1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:05,320 Speaker 1: Oh you didn't know. Well, they could never stop this show. 2 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:12,879 Speaker 1: We're back. Maybe the Nuggets. No, you didn't know you Sorry, Oh, 3 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 1: I got a news slash for you. But it seems 4 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:18,000 Speaker 1: like what we've been thinking all along. It's probably said 5 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:20,120 Speaker 1: to happen with the Nuggets and Celtics, just on some 6 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:25,599 Speaker 1: kind of collision course again this June. But there's still there. Yeah. 7 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:28,159 Speaker 1: You know, if there's some teams out there that you 8 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 1: don't want to voice their opinion, maybe they have something 9 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:33,559 Speaker 1: to say. And we have well great guests to discuss 10 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:37,159 Speaker 1: that with today. NBA writer Tony Jones on today's episode, 11 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 1: I'm Miles Gray and I'm Drack O'Brien and this kid 12 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:42,720 Speaker 1: is Miles. 13 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:44,640 Speaker 2: Busty. 14 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:52,120 Speaker 3: Do I look at the kay. 15 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:58,960 Speaker 1: Be driving Spinny boys got up with five. 16 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:07,800 Speaker 4: He's gonna try another, great, mister, bron James, to be honest. 17 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:12,959 Speaker 1: Tony Jones, NBA writer for The Athletic, You're covering both 18 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:18,000 Speaker 1: the Utah Jazz and the and the Beat, the Denver 19 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 1: Nuggets and of course the NBA at large. Thank you 20 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: so much for joining us again. Man, have you been. 21 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 4: Thank you so much. I expected confetti, so I'm just 22 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 4: a little disappointed. But hey, this is perfect, man. I 23 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:31,679 Speaker 4: appreciate y'all, thanks for having me. 24 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, we had a bit of a mishap our last episode. 25 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 1: Our air cannon that launched it injured my neighbor, so 26 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:38,880 Speaker 1: flew in there. 27 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:40,960 Speaker 2: Yeah yeah, yeah it got nasty. 28 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 1: That sounds yeah, But luckily this is an audio podcast, 29 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:47,840 Speaker 1: so it was just only for past cast Blake Wexler to. 30 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:49,960 Speaker 3: Be traumatized by. But yeah, we're here, We're all right, 31 00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 3: We're all right, We're all right. Where do we Where 32 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 3: do we start? Where do we start? Should we start 33 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 3: with the Nuggets? Are they just inevitable? I guess since 34 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 3: the last time we recorded, the Nuggets beat the Celtics 35 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 3: pretty I mean it was a good game. Yeah, I 36 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:10,639 Speaker 3: mean the I think both teams were like treating it 37 00:02:10,960 --> 00:02:13,240 Speaker 3: like an important game, like it was maybe a preview 38 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:15,760 Speaker 3: of what we're going to be seeing in a couple 39 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:20,360 Speaker 3: of months, and the Nuggets just I don't know, a 40 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:22,799 Speaker 3: lot of people are like, it's inevitable at this point, 41 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:24,640 Speaker 3: the Nuggets are going to do it again. 42 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 5: I don't know if that's necessarily the case, but they did. 43 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 5: I'm personally rooting for whoever's not the Celtics and so 44 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:35,560 Speaker 5: that that gave me a little bit of ease as 45 00:02:35,600 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 5: well as a fan sided article I'm going to talk 46 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 5: about a little later on. But would you see Tony. 47 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:41,960 Speaker 4: You know, that's a good question, whether I think is 48 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:45,080 Speaker 4: in whether I think the Nuggets are inevitable in the 49 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 4: Western Conference, And you know, I think the thing that 50 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:50,919 Speaker 4: we have to acknowledge is that they're the best team 51 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 4: in the Western Conference, right, Like they are definitely the 52 00:02:53,919 --> 00:03:00,960 Speaker 4: best team. But the other question is, you know, cam 53 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:04,119 Speaker 4: Phoenix knocked them off. Are they capable of knocking them off? 54 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 1: The phoenis Yeah, the Timberwolves. 55 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:14,640 Speaker 4: Or the Oklahoma City Thunder, you know, capable of knocking 56 00:03:14,639 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 4: them off. And you know, I don't know, like I 57 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:21,760 Speaker 4: would favor Denver in every series in the Western Conference 58 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 4: that they that they could that they could face for 59 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:31,840 Speaker 4: different reasons. And you know, I think I think the 60 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 4: Celtics should be inevitable in the Eastern Conference. Like I 61 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:40,800 Speaker 4: don't think that there's any team that's you know, playing 62 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 4: on their level in the Eastern Conference or at that level. 63 00:03:44,680 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 4: Maybe Milwaukee could get there because you know, Damian Lillard 64 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 4: is such a playoff riser, you know, but this seems 65 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:56,000 Speaker 4: like the Celtics cheer, and this seems like the year 66 00:03:56,080 --> 00:03:58,640 Speaker 4: where you know, if they don't at least get to 67 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 4: the finals, know that that should be a loss. It 68 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:04,360 Speaker 4: should be considered a lost year for them. So, you know, 69 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 4: I do think that the West is a little bit 70 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 4: more murky. I think it's a little bit more it 71 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 4: should be more competitive, But I do I do think that, 72 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:15,840 Speaker 4: you know, going into the playoffs, that Denver should be 73 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 4: the favorite in the Western Conference. 74 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:22,920 Speaker 5: The West is so bizarre, like the Golden State Lakers 75 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:27,599 Speaker 5: Sons are ten, nine and eight, like that's and then 76 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:30,200 Speaker 5: Dallas that's the play in those are the playing teams 77 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:34,280 Speaker 5: right now, and then you know, it's just nobody knows 78 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:37,719 Speaker 5: anything obviously heading into the season. But I don't think 79 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:41,720 Speaker 5: many people had Okay, see Minnesota, the Clippers as three 80 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 5: of the top four teams, so it is very strange. 81 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:49,039 Speaker 5: And then Denver seems like this island of predictability in 82 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 5: the middle. 83 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:49,960 Speaker 2: Of it all. 84 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:54,600 Speaker 5: So we'll we'll see. But I am counting on Jokic 85 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:57,599 Speaker 5: to carry the day against the Celtics if it does 86 00:04:57,640 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 5: come to that. 87 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:00,440 Speaker 1: There is I wonder, like, do you think there's this 88 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:03,719 Speaker 1: thing that because it feels so inevitable. Whenever there's anything 89 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:05,440 Speaker 1: other than like a victory, people are like, I don't 90 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 1: know what's going on with the Nuggets, man, like, because 91 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:09,599 Speaker 1: they're like eleven and two, so it's the All Star 92 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 1: break and like those two losses were that Kyrie left 93 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:15,800 Speaker 1: hand or from another dimension? 94 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:16,640 Speaker 2: I was. 95 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 5: I was impressed by that, Miles, you were less impressed 96 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:19,560 Speaker 5: by that. 97 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:22,320 Speaker 1: Look like I said, I could do that, you know 98 00:05:22,320 --> 00:05:25,320 Speaker 1: what I mean. Over Jokic, come on, and you're like 99 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:27,520 Speaker 1: hot hands, I'm like, but that's what you have to 100 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: do to win the game, you know what I mean? 101 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:31,600 Speaker 2: And that winning. 102 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:34,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm sorry, how how would you have done it? 103 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:35,839 Speaker 1: Because that's no other way to do that except to 104 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:38,080 Speaker 1: be as audacious as as that man was there. And 105 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:39,600 Speaker 1: then the other one was like a but it was 106 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:42,159 Speaker 1: an overtime loss. But do you think there's something about 107 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:45,120 Speaker 1: that sort of like expectation that for for people who 108 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:48,040 Speaker 1: are watching and wanting the Nuggets to win that they're like, oh, man, 109 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 1: I don't know, man like it like it's almost too much, like, yeah, 110 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:52,719 Speaker 1: they're they're human beings. They're not gonna win. They're not 111 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:56,840 Speaker 1: gonna win. Out from here, there's gonna be anomalies or 112 00:05:56,880 --> 00:05:59,720 Speaker 1: you know, just just certain performances that kind of shake 113 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:00,000 Speaker 1: the try. 114 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:04,000 Speaker 4: Well. I think the thing that we have to, you know, 115 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:07,720 Speaker 4: consider in the Dallas game is that you know, Dallas 116 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:10,920 Speaker 4: raised their level the Denver's level. You know, I don't 117 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:15,000 Speaker 4: think that Denver played badly, and especially down the stretch, 118 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:19,040 Speaker 4: right like the last five minutes of the game, excluding 119 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:22,800 Speaker 4: the final possession where you know, Jamal Murray, you know, 120 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 4: a typically missed a fiftieth look, there was a really 121 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 4: good look. I was actually shot. The mistake of that 122 00:06:31,200 --> 00:06:33,840 Speaker 4: that possession was that Jamal Murray went so early that 123 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:36,440 Speaker 4: he should have went two seconds later. 124 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:39,680 Speaker 5: Yeah, but I wouldn't have gone that early, and I 125 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:42,680 Speaker 5: also would have made it. That was my two things. 126 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 5: You got to make too early, and I listen, it's 127 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:48,720 Speaker 5: hard for me to understand why you did it the 128 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:49,400 Speaker 5: way you did it. 129 00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 2: I would have tried to make it right. 130 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 4: Yeah, but yeah, Tony, but like you know, I was 131 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 4: shocked that he missed it. But you know, but beyond that, 132 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:05,520 Speaker 4: those that final possession, I mean, Denver got pretty much 133 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:08,600 Speaker 4: what it wanted down the stretch when it became winning time. 134 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:11,920 Speaker 4: You know, they got good shots, They made good shots. 135 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:14,560 Speaker 4: You know, Jamal hit the three. The possession before he 136 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 4: had another three, a couple of possessions before that, he 137 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:21,360 Speaker 4: had a layup possession before that, Jokic had an easy 138 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:25,880 Speaker 4: uh post up on Doncic. So that's you know, four 139 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 4: possessions and ten points in you know, the last two 140 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 4: or three minutes, you know, out of about four possessions. 141 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 4: You know, I think Denver scored you know, on a 142 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 4: number of consecutive possessions down the stretch, and they took 143 00:07:39,320 --> 00:07:42,440 Speaker 4: a four point they took a three point lead. Yeah, 144 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:45,600 Speaker 4: Dallas just raised their level, and Dallas played up to 145 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:47,960 Speaker 4: that level, which is what you have to do in 146 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 4: order to beat Denver. You know, Denver's never gonna play below. 147 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:55,679 Speaker 4: They're very rarely going to play below a certain level. 148 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:59,120 Speaker 4: And they're always you know, and obviously they can raise 149 00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:01,920 Speaker 4: their game to a level where, you know, it's hard 150 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 4: to read, it's hard for any other team to reach. 151 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:07,640 Speaker 4: But you know, like you said, they're eleven and two 152 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 4: beyond the All Star break, they're playing like the best 153 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 4: versions of themselves. You know, they began they began the 154 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:21,080 Speaker 4: quote unquote second half of the season, you know, multiple 155 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:24,960 Speaker 4: games behind the number one seed. You know they were. 156 00:08:25,120 --> 00:08:27,760 Speaker 4: They briefly took over the number one seed a couple 157 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:30,360 Speaker 4: of times in the last week. So, you know, I 158 00:08:30,400 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 4: think that Denver is happy with where they are. I 159 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:38,640 Speaker 4: think they're happy with how they're playing, and you know, 160 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:43,080 Speaker 4: I think that you know, the down the stretch, you know, 161 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:45,719 Speaker 4: they want to be playing like what they consider the 162 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:47,720 Speaker 4: best versions of themselves, and they want to be healthy. 163 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:49,400 Speaker 4: And I think that they're two for two in that 164 00:08:49,559 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 4: right now. 165 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:55,800 Speaker 5: Yeah, looking at the other team that they're you know 166 00:08:55,840 --> 00:09:00,840 Speaker 5: that we're talking about inevitability with the Cell to have 167 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:04,160 Speaker 5: won six straight, lead the Eastern Conference by ten games. 168 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:08,480 Speaker 5: The other thing that other than the so the Nuggets 169 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:11,200 Speaker 5: game made me feel a little bit like, Okay, maybe 170 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:13,000 Speaker 5: this isn't uninevitability. 171 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 2: The past couple episodes, we've talked about how. 172 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:21,000 Speaker 5: Their net rating is historically great, and usually teams like 173 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:24,760 Speaker 5: their top four I think, or they were pretty recently 174 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:27,559 Speaker 5: a top four net rating team, and like anybody in 175 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 5: the top ten is usually either winning the title or 176 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:35,920 Speaker 5: or losing Lebron getting losing to Lebron essentially, those are 177 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:40,040 Speaker 5: one thing. One analysis that I read this week that 178 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:43,360 Speaker 5: kind of made sense to me is that when you 179 00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:48,080 Speaker 5: look at those teams, their best player is almost always 180 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:53,640 Speaker 5: way better than the rest of their players, you know, 181 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:56,720 Speaker 5: Like it's the old cliche in the NBA is like 182 00:09:56,880 --> 00:09:58,720 Speaker 5: you want to gamble on the team with the best player. 183 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:00,920 Speaker 5: Whoever the best player is is gonna wing you the 184 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:05,000 Speaker 5: playoff series. And of the six teams to like finish 185 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 5: the season with a net rating of plus eleven or grader, 186 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:12,280 Speaker 5: their best players box plus minus is on average nine 187 00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:16,680 Speaker 5: point two, and the lowest from that group is Kevin 188 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:20,080 Speaker 5: Garnett having eight point two for the Celtics and seven 189 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:23,560 Speaker 5: oh eight this season. Celtics best players tatum at like 190 00:10:23,679 --> 00:10:29,760 Speaker 5: five point two, which is not like it's it's really good, 191 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 5: but it's not like elite. I think it's like eleventh 192 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:35,480 Speaker 5: in the league, So I guess it's elite, but it's 193 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:40,000 Speaker 5: not to the to the level that those top ten 194 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:44,360 Speaker 5: teams usually are. And that I guess that kind of 195 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:47,959 Speaker 5: coincides with what I see from the Celtics every season 196 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:51,280 Speaker 5: when they're expected, you know, the advanced stats are like 197 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:55,040 Speaker 5: they're gonna win the title. They go into the playoffs 198 00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 5: at feeling inevitable. The thing that'll usually derails them is 199 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:04,920 Speaker 5: that like at there's that moment when it's up to 200 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:08,560 Speaker 5: their best player to take over, and he just hasn't 201 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:11,640 Speaker 5: been able to do that. And I guess that's borne 202 00:11:11,640 --> 00:11:14,920 Speaker 5: out a little bit by the advanced stats, that like 203 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 5: they're the best team, one of the best teams ever 204 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:23,000 Speaker 5: because of how dominant there the rest of their team 205 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:27,320 Speaker 5: is and not their best player, which could be a 206 00:11:27,400 --> 00:11:29,679 Speaker 5: problem in the playoffs, I guess is the theory of 207 00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:32,760 Speaker 5: this fan sided article. We'll link off to in the footnotes. 