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

Paul Pierce has STORIES 🗣️

The Truth goes down memory lane to talk about his relationship with Kobe Bryant and how the two told each other during the summer of 2007 that they thought their respective careers with the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers were done. Pierce also tells story after story about Kevin Garnett, the 2009 Celtics, load management, National TV Rondo and much more from the past. When it comes to the present? Pierce has been out at the Auerbach Center with this season’s team. He takes you inside the conversations he’s had with the players and the coaches , and even gives a full demonstration of what he taught Paul George at practice the day before about scoring around the elbows.

How did the Boston Celtics come to build what may be the best player enhancement/development staff in the NBA? Craig Luschenat, Director of Player Enhancement for the Celtics, joins the podcast to discuss some of the behind-the-scenes secrets that has led to the recent development of a long list of impactful players, from Luke Kornet and Sam Hauser, to Jordan Walsh and Neemias Queta, to Baylor Scheierman and Ron Harper Jr., and a list that continues to this day. Luschenat reveals that a lot of it has to do with how the brain works and forms new neural connections. That’s why Boston’s staff leverages its youth and creativity to make players fail as much as possible on the practice court.

00:00: What is player enhancement/development?
02:30: Balancing team needs vs. player growth
03:30: Developing younger players vs. older players
04:45: How the Celtics build out an individual plan for each player
07:00: Explanation of different types of film sessions
09:00: Establishing a plan, and then putting it into action
13:45: How do the Celtics tweak players’ shooting form?
16:00: How the Celtics challenge elite shooters like Sam Hauser
16:45: What a day and week looks like for players
19:15: What has led to the establishment of this culture?
20:45: Explaining what player enhancement meetings entail
22:10: Craig Luschenat’s big breaks and how he got to the NBA
22:40: All of the people involved with player enhancement each day

“That’s prime PG!” Celtics rookies Chris Cenac Jr. and Dillon Mitchell join the pod to talk about being teammates with a legend like Paul George, who is an idol for players of their age. They say there’s been some moments that have almost left them speechless. The rookies also share very bluntly why they know playing for the Boston Celtics is different than everywhere else in the league, including some fan interactions, and what their interactions were like with the Celtics leading up to the 2026 NBA Draft.

00:00: Adjusting to NBA life and the Celtics’ player development program
04:19: Dillon Mitchell on playing for Rick Pitino at St. John’s
05:25: Chris Cenac Jr. on his constant drive to improve
07:05: Stories from playing in the McDonald’s All-American game
09:00: What’s it like being a top-10 recruit in the nation in high school?
12:25: Going through the NBA Draft process
14:30: Dillon Mitchell shares his Draft experience working out for the Celtics
15:00: Looking up to Paul George
17:05: Importance of having each other to lean on amid the rookie experience
18:15: Expectations for this season
19:45: Chris Cenac Jr. says he stopped Jayson Tatum
!21:00: Chris Cenac Jr. on his Summer League buzzer-beater
23:00: Chris Cenac Jr. on him and Mitchell Robinson coming from Louisiana
23:45: The rookies discuss their family life
26:20: What stands out most about being a member of the Celtics?

Let’s play Random Questions with Joe!🙋‍♂️ In Part 2 of our two-part conversation with the Boston Celtics head coach, Joe Mazzulla answers a long list of random questions off the cuff. Learn how much coffee he drinks each day (and what time he cuts himself off), what his self-proclaimed worst quality is, which of his players is or was the best debater, and much more. Plus, Joe turns vulnerable on some answers, leading him to him sharing what the most addictive part of his job is, and discussing the personal challenges he faced after his father passed away. 

00:00: Is Joe Mazzulla humble?
06:40: Time to play Random Questions with Joe! How much coffee does he drink?
07:16: What’s the best lesson Joe has ever learned?
08:17: Does Mazzulla overthink things?
10:17: What’s the basketball cliché he hates most?
13:00: Which player who he has coached is/was the best debater?
13:45: What’s the hardest thing he has ever done?
16:15: What’s more important to NBA success: natural skill, or confidence?
19:20: What’s the most addictive part of being an NBA coach?
21:46: What’s the most interesting thought Joe has had today?

This is where you learn about how Joe Mazzulla REALLY approaches life and basketball 🏀 In Part 1 of our two-part conversation with the Boston Celtics head coach, Mazzulla shares his approach to knowing his players on a deeply personal level, which has led to him traveling all over the world during the offseason to see them in their natural, home environments. The coach also shares a story about how Deuce Tatum said one word following a loss that snapped Mazzulla’s perspective on fatherhood and basketball into a clear image. The conversation then dives into Mazzulla’s outlook on the current team, why depth is so important in the NBA, and – randomly – how aggregators recently pulled a quote of his somewhat out of context. 

00:35: The purpose behind visiting his players in the offseason
05:00: What would we learn about Joe if we went with him to his hometown?
06:30: Building relationships with players of all stages of careers and lives
10:20: An interesting visit to Mitchell Robinson in Nashville
12:00: What Mazzulla likes about this year’s team
14:00: Players working out together in LA this offseason
15:00: Why depth is so important nowadays in the NBA
19:15: A brief discussion on NBA usage
20:15: Aggregators pulling Mazzulla’s quotes out of context