Locked On Celtics — "Boston Celtics, Jaylen Brown PUSH Bulls, but Chicago too HOT from 3"

Host: John Karalis
Date: January 25, 2026
Episode Focus: Celtics lose 114–111 to the Chicago Bulls in a game where Boston’s effort was notable, but Chicago’s three-point shooting proved decisive.

Episode Overview

In this bonus episode, John Karalis recaps the Celtics' narrow loss to the Bulls, providing context around why the defeat was both better and more disappointing than anticipated. He discusses the impact of the schedule, road fatigue, and Chicago’s hot shooting, but emphasizes that Boston’s effort—back-to-back after a grueling stretch—gave hope even in defeat. The episode is concise, skipping lengthy mailbag or extended breakdowns, and sets the stage for what’s next for the Celtics.

Key Discussion Points

1. Setting the Scene: Low Expectations, High Effort

• [02:00] John begins by contextualizing the loss:

  "I didn't expect much. So right away, my first thing, my first reaction is I'm just pleasantly surprised that they even had a chance at 114 to 111..."

• Boston had just finished a double-overtime game on the back-to-back, on a two-week road-heavy stretch.
• Karalis notes he “thought they might have lost by 30 in this game,” given the circumstances.

2. The Bulls’ Three-Point Barrage

• [03:10] Chicago hit 21 three-pointers, including 6 in the first, third, and fourth quarters.
• Only quarter the Bulls cooled off was the second, when they hit just 3-of-8 (Celtics won that quarter 30–22).
• Through three quarters: Bulls 15–32 from deep, Celtics 11–37.

3. Crucial Fourth Quarter: Missed Opportunities

• [05:10] Bulls started the fourth quarter hot from three, then went cold, but Boston “couldn’t capitalize”:

  “The Bulls didn’t score for the last or only scored twice in the last five and a half minutes. And the Celtics couldn’t take advantage. They only scored three times.”

• Pritchard missed an open jumper, Hauser missed a key corner three, Jaylen Brown had "tougher shots but shots he makes all the time."
• Major missed chance as boxing out, and securing defensive rebounds could have sparked transition and points.

4. Fatigue Factor & Halftime Impact

• [07:00] Post-halftime letdown significant—“third game in four nights.”

  “Joe Mazzulla... I don’t think he’s even joked, I think he’s serious, he wants to eliminate halftimes in that situation.”

• Celtics gave up a 7–0 run to open the third. Fatigue, “loss of legs and focus,” became apparent.

5. The Bigs: Absences, Adjustments, and Issues

• [09:00] Nmi Kaïta was sick, available but didn’t start; Amari Williams started and “looked a little passive,” not displaying the aggression needed; Garza came in but turned his ankle.

  “If he’s available, just play him. If he’s not, just deal with it.”

• Kaïta eventually played, did some good things defensively (notably a recent uptick in steals), but was not at full strength.

6. Jaylen Brown’s Strong Night (Despite Injury Concerns)

• [14:02] Jaylen: 14–28 FG (50%), 2–8 3PT, 8 REB, 5 AST, 2 TO, 1 STL, 1 BLK

  “Jaylen Brown was really, really good... He just was in that same kind of falling behind in the fourth quarter, losing his legs a little bit.”

• Played despite hamstring tightness; John expresses surprise he suited up:
  “When I saw him on the injury report with hamstring tightness…probable was surprising… Should have been questionable and then out.”

7. Rotational Decisions

• [16:10] Anthony Simons (21 pts, 5–11 3PT) had a strong offensive night, but John questions not using him more in crunch time:

  “Simons should have been on the floor in that last five minutes or so, and he wasn’t. Maybe he should have been in place of Sam Hauser…”

8. Derrick White’s Inconsistent Performance

• [17:15] White: 15 points on 5–18 FG (3–11 3PT); notably 10 of his 15 came in the fourth quarter.

  “This was, you know, after the day off, you’re hoping that he could have stepped up. But… just didn’t have it going. It’s another January slump for Derrick White, which sucks because… this Celtics team needs him to score.”

9. The Bottom Line: The Three-Point Math

• [19:20] Chicago's six additional threes (18 points) were the difference.
  • Bulls shot 47% from three, an “almost impossible” number to beat if you’re outscored by 18 at the arc.
  • Celtics won in many categories: more field goal attempts, points in the paint, fewer turnovers—but the three-point disparity overshadowed everything.

  “All of those things should add up to a win, except six three pointers more for Chicago. That’s the problem. … This could all be boiled down to make-miss.”

10. Defensive Scheme Questions

• [20:47] Karalis calls out the scheme:

  “Other teams get going, they get hot against the Celtics… They have a defensive scheme—pack the paint, run corner shooters… But the Celtics somehow get the best from the other team's worst shooters on a regular basis. It's kind of like getting old at this point.”

• Stresses tightening up, especially against volume 3PT teams.

11. Stepping Forward: Rest, Regroup, and Next Stretch

• [21:50] Celtics remain the No. 2 seed (28–17):

  “Everything still looks good. And now they come home to play the Portland Trailblazers…then Atlanta, Sacramento, Milwaukee—all of them at home, four winnable games.”

• Recognizes looming difficult schedule but encourages perspective—losses happen, but Boston’s outlook strong.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• [04:05] “Amazing when the other team isn't shooting blistering hot from three, the Celtics were able to do well.”
• [10:25] “Joe takes [Amari] out, Garza goes in, Garza turns his ankle… Neemi comes in and… did a couple of good things, but again, he's sick, so I'm not holding it against him.”
• [15:51] On Jaylen Brown’s injury:
  “Should have been like, questionable and then out. And I wonder if the Celtics regret it at all because they ended up losing this game.”
• [19:40] “All of those things should add up to a win, except… six three-pointers more for Chicago—18 points more for Chicago at the three-point line. That's, that's the problem.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Section | Timestamps | |-------------------------------------------|------------------| | Loss expectations & context | 03:50 – 04:55 | | Bulls three-point shooting | 04:00 – 06:20 | | Fourth quarter missed opportunities | 06:20 – 08:00 | | Halftime fatigue & third quarter letdown | 08:00 – 09:00 | | Bigs’ struggles (Kaïta, Williams, Garza) | 09:00 – 12:00 | | Jaylen Brown’s performance/injury | 14:02 – 15:44 | | Simons’ rotation/exclusion | 16:10 – 17:00 | | Derrick White’s ups and downs | 17:15 – 19:17 | | Three-point math, overall takeaways | 19:20 – 20:50 | | Defensive scheme critique | 20:47 – 21:44 | | Next games & outlook | 21:50 – 23:10 |

Tone and Style

• Informal, forthright, and analytical—the podcast has a blend of pragmatic disappointment and pragmatic optimism.
• Karalis speaks as an experienced beat reporter, frequently referencing the rhythm of a long NBA season and the realities of road trips.

Summary Takeaways

• The Celtics showed fight and nearly stole a win in a tough context, but Chicago’s relentless 3-point shooting and Boston’s inability to capitalize late were decisive.
• Jaylen Brown’s gutsy play was a bright spot, but his usage and hamstring are a concern.
• Boston’s defensive schemes against the three need improvements, and rotation questions (notably Simons’ role) linger.
• Despite the loss, Boston’s standing is strong, and the upcoming homestand presents opportunities to rebound.

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