208 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:35,280 Speaker 5: But I thought it was an interesting analysis. 209 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:38,760 Speaker 4: You know, I think it's an interesting analysis, and I 210 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:43,000 Speaker 4: think it's fair. But I think, you know, every case, 211 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:45,560 Speaker 4: you know, should be taken in and of itself. And 212 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:49,200 Speaker 4: if you look at what the Celtics are in the 213 00:11:49,280 --> 00:11:57,000 Speaker 4: Eastern Conference, and if you look at them realistically, realistically, 214 00:11:57,440 --> 00:12:00,959 Speaker 4: the only team that should be able on paper take 215 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:04,400 Speaker 4: them to seven is Milwaukee, just because you know, Giannice's 216 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:09,000 Speaker 4: is so great and he's always been, you know, a 217 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 4: playoff riser, and Damian Lillard, like I said, he's, you know, 218 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:16,040 Speaker 4: one of the best playoff riser. Is that that you know, 219 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:21,960 Speaker 4: we've seen in the last you know, ten or fifteen years. 220 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:28,880 Speaker 4: For what those metrics say to matter about Tatum, the 221 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:33,240 Speaker 4: series has got to be close. And if you're Boston 222 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:36,160 Speaker 4: and you get let's say you get Atlanta or you 223 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:39,360 Speaker 4: get you know, if they you know, let's say, let's 224 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:42,480 Speaker 4: give Miami a lot of respect and say they can 225 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:45,439 Speaker 4: take two games off of Boston. You know, it's it 226 00:12:45,679 --> 00:12:49,440 Speaker 4: still should be a multiple game series, and you know, 227 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:52,559 Speaker 4: they should be favored by multiple games over everybody they 228 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:58,520 Speaker 4: play and outside of you know, possibly Milwaukee and possibly Cleveland, 229 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:01,360 Speaker 4: you know, because I do you think that Donovan Mitchell, 230 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:04,560 Speaker 4: you know, it was also a playoff riser, and you know, 231 00:13:04,800 --> 00:13:07,840 Speaker 4: I think I do think that Cleveland's got, you know, 232 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:11,920 Speaker 4: the physicality to be able to to bother Boston. We 233 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:14,240 Speaker 4: know that Boston is a great regular season team and 234 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:17,880 Speaker 4: one of the greatest regular season teams of our time. 235 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:22,440 Speaker 4: And you know, we we also know what happened in 236 00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:26,480 Speaker 4: the Eastern Conference finals last year. I think that they're 237 00:13:26,480 --> 00:13:29,800 Speaker 4: a better team, significantly better team than they were last 238 00:13:29,880 --> 00:13:34,280 Speaker 4: year because you know, last year there was no christophs Porzingis. Yeah, 239 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:40,200 Speaker 4: so Boston still should win the East, even with those metrics, 240 00:13:40,240 --> 00:13:42,840 Speaker 4: even with the with what the metrics say, if it 241 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:45,880 Speaker 4: should matter, it should matter in the finals if they 242 00:13:46,400 --> 00:13:50,840 Speaker 4: played Denver on the margins. And that's what we saw 243 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:56,480 Speaker 4: in the two matchups with Denver and Boston. Denver won 244 00:13:56,880 --> 00:14:00,000 Speaker 4: by one or two possessions in both in both games 245 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:03,480 Speaker 4: because the margins mattered, and I thought that Denver was 246 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:05,760 Speaker 4: a little bit better on the margins than Boston was. 247 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:10,520 Speaker 4: So do I think it should matter? You know that 248 00:14:10,559 --> 00:14:13,839 Speaker 4: Tatum's a five point two in the playoffs, probably not 249 00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:16,640 Speaker 4: until the finals, and if they meet Denver there then 250 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:19,640 Speaker 4: then yeah, it possibly does matter because they won't have 251 00:14:19,680 --> 00:14:22,240 Speaker 4: the best player in the series, because Nicola Yogas will 252 00:14:22,280 --> 00:14:23,320 Speaker 4: be the best player in the series. 253 00:14:24,680 --> 00:14:26,880 Speaker 5: He's the best player in any series, because he's probably 254 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:29,080 Speaker 5: the best player in the league according to at least 255 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:33,440 Speaker 5: these advanced stats, which yeah, I mean backed up by 256 00:14:33,480 --> 00:14:37,040 Speaker 5: the eye tests as I don't usually say that, but 257 00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:40,560 Speaker 5: people who watch a lot of NBA basketball say that, should. 258 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:43,720 Speaker 2: We take a break, guys take a look around the league? 259 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:53,600 Speaker 5: Yeah, and we're back. 260 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:54,320 Speaker 1: We're back. 261 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:57,640 Speaker 5: You got to see Wemby in person recently. He keeps 262 00:14:57,640 --> 00:15:02,240 Speaker 5: having historic nights where he's like just the total of 263 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:08,080 Speaker 5: like points, field goal percentage, blocks, rebounds are three made. 264 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:11,640 Speaker 1: Just Yeah, every day it's like a new record broken 265 00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:13,640 Speaker 1: or I realized, yeah, yeah. 266 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:17,000 Speaker 5: But what what did it would you glean from watching 267 00:15:17,320 --> 00:15:18,840 Speaker 5: Wembyam in person? 268 00:15:18,920 --> 00:15:21,080 Speaker 2: Like I've heard he's pretty tall? 269 00:15:21,720 --> 00:15:24,200 Speaker 1: Oh my, is that true. 270 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 4: I've never seen anything like I've seen one. All right. 271 00:15:28,680 --> 00:15:31,760 Speaker 4: So at the very very very beginning of my career, 272 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:36,960 Speaker 4: like I'm talking fresh out of school, it's around two 273 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:42,320 Speaker 4: thousand and five, two thousand and six, and I interview 274 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:47,840 Speaker 4: Yao Ming, and Yao was taller than me while he 275 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 4: was sitting down. 276 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:59,000 Speaker 5: And that like me and my five year old Yeah right. 277 00:16:00,960 --> 00:16:04,920 Speaker 4: His legs were like thick, like tree trumps. Like that's 278 00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:08,120 Speaker 4: the other thing I noticed about, Like he just had 279 00:16:08,160 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 4: these very very thick legs. And you know, I've been 280 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 4: covering the NBA for a long time and beyond that, 281 00:16:16,960 --> 00:16:22,400 Speaker 4: the only time I've seen anything, you know, physically more 282 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:27,160 Speaker 4: outlandish or as ourlandish, was you know, watching Victor win 283 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:31,120 Speaker 4: Bayama walk two feet by me in an interview room 284 00:16:31,560 --> 00:16:34,120 Speaker 4: and he was almost as tall as the ceiling he 285 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:37,600 Speaker 4: had to duck. Again, I was just like, what a 286 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:40,920 Speaker 4: tall human being? And you know, for him to be 287 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:44,120 Speaker 4: that big, that's tall and to be able to handle 288 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:48,120 Speaker 4: the ball like a guard the way he does. I 289 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:52,640 Speaker 4: think that, you know, that's that's really really really amazing, right. 290 00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:57,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's just just in like the last thirty days, 291 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:00,240 Speaker 1: like there's always like a new thing where it's like, oh, yeah, 292 00:17:00,280 --> 00:17:03,080 Speaker 1: he's now thirty one points, twelve rebound, six assists, six 293 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:06,720 Speaker 1: blocks only Kareem and Kareem did that ten times, and 294 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:08,840 Speaker 1: he did that twice. David Robinson did that five times, 295 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:11,679 Speaker 1: Pakeem did that three times, Kat did it, Ad did it, 296 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:15,040 Speaker 1: Charles Barkley and they're like, and this is his rookie season. 297 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:16,080 Speaker 4: And then you go. 298 00:17:16,119 --> 00:17:18,920 Speaker 1: Even condensed like all in this like thirty day stretch, 299 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:24,960 Speaker 1: like the frequency which is happening. It's yeah, I don't 300 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:26,800 Speaker 1: really know what else to say except for like, yeah, 301 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:30,000 Speaker 1: he's it's truly making good on like the promise that 302 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:31,760 Speaker 1: at least we saw in all the speculation that was 303 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:32,480 Speaker 1: happening before. 