WEBVTT - Richard Jefferson Discusses Life On and Off the Court 0:00:03.920 --> 0:00:07.800 From the King of sports Books. Who comes the key 0:00:08.119 --> 0:00:17.920 sports podcast Unleashed presented by bet MGM. You're your host, 0:00:18.440 --> 0:00:29.120 Speedy Mormon and Olivia Arland Decker. Welcome back to Unleashed 0:00:29.160 --> 0:00:32.440 from the King of Sports Books bet MGM. Now on 0:00:32.520 --> 0:00:36.200 this episode, it's time to talk coops and we've got 0:00:36.240 --> 0:00:39.839 an NBA legend on the show. Richard Jefferson will be 0:00:39.920 --> 0:00:43.159 joining us to talk about his amazing NBA career and 0:00:43.400 --> 0:00:46.920 life on and off the court. But right now, let's 0:00:46.960 --> 0:00:51.240 talk about the current NBA landscape and the playoffs. Olivia, 0:00:51.440 --> 0:00:55.040 what are the big storylines at the moment? Yeah, and Speedy, 0:00:55.080 --> 0:00:57.160 I can't wait to have Richard Jefferson on to tell 0:00:57.240 --> 0:00:59.920 us his thoughts as well. No one knows all these players, 0:01:00.000 --> 0:01:02.320 all these teams in the landscape better than him. He 0:01:02.320 --> 0:01:05.399 played seventeen years. He's going to be a fantastic guest. 0:01:05.760 --> 0:01:08.199 But it's so weird right now with the regular season over, 0:01:08.600 --> 0:01:11.560 there are twenty NBA teams buying for a title. It's 0:01:11.560 --> 0:01:15.520 the first year of this play in system started Tuesday night, 0:01:15.640 --> 0:01:18.720 and four teams from each conference are competing to secure 0:01:18.720 --> 0:01:21.520 the final two spots. And there are conference so two 0:01:21.560 --> 0:01:25.200 teams will survive seven, Plane eight, nine Plane ten in 0:01:25.280 --> 0:01:28.480 team seven and eight. Whoever wins locks up that seventh 0:01:28.480 --> 0:01:31.160 seed and it is safe. But the loser gets to 0:01:31.240 --> 0:01:33.920 play the winner of nine verse ten. So the nine 0:01:33.920 --> 0:01:36.560 ten teams have to win two straight games to get in. 0:01:37.000 --> 0:01:38.959 It's kind of confusing. I think it took everyone a 0:01:39.000 --> 0:01:41.479 second to get used to the vernacular and looking at 0:01:41.480 --> 0:01:44.520 it differently. But it share has provided a great end 0:01:44.600 --> 0:01:48.000 to the regular season. It definitely did. And and I'm 0:01:48.040 --> 0:01:50.320 one of those people who it took an extra second 0:01:50.320 --> 0:01:53.600 to get a just oh me too, me too, you know, 0:01:53.640 --> 0:01:55.040 I need you know, it's the first time I've been 0:01:55.040 --> 0:01:57.080 watching hoops my whole life, and this is the first time, 0:01:57.440 --> 0:01:59.560 you know, we're seeing something like this. But talked to 0:01:59.600 --> 0:02:03.120 us about the Eastern Conference specifically what teams are locked 0:02:03.120 --> 0:02:06.480 in right now? So again, six teams are locked in. 0:02:06.560 --> 0:02:08.680 I'll walk you through the matchups, but the top two 0:02:08.680 --> 0:02:11.639 teams don't know their matchup yet. Obviously they'll play the 0:02:11.639 --> 0:02:13.880 winner of the play in. So the seventies sixers in 0:02:13.919 --> 0:02:17.760 the East, they clinched the conference. Such an exciting turnaround. 0:02:17.760 --> 0:02:20.080 They have a new president, a new coach, to new 0:02:20.160 --> 0:02:22.960 starters and Joel em bead is having the best season 0:02:23.000 --> 0:02:25.640 of his career. They've been sitting pretty comfortable at the 0:02:25.680 --> 0:02:28.200 top most of this season, and they're really a heavy 0:02:28.280 --> 0:02:32.000 favorite to make the Eastern Conference Finals behind their great defense, 0:02:32.120 --> 0:02:34.799 especially and then in the number two spots, Speedy, it's 0:02:34.840 --> 0:02:38.000 your team, the Brooklyn Nets you talked about of all season. 0:02:38.080 --> 0:02:40.920 You love them. They've won five straight to finish the 0:02:40.960 --> 0:02:43.240 regular season, so they're the hottest team right now in 0:02:43.320 --> 0:02:46.440 the conference. They obviously made all those big additions to 0:02:46.480 --> 0:02:49.680 their roster, and we've documented that at the trade deadline. 0:02:49.919 --> 0:02:52.840 You know, overall, they've struggled to stay healthy. Harden and 0:02:52.919 --> 0:02:56.639 kd with hamstring injuries, Kyrie Irving with some personal reasons, 0:02:56.680 --> 0:02:59.520 and small injuries, so that big three that we've been 0:02:59.560 --> 0:03:02.799 so intossipating, they need to stay healthy. They've only played 0:03:02.840 --> 0:03:05.359 eight games together, so when they're together, they're one of 0:03:05.360 --> 0:03:08.320 the most potent offenses in the league. So that's exciting 0:03:08.360 --> 0:03:11.720 to watch their health. Number three Milwaukee Bucks. Now we 0:03:11.800 --> 0:03:14.800 start knowing who they're playing. So three Milwaukee Bucks take 0:03:14.840 --> 0:03:18.520 on six Miami Heat. The Bucks clinched the Central Division 0:03:18.919 --> 0:03:22.160 and they upgraded from Eric Bledsoe to Drew Holiday that 0:03:22.200 --> 0:03:24.840 was a big trade. They added p J. Tucker as 0:03:24.880 --> 0:03:28.000 well for some versatility, and of course their headlined by 0:03:28.040 --> 0:03:30.840 the name everyone loves to say. Janis at Takumpo, the 0:03:30.960 --> 0:03:34.600 reigning m v P, and everyone's just looking at the 0:03:34.600 --> 0:03:37.040 Bucks with the side I because their last two playoffs 0:03:37.080 --> 0:03:40.280 they've really disappointed. They've had an inability to adjust with 0:03:40.320 --> 0:03:43.200 Mike Budenholzer, so everyone's kind of seen if they can 0:03:43.240 --> 0:03:45.280 pull off what they haven't been able to with a 0:03:45.360 --> 0:03:48.520 great roster. I mentioned they're playing the heat. They've had 0:03:48.560 --> 0:03:52.240 a ton of injuries and COVID issues and inconsistency across 0:03:52.240 --> 0:03:54.840 the board, and they have tough matchups across the board. 0:03:54.840 --> 0:03:58.200 With Milwaukee, they're much better defensively with Jimmy Butler in 0:03:58.200 --> 0:04:00.320 the lineup. So I think really that it will be 0:04:00.320 --> 0:04:04.000 a great series. The next matchup the Knicks first the Hawks. 0:04:04.080 --> 0:04:06.200 This would be a great story for the Knicks if 0:04:06.240 --> 0:04:09.960 they can advance after all the drama, all the coaching changes, 0:04:10.400 --> 0:04:13.520 the consistent lack of success in general the last couple 0:04:13.560 --> 0:04:16.280 of years. But now they've got Julius Randall who was 0:04:16.520 --> 0:04:20.200 on an absolute tear earning his first All Star appearance, 0:04:20.240 --> 0:04:22.880 and now he's playing in his first postseason. You know, 0:04:22.920 --> 0:04:25.000 I didn't even realize that when I read that speedy, 0:04:25.000 --> 0:04:27.479 I couldn't believe Julius Randall is just now playing in 0:04:27.520 --> 0:04:31.120 his first postseason. But in general him and his teammates, 0:04:31.160 --> 0:04:34.960 there's not much playoff experience on that Knick's roster. As 0:04:34.960 --> 0:04:37.080 for the Hawks, you know, Clint Capella will have his 0:04:37.160 --> 0:04:40.040 hands full with Julius Randall in that first round. And 0:04:40.160 --> 0:04:41.720 the Hawks have kind of been up and down. It's 0:04:41.720 --> 0:04:44.600 almost like they've had two seasons. They fired their coach 0:04:44.760 --> 0:04:47.960 mid season and then they went twenty seven and eleven 0:04:48.360 --> 0:04:51.120 under Nate McMillan. Their in room and they climbed their 0:04:51.120 --> 0:04:53.360 way up the standing. So here they sit now at 0:04:53.440 --> 0:04:56.320 number five. And as I mentioned, the play in start 0:04:56.360 --> 0:05:00.600 on Tuesday, so it's Boston versus Washington. That winner is safe. 0:05:00.880 --> 0:05:03.920 The loser plays the winner of Indiana Charlotte, so it's 0:05:03.920 --> 0:05:06.960 gonna be good in the East. Olivia, honestly, I'm excited 0:05:07.000 --> 0:05:10.120 that you are so liberal when describing the knicks lack 0:05:10.160 --> 0:05:12.719 of success As the last couple of years, it's being 0:05:12.800 --> 0:05:15.320 quite a few, but let's just roll with a couple 0:05:15.440 --> 0:05:17.800 that makes me feel better. About. Yeah, I'm trying to 0:05:17.839 --> 0:05:20.520 be nice. I know you love them too. Yeah, yeah, 0:05:20.520 --> 0:05:22.279 you listen, You're making me feel a lot better. But 0:05:22.640 --> 0:05:25.279 you know, let's shift over to the Western Conference. What 0:05:25.360 --> 0:05:27.680 do we need to know about these top six teams 0:05:27.680 --> 0:05:30.640 that are already locked Well, like is the case so 0:05:30.680 --> 0:05:33.679 many years, the West truly earns the nickname the Wild 0:05:33.720 --> 0:05:36.160 Wild West. I have no idea what to expect out 0:05:36.160 --> 0:05:38.800 of this side of the NBA. It all is around 0:05:38.920 --> 0:05:40.880 Utah though they have the best record in the NBA. 0:05:41.040 --> 0:05:43.520 They're sitting at number one in the West, and they've 0:05:43.520 --> 0:05:47.520 been so consistently good. They have put together win streaks 0:05:47.560 --> 0:05:50.719 of eleven games, two different streaks of nine games, and 0:05:50.760 --> 0:05:53.520 what I love is they've won thirty nine games by 0:05:53.560 --> 0:05:58.640 double digits. That is absolutely insane. It's mostly revolving around 0:05:58.680 --> 0:06:02.320 All star center Rudy Bear. He's been absolutely incredible for them. 0:06:02.560 --> 0:06:05.040 They're fun to watch those speed either big three point 0:06:05.080 --> 0:06:08.160 shooting team. They're high flying, they're fast. But we're not 0:06:08.200 --> 0:06:11.440 sure when Donovan Mitchell's returning. He sprained his right ankle. 