• 2 months ago
Team USA won gold in the 2024 Paris Olympics, but plenty of drama (especially that involving star Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum) coupled with an improving field came a bit close for comfort. What will the US National Team need to do to stay on top in the 2028 Olympics -- and which Celtics (if any) might be part of that push?

To take a closer look at the future of the Olympics through a Boston-tinted lens, the hosts of the CLNS Media "Celtics Lab" podcast linked up with NBC Sports Boston's Max Lederman. We talk all things international basketball, Boston's looming 2024-25 season, and more.

From Steve Kerr's coaching to Team USA's structure up to what we're looking forward to in the 2024-25 regular season, we've got everything you need to stay on top of the Celtics, the offseason, and the Celtics in the offseason.


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Transcript
00:00Celtics lab is brought to you by price picks and the game time app
00:06Already welcome to the Celtics lab podcast brought to you by prize picks
00:09Exclusive fantasy basketball partner of the tlns media network and by game time tickets last-minute tickets lowest price guaranteed this episode
00:16We're going to talk about our old friend the dancing bear
00:20nightmare scenario for Celtics ownership Chris taps for zinc's health and
00:24The Olympics and the season ahead and to do that we welcome back to the podcast
00:28My friend and yours from NBC Sports, Boston, Max Letterman Max. Happy summer. How are you?
00:34Great I'm ready to get back to some basketball though. I'll tell you that. I think I've asked you this before
00:39What's your official job title?
00:42Right
00:44just changed
00:46Content producer. Hmm. It was associate producer, but now it's content producer. Oh, okay update the LinkedIn. Why don't you? All right, cool
00:54Yeah
00:56We have a whole bunch of stuff
00:59But I told the guys off-air that I didn't really want to talk much about it. So let's just get it over with
01:05What's your stump speech on the Jason Tatum situation?
01:09I don't like Steve Kerr. I haven't liked him since he got mad at Marcus Smart for diving for a loose ball
01:15which actually probably
01:17Won them the championship because curry got to sit out those last few weeks and be rested up to kill the Celtics in the
01:23finals
01:25So you're welcome Steve Kerr
01:27So I kind of soured on him then I don't understand the math thing. Whatever it was, you know
01:33I think it's kind of annoying on both sides to be honest
01:36I don't think you know, it's great to have your parents, you know complaining about your playing time when you're winning gold medal
01:41I think there's you know and Tatum to his you know credit is just
01:46You know kind of been politically correct with all of his comments and you know, it's a weird role for him
01:52He's not used to it and I just don't understand the logic. That was my thing
01:55It's like, you know, it just feels like especially at the end of some of those close games
02:00Don't you want the good long defender who can rebound which is something that you guys are not doing well right now, but
02:07I think he should play in 28. I think people saying he shouldn't you know are crazy if you get the opportunity to win another gold
02:13medal
02:14You know, I thought after last Olympics he'd be like the Carmelo Anthony the guy that can just kind of do anything
02:19Score a lot really excel in the FIBA game. So it was a little weird, but
02:25You know, I'm glad that it's over
02:27it's a little embarrassing and
02:29I'm not as convinced as other people that he'll have like a Jalen like response where he'll just come out
02:34With his head on fire. I think you know with Tatum
02:36I'm just actually a little curious to see how he responds. I could see it going the other way too, but
02:41We'll see
02:44Alex you get your bite at the apple
02:46Sure, largely an agreement
02:49I've been on record as Steve Kerr is one of the entire
02:53Organization of the Golden State Warriors that is collectively Steph Curry merchants and have been for about you know, a decade now
03:00So not too much to add there max
03:03You know, the one thing I will say is that I think
03:08There's I do at least sort of hear the argument of if Jason Tatum's shot is not falling
03:15then there's a chance that other guys just given the the kind of ball handling and
03:21You know playmaking and rebounding responsibility
03:24Will often fall to a guy like a LeBron or Kevin Durant both of who were spectacular
03:30I don't think Jason Tatum should be playing over those guys generally
03:34Especially given that this year's Olympics was very much a send-off to that generation
03:38Where I really took issue with it is like
03:41What is Anthony Edwards actually done turn and it's over Jason Tatum who is a three-time all-nba?
03:48first team player an NBA champion
03:52Squarely in the prime of his career and can do everything that Anthony Edwards does but at a higher level
03:57You know Devin Booker is I think a terrific player who clearly had a role on this team
04:02But there are also times out there on the floor where Devin Booker looked lost and uncomfortable and in those moments
04:07Why isn't Jason Tatum on the floor to me?
04:10It's less about Jason Tatum deserve to you know
04:13Like start or whatever cuz like let's be real LeBron and KD are gonna get those spots
04:20Regardless of where they stand just and they've earned that
04:24Where I took issue is like to me
04:27It's it's kind of what you said Tatum feels like he should have been the first guy off the bench
04:31And he wasn't which was kind of dumb
04:34Sure, dr. Quinn. Take us home just on the Tatum thing. We'll get to the Olympics writ large. Yeah, no totally
04:39I honestly I think at this point after it's been litigated in so many places in so many ways with fairly general themes
04:47Running it yet
04:47Tatum probably should have had some minutes and that Steve care probably could have done his coaching job a little bit better
04:54Giving the assortment of talent he had and all that stuff
04:57The thing to me that is the most important that I want to talk about with you guys is Jason Tatum and
05:03You know Bob Cousy kind of hinted if you can't play one of the best players in the world any minutes
05:08Then there is something really really wrong. Maybe it's not care. Maybe it's not Tatum. Maybe it's Team USA
05:13So we can give it a bet and revisit it shortly
05:17Sure, I like that. That's good tease for the second half of our program. I
05:22guess the only other thing I'll add is that
05:25It's the offseason we're at a critical mass for just like absolute shenanigans and
05:30Speaking of content production content production and
05:34Celtics fans took the bait. I
05:37It's really admirable that Celtics fans stand up for Tatum with their whole chest, but it's just a feedback loop that
05:45Generates clicks and views and so it's a
05:49Well-worn shtick for people who want your clicks and views I suppose
05:52But more than that, I suppose later. Let's do the news and then in the lab portion of programming
05:57We're gonna kind of look ahead for
05:59LA 2028 basketball the news changed since we heard the draft of our rundown we learned
06:07That the in-season tournament schedule is here
06:10NBA Cup, but perhaps more interesting. I mean, I know we're supposed to care about the NBA Cup
06:15I'm not there yet. But max the Celtics open at home against the Knicks
06:20Is that the right opponent for the NBA to have picked?
