1 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:19,719 What is crack Black and fellow Thermo nuclear a efforts. I am Dana Valley 2 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:25,559 coming at you with a very special podcast, a crossover podcast with none other 3 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:30,760 than my very good friend and colleague Andrew Claudio of Nick's Film School. Follow 4 00:00:30,839 --> 00:00:35,520 him on Twitter at Andrew Claudio. Underscore spelled exactly as it sounds. Follow 5 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:41,560 NIXT Film School on Twitter at Nick Film School. That's at Nick film Skool 6 00:00:42,079 --> 00:00:45,000 on Twitter, and you can subscribe to all their stuff. You can find 7 00:00:45,039 --> 00:00:48,679 their podcast their YouTube. Those links are in the podcast and YouTube descriptions. 8 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:52,679 We recorded basically a home and home split it into two, and so the 9 00:00:52,719 --> 00:00:55,079 first part is up on next Film School. Go check that out. The 10 00:00:55,119 --> 00:00:58,560 link to the specific episode will be in the podcast and YouTube descriptions. In 11 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:02,520 both episodes, the first part we really talked about the Knicks to date, 12 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:07,879 whether they exceeded expectations, the importance of Julius Randall, Jalen Brunson's MVP case. 13 00:01:07,319 --> 00:01:11,200 In this part we get into more of the rise of Jalen Brunson right 14 00:01:11,239 --> 00:01:15,640 off the bat, and then we talk about the biggest potential threats to the 15 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:21,200 Boston Celtics in the the Eastern Conference. Looking ahead to the to the NBA 16 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:23,519 Playoffs? Is it the Knicks if they're fully healthy? Is it the Calves? 17 00:01:23,799 --> 00:01:27,159 Could it be the Sixers at this point with Embiid healthy and Danthony Melton 18 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:33,319 looking like he's gonna be healthier as well. Is it someone else? How 19 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:36,040 do we feel about the magic, the heat, the Pacers heading into the 20 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:40,159 playoffs? So we get into all that fun stuff. So again, go 21 00:01:40,319 --> 00:01:42,799 check out part one, but also make sure you're checking out part two. 22 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:45,719 And if you're from Knicks Film School, and that's why you know you follow 23 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:47,400 them, you sub to them, and that's why you're here. Hit the 24 00:01:47,439 --> 00:01:49,319 sub button for us on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, wherever you get your 25 00:01:49,319 --> 00:01:53,760 podcasts. Lots of fun around these parts, talk about the league at large, 26 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:57,200 including your New York Knicks. And finally, one of my favorite things 27 00:01:57,560 --> 00:02:02,719 I love to hear about our podcast is when I have guests on and Claudio 28 00:02:02,799 --> 00:02:06,319 hosted this brother, so he's gonna close out Hardwood Knox at the end. 29 00:02:06,359 --> 00:02:08,759 You're gonna want to stay to the end because Claudio closes us out for Hardwood 30 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:12,840 Knox. No shout out to Frankie Lachina though we might need to fire him, 31 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:15,360 but anyway, one of my favorite things that I love to hear is 32 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:19,400 whenever we have creators or guests on and they will DM me. Not all 33 00:02:19,439 --> 00:02:22,240 the time, but it just happens, and talk about the influx of subscribers 34 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:25,039 or followers they've gotten to their content, whether it's on YouTube or substack or 35 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:30,319 Patreon because of appearing on this show. That means the world in terms of 36 00:02:30,319 --> 00:02:32,719 community. Now, I want you to subscribe and follow the next Film School. 37 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:40,439 But I heard saw that Claudio was dealing with some fuck shit YouTube commenters, 38 00:02:40,439 --> 00:02:43,599 and so I would ask, I want to see everyone just in the 39 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:46,599 comments section of this YouTube video, or you can get at him on Twitter 40 00:02:46,599 --> 00:02:51,319 if you're listening to this audio, just say nice things about Andrew in the 41 00:02:51,319 --> 00:02:54,479 comments. Talk about how charismatic and knowledgeable and gorgeous he just is. I 42 00:02:54,479 --> 00:02:59,639 want to see the comments flooded with nothing but positivity for Claudio, who is 43 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:01,400 a among the best in the business at what he does in the one hundred 44 00:03:01,479 --> 00:03:06,159 percent Tile wears so many different hats when you look at what he does for 45 00:03:06,479 --> 00:03:08,039 Nick's Film School, having the knowledge of not just the Knicks, but the 46 00:03:08,159 --> 00:03:12,479 entire league. He hosts, he produces, he edits, he does a 47 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:15,080 lot of business stuff for them on the side. He has helped grow them, 48 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:19,639 along with Jonathan Macre and their entire squad over there, into this behemoth 49 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:23,800 and a bastion of not just Knicks content, but basketball content and the stuff 50 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:29,199 that they do. I can't imagine saying anything negative about an independent podcast that 51 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:34,520 is committed to putting out so much thorough, nuanced, comprehensive coverage of their 52 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:38,840 team, even if you ultimately disagree with their takes. And so I'm asking, 53 00:03:38,159 --> 00:03:42,599 pleading, begging, even you can say you don't have to say nice 54 00:03:42,639 --> 00:03:44,439 things about me this time. We all know that I love to have my 55 00:03:44,439 --> 00:03:46,520 ego stroke. I want you in the comments on Twitter on social media just 56 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:50,759 shouting out Andrew Claudio for the great work he does. And you can also 57 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:54,479 again just comment on his winning, winning smile and just overall appearance because he 58 00:03:54,639 --> 00:03:58,759 is he is fantastic and I really, in all serious has had a lot 59 00:03:58,800 --> 00:04:01,960 of fun with this conversation and part of it in Part one another reason to 60 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:06,360 go check it out, we mentioned we talked about as statistic with Jolen Brunton 61 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:11,879 that apparently per Claudio sent it to me on he texted it to me and 62 00:04:11,879 --> 00:04:14,879 then I saw my mentions. It made it onto the Knicks broadcast. So 63 00:04:14,919 --> 00:04:18,279 what other endorsement do you need to listen to this entire show than that and 64 00:04:18,319 --> 00:04:23,199 the fact that Claudio is amazing. But enough is enough. This is almost 65 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:28,040 five minutes of me rambling as per usual. Let's go talk to Andrew Claudio 66 00:04:28,199 --> 00:04:32,040 of Nick's film school. That's the craft that he's mastered this year is he's 67 00:04:32,079 --> 00:04:38,480 becoming more and more unstoppable, which is why I think he's elevated to this 68 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:41,920 level. We're having the conversation about, is this one of the five greatest 69 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:46,480 individual seasons that Nick has ever had? Is justified? You know, at 70 00:04:46,519 --> 00:04:49,800 least like post Aba Merger, I think it is. You know, it's 71 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:54,319 like it's the Mellow season I reference. It's honestly the next season two where 72 00:04:54,319 --> 00:04:58,240 he played ten more games. It's a couple of youing years like Randall's MIP 73 00:04:58,399 --> 00:05:02,279 season and a couple of Bernard King's and that's it. And I think Brunson's 74 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:05,360 is up there. Yeah, I mean he would have to be. My 75 00:05:05,399 --> 00:05:08,920 god, I feels like a million years ago, Julius Randall had the MIP 76 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:13,240 