Wide Open NBA, Celtics Rising

The 2026 NBA Playoffs are wide open, and the Boston Celtics are right in the middle of the championship conversation. In this episode, we deliver a deep dive into the Celtics’ playoff outlook, Jayson Tatum’s injury return timeline, and what it means for Boston’s pursuit of Banner 19.

We start with Jaylen Brown’s continued rise as a primary scorer. Brown has elevated his shot creation, attacked switches, and embraced late game responsibility. His growth has stabilized the Celtics during Tatum’s absence and strengthened Boston’s offensive ceiling.

We also break down why Derrick White remains one of the most important players on the Celtics roster. His perimeter defense, help rotations, and efficient decision making give Boston lineup flexibility on both ends. When White controls tempo and spacing, the Celtics look like a true NBA Finals contender.

The biggest question for Celtics fans is simple. When should Jayson Tatum return? We analyze his five on five progress, playoff conditioning concerns, minute restrictions, and the balance between long term health and short term seeding. A smart ramp up could define Boston’s path through the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Beyond Boston, we examine the full NBA championship picture.

Cleveland Cavaliers building around Donovan Mitchell and James Harden

Denver Nuggets led by Nikola Jokic’s MVP level dominance

Minnesota Timberwolves powered by Anthony Edwards’ two way impact

Oklahoma City Thunder emerging as a Western Conference threat

San Antonio Spurs accelerating with Victor Wembanyama

This NBA season has no dominant superteam. Parity defines the playoff race. Depth, defensive versatility, half court execution, and health may decide the 2026 NBA Finals more than star names alone.

We also spotlight the next wave of NBA superstars shaping the league right now. Shai Gilgeous Alexander, Luka Doncic, Victor Wembanyama, Jalen Brunson, and Tyrese Maxey are redefining crunch time offense and defensive spacing across the league.

For the Boston Celtics, the blueprint is clear. Elite defense. Five out spacing. Smart rotations. Controlled pace. If Tatum returns at the right moment and Jaylen Brown sustains his All NBA level play, Boston has a legitimate path to the NBA Finals and another championship banner.

If you are searching for Boston Celtics playoff analysis, Jayson Tatum injury updates, NBA Eastern Conference predictions, or 2026 NBA Finals projections, this episode delivers detailed insight and sharp breakdowns.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify for weekly Boston Celtics coverage and NBA playoff analysis. Leave a review to help more Celtics fans and NBA fans find the show.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:06

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Missing the Point. I am your host, Michael Marcangelo, joined alongside by my OG boy, the real VK Bob Kelly. It's our first show without football. So we're gonna talk about the NBA, the Boston Celtics, and really what we can look forward to coming into this spring. But before we get into that, Bobby, how are we doing, my friend?

Jalen Brown’s Leap And MVP Odds

SPEAKER_03 0:30

I'm good, man. I'm ready to talk about some basketball. I'm ready to move on from that football season. You know what I mean? It was like literally my worst nightmare. The Cowboys going down into the pit of despair that they went into and the Patriots rising back to prevalence. It was it was literally like I woke up in hell. So I'm happy to move on into basketball. Celtics are doing great, so I'm ready, man. I'm ready.

SPEAKER_01 0:53

Yeah, I mean, I would just say I want to start this off by earlier in the year, once actually after the finals, once the dust settled, DK and I had a wager, and the wager was the Celtics winning more than 50 and a half games. I bet the over, TK bet the under. Through 54 games, the Celtics are 35 and 19. They sit at the number two seed in the Eastern Conference. It's looking pretty good from my bet, but listen, the first thing we need to talk about before we get before we get into the the Warriors game and post all-star break, JB has gone full alpha scorer MVP. His stat line is 29.3975 and a 48% from the field from the field. So Bobby, did you expect this rise from him knowing that you know he was going to be the really the only option for scoring this year?

SPEAKER_03 1:46

I mean, that's exactly what we would expect from him, considering what we've seen from his career and what especially the opinion that you had of him coming into this year. I mean, I expected it, yeah, I just wasn't sure if that was what was going to happen with the rest of the team. You know what I mean? Like I knew JB was going to take that leap, but looking at the rest of the team, I just wasn't sure if they were all going to follow suit. But yeah, I was behind JB coming into the year for sure.

SPEAKER_01 2:14

Yeah, I think the narrative that I've always had about JB, aside from saying that he sometimes dribbles like Stanley from the office, is that he tries, right? Everything that comes naturally and easy to Jason Tatum, Brown works for. And like you can you can see it. He's gritty. And what we've been fed over the last what seven years is that with JB and JT, we have two ones. Well, if one one goes out, then you we really want to test that theory. And it seems like to me, again, almost 30 points a game. He's put himself right in the MVP conversation. Do you think like what are your what do you think of the chances that he actually gets that award?

SPEAKER_03 2:55

I mean, I'd give it a probably like a 20% chance at this point, which is pretty high, I'd say. I think yeah, you know, I think if you were to look at the wrestling league right now, I think there's like Wemby, and there's a few other guys that are up there, man. But JP's definitely in top tier. I mean, he's a starter in the all-star game, which I think is completely earned. He's definitely in the top 10 guys so far this year, and there's no doubt about that. I mean, he won player of the month, what, twice so far? I think he won it in I think he won it in December. And he won it, I don't know if he won it in January, but I think he won it in November or December, though. So he's won player of the month a few times so far this year.

