View From The Rafters: Behind the Scenes with the Boston Celtics

SOUND OFF is back for another season and we tip it off from Banner Night at TD Garden. How insane is Boston's 3-point shooting? Are the Celtics apex predators? How good is the defense? We answer it all after the Boston Celtics received their preposterously-sized championship rings, then raised the franchise's 18th championship banner to the rafters, and then clobbered the Knicks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sound off with us on the Celtics proving their naysayers wrong YET AGAIN during Game 3, as they came through in the clutch for another win behind Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown each scoring at least 30 points. We touch on their performances, Xavier Tillman filling in for Kristaps Porzingis, what the Celtics have done to arguably the most talented backcourt in NBA history, and how far an 18th championship would go beyond just the Celtics' locker room.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're sounding off tonight on Boston's backcourt of Jrue Holiday and Derrick White providing the Celtics with clutch play from start to finish, and we also touch on Payton Pritchard's impact plus give the latest on Kristaps Porzingis on the health front. Our fans join the conversation with comments on what they took away from the win, on the national media not understanding what this Celtics team is all about, and on what Boston needs to do to close this series out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're sounding off on the Boston Celtics dismantling the Dallas Mavericks during Game 1 of the NBA Finals to take a 1-0 series lead. We're diving in on the ridiculous performance that Kristaps Porzingis put forth during the first quarter, on Jaylen Brown having yet another take-over game while making life difficult on Luka Doncic, on the Celtics proving their critics wrong, and on how Boston can be even better during Game 2 against the Dallas Mavericks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sound off with us on Jaylen Brown winning the Eastern Conference Finals MVP award, the Boston Celtics coming up clutch time after time after time, on the team dripping with resilience, on Joe Mazzulla being celebrated by his team on international television, and on the Celtics going a ridiculous 12-2 en route to the Finals without the services (mostly) of Kristaps Porzingis. Off to the Finals, let's go!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're sounding off on Jrue Holiday coming through in the clutch to steal Game 3 away from the Indiana Pacers with a perfect final minute that included five points and the biggest defensive play of the NBA postseason thus far. We're also diving into Jayson Tatum putting up a stat line that literally no other player has ever logged before in an NBA playoff game, and then we take comments from the fans on Boston's composure and stability, Holiday's impact on the team, and a potential finals matchup.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're sounding off on Jaylen Brown putting forth the most impactful performance of his playoff career, which now includes a whopping 116 games. He dropped a 40-piece on the Indiana Pacers while leading the Boston Celtics to a runaway win during Game 2 of the NBA's Eastern Conference Finals. Brown was dominant, and we also dive into Jayson Tatum's performance, Jrue Holiday's game getting better and better as the stakes get higher and higher, and what the Celtics might do with their rotation going forward with Al Horford logging big minutes this postseason and Luke Kornet now suffering a left wrist sprain while Kristaps Porzingis is out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're sounding off tonight on Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum spurring the Boston Celtics to a miraculous win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. We're taking you through all of the clutch moments from Brown as he single-handedly willed the Celtics to overtime with clutch free throws, by forcing a turnover, and then drilling the biggest shot of his life. We then detail how Jayson Tatum took over in OT to push Boston into the winner's circle, and our fans then chime in about the national narratives surrounding the Celtics, the relationship between the Celtics and their crowd, and what Boston needs to improve on heading into Game 2.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sound off with us on Al Horford and Jayson Tatum leading the Celtics to their third straight Eastern Conference Finals after the duo picked apart the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game 5 at TD Garden. We dive in on their performances, the Celtics proving that they're killers and on whether or not Boston deserves criticism after this win. We also explain the scenarios of when the Eastern Conference Finals will tip off, either against the New York Knicks or the Indiana Pacers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Boston Celtics took a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers thanks to Jaylen Brown showing off his clutch gene. We're sounding off on Brown's clutch effort and the Celtics figuring out a way to win despite their worst combination of assists and turnovers all season long. We also discuss Boston's ability to grab the win during clutch time, during their first game that qualified as a “clutch” game since way back on April 5 of the regular season.