Jayson Tatum's return to the Celtics roster, combined with Jaylen Brown's performance, has put the Eastern Conference in play.
Of course, if you've been listening to the Celtics on their radio home--98.5 the Sports Hub--you already know this. As I'm typing these words you're reading, I'm checking the standings on the smartphone on my desk. The Boston Celtics are three and a half games behind the Detroit Pistons for first place in the Eastern Conference. And with the news that Pistons star Cade Cunningham possibly missing an extended period of time due to a collapsed lung? Boston's chances at topping the East at season's end just got even better, as the bath could be clearer.
That news had yet to break when we had John Karalis on the show early this morning. You've read John's basketball coverage for decades. As of late, he's on the Celtics beat for Sports Illustrated. He joined the show this morning via zoom with a background so vivid and accurate that Hardy couldn't figure out of John had stayed at TD Garden after Wednesday night's win over the Golden State Warriors or if he was just super early for Thursday morning's shootaround. Neither was the case, of course. Karalis is just a pro with the zoom.
Tatum's Return
As expected, John talked about the impact of Jason Tatum's return to the team. He talked about how well Jaylen Brown has not only played but incorporated Tatum back into the mix. Then he brought up something even more interesting. To the eye of Karalis, the C's supporting players have been playing above their ability as a group throughout the season. The game changes dramatically in the postseason, though. Will players like Luka Garza and Hugo Gonzalez continue to perform in the playoffs? Fire up that clip up top and get into the takes.
Patriots Risks
We now take leave of the parquet floor for some Patriots notes. Chad Graff of The Athletic was kind enough to make time for Toucher & Hardy this morning. His latest story, Patriots taking some major risks this offseason: Alijah Vera-Tucker, A.J. Brown and more, was the subject at hand. In the piece, Chad details some of the potential risks that New England has taken in free agency, and some future decisions the team has to make. Fred, Hardy, and Wallach liked this unique angle Graff took, so they spoke about it at length in the clip.
Since we're talking Pats, another quick plug for our Patriots Offseason Hub, now available on the Sports Hub website and app. Check out the NFL Free Agency Tracker for up-to-the-minute updates on all the moves across the league. Read all the latest New England-centered news from Alex Barth and Matt Dolloff as well as updates from across the league. And as free agency takes fly out of the speakers on Toucher & Hardy, Zo & Beetle, and Felger & Mazz, and Joe Murray's night time show, we'll have the best of that for you, too.
