WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:03.359 I know my rent's gonna be laid a bat a week, y'all. 2 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:05.360 I'll work my hell. 3 00:00:05.919 --> 00:00:09.160 I still can't pay shall but I guys just enough 4 00:00:09.759 --> 00:00:12.240 trying to get off in this club had me a 5 00:00:12.439 --> 00:00:13.119 good time. 6 00:00:13.640 --> 00:00:16.359 Be all. My time is a hey, let's get it now. 7 00:00:18.960 --> 00:00:24.800 Time Welcome back in a Friday on ESPN seven hundred. 8 00:00:26.600 --> 00:00:28.480 As you know, when Zach Harper joins us a little 9 00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:32.280 pitbull and friends, you know where you can have the 10 00:00:32.320 --> 00:00:36.479 time of your life. ESPN seven hundred is excited to 11 00:00:36.479 --> 00:00:42.280 announce the first ever, the first ever Monster Jam World Finals. 12 00:00:42.280 --> 00:00:44.719 And I believe, I believe the Athletic is gonna be 13 00:00:44.719 --> 00:00:47.520 seting Zach Harper out to this event. Uh, the Monster 14 00:00:47.600 --> 00:00:50.520 Jam World Finals coming to Utah July fourth and fifth. 15 00:00:50.840 --> 00:00:53.479 Listen to Sean O'Connell and the Drive for your chance 16 00:00:53.520 --> 00:00:57.119 to win tickets or get yours now at ticketmaster dot com. 17 00:00:57.119 --> 00:01:03.359 Of course of serious excent m The Athletic Cinophobe Podcast. 18 00:01:03.799 --> 00:01:06.480 And yeah, like I said, I believe out here in 19 00:01:06.560 --> 00:01:08.719 a couple of weeks for the Monster Jam World Finals. 20 00:01:08.760 --> 00:01:09.599 What's up, Zach Carber. 21 00:01:10.200 --> 00:01:11.519 I'll go anywhere if it's free. 22 00:01:12.120 --> 00:01:14.480 Oh it's not free. I thought you're covering the event. 23 00:01:14.519 --> 00:01:17.040 I thought, you're credentialed for Monster Jam. 24 00:01:17.200 --> 00:01:18.760 Well if they if they pay for me, it's free 25 00:01:18.799 --> 00:01:19.879 for me, so I'll do it. 26 00:01:20.079 --> 00:01:23.000 Yeah, I thought that that was that was kind of 27 00:01:23.000 --> 00:01:24.680 part of the gig. But no worries, no worries. I 28 00:01:24.680 --> 00:01:26.920 won't put you on the spot on the Monster Jam 29 00:01:26.959 --> 00:01:31.400 World Finals. It's a loaded lineup. Yeah, yeah, I like 30 00:01:31.439 --> 00:01:32.000 Grave Digger. 31 00:01:32.680 --> 00:01:36.519 What I mean if if Grave Digger is still around, absolutely. 32 00:01:36.439 --> 00:01:40.760 Grave Digger still around, still contending for titles usually year in, 33 00:01:40.760 --> 00:01:46.519 a year out. So I think I dug myself. I 34 00:01:46.599 --> 00:01:50.879 dug myself a hole here pretending like so you there's 35 00:01:50.959 --> 00:01:53.480 there's different events. There's like a there's a like a 36 00:01:53.519 --> 00:01:56.079 freestyle thing where you do cool tricks and like backflips 37 00:01:56.120 --> 00:01:58.120 and stuff. Some of those trucks do that. I think 38 00:01:58.200 --> 00:02:01.560 that parts judged. There's a I'm trial event, I believe, 39 00:02:02.439 --> 00:02:04.200 and then I think there's some truck that just smashed 40 00:02:04.200 --> 00:02:08.039 stuff a lot. I'm not exactly entirely sure, but a 41 00:02:08.039 --> 00:02:12.159 lot of loud noises and and big grumbling trucks at 42 00:02:12.560 --> 00:02:13.360 at Monster Gym. 43 00:02:13.919 --> 00:02:16.439 I love that. There's almost like an Olympic figure skating 44 00:02:16.479 --> 00:02:18.400 aspect to this of like, well, there's a freestyle where 45 00:02:18.400 --> 00:02:19.120 we're going to judge. 46 00:02:19.120 --> 00:02:22.599 She oh, and it's and there's a little listen. There's 47 00:02:22.639 --> 00:02:25.919 an aspect of it that's beautiful. You see, like a 48 00:02:26.039 --> 00:02:29.639 fifty truck spinning on one wheel, back and forth, over 49 00:02:29.680 --> 00:02:34.039 and over again. Oh, I'm in ballet. It's ballet of steel, 50 00:02:34.400 --> 00:02:36.759 Tony Parks. Have you ever ever in the arena for 51 00:02:36.879 --> 00:02:37.360 Monster Jym? 52 00:02:37.439 --> 00:02:37.680 I did. 53 00:02:37.759 --> 00:02:41.240 Yeah, it took Actually my youngest went with us too, 54 00:02:41.319 --> 00:02:43.280 had the little headphones and all of that. She had 55 00:02:43.280 --> 00:02:46.120 a good time. She liked it good, she really. I 56 00:02:46.199 --> 00:02:47.599 was not quite sure how it was going to go. 57 00:02:47.639 --> 00:02:49.080 I thought, you know, we might be leaving a little 58 00:02:49.080 --> 00:02:51.280 bit early. No way, she loved every bit of it. 59 00:02:51.719 --> 00:02:52.039 The final. 