1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:04,279 Speaker 1: We're back, and the preseason is less than ten days away, 2 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 1: and we've got one of the all time great team 3 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:08,960 Speaker 1: reunions and plus maybe ones we would want to see 4 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:11,200 Speaker 1: on our own. We've got some news and notes from 5 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:13,960 Speaker 1: the around the league in the anniversary of what was 6 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:17,840 Speaker 1: one of the greatest titles of all time, the title 7 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 1: to discuss with the author of bubble Ball and national 8 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: NBA writer for The Washington Post, Ben Goliver. I'm Miles 9 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 1: Gray and I'm Jack O'Brien, and this is godstost. Okay, 10 00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 1: we did what we cleaned it up. We cleaned it up. 11 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: And what's up, Ben, Ben, Ben, Welcome to the show. 12 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:48,159 Speaker 1: Ben in the building. It's great to be here, gentlemen. 13 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:50,199 Speaker 1: You guys sound excited. I mean, the preseason is right 14 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:52,120 Speaker 1: around the corner. We got Media Day coming up, all 15 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:54,800 Speaker 1: that good stuff. Been kind of a while, how long off? 16 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 1: He yes, and I have as a Laker fan, I 17 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 1: have many questions. I wait with bated to hear the 18 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 1: answers on media day to make sense of what might 19 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:05,880 Speaker 1: be happening this What can they tell you on media 20 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 1: day that you'd be like, oh, oh, okay, I don't 21 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:13,039 Speaker 1: even know that that's the kind of like magical thinking 22 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 1: I have where I can't even articulate a statement that 23 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:19,520 Speaker 1: would saying, allons wait for media day? Just wait, I 24 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:25,720 Speaker 1: want to hear it from them what exactly? But yeah, Ben, 25 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:29,319 Speaker 1: you're coming to us here in l A as well? Right? Absolutely? 26 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:31,319 Speaker 1: I mean, aren't you guys waited for the Russell Westbrook 27 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:33,200 Speaker 1: trade destination? Isn't that what you want to hear on 28 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:35,319 Speaker 1: media day? Are you holding out that it's going to 29 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:37,759 Speaker 1: somehow work out with him? Because they're bringing in every 30 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 1: available point guard. It's getting pretty obvious, right, Yes? I 31 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:44,080 Speaker 1: think so. And while many people are like there's no way, 32 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 1: I'm like, well, I don't think the Lakers would say, hey, 33 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 1: really trying to get rid of this guy? If anybody's interested, 34 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:52,560 Speaker 1: and you might as well go with the positive spin 35 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 1: of like, yeah, we look good, we like what we see. 36 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:57,760 Speaker 1: Let's get into camp and then take it step by step. 37 00:01:57,840 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: All right? So Ben, where are you from? I know 38 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:01,240 Speaker 1: you're living in a but where where did you grow up? 39 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 1: Of kind of what's your fandom? What's your fandom journey? Well? 40 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 1: So I actually grew up in Beaverton, Oregon, which is 41 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 1: pretty much known for being like headquarters of Nikes. So 42 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:11,920 Speaker 1: I was, you know, I had all the Swoosh propaganda 43 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 1: kind of pumping through my veins as a kid. And 44 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:16,800 Speaker 1: I went to college back east, moved back to Portland 45 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:20,120 Speaker 1: after college, and started covering the Blazers, you know, in 46 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 1: two thousand and seven, which was like a really hopeful time. 47 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 1: I mean Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Soldiers, Greg Oden. I actually 48 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:28,920 Speaker 1: got my start because I started a blog spot website, 49 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:31,840 Speaker 1: if you remember, those trying to convince the Blazers to 50 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:34,800 Speaker 1: draft Kevin Durant and I was convinced they were going 51 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 1: to listen to me until they didn't, and I was 52 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:39,959 Speaker 1: almost in tears on on draft night. But so I 53 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 1: kind of kind of used that to get my foot 54 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:43,520 Speaker 1: in the door, and and um, you know, started covering 55 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:46,399 Speaker 1: the NBA kind of at large in in and moved 56 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:49,240 Speaker 1: down here to l A for Kobe's last season. So 57 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:51,240 Speaker 1: I guess I'm a Western Conference guy, if you want 58 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 1: to look at it that way. But um, I have 59 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 1: a lot of good memories from like the Rip City 60 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 1: Blazers era of the early nineties, um as well as 61 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:00,760 Speaker 1: you know, kind of the modern Blazers which went from that. 62 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 1: Brandon LaMarcus Era into the Damian Lillard you know era 63 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:09,919 Speaker 1: as well. Yeah, which Dame was like my standout memory 64 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:11,919 Speaker 1: from the bubble. I don't know if we want to 65 00:03:11,919 --> 00:03:15,959 Speaker 1: get into the bubble already, but Dame and uh Jamal 66 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 1: Murray like to just were so like the most unconscious 67 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 1: I've ever seen. Like the best shooting I think I've 68 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 1: ever seen on a basketball court to that point was 69 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 1: them in the bubble was just like so wild man. Well, 70 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:31,359 Speaker 1: and don't forget Tyler Hero too. I Mean, we had 71 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 1: some Bubble guys who just went absolutely nuts. It was 72 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:36,600 Speaker 1: one of the big lessons, like if there's no crowd, 73 00:03:36,640 --> 00:03:39,000 Speaker 1: there's no distractions and you're just kind of in like 74 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 1: a pickup type environment, clean Jim. All of a sudden, 75 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 1: all these dudes just like could not miss. I mean 76 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:46,720 Speaker 1: Damian Lillard, I think he went for sixty plus in 77 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 1: one game. Yeah, dragging the Blazers into the playoffs. It 78 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:53,400 Speaker 1: was absolutely nuts, and he was screaming, give me my respect, 79 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:55,920 Speaker 1: you know, put some respect on my name. And remember 80 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 1: that shot that hit the back of the ram, bounced 81 00:03:58,120 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 1: like ten feet up in the air and then came 82 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 1: down switched through. That was an all time where I was. 83 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:04,360 Speaker 1: I was there for that game too, so yeah, you're 84 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 1: bringing back some really good memories. Man. I mean it 85 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 1: was two years ago, it feels like twenty years ago, 86 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 1: because I mean it was the last time the Lakers 87 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:14,080 Speaker 1: were good, and that feels like a long long time ago. 88 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 1: So yeah, yeah, that was damn in his sixty one 89 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:21,839 Speaker 1: point game that they ended up beating Dallas from the logo, 90 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:24,600 Speaker 1: hit the back of the rim, shot up like above 91 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:27,599 Speaker 1: the backboard, and then just like dropped right through and 92 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:29,600 Speaker 1: it was like, all right, he's got some sort of 93 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:32,880 Speaker 1: spiritual thing going right now that this seems like it 94 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:36,560 Speaker 1: is defined the laws of physics and just whatever leaves 95 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:39,800 Speaker 1: his fingers is going to drop through the basket five 96 00:04:39,839 --> 00:04:42,160 Speaker 1: to shoot a minute, and I have to play that's 97 00:04:42,160 --> 00:04:48,400 Speaker 1: a bomb. At a certain point, I was really as 98 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:50,640 Speaker 1: a fan, just like, man, I'll have some of that 99 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 1: time in my life. It was also a time when 100 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:57,920 Speaker 1: I remember that game because nothing else was really going 101 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 1: on at that time, and so I just remember everybody 102 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:03,839 Speaker 1: started tweeting at the same time. They were like, oh, 103 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 1: Dames on one, and so you know, twenty points into 104 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:09,599 Speaker 1: a sixty one point game, I just was on it. 105 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:13,240 Speaker 1: You know, watching that and ignoring my three year old 106 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 1: I think at the talking at my shirt Dame Dame, 107 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:23,799 Speaker 1: Dame time, nap time, Dame time. One thing I remember 108 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:26,360 Speaker 1: about that is so when the Blazers clinched the playoffs, 109 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:29,039 Speaker 1: we just coincidentally were like kind of let out of 110 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:31,679 Speaker 1: our little media bubble for one of the only times 111 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:34,039 Speaker 1: the entire experience to get to have like almost like 112 00:05:34,080 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 1: a team dinner at this pretty fancy restaurant that was 113 00:05:36,520 --> 00:05:38,520 Speaker 1: at one of the hotels the players were staying at. 114 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:40,960 Speaker 1: This was like a rare luxury. I mean, they kept 115 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 1: the media super super lockdown the entire experience, and so 116 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 1: the Blazers were actually at that hotel. They were the 117 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:50,880 Speaker 1: only team left from that hotel that hadn't been eliminated. 118 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:53,280 Speaker 1: Because as soon as you got eliminated from the playoffs, 119 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 1: they just got you out of their sap. Like the 120 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:57,600 Speaker 1: next morning you were just gone right Like guys were 121 00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:01,359 Speaker 1: like packing up even before the games on some occasions. 122 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:04,080 Speaker 1: And so they had this big like welcome sign like 123 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:07,680 Speaker 1: congratulations Trailblazers, like you're the king of the hotel, and 124 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:10,840 Speaker 1: like they had all like decorated with their you know, 125 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:13,560 Speaker 1: with their logo and then these guys had nowhere else 126 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 1: to celebrate, so they're just like sitting in the lobby 127 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 1: of their hotel, like, you know, having some drinks, sitting 128 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:20,440 Speaker 1: at the bar, like having a good time. You know, 129 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 1: super stoke that they made the playoffs, obviously, because you know, 130 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:25,360 Speaker 1: it would have been a real effort for them to 131 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:27,600 Speaker 1: kind of climb up into it, and yet like at 132 00:06:27,640 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 1: the same time, probably wishing they could have a cooler 133 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:31,720 Speaker 1: party because like, you know, it was so land that 134 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:36,040 Speaker 1: even like the DORKNBA riders like myself were able to 135 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:38,600 Speaker 1: at least like see what was going on. So um, 136 00:06:38,839 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 1: you know, that's what happens when you can't go anywhere. 137 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:42,520 Speaker 1: You know. It was a very unique circumstance in that 138 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:46,280 Speaker 1: in that playoffs, Man, I make myself a congratulations Jack, 139 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:48,720 Speaker 1: You're the King of the Hotel sign every time I 140 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 1: checked into a place. I didn't know that they actually 141 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:53,960 Speaker 1: did that for real. That's that makes me very jealous. Yeah, 142 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:56,120 Speaker 1: you gotta you gotta achieve a few more things to 143 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:58,159 Speaker 1: get that. But did you put it as a special 144 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 1: request whenever you check in next time? Then this chicken? Yeah, yeah, congratulations, 145 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 1: you're the King of the Hotel thanks, okay. So, I mean, 146 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 1: I think we just get into it. The Bubble was 147 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:12,240 Speaker 1: a fantastic moment from my perspective as a Laker fan, 148 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 1: but I think for most people as basketball fans, like 149 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:16,400 Speaker 1: it came at a time where we were trying to 150 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 1: figure out what sports we could watch again, how a 151 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:22,040 Speaker 1: league could do something safely, would it rise to the 152 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:25,240 Speaker 1: same level just overall, I mean, as someone who was there, 153 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:28,000 Speaker 1: tell us a little bit about how unique of an 154 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:30,400 Speaker 1: experience that was, because you've obviously seen the league in 155 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 1: every form, whether it's in the arenas and then to 156 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:35,840 Speaker 1: this version of the bubble. Then I'm also going to 157 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 1: ask tell me something interesting about the bubble that I 158 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:40,640 Speaker 1: have not heard, because I know you've probably heard or 159 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:43,800 Speaker 1: seen something. Well. I mean, it was so so weird. 160 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:45,920 Speaker 1: You know. I was really paranoid just about my own 161 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:48,600 Speaker 1: health because you know, there was no vaccines, no boosters 162 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:50,240 Speaker 1: at that point, and I had to fly from l 163 00:07:50,280 --> 00:07:52,640 Speaker 1: A to Orlando. So I hopped on that plane with 164 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:55,120 Speaker 1: one of those crazy like shield masks, you know what. 165 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:57,800 Speaker 1: I'm like doubled up on the masks, and I remember, 166 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:00,360 Speaker 1: like Rachel Nichols was, when my flight shoes like doing 167 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:03,120 Speaker 1: the same thing. Like everybody was just like so paranoid 168 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:09,119 Speaker 1: about just yeah, yeah, I mean exactly super duper intense. 169 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:11,560 Speaker 1: You know. I even had the plastic gloves on like 170 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:15,440 Speaker 1: I was Walter White. You know. At that point, it's like, 171 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:18,400 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna miss this experience like I would have. Yeah, 172 00:08:18,440 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 1: I feel like anybody would have wore like a hazmat suit. Well, 173 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 1: and also just you know, really nervous about like what 174 00:08:23,120 --> 00:08:24,960 Speaker 1: happens if you get this disease, because you know, for 175 00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 1: those first couple of months, it's easy, they kind of 176 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:28,880 Speaker 1: all runs together, right, but for a lot of people 177 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:31,080 Speaker 1: during those first couple of months, we were all pretty 178 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:33,680 Speaker 1: much locked down, and I was being really really careful. 179 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:35,440 Speaker 1: I mean I was trying to order in all my food, 180 00:08:35,520 --> 00:08:37,560 Speaker 1: doing all those kinds of safe you know things from 181 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 1: a safety standpoint. So the idea of flying across country 182 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:42,240 Speaker 1: and then being in the same spot as hundreds of 183 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:44,840 Speaker 1: other people was kind of like mentally intimidating, and then 184 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:46,880 Speaker 1: as soon as you get there, they just throw you 185 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:49,600 Speaker 1: into like basically the ten day quarantine where we couldn't 186 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:51,760 Speaker 1: leave our hotel rooms, and I was just going crazy. 187 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 1: So I actually wound up going viral because I took 188 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:57,000 Speaker 1: a video of myself just pacing back and forth in 189 00:08:57,080 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 1: my hotel room, eight steps at a time because I 190 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:01,720 Speaker 1: was trying to get Apple Watch steps. So I wound 191 00:09:01,800 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 1: up walking more than six miles a day even during 192 00:09:05,559 --> 00:09:07,920 Speaker 1: the quarantine, just back and forth in the hotel. And 193 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 1: you can, you know, obviously you understand how pathetic that is. 194 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:12,960 Speaker 1: I mean, it's just you're just pacing around your room 195 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 1: for an hour and a half and you dedicated to 196 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 1: closing those rings. Though, yeah, it had to be, and 197 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:19,719 Speaker 1: also to try not to go crazy. You know, it 198 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:21,839 Speaker 1: should be real stir crazy when you're really like that 199 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:25,520 Speaker 1: intensely locked down. But once we got out of it, Uh, 200 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 1: I was really impressed by just the court set up 201 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 1: in terms of how they made it good for television, 202 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 1: right because you don't want to watch an empty court. 203 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:36,079 Speaker 1: They used the technology, they had the cool lights. And 204 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:38,559 Speaker 1: then as a basketball junkie man, it's like, well this 205 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:40,760 Speaker 1: is great. Like I have a front row seat. I 206 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:43,959 Speaker 1: can hear everybody trash talking, right, like there's only ten 207 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:46,640 Speaker 1: twenty people in these uh these games, and like when 208 00:09:46,679 --> 00:09:49,000 Speaker 1: the Bucks did their protests, like I was one of 209 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:51,079 Speaker 1: three reporters who was there at tip off, you know 210 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:53,200 Speaker 1: what I mean, what was scheduled to be the tip off. 211 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:56,760 Speaker 1: So the reporter side of me was like, this is incredible, 212 00:09:56,840 --> 00:09:58,800 Speaker 1: Like this is I got the lucky ticket to the 213 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 1: really walk a basket ball factor, you know what I mean. 214 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 1: But I mean, there was so many twists and turns 215 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:05,640 Speaker 1: along the way. You guys, remember that Daniel House incident 216 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:08,360 Speaker 1: right where during the middle of a playoff series, he 217 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:11,760 Speaker 1: like gets in trouble for allegedly bringing uh someone into 218 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:14,360 Speaker 1: his hotel room who's not supposed to be there. You've 219 00:10:14,400 --> 00:10:17,160 Speaker 1: got the Houston Rockets all up in arms saying this 220 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:19,640 Speaker 1: is like a competitive disadvantage and you know, we need 221 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:21,839 Speaker 1: to be able to have our guys. And then you know, 222 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:25,160 Speaker 1: almost immediately after that incident, the Rockets just pretty much quit. 223 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:26,880 Speaker 1: You know, the Lakers run them off the court the 224 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:29,880 Speaker 1: next couple of games. And so you can look and say, 225 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:32,280 Speaker 1: when are we ever going to have a scenario where 226 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:37,319 Speaker 1: an unauthorized hotel guest will swing a playoff series? We're 227 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:40,840 Speaker 1: never going to have that in the NBA history ever, uh, 228 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:42,720 Speaker 1: And the answer is probably no. But you know, one 229 00:10:42,760 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 1: of my big takeaways from the whole experience was it 230 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:47,760 Speaker 1: would have been so much worse if they didn't have 231 00:10:47,840 --> 00:10:49,880 Speaker 1: a champion in the record books, right, Like, I know 232 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:52,240 Speaker 1: you guys are basketball junkies as well, like, and you know, 233 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:54,640 Speaker 1: growing up, you're reading the history books, and every single 234 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:56,520 Speaker 1: year it says, here's who won the time of right 235 00:10:56,640 --> 00:10:58,920 Speaker 1: Lakers in the eighties, Celtics in the eighties, and you 236 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:00,680 Speaker 1: go all the way back to the city these fifties, 237 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:03,360 Speaker 1: there's always a champion. And for me, I was so 238 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 1: glad that they were able to actually crown a champion 239 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:08,480 Speaker 1: and get the thing done safely because having like a 240 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:11,079 Speaker 1: spot or like an asterisk in the record books to 241 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:12,920 Speaker 1: be it would just never would have sat right, you know, 242 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:15,200 Speaker 1: it would have just always like rubbed me the wrong way. 243 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:17,839 Speaker 1: And so it was pretty exciting to, uh, to have 244 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:20,439 Speaker 1: them able to do that. I feel like you could argue, like, 245 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:24,079 Speaker 1: because you know, you sometimes hear people I've never heard 246 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:26,920 Speaker 1: this like said in good faith, but you do hear 247 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:29,160 Speaker 1: people being like that wasn't a real title, or like 248 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:33,640 Speaker 1: to put an asterisk the Mickey crowd. Yeah, I feel 249 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:37,439 Speaker 1: like you could argue that was maybe the purest highest 250 00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:41,839 Speaker 1: level basketball tournament of all time because there's like no advantages, 251 00:11:41,880 --> 00:11:45,040 Speaker 1: no disadvantages due to travel. It was everything in normal 252 00:11:45,080 --> 00:11:49,880 Speaker 1: playoffs is, but just like hyper focused on basketball and 253 00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:54,520 Speaker 1: team dynamics with an added level of like psychological experiment 254 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:57,800 Speaker 1: thrown in. But just the ability to focus through that, 255 00:11:57,920 --> 00:12:01,599 Speaker 1: I feel like, is just everything a normal NBA championship is, 256 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:05,360 Speaker 1: plus like an added level of difficulty. And I'm not 257 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:07,839 Speaker 1: a Lakers fan, Like I was blown away by what 258 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 1: everybody did that year, but especially the Lakers. I totally 259 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:12,800 Speaker 1: agree with that it was such a mental test, and 260 00:12:12,880 --> 00:12:15,480 Speaker 1: not everybody wanted that test, right. Look at the Sixers, 261 00:12:15,559 --> 00:12:17,720 Speaker 1: they got out of there as quick as they could sweep, 262 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:19,760 Speaker 1: went home. They were fine with it, you know. You 263 00:12:19,800 --> 00:12:22,160 Speaker 1: look at the Clippers. They could have buckled down in 264 00:12:22,200 --> 00:12:24,679 Speaker 1: their second round series and gone further, and they were 265 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:26,520 Speaker 1: ready to go home, you know. And then they've even 266 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:28,480 Speaker 1: kind of admitted that after the fact of like they 267 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:31,479 Speaker 1: just didn't really want to be there. Guys were uncomfortable 268 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:33,640 Speaker 1: because they were separated from their family members. Even a 269 00:12:33,679 --> 00:12:36,520 Speaker 1: guy like Janice, who had a brand new baby, even 270 00:12:36,559 --> 00:12:38,400 Speaker 1: though he was with his two brothers in the bubble, 271 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:40,800 Speaker 1: never really felt like he was, you know, clicking on 272 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:43,400 Speaker 1: all cylinders because he was separated from his family, such 273 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:45,920 Speaker 1: a family type of guy. It was really hard. Man. 274 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:48,200 Speaker 1: I was there for ninety three days. I put on weight, 275 00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:50,719 Speaker 1: you know. It was like really like mentally taxing. And 276 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:52,360 Speaker 1: I didn't have to play. I'm just going there to 277 00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:56,240 Speaker 1: watch the games. Right, You put on weight and your 278 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:59,560 Speaker 1: leg muscles right from just all those steps. You were 279 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:01,840 Speaker 1: shred by the end. I wish. But it was also 280 00:13:01,960 --> 00:13:03,640 Speaker 1: just like the quality of the food there. I don't 281 00:13:03,640 --> 00:13:06,480 Speaker 1: want to talk too much negativity about Disney World, but 282 00:13:06,520 --> 00:13:09,400 Speaker 1: it wasn't my typical diet. And it's just the stress 283 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:11,959 Speaker 1: of game game day, game day, game day, game day, 284 00:13:12,200 --> 00:13:15,679 Speaker 1: and really having no other healthy outlets. You know, we 285 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:18,400 Speaker 1: couldn't go for a ride. You know. We could go fishing, 286 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:19,920 Speaker 1: you know, we can take a little boat right every 287 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:21,400 Speaker 1: once in a while. You could do little things like 288 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:22,960 Speaker 1: that here and there. You could ride a bike if 289 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:26,120 Speaker 1: you wanted. But I mean, this is central Florida in 290 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:28,480 Speaker 1: the middle of July, in August and September. You know, 291 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 1: it's humid, it's nasty. I mean, you know, there's thunderstorms. 