Locked On Celtics — Episode Summary

Episode Title: Celtics ready to UNLEASH New High-Speed Offense | Who will STEP UP?
Date: October 8, 2025
Host: John Karalis
Guest/Co-host: Tom Westerholm

Overview

This episode of Locked On Celtics heralds the return of Celtics basketball, opening with a comprehensive preview of the preseason opener against Memphis. Host John Karalis and guest Tom Westerholm deep-dive into the new high-speed offensive approach, set realistic expectations for the early preseason, and scrutinize individual and team adjustments. They highlight focal points such as Jaylen Brown’s role as a leader, how the new style fits the roster, and which newcomers are most worth watching.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Preseason Expectations: Embracing Sloppiness for Growth

[03:02–07:34]

• Early Sloppiness is Expected:
  Both hosts stress that preseason is about experimenting, working out timing issues, and pushing the new up-tempo style—even if it means turnovers and missed opportunities early on.

  • “My first expectation is little sloppy, but just keep hammering home and use this preseason for what it is.” (John Corrales, 03:23)

• Practice Against Real Opponents:
  Playing preseason games against other NBA teams brings a necessary unpredictability that can expose flaws and accelerate necessary adjustments.

  • “This is just practice... but there's a level of reality to it, right? Where you're actually going against opponents.” (Tom Westerholm, 04:35)

• Changing the Culture:
  The shift to faster pace isn’t just a tactical tweak; it’s a redefinition of Celtics identity.

  • "This is how we play basketball this season and, hopefully, beyond. I think this is also setting a kind of a culture change." (John Corrales, 07:34)

2. The Importance of Breaking Old Patterns

[05:21–07:34]

• Urgency to Commit to Change:
  Tom agrees that preseason must be used for breaking old habits, not falling back into familiar but less effective patterns.
  • “Use this time to break those old patterns, because this season is gonna look different.” (Tom Westerholm, 05:21)
• Use of Timeouts:
  Karalis jokes Missoula might call “an early timeout just because the Celtics aren’t moving fast enough,” underlining the emphasis on process over results.

3. Jaylen Brown: The Tone-Setting Leader

[13:33–22:34]

• Commitment to Fast Play:
  Both hosts are keenly watching how Jaylen Brown buys into and exemplifies this new style.
  • "I expect him to 100% do that [commit to the new style]... Maybe this is a game where he does say, I'm not, I don't care if I score at all. It's nothing but rebounding, assists and setting screens for me." (John Corrales, 13:36)
  • "Triple double with rebounds, assists, and screen assists. Let's see it, Jalen." (Tom Westerholm, 15:39)
• Brown’s Growth and Headspace:
  Karalis sees this as a pivotal season where Jaylen's career and maturity align, describing him as looser, more self-composed, and poised to thrive in a leadership role.
  • "It's a new level of Jalen Brown... I don't know if it's a level up or just a different level of maturity." (John Corrales, 17:59)
  • "If it is, then I kind of expect a big year from him because all that other stuff that was weighing him down is gone. And that, to me, that's a freeing attitude." (John Corrales, 20:53)
• Potential for a Big Year:
  • "If you're playing free, one of the things that's nice about playing free is you're playing like yourself... you achieve this level of self-actualization… I think it could be kind of refreshing, honestly." (Tom Westerholm, 21:48)
• Summary Sentiment:
  • “My hope is that that kind of attitude allows him to unlock something... when they play fast... he's right there leading it and executing, getting guys. He needs to know everything. And hopefully you see him teaching a little bit on the court as well.” (John Corrales, 22:34)

4. Who Will Step Up Among the Newcomers?

[26:00–32:14]

• Chris Boucher — The Frontcourt Adult:

  • "I think the answer is Boucher... bringing him in felt like a nod to the fact that the Celtics do plan to take this season seriously... he's a professional, he's an adult." (Tom Westerholm, 26:14)
  • He's considered crucial for stabilizing a frontcourt with lots of unknowns, serving as a mentor and reliable presence amid experimentation.

• Josh Minott — The Energetic Wild Card:

  • "If Minott can come in and be energy and defense and some kind of contributor on the offensive end, that can change a lot about what the Celtics do because that wing depth has been kind of... thin." (John Corrales, 28:54)
  • Minott’s high energy, “run through a wall” attitude and defensive potential stand out as potential depth-swingers for Boston’s rotation.

• Xavier Tillman — The Quiet X-Factor:

  • "I'm really interested in Xavier Tillman... if he had a good season on both ends, it would change the trajectory of this team just a little bit. Which is crazy to say about Xavier Tillman, but... it matters so much." (Tom Westerholm, 30:52)
  • The hosts discuss how Tillman’s health and reliability could add 3–4 additional wins, given how he would ease frontcourt rotation burdens.

5. Overall Tone: High Optimism but Cautious Realism

[32:14–33:34]

• Karalis projects the Celtics as a possible 42–43 win team with “overachieving vibes,” but emphasizes that a few breakout performances or smooth integration from new additions could comfortably push them to 45+ wins.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Preseason Sloppiness:
  “I'd rather see nothing but turnovers and 24 second violations for an entire game than Jalen just, you know, going off on his own because he feels like he needs to score.”
  — John Corrales [03:23]

• On Breaking Habits:
  “Don't fall back into old patterns. Use this time to break those old patterns, because this season is gonna look different.”
  — Tom Westerholm [05:21]

• On Jaylen Brown’s Leadership:
  “Maybe this is a game where he does say, I'm not, I don't care if I score at all. It's nothing but rebounding, assists, and setting screens for me... Maybe that's the best way for him to do it.”
  — John Corrales [13:36]

• On Growth and Self-Actualization:
  “If you're playing free... you achieve this level of self-actualization. Right? Like self realization. Like, I know who I am...playing free kind of like mindset, that's usually when guys start to kind of like take off a little bit.”
  — Tom Westerholm [21:48]

• On the X-Factor Newcomers:
  "Tillman could be the guy. Tillman alone could be worth like three, four wins, just because of not just his impact directly, but how the rotations change around him. That could be huge."
  — John Corrales [32:11]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Preseason Mindset & High-Speed Offense: [03:02–07:34]
• Changing Celtics Culture & New Identity: [07:34–11:19]
• Jaylen Brown’s New Role & Leadership: [13:33–22:34]
• Spotlight on Newcomers (Boucher, Minott, Tillman): [26:00–32:14]
• Closing Remarks & Realistic Team Projections: [32:14–33:34]

Final Takeaways

• The Celtics are deliberately using preseason to break from old habits and instill a new, fast-paced, detail-oriented offense—even at the cost of early mistakes and ugly play.
• Jaylen Brown’s role as an invested leader and his trajectory this season are pivotal, both for locker room culture and on-court identity.
• Integrating veterans like Chris Boucher and high-energy prospects like Josh Minott and Xavier Tillman will be critical as the new system takes root.
• The tone is optimistic, but the hosts keep expectations realistic, noting that early struggles are not only likely but essential for long-term success under the new system.

For anyone eager to know what to watch for as the Celtics’ new era tips off, this episode is a perfect primer—providing insight on strategy, key personalities, and why the preseason matters for Boston’s transformation.