06:23On opening day an opening day. Yes
06:27Sure. I mean, they're the big popular offseason team. That's you know gunning for the Celtics
06:33Even though they've been pretty good against Jalen Brunson
06:36They're the Knicks were one for versus Celtics last year and would have swept them
06:41Just like they swept the Pacers in these for conference finals
06:45So, you know, I think that's fine. I think there's a good, you know, little
06:49Rivalry there presenters wasn't that the opening game?
06:52Who do they open last?
06:54Last three years
06:56Yeah
06:57Presence was clutch hitting free throws at the end
07:00Versus the Knicks the first time they played last year as well. So yeah, I'm fine with it
07:04It would have been them or the Sixers. It feels like they cycle through, you know, they alternate every year or whatever
07:09I'm good with that. I think that's fine. The Knicks can you know
07:13Stand around and watch the banner get raised and the rings
07:16Ceremony, so maybe that'll motivate them a little bit. But yeah, I have no issue with it
07:20I I think the Knicks are a little overrated right now
07:23I'm looking forward to really really really hating them this year
07:27Yeah, they're it's so set up
07:30I mean alex and I have both gone back and forth
07:33I don't know which one of us is happier when the Knicks are good because it's just like
07:37perfect
07:39for takes and for rivalries and
07:41Hopeful Knicks fans are some of the fun
07:43Things funnest things in the nba. Um, actually max. I'm gonna go completely off script
07:48now that the nbc
07:50Uh big boys are like full in for nba coverage. Does that change your scope and purview? Do you know?
07:56Do you even know yet?
07:58Uh, so I don't know yet. I'll hopefully find out actually soon, but
08:03It's not until next season. Uh, we would be getting the rights but uh
08:08That we would be getting the rights but uh
08:11The questions that i've asked the people that were would be able to answer those questions
08:15we're busy with the olympics, so
08:17You know, we'll see. I hope so. I know when the nhl, uh, when nbc got the nhl rights
08:23They dipped into the rsn pool for talent just to help out with the shows and stuff like that. So hopefully
08:29Um, I can help out in some way. I would love to I love uh the brand I love
08:34You know the nba on nbc brand, you know the round ball rock although it will get annoying i'm sure
08:39uh
08:39once we hear it over and over again, but it still got that nostalgia to it and I just love uh, tentpole games like
08:46You know just the idea, you know football night in america. It's time to do basketball night in america
08:50I just to me like the storytelling the you know, the really just you know
08:55Selling the game of basketball specifically the nba to a wide swath of fans that you know
09:01It's different than what we do. We we're talking to people that already love the celtics, you know
09:06we're just trying to like
09:08you know set them up for the game when we're doing pre-game and tell stories that are really
09:13targeted to an audience that already loves the celtics that's already obviously watching but
09:18You know, it's just a whole different challenge and that's something that excites me and I hope that
09:23You know, I can get a taste of that somehow
09:25So
09:27cool, yeah, I only ask because we have in parentheses that opening game is on tnt and it made me think of the
09:33Changes that are to come but to your point that's not next season. It's the following season. Uh, we also know that the mabs
09:40Celtics rematch from the finals. The first one will be in dallas on january 25th. The second will be in early february at home
09:47um
09:49Alex, you know that I have a low opinion of the maps. How excited for those games are you?
09:54I mean, i'm always excited to see um, you know
09:58Rivalries develop in the nba and i'm hopeful that celtics and mabs will kind of develop further given their finals matchup
10:05Obviously, there's plenty of storylines to go around with kairi and you know, whatever
10:10um
10:11I think i'm excited for those games less so because of you know
10:14The narrative around them and more just because I enjoy watching luka donchik try to solve this celtics defense. Um
10:21And so far it hasn't worked and that's been fun
10:24But um, yeah, I would I would put those at like a b they're not the matchup
10:28I'm most excited for heading into this year, but they're on they're up there on the list
10:36All right, fair enough actually the luka of it all
10:40Sold me on it just a teeny bit more
10:42Dr. Quint in other schedule news. We learned
10:45uh the outline of the nba cup that
10:49Um emirates nba cup specifically want to walk us through what we learned about boston's draw
10:58Well
10:59I might be joking. No, you'd say it's that boring
11:01No, no, it's it's incredibly boring
11:03But the most exciting thing is I think the celtics are clearly winning the cup unless cleveland is a lot better of a team
11:08Than we think they're going to be this year
11:10Uh, they are in group east group c with atlanta washington chicago, and of course cleveland
11:16Uh, I don't see any of those teams apart from cleveland giving boston any real pushback
11:21I might even see them using some of these games as rest nights despite them being in the nba cup
11:25Uh, I think that's just the nature of the draw. There's gonna be some bad teams in every group
11:29but
11:31They're gonna win, right
11:34I actually don't have them winning it
11:36I hope they don't
11:38I don't want them to put them
11:40Just a group just a group. Oh, yeah, they'll win the group
11:43They'll they'll win their group the cup in general
11:47this just feels like such a big like
11:50The knicks win the cup and get super big chesty for a whole month and then flame out in the actual real playoffs
11:57That just feels so dead on to me. I don't know
12:01Cool. I like that. Um
12:04Elsewhere in the news. Well, actually i'm gonna keep going off script because I haven't seen you in a while max. Um
12:09You're a philly guy. What do you think of the sixers?
