Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00High Noon here on WEEI, it's Jones and Keith, every Celtics Wednesday at High Noon.
00:05We're joined by Justin Turpin, WEEI.
00:08What's going on, Turpin?
00:09What's up, guys?
00:10What's going on?
00:11I want to start with something you went to last night.
00:13We can get into the Celtics' final tune-up before the All-Star break.
00:17Wim Minyama tonight at the Garden.
00:18I want your thoughts on him, why the Celtics are better on the road, etc., etc.
00:22But you were at an event Tatum drew Hanlon last night.
00:25I don't know, describe it.
00:27I heard Meggo talk about this a little bit on the Greg Hill Show.
00:29Describe what it was and what your takeaways were.
00:31Yeah, so Drew Hanlon, for those that don't know, has been Jason Tatum's skills coach
00:34since he was in middle school.
00:36So it was no surprise when he was teasing this event with a special guest that it was
00:41going to be Jason Tatum that walked through the door.
00:43And when he did, I don't think many people were surprised.
00:46But it was really cool because they showed kind of behind-the-scenes footage of his workout
00:50with the Celtics with Danny Ainge and Brad Stevens there, his one workout with Kobe Bryant.
00:55I think this is something that most people don't know is he only worked out with Kobe
00:58once.
00:59And so to see the video from that was really cool.
01:02They showed video from him in high school and just his workout regimen now.
01:06And my biggest takeaway is just like how much goes into this.
01:08And obviously, you know how hard these athletes work to get to where they want to be.
01:12But actually seeing those behind-the-scenes footage of them going through this workout
01:16routine and sticking with it from when he was in middle school is just, it was impressive
01:21to watch.
01:22And to see that version of Jason Tatum where it's not the traditional media sense where
01:26there's this microphone in front of his mouth and he kind of has to watch what he said and
01:30he kind of relaxed a little bit last night and he was still, you know, being himself
01:35kind of mindful.
01:37But I mean, it was cool to see him in that sense and it gives you a new appreciation.
01:41No, it is true.
01:42I think because a lot of times you take it for granted because you watch the games in
01:45all the sports and you're like, oh, these guys are just naturally good.
01:48It's like, well, part of that's true.
01:49Like they have to be, you know, naturally a certain degree of athletic, but then like
01:54the amount of work these guys put in is pretty off the charts.
01:57Yeah.
01:58They said before at the end of every workout, they'd run the court 25 times because it was
02:01rumored that that's what NBA teams did when you went in for a workout to see if you were
02:06in shape and they never actually ended up doing that, but they did it before at the
02:09end of every workout.
02:10So that stuff's cool.
02:11So maybe you just answered it and I don't know, is any of this embargoed?
02:14Like, are you not allowed to share any of it or, but, but what, what jumped out from,
02:19I know you said kind of watching the full amount of work that goes into it from a young
02:22age, but from the Celtics workout specifically, even more so than the Kobe workout, like what
02:27jumped out from that foot, Stephens, Ainge, could you glean anything from that?
02:30Nothing really.
02:31Cause it was, that was kind of a quicker video.
02:33So it wasn't really anything to take away from that, but it was just cool to see them
02:36kind of working through his fadeaway shots, whatever it may be with the, the Celtics brass
02:41right there in front of them, especially when it wasn't really publicly viewed before.
02:45It's obvious too.
02:46Like, and this happens with a lot of these rookies.
02:48This will happen with one, but Yama I'm sure, and probably already has, but him coming into
02:52the league, Keith and like how wirey was versus like how much of a man he is now.
02:57And so I'm sure some of that is striking as well.
03:00I think Tatum deserves any consideration for MVP.
03:03I do.
03:04I mean, again, it feels like every year we have this conversation and I know the Celtics
03:08aren't as dominant as they were last year, but he is the best player on the best team
03:12and he's leading that team in points, rebounds, and assists.
03:14And you see what he's doing now.
03:15Just look at the last two games.
03:17He completely took over those games.
03:19He owned New York on Saturday and did the same thing after a slow first half against
03:24Miami.
03:25So eventually his time will come.
03:26I think right now everyone knows it's going to be SGA.
03:28I mean, he's a big favorite.
03:29He's got that minus next to his name on the draft Kings odds.
03:32That usually says a lot, especially at this point of the season.
03:35So eventually he's going to get one.
03:37I don't think this is the year, unfortunately.
03:39Yeah.
03:40It's frustrating because he has hit this spot where he is an automatic first team, all NBA.
03:45It seems like pretty consistently it's like, all right, roll out of bed, top five player.
