WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.120 --> 00:00:02.319 All right, let's get a draft. 2 00:00:02.319 --> 00:00:02.560 Time. 3 00:00:02.720 --> 00:00:06.080 Friday afternoon, eleven minutes past the hour of two o'clock. 4 00:00:06.599 --> 00:00:10.560 Another rather chilly, cloudy day. Kind of been a cold 5 00:00:10.560 --> 00:00:13.640 week for May here in Salt Lake City. Hopefully we'll 6 00:00:13.640 --> 00:00:15.880 get a little sunshine over the weekend. Looks like there's 7 00:00:15.919 --> 00:00:17.839 going to be rain on Sunday, but as it is 8 00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:21.039 every single day, it's good to have you along for 9 00:00:21.199 --> 00:00:23.679 the ride. Spence Check. It's behind the mic that is 10 00:00:23.800 --> 00:00:26.839 Porter Larson beyond the Glass. This program is called The 11 00:00:26.920 --> 00:00:29.000 Drive with Spence Check. Its you've got to dialed into 12 00:00:29.239 --> 00:00:31.600 ESPN seven hundred and ninety two NFM. We are proud 13 00:00:31.600 --> 00:00:35.960 to be part of Utah's ESPN Radio Network. Happy Friday 14 00:00:36.039 --> 00:00:38.840 to you. Congratulations, you made it. Weekend time. Take a 15 00:00:38.840 --> 00:00:40.840 big old deep breath. You showed up all week, you 16 00:00:40.880 --> 00:00:43.920 did the things, and now you're rewarded with a weekend. 17 00:00:43.960 --> 00:00:47.159 Hopefully have something fun planned. We have a really weird 18 00:00:47.240 --> 00:00:50.920 PGA championship going on at Quail Hollow Golf Club in Charlotte, 19 00:00:50.920 --> 00:00:54.320 North Carolina, where this course is causing a lot of 20 00:00:54.359 --> 00:00:57.000 problems for some of the best golfers in the world. 21 00:00:57.679 --> 00:01:00.719 Yet some of the lesser known players are actually playing 22 00:01:00.759 --> 00:01:04.159 really well, so we'll give you an update here. Certainly 23 00:01:04.159 --> 00:01:07.680 some heavy hitters in the mix. As we have a 24 00:01:07.719 --> 00:01:10.480 major championship in the world of professional golf going on, 25 00:01:11.799 --> 00:01:15.120 we'll keep you up to date on where Tony Fenow is. 26 00:01:15.280 --> 00:01:19.200 He is right now one over for excuse me, he's even, 27 00:01:19.319 --> 00:01:21.400 but he's one over four today, so he's all the 28 00:01:21.400 --> 00:01:25.159 way down tied for fifty third with some good company. 29 00:01:25.239 --> 00:01:28.239 So is Colin Morrikows, so is Cameron Young, Danny McCarthy, 30 00:01:28.280 --> 00:01:31.879 Maverick McNeely, so a lot of good golfers struggling. The 31 00:01:31.920 --> 00:01:36.000 projected cut line is one over par and Jordan Speith, 32 00:01:36.040 --> 00:01:39.159 who's having a pretty good day today, is at two 33 00:01:39.200 --> 00:01:42.560 over par. So unless there's some movement in front of him, 34 00:01:42.640 --> 00:01:45.560 Jordan Speith will not even play the weekend. And of course, 35 00:01:46.359 --> 00:01:50.000 Jordan Speith with an opportunity to capture the Grand Slam, 36 00:01:50.640 --> 00:01:54.000 a feat only accomplished by five golfers before him. Of course, 37 00:01:54.079 --> 00:01:57.680 Rory McElroy accomplished that earlier this year, getting his green jacket. 38 00:01:58.719 --> 00:02:02.799 So major champion chef Golf going on a massive, massive 39 00:02:02.920 --> 00:02:07.519 basketball game in midtown Manhattan tonight as the New York 40 00:02:07.599 --> 00:02:10.120 Knicks will attempt to close out the Boston Celtics at 41 00:02:10.120 --> 00:02:14.319 the world's most famous Arita in downtown New York City. 42 00:02:15.000 --> 00:02:16.520 So we'll get you ready for that game at six 43 00:02:16.560 --> 00:02:20.080 o'clock Mountain time. So right when we say good night, 44 00:02:20.159 --> 00:02:25.439 it's time for some NBA basketball. A gut check performance 45 00:02:25.520 --> 00:02:27.919 for the Denver Nuggets last night, and boy did they 46 00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:31.520 answer the bell. A lot of respect for Jamal Murray, 47 00:02:31.599 --> 00:02:34.360 who had his own version of the flu game last night. 48 00:02:34.719 --> 00:02:36.639 Didn't look like he was going to go for a minute, 49 00:02:36.639 --> 00:02:40.439 but he played, and he played really well, specifically right 50 00:02:40.439 --> 00:02:44.039 out of the gates. Of course, Denver's brand is buttered 51 00:02:44.080 --> 00:02:46.400 with one Nikola Jokicic, and once again he was great. 52 00:02:46.520 --> 00:02:49.360 Denver was able to hold off OKC in the fourth 53 00:02:49.400 --> 00:02:52.199 despite Russell Westbrook looking like he was point shaving when 54 00:02:52.199 --> 00:02:55.919 he played. And now we've got a game seven on 55 00:02:56.000 --> 00:03:00.599 a pre dramatic NBA weekend. Certainly, depending on what happens 56 00:03:00.639 --> 00:03:05.479 tonight one thirty on Sunday Mountain time on ABC, will 57 00:03:05.520 --> 00:03:08.280 be the Nuggets in the thunder and then we'll advance 58 00:03:08.319 --> 00:03:10.879 on to the conference championship around next week. So we've 59 00:03:10.919 --> 00:03:14.840 got some playoff basketball on the program today we'll give 60 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:17.599 you the update from the NBA combine and some rumors 61 00:03:17.639 --> 00:03:20.800 that the Jazz are ready to get aggressive. Our own 62 00:03:20.879 --> 00:03:25.120 Sarah Todd, friend of the program on her podcast which 63 00:03:25.360 --> 00:03:29.599 you should listen to called Unsalvageables, and Sarah is very 64 00:03:29.639 --> 00:03:32.080 plugged in. Sarah is one of the few beat writers 65 00:03:32.080 --> 00:03:35.520 that actually gets information from the team. They seem to 66 00:03:35.560 --> 00:03:38.759 trust her and sometimes utilize hers and outlet for what 67 00:03:38.800 --> 00:03:41.319 they want you to know. And she's hearing that the 68 00:03:41.400 --> 00:03:44.639 Utah Jazz are ready to make some pretty tough decisions. 69 00:03:44.639 --> 00:03:47.599 Who knows what it means, but we'll talk about some 70 00:03:47.639 --> 00:03:51.240 of these possibilities. With the way the NBA draft settled in, 71 00:03:52.159 --> 00:03:54.360 it's actually an interesting thing to consider about what the 72 00:03:54.439 --> 00:03:58.639 Utah Jazz could do to move up to potentially move 73 00:03:58.719 --> 00:04:00.840 up to maybe even number two, where san Antonio is 74 00:04:00.879 --> 00:04:05.520 reportedly shopping that pick. And look, let's be honest, I 75 00:04:05.520 --> 00:04:07.000 think it's safe to say, like, what do we know 76 00:04:07.000 --> 00:04:08.960 about Ryan Smith. We'll talk about this kind of out 77 00:04:08.960 --> 00:04:10.400 of the gates for opening tip. Well, we know that 78 00:04:10.439 --> 00:04:12.560 he's a bold dude, we know that he is unafraid. 79 00:04:13.280 --> 00:04:15.039 You can say what you want about his method, You 80 00:04:15.080 --> 00:04:17.000 can say what you want about the lack of direction 81 00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:19.560 with the team under his stewardship. But he is a 82 00:04:19.560 --> 00:04:22.199 bold dude, and I think it's time to be bolden, 83 00:04:23.160 --> 00:04:25.120 be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid. 84 00:04:25.199 --> 00:04:30.120 Porter Larson, write that down, young man. Well that's that's 85 00:04:30.160 --> 00:04:34.120 the idea. Hopefully, be bold, and mighty forces will come 86 00:04:34.199 --> 00:04:34.639 your aid. 87 00:04:34.839 --> 00:04:35.360 Who said that? 88 00:04:36.199 --> 00:04:39.560 I heard it on Rushmore the Wes Anderson movie. Okay, 89 00:04:40.199 --> 00:04:45.360 also almost famous, Franz McDorman says it to her kid, 90 00:04:45.360 --> 00:04:48.040 be bold and mighty. I'm sure it's a philosopher from 91 00:04:48.199 --> 00:04:49.560 ancient priests or whatever. 92 00:04:50.040 --> 00:04:50.680 I'll look that up. 93 00:04:50.759 --> 00:04:51.519 Are you bold? 94 00:04:51.959 --> 00:04:53.120 Sometimes when you. 95 00:04:53.079 --> 00:04:55.360 Are bold, you find that mighty forces come to your age. 96 00:04:55.959 --> 00:04:59.639 I guess so. I guess so at least. 97 00:04:59.000 --> 00:05:01.879 Uh, generally speaking? 98 00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:03.160 Why not? 99 00:05:03.920 --> 00:05:08.360 Looks like uh, looks like it's an old philosopher from 100 00:05:08.360 --> 00:05:10.439 Germany who said that. So shout out to the Germans 101 00:05:10.439 --> 00:05:13.519 on a Friday. We're with you. We stand with your Germany. 102 00:05:14.120 --> 00:05:15.439 You know what, Let's get out of. 103 00:05:15.399 --> 00:05:18.480 This space except for those two times. 104 00:05:18.680 --> 00:05:21.519 Let's just gently move out of the space because we 105 00:05:21.560 --> 00:05:23.879 have a lot to do. That's Porter. How's your Friday, 106 00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:24.279 young man? 107 00:05:24.519 --> 00:05:25.480 It's gone? Well, it's going. 108 00:05:25.519 --> 00:05:29.199 Well, it's a Knick's game day, nervous, as you mentioned 109 00:05:29.360 --> 00:05:34.839 off air, that's that's natural, But an elimination game at 110 00:05:34.839 --> 00:05:38.279 the Mecca against the Celtics, it's it's what we are 111 00:05:38.439 --> 00:05:41.879 fans for. This, this is the moment. These are the 112 00:05:41.959 --> 00:05:45.480 times that we that we watch basketball year all year 113 00:05:45.560 --> 00:05:47.160 round for these moments. 114 00:05:47.399 --> 00:05:48.639 As you've talked about on the show. 115 00:05:48.879 --> 00:05:53.439 Hopefully jazz fans maybe can live vicariously through us for 116 00:05:53.480 --> 00:05:56.879 a moment and we can discuss how we can get 117 00:05:56.920 --> 00:06:00.000 back to that as an organization here in Salt Lake 118 00:06:00.120 --> 00:06:00.959 City as well. 119 00:06:01.000 --> 00:06:03.000 It's kind of a scope we'll look through. 120 00:06:03.079 --> 00:06:07.839 But PGA Championship going on RSL this weekend, whole bunch 121 00:06:07.879 --> 00:06:08.319 to get. 122 00:06:09.199 --> 00:06:10.879 A lot to you too. We have a good guest 123 00:06:10.920 --> 00:06:13.120 list for you guys today. Our first guest will be 124 00:06:13.160 --> 00:06:17.839 Howard Beck, the hippiest NBA beat rider around. Followed by Howard, 125 00:06:17.839 --> 00:06:20.000 we'll bring in Craig Bowler, Jack the TV voice to 126 00:06:20.120 --> 00:06:22.959 Utah Jazz to talk some jazz, Paul Pugmyer for the 127 00:06:23.040 --> 00:06:27.160 latest on the PGA Championship. Rory mcclroy makes Berdie and 128 00:06:27.199 --> 00:06:29.959 he's now back to even part wow. Oh yeah, you 129 00:06:30.040 --> 00:06:32.319 have thirty two on the front nine, So Rory's on 130 00:06:32.360 --> 00:06:35.639 fire all of a sudden. Brian Dunseth will preview tomorrow's 131 00:06:35.720 --> 00:06:39.000 RSL match and we'll answer the question, how does RSL 132 00:06:39.199 --> 00:06:42.959 you know score goals or maybe a goal? A goal 133 00:06:43.000 --> 00:06:45.800 would be nice. Let's start with a singular goal. One 134 00:06:45.839 --> 00:06:48.360 goal for the club tomorrow is it is the Rocky 135 00:06:48.399 --> 00:06:51.560 Mountain Cup. Then we're gonna move over to Dave mcminnamon. 136 00:06:51.720 --> 00:06:55.519 One of the celebrity NBA media members we have on 137 00:06:55.560 --> 00:06:58.480 the program. So our first guest today Howard Beck. But 138 00:06:58.720 --> 00:07:01.079 before we get to Howard, on this front afternoon, Happy 139 00:07:01.199 --> 00:07:04.000 Friday to you. It is time now for your opening tip. 140 00:07:04.839 --> 00:07:07.279 Welcome to the Drive with Spence Check its on Utah's 141 00:07:07.360 --> 00:07:10.680 number one Sports talk now into the studios of ESPN 142 00:07:10.759 --> 00:07:13.279 seven hundred to set the scene for the show. The 143 00:07:13.360 --> 00:07:15.399 opening tip of the Drive is brought to you by 144 00:07:15.439 --> 00:07:19.759 Prize Picks. Use the code ESPN seven hundred and run 145 00:07:19.800 --> 00:07:21.560 your game with Prize Picks. 146 00:07:22.759 --> 00:07:27.240 NBA Playoff Action rolling along last night in Denver at 147 00:07:27.279 --> 00:07:32.120 Ball Arena, an absolute gut check and the bell was 148 00:07:32.160 --> 00:07:34.519 answered by a team that won a championship just a 149 00:07:34.560 --> 00:07:37.439 couple of years ago. You know, they decided to move 150 00:07:37.480 --> 00:07:41.399 on from their head coach Michael Malone and coach Adaman 151 00:07:41.439 --> 00:07:44.480 doing a solid job. But that really was about the 152 00:07:44.519 --> 00:07:47.560 frontline players for Denver doing what the frontline players for 153 00:07:47.600 --> 00:07:50.360 Denver can do. The problem is they do not have 154 00:07:50.399 --> 00:07:53.600 a lot of depth. Julian Strather provided them with maybe 155 00:07:53.680 --> 00:07:56.079 the best game of his young career, certainly in the 156 00:07:56.079 --> 00:07:58.519 third and fourth quarter when they needed somebody to make shots. 157 00:07:59.360 --> 00:08:03.000 Russell Westbrook entered the game and I swear he was 158 00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:07.720 point shaving like three straight turnovers, two horrible shots, a 159 00:08:07.759 --> 00:08:11.399 three point shot that barely hit iron, and that swing 160 00:08:12.120 --> 00:08:15.319 nearly actually cost Denver the game. And Tim Legler, By 161 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:17.480 the way, Tim Legler might be the best analyst out 162 00:08:17.519 --> 00:08:21.199 there right now. He was It was really interesting to 163 00:08:21.240 --> 00:08:25.079 hear him break down those five minutes. Westbrook came in. 164 00:08:25.120 --> 00:08:26.199 I think it was the end of the first to 165 00:08:26.199 --> 00:08:28.639 early second when Denver was up double digits, and by 166 00:08:28.680 --> 00:08:31.439 the time he was done with his handiwork, the game 167 00:08:31.519 --> 00:08:34.279 was essentially tied, and then OKC actually went up and 168 00:08:34.320 --> 00:08:37.440 took the lead. It took Denver a minute to kind 169 00:08:37.440 --> 00:08:40.080 of recalibrate after Westbrook came in and truly looked like 170 00:08:40.159 --> 00:08:43.200 he was trying to get Oklahoma City to win. But 171 00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:47.159 last night, I mean Jokic was Jokic. OKC actually adjusted 172 00:08:47.159 --> 00:08:49.600 their drop coverage to take away a lot of Jokic's 173 00:08:49.639 --> 00:08:52.279 individual offense. He didn't have a ton of looks from three. 174 00:08:52.799 --> 00:08:54.919 He only took three three point shots. He did knock 175 00:08:54.919 --> 00:08:57.000 down one of them, but it left a lot of room. 176 00:08:57.080 --> 00:08:59.679 And you understand why Mark Dagnol had done that because 177 00:08:59.720 --> 00:09:03.720 Denver other players outside of Jokitchen Murray really for the 178 00:09:03.720 --> 00:09:06.600 most part, have just been unable to hit shots. Michael 179 00:09:06.600 --> 00:09:08.919 Porter Junior, at least he showed a Poltz last night. 180 00:09:09.360 --> 00:09:11.720 He has been nowhere to be found. It was not 181 00:09:11.759 --> 00:09:15.200 a great Aaron Gordon game, but Christian Brown finally knocked 182 00:09:15.200 --> 00:09:17.200 down some shots. He also had eleven boards. It was 183 00:09:17.240 --> 00:09:20.000 a really good Christian Brown game. And like I said, 184 00:09:20.399 --> 00:09:22.960 Julian Strather, that's like a twenty dollars bill in the 185 00:09:22.960 --> 00:09:26.320 back pocket of your jeans when you're doing laundry. Career 186 00:09:26.360 --> 00:09:29.159 playoff by twenty minutes, knockdown three or four. Three's had 187 00:09:29.240 --> 00:09:33.600 fifteen massive points to help Denver hold off OKC. And 188 00:09:33.639 --> 00:09:35.720 you know it's interesting. We talked to Zach Harper about 189 00:09:35.720 --> 00:09:41.679 this yesterday. Game Seven's they rule in so many different ways, 190 00:09:42.399 --> 00:09:45.519 and the crazy thing is you just never know what 191 00:09:45.720 --> 00:09:48.919 is going to happen. So there's a feel out there 192 00:09:49.000 --> 00:09:52.320 that Denver, because of their lack of depth and because 193 00:09:52.360 --> 00:09:54.240 of all of the energy they've had to exude to 194 00:09:54.480 --> 00:09:59.440 hold off this young, dynamic, fast athletic OKC team that 195 00:09:59.600 --> 00:10:02.440 guards in a way that many teams in pro basketball 196 00:10:02.480 --> 00:10:04.960 just don't, there's a feel out there the Game seven 197 00:10:05.000 --> 00:10:07.960 on Sunday could be a thirty point OKC blowout. I'd 198 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:10.480 be really interested to see where coach Adalman has in 199 00:10:10.559 --> 00:10:14.480 store to try to just temper the pace that OKAC 200 00:10:14.679 --> 00:10:16.799 tries to force you to play with, because Denver can't 201 00:10:16.799 --> 00:10:19.000 play that way. They just can't. They don't have the bodies, 202 00:10:19.480 --> 00:10:21.840 they don't have the depth. And Jokich is not a 203 00:10:21.840 --> 00:10:23.559 guy that can get out in transition. He's a guy 204 00:10:23.559 --> 00:10:26.279 that can advance the ball in transition with some incredible 205 00:10:27.039 --> 00:10:29.399 passes up the court. But outside of Aaron Gordon and 206 00:10:29.480 --> 00:10:32.519 Christian Brown, this is not a team with athletes that 207 00:10:32.559 --> 00:10:34.639 can get up and down. Now, Westbrook can provide some 208 00:10:34.679 --> 00:10:38.879 of that, but after how embarrassingly bad Westbrook was last night. 209 00:10:39.360 --> 00:10:42.440 I just wonder if they're gonna use him in just 210 00:10:42.559 --> 00:10:45.399 bit moments here there to get Jamal Murray some rest. 211 00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:48.279 Jamal Murray deserves a lot of credit. All the reports 212 00:10:48.320 --> 00:10:51.480 were he woke up extremely ill, he was vomiting, he 213 00:10:51.519 --> 00:10:54.200 was running a temperature. You could see him on the 214 00:10:54.240 --> 00:10:56.240 sideline after they took him out of the first quarter 215 00:10:56.320 --> 00:10:58.559 with his head and his towel. There were a couple 216 00:10:58.559 --> 00:11:00.240 of plays in the first half where he could not 217 00:11:00.399 --> 00:11:03.440 even run back on defense and allowed OKAC some runouts 218 00:11:03.440 --> 00:11:05.960 and some open threes. But he started the game out, 219 00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:07.879 hit some shots, came back into the second half, and 220 00:11:07.919 --> 00:11:10.240 did a really good job doing other things even outside 221 00:11:10.279 --> 00:11:13.480 of scoring. He had eight rebounds and seven assists in 222 00:11:13.519 --> 00:11:16.840 addition to his twenty five points. So Denver Nuggets, this 223 00:11:16.879 --> 00:11:19.519 is a championship team with championship medal, and they're pushing 224 00:11:19.519 --> 00:11:22.519 this young OKC team to the brink. As I've talked 225 00:11:22.559 --> 00:11:25.679 about with Oklahoma City, my only reservation with them is 226 00:11:25.759 --> 00:11:29.000 they do not have a deep playoff run together. And 227 00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:31.919 more often than not, not all the time, but in 228 00:11:32.039 --> 00:11:35.399 the ecosystem of NBA basketball, if you're gonna win a championship, 229 00:11:35.840 --> 00:11:38.519 you've gone to conference finals a couple of times before, 230 00:11:38.639 --> 00:11:42.799 like Jalen Brown, Jason Tatum five conference finals. They went 231 00:11:42.840 --> 00:11:46.519 to three conference finals before they sniffed even the NBA finals, 232 00:11:46.559 --> 00:11:49.639 and they went to four conference finals before they won 233 00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:53.600 their championship. OKC won one round last year, then they 234 00:11:53.639 --> 00:11:56.360 lost to Dallas round two. So should they go on 235 00:11:56.480 --> 00:11:58.879 to win the title, it wouldn't surprise anybody because of 236 00:11:58.919 --> 00:12:01.360 their talent and their depth in the coaching. But what 237 00:12:01.600 --> 00:12:03.679 kind of kick the trend aside that you kind of 238 00:12:03.720 --> 00:12:05.600 have to have these deep playoff runs before you win 239 00:12:05.639 --> 00:12:09.960 the thing. All right? Tonight Madison Square Garden, Midtown, Manhattan, 240 00:12:10.039 --> 00:12:13.399 the Boston Celtics, sans Jason Tatum, will try to go 241 00:12:13.399 --> 00:12:15.679 into the heart of New York City and send this 242 00:12:15.879 --> 00:12:19.600 series back to TD Garden on Sunday for Game seven. 243 00:12:19.919 --> 00:12:22.559 The New York Knicks are a two point five point 244 00:12:22.639 --> 00:12:27.320 favorite the over unders two ten, which honestly seems high. 245 00:12:27.759 --> 00:12:33.720 Game five without Tatum was pretty fascinating. And I'll go 246 00:12:33.840 --> 00:12:36.720 back to what Joe Mazzula said pregame which caught which 247 00:12:36.799 --> 00:12:39.840 really caught my attention, you know, as I as I 248 00:12:39.919 --> 00:12:43.840 reference after the show a couple couple days ago, rushed 249 00:12:43.879 --> 00:12:46.200 home so I could watch the game, and I intentionally 250 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:48.919 recorded the pregame stuff so I could listen to both coaches. 251 00:12:49.879 --> 00:12:52.080 And I would encourage you, by the way, always listen 252 00:12:52.120 --> 00:12:54.440 to coaches, and certainly the guy we have here, Will Hardy. 253 00:12:54.840 --> 00:12:57.919 If you listen to Will's postgame presser, he will give 254 00:12:57.960 --> 00:13:01.799 you information. He is a very effective communicator. He comes 255 00:13:01.799 --> 00:13:03.840 from the Popovich tree, so he thinks he's funnier than 256 00:13:03.879 --> 00:13:05.679 he is. He's not. He's a little snarky, but he 257 00:13:05.720 --> 00:13:08.360 will give you information if you're looking to learn about 258 00:13:08.399 --> 00:13:10.159 what he's trying to do with the Jazz. And when 259 00:13:10.159 --> 00:13:13.240 Missoula said we are gutted about what happened with jat 260 00:13:13.440 --> 00:13:17.200 meaning Jason Tatum, however, it opens up a schematic opportunity 261 00:13:17.200 --> 00:13:21.159 for us. What he meant after watching the game was 262 00:13:21.200 --> 00:13:23.799 simply the ability to get the ball popping and moving 263 00:13:23.960 --> 00:13:26.919 left to right, north southeast west in a way that 264 00:13:27.000 --> 00:13:29.360 at times with Tatum you don't get because he is 265 00:13:29.399 --> 00:13:31.440 a bit of a ball stopper, even though he's awesome, 266 00:13:32.200 --> 00:13:35.600 and you know, in pro basketball you actually need one, 267 00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:38.600 if not two, if not multiple guys that can be 268 00:13:38.639 --> 00:13:42.200 ball in hand offense initiators. When the shot clock breaks down, 269 00:13:42.200 --> 00:13:43.840 you got to have somebody that can go get theirs 270 00:13:43.919 --> 00:13:45.559 or get a shot for other people, and Tatum is 271 00:13:45.559 --> 00:13:49.039 great at that. But without Tatum, it was really a 272 00:13:49.080 --> 00:13:51.840 situation where they were able to share the basketball, and 273 00:13:51.879 --> 00:13:54.759 it was one of the best Jalen Brown individual playoff 274 00:13:54.759 --> 00:13:56.720 games that I'd seen. Even though Jalen Brown is your 275 00:13:56.759 --> 00:14:00.720 igning Finals MVP. It'll be interesting to see what Missoula 276 00:14:00.759 --> 00:14:02.480 does out of the gates with the starting lineup, because 277 00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:04.840 if something is not right with Porzingis, I have no 278 00:14:04.919 --> 00:14:07.639 idea what's going on with him. He had that weird 279 00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:09.440 illness that kept him out of eight games I think 280 00:14:09.480 --> 00:14:12.519 in March, then came back and looked okay here there, 281 00:14:12.559 --> 00:14:15.960 but he was so disconnected and not ready to play 282 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:19.279 in Game five that Missoula just threw Luke Cornett in, 283 00:14:19.399 --> 00:14:22.320 and Luke Cornett, you know, just gave him a career 284 00:14:22.440 --> 00:14:24.759 playoff game. It was and it will go down in 285 00:14:24.799 --> 00:14:27.960 Celtic Gloria's the Luke Cornett Game. I wonder if Cornett 286 00:14:28.039 --> 00:14:30.879 gets the start, because they're going to they're gonna bring 287 00:14:30.919 --> 00:14:33.000 Peyton Pritchard off the bench. He's the rating six Man 288 00:14:33.039 --> 00:14:35.960 of the Year. He initiates a lot of offensive sets, 289 00:14:36.679 --> 00:14:38.440 has a change of pace, ball and hand guy in 290 00:14:38.480 --> 00:14:41.240 their second unit, even though he played thirty nine minutes 291 00:14:41.279 --> 00:14:44.000 and Cornett played twenty six. If I had to guess, 292 00:14:44.039 --> 00:14:46.039 I think Porzingis goes to the bench, and I would 293 00:14:46.039 --> 00:14:48.320 not be surprised if he doesn't play at all, and 294 00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:50.679 they put Cornett in there, and that kind of neutralizes 295 00:14:50.720 --> 00:14:53.480 the Mitchell Robinson effect. And on the next side of things, 296 00:14:53.559 --> 00:14:55.679 this is about one player. In my opinion, this is 297 00:14:55.720 --> 00:14:59.159 about Jalen Brunson, and Jalen Brunson tonight has a chance 298 00:14:59.159 --> 00:15:02.080 to be a Nick legend, to be the guy in 299 00:15:02.159 --> 00:15:05.039 crunch time, the ball and hand offense initiator to send 300 00:15:05.039 --> 00:15:08.279 Boston home and send New York on to their first 301 00:15:08.399 --> 00:15:11.679 conference finals since the year two thousand. This is on Jalen. 302 00:15:12.279 --> 00:15:13.679 I say this all the time. If you're going to 303 00:15:13.720 --> 00:15:15.399 be a superstar in the NBA, this is the time 304 00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:17.879 of year you get it done. And Jalen has been 305 00:15:17.879 --> 00:15:19.799 able to get it done all year long. He's already 306 00:15:19.799 --> 00:15:23.240 proven a lot of naysayers completely incorrect who were a 307 00:15:23.240 --> 00:15:25.279 little bit skeptical that the Knicks decided to go in 308 00:15:25.320 --> 00:15:28.639 that direction in Game five. This is another tip of 309 00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:31.120 the cap to Jalen Brown. Whether this was Joe Mazzula 310 00:15:31.159 --> 00:15:33.799 or Jalen Brown himself, he said, Jalen Brown said, I've 311 00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:37.440 got Brunson and essentially had him all game long and 312 00:15:37.519 --> 00:15:39.759 did a really good job on him. Because Brunson is 313 00:15:40.080 --> 00:15:41.879 they list him at six to one, I don't know 314 00:15:41.919 --> 00:15:44.440 that he's even that, to be honest with you, I've 315 00:15:44.480 --> 00:15:46.679 met Jalen and seen Jaalen a couple of times. He 316 00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:50.440 looks like he's maybe six feet and that's with shoes, Okay, 317 00:15:50.559 --> 00:15:53.879 not without shoes, and Jalen Brown is all of six 318 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:56.919 seven sixty eight. Like when he's guarding Jalen Brunson, you 319 00:15:56.919 --> 00:16:00.159 can see that discrepancy. Just a much bigger player. And 320 00:16:00.200 --> 00:16:02.639 even if it's not Jalen Brown, Drew Holliday a great 321 00:16:02.639 --> 00:16:06.240 perimeter defender Derek White typically is, but Jalen such a 322 00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:08.519 bowl He's been able to handle Derek White in post 323 00:16:08.519 --> 00:16:10.840 situations and kind of beat him up a little bit. 324 00:16:10.919 --> 00:16:14.000 So it'll be interesting to see how this plays out tonight, 325 00:16:14.399 --> 00:16:17.240 how Tom Thibodeau handles his rotation for a team in 326 00:16:17.320 --> 00:16:20.279 Boston that simply is much deeper than what the New 327 00:16:20.360 --> 00:16:22.799 York Knicks have to offer. If we're honest, the Knicks 328 00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:25.240 are seven deep. All due respect to Cameron Payne. I 329 00:16:25.279 --> 00:16:27.879 hate the Cameron Payn minutes. I cannot stand we plays. 330 00:16:28.360 --> 00:16:30.759 It is Mitchell Robinson and Duce McBride off the bench, 331 00:16:30.799 --> 00:16:33.000 and that's really about it. This is a seven team 332 00:16:33.039 --> 00:16:35.840 that's seven deep, and Joe Mizula can go eight, nine, 333 00:16:35.960 --> 00:16:38.279 ten deep if he wants to depend on how he 334 00:16:38.320 --> 00:16:41.320 handles the Chris DAPs porzingis stuff all right? Got Craig 335 00:16:41.360 --> 00:16:44.840 Bowler Jack joining us, the TV voice of the Utah Jazz. 336 00:16:44.919 --> 00:16:47.440 We'll bump over to Paul Pugmyer for some golf as 337 00:16:47.480 --> 00:16:51.360 the PGA Championship is going on. Brian Dunseth will preview 338 00:16:51.399 --> 00:16:54.720 tomorrow's RSL match. We'll finish things off with Dave mcminnimon. 339 00:16:55.440 --> 00:16:58.679 We'll bookend the show today with two great NBA riders, 340 00:16:58.679 --> 00:17:02.799 two great NBA media memory Orange Crush because you know Nicks, 341 00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:05.200 Howard Beck, How clever is that? 342 00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:05.519 Huh? 343 00:17:05.559 --> 00:17:07.640 How impressed are you on this Friday afternoon, sir? 344 00:17:09.240 --> 00:17:09.720 Doing well? 345 00:17:09.759 --> 00:17:14.799 You managed to merge Nix and Ram and me. That's phenomenal. 346 00:17:14.799 --> 00:17:16.680 We just an incredible work on your part. 347 00:17:16.920 --> 00:17:20.000 Thank you, sir. Let's start out with this, the lottery's rigged. Okay, 348 00:17:20.039 --> 00:17:22.279 we're cheated here in Salt Lake City. What's going on? 349 00:17:23.359 --> 00:17:25.799 Jazz fall to five, Howard? And at the risk of 350 00:17:25.839 --> 00:17:29.079 insulting your intelligence, but as you know, we live in 351 00:17:29.119 --> 00:17:31.359 a day in society where if your guy doesn't win 352 00:17:31.400 --> 00:17:34.000 the election, it was stolen. If your team doesn't win 353 00:17:34.079 --> 00:17:36.920 the championship, you got had. And so we got a 354 00:17:36.960 --> 00:17:39.720 lot of folks out here that believe the NBA lottery 355 00:17:39.799 --> 00:17:42.960 is rigged. Four teams that don't necessarily need it as 356 00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:45.000 bad as we do in Salt Lake Your thoughts. 357 00:17:44.720 --> 00:17:48.880 Sir, Oh my god. 358 00:17:49.359 --> 00:17:54.359 So let's start with this. Belief is not fact. I 359 00:17:54.359 --> 00:17:56.240 don't care how strongly you believe something. I don't care 360 00:17:56.279 --> 00:17:58.400 how strong you suspect something. I don't care how strongly 361 00:17:58.480 --> 00:18:03.960 you think something seems suspicious. It's not the same as fact. 362 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:06.400 And so if anybody wants to believe, and the fact is, 363 00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:09.039 if any of your listeners right now are running around 364 00:18:09.400 --> 00:18:12.319 with this belief, I can't talk them out of it. 365 00:18:12.400 --> 00:18:15.240 So in some respects it's pointless for me to lay 366 00:18:15.240 --> 00:18:17.200 out any of this. But I will if you want 367 00:18:17.200 --> 00:18:20.200 me to. But the fact is people will believed what 368 00:18:20.240 --> 00:18:23.119 they want to believe. But let's make it very very clear. 369 00:18:23.839 --> 00:18:26.920 There is no proof that anybody has. There's no reason 370 00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:31.079 to believe this other than suspicion, and suspicion alone, as 371 00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:35.039 you have just noted alluding to some other events of 372 00:18:35.079 --> 00:18:38.960 the recent past, including an election, you don't have to 373 00:18:38.960 --> 00:18:41.119 prove anything. You can just say it with stolen an 374 00:18:41.160 --> 00:18:43.480 election was stolen and believe it, and you don't need 375 00:18:43.519 --> 00:18:45.519 any proof. So if people want to say that the 376 00:18:45.559 --> 00:18:48.039 lottery was fixed and they have no proof, and they 377 00:18:48.079 --> 00:18:51.839 have nothing but their suspicion, I can't do anything about it. 378 00:18:51.880 --> 00:18:53.799 All I can tell you is I've been in the 379 00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:55.519 lottery room twice. I was not there this year, but 380 00:18:55.559 --> 00:18:58.640 I've been in there for this exact version of the 381 00:18:58.680 --> 00:19:03.480 lottery seizure where there are all the balls that go 382 00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:06.400 in the machine, and there's a thousand combinations or one 383 00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:08.799 thousand and one combinations, and there's a guy in the 384 00:19:08.799 --> 00:19:10.880 back of the room with his back turned who every 385 00:19:11.160 --> 00:19:13.160 I think thirty seconds puts his hand up and that 386 00:19:13.240 --> 00:19:16.079 is the signal to the person running the machine to 387 00:19:16.240 --> 00:19:18.759 then hit the button that sucks up one of the balls, like, 388 00:19:20.119 --> 00:19:22.720 there's no way to fix this thing, and if there were, 389 00:19:23.519 --> 00:19:27.720 it would be a fraudulence of epic proportions. It would 390 00:19:27.960 --> 00:19:32.480 involved probably multiple felonies. And everybody who works for the 391 00:19:32.599 --> 00:19:36.440 NBA and for Ernst and Young, like global accounting and 392 00:19:36.480 --> 00:19:39.279 finance firm, they would be implicated in this. All these 393 00:19:39.279 --> 00:19:41.440 people are putting their careers and their lives on the 394 00:19:41.480 --> 00:19:45.240 line so that Cooper Flag can go to Dallas. Come on, 395 00:19:45.400 --> 00:19:48.799 people like, grow up, get a grip. This is stupid 396 00:19:49.359 --> 00:19:52.000 and the amount of ink and time that has been 397 00:19:52.079 --> 00:19:55.880 spilled and spent on it this week is astounding and 398 00:19:57.240 --> 00:20:00.559 just foolish. It's wasted. And I'll just close with a 399 00:20:00.559 --> 00:20:03.000 couple of other quick thoughts on this. When people think 400 00:20:03.039 --> 00:20:06.920 it is fixed, is it fixed by the NBA itself, 401 00:20:07.000 --> 00:20:09.480 the league office, in which case it's a fraud perpetrated 402 00:20:09.519 --> 00:20:12.119 on the thirty owners, the same people who employ Adam Silver, 403 00:20:12.279 --> 00:20:16.480 who hire and could fire Adam Silver. If the owners 404 00:20:16.519 --> 00:20:18.799 on themselves are in on it, why would they be 405 00:20:18.839 --> 00:20:20.759 in on it? Why do the other owners want to 406 00:20:20.799 --> 00:20:24.640 reward the idiocy that happened in Dallas this year where 407 00:20:24.640 --> 00:20:28.160 they gave away their franchise star. Why do the Memphis 408 00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:32.799 Grizzlies in Indianapolis, Indiana Pacers and everybody else, why do 409 00:20:32.880 --> 00:20:35.839 they want to participate in this? Why are they participating 410 00:20:35.839 --> 00:20:39.200 in a fraudulence in felonies to help the Dallas Mavericks 411 00:20:39.319 --> 00:20:42.000 get a player who, by the way, by all accounts, 412 00:20:42.079 --> 00:20:43.759 is going to be very, very good. But according to 413 00:20:43.839 --> 00:20:46.480 scouts I've talked to, they're not absolutely certain he's going 414 00:20:46.519 --> 00:20:49.720 to be a superstar. So none of this makes a 415 00:20:50.119 --> 00:20:50.720 lick of sense. 416 00:20:50.759 --> 00:20:53.599 Suspence, No, it does not. And I think you know 417 00:20:53.680 --> 00:20:55.680 me well enough to know where I fall on the 418 00:20:55.839 --> 00:21:00.440 entire thing. You know, it's literally called the lottery. I wonder, 419 00:21:00.759 --> 00:21:05.000 you know, I wonder though. So one of the interesting 420 00:21:05.039 --> 00:21:08.200 things that I've learned this week is that in twenty nineteen, 421 00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:11.960 when Commissioner Silver elected a flat in the odds, the 422 00:21:12.319 --> 00:21:15.519 vote was twenty nine to one in favor of doing so. 423 00:21:16.119 --> 00:21:19.319 The one dissenting vote was Sam Presty and Oklahoma City, 424 00:21:19.359 --> 00:21:23.359 whose point was the best way for cities like Oklahoma 425 00:21:23.400 --> 00:21:26.880 City to acquire talent is via the draft. Now there's 426 00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:29.799 a lot of irony. Six years later, we're sitting here 427 00:21:29.839 --> 00:21:32.680 watching potentially the most talented team in the league reside 428 00:21:32.720 --> 00:21:36.119 in Oklahoma City, but we do live in Salt Lake City, 429 00:21:36.440 --> 00:21:39.839 where the best and sometimes only way, not always only way, 430 00:21:39.920 --> 00:21:42.960 but sometimes only way to acquire talent is through the draft. 431 00:21:43.400 --> 00:21:46.119 So do you like the way the league does this? 432 00:21:46.240 --> 00:21:48.400 There's a lot of other ideas, like do you just 433 00:21:48.519 --> 00:21:52.000 give every team in the lottery the same odds? All 434 00:21:52.039 --> 00:21:55.039 fourteen teams have the same odds, and therefore you do 435 00:21:55.119 --> 00:21:58.799 away with any sort of tanking. Now you know, tanking, 436 00:21:58.839 --> 00:22:02.640 of course, guarantees nothing. We have six lotteries since twenty nineteen, 437 00:22:03.160 --> 00:22:05.599 and the worst team in the league has never received 438 00:22:05.599 --> 00:22:08.480 the number one overall pick. And the reality is, and 439 00:22:08.519 --> 00:22:13.200 I'll credit justin' zana Jazz, general manager the Jazz. As 440 00:22:13.240 --> 00:22:17.200 far as the lottery odds go, the percentages the Jazz 441 00:22:17.240 --> 00:22:20.759 were most likely to land four or five. Okay, so 442 00:22:20.880 --> 00:22:24.119 forty seven percent chants at five, fourteen percent chance at one. 443 00:22:24.640 --> 00:22:27.680 For all the hand ringing and you know, pearl clutching, 444 00:22:27.720 --> 00:22:30.440 the Jazz actually landed where they were most likely to land. 445 00:22:30.480 --> 00:22:33.279 But is this the best way to do this, Howard 446 00:22:33.319 --> 00:22:33.960 in your opinion? 447 00:22:35.200 --> 00:22:36.920 So ten years ago, when we were in the middle 448 00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:40.799 of the process, era sixers, and a lot of other 449 00:22:40.839 --> 00:22:44.240 teams were, you know, not as extreme, but we're practicing 450 00:22:44.480 --> 00:22:49.200 different versions of tanking. And the NBA had a problem 451 00:22:49.240 --> 00:22:51.799 on a tance. Adam Silver hated what was going on, 452 00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:54.000 absolutely hated it, and a lot of the owners did too, 453 00:22:54.240 --> 00:22:56.359 and a lot of the public did. And it's it's 454 00:22:56.559 --> 00:22:59.400 a really interesting kind of case study in the way 455 00:22:59.440 --> 00:23:01.759 we as a public react to things, because ten years ago, 456 00:23:02.319 --> 00:23:05.480 a lot of people were crying out that this system 457 00:23:05.519 --> 00:23:08.240 is unfair. You know, you should not be able to 458 00:23:08.279 --> 00:23:10.680 game the system, even though the worst record still in 459 00:23:10.720 --> 00:23:13.200 the GATCHAA twenty five percent chance at the number one pick. 460 00:23:14.440 --> 00:23:17.440 People didn't like the idea that it incentivized losing, that 461 00:23:17.480 --> 00:23:22.160 it perverted the entire enterprise because if you weren't a 462 00:23:22.160 --> 00:23:25.839 good team, then it was too alluring to just be 463 00:23:26.160 --> 00:23:30.279 really really bad for the possibility of getting a great pick. 464 00:23:30.599 --> 00:23:33.839 And so that was the consensus opinion out They're ten 465 00:23:33.920 --> 00:23:35.799 years ago, and in the wake of this week's lottery, 466 00:23:36.240 --> 00:23:38.960 I feel like everybody has flipped around to, well, this 467 00:23:39.000 --> 00:23:41.880 system's unfair and the teams that needed the most help 468 00:23:41.920 --> 00:23:45.799 aren't getting it. Well, okay, but yeah, this is the 469 00:23:45.799 --> 00:23:48.839 problem when you go to a strictly reverse order draft draft. 470 00:23:48.880 --> 00:23:51.920 If you had no lottery, then there's ultimate incentive the tank. 471 00:23:52.279 --> 00:23:54.480 So you bring in a lottery, and the first lottery 472 00:23:54.640 --> 00:23:58.319 was just you know, however, many teams in the hopper 473 00:23:58.720 --> 00:24:03.000 with an equal chance. But that wasn't the best system 474 00:24:03.039 --> 00:24:04.839 as far as the NBA was concerned. And if we 475 00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:06.680 went back to that, then you would have a different 476 00:24:06.680 --> 00:24:08.519 trigger point where teams would be opting out of the 477 00:24:08.559 --> 00:24:11.400 playoffs and the play in saying, well, if I've got 478 00:24:11.599 --> 00:24:13.680 as good a chance as the worst team in the 479 00:24:13.759 --> 00:24:16.559 league of getting the number one pick, I'm better off 480 00:24:16.720 --> 00:24:19.920 being the sixteenth best team in the league rather than 481 00:24:19.960 --> 00:24:22.519 the fourteenth best team like I or excuse me, the 482 00:24:22.519 --> 00:24:25.279 fourteenth best and wow, whatever it is. You see my point. 483 00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:27.680 I'd be better off out of the playoffs than in 484 00:24:27.680 --> 00:24:33.000 the playoffs. You don't want that either, So it's a quandary, 485 00:24:33.240 --> 00:24:36.240 and I am not I don't have any strong beliefs 486 00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:38.759 on what is the quote unquote right system, Spence. I 487 00:24:38.839 --> 00:24:41.759 don't know that there is a right system. I'm not 488 00:24:41.880 --> 00:24:45.160 particularly upset about anything that's happened in this lottery or 489 00:24:45.160 --> 00:24:46.839 the last several, but I have no rooting interest. 490 00:24:46.880 --> 00:24:48.240 So it's easy for me to say. 491 00:24:49.519 --> 00:24:53.119 There are competing objectives here clearly, and it is a 492 00:24:53.680 --> 00:24:57.119 difficult thing to manage. But I would say to the 493 00:24:57.160 --> 00:24:59.680 extent that the league is trying to discourage tanking, and yes, 494 00:24:59.720 --> 00:25:03.640 tanking still happens, including in your city. The fact is, 495 00:25:03.720 --> 00:25:07.079 when teams keep falling out of the top three, as 496 00:25:07.079 --> 00:25:09.400 it's happened a lot since the lot of odds were changed, 497 00:25:10.039 --> 00:25:12.480 that is the distancentive the tank, or it should be 498 00:25:12.799 --> 00:25:15.640 if teams don't change their behavior and still say, you 499 00:25:15.640 --> 00:25:17.960 know what, I don't care, let's just go for the 500 00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:20.759 fourteen percent chance. We'll take our chances. It's still better 501 00:25:20.799 --> 00:25:22.799 than only having a ten percent or eight percent chance. 502 00:25:23.559 --> 00:25:25.720 Maybe teams will keep doing that in perpetuity, but I 503 00:25:25.759 --> 00:25:30.519 think the collected results of the last several years should 504 00:25:30.920 --> 00:25:34.480 suggest to teams, don't do this. It's probably not going 505 00:25:34.519 --> 00:25:37.240 to pay off. You're better off just trying to be respectable. 506 00:25:38.119 --> 00:25:41.359 Yeah, And I have to wonder whether or not the 507 00:25:41.880 --> 00:25:45.680 approach for teams like the Jazz in Washington. I'll throw 508 00:25:45.799 --> 00:25:48.079 Charlotte in there, and we could throw a number of 509 00:25:48.119 --> 00:25:50.440 other teams in there through their hat in the ring. 510 00:25:50.559 --> 00:25:53.480 After certain dynamics went down, like when Ben Yama getting 511 00:25:53.559 --> 00:25:56.720 hurt or m beating Paul George being shot, well n 512 00:25:56.759 --> 00:25:59.119 be getting hurt than Paul George being shut down. Several 513 00:25:59.160 --> 00:26:04.359 teams were unseerious about winning the Jazz in Washington, probably 514 00:26:04.359 --> 00:26:06.599 the two front facing teams that were un serious all 515 00:26:06.680 --> 00:26:10.200 year long. But you know the message that Adam Silver 516 00:26:10.240 --> 00:26:12.240 and the league send in twenty nineteen is if you 517 00:26:12.400 --> 00:26:15.160 don't approach this with integrity, to put your best foot 518 00:26:15.160 --> 00:26:18.480 forward and compete, we don't believe you should be rewarded. 519 00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:20.839 In a bunch of articles making the rounds this week 520 00:26:21.319 --> 00:26:23.519 that people in the league were actually glad the Jazz 521 00:26:23.559 --> 00:26:25.440 and the Wizards did not get the number one overall 522 00:26:25.480 --> 00:26:29.079 pick and therefore be rewarded for their unseerious approach about competing. 523 00:26:29.559 --> 00:26:31.759 So do you think we see something different from pretty 524 00:26:31.799 --> 00:26:35.039 much everybody, Like, at the very least, don't make up 525 00:26:35.039 --> 00:26:38.759 injuries for lowry marketing, and when you get fined, don't 526 00:26:38.759 --> 00:26:41.440 then have Walker Kessler shoot eight threes a night, like, 527 00:26:41.559 --> 00:26:44.079 maybe put your best foot forward and try to compete. 528 00:26:44.160 --> 00:26:45.200 You think we'll actually see that. 529 00:26:46.799 --> 00:26:49.680 I don't know, Spence, I mean the very first year 530 00:26:49.799 --> 00:26:53.559 of the new format, the new lottery odds. The worst 531 00:26:53.640 --> 00:26:57.200 three teams I think all fell out that year, including 532 00:26:57.240 --> 00:27:00.279 your Knicks and or excuse me, the expelled too three. 533 00:27:00.880 --> 00:27:04.640 But they they were, yeah, they I think they had. 534 00:27:04.759 --> 00:27:05.680 Were they the worst team. 535 00:27:05.519 --> 00:27:06.119 In the league that year? 536 00:27:06.160 --> 00:27:06.400 They were? 537 00:27:07.279 --> 00:27:09.920 They were the worst, yeah, I think, And they ended 538 00:27:10.000 --> 00:27:11.599 up falling to three, So they missed out on Zion 539 00:27:11.640 --> 00:27:13.960 and John Morant, which looking back, maybe is not the 540 00:27:13.960 --> 00:27:16.720 worst thing, but still, in the very first year of 541 00:27:16.720 --> 00:27:18.640 the new odds, the team of the worst record did 542 00:27:18.640 --> 00:27:20.599 not get the top pick. They fell to three, and 543 00:27:20.640 --> 00:27:22.279 I think Cleveland might have been one of the bottom 544 00:27:22.279 --> 00:27:24.000 three and they fell back, and you know, and New 545 00:27:24.119 --> 00:27:26.759 Orleans jumped up from like tenth or ninth or whatever 546 00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:30.079 that year. So right off the bat, there was an 547 00:27:30.119 --> 00:27:33.240 indication that, ooh, you know what, this is a risky 548 00:27:33.240 --> 00:27:35.519 gambit for teams that are just trying to lose in 549 00:27:35.599 --> 00:27:38.519 order to game the system. You can't game the system, 550 00:27:39.200 --> 00:27:43.079 and that again, that should be enough to discourage tanking. 551 00:27:43.480 --> 00:27:45.960 But here we are six years later. Whatever it's been, 552 00:27:46.039 --> 00:27:49.599 and it's it, it hasn't changed behavior. The Jazz and 553 00:27:49.640 --> 00:27:52.720 the Wizards are proof of that. And you know, the 554 00:27:52.759 --> 00:27:55.400 Sixers did a different version of this right where they 555 00:27:55.400 --> 00:27:57.759 were supposed to be a great team, they you know, 556 00:27:58.039 --> 00:27:59.960 fell apart and they decided to lean in a tank 557 00:28:00.160 --> 00:28:03.119 because they owed a top six protected pick to Oklahoma, 558 00:28:03.519 --> 00:28:05.240 and so even though they weren't taking it at the 559 00:28:05.279 --> 00:28:07.440 same level or for the same purpose, they were tanking 560 00:28:07.440 --> 00:28:10.039 to protect the draft pick because they wanted to keep it. 561 00:28:10.079 --> 00:28:13.920 And they succeeded, and they even moved up. And you 562 00:28:13.920 --> 00:28:16.799 could say, well that rewarded them. Well, okay, that's a lottery. 563 00:28:16.880 --> 00:28:17.480 That's the thing. 564 00:28:17.559 --> 00:28:20.839 Like you know, at some point the you know, the 565 00:28:20.839 --> 00:28:25.359 odds don't go according to the odds. That's not the 566 00:28:25.359 --> 00:28:27.640 way it works. It's a hopper, it's it's a bunch 567 00:28:27.680 --> 00:28:30.160 of ping pong balls. They're bouncing around. We don't know 568 00:28:30.200 --> 00:28:33.759 what's going to happen. There is just luck involved here, 569 00:28:34.240 --> 00:28:37.039 including bad luck if you're the Jazz or the Wizards. 