Locked On Celtics: Jaylen Brown POWERS Boston Celtics, Sam Hauser SHINES in Scorching WIN Over Pacers

Date: January 22, 2026
Host: John Karalis (Boston Sports Journal)
Guest contributor: Tony East (Locked On Pacers segment)

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the Boston Celtics’ commanding win over the Indiana Pacers, spotlighting Jaylen Brown's 30-point performance and Sam Hauser’s all-around brilliance. Host John Karalis breaks down the keys to the Celtics’ victory—from individual standouts to team trends, with analysis on early free throw dominance, rotation contributions, and the bigger implications for the stretch run.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jaylen Brown’s Resilience & Scoring Explosion

• Slow Start, Big Finish: Brown began the game shooting 2-for-8 and struggled at the rim (“Was not really finishing at the rim. Was not really… you know, it looked like it was going to be one of those kind of tough, inefficient nights…” – John Karalis, 02:53). He turned it around to finish 50% from the field and 50% from three (10-of-20 from two-point range).
• Relentless Attack: “Just that constant attack, right? It was just keep going, keep pushing, keep pushing.” (03:40)
• Getting to the Line: Brown had 9 free throw attempts, continuing a post-fine trend of seeking contact and forcing the issue.

2. Sam Hauser’s Complete Performance

• Shooting Prowess: Hauser put up 17 points, going 5-for-7 from three and 6-for-8 overall. Karalis notes this is Hauser’s fourth game this month with 5+ made threes.
• Expanded Game: “I’m going to channel Joe Mazzulla a little bit here and say Sam was not defined by just his scoring in this one; his passing, his defense, like he had the whole thing going.” (06:08)
• Memorable Moment: Gary Washburn, courtside, remarked Hauser’s up-fake-spin-midrange conversion was “the best move I’ve ever seen Sam Hauser make.” (05:35)
• Hauser’s Growth: Praise for his rebounding (6 boards), assists (3), and overall development as a player teams must increasingly respect off the dribble.

3. Team Dynamics & Role Player Impact

• Rotation Balance: “This was kind of like an everybody chipped in kind of game.”
• Derrick White & Payton Pritchard: Despite inefficient nights (Pritchard 4-12, White 4-10), they contributed elsewhere. Pritchard had 8 assists and a game-high +26 plus/minus. White’s defense and late-game free throws were cited as crucial (25:05).
• Frontcourt Contributions:
  • Neemias Queta (Keda): 5 blocks, defensive anchor, effective as a roll man creating space (“His space that he creates with the roll… there are a lot of times where just him rolling to the basket gets somebody going ‘oh crap, I gotta go account for this guy.’” – 26:53).
  • Positive bench minutes from Garza, Shireman, and Ugo Gonzalez.
• Everyone but Amari Williams (4 min) scored. (28:12)

4. Game Tempo & Context

• ‘Road Game at Home’ Factor: The Celtics had just returned from a long road trip before quickly heading out again, impacting rhythm (“This, this essentially was a road game at home, right?” – 04:47).
• Early Shooting Woes: A slow, feeling-out start was ascribed to the fatigue and schedule quirks more than any deeper concern.

5. Key Runs & Statistical Edges

• First Half Dominance at the Line: Celtics went 16-for-16 from FT in first half, building a 20-point halftime lead. (14:56)
  • “When they were building the lead early... the Celtics were 16 of 16 from the line, while the Pacers were 5 of 7. So the Celtics went into halftime up 20, and that’s where they built this lead.” (14:56)
• Turnover Narrative: Celtics ended with 16 turnovers, but only 5 in the first half for 3 Pacers points—helping spur the early margin.
  • “If you just look at the box score at the end… the numbers weren’t as bad as they look.” (16:45)
• Indiana’s Offensive Struggles: Pacers shot under 40% overall, under 27% from three (21:59). “Pacers did their part in missing every shot.” (02:03)

