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Speaker 1: This is Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre.

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Speaker 2: What is up straight Fire, Famp. It's me Jason McIntyre,

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Speaker 2: Straight Fire for Wednesday, May the twenty eighth. I would

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Speaker 2: say we have a phenomenal podcast today with a new guest.

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Speaker 2: The problem is my freaking Nicks lost, and I'm a

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Speaker 2: little perturbed if you could not tell. But our guest

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Speaker 2: today Nicki Kay. She has covered sports for a long time,

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Speaker 2: well not that long. She's young, and she now is

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Speaker 2: covering sports for Spectrum Sports, not out here in LA

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Speaker 2: and is at all the big games and everything. And

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Speaker 2: she has covered Oklahoma City plenty in her young journalism career.

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Speaker 2: So I thought I'd bring on a OKAC kind of

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Speaker 2: person to balance it out. Yes, okase fans, I've been

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Speaker 2: hearing it, j mcra hater blah blah blah. Okay, we'll

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Speaker 2: address some of that with Nicki. First things first, your

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Speaker 2: boy can't catch a break, guys. I was all fired

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Speaker 2: up for the Knicks. I thought they had a good chance,

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Speaker 2: thought they could win this one out right, bet them.

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Speaker 2: Timothy Shallam May my guy showing up for Game four

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Speaker 2: and the Knicks play no defense at all, give up

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Speaker 2: forty three points in the first quarter. I knew it

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Speaker 2: was over at that point. I'm like, you can't win

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Speaker 2: on the road. Giving up forty three in the first quarter.

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Speaker 2: I was like, what's happening. Thibodeau's calling cards defense and

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Speaker 2: they give up forty three in the first quarter. I know, Jay,

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Speaker 2: it's about the players, it's not about the coach. Well,

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Speaker 2: I don't know. Coach has to adjust. And the Pacers

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Speaker 2: pretty quickly figured out, Oh, guess.

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Speaker 3: What when Karl Anthony Towns is the only big on

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Speaker 3: the floor, We're gonna put him on and pick and

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Speaker 3: roll up top and Hallie's just gonna run a layup

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Speaker 3: line and just get easy stuff, because's who's gonna block

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Speaker 3: shots on the back line?

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Speaker 2: Who are you worried about? And I was just stunned

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Speaker 2: at the lack of rim per TI. I don't have

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Speaker 2: an exact number on layups, but it felt like the

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Speaker 2: Pacers had at least ten to fifteen. Just disappointing. Pacers

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Speaker 2: did not shoot it great from three. Then Knicks outshot

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Speaker 2: them from three. Guys, I told you this was gonna happen.

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Speaker 2: Pacers forty percent, Knicks forty two percent. So Knicks made

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Speaker 2: thirty three of thirty nine free throws. Knicks couldn't miss

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Speaker 2: from in close. Nis had more offensive rebounds. How do

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Speaker 2: you lose this game? Nicks better from three? Uh? They

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Speaker 2: were both eighty four percent from the line. Nick's thirteen

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Speaker 2: offensive rebounds. How do you lose this game? I just

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Speaker 2: I was so perplexed, And a lot of it comes

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Speaker 2: down to the Knicks could not get stops and the

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Speaker 2: Indiana Pacers ball movement is much better. And of course

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Speaker 2: Tyreese Halliburton outplayed Jalen Brunson brunts and the stat line

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Speaker 2: will show thirty one five assists. Okay, it wasn't terrible.

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Speaker 2: He was about of sixteen, but Haliburton was thirty two points,

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Speaker 2: fifteen assists, twelve rebounds and zero turnovers, the first in

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Speaker 2: NBA history thirty two sorry, thirty or more points, fifteen

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Speaker 2: or more assists, ten or more rebounds with zero turnovers.

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Speaker 2: A magnificent performance. Haliburton was spectacular. The funniest part of

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Speaker 2: this game was late the knickser cut it to six,

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Speaker 2: maybe it was seven at this point, and Halliburton gets

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Speaker 2: to switch and he gets an io against Karl Anthony Towns,

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Speaker 2: which his eyes light up at anytime that happens because

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Speaker 2: Cat can move his feet and the Pacers call time

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Speaker 2: out and Haliburton like drops the ball and stands there

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Speaker 2: looking around like he's doing that, head moving to the side,

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Speaker 2: eyes wide aed, like wait, what just happened? What do

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Speaker 2: we do? Really? Time out? When I got Cat isoed?

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Speaker 2: Just a masterful performance from Haliburton. He's emerging as one

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Speaker 2: of the best stars in the NBA. Probably have to

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Speaker 2: do a top ten list of the best players in

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Speaker 2: the league, and this season, undeniably Haliburton's one of them.

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Speaker 2: Ben Matherin came off the bench to scored twenty in

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Speaker 2: twelve minutes. I mean, that guy's a tornado. Listen. Obviously,

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Speaker 2: I'm crushed that the Knicks are not going to the finals.

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Speaker 2: They're down three to one. I don't know. I'm recording

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Speaker 2: this at about midnight after the Knicks lost, So I

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Speaker 2: guess there's a chance that you know, there's bad news

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Speaker 2: for Karl Anthony Towns who bang knees with Nie Smith

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Speaker 2: late in the game. I guess there's bad potential bad

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Speaker 2: news for Karl Anthony Towns. But outside of a massive

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Speaker 2: injury to Halliburton or Seattle somebody, this is over. Maybe

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Speaker 2: the next win Game five in New York. But I mean,

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Speaker 2: just an outstanding playoff performance from Halliburton and the Knicks

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Speaker 2: are cooked. I don't think this needs any elaboration, but

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Speaker 2: I'm obviously rooting Pacers in the finals. Nobody's gonna give

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Speaker 2: them a chance, and that's fine. Nie Smith a very

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Speaker 2: good defender, but you know, Bruns is still getting the

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Speaker 2: better of them and getting fouled a ton. They have

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Speaker 2: multiple defenders. Nie Smith and them hard to throw at SGA.

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Speaker 2: You could even toss TJ McConnell, and I can guarantee this,

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Speaker 2: They're gonna pick up Aliburton. I'm sorry, They're gonna pick

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Speaker 2: up SGA full court, that's for sure. There's a lot

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Speaker 2: of good young players in this one. And I'm trying

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Speaker 2: to think of themes and it's not fully hashed out yet,

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Speaker 2: and I'm sure somebody else is gonna get on this.

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Speaker 2: But when I look at the rosters of the Pacers

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Speaker 2: in Thunder, they've got to be two of the youngest

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Speaker 2: rosters in the league. If you remove thirty eight year

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Speaker 2: old James Johnson, who's kind of the enforcer, you know,

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Speaker 2: like the seventeenth degree black belt or whatever. He is

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Speaker 2: on the bench. He never plays. They only have two

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Speaker 2: guys over thirty contributing Siakam who's thirty one, and TJ McConnell,

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Speaker 2: who's thirty three. If you look at the Thunder they

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Speaker 2: I'm pretty sure have nobody over thirty contributing. Let's check

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Speaker 2: out their roster. I'll humor myself over thirty. Oh, Alex Cruso,

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Speaker 2: I'm sorry, he's thirty one. So the oldest contributors in

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Speaker 2: this series in the NBA Finals is gonna be thirty

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Speaker 2: one year old Caruso, thirty three year old TJ McConnell,

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Speaker 2: and thirty one year old Pascal Siakam. Assuming Pascal Siakam

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Speaker 2: is actually thirty one, he looks a little older than that.

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Speaker 2: But this is this is gonna be a wild series. Guys,

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Speaker 2: do you know who the hot I bet you can't

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Speaker 2: even guess. The highest paid players in this series are

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Speaker 2: both on the pacers. Siakam and Haliburton are both making

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Speaker 2: forty two point one million dollars this year. I know

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Speaker 2: it's gonna be a referendum one. This is the new

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Speaker 2: NBA model. This is how you do it. You don't

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Speaker 2: have an ultra paid super max guy. You've got a

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Speaker 2: couple of really good players and then a deep bench

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Speaker 2: full of you know, good players who don't make a

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Speaker 2: ton of money. Aaronis is making eleven million dollars. Who's

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Speaker 2: the other guy? Nemhar's making? Oh wow, he's on the

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Speaker 2: rookie deal. He's making two million, Obi top In twelve mil,

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Speaker 2: Miles Turner nineteen mil. He hasn't been paid yet. And

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Speaker 2: we're gonna see all this. I need to do a

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Speaker 2: little more digging before I agree with all that stuff.

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Speaker 2: I do just and I think I pointed it out

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Speaker 2: yesterday on the pod, but I I think I said

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Speaker 2: it on the Herd too yesterday. Is that when the

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Speaker 2: Nuggets won the championship, everybody said, hey, man, hey listen,

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Speaker 2: Murray Jokic both under thirty, unstoppable duo. These guys are

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Speaker 2: going to dominate. Okay Denver's not going anywhere. They're gonna

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Speaker 2: be back here when multiple rings. Okay lost in the

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Speaker 2: second round two years in a row, Boston last year

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Speaker 2: wins it. Well, there's the best roster ever. They're so stacked.

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Speaker 2: Look at the depth. Oh my gosh, they have seven

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Speaker 2: deep they have They're unbelievable. Celtics don't get out of

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Speaker 2: the second round. Tatum's hurt day winning the title next year,

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Speaker 2: that's for sure. So like we can make these bullplock

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Speaker 2: proclamations that, oh my gosh, it's Oklahoma City's league. Wrap

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Speaker 2: it up, Oklahoma City. They got everything going for them,

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Speaker 2: and on paper, yes they do. We'll see what happens

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Speaker 2: in the series. Obviously a lot of basketball left to

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Speaker 2: be played. But I saw a clip where Shams is saying,

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Speaker 2: and it could be hyperbole or maybe something's coming down

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Speaker 2: the pike that he knows about, but this is anticipating

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Speaker 2: to be one of the wildest summers in the NBA

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Speaker 2: since twenty nineteen. That was I believe this summer. KD moved,

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Speaker 2: Kyrie moved, and there's a bunch of other stuff happening

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Speaker 2: around the league. Oh that was when, Yeah, that was

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Speaker 2: what's his name? Kawhi Leonard wins the title and then

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Speaker 2: goes to the Clippers. Paul George, that was a crazy summer.

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Speaker 2: I don't know other than Yannis and Zion, you know,

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Speaker 2: we have a long way to go before July. But

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Speaker 2: we'll see. There's a lot of stuff left to happen.

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Speaker 2: I mean, Listen, if the Pacers beat somehow beat the

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Speaker 2: Thunder in the finals, you know, okay, so he's probably

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Speaker 2: gonna make a move, right, you would have to assume

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Speaker 2: Kevin Durant probably on the move. Houston is fixing to

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Speaker 2: do something big, like yeah, there could be a lot.

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Speaker 2: So let's just bottom line is, let's not go out

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Speaker 2: and make stuff like, hey, this team set up to

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Speaker 2: win two, three, fourths. The league doesn't want that. And

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Speaker 2: watching my Knicks, they're close again, they don't blow game one.

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Speaker 2: This is a whole different series. Just Nie Smith hitting

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Speaker 2: eight of nine threes in that game, Halliburton's buzzer shot

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Speaker 2: to force overtime, so many things had to go their way.

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Speaker 2: It's just, you know, just devastating for the Knicks. So

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Speaker 2: they're down three to one, and you have to wonder

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Speaker 2: if people are gonna over freak out about this. Jalen

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Speaker 2: Brunson defensive issues. We know, we got it. He wasn't

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Speaker 2: a great defender. Karl Anthony Towns was not a great defender. Historically,

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Speaker 2: they have not been guys. They they got to the

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Speaker 2: Eastern Conference Finals, should have won game one, and it's

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Speaker 2: all been largely downhill from there. I don't think this

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Speaker 2: Knicks team is cooked. Remember are done next year. The

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Speaker 2: Cleveland Cavaliers and the Knicks and Pacers are the three

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Speaker 2: best teams in the East. Now, you know, I just

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Speaker 2: caught myself. I've done about ten minutes here and I

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Speaker 2: realized I'm barely doing anything on Pacers. It's all what's next?

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Speaker 2: And I think that, to me is a big sign

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Speaker 2: that we're about to see Pacers thunder. And to no surprise,

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Speaker 2: it's more interesting to talk what's coming, what could potentially

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Speaker 2: come this summer than the NBA Finals matchup. All I

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Speaker 2: know is I'm hosting the Hurt next week, and if

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Speaker 2: these two damn series end in the next couple days,

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Speaker 2: I don't know what the hell I'm gonna talk about. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday,

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Speaker 2: Son of a Biscuit, The Final start on the Thursday, June.

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Speaker 2: What the hell day is that? That's June fifth, NBA

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Speaker 2: Finals start. Oh boy? All right, without further ado, let's

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Speaker 2: get to our guest, Nikki K. Spectrum La.

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Speaker 1: Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in

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Speaker 1: the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsports Radio

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Speaker 1: dot com and within the iHeartRadio app search FSR to

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Speaker 1: listen live. You know, Jason likes to think he knows

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Speaker 1: everything when it comes to sports.

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Speaker 2: I know what sports fans want, but for.

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Speaker 1: Everything he doesn't, he knows a guy who does.

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Speaker 4: Let's just say I know a guy who knows a

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Speaker 4: guy who knows another guy.

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Speaker 2: All right, let's welcome into straight Fire. A special guest

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Speaker 2: never been on the pod before. She's all over TV

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Speaker 2: out here in LA. Nicky k. Spectrum Sports Net covers

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Speaker 2: all the teams in Los Angeles, but she started her

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Speaker 2: career in OKAC, and we got to balance things out. Nikki.

