651: Is Mazzzula the RIGHT Coach for THIS Celtics Team? w/ Justin Turpin

The Boston Celtics are on the brink of the NBA’s postseason in the regular season’s final week.  Can the Celtics close the deal? They all count now, including today’s potential playoff preview against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the Garden before the Celts wrap up the regular season with two midweek contests against Toronto and in Milwaukee.   But no matter what happens: Is this 2015 season a success for the Celtics regardless? We’ll pose that very question to Wyc Grousbeck, along with much, much more in our lengthy chat with the lead owner of the Boston Celtics himself. So tune in this Sunday for the 100th episode of Celtics Beat, presented by lynda.com/clns and audiblepodcast.com/celtics.  Available for download on iTunes and Stitcher Sunday, April 12, 2015.  Powered by CLNS Radio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

12 Apr 20151h 8min

They’re still alive - it’s the first week of April and the Boston Celtics remain in the thick of the Eastern Conference race for the final spot in the 2015 NBA Playoffs.   LHR will be joined by Gary Tanguay, host of the Arbella Early Edition on Comcast Sports Net New England.  In LHR’s mind - it is safe to call this season a success for the Celts no matter what happens from here on out.  What does Gary think? And do the Celtics still need to make a transformative move or can they let this current roster grow will adding bits and pieces along the way? Should the Celtics go all in on a move for say, DeMarcus Cousins, Derrick Rose, or (gasp!) Kevin Durant?   LHR will also wrap the show up by going Around the NBA in 5. So tune in this Sunday for another edition of Celtics Beat, presented by lynda.com/clns and audiblepodcast.com/celtics  Available for download on iTunes and Stitcher Sunday, April 5, 2015.  Powered by CLNS Radio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

5 Apr 20151h 8min

Now the real fun begins as this is judgment week for the Boston Celtics.  Five games in the next days starting with the Doc Rivers, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and the Los Angeles Clippers in Boston Sunday night.  Then of course three critical contests await the Celtics starting with a trip down to Charlotte tomorrow to face the Hornets, then some home games with the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks, before a trip north of the border to finish the week against the Toronto Raptors.  The NBA Playoffs may very well be on the line for the Celtics this week.   Boston concluded the last full week of March by sweeping two New York foes in the Nets and Knicks, but dropped some winnable games at home against the Pistons and Heat.  Are there some signs of fatigue that could be setting in? Were those games a warning sign? LHR will discuss this topic and more with new Celtics beat reporter for the Boston Globe, Adam Himmelsbach.   LHR will also wrap the show up by going Around the NBA in 5. So tune in this Sunday for another edition of Celtics Beat, presented by lynda.com/clns and Peak Organic Brewing Company.  Available for download on iTunes and Stitcher Sunday, March 29, 2015.  Powered by CLNS Radio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

29 Mars 20151h 7min

Spring is here and so is the sprint to the finish line for the Boston Celtics and the rest of the NBA.  The green team finds themselves right in the midst of the chase for the final two spots in the Eastern Conference NBA Playoffs.  Larry H. Russell will break down the week that was for the Celtics.  Was it a successful week? Two tough, but somewhat expected losses against two elite Western Conference foes in the Oklahoma City Thunder and the World Champion San Antonio Spurs followed the end of the Celts’ five game winning streak.   Whatever one makes of it, it’s in the books.  LHR will look ahead to what could very well be a make-or-break week for Boston’s playoff hopes with huge games against foes like the Brooklyn Nets and the Miami Heat.  Let’s not get ahead of ourselves either, as Boston has their hands full tonight when Greg Monroe comes to town with the rest of the Detroit Pistons.   And of course, the guest: LHR will be privileged to be joined by Basketball Hall of Famer Jackie MacMullan of ESPN Boston.  There are few in the media who know more regarding the state of the Celtics than Jackie, and she’ll be sure to provide the Celtics Beat audience the lowdown on Brad Stevens, the Celtics now, and the Celtics in the future.  What does Jackie make of them? More importantly, what do those in an around the NBA make of the Boston Celtics franchise.   LHR will also wrap the show up by going Around the NBA in 5.   So tune in this Sunday for another edition of Celtics Beat, presented by lynda.com/clns and Peak Organic Brewing Company.  Available for download on iTunes and Stitcher Sunday, March 22, 2015.  Powered by CLNS Radio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

