King of the Fourth Quarter

The Celtics are back — well, sort of. Media Day is here, training camp is underway, and Jim and Mike break down the biggest storylines heading into the new season. Is this truly the beginning of a “new era” for Jayson Tatum and the Celtics? How much can Boston count on Paul George? Which of the Celtics’ young players is ready to make the leap? What happens with Payton Pritchard’s next contract? And could winning the possession battle — not three-point shooting — become the defining feature of this team? Plus, we dig into Pablo Torre’s latest investigation into Life Surge, the athletes and celebrities who appeared at its events, and the questions surrounding Joe Mazzulla’s involvement. Basketball is almost back. So are we. They’re Gonna Call It a Hard Foul — part of the Fan First Sports Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NBA season is almost here, and Jim and Mike are officially done with the offseason nonsense. We start with the Celtics taking a flier on former lottery pick Devin Carter and what his addition says about Boston’s offseason philosophy: create extra possessions, attack the glass, force turnovers and give Jayson Tatum more chances to win basketball games. Then things go off the rails. We get into the fallout from the Kawhi Leonard/Steve Ballmer mess, why watching a billionaire actually face consequences is strangely satisfying, Robert Kraft’s selective approach to free speech, and a much bigger question hanging over the NBA: Are billionaire owners and private equity starting to become a problem for the league itself? Plus: Paul George’s importance to the Celtics, what we actually want to see when basketball finally starts, and an early over/under on how many games PG actually plays. Basketball is almost back. Thank God. They’re Gonna Call It a Hard Foul — part of the Fan First Sports Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re finally back, and apparently we picked a hell of a week to return. Jim and Mike dig into the fallout from the Clippers’ cap-circumvention scandal, the massive punishment the NBA handed down, and what the whole mess says about league insiders, access journalism, and how the NBA does business. Then we return to the Celtics. How much more valuable is Boston’s 2028 Clippers pick now? What will the offense look like with Jayson Tatum back at the center of the action? Could Payton Pritchard take another leap? Which other Celtics have the most room to grow this season? Plus, the NBA schedule, a much deeper Eastern Conference, and an old-school basketball question: are today’s point guards really better, or are we forgetting just how damn good the previous generations were? The NBA is almost back. So are we. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tatum Is the Best Player in the East The Eastern Conference has been turned upside down. LeBron James is headed to Philadelphia. The Knicks are the defending Eastern Conference champions. The Celtics look completely different. And the Pistons, Pacers, Cavs, Heat, and Magic are all trying to make their move. This week, Jim and Mike break down the biggest offseason storylines, debate whether Philadelphia's new "superteam" can actually work, rank the best players in the Eastern Conference, and predict how the standings will shake out heading into the season. Is Jayson Tatum still the best player in the East? Is New York still the team to beat? And are the Celtics being massively underrated? All that and more on another episode of They're Gonna Call It a Hard Foul. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NBA season is still months away, but it's time to set some realistic expectations. Jim and Mike break down what they've seen from Celtics Summer League, why they're encouraged by Hugo González, Dylan Mitchell, and the team's young talent, and what they expect from Jayson Tatum as he takes full control of the franchise. They also debate whether Paul George can still make an impact, whether Derrick White can bounce back offensively, and what Payton Pritchard's next step looks like. Plus, the guys discuss potential starting lineups, the future of the Celtics, LeBron's next move, and close with a heartfelt tribute to friend of the show Chris Matthews. Topics include: Summer League standouts Hugo González's development Expectations for Tatum, Pritchard, White & Paul George Predicting Boston's starting five LeBron rumors Remembering Chris Matthews Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices