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Speaker 1: This is Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. Hello and welcome,

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Speaker 1: ladies and gentlemen, Straight Fire with me Jason McIntyre, Wednesday,

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Speaker 1: December twenty three. Happy holidays to everyone, Happy return of

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Speaker 1: the NBA, and to celebrate the return of the NBA,

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Speaker 1: we have a special guest. He's been on the pod before,

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Speaker 1: you know. I'm a big fan of his work. One

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Speaker 1: of the just top flight NBA reporters and uh blue

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Speaker 1: flame thinkers in the association. Brian Windhorst joining the podcast.

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Speaker 1: Will get to him shortly. I want to quickly talk

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Speaker 1: about the games. Offer two best bets for tonight in

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Speaker 1: the association. Remember subscribe, rate and review. To everybody traveling

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Speaker 1: for the holidays this week. First of all, be safe.

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Speaker 1: Second of all, what the hell are you doing traveling?

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Speaker 1: But if you must, thank you for listening to the podcast.

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Speaker 1: Um and hopefully you enjoy this stuff with wind horse later,

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Speaker 1: very thought provoking stuff. You will like it. All right,

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Speaker 1: let's quickly get to the Tuesday openers in the NBA.

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Speaker 1: Don't have a ton on the nets. Blood Bath of

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Speaker 1: the Warriors, other than it's pretty clear that the Golden

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Speaker 1: State Warriors without Clay Thompson are not very good. Now

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Speaker 1: they didn't have Draymond Green, so I don't want to

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Speaker 1: jump to conclusions here, but I mean, the talent level

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Speaker 1: just isn't there. I gave out a prop bet um

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Speaker 1: on my main man, Kelly Ubre, and listen, the shots

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Speaker 1: were there, the looks were there. He just didn't make anything.

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Speaker 1: You know, probably nerves in his first game out with

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Speaker 1: his new team. But Ubre, you know, looked a little shook. Uh.

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Speaker 1: The moment, as usual, was too large for Andrew Wiggins.

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Speaker 1: Steph Curry, he got his he was he was great

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Speaker 1: as usual, look look cool with his corn rows. But

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Speaker 1: the Warriors, I I don't know, Rob G. I want

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Speaker 1: to say it right now. I know you want to

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Speaker 1: make this season in indictment of Curry if he doesn't

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Speaker 1: make some noise with the Warriors, but no Clay Thompson,

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Speaker 1: and it's pretty clear to me this is gonna gonna

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Speaker 1: be an uphill climbed to the playoffs. I currently have

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Speaker 1: them not making the playoffs this year. Um, Listen, when

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Speaker 1: you're playing somebody named Toscano Anderson against Kevin Durant defensively

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Speaker 1: in the second quarter, it's gonna be a long season. Um.

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Speaker 1: I get it. Hey, Draymond Green was not there, and

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Speaker 1: you're starting a rookie. I think James Wiseman's nineteen years old.

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Speaker 1: By the way, Weiseman looked awesome. That guy is a freak.

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Speaker 1: I mean we knew that. We knew he was agile

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Speaker 1: and large, but that was at the college level. He

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Speaker 1: steps on the NBA court and he looks ready. I mean,

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Speaker 1: dude handles well in the open court. Had nineteen and six,

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Speaker 1: hit a three. UM. The free throw stroke is good,

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Speaker 1: but he missed fifty of them. Uh, Warriors just aren't

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Speaker 1: there yet. Steve Kerr played a ton of guys. Um,

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Speaker 1: he they got a lot to figure out. I really

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Speaker 1: thought this team would be a little better than in

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Speaker 1: this but there might have been playing like the third

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Speaker 1: best team in the league. So people are going to

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Speaker 1: freak out. Um, but there's no margin for error without Curry. Uh,

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Speaker 1: Draymond Green misses two weeks and like, forget about it, Like,

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Speaker 1: I mean, really, you just have no defense at all? Um,

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Speaker 1: What what sort of say about Kevin Durant. He looked incredible,

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Speaker 1: twenty two points in twenty five minutes. Kyrie Irving looked

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Speaker 1: like the ball dominant player that he is twenty six

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Speaker 1: points in twenty five minutes and they rolled. Um, I

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Speaker 1: don't know, Rob g Am, I missing anything on on

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Speaker 1: the nets, Like, you can't come out and say that

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Speaker 1: the best team in the in the East off basically

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Speaker 1: three quarters of basketball because the fourth was all bench warmers. Um,

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Speaker 1: they look good, you know that. I mean, do you

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Speaker 1: want to make any grand pronouncements about the Nets? Um? No?

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Speaker 1: I mean I put my official NBA predictions right before

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Speaker 1: tip off, and I have the Nets going to the finals.

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Speaker 1: And that's only based on what we saw from Kevin

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Speaker 1: duran in the preseason and it carried over because the

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Speaker 1: first game of regular season he looks like Kevin Durant

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Speaker 1: and so that was the big question mark. If he

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Speaker 1: looked like even of what he was, they were going

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Speaker 1: to be legit. And he looked like he's always looked.

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Speaker 1: You know, He's can shoot from anywhere, he can scorn anybody.

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Speaker 1: So you don't take anything from the big blowout victory

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Speaker 1: or a loss if you're the Warriors, you just look

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Speaker 1: for certain things like, hey, it's Kevin durantt moving well.

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Speaker 1: You know. Um, does Steph look overwhelmed a little bit

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Speaker 1: with his new teammates and not having as much freedom

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Speaker 1: to operate. And I think those are the things that

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Speaker 1: you look at for the big picture. But as far

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Speaker 1: as one game, I don't don't really take too much

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Speaker 1: out of it. Uh. The only interesting nugget I saw

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Speaker 1: was for the first time in NBA history a team

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Speaker 1: played fifteen players Brooklyn played. I had no idea, but

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Speaker 1: that is a thing that happened. Um, all right, let's

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Speaker 1: get to the main event. Clippers Lakers. This was a

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Speaker 1: pretty good game. I will say this right off the top.

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Speaker 1: Um Lebron turned an ankle in the fourth and it

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Speaker 1: didn't seem serious, but I think he came out with

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Speaker 1: like six or seven minutes left and didn't return. Hey,

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Speaker 1: it's a season opener. No need for Lebron to blow

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Speaker 1: attire and risk anything here. Um. I thought the Clippers

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Speaker 1: were gonna come out with a mindset of win the game.

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Speaker 1: They were pretty dominant. They hung thirty nine on the

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Speaker 1: Lakers in the first quarter. You know, I wrote about

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Speaker 1: this in my gambling preview for Fox sports dot Com

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Speaker 1: that the Lakers team has gone from a defensive minded

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Speaker 1: team under Frank Vogel. They were third in defensive efficiency,

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Speaker 1: first in blocks. I believe fifth in steels, and that's

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Speaker 1: all out the window. You know, Avery Bradley's gone, Danny

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Speaker 1: Green's gone, Rondo's gone, Dwight Howard, JaVale McGee. And you

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Speaker 1: bring in these offensive minded guys like Montrez Harrold and

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Speaker 1: Dennis Shrewder who aren't really known for defense, and that's

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Speaker 1: what you get. First quarter, first game, you give up

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Speaker 1: thirty nine points, a number you didn't give up in

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Speaker 1: the first quarter once last year. So that's just a

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Speaker 1: sign d of things to come. Clippers go for one

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Speaker 1: six team and win. And again no big sweeping conclusions. Okay,

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Speaker 1: I saw a stat on the telecast that the shortest

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Speaker 1: offseason in sports history was this NBA off season. I

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Speaker 1: saw it as seventy one days um and the Lakers

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Speaker 1: played in the final game of the finals, and they

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Speaker 1: played in the first game of the NBA season, So

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Speaker 1: I did not expect to win. Uh. Listen, they're playing

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Speaker 1: a top three team in the league. And I guess,

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Speaker 1: if you want to get minute rob g with some takeaways.

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Speaker 1: I thought Shrewder looked very good offensively. Uh, he looked active.

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Speaker 1: I thought Harold was out there playing with a purpose.

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Speaker 1: Both of them get double doubles, and I'm pretty confident

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Speaker 1: this Lakers team can hang with just about anybody in

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Speaker 1: the league. If Lebron doesn't play, I would still have

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Speaker 1: them with a d shrewder Harold and Company, as with

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Speaker 1: the Lebron as like h you know, probably like the

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Speaker 1: seventh best team in the NBA, and I think they

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Speaker 1: can hang with just about anybody in the league. If

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Speaker 1: Lebron were to, say, missed twenty games this season, rest, uh, injury, whatever,

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Speaker 1: I think the Lakers could be. Okay, that's how much

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Speaker 1: confidence I have. Kuzma. Um, you know looked all right. Uh,

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Speaker 1: you know, Horton Tucker kind of struggled early, probably picked

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Speaker 1: up like three thousand four minutes. Caruso, remember how Alex

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Speaker 1: Caruso rob g was at times the lakers third best

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Speaker 1: player last year in the playoffs, there was a couple

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Speaker 1: of games where it was like, oh, Caruso is the

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Speaker 1: third best guy on the team. He's now like tenth

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Speaker 1: in the rotation, maybe eleventh, and you know that's gonna

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Speaker 1: be something that he's gonna have to rectify. Um. You know,

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Speaker 1: KCP did not show well. Um, but again it's an opener.

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Speaker 1: I read nothing into this. I have no concern for

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Speaker 1: the Lakers. This is just the reality. They are gonna

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Speaker 1: be a team where you're gonna bet their overs this season,

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Speaker 1: they will be scoring a lot and not stopping people.