304 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:36,160 Speaker 4: He end he's as good as as advertised. And yeah, 305 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:38,520 Speaker 4: you know, I think he affects every part of it, 306 00:17:38,560 --> 00:17:41,879 Speaker 4: every fast of the game. I think he does everything. 307 00:17:43,240 --> 00:17:45,040 Speaker 4: You know, when I wrote about him a couple of 308 00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 4: weeks ago, you know some of the things you know 309 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:54,720 Speaker 4: I asked him, you know, is your playbook so to speak, 310 00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:59,240 Speaker 4: opening up, you know, because you know he did limited 311 00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:03,000 Speaker 4: actions in November, but now you know, the Spurs are 312 00:18:03,080 --> 00:18:06,760 Speaker 4: running their offense to him now, and they're running dribble 313 00:18:06,760 --> 00:18:11,439 Speaker 4: hand they're running Dho's dribble handoffs with him, and you 314 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:14,680 Speaker 4: know he's directing the offense, you know, from the nail, 315 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:16,960 Speaker 4: you know, from the block they're putting, getting them in 316 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:19,720 Speaker 4: mid post and obviously he's doing this stuff facing the 317 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:25,040 Speaker 4: basket and above the arc, you know, so he's he's 318 00:18:25,119 --> 00:18:27,040 Speaker 4: kind of directing things a lot more. So you can 319 00:18:27,080 --> 00:18:32,480 Speaker 4: see the progression even from you know, November to now, 320 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:35,440 Speaker 4: and you can see how much of a significantly better 321 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:39,480 Speaker 4: player he is now. And you know, in the weeks 322 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:42,320 Speaker 4: since that article that I wrote about him, you know, 323 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:45,359 Speaker 4: he's that's that's when he's kind of really like blown up, 324 00:18:45,359 --> 00:18:48,119 Speaker 4: like having those thirty one twelve seven six type of 325 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:51,920 Speaker 4: games you know, with like five assists and three steals 326 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:56,840 Speaker 4: as well, he had five by five. You know, So 327 00:18:56,960 --> 00:19:00,000 Speaker 4: he's he's a I think he's going to get a 328 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:03,159 Speaker 4: quadruple double at some point in his career. You know, 329 00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:06,160 Speaker 4: he's he's a guy who's every bit is as good 330 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:07,919 Speaker 4: as has been advertised. 331 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:13,120 Speaker 5: Yeah, it's really fun. And it seemed like the Nets 332 00:19:13,160 --> 00:19:15,720 Speaker 5: game was particularly fun. If people didn't watch the highlights 333 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:19,200 Speaker 5: for that, go check it out. Because it also felt, 334 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:21,639 Speaker 5: for the first time, felt like the team was getting 335 00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:25,600 Speaker 5: him involved, Like you said, they're getting used to playing 336 00:19:25,640 --> 00:19:28,960 Speaker 5: with him enough to like get him involved and like 337 00:19:29,359 --> 00:19:32,960 Speaker 5: actually throw inbound passes to him, which seems like it 338 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:35,440 Speaker 5: should be easy since he can just like reach up 339 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:39,840 Speaker 5: and nobody can can get the ball. So but like 340 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:42,879 Speaker 5: there were some fun ALU plays and some fun like 341 00:19:43,240 --> 00:19:45,840 Speaker 5: hitting him as he was like storming to the basket 342 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 5: and like you know, dunking at his chin because that's 343 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:53,320 Speaker 5: like when he gets ahead of steam going and jumps 344 00:19:53,359 --> 00:19:56,359 Speaker 5: like it's the hoop is below his neck. 345 00:19:57,560 --> 00:20:00,760 Speaker 2: So yeah, I don't know, is it excit times. 346 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:04,440 Speaker 5: I'm really looking forward to seeing, like if they're able 347 00:20:04,440 --> 00:20:06,360 Speaker 5: to build around him, if they're able to like bring 348 00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:09,000 Speaker 5: a point guard in, if there are like some NBA 349 00:20:09,080 --> 00:20:11,439 Speaker 5: point guards who are like, man, this would be a 350 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:15,320 Speaker 5: really fun challenge, fun time, you know. Yeah, yeah, like 351 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:20,159 Speaker 5: getting to have him finishing everything around the basket like that. 352 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:23,880 Speaker 5: Who's who's the dream point guard to like pair with him? 353 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:25,800 Speaker 5: I feel like Chris Paul would be a lot of 354 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:26,720 Speaker 5: fun with him. 355 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:29,600 Speaker 4: Yeah, Chris Paul ten years ago would be a lot 356 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:35,919 Speaker 4: of fun. Yeah, you know, maybe Trey Young because I 357 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:39,720 Speaker 4: think Victor is good enough defensively to Mascus flaws and 358 00:20:39,880 --> 00:20:45,280 Speaker 4: oh yeah, and and Trey is so so good offensively, 359 00:20:46,119 --> 00:20:49,960 Speaker 4: and you know, he's he's a guy that that can 360 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:54,000 Speaker 4: carry you know, the offense on his own. And also 361 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:59,640 Speaker 4: you know, get Victor involved, you know. So I think 362 00:20:59,680 --> 00:21:02,960 Speaker 4: they he's a guy that that would be good, uh 363 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:07,280 Speaker 4: to play with him. Yeah, this will never happen, but 364 00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:11,520 Speaker 4: you know, s g A would be great to play 365 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:12,160 Speaker 4: with him. 366 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:14,520 Speaker 5: I think both those guys should be I think Chet 367 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 5: and uh Whyama should be on the same team. 368 00:21:18,520 --> 00:21:21,280 Speaker 4: Yeah, I don't know, because I don't think. I don't know. 369 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:23,600 Speaker 4: I don't know. First of all, I don't know that 370 00:21:23,600 --> 00:21:24,880 Speaker 4: those two like each. 371 00:21:24,720 --> 00:21:27,399 Speaker 5: Other, right, No, No, I'm just playing like that. It 372 00:21:27,400 --> 00:21:28,960 Speaker 5: would be very weird if they were on the same 373 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:29,480 Speaker 5: I mean, if I. 374 00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:33,520 Speaker 1: Was playing two k Yeah, I'm putting them on the absolutely. 375 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:36,199 Speaker 4: But you know what in real life, I mean basketball 376 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:40,240 Speaker 4: skill wise, they fit. I mean, yeah, you know. 377 00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:41,840 Speaker 2: They'd be tough, they'd be tough. 378 00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:44,400 Speaker 4: Yeah, it'd be really tough and it'd be really tough 379 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:45,320 Speaker 4: to score on them. 380 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 5: Yeah, all right, we got to talk about your Knicks 381 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:49,520 Speaker 5: because you are a Knicks fan. 382 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:52,479 Speaker 2: That's four straight. 383 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:58,120 Speaker 4: That's what I just played forty eight minutes. Now, go ahead, joke. 384 00:21:58,200 --> 00:21:59,119 Speaker 4: I'm sorry, But. 385 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:03,000 Speaker 2: How are you feeling heading towards the playoffs? 386 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:07,240 Speaker 5: I feel like Jaylen Brunson always overperforms in the playoffs. 387 00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:11,640 Speaker 5: The Knicks have one four in a row. They look 388 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:15,680 Speaker 5: tough there and fourth they would be playing the Magic 389 00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:20,600 Speaker 5: at this point in the matchup. How do you feel 390 00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:24,080 Speaker 5: about how the Knicks matchup and just how are you 391 00:22:24,119 --> 00:22:25,879 Speaker 5: feeling about them heading into the playoffs. 392 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:29,080 Speaker 4: We need to get out of the fourth seed and 393 00:22:29,119 --> 00:22:31,880 Speaker 4: get into the third seed so that we have way 394 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:33,160 Speaker 4: Boston in the second round. 395 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:35,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's the goal. 396 00:22:36,119 --> 00:22:40,280 Speaker 4: We need to get healthy, but apparently OG's elbow is 397 00:22:40,320 --> 00:22:43,320 Speaker 4: a strand of spaghetti at this point, you know, and 398 00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:46,080 Speaker 4: we don't know when Julius Randall's coming back. Like listen 399 00:22:46,119 --> 00:22:48,760 Speaker 4: on paper. If we get everybody healthy, you know, we've 400 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:52,320 Speaker 4: we've got a chance at least as punchers chance at 401 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:55,359 Speaker 4: least going to the to the Eastern Conference finals. You know, 402 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:59,560 Speaker 4: Jalen Bronson is has been so good It's been one 403 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:03,000 Speaker 4: of the biggest creating steals in a long time. Remember 404 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:04,600 Speaker 4: when we were like, do we really want to pay 405 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:07,920 Speaker 4: Jalen Brunson one hundred million dollars? Right now it looks 406 00:23:07,960 --> 00:23:12,000 Speaker 4: like a real bargain. You know, He's he's been terrific. 