22 Mars 20151h 8min

The Ides of March are upon us: A major checkpoint in the NBA season.  The sprint to the finish line now begins.  Who knew as late as mid January that the Boston Celtics would play a major factor in the outlook of the 2015 NBA campaign?   The playoff chase is officially on.  It was a busy, but successful week for the Celtics with a real highlight win over the Memphis Grizzlies at home on Wednesday.  Plus the team picked up some solid victories against the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic.  Fans are thrilled, and host Larry H. Russell is one of them.   LHR will be joined by Ian Thomsen, now of NBA.com.  Ian wrote a feature on Danny Ainge and the Celtics rebuilding project back on February 17th titled “Danny Ainge’s Balancing Act.”  LHR will discuss that feature with Ian, and will dive into further detail with where Ian thinks the Celtics stand in all of this.  How does Boston’s rebuilding plan stack up? Particularly against the rival New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers?   LHR will also wrap the show up by going Around the NBA in 5.   So tune in this Sunday for another edition of Celtics Beat, presented by lynda.com/clns and Peak Organic Brewing Company.  Available for download on iTunes and Stitcher Sunday, March 15, 2015.  Powered by CLNS Radio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

15 Mars 20151h 9min

Busy week for the Boston Celtics - I mean real busy.  Plenty of games to talk about, both good and bad.  And plenty of news to talk about, which has been mostly good.   There’s a lot of talk of who the Celts will sign this off-season, and there was even a possible transaction this week with Javale McGee.  Alas, it fell through.  Host LHR will be sure to touch upon that as well as the possibilities this summer as he did in today’s column.   The Celts stayed busy on the court as well with a slew of games this week.  LHR will react on the week that was and look ahead to tonight’s game with former Orlando Magic player Jeff Turner, now serving as the Magic’s color man on FOX Sports Florida.  After a respectable start, Orlando was really fizzled out.  What went wrong? And how can the Celtics exploit some of Orlando’s weaknesses if they want to get this much needed road win?   That’s not all - there’s plenty to talk about around the league as well.  Boston fans saw first hand the greatness of Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors.  Is he the front runner for the NBA’s MVP award? What about James Harden or LeBron James? Tas Melas of The Starters on NBAtv will stop by to discuss that and more with LHR.   LHR will also wrap the show up by going Around the NBA in 5. So tune in this Sunday for another edition of Celtics Beat, presented by lynda.com/clns and Peak Organic Brewing Company.  Available for download on iTunes and Stitcher Sunday, March 8, 2015.  Powered by CLNS Radio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

8 Mars 20151h 6min

So long February.  Another week in the bag for the Boston Celtics.  And now here comes March and the BOSTON CELTICS PLAYOFF PUSH!   Kyle Draper returns to Celtics Beat to square things away once and for all with LHR.  Does he still feel the Celtics should’ve done more at the deadline? Will Isaiah Thomas live up to the billing? And oh, the game tonight.  Kyle is the host of Celtics Pre and Post Game Live and he’ll give his take on tonight’s huge matchup in Boston against the Golden State Warriors.  And there may be some Rajon Rondo discussion in there too.   Celtics Beat will also welcome Josh Planos of the Wall Street Journal to the show.  Much of the NBA’s top teams are from small markets and/or franchises that are not familiar to success.  All while the Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, and New York Knicks are down.  Is this good for the NBA? And could such success lead to the NBA putting franchises in more flyover states?   LHR will also wrap the show up by going Around the NBA in 5. So tune in this Sunday for another edition of Celtics Beat, presented by lynda.com/clns.  Available for download on iTunes and Stitcher Sunday, March 1, 2015.  Powered by CLNS Radio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1 Mars 20151h 6min

The NBA Trade Deadline has come and gone for the NBA and for the Boston Celtics.  To say we don’t have plenty to talk about on Celtics Beat would be an understatement.   First up, Sean Deveney of Sporting News drops by the show once again to recap the wild, wild deadline in the NBA.  The Celtics are seemingly being lauded as the biggest winners after scoring flashy point guard Isaiah Thomas.  How does Sean feel about the newest Celtic? What does that mean for the future? And what in the world are the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers doing?   Speaking of the Lakers, the Celts are in LA Sunday to face their arch-rivals at the Staples Center.  It may not be the classic matchup its known to be, but tonight is a key game for the Celtics in their case for the Eastern Conference’s eighth seed.  We’ll chat with Corey Hansford of LakersNation.com about the game as well as the state of the NBA’s glamour franchise.   Plus - a special trade deadline edition of Around the NBA in 5.   So tune in this Sunday for another edition of Celtics Beat, presented by lynda.com/clns.  Available for download on iTunes and Stitcher Sunday, February 22nd, 2015.  Powered by CLNS Radio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

22 Feb 20151h 9min