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Speaker 1: And I guess at this point I gotta pivot and say,

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Speaker 1: Paul George was awesome and Um, thirteen of eighteen, thirty

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Speaker 1: three points. He scored thirty three points on eighteen shots.

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Speaker 1: That is efficiency, my friends, That's like the opposite of

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Speaker 1: Russell Westbrook. Um, Paul George was the best player on

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Speaker 1: the floor. Kawhi Leonard twenty six points on twenty six shots. Um,

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Speaker 1: he still can't make a three to save his life.

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Speaker 1: One of eight. Um, he was a good player. But

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Speaker 1: I mean, if you want to make him the fulcrum

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Speaker 1: of the offense in the in the triangle, I don't

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Speaker 1: know how that's gonna work. Um. He if you notice,

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Speaker 1: he like didn't do a lot other than take a

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Speaker 1: lot of shots. I see two rebounds for Kawhi Leonaron

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Speaker 1: thirty four minutes. That's it. He was guarding Anthony Davis

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Speaker 1: a lot. Two rebounds. Um, it's a little bit surprised. Now, Again,

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Speaker 1: it's a marathon, not a sprint. YadA, YadA, YadA. Um,

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Speaker 1: Ultimately I think this is not gonna be The Clipper

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Speaker 1: started lineup right, they have too much firepower. When they

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Speaker 1: went to their bench in the second quarter of the

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Speaker 1: Lakers steam rolled him and got right back in it.

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Speaker 1: They were down twenty two at one point. Um, So

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Speaker 1: my guess is when the Morris twin comes back, but

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Speaker 1: tomb gets kicked to the bench, and then I think

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Speaker 1: Ibaka gets kicked to the bench and they start zoo Bach.

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Speaker 1: So you get like Ibaka, but Tom and Lou Williams

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Speaker 1: off the bench because otherwise their bench is terrible. But again,

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Speaker 1: no sweeping conclusions from Lakers Clippers. Um, Paul George, you know,

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Speaker 1: he got his contract and he got a lot of buckets.

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Speaker 1: And I will say this, my son, I told you

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Speaker 1: guys about our fantasy basketball draft and our team. Of course,

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Speaker 1: we scored the most points of any team in the

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Speaker 1: league last night. Um, Paul George had a monster night

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Speaker 1: for us. So my son, of course likes Paul George.

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Speaker 1: Now we're gonna have to figure that out. Uh, Dennis

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Speaker 1: Shrewder incredible performance and like it is cool and fun

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Speaker 1: to watch hoops with your kids and they're like, oh,

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Speaker 1: he got an assist, he got a rebound, yes, you know. Anyways,

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Speaker 1: Rob g Any big picture thoughts on Lakers Clippers after

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Speaker 1: one of seventy two. It definitely looked like a game

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Speaker 1: where the Lakers we're basking in their their championship glow.

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Speaker 1: Especially starting off. They didn't look like they were taking

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Speaker 1: serious at all and the Clippers were, so kudos to

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Speaker 1: them for getting the win. Um regular season, Paul George

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Speaker 1: is a monster. I mean, we we've talked about that before.

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Speaker 1: Is just get him in the playoffs and that's where

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Speaker 1: you have issues. So, I mean it was it was

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Speaker 1: digs begin I mean, in in any regular season matchup

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Speaker 1: with the Clippers, the Lakers are going to have some

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Speaker 1: issues with Paul George and Kauai because they just don't

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Speaker 1: have any wing guys like they have Lebron James, who,

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Speaker 1: as far as I could tell, I think maybe defended

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Speaker 1: Kauai like three times the whole game, Like he was

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Speaker 1: guarding Batum and they started out with I think k

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Speaker 1: CP on him, and then they put Anthony Davis on him.

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Speaker 1: But at that point, then who guards Paul George. They

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Speaker 1: used don't have any long rangey wing defender that's have

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Speaker 1: been an issue with them from last year too. So

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Speaker 1: it's not until the postseason or maybe later in the

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Speaker 1: spring with they're gearing up for the season where you'll

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Speaker 1: start to see Lebron guarding them. But you know in

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Speaker 1: these games like this where it's you know, the very

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Speaker 1: beginning of the season and maybe even to the dog days,

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Speaker 1: it's it's just the weird matchup for the Lakers. So

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Speaker 1: no big deal. Just one other quick note on Paul George. Um,

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Speaker 1: like I know people are gonna say, oh, he's regular

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Speaker 1: season Paul George rob g getting in his digs early

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Speaker 1: last year. Paul George Remember had shoulder surgery I think

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Speaker 1: on both shoulders, even if one was just to touch

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Speaker 1: up and not like a major reconstructive deal. Um that's

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Speaker 1: like a big deal. And he started the season kind

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Speaker 1: of slow. Um I he's coming into the season healthy. Um,

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Speaker 1: they had the extra time because they choked against the Nuggets. Um,

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Speaker 1: there need to be big things from Paul George. Remember Kauai,

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Speaker 1: we didn't really talk about it this week. Um, he's

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Speaker 1: gonna he was candid as we'll get too shortly with

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Speaker 1: Brian Winhorse, but kau I was honest, like he's gonna

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Speaker 1: opt out and see what happens at the end of

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Speaker 1: the year. Like I mean, if Paul George stinks up

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Speaker 1: the joint and quais like I can't win anything with

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Speaker 1: this guy, We'll see. So there is some pressure on

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Speaker 1: kauai here to deliver uh and stay uh and that

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Speaker 1: pressure sorry, We'll be on Paul George to you know,

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Speaker 1: raise his level of play. You can't be playoff Paul

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Speaker 1: George in the regular season. Uh. And expect Kawhi Leonard

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Speaker 1: to want to stick around, like you need to show up.

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Speaker 1: And I I've always thought Paul George top ten, top

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Speaker 1: twelve player in the league. I'm a fan. Um. I

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Speaker 1: think some of the other stuff irks me and everyone else.

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Speaker 1: But anyway, Rob g Um, overall, would you think of

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Speaker 1: the empty Staples Center and the crowd noise? I'm just curious, um.

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Speaker 1: I I liked what Brooklyn did where they made the

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Speaker 1: like the theater lighting and they had that screen so

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Speaker 1: it looked kind of like the bubble where everything was

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Speaker 1: closer together. I didn't like that. The Lakers normally they

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Speaker 1: do have that same kind of lighting, but in this

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Speaker 1: case it was a little bit brighter. In the back

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Speaker 1: so you could see the open seats they them covered,

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Speaker 1: But I didn't like the cavernists look to it. I

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Speaker 1: wish that they would have done a better job making

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Speaker 1: it look a little more intimate. But I'm sure that

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Speaker 1: they'll do that more as they realized how bad it

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Speaker 1: looks on TV that there's nobody in the stands. Yeah.

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Speaker 1: I also thought it was pretty weak that they were

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Speaker 1: piping in the crowd noise so loud in the bubble.

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Speaker 1: They didn't amp it up until like there were commercial

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Speaker 1: breaks and you could hear the chatter and the talking

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Speaker 1: and the whistles, and like there was a moment when

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Speaker 1: Montrez Harrold swatted the ship out of Patrick Beverley and

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Speaker 1: instantly there was words exchange, and like, I like that.

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Speaker 1: I want to hear some of that. And I thought

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Speaker 1: they overdid it with the crowd noise. I know there's

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Speaker 1: gonna be a happy medium this year. They're gonna have

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Speaker 1: to find it. It's game one. I'm not being overly critical,

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Speaker 1: just an observation. Alright, Quickly, we'll get to two best bets,

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Speaker 1: uh for Wednesday's NBA slate, And yes, we will be

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Speaker 1: doing a podcast for Thursday. That will be the last

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Speaker 1: one for the week. Um NFL picks Christmas Day, all

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Speaker 1: that fun stuff. But first, before we get to the

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Speaker 1: Brian Windhorse interview, just two quick best bets, um I

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Speaker 1: like the Charlotte Gordon Hayward LaMelo balls favored by two

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Speaker 1: in Cleveland. I think the Calves are a disaster. I

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Speaker 1: don't know how anybody can buy this team this year.

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Speaker 1: They're horrible. I'm all in on Gordon Hayward LaMelo ball,

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Speaker 1: a feisty backcourt. If they get anything from the front

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Speaker 1: court whatsoever, this team should be a playoff team. I'm

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Speaker 1: going with Charlotte favored by two on the road. And

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Speaker 1: my other bet, this line feels off. I feel like

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Speaker 1: maybe somebody big is out and I haven't noticed yet.

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Speaker 1: But how are the Bucks only three and a half

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Speaker 1: in Boston on opening? That makes no sense? Is the

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Speaker 1: Celtics team without Kemba Walker. I believe Tristan Thompson is

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Speaker 1: out as well, so it's gonna be Daniel Feace against

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Speaker 1: Janice and historically the Celtics have gotten murdered by Janice

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Speaker 1: and beat Any Biggs. What on earth is happening here?

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Speaker 1: What am I missing? Um So I'm gonna hammer away

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Speaker 1: at at Milwaukee minus three and a half in Boston,

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Speaker 1: um Drew Holiday making his debut for the Bucks. All right, now,

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Speaker 1: without further ado, let's get to Brian Windhorst, the New

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Speaker 1: York Times best selling author, ESPN insider, all around good guys,

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Speaker 1: smart guy, very intelligent, NBA stuff learned something, here's Windhorst.