570 00:28:37.160 --> 00:28:40.160 So I think it should discourage tanking. 571 00:28:40.880 --> 00:28:41.480 It hasn't. 572 00:28:42.680 --> 00:28:44.759 I don't know what will change that. I don't know 573 00:28:44.759 --> 00:28:45.839 where the league goes from here. 574 00:28:46.319 --> 00:28:49.680 All right, let's move over to teams that are playing basketball. 575 00:28:49.799 --> 00:28:54.000 Actually before we get there, man, and I'll give Kenny 576 00:28:54.079 --> 00:28:58.279 Atkinson a lot of credit after the game where Indiana 577 00:28:58.359 --> 00:29:00.440 sent the Cavs home. I mean, he agnowed it's like, 578 00:29:01.160 --> 00:29:03.000 this is a team that simply is playing the right 579 00:29:03.079 --> 00:29:04.640 way at the right time of the year. And he said, 580 00:29:04.640 --> 00:29:07.319 they're up here and we're clearly down here. And Rick 581 00:29:07.359 --> 00:29:10.880 Carlisle with a very salient postgame pressure himself, He's like, look, 582 00:29:10.880 --> 00:29:13.240 we're just we're red hot right now. We're on fire 583 00:29:13.319 --> 00:29:16.000 right now. And you know, I don't know what this 584 00:29:16.079 --> 00:29:18.839 means for Cleveland, but it's more of a compliment to 585 00:29:18.880 --> 00:29:22.319 Indiana for just the way they fought. And you know, 586 00:29:22.440 --> 00:29:25.680 I like Tyree Saliburton. I know you've always been very 587 00:29:25.759 --> 00:29:29.599 high on him. Where is he in the ecosystem of stars, 588 00:29:29.799 --> 00:29:31.920 I don't know, but they have got a deep team 589 00:29:31.960 --> 00:29:34.240 with a bunch of perimeter players that really get down 590 00:29:34.279 --> 00:29:37.960 and guard you. Your takeaways from Indiana SENDI in Cleveland home. 591 00:29:39.880 --> 00:29:42.799 Yeah, tough for the Cavs. 592 00:29:42.839 --> 00:29:44.839 I mean, when you're a sixty plus win team, sixty 593 00:29:44.839 --> 00:29:46.640 four wins in their case, and you lose in the 594 00:29:46.640 --> 00:29:49.599 second round, that's rough. They obviously there were some injury 595 00:29:49.599 --> 00:29:54.880 issues that contributed to that, but it wasn't entirely that 596 00:29:55.240 --> 00:29:58.039 the Pacers were just better, and yeah, all the credit 597 00:29:58.039 --> 00:30:00.799 in the world to Halliburton and Siakam and Nie Smith 598 00:30:00.839 --> 00:30:02.200 and Turner and everybody else and R. 599 00:30:02.319 --> 00:30:02.799 Carlisle. 600 00:30:04.319 --> 00:30:05.759 I think people thought they were a fluke when they 601 00:30:05.799 --> 00:30:09.279 got to the conference finals last year because they, you know, 602 00:30:09.480 --> 00:30:12.240 got through some some injured teams in a week east 603 00:30:12.799 --> 00:30:16.640 And this time, I don't think you can knock this 604 00:30:16.720 --> 00:30:18.559 at all, like this is an accomplishment. This is now 605 00:30:18.599 --> 00:30:20.359 a team that's been in back to back conference finals. 606 00:30:20.799 --> 00:30:25.279 Haliburton's for real, his his you know, his overall game 607 00:30:25.480 --> 00:30:27.680 like it's it's it's just so interesting because he's he 608 00:30:27.759 --> 00:30:31.599 doesn't project as the prototypical NBA superstar, right and he's 609 00:30:31.839 --> 00:30:33.920 never really been in the running for MVP. I think 610 00:30:33.960 --> 00:30:36.000 he's gonna make thirt team All NBA this year, that's 611 00:30:36.039 --> 00:30:38.480 my best guess, but we don't know yet. We'll find out, 612 00:30:38.480 --> 00:30:42.559 I think probably next week. But you know, he hasn't 613 00:30:42.559 --> 00:30:44.480 put up monster numbers every night. He does lead the 614 00:30:44.519 --> 00:30:47.440 league an assists or is always near the lead and assists. 615 00:30:48.200 --> 00:30:51.000 He's just a guy who's got an incredible amount of 616 00:30:51.000 --> 00:30:54.480 of tragger and confidence about him. I think that that 617 00:30:55.720 --> 00:30:59.359 helps lift up the rest of his team and you know, 618 00:30:59.559 --> 00:31:02.680 his his running mate. You know the two stars. Halibert 619 00:31:02.720 --> 00:31:04.519 and Siakam are two guys that I think everybody would 620 00:31:04.519 --> 00:31:06.960 like and go, yeah, really great players, but they don't 621 00:31:07.000 --> 00:31:08.480 have a g Honest, they don't have a Luca, they 622 00:31:08.519 --> 00:31:10.160 don't have a Lebron or as Steph in their prime. 623 00:31:11.000 --> 00:31:14.400 But they they just they beat you up a little 624 00:31:14.400 --> 00:31:16.440 bit defensively, like they really get after it for a 625 00:31:16.480 --> 00:31:19.240 team that wasn't known for their defense, like Neee Smith 626 00:31:19.279 --> 00:31:23.519 and Nemhard really get after you. Turner's obviously a great 627 00:31:23.559 --> 00:31:26.839 shot blocker, and they really locked down in the playoffs. 628 00:31:26.920 --> 00:31:29.880 And then on offense, the pace is really high. They 629 00:31:29.880 --> 00:31:34.240 shoot threes at a high rate. They're they're just it's 630 00:31:34.319 --> 00:31:38.799 they're the classic ensemble where there is no one who 631 00:31:38.839 --> 00:31:43.000 leaps off the page, but collectively they're just really really good. 632 00:31:43.079 --> 00:31:45.880 And they have now you know, they've sent the Calves 633 00:31:45.920 --> 00:31:47.680 home and sent the Calves into an offseason where they've 634 00:31:47.720 --> 00:31:48.559 got a lot to think about. 635 00:31:49.079 --> 00:31:51.279 Well, stay out East before we end out this way. 636 00:31:51.519 --> 00:31:55.079 And you know, I very much love living here, but 637 00:31:55.559 --> 00:31:58.000 today's a day where I miss being home and I 638 00:31:58.039 --> 00:32:01.759 cannot imagine what Midtown Manhattan is going to look sound 639 00:32:01.759 --> 00:32:03.720 and feel like as the New York Knicks have a 640 00:32:03.799 --> 00:32:07.440 chance to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the 641 00:32:07.480 --> 00:32:10.839 first time since two thousand, where, ironically enough, they played 642 00:32:10.839 --> 00:32:13.559 the Indie Indiana Pacers. As you know, you know, Howard, 643 00:32:13.559 --> 00:32:16.000 I've been talking about this because before Game five, I 644 00:32:16.039 --> 00:32:20.119 made it a point to record the coaches Missoula and 645 00:32:20.160 --> 00:32:22.359 Thibodeau to see what they had to say before the game, 646 00:32:22.720 --> 00:32:25.519 and Missoula said something that really caught my attention. He said, 647 00:32:25.559 --> 00:32:28.559 we're gutted about what happened with JT Jason Tatum, obviously, 648 00:32:28.880 --> 00:32:32.480 but it opens up a schematic opportunity for us, and 649 00:32:32.480 --> 00:32:35.279 I went, oh, okay, interesting, And then watching the game, 650 00:32:35.400 --> 00:32:38.440 essentially what that meant is Tatum, for all of his brilliance, 651 00:32:38.519 --> 00:32:40.640 and I love Jason Tatum. He's a bit of a 652 00:32:40.640 --> 00:32:42.880 ball stopper, and he's like the only one kind of 653 00:32:42.880 --> 00:32:46.200 on that roster that is, And so the ball was moving. 654 00:32:46.279 --> 00:32:48.400 I don't know who the hell Luke Cornett thinks he is, 655 00:32:48.440 --> 00:32:51.680 but my goodness, poor Zingis is not ready for this. 656 00:32:51.759 --> 00:32:54.559 I don't know what's going on with him. So as 657 00:32:54.960 --> 00:32:59.039 somebody who's trying to objectively analyze this game, I do 658 00:32:59.359 --> 00:33:01.839 certainly believe that the Knicks have an opportunity to get 659 00:33:01.839 --> 00:33:04.200 it down a home. As somebody who has been cheering 660 00:33:04.240 --> 00:33:05.839 for this team that has let me down ever since 661 00:33:05.880 --> 00:33:08.839 I was ten, I am nervous and scared that the 662 00:33:08.839 --> 00:33:11.160 Celtics will continue to do what the Celtics are able 663 00:33:11.240 --> 00:33:13.680 to do. What do you think happens coming up in 664 00:33:13.759 --> 00:33:15.400 just a few hours in midtown Manhattan. 665 00:33:16.680 --> 00:33:18.240 I'm heading there as soon as we hang up. 666 00:33:18.400 --> 00:33:18.839 Had a guy. 667 00:33:19.880 --> 00:33:23.200 I think it's going to be utter mayhem in a 668 00:33:23.240 --> 00:33:25.480 good way, like it's just going to be bonkers there, 669 00:33:25.839 --> 00:33:29.079 which reminds me I better pack my earplugs because I 670 00:33:29.079 --> 00:33:31.519 don't want my I'm too old to start losing my 671 00:33:31.559 --> 00:33:36.720 hearings for other purposes. It's been a really interesting series, 672 00:33:36.720 --> 00:33:40.359 to say the least, and the Celtics, you know, if 673 00:33:40.400 --> 00:33:42.160 they lose this thing, there's going to be an off 674 00:33:42.160 --> 00:33:46.119 season of just serious naval gazing. And not just because 675 00:33:46.119 --> 00:33:48.599 they lost Jason Tatum for the foreseeable future and probably 676 00:33:48.599 --> 00:33:50.960 all of next season. It's also just that they kept 677 00:33:51.000 --> 00:33:54.039 blowing twenty point leads and they're clearly the team with 678 00:33:54.240 --> 00:33:57.400 the better array of talent and with the championship experience, 679 00:33:58.000 --> 00:34:00.240 and they should have never found themselves in this position, 680 00:34:00.680 --> 00:34:04.039 is certainly one way of looking at this. But credit 681 00:34:04.119 --> 00:34:06.720 all credit to the Knicks for being the team that's 682 00:34:06.720 --> 00:34:10.960 always steadier, grittier in fourth quarters, Jalen Brunson in particular. 683 00:34:12.199 --> 00:34:15.679 And here we are, it's three to two Knick's home game, 684 00:34:16.519 --> 00:34:19.800 second chance for them to close it out. They absolutely 685 00:34:19.920 --> 00:34:23.639 should given everything that we know, including the fact that 686 00:34:23.719 --> 00:34:27.599 Jason Tatum is not playing, including the fact that porzingis 687 00:34:27.800 --> 00:34:30.760 apparently still having issues with whatever the viral infection or 688 00:34:30.760 --> 00:34:33.400 whatever he had was. They said he didn't he wasn't 689 00:34:33.440 --> 00:34:35.480 breathing well the other night, like they could have used 690 00:34:35.519 --> 00:34:39.039 him in a emergency in the second half, but they 691 00:34:39.039 --> 00:34:41.280 decided not to. I don't know if you're getting another 692 00:34:41.280 --> 00:34:46.559 seven block Luke Cornett game, but the Celtics, I will 693 00:34:46.599 --> 00:34:48.320 say this, and this is the one reason why I 694 00:34:48.320 --> 00:34:50.920 think that this is going to be a true battle tonight. 695 00:34:50.960 --> 00:34:54.400 I don't know who will win, but you know, Jalen 696 00:34:54.400 --> 00:34:57.079 Brown was the finals MVP and the Conference finals MVP 697 00:34:57.360 --> 00:34:59.800 last year for a reason. Maybe he's not quite a 698 00:35:00.000 --> 00:35:03.639 Adams level, but he's just a slight bit below, but 699 00:35:03.679 --> 00:35:06.679 he's really capable of doing a lot, and sometimes it 700 00:35:06.760 --> 00:35:09.360 simplifies things for NBA teams. When you lose your star, 701 00:35:10.119 --> 00:35:14.039 it's you know, everybody, you know kind of rallies around. 702 00:35:14.079 --> 00:35:15.960 If you've still got a star, which they do in Brown. 703 00:35:16.480 --> 00:35:18.960 Now it's clear we've got to ride this guy. And 704 00:35:19.000 --> 00:35:21.920 then if that guy in Jalen Brown's case, you know, 705 00:35:22.079 --> 00:35:25.599 remembers their best principles of basketball, which is like, I've 706 00:35:25.639 --> 00:35:27.320 got lots to carry, but I can't do it alone. 707 00:35:27.599 --> 00:35:29.239 I got to make sure to leverage my teammates. I 708 00:35:29.320 --> 00:35:31.119 got to move the ball around. I've got to you know, 709 00:35:31.239 --> 00:35:32.639 draw to to the ball and pass. You know, this 710 00:35:32.760 --> 00:35:36.159 is the simple basic basketball principles, right, And you've got 711 00:35:36.159 --> 00:35:38.159 guys like Derek White and Drew Holliday who have been 712 00:35:38.199 --> 00:35:40.079 and Al Horford who have all been there and done that, 713 00:35:40.320 --> 00:35:42.199 and Peyton Pritcher who was six Man of the Year, Like, 714 00:35:42.239 --> 00:35:45.559 you have plenty of talent still, Like I actually think 715 00:35:45.880 --> 00:35:48.639 this is not a knock on the Knicks, but without Tatum, 716 00:35:48.719 --> 00:35:51.000 I don't think there's some massive talent gap between these 717 00:35:51.000 --> 00:35:54.480 two teams. Because Jalen Brown's that good, and because Karl 718 00:35:54.480 --> 00:35:58.159 Anthony Towns is that unreliable, and because The Celtics have 719 00:35:58.159 --> 00:36:00.400 a bunch of guys who, if they haven't been, you know, 720 00:36:00.519 --> 00:36:04.159 all stars are at least like right there a cut 721 00:36:04.159 --> 00:36:06.400 below it, Like Drew Holliday could have been. He's been 722 00:36:06.400 --> 00:36:07.639 an All Star I think once he could have been 723 00:36:07.679 --> 00:36:11.320 multiple times. Derek White could have been multiple times. They 724 00:36:11.320 --> 00:36:14.079 have that kind of talent. But they've played roles because 725 00:36:14.119 --> 00:36:16.840 that's what they needed to do and that's how they're built. 726 00:36:16.920 --> 00:36:19.039 So I think this selfis have a real chance to 727 00:36:19.039 --> 00:36:20.960 win this and send it back to Boston for a 728 00:36:21.000 --> 00:36:24.840 Game seven. I think what I would expect is the 729 00:36:24.920 --> 00:36:29.039 Knicks to close it out. But in this postseason, I'm 730 00:36:29.119 --> 00:36:32.199 through trying to figure out anything. 731 00:36:33.400 --> 00:36:36.079 Yeah, and that's what's made it so fun. I will 732 00:36:36.079 --> 00:36:37.639 give you credit though, and I gave you credit on 733 00:36:37.679 --> 00:36:39.280 the show the other day. With a couple of weeks 734 00:36:39.360 --> 00:36:42.639 left in the regular season, you know, when OKC started 735 00:36:42.639 --> 00:36:46.159 to establish themselves as like historically good with the net 736 00:36:46.239 --> 00:36:49.360 and just to simply win loss record, we would revisit 737 00:36:49.360 --> 00:36:51.400 this every week. I'm like, who's keeping Mark Dagnold up 738 00:36:51.400 --> 00:36:53.639 at night? And at what point you said we should 739 00:36:53.679 --> 00:36:56.519 keep an eye on Minnesota. Now, of course, Stephan goes 740 00:36:56.559 --> 00:36:59.480 down and you know, for as connected as Boston looks 741 00:36:59.559 --> 00:37:03.639 during Game five without Tatum, the Warriors are just screwed 742 00:37:03.719 --> 00:37:07.079 without Steph. I mean, it changes everything. I was kind 743 00:37:07.079 --> 00:37:09.000 of waiting to see a Jimmy Butler from a couple 744 00:37:09.039 --> 00:37:12.119 of years ago, playoff Jimmy that carried Miami to the finals. 745 00:37:12.480 --> 00:37:14.320 We never really saw that. And I don't know how 746 00:37:14.360 --> 00:37:16.440 much of that has to do with the injury Jimmy 747 00:37:16.440 --> 00:37:17.840 picked up. I don't know how much of that has 748 00:37:17.920 --> 00:37:21.400 to do with all the big, strong wings Minnesota has, 749 00:37:21.480 --> 00:37:23.800 but they dispatched the Warriors in five. What do you 750 00:37:23.840 --> 00:37:24.239 make of it? 751 00:37:26.960 --> 00:37:29.719 You know, the Timberwolves, they they did start out the 752 00:37:29.719 --> 00:37:34.639 season shaky, right. Randal didn't seem to quite fit. Devincenzo, 753 00:37:34.679 --> 00:37:36.480 who you know, both of those guys came over in 754 00:37:36.480 --> 00:37:38.480 the tent and the cat trade with the Knicks. Devincenzo 755 00:37:38.559 --> 00:37:40.800 didn't quite seem, you know, the same. I don't know 756 00:37:40.880 --> 00:37:43.320 if that was just like, you know, the heartbreak over 757 00:37:43.360 --> 00:37:46.599 losing his Villanova buddies. As we've seen in the commercials. 758 00:37:47.000 --> 00:37:48.639 It took them a while to get going, but the 759 00:37:48.719 --> 00:37:51.599 talent was always there. And like Julius Randall, you know 760 00:37:51.639 --> 00:37:54.360 this as a Knicks fan like, he's a very frustrating 761 00:37:54.360 --> 00:37:56.840 player at times like high highs and low lows, and 762 00:37:56.840 --> 00:37:58.840 he can be a ball stopper. By the time we 763 00:37:58.960 --> 00:38:01.320 got to the end part of the season, it seemed 764 00:38:01.320 --> 00:38:03.719 like he had really found his place with them not 765 00:38:03.840 --> 00:38:05.960 forcing it and certainly in the playoffs, like Julius Randall's 766 00:38:05.960 --> 00:38:10.280 been fantastic for them, And so you know, we already 767 00:38:10.320 --> 00:38:13.199 knew they had great wing defenders McDaniels and Nick Kayle, 768 00:38:13.199 --> 00:38:16.239 Alexander Walker and Anthony Edwards himself can be, you know, 769 00:38:16.320 --> 00:38:18.760 great defender on the perimeter, like they had all the 770 00:38:18.760 --> 00:38:21.719 requisite stuff. I think we just weren't sure what to 771 00:38:21.760 --> 00:38:25.000 make of them after swapping Towns for Randall and Evincenzo, 772 00:38:25.719 --> 00:38:29.239 and because they had a rough start. They did beat 773 00:38:29.760 --> 00:38:32.119 a more than wounded Warriors team, Like you know, there 774 00:38:32.119 --> 00:38:33.559 are a lot of teams would have beat the Warriors 775 00:38:33.599 --> 00:38:37.960 without Steph. The Rockets would have beaten the Warriors without Steph. 776 00:38:38.800 --> 00:38:40.519 So you know, you don't place a ton on that. 777 00:38:40.559 --> 00:38:43.519 But Minnesota earned their way here, just as I was 778 00:38:43.559 --> 00:38:45.880 saying with Indiana and and again Minnesota was in the 779 00:38:45.920 --> 00:38:47.719 conference finals a year ago, and that they're doing it 780 00:38:47.760 --> 00:38:50.480 now with a different core, you know, I mean, same 781 00:38:50.960 --> 00:38:55.400 basic group, but you know those were significant changes. Is 782 00:38:55.400 --> 00:38:58.199 a real testament to them and to their coach Chris Finch, 783 00:38:58.840 --> 00:39:02.320 and whoever they get, Oklahoma or Denver, we'll find out 784 00:39:02.320 --> 00:39:05.920 after that game seven. You know, Minnesota's gonna give him 785 00:39:05.920 --> 00:39:07.920 a tough time. Like it's like the conference finals in 786 00:39:07.920 --> 00:39:10.760 the West. I would be shocked if it were any 787 00:39:10.800 --> 00:39:12.639 fewer than six games, and it's not going to surprise 788 00:39:12.639 --> 00:39:14.360 me if it goes seven, no matter who they draw. 789 00:39:14.880 --> 00:39:17.079 All right, Finally, before I say you lose, you know 790 00:39:18.159 --> 00:39:23.079 my only like reservation about just anointing OKC because when 791 00:39:23.119 --> 00:39:26.039 they're when they're playing, when they're playing peak, when they're 792 00:39:26.079 --> 00:39:28.840 hitting their ceiling, it looks different than I think maybe 793 00:39:28.880 --> 00:39:32.559 every team outside of a fully healthy Boston Celtic team. 794 00:39:32.599 --> 00:39:34.800 I mean, it was interesting all year long. It's like, 795 00:39:34.880 --> 00:39:36.960 are we over analyzing this? Is it just going to 796 00:39:37.000 --> 00:39:40.039 be thunder Celtics. Then, of course, you never know. Injuries happen. 797 00:39:40.639 --> 00:39:43.199 And I give Denver a lot of credit for showing 798 00:39:43.239 --> 00:39:46.559 some championship medal. I thought Russell Westbrook was trying to 799 00:39:46.599 --> 00:39:48.480 point shave last night when he came in. I mean, 800 00:39:48.519 --> 00:39:53.719 Denver overcomes what appeared to be just a intentional sabotaging 801 00:39:53.719 --> 00:39:55.920 of that game, and we get a Game seven. It's 802 00:39:55.920 --> 00:39:58.840 in Oklahoma City. I will not ride off a team 803 00:39:58.880 --> 00:40:01.400 with Nikola Jokic, but I wonder what you make of 804 00:40:01.440 --> 00:40:03.760 what we've seen so far and your thoughts on of 805 00:40:03.840 --> 00:40:07.159 exciting games having come Sunday. 806 00:40:07.280 --> 00:40:10.639 I mean, it's going to be just that that game 807 00:40:10.679 --> 00:40:13.239 is going to be incredibly intense here. I mean, the 808 00:40:13.280 --> 00:40:16.519 thunder a fifty eight win team that have been the 809 00:40:16.599 --> 00:40:19.280 young up and comer for the last two years, and 810 00:40:19.519 --> 00:40:21.280 you know, this is the first season that they've really 811 00:40:21.360 --> 00:40:25.039 made a run, and they're they're you know, they're they're 812 00:40:25.079 --> 00:40:27.239 this close to the conference finals where they're supposed to be, 813 00:40:27.239 --> 00:40:29.199 and it's such a massive letdown if they don't get there. 814 00:40:29.199 --> 00:40:31.559 And the Nuggets have been written off I don't know 815 00:40:31.599 --> 00:40:33.039 how many times in the last couple of years since 816 00:40:33.039 --> 00:40:35.400 they won the championship, and they've they've lost players, they 817 00:40:35.519 --> 00:40:37.519 fired their coach, they fired their GM and yet here 818 00:40:37.559 --> 00:40:40.800 they are in the verge of the conference finals, and 819 00:40:40.840 --> 00:40:42.960 we've got the two MVP candidates going against each other, 820 00:40:43.039 --> 00:40:46.239 still waiting for that announcement from the NBA it's gonna 821 00:40:46.239 --> 00:40:49.800 be awesome. The game is gonna be awesome. The thunderneath 822 00:40:49.840 --> 00:40:53.239 Jalen Williams, you know, the guard Jason Williams, or the 823 00:40:53.280 --> 00:40:56.000 guard forward Jason Williams, not the taller one. They need 824 00:40:56.119 --> 00:40:58.239 him to come through. He's obviously had a bit of 825 00:40:58.280 --> 00:41:02.079 a shaky series. On the Nuggets side of it, you know, 826 00:41:02.119 --> 00:41:05.320 there's the roller coaster that is Russell Westbrook because you 827 00:41:05.480 --> 00:41:07.559 just never know. He can shoot you in and shoot 828 00:41:07.599 --> 00:41:11.079 you out of a game, and their rotations not particularly deep. 829 00:41:11.159 --> 00:41:13.119 Julian Straw the great game last night, but can he 830 00:41:13.199 --> 00:41:16.840 repeat it? That's that's you know, they may need it. 831 00:41:17.800 --> 00:41:19.880 And there's one thing to flag. There's one other thing 832 00:41:19.880 --> 00:41:21.639 to flag on the Nugget's side, which is that late 833 00:41:21.679 --> 00:41:23.639 in the game, there was a point where it looked 834 00:41:23.679 --> 00:41:26.639 like Aaron Gordon might have pulled his hamstring and was 835 00:41:26.679 --> 00:41:29.119 he was, He was rubbing it, went out, came you know, 836 00:41:29.159 --> 00:41:31.280 went to the bench, came back in, finished the game. 837 00:41:31.920 --> 00:41:36.000 But I'm just putting a little flag there because I 838 00:41:36.039 --> 00:41:39.320 don't I don't know what that might mean. Right, we 839 00:41:39.360 --> 00:41:42.840 haven't heard anything. I'm not saying, you know, he's not 840 00:41:42.880 --> 00:41:45.760 gonna playsunder or anything. I'm just that kind of thing 841 00:41:45.840 --> 00:41:48.239 is concerning this deep in a playoff series, because if 842 00:41:48.239 --> 00:41:50.599 he's at all limited or for some reason, if it's 843 00:41:50.599 --> 00:41:54.039 if if it's really a pull and he can't play, obviously, 844 00:41:54.039 --> 00:41:55.760 like the Nuggets have no room for error, they. 845 00:41:55.599 --> 00:41:56.599 Have no depths. 846 00:41:56.920 --> 00:41:59.920 But Game seven should be just be incredible. 847 00:42:00.480 --> 00:42:02.119 All right, my friend, Well, I know you got to 848 00:42:02.159 --> 00:42:04.760 battle some some Midtown traffic, so I'll set you loose. 849 00:42:04.880 --> 00:42:06.679 Enjoy that game, and I appreciate the time. Man, have 850 00:42:06.679 --> 00:42:07.199 a good weekend. 851 00:42:07.239 --> 00:42:09.320 Okay, thanks man. 852 00:42:09.480 --> 00:42:13.480 Howard Beck from The Ringer, formerly of The New York Times, 853 00:42:13.480 --> 00:42:18.280 Fake News, LA Times Sports Illustrated one of my favorite 854 00:42:18.360 --> 00:42:20.960 NBA riders for like thirty years. Appreciate his time today 855 00:42:20.960 --> 00:42:23.280 on the program. And that has brought to you by 856 00:42:23.280 --> 00:42:26.559 friends at IFA Country Stores. When the season, when the 857 00:42:26.599 --> 00:42:28.880 seasons change, if you're like any good coach, you'll put 858 00:42:28.880 --> 00:42:31.480 together your game plan for a healthy green lawn and 859 00:42:31.599 --> 00:42:33.880 you'll turn to the experts at IFA. Check out their 860 00:42:33.880 --> 00:42:36.960 four plus lawn care program everything you need to make 861 00:42:37.000 --> 00:42:39.920 your already hit. It's the ultimate lawn owner power move 862 00:42:40.000 --> 00:42:44.639 at IFA. At IFA Dot co Op NBA Playoffs roll 863 00:42:44.679 --> 00:42:49.000 along tonight, Midtown Manhattan is the scene. It's gonna be chaos, 864 00:42:49.079 --> 00:42:52.880 probably already is. It'll be six o'clock mountain time. The 865 00:42:52.920 --> 00:42:54.880 New York Knicks will try to advance to the Eastern 866 00:42:54.880 --> 00:42:57.960 Conference Finals for the first time since the year two thousand, 867 00:42:58.840 --> 00:43:01.639 when they played the Hat of Pacers, who, ironically enough, 868 00:43:01.679 --> 00:43:05.599 are awaiting the winner of Next of Nick Celtics. All right, 869 00:43:05.840 --> 00:43:08.000 big day for our next guest. I understand that Craig 870 00:43:08.440 --> 00:43:12.760 Bowler Jack is turning forty five years old today, on 871 00:43:12.760 --> 00:43:16.199 this Friday afternoon. Bowler, Happy birthday, sir. How are we doing? 872 00:43:16.320 --> 00:43:17.079 Thank you, buddy. 873 00:43:17.360 --> 00:43:21.679 Hey, you know that's a nice that's a nice birthday. 874 00:43:21.719 --> 00:43:25.880 President there, pal, I got allergies. Is spring summertime. But 875 00:43:25.960 --> 00:43:28.440 other than that, I'm good. Yeah, forty you're off a 876 00:43:28.559 --> 00:43:30.000 year forty four. 877 00:43:30.199 --> 00:43:32.840 Oh my bad, my bad. Well you don't look a 878 00:43:32.960 --> 00:43:35.519 day over forty. My friend, you've taken good care of yourself. 879 00:43:35.559 --> 00:43:38.000 So happy birthday, Craig, from all of us to all 880 00:43:38.000 --> 00:43:38.199 to you. 881 00:43:38.280 --> 00:43:41.000 Okay, appreciate that, appreciate it. 882 00:43:41.039 --> 00:43:43.719 We got any plans tonight? What do we got going on? 883 00:43:43.760 --> 00:43:45.119 What do we got cooking for the birthday? 884 00:43:45.320 --> 00:43:47.599 I tell you, I'll be honest, man kind of laying 885 00:43:47.679 --> 00:43:51.800 low of families everywhere this way and that may do 886 00:43:51.920 --> 00:43:55.639 something Sunday, but I know I'm gonna be watching some basketball. 887 00:43:55.719 --> 00:44:01.199 I'll tell you that I've loved the playoffs incredible. I 888 00:44:01.320 --> 00:44:07.320 like the physicality, the comebacks leads me nothing. Free throws 889 00:44:07.400 --> 00:44:10.559 last night and a lot for Denver and tonight. You 890 00:44:10.719 --> 00:44:11.280 just said it. 891 00:44:12.800 --> 00:44:13.199 I don't know. 892 00:44:13.239 --> 00:44:16.639 What do you think? Twenty five years since the Pacers 893 00:44:16.639 --> 00:44:19.199 in the Knicks met in the conference final? 894 00:44:19.719 --> 00:44:20.159 Interesting? 895 00:44:20.239 --> 00:44:25.159 Huh yeah? Very interesting? And as an unbiased basketball observer, 896 00:44:25.239 --> 00:44:27.000 I think the Knicks probably get it done. As a 897 00:44:27.000 --> 00:44:29.760 longtime Nick fan, as this team has led me down 898 00:44:30.000 --> 00:44:32.199 year after years since I was ten years old, I'm 899 00:44:32.320 --> 00:44:32.920 very nervous. 900 00:44:32.920 --> 00:44:37.119 Craig, Yeah, you're not alone. I'm sure you know it's 901 00:44:37.119 --> 00:44:42.199 crazy and that New York just had that something happened. 902 00:44:42.400 --> 00:44:45.280 And you know better than I do that the no 903 00:44:45.480 --> 00:44:48.960 fan ever felt like it was in the bag. You know, 904 00:44:49.199 --> 00:44:54.320 so many disappointments. They're involved in another interesting draft night, 905 00:44:55.199 --> 00:44:58.239 you know scenario that Patrick Ewing came to the Knicks 906 00:44:58.639 --> 00:45:03.400 on what was to allegedly a frozen or a bit 907 00:45:03.599 --> 00:45:08.719 frozen draft card. If I'm not mistaken, It's been a 908 00:45:08.719 --> 00:45:11.039 while run Man a lot of a lot of basketball, 909 00:45:11.079 --> 00:45:13.239 a lot of players, a lot of have come and gone, 910 00:45:13.280 --> 00:45:17.079 but to what a pretty good team. I think with 911 00:45:17.239 --> 00:45:19.920 Tatum out, this has got to go w Man at 912 00:45:19.960 --> 00:45:23.679 the Garden, I would think. But we've been proven wrong before. 913 00:45:23.800 --> 00:45:25.920 Yeah, I hope you're right. And since you brought up 914 00:45:26.679 --> 00:45:30.960 lottery and draft day malfeasance and things that are questioned 915 00:45:30.960 --> 00:45:33.719 by the general public, I just got to know, Craig, 916 00:45:33.920 --> 00:45:36.199 where were you and what was your reaction when you 917 00:45:36.239 --> 00:45:38.920 saw Mark Tatum pull out the envelope and the Jazz 918 00:45:38.920 --> 00:45:40.360 were set to draft at five? 919 00:45:41.480 --> 00:45:42.679 You know what? On a story. 920 00:45:42.800 --> 00:45:45.000 I walked in my office, so I'm just going to 921 00:45:45.039 --> 00:45:48.440 shut the door and watch this. So you know, if 922 00:45:48.440 --> 00:45:50.320 I want to say yeah, I can, or if I 923 00:45:50.320 --> 00:45:55.000 want to go damn, I can't, you know. I I 924 00:45:55.159 --> 00:45:59.000 just sit there, put my hands and you know, underneath 925 00:45:59.039 --> 00:46:00.400 my chin, I said, all right, let's. 926 00:46:00.239 --> 00:46:01.000 See what happens. 927 00:46:01.559 --> 00:46:04.920 And my gut was rolling and I thought I got 928 00:46:04.960 --> 00:46:08.400 a feeling after all the talk and all the numbers 929 00:46:08.440 --> 00:46:11.800 and you know, all the percentages that the five spot's 930 00:46:11.840 --> 00:46:13.840 going to be the Jazz, and it just rolled up 931 00:46:13.840 --> 00:46:17.920 and there it was, and I just stared and thought, wow, 932 00:46:18.639 --> 00:46:22.880 how does that happen? And then I got up and 933 00:46:23.599 --> 00:46:26.639 told the wife and said let's go have dinner because 934 00:46:26.639 --> 00:46:28.800 I wasn't going to sit around here and just you know, 935 00:46:29.599 --> 00:46:34.079 hit my head against the wall. You know, seventeen win season, 936 00:46:34.199 --> 00:46:39.199 worse than Jazz franchise history. Dallas trades away Luca in 937 00:46:39.239 --> 00:46:44.519 the dark of night, Kyrie blows an acl fans nearly 938 00:46:44.639 --> 00:46:48.760 riot in Dallas fence, as you know, and they end 939 00:46:48.840 --> 00:46:51.719 up getting number one, and the Jazz dropped down, you know, 940 00:46:52.039 --> 00:46:57.199 to number five. It just doesn't make sense. But in 941 00:46:57.199 --> 00:47:01.800 a way nothing does. You take a chance when you alleged, 942 00:47:02.039 --> 00:47:05.920 or you go the tank position, you know, let's tank it. 943 00:47:06.280 --> 00:47:08.800 And what's interesting, two spents. All three of the teams 944 00:47:09.840 --> 00:47:12.119 that had the first the top three worst records in 945 00:47:12.119 --> 00:47:15.480 the league all fell back in this in this in 946 00:47:15.559 --> 00:47:19.039 this draft selection. And I find that intriguing. If there 947 00:47:19.079 --> 00:47:21.679 is a lesson learned, you just go play, you know. 948 00:47:21.800 --> 00:47:25.079 I'm I'm like you, I'm old school, and I just 949 00:47:25.119 --> 00:47:27.320 think you go play and just do what you can 950 00:47:27.400 --> 00:47:30.159 with what's given. But you know, you take a chance, 951 00:47:30.199 --> 00:47:32.280 you roll the dice, and you come up empty. Now 952 00:47:32.320 --> 00:47:34.440 you have to wait and see what the next the 953 00:47:34.480 --> 00:47:36.440 next step, the next direction is for the Jazz. 954 00:47:36.960 --> 00:47:40.239 Yeah, and you know, the good news is that in 955 00:47:40.440 --> 00:47:43.000 a way, not the way that we were all hoping 956 00:47:43.039 --> 00:47:45.039 it would work out, but in a way it did 957 00:47:45.079 --> 00:47:47.840 work out because as the worst team in the league, 958 00:47:48.119 --> 00:47:51.679 you are guaranteed the top five pick, so it you know. So, 959 00:47:51.679 --> 00:47:54.039 so the point of what they did this year certainly 960 00:47:54.280 --> 00:47:57.280 was probably twofold and one was to have the best 961 00:47:57.360 --> 00:48:00.760 chance possible at getting number one overall. But the other 962 00:48:00.840 --> 00:48:03.559 point of it was to not fall past five because 963 00:48:03.559 --> 00:48:06.920 the top five pick Craig is very valuable in every 964 00:48:06.960 --> 00:48:09.440 single draft, and it's going to be valuable in this draft. 965 00:48:09.440 --> 00:48:11.320 So the bottom line is they're still going to get 966 00:48:11.320 --> 00:48:13.800 a really good player at five if they stay at five. 967 00:48:14.199 --> 00:48:17.480 My question to you is are you hearing anything about 968 00:48:17.480 --> 00:48:19.599 where their heads are at, because we've heard a couple 969 00:48:19.639 --> 00:48:22.559 of reports over the past twenty four hours that they're 970 00:48:22.639 --> 00:48:25.639 still going to be bold to try to do something 971 00:48:25.719 --> 00:48:28.239 to up the bottom line of this team, and to me, 972 00:48:28.679 --> 00:48:31.320 that indicates maybe stand at five is not on the 973 00:48:31.360 --> 00:48:34.920 table because san Antonio has to look at moving too. Now. 974 00:48:34.960 --> 00:48:38.639 The problem is there's a Yiannis component out there there's 975 00:48:38.679 --> 00:48:42.679 a durant component out there. What does Boston's new ownership 976 00:48:42.719 --> 00:48:45.599 group do with a luxury tax bill of five hundred 977 00:48:45.800 --> 00:48:49.360 million dollars next year? Maybe is Jalen Brown available? So 978 00:48:49.360 --> 00:48:52.079 if you're San Antonio, you probably have a lot of options. 979 00:48:52.519 --> 00:48:55.199 But any insider intel as to where the head of 980 00:48:55.320 --> 00:48:57.639 Danny Ainge is the head of Justin Zanik is what 981 00:48:57.679 --> 00:48:58.800 you think the approach will be? 982 00:49:00.079 --> 00:49:02.320 You know, Spence, I wish I had an answer for 983 00:49:02.360 --> 00:49:04.679 you of yes, this is what direction they are, but 984 00:49:04.760 --> 00:49:09.679 no quiet. From what I know, you can speculate and 985 00:49:09.800 --> 00:49:14.239 there's options, and that's a good thing. Look, the Jazz 986 00:49:14.280 --> 00:49:18.199 collected draft picks for a reason, and that was to bargain, 987 00:49:18.880 --> 00:49:22.039 and right now it's probably the most opportunistic time for 988 00:49:22.119 --> 00:49:25.599 them to have these picks in their pocket. And how 989 00:49:25.599 --> 00:49:27.800 do they use them? I mean, this is where Danny's 990 00:49:27.800 --> 00:49:31.199 expertise is going to have to come through on what 991 00:49:31.280 --> 00:49:35.039 he did in Boston in prior years. And you know, 992 00:49:35.280 --> 00:49:36.920 Jazz fans are going to have to sit back and 993 00:49:36.960 --> 00:49:41.119 go that worked or it didn't. But you're right, the 994 00:49:41.159 --> 00:49:44.960 five spot still gives you a player that you can 995 00:49:45.039 --> 00:49:47.639 slide in. But I don't think that's where the Jazz 996 00:49:47.840 --> 00:49:52.320 are ever thinking personally. I mean, all indications were, you know, 997 00:49:52.360 --> 00:49:56.320 it's Cooper, it's Cooper, it's Cooper. If Harper's there, and 998 00:49:57.280 --> 00:50:01.360 by chance it goes too, that's a possibility and. 999 00:50:01.280 --> 00:50:02.079 Will survive it. 1000 00:50:02.960 --> 00:50:08.079 But I think this is an opportunity this summer where 1001 00:50:08.119 --> 00:50:10.159 the Jazz can do a lot of things. They can 1002 00:50:10.199 --> 00:50:15.719 move players, they can decide to stay young and and 1003 00:50:15.840 --> 00:50:20.599 rinse and repeat, which I think would be a bold decision. 1004 00:50:20.760 --> 00:50:26.719 Knowing that downtown is being re energized with a billion 1005 00:50:26.840 --> 00:50:31.920 dollars in change, the three year project to give the 1006 00:50:31.920 --> 00:50:35.920 Delta Center a facelook for hockey, and the Jazz is 1007 00:50:36.000 --> 00:50:40.280 right in front of us. They're underway now, and you know, 1008 00:50:40.440 --> 00:50:42.400 the Olympics around the corner, and you also have a 1009 00:50:42.400 --> 00:50:45.920 new competitor in town and Ryan Smith owns that team. 1010 00:50:46.000 --> 00:50:48.760 It's it's you know, what was the Utah Hockey Club 1011 00:50:49.559 --> 00:50:52.440 but the Utah Mammoth. And you know, I think that's 1012 00:50:52.440 --> 00:50:55.920 the most intriguing thing for me, Spence. You know, it's 1013 00:50:56.079 --> 00:51:00.239 how do you handle, you know, to have both teams 1014 00:51:00.280 --> 00:51:06.320 financially fiscal and making money and getting return on the investment, 1015 00:51:06.800 --> 00:51:10.039 but also is there enough advertising dollar to go around. 1016 00:51:10.119 --> 00:51:13.840 Does someone peel off to join hockey that was a 1017 00:51:13.920 --> 00:51:17.639 Jazz fan. That's interesting to me because this has never 1018 00:51:17.719 --> 00:51:21.760 really happened ever in Utah. You know, sports is to 1019 00:51:21.880 --> 00:51:25.320 have that type of competition, and they own the fourth pick. 1020 00:51:25.760 --> 00:51:29.599 Letty Luck shine down on the Mammoth, unlike the Jazz. 1021 00:51:29.639 --> 00:51:32.360 So I think had some of the most intriguing conversation 1022 00:51:32.480 --> 00:51:35.280 over the next month and a half on how this 1023 00:51:35.360 --> 00:51:39.320 plays out. And you know how aggressive Danny and Justin 1024 00:51:40.079 --> 00:51:43.480 and Ryan truly are going to be. And you brought 1025 00:51:43.559 --> 00:51:46.559 up some names that are gonna move. You know, injuries 1026 00:51:46.559 --> 00:51:49.000 are going to force it. You know, in Boston that's 1027 00:51:49.039 --> 00:51:53.599 kind of a quiet, unknown, big story because new ownership. 1028 00:51:54.159 --> 00:51:56.760 I got a college buddy of mine who had some 1029 00:51:57.719 --> 00:52:03.920 interest in financial interest and investment in Boston, and you 1030 00:52:03.960 --> 00:52:06.480 know we've talked a little bit about you know, he's 1031 00:52:06.599 --> 00:52:08.960 very quiet on the up and up. But yeah, it's 1032 00:52:09.039 --> 00:52:12.119 it's they're interested in Boston about what the changes will be. 1033 00:52:12.159 --> 00:52:17.320 And now it's been accelerated with the Achilles tear to 1034 00:52:17.440 --> 00:52:20.920 Jason Tatum, right, they may have to make a move 1035 00:52:20.960 --> 00:52:24.360 quicker than they may have thought and maybe not play 1036 00:52:24.360 --> 00:52:28.800 this again. Maybe won't play it forward. So, man, there's 1037 00:52:28.840 --> 00:52:30.920 a lot of stuff going down. What do the Lakers do? 1038 00:52:31.239 --> 00:52:36.199 What about Lebron? What about Phoenix? What about Steph Golden 1039 00:52:36.199 --> 00:52:41.039 State's era of greatness? Man, it's it's interesting in Milwaukee 1040 00:52:41.079 --> 00:52:44.719 again with Dame Lillard's achilles, that puts him kind of 1041 00:52:44.719 --> 00:52:46.840 in the driver's seat on what he wants to do 1042 00:52:46.920 --> 00:52:49.159 and how how this may play out for not only 1043 00:52:49.400 --> 00:52:53.119 the Bucks, for multiple teams though around the league, East 1044 00:52:53.199 --> 00:52:53.719 and West. 1045 00:52:54.440 --> 00:52:57.159 All right, Craig, are you ready for my trade idea? 1046 00:52:58.320 --> 00:52:58.760 Let's do it. 1047 00:52:58.800 --> 00:53:01.360 I'm gonna throw this at you. And let's remind the 1048 00:53:01.480 --> 00:53:04.760 listening audience that Craig Bowler Jack is an employee of 1049 00:53:04.760 --> 00:53:07.000 the Utah Jazz, so he needs to be careful about 1050 00:53:07.039 --> 00:53:10.639 what he says. And we all understand that Patrick Dumont, 1051 00:53:10.719 --> 00:53:13.400 owner of the Dallas Mavericks, has said, we are keeping 1052 00:53:13.440 --> 00:53:16.199 one and we are drafting Cooper Flag. So no, Nico, 1053 00:53:16.280 --> 00:53:18.039 you can't trade it. Get out of the room. That's 1054 00:53:18.039 --> 00:53:21.400 what we're doing. So one is off the board, Craig. 1055 00:53:21.440 --> 00:53:23.920 So let's move over to two, where the San Antonio 1056 00:53:24.039 --> 00:53:26.920 Spurs find themselves in an interesting spot because they made 1057 00:53:26.960 --> 00:53:29.679 the trade for Daron Fox, and they have the reigning 1058 00:53:29.760 --> 00:53:31.719 rookie of the Year in Stefan Castle. So if the 1059 00:53:31.760 --> 00:53:34.840 second best player in this draft is Dylan Harper, the 1060 00:53:34.920 --> 00:53:38.559 reality is there's a lot of redundancy on San Antonio's roster. 1061 00:53:38.800 --> 00:53:42.079 So what if you call san Antonio and you say, 1062 00:53:42.159 --> 00:53:46.480 send us two, Okay, send us two, and then send 1063 00:53:46.559 --> 00:53:49.360 us fourteen. They've got two lottery picks, Send us two 1064 00:53:49.360 --> 00:53:53.760 and fourteen, Send us Keldon Johnson and Harrison Barnes. We're 1065 00:53:53.800 --> 00:53:56.400 gonna send you five, and we're gonna send you marketing. 1066 00:53:57.079 --> 00:54:00.000 Lowry marketing the number five pick for the number two pick, 1067 00:54:00.039 --> 00:54:02.440 the number fourteen pick in exchange for Harrison Barnes and 1068 00:54:02.480 --> 00:54:04.800 Kelton Johnson is only twenty five and a really good player. 1069 00:54:04.840 --> 00:54:05.400 What do you think? 1070 00:54:06.840 --> 00:54:08.039 You know, that's intriguing. 1071 00:54:08.400 --> 00:54:10.880 And I think it depends too on where Lowry's head 1072 00:54:10.960 --> 00:54:15.679 is in this because it's been well documented documented that 1073 00:54:15.719 --> 00:54:18.800 he wanted to see in Utah, he did stay in Utah, 1074 00:54:18.840 --> 00:54:21.480 and he still wants to be in Utah. Now that 1075 00:54:21.599 --> 00:54:24.960 was before. I haven't heard anything out of Lowry since 1076 00:54:25.480 --> 00:54:29.400 Draft night. But you know, I think the other part 1077 00:54:29.400 --> 00:54:33.119 of the equation in Spence is at the timetable for 1078 00:54:33.280 --> 00:54:37.199 Lowery and the sense of how many years in the league, 1079 00:54:37.280 --> 00:54:40.119 his age and how do the Jazz look at him 1080 00:54:40.159 --> 00:54:42.519 in the future and is he now going to be 1081 00:54:42.599 --> 00:54:47.960 past his prime when this all comes to, you know, 1082 00:54:48.159 --> 00:54:52.440 fruition of being a major player in the Western Conference. 1083 00:54:53.280 --> 00:54:56.440 I think, you know, it's an intriguing idea, I really do. 1084 00:54:56.519 --> 00:54:58.719 I think there's a lot of them out there, and 1085 00:54:59.039 --> 00:55:02.320 you know, you still have a John Collins. I believes 1086 00:55:02.360 --> 00:55:05.880 the player option, Uh, you know, jac there's a lot 1087 00:55:05.920 --> 00:55:08.840 of players that Jazz had. There's some talent even you know, 1088 00:55:09.239 --> 00:55:12.679 the talent of the last two draft class could be 1089 00:55:12.760 --> 00:55:17.559 moved if necessary, some of them. So I think Will 1090 00:55:17.599 --> 00:55:20.679 Hardy said it back best in his pressure last summer 1091 00:55:21.320 --> 00:55:23.719 was you know, this is not an easy league. It's 1092 00:55:23.760 --> 00:55:26.159 not easy to make a roster, it's not easy to 1093 00:55:26.239 --> 00:55:29.159 stay on a roster. And this past year I think 1094 00:55:29.199 --> 00:55:31.519 they got a really good insight of who can actually 1095 00:55:32.199 --> 00:55:35.679 I think play under pressure, deliver under pressure, and who 1096 00:55:35.760 --> 00:55:37.760 wants to be a part of this of this build. 1097 00:55:39.199 --> 00:55:42.239 Obviously there's a few that probably may want to go 1098 00:55:42.320 --> 00:55:44.800 someplace else. They may not have a choice, but that's 1099 00:55:44.840 --> 00:55:47.239 just the way the life is in the NBA. I 1100 00:55:47.239 --> 00:55:49.119 think there's gonna be a lot of names out there, Spence, 1101 00:55:49.239 --> 00:55:52.599 I really do, uh And I think it goes beyond Giannis. 1102 00:55:53.000 --> 00:55:55.280 You know, what does Golden State want to put on 1103 00:55:55.320 --> 00:55:56.920 the table? Are they players? 1104 00:55:57.679 --> 00:55:57.760 This? 1105 00:55:57.920 --> 00:56:01.000 What is Phoenix gonna do? Are going to be players? 1106 00:56:01.119 --> 00:56:04.679 And now Dallas, out of nowhere is obviously sitting in 1107 00:56:04.719 --> 00:56:09.199 the driver's seat trying to revitalize a franchise who most 1108 00:56:09.239 --> 00:56:12.280 of us thought a week ago, five days ago was 1109 00:56:12.320 --> 00:56:15.039 basically dead on the vine, right, and they're going to 1110 00:56:15.119 --> 00:56:17.639 have to take a step back and really rethink this thing. 1111 00:56:17.719 --> 00:56:21.519 But Lady Luck shown shown down on them. Man, I'd 1112 00:56:21.519 --> 00:56:23.960 tell you it's amazing to see how this thing worked out. 1113 00:56:24.039 --> 00:56:27.679 It really is. This will go down again in jazz 1114 00:56:27.760 --> 00:56:30.800 Loar is another year where you wanted to develop and 1115 00:56:30.840 --> 00:56:34.679 you did. You had the worst record in basketball, the 1116 00:56:34.840 --> 00:56:38.519 worst in franchise history. But it didn't work out, and 1117 00:56:38.599 --> 00:56:40.639 you have to move on and find a way. One 1118 00:56:40.639 --> 00:56:44.039 thing specially cannot take this. You cannot allow this, and 1119 00:56:44.119 --> 00:56:48.519 through your idea of a trade, that idea is moving forward. 1120 00:56:49.199 --> 00:56:51.079 The one thing you don't want to do under the 1121 00:56:51.159 --> 00:56:56.400 circumstances to make you move backwards. In this situation, So 1122 00:56:57.559 --> 00:57:00.199 anything Justin and Danny probably do. They've got to be 1123 00:57:00.280 --> 00:57:05.519 forward thinkers on what will get them past this disappointment, 1124 00:57:05.559 --> 00:57:09.320 this bump that didn't occur for Cooper Flag, and can 1125 00:57:09.360 --> 00:57:12.039 you survive it and move on without missing a beat 1126 00:57:12.320 --> 00:57:14.920 in the rebuild. I think that's the biggest challenge of all. 1127 00:57:15.400 --> 00:57:18.679 Lowry is turning twenty eight in six days, so he 1128 00:57:18.719 --> 00:57:22.079 will be twenty eight this year. And you know, Craig, 1129 00:57:22.280 --> 00:57:26.000 even if the Jazz grabbed number one and drafted Cooper Flag, 1130 00:57:26.079 --> 00:57:28.119 the reality is that would not have put them in 1131 00:57:28.159 --> 00:57:30.840 a place to really challenge for anything all that special 1132 00:57:30.880 --> 00:57:33.559 this year. As it is, they didn't grab number one 1133 00:57:33.599 --> 00:57:35.280 and they're left at five where they're going to get 1134 00:57:35.280 --> 00:57:39.159 a good young piece. And look, man, I don't know 1135 00:57:39.320 --> 00:57:42.199 Ryan Smith all that well personally. All my interactions with 1136 00:57:42.280 --> 00:57:45.280 him have been very pleasant. One thing we can all 1137 00:57:45.320 --> 00:57:47.719 agree upon is the dude is bold. I mean, he's 1138 00:57:47.760 --> 00:57:51.119 a bowld guy. And you know, I would imagine that 1139 00:57:51.320 --> 00:57:54.719 an owner like Ryan who at least front facing says 1140 00:57:54.719 --> 00:57:57.239 he wants to win and wants to win soon. I 1141 00:57:57.239 --> 00:57:59.440 think you put everything on the table at this point, 1142 00:57:59.519 --> 00:58:02.599 because sure Larry wants to be here, But you know, 1143 00:58:02.679 --> 00:58:05.400 Larry Marketing is making max money for the next four years. 1144 00:58:05.440 --> 00:58:07.920 He he you know, he's fine no matter where he's at, 1145 00:58:07.960 --> 00:58:10.760 and yes, when players want to be here, it's important. 1146 00:58:10.800 --> 00:58:13.920 But if he doesn't fit the timeline, I actually think 1147 00:58:13.960 --> 00:58:15.920 they might put him on the table, on the table 1148 00:58:16.000 --> 00:58:18.039 to move up or grab a couple of young pieces 1149 00:58:18.039 --> 00:58:19.719 that are a little bit more exciting because they have 1150 00:58:19.800 --> 00:58:22.840 to have done their calculation by now to understand that 1151 00:58:22.880 --> 00:58:25.679 there really is not many avenues to improve the team 1152 00:58:25.719 --> 00:58:28.920 to make next year look different than this year unless 1153 00:58:28.920 --> 00:58:31.000 they're going to be bold. And Ryan's a bold guy. 1154 00:58:31.079 --> 00:58:32.599 So I wonder if we're going to see finally some 1155 00:58:32.679 --> 00:58:35.840 bold movement from this ownership group and from this from 1156 00:58:35.840 --> 00:58:37.039 this front office. What do you think? 1157 00:58:38.079 --> 00:58:41.280 Yeah, great points, And you remember the comment about going 1158 00:58:41.480 --> 00:58:45.440 big game hunting that didn't happen, and maybe this summer 1159 00:58:45.559 --> 00:58:50.400 that that statement by Danny comes to fruition and how 1160 00:58:50.639 --> 00:58:53.679 however they end up doing it, Spence, there's multiple ways, 1161 00:58:53.719 --> 00:58:58.920 as you know, a draft, free agency, uh, using trades 1162 00:58:59.519 --> 00:59:01.440 and moving players in and out. I think you're going 1163 00:59:01.519 --> 00:59:04.639 to see a lot of a lot of movement because 1164 00:59:04.639 --> 00:59:07.360 of age and injury, a lot of teams have to 1165 00:59:07.960 --> 00:59:12.119 re energize and rev their you know, their their roster 1166 00:59:12.320 --> 00:59:15.559 back up. Uh. But there's a lot of great players 1167 00:59:15.599 --> 00:59:18.880 are on the cusp of the end. And that's what 1168 00:59:18.920 --> 00:59:21.360 the jazz I think, probably in the back of their planning, 1169 00:59:21.519 --> 00:59:24.280 in the in their mind of planning all this, is 1170 00:59:24.280 --> 00:59:26.920 that they would be setting in a position where in 1171 00:59:26.920 --> 00:59:30.920 the West especially it was aging rapidly with you know, 1172 00:59:31.000 --> 00:59:34.400 Hall of Famers, first ballot Hall of Famers, and now 1173 00:59:34.480 --> 00:59:38.239 injuries hit the East and you wonder, you know, who's 1174 00:59:38.280 --> 00:59:42.280 going to accelerate the process even more. That to me 1175 00:59:42.440 --> 00:59:46.239 is is so intriguing. But also it's the future of downtown. 1176 00:59:46.360 --> 00:59:49.760 It's it's it's a competition with the with the Mammoth 1177 00:59:49.840 --> 00:59:52.840 and the Jazz. The Jazz have always been, you know, 1178 00:59:53.039 --> 00:59:56.480 top dog, and it's interesting to see to me what 1179 00:59:56.559 --> 00:59:59.760 Ryan wants to do on how competitive they can be 1180 00:59:59.840 --> 01:00:04.519 a against each other but yet still profit. And that 1181 01:00:04.599 --> 01:00:09.159 to me intrigues me a ton, because again, Salt Lake's growing, 1182 01:00:09.960 --> 01:00:13.480 but when it comes to multimillion dollar deals, you know 1183 01:00:13.599 --> 01:00:17.760 in advertising packages, yeah they're out there, but just how 1184 01:00:17.840 --> 01:00:21.800 many and is there enough to sustain and profit off 1185 01:00:21.840 --> 01:00:26.079 of two young franchises that are looking to make their 1186 01:00:26.119 --> 01:00:29.639 way through the NBA and the NHL spent to tell you. 1187 01:00:29.760 --> 01:00:32.679 I mean, you know, this is where you earn your money. 1188 01:00:33.519 --> 01:00:38.639 Danny's experience has got to shine through. Justin's been an agent, 1189 01:00:38.760 --> 01:00:42.400 he knows players and tendencies and all this all has 1190 01:00:42.440 --> 01:00:45.760 to come together to get the right decision on the 1191 01:00:45.800 --> 01:00:49.280 table and to pulled string on it and make sure 1192 01:00:49.320 --> 01:00:52.159 that it's the long term. You know. Going back to Lowry, 1193 01:00:52.800 --> 01:00:56.679 you know he's intriguing, but not so if he doesn't 1194 01:00:56.679 --> 01:00:58.679 have the right players around him. I think we saw 1195 01:00:58.719 --> 01:01:01.519 that this year is either second or third best on 1196 01:01:01.559 --> 01:01:02.199 a great team. 1197 01:01:02.320 --> 01:01:03.280 Most likely. 1198 01:01:04.519 --> 01:01:06.679 Does he want to play? I know he wants to play, 1199 01:01:07.039 --> 01:01:10.320 but he also understood what the situation was, and as 1200 01:01:10.400 --> 01:01:15.000 each day and each game went by, you know, TikTok, TikTok. 1201 01:01:15.159 --> 01:01:18.800 I mean, time goes on and you lose a season 1202 01:01:18.880 --> 01:01:20.480 and all of a sudden you jump in and you're 1203 01:01:20.480 --> 01:01:27.039 ten years in. So you make a great point. There's young, 1204 01:01:27.119 --> 01:01:30.440 young players, and they're younger every year every you know, 1205 01:01:30.559 --> 01:01:35.039 Scooper's not even eighteen yet. I mean I find that fascinating, 1206 01:01:35.360 --> 01:01:37.639 and so that comes into the equation. I think too, 1207 01:01:37.719 --> 01:01:41.239 Spence is you know, how long do you hold a player, 1208 01:01:41.239 --> 01:01:43.760 how long do you want to give the development, give 1209 01:01:43.840 --> 01:01:47.960 him time to development, to develop, because look back in 1210 01:01:48.000 --> 01:01:50.440 the day of Sloan and look that's going back, I 1211 01:01:50.519 --> 01:01:53.360 know it, but guys were three and four years they 1212 01:01:53.360 --> 01:01:59.199 were twenty three, some twenty four. Big t was a 1213 01:01:59.280 --> 01:02:03.519 senior national title seventh player Taken. Was the NBA ready, 1214 01:02:03.760 --> 01:02:06.239 he says he was, and I think you know, he. 1215 01:02:06.239 --> 01:02:07.039 Proved that he was. 1216 01:02:07.679 --> 01:02:10.559 And now you're waiting to see if the pick was right. 1217 01:02:11.159 --> 01:02:13.480 And that makes this whole situation, I think even more 1218 01:02:13.519 --> 01:02:18.400 intriguing and more difficult. You're rolling the dice on young, 1219 01:02:18.440 --> 01:02:20.440 young talent because you're not sure how they're going to 1220 01:02:20.440 --> 01:02:23.320 mature and what kind of work ethic, truly do they 1221 01:02:23.320 --> 01:02:25.360 have if they're going to be a pro and make 1222 01:02:25.400 --> 01:02:26.880 the top of money that's in the league. 1223 01:02:26.960 --> 01:02:29.639 Right now, All right, Buller, last thing and I'll set 1224 01:02:29.679 --> 01:02:32.559 you loose. We had your guy a Lemma in studio 1225 01:02:32.760 --> 01:02:35.880 yesterday for an hour and it was fun man telling 1226 01:02:35.960 --> 01:02:38.280 some story time, and we both decided that we've all 1227 01:02:38.320 --> 01:02:41.440 just kind of followed you to, you know, find our 1228 01:02:41.480 --> 01:02:44.000 way in this business. Is you know, Alema kind of 1229 01:02:44.000 --> 01:02:46.239 followed in your footsteps over case L. Of course you 1230 01:02:46.280 --> 01:02:48.800 had the original big show. I had the second iteration 1231 01:02:48.920 --> 01:02:51.360 of that. Unfortunately we had to drag the same partner 1232 01:02:51.360 --> 01:02:55.039 around for years. But he said something that kind of 1233 01:02:55.039 --> 01:02:57.239 shout out, Gordon, we love you. I said something that 1234 01:02:57.360 --> 01:03:00.239 kind of I don't know, maybe smile because alemas such 1235 01:03:00.239 --> 01:03:02.760 a sweet guy. He just said, look, we all as 1236 01:03:02.800 --> 01:03:07.559 a collective jazz community, and whatever part of the ecosystem 1237 01:03:07.599 --> 01:03:10.159 you're in, you're part of the jazz community. Whether it's fans, media, 1238 01:03:10.199 --> 01:03:12.000 we all want to see the jazz win and do well. 1239 01:03:12.599 --> 01:03:15.360 We all just have to find our own way to 1240 01:03:15.639 --> 01:03:18.079 enjoy the ride. Yeah, how do you do that when 1241 01:03:18.119 --> 01:03:20.880 the team is not close to what we're accustomed to? 1242 01:03:20.960 --> 01:03:22.880 How do you enjoy the ride as a media member, 1243 01:03:22.920 --> 01:03:24.880 as a fan, as somebody who cares about the jazz? 1244 01:03:24.880 --> 01:03:25.440 How do you do that? 1245 01:03:26.760 --> 01:03:29.599 Well, you know what you're catching me on a quick answer. 1246 01:03:29.679 --> 01:03:34.360 But what first came to mind was people working with 1247 01:03:34.960 --> 01:03:37.920 a Lemma. I've known him for years and years and years. 1248 01:03:37.960 --> 01:03:42.719 We've been through it at KSL and beyond. I've known you, 1249 01:03:43.599 --> 01:03:47.679 known Monson, David James, I mean, Scotti, Girard, all the 1250 01:03:47.800 --> 01:03:49.960 names that we hear around town are people we all 1251 01:03:50.000 --> 01:03:53.920 know and interact with, and it makes that you know, 1252 01:03:53.960 --> 01:03:57.960 what's rough over Channel four forever. But I think it's 1253 01:03:58.000 --> 01:04:00.679 the people that I see on a night basis, but 1254 01:04:00.760 --> 01:04:04.679 the fans who are wide eyed, and also the newer 1255 01:04:04.840 --> 01:04:10.519 fans that come into that building and just embrace, embrace 1256 01:04:10.559 --> 01:04:15.360 a franchise. Now fifty one years and you old and 1257 01:04:15.480 --> 01:04:16.440 you go wow. 1258 01:04:16.920 --> 01:04:18.199 Look at the look at. 1259 01:04:18.079 --> 01:04:20.719 The longevity of the franchise, but also look at the 1260 01:04:20.760 --> 01:04:24.599 generations of fans that have come through the house that 1261 01:04:24.679 --> 01:04:29.559 Larry built and before it at h at the Salt Palace. 1262 01:04:30.199 --> 01:04:32.800 And you know, for me, this year was challenging. Thuryll 1263 01:04:32.840 --> 01:04:36.159 and I had multiple talks and Lauren her first year 1264 01:04:37.000 --> 01:04:39.239 was you know what, First, we're in the NBA. 1265 01:04:39.760 --> 01:04:40.320 We're lucky. 1266 01:04:40.920 --> 01:04:43.800 We love it and I love being around the game 1267 01:04:43.920 --> 01:04:44.519 and the people. 1268 01:04:45.239 --> 01:04:47.719 But it's a privilege. 1269 01:04:47.719 --> 01:04:51.400 Is set there and call the Utah Jazz, It's called 1270 01:04:51.440 --> 01:04:53.639 you know, it's the NBA, and I see great players 1271 01:04:53.639 --> 01:04:57.079 every night. You're disappointed, absolutely, do I want to win, 1272 01:04:57.360 --> 01:05:02.519 absolutely and hard to win seventeen and still try to 1273 01:05:02.599 --> 01:05:05.280 keep your focus. But that's my job, and we try 1274 01:05:05.320 --> 01:05:08.079 to prepare the best we could this year to find 1275 01:05:08.119 --> 01:05:14.559 a positive an Isaiah Collier, Kyle Philipowski, you know, even 1276 01:05:14.599 --> 01:05:16.960 Will Hardy's growth as a coach, Spence as you and 1277 01:05:17.000 --> 01:05:20.519 I talked with, you know during the year, and Walker 1278 01:05:20.639 --> 01:05:24.440 caster Man, he could have totally tanked after a sophomore slump, 1279 01:05:24.440 --> 01:05:27.079 and the guy busted through in the minutes given and 1280 01:05:27.119 --> 01:05:30.440 he matured and became a legitimate big In my opinion, 1281 01:05:30.480 --> 01:05:32.559 He's got a long ways to go, but I think 1282 01:05:32.559 --> 01:05:37.000 the Jazz see that there is definitely hope and growth 1283 01:05:37.280 --> 01:05:40.000 with Locke and others. So that's what I try to 1284 01:05:40.039 --> 01:05:41.800 hang on to. You man, But you go to the 1285 01:05:41.800 --> 01:05:45.519 arena of the energy in that building, is it just 1286 01:05:45.559 --> 01:05:45.960 takes you. 1287 01:05:46.480 --> 01:05:47.280 It just takes you. 1288 01:05:47.920 --> 01:05:50.760 And that's what I enjoy every time I walk in 1289 01:05:50.800 --> 01:05:53.920 the building and prepare for a game, is because win 1290 01:05:54.039 --> 01:05:56.679 or lose, you're still out there trying to give your 1291 01:05:56.679 --> 01:06:02.000 best to a group of people who most of them 1292 01:06:03.000 --> 01:06:06.519 have a connection with the past and they're trying to 1293 01:06:06.559 --> 01:06:09.400 build one with the future. Do they get frustrated? Oh yeah, 1294 01:06:09.440 --> 01:06:12.079 I hear it all the time. Go on the road, 1295 01:06:12.119 --> 01:06:15.519 I do you know, talk shows on the road and 1296 01:06:15.599 --> 01:06:19.480 fans ask or you know, hosts asks the same thing 1297 01:06:19.480 --> 01:06:22.280 about what about the jazz ere going to become stocked 1298 01:06:22.360 --> 01:06:25.280 them alone? Well, look, if those days are over, and 1299 01:06:25.400 --> 01:06:28.280 that's hard to accept, but at the same time you 1300 01:06:28.360 --> 01:06:31.719 have to also say thank you for those days with 1301 01:06:31.880 --> 01:06:36.079 Jerry and Hotts and John and Carl and Horniseck because 1302 01:06:36.119 --> 01:06:39.239 it built the foundation of where we are today. I 1303 01:06:39.280 --> 01:06:43.199 know this sounds probably like you know it's over over 1304 01:06:43.239 --> 01:06:45.920 the top, but you ask the question, and honestly, this 1305 01:06:45.960 --> 01:06:49.559 is what pours out of me, is that the past 1306 01:06:49.679 --> 01:06:54.079 does help explain or at least guide the future. And 1307 01:06:54.119 --> 01:06:57.320 there's nothing more than what jazz fans want to taste 1308 01:06:57.440 --> 01:07:01.639 and Ryan and Ashley want to taste. Is another opportunity 1309 01:07:01.760 --> 01:07:04.840 to go back and win a championship, or have the 1310 01:07:04.960 --> 01:07:10.320 opportunity to win a championship for Salt Lake, stay to Utah. 1311 01:07:10.440 --> 01:07:13.400 In fact, now it's more regional than ever. So you 1312 01:07:13.440 --> 01:07:15.920 know the people that are involved. Man, I'd say I 1313 01:07:15.960 --> 01:07:19.239 love walking through the hallways and the fans are there 1314 01:07:19.320 --> 01:07:21.440 and they are ready to roll. They love the NBA, 1315 01:07:21.559 --> 01:07:24.280 they love the jazz, but they also are intrigued with 1316 01:07:24.320 --> 01:07:25.840 the rest of the league as well. They're there to 1317 01:07:25.880 --> 01:07:28.679 see superstars, they're there to see to Lebron. They're there 1318 01:07:28.719 --> 01:07:33.719 to see you know, Steph Curry, and so it's it's 1319 01:07:33.840 --> 01:07:38.519 kind of a combination of everything, but man, it's hard 1320 01:07:38.639 --> 01:07:41.039 not to love it. Even though you're losing, You're trying 1321 01:07:41.039 --> 01:07:43.800 to find some positive spent along the way. I'm hoping 1322 01:07:43.840 --> 01:07:47.280 some positives hit because jazz fans deserve it. They've been 1323 01:07:48.280 --> 01:07:52.519 i'd say, strong, durable for a long time and it'd 1324 01:07:52.559 --> 01:07:55.400 be great to have an opportunity to see them enjoy 1325 01:07:55.519 --> 01:07:57.199 postseason play at a high level again. 1326 01:07:57.960 --> 01:08:00.639 All right, Boler, Well, behave yourself. I don't want to 1327 01:08:00.639 --> 01:08:02.320 see end the night with a lampshade on your head 1328 01:08:02.360 --> 01:08:05.199 after getting a little loose. But go have a good time, man, 1329 01:08:05.320 --> 01:08:07.639 celebrate that birthday and I appreciate your time. 1330 01:08:07.679 --> 01:08:10.840 Okay, all right, Bell, have a great weekend. We'll talk soon. 1331 01:08:10.920 --> 01:08:14.280 The birthday boy, Greg Bowler Jack on the program on 1332 01:08:14.320 --> 01:08:17.279 a Friday afternoon, Brought to you by friends at Outlaw Distillion, 1333 01:08:17.319 --> 01:08:22.079 a new partner here on the ESPN Sports NETWORKO Outlaw Distillery, 1334 01:08:22.079 --> 01:08:25.279 a homegrown grain to glass, nitty gritty whiskey, vodka, rum 1335 01:08:25.359 --> 01:08:28.920 and moonshine distillery right here in sal Lake County. Outlaw 1336 01:08:28.960 --> 01:08:32.720 Distillery Utah grown with so much history here of cowboys, outlaws, mining, 1337 01:08:32.800 --> 01:08:36.399 and more. Outlaw has everything on the spirit spectrum, from 1338 01:08:36.439 --> 01:08:39.960 their spiced rum, vanilla bean rum, Outlaw coffee, rum, honeybourbon, 1339 01:08:40.039 --> 01:08:43.279 barrel proof whiskey, vodka, moonshine. 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The doors open 1350 01:09:09.479 --> 01:09:11.640 in twenty fifteen, is only the fourth distillery in the 1351 01:09:11.640 --> 01:09:15.000 Great State of Utah. Deeply rooted in Utah history and tradition. 1352 01:09:15.119 --> 01:09:18.039 Even the name Outlaws inspired by the legendary character Butch 1353 01:09:18.119 --> 01:09:21.359 Cassidy and the Utah Law Trail, which served as primary 1354 01:09:21.359 --> 01:09:25.159 transportation for many of the notorious wild West Outlaws. The 1355 01:09:25.279 --> 01:09:27.479 vision for outlawdiest Dillery is clear to help show the 1356 01:09:27.479 --> 01:09:29.199 world that some of the best spirits can come from 1357 01:09:29.199 --> 01:09:31.760 one of the least expected places, i e. Here in 1358 01:09:31.800 --> 01:09:33.920 the state of Utah. All right, we got Dunny on 1359 01:09:33.960 --> 01:09:36.600 the program today. Brian dun Seth will stop by to 1360 01:09:36.800 --> 01:09:42.279 preview tomorrow's RSL match and answer the question how does 1361 01:09:42.279 --> 01:09:45.560 the soccer team learn to score goals? I'll go it 1362 01:09:45.600 --> 01:09:48.920 would be nice. Dave mcminniman stops by later on. But 1363 01:09:49.039 --> 01:09:53.520 time now for a little golf on a Friday afternoon 1364 01:09:53.560 --> 01:09:57.159 with our guy, Paul Pugmeyer. Paul, Happy Friday, sir. Apparently 1365 01:09:57.199 --> 01:09:57.920 golf is hard. 1366 01:10:00.159 --> 01:10:02.279 It isn't Quail Hollow, that's for sure. 1367 01:10:02.439 --> 01:10:04.359 All right, tell me about this course, then let's get 1368 01:10:04.399 --> 01:10:08.279 into the specifics, because it's interesting. It is causing so 1369 01:10:08.399 --> 01:10:11.439 many problems for so many of the best golfers in 1370 01:10:11.479 --> 01:10:13.239 the world, and some of the lesser known players are 1371 01:10:13.279 --> 01:10:15.399 actually playing. Okay, but tell me about this track ball. 1372 01:10:16.760 --> 01:10:21.199 Quail Hollow and Charlotte is a big golf course. Everything 1373 01:10:21.239 --> 01:10:24.399 about it is big. It's really long, It clicks in 1374 01:10:24.600 --> 01:10:29.920 seventy seven seventy eight hundred yards depending on how exactly 1375 01:10:29.960 --> 01:10:36.239 they said it that day. It requires that you play 1376 01:10:37.840 --> 01:10:42.680 your te ball in the fairway for both rough, which traditionally. 1377 01:10:42.159 --> 01:10:43.960 Is long, and it's longer than normal. 1378 01:10:43.680 --> 01:10:47.840 This week, plus trees. There are trees in the flight paths, 1379 01:10:47.880 --> 01:10:51.560 a lot of dog legs on this course. And then 1380 01:10:52.600 --> 01:10:55.560 they got a lot of water, a lot of rain 1381 01:10:56.199 --> 01:11:00.159 in the days running up to this tournament. And this 1382 01:11:00.359 --> 01:11:03.560 rough that they have long anyway, is so thick and 1383 01:11:03.600 --> 01:11:08.039 so heavy. You miss the fairway and it's an endurance 1384 01:11:08.159 --> 01:11:11.680 test to maneuver the ball out of that thick, heavy, 1385 01:11:11.720 --> 01:11:17.479 wet grass. It is just a big hard test. Most 1386 01:11:17.520 --> 01:11:20.800 people will know about the final three holes. It's called 1387 01:11:20.840 --> 01:11:25.079 the green Mile. They are brutal, really tough holes. Number 1388 01:11:25.079 --> 01:11:30.319 eighteen has a creek running on the left ish side. 1389 01:11:30.359 --> 01:11:32.239 There's fairway on the other side of the creek, so 1390 01:11:32.239 --> 01:11:34.000 it's kind of in the middle of the fairway the 1391 01:11:34.079 --> 01:11:39.359 whole length of the hole and the driving area is narrow. 1392 01:11:39.399 --> 01:11:41.319 You end up going uphill to the hole. There's a 1393 01:11:41.319 --> 01:11:44.239 false front on the green. It's like four hundred and 1394 01:11:44.319 --> 01:11:49.319 seventy yards. As a part four, finishing out a wind 1395 01:11:49.600 --> 01:11:53.159 on this course is really really hard. It's just a 1396 01:11:53.199 --> 01:11:53.960 big course. 1397 01:11:54.960 --> 01:11:58.239 All right, are you ready for my Friday dune guy? 1398 01:11:58.319 --> 01:12:01.800 Golf question won't be able, Let's have it. How do 1399 01:12:01.880 --> 01:12:05.119 they determine the cut? Because it just moved so about 1400 01:12:05.399 --> 01:12:08.520 fifteen minutes ago, I was ready to say that Jordan 1401 01:12:08.600 --> 01:12:10.640 Speith was probably not going to play over the weekend. 1402 01:12:10.680 --> 01:12:12.960 Of course, Jordan is the big story because he has 1403 01:12:13.000 --> 01:12:16.399 a chance. I think it's his tenth chance to complete 1404 01:12:16.439 --> 01:12:20.399 the career Grand Slam after his wonder kins rise as 1405 01:12:20.399 --> 01:12:23.600 a young golfer. He just, for whatever reason, besides golf 1406 01:12:23.680 --> 01:12:27.319 is hard, okay, he just was not able to continue 1407 01:12:27.359 --> 01:12:29.319 the way he started, which was going to be tough 1408 01:12:29.399 --> 01:12:31.960 to follow up anyway. But the cut line just moved 1409 01:12:31.960 --> 01:12:35.319 from one over to two over. How is that determined. 1410 01:12:36.479 --> 01:12:39.119 Round numbers? You start with a field of one hundred 1411 01:12:39.159 --> 01:12:43.159 and fifty four and you cut it to most of 1412 01:12:43.199 --> 01:12:46.600 the time it's low sixty five and ties, And it 1413 01:12:46.720 --> 01:12:50.600 is the and ties where things get squishy. And so 1414 01:12:51.319 --> 01:12:56.439 as players are making pars, making bogies, throwing a birdie 1415 01:12:56.479 --> 01:13:00.960 here and there, that number of sixty five and ties 1416 01:13:01.319 --> 01:13:07.159 is moving around, and so it will stay volatile. It 1417 01:13:07.239 --> 01:13:12.279 will move until the last player that's within a shot 1418 01:13:12.359 --> 01:13:15.920 or two above or below the cut line the projected 1419 01:13:15.960 --> 01:13:19.800 cut line until they're done. It's pretty common for the 1420 01:13:19.840 --> 01:13:22.760 cut line to move at this point on a Friday afternoon, 1421 01:13:23.279 --> 01:13:25.600 and we've seen them bounce all over the place. This 1422 01:13:25.680 --> 01:13:28.439 one's been pretty stable at plus one all day. But yeah, 1423 01:13:28.520 --> 01:13:33.319 it just moved, which means that the afternoon wave is 1424 01:13:33.359 --> 01:13:34.159 slipping a little. 1425 01:13:34.720 --> 01:13:38.199 It's pretty wild to consider Jordan Spied's career arc where 1426 01:13:38.199 --> 01:13:41.159 he won the Masters in twenty fifteen and tied the 1427 01:13:41.199 --> 01:13:44.119 seventy two hole record set by Tiger in ninety seven, 1428 01:13:44.640 --> 01:13:46.800 and then followed up by winning the US Open in 1429 01:13:46.840 --> 01:13:50.359 the same year, five under youngest US Open champs since 1430 01:13:50.399 --> 01:13:53.199 Bobby Jones in twenty three, and then won the Tour 1431 01:13:53.319 --> 01:13:56.159 Championship in fifteen, clinched the FedEx Cup, and then won 1432 01:13:56.239 --> 01:14:00.399 his third major Open championship in twenty seventeen. But he 1433 01:14:00.479 --> 01:14:03.279 has not been the same. How much of it is 1434 01:14:04.000 --> 01:14:06.239 his help, how much of it is golf is hard, 1435 01:14:06.319 --> 01:14:08.319 how much of it is just whatever you would attribute 1436 01:14:08.359 --> 01:14:08.520 it to. 1437 01:14:10.159 --> 01:14:13.279 It's a little bit of all of the above. He 1438 01:14:13.359 --> 01:14:17.720 has had some health issues culminating with risk surgery here 1439 01:14:18.760 --> 01:14:22.560 about a about a year ago, he and boy, hottie. 1440 01:14:22.560 --> 01:14:26.079 That is hard to come back from. But there there 1441 01:14:26.239 --> 01:14:30.479 always has been a combination of a flaw and magic 1442 01:14:30.840 --> 01:14:35.319 in his game, and the flaw has been that he 1443 01:14:35.479 --> 01:14:40.000 doesn't consistently keep his driver in play in the way 1444 01:14:40.439 --> 01:14:46.399 that the great champions who sustain excellence always do. The 1445 01:14:46.479 --> 01:14:51.359 magic was his wedge game, both in terms of imagination 1446 01:14:51.560 --> 01:14:57.479 and execution, and the thing about it is it's not sustainable. 1447 01:14:57.640 --> 01:15:02.079 You just you just can't live like that all the time, 1448 01:15:02.760 --> 01:15:05.840 and that has caught up with him as well. 1449 01:15:05.880 --> 01:15:09.680 All right, let's talk about Tony. I just watched him 1450 01:15:09.720 --> 01:15:13.199 play the most ridiculous. He was like chipping from the 1451 01:15:13.239 --> 01:15:16.760 green to allow the ball to leak down close. He 1452 01:15:16.960 --> 01:15:20.399 is even par one over for the day, which is 1453 01:15:20.520 --> 01:15:22.680 tied for forty eight, so he's in the top fifty. 