1 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:03,680 Speaker 1: Alright, So, as you saw from my Twitter feed earlier today, 2 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:07,360 Speaker 1: I was successful. It turns out that it does not 3 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:10,119 Speaker 1: that complicated to get something on Apple podcast. I was 4 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: able to figure it out over my coffee on Saturday 5 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:16,240 Speaker 1: morning or Sunday morning. I think it was um So 6 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:18,120 Speaker 1: I'm pumped to have that up there because I think 7 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 1: that's for those of you who care enough to listen. 8 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:22,800 Speaker 1: I think it's a lot easier, especially when you're driving 9 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:25,920 Speaker 1: or doing work or something along those lines, to follow 10 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:28,080 Speaker 1: along in the form of a podcast. However, I do 11 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 1: really like these live videos. I really like when I 12 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 1: can have questions asked and I can kind of interact 13 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 1: directly with you guys. It's a lot more fun for me. 14 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:37,720 Speaker 1: Makes it feel a lot more like a basketball conversation 15 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: instead of just you know, one dude talking endlessly for 16 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: a long time. But anyway, so today I want to 17 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:48,919 Speaker 1: talk about the uh uh m j Lebron debate as 18 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:51,400 Speaker 1: of right now, where I feel about what I feel 19 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 1: about that debate as it stands currently. And then I 20 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:56,320 Speaker 1: got a lot of attitude from some people for me 21 00:00:56,400 --> 00:00:59,560 Speaker 1: saying that Jimmy was the eleventh or twelfth best player 22 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 1: in the league instead of the tenth and uh I'm 23 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:04,960 Speaker 1: going to defend that um. And last but not least, 24 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 1: I just want to thank you all who have supported 25 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:10,119 Speaker 1: me during this last couple of months as I've gotten 26 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:13,200 Speaker 1: this process started, and I've had so much fun with it, 27 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:14,840 Speaker 1: And for all of you who take the time to 28 00:01:14,959 --> 00:01:18,480 Speaker 1: go rate and review that podcast and subscribe, and for 29 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:20,120 Speaker 1: all of you who continue to support me, I just 30 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 1: hope you understand how much I appreciate you guys. I 31 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:24,600 Speaker 1: Like I said, I've been having so much fun with 32 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:26,160 Speaker 1: it and I look forward to see where it goes. 33 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 1: But anyway, with the Lebron MJ thing, it's really this simple. 34 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 1: You know, I'm a huge Lebron fan. It's the thing 35 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: that got me into basketball. I grew up in a 36 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:37,560 Speaker 1: basket I grew up in a baseball and football family. 37 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:40,280 Speaker 1: I had to have a talk with my dad to 38 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 1: convince him to let me quit the high school football 39 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:46,039 Speaker 1: team so that I could pursue basketball. And that was 40 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 1: the the you know, the because it was just not 41 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:50,640 Speaker 1: a thing in my family growing up, and all my 42 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 1: my brothers played football and baseball, and it was really 43 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 1: hard for me to get off of that, you know track, 44 00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 1: to get to what I wanted, and uh, ironically just 45 00:01:58,640 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 1: flicking channels. One day, I came across Lebron playing against 46 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 1: the Pistons in two thousand six, and I guess I 47 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:07,560 Speaker 1: was a freshman in high school or a sophomore in 48 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:11,000 Speaker 1: high school. And uh, he ended up losing that series, 49 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 1: but I was so impressed. I think I think I 50 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 1: turned it on in game uh in game six when 51 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:19,079 Speaker 1: they took the might have been in Game five when 52 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:21,480 Speaker 1: they took the three to lead, and I was just 53 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:24,240 Speaker 1: entranced by how well he played. And I became a 54 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:27,280 Speaker 1: huge Lebron fan at that phase of my uh my life, 55 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:29,799 Speaker 1: and it got me into basketball, and I ended up, 56 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:32,760 Speaker 1: you know, getting basketball, ended up paying for my college, 57 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 1: and end up being this unbelievable experience. So I'll always 58 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:38,960 Speaker 1: be a Lebron fan for that. But coming into this season, 59 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:41,919 Speaker 1: you know, I never thought that he had a legitimate 60 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:45,920 Speaker 1: case for the greatest basketball player ever. And I honestly 61 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:47,639 Speaker 1: thought it was kind of a mistake made by a 62 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:50,520 Speaker 1: lot of Lebron fans to jump on that train too early, 63 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:53,560 Speaker 1: because it shot some of the credibility down and it 64 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:55,960 Speaker 1: made it I think it's part of the reason why 65 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:59,240 Speaker 1: this debate is so you know, hard to have with people, 66 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 1: and why everyone is so entrenched in their opinions, it's 67 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 1: because you know, it was like they beat the seventy 68 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:09,359 Speaker 1: three win Warriors, and a lot of Lebron fans kind of, 69 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 1: you know, stake their claim that that Lebron was that 70 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 1: guy at that point, when I never really thought that 71 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:19,440 Speaker 1: at that point he had a legitimate case. And you know, uh, 72 