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sound off with us tonight as we dive into these Celtics feeling like they're different than their teams of the past. Our listeners say this win was revenge against the Heat, that it was a perfect response to national criticism, and that the Celtics still have another level to reach as the postseason wears on. In Wednesday's Game 5, Boston came out in its first close-out opportunity of the NBA Playoffs and destroyed the Heat by 34 points behind dominant defense and Derrick White and Jaylen Brown controlling the offensive end of the floor.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're sounding off on the Boston Celtics taking a 3-1 series lead over the Miami Heat thanks to Derrick White's career-best 38 points during Game 4. We dive into what stood out from White's performance, and also go through the moment that made Celtics Nation's collective heart drop as Kristaps Porzingis exited the game with a non-contact injury. We're talking White, Porzingis, Boston's depth, and a close-out opportunity Wednesday night as the Celtics head home for Game 5. Sound off with us, folks!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're sounding off on the Boston Celtics defense putting the clamps on the Miami Heat and Kristaps Porzingis bouncing back in a big way following a rough outing in Game 2. The Celtics dominated from start to finish and led by as many as 29 points before notching their second 20-point win in three games of this series. Tonight, Celtics fans join the conversation with commentary on Joe Mazzulla, what got Boston's defense going, and general takeaways from the win.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're sounding off on the Miami Heat stealing Game 2 in Boston thanks to a historic 3-point shooting night against the Celtics. Miami made 23 shots from beyond the arc while making the Celtics and their fans relive the nightmares of a season ago. The Celtics faithful comment on what we should expect from the Heat moving forward, they offer some constructive criticism of Boston's defense, and we discuss what happened to Kristaps Porzingis during his six-point game.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're sounding off on a wildly convincing win by the Boston Celtics over the Miami Heat during Game 1 of their first-round matchup. Jayson Tatum logged his first career triple-double, while Kristaps Porzingis (18 points) and Derrick White (20 points) each had big games. Boston led by 32 points heading into the fourth quarter, which led many to ask, why does Joe Mazzulla have the starters in?! We've got your answer here in tonight's episode, and we also discuss the Celtics breaking Miami's zone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sound off with us on the NBA's Eastern Conference Playoff seeding being set, Mike Gorman being honored at his final regular-season home game, and how lucky the Boston Celtics are to have a Stay Ready Group that crushed another opponent, this time the Washington Wizards. Payton Pritchard looked like an All-Star for the second straight game and joined Larry Bird, John Havlicek and Bob Cousy as the only Celtics to log back-to-back double-doubles of at least 30 points and 10 assists. We also discuss Svy Mykhailiuk, Luke Kornet and Neemias Queta playing at a high level.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're sounding off after an unexpected blowout of the Charlotte Hornets by a Boston Celtics team that rested the entirety of its top six players Friday night, including Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. But no starters, no problem, as the reserves came in and dominated behind Payton Pritchard and Luke Kornet. Kornet teamed up with Neemias Queta for a new Twin Towers duo, and now all of Celtics Nation is bursting with positivity again following Thursday night's loss to the New York Knicks at TD Garden. We discuss the Celtics finishing the season without ever losing three straight games, as well as the looming winner-take-all Game 3 on Monday night for the Maine Celtics, whose top four players delivered strong performances for Boston during this game against Charlotte.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's time to sound off on a Celtics loss to the Knicks that featured an uninspiring performance from the top of the rotation, and an uplifting ending from the Stay Ready Group. Boston trailed by 31 points to the New York Knicks heading into the fourth quarter before storming back to make it a nine-point game at the final horn. We're diving into some of the struggles from Jayson Tatum and Co., Payton Pritchard and Co. saving the day when it comes to net rating, the Celtics tying a season high in blocked shots, Jalen Brunson looking like a top-six MVP candidate, and why these last two games shouldn't impact your view of the Celtics as the postseason nears.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Time to sound off on the Milwaukee Bucks coming out of the gates red-hot Tuesday night as they looked like the Boston Celtics typically do at the offensive end of the floor. Brook Lopez, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and the Bucks shot a ridiculous 74% from the field and 80% from long range during the first quarter. Boston did make a run during the second half as the Celtics found their rhythm, but they didn't have enough to pull off the comeback. Still, Joe Mazzulla walks away with his entire team at full health and in rhythm, while the Bucks can't say the same. We have the latest on Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and his scary non-contact leg injury that led to him exiting the game late in the third quarter.