407 00:23:12,119 --> 00:23:16,520 Speaker 4: Dante Divincenzo's been terrific, Josh Hart has been, you know, 408 00:23:16,600 --> 00:23:20,760 Speaker 4: an absolute monster. Yeah, you know, but I worry about 409 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:24,840 Speaker 4: legs because you know, nobody in the starting lineup has 410 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:31,199 Speaker 4: come off the court in the last month as Tibbs 411 00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:34,000 Speaker 4: is wanting to do, we want to do and you know, 412 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:37,399 Speaker 4: and I worry about I worry about health, right like 413 00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:41,480 Speaker 4: you know, I think it's very concerning that Og came 414 00:23:41,560 --> 00:23:46,400 Speaker 4: back and lasted two games, yeah before he went back out, 415 00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:49,480 Speaker 4: And you know, we got to get Julius Randall healthy. 416 00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:52,679 Speaker 4: But and we got to get Mitchell Robinson healthy. But 417 00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:55,120 Speaker 4: if we can get those those guys, and we can 418 00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:57,359 Speaker 4: have all of our guys heading into the playoffs, I 419 00:23:57,400 --> 00:23:58,960 Speaker 4: feel good about our chances for sure. 420 00:23:59,640 --> 00:23:59,880 Speaker 1: Yeah. 421 00:24:00,520 --> 00:24:04,840 Speaker 5: I mean, Mitchell Robinson was possibly coming back, he's he's. 422 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:09,240 Speaker 4: There is there is hope that he can make it 423 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:11,520 Speaker 4: back by the play Wow, is. 424 00:24:11,640 --> 00:24:13,360 Speaker 1: A high school coach still living with him. 425 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:15,600 Speaker 4: That's a good question. 426 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:19,000 Speaker 1: I think the answer is yes, Yeah, I feel like yeah. 427 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:20,920 Speaker 1: I mean, look, I felt like Karmicle. I'm like, that's 428 00:24:20,920 --> 00:24:22,959 Speaker 1: a good look, man. I feel like the universe will 429 00:24:23,040 --> 00:24:25,320 Speaker 1: will smile upon you for your for your good deeds. 430 00:24:25,400 --> 00:24:28,239 Speaker 1: And then also, man the game against the Warriors, I 431 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:31,199 Speaker 1: was like, is is Steph Curry? Is that Steph Curry? 432 00:24:31,359 --> 00:24:35,200 Speaker 1: Or has Deuce McBride just completely? I mean, I love, 433 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:37,520 Speaker 1: I love that this guy shares my name, Miles McBride, 434 00:24:37,760 --> 00:24:40,280 Speaker 1: But what what's going on with him? Locked up? 435 00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:41,480 Speaker 4: Abron? Locked up? 436 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:42,360 Speaker 1: Yeah? 437 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:43,000 Speaker 4: I couldn't. 438 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:44,680 Speaker 1: I could not believe what was what was he putt 439 00:24:44,680 --> 00:24:47,119 Speaker 1: in eight eight from twenty ors eight for twenty and 440 00:24:47,160 --> 00:24:49,119 Speaker 1: then like four from thirteen from deep. 441 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:52,199 Speaker 5: The league has, uh, there are something. There is some 442 00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 5: speculation that the league has tipped the balance of how 443 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:58,200 Speaker 5: they're calling games a little bit and letting letting defenses 444 00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:00,960 Speaker 5: get away with a little bit more. And I do 445 00:25:01,040 --> 00:25:05,160 Speaker 5: feel like if anybody is going to profit off of that, 446 00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:09,320 Speaker 5: it is going to be the Knicks and a Tom 447 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:12,439 Speaker 5: Thibodeaut team like the Knicks, regardless, just like it's in 448 00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:15,800 Speaker 5: the DNA of the franchise and then a Tom Thibodeau 449 00:25:15,920 --> 00:25:19,720 Speaker 5: team like it's just gone there, like, oh yeah. 450 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:22,760 Speaker 4: Only hopes is that they let us drive basketball and 451 00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:26,399 Speaker 4: drag basketball back into the nineties. When we are in 452 00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:30,480 Speaker 4: seven games, seventy nine to seventy six, right right, that's 453 00:25:30,560 --> 00:25:33,040 Speaker 4: my only hope. Then we'd have a chance for a championship. 454 00:25:33,680 --> 00:25:34,440 Speaker 2: That would be fun. 455 00:25:34,920 --> 00:25:35,680 Speaker 4: That would be fun. 456 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 5: We're on the floor. I still remember that Sports Illustrated cover. 457 00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:39,680 Speaker 2: Amazing. 458 00:25:40,119 --> 00:25:42,800 Speaker 5: All right, enough about the teams we do there, there 459 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:46,520 Speaker 5: have been two plays from this week that stopped the 460 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:51,080 Speaker 5: world in their tracks that we wanted to review as 461 00:25:51,119 --> 00:25:58,120 Speaker 5: if short films. Anthony Edwards just absolutely detonated on John 462 00:25:58,200 --> 00:26:02,240 Speaker 5: Collins where he took look off from It's just it's 463 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:06,120 Speaker 5: one of the wildest things I've ever seen, Like truly, 464 00:26:06,720 --> 00:26:08,800 Speaker 5: it's it's up there with some of the plays that 465 00:26:08,800 --> 00:26:11,399 Speaker 5: we've talked about with like Jaw where he jumps up 466 00:26:11,440 --> 00:26:13,880 Speaker 5: and grabbed that ball with two hands and then just 467 00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:18,280 Speaker 5: like kept going up, just ascending into the rafters. Yeah, 468 00:26:18,320 --> 00:26:24,880 Speaker 5: this just feels otherworldly. It doesn't make sense. It's so athletic. 469 00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:26,080 Speaker 2: So it's like. 470 00:26:26,040 --> 00:26:29,560 Speaker 1: Also like it's like the MJ and Space Jam dunk. Yeah, 471 00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:32,000 Speaker 1: you know what I mean, does he have enough arm? 472 00:26:32,080 --> 00:26:36,040 Speaker 1: And he just said yes, there's plenty. I mean, like, yeah, 473 00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:39,399 Speaker 1: looking at all, the images of it are just it's icon. 474 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:42,639 Speaker 1: Even from the way Collins was on the ground, I 475 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:44,480 Speaker 1: know he like hit his head or whatever, but the 476 00:26:44,560 --> 00:26:46,760 Speaker 1: pose of him, like it looked like he was baring 477 00:26:46,800 --> 00:26:48,680 Speaker 1: his head in his hands, as if he's like, why 478 00:26:48,720 --> 00:26:50,879 Speaker 1: did I make a terrible business decision like that? 479 00:26:52,880 --> 00:26:55,760 Speaker 5: I've never identified more with an NBA player than John 480 00:26:55,800 --> 00:27:00,600 Speaker 5: Collins in that moment. Just how you feel like, that's 481 00:27:00,640 --> 00:27:03,840 Speaker 5: exactly how I would react. I think he was reacting 482 00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:06,000 Speaker 5: that way because like he got a finger in the eye. 483 00:27:06,280 --> 00:27:08,439 Speaker 5: But that's just what I would do every time. I 484 00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:09,680 Speaker 5: got done so hard that. 485 00:27:09,560 --> 00:27:13,320 Speaker 1: It dislocated Anthony's Edward Singer, that's how hard that impact was. 486 00:27:13,400 --> 00:27:14,960 Speaker 1: But yeah, I mean, yeah, it. 487 00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:16,240 Speaker 2: Was just go full. 488 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:18,280 Speaker 5: I would sit on the ground, put my head in 489 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:20,160 Speaker 5: my hands, and then take off one of my shoes. 490 00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:25,200 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, I would be over Yeah, yeah, yeah, I would. 491 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:26,960 Speaker 1: I would hire lawyers to be like, you have to 492 00:27:26,960 --> 00:27:29,360 Speaker 1: get this image scrub from the internet. There's too much 493 00:27:29,400 --> 00:27:35,080 Speaker 1: I can't. Yeah, yeah, exactly, something like that. You gotta 494 00:27:35,119 --> 00:27:36,560 Speaker 1: hi you gotta have a good team of lawyers to 495 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:39,600 Speaker 1: sort of obscure that. But yeah, that's definitely. I mean, 496 00:27:39,600 --> 00:27:41,480 Speaker 1: we've had so many dunks this year. I mean even 497 00:27:41,560 --> 00:27:44,280 Speaker 1: last week, who was it, Jalen Greens dunk we were 498 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:48,320 Speaker 1: talking about, there's just been so many, so much slamage. 499 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:52,840 Speaker 1: As they say, this slamage has been absolutely off the charts. 500 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:54,560 Speaker 1: I'm yeah, we're gonna have to do a whole episode 501 00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:56,560 Speaker 1: even just trying to figure wrap our heads around it. 502 00:27:56,560 --> 00:27:59,760 Speaker 1: But how's that rank for you, Tony? That Anthony Ambler's done. 503 00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:04,919 Speaker 4: It was one of the best dunks I've ever seen overall, 504 00:28:04,960 --> 00:28:08,000 Speaker 4: and probably the best dunk I've ever seen live. And 505 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:15,480 Speaker 4: I would probably say, like it's not as good as 506 00:28:15,880 --> 00:28:20,440 Speaker 4: what Vince Carter did the Frederick Wece that Okay, yep, 507 00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:22,479 Speaker 4: that for me was always going to be probably going 508 00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:23,160 Speaker 4: to be number one. 509 00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:26,399 Speaker 5: Where he jumped over him, he just cleared him. 510 00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:32,520 Speaker 4: Yeah, but you know there, so first of all, I'm 511 00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:35,000 Speaker 4: a shameless plug. Everybody go to the Athletic and read 512 00:28:35,040 --> 00:28:38,560 Speaker 4: my story on that dunk, Okay, because I have a 513 00:28:38,600 --> 00:28:40,960 Speaker 4: story up in the Athletic right now about that dunk 514 00:28:41,360 --> 00:28:44,120 Speaker 4: Anthony ever was over John Collins. Second of all, I've 515 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:47,040 Speaker 4: come to get to know John a little bit through 516 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:51,360 Speaker 4: covering him. So shout out to my man John. Pull 517 00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:52,520 Speaker 4: one out for John. 518 00:28:55,400 --> 00:28:58,080 Speaker 2: Every text was you want to see a dead body? 519 00:28:58,280 --> 00:29:02,040 Speaker 4: Yeah, everybody, Yeah, you know this, you know, was was 520 00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:05,160 Speaker 4: that on this for my homies? Just pull one off 521 00:29:05,200 --> 00:29:09,120 Speaker 4: of John? You know. But the third thing is, you know, 522 00:29:09,760 --> 00:29:12,959 Speaker 4: it was more than just the dunk. You know, Uh, 523 00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:17,400 Speaker 4: Minnesota was running in mud like all night and what 524 00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:22,680 Speaker 4: Edwards did it, you know, threw some juice into them. 525 00:29:23,120 --> 00:29:25,640 Speaker 4: And then what he did after the dunk, which is 526 00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:29,600 Speaker 4: just take over the game with you know, an assortment 527 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:34,400 Speaker 4: of jump shots and and terrific defense and rebounding the 528 00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:38,200 Speaker 4: ball and you know, playmaking for his teammates. You know, 529 00:29:38,360 --> 00:29:40,800 Speaker 4: he you know, it wasn't just the dunk. He really 530 00:29:40,800 --> 00:29:43,920 Speaker 4: took over that game afterwards, and you know, he ran, 531 00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:46,720 Speaker 4: He runs back to the locker room, he pops the 532 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:50,040 Speaker 4: finger back in, he runs back to the free throw line, 533 00:29:50,440 --> 00:29:53,120 Speaker 4: he takes the free throw, and then he keeps playing. 