1 00:00:15,359 --> 00:00:20,199 What is krack Alac and fellow Thermo nuclear A efforts. I am damn Favalley 2 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:24,519 coming at you with my certified, fantabulous goos. Grant Hughes, who just 3 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:29,199 not beat up on mall security guards or finish line employees. He respects all 4 00:00:29,239 --> 00:00:32,840 of them. We are going to talk about our most interesting teams for the 5 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:35,840 rest of this season. Before we get started, the very quick reminder to 6 00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:38,399 please, if this is your first time, or for some reason, you're 7 00:00:38,439 --> 00:00:42,479 repeatedly listening to us and haven't subscribed yet YouTube, Spotify, Apple, subscribe 8 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:45,679 everywhere. If you've done those things, tell people about us. Retweet our 9 00:00:45,719 --> 00:00:48,719 promos on Twitter, shout us out, pull quote us. If Grant says 10 00:00:48,719 --> 00:00:51,280 something awesome, quote it on Twitter, I will retweet it. If you 11 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:53,799 tag us, join our discords, link to that us in the podcast on 12 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:57,960 YouTube description, and follow us on the socials at Hardwood Knox on Twitter and 13 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:03,159 TikTok at Hardwood Underscore Knox on Instagram. Grant, how the heck are you 14 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:07,879 doing? I'm doing good. I just want to clarify I confine my violence 15 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:11,280 to roller rinks and foot locker, just not malls. And we've got the 16 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:15,439 employees there. Yeah, yeah, they're all they're fair game. I just 17 00:01:15,519 --> 00:01:18,439 want to specify that. I'm like, we should talk about what we're talking 18 00:01:18,439 --> 00:01:23,920 about. Everyone's Yeah, there's a report from WOPO that there's two I guess 19 00:01:23,920 --> 00:01:30,719 previously uncided police reports about Morant. I just I haven't read it yet. 20 00:01:30,799 --> 00:01:33,640 I don't really want to get into it. I've only read parts because it 21 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:38,280 came out while were recording. But Molly Hensley Clancy of the Washington Post publishing 22 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:42,719 article NBA star John Morant was accused of violent or threatening behavior and two police 23 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:47,280 reports, including previously unknown allegations that Morant threatened the mall security guard. Four 24 00:01:47,359 --> 00:01:51,840 days later, a teenager told Morant told police that Morant punched him repeatedly. 25 00:01:52,599 --> 00:01:55,959 And apparently this is someone like pulled quoted it from it. John Morant's mother 26 00:01:56,040 --> 00:01:57,760 called him after having an argument with a finished line employee, and he came 27 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:01,640 to the mall deep and told them all security guard. Let me find out 28 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:07,239 what time he gets off. I just I don't I don't know. I 29 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:08,759 need to dig into the article. But just like the initial impressions is just 30 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:14,319 like, dude, what are you doing. It's a bad look at worst, 31 00:02:14,719 --> 00:02:17,719 right, And it's just even though you mentioned that he apparently punched or 32 00:02:17,759 --> 00:02:21,719 tried to punch someone during a pickup game, that is in the story, 33 00:02:21,759 --> 00:02:23,560 and it says that the teenager through the ball at him, which is just 34 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:25,879 like, are you asking for it at that point? So it's just like, 35 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:29,599 there's gotta be more to this, and I'm just not. Look. 36 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:34,199 Dmrant is twenty three years old. He has spent now twenty to twenty five 37 00:02:34,199 --> 00:02:37,759 percent of his life as a rich human. Like you need to be better 38 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:39,599 than this, like this, you should be able to detach yourself from these 39 00:02:39,879 --> 00:02:44,759 situations. That's just that's where I'm at. But I'm not even the Grizzlies 40 00:02:44,759 --> 00:02:46,919 aren't on my list of the most interesting teams for the rest of the season 41 00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:49,280 because I just don't trust them. So I don't know about you, but 42 00:02:49,879 --> 00:02:53,199 well, should they be? I don't know. I don't know. Maybe 43 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:57,680 who's which team we'll try and get through like three each year? Which team? 44 00:02:58,159 --> 00:03:00,560 Uh, what are one of the teams that you find it's interesting for 45 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:01,240 the rest of the year. All right, Well, I'm going to start 46 00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:07,800 with my agenda and bias and say the Warriors because we just just as we 47 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:09,680 saw this Marin thing come out. Curry's supposed to be back at some point 48 00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:15,919 next week, and we're so that changes everything right in theory. I mean, 49 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:20,759 the Warriors haven't. The Warriors haven't been as good with him on the 50 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:23,599 floor this year as in the past. I think the number I saw was 51 00:03:23,599 --> 00:03:25,840 twenty and eighteen. Don't quote me on that. Usually it's you know, 52 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:31,039 wildly superior to that. But I mean, the Warriors are kind of interesting 53 00:03:31,479 --> 00:03:35,520 down the stretch even if he's you know, not there or missus more time. 54 00:03:35,599 --> 00:03:39,560 Just because of the zoom out situation of your defending champion. You brought 55 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:44,479 back five starters and six of your seven you know, highest minute players from 56 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:49,039 last season. The young guys were supposed to step in for the players you 57 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:52,120 lost. You also added Dante de Vincenzo, who's been awesome in a small 58 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:55,719 role, best three point shooting of his career by a ridiculous margin. You're 59 00:03:55,759 --> 00:04:00,719 getting good play from two way guys, which is crazy. And you're still 60 00:04:00,759 --> 00:04:04,360 as we're recording the thirty two and thirty and probably you know, as likely 61 00:04:04,439 --> 00:04:09,919 to finish tenth as fourth, maybe more likely to finish tenth and fourth. 62 00:04:10,159 --> 00:04:13,879 So just like, what when is the run coming, Is it coming? 