Locked On Celtics – Episode Summary

Episode: REALITY CHECK: Boston Celtics go ICE-COLD, lose MENTAL game in loss to Bucks
Date: December 12, 2025
Host: John Karalis (Boston Sports Journal)
Guest (Bucks Perspective): Camille Davis (Locked On Bucks)

Overview

In this episode, John Karalis unpacks a bitter defeat for the Boston Celtics at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks, focusing on how Boston not only went ice-cold from the floor, but also wilted under Milwaukee's trash talk and stepped away from their offensive principles. He delivers a pointed reality check about the team's mentality, rails against a lack of toughness when provoked, and spotlights the importance of staying focused regardless of shooting luck. The show concludes with a quick reaction from Camille Davis of Locked On Bucks, giving the Milwaukee perspective on a much-needed win.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Did the Celtics Lose? – Mental & Shooting Collapse

[02:28-09:50]

• Shooting Woes:

  • Celtics shot 0-for-12 from three in the third quarter and 3-for-14 from three in the fourth.
  • As Karalis sums up:
    • "3 of 26 – 11 and a half percent from 3 in the second half. 26% overall in the second half. That...got in their heads." [05:54]
  • Despite 11 more FGAs and 14 more 3PA, Boston lost the second half by 22 points.

• Milwaukee’s Hot Hand:

  • Bucks shot 7-of-12 from three in the second half.
  • Bobby Portis finished 7-of-9 from the floor in the second half, 11-of-13, 5-of-6 from 3 overall, 27 points.
  • Kyle Kuzma shot 13-of-17 for 76%, scoring 31 points.

• Mental Game Slippage:

  • Karalis asserts:
    • "The Celtics, I think, let the misses impact their defense... and then they let the trash talking get into their heads." [06:55]
  • Boston abandoned their ball movement and reverted to stagnant, mismatch-hunting offense (“pigeon hunting”), rather than staying disciplined.

• Letting Praise Lull Them:

  • Karalis details how a three-day break + positive press led the Celtics to get comfortable and overlook a desperate Bucks team.
    • "We used to call it reading your press clippings…Praise can be as dangerous as the criticism." [07:52]

2. Lack of Toughness – “Where Was Jordan Walsh?” (Karalis’ Rant)

[13:00-19:56]

• Portis’ Antagonism:

  • Bobby Portis hit a turnaround jumper, turned, and "got right up in Jalen Brown's face." [14:25]
  • Only a "weak little push" from Jalen—Portis got the technical, but no significant Celtic response.

• Karalis’ Old-School Frustration:

  • Karalis wants to see enforcers step up:
    • "Where was Jordan Walsh in all of this?...Your superstar was getting punked right in front of you. The game was falling out of reach." [15:33]
  • Cites past Celtics like Jae Crowder and the Isaiah Thomas teams for their fire and willingness to physically and emotionally have each other’s backs.

• Call for Team Spirit and Energy:

  • "When they come out and just smack you in the face and punk you like that and you don't do a thing. No response. Nothing. Says a lot in that moment to me." [17:49]
  • Karalis suggests the young Celtics need to learn how to stand up for each other—not in a reckless way, but with visible passion and a refusal to be intimidated.

3. Stagnant Offense & The Stats that Prove It

[12:15-13:00, 20:00-24:40]

• First-Half Ball Movement:

  • Jordan Walsh & Josh Minot were "overflow" shooters:
    • Walsh took 7 shots (made all 7), Minot 3, in the first half—all products of the "spray, swing" ball movement.
  • Second half: Walsh just 3 shots, Minot only 1—signaling a breakdown in offensive process.

• Iso-Centric Play:

  • Celtics spent the second half going one-on-one, especially Jalen Brown, leading to less effective team offense.
  • "That's not where the Celtics' strengths are at all... that trash talk can't be effective." [13:10]

• Notable Possession:

  • Sam Hauser missed three times in one possession—two threes, one layup—amid a disastrous shooting night.

4. Individual Performances

[24:40-27:39]

• Jalen Brown:

  • 30 points, 10-17 FG, 2-4 3PT, 8-9 FT, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, -15; high efficiency, but too much iso play.
  • "He felt like he was getting punked and he, I think he wanted to answer and they got away from moving the ball." [25:11]

• Jordan Walsh:

  • First half: electric (7-7, stellar defense); faded into background as offense stagnated second half.