292 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:33,839 Speaker 1: You don't always want to go outside. So it was 293 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:36,360 Speaker 1: taxing for sure. Plus the fish you catch might be 294 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:40,240 Speaker 1: flounder from the Little Mermaid you know, yeah exactly, or Nemo. 295 00:13:40,760 --> 00:13:45,360 Speaker 1: You never it was catching release, So don't worry no fish. 296 00:13:45,559 --> 00:13:48,680 Speaker 1: No fish were harm bey the course of my expeditions, 297 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:51,400 Speaker 1: that's for sure. So like, so, Ben, when you were there, 298 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:54,079 Speaker 1: did you go to the bubble thinking like, well, this 299 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:56,599 Speaker 1: is going to be a fantastic book or was it 300 00:13:56,760 --> 00:13:59,160 Speaker 1: more of a like I'm there, I'm actually seeing in 301 00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:01,599 Speaker 1: real time how special this is. Because I'm sure on 302 00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:04,280 Speaker 1: some level as a journalist you're always thinking on how 303 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:06,560 Speaker 1: to record history and things like that, But how did 304 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:08,640 Speaker 1: you arrive to actually writing the book? No? I mean 305 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:10,600 Speaker 1: I always say I'm kind of like Forrest gun Man. 306 00:14:10,679 --> 00:14:12,839 Speaker 1: Stuff just falls in my lap. Like I did not 307 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:14,719 Speaker 1: have any like grand Master, but I would love to 308 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:16,240 Speaker 1: be able to say like, oh yeah, as soon as 309 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:18,319 Speaker 1: I understood, I was going to go there like I 310 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:21,800 Speaker 1: had laid it all out like bits ready. But it 311 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:24,200 Speaker 1: wasn't like that. Man, I went there wondering are we 312 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:25,800 Speaker 1: even going to be there for a week? Is this 313 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:27,960 Speaker 1: gonna work? Are we all gonna get sent home? Or 314 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:30,200 Speaker 1: is somebody going to give up and pull the plug? 315 00:14:30,320 --> 00:14:32,400 Speaker 1: Like I had no idea it was gonna work. So 316 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:34,240 Speaker 1: when I did go there, I knew I had a 317 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:36,800 Speaker 1: unique perspective on like everything that was happening, and so 318 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:39,640 Speaker 1: we decided to do something it's pretty rare at the 319 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:42,640 Speaker 1: Washington Post and actually just right like first person journal 320 00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:44,600 Speaker 1: entries where I was just kind of describing, like, hey, 321 00:14:44,680 --> 00:14:47,240 Speaker 1: here's what I'm doing, here's what it looks like, here's 322 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:49,600 Speaker 1: where they're practicing, here's how the players are acting. And 323 00:14:49,680 --> 00:14:52,200 Speaker 1: it was from my own perspective as opposed to like 324 00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:55,360 Speaker 1: the typical you know, report and third person type of 325 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:58,840 Speaker 1: voice that I would use. And an agent, you know, 326 00:14:58,960 --> 00:15:01,120 Speaker 1: saw those diaries and like, look, dude, you gotta turn 327 00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:04,400 Speaker 1: this into a book. This is wild. And at that point, 328 00:15:04,520 --> 00:15:05,840 Speaker 1: you know, it was still only a couple of weeks 329 00:15:05,880 --> 00:15:07,320 Speaker 1: into it. We still didn't know if the whole thing 330 00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:09,600 Speaker 1: was gonna work. But thankfully a publisher bought into the 331 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:12,880 Speaker 1: vision and the deal came together really quickly. And then 332 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:16,200 Speaker 1: the only thing that made it trickier was my boss 333 00:15:16,240 --> 00:15:18,160 Speaker 1: and said, hey, look at the Post. They said, when 334 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:20,320 Speaker 1: you're when you're in the bubble, just focus on your 335 00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 1: work for us, write the book when the season's over. 336 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:24,240 Speaker 1: And I was like, all right, that's totally fair. You're 337 00:15:24,240 --> 00:15:26,360 Speaker 1: paying for me to be down here, no problem. And 338 00:15:26,440 --> 00:15:28,160 Speaker 1: I thought I was gonna have a long offseason to 339 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:29,800 Speaker 1: write the book because I thought, oh, they're just gonna 340 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:32,080 Speaker 1: delay the start next season, you know, months and months. 341 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:34,160 Speaker 1: Then they turned back around and like, oh, by the way, 342 00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:36,040 Speaker 1: we're starting in December, and so I had to write 343 00:15:36,080 --> 00:15:37,760 Speaker 1: that book in like two three months. I mean, just 344 00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:40,120 Speaker 1: crank it out. It was pretty hard to do. Um, 345 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 1: but you know, I was glad that I had enough 346 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:45,240 Speaker 1: perspective to no longer be living in it so I 347 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:48,240 Speaker 1: could reflect on it without like two years passing, because 348 00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:50,040 Speaker 1: if I tried to write that book now, I would 349 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:53,640 Speaker 1: have forgotten everything that happened, like all the little specifics. So, um, 350 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:56,400 Speaker 1: the whole thing actually came together pretty well, I think 351 00:15:56,520 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 1: in terms of the timeline. Do you feel like there 352 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 1: is there was something like it just felt like the 353 00:16:02,560 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 1: shooting was better in the bubble. Do you do you 354 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:07,640 Speaker 1: think that was just like depth of field, like not 355 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 1: having a moving crowd behind the glass backboard or do 356 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:16,760 Speaker 1: you think some people just like really responded like Dame, like, um, 357 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:19,680 Speaker 1: you know some of the players that just yeah, a 358 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:24,320 Speaker 1: d Jimmy Butler, Like I mean Lebron, Donovan Mitchell, Like 359 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:26,960 Speaker 1: there were some players who like really stepped up. But 360 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:29,720 Speaker 1: I mean with Lebron and A d and Jimmy Butler, 361 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:32,520 Speaker 1: even there people who have like stepped up outside, but 362 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 1: I don't know, like Donovan Mitchell was out of his mind. 363 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:39,440 Speaker 1: Uh t. J Warren was out of his mind. Jamal Murray, 364 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 1: I think Jamal Murray that was like I was like, 365 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:44,600 Speaker 1: this is the guy now, Like this is one of 366 00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:47,240 Speaker 1: the best two guards in the league now, and you 367 00:16:47,280 --> 00:16:49,680 Speaker 1: know he's he's had some injuries, but it just it 368 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:52,360 Speaker 1: did feel like there was a level of shot making 369 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:56,400 Speaker 1: that was almost next level. Yeah, I mean a couple 370 00:16:56,440 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 1: of things. First of all, no travel makes such a difference. 371 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:01,840 Speaker 1: You know, just after this most recent playoff ground I 372 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:04,440 Speaker 1: think I took thirty seven flights in like three months, 373 00:17:04,520 --> 00:17:07,080 Speaker 1: you know, to cover the NBA playoffs, which when those 374 00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:09,479 Speaker 1: are going from Boston and San Francisco Boston, I mean, 375 00:17:09,840 --> 00:17:12,320 Speaker 1: I understand these guys are flying Charter, but they're logging 376 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:14,520 Speaker 1: so many miles over the course of the playoffs, and 377 00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:16,960 Speaker 1: when you take all of that travel out, it's so 378 00:17:17,080 --> 00:17:19,080 Speaker 1: much better for their sleep schedules, for their rest and 379 00:17:19,119 --> 00:17:21,399 Speaker 1: recovery time period, and I just think it helps them 380 00:17:21,440 --> 00:17:24,440 Speaker 1: get into a groove. I think playing in the same 381 00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:27,719 Speaker 1: gym over and over and over is important psychologically you're 382 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:30,560 Speaker 1: not making any sort of adjustments. And I think no 383 00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:33,119 Speaker 1: crowd means no pressure, you know, like they were just 384 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:34,760 Speaker 1: it's not the same when you have to go and 385 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:38,120 Speaker 1: make shots in Boston Garden Games six like Steph Curry did. 386 00:17:38,600 --> 00:17:41,480 Speaker 1: There's one guy who can do that. That's Steph, right. 