63 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:17,240 We've spent all years saying you're, you know, giving them deference because of 64 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:21,160 their history, which I think is deserved. But at the same time, 65 00:04:21,199 --> 00:04:25,560 like we're now through three quarters of the season, we just haven't seen more 66 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:29,920 than a couple of blips, interestingly against Memphis, a couple of times of 67 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:33,720 the Warriors kind of being the Capitol w Warriors. So they're really interesting to 68 00:04:33,759 --> 00:04:38,720 me, just because like this also feels like a little bit of a last 69 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:42,000 gasp because of the age of the cores, because of the cost of the 70 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:46,240 team, because of Draymond Green's player option. So yeah, they're my number 71 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:49,800 one, but I will readily admit to that being a severe case of Homerism 72 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:54,120 kind of affecting that opinion. Well, they are polarizing though, because you 73 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:57,480 mentioned Steph coming back, and they've hung around now the fifth as we're recording 74 00:04:57,480 --> 00:05:00,279 this in the last and if they're gonna get step back, that's a great 75 00:05:00,319 --> 00:05:03,040 spot to be in. It's just the season has been so weird because I 76 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:08,959 didn't envision enough being in March, and Warriors fans are pissed because Patrick Waldron 77 00:05:09,079 --> 00:05:13,800 Junior isn't getting enough minutes and that just makes me inherently uneasy. Dante DiVincenzo 78 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:15,600 has been great for them. I think we've seen a lot of stuff from 79 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:20,000 Kaminga I just and Draymond Green I think would probably be in the defensive Player 80 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:24,560 of the Year conversation, even though maybe he's not the same level of dominant. 81 00:05:24,639 --> 00:05:29,639 If the Warriors were just any better in the aggregate on defense, I 82 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:33,199 haven't seen though. We've seen flickers and flits and moments and maybe mini stretches, 83 00:05:33,519 --> 00:05:39,560 but we've never seen like the sustainable, longer stretch of them just turning 84 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:44,160 it on and looking like this title contender. And they I think with Steph 85 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:46,600 yeah, they still have that level. Lay Thomps has been great on offense. 86 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:48,040 Andrew Wiggins kind of in look right. He had a couple of good 87 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:51,000 games before leaving the team, but like didn't look right since he's coming back 88 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:55,439 from injury. There's just so many question marks even when they're at full strength, 89 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:58,319 and it's just like you're asking if the run is coming. It's not 90 00:05:58,319 --> 00:06:00,800 coming during the regular season is almost over. I was like, dude, 91 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:01,800 to come during the regular season. Probably not. It's gonna have to come 92 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:06,279 in the playoffs. I just don't know. When I look at them and 93 00:06:06,319 --> 00:06:10,160 I they are like they would make if we were to go like five six 94 00:06:10,199 --> 00:06:12,360 teams deepeats, they would make my list. I'm not going to name them 95 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:17,120 now because you did, but like, who like against the Nuggets against the 96 00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:19,639 Suns, Like those are the teams and I think they need to beat. 97 00:06:19,639 --> 00:06:24,079 Would you pick them against the Clippers at this point? I don't like, 98 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:27,720 so I would pick them to beat the Grizzlies. I'd probably beat the Kings. 99 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:30,000 I'm not picking them to beat the Nuggets of the Sun right now. 100 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:31,759 I'll tell you that I don't know if i'd pick them to beat the Clippers. 101 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:34,560 Maybe I would, but like, and I guess that's a compliment. 102 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:39,839 I just they're so I feel like I don't have a great feel for what 103 00:06:39,879 --> 00:06:43,199 the peak of this Warrior's team is is. I think that's where I'm at. 104 00:06:43,879 --> 00:06:46,519 That's why this is they're so confounding, because we actually do have a 105 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:49,639 great feel for what the peak is because it happened in June. It's like 106 00:06:49,759 --> 00:06:53,879 we've we saw it, like that was the peak. It feels like Jordan 107 00:06:53,879 --> 00:06:58,439 Pool's worse. He's way yeah, he's worse, And I think there are 108 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:01,079 numbers you can point to, like what's going on if the turnovers are absurd, 109 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:04,319 they're they're so careless with the ball, they foul too much, they 110 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:08,079 don't get to the free throw line. So they're just kind of losing the 111 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:11,800 possession game and the math game every night in terms of like they just have 112 00:07:11,879 --> 00:07:15,240 to be better per possession than the opposition to such a ridiculous degree because they 113 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:19,399 waste so many. But like, sure, that's part of it, but 114 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:26,120 I think what's hardest to figure out is that there isn't like a the numbers 115 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:29,759 don't quite capture it. And it feels like what's happening is they played a 116 00:07:29,839 --> 00:07:33,920 hundred game season, they felt really good about sort of quote unquote validating the 117 00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:39,319 dynasty with a championship nobody thought that they could win, and it feels like 118 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:45,040 they just can't get back the same edge or the same competitive urgency or whatever. 119 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:48,439 And that's just such a shitty explanation because there's just no like substance to 120 00:07:48,480 --> 00:07:50,800 it. It's just kind of like, well, they don't quite seem to 121 00:07:50,839 --> 00:07:57,759 be as good or trying as hard or whatever. So that's really unsatisfying and 122 00:07:57,959 --> 00:08:01,079 and so but that's also part of the reason that I think you and I 123 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:05,319 both if they ran off, like if they if they did beat Denver or 124 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:07,879 did beat Phoenix in a playoff series, it wouldn't be like stop the presses. 125 00:08:07,959 --> 00:08:11,560 It would be Oh, the Warriors just like are what they were last 126 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:15,399 year? All of a sudden, it came late, but it came like 127 00:08:15,519 --> 00:08:18,000 that. That wouldn't you know. So that's why they're just so you know, 128 00:08:18,079 --> 00:08:22,680 depending on where you sit on the fan side of things like frustrating or 129 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:26,959 confusing or whatever, who's your team unless you got more on the Warriors. 130 00:08:28,399 --> 00:08:31,879 No, My one of my teams is the Minnesota Timberwolves. They so Carlo 131 00:08:31,919 --> 00:08:35,840 think Hans the way they spun the report is like it was positive that he 132 00:08:35,919 --> 00:08:39,039 might come back with almost fifteen games left in the regular season. It's like, 133 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:41,799 Okay, well, what the fuck that's not I don't really know how 134 00:08:41,879 --> 00:08:45,720 much like a bonus that is, and in theory he should help, but 135 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:52,399 like, man, this team could we talk about just they needed to trade 136 00:08:52,519 --> 00:08:56,840 what were Regardless of where you feel about Daniel Russell or whether you think the 137 00:08:56,879 --> 00:09:00,000 Wolves wanted to pay him, which I think it's clear that they probably didn't, 138 00:09:00,039 --> 00:09:01,639 or a least he didn't want to be there, which is why you 139 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:05,279 move him for value in the first place. But they traded DiAngelo Russell in 140 00:09:05,279 --> 00:09:09,000 the midst of the best stretch of his career for Mike Conley, who's coming 141 00:09:09,039 --> 00:09:13,399 in averaging single digits, basically for the offense, because you needed to make 142 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:16,919 sure that, like Gobert was properly situated, and like, this is the 143 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:22,039 degree to which you've now you tried to account for Karl Anthony Towns's weaknesses, 144 00:09:22,279 --> 00:09:24,159 but now you've needed to account for, like, well, how can we 145 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:28,799 optimize Rudy Gobert too. They're twenty third in offense since the trade deadline. 