season. Yeah, And there's I can hear people yelling now open gyms. 77 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:15,240 Yes, I know no one was in attendance. Okay, he was still 78 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:18,480 out. He's got forty one percent from three that season, like he was. 79 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:21,439 He did something only Larry Bird and Yokis have ever done, averaging like 80 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:28,600 twenty five, ten and six on like a certain percentage from three. This 81 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:31,360 entire discussion makes me fear. And I actually normally enjoy player rankings. I 82 00:05:31,439 --> 00:05:35,839 enjoy doing them. I enjoy reading or listening or watching them because I'm never 83 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:41,000 I'm not someone who takes it personally. But it makes me fear the reactions 84 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:44,759 to where Jalen Brunson winds up. Whenever the ESPN rank or the Ring of 85 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:50,000 rank or the Hardwoodknox rank comes out, it's gonna be so malicious on both 86 00:05:50,079 --> 00:05:54,560 ends of the spectrum because no one's gonna be there. He will never He's 87 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:58,120 gonna be one of those stars where there's just never a consensus on because there 88 00:05:58,160 --> 00:06:00,639 was this abrupt I don't want to say meteoric rise, because everyone knew he 89 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:04,279 was good before he left Dallas, but people don't not that. They don't 90 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:08,279 want to believe with the idea of him even as a just to say he's 91 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:11,480 forget about value. Even all NBA teams were just to say that John Brunton 92 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:15,040 is a top fifteen player. Do you know how wild that is in theory, 93 00:06:15,079 --> 00:06:17,439 just because of the other names that should still be involved in that discussion, 94 00:06:17,759 --> 00:06:21,160 we could probably rattle off twenty five guys who are in contention for without 95 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:26,240 even thinking about top fifteen right now. So I'm officially terrified to see where 96 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:29,360 he ends up in player rankings. But also just the reactions to you mean, 97 00:06:29,519 --> 00:06:32,240 John Brunton fourteen, like how that's too low? That's too hot? 98 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:38,040 I don't know. Can I give you and other people dreading that some advice? 99 00:06:38,399 --> 00:06:42,040 Because last year I actually missed out. I'm like, I know FIBA 100 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:46,480 happened, but I missed out on the Brunton Haliburton MAXI discourse because I got 101 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:48,920 married and then went on a honeymoon. I just like tapped out of all 102 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:53,720 of that. So obviously we can't do that. So well, just like 103 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:55,839 we can't do that, I can't do that again. I'm actually gonna have 104 00:06:55,879 --> 00:07:03,399 to find other ways watch baseball? Are you baseball? I can't do it? 105 00:07:03,439 --> 00:07:09,160 Aymore, I was a Yankee fan, and I was like a very 106 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:12,680 big like Andy Pettitt, Tina Martinez, guys. I won't google with their 107 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:15,399 political affiliations. I don't want to know what happened with those dudes. But 108 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:20,439 that was like the growing up idolizing Mike Piazza. Yeah, rough stuff. 109 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:26,040 Uh yeah, that's why I refuse to I won't google anything about like Alan 110 00:07:26,079 --> 00:07:30,959 Houston personal life or something I don't want you have. You have officially got 111 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:33,319 off the rails here, sir. The funny like to your point, like 112 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:39,120 that that stuff's off season conversations like it's it's it's the fun stuff we do 113 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:45,160 in this NBA bubble that we have to potentially keep ourselves entertained over the summers. 114 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:48,639 We argue about it's the barbershop conversation who's better this person of that person? 115 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:53,160 And the Nicks have a guy that has a really strong case to be 116 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:57,519 better than anybody you name, which is it's almost great to appreciate that we 117 00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:00,920 can have the m v P discussion about Jalen Brunson, not necessarily about him 118 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:03,040 winning it, but where he lands on there while there's also it feels like 119 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:07,519 that's the more compelling discussion to have rather than well, where the Knicks end 120 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:09,319 up in the playoff bracket because you're not that you don't care, but it 121 00:08:09,319 --> 00:08:13,040 almost doesn't matter. But first of all, East is East is East. 122 00:08:13,079 --> 00:08:16,279 But the margins are so thin, but like you almost just the way this 123 00:08:16,319 --> 00:08:20,600 team is played, it's like, this is the more debatable thing is where 124 00:08:20,639 --> 00:08:24,560 does Jalen Brunson belong in the MVP debate rather than where does this Knicks team 125 00:08:24,600 --> 00:08:28,800 belong in the hierarchy of the Eastern Conference? And so it's it's like you 126 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:31,399 have to appreciate whether you're a fan of the Knicks, someone who covers the 127 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:35,399 Knicks, or just you're a fan of another team just like this team, 128 00:08:35,879 --> 00:08:39,279 given all that's happened this year, and Jalen bruns like turning into the tenor 129 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:43,840 of the discussion that we're having now, Yeah, so let's wrap there. 130 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:48,240 Rank the five teams that are the biggest threat to the Celtics in the East 131 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:50,679 in the East, Yeah, just the East. I think we both have 132 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:54,120 the Nuggets coming out of the West. Ironically, the team I would say 133 00:08:54,200 --> 00:09:00,000 is the biggest threat to the Nuggets is the Dallas Mavericks. But that's interesting 134 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:03,000 to see how that meant maybe a second round matchup. So it's tough for 135 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:07,200 me to say the conference finalists won't be the biggest threat to them. I 136 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:11,080 could see, like I get the MAVs. I could see like the Timberwolves 137 00:09:11,159 --> 00:09:13,799 being a big threat to get healthy. I know, I know what all 138 00:09:13,919 --> 00:09:20,559 the Nuggets. Yes, he's right there with Jalen Brunson for MVP. I 139 00:09:20,679 --> 00:09:26,639 like Nasrit I should clarify, I like nasried I. I've had a skeptical 140 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:31,799 eye at the Timberwolves all season. I think crunch time offense matters. The 141 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:35,519 West is weird because it's such higher end when you or at least, there 142 00:09:35,519 --> 00:09:39,360 are so many good teams. But I feel like the the Nuggets are just 143 00:09:39,399 --> 00:09:41,639 head and shoulders above everyone to where it's I understand people that are worry about 144 00:09:41,639 --> 00:09:45,919 Phoenix, but there's also like, and we do this with the MVP debate 145 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:48,279 or maybe even the playoff bracket. We have now seventy five plus games of 146 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:52,840 information. This team is telling us this. It's time to accept that. 147 00:09:52,919 --> 00:09:56,080 Okay, it's cool that Phoenix is kind of seems like they're figuring stuff out. 148 00:09:56,120 --> 00:10:01,200 Now, this huge sample side from the entire year is going to tell 149 00:10:01,279 --> 