WEBVTT - NFL Training Camp: Patrick Mahomes LOOKS GREAT, buying Bears hype? + NBA Schedule reaction 0:00:02.160 --> 0:00:05.600 Welcome in What Draven the Great? Episode four eighty nine. 0:00:05.680 --> 0:00:08.159 This episode of What Draven the Great, as always, is 0:00:08.200 --> 0:00:12.520 presented to you by our dear friends at boost Mobile 0:00:12.640 --> 0:00:15.520 we Alsow for the first time in a while, get 0:00:15.560 --> 0:00:19.799 to welcome back demands fresh from the final days of 0:00:19.960 --> 0:00:25.560 paternity leave. And you really did time this paternity leave perfectly. 0:00:25.800 --> 0:00:30.360 As your final your first day back at work was 0:00:30.520 --> 0:00:36.040 also your newly nine month old daughters first day trying 0:00:36.080 --> 0:00:40.120 out a little daycare with other little babies, as that 0:00:40.159 --> 0:00:43.680 one milestone was hit yesterday. Great to see you. How 0:00:43.680 --> 0:00:44.680 are you good? 0:00:44.720 --> 0:00:47.080 To see you? Bops, I'm amazing. I'm amazing. Right it 0:00:47.080 --> 0:00:51.200 talks about basketball football seasons here, but yeah, I'm ready, fool. 0:00:52.200 --> 0:00:55.480 Yeah, so it is. This is kind of perfect timing 0:00:56.120 --> 0:01:00.319 as a few scheduling notes for you guys. So we're 0:01:00.320 --> 0:01:04.120 gonna have the shows this week. Then I made a 0:01:04.200 --> 0:01:08.240 quick pivot instead of going dark for two weeks while 0:01:08.319 --> 0:01:12.160 I'm out of town before football gets going, instead of 0:01:12.280 --> 0:01:15.319 re racking old episodes, and we still might do some 0:01:15.600 --> 0:01:18.720 end of week like best ofs you know from the summer. 0:01:18.840 --> 0:01:22.919 Maybe bring back a couple of the fifty greatest players 0:01:22.959 --> 0:01:25.679 the last fifty years, have some of those episodes drop 0:01:25.720 --> 0:01:29.440 in your feed something like that. I kind of made 0:01:29.480 --> 0:01:32.000 it a bit of an executive decision and hit up 0:01:32.160 --> 0:01:36.199 Ty Butler and Damon Bruce, one guy on the East Coast, 0:01:36.240 --> 0:01:38.840 one guy on the West Coast. Two great radio hosts, 0:01:38.880 --> 0:01:42.760 one from San Francisco, one from New York who both 0:01:42.800 --> 0:01:46.200 have their own YouTube shows, and for the first time 0:01:46.400 --> 0:01:50.400 ever in the five YEARSSH this show is run, we're 0:01:50.400 --> 0:01:53.720 gonna have live episodes of What's Right with Nick Wright 0:01:54.040 --> 0:01:56.120 that Nick Wright is not a part of. So we 0:01:56.200 --> 0:01:59.680 will have next week in your feed and on YouTube 0:02:00.960 --> 0:02:04.040 and on Spotify and iTunes anywhere you get your podcasts. 0:02:04.280 --> 0:02:08.560 As always, like rate Subscribe Review, we will have live episodes, 0:02:09.040 --> 0:02:11.160 but I won't be on them. It'll be Ty Butler 0:02:11.200 --> 0:02:14.480 and Damon Bruce. So those will be coming your way 0:02:14.560 --> 0:02:17.160 at the end of August, and then I will come 0:02:17.200 --> 0:02:20.480 back refreshed from Europe with my wife to get us 0:02:20.600 --> 0:02:24.359 rolling in football season. And the timing of today is 0:02:24.400 --> 0:02:28.840 also quite well, quite good because we there are some 0:02:29.000 --> 0:02:32.400 football stories and we're ramping up as we're four weeks 0:02:32.440 --> 0:02:35.880 and a day away from opening kick. But the only 0:02:35.960 --> 0:02:39.600 real big stories this time of year are usually injury 0:02:39.639 --> 0:02:43.080 related Telaramie Tunsell went down in training camp or this, 0:02:43.200 --> 0:02:46.960 you know, Micah Parson's rehab. I'm not saying it's behind schedule, 0:02:47.080 --> 0:02:49.720 but he's targeting like week six to come back. They're 0:02:49.800 --> 0:02:53.239 kind of bummers stories usually, And so the NBA gave 0:02:53.280 --> 0:02:56.160 us a bit of a gift by announcing their opening 0:02:56.240 --> 0:02:59.240 Night and Christmas Day games, which is where we will 0:02:59.320 --> 0:03:02.320 start the show. But before we do that, straight the 0:03:02.360 --> 0:03:06.520 voicemail brought to you by Boost Mobile, Quinn Williams gets 0:03:06.520 --> 0:03:09.520 a very nice extension with the Cowboys three years up 0:03:09.560 --> 0:03:14.640 to one hundred and six million dollars Panthon Niakos in Greece. 