146 00:09:30,399 --> 00:09:33,000 They had the good win over the Clippers and Anthi Edwards. It's fantastic. 147 00:09:33,279 --> 00:09:35,480 Kyle Anderson kind of been a little bit up and down over the past month, 148 00:09:35,519 --> 00:09:39,200 but he was one of the asign from Jalen Brunson. Was there better 149 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:43,200 free agency signing than Kyle Anderson. I honestly, I don't know what why 150 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:46,120 are you laughing? Just I mean, that's that's a that's an amazing I 151 00:09:46,159 --> 00:09:50,679 don't nobody comes to mind, but holy shit, Kyle Anderson. I agree, 152 00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:52,960 he's been great. He's been great, nas read really good. But 153 00:09:54,039 --> 00:09:56,759 like I've tho, I'm nas Reid, I'm a start free agent. Why 154 00:09:56,799 --> 00:09:58,759 am I going back to the Wolves? They can techally pay me more. 155 00:10:00,279 --> 00:10:03,080 My role there, if both Gobert and Towns are healthy, is not going 156 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:07,159 to be all that large. It's like that's weird, but like, so 157 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:09,559 Towns is gonna come back. The offense has been really bad this year when 158 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:13,759 he plays with Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert, and now you have no time 159 00:10:13,799 --> 00:10:16,320 to acclimate it. And I just I don't know what this team is. 160 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:20,360 They showed before the leading into the trade deadline, it looked like they had 161 00:10:20,360 --> 00:10:22,279 turned a corner, and it's why I thought they ultimately weren't going to trade 162 00:10:22,519 --> 00:10:26,879 Russell. I might have pivoted back against that like the week before or whatever, 163 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:28,879 just based off the noise. I just what are they? And like 164 00:10:28,879 --> 00:10:33,440 they've been really good defensively with Gobert on the court, he has not been 165 00:10:33,480 --> 00:10:37,440 as good as he is offensively, like normally, I don't know if that's 166 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:39,519 like Mike Conley there, Okay, how does that actually help? But now 167 00:10:39,559 --> 00:10:45,000 you've you've windowed down your shock creation by getting rid of D'Angelo Russell. And 168 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:48,320 the other thing here is like Gobert has not been They've been good defensively within 169 00:10:48,399 --> 00:10:50,840 the court, but he's not the same level of rim protector that he was 170 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:54,639 in Utah. Maybe part of that is just okay, new situation and what's 171 00:10:54,639 --> 00:10:58,320 happening around him. But you also probably have Antie Edwards and Jane McDaniels would 172 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:01,519 have been Utah's two best perimeter dependers at least the last two years in Utah, 173 00:11:01,679 --> 00:11:05,480 and again Edwards has been great. And so I see the top end 174 00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:09,320 outcome for this team getting the playoffs, and maybe if they face the Grizzlies 175 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:11,840 and you told me they beat the Grizzlies and they fuck shit up that way, 176 00:11:11,159 --> 00:11:13,639 no, I wouldn't be shocked at all. But you could also tell 177 00:11:13,679 --> 00:11:16,799 me that they don't make it out of the play in against the Lakers team, 178 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:20,519 they lose in the play into a Lakers team that doesn't have Lebron, 179 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:24,919 I also wouldn't be shocked. So are what are the Grizzlies And does Karlathy 180 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:28,639 Town's coming back? Hell, I don't want to say it hurts them, 181 00:11:28,879 --> 00:11:31,759 does it help their situation? I'm gonna lean towards that because Karlathy Towns is 182 00:11:31,799 --> 00:11:37,480 I really somehow underrated now? But does it complicate their situation an offense that 183 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:39,480 has been turned over to Auntie Edwards is trying to figure out how to best 184 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:45,799 optimize Gobert and we're struggling in the minutes that those three played Edwards, Gobert 185 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:48,639 and Towns before his injury. And you could say, well, the sample 186 00:11:48,679 --> 00:11:52,240 size wasn't big. Okay, they don't have any more familiarity playing with each 187 00:11:52,279 --> 00:11:54,759 other now, and the sample size isn't gonna be big before the play in 188 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:58,200 Slash playoffs start. Yeah, you said, it's not a question of if 189 00:11:58,279 --> 00:12:01,320 that's good or bad Town's coming back. It's a question of does it complicate 190 00:12:01,399 --> 00:12:05,879 or simplify? And it definitely complicates. And it's already like kind of it's 191 00:12:05,919 --> 00:12:09,519 complicated as it is because of everything you just mentioned. So yeah, they're 192 00:12:09,519 --> 00:12:11,360 gonna be really interesting to watch. I want to go to an East team, 193 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:16,039 but I can't yet because one of my teams is Dallas. And it's 194 00:12:16,080 --> 00:12:20,279 not because I think, you know, both of these teams we've talked about 195 00:12:20,279 --> 00:12:24,200 already are kind of like sort of higher variants. You know. It's oh, 196 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:28,480 you know, Minnesota could win a playoff series, or the Warriors could 197 00:12:28,519 --> 00:12:31,360 make it to the finals, or they could both miss the plane or whatever. 198 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:35,519 Dallas, I don't think has the upside. It definitely has the downside. 199 00:12:35,919 --> 00:12:37,960 But the downside is what's so fascinating to me because of the stakes. 200 00:12:39,039 --> 00:12:43,159 Right, So let's just we didn't prepare this. But like, do you 201 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:46,919 think Kyrie Irving is on the Mavericks next year? Just like, holy shit, 202 00:12:48,159 --> 00:12:50,440 we need to cut this up and make this like it's on equip. 203 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:56,000 Do I think Kyrie Irving is on the Mavericks next year? I'm gonna say 204 00:12:56,080 --> 00:13:00,519 yes, because I think the money matters to him. Just why. And 205 00:13:00,519 --> 00:13:03,480 it was smart to force Juwanna Brooklyn get your bird rights onto a different team. 206 00:13:03,519 --> 00:13:07,440 And I think that the MAVs are just pock committed. You have to 207 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:11,120 pay him. You don't give up Dorian Fernie Smith Spencer Dinuity in an unprotected 208 00:13:11,159 --> 00:13:15,120 pick that conveys seven drafts from now in addition to two seconds. Right, 209 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:18,200 just to rent this player. You could say that you'll play the cap space 210 00:13:18,279 --> 00:13:20,679 game. You're not to get to the castles that you would need to even 211 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:24,480 get a Fred van Fleet or Chris Middleton and that's just like a weird consolation 212 00:13:24,559 --> 00:13:28,559 prize. I think things will eventually go sideways for them, but you have 213 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:31,840 to I think the money will matter for him and the Lakers bugaboo Sons buggaboo. 