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Speaker 1: Jason likes to think he knows everything when it comes

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Speaker 1: to sports. I know what sports fans want, but for

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Speaker 1: everything he doesn't. He knows a guy who does. Let's

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Speaker 1: just say I know a guy who knows a guy

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Speaker 1: who knows another guy. All right, let's welcome into straight Fire.

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Speaker 1: One of the best reporters on the NBA, one of

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Speaker 1: the best writers New York Times Bestseller List, one of

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Speaker 1: the few NBA podcasts that I actually listened to. I

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Speaker 1: know there's a lot out there, but this guy has

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Speaker 1: the best information. Brian Windhorst, ESPN, New York Times Best

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Speaker 1: Seller List. Um, Brian, how are you man? I'm fine, man? Thanks? Yeah,

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Speaker 1: how's the holidays going so far? I know you know

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Speaker 1: NBA is being rushed to the court, but I'm curious, like,

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Speaker 1: how has this impacted your reporting? Writing? Interviewing life as

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Speaker 1: it comes to the NBA, Well, everything is off rhythm.

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Speaker 1: So it's just a new normal. The new normal is

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Speaker 1: that there's no rhythm. So in a you know, in

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Speaker 1: sort of a strange way, every day is sort of

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Speaker 1: the same, you know. Um, uh, we're not what we

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Speaker 1: don't normally do you know? On one hand, um, I

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Speaker 1: have access now to all thirty teams interviews on any

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Speaker 1: one day, Like I can at ten o'clock be at

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Speaker 1: the Charlotte Hornet's interview session, at eleven o'clock, be at

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Speaker 1: the Celtics. Uh, four o'clock, be at the Lakers. But

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Speaker 1: on the other hand, you you really are limited. You know,

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Speaker 1: you really don't get private interactions. Um. You know, you know,

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Speaker 1: you you don't have the opportunity to talk to players

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Speaker 1: outside of the formal media windows. I mean, you know

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Speaker 1: there are players that you have their numbers, but you

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Speaker 1: know that's just it's not the same. And so I

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Speaker 1: spent all day long talking to agents, um executives and

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Speaker 1: some coaches trying to keep your trying to keep a

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Speaker 1: beat on the league. I mean, um, you know, in

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Speaker 1: in in in all honesty, we're very fortunate because we

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Speaker 1: can still do our jobs. I can still be on

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Speaker 1: television from my house. I can do podcasts from my house,

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Speaker 1: and I can watch the games, and I can do

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Speaker 1: the interviews and have and and and right stories. So

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Speaker 1: I have nothing to complain about. But in terms of

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Speaker 1: the quality of the work, and I think my most

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Speaker 1: of my brethren would agree the quality of the work,

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Speaker 1: especially the writing about the players. When you can't have

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Speaker 1: a face to face conversation with the bron James, I mean,

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Speaker 1: you can on zoom, but it's not the same associate

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Speaker 1: if you have a relationship there. You can't um talk

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Speaker 1: to a player in the corner of the lock room,

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Speaker 1: you know what, I'm looking for stuff that's not on

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Speaker 1: the recorder, uh, not on camera, And that's just been

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Speaker 1: blown away. And so the reporting on players, UH specifically

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Speaker 1: has suffered. But we're making the best of it. We

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Speaker 1: can all still do our jobs, and we're very fortunate

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Speaker 1: the NBA is journeying on definitely, UH one of the

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Speaker 1: things when I got out here to l a UH,

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Speaker 1: some of the folks at FS one would say, hey,

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Speaker 1: j you can go to Laker games. That's all fun

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Speaker 1: and cool, but the best stuff is right before the game.

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Speaker 1: And like the ninety minutes before tip off and I

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Speaker 1: started doing that. Uh. And I would see you Zach

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Speaker 1: low Wode, you know working you know, both sidelines, and

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Speaker 1: there's a lot of people willing to talk. Don't be

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Speaker 1: telling my my tradecraft that come on. I had players

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Speaker 1: come up, what's up? Jay? You know, friendly players, other people.

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Speaker 1: You know. I got the stinky from a Lonzo ball

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Speaker 1: a couple of times. But whatever. Um And and it

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Speaker 1: just felt like that's totally gone in so as a journalist, UM,

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Speaker 1: I guess working through text is good, but it's not ideal.

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Speaker 1: You don't have it's like, you know, everybody who can't

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Speaker 1: hang out on the road and get a drink and

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Speaker 1: go to dinner and that's where like a lot of

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Speaker 1: not deals are made, but the good stuff happens. Um.

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Speaker 1: So do you feel on text people are as forthcoming

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Speaker 1: or as they would be or over the phone mostly

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Speaker 1: it's I mean, yeah, we text obviously, but mostly its

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Speaker 1: conversations like this, you know, Um, I talk on the phone.

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Speaker 1: I mean, I think there's a lot of my brethren

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Speaker 1: who do a lot through text, and certainly I do too.

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Speaker 1: Just ask my wife. It drives are crazy. Um. But

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Speaker 1: I'm spend a lot of time I'm now talking on

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Speaker 1: the phone because I think that you know, that's important.

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Speaker 1: And you know, I think the difficulty is, you know,

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Speaker 1: you're probably not going to build relationships during this time.

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Speaker 1: You're gonna rely on your pre existing relationships. Um. And

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Speaker 1: that's just unfortunate for folks who don't have that. But

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Speaker 1: for people like whoas Um, he's able to just kick

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Speaker 1: everyone's behind even more because he has relationship. He has

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Speaker 1: everyone phone number and um, you know I have a

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Speaker 1: lot of phone numbers two and I'm I'm using them.

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Speaker 1: Trust me. There there have been days are in and

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Speaker 1: around free Agency. There were days where I talked to

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Speaker 1: executives from ten teams actually voice to voice on the phone.

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Speaker 1: And you know what which probably he's up up in

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Speaker 1: the twenties. Um. So uh, you know some of those

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Speaker 1: calls are you know, you don't get anything out of him,

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Speaker 1: but um somebody uh you know, you know some sometimes

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Speaker 1: you you you learn stuff. So um we you know

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Speaker 1: what I say that the NBA reporters do not have

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Speaker 1: anything to truly complain about. Some of them lost their jobs.

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Speaker 1: That's something to complain about. But for those of us

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Speaker 1: who are gainfully employed. All in all, it's okay. I

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Speaker 1: just think that all of us will prefer better quality.

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Speaker 1: I think most most of America will prefer better quality

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Speaker 1: and everything right now certainly all right, before we get

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Speaker 1: to specific teams and players, I gotta ask big pictures.

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Speaker 1: So the NBA ratings, you know, whatever, that's a discussion.

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Speaker 1: I don't personally don't care that much about any could

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Speaker 1: impact you know, uh, future TV deals could impact salaries.

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Speaker 1: But Brian, over the last decade, we've seen the narratives

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Speaker 1: in the NBA. Is this player gonna potentially form joined

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Speaker 1: forces with this player? That's driven a lot of the

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Speaker 1: talking points in the NBA, and with Janice now off

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Speaker 1: the table um, it basically has come down to does

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Speaker 1: Kawhi Leonards stay with the Clippers and maybe does James

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Speaker 1: Harten get traded? How much do you think that hurts

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Speaker 1: the league that there isn't as much of Could this

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Speaker 1: maybe happen? Could this player force his way out of

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Speaker 1: X City? Because it just doesn't seem like there's a

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Speaker 1: lot of it right now. Yeah. I mean, class, which

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00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:45,879
Speaker 1: at one time was pretty spicy, has been exploded because

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Speaker 1: not only have the top names signed, but they signed

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Speaker 1: a Long, Lebron Long, Davis Long, Paul Paul, George Long,

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Speaker 1: and even next sort of the second level guys. Um

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Speaker 1: really Gobert he extended, And I think there's a good

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Speaker 1: chance that Drew Holiday is going to extend, and not

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Speaker 1: that Drew Holiday is a franchise changing player. But that

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Speaker 1: just tells you. I mean, even even a guy like

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Speaker 1: Steven Adams I think was gonna be interesting free agent,

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Speaker 1: he extended his contract. So, um, you know, in all honesty,

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Speaker 1: there's not much there. Now. What I will say is this,

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Speaker 1: if you're gonna make a wager that the NBA won't

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Speaker 1: have drama, I'll take the opposite side of that bet.

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Speaker 1: So we may think that we don't see much action,

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Speaker 1: but I suspect we will see action. And the thing

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Speaker 1: about it is is that there are teams, glamour teams

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Speaker 1: that will have salary cap space next summer, and there

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Speaker 1: may be players who want to go be there. Maybe

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Speaker 1: players that are right now are perfectly happy. Um, so

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Speaker 1: I will wage your on there being drama. Let's let's

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Speaker 1: just see how it plays. I'll agree with you there.

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00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:58,240
Speaker 1: All right, Let's start with James harden Um. The latest.

423
00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:01,119
Speaker 1: You know this rocket stuff is a dis master. There's

424
00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:03,879
Speaker 1: reports that he was at a strip club this week

425
00:23:04,320 --> 00:23:07,600
Speaker 1: for stripper Christmas, all over Instagram and all this nonsense.

426
00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:12,520
Speaker 1: I gotta say, Brian, all signs are hardened. Is forcing

427
00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:16,439
Speaker 1: his way out? Um I just my gut tells me

428
00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:18,680
Speaker 1: no team is going to give up what Houston wants

429
00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:21,280
Speaker 1: right now. As we get closer to the trade deadline,

430
00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:25,000
Speaker 1: perhaps um I seem to be focusing in on Miami.

