1
00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:03,240
Speaker 1: This episode is brought to you by all State. Some

2
00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:06,080
Speaker 1: people just know they could save hundreds on car insurance

3
00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:08,840
Speaker 1: by checking all State first, Like you know, to check

4
00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:12,440
Speaker 1: the date of the Big Game first before you accidentally

5
00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:15,480
Speaker 1: buy tickets on your twentieth wedding anniversary and have to

6
00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:17,920
Speaker 1: spend the next twenty years of your marriage making up

7
00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:21,520
Speaker 1: for it. Yeah, checking first is smart, So check all

8
00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:23,880
Speaker 1: State first for a quote that could save you hundreds.

9
00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:26,600
Speaker 1: You're in good hands with All States Savings. Very terms

10
00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:41,320
Speaker 1: apply All State Fire and Casualty Insurance Company and Affiliates, Northbrook, Illinois.

11
00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:43,199
Speaker 2: All right, welcome man.

12
00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:46,520
Speaker 3: It is another special episode of What's Right with Nick Wright,

13
00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:49,599
Speaker 3: the podcast and the YouTube shows. We continue the countdown

14
00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:54,080
Speaker 3: of the fifty greatest players of the last fifty years.

15
00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:58,480
Speaker 3: Today's show we will do players fifteen, fourteen, and thirteen.

16
00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:03,320
Speaker 3: And this really, to me is the true NBA Royalty

17
00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:04,960
Speaker 3: of the last fifty years.

18
00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:06,640
Speaker 2: With respect to.

19
00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:12,000
Speaker 3: Dirk and the Mailman and Berkley and KG and David

20
00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:16,000
Speaker 3: Robinson and Chris Paul and the guys who we've already done.

21
00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:24,000
Speaker 3: Fifteen to ten are iconic all timers and nine through

22
00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:29,440
Speaker 3: one are really inarguably the greatest players that most any

23
00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:31,840
Speaker 3: of us have seen with our own eyes. As again,

24
00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:34,400
Speaker 3: we're not including Wilton Russell and the like on the list,

25
00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:36,520
Speaker 3: so let's get right to it. We will go to

26
00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:41,280
Speaker 3: number fifteen, a guy who I think, by the analytics

27
00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:46,280
Speaker 3: era and by the younger generation is chronically underrated, but

28
00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:47,720
Speaker 3: maybe not after.

29
00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:52,080
Speaker 2: You listen to these next few minutes. Number fifteen Isaiah Thomas.

30
00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:56,160
Speaker 3: So, Isaiah Thomas's regular season resume is not great. Three

31
00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:59,200
Speaker 3: time first team All NBA, two time second team All NBA,

32
00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:02,600
Speaker 3: one time it's his champ and one time was a

33
00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:04,080
Speaker 3: top five MVP finisher.

34
00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:04,640
Speaker 2: That's it.

35
00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:09,600
Speaker 3: So how does Isaiah Thomas, with that regular season resume

36
00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:13,000
Speaker 3: come in fifteen of the.

37
00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:15,000
Speaker 2: Fifty best players last fifty years?

38
00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:20,440
Speaker 3: Well, quite simply, Isaiah Thomas understood how to win basketball

39
00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:24,880
Speaker 3: games as well as any player in NBA history, and

40
00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:26,880
Speaker 3: he showed it. We don't include what you did in

41
00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:30,080
Speaker 3: college on this list, but it is worth noting Isaiah

42
00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:32,720
Speaker 3: Thomas was a champion in college.

43
00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:34,240
Speaker 2: Was the number two pick of the draft.

44
00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:38,400
Speaker 3: And I talked to Isaiah once and asked him because I,

45
00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:43,080
Speaker 3: once upon a time had underrated Isaiah Thomas historically. And

46
00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:46,359
Speaker 3: my answer was like most people, is well, the numbers

47
00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:51,080
Speaker 3: are the numbers, and his argument was he understood the

48
00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:54,160
Speaker 3: best way for the Pistons to win games. He understood

49
00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:57,560
Speaker 3: who needed touches, who needed shots, who needed the ball

50
00:02:57,560 --> 00:03:01,040
Speaker 3: in their hands in order to contrive the best they

51
00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:02,919
Speaker 3: could on the defensive side of the ball. So he

52
00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:08,080
Speaker 3: would sacrifice his own numbers, his own accomplishments for those

53
00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:11,760
Speaker 3: of his teammates, but when they needed it most, he

54
00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:14,280
Speaker 3: would show up and have monster games. And when you

55
00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:18,600
Speaker 3: break it down, it is inarguably true, as soon as

56
00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:24,440
Speaker 3: his team's faced elimination, Isaiah was unbelievable. Further More than that,

57
00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:29,920
Speaker 3: Isaiah also and this part's critical, did not have a superteam.

58
00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:33,000
Speaker 3: Isaiah had very good teams, but Isaiah didn't have a

59
00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:36,120
Speaker 3: single teammate that was on the NBA's original fifty Best

60
00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:38,680
Speaker 3: Players of the Last fifty year or the I'm sorry,

61
00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:42,120
Speaker 3: their fifty Greatest Players ever. And his only teammate that

62
00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:46,240
Speaker 3: even made the top seventy five list was Dennis Rodman. Yet,

63
00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:49,880
Speaker 3: as we'll get into, how did he do against Magic

64
00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:54,120
Speaker 3: and his superteam against Michael, Against Bird and his super

65
00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:58,320
Speaker 3: team in Boston, Isaiah consistently won so let's go through

66
00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:04,840
Speaker 3: the postseason resume. Nineteen eighty four, elimination game of the

67
00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:08,440
Speaker 3: first series of his career, he has thirty five and twelve.

68
00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:11,800
Speaker 3: Again Isaiah, who's a less than twenty point per game

69
00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:16,920
Speaker 3: career guy. First elimination game in his playoff career thirty

70
00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:17,839
Speaker 3: five and twelve.

71
00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:18,400
Speaker 2: Against the Knicks.

72
00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:24,000
Speaker 3: Nineteen eighty five facing elimination against the eighty five Celtics,

73
00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:30,919
Speaker 3: thirty seven, twelve, and nine for this series. Averaged twenty six,

74
00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:35,440
Speaker 3: six and eleven against the eighty five Celtics. The next year,

75
00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:37,400
Speaker 3: the eighty six Celtics might be the greatest team ever.

76
00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:40,039
Speaker 3: That year's Celtics obviously ended up going on to the finals,

77
00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:44,920
Speaker 3: losing to Magic and Kareem and Worthy in the finals.