SPEAKER_01 3:32

I also think one of the big questions coming in, obviously, with uh with KP leaving, with Drew leaving, is obviously this could be like a transition year, but listen, number two in the East, that we'll take that so far. What would the help be like for JB? Like, could Derek White actually step up and be a number two? I mean, he's averaging what close to 18 points a game, almost five rebounds a game and six assists.

SPEAKER_03 3:59

Yeah, so I mean, I feel like White's contribution so far, though, has been so much more than what you see on the stat line, though. Is like he's been in top consideration for defensive player of the year, which we know that when you're a guard and you're in that talk, you're having a different level defensive season. We've seen it once before in a Celtics uniform with smart. And that, I mean, that was people call it like a defense DPOI. But I mean, if if you're a guard and you get that award, you've earned that shit. You know what I mean? So I feel like he's he's contributing on at a different level. Like night in and night out, Derek White makes an impact, man. I can't, I was actually reading an article the other day where it was talking about the impact that he's actually made since he became a Celtic. And it's just it's it's unbelievable, man. That move that Stevens made that night is just it's it's one of the more underrated moves in Celtics history, for sure. I love Derek White.

SPEAKER_01 4:51

Oh, yeah, and and shout out to our boy Hollywood Ray. Like, yeah, no, he called it.

SPEAKER_03 4:55

I thought about it when I'm reading when it when I read that shit, man.

SPEAKER_01 4:58

Yeah. He he was all over that, but if it feels like throughout the course of the year, that he's really been the stabilizer for the Celtics, right? And I think this goes back to I I think you and I feel the same way. You know, when Marcus Smart used to jack up threes, you and I would both be like, oh no. I don't know about you, but I don't care where Derek White shoot from. Whenever he shoots the ball, I'm like, let's go in.

SPEAKER_03 5:22

Yeah, no, I agree. I agree. It's it's a different field with light, especially when he's when he's when when he's on from three-point, but especially when he's doing the floater from the inside, which rank call from like V1, he's like, bro, he's got that floater from inside, and he still has it to this day. He's like one of the few players in the NBA who still shoots a two-point shot. But yeah, no, a hundred percent. I I trust D White on offensive side and defensive side. So to have those guys as one, two, I mean, it just it it is a good feeling knowing that we also have Jason Tater coming back, hopefully, maybe this year at some point. Maybe we'll talk about that in a little bit. But like it's it's nice to see what these two have done because it's it's really it's not really being talked about that much that these two are what where are they? Are they second in the conference right now? I know they're it's first and second are really close. So it's second in the conference, first in the division. I don't know. It's it's it's it's it's pretty remarkable what they've done so far this year.

SPEAKER_01 6:17

Yeah, I mean, you got listen, you got Jalen averaging almost 30. Derek White.

SPEAKER_03 6:21

Shireman's playing playing significant minutes every night. It's crazy.

SPEAKER_01 6:26

And you got Peyton Pritchard, your rookie of the year from long ago, averaging 17 points a game. I mean in 32 minutes. So he can win two if you want.

SPEAKER_03 6:37

Six, he can win two two straight six minutes of the year. It's very possible.

SPEAKER_01 6:41

I don't, but I don't think he's a six-manager. Like he is part of it, right?

SPEAKER_03 6:45

Like, yeah, but he he is it, but he comes off the bench though, technically, right?

Bench Roles And Sixth Man Debate

SPEAKER_01 6:49

I mean he's he's averaging one and a half minutes less per game than Jalen Brown and Derek White.

Trade Deadline Shakeup: Vucevic Fit

SPEAKER_03 6:55

But technically, he comes off the bench. So I think that's like I think he's eligible for that award. White and Brown start in the bat, or no, Pritchard doesn't. I mean, but I don't know. He starts he start he starts some nights, but some I don't think he starts most nights. But yeah, keep going.

SPEAKER_01 7:14

So I think there were there was a bit of a of a of a mix-up, not a mix-up, but uh I actually maybe a mix-up of the roster with the with also with with the trade deadline. Nikola Vusevich, right? He get we we get a center. We definitely we desperately needed points and rebounds to to fill that void, you know, that that we have left since KP. I mean, so far, it's it's not a big sample size. He's averaging what 14 points a game, but in the season, he's averaging almost 17 points, nine rebounds. How do you feel like how do you feel like he fits and or changes the way that Boston the what the Celtics can run an offense?

SPEAKER_03 7:54

I mean, I just think it adds he's like uh he's like bringing KP back into the offense. You know what I mean? It's that type of thing, it's that type of impact. It's a different kind of impact, but it's that same kind of stretch five where like he he's getting the rebounds, he can hit a three-point shot, he can hit, he can hit like a hard pick and roll. You know what I mean? And on defensive end, he's there in the middle. I mean, listen, I love Nimus Keda. I do. I love him, man. I think he's a great center. I think I think he I think he is very serviceable, but you he's not gonna get you a championship. You know what I mean? You can't be like game six, NBA championship, NBA finals against the fucking, I don't know, against against Jokic, and then you're trying Kater. You know what I mean? Like that can't be what you're doing. That just can't be what you do. So yeah, Vuji, he he he adds a lot to the team, he does. And I don't think he's I've I've I've I don't like giving up Simons, but like you know, but like it is what it is. Do they do they needed this more than that?

