We allow House is going on here of the jump on Saturday night.

Friends.

The Celtics do get their first crack at the defending champs after coming up just short in the Eastern Conference finals to the Heat last season.

Boston, 10 and six this season, tied for second place out East right now.

So, Matt, are the Celtics better overall this season than they were last year?

I think they are.

I love the addition of Tristan Thompson.

Someone's gonna pay dividends come playoff time.

A proven Bangor big body does the dirty work because I think there were a little, uh, you know, needed some help there last year.

I think the key to this team, obviously with Tatum and Brown being one of the best young dudes we've seen in the game, they need consistent play and consistently and Kemba Walker to be healthy.

I feel like for this team to get over the hump, um, he's been a little in and out and then had Sometimes I'm inconsistency.

So I think in order for this team to take the next step, which is possibly playing in the finals.

They need Kemba Walker to be healthy and playing his best basketball.

Yeah, I agree, Matt, and you know, you say consistency and I'm going with another synonym continuity, because once they have that, they will.

Definitely the Celtics take that next step because if you think about it, they went from having what Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward and Al Horford to now not having any of those guys.

Plus Kemba.

Their guy has been in and out of the lineup, and I'm so glad that he's finally back now because he's been looking great on the perimeter.

But now we finally know, and this is for the continuity sake.

We finally know that Jayson Tatum and Jalen Brown those air, your primary options and the formula is I'll be it slow.

Still working Jayson Tatum.

His numbers air like career highs in almost every category, and Jalen Brown every year he gets better, he he adds another skill, and that's the trajectory that will make them compete.

So they still have some things to figure out like you, said Tristan Thompson, in the paint.

Providing that rim protection and just easy finishes helps But it's gonna be interesting to see how they evolve, because it will take a little bit mawr for them to compete against the bigs that the Lakers halves or the Bucks have in Johannes or Ah, 70 Sixers team within and be that's looking like an M V P.

There are almost there.

They are better, but it might take a little bit more fine tuning for them to actually take down one of those Giants as well.

No, that's a great point.

It's been one of the questions about the Celtics roster.

It's a good point you also make about evolution and Jalen Brown and specific Matt.

What is it with Jalen Brown?

We all see the numbers.

We watch him, but from a basketball player's perspective, when you're down on the court, what are some of the little things that you notice Jalen Brown doing is getting better and better that he's had such a break out season?

He just a student of the game.

And, you know, Kobe used to say, You know, you add a piece each summer and it sounds like that's something Jalen Brown has been doing.

He's added, you know, in between game.

He has a post up game, obviously very explosive when he gets to the basket started becoming more consistent three point shooter and what I like about him is he plays defense, you know.

So David Brown is definitely making waves than he should definitely be considered.

Um, if we have an All Star Game, a zit All star this year because he's been killing, you know, the time that Jayson Tatum was out because of contact tracing, um, gender, Brown has really stepped up.

So I'm excited to see the evolution of these guys continuing to play together and really getting like Jenny said, getting their their their rhythm and their chemistry together because they have a lot of different talented parts.

But once they all come together and get some time together under their belt, that's we're going to see the best Celtics team.

Yeah, for sure.

And John Brunswick, Georgia, right?

That's true.

Yeah, you want to point that out.

She just had to get that she had to get that in.

I mean, we're talking about an all Star game that's almost in Atlanta.

Come on now.

So, like, of course, you need the time I get it, I get it.

I will say, By the way, even if they don't have the game, they are gonna pick all Stars.

We will get to that a little bit later in the show.

I don't remember the point about Jalen is.

He's obviously someone anyone everyone and anyone in the league has had their eye on for years because he is such a talent jumps off the court.

But I think it's fascinating to see how he has kept adding to his game.

And his name has been mentioned in the most improved player category, which again, there's some voters who just don't like voting for a player that was that accomplished already to then ADM.

Or And they like to save that for a younger player.

I am someone who likes toe, use my vote.

For if someone made a jump, they made a jump.

No matter what stage of their career there in, I'm interested in seeing how Jalen Brown continues to make this jump this season.

All right, let's talk about the Hawks because they beat the Clippers 108 to 99 last night.

PG and Kawai, we're both out due to Cova protocols.

But let's give some love to Atlanta.

They've won four of their past five games during that's direct.

We've seen great performances from Trey Young, Clint Capela today.

Are the Hawks taking a big step forward this season or they still a year away?

Since we talked about Atlanta?

Reminds me of, you know, the versus the versus battle, you know?

So I say, you know Okay, that was one of my favorites.

Anyways, I'm Trae Young.

Clearly, he's a bucket.

But he desperately needed some help on the perimeter to remember last season.

No player outside of trade on the perimeter average more than double digits around like 12 points.

And so now they have DeAndre hunter talking about players that have improved taking a big step forward.

You add in a guy like Danilo Gallinari and Bogdan Bogdanovic, which was a nice little random boost that they got, you know, in the middle of that trade, which will help with that.

And you know me.

I'm gonna go back to my Houston people.

Clint Capela.

He anchors the inside.

And so the Atlanta Hawks, they're really building something special.

And when it comes together, might take time.

I think that they will really compete, led by obviously Trey on.

Yeah, I think there is still a year away, but they were my surprise team out of the East this year, and I think they're in the sixth slot right now.

And one thing that's not overlook is Ragen Rondo's presence, although he's been in and out of the lineup having him on the show.

That was the one thing that I asked him is, you know, all these young guys are trying to soak up game from him.

So he's over there coaching these guys up, whether he's on the court or not, and you know what time it is when it's when it's playoff time.

So look, look for this team to definitely make some noise This year.

I still feel like there may possibly a year away from really, really making noise, but I see them definitely getting a chance.

Teoh be in the playoffs this year.

It's interesting of interesting again.

How that play in scenario, the seven through 10 slot does that help them because that maybe they need that help to get in.

Does it hurt them because maybe they would have been in already and then some team comes to challenge them.

We'll have to see where they end up in the standings at the end of the year.

Alright, guys, chill has to get ready for the China Angola radio show because apparently cannot have a radio show called China and Bullock without today.

So thank you for joining us today.

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