1454 01:15:22.720 --> 01:15:25.159 It looks like he will play over the weekend barring 1455 01:15:25.159 --> 01:15:28.439 a collapse down the stretch. The way you described the course, 1456 01:15:28.479 --> 01:15:31.760 Paul kind of caught my attention in a way that 1457 01:15:31.840 --> 01:15:34.319 maybe this should match to Tony's game. Is that fair 1458 01:15:34.359 --> 01:15:35.399 to say? And what do you make of the way 1459 01:15:35.399 --> 01:15:36.199 he's played so far? 1460 01:15:37.199 --> 01:15:41.680 It's totally fair to say. There's no question that big 1461 01:15:41.760 --> 01:15:45.039 hitters have an advantage at Quail and you look at 1462 01:15:45.079 --> 01:15:46.880 people who have won there, and we have a lot 1463 01:15:46.880 --> 01:15:50.359 of data on Quail Hollow because it's been a tour 1464 01:15:50.479 --> 01:15:54.039 stop for a number of years. The Wells Fargo's played there, 1465 01:15:55.560 --> 01:16:02.079 plus the PGA Championship was played there and seventeen was 1466 01:16:02.119 --> 01:16:06.359 it when Justin Thomas won. Another big hitter, Rory McElroy, 1467 01:16:06.439 --> 01:16:12.119 has an amazing record there between wins at the Wells 1468 01:16:12.159 --> 01:16:15.680 Fargo and just playing playing well in the PG when 1469 01:16:15.720 --> 01:16:23.600 it was there. Another big hitter big and Tony Finale 1470 01:16:23.680 --> 01:16:26.880 is one of those. I would have been unsurprised to 1471 01:16:26.920 --> 01:16:29.760 see him more firmly in the mix higher up the 1472 01:16:29.840 --> 01:16:33.359 leader board still has a chance to make a climb, 1473 01:16:33.359 --> 01:16:37.000 but the te's spending holes right now, just making pars. 1474 01:16:37.640 --> 01:16:41.079 Rory, as you mentioned, has had a lot of success 1475 01:16:41.319 --> 01:16:43.479 on this course. He's had a lot of success of 1476 01:16:43.479 --> 01:16:48.159 course this year. Better day today three under through fourteen 1477 01:16:48.359 --> 01:16:51.840 even par so he'll play through the weekend and we'll 1478 01:16:51.880 --> 01:16:55.199 get to because the low number is eight under right now, 1479 01:16:55.279 --> 01:16:57.119 and we'll get the guys that are actually at the 1480 01:16:57.159 --> 01:16:59.039 top of the leaderboard in a moment, but we'll focus 1481 01:16:59.079 --> 01:17:02.640 on the big names for now, so look, I guess 1482 01:17:02.640 --> 01:17:04.560 if there's a guy that could put together two very 1483 01:17:04.600 --> 01:17:07.079 low rounds on Saturday and Sunday, it might be Rory. 1484 01:17:07.119 --> 01:17:09.800 But are you surprised to see his relative struggles through 1485 01:17:09.800 --> 01:17:11.520 the first round and a half so far? 1486 01:17:12.520 --> 01:17:13.319 Yeah, I was. 1487 01:17:15.199 --> 01:17:22.119 His seventy four yesterday. It did surprise me. This course 1488 01:17:22.159 --> 01:17:25.560 sets up so well for him and he has been 1489 01:17:25.640 --> 01:17:30.079 dominant statistically on it. I was quite surprised to see 1490 01:17:30.159 --> 01:17:36.359 him struggle yesterday, but maybe that's, you know, just one 1491 01:17:36.399 --> 01:17:38.760 of those things where he's coming down off of such 1492 01:17:38.760 --> 01:17:43.880 a high with his Masters and career Grand Slam win. 1493 01:17:44.439 --> 01:17:50.279 But yeah, I thought he would have been doing better. 1494 01:17:50.680 --> 01:17:55.760 I'm less surprised to see him playing well today. 1495 01:17:56.439 --> 01:18:02.560 Cam Smith, let's see Phil Mickelson. Brooks kept what the 1496 01:18:02.560 --> 01:18:06.119 hell happened to Dustin Johnson? I mean, I don't mean 1497 01:18:06.199 --> 01:18:08.199 to set up a question so you can just crack 1498 01:18:08.239 --> 01:18:11.520 on live, But these live guys outside of the Shamba 1499 01:18:12.600 --> 01:18:15.840 aren't competing at the highest of levels in these championships 1500 01:18:15.840 --> 01:18:18.039 more often than not. There are certainly exceptions, but this 1501 01:18:18.159 --> 01:18:21.600 is not a great champion major championship for most or 1502 01:18:21.640 --> 01:18:23.039 live guys. What does that say to you? 1503 01:18:25.239 --> 01:18:28.159 Live is set up in such a way that it 1504 01:18:28.239 --> 01:18:34.520 is closer to an exhibition than a test, and it's 1505 01:18:34.600 --> 01:18:37.840 fifty four holes, not seventy two. It doesn't have a 1506 01:18:37.920 --> 01:18:42.479 cut that the tournaments are not played on as good 1507 01:18:42.640 --> 01:18:45.920 as demanding the golf courses as the PJ Tour plays on. 1508 01:18:46.720 --> 01:18:52.319 And the shotgun start, I think really hampers championship play 1509 01:18:53.000 --> 01:18:57.600 because you just a championship finishes with people having the 1510 01:18:57.640 --> 01:19:00.600 same holes in the same order, with the same finish, 1511 01:19:00.680 --> 01:19:03.640 and you don't have that on a shotgun start. You 1512 01:19:03.760 --> 01:19:07.439 add it all up, and I don't think live prepares 1513 01:19:07.640 --> 01:19:10.840 people to play at the highest level. Now there's going 1514 01:19:10.920 --> 01:19:15.000 to be one offs here and there. Of course, brooks 1515 01:19:15.079 --> 01:19:19.800 Kopka has won a major championship since they've started. Of 1516 01:19:19.840 --> 01:19:23.199 course Bryson de Chambeau has done the same. We're talking 1517 01:19:23.199 --> 01:19:26.880 about two of the great players of their generation who 1518 01:19:26.920 --> 01:19:35.000 are athletic freaks, and yet there we're also talking about it. 1519 01:19:35.239 --> 01:19:38.880 It's not as sustained as it is with other players. 1520 01:19:40.800 --> 01:19:46.079 You mentioned DJ. He has largely disappeared. The one who 1521 01:19:46.119 --> 01:19:48.520 has done the same that is really just sad to 1522 01:19:48.560 --> 01:19:55.319 me is John Rahm. Ram has become invisible almost and 1523 01:19:55.680 --> 01:20:01.079 it's for those reasons I just rehearsed lived doesn't create 1524 01:20:01.840 --> 01:20:03.239 championship play. 1525 01:20:03.640 --> 01:20:06.960 And so I think these players lose their edge. 1526 01:20:07.479 --> 01:20:09.800 One of the more interesting things, and I've shared this 1527 01:20:09.880 --> 01:20:13.920 with you that I've learned about golf since I really, 1528 01:20:14.159 --> 01:20:16.640 you know, have become fascinated with it, trying to play 1529 01:20:16.720 --> 01:20:18.640 and get better over the past four or five years 1530 01:20:18.640 --> 01:20:20.279 and watch it a lot more than I used to 1531 01:20:20.319 --> 01:20:22.560 and follow it. And I've told you I love those 1532 01:20:22.560 --> 01:20:24.920 golf documentaries because it teaches me about the history of 1533 01:20:24.920 --> 01:20:28.239 the game that I didn't necessarily know. Is like it's 1534 01:20:28.279 --> 01:20:31.800 pretty rare, Like I could never imagine Ray Allen changing 1535 01:20:31.800 --> 01:20:34.880 his jump shot, Like I could never imagine Reggie Miller 1536 01:20:34.920 --> 01:20:36.560 being like I got to go back to the drawing board. 1537 01:20:36.560 --> 01:20:40.560 But Tiger Woods, even after his dominant performance back in 1538 01:20:40.680 --> 01:20:43.680 the you know, two thousand, you know, eight to twenty 1539 01:20:43.800 --> 01:20:48.560 fifteen or whatever, was constantly tinkering. And so Max Holma 1540 01:20:48.880 --> 01:20:52.159 has a new caddie, Joe Grinder, I guess is a 1541 01:20:52.159 --> 01:20:53.960 good buddy of his, is no longer on his bag. 1542 01:20:54.520 --> 01:20:56.920 He changed sponsors, he has a brand new set of 1543 01:20:56.920 --> 01:21:00.600 golf clubs. He changed coaches, going for Mark Blackburn to 1544 01:21:00.680 --> 01:21:04.079 John Scott. I believe this is what I'm reading. And 1545 01:21:04.800 --> 01:21:06.640 you know, Max is a guy that's one on tour. 1546 01:21:06.720 --> 01:21:08.960 Max is a guy that's played in Ryder Cups. But 1547 01:21:09.039 --> 01:21:11.000 Max is also a guy that, for the past year 1548 01:21:11.079 --> 01:21:13.800 or so has not looked like Max Olma. How much 1549 01:21:13.840 --> 01:21:17.000 do you do you attribute his willingness to look at 1550 01:21:17.119 --> 01:21:19.199 what is going on and make all these changes to 1551 01:21:19.239 --> 01:21:22.560 what we've seen so far? He carded a seven under 1552 01:21:22.680 --> 01:21:25.239 sixty four, which is the low ran of the day today, 1553 01:21:25.279 --> 01:21:27.479 and he puts him right in the mix at five 1554 01:21:27.520 --> 01:21:29.000 hunderd part what do you make of what we seen 1555 01:21:29.000 --> 01:21:29.720 from Max so far? 1556 01:21:30.680 --> 01:21:33.760 Well, first of all, Max is eminently likable. He's a 1557 01:21:33.880 --> 01:21:37.640 bright light in the game and a deep talent. I 1558 01:21:38.000 --> 01:21:41.520 always expected Max to come back from this because talent 1559 01:21:41.680 --> 01:21:45.960 always rises. But and for me so far, the highlight 1560 01:21:46.000 --> 01:21:48.920 of this tournament has been Max's sixty four today. Love 1561 01:21:49.039 --> 01:21:53.079 seeing him play well. I thought he took on too 1562 01:21:53.399 --> 01:21:59.159 many changes at once, and you know, he certainly doesn't 1563 01:21:59.199 --> 01:22:02.399 consult with me. But that's what it looks like from 1564 01:22:02.399 --> 01:22:05.560 the outside, just too many changes, too much going on 1565 01:22:05.640 --> 01:22:10.640 at one time to manage it. With the absolute razor 1566 01:22:10.760 --> 01:22:16.239 thin margins that exist between PGA tour level golf, championship 1567 01:22:16.319 --> 01:22:19.560 level golf, and not championship level golf. 1568 01:22:20.159 --> 01:22:20.640 And so. 1569 01:22:22.479 --> 01:22:29.520 Seeing all these things add up, swing changes, swing refinements. 1570 01:22:29.560 --> 01:22:31.720 They are a part of the game. What happens is 1571 01:22:31.760 --> 01:22:36.479 your body changes as you grow older. It changes day 1572 01:22:36.520 --> 01:22:39.199 to day. You've got to be able to be making adjustments. 1573 01:22:40.479 --> 01:22:44.600 Some players have chosen to or had to make bigger 1574 01:22:44.600 --> 01:22:49.239 adjustments than others. Tiger is a great story in that regard. 1575 01:22:49.720 --> 01:22:54.039 But for Max, I think it's that he had too 1576 01:22:54.279 --> 01:22:57.920 much changes going on this year and it just is 1577 01:22:57.960 --> 01:23:00.800 too much to manage. Maybe he's kind of getting it 1578 01:23:00.840 --> 01:23:02.760 all together now, all right. 1579 01:23:02.800 --> 01:23:06.199 As I referenced to start the interview, watching this tournament 1580 01:23:06.359 --> 01:23:08.319 has been interesting to see a lot of the better 1581 01:23:08.399 --> 01:23:11.479 golfers in the world struggle and some of the lesser 1582 01:23:11.520 --> 01:23:14.039 known guys actually play well. So ahead of Max is 1583 01:23:14.039 --> 01:23:17.199 Matt Fitzpatrick, who we all know, and I've heard of 1584 01:23:17.239 --> 01:23:20.199 Matthew Pavone. I don't know much about him, Jonathan, I 1585 01:23:20.239 --> 01:23:24.000 believe it's Vajas is eight under and he's your leader 1586 01:23:24.000 --> 01:23:26.720 in the clubhouse. So the three golfers ahead of Max, 1587 01:23:26.760 --> 01:23:30.760 the leader of vhas and then Pavone Fitzpatrick. What do 1588 01:23:30.760 --> 01:23:32.960 you make of those three the way they played so far, 1589 01:23:33.079 --> 01:23:34.520 and tell us a little bit about him. 1590 01:23:35.319 --> 01:23:40.600 Yeah, so Johnny, I thought it was Vegas. He he 1591 01:23:41.000 --> 01:23:44.199 is an interesting player. He is the only player from 1592 01:23:44.279 --> 01:23:47.920 venezuel ever to make the PGA Tour. He's forty years old. 1593 01:23:47.960 --> 01:23:50.279 He's been out there a while. He's been in the 1594 01:23:50.319 --> 01:23:52.520 States a long time. He played at the University of 1595 01:23:52.560 --> 01:23:56.880 Texas A long time ago. When he was in town 1596 01:23:57.119 --> 01:23:59.920 with the what was then the web dot com too. 1597 01:24:01.000 --> 01:24:03.960 He participated in a junior clinic that I was a 1598 01:24:04.000 --> 01:24:06.520 part of, and he was down on his knees in 1599 01:24:06.560 --> 01:24:09.039 the grass with the kids, and they loved him and 1600 01:24:08.800 --> 01:24:12.880 he gave his time. I was so impressed with him. 1601 01:24:13.359 --> 01:24:16.079 He's won four times on the tour. He's won the 1602 01:24:16.119 --> 01:24:19.640 Canadian Open twice, and they always play the Canadian Open 1603 01:24:19.680 --> 01:24:22.920 on great courses. It's a hard, hard tournament to win. 1604 01:24:23.600 --> 01:24:27.560 So he's got game. But he never has done anything 1605 01:24:27.640 --> 01:24:29.800 in a major. He's never led a major. He's never 1606 01:24:29.840 --> 01:24:33.399 had back to back under par rounds in a major. 1607 01:24:34.199 --> 01:24:36.880 It'll be interesting to see at this point in his 1608 01:24:36.880 --> 01:24:41.760 career how Johnny can hold it together going into the weekend. 1609 01:24:41.840 --> 01:24:45.720 This is unplowed ground for him. I don't know. We'll 1610 01:24:45.760 --> 01:24:48.399 see Fitzpatrick. We know he can win a major. He 1611 01:24:48.439 --> 01:24:52.439 won the US Open at Brookline. Pavone has won on 1612 01:24:53.319 --> 01:24:56.800 Tory Pines. He won the Farmers a couple of years ago, 1613 01:24:56.880 --> 01:24:59.520 so he has shown that he can win on a big, 1614 01:24:59.560 --> 01:25:02.640 hard gull. Of course, this is going to be an 1615 01:25:02.640 --> 01:25:03.640 interesting weekend. 1616 01:25:04.640 --> 01:25:06.439 It is. And before I said you loose and find 1617 01:25:06.439 --> 01:25:08.439 out what's on the show tomorrow, I always like to 1618 01:25:08.479 --> 01:25:11.880 ask you. The low score is eight under. And if 1619 01:25:11.880 --> 01:25:14.720 you say it's Vegas, it's Vegas. I literally never heard 1620 01:25:14.720 --> 01:25:17.600 of the guy. Okay, so Venezuela. I figured the g 1621 01:25:17.760 --> 01:25:20.640 might be time whatever. But anyway, so the low number 1622 01:25:20.720 --> 01:25:22.399 is eight. And when you look at some of the 1623 01:25:22.399 --> 01:25:25.199 players in the mix, namely Scottie, he's at four under, 1624 01:25:25.279 --> 01:25:28.359 but that is four back. So if the low numbers eight, 1625 01:25:28.560 --> 01:25:30.880 based off of what you know of Vegas and based 1626 01:25:30.920 --> 01:25:33.800 off of what you know of the field, how far 1627 01:25:34.840 --> 01:25:37.680 behind eight are you willing to go to indicate who 1628 01:25:37.680 --> 01:25:39.600 we can still look at as players that could actually 1629 01:25:39.600 --> 01:25:40.079 win the thing? 1630 01:25:42.319 --> 01:25:47.640 Great question, let's go down to minus three. I think 1631 01:25:47.720 --> 01:25:51.359 people within five shots are going to have a chance. 1632 01:25:52.279 --> 01:25:56.000 Two reasons. It's not bunched up. You don't have twenty 1633 01:25:56.039 --> 01:25:59.640 players within five shots, and that happens with some frequency, 1634 01:26:00.399 --> 01:26:05.079 and so there's not too many players you have to overcome. Plus, 1635 01:26:05.119 --> 01:26:08.800 this is Quail Hollow and it's a major. People are 1636 01:26:08.800 --> 01:26:13.359 going to be coming backward. I don't see a lot 1637 01:26:13.439 --> 01:26:16.479 of charges going on. I think if you offered somebody 1638 01:26:16.520 --> 01:26:18.239 minus twelve right now, they'd take it. 1639 01:26:19.239 --> 01:26:21.159 All right, Paul, what's coming up on the show tomorrow? 1640 01:26:22.159 --> 01:26:25.520 Well, we're in college championship season. We're going to be 1641 01:26:25.560 --> 01:26:29.520 talking with coach Bruce Brockbank from Brigham Young University. The 1642 01:26:29.600 --> 01:26:33.439 Cougars won their regional and they're going to Nationals. The 1643 01:26:33.600 --> 01:26:37.199 Utes came up one shot short as a team. It's heartbreaking. 1644 01:26:37.800 --> 01:26:41.720 But Braxton Watts from the Utes won the individual side 1645 01:26:41.880 --> 01:26:45.199 of the regional they were playing in, and so Braxton 1646 01:26:45.239 --> 01:26:48.960 Watts is going to the Nationals as an individual. We 1647 01:26:49.039 --> 01:26:52.479 will be talking with Braxton and with coach Brockbank tomorrow. 1648 01:26:52.600 --> 01:26:54.159 All right, Paul, thank you for the time, have a 1649 01:26:54.159 --> 01:26:57.199 great show and enjoy the weekend with Chattoo. Thank you, 1650 01:26:57.680 --> 01:27:00.760 Paul pug Meyer. You tah Golf Radio every Saturday morning 1651 01:27:00.960 --> 01:27:04.640 on the station. Time Now for the Festival of Tees. 1652 01:27:04.720 --> 01:27:08.319 It's the ESPN Festival Tees powered by the Utah Golf Association. 1653 01:27:08.399 --> 01:27:11.560 Each day of spring, ESPN seven hundred is given away 1654 01:27:11.640 --> 01:27:13.760 rounds of golf to the best courses in the state. 1655 01:27:14.399 --> 01:27:16.239 Listen to The Down and Dirty with Scott Mitchell, the 1656 01:27:16.239 --> 01:27:18.520 Sean o'caddle Show, and The Drive with Spence Check. It's 1657 01:27:18.520 --> 01:27:21.079 for your chance to win each day from ESPN seven 1658 01:27:21.199 --> 01:27:25.000 hundred and the Utah Golf Association. Details can be found 1659 01:27:25.000 --> 01:27:28.199 at ESPN seven hundred sports dot com. So the leaderboard 1660 01:27:28.199 --> 01:27:33.720 PGA Championship Quail Hollow Golf Club, Charlotte, North Carolina. Jonathan 1661 01:27:33.800 --> 01:27:36.560 Vegas is your leader at eight under PARR, Matthew Pavone, 1662 01:27:36.880 --> 01:27:40.039 Matt Fitzpatrick at six hundred. Fitzpatrick still on the course, 1663 01:27:40.119 --> 01:27:43.479 Max Holma card at a sixty four to find himself 1664 01:27:43.520 --> 01:27:48.119 at five under along with Alex Smalley. Some names of note, JT. 1665 01:27:48.239 --> 01:27:51.920 Postin and Scottie Scheffler are four under par Bryson the Shambos, 1666 01:27:51.960 --> 01:27:55.119 three under parr, Sam Stevens, My Guy three hundred par 1667 01:27:55.199 --> 01:27:58.600 has his ox Shapetia. Let's find you a Tony Victor 1668 01:27:58.640 --> 01:28:01.439 Hoblin two hundred par Is Bobby Fleewood and John rom 1669 01:28:01.520 --> 01:28:04.399 Keegan Bradley just birdied to go to two hunder par, 1670 01:28:04.640 --> 01:28:07.680 and Wyndham Clark is at one under. Some notables here. 1671 01:28:07.720 --> 01:28:09.319 Tony must have just made a bogie. 1672 01:28:09.560 --> 01:28:09.960 He did. 1673 01:28:10.399 --> 01:28:14.800 Tony is now even tied for forty ninth and he's 1674 01:28:14.840 --> 01:28:17.119 one over on the day, but he's on thirteen, so 1675 01:28:17.159 --> 01:28:19.239 hopefully he can hang on and play through the weekend. 1676 01:28:19.279 --> 01:28:21.840 The cut line right now is at two over par, 1677 01:28:21.960 --> 01:28:25.279 which should allow Jordan Speith to play the weekend, but 1678 01:28:25.319 --> 01:28:27.680 it does not look like Jordan will be capturing the 1679 01:28:27.680 --> 01:28:30.760 Grand Slam anytime soon. All right. Text line is eight 1680 01:28:30.840 --> 01:28:33.399 seven seven three five three zero seven hundred. Here's the deal. 1681 01:28:34.479 --> 01:28:36.800 We're gonna pick two winners. One winner is gonna play 1682 01:28:36.840 --> 01:28:40.359 eighteen holes for free at Mountain Dell oh Man, congratulations 1683 01:28:40.359 --> 01:28:42.920 to you. A secondary winner is gonna go see a 1684 01:28:42.960 --> 01:28:44.840 stand up comic who's not very funny. His name is 1685 01:28:44.840 --> 01:28:48.359 Matt Rife. But here's what we're gonna do. Porter. I 1686 01:28:48.399 --> 01:28:52.680 have in my possession your weekly bonus. Now we're operating 1687 01:28:52.720 --> 01:28:55.039 off a budget, so I have in my possession your 1688 01:28:55.039 --> 01:28:57.760 weekly bonus. It's sitting right here, which is very much appreciated. 1689 01:28:57.720 --> 01:29:00.560 It is very much appreciated. So I want the Texters 1690 01:29:00.600 --> 01:29:03.840 to text in, does Porter deserve his weekly bonus this week? 1691 01:29:03.880 --> 01:29:06.399 Has he done a good enough job? If you listen 1692 01:29:06.439 --> 01:29:10.359 to the show consistently, you know Porter's contributions. Does Porter 1693 01:29:10.479 --> 01:29:13.920 deserve his weekly bonus? Eight seven seven three five three 1694 01:29:14.039 --> 01:29:16.479 zero seven hundred, Text in yes or no? And why? 1695 01:29:17.399 --> 01:29:21.680 And it's a very valuable weekly bonus. Should we tell 1696 01:29:21.680 --> 01:29:23.800 the listeners what the bonus is? Or should we lead 1697 01:29:23.840 --> 01:29:25.560 them to believe you're actually getting paid some money? 1698 01:29:26.359 --> 01:29:28.279 I don't know if they can handle it, they'll be jealous. 1699 01:29:28.600 --> 01:29:32.359 Does Porter deserve his weekly bonus? Which is an uncrustable sandwich? 1700 01:29:32.920 --> 01:29:35.439 It's called working here at Broadway? Eight seven seven three 1701 01:29:35.560 --> 01:29:38.039 five three zero seven hundred. Should I award Porter for 1702 01:29:38.079 --> 01:29:41.399 his hard work with a nice peanut, butter and grape 1703 01:29:41.520 --> 01:29:44.640 jelly sandwich which was in the freezer overnight? So it's nice? 1704 01:29:44.640 --> 01:29:48.399 In thowed it's ready to go? Eight seven seven three 1705 01:29:48.520 --> 01:29:51.199 five three zero seven hundred. One winner to play Mountain 1706 01:29:51.239 --> 01:29:54.000 Dell and one winner to go see Matt Rife. I'd 1707 01:29:54.079 --> 01:29:56.439 rather play golf, all right. We got two hours in 1708 01:29:56.479 --> 01:29:58.159 the books. We've got two hours to go. We're gonna 1709 01:29:58.159 --> 01:30:03.319 switch gears a little bit. RSL Rocky Mountain Cup Crapids, 1710 01:30:03.880 --> 01:30:08.000 don't call them the rapids crapids. Will RSL score a goal, 1711 01:30:08.600 --> 01:30:11.840 Brian dun Seth will enlighten us and inform us. This 1712 01:30:11.920 --> 01:30:14.680 is a team that right now just it might be 1713 01:30:14.720 --> 01:30:17.319 the worst offensive soccer team we've ever had here besides 1714 01:30:17.359 --> 01:30:19.720 two thousand and five when like Dipsy Sealawani was the 1715 01:30:19.760 --> 01:30:22.800 leading scorer with like three goals. It's a rough scene. 1716 01:30:23.439 --> 01:30:26.680 We'll see if Donny has any confidence that RSL can 1717 01:30:26.720 --> 01:30:28.560 put it together. By the way, some breaking news, the 1718 01:30:28.720 --> 01:30:33.319 forty nine ers have finally signed Brock Party five years, 1719 01:30:33.399 --> 01:30:37.880 two hundred and sixty five million dollars for Brock perty Man. 1720 01:30:38.039 --> 01:30:39.720 Business of the NFL when you got to pay your 1721 01:30:39.760 --> 01:30:45.039 quarterback got NHL playoffs Tonight here on ESPN seven hundred. 1722 01:30:45.159 --> 01:30:49.359 The chase for Lord Stanley's Cup continues. Such a great tournament. 1723 01:30:50.600 --> 01:30:51.279 Look to Utah. 1724 01:30:51.359 --> 01:30:54.880 Mammoth did not say Utah Hockey Club proud of myself. 1725 01:30:55.239 --> 01:30:57.960 I think we'll find him there next year. I do 1726 01:30:58.000 --> 01:31:00.000 think it's a playoff team next year. And I think 1727 01:31:00.000 --> 01:31:04.239 it's interesting to consider the juxtaposition of the hockey Club, 1728 01:31:04.560 --> 01:31:07.920 Mammoth Whatever, and the Utah Jazz and the way that 1729 01:31:07.960 --> 01:31:10.359 the two front offices have gone about their business of 1730 01:31:10.399 --> 01:31:14.239 a rebuild. Now, in fairness, this year was about year 1731 01:31:14.479 --> 01:31:18.439 five of Bill Armstrong's rebuild and year three, I guess 1732 01:31:18.439 --> 01:31:22.000 for the rebuild of the Utah Jazz. So we'll see 1733 01:31:22.000 --> 01:31:24.359 if they can actually kind of get their stuff together. 1734 01:31:24.479 --> 01:31:27.960 But NHL playoffs on our radio station tonight, and then 1735 01:31:28.000 --> 01:31:30.920 we have Nix Celtics on the fan. Nick Celtics less 1736 01:31:30.920 --> 01:31:34.159 than two hours away from tip at the world's most 1737 01:31:34.319 --> 01:31:37.399 famous arena, Madison Square Garden. Dave mcmindman is gonna roll 1738 01:31:37.399 --> 01:31:40.800 by later on. But time now talk a little soccer 1739 01:31:41.560 --> 01:31:46.319 club legend friend of the program, Brian Dunseeth. Happy Friday, Donnie, 1740 01:31:46.319 --> 01:31:46.760 how are we doing? 1741 01:31:47.640 --> 01:31:49.520 No, I appreciate it man, Sorry to keep you waiting. 1742 01:31:49.720 --> 01:31:52.479 By the way, did I hear you say another rebuild 1743 01:31:52.520 --> 01:31:54.800 for the Utah Jazz. I feel like I've heard that 1744 01:31:54.840 --> 01:31:55.840 since two thousand and five. 1745 01:31:56.960 --> 01:31:59.720 All the Clipper fan comes out and Donnie, look at 1746 01:31:59.720 --> 01:32:03.800 that making shots at the Utah Jazz. Hey, look, man, uh, 1747 01:32:03.840 --> 01:32:06.760 it's uh, it's tough. It's tough sledding, dude. I just 1748 01:32:06.840 --> 01:32:09.399 I miss spring basketball, man. I love the playoffs as all. 1749 01:32:10.399 --> 01:32:12.399 No, I'm just teasing, man. I'm having a hard enough 1750 01:32:12.399 --> 01:32:14.800 time watching the Clippers now that they they've got James 1751 01:32:14.800 --> 01:32:17.880 Harden and the starting let or starting five, so trust me, 1752 01:32:18.319 --> 01:32:20.479 I feel the pain, Donny. 