SPEAKER_01 9:01

Yeah, do they give up Simons if they don't think Tatum's coming back this year?

SPEAKER_03 9:08

Hmm, good question. I mean, right, because they love they know that they know the scoring is coming, they know the scoring is coming, right?

SPEAKER_01 9:19

But also like Vusevich changes the the geometry of the Celtics on the floor, right? He there's more scoring and spacing at center, more rebounding, which is what we needed, and to your point, like he does give them a different option other than Keda from the five positions. So I do feel like you know, DK said uh I just want Brad to draft like to go after a center that's over seven feet, and I feel that I do, but it kind of feels like this guy's a good fit. He's like he's like a better Rafe La Friends, not a good not as good of a KP, but it's what we need.

SPEAKER_03 9:54

Yeah, he's definitely better than Rafael Friends. Yeah, not as well.

SPEAKER_01 9:58

Rafe LaFriends was an all-star, not here, but not here.

SPEAKER_03 10:02

I in what was it, Denver? Was it Denver as an all-star? Dallas? Dallas, Dallas, Dallas, yeah, it was Dallas. Rafael France, what a name. That's great. So, you know, I like Bucevic, I do. I was pumped when they got him. It's a guy where like you got him and you're like, ah, I wish we got him two years ago. You know what I mean? That's that's that's what it is. It's like I wish I wish this was two years ago, because that's he was the type of guy that we were clamoring for, you know, until we got KP, I guess.

The Tatum Question: Return Timelines

SPEAKER_01 10:33

Yeah, let's say if you have if you have him, you don't get it. You'd probably not win a title. Yeah, that's true. Which leads us to the main event of this segment. Okay. Jason Tatum has been kind of wishy-washy in the media about whether he's gonna come back or not. He has started scrimmaging five on five. He is practicing in the D-League. He's telling people uh in private that he's considering sending out the entire season. And the NBC has just bumped the Celtics game on March 1st from the the regular, I think the time was supposed to be right around like 5 30, and now they've moved it to an 8 p.m. game streaming on Peacock against Philly. I I will be there. Do you think nice nice do you think that that is signaling that Tatum will be back by March 1st? Oh wow, no fucking way. That'd be wow. I mean, we saw him we saw him dunking in November. It's a podcast, Bobby. I need I need I need noise.

SPEAKER_03 11:47

Yeah, no, I know, I know it is, I know. I'm thinking, I'm just doing listen, I remember when I'm pondering if if an ACL listen, I'm thinking about what was June? It was June? Yeah, but it was like June is when he blew it up. It's just this Achilles, it's just as Achilles, yeah. I mean, I guess it's possible. And I guess it depends on if they need those games. I think they hold them out until the playoffs if they don't need to, except for like maybe the end of the season where they give them some warm-up going. But I don't think they need to bring them back three months early. If they're first or second in the conference, I don't know if they need to rush that back, man. They're gonna wait till that is 100%.

SPEAKER_01 12:24

What do we always see though when stars are you know, players are trying to come back in the regular season, right? Towards the end of the playoffs.

SPEAKER_03 12:31

They they do we don't need we know we don't need them to blow it out again, man.

SPEAKER_01 12:35

Just wait. But typically they they wait until like the last week of the year, last like last two weeks of the season, and then we we see that that player is gassed in the playoffs. What if they just play him three games a month for the rest of the year to get him make sure that all the cobwebs are off for the postseason? I mean, also he bet he better wear fucking he better wear fucking high top shoes. No, no, no more of this. Like, we don't need we don't need to see this anymore.

SPEAKER_03 13:02

Yeah, man. I think that'd be I think that's personal. Personally, I think that would be early. I think that would be a mistake. I'm not saying they're not gonna do it. That's not what I'm saying. I I'm not saying I but I think if you bring him back early and he hurts himself again, man. Let me ask you a question. Those Achilles, those ACLs, like you gotta let especially basketball players, he needs to be explosive. Tatum needs to be athletic, tatum needs to be the guy. You know what I mean? He he you can't he can't come back. You know, how long was how long was Duranto? That's that's what I mean. That's that's the only comparable one that you have. Like I think it's a it's gonna be closer to at least 10 months. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_02 13:47

However, however, so it's April, May.

SPEAKER_03 13:52

You know what I mean?

Risk, Minutes, And Playoff Readiness

SPEAKER_01 13:52

May beginning of May and Do you think do you think there's a sh uh any chance that his doctors would have cleared him for five on fives if if he was not actually ready to push it? Because I don't think he'd sniff a court right now if if his team thought that there's any chance that he could he could blow it out again. More than more than any other person's chance. You know what I mean? I don't think we'd be seeing him doing running five on five scrimmages right now if he wasn't fully cleared.

SPEAKER_04 14:21

I think he's cleared. That's crazy.

SPEAKER_03 14:31

I mean, he did get the surgery really fast. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01 14:35

So, like within within 48 hours, he had the search. Let me ask you a question. If this was football, dude, and you saw a wide receiver who had torn his ACL, Stefan Diggs, Tyree Kill, and they're practicing in pads, they've been cleared. They're cleared to play.

SPEAKER_03 14:51

Now, whether the team lets them March 1st, that's what? That's the week and a half away.