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 1: now and after this season, after what he was able 73 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:25,359 Speaker 1: to do, I do think that he finally has a 74 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 1: case for me personally, I'm still not ready to say 75 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 1: that he definitively can take that title. Um that said, 76 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 1: I do believe he legitimately has a case. And what 77 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 1: I plan to do today is to talk about what 78 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:43,880 Speaker 1: that case looks like and to explain why. You know, uh, 79 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:46,760 Speaker 1: if I was having a conversation with somebody and at 80 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:49,760 Speaker 1: some point in the future and I was staking that claim, 81 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:52,640 Speaker 1: this is what that claim would look like. And you know, 82 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:55,480 Speaker 1: for starters, you know, I think it's important to understand that, 83 00:03:55,600 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: you know, the NBA relies heavily on individual conversations about 84 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 1: individual players and individual legacies, but it is a team 85 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 1: sport at the end of the day. Do you guys 86 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 1: think Lebron finally just randomly in became the best player 87 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 1: in the league again, or do you think he was 88 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 1: the best player in the league in two thousand seventeen 89 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 1: and in two thousand eighteen and two thousand nineteen and 90 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:18,200 Speaker 1: probably for most of the last nine or ten years. 91 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:22,279 Speaker 1: It just as that team circumstances surrounding him have shifted, 92 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:25,039 Speaker 1: and you know, things have like broke his way and 93 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 1: things have not broken his way, and it has resulted 94 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 1: in you know, teams winning team championships, and and that 95 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:35,120 Speaker 1: a lot of times we overcomplicated instead of simplifying it 96 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:37,640 Speaker 1: down to the fact that, yes, this is the sport 97 00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 1: where an individual has the largest impact, but it is 98 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 1: not a sport where an individual is the soul, you know, uh, 99 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:47,279 Speaker 1: the sole reason why a team can win or lose, 100 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:50,279 Speaker 1: you know. And there's a I think it starts with 101 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 1: the aura of invincibility that surrounds Michael Jordan's you know 102 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 1: that he never lost when the reality was that he 103 00:04:57,160 --> 00:04:59,719 Speaker 1: did not only in the eighties when he was going 104 00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 1: again against a lot of the guys who are his 105 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 1: all time peers, the Larry Birds, the Isaiah Thomass and 106 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:08,000 Speaker 1: the Magic Johnson's who dominated while MJ was in the league, 107 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:10,720 Speaker 1: but also in the nineties, he lost twice. He lost 108 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:14,479 Speaker 1: in nine nine against that Detroit Pistons team in seven games, 109 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 1: and he lost in to the to the Magic. And 110 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: the reality is is like you can you can draw 111 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 1: a line between uh, those losses and and the fact 112 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 1: that basketball is a team sport even for those circumstances 113 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:31,640 Speaker 1: like the for that Pistons team, the youth on that 114 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:35,680 Speaker 1: Chicago roster wasn't ready, Scottie Pippen wasn't ready, and and 115 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:38,440 Speaker 1: it took those losses for them to improve to the 116 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:41,360 Speaker 1: point where they could peak simultaneously and go on the 117 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 1: run that they did. And you know why they lost 118 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:46,480 Speaker 1: to the Magic because they had Horace Grant and Shaquille 119 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:48,640 Speaker 1: O'Neil and they had no front court, so they just 120 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:51,080 Speaker 1: got bullied and they had no chance, and that's why 121 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:53,039 Speaker 1: they lost. And you know, I think a lot of 122 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 1: times that doesn't mean that MJ wasn't the best player, 123 00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 1: you know, and MJ was probably the best player from 124 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 1: you know, N nine four, you know, as as Larry 125 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 1: Bird kind of throughout his back and faded out of 126 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:07,039 Speaker 1: the league. But the truth of the matter is that 127 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:10,760 Speaker 1: you know, uh, simplifying it down to just how many 128 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:15,120 Speaker 1: championships a player won, is it It does a disservice 129 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:16,960 Speaker 1: to both of those players, and the fact that in 130 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:18,840 Speaker 1: all of their teammates and all of their coaches over 131 00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 1: the years, and the impacts that those people had on 132 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:24,839 Speaker 1: them winning and losing over the years, and and the 133 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:27,000 Speaker 1: truth of the matter is is for about a decade 134 00:06:27,080 --> 00:06:32,200 Speaker 1: from eight or nine, nine to MJ was the best 135 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 1: player in the league, and when he was in a 136 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:37,520 Speaker 1: circumstance where his team was in the top tier of 137 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:41,160 Speaker 1: teams in the league with talent, he won. And Lebron 138 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:44,280 Speaker 1: exact same thing from nineteen or from two thousand and 139 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:46,920 Speaker 1: uh two thousand and eleven or twelve, when he became 140 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:49,360 Speaker 1: the best player to now, you know, for nine or 141 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:51,239 Speaker 1: ten years he's been the best player in the league, 142 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 