0:06:11.640 --> 0:06:14.000 He is out for the foreseeable future, so that is 0:06:14.000 --> 0:06:16.800 going to be a huge for them. Um One thing though, 0:06:16.800 --> 0:06:18.479 with Utah, you need to know they have one of 0:06:18.480 --> 0:06:21.200 the highest attendance rates in the country right now in 0:06:21.320 --> 0:06:25.920 terms of COVID and what's allowed. They're allowing seventy percent capacity. 0:06:26.160 --> 0:06:28.040 I think that's going to be as big a factor 0:06:28.080 --> 0:06:30.560 as anything in these playoffs and what games they're able 0:06:30.560 --> 0:06:33.680 to host. It definitely can. The number two team in 0:06:33.839 --> 0:06:36.640 the West are the Phoenix Suns. They won their division 0:06:36.680 --> 0:06:40.320 behind Chris Paul, first playoff birth for the Suns in 0:06:40.400 --> 0:06:44.000 eleven years. They've been pretty healthy to ill season. Devin 0:06:44.040 --> 0:06:47.520 Booker DeAndre Ayton bridges they could meet the Lakers in 0:06:47.520 --> 0:06:50.159 the first round, which would be really tough. I think 0:06:50.320 --> 0:06:52.520 all the West kind of goes as the Lakers go, 0:06:52.680 --> 0:06:55.640 so that'll be so interesting. So now we start getting 0:06:55.640 --> 0:06:58.839 into matchups. So first we know Denver is playing Portland. 0:06:58.960 --> 0:07:01.360 The last time the teams met in the playoffs, it 0:07:01.440 --> 0:07:05.159 was just nineteen It went to seven games, including a 0:07:05.240 --> 0:07:08.000 four overtime Game three, So this is going to be 0:07:08.040 --> 0:07:11.280 a heated rivalry, almost for the fan base more than anyone. 0:07:11.400 --> 0:07:14.520 The Blazers ended up winning that one, but Denver's just 0:07:14.920 --> 0:07:17.600 on a tear right now. Nicola Yokich is playing great 0:07:17.680 --> 0:07:20.440 he's a favorite from VP right now. But a big 0:07:20.480 --> 0:07:24.280 injury for the Nuggets is Jamal Murray. He is out indefinitely, 0:07:24.360 --> 0:07:26.480 so that's going to be a good storyline. As for 0:07:26.600 --> 0:07:29.080 Portland's they've just been all over the place this season. 0:07:29.120 --> 0:07:32.000 They've gone months without Yusuf Nurkic and friend of the 0:07:32.000 --> 0:07:35.080 podcast c J McCullum. But of course, as always, Dame 0:07:35.120 --> 0:07:37.520 Lillard has put the team on his back and he'll 0:07:37.520 --> 0:07:40.480 be going against Aaron Gordon. They'll match up in round one, 0:07:40.960 --> 0:07:42.960 so this is gonna be really good. But the Blazers 0:07:43.040 --> 0:07:46.840 round out that locked in Group six. In the West, 0:07:47.160 --> 0:07:50.520 the next matchup is Clippers versus Dallas. The Clippers fell 0:07:50.560 --> 0:07:53.040 in the second round in last year's Bubble and they've 0:07:53.040 --> 0:07:55.400 had a chip on their shoulder ever since. That has 0:07:55.440 --> 0:07:58.480 been their theme. You know what's interesting those speedy about 0:07:58.480 --> 0:08:01.400 this matchup is that they us to Dallas earlier this 0:08:01.440 --> 0:08:05.520 season by fifty one points, and their meetings have really 0:08:05.520 --> 0:08:08.720 gotten chippy, especially with Marcus Morris and Luca don Chech. 0:08:08.960 --> 0:08:11.920 So to me, the most unpredictable series, at least in 0:08:11.920 --> 0:08:14.920 the West is this Clippers Dallas series. It's going to 0:08:15.000 --> 0:08:19.200 be really good and of course Wednesday Night Lakers Warriors, 0:08:19.240 --> 0:08:20.920 that game is going to be huge. By the time 0:08:20.920 --> 0:08:23.040 this airs Thursday, we will know the winner of that. 0:08:23.280 --> 0:08:25.960 But the Lakers are such a major storyline in the 0:08:26.000 --> 0:08:29.120 West this season. This new format was going to leave 0:08:29.200 --> 0:08:32.360 some teams out of that safe six and that's exactly 0:08:32.400 --> 0:08:35.240 what Lebron James was worried about. He missed time with 0:08:35.280 --> 0:08:38.319 an injury, a d suffered a calf and achilles strain 0:08:38.400 --> 0:08:41.000 and his right legs of both have missed time with injury, 0:08:41.040 --> 0:08:43.240 and they fell to that number seven spot. So if 0:08:43.280 --> 0:08:45.920 their full strength, that is going to be huge on 0:08:46.000 --> 0:08:49.320 deciding who's going to be a first round early exit. Well, 0:08:49.360 --> 0:08:51.480 thank you for that, Olivia. Let me just get your 0:08:51.600 --> 0:08:55.480 quick opinion. Who well win it all when it's all 0:08:55.559 --> 0:08:58.839 said and done, Lock it in? Who's Olivia's Lions? Lock? 0:08:58.840 --> 0:09:01.240 Who do you? Who do you think? I gotta say 0:09:01.280 --> 0:09:04.920 I really like Utah. I feel like the way they 0:09:04.960 --> 0:09:08.040 play is the way the NBA operates right now. And 0:09:08.080 --> 0:09:10.280 we're going to talk later with Richard Jefferson about this 0:09:10.400 --> 0:09:13.680 of you know, defense wins championships, sure, but how do 0:09:13.679 --> 0:09:15.760 you keep up with their scoring? I think they're too 0:09:15.760 --> 0:09:18.439 big of a threat. I think they've been too consistently 0:09:18.520 --> 0:09:20.320 good all season that they're not going to let their 0:09:20.320 --> 0:09:22.800 foot off the pedal. So I really like Utah. You 0:09:22.800 --> 0:09:27.160 already know who I'm rocking it. I know, all right. Well, 0:09:27.160 --> 0:09:32.319 with that, let us please welcome in NBA veteran Richard Jefferson. 0:09:40.120 --> 0:09:44.000 Richard Jefferson joins us now. He's a seventeen year NBA vet. 0:09:44.120 --> 0:09:47.560 He's an NBA champion in a current analyst for ESPN, 0:09:47.760 --> 0:09:50.880 YES Network and Pact twelve Network. You've also seen him 0:09:50.880 --> 0:09:54.360 on YouTube and in the podcast Space. Man. What a 0:09:54.480 --> 0:09:57.840 busy guy. Thanks for many good time to guys. Richard. Honestly, 0:09:57.880 --> 0:09:59.959 thank you guys for having me. Man, I'm so excited 0:10:00.120 --> 0:10:02.840 to chop it up and you know, talk a little hoop, 0:10:02.880 --> 0:10:07.280 talk a little life. Yeah, yeah, this is great. Let's 0:10:07.280 --> 0:10:10.640 get into it. I had to refresh myself on your 0:10:10.760 --> 0:10:14.480 transition from Arizona to the league, and I didn't realize 0:10:14.480 --> 0:10:16.120 that it was back to back to back. You play 0:10:16.200 --> 0:10:19.160 in a national championship two thousand one and then go 0:10:19.240 --> 0:10:23.080 to back to back finals. That doesn't happen to anyone. 0:10:23.160 --> 0:10:26.959 Can you describe what that three year trajectory was like? Well, 0:10:27.000 --> 0:10:29.200 let me say it might have happened to people, but 0:10:29.320 --> 0:10:31.760 at least most of the people win. One of them. 0:10:32.480 --> 0:10:37.240 I went a nice little over out the gates. Yeah clean, 0:10:37.520 --> 0:10:39.720 you know what it was. And it's like, you don't. 0:10:40.120 --> 0:10:43.200 We're still in a very pivotal time in your life. 0:10:43.200 --> 0:10:47.120 When you're two, you're still kind of learning things. And 0:10:47.160 --> 0:10:50.000 I think that really kind of set me up from 0:10:50.000 --> 0:10:52.839 a person that like the only thing I cared about 0:10:52.880 --> 0:10:56.439 was winning. It wasn't like money and accolades and all 0:10:56.480 --> 0:10:58.400 those things are like exciting and like those are a 0:10:58.400 --> 0:11:01.600 part of the journey, but at the forefront, like I 0:11:01.679 --> 0:11:04.840 go from so part of the Arizona go back half 0:11:04.840 --> 0:11:07.560 a step. Arizona wins a national championship in nine seven. 0:11:07.679 --> 0:11:10.560 I'm a recruit in so like part of the reason 0:11:10.559 --> 0:11:12.400 why I go to Arizona is like I just want 0:11:12.440 --> 0:11:14.560 to win a national championship. If this is what it's about, 0:11:14.559 --> 0:11:16.199 and I can do it here, this is my goal. 0:11:16.960 --> 0:11:20.240 Fast forward, were losing the national Championship game, but ultimately, 0:11:20.400 --> 0:11:23.760 like you came very very close to accomplishing a once 0:11:23.760 --> 0:11:27.079 in a lifetime goal. And then I fast forward. I 0:11:27.120 --> 0:11:29.079 go to a couple of NBA finals and now it's 0:11:29.120 --> 0:11:31.920 like my brain it's at that point is triggered. Only 0:11:31.960 --> 0:11:34.000 that that matters is winning, Like I don't care about 0:11:34.000 --> 0:11:37.240 anything else winning. So no, it was. It was great 0:11:37.280 --> 0:11:40.000 and I got to, you know, I got to later 0:11:40.080 --> 0:11:43.319 on in my career kind of use those experiences and 0:11:43.640 --> 0:11:46.120 that definitely helped me later in my career. Let me 0:11:46.160 --> 0:11:48.720 ask you this, dude, Duke fans still heckle you, like 0:11:48.720 --> 0:11:50.959 if you're in the airport or something. I wouldn't say 0:11:51.000 --> 0:11:53.199 heckle me because I you know, I've at an age 0:11:53.200 --> 0:11:56.560 now we're like only like an older generation understands that 0:11:56.600 --> 0:11:59.720 and remember that, and like grown older men aren't coming 0:11:59.800 --> 0:12:02.920 up to me and like hackling me. But I will 0:12:03.000 --> 0:12:06.480 say this. I will say this. I don't take pictures 0:12:06.480 --> 0:12:09.320 with anybody wearing Duke paraphernalia, like a guy I can 0:12:09.360 --> 0:12:10.880 be wearing a Duke cat, like hell, who you ever? 0:12:10.920 --> 0:12:12.800 So I'd a big fan love the nets, like oh 0:12:12.840 --> 0:12:14.400 that's