431
00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:27,440
Speaker 1: I think there's gonna be some regression from the heat.

432
00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:31,400
Speaker 1: Uh after going to the Championship, long season for them.

433
00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:34,199
Speaker 1: Do you think pat Riley is able to make a

434
00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:36,280
Speaker 1: play for James Harden. I did see your report that

435
00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:38,399
Speaker 1: those talks have broken off, But we know how the

436
00:23:38,480 --> 00:23:43,440
Speaker 1: NBA works, So I think right now, um uh, there's

437
00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:45,199
Speaker 1: a there's a number of teams that are sort of

438
00:23:45,240 --> 00:23:48,240
Speaker 1: hanging around the periphery who want to see if Houston's

439
00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:50,600
Speaker 1: price comes down, because the teams who have talked to

440
00:23:50,640 --> 00:23:54,000
Speaker 1: Houston have found that their price is very high. And

441
00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:56,840
Speaker 1: you know, look, he's under contract for two more years,

442
00:23:58,000 --> 00:24:01,439
Speaker 1: and um you know there's I understand why they're you know,

443
00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:03,640
Speaker 1: it's a it's a very very important trade for them.

444
00:24:03,760 --> 00:24:08,000
Speaker 1: This is going to be you know, I mean, look, uh,

445
00:24:08,040 --> 00:24:10,280
Speaker 1: you know, I know that they had yelling, um, but

446
00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:13,520
Speaker 1: you know they went between having the Chemala you onto

447
00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:16,680
Speaker 1: having James Harden having really you know, a top three

448
00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:19,440
Speaker 1: five player in the league, and uh, you know McGrady

449
00:24:19,440 --> 00:24:23,359
Speaker 1: but you know McGrady was McGrady was good, but he

450
00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:25,480
Speaker 1: wasn't quite that level. So you know, you trade away

451
00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:28,320
Speaker 1: James Harden, you know, you know, maybe you get lucky

452
00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:30,120
Speaker 1: in the lottery, but you know you might be looking

453
00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:32,160
Speaker 1: at twenty years before you have a player like this again.

454
00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:36,120
Speaker 1: So you've gotta be real careful with this trade. Um.

455
00:24:36,200 --> 00:24:39,359
Speaker 1: And that's why I think Houston is having very high

456
00:24:39,359 --> 00:24:43,080
Speaker 1: expectations so um. And so the difficulty with this is

457
00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:45,159
Speaker 1: is like I could sit here and tell you that

458
00:24:45,200 --> 00:24:46,879
Speaker 1: I think this is gonna take time, and then by

459
00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:50,320
Speaker 1: the time this podcast posts, it's done. Because that's you

460
00:24:50,359 --> 00:24:52,040
Speaker 1: know the nature of this is things changed. But my

461
00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:55,160
Speaker 1: feel from talking to teams out there that are involved

462
00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:56,760
Speaker 1: in this is that there's a little bit of a

463
00:24:56,840 --> 00:25:00,440
Speaker 1: weight back and see to see if Houston comes off

464
00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:03,320
Speaker 1: of its position a little bit. Now Houston will say

465
00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:06,239
Speaker 1: the exact opposite. We're gonna roll James Harden out there.

466
00:25:06,240 --> 00:25:08,920
Speaker 1: He's gonna start having big games. Your team isn't gonna

467
00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:10,320
Speaker 1: be as good as you thought it was, and you're

468
00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:13,040
Speaker 1: gonna come up to our price. And that's the nature

469
00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:14,879
Speaker 1: of of this talk. You know, he's he's in an

470
00:25:14,920 --> 00:25:18,560
Speaker 1: awkward spot when his contract because he's got two years left,

471
00:25:19,320 --> 00:25:22,359
Speaker 1: which means that they're not under the Kauai Leonard uh

472
00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:24,840
Speaker 1: you know gun. You know, the the Spurs had to

473
00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:28,520
Speaker 1: sell Kawai Leonard at a a real discount because he

474
00:25:28,520 --> 00:25:30,040
Speaker 1: had one you up on his contract. He was coming

475
00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:33,919
Speaker 1: off of a major injury. They couldn't get value for him.

476
00:25:33,960 --> 00:25:37,239
Speaker 1: Houston can get value. But at the same time, you know,

477
00:25:37,359 --> 00:25:42,560
Speaker 1: it's not like he's it's not like he's uh, you know,

478
00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:47,080
Speaker 1: he doesn't have the same you know, leverage because he's

479
00:25:47,119 --> 00:25:51,440
Speaker 1: got two years. But you'd also have to extend him

480
00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:53,000
Speaker 1: when you if you wanted to, and that would cost

481
00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:54,919
Speaker 1: you a hundred million dollars. Then you're extending him for

482
00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:57,800
Speaker 1: like when he's age thirty five, and so I don't

483
00:25:57,840 --> 00:25:59,879
Speaker 1: know even if you trade the farm for him, I

484
00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:02,120
Speaker 1: don't know if that's an automatic extension. I do think

485
00:26:02,160 --> 00:26:04,760
Speaker 1: if he got traded to Philly. I wouldn't be surprised

486
00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:07,840
Speaker 1: if Darrell extended him. But you know, so it's a

487
00:26:07,880 --> 00:26:10,040
Speaker 1: it's an you know that makes it even even more

488
00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:12,160
Speaker 1: awkward about how much you give up for a guy

489
00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:14,879
Speaker 1: where you may say, look, we may only want him

490
00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:17,480
Speaker 1: for these next two years, we may not want to

491
00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:20,280
Speaker 1: extend him. Um. So that I just think it's a

492
00:26:20,359 --> 00:26:23,639
Speaker 1: hard trade to get alignment on. I think it will happen.

493
00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:26,119
Speaker 1: I think it's a hard trade to get alignment. Is

494
00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:29,439
Speaker 1: the Kyrie Irving situation in Cleveland, the best apples to apples.

495
00:26:29,480 --> 00:26:32,639
Speaker 1: Kyrie of course threatened his way out, uh said I

496
00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:35,240
Speaker 1: will get surgery if you don't trade me, and then

497
00:26:35,320 --> 00:26:38,960
Speaker 1: was in Boston for two years and of course bounced. Yeah,

498
00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:41,960
Speaker 1: I don't know because frankly, Kyrie is not the player hardness.

499
00:26:42,720 --> 00:26:45,879
Speaker 1: You know, Harden is an m v P and you know,

500
00:26:45,920 --> 00:26:48,000
Speaker 1: a transcendent star and the other thing that I think

501
00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:50,920
Speaker 1: plays into the rockets hands here because of all these

502
00:26:50,920 --> 00:26:56,520
Speaker 1: guys coming off the board, especially honest, you know, the

503
00:26:56,600 --> 00:27:00,560
Speaker 1: available transcendent star player is James Hart. There's you know,

504
00:27:00,600 --> 00:27:02,280
Speaker 1: you know, you know, in a week, there's not gonna

505
00:27:02,280 --> 00:27:07,640
Speaker 1: be two or three available. So if you're if you're Houston,

506
00:27:07,640 --> 00:27:09,680
Speaker 1: you're saying, well, look, somebody out there is gonna want

507
00:27:09,680 --> 00:27:12,760
Speaker 1: a star player and they'll come to our price. And

508
00:27:13,320 --> 00:27:15,080
Speaker 1: you know, if you're if you're Houston and you're sitting

509
00:27:15,080 --> 00:27:17,040
Speaker 1: there watching Drew Holiday, you get traded for three three,

510
00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:20,119
Speaker 1: three first round picks and you saw what you know,

511
00:27:20,160 --> 00:27:24,000
Speaker 1: Anthony Davis got traded for the Lakers. I understand why

512
00:27:24,040 --> 00:27:26,439
Speaker 1: they're on this position, and you know they may end

513
00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:29,080
Speaker 1: up they may end up being right about that. Yeah.

514
00:27:29,119 --> 00:27:33,080
Speaker 1: So other than say Miami and um, Philly, is there

515
00:27:33,119 --> 00:27:37,000
Speaker 1: like a sleeper team any out there that we're maybe missing,

516
00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:40,520
Speaker 1: um who could shock everybody and just say, you know what,

517
00:27:40,520 --> 00:27:43,919
Speaker 1: we're gonna make a runner Harden. Yeah. I mentioned the

518
00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:47,960
Speaker 1: Denver Nuggets in my report yesterday. Um, the Nuggets are

519
00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:50,720
Speaker 1: one of those teams on the perip freight. Now, the

520
00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:54,639
Speaker 1: key player here is Michael Porter. Um, you know Denver

521
00:27:54,800 --> 00:27:57,280
Speaker 1: is not training Jamal Murray or Nicola Yillkitch and the

522
00:27:57,320 --> 00:27:58,639
Speaker 1: player and you know this is the type of Now

523
00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:01,639
Speaker 1: you'd have to obviously the trade would have to be expanded.

524
00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:04,560
Speaker 1: You can't just do that trade. But you know what

525
00:28:04,680 --> 00:28:08,320
Speaker 1: Houston has expressed that they have wanted is they want

526
00:28:08,359 --> 00:28:12,679
Speaker 1: a really good superstar, potential young player, which is one

527
00:28:12,720 --> 00:28:14,560
Speaker 1: of the reasons why I talked to Miami because they

528
00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:17,280
Speaker 1: had Tighter Hero and Duncan Robinson. Not that I think

529
00:28:17,359 --> 00:28:19,200
Speaker 1: that even those guys are gonna be superstars, and both

530
00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:22,959
Speaker 1: those guys have a big upside um, you know. And

531
00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:25,399
Speaker 1: in the case of Silly with Ben Simmons, he's the

532
00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:28,160
Speaker 1: guy who's already established Allstar, already established a NBA player.