1: and when things have broken his way, when he's been 143 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:56,600 Speaker 1: on a team that has had as much talent as 144 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:59,720 Speaker 1: everyone else in the league, he's one and that and 145 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:02,000 Speaker 1: that's the reality of both of their their cases. But 146 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:06,000 Speaker 1: before this season, that six to three gap was still 147 00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:10,160 Speaker 1: too big, in my opinion to have any legitimate conversation 148 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:13,200 Speaker 1: surrounding whether or not Lebron deserved to be mentioned in 149 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:16,800 Speaker 1: that same breath in my opinion, But what he did 150 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:19,880 Speaker 1: this last year, I believe has brought that gap close 151 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:23,000 Speaker 1: enough that you can actually start to have an honest 152 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:27,000 Speaker 1: conversation about the circumstances surrounding both of those guys, and 153 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 1: the fact that the fact that Lebron now has a 154 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:33,520 Speaker 1: legitimate conversation. So, you know, first of all, I want 155 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 1: to talk about two things that don't matter to me, 156 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:38,440 Speaker 1: things that I don't think are fair elements of the 157 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:42,680 Speaker 1: MJ Lebron debate in Lebron's favor, for instance, longevity. A 158 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 1: lot of stuff about, oh, Lebron is still dominating the 159 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:48,160 Speaker 1: league in his seventeenth season, that's not fair to Michael 160 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:50,760 Speaker 1: Jordan's because Michael Jordan played in an arrow where guys 161 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 1: went to college first. And the reality is is that, uh, 162 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 1: in all likelihood, UH MJ would have more counting staf 163 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:03,640 Speaker 1: AT's and MJ would have more, uh, you know, have 164 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:06,400 Speaker 1: that impression of longevity had he gotten into the league 165 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 1: when he was eighteen, but he didn't. He started in college, 166 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 1: played you know, three seasons there and had to start 167 00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 1: in his first season in his early twenties, which is 168 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 1: just a different career path than what it looks like today, 169 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:20,360 Speaker 1: So that I don't think works in in uh in 170 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 1: Lebron's favor. And then I just mentioned it a second ago, 171 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 1: but accounting stats, when you throw that longevity argument out 172 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:27,960 Speaker 1: the out the window, you have to do the counting 173 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:30,160 Speaker 1: stats as well. Like, it just doesn't matter to me 174 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 1: that Lebron's gonna end up with more points, rebounds, and 175 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:36,720 Speaker 1: assists than Michael Jordan's, because I don't think that's fair 176 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:39,000 Speaker 1: to Michael Jordan's in the circumstance that he played with. 177 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:41,040 Speaker 1: If you want to bring up assists from the standpoint 178 00:08:41,080 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 1: of bringing up Lebron's skill set and the fact that 179 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:48,520 Speaker 1: his passing ability was far superior to that of Michael Jordan's, absolutely, 180 00:08:48,840 --> 00:08:50,240 Speaker 1: I just don't think you can do it in the 181 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:53,240 Speaker 1: form of counting stats. But what does matter to me 182 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:56,600 Speaker 1: and what I think needs to be the cornerstone of 183 00:08:56,720 --> 00:09:02,720 Speaker 1: Lebron's case for greatest basketball player ever is his winning versatility. 184 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:07,960 Speaker 1: And that's the simple idea that regardless of circumstance and 185 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:11,280 Speaker 1: regardless of what she put around him, He's going to 186 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:13,440 Speaker 1: find a way to win and he can do it 187 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:16,360 Speaker 1: in different ways, and it goes so much further than 188 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:18,320 Speaker 1: the thing you've heard a million times over the past 189 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 1: couple of weeks or over the past week, which is 190 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 1: he has won three championships as the best player on 191 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:27,760 Speaker 1: on three different teams. So four championships with three different teams. 192 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:30,640 Speaker 1: It goes even further than that. He had two additional 193 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 1: finals runs with two completely different supporting casts. In two 194 00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:37,640 Speaker 1: thousand seven he went to the finals with Larry Hughes 195 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:41,080 Speaker 1: and Eric Snow and Drew Gooden and Zaidrewnielgawskis and Anderson 196 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:44,200 Speaker 1: Verigel and those guys. And then in two thousand eighteen, 197 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:47,680 Speaker 1: after Kyrie left and they traded, They traded Kyrie, and 198 00:09:47,679 --> 00:09:51,080 Speaker 1: they traded um Isaiah Thomas, and they traded Jay Crowder, 199 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 1: and they traded all those guys. He carried another team 200 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:56,320 Speaker 1: to the finals that was built around George Hill and 201 00:09:56,440 --> 00:09:59,680 Speaker 1: Rodney Hood and Kevin Love as a as a second 202 00:09:59,679 --> 00:10:01,839 Speaker 1: star instead of a third star, and a lot more 203 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:04,800 Speaker 1: Tristan Thompson, a lot of Larry Nance Jr. He took 204 00:10:05,240 --> 00:10:10,800 Speaker 1: five completely different supporting casts to the NBA Finals over 205 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 1: a fourteen year stretch. Uh over a fourteen year stretch, 206 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:18,160 Speaker 1: and then in addition to that, in two thousand nine 207 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:21,320 Speaker 1: he came just two wins Shy and two game winners 208 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 1: by UH or a game winner by Richard Lewis from 209 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:28,960 Speaker 1: taking another team to the finals. That was built around 210 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:33,520 