there is a probably greater than 70 chance the ball is going to go in because it's, you know, a layup, a dunk, whatever, what have you. It's, it's. It's all really easy stuff. So. No, I, I agree that like there's, there is a lot of value in trying to find him a little bit more, you know, not just because he's better awareness wise, but also just because like his shots are super easy and you know, easy offense is good.

[A]

That easy offense is good.

[C]

Also. Also this team has really, a lot of. Their offense is really tough. Like they've.

[A]

No, they do so often against the good teams, they, they seem to Work hard. Like I remember I during the Rockets game, which is their, their biggest loss of the season, that was like everything the Rockets were doing seemed easy and everything the Celtics were getting seemed like, oh my God, it's so much work. So I can see the Celtics, you know, running a free flowing kind of offense where it's just Nene setting pick after pick after pick and rolling in a way that's almost a sacrificial cut more than a pick and roll. But against the good teams, it's going to be too much to ask Jalen to always get by his man and Derek to always get by his man. And you know what? Sometimes it's not always easy for Keita to get all the way down from the setting the pick all the way to the rim. So make that ready. If they're packing the paint, and teams seem to pack the paint a lot more if they're packing the paint, get into that short roll and make a quick pass. Again, the Luke Cornett limited kind of guy, but got the ball in that spot quickly, moved it just so somebody can reverse the ball and move the defense. And hey, every once in a while you get a, a cutter from the corner. And if he can find that guy, then all of a sudden things get a little bit better. I think there is a huge opportunity here in Neemi's development, in this team's development to get him into that spot. Reading the defense and figuring out where the, the next pass goes. And even if you use him as a ball reverser, something like that can be valuable because then he can go and set that screen. He needs to be better at controlling his body on those short rolls, setting the screens. I don't know why he feels the need to crouch all the way down and look a guy in the eye. You know, you do that little crouch thing, just stand there and set the screen. I don't know why he does that, but whatever.

[C]

It lets you get away with so much more if you don't do that. Al Horford leaned so much and put his butt so far out into everybody's way, like they let you get away with way more. If you don't like, boom, do your.

[A]

I don't know what that is. And I think because every motion of his is just more exaggerated and you look, you can look at even guys like DeAndre Jordan, who's big, but go watch him play. He doesn't have his arms flaying around. He gets. Even at his age, he gets, he sets, he spins, he moves his. It's purposeful. He stops his momentum. That's where Keita has to get to. He has to get to that spot. But because he's doing what he's doing, sometimes he's slow getting onto those picks and if he can just be quicker getting out of those picks, making the right reads, short rolls, making the right reads. Once he gets the ball, now you got a different story. Now you got a guy that you can lean on a lot more this season and then who knows what next season is. Do you get a number one center and you can now have Keda as like an incredible number two because I think that's where this can go. I think Keita can be an incredible number two for the Celtics if he does all of these things.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

So Jordan Walsh can be an incredible three or four for the Celtics. But is this emergence real? Is this one going to stick? We'll talk about that when we come back. Yes, Tom really wants to talk about that. Today's show is brought to you by DoorDash. We just had another 50 point scorer and when you get a 50 point scorer in the NBA, DoorDash, the official on demand delivery platform of the NBA celebrates it by giving you 50 off your order with Dash Pass the next day. And then they enter you for something called the bag drop. You can win the ultimate fan bag. We're talking player inspired drip exclusive gear, stuff you actually want. So it's not just food. You can get snacks, drinks, headphones, ice, socks, all of it delivered through door Dash and dash pass. So when somebody drops a 50 piece, you open up your door Dash app. You gotta have dash pass. You use A promo code NBA50 the next day you'll get 50 off on your next order with that Door dash with Dash Pass plus you get a shot at the bag drop. This is available to Dash pass members only. 50 off up to $10 a day after a 50 point game. With that promo code, terms do apply. No purchase necessary. Ends April 13. Open to US residents 21 or older. Visit DoorDash in your bag.com for full details. DoorDash in your bag all season long. Today's show is also brought to you by fanduel. We are now smack in the middle of the NBA season. We are in the middle of the NFL season and the I'm doing this as the Patriots are up 10 in the fourth quarter against the Jets. Hey, maybe you want to get in on a little live action at that point. Well, maybe by the time you hear this, this game will be over. But you could have at the time I said it. You could do that with an NBA game. So whether you want to hop in midstream or maybe you want to do a same game parlay, you could do that. Keep every game exciting, especially when your team's making a late push right now. New customers. You get 300 in bonus bets when your first five dollar bet wins. So make that first five dollar bet a good one when you win. You get 300 in bonus bets when you sign [e-mail] when you sign up, it'll ask you to set a limit, set your budget. Say yes. Do that in case you hit a cold streak. They'll help you. They'll stop you at your limit. And then when you get, you can replenish your, your, your bank there when you get paid again, only, only set what you can afford to lose. So have fun. Gamble responsibly at FanDuel, the official sports betting partner of the NBA. Thanks for making lockdown Celtics your first listen every day. Check out Lockdown Fantasy basketball next. Make that your second listen. Josh Lloyd has you covered. He's going to help you win your league by giving you all the inside info, who you should start, who you should bench training for people, all of that stuff. He's the best. And this is on the number one sports podcasting network in the world. So check out Lockdown Fantasy basketball wherever you got this podcast. All right, Tom, Wes are home. This, this segment was your idea. Jordan Walsh.