SPEAKER_01 14:59

I mean, listen, unless they think Embiid's gonna be fully healthy for that game, and then they moved it from a a 6 30 start to an 8 o'clock start. But there's a weird it's weird that Peacock and NBC would pick that game and say, I want it, and move it to 8 p.m. for no reason.

SPEAKER_03 15:20

I mean it is Celtics Philly.

SPEAKER_01 15:23

Yeah, but without Tatum or indeed.

SPEAKER_03 15:27

But it's still second in the conference. What is Philly? Fourth?

SPEAKER_01 15:30

Fifth? Philly is currently sixth. Sixth?

SPEAKER_03 15:36

So it's two playoff teams, you know. It's still two playoff teams.

SPEAKER_01 15:44

Okay, but answer my first question. Is there any chance that he would actually be scrimmaging five on five if he wasn't cleared? No, there isn't. No.

SPEAKER_03 15:55

I don't want him to do it again. But yeah, I guess it's very possible. Week and a half away. That seems crazy.

SPEAKER_01 16:01

If he returns it even, let's say like 80 to 90 percent, right? You gotta you gotta imagine that the Celtic Shark Creation and Matchup Nightmare Factor probably go way fucking up, right? It but where they're in a good spot. I think this is the perfect spot for them to be. You didn't want to be in the ninth seed coming up and then saying we really need Tatum to make the playoffs, or like the seventh seed, we really need him to get out of the play and because we because we want to make a run. Right now, Boston isn't like the Celtics have the best of both worlds, they're they're in the two seed that where they are exceeding expectations. They they actually don't need him to play 35 minutes a game. But are you telling me that if you have the option to get Tatum to come in and play 15 to 18 minutes a game, you don't do that? Why? Why don't you do that?

SPEAKER_03 16:53

You don't want him to get hurt again.

SPEAKER_01 16:56

You don't want to get hurt. So he should never play basketball again.

The League Is Wide Open

SPEAKER_03 17:00

No, no, that's not what I'm saying. I I just it just seems it seems very early, but 15 to 18 minutes a game, I would get behind. You just don't need it yet, is what scares me. But you're right, you don't want it to be necessity, you don't want it to to press on it, you want to ease back. I get all that. So I guess I guess it is it is it is a feasibility. Yeah, if he's cleared, he's cleared, man. If he's cleared, so nope.

SPEAKER_01 17:26

So operating under the assumption that that that he's cleared, because obviously he wouldn't be able to participate in any of these drills if he wasn't. That's just my opinion. But you know, we've been around a long time. Let's say that we know that he's cleared. And he doesn't play.

SPEAKER_04 17:39

Do you think any less of him? No. Really?

SPEAKER_03 17:49

I mean not if the team is not if not not if we're second in the conference and okay, but what if we're second in the conference and we go to the Eastern and we go what do you Bobby?

SPEAKER_01 18:01

What if we're second in the conference and we go to the Eastern Conference Finals and we lose because we didn't have Jason Tatum?

SPEAKER_03 18:06

What if what what if we I mean would he so I'm saying, yeah, if he doesn't come back at all, yeah, for sure. Right. For sure we're holding that against him. Oh, yeah. Okay, that's what I'm saying. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Yeah, we find out he's cleared and he doesn't come back. Yeah, if he doesn't come back at all, we're definitely, we're definitely holding that shit again. 100%. Yeah, forever. Forever. I love it, but that's forever. Maybe not forever.

SPEAKER_01 18:32

But I mean, you did name your your firstborn after him, so I mean I mean I named my child after him, so correct.

SPEAKER_03 18:38

Yeah, I name my child second. Secondborn. Second, oh that's right. Secondborn.

SPEAKER_01 18:44

It feels like it was all yesterday. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 18:47

But listen, I think the theme of this show they're they're four, they're they're four and a one's three, by the way.

SPEAKER_01 18:55

That's so wild. I think the theme of this show should really center around currently, right now, the NBA is wide open. And and I would just pose this question to you. Is this the most wide open that we've seen the NBA in let's say the last 10 years?

SPEAKER_04 19:23

I think it's been wide open for a few years, but yeah, it's pretty wide open this year.

Cleveland’s All-In Gamble

SPEAKER_03 19:26

I mean, there's no real favorite. You know, there's been a lot of movement, there's a lot of things that happen. A lot of the favorite even OKC has been, you know, they've been they took a little bit of a step back, at least recently. You know, they were very hot at first. I think they started out what 18 and 1, and now they they definitely took 42 and 14. I mean, yeah, this is yeah. Yeah, I mean, you know, like OKC is definitely the best team. But yeah, there it's pretty there's a lot of there's a lot of parry this year in the NBA, for sure. For sure.

SPEAKER_01 20:02

Uh so like I would just say listen, right now, like you're not gonna you're not gonna have you're not gonna have a 70-winth like juggernaut team. The top seeds in each conference, they feel strong, but it's it's not like they don't feel inevitable. And for the first time in quite a long time, the finals matchup might depend more on actual health than dominance throughout the throughout the year. Again, aka Tatum. So I I right now, I mean, unless OKC goes on a tear, I would just say like the NBA doesn't have a dynasty problem right now because no team really scares you, right?