214 00:13:31,919 --> 00:13:35,799 I guess I do. The Sons won Kevin Durants there, and so 215 00:13:35,840 --> 00:13:39,720 like, there are trades you could build, like those two teams staying under 216 00:13:39,759 --> 00:13:41,799 the hard cap and a Kyrie Irving sign and trade when you have Anthony Davis 217 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:46,559 and Lebron in La and then Booker Durant's money on the books and Phoenix. 218 00:13:46,799 --> 00:13:50,759 That's just two top So I'm gonna say he is in Dallas out of convenience. 219 00:13:50,039 --> 00:13:54,080 Okay, So I don't I don't know if I agree with that. 220 00:13:54,159 --> 00:13:56,000 But the follow up too, do you think Kyrie Irving will be on the 221 00:13:56,000 --> 00:14:00,000 Mavericks next year? Is do you feel good about that? Like, as 222 00:14:00,039 --> 00:14:03,879 an observer of the Mavericks who theoretically wants the best for them and every team, 223 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:07,960 you don't feel good about that? Right? No? Why would you? 224 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:11,440 So here's a problem that's the best case scenario scenario you don't feel good 225 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:15,559 about because the worst case scenario and look, they've lost. I think it's 226 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:18,000 four out of five. Now that don Chich and Kyrie have both played, 227 00:14:18,159 --> 00:14:22,080 they blew a massively to the to the Lakers. They couldn't fact now, 228 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:24,759 I can't remember who they played last night. I think it might have Who 229 00:14:24,840 --> 00:14:28,360 did they lose to? Anyway, they lost last night or Tuesday night. 230 00:14:28,039 --> 00:14:31,080 And Kyrie missed the potential game winner and Luca did not touch the ball. 231 00:14:31,159 --> 00:14:33,159 Luca said he was cool with that. It was a good shot. It 232 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:35,559 was not a good shot. It was a contestant three off the dribble. 233 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:39,679 Kyrie got a shot blocked a million times. Down the stretch of that game. 234 00:14:39,919 --> 00:14:43,919 The offense did not look good except when Luca was hitting really difficult shots. 235 00:14:45,279 --> 00:14:50,440 So like, if this goes badly and if Kyrie leaves, which I 236 00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:54,240 think is it's got to be like sixty forty or fifty fifty, or maybe 237 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:56,399 it's even worse than that. I don't know. I just know where does 238 00:14:56,440 --> 00:14:58,639 it go? That's the thing. So I don't know. But the Pacers, 239 00:14:58,679 --> 00:15:01,600 by the way, we're like a they're a legit team. But I 240 00:15:03,799 --> 00:15:07,720 don't want him anywhere near Terris halibert let let. I meant they lost the 241 00:15:07,759 --> 00:15:11,799 base, that's yeah, you know why because Terris Haliburton blocked several of the 242 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:16,600 shots and was just better. So I'm fascinated to see how this plays out 243 00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:22,080 over the last nineteen games. I think they have left, and I'm fascinated 244 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:28,080 to see the real big picture fall out of the potential for Kyrie to leave. 245 00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:31,440 And it's not just Dallas having nothing. It's Dallas having given up two 246 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:37,440 really good players and a first round pick, and Luca then saying what are 247 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:41,039 we doing? Uh like, and we've we've talked about, you know, 248 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:43,320 him just being the next guy. I don't think it's likely. I don't 249 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:46,519 think he's gonna demand a trade in the next year or whatever. But like, 250 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:52,879 this going badly and Kyrie leaving them with nothing except like lost assets is 251 00:15:52,039 --> 00:15:56,759 catastrophic. And so I want to see if maybe we get a ten game 252 00:15:56,799 --> 00:16:00,600 stretch, you know, before the end of the season, where like they 253 00:16:00,679 --> 00:16:03,279 just the offense is totally unstoppable, and there's like at least a theory of 254 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:08,679 how this team might function going forward because the defense is awful. They have 255 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:12,639 no rim protection. Maxi Kleba, You've mentioned several guys, is like, 256 00:16:12,679 --> 00:16:15,720 oh, this guy might be the most important defensive player in the league down 257 00:16:15,759 --> 00:16:18,960 the stretch, like eighton is someone that comes up, MAXI Cleban might be 258 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:22,919 in the short join the list of that. And he's just back from a 259 00:16:22,960 --> 00:16:27,039 torn hamstring like way sooner than anybody thought was humanly possible. And he was 260 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:30,519 on a little bit of a pitch count last night too, So like, 261 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:33,799 I just don't know how they I just want to see if there is some 262 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:38,399 faint hope of, oh, this is how it's gonna work, Like I 263 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:42,200 see it now. I can see how these two guys with role players around 264 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:48,039 them could form a team that I would take seriously to like be a top 265 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:51,080 six in the West team or make the playoffs or you know, win a 266 00:16:51,080 --> 00:16:56,200 playoff series. Because like the result of not seeing that is like Dallas is 267 00:16:56,240 --> 00:17:00,039 just on fire for like the next five years. So I just can't turn 268 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:03,480 away from the Mavericks right now. The thing that's interesting is they have handedly 269 00:17:03,559 --> 00:17:07,039 won the minutes that Kyrie and Donche's played together. They are plus ten proe 270 00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:11,400 andred, but that events is a concern. Poponents are shooting seventy percent at 271 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:15,519 the rim when those two are on the floor, and also they've gotten lucky 272 00:17:15,519 --> 00:17:18,640 on opponent at three point shooting so far opponents shooting under thirty percent on threes. 273 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:21,799 When those two are on the floor, I think they're gonna get gobsmacked 274 00:17:21,960 --> 00:17:25,519 in the playoffs defensively, when teams are gonna hunt more. And just like 275 00:17:25,839 --> 00:17:29,119 the MAVs have not done this a ton, like yeah we've seen it, 276 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:33,519 but like it's been okay, we're gonna play like it has to be Dhite 277 00:17:33,519 --> 00:17:37,000 Powell or Maxi Kleiba as just your center there. We can't even get into 278 00:17:37,039 --> 00:17:40,240 the to the theory of a like, well, what if it's like do 279 00:17:40,279 --> 00:17:42,440 we play these two with Christian Wood at the same time. It's just not 280 00:17:42,519 --> 00:17:45,480 in high volume. You probably can't. You can't. I mean it used 281 00:17:45,480 --> 00:17:48,119 to be a little Dorian Finney Smith would be like the break class in case 282 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:52,720 of emergency small ball five. That's not there anymore. Like Josh Green, 283 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:56,599 I don't know, I really like Josh Green. That's just not the answer 284 00:17:56,640 --> 00:18:00,400 to too we have three shitty defender is on the floor, Like Josh Green's 285 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:03,759 not fixing that, you know, Reggie Bullock's not fixing that. Cleveland's not 286 00:18:03,839 --> 00:18:07,960 fixing that. So yeah, it's gonna be fascinating. Who do you have 287 00:18:07,079 --> 00:18:11,039 is your next team is it a West team four? So I'm gonna pick 288 00:18:11,039 --> 00:18:12,000 an East team, but I'm not gonna pick one of the East teams I 289 00:18:12,079 --> 00:18:15,799 have because I'm convinced that you will have this East team so we will get 290 00:18:15,799 --> 00:18:18,039 a chance to talk about them. I'm on with the New York Knicks. 