78
00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:50,120
Speaker 3: In that series, I believe he outplayed Bird. His next

79
00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:55,359
Speaker 3: two best offensive teammates were Vinnie Johnson and Kelly Tripuka.

80
00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:59,960
Speaker 3: The next year, nineteen eighty six, facing elimination against Atlanta,

81
00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:05,080
Speaker 3: what does Isaiah do thirty six, ten and twelve average

82
00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:08,880
Speaker 3: twenty seven, seven and twelve for the series. But now

83
00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:11,920
Speaker 3: is when we get to the meat of Isaiah Thomas's greatness.

84
00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:16,279
Speaker 3: Nineteen eighty seven to nineteen eighty one nineteen eighty seven

85
00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:22,640
Speaker 3: starts the playoffs off with thirty four nine nine four

86
00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:28,520
Speaker 3: two swept Washington round one, got revenge over Dominique in

87
00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:31,559
Speaker 3: round two, had beat him the previous year, had three

88
00:05:31,880 --> 00:05:35,279
Speaker 3: thirty point games that series against Dominique. Lost to the

89
00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:39,200
Speaker 3: defending champion Boston Celtics in seven games in the Eastern

90
00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:42,680
Speaker 3: Conference Finals. So nineteen eighty seven to the Conference finals.

91
00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:49,120
Speaker 3: The amazing to start the playoffs against Washington, absolutely fantastic

92
00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:52,120
Speaker 3: against Dominique in Atlanta, and then lose a seven game

93
00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:55,680
Speaker 3: series to an all time team in Boston nineteen eighty seven, Well,

94
00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:57,520
Speaker 3: a team that was the defending champion. I should say

95
00:05:57,520 --> 00:05:59,400
Speaker 3: the eighty seven Celtics were very, very good, maybe not

96
00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:00,000
Speaker 3: an all time team.

97
00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:04,080
Speaker 2: Nineteen eighty eight beats Michael Jordan in round two.

98
00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:06,760
Speaker 3: That's gonna be a theme. He averaged twenty to ten.

99
00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:12,160
Speaker 3: That series has thirty five, eight, five and four. In

100
00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:15,960
Speaker 3: Game five of the nineteen eighty eight Eastern Conference Finals

101
00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:19,719
Speaker 3: against Boston, that game is the unofficial in my mind,

102
00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:23,839
Speaker 3: end of the bird McHale run in Boston. Isaiah ended

103
00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:27,160
Speaker 3: it to make his first NBA finals. Now let's get

104
00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:29,839
Speaker 3: to it. Nineteen eighty eight Finals. First game of the

105
00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:32,800
Speaker 3: Finals has nineteen and twelve to steal Game one in

106
00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:37,320
Speaker 3: Los Angeles, and then we're in game six the Pistons

107
00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:39,760
Speaker 3: can win the title. They're up three to two on

108
00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:43,960
Speaker 3: the eighty eight defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. He has

109
00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:49,719
Speaker 3: forty three points, eight rebounds, six assists, twenty five third

110
00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:56,080
Speaker 3: quarter points on the terribly sprained ankle. They they that

111
00:06:56,240 --> 00:06:58,760
Speaker 3: gave them the lead going into the fourth. They lose

112
00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:03,360
Speaker 3: by one on a phantom foul call. Kareem goes the line,

113
00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:06,080
Speaker 3: makes two free throws, forces a game seven.

114
00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:08,240
Speaker 2: In the game seven, Zeke's hobbled.

115
00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:11,400
Speaker 3: They lose by three points. Magic gets his final ring.

116
00:07:11,640 --> 00:07:15,360
Speaker 3: He was this close to having a playoff run where

117
00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:20,040
Speaker 3: he goes through Jordan, then Burden, McHale, then Magic, Cream

118
00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:23,760
Speaker 3: and Worthy. For this series, the NBA Finals' first Finals,

119
00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:25,000
Speaker 3: he averages twenty to nine.

120
00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:30,200
Speaker 2: Does he give up? They say, ah, it's not. Look

121
00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:31,560
Speaker 2: at these seems I gotta go through No.

122
00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:36,120
Speaker 3: The very next year, nineteen eighty nine, sweeps Burden. Round one,

123
00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:39,440
Speaker 3: swept Moncreep in company that Bucksteam.

124
00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:40,440
Speaker 2: We talked about earlier in the series.

125
00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:44,480
Speaker 3: In Round two, down one zero to Chicago and Michael

126
00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:48,560
Speaker 3: Jordan outplays MJ, drops thirty three on the Bulls to

127
00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:51,640
Speaker 3: tie the series down two one to MJ, and the

128
00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:57,280
Speaker 3: Bulls wins three straight, averaging twenty six, six, seven, and

129
00:07:57,440 --> 00:08:02,160
Speaker 3: three for the final three games. Game six to beat

130
00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:06,480
Speaker 3: the Bulls has thirty three, five, four and three and

131
00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:10,080
Speaker 3: knocks out Jordan again, and then in his first finals

132
00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:12,280
Speaker 3: game ever has twenty four and nine en route to

133
00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:16,080
Speaker 3: sweeping the Lakers. So that year he did go through Bird,

134
00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:20,520
Speaker 3: Michael and Magic. The next year beat Youing in round two,

135
00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:24,840
Speaker 3: beat MJ again in the Eastern Conference Finals, this one

136
00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:28,600
Speaker 3: in game seven, twenty one, eight and eleven, then beat

137
00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:31,880
Speaker 3: Clyde in the finals, averaging twenty eight points, five rebounds,

138
00:08:31,880 --> 00:08:34,840
Speaker 3: seven assists, two steals and wins finals MVP SO from

139
00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:38,480
Speaker 3: eighty eight to ninety. From nineteen eighty eight to ninety,

140
00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:40,720
Speaker 3: Isaiah Thomas played in twelve series.

141
00:08:41,559 --> 00:08:43,320
Speaker 2: Nine of those series we're.

142
00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:48,560
Speaker 3: Against MJ and Pippin Magic and Kareem Burden, McHale Drexler.

143
00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:52,800
Speaker 3: Ewing as a whole in those nine went eight to

144
00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:56,040
Speaker 3: one overall when eleven and one, and the one series

145
00:08:56,080 --> 00:08:59,400
Speaker 3: he lost was a game seven three point loss when

146
00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:03,199
Speaker 3: he injured him in Game six nineteen ninety one, down

147
00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:07,320
Speaker 3: two to MJ in the Eastern Conference Finals, has his

148
00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:09,800
Speaker 3: best game of the series with twenty nine seven and six,

149
00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:12,400
Speaker 3: played all forty eight minutes, but they lost and that

150
00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:15,360
Speaker 3: kind of ended the Pistons run. So from eighty seven

151
00:09:15,400 --> 00:09:18,680
Speaker 3: to ninety one, five straight trips to the conference finals,

152
00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:22,680
Speaker 3: three finals trips, record against Magic Superteam one and one,

153
00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:26,600
Speaker 3: record against Bird Superteam three and one, record against Michael

154
00:09:26,640 --> 00:09:30,160
Speaker 3: Jordan three and one. So he played, let me do

155
00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:35,600
Speaker 3: the math there very quickly, excuse me. Ten series against

156
00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:40,160
Speaker 3: the Magic's Lakers, Magic and Kareem Lakers, Bird Celtics, MJ's

157
00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:44,160
Speaker 3: Bowls did not have another top fifty teammate seven and

158
00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:47,200
Speaker 3: three in those series. And then the next year, facing

159
00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:51,040
Speaker 3: elimination in round one game five against Patrick Ewing had

160
00:09:51,080 --> 00:09:51,600
Speaker 3: won more.

161
00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:53,240
Speaker 2: Monster game thirty one, ten and six, and that was

162
00:09:53,280 --> 00:09:53,800
Speaker 2: it for Isaia.

163
00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:56,439
Speaker 3: But Isaiah Thomas could have won three in a row,

164
00:09:56,559 --> 00:09:58,120
Speaker 3: arguably should have won three in a row?

165
00:09:58,240 --> 00:10:00,040
Speaker 2: Did it without a super team? Did it?

166
00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:02,479
Speaker 3: And what I'm told is the golden era of basketball

167
00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:07,880
Speaker 3: the late eighties. Isaiah Thomas unequivocally deserves to be number

168
00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:10,319
Speaker 3: fifteen on the list before we move on.

169
00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:13,000
Speaker 2: Let's get a caller on Isaiah Thomas.

170
00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:15,600
Speaker 4: There was a great scene from a movie called Back

171
00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:19,439
Speaker 4: to School, which you never saw, Nick because it came

172
00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:21,160
Speaker 4: out before twenty fifteen.

173
00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:25,760
Speaker 5: And in it, Rodney Dangerfield is judging the term paper

174
00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:28,240
Speaker 5: that somebody else wrote for him based on quit right.

175
00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:30,520
Speaker 5: So the handed Timmy puts in his handy goes it's

176
00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:30,959
Speaker 5: too light.

177
00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:32,720
Speaker 4: It feels like a scene.

178
00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:33,480
Speaker 2: Take it back.

179
00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:36,839
Speaker 5: That's what I'm doing to you. With Isaiah Thomas being

180
00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:39,600
Speaker 5: ranked at fifteen, it's too light.

181
00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:41,679
Speaker 2: He never had a great.

182
00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:44,520
Speaker 4: Number two, still won two titles. He went twelve and

183
00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:50,000
Speaker 4: six against Jordan in the postseason. His pistons were a

184
00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:52,680
Speaker 4: powerhouse in the eighties, and he was one of the

185
00:10:52,679 --> 00:10:55,480
Speaker 4: best guests we've ever had on First Things First for

186
00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:59,920
Speaker 4: those reasons, too late, Isaiah Thomas at fifteen.

187
00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:03,679
Speaker 3: Sorry all right, Jenny. I appreciate the call. I have

188
00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:05,720
Speaker 3: seen back to School. I believe there's a there's a

189
00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:10,280
Speaker 3: diving competition in that. Also, I understand this sentiment. The

190
00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:12,480
Speaker 3: problem is you're gonna find out who the next the

191
00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:15,440
Speaker 3: fourteen other guys are part of. Put isaiahead of any

192
00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:19,760
Speaker 3: of them. Number fourteen is still playing and number fourteen

193
00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:22,600
Speaker 3: is more likely to end up at number four than

194
00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:23,600
Speaker 3: to stay at fourteen.

195
00:11:23,679 --> 00:11:24,480
Speaker 2: We'll do him next.

196
00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:32,200
Speaker 6: This episode is brought to you by Unstoppable. Discover the

197
00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:35,599
Speaker 6: inspiring true story about Anthony Roebliss, who defined every expectation

198
00:11:35,679 --> 00:11:38,559
Speaker 6: to become a national wrestling champion, and Unstoppable, a new

199
00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:42,160
Speaker 6: original movie from Amazon MGM Studios and director William Goldenberg.

200
00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:45,400
Speaker 6: Evoking the excitement and camaraderie of classic sports dramas and

201
00:11:45,440 --> 00:11:48,880
Speaker 6: thrilling wrestling matches. Unstoppable features an all star ensemble cast

202
00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:52,440
Speaker 6: including Jirelle Jerome, Jennifer Lopez, Don Cheadle, Michael Tania, and

203
00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:56,640
Speaker 6: Bobby Canavali. Watch Unstoppable now exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.

204
00:11:59,160 --> 00:12:01,319
Speaker 2: All right, welcome back What's right with Nick Wright?

205
00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:03,800
Speaker 3: As we continue the countdown to the fifty greatest players

206
00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:06,840
Speaker 3: of the last fifty years, We'll keep it moving. Number

207
00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:09,720
Speaker 3: fourteen is a guy who has a legitimate chance of

208
00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:11,320
Speaker 3: finishing his career in the top five.

209
00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:13,280
Speaker 2: We were to do this list in ten years.

210
00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:16,839
Speaker 3: However, where he is right now, fourteen feels right. If

211
00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:20,040
Speaker 3: Chris Middleton doesn't get hurt and they win the title

212
00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:23,040
Speaker 3: this year, maybe he's already to the top ten, but

213
00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:25,320
Speaker 3: where he is right now is number fourteen.

214
00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:26,199
Speaker 2: Number fourteen.

215
00:12:26,520 --> 00:12:32,160
Speaker 3: Janis Giannis's regular season resume is unbelievable. Somehow's postseason resume

216
00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:35,840
Speaker 3: might be better. Four time first Team All NBA, two time

217
00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:37,280
Speaker 3: second Team All NBA.

218
00:12:37,840 --> 00:12:39,160
Speaker 2: He is a two time.

219
00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:43,640
Speaker 3: MVP with four top four MVP finishes, a one time

220
00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:47,480
Speaker 3: Defensive Player of the Year, five time All Defense. All

221
00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:50,640
Speaker 3: of those things Giannis has accomplished already in his career.

222
00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:55,160
Speaker 3: His postseason accomplishments are as follows. Had a twenty five

223
00:12:55,200 --> 00:12:58,160
Speaker 3: and twelve as a twenty year old in his first

224
00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:02,960
Speaker 3: playoffs ever, that was twenty fifteen twenty seventeen, average twenty

225
00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:05,040
Speaker 3: five to ten and four in a Round one loss

226
00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:08,880
Speaker 3: to Toronto, including thirty four and nine facing elimination. Twenty

227
00:13:08,920 --> 00:13:11,000
Speaker 3: eighteen is when you started to be like, oh boy,

228
00:13:11,720 --> 00:13:14,720
Speaker 3: how good can he be? Started the playoffs off with

229
00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:19,280
Speaker 3: a thirty five thirteen, seven and three and average for

230
00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:23,120
Speaker 3: the series twenty six, ten and six on fifty seven

231
00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:26,439
Speaker 3: percent shooting, but lost in seven to Boston. And now

232
00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:30,240
Speaker 3: it starts to get special twenty nineteen, forty one and

233
00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:33,920
Speaker 3: nine to win his first series, A thirty nine sixteen

234
00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:36,000
Speaker 3: and four to go up three to one on Boston,

235
00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:39,160
Speaker 3: averaging twenty eight, eleven and five for the series. And

236
00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:41,560
Speaker 3: then it looked like, oh my god, Giannis is gonna

237
00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:45,000
Speaker 3: win the title already. Guy's gonna be twenty four years old,

238
00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:49,240
Speaker 3: gonna be League MVP champion, all of it. He had

239
00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:52,360
Speaker 3: a thirty point, seventeen rebound, five assist game to go

240
00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:55,800
Speaker 3: up two to zero on Kawhi in Toronto. Game three,

241
00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:58,640
Speaker 3: if you remember, was the triple overtime game.

242
00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:01,280
Speaker 2: Though they lose, they don't want another game that series.

243
00:14:01,880 --> 00:14:06,520
Speaker 3: The next year he crushes Round one, wins another League MVP,

244
00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:10,520
Speaker 3: averages thirty one, sixteen and six. But in round two

245
00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:13,480
Speaker 3: he was shaky and then he got hurt. They lose

246
00:14:13,559 --> 00:14:16,320
Speaker 3: to Miami, and all of a sudden, it's like, oh boy.

247
00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:19,840
Speaker 3: And then there's the twenty twenty one playoff run, which

248
00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:23,080
Speaker 3: is quite simply one of the greatest playoff runs any

249
00:14:23,120 --> 00:14:26,160
Speaker 3: player has ever had in any sport ever. So let's

250
00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:29,360
Speaker 3: go through it. Round one, you get Miami again. They

251
00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:31,320
Speaker 3: could have ducked them, they didn't. The team that beat

252
00:14:31,360 --> 00:14:34,920
Speaker 3: them the previous year sweeps them, averaging twenty four points,

253
00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:38,640
Speaker 3: fifteen rebounds, eight assists as Giannis started to really become

254
00:14:38,760 --> 00:14:43,680
Speaker 3: an excellent passer. Round two iconic series, one of the

255
00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:48,080
Speaker 3: greatest Round two series ever against Brooklyn. Remember, James Harden

256
00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:49,880
Speaker 3: got hurt in the first game of that series, came

257
00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:52,560
Speaker 3: back in game five. Kyrie played games one through four,

258
00:14:52,640 --> 00:14:55,440
Speaker 3: got hurt in game four, was not back throughout, so

259
00:14:55,480 --> 00:14:58,280
Speaker 3: as Durant was there the whole time. Kyrie was there

260
00:14:58,280 --> 00:15:00,480
Speaker 3: for the first four, Harden was there for the three.

261
00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:04,920
Speaker 3: Kind of they're down two O to Brooklyn and Kevin Durant.

262
00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:09,360
Speaker 3: Over the next five games, he averages thirty four points

263
00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:15,120
Speaker 3: and fourteen rebounds on fifty six percent shooting, including basing elimination.

264
00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:19,920
Speaker 3: In Game six thirty points, seventeen rebounds, three assists, and

265
00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:24,280
Speaker 3: then and then in game seven of forty thirteen and

266
00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:27,480
Speaker 3: five and still had gas left in the tank to

267
00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:30,720
Speaker 3: tie the game in overtime and overtime where Kadie went

268
00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:34,360
Speaker 3: over six from the field. Averaged in the Conference finals

269
00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:37,280
Speaker 3: thirty one to eleven and six first three games.

270
00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:39,360
Speaker 2: Then he hyper extended his knee. It looked like he

271
00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:41,000
Speaker 2: was going to be out a year. He was out

272
00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:44,240
Speaker 2: a week. So what happened? Comes back for Game one

273
00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:45,520
Speaker 2: of the Finals is not great.

274
00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:48,800
Speaker 3: And then this is what he does over the next

275
00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:51,080
Speaker 3: five games of the NBA Finals to.

276
00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:52,000
Speaker 2: Put together you.

277
00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:56,000
Speaker 3: I don't think it's the greatest Finals ever, but if

278
00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:58,560
Speaker 3: you say it, I don't think you're crazy. Game two

279
00:15:59,240 --> 00:16:03,160
Speaker 3: forty two twelve four with three blocks, but they lose.

280
00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:04,360
Speaker 2: Now they're down zero two again.

281
00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:09,200
Speaker 3: Game three forty one, thirteen and six to get a

282
00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:14,040
Speaker 3: game back. Game four twenty six points, fourteen rebounds, eight assists,

283
00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:17,880
Speaker 3: three steals, two blocks, and one of those blocks saved

284
00:16:17,920 --> 00:16:18,320
Speaker 3: the game.

285
00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:20,440
Speaker 2: That's the DeAndre eight Valu block.

286
00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:25,960
Speaker 3: Game five thirty two points, nine rebounds, six assists and

287
00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:27,400
Speaker 3: the game winning value.

288
00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:28,960
Speaker 2: And in Game.

289
00:16:28,760 --> 00:16:31,000
Speaker 3: Six, if you want to say this is the greatest

290
00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:35,800
Speaker 3: Finals game ever played, it's it's certainly on the very

291
00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:36,440
Speaker 3: short list.

292
00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:40,240
Speaker 2: Fifty points, fourteen rebounds.

293
00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:45,360
Speaker 3: Two assists, five blocks to win the title. Average thirty

294
00:16:45,400 --> 00:16:49,120
Speaker 3: five to thirteen and five on sixty two percent shooting

295
00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:53,200
Speaker 3: for the NBA Finals last year against the Phoenix Suns.

296
00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:54,960
Speaker 2: Phoenix Suns no fluke their sixty.

297
00:16:54,760 --> 00:16:59,120
Speaker 3: Four win team this year this year twenty twenty two

298
00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:03,080
Speaker 3: Round one in Chicago averages twenty nine, thirteen and six

299
00:17:03,120 --> 00:17:06,359
Speaker 3: on fifty seven percent, but Chris Middleton goes down Round

300
00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:09,320
Speaker 3: two against Boston, throws up a twenty four to thirteen

301
00:17:09,359 --> 00:17:11,760
Speaker 3: and twelve to win Game one, throws up a forty

302
00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:13,720
Speaker 3: two to twelve and eight to go up two to one,

303
00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:16,120
Speaker 3: throws up a forty and eleven to go up three

304
00:17:16,119 --> 00:17:19,440
Speaker 3: to two against the Celtics team that by the time

305
00:17:19,480 --> 00:17:21,359
Speaker 3: this aers maybe they're a route to winning the title.

306
00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:21,800
Speaker 2: I don't know.

307
00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:25,680
Speaker 3: And then in a chance to move on without Middleton

308
00:17:25,800 --> 00:17:27,720
Speaker 3: Game six against Boston.

309
00:17:27,960 --> 00:17:31,760
Speaker 2: Forty four twenty and six, but they lose.

310
00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:36,240
Speaker 3: They end up losing in seven. He averages. Everyone felt

311
00:17:36,280 --> 00:17:39,400
Speaker 3: like Boston defended him well. He averaged thirty four points,

312
00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:44,520
Speaker 3: fifteen rebounds, seven assists for the series. So Yannis one

313
00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:47,240
Speaker 3: of the only guys in league history with a regular

314
00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:49,720
Speaker 3: season MVP and a Defensive Player of the Year award.

315
00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:54,959
Speaker 3: I think that list is mj Akeem and Yannis. He

316
00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:55,920
Speaker 3: did it in the same year.

317
00:17:55,960 --> 00:17:57,200
Speaker 2: By the way, I.

318
00:17:57,080 --> 00:18:00,119
Speaker 3: Think he should have more than two regular season MVPs.

319
00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:03,119
Speaker 3: He was a guy who was like, oh, can you

320
00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:06,119
Speaker 3: rely on him in the postseason? And now he averages

321
00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:08,320
Speaker 3: thirty five in a series where it feels like people

322
00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:09,160
Speaker 3: slowed him down.

323
00:18:09,520 --> 00:18:11,719
Speaker 2: Ooh, can you rely on him at the free throw line?

324
00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:14,120
Speaker 3: He wins seventeen of nineteen from the free throw line

325
00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:16,800
Speaker 3: in that fifty point game to win the title.

326
00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:20,199
Speaker 2: He is a selfless.

327
00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:23,800
Speaker 3: Teammate, an absolute iron man, the best defender in basketball,

328
00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:28,200
Speaker 3: the most dominant scorer in basketball, the best player in basketball.

329
00:18:28,200 --> 00:18:31,480
Speaker 3: As we record this today, he's the fourteenth best player

330
00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:33,880
Speaker 3: of the last fifty years and rising.

331
00:18:34,359 --> 00:18:38,040
Speaker 2: Gianni Son Denocumpo. Let's go to a caller on Yannis.

332
00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:41,800
Speaker 7: Yannis at number fourteen. I can live with that for now,

333
00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:45,640
Speaker 7: but obviously the feeling is that he's gonna move up.

334
00:18:46,119 --> 00:18:48,160
Speaker 7: I think you feel the same way. Look, it's gonna

335
00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:50,720
Speaker 7: come down the rings. His numbers are gonna be out

336
00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:54,160
Speaker 7: off the charts. And the thing about Giannis is as

337
00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:57,720
Speaker 7: good as he already is, he's probably seventy to seventy

338
00:18:57,720 --> 00:18:59,760
Speaker 7: five percent of the player he can be. If his

339
00:19:00,119 --> 00:19:04,200
Speaker 7: mid range and three point jump shots continue to improve

340
00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:06,760
Speaker 7: and really get to the point where he's a good shooter,

341
00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:10,159
Speaker 7: it's over. But again, you know this, it's gonna come

342
00:19:10,200 --> 00:19:13,000
Speaker 7: down to how many rings he can win. I do

343
00:19:13,040 --> 00:19:16,160
Speaker 7: think he's got got potential. I'm not saying he'll get there,

344
00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:20,320
Speaker 7: but he's the guy that if he really maximizes individual

345
00:19:20,359 --> 00:19:25,080
Speaker 7: potential and one enough rings, probably at least four, then

346
00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:28,560
Speaker 7: you can start thinking about him. Maybe in that conversation

347
00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:31,720
Speaker 7: we'll see, but not bad right now at fourteen.

348
00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:33,920
Speaker 3: I think he's gonna get in the conversation, and I

349
00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:35,840
Speaker 3: don't think he needs a three point shot. I think

350
00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:37,880
Speaker 3: if he can just get a mid range, a bit

351
00:19:37,880 --> 00:19:40,400
Speaker 3: of a mid range shot, maybe the Dirk one legged

352
00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:42,960
Speaker 3: kind of fade away that we've seen him trying out

353
00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:46,680
Speaker 3: and a bit of a baby hook, he becomes totally unguardable.

354
00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:49,320
Speaker 3: As is, he's pretty damn unguardable. It's the fourteenth best

355
00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:51,640
Speaker 3: player of the last fifty years, and if we were

356
00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:54,159
Speaker 3: to do this list again in two years, he'd probably

357
00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:57,160
Speaker 3: already be in the top ten. Janna Sontenokumpo. We'll get

358
00:19:57,160 --> 00:19:59,639
Speaker 3: to another active player next.

359
00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:07,080
Speaker 2: All right, welcome back in What's Right with Nick? Right,

360
00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:07,760
Speaker 2: fifty GRD.

361
00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:10,920
Speaker 3: Next players of the last fifty years and the player

362
00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:12,560
Speaker 3: we're about to do, I will admits one of the

363
00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:16,200
Speaker 3: hardest to rank because a he's still playing in space

364
00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:21,240
Speaker 3: on just what you've done. But also if someone comes

365
00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:24,080
Speaker 3: to me and says, Nick, you have him two spots

366
00:20:24,080 --> 00:20:28,480
Speaker 3: too low or two spots too high. I understand the arguments.

367
00:20:29,040 --> 00:20:32,280
Speaker 3: I understand the Giannis versus this guy argument. I understand

368
00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:35,400
Speaker 3: the Steph versus this guy argument. I think right now,

369
00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:38,400
Speaker 3: as we sit here today, he's right between those two.

370
00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:42,800
Speaker 3: He's number thirteen. He's one of the most gifted scorers

371
00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:45,920
Speaker 3: and one of the most naturally graceful basketball players we've

372
00:20:45,960 --> 00:20:46,440
Speaker 3: ever seen.

373
00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:51,040
Speaker 2: Number thirteen. Kevin Durant. Regular season, what's it looked like?

374
00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:53,920
Speaker 3: Six time first Team All NBA, four time second Team

375
00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:58,359
Speaker 3: All NBA. He's won one MVP, He's coming second place

376
00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:02,080
Speaker 3: in MVP voting three times. He's been in the top

377
00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:06,439
Speaker 3: five six separate times. He's a fifty to forty ninety

378
00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:10,119
Speaker 3: club guy. He's a four time scoring champ. He is

379
00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:14,080
Speaker 3: tied to the tenth of a point with Lebron James

380
00:21:14,119 --> 00:21:17,040
Speaker 3: in career points per game, second most of the last

381
00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:21,960
Speaker 3: fifty years, behind only Michael Jordan. In the postseason, there

382
00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:25,080
Speaker 3: is some lows, but a whole lot of highs. So

383
00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:28,760
Speaker 3: he's a two time champion, obviously, a two time Finals MVP,

384
00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:30,760
Speaker 3: and a four time finalist.

385
00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:34,160
Speaker 2: So let's go through it. Because Kevin Durant.

386
00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:38,639
Speaker 3: Much like Lebron basically kick dass in the playoffs.

387
00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:40,840
Speaker 2: As a child and never stopped.

388
00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:45,080
Speaker 3: Twenty ten, first series of his career, Down oh two

389
00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:48,600
Speaker 3: to the twenty ten Lakers, who obviously had gone to

390
00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:52,720
Speaker 3: win the title, he throws up a twenty nine nineteen

391
00:21:52,920 --> 00:21:56,399
Speaker 3: and four average twenty five and eight for the first

392
00:21:56,480 --> 00:22:00,399
Speaker 3: series of his life. He's twenty years old when he

393
00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:03,400
Speaker 3: does this. They lost in six to the Lakers, who

394
00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:06,879
Speaker 3: had gone to win the title. Twenty eleven agains his

395
00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:10,480
Speaker 3: second playoff series ever, forty one points to open the

396
00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:13,960
Speaker 3: playoffs and then forty one points to close Round one

397
00:22:14,320 --> 00:22:16,720
Speaker 3: and knock Denver out for his first career series win.

398
00:22:17,119 --> 00:22:20,639
Speaker 3: Averaged thirty two points per game for the series in

399
00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:24,600
Speaker 3: the next round, thirty nine to nine in Game six

400
00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:28,159
Speaker 3: against Memphis to advance to the Western Conference Finals or

401
00:22:28,240 --> 00:22:29,359
Speaker 3: Game seven against Memphis.

402
00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:33,160
Speaker 2: Pardon me again? Is twenty was he twenty one years

403
00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:38,400
Speaker 2: old to the conference finals in his first career Western Conference.

404
00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:42,320
Speaker 3: Finals game scores forty average twenty eight to nine in

405
00:22:42,359 --> 00:22:45,879
Speaker 3: those Western Conference Finals, but that was against Apex Dirk.

406
00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:48,280
Speaker 2: We talked about.

407
00:22:48,359 --> 00:22:50,520
Speaker 3: Dirk in that series had the forty eight point on

408
00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:54,439
Speaker 3: fifteen shot game. They end up losing to Dirk in

409
00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:57,240
Speaker 3: six games that year. But he's twenty two years old

410
00:22:57,720 --> 00:23:00,920
Speaker 3: twenty twelve, or he's twenty Yeah, it's twenty two years

411
00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:02,080
Speaker 3: old twenty twelve.

412
00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:03,959
Speaker 2: Kevin Durant.

413
00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:08,159
Speaker 3: Round one sweeps the defending champion Dallas Mavericks out of

414
00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:14,119
Speaker 3: the playoffs. Round two beats Kobe in five Western Conference Finals.

415
00:23:14,119 --> 00:23:14,639
Speaker 2: Brilliant.

416
00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:18,640
Speaker 3: The entire series averages for those Western Conference Finals thirty

417
00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:23,120
Speaker 3: eight and five. The Spurs, keep in mind, were up

418
00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:25,879
Speaker 3: too Oho in that series, had won I think the

419
00:23:25,920 --> 00:23:29,280
Speaker 3: final eight games of the regular season, then swept round one,

420
00:23:29,480 --> 00:23:31,719
Speaker 3: swept Round two, went up two. Oh, they were on

421
00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:35,160
Speaker 3: something like an eighteen game winning streak. And then Durant

422
00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:37,200
Speaker 3: and people should go back and look at what Russ

423
00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:40,920
Speaker 3: did in those Western Conference finals. What Russ was doing,

424
00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:44,280
Speaker 3: You know, at this really Russ from twelve to fifteen

425
00:23:44,320 --> 00:23:45,960
Speaker 3: in the playoffs, but that's either here or there. He

426
00:23:46,040 --> 00:23:49,360
Speaker 3: was excellent, but the thunder beat him four straight times.

427
00:23:50,359 --> 00:23:52,600
Speaker 3: And then he gets to the finals as a kid

428
00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:57,359
Speaker 3: against Lebron in the heat thirty four, fourteen and five,

429
00:23:57,440 --> 00:23:59,760
Speaker 3: by the way, thirty four to fourteen and five to

430
00:23:59,800 --> 00:24:02,760
Speaker 3: get to the finals, playing all forty eight minutes in

431
00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:05,360
Speaker 3: Game six against the Spurs. Now he's in the finals,

432
00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:09,040
Speaker 3: first finals game ever, thirty six, eight and four in

433
00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:12,320
Speaker 3: a win against Lebron. Average for the finals as a

434
00:24:12,359 --> 00:24:14,440
Speaker 3: twenty three year old thirty.

435
00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:16,800
Speaker 2: One and six on fifty five percent.

436
00:24:16,840 --> 00:24:20,040
Speaker 3: Shooting for the playoff run twenty nine to seven and

437
00:24:20,160 --> 00:24:23,800
Speaker 3: four on fifty two percent. Is twenty three years old.

438
00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:26,040
Speaker 3: So then the next year, though, Russ gets hurt. That's

439
00:24:26,080 --> 00:24:28,800
Speaker 3: when Beverly runs into him. They lose in round two

440
00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:31,119
Speaker 3: to the Grizzlies. Drants excellent though. He's thirty one to

441
00:24:31,200 --> 00:24:34,639
Speaker 3: nine and six for the entire playoff front twenty fourteen,

442
00:24:35,280 --> 00:24:38,760
Speaker 3: averages thirty in Round one against Memphis, averages thirty three

443
00:24:38,760 --> 00:24:42,040
Speaker 3: to ten and five in Round two against the Clippers,

444
00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:46,280
Speaker 3: including an epic thirty nine point sixteen rebound, five assist

445
00:24:46,359 --> 00:24:49,560
Speaker 3: game to eliminate the Clippers in six. In the Western

446
00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:53,280
Speaker 3: Conference semifinals, that was the best Lob City team. They

447
00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:56,000
Speaker 3: beat him in six, and Durant was sensational. But then

448
00:24:56,040 --> 00:24:58,240
Speaker 3: in the Western Rounds finals he was okay, not great.

449
00:24:58,280 --> 00:25:01,520
Speaker 3: They lose to the Spurs fIF teen. He's hurt, and

450
00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:05,879
Speaker 3: this is where Durant's career gets a little complicated twenty sixteen,

451
00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:09,199
Speaker 3: down two one to the Spurs, has a forty one

452
00:25:09,320 --> 00:25:12,359
Speaker 3: point game and then thirty seven and nine in a

453
00:25:12,440 --> 00:25:16,640
Speaker 3: clinching Game six, get back to the conference finals.

454
00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:17,000
Speaker 2: Up three to one on.

455
00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:20,760
Speaker 3: The Warriors to seventy three win Warriors Game five. I

456
00:25:20,840 --> 00:25:25,000
Speaker 3: was actually at this game in San Francisco. Durant scored

457
00:25:25,119 --> 00:25:29,159
Speaker 3: forty and in those final three games, three losses, Durant

458
00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:32,720
Speaker 3: averaged thirty two points per game, but it was on

459
00:25:32,800 --> 00:25:35,600
Speaker 3: thirty nine percent from the field twenty seven percent from three.

460
00:25:36,040 --> 00:25:38,040
Speaker 3: They blow a three to one lead, then obviously he

461
00:25:38,080 --> 00:25:40,800
Speaker 3: goes and joins Golden State. Now no one can take

462
00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:43,680
Speaker 3: any issue with what he did in Golden State thirty

463
00:25:43,720 --> 00:25:45,600
Speaker 3: two and eleven in his first playoff game ever with

464
00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:51,439
Speaker 3: the Warriors, average thirty five eight and five on in

465
00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:54,159
Speaker 3: the finals with the Warriors again thirty five, eight and

466
00:25:54,280 --> 00:25:58,080
Speaker 3: five to win his first title on fifty six forty

467
00:25:58,200 --> 00:26:01,800
Speaker 3: seven to ninety three splits. So forget fifty forty ninety,

468
00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:05,639
Speaker 3: that was fifty five to forty five ninety for the finals,

469
00:26:05,840 --> 00:26:08,639
Speaker 3: and of course the huge three right over Lebron to

470
00:26:08,760 --> 00:26:12,840
Speaker 3: essentially clinch his first title. The next year, the Warriors

471
00:26:12,840 --> 00:26:15,440
Speaker 3: finally face a little bit of adversity. Game seven Western

472
00:26:15,480 --> 00:26:19,280
Speaker 3: Refferends Finals against Houston, Durant has thirty four, five and five,

473
00:26:19,960 --> 00:26:24,080
Speaker 3: and then in Game three the following year in the finals,

474
00:26:24,560 --> 00:26:26,239
Speaker 3: the one game where the Cavs are trying to make

475
00:26:26,320 --> 00:26:27,679
Speaker 3: a series. They were never going to be able to

476
00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:30,359
Speaker 3: make a series after losing Game one the way they did.

477
00:26:30,480 --> 00:26:31,200
Speaker 2: Neither heard or there.

478
00:26:31,720 --> 00:26:36,000
Speaker 3: Durant has forty three, thirteen and seven, and another series

479
00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:39,800
Speaker 3: clinching three averages for these finals twenty nine to eleven

480
00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:43,320
Speaker 3: and eight on another fifty to forty ninety for the finals.

481
00:26:43,480 --> 00:26:45,520
Speaker 2: So two finals, two finals, MVPs.

482
00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:49,280
Speaker 3: But everyone kind of feels uncomfortable about it, right, They

483
00:26:49,400 --> 00:26:52,600
Speaker 3: run it back another year though, twenty nineteen. You guys

484
00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:56,600
Speaker 3: remember the It's like, oh, the Clippers solving Kevin Durant.

485
00:26:57,040 --> 00:26:59,600
Speaker 3: He has the I'm Kevin Durant press conference and then

486
00:26:59,640 --> 00:27:04,119
Speaker 3: a meet scores forty five and fifty and averages forty

487
00:27:04,119 --> 00:27:06,439
Speaker 3: one the rest of the series. Scores forty five in

488
00:27:06,480 --> 00:27:09,560
Speaker 3: game five and fifty in game six, had forty six

489
00:27:09,640 --> 00:27:13,240
Speaker 3: in Game three against Houston Round two. Two games later,

490
00:27:13,280 --> 00:27:16,159
Speaker 3: he hurts his calf was out until Game five of

491
00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:19,160
Speaker 3: the Finals. Had eleven points in twelve minutes of that

492
00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:21,280
Speaker 3: Game five of the Finals, and then popped his achilles.

493
00:27:21,600 --> 00:27:24,679
Speaker 3: So then obviously he misses twenty twenty and then twenty

494
00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:28,480
Speaker 3: twenty one. I don't want this postseason to be forgotten

495
00:27:28,480 --> 00:27:29,000
Speaker 3: to history.

496
00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:29,440
Speaker 2: For KD.

497
00:27:30,600 --> 00:27:32,280
Speaker 3: Not only was I had a bunch of these games,

498
00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:34,080
Speaker 3: but one of them was one of the finest basketball

499
00:27:34,080 --> 00:27:37,480
Speaker 3: games anyone's ever played. Round one of twenty twenty one,

500
00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:40,680
Speaker 3: he averages thirty three, seven and three on fifty five

501
00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:45,560
Speaker 3: fifty ninety splits just looked so easy. In Round two,

502
00:27:45,920 --> 00:27:50,359
Speaker 3: averaged thirty five, eleven and five in that series against Jan's,

503
00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:53,920
Speaker 3: the one where Harden got hurt then came back.

504
00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:56,800
Speaker 2: Kyrie got hurt in Game four, didn't come back, but

505
00:27:56,880 --> 00:27:58,280
Speaker 2: he had two epic games.

506
00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:02,200
Speaker 3: Game seven, in which they lost, he had forty eight,

507
00:28:02,400 --> 00:28:05,439
Speaker 3: nine and six, playing all fifty three minutes, ran out

508
00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:07,919
Speaker 3: of gas in overtime, foot on the line in what

509
00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:11,080
Speaker 3: could have been an all time NBA history shot at

510
00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:12,000
Speaker 3: the end of regulation.

511
00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:13,640
Speaker 2: Everyone remembers that.

512
00:28:14,240 --> 00:28:17,399
Speaker 3: I really hope people don't forget Game five, because, in

513
00:28:17,440 --> 00:28:21,919
Speaker 3: my opinion, the three best basketball games anyone, any human

514
00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:26,440
Speaker 3: being has played in the last call it ten years

515
00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:29,560
Speaker 3: at a minimum is Lebron's fifty one to eight to

516
00:28:29,600 --> 00:28:33,400
Speaker 3: eight in Game one of the twenty eighteen finals, Giannis

517
00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:36,879
Speaker 3: is fifty points to win the title and Game five

518
00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:40,120
Speaker 3: of Round two twenty twenty one by Kevin Durant with

519
00:28:40,360 --> 00:28:44,520
Speaker 3: no Kyrie with a compromise James Harden when he went

520
00:28:44,600 --> 00:28:49,600
Speaker 3: forty nine points, seventeen rebounds, ten assists, three steals, two blocks,

521
00:28:49,640 --> 00:28:54,120
Speaker 3: playing all forty eight minutes to essentially stay alive.

522
00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:55,600
Speaker 2: In that series. It felt like they then went on

523
00:28:55,680 --> 00:28:57,400
Speaker 2: to lose the next two. I told you what he

524
00:28:57,440 --> 00:28:58,400
Speaker 2: did in Game seven.

525
00:28:58,680 --> 00:29:03,240
Speaker 3: In his career, he is seventy one career thirty seventy

526
00:29:03,320 --> 00:29:04,920
Speaker 3: one thirty point playoff games.

527
00:29:05,040 --> 00:29:06,400
Speaker 2: That's the sixth most all time.

528
00:29:06,640 --> 00:29:09,520
Speaker 3: He has fourteen career forty point playoff games, that's the

529
00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:12,040
Speaker 3: fourth most all time. He is twenty nine points per

530
00:29:12,080 --> 00:29:14,640
Speaker 3: game in the playoffs, that is the fourth best all time,

531
00:29:14,680 --> 00:29:19,080
Speaker 3: behind only Michael Luca and Alan Iverson. I think he

532
00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:23,280
Speaker 3: will move up slightly over the rest of his career.

533
00:29:23,640 --> 00:29:25,920
Speaker 3: I'm not sure how much higher he can move up,

534
00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:28,960
Speaker 3: and I think Giannis will pass him eventually. But the

535
00:29:29,080 --> 00:29:32,440
Speaker 3: thirteenth greatest player of the last fifty years one, Kevin Durant.

536
00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:35,040
Speaker 3: Let's have a caller chime in on Kevin Durant before

537
00:29:35,080 --> 00:29:35,800
Speaker 3: we wrap up.

538
00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:39,480
Speaker 8: All right, next Na, Sorry, list mostly good except for

539
00:29:39,480 --> 00:29:42,040
Speaker 8: the part where you had one of the greatest scorers

540
00:29:42,040 --> 00:29:45,240
Speaker 8: of all time, Kevin Durant ranked unreasonably low.

541
00:29:45,280 --> 00:29:47,160
Speaker 2: I mean, don't get you wrong, Moses long.

542
00:29:47,040 --> 00:29:50,080
Speaker 8: Great career, back to back MVPs, but you really can't

543
00:29:50,240 --> 00:29:54,480
Speaker 8: make case for him over Durant unless you would count

544
00:29:54,520 --> 00:29:58,240
Speaker 8: for one statistic, which is a number of times Katie

545
00:29:58,280 --> 00:29:59,480
Speaker 8: has done on you on Twitter.

546
00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:04,000
Speaker 3: Oh Mina first of all, the wonderfully talented Mina times

547
00:30:04,040 --> 00:30:05,360
Speaker 3: glad to see her on the podcast.

548
00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:06,760
Speaker 2: It is nothing.

549
00:30:06,840 --> 00:30:09,920
Speaker 3: There is no biases against Kevin Durant Duncan coming on Twitter.

550
00:30:09,960 --> 00:30:13,040
Speaker 3: I actually enjoy that quite a bit. Moses Malone, though,

551
00:30:13,080 --> 00:30:15,240
Speaker 3: Mina spoiled it, so I will continue to spoil it.

552
00:30:15,280 --> 00:30:18,560
Speaker 3: Moses Malone is going to lead off this list next week.

553
00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:22,600
Speaker 3: Moses Malone was actually the inspiration for this list. If

554
00:30:22,600 --> 00:30:25,680
Speaker 3: Isaiah Thomas is not the most underrated player in modern

555
00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:29,840
Speaker 3: NBA history, then it's Moses Malone. Why Moses Malone deserves

556
00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:32,880
Speaker 3: to be exactly where he is at number twelve. We'll

557
00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:35,440
Speaker 3: get into that next week as we continue the countdown

558
00:30:35,640 --> 00:30:38,240
Speaker 3: of the fifty greatest players of the last fifty years

559
00:30:38,360 --> 00:30:52,440
Speaker 3: on What's Right with Nick Ray