1753 01:32:20.479 --> 01:32:23.720 How do we score goals? How does this uh? Outside 1754 01:32:23.720 --> 01:32:26.279 of you know, as as cam Ronnie likes to say 1755 01:32:26.319 --> 01:32:29.159 this year RSL Diego lunas well, and they don't do 1756 01:32:29.279 --> 01:32:31.560 much else well in the attacking third. What's going What's 1757 01:32:31.600 --> 01:32:32.520 going on in the attack? 1758 01:32:32.600 --> 01:32:32.760 Dude? 1759 01:32:32.800 --> 01:32:33.600 Help me understand this. 1760 01:32:35.640 --> 01:32:38.439 It was the loss of Andras Gomez and Chito Rongo 1761 01:32:38.680 --> 01:32:42.520 that doesn't help, Anderson Julio being sent down to Dallas 1762 01:32:42.560 --> 01:32:46.520 with Junka coming up, you know, the lack of investment 1763 01:32:46.640 --> 01:32:50.439 in the international window in the midst of a transition 1764 01:32:50.520 --> 01:32:54.680 and ownership once again, and we're renting repeating the same 1765 01:32:54.680 --> 01:32:57.159 conversation you and I had Mack in February when we 1766 01:32:57.159 --> 01:32:59.960 were heading into the season. So not much has changed 1767 01:33:00.119 --> 01:33:05.000 outside of Gozo. Is the twenty twenty five version of 1768 01:33:05.079 --> 01:33:08.079 what the twenty twenty three, twenty twenty two to twenty 1769 01:33:08.079 --> 01:33:12.359 twenty three version of Diego Luna was, which is a 1770 01:33:12.399 --> 01:33:16.399 young kid that utilized the US under seventeen experience, the 1771 01:33:16.439 --> 01:33:18.359 US under twenty experience, going to be a part of 1772 01:33:18.399 --> 01:33:22.359 the Olympic team experience and turn that into opportunity when 1773 01:33:22.359 --> 01:33:25.479 other guys weren't performing. Because at the end of the day, 1774 01:33:26.000 --> 01:33:30.640 no matter the apparent or the equivalent value of players 1775 01:33:30.680 --> 01:33:34.239 coming in, if statistically you're not affecting the game in 1776 01:33:34.319 --> 01:33:36.279 a consistent level, it's going to open up the door. 1777 01:33:36.319 --> 01:33:38.600 And that's why Diego Luna is going to be a 1778 01:33:38.600 --> 01:33:42.560 full US men's national team player under Mariso Pochettino, and 1779 01:33:42.800 --> 01:33:45.920 Gozo is going to be a weekend, week out starter 1780 01:33:46.000 --> 01:33:46.880 in Major League Soccer. 1781 01:33:47.479 --> 01:33:51.000 Okay, what is fair to say both critically and then 1782 01:33:51.199 --> 01:33:54.119 maybe given space for some things that happened that nobody 1783 01:33:54.119 --> 01:33:58.720 saw coming about the additions or slash lack thereof additions. 1784 01:33:58.840 --> 01:34:01.279 Now that the primary windows coming gone, we have not 1785 01:34:01.399 --> 01:34:05.000 spoken since that window came and gone. It's Williegata, and 1786 01:34:05.039 --> 01:34:09.199 then it's Johnny Russell, who you probably played against, due respect. 1787 01:34:09.600 --> 01:34:11.359 But he's not that old. 1788 01:34:12.640 --> 01:34:14.560 I think he's like thirty eight, dude. 1789 01:34:14.640 --> 01:34:17.119 I mean, look, yeah, you know, ultimately it was long 1790 01:34:17.159 --> 01:34:17.960 gone by that point. 1791 01:34:18.039 --> 01:34:20.520 Okay, fair enough, fair enough, but but you get the gist. 1792 01:34:20.600 --> 01:34:23.560 So tell me what's fair to say on both sides 1793 01:34:23.600 --> 01:34:26.000 of the coin about the primary transfer window and what 1794 01:34:26.159 --> 01:34:27.439 RSL did and did not do. 1795 01:34:28.680 --> 01:34:31.439 Yeah, I mean, listen, I think I Zago and Peel 1796 01:34:31.600 --> 01:34:35.840 were very I mean not in terms of physical builds similar, 1797 01:34:36.560 --> 01:34:40.119 but technically and tactically played the game differently. But they 1798 01:34:40.159 --> 01:34:44.079 were projects. Elias, Manuel, you dodged a bullet with that 1799 01:34:44.119 --> 01:34:46.439 guy said he wanted to come, then he said he 1800 01:34:46.439 --> 01:34:48.399 didn't want to come and wanted to do a contract 1801 01:34:48.800 --> 01:34:52.920 se lave and then ultimately coming up short on on 1802 01:34:54.399 --> 01:34:56.199 I can't r. I think it's I can't remember how 1803 01:34:56.199 --> 01:34:58.479 to pronounce his name exactly. But Bosney the kid that 1804 01:34:58.600 --> 01:35:02.039 was playing the Slovakian International, the kid was playing in Portugal, 1805 01:35:02.399 --> 01:35:05.239 and that fella fell apart at the last minute. Where 1806 01:35:05.399 --> 01:35:08.279 I commend Kurt and all Phone Rail Salt Lake for 1807 01:35:08.279 --> 01:35:11.840 holding their ground and not allowing people to change the 1808 01:35:11.920 --> 01:35:15.680 agreement on the deal and the dying moments. And boy 1809 01:35:15.800 --> 01:35:22.319 Vista Is is long recognized for some really unsavory things. 1810 01:35:22.600 --> 01:35:25.720 I believe whether it's Reggie Cannon in Dallas or Albert 1811 01:35:25.760 --> 01:35:30.720 Ellis in Houston, they still owe those two teams significant 1812 01:35:30.760 --> 01:35:34.359 sums of money having not paid on previous transfers in 1813 01:35:34.399 --> 01:35:36.880 Major League Soccer. So there was always already a kind 1814 01:35:36.880 --> 01:35:39.520 of a general awareness. But the reality is the risk 1815 01:35:39.600 --> 01:35:43.560 versus reward. Right, The risk is as you continue to 1816 01:35:43.640 --> 01:35:46.199 negotiate to get a fair price that you think is 1817 01:35:46.239 --> 01:35:49.319 doable for your club. The reward is if you get 1818 01:35:49.319 --> 01:35:52.079 it over the line. The risk is if you've pushed 1819 01:35:52.119 --> 01:35:54.520 it to the final moments of a window and that 1820 01:35:54.760 --> 01:35:57.720 Herbie Hancock still isn't on the piece of paper, well, 1821 01:35:57.880 --> 01:36:04.279 then you've you've royally pushed, you know, a moment in 1822 01:36:04.319 --> 01:36:08.479 which you now are punished because that window was closed. 1823 01:36:08.520 --> 01:36:11.960 I think Willie Gotta coming over at twenty five, twenty 1824 01:36:12.000 --> 01:36:14.760 six years of age, a guy that can score ten 1825 01:36:14.800 --> 01:36:17.800 plus goals in the season is a smart and savvy 1826 01:36:17.840 --> 01:36:21.000 move because everything had gone sideways in Kansas City, pulling 1827 01:36:21.039 --> 01:36:23.399 off both off and off the field that had led 1828 01:36:23.439 --> 01:36:26.960 to the departure and firing of the most tenured manager 1829 01:36:27.159 --> 01:36:30.319 in Major League Soccer at the time, Peter Burns. Johnny 1830 01:36:30.359 --> 01:36:31.840 Russell is at the end of his career, but I 1831 01:36:31.880 --> 01:36:33.840 think a great addition in terms of the locker room, 1832 01:36:34.159 --> 01:36:37.600 He's got a ton of presence, a ton of leadership, 1833 01:36:38.159 --> 01:36:40.119 still got a great left foot, and we're just waiting 1834 01:36:40.159 --> 01:36:42.720 for him to be fully fit enough after you know, 1835 01:36:42.760 --> 01:36:45.039 being out of contract for a little bit to step 1836 01:36:45.079 --> 01:36:47.760 on the field. But you know, the reality is again 1837 01:36:47.960 --> 01:36:50.960 when you lose and you make the decision to cash 1838 01:36:51.000 --> 01:36:53.720 in on Andres Gomez, which was really for me a 1839 01:36:53.800 --> 01:36:56.439 once in a lifetime opportunity and I think the right decision, 1840 01:36:57.640 --> 01:37:00.920 and then the surprises of Chicho a Rongo effectively wanting 1841 01:37:00.960 --> 01:37:03.920 to leave and he's flying right now, but he becomes 1842 01:37:03.920 --> 01:37:05.399 a distressed asset. 1843 01:37:06.000 --> 01:37:06.239 You know. 1844 01:37:06.600 --> 01:37:09.720 Now you're looking at a situation where you're relying on 1845 01:37:09.800 --> 01:37:14.079 guys to score goals that are either unproven or unreliable. 1846 01:37:15.039 --> 01:37:17.640 So if we're going to focus on one positive, it 1847 01:37:17.680 --> 01:37:22.319 certainly is this young man Diego Luna, who has continued 1848 01:37:22.359 --> 01:37:24.479 to show that he is a star on the rise 1849 01:37:25.359 --> 01:37:27.600 with seven goals on the season. And you know, Donny, 1850 01:37:27.640 --> 01:37:29.640 it's not just that he's scoring goals like the way 1851 01:37:29.680 --> 01:37:31.479 he's doing it. There a lot of them are just 1852 01:37:31.520 --> 01:37:34.239 like wonder strikes where you go, holy smokes, and I 1853 01:37:34.359 --> 01:37:36.960 just wonder if he's already better than you thought he 1854 01:37:37.000 --> 01:37:37.560 could ever be. 1855 01:37:40.039 --> 01:37:42.119 That's a great question. No one's ever asked me that. 1856 01:37:43.560 --> 01:37:48.800 I'm still to this point not sure what his ceiling is, 1857 01:37:49.680 --> 01:37:52.800 And I mean that would be utmost respect because I 1858 01:37:52.840 --> 01:37:58.000 could easily see clubs from La Liga. I could see 1859 01:37:58.319 --> 01:38:03.399 clubs in Holland and so Spain, Holland, Germany. I could 1860 01:38:03.399 --> 01:38:07.640 see teams in Mexico. I could see because of his build, 1861 01:38:07.800 --> 01:38:13.399 similar to let's see Jefferson Savarino. I could see him 1862 01:38:13.439 --> 01:38:18.479 down in Brazil because you know, he's kind of built 1863 01:38:18.520 --> 01:38:22.199 like Clint Mathis was built. He's got that feel. He's 1864 01:38:22.239 --> 01:38:25.159 also kind of built like Guatimot Blanco for those that 1865 01:38:25.439 --> 01:38:28.359 remember back in the day the Mexican International and spent 1866 01:38:28.439 --> 01:38:34.199 some time in Chicago. The thing about Diego is his center, bounce, technique, 1867 01:38:34.359 --> 01:38:38.159 monster mentality, all of those things, but most important for 1868 01:38:38.279 --> 01:38:40.720 me is that he's a kid that bet on himself. 1869 01:38:41.520 --> 01:38:45.359 And I don't know how you could ever bet against 1870 01:38:45.399 --> 01:38:48.359 a kid who's willing to bet on himself and to 1871 01:38:48.439 --> 01:38:51.199 walk away from the San Jose earthquakes and go to 1872 01:38:51.199 --> 01:38:55.319 El Paso as a teenager, to work himself into a 1873 01:38:55.359 --> 01:38:57.600 moment where he's got the opportunity to come to real 1874 01:38:57.680 --> 01:39:00.520 Salt Lake. You know to get punched the teeth on 1875 01:39:00.560 --> 01:39:03.600 a few occasions of understanding what that next step look like, 1876 01:39:04.239 --> 01:39:07.159 whether you talk about dietary, whether you talk about physical, 1877 01:39:07.239 --> 01:39:09.079 whether you talk about the work off the ball on 1878 01:39:09.119 --> 01:39:13.000 the defensive side. He has done everything that has been 1879 01:39:13.039 --> 01:39:15.600 asked of him. I covered the usman's national team in 1880 01:39:15.640 --> 01:39:18.199 January down in Orlando when he got his nose broken, 1881 01:39:18.720 --> 01:39:22.439 and Mariso Pochettino said what he loves best about him. 1882 01:39:22.479 --> 01:39:25.640 He said, quote big balls in the post game on 1883 01:39:25.760 --> 01:39:28.199 T and T in our coverage, and I don't think 1884 01:39:28.199 --> 01:39:31.439 there's a better description of what he's got. There's a 1885 01:39:31.640 --> 01:39:36.680 just a from a competitive standpoint, a killer mentality. I 1886 01:39:36.760 --> 01:39:39.079 still can't understand to wrap my head around why he 1887 01:39:39.159 --> 01:39:41.359 was left off the Olympic team. In the summer, he 1888 01:39:41.399 --> 01:39:43.880 was justly rewarded with an All Star spot as well 1889 01:39:43.880 --> 01:39:46.760 as an MLS Young Player of the Year. He was 1890 01:39:46.800 --> 01:39:49.319 the best performer down at the Nations League when had 1891 01:39:49.319 --> 01:39:51.560 the opportunity against Canada to step on the field for 1892 01:39:51.640 --> 01:39:56.279 Marisa Pozatino in that third and fourth place game, and 1893 01:39:56.399 --> 01:39:59.199 Spence I fully expect him to be gone for a 1894 01:39:59.239 --> 01:40:02.479 good chunk of the from Real Salt Lake because I 1895 01:40:02.520 --> 01:40:04.920 think this kid is going to be one of the 1896 01:40:05.039 --> 01:40:09.119 main featuring playmakers for the game against Turkey, the game 1897 01:40:09.119 --> 01:40:12.560 against Nashville, and then heading into the Gold Cup this summer. 1898 01:40:12.640 --> 01:40:18.560 He's been fantastic, and I know, in a position where 1899 01:40:18.560 --> 01:40:20.960 there's a lot of great number tens in Major League Soccer, 1900 01:40:21.640 --> 01:40:24.039 I would never want to see him overshadowed by the 1901 01:40:24.079 --> 01:40:26.439 bigger names, because I think the amount of respect that 1902 01:40:26.479 --> 01:40:31.079 he's earned from the players around this league speaks volumes 1903 01:40:31.119 --> 01:40:32.960 for what he's done in his short career so far. 1904 01:40:33.479 --> 01:40:37.520 The politics surrounding the US men's national team program probably 1905 01:40:37.560 --> 01:40:41.319 aren't things that I fully understand, but I know that 1906 01:40:41.359 --> 01:40:44.479 you do. Is it too late to expect Diego to 1907 01:40:44.520 --> 01:40:47.479 be a key part of the US men's national team 1908 01:40:47.520 --> 01:40:48.920 come World Cup twenty six? 1909 01:40:50.840 --> 01:40:55.199 I think it's the immediacy in the future. I'm not joking, Spence. 1910 01:40:56.720 --> 01:41:04.479 Mauricio Pochettino adores Diego Luna. He he, it's it's I'm 1911 01:41:04.479 --> 01:41:06.920 trying to I'm trying not to give too much that 1912 01:41:07.039 --> 01:41:11.960 was behind the scenes, But Diego we we we kind 1913 01:41:12.000 --> 01:41:13.920 of used this saying in soccer, and I know Paplo 1914 01:41:13.920 --> 01:41:17.640 has probably used it with you on multiple occasions. He's 1915 01:41:17.640 --> 01:41:22.079 got that dog in him like he is a monster 1916 01:41:22.279 --> 01:41:26.520 mentality player and the only thing that's going to slow 1917 01:41:26.560 --> 01:41:30.800 him down is God forbid any type of injuries. He 1918 01:41:31.239 --> 01:41:34.000 is as long as Mauricio Pochettino as of right now, 1919 01:41:34.039 --> 01:41:36.279 Mauricio Pochettino, He's going to be involved. 1920 01:41:36.399 --> 01:41:37.640 I have no doubt. 1921 01:41:37.640 --> 01:41:40.079 And when the when the roster comes out for those 1922 01:41:40.119 --> 01:41:41.960 two friendlies which I'm fortunate enough to get to be 1923 01:41:42.039 --> 01:41:45.119 a part of against Turkey and in East Hartford, Connecticut, 1924 01:41:45.520 --> 01:41:48.760 and then against Switzerland and Nashville, it's reverse pictures. Mexico 1925 01:41:48.800 --> 01:41:51.800 will be up here playing Switzerland at the U and 1926 01:41:51.840 --> 01:41:54.680 then they'll flip flop the teams on the on the 1927 01:41:54.680 --> 01:41:58.960 return a few days later. I again, I think, I 1928 01:41:58.960 --> 01:42:02.880 think Pochattino and his staff love everything that they're seeing 1929 01:42:03.479 --> 01:42:07.640 because there's there's no how do I say this correctly, 1930 01:42:07.680 --> 01:42:09.399 With all due respect to the guys that are cutting 1931 01:42:09.399 --> 01:42:12.439 their teeth overseas and continuing to push the envelope for 1932 01:42:12.640 --> 01:42:17.560 some of the biggest clubs and Champions League competition, there's 1933 01:42:17.680 --> 01:42:20.960 there's not an ounce of entitlement that comes along with 1934 01:42:21.039 --> 01:42:24.800 Diego Luna. He recognizes every moment that he has to 1935 01:42:25.039 --> 01:42:29.399 work and earn every chance that he gets, and there's 1936 01:42:29.399 --> 01:42:32.479 something to be said about to your point, you know, 1937 01:42:32.680 --> 01:42:35.640 we're we're we're about to turn into that final twelve 1938 01:42:35.720 --> 01:42:38.079 months before the World Cup comes to the United States, 1939 01:42:38.079 --> 01:42:41.000 and god forbid we have any similar type of performance 1940 01:42:41.000 --> 01:42:43.279 that we saw at the Nation's League or Copa Livergeadoras 1941 01:42:43.319 --> 01:42:48.000 last summer. So I think Gigo's is fully cognizant of 1942 01:42:48.039 --> 01:42:51.960 what these chances mean. And I would never ever bet 1943 01:42:52.000 --> 01:42:53.199 against Diego Luna. 1944 01:42:54.600 --> 01:42:58.359 Is RSL wasting this young man's ability because it just 1945 01:42:58.399 --> 01:43:00.319 feels like there are way too many games is where 1946 01:43:00.319 --> 01:43:03.359 if Diego doesn't create something, there's nothing created. Does he 1947 01:43:03.479 --> 01:43:04.880 have enough help in the attack? 1948 01:43:06.720 --> 01:43:13.039 No, not right now. And with respect to Diego, I 1949 01:43:13.039 --> 01:43:17.319 think Diego Gonzalveez hasn't come anywhere close to being the 1950 01:43:17.359 --> 01:43:20.279 player that we thought the previous two players coming from 1951 01:43:20.319 --> 01:43:23.479 Denmark could be when talking about Evander who was in 1952 01:43:23.560 --> 01:43:26.239 Portland and has moved to a f C Cincinnati and 1953 01:43:26.319 --> 01:43:30.560 Honey Muktar, who's been a multiple MLS All Star as 1954 01:43:30.600 --> 01:43:35.199 well as Best eleven performer down in Nashville. So been 1955 01:43:35.279 --> 01:43:38.880 really disappointed with the with the lack of consistent performances 1956 01:43:39.920 --> 01:43:42.720 and influence that Diego has. He's looked more like a 1957 01:43:42.760 --> 01:43:48.199 complimentary piece as opposed to a pure designated player and 1958 01:43:48.279 --> 01:43:54.000 statistically dominic. Marchuk hasn't shown me anything anywhere near enough, 1959 01:43:55.079 --> 01:43:58.000 and I can't be the only one if Pablo Mastroni 1960 01:43:58.039 --> 01:44:01.079 continues to give Gozo the runout, because on both sides 1961 01:44:01.079 --> 01:44:03.720 of the ball, Gozo has looked the much more dangerous 1962 01:44:03.760 --> 01:44:06.359 player that's willing to leave it all on the field 1963 01:44:06.560 --> 01:44:11.600 as opposed to march Of that in moments has looked dangerous, 1964 01:44:11.640 --> 01:44:15.479 but far from the consistent product that we expected after 1965 01:44:15.520 --> 01:44:17.840 betting down for the better part of the last twelve months. 1966 01:44:18.239 --> 01:44:20.439 So Donny, before I set you lose, I've had a 1967 01:44:20.479 --> 01:44:24.000 few guests who cover oursel who feel like as a 1968 01:44:24.039 --> 01:44:27.159 result of the lack of additions made, And yes, there's 1969 01:44:27.159 --> 01:44:30.119 a summer transfer window, but after that closes, I think 1970 01:44:30.119 --> 01:44:32.720 you have eight or nine matches left. Do you feel 1971 01:44:32.720 --> 01:44:34.000 like this is a lost season? 1972 01:44:34.119 --> 01:44:34.319 Do you? 1973 01:44:34.760 --> 01:44:38.000 I mean, with without talent at his disposal. I don't 1974 01:44:38.000 --> 01:44:39.920 know that this is an indamond on Pablo at all, 1975 01:44:39.960 --> 01:44:41.800 and I feel like they really like him over there, 1976 01:44:42.279 --> 01:44:43.640 But do you feel like this is kind of a 1977 01:44:43.680 --> 01:44:46.399 one off, like throwaway season for our RSL with the 1978 01:44:46.399 --> 01:44:50.119 inability of the front office to make significant talent editions. 1979 01:44:51.119 --> 01:44:54.319 Well, just to be clear, I do want to make 1980 01:44:54.359 --> 01:44:58.960 sure that there's nuance to this conversation that understanding, you know, 1981 01:44:59.000 --> 01:45:02.199 the predicament that the front office found themselves in considering. 1982 01:45:02.399 --> 01:45:05.279 You know, it was pretty obvious that Ryan Smith was 1983 01:45:05.439 --> 01:45:08.840 highly focused on the Jazz and Utah Hockey Club or 1984 01:45:08.920 --> 01:45:12.359 Mammoths whatever we're calling it now. In the transition of 1985 01:45:12.359 --> 01:45:15.880 the Millers, you know, taking over a majority ownership and 1986 01:45:15.960 --> 01:45:19.039 David Blitzer and company kind of stepping down in their ownership, 1987 01:45:20.000 --> 01:45:21.640 that there was going to be behind the scenes and 1988 01:45:21.760 --> 01:45:25.399 infrastructure change as well as probably concern about how much 1989 01:45:25.560 --> 01:45:29.159 was invested. I mean, I think that's kind of incredibly obvious, 1990 01:45:29.399 --> 01:45:32.000 and I'm speaking I'm not to be clear, Like I'm 1991 01:45:32.000 --> 01:45:33.960 not a team employee, you know, Like I do some 1992 01:45:34.039 --> 01:45:36.479 voiceover work and i do some hosting stuff, but my 1993 01:45:36.560 --> 01:45:38.680 main gig is covering the US men's national team and 1994 01:45:38.720 --> 01:45:41.199 covering Major League Soccer. So I'm coming in from it 1995 01:45:41.239 --> 01:45:45.039 from more of a national coverage perspective for MLS and 1996 01:45:45.079 --> 01:45:48.960 Apple TV. There is a way around this and it 1997 01:45:49.079 --> 01:45:50.920 has to be very similar to what we saw with 1998 01:45:51.000 --> 01:45:55.840 Chicho Rongo two summers ago, where if you've identified your guy, 1999 01:45:56.439 --> 01:45:59.600 get that deal over the line. And my hope is 2000 01:45:59.640 --> 01:46:03.720 that with the Millers completely settling in that there will 2001 01:46:03.760 --> 01:46:06.880 be a significant amount of funds that are now made 2002 01:46:06.880 --> 01:46:10.800 available now that everybody has clarity about what this looks like. 2003 01:46:11.520 --> 01:46:15.680 Notoriously more easy during the summer transfer window to sign 2004 01:46:15.760 --> 01:46:18.920 players or have better conversations because players are out of 2005 01:46:18.960 --> 01:46:22.039 contract as opposed to coming out of contract and having 2006 01:46:22.039 --> 01:46:25.439 to buy players out of contract. The cap hit is 2007 01:46:25.640 --> 01:46:28.840 half of what it normally would be because effectively half 2008 01:46:28.840 --> 01:46:32.640 the season. But similarly, what they did with Chicho Rongo 2009 01:46:33.159 --> 01:46:35.119 is get him in the market a good month before 2010 01:46:35.239 --> 01:46:39.279 he's even eligible to step on the field. Get whoever 2011 01:46:39.359 --> 01:46:41.960 you're deciding to have be a part of it, Get 2012 01:46:42.000 --> 01:46:44.760 them in market, get their families settled, get their kids 2013 01:46:44.760 --> 01:46:47.439 registered from school, get the player training with the team, 2014 01:46:47.760 --> 01:46:50.439 and then the moment that the availability in the paperwork 2015 01:46:50.520 --> 01:46:54.640 is through on registration, get this player or play yours 2016 01:46:54.800 --> 01:46:57.920 on the field and hopefully they have a similar impact 2017 01:46:58.640 --> 01:47:02.239 that Chicho did. You cannot afford to have what happened 2018 01:47:02.319 --> 01:47:06.199 last year. With Diogo, where whether it was the inability 2019 01:47:06.239 --> 01:47:09.279 to get the done, the deal done as early as 2020 01:47:09.279 --> 01:47:15.560 it needed to be, the negotiation snags, snapoos, Diogo never settled, 2021 01:47:15.960 --> 01:47:18.680 and at that point Pablo was really concerned with keeping 2022 01:47:18.720 --> 01:47:23.560 the momentum and keeping the kind of starting eleven matchups 2023 01:47:23.640 --> 01:47:26.159 in play while trying to get Chicho back on track 2024 01:47:26.199 --> 01:47:29.520 after the suspension earlier in the summer. So there is 2025 01:47:29.560 --> 01:47:31.720 a way around this. But to your point, yeah, I mean, 2026 01:47:31.760 --> 01:47:35.159 if you are not really tight on your timelines, you 2027 01:47:35.159 --> 01:47:38.880 could have actually even less than eight games remaining. Because 2028 01:47:39.319 --> 01:47:42.079 it's it's a dirty little secret right now that it's 2029 01:47:42.199 --> 01:47:48.199 very difficult to get paperwork through, you know, from a registration, 2030 01:47:48.520 --> 01:47:52.600 work permit, visa situation than it ever has been before. 2031 01:47:52.760 --> 01:47:55.520 Give me a quick thought on Colorado RSL Colorado or 2032 01:47:55.520 --> 01:47:56.840 Marl of course rivalry match. 2033 01:47:58.000 --> 01:48:03.319 Yeah, Colorado, three consecutive losses Jacklin High Team soft underbelly. 2034 01:48:03.319 --> 01:48:07.000 They've got the ability to score some goals, transition moments defensively, 2035 01:48:07.039 --> 01:48:10.479 haven't been good enough. Pressure on Zach Stephanie, goal pressure 2036 01:48:10.520 --> 01:48:12.800 on Chris Armis to get this right. They won the 2037 01:48:12.880 --> 01:48:16.319 Rocky Cup Mountain Cup last year. They celebrated it like 2038 01:48:16.359 --> 01:48:20.399 it was a real trophy. Egotistically RSL players, Hopefully they 2039 01:48:20.439 --> 01:48:24.520 understand that the fan base it really matters to we 2040 01:48:24.600 --> 01:48:27.920 also late fans, so hopefully they put in a performance 2041 01:48:27.960 --> 01:48:29.920 worthy of the fans' approval. 