• Josh Minot:

  • Largely quiet after the break.

• Payton Pritchard & Derrick White:

  • Combined 5-20 FG, "rough shooting night."

• Sam Hauser:

  • "Absolute disaster...oh for ten, zero for nine from three" [22:25], including three misses on one play.

• Neemias Queta:

  • 10 rebounds (5 offensive); promising on boards, but raw finishing around the rim.

5. Bucks Perspective

Guest: Camille Davis [27:39-28:55]

• “That’s a real good win for the Milwaukee Bucks…a much-needed win for a Bucks team that’s been hearing a lot of noise. It was a shooting variance game for sure...You gotta try to win games when Kuz and BP give you that much play.” [27:42]
• Commended role players: Kevin Porter Jr. (triple double), Cole Anthony (impactful minutes), Gary Harris (team-high +26).
• “A really good win for a Bucks team that desperately needed one.” [28:48]

6. Final Analysis & Lessons

[28:55-32:20]

• Shooting Variance Cuts Both Ways:
  • “Combined 24 of 30 [for Kuzma & Portis]…this is one of those crazy nights."
  • "Second half was an unmitigated disaster...complete lids on the basket." [30:05]
• Margin for Error:
  • Despite winning the margins (more threes, more attempts, more free throws, more offensive rebounds, fewer turnovers, more steals), Celtics couldn’t overcome atrocious shooting and mental lapses.
• Mentality & Confidence:
  • “The reality check is you gotta play not perfect, but the margin for error is still very thin for this team…"
  • "If you ever wonder what does it mean when they say ‘playing with confidence’, that second half from the Milwaukee Bucks is exactly what it looks like." [31:13]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On shooting and mental collapse:
  • “3 of 26—11 and a half percent from 3 in the second half. 26 overall in the second half. That, I think, got in their heads. They completely lost the mental game.”
    — John Karalis [05:54]
• On letting praise get to them:
  • “Praise can be as dangerous as the criticism… get off your feet for a couple days and just scroll through your phone. You’re like, ‘Oh, look. Everybody loves us. Oh, they think we’re awesome now too...’”
    — John Karalis [07:52]
• On standing up for teammates:
  • “When they come out and just smack you in the face and punk you like that and you don’t do a thing… Nothing. Says a lot in that moment to me…You cannot let that happen.”
    — John Karalis [17:49]
• Bucks perspective:
  • “It was a shooting variance game for sure. The Celtics shot great from three in the first half, shot terribly from three in the second half. Meanwhile, you have Bobby Portis and Kyle Kuzma combining for 58 points on 80% shooting from the field.”
    — Camille Davis [27:43]

Important Timestamps

• [02:28] – Celtics’ second-half collapse: shooting and mentality
• [07:52] – Discussion on praise, complacency, and the mental game
• [13:00] – Ball movement and the offense stagnating, isolation play increases
• [14:25] – Rant on Bobby Portis, Celtics’ lack of response, and Jordan Walsh absence
• [17:49] – Team spirit, physicality, and learning moment
• [24:40] – Individual player analysis (Brown, Walsh, Hauser, White, Pritchard, Queta)
• [27:39] – Camille Davis (Buck's view): “shooting variance game”
• [28:55] – Final thoughts: margin for error, how to avoid shooting slumps, confidence

Tone & Style

• Candid, passionate, and critical, with Karalis delivering both an analytical breakdown and an emotional appeal for more toughness and consistency from the Celtics.
• Frequent references to Celtics culture, both past and present, and a willingness to call out what’s missing on this team.

Takeaways for Non-Listeners

• The Celtics’ loss wasn’t just about missing shots—it was a collapse in mentality when challenged, both by poor shooting and by the Bucks’ trash talk.
• The offense stagnated, young players disappeared, and there was visible lack of fiery response when the Bucks took over emotionally and physically.
• Individual shooting nights and statistical variance do matter, but so does sticking to your game plan and showing backbone.
• The Bucks, facing their own turmoil, played like a desperate, confident squad—and the Celtics failed to match that resolve.

For Celtics fans, this episode is a hard look in the mirror—and a reminder that staying locked in and together is just as crucial as making shots.