[C]

Yes.

[A]

Is it? We look, we've done Baylor Shireman and Josh Minot. We've done Hugo Gonzalez. Now it's Jordan Walsh's turn.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Is this gonna stick? Is this a true emergence in your opinion? Or are we gonna start, is the carousel gonna come around again? And we're like, hey, Josh, your turn in the spotlight.

[C]

I think this one sticks. So I, I think that what, I think that what we're seeing with Jordan Walsh right now is there is, there is enough unique skill there that isn't because one of the things with Josh Minot, right. Minot plays really hard and he has all the measurables and I mean I think he's, I think he's, I think he's definitely an NBA player. I think he's going to stay in the NBA for, for a bit. Like, I think that this season is going to be really good for him, whether that's with the Celtics, whether that's with another team. We talked about that before. I think Josh Minot is for sure an NBA player and probably a fairly long, not like you know, not until he's like 39, but I think he's like, got it. He's got, he's gonna have a nice, nice little NBA career.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

I think what we're seeing with Jordan Walsh, but the thing about Minot is, is that his, his skills, right, are a little bit less specific. They're a little bit more kind of that generalized. This is a, A relatively talented wing with, with great measurables, who plays really hard, all that stuff. With Jordan Walsh, there is a defensive presence that is like, really specific. Like, this is a guy who you put on Tyrese Maxey, and he makes Tyrese Maxey's life hell for a, for like a really important part of the game. Maxi just can't do anything. Maxi, you know, one of the best players in the NBA this season, and you just put Walsh on him and said, yeah, go dog him. And Jordan Walsh said, you know, like, I got it. You know what I mean? Like, like it's. It. So what'd he say, our farf? Is what I said.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

I said he was gonna dog him, you know, and arf. Yeah, well, it's a. My knocked loose fans out there. You got, you, you might have got the reference. All right, so, I mean, so cleaning the glass, right? Jordan Walsh, 116 possessions, real small sample size, but plus 20.6 in the on off. That's 94th percentile, second best on the team behind, you know, Keda. So, like, you know, obviously the answer here is to only play Keda and Walsh.

[A]

I think where we've landed is do Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown support the combination of Namishkeda and Jordan Walsh?

[C]

I think it's clear Jalen Brown does not, because Jalen Brown is minus 12.4. So get him off the team.

[A]

He's gotta go. He's gotta go. Yeah.

[C]

It is the Walsh kid.

[A]

We need Jason back to figure out if he fits with these guys. So if he needs to stay or.

[C]

Guess, I guess Jalen can stay until Tatum comes back. But, I mean, it's clear. It's clear that this ship is sailed. Yeah, no, I, I, but I do think that, like, Walsh is. His defense is like, outlier enough that I'm like, I think that what we're seeing here is kind of an emergence. I do think that he's like, and I get that it's again, very small sample size. You're 100% right. That we've seen these guys cycle through, but this one feels different to me just because there is that skill that is so specific and is so helpful.

[A]

So I want that to be true. I want that to be true, because I love the notion of a guy who was teetering on the edge, finding a way, getting this opportunity and making the most of it. Like, I would celebrate that, because, as I've said multiple times already, I've been, like, this close to being like, all right, I guess you got to move on from Jordan Walsh.

[C]

I also have been in that position. Yes.

[A]

I. In the preseason, was wondering if he would get cut.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

In an effort to, like, save money, open up a space and whatnot.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

So now that.

[C]

But look.