12:12Oh, yeah, um, well I
12:15More negative about the sixers than any team just because how often they've hurt me in my life
12:20But you know, I was really I had low expectations for this offseason and now i'm kind of like, oh my god
12:26You know, I think they're doing a great job
12:28Building that team
12:29With joelle tyrese and paul george. It's just the perfect fit
12:34uh, I as far as like the celtics angle i'm still just like
12:37Win against the celtics in the playoffs before I ever worry about that, you know, it's like
12:42Uh, they I don't think i've been alive for the sixers ever beating the celtics in the playoffs
12:47so, um
12:50It's
12:51Yeah, it's yeah, it's great. It's fun. It's exciting. There's some hope it's not dark
12:55But again, uh, I came to the conclusion last year when half of joel and beat's face was paralyzed that he is actually cursed
13:02That it's uh, you know the sam hinky of it all really
13:07You know cursed that poor guy
13:09You know, it's not has nothing to do with the way he plays basketball or anything. It's just no
13:13he's just got really bad luck, so
13:16Uh, that's why I was excited for him to be on team usa. I thought that would you know
13:20You know just soak him in a little bit of winning, you know
13:23Get that aura on him. Hopefully it would rub off. We've seen that happen with guys in the past. So
13:28You know, we'll see I you know, tyrese maxie's a pleasure a joy, you know
13:32I love every second I get to watch him play basketball. He
13:35smiles, uh
13:37When he goes to the basket, it's just you know, you can't root against that kid. So
13:41That's fun, but i'm not worried about them as far as a playoff context goes
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14:46Okay back to the show
14:48Fair enough. Yeah, I I agree. Um, my only concern with philly is that maxi is too fast for george and imbeed
14:54And if there isn't a bit because the speeds at which they play, um, let's stick with the news max
14:59I'll stick with you. Um, we got a health update. Kp is, uh, chris
15:04According to brad stevens. He's progressing well after his surgery. That's by way of adam himmelsbeck boston globe
15:10Um kp has been on instagram and abiza and back in latvia. So he's mobile
15:15Um, what are your expectations for his health and early part of the season max?
15:19well, they generally always kind of at least in you know, brad's mo has been to
15:25Overestimate the amount of time they're going to be out just so that they're not putting extra pressure on guys
15:30And you can be pleasantly surprised
15:33You know just go slow with him. I really I think it's a great opportunity to get some of these other bigs that
15:40Are cheap, you know relatively young like a xavier tillman
15:44Uh, okay to you know, just see what they can do
15:47Um, you know, just give them opportunities because al is approaching the end of his career
15:53And even if perzingis is perfectly healthy next season, you know
15:56You have to presume that maybe al is going to retire and you do need someone to replace him
16:00So what a great opportunity you have here, you know, it's kind of like house money
16:04So just you know, take your time with kp and you know, either christmas or after
16:10You know bring him back in and slowly ramp him up and if he's healthy in the playoffs, you know
16:15banner 19, baby
16:18Max I don't know if you were in boston
16:20I guess they still sometimes do this at bruins games where they they overlay the snow
16:24on the video board around christmas
16:27If they did the wwe chris dapps porzingis entrance with the snow on christmas, that would be epic
16:33I mean that would just be the best so I think that's what i'm rooting for and that's what was great about
16:39uh when he debuted in the finals
16:43that I mean
16:44That you know, I was when it felt like he you know
16:47He really fought to get back there because he wanted he didn't want to be a passenger
16:51on this championship run
16:53You know after he got the injury in the finals and I was like man
16:57Your first quarter in game one is his own chapter in the book, you know
17:00It's got its own scene in the documentary. That was legendary. That was incredible that whole lead up the way he played
17:07uh, so if we get more of that, you know, he's just a fun character and you know last season was just
17:13It was a lot of fun and i'm really looking forward to it again
17:17Cool I dig that
17:18Um more on brad stevens brad stevens also said he wants to keep the 15th roster spot open or rather he anticipates that staying open
17:25Would anyone here consider using that 15th roster spot on gershon yabusele?
17:30The star of the paris olympics and someone who's openly angling to come back to the nba. Um
17:37max in sincerity, would you
17:40Welcome gershon back
17:41Yeah
17:42Yeah, I thought he played great. Um
17:45Look if he hits his shots, he's a you know an asset and I you know, missoula would love him. I I don't know how
17:52To watch the fiba tournament as far as like defense goes because I think you know people always
17:59Talk about the celtics and the five out and all like the offensive impact
18:02but the reason why the celtics were so dominant playing five out is
18:05Five players that could shoot threes that were also above average defenders
18:09So if you have a celly can defend
18:12Uh and hit shots and absolutely and even not I mean, it's worth a shot
18:16Uh, I I don't know what kind of role he would have
18:19He was not very good when he was with the celtics. He was a fun guy
18:24He was perfect for that era of the celtics, but now that it's a more serious team
18:29Uh, you know as long as he's productive then i'm you know, i'm open to it
18:33Cool
18:35You adding yabu to this team
18:37Well, I mean i'd be thrilled to add yabu. So as a 15th man, uh, you know
18:41Bring some energy off the bench come in and you know
18:44Hit shots. I I thought the thing that stood out to me in his olympic play is he looked pretty fantastic
18:49Both in the post and with the ball on the move driving downhill
18:53Which is something that he really did not show on any level in his original boston stint
18:58So his his offensive game is substantially more complete than it was in boston
19:03And I think he could be a useful spot contributor
19:07The question I have is would gershon yabusele
19:10Want to be a 15th man on the boston celtics as opposed to say, I don't know
19:16Going to a younger team with more available playing time and I would guess based on his past comments
19:23The answer to that is probably no if he's coming back to the nba
19:27Where he would likely be passing up probably a starter spot in europe and potentially starter money and playing time
19:34I would imagine he's only going to come back to the nba for a team that will actually play in minutes
19:39And I just don't think that boston will be doing that
19:43Dr. Quinn, if not boston, where should he play? I have an answer. I think it's the correct answer probably the same answer as me
19:49You want to say it on three?
