INSTANT REACTION: Scal & Drew break down the Celtics’ 2025-26 regular season schedule | Celtics Talk

INSTANT REACTION: Scal & Drew break down the Celtics’ 2025-26 regular season schedule | Celtics Talk

[Applause] [Music] Merry at the front. What a move by round one. Take that. What’s up everybody? Welcome to the Celtics Talk podcast. It is a special edition today cuz we’ve got the schedule. It is out. It’s hot off the presses. This is our life for the next like 8 months. It’s Drew Carter, Brian Scallabbrini with you. I’m doing my Forsber impression because this is his show, but he’s on location somewhere on the beach. Uh Scall, it’s been a minute. How was your summer? Good. But that’s the way I actually don’t care how your summer was. Let’s get right Let’s get right into this beautiful schedule we have. Starting with the Sixers opening night. Yeah. Interesting. Not being on the main where we’re raising a banner or we’re going to a place that raised the banner. Doesn’t seem interesting. We’re not playing on official opening night, but we get opening night, which is which is great. Uh, Sixers don’t know what to think about their front court, which is Paul George and Embiid, but really love their back court when you think about Tyrese Maxi, Jared McCain, and their new up andcoming highf flyer, VJ Edgecomb. So, I think the Sixers are going to be a fun watch, but not necessarily really excited about the the potential of them being a championship team. No. Well, the last time you want to play them is at the beginning of the season. you’d rather get them toward the end because who knows what’s going to happen from the beginning of the season uh toward the spring. But obviously the question with them is what’s Joel Embiid going to look like? That’s what the question always is. You know, no Olympics this summer, so maybe he’s more ready to go for this season. Maybe he’s healthier. But it’s such a question mark. It’s I almost feel like they’re not even worth discussing as a contender. No, I don’t think so either. But I do think their back court is young and dynamic. And you know, Tyrese Maxi has grown into a pretty good player and they have some young guys. So I don’t I know last year, uh, Bontamps is like the best big three in the NBA is Maxi, Paul George, and Embiid. Took two minutes to get in that shot at B. Yeah, but I mean I mean he knows he was wrong, but like that like guys get older, guys are slower, the league is faster. So I am excited. I like to me I think those guards are going to be mustsee TV. I think VJ Edgecomb is a serious highf flyier and could be really fun to watch. Yeah, he is an exciting player and and you can see him on NBC Sports Boston. It is a little weird, like you said, to not have the opener be like opening night of the NBA season. Um it’s also weird not to be playing on Christmas for the first time in 10 years for the Celtics. But, you know, flip side of that is, you know, we get to watch a game with you on NBC Sports Boston. So, that’ll be fun. And then couple days later, it’s another Eastern Conference rival. It’s a team that bounced the Celtics from the playoffs last year. It’s a team with a new coach, Mike Brown. The New York Knicks, I mean, that’s a team I feel like you have high expectations for, at least in the regular season, right? I mean, I’m not really high on them. I’m not as high as everybody else is. I think they’re I I think they got really lucky that we blew two 20 point leads last uh last year. Think I think Jaylen Brunson’s incredible, but remember any big game last year, they lost. So, I’m not I’m not looking at this team thinking, “Oh man, this team is a shoe in.” I think there I think there are better teams. depends on what happens with Atlanta depends on what happens with Cleveland. I think our there are better teams than the Knicks, but give them credit. They did well. They got to the conference finals, but I, you know, the fact that they fired Tibido after all that, it’s just a weird dynamic over there. So, I I I know they’ll be good. I just I’m not I think there’ll be some type of drama with New York. There always is, right? I mean, they were allergic to success when they fired Tips. It’s the best season they’ve had in two and a half decades. They shocked everybody by beating the Celtics and they decided that that wasn’t good enough. I mean, I wonder what that’s going to look like like with what you know about Mike Brown and obviously your relationship with Tibs. Is Mike Brown going to go like easier on the players? Are they going to be happier? Is it going to be everyone’s playing a little bit more and everything’s good now? Yeah. I don’t I don’t know. I I know Mike Brown’s a good coach though. I know that um like he’ll be prepared. I know he kept some of the staff over. I think those things are important, but you know, it’s just when something like that happens and you think, “All right, everyone’s saying we we got to we need a coach to take us to the next level.” Like like Tibido took you to the next level. And usually guys like Bridges and Carlton Towns, they’ll play better their second year under Tibs cuz just look at like OG Anobi Brunson, Julius Randall, like a lot of guys improve going into their second year. So, I’m not sure they’ll have the same improvement. That game’s going to have a lot of juice. That’s the first Friday of the season at MSG. Real quick, I mean, you’re a player, so tell me if this is legit. Like, are the Celtics going to come out extra hungry for that game because the Knicks bounced them last year. Yeah. I mean, no doubt about when a team bounces you, you feel that like they’re they’re you be they become your rival the following year. And I also think like everyone’s parading the Knicks around as conference, you know, the conference finals or finals uh favorites, but the Celtics don’t look at themselves as that. They look at themselves as the best team in the Eastern Conference. So, I think that they’re going to be on a mission. And that’s why I’m really excited about watching this team. You know, we’ve had teams before, we’ve had teams with guys got hurt, Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward. We’ve had teams that overachieved. and there is no LeBron James in the Eastern Conference. So, I’m excited about this team overachieving and those marquee matchups where people think that those teams are ahead of