Speaker 1: Moe Williams and Delonte West and j J. Hickson and 211 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:37,559 Speaker 1: and and those guys. So we've seen basically six completely 212 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:41,640 Speaker 1: different supporting casts get to either to the finals, to 213 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:45,200 Speaker 1: a championship, or two within two wins of the finals, 214 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 1: whereas with Michael Jordan's while there was a couple of different, 215 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:52,360 Speaker 1: you know, moves on the periphery that were different, he 216 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:56,520 Speaker 1: did all of his winning with the same cast of characters, 217 00:10:56,520 --> 00:10:59,680 Speaker 1: which was basically Scottie Pippen Phil Jackson. And then in 218 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:02,400 Speaker 1: the first three PET it was mainly built around Horrors 219 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:04,720 Speaker 1: Grant in the front court, and in the second three 220 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:07,559 Speaker 1: PA it was mainly built around Dennis Rodman. Now, I 221 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 1: think it's important you can't punish MJ for that necessarily, 222 00:11:12,280 --> 00:11:15,080 Speaker 1: but it does cast just that little bit of doubt 223 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:18,000 Speaker 1: just you can have a conversation about the fact that 224 00:11:18,040 --> 00:11:22,120 Speaker 1: there is more evidence that lebron can win in different ways, 225 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 1: whereas MJ. Just continued to win in the same way. 226 00:11:26,760 --> 00:11:28,839 Speaker 1: And you know, and I think it's important understand that 227 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:32,480 Speaker 1: because you hear a lot of people say that. You 228 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:34,360 Speaker 1: hear a lot of people say things like, you know, 229 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:36,320 Speaker 1: well Lebron just always cuts and runs and goes to 230 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:39,160 Speaker 1: another roster, or you know, every time Lebron found his 231 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:42,960 Speaker 1: himself in a disadvantageous situation, he would just shuffle the 232 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:45,520 Speaker 1: deck again and leave and go somewhere else. And the 233 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:48,200 Speaker 1: truth of the matter is is, yes, he did do that, 234 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:50,640 Speaker 1: but he did that out of necessity. And it's a 235 00:11:50,679 --> 00:11:54,240 Speaker 1: necessity that did not exist for Michael Jordan's when Michael 236 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:58,080 Speaker 1: Jordan was in Chicago, as as he was getting to 237 00:11:58,120 --> 00:11:59,960 Speaker 1: that point, you know, six or seven years into the 238 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:02,760 Speaker 1: league where he was starting to get frustrated as he 239 00:12:02,800 --> 00:12:07,680 Speaker 1: was losing, Scottie Pippen peaked and became, you know, one 240 00:12:07,679 --> 00:12:10,160 Speaker 1: of the best players in the league. And it allowed 241 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:13,400 Speaker 1: Michael Jordan to spend the entire second portion of his 242 00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:15,960 Speaker 1: prime alongside one of the best players in the league. 243 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:18,120 Speaker 1: You know, I say, I've been saying this all season 244 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:22,040 Speaker 1: as it pertains to Anthony Davis, Michael Jordan playing with 245 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:24,880 Speaker 1: Scottie Pippen for the entire back end of his prime, 246 00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:28,480 Speaker 1: basically for ten years. That was that would be very 247 00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:32,760 Speaker 1: similar to Lebron spending his entire prime with Anthony Davis 248 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:35,320 Speaker 1: instead of getting Anthony Davis when he's thirty five years 249 00:12:35,320 --> 00:12:38,080 Speaker 1: old already. Now, is Anthony Davis a better player than 250 00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:41,840 Speaker 1: Scotti Pippen, Absolutely, But in the hierarchy of the league 251 00:12:41,880 --> 00:12:44,959 Speaker 1: he was not. Like the league was so much deeper 252 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:48,840 Speaker 1: at the top now that it seems like, you know, 253 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:52,400 Speaker 1: Scottie Pippen isn't that great, But in the nineties, Scotty 254 00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:54,920 Speaker 1: Pippen was that great. He was a first team All 255 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:58,040 Speaker 1: NBA guy. He was. He ranged over the course of 256 00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:00,920 Speaker 1: that ten year stretch from somewhere around the you know, 257 00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:03,120 Speaker 1: six or seventh best player in the league to the 258 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:05,360 Speaker 1: second or third best player in the league. The guy 259 00:13:05,440 --> 00:13:07,319 Speaker 1: damn Near won an m VP. The guy damn near 260 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:10,080 Speaker 1: made it to the finals without Michael Jordan. Scottie Pippen 261 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:15,079 Speaker 1: to the to the nineties was what Anthony Davis is 262 00:13:15,160 --> 00:13:18,200 Speaker 1: to this era, which is not the best player in 263 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:21,400 Speaker 1: the league but right up there and on any given 264 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:23,680 Speaker 1: season could go on a run where he was like 265 00:13:24,120 --> 00:13:26,560 Speaker 1: the best players in the league and So that's why 266 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:30,640 Speaker 1: Michael Jordan never shuffled a deck or went to another team, 267 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:34,280 Speaker 1: or asked out or demanded trades from teammates or things 268 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:37,120 Speaker 1: along those lines. That's why he didn't have to do that. 269 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 1: And it's funny because, for whatever reason, that reputation follows 270 00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:43,920 Speaker 1: Lebron around, but it never has followed Kobe around. And 271 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:47,400 Speaker 1: you know, you look at those three guys. You've got, uh, 272 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 1: Michael Jordan, Lebron, and Kobe. You've got Michael Jordan's who 273 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:54,199 Speaker 1: consistently in the for the large part of his career, 274 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:56,000 Speaker 1: was on one of the best teams in the league 275 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:58,640 Speaker 1: and never felt the need to leave. And then you've 276 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:01,720 Speaker 1: got Kobe, who very much felt the need to leave 277 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:04,800 Speaker 1: and demanded a trade and it ended up leading to 278 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:08,959 Speaker 1: his second stretch of championship contention there from two thousand 279 