19:52One let's say at the same time ready good podcasting one two three san antonio
19:57Yeah
19:59We all thought it
20:01Oh, we we miss your okay. Uh, that's enough gershon talk. Um, we're gonna hop into the celtics lab where
20:09We'll reflect a little bit more on the 2024 olympics, but we're already going to look ahead to the 2028 olympics
20:15which is in los angeles and um
20:19max, I mean you already
20:20Gave the right answer tatum is not turning down
20:23The 2028 olympics because of sour grapes. I mean, maybe he'll be injured. Maybe this that or the other maybe who knows?
20:29What will happen in 27 28, but it's not because he had his feelings hurt in
20:3524. Um, so we can put that one to bed. I don't think anyone here disagrees with that but
20:41Um, there could be some changes
20:43to that team regardless
20:46Reportedly steve kerr is going to
20:49Step aside or is considering stepping aside. Dr
20:52Quinn, can you shine some light on that reporting and then we'll kind of analyze it
20:56Uh as far as the reporting, uh, I think it was evan satary of forbes who first broke that if i'm not mistaken
21:04And as far as I know eric spolster who is you know, an assistant on that that roster
21:10Is widely seen as the most likely replacement tyrone
21:13Not be surprised if he was in the mix too, uh, i've heard people float joe mizula
21:17Uh, I have no idea if he'd be interested in that but I would love that obviously, uh for a very steve care
21:24but inverted reasons
21:26If you believe the conspiracy theories, he has a bias against the celtics
21:30Probably maybe a little tiny one way back there somewhere, but I don't really think that's the problem with this whole thing
21:36Right. I think whatever coach, uh, they bring on they need to
21:41And this is a theory I have it's in the notes, I know you all saw my cryptical notes
21:45i'm sure you have no idea what the hell i'm talking about
21:47but
21:49Everyone's like well, do they need to keep doing this or do they need to become more of a feba style?
21:55Uh, it like plays on all the international tournaments kind of a team to kind of negate the continuity
22:01Advantage a lot of these teams have been giving boston austin team usa problems. Hey, it happens
22:08You look at the situation and it's like a set up as a dichotomy, right?
22:14One or the other why not take roughly a quarter to a third of the team?
22:18and have an ncaa player have
22:22a two-way player have
22:24A rookie player and maybe a non-star player right all on the roster who will commit to playing, you know
22:31We hear edward saying like will you take part in another fee but he's like hell no, right? Yeah
22:36No, he could be on team usa, but he's not going to get one of those slots
22:41At the end of the roster if you use this kind of a system, right? So you you get a core of role players
22:47Right who are going to grow with the team?
22:48Maybe some of them will grow into the star roles
22:50But you don't just pick like players who necessarily are going to be stars that you have to do hockey substitutions or some other
22:58Nba related not having anything to do with feeble play politics
23:03Just remove that from the picture for at least a chunk of your team
23:06So the players who will be coming off the bench, uh more rarely or for specific matchups
23:11You don't have to worry about them being stars and you kind of start moving in the direction of the rest of the world
23:17In terms of the structure of international play
23:19Sure. So max to that end. What do you think of justin's take to the problems with team usa this summer where?
23:26Their coaching or their roster design
23:29Um, you know, I think it's hard to coach when you have all those good players, um, I think you know adding derrick white instead of
23:37Jalen brown as weird as it looked at the time when you especially when you're replacing kawai was the perfect decision
23:44You know having the drew holidays the derrick whites, you know
23:47The guys that have proven that they will literally do anything just in the nba
23:52Not just you know sacrificing
23:55On the international level because that's a wild card. That's a you know
24:00who knows that's a question if whether a player can do it or not, you know, these these, you know kids have
24:06Been the number one option on their teams, you know their whole careers and then they're going to come in and start sacrificing and
24:11Digging down on defense. That's hard. That's why
24:14you know
24:16winning the gold isn't always going to be easy, but
24:18you know, I
24:20I'm open to all kinds of roster construction. But I think that what I would do is I would focus on defense
24:27And ball moving I think that's because everybody can score everybody can score all these guys can score
24:34Um, I think I really like haliburton, but i'm not sure if he can play defense well enough
24:39like I really don't I he's supposed to be the point guard of the future for team usa, but
24:44You know if he's getting cooked and it's really bending our defense
24:48You know, that's not great so
24:50I want defenders defenders defenders. That's that's how I would do it and I would not have steve kerr
24:56I would put spolster in charge or I like lou or spolster. I think those are they're genius. Who knows with joe. I mean
25:02it would be exciting and fun to
25:05hear all the crazy things he'd say to foreign reporters at the olympics, but
25:10I think maybe an assistant role first and then maybe in the 30s we can talk about joe taking over
25:16honestly
25:18I think joe. Missoula probably thrives with a huge chip on his shoulder making him an assistant
25:22Would probably be great. I'd buy like two or three more years of like
25:27Really intimate honest psycho joe not it's my schtick in the nba
25:32Uh, we'll stick with this current team a little bit and then we'll look more at 2028
25:37um again, I was out of the country, so I didn't really engage with so much of the banter, but
25:42The conversation around I mean we did this a few weeks ago when we said there's no way this team is better than the dream team
25:51I'm ready to revisit that conversation the statistic that the dream team only went up against nine nba players
25:57And this team went up against 61 nba players
26:00feels
26:02More pertinent. I watched a little bit of dream team game tape and there are some teams that really did not look
26:09Very good and just looking at like the serbian team or the german team or the french team
26:13um
26:14the us handled them
26:16well enough and
26:18Are you suggesting it's hard to compare basketball teams from entirely different eras?
