Havlicek Stole the Pod NBA Basketball Podcast

What have we learned about the Boston Celtics in their season opener vs. the Philadelphia 76ers? What things do they still need to work on? And what do we think about the Celtics season now that we have had our first look at how this version of the team on the court in games that count? The hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" wanted to take the pulse of the season now that we have the smallest of sample size to work with. To that end, they linked up with NBC Sports Boston's Max Lederman to talk all things Celtics, Sixers, and the season ahead, from better play from the big men than expected to the poor perimeter defense, rim protection, and frequent mistakes one might expect from a team in the midst of a retooling campaign. They also get into the news -- and boy is there some explosive news with regard to Scary Terry and co. -- as well as the historic debut we witnessed of Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe, so be sure to tune in. Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Preseason for the Boston Celtics has come and gone, and Opening Night for the NBA's 2025-26 regular season is coming soon. With it comes a tilt with the Celtics' Atlantic Division rivals, the Philadelphia 76ers, at a moment where neither team is on especially solid footing regarding their respective futures. We have a basic idea of what this version of the Celtics will play like after letting Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet go, but little clarity about how that will play out on the court. Much could be said for the Sixers as well, and Boston has about as tough of a two-week start beyond that with games vs. the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, New Orleans Pelicans, and Cleveland Cavaliers before facing the 76ers again. To get a bead on what Boston should expect from Philly, whether Joel Embiid and Paul George will be healthy, and how the East might look to start the coming campaign, the hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" sat down with Sixers Wire editor and friend of the pod Ky Carlin. We even touch on how Joe Mazzulla might have transformed media games around the NBA, so be sure to tune in while we wait for the season to start. Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Boston Celtics have played their first preseason game of their 2025-26 campaign, and with it, we can begin to talk about how the roster looks on the court together for the first time. Playing as fast as they were billed to be, Boston showed they can play another style of basketball when the rawness of their talent base demands it. But they also showed some of the sloppiness and inexperience one might expect to see on a team with so few vets and so many new faces, hinting that there are still things to be ironed out even in the reduced expectations a retooling season brings. With that in mind, the hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" linked up with CelticsBlog contributor Mike Dynon to take stock of what we saw from the youth movement and the vets, as well as the remaining concerns we have about the roster. We also get caught up on the news while navigating some minor technical difficulties, so please be patient with any glitches while you tune in. Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Media day for the Boston Celtics has come and gone with the team upbeat about the season ahead, and training camp has started. What have we learned about this version of the team as we inch closer to preseason basketball, if anything? It is the norm for players to be optimistic about the season ahead at what serves as the first official team act of any NBA campaign (often, irrationally so), but one can often pick up subtle clues about the direction and plans of a ball club as well with a trained ear. Did the Celtics give us such clues about the season ahead? The hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" took some time to sit down with Boston Dot Com's Khari A. Thompson to dive into everything we're hearing and seeing from media day and the first day of training camp, as well as what we've been hearing about how Boston alumni who have left the team are doing in their new homes. We even take the pulse of the New England Patriots along the way for good measure, so be sure to tune in while we wait for the Celtics to take on the Memphis Grizzlies in preseason action next week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Which rising Boston Celtics prospects will make a leap forward this season? In something of a retooling season for the Celtics as star forward Jayson Tatum rehabs a torn Achilles tendon, the usual emphasis on deep postseason runs in pursuit of NBA titles has downshifted into a campaign that will focus on trying to find some diamonds in the rough among Boston's younger players. More established players on the Celtics roster like Neemias Queta, Luka Garza, Josh Minott, Baylor Scheierman, and Jordan Walsh are looking to cement a spot in future Boston rotations. And the incoming trio of 2025 NBA Draft prospects Hugo Gonzalez, Amari Williams, and Max Shulga and two way forward RJ Luis are looking to polish their game as they look to grow their skills with the Maine Celtics. To talk about what a successful development season might look like for each and the team as a whole, "Havlicek Stole the Pod" cohost Justin Quinn and guest Bryce Simon of "Pistons Pulse" and "Game Theory" sat down to hash out the finer details of a very different campaign for the Celtics. Check it out below! Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What should we expect from the Boston Celtics veterans this season? Much attention has rightfully been focused on the incoming and existing members of the roster who will be developmental projects for the season ahead, and rightfully so, given the importance of making the most out of this so-called "gap" year for the Celtics. But while finding a diamond in the rough or two is important, keeping the winning culture of the team strong while continuing to expand the roles and capabilities of the vets should also be a significant part of the season ahead. What will that look like on a more granular level when talking about surefire starters like Jaylen Brown and Derrick White? What about players who may see their roles from past seasons and contexts change, like Payton Pritchard, Anfernee Simons, Sam Hauser, Chris Boucher, and Xavier Tillman Sr.? The hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" sat down with Forbes and Hardwood Houdini Celtics beat writer Bobby Krivitsky to talk through what we expect to see from Boston's veterans in the campaign ahead, and get caught up on the trickle of late offseason news still percolating up. Check it out! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While there may yet be games to be played in this summer's FIBA EuroBasket tournament, for Boston Celtics big man Neemias Queta and his Portuguese National Team, the ride has come to an end. But Queta and Portugal literally made history together, with the latter having one of the best EuroBasket debuts in the history of the event vs. the Czech National Team on the way to Portugal's first tourney win in EuroBasket play as well. The Lisbon native of course kept up the impressive play while picking up another W vs. Estonia, and held his own against several NBA big men in the tourney. What can his play in EuroBasket tell us about his future with the Celtics next season? The hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" sat down with YouTuber and league analyst NikNBA to talk over what he's seen from Queta in EuroBasket play in terms of expanding his game -- and more importantly for Celtics fans, what might translate to the league he plays in with Boston. Check it out below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There might yet be weeks to go before the Boston Celtics and the rest of the NBA start their training camps, but that doesn't mean the news cycle is slow. In fact, we still have Boston big man Neemias Queta and his Portuguese National Team staying in the mix in FIBA EuroBasket play, some hints that the free agency gridlock keeping vet Celtics alum Al Horford from signing with the Golden State Warriors may soon relax, and a HUGE scandal brewing in the wider NBA. That scandal, which alleges that Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and his team colluded to create a no-show endorsement gig for Kawhi Leonard to pay him more than the cap allows, could have wide-ranging impacts on the entire Association. To get an idea how this significant cap kerfuffle might impact the Celtics and the rest of the league, cohosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" took some time on a recent episode of their show to talk it over, along with the rest of the news still reaching us at this late date in the offseason. Check it out! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How is the NBA's Western Conference looking in a likely down season for the Boston Celtics? Did the Celtics miss a chance to capitalize on the parity era and a weaker West by downshifting their roster after Jayson Tatum got hurt? Or is the Western Conference looking tougher than ever, making it a good moment to retool Boston's roster for the future? To try to get a handle on how the league's West standings may look by the end of the 2025-26 regular season, the hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" linked up with Thunder Wire editor Clemente Almanza. We give our over-under projections for the West based on preseason projections and the moves each team have (and in some cases, have not) made, as well as touching on the trickle of news still making the rounds late in the month of August. Tune in to join us as we get our collective bearings on how the Western Conference may look come April 2026 in what might turn out to be a very turbulent season on that side of the standings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who are the greatest Boston Celtics villains of all time? With the Celtics being the NBA's winningest franchise in terms of both titles and regular season games won, there is no shortage of players, coaches, and execs who have wanted to see Boston fail over the years, preferably at their expense. But there have also been some high profile examples of Celtics betrayal from people inside the storied ball club sticking a proverbial knife into the back of the team. And there are plenty of examples of players who aspired to be Celtics villains, but couldn't quite pull off the status for any number of reasons. There are even some who are entirely miscast in such a role, yet keep getting mentioned as such. To get to the bottom of this important historical debate/peak offseason content, the hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" linked up with Boston-based actor and longtime friend of the pod Evan Turrisini, who has developed the most scientific approach to determining Celtics villainy we have yet come across. Check it out! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The ownership of the Boston Celtics has officially changed hands from Wyc Grousbeck and his Boston Basketball Partners, LTD. group to Bill Chisholm's semi-eponymous Chisholm Group, the Celtics have made a pair of signings, and the NBA's 2025-26 regular season schedule is out in a busy August week of news. What changes now that Chisholm is in charge of the Celtics? Why did Boston wait so long to sign two way big man Amari Williams? Will Ron Harper Jr. parlay his Exhibit 10 deal into another tour with the Maine Celtics, or does he have a shot at making the team? And how is Boston's start to their retooling campaign looking? Between this late spurt of activity in the midst of what is usually the NBA's summer doldrums and a surprisingly long list of Celtics villains, the hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" have a feast of late offseason podcasts for you to sink your teeth into. Part one of this week's fare focuses on the news with hosts Daniel Donabedian, Justin Quinn, and Alex Goldberg, so check it out in this episode. Part two is all Celtics villainy, so keep your eyes peeled for the closer look segment soon to come out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Boston Celtics owners might help keep WNBA basketball in New England -- or they might help push it out of the region for most of the next decade, if not longer. If that is confusing, that's because the whole situation is, and Celtics owners past and present may play a major role in how the sale of the Connecticut Sun will impact the presence of the league in the Northeast. The Sun are for sale, and former Boston minority owner Steve Pagliuca is fronting a group trying to bring the team to Massachusetts. But he didn't submit an expansion application to the WNBA given he was busy with a bid to buy the Celtics, ultimately seeing a competing offer from current majority owner Bill Chisholm win the day. And Chisholm's group may be in the lead for a Boston WNBA franchise, but one likely to take shape many years in the future. How are the Celtics entangled in this sticky situation? Is there a way to keep the Sun from being poached by a team out of the region? Would it be in Boston, the Constitution State, or some other compromise location? And how do we think this saga will play out? The hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" sat down with SB Nation's Noa Dalzell to talk it all over, as well as the rest of the recent NBA news still trickling out. Check it out! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With both the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers down their best players heading into the 2025-26 NBA regular season, it is safe to say that the league's Eastern Conference is going to be having a down year. But just how bad is a down year going to be in a conference that has rightfully had the reputation of being the worse of the two by a notable margin for over a decade now? There are some familiar faces among the tank commanders in the Washington Wizards and Brooklyn Nets, but there are also cases to be made that the Charlotte Hornets and Philadelphia 76ers will trade in their tanks for a competent approach to the season. Most analysts agree that the top of the East is the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks to lose, but do the Orlando Magic, Atlanta Hawks, and Milwaukee Bucks have anything to say about that? And speaking of Boston and Indiana, where exactly do we think these two enigmatic rosters will end up? To get a bead on how the East might look next season, the cohosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" linked up with cohost of the CLNS Media "How Bout Them Celtics!" podcast, Sam LaFrance. We also get into the flurry of late-offseason moves made by Boston, from the Chris Boucher signing to the Joe Mazzulla extension and the rest of the news still percolating into the month of August, so be sure to tune in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do the Boston Celtics offseason moves tell us about their future plans for the team? The Celtics dodged what would have been a historic payroll and tax bill by trading away Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, and cutting ties with Luke Kornet, Al Horford, and JD Davison. They also brought in cheaper talent via those trades (Anfernee Simons and Georges Niang), signings (Luka Garza and Josh Minott), and the 2025 NBA Draft (Hugo Gonzalez, Amari Williams, and Max Shulga). This got them under the second apron in total, and Boston now finds their roster within striking distance getting under tax as well. What have they gained from all of these moves in pursuit of Banner 19, and are they actually going to try to get out of the repeater tax? With so many moving pieces, the Celtics could go a lot of different directions, depending on several important factors. To get a better idea of how cap concerns and possibilities might shape that future, the hosts of the "Havlicek Stole the Pod" linked up with The Third Apron cap expert Yossi Gozlan to talk over what might be coming down the pike for Boston this offseason, at the deadline, and beyond. Be sure to tune in! Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on: Spotify: https://tiny.ee/CdKp iTunes: https://tiny.ee/RK47 YouTube: https://tiny.ee/cOW3 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Boston Celtics have waived point guard JD Davison, and with that act, have dipped below the NBA's dreaded second apron. One of their most important bits of unfinished business left for the Celtics in the 2025 offseason, Boston now has a few more pending issues to address, not the least of which deciding whether to use the roster spot opened up by Davison's exit. From the near-certain departure of vet forward Al Horford in free agency to potentially trading one or both of Anfernee Simons and Georges Niang to reduce the Celtics' cap hit, there is still a fair amount of work to be done before training camp rolls around in the fall. Should Boston sign former Los Angeles Clippers big man Ben Simmons, or try to bring on Summer Celtics star Charles Bassey to shore up the big man rotation? Is there another name out there worth pursuing for Boston? The cohosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod," Daniel Donabedian and Justin Quinn (Alex Goldberg is taking the pod off) linked up with WEEI's Justin Turpin to talk about all the latest Celtics news from Davison's departure to Jaylen Brown training with Muay Thai, so be sure to tune in to this mid-summer update of what the Celtics have been up to -- and what they might do next. Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on: Spotify: https://tiny.ee/CdKp iTunes: https://tiny.ee/RK47 YouTube: https://tiny.ee/cOW3 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices