WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.480 --> 00:00:05.400 This is the baseline discussing the hot button topics of 2 00:00:05.440 --> 00:00:09.679 the NBA. Welcome everybody, your tune to the baseline Calie 3 00:00:09.720 --> 00:00:14.519 Warrenshaw discussing the hot button topics of the NBA. So 4 00:00:14.720 --> 00:00:19.320 much happening in the last week of the NBA and 5 00:00:19.359 --> 00:00:25.399 we haven't even gotten down to basically the final stretch run. Essentially, 6 00:00:25.399 --> 00:00:28.559 there's still so much basketball left to be played, maybe 7 00:00:28.559 --> 00:00:30.760 a handful of games will be about fifteen to twenty 8 00:00:30.800 --> 00:00:32.960 games left to play, and yet we are so much 9 00:00:33.520 --> 00:00:37.079 further away from really determining who's going to be in 10 00:00:37.119 --> 00:00:39.399 it and who's going to be out of it. But 11 00:00:39.479 --> 00:00:42.799 I guess that's what makes it all intriguing. But more importantly, 12 00:00:42.960 --> 00:00:45.719 a lot of stuff happening with teams who have made 13 00:00:46.359 --> 00:00:49.600 big moves, pushing chips all into the table, only to 14 00:00:49.679 --> 00:00:54.039 find the outcome being not what they had hoped for. 15 00:00:54.719 --> 00:00:57.200 So stuff to get into. Cannot wait to do it. 16 00:00:57.240 --> 00:00:58.640 Go ahead and roll out the red carpet to my 17 00:00:58.759 --> 00:01:01.679 right hand man Www. Dot Show Sports sat in Net 18 00:01:01.679 --> 00:01:03.439 Big going to PC my man, Mister warn Show repping 19 00:01:03.439 --> 00:01:06.599 out of Fort Floida and Florida rocking the nice fitted 20 00:01:07.040 --> 00:01:10.400 nineteen Media group cap what's good, my man? Looking fresh 21 00:01:10.480 --> 00:01:12.519 to death today. 22 00:01:13.480 --> 00:01:15.040 It's very kind of you, sir, I mean, just trying 23 00:01:15.040 --> 00:01:17.439 to follow in your proverbial footsteps, but you know what 24 00:01:17.480 --> 00:01:17.799 it is. 25 00:01:17.840 --> 00:01:18.000 Man. 26 00:01:18.079 --> 00:01:20.480 We back up here with the Baseline Bay Podcast. Another 27 00:01:20.519 --> 00:01:23.879 great episode, stretch run of the NBA season. Lots to 28 00:01:23.920 --> 00:01:26.200 talk about, fresh off the heels of a weekend where 29 00:01:26.200 --> 00:01:29.000 our Celtics, you know, and the Lakers winning streak, so 30 00:01:29.000 --> 00:01:31.840 I'm always excited about that. But again, a lot more 31 00:01:31.840 --> 00:01:33.599 information to kind of get into, and I just wanted 32 00:01:33.640 --> 00:01:35.799 to and before we kind of get into it, you know, 33 00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:38.239 I think we might have been well, you know what, No, 34 00:01:38.280 --> 00:01:41.359 we weren't premature. We're right on time. But the impressed 35 00:01:41.400 --> 00:01:45.239 me segments continue because just a week after you talk 36 00:01:45.319 --> 00:01:48.719 about Jokic and the honest game and how how it 37 00:01:48.760 --> 00:01:51.079 was nice to see those big men kind of doing things, 38 00:01:51.799 --> 00:01:54.120 Joker goes out there and puts up a line we've 39 00:01:54.159 --> 00:01:57.239 never seen in NBA history, with thirty twenty and twenty 40 00:01:58.920 --> 00:02:01.920 MVP gap is closing in. I saw on something on 41 00:02:02.120 --> 00:02:06.319 ESPN today after that game. It cut SGA's MVP odds 42 00:02:06.319 --> 00:02:08.960 in half after that one game. But I think I 43 00:02:08.960 --> 00:02:11.599 think Jokis has always been right there, right right there 44 00:02:11.639 --> 00:02:12.960 in the running. I think it's been neck and neck. 45 00:02:12.960 --> 00:02:15.120 I don't know how anybody was saying it was SGA's 46 00:02:15.199 --> 00:02:17.280 to win, nor it was his already. But I love 47 00:02:17.319 --> 00:02:19.000 what's going on in the NBA right now. Bro. Then 48 00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:21.439 these two guys are are in for a historic stretch 49 00:02:21.759 --> 00:02:23.960 as they're even playing today, as we're recording this evening. 50 00:02:25.840 --> 00:02:29.719 Yes, those are the collapse for Thank you Nicola Jokic 51 00:02:30.240 --> 00:02:34.039 for doing exactly what I think a lot of people 52 00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:37.080 are afraid to have what happens right Like when you 53 00:02:37.479 --> 00:02:41.840 have already just assumed that you know, the the Handy 54 00:02:41.879 --> 00:02:44.520 Award because of Oklahoma City Thunder, you know, have the 55 00:02:44.520 --> 00:02:47.199 best record in basketball, and you know all this other 56 00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:49.719 kind of stuff, it's just like an easy give. And 57 00:02:49.800 --> 00:02:55.080 I'm not saying that by far SGA is still not ahead. 58 00:02:55.439 --> 00:03:00.000 I'm not even saying that SGA, in what he's done 59 00:03:00.199 --> 00:03:04.120 in totality through this season, is not deserving of being 60 00:03:04.439 --> 00:03:09.199 the lead vote getter for MVP. But there's a reason 61 00:03:09.319 --> 00:03:13.319 why Jokic is a three time NBA MVP winner, right 62 00:03:13.719 --> 00:03:16.919 And it's not about just what he's doing. Shaw we 63 00:03:16.960 --> 00:03:20.800 talked about sometimes it takes Iron to sharp sharpen Iron, 64 00:03:21.199 --> 00:03:23.439 and that, to me is part of the narrative that 65 00:03:23.479 --> 00:03:26.199 I think gets missed when we're watching these guys play 66 00:03:26.240 --> 00:03:29.639 their season out right, Like, if I'm SGA, I'm not 67 00:03:29.759 --> 00:03:32.280 saying that you should do anything outside the scope of 68 00:03:32.319 --> 00:03:35.240 what's major team successful and put them in the position 69 00:03:35.280 --> 00:03:38.400 that they're in, But yeah, go out there and drop 70 00:03:38.400 --> 00:03:41.879 another fifty Oh yeah, go out there and drop twenty 71 00:03:41.919 --> 00:03:45.199 five assists. If the game allows you to be able 72 00:03:45.240 --> 00:03:49.240 to do that. Iron sharpens Iron. I think that game 73 00:03:49.599 --> 00:03:52.879 that he had against Giannis Antetokumpo, and I'm not saying 74 00:03:52.919 --> 00:03:55.199 it's because of Antetokumpo. What I'm saying is is he 75 00:03:55.319 --> 00:03:58.520 recognizes the magnitude of the moment, what's at stake for 76 00:03:58.560 --> 00:04:00.520 the Denver Nuggets, and he knows it this is the 77 00:04:00.560 --> 00:04:02.919 time where he has to step his game up even further. 78 00:04:03.240 --> 00:04:05.560 And those are the performances that are coming out. These 79 00:04:05.560 --> 00:04:09.439 are the end results. And we as NBA, either pundits 80 00:04:10.039 --> 00:04:13.400 or those that are watching the game, get to watch this, 81 00:04:14.000 --> 00:04:17.879 absorb it and bass and glow in the greatness of 82 00:04:17.920 --> 00:04:20.759 what's made him the kind of player that we always 83 00:04:20.759 --> 00:04:23.000 have thought he was right And then what we're seeing 84 00:04:23.079 --> 00:04:25.879 right now, like this is what we're asking of our 85 00:04:25.920 --> 00:04:29.240 great players when the moment asked of it, he's delivering. 86 00:04:29.480 --> 00:04:32.240 And I think because of him, he's making this MVP 87 00:04:32.879 --> 00:04:36.720 you know, run even that much more interesting and hate 88 00:04:36.720 --> 00:04:39.399 it to love it. If he winds up winning it, 89 00:04:40.040 --> 00:04:42.720 I'm not going to be mad at it. SG shouldn't 90 00:04:42.759 --> 00:04:45.319 be mad at it. If nothing, it should force him 91 00:04:45.360 --> 00:04:48.480 to go out there and take greatness to another level 92 00:04:48.519 --> 00:04:51.879 to secure his ability to win his first MVP award. 93 00:04:52.879 --> 00:04:57.959 Yeah. Absolutely, And again we're recording this the day of 94 00:04:58.000 --> 00:04:59.360 the game that they're playing, so we don't even know 95 00:04:59.360 --> 00:05:01.120 the outcome of I don't know what that will be 96 00:05:01.160 --> 00:05:03.240 and how those narrors may even shift by the time 97 00:05:03.279 --> 00:05:07.360 this absolutely airs. But I love the fact that there's 98 00:05:07.480 --> 00:05:10.879 there should not be this just coronation, if you will, 99 00:05:10.920 --> 00:05:14.279 for SGA, just because Jokers want it so many times 100 00:05:14.360 --> 00:05:16.639 I think, I don't think I know Joker is still 101 00:05:16.720 --> 00:05:19.959 very legitimately in this conversation, and the fact of voter 102 00:05:20.040 --> 00:05:22.360 fatigue is a real situation, and there's others out there 103 00:05:22.360 --> 00:05:24.680 saying that they won't, but it is that and it's 104 00:05:24.759 --> 00:05:27.000 really interesting because I was thinking about this tour we're 105 00:05:27.000 --> 00:05:30.600 coming on air. It's like, well, he's an MVP, a 106 00:05:30.680 --> 00:05:34.120 multiple time MVP is now having his best season, the 107 00:05:34.160 --> 00:05:37.439 best season of what have been any other previous MVP runs. 108 00:05:37.680 --> 00:05:39.879 And that's not to mitigate into say that somebody couldn't 109 00:05:39.879 --> 00:05:42.360 come up from the throws like SGA and be right 110 00:05:42.360 --> 00:05:45.600 there and compete with him. But statistically speaking, you know, 111 00:05:45.720 --> 00:05:48.519 Joker is doing a lot of the heavy lifting. And 112 00:05:48.560 --> 00:05:51.000 if you took both those guys off there, off those teams, 113 00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:53.040 I guess the question is, you know, who do you 114 00:05:53.040 --> 00:05:55.439 think would actually still be able to be maybe a 115 00:05:55.439 --> 00:05:59.240 playoff contender? And I don't know. I think I would 116 00:05:59.240 --> 00:06:02.519 pick Okay in terms of their overall totality because so 117 00:06:02.639 --> 00:06:04.720 much is centered around what Joker does in terms of 118 00:06:04.720 --> 00:06:07.639 even the play creation and the rebounding and the scoring. 119 00:06:07.759 --> 00:06:09.759 Is you will to and I will say she's just 120 00:06:09.800 --> 00:06:12.560 a score because he does defend as well. But both 121 00:06:12.560 --> 00:06:14.600 of these guys have strong cases, and I know we're 122 00:06:14.639 --> 00:06:16.480 not in a situation where we want to see ties 123 00:06:16.519 --> 00:06:18.800 and give it to both of them, but I will 124 00:06:18.800 --> 00:06:20.560 be interested to see how the voters ultimately go. And 125 00:06:20.560 --> 00:06:22.199 this is not a conversation we engage in because it 126 00:06:22.279 --> 00:06:25.240 is a pretty healthy narrative that gets discussed on a 127 00:06:25.240 --> 00:06:28.720 regular basis. But it's intrigued my interest right now, especially 128 00:06:28.720 --> 00:06:30.800 the way Joker is truly coming on here and trying 129 00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:33.319 to gain ground. It seems like on Ah and the 130 00:06:33.399 --> 00:06:34.560 MVP right well, And I. 131 00:06:34.480 --> 00:06:36.360 Think the other thing you have to look at, Tooshaw 132 00:06:36.639 --> 00:06:41.040 is the scheduling and where these teams fit in the 133 00:06:42.160 --> 00:06:45.920 narrative of what they need to do for the remainder 134 00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:48.920 of the games left to play. Right Like, of course, 135 00:06:49.120 --> 00:06:51.800 if you are dagging out, you would love to give 136 00:06:51.839 --> 00:06:55.639 your team opportunity, your star players opportunities where there's some 137 00:06:55.800 --> 00:06:59.639 rest because obviously this is going to be a tough run, 138 00:06:59.720 --> 00:07:03.879 right for the Oklahoma City Thunder. If you're the Denver Nuggets, unfortunately, 139 00:07:03.920 --> 00:07:07.560 you don't have the luxury to afford that kind of opportunity. 140 00:07:07.600 --> 00:07:11.000 So Mike Malone knows he has to maximize getting the 141 00:07:11.000 --> 00:07:14.319 Denver Nuggets in the best position possible to at least 142 00:07:14.360 --> 00:07:17.560 wind up hosting first round, you know what I mean. 143 00:07:17.600 --> 00:07:21.399 And so you're going to wind up seeing a skewed 144 00:07:21.519 --> 00:07:24.720 version of the way that this is. And again, when 145 00:07:24.720 --> 00:07:26.759 we're giving this award, are we giving this award up 146 00:07:26.879 --> 00:07:29.079 until what he was so dominant and then now because 147 00:07:29.079 --> 00:07:32.879 they're laying off, it should not count against him. Forget 148 00:07:32.879 --> 00:07:36.240 that it's the MVP award through the totality of the 149 00:07:36.319 --> 00:07:40.000 regular season. And I think that's where it becomes very 150 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:42.319 intriguing that you see these kind of matchups in a 151 00:07:42.360 --> 00:07:45.279 game like the one that you're speaking of, that as 152 00:07:45.319 --> 00:07:50.240 we're recording this show is highly watchable because of where 153 00:07:50.279 --> 00:07:53.079 these two teams are. But more importantly, when you see 154 00:07:53.120 --> 00:07:55.680 a performance of like what Nikola Jokic did, and he's 155 00:07:55.879 --> 00:07:59.040 very firmly the second place, you know, in second place 156 00:07:59.040 --> 00:08:02.920 of the MVP, you want to see where that level 157 00:08:02.959 --> 00:08:06.519 of greatness comes from. In an SGA. He can he 158 00:08:06.519 --> 00:08:08.800 can go through the regular season again, he can drop 159 00:08:08.839 --> 00:08:11.759 another fifty burger or whatever. But I want to see 160 00:08:11.800 --> 00:08:16.360 where his impact when he has to play against his contemporaries. 