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Speaker 2: I've been kind of blasting the free throw Merchant and Company,

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Speaker 2: and a lot of OKAC fans are mad, so we

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Speaker 2: want to have you on, you know, the Thunder as

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Speaker 2: well as anybody. First of all, how are you?

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Speaker 5: Oh well, Jason? First of all, thank you so much

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Speaker 5: for having me on.

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Speaker 4: And I find it so funny that I cover teams

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Speaker 4: in LA, but it's been Oklahoma City that has gotten.

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Speaker 5: Me on on bus national airwaves here.

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Speaker 4: But what an exciting time for the Thunder franchise and

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Speaker 4: fan base. I mean, they had so much early success.

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Speaker 4: You know, it's been well documented. The Russell Westbrook, Kevin

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Speaker 4: Durant the infamous James Harden trade, and I was in

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Speaker 4: the building.

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Speaker 5: It was my first playoff series I ever covered.

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Speaker 4: And mind you, I grew up in southern California, diehard

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Speaker 4: Lakers fan, and my professional expert experience brought me to

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Speaker 4: OKC and sitting in that arena Game six of the

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Speaker 4: Western Conference Finals when Clay Thompson goes off for forty

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Speaker 4: eleven threes right and just rips the hearts out of

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Speaker 4: the city's fan base, and then you have Kevin Durant

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Speaker 4: leaving on the most dismal Fourth of July ever.

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Speaker 5: So all that to say, you know that moment, someone looked.

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Speaker 4: At me, who had covered the Thunder since their inception,

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Speaker 4: and said, this team will never host a Western Conference

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Speaker 4: Finals again. That's it, this is the end, and here

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Speaker 4: we are. You know what, that's eight years eight years later,

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Speaker 4: nine years later, you've got this group that looks like

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Speaker 4: the limit does not exist, right when you think about

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Speaker 4: how young they are, the dynamic and cohesion they're showing.

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Speaker 5: And I think that.

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Speaker 4: Win against Minnesota in Game four was what I would

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Speaker 4: call like the big boys win, right, because you were

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Speaker 4: wondering what the context of that game three loss would mean.

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Speaker 5: Forty points just just ugly.

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Speaker 4: And would it be this this moment where this young

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Speaker 4: team crumbles and doesn't respond to it and here they

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Speaker 4: here they are.

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Speaker 5: You know, one went away.

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Speaker 4: From an NBA Finals appearance, and I know you mentioned

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Speaker 4: Shay being a free throw merchant. They'll say it out loud, Yeah, yeah,

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Speaker 4: that's a it's a I'm not a big fan of

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Speaker 4: that description. I think it's it's fine to say, you know,

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Speaker 4: he's he's benefiting off the calls, for sure, and.

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Speaker 5: He's seeking out the free throw line.

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Speaker 4: But as someone who covers these athletes and you hear

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Speaker 4: about the quality of leader he is and how beloved

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Speaker 4: he is, it's it's really hard to to I understand.

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Speaker 4: The play is not pretty how he's getting his points,

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Speaker 4: but he's.

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Speaker 5: Taking advantage of the rules that exist within the game.

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Speaker 2: Right. So let's back up a little bit. So you're

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Speaker 2: a southern California girl, and where did you go to college?

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Speaker 5: UCLA?

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Speaker 2: Okay, Okay, so all southern cal and you get a

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Speaker 2: job in Oklahoma City. I'm just curious, like when you

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Speaker 2: get that offer, like what do you say to the fam, Like, hey, guys,

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Speaker 2: I'm moving to the Midwest. Were you excited or nervous?

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Speaker 2: I mean, they did have a good team at the time.

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Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, And I wanted to go somewhere where I

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Speaker 4: could really cut my teeth as a sports reporter, right,

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Speaker 4: And I think when you look at the fans that

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Speaker 4: exist in Oklahoma, from the Sooners to the Oklahoma State

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Speaker 4: Cowboys to the thunder fans, they are so incredibly passionate

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Speaker 4: and die hard. You have Grandma Sue at Ou football games,

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Speaker 4: who knows the name of the third string safety. So

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Speaker 4: that's where I kind of write, like, that's where I

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Speaker 4: went to learn what it meant to be a responsible reporter.

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Speaker 4: And while it wasn't so cal and there there are

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Speaker 4: no beaches in Oklahoma news break there there's a beautiful

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Speaker 4: lake Lake Hefner. I found that the people there are

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Speaker 4: incredibly wonderful and endearing and you could be my line.

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Speaker 5: You know, when I mom.

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Speaker 4: Wasn't happy that I was, you know, doing doing the Midwest,

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Speaker 4: But I told my parents, like I could be in

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Speaker 4: line at Starbucks and get an offer to a Thanksgiving dinner,

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Speaker 4: Like that's just how you.

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Speaker 5: Know it is? Yeah, yeah, no, it is. It's nice.

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Speaker 5: It's nice, No, but.

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Speaker 2: It's well, wait, wait, hold on, are these like guys

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Speaker 2: hitting on you or like fifty five year old grandparents

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Speaker 2: or seven year old grandparents.

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Speaker 5: I think we had our fair share of mix.

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Speaker 4: I tried to learn golf out there, you know, and

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Speaker 4: and I would get a lot of unsolicited golf advice.

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Speaker 4: But that's every driving range in America, right. You get

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Speaker 4: men coming up to you with uh with the pointers

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Speaker 4: you never knew you needed.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, so you're covering Kadi, Harden and Russ, and I

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Speaker 2: just have to ask, it's obvious did you see Kevin

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Speaker 2: Durant like frustrated with Russ at times? I know there

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Speaker 2: was like a batman Robin, but no, I'm not a Robin.

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Speaker 2: I'm more of a batman too. And there was that

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Speaker 2: push and pull. Did you see did you anticipate Katie

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Speaker 2: leaving even as that series to Golden State was kind

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Speaker 2: of lost?

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Speaker 1: Right?

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Speaker 2: Right?

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Speaker 4: Right?

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Speaker 5: Such a good question.

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Speaker 4: So by the time I arrived, Harden was gone, So

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Speaker 4: it was Katie and Russ, and I have to admit

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Speaker 4: I was there like wide eyed, fresh eyed. I was

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Speaker 4: just stoked that I got Kobe's last road game, right,

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Speaker 4: like Kazaka was in Oklahoma City.

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Speaker 5: That to me was such a.

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Speaker 4: Cool marquee moment, you know, grew up warshiping at the

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Speaker 4: altar of twenty four here in Sokala, as Laker fans do.

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Speaker 4: But I didn't think I really understood what I was

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Speaker 4: witnessing historically. But I do know that I got a

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Speaker 4: call on the fourth of July, which I also didn't

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Speaker 4: have the full comprehension of, oh, this is trade deadline,

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Speaker 4: you know, like this is where you got to start

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Speaker 4: to be on your toes for a WOJ bomb.

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Speaker 5: At the time, so to speak.

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Speaker 4: And I spent my fourth of July talking about Kevin

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Speaker 4: Durant leaving, and just you know, there was a like

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Speaker 4: sadness that I won't forget because that team, he meant

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Speaker 4: so much to the city.

