(You can also listen on Apple and Spotify)

The Boston Celtics are defying expectations this season. They’re third in the Eastern Conference with a 19-11 record, are on a four-game win streak, and are heading out West to face four teams with sub-500 records.

It might be a lofty goal, but with the current trajectory of the Celtics, there’s a chance they could hit the 40-20 mark in the coming months. However, Joe Mazzulla’s team would need to go 21-8 over their next 30 games to make it happen.

Can the current roster achieve such a lofty goal? Will changes at the trade deadline improve their chances? And does it even matter in the grand scheme of the season?

Boston is playing with house money this year. Nobody expected them to be among the better teams in the East. Still, it makes sense for them to chase the best record possible, especially if they have their eyes on a fairytale postseason run…

I mean, the Miami Heat had one of those playoffs a few years back. Isn’t Jaylen Brown playing at, or close to, the level we saw from Jimmy Butler that season?

Billy Calabrese and I dive into all this and a little more in today’s episode of the Celtics Chronicle podcast…Also available on YouTube…

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(You can also listen on Apple and Spotify)

Anfernee Simons saw his playing time limited to just 12 minutes as the Boston Celtics secured a win over the LA Clippers on Sunday.

The 26-year-old has been inconsistent to start the season, but at times, has provided valuable scoring off the bench. The primary issue has been how frequently the ball sticks in his hands when working in the half-court — where he leads the Celtics in average seconds per touch (4.39) and average dribbles per touch (3.94).

Joe Mazzulla has been cuthroat this season, yanking guys when they miss rebounds or when their shot isn’t falling. And while that style of coaching is clearly resonating with the roster, there is a risk of hurting players’ confidence. So, it will be interesting to see whether Simons responds or recoils at his limited playing time.

In today’s episode of the Celtics Chronicle podcast, I’m joined by Bruce Veliz (formerly of Celtics Digest) to discuss Simons’ limited minutes, where he’s struggling and why it’s important to get him going — both in terms of production and trade value.

The episode is also live on YouTube if you prefer to watch the show.

During the episode, we also touch on Derrick White and Payton Pritchard’s impressive night against the Clippers, how their roles are slightly adjusting and why that’s a good thing, and Sam Hauser’s shooting slump — where his gravity should still hold significant value.

If you haven’t already, please subscribe to the podcast feed and leave a *kind* review, as that helps the show grow — which ultimately helps the newsletter too :)

Thanks for reading The Celtics Chronicle! This post is public so feel free to share it.

When the Celtics fell to a 0-3 start on the season, talk of a potential tanking season began to gather steam. The Celtics own their draft pick heading into next summer, the 2026 draft class is deep, and the dream of adding an elite-level lottery pick was an easy sell for some sections of the fanbase.

However, back-to-back wins against the New Orleans Pelicans and Cleveland Cavaliers have likely given everyone some food for thought as far as tanking is concerned. We know this year’s team isn’t going to be bringing home a chip, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to be sub-500, either. Sure, it’s possible that Joe Mazzulla’s squad endures a losing season; however, at present, it feels like things could go either way.

With that being said, I was joined by Gary Webster — an 18-year season-ticket holder and former podcaster for “Section5ive” — to discuss Wednesday’s win over the Cavaliers, and more importantly, the pros and cons of potentially pulling the rug on the season.

So, tap in to today’s episode with Gary, and, of course, let us know if you are on “Team Tank” or “Team Competitive.”

As usual, if you prefer to watch these podcasts, the episode is already up on YouTube…