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:11,480 Speaker 1: h ten. And then you've got Lebron where that trade 280 00:14:11,520 --> 00:14:13,319 Speaker 1: never happened and so he had to leave. So I've 281 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:15,679 Speaker 1: got the guy who never needed to leave, I've got 282 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:20,000 Speaker 1: the guy who wanted to and by threatening leaving caused 283 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:22,960 Speaker 1: his front office to finally be aggressive and make the 284 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:25,560 Speaker 1: necessary moves to bring in the winning piece, which was 285 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:29,200 Speaker 1: Pau Gasol, and then I've got Lebron, who, after seven 286 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:31,600 Speaker 1: years of dealing with Moe Williams and Delante West and 287 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:34,120 Speaker 1: Larry Hughes and Eric Snow, was like, I gotta do 288 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:37,240 Speaker 1: this myself, and you know, and then Dwyane Wade was 289 00:14:37,280 --> 00:14:39,560 Speaker 1: supposed to be his Pippen and then he broke down. 290 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:43,240 Speaker 1: So if if Dwyane Wade stayed at that level the 291 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:46,240 Speaker 1: way that Scottie Pippen did for Michael, Lebron never would 292 00:14:46,280 --> 00:14:49,440 Speaker 1: have left. He would have stayed in Miami. He left 293 00:14:49,480 --> 00:14:52,280 Speaker 1: out of necessity. And so while it's not fair to 294 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:57,040 Speaker 1: blame Michael Jordan's for not winning in multiple circumstances, it's 295 00:14:57,080 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 1: also not fair to blame Lebron for leaving in looking 296 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:03,600 Speaker 1: for those circumstances because he did it out of necessity. 297 00:15:03,640 --> 00:15:05,080 Speaker 1: But at the end of the day, if if if 298 00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:10,360 Speaker 1: your definition for what greatest basketball player ever is you 299 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:14,040 Speaker 1: know what can I win with? Then I think Lebron 300 00:15:14,120 --> 00:15:16,840 Speaker 1: has a better case for number one, simply because of 301 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:19,800 Speaker 1: the fact that if I'm starting from scratch, and I'm 302 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 1: picking four random players out of a hat to be 303 00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:25,600 Speaker 1: the starters, and I'm picking another ten random players out 304 00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:28,160 Speaker 1: of a hat, to be the supporting cast, and I'm 305 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:30,200 Speaker 1: picking another random name out of the hat to be 306 00:15:30,240 --> 00:15:34,360 Speaker 1: the coach. There is more evidence that those random names 307 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:38,520 Speaker 1: will succeed alongside Lebron James, then there is evidence that 308 00:15:38,520 --> 00:15:42,880 Speaker 1: they will succeed alongside any other player that that he 309 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:46,640 Speaker 1: can be compared to long term or UH in terms 310 00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:49,320 Speaker 1: of the top players in NBA history. And so that 311 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:52,800 Speaker 1: is the number one case for Lebron being the greatest 312 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:56,120 Speaker 1: player ever. It's just that winning versatility, the idea of 313 00:15:56,160 --> 00:15:58,760 Speaker 1: regardless of who you put next to him, He's going 314 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:01,920 Speaker 1: to find a way to win. And then secondly, the 315 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:04,360 Speaker 1: other big thing that I would build my Lebron case 316 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 1: around is just that the mental consistency, in the mental toughness. 317 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 1: I have never seen a player in my lifetime in 318 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:16,960 Speaker 1: any sport UH that has the ability to dig deep 319 00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:22,360 Speaker 1: and find some sort of motivation to do it again, 320 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:25,160 Speaker 1: even when the carrot at the end of the tunnel 321 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 1: may not be realistic, like what he did in two 322 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:31,600 Speaker 1: thousand eighteen with that Cavalier team sitting there like knowing 323 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:34,440 Speaker 1: he can't win the title and knowing it would be 324 00:16:34,520 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 1: so easy to pack your bags and just be like 325 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:39,880 Speaker 1: this isn't the time, this isn't the run, and just 326 00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:43,560 Speaker 1: doing it anyway, like what he did against Indiana and 327 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:46,840 Speaker 1: Boston and Toronto and that playoff run with that group 328 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:50,720 Speaker 1: of guys, just being like, you know what, the deck 329 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:54,120 Speaker 1: is stacked against me. I probably have zero percent chance 330 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:56,600 Speaker 1: of getting this done, but I'm gonna go all the 331 00:16:56,640 --> 00:16:59,520 Speaker 1: way anyway, and I'll go get my ass kicked by 332 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:04,000 Speaker 1: Golden State. But it's just his that that that type 333 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:07,000 Speaker 1: of mental wiring that he has is not something that 334 00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:10,120 Speaker 1: existed for m J. And the reality is is for MJ, 335 00:17:10,320 --> 00:17:13,639 Speaker 1: like when he got exhausted, he just left, and he 336 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:16,000 Speaker 1: got to leave for two years, and then when he 337 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:19,479 Speaker 1: got exhausted again, he left again. So you know, and 338 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:21,440 Speaker 1: I think you've seen that with just about every other 339 00:17:21,440 --> 00:17:24,560 Speaker 1: group of players in NBA history, Like look at the 340 00:17:25,040 --> 00:17:27,280 Speaker 1: Lakers in two thousand eleven and two thousand twelve. It's 341 00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:29,720 Speaker 1: like those guys just got tired and then you know, 342 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:30,959 Speaker 1: and and a lot of it had to do with 343 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:33,160 Speaker 1: health and Kobe's knees started to have some issues there 344 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:35,480 Speaker 1: in two thousand and eleven. But you know the reality is, 345 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:38,240 Speaker 1: with all of these other players that you compare Lebron too. 346 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:42,560 Speaker 1: There were just there was just an eventual mental exhaustion 347 00:17:42,640 --> 00:17:45,560 Speaker 1: that would set in that would cause them to fall apart. 