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Speaker 5: I think you could argue he still does. Like their Thunder.

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Speaker 4: Fans will have a soft spot for the Westbrook KD

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Speaker 4: days because they were.

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Speaker 5: So young and unexpected.

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Speaker 4: But I think like this iteration of the Thunder has

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Speaker 4: brought so much joy to a fan base that really

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Speaker 4: has been I mean almost spoiled, even like when you

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Speaker 4: think about Katie leaving. But they won a lot in

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Speaker 4: a relatively young existence as a franchise.

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Speaker 2: So Katie Bolts. It's weird because I was I've told

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Speaker 2: the story, but I was packing to move to LA

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Speaker 2: during Game six and I was like, I'm not cutting

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Speaker 2: off the cable to keep it on. I remember watching

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Speaker 2: that game the TV is propped up on like a

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Speaker 2: moving box site and I get out here and it's

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Speaker 2: like just a flurry of things, you know, in a

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Speaker 2: short time span. Curry loses Game seven at home and

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Speaker 2: then oh, Kevin Durant is going to the world. It

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Speaker 2: was just like, oh my gosh, this is perfect. But

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Speaker 2: I will say like being did you feel stuck in

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Speaker 2: Okasee after Kevin Durant left or like you personally.

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Speaker 4: Ooh, that's such a good question, right, Like when you

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Speaker 4: look about at career moments and frustrations, I think being

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Speaker 4: an ambitious individual, right you always want the next step

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Speaker 4: and you don't know why it's not coming soon enough.

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Speaker 4: And then like all of a sudden, you know, I

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Speaker 4: was maybe three months into the job, and I was like, no,

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Speaker 4: like the thunder can't be irrelevant.

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Speaker 5: Now, Russell Westbrook will be a great leader.

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Speaker 4: And you know, credit to Sam Presty bringing in all

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Speaker 4: George Carmelo, Anthony.

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Speaker 5: There was always something to talk about.

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Speaker 4: And then you got you know, the Sooners down south

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Speaker 4: in Norman, and you've got Baker Mayfield and Lincoln Highley

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Speaker 4: and like it's just so funny, you know, I come

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Speaker 4: out to LA with my job here and PG comes.

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Speaker 5: Lincoln Riley comes.

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Speaker 4: As Westbrook comes, and it's cool because that's when you

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Speaker 4: start understanding as a reporter. You're like, oh, I've laid

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Speaker 4: you know, the foundation and stops along the way that

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Speaker 4: have helped me with relationships. And you know, KD, I'm

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Speaker 4: at a I'm in Crypto dot com arena right now

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Speaker 4: as we're doing this interview. I've got a Sparks game

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Speaker 4: tonight and Kd's out here baseline or sitting sidelines watch,

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Speaker 4: you know, taking in the action. I go up someone

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Speaker 4: I was like, I don't know if you remember me.

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Speaker 4: He's like, I do, you know, And so it's just

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Speaker 4: kind of a fun, fun, full circle moments. But the buzz,

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Speaker 4: the buzz is always happening out there in Oklahoma.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, they have a good vibe, There's no doubt about it.

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Speaker 2: I joke around with free throw Merchant and blasting them.

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Speaker 2: But you have to admit, Nikki, you cover the NBA

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Speaker 2: closely the league. This is what the league wants. They

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Speaker 2: are doing their best to help the small market teams.

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Speaker 2: Once you draft the guy, they make it so it's

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Speaker 2: almost punitive for him to leave the team that drafts him.

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Speaker 2: They really want this balance, and okay, see has benefited

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Speaker 2: from that obviously. They trade for SGA, But like the

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Speaker 2: second Apron, it's gonna kill the Celtics pretty quickly and

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Speaker 2: the thunder are built to last. But we heard that

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Speaker 2: about Denver and Boston the last couple of years too.

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Speaker 4: No, right, right, It is so wild because to your point,

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Speaker 4: I love seeing I love seeing the guys who stay

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Speaker 4: and become synonymous with a franchise.

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Speaker 5: I'll ask step Curry.

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Speaker 4: I also love the idea and notion of parody what

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Speaker 4: we had like seven different NBA champions over seven years.

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Speaker 4: You look at this final bore and what a moment

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Speaker 4: for the small markets. And then of course the New

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Speaker 4: York Knicks have entered the group chat. But I can't get.

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Speaker 5: Enough of Knicks fan base, like I want it.

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Speaker 4: Bring all the smoke Knicks fans.

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Speaker 5: You guys deserve it.

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Speaker 4: But as someone who understands like where headlines are made

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Speaker 4: and stuff, especially here in Los Angeles. I mean having

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Speaker 4: Luca Doncic arrive has been so fun, so fantastic, And

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Speaker 4: you know when you've got Lebron and my dad's lifelong

399
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Speaker 4: Laker fan, and he's like, you know, it's better being

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Speaker 4: relevant than in the dark days. And I think, you know,

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Speaker 4: whatever years he's referring to, maybe the twenty fifteen, sixteen range.

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Speaker 5: But at the same time, it's it is what the

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Speaker 5: league wants.

404
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Speaker 4: I go back and forth because I like it when

405
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Speaker 4: players can stay. But then also looking at the landscape

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Speaker 4: of how things have shifted, you kind of get the

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Speaker 4: sense too that like this is a pivot here for

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Speaker 4: the league, right, like as we don't have Steph and

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Speaker 4: Lebron and you know, the stalwarts in the final four,

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Speaker 4: but you got these new young faces that are I

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Speaker 4: think becoming pretty pretty fun to watch and lovable characters.

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Speaker 5: But I also think casual sports fans might not know.

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Speaker 4: Who shake you just Alexander's right, if you're not following

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Speaker 4: the NBA at least somewhat closely.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I use the mom test. You know, any mom's

416
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Speaker 2: over seventy years old, do you know who SGA is?

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Speaker 2: And like what, no idea? But yeah, I mean, your

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Speaker 2: mom might because you're like you lived in Okac and

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Speaker 2: now you know you're doing this. But let me just ask,

420
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Speaker 2: like this idea that the League is better with small

421
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Speaker 2: market teams, I know, Adam Silver works for the owners

422
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Speaker 2: and the owners a lot of small markets want this.

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Speaker 2: But don't you think the super Teams was an incredible

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Speaker 2: era for the league? Lebron, Kevin Durant, Kevin Love and

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Speaker 2: Christosh Like I thought the twenty teams, I guess is

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Speaker 2: what it was with the super teams was as good

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Speaker 2: as it gets. I don't think this now sucks. But

428
00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:49,639
Speaker 2: I mean, Nikk, you gotta be honest. You know, if

429
00:22:49,680 --> 00:22:53,160
Speaker 2: you could tell me, Jason, would you rather have another Lebron,

430
00:22:53,400 --> 00:22:57,720
Speaker 2: Kyrie and Company against Clay Curry and Katie? Of course

431
00:22:57,760 --> 00:22:58,439
Speaker 2: I would rather.

