1 00:00:04,519 --> 00:00:08,119 Speaker 1: On today's show, We've got five questions for the rest 2 00:00:08,200 --> 00:00:11,440 Speaker 1: of the NBA season, Like, are the Charlotte Hornets playoff 3 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:15,920 Speaker 1: chances done? Will Joel Embiid's knee Carrie Philadelphia to the finals? 4 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 1: Will Drew Holiday and his new massive deal? What an agent? 5 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 1: Get Yannis and the Bucks a championship? Hey, I'm tas Mellus, 6 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:24,920 Speaker 1: and this is what you need to know in the 7 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:35,040 Speaker 1: NBA for Monday, April fifth. That's not everybody. When we 8 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:37,559 Speaker 1: hit the end of March madness, that usually means the 9 00:00:37,640 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 1: lay of the land is all clear. In the NBA, 10 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:44,559 Speaker 1: the playoffs are just mere days away. These these strange times, though, 11 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:48,320 Speaker 1: things are different. The NCAA groundhog has seen its shadow 12 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:52,280 Speaker 1: and we've got six more weeks before the playoffs. Yes, 13 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:55,959 Speaker 1: I wrote that. Still so many questions to answer. Here 14 00:00:56,120 --> 00:01:00,760 Speaker 1: are five I will be watching first. How will Joel 15 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:05,360 Speaker 1: Embiid's knee hold up? Joel Embiid is having his best season, 16 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 1: even though he just missed three weeks with a bone 17 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:11,479 Speaker 1: bruise in that knee. While watching Embiid thrust the air 18 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:14,880 Speaker 1: over and over and over in his return on Saturday, 19 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 1: it was a great celebration. I couldn't help. But notice 20 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:22,959 Speaker 1: that bulky knee brace. Also, he commented on it after 21 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:25,080 Speaker 1: the game. I'm not saying I'm a genius over here, 22 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:28,520 Speaker 1: he mentioned it. That thing is big and it's bugging him, 23 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:32,479 Speaker 1: and his injury concerns should bug Sixers fans. Even though 24 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:34,960 Speaker 1: they are tied to atop the East with the Nets, 25 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 1: despite Embiid missing over a third of his team's games, 26 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 1: he will not get a break in the playoffs. They 27 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 1: wouldn't recover from an embid hiatus or poor play from him. 28 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:47,160 Speaker 1: It's his best season, but also heightened expectations and the 29 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:51,200 Speaker 1: most responsibility because of his incredible play where he has 30 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 1: carried the team. If Embiid is going to get to 31 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 1: his first Eastern Conference Finals, he'll have to carry Philly 32 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 1: game in and game out. He has never done that 33 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 1: for multiple series. The hope is Tobias Harris and Ben 34 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 1: Simmons will pick up the slack, but the team is 35 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 1: riding Embiid full stop. He sat Sunday a day after 36 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 1: returning because it was a back to back rest. Fine, 37 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:15,880 Speaker 1: but if they do get to a conference finals, and 38 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 1: if it is the Nets, he will absolutely have no rest. 39 00:02:18,600 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 1: Defensively with the five offensive weapons Brooklyn has aligned in 40 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 1: their starting lineup. There's a reason the Sixers include provisions 41 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 1: in his contract which reduce his pay if he has 42 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:30,800 Speaker 1: certain injuries. There are worries there. He's missed plenty of 43 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:35,000 Speaker 1: time throughout his career. Can't wait to find out how 44 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:38,079 Speaker 1: he carries his team next up sticking at the top 45 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:41,720 Speaker 1: of the East, will Drew Holiday be what the Bucks 46 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:44,639 Speaker 1: need to take them over to the top. Drew Holiday 47 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 1: signed a massive four year extension over the weekend. Yannis, 48 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: Chris Middleton and Drew Holiday. That's the Bucks core for 49 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 1: the foreseeable future and for Yannis's prime, whatever a prime 50 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:59,120 Speaker 1: is anyway. After the contract extension kicks in next season, 51 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:02,320 Speaker 1: the buck will be just seven million dollars under the 52 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 1: cap after their big three are paid. So this is it. 53 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:09,440 Speaker 1: This is who they got. If the Bucks are going 54 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:11,520 Speaker 1: to be more than just a very good team that 55 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 1: doesn't win the whole thing, Holiday is going to have 56 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 1: to step up to be the one who makes it happen. 