26:24um, i'm suggesting that maybe we're a little gatekeepy about
26:28the past and
26:31Maybe that this
26:32Like the accolades were not I think the dream team had 20 rings collectively and this team had 11 and
26:38Had 11 or 12 mvps and this team had six or seven. I I mean
26:43like if you're walking the hall of fame, this isn't as interesting, but
26:47I mean that french team was really good
26:51Just losing his mind
26:53That was one of the highlights of the entire tournament for me. Um
26:56So max i'll go to you first because you're the guest but then alex i'll go to you next because you're a history teacher
27:01Um, what do you think of the dream team versus uh, the avengers comparisons?
27:06I mean look if they played like if the 92
27:10Olympics team, you know in a time machine played
27:13This year's team this year's team would cook them
27:17Just like the celtics this year would beat the 96 bulls and they would beat the 86 celtics
27:22The game is different. It changed the three-point shot is completely changed the way the basketball is played. So
27:29Uh, it doesn't mean that they're better. I mean that's that's hard to you know in the context of the era the dream team is why
27:36They're 61 nba players that the usa had to play, you know, because I love that say that again
27:42That's so smart, but it's true. I mean they they brought the game to the international stage
27:47and so you like justin said you can't really compare eras, but you know, I think it's a conversation as far as like
27:55Enjoyment at the redeem team was like super satisfying for me because
28:01The dream team was I mean I was so little, you know, I yeah, you know, michael. Jordan was the bald guy, right?
28:06You know, like that's how young I was
28:08Um, but the redeem team I was angry that they lost I was you know
28:11I have a lot of entitlement as an american basketball player and as american space travel fan
28:17We dominate space we dominate basketball. That's
28:20You know, we can all be objectively proud of that right so there's no hemming and hawing about it
28:26We love that and so that's why I care so deeply about us winning the basketball tournaments for the men and the women
28:32and
28:33you know, so
28:35that's all that matters is that we win and the oa team as far as like
28:39Satisfying that was great. And then 21 or the 20 olympics in 21. I mean we almost lost that was scary
28:46Uh, and this one was a little nerve-wracking too plus the added, uh
28:50Drama with jt. But you know, I I had a great time. This is a great team a great team the fact that lebron
28:58Was you know is the age he is and is still
29:01You know able to just take over a game versus, you know, the best players on the planet
29:06Uh katie was so great
29:08You know it and steph curry it really it's hard to say that they could not that they would not be
29:14Uh the 92 team I think they absolutely would
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30:20Yeah, i'm gonna go a step further and say I actually think that there's a world where the redeemed team
30:27Might have beaten this past olympic team that we just saw if you think about you know
30:32Lebron kd stuff all amazing players, but these are the old version of those guys
30:38I remember watching the 2008 redeemed team and
30:42the synergy between
30:44lebron
30:45wade bosh
30:46Kobe bryant jason kidd
30:49There was something happening there that
30:51I don't know that i've ever seen that replicated on a basketball court and they were going against real nba talent
30:57It wasn't like at that point, uh, you know in 2008
31:01I know it wasn't to the level that it currently is but they were going against real nba players that spain team was no joke
31:08um, but the 08
31:10Olympic team at least for my money is maybe the best pure basketball team i've ever seen. I mean
31:17like you really do have to I would encourage everyone to go back on youtube and watch the footage of like
31:24What's happening?
31:25when jkid lebron
31:28duane wade, um
31:30Chris bosh and chris paul and kobe are all sharing the floor together. It's kind of mind-boggling
31:36Jq. Do you have any olympic teams that you would put up against?
31:40Uh this, you know most recent team that maybe are worthy of additional consideration as far as the great olympic teams of years past
31:49Not really, I mean not more than you have I do want to say that
31:54You know when you look back at these two eras we're going to compare like this year's team with the dream team
32:02yes
32:03they did
32:05Win every game this time, but they were also more challenged if you look back at the original dream team
32:11They were winning games by 20 30 40 points against every team. So
32:18It just comes back to the whole
32:20Comparing eras thing like there's a lot of things going on where we're talking from structural things like max brought up in terms of
32:26the three-point shot
32:27Uh in all of these cases these teams are playing the fiba version of the game
32:31So maybe it would be like a little bit of a slight
32:34Neutralizing effect of that but even that has changed over time as well. So
32:38It's an interesting thing to talk about in this part of the nba calendar, I suppose
32:44But we really can never actually know
32:47Uh, i'm back
32:50Hi, uh, there's a great nba tv, uh
32:55tv documentary on the dream team that I suspect is somewhere on youtube that um
33:00If anyone's younger or just like wants to walk down memory lane, it's
33:04It's great. It just captures like how much character there was
33:07um
33:08which I the only thing i'll say is that
33:12This was so enjoyable. I think nbc
33:14Really figured out how to cover an olympics and i'm not just saying that because max is here
33:18But I think social media also was just like excellent. Perhaps it was the the time difference was six hours not 12 hours
33:25but either way the dream team during the um,
33:28social media era would have been great because just like more access to charles barkley more access to magic johnson and
33:35Michael jordan would have been kicked out of the nba
33:38A season early because like there's no way he would have survived barcelona. Anyways
33:43Uh, let's look ahead to uh, los angeles, which is where the next olympics will be
33:49And max i'm going to put you on the spot a little bit
33:52But if you want to stall we can make justin and alex go first
33:54I want you to predict the starting five for team usa in 2028
34:00All right, uh
34:03I I think i'll just say cooper flag. Maybe he's going to be everyone says he's great
