Locked On Knicks - Daily Podcast On The New York Knicks

The Lesson The Knicks Can Learn From The Celtics Reload

September 20, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The Boston Celtics won a championship two years ago, then lost in the first round last season. The New York Knicks, meanwhile, are the defending champions. But the roster churn in Boston has been dramatic: Jason Tatum and Derrick White are the only starters left from that title team. John Karalis of the Locked on Celtics podcast joined Gavin Shaw to explain why the Celtics have reshuffled so aggressively, what the Knicks can learn from their approach, and how the NBA’s new second-apron rules are reshaping how contenders think about their windows.

Why Boston Fell and What They Fixed

The Celtics’ first-round collapse against the Sixers last spring was not a philosophical failure—it was a shooting failure. Karalis emphasized that the popular narrative blaming the team’s three-point volume misses the point. “They missed a lot of twos. They missed a lot of layups. They just missed everything all over the place.” Jalen Brown fell into his worst habits with offensive fouls, and Jason Tatum was still working back from his Achilles injury. Karalis is blunt about what that series meant: “I would sacrifice that first round loss to get Jason Tatum back and have him figure out who he is post-Achilles.” Even if the Celtics had beaten the Sixers, he says, “the Celtics were not beating the Knicks last season.”

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What you'll learn

1 (01:32) **Introduction & Guest Setup** - Host Gavin Shaw sets up the episode with John Karalis of Locked On Celtics, framing the discussion around the Knicks' championship defense and what lessons they can learn from the Celtics' roster reload.
2 (03:25) **Why the Celtics Lost: Shooting Collapse & Tatum's Return** - John identifies the root cause of the 2024 playoff failure: a team-wide shooting slump that exposed deeper structural issues.
3 (06:28) **The Philosophy Shift: Doubling Down on Threes** - The guest explains how Boston’s offseason moves (acquiring Paul George, Mitchell Robinson) seem counterintuitive to the lessons of the playoff loss but actually reinforce their core identity.
4 (08:42) **The "Specific Role" Theory for Starting Lineups** - John introduces a crucial concept about modern NBA construction: positional versatility is overrated without players content to fill specific, defined roles.
5 (11:49) **Mazzulla Ball: The "Two-on-One" Philosophy** - A deep dive into Joe Mazzulla’s offensive system, explaining why the Celtics shoot so many threes and what the real goal is.
6 (15:54) **The Rim-Finishing Problem & Mitchell Robinson's Role** - John details how the Celtics plan to solve their rim-finishing deficiency by using Mitchell Robinson as a lob threat, changing their offensive calculus.
7 (18:46) **Celtics-Knicks Matchup: The Center War** - Analyzing the specific tactical battle between the two teams, focusing on how each can attack the other’s weaknesses.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Gavin Shaw

Show Notes

The Boston Celtics face a defining crossroads after their championship glow fades, as Jayson Tatum’s evolving role and the Jaylen Brown-for-Paul George blockbuster reshape expectations. Can the Celtics’ reliance on three-point shooting and positional versatility keep pace with the defending NBA champion New York Knicks and rising Eastern Conference powers?

Tatum’s recovery, rim pressure concerns, and Joe Mazzulla’s coaching philosophy set the stage for a season full of strategic questions.

Gavin Schall and John Karalis break down Boston’s playoff collapse against the Philadelphia 76ers, the impact of Mitchell Robinson’s arrival, defensive matchups with Karl-Anthony Towns, and whether the Celtics will make a splashy in-season trade or stand pat under tax constraints. Key topics include the second apron’s effect on roster building, Paul George’s fit next to Tatum, and Boston’s championship window. Are the Celtics still a legitimate threat to the Knicks’ reign?

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