60 00:02:52.080 --> 00:02:54.000 It's actually a great show. It's a really good time. 61 00:02:54.080 --> 00:02:57.439 Ticketmaster dot com, trust me, get the tickets now it's 62 00:02:57.439 --> 00:02:59.400 the World Final. Get them before you're gone. Now that 63 00:02:59.439 --> 00:03:02.680 we spent several minutes on Monster Jam, how about an 64 00:03:02.800 --> 00:03:08.599 NBA Finals Game seven, Zach Harper, what level of surprise 65 00:03:08.639 --> 00:03:11.599 would you say that we are seven games in considering 66 00:03:12.479 --> 00:03:16.120 that the Indiana Pacers have been less healthy, less depth. 67 00:03:17.039 --> 00:03:20.960 I think obviously they were by almost all accounts, the 68 00:03:21.080 --> 00:03:24.960 heavy underdogs coming in and yet here we are a 69 00:03:25.039 --> 00:03:28.960 Game seven, and the Indiana Pacers, who all playoffs long, 70 00:03:29.039 --> 00:03:29.960 refused to die. 71 00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:33.479 The only part that surprises me is that we got 72 00:03:33.520 --> 00:03:37.639 here because of last because of what we had. What 73 00:03:37.719 --> 00:03:40.159 we knew going into last game is that Holle's hurt. Right, 74 00:03:40.199 --> 00:03:43.120 Halle has a calf injury. So I've thought this whole 75 00:03:43.159 --> 00:03:45.240 time that the Pacers could play with the Thunder. And 76 00:03:45.280 --> 00:03:47.800 that's not so much about, you know, any short coming 77 00:03:47.840 --> 00:03:49.400 to the Thunder. I just think the Pacers are really 78 00:03:49.400 --> 00:03:51.280 good and they've been. They've been one of the best 79 00:03:51.280 --> 00:03:55.039 teams in the league since January first, and so I 80 00:03:55.039 --> 00:03:58.719 think people have underestimated the Pacers for a while. I 81 00:03:58.759 --> 00:04:00.960 think people have just kind of thought it's fluky or 82 00:04:01.080 --> 00:04:03.840 you know, you know, maybe due to injury. None of that. 83 00:04:03.879 --> 00:04:07.199 They were they were beating Milwaukee before Dane got hurt. 84 00:04:07.240 --> 00:04:10.319 They were beating Cleveland regardless of injuries. Like they've just 85 00:04:10.360 --> 00:04:13.439 been the better team in every round up into the finals. 86 00:04:13.560 --> 00:04:15.319 And and they do have depth, they do have a 87 00:04:15.360 --> 00:04:19.240 style of play that counteracts a lot of what Oklahoma 88 00:04:19.319 --> 00:04:22.759 City is good at, and so it doesn't shock me 89 00:04:22.800 --> 00:04:25.160 they've been able to hold but once Hallie was hurt 90 00:04:25.240 --> 00:04:27.199 and you know, and we saw how limited he was 91 00:04:27.639 --> 00:04:31.319 in game five. Yeah, I expected them to lose last night. 92 00:04:31.399 --> 00:04:34.120 But if you told me going into the series it 93 00:04:34.240 --> 00:04:36.720 was going seven, that would not have shocked me at all. 94 00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:39.319 The natural follow up there would be, what where do 95 00:04:39.399 --> 00:04:40.560 you think Caliburton is? 96 00:04:40.639 --> 00:04:40.879 Now? 97 00:04:41.199 --> 00:04:44.079 That's that's usually an injury that is kind of lingering, 98 00:04:44.199 --> 00:04:46.879 kind of one. You you're and we talked about the KD. 99 00:04:46.920 --> 00:04:48.839 You think we don't need to go into Achille like 100 00:04:48.879 --> 00:04:52.040 that's that's kind of a freak thing that isn't necessarily 101 00:04:52.360 --> 00:04:54.319 as top of mind as I think some are making 102 00:04:54.360 --> 00:04:56.240 it out to be. But a castrain is one of 103 00:04:56.279 --> 00:04:58.439 those lingering, kind of tough injuries to get all your 104 00:04:58.720 --> 00:05:01.519 explosiveness out, all your last movement. He looked pretty good 105 00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:03.560 last night. Definitely a lot better than in game five. 106 00:05:04.040 --> 00:05:07.120 I mean, if you get a one hundred percent ish 107 00:05:07.439 --> 00:05:10.839 Tyrese Halliburton, what are what are your thoughts on a 108 00:05:10.879 --> 00:05:13.160 game seven? Like how close do we get to tass 109 00:05:13.199 --> 00:05:13.560 up range? 110 00:05:14.319 --> 00:05:16.279 Yeah? I mean I think I think it's basically a 111 00:05:16.279 --> 00:05:19.000 toss up. I really do like you give an edge 112 00:05:19.040 --> 00:05:21.000 to Okay see because they're at home and they and 113 00:05:21.000 --> 00:05:22.399 they are the better team. Don't get me wrong, they 114 00:05:22.399 --> 00:05:25.120 are the better team. But I'm I would look at 115 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:28.079 it like I don't know, fifty five forty five sixty 116 00:05:28.199 --> 00:05:31.480 forty max. Like I think Indiana is right there with them, 117 00:05:31.519 --> 00:05:35.519 because Indiana is really good if Halle is healthy, the 118 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:38.160 you know, the the cast strain is forrigular, Like, I 119 00:05:38.160 --> 00:05:41.040 don't think you should just outright dismiss that whole KD 120 00:05:41.199 --> 00:05:42.920 thing like I do think that's a major concern. I 121 00:05:43.000 --> 00:05:45.519 had that concern going in going into last night's game 122 00:05:45.600 --> 00:05:48.600 of Okay, we know he's gonna play because he's he's 123 00:05:48.639 --> 00:05:50.959 not he's not gonna sit out with the season on 124 00:05:51.000 --> 00:05:54.040 the line, like we knew that, but you have to 125 00:05:54.079 --> 00:05:57.399 be worried about something more serious happening to that area 126 00:05:57.439 --> 00:06:00.360 of the leg because we've seen a history of that 127 00:06:00.399 --> 00:06:04.920 before with overused players, with you know, guys on huge minutes, 128 00:06:04.920 --> 00:06:08.360 with guys with strains going into that and maybe rushing 129 00:06:08.439 --> 00:06:11.199 back like that. That is a major concern. But this 130 00:06:11.319 --> 00:06:15.399 Indiana team, they've shown all postseason long like they can 131 00:06:15.439 --> 00:06:18.000 go into that hostile environment and steal a game, like 132 00:06:18.079 --> 00:06:19.839 I get it, Game seven, I know that you know 133 00:06:20.160 --> 00:06:22.920 home teams are fifteen to four in Game sevens, but 134 00:06:22.959 --> 00:06:25.560 also the majority of those games happened pre merger. So 135 00:06:25.600 --> 00:06:27.720 I don't know how much you how much stock you 136 00:06:27.759 --> 00:06:30.839 even put into that, Like this is this Pacers team 137 00:06:31.160 --> 00:06:33.839 has has stolen a lot of a lot of road 138 00:06:33.879 --> 00:06:35.000 games in this postseason. 139 00:06:35.120 --> 00:06:37.560 Yeah, after six full games watching these two teams go 140 00:06:37.680 --> 00:06:39.680 back and forth, when it's all said and done, what 141 00:06:39.680 --> 00:06:42.639 do you think is going to ultimately decide this seventh game? 142 00:06:43.279 --> 00:06:45.120 I think it's gonna be the turnover battle, like I 143 00:06:45.319 --> 00:06:48.680 really do. And I you know, they the the thunder 144 00:06:48.800 --> 00:06:54.560 in in their wins have have drawn about eleven more 145 00:06:55.120 --> 00:06:59.480 points off turnovers from Indiana than than in the than 146 00:06:59.519 --> 00:07:01.920 in the lost And so when they turn, when they 147 00:07:01.959 --> 00:07:06.000 turn Indiana over and they turn those into points, you know, obvious, 148 00:07:06.040 --> 00:07:08.439 it sounds obvious, but that's something that you know, we 149 00:07:08.480 --> 00:07:11.560 saw in Game one they forced twenty five turnovers, right, 150 00:07:11.639 --> 00:07:13.439 a lot of those were live ball turnovers, but it 151 00:07:13.480 --> 00:07:16.360 only resulted in eleven points. And so it's why even 152 00:07:16.439 --> 00:07:18.800 though you had a lot of empty and non existent 153 00:07:18.839 --> 00:07:22.240 possessions for Indiana, they weren't giving up points on the 154 00:07:22.279 --> 00:07:24.199 other end, so they were able to be in a 155 00:07:24.240 --> 00:07:27.759 position to steal that game on that Halliburton shot at 156 00:07:27.759 --> 00:07:32.920 the end. And if Okac is, you know, ending those 157 00:07:32.920 --> 00:07:35.560 possessions for Indiana but not converting on the other end, 158 00:07:35.560 --> 00:07:37.720 not making them pay, then Indiana's going to be in 159 00:07:37.759 --> 00:07:40.199 a position to steal the game again. They have to 160 00:07:40.240 --> 00:07:42.759 convert all of those opportunities, or the majority of those 161 00:07:42.759 --> 00:07:45.600 opportunities into quick points the other way, because you know, 162 00:07:45.800 --> 00:07:48.600 talking to players around the league, talking to coaches around 163 00:07:48.600 --> 00:07:51.519 the league, that the way that Okay see turns you 164 00:07:51.600 --> 00:07:55.120 over and then gets those quick strikes is very demoralizing. 165 00:07:55.160 --> 00:07:57.839 I mean, it is a tidal wave on top of 166 00:07:57.839 --> 00:08:01.040 you that that just all of a sudden, it's twelve 167 00:08:01.079 --> 00:08:03.040 O run, you call a time out, and you don't 168 00:08:03.079 --> 00:08:05.120 know what like, you don't know where you've gone. It's 169 00:08:05.279 --> 00:08:08.959 very much like those Warriors teams in twenty fifteen or 170 00:08:08.959 --> 00:08:12.360 twenty sixteen, where in the blink of an eye you're wondering, 171 00:08:12.439 --> 00:08:14.360 how are we down twenty? It was just a five 172 00:08:14.439 --> 00:08:17.519 point game, Zach. 173 00:08:17.600 --> 00:08:19.920 There's and Tony and I were talking about this in 174 00:08:19.959 --> 00:08:22.759 this last segment and you kind of mentioned it a 175 00:08:22.839 --> 00:08:26.279 little bit to start this one. There's a lot of 176 00:08:26.279 --> 00:08:29.360 folks who still feel like some of this is fluky 177 00:08:29.399 --> 00:08:31.959 from Indiana, right, the big bounce against the Knicks, all 178 00:08:32.320 --> 00:08:35.840 all of the above. But if that's how you feel, 179 00:08:35.879 --> 00:08:38.279 you probably haven't been watching this team since I'd say 180 00:08:38.279 --> 00:08:41.639 about Christmas. They really turned it on, and I think 181 00:08:41.720 --> 00:08:45.759 Rick Carlile has done a phenomenal job with them. There's 182 00:08:45.799 --> 00:08:51.639 a little tinge of like him being unheralded still after 183 00:08:51.679 --> 00:08:54.360 what he did in Dallas, after what he's done since then, 184 00:08:54.440 --> 00:08:59.000 there's still a hesitancy. I feel like to credit Rick Carlyle, 185 00:08:59.039 --> 00:09:01.200 and I'm not saying he's not working with a good roster, 186 00:09:01.720 --> 00:09:03.480 but I don't know that you look at this roster 187 00:09:03.639 --> 00:09:08.080 and think NBA Finals rights, it's got to be one 188 00:09:08.080 --> 00:09:10.399 of the better coaching jobs in Tony. I said this 189 00:09:11.080 --> 00:09:14.840 in the first segment since maybe Rick Carlisle in Dallas. 190 00:09:15.039 --> 00:09:17.559 Yeah, yeah, I mean he's look, he's got a history 191 00:09:17.840 --> 00:09:20.639 and he got remembered. He got a raw deal in Detroit, right, yep. 192 00:09:20.799 --> 00:09:24.200 He got them in tradition to win a championship. And 193 00:09:24.279 --> 00:09:26.120 everyone's like, oh, yeah, well, Larry Brown got them over 194 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:28.600 the hump. We'll give Rasheed Walls to those Rick Carlisle 195 00:09:29.240 --> 00:09:32.120 rat distances let's see what happens. Right, Like that was 196 00:09:32.159 --> 00:09:34.159 a made Like, yes, Larry Brown did a great job, 197 00:09:34.200 --> 00:09:36.720 don't get me wrong, But that thing turned when when 198 00:09:36.799 --> 00:09:38.799 Rashid Wallace ended up on that team those final couple 199 00:09:38.840 --> 00:09:40.840 of months in two thousand and four. And so Rick 200 00:09:40.879 --> 00:09:43.519 Carlisle has been one of the best coaches in the 201 00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:46.200 league since he's since he got his first head coaching job, 202 00:09:46.279 --> 00:09:48.759 and I think he's one of the ten best coaches 203 00:09:48.799 --> 00:09:51.440 in NBA history. I mean, he is phenomenal, and he 204 00:09:51.519 --> 00:09:55.320 is someone who has been historically very difficult on point 205 00:09:55.360 --> 00:09:59.120 guards because he knows the importance of that position, and 206 00:09:59.200 --> 00:10:01.919 he's you know, he and Kevin Pritchard now have a 207 00:10:01.960 --> 00:10:04.000 superstar and Tyre's Haliburton. And if people don't want to 208 00:10:04.039 --> 00:10:06.559 accept it, okay, you're going to in a couple of 209 00:10:06.600 --> 00:10:09.919 years and you're just late like that, Like Haliburton is great. 