161 00:08:16.399 --> 00:08:20.600 These are his contemporaries now, Giannis atietekunmpos, the Luka Dankic's 162 00:08:20.879 --> 00:08:23.839 He's no longer second tier. And because the team is 163 00:08:23.879 --> 00:08:26.639 successful and he's basically the best player on the team, 164 00:08:26.639 --> 00:08:28.959 we're gonna no, he's gonna have to He's because of 165 00:08:29.000 --> 00:08:31.360 his performances through the regular season and why we've been 166 00:08:31.399 --> 00:08:34.120 watching him so closely and we've been pushing him into 167 00:08:34.200 --> 00:08:37.919 that conversation. This is the game that we need to 168 00:08:38.039 --> 00:08:43.080 see where SGA should be constantly in that conversation because 169 00:08:43.120 --> 00:08:45.759 every time he decides to play against those great players, 170 00:08:45.799 --> 00:08:49.039 he's going to put out that best performance necessary, whether 171 00:08:49.080 --> 00:08:51.240 they win or lose. I just don't want to see 172 00:08:51.240 --> 00:08:54.279 a dud. I don't want to see, well SGA just disappeared, 173 00:08:54.480 --> 00:08:56.600 because Yeah, that's gonna count against him, and it's gonna 174 00:08:56.639 --> 00:08:59.080 count against the viability of saying, is he really deserving 175 00:08:59.080 --> 00:09:02.879 to be the MVP when you're seeing equal contemporaries out 176 00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:06.000 there exuding that level of greatness in high level games, 177 00:09:06.039 --> 00:09:09.360 prime time games, or games where it matters the most. 178 00:09:10.159 --> 00:09:13.120 Yeah, it's really interesting because I think, while we do 179 00:09:13.240 --> 00:09:14.759 want this matchup, but you want to see them go 180 00:09:14.799 --> 00:09:16.320 ahead to head, they're not really guarding each other, right, 181 00:09:16.360 --> 00:09:19.679 they played two completely different positions. It's different from the 182 00:09:19.679 --> 00:09:22.600 Embiid Jokic days, right when they did guard each other 183 00:09:22.639 --> 00:09:25.039 and they went up and then Embiid basically won the 184 00:09:25.159 --> 00:09:27.159 m v P in the one on one matchup, you 185 00:09:27.159 --> 00:09:29.519 know in Philadelphia, where he just kind of flamed the 186 00:09:29.639 --> 00:09:32.279 joker that in that in that game for whatever reason. 187 00:09:32.799 --> 00:09:35.799 But it was it was I'm sorry, it was the 188 00:09:35.840 --> 00:09:38.879 turning point, right like where everything was kind of neck 189 00:09:38.919 --> 00:09:44.759 and neck. That performance really kind of made the sension. 190 00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:48.360 It made the exclamation point about we feel comfortable if 191 00:09:48.440 --> 00:09:50.679 Joel ANDB winds up winning the MVP, will not be 192 00:09:50.759 --> 00:09:53.879 disappointed because of where he was and in that matchup 193 00:09:53.919 --> 00:09:55.360 against Nicola Jokic. 194 00:09:56.200 --> 00:09:58.519 Yeah, and there's the there's the other side of it too, 195 00:09:58.519 --> 00:10:01.159 where some people think it's you know, ridiculous, Okay, Well 196 00:10:01.159 --> 00:10:03.759 that one game was that, right, That's what decided it. 197 00:10:03.840 --> 00:10:05.960 When you know, even when you said previously it was 198 00:10:06.320 --> 00:10:09.200 it's a regular season award, it's the complete body of work. 199 00:10:09.559 --> 00:10:14.159 And because until we get true determining factors and whatever 200 00:10:14.240 --> 00:10:17.600 the aspects are that are going to be the determinating 201 00:10:17.960 --> 00:10:21.279 these awards, it's always going to be subjective and a 202 00:10:21.440 --> 