DISASTER: Critical Turnover SHIFTS Boston Celtics’ Momentum, Fourth-Quarter COLLAPSE
Boston Celtics stumble against Orlando Magic following a late-game turnover—did a single “brain fart” cost them victory and momentum in the NBA Cup standings?
John Karalis breaks down how Josh Minott’s fourth-quarter turnover shifted the energy, sparking a devastating 14-2 Magic run. The analysis spotlights Jaylen Brown’s leadership pressures, Derrick White’s uncertain offensive role, and the coaching challenges caused by wild lineups and missing depth. Key themes include Boston’s struggles with late-game execution, Orlando’s red-hot perimeter shooting (season-high 17 threes), and foul trouble putting the Magic in the bonus early. The conversation explores rotation experiments featuring Jordan Walsh, Hugo Gonzalez, and Neemias Queta, plus how Jaylen Suggs’ hot hand tilted the matchup. Can the Celtics find stability, or is lineup chaos their new normal?
Boston faces crucial questions ahead of Sunday’s rematch—will execution improve, will Jalen Brown get more calls, and is this team bound for the lottery or a playoff run?
1:30 C’s late turnover costs them
05:01 Celtics Struggle Against Magic’s Size
07:50 “Momentum Shift Changed Everything”
10:06 “NBA Rookies Facing High Pressure”
19:05 “Celtics Experimenting with Lineups”
22:18 Jaylen Brown’s Comments and Officiating
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25 Comments
Goodnight John lol, I’ll watch/ listen tomorrow. ☘️☘️👊
So Jaylen Brown had 28 shots, 25 drives to the basket, and two free throws. Does this seem reasonable?
Refs were atrocious in the 4th and I completely agree with JB. However the sloppy play really killed us. 😑Thanks JB ☘️🔒
This game is on Joe mazzula honestly why put the line up in the game that was getting whooped in the beginning of the game in at the end of the game make no sense. Walsh and hugo should of finished that game over white and queta
12:39 Chris Boucher should be playing over Garza.not saying he’s the answer but atleast he can get up and block shots/rebound. He would help make some of these combinations somewhat serviceable
Yea I think you nailed it in discussing the theatre they have to play. There are so many imperfect lineups and that will be played throughout the course of this season because so many players are forced into roles and responsibilities they are just not ready for or skilled enough to handle.
Get used to wild lineups. This is the chaos Joe was talking about Before the season… it’s just a nice we to spin the reality: we got a lot of players who may not be in the league come next year playing prominent minutes. We have a lot of players who are playing roles they are not equipped to handle (at least right away)… Buckle up.
I’ve seen a lot of things to feel good about and a lot of things that are concerning.
Biggest issue to me is that Garza has not been able to help. Boucher in the few minutes he’s gotten is being pushed around like a rag doll and seems lost. Tillman is just lacking too slow and lacking ability and Queta.. is much improved but not an nba starting center.
Our best lineups may be small ball oriented and I’ve seen Joe trying that out the last few games.. we’ll see.
I can’t knock the belief that if white were playing solid we’d have a few more wins and be at least .500 right now.
East is still wide open, it’s still early and a lot of teams are struggling out the gate or will come back to earth (I see you bulls)… but they gotta figure it out soon. Jaylen is giving everything any reasonable human could expect and more – he needs some consistent help as anyone else would.
dude the lottery been the way to go. who cares if they are bad this year. we are not winning the chip.
boucher should be playing.
You Celtics have a lot of issues so you better get prepared for a lot of losses this season… lol
Lol John asking for more Baylor Schierman. Dude cannot defend…Walsh a +7 with a great clock on wagner but somehow not so great
As far as rotations, I would insert AS into the starting lineup for PP. That could help settle AS and let PP lead and stabilize the bench units. PP is still going to play starter minutes and close most games.
I agree on your take about the bigs “behind NQ”; Joe needs to find out if CB or XT can be the “small ball 5”. As far as BS, the C’s just picked up his 3rd year option, why not give him “the run” over HG so he can be “seasoned” for the trade deadline aftermath.
Celtics dont have Team to compete this year, I prefer them out of playoffs and get a good pick for the next year
I think Joe needs to tell Minot and Hugo to look for their offense more. They both show some good stuff when they are aggressive.
Fellow Celtic fans. We have to stop living and dying with every game. Just enjoy the process. Whatever that is😂😂😂
Blaming refs… blaming non stars. …. Blame a non star for shooting a last second shot… then blaming a non star for trying to pass to a star…. You are getting good at blaming non stars.
Sitting Simons for 3 quarters was a mistake. Mazzullas sub par coaching is being exposed this year. Can’t put it all on Mazzulla this team is void of talent
Have to blame Minot for this loss why tf would he throw the ball behind him knowing dang well someone right in front of Brown instead of bringing the ball up urself smh
This Celtics team is what I thought they would be right now, at or below 500. I think they miss having a PG when these games are in the balance.
We need Jayson Tatum 💔. Let’s go Celtics keep fighting ☘️
They gave up too many unguarded 3s. You can see it happening- someone doubles, the other team swings it a few times until the defense can't rotate and there is a wide open catch and shoot 3. The Celtics also took some terrible, terrible 3s- 26 footers with a man in their faces.
I keep waffling back and forth between Mazzulla is doing a terrible job and Mazulla is doing a great job.
I think the key to a decent season is getting Simons going. He's decent on defense, but hasn't really shown hos form on offense yet.
Did anyone see the NBA's MVP list? They actually have SGA first! Over jokic and Giannis who are having better seasons in every way! This B.S needs to end! They gave SGA that MVP last year over jokic and jokic clearly was the better player! Like come on!
To many open shots, the Puffs not that good on three unless they are left WIDE open. Also way, way to many fast break points off made baskets.
We have accept the Celtics aren’t good.
They lost too many players. Their only hope of being good was white stepping up as a number 2.
And he clearly can’t do that.
So they will be bad this year and hopefully next year with Tatum back and if they can then the Simons contract into a good player, they will be good again
Great pod. I agree with a lot of what you said. I think the whole gimmick of forcing turnovers is such a double edged sword: on the one hand, great they are forcing turnovers at a high rate, but on the other they are 1. Not scoring off of those turnovers consistently. 2. Getting themselves out of position from which they are not athletic enough to recover. 3. Fouling a ton because they are bad defenders who are out of position.
That plus Dwhite struggling, PP struggling from 3, and no leap in playmaking from jb is such a bad combo. Jb is automatic from the midrange which is so cool, but if he’s just going in and getting his that doesn’t lift up everyone else.
Idk, the team is so ass they got beat by Utah and a magic team that everyone has on their “most disappointing” lists thus far.
The tank rolls on.
PD Web coined the term “Academy Brain” – that’s Minott’s turnover in a nutshell