348 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:47,879 Speaker 1: And if you like, you look at the Celtics and 349 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:50,240 Speaker 1: Lakers in the eighties, like there are a couple of 350 00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:52,760 Speaker 1: random seasons in there for both of those guys, for 351 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:55,680 Speaker 1: Larry and for Magic where they would just lose and 352 00:17:55,760 --> 00:17:58,399 Speaker 1: like the second or third round for some reason, and 353 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:01,439 Speaker 1: you'd be like, wait, like why in the world, you know, 354 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:04,560 Speaker 1: why in the world is Portland's beating l a you know, 355 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:07,840 Speaker 1: you know, like Magic Johnson's the best player on the 356 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:10,800 Speaker 1: floor by a mile. And it's that mental exhaustion. It's 357 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:14,960 Speaker 1: the simple fact that over time, it's one thing to win, 358 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:19,120 Speaker 1: it's another thing to win again and again and again 359 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:22,439 Speaker 1: and again without ever relenting. And if you look at 360 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:25,520 Speaker 1: Lebron's entire career, it's pretty much just last year with 361 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:28,480 Speaker 1: the injury and the injuries, injuries to all of his 362 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:31,040 Speaker 1: role players, where you can say he kind of packed 363 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:33,160 Speaker 1: it in, but even then he tried, like he came 364 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:36,440 Speaker 1: back from that growing injury with you know, Alonzo being 365 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:39,879 Speaker 1: out and with Brandon Brandon Ingram being injury prone all season, 366 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:42,520 Speaker 1: and even after brandon Ingram went down and he just 367 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:45,080 Speaker 1: tried to do it, and then of course it ended 368 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:47,440 Speaker 1: up not being enough because that team was garbage after 369 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:49,679 Speaker 1: all the injuries happened. But he gave it. He had 370 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:56,600 Speaker 1: Lebron's mental energy. Lebron's mental reservoir is completely different than 371 00:18:56,640 --> 00:18:59,879 Speaker 1: any player UH in the history of the NBA. And 372 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:03,560 Speaker 1: so if I'm so insummation, like I said, from from 373 00:19:03,560 --> 00:19:06,639 Speaker 1: the from the start, I personally am not ready to, 374 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:11,080 Speaker 1: you know, profoundly claim that Lebron is the best player ever. 375 00:19:11,440 --> 00:19:14,120 Speaker 1: But I think now after this season, he finally has 376 00:19:14,119 --> 00:19:17,639 Speaker 1: a legitimate case, and that legitimate case is built on 377 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:22,840 Speaker 1: his his UH winning versatility, the ability to win regardless 378 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:26,800 Speaker 1: of circumstances. He has taken five different supporting casts to 379 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:30,320 Speaker 1: the finals and six different supporting casts, two within two 380 00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:33,480 Speaker 1: wins of the finals. He he has shown that he 381 00:19:33,520 --> 00:19:37,679 Speaker 1: can win under any circumstance. And then secondly, his mental consistency. 382 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:43,880 Speaker 1: His mental consistency, his motor his his reservoir of motivation 383 00:19:44,119 --> 00:19:47,400 Speaker 1: is unparalleled in the history of basketball in my opinion, 384 00:19:47,760 --> 00:19:52,320 Speaker 1: and so the ability for him to eventually have a 385 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:56,200 Speaker 1: profound case is built on that longevity. Like I said, earlier. 386 00:19:56,400 --> 00:20:00,240 Speaker 1: You cannot use longevity as a case for lab On 387 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:03,119 Speaker 1: now because what he just did, he's thirty five and 388 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 1: MJ did this at age thirty five. But you know 389 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:08,919 Speaker 1: what MJ didn't do is this at thirty six, in 390 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:11,880 Speaker 1: this at thirty seven, and this at thirty eight. So 391 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:14,879 Speaker 1: that third case that Lebron can make, beyond the winning 392 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:19,760 Speaker 1: versatility and beyond that mental consistency, is he can make 393 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:23,280 Speaker 1: the longevity case. Now the year everything going up to 394 00:20:23,359 --> 00:20:26,520 Speaker 1: year seventeen didn't it was worthless, It didn't count in 395 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:29,560 Speaker 1: terms of the longevity debate because MJ did that too. 396 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:33,919 Speaker 1: But now, in this late stage of his career, Lebron 397 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:38,439 Speaker 1: has a chance to add another significant element to his 398 00:20:38,520 --> 00:20:41,440 Speaker 1: case in that longevity. See, I'm I, you know I 399 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:43,800 Speaker 1: I like I said, I think that this debate can 400 00:20:43,800 --> 00:20:46,800 Speaker 1: get super uninteresting with how entrenched everybody is. That I 401 00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:49,560 Speaker 1: do like having the nuanced conversation with people who are 402 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:52,439 Speaker 1: honestly willing to do it honestly, And that's why I'm 403 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:54,720 Speaker 1: excited to have Tommy on later this week. He's going 404 00:20:54,760 --> 00:20:56,720 Speaker 1: to take the MJ side of this, and him and 405 00:20:56,760 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 1: I will have some fun with that. Just to give 406 00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:04,080 Speaker 1: you guys some extra content here in the NBA's summer um. 407 00:21:04,119 --> 00:21:06,160 Speaker 1: But yeah, like that's that's just where I stand right 408 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:08,520 Speaker 1: now at the summer of the you know, the winter 409 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:12,439 Speaker 1: the off season of after Lebron has won his fourth title. 