291 00:18:18,559 --> 00:18:25,039 They are like they're probably not gonna finish fourth in the Eastern Conference, but 292 00:18:25,079 --> 00:18:26,559 like there's a chance, and I might even predict it at this point that 293 00:18:26,599 --> 00:18:30,440 they're gonna finish ahead of Miami, so like they'll be in the top six 294 00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:33,079 and then they'll have the five spot. And I guess you could, you 295 00:18:33,079 --> 00:18:34,759 know, you would you rather face let's say, Philly or Cleveland in the 296 00:18:34,799 --> 00:18:37,039 first round? You could, Yeah, I don't necessarily know. I think 297 00:18:37,039 --> 00:18:41,359 I'd probably rather face Cleveland just because it's sort of the lack of experience there. 298 00:18:41,359 --> 00:18:45,480 But they've been really good for a while now. I know people talk 299 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:48,799 about, oh, well, look with what they've done with Josh Hart. 300 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:52,960 Ever since they're five game losing street so it's basically since basically since January first, 301 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:56,559 but since December thirty first, they're eighteen and nine. They've the least 302 00:18:56,559 --> 00:19:00,640 fifth best net rating, they're fourth in offense, twelfth in defense, and 303 00:19:00,680 --> 00:19:04,720 they've gotten like Mitchell Robinson missed a crap ton of time during this stretch, 304 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:10,599 Like you've you've had great basketball being played by Jalen Brunson and Julius Randall and 305 00:19:10,599 --> 00:19:14,599 Emmanuel Quickly not so much RJ. Barrett and even Quentin Grimes on offense, 306 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:18,599 Like you had those two really struggle. Josh Hart has come in been great. 307 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:22,359 Now you do have Mitchell Robinson back. Is this a team that can 308 00:19:22,480 --> 00:19:26,920 really? This is gonna be a term funck shit up in the playoffs? 309 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:30,720 And by that it's do you expect them to be if they go if it's 310 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:33,960 Cleveland versus New York in the first round, would you pick the Knicks to 311 00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:37,319 win that? And like what is their ceiling? Is? Could their ceiling 312 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:41,160 in the East, like if they like if they don't have to play Boston 313 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:45,680 or Milwaukee until the conference finals, Like would they And I guess that is 314 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:48,599 that physically impossible? So that's physically impossible, But just like can they win 315 00:19:49,119 --> 00:19:55,160 a playoff series? And just like could they give an elite team if it's 316 00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:56,359 a if they meet a Philly, if they meet a boss that they meet 317 00:19:56,359 --> 00:20:00,519 a Milwaukee, Can they give that team a run for their money? And 318 00:20:00,559 --> 00:20:03,880 then just overall, should we be higher on the long term I've defaulted towards 319 00:20:03,960 --> 00:20:07,559 I was wrong about the mode of operations and signing Jalon Brunston in general. 320 00:20:07,599 --> 00:20:11,480 I never thought the money was an issue. I just didn't necessarily understand the 321 00:20:11,559 --> 00:20:14,759 vision. I get the vision now more than ever. I still feel like 322 00:20:14,799 --> 00:20:17,559 if you're about their long term ceiling, but I'm also wondering, that's not 323 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:19,160 really fair, is it? Or is it? I'm just like, well, 324 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:22,920 Julius Randall burned us once after when he most improved player could another down 325 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:27,039 year being in the cards. They are fascinating and I don't I think people 326 00:20:27,039 --> 00:20:30,839 are talking about them, and I think Emmanuel Quickly might be my pick for 327 00:20:30,839 --> 00:20:33,240 six Men of the Year right now. I really need to go dig into 328 00:20:33,240 --> 00:20:37,400 the details for it. But just like short and long term, I'm fascinated 329 00:20:37,440 --> 00:20:40,519 by them all of a sudden, Yeah, I don't know. I was 330 00:20:40,559 --> 00:20:42,519 trying to think of, like, who would I favor them against, say 331 00:20:42,559 --> 00:20:48,319 Cleveland or Philly, and I my gut is like, oh no, of 332 00:20:48,319 --> 00:20:52,160 course, not right. But that's that's looking at just you know, the 333 00:20:52,200 --> 00:20:55,759 full season numbers, and the fact is, over the last month plus, 334 00:20:55,880 --> 00:20:59,000 the Knicks have been better than both of those teams, right, And so 335 00:20:59,599 --> 00:21:04,799 I just think it's really easy to dismiss the Knicks just because of the history 336 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:10,119 and how it's just bizarre that this is an offensive team as much as anything. 337 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:15,440 Like I don't that doesn't like compute for me, And so I guess 338 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:18,160 I guess I'm answering your question. I don't think I would, but I 339 00:21:18,759 --> 00:21:22,200 would have to think about it. I might change my mind. Like I 340 00:21:22,559 --> 00:21:26,200 just I think they've been so good lately, and it's see in a way 341 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:30,920 that feels legitimate because you know, because guys like Brunson and like Mitchell Robinson 342 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:34,720 really is just a good defensive center that is like a net positive guy. 343 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:37,720 I was always out on him. I thought he was overrated. I don't 344 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:41,680 think that's the case anymore. I don't even think that contract is that bad. 345 00:21:41,759 --> 00:21:45,920 Remember I definitely should on that contract, but started showing apologies to Mitchell 346 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:51,240 rob Mitchell, you know there's only one center I apologize to. But but 347 00:21:51,319 --> 00:21:53,440 yeah, I think the Knicks are a good pick. So I have to 348 00:21:53,480 --> 00:21:56,720 stay in the East, and this is probably I assume this is the team 349 00:21:56,759 --> 00:22:03,960 you expected me to pick, and it's Atlanta just because of the sheer novelty 350 00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:07,960 of Hey, we got a new coach with like twenty games left, and 351 00:22:07,000 --> 00:22:11,640 he's we both agree, a really good coach. But I don't know what 352 00:22:11,680 --> 00:22:15,519 that means for twenty games when you haven't implemented any of your stuff and you 353 00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:19,440 don't even know half the guys on the roster other than having scouted them as 354 00:22:19,440 --> 00:22:25,799 an opponent. So and look, just you know, snapshot Atlanta as we're 355 00:22:25,839 --> 00:22:29,960 recording, this is eighth in the East at thirty one and thirty one looking 356 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:33,400 pretty good to make the play in because I think, you know, starting 357 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:36,759 with the Bulls at eleven, I don't feel good about any of the teams 358 00:22:36,799 --> 00:22:38,599 below that climbing in. So okay, cool, Atlanta is gonna make a 359 00:22:38,599 --> 00:22:41,920 plaan. But like, thinking about this, what they invested for j Janta 360 00:22:42,039 --> 00:22:48,880 Murray and how little they've gotten in terms of improvement in the standings. It's 361 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:52,079 a high ten, high tension environment. It's been a high tension environment. 