00:10:25.039 one game, one v one scenario, so to speak, can 203 00:10:25.200 --> 00:10:29.080 till the favors until the odds. Similar to a historic 204 00:10:29.200 --> 00:10:32.000 NBA performance of epic perfortions, when you have thirty twenty 205 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:34.200 and twenty, you know in a game that you do 206 00:10:34.320 --> 00:10:37.600 ultimately win, you know all of a sudden, the other guys, 207 00:10:37.639 --> 00:10:39.679 the league guys, odds have been cut in half. Like, 208 00:10:39.720 --> 00:10:42.000 it's very wild to see how this is, how it's 209 00:10:42.080 --> 00:10:44.240 you know, oscillating really from day to day. But that 210 00:10:44.320 --> 00:10:45.879 also goes to show you how close it is, how 211 00:10:45.919 --> 00:10:48.279 two great how these two great players are playing this season. 212 00:10:48.440 --> 00:10:49.960 And I don't want to take anything away from both 213 00:10:49.960 --> 00:10:51.480 of them. I want to be on the positive side 214 00:10:51.480 --> 00:10:53.919 of this. So let's see how things shake out again. 215 00:10:53.960 --> 00:10:56.679 We'll see how it goes in terms of the team matchup. 216 00:10:57.080 --> 00:10:59.759 Also ultimately where both of these teams finish. While we 217 00:10:59.799 --> 00:11:01.320 know Case he's going to be the number one seed, 218 00:11:01.320 --> 00:11:03.600 can Denver and get a two seed or three seed? 219 00:11:03.639 --> 00:11:06.440 And does that give Joker a better line into winning 220 00:11:06.480 --> 00:11:07.159 another MVP? 221 00:11:07.320 --> 00:11:09.720 Yeah? Yeah, well I listen, man, I want to see 222 00:11:09.759 --> 00:11:13.080 Sga cook. That's it, That's all it is, man Like, 223 00:11:13.159 --> 00:11:15.480 I want to see him. I want to see him cook. 224 00:11:15.559 --> 00:11:18.879 And look, it wasn't too long ago, Sean, that we 225 00:11:18.879 --> 00:11:21.919 were having this conversation about Jason Tatum. It wasn't too 226 00:11:21.960 --> 00:11:24.519 long ago we were having this conversation you know about 227 00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:27.559 Kyrie Irving, right, I mean you look at the numbers 228 00:11:27.559 --> 00:11:29.639 as some of these guys have been posting and and 229 00:11:29.639 --> 00:11:34.120 and these are they're viable numbers. But again, part of 230 00:11:34.159 --> 00:11:36.600 that indicator I think of right now where the present 231 00:11:36.639 --> 00:11:38.639 state is, where it's all about what the eyes are 232 00:11:38.679 --> 00:11:41.360 telling you. It's when you have these kind of matchups 233 00:11:41.399 --> 00:11:46.000 happening on primetime television where at the height of the 234 00:11:46.120 --> 00:11:48.399 game of basketball is being watched. 235 00:11:49.200 --> 00:11:51.000 Can't can Can I just say that because I was 236 00:11:51.000 --> 00:11:52.919 going to save this but you touched on it, and 237 00:11:52.919 --> 00:11:54.639 I just I got to get this off my chest. 238 00:11:55.440 --> 00:11:59.919 I am I am sick of the Jason Tatum denigration. 239 00:12:00.120 --> 00:12:02.679 Like I'm tired of it, you know, and whatever it 240 00:12:02.759 --> 00:12:05.799 is that Fox Sports or others people have against Jayson Tatum, 241 00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:08.960 Like it's absolutely got to stop, you know, like close 242 00:12:09.000 --> 00:12:10.840 your eyes and do you like get out of here, 243 00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:14.200 like stop it, stop it. Jason Tatum is in all 244 00:12:14.320 --> 00:12:17.919 time already an all time great, and I'm just not 245 00:12:18.120 --> 00:12:20.279 because we root for the Celtics or whatever. I just 246 00:12:20.320 --> 00:12:23.039 feel like this this era of wanting to tear guys 247 00:12:23.080 --> 00:12:25.600 down and because he doesn't do it in the way 248 00:12:25.679 --> 00:12:28.639 that we're used to. And I can even grant the 249 00:12:28.679 --> 00:12:31.120 fact that well Kobe is his idol and the guy 250 00:12:31.159 --> 00:12:33.720 he will looked up to. He doesn't have the same 251 00:12:33.879 --> 00:12:36.919 outward exuberance as Kobe. That doesn't mean he's that he's 252 00:12:36.919 --> 00:12:40.000 not a killer, doesn't mean he's not a fierce competitor, right, 253 00:12:40.120 --> 00:12:43.120 And everything