03:50And then it's going to come down to somebody else that maybe doesn't have the teammates
03:53around them or whatever, or like, it's going to get more credit for that team success.
03:58It feels like as long as he is on the favorite, I think it's going to be tough for him to
04:02win it.
04:03Yeah.
04:04It's because the team is so good.
04:05They take a hit.
04:06And that's been a problem now for the last couple of years, especially now that he's
04:08taken a bigger step and he's more of a perennial MVP candidate, it feels like this is a discussion
04:14every year.
04:15It's like the team being so good actually hurts his chances.
04:17And eventually it's going to happen, right?
04:19People are going to have to move on just because of the financial state of this team.
04:24So eventually things are going to change.
04:25And I think then he'll get one.
04:27I mean, it's no secret.
04:28He's eventually going to win one.
04:29It's just a matter of when, uh, well, I wonder if he's going to win one, uh, like for instance,
04:36Wim Benyama tonight, uh, against Tatum, which I know we're excited about.
04:39And I'm just curious if Celtics fans realize, you know, what, what he likely is going to
04:45be in very short order compared to earlier to, you know, Conor McDavid early in his career
04:49coming in where you're really looking at, you know, the next Gretzky, the next Sid Crosby,
04:53whatever.
04:54And Wim Benyama is kind of taking that from LeBron.
04:56It seems who you think wins one first Wim Benyama or Tatum.
05:00I think it'll be Tatum.
05:01I still think Wim Benyama has a little bit of time to go.
05:03I mean, he's only 21 and he's taken a step this year, but I think he does have a little
05:07bit more time to go.
05:09And the thing is with Jason Tatum too, is the more he keeps winning, and I know he's
05:13been a winner throughout his entire career, but the more he keeps winning championships
05:17and having deeper runs, you get more consideration in that.
05:20I think there is some sort of a factor that comes with that.
05:23And I think you saw that with Jalen Brown this year, I think he's getting a little bit
05:27more attention and he's not having as strong as a year as he did last year, but he won
05:30the Eastern Conference Finals MVP and NBA Finals MVP.
05:36So that kind of carries some weight and there's a respect that comes with that, that I think
05:40does gain consideration when you're looking at these end of the season awards.
05:43Best NBA player to not win the MVP.
05:46Anybody jump to mind?
05:47Because I'm just trying to think of like, there are guys that not win MVP, not to not
05:51win a championship, the best player to not win an MVP.
05:53Right.
05:54Because like Terp's point, because like, I don't know, he might be right.
05:56Like he might eventually win an MVP.
05:58I was thinking this too.
05:59Like who had the most first team, all NBA appearances before they, I mean, he's probably
06:03online to win an MVP.
06:04You're right about that.
06:05Because like guys do kind of break through and maybe there's like voter fatigue.
06:08Do you have a name in mind?
06:10Jerry West.
06:11Jerry West.
06:12He never won an MVP.
06:13He won a finals MVP.
06:14He did.
06:15In a loss.
06:16D. Wade.
06:17So D. Wade, I would say there's a chance Tatum is trending towards a better career than D.
06:23Wade.
06:24D. Wade's nasty.
06:25You see him at the end of his career and everything else, but D. Wade was nasty, but yeah, so D.
06:29Wade didn't win an MVP.
06:30Kobe won an MVP.
06:31Right.
06:32So Kobe only won like one.
06:33Right.
06:34So that was sort of the big stat with him.
06:35But like he still won.
06:36Yeah.
06:37So Chris Paul, like I think it's wildly overrated.
06:38I'm really glad he did not win an MVP, but so maybe.
06:41John Stockton never won one.
06:42Yeah, but he played with a guy who won two.
06:45He also played with a guy who won two.
06:46Generic list.
06:47First one that popped up.
06:48Hoopsite.
06:49Jerry West.
06:50Okay.
06:51Elgin Baylor.
06:52All right.
06:53So old school.
06:55So Isaiah is a good one.
06:56Pippen.
06:57Paul.
06:58Oh, so now you're already getting that.
06:59So like Pippen.
07:00I love.
07:01I defend Pippen.
07:02Kawhi.
07:03Patrick Ewing.
07:04That's top 10.
07:05Ewing's a good one.
07:06Yeah.
07:07Ewing's a good one.
07:08So Ewing's a good one, but also like Pippen and Ewing and Stockton didn't win.
07:09And Isaiah didn't win because of Jordan.
07:10Isaiah also a little bit of magic, I guess, too, at that point.
07:12But yeah, it's a good one because normally guys that are perennial.
07:16Look, based on that list, Luca hasn't won yet.