534 00:29:53,960 --> 00:29:54,160 Speaker 1: You know. 535 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:57,920 Speaker 4: And I asked multiple guys in the Timberwolves locker room 536 00:29:57,960 --> 00:30:00,360 Speaker 4: if they had seen that before, and you know the 537 00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:05,400 Speaker 4: answer was was no except for one. Monte More has 538 00:30:05,400 --> 00:30:07,600 Speaker 4: told me that a guy named Doug Anderson from his 539 00:30:07,680 --> 00:30:13,400 Speaker 4: hometown of Flint, Michigan, had a dunk that was just 540 00:30:13,520 --> 00:30:16,600 Speaker 4: as good. Anthony was also told me that he did 541 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:19,640 Speaker 4: a dunk like that in high school at Holy Spirit 542 00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:22,000 Speaker 4: Prep down in Georgia when he was a sophomore in 543 00:30:22,040 --> 00:30:25,280 Speaker 4: high school. He was like, that wasn't the only time 544 00:30:25,320 --> 00:30:26,800 Speaker 4: I did that. I did that in high school. He 545 00:30:26,840 --> 00:30:29,280 Speaker 4: was like, all the big schools was there. I was, so, 546 00:30:29,360 --> 00:30:32,920 Speaker 4: I said, Anthony, I said, oh, you started getting recruited 547 00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:35,760 Speaker 4: after that, you started getting and then he was like, 548 00:30:36,360 --> 00:30:41,000 Speaker 4: I already had letters answer. 549 00:30:41,040 --> 00:30:43,600 Speaker 1: Is that so very Anthony Edwards answer. 550 00:30:43,640 --> 00:30:45,560 Speaker 5: I liked that, but it is it kind of reminds 551 00:30:45,560 --> 00:30:48,000 Speaker 5: me of the jaw thing, that two handed block, because 552 00:30:48,120 --> 00:30:51,200 Speaker 5: it also came at comes at this moment as he's 553 00:30:51,240 --> 00:30:54,960 Speaker 5: like kind of ascending to a new level of just dominance, 554 00:30:55,360 --> 00:30:58,280 Speaker 5: you know, and being like somebody that is a bunch 555 00:30:58,280 --> 00:31:01,600 Speaker 5: of people's favorite player in the league, and there's just 556 00:31:01,640 --> 00:31:04,280 Speaker 5: like more and more people falling in love with him, 557 00:31:04,280 --> 00:31:06,600 Speaker 5: and then like this moment just kind of brings everything 558 00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:11,080 Speaker 5: together and it's like the probably most seen clip on 559 00:31:11,160 --> 00:31:12,560 Speaker 5: the internet last night. 560 00:31:12,640 --> 00:31:13,360 Speaker 2: I mean, maybe not. 561 00:31:13,720 --> 00:31:17,120 Speaker 5: For all day yesterday because of course Kate Middleton was 562 00:31:17,680 --> 00:31:19,600 Speaker 5: spotted Spottish grocery store. 563 00:31:19,600 --> 00:31:22,280 Speaker 1: Part I think it's doing better numbers now. Actually, if 564 00:31:22,280 --> 00:31:24,320 Speaker 1: you add up to different angles that people watch, I 565 00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:27,120 Speaker 1: think it does. It does eclipse the Middleton. 566 00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:30,120 Speaker 4: I got a question for you guys. I mean, it's like, 567 00:31:30,160 --> 00:31:32,520 Speaker 4: when Lebron and stuff retire, is he the face of 568 00:31:32,560 --> 00:31:35,200 Speaker 4: the league? Like I really think he could be. I 569 00:31:35,200 --> 00:31:40,400 Speaker 4: think he's got the combination of he's going to be 570 00:31:40,920 --> 00:31:45,160 Speaker 4: good enough as a player, combined with how charismatic he is, 571 00:31:45,520 --> 00:31:48,600 Speaker 4: right in terms of you know, he's going to be marketable, 572 00:31:48,760 --> 00:31:50,960 Speaker 4: he's going to be and I think they you know, 573 00:31:51,080 --> 00:31:53,680 Speaker 4: he's going to be a guy that that would have 574 00:31:53,760 --> 00:31:57,080 Speaker 4: no issues embracing everything that comes with that. 575 00:31:57,960 --> 00:32:01,360 Speaker 5: Well, when Lebron retires, he's going to be in Anthony 576 00:32:01,480 --> 00:32:05,040 Speaker 5: Edwards is going to be in his early forties, so right, Yeah, 577 00:32:05,440 --> 00:32:08,480 Speaker 5: I don't know, you have to see how how he's 578 00:32:08,480 --> 00:32:12,200 Speaker 5: gonna last because Lebron Lebron's not going anywhere. 579 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:15,400 Speaker 1: But yeah, I mean I think it's definitely possible. Yeah, 580 00:32:15,480 --> 00:32:19,520 Speaker 1: he's got the he has the magnetic personality where you 581 00:32:19,640 --> 00:32:21,080 Speaker 1: just like you just want to hear what he has 582 00:32:21,120 --> 00:32:24,440 Speaker 1: to say, and he's really witty. I think, uh, you know, 583 00:32:24,520 --> 00:32:27,120 Speaker 1: he's had he's he's still growing up. I think that's 584 00:32:27,120 --> 00:32:29,280 Speaker 1: the one thing Lebron had sort of locked down the 585 00:32:29,320 --> 00:32:32,000 Speaker 1: second he entered the league, Like he was just polished, 586 00:32:32,080 --> 00:32:34,600 Speaker 1: you know, he's so polished as like a media personality. 587 00:32:35,280 --> 00:32:38,000 Speaker 1: Anthony is a little bit more raw, but I think 588 00:32:38,040 --> 00:32:40,120 Speaker 1: that's also part of his appeal. So I don't know 589 00:32:40,120 --> 00:32:42,440 Speaker 1: if he'll be exactly quite the same, but I but 590 00:32:42,760 --> 00:32:45,080 Speaker 1: he definitely has the tools to be sort of like 591 00:32:45,160 --> 00:32:46,920 Speaker 1: the poster child of the league for sure. 592 00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:54,360 Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean Jannis obviously, uh Luka Jokic and and him, 593 00:32:54,600 --> 00:32:56,560 Speaker 5: like we need we need an American in there. 594 00:32:56,800 --> 00:32:57,680 Speaker 2: He's he's going to be. 595 00:32:59,120 --> 00:33:02,040 Speaker 1: But like Luke and Joker are too cool with it, 596 00:33:02,200 --> 00:33:05,000 Speaker 1: you know what I mean, They're they're kind of they're 597 00:33:05,080 --> 00:33:05,720 Speaker 1: kind of like you know. 598 00:33:05,720 --> 00:33:09,719 Speaker 4: What Joker in the hotel commercials with Peyton was wasson. 599 00:33:10,520 --> 00:33:13,080 Speaker 4: Yokich is a lot more charismatic than I thought he 600 00:33:13,120 --> 00:33:17,120 Speaker 4: would be. Oh yeah, I think those commercials are witty 601 00:33:17,160 --> 00:33:19,160 Speaker 4: and I think they're funny, and I think, you know, 602 00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:20,800 Speaker 4: I think they've been fun to watch. 603 00:33:21,040 --> 00:33:23,360 Speaker 1: Right, I guess, Yeah, the other thing is like, what 604 00:33:23,480 --> 00:33:25,880 Speaker 1: do I mean? It also felt like John Morant could 605 00:33:25,880 --> 00:33:29,600 Speaker 1: have also been that person too, maybe will be Yeah, 606 00:33:30,160 --> 00:33:33,080 Speaker 1: it's hard to know. Again, some people are polished though, 607 00:33:33,120 --> 00:33:35,760 Speaker 1: Some people are polished, and I think that's kind of 608 00:33:35,840 --> 00:33:37,560 Speaker 1: I think that's the biggest difference maker, you know what 609 00:33:37,600 --> 00:33:39,560 Speaker 1: I mean? More than anything, it's because even funny, because 610 00:33:39,600 --> 00:33:41,800 Speaker 1: even it's wild though too, because Anthony Edwards has those 611 00:33:41,840 --> 00:33:44,480 Speaker 1: moments too, where he's like doing postgame interviews He's kind 612 00:33:44,480 --> 00:33:46,880 Speaker 1: of saying stuff. You're like, all right, bro, we get it, 613 00:33:46,920 --> 00:33:49,120 Speaker 1: we get it, we get it. But it's also the 614 00:33:49,360 --> 00:33:52,280 Speaker 1: that's the fun of Anthony Edwards though too, in contrast 615 00:33:52,320 --> 00:33:55,120 Speaker 1: with those other persons. Yeah, yeah, all right, let's take 616 00:33:55,120 --> 00:33:55,800 Speaker 1: a quick break. 617 00:33:56,120 --> 00:33:56,760 Speaker 2: We'll come back. 618 00:33:56,800 --> 00:34:00,200 Speaker 5: We should talk Pels and we should get into the 619 00:34:00,240 --> 00:34:02,840 Speaker 5: fastest segment and podcasting shouldn't. 620 00:34:02,440 --> 00:34:03,760 Speaker 1: Well yeah, I think we should. 621 00:34:04,120 --> 00:34:14,560 Speaker 2: All right, we'll be right back, and we're back. 622 00:34:14,680 --> 00:34:15,880 Speaker 1: We're back, We're back. 623 00:34:15,960 --> 00:34:16,839 Speaker 2: And the Pelicans. 624 00:34:16,960 --> 00:34:20,920 Speaker 5: So the reason the Suns, Warriors and Lakers are you know, 625 00:34:21,239 --> 00:34:24,279 Speaker 5: hoping to stay in the play in game at this 626 00:34:24,440 --> 00:34:31,120 Speaker 5: point is because teams like the Pelicans are you know, 627 00:34:31,200 --> 00:34:35,560 Speaker 5: ascending past them. The Pelicans are currently forty one twenty six, 628 00:34:35,640 --> 00:34:38,520 Speaker 5: fifth in the West, right on the heels of the Clippers, 629 00:34:38,560 --> 00:34:41,320 Speaker 5: who are forty two and twenty five. Beat the Clippers 630 00:34:41,320 --> 00:34:45,799 Speaker 5: in the season series three to one. Zion isn't the 631 00:34:45,800 --> 00:34:49,600 Speaker 5: best shape he's been in this year. It's kind of 632 00:34:49,640 --> 00:34:52,280 Speaker 5: maybe the best shape we've seen him in. Has reportedly 633 00:34:52,320 --> 00:34:55,080 Speaker 5: lost twenty five pounds since the end season tournament when 634 00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:57,560 Speaker 5: he was getting a lot of side eyes from people. 635 00:34:58,160 --> 00:35:01,239 Speaker 5: But yeah, he's just bring the ball up for them 636 00:35:01,640 --> 00:35:07,000 Speaker 5: a lot. And you know, Ingram just quietly putting up 637 00:35:07,120 --> 00:35:11,280 Speaker 5: twenty one six assists, five boards on forty nine thirty 638 00:35:11,280 --> 00:35:14,960 Speaker 5: six eighty splits and I don't know, they haven't been 639 00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:18,680 Speaker 5: to the playoffs since twenty one twenty two, so this 640 00:35:18,760 --> 00:35:22,120 Speaker 5: is exciting, exciting times for the Pelicans. Well, how are 641 00:35:22,160 --> 00:35:24,080 Speaker 5: you feeling? You think you think they can make some noise? 