210 00:10:10.200 --> 00:10:13.720 He is a great point guard already and he's a superstar. 211 00:10:13.840 --> 00:10:16.600 And they looked at it, you know, two years ago, 212 00:10:16.639 --> 00:10:18.639 they saw what they have and they said, Okay, we 213 00:10:18.799 --> 00:10:22.120 have to build this identity around this player. And so 214 00:10:22.159 --> 00:10:24.320 they decided we're going to run everybody out of the gym, 215 00:10:24.559 --> 00:10:26.720 like We're just gonna build a deep roster that runs 216 00:10:26.720 --> 00:10:28.399 everybody out of the gym, and we're going to play 217 00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:30.519 this way. We're going to run off missus off makes 218 00:10:30.519 --> 00:10:33.480 off turnovers, doesn't matter. We're running all the time. But 219 00:10:33.559 --> 00:10:35.519 we have to figure out a way. You know, they 220 00:10:35.519 --> 00:10:37.919 did this last you know, after last season they said, 221 00:10:37.919 --> 00:10:39.000 all right, well now we have to figure out a 222 00:10:39.000 --> 00:10:41.080 way to do this, but also play some defense, which 223 00:10:41.120 --> 00:10:44.039 they figured out midway through this season, and they did that, 224 00:10:44.159 --> 00:10:47.080 and that's all. Rick Carlisle just makes these adjustments here 225 00:10:47.120 --> 00:10:49.200 and there, like this isn't always the way he wants 226 00:10:49.240 --> 00:10:51.279 to play, but he sees what rosters in front of 227 00:10:51.320 --> 00:10:54.000 him and he just makes the adjustments on how to 228 00:10:54.080 --> 00:10:55.120 maximize that talent. 229 00:10:55.240 --> 00:10:57.519 I've always loved that about him and I've admired that 230 00:10:57.559 --> 00:10:59.440 about him, and you look at the success he's had 231 00:10:59.480 --> 00:11:03.080 in the history of his career. Now with Indiana, they say, Okay, 232 00:11:03.159 --> 00:11:04.919 we are going to allow you to run this the 233 00:11:04.919 --> 00:11:06.639 way you need to. We're going to support that. We're 234 00:11:06.679 --> 00:11:09.399 going to have proper alignment from the front office, the ownership, 235 00:11:09.440 --> 00:11:12.120 everything that you need to where we're speaking the same language, 236 00:11:12.120 --> 00:11:15.440 we're moving the same direction. How much of this NBA Finals, 237 00:11:15.480 --> 00:11:18.000 with the way Oklahoma City was built and the way 238 00:11:18.039 --> 00:11:21.399 that Indiana functions, should be a reality check to different 239 00:11:21.480 --> 00:11:25.120 front offices in this league and ownership groups looking in 240 00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:28.240 the mirror getting real about their gap between the perception 241 00:11:28.320 --> 00:11:30.000 of how they run and what they think they are 242 00:11:30.200 --> 00:11:32.039 and the reality of what they truly are. 243 00:11:32.879 --> 00:11:35.120 I mean, this is the ego of sports right, because 244 00:11:35.159 --> 00:11:37.240 it's a great question. Everyone should be looking at this 245 00:11:37.320 --> 00:11:40.879 and saying, Okay, this is the plan, this is what 246 00:11:40.919 --> 00:11:43.279 it is. Because I think you saw OKAC and the 247 00:11:43.320 --> 00:11:45.919 way they had their shortcomings last year, and I think 248 00:11:45.960 --> 00:11:48.039 they saw what Boston did and they said, okay, let's 249 00:11:48.039 --> 00:11:49.879 trade Josh Ginty frosscrus so we're going to go get 250 00:11:49.879 --> 00:11:53.000 Isaiah Hardenstein, which they had their eyes on already, and 251 00:11:53.039 --> 00:11:54.960 they knew that's going to give us more of a 252 00:11:55.039 --> 00:11:58.120 style of play of what Boston just did, and that's 253 00:11:58.159 --> 00:12:00.440 going to complete us, right. And you could very easily 254 00:12:00.440 --> 00:12:02.519 to be like, wholla, Josh Giddy's a good young player, 255 00:12:02.519 --> 00:12:04.000 and we want to develop this and we want to 256 00:12:04.080 --> 00:12:06.120 have at center so