6. Postgame Quotes & Attitudes

• On Jaylen Brown’s uptick in free throws after being fined:
  • “Jaylen Brown, after the game, was asked about the free throws… he said, ‘yeah, maybe it was the fine.’” (14:06)
  • John’s commentary connects it to historical “ref-blasting” coach antics (Phil Jackson/Michael Jordan) and its effect on FT calls.
• Karalis on Missoula’s Consistent Praise:
  • “Joe Missoula will always praise Sam’s and [Anfernee] Simons’ defense no matter what the question… He wants these guys to… not get caught up in [just offense], wants them to hear all the other praise… a great approach for Joe in the media.” (08:27)
• On Hauser’s growth:
  • “When Sam has all those little other elements of the game going, the Celtics are going to be tough to beat because it’s just one more guy.” (09:29)
• John’s closing take on the win:
  • “It wasn’t like the prettiest game. It wasn’t, but it was a solid game. A really great performance from Jalen Brown. Sam Hauser continues his role. Everybody’s kind of doing their job really well.”
  • “Maybe you don’t shoot as great as you’d like, but you come in, you do the other things solid. Celtics win.” (30:55)

7. Rival Analysis: Pacers’ Viewpoint

Tony East, Locked On Pacers (23:40):

• “Wasn’t thanks to Pascal Siakam. He was awesome. 32 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists… continues to be a metronome for the Pacers… Nobody else stepping up and doing anything for them. … Their offense never really flowed outside of one little pocket maybe of the third quarter. And they couldn’t stop Jaylen Brown and the Celtics attack. Sam Houser continues to be hot from deep… Another blowout, this time at the hands of the Celtics.”
• Pacers highlight: only three players in double figures, team still struggling to find rhythm after recent lineup tweaks and road-heavy schedule.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Hauser’s spin move:
  “That might be the best move I’ve ever seen Sam Houser make.” – (Karalis, quoting Gary Washburn, 05:35)
• On Jaylen Brown’s assertiveness:
  “Just that constant attack, right? It was just keep going, keep pushing, keep pushing.” – John Karalis (03:40)
• Missoula on player praise:
  “He will not allow those guys to be simply defined by their offense… He wants them to hear all the other praise for the defense and the other stuff. And I think that is a great approach…” – (09:08)
• On ugly but effective games:
  “It wasn’t like the prettiest game. … But it was a solid game. A really great performance from Jaylen Brown. Sam Hauser continues his role. Everybody’s kind of doing their job really well.” – (30:55)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment / Topic | | ----------- | --------------------------------------------------------| | 01:51 | Start of main Celtics-Pacers breakdown; Jaylen’s night | | 03:40 | Brown’s slow start, recovery, and relentless style | | 05:15 | Hauser’s 17-point night and “best move” moment | | 06:08 | Hauser’s non-scoring growth and Joe Missoula’s praise | | 14:06 | Jaylen Brown post-fine free throw trend, historical context| | 14:56 | Free throw impacts in first half (“16-of-16”) | | 16:45 | Turnovers—stats, narratives, and game flow | | 21:59 | Indiana’s shooting struggles, Celtics’ shot selection | | 23:40 | Pacers’ perspective with Tony East | | 25:05 | Pritchard & White’s quiet scoring but strong +/-, bench impressions| | 26:53 | Queta’s defensive impact, rolling gravity | | 28:12 | All contributors scored except Amari Williams | | 30:55 | Episode wrap: “not the prettiest,” but a strong team win|

Tone & Style

• Familiar, conversational, analytical: Karalis mixes in press room banter and in-arena observations with stat-based analysis.
• Local-insider feel: Emphasizes on-the-ground access, player/coach quotes, and nuanced breakdowns
• No-nonsense optimism: Quick to note when numbers obscure the real game story (“the numbers weren’t as bad as they look”), and consistently contextualizes both strengths and weaknesses.

Conclusion

This episode captures the energy and depth of a Celtics “team win” against the Pacers, with Jaylen Brown’s star turn and Sam Hauser’s emergence as a multi-dimensional threat at the top of the recap. Karalis gives historical context to officiating trends, highlights subtle rotation shifts, and offers the Pacers’ perspective, making this summary indispensable for Celtics fans and basketball observers alike.