Locked On Celtics – Celtics IMPLODE in WORST Quarter Ever | Rebounding CRISIS Reaches NEW LOW

Host: John Karalis
Date: October 25, 2025

Episode Overview

In this bonus episode, John Karalis breaks down the Boston Celtics’ 105-95 loss to the New York Knicks—a game marked by the single worst quarter in franchise history, ongoing rebounding nightmares, and flashes of hope from rookie Hugo Gonzalez. Karalis uses his decades of experience covering the team to diagnose the Celtics' problems, dissect individual performances, and discuss developmental priorities, all while maintaining a candid, analytical tone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Franchise-Worst Second Quarter (02:10 – 07:00)

• Historical Low: Celtics were outscored 42-14 by the Knicks in the 2nd quarter—the worst point differential in any single quarter in team history.
  • "That deficit is the greatest deficit ever in a quarter for the Boston Celtics." (03:11)
• Multiple Long Knicks Runs: Boston allowed separate 11-0, 17-0, and 12-0 runs in the same quarter.
• Statistical Carnage:
  • Celtics: 4-of-18 shooting, 6 turnovers for 13 Knicks points, allowed 7 offensive rebounds, outscored 12-0 in second-chance points.
  • Knicks: 50% FG, 12-of-12 at the line.
• From Good to Catastrophic: Celtics were up by 8 after a solid first quarter, but rebounding and defensive lapses unraveled them.
  • "It was as bad a second quarter—as bad a quarter—as you're ever, literally ever going to see." (06:47)

2. Rebounding: A Crippling Crisis (07:01 – 14:50)

• Joe Mazzulla's Admission: The Celtics are resigned to being a bad rebounding team; focus is on other areas for competitive edge:
  • "We have to be as physical as we can rebounding, we have to get offensive rebounds, we have to force more turnovers." – Coach Joe Mazzulla (08:24)
• Hopeless Numbers: Boston’s defensive rebounding percentage was 54.5%—far below last year's league worst (67.8%); a full 13% below the previous NBA basement.
  • "The Celtics were more than twice as bad as ... the gap between the worst and the best last year." (10:40)
• Game-altering Impact: Even being mediocre (instead of abysmal) on the boards would have netted 7-8 more rebounds—a potentially decisive factor in the game flow.
  • "Just being a mediocre defensive rebounding team, they would have gotten seven, eight, nine defensive rebounds... the Celtics probably wouldn't have been down 20 plus in that second quarter." (13:55)
• Personnel Limitations: The problem is both a matter of size and defensive system; the Celtics are simply not built to fix it internally.

3. Individual Player Breakdown (15:21 – 21:25)

Derrick White

• Rare Off-Night: 15 points (5-18 FG, 3-11 3PT), clearly frustrated by missed shots, appeared affected mentally.
  • "It's a little stunning—you don't normally get Derrick White in the bad game category." (15:35)

Peyton Pritchard

• Continued Slump: 2-10 FG, 1-7 3PT; ongoing struggles dating back to preseason.
  • "Pritchard is shooting terribly now... he’s 7 of 35 over three preseason games and the two regular season games." (16:49)
• Did contribute: 8 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists (team best)

Jalen Brown

• Statistically Solid, Sloppy with Ball: 23 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, but 7 turnovers (many egregious).
  • "He just looked—looked bad. It looked like the last game of the playoffs against the Knicks last year." (17:36)
• Self-Awareness: Jalen admitted the team (and he personally) needs to rebound and play better.
  • "I have to be better rebounding." – Jalen Brown (19:16)

Team-wide Offense & Defense Trends

• Turnovers: Celtics forced 20 but generated only 16 points off them; conversely, gave up 23 points on 16 turnovers.
• Pace Problem: Started well but unraveled after rebounding woes sapped energy; outscored 15-2 in fast break points.
  • "If the shots aren't falling and you're only getting... a little bit more than half of your defensive rebounds, that's, that's... always going to be a loss." (21:00)

4. Schedule Outlook & What’s at Stake (21:26 – 23:50)

• Importance of Beating Middle-Tier Teams: Celtics will have major trouble against very good teams (like the Knicks), but should beat bad teams; swing games vs. teams like Detroit (Sunday) are crucial.
  • "Sunday becomes an important game ... Pistons are in that middle tier—if the Celtics lose, that 0-7 [start] becomes a very real possibility." (22:54)
  • "If they lose on Sunday, that's... a real possibility." (23:45)

5. Hugo Gonzalez – Bright Spot & Developmental Focus (23:51 – 27:16)

• Rookie’s Strong Showing: Defensive energy, lefty finishes, a couple steals, 4 rebounds; showed poise in big MSG environment. Finished +7 in a game they lost by 10.
  • "Being 19 years old and on that stage—he's good." (25:23)
• Perspective on Development: Karalis stresses that Gonzalez’s individual growth matters more than immediate team contribution; team shouldn’t fear using G League or limited minutes if best for his development.
  • "All I care about with Gonzalez is his development. I do not care if he helps the Celtics win a couple of games this year." (26:00)
• Potential Starter: Bold prediction—Karalis expects Gonzalez to eventually become a starter during his rookie contract.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Second Quarter Collapse:
  “This was literally the worst quarter in terms of point differential that the Celtics have ever played.” — John Karalis (03:11)

• On the Hopelessness of the Rebounding Situation:
  “Defensive rebounding is something that they're not going to be able to control … they don't have the personnel.” (09:49)

• On the Team’s Statistical Outlier:
  “The difference between the worst [defensive rebounding team] and the best team last year was 5.6 percent. The Celtics were more than twice as bad as the gap between the worst and the best.” (10:55)

• On the Regular Season ‘Preseason’:
  “The preseason was such garbage that this is essentially the preseason.” (19:20)

• On Hugo Gonzalez and Development:
  “All I care about is his development. Now I don’t know where his development will be best… If the Celtics send him to Maine, I don’t want anybody being like, ‘Why is he going to Maine?’ ... I just want him to develop and be great.” (26:00)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:10–07:00 – Breakdown of historically bad second quarter
• 07:01–14:50 – Rebounding crisis deep dive; statistical comparison
• 15:21–17:36 – Individual player reviews: White, Pritchard, Brown
• 19:16 – Jalen Brown on rebounding/being out of sync
• 21:26–23:50 – Schedule lookahead, stakes vs. Detroit
• 23:51–27:16 – Hugo Gonzalez’s performance, philosophy on rookie development

Final Thoughts

Karalis closes by urging fans to look for incremental progress—most simply, not giving up another 40+ point quarter. The Pistons game looms large as an early-season litmus test. Ultimately, the podcast blends concern over systemic roster flaws with long-term optimism for young talent like Gonzalez.