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're sounding off on Jaylen Brown reaching 10,000 career points and Boston's bench, led by Payton Pritchard, taking care of business in the fourth quarter against Portland's starters. Brown finished with 26 points to lead the Celtics in a 124-107 win over Portland, and for the second straight game, Joe Mazzulla handed the reins to his bench crew to handle the fourth quarter. This time they not only maintained Boston's lead against the other team's starters, but they expanded it. This is two nights after they nearly gave away a 19-point lead against the Sacramento Kings, so as we discuss, Mazzulla's coaching decisions are clearly leading to improved results.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's time to sound off in a wild final sequence that left the Boston Celtics with a 101-100 win over the Sacramento Kings thanks to a game-winning floater from none other than Xavier Tillman Sr. That's right, the big man came up with the game-winning shot with 7.4 seconds left after Sacramento had erased a 19-point deficit and taken a one-point lead with 27 seconds left. This was after Joe Mazzulla rode with his bench players for the entirety of crunch time against Sacramento, while the Kings were using all of their starters. Tillman Sr. gave the Celtics the win, but Payton Pritchard was the guy who made the team tick all night long. We dive into his recent stretch of high-level ball and his team-best 21 points against Sacramento, and dissect Mazzulla's decision to ride his reserves in crunch time.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're sounding off on Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics exploding during the fourth quarter, Kristaps Porzingis being ultra-efficient, and the Celtics clinching home-court advantage throughout the NBA Playoffs with their 60th win of the season. It was all thanks to Boston outscoring the Oklahoma City Thunder 42-17 during the fourth quarter behind Brown's 15-point explosion. The win gives the Celtics 60 wins for the first time since 2008-09, and it has some of our fans who sent in comments tonight dreaming about what that means for the NBA Finals in June.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sound Off with us as we talk Kristaps Porzingis efficiency, Sam Hauser's red-hot shooting and Payton Pritchard's passing after the Boston Celtics' 118-104 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday. And let's not forget Boston's second-half defense, which has now held its last four opponents to an average of just 43.5 percent shooting during the second half. The Celtics wrapped up their road trip with a 4-2 record and those two losses came by a combined three points, so we dive into the facts about how when the C's lose, they BARELY lose.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tonight we're sounding off on the Boston Celtics running experiments during the final 10 games of this season, their killer mindset, playing against physical teams, and what might need to change before the NBA Playoffs arrive. This is all after the Celtics and the Atlanta Hawks went down to the wire for the second time this week, this time heading to overtime after Jaylen Brown's clutch basket during the final minute of regulation was answered by Bogdan Bogdanovic's 3-pointer. At the end of OT, Brown hit another clutch shot with 6.6 seconds left before Dejounte Murray answered with a buzzer-beating jumper of his own to win the game. Murray wound up with 44 points on a ridiculous 44 shot attempts. Jayson Tatum led Boston with 31, while Brown added in 18. Tonight we dive into the Celtics running experiments during the final 10 games of this season, their killer mindset, playing against physical teams, and what might need to change before the NBA Playoffs arrive.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Boston Celtics were dominant early on and were playing the definition of perfect basketball, which led to a 44-22 lead after the first quarter. They led the Atlanta Hawks by as many as 30 points during the second quarter before the Hawks began a shocking comeback. Atlanta caught fire toward the end of the first half and remained hot during the second half and forced this game to go down to the wire. After the loss, Celtics fans joined the conversation on what led to this loss and how it can humble the Celtics, the importance of Derrick White and Jrue Holiday, and Boston's late-game execution in clutch moments.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even Chicago's A-game wasn't enough to take down the Boston Celtics while Boston was missing three starters. The Celtics played without Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis yet still found a way to win by double-digits against the Chicago Bulls. Jayson Tatum was at the center of a game-changing run late in the fourth quarter, while spot starters Luke Kornet, Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard capitalized on their opportunities. In tonight's episode we cover the Celtics beating the Bulls during one of Chicago's top performances of the season, Boston's overall depth, and laying the numbers out with how much better the Celtics are on the offensive glass this season.