we are super versaal and all 257 00:12:06.159 --> 00:12:08.679 this stuff. But they kind of checked their ego, saw 258 00:12:08.720 --> 00:12:11.240 what other teams were doing and went out and just 259 00:12:11.480 --> 00:12:13.919 had this uniform you know, top to bottom. They have 260 00:12:13.960 --> 00:12:17.879 a uniform plan throughout Indiana, uniform plan throughout Look at 261 00:12:17.879 --> 00:12:19.679 what the Knicks just did, right, I mean, we had 262 00:12:19.720 --> 00:12:22.320 a roller coaster with Tom Thibodeau where they get to 263 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:25.960 the conference finals and it's this referendum on Wait a second, 264 00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:29.159 I thought Tom Thibodeau's whole thing wasn't gonna work and 265 00:12:29.159 --> 00:12:30.960 make a deep playoff run. It was this whole like 266 00:12:31.360 --> 00:12:34.679 backlash to the backlash of fives. And then he loses 267 00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:37.039 game one, it's all he's got to be fired. And 268 00:12:37.080 --> 00:12:39.039 then he does get fired, and it's a backlash that 269 00:12:39.159 --> 00:12:41.240 like why are you firing him? Like there is no 270 00:12:41.480 --> 00:12:44.360 uniform be through so many of these organizations because you 271 00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:47.679 just have people's fragile egos getting in the way, whether 272 00:12:47.720 --> 00:12:51.039 that's the owner, the front office, coaches, players, whatever, and 273 00:12:51.080 --> 00:12:53.279 when you see that ego get checked and it's for 274 00:12:53.399 --> 00:12:57.080 the betterment of that culture. And for a long time, 275 00:12:57.159 --> 00:12:58.840 I know people rolled their eyes, but for a long 276 00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:02.200 time Heat culture was for a long time, Spurs culture 277 00:13:02.200 --> 00:13:05.080 has been a part of that. You see extended success 278 00:13:05.159 --> 00:13:07.679 and you're seeing that with the Pacers and the Thunder 279 00:13:07.759 --> 00:13:09.840 right now. And if you don't look at that as 280 00:13:09.840 --> 00:13:12.600 an organization as a model of that's the type of 281 00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:15.240 culture we need to have and emulate, then you're just 282 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:16.840 not going to have long term success. 283 00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:20.720 I mean, speaking of long term success, Zach, which of 284 00:13:20.759 --> 00:13:23.759 these two teams even though it I mean you look 285 00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:27.600 at Sam Presty Oklahoma City, the draft picks that they 286 00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:30.639 have stockpiled up, the young talent they have stockpiled up, 287 00:13:30.679 --> 00:13:33.720 still a lot of them on rookie scale contracts. I mean, 288 00:13:33.759 --> 00:13:38.240 they're clearly built for the long term. What is your 289 00:13:38.320 --> 00:13:40.799 read on on what Indiana has to do to to 290 00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:43.960 kind of get to that point? And what are you know, 291 00:13:44.000 --> 00:13:46.320 maybe the two or three other teams that we're not 292 00:13:46.320 --> 00:13:49.200 talking about during an NBA Finals that you feel have 293 00:13:49.279 --> 00:13:51.720 that similar kind of window, because I do feel like 294 00:13:51.759 --> 00:13:54.200 there's also a lot of teams that are at the 295 00:13:54.320 --> 00:13:56.840 end of their window in the next year or two. 296 00:13:57.519 --> 00:13:59.360 Yeah, I mean I think for you know, the Thunder, 297 00:13:59.399 --> 00:14:01.440 it's very they have a lot of flexibility, they have 298 00:14:01.440 --> 00:14:03.240 a lot of options ahead of them. They just stockpiled 299 00:14:03.240 --> 00:14:06.080 everything real impressively, and let's say they let's say they 300 00:14:06.120 --> 00:14:09.600 lose on Sunday. I would expect a very twenty fourteen 301 00:14:09.639 --> 00:14:11.879 Spurs run next season, where they like, I think they'll 302 00:14:11.879 --> 00:14:14.679 win seventy plus games and they will just mow through 303 