642 00:35:24,440 --> 00:35:26,600 Speaker 4: I think they're good enough to, you know, I think 643 00:35:27,000 --> 00:35:29,520 Speaker 4: a lot is a lot that happens with the Pelicans 644 00:35:29,600 --> 00:35:32,239 Speaker 4: is and a lot that's going to happen with you know, 645 00:35:32,280 --> 00:35:36,759 Speaker 4: the Western Conference. I think is going to be contingent 646 00:35:36,800 --> 00:35:39,280 Speaker 4: on who gets the number one two in three seeds 647 00:35:39,320 --> 00:35:43,160 Speaker 4: out of Denver, Minnesota and Oklahoma City. I think the 648 00:35:43,320 --> 00:35:47,160 Speaker 4: order of which they fall is going to determine a 649 00:35:47,200 --> 00:35:51,240 Speaker 4: lot in terms of what happens in the playoffs. Because 650 00:35:52,000 --> 00:35:56,320 Speaker 4: here's the thing, I would not write off the Warriors 651 00:35:56,400 --> 00:36:01,279 Speaker 4: or the Lakers because as flow as those teams are 652 00:36:01,280 --> 00:36:02,480 Speaker 4: in the regular season. 653 00:36:02,480 --> 00:36:06,440 Speaker 1: Very flawed, very flawed, the playoffs. 654 00:36:06,040 --> 00:36:11,759 Speaker 4: Are a different game. And as long as Lebron is 655 00:36:11,800 --> 00:36:13,880 Speaker 4: playing at this level, and as long as Steph is 656 00:36:13,920 --> 00:36:17,080 Speaker 4: playing at the level that he's playing at, and you know, 657 00:36:17,200 --> 00:36:19,520 Speaker 4: let's go Phoenix in there. As long as you know, 658 00:36:19,640 --> 00:36:22,239 Speaker 4: Book and Kevin Duran are playing at the level that 659 00:36:22,280 --> 00:36:25,000 Speaker 4: they're playing at. You know, same thing with Luca. It 660 00:36:25,040 --> 00:36:27,880 Speaker 4: doesn't matter if those guys are in the play and 661 00:36:28,040 --> 00:36:32,440 Speaker 4: those guys with those specific guys are capable of making 662 00:36:33,200 --> 00:36:37,279 Speaker 4: noise in the playoffs because all of those guys are 663 00:36:37,440 --> 00:36:43,440 Speaker 4: such good basketball players, and the playoffs are just a 664 00:36:43,560 --> 00:36:49,799 Speaker 4: drastically different thing than the regular season. So back to 665 00:36:49,280 --> 00:36:53,560 Speaker 4: the to the Pelicans, you know, there aren't many teams 666 00:36:53,840 --> 00:36:57,279 Speaker 4: that are deeper than them, more athletic than them collectively 667 00:36:59,040 --> 00:37:03,120 Speaker 4: their length at you know, so many spots. You know, 668 00:37:03,239 --> 00:37:08,279 Speaker 4: with Herb Jones, you know, basically at the two brandon Ingram, 669 00:37:08,280 --> 00:37:13,439 Speaker 4: at the three Trey Murphy the third, you know, even 670 00:37:13,520 --> 00:37:18,080 Speaker 4: Dyson Daniels. Then you know you got you know, Big 671 00:37:18,160 --> 00:37:22,720 Speaker 4: j V on the interior. You know, they can play 672 00:37:23,239 --> 00:37:29,319 Speaker 4: multiple styles of games. You know, volenteeris allows them to 673 00:37:29,360 --> 00:37:34,560 Speaker 4: play below the rim and allows them to play you know, 674 00:37:34,760 --> 00:37:38,920 Speaker 4: really physical, while you know, all of those wings allowed 675 00:37:38,960 --> 00:37:40,840 Speaker 4: them to play above the rim and allowed them to 676 00:37:40,840 --> 00:37:45,880 Speaker 4: play the entire court. You know. And CJ. McCollum is 677 00:37:45,880 --> 00:37:48,600 Speaker 4: is you know, a draftee scorer who's known, who has 678 00:37:48,719 --> 00:37:51,400 Speaker 4: been known to being a playoff riser. So you know, 679 00:37:51,560 --> 00:37:54,520 Speaker 4: they've got a lot of components. They've got a lot 680 00:37:54,560 --> 00:37:57,160 Speaker 4: of of talent. They've got a lot of length and 681 00:37:57,200 --> 00:38:02,040 Speaker 4: athleticism and depth, and you know Zion kind of ties 682 00:38:02,080 --> 00:38:06,200 Speaker 4: it in with you know, if he can be as 683 00:38:06,239 --> 00:38:08,560 Speaker 4: locked in as he has been over the last few months. 684 00:38:08,560 --> 00:38:11,239 Speaker 4: So you know, from me, New Orleans is definitely a 685 00:38:11,280 --> 00:38:12,000 Speaker 4: dangerous team. 686 00:38:12,760 --> 00:38:16,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I mean yeah, CJ. McCombs definitely come to life. 687 00:38:16,719 --> 00:38:16,920 Speaker 4: I was. 688 00:38:17,080 --> 00:38:18,920 Speaker 1: I caught their last two games and just even the 689 00:38:18,920 --> 00:38:21,600 Speaker 1: way Zion is playing man, because yeah, it's a lot 690 00:38:21,600 --> 00:38:23,440 Speaker 1: different than the guy who lost to the Lakers and 691 00:38:23,480 --> 00:38:26,000 Speaker 1: the plane and people are like, bro, what what's going 692 00:38:26,040 --> 00:38:29,200 Speaker 1: on with him and then that that's clearly a turning 693 00:38:29,239 --> 00:38:32,279 Speaker 1: point for him mentally, because I mean the way he's 694 00:38:32,320 --> 00:38:34,239 Speaker 1: putting pressure on the paint. You thought he was trying 695 00:38:34,239 --> 00:38:36,680 Speaker 1: to get graffiti off the wall. Does that work? It's 696 00:38:36,680 --> 00:38:40,120 Speaker 1: a pressure washer, right Lake? Okay, Yeah, yeah, Okay, I was. 697 00:38:40,160 --> 00:38:41,680 Speaker 1: I was workshopping that before the show. 698 00:38:43,280 --> 00:38:46,880 Speaker 4: Zion deserves a lot of credit because you know, I 699 00:38:46,920 --> 00:38:51,440 Speaker 4: think we we questioned his pride back in December. 700 00:38:51,280 --> 00:38:53,759 Speaker 1: Right r Lebron obliterated him. 701 00:38:53,920 --> 00:38:58,239 Speaker 4: Let's let's be real, like Lebron absolutely dominated him and 702 00:38:58,280 --> 00:39:01,560 Speaker 4: dominated the Pelicans in that game. And you know, because 703 00:39:01,560 --> 00:39:04,839 Speaker 4: it was the n season tournament, because there were no 704 00:39:05,040 --> 00:39:09,480 Speaker 4: other games to take attention off of that, Like everybody 705 00:39:09,560 --> 00:39:11,880 Speaker 4: saw it, all of them being like all of the 706 00:39:11,960 --> 00:39:14,960 Speaker 4: NBA as a community, We were all watching that, and 707 00:39:15,000 --> 00:39:18,040 Speaker 4: we all ran the twinter We all said the same thing, 708 00:39:18,160 --> 00:39:21,080 Speaker 4: like yo, when you like you can't let a guy 709 00:39:21,239 --> 00:39:23,520 Speaker 4: come and just like destroy you like this and not 710 00:39:23,600 --> 00:39:26,719 Speaker 4: fight back. And I think Zion took that. I think 711 00:39:26,719 --> 00:39:29,360 Speaker 4: he took it to heart, and I think he's gotten 712 00:39:29,360 --> 00:39:32,120 Speaker 4: into shape. I think that he took it personally, and 713 00:39:32,160 --> 00:39:34,360 Speaker 4: I think that he showed a lot of pride, and 714 00:39:34,400 --> 00:39:36,759 Speaker 4: that's what you want to see, right Like, you want 715 00:39:36,760 --> 00:39:39,960 Speaker 4: to see a guy, you know, fall down, but we 716 00:39:40,000 --> 00:39:42,000 Speaker 4: want to see the guy had the pride and the 717 00:39:42,080 --> 00:39:46,880 Speaker 4: competitiveness to get back up and and you know and 718 00:39:47,440 --> 00:39:50,200 Speaker 4: quote unquote fight back. And I think that's what Zion's done. 719 00:39:50,320 --> 00:39:51,880 Speaker 4: I think he deserves a lot of credit for that. 720 00:39:52,120 --> 00:39:54,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, especially too, when like there are people like Shaq 721 00:39:54,520 --> 00:39:57,879 Speaker 1: and Chuck would be like, man, if you just put 722 00:39:57,920 --> 00:40:00,279 Speaker 1: it together, man like, you have to want it and 723 00:40:00,320 --> 00:40:02,399 Speaker 1: that it's there are a lot of people have those 724 00:40:02,400 --> 00:40:04,400 Speaker 1: moments where they're like, yeah, this this is how you 725 00:40:04,400 --> 00:40:07,960 Speaker 1: differentiate yourself from other players from good to great. And yeah, 726 00:40:08,000 --> 00:40:10,160 Speaker 1: to see that kind of you know, not evolution, but 727 00:40:10,239 --> 00:40:13,040 Speaker 1: just to see him really like knuckle down and make 728 00:40:13,080 --> 00:40:15,800 Speaker 1: consistency his thing and work so hard, it's like, yeah 729 00:40:16,000 --> 00:40:18,920 Speaker 1: that it makes them. Yeah, I think that's I wouldn't 730 00:40:18,960 --> 00:40:22,239 Speaker 1: be surprised if they do something really fun. If again, 731 00:40:22,239 --> 00:40:23,840 Speaker 1: if they stay healthy, I feel like that's always the 732 00:40:23,840 --> 00:40:25,200 Speaker 1: caveat That's the. 733 00:40:25,160 --> 00:40:27,880 Speaker 4: Thing though, right Like, and that's where I made the 734 00:40:27,880 --> 00:40:32,360 Speaker 4: point with the top three seeds. You know, if it 735 00:40:32,400 --> 00:40:35,839 Speaker 4: feels like New Orleans is locked into that four or five, 736 00:40:36,760 --> 00:40:38,360 Speaker 4: right you know, maybe they can get up to the 737 00:40:38,400 --> 00:40:41,239 Speaker 4: four and steal home court away from the Clippers. But 738 00:40:42,040 --> 00:40:44,479 Speaker 4: you know, maybe they hit a slide and they fall 739 00:40:44,560 --> 00:40:48,200 Speaker 4: to six, but you know four as their ceiling, they're 740 00:40:48,280 --> 00:40:50,399 Speaker 4: likely going to be in that four or five. Right, 741 00:40:50,680 --> 00:40:53,640 Speaker 4: It's a different Let's say they get past the Clippers. 742 00:40:54,080 --> 00:40:56,360 Speaker 4: It's a different feel in a different series if that 743 00:40:56,440 --> 00:41:02,839 Speaker 4: second round opponent is Oklahoma City, right, or if it's Denver. Right. 744 00:41:03,560 --> 00:41:06,440 Speaker 4: So that's why I said, I think you know wherever 745 00:41:06,480 --> 00:41:09,319 Speaker 4: that those first three seeds land, because they're all within 746 00:41:09,560 --> 00:41:11,880 Speaker 4: half a game of each other. I think it's going 747 00:41:11,960 --> 00:41:14,279 Speaker 4: to tell a lot with how the rest of the 748 00:41:14,320 --> 00:41:16,960 Speaker 4: West shapes out around Denver. 749 00:41:17,600 --> 00:41:20,400 Speaker 5: Yeah, well, I regret to tell you, Tony that you 750 00:41:20,520 --> 00:41:24,200 Speaker 5: have stepped into the fastest segment of podcasting. 751 00:41:24,360 --> 00:41:24,760 Speaker 2: Yeah. 752 00:41:24,880 --> 00:41:26,560 Speaker 1: I'm sorry to do this to you. Man, Sorry to 753 00:41:26,600 --> 00:41:28,839 Speaker 1: do this because we really enjoyed the conversation. But this 754 00:41:28,920 --> 00:41:32,480 Speaker 1: is the rapid fire round questioning. Okay, and you already 755 00:41:32,520 --> 00:41:35,160 Speaker 1: know the deal. We asked you a question. Just chest 756 00:41:35,200 --> 00:41:38,960 Speaker 1: pass it right back reflexively. Boom, think about it. Just 757 00:41:39,000 --> 00:41:40,040 Speaker 1: put it all on the line. 758 00:41:40,280 --> 00:41:42,359 Speaker 5: We don't even have time for the boom. Usually people 759 00:41:42,360 --> 00:41:44,160 Speaker 5: say bing bang boom, No, not even time. 760 00:41:45,560 --> 00:41:46,000 Speaker 1: I need the ball. 761 00:41:46,000 --> 00:41:51,840 Speaker 5: I need thank you, rock rock rock, right, that's me, 762 00:41:52,440 --> 00:41:53,440 Speaker 5: that's me on offense. 763 00:41:57,800 --> 00:42:02,920 Speaker 1: They're like, no, no, no, bro, you're not even in 764 00:42:02,920 --> 00:42:07,160 Speaker 1: the game, man, sit down, you're on the bench right now. Yeah, 765 00:42:07,400 --> 00:42:09,279 Speaker 1: I just want to get you ready for it. But 766 00:42:09,320 --> 00:42:12,280 Speaker 1: here we go, Tony. I hope you're ready. Are you ready? 