533
00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:30,760
Speaker 1: But you know, they're looking for a player like that. Now,

534
00:28:30,840 --> 00:28:34,719
Speaker 1: whether Denver is willing to go there, because you know,

535
00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:38,440
Speaker 1: earlier this year and people were calling about um Porter,

536
00:28:39,280 --> 00:28:41,320
Speaker 1: they were saying, oh, he is not available, but you

537
00:28:41,360 --> 00:28:45,240
Speaker 1: know everybody, everybody's noble for a price, you know. You know,

538
00:28:45,480 --> 00:28:47,400
Speaker 1: so Denver I think is sort of floating out there,

539
00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:50,360
Speaker 1: and it really would depend on, you know, what would

540
00:28:50,360 --> 00:28:52,280
Speaker 1: happen with Michael Porter. I don't think the deal with

541
00:28:52,320 --> 00:28:54,560
Speaker 1: Denver gets done unless Michael Porter is in the deal.

542
00:28:54,800 --> 00:28:59,000
Speaker 1: So um he's perceived as such a superstar. I mean, yeah,

543
00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:02,040
Speaker 1: he looks like a good player. Well, you know, you're

544
00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:08,160
Speaker 1: you're y Bryan. Listen, if he's Tracy McGredy, he's that's fantastic.

545
00:29:08,960 --> 00:29:14,720
Speaker 1: I mean, well, I mean, you know, he's a twelfth

546
00:29:14,720 --> 00:29:17,600
Speaker 1: pick in the draft or whatever. I mean, you're if

547
00:29:17,600 --> 00:29:19,920
Speaker 1: he turns into Tras McGrady with a Hall of Famer,

548
00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:22,480
Speaker 1: If you're trading for all of Famer, that's pretty good.

549
00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:25,120
Speaker 1: I I honestly believe if you're if you're making a

550
00:29:25,160 --> 00:29:28,160
Speaker 1: bet that this trade is going to be James Harden

551
00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:30,800
Speaker 1: for Ben Simmons, And it's just a matter of what

552
00:29:30,920 --> 00:29:33,120
Speaker 1: else is in the deal. Does the deal happen in March?

553
00:29:33,160 --> 00:29:36,280
Speaker 1: Does the deal happen in January? Like that's the best

554
00:29:36,280 --> 00:29:39,160
Speaker 1: deal that they can make that we can see today.

555
00:29:39,600 --> 00:29:44,080
Speaker 1: Um uh. And so if I had to bet that's

556
00:29:44,120 --> 00:29:47,920
Speaker 1: the that's the deal that I'm gonna bet. But um,

557
00:29:48,440 --> 00:29:51,080
Speaker 1: I just you know, it's it's complicated because all the

558
00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:52,640
Speaker 1: things I said, and then you've got the fact that

559
00:29:52,640 --> 00:29:55,640
Speaker 1: you're negotiating with the guy who just left the organization.

560
00:29:56,160 --> 00:29:58,040
Speaker 1: So there's some scarks. It's really us It's really a

561
00:29:58,080 --> 00:30:01,640
Speaker 1: scenario that I've never seen before. Um you know, this

562
00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:05,160
Speaker 1: is my eighteenth year covering the league, and I think

563
00:30:05,200 --> 00:30:08,600
Speaker 1: there's only been two other times where a general manager

564
00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:12,160
Speaker 1: has immediately gone from one team to another. You know

565
00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:14,160
Speaker 1: where he's been a jam of one team and he

566
00:30:14,200 --> 00:30:16,200
Speaker 1: got hired his jam at the other instantly. You know,

567
00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:19,000
Speaker 1: obviously guys get posted all the time, but they get

568
00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:22,480
Speaker 1: post to be promoted. UM. I think Brian Colangela going

569
00:30:22,480 --> 00:30:25,440
Speaker 1: to Toronto and MESSI us you're going to Toronto. Maybe

570
00:30:25,440 --> 00:30:28,080
Speaker 1: there's another one that I'm forgetting. UM I think Donnie

571
00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:31,880
Speaker 1: Walsh maybe going from Indiana to New York. But Donnie

572
00:30:31,960 --> 00:30:35,120
Speaker 1: wasn't the number one guy in Indiana. So from it's

573
00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:37,320
Speaker 1: very unusual. The guy goes to go from number one

574
00:30:37,360 --> 00:30:40,320
Speaker 1: here to number one there. Just just that action in

575
00:30:40,360 --> 00:30:44,360
Speaker 1: general is unusual. And then you have the guy changing teams,

576
00:30:44,360 --> 00:30:49,360
Speaker 1: potentially making a vital trade that could change your direction

577
00:30:49,360 --> 00:30:51,240
Speaker 1: of two organizations with the guys he just told the

578
00:30:51,240 --> 00:30:55,160
Speaker 1: stick it and so it's just a very unusual negotiation.

579
00:30:55,800 --> 00:30:59,680
Speaker 1: All right, let's go to Kawhi Leonard. Um, I'll give

580
00:30:59,680 --> 00:31:02,080
Speaker 1: you an interesting team. I heard as a potential and

581
00:31:02,120 --> 00:31:04,840
Speaker 1: again this is potential for next year. This is what

582
00:31:04,920 --> 00:31:08,560
Speaker 1: people love, you know, um, the potential for the stars

583
00:31:08,640 --> 00:31:11,880
Speaker 1: moving Kawhi Leonard ends up on the Phoenix Suns next summer.

584
00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:16,720
Speaker 1: Zero percent chance you can maybe envision it because at

585
00:31:16,760 --> 00:31:19,680
Speaker 1: some point, Brian, we're gonna have the discussion. Everybody is,

586
00:31:20,400 --> 00:31:23,880
Speaker 1: can Kauai be a leader? We do know Kyle Lowry

587
00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:26,640
Speaker 1: was the leader in Toronto. We know Kauai was never

588
00:31:26,720 --> 00:31:29,160
Speaker 1: the leader in San Antonio. I don't see one with

589
00:31:29,160 --> 00:31:32,360
Speaker 1: the Clippers. Chris Paul could be the guy who helps

590
00:31:32,440 --> 00:31:35,720
Speaker 1: Kauai get over the top in Phoenix. Now start laughing

591
00:31:35,720 --> 00:31:38,400
Speaker 1: at me. I mean, I don't. I don't know if

592
00:31:38,400 --> 00:31:40,440
Speaker 1: Phoenix has I don't know if they have the salary

593
00:31:40,480 --> 00:31:44,400
Speaker 1: caps has pulled off. I think I don't. I wouldn't

594
00:31:44,440 --> 00:31:46,800
Speaker 1: bet on Kauai going anywhere. He spent a long time

595
00:31:46,840 --> 00:31:50,040
Speaker 1: in his career trying to get to l A UM

596
00:31:50,080 --> 00:31:53,600
Speaker 1: and I don't think he's gonna walk away. That's fast. UM.

597
00:31:54,000 --> 00:31:56,720
Speaker 1: I think when he gave that answer about his future,

598
00:31:56,760 --> 00:31:59,720
Speaker 1: I think he was very candid, which was refreshing. He

599
00:32:00,040 --> 00:32:01,520
Speaker 1: because like, yeah, I'm probably not going to pick up

600
00:32:01,560 --> 00:32:04,400
Speaker 1: my player option and we'll see. Maybe I'll stay, maybe

601
00:32:04,440 --> 00:32:08,000
Speaker 1: I'll go. And I think that's, you know, an honest answer. UM.

602
00:32:08,840 --> 00:32:10,920
Speaker 1: You know, I think what happened with the interesting thing

603
00:32:10,960 --> 00:32:15,240
Speaker 1: to happened with Kauai Kauai was was winning a championship.

604
00:32:16,280 --> 00:32:20,400
Speaker 1: UM not focusing on his free agency in Toronto. He

605
00:32:20,440 --> 00:32:23,440
Speaker 1: didn't get serious about his free agency until, like he

606
00:32:23,520 --> 00:32:27,920
Speaker 1: won a championship. Meanwhile, Kauhi letter Kyrie Irving was out

607
00:32:27,960 --> 00:32:30,959
Speaker 1: there at at all at the All Star weekend locking

608
00:32:31,000 --> 00:32:34,840
Speaker 1: down Kevin Durant because Kirene, you know, he wasn't playing

609
00:32:34,840 --> 00:32:38,200
Speaker 1: for a championship, clearly not in his head, because he's

610
00:32:38,800 --> 00:32:40,960
Speaker 1: he's mid season with the Celtics working out his deal

611
00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:44,840
Speaker 1: to go to go somewhere with Kevin Durant. I remain

612
00:32:45,720 --> 00:32:50,080
Speaker 1: amazed at Durant, out of all the options he had,

613
00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:53,480
Speaker 1: chose to break up with Steph Curry and Clay Thompson,

614
00:32:53,520 --> 00:32:56,880
Speaker 1: although you know Clay was hurt to getting married to

615
00:32:56,920 --> 00:32:59,360
Speaker 1: Kyrie Irving and he had the option to get married

616
00:32:59,360 --> 00:33:03,120
Speaker 1: to Kauai Len and passed. I am, I'm stunned. I'm

617
00:33:03,120 --> 00:33:06,120
Speaker 1: stunned this day, quite frankly. And I guess you've got

618
00:33:06,120 --> 00:33:09,160
Speaker 1: to give Kyrie Irving credit because he put a ring