them, those are the ones you’re going to want to watch. Yeah, that’s a new role for the Celtics. We haven’t seen them in that underdog spot in a while. And I’m with you, and we talked about this all last season, the Celtics, at least at the start of the year, were better when they were missing guys. No question. And when people were counting them out and and guys like Pritchard especially and Cornet off the bench got a chance to really, you know, step into a bigger role. I think we’re going to see Pritchard have an even bigger role than he had last season. And with all the guys the Celtics lost, other guys will have a chance to play a bigger role. And I like the additions. I you know like to to me I look at team building, right? And so I’m like, “Oh wow, this guy would really fit in well with this group, right?” So those things are the things that you have to kind of pay attention to. And I think when it Brad really did a good job of giving Joe like multi-facet players, guys to stretch the floor, guards to play the dunker, shooters, uh primary ball handlers. So I think the I think the team is um better built, better constructed than people think. I agree with that. Now mention the guys that the Celtics lost. Of course, we’re going to be seeing them over the course of the season. We’re going to take this chronologically here. Uh we’ll start off January 10th, Spurs against the Celtics. Luke Cornett returns to the Garden. He’s one of our favorite players to call his game, seeing how much he improved. Shout out to the Australians. We’re still giving them love even even though Cornet is now in San Antonio. And then later on in the month, this is kind of interesting how it shakes out. Back-to-back games at home against the Blazers and Drew Holiday and then the Hawks and Kristophs Porzingis. Let’s start with with the Spurs and Cornet. Obviously, they’ve got a, you know, a center who everyone talks about, Victor Webbama. I know you don’t really call him a center, right? Well, everyone unicorn alien. How about like the disrespect the Celtics uh get? I think Luke Cornet is one of the best signings in the offseason for all teams to add a guy like he is really good at getting behind the defense. Exactly what in my opinion like the Spurs need, but everyone calls it the worst signing cuz cornet averaged six points a game. Are you kidding? Who called that the worst sign? I don’t know. Like people ranking ranking free agent. I think that was the great free agent for what he got. And I was a little bit shocked of why we couldn’t keep him at that number, but you know, it makes it abundantly clear that the Celtics are trying to get below the tax. And I think Cornett’s going to be great. But when it comes to the San Antonio Spurs, like getting a chance in my top seven of guys you just want to watch. Like he’s a good player obviously, but he’s an anomaly. You don’t see an alien out there playing basketball. And I love the way when he’s on the floor and people are going to the basket. Like they keep him in mind everywhere he’s on the floor. I think he has to stay healthy. I got it. But like if the Spurs are good, he could be a guy that can win an MVP. At least finish in the top five of MVP voting. You said he’s in your top seven of guys I want to watch. It sounds like you’ve got a list. Who else is in that top? Jokic is in there. LeBron because he’s 107 years old. like he’s in there. You know, there’s certain guys I like to watch play. I tell you a guy that you guys aren’t going to like me saying this, but it’s Jimmy Butler. You know, I like that Jimmy Butler operates in the paint. I like that he operates off two feet. Like there’s there’s just certain guys I like to watch play. Not part not in not underrated scout team. That’s a different team. That’s different. That’s Yaka Purdles, the captain. Yeah. Where like Stfan Castle and stuff like that. Like that’s a different team. But this is guys who are different than everybody else in the NBA and I want to watch them play. Well, the thing with Cornet, too, and and I’m with you. I mean, if anyone says that’s a bad sign and they just don’t know their business, and I still think that’s a bargain. What do you get? Four for 41. Yeah. You know, we heard that, and I think this has been reported, he took a pay cut to come back to the Celtics last year. And so, I’m I’m happy for Luke getting his payday, but we are we are going to miss him a lot. And obviously, what he provides on the floor, but also what he brings you away from the floor. There’s a lot of personality there. He’s a super sharp guy. I think his sister told me that if Luke weren’t a pro basketball player, he would be a stand-up comedian. Oh, wow. And we Hey, we saw that with the whole, you know, political ad slandering Derek White when Luke was trying to get that Tommy award. That That’s the thing I think I’m going to miss the most. Uh we talk about how like we’re both higher on this team than the than the general public is. Like we like the additions they’ve made. I’m just wondering where’s that personality going to come from, you know? Like I’m sure like I think guys like Pton Pritchard will shine a little bit more. I thought did we see uh like like Derek White kind of broke out of his shell like all these guys will will find their own voice and and they’ll do it in their own way. I think they’re all like come on the most of these guys have won a championship and then you know now they’re really getting an opportunity to shine and I wonder if like the spotlight’s not as bright this year because Tatum is you know not going to be starting the season whenever he comes back. Who’s going to give us that timeless press conference quote after the championship like you did in 2008? Who’s going to be the one? Oh, with this group. Garza, there you go. Luca Garza, your boy. Is he playing in Euro Basket by the way? I think he is. Yeah, I think he is. I think so. We’ll fact check. If Foresburg were here, he would know that. Um, so speaking of returns to the Garden later on that month, mentioned you got the back-to-back games, Portland, and then Atlanta. Drew Holiday and Chris Stops Porzingis. Who’s going to get the longer tribute video, you think, at the Garden? I mean, Holiday could be played all the time probably, but Porzingis has some moments though. No. No question. I mean, listen, the nostalgia of these guys winning a