07:20Based on that list.
07:21You're right, though.
07:22Tatum should break through.
07:23Maybe he will.
07:25I think he's been knocking at the door.
07:28He'll be in the top five, I think, this year as well.
07:31I just don't think he wins.
07:32Because wasn't it a couple of years ago?
07:33There's like that big push.
07:34Like it should be Joel Embiid.
07:35It should be.
07:36All right, fine.
07:37So like didn't Joel Embiid win one?
07:38Yeah.
07:39Yeah.
07:40And it's like Jokic should have just won all.
07:41I get the fatigue.
07:42I didn't really get giving it to Embiid, but I got the fatigue.
07:44So I guess the question will be like when Jokic is no longer the best player or there's
07:48a year he's like hurt.
07:49Is that the year that like Shea Gildershot-Alexander gets it?
07:51And like how soon is Wemby going to get it?
07:54Yeah.
07:55So if I had to pick who's going to win an MVP first.
07:57Wemby's going to start winning games.
07:59True.
08:00But they've already won more games than they won a year ago.
08:01Like they're-
08:02Grayson's only 23.
08:03No, they're not.
08:04But still.
08:05They're not even 500, right?
08:07But they also just got De'Aaron.
08:09They have four games of De'Aaron Fox or whatever it is.
08:11So let's see.
08:13I'd imagine they start winning soon.
08:14But you're right.
08:15He absolutely has to do that.
08:17I would think Wemba and Yama first, although that list is intriguing.
08:20Because you're right.
08:21All the great players break through and win an MVP.
08:22But it also kind of brings a new appreciation to the talent in the league now when you're
08:26having these conversations.
08:27It's loaded.
08:28You've got guys like Wemby, SGA, Jokic, Luka, Tatum.
08:32There's just so many young players.
08:33You could do a good Four Nations.
08:34And we're seeing-
08:35Yeah, you could.
08:36NBA.
08:37Real nice.
08:38Yeah, yeah.
08:39We kind of had that with the Olympics.
08:40US.
08:41France.
08:42France.
08:43Loaded.
08:44Canada.
08:45US.
08:46Yeah, Spain's kind of gone downhill a little bit.
08:47After the Gasol brothers.
08:48Don't stop the Gasols.
08:49Gasol and Ricky Rubio.
08:50See what you got left.
08:51Rudy Fernandez.
08:53That's not bad.
08:54No, it's true.
08:55Older dudes.
08:56Do you think we're premature in the Wemenyama conversation that he'll be the face of the
08:59league in short order?
09:00No.
09:01Not at all.
09:02I think everyone that watches him play and watches the NBA at large would agree with
09:05that.
09:06It's just a matter of time until he does take over this league.
09:08I mean, he's only 21, and he's in his second year as a pro.
09:11He's only going to get better, and he's already kind of taken a leap this year.
09:14So it is just a matter of time until this is his league.
09:17And I like that the NBC commercials included him in there because it's going to be him
09:22in short order.
09:23So home game tonight.
09:24So they'll have a chance to add to this, I guess, positively or negatively.
09:28But one of the stories we've been talking about this week is Celtics are 22 and 6 on
09:33the road, 16 and 10 at home.
09:36Wow.
09:37Best working theory as to why that is.
09:40There's just a tendency to let their foot off the gas at home.
09:43And maybe it's because there's more distractions when you're at home.
09:47You're back at home at your house and all that.
09:50And I also think maybe they look up and see that banner on the rafters and like, hey,
09:53you know what?
09:54We are in that.
09:55We know what we can do.
09:56And they kind of let their foot off the gas a little bit.
09:57I really think it is as simple as that.
09:58And then obviously, we've been talking about it all year that opposing teams are coming
10:02in and giving them their best shot every single night.
10:04So when you take your foot off the gas and the opposing team is going all in, it's going
10:09to lead to losses.
10:10And that's what happened.
10:11But I really do think tonight will be a little bit different.
10:14They've been really vocal.
10:15The players have about heading into all star break on the right foot.
10:19And right now, they've won nine of their last 12, six of their last seven.
10:22And it's been a gauntlet for them over this last month.
10:25The loss in there, just FYI, was terrible against the Mavs, like a Mavs team with hardly
10:30anybody in there.
10:31Another one where they come off a road trip and lose the game at home in kind of embarrassing
10:35fashion.
10:36But since January 15th, they haven't had more than one day off between games.
10:40And look, they are playing better.
10:42I'll give them that.
10:43When it comes to those two records, the home record and the red flag that it is versus
10:49the road record, which I think could be evidence of when this team needs to, they can turn
10:52it on.