0:03:15.639 --> 0:03:20.360 The owner seems to really believe that he might be 0:03:20.440 --> 0:03:27.240 able to get Nikolejokic next offseason with any other NBA superstar, 0:03:27.960 --> 0:03:32.040 I would say that is an impossibility with Joker and 0:03:32.080 --> 0:03:34.839 the fact that he has yet to sign an extension. 0:03:36.400 --> 0:03:41.280 Daniel Earmuff's buddy, I'm not putting it at zero percent. 0:03:42.520 --> 0:03:44.560 I think it's I think. 0:03:44.400 --> 0:03:47.240 It is in his character too. 0:03:47.360 --> 0:03:54.840 On the board, Wow, Daniel, what an evolved take by Daniel. 0:03:55.880 --> 0:03:59.760 Daniel puts in the dock. As long as he doesn't 0:04:00.560 --> 0:04:05.960 NBA teams. Dude deserves to be happy. He's given me everything. 0:04:06.320 --> 0:04:11.280 So Joker's like, you know what, America, it's been cool, Deuces. 0:04:11.640 --> 0:04:14.880 I'm going to grease to play basketball. Daniel's gonna wish 0:04:14.960 --> 0:04:17.840 him well. Good for you, Daniel. I respect that. I 0:04:17.920 --> 0:04:22.960 appreciate that. Also, Ben Simmons allegedly eyeing a comeback and 0:04:23.040 --> 0:04:28.279 Bill Simmons. Listen, Bill Simmons is my friend. I consider 0:04:28.320 --> 0:04:32.400 him my friend. He did a podcast with my dear 0:04:32.520 --> 0:04:37.200 friend and Coast Kevin Wilds where Bill just casually dropped 0:04:37.240 --> 0:04:41.080 the take that he's not a seat belt guy, that 0:04:41.160 --> 0:04:45.279 he just drives his car, waits for the card the 0:04:45.360 --> 0:04:49.080 thing to stop beeping after him minute, and just doesn't 0:04:49.080 --> 0:04:52.120 wear a seat belt. It was one of the more 0:04:52.240 --> 0:04:57.599 wild takes I've ever heard. Also, just a total missed 0:04:57.640 --> 0:05:02.360 opportunity by kW on that Demons. I don't you might 0:05:02.400 --> 0:05:08.320 not get this reference, but the listeners will. kW should 0:05:08.360 --> 0:05:12.040 have just just absolutely just slid in there when Bill 0:05:12.120 --> 0:05:13.520 is just being like, yeah, I know it's bad, but 0:05:13.520 --> 0:05:17.360 I don't wear a seatbelt. All. He was sitting right 0:05:17.400 --> 0:05:20.760 there for him For kW to be like, con didn't 0:05:20.760 --> 0:05:23.160 make you buckle up, it would have been great, it 0:05:23.200 --> 0:05:27.560 would he really missed, he really missed the opportunity. If so, 0:05:27.839 --> 0:05:30.960 if I'll explain the joke now to people who aren't 0:05:31.040 --> 0:05:34.920 in the Bill Simmons lower. Bill Simmons did a podcast 0:05:35.680 --> 0:05:39.520 with Conk Nipple, who is you know just finished his 0:05:39.600 --> 0:05:42.160 rookie season in the NBA and was a long time 0:05:42.240 --> 0:05:44.920 Bill Simmons fan, and is you know nineteen years old. 0:05:45.880 --> 0:05:49.800 Bill's studio like my studio is at his house and 0:05:49.960 --> 0:05:54.360 Bill and Bill. It was actually on I was on 0:05:54.400 --> 0:05:57.920 the pod with him when he said kind of in 0:05:58.080 --> 0:06:02.000 passing and then when I was driving con home blah 0:06:02.040 --> 0:06:04.680 blah bah, and then people picked up on it. It's like, 0:06:04.720 --> 0:06:08.240 wait a minute, you drove him home. He didn't like 0:06:08.279 --> 0:06:10.920 send a car, and and so they asked men. Bill's like, yeah, 0:06:10.920 --> 0:06:12.760 I drove him home. He's nineteen years old. I didn't 0:06:12.760 --> 0:06:14.920 want to put him in an uver. It was its 0:06:15.080 --> 0:06:20.040 very adorable, but so Wild's missed an easy joke there. 