619
00:33:09,240 --> 00:33:13,200
Speaker 1: on it in February when those other guys were trying

620
00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:15,880
Speaker 1: to do their seasons and so like, I just don't

621
00:33:15,920 --> 00:33:19,480
Speaker 1: think Kauai is the type of guy that works out

622
00:33:19,560 --> 00:33:21,840
Speaker 1: his you know, he you know, I mean I'll take

623
00:33:21,880 --> 00:33:26,080
Speaker 1: Paul George at his word. He called Paul George like shortly,

624
00:33:26,240 --> 00:33:28,800
Speaker 1: you know, after you know, Paul told the story. Just recently,

625
00:33:29,760 --> 00:33:34,280
Speaker 1: he sent Kawai a text uh uh congratulating him on

626
00:33:34,320 --> 00:33:35,760
Speaker 1: the title, and Kauai called him up and said, hey,

627
00:33:35,800 --> 00:33:38,160
Speaker 1: what do you think about playing together? And you know,

628
00:33:38,480 --> 00:33:41,840
Speaker 1: you know, I'm not saying that it didn't cross anybody's mind,

629
00:33:41,840 --> 00:33:45,040
Speaker 1: but like, I honestly don't think that they worked on

630
00:33:45,080 --> 00:33:48,280
Speaker 1: it until he was done. So I don't Maybe this

631
00:33:48,360 --> 00:33:50,080
Speaker 1: is foolish to me, but I don't think Kauai is

632
00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:53,080
Speaker 1: worrying about where he's going to go until after this

633
00:33:53,120 --> 00:33:55,440
Speaker 1: season is over. And I think everybody knows that. And

634
00:33:55,480 --> 00:33:58,360
Speaker 1: I think the Clippers are under pressure. And I you know,

635
00:33:58,400 --> 00:34:00,960
Speaker 1: they're already announcing that they're gonna aims the offense to

636
00:34:01,040 --> 00:34:03,240
Speaker 1: a try, not the whole offense, but they're gonna start

637
00:34:03,320 --> 00:34:07,360
Speaker 1: running triangle stuff for Kauai. Um joy the cater to

638
00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:10,360
Speaker 1: him more um And you know, that's what you do

639
00:34:10,400 --> 00:34:12,560
Speaker 1: when you're worried about keeping a guy happy. That's probably

640
00:34:12,560 --> 00:34:14,239
Speaker 1: why he took a two year contract at the start

641
00:34:14,239 --> 00:34:17,160
Speaker 1: of there. So okay, so they're gonna run triangle offense

642
00:34:17,200 --> 00:34:19,160
Speaker 1: for Kauai, a guy who hasn't played back to back.

643
00:34:19,520 --> 00:34:21,520
Speaker 1: I think it's been four years since his last back

644
00:34:21,560 --> 00:34:27,120
Speaker 1: to back. Uh and he won. What do they do?

645
00:34:27,360 --> 00:34:30,760
Speaker 1: This feels like a spectacular blow up with the Clippers

646
00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:32,840
Speaker 1: that we know the West is better, Brian, Okay, we

647
00:34:33,000 --> 00:34:34,680
Speaker 1: the West I think is a lot stronger than it

648
00:34:34,719 --> 00:34:38,040
Speaker 1: was last year, where it was basically a two team race. Um,

649
00:34:38,200 --> 00:34:41,680
Speaker 1: I don't know. I'm not buying any Clipper stock. By

650
00:34:41,719 --> 00:34:43,719
Speaker 1: the way, let me ask you this. Did you hear

651
00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:50,960
Speaker 1: anything about why Montrez Harrold left. I mean, go look

652
00:34:50,960 --> 00:34:53,120
Speaker 1: at what Kawuhi Leonard said at the end of the season.

653
00:34:53,360 --> 00:34:58,480
Speaker 1: He pretty much called him stupid. I didn't see that. Yeah,

654
00:34:58,520 --> 00:35:00,239
Speaker 1: I mean he pretty much did. He didn't use his name,

655
00:35:00,280 --> 00:35:03,840
Speaker 1: but that's pretty much what he did. And um, you know,

656
00:35:03,960 --> 00:35:07,320
Speaker 1: I thought I was so you know, they gave Marcus

657
00:35:07,320 --> 00:35:10,960
Speaker 1: Morris sixty million and they didn't basically offer Mantres anything,

658
00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:15,960
Speaker 1: and then they gave Luke Knard. Um, he actually is

659
00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:18,279
Speaker 1: guaranteed fifty six million in that deal, which makes it

660
00:35:18,320 --> 00:35:20,439
Speaker 1: a little bit more easier to understand, but even still,

661
00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:23,080
Speaker 1: it's a big number for a guy who that's the

662
00:35:23,120 --> 00:35:24,960
Speaker 1: trouble staying healthy and frankly isn't going to be a

663
00:35:24,960 --> 00:35:27,600
Speaker 1: starter there. So you know, you saw they give fifty

664
00:35:27,640 --> 00:35:31,840
Speaker 1: six mins Luke Nard and Montrese tweets out a thinking

665
00:35:31,840 --> 00:35:35,359
Speaker 1: emoji like what was that about? U? I think they

666
00:35:36,400 --> 00:35:38,480
Speaker 1: I think they decided montres was moving on. If you

667
00:35:38,520 --> 00:35:42,480
Speaker 1: may remember, UM, back in like January of last year,

668
00:35:42,520 --> 00:35:45,439
Speaker 1: Montrez came out and basically called he didn't use their names,

669
00:35:45,520 --> 00:35:48,759
Speaker 1: basically called out Paul George and Kawhi Leonard for not

670
00:35:49,800 --> 00:35:52,560
Speaker 1: you know, having the the urgency and the focus that

671
00:35:52,640 --> 00:35:57,719
Speaker 1: was needed. And I don't think you neces very wrong

672
00:35:57,760 --> 00:36:00,319
Speaker 1: about that, but it was still of clear that you

673
00:36:00,320 --> 00:36:02,680
Speaker 1: know that, you know, the way Montrez was wired, that

674
00:36:02,840 --> 00:36:05,000
Speaker 1: the way the Clippers played two years ago when they

675
00:36:05,040 --> 00:36:07,239
Speaker 1: were saving up that cap space and when they were

676
00:36:07,760 --> 00:36:12,400
Speaker 1: you know, trading away Tobias Harris at midseason, et cetera. UM,

677
00:36:12,440 --> 00:36:14,879
Speaker 1: they had to play their ass offs every single night,

678
00:36:14,920 --> 00:36:17,799
Speaker 1: and they did, and they and they wiggled into the

679
00:36:17,840 --> 00:36:20,160
Speaker 1: eighth seed and then had you know a nice sick game,

680
00:36:20,920 --> 00:36:22,960
Speaker 1: you know, hard fought series against the Warriors in the

681
00:36:22,960 --> 00:36:25,960
Speaker 1: first round. And the way that those guys played was

682
00:36:26,040 --> 00:36:31,120
Speaker 1: to play hard every single night, and then Kauai comes

683
00:36:31,120 --> 00:36:34,480
Speaker 1: in these load management and I just think that they

684
00:36:34,480 --> 00:36:36,000
Speaker 1: were on the wrong funk from the start. But like

685
00:36:36,400 --> 00:36:38,680
Speaker 1: some of the stuff that Montrese was calling out early

686
00:36:38,719 --> 00:36:42,799
Speaker 1: in the season came home to roost so um. But

687
00:36:42,880 --> 00:36:45,440
Speaker 1: clearly montrez and Kauai were on the same page. And

688
00:36:45,760 --> 00:36:48,040
Speaker 1: the everything is you know, the guy that they signed

689
00:36:48,200 --> 00:36:51,319
Speaker 1: was a guy that Kauai really likes. To replace them.

690
00:36:51,360 --> 00:36:53,919
Speaker 1: You know, he won a ring with Surge with Sergeibaka,

691
00:36:54,080 --> 00:36:57,200
Speaker 1: so you know, part of that is appeasing to Kauai

692
00:36:57,320 --> 00:36:58,960
Speaker 1: for sure, is what happened there. They took a guy

693
00:36:59,000 --> 00:37:00,400
Speaker 1: he didn't like and replaced some of the guy he

694
00:37:00,480 --> 00:37:02,600
Speaker 1: did like. And and you know, as far as the

695
00:37:02,600 --> 00:37:05,000
Speaker 1: Clippers last year, Jason is one of the biggest disappointments

696
00:37:05,000 --> 00:37:07,680
Speaker 1: I've ever seen. And they're really going to feel it

697
00:37:07,719 --> 00:37:09,799
Speaker 1: now because the Lakers just had an offseason where they

698
00:37:09,800 --> 00:37:12,440
Speaker 1: were able to supercharge their roster. The year to get

699
00:37:12,480 --> 00:37:16,640
Speaker 1: the Lakers was last year. Now, look, Anthony Davis has

700
00:37:16,600 --> 00:37:19,160
Speaker 1: history of injuries. You know, a lot of things had

701
00:37:19,200 --> 00:37:21,320
Speaker 1: to fall, you know, in line. You know for his

702
00:37:21,400 --> 00:37:23,719
Speaker 1: part of a season as the Lakers had from an

703
00:37:23,719 --> 00:37:27,400
Speaker 1: adversity standpoint, things did fall in line for them. Um,

704
00:37:27,440 --> 00:37:29,319
Speaker 1: maybe they have the Lakers don't have the same set

705
00:37:29,360 --> 00:37:32,880
Speaker 1: of circumstances, but um, you know, with thing on that