that keeps coming out about Jason Tanta, especially 254 00:12:43.320 --> 00:12:45.320 within the last couple of weeks, Like it's just been 255 00:12:45.399 --> 00:12:47.679 so negative while he's been delivering. And you're talking about 256 00:12:47.679 --> 00:12:50.840 guys whos been giving forty forty point performances, you know, 257 00:12:50.919 --> 00:12:53.240 in wins and won in a loss against Cleveland as well, 258 00:12:53.559 --> 00:12:55.919 Like that guy is hooping and has been hooping. And 259 00:12:55.960 --> 00:12:58.600 after the disrespect from the Olympics. Yes he didn't win, 260 00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:02.120 you know, I find MVP, but he won an NBA championship. 261 00:13:02.320 --> 00:13:06.159 There's just so much just negativity around this guy. First, 262 00:13:06.320 --> 00:13:09.639 for whatever reason, stop it. Jayson Tatum is is on 263 00:13:09.720 --> 00:13:12.159 a Hall of Fame pace. He's an all time great, 264 00:13:12.200 --> 00:13:13.799 and we need to give him his flowers in the 265 00:13:13.840 --> 00:13:14.840 current and in the present. 266 00:13:15.519 --> 00:13:19.039 Yeah. So I had no idea that our conversations were 267 00:13:19.039 --> 00:13:22.039 going to lean into these different directions, but I completely 268 00:13:22.039 --> 00:13:26.919 agree with you. I will say this, though, Shaw, what 269 00:13:27.159 --> 00:13:29.720 I think now that I'm appreciating more about what I'm 270 00:13:29.720 --> 00:13:32.480 seeing from Jason Tatum is that he has found a 271 00:13:32.519 --> 00:13:36.399 way to show us his greatness within the confines of 272 00:13:36.440 --> 00:13:40.519 a of a of a of a very well balanced team. 273 00:13:40.759 --> 00:13:43.600 And he doesn't make any bones about the fact that 274 00:13:43.679 --> 00:13:47.200 he's not going to be considered an MVP candidate in 275 00:13:47.200 --> 00:13:50.120 the same way as an SGA is Nicola Jokic, because 276 00:13:50.120 --> 00:13:52.279 he understands that the way that this team has been 277 00:13:52.320 --> 00:13:55.600 structured for him and for everyone of the way that 278 00:13:55.600 --> 00:13:59.639 the Celtics are is as long as they're successful in winning. 279 00:14:00.039 --> 00:14:03.759 And his guy, Jalen Brown is eating and all the 280 00:14:03.759 --> 00:14:06.240 rest of those guys are eating. He's all for it. 281 00:14:06.559 --> 00:14:09.440 And at first I thought it wasn't as genuine because 282 00:14:09.440 --> 00:14:12.000 when I saw how he first came out, initially, I 283 00:14:12.080 --> 00:14:16.200 really thought that his mindset, very similar to the Mamba mentality, 284 00:14:16.799 --> 00:14:19.799 was one more to be so self obsessed, self possessed, 285 00:14:19.840 --> 00:14:24.200 self absorbed that you wind up just completely, you know, 286 00:14:24.360 --> 00:14:27.159 overlooking everyone else and what they could potentially help bring 287 00:14:27.200 --> 00:14:28.960 to the table if you so badly want to win 288 00:14:29.000 --> 00:14:33.080 a championship. But you've seen how year after year after year, 289 00:14:33.480 --> 00:14:36.399 even as the distance about trying to make him the 290 00:14:36.480 --> 00:14:40.039 viable MVP candidate which there should not be His numbers 291 00:14:40.120 --> 00:14:43.320 prove that he should be an MVP candidate every single year, 292 00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:47.679 but he's doing it sacrificing certain things that I think 293 00:14:47.799 --> 00:14:52.360 has what's elevated that idea or perception that he's supposed 294 00:14:52.399 --> 00:14:54.799 to be an MVP, and yet he's not in that 295 00:14:54.840 --> 00:14:56.759 conversation by the time that we get to the end 296 00:14:56.799 --> 00:14:59.399 of the year and we don't really look in totality 297 00:14:59.440 --> 00:15:02.200 about what is encompassed around what he deals with and 298 00:15:02.279 --> 00:15:05.159 what he does throughout the course of the regular season. 