0:06:20.400 --> 0:06:23.960 But more importantly, Bill, you gotta wear your seat belt, man, 0:06:24.440 --> 0:06:27.440 This isn't nineteen sixty five, like you just gotta wear 0:06:27.520 --> 0:06:32.159 your seat belt now. I I I This podcast from 0:06:32.200 --> 0:06:35.599 Bill made me do some introspection on my own seat 0:06:35.600 --> 0:06:41.320 belt wearing because I realized something that makes no sense whatsoever. 0:06:42.760 --> 0:06:46.720 I wear a seatbelt one hundred percent of the time 0:06:46.760 --> 0:06:50.520 that I am driving. I wear a seat belt one 0:06:50.680 --> 0:06:53.560 hundred percent of the time that I am riding in 0:06:53.600 --> 0:06:56.320 the front seat and my wife is driving, which is 0:06:56.400 --> 0:07:00.560 really only Daniel's only driving. If I've been drinking Jesus 0:07:00.680 --> 0:07:07.200 passenger Princess all the way, I wear a seat But 0:07:07.240 --> 0:07:10.600 then I thought about it. I was like, but in ubers, 0:07:11.880 --> 0:07:18.200 I'm at like eighty percent, and in taxis are I 0:07:18.280 --> 0:07:22.680 might be at like, yeah, eighty percent, I maybe seventy five, 0:07:22.720 --> 0:07:25.600 I don't know, And in taxis I might be at 0:07:25.640 --> 0:07:30.520 like twenty five percent, which makes no sense because those 0:07:30.560 --> 0:07:33.600 are like, they're far and away the most aggressive, reckless 0:07:33.680 --> 0:07:36.120 drivers of the cab drivers. And so I you know, 0:07:36.240 --> 0:07:40.280 I'm using Bill Simmons pod as a turning point for me. 0:07:40.400 --> 0:07:42.160 I'm just gonna be one hundred percent seat all guy, 0:07:42.160 --> 0:07:45.000 all the time, whether I'm driving or not. I already 0:07:45.080 --> 0:07:47.160 was while I was driving, but it was a wild 0:07:47.280 --> 0:07:50.160 take hearing someone just be like, yeah, I don't I 0:07:50.440 --> 0:07:54.320 and I even in the producer saying do you sit 0:07:54.360 --> 0:07:56.280 in the front of maneuver. No I sit in the 0:07:56.320 --> 0:07:58.560 back seat of vaneuver, but I'm saying that that's what 0:07:58.560 --> 0:08:00.240 I'm saying. If I'm in the front seat of a 0:08:00.280 --> 0:08:03.040 car driving or passenger, I always wear it, but for 0:08:03.120 --> 0:08:05.040 something and I only ever sit in the back seat 0:08:05.080 --> 0:08:07.960 of ride shares or cabs. For some reason, it doesn't 0:08:08.040 --> 0:08:10.360 like I don't know why. It's not like it's safer. 0:08:10.480 --> 0:08:11.360 I just don't think of it. 0:08:11.480 --> 0:08:13.960 Maybe it's it's seat noise isn't going off. 0:08:14.760 --> 0:08:15.200 I don't know. 0:08:15.360 --> 0:08:16.280 I don't know what I see. 0:08:16.800 --> 0:08:21.600 I also did try to think of like the circumstances 0:08:21.680 --> 0:08:28.280 under which I was like, I suppose if you had 0:08:28.400 --> 0:08:35.480 like a classic convertible like from the sixties, and we're 0:08:35.559 --> 0:08:40.480 driving down like an ocean front highway, maybe you would 0:08:40.520 --> 0:08:45.000 like maybe under that specific picture in my brain, you 0:08:45.040 --> 0:08:49.160 want to just feel like totally unrestricted. But other than that, 0:08:49.800 --> 0:08:54.040 I feel like just bill for me, you know, longtime 0:08:54.080 --> 0:08:56.760 listeners and readers, friends, people that grew up watching you 0:08:56.880 --> 0:09:00.280 listening to you wear your seatbelt bro like, and I 0:09:00.360 --> 0:09:02.319 you know what, we can put this out on social 0:09:03.440 --> 0:09:06.360 and I think it will get momentum. This is I 0:09:06.600 --> 0:09:11.000 want to lead the charge of folks in media that 0:09:11.040 --> 0:09:14.360 Bill Simmons has done something for us, either by writing 0:09:14.440 --> 0:09:17.520 columns when we were in high school or college or 0:09:17.920 --> 0:09:20.520 by paving the way in a lot of ways. Because 0:09:20.600 --> 0:09:23.640 k W did not push back nearly enough, that was 0:09:23.679 --> 0:09:28.160 a moment. I would be, I honest to God, think 