SPEAKER_03 20:47

Yeah, but there's definitely Miami Heat, there's no Lakers, there's no Spurs, there's there's there's there's none of those guys for sure. I mean Yeah, no, I I I I definitely agree with that 100%. There's there's there's no there's no established superstar either. I think is really what it is. There's there's a bunch of guys that are really, really, really good, really elite, you know, superstars, but there's no guy anymore. There's LeBron, but he's what 42. So, you know, he's definitely on the back end, you know, he's still there. You know, you got Wemby who's young. You got OKC out of S C A. You know, Spurs Jokic, you know, you got you gotta that's true. There's Spurs are something Wemby. Wemby's different level. Wemby's different level. He definitely is the next guy, for sure. But I agree with that that there's no there's no dominant force at the moment.

SPEAKER_01 21:51

So knowing that don't we have to really hold it against Tatum if he decides to sit out the whole year? And not come back for the playoffs.

SPEAKER_03 22:03

Yeah, no, we're definitely all for sure. There's no doubt about it. There's no because you know you have a chance to win two out of three at this point. So, you know, that's that's that's something that's on the table for you.

SPEAKER_01 22:19

So, but there are and I would say like a team that does recognize that the East and really the entire league is wide open, is Cleveland, right? Cav the Cavs go all in on pairing up Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. Say what you want about James Harden.

SPEAKER_03 22:35

Do you like comparing? Watching it. What do you think?

SPEAKER_01 22:38

I mean, offensively, yeah. One of the things, you know, James Harden will always be a one, a like a top five choke artist for me of all time. But the one thing I'm not gonna say about him is he does like he doesn't sit out games in in a in an era where we're all talking about load management and tanking. James Harden shows up and he plays. You just know he's gonna fall apart in the final in the big game. So he plays offensively. He plays offensively. He well, he's never played defensively. It's not, I mean, it's not what he does. That's why you get mobly, that's why you have you know the rest of the guys, I guess. So what do you what do you no no, what do you think about I mean, is this Cleveland saying we're going all in and we're just gonna we're just gonna outscore everybody?

Mazulla’s Coaching Resume Tested

SPEAKER_03 23:19

I mean, that's definitely the statement that they've made. I think it also tells you that what they think of Mobly now, and if they're healthy, it's just a matter if they're fucking healthy. You know what I mean? I think that's what it what it matters what what they're what they're betting on is is those two guys being healthy, and that's I think this is their going all in. If this doesn't work now, we're gonna probably fucking blow this shit up, I think is what they're doing personally. I mean, would you be surprised? Would you be surprised if after this year, you know, if if Allen gets hurt, if Mobley gets hurt, those are the two guys that if they get hurt, it fucks the whole thing up. And that's that's really what it rests on. Listen, I you know what you're gonna get from Donovan Mitchell. You know what I mean. You know, if Harden shows up, you know what you're getting from James Harden. He's probably not going to. Probably not going to, but you know, you know. You know, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:19

But yeah, yeah, you know, in the playoffs, you know that James that James Harden's gonna get 15 points on six of 38 shooting, if you let him. So don't let him do that. But listen, to your point, I just want to push back on you a little bit because you always say, like you just said, like we we know what we're gonna get from Donovan Mitchell. Do we know what we're gonna get from him in the playoffs? Has he ever made it through an entire postseason healthy? No, that's true.

SPEAKER_03 24:43

Yeah, that's true. I guess we know what we're gonna get from him at night. He's gonna get hurt. He always gets hurt in the postseason, too. It's always it's always after they're up 2-1 in the series, and all of a sudden it's Donovan Mitchell with some elbow injury or some like this injury, and you know what I mean. That's a he's out for two games, and all of a sudden the calves are buying.

SPEAKER_01 25:01

But listen, your starting five is Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Mobley, Jared Allen, Garland. I mean, that's formidable. And I would say if if you let James Harden be your number two or your number three, I would say number three. That seems really dangerous. If you need him to be your number one, he can't. He can in the regular season, but in my opinion, he just cannot do it in the postseason. So do you think that you know currently Cleveland's in the fourth seed? Do they make do they make a run for the top seed? Or or do you think they're they're relegated to you know three through six?

SPEAKER_03 25:48

I think they're relegated two to three. I don't think they're gonna make a run at the top seed. So bring me down to standards right now.

SPEAKER_01 25:55

Yeah, so it's the Pistons, uh, which we'll talk about. Number one. Uh number two is Celtics, three is the Knicks, and the Knicks can't ever beat the Pistons. The Cavs at four, Raptors at five, Sixers at six, Magic at seven, heat at eight, Hornets at nine. And but the I just want to put a caveat on the Hornets. They're nine and one of their last ten. Though they are they're absolutely surging, so we could talk a little bit about them. And then the Hawks at 10, but you know, what the fuck are the Hawks?

SPEAKER_03 26:25

Yeah, no, agree.

SPEAKER_01 26:27

Fuck the Hawks.