00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:17.480 the playoffs and probably go like sixteen and two and 304 00:14:17.799 --> 00:14:19.759 leave no doubt about who's the champion. I think that 305 00:14:19.799 --> 00:14:22.639 would fuel them in a way that is just destructive 306 00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:25.480 for everybody else. But also keep in mind the second 307 00:14:25.519 --> 00:14:28.039 apron in this horrible collective bargaining agreement that the league 308 00:14:28.360 --> 00:14:31.080 and the players have agreed to is designed to end 309 00:14:31.519 --> 00:14:33.960 these you know, these long runs, and so I like, 310 00:14:34.000 --> 00:14:35.799 I can't be against that enough. I think it's a 311 00:14:35.799 --> 00:14:39.799 horrible idea, But I guess that's a conversation for another day. 312 00:14:39.879 --> 00:14:41.840 I mean, Indiana has to keep this core together, but 313 00:14:41.879 --> 00:14:46.879 they have to keep building out player development and building 314 00:14:46.919 --> 00:14:50.480 out as as their role players become too expensive. You 315 00:14:50.559 --> 00:14:53.879 have to have just that stream coming. Miles Turner will 316 00:14:53.919 --> 00:14:56.799 be a free agent this summer if they win the title. 317 00:14:56.879 --> 00:14:58.559 How much is that worth for you? How is he 318 00:14:58.639 --> 00:15:02.240 played well enough to warrant a big contract? Or do 319 00:15:02.279 --> 00:15:05.759 you have to make a tough decision down the line of, look, 320 00:15:05.799 --> 00:15:08.600 we can upgrade at this position, because that is that's 321 00:15:08.600 --> 00:15:10.600 a I mean there are games he has two rebounds 322 00:15:10.679 --> 00:15:12.519 right and doesn't and isn't that effective. And there are 323 00:15:12.559 --> 00:15:15.200 games that he's been a shutdown guy against Chet and 324 00:15:15.240 --> 00:15:18.120 been phenomenal, so that you know, those are tough decisions 325 00:15:18.120 --> 00:15:20.559 to make. I mean the team the most obvious team 326 00:15:20.600 --> 00:15:24.200 to me who could like extend in the way that 327 00:15:24.240 --> 00:15:27.720 we're seeing from Okac is Houston. Houston has a lot 328 00:15:27.799 --> 00:15:30.840 of young assets, a lot of draft picks of teams 329 00:15:30.840 --> 00:15:32.080 that are about to fly. I mean, they've got all 330 00:15:32.120 --> 00:15:33.840 these suns picks and look at what you know, what's 331 00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:37.440 happening with Phoenix like Houston is. You know, they're they're 332 00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:39.399 kind of slow playing it. We don't know if they're 333 00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:42.039 going to make a big splash offensively this summer. They 334 00:15:42.039 --> 00:15:44.559 look like an organization that is willing to take a 335 00:15:44.600 --> 00:15:47.600 longer road. They know what they have now, they have 336 00:15:47.679 --> 00:15:50.919 an identity, they have a great coach, and I think 337 00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:53.679 that that's the team. And then obviously the Spurs, right 338 00:15:53.840 --> 00:15:56.080 like Wenby is an alien and he's you know, as 339 00:15:56.120 --> 00:15:58.399 long as he can stay on the court, I think 340 00:15:58.519 --> 00:16:00.559 anything is possible. I mean, I think they be smart 341 00:16:00.600 --> 00:16:04.200 to cycle in these stars, you know, to play next 342 00:16:04.240 --> 00:16:05.840 to them every three to five years, because if you 343 00:16:05.919 --> 00:16:09.159 extend him for fifteen years as a superstar, you can 344 00:16:09.240 --> 00:16:11.919 have these different timelines just come through while he's just 345 00:16:12.440 --> 00:16:14.799 this this staple there. So I would say the Spurs 346 00:16:14.799 --> 00:16:16.879 and the Rockets are the two teams I look at 347 00:16:16.879 --> 00:16:19.480 as the most stable to be that next Okac. 348 00:16:20.120 --> 00:16:23.240 All right, what is in the history really of any sports, 349 00:16:23.240 --> 00:16:26.000 but also the NBA, what's your favorite Game seven? 