Locked On Celtics – Celtics DOMINATE Memphis as Derrick White and Payton Pritchard BREAK Out of Slump

Date: November 13, 2025
Host: John Karalis

Episode Overview

This episode of the Locked On Celtics podcast recaps a much-needed Boston Celtics blowout victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. John Karalis dives into how breakout performances from Derrick White and Payton Pritchard helped the Celtics snap out of recent slumps, the significance of seeing shots fall, and what these results mean heading into a critical stretch in the schedule. The episode also highlights the impressive play of Nemias Queta, Jordan Walsh’s first start, and thorough team execution. Listeners get a candid, energetic breakdown of the team’s mindset, obstacles, and what it all means for Boston’s trajectory.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Importance of Winning and Results (02:10–06:50)

• Celtics needed this win "to go like this" after recent struggles, both for team confidence and validation of the process.
  • "Everything that you're working for is building towards wins." – John Karalis (03:12)
  • Joe Mazzulla’s emphasis: "Winning is the only thing that matters. And there's a process to winning." (03:21)
• The parallel with blackjack: You can make all the right decisions and still not see results, but eventually, the Celtics needed to actually see shots fall, something that had eluded them against better teams recently.
  • "I don't care that this was Memphis…I don't care if this was the media team that was out there. The Celtics needed to see shots fall. They needed to see the results, and they got them." – John Karalis (05:51)

2. Derrick White and Payton Pritchard Breakout Performances (06:52–13:50)

• Derrick White: Classic all-around game; 20 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 3 offensive rebounds, 3/6 from three, 6/11 overall.
  • "This is the game. I was expecting this to happen a lot more often." – John Karalis (07:53)
• White’s adjustment to his new role, more ball-handling, running more pick-and-rolls, finding rhythm amid changes.
  • "You're not just running down the floor. You're dribbling down the floor because he has the ball in his hands a whole lot more and you're looking for other guys..." (09:12)
• White’s perspective postgame: "Just because I hit these shots this one night doesn't mean I'm going to hit them the next game. So you just got to keep building that forward." (10:12)
• Payton Pritchard: 24 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists, 5/10 from three, high true shooting percentage.
  • On ending his slump: "I've been in a funk. I was not myself. I was overthinking." – Payton Pritchard, per Karalis (04:45)
  • On superstition: "Got a haircut this morning…Sorry, babe…basketball results matter most here." (11:28)
• White and Pritchard combined for 44 points on 14/26 shooting, 8/16 from three—a needed boost for team morale.

3. Execution and Critical Game Moments (13:58–15:55)

• The Celtics didn’t dominate wire-to-wire; they pulled away via execution, notably with a second-quarter run and sharp end-of-half plays.
  • "They closed the first half on a big run…I want to say it was 23 to 7 to close the first half, all of a sudden that lead is up at 20." (13:55)
• Critical “three for two” late-half possession and strong finish before halftime set the tone for the blowout.

4. Jordan Walsh’s First NBA Start & Margins of Victory (15:58–19:21)

• Jordan Walsh: Earned his first career start but didn’t get his name announced due to a lineup mix-up.
  • “If he gets to start against the Clippers, then he'll finally get to hear his name called. But he came out, made an instant impact…” (15:57)
• Notable: quick block, Euro-step finish, handled matchup with Jaren Jackson Jr., played physically, limited Jackson’s impact despite fouling.
• Team destroyed usual pain points (e.g., offensive rebounding): Celtics won second chance points 34–12.
  • "Whenever the Celtics win second chance points, they're going to win the game." (18:04)
• Celtics’ first shot defense and half-court defense are generally strong, with rebounding being the usual issue.