SPEAKER_03 26:29

So it's funny. I've seen a lot of memes of like fuck the Hornets think they are invading the bubble. The the traditional bubble teams. And it's like the heat, it's like the heat, and like all, you know what I mean, all those guys. So, no, I think I think the caves are saying right where they are. I mean, I I I believe in the Pistons, I believe in Cade. That's that's for sure. 100% I believe in Cade Cunningham. So I I I think the Celtics, they're only gonna get better. You know, if even if was it, even if Tatum didn't come back, I think the Celtics is still just as good of a team as the Cavs are right now. I mean, they've shown that they are so far this year in the Eastern Conference when they're ahead of them so already. So, yeah, no, I I I think the Cavs are staying right when they are. I don't think they they they can climb any higher. I think they are who they are. And they it'll take it'll take Harden and Mitchell showing up and playing above and beyond what we've seen in the past for them to make that run. You know what I mean? The Cavs aren't just gonna the Cavs aren't just gonna be you know who they've been so far this year. Like they're gonna have to to be a different level, especially Harden and Mitchell, man. They're gonna have to show us something special for them to be better than the Pistons and Cavs, in my opinion.

Passing The Torch To New Stars

SPEAKER_01 27:52

Again, if you're relying on James Harden at this in 2026, I think we have a we might have a problem. Agreed, agreed. So last question about the Celtics. Well, maybe I might change my mind. Given that we know what we know so far this season, you know, no Tatum, no Drew Holiday, no KP, and the Celtics are in second, what does this say about Joe Mazzo's ability to coach to you? And has this for you, has this solidified him as the coach, you know, for like the next, let's say, five or six years?

SPEAKER_03 28:30

Yeah, I mean, I think so. I I I I I think the championship already did personally. I I think it did at least for the foreseeable future, but I think it put a lot of doubters back into their place. You know what I mean? I I think it really did. So, yeah, I I 100% do. You know what I mean? Because who else who else is gonna come in here and done what he's done in the time span that he's been here? You know what I mean? Listen, he say what you will about last year, about the way that ended. Say what you will about the way he handles certain things, or the boy we play some nights down the stretch. You know what I mean? Say what you will about the three-pointers and like go with Joe Mizo Ball, whatever the fuck it is. You know what I mean? It it is what it is, man. He's here in three years, I mean two and a half, I guess. We won a championship, had one of the best teams in the NBA. When was it Jason Chair?

SPEAKER_01 29:33

Three three three and a half.

SPEAKER_03 29:34

Three and a half years, yeah, three and a half years. Okay. We won a championship. So what what is it? Championship.

SPEAKER_01 29:43

No, no, no, it was Eastern Conference Finals. Lost to the channel. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 29:47

Lost to the Heat. The Heat, yeah, the Heat, the championship, and then last year, and then so far this year. So yeah. I I give it to him, man. It's been a success so far. You know what I mean? He's he's literally blown Jason Tatum, Achilles, from a possible repeat last year.

SPEAKER_01 30:06

They were not winning that series.

SPEAKER_03 30:08

You know, you think it was happening anyways?

SPEAKER_01 30:10

Yeah, that's true.

SPEAKER_03 30:10

It was over by that point. You're right.

SPEAKER_01 30:13

You and I were watching the same series, right? They were getting dog watched. It was over already.

SPEAKER_03 30:16

It was over already.

SPEAKER_01 30:17

You're right.

SPEAKER_03 30:18

We we blew two straight 20-point leads. All right, so that's it was two two blown 20 straight leads, two straight blown 20-point leads from two back-to-back championships. So, I mean, yeah, say what you will. It's been a success so far, in my opinion. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01 30:37

PK's gonna hate that answer, but well, that was like the worst ringing endorsement I've ever heard of someone. So, like, yeah, oh, I would say the anomaly is is the championship.

SPEAKER_03 30:46

How is that an anomaly though? They went to an ECF, which they've gone damn good.

SPEAKER_01 30:52

Yep. And they blew a lead uh against uh against the Heat. And then they they what what haters would say is then they won a championship in a year where everyone was falling prey to injuries in the postseason. I would tell them that those people forget that we also lost Porzingis for the literal the entire run until until the finals. But then to to get to get their asses beat the way that they did against a Knicks team that I mean Thibodeau had that had all five starters playing like 40 minutes a game for the entire season. We had we had the most talented team last year, and we lost. So I I would say in her in and now the three and a half seasons, yeah, you you'll he'll he'll get you a deep playoff run for sure. But I I I think this regular season does a lot for me because we always just like I I would always say it's easy to be a coach when you have two all-stars. And they have two of the top 10, you know, maybe top 15 players in the league. So sure. But you lose, you lose Jason Tatum, and you're still in second. It's pretty good.

Rapid-Fire West Storylines

SPEAKER_03 32:09

Yeah, it's pretty damn good. It's it's very aggravating to watch them sometimes. It is, it is very aggravating, but it's been a success, especially this year. I I I think the players are completely butt in. I think is the most is the most ringing endorsement, is the players are all in. You know what I mean? There's never any resentment down the line from anyone, especially especially the the lower tier players. You know what I mean? I think that's especially I I really like what happened with Peyton Pritchard too. I feel like that's that's awesome that like a dude that wanted to be traded less than three, four years ago is now like an integral part of a team, and he's not even a star. He's not even a starter. You know what I mean? He's not even a starter. So like it's it's it's it's wild to me. Yeah. So I think that's that's a very ring endorsement is how much the players have bought into the system, how much the players have bought into the coach. I I and I like Joe Ball. I do. It's very frustrating at times, but it works, man. It's it it's very very fitting for today's NBA. It fits it fits what's happening. You know what I mean? Yep. You want to win, shoot some fucking threes. That's it. Literally, just shoot threes. Just shoot threes.