championship is is awesome. And it’s great when you get a chance to watch the tribute videos and then you remember the moments. You know, a lot of times when you’re covering a team, it all gets blended together. But but Holiday had some big moments and so did Porzingis, you know. So, I’m excited about seeing, you know, those guys back and, you know, it’s it’s uh any it’s just different when a guy’s won a championship and he comes back to the garden and he gets a tribute video. I think those moments are are really going to be special. I mean, for Holiday, the way he played in the playoffs in in 24, there was a a point of the NBA Finals and the Eastern Conference Finals where it seemed like he might be MVP of both those series. Yeah, he was incredible. He was unreal. He cranked it up. So, Holiday had some amazing playoff moments. That’s why the Celtics brought him here. And then the other side of the floor, you think about Porzingis. I actually think KP might cry in his uh when when his tribute video happens cuz that guy like he seems to feel he’s got a real flare for just the city of Boston and and what people appreciate. And if you think about game one of the finals against Dallas, that’s about as electric moment as we had in the playoffs last year. Yeah. I mean, go both those guys. It’s really and I’m going to say this a lot this year. It’s just really unfortunate the way that the collective bargaining agreement is. It’s just not conducive to have sustaining success. It’s just not. And you know, it’s amazing that we’re able to win a championship. Um, and you’re going to start to learn, you know, you’ll learn a lot about the other players. I mean, you know, like Pritchard, we’ll learn a lot about Jaylen Brown this season. So, with guys out, it’ll open up like storylines, and we don’t know how they’re going to play, but we’re going to be really excited about seeing that. And a guy that I’m really excited about seeing to develop is is Kada. Like, what is he going to turn into this year? He’s going to get an incredible opportunity. Is he gonna keep building up or because there’s no like Luke Cornet coming off the bench like that, you know, with are taking his minutes. So, you know, these guys are all going to get their chances to play against a Porzingis or a guard coming in and getting a chance to like Pton Pritchard going against Drew Holiday. Doesn’t that have like a special juice to it? You know, like those those are things I’m really excited about when it comes to those guys coming back to the the building. Dude, think about Pritchard against Portland. You got the whole like hometown thing. Portland Pacific Promp MP against his former teammate Drew Holiday, elite defender. He’s going to be cranked up for that game. All those games, by the way, those return games in January. You can watch him on NBC Sports Boston. [Music] Before we move on though, talking about Atlanta, you mentioned the Hawks when we were, you know, discussing the Knicks and contenders in the East. Like, are you are you drinking that Kool-Aid? I I don’t know yet. I don’t know. I know that I like the roster a lot. I think roster construction, I can look at this team and say, “Yeah, they could be good.” But, you know, what Trey Young are we going to get? I like the fact that they’re not paying him the money right now because I think he’ll go out there and earn it. He’s that good of offensive player. I think their team is built with these big wings that can um Risha, Tyson Daniels, uh, and Johnson, Jaylen Johnson. I think that, you know, the team is built a certain way. Porzingis will help. Okongu will help. So, I’m bullish on them, but you still got to go out there and win. You know, you can’t just be good on paper. And I think that’s what Atlanta has to do moving forward. Are they going to be actually good or just good on paper? They had an amazing off season, but it’s important not to conflate great moves for the future with them being good right now cuz maybe the maybe the best move anyone made was them getting the Pelicans first round pick next year, which is an awesome move and good job by them, but it’s not going to help them this season. Sure. I mean, they got to go out and do it. it could help them this season if they want to move on that pick. That’s a very coveted asset. Yeah. So, and they have space and whatever. There’s a lot that could be done. So, I’m bullish on Atlanta uh being a top four team, but you still got to go out there and do it. Top four team, huh? In the East, them and Orlando. You think both top four? Um, yeah. I like Cleveland. I like uh Orlando, Detroit. I like Atlanta. I think I think Trey Young is a tough tough cover, man. So, the guys we talked about leaving, there’s one absence there. You know, it’s not official yet, but it sounds like Al Horford is is probably going to end up in Golden State. March 18th is when the Celtics host the Warriors. We’ve got that game on NBC Sports Boston. You Golden State, the whole thing is interesting because first of all, they’re putting together like the 2K 12 Allstars. I mean, this team is old, but still should be pretty good. What do you think the holdup is with Horford signing? It’s like um I mean to break it down real quick, it’s like you could sign them to a qualifying offer and stay under the tax but can’t trade them or you can give them 20 million, go over the tax, but you can always trade them. So, they just got to kind of make those decisions. What would you do? Um they don’t listen to you because you told them to sign Yakapur and they didn’t. Yeah. Um, I think that I would I would I would take Kamiga on a one-year rental and give him a qualifier and then I can always revisit uh paying him again. He could decide to leave, but I could pay him at the end of the year and I’d stay under the tax. And you want Horford if you’re Golden State. Yeah. I mean, everybody would want it. I think I think Al’s going there because he’s looking at it like they’re smart. They play the right way. Like Steph cutting and Al spacing the floor, knocking down threes like that. Those are going to be uh big moments for Al and you know high basketball IQ. It’ll be interesting having him and Draymond play together, you know, but I know how they want to play and they want a guy like Al Horford and there’s always a little extra juice when the Warriors come to the Garden after what happened in the finals a couple of years ago. And anytime you get a chance to watch Steph Curry, it’s electric. So either get to the arena, you know, two and a half hours early, or better yet, watch it with us here on NBC Sports Boston. Uh but it’s time to get to the main event and that’s Maine with an E. Uh Scout’s been waiting for it. Let let’s talk about Cooper Flag. We’ve got both the Celtics Mavericks games on NBC Sports Boston. The big one is March 6 when they are in the house and it’s Cooper Flag. Half the population of Maine is going to be in the building. Uh by the way, side note on this, March 6, maybe Kyrie is like coming back around then. Right around there. So this this game just has a massive feel, right? Yeah. Well, the not only that, so to understand the whole situation, right? I think Drew is right. Like I think as soon as the tickets are available to buy, I think people will buy from Maine will buy these this game. It’ll sell out. And I have all the I have a a direct line to the secondary market. Like last year when Luca got traded to the Lakers, that secondary market went crazy, right? I have I think that this secondary market will end up going crazy. This might be one of those games where people buy just because they want to hold on to the ticket because it is Cooper Flag’s debut in Boston. A family that loved the Celtics. Uh a player, you know, his mom, his dad, Cooper Flag grew up loving the Boston Celtics. So, I think it’s going to be I don’t know if I don’t know if they’re going to do anything for the people of Maine or whatever, but it does feel like like you’ll feel you’ll feel like the whole state is in the garden. You know how sometimes when Luca comes to another building, they’ll make it like Slovenia night? That’s That’s main night. We should, right? That’s main night. That is gonna be We don’t really need that night to build it up. Like that thing is going to be gone. Like I think the Laker game will sell out. The Warrior I think the Dallas Mavericks will sell out. Like in a second it will sell out. Well, how many tickets are you going to request for that game? Maybe a thousand. Nah, maybe 10. How many brothers does Cooper have? They’re all they’re all going to be my man Ace, but he might be playing in uh at some place in Maine. Yeah. So, like there’ll be a lot there’ll be a lot. And uh remember, he’s also tied in the community because he’s connected to New Balance, which is here. So, it’s like like good job by Drew with the pun, but it’s going to be the main event. Are you going to get him to play for the Celtics one day? Come on. I mean, I feel like I don’t have as much juice as like I’m not going to get a guy to leave. Come on, man. You saw him when he was 14. No, I know. No. What if I would have put him in my basement and Brad would have drafted him this year? Put him in the basement. No college for you. Lock him up, man. Sorry. Hey, John. Sorry, man. Nobody knows that. And all of a sudden, who’s this Cooper Flag guy? Come on. Yeah. Well, hey, Cooper Flag. The the kid is amazing and uh we can’t wait to have that game again on NBC Sports Boston. So, make sure you’re tuned in for that or in the house. There’s always a lot of juice as well with the Los Angeles Lakers. No question. So, as we look at the Lakers, I mean, we talked a little bit about, you know, LeBron and how he’s must see TV, but if you were a betting man scout right now, is LeBron on the team February 22nd. There’s so much noise. I know it’s the noise is about next year. Yeah. Like, it really like this year there’s no way he’s not on the team. The noise is when LeBron becomes a free agent. Would you rather, and Drew loves to play this game, would you rather have this the cap space for like $30 million in cap space or have LeBron James back on your team for probably a oneplus one because someone will offer him a one plus one and would you would you rather have him at that? So, that’s what the Lakers got to kind of ask themselves. Well, I mean, what how do you think he’s handling not being the main voice in the room now that Luca sounds like Lucas off season? Who cares? Like, will he be will he not be the main voice in the room? He’s got a big personality. He still might be. And I I think it’s a good basketball team and he fits in with Luca. He’s a great cutter. Luca is a great passer. Well, just picture this February 22nd. This is a huge day for NBC because the Olympics closing ceremony is that day and then you go right into Lakers Celtics on NBC big. That’s that’s in LA. That is What day is that? February. That’s LA February 22nd. Yeah. So it’s coming right off All-Star break and all that stuff. Yeah. No, that’s going to be uh it’s going to be big. It’s going to be huge. I thinking and like what a way to transition, right? You heard the All-Star game is going to have like a uh like a European or world influence. So, it’s not just going to be Americans playing Americans, whatever. It’s going to be kind of mixed up. So, that’ll be fun. The Olympics will be fun. And then this game right here, what a way to kick it off. And then the Lakers come to Boston December 5th. Always fun, too, to have Marcus Smart back in the building. you know, a couple years ago when he wasn’t playing. They still did the tribute video and seemed like he got a little bit emotional, but that’s just gonna this like this just looks wrong, right? I mean, I don’t like seeing Marcus in the the Lakers gear. Yeah, I saw I saw Rondo in a Laker gear and that, you know, like so you got to just like learn to go with it. I think it’s a good spot for him. Think about like his role there would be, you know, play defense, knock down shots. You know, I I’m sure he respects the heck out of Luca and um and LeBron, so so why not? I mean, I think why what better fit? Like, it’s better fit than Washington. Hey, man, don’t sleep on that big three in Washington. They’ve got some guys now. Do you think the Lakers are legit contenders in the West? I don’t know. I don’t know. I’m not sold on DeAndre Aiden, but I can be if if he plays well. So, I I think they’re good. I just like the Western Conference is really hard. Are do you look so Oklahoma City’s clearly in a class of their own? Yeah. Right. Okay. And then would you say Houston’s in that class or we don’t even know yet. Second tier. Yes. And same thing with is Denver first year. By the way, I like Denver a lot this year. I think I think they’re way better than people think. Yeah. Cam Johnson. I like the guys that they added and I I didn’t like the guy that they got rid of. So, I’m uh I’m I’m bullish on Denver. But if Denver’s Oklahoma City’s tier one, tier one B and then you got a lot of tier twos, you know, Warriors in there. Minnesota could could be in tier two. Everyone thinks that that linear line of greatness is just straight. It’s not straight. Like there’s go ups and downs and and all that stuff. They were great at the end of the last season, great in the playoffs, but you know, they have faltered. So the Western Conference, super competitive. Um really excited about seeing those teams. Like that’s the games that you we should be I hope we have those. Like the Minnesota every time we match up with that team. It’s like a dog fight, man. It’s unbelievable to watch those those guys go at it. So, I’m excited about that matchup as well. Yeah, Minnesota is always fun. Anthony Edwards is about it. They they were in Orlando until like 5:00 a.m. one game and then came to the Garden and almost beat the Celtics a couple years ago. Took him to overtime. So, the West is loaded and you know, if the Lakers were, you know, in the play or out of the playoffs altogether, that’d be a shame. You just I think you’d hate to see that. I I think they’re in that. I just don’t know if they’re title contender, but a lot of it has to do Man, people are saying Luca lost 31 pounds. How do you even do that? That’s what I said. It hasn’t been that long. That’s what I said. Oh, I don’t know, man. But I mean, obviously, he’s working and all that stuff, but like you have to ask, I don’t know if that going to be healthy and that is he going to be good. I have no idea. But he definitely, you know, the message of Dallas trading him and not paying him at supermax contract because he’s getting hurt all the time and overweight. That that’s a Luca Donic is a guy on a mission. I can’t wait to watch that. Everyone loses weight when they move to LA. Yeah, even you could do that, man. Couple green smoothies, couple of salads. Season’s around the corner, man. Yeah. [Music] Well, the last banner the Lakers hung, I believe, was for the inseason tournament when it was still called that. Now, the NBA Cup, let’s get into that. Uh, we’re going cup crazy here. Little bit different schedule this season. Uh, last year it was basically just every Tuesday, Friday in November. You got some cup action with the different colored courts. This year it’s all Fridays until the final week of November. Uh, so you got Sixers Celtics. That’s Friday, October 31st on Halloween night. And the next week, Celtics Magic, who people expect to be really good. That’s in Orlando, by the way. Um, all the bartenders at Epcot are already requesting that weekend off because we’re down there for an entire weekend. It’s uh November 7th and 9th at Magic. Shout out to Abby Jin. Look, look out everybody. We coming, in the words of Deion Sanders. Uh then a couple weeks after that, Nets and Celtics and then wrap up the uh Cup group play. That’s a Wednesday, November 26th against the Detroit Pistons. How stoked are you for the Emirates NBA Cup? I know. No, I like it. I like uh I think that the Celtics will play for something like that. I like that. I mean, I’m I’m a I’m a fan. I didn’t I thought it was gimmicky and then being a part of it and watching the players want to win by this much and watching all the points and all that. I think it’s great. I mean, Lakers want it, Bucks won it. These are teams that really weren’t like in the mix at the end of the season. It’s a chance for a team that knows it’s not going to be able to contend to win something. Put a banner on. Yeah. Remember when um when Oklahoma City got beat by the Bucks? Everyone rode off Oklahoma City except for people who know the NBA. The lights are too bright. And I’m like, “Oh, lights are too bright. Like, you’re not gonna be I’m” I’m like, “Look at their roster.” And then they then they hit me with uh yeah they shouldn’t have signed Isaiah Hartenstein. They should have signed Klay Thompson. And I’m like clicked you guys. You know, call me back like in July. Let me know what you think of Oklahoma City. Yeah. Yeah. You were proven right on that one. They’re good. Are they like a a heavy favorite for you going into the season? You take OKC or the field? Um the only problem is they’re young and they’re well coached and at this point everybody’s back. If if I if you can ask me about the following year, I’ll take the field on the following year. Like three in a row or whatever, but this year I think I would take OK Oklahoma City. Yeah, there I mean they’re loaded and they were so good last year and there’s there’s no reason to think that they’ll fall off at all. Like those guys are all going to get better. Even SGA could get better. It’s crazy. Yeah. Yeah, they’re really good. But we’re talking about the Celtics here. And speaking of the Western Conference, there are a couple big road trips uh right after Christmas, too, which again, this is all new. The Celtics not playing on Christmas for the first time in a decade. So, the day after going to Indiana, then Portland, then Utah, then Sacramento, and then LA. Those are your games right after Christmas. So, you know, for the Celtics, like right after the holiday, is that going to be tough, you think, for them to leave and and hit this trip, New Year’s New Year’s Day, Sacramento? I don’t I mean, I was just thinking that’s going to be tough for Mrs. Galley, but that’s I don’t think NBA players look at it like that, you know? I don’t remember I don’t really remember what day it is. I know you play on Christmas Day, you don’t, whatever, but once that’s over and you’re back into it, you know, it is what it is, you know. So, I think like I I feel like this team will be fine. And I don’t think a lot of guys got kids or anything like that. So, you know, it might be a nice little break and you know, people are like Pton Pritchard going back to Portland. There’s that, you know, there’s there’s always things to look forward to in the schedule. Well, you got those two games against Indiana right there. Where are you on the Pacers this season? High well coached, good team. Obviously, not without Hallebertton, but no, I’m high on them. All right. And then after another break later on in the