617: Bigger Playoff X-Factor: Porzingis or White w Steve Bulpett

The Boston Celtics haven’t kicked off the New Year right but you can count on Celtics Beat too.  Rich Conte and Dr. Andre Snellings return for 2015 and will bring in Bob Ryan for an extended conversation on ... everything. Rajon Rondo’s successful return to Boston with the Dallas Mavericks - we got that.  Current state of the team? Check.  A trip down memory lane discussing Bob’s best selling memoirs, “Scribe: My Life in Sports” ? Check...mate. Celtics Beat Executive Producer Larry H. Russell’s author debut “Fall of the Boston Celtics: How Bad Luck, Bad Decisions Brought the Mighty Celtics Empire to Its Knees and Ushered in the Dark Ages” is set to hit shelves tomorrow.  And what better person than Bob Ryan to discuss that as well? Tune into the last 2014 show of Celtics Beat -- available for download in iTunes and Stitcher this Sunday.  Powered by CLNS Radio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

4 Tammi 20151h 2min

Our last show of 2014 is a special one.  ‘The Baseline’ team of Cal “Gameface” Lee and Warren Shaw are back to wrap up the year.  And fittingly, the past week was pretty much the same as it was all 2014: loss after loss after loss with some trade talk thrown in.   We’ll get a different perspective this week.  Two stalwarts of the Celtics-blogosphere, Mark Vandeusen and Mike Dyer of CelticsLife will stop by to give their thoughts on what is becoming an increasingly depressing situation.  Is there any light at the end of the tunnel for the Celtics or is there a long rebuild ahead?   Speaking of dark days for the Boston Celtics: There were none darker than following the deaths of Len Bias and Reggie Lewis and the bad Celtics basketball which ensued.  Cal and Warren will talk about Larry H. Russell’s debut book, “Fall of the Boston Celtics” -- which is scheduled for release on January 5th.  Stay tuned to CLNS Radio or follow @CLNS_LHR on Twitter for updates.   Cal and Warren will also go Around the NBA in 5.   So tune into the last 2014 show of Celtics Beat -- available for download in iTunes and Stitcher this Sunday.  Powered by CLNS Radio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

28 Joulu 201458min

It finally happened.  Rajon Rondo is a Celtic no more.  The Boston Celtics sent their starting point to the Dallas Mavericks for Brandan Wright...ah, you know the rest.   Hosts Jared Weiss and “Stats” Adam Lowenstein will be joined by two guests.  Kelly Dwyer of Yahoo! Sports and Tim McMahon of ESPN Dallas.  It will be all Rajon Rondo talk, all the time.  Oh, and there is a game tonight too, against the Miami Heat.   Jared and Adam will also squeeze in Around the NBA in 5. So tune into this special edition Celtics Beat -- available for download in iTunes and Stitcher this Sunday.  Powered by CLNS Radio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

21 Joulu 20141h 8min

An early Christmas gift for Boston Celtics fans this holiday season: A bonus special edition episode of Celtics Beat.  Rich Conte and “Stats” Adam Lowenstein are back together to preview tonight’s game in Boston against the up-and-coming Orlando Magic, as well as primer you up for the NBA’s trade season.   Rich and “Stats” Adam will be joined by radio voice of the Boston Celtics, the one and only, Sean Grande.  There’s certainly a lot to talk about with the Celts, including tonight’s contest in Boston against the Orlando Magic.  But the Celtics are coming off a big win against the Philadelphia 76ers.  Is there any hope at salvaging this season? And regardless of what does happen, what is the future for many of the players on the current roster as the NBA’s trade season is officially underway?   Rich and Adam also go Around the NBA in 5.   So tune into this special edition Celtics Beat -- available for download in iTunes and Stitcher this Wednesday.  Powered by CLNS Radio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