34:08Uh, i'm not gonna act like some expert but I know that scowl's been talking about him since he was like a freshman
34:14Yeah, like just this kid from maine. Uh
34:17You gotta see him. He seems like the real deal
34:21Uh bam is probably gonna still uh, I think bam is it's a good fiba center
34:27um jt is gonna be in there, I think
34:30um, so there's three
34:32four words and
34:34Maybe tyrese maxey and anthony edwards because like I said, uh, the halliburton
34:39Um, you know, he seems like the logical fit, but he's got to be a better defender
34:43But maybe it won't matter. Maybe they'll just he'll they'll just be overwhelming people with
34:48offense, um
34:49But that would be the five I would go with right now
34:52All right. I like that. I like that a lot. I'm so pumped about cooper flag. Um, but
34:58We we can do a whole episode on him. We have a few more weeks of content to kill
35:02Um alex who's in your starting five in los angeles for team usa
35:06My starting five features a little bit less turnover
35:10Just knowing that team usa tends to be an organization broadly that rewards, you know
35:15Being on team usa for multiple consecutive runs
35:19Um, so for me my starting lineup is going to feature
35:23Uh, devon booker anthony edwards jason tatum who I think will be over, uh, his hurt feelings by uh, four years from now
35:32um
35:33tyrese haliburton
35:34I think will be a starter in part because of the politics of team usa in which you know
35:39He sat on the bench. He waited his turn and I think he will be rewarded for that and also because you know team usa
35:46Steph curry was incredible this past olympics. It's not like he was locking anybody down
35:51Um, and I think that team usa will probably ultimately lean in on having more shooting out there than less
35:59And then for the center spot
36:00guys
36:02It's gonna be in los angeles
36:04And if anthony davis wants the starting center spot, he's gonna get it and I think he will
36:09so I I went with anthony davis as the kind of
36:12like
36:13Long-toothed vet role that I think is actually pretty common if you look back in the history of team usa
36:20There's usually at least one guy in the starting lineup that is kind of entering his twilight years to me if anthony davis
36:27Davis is healthy and still playing for the lakers. I have him locked into the starting lineup
36:33Sweet, I like that. Um, dr. Quinn yours is a combo of all these players
36:39Basically, yeah, it's basically maxes with derrick white in there for the defense and also the same reason that alex has haliburton
36:47Moving up in the rotation. I do think he can learn to defend well enough to be in that kind of a picture by then
36:54It's not necessarily been his strong suit
36:57But if he's going to become the kind of player that his team and the league needs him to be
37:02That's going to be the next challenge for him defense along with the rest of the pacers
37:06Uh flag I had in there as well
37:09He was kind of like that that rookie that you want to see growing up with the program in my mind
37:14Uh coming from duke. Hopefully they have that kind of similar
37:17uh
37:18You know emphasis on tradition participation that we see with jason tatum
37:23And I did not have davidson though. That's a brilliant. Uh reasoning
37:26I'm, just afraid he may not even be playing pro basketball by that point based on his health. So we'll see
37:33four years guys
37:34Four years is a long time. Yeah, the the only thing i'll add what I was just looking at my phone was confirming the cooper flag
37:40because he was at um
37:42Select camp in vegas this summer. So he's been part of the program and everyone came away saying yeah, it's it's real
37:48It's definitely real guys. He's gonna be on the team. I'm just not sure he's starting
37:52Okay. Yeah, I guess like the politics of that. I guess what's interesting about this thought experiment is if you
37:58Think through who the best
38:00basketball players in their prime right now are many of them are not american, um, that doesn't mean anyone is going to come and
38:07take gold away from the united states, but
38:11The last three uh mvps are not american. Luca is not american. Shea is not american
38:16um, all these great young players who are like in the midst of their prime or hitting their prime or
38:22Not america, which is fascinating. Um
38:26I won't I can't imagine jaylen brown is on the team. I don't think that there was a conspiracy but
38:31The horses have definitely left the barn there. I can't imagine
38:35That he's ever gonna join the team. Um, I was in paris not doing much in the way of coverage, but I
38:42I met with jordan brand
38:44And when I asked them about jason tatum's playing time, they said that they were not thrilled
38:50So i'm curious what conversations behind closed doors look like between team usa and
38:55their partners and their players partners and what that looks like because
38:59um
39:01They were biting they it was it was very
39:04Diplomatic the way they put it um and off the record
39:08Much less diplomatic. Um, okay other muses about la. Uh
39:14Uh
39:16Yeah, I I guess who are going to be the elder statesman of that team anthony davis, um
39:22Bamonte, I guess that'll be interesting. I thought this was like such a
39:29We're not partisan on
39:31In southern's media like max, I think you would agree, you know, we root for the team because our
39:36Readers and our listeners root for the team, but like we can be we can keep it real
39:40We're not like fist pumping in the studio and stuff like that
39:43It was such a thrill to just like root for basketball with like my full chest. Um
39:49I'm aware of what it looks like to be an american abroad. So I wasn't you know an asshole about it, but
39:54Not only is it just like fun to root for
39:57jason and derrick and drew
40:00Oh my god rooting for steph curry is so fun. I'm, so jealous
40:04Uh max, what were some of your favorite moments from the tournament either as an american fan or just like a basketball fan?
40:10Oh, yeah, no the steph curry the gold medal game was you know, serb so serbia was great because
40:17you know, they were down I was I was at work and
40:20I was just you know, when I watch games i'm loud and that's why they kind of tuck me off into a corner
40:26Uh, but it is a high traffic area
40:28But at night it's you know when the celtics are playing it's usually it's less but it's the middle of the day
40:33And you know, there's people from telemundo coming over like what's going on? What's happening?