362 00:22:52,119 --> 00:22:55,960 There's the Trey Young is he a leader? Can we build around him? 363 00:22:56,079 --> 00:23:00,319 Question that has arisen this year with coach number two leaving and some some sort 364 00:23:00,319 --> 00:23:07,200 of if he slash kind of immature decisions he's made about like press availability and 365 00:23:07,519 --> 00:23:10,880 how he's handled different you know, just kind of doesn't want to be asked 366 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:14,200 to be accountable, it seems like in a lot of cases. So there's 367 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:17,920 that, and then there's also the fact that, like, is this team 368 00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:21,759 broken because they're they're most used five man unit, which is you know, 369 00:23:21,839 --> 00:23:26,039 young Murray Hunter Collins who still can't make a three and Capella plus eleven plus 370 00:23:26,039 --> 00:23:30,559 eleven point two, Like that's ridiculous, and they're better than they're good on 371 00:23:30,640 --> 00:23:33,559 both ends. It's not just like, oh Trey is you know, making 372 00:23:33,559 --> 00:23:37,640 them a number one level offense. And the other amazing thing is swap out 373 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:40,680 Capella for a Kong Wu plus six point six. Those are the two most 374 00:23:40,759 --> 00:23:44,640 used lineups. They're both awesome, So like, is there something here? 375 00:23:44,759 --> 00:23:51,200 And that's why the Snyder edition is so fascinating, because like there really is 376 00:23:51,680 --> 00:23:53,640 a case to be made that if you just kind of figure out how to 377 00:23:53,680 --> 00:23:59,400 get like one more guy maybe two more in the rotation in ways that work, 378 00:23:59,799 --> 00:24:03,240 you're looking at a team that should be like a fifty win pace basically, 379 00:24:03,359 --> 00:24:07,680 but we don't know. And so we're gonna maybe get some information on 380 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:11,759 that down the stretch. But with all this other shit hanging over it about 381 00:24:11,839 --> 00:24:15,720 the future of the team, what they invested, the ownership and management upheaval, 382 00:24:15,799 --> 00:24:21,839 it's just like there's every single aspect of the Hawks will warrant watching for 383 00:24:21,920 --> 00:24:26,440 the next month plus. Yeah, they're and I'm just curious, like how 384 00:24:26,519 --> 00:24:29,359 much of an imprint can Quinsider even leave coming in the middle of the season 385 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:30,799 with inside of twenty games to play. But I do want to watch, 386 00:24:30,839 --> 00:24:33,640 Like it's Trey I'm gonna be used differently. Also, it basically seems like 387 00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:37,440 if John Collins isn't gonna be hitting threes and we know he's like recovering from 388 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:40,319 that finger thing still, that he might just not that Jalen Johnson might be 389 00:24:40,319 --> 00:24:45,680 more like Quinsider praises the Jalen Johnson and so what like I'm with you, 390 00:24:45,759 --> 00:24:48,200 I will say to make it beyond this season, people have just sort of 391 00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:52,240 written it as the Hawks are stuck. They can trade they have Collins, 392 00:24:52,359 --> 00:24:55,599 they think j Griffin, who has been good for them, and they could 393 00:24:55,599 --> 00:24:57,279 trade up the three first round picks this year, Like if Michal Bridges ro 394 00:24:57,400 --> 00:25:00,440 Gianna Know and DeAndre Hunter, by the way, which has been fine this 395 00:25:00,519 --> 00:25:03,960 year. You could trade some combination with that, Like I think that gets 396 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:06,759 you into Michael Bridges or o Ganna Nobe. And that's the exact type of 397 00:25:06,759 --> 00:25:10,400 player that they need to in my espace for this team. And I kind 398 00:25:10,440 --> 00:25:11,680 of I'm higher on the Snyder fit as well, and so I don't think 399 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:15,440 they're stuck as people think, But this is sort of just a well what 400 00:25:15,519 --> 00:25:17,400 can we do with this roster? Because I'm with you, some of their 401 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:21,880 top end lineups's just been absolutely killer at both ends, and just like look 402 00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:23,839 since the turn of the calendar, they're fourteen to nine when Trey Young plays, 403 00:25:25,240 --> 00:25:26,960 and he's been playing better during that stretch. But I think the thing 404 00:25:27,000 --> 00:25:30,000 I'm watching for most is, well, I guess the two things is we 405 00:25:30,039 --> 00:25:33,319 want to know with the top end outcomings for them, but like, do 406 00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:37,960 we actually see anything materially different in the way that they are going to play 407 00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:42,880 during this short stretch with Queen Snyder. My next team is the Philadelphia seventy 408 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:48,359 six ers because there's just there's too much hard in the Houston noise. Now, 409 00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:52,559 there's too much we have to and so It's like, is it fay 410 00:25:52,640 --> 00:25:56,240 to complete or can they actually if they go on, if they make it 411 00:25:56,279 --> 00:25:59,640 to the conference finals, or if they make the NBA Finals, or if 412 00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:03,079 they win the championship, does that make it more or less likely that he 413 00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:06,079 stays and do they have the ability to get there? I think that. 414 00:26:06,359 --> 00:26:08,839 Look, Doc Rivers has actually been more fungible as a coach this year than 415 00:26:08,839 --> 00:26:12,039 people want to admit. Move Tyrese Maxey to the bench. He tried some 416 00:26:12,039 --> 00:26:15,839 different stuff at center of the rosters. Just still flawed. They have a 417 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:19,200 ton of really good pieces. I'm starting to get really concerned watching I think 418 00:26:19,200 --> 00:26:22,319 it was a game against Boston where it's like I loved Anthony Melton as a 419 00:26:22,319 --> 00:26:25,960 regular season player. Now I'm kind of like, is he going to be 420 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:29,680 someone who's just like not very good for them in the playoffs? And then 421 00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:32,480 there's also just hardened in big games, Like he just did not play well 422 00:26:32,519 --> 00:26:34,720 against the Celtics. But he's been fantastic this year. Joelby has been a 423 00:26:34,759 --> 00:26:38,680 beast, but he's talking about how he's not healthy. I'm just I think 424 00:26:40,759 --> 00:26:45,079 if we're naming contenders and we were really trying to shrink, like the field 425 00:26:45,559 --> 00:26:48,720 I have Denver, Milwaukee, and Boston as my certifiable contenders. If I 426 00:26:48,759 --> 00:26:52,519 had to include a fourth team in there, I think it's Philly. But 427 00:26:52,559 --> 00:26:56,880 then I also don't feel too great about that. There's still some noise with 428 00:26:56,920 --> 00:26:59,880 like their defense at times, but PJ. Tuckers also looked better lately. 