299 00:15:05.519 --> 00:15:08.480 That may mean why he's not one, two or three 300 00:15:08.679 --> 00:15:10.799 right like when we think he's supposed to be. But 301 00:15:10.879 --> 00:15:13.120 think about it, Jaylen Brown, if he was on another team, 302 00:15:13.440 --> 00:15:16.440 would he not be considered an MVP candidate alone? Like 303 00:15:16.519 --> 00:15:18.519 the reason why those guys are together is why we 304 00:15:18.600 --> 00:15:21.399 see the sustainability as successful to Boston Celtics. And I 305 00:15:21.399 --> 00:15:25.440 think people who watch their favorite teams, their favorite players 306 00:15:25.480 --> 00:15:27.360 and stuff like that, look at how your team is 307 00:15:27.399 --> 00:15:30.799 structured and tell me, would you want it only about 308 00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:32.840 him being an MVP or would you want your team 309 00:15:32.919 --> 00:15:36.279 sustainably in the playoffs, in the Eastern Conference Finals, in 310 00:15:36.360 --> 00:15:39.200 the NBA Finals year in and year out, with confidence? 311 00:15:40.120 --> 00:15:42.799 Would you want that more than you worry about wanting 312 00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:45.440 your guy as an MVP. I'll and I'll give you 313 00:15:45.480 --> 00:15:49.279 the perfect comparison or analogy to that. Look at Joel Embiid. 314 00:15:49.720 --> 00:15:52.039 Look at how many iterations of the Philadelphia seventy six 315 00:15:52.200 --> 00:15:54.559 we just talked about this last week. And I'm not 316 00:15:54.840 --> 00:15:57.159 shamming on Joel. What I'm saying is that is an 317 00:15:57.279 --> 00:16:00.840 organizational decision about how they structured that team. You look 318 00:16:00.879 --> 00:16:02.840 at Joel Embiid and you look at the iterations of 319 00:16:02.879 --> 00:16:05.159 the sixers that they've had over the years. He's gotten 320 00:16:05.200 --> 00:16:08.480 his m v P. But for all of that, does 321 00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:11.279 that mean that they were as any more successful when 322 00:16:11.320 --> 00:16:13.519 he was there that in his rookie year and his 323 00:16:13.879 --> 00:16:17.080 rookie dominance. So that's what I'm saying. It's a lot 324 00:16:17.080 --> 00:16:18.240 of moving pieces to that part. 325 00:16:18.360 --> 00:16:20.679 You know, there are a lot of moving pieces, and 326 00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:22.759 I think for Tatum, a lot of it is for 327 00:16:23.279 --> 00:16:25.720 media times specifically, it's a disappointment he didn't reach the 328 00:16:25.720 --> 00:16:28.200 mountaintop as fast as we wanted him to for the 329 00:16:28.240 --> 00:16:31.799 signs that he showed, and it took a certain level 330 00:16:31.879 --> 00:16:34.559 of changing his own mindset and took Mazula kind of 331 00:16:34.559 --> 00:16:36.840 coming in and kind of changing the team mindset to 332 00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:38.919 some degree for them to get there. Yes, they got 333 00:16:38.960 --> 00:16:41.320 to the finals with Udoka, but ultimately, you know, kind 334 00:16:41.320 --> 00:16:44.399 of choke that away. And it's interesting now from you know, 335 00:16:44.480 --> 00:16:46.559 you sake it three years ago, four years ago, maybe 336 00:16:46.559 --> 00:16:48.600 now where old Tatum's for sure gonna be an MPP. 337 00:16:48.720 --> 00:16:50.559 He's going to win multiple now, no one's saying, no 338 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:54.120 one's saying those things. He's gonna proverbally always be slided 339 00:16:54.159 --> 00:16:55.960 in the four or five slot, you know when it 340 00:16:56.000 --> 00:16:57.919 comes to the bos like, yeah, he's good, but he 341 00:16:57.960 --> 00:17:00.519 can't really win, right, And guys like if you take 342 00:17:00.559 --> 00:17:04.400 future MVP odds, you take Anthony Edwards right now, probably 343 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:06.920 most people would you know, over Overtatum in terms of tating, 344 00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:08.720 because like, oh, we feel like we've seen what he is, 345 00:17:08.720 --> 00:17:10.039 we know what he is. He's not going to be 346 00:17:10.119 --> 00:17:12.920 any more than what he's shown currently that may or 347 00:17:12.920 --> 00:17:15.920 may not be true. I think the aspect of you know, 348 00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:18.400 just trying to crap on the guy and saying he's 349 00:17:18.440 --> 00:17:21.480 all these that he's not all these other things and 350 00:17:21.480 --> 00:17:23.160 and basically trying to take away from his greatness is 351 00:17:23.200 --> 