40:38Uh, and so everyone in the newsroom kind of got together and it's you know, it's
40:44There's four channels
40:46There's nbc 10. There's nbc sports boss. There's telemundo. There's necn
40:50Oh, it's a massive room massive building and we're all watching on this big screen and it was incredible. It was great
40:57It was so fun
40:59that serbia game
41:00uh, and you know, it was it felt great that and bead played well in that game too because
41:06I could come home and tell my daughters, you know, jojo saved america
41:10um
41:11And you know kind of not be lying about it a little bit
41:14and uh, so serbia was just that was a really fun experience and the gold medal game was just
41:20What a day it was, you know, we had the the women's soccer team
41:24Then we had the relays and then we had that game and then my daughter had to play
41:29it was like just a great day in general, so
41:31Uh those, you know those two days to me were were the highlights for sure
41:36How'd and how'd your daughter doing the play? She did great. She did great. I went nice all twice
41:41Good, man. Excellent. Um, it must be fun to be the father of a thespian alex. Um,
41:48Also a performer. Um alex plug divine sweaters tour
41:52Sure, uh divine
41:54Yeah, uh, if you like the music that you heard at the beginning of this podcast that is a song by my band divine sweater
42:00and if you like that song and uh
42:02Well, maybe you should throw us a follow and you know, like our stuff on instagram and spotify whatever
42:06But what you should really do is buy tickets to our upcoming tour
42:10Uh, we've completed now two stops in boston and in pennsylvania, respectfully
42:15Uh, and we are going to be uh kicking things off in a big way with our album release show
42:21In new york city, uh coming up follow us for more details
42:25But uh that kicks off a leg of our tour where we're going to be
42:29Bouncing through the northeast the midwest going a little south as well
42:34Um, if you're interested take a look at our website all tickets available there at divine sweater.com
42:39We'd love to see you out there
42:41And if you come on tour and mention that you showed up because of the celtics lab podcast
42:47I will give you a free small merch item and I will talk to you about basketball at the merch booth
42:54Um any luck on getting the crowd to say already welcome to the celtics lab podcast haven't attempted that yet
43:00Uh, but you know depending on the circumstances we could get there. We'll see. I'm sure the new york show. They just love that
43:07Yeah, I know that that's one thing that i'm sure they'd be really excited for
43:11cool, uh
43:13I'll go to justin. I'll go back to you. Alex. Justin. What were your favorite moments from uh, the olympics?
43:19honestly
43:20Besides stuff we've already talked about my favorite moment came after the u.s won gold and it wasn't
43:27from the u.s
43:28like I almost got
43:29Goosebumps reading the quote from victor. Wenbin yama when he was talking about how he feels bad for the opponents
43:37He's going to be facing the next couple of years and the guy was like, do you mean at fiba or at the nba?
43:42He's like everywhere. Yeah
43:45Oh my god, so cool
43:47I like that kid that kid seems i've never talked to him, but he seems
43:51Sharp and emotional and he's coming for us all
43:54Uh, alex, what were your highlights from the basketball?
43:58Oh, man, you know, I there were so many. Um, obviously the steph curry explosion to uh,
44:05Seal the deal was incredible to watch like just from a basketball standpoint. That was awesome
44:11um, you know, I think
44:13The uh, the golden generation so to speak putting on the cape along with imbied, uh at the end of the serbia game was amazing
44:21um
44:22but one thing that I really want to throw out is the women's gold final was
44:27a
44:28Spectacular mess of basketball. It was so bizarre and fun to watch it was um
44:36Like but I I think it's fair to say that team usa which team usa women's has of course been
44:42Historically dominant for decades now
44:44um, this is the hardest game that they ever played, uh, and I think they've surely
44:50Felt the kind of psychic weight of that which affected the encore product. They looked
44:55Unusually sloppy and out of sorts and had a lot of like pretty poor play by their standards
45:02But to see them gut out that win particularly
45:05Just kind of grinding on the defensive end
45:08Um, you know watching asia wilson kind of take over in the most important moment of that game and really cement herself
45:15as in my mind, you know one of the
45:18Three or four best w nba slash women's basketball players of all time
45:24um, it was a really cool game to watch and
45:27The french women's national team is really good guys. They brought it. I don't know. I I think that that was really cool for me
45:38I
45:41Think kim let it froze on us
45:45I see him moving. He's slowly moving. Yeah, it's unbelievable. We hear you. That's good
45:54We're getting there i'm here it says i'm here
45:57You're moving you're moving. Okay, put some wd40 in the internet
46:05Oh boy didn't work
46:08Oh
46:10Well, if you guys want me to stall a little bit, uh, one thing I did not like
46:15was the
46:17the discourse during the women's game where
46:20Everyone's like this is why you need caitlyn clark on the team. I just man brain dead. It was so frustrating. It's
46:28She and again she was bad
46:30she was not playing well when they put the roster together and I feel like there were people that said even
46:35if they had
46:37Put the roster together like right as the olympics started she would have been on the team
46:41But she just wasn't having a good enough start to the season
46:45and she just hadn't earned the spot yet and people acting like oh imagine the ratings if it's like
46:49Why do you care about the olympics?
46:52Why do you care?
46:54Are we getting gold medals with the ratings written on them or something?
46:58Gold is gold, baby
47:00I'm just going to throw out a kind of general plea to celtics fans listeners by and large, which is this. Um,
47:08there's a certain
47:10Nominally boston sports commentator, uh who works for a website that is named after something that you would sit on
47:19And i'm just going to nominally throw out there that with regard to basketball and basketball related takes
47:25If you come across this person's takes in your feed you should simply ignore them because they are not interesting or useful
47:32to
47:33Well, really anything?
47:35And i'm just going to leave it at that
47:38I like that
47:39I don't even like his stupid pizza takes. How's that?