387 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:44,639 Speaker 1: You you're talking about in a random like basically a 388 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:47,800 Speaker 1: U jim, you know, on the campus of you know, 389 00:17:47,840 --> 00:17:51,040 Speaker 1: an amusement park where there's thirty people plus you know, 390 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:54,960 Speaker 1: a couple of a dozen family members watching these big 391 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:56,840 Speaker 1: games and they're not even really allowed to boo, you 392 00:17:56,880 --> 00:17:58,920 Speaker 1: know what I mean. You saw that big confrontation between 393 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:01,560 Speaker 1: Russell Westbrook and you know, one of the family members, 394 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:03,280 Speaker 1: and that guy got kicked out like he didn't get 395 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:05,879 Speaker 1: to stay. And there's no heckling involved. And I think 396 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:09,680 Speaker 1: the psychological aspect of it being quiet, calm and then 397 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:13,680 Speaker 1: um no travel, together with the consistency of the gym, 398 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:17,080 Speaker 1: is what really spiked up the shooting percentages and it 399 00:18:17,160 --> 00:18:19,600 Speaker 1: helped guys get comfortable. But you're right, there was like 400 00:18:19,720 --> 00:18:24,320 Speaker 1: ten twenty guys who all outperformed their typical baseline by 401 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:26,320 Speaker 1: a lot, and you look at the following season, we 402 00:18:26,359 --> 00:18:28,040 Speaker 1: still saw that a little bit even when they were 403 00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:30,920 Speaker 1: back traveling. I mean, guys like Julius Randall, Zach Lavine, 404 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:33,720 Speaker 1: you know, they cashed in with career years that that 405 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:36,600 Speaker 1: following year. Um, And I do think that the crowd 406 00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:39,720 Speaker 1: dynamics played a role on how well those guys shot through. Yeah, 407 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:43,520 Speaker 1: travel is so exhausting, Like every time I travel, I'm like, 408 00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:46,639 Speaker 1: why am I the most tired I've ever been in 409 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:49,040 Speaker 1: my life? So, yeah, that makes what is your three 410 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:52,360 Speaker 1: point percentage going down? Yeah? My three percent? I thought 411 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:53,800 Speaker 1: you were going to say there are two guys who 412 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:57,119 Speaker 1: can knew what the game sixth thing in Boston Garden 413 00:18:57,160 --> 00:18:59,000 Speaker 1: and mentioned me. But that's fine, Like I get it 414 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 1: because I've improved it. But one of the story, Yeah, yeah, 415 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:06,359 Speaker 1: you know who else loved to know travel though? The 416 00:19:06,760 --> 00:19:08,840 Speaker 1: referees because they have to slum it, you know, on 417 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:11,840 Speaker 1: the commercial airlines. Those guys, so they were whining because 418 00:19:11,840 --> 00:19:14,640 Speaker 1: they didn't get any Marriott points, right, but they love 419 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:16,439 Speaker 1: the fact that they didn't have to take the flights 420 00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:18,960 Speaker 1: and it's like, you know their trade off honestly, I 421 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:21,520 Speaker 1: mean after you go through the playoff grime, you know 422 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:23,800 Speaker 1: you understand. Like I mean, every summer I come out 423 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:25,680 Speaker 1: and I just feel like I'm you know, my head 424 00:19:25,760 --> 00:19:28,160 Speaker 1: is spinning, like I need to almost like detox from 425 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:30,680 Speaker 1: traveling in basketball for the playoffs. You're like, what time 426 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:33,800 Speaker 1: zone am I even in right now? An NBA ref 427 00:19:33,880 --> 00:19:36,880 Speaker 1: needs to start a travel blog because like they probably 428 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:41,080 Speaker 1: are the most seasoned at traveling commercial and you know, 429 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:44,719 Speaker 1: just putting on their headphones because everybody's gonna recognize them. 430 00:19:44,720 --> 00:19:47,359 Speaker 1: I want to talk to them about stuff, so you know, 431 00:19:47,600 --> 00:19:49,880 Speaker 1: just how to do it without talking to anyone there 432 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:53,119 Speaker 1: towards boding up in the air basically exactly, they're like, no, 433 00:19:53,280 --> 00:19:55,399 Speaker 1: you don't want this flight. The other one. They got 434 00:19:55,440 --> 00:19:57,600 Speaker 1: better hardware on this airline. All right, let's take a 435 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:00,160 Speaker 1: quick break and we'll be back to discuss even more 436 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:14,280 Speaker 1: with then right after this and we're back. And obviously, 437 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:18,560 Speaker 1: as a vowed Laker fan, the bubble playoffs the whole 438 00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:21,080 Speaker 1: that was fantastic for me. I got to see Anthony 439 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:25,240 Speaker 1: Davis do things I couldn't believe, and I to this day, 440 00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:27,720 Speaker 1: I hold those memories dearly as I wear my A 441 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:31,440 Speaker 1: D Bubble jersey. But for you, I mean, you this 442 00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:35,800 Speaker 1: your whole experience. Basically, you were there, you got to celebrate, 443 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:38,760 Speaker 1: or you at least got hit with the celebratory champagne. 444 00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:41,880 Speaker 1: Do I have this correct as part of your bubble experience? Yeah, 445 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:43,920 Speaker 1: that's I mean, that's why you should feel sorry for 446 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:45,879 Speaker 1: your Lakers. They're the only team that won a title, 447 00:20:45,960 --> 00:20:48,080 Speaker 1: had nobody to celebrate with and then had to pick 448 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:50,560 Speaker 1: on the media members with the champagne bottles and they 449 00:20:50,600 --> 00:20:53,280 Speaker 1: were looking around to spray anybody. And you know, I 450 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:55,720 Speaker 1: had the camera rolling when Lebron came out of locker 451 00:20:55,800 --> 00:20:57,919 Speaker 1: room with the I think he was like double fisting 452 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:01,320 Speaker 1: bottles maybe at that point, and he just absolutely soaked me, 453 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:04,080 Speaker 1: I mean my suit, so that we all rushed out 454 00:21:04,119 --> 00:21:05,760 Speaker 1: of the bubble like as soon as it was over, 455 00:21:05,960 --> 00:21:07,760 Speaker 1: like the next morning, I know, I'm gonna fly home. 456 00:21:08,359 --> 00:21:11,600 Speaker 1: And when I got home, my suit still smelled like 457 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:13,439 Speaker 1: that champagne like, and I was you know, I had 458 00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:16,119 Speaker 1: it laundered and finally like it went back to normal, 459 00:21:16,240 --> 00:21:20,840 Speaker 1: but um just completely doused me. It was very memorable moment. 460 00:21:20,920 --> 00:21:23,360 Speaker 1: And just an incredible run. I'm never going to forget 461 00:21:23,520 --> 00:21:26,280 Speaker 1: that Lakers playoff run because of the amazing access we 462 00:21:26,400 --> 00:21:29,760 Speaker 1: had of the players during like warm ups, pregame, post 463 00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:32,320 Speaker 1: game and that kind of stuff where you know, Lebron's 464 00:21:32,520 --> 00:21:34,440 Speaker 1: on the court more than an hour before the game, 465 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:37,080 Speaker 1: he's going through a meditation session, like, you know, trying 466 00:21:37,119 --> 00:21:39,880 Speaker 1: to get himself mentally prepared for these games. Um, these 467 00:21:39,920 --> 00:21:42,560 Speaker 1: guys physically are are doing whatever they need to do 468 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:44,760 Speaker 1: to kind of be able to play every other night 469 00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:48,040 Speaker 1: because they condensed that playoff schedule, uh, to you know, 470 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:51,240 Speaker 1: fit it in and quickly before you know, mostly before 471 00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:54,520 Speaker 1: football season started. And to just watch the amount of 472 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:57,320 Speaker 1: just sheer hours he would put it to his game 473 00:21:57,680 --> 00:21:59,880 Speaker 1: that we were able to actually witness them, and that's 474 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:02,639 Speaker 1: spot was it was special. I Mean, everybody knows he's 475 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:04,840 Speaker 1: one of the greatest players of all time. He's always 476 00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:06,800 Speaker 1: going to be in that kind of a conversation. And 477 00:22:06,960 --> 00:22:09,800 Speaker 1: you know, to me, having that happened like right after 478 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:12,119 Speaker 1: watching the Last Dance where you had so much behind 479 00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:14,600 Speaker 1: the scenes footage of MJ, it was just kind of 480 00:22:14,680 --> 00:22:17,280 Speaker 1: like a really cool special experience for like a basketball 481 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:20,080 Speaker 1: door where you're like Yeah, there's gonna be documentaries made 482 00:22:20,119 --> 00:22:21,960 Speaker 1: about this, Like maybe I'm gonna be in the background, 483 00:22:22,040 --> 00:22:24,080 Speaker 1: like Filman Lebron. As you know, they were going through 484 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:27,040 Speaker 1: some crazy pregame routine. But um, that's kind of what 485 00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:30,400 Speaker 1: I'll remember more than anything about that run. They were dominant. 486 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:32,760 Speaker 1: I mean, they wiped just about everybody off the court, 487 00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:35,399 Speaker 1: and they got lucky, you know, in terms of Miami 488 00:22:35,520 --> 00:22:37,920 Speaker 1: not really being at full strength in the finals, you know, 489 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:41,200 Speaker 1: took place. But still Lebron was some really just all 490 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:44,359 Speaker 1: time classic performances forty plus points and some key games 491 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:46,879 Speaker 1: to bring that title home. And like you said, a 492 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:48,960 Speaker 1: d didn't this shot the whole time. Even k CP 493 00:22:49,119 --> 00:22:52,280 Speaker 1: was getting highlights, you know, big corner three's and daggers 494 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:54,560 Speaker 1: and all this kind of stuff. So having watched that 495 00:22:54,680 --> 00:22:56,919 Speaker 1: team for that entire season, you know, because I'm here 496 00:22:56,920 --> 00:22:59,959 Speaker 1: in l A, I was never convinced that they were 497 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:02,000 Speaker 1: going to win the title. Like, even going into the bubble, 498 00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:04,080 Speaker 1: I thought maybe the Clippers should be viewed as the 499 00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:06,800 Speaker 1: favorites here, you know, kind of like the hot new 500 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:10,160 Speaker 1: thing in town. And Lebron delivered. And we didn't start 501 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:13,320 Speaker 1: that great in there either, So that was definitely a moment, 502 00:23:13,400 --> 00:23:14,879 Speaker 1: I was like, we were doing so well in the 503 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:17,440 Speaker 1: build up and then we got there. I I my 504 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:20,760 Speaker 1: confidence wavered a bit as well, but they then came background. 505 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:23,680 Speaker 1: But to your point about seeing, you know, seeing things 506 00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:26,080 Speaker 1: that you normally wouldn't. What's an example of like your 507 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:29,159 Speaker 1: understanding of what the player you thought Lebron was or 508 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:31,040 Speaker 1: the squad that the Lakers were at the time, and 509 00:23:31,119 --> 00:23:33,200 Speaker 1: then the things you saw that we're sort of adding 510 00:23:33,200 --> 00:23:36,000 Speaker 1: a little more texture to like your analysis of that. Well, 511 00:23:36,040 --> 00:23:37,919 Speaker 1: you know a lot of times, you know, you hear 512 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:41,280 Speaker 1: these stories about how Lebron knows the other team's entire plays, 513 00:23:41,359 --> 00:23:44,000 Speaker 1: all their coverages, and he's able to call them out right, 514 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:47,080 Speaker 1: and you know, you sometimes wonder like our people laying 515 00:23:47,119 --> 00:23:48,879 Speaker 1: it on thick, you know, to kind of like, you know, 516 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:52,159 Speaker 1: add to the Lebron mythos right when you're in the 517 00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:55,040 Speaker 1: empty gym and you know they start off. They were 518 00:23:55,119 --> 00:23:58,040 Speaker 1: really made a point the Lakers did being very vocal 519 00:23:58,160 --> 00:24:00,640 Speaker 1: on the bench, which like to some trash talk. I'll 520 00:24:00,680 --> 00:24:02,359 Speaker 1: be honest. I mean, guys like Dwight Howard and these 521 00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:04,240 Speaker 1: other guys were just like, you know, talking a lot 522 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:05,919 Speaker 1: of junk to the other team. Which was ky kind 523 00:24:05,920 --> 00:24:08,639 Speaker 1: of funny to listen to, right. Um, But Lebron was 524 00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:10,280 Speaker 1: making a point of like, look, we're gonna win this 525 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:12,879 Speaker 1: title with defense, so we're gonna talk a lot on defense, 526 00:24:12,920 --> 00:24:16,280 Speaker 1: and he's calling out like every single coverage switches, here's 527 00:24:16,280 --> 00:24:18,800 Speaker 1: who needs to guard whoever else, and there's nobody else 528 00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:20,720 Speaker 1: in the league or in the bubble who's doing it 529 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:22,560 Speaker 1: like that. You know, he's sort of a one of 530 00:24:22,640 --> 00:24:25,520 Speaker 1: one type guy. Um. I think it was an example 531 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:28,840 Speaker 1: of you know, his vocal leadership, an example of his 532 00:24:28,960 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 1: basketball i Q, and just sort of like a peek 533 00:24:31,720 --> 00:24:33,880 Speaker 1: behind the curtain that you know, I wouldn't normally get, 534 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:35,800 Speaker 1: you know, typically when I'm sitting at games, you know 535 00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:38,399 Speaker 1: the Staples actually, or I guess Crypto dot Com now 536 00:24:38,840 --> 00:24:41,120 Speaker 1: has really good media seats, but there's still so much 537 00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:42,959 Speaker 1: going on and so much noise you can't always hear 538 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:45,479 Speaker 1: the guys. And it was just it was as if 539 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:47,880 Speaker 1: it was like a mic up segment for the entire game, 540 00:24:47,920 --> 00:24:49,960 Speaker 1: where you can kind of always hear what Lebron was saying. 541 00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:52,240 Speaker 1: You can also hear him work the refs too, and 542 00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:54,280 Speaker 1: you know, he had a lot of different tools in 543 00:24:54,359 --> 00:24:56,720 Speaker 1: his his pocket, you know what I mean. He knew 544 00:24:56,720 --> 00:24:59,080 Speaker 1: how to butter guys up. He knew how to play 545 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:02,639 Speaker 1: the like I'm frustrated, I'm outraged, I'm the superstar. You 546 00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:05,080 Speaker 1: gotta give me that call angle. Him and Chris Paul 547 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:07,840 Speaker 1: both actually just know the intricacies of the rule books 548 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:12,200 Speaker 1: so well that they would get into these really complicated, 549 00:25:12,359 --> 00:25:16,480 Speaker 1: convoluted arguments with the officials. I remember one time Chris 550 00:25:16,600 --> 00:25:19,200 Speaker 1: Paul actually came over to the guy who was like 551 00:25:19,280 --> 00:25:21,960 Speaker 1: the executive, the NBA executive and head of the officials 552 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:25,119 Speaker 1: and like almost like appeal to the referees bosses in 553 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:26,399 Speaker 1: front of them. It's like if you go to the 554 00:25:26,440 --> 00:25:29,960 Speaker 1: grocery store and saying, yeah, I know that's like he 555 00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:32,600 Speaker 1: did that, like right there Montie McCutcheon, like right there 556 00:25:32,600 --> 00:25:34,159 Speaker 1: in front of me, where he's like carrying on this 557 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:37,119 Speaker 1: long debate with Monty McCutcheon about a rule's interpretation. So 558 00:25:37,640 --> 00:25:40,080 Speaker 1: you just see how competitive these guys are are up 559 00:25:40,119 --> 00:25:42,800 Speaker 1: posted personal, and you realize, like every story that you've 560 00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:45,280 Speaker 1: heard about them is probably true. Knowing there would be 561 00:25:45,359 --> 00:25:48,440 Speaker 1: a Last Dance style documentary eventually, did you try to 562 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:51,520 Speaker 1: like did you think about restyling your hair? Like that 563 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:56,240 Speaker 1: one bull security guard to just like character yeah, like 564 00:25:56,359 --> 00:25:59,680 Speaker 1: a little girl, a little yeah, Jerry Curl in the back. 565 00:25:59,840 --> 00:26:01,800 Speaker 1: That character I was was the guy who was whining 566 00:26:01,800 --> 00:26:03,560 Speaker 1: about all the cameras being in his way, you know, 567 00:26:03,560 --> 00:26:05,399 Speaker 1: because they actually had the same guy who did the 568 00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:07,760 Speaker 1: last dance. A lot of that footage was in the 569 00:26:07,840 --> 00:26:10,000 Speaker 1: bubble for the last especially for the the last month 570 00:26:10,119 --> 00:26:13,480 Speaker 1: or so, following the Lakers around and inevitably, like we 571 00:26:13,520 --> 00:26:16,399 Speaker 1: would be in these press conferences, set away from the players, 572 00:26:16,520 --> 00:26:19,040 Speaker 1: socially distant so that there wouldn't be any contact, right 573 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:21,919 Speaker 1: and inevitably one of their cameras would like go right 574 00:26:21,960 --> 00:26:23,520 Speaker 1: in front of where I was trying to shoot, and 575 00:26:23,600 --> 00:26:25,000 Speaker 1: I have to like look at the PR guys and 576 00:26:25,119 --> 00:26:26,800 Speaker 1: be like, come on, like help me out here, throw 577 00:26:26,840 --> 00:26:29,240 Speaker 1: me a boat. So, you know, it was funny. You know, 578 00:26:29,320 --> 00:26:32,080 Speaker 1: everybody's fighting for the same content in that little fish bowl. 579 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:34,280 Speaker 1: But I think that it's going to age well, Like 580 00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:37,040 Speaker 1: I would love to see the content that they've got. 581 00:26:37,119 --> 00:26:40,760 Speaker 1: Because Lebron was playing so well and he was yeah, 582 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:42,719 Speaker 1: I mean there's such a range of emotions from him. 583 00:26:42,760 --> 00:26:44,639 Speaker 1: You know, some days he was like really sad that 584 00:26:44,680 --> 00:26:48,320 Speaker 1: he's missing Brownie's birthday. Other days he's missing home. Some 585 00:26:48,480 --> 00:26:51,080 Speaker 1: days he's locked in and like just completely punking the 586 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:54,320 Speaker 1: Rockets and going through these crazy like pregame dun't competition 587 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:56,600 Speaker 1: type stuff where he's trying to you know, get his 588 00:26:56,680 --> 00:27:00,200 Speaker 1: team energized. Um, you know he's quoting Kobe Bryant saying 589 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:02,080 Speaker 1: the job is not finished after they win the Western 590 00:27:02,119 --> 00:27:05,520 Speaker 1: Conference finals. We don't forget Anthony Davis is an amazing 591 00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:08,080 Speaker 1: game winner. You know that crazy uh you know three 592 00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:10,840 Speaker 1: that he hits. Uh. I mean that was a really 593 00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:13,679 Speaker 1: fun you know a scene where they're celebrating and uh, 594 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:16,880 Speaker 1: basically in an empty gym. So there's so many good moments. 