cool, we can have a picture, but like, not 0:12:14.520 --> 0:12:17.520 with a Duke cat. I make kids take off sweatshirts 0:12:17.679 --> 0:12:20.960 or jersey anything. I will not take a picture with 0:12:21.000 --> 0:12:23.320 anybody and they don't even know. A twenty two year 0:12:23.320 --> 0:12:25.040 old kid can walk up to me like, I'm a 0:12:25.120 --> 0:12:27.720 huge fan. He's wearing a Duke jersey, has no idea. 0:12:27.720 --> 0:12:29.000 I M like, dude, I don't like Duke. I don't 0:12:29.000 --> 0:12:30.520 need to get into why I don't, but I just 0:12:30.559 --> 0:12:32.160 don't like Dukes. So if you want a picture, you've 0:12:32.160 --> 0:12:33.720 got to take off the jersey. So that's kind of 0:12:33.720 --> 0:12:39.079 fun to watch people like disrobe their Duke paraphernalia and 0:12:39.160 --> 0:12:41.800 like eliminate that just so they can get a picture, 0:12:41.800 --> 0:12:44.640 which I don't know why they never do that. Have 0:12:44.760 --> 0:12:47.640 you ever had the person who took the low road 0:12:47.679 --> 0:12:49.400 and was like, man, I'm not taking this off so 0:12:49.440 --> 0:12:52.400 it's a picture with Duke or nothing. I feel like 0:12:52.480 --> 0:12:54.040 we used to do it at my basketball camp. We 0:12:54.120 --> 0:12:55.920 used to do it like kids with a stuff. So 0:12:56.240 --> 0:12:58.680 I think I would. I think that's actually, in my opinion, 0:12:58.720 --> 0:13:01.560 that's kind of the high road, right. It's like you're 0:13:01.640 --> 0:13:04.960 making somebody make a decision. Is it more important to 0:13:05.000 --> 0:13:08.320 you to wrap Duke or is it more important to 0:13:08.320 --> 0:13:10.439 you to get the picture. And if you tell me, like, dude, 0:13:10.840 --> 0:13:13.160 I'm a lifelong Dukie, like I love you and I 0:13:13.160 --> 0:13:16.000 would love a picture, but I'm not going to like 0:13:16.840 --> 0:13:19.640 take off something of my favorite team to get a 0:13:19.679 --> 0:13:22.880 picture with you. I would respect that you respect that. Yeah, 0:13:22.920 --> 0:13:24.600 because I've had kids, they're like, no, I'm not taking 0:13:24.600 --> 0:13:26.959 it off. It's like, dude, that's fine, I respect it, 0:13:27.440 --> 0:13:29.000 but I'm not taking a picture with you in it. 0:13:29.080 --> 0:13:30.720 And like, you can call me a bad guy. I 0:13:30.720 --> 0:13:33.560 don't like. It's all. It's all in good fun. But 0:13:33.640 --> 0:13:35.920 that's kind of the way it goes. The only reason 0:13:35.960 --> 0:13:38.720 I asked is because my husband also lost a duke 0:13:38.760 --> 0:13:42.840 in the National Championship. And understand ever we go duke 0:13:42.920 --> 0:13:47.960 fans and this more recent, but oh, they're the worst. 0:13:49.080 --> 0:13:51.319 They are. They are the worst. And like I say 0:13:51.360 --> 0:13:54.240 this knowing that you know the history. It's like, I 0:13:54.280 --> 0:13:56.240 don't really give a damn about Wisconsin after what they 0:13:56.280 --> 0:13:59.000 did to my Arizona Wildcats two different times stopping us. 0:13:59.000 --> 0:14:01.000 We're going to the final four. Haven't been to the 0:14:01.040 --> 0:14:03.480 Final four since that, oh one year, but we have 0:14:03.640 --> 0:14:07.240 like four elite eights. So look, I don't have the 0:14:07.320 --> 0:14:12.280 same like hatred towards Wisconsin as I do du but 0:14:12.840 --> 0:14:15.360 I'm glad that me and him can at least, you know, 0:14:15.960 --> 0:14:19.200 relate on our mutual hatred of dude. But that love 0:14:19.320 --> 0:14:22.160 for your college team, though I find most athletes it 0:14:22.200 --> 0:14:25.280 seems like it gets stronger almost the further removed you are. 0:14:25.760 --> 0:14:27.880 And you've given so much money to the program. I 0:14:27.920 --> 0:14:31.400 think you're the highest owner of former athletes in Arizona history, 0:14:31.440 --> 0:14:34.040 if I'm not mistaken. Why does that matter so much 0:14:34.040 --> 0:14:37.520 to you? I think it's it's just why does it 0:14:37.560 --> 0:14:40.080 matter so much? One, Because once you get to the 0:14:40.080 --> 0:14:44.200 other league, you start to see their fraternities even closer. Right, 0:14:44.240 --> 0:14:46.440 So once you make it, and then it's just like 0:14:46.720 --> 0:14:49.360 you see the like for me again, I'm older, but 0:14:49.400 --> 0:14:51.600 you would see the Sean Elliott's to Steve Kerrs like 0:14:51.840 --> 0:14:54.320 coming up to me, it's like, hey, man, congratulations, how's 0:14:54.320 --> 0:14:56.960 it going, And hey, here's this guy. You know, there's 0:14:57.000 --> 0:14:59.240 such a like oh wow, these guys are like looking 0:14:59.240 --> 0:15:01.360 out for me, Like, yeah, they would look out for 0:15:01.360 --> 0:15:02.840 you when in college, but when you're on the same 0:15:02.840 --> 0:15:04.800 court with them and they would kind of say some 0:15:04.920 --> 0:15:07.480 things to you. Even Steve Kerr, who's a great broadcaster, 0:15:07.600 --> 0:15:11.120 Seawan Elliott. When I got into broadcasting, these are the 0:15:11.160 --> 0:15:13.880 same guys giving me advice. So you look at like 0:15:14.040 --> 0:15:18.760 your connection to certain schools can be a lifelong like hey, 0:15:18.800 --> 0:15:20.880 they help recruit me. Then when I got to the 0:15:20.920 --> 0:15:23.440 league and they were gone, they encourage Meanwhile I was there. 0:15:23.880 --> 0:15:26.480 Then I get into you know, the NBA, and they're 0:15:26.560 --> 0:15:30.120 encouraging me. Then I'm playing and they're retired doing basketball? 0:15:30.120 --> 0:15:32.720 Are there retired? Whether it's coaching. You look at Steve 0:15:32.800 --> 0:15:35.640 Kerr brought in Luke Walton as one of his top assistance, 0:15:35.680 --> 0:15:38.040 which helped Luke Walton get the Laker job in the 0:15:38.080 --> 0:15:43.160 Sacramento CA job, And so you see how there is 0:15:43.240 --> 0:15:47.240 an unspoken like respect, like, hey, you come from the 0:15:47.280 --> 0:15:50.160 same thing, we committed, We did all these things, so 0:15:50.480 --> 0:15:52.600 if I can help you out or encourage you, and 0:15:52.600 --> 0:15:55.480 I just think that makes your connection to the younger group. 0:15:55.680 --> 0:15:57.640 And I was like, hey, guys, I'm here for you. 0:15:58.000 --> 0:16:00.360 Anything that I can do, anything that I and help 0:16:00.400 --> 0:16:03.120 you guys with, please like use me because I'm just 0:16:03.160 --> 0:16:06.680 paying it forward. I love that. Well, you mentioned this 0:16:06.800 --> 0:16:09.480 younger generation and obviously now they're going to be kids 0:16:09.520 --> 0:16:12.160 who just see you on their TV, you know, being 0:16:12.200 --> 0:16:15.240 an analyst, and that's such a different realm. But I 0:16:15.240 --> 0:16:17.280 think a lot of people still associate you with that 0:16:18.120 --> 0:16:21.160 Calves team. What was the mentality at the age you're 0:16:21.200 --> 0:16:29.280 at it. I did not roll my eyes. I just 0:16:29.400 --> 0:16:35.040 kind of listen. I just like rolled my eyes from 0:16:35.080 --> 0:16:37.200 like a moment of like, oh, this is just such 0:16:37.240 --> 0:16:39.280 a great time, not like I roll my eyes of 0:16:39.400 --> 0:16:42.120 like oh here we go. Different when you kind of 0:16:42.160 --> 0:16:45.200 like have that flashback moment of like you're rolling your eyes, 0:16:45.280 --> 0:16:48.880 like oh man, this is gonna be I'm glad you 0:16:48.960 --> 0:16:53.560 clarify positive. There's two teams that I associate with three 0:16:54.120 --> 0:16:58.760 there's legitimately it's the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Brooklyn Nets, and 0:16:58.920 --> 0:17:02.560 Arizona Wildcats. These are my that that's my mouth rushmore 0:17:03.160 --> 0:17:05.720 totally fair. And I know Speedy stopping me just because 0:17:05.720 --> 0:17:08.400 he's such a Nets fan. So he's like, no, that's 0:17:08.480 --> 0:17:10.560 not come on, Speedy, come on, come on, come on. 0:17:10.920 --> 0:17:13.440 I will say I am, I'm a new found Nets fan. 0:17:13.560 --> 0:17:17.600 But but when I see so, I've covered the NBA 0:17:17.640 --> 0:17:19.560 Finals for a few years now, and when I watched 0:17:19.880 --> 0:17:25.040 the playoffs and finals, it seemed like you were having 0:17:25.480 --> 0:17:27.439 so much fun because you were kind of in a 0:17:27.480 --> 0:17:30.640 different place in your career than you were maybe back 0:17:30.680 --> 0:17:33.560 in you know, two thousand one, two thousand two. Where 0:17:33.560 --> 0:17:36.080 did that year rank for you when it came to 0:17:36.280 --> 0:17:39.520 kind of having fun and is that why you rolled 0:17:39.520 --> 0:17:44.399 your eyes in that way. Well, I will say this 0:17:44.640 --> 0:17:47.159 anybody that has like you know again, I guess it's 0:17:47.200 --> 0:17:48.600 been the last couple of years, but have kind of 0:17:48.600 --> 0:17:51.639 followed what I do from the broadcasting standpoint, I like 0:17:51.800 --> 0:17:54.760 to have fun. My sense of humor, how I approach 0:17:54.840 --> 0:17:58.800 things is from a very lighthearted stands and so for me, 0:17:59.720 --> 0:18:04.560 like cracking jokes and humor is like a it's a crutch. 