SPEAKER_01 33:33

One of one of the themes that I think is really like really showed itself more this season is this is like this is the passing of the torch for Aris, right? And the way that I would define this is you have the rookie and the future. Cooper Flag. I think he's already exceeded expectations. You can see that Dallas really, really agrees with that too, because they they went off and they traded Anthony Davis. They're they're gonna they're gonna really build around this kid. He's averaging 20 points a game. He's keeping that team relevant, and then you have you know, LeBron and Steph, they're kind of fading. I would say Shea, Luca, Giannis, J, uh, you know, JB, JT, that era is fully here. So if you're I would say as a casual NBA fan, like I am, you're more of a diehard, and I I'll I'll pick back up now. The football season's over. The transition from Jordan to LeBron, it was a hard transition. Like everyone wants to say like he's the king, but the way the basketball was played, like you could really see there was a decrease in in in almost everything. But I do think that we're in a spot right now with the NBA where the future has never looked better. And I I wonder what you think.

SPEAKER_03 34:55

I agree. So it's kind of like a backwards take on like there's too many stuff. Some people hate the parody, you know what I mean? But but the parody just means, like you said, that there's a lot, uh it's exactly what we were saying, right? There's a lot of star players in the NBA right now. I agree with that, man. And it's cool to see all the old players playing alongside all these new guys, too, which is awesome, man. But yeah, I agree with that. It's it's what what's a little scary, what's what's cool about it is they're not teaming up. And I don't think that's what's gonna happen. You know what I mean? What was a little shitty about the last generation is they all decided to fucking play together and all of a sudden we had all these super teams. I think these new generations of guys love now.

SPEAKER_01 35:42

When you say that, you mean LeBron and KD.

SPEAKER_03 35:45

LeBron, KD, D Wade, Chris Bosch, you know what I mean? Harden, Chris Paul. Like there was all there was all these combination.

SPEAKER_01 35:55

Just remember Dwayne Wade was a finals MVP and a champion without LeBron.

SPEAKER_03 36:00

Well, agreed, agreed. He was. I'm not I'm not hating on the accomplishments of D. Wade. I'm just saying that generation of guys all decided we're gonna play together and we're gonna do super teams. Which is fine. Which is fine, but like, but but like I don't think today's guys are gonna do that. I think it's gonna be, you know what I mean? It's it's gonna be guys that love playing again. Like, Ant's not gonna fucking decide, you know what, I'm gonna go join up with fucking I don't know, Jalen Johnson. Uh yeah, Shay. And right, that's that's that's just not gonna fucking happen, man. And that's the way it and that's the way it was in the election, and I think that's awesome.

SPEAKER_01 36:44

Ant could decide that he wants to play with Wendy.

SPEAKER_03 36:48

Everyone would decide they play with Wendy.

SPEAKER_01 36:50

I'm I'd play with Wendy. But I maybe this is a terrible question. If it is, let me know why, and I'm I'm guilty of it too. When we talk about super teams and we scoff at it, like you know, LeBron and Katie, like I just did. Why don't we talk about Pierce, Garnett, and Rael in the same way?

SPEAKER_03 37:12

Because they were put together.

SPEAKER_01 37:14

You think that's it? Because they didn't they didn't just say we're all gonna go there?

SPEAKER_03 37:19

Yeah, because they were put together. Because it was something that wasn't their decision. Ainge, that was Ainge's creation, you know what I mean? That was Ainge being like Frankenstein. I mean, like, this is my big three. Now the other big threes were like, all right, that was it was KD joining with the Warriors, it was LeBron joining with the Heat, it was embosculing with the Heat, it was Harden.

SPEAKER_01 37:45

It's so wild that the Oklahoma City Thunder had Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and Kevin Durant. And they, you know, they just decided to blow that up. Like you had us, you had a homegrown Warriors team right there.

SPEAKER_03 38:05

Yeah, it's crazy.

SPEAKER_01 38:07

It is crazy. In your opinion, has the NBA entered its most talented and balanced era of our lifetime.

SPEAKER_03 38:19

Wow. Yeah, yeah, I would say that. I mean, go down. So think about the top five in the NBA right now. So it's Wendy, Luca.

SPEAKER_04 38:34

Tatum if he's housing. I don't know if he's three.

SPEAKER_02 38:38

It's like not three, not three.

SPEAKER_03 38:40

I'm just it's he's definitely not three. It's one of those.

SPEAKER_02 38:44

It's it's Wendy, Lucas, Shay, S G A, and Jokic, Cade Cunningham.

SPEAKER_03 38:52

No, Cunningham's not above Tatum. This season he is. He's playing. This season he is, but Tatum's not healthy this season. That's true. This season, yeah. Cunningham sex, yeah. I'd say Cunningham 6 this year. Sorry.

SPEAKER_01 39:09

Just in terms of scoring, right? Here's the top 10. Luca, Shea, and JB, Jonathan Mitchell, Tyrese Maxie, who's had a fucking amazing year, Jokic, Kawhi, Steph, and Jalen Brunson.

SPEAKER_04 39:29

Steph's still there. Yeah, that's crazy that Steph's still there. Steph.

SPEAKER_03 39:38

Yeah, it's pretty it's a pretty deep talent pool, man. And and you think Jalen's in that in that top ten is pretty amazing. You know what I mean? That's that's we've we've gone a long time without talking about it. Yeah, I think it's pretty amazing, man, that that Jalen's in the top three. Yeah, he's up there.