schedule. It’s February coming off the All-Star break. Another long trip starting in San Francisco against the Warriors. And then it’s that February 22nd game we told you about against the Lakers. That’s on NBC right after the Olympics closing ceremony. You go to Phoenix and then Denver on a backto back. So long time, you know, maybe away from home for these guys. A little vacation for Allstar break then meeting the team maybe. Yeah, you think about that. Um it could be one almost two weeks on the road. So yeah, and then you’re hitting with you’re ending that two week uh stint with a Denver on the back to back after Phoenix. So no, that could be a tough road trip. No doubt about it. You know, I think those teams are good. Not sure about Phoenix yet. I don’t think they’ll be good. But no, those that that that is something when you’re managing all that. Okay, some of these guys go to Allstar the All-Star game. I think some of these guys um will go on vacation, come back. So, yeah, there’s there’s a lot of moving parts when it comes to that. So, those are the long road trips out west. Some other notable opponents, we mentioned the Thunder, how good we think they’re going to be coming off of their championship. The Celtics won’t see them until March. Both of those games against Oklahoma City are in March. Watch the game on NBC Sports Boston. Late March when the Celtics come here. Mark Dagnel will be back. Native of Lemonster. I’ll be uh sure to meet up with his high school buddies out at West End Johnny’s again for a for a postgame beverage. Mark Dnall is a heck of a coach, man. He is really good and he probably doesn’t get enough credit because of how good the roster is. But he’s he’s one of the best coaches in the league. Yeah, it is. It is funny those coaches who, you know, Sam Presley’s a big name and everyone thinks that like look what he did with this roster. It’s amazing. But you do have to manage that. Just like last year when Joe won the championship. You It was obviously the best roster in the NBA, but he had to manage that. And yeah, I agree. I don’t think those guys get enough credit. But Dagnol is phenomenal and he processes it at a high rate and he just like knows how to I think he pushes the right buttons. But also like so is Rick Carile, you know, like you know, Dagnald’s kind of like Boy Wonder here. But um Ric Carla, man, who knows how that game unfolds if Tyres Albert doesn’t get hurt in game seven, but I mean we look I look at Indiana and say like the last two seasons I know we ended up sweeping them in the conference finals, but what a run for that team. Small market team that basically did it the right way to rebuild. So, I’m excited about watching. Anytime we you see a well uh well coached team and you see a team that, you know, has an identity, Patriots have a fast break identity. I like that. It’s going to be a big year for uh N Smith and McConnell especially. I think with no Hallebert, you know, like you know, Moby Toppin needs more minutes, you know, with those things. He’s getting them. Uh then the the Cavs, they were the one seed in the East last year, flamed out in pretty spectacular fashion, but they’ll be back. uh roster remains largely unchanged. You know, Ty Jerome out the door, but we got a lot of guys coming back from a team that won 64 games last season. Early on in the year in October, we got the Cavs at the Garden. When they were in our building last year, that game was a ton of fun. Yeah. Huge energy there. That was when they were 15-0. It was the NBA Cup. Celtics handed them their first loss. Do you expect the Cavs to have another 60- win season this year? Yeah. So, for me, it’s it’s about Mobly. If Mobly one day wakes up um and believes that he is what I think he is, then yeah, they’re going to be a problem. But he doesn’t carry himself like that. So, I don’t know. When when it comes to these young players, we all want to put because they’re so good at basketball, we think they’re all like mental savages. That takes time to happen. I mean, look at we talked about Jason Tatum last season, you know, hitting his chest in Miami, right? like he became a different guy, won a championship, became a different guy and like it and that’s just it’s just natural maturation. But Evan Mobley kind of a shy guy and all of a sudden what if he becomes like a Kevin Garnett type? Then we’re in big trouble. Yeah, that’s a really good team and they can make some moves. But, you know, I look at him as the guy, but he he don’t I don’t think he looks at himself as a guy at this point. And look, we’re high on Kada. That’s going to be a test for him. Oh, yeah. cuz when he when he played in that game against Cleveland, you they attacked him on the perimeter. They they could they could pull him away from, you know, and that and that goes back to like that’s Cleveland doing it, but that’s Indiana uh figuring that out. I remember in overtime Kada was playing great and then the then the the game happened and Carlos starts moving him away from the basket and it was bucket bucket bucket. Well, now the game is over. So now like the good coaches will go out there and be like this is how we’re going to attack this guy. And let’s be honest since that moment, Kada was never the same. Like he never got consistent minutes after that. They went a different direction. So those are those are going to be the challenges for you know Kada. If you’re going to be a switching team, which maybe he shouldn’t be a switching big, but if you’re going to do that, you got to be able to guard that ball. If you’re if you believe in Kada, his talent, Celtics player development, I think you should believe he’s going to have a big season. And we both do. B, that’s the smartest thing you’ve said all summer. I guarantee you. I know your summer schedule. That is by far the smartest thing you’ve said all summer. We haven’t talked that much. That’s that’s not a very high bar to clear. Um, all right. And let’s let’s just get back to, you know, Jason Tatum, a guy whose name we’ve mentioned a couple of times throughout this pot. No, I’m not going to I’m not going to do I’m not going to give you a Jason Tatum’s coming back against his friend Bradley Beal. You know, they went to high school. You got two guys close. I hadn’t heard that. Um, no. Obviously, this is, you know, the one thing I’m not going to ask you to bet on or make a