View From The Rafters: Behind the Scenes with the Boston Celtics

Bill Russell, Tommy Heinsohn and KC Jones told stories for decades about their basketball dynasty during the 1950s and 1960s. But what was it like growing up as one of their children during those epic dynasty years?

Karen Russell, Paul Heinsohn and Bryna Jones, who are children of those three NBA legends and Basketball Hall of Famers, came together for a special episode that revolved around that exact topic. Amid the conversation, they discuss parallels between those great dynasty teams,and the teams of the present that are headlined by Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.

00:40: Growing up as a kid during Celtics dynasty years
03:02: Differences between being a Celtics kid now, versus back in the day
08:30: How social media reconnected the “Dynasty Kids”
11:33: Why KC Jones is under-appreciated, and how Red Auerbach respected his players
14:12: What it was like having an NBA coach as a dad
22:35: The care Russell, Heinsohn, Jones and the Celtics had for one another
23:50: The Celtics dynasty teams used to do what?!
26:55: Reflecting on the Celtics City docuseries on HBO
30:28: Remembering Bill Russell saying in the 1969 Finals that the Lakers’ balloons wouldn’t be dropped
31:18: Detachment from their fathers due to the team travel
34:15: Discussing the current players and their kids, including Jayson and Deuce Tatum
39:30: Why are they and their families such fans of the current Celtics teams?
44:55: Seeing their dads’ numbers hanging in the rafters never gets old

Get to know the history and personality of one of the newest Celtics, Anfernee Simons, as he joins View From The Rafters for the first time. Simons explains why he believes the Celtics culture and coaching will take his game to another level this season. He also opens up about some of the most emotional and “craziest” experiences of his NBA career, including having a front-row seat to Damian Lillard’s game-winner against the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2019, and scoring 43 points the day after his grandfather passed away in 2022.

What led to Joe Mazzulla saying some of his wildest quotes? How did Payton Pritchard make it through the 2021-22 season, when he requested a trade? What makes the STOCK Exchange of Derrick White and Jrue Holiday so special? Those are just a few of the topics we cover in Season 5’s greatest hits episode. We also highlight the top moments from our mega Celtics podcast crossover, talk with assistant coaches Sam Cassell and Phil Pressey about their journeys and futures, and catch up with rookies Baylor Scheierman and Anton Watson on what they’ve learned from being around superstars like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Enjoy the greatest hits from another excellent season (and one that’s still ongoing – we’ve got more episodes to come)!   00:19 - Joe Mazzulla
11:06 - Derrick White & Jrue Holiday
17:25 - Sam Cassell
24:53 - Anton Watson & Baylor Scheierman
29:36 - Payton Pritchard
37:08 - Phil Pressey
42:25 - Mega-CrossoverSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens when many of the top Celtics podcasts unite under one roof? You get the official Celtics mega crossover pod 🎙️☘️ View From The Rafters hosts Marc D’Amico, Sean Grande and Abby Chin brought John Karalis of Locked On Celtics, Chris Forsberg of Celtics Talk and Jay King of Still Poddable together for a one-of-a-kind episode featuring great stories, New Year’s resolutions and light-hearted shenanigans along the way. They discuss their favorite Celtics memories, such as Leon Powe’s return to Oakland and Isaiah Thomas’ 53-point playoff gem, as well as which player is the best quote from those whom they’ve covered. They close it out with some measured opinions on the 2024-2025 campaign. Check out the end of the pod where they give a special shoutout to their fans and info on how you can listen to each show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Phil Pressey has been around the Celtics for almost two decades. Whether it was beating Tony Allen in shooting bets as a kid, getting picked up as an undrafted free agent as a player, or now being a coach for the title-winning Celtics, he embodies what it means to be a Celtic. Phil tells us what it was like growing up around NBA players as his dad was racking up a 20-year coaching career, and how that experience shaped him as a coach. He also talks about his relationship with Brad Stevens and Joe Mazzulla, including how he wound up back in Boston on their coaching staff, and about Payton Pritchard’s insane work ethic. He even tells kids from his hometown to pay attention to what Pritchard brings to the table.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Payton Pritchard is in the middle of a career year, both on and off the court. Whether it’s going viral after playing with kids in the park, getting married to a social superstar, or being the NBA’s leading candidate for Sixth Man of the Year, it takes a lot of work and focus to keep everything under control. But how did he get here? What did he have to go through to become who he is today? Payton takes us under the hood of how he crafted his incredible work ethic, and how he battled through the hardest year of his life – and a public trade request – to propel himself into NBA stardom this season with the Boston Celtics.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The COVID-19 pandemic broke out at the tail end of Baylor Scheierman’s and Anton Watson’s freshman seasons in college. The pandemic wound up shaping the rest of their lives, as both wound up staying in college for five years. The two Boston Celtics rookies and draft picks recall what it was like when COVID hit, how they benefited from an extra year of college basketball, what they’ve learned from being teammates with superstars like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and what they think of head coach Joe Mazzulla.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sam Cassell has won four NBA championships spanning 30-plus years in the NBA. He’s played with multiple MVPs (Hakeem Olajuwon, Kevin Garnett). He’s coached an MVP (Joel Embiid) and multiple MVP candidates (Jayson Tatum, Blake Griffin, Chris Paul). When we suggest that when he speaks, you should listen, we mean it. Cassell describes the experiences of winning four championships and what set the 2024 title apart, including being the first person to greet Jayson Tatum in the locker room with a champagne shower. He also discusses what it’s like working with Joe Mazzulla, what makes Jayson Tatum such a special player to coach and what makes him ready for an NBA head coaching job right now.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Derrick White and Jrue Holiday react to their nickname “The Stock Exchange,” and say they need some suggestions from Celtics Nation about a Stock Exchange hand shake. They dive into what it’s like playing defense alongside one another, including Jrue’s disbelief at how Derrick blocks shots in so many ways as a guard. They also discuss how they communicate to each other in the middle of games, and give their takes on what makes both a great individual defender and a great team defense.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe Mazzulla joins us for the first episode of the View from the Rafters season to break down his unique approach to coaching in the NBA, and to life in general. That includes his use of psychology and methodology with everyone around him, including his players. Most importantly, we ask him to give context to his best quotes, and he also talks about his inspiration from Red Auerbach and Pep Guardiola, and why he thanked every member of the Boston Celtics staff via a personal letter following last season’s championship.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.