00:17:25.200 where I'm just like it's a bridge too far, and 352 00:17:25.279 --> 00:17:27.400 I just I'm tired of it. And you know, it's 353 00:17:27.599 --> 00:17:29.640 and it's everything I see on social media right now. 354 00:17:29.640 --> 00:17:32.400 And you know, Jason Tatum is an amazing basketball player 355 00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:34.599 and he's accomplished a lot and a lot more than 356 00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:37.079 the others. I think the latest one was, oh, he's 357 00:17:37.119 --> 00:17:39.880 like Clay Thompson at at Clay Thompson's peak, well slightly 358 00:17:39.920 --> 00:17:42.519 better than like get out of here, just just just 359 00:17:42.559 --> 00:17:44.759 get out of here, like just stop it. So anyway, 360 00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:48.559 I've screened us much further than where our agenda was 361 00:17:48.559 --> 00:17:51.319 supposed to be here today. So I apologize. But I 362 00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:53.440 came in a little ownery, a little bit spicy, and 363 00:17:53.480 --> 00:17:54.720 I needed to get that off my chest. 364 00:17:54.839 --> 00:17:58.359 Especially we should we should have seen the signs. Bro, 365 00:17:58.559 --> 00:18:03.599 you you are you're wearing traditional Celtic green. You gotta 366 00:18:03.960 --> 00:18:05.519 you gotta glowing green going on. 367 00:18:05.640 --> 00:18:10.039 Man, I feel like, you know, they have that black 368 00:18:10.039 --> 00:18:11.799 and that lime green one. Yeah, so maybe it's a 369 00:18:11.799 --> 00:18:12.880 it's a little lean into. 370 00:18:12.759 --> 00:18:14.960 Yeah, man, I mean, you know, I don't know what 371 00:18:14.960 --> 00:18:17.599 what leper kin you got got ready for this Saint 372 00:18:17.640 --> 00:18:21.160 Patrick's Day run. But I'm saying I don't know if 373 00:18:21.160 --> 00:18:23.240 I want to be running into you and in Boston 374 00:18:23.279 --> 00:18:25.480 streets now feeling some guy way. 375 00:18:25.640 --> 00:18:29.119 Just let's keep it positive. NBA just can do that. 376 00:18:31.039 --> 00:18:34.160 Good luck with that good luck I mean in this 377 00:18:34.240 --> 00:18:36.079 day and age. Man, you know what I'm saying, he Lebron, 378 00:18:36.200 --> 00:18:39.039 Lebron about to step to some people, not gonna name 379 00:18:39.079 --> 00:18:46.240 no names, but Cali Warrenshaw baseline NBA podcast got a 380 00:18:46.279 --> 00:18:48.319 great show coming up, man. Obviously we're gonna talk a 381 00:18:48.319 --> 00:18:51.079 little bit about things going on with the New York 382 00:18:51.119 --> 00:18:54.119 Knicks losing Jalen Brunson. What that's gonna mean, and it's 383 00:18:54.200 --> 00:18:56.680 not always Sonny in Dallas. I will let you know 384 00:18:56.720 --> 00:18:58.599 what that actually means as well too. And then we 385 00:18:58.640 --> 00:19:01.400 got a quick little you got were carrying this over 386 00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:04.519 from our previous episode because you know, Shaw the the 387 00:19:04.519 --> 00:19:10.240 the mind warp that he was able to transport our 388 00:19:10.279 --> 00:19:14.079 mentalities to in the possibilities of who would you choose 389 00:19:14.079 --> 00:19:16.759 would you choose to you know, to start your franchise? 390 00:19:16.799 --> 00:19:18.720 Would you choose A K. Cunningham? Would you choose the 391 00:19:18.759 --> 00:19:21.400 Tyrese Haliburton? I was not letting that go, and we're 392 00:19:21.400 --> 00:19:23.480 gonna make sure we get that in and you who 393 00:19:23.519 --> 00:19:25.400 you got, so as always be sure to get in 394 00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:27.519 my Manshaw, Ash Sports, NBA, Get at Me a Gay 395 00:19:27.519 --> 00:19:30.039 Face Leader Shows, Twitter, NBA based on available on all 396 00:19:30.079 --> 00:19:32.799 the major platforms. You can go to www dot the 397 00:19:32.839 --> 00:19:35.960 Baseline NBA dot com to nowally check this episode episode out, 398 00:19:35.960 --> 00:19:38.440 but also the puff ther of episodes that we dropped 399 00:19:38.480 --> 00:19:40.160 for your listening pleasure. And if you see us on 400 00:19:40.160 --> 00:19:42.480 the bloom and white logo because you're catching us on YouTube, 401 00:19:42.720 --> 00:19:45.039