prediction on, but can I just have what you got? No. What you got? The issue is you can’t like returning. There’s a reason the NBA season is what it is. There’s a reason we start out in the preseason and the games are like and then we go to October, November, December, and then there’s a a game, you know, like there’s a reason it’s 82 games. And if you really watched just watch a playoff game and watch a preseason game and there’s so many levels in between getting thrown back in to a middle of a race where you’re trying to get out of the playing and you’re playing these meaningful highlevel games that is not ideal for not your Achilles but for your body. There needs to be some buildup. Am I putting limitations on him? Hell no. I’m not doing that. But it’s just getting thrown into a fire late without the ramp up of the season or even a ramp up of a game or whatever. Like this guy’s this guy’s never not trained hard. He’s the most he is a top five well-trained athlete in basketball. He doesn’t miss lifts. After my radio show on the road, I go to the He’s in there lifting. Before we get on the bus to go after a game, he’s in there lifting. highly highly trained and now he’s doing stuff different. You want to just throw him back out there? It sounds dangerous to me. I don’t know anything. I’m not a doctor or anything like that. I just know this. NBA basketball in October does not look like NBA basketball in April. Well, he’s going to do everything in his power to be ready to smash the timet everyone’s got for him returning from an Achilles. But it sounds like what you’re saying is almost like there’s actually nothing he can do to get ready for that level of basketball into the regular season into the playoffs except for playing in it, right? Yeah, there is something you could do. You can you can sub in like, all right, is he going to do this? It’s easy to do it if you’re me. I sub in at the second quarter and I sub out like five minutes later and that’s like that’s those are my minutes. So, is Jason Tatum gonna start? Is he going to end the game? Is he gonna play like those like there’s there’s moments where the game is less talented. Is he gonna play in those moments? How do you build up? How do you get your legs without doing it and then without doing it at the highest level? Is he going to play 10 minutes a game for a month? So that’s what I’m asking. Like I don’t see like star players, they get thrown in there, they’re required to do everything. And that’s like I don’t know if that demand on your body is too much. I don’t know. I just know like October and April are not the same, you know, and we we think it is because we’re there every single day and we see this natural buildup. But if you watch a October and then all of a sudden you watch playoff game, you’re going to be like, whoa, this is way different. Way different. That’s why the Celtics have when you walk down the aisle of the team playing, you look to your right, trainer, trainer. You look you look to your left, sports scientist, performance guy, nutritionist. Like that’s why the Celtics keep these people on payroll. So, we can’t really answer that question. But what we know about Jason Tatum, what we know about the Celtics is A, Tatum loves to play and basically has to be talked down from the ledge when he’s not going to play. And B, the Celtics have the infrastructure in place to get him ready and make the right decision. And that might be not playing at the end of that at the end of the season. That might be it. Even if it bothers Jason Tatum and it disappoints the fans, the right decision might be not playing at all this year. But I do think I just wouldn’t close that door. Like not not right now. I would I wouldn’t go around to your friends at the bar and be like, “Oh, there’s no way he’s not playing.” Like you’re an idi chance he he might play. Yeah. I don’t we just don’t know. I don’t know. I I just don’t know if he’s worth the risk. But how about this? I bet you his Achilles is good. I could I can promise you that if him and Nick are deciding like I’m we’re going to get this thing right, they’re going to get it right. Yeah. But there’s just a lot that goes into being a star player. Like do not confuse a star player who has a usage rate of over 33%. The same thing as oh like he can go out there and give us five minutes. Those guys don’t do they just don’t do that. Anybody else? Like name like a lower level role player. My man Leandro Barbosa he came back in like six months but when he came back he was playing like five minutes and no one cared. See what I mean by that? Like that’s that is the challenge. Can you do the proper buildup and be okay with it? I don’t know. Well, here’s what we do know. Jaylen Brown’s going to have a massive opportunity and responsibility during this 2526 season. I think he’s going to go nuts. I think it might be like a first team allNBA type season for Jaylen Brown. This is a this is a chance for him to establish himself even though this is a guy with a finals MVP already in his trophy case to take that next step in terms of how people view him in the whole landscape of the NBA. Like Jaylen Brown has a chance this year to prove he can be the best player on a really good team. I think that’s what we’re going to see. Well, the the So, I don’t know what we’re going to see. What I do know is when you’re the guy, that’s when you start to get a a screen, then you’ll get a double team, then you’ll get drop coverage, then you’ll get like uh like they’ll they’ll rotate a guy as he’s come and that takes time to do. You can’t you you can’t be a good player in like what you’re talking about all NBA without being able to manipulate defenses and bend them and move guys. So his challenge is going to be second defender, third defender, Peyton Pritchard in the corner, Derek White in the corner. I got to get those guys involved like it. And it took Tatum has been handling the ball forever running this and this the defense started to shift four years ago. And I thought last year is when he mastered it like to to the fullest, right? So it took time. So Jaylen Brown, he he’s already, you know, like he’s already built for this. He’s already had success. He’s already done so much in the game, but now it’s about like reading the different coverages that people throw at you because I have friends that are assistant coaches in the