410 00:21:13,119 --> 00:21:15,640 Speaker 1: So the last thing I want to talk about today is, uh, 411 00:21:15,680 --> 00:21:17,919 Speaker 1: this Jimmy Butler thing. I caught a lot of flak 412 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:21,200 Speaker 1: from people when I said that Jimmy Butler wasn't a 413 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:24,560 Speaker 1: top ten player, but it was something that you know, 414 00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:26,360 Speaker 1: there's two important things that I want to get out here, 415 00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:30,560 Speaker 1: just to defend myself. First of all, Uh, it bought 416 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:32,399 Speaker 1: this is I used to have this problem with Steph 417 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:35,040 Speaker 1: fans when I'd be like, I get just my astitude 418 00:21:35,480 --> 00:21:38,280 Speaker 1: for saying that Steph is the second or third best 419 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:40,679 Speaker 1: player in the league or the fourth best player in 420 00:21:40,720 --> 00:21:43,879 Speaker 1: the league, as if that's some giant insult when the 421 00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:46,879 Speaker 1: league is so damn talented. Now that the guys at 422 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:48,560 Speaker 1: the top and the the guys at the top of 423 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:51,800 Speaker 1: the league are the names you're looking at, it's the 424 00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:55,320 Speaker 1: most it's the most. Uh, it's the most talented top 425 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:58,320 Speaker 1: of the league we've seen since the nineteen eighties. When 426 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:00,240 Speaker 1: you go to the nineteen eighties, and you've got you know, 427 00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:02,600 Speaker 1: Barkley at the top of his game, and Bird at 428 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:04,120 Speaker 1: the top of his game, and Magic at the top 429 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:05,720 Speaker 1: of his game and MJ at the top of his 430 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 1: game that like, and it goes on and on. In 431 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:10,879 Speaker 1: the eighties, that's literally what it's like. Now I've got Lebron, 432 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:14,880 Speaker 1: I've got Kauai, I've got Steph I've got you know, uh, Janice, 433 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:17,560 Speaker 1: and I've got Kevin Durant and like and and now 434 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 1: I've got Anthony Davis, who's in that group of guys 435 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:21,520 Speaker 1: like that, the list of talent at the top of 436 00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:25,159 Speaker 1: the league is unlike it has ever been since the 437 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:28,840 Speaker 1: nineteen eighties. And so from that standpoint, it goes all 438 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:31,040 Speaker 1: the way down into that deep you know, ten to 439 00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:34,040 Speaker 1: fifteen range. And for me to say, you know, Jimmy 440 00:22:34,040 --> 00:22:36,960 Speaker 1: Butler is the eleventh or twelfth best player ever or 441 00:22:37,119 --> 00:22:39,840 Speaker 1: excuse me, and this era is not an insult to 442 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:42,840 Speaker 1: him because like I said, uh, like I said when 443 00:22:42,880 --> 00:22:46,280 Speaker 1: I originally made the point, we're comparing him to Damian Lillard, 444 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:48,919 Speaker 1: a guy who averaged thirty damn points a game this 445 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:50,879 Speaker 1: year and just dragged his team to the playoffs on 446 00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:53,400 Speaker 1: his back. When they were injured out the wazoo. It's 447 00:22:53,400 --> 00:22:57,640 Speaker 1: like this guy, this guy is in a tier where 448 00:22:57,680 --> 00:23:00,720 Speaker 1: he's even in that you know, tend to five team range. 449 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:05,240 Speaker 1: He is competing against Damian Lillard and Jayson Tatum, who 450 00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:07,600 Speaker 1: just dropped twenty six points a game in a playoff 451 00:23:07,680 --> 00:23:09,560 Speaker 1: run for a team that made the Eastern Conference finals 452 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:11,240 Speaker 1: and was the best defender on the floor and a 453 00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:14,400 Speaker 1: lot of the games that he played. And and uh, 454 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:16,880 Speaker 1: Joe l Embiid, who's like the best, like the best 455 00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:20,920 Speaker 1: center we've seen since you know, uh, since Dwight was 456 00:23:20,960 --> 00:23:24,479 Speaker 1: in his prime. And and we have you know, Paul George, 457 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:26,720 Speaker 1: who I mean, obviously we've roasted him, but he was 458 00:23:26,720 --> 00:23:29,880 Speaker 1: an m VP candidate last year, and and CP three 459 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:32,919 Speaker 1: was second team All NBA this year and dragged a 460 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:36,760 Speaker 1: team that was supposed to miss the playoffs and into 461 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:40,000 Speaker 1: a seven game slug fest with the Houston Rockets. So 462 00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:42,600 Speaker 1: the point is is, like me saying that Jimmy Butler 463 00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:46,399 Speaker 1: is not a top ten player is not me, you know, 464 00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:49,240 Speaker 1: shooting on the guy after having an amazing playoff run. 465 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:52,600 Speaker 1: That's me just trying to have an honest conversation about 466 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:55,560 Speaker 1: the NBA's proverbial horse race, and I'm looking at these 467 00:23:55,560 --> 00:23:58,000 Speaker 1: guys and Okay, I've got nine for sure names that 468 00:23:58,080 --> 00:24:01,080 Speaker 1: I cannot put Jimmy above. And then I'm talking about 469 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:03,800 Speaker 1: whether or not he's better than Dame or better than Tatum. 470 00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:06,719 Speaker 1: And right now I would say that Damian Lillard is 471 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:10,359 Speaker 1: so far superior as an offensive player that I just 472 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:13,520 Speaker 1: cannot put Jimmy above him because of my personal ideologies 473 00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:16,480 Speaker 1: and the way that I evaluate offensive talent or talent 474 00:24:16,520 --> 00:24:18,639 Speaker 1: in the playoffs. And then the same thing goes for 475 00:24:18,720 --> 00:24:22,480 Speaker 1: Jayson Tatum. And again, I made this point like seventeen 476 00:24:22,520 --> 00:24:24,080 Speaker 1: times over the last two weeks, and I'll make it 477 00:24:24,119 --> 00:24:28,360 Speaker 1: one last time. Jimmy Butler was a twenty point per 478 00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:32,719 Speaker 1: game guy for the last six seasons in Chicago, in Minnesota, 479 00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:38,800 Speaker 1: in Philly, and in Miami. In the playoffs, he was 480 00:24:38,840 --> 00:24:42,880 Speaker 1: a twenty point of game guy in Minnesota, in Chicago, 481 00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:47,440 Speaker 1: in Philly, and in Miami. In this Miami playoff run, 482 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:49,840 Speaker 1: he was a twenty point of game guy the entire 483 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:54,639 Speaker 1: playoff run. And then the Lakers really really really really 484 00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:57,080 Speaker 1: really really really let their foot off the gas in 485 00:24:57,119 --> 00:24:59,760 Speaker 1: two games in Game three of this series and in 486 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:02,440 Speaker 1: Game five of this series, and they let a guy 487 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:04,639 Speaker 1: who is the eleventh or twelveth best player in the 488 00:25:04,680 --> 00:25:07,760 Speaker 1: league play one on one basketball all night long, and 