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The NBA's top scoring differential is going up, people! Another win, and another blowout win for the Boston Celtics as they take care of business on the road against the Detroit Pistons, 129-102. The C's got the job done while missing Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday and Al Horford, and that's thanks to big nights from Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard. The Celtics have noe won eight straight games, and 19 of their last 21 overall. Tonight we take comments on Pritchard playing like an All-Star, Holiday's current injury, the end of Boston's bench, and what the Celtics have a chance to accomplish Saturday night against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Boston controlled the majority of its game against Damian Lillard and the Milwaukee Bucks and led by 21 points during the fourth quarter before the Bucks battled back to make it a close game down the stretch. The Celtics responded during the final moments thanks to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown scoring clutch points down the stretch. Tonight we cover what it means for the Celtics to win ugly, what we should take away from the Celtics facing Milwaukee's zone defense, what went down during the fourth quarter, and overall takeaways from this win.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another night, another blowout win for the Boston Celtics, who won their sixth consecutive game by double-digits with a 119-94 win over the Detroit Pistons. Boston played without stars Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday and Al Horford yet still dominated and pulled ahead by as many as 29 points behind Jaylen Brown's 31-point game and Derrick White's first career triple-double. Tonight, we discuss how special this team's mental approach is to continue dominating no matter who plays and who doesn't, and then we take comments from Celtics Nation on the Celtics not playing many close games, the value of playing some close ones down the stretch, and tonight's all-women broadcast on NBC Sports Boston.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What many would consider a “schedule loss” turned into an explosive win for the Boston Celtics on Thursday against the Phoenix Suns. Boston, coming off of a five-game road trip from which the team arrived home at 5:30am the night before, dominated a Suns team that had its Big 3 of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal all available to play. That Big 3 wasn't nearly enough, as the Celtics were unstoppable on offense and continued to play strong defense. Tonight we discuss how unbeatable the Celtics are when they're ‘on,' shutting down the national narrative that Boston can only win by shooting a ton of 3s, and the argument that the Celtics have not one but two guys who are playing like top-10 players in the NBA right now.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jayson Tatum and Derrick White broke out of their brief shooting slumps to fuel another double-digit win by the Celtics. On a night when Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford all were out with injuries, Luke Kornet stepped into the starting lineup and excelled at both ends, while the rest of the Stay Ready group delivered strong performances as well. We dive into a dominant start to the fourth quarter, JT and D-White getting back on track, Boston's reserves always being ready, and what the Celtics are looking forward to Thursday night against the Phoenix Suns.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Boston Celtics took care of business in Portland to log their NBA-leading 50th victory of the season. Boston took an early lead and never looked back, as it led for the final 45-plus minutes of the game. Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Sam Hauser were the team's leading scorers while the Celtics racked up an astonishing 34-to-3 assist-to-turnover ratio. After the game, Celtics Nation joined SOUND OFF to discuss grabbing the win, Hauser's hot shooting, a potential night off coming up for Tatum, and the fact that this game was lightning fast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coming off a two-game losing streak, the Boston Celtics needed a win in Phoenix - and they got it. Boston led for the final 37-plus minutes but had to stave off Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns during the second half. In the end, Al Horford drilled the shot that knocked the Suns out, all after Luke Kornet shined throughout the game and Jayson Tatum found his groove while scoring 22 points during the second half. Celtics Nation comments on Boston's ability to respond, Horford's clutch gene, the Celtics hunting out mismatches, Kornet's big night, and overcoming KD's monster night.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Celtics continued their road trip Thursday night in Denver, where they took on the defending-champion Nuggets and two-time MVP Nikola Jokic. This one had NBA Finals vibes around it from the opening tip and the game lived up to the hype. While Boston didn't play up to its standard, it still found a way to have possession of the ball during the final minute with a chance to take a lead, but Jayson Tatum couldn't connect. Celtics Nation joins Marc D'Amico in discussing everything that went down throughout the potential Finals preview.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A shocker in Cleveland as the Celtics gave up a 22-point, fourth-quarter after Cleveland caught absolute fire during the fourth. The Cavs went more than nine straight minutes without missing a shot from the field, a stretch that included eight consecutive makes from long range. The Celtics still had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but complete chaos ensued during the final second as Jayson Tatum was supposed to head to the free-throw line to win it, and then he wasn't, and then the Celtics seemingly were shorted some time on the clock before a jump ball at mid-court. We touch on it all with comments from Celtics Nation in the latest episode of Sound Off!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the very first episode of our new postgame podcast SOUND OFF, Marc D'Amico and Celtics Nation sound off on the Boston Celtics' 52-point win over Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors on Sunday, March 3 at TD Garden. We cover Jaylen Brown and the Celtics taking this matchup personally, keeping level heads after the big win, it actually being #DifferentHere this season in Boston, Jayson Tatum's MVP candidacy, and much more. We'll be back with more episodes of Sound Off after every Celtics game, and you can participate in the conversation by posting comments and reactions to Marc on X.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sam Hauser joined Marc D'Amico and Abby Chin live from Memoire at Encore Boston Harbor for the Season 4 finale and this convo didn't disappoint. Hauser opened up by talking about his Bus 1 experience over the past couple of years (and the fact that he chose not to leave Bus 1) and his elite ability to come off the bench cold and drain shots from long distance. He joked about his defense being underrated because he's a shooter and about Luke Kornet's hilarious mid-game celebrations. Hauser also spoke about the sacrifices being made by the top players on the team and how inspiring that is, including Jrue Holiday, who has spoken directly to Hauser about what it took to win the 2021 NBA title. And finally during the last segment, we took video questions submitted by fans, including one that came from a very special someone.   1:00 – Hauser on his Bus 1 Boys experience and turning down the chance to move to Bus 2   5:00 – How Hauser became a rotational piece on a title contender, and what Brad Stevens saw in him that no one else did   9:30 – A crazy Hauser stat, plus being nicknamed Slam Hauser   13:00 – Being underrated on defense because he's a shooter   15:30 – Hauser and Kornet's friendship, and Kornet's hilarious celebrations   22:45 – How the top Celtics players have inspired the team with their sacrifice   31:50 – Playing for Joe Mazzulla, and what Mazzulla has been experimenting with during games this season   34:45 – Fan questions that were submitted by video, including one from one special fanSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Season 4 of View from the Rafters: Behind the Scenes with the Boston Celtics has been our best season yet. We've brought on four Celtics starters in Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White. We've brought on legends like Isaiah Thomas, Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker. And amid all of these episodes we have had some crazy and never-before-told stories come out. This episode is all about taking the greatest segments from all of those episodes and stitching them all together as one. Buckle up and enjoy!   1:00 – Jrue Holiday on the competitive nature of his relationship with 2x USWNT gold medalist Lauren Holiday, and facing Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks for the first time as a Celtic   13:00 – A plane seat and a fateful care ride lead to Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis becoming Cookies & Cream   19:00 – Isaiah Thomas relives his epic 53-point game in Game 2 of the 2017 ECSF, on his late sister's birthday   26:00 – Derrick White and Richard White on Derrick's upbringing, and Richard teaching him to become a winning player   35:00 - Paul Pierce, Eddie House and Sam Cassell on trash talk, and Cassell stealing the 2008 championship game ball   41:00 – Neemias Queta explains how he went from growing up in Portugal to attending Utah State   47:00 – Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker remember watching each other win titles, and being ahead of their time in firing up 3-pointers in massSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis have been dubbed by Joe Mazzulla as “Cookies & Cream,” and they join Marc and Abby on the VFTR set to dive into their relationship that's blossomed both on and off the court just months after they became teammates. Listen to them relive Porzingis getting on the plane as the new guy and stealing JB's seat (the one JB had held for four years), and the moment they got stuck on the side of the road together at 4 a.m. They also explain their chemistry on the court and why they get along so well off of it, with hilarious interactions throughout the convo. Oh, and merch? Maybe!   0:30 – Jaylen and Kristaps remember how the “Cookies & Cream” name came about   2:00 – JB tells the story of KP stealing the seat he'd held on the plane for 4 years   4:00 – Car rides, getting stuck on the side of the road at 4 a.m., and doppelgangers   9:45 – How the off-court relationship has led to on-court success   14:45 – Is Cookies & Cream merch on its way?   15:45 – One last chance to describe each other and their friendshipSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the NBA trade deadline looming this Thursday at 3 p.m., the View From The Rafters crew dives into everything the Celtics have to offer to other teams, the restraints the team is working under due to the new collective bargaining agreement, and areas of the roster that could potentially be strengthened via trade or buyout. There's also a discussion about how Brad Stevens and Danny Ainge seemingly have different approaches to the trade deadline, while the Celtics are closer to a championship now than they were a handful of years ago. And as always, a few