429 00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:02,559 Then it's like, oh, you're backup center. Minutes can still be pretty 430 00:27:02,599 --> 00:27:04,759 bad. Whether it's Paul Reid, whether it's Tres I just don't know. 431 00:27:06,119 --> 00:27:08,119 I don't have a great feel I guess, or whether they're true contender or 432 00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:11,000 not. I default towards yes, because I think in a league that has 433 00:27:11,079 --> 00:27:15,720 this much parody right now, there has to be more than three legitimate contenders, 434 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:18,599 and I just trust them more any other team in the West. Let's 435 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:22,920 let's say any other team. I guess Phoenix belongs in there too, so 436 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:26,519 I really should throw Phoenix, but Philly would be there as well. But 437 00:27:26,599 --> 00:27:29,519 like, what is what are they actually? It's not just is this team 438 00:27:29,519 --> 00:27:30,799 contending for a title and that if it doesn't get there, can they futs 439 00:27:30,839 --> 00:27:34,079 and fiddle? It's are they sort of fighting to keep this cord together? 440 00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:37,400 Or is it already? Is it Donezo the James Harder, Houston noise is 441 00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:42,640 just rooming over everything with them moving forward. Yeah, nothing, nothing adds 442 00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:48,160 to the intrigue, like the potential of not knowing how the results of the 443 00:27:48,160 --> 00:27:52,480 season will affect a guy staying or going. And that's like, that's the 444 00:27:52,519 --> 00:27:56,759 hardened situation because I hadn't even thought about that of like if they if they 445 00:27:56,799 --> 00:28:00,599 want it, is that just like that's my Okay, I'm James Harden. 446 00:28:00,640 --> 00:28:03,440 That's my crowning achievement. I have my MVP, i have my title. 447 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:07,480 I'm going back to Houston to just by the way, and you get nothing 448 00:28:07,519 --> 00:28:11,039 for him. It's not a sign in trade. He's out. He's just 449 00:28:11,079 --> 00:28:12,720 out. Yeah, just out. And then Joel beat is gone at that 450 00:28:12,759 --> 00:28:17,240 point, right, I don't know. Maybe that's the thing. So yeah, 451 00:28:17,279 --> 00:28:19,759 great pick no argument there. I have to go in the other conference 452 00:28:19,839 --> 00:28:25,680 for the like are they a contender and pick Phoenix And for my just for 453 00:28:25,759 --> 00:28:30,000 my money, we've talked about this off air. I'm picking the Sons to 454 00:28:30,039 --> 00:28:33,160 make the finals. I'm not picking them to win it because I think the 455 00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:34,880 title winner is coming from the East. It's gonna be Boston or Milwaukee. 456 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:38,200 I think I take Boston right now. Took Milwaukee early in the year. 457 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:44,000 It's hard to get off of Milwaukee now that they've just have stopped losing. 458 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:47,440 Basically they just never lose. It's been sixteen now, I think, or 459 00:28:47,480 --> 00:28:52,519 fifteen whatever it is in a row. But I gotta go Sons and it's 460 00:28:52,759 --> 00:28:56,400 it's it's just the sheer unknown. It's because in theory you just add Kevin 461 00:28:56,440 --> 00:29:00,240 Durant to what they have and it's like, well, yeah, I mean 462 00:29:00,279 --> 00:29:03,240 I don't I would they have. It's not like a puncher's chance. It's 463 00:29:03,279 --> 00:29:07,480 like they have a legitimate chance to just beat everyone. But that's assuming a 464 00:29:07,599 --> 00:29:12,599 ton. It's assuming DeAndre Ayton is going to be there like competitively, which 465 00:29:12,799 --> 00:29:18,319 has not been consistently the case. It's assuming Duran is held like fully healthy 466 00:29:18,400 --> 00:29:22,519 and back to oh this guy is you know, short of embead and yo 467 00:29:22,599 --> 00:29:27,319 Kitchen Luca is like in the MVP conversation and would probably win the pole of 468 00:29:27,359 --> 00:29:30,480 like who's actually, let's get serious, who's actually the best player in the 469 00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:34,160 world, like he was he fronts that list all the time when he's healthy. 470 00:29:34,200 --> 00:29:37,240 That assumes he's healthy. I don't know that assumes Chris Paul at his 471 00:29:37,279 --> 00:29:41,200 age is gonna not like have a total disaster of a couple games in the 472 00:29:41,240 --> 00:29:45,519 playoffs and be good. As assumes Devin Booker's hamstring doesn't come back. It 473 00:29:45,559 --> 00:29:48,279 assumes that the depth doesn't matter. It assumes a ton But it's just like, 474 00:29:49,079 --> 00:29:52,559 I don't know. The deeper you get into the season, the more 475 00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:56,240 simplified the thinking gets for me. And it's just it's Kevin Durant, It's 476 00:29:56,279 --> 00:30:00,799 Devin Booker. It's I'm not terrified of anyone else in the West, Like 477 00:30:00,839 --> 00:30:03,400 I think they could be great, And it's not like they have the same 478 00:30:03,480 --> 00:30:08,000 stakes as say Philly who might just lose Harden or Dallas who might just lose 479 00:30:08,119 --> 00:30:12,839 everything. Uh. But like then in the off season, are we talking 480 00:30:12,839 --> 00:30:15,759 about Chris Paul somewhere else? Are we talking about a big trade? Like 481 00:30:15,799 --> 00:30:21,240 what what's what's what's gonna what's that gonna look like? Is fran Van Fleet 482 00:30:21,319 --> 00:30:23,960 gonna end up here somehow? After all? So there's like real fallout, 483 00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:30,400 But mostly it's just can a team with no ramp up integrate a super duperstar 484 00:30:30,799 --> 00:30:33,240 and win a title like that? That is a fascinating thing to me. 485 00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:37,160 I am with you, and the only thing that I would just add, 486 00:30:37,279 --> 00:30:41,279 is because there are repercussions from it? Is this gonna be? I think 487 00:30:41,319 --> 00:30:45,440 on paper it will be. But is this more like when the Nets were 488 00:30:45,440 --> 00:30:48,240 healthy as soon as they got hard and they could have won the title that 489 00:30:48,319 --> 00:30:51,599 yet, and so the transition going to be that easy for Phoenix? Or 490 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:55,440 is it because you have that sort of fourth mouth defeat in eighten and the 491 00:30:55,519 --> 00:31:00,839 wild card in Aden where it was at least Kyrie kd and James harn Roll 492 00:31:00,920 --> 00:31:03,240 known commodities on the court aside from their health, or you could you could 493 00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:07,440 bang on what they were gonna do. Does that add complication to the mix? 494 00:31:07,519 --> 00:31:10,240 But I'm just like I think on paper they should just immediately be a 495 00:31:10,240 --> 00:31:14,279 contender because of how scalable their stars are, just like they're deeper than credited, 496 00:31:14,359 --> 00:31:18,759 Like they've just coppled together some really punchy bench units from them. So 497 00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:22,960 our final team here, I went with the Pelicans and it's just they have 498 00:31:23,119 --> 00:31:30,200 been absolute dogshit since Zion Williamson last paid played twenty sixth in net rating. 499 00:31:30,559 --> 00:31:34,160 They're just all over the place. I don't know. I don't think Willie 500 00:31:34,200 --> 00:31:37,960 Green is done. I'm reticent to like Yo, especially when you're dealing with 501 00:31:37,039 --> 00:31:40,960 key injuries. Brand Ingram didn't play for a huge part of this stretch, 502 00:31:41,039 --> 00:31:42,960 but just I'm very uninspired when I watched the Pelic games. I don't know 503 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:47,799 why Josh Richardson's already getting minutes over Trey Murphy the third down, the stretch 504 00:31:47,839 --> 00:31:51,680 of games, Herb Jones, the events just don't care about him anymore. 