SPEAKER_01 39:57

That's great. Rapid fire round. Are you disappointed in in Houston? Should they be doing better than they are? Right now they're fourth in the West, 33 and 20.

SPEAKER_03 40:08

Katie's a bitch, man. Katie's sucks. And he's talking shit, too. That's the funniest part. Do you see that that Twitter thing? That he was like he's such a mental and shit like that, dude. He's so he's terrible. And like he's even talking shit about his current fucking teammates. Like, any team with KD on it at this point in his career, if KD is gonna be a center point of that team, that team is fucked. It is. Look at the song last year. Look at look at the the nets, you know what I mean? It it like it never works out. He always requests a trade. KD's KD's toxic, man. That man is toxic.

SPEAKER_01 40:49

But like you went into the season, you're you're thinking KD, you got Sangun, you got Thompson, Jabari. Like this should be a team that that wins 55, 60 games, right? And right now they're sitting at 33 and 20. Yep. Yeah, I mean, don't put so do you think are they overachieving or underachieving? Under that 33 and 20.

SPEAKER_04 41:20

I mean overachievement. No, underachieving. Underachieving for sure.

SPEAKER_01 41:28

Are have the Spurs arrived back to the party sooner than you thought they were going to? Currently they're sitting 38 and 16.

SPEAKER_03 41:36

Yes. Absolutely. Wemby. Excuse me. Wemby's a monster. Wemby's some fucking monster, man.

SPEAKER_01 41:45

Averaging 25 points, 11 rebounds, and then you know, you got I I do love the combination of him and De'Aaron Fox. Yeah, that's a good combo. They build that up around him, we're we're gonna be in a good spot. Okay, more from the West. Will LeBron be the reason the Lakers don't make a deep playoff run?

SPEAKER_03 42:05

No, I think Luca overshadows it, and I think Luca Luca brings home.

SPEAKER_01 42:11

Like brings him to the finals?

SPEAKER_03 42:14

No, no, like makes a deep playoff run. I think the Lakers make the Western Conference finals.

SPEAKER_01 42:19

Alright, so you have the final four.

SPEAKER_03 42:21

I have them in the final four again.

SPEAKER_01 42:24

Is it finals or bust for Ant and the Timberwolves? Yeah, I think it's time for Ant to get to the finals.

SPEAKER_03 42:30

I do. I thought I thought they were getting to the finals two years ago. So yeah, I I think I think it's time for them to get there. He has he has the surrounding pieces. I mean, listen, they they legit traded Mike Conley, and then he came back. Like that's that's that's that's just wild. So yeah, no, I think I think it's the year, this is the year for the T-Wolves to come out of the West.

SPEAKER_01 42:54

Is this the last year of Steph Curry and Draymond Grant?

SPEAKER_03 42:58

Yeah, it was almost the last year before before the trade deadline. If Yanos, if Giannis was coming to the Warriors, Draymond was going to the Bucks. So yes, I think it is.

SPEAKER_01 43:10

Given that this is our first show post-all-star break, who wins at the Easter conference right now?

SPEAKER_04 43:19

Celtics.

SPEAKER_01 43:21

Alright. Who wins the West? T Wolves. Oh, Celtics T-Wolves. I I do like that matchup for us. Uh I I think it's listen, I I think it's Detroit and the Spurs. And I think that finals would be absolutely wild. But I do think the that the Western Conference finals will be, I hope it matches up to me Jokic versus Wemby. I think that will be absolute fucking cinema. And I I I mean, I think if you can beat if you're Wemby and you and you can go through Jokic, that's That's incredible. Who wins MVP? Wendy. Wendy. Alright. And aside from Jason Tatum returning, what is the one storyline that could really just put a big fuck you into the head into the playoff plans?

SPEAKER_03 44:21

How is that not Jason Tatum returning?

SPEAKER_04 44:26

Into the playoff plans of what, everyone? Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 44:37

Wemby being a fucking monster, I guess, man. Wemby Wemby just taking the league over and just being like, nope, this is my shit. Because yeah, that's that is a possibility. At some point in his career, I feel like that is gonna happen long playoff. It's just a matter of when. You know what I mean? So I guess that it is possible that this is the year that that does happen.

SPEAKER_01 45:00

I'm gonna tell you right now, uh, and I hate saying this, if Austin Reeves returns and is anywhere like he was at the beginning of the season, the Lakers are gonna be in a really good spot. Like if he gets back to his 27 points a night that he was averaging, and LeBron's back, and Lucas healthy, that then the Lakers could be in position for a deep playoff run. But I I do I do still think that LeBron's gonna fuck it all up because he that's what he does. He needs to make it all about him. Any anything else you want to talk about before we uh get the fuck out of here, Bobby?

SPEAKER_03 45:32

I'm just kind of scared. Another storyline is you know, Jokic also could always take take it over. And he's kind of like sleeping right now. You're not really seeing much out of Jokic, and I think he could always take over a season. And uh look out for the nuggets coming out of the way. For sure.

Closing Thoughts And Sign-Off

SPEAKER_00 45:48

Love that. All right, this has been Mr. The Point for the real DK Bob Kelly, Mike Marcangelo. Stay with us next week. Talk to you later.