0:18:04.800 --> 0:18:06.719 And I mean this in a positive way. It's like 0:18:06.840 --> 0:18:09.560 I do these things whenever, Like it's like when everything's 0:18:09.560 --> 0:18:12.000 get awkward or when everything's like I'm the person that 0:18:12.040 --> 0:18:14.639 immediately goes to humor, whether it's in a sad moment 0:18:14.720 --> 0:18:17.680 a serious moment. My brain is always looking for humor 0:18:17.720 --> 0:18:21.560 and things. And so part of me having so much 0:18:21.600 --> 0:18:24.639 fun was so I didn't think about the seriousness and 0:18:24.680 --> 0:18:27.919 the weight of what was at hand. Because I have 0:18:28.040 --> 0:18:32.159 the longest gap between NBA finals. So I started in 0:18:32.200 --> 0:18:34.520 the NBA finals in my second year and in my 0:18:34.640 --> 0:18:37.399 fifteenth year, so there was a thirteen year gap. So 0:18:37.440 --> 0:18:41.359 when I get there, I'm like, this might never happen again. 0:18:41.440 --> 0:18:43.680 And I go from all these finals and going to 0:18:43.760 --> 0:18:47.199 the Olympics and getting a bronze, and and it's like again, 0:18:47.240 --> 0:18:50.000 because this is my history, I don't expect other people 0:18:50.040 --> 0:18:54.120 to know this. But we lost to Detroit in seven games, 0:18:54.280 --> 0:18:56.520 and we were up three to Detroit goes on to 0:18:56.560 --> 0:19:00.000 win the championship. We lose to Miami and we were 0:19:00.119 --> 0:19:03.600 tied to two. Miami goes on to win the championship. 0:19:03.920 --> 0:19:06.520 So it was like I lost to the champion about 0:19:06.640 --> 0:19:10.199 seven times over the course of my life's career. So 0:19:10.359 --> 0:19:12.840 I was always on very very good teams and ran 0:19:12.880 --> 0:19:15.440 into some teams that were better or we're playing better 0:19:15.600 --> 0:19:18.199 at the moment. But so for me when it was 0:19:18.320 --> 0:19:20.840 at that moment in two thousand and sixteen, like yes, 0:19:20.920 --> 0:19:24.040 I was there to have fun, but I was also like, hey, 0:19:24.080 --> 0:19:26.800 the more fun I have, like off the court and 0:19:26.840 --> 0:19:28.920 away from it, the less I'm going to think about 0:19:29.040 --> 0:19:32.480 like this might be my last chance to win a championship, 0:19:32.880 --> 0:19:35.560 considering the last time was a state championship. So I 0:19:35.600 --> 0:19:37.440 was I was locked in. See that's what I was 0:19:37.480 --> 0:19:41.080 gonna ask. Was the change in mentality from really just 0:19:41.160 --> 0:19:45.080 an age standpoint of did the weight sink in of 0:19:45.280 --> 0:19:47.480 this is kind of my last shot, and but you 0:19:47.520 --> 0:19:49.720 said you were so lighthearted and having so much fun 0:19:49.760 --> 0:19:52.879 and approached it with levity. Yeah, well, I tried not 0:19:52.960 --> 0:19:54.600 to think about it. That was my thing, that was 0:19:54.640 --> 0:19:56.080 my I tried not to think about it because it 0:19:56.160 --> 0:19:59.680 was it was I was a ball of stress that 0:19:59.760 --> 0:20:02.880 who time, Like, there's a reason why I retired when 0:20:02.920 --> 0:20:04.760 I when I was like in that last game, becuse 0:20:04.760 --> 0:20:07.040 I was like, I can't do this anymore. I'm tired, 0:20:07.160 --> 0:20:11.040 I'm old, I'm exhausted. You play until there's nothing left. 0:20:11.040 --> 0:20:13.880 And I wasn't in my prime obviously, I was thirty five, 0:20:14.640 --> 0:20:17.040 but I was given everything that I had at that 0:20:17.080 --> 0:20:21.879 point in time. And it's like my default is humor. 0:20:22.200 --> 0:20:24.920 So like when everyone looked like I was having fun, 0:20:25.320 --> 0:20:28.199 it's really because I was really really stressed out, and 0:20:28.320 --> 0:20:32.320 so all of a sudden, I channeled that energy into like, well, 0:20:32.440 --> 0:20:34.480 let's go have some fun and not think about it, sir. 0:20:35.160 --> 0:20:37.480 And it looked like you were having fun, I will say, 0:20:37.520 --> 0:20:40.040 and I think back to one of my favorite moments 0:20:40.080 --> 0:20:44.040 from this era of you having fun, and and so 0:20:44.080 --> 0:20:45.960 I'm gonna ask you, can you paint a picture of 0:20:46.000 --> 0:20:51.240 the time where you and Channing Fry dropped a bag 0:20:51.440 --> 0:20:55.720 on a jukebox to play the Thong song like fifteen 0:20:55.760 --> 0:20:59.600 times in a row. Oh yeah, okay, So let me 0:20:59.640 --> 0:21:01.480 first say this. I always like to give credit because 0:21:01.480 --> 0:21:04.240 I do this often. Like my favorite thing is listened 0:21:04.240 --> 0:21:06.679 to the comedy stations, and so I just hear stuff 0:21:06.720 --> 0:21:09.159 all the time, so like, yes, I might regurgitate it, 0:21:09.160 --> 0:21:10.840 but I'm not, you know, stealing jokes. The big thing 0:21:10.880 --> 0:21:13.560 in comedy. It was from Oh my god, what's his name? 0:21:13.640 --> 0:21:17.760 Mullaney Mullaney. He's on s n L. John Mullaney, John Mullaney, 0:21:17.920 --> 0:21:21.240 So John Mulaney. He does this bit where he talks 0:21:21.240 --> 0:21:23.480 about he goes into a diner and they put in 0:21:23.520 --> 0:21:27.359 a bunch of money and they play something from Tom 0:21:27.440 --> 0:21:30.160 Jones like What's Up pussy Cat or something like that, 0:21:30.560 --> 0:21:32.439 And so he tells the whole story about how the 0:21:32.520 --> 0:21:34.480 first couple of times him and his buddy are just 0:21:34.560 --> 0:21:36.920 in the diner like eating a sandwich, kind of looking 0:21:36.920 --> 0:21:39.760 around seeing if anybody's gonna notice it, and then he says, 0:21:39.800 --> 0:21:42.159 by like the fourth or fifth time, like all of 0:21:42.200 --> 0:21:44.560 a sudden, like they just hear guys like screaming back 0:21:44.600 --> 0:21:46.919 like who the hell you know? Going nuts? So I 0:21:46.960 --> 0:21:49.760 think that's hilarious. So me and Channing, I was like, 0:21:49.840 --> 0:21:52.720 Channing like, let's just play the Thong song a bunch 0:21:52.760 --> 0:21:54.480 of times. I don't know why we came up with 0:21:54.520 --> 0:21:57.119 that song, just something that was random. So we were 0:21:57.160 --> 0:21:59.600 in Ohio at Ohio State and we put a ton 0:21:59.640 --> 0:22:02.760 of money. You now, most of these places have like 0:22:02.800 --> 0:22:05.679 a default button or they have like a reset button 0:22:05.680 --> 0:22:09.440 in case someone plays terrible like music. But that song 0:22:09.680 --> 0:22:12.520 is so like subtle and it's just kind of flowing 0:22:12.880 --> 0:22:15.320 that it takes it like three or four times before 0:22:15.359 --> 0:22:18.840 you realize that this song is on repeat and then sadly, 0:22:18.880 --> 0:22:20.439 I think the worst part about it is that like 0:22:20.520 --> 0:22:23.159 people started doing it and then tagging us in it, 0:22:23.440 --> 0:22:25.000 and it that just being made it that made it 0:22:25.040 --> 0:22:26.359 a lot more fun. I feel bad for all the 0:22:26.440 --> 0:22:28.800 jukebox owners out there, but it's a great bit. But 0:22:28.800 --> 0:22:31.439 I gotta give John Mulaney the credit for that, Like 0:22:31.520 --> 0:22:36.600 how much money are we talking enough? Until we well again, 0:22:36.640 --> 0:22:38.520 you don't want to put too much in because they 0:22:38.640 --> 0:22:41.600 can they can reset it right, and then you lose 0:22:41.640 --> 0:22:44.880 your bread, then you lose your breath. But is any 0:22:44.920 --> 0:22:48.680 amount of money too much for that type of body joke, 0:22:49.400 --> 0:22:51.720 Like how much would you think I would say it hard? Yes, 0:22:52.200 --> 0:22:55.320 But just if you can sit in a place like 0:22:55.400 --> 0:22:58.520 how often can you just go like we see practical 0:22:58.600 --> 0:23:00.920 joking shows, we see all this stuff. How often can 0:23:00.960 --> 0:23:03.280 you go into a place with another person and just 0:23:03.320 --> 0:23:07.240 be like, let's see what's about to happen? So you 0:23:07.320 --> 0:23:09.520 didn't put this on and you just get to sit back. 0:23:09.560 --> 0:23:11.840 People like to people watch, but how often do you 0:23:11.880 --> 0:23:15.240 get to create the environment that you get to people watch? 0:23:15.640 --> 0:23:17.360 So it's like all of a sudden, you sit back 0:23:17.400 --> 0:23:20.040 and you're just like looking at the bartender, You're looking 0:23:20.040 --> 0:23:22.280 at like the chefs in the back, you're looking at 0:23:22.560 --> 0:23:24.919 the patroons, you're looking at the mom with the kids 0:23:24.960 --> 0:23:26.840 and the dad, and you're just like, I wonder how 0:23:26.840 --> 0:23:28.960 long to anyone notices it? And so that that to 0:23:29.040 --> 0:23:31.600 me is like the ultimate joy, where like you're really 0:23:31.640 --> 0:23:34.040 the only person that understands a joke. So anybody that 0:23:34.080 --> 0:23:37.560 wants to do a practical television joke show, you could 0:23:37.560 --> 0:23:39.240 just go to your local bar and just play like 0:23:40.200 --> 0:23:42.520 times and do it yourself, and it only costs you 0:23:42.560 --> 0:23:44.640 a couple of bucks. And I'll tell you what here 0:23:44.680 --> 0:23:46.280 I am talking to you guys about it. So these 0:23:46.280 --> 0:23:50.480 stories the last bread get paid for itself, paid for 0:23:50.520 --> 0:23:54.120 itself in spades easily. I do it again. So we've 0:23:54.119 --> 0:23:56.680 talked so much about your different stops in NBA and 0:23:56.720 --> 0:23:59.280 your different triumphs in the NBA. But there's one story 0:23:59.320 --> 0:24:01.280 I really love from your rookie year. And I know 0:24:01.320 --> 0:24:03.000 you've told it a ton, but I'd love you to 0:24:03.040 --> 0:24:06.160 tell our audience this because this is interesting to everyone 0:24:06.200 --> 0:24:09.440 across the board. It's Michael Jordan. He's forty years old. 0:24:09.560 --> 0:24:11.760 You're a rookie. Yeah, y'all had just given him the 0:24:11.800 --> 0:24:14.240 worst loss of his career, and he did sit the 0:24:14.280 --> 0:24:17.240 second half. Yes, you play again. When he's in Washington, 0:24:17.359 --> 0:24:19.800 you play again. And how much did you drop on you? 0:24:19.920 --> 0:24:22.480 Like fifty years So he dropped boardy on us. He 0:24:22.520 --> 0:24:24.440 dropped fifty on somebody else. So he was the first 0:24:24.480 --> 0:24:27.240 forty year old to go for forty. Luckily he went 0:24:27.280 --> 0:24:30.520 for fifty on somebody else shortly there after. I don't remember, 0:24:30.560 --> 0:24:33.680 but you know what, it was weird because we were 0:24:33.680 --> 0:24:36.280 still in the era of like the Michael Jordan's era. 0:24:36.600 --> 0:24:39.639 Like just understand, all the best players in the league 0:24:40.000 --> 0:24:43.200 had played against Michael Jordan's in the highest level. There 0:24:43.280 --> 0:24:45.560 wasn't a great player in the league that hadn't been 0:24:45.600 --> 0:24:48.000 dominated by Michael Jordan at some point in time. So 0:24:48.040 --> 0:24:50.639 like my rookie year, we lose to the Shack and 0:24:50.720 --> 0:24:54.240 Kobe Lakers, but Shack had lost to MJ in in 0:24:54.280 --> 0:24:58.439 the postseason, so like this was still a MJ dominant league. 