706
00:37:32,920 --> 00:37:35,920
Speaker 1: opportunity last year could be very pean of a the Clippers,

707
00:37:35,960 --> 00:37:38,239
Speaker 1: and I think you're definitely seeing them the field a

708
00:37:38,560 --> 00:37:41,320
Speaker 1: more sense of urgency because of it. Alright, So, Brian,

709
00:37:41,440 --> 00:37:43,960
Speaker 1: who are you more excited to see this year? And

710
00:37:44,000 --> 00:37:46,719
Speaker 1: this is a difficult question because I'll tell you why

711
00:37:46,760 --> 00:37:48,520
Speaker 1: in a sect, But are you more excited for Luca

712
00:37:48,600 --> 00:37:54,920
Speaker 1: don Chet or Zion Williamson. I'm totally on Zion. Um,

713
00:37:56,640 --> 00:37:59,720
Speaker 1: not that I think he's going to work out because

714
00:37:59,800 --> 00:38:02,680
Speaker 1: he he's still I don't think physically in the in

715
00:38:02,719 --> 00:38:06,080
Speaker 1: the in the best position. Um, I think the guy

716
00:38:06,160 --> 00:38:10,239
Speaker 1: is an absolute wonder kind. Now that said, I mean,

717
00:38:11,200 --> 00:38:12,680
Speaker 1: Zion ain't women the m v P this year, and

718
00:38:12,719 --> 00:38:15,480
Speaker 1: Luca might win it. And if I was starting a franchise,

719
00:38:16,239 --> 00:38:19,040
Speaker 1: I'd take Luca probably because I just think he'll be healthier.

720
00:38:20,320 --> 00:38:23,359
Speaker 1: But the thing about Zion that I've just learned by

721
00:38:23,360 --> 00:38:26,200
Speaker 1: watching him, you know, he gets so much credit for

722
00:38:26,320 --> 00:38:32,880
Speaker 1: his power, but he has incredible finesse. He has. He's

723
00:38:32,960 --> 00:38:37,600
Speaker 1: really one of the best around the basket scores i've

724
00:38:37,600 --> 00:38:40,880
Speaker 1: seen come into leave. I mean, he reminds me so

725
00:38:40,960 --> 00:38:45,799
Speaker 1: much as Zack Randolph, which sometimes, um, the disappoints people

726
00:38:45,800 --> 00:38:48,800
Speaker 1: when I say that, because you know, Zack Randolph was

727
00:38:48,840 --> 00:38:51,080
Speaker 1: a was a good player, but he wasn't a transcendent player.

728
00:38:51,600 --> 00:38:53,640
Speaker 1: But Zack Randolph had to learn how to do all

729
00:38:53,680 --> 00:38:57,480
Speaker 1: that he comes in like his Zion's ability to finish

730
00:38:57,520 --> 00:39:01,520
Speaker 1: him the paint with with finesse is amazing. And in

731
00:39:01,560 --> 00:39:06,000
Speaker 1: the preseason he shot almost from the line after he

732
00:39:06,040 --> 00:39:08,759
Speaker 1: shot sixty a rookie. Now was small sample size, but

733
00:39:08,840 --> 00:39:11,360
Speaker 1: his free throw form looks improved. And if he shoots

734
00:39:11,360 --> 00:39:13,160
Speaker 1: eighty percent from the line's gonna be a different player

735
00:39:13,200 --> 00:39:15,759
Speaker 1: because you can't stop him by dispelling them. So um,

736
00:39:15,800 --> 00:39:18,440
Speaker 1: he also played thirty three minutes a game in the preseason.

737
00:39:18,560 --> 00:39:21,000
Speaker 1: Again small sample size, but if he's gonna play thirty

738
00:39:21,040 --> 00:39:26,640
Speaker 1: three minutes a game, he might average points um with

739
00:39:26,760 --> 00:39:29,840
Speaker 1: the way they're gonna play. And so I think the

740
00:39:29,840 --> 00:39:32,719
Speaker 1: Pelicans are a very intriguing team. Although having said that,

741
00:39:32,760 --> 00:39:35,600
Speaker 1: I mean, obviously I think Allison's chances are are higher.

742
00:39:36,520 --> 00:39:38,760
Speaker 1: I guess I asked that because all I hear Brian

743
00:39:38,840 --> 00:39:40,880
Speaker 1: in this lead up is oh Luca's favorite to win

744
00:39:40,920 --> 00:39:43,120
Speaker 1: the m v P and Kevin Durant and the nets

745
00:39:43,600 --> 00:39:45,359
Speaker 1: and you honest is staying with the books. It's like

746
00:39:45,760 --> 00:39:49,120
Speaker 1: people have forgotten about Zion Williamson. It just did a

747
00:39:49,200 --> 00:39:52,919
Speaker 1: weird feeling for such a dynamic superstar. Um. I guess

748
00:39:52,920 --> 00:39:54,719
Speaker 1: that maybe will change when we see him on TV

749
00:39:54,800 --> 00:39:57,919
Speaker 1: a lot this year. He's played like eighteen games. That's

750
00:39:57,920 --> 00:40:02,160
Speaker 1: the other thing. Twenty games under belt. All right, let

751
00:40:02,200 --> 00:40:04,319
Speaker 1: me let me I know we haven't really asked about Lebron,

752
00:40:04,360 --> 00:40:06,600
Speaker 1: but I'll get you out of here on this one. Um,

753
00:40:06,640 --> 00:40:10,399
Speaker 1: he's turning thirty six in about a week. Uh, you've

754
00:40:10,440 --> 00:40:14,279
Speaker 1: been around Lebron longer than anyone else. What what can

755
00:40:14,320 --> 00:40:17,959
Speaker 1: we realistically expect from him this season? Given how hard

756
00:40:18,000 --> 00:40:22,359
Speaker 1: he went last year, the nature of the bubble and

757
00:40:23,440 --> 00:40:26,560
Speaker 1: a bunch of Lakers moves that to me, scream We're

758
00:40:26,560 --> 00:40:29,839
Speaker 1: gonna see a lot less of Lebron this season. Uh

759
00:40:30,080 --> 00:40:33,480
Speaker 1: as he prepares for the postseason again. Yeah. So last year,

760
00:40:33,520 --> 00:40:36,040
Speaker 1: the way Lebron operated during the year was different than

761
00:40:36,080 --> 00:40:39,160
Speaker 1: he had operated for me the last ten years, which

762
00:40:39,239 --> 00:40:44,160
Speaker 1: is that he came out house of fire. Uh, going

763
00:40:44,200 --> 00:40:46,040
Speaker 1: hard from day one, and he did that because he

764
00:40:46,080 --> 00:40:49,520
Speaker 1: wanted to get an F. A. Davis established. He also

765
00:40:49,640 --> 00:40:52,719
Speaker 1: played almost full time point guard. Now, the Lebron point

766
00:40:52,719 --> 00:40:55,440
Speaker 1: guard discussion is a complicated one because he has essentially

767
00:40:55,480 --> 00:41:00,520
Speaker 1: played point guard for fifteen years. So saying that he

768
00:41:00,800 --> 00:41:04,040
Speaker 1: started playing point guard last year is not accurate statement.

769
00:41:04,480 --> 00:41:06,560
Speaker 1: It's one of those things that's accurate but not true.

770
00:41:06,880 --> 00:41:10,400
Speaker 1: You know, something some a lawyer would say, Um, but

771
00:41:10,600 --> 00:41:12,920
Speaker 1: he played full time point guard, which he has talked

772
00:41:12,920 --> 00:41:15,160
Speaker 1: about over the course of his career as something that

773
00:41:15,160 --> 00:41:17,880
Speaker 1: that that that causes him to expend a lot of energy,

774
00:41:17,920 --> 00:41:21,160
Speaker 1: something he wants to save for the latter half of

775
00:41:21,160 --> 00:41:24,560
Speaker 1: the season, the latter half of games. So also, Lebron,

776
00:41:24,800 --> 00:41:28,200
Speaker 1: from a defensive energy standpoint, really wanted to set the

777
00:41:28,239 --> 00:41:31,920
Speaker 1: tone and played, with my view, the most defensive energy

778
00:41:31,960 --> 00:41:34,560
Speaker 1: he had played with I think since his Miami days.