NBA. And those guys those guys spend their lives figuring out how to how to how guys make mistakes, like how to make a guy make mistakes. So, he has he’s not just going against the guy you see in front of him. He’s going against the help. He’s going against the coaches. He’s going against assistant coaches. He’s going against all the coaches who have all the film studied to each other, right? So when Jaylen Brown goes seven for 21 and eight turnovers, everyone’s gonna have that film. And why is he doing that? Right? So now you have to be able to address that. So I’m excited about that side of it. And he’s not it’s not like he’s a rookie and this is the first time he’s ever done this. He’s done it before, but now it’s a matter of doing it every night and being able to say stay a step ahead of those defenses. And when you think about player development, don’t envision like the individual workout videos you see on Instagram. Like that type of stuff has its own place, right? The work that Tatum does with Drew Hanlin on skills, stuff like that, that’s got its place. But I think what the Celtics focus on more is about reading and reacting, right? That’s that’s where Tatum has improved so much, like you talked about, we saw last year. And can Jaylen Brown level up like that entering this season over the course of this season to the place where it needs to be as as he’s the top option? It’s not like he’s not going to be out there alone. I mean, there are other really good ball handlers on this team. Yeah. It’s and you you got to be surprised on how it works. Like one day all of a sudden the passing angles light up and then the next day they’re not there, right? So it’s just like just because you do something one day doesn’t mean the next day. And like I think last season we thought Tatum was going to hit the Warriors for 50 and they hard blitzed him and he was shook by that and then a week later he was killing the hard blitz. So just that’s the way it works when you’re a star player. You have to be able to see the stuff happening before it does and learn to get off the ball quick and know when to attack. Like you can’t predetermine anything. It’s exactly what Drew said. It’s all about the reads and making the right reads consistently. Digesting the information you have at hand, making the best decision, executing that decision, and doing it all like that. Yeah. And like like a 16th of a second. That’s like I’m going to make the biggest reach of an analogy ever here, but I played a lot of pickle ball over the weekend and that’s like that’s the key to pickle ball, man. Can you can you digest info? Can you decide what shot you’re going to hit? Can you execute the shot? Am I right? I mean, I know that 80 year olds play pickle ball. I don’t know if 80-year-olds are are are handling double teams in the NBA. So, you can use your own analogy, Mr. Pickle Ball, man. I said that thing and Scout was just thinking, man, when can I get with Mike Trico on NBC? I’m getting out of here. You better not big time me a bunch like you did uh last season for that Blazers game. I hope not. Oh, what a game it was. Goes for 40. All right, here we go. Derek White goes for 40. Got to admit, man, game of the year. All right, everybody. Thanks for tuning in. Uh, I didn’t even have to put my fake glasses on this year. Eventually, I’m going to do this bit and I’ll actually need them. Uh, but enjoy the season. Wait, let’s do it. Number one game on your list. You something you have to see because there’s a lot of free agencies and all that stuff. The number one team you want to see coming in, I think San Antonio. I want to see how Luke fits in with that. And what I was going to say about him is why it’s dumb for anyone to say that that was a bad move in free agency or an overpay or whatever is the Spurs really the big issue for them is shooting, right? And spacing. Luke Cornet’s not a shooter, but he’s a spacer. He’s going to make your spacing way better. Yeah. Short roll guy. So I think that he’s going to help them immensely. Plus, it’s just going to be fun to see what the Celtics put together for his tribute video. So that’s probably my number one. in the garden. Luca Lebron like I don’t think and and our our guys like leveling up to what you would consider that. So I can’t I want to see the Lakers come into our building. I want to watch that game cuz it’s the first time we’ve ever seen a team with LeBron James that’s not where he’s not the best player. That I mean that game’s in December. I think Luca might be like 150 pounds by now. A Jayla’s going to take him right to the block and look like a leaf. Oh, I didn’t even think about that. There’s a little revenge game. Can you see him saying like, “I ain’t fat now. You can’t you can’t pressure me now.” There’s a lot of juice to that game. No doubt. There there’s a lot of juice on a lot of these games. So, we can’t wait to watch them with you on NBC Sports Boston. Thanks for listening to the Celtics Talk podcast. Forsber will be back at some point and he’ll be back in this chair. But, thanks for hanging with us. We’ll see you soon.

In a special edition of Celtics Talk, Drew Carter and Brian Scalabrine offer instant reaction and break down the Boston Celtics’ 2025-26 regular season schedule. The guys debate the biggest games for Boston and what to expect from the team coming off a disappointing finish to last year.

1:00- Celtics start the season with divisional matchups against the Sixers and Knicks
6:45- When do former Celtics players make their returns to TD Garden?
16:40- Cooper Flagg’s debut in Boston could be the toughest ticket of the year
19:20- Celtics vs. Lakers – is LA a real title contender?
24:30- Breaking down the NBA Cup matchups
27:00- Other notable matchups for the Celtics
34:00- What to expect from Tatum, Jaylen, and the team this season

CONNECT ➡️ Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/@nbcsboston || Our website: https://www.nbcsportsboston.com || Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok @nbcsboston

🎧Listen to our podcasts:
🏀 Celtics Talk: https://celtics-talk.simplecast.com/
🏈 Patriots Talk: https://tom-curran-patriots-talk-podcast.simplecast.com/
🔗 Next Pats: https://the-next-pats-podcast.simplecast.com/

The official YouTube page of NBC Sports Boston. Home of the Celtics, Patriots, Red Sox, and Bruins. We connect fans with the teams they love.