unexpected stories come out along the way, including when the Celtics traded multiple players away right before a game in 2015, Abby's recent first ride with the Bus 1 Boys, and Shaq's disbelief of how crazy the Celtics plane rides used to be.   1:00 – Sean and Abby remember their craziest trade deadline moments   6:10 – Discussion around Brad Stevens and Danny Ainge having different approaches to the deadline   11:00 – How the Celtics can get in on the action of other teams' trades   15:30 – How the Celtics are always prepared for every scenario, which led to the acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis   20:15 – Listing the trade assets the Celtics have, and Brad Stevens comments on importance of second-round picks   26:00 – Abby joins the Bus 1 Boys, and Sean breaks some news to Shaq   30:00 – Final discussion of what the Celtics can and should do with the rosterSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Derrick White went from receiving no D1 scholarship offers in high school to becoming a star two-way player for the Boston Celtics, and his dad, Richard, has been there for the entire ride. Listen as Derrick and Richard join Marc and Sean to remember the journey, their father-son relationship, Derrick himself becoming a dad, and what they were both thinking after Derrick's epic putback layup at the buzzer of Game 6 of the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals. Oh, and they may or may not touch on Richard's newfound fame on X (formerly known as Twitter) as a stats-based voice within the NBA community.   1:00 – Derrick on his dad's social media, and Richard growing up a Celtics fan   5:00 – How Derrick learned to impact winning and be a chameleon   8:25 – Derrick calling Richard to tell him he'd been traded to the Celtics   12:00 – How their father-son relationship impacted Derrick on and off the court   16:00 – Reliving the buzzer-beating putback in Game 6 of the 2023 ECF   20:00 – Derrick becoming a dad, and Richard being a grandfather   27:30 – The world of social media and Richard's participation in itSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was the year 1998 when Paul Pierce came into the league and linked up with Antoine Walker to become one of the most promising young duos in the NBA during the lockout year. Both players were 20-point-per-game scorers and both players were All-Stars. Yet they couldn't punch through in the postseason, which led Danny Ainge to break them apart. About 25 years after they first became teammates, the duo sits down to remember their time together, their breakup when Walker was traded (plus their reunion when Walker returned), watching each other win titles from afar, their observations of this year's team, and the parallels between their partnership and that of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.   1:00 – Remembering the early years together   3:40 – Learning how to win as young players   14:00 – Pierce watching Walker win a title from afar, then celebrating with him in Chicago   17:15 – Walker's return to the Celtics and the “two-star” formula   22:30 – Parallels between Pierce/Walker and Tatum/Brown   32:15 – Having two star players who play a similar position   38:00 – Walker tells story of nudging Kevin Garnett to accept trade to CelticsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are few individual performances in Celtics history that reach the status of ‘epic.' Isaiah Thomas' 53-point effort in Game 2 of the 2017 Eastern Conference Semifinals is unquestionably one of them. In this episode, we begin with Marc and Sean provide full context around the love affair between Isaiah and Celtics Nation, and the emotional circumstances that surrounded the 2017 Playoffs after Isaiah's sister, Chyna, tragically passed away the day before Game 1 of the opening round. Isaiah himself joins for the second half of the episode for a lengthy conversation about his historical run with Boston, and how that epic 53-point game came to be on his late sister's birthday.   0:30 – Setting the table for the IT4-Celtics relationship and what made it so special   10:15 – Remembering the emotions of Chyna's death and the first-round series against Chicago   16:00 – Recalling Isaiah's oral surgery between Games 1 and 2 of Conference Semis, and his miraculous performance in Game 2   29:15 – Isaiah Thomas joins and gives an update on his workouts   31:00 – Isaiah describes the love affair between him and Celtics Nation   37:00 – An emotional first-round series following Chyna's death, and how it strengthened the bond between him and the city   42:40 – Reliving Game 1 of the Conference Semis, and his 13 hours of oral surgery before Game 2   49:00 – Isaiah describes what he was seeing and thinking during his magical Game 2 performance   53:15 – A friendly bet that will go down in history   55:30 – Isaiah recalls the game-sealing bucket over Markieff Morris, and how trash talk during that series nearly ended his relationship with the Morris TwinsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Neemias Queta joins Marc and Sean this week to talk about his path to the NBA and the Celtics – which is incredibly unconventional. Queta became the first Portuguese player to ever be drafted into the NBA and to ever play in an NBA game, after moving from Lisbon to Utah to play three years for Utah State. At Utah State, Queta ironically played with Danny Ainge's son, Crew, and quickly became one of the top shot blockers in the nation. Now, after two years of development in the Kings organization and being the runner up for G League MVP, Queta is playing more minutes for the Celtics than he ever has before in the NBA, all while showing his true promise as a big man – and especially as a shot-blocker.   