10:54Which record to you is more telling?
10:57I think the road record is because, like you said, they can just flip that switch.
11:00And if you look at the numbers we just looked at, two of those wins came over New York and
11:05Cleveland, who are the ones that you're sandwiched in between in the middle.
11:08That's a tough look for, I'm a Knicks guy, as the biggest competitor in the East.
11:13That's been a tough look in the two games against New York.
11:16I can't remember it off the top of my head, but I did the math the other day.
11:20I think it's only 49 seconds they've trailed against New York this season in two games
11:25of basketball.
11:26They've trailed for 49 seconds, which is just crazy.
11:28They just have way too many pick and roll targets, and the Knicks just don't have an
11:31answer for the Celtics.
11:32If those two are to see in a postseason series, I don't think that one's going to be really
11:36close.
11:37It is a terrible matchup for New York.
11:38I think it's a bad matchup for the Cavs.
11:40Do you think the Cavs are the tougher team in the East for the Celtics?
11:43Yes.
11:44I do.
11:45Score one for Keith.
11:46Agreed.
11:47They've played the Celtics tough this year.
11:49Most of those games have come down.
11:50Not the last one.
11:51The last game was a beat down.
11:52The other two.
11:53They at least beat them.
11:54Yeah.
11:55New York is not even close.
11:56Not competitive.
11:57They just ran away with those games.
11:58But the two Cleveland games before the last one were tight.
12:01They played them, and I think they both came down to two possessions.
12:05Cleveland plays them tough.
12:06And Cleveland, obviously, just got DeAndre Hunter.
12:08So a little bit better.
12:09A little bit more help there.
12:10Though Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown have cooked that guy over the course of their careers.
12:13So we'll see.
12:14I still think the East runs through Boston, even though they might not have the one seed.
12:19Do we ever get an official answer on if Torrey Craig is with Megan Thee Stallion?
12:24Great question.
12:25I mean, social media is saying so.
12:26I think Scout was all worked up over that, wasn't he?
12:27Scout was hot-bothered.
12:28Scout was probably still worked up over that.
12:31But we didn't know what was going on there.
12:32You never know.
12:33So he hasn't played yet.
12:36Does he even have a role?
12:37Or is that just sort of like a financial, like, we're getting rid of Springer.
12:39We have a roster spot.
12:40We'll bring in Craig.
12:41He's a veteran NBA player.
12:43But are we going to see him at all?
12:44Does he have a role?
12:45No.
12:46I mean, you'll see him, especially come the end of the season, when the guys start taking
12:50nights off.
12:51And he does bring a veteran presence.
12:52And people forget, during the Phoenix Suns run to the finals, he was an everyday contributor
12:57on that team.
12:58So he has experience in the postseason.
13:00He shot the ball well from three over the last three years.
13:03And he can play defense.
13:04When he was in New Zealand to start his career, he won Defensive Player of the Year over there.
13:08So I know the competition wasn't over there.
13:09You know what?
13:10That was not Aaron Baynes.
13:11That was not on his basketball reference page.
13:13Yeah.
13:14That's right.
13:15That's right.
13:16So he'll have a role.
13:17But it's not going to be anything major.
13:18Yeah.
13:19The top nine is the top nine.
13:20And barring any injuries, that's what it's going to be.
13:22OK.
13:23Well, right now, Drew Holliday's hurt.
13:24Is there any reason for concern with that?
13:26I don't think so.
13:27I think it's also, he played through the Olympics, played the longest, one of the longest seasons
13:31last year.
13:32And I think they are just kind of managing him.
13:34And now he's going to get, what, two weeks off between games with the All-Star break
13:37and a couple of games he's taken off now.
13:39So I'm not really worried about it.
13:41And ever since he came back on New Year's Eve, his numbers were trending up.
13:44And they've kind of fluctuated a little bit.
13:46But that's just the way it goes across an NBA season.
13:48So you know, come the postseason, Drew Holliday is going to be there and answer the call.
13:54Just look back to that Pacer series last year.
13:56I mean, what he did, how he executed down the stretch.
13:59I mean, he had a case for Eastern Conference Finals MVP as well.
14:03No, just looking at the numbers, you might not think that.
14:05But if you look at the actual impact he had on those games, he had a case.
14:09So you know, come the postseason, Drew Holliday is going to be ready to go and he's going
14:12to make those winning plays.
14:13And that's why they went out and got him.
14:15Do we ever get an actual answer as to why Jalen Brown's not in the dunk contest this
14:20year?