595 00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:19,760 Speaker 1: If you did a Laker specific documentary from that Bubba run, 596 00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:22,720 Speaker 1: that would would hold up and and I think would 597 00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:24,440 Speaker 1: look great. You know, we just got a fast forward 598 00:27:24,520 --> 00:27:26,040 Speaker 1: like ten years so that it feels like it's like 599 00:27:26,119 --> 00:27:28,240 Speaker 1: the nostalgia factor, you know, yeah, right, were getting the 600 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:31,600 Speaker 1: redeemed team one right now. I wonder should they do 601 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:35,119 Speaker 1: something like this for what? You know, there there's a 602 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:39,760 Speaker 1: lot of conversation happening about in season tournaments. Um that 603 00:27:39,960 --> 00:27:42,520 Speaker 1: that would be dope if like the in season tournaments 604 00:27:42,560 --> 00:27:46,000 Speaker 1: like took place at a neutral location, like not bubble. 605 00:27:46,200 --> 00:27:49,199 Speaker 1: People's family could come, but if there was something about 606 00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:52,680 Speaker 1: it that like recreated that sort of fraternal atmosphere, I 607 00:27:52,720 --> 00:27:55,040 Speaker 1: don't know that. This just got me excited. Like you 608 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:59,720 Speaker 1: describing what was obviously an emotionally spiritually harrowing thing. I'm like, 609 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:03,000 Speaker 1: that sounds so tight. We need to recreate that. But 610 00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:07,800 Speaker 1: like there there is contests, No, you're you're onto something. Man. 611 00:28:07,960 --> 00:28:10,240 Speaker 1: It just doesn't need to be ninety three days long, right, 612 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:15,119 Speaker 1: like thetation, you know, a nice bite sized event. Right, 613 00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:17,280 Speaker 1: So I'm with you. I actually think it would be 614 00:28:17,359 --> 00:28:19,960 Speaker 1: cool if they did like a single site something to 615 00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:22,440 Speaker 1: kick like maybe they had all like the first week 616 00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:25,280 Speaker 1: games were all in the same place. Was kind of 617 00:28:25,359 --> 00:28:26,880 Speaker 1: fun is that the players would go to the other 618 00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:29,520 Speaker 1: teams games, right, So like you got Damian Lillard like 619 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:31,879 Speaker 1: watching the Lakers from a quart side seat, right, you know, 620 00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:34,320 Speaker 1: you have the kind of stuff happening a lot. Chris 621 00:28:34,440 --> 00:28:36,480 Speaker 1: Paul loved to watch the other teams play because he's 622 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:39,080 Speaker 1: such a basketball junkie, and so that part of it 623 00:28:39,280 --> 00:28:41,280 Speaker 1: was really fun. It kind of felt like Summer League 624 00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:43,200 Speaker 1: on steroids a little bit, and it would be cool 625 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:47,040 Speaker 1: if they couldn't incorporate that more regularly, but you know, 626 00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:49,480 Speaker 1: you just gotta You just can't have it run for 627 00:28:49,560 --> 00:28:53,720 Speaker 1: three months. That's like a week a week with single 628 00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:57,800 Speaker 1: elimination or something. Rotate the tournament location each year like 629 00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:00,280 Speaker 1: the Super Bowl. I don't know that that's sounds like 630 00:29:00,360 --> 00:29:03,880 Speaker 1: it could be super funny. And because this is an 631 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:06,560 Speaker 1: NBA podcast, I think they have to do it right. 632 00:29:09,240 --> 00:29:12,160 Speaker 1: Let's take a quick break, we'll come back and we'll 633 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:15,360 Speaker 1: do rapid Fire. Yeah. I don't know if you're ready, 634 00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:17,400 Speaker 1: but that's not a statement on you. I don't know 635 00:29:17,560 --> 00:29:19,920 Speaker 1: any human can be ready. It's a little bit like 636 00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:23,800 Speaker 1: parenthood or you know, like those big life events the 637 00:29:23,880 --> 00:29:27,560 Speaker 1: bubble that you can try and mentally prepare yourself. But 638 00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:31,880 Speaker 1: it's really it's hard to explain. You're gonna see we'll 639 00:29:31,920 --> 00:29:46,200 Speaker 1: be right back and we're back. That sound you here 640 00:29:47,640 --> 00:29:53,040 Speaker 1: is the sounding. Yeah, it's it, We're it's it was 641 00:29:53,040 --> 00:29:56,160 Speaker 1: supposed to be fast movement. Hey, look, I'm no fully artist, 642 00:29:56,360 --> 00:29:59,280 Speaker 1: but uh that's because we're coming up on rapid Fire. 643 00:29:59,440 --> 00:30:05,920 Speaker 1: Baby time for Fireheads, the rapid Fire Round of Questions. Now, Ben, 644 00:30:06,480 --> 00:30:09,080 Speaker 1: I know you've listened to every episode of the podcast, 645 00:30:09,160 --> 00:30:11,680 Speaker 1: so you already know how intense this segment is. But 646 00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:14,200 Speaker 1: for those listening for the first time, buckle up your 647 00:30:14,280 --> 00:30:16,600 Speaker 1: minds because in this section we are going to be 648 00:30:16,680 --> 00:30:19,840 Speaker 1: asking Ben a series of questions. Ben, do not think 649 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:22,640 Speaker 1: too long on it. Just react. Just give us a 650 00:30:22,760 --> 00:30:25,200 Speaker 1: response immediately, because then we can move on to the 651 00:30:25,320 --> 00:30:28,600 Speaker 1: next question. And what is by far the fastest segment 652 00:30:28,680 --> 00:30:31,600 Speaker 1: in podcasting. Like you can you can get into an 653 00:30:31,600 --> 00:30:34,840 Speaker 1: athletic stance, you can like do the chop your feet drill, 654 00:30:35,360 --> 00:30:38,320 Speaker 1: just to like kind of keep yourself ready for for 655 00:30:38,440 --> 00:30:42,560 Speaker 1: what's about to happen. Is hard to prepare you for, ye, 656 00:30:43,080 --> 00:30:46,480 Speaker 1: and it's gonna go fast, So don't This isn't some 657 00:30:46,920 --> 00:30:50,960 Speaker 1: long winded, meandering conversation. This is like it's like you 658 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:53,440 Speaker 1: get the ball, you just pass it right back. No, no, 659 00:30:53,520 --> 00:30:55,440 Speaker 1: I don't want to see any ball under your chin 660 00:30:55,560 --> 00:30:57,640 Speaker 1: elbows and I just right back. Okay, here we go, 661 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:03,160 Speaker 1: suck the clock, all right, Jack? You want to go first? Um? Yeah, 662 00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:07,200 Speaker 1: I don't know. I'm good like whatever you are. You 663 00:31:07,560 --> 00:31:11,560 Speaker 1: you wanted to go first? Yeah, okay, because I've been practicing, 664 00:31:11,960 --> 00:31:14,240 Speaker 1: so I'm yeah, actually I've been practicing this. If I 665 00:31:14,320 --> 00:31:16,320 Speaker 1: go Okay, yes, this will be very fast if I 666 00:31:16,400 --> 00:31:21,440 Speaker 1: go first, Okay, here we go. Then where's Russell Westbrook 667 00:31:21,520 --> 00:31:24,120 Speaker 1: at the start of this season with the Lakers? But 668 00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:26,480 Speaker 1: I give him twenty games and then I think he's 669 00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:31,440 Speaker 1: uh not, he's at home until the trade deadline. Okay, interesting, 670 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:35,040 Speaker 1: So you think, okay, games, how do you think the 671 00:31:35,120 --> 00:31:37,600 Speaker 1: Lakers will with all that? Does that free them up? 672 00:31:37,640 --> 00:31:40,920 Speaker 1: Does that do anything? I just want to let me asking. 673 00:31:41,520 --> 00:31:44,880 Speaker 1: Is that good for the Lakers? I think it's a 674 00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:46,760 Speaker 1: good thing for the Lakers man and they were hard 675 00:31:46,840 --> 00:31:49,000 Speaker 1: to watch on a nightly basis last year. For me 676 00:31:49,160 --> 00:31:51,719 Speaker 1: personally here in l A, I think that having Shrewder 677 00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:56,240 Speaker 1: and Beverly just be your rotation guards over Westbrook is 678 00:31:56,640 --> 00:31:59,360 Speaker 1: a win. You know, it's a modest win. And I 679 00:31:59,400 --> 00:32:01,080 Speaker 1: think if you're the Acres, like, if you make the 680 00:32:01,160 --> 00:32:03,760 Speaker 1: plan that's a successful season after last year, I think 681 00:32:03,800 --> 00:32:06,000 Speaker 1: you have a better chance of doing it without Westbrook 682 00:32:06,480 --> 00:32:09,400 Speaker 1: and he's on a giant expiring contract. Your best chance 683 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:11,400 Speaker 1: of trading him is probably you know, someone's trying to 684 00:32:11,440 --> 00:32:14,000 Speaker 1: make a financial move at the deadline. So look, if 685 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:16,040 Speaker 1: he wants to come into camp and try hard and 686 00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:19,120 Speaker 1: and kill it, then at least give them that opportunity. 