Havlicek Stole the Pod NBA Basketball Podcast

The Boston Celtics have a top-five Most Valuable Player candidate in Jaylen Brown and have cracked home court advantage in the Eastern Conference standings. The San Antonio Spurs have made the Oklahoma City Thunder look mortal again, but also lost to the Brooklyn Nets. The Cleveland Cavaliers appear to be frauds, and the hot start of the Detroit Pistons is slowing down while the Denver Nuggets are somehow staying afloat despite a number of injuries.At the midway point of the 2025-26 NBA regular season schedule, which teams are contenders, which are pretenders, and what do we think the Celtics are? To get some answers to these questions, the hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" sat down with Oklahoma City Thunder Wire editor Clemente Almanza.We also touch on the big trade sending Trae Young to the Washington Wizards, the rumbles about Boston interest in Los Angeles Clippers big man Ivica Zubac, and more, so be sure to tune in.Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Boston Celtics and the rest of the NBA are closing in on the midway point of the 2025-26 NBA regular season, and the players who signed new deals this offseason are becoming available to be dealt or will be soon. And with that, the rough outline of how the season might play out (and what teams can do to change those outcomes via trades) is coming into focus.Teams that don't have the horses to compete for titles will need to make hard choices under the current, punitive collective bargaining agreement (CBA), while others that are overachieving may need to decide whether their current successes are worth investing assets in. For the Celtics, what are the team's needs in the trade market? Bigs? Wings? Cutting salary regardless of the return? A mix of goals? The hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" sat down with HoopsHype's Cyro Asseo to talk about what Boston ought to do at the trade deadline, but also about wider trends in the league impacting the trade landscape and what other moves might be coming.We also get caught up on the news as Boston nears the end of the longest road trip of the season, so be sure to tune in.Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers play each other twice this week, but the parallels between the two Eastern Conference ball clubs go beyond the home-and-away series. Both teams were seen as so-called 'gap year' teams heading into the 2025-26 NBA regular season after their stars Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton went down in the 2025 NBA Playoffs with Achilles tears.They are having very different seasons so far, but they both might be looking to trade for the same or similar players at the 2026 trade deadline -- and might even be able to find trades between themselves worth looking into. To get a read on the game between these teams on Friday, what we saw from them Monday, and what both teams might look to do to get better, the hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" sat down with Kory Waldron of the "Full Access Hoops" podcast.We also cover the news around the Celtics and the NBA as per usual, so be sure to tune in to this week's episode!Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hall of Fame Boston Celtics big man Robert Parish has a reputation as one of the most guarded NBA stars of his era, and it is a not a reputation without merit, the intense criticism the Louisiana native went through early in his career set the tone for his stoic persona on and off the court. But in recent years, Parish has opened up to help tell the story of the team he won three of his four titles with -- and now, to tell his own story.Working alongside co-author Jacob Uitti, Chief (as the Celtics champion center was called for a nickname) Parish has given us an unprecedented window into his life and times as a key cornerstone of Celtics greatness in the 1980s in 'The Chief - the story of the Boston Celtics most enigmatic icon'. Parish doesn't stop there, though, diving deep into what came before he was dealt to Boston, and his historic longevity beyond the Celtics. From his earliest years picking up the sport, collegiate years, time on Team USA, and his later acts with the Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Bulls, this tome tells the full story of Parish and his Hall of Fame career.The hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" sat down with Uitti to talk about how the book came together, why Parish is opening up, and what we can expect to find in the bio of one of Boston's greatest stars, so be sure to tune in this week for a surprisingly rocking episode.Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How did the Boston Celtics lose to the Milwaukee Bucks (and what is going on with Giannis Antetokounmpo)? The Celtics dropped a game to the Bucks this past Thursday (Dec. 11) night at Fiserv Forum to the tune of 116-101, and to make matters worse, Milwaukee was without their star forward, Antetokounmpo on the sidelines for the next several games at least while he rests a calf strain.How did it happen? Does it change our opinion about Boston's hot start? And what do we know about Giannis wanting out of Milwaukee? Will he end up in the East? What teams are realistic trade partners for the Bucks, and can Boston get in on the deal to bring back a good player? Most importantly, how would such trades impact the Celtics?The folks behind "Havlicek Stole the Pod" sat down with "Gyro Step" podcast host Ti Windisch to talk all things Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks, and Boston Celtics, so be sure to tune in (and don't miss the surprise announcement in this bonus pod)!Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.