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

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The Boston Celtics elected to take a season star forward Jayson Tatum would be out much or all of the campaign to rehab a torn Achilles tendon to retool the roster, get younger, cheaper, out of the second apron and towards dodging the repeater tax, knowing the team would part ways with much of the core they won a title with in 2024. But then something weird happened -- the Celtics kept winning games even with players like Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, and Luke Kornet playing for other teams.

New additions like Josh Minott and Hugo Gonzalez exceeded expectations, and players like Neemias Queta and Jordan Walsh have taken significant leaps with what they can do on the court, while vets like Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard are flourishing in larger roles. Did we mention Tatum may return sooner than may be expected? How does this growth change the future of the Celtics? Should they make a push for a title run now in light of all the above? How important is it to make sure the roster gets under the tax, and how should they approach the trade deadline? Boston's surprise success is to be praised, but with it come some hard decisions.

To that end, the hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" linked up with CBS Sports analyst Sam Quinn to talk about the season so far for Boston, and how it may impact a series of interlinked decisions that were already complicated before the Celtics started looking so good. Tune in to hear our takes on what might come next -- and what we think the front office ought to do.

Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com

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The Boston Celtics know as well as any ball club in the NBA the importance of keeping your star players healthy after losing star forward Jayson Tatum to an Achilles injury that transformed their title window. But as we have seen around the NBA, it is not just Tatum dealing with serious injury this season. Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers, Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers, and others are currently working their way back from the same injury, and many other star players are riding the pine while waiting for calf injuries to heal. But what if there was a way to change the way we prevent such injuries? What if it weren't just NBA athletes who could benefit from the techniques some of the greatest minds in sports medicine are currently honing, but all of us? That's where the guest for this week's episode of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" comes in -- TrueHoop's Henry Abbott.

On this week's show, we dive into his new book, "Ballistic: The New Science of Injury-Free Athletic Performance," and how sports science is showing us new ways to prevent injury to not only athletes, but everyone.

We touch on everything from what exactly can be done to keep stars healthier to who is already making use of this tech -- and how it could impact Tatum's return to the court. We also cover the news around the Celtics and the league, so be sure to tune in.

Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com

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The holidays are upon us as the Boston Celtics gear up for one of the toughest stretches of their 2025-26 NBA regular season schedule, with games against some of the best Eastern Conference teams set to go down over the next week. And Thanksgiving falls right smack in the middle of that gauntlet for Boston. Will fans of the team be celebrating their success with a mighty feast, or drowning their sorrows in comfort food and family time?

Either way, there's a lot to be thankful for if you are a fan of the Celtics, the NBA, or in general despite some general bleakness in the world these days. To that end, the hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" put together a special Thanksgiving-oriented episode to help us get through the festive gatherings and tough opponents ahead of Boston this week.

We also get caught up on on the news, so grab some sides, settle in, and keep your fingers crossed while the Celtics remind us of at least some of what we should be thankful for.

Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com

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The last time the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons crossed paths, the Celtics were seen as a team leaning into development for the season and the Pistons an interesting ball club projected to end up somewhere in the middle of a weaker Eastern Conference milieu. Then the two teams played, and Detroit center Jalen Duren had what then seemed like an outlier game with 24 points and 18 rebounds in a 119-113 Pistons victory Boston might have won had it been able to keep up on the boards.

But as we near the end of the month of November and the two Eastern Conference clubs get ready to square off again, it's become clear both teams are better than many expected, and the Pistons especially so. Duren appears to have taken a major leap forward that compliments Cade Cunningham expertly, and while not on Detroit's level, Boston has shown they aren't trying to lose and might even make the actual playoffs come April.

The hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" got Motor City Hoops and Game Theory's Bryce Simon back on the pod to get us up to date on how Detroit has transformed their season and expectations with it, as well as getting an external set of eyes on how the Celtics have been playing of late. We of course preview their matchup and get caught up on news, so be sure to tune in this week.

Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com

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The Boston Celtics are the winningest team in the history of the NBA, and with that success comes a lot of historic moments that left indelible marks on our collective consciousness over the years. But with that success has also come a fair share of heartbreak that can only come from coming right up to the edge of winning it all and falling short.

