Locked On Celtics — Dec 3, 2025

Episode: "Jordan Walsh DELIVERS BEST Game Ever, Jaylen Brown DROPS 42, Celtics BEAT Knicks"
Host: John Karalis

Episode Overview

In this episode, John Karalis breaks down a thrilling Boston Celtics win over the New York Knicks (123-117), highlighting Jordan Walsh's best game as a pro and Jaylen Brown's career-defining maturity in a 42-point night. Karalis weaves analysis, anecdotes, and inside-the-locker-room context, focusing heavily on the development of young contributors and the growth of the Celtics as a team during a tough schedule stretch.

Key Discussion Points & Analysis

1. Celtics’ Impressive Stretch and Mindset

• Summary of Recent Games:

  • Celtics have beaten the Knicks, Cavaliers, Pistons, and Magic in a tough stretch, going 4-0 in that run (01:48).
  • Team is showing significant growth and resilience, winning games Karalis thought might be traps or losses.

• Karalis’s Perspective:

  "This is a very high quality win, a true team win, where they get performances from everybody." (03:03)

2. Game Flow — Gross Start, Fierce Response

• First Quarter:

  • Celtics fell behind early (down 14) with a sloppy start; Jaylen Brown was “terrible” (03:35).
  • Knicks went on a 17-4 run, and the energy in the arena was bleak for Boston.

• Resilience Shown:

  • Instead of collapsing, Celtics hung around and gradually clawed back.
  • The team’s tenacity prevented the game from getting away from them.

3. Turning Points: Ugo Gonzalez Shifts the Momentum

• Ugo Gonzalez’s Impact (Second Quarter):

  • Stepped in “incredibly mature” for a 19-year-old.
  • Defense and poise flipped the game dynamic when the Celtics were down (13:25).
  • Celtics went small, using Gonzalez and other bench contributors to successfully defend Karl-Anthony Towns and stifle the Knicks’ offense:

    "He goes from DNPs to stepping in… doesn’t do much offensively, but… the way he defended… holds his position. Kind of knows where to be, isn’t bothered by who he's guarding." (13:28)

  • Celtics outscored the Knicks 37-20 in the second quarter.

• Defensive Approach on Towns:

  • Celtics’ small-ball lineups led to Towns posting a good stat line but being “frustrated” and largely ineffective in key moments.

  "The numbers in the box score do not tell the story of what the Celtics did to Karl Towns." (09:32)

4. Jordan Walsh: A Breakout Performance

• Fourth Quarter Heroics:

  • Knicks cut the lead to three with 6:30 left; Coach Joe Mazzulla calls timeout.
  • Walsh (with the Knicks blitzing Brown) gets involved in playmaking, finds Josh Minott for a corner 3, attacks the boards for offensive rebounds, gets a putback, scores on a tough finish, gets a steal and forces a jump ball—doing “everything.”

  "This stretch six minutes of Jordan Walsh is the best, absolute best basketball I've ever seen him play. And it's, it's not even close." (15:42)

• Walsh’s Growth:

  • Previously, Karalis had doubts (“I was this close to leaving the Jordan Walsh party”), but this game showed real development:

    "This isn't just the DJ playing a banger at the party—this is the DJ playing all your favorite songs in a perfect mix in a row… I am back, baby. I am in on the Jordan Walsh party!" (16:23)

  • Walsh’s hustle and control, previously lacking, are now clear assets.
  • Stat line for Walsh’s decisive stretch (20:20):
    • 6 pts (3-3 FG), 4 rebs (3 offensive), 1 assist, 1 steal in 6:15.

5. Jaylen Brown: Maturity and Leadership

• Rough Start, Elite Finish:

  • Brown started “gross”—3 turnovers, 2 fouls in the first quarter, but responded with 33 points and 0 turnovers in the second and third quarters.

    "He had 42 points in this game after four in the first quarter. I cannot stress how bad he was in the first quarter." (23:44)

• Decision-Making in Crunch Time:

  • Facing blitzes late, Brown ceded the ball, trusted teammates (notably Walsh), enabling Boston to close the game out:

    "If you want to put two on me, that's fine. My teammates will play four on three and we're going to close out this game." (24:50)

    • This choice echoes prior games (e.g., finding Pritchard against Cleveland)—growth over the past seasons.

• On Trust and Leadership:

  • Karalis notes that Brown doesn’t have a peer at his level (Tatum out), so learning to lift the team, trust young guys, and lead is a new layer.

    "Trust is huge… Not only is it the right play, what it does for a guy like Jordan is incredible… halfway through the fourth quarter, a lead has dwindled, it's a three point game… Jalen says, here you go, Jordan. Make a play. That's hell yeah." (25:52)

6. The Role Players Step Up

• Minott contributed key threes; Cato was “decent”; Pritchard and White offered steady play; Sam Hauser hit timely triples.
• Celtics closed as a genuine collective, not relying solely on their stars.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Celtics’ collective growth:

  "The Celtics are putting things together. This is… just an incredible stretch regardless… performances from everybody." (04:12)

• On Ugo Gonzalez:

  "He's not intimidated by playing the Knicks. He's not intimidated in an environment where it's loud… the defense was unbelievable." (13:38)

• On Walsh's transformation:

  "He can be a part of this team. He can be a part of the future of this team." (19:48)

• On Brown’s leadership:

  "[Brown] said after the game, 'I'm learning. I'm learning every game.'… that's the most impressive thing from him." (26:41)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 01:48 — Celtics’ recent stretch and schedule analysis
• 03:35 — Game’s gross start and early deficit
• 09:32 — Celtics’ defense on Karl-Anthony Towns
• 13:28 — Ugo Gonzalez’s impact, maturity, and defense
• 15:35 — Walsh’s fourth quarter emergence and detailed breakdown
• 19:48 — Karalis reaffirms trust in Walsh’s future
• 23:44 — Jaylen Brown’s rough first quarter and turnaround
• 24:50 — Brown’s decision to trust teammates in crunch time
• 25:52 — Leadership and trust—Brown empowering Walsh
• 26:41 — Brown’s self-reflection and growth as a lead option

Final Thoughts

John Karalis delivers an enthusiastic, deeply knowledgeable recap of an important Celtics victory, focusing on pivotal contributions from both rising young players (Walsh and Gonzalez) and Jaylen Brown’s evolving leadership. The episode is rich in clear analysis, memorable metaphors (the “Jordan Walsh party”), and insight into the development process of both individuals and the team as a whole. The Celtics are 12-9, building identity and resilience, and supporters are urged to savor this chapter in the season.