The Boston Celtics have a top-five Most Valuable Player candidate in Jaylen Brown and have cracked home court advantage in the Eastern Conference standings. The San Antonio Spurs have made the Oklahoma City Thunder look mortal again, but also lost to the Brooklyn Nets. The Cleveland Cavaliers appear to be frauds, and the hot start of the Detroit Pistons is slowing down while the Denver Nuggets are somehow staying afloat despite a number of injuries.

At the midway point of the 2025-26 NBA regular season schedule, which teams are contenders, which are pretenders, and what do we think the Celtics are? To get some answers to these questions, the hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" sat down with Oklahoma City Thunder Wire editor Clemente Almanza.

We also touch on the big trade sending Trae Young to the Washington Wizards, the rumbles about Boston interest in Los Angeles Clippers big man Ivica Zubac, and more, so be sure to tune in.

Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com

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The Boston Celtics and the rest of the NBA are closing in on the midway point of the 2025-26 NBA regular season, and the players who signed new deals this offseason are becoming available to be dealt or will be soon. And with that, the rough outline of how the season might play out (and what teams can do to change those outcomes via trades) is coming into focus.

Teams that don't have the horses to compete for titles will need to make hard choices under the current, punitive collective bargaining agreement (CBA), while others that are overachieving may need to decide whether their current successes are worth investing assets in. For the Celtics, what are the team's needs in the trade market? Bigs? Wings? Cutting salary regardless of the return? A mix of goals? The hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" sat down with HoopsHype's Cyro Asseo to talk about what Boston ought to do at the trade deadline, but also about wider trends in the league impacting the trade landscape and what other moves might be coming.

We also get caught up on the news as Boston nears the end of the longest road trip of the season, so be sure to tune in.

Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com

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The Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers play each other twice this week, but the parallels between the two Eastern Conference ball clubs go beyond the home-and-away series. Both teams were seen as so-called 'gap year' teams heading into the 2025-26 NBA regular season after their stars Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton went down in the 2025 NBA Playoffs with Achilles tears.

They are having very different seasons so far, but they both might be looking to trade for the same or similar players at the 2026 trade deadline -- and might even be able to find trades between themselves worth looking into. To get a read on the game between these teams on Friday, what we saw from them Monday, and what both teams might look to do to get better, the hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" sat down with Kory Waldron of the "Full Access Hoops" podcast.

We also cover the news around the Celtics and the NBA as per usual, so be sure to tune in to this week's episode!

Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com

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Hall of Fame Boston Celtics big man Robert Parish has a reputation as one of the most guarded NBA stars of his era, and it is a not a reputation without merit, the intense criticism the Louisiana native went through early in his career set the tone for his stoic persona on and off the court. But in recent years, Parish has opened up to help tell the story of the team he won three of his four titles with -- and now, to tell his own story.

Working alongside co-author Jacob Uitti, Chief (as the Celtics champion center was called for a nickname) Parish has given us an unprecedented window into his life and times as a key cornerstone of Celtics greatness in the 1980s in 'The Chief - the story of the Boston Celtics most enigmatic icon'. Parish doesn't stop there, though, diving deep into what came before he was dealt to Boston, and his historic longevity beyond the Celtics. From his earliest years picking up the sport, collegiate years, time on Team USA, and his later acts with the Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Bulls, this tome tells the full story of Parish and his Hall of Fame career.

The hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" sat down with Uitti to talk about how the book came together, why Parish is opening up, and what we can expect to find in the bio of one of Boston's greatest stars, so be sure to tune in this week for a surprisingly rocking episode.

Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com

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How did the Boston Celtics lose to the Milwaukee Bucks (and what is going on with Giannis Antetokounmpo)? The Celtics dropped a game to the Bucks this past Thursday (Dec. 11) night at Fiserv Forum to the tune of 116-101, and to make matters worse, Milwaukee was without their star forward, Antetokounmpo on the sidelines for the next several games at least while he rests a calf strain.

How did it happen? Does it change our opinion about Boston's hot start? And what do we know about Giannis wanting out of Milwaukee? Will he end up in the East? What teams are realistic trade partners for the Bucks, and can Boston get in on the deal to bring back a good player? Most importantly, how would such trades impact the Celtics?

The folks behind "Havlicek Stole the Pod" sat down with "Gyro Step" podcast host Ti Windisch to talk all things Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks, and Boston Celtics, so be sure to tune in (and don't miss the surprise announcement in this bonus pod)!

Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com

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The Boston Celtics elected to take a season star forward Jayson Tatum would be out much or all of the campaign to rehab a torn Achilles tendon to retool the roster, get younger, cheaper, out of the second apron and towards dodging the repeater tax, knowing the team would part ways with much of the core they won a title with in 2024. But then something weird happened -- the Celtics kept winning games even with players like Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, and Luke Kornet playing for other teams.

New additions like Josh Minott and Hugo Gonzalez exceeded expectations, and players like Neemias Queta and Jordan Walsh have taken significant leaps with what they can do on the court, while vets like Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard are flourishing in larger roles. Did we mention Tatum may return sooner than may be expected? How does this growth change the future of the Celtics? Should they make a push for a title run now in light of all the above? How important is it to make sure the roster gets under the tax, and how should they approach the trade deadline? Boston's surprise success is to be praised, but with it come some hard decisions.