432
00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:01,320
Speaker 4: Have those feel like the glory days. Now, that's why

433
00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:04,239
Speaker 4: it's not so funny. And then I remember when the

434
00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:07,040
Speaker 4: Nets had that moment I called a moment because that's

435
00:23:07,119 --> 00:23:10,439
Speaker 4: kind of what it felt. Lord knows how many games Harden,

436
00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:14,200
Speaker 4: Kyrie and Evan actually played together, but that feels like

437
00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:16,880
Speaker 4: a fever dream, right. I remember when the news broke

438
00:23:16,920 --> 00:23:19,320
Speaker 4: and you're just thinking, oh my god, the Nets are

439
00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:22,680
Speaker 4: gonna win it all, and that that, you know, toppled

440
00:23:22,680 --> 00:23:24,879
Speaker 4: over like a deck of house of cards, I guess.

441
00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:29,919
Speaker 4: But it is interesting like the super teams on paper

442
00:23:30,080 --> 00:23:33,159
Speaker 4: versus the super teams that actually work. And you know,

443
00:23:33,800 --> 00:23:35,960
Speaker 4: now we look at those Calvs as a super team

444
00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:36,280
Speaker 4: when you.

445
00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:38,600
Speaker 5: Talk about Lebron, hay Love.

446
00:23:38,480 --> 00:23:42,280
Speaker 4: And Kyrie, But at the moment, it felt like they

447
00:23:42,560 --> 00:23:45,720
Speaker 4: had a herculean task of going up against the Golden

448
00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:49,639
Speaker 4: those Golden State Warriors. But I think I think the

449
00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:53,320
Speaker 4: more drama the better. So that's why I know we

450
00:23:53,359 --> 00:23:55,879
Speaker 4: can make jokes about, you know, being like this. The

451
00:23:55,880 --> 00:23:58,600
Speaker 4: script writers have had this screenplay all written out with

452
00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:00,760
Speaker 4: the MAVs getting the number one overall pick.

453
00:24:00,840 --> 00:24:02,639
Speaker 5: Yeah, but give us the drama.

454
00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:05,639
Speaker 4: I want people talking about it and finding a reason

455
00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:06,199
Speaker 4: to tune in.

456
00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:10,119
Speaker 1: Right. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup

457
00:24:10,119 --> 00:24:13,160
Speaker 1: in the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsports

458
00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:17,600
Speaker 1: Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR

459
00:24:17,760 --> 00:24:19,840
Speaker 1: to listen live, I mean listen.

460
00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:22,160
Speaker 2: We've talked about small markets a lot. That being said,

461
00:24:22,800 --> 00:24:26,480
Speaker 2: Jannis drafted by Milwaukee wins a title like that's a blueprint,

462
00:24:26,840 --> 00:24:30,000
Speaker 2: But now they got they're up. Shit's creek without a paddle,

463
00:24:30,440 --> 00:24:32,840
Speaker 2: and it looks like they're going to be trading Giannis.

464
00:24:32,880 --> 00:24:34,600
Speaker 2: I know there's a Doc Rivers story out there that

465
00:24:34,640 --> 00:24:37,359
Speaker 2: nobody believes. Oh, Doc Rivers can convince Jannis to stay, Like,

466
00:24:37,359 --> 00:24:39,879
Speaker 2: give me a break. I am curious, though, do you

467
00:24:39,920 --> 00:24:42,960
Speaker 2: think there's a world where a small market makes a

468
00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:46,840
Speaker 2: play for Jannis an Orlando? If Orlando's are small, I mean,

469
00:24:46,840 --> 00:24:49,920
Speaker 2: if Shack left, They've got to be small. But an Orlando,

470
00:24:50,680 --> 00:24:52,639
Speaker 2: I don't know that Indiana would do it. They're in

471
00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:55,240
Speaker 2: a good spot. But do you think he automatically goes

472
00:24:55,320 --> 00:24:59,800
Speaker 2: to an La. Houston's a huge market. Do you think

473
00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:01,480
Speaker 2: that happens? I mean maybe the NIXT I don't know.

474
00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:02,040
Speaker 5: Well.

475
00:25:02,240 --> 00:25:04,360
Speaker 4: And here's the thing, like when you when you talk

476
00:25:04,359 --> 00:25:06,359
Speaker 4: about the small market teams making a play, and what

477
00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:09,520
Speaker 4: I can tell you from personal experience, I will never

478
00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:13,919
Speaker 4: forget getting the once again, the WOJ push notification and

479
00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:17,840
Speaker 4: the dog days of summer, Oklahoma City and Carmelo Anthony

480
00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:20,600
Speaker 4: are circling each other, right And I know, I know

481
00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:23,960
Speaker 4: Mello wasn't mellow mellow when he came to Okay see,

482
00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:27,840
Speaker 4: but just that kind of like wait what like and

483
00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:31,080
Speaker 4: then make the thunder making a play for you know,

484
00:25:31,440 --> 00:25:34,480
Speaker 4: Carmelo Anthony out of New York to come in, and

485
00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:38,640
Speaker 4: so those types of moments, I'm like, this league, right,

486
00:25:38,920 --> 00:25:41,720
Speaker 4: and so I say, never say never if we if

487
00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:45,320
Speaker 4: we can get Yannis in another small market. But I think,

488
00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:47,960
Speaker 4: you know, the heartstrings of those who follow and cover

489
00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:51,920
Speaker 4: the league closely want Jannis to stay in Milwaukee because

490
00:25:52,000 --> 00:25:54,919
Speaker 4: of what he means, but also to have him on

491
00:25:55,000 --> 00:26:00,160
Speaker 4: a competitive roster one that support him. It just also

492
00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:01,920
Speaker 4: makes the NBA better in every way.

493
00:26:04,200 --> 00:26:07,360
Speaker 2: Do you think OKAC will have a Christmas Day game

494
00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:09,600
Speaker 2: next year? And will they play Opening Night? They've kind

495
00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:12,639
Speaker 2: of been snubbed the last well this season, we'll just

496
00:26:12,640 --> 00:26:14,160
Speaker 2: say that got snubbed. But I mean.

497
00:26:14,280 --> 00:26:17,159
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean at first, I'm like, duh, but you

498
00:26:17,160 --> 00:26:20,880
Speaker 4: know you said yeah, considering recent history, they have been

499
00:26:21,280 --> 00:26:23,080
Speaker 4: a little disrespected, I guess.

500
00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:27,320
Speaker 5: But I think with the way they rose to meet

501
00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:30,440
Speaker 5: the moment and won at an incredible.

502
00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:33,560
Speaker 4: Clip this season, you got you gotta put them in

503
00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:34,680
Speaker 4: marquee matchups.