0:30 – Becoming the first Portuguese player in the NBA   3:10 – Cultural differences between Portugal and Spain, and why to visit Portugal   6:55 – Why Queta chose to attend Utah State instead of going pro in Europe   12:05 – Becoming an elite shot blocker   20:00 – Being drafted by the Kings and developing in the G League   23:30 – Looking up to Al Horford and contributing to the Celtics this season   27:55 – Joe Mazzulla joking to the media about Queta's goaltending tendenciesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NBC Sports Boston's Chris Forsberg joins Marc and Abby for a special All-Star-themed episode after the Boston Celtics launched a campaign to get all five of their starters to the 2024 NBA All-Star game in Indianapolis. The crew discusses the historical context of teams getting four or five players into the game, and dives deep into the cases Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick White and Jrue Holiday have made to be voted onto the team this season. The group also discusses how coaches tend to vote on reserves, and how Adam Silver tends to select injury replacements, while also suggesting a couple new wrinkles that the league could consider when it comes to All-Star rosters.   3:30 – Forsberg gives the approach he'd take to voting if he were an NBA coach   9:45 – Marc reveals how he thinks the Celtics will get a minimum of three players into the game   13:15 – Forsberg suggests expanding the All-Star rosters to 15 players instead of 12   19:15 – Abby and Forsberg make a case for Derrick White to be an All-Star   24:30 – The group discusses why Porzingis deserves to make the team   28:45 – The discussion shifts to Holiday's case to become a three-time All-Star   33:15 – Forsberg suggests that the NBA dedicate an All-Star spot to elite role players   36:30 – How Adam Silver has chosen injury replacements   38:30 – Marc, Abby and Forsberg make their All-Star predictions for the CelticsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rajon Rondo didn't just win two NBA championships during his NBA career. He did so while playing on both sides of the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers rivalry. Rondo explores the differences in those two experiences, and how each came to be, throughout this episode.   Rondo also gives his perspective both of being the guy who helped to end LeBron James' first run in Cleveland, to playing against LeBron during the Miami years, to being LeBron's teammate in Los Angeles. Rondo specifically remembers the moments of wanting to play LeBron and the Cavs during the 2010 Playoffs and then beating them, as well as LeBron's career-altering performance during Game 6 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals.   Much more is covered in the episode, as Rondo recalls nearly being traded for Kevin Garnett, the epic 2009 playoff series against the Chicago Bulls, and what separates Boston from other sports cities. He also tells the story of playing on a torn ACL and how he eventually found out it was torn, as well as playing with a dislocated elbow following his dust-up with Dwyane Wade during the 2011 Playoffs.   0:30 – Rondo's observations of today's NBA game   4:45 – Boston's guards and Jrue Holiday being one of his favorite teammates   7:00 – Nearly being traded by Boston and experience of playing for multiple teams   15:15 – Playing on a torn ACL and learning about the injury from a radio broadcast   20:45 – Reliving biggest moments of his Boston career   30:30 – Facing Brad Stevens and the Celtics in 2017 Playoffs as a member of the Bulls   40:30 – Learning about Rondo's basketball IQ   43:45 – Winning another championshipSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fresh off a shooting competition down on the Boston Celtics' practice court, these three 2008 champions reunite for a lengthy conversation that touches on a long list of subjects but centers around their greatest collective talent: talking trash.   Seriously, you've got to listen to these guys chop it up about the way they not only used to talk trash to opponents, but also to THEIR OWN TEAMMATES! Paul Pierce recalls a story of the NBA putting in a private call to Doc Rivers to request that the team dial back its trash talk on the floor. Spoiler alert: Doc didn't exactly give in to the request.   The interesting tie between the three champs is that not only did they win a title together, but now, 15 years later, they're all back and involved with the Boston Celtics. Paul Pierce is serving in a team ambassador role, Sam Cassell is an assistant coach and Eddie House is an analyst for NBC Sports Boston. They discuss that and how their relationships are growing with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.   