505 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:53,359 From beyond the art, So I think you have to start asking yourself some 506 00:31:53,400 --> 00:31:57,119 tough questions. No matter what happens this season, but what's gonna happen with 507 00:31:57,160 --> 00:32:01,079 this season is Zion'm gonna play again and he's dealing with this littany of body 508 00:32:01,079 --> 00:32:06,240 injuries. He's dealt with littany of lower body injuries already, His timeline is 509 00:32:06,240 --> 00:32:08,799 already been pushed back. I think it makes sense to be cautious with him. 510 00:32:08,799 --> 00:32:12,000 But if he doesn't come back, like the season's over. If he 511 00:32:12,000 --> 00:32:15,559 does come back, what's the type of ramp up? This team was first 512 00:32:15,599 --> 00:32:17,440 in the West for a hot minute. They were tied for second going into 513 00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:21,880 the new year. Basically, I believe so like, can they get back 514 00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:23,599 to that and sustain it, because then they could really muck stuff up in 515 00:32:23,640 --> 00:32:27,599 the playoffs, but can they sustain it? And it's just if Zion doesn't 516 00:32:27,599 --> 00:32:30,440 play again this year, what are the questions you're asking yourself in the off 517 00:32:30,480 --> 00:32:34,599 season, because I already think you need to start making some Like when you're 518 00:32:34,599 --> 00:32:37,000 looking at Thights and Daniels and Trey and her bones, it's like and then 519 00:32:37,119 --> 00:32:40,240 the CG. McCall and Brandon Ingram it might be time to sort of bust. 520 00:32:40,880 --> 00:32:45,039 There's depth, but it's just like, is it ever gonna coalace or 521 00:32:45,039 --> 00:32:47,960 be available enough to understand what it is or can be at full strength? 522 00:32:47,960 --> 00:32:51,839 And is that even top end outcome for them what we thought it was a 523 00:32:51,880 --> 00:32:54,519 few months ago. I am not down on the Pelicans. I still think 524 00:32:54,519 --> 00:32:57,680 if Zion comes back, they could be really good. But if he doesn't 525 00:32:57,720 --> 00:33:00,640 come back, now you have to you already had your ass yourself this question. 526 00:33:00,680 --> 00:33:02,880 But it's okay, Zion is a forty game year player or something. 527 00:33:02,960 --> 00:33:06,920 It might not always be available for the playoffs. What the fuck do we 528 00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:08,759 do? Yeah? And can we play? They should be That's the other 529 00:33:08,799 --> 00:33:13,559 thing I'll throw it to you here. They should be better without Zion than 530 00:33:13,559 --> 00:33:15,200 they are right now. They're not a bottom five. They shouldn't be a 531 00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:19,240 bottom five offense, can't take enough, three ease, can't hit enough, 532 00:33:19,319 --> 00:33:22,319 like they shouldn't be that bad. No, I agree with that. I 533 00:33:22,359 --> 00:33:29,640 think the Zion health thing relative to like how it affects his team near and 534 00:33:30,039 --> 00:33:32,839 long term is like one of the most foundational concerns that there is in the 535 00:33:32,920 --> 00:33:37,200 league, just because of what you said, like he's like the he's like 536 00:33:37,279 --> 00:33:39,319 the bottom. He's one of the bottom blocks in like a jinga tower, 537 00:33:39,440 --> 00:33:43,200 Like it doesn't matter how tall it is, it doesn't matter what it looks 538 00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:45,359 like. It's just like you pull that out and the whole thing just is 539 00:33:45,400 --> 00:33:50,200 a pile of rubble, like it doesn't nothing work, nothing matters, Like, 540 00:33:50,680 --> 00:33:52,960 oh it's cool, Oh you know ingram Ingram's healthy. Oh McCollum is 541 00:33:53,319 --> 00:33:57,720 playing well, like Dyson Daniels and Herb Jones are great defensive pieces. Like 542 00:33:59,119 --> 00:34:02,279 good, But if Zion is gonna, like you said, just maybe be 543 00:34:02,359 --> 00:34:06,920 there, maybe not or when he is there now that we're accumulating these injuries, 544 00:34:06,920 --> 00:34:09,440 just not the same guy, then like what do you do with that? 545 00:34:09,639 --> 00:34:14,280 Because he and their failure to just sort of like diversify the big man, 546 00:34:14,719 --> 00:34:16,360 like I like Larry dance junior, but like the their failure just to 547 00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:20,719 do anything differently after watching what happened to Joan's found un just in the playoffs 548 00:34:21,039 --> 00:34:23,159 last year, which is sort of like what the fuck? Dead last? 549 00:34:23,360 --> 00:34:27,519 An opponent field goal percentage at the room seventy one point nine percent, dead 550 00:34:27,599 --> 00:34:30,119 last in the league. And it's just like we talk about the Raptors and 551 00:34:30,159 --> 00:34:35,079 some other teams as this, there's just this glaring problem that has carried over 552 00:34:35,119 --> 00:34:37,480 from one year to the next and you did nothing about it, Like it's 553 00:34:37,559 --> 00:34:42,159 it's a it's a episode tradition. We have to talk about Miles Turner. 554 00:34:42,199 --> 00:34:45,599 He's not going anywhere, but like Miles Turner thing, go get that guy, 555 00:34:45,679 --> 00:34:50,599 go get someone that read for crying out out is whatever they have will 556 00:34:50,599 --> 00:34:52,920 be better because their last they're the worst. Like just get anyone and you'll 557 00:34:52,960 --> 00:34:57,400 be better, like by default. So there's that, But yeah, the 558 00:34:57,480 --> 00:35:00,559 Zion thing is just you know, it's gonna be like how many seasons will 559 00:35:00,559 --> 00:35:06,440 it be over the next five where we where we go into the preseason saying 560 00:35:06,480 --> 00:35:08,199 like what are your what are your things to watch or what are like your 561 00:35:08,239 --> 00:35:13,760 biggest X factors or concerns like Zion healthy. Just pencil it like put it 562 00:35:13,760 --> 00:35:16,599 down in like sharpie. That is going to be something we discussed before every 563 00:35:16,639 --> 00:35:21,400 season. Unfortunately, I think it's gonna be something we discussed during every season. 564 00:35:22,199 --> 00:35:24,159 So it's just I don't know what we're going to learn the rest of 565 00:35:24,159 --> 00:35:28,880 the way about Zion, because I think we both agree he's probably more likely 566 00:35:28,920 --> 00:35:32,800 to not play than play. But the Pelicans are just like the ceiling is 567 00:35:32,840 --> 00:35:36,559 so high, we saw it. The ceiling is there, and then the 568 00:35:36,559 --> 00:35:39,159 floor is solo because we're just living it right now. So I think that's 569 00:35:39,199 --> 00:35:44,079 a good a good spot to stop for For yes, I will say there 570 00:35:44,159 --> 00:35:46,400 was Frisbee Dog at a Louisville college basketball game took a dump on the court 571 00:35:46,480 --> 00:35:51,039 the other night. It was very apropos that it came at a Louisville game 572 00:35:51,039 --> 00:35:52,960 because that is what the Pelicans have just been doing nightly since the Zion. 573 00:35:53,559 --> 00:35:57,480 Can you please take us out? I can't. I can't with I mean, 574 00:35:57,639 --> 00:36:02,159 I don't have a transition from that. But all over the basketball it 575 00:36:02,239 --> 00:36:07,039 stands alone. It's it's it doesn't need long. Everybody, thank you for 576 00:36:07,719 --> 00:36:09,760 listening. If you have not done it already, please follow us. On 577 00:36:09,800 --> 00:36:14,760 all our social subscribe every place you can YouTube, check us out on on 578 00:36:14,760 --> 00:36:17,840 our Twitter, on Instagram, TikTok all all the goods, all that stuff 579 00:36:17,880 --> 00:36:21,599 that I will not be on, but Dan will check in make sure if 580 00:36:21,639 --> 00:36:24,840 anything is interesting to look about it, rate reviews, subscribe, tell friends, 581 00:36:24,960 --> 00:36:30,719 tell enemies, and as always, we finally close this out with a 582 00:36:30,760 --> 00:36:32,920 shout out to Frank Latina and an apology to the One and Le Charity