489 00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:10,240 Speaker 1: they let a guy who is the tenth or the 490 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:12,600 Speaker 1: eleventh and twelve best player in the league face zero 491 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:16,119 Speaker 1: help defense and uh Anthony Davis and foul trouble, just 492 00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:19,320 Speaker 1: floating around the perimeter and just really garbage efforts from 493 00:25:19,320 --> 00:25:21,800 Speaker 1: the Lakers that led to him having a forty point 494 00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:25,119 Speaker 1: triple double and a thirty five point triple double. And 495 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:28,560 Speaker 1: again that's Jimmy. Butler deserves all the credit for what 496 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:31,639 Speaker 1: he did in this playoff run, and he absolutely deserves 497 00:25:31,720 --> 00:25:34,520 Speaker 1: to be acknowledged as you know, a player who was 498 00:25:34,560 --> 00:25:36,800 Speaker 1: better than we all thought he was, because coming into 499 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:39,720 Speaker 1: this playoff run, we probably all had Jimmy in that seventeen, 500 00:25:39,800 --> 00:25:42,679 Speaker 1: eighteen to twenty range, so we were giving him his 501 00:25:42,720 --> 00:25:44,719 Speaker 1: props by moving him up the list. But if I'm 502 00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:48,000 Speaker 1: having an honest conversation about who the ten best players 503 00:25:48,040 --> 00:25:50,640 Speaker 1: in the league are, I just I can't in good 504 00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:53,879 Speaker 1: faith take a twenty point a game guy who's a 505 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:58,119 Speaker 1: good not great playoff defender and who's good not great 506 00:25:58,160 --> 00:26:01,760 Speaker 1: at anything in playoff basketball and put him over Damian Lillard, 507 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:07,000 Speaker 1: who legitimately, uh that gets trapped on every single pick 508 00:26:07,040 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 1: and roll and doubled all over the court because teams 509 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:12,240 Speaker 1: are terrified of him having the ball, and you know 510 00:26:12,320 --> 00:26:14,720 Speaker 1: what guys like in this the last thing I'll say, 511 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:17,600 Speaker 1: Dame has had some playoff failures in his life, make 512 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:23,200 Speaker 1: no mistake, but Jimmy Butler won three playoff series total 513 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:27,159 Speaker 1: in his entire career coming into this playoff run in 514 00:26:27,200 --> 00:26:31,119 Speaker 1: the Eastern Conference, literally playing against the same guys that 515 00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:35,280 Speaker 1: everybody has completely denigrated for the sake of trashing Lebron 516 00:26:35,440 --> 00:26:37,720 Speaker 1: for the last decade. Jimmy Butler has been in that 517 00:26:37,880 --> 00:26:40,679 Speaker 1: same conference and has been a twenty point of game 518 00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:43,680 Speaker 1: guy for the last six years. And his won three 519 00:26:43,720 --> 00:26:46,080 Speaker 1: playoff series total in his entire career, and one of 520 00:26:46,160 --> 00:26:47,960 Speaker 1: them was back in the day when Derrick Ross was 521 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:50,439 Speaker 1: on the team and he was you know, uh not 522 00:26:50,520 --> 00:26:53,400 Speaker 1: the same guy. So the reality is is like if 523 00:26:53,440 --> 00:26:57,040 Speaker 1: I put Damian Lillard on this Miami Heat team and 524 00:26:57,480 --> 00:27:00,960 Speaker 1: and gave him that Eric Spoelstra coaching staf of and 525 00:27:01,119 --> 00:27:05,080 Speaker 1: the band's elite defensive versatility, and Andrea Guadala and Jake 526 00:27:05,160 --> 00:27:08,840 Speaker 1: Crowder and elite shooters like Duncan Robinson and Tyler Harrow. 527 00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:11,800 Speaker 1: Guess what, guys, Dame's going to the finals, and he 528 00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:14,280 Speaker 1: probably gives Lebron a better run for his money because 529 00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:19,040 Speaker 1: they're not gonna It's just I just think that we've 530 00:27:19,080 --> 00:27:21,440 Speaker 1: gotten a little bit out of a little bit crazy 531 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:24,280 Speaker 1: on this Jimmy Butler thing because of a couple of 532 00:27:24,280 --> 00:27:28,639 Speaker 1: games that were incredible. But we have two games of 533 00:27:28,640 --> 00:27:31,480 Speaker 1: that type of evidence, and I've got six entire years, 534 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:34,560 Speaker 1: including this year, including every other playoff game in this 535 00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:38,359 Speaker 1: playoff run, where Jimmy was a different guy. And so yeah, 536 00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:42,400 Speaker 1: I just I think a lot of people are overthinking 537 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:44,040 Speaker 1: this and getting a little bit too caught up in 538 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:47,040 Speaker 1: the moment. And if i'm if, I'm talking about who 539 00:27:47,119 --> 00:27:49,200 Speaker 1: you know, which I take very seriously because I'm a 540 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:52,680 Speaker 1: die hard NBA nerd. I take NBA rankings very seriously. 541 00:27:52,960 --> 00:27:56,119 Speaker 1: In my opinion, Dame and maybe even Tatum have a 542 00:27:56,160 --> 00:27:59,560 Speaker 1: better case as better basketball players right now than Jimmy 543 00:27:59,560 --> 00:28:03,600 Speaker 1: Butler does. And I'll stand by that um at least 544 00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:05,520 Speaker 1: for this summer, until I see something a little bit 545 00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:08,600 Speaker 1: more consistent from Jimmy moving forward. All right, So that's 546 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:11,600 Speaker 1: all I have for today. UM, Like I said, later 547 00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:14,000 Speaker 1: this week, I'm gonna have Tommy come on and we're 548 00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:18,280 Speaker 1: going to uh talk m J Lebron. I also am 549 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:20,480 Speaker 1: going to finish my top ten list and go one 550 00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:24,639 Speaker 1: through nine uh and UH. The format I'll do for 551 00:28:24,680 --> 00:28:27,040 Speaker 1: that is, I'll work my way up from nine to one, 552 00:28:27,080 --> 00:28:29,639 Speaker 1: and each player that I get to, I will explain 553 00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:32,360 Speaker 1: why that player is better than the player underneath him. 554 00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:34,560 Speaker 1: Uh and then I'll take some questions. At the end 555 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:36,440 Speaker 1: of that one, you guys can explain why you disagree. 556 00:28:37,160 --> 00:28:39,080 Speaker 1: But yeah, so thanks again for for all of you 557 00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:40,920 Speaker 1: for listening. Like I said, if you go to my 558 00:28:40,960 --> 00:28:44,440 Speaker 1: Twitter feed, my pinned tweet has the link to the 559 00:28:44,520 --> 00:28:47,720 Speaker 1: Apple podcast that I finally have created. All of you 560 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:51,960 Speaker 1: who rate, review and subscribe, I sincerely appreciate you, guys, 561 00:28:52,440 --> 00:28:54,200 Speaker 1: and until later this week, I guess