5. Namias Queta’s Growth and Impact (19:30–24:28)

• Namias Queta: 6/6 shooting, +27 plus/minus, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, showing improvement in staying controlled and keeping the ball high.
  • "Momentum is his worst enemy. When Keda gets going in a certain direction, he just can't stop himself..." (21:37)
  • He's learning—last year would bring ball down and get stripped; this year showing signs of in-game adjustment.
  • "If he can stop and not bowl guys over, that'll be a big deal...he is capable of learning and doing these things…" (22:21)

6. Other Individual Performances & Team Rotation (28:56–33:10)

• Jalen Brown: 19 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists; catalyst for 23–7 run before halftime; efficient shooting.
  • "In a moment where the Celtics kind of needed somebody to take over, he was there." (29:44)
• Luka Garza: 6/8 FG, hit key threes, three-game stretch of solid play.
  • Joe Mazzulla: "He has this uncanny kind of knack to just play harder than everyone else." (32:12)
  • Garza: "I kind of realized early on that I wasn't the most athletic guy out there. So this is what I had to do to play." (32:38)
• Sam Hauser: Continues to struggle (1/7 from three), but Karalis reassures that he’s a streaky shooter and will bounce back.
  • "Sam Houser is who he is. A cold stretch is not going to define him. He will, he will continue to do this." (31:22)
• Box score note: No one played over 30:22 minutes (Pritchard 30:22, Jalen 25, White 26) – a bonus in the busy schedule to keep legs fresh.

7. Looking Ahead & Season Perspective (33:11–34:46)

• Celtics now 6–7; major opportunity to stack wins with upcoming games versus Clippers and Nets.
  • "Home game with three days off, that could be a real nice quality win. If the Celtics can get that, they can get back to .500." (33:54)
• Emphasis not on record, but “figuring out how to win these games,” especially against tougher teams like the Clippers.
  • "It's about stacking these wins and figuring out how to do it, how to string some things together, get that execution where it needs to be." (34:31)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the Importance of Seeing Results:

  "The Celtics needed to see shots fall. They needed to see the results, and they got them."
  — John Karalis (05:51)

• Derrick White’s Mindset:

  "Just because I hit these shots this one night doesn't mean I'm going to hit them the next game. So you just got to keep building that forward."
  — Derrick White, via Karalis (10:12)

• Payton Pritchard on Slump-Busting Superstition:

  "Got a haircut this morning…Sorry, babe…basketball results matter most here."
  — Payton Pritchard, via Karalis (11:28)

• On Execution Before Halftime:

  "They closed the first half on a big run…I want to say it was 23 to 7…all of a sudden that lead is up at 20."
  — John Karalis (13:55)

• On Sam Hauser’s Consistency:

  "A cold stretch is not going to define him…Sam Houser is who he is."
  — John Karalis (31:22)

• Team Focus Moving Forward:

  "It's about stacking these wins and figuring out how to do it, how to string some things together, get that execution where it needs to be."
  — John Karalis (34:31)

Important Timestamps

• 02:10 – 06:50: Setting the stage: why this win mattered for morale and process.
• 06:52 – 13:50: Deep dive on White & Pritchard; busting out of slumps.
• 13:58 – 15:55: Key second quarter run and execution.
• 15:58 – 19:21: Jordan Walsh’s first start and team statistical dominance.
• 19:30 – 24:28: Queta’s growth and implications for the rotation.
• 28:56 – 33:10: Other notable performances; rotation management.
• 33:11 – 34:46: Outlook; stacking wins and big-picture perspective.

Summary & Tone

John Karalis delivers his trademark blend of detailed analysis, relatable analogies, and behind-the-scenes insight. He highlights both the catharsis in a blowout win for a struggling roster and the specifics of how the team accomplished it. The episode is upbeat and honest, encouraging fans to value both the journey and the result as the Celtics work to rediscover consistency and execution. If you missed the game, this recap fills in all the meaningful details—from the high-energy performances of White and Pritchard, to the encouraging development of role players, and the cultural beat of the Celtics’ current mindset.

Bottom line: The Celtics needed a convincing win, and this performance—though against a struggling Grizzlies squad—was about much more than the final margin. It was about building confidence, rediscovering identity, and setting a new tone for a crucial stretch ahead.

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