14:21Because last year I was like, hey, maybe this is a positive sign that All-Stars and real
14:25players that people know are going to do it.
14:27He wasn't great in it, but I was just happy that he did it.
14:29I think he even said in the immediate aftermath, like, yeah, it'd be something I'd do again.
14:34And then here we are, 2025, they announce who it is and it's four scrubs.
14:39So did he ever get asked about that?
14:41I believe he did reference some of the lower body injuries he's dealt with this year.
14:44So I think that played into it.
14:46And I would be surprised if he doesn't do it again.
14:48I really do.
14:49Really?
14:50I do expect him to be back.
14:51Hopefully he gets somebody to join him.
14:52Yeah.
14:53I'd be surprised.
14:54The thing with Jalen though is he kind of used it as a platform to like, you know, it
14:58was really on brand with him as he kind of, everything had meaning, right?
15:02It wasn't necessarily about the dunk itself.
15:04It was about the story.
15:05Maybe he should do less of that and more of the focusing on the dunks because that was
15:09not a great show.
15:10That's on brand.
15:11That's how he is.
15:12I'll give him credit for just doing it.
15:13There hasn't been a star player in years to do it.
15:14But then the year after the star player did it, look at what we're left with.
15:18It's worse than ever.
15:19It's a worse field than ever.
15:20It might be one of the historically the worst groups.
15:22Yeah.
15:23We can compare it maybe later in the week.
15:24I saw Jalen took a shot at Donovan Mitchell last night on the Tonight Show.
15:29I was like, oh yeah, I would have rehearsed that dunk with Donovan Mitchell if he ever
15:31showed up.
15:32Well, so, uh, Mitchell did some dunk contests.
15:34A little shot.
15:35No, Mitchell actually did well.
15:36Threw down in a dunk contest.
15:37That's true.
15:38Um, no.
15:39So the, uh, the whole idea of the Jalen being involved in the dunk contest, you were talking
15:46before Peyton Pritchard turned down the three point contest.
15:48That surprised me.
15:49Yeah.
15:50I thought he would be too.
15:51I think he's eyeing a vacation because he was talking about looking ahead to the all-star
15:54break and how he was going to get away and maybe have a drink or two.
15:58So I think he's just looking forward to that.
16:00Is he already?
16:01Is he getting married or is he already married?
16:02He's already married.
16:03He got married.
16:04He's already got off season.
16:05Okay.
16:06So there's no, like, I gotta, I gotta jam in wedding prep or my wife's making me do X,
16:07Y, and Z.
16:08No, he's good.
16:09He just wants a break instead of going to the three point contest.
16:10I mean, he's going to be playing pickup in South, you're everywhere, North end.
16:14I thought he was pure hoops.
16:15He's the purest.
16:16Move over LeBron.
16:17But that's not true.
16:18Take a break.
16:19If he's pure.
16:20If he needs a break.
16:21He wants to go to Cancun.
16:22That's not pure hoops.
16:24He'll have other opportunities to go into the three point contest.
16:28Will he?
16:29I think so.
16:30Yeah.
16:31I don't know.
16:32I mean, it's the NBA or leads reserves in three pointers off the bench.
16:33He's in the top 10 for the longest time.
16:34I haven't really looked at that.
16:35This would be the year to strike while the iron's hot.
16:37One would think so.
16:38I don't, that doesn't feel like pure hoops taking a break and kicking his feet up in
16:40Cancun does not.
16:41That does not feel like pure hoops.
16:42I mean, with the schedule they've had and that guy doesn't, he missed a game actually
16:46recently with an illness, but that guy does not take time off.
16:48So if he wants to take a week off, but again, he is taking time off.
16:52That's what he's doing.
16:53He's earned it.
16:54Yeah.
16:55Yeah.
16:56No, I'm set.
16:57But I just, that doesn't sound like pure hoops.
16:58No, it's pure.
16:59Pure hoops.
17:00Maybe he's playing actual pickup games.
17:01He's like, that's just shooting.
17:02He's like, I got to play.
17:03I got to pass and Ron set screens.
17:04Pure hoops was the bubble.
17:05He'll be in the lab.
17:06I was just, it was all about the basketball.
17:08No breaks.
17:09You're right.
17:10This feels like a break.
17:11It does not.
17:12But he's earned it.
17:13You need them for the post season.
17:14If you want to go get right, go ahead.
17:16Okay.
17:17Uh, Turk, thanks so much.
17:18Uh, you can check out all his work, uh, at W E I you can follow him on Twitter and Instagram
17:23m Turpin good stuff at Tatum and drew Hamlin's event last night.
17:26So check that out.