Locked On Celtics – Real or Fake: Celtics Success, Jordan Walsh Breakout, Jaylen Brown All-NBA

Date: December 10, 2025
Host: John Karalis (Boston Sports Journal)
Guest: Tom Wester

Overview

In this episode, John Karalis and guest Tom Wester play "Real or Fake" with the hottest Celtics topics: the team’s chance at staying near the top of the East, the legitimacy of breakout performances from Jordan Walsh and Josh Minot, Jaylen Brown’s All-NBA campaign, and Boston's unexpected offensive fireworks. With a lighthearted, candid approach, John and Tom break down which trends they trust and which seem too good to be true.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Are the Celtics a Home Court Team? (Top 4 in the East)

Segment start: 05:14

• Tom: Believes it's "real" the Celtics will maintain home court in the East—emphasizes team improvement and East’s mediocrity.

  • “I'm going real. I think that... the Celtics team is better than you and I thought it was going to be... only the most wildly optimistic Celtics fan would have predicted this.” (06:06)
  • Points to the team’s ability to “do a lot of things right” as a separator in a bunched conference.

• John: Goes "fake" on top-four, citing:

  • Early-season luck.
  • Injuries largely avoided so far (besides Tatum).
  • Expects a “bump” and other East teams—Orlando, Cleveland—to surge.
  • “I just think that Boston is going to ultimately settle at fifth or sixth, which is going to be totally fine.” (08:06)

• Memorable quote:

  • Tom: “Celtics fans right now are absolutely screaming at you... that they actually have horrible injury luck and Jason Tatum is out, but your point is taken.” (07:39)

• Jason Tatum Update: John backs Tatum’s return: “I’m telling you, this dude is coming back... I said March—yeah, he might be back before March.” (10:15)

  • Believes this is “good injury luck” for Boston given Tatum’s recovery from an Achilles injury.

2. Jordan Walsh’s Breakout: Real or Fake?

Segment start: 16:02

• Both agree: Walsh’s arrival is real; shooting is "real-ish" but likely to regress.
• Tom: Praises Walsh’s defense and motor.
  • “We're looking at a really awesome defensive player, somebody who can guard so many different positions, bother people... It's all there for him.” (16:02)
  • Strongly believes he’s proven himself as an NBA-caliber contributor.
• John:
  • “Jordan Walsh is real. He is now part of this rotation. He will remain so.” (17:02)
  • Notes Walsh lessens Jalen Brown’s defensive load: "Jalen always said he wanted to do that...[now] he's like, ‘Really tired, dog.’” (17:44)
  • Sees Walsh as a 3-and-D weapon, even as shooting likely regresses from 40%+ to “Derrick White territory” (about 37–38%): “If that's all he ever becomes, a three and D monster like that—sign me up.” (19:34)
• Both: Call the hot shooting “fake-ish,” expecting a dip but trust his improved mechanics.

3. Josh Minot's Shooting Surge: Real or Fake?

Segment start: 20:15

• Both: “Fake” on Minot as a long-term elite shooter (currently 44.6% from deep).
  • John: “That’s not a shot I can trust.” (20:42)
  • Tom: “I don't—it doesn't look sustainable to me... This level of shooting is fake.” (21:01)
• Insight:
  • Celtics have rotated surprising names shooting lights out from three; logic says veterans' numbers should rise and regression will bring young guys back to earth.
  • John: “Let's get an extra [made three] out of [Derrick White], let's get him going.” (24:01)

4. Celtics Offense: Top-5 All Season?

Segment start: 26:58

• Stat: Boston currently 2nd in NBA offensive rating.

• Tom: Leans “real-ish”, sees 4–6 range as plausible but is slightly concerned by early hot shooting.

  • “So much has gone right here in the early going that to me, I think that top five... I don't want to say necessarily fake.” (27:25)

• John: “Real”; offense is fueled by offensive rebounds (6th in NBA), steals (7th), and solid defense generating extra shots.