687 00:32:19,560 --> 00:32:21,480 Speaker 1: If it's not working out, I think you can feel 688 00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:24,560 Speaker 1: free to just pull the John Wallen sent him home. Okay, okay, 689 00:32:24,760 --> 00:32:28,560 Speaker 1: alright like that, Um, alright, get ready, this one's gonna 690 00:32:28,560 --> 00:32:31,520 Speaker 1: be real fast. What team or group of people would 691 00:32:31,560 --> 00:32:34,080 Speaker 1: you like to see have a big, chill style reunion 692 00:32:34,160 --> 00:32:37,440 Speaker 1: the way the Showtime Lakers are currently having a reunion 693 00:32:37,600 --> 00:32:41,719 Speaker 1: in Hawaii. I believe that looked like fun didn't want 694 00:32:41,760 --> 00:32:44,160 Speaker 1: to go. Yeah, oh yeah, you think we should do 695 00:32:44,200 --> 00:32:46,440 Speaker 1: a reunion of this podcast in about a year time. 696 00:32:49,680 --> 00:32:51,520 Speaker 1: But honestly, I think I'd rather go hang out with 697 00:32:51,600 --> 00:32:54,760 Speaker 1: seventy five year old dream shooting the skyhooks, the sky 698 00:32:55,600 --> 00:32:59,720 Speaker 1: Man and Magic singing Joy and Pain by Mays and 699 00:32:59,760 --> 00:33:02,840 Speaker 1: Frank keep Beverley. Although watching that clip, I realized I 700 00:33:03,080 --> 00:33:05,760 Speaker 1: prefer the Rob Base and DJ Easy Rock version of 701 00:33:05,840 --> 00:33:10,320 Speaker 1: Joint Pains, But I'm a young man. I think my 702 00:33:10,400 --> 00:33:13,160 Speaker 1: answer would be the nineties bulls. I mean, let's get 703 00:33:13,400 --> 00:33:16,440 Speaker 1: the last last dance, or like after the last dance, 704 00:33:16,520 --> 00:33:20,000 Speaker 1: RENI last show. I could see, you know, if everybody's 705 00:33:20,080 --> 00:33:23,840 Speaker 1: drinking MJ's tequila. Um, I could see some punches being thrown. 706 00:33:24,080 --> 00:33:26,400 Speaker 1: I could see some people not happy with how they 707 00:33:26,480 --> 00:33:29,240 Speaker 1: were portrayed on the show. And if it's not that, 708 00:33:29,480 --> 00:33:31,480 Speaker 1: I think you could also go to like the nineties Knicks. 709 00:33:31,520 --> 00:33:32,880 Speaker 1: You know, there was a couple of books I think 710 00:33:32,920 --> 00:33:37,040 Speaker 1: about them recently. Those guys would be wild to watch 711 00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:40,120 Speaker 1: reminisce and I imagine like and you know the Lakers 712 00:33:40,120 --> 00:33:43,000 Speaker 1: are going through their showtime practices where they're like running drills. 713 00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:44,640 Speaker 1: I mean, I can just picture the Knicks like just 714 00:33:45,160 --> 00:33:48,000 Speaker 1: bowling each other over in the paint, ripping down rebounds. 715 00:33:48,080 --> 00:33:50,600 Speaker 1: So I don't know, I'm going to nineties Instalgia, Bulls 716 00:33:50,680 --> 00:33:53,600 Speaker 1: or Knicks. Yeah, I like that. The Last Dance Reunion 717 00:33:53,680 --> 00:33:56,800 Speaker 1: Show like a reality show where they do the reunion 718 00:33:56,920 --> 00:33:59,920 Speaker 1: show and everybody like has the kind of a key 719 00:34:00,000 --> 00:34:06,680 Speaker 1: Indy Andy through what's the dudeen like interviews them getting messy. Now, Oaks, 720 00:34:06,920 --> 00:34:10,320 Speaker 1: Now you had some beef right with John Starks that 721 00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:11,920 Speaker 1: we didn't know about until now. Do you want to 722 00:34:12,000 --> 00:34:13,600 Speaker 1: do you want to expand on that? And also Anthony 723 00:34:13,680 --> 00:34:16,200 Speaker 1: Mason's free throw shooting style. Okay, we'll talk about that 724 00:34:16,280 --> 00:34:19,120 Speaker 1: later when't we're back. I'm sorry, And again we have 725 00:34:19,200 --> 00:34:22,360 Speaker 1: to remind you, Ben, this is a rapid fire rap question. 726 00:34:22,440 --> 00:34:25,240 Speaker 1: So we're going to keep the answers tight going forward. 727 00:34:25,719 --> 00:34:28,799 Speaker 1: What are we underrating about the upcoming season, Ben? From 728 00:34:28,840 --> 00:34:31,760 Speaker 1: your perspective, just that we're finally back to a normal schedule. 729 00:34:31,920 --> 00:34:34,239 Speaker 1: You know, we had the full off season. Everybody got 730 00:34:34,320 --> 00:34:36,160 Speaker 1: the full off season, even the teams that went to 731 00:34:36,200 --> 00:34:38,319 Speaker 1: the finals. You know, you look at it. Even last year, 732 00:34:38,440 --> 00:34:41,319 Speaker 1: you know, the this Sun's and Bucks went pretty deep 733 00:34:41,360 --> 00:34:43,200 Speaker 1: in the summer and then they had the Olympics. So 734 00:34:43,320 --> 00:34:47,399 Speaker 1: I'm hoping for a fewer injuries. I'm hoping for really 735 00:34:47,440 --> 00:34:50,000 Speaker 1: competitive play, and I'm open for an awesome postseason now 736 00:34:50,040 --> 00:34:54,000 Speaker 1: that we're finally out of the pandemic delay effect that 737 00:34:54,120 --> 00:34:56,640 Speaker 1: kind of get a ruined, but it's certainly altered the 738 00:34:56,719 --> 00:35:00,560 Speaker 1: last couple of seasons. Right on the Greatest of All 739 00:35:00,640 --> 00:35:03,920 Speaker 1: Talk podcast, you discussed the imminence of super team extinction 740 00:35:04,400 --> 00:35:06,480 Speaker 1: based on the recent results of teams like the Lakers 741 00:35:06,560 --> 00:35:09,840 Speaker 1: the Nets. Do you think that teams are moving away 742 00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:13,719 Speaker 1: from that? Do you feel like it's an overreaction set 743 00:35:14,120 --> 00:35:17,160 Speaker 1: that the Nets were unstoppable when they weren't hurt and 744 00:35:17,280 --> 00:35:19,680 Speaker 1: hurry up with the answer, yeah, yeah, and make sure 745 00:35:19,760 --> 00:35:21,840 Speaker 1: the answer is not as long as that question was 746 00:35:22,080 --> 00:35:25,840 Speaker 1: so I I I yes or no? Is what just 747 00:35:26,040 --> 00:35:30,080 Speaker 1: yes or no? Please? I think I think that players 748 00:35:30,200 --> 00:35:33,319 Speaker 1: drive super teams, and for whatever reason, players haven't been 749 00:35:33,360 --> 00:35:36,319 Speaker 1: able to maintain their friendships long enough to actually see 750 00:35:36,320 --> 00:35:38,279 Speaker 1: the super team through here over the last few years. 751 00:35:38,360 --> 00:35:40,520 Speaker 1: So I think we're in a slightly different era. One 752 00:35:40,560 --> 00:35:42,120 Speaker 1: thing to keep an eye on, and I know this 753 00:35:42,280 --> 00:35:45,160 Speaker 1: is probably drifting into long windedness, but there could be 754 00:35:45,200 --> 00:35:47,560 Speaker 1: another massive rise in the salary cap coming up with 755 00:35:47,600 --> 00:35:50,279 Speaker 1: the new Clorking bargaining agreement and the new media rights deals. 756 00:35:50,360 --> 00:35:52,800 Speaker 1: So that's really what created Kevin Durant to the Warriors. 757 00:35:53,239 --> 00:35:55,880 Speaker 1: Could we see another team use that same blue print 758 00:35:55,960 --> 00:35:59,560 Speaker 1: the salary cap goes up really quickly, they aggregate all 759 00:35:59,600 --> 00:36:02,160 Speaker 1: the super star talent, bring them all together, and then 760 00:36:02,280 --> 00:36:04,640 Speaker 1: create a super team. It's possible, but right now it's 761 00:36:05,040 --> 00:36:07,960 Speaker 1: parody rules. Man. It's it's a lot of teams out 762 00:36:07,960 --> 00:36:09,520 Speaker 1: there who have a chance to win the title this year. 763 00:36:09,840 --> 00:36:17,120 Speaker 1: And finally, the most important question, Ben Jacker Miles, Oh, 764 00:36:17,360 --> 00:36:19,799 Speaker 1: come on, guys, it's like choosing between my children, which 765 00:36:19,800 --> 00:36:22,600 Speaker 1: I don't own, So I guess you know it's that's unfair. 766 00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:31,680 Speaker 1: I'm gonna go. I'm going Jabari to Ben. What kind 767 00:36:31,719 --> 00:36:34,279 Speaker 1: of a convenient cop out by me? But it's also quick. 768 00:36:34,360 --> 00:36:37,279 Speaker 1: It was quick. No, that's a we we gotta really 769 00:36:37,600 --> 00:36:39,200 Speaker 1: that was a great I mean, I think that's easy 770 00:36:39,280 --> 00:36:41,279 Speaker 1: for Miles to say as someone who has won this 771 00:36:41,440 --> 00:36:45,200 Speaker 1: every other time, like they've said Miles and so like, yeah, 772 00:36:45,320 --> 00:36:48,320 Speaker 1: that's fun, and you know, it's a nice change of 773 00:36:48,400 --> 00:36:51,800 Speaker 1: pace for him. But for somebody who's still, you know, 774 00:36:52,200 --> 00:36:55,480 Speaker 1: just seeking the chip, just seeking that first chip, what's 775 00:36:55,480 --> 00:36:58,759 Speaker 1: holding you back? Jack? I mean, man, I don't I 776 00:36:58,800 --> 00:37:05,080 Speaker 1: don't know, man, I've been like pages and pages of notes. Uh, 777 00:37:05,600 --> 00:37:09,680 Speaker 1: every gesture, every micro gesture was meticulously planned. I put 778 00:37:09,719 --> 00:37:14,360 Speaker 1: together my own the rehearsal in my house. Yeah. So 779 00:37:15,080 --> 00:37:19,120 Speaker 1: uh didn't God didn't go according to plan, but understandable. 780 00:37:19,200 --> 00:37:24,200 Speaker 1: Jabari is great. Um yeah, no, that's cool. That's all right. 781 00:37:24,239 --> 00:37:26,040 Speaker 1: It look Jack, you'll get him next time. You'll get 782 00:37:26,080 --> 00:37:29,200 Speaker 1: him next time. Well, before we make this any more awkward, 783 00:37:29,280 --> 00:37:31,520 Speaker 1: we have to thank our guests. Ben, thank you so 784 00:37:31,920 --> 00:37:35,719 Speaker 1: much for stopping by mad boost these. Before we let 785 00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:38,040 Speaker 1: you go, we gotta shout out the Las Vegas Aces 786 00:37:38,200 --> 00:37:42,200 Speaker 1: on their first w NBA title and also the people 787 00:37:42,280 --> 00:37:46,959 Speaker 1: of Aana for a fantastic EuroBasket championship. Doing it again 788 00:37:47,040 --> 00:37:50,000 Speaker 1: with a pair of brothers. Ben. Where can people find you? 789 00:37:50,239 --> 00:37:52,120 Speaker 1: Follow you, listen to you, read you and all that 790 00:37:52,160 --> 00:37:54,799 Speaker 1: good stuff. Yeah, Washington Post dot com, slash sports where 791 00:37:54,800 --> 00:37:56,719 Speaker 1: I put all my writing. I actually had a write 792 00:37:56,760 --> 00:37:59,719 Speaker 1: up on that EuroBasket final, so you know, if you 793 00:37:59,760 --> 00:38:01,680 Speaker 1: want to read about Spain and France and kind of 794 00:38:01,680 --> 00:38:04,720 Speaker 1: where they went wrong, it's it's there. And then greatest 795 00:38:04,760 --> 00:38:08,799 Speaker 1: of all talk dot com is the bucket and making amazing. Okay, guys, 796 00:38:08,840 --> 00:38:12,399 Speaker 1: that was another legendary episode in the books. Please join 797 00:38:12,600 --> 00:38:16,200 Speaker 1: us next week where we will get even closer to 798 00:38:16,360 --> 00:38:19,359 Speaker 1: the start of the preseason. Follow us on Twitter at 799 00:38:19,520 --> 00:38:22,520 Speaker 1: mad boost ease d b O O S t I 800 00:38:22,600 --> 00:38:26,080 Speaker 1: e s Exactly. It's very easy. It's the only way 801 00:38:26,160 --> 00:38:28,319 Speaker 1: you would spell boosts. We all have this and I'm 802 00:38:28,360 --> 00:38:31,239 Speaker 1: taking tips from anybody who wants to see me get 803 00:38:31,320 --> 00:38:35,080 Speaker 1: one of these from our guests, you know, straight more 804 00:38:35,200 --> 00:38:39,879 Speaker 1: negging artist, Yeah, trying negging at the top and see 805 00:38:40,080 --> 00:38:45,000 Speaker 1: we should try to pick up artists the guests the 806 00:38:45,040 --> 00:38:48,640 Speaker 1: whole time. We'll try and look, that's a tip for 807 00:38:48,680 --> 00:38:51,719 Speaker 1: the listeners. Stay tuned to see how will pick up 808 00:38:51,840 --> 00:38:54,759 Speaker 1: artist Jack do on the next episode of Miles and 809 00:38:55,160 --> 00:39:03,640 Speaker 1: Jack Got Mad. Said Moosty Pristor is the risor