504
00:26:34,680 --> 00:26:38,280
Speaker 2: Now, I mean you would think, but Indiana Pacers, what

505
00:26:38,359 --> 00:26:40,680
Speaker 2: at the Conference finals last year? They didn't get a

506
00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:43,080
Speaker 2: Christmas Day game? And Christmas Day is you know, people

507
00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:45,240
Speaker 2: are like, who cares? Well, that's kind of the unofficial

508
00:26:45,320 --> 00:26:48,360
Speaker 2: start of the season as football is winding down. Obviously,

509
00:26:48,359 --> 00:26:50,720
Speaker 2: the first week is big. Let me circle back to

510
00:26:50,720 --> 00:26:53,920
Speaker 2: the Lakers real quick. Yeah, there is this weird negative

511
00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:57,280
Speaker 2: vibe that this team sucked. They got blown out by Minnesota,

512
00:26:57,480 --> 00:27:00,359
Speaker 2: I mean, Nikki, they lost basically three coin flip games

513
00:27:00,359 --> 00:27:02,320
Speaker 2: in a row with four minutes left, two minutes left

514
00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:04,440
Speaker 2: in the games, and they were they were like n

515
00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:06,399
Speaker 2: nip and tuck and oh, by the way, they were

516
00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:09,199
Speaker 2: the third seed in the West trading for Luca who

517
00:27:09,280 --> 00:27:11,119
Speaker 2: was not even close to one hundred percent. Like, this

518
00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:13,920
Speaker 2: idea that the Lakers sucked is to me, it's insane.

519
00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:16,280
Speaker 2: And they're calling me a homer. You covered the team,

520
00:27:16,280 --> 00:27:18,760
Speaker 2: you've been around them a lot, Like, I don't know

521
00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:20,880
Speaker 2: what's Is there a right answer here?

522
00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:23,480
Speaker 4: Oh no, there's there's two points I want to respond

523
00:27:23,520 --> 00:27:25,439
Speaker 4: to that with, and one first and foremost being the

524
00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:27,440
Speaker 4: Minnesota Timberwolves.

525
00:27:26,840 --> 00:27:28,560
Speaker 5: Are in the Western Conference finals.

526
00:27:29,119 --> 00:27:33,320
Speaker 4: Yeah, and like they're a good team and the Lakers

527
00:27:33,320 --> 00:27:37,040
Speaker 4: were also an incomplete team. And yes, you say yes

528
00:27:37,080 --> 00:27:40,720
Speaker 4: to a Luca Doncic trade ten times out of ten,

529
00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:44,800
Speaker 4: but they didn't have the size to go toe to

530
00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:48,600
Speaker 4: toe I mean in the pain, especially with this Timberwolves roster,

531
00:27:48,800 --> 00:27:51,440
Speaker 4: and even like I was at game one of the

532
00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:55,000
Speaker 4: Western Conference Finals where it's thunder Wolves and you could

533
00:27:55,560 --> 00:27:57,280
Speaker 4: I was even unsure.

534
00:27:57,280 --> 00:28:00,000
Speaker 5: I was like, Oh, this Wolves team looks really big.

535
00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:01,640
Speaker 5: Is there is that going to bother?

536
00:28:01,800 --> 00:28:04,560
Speaker 4: Okay see and obviously now that's under or up three

537
00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:09,040
Speaker 4: to one. But I think this, this Lakers roster wasn't complete,

538
00:28:09,320 --> 00:28:13,000
Speaker 4: and you know, Luca was making his way back from

539
00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:15,440
Speaker 4: an injury in the middle of the season, and I

540
00:28:16,280 --> 00:28:20,399
Speaker 4: think what I experienced in this building, I have not

541
00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:24,560
Speaker 4: heard Lakers fans being more excited. I mean, obviously you

542
00:28:24,560 --> 00:28:27,520
Speaker 4: get Lebron James and Anthony Davis, and when a championship

543
00:28:27,560 --> 00:28:30,919
Speaker 4: in twenty twenty, this fan base didn't get to celebrate that.

544
00:28:31,960 --> 00:28:36,320
Speaker 4: But Luca, like, for reference, on his opening night here,

545
00:28:36,800 --> 00:28:40,200
Speaker 4: I've never seen more people wearing the free T shirts

546
00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:43,480
Speaker 4: in the lower Bowl Crypto dot Com Arena. So I

547
00:28:43,480 --> 00:28:45,360
Speaker 4: think maybe the way the season ended it was a

548
00:28:45,400 --> 00:28:49,080
Speaker 4: little bit of a like, but there was a lot

549
00:28:49,120 --> 00:28:53,840
Speaker 4: of positive momentum and excitement, and I just think like

550
00:28:54,280 --> 00:28:57,480
Speaker 4: they got they need an offseason to not only put

551
00:28:57,520 --> 00:29:01,160
Speaker 4: guys around Luca and Lebron, who you know makes sense.

552
00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:04,440
Speaker 4: Get that vertical lob threat in the middle that Luca

553
00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:07,880
Speaker 4: likes playing with. But I think Luca and Lebron, you

554
00:29:08,120 --> 00:29:09,880
Speaker 4: put them on a court together, they're gonna and give

555
00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:12,040
Speaker 4: them the time, they're gonna figure it out.

556
00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:15,640
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, like just pivoting to LA at large

557
00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:18,800
Speaker 2: real quick. So you're in like a sweet spot in that.

558
00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:21,640
Speaker 2: The Lakers get Luca, the Dodgers have Otani, just won

559
00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:25,040
Speaker 2: the World Series, You've got the Galaxy head of tremendous season.

560
00:29:25,840 --> 00:29:29,080
Speaker 2: LAFC is obviously very good. The Sparks get Kelsey Plumb,

561
00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:31,080
Speaker 2: who I don't know how they pulled that off. She's

562
00:29:31,080 --> 00:29:32,640
Speaker 2: one of the best players in the league. But that's

563
00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:35,760
Speaker 2: I digress. There's one other team in LA that's really

564
00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:38,440
Speaker 2: good that I was spacing on, Well, the Clippers had

565
00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:41,640
Speaker 2: a good season, But I don't know. It's like, I mean,

566
00:29:41,680 --> 00:29:44,000
Speaker 2: you've got to love work out here. Like I'm still

567
00:29:44,600 --> 00:29:46,440
Speaker 2: I know a lot of people don't like their jobs,

568
00:29:46,480 --> 00:29:47,880
Speaker 2: but like I wake up every day, I'm like, oh,

569
00:29:47,880 --> 00:29:51,280
Speaker 2: I get to talk about sports and Lakers and teams

570
00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:53,600
Speaker 2: in LA are great. It seems like I'm assuming you

571
00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:55,480
Speaker 2: have maybe even a better job than I do.

572
00:29:56,000 --> 00:29:59,760
Speaker 4: Hey, hey, you know, every day is different and it's beautiful.

573
00:29:59,760 --> 00:30:03,080
Speaker 4: And the only thing that perplexes me sometimes is that

574
00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:07,080
Speaker 4: I'm only showing up at UCLA basketball on Selection Sunday.

575
00:30:07,280 --> 00:30:09,200
Speaker 5: Why am I not there earlier? You know?