767 00:42:12,520 --> 00:42:15,520 Speaker 1: Just confirmed? Okay? Well good because Bryan start the clock, 768 00:42:17,120 --> 00:42:22,560 Speaker 1: all right, quick, quick to we're going quick, Jack, you're 769 00:42:22,600 --> 00:42:26,120 Speaker 1: going first. I'm not going first. You go first already, Tony. 770 00:42:26,440 --> 00:42:29,280 Speaker 1: More likely to happen to why Pelican's Western Conference final 771 00:42:29,360 --> 00:42:31,560 Speaker 1: run or Knick's Eastern Conference final run. 772 00:42:31,640 --> 00:42:36,839 Speaker 4: Go Pelican's Western Finals run because they're deeper and there's 773 00:42:36,920 --> 00:42:38,320 Speaker 4: less of a chance that they get tired. 774 00:42:38,719 --> 00:42:41,640 Speaker 1: M But what about your Knicks, man, you're not even 775 00:42:41,640 --> 00:42:42,520 Speaker 1: feeling good about them? 776 00:42:42,640 --> 00:42:44,520 Speaker 4: Yeah, but I'm still an objective. 777 00:42:44,120 --> 00:42:48,960 Speaker 5: Journalists always surprises us, always surprises us in the playoffs. 778 00:42:49,080 --> 00:42:51,120 Speaker 1: So that's what I admire about our guests, who are 779 00:42:51,160 --> 00:42:54,000 Speaker 1: the journalists. The objectivity of it rather than the mental 780 00:42:54,000 --> 00:42:57,480 Speaker 1: illness of fandom doesn't make sense. Yeah, yeah, that makes 781 00:42:57,480 --> 00:42:59,080 Speaker 1: sense to me. It's kind of it sounds like you 782 00:42:59,080 --> 00:42:59,920 Speaker 1: don't believe in your squad. 783 00:43:00,960 --> 00:43:05,000 Speaker 5: Tony, you have a time machine. Congratulations. Unfortunately you have 784 00:43:05,080 --> 00:43:08,080 Speaker 5: to use it on something NBA related. To go back 785 00:43:08,160 --> 00:43:13,799 Speaker 5: and personally witness one of the following Wilt Chamberlain's one 786 00:43:13,880 --> 00:43:18,360 Speaker 5: hundred Game seven, two thousand Western Conference Final, Kobe de Shacklob, 787 00:43:19,480 --> 00:43:24,160 Speaker 5: Michael Jordan's final game as a Bull in Utah Game seven, 788 00:43:24,280 --> 00:43:28,480 Speaker 5: twenty sixteen Finals, the Lebron block, the LA block. 789 00:43:29,239 --> 00:43:35,400 Speaker 4: Wilt Chamberlain. Because NBA Twitter conspiracies there is trying to say, 790 00:43:35,880 --> 00:43:36,840 Speaker 4: because there's no. 791 00:43:37,480 --> 00:43:42,000 Speaker 6: Video and that it hasn't happened, So send me back 792 00:43:42,040 --> 00:43:46,600 Speaker 6: to Hershey, Pennsylvania in nineteen sixty two, the witness will 793 00:43:47,080 --> 00:43:48,040 Speaker 6: score on one hundred. 794 00:43:48,239 --> 00:43:50,480 Speaker 2: All right, yeah, yeah, yeah, Wilt's game. 795 00:43:50,520 --> 00:43:53,959 Speaker 5: I feel like we're it would be watching a lot 796 00:43:54,000 --> 00:43:56,680 Speaker 5: of like that play that they had with Wemby against 797 00:43:56,719 --> 00:43:58,319 Speaker 5: the nets where they just like threw it up and 798 00:43:58,360 --> 00:44:01,000 Speaker 5: he was just holding the ball all the way up 799 00:44:01,120 --> 00:44:04,080 Speaker 5: and people couldn't reach it. I feel like that would 800 00:44:04,080 --> 00:44:06,239 Speaker 5: be a lot of Wilt's one hundred, but it would 801 00:44:06,239 --> 00:44:06,960 Speaker 5: be worth seeing. 802 00:44:07,320 --> 00:44:09,600 Speaker 4: I think the biggest thing with Will's one hundred was 803 00:44:09,600 --> 00:44:12,600 Speaker 4: the fact that he couldn't shoot free throws. To save 804 00:44:12,640 --> 00:44:15,759 Speaker 4: his life, and he shot twenty eight for thirty two 805 00:44:15,800 --> 00:44:16,560 Speaker 4: from the free throw line. 806 00:44:16,560 --> 00:44:19,440 Speaker 1: I there it is. Yeah for that alone. You're like, 807 00:44:19,440 --> 00:44:21,799 Speaker 1: only missed four, but he scored one hundred points. Like, 808 00:44:21,840 --> 00:44:24,120 Speaker 1: but do you know about his free throw shooting one 809 00:44:24,200 --> 00:44:28,439 Speaker 1: hundred and four? Yeah? Right exactly. Okay. Tony ranked these 810 00:44:28,480 --> 00:44:34,720 Speaker 1: current duos in terms of your postseason expectations. Okay, Yoki, Chim, Murray, Luka, 811 00:44:34,880 --> 00:44:38,800 Speaker 1: Kyrie KD and Book, Maxie and Tobias Harris. 812 00:44:38,920 --> 00:44:40,080 Speaker 2: I added that last one. 813 00:44:40,320 --> 00:44:43,120 Speaker 4: I know, Maxie and Tobias Harris. 814 00:44:44,719 --> 00:44:46,440 Speaker 1: Okay, the objective, now the objective. 815 00:44:46,440 --> 00:44:51,040 Speaker 4: Now give me give me Murray Jokic thing. Wow, he 816 00:44:51,120 --> 00:44:57,720 Speaker 4: didn't give me. Didn't give me. Who was the fact? 817 00:44:58,160 --> 00:45:01,800 Speaker 1: Maxie and Harris? No, it was the Luca and Kyrie. 818 00:45:02,280 --> 00:45:03,840 Speaker 4: They give me Luca and Kyrie. Me. 819 00:45:03,880 --> 00:45:05,400 Speaker 5: You're gonna want to take a look at that Maxine 820 00:45:05,440 --> 00:45:06,040 Speaker 5: Harris again. 821 00:45:06,080 --> 00:45:07,120 Speaker 2: I feel like they're. 822 00:45:07,560 --> 00:45:11,279 Speaker 4: I'm just going to pick Maxie and Harris forth just 823 00:45:11,320 --> 00:45:11,879 Speaker 4: out of GP. 824 00:45:13,200 --> 00:45:17,560 Speaker 5: Okay, all right, okay, okay, okay, interesting interesting decision. 825 00:45:17,840 --> 00:45:19,880 Speaker 1: Look I took a shot jack, you know what I 826 00:45:20,040 --> 00:45:20,520 Speaker 1: mean to say? 827 00:45:20,760 --> 00:45:23,600 Speaker 2: All Right, your time machine still active. 828 00:45:24,040 --> 00:45:28,640 Speaker 5: You now have the ability to go back and use 829 00:45:28,640 --> 00:45:32,320 Speaker 5: a magic wand to grant Twitter to the world during 830 00:45:32,760 --> 00:45:37,320 Speaker 5: a moment during a single night, for one NBA game, 831 00:45:37,480 --> 00:45:41,319 Speaker 5: What one moment or a game from NBA history would 832 00:45:41,360 --> 00:45:43,279 Speaker 5: you have liked Twitter to have been around. 833 00:45:42,960 --> 00:45:47,640 Speaker 4: For Game six, nineteen eighty eight Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Lakers, 834 00:45:47,640 --> 00:45:50,560 Speaker 4: Isaiah Thomas cours twenty five in one quarter. 835 00:45:50,920 --> 00:45:54,240 Speaker 5: Yeah, on a turned ankle, Right, wasn't his ankle messed 836 00:45:54,280 --> 00:45:54,879 Speaker 5: up at that point? 837 00:45:55,160 --> 00:45:56,720 Speaker 4: It's severely sprained ankle. 838 00:45:56,960 --> 00:46:00,520 Speaker 5: Yeah, great, Yeah, that reminded me of me, really gutty 839 00:46:00,840 --> 00:46:03,800 Speaker 5: and just like skip my medi you know. 840 00:46:03,920 --> 00:46:09,160 Speaker 4: I want to show NBA Twitter why Isaiah Thomas is 841 00:46:09,160 --> 00:46:11,080 Speaker 4: the second best point guard in NBA history. 842 00:46:11,320 --> 00:46:13,280 Speaker 2: Wow, shots fired. 843 00:46:13,440 --> 00:46:19,680 Speaker 4: Nuts inspired just saying he's He's criminally underrated in terms 844 00:46:19,719 --> 00:46:24,399 Speaker 4: of the NBA Twitter. And I think NBA Twitter needs 845 00:46:24,400 --> 00:46:28,120 Speaker 4: to watch a full Isaiah Thomas game, right to get 846 00:46:28,120 --> 00:46:31,640 Speaker 4: a grasp of just how good that guy really was. 847 00:46:32,080 --> 00:46:34,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, number two behind Jalen Brunson. 848 00:46:34,440 --> 00:46:36,600 Speaker 4: Right, number two behind Jalen Brunson. 849 00:46:36,800 --> 00:46:39,960 Speaker 1: Ay. Now, which brings us to our next question and 850 00:46:40,000 --> 00:46:43,759 Speaker 1: the most important question, perhaps the final question. Tony, you're 851 00:46:43,760 --> 00:46:46,319 Speaker 1: in the sea and you're on a life raft, and 852 00:46:46,360 --> 00:46:49,680 Speaker 1: you come upon in the water two men struggling to 853 00:46:49,719 --> 00:46:56,160 Speaker 1: stay afloat, one Carmelo Anthony, the other Jalen Brunson. They 854 00:46:56,200 --> 00:46:58,600 Speaker 1: need help, but you can only fit one of them 855 00:46:58,640 --> 00:47:04,800 Speaker 1: in your life raft. Who do you say, Jesus, that's cool. 856 00:47:05,760 --> 00:47:07,960 Speaker 4: That's tough, and this. 857 00:47:07,880 --> 00:47:09,920 Speaker 5: Is going on your permanent record and it will be 858 00:47:09,960 --> 00:47:11,840 Speaker 5: sending your answer and adding them. 859 00:47:12,200 --> 00:47:15,200 Speaker 4: You're like, wow, because I love both of them as 860 00:47:15,200 --> 00:47:17,879 Speaker 4: a as a Knicks fan. Man, they both belove it. Man, 861 00:47:17,960 --> 00:47:22,560 Speaker 4: that's that's really tough. I'm gonna say Jaylen Brunson for 862 00:47:22,640 --> 00:47:25,799 Speaker 4: one reason and one reason only because Jalen Brunson is 863 00:47:25,880 --> 00:47:29,160 Speaker 4: still playing. Yeah, still has a chance to add to 864 00:47:29,200 --> 00:47:34,719 Speaker 4: his legacy. So theoretically I can still win an NBA 865 00:47:34,840 --> 00:47:37,120 Speaker 4: title with Jayleen Brunson. Wow. 866 00:47:37,800 --> 00:47:39,319 Speaker 1: And then you'd be like, Mellow, you get it, man, 867 00:47:39,360 --> 00:47:40,600 Speaker 1: you get it, bro, you. 868 00:47:40,600 --> 00:47:42,680 Speaker 4: Got it right, Like you know what I'm saying, Like 869 00:47:42,760 --> 00:47:45,640 Speaker 4: this is a Titanic women and children first, Yeah, that's 870 00:47:45,719 --> 00:47:48,200 Speaker 4: right because they still have a chance and it's well. 871 00:47:48,160 --> 00:47:50,440 Speaker 5: Not the oldest men, the old men went down with 872 00:47:50,480 --> 00:47:53,839 Speaker 5: the ship. Mellow, you get it. Yeah, not asking if 873 00:47:53,840 --> 00:47:56,040 Speaker 5: you get it, I'm telling you you get it as 874 00:47:56,080 --> 00:47:56,960 Speaker 5: I row away. 875 00:47:57,560 --> 00:48:01,440 Speaker 1: It's been a pleasure playing with you tonight, gentlemen, wait, 876 00:48:01,560 --> 00:48:02,960 Speaker 1: can we talk about this a little bit? 877 00:48:03,080 --> 00:48:06,080 Speaker 5: I said, it's been a pleasure playing with you. Mellow 878 00:48:07,400 --> 00:48:10,480 Speaker 5: please well, Tony Jones, what a pleasure. 879 00:48:10,239 --> 00:48:14,880 Speaker 2: Having you on. Thanks for doing it, man. 880 00:48:14,880 --> 00:48:17,759 Speaker 4: My guys appreciate y'all. Man, thank you so much. Shout 881 00:48:17,800 --> 00:48:19,800 Speaker 4: out to you guys, and shout out to Jabari Davis 882 00:48:19,840 --> 00:48:20,759 Speaker 4: for having me as well. 883 00:48:21,080 --> 00:48:24,840 Speaker 1: Before. Beware for the people that want to continue hearing you, 884 00:48:24,960 --> 00:48:26,600 Speaker 1: reading you all that kind of thing. Where do people 885 00:48:26,600 --> 00:48:29,200 Speaker 1: find you and and ingest your content? 886 00:48:29,840 --> 00:48:31,839 Speaker 4: You can find me at the Athletic and you can 887 00:48:31,840 --> 00:48:32,680 Speaker 4: follow me on Twitter. 888 00:48:32,680 --> 00:48:35,839 Speaker 1: It's T Jones on the NBA perfect well. You can 889 00:48:35,880 --> 00:48:39,400 Speaker 1: follow us on Twitter and you can follow our hashtag 890 00:48:39,440 --> 00:48:41,759 Speaker 1: on Twitter hashtag mad Boosti's v W S t I 891 00:48:41,840 --> 00:48:43,680 Speaker 1: E s. For show links and updates. You can follow 892 00:48:43,719 --> 00:48:46,040 Speaker 1: me on Twitter. I'm at Miles of Gray. 893 00:48:46,200 --> 00:48:49,800 Speaker 5: I'm at Jack Underscore O'Brien. 894 00:48:49,560 --> 00:48:51,800 Speaker 1: And that that's gonna do it for us this week. 895 00:48:52,239 --> 00:48:54,719 Speaker 2: That well, that's gonna do it. 896 00:48:55,000 --> 00:48:59,879 Speaker 1: That's about that well, or there will be continued Yeah, 897 00:49:00,040 --> 00:49:02,840 Speaker 1: there will be continued boosties and they will be mad 898 00:49:02,960 --> 00:49:13,400 Speaker 1: in it all right, we'll see anything Bye.