0:24:58.520 --> 0:25:00.920 And so you go back. He all had his Michael 0:25:00.960 --> 0:25:03.880 Jordan basketball camp in Santa Barbara where all the young 0:25:03.920 --> 0:25:07.800 players like myself and and Gilbert Arenas and Michael Dunlevy, 0:25:08.000 --> 0:25:11.440 Jay Williams, all of these guys, Marice Dottomeyer, we would 0:25:11.480 --> 0:25:14.280 go and be counselors at that basketball camp. So when 0:25:14.359 --> 0:25:16.640 I get to the league, I kind of like grew 0:25:16.720 --> 0:25:19.240 up watching Michael, but I had worked as basketball camp, 0:25:19.640 --> 0:25:22.000 I had done different things with them, so like I 0:25:22.080 --> 0:25:25.000 wasn't like a starry eyed against him like as you 0:25:25.000 --> 0:25:27.919 would say most players, but you still understand that this 0:25:27.960 --> 0:25:29.800 is MJ. Like you just never got a chance to 0:25:29.840 --> 0:25:32.480 see it and like feel it for yourself. So the 0:25:32.520 --> 0:25:35.359 funniest thing for it is that we were playing against 0:25:35.440 --> 0:25:36.920 m J, and m J was one of those guys. 0:25:36.960 --> 0:25:40.640 He remembers he remembers like, I know you see this 0:25:40.800 --> 0:25:42.800 in like the last dance you see us. But at 0:25:42.800 --> 0:25:45.520 the end of the day, here's another random example, we 0:25:45.640 --> 0:25:47.600 go give him the worst loss. Now, I don't want 0:25:47.600 --> 0:25:49.840 to put Michael Jordan's business out there, but once he 0:25:49.880 --> 0:25:53.040 started retiring, he was a very social guy. So you know, 0:25:53.080 --> 0:25:55.160 he was in New York. He was in New York, 0:25:55.280 --> 0:25:57.720 maybe he was out, you know, smoking too many cigars, 0:25:57.800 --> 0:26:00.960 having to tequila's, and was just, oh, we'll be fine. 0:26:01.000 --> 0:26:03.440 And then he realized like, oh geez, like these nets 0:26:03.480 --> 0:26:05.959 guys run and jump and I'm forty years old, like 0:26:06.000 --> 0:26:08.600 I needed to get my rest. Well, he got his rest, 0:26:09.160 --> 0:26:12.960 and he remembered, and in Michael Jordan's fashion, give him 0:26:12.960 --> 0:26:15.479 a beat down or something doesn't go his way. He 0:26:15.600 --> 0:26:18.560 has an ability, probably like not many we've ever seen 0:26:18.600 --> 0:26:21.119 on this planet before, to show up and set the 0:26:21.160 --> 0:26:24.000 record straight. And we had a ton of defenders that 0:26:24.080 --> 0:26:27.440 year with me, Jason Kidd, Kenny Martin carry kittles and 0:26:27.600 --> 0:26:29.800 he was giving me buckets. And I remember looking over 0:26:29.840 --> 0:26:31.879 at these guys, mainly Jay Kidd, like hey, are we 0:26:31.920 --> 0:26:34.560 gonna switch, because that's what we do when anyone got hot. 0:26:34.560 --> 0:26:36.400 We would just give him a different look, and Jay 0:26:36.440 --> 0:26:38.480 Kidd looked at me like, man, you're doing as good 0:26:38.480 --> 0:26:40.959 as anybody. Just keep it going. And I was like, 0:26:41.320 --> 0:26:44.320 damn guys. Yeah, so it made it fun. But do 0:26:44.359 --> 0:26:46.720 you remember like a look in his eye or thinks 0:26:46.760 --> 0:26:49.760 he would be saying because he was just a notorious talker, 0:26:50.600 --> 0:26:53.560 he wasn't you know what I remembered the most about 0:26:53.640 --> 0:26:56.879 it about that game, And I'm gonna like, not really, 0:26:57.440 --> 0:26:58.800 I think I'm in a butcher and all the fact 0:26:58.880 --> 0:27:00.520 checkers will get me, but I feel like they only 0:27:00.520 --> 0:27:03.399 scored like nineties something points, right, because this was back 0:27:03.440 --> 0:27:05.800 in the day when like this wasn't oh you scored 0:27:06.119 --> 0:27:08.800 you know, fifty and your team scored one twenty, or 0:27:08.840 --> 0:27:12.400 you scored forty five and your team scored one oh eight. No, no, no, 0:27:12.640 --> 0:27:15.119 this man had forty and it's in the in like 0:27:15.240 --> 0:27:19.119 the score was like eighty eight to ninety four. So 0:27:19.160 --> 0:27:21.719 it was like this dude had handles points, teams points, 0:27:22.280 --> 0:27:24.520 half the team points, right, which now when you look 0:27:24.560 --> 0:27:28.159 at the average scoring of one tint I did a 0:27:28.200 --> 0:27:33.080 game that was one forty eight to one fifty in regulation, right, 0:27:33.160 --> 0:27:35.840 So you're like, in that moment, you know, but that's 0:27:35.880 --> 0:27:38.359 what I remember most is that this dude had half 0:27:38.400 --> 0:27:41.199 of their team's points and was giving it to every 0:27:41.240 --> 0:27:43.800 single defender. That this just stopped that it was so smooth, 0:27:43.920 --> 0:27:46.240 so effortless, and there was just it was just one 0:27:46.240 --> 0:27:47.919 of those days. It was like everyone just kind of 0:27:47.960 --> 0:27:50.080 tipped their hat. It's like yo Ambius having one of 0:27:50.080 --> 0:27:53.480 those rare nights. Yeah, that sounds like one of those 0:27:53.560 --> 0:27:55.919 rare nights that we've heard of. And we can glance 0:27:55.920 --> 0:27:58.040 over this lightly because we know we're not supposed to 0:27:58.080 --> 0:28:00.280 go here. But when you speak about a lot this 0:28:00.720 --> 0:28:03.879 high scoring that we're seeing these days, with the NBA 0:28:03.920 --> 0:28:07.600 playoffs here right before us, who do you anticipate to 0:28:07.640 --> 0:28:10.399 continue doing well and maybe who do you anticipate to 0:28:10.480 --> 0:28:14.200 kind of not do so welcome playoff time. Well, it's 0:28:14.240 --> 0:28:16.159 tough because, like we look at so many of the 0:28:16.200 --> 0:28:19.440 top teams right, pretty much every single team if I'm 0:28:19.480 --> 0:28:23.320 looking at you know, there's no team that doesn't have 0:28:23.440 --> 0:28:26.400 some injury component that you're worried. Right, So let's talk 0:28:26.400 --> 0:28:30.119 about the Utah Jazz. You got Donovan Mitchell who is 0:28:30.160 --> 0:28:32.400 not back yet and they're not sure like he'll be back, 0:28:32.440 --> 0:28:34.280 but they're not sure what he like. He hasn't played 0:28:34.280 --> 0:28:35.920 in weeks, so you know he's not gonna be in 0:28:35.960 --> 0:28:38.880 his best version. The Phoenix Suns, like Chris Paul, has 0:28:38.920 --> 0:28:41.320 had some playoff injuries. You go and look at the 0:28:41.320 --> 0:28:44.000 Brooklyn Nets. They haven't played many with all of their three. 0:28:44.080 --> 0:28:47.000 You look at Philadelphia last year or this year. Some 0:28:47.080 --> 0:28:49.480 Joel Embide last year, Ben Simmons, you know, got hurt 0:28:49.480 --> 0:28:52.600 in the postseason. So Lakers have you know, Lebron and 0:28:52.640 --> 0:28:56.200 a d situation. So you look across the league and 0:28:56.960 --> 0:28:59.840 it's hard to pick this year because there's no team 0:28:59.840 --> 0:29:02.360 to Roland. There's no team mess this and a lot 0:29:02.400 --> 0:29:04.320 of it is because of the schedule and guys are 0:29:04.320 --> 0:29:06.880 broken down and beaten down. But I think it's the 0:29:06.920 --> 0:29:09.400 same thing that goes on every single time. It doesn't 0:29:09.440 --> 0:29:11.760 matter if the scoring is at one, forty, one fifty. 0:29:11.880 --> 0:29:14.800 The teams that play the best defense in the postseason 0:29:15.280 --> 0:29:17.840 are typically going to be the team to succeed. Now, 0:29:18.400 --> 0:29:22.160 where your defense can fluctuate is on how great your 0:29:22.240 --> 0:29:25.680 offense is. So if you have the best offense, like 0:29:25.760 --> 0:29:28.240 let's say the Brooklyn Nets, you can be the twelveth 0:29:28.320 --> 0:29:31.880 ranked defense, the third teenth ranked defense, and overcome. But 0:29:31.920 --> 0:29:34.360 if you're the twenty second defense you have the number 0:29:34.400 --> 0:29:36.560 one offense, that's just not going to sustain because it's 0:29:36.560 --> 0:29:38.360 going to be a team that has the fifth best 0:29:38.400 --> 0:29:41.880 offense but the eighth best defense. Those things catch up 0:29:41.880 --> 0:29:43.920 to you. So I don't know. I just feel like, 0:29:43.960 --> 0:29:46.600 of all, the team's health is number one, and we 0:29:46.760 --> 0:29:49.400 see it with so many teams. I would say Milwaukee's 0:29:49.440 --> 0:29:52.520 the one team that like, they don't really have an 0:29:52.600 --> 0:29:54.800 injury question. Most of their guys are kind of healthy 0:29:54.800 --> 0:29:57.080 and ready to go. And even them, they haven't had 0:29:57.080 --> 0:29:59.120 a ton of playoffs success, so you can't really point 0:29:59.160 --> 0:30:01.800 to them and be like, oh, they're going to be it. Well, 0:30:01.840 --> 0:30:05.800 this season finished in such exciting fashion because every game mattered, 0:30:05.960 --> 0:30:08.720 and now the Lakers have found themselves in the play 0:30:08.840 --> 0:30:11.400 in Lebron was worried about it. Now this is where 0:30:11.400 --> 0:30:14.840 they're at with a healthy Lebron and a d Are 0:30:14.920 --> 0:30:17.000 they I mean, because it seems like they shouldn't have 0:30:17.040 --> 0:30:20.040 ever fallen to seven, But is this the biggest threat 0:30:20.040 --> 0:30:21.800 in the West to kind of come up and upset 0:30:21.840 --> 0:30:24.760 first round? Well, again, you don't know who they're playing. 