47:42um
47:43I'm, well, I have wi-fi i'm gonna do post roll and then max will close with one last question
47:49Dear listener i'm moving next week and hopefully
47:52Uh, the wi-fi from this current apartment is moving with me
47:56uh
47:57I'd like to tell you that the celtics lab podcast is brought to you by price picks the exclusive fantasy basketball partner of the clns
48:02Media network and by game time tickets last minute tickets lowest price guaranteed
48:06If you enjoyed this podcast check out the how about them celtics podcast first to the floor and then many other sports podcasts
48:13Available on the clns media network
48:15We've been talking to friend of the podcast max letterman from nbc sports. Boston. He is a content producer
48:21right
48:23Yeah, actually max. I have two questions for you
48:25Um, one is a max question and the other is for everyone the one for everyone is just what's one thing
48:30Celtics or otherwise you're looking forward to um with the nba sort of around the corner
48:35um, but max, uh
48:37If you want to tease anything you guys are cooking up for celtics coverage next year if it's new and exciting
48:42This is your moment
48:45Oh, well, uh, you guys may have seen the official announcement that kayla burton has joined our
48:53On-air talent crew
48:54I'm, not exactly sure i'm pretty sure she's going to be doing all the celtic stuff. Um, she's great. I really love her
49:00I've gotten to know her a little bit these past couple weeks. Um
49:04And she's hired to replace amina who tom giles had replaced for half the season
49:09Uh who fun fact I went to college with tommy at uh northeastern
49:13So that was a real thrill to get to
49:17Win an emmy right before winning a championship, you know doing those games, you know, he got the me2 and it was just like
49:24You know, we were
49:25We have pictures on facebook. Yeah, that's how old we are. We have facebook
49:29uh that we posted in like
49:312006
49:32Uh of us drinking in my apartment on uh columbus app. So that was a real thrill
49:38So we got uh, just a nice crew of people, uh, obviously
49:41You know eddie
49:43Uh and scowl and you know drew carter will be the full-time guy this year. Um, so
49:50You know, I i've been playing around with the idea. I kind of want to get uh, celtic census back
49:54Uh the little talk show that we did during the pandemic from right here in my basement
49:59um
50:00But maybe with like more bells and whistles and like I said in
50:03studio
50:04um
50:05So look out for that
50:06Maybe we'll put something like that together because that was fun because I just like making fun of people
50:10um
50:12That are wrong about trivia
50:14Next I don't think we've talked about this drew is like the mayor
50:18when you
50:19Talk shop with him at the garden. It's so hard because everyone is saying what's up to him and he
50:25I've said this before it's like I suspect i'm not that much older than him. But sometimes I wonder if he's like
50:30too young to even notice how ridiculous it is, but
50:34Yeah, you guys he's he's such a charmer. I'm so jealous. He's a great guy. He really is
50:39He's a ball buster. That's what I love like and you know
50:43and
50:43uh
50:45You know, he and he can take it too except the gift jiff thing
50:48I think I really got under his skin with that. I bought him a little thing of peanut butter and said here's your jiff
50:53Yeah
50:55Um, but yeah, he's great, uh, he really and he does he's tall too it's kind of annoying me because i'm short but
51:02um
51:04Uh, he's a he's
51:06I I did career day. Um
51:08At my old middle school and one kid in total earnest said do you ever get intimidated when you talk to the handsome players?
51:15and I was so taken back but
51:17The first time I met drew I was like jesus. This is such a handsome person i'm talking to I don't know what to do
51:22with myself
51:23anyways
51:24Uh, the question I really wanted to ask is what are you looking forward to next season?
51:27Um max you get to go last because you're the guest so i'll go around the horn the other way
51:31Justin one thing you're looking forward to next season
51:34The
51:35Boston celtics being sold to someone so we know whether to hit the panic button if it is john henry
51:41or if it is someone who is going to respect the traditions and
51:46trajectory of this particular celtics team
51:55Was that yours
51:57Hmm
52:01Yeah, i'll go uh the thing that I am looking forward to as far as uh next season
52:06So obviously the main thing i'm looking forward to is the celtics going back to back
52:10um, but the thing that i'm looking forward to that is not the celtics, uh related is
52:16I'm kind of looking forward to this spurs playoff push
52:19I'm, very interested to see what chris paul looks like on that team. I kind of feel like
52:24In some ways it might be the perfect place for chris paul to wrap up his career just like throwing lobs to this alien freak
52:32Um, and i'm i'm very excited to see what that spurs team looks like
52:36Max, what are you excited for? Uh with regard to the celtics the nba basketball generally as this?
52:47I'm really looking forward to the nba cup. No, i'm just kidding
52:49Uh
52:50If they had made the the groups the divisions imagine how awesome that would have been
52:56If it was the atlantic division
52:58like remember divisions
53:01Yeah
53:03It would be great if they did that and like what it's not it's not even yeah, okay who cares?
53:08You think the celtics group is even it's not it's not even at all. Uh, and
53:14I don't know. I just think that that's that feels like a missed opportunity for the nba
53:19but um, no, i'm i'm just looking forward to
53:23derrick white floaters
53:25uh
53:26Some cookies and cream connections, which we'll get halfway through the season
53:31I want to see jason tatum
53:33Playing basketball not sitting on the bench
53:36um, and I want to see jalen brown just
53:40Kicking ass and taking names, you know, I want him dunking on people just like he did last year
53:46And I want uh more success I want joe
53:49to bring out footage of orcas and
53:53pack hunting animals
53:56um
53:57And just really let's just dive into that. Uh more because i'm a big orca guy. Um, i'm afraid of them
54:05Uh, I have a should be
54:08respectful fear of them
54:11um
54:12But you know
54:13And maybe throw in some peregrine falcons, uh, that's I would recommend that if you are in wild dogs
54:20Look at those, uh, those falcons. They're great. They're super fast. Uh, yeah, and that's that. Uh, i'm just i'm excited to get back into it
54:29Max i'm tagging you in a thread about orca whales that I recently made because of joe mazula. Um
54:36That that's i'm so happy I got back in the room to hear that because I love how nobody's like
54:40What do you mean joe mazula orcas?
54:43Just like yeah, okay move on
54:46uh
54:47It's so good to talk to people who are like chronically
54:50In the weeds about the nba being on vacation with emily like she knows a lot about the nba, but it's not she's not
54:56You know crazy like we are so it's good to be back. Uh, okay before my wi-fi kicks off again
55:03Max thank you for your patience. So thanks for coming on the self-taught podcast. Thanks for prize picks. Thanks to game time
55:08Thanks to alex. Thanks to divine sweater. Thanks to justin
55:11and thank you to comcast for your
55:14Hideously terrible wi-fi. Um, okay. We'll be back next week with more of the same like and subscribe to never miss an episode adios
55:38Like you told me I should

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