576
00:30:09,680 --> 00:30:14,200
Speaker 4: And and it's too it can get so overwhelming, or

577
00:30:14,240 --> 00:30:16,480
Speaker 4: like the Dodgers playing in the middle of the summer

578
00:30:16,520 --> 00:30:20,040
Speaker 4: when we've got sparks, you know, broadcasts going on, and

579
00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:21,880
Speaker 4: then all of a sudden, it's, oh my gosh, the

580
00:30:21,920 --> 00:30:25,880
Speaker 4: postseason's ramping up, and you know, it is an embarrassment

581
00:30:25,920 --> 00:30:26,479
Speaker 4: of riches.

582
00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:28,440
Speaker 5: There's always something if it's all I.

583
00:30:28,400 --> 00:30:30,720
Speaker 2: Forgot Stafford, Stafford in the Rams could be going to

584
00:30:30,720 --> 00:30:31,600
Speaker 2: the Superwitch justin.

585
00:30:31,560 --> 00:30:35,520
Speaker 4: Herbal, Yeah, like come on, we have we have Harbaugh,

586
00:30:35,680 --> 00:30:39,600
Speaker 4: we have Herbert, we have yeah, like Sean McVay and

587
00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:42,720
Speaker 4: we the Rams won a Super Bowl in twenty twenty one.

588
00:30:42,880 --> 00:30:43,960
Speaker 5: It's it's.

589
00:30:45,040 --> 00:30:48,400
Speaker 4: I can find myself being like, oh my gosh. You know,

590
00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:53,720
Speaker 4: whereas in a smaller market, you're at every coaches press

591
00:30:53,720 --> 00:30:57,560
Speaker 4: conference every week, right and because you have the scheduled down,

592
00:30:57,640 --> 00:31:00,400
Speaker 4: but now it's like, oh my gosh, hey, U c

593
00:31:00,600 --> 00:31:04,560
Speaker 4: l A baseball's in the postseason and you want to

594
00:31:04,640 --> 00:31:06,320
Speaker 4: you know, I know, random random shot.

595
00:31:06,720 --> 00:31:09,680
Speaker 2: I did not know that. I can't. I'm out of bandwidth,

596
00:31:09,760 --> 00:31:12,240
Speaker 2: you know, Nikki, like I can't follow college baseball.

597
00:31:13,080 --> 00:31:13,880
Speaker 5: That's what I'm saying.

598
00:31:13,960 --> 00:31:16,000
Speaker 4: But the cool thing about my job and what I

599
00:31:16,040 --> 00:31:18,280
Speaker 4: love so much is that if you focus on the

600
00:31:18,360 --> 00:31:21,320
Speaker 4: storytelling too, you know, I don't just do Sideline broadcast.

601
00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:23,760
Speaker 4: I get to do features for our Spectrum News one

602
00:31:23,840 --> 00:31:26,200
Speaker 4: channel out here, and it's like when you lean in

603
00:31:26,320 --> 00:31:29,720
Speaker 4: and make a big season granular, like within the story,

604
00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:33,400
Speaker 4: within a game or a moment, then it kind of

605
00:31:33,400 --> 00:31:35,480
Speaker 4: slows everything down and gives you a little bit more

606
00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:38,160
Speaker 4: connection to the athletes and their journeys.

607
00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:40,440
Speaker 5: So yeah, I mean, I love it here.

608
00:31:40,520 --> 00:31:43,520
Speaker 4: And like I said, every day, you know, is a

609
00:31:43,560 --> 00:31:46,880
Speaker 4: winding road in the words of Ryl Crow Cyril Crow.

610
00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:49,920
Speaker 2: Ruf, wow, I did not see that one coming. Let

611
00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:53,880
Speaker 2: me ask about the Clippers. I know they're kind of like,

612
00:31:53,960 --> 00:31:56,640
Speaker 2: you know, the step job, but they have an awesome arena.

613
00:31:56,800 --> 00:31:58,600
Speaker 2: I have not been to it yet. I'm just curious

614
00:31:58,600 --> 00:32:01,080
Speaker 2: your thoughts on the arena and like, where do they

615
00:32:01,160 --> 00:32:01,800
Speaker 2: go from here?

616
00:32:02,080 --> 00:32:03,960
Speaker 4: You got to get you got to get into into

617
00:32:04,000 --> 00:32:07,760
Speaker 4: it Dome. It is like a spaceship on another planet.

618
00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:11,120
Speaker 4: It is uh, it's it's a fun experience and it

619
00:32:11,160 --> 00:32:14,800
Speaker 4: gets loud. I wasn't able to My schedule didn't align

620
00:32:14,880 --> 00:32:17,600
Speaker 4: with their playoff games here in LA, but I was there.

621
00:32:17,680 --> 00:32:21,000
Speaker 4: You know, I saw I caught a College Basketball Showcase

622
00:32:21,040 --> 00:32:25,000
Speaker 4: game in December and that was really fun. It's I've

623
00:32:25,040 --> 00:32:28,200
Speaker 4: seen a concert there. It's an awesome venue. And as

624
00:32:28,240 --> 00:32:31,240
Speaker 4: for you know, the state of the team, the Clippers

625
00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:35,160
Speaker 4: had a tough first round in Denver, right.

626
00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:37,719
Speaker 5: But some of those games are awesome.

627
00:32:37,720 --> 00:32:39,560
Speaker 4: I think you can make the case that that's been

628
00:32:39,600 --> 00:32:42,480
Speaker 4: the series of the playoffs so far, right, like that

629
00:32:42,640 --> 00:32:46,520
Speaker 4: seven game battle between those two teams. And as for

630
00:32:46,640 --> 00:32:50,080
Speaker 4: their off season moves, I'm not incredibly familiar on like

631
00:32:50,120 --> 00:32:52,920
Speaker 4: who's a you know up and you know could be

632
00:32:53,040 --> 00:32:56,560
Speaker 4: on the move. But I think I think Kauwhi is

633
00:32:56,600 --> 00:33:00,760
Speaker 4: not going anywhere. And seeing him return to four this year,

634
00:33:00,840 --> 00:33:04,040
Speaker 4: I mean, I know it's not all all game or.

635
00:33:03,960 --> 00:33:07,920
Speaker 5: Not every game, but it's like I think I had.

636
00:33:07,760 --> 00:33:11,160
Speaker 4: A couple of well welcome back Kawhi tweets because it's

637
00:33:11,240 --> 00:33:13,160
Speaker 4: just like he was out there looking like he was

638
00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:13,840
Speaker 4: twenty ninety.

639
00:33:14,080 --> 00:33:18,240
Speaker 2: Why Pladwell, yeah, we can wrap up. I am curious.

640
00:33:18,360 --> 00:33:21,280
Speaker 2: I know you're you're not in like the hot take business. Yes,

641
00:33:21,320 --> 00:33:22,160
Speaker 2: obviously for.

642
00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:24,120
Speaker 5: Setting me up with hot Yes.