0:09:29.559 --> 0:09:33.240 it's if we do the math on it, like not 0:09:33.600 --> 0:09:38.079 much less reckless than if he just dropped like on 0:09:38.120 --> 0:09:40.840 the pod, like yeah, the first of every month, I 0:09:40.880 --> 0:09:43.640 do a little cocaine. Like that's just my thing, like 0:09:43.920 --> 0:09:47.439 just like Jesh's my thing, Like I and I feel 0:09:47.440 --> 0:09:49.760 like that he said that. kW would have been like, WHOA, 0:09:51.000 --> 0:09:54.440 don't do that. So like Bill, wear your seatbelt, Bro, 0:09:55.080 --> 0:09:59.959 you're driving a lot. You're in California, where your seatbelt's 0:10:00.040 --> 0:10:02.000 going to these Clipper games and into it dome. 0:10:02.080 --> 0:10:08.559 That's a farhad the amount of driving. Does that matter? No, 0:10:08.679 --> 0:10:10.520 Maybe it's a short trip down the street to the 0:10:10.559 --> 0:10:12.240 grocery store. Do you need to have a seatbull on? 0:10:14.640 --> 0:10:17.520 Yeah? I mean the thing is like it's it's I'm 0:10:17.559 --> 0:10:20.920 a gambler, right, And so there's a lot of there's 0:10:21.040 --> 0:10:25.560 risk versus reward that we have to always incorporate. And 0:10:25.720 --> 0:10:29.960 I would say there is literally zero reward from not 0:10:30.160 --> 0:10:34.280 wearing your seatbelt, just none, Like there's just you get 0:10:34.320 --> 0:10:37.040 the That's why I tried to create the scenario. I'm like, 0:10:37.080 --> 0:10:40.600 all right, maybe you're in like a nineteen sixty two 0:10:40.920 --> 0:10:45.760 Stingray convertible, the winds in your hair driving like maybe, 0:10:46.440 --> 0:10:50.680 but no, in general, guys, just driving an escalade down 0:10:50.720 --> 0:10:53.400 the p like throw a throw a seat. Just go 0:10:53.440 --> 0:10:56.680 ahead and buckle up, man, buckle up. You know what. 0:10:58.160 --> 0:11:01.160 Let's buckle up, guys. That's the that's the lesson of 0:11:01.240 --> 0:11:05.280 today's show, Scott and Bucklow. All right, let's talk NBA 0:11:05.400 --> 0:11:06.559 Opening Night. Go ahead. 0:11:07.280 --> 0:11:10.920 So the full NBA schedule releases Thursday, but they've already 0:11:10.920 --> 0:11:14.360 announced some big days. So Opening Day we've got Pistons 0:11:14.400 --> 0:11:18.839 at Celtics, Sixers at Knicks, Thunders at Spurs, and then 0:11:18.960 --> 0:11:22.800 Christmas Day you've got Spurs at Nicks, Heats at Celtics, 0:11:23.240 --> 0:11:28.000 Sixers at Lakers, Thunders at Timberwolves, Nuggets at Warriors. Which 0:11:28.040 --> 0:11:30.200 of these games are you eyeing or looking forward to? 0:11:30.520 --> 0:11:35.240 Well, so massive takeaways all over the spot. First of all, 0:11:36.280 --> 0:11:39.120 I'm gonna jump right to you know what. We'll get 0:11:39.120 --> 0:11:43.160 to the snubs later. Let's talk about the positives. Five 0:11:43.240 --> 0:11:50.800 teams got both Marquee Days, thunder Spurs, Sixers, Knicks, Celtics. 0:11:51.280 --> 0:11:54.520 Those are the five teams that are playing Opening Day 0:11:54.720 --> 0:12:01.959 and Christmas. The only I guess somewhat prize there is 0:12:02.000 --> 0:12:07.520 the Celtics' brand equity being that strong. I mean again, 0:12:07.679 --> 0:12:10.840 like I I wouldn't think the Celtics would be left out. 0:12:11.080 --> 0:12:14.440 And the Celtics are one of the greatest franchises in 0:12:14.440 --> 0:12:17.079 the history not just of the NBA of sports, and 0:12:17.120 --> 0:12:20.240 they've got a superstar in Jason Tatum, and they're supposed 0:12:20.280 --> 0:12:24.760 to be good, really good. But it it surprised me 0:12:24.920 --> 0:12:33.280 a little bit that the Celtics were. Let me put 0:12:33.280 --> 0:12:37.120 it like this, of the five teams that got double dips, 0:12:37.800 --> 0:12:41.440 the Celtics were the most surprising, even if it's not 0:12:41.520 --> 0:12:45.680 that surprising at all, so that you know, that jumped 0:12:45.679 --> 0:12:48.080 out to me. The five other teams that