  • “Ninth in NBA in field goals attempted with 90.5 [per game]... That seems like a fast-paced team to me for sure.” (29:10)
  • On defense: “Their defense is good enough for them to put up the shots and that’s going to pump up their offensive numbers, so I think they're going to stay up there.” (31:00)

• Notable exchange on pace:

  • John: “Explain to me how you could be last in pace but putting up 90 shots per game?” (29:10)
  • Tom: “For one thing... they're a good offensive rebounding team, so there are extra shots going up from that.” (30:29)

• Summary: Top-5 offense is “real” due to bench improvement, system buy-in, and key players’ efficiency.

5. Jalen Brown: All-NBA, Real or Fake?

Segment start: 32:48

• John: “I think Jalen’s playing with a ton of confidence. I think Jaylen Brown is, is for real. This is an all NBA season for him.” (34:27)
  • Takes into account efficiency, defensive workload reduced by Walsh, and opportunity due to other stars’ injuries.
• Tom: Cautiously “real”, especially impressed by Brown’s purpose and growth.
  • “He seems to have a very clear understanding of what his goals are, what he wants to show, what he wants to accomplish and what his role is in all that.” (35:15)
• Stats (as discussed):
  • 36% from 3pt (highest since 2021), 54.5% from 2pt, nearly 50% midrange.
  • Top-5 in usage; true shooting approaching 59%, effective FG 54.5%.
  • “He leads the league in two point makes and two point attempts.” (36:56)
  • Assist % up to 25 (career best); usage rate 36.
• Tom: "He's still this efficient when his usage is this high... that's impressive stuff." (37:42)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• John (on Tatum’s injury):
  • “I’m telling you, this dude is coming back... there's no way you can tell me if you look at Jason Tatum’s Instagram story that that dude should sit out the rest of this season. No chance.” (10:15)
• Tom (on Walsh’s mentality):
  • “If there's any question... it comes down to… is he gonna keep trying hard?... and I think the answer… is absolutely. Like, he’s a super hard-playing player.” (16:02)
• John (on the shooting oddities):
  • “It's almost like they folded the piece of paper and they opened it back up upside down... The numbers are right. The names are wrong.” (23:12)
• Tom (buying into Jaylen Brown):
  • “This is the season to say Jaylen Brown—believe in him this year.” (35:09)
• John (on Boston’s offense):
  • “This notion that they were going to outscore teams—that’s kind of what they’re doing...” (32:08)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Celtics’ place in the East (home court): 05:14 – 11:21
• Jordan Walsh’s breakout (defense, shooting): 16:02 – 19:55
• Josh Minot’s shooting hot streak: 20:15 – 24:01
• Celtics’ offense (top-5 sustainability): 26:58 – 32:21
• Jaylen Brown’s All-NBA case: 32:48 – 38:26

Tone & Style

• Conversational, occasionally playful (“We couldn’t do two people as handsome as… Overload…”)
• Candid, thoughtful analysis balanced with statistics.
• In-jokes for core listeners (“That’s for my Simpsons fans out there.” – 04:55)
• Honest to fan experience: panel pushes back and self-corrects as new info emerges (“Let’s get an extra one out of [Derrick White]… Let’s get him going.”)
• Throughout, the mood is optimistic but realistic.

Summary Takeaways

• Celtics’ contention is for real, though the exact playoff seed will depend on health and regressions by surprise contributors.
• Jordan Walsh is a legit rotation player and defensive asset; shooting is a bonus, but expect some drop-off.
• Josh Minot’s shooting is likely unsustainable at elite levels, but his confidence and growth add valuable depth.
• Boston’s offense is top-5 quality, fueled by extra possessions and bench contributions.
• Jalen Brown is having an all-NBA caliber season, elevating both his efficiency and leadership, and has earned believers.

The team is for real—but fans should expect some statistical normalization as the season matures.

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