57 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:21,840 Speaker 1: The Bucks offense continuously gets stuck during their playoff runs, 58 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:25,040 Speaker 1: and Holiday can be that defense buster that they need. 59 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 1: He's shown he can be that one to make shots 60 00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:29,520 Speaker 1: when he's called upon like he did in the twenty 61 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 1: eighteen playoffs when he and Anthony Davis led the Pelicans 62 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 1: over the Blazers, and he showed it in games like Saturday, 63 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:38,520 Speaker 1: dropping thirty three without Yannis in the lineup. That's the 64 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:40,800 Speaker 1: guy they need. But he's gonna have to do it 65 00:03:40,880 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: way more often than he has in previous playoff performances 66 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:47,440 Speaker 1: because Yannis will eventually meet that postseason wall that he 67 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 1: runs into over and over and over again in the lane. 68 00:03:50,680 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 1: Holiday's contract is four years, one hundred and thirty five 69 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 1: million dollars guaranteed plus twenty five million bonuses. What an agent? 70 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:00,320 Speaker 1: When I saw the headlines at four year years, one 71 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 1: hundred and sixty MILI, that's forty million per year. It's 72 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:06,280 Speaker 1: how they wrote it in the headlines to look juicier. 73 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 1: I didn't even bat an eye side question, beside these 74 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 1: five questions that we're getting to today, what number would 75 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 1: make me bat and eye? I think it's anything over 76 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 1: two hundred million. The years always get me when I 77 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:21,560 Speaker 1: see a big baseball signing, but the numbers, as far 78 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 1: as the millions go in basketball, don't get me anymore. 79 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:28,200 Speaker 1: Become numb to it. Anyway, millions on millions on millions. 80 00:04:28,279 --> 00:04:30,719 Speaker 1: This is Holiday's twelfth season in the league. He ain't 81 00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:35,000 Speaker 1: a young buck. Unintended pun right there. His contract will 82 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:37,800 Speaker 1: run from age thirty one to age thirty five for 83 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 1: him on paper, that expensive, expensive paper. He is the 84 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 1: type of guy that can help Yannis get there. Now, 85 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 1: this great guy has a chance to do it in 86 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 1: the playoffs to the west. Will rush On Rondo be 87 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:54,560 Speaker 1: the key to Kawhi, Leonard and Paul George closing out games? 88 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:59,159 Speaker 1: Somewhat similarly to Milwaukee, the Clippers offense can be very 89 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 1: predictable to games and it can get stagnant DRAI like toast, 90 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:08,719 Speaker 1: they can fall flat, and Rondo, well, he is the 91 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:12,080 Speaker 1: opposite of predictable. Relying on him too much though, might 92 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 1: be a mistake at this point of his career, but 93 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:16,040 Speaker 1: I can definitely see a scenario where he comes off 94 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:18,760 Speaker 1: the bench to start games but finishes games next to 95 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 1: Kawhi and Paul George. He got one game in with 96 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:24,800 Speaker 1: the Clippers this past weekend, and after just one game, 97 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 1: Paul George had this to say about he and Kawhi 98 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 1: and how they could benefit from Rondo quote, I think 99 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:35,240 Speaker 1: we can reserve more energy. I relate it to the 100 00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:38,680 Speaker 1: relationship I have with Russell Westbrook. Russ created a lot 101 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 1: of close out situations for me, and so it'll be 102 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:43,919 Speaker 1: the same thing with Rondo. Rondo can get to the 103 00:05:43,960 --> 00:05:46,479 Speaker 1: middle of the paint, he can make plays, and a 104 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:49,719 Speaker 1: lot of times he's going to create closeout situations for us. 105 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 1: End quote. In theory, it makes sense in practice when 106 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:55,480 Speaker 1: teams are laying off Rondo or he's having an off 107 00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 1: night finishing, when he takes that space and drives to 108 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:02,560 Speaker 1: the whole well. It can't wait to see if Tylu 109 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:05,280 Speaker 1: will play with that fire and test out how much 110 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:09,640 Speaker 1: Rondo can help in late game situations. Next up are 111 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 1: the Hornets playoff chances shot. I think it's time to 112 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:18,039 Speaker 1: let out a teal tier. It's unfortunate the Jordan meme. 113 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:21,039 Speaker 1: It's overused, but this is the perfect time to roll 114 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:24,400 Speaker 1: at JD there it is. First it was LaMelo Ball's 115 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:27,160 Speaker 1: broken wrist, but more importantly, now Gordon Hayward is out 116 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:29,920 Speaker 1: their actual best player, not just their internet best player. 