To that end, the hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" linked up with CBS Sports analyst Sam Quinn to talk about the season so far for Boston, and how it may impact a series of interlinked decisions that were already complicated before the Celtics started looking so good. Tune in to hear our takes on what might come next -- and what we think the front office ought to do.

Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com

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The Boston Celtics know as well as any ball club in the NBA the importance of keeping your star players healthy after losing star forward Jayson Tatum to an Achilles injury that transformed their title window. But as we have seen around the NBA, it is not just Tatum dealing with serious injury this season. Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers, Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers, and others are currently working their way back from the same injury, and many other star players are riding the pine while waiting for calf injuries to heal. But what if there was a way to change the way we prevent such injuries? What if it weren't just NBA athletes who could benefit from the techniques some of the greatest minds in sports medicine are currently honing, but all of us? That's where the guest for this week's episode of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" comes in -- TrueHoop's Henry Abbott.

On this week's show, we dive into his new book, "Ballistic: The New Science of Injury-Free Athletic Performance," and how sports science is showing us new ways to prevent injury to not only athletes, but everyone.

We touch on everything from what exactly can be done to keep stars healthier to who is already making use of this tech -- and how it could impact Tatum's return to the court. We also cover the news around the Celtics and the league, so be sure to tune in.

Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com

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The holidays are upon us as the Boston Celtics gear up for one of the toughest stretches of their 2025-26 NBA regular season schedule, with games against some of the best Eastern Conference teams set to go down over the next week. And Thanksgiving falls right smack in the middle of that gauntlet for Boston. Will fans of the team be celebrating their success with a mighty feast, or drowning their sorrows in comfort food and family time?

Either way, there's a lot to be thankful for if you are a fan of the Celtics, the NBA, or in general despite some general bleakness in the world these days. To that end, the hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" put together a special Thanksgiving-oriented episode to help us get through the festive gatherings and tough opponents ahead of Boston this week.

We also get caught up on on the news, so grab some sides, settle in, and keep your fingers crossed while the Celtics remind us of at least some of what we should be thankful for.

Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com

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The last time the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons crossed paths, the Celtics were seen as a team leaning into development for the season and the Pistons an interesting ball club projected to end up somewhere in the middle of a weaker Eastern Conference milieu. Then the two teams played, and Detroit center Jalen Duren had what then seemed like an outlier game with 24 points and 18 rebounds in a 119-113 Pistons victory Boston might have won had it been able to keep up on the boards.

But as we near the end of the month of November and the two Eastern Conference clubs get ready to square off again, it's become clear both teams are better than many expected, and the Pistons especially so. Duren appears to have taken a major leap forward that compliments Cade Cunningham expertly, and while not on Detroit's level, Boston has shown they aren't trying to lose and might even make the actual playoffs come April.

The hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" got Motor City Hoops and Game Theory's Bryce Simon back on the pod to get us up to date on how Detroit has transformed their season and expectations with it, as well as getting an external set of eyes on how the Celtics have been playing of late. We of course preview their matchup and get caught up on news, so be sure to tune in this week.

Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com

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The Boston Celtics are the winningest team in the history of the NBA, and with that success comes a lot of historic moments that left indelible marks on our collective consciousness over the years. But with that success has also come a fair share of heartbreak that can only come from coming right up to the edge of winning it all and falling short.

These are the sort of moments that famed NBA writer and cultural historian Shea Serrano evokes in his new tome "Expensive Basketball," out as of late October at anywhere books are sold (Serrano prefers you grab it at an independent store if you can), and as alluded to above, it is not without a significant Celtics presence. The Hick From French Lick (Larry Bird, to you youngsters) has a prominent presence, and plenty of moments Boston fans would also like to forget pepper the book, which you should already be making plans to buy even before listening to the latest episode of "Havlicek Stole the Pod".

In it, the hosts sit down to talk about the book, how it came together, and why the sort of moments you just know are the expensive sort of basketball matter so much to us. We also get caught up on the news around the Celtics this week, so be sure to tune in.

Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com

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Beset with shooting slumps early in the season, trying to play faster and struggling with the results, and running into issues integrating new players are early-season road bumps that the Boston Celtics are trying to contend with (pun unintended) to start their 2025-26 campaign, but we could also easily be talking about the surprisingly underwhelming start of the Orlando Magic this season as well.

And these two Eastern Conference ball clubs will take the court at Kia Center this Friday, Nov. 7, to play a game included in the 2025 NBA Cup schedule. They will then follow it up with a rematch on Sunday, Nov. 9 as part of a home-and-home series hosted by the Magic. What's behind Orlando's rough start? Can the Celtics capitalize on their disjointed play to steal a win or two on the road? And what does the longer-term future hold for these teams based on what we've seen so far this season?

The hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" sat down with Rookie Wire editor Cody Taylor to talk about the team he covers and what's afflicting it to start 2025-26, and get caught up on all the important Celtics news to date. Be sure to tune in!

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