These are the sort of moments that famed NBA writer and cultural historian Shea Serrano evokes in his new tome "Expensive Basketball," out as of late October at anywhere books are sold (Serrano prefers you grab it at an independent store if you can), and as alluded to above, it is not without a significant Celtics presence. The Hick From French Lick (Larry Bird, to you youngsters) has a prominent presence, and plenty of moments Boston fans would also like to forget pepper the book, which you should already be making plans to buy even before listening to the latest episode of "Havlicek Stole the Pod".

In it, the hosts sit down to talk about the book, how it came together, and why the sort of moments you just know are the expensive sort of basketball matter so much to us. We also get caught up on the news around the Celtics this week, so be sure to tune in.

Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com

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Beset with shooting slumps early in the season, trying to play faster and struggling with the results, and running into issues integrating new players are early-season road bumps that the Boston Celtics are trying to contend with (pun unintended) to start their 2025-26 campaign, but we could also easily be talking about the surprisingly underwhelming start of the Orlando Magic this season as well.

And these two Eastern Conference ball clubs will take the court at Kia Center this Friday, Nov. 7, to play a game included in the 2025 NBA Cup schedule. They will then follow it up with a rematch on Sunday, Nov. 9 as part of a home-and-home series hosted by the Magic. What's behind Orlando's rough start? Can the Celtics capitalize on their disjointed play to steal a win or two on the road? And what does the longer-term future hold for these teams based on what we've seen so far this season?

The hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" sat down with Rookie Wire editor Cody Taylor to talk about the team he covers and what's afflicting it to start 2025-26, and get caught up on all the important Celtics news to date. Be sure to tune in!

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Injuries and the collective bargaining agreement are impacting the early seasons of the Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets both, if in different ways. And these two teams will collide for the first time in the NBA's 2025-26 regular season this weekend as Boston hosts the Rockets at TD Garden this Saturday (Nov. 1). What can we expect from a Houston - Boston tilt without Fred VanVleet and Jayson Tatum? How are their respective seasons going so far -- and why? And what does a successful season look like for both ball clubs given what we know about each so far?

The hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" sat down with Rockets Wire editor Ben DuBose to talk over all things Celtics and Rockets, as well as getting caught up on all the important news making the rounds early in the season for Boston.

We even discuss the odd coaching connections between the two cities even beyond Ime Udoka, the pros and cons of a buzz cut on NBA performance and why a Derrick White trade to Houston is not likely to happen, so be sure to tune in to this week's pod.

Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com

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What have we learned about the Boston Celtics in their season opener vs. the Philadelphia 76ers? What things do they still need to work on? And what do we think about the Celtics season now that we have had our first look at how this version of the team on the court in games that count? The hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" wanted to take the pulse of the season now that we have the smallest of sample size to work with.

To that end, they linked up with NBC Sports Boston's Max Lederman to talk all things Celtics, Sixers, and the season ahead, from better play from the big men than expected to the poor perimeter defense, rim protection, and frequent mistakes one might expect from a team in the midst of a retooling campaign.

They also get into the news -- and boy is there some explosive news with regard to Scary Terry and co. -- as well as the historic debut we witnessed of Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe, so be sure to tune in.

Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com

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Preseason for the Boston Celtics has come and gone, and Opening Night for the NBA's 2025-26 regular season is coming soon. With it comes a tilt with the Celtics' Atlantic Division rivals, the Philadelphia 76ers, at a moment where neither team is on especially solid footing regarding their respective futures. We have a basic idea of what this version of the Celtics will play like after letting Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet go, but little clarity about how that will play out on the court.

Much could be said for the Sixers as well, and Boston has about as tough of a two-week start beyond that with games vs. the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, New Orleans Pelicans, and Cleveland Cavaliers before facing the 76ers again. To get a bead on what Boston should expect from Philly, whether Joel Embiid and Paul George will be healthy, and how the East might look to start the coming campaign, the hosts of "Havlicek Stole the Pod" sat down with Sixers Wire editor and friend of the pod Ky Carlin.

We even touch on how Joe Mazzulla might have transformed media games around the NBA, so be sure to tune in while we wait for the season to start.

Outro: Whistle by Benjamin Banger - https://tiny.ee/Jk4U or BenJaminBanger.com

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