Naturally, there's also plenty of talk about the 2008 team. They discuss the unbreakable bond between all of the players who won that title, as well as the process of working Cassell and PJ Brown into the lineup after their late acquisitions during the season. House and Cassell talk about the fact that House wound up losing playing time because Cassell joined the team.   0:45 – The guys relive the shooting competition they just had on the court, while throwing some shade at Cassell   2:29 – All three being officially involved with the team 15 years after winning the title   8:52 – Joe Mazzulla inviting Celtics alumni back, and Cassell and Pierce on their time with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in LA last summer   11:30 – The level of trash talk from the 2008 championship team   16:30 – Cassell tells the story of stealing the game ball after winning the title in 2008   19:54 – Cassell joining the team, and a return to more trash talk, including the Doc Rivers story   26:30 – Remembering the journey to the 2008 title   31:35 – More discussion on how they're building relationships with Tatum and Brown   35:00 – The pursuit of an 18th championshipSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After being traded to the Boston Celtics the day before training camp, Jrue Holiday has taken on the challenge of moving to a new city and accepting a new role on a new team. He dives into his experience, how he's embraced having the ball in his hands less and how it all comes down to one thing: winning.   Winning a championship alongside Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and the rest of the Celtics is his one and only goal on the NBA court, but as Holiday explains, his competitive nature doesn't stay in the locker room. He says it follows him home, into a house that features one of the most competitive families in the country. Holiday and his wife, two-time soccer gold-medalist and former US Women's National Team member Lauren Holiday, can't be on opposing teams for anything for fear of an argument. And now, their extreme wills to win have passed on to their kids to create an interesting dynamic to say the least. Holiday often calls his daughter “JT,” and he tells a story about how his son thought Jayson Tatum's sneakers were actually his sister's.   The second half of the episode dives into Holiday playing against his former team, the Milwaukee Bucks, for the first time and drawing the assignment to guard all-world forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. Was that actually Holiday's idea? Maybe, he says. Holiday has now played alongside Antetokounmpo, Tatum, Brown, Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins and on a gold medal-winning USA Men's Basketball Team, so Marc and Abby ask him about common threads among the best of the best. The group rounds out the conversation by diving into Holiday's experience at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics – AKA the Covid Olympics – and how bizarre it was for him to see Team USA's opponents act like fanboys around the likes of Tatum and Kevin Durant.   0:30 – Jrue on his love for food   2:30 – Adjusting to playing with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and how they differ from other superstars he's played with   13:15 – Jrue on his competitive nature, and how that impacts his marriage to USWNT soccer great Lauren Holiday, who's also extremely competitive   22:10 – Flipping to the other side of the Celtics/Bucks rivalry, playing the Bucks for the first time, and defending Giannis   31:00 – Jrue's experience at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics   35:15 – How the bubble led to the launch of his family's JLH FundSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens joins us for a special bonus episode after a busy 48 hours leading into and through the NBA Draft. Stevens breaks down all of the trades and decisions that he and the Celtics front office made, including the emotions of trading away Marcus Smart, the arrival and fit of Kristaps Porzingis and balancing the roster. Stevens also dives into the value of replenishing Boston's draft stock with a handful of second-rounders, gives his take on Jordan Walsh, and wraps up with comments about the new coaching staff and how they'll develop players.      1:00 – Trading Marcus Smart   3:58 – Kristaps Porzingis' Fit   6:15 – Accentuating Our Best Players   7:57 – The Celtics' Toughness   9:29 – Draft Night Chaos & Second-Round Value   12:00 – The Jordan Walsh Report   15:20 – Coaching Staff's Development Mindset See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For our last episode of Season 3, we combed through each episode to pull out our favorite moments. From current and former players, to members of the media and the Celtics front office, enjoy the best clips from View From The Rafters.     00:53 – Luke Kornet Takeover Best Moments 13:33 – Blake Griffin & The Bus 1 Boys 18:05 – Danilo Gallinari Recalls Playing Kevin Garnett 22:16 – Stories of NBA Scout 27:14 – Jayson Tatum's & ‘The Confetti Game' 32:23 – Rob Williams Balancing Fatherhood 37:20 – Paul Pierce's Beginning In BostonSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Luke Kornet takes over as the host of this week's episode, bringing in special guests Malcolm Brogdon, Sam Hauser and President of Basketball Operations, Brad Stevens.    In this episode, Luke Kornet starts by asking his teammate Malcolm the burning questions on his mind. They discuss Brogdon being a finalist for the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year, Virginia basketball and his presidential nature. Kornet wraps it up by gloating about winning a lockerroom trivia competition.   Next, Luke brings in Sam Hauser to chat over a Wisconsin-inspired cheese tasting. In their conversation, Kornet asks Sam why teams target him on defense and gives him some unsolicited marriage advice ahead of Sam's summer wedding.    To wrap up the episode, Brad Stevens joins Luke, giving Kornet the opportunity to ask Brad about his varied employment history and talk about what it was like to play for Brad.    00:40 - Malcolm Brogdon 11:37 - Sam Hauser 19:25 - Marriage Talk 22:50 - Brad Stevens 33:40 - Questions for Brad “from fans”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.