got a 0:12:48.160 --> 0:12:51.040 single game were the Pistons more on them in a moment, 0:12:51.600 --> 0:12:56.480 the heat more on them as well, then Timberwolves, Nuggets, Warriors. Okay, 0:12:56.920 --> 0:13:02.040 so in no particular order. My immediate first takeaway is 0:13:04.320 --> 0:13:10.480 we have a bunch four years face of the league 0:13:10.520 --> 0:13:14.920 conversations and then every single year, the NBA tells us, yeah, 0:13:14.920 --> 0:13:18.800 it's Bron, Yeah, it's just Bron. In fact, we can't 0:13:18.800 --> 0:13:21.959 even do the schedule until Lebron signs. And then when 0:13:21.960 --> 0:13:26.640 he does sign, we're gonna give his team the premier 0:13:26.840 --> 0:13:31.520 spot on Christmas Day, the three pm Chris or five 0:13:31.600 --> 0:13:36.960 pm the third game on Christmas, the the Marquee Christmas 0:13:37.040 --> 0:13:40.800 Day game. Hey, are we gonna do rematch of the finals? No, 0:13:40.880 --> 0:13:43.680 we'll put that in the morning. All right? Are we 0:13:43.760 --> 0:13:49.200 gonna do? What are other options here? We're gonna how 0:13:49.240 --> 0:13:52.080 about how about Lebron with you know, with his one 0:13:52.120 --> 0:13:54.960 game back in Los Angeles? How about that's the Marquee game? Okay, 0:13:54.960 --> 0:13:55.720 that's Christmas? 0:13:56.320 --> 0:13:56.600 All right? 0:13:56.640 --> 0:14:00.600 What about Opening night? Opening Night? What are we doing? 0:14:00.640 --> 0:14:02.240 Are we doing the rematch of the finals? 0:14:02.240 --> 0:14:02.480 There? 0:14:03.040 --> 0:14:06.240 No, we're not gonna do that there. Oh, okay. Are 0:14:06.280 --> 0:14:11.840 we gonna do Jail and Brown Jason Tatum that you 0:14:11.840 --> 0:14:16.760 know that? No, we'll find another spot for that. How 0:14:16.800 --> 0:14:20.000 about Lebron against the defending champs? How about the defending 0:14:20.160 --> 0:14:22.600 champs when they get to open their drop their banner? 0:14:22.800 --> 0:14:26.000 Lebron's there? Sound good for everyone? Think people will watch? 0:14:26.520 --> 0:14:29.400 Good for ratings? Good for business. Cool? What are we 0:14:29.480 --> 0:14:32.920 doing with Wimby? We'll put them on after what about? 0:14:32.960 --> 0:14:35.240 What about? What about? On Christmas Day? We'll put them 0:14:35.280 --> 0:14:37.320 on in the morning when Beal are opening their presence. 0:14:37.800 --> 0:14:42.760 We gotta make like Again, I'm not even saying this 0:14:42.800 --> 0:14:44.880 is not an evaluation of whether or not this is 0:14:44.920 --> 0:14:48.080 what they should do. This is an evaluation of what 0:14:48.160 --> 0:14:52.760 they will do. And what they're telling you is the 0:14:52.880 --> 0:14:56.360 NBA universe still revolves around Lebron James, right or wrong, 0:14:57.320 --> 0:15:00.360 and they're scheduling it accordingly. So that's first take away. 0:15:00.920 --> 0:15:09.120 Second takeaway, Steph Curry's star power is real because of 0:15:09.160 --> 0:15:14.280 the fifteen teams, not fifteen ten teams pardon me, that 0:15:14.720 --> 0:15:19.560 have games Opening Day or Christmas. The worst team by 0:15:19.600 --> 0:15:24.040 a mile is Golden State and they're you know they are. 0:15:24.200 --> 0:15:27.920 They're they were never going to be left out. Like 0:15:28.160 --> 0:15:32.760 every other team listed there should be somewhere from really 0:15:32.800 --> 0:15:36.760 good to excellent. And then there's the Warriors in a 0:15:36.800 --> 0:15:39.720 game that nobody even thinks Jimmy Butler will be back 0:15:39.800 --> 0:15:44.320 for and they are the final game on Christmas Day, 0:15:45.400 --> 0:15:50.000 so shout out to them on that to step on 0:15:50.040 --> 0:16:01.520 that front. Couple other small takeaways surprising to me. Demands 0:16:02.960 --> 0:16:06.400 that we're gonna have a Christmas Day and Opening Day, 0:16:06.400 --> 0:16:08.840 by the way, but focus on Christmas. For there's five 0:16:08.880 --> 0:16:18.360 games with no Durant, like I can't the I can't 0:16:18.440 --> 0:16:25.440 remember the last time Durant's team with the Suns. Maybe 0:16:25.600 --> 0:16:28.080 I don't think so, though, because those seems were like 0:16:29.440 --> 0:16:33.080 and Durant's on a good team. The Rockets are Rockets 0:16:33.120 --> 0:16:37.280 are a good team. To have no Durant on Christmas 0:16:37.400 --> 0:16:44.240 Day is noteworthy to me. I'm not I and again 0:16:45.480 --> 0:16:48.680 they're the only I don't know that there were snubs. 