[A]

So much of this, like, you need a little luck along the way. You need a little opportunity. If Jason Tatum was healthy, maybe Jordan Walsh would have been cut.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And he could have hooked on somewhere else, and maybe it would have worked or maybe it wouldn't, and maybe he would have gone overseas or who knows? Who knows? But because of the second apron, which didn't exist when they drafted him because of Jason Tatum's injury, which obviously is a new thing. Here he is, like, whether. Whether we were overreacting or not, it's. You got no choice. Right. Look, man, he's been getting DNPs, so now he gets this opportunity because he has to, because, you know, like, Josh did something. I don't know what it was. Or maybe it's just. Maybe it's just Joe being like, okay, we've gotten a little taste of Josh. Now let's get Jordan in that same situation. It very easily could just be, okay, we're gonna run. We're running. We ran a week of Josh. Now we're gonna run a week of. Of Jordan, and we're just running a week of all these different guys so we can get film on everybody and then figure out who made the most of it. That's also a thing that could be happening here. But if Jordan is the one that sticks, then. Then great, because that is a success story.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Sometimes you need the threat of, hey, buddy, you might get cut here to have somebody be like, oh, okay, I need to focus up. Not that he wasn't focused before, but that little bit of desperation. Like, if anybody's ever been close to getting into an accident, and you all of a sudden, you just, like that laser focus, like, comes in. Like, you kind of need that. Like, okay, I need to really lock in. And. And maybe that's what Jordan needed. Josh. Josh is good enough, too. Like, he's gonna stick around, too. I think he. He's gonna be an important part of this too. So am I. I don't know if this is real. I don't know if this is real. But he's getting the opportunity, and right now he's making the most of it. I want to see it again. I want to see it more consistently, obviously. I want to see it five, six, seven more times. And if he's still this good, then great. I want to see it against better teams. You know, when, when the really good teams come in. Look, he did it against Tyrese Maxey, so that's a really good player. He, you know, went up against Jaren Jackson Jr. That's a big dude. And he kind of like was there toe to toe with him. So good, good starts. Keep it up. At this point, the only way to know that this is real for me is I, I just, I need to see it, man. I've been like, I can't be riding this roller coaster anymore with these guys.

[C]

Very reasonable. I'm, I'm gonna ride the Jordan Walsh one. I'm, I, I think I'm in, I'm, I'm in on this roller coaster. If it chucks me off, it chucks me off. But I, I think he's, I, I really like what I'm seeing, so I'm, I'm going all in. I'm putting my, putting my eggs in this basketball.

[A]

I don't blame you. And for people, you know, if you're listening, if you're watching and you want to, you want to do that too, go for it. Like, part of the fun is riding a roller coaster of a guy and being like, all in. I, I, look, I, I have, that computer chip has been disabled in me and I only deal with, like, very Vulcan, you know, reason and facts and like, logic. I, I can't, like, just get on board. Well, okay, I shouldn't say that because I kind of am starting to like the Hugo Gonzalez. I'm on that train. I am on that train. But I, I can't, I can't just irrationally be Ugo Gonzalez. The.

[C]

Let's, let's, let's take a look here. Oh, he's minus one. On, on, off. Ah, I hate to tell you, Tom.

[A]

No, get them out, Toss them out.

[C]

With Jalen, both these guys gone.

[A]

Hey, hey, Sacramento, you're, you're hitting the reset button, man. Can we. Jalen and Ugo for DeMar DeRozan and some salary filler. Like, what do you got?

[C]

This team is taking way more long mid range shots this season. I think DeMar DeRozan is clear. Like, he fits the system. You got to bring him in.

[A]

We got DeMar DeRozan. He wears number seven.

[C]

Hey, golly, he's never gonna talk to you again.

[A]

Look, I mean that in the absolute most complimentary way possible. Jalen is killing it in the mid range. He's just joking. In fact, that's Jay King's joke because I forget what game it was. I sit next to Jay in at the games now, and he said, this is like, it was like a vintage DeMar DeRozan game where Jalen was like, just smoking in the mid range. And so it's just funny. He's. He's better. He's better, everybody. He's better than DeMar DeRozan. It's just that the midis just kind of like make you think, like, hey, man, midi master.

[C]

Like, that's it, that's it, that's it.

[A]

This is not as. It's okay to be a mid range master. I love it. I love it. All right, a Friday. We're done here. Tom, appreciate you. Oh, man, I like just. Just. We're fun. It's goofy. It's. We're. We're here to have fun. Talking about the Boston Celtics, which we do five days a week after every game. Although, you know, I gotta say that I've been saying you look, I do post game podcast after every game, except it will be. Except next Friday when they play against Brooklyn because I am missing that game for a wedding. So that's the one game I will miss. But generally speaking, I'm here for you Monday through Friday, plus bonus podcasts on the weekends when they play. If you subscribe, the show shows up on your favorite podcasting app. It is free. It's available there. It's available everywhere. It's available on YouTube. Get in the comments section. Share your thoughts with me. Yell at me, scream at me, agree with me. Whatever you want. Just do that and 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. A Disney cruise is no ordinary vacation. It's an adventure, a fairy tale, a dream. It's where escape meets imagination. Where relaxation meets excitement. Where favorite Disney characters meet. Fun for the whole family. Where wishes come true.

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