350 00:16:26.279 --> 00:16:26.960 I mean, I know. 351 00:16:26.879 --> 00:16:29.840 You have memories in this whole thing. I mean, yeah, 352 00:16:29.879 --> 00:16:32.519 so there's there's a number of Game sevens, but then 353 00:16:32.559 --> 00:16:35.159 there's the special game sevens. Is there one to you 354 00:16:35.240 --> 00:16:37.159 that has always meant more to you? 355 00:16:37.960 --> 00:16:40.759 I mean that that Cavs Warriors one is pretty fun 356 00:16:40.799 --> 00:16:42.200 for the end of it. But I don't know if 357 00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:44.559 people remember, like how ugly of a game that was. 358 00:16:44.759 --> 00:16:48.320 The game? Yeah, the last five minutes are amazing. The 359 00:16:48.600 --> 00:16:52.000 first forty three were pretty rough, Right, that was a 360 00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:54.960 pretty bad one. One of the worst ones I've ever 361 00:16:55.000 --> 00:16:57.480 watched was that. Look, I'm as big a basketball nerd 362 00:16:57.519 --> 00:17:02.320 as anyone, but Spurs Pistons and in five really rough. 363 00:17:02.600 --> 00:17:04.720 I think that was like an eighty one seventy four game, 364 00:17:04.759 --> 00:17:05.960 And I don't even know how they got to that 365 00:17:06.039 --> 00:17:09.160 many points. So it's not bad. I think I think 366 00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:13.839 it's I think it's heat Spurs twenty thirteen. That was like, 367 00:17:13.880 --> 00:17:16.160 I mean, Lebron went crazy. Obviously you're coming off the 368 00:17:16.160 --> 00:17:19.119 the Ray Allen shot in game six. Lebron went crazy. 369 00:17:19.119 --> 00:17:21.079 He had a great game. Tim Duncan had to throw 370 00:17:21.079 --> 00:17:24.240 that game. I mean, this is seventeen years sixteen, seventeen 371 00:17:24.319 --> 00:17:27.000 years into his career, Tim Duncan, and all of a sudden, 372 00:17:27.119 --> 00:17:29.880 he was like he had this fire inside him of 373 00:17:30.079 --> 00:17:31.640 you know, I'm gonna will my team to victory and 374 00:17:31.720 --> 00:17:34.079 it didn't work out. That was a great game. I 375 00:17:34.079 --> 00:17:37.960 think to me that NBA Finals Game seven is probably 376 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:40.599 the one that just I could rewatch over and over again. 377 00:17:42.039 --> 00:17:44.440 For me, it it just it can't be anything other 378 00:17:44.480 --> 00:17:45.960 than the three one comeback. 379 00:17:46.200 --> 00:17:49.559 Yeah, hey, put on the last five minutes. I'll sit 380 00:17:49.599 --> 00:17:51.920 right now. I'm gonna do some chores in the first 381 00:17:52.119 --> 00:17:54.039 I get it. I get it. It was. 382 00:17:54.160 --> 00:17:57.440 It was let's say a tight It was a tight contest. 383 00:17:57.480 --> 00:17:59.839 There was not a lot of back and forth action. 384 00:18:00.200 --> 00:18:05.240 Man with with what context surrounded it from the build 385 00:18:05.319 --> 00:18:08.240 up to it, knowing it had never been done, knowing 386 00:18:08.279 --> 00:18:11.519 that whether you agree or not, there is some type 387 00:18:11.559 --> 00:18:15.400 of legacy moment on the line, not only for Lebron James, 388 00:18:15.400 --> 00:18:18.039 but also for what at that point was deemed maybe 389 00:18:18.079 --> 00:18:20.839 the greatest team of all time, seventy three and nine 390 00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:22.000 Golden State Warriors. 391 00:18:23.400 --> 00:18:28.680 Right. I'm not into watching Draymond Green his degree, and I. 392 00:18:28.640 --> 00:18:31.160 Don't think they scored for like a seven minute gap 393 00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:34.240 in the fourth quar until three. 394 00:18:34.400 --> 00:18:36.480 But my favorite thing about that to your point, Zach, 395 00:18:36.519 --> 00:18:39.519 here's what I loved most about that game. The tension 396 00:18:39.799 --> 00:18:40.400 that was there. 397 00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:45.319 Oh yeah, everything. I was at home sweating, like just 398 00:18:45.400 --> 00:18:50.160 doing nothing the whole time. So I think a conditioned. 399 00:18:50.000 --> 00:18:51.880 See, I think that's what we're going to have coming up. 400 00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:55.440 I just think you get into this and you want 401 00:18:55.599 --> 00:18:57.839