0:30:24.840 --> 0:30:27.959 You don't know who they're playing and they're again with 0:30:28.040 --> 0:30:30.560 the injury thing. That makes it very very difficult. And 0:30:30.600 --> 0:30:32.880 I think if you want, if anything, that you could 0:30:32.880 --> 0:30:36.480 do to point to the Lakers and where they are 0:30:37.080 --> 0:30:41.160 viewed and respected, Like the Clippers lost their last three 0:30:41.200 --> 0:30:44.840 games just to not be on the same side as 0:30:44.880 --> 0:30:47.520 the Lakers, right the Clippers were like, now we'd rather 0:30:47.520 --> 0:30:50.480 get to the four five, so that like we're going 0:30:50.520 --> 0:30:53.000 to end up in some other spots. So ultimately, I 0:30:53.040 --> 0:30:55.480 think like the Lakers are gonna be They're going to 0:30:55.560 --> 0:30:58.040 be right there. You don't know who they're gonna play 0:30:58.040 --> 0:31:00.600 in the first round, and either way, are gonna play 0:31:00.600 --> 0:31:03.760 a great team. They're like, if they're gonna get the 0:31:03.760 --> 0:31:06.440 Phoenix Sounds of the Utah Jazz, you're still playing the 0:31:06.480 --> 0:31:08.200 teams that have had the best records in the league. 0:31:08.240 --> 0:31:10.800 So I know that the Lakers will be good, but 0:31:10.840 --> 0:31:12.920 it's like, yo, your reward is playing one of the 0:31:12.960 --> 0:31:15.480 better teams in the league and you admittedly on a 0:31:15.840 --> 0:31:19.000 percent because of health. Now, you know, we we've seen 0:31:19.040 --> 0:31:22.360 how you know, basketball and culture have kind of overlapped 0:31:22.400 --> 0:31:25.280 a lot, particularly basketball and hip hop music, but now 0:31:25.280 --> 0:31:28.400 we're seeing it overlap more than we've maybe ever seen 0:31:28.720 --> 0:31:31.560 and with that, you've got a guy like Jake Cole 0:31:31.600 --> 0:31:36.240 who has decided to play basketball professionally. He's now playing 0:31:36.240 --> 0:31:39.160 in the Basketball Africa League. I'm just wondering, have you 0:31:39.240 --> 0:31:42.600 gotten a chance to check out his skills over there? 0:31:42.680 --> 0:31:44.840 And you know what, do you think the ceiling? Maybe 0:31:44.840 --> 0:31:52.240 for him? No, you've not seen him play? No? Okay, okay, guys, okay, 0:31:52.640 --> 0:31:55.280 we don't like it, you know like it. I love 0:31:55.360 --> 0:31:58.840 it for j Cole, for Jake Cole, I love it 0:31:58.880 --> 0:32:01.520 that this is where it's It's so tough because I 0:32:01.560 --> 0:32:03.640 definitely have a reputation for being a bit of a 0:32:03.680 --> 0:32:08.560 troll and this is the thing I posed. But again, 0:32:08.920 --> 0:32:12.680 but it's all just in fun, right, like your best friends, 0:32:12.720 --> 0:32:14.360 may I don't know, females are a little different. You're 0:32:14.400 --> 0:32:16.880 best friends do all you do is just crack jokes 0:32:16.880 --> 0:32:19.239 and talk ship to them? Yeah, of course, yeah, that's it. 0:32:19.280 --> 0:32:22.400 We're just like, oh you were trash, Like dude, my my, 0:32:22.400 --> 0:32:25.400 my best ranto order like extra large fries. I'm like, dude, 0:32:25.440 --> 0:32:28.040 you're so fat. What do you do it? Just like dude, 0:32:28.160 --> 0:32:30.600 It dude is a professional effort. Like we're just if 0:32:30.640 --> 0:32:33.160 there's a level of friendship that comes, and that's always 0:32:33.200 --> 0:32:36.800 been my approach that now to say that I respect 0:32:36.800 --> 0:32:39.280 everyone chasing their dream. I respect all of that. I 0:32:39.280 --> 0:32:41.280 don't mind what J Cole is doing. I love the 0:32:41.360 --> 0:32:43.600 journey that he's on, Like, go and do whatever it 0:32:43.680 --> 0:32:45.440 is that you want to do with your life. That 0:32:45.560 --> 0:32:50.120 being said, no person can ever be successful if every 0:32:50.160 --> 0:32:53.280 step of the way they are being scrutinized, right, and 0:32:53.320 --> 0:32:56.600 they are being dissected like look, J Coles first game, 0:32:56.680 --> 0:32:59.960 four points to assist, one rebound in seventeen minutes. It's like, 0:33:00.280 --> 0:33:02.520 we should not be reporting on this if you truly 0:33:02.560 --> 0:33:05.560 want this man to be successful. And I understand who 0:33:05.560 --> 0:33:07.240 he is. I understand that's the only reason why he 0:33:07.320 --> 0:33:09.280 got the opportunity. I understand all the things that go 0:33:09.360 --> 0:33:13.720 into this, but ultimately it's like, guys, like, come on, 0:33:14.000 --> 0:33:17.719 I'd rather then focus on like like how the women played, right, 0:33:17.760 --> 0:33:19.480 I'd rather than focus on the w n B A. 0:33:19.600 --> 0:33:22.000 I'd rather than focus on finding the next high school 0:33:22.040 --> 0:33:24.440 star and giving her some PUBM. I know J Cole 0:33:24.480 --> 0:33:26.720 is gonna get some clicks, but ultimately, like, what is 0:33:26.720 --> 0:33:29.600 that really doing for bigging up the game of basketball? Like, 0:33:30.400 --> 0:33:32.400 then this is not a knock on J Cole. The 0:33:32.440 --> 0:33:34.920 man's got a billion fans, He's made a hundred million 0:33:34.960 --> 0:33:39.480 dollars streaming. He's one of the greatest artists of all time. Right, No, not, 0:33:40.080 --> 0:33:42.640 But like, does the basketball community need to be bigging 0:33:42.720 --> 0:33:44.480 him up? Or should we be bigging up the w 0:33:44.640 --> 0:33:46.600 n b A, should we be bigging up these people? 0:33:46.640 --> 0:33:49.160 And you can do both. But understand, we all know, 0:33:49.280 --> 0:33:51.720 because we're all in media, that we're going to see 0:33:51.760 --> 0:33:55.240 more things about J Cole playing basketball and the memes 0:33:55.440 --> 0:33:59.560 then we will about the defending national champions in Stanford, 0:33:59.680 --> 0:34:02.160 you know, women's basketball and NC double. We're gonna see 0:34:02.160 --> 0:34:04.680 more about that. And I'm just like, I don't care 0:34:04.720 --> 0:34:06.800 if it drives clicks. That's not what we should be 0:34:06.800 --> 0:34:09.759 talking about. I think that's really well said. Yeah, and 0:34:09.800 --> 0:34:12.400 that's fair. That's that's very fair. Now, No, you know 0:34:12.520 --> 0:34:14.200 r J, we all know you to be. Now you're 0:34:14.200 --> 0:34:16.000 gonna ask me another question. You'renna ask me another question 0:34:16.000 --> 0:34:18.920 about Jacob not as I love J Cole is one 0:34:18.920 --> 0:34:23.000 of my favorite. Doesn't can't express that enough, but like 0:34:23.600 --> 0:34:26.479 this is not why it's like Tim Tebow playing tight 0:34:26.560 --> 0:34:29.960 end like guys like, yeah, no, I was going to 0:34:30.080 --> 0:34:33.440 bring up that comparison because it's there. It's but hey, 0:34:33.480 --> 0:34:36.040 at least he was, I mean, a former NFL player. 0:34:36.160 --> 0:34:37.680 I don't buy it, and I don't and I don't 0:34:37.680 --> 0:34:40.680 buy the whole Oh, you're taking an opportunity away. I don't. 0:34:40.760 --> 0:34:42.920 I don't. If Tim Tebow is the reason why you 0:34:42.960 --> 0:34:44.839 didn't make the NFL at this point in time you're life, 0:34:44.840 --> 0:34:47.120 you weren't gonna make it anything, right, like you weren't 0:34:47.120 --> 0:34:49.719 gonna make J Cole is the reason why you didn't 0:34:49.719 --> 0:34:52.040 make it to the NBA. You weren't gonna make it anybody. 0:34:52.080 --> 0:34:54.440 So I don't buy that narrative of you're taking an 0:34:54.480 --> 0:34:57.440 opportunity from somebody. That's bs. But should that amount of 0:34:57.440 --> 0:35:01.080 attention be given to somebody because of what they've done 0:35:01.160 --> 0:35:04.440 in other spaces? I don't know if that's best that's necessary? No, 0:35:04.440 --> 0:35:06.239 no, no no, completely fair, And we can move on from 0:35:06.320 --> 0:35:08.440 J Cole. This is just my last thing. You know, 0:35:08.520 --> 0:35:12.120 everyone knows you to be very trolly, uh, and so 0:35:12.200 --> 0:35:14.319 I just I have a question back to you. You know, 0:35:14.560 --> 0:35:17.160 we've seen NBA and culture, like I said, kind of 0:35:17.200 --> 0:35:20.800 become intertwined. There are entire Instagram pages that have become 0:35:20.880 --> 0:35:24.120 dedicated to like NBA players and tattoos, and I'm just 0:35:24.160 --> 0:35:27.880 wondering why you think you're r J. Tat hasn't gotten 0:35:27.960 --> 0:35:31.279 much love over the course of the years, particularly on 0:35:31.320 --> 0:35:33.840 some of these Instagram pages. Well because mine is the 0:35:33.840 --> 0:35:36.480 most famous, Like mine is the most famous, Like it's 0:35:36.520 --> 0:35:39.000 without a doubt, like like, don't get me wrong, some 0:35:39.040 --> 0:35:41.920 other people got some really you know, notable ink but 0:35:42.000 --> 0:35:44.520 like I don't know if there's more. And let's looked 0:35:44.520 --> 0:35:48.520 good and bad, white famous. But I will say give 0:35:48.560 --> 0:35:51.279 it a world, fire over the world, enjoy it. There 0:35:51.280 --> 0:35:54.240 are people that have gotten my tattoo in a mocking manner. 