117 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:31,920 Speaker 1: He's out at least four weeks with a foot spring 118 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 1: could be more. He'll be reevaluated in four weeks. These 119 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:37,599 Speaker 1: two injuries are going to be too much to overcome, 120 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:40,599 Speaker 1: at least for the locked in spots, the top six 121 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 1: spots in the conference. That seems out of question in 122 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:45,960 Speaker 1: the East, considering that they are sixth right now, but 123 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:47,920 Speaker 1: they still have a good shot at making the play 124 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:50,159 Speaker 1: in tournament, and come to think of it, that's where 125 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:53,360 Speaker 1: they belong, right. They're a play in tournament kind of team. 126 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 1: They'll be incredibly fun in single elimination matchups. North Carolina 127 00:06:57,720 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 1: as a college basketball state, they will hopefully have Hayward 128 00:07:01,680 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 1: and Ball back for that. So maybe it's meant to 129 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:08,279 Speaker 1: be this way. Thanks NCAA Groundhog. Yeah, back to that guy. Look, 130 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 1: this hurts. These injuries definitely hurts. They have all the 131 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:16,520 Speaker 1: tools to be everyone's second favorite team. The dunks, the announcers, 132 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:21,679 Speaker 1: the flashiness, the uniforms, the small marketness. Small market definitely 133 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:24,640 Speaker 1: not a word. But because it's the East, they can 134 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:27,440 Speaker 1: still be our play and tournament team. They can still 135 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:30,240 Speaker 1: get there, all right. Last question here today in the East, 136 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:33,960 Speaker 1: are there any legitimate Eastern Conference threats outside the top 137 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 1: three of Philly, Brooklyn and Milwaukee. The West has players 138 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:41,720 Speaker 1: up and down the standings. The las Utah Phoenix MVP 139 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:45,239 Speaker 1: candidates sit fourth and sixth in the standings in Jokic 140 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:49,480 Speaker 1: and Lillard. But the East is far different. It's different, 141 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:52,239 Speaker 1: but not in a good way. It's a major glut 142 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:55,240 Speaker 1: from four to eight or nine. No one can pull 143 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 1: away into home court advantage because no one has been 144 00:07:57,760 --> 00:08:00,800 Speaker 1: good enough. The inexperienced Hawks are in the four seed 145 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 1: right now. They're playing well. The experienced Heat are fifth. 146 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 1: They just scrape by. They will hang with the greats 147 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:08,440 Speaker 1: of the conference. But I think the team with the 148 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:13,320 Speaker 1: highest ceiling still sits in eighth, the Celtics. I'm holding 149 00:08:13,360 --> 00:08:16,760 Speaker 1: out hope they're better than their record, even if they're 150 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:19,760 Speaker 1: just five hundred and down in the standings. There was 151 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:22,080 Speaker 1: a glimmer this past weekend. There's a glimmer of hope. 152 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:25,680 Speaker 1: When Kemba Walker made that gorgeous wrap around pass to 153 00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:28,960 Speaker 1: Jalen Brown out at the three point line, all the 154 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:34,400 Speaker 1: hearts in Boston swelled, and so did the objective basketball fans. 155 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:38,760 Speaker 1: Because the Boston Celtics have the potential. Will Kemba Walker 156 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:41,480 Speaker 1: be able to play to that potential. That's a huge question. 157 00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:45,320 Speaker 1: They haven't been able to find it yet, but they 158 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 1: could be good. Maybe that Glimmer was in Kemba Walker's 159 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 1: smile and he and Jalen Brown shared a little moment 160 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 1: after that pass. It was wonderful. They've injected a little 161 00:08:54,559 --> 00:08:57,520 Speaker 1: youth into their lineup with Robert Williams and Romeo Langford. 162 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 1: They are an enigma, but there is still time to 163 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:05,680 Speaker 1: get together, especially in the Eastern Conference. How much time? 164 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:10,960 Speaker 1: Six weeks? Six weeks. Of course, there are more questions 165 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:14,559 Speaker 1: to be answered, but we'll start there. We'll continue with 166 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 1: some winners and losers on the No Dunks Daily Show. 167 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 1: What happened over the weekend. We will get to that. 168 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:23,960 Speaker 1: I'll be back with you tomorrow to give you the 169 00:09:24,240 --> 00:09:26,959 Speaker 1: news as fast as I possibly can. I'll talk to 170 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:27,320 Speaker 1: you then