Locked On Celtics Podcast Summary

Episode: Boston Celtics’ Playoff MELTDOWN A Sign of Deep-Rooted Issues?
Host: John Karalis
Date: May 9, 2025

Overview

In this episode, John Karalis dissects the Boston Celtics’ Game 2 collapse against the New York Knicks in the NBA playoffs, arguing that these issues point to deeper mental and systemic problems within the team. Karalis analyzes shot selection differences between Games 1 and 2, explores the increasingly apparent clutch time struggles, and emphasizes the critical role of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s mental approach in leading a turnaround. The discussion is a mix of breakdowns, coach/player quotes, and blunt commentary on where the Celtics keep going astray.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Game 1 vs. Game 2 – A Different Kind of Mistake

[02:34]

• Karalis pushes back against the notion that Games 1 and 2 were lost for the same reasons, noting key differences in shot selection and team mentality.
  • Game 1: Celtics over-relied on threes after building a big lead, falling for the “gambler’s fallacy”—feeling due for a make as the Knicks went on a run.
  • Game 2: Was a reaction to Game 1 “backlash” about too many threes. Celtics focused more on driving but got away from their drive-kick game, tried to force things inside, and stopped reading the defense correctly.

Notable Quote:

"I think a lot of people ... they kind of lumped games one and two together. And every time the Celtics missed a three pointer, it was, see, that's what I'm talking about. Three pointers, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Take too many. And they did take too many in game one. I think game two was a reaction to game one in a couple of different ways."
– John Karalis [02:34]

• Al Horford acknowledged that squandering leads has gotten into the team's heads, affecting late-game decision-making.
  • “...Just us squandering a lead away, definitely thinking about that in that moment... We weren't able to handle it and pull the game out." – Paraphrased from Horford per Karalis

2. The Anatomy of the Collapse: “Make Your Shots”

[07:08]

• Karalis uses specific fourth-quarter possessions to illustrate that the Celtics lost on open looks that simply did not fall:
  • Pritchard: Wide open above the arc
  • Horford: Right corner, closest defender in the paint
  • White: Top left corner, no one near him
  • Tatum: Corner three, had "all the time in the world"
  • Brown: Top of the key, alone
• He dismisses the narrative that the coach was outclassed, stating the outcome boils down to execution, not strategy.

Notable Quote:

"Sometimes the analysis goes away and it's just make your shots, make your shots... If the Celtics make two of those shots, three of those shots. No one's talking about being out coached."
– John Karalis [10:38]

Timestamp for Screenshots Demo (YouTube):

"Go to like the 6:45 mark where I start to show these screenshots here..."
(For podcast listeners, John talks through each key play.)

3. Deep-Rooted Clutch Problems

[14:26]

• Celtics are currently -26 this season in the final 5 minutes of close games (“clutch time”).
• Karalis sees bad end-game habits from December/January resurfacing: the team unravels after missed shots, losing poise and reacting to mistakes instead of running their sets.
• Fatigue and increased physicality also contribute—Tatum and Brown are forcing difficult shots, notably Tatum’s off-balance fadeaways.
• The team lacks a signature, go-to shot or set for closing games.
• Not enough off-ball movement leaves Tatum and Brown isolated; more offensive action from other Celtics would relieve pressure and confuse defenses.

Notable Quote:

"The clutch mentality is coming down, forgetting about what just happened, not reacting to just what just happened... but the Celtics are in this pattern of, okay, he's not doing this. I have to do it. Jason and Jalen are starting to get into trouble like they did two years ago."
– John Karalis [16:20]

4. Tatum and Brown: Need for Leadership, Mental Clarity

[24:37]

• Tatum and Brown, as team leaders, must be laser-focused on making the right plays, not forcing “hero ball.”
• Karalis references Tatum’s public statement:

  • "I take full ownership on the way I've played this series. I can't sugarcoat anything. I need to be better. I expect to be a lot better."

  – Jayson Tatum [25:09] (paraphrased and quoted by Karalis)

• For Tatum and Brown, “being better” is not necessarily about scoring 40—it’s about reading the game correctly, not forcing the issue.
• Team gets into trouble when it “hunts” for specific types of shots, rather than taking what the defense gives.
• Karalis stresses the need for more offense initiated by Derrick White and Jrue Holiday to take pressure off of Tatum/Brown and provide variety.

Notable Quotes:

"The worst thing that could happen is...He cannot go into this game pulling the shirt open and being like Superman..."
– John Karalis, cautioning against Tatum forcing the action [27:20]

"If you hunt 43 pointers, you're going to get into trouble. That's it. Same thing with shots in the paint... If you hunt specific shots over and over... That's a recipe for disaster."
– John Karalis [27:55]

5. Coaching – No Silver Bullet Adjustment

[28:38]

• Karalis doesn't blame coach Joe Mazzulla for the late-game collapse, emphasizing that “making shots” would change the narrative.
• His only coaching quibble: More use of White/Holiday as initiators, and more off-ball activity to create easier scoring opportunities for Tatum and Brown.

"Put the ball in the point guard's hands, let them point guard a little bit."
– John Karalis [29:50]

Memorable Quotes

• On Overreacting to Coaching:

  "No one was saying he was out coached when the Celtics were up 20... If the Celtics make two of those shots, three of those shots. No one's talking about being out coached." [10:38]

• On Clutch Time Problem:

  "The Celtics are impacted by their misses... The clutch mentality is not about, oh, God, we got a—oh, my, we're hemorrhaging points here. It's about, all right, we score. They scored. We made a mistake. No problem. Let's come down. Let's run our stuff. Let's just be us." [16:00]

• On Signature Moves:

  "Jason Tatum, for all of his greatness, does not have the go-to shot. That one thing where you're like, okay..." [18:04]

• On Tatum and Brown's Approach:

  "You do not have to take over. You do not have to... All you have to do is be you and truly, truly read the game. Give it what it needs, truly take the right shots, make the right passes and stop forcing things. Stop saying I have to." [25:48]

Important Timestamps

• Game 1 vs Game 2 breakdown begins: [02:34]
• Fourth quarter shot analysis/screenshots demo (YouTube ref): [06:45]
• Karalis discusses clutch stats and mentality: [14:26]
• Tatum and Brown leadership focus: [24:37]
• Direct quote from Tatum about accountability: [25:09]
• Critique/suggested adjustments for Coach Mazzulla: [28:38]

Tone and Style

Karalis is candid, analytical, and draws on both stats and his long-term experience covering the Celtics. He’s critical but constructive—blunt about the team’s failings while offering practical observations for improvement, all delivered in a matter-of-fact, sometimes exasperated tone.

Summary Takeaways

• The Celtics’ playoff meltdowns are more mental than tactical—rooted in collective anxiety, poor shot-making in big moments, and a tendency to overreact or force action, especially from Tatum and Brown.
• Shot selection in Games 1 and 2 differed: Game 1 was too three-happy; Game 2, they overcorrected and got away from their best actions.
• Clutch struggles are persistent: Celtics are reverting to bad late-game habits; lack poise, off-ball movement, and a go-to option.
• Leadership needed: Tatum/Brown must read and react, not pre-determine; involve others (especially White/Holiday) more in clutch offense.
• Coach Mazzulla’s blame is overstated: The real difference is execution—“just make your shots.”
• Celtics are down but not out: Next game is winnable; Karalis remains cautiously optimistic if the right mentality returns.

This episode will resonate with Celtics fans searching for answers, and Karalis offers a mix of tactical analysis and locker-room psychology, underscoring how the team’s deepest issues can only be solved on the court—by their stars and their mindset, not by “miracle” coaching tweaks.