17 Joulu 20141h 3min

So much for the Boston Celtics turning things around.  After three wins in a row, the Celts would give it all back including losing two to the NBA’s bottom feeders in the Charlotte Hornets and the New York Knicks.  Boston now sits a full seven games under .500 as the New Year approaches.  Are changes inevitable? Hosts Rich Conte and Dr. Andre Snellings will discuss all the latest NBA trade buzz, as well as the possible Celtics involvement.  Rich will chat with one of the most connected insiders in the business -- Bleacher Report’s Jared Zwerling.  Jared was just recently in Boston and is set to release a feature story on these Celtics.  What’s going on with the Celtics? And who could possibly be on the move? Rich and Andre also go Around the NBA in 5. So tune into Celtics Beat -- available for download in iTunes and Stitcher this Sunday.  Powered by CLNS Radio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

14 Joulu 20141h 3min

December 7th -- what better way to kick off the big move to Sunday afternoons for the Celtics Beat podcast than to have our return to Sundays than Larry Bird's birthday.  It was another jammed packed week in the world of Boston Celtics basketball.  There were downs, such as another catastropic collapse Tuesday night against the Atlanta Hawks, but there were ups as well.  Two wins in a row! And oh yeah, didn't Rajon Rondo and Kobe Bryant have breakfast? Larry H. Russell is the host for the show, which promises to be a good one.  Two very special guests will be bringing their knowledge and expertise to the show.  The first is legendary scribe of all things Los Angeles sports, Mark Heisler.  Mark has been covering the Lakers for over 30 years and is currently writing for Forbes.  Mark and LHR will discuss Friday night's Lakers-Celtics matchup at the Garden, as well as all things Lakers.  Is it really that bad out in Lakerland? Is Jim Buss as bad as they say he is? And what do Lakers fans think of the overall state of the franchise? Really, what lies ahead for the NBA's glamour franchise? Then of course, Paul Pierce returns to Boston as a member of the Washington Wizards.  LHR will preview Sunday's big game and give his prediction as well. LHR will also wrap the loaded show up by going Around the NBA in 5. So be sure to download another edition of Celtics Beat.  Available this Sunday on iTunes and Stitcher.   Powered by CLNS Radio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

6 Joulu 20141h 4min

It’s our last show on Saturday before the big move to Sunday afternoons.  Unfortunately, it was another demoralizing week for the Boston Celtics and their fans.  There was nothing to be thankful for this Thanksgiving weekend.  It was same old, same old.  More losses and more blown leads.  The Baseline crew of Cal Lee and Warren Shaw are here to make sense of it.   Cal and Warren will be joined by SB Nation and About.com’s Kevin O’Connor.  Kevin is most noted for his work over at Celtics Blog, including his most recent column today about Rajon Rondo needing a sports psychologist.  Will that clear Rondo’s woes? And what about Avery Bradley? We know Kevin is a big fan. And do the Celtics have a snowball's chance in hell against San Antonio tomorrow?   Cal and Warren also go Around the NBA in 5.   So tune into Celtics Beat -- available for download in iTunes and Stitcher this Saturday..  Powered by CLNS Radio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

29 Marras 20141h

Another week, another string of bad losses by the Boston Celtics highlighted by bad defense.  Yes, the Celtics did get a win this week, but we all know who that was against. After giving up 118 points in a loss to the Phoenix Suns earlier in the week, the Celtics got scorched by Marc Gasol and the shorthanded Memphis Grizzlies last night.  Is it already time to push the panic button? Host Larry H. Russell seems to think so.  The team doesn’t seem to have what it takes to execute at the end of games and to commit to a collective defensive identity.  While the games may be close now, LHR tells you why he believes that is going to be a recipe for disaster.   While there haven’t been many highlights for the Celtics on the court this year, there have been many highlights on the Celtics Beat podcast.  The Celts were in Memphis last night to take on the best team in the NBA.  How were these Grizzlies put together? Can they maintain this pace and compete for a championship? And what’s Marc Gasol’s future? LHR has the pleasure to speak with General Manager of the Memphis Grizzlies, as well as former Boston Celtics executive, Chris Wallace. There’s a lot to discuss.  And yes, LHR will have time for Around the NBA in 5. So tune into Celtics Beat -- available for download in iTunes and Stitcher this Saturday at 2 PM ET.  Powered by CLNS Radio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

22 Marras 20141h 3min