643
00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:26,120
Speaker 2: Well I just want to preface it. Yeah, and the

644
00:33:26,120 --> 00:33:28,640
Speaker 2: prediction business is tough, So we're recording this before game

645
00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:31,360
Speaker 2: four Pacers Knicks. I'm just curious, do you think either

646
00:33:31,400 --> 00:33:34,200
Speaker 2: of those can pose a challenge to okay See. I

647
00:33:34,200 --> 00:33:35,880
Speaker 2: mean I've seen some of the numbers. I think people

648
00:33:35,920 --> 00:33:39,320
Speaker 2: are going a little overboard with this historically great OKAC team.

649
00:33:39,520 --> 00:33:41,680
Speaker 2: We had Dave mc benaman on last week and he

650
00:33:41,760 --> 00:33:44,280
Speaker 2: said that an NBA player told him, okay See is

651
00:33:44,320 --> 00:33:47,120
Speaker 2: the best college basketball team in the NBA because they're

652
00:33:47,160 --> 00:33:50,360
Speaker 2: basically a bunch of young guys who play hard every

653
00:33:50,440 --> 00:33:53,480
Speaker 2: single possession and you just don't see that a lot.

654
00:33:54,880 --> 00:33:57,680
Speaker 2: The Pacers are kind of young, the Knicks kind of

655
00:33:57,720 --> 00:34:00,600
Speaker 2: sort of too. Can either of them slow down? Okay See?

656
00:34:01,080 --> 00:34:04,960
Speaker 4: I think they can, and I've I've been leaning towards

657
00:34:06,280 --> 00:34:08,720
Speaker 4: a Knicks thunder finals would be really fun.

658
00:34:08,800 --> 00:34:11,000
Speaker 5: Oh yeah, because I mean the.

659
00:34:10,960 --> 00:34:14,560
Speaker 4: Pacers are scrappy and I love I loved the show.

660
00:34:14,680 --> 00:34:19,399
Speaker 4: Tyrese Haliburton is putting on. But I think to have

661
00:34:19,480 --> 00:34:22,839
Speaker 4: the contrast of you know, the Knicks fan base and

662
00:34:22,880 --> 00:34:26,279
Speaker 4: the Thunder fan base, and you know Jalen Brunson what

663
00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:28,200
Speaker 4: he's able to work and and and.

664
00:34:28,160 --> 00:34:30,880
Speaker 5: Pull off in in late games, you know, to be

665
00:34:31,040 --> 00:34:31,720
Speaker 5: that clutch.

666
00:34:32,520 --> 00:34:35,000
Speaker 4: And also what a what a moment for Karl Anthony

667
00:34:35,040 --> 00:34:38,600
Speaker 4: Towns too, right, like this guy to have this, you know,

668
00:34:39,200 --> 00:34:42,920
Speaker 4: to arrive at this level of his career and actually.

669
00:34:44,120 --> 00:34:47,520
Speaker 5: Deliver. I'm it's I'm happy for him.

670
00:34:47,680 --> 00:34:51,560
Speaker 4: So I would say for the hell of it, like, yeah,

671
00:34:51,640 --> 00:34:54,440
Speaker 4: let's let's give us a nixed Thunder finals.

672
00:34:54,440 --> 00:34:56,520
Speaker 5: And I mean, ultimately, I think.

673
00:34:56,400 --> 00:34:59,680
Speaker 4: This is okay, S's okay, S's time to bring it

674
00:34:59,719 --> 00:35:05,280
Speaker 4: home finally. And granted I say finally, they've been around

675
00:35:05,320 --> 00:35:07,840
Speaker 4: in you know what half of the time span it

676
00:35:07,880 --> 00:35:11,680
Speaker 4: took for the Knicks to return to the final, so

677
00:35:12,320 --> 00:35:16,239
Speaker 4: that seems a little bit dramatic. But yeah, I think

678
00:35:16,280 --> 00:35:17,920
Speaker 4: we're going to get a good finals from either of

679
00:35:17,960 --> 00:35:18,719
Speaker 4: those groups.

680
00:35:18,840 --> 00:35:20,640
Speaker 5: Looks at least six games.

681
00:35:20,440 --> 00:35:23,279
Speaker 2: Right hopefully, Geez, I don't know. We'll see all right,

682
00:35:23,360 --> 00:35:27,120
Speaker 2: Nikki k great stuff spectrum out here in La continued

683
00:35:27,160 --> 00:35:29,320
Speaker 2: success as you write, Maybe I'll see you at a

684
00:35:29,320 --> 00:35:32,400
Speaker 2: sporting event. Are you going to Dodgers Yankees this weekend?

685
00:35:32,440 --> 00:35:34,959
Speaker 2: It's like the sports don't stop out here and listen.

686
00:35:35,160 --> 00:35:35,400
Speaker 5: I know.

687
00:35:35,520 --> 00:35:39,160
Speaker 4: I was like, oh my gosh, the drama is already returning.

688
00:35:39,920 --> 00:35:43,240
Speaker 4: I will say I was in the Bronx covering that

689
00:35:43,239 --> 00:35:46,480
Speaker 4: that game five, and it was it was the best

690
00:35:46,480 --> 00:35:50,600
Speaker 4: assignment of my life so far. It was spectacular, awesome

691
00:35:50,680 --> 00:35:55,320
Speaker 4: being and you know, doing the clubhouse interviews like after

692
00:35:55,360 --> 00:36:00,120
Speaker 4: a World Series win. I mean that was that was

693
00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:03,319
Speaker 4: like a pinnacle of twenty twenty four.

694
00:36:03,360 --> 00:36:05,480
Speaker 5: I didn't know was on the horizon.

695
00:36:05,080 --> 00:36:09,360
Speaker 4: Right because the Dodgers are always always contenders on paper

696
00:36:09,520 --> 00:36:11,680
Speaker 4: and we've seen them, you know, get their hearts ripped out.

697
00:36:11,680 --> 00:36:14,560
Speaker 4: I digress, I digress, But yeah, maybe i'll Are you

698
00:36:14,560 --> 00:36:16,360
Speaker 4: gonna be at the.

699
00:36:16,040 --> 00:36:18,759
Speaker 2: I'm lobbying for tickets. I don't think it's like an post.

700
00:36:18,800 --> 00:36:20,440
Speaker 2: Everybody wants to be there, you know, and it's one

701
00:36:20,480 --> 00:36:22,759
Speaker 2: of those like we'll see what happens, but uh, I'm

702
00:36:22,760 --> 00:36:24,399
Speaker 2: sure I'll run into you at some point. Nikki. Thanks

703
00:36:24,440 --> 00:36:26,440
Speaker 2: a lot for taking the time and continued success.

704
00:36:26,440 --> 00:36:28,080
Speaker 5: Absolutely, I'll join any time.

705
00:36:28,120 --> 00:36:30,360
Speaker 4: Thank you so much for having me on And what

706
00:36:30,840 --> 00:36:33,080
Speaker 4: a day for sports fans right yeah,