0:16:49.040 --> 0:16:51.920 I'm sure the Caves are a little annoyed, and I 0:16:51.960 --> 0:16:55.200 bet the Rockets are a little annoyed. But that's really 0:16:55.240 --> 0:16:57.880 all that jumps out to me. Let me ask you, 0:16:59.200 --> 0:17:05.840 h I am. Also, I'm a little surprised that the 0:17:05.880 --> 0:17:09.760 Pistons got invited to the party, even though it's the 0:17:09.840 --> 0:17:14.000 three pm, middle of the day opening day game. That 0:17:14.560 --> 0:17:18.679 and maybe they didn't work. It's a little surprising the 0:17:18.720 --> 0:17:23.879 Pistons are there. I would have thought maybe the heat 0:17:24.080 --> 0:17:28.440 with Giannis would have gotten both, you know, Opening Day 0:17:28.600 --> 0:17:33.920 and Christmas Day. But I guess if heat at Celtics's Christmas, 0:17:33.920 --> 0:17:37.000 You're not gonna have Celtics heat opening night. So that's 0:17:37.040 --> 0:17:39.719 where they mix in the Pistons. But it is surprising 0:17:39.760 --> 0:17:42.000 to me even that the Pistons got that slot over 0:17:42.080 --> 0:17:45.440 Cleveland or hell over Houston, like that is. 0:17:46.920 --> 0:17:47.080 Land. 0:17:49.119 --> 0:17:53.159 No, I the NBA clearly agrees with you. Like the 0:17:53.840 --> 0:17:57.160 NBA clearly agrees with you. So here are my other, 0:17:58.520 --> 0:18:06.000 you know, general takeaways. I do think for Opening Night, 0:18:06.200 --> 0:18:13.320 six Ers next thunder Spurs is awesome strategically by the 0:18:13.400 --> 0:18:18.520 league because for most people and by the Vegas odds, 0:18:18.920 --> 0:18:23.720 those are the projected conference finals. So an opportunity for 0:18:23.760 --> 0:18:27.399 the NBA season to start with those four teams basically 0:18:27.880 --> 0:18:32.800 and end with those four teams. I like that. I 0:18:32.880 --> 0:18:41.919 also would be remiss if I didn't recognize who wasn't 0:18:42.080 --> 0:18:45.480 playing on Opening Day that we haven't mentioned. So demons 0:18:45.640 --> 0:18:47.720 go ahead, because you have a fun little fact here 0:18:47.760 --> 0:18:48.560 in stat here. 0:18:49.359 --> 0:18:51.760 So the Lakers have played on Opening Night every year 0:18:51.800 --> 0:18:55.480 since twenty nineteen. How do you think that they missed 0:18:55.480 --> 0:18:56.240 the cut this year? 0:18:58.440 --> 0:19:00.720 So what happened in twenty nineteen? This kind of goes 0:19:00.760 --> 0:19:05.040 back to my original point. Bron signed there, Bron left, 0:19:05.080 --> 0:19:07.000 and the Lakers all of a sudden like, sorry, guys, 0:19:07.640 --> 0:19:10.280 we don't have a spot for you. Like Lakers at 0:19:10.280 --> 0:19:14.159 Celtics is sitting right there for anybody that wants it 0:19:14.200 --> 0:19:18.719 instead of Pistons at Celtics. And you guys know how 0:19:18.800 --> 0:19:24.199 much I the Oh yeah, Lebron got there in twenty eighteen, 0:19:24.320 --> 0:19:28.440 signed in twenty eighteen. Pardon me, you guys know how 0:19:28.520 --> 0:19:33.000 much I how much I like Luca. But the fact 0:19:33.000 --> 0:19:40.080 that the the Lakers have been supplanted in the Western 0:19:40.119 --> 0:19:45.320 Conference by the two small market juggernauts thunder Spurs, and 0:19:45.359 --> 0:19:50.040 that they just for the first time in eight years 0:19:50.119 --> 0:19:54.399 or seven years, they're not an Opening Night is I 0:19:54.400 --> 0:20:00.920 guess somewhat noteworthy to me. Well, listen, I I think 0:20:00.960 --> 0:20:04.240 it is. I'm really interested in what Luca can do 0:20:04.320 --> 0:20:09.919 this year. I they also, you know, they they looked 0:20:09.960 --> 0:20:12.800 at the team that Luca took to the NBA Finals 0:20:12.800 --> 0:20:16.040 with Dallas a few years ago and said, how can 0:20:16.080 --> 0:20:18.480 we best remake that? And that's what they tried to do. 0:20:20.440 --> 0:20:22.879 I you know, it's been I spent a lot of 0:20:22.920 --> 0:20:25.320 time while you were on paternity to leave talking about 0:20:25.359 --> 0:20:28.919 how I thought the Lakers could have handled the final 0:20:29.000 --> 0:20:31.280 year of Lebron better to where maybe he would have 0:20:31.320 --> 0:20:33.720 signed with them for the minimum rather than signing with 0:20:33.760 --> 0:20:36.920 the Sixers for the minimum. But that that's water under 0:20:36.960 --> 0:20:40.840 the bridge at this point. But the the league is 0:20:41.680 --> 0:20:46.840 making very very clear to you through this schedule, at 0:20:46.920 --> 0:20:52.560 least in my eyes that they view right now, they're 0:20:52.720 --> 0:21:01.160 three biggest attractions as the Sixers, the Spurs, and the Knicks. 0:21:01.840 --> 0:21:05.919 That's the metal stand with also receiving votes being the 0:21:05.960 --> 0:21:16.560 Thunder and the Celtics, and they I'm I'm very I'm 0:21:16.600 --> 0:21:21.840 in i am very interested in how the Thunder, what 0:21:22.000 --> 0:21:27.639 the Thunders coverage is like in national TV games, and 0:21:27.640 --> 0:21:31.880 all those things are like this year because they were 0:21:32.040 --> 0:21:36.720 never an overwhelmingly popular team outside of their own fan 0:21:36.800 --> 0:21:39.760 base to begin with. But when it's like, yeah, but 0:21:39.800 --> 0:21:43.120 they're the champs, they're the best. They're the juggernaut that 0:21:43.320 --> 0:21:47.600 you know, gives you a cachet that gets removed a 0:21:47.640 --> 0:21:51.399 bit when you don't win the title again, when you 0:21:51.400 --> 0:21:54.480 don't make the finals again. And now it feels like 0:21:54.960 --> 0:21:59.240 the Spurs having beaten them and being a team on 0:21:59.359 --> 0:22:03.159 the upswing, while the Thunder it feels like lost some 0:22:03.359 --> 0:22:07.399 you know, semi valuable parts and some pieces are a 0:22:07.440 --> 0:22:14.359 team that is potentially at least not on the down swing, 0:22:14.440 --> 0:22:16.760 but just a not quite as good as they were 0:22:16.800 --> 0:22:20.320 the last couple of years. So that's interesting. And then 0:22:20.880 --> 0:22:25.679 you know, the teams we haven't really discussed here. I 0:22:25.760 --> 0:22:28.040 mentioned the Heat that I thought maybe they could have 0:22:28.080 --> 0:22:31.560 gotten the double dip opening day on Christmas aunt LaMelo 0:22:31.640 --> 0:22:36.160 and the Timberwolves. They host the Thunder on Christmas Night 0:22:36.600 --> 0:22:41.600 and then Joker against Steph as the nightcap, with two 0:22:41.720 --> 0:22:45.439 teams that I don't think either one really thinks they 0:22:45.440 --> 0:22:49.280 have a real shot at winning the championship, despite having 0:22:49.880 --> 0:22:53.119 in Joker's case, maybe the best player in the world 0:22:53.240 --> 0:22:55.919 and in the Warriors case, with Steph, one of the 0:22:55.920 --> 0:22:59.760 greatest players ever. Before we get to these other questions, 0:22:59.760 --> 0:23:02.720 did you demonte did you have anything that jumped out 0:23:02.760 --> 0:23:05.159 to you or that or you want it about your Celtics. 0:23:05.320 --> 0:23:08.600 I am anything about the opening a few nights h. No. 0:23:08.680 --> 0:23:11.159 I was surprised that they got added to both to 0:23:11.640 --> 0:23:13.840 both of those days considering how the last couple of 0:23:13.880 --> 0:23:16.280 years has went. But I am really looking forward to 0:23:16.280 --> 0:23:19.080 seeing how the Timberwolves look this year. I'm very high 0:23:19.160 --> 0:23:24.040 on them. But uh but yeah, no, I mean, oh yeah. 0:23:23.840 --> 0:23:29.160 Because so, I mean, that'll be that seeing Aunt LaMelo 0:23:29.359 --> 0:23:31.440 is going to be a show, that's for sure. 0:23:31.800 --> 0:23:32.480 Do we not. 0:23:32.680 --> 0:23:37.920 Have any details on the first six or Celtics games. 