779
00:41:34,719 --> 00:41:38,200
Speaker 1: Um in my in my estimation, So that was a

780
00:41:38,320 --> 00:41:41,800
Speaker 1: real energy stock of the season. Now, historically what Lebron

781
00:41:41,880 --> 00:41:43,920
Speaker 1: likes to do, especially when he's got when he knows

782
00:41:43,960 --> 00:41:46,480
Speaker 1: he's got a championship team, he didn't know that a

783
00:41:46,560 --> 00:41:48,400
Speaker 1: year ago. He may say they knew it, but I

784
00:41:48,400 --> 00:41:53,239
Speaker 1: mean the Lakers were not viewed as a championship favorite. Um,

785
00:41:53,320 --> 00:41:56,839
Speaker 1: they proved to be that championship team. Is that he

786
00:41:57,000 --> 00:42:00,640
Speaker 1: would normally take November and December and kind to be

787
00:42:01,000 --> 00:42:07,160
Speaker 1: playing on about gear seven and then start to get

788
00:42:07,160 --> 00:42:10,520
Speaker 1: more serious around the All Star break, and then in

789
00:42:10,680 --> 00:42:14,359
Speaker 1: March and April he hit the hit the gas and

790
00:42:14,600 --> 00:42:16,920
Speaker 1: head off to the playoffs. In fact, if you want

791
00:42:16,920 --> 00:42:19,600
Speaker 1: to see Lebron's best stuff, like from his Cleveland years,

792
00:42:19,719 --> 00:42:22,040
Speaker 1: you know, don't look at games in November and December,

793
00:42:22,520 --> 00:42:24,319
Speaker 1: go look at games in March and April. He I'm

794
00:42:24,320 --> 00:42:26,839
Speaker 1: pretty sure he won Player of the Month in March

795
00:42:27,000 --> 00:42:30,520
Speaker 1: all four years he was in Cleveland. Um. So that's

796
00:42:30,560 --> 00:42:32,400
Speaker 1: typically what he does. And this is one of the

797
00:42:32,440 --> 00:42:36,040
Speaker 1: reasons why his teams I really haven't gotten the number

798
00:42:36,040 --> 00:42:40,400
Speaker 1: one seed that often. Um. I think, um, it was

799
00:42:40,400 --> 00:42:42,440
Speaker 1: maybe just a second time in that in in the

800
00:42:42,520 --> 00:42:44,600
Speaker 1: in the run of nine finals, I think it was

801
00:42:46,160 --> 00:42:48,120
Speaker 1: just the second time maybe his team has had the

802
00:42:48,200 --> 00:42:50,919
Speaker 1: number one seat. You know, typically he didn't care where

803
00:42:50,920 --> 00:42:54,279
Speaker 1: his seat is, so, UM, yes, I do think. You know,

804
00:42:54,320 --> 00:42:56,480
Speaker 1: they have more ball handlers. One shooter is going to

805
00:42:56,560 --> 00:42:58,160
Speaker 1: be there and he wants to start, and you know

806
00:42:58,200 --> 00:43:00,960
Speaker 1: he wants to handle the ball, and too, you have

807
00:43:01,040 --> 00:43:03,920
Speaker 1: Mark Gassol, now, who you can run offense through, because

808
00:43:03,920 --> 00:43:05,600
Speaker 1: the guy is a wizard, is a pastor in the

809
00:43:05,680 --> 00:43:08,359
Speaker 1: high post. So you can take the ball Lebron's hands

810
00:43:08,400 --> 00:43:10,040
Speaker 1: a little bit there he can come up the floor

811
00:43:10,040 --> 00:43:11,760
Speaker 1: and throw it into the high post and the cassoul

812
00:43:12,200 --> 00:43:14,319
Speaker 1: and you know, you may not think it's a big deal,

813
00:43:14,360 --> 00:43:18,600
Speaker 1: but even if he does that, too possessions a quarter

814
00:43:19,600 --> 00:43:22,880
Speaker 1: or three possessions a half, it makes a difference. Trust me,

815
00:43:23,200 --> 00:43:25,320
Speaker 1: to give Lebron's three possessions where he doesn't have to

816
00:43:25,400 --> 00:43:28,760
Speaker 1: run the offense makes a difference. This is how Lebron operates.

817
00:43:28,760 --> 00:43:31,680
Speaker 1: So I would expect him to be a little bit

818
00:43:31,680 --> 00:43:34,800
Speaker 1: more low energy in the course of the regular season.

819
00:43:35,200 --> 00:43:37,120
Speaker 1: But I also will say that I don't know how

820
00:43:37,120 --> 00:43:39,000
Speaker 1: it's gonna go because he's never had a season like

821
00:43:39,000 --> 00:43:42,520
Speaker 1: this before. All right, Brian, you just made me think

822
00:43:42,520 --> 00:43:45,960
Speaker 1: of one final question. Sorry, one more um, and it's

823
00:43:45,960 --> 00:43:48,400
Speaker 1: based on something that you said about Lebron. So, Bradley

824
00:43:48,440 --> 00:43:51,920
Speaker 1: Beale is in Washington, he signed the deal to stay.

825
00:43:52,440 --> 00:43:56,240
Speaker 1: His coach is now the who his coach, Scotty Brooks

826
00:43:56,440 --> 00:43:59,600
Speaker 1: used to coach Russell Westbrook Who's now in Washington. I

827
00:43:59,640 --> 00:44:02,759
Speaker 1: felt like Bradley Beale bent over backwards to stay in

828
00:44:02,840 --> 00:44:06,080
Speaker 1: Washington and do the right thing. And everything that I'm

829
00:44:06,080 --> 00:44:08,320
Speaker 1: seeing is he's about to get screwed because this is

830
00:44:08,320 --> 00:44:11,480
Speaker 1: gonna be Russell Westbrook's team. Does Bradley Beale asked for

831
00:44:11,520 --> 00:44:16,080
Speaker 1: a trade by mid February or early February? That's my game.

832
00:44:17,320 --> 00:44:19,920
Speaker 1: You know, the stakes for the Wizards this year very high,

833
00:44:20,160 --> 00:44:23,680
Speaker 1: and that's why they did the Westbrook trade. You know, Um,

834
00:44:23,719 --> 00:44:26,680
Speaker 1: you know, Bradley Beale was not happy not being on

835
00:44:26,719 --> 00:44:29,080
Speaker 1: a playoff team last year, and you know it showed

836
00:44:29,120 --> 00:44:31,040
Speaker 1: up when he complained about not making the All Star

837
00:44:31,120 --> 00:44:33,480
Speaker 1: team and not making the All NBA team. He had

838
00:44:33,480 --> 00:44:35,120
Speaker 1: that he had argued with the best season in his

839
00:44:35,200 --> 00:44:38,840
Speaker 1: career and he got passed over, and um, you know

840
00:44:39,080 --> 00:44:43,520
Speaker 1: that that obviously matters to him. So you know, I

841
00:44:43,560 --> 00:44:50,200
Speaker 1: think um that. You know. The other thing is there's

842
00:44:50,239 --> 00:44:52,040
Speaker 1: kind of an arms race at the back end of

843
00:44:52,040 --> 00:44:55,600
Speaker 1: the Eastern Conference playoff run because you've got Atlanta who's

844
00:44:55,640 --> 00:44:57,880
Speaker 1: expecting to be much better. Whether they will or not,

845
00:44:58,040 --> 00:45:01,319
Speaker 1: that's a debate. You've got Charlotte that just missed out

846
00:45:01,360 --> 00:45:04,640
Speaker 1: on the playoffs last year. And m and signed the

847
00:45:05,400 --> 00:45:09,120
Speaker 1: least other player they are not expecting to finished tenth.

848
00:45:09,200 --> 00:45:12,880
Speaker 1: And then you got Washington and like by the way

849
00:45:13,200 --> 00:45:15,879
Speaker 1: Brooklyn's moving in there, you know Brooklyn was seventh there.

850
00:45:16,000 --> 00:45:18,480
Speaker 1: You know they're not going to get past you know, um,

851
00:45:18,480 --> 00:45:22,200
Speaker 1: like you may have like you know, the Indiana Pacers

852
00:45:22,280 --> 00:45:24,160
Speaker 1: or something, you know, with the seventh seed who have

853
00:45:24,239 --> 00:45:27,080
Speaker 1: been a better team than Washington. So um, I think

854
00:45:27,120 --> 00:45:29,600
Speaker 1: there's a lot of pressure on Washington this year to

855
00:45:29,640 --> 00:45:31,600
Speaker 1: have a really good year's pressure for Scott Brooks is

856
00:45:31,640 --> 00:45:34,200
Speaker 1: in the last years deal. There's pressure on the GM

857
00:45:34,239 --> 00:45:37,400
Speaker 1: who traded for Westbrook, and there's pressure on you know,

858
00:45:37,440 --> 00:45:39,439
Speaker 1: on the whole team in general to keep Bradley Beal.

859
00:45:39,560 --> 00:45:42,759
Speaker 1: So I would say that they you know that in

860
00:45:42,880 --> 00:45:47,040
Speaker 1: addition to Kauai, the player that the teams are watching

861
00:45:47,120 --> 00:45:50,360
Speaker 1: very closely this year is beal. Um from what I understand,

862
00:45:50,480 --> 00:45:54,040
Speaker 1: you know, he's been no wavering in him. He's he's

863
00:45:54,080 --> 00:45:57,799
Speaker 1: excited about this season, he's excited about Westbrook, but definitely

864
00:45:57,920 --> 00:46:00,640
Speaker 1: a player to watch what happened there. He's a super

865
00:46:00,719 --> 00:46:03,200
Speaker 1: nice guy off the court, doesn't seem like he has

866
00:46:03,239 --> 00:46:07,239
Speaker 1: a ton of ego, But yes, Bradley beal. I know

867
00:46:07,320 --> 00:46:09,359
Speaker 1: Laker fans are excited. I'm just kidding, Brian. All right,

868
00:46:09,440 --> 00:46:11,960
Speaker 1: Brian win Worse, thanks a lot for the time. Obviously,

869
00:46:11,960 --> 00:46:15,759
Speaker 1: we love your stuff. Keep listening to the Hoop Collective podcast.

870
00:46:15,880 --> 00:46:18,800
Speaker 1: And uh, I'm sure are you turning out any books

871
00:46:18,800 --> 00:46:24,439
Speaker 1: this year or sorry, not this year, but there's something

872
00:46:24,520 --> 00:46:26,880
Speaker 1: coming down the pike. We'll see what happens. I can't

873
00:46:26,880 --> 00:46:28,480
Speaker 1: wait for it. All right, Brian Winhorse, have a good

874
00:46:28,520 --> 00:46:30,600
Speaker 1: holiday man. You two take care.