Locked On Celtics – Boston Celtics SURPRISES at Halfway Point: Neemias Queta, Joe Mazzulla & Anfernee Simons (January 19, 2026)
Host: John Karalis
Guests: Bobby Krivitzki, Noah Dalzell, Jack Simone
Episode Overview
At the halfway mark of the NBA season, John Karalis and guests take a detailed look at the Boston Celtics’ surprising success. They analyze what’s real or not about their performance, spotlight the biggest surprises (players and coaching), identify a few disappointments, and speculate on what could come in the remainder of the season. The conversation is candid, insightful, and steeped in the hosts’ sense of humor and deep knowledge of the team dynamics.
The Celtics' Start: Beyond Expectations
[03:53] John Corrales:
- The Celtics are sitting in the 2nd seed in the East at 26–15.
- No one predicted the Pistons as the 1-seed or Celtics as contenders after losing Jason Tatum to injury.
- Most preseason attention was on the Cavaliers and Knicks.
[04:40] Bobby Krivitzki:
“You’d be hard pressed to find someone, even internally, who saw them having this level of success.” [04:58]
- Points to Celtics' top-two rank in net rating and offensive rating, and 2nd in points allowed per game.
[05:17] Noah Dalzell:
Believes the team itself (especially coach Joe Mazzulla) isn’t shocked by the success.
[05:38] Jack Simone:
- National media dismissed the Celtics as a "potentially 35-win, lottery team."
- Instead, Joe Mazzulla and the roster have maximized their talent.
Key Stat:
3rd in point differential per game league-wide.
Why the Success Feels "Real"
[08:56] Jack Simone:
“It’s hard for me to truly put a pinpoint on what I think the Celtics can do this season because I don’t think there is one.”
- Notes that their success doesn’t feel “lucky.”
- The team has been able to win even when top players weren’t shooting their best.
[11:19] Bobby Kravitzki:
- There’s no “fool’s gold” here: growth feels possible, not regression.
- The team has room to improve via the trade deadline.
[12:51] Noah Dalzell:
- Celtics rarely get blown out and are competitive every night.
- Surpassing expectations is more about systemic improvements (offensive rebounding, turnover control, defensive scheme) than individual leaps.
"It's more systemic things than any one player playing above their weight." [14:04]
Roster & Culture: Hunger and Buy-In
[13:27] Noah Dalzell:
- Points out that much-maligned players like Neemias Queta and Luka Garza have in fact been extremely productive.
- Surprises have come from unexpected places (like the frontcourt, rather than from, say, Peyton Pritchard or Derrick White taking an All-Star leap).
[23:10] Bobby Kravitzki:
- Attributes success to a culture of hunger and relentless effort:
"Every night, effort is one of the things that you see from them throughout those 48 minutes.”
The Eastern Conference Race
[19:41] Noah Dalzell:
- Healthy skepticism: acknowledges that if teams like the Knicks, Cavs, or Sixers get healthy and hot, Boston could fall in the standings.
- Still, the Celtics' remarkable consistency and Joe Mazzulla’s steady coaching instill optimism.
[21:32] Jack Simone:
- Praises Boston’s “playoff mentality" in regular-season games—they pick on opponent weaknesses.
- The winning culture persists even as lineups change due to injuries or player moves.
Biggest Surprises at the Halfway Point
Jordan Walsh’s Leap
[28:57] Bobby Kravitzki:
"...To see him all of a sudden get to the point where he earns 20 straight starts... more comfortable... especially from college where he would pass up open threes. It’s been very impressive..." [29:24]
Neemias Queta’s Breakout
[30:25] Noah Dalzell:
“The front court...way surpassed my expectations. I loved watching Keita in Portugal... but they really have, like, a great thing going.”
[31:19] John Corrales:
- Calls Queta the "biggest surprise by a mile," and credits his rolls and presence for opening up shooters like Sam Hauser.
- Emphasizes that even as a previous skeptic, Queta's impact is impossible to ignore.
Anfernee Simons’ Defensive Turnaround
[33:26] Jack Simone:
“He has gone from unplayable... to now, like, legitimately being, dare I say, a plus defender. It just goes to show that so much of the NBA is coaching, right?”
- Massive swing: from trade bait to a possible long-term piece.
Biggest Disappointments
Josh Minott
[36:07] Bobby Kravitzki:
- Started strong, but faded out of rotation before his injury.
Peyton Pritchard’s Shooting Slump
[36:42] Noah Dalzell:
"He’s had a good year. But you are not going to ever enter those conversations when you start off in such a big shooting slip."
Derek White’s Efficiency
[37:51] Jack Simone & John Corrales:
- Both expected an All-Star leap in offense, but White’s scoring and shooting haven't matched high expectations.
"I just think the change in his offensive responsibilities hit him a little bit harder than I thought they would." – Corrales [38:50]
The Joe Mazzulla Effect
[42:13] John Corrales:
“A lot of people who were critical of Joe Mazzulla have disappeared.”
[42:19] Jack Simone:
“The way Joe Mazzulla has gotten the most out of this team is something most NBA coaches wouldn’t be able to do... Coaches get fired because they have a system ... Joe Missoula said, ‘I’ve played this way the last two years. We have new players. I’m going to change the entire way I coach basketball.’ I can’t express how difficult that is.”
[43:27] Bobby Kravitzki:
- Praises the buy-in of players, mentions Garza’s belief he’d get another shot.
- Underscores Mazzulla's ability to adapt on both ends, change team mentality, and instill trust.
[44:43] Noah Dalzell:
“Jalen Brown’s gone out of his way ... to credit Joe and his coaching staff. And Jalen does says things intentionally ... Players have really respected the changes ... It’s an organizational thing, top to bottom.”
Memorable Quotes & Moments
- “Everything the Celtics are doing feels very controllable... It’s so real that it’s hard to put a definite prediction on it because it just feels like everything is clicking.” – Jack Simone [09:18]
- “If you say they’re not legit, then who is legit?” – Noah Dalzell, referencing Celtics’ league-best net rating [12:49]
- "Every night, every minute... this is a group that every night effort is one of the things that you see from them throughout those 48 minutes." – Bobby Kravitzki [23:45]
- “He hasn’t changed how he coached. He’s coaching the same way, but he’s instilled a different philosophy. He has done the thing that smart coaches do ... That’s what a great coach does.” – John Corrales on Mazzulla [45:33]
Notable Timed Highlights
- [04:40–09:00]: Opening debate—how surprising is the team’s record and why?
- [11:19–15:10]: What’s “real” about the Celtics’ start—systemic vs. individual growth.
- [19:41–23:10]: How the rest of the East shapes the Celtics’ outlook.
- [28:52–35:21]: Rapid-fire segment on biggest surprises, spotlighting Queta, Walsh, Garza, Simons.
- [36:07–39:52]: Disappointments: Minott, Pritchard’s shooting, Derek White’s efficiency.
- [42:13–45:33]: Deep dive on Joe Mazzulla’s adaptability and organizational impact.
Conclusion
Boston’s 2025–26 midseason run wasn’t expected, certainly not by national media—yet it’s no fluke. Systemic changes, player buy-in, and Coach Joe Mazzulla’s willingness to adapt have all been keys. Surprising development from Neemias Queta and Anfernee Simons (especially defensively) have steadied the ship, while even the disappointments feel more like unmet sky-high expectations than real failures. The chorus is clear: This group is legit, hungry, and built around a sustainable culture, with the coaching to match.