0:35:55.280 --> 0:35:58.320 Look my tattoo is like look, look my head tattoo 0:35:58.520 --> 0:36:00.720 is not the best tattoo. It is a trash tattoo. 0:36:00.719 --> 0:36:02.560 I got him when I was seventeen. But I will 0:36:02.640 --> 0:36:05.440 say this maybe because I'm up close, I know people, 0:36:05.480 --> 0:36:08.640 and I've actually seen people right, and this one left 0:36:09.080 --> 0:36:13.920 Tracy McGrady, Carmelo Anthony, they literally have the same tattoo 0:36:14.280 --> 0:36:17.200 where like they got that same tattoo like a basketball 0:36:17.280 --> 0:36:20.040 with their letters come numbers, names coming out. But the 0:36:20.120 --> 0:36:24.360 differences they got full sleeves around it. So it looks 0:36:24.400 --> 0:36:27.719 like but the skies is it where it's like, oh, 0:36:27.800 --> 0:36:29.560 it's like, oh, he's got the basketball with this, and 0:36:29.560 --> 0:36:31.360 then he's got the hawk and he's got all in 0:36:31.360 --> 0:36:34.839 your list, Like wait a second, go back. I just 0:36:34.880 --> 0:36:37.160 didn't finish it with a full sleep because I was 0:36:37.200 --> 0:36:42.120 just being lazy as But that's why. That's the thing. 0:36:42.239 --> 0:36:44.160 Don't let them fool you and make you say like, oh, 0:36:44.280 --> 0:36:47.600 Richard has the worst tattoo. No, he had lots of 0:36:47.600 --> 0:36:51.319 them tattoos like me that are that are bad. I 0:36:51.360 --> 0:36:53.840 just didn't hide it with a full sleep. That's that 0:36:53.920 --> 0:36:56.080 makes sense, makes a lot of sense. Yeah, I just 0:36:56.120 --> 0:36:58.400 had to google it, and once I did, I realized 0:36:58.480 --> 0:37:06.360 I very was very much knew it. It's it's beautiful 0:37:07.200 --> 0:37:11.960 look work of our love. It was, honestly it was. 0:37:12.280 --> 0:37:14.960 It was done by a person with like four teeth 0:37:15.080 --> 0:37:20.799 in a back of somebody's basement, like they boughted off. Look, 0:37:20.960 --> 0:37:23.480 my brother had some jail house tattoos. My brother was 0:37:23.480 --> 0:37:24.840 the first person to teach me how to do a 0:37:24.920 --> 0:37:26.839 jail house tattoo where you could get like a hand 0:37:26.920 --> 0:37:28.640 in the motor and you could dip it into some 0:37:29.160 --> 0:37:32.160 ink and you're just like yeah, what on earth was 0:37:32.200 --> 0:37:34.440 I thinking? But I love the story. I don't give 0:37:34.440 --> 0:37:37.000 a damn so it makes it fun. I love it. Well, 0:37:37.040 --> 0:37:39.160 just to wrap up, because we've we've talked so much 0:37:39.200 --> 0:37:42.880 about your history and people you've played against and experiences 0:37:42.920 --> 0:37:44.719 you've had, and I so appreciate all the on the 0:37:44.719 --> 0:37:47.920 court stuff. But off the court, I was texting with 0:37:47.960 --> 0:37:50.719 your coworker, someone I've also had the opportunity to work with. 0:37:50.760 --> 0:37:54.960 I an eagle, fantastic man, fantastic broadcaster, And I asked him, 0:37:55.400 --> 0:37:57.560 what's something I should ask r J about? What's something 0:37:57.640 --> 0:37:59.880 kind of off the court? You know what he told me? 0:38:00.680 --> 0:38:03.600 What he said, the sport your best at is beach 0:38:03.680 --> 0:38:06.640 volleyball and you still play in a league, and that 0:38:06.760 --> 0:38:12.560 you own a yoga studio. So I don't think yeah, yeah, 0:38:12.760 --> 0:38:16.680 so again you don't know. One of the beautiful things 0:38:16.719 --> 0:38:18.799 about life in general is you don't know where it's 0:38:18.800 --> 0:38:20.600 gonna take you. You You don't know how you can get places. 0:38:21.400 --> 0:38:24.520 Rewind to the lockout. I go to the lockout and 0:38:24.840 --> 0:38:27.319 I'm getting out of shape. It's tough. We don't know 0:38:27.360 --> 0:38:29.279 when it's coming. One of my best friends moves down. 0:38:29.320 --> 0:38:32.080 We start working out, we start training and we start 0:38:32.120 --> 0:38:33.880 doing hot yoga and I'm like, oh, this is great. 0:38:34.640 --> 0:38:36.879 Next year, I moved up to l A. I moved 0:38:36.920 --> 0:38:38.640 up to Santa Monica, and I'm doing a ton of 0:38:38.680 --> 0:38:41.680 yoga because look, I'm thirty four at thirty three at 0:38:41.680 --> 0:38:44.640 the time, and your body is I got a lot 0:38:44.640 --> 0:38:46.720 of miles at that point in time. So I find yoga. 0:38:46.840 --> 0:38:49.080 I love it. I'm just like, wow, this is my 0:38:49.120 --> 0:38:52.120 body feels better. Everyone needs to stretch and that's an 0:38:52.160 --> 0:38:55.000 hour of stretching and it's a workout your gas. You 0:38:55.040 --> 0:38:57.200 feel great. So I had a bunch of friends that 0:38:57.200 --> 0:39:00.200 were coming up, like driving twenty five minutes to h 0:39:00.480 --> 0:39:02.880 come do yoga and Santa Monica because there wasn't a 0:39:02.960 --> 0:39:04.719 yoga studio and her most of beach it wasn't a 0:39:04.760 --> 0:39:06.960 really nice one. So me and my buddy that I've 0:39:06.960 --> 0:39:08.919 been training with, I'm like, dude, like so many people 0:39:08.960 --> 0:39:10.759 are coming up here, why don't we just open up 0:39:10.800 --> 0:39:13.440 a ton of like a really nice yoga studio there. 0:39:14.120 --> 0:39:16.680 And so I moved to Hermosa Beach and we want 0:39:16.920 --> 0:39:19.520 we opened up one and and we want a ton 0:39:19.560 --> 0:39:22.440 of local awards and we're a big part of the community. 0:39:22.440 --> 0:39:24.360 That's probably my favorite things. So hoo yoga. If you 0:39:24.400 --> 0:39:25.960 guys want to check out, it's right on the pier 0:39:26.160 --> 0:39:28.640 in Hermosa Beach. And I try and tell people as 0:39:28.719 --> 0:39:32.200 much as possible, if you're gonna play professional sports, college sports, 0:39:32.200 --> 0:39:34.400 if you're gonna do that and you're not doing yoga, 0:39:34.760 --> 0:39:37.640 you're short changing your career. You're short changing what you 0:39:37.640 --> 0:39:39.520 can do, what you're capable of doing, because it's like 0:39:39.560 --> 0:39:42.120 I'll go lift weights for an hour then go do yoga. 0:39:42.200 --> 0:39:45.040 You're like stretching out these muscles. You're strengthening muscles you 0:39:45.040 --> 0:39:47.319 didn't know you needed and know that you had. And 0:39:47.360 --> 0:39:49.520 it's part of the reason why I truly believe that 0:39:49.880 --> 0:39:52.839 one I played for seventeen years and to so many 0:39:52.880 --> 0:39:56.240 more athletes are getting into it. So many more athletes 0:39:56.280 --> 0:39:58.759 are open minded than they were five ten years ago. 0:39:59.080 --> 0:40:01.560 Now it's like yo the is a part of like Rondo, 0:40:01.719 --> 0:40:04.560 Joe Johnson, all of these guys will go in on 0:40:04.719 --> 0:40:07.520 road trips and do yoga. Teams are bringing in yoga 0:40:07.760 --> 0:40:10.160 teachers and so I was just fortunate to be a 0:40:10.160 --> 0:40:12.759 little bit ahead of the curve. That's really cool. I 0:40:12.760 --> 0:40:16.120 would even argue, regardless of profession. You're short changing yourself 0:40:16.160 --> 0:40:19.360 if you don't have some kind of yoga or meditation practice. 0:40:19.080 --> 0:40:22.640 I think it's life changing thousand per cent. I know 0:40:22.719 --> 0:40:26.120 I was just speaking to the athletes, but everyone in general, Like, 0:40:26.160 --> 0:40:27.920 if that's not a part of what you're doing, it 0:40:27.920 --> 0:40:30.000 doesn't matter if you're a cross bitter, if you're a 0:40:30.520 --> 0:40:32.840 you know, whatever it is, whatever sport that you're playing, 0:40:32.840 --> 0:40:35.719 whatever activity, even if you're older and you're like you 0:40:35.800 --> 0:40:38.640 just want to do a very like slow like it 0:40:38.719 --> 0:40:41.000 has it for everybody, Like there is no I'm not 0:40:41.040 --> 0:40:43.359 good at stretching. That's why it's like, dude, that's why 0:40:43.440 --> 0:40:46.040 you go. That's the purpose of it. Yeah, yeah, you 0:40:46.080 --> 0:40:48.040 don't go and like lift weights. You don't say like, 0:40:48.040 --> 0:40:50.160 oh I can't lift weights because I'm not strong. It's like, well, 0:40:50.239 --> 0:40:52.439 how then do you think you get strong? Like it's 0:40:52.440 --> 0:40:55.480 like like everyone's got to start somewhere. So yeah, now 0:40:55.600 --> 0:40:58.080 that I try and tell so many young athletes that 0:40:58.200 --> 0:41:00.480 just get involved in it, because even if you're doing 0:41:00.480 --> 0:41:02.359 it twenty two, it will make your body feel better 0:41:02.360 --> 0:41:05.400 when you're thirty because these things and these injuries, they 0:41:05.440 --> 0:41:07.880 stay with you for a lifetime. I think yoga is 0:41:08.000 --> 0:41:10.759 especially effective if you're doing it to the Thong song 0:41:11.000 --> 0:41:15.919 on repeat just for hours, so all the time, all 0:41:15.960 --> 0:41:18.400 the time at Ohio State. I'd love it. I love it. 0:41:18.440 --> 0:41:21.560 That might be our next class with that. Richard, thank you, 0:41:21.600 --> 0:41:26.320 and I mistay, thank you for we appreciate hey, man, guys, 0:41:26.360 --> 0:41:28.920 I appreciate you guys having me so much. Man. So 0:41:29.640 --> 0:41:31.759 you guys have a great day. And if you guys 0:41:31.760 --> 0:41:34.800 ever need anything, just let me know. We'll do it too. 0:41:35.160 --> 0:41:58.120 All right, thank you. All right, guys, Now it is 0:41:58.160 --> 0:42:01.680 time for this week's Lion's Luck, where our dog Peter Andrew. 