0:23:39.359 --> 0:23:40.720 That's the other thing. 0:23:40.600 --> 0:23:46.320 That to me is, yeah, the fact that Jaylen Brown's 0:23:46.359 --> 0:23:48.160 going to be able to guard Jason Tatum all year 0:23:48.560 --> 0:23:49.520 over there and yeah. 0:23:49.480 --> 0:23:52.680 Back and forth exactly. And so now, listen, they're gonna 0:23:52.680 --> 0:24:00.040 play each other four times, but if they it that 0:24:00.040 --> 0:24:03.679 that is the other so that you know what I 0:24:03.760 --> 0:24:08.800 just stumbled upon. My other big takeaway that the league 0:24:08.840 --> 0:24:14.760 decided instead of having if they wanted to have Bron 0:24:14.760 --> 0:24:20.399 and the Sixers as the premiere Christmas game, the third 0:24:20.480 --> 0:24:24.160 Christmas game, the five PM slot, that they didn't make 0:24:24.240 --> 0:24:30.560 that Sixer Celtics, that they they they prioritized Lebron's one 0:24:30.720 --> 0:24:36.200 game back in LA over what could have been Jalen 0:24:36.240 --> 0:24:38.440 Brown's first game back in Boston. 0:24:39.160 --> 0:24:40.120 Yeah, I know what I mean. 0:24:42.920 --> 0:24:45.479 Well, I mean, yeah, I mean that's definitely true, but 0:24:45.520 --> 0:24:50.639 it is, but it also feels like there's more. I 0:24:50.640 --> 0:24:52.439 don't think I don't think it's fair to call it 0:24:52.600 --> 0:24:55.600 bad blood between the Lakers and Lebron. It might not 0:24:55.760 --> 0:24:59.159 be great blood, but I don't think it's like it. 0:24:59.520 --> 0:25:01.439 You know, they you don't think that's pretty either. There 0:25:01.520 --> 0:25:05.399 hasn't been the Jalen Brown situation with the Celtics and 0:25:05.840 --> 0:25:09.240 Lebron with the Lakers, like just feeling like the team 0:25:09.280 --> 0:25:11.919 has not done well by you, you know, like I 0:25:11.960 --> 0:25:14.720 feel like they both didn't have like crazy bad I 0:25:14.720 --> 0:25:15.720 didn't Jalen. 0:25:15.400 --> 0:25:18.960 Brown feel yeah, I mean yeah, I think Jalen Brown 0:25:19.040 --> 0:25:23.520 feels done dirty and has like and there has been little, 0:25:24.480 --> 0:25:30.240 you know, semi public sniping between the sides Lakers and 0:25:30.320 --> 0:25:33.400 Lebron and Luke and all that publicly has all been 0:25:34.080 --> 0:25:36.720 super positive. You know, thank you for a great run. 0:25:36.880 --> 0:25:39.919 We appreciate it. Through he did, he didn't get traded away, 0:25:40.520 --> 0:25:43.720 so you know it just even if below the surface 0:25:43.840 --> 0:25:48.760 there is you know, carping about the other side to people, 0:25:49.119 --> 0:25:53.200 it's not as obvious as I think the Celtics Jalen 0:25:53.240 --> 0:25:57.520 Brown thing. And I'm really interested. So that's the game 0:25:57.600 --> 0:26:01.240 that isn't listed here that I am. I'm most interested 0:26:01.280 --> 0:26:06.440 in singing Jalen Brown's first game, not against Boston, necessarily 0:26:06.840 --> 0:26:11.560 first game in Boston, like he obviously should get a 0:26:11.640 --> 0:26:16.800 standing ovation from the crowd. I imagine he will, but 0:26:16.960 --> 0:26:19.320 seeing him and Tatum go head to head, I think 0:26:19.359 --> 0:26:23.639 will be you know, really fun and really interesting. And 0:26:24.920 --> 0:26:27.359 so yeah, I think the you know, shout out to 0:26:27.400 --> 0:26:30.280 the NBA. Also the what are the other opening week 0:26:30.359 --> 0:26:33.240 games that we know about, demanse. 0:26:33.560 --> 0:26:37.359 So we got Lebron versus Cleveland, Denver at OKAC, and 0:26:37.440 --> 0:26:39.879 Knicks at Celtics. Do you think that any of those 0:26:39.920 --> 0:26:41.040