00:10:05,120 us that they are going to jackle and hide it. At minimum and so 150 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:09,080 I feel like there's a tendency to get caught up in recency bias to whereas 151 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:11,639 if you wanted to give let's use me as an example kind of be like, 152 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:15,120 man, should I take you honest on my top five of the MVP 153 00:10:15,279 --> 00:10:18,399 voting? Because the Bucks have had like this four game stretch where didn't he 154 00:10:18,519 --> 00:10:20,799 miss one or two of those games too? So it's like the recentcy bias. 155 00:10:20,799 --> 00:10:24,600 Okay, came there. But I think you could probably name the Nuggets 156 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:28,080 will own any team but the Lakers. You could just tell me it's the 157 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:30,639 biggest threat to the Nuggets. You could probably make a case there and I 158 00:10:30,679 --> 00:10:33,720 would listen to you. But the East, So I do think it's Milwaukee 159 00:10:33,759 --> 00:10:39,840 is still the biggest threat their sample size, especially under Doc, with their 160 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:43,159 best players on the court, their four best players, they're still trucking opponents. 161 00:10:43,159 --> 00:10:48,039 It's just so small. And so if this team actually puts together a 162 00:10:48,039 --> 00:10:52,759 stretch where they're all those four guys Dame Brook, Lopez, Chris Middleton and 163 00:10:52,799 --> 00:10:56,000 Giannis you're all available, that's a team that can really do like has this 164 00:10:56,080 --> 00:11:01,080 been are the stuff they're dealing with? Has it's been more inventative and cautious 165 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:03,399 or is this like something that's actually ingrained and there's something wrong here and we 166 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:05,799 can't count on these guys to play as well or to be as available. 167 00:11:05,919 --> 00:11:09,679 There's even some weird stuff with Brook Lopez at the end of games recently in 168 00:11:09,720 --> 00:11:15,240 favor of Bobby Portis. I still default to the Bucks because of the top 169 00:11:15,399 --> 00:11:18,480 end talent. There After that, I think you have to have the Knicks. 170 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:20,519 Like if we're assuming, if you told me Ojan Andobi before we had 171 00:11:20,639 --> 00:11:24,519 returned that O Jannoby wasn't gonna play, I feel like it's a different discussion. 172 00:11:24,039 --> 00:11:28,039 I think it's the Knicks after that, especially by virtue of whatever the 173 00:11:28,039 --> 00:11:31,600 heck is going on in Cleveland, and they've dealt with a ton of injuries, 174 00:11:31,639 --> 00:11:35,559 but something just seems off there. And I when you like after those 175 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:37,480 two teams, like where it's the Bucks and the Knicks, I'm not sure. 176 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:41,440 I didn't think we were going to wind up here necessarily at the start 177 00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:43,000 of the season where it's like I kind of know the Bucks and the Knicks 178 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:46,720 are threatening, and I don't know who else is threatening after that. Philly 179 00:11:46,799 --> 00:11:52,159 within Bean is very interesting mm hm. But I keep coming back to the 180 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:56,600 fact that they still have to find out so much about their team to where 181 00:11:56,600 --> 00:12:00,440 it's as an example, Buddy held as we're recording this, Buddy Heeld Maxi 182 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:03,600 and Joel Embiid have played four possessions together. Yeah, and so it's like 183 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:09,039 they do distill and like D'Anthony Melton is he just done for the year with 184 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:11,600 his back stuff. He's a very important part to how they were gonna want 185 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:13,919 to defend. I'm gonna throw the Sixers in four though, just because it 186 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:16,399 beide Is. I thought he was gonna have to work himself into game shape 187 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:20,399 and that might I also questioned like should he even come back? I was 188 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:24,519 just like, is this the season? Uh? So I'll throw the Sixers 189 00:12:24,559 --> 00:12:31,399 in four there, I can't the Knicks, So who's two? I'm sorry, 190 00:12:31,440 --> 00:12:35,480 So then see what I see what you did there? So not not 191 00:12:35,639 --> 00:12:39,720 ranking, but the team the biggest. Knicks are the second biggest threat. 192 00:12:39,879 --> 00:12:43,440 I'll have the Sixers is the third biggest threat. Uh maybe Miami will make 193 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:46,320 me just come to not even considering them, like regret not considering them here 194 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:50,919 like to do every year. But I can't put them there. There's just 195 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:56,080 Indiana is still no Orlando is so ugly, like they can win, so 196 00:12:56,320 --> 00:13:01,919 their defense is hillatious, is basically what I'm getting at. I just is 197 00:13:01,919 --> 00:13:05,039 there even a fourth biggest threat to this to the east, Like what is 198 00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:09,960 the well? So real quick, I agree with the first four you just 199 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:13,320 mentioned. I think there's a there's two teams that are a get well really 200 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:16,879 three teams actually, the four other teams that put with the Knicks are all 201 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:22,039 if you get your shit together teams. Oh yeah, Cleveland by I'll just 202 00:13:22,039 --> 00:13:24,639 throw Cleveland as the what we have the fourth biggest threat because they have the 203 00:13:24,679 --> 00:13:28,399 top end talent too, and they just haven't they've been better for the most 204 00:13:28,399 --> 00:13:33,519 part when they're shorthanded versus when they're not. Which but it's that's what I'm 205 00:13:33,559 --> 00:13:35,919 saying, it's if you get your shit together, Yeah, I think you're 206 00:13:35,960 --> 00:13:39,559 a threat to the Celtics, like or just one of the threats to the 207 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:43,120 Celtics. The team that seems to have their ship most together is the Knicks 208 00:13:43,159 --> 00:13:48,120 because of the structure that's been put in place and how like they have signature 209 00:13:48,159 --> 00:13:52,360 wins against all of these teams, you know, So that's why it's it's 210 00:13:52,399 --> 00:13:56,519 it's you can expect the base level of confidence being their defense and their identity 211 00:13:56,559 --> 00:14:00,919 at this point in the season, and they've also answered almost say nearly every 212 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:03,840 doubt in kind of the affirmative, and it's just the one they can answer 213 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:05,919 as well. Do they have enough secondary shock creation you know what, We're 214 00:14:05,919 --> 00:14:09,240 not going to until we get to the most season. But even where they're 215 00:14:09,279 --> 00:14:11,960 like everyone was, okay, they're a good three point shooting team at one 216 00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:15,600 point, and now they've kind of like I think they're seventeen since the All 217 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:18,480 Star break, but guess what, they're third in three point frequency, Like 218 00:14:18,519 --> 00:14:22,840 that was something we used to harp on with them. So yeah, I 219 00:14:22,360 --> 00:14:26,039 think the order could flip up. I don't know. I would throw it 220 00:14:26,039 --> 00:14:28,960 to you because my four I forgot Cleveland. But before I map this out, 221 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:31,720 like it was very clearly there's Milwaukee, New York, and there's Cleveland, 222 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:35,279 and those are the teams that are the threat and Philly with EMBIID are 223 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:39,120 the threats to real threats to Boston. I've kind of been like, is 224 00:14:39,159 --> 00:14:43,600 it is Orlando a bigger threat than Miami right now? Is kind of where 225 00:14:43,639 --> 00:14:46,759 I'm at, Like, you just go with Miami because BAM is maybe the 226 00:14:46,799 --> 00:14:52,039 best postseason defender in the NBA. I don't really know how to tackle that 227 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:54,879 final spot. I think Miami, if they get the shit together, is 228 00:14:56,000 --> 00:15:00,320 a threat. I think, Billy, I mean, they seem to getting 229 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:01,679 their shits. I think they're gonna win out. So that's a forty seven 230 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:05,840 win team. I think they're a threat, especially if in beat is healthy. 231 00:15:05,279 --> 00:15:09,080 I think give Cleveland gets their shit together, and I think if Milwaukee 232 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:11,559 gets their shit together, like that's that's literally the just a weird thing to 233 00:15:11,559 --> 00:15:15,960 say. If they get their shit together and we're it's we're recording this on 234 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:18,879 April eighth. But like we've seen some teams turn it on before, that 235 00:15:18,919 --> 00:15:22,720 Cavs team that made the finals, what's twenty four and twenty four over that? 236 00:15:22,799 --> 00:15:26,440 I know that they have Lebron right, but that's like the Nuggets when 237 00:15:26,440 --> 00:15:31,279 they're gonna coast. What which of these teams has earned the right or the 238 00:15:31,279 --> 00:15:35,679 benefit of the doubt? I would say, And the answer is none of 239 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:37,600 them. I know Milwaukee's tried and true because of honest, but this is 240 00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:43,919 a different version of Milwaukee. Even Nicks feel like the most trustworthy of the 241 00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:46,399 options there, and so we're hitting at it. I think because the Knicks 242 00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:52,559 of the one team that's answered likes you said in the affirmative to every doubt, 243 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:54,720 they might be the biggest threat, to be honest, top end talent. 244 00:15:54,799 --> 00:16:00,679 I'm with you, like gotta go Milwaukee one. Probably they could. 245 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:03,679 Yeah, I want to make the kid. I want to pick the Knicks 246 00:16:03,759 --> 00:16:07,519 right now. But I just feel like it's almost this like I've seen even 247 00:16:07,559 --> 00:16:08,879 the peak of what Johannis and Dame could be. It feels like they haven't 248 00:16:08,919 --> 00:16:14,200 gelled and that they can still operate a little independently, but like seeing the 249 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:17,720 best version of the Bucks. Just like the Knicks don't have another star on 250 00:16:17,759 --> 00:16:21,120 their roster right now, and the Bucks have at least one. I mean 251 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:22,679 like brook has kind of fallen off a little bit, feels like defensively this 252 00:16:22,799 --> 00:16:26,279 year, and Chris Middleton's still good offensively, but they have their own defensive 253 00:16:26,320 --> 00:16:30,960 questions. I'm just like the Knicks have their shot creation questions. They're right 254 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:33,440 there. And to say that when regardless of what you think with Julius, 255 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:37,000 which might be the most complicated, this player is really good, two time 256 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:41,240 All NBA guy, but has the most complicated relationship with his own fan base. 257 00:16:41,279 --> 00:16:45,279 It feels like maybe I'm too far removed from that, but that's what 258 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:48,120 it feels like. Complicated is the correct answer. Correct. We had a 259 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:52,240 phrase name another situation where it's like even close? Is it? The Pelicans 260 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:56,120 with Zion and Brandon Ingram? Maybe like that might be the best closest comp. 261 00:16:56,600 --> 00:17:02,279 The funny thing is the derosing Comps Rosen. Toronto comps have been what 262 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:06,359 I've used for a lot this year. The problem is tomorrow. De Rosen 263 00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:12,200 is beloved unanimously in Toronto, and like the day they made the Kawhi trade, 264 00:17:12,359 --> 00:17:18,079 it was heartbreaking, but understood they had to get better. When Julius 265 00:17:18,160 --> 00:17:23,160 gets traded, it's probably seventy thirty and the thirty will be I actually don't 266 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:26,160 know what the what the direction of the seventy or the thirty will be that 267 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:30,079 it's like, great, we finally got rid of him. Slash Man. 268 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:32,559 That guy did a lot of winning, but I understand the team needed to 269 00:17:32,559 --> 00:17:36,160 make a moves for to get better. You know, this isn't a good 270 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:38,440 stats, bad team guy. He's been a part of a lot of winning 271 00:17:38,839 --> 00:17:45,400 in New York. It's just worst high volume postseason player in NBA history. 272 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:48,960 Bad. It's his postseason sample fifth, and that does speak to some of 273 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:51,359 his own flaws, but it's what is it? What does he have fifteen 274 00:17:51,400 --> 00:17:53,160 games right now? It's three rounds. Yeah, it's three rounds. It's 275 00:17:53,200 --> 00:17:59,119 just like, but my one, my actual point was he whatever you feel 276 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:03,759 about him, he is no worse than their third most important player because of 277 00:18:03,759 --> 00:18:04,359 what they need him to do and to be without him, and for us 278 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:07,119 to be sitting here going like, are they the second biggest threat to come 279 00:18:07,119 --> 00:18:10,359 out of the East in theory, It's just like, now I'm talking in 280 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:12,920 circles because we've said I've said some version of this ninety times. I'm still 281 00:18:12,960 --> 00:18:17,920 trying to wrap my brain around who is that fifth threat? Because you asked 282 00:18:17,920 --> 00:18:19,880 me for five, and I think I'm just I think I'm gonna go with 283 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:26,279 Indiana. I know that they're wow over Miami. Yeah it's okay. I 284 00:18:26,279 --> 00:18:29,119 guess I'm tempting fate here for them to slip the switch. But like Jimmy, 285 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:33,119 Butler's been weirder this season than in seasons past, and they've got some 286 00:18:33,119 --> 00:18:36,480 weird stuff going on with the starting five where it's like, could we just 287 00:18:36,599 --> 00:18:38,680 agree that it probably needs to be Tyler hero not Duncan Robinson in there, 288 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:42,240 and is Duncan Robinson hurt? What's going on? But I look at Indy, 289 00:18:42,559 --> 00:18:45,240 They've lost a lot of games that they should win, but kind of 290 00:18:45,279 --> 00:18:48,000 like the different stuff they could get to and even some of the different defensive 291 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:52,480 things they could try and shout out to Kaitlyn Cooper of Basketball, she wrote, 292 00:18:52,519 --> 00:18:56,799 has been like breaking down those like an exceptional maniac, having Siakham and 293 00:18:56,880 --> 00:19:02,559 Halliburton like those two guys, and then the spacing they can generate on offense, 294 00:19:02,599 --> 00:19:04,720 the different cadences at which they can now play at offense where it's super 295 00:19:04,799 --> 00:19:07,240 charged, or they can slow things down a little bit. They can get 296 00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:11,599 to some really hyper aggressive defensive lineups as well. They feel more well balanced 297 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:15,839 because we know Orlando their offense is gonna be bad. I think their spacing 298 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:19,000 is actually good. It's just they don't have threats to maximize it, and 299 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:22,480 so that's why defenses guard them the way they do. And then Miami their 300 00:19:22,519 --> 00:19:26,359 offense is just I know, you have the Terry Rozier factor there. You 301 00:19:26,359 --> 00:19:27,960 could swing in with his own kind. We saw it against the Knicks like 302 00:19:29,039 --> 00:19:33,240 a week or so ago, where he goes off but they're an imbalanced team 303 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:34,519 when you look at how they play on offense versus what they can do on 304 00:19:34,599 --> 00:19:38,119 defense. And I mean, like, we're not gonna We're not really like 305 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:42,000 talking about Chicago or Atlanta this discussion anyway. So I think I'm just gonna 306 00:19:42,039 --> 00:19:45,359 go with Indy. Feels like they can get to up. Maybe they don't 307 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:49,200 have the highest peak of the remaining teams, but they might have the highest 308 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:53,839 balance like potential on both sides of the ball. To me, perhaps that's 309 00:19:53,839 --> 00:19:56,839 still the heat and I'm tempting fate for them to go full How are they 310 00:19:56,880 --> 00:20:00,599 in the Eastern Conference finals again? But they just they don't feel like that 311 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:07,759 team. Yeah, I think I've just been a doubter of Indiana and Orlando 312 00:20:07,839 --> 00:20:12,759 for the same reasons. One I don't think has the defense to win in 313 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:17,039 the playoffs, and one doesn't have the offense to win the playoffs. You 314 00:20:17,079 --> 00:20:18,960 know, I look famous last words, like one of them might eliminate the 315 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:22,680 Knicks in a couple of weeks, but I just that would be I don't 316 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:26,680 know. I'm kind of at the point where if the Knicks lost to one 317 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:30,440 of those two teams, I would actually be shocked I'd be surprised. But 318 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:36,160 that I think is why i'm i'm I think we're the circles that we're running 319 00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:40,480 here, is that it feels wrong to say this Knicks team is probably going 320 00:20:40,559 --> 00:20:42,680 to go to the conference finals or is like a good pick to go to 321 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:47,160 the conference finals. And you look at the East and it's like these two 322 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:51,839 teams that seem to have their stuff together and have overachieved to an extent in 323 00:20:51,839 --> 00:20:56,160 Indiana and Orlando, but we think the Knicks are better and then these other 324 00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:59,720 teams that there's a world where they're better than the Knicks. But like, 325 00:21:00,000 --> 00:21:02,839 we really gonna pick Miami again from an eight seed, and we're really gonna 326 00:21:02,839 --> 00:21:08,240 pick Philly, like with throwing their core together with ten games left and the 327 00:21:08,319 --> 00:21:14,279 stench that's coming out of Milwaukee and Cleveland at the moment that those teams look 328 00:21:14,359 --> 00:21:19,880 prime for first round exits. So this Ticks team that continues to just overachieve, 329 00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:22,400 and every time they're like, oh, this is when the losing streak 330 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:26,599 starts, this is when they go away, They're just they don't go away. 331 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:30,839 You know, everything that feels like they won't do or the reasons they 332 00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:33,079 would lose is conceptual for the most part. I know the bench has been 333 00:21:33,559 --> 00:21:37,599 bad, but now it seems like maybe they've unlocked a little bit of that, 334 00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:41,839 Whereas with these other teams, it's we're trying to we know what's actually 335 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:42,599 gonna go wrong, like with the Knicks and saying, well, they're not 336 00:21:42,640 --> 00:21:47,119 just gonna even if they play boy on more. Are they going to have 337 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:48,319 the level like is the shock crea is gonna be enough for their offense to 338 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:52,839 get by? They've told us again and again again over the records the answer 339 00:21:52,839 --> 00:21:55,720 is yes, and so we're just waiting for something to go roll that works. 340 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:57,680 With these other teams, it's they kind of need to improve or answer 341 00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:02,640 these like questions that already exist. And so I know the postseason is different, 342 00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:04,480 but that's what makes it fascinating. And just very quickly because you did 343 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:10,039 ask me for like matchups you mentioned Orlando in Indiana, just the contrast in 344 00:22:10,079 --> 00:22:11,920 styles from those two teams. I want to see that playoff series. And 345 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:17,400 then I also want to see Philly versus Milwaukee because they're both trying to figure 346 00:22:17,440 --> 00:22:21,160 some things out. When you look at how little what should be their best 347 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:26,519 lineups have played together or their most important units have played together recently, and 348 00:22:26,559 --> 00:22:30,119 so like if the bracket shakes out and anything could basically happen to the East 349 00:22:30,279 --> 00:22:32,680 at this point. So give me those two matchups and give me Cavs versus 350 00:22:32,759 --> 00:22:36,079 Nicks part two so we could just establish ones and for all that wasn't even 351 00:22:36,079 --> 00:22:40,640 close to a fluke for New York last year. But Orlando and India you 352 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:44,279 laid it out. There's just such a contrast in styles. I'd be fascinated 353 00:22:44,319 --> 00:22:48,480 to see those two teams play each other. You literally picked the one eight, 354 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:51,680 the one through eight that I that I want to see is that, 355 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:56,880 like, give me Boston Miami round two in your first round or Boston Chicago. 356 00:22:56,000 --> 00:23:03,480 Just Boston Miami is more fun. And then some something's got to give 357 00:23:03,519 --> 00:23:07,359 in the Superstar rankings with Giannis against Embiide, like we're gonna lose one of 358 00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:11,119 them in the first round, which is just enticing. Give me Nicks Cleveland 359 00:23:11,559 --> 00:23:15,480 part two. And then to the conflicting styles of Indiana, because it means 360 00:23:15,480 --> 00:23:19,240 either Indiana or Orlando are going to make the second round. And that's hilarious. 361 00:23:19,359 --> 00:23:23,200 So that's a that's a great because we're looking up and one of them 362 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:29,480 made the second round, it's like, oh, and then and it's like 363 00:23:29,599 --> 00:23:32,279 one of them could then theoretically because it only takes four wins from there, 364 00:23:32,319 --> 00:23:36,640 or they just is in near Orlando in the conference in the conference. Yeah 365 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:41,359 yeah, so yeah that those that would be my dream scenario. I will 366 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:45,440 say, I'm sorry to interrupt you. There are you And I guess it's 367 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:49,880 a stupid question because but throwing out getting to say we reached the conference finals, 368 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:53,759 would you be team let's delay Boston as long as possible or if it 369 00:23:53,839 --> 00:23:56,119 was, oh, we could just get them in the second round like let's 370 00:23:57,680 --> 00:24:03,680 I was for a while. I don't want to say this season has house 371 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:07,200 money. That's disrespectful to why the way the Knicks have played there they operate 372 00:24:07,319 --> 00:24:15,720 like a team that expects to be competitive in any series. There's just expectations 373 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:18,319 that come the following season. If you made it to the conference finals the 374 00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:22,680 year before, you could lose in the second round next year, and technically 375 00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:26,440 you could lose to a better team. Then you can lose to like in 376 00:24:26,519 --> 00:24:30,039 seven games, and it's a it's a heartbreaker. But because you made the 377 00:24:30,039 --> 00:24:33,440 conference finals of the year before, in a year that the East couldn't get 378 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:37,440 their shit together. It's that as a step back. What's up? Hashtag 379 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:41,599 Atlanta Hawks twenty twenty one? Quite literally, well, like the Hawks, 380 00:24:41,640 --> 00:24:45,359 that's quite literally a fluke. But like you don't want to welcome podcasters saying 381 00:24:45,359 --> 00:24:48,960 like, oh, that was a fluke. So you know, I I 382 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:55,880 do think the progression of things being like, you know, getting to a 383 00:24:55,920 --> 00:25:00,200 conference finals would be great eventually. Now look the thing I think I'll I 384 00:25:00,759 --> 00:25:02,920 don't know if I've danced around it or if I've actually said it. I 385 00:25:02,920 --> 00:25:04,880 think the Knicks, man, I literally just said, may I think the 386 00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:07,799 next you're gonna end up in the conference finals? Like, I think they're 387 00:25:07,839 --> 00:25:12,480 the team playing at the best right now outside of Boston, and then I 388 00:25:12,519 --> 00:25:17,759 think that's when you'll see they kind of could have used another secondary creator against 389 00:25:17,759 --> 00:25:21,519 the sixty one win team with a near twelve point differential. You know, 390 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:26,640 yeah, but it's just progress isn't. And this isn't saying you would view 391 00:25:26,680 --> 00:25:30,119 toally. Progress isn't literary. People can't separate, you know, they get 392 00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:33,000 bounced, even they have excuses built in where even they got bounced in the 393 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:37,799 first round by let's say Cleveland, it's we were missing our second best shot 394 00:25:37,839 --> 00:25:41,680 creator, our second most important off as a player. Actually a oh gi 395 00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:45,960 Hadnobi's elbow probably wasn't right, Uh, progress isn't Yeah, and Anobe going 396 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:51,079 out changes everything. Then it's house money, Like give me Boston first round 397 00:25:51,079 --> 00:25:52,839 for that matter, you know, Oh, that would just be that had 398 00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:56,720 been so chaotic and that been in the cards. But yeah, so at 399 00:25:56,799 --> 00:26:00,279 least we're aligned on the bracket. They're Look, you could see you said 400 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:02,759 you think they're going to make the conference finals. I don't have an argument 401 00:26:03,119 --> 00:26:06,799 against you to say that they won't. There's just I wouldn't as someone who, 402 00:26:07,039 --> 00:26:10,000 let's take away like any attachment I had with that X, I don't 403 00:26:10,119 --> 00:26:12,839 have an answer if I was trying to be a devil's advocate as to why 404 00:26:14,279 --> 00:26:18,759 it should be definitively Milwaukee or Cleveland or even you start going through the options, 405 00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:23,759 it's just like, after you get to the Embeid variable in Philly, 406 00:26:25,079 --> 00:26:26,160 feels like, okay, maybe we need to respect them a little bit more. 407 00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:27,759 And they're also just kind of like, look at what em Bean is 408 00:26:27,839 --> 00:26:32,160 nut in the playoffs over the course of his career. So you realize that 409 00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:36,279 the Embiid factor is like, so the guy that's never been to the conference 410 00:26:36,279 --> 00:26:38,440 finals is the thing standing in the way of the Knicks getting to the conference 411 00:26:38,480 --> 00:26:44,759 finals. I mean, yeah, well, I don't. Again, I'm 412 00:26:44,799 --> 00:26:47,480 not trying to argue against you, but even if I was, I don't 413 00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:51,920 think I could. Yeah, well, should be a fun playoffs. And 414 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:56,440 it's absolutely been a roller coaster but eventually fun nixt season. And I hope 415 00:26:56,440 --> 00:27:00,359 you've gotten to enjoy it because I know deep down in that that cold heart 416 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:04,559 of yours, that the that the media life has completely destroyed, Uh, 417 00:27:04,599 --> 00:27:08,279 you still you still have an affection for When the Knicks get get a w 418 00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:12,599 Dan Fa Valley, there's affection. There's also I just love kind of out 419 00:27:12,599 --> 00:27:18,079 of left field stuff. It's like Dante DiVincenzo shooting this year. Deuce McBride, 420 00:27:18,119 --> 00:27:21,480 like they signed the extension and what he's been able to do. Isaiah 421 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:23,720 Harten signed. He made me look so bad at the beginning of last year 422 00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:26,720 when I called him the best signing in free agency, and I was like, 423 00:27:26,759 --> 00:27:30,119 all right, that take as now it's now it looks great. That 424 00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:33,720 take you're talking about takes today as well. And then the Knicks like have 425 00:27:33,799 --> 00:27:36,400 a lot of things that came out of left field this year to your point, 426 00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:38,240 Yeah, so even though I won't say it's completely out of left field, 427 00:27:38,279 --> 00:27:44,039 but I again, if we I'm sure in our November podcast that we 428 00:27:44,079 --> 00:27:47,680 did we weren't asking where Jalen Bruns was going to finish in the MVP Ladder, 429 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:49,960 and now it's it's not even just asking where he'll finish in terms of 430 00:27:51,000 --> 00:27:53,000 the total votes, it's well, will he be top five? And like 431 00:27:53,039 --> 00:27:56,839 can he beat out Jason datum Giannis or one of the Just so I love 432 00:27:57,319 --> 00:28:00,799 that element to stort like the Okahoma is any thunder being ahead of schedule? 433 00:28:00,839 --> 00:28:03,079 Like those are the types of things that are just This is why we like 434 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:07,559 the game of basketball, is for the fun and good hearted stuff the Nicks 435 00:28:07,599 --> 00:28:10,839 have been, with the exception of very few moments this year, just to 436 00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:15,359 really feel good story. Yeah, Tom Thibodeau will be like versatile, like 437 00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:18,440 bro when he went to the three guard lineup that we were begging him to 438 00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:22,359 do with quickly and it's like, oh, you'll do with Deuce because he's 439 00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:26,200 Klay Thompson apparently. But we still get people on our YouTube comments who will 440 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:30,039 bring back I had written a piece about why I thought Tom Thibodau should have 441 00:28:30,079 --> 00:28:32,920 been fired. I think it was was its seven games in the last season. 442 00:28:33,039 --> 00:28:37,519 Seven games into the last season, we were all thinking it too right 443 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:40,359 and to where I am now with him? Where was We actually had this 444 00:28:40,440 --> 00:28:42,759 debate on Hardware Knox with our award show was how high up to coach? 445 00:28:42,839 --> 00:28:49,400 The earing that like, that's cool to have gone for I could admit that 446 00:28:49,440 --> 00:28:52,720 I was wrong in the moment. I do think this wasn't circa I know 447 00:28:52,759 --> 00:28:56,039 a lot of Knicks fans supported Jalen Brunton. I think a lot of Knicks 448 00:28:56,039 --> 00:28:57,759 fans wanted Tim's gone at that moment as well too. But it's like, 449 00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:02,079 I kind of not that I like being wrong, but when your opinions or 450 00:29:02,119 --> 00:29:06,920 perspective just evolves because something you really firmly believed wasn't gonna happen, like Tom 451 00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:12,039 Thibodeau becoming like a zeb wins, a versatile like it's just like it's really 452 00:29:12,119 --> 00:29:17,640 fun to watch and follow. Yeah, yeah, he's been He's just I'd 453 00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:21,839 argue it's his best season as a head coach, Like the season with the 454 00:29:21,880 --> 00:29:23,880 Bulls that they were a four seed. I think it was actually a five 455 00:29:23,920 --> 00:29:30,759 seed. The year after, Derrick rose towards ACL in the playoffs and then 456 00:29:30,920 --> 00:29:33,880 they made the second round and beat that Nett team after Like Nate Robinson was 457 00:29:33,880 --> 00:29:37,920 like the engine on that team that East was just not as good as this 458 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:41,599 yeas and he didn't have as much competition, and the fact that they may 459 00:29:41,680 --> 00:29:45,319 end up with a top three or four seed. I just he's he's like 460 00:29:47,119 --> 00:29:51,240 pull pulled off miracles from from time to time you don't believor the sort of 461 00:29:51,279 --> 00:29:53,400 minutes usage, which I actually think is a fair thing to discuss as well. 462 00:29:53,440 --> 00:29:57,039 These guys peter out in the playoffs at all. But it wasn't just 463 00:29:57,519 --> 00:30:00,319 he refused to take his best players out of the game. He mentioned he's 464 00:30:00,319 --> 00:30:03,519 trying to three guard lineup. He's had to figure out some stuff in the 465 00:30:03,519 --> 00:30:07,440 front court. We saw it in the Milwaukee game with the way that pressures 466 00:30:07,440 --> 00:30:11,640 to chew us specifically was used, So you have to it does feel like 467 00:30:11,720 --> 00:30:15,880 anecdotally, and I'm sure there's statistical proof too. I just didn't care to 468 00:30:15,880 --> 00:30:18,440 consider it before we game on. He just feels more flexible than he's ever 469 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:22,759 been and like to see him evolve for a coach that was I think people 470 00:30:22,759 --> 00:30:26,720 would use the word to describe as stubborn or rigid for so long. That's 471 00:30:26,799 --> 00:30:29,839 I mean, that's part of this the Knix's own evolution too. Well. 472 00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:33,559 So the funny thing about Tibbs is like the moment he realizes something's working, 473 00:30:33,640 --> 00:30:36,400 like that he tries something and it's like, oh, this is working. 474 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:38,680 He just overplays the shit out of it. Oh duce for pride, Oh 475 00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:41,559 you went you could take threes? All right? You're playing forty seven minutes 476 00:30:41,599 --> 00:30:45,240 tonight, and that's just like the new standard. You know, Oh Josh, 477 00:30:45,279 --> 00:30:48,160 you can play forty minutes. You're gonna average forty two minutes a game 478 00:30:48,480 --> 00:30:52,759 since the All Star Break, And like the minutes thing, I actually argue 479 00:30:52,799 --> 00:30:56,559 because they're getting guys back like Mitch coming back and a Noby coming back boy 480 00:30:56,599 --> 00:31:00,839 and being playable is actually like now they're gonna have depth. You know. 481 00:31:02,039 --> 00:31:04,279 They went through all these these weeks of like a seven and a half man 482 00:31:04,359 --> 00:31:11,000 rotation where you had to play like Deuce and either Precious or Sims as your 483 00:31:11,039 --> 00:31:14,000 backups, and then like pick a Piston for the night, you know, 484 00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:18,200 and that was like, bro, these these Pistons have taken it out of 485 00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:21,920 me. Man, I was so happy to see two things that Boge finally 486 00:31:21,960 --> 00:31:25,759 played well last night and it was in a lineup that made sense. And 487 00:31:25,839 --> 00:31:30,680 then like I didn't see Alec Burks they like the last three months. Man, 488 00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:34,799 this is why we watched basketball to not watch Alec Burks. I'm so 489 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:38,160 curious to see what Tims is gonna do when you do get to so I 490 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:41,440 don't know if it's awkward, but you get to some line I think you're 491 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:44,960 gonna have to make some lineup decisions in the playoffs where you very clearly have 492 00:31:45,039 --> 00:31:48,759 to try and cater to or find a skeleton key for your offense. And 493 00:31:48,799 --> 00:31:52,519 then it gets into well does this mean that like Bogie's on the court instead 494 00:31:52,519 --> 00:31:56,039 of Josh hart at one point, because you look at Hartensteide runs in Devidjenjo 495 00:31:56,160 --> 00:31:59,519 just has to be on like a part of any best offensive you did, 496 00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:01,519 oh Anonobe because of what he unlocks off the ball, but his defense, 497 00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:05,240 and then it's I'm just trying if you were trying to project what would be 498 00:32:05,240 --> 00:32:09,119 the Knicks's most important playoff lineup, the four guys I named plus Boyon I 499 00:32:09,200 --> 00:32:13,000 think has a case to be the answer, But it's are you even willing 500 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:15,640 to get to a point where it's like Josh Hart not being that lineup feels 501 00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:22,160 treasonous, so that it's actually gonna depend on Ananobe because if he's shooting, 502 00:32:22,720 --> 00:32:27,559 if his shooting comes back around, it's it's it's two game sample. First 503 00:32:27,599 --> 00:32:30,839 game he was fine, second game he wasn't. But if he can be 504 00:32:30,920 --> 00:32:36,720 a consistent shooter, then Tibbs can feel comfortable leaving Bogey on the court next 505 00:32:36,759 --> 00:32:40,519 to Ananobi or a Josh Hart, and you just kind of split those minutes 506 00:32:40,559 --> 00:32:45,000 that like Bogie, like you play Bogie next to Heart or Bogie next to 507 00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:50,039 Anonoby, then it's okay if you're playing. If Heart is not, he's 508 00:32:50,079 --> 00:32:52,920 just like been an awful shooter this year, and Anonobe is like basically Josh 509 00:32:52,920 --> 00:32:59,039 Hart light from from three, then you kind of almost like have to survive 510 00:32:59,119 --> 00:33:01,599 those minutes. I guess it's what I'm saying that you know your defense is 511 00:33:01,640 --> 00:33:06,160 creating the offense, and then like it's a lot of the Evincenzo threes, 512 00:33:06,519 --> 00:33:08,559 you know, whereas with Bogie on the floor, I think I reversed that 513 00:33:08,680 --> 00:33:14,240 that like Bogey next to one of those two guys is going to matter because 514 00:33:14,240 --> 00:33:16,440 if you put Bogie next to Anonoby and Anobi shooting forty percent from three, 515 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:21,400 then like it's like you're building such a lead that josh Ark could come in 516 00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:23,200 and get all the rebounds afterwards. You know, well, no, Tims 517 00:33:23,279 --> 00:33:28,160 is really out of steeze. If we see o g Hadnobi at the five 518 00:33:28,599 --> 00:33:30,799 and then so you have Josh don't get crazy, don't get crazy. Mitch 519 00:33:30,839 --> 00:33:34,240 came back and he was like, oh great, I have my rim protection 520 00:33:34,319 --> 00:33:36,839 for forty eight minutes. Great, I got a heart witheet hard to Stegn 521 00:33:36,839 --> 00:33:39,039 and Mitch. You know, uh yeah, he would obviously have we've seen 522 00:33:39,079 --> 00:33:42,240 it and go to Jericho Simms. Before that, even if he wasn't going 523 00:33:42,279 --> 00:33:45,079 to well you would go. He went to Precious the Tua at the four 524 00:33:45,160 --> 00:33:50,480 for two months. He would absolutely shy away. That is true. Yeah, 525 00:33:50,559 --> 00:33:53,400 yeah, Look, I any any complaints or critiques of Tims I got 526 00:33:53,440 --> 00:33:58,680 there, They're all they're all quibbles at this point, like there's there's something 527 00:33:58,720 --> 00:34:04,039 to be said about Dyce lineups and like shooting being a priority and like boosting 528 00:34:04,079 --> 00:34:07,280 the offense. There's all just like a base level of competence and the buy 529 00:34:07,360 --> 00:34:13,079 in that this team now has to his like entire ethos. I know, 530 00:34:13,159 --> 00:34:16,559 like it seems like John mcrey took over this podcast, but like we've all 531 00:34:16,760 --> 00:34:22,519 kind of come to appreciate, like again watching these other teams in the East 532 00:34:22,519 --> 00:34:28,559 that aren't getting their their stuff together, and like appreciate all right, like 533 00:34:28,039 --> 00:34:30,119 as I'm at least proud watching this team every night, and the team buys 534 00:34:30,159 --> 00:34:34,280 into paying it. Like hert and side talking about how Peter Tips has been 535 00:34:34,320 --> 00:34:38,400 and he's kind of like the Patrick Beverly of head coaches to where from the 536 00:34:38,440 --> 00:34:42,199 outside and we've even seen this, players say they don't want to play for 537 00:34:42,280 --> 00:34:45,920 him, and everyone despises Patrick Beverley, but then you're on Patrick Beverly's team, 538 00:34:45,440 --> 00:34:49,320 and I do think there was a point where he just became wildly overrated. 539 00:34:49,320 --> 00:34:51,840 But it seems like the people who actually play with him on his team 540 00:34:52,079 --> 00:34:53,840 appreciate and once you play for Tips, it does feel like he's able to 541 00:34:54,480 --> 00:34:59,599 imbue them with this belief and gain and curry the favor of his own players. 542 00:34:59,599 --> 00:35:01,800 Which for all his flaws that he might have on the court with lineups, 543 00:35:01,800 --> 00:35:06,239 his views of minutes or even of offense, or just the stubbornness with 544 00:35:06,719 --> 00:35:08,320 the certain type of rit protection that he wants on the court. To have 545 00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:15,400 that connection with your players isn't isn't easy hashtag Doc Rivers. You said it. 546 00:35:15,519 --> 00:35:19,159 I was trying to get Macury to call him a bozo last night, 547 00:35:19,280 --> 00:35:22,119 and I shot, there's another shout out to the euro step. They stopped 548 00:35:22,119 --> 00:35:28,719 calling him Doc. He's mister Rivers now, like they took away his doctorate. 549 00:35:30,679 --> 00:35:35,559 Yeah, it's either mister Rivers or Glenn good coach. But I do 550 00:35:35,599 --> 00:35:37,039 think I because all I mean, hey, coaches are good to have to 551 00:35:37,039 --> 00:35:39,679 get to that level where there's only thirty jobs. I just feel like he's 552 00:35:39,679 --> 00:35:44,039 always been overrated in the sense of this is someone you need to have when 553 00:35:44,079 --> 00:35:47,119 you have all these superstars on the roster or these egos to manage it at 554 00:35:47,159 --> 00:35:51,840 every single stop, I guess, with the exception of when he left Boston, 555 00:35:52,199 --> 00:35:53,320 but it was like with the Clippers, all the different versions of those 556 00:35:53,320 --> 00:35:57,519 teams, there was always this weird locker room drama. Look what happened in 557 00:35:57,559 --> 00:36:00,079 Philly, and now it's like the Bucks you have. Damian Miller posted about 558 00:36:00,159 --> 00:36:05,480 narcissism on his Instagram story. You know the Doc year where I actually was 559 00:36:05,480 --> 00:36:07,880 like, oh, you're a good coach and it's not like obviously one of 560 00:36:07,920 --> 00:36:13,719 title so like player Honestly, that season they were the eighth seed where they 561 00:36:13,760 --> 00:36:15,159 traded Tobias Harris and it's like, oh, they're going to go to the 562 00:36:15,199 --> 00:36:19,000 play in or at that time, it wasn't even the play it's going to 563 00:36:19,039 --> 00:36:22,880 go to the lottery. And that team won more games than they lost and 564 00:36:23,079 --> 00:36:27,880 became the eighth seed that year and that was like Pat bev and lou Will 565 00:36:28,639 --> 00:36:31,519 and then the next year they traded they were coming off that year, I 566 00:36:31,599 --> 00:36:35,760 was like, oh, like this is Doc's probably most impressive, because that's 567 00:36:35,760 --> 00:36:38,559 I think when you see what a coach is made of when you strip away 568 00:36:38,599 --> 00:36:43,880 its most talented pieces and you can't just be like, oh, great players 569 00:36:43,880 --> 00:36:46,400 be awesome, where you actually have to, Like Tim's outside of this year, 570 00:36:46,440 --> 00:36:50,920 the we Hear season where Randall they were a four seed, is probably 571 00:36:51,039 --> 00:36:53,920 my most Like Alfred Payton started a ton that season, you know, so 572 00:36:54,719 --> 00:36:58,920 like that's I think when you get to see what a coach is made of. 573 00:36:59,480 --> 00:37:04,840 And I agree, like I've seen what you can do when you're forced 574 00:37:04,960 --> 00:37:09,679 to like actually make something out of what seems to not be as good as 575 00:37:10,119 --> 00:37:13,400 you know, what turn a lottery team into a playoff team? You know 576 00:37:13,440 --> 00:37:16,960 what I'm saying. Then there's just how much he's underachieved when he's had all 577 00:37:17,000 --> 00:37:22,480 these Hall of famers on his teams in playoff situations. You know. Yeah, 578 00:37:22,559 --> 00:37:23,800 No, I think that. I think that's a great point, like 579 00:37:23,840 --> 00:37:27,719 he is a good coach, But it does sort of feel like, not 580 00:37:27,760 --> 00:37:30,599 that the plot is lost, but the stuff that in theory he's supposed to 581 00:37:30,599 --> 00:37:32,880 be good at, or why he's value, which is let like why the 582 00:37:32,880 --> 00:37:37,480 Bucks hired him in the first place, Is that actually his greatest strength? 583 00:37:37,039 --> 00:37:40,400 And I would argue no, but you know, I'm not going to be 584 00:37:40,480 --> 00:37:45,360 when it comes to evaluating coaches. I hate doing that because Doc has mister 585 00:37:45,480 --> 00:37:49,760 Rivers has forgotten more about basketball in the past five seconds than I will personally 586 00:37:49,800 --> 00:37:52,639 ever know. Yes, and then that's going to earn you some points with 587 00:37:52,719 --> 00:37:58,639 mister McRee for sure, dam A Valley. It is always good to talk 588 00:37:58,679 --> 00:38:01,000 basketball with you, sir. And I believe this is going to end up 589 00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:05,639 being a two parter. We recorded enough that we could put one half on 590 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:09,039 Nick's Film School and the other half at Hardwood Knocks. So I believe I'm 591 00:38:09,079 --> 00:38:14,559 signing off on your show at the moment, So thank you Hardwood Knocks for 592 00:38:14,920 --> 00:38:21,440 having me be part of the content plan at the moment. But before you 593 00:38:21,440 --> 00:38:24,280 get out of here, any Knicks fans who went over to your channel to 594 00:38:24,320 --> 00:38:29,559 find your show, I was gonna say, tell them where they could find 595 00:38:29,599 --> 00:38:31,559 your stuff. Dan, just thank you. It's always good to talk to 596 00:38:31,599 --> 00:38:36,719 you. We'll sign off that way and then put bookend separate intros in a 597 00:38:36,719 --> 00:38:39,519 better, more cleaner editing way. Yes, thank you so much. Always 598 00:38:39,559 --> 00:38:44,079 coilated that plane. By the way, those Denzel and Flight you didn't think 599 00:38:44,119 --> 00:38:45,599 that you were going to close out the Hardware KNOCKX episode. I was like, 600 00:38:45,639 --> 00:38:49,480 wait, this is we're an hour and well it's ninety minutes into this, 601 00:38:49,559 --> 00:38:52,639 so that's a tough tough thing to navigate at the end. But thank 602 00:38:52,679 --> 00:38:54,119 you Dan, as always, thank you. It's always a pleasure, always 603 00:38:54,119 --> 00:38:57,400 an honor to come on here, and it's always most of all just super 604 00:38:57,440 --> 00:39:00,880 fun to chat hoops and life with you. Yeah. Absolutely, did you 605 00:39:00,920 --> 00:39:05,079 have any Knicks bulls thoughts for Tuesday night? Because this is technically it's just 606 00:39:05,159 --> 00:39:08,519 pregage both pregame show at the bottom, I so I do have a very 607 00:39:08,559 --> 00:39:13,360 like the Bulls might have their back quart of the future. I'm that high 608 00:39:13,360 --> 00:39:16,639 on Iow to soon move. Yeah, he looked against the Knicks on Friday, 609 00:39:16,840 --> 00:39:21,159 and they've tried different ways ever since. They were more ever since before 610 00:39:21,199 --> 00:39:24,159 Kobe White returned. They were trying to lock Iow more as a score that 611 00:39:24,280 --> 00:39:28,639 dude could play. And that was like the fact that they got him on 612 00:39:28,679 --> 00:39:30,280 the deal they did when he hit free agency, that no one was taking 613 00:39:30,280 --> 00:39:35,519 a flyer on him. So there are he's like, I won't say he 614 00:39:35,519 --> 00:39:37,440 has a higher city than Kobe Wit, but he's like the most fascinating Chicago 615 00:39:37,440 --> 00:39:39,840 Bulls player to be long term at the moment. I guess it's not saying 616 00:39:39,920 --> 00:39:44,000 much on their roster, but Javonte Green's back with the Bulls too. That 617 00:39:44,039 --> 00:39:45,960 was a big win for years, truly. I love me some healthy Davonte 618 00:39:45,960 --> 00:39:50,400 Green. So the shout out shout out to Javonte Green and Iow Dessumer. 619 00:39:50,480 --> 00:39:53,320 Those those are my Bulls takes. Yeah, both both players that destroyed the 620 00:39:53,360 --> 00:39:57,760 Knicks on like the Rows at seven points going into the fourth quarter. Both 621 00:39:57,840 --> 00:40:00,199 the Javonte Green and Dissum moved like this show the Knicks on Friday night, 622 00:40:00,360 --> 00:40:05,519 so the Knicks are obviously looking for payback. Dan as always good talking to you.