0:42:02.120 --> 0:42:04.799 He's also our honorary co host at this point, but 0:42:04.880 --> 0:42:07.879 he's here to tell us maybe where we should put 0:42:07.880 --> 0:42:11.800 our bread. And Peter, this is a relatively big week. 0:42:12.040 --> 0:42:15.279 What do you got for us? Yeah? So playing tournament done? 0:42:15.280 --> 0:42:18.960 Now we know who's playing this weekend. I may have 0:42:19.000 --> 0:42:20.480 told you guys a couple of weeks ago I was 0:42:20.520 --> 0:42:23.360 on the Sixers bandwagon. I'm gonna kind of stick that route. 0:42:23.800 --> 0:42:26.440 I love Sixers in some sort of variation to be 0:42:26.480 --> 0:42:29.280 in the finals. Two bets that I really like Sixers 0:42:29.280 --> 0:42:32.680 Clippers to both reach the finals plus fourteen hundred and 0:42:32.719 --> 0:42:34.839 I know the Lakers are on the downtrend a little bit, 0:42:34.880 --> 0:42:37.080 but but Sixers Lakers to both reach the finals. At 0:42:37.080 --> 0:42:39.759 plus twelve hundred, I really think they can upset the 0:42:39.800 --> 0:42:43.920 Nets come conference finals. So I'm leaning that route. And 0:42:43.960 --> 0:42:45.960 then maybe a little bit just on the other side, 0:42:46.400 --> 0:42:48.960 just in case the Sixers don't win, the state of 0:42:48.960 --> 0:42:52.120 the winning team to be California plus five, So just 0:42:52.160 --> 0:42:55.200 a little mini hedge. I think you feel pretty comfortable 0:42:55.239 --> 0:42:57.920 about one of those three teams winning. And is that 0:42:57.960 --> 0:43:00.799 for winning at all, Peter, or just winning the web? Yeah, 0:43:00.800 --> 0:43:03.720 winning it all for California, So plus is to actually 0:43:03.719 --> 0:43:06.400 win the NBA title. So I'm just hard against the 0:43:06.400 --> 0:43:09.440 Nets right now. And why is that? Peter just asking 0:43:09.440 --> 0:43:12.880 that a curiosity? Yeah, there's probably two parts through it. 0:43:12.960 --> 0:43:15.640 I think from a sports betting perspective, the value is 0:43:15.680 --> 0:43:17.439 just not there, so I don't think it's worth putting 0:43:17.480 --> 0:43:19.600 your money on it. But the other side of it, 0:43:19.719 --> 0:43:22.799 I think while they have three of arguably the top 0:43:22.840 --> 0:43:24.960 ten players in the league, I think anything can happen. 0:43:25.000 --> 0:43:28.160 We've seen injuries a lot this year to the core three, 0:43:28.280 --> 0:43:30.399 but to some of the other components on the team 0:43:30.400 --> 0:43:33.480 as well, so I think anything can happen, especially finals, 0:43:33.480 --> 0:43:36.239 it gets a bit gritty, hard fouls. You never know 0:43:36.600 --> 0:43:40.000 if Katie Katie can go down, if Kyrie could go down, 0:43:40.160 --> 0:43:42.880 James Harden. So I think putting your money elsewhere with 0:43:42.920 --> 0:43:45.719 the more value makes a ton of sense. What are 0:43:45.719 --> 0:43:48.239 the best bets in each conference? I mean, is there 0:43:48.320 --> 0:43:51.680 is there something confidence specific? You know? I think I've 0:43:51.719 --> 0:43:54.839 started taking it series by series to start. I love 0:43:55.080 --> 0:43:57.040 So there's the Knicks Hawks series, which is the four 0:43:57.160 --> 0:43:59.960 five matchup. Nicks are obviously on fire right now, Dually 0:44:00.040 --> 0:44:02.759 s Randall most improved player, de Rose looks like the 0:44:02.960 --> 0:44:05.560 Rose from ten years ago. Nicks to win the series 0:44:05.640 --> 0:44:08.879 is minus one to me, that's a surefire bet. You're 0:44:08.920 --> 0:44:11.400 not laying too much to get a nice junk of change. 0:44:11.840 --> 0:44:13.759 And then I've put a little bit on Nicks to 0:44:13.760 --> 0:44:15.640 win the series four one. So I think the Hawks 0:44:15.640 --> 0:44:18.160 squeak went out on at home. But I think the 0:44:18.239 --> 0:44:20.680 Knicks just clearly the better team. They've showed that the 0:44:20.719 --> 0:44:23.200 last couple of weeks they've gone out West, had some 0:44:23.239 --> 0:44:27.680 impressive games conference games, really really good. And then as 0:44:27.719 --> 0:44:31.160 you go to the West, you know the Nuggets were worthy, 0:44:31.160 --> 0:44:33.239 were one of the best teams in the West all year, 0:44:33.680 --> 0:44:36.719 but lusing Tomal Murray will be really noticeable against the Trailblazers. 0:44:36.760 --> 0:44:40.000 I mean, you have Lillard, McCollum, Covingtons, all can hit threes. 0:44:40.640 --> 0:44:42.920 I think they were second in the league in terms 0:44:42.960 --> 0:44:45.640 of volume of threes they they shot, and I think 0:44:45.680 --> 0:44:48.640 sixth in efficiency. And you compare that against the Nuggets, 0:44:48.640 --> 0:44:51.359 who are twenty sewo and three point defense. It's gonna 0:44:51.400 --> 0:44:53.640 be a tough series. I think the Nuggets pulled out 0:44:53.640 --> 0:44:55.960 in seven, but it's gonna go seven. I think that, 0:44:56.400 --> 0:44:59.279 so for sure, I like Nuggets to win four three 0:44:59.719 --> 0:45:02.440 and in the the series plus four hundred and then Buck's 0:45:02.480 --> 0:45:04.799 Heat you mentioned as well over five and a half 0:45:04.840 --> 0:45:08.319 games at minus one twenty. What do you like there? Yeah, 0:45:08.520 --> 0:45:11.080 how confident are you? I think the Heat can steal 0:45:11.080 --> 0:45:14.080 a couple of games. Bucks are are clearly the better team, 0:45:14.120 --> 0:45:16.240 They're just not a great shooting team at certain times. 0:45:16.760 --> 0:45:18.920 I like that game to just get a little scary 0:45:19.000 --> 0:45:21.080 for them. I think they win in six. But at 0:45:21.120 --> 0:45:24.400 minus one twenty, again, you're not laying too much, and 0:45:24.440 --> 0:45:26.560 I think there's some value there. You're not asking the 0:45:26.560 --> 0:45:28.480 Heat to win the series. You're just asking them to 0:45:28.520 --> 0:45:30.560 stretch it along a little bit, so I think that 0:45:30.719 --> 0:45:32.120 to go over five and a half is a good 0:45:32.120 --> 0:45:35.400 bet as well. Are there any bets on potential overtime 0:45:35.440 --> 0:45:39.640 games or just reaching seven games? Yep, there is reaching 0:45:39.640 --> 0:45:42.839 seven games for every single series on bet MGM. And then, 0:45:42.840 --> 0:45:45.960 funny enough, you're kind of stealing my segue of our promotion. 0:45:46.480 --> 0:45:50.200 We have an overtime insurance promotion going live. So if 0:45:50.560 --> 0:45:52.480 you get your team and they end up losing, the 0:45:52.480 --> 0:45:55.080 game goes overtime and you're losing over time, you actually 0:45:55.120 --> 0:45:57.160 get your steak back. So something we're doing a little 0:45:57.200 --> 0:46:00.440 bit on top of the sports betting markets. So make 0:46:00.480 --> 0:46:03.760 sure that we cover both NBA and an NHL fans 0:46:04.239 --> 0:46:06.560 NHL games of all kind of tourd time this playoff too, 0:46:06.640 --> 0:46:08.799 So making sure we cover you if your team gets 0:46:08.800 --> 0:46:11.160 out TENNA end up losing and before we get you 0:46:11.200 --> 0:46:13.239 out of here, Peter, there was a story that I'm 0:46:13.280 --> 0:46:16.479 just curious if you heard about. It was this guy 0:46:16.560 --> 0:46:21.840 who apparently bet the proverbial house on the Blazers winning 0:46:21.920 --> 0:46:23.920 over forty one and a half games. Did you hear 0:46:23.920 --> 0:46:27.399 about that story? I don't think so, what is it? No? Okay, Well, 0:46:27.440 --> 0:46:30.359 this guy bet that basically that the Blazers were gonna 0:46:30.360 --> 0:46:32.640 win over forty one and a half games, and it 0:46:32.760 --> 0:46:35.200 came down to the last game in the season. He 0:46:35.280 --> 0:46:38.000 tweeted at Damian Lillard at the start of the season like, man, 0:46:38.040 --> 0:46:40.040 I need you to win forty two games or I 0:46:40.080 --> 0:46:44.000 will lose my home. And the Blazers did exactly that 0:46:44.040 --> 0:46:47.080 they want exactly forty two games and saved this guy 0:46:47.600 --> 0:46:50.719 from being homeless. So I does you would have heard 0:46:50.719 --> 0:46:52.880 about the story, but it was it was nuts. I 0:46:53.000 --> 0:46:56.640 heard about one in the opposite direction for Oklahoma City Thunder. 0:46:56.719 --> 0:46:58.800 I want to say their total was twenty two and 0:46:58.800 --> 0:47:01.719 a half in terms of games one and uh, and 0:47:01.800 --> 0:47:05.200 they finished a half game behind. So it happens to 0:47:05.200 --> 0:47:06.799 the best of them and to the worst of them. 0:47:07.239 --> 0:47:09.759 Oh my gosh, I guess probably the best feeling in 0:47:09.800 --> 0:47:11.839 the world when you when you squeeze out that win, 0:47:12.040 --> 0:47:15.200 but coming a half game short as well as not pretty. Hey, 0:47:15.239 --> 0:47:16.960 this is why we're all here. This is why we're 0:47:16.960 --> 0:47:20.480 also hooked, right you love it? Exactly? Love the game? Yep, 0:47:20.960 --> 0:47:23.560 exactly all right, Peter, We thank you has always been 0:47:23.600 --> 0:47:33.520 joining as Bobbie will. Thanks Peter, Thanks guys all right, guys, Well, 0:47:33.560 --> 0:47:35.919 that's a rap for Olivia and I. Now make sure 0:47:35.960 --> 0:47:38.880 to check out all of the action from bet MGM. 0:47:38.920 --> 0:47:42.560 You can follow them everywhere on social media at bet mgm, 0:47:42.600 --> 0:47:45.560 and please, as always, leave a review of the show 0:47:45.719 --> 0:47:49.719 on Apple Podcasts and follow us wherever you listen to podcasts.