2042 01:48:30.840 --> 01:48:33.880 All right, brother, I appreciate the time, save travels and yeah, 2043 01:48:33.920 --> 01:48:34.560 let's chat soon. 2044 01:48:34.600 --> 01:48:37.399 Thanks dude, I appreciate my man. And by the way, 2045 01:48:37.439 --> 01:48:38.840 don't ever listen to cam Ronnie. 2046 01:48:39.479 --> 01:48:39.720 Dude. 2047 01:48:39.880 --> 01:48:42.760 No, that's a great point. That's a great point. Brian, 2048 01:48:42.840 --> 01:48:44.960 you always offer great advice. Thank you, my friend. 2049 01:48:46.000 --> 01:48:47.239 I appreciate you it all right. 2050 01:48:47.239 --> 01:48:49.920 The great Brian don seth Now with Apple TV, does 2051 01:48:49.960 --> 01:48:52.239 some work for Turner Sports when the national team is 2052 01:48:52.239 --> 01:48:55.359 playing as well. He exited Twitter during the last World 2053 01:48:55.399 --> 01:48:58.439 Cup cycle, but I think you'd find him on Instagram 2054 01:48:58.520 --> 01:49:01.319 and threads and wherever else. Brought to you today by 2055 01:49:01.399 --> 01:49:04.359 Courtland Roofing, our re roofing and roof repair experts with 2056 01:49:04.399 --> 01:49:07.800 over twenty years of experience, family owned and operated, call 2057 01:49:07.880 --> 01:49:10.560 Cortland Roofing today to get free rain gutters with any 2058 01:49:10.680 --> 01:49:14.079 roof replacement. So if you need a replacement right now, 2059 01:49:14.199 --> 01:49:16.359 roof replacement right now, if you're getting close to it, 2060 01:49:16.800 --> 01:49:19.159 you should take advantage of this deal because free rain 2061 01:49:19.239 --> 01:49:23.079 gutters saves you like two thousand dollars. Okay, So, Cortland Roofing, 2062 01:49:23.199 --> 01:49:25.520 Reroofing and roof for pair experts give them a call 2063 01:49:25.600 --> 01:49:28.520 at eight oh one six one five five five six zero. 2064 01:49:29.199 --> 01:49:31.479 That's eight oh one six one five five five six 2065 01:49:31.560 --> 01:49:34.560 zero eight oh one six one five five five six zero, 2066 01:49:34.800 --> 01:49:38.279 or online at Cortland Roofing dot com. All right, we 2067 01:49:38.319 --> 01:49:43.039 are ninety minutes away ish from Nick's Celtics in Midtown Manhattan, 2068 01:49:43.600 --> 01:49:46.000 New York. Tried to advance to their first Eastern Conference 2069 01:49:46.000 --> 01:49:49.399 finals in twenty five years, where they last played the 2070 01:49:49.640 --> 01:49:53.079 Indiana Pacers, who are awaiting the winner of this series. 2071 01:49:53.159 --> 01:49:56.520 Up Porter, were you awarded your weekly bonus by our textures? 2072 01:49:56.560 --> 01:49:59.159 Were you given? You were giving the unanimous thumbs up 2073 01:49:59.159 --> 01:50:00.880 that you deserve your week bonus? I was. 2074 01:50:01.119 --> 01:50:01.239 So. 2075 01:50:01.279 --> 01:50:03.279 We have people texting that have not listened to the 2076 01:50:03.279 --> 01:50:04.319 show this week. I think so. 2077 01:50:04.399 --> 01:50:05.479 I think that's the case. 2078 01:50:05.520 --> 01:50:05.680 Here. 2079 01:50:05.720 --> 01:50:07.119 Were there any dissenting votes? 2080 01:50:07.199 --> 01:50:10.039 There was one that said, I, you know, maybe might 2081 01:50:10.119 --> 01:50:13.600 need it. One said I deserve your bonus also. 2082 01:50:13.359 --> 01:50:15.159 Well, then he's not going to see Matt ry for 2083 01:50:15.239 --> 01:50:16.399 going to play golf the Mountain Dell. 2084 01:50:16.520 --> 01:50:17.159 Yeah, he didn't. 2085 01:50:17.159 --> 01:50:20.079 He didn't get chosen. It's a very exciting weekly bonus. 2086 01:50:20.079 --> 01:50:23.159 It is an uncrustable sandwich, so porter will be rewarded 2087 01:50:23.159 --> 01:50:26.039 for his hard work. Dave mcammit him in Friday afternoon. David, 2088 01:50:26.039 --> 01:50:26.640 how are you, sir? 2089 01:50:27.760 --> 01:50:29.199 I'm too wonderful. How are you, guys? 2090 01:50:29.279 --> 01:50:31.880 I'm good, I'm good. Are you a fan of uncrustables? 2091 01:50:31.920 --> 01:50:33.159 I've asked you this before. 2092 01:50:34.800 --> 01:50:37.560 Not that I'm aware of you asking me. Yeah, I am. Absolutely. 2093 01:50:37.600 --> 01:50:40.840 They have them at Laker games actually in the uh 2094 01:50:41.840 --> 01:50:44.960 like the fridge where they put the food for the 2095 01:50:45.159 --> 01:50:49.960 people that can't eat whatever they're making in the hot bar. However, 2096 01:50:50.199 --> 01:50:52.359 you got to go and grab one early because as 2097 01:50:52.399 --> 01:50:56.279 soon as the Lakers dance team comes in, they descend 2098 01:50:56.359 --> 01:50:59.680 upon that collection of the crustables like rabbit animals, and 2099 01:50:59.720 --> 01:51:01.760 they clear it out. So if I come to the 2100 01:51:01.840 --> 01:51:04.079 arena early, I'll grab one, put it to the side, 2101 01:51:04.640 --> 01:51:07.760 having a little snack, usually postgame while I'm writing. But 2102 01:51:07.800 --> 01:51:09.479 if I can't, if I don't beat the Laker girls 2103 01:51:09.479 --> 01:51:11.319 there first, there's no chance to get the one. 2104 01:51:11.359 --> 01:51:14.279 The biggest question is which flavor did the Lakers girls 2105 01:51:14.319 --> 01:51:17.079 girls prefer? Is it Greape, Is it strawberry? What's what's 2106 01:51:17.079 --> 01:51:17.680 the preference? 2107 01:51:18.000 --> 01:51:22.000 So they clear it out of both. My preference is great. 2108 01:51:22.520 --> 01:51:24.920 You know, my mom made peterbon and Zollisy, which just 2109 01:51:24.960 --> 01:51:26.800 put it in our sac launches growing up. It was 2110 01:51:26.840 --> 01:51:29.760 never there was no other jelly flavor other than great, 2111 01:51:29.760 --> 01:51:32.159 but it was concord great from Welch's. There's no other 2112 01:51:32.279 --> 01:51:33.600 choice to get something else. 2113 01:51:33.640 --> 01:51:36.640 This is true. So Porter's weekly bonus if he does 2114 01:51:36.640 --> 01:51:38.800 a good job as an uncrustable sandwich. So I need 2115 01:51:38.840 --> 01:51:41.600 to know did he communicate with you in a professional 2116 01:51:41.640 --> 01:51:43.119 manner and did he call you on time? 2117 01:51:44.880 --> 01:51:48.279 I would venture to say that he may deserve too well. 2118 01:51:48.840 --> 01:51:52.159 Excellent communication this week. Up that bonus. 2119 01:51:52.359 --> 01:51:54.960 Hey, we're working on a budget here, Dave. One uncrustable 2120 01:51:55.000 --> 01:51:57.920 per week, buddy, is all you get? All right, Dave? 2121 01:51:58.560 --> 01:52:01.760 The lottery is fixed. It is rigged. The NBA hates 2122 01:52:01.800 --> 01:52:03.720 the Jazz and everybody hates sawt Leg. 2123 01:52:03.800 --> 01:52:10.640 Your reaction, oh man, I thought about you guys almost immediately. 2124 01:52:11.680 --> 01:52:14.880 You know. First I was fielding text, you know, just 2125 01:52:15.640 --> 01:52:18.920 the remarkable turn of events for the Mavericks. But yeah, 2126 01:52:19.000 --> 01:52:23.119 my thoughts turned to the Utah franchise out listen. Obviously 2127 01:52:23.119 --> 01:52:28.119 not rigged. As crazy as it may seem, life is 2128 01:52:28.159 --> 01:52:33.680 stranger than fiction. So Kennedy had a secretary named Lincoln, 2129 01:52:33.680 --> 01:52:36.439 Lincoln had the secretary named Kennedy, and they were assessaly 2130 01:52:36.479 --> 01:52:39.520 one hundred years apart. Like that's crazy, right, that's actually 2131 01:52:39.560 --> 01:52:42.760 crazy what happened in the NBA Draft lottery where even 2132 01:52:42.800 --> 01:52:46.039 the teams with the best chance of ending up in 2133 01:52:46.079 --> 01:52:49.039 the top three only had what fifteen percent chance of 2134 01:52:49.079 --> 01:52:51.840 getting there? Like that still means eighty five percent chance 2135 01:52:51.880 --> 01:52:55.039 you're not going to get those picks. We want to, 2136 01:52:55.399 --> 01:52:58.560 you know, put a positive spin on it. Hey, maybe 2137 01:52:58.600 --> 01:53:00.239 a j Devance is going to be a better than 2138 01:53:00.279 --> 01:53:04.840 Cooper flag anyway, and jazz fans can get to know 2139 01:53:04.960 --> 01:53:07.760 them watching them play in provo this year for BYU, 2140 01:53:08.439 --> 01:53:10.880 and I hope that the lottery works out for them 2141 01:53:10.880 --> 01:53:11.279 next year. 2142 01:53:12.159 --> 01:53:15.359 Yeah, And look, ultimately, you know me, I'm teasing to 2143 01:53:15.399 --> 01:53:17.319 bring you in that way, but we do have a 2144 01:53:17.359 --> 01:53:20.920 lot of very frustrated jazz fans in the market. And 2145 01:53:21.000 --> 01:53:23.359 you know, Dave, the bottom line is the one team 2146 01:53:23.640 --> 01:53:27.279 that could not win the lottery. In order to dissuade 2147 01:53:27.279 --> 01:53:30.560 folks from putting on their tinfoil Hat won the lottery, right, Like, 2148 01:53:30.640 --> 01:53:33.840 that's how that went down. So the fact that Dallas 2149 01:53:33.880 --> 01:53:36.159 gets one, I think has a lot of people wondering, like, 2150 01:53:36.239 --> 01:53:36.840 what's going on? 2151 01:53:36.920 --> 01:53:43.000 You know, it's it's absolutely wild to comprehend, and. 2152 01:53:42.920 --> 01:53:47.560 I get it, I absolutely get it. However, it's just 2153 01:53:47.600 --> 01:53:53.079 the way things went. And the NBA is not discouraged 2154 01:53:53.279 --> 01:53:55.960 by the fallout if you want to call it that, 2155 01:53:56.119 --> 01:53:59.840 or the speculation, because the real goal of the lottery 2156 01:54:00.880 --> 01:54:06.800 was to discourage teams from tanking. And the two teams 2157 01:54:06.840 --> 01:54:10.479 that I think you could say, we're not judging at all, 2158 01:54:10.520 --> 01:54:13.239 but let's just be realistic. The two teams in the 2159 01:54:13.279 --> 01:54:16.279 lottery that clearly tanked this year. I guess there was three, right, 2160 01:54:16.359 --> 01:54:20.880 so Charlotte, Washington, and Utah. None of those teams ended 2161 01:54:20.960 --> 01:54:23.960 up with the top two picks. And that's kind of 2162 01:54:23.960 --> 01:54:26.560 what the NBA wants to happen, because they don't want 2163 01:54:26.920 --> 01:54:30.159 teams to do what Sam Pinky and Philadelphia did and 2164 01:54:30.199 --> 01:54:33.960 try to bring the system and basically set a blow 2165 01:54:34.000 --> 01:54:36.319 towards to your fan base for half of a decade 2166 01:54:36.640 --> 01:54:40.119 while you try to take advantage of the lottery talent. 2167 01:54:40.560 --> 01:54:42.840 You know, it's interesting, your guy Tim bond TAM's Timmy 2168 01:54:42.880 --> 01:54:46.680 good Time bontem says he's known around these parts sided 2169 01:54:46.720 --> 01:54:50.359 a couple of front office sources celebrating the fact that 2170 01:54:50.399 --> 01:54:52.880 the Jazz and the Wizards specifically did not get the 2171 01:54:52.960 --> 01:54:55.359 number one overall pick. Do you feel like that's a 2172 01:54:55.439 --> 01:54:59.479 consensus from teams around the league that actually are serious 2173 01:54:59.520 --> 01:55:01.680 about when when they're looking at teams that are clearly 2174 01:55:01.800 --> 01:55:04.520 unseerious about the endeavor, that they're glad that that approach 2175 01:55:04.560 --> 01:55:05.560 does not get rewarded. 2176 01:55:07.319 --> 01:55:11.199 I wouldn't speak to a consensus, but I can say 2177 01:55:11.239 --> 01:55:16.039 that I spoke to a smattering of folks that look 2178 01:55:16.079 --> 01:55:19.359 at it the same way. And but you know, listen 2179 01:55:19.479 --> 01:55:22.319 that I can say this without revealing my sources. 2180 01:55:23.159 --> 01:55:28.000 They aren't in that cycle of their team currently that. 2181 01:55:28.039 --> 01:55:29.600 The people that are sharing that opigeon. 2182 01:55:30.760 --> 01:55:33.960 It's easy to look your nose down on someone when 2183 01:55:35.680 --> 01:55:39.560 you have the good fortune of being on a competitive 2184 01:55:39.560 --> 01:55:42.560 team at the moment, But even the most competitive teams 2185 01:55:42.680 --> 01:55:47.439 generally will go through some sort of downturn that I mean, listen, 2186 01:55:47.760 --> 01:55:50.800 it's a reminder of the stakes of choosing to go 2187 01:55:50.920 --> 01:55:55.560 that direction. And again, like the best case scenario when 2188 01:55:55.600 --> 01:56:01.800 it comes to your percentage chances is fifteen, just below 2189 01:56:01.880 --> 01:56:05.159 eighteen percent, I think is what you can end up with. 2190 01:56:05.560 --> 01:56:08.039 The Jazz end up with a fifth pick, their most 2191 01:56:08.560 --> 01:56:12.159 likely pick they were going to get going into the lottery, 2192 01:56:12.239 --> 01:56:15.520 and you know the odds are published and there for 2193 01:56:15.560 --> 01:56:17.239 everybody to see is that they were end up with 2194 01:56:17.239 --> 01:56:21.600 a fifth pick. So like that was it actually was. 2195 01:56:22.000 --> 01:56:27.039 It didn't buck the information that the team or the 2196 01:56:27.039 --> 01:56:29.479 fan base had going into last week's lottery. 2197 01:56:30.039 --> 01:56:31.960 One more thing, if Mike Pence did the right thing, 2198 01:56:31.960 --> 01:56:33.760 would the Jazz have the number one overall pick? 2199 01:56:36.199 --> 01:56:36.800 Next Crutch? 2200 01:56:37.039 --> 01:56:39.840 I knew it. I knew it. I knew you wouldn't 2201 01:56:39.840 --> 01:56:41.800 take the bait. I've tried for years and you won't 2202 01:56:41.840 --> 01:56:43.800 do it. All right, Dave, are you ready for my 2203 01:56:43.880 --> 01:56:46.159 super crazy Jazz Spurs trade idea? 2204 01:56:47.159 --> 01:56:47.399 Yeah? 2205 01:56:47.399 --> 01:56:47.920 I love it. 2206 01:56:48.079 --> 01:56:51.119 So San Antonio two finds themselves in a really interesting 2207 01:56:51.119 --> 01:56:53.720 spot because I think everybody feels like Dylan Harper is 2208 01:56:53.720 --> 01:56:55.760 the second best prospect in the draft. But you look 2209 01:56:55.760 --> 01:56:59.720 at San Antonio's roster and there's redundancy there. If they 2210 01:56:59.760 --> 01:57:02.800 just I had to go Dylan Harper. Now, look the 2211 01:57:02.840 --> 01:57:05.640 problem with this trade scenario is there will be a 2212 01:57:05.680 --> 01:57:07.720 lot of teams lined up to make it offer for 2213 01:57:07.760 --> 01:57:10.159 two if san Antonio is willing to move it, but 2214 01:57:10.239 --> 01:57:12.760 they make the trade for Darren Fox. They have Stefan Castle, 2215 01:57:12.760 --> 01:57:16.000 who's Rookie of the Year, and the Jazz could very 2216 01:57:16.079 --> 01:57:19.079 much use Dylan Harper. It fills a need and if 2217 01:57:19.119 --> 01:57:22.079 he's as good as everybody says. Do you think san 2218 01:57:22.119 --> 01:57:26.880 Antonio entertains the notion of the Jazz sending five and 2219 01:57:27.000 --> 01:57:32.800 Lowry Markeden in exchange for two fourteen and then Keldon 2220 01:57:32.880 --> 01:57:36.800 Johnson and Harrison Harrison Barnes to make the contracts match. 2221 01:57:37.319 --> 01:57:39.960 Do you think there's anything kind of generally speaking in 2222 01:57:39.960 --> 01:57:43.800 that direction, because we're hearing multiple ports that the Jazz 2223 01:57:43.840 --> 01:57:46.000 will try to move up, but we know that one 2224 01:57:46.079 --> 01:57:49.079 is off the table after Tim McMahon reported that MAV's 2225 01:57:49.119 --> 01:57:51.680 ownership said, no, Nico, you can't trade it. We're keeping it. 2226 01:57:51.760 --> 01:57:53.319 We're drafting Cooper flag. 2227 01:57:54.479 --> 01:57:54.600 Right. 2228 01:57:55.159 --> 01:58:01.279 I actually really liked the idea, mostly because if you're 2229 01:58:01.319 --> 01:58:05.680 going to go to with Harper, the redundancy factor of 2230 01:58:06.439 --> 01:58:09.760 Castle Rookie of the year, you want to build there, 2231 01:58:10.159 --> 01:58:13.199 and why wouldn't you want to build off of him 2232 01:58:13.520 --> 01:58:16.600 versus like even if he was to continue his development 2233 01:58:16.720 --> 01:58:21.880 with Harper. There there's the idea of like second guessing 2234 01:58:21.880 --> 01:58:23.720 in the back of your mind. Or let's say Harper 2235 01:58:23.720 --> 01:58:26.439 does take off, and now you have a distressed asset 2236 01:58:26.479 --> 01:58:30.239 in Castle because he's you know, starts wondering, you know 2237 01:58:30.399 --> 01:58:33.520 how valued am I? You get to remove that scenario 2238 01:58:34.239 --> 01:58:38.479 by looking to trade the pick. Obviously getting two first 2239 01:58:38.600 --> 01:58:45.239 rounders is valuable and markten is a win now ready player. 2240 01:58:45.359 --> 01:58:48.239 And listen, I think a reminder of what we saw 2241 01:58:48.319 --> 01:58:52.279 this year in the playoffs, not only of course Victor 2242 01:58:52.520 --> 01:58:53.079 Minowman not. 2243 01:58:53.039 --> 01:58:55.279 Being able to finish the season because of. 2244 01:58:55.720 --> 01:59:00.800 His blood cut condition, but Dame Lil goes down, Jason 2245 01:59:00.800 --> 01:59:03.640 Tatum goes down, like if you if you feel like 2246 01:59:03.680 --> 01:59:07.239 you have any semblance of a shot at a championship, 2247 01:59:07.880 --> 01:59:12.319 go for it. And a player like Lauren Markin and yeah, 2248 01:59:12.399 --> 01:59:15.239 they obviously have a veteran dr Fox that they traded for. 2249 01:59:15.680 --> 01:59:17.520 You got Webby, you got Castle, you can kill and 2250 01:59:17.600 --> 01:59:21.880 around the other role players like I think it's something 2251 01:59:21.920 --> 01:59:27.399 that should be considered by LFA in San Antonio if 2252 01:59:27.399 --> 01:59:28.279 that was ever offered. 2253 01:59:29.000 --> 01:59:31.159 So how much of the and you just named a 2254 01:59:31.159 --> 01:59:35.760 few and Boston is an interesting situation to consider and 2255 01:59:35.840 --> 01:59:38.079 we'll get to the game in a moment. But even 2256 01:59:38.119 --> 01:59:40.640 if Tatum stayed healthy, they were going to have some 2257 01:59:40.760 --> 01:59:44.039 decisions to make with a new ownership group that probably 2258 01:59:44.079 --> 01:59:46.920 did not do the luxury tax calculations until the papers 2259 01:59:46.920 --> 01:59:49.000 were signed, and then they were like, wait, what it's 2260 01:59:49.000 --> 01:59:51.000 going to cost me? What just to keep the roster? 2261 01:59:51.520 --> 01:59:54.000 I mean, Bobby Marks, I think calculated it's a five 2262 01:59:54.079 --> 01:59:57.600 hundred million dollar luxury tax bill as this team continues 2263 01:59:57.640 --> 02:00:00.760 to become expensive. So maybe they have decision to make. 2264 02:00:00.920 --> 02:00:03.279 Maybe it's Jalen Brown. I don't know. Tatum is going 2265 02:00:03.319 --> 02:00:05.760 to be on the show for an entire year. The 2266 02:00:05.840 --> 02:00:10.439 Shams report about Giannis, There's Phoenix and Durance. How real 2267 02:00:10.600 --> 02:00:14.600 do you think this kind of alleged reported big time 2268 02:00:14.640 --> 02:00:17.920 player movement in pro basketball will be this offseason? 2269 02:00:20.479 --> 02:00:23.960 Well, I'll start with Boston. You pay a premium to 2270 02:00:24.000 --> 02:00:25.079 get him six point. 2271 02:00:24.840 --> 02:00:26.199 One billion dollars. 2272 02:00:26.560 --> 02:00:29.359 Yeah, I think the number that Bobby reported is just 2273 02:00:29.479 --> 02:00:33.800 under five hundred million, which is a wild additional expense 2274 02:00:34.159 --> 02:00:39.159 to take on in an annual basis. Normally, when you 2275 02:00:39.159 --> 02:00:41.479 see people extend themselves to make a purchase like that, 2276 02:00:41.479 --> 02:00:46.199 they want to start recouping their investment. Drew Holliday that's 2277 02:00:46.239 --> 02:00:48.760 two years left on this deal. Chris Sufferzingis is an 2278 02:00:48.800 --> 02:00:52.800 expiring contract. I expect them both to be moved absolutely, 2279 02:00:52.840 --> 02:00:58.960 one hundred percent, because of one the redundancy factor of Christops. 2280 02:00:58.960 --> 02:01:01.079 They've been able to win when he's missed time this 2281 02:01:01.159 --> 02:01:03.880 year because of that strange viral and refection, but more 2282 02:01:03.920 --> 02:01:07.840 so because they Why would you pay that much money 2283 02:01:07.880 --> 02:01:11.199 for a team that will be by default in a 2284 02:01:11.239 --> 02:01:15.479 rebuild mode next year with Jason Tatum surely to miss 2285 02:01:15.600 --> 02:01:19.720 pretty much the entire year with his recovery. And then 2286 02:01:19.479 --> 02:01:23.239 the question becomes Jalen Brown at this stage of his career, 2287 02:01:24.000 --> 02:01:28.239 does he want to commit a year for a team 2288 02:01:28.279 --> 02:01:32.560 that is getting rid of assets and has its best 2289 02:01:32.560 --> 02:01:34.800 player or second best player depending on how you viewed 2290 02:01:34.840 --> 02:01:36.600 Jalen Brown out for the year. 2291 02:01:37.319 --> 02:01:39.479 Does this cause him to say. 2292 02:01:39.239 --> 02:01:42.119 You know what, this is probably my time to go 2293 02:01:42.399 --> 02:01:46.800 pursue what else is out there for me? And I 2294 02:01:46.800 --> 02:01:49.399 would like to be moved. And then when you start 2295 02:01:49.439 --> 02:01:53.399 to see those type of dominoes fall, that's when it 2296 02:01:53.479 --> 02:01:56.840 becomes a crazy summer because you're like, Okay, Boston's going 2297 02:01:56.880 --> 02:01:59.800 to be moving two players that's interesting Christops and True Holiday. 2298 02:02:00.039 --> 02:02:02.640 True Holiday has proven to be a difference maker for 2299 02:02:02.720 --> 02:02:05.199 two different teams now in terms of being a championship 2300 02:02:05.279 --> 02:02:09.720 level team. That's interesting in itself, But Dennis, it becomes okay, 2301 02:02:09.760 --> 02:02:12.680 Jalen Brown wants out, and then if the SCOOPO wants 2302 02:02:12.680 --> 02:02:15.720 out and Kevin Durant wants out, Now you're talking about 2303 02:02:15.760 --> 02:02:20.399 like three or four franchise changing players on the market, 2304 02:02:21.199 --> 02:02:23.800 and yeah, that can lead to all sorts of chaos 2305 02:02:23.800 --> 02:02:26.159 beyond it. So I do think that we have a 2306 02:02:26.199 --> 02:02:30.760 potential for a pretty busy summer with the landscape to 2307 02:02:30.840 --> 02:02:31.720 lead changing a bit. 2308 02:02:32.279 --> 02:02:34.920 All right, moving on to you know, the playoffs, because 2309 02:02:34.960 --> 02:02:37.560 they're going on. I'm gonna ask you about a couple 2310 02:02:37.640 --> 02:02:40.880 of teams that already have stamped their ticket to the 2311 02:02:40.920 --> 02:02:43.520 conference finals. Then we'll get to the action tonight and 2312 02:02:43.560 --> 02:02:47.079 over the weekend. Let's start out east where Indiana just 2313 02:02:47.399 --> 02:02:49.439 and you know, it was really interesting listening to Kenny 2314 02:02:49.520 --> 02:02:52.319 Atkinson after the game that you know, sealed the deal 2315 02:02:52.319 --> 02:02:54.960 for Indiana. He basically acknowledged, like, they're better than we 2316 02:02:55.000 --> 02:02:59.319 are right now, and they've got Indiana has so many 2317 02:02:59.479 --> 02:03:02.720 like win want to fight you like Benedict Matheren wants 2318 02:03:02.760 --> 02:03:06.319 to fight everybody, so Doesnee Smith Nemhard. I mean they're 2319 02:03:06.319 --> 02:03:08.479 going to be a tough out for anybody. What stood 2320 02:03:08.479 --> 02:03:12.119 out most about the way the Pacers dispatched to the Calves. 2321 02:03:13.279 --> 02:03:18.479 Yeah, I mean they controlled that series. And listen, you 2322 02:03:18.520 --> 02:03:22.960 can say there was ununfortunate circumstances with Darius Carland and 2323 02:03:23.359 --> 02:03:28.359 Evan Mobley DeAndre Hunter all missing time. Of course, I'm 2324 02:03:28.359 --> 02:03:31.199 not so sure though, had they been healthy the entire series, 2325 02:03:31.279 --> 02:03:35.199 they would have beat the Pacers. The Pacers played with morimage, 2326 02:03:35.319 --> 02:03:39.800 they played with certainly more offensive organization, and then they 2327 02:03:39.800 --> 02:03:44.239 have wings that would get into you. Kendrick Perkins, my 2328 02:03:44.319 --> 02:03:48.800 friend and colleague, did a hit earlier this week basically 2329 02:03:48.840 --> 02:03:52.199 saying that the Calves weren't tough enough, and sometimes like 2330 02:03:52.640 --> 02:03:55.319 that's hyperbolic and that doesn't really tell the story. But 2331 02:03:55.560 --> 02:03:59.800 I do think that's part of what this Calves team was. 2332 02:04:00.119 --> 02:04:04.800 Thing is there's not enough grit there. You have basically 2333 02:04:04.840 --> 02:04:08.159 a bunch of nice guys and you need some sort 2334 02:04:08.159 --> 02:04:11.640 of mix to that group of guys who want to 2335 02:04:11.680 --> 02:04:15.359 mix it up, or guys who you know are going 2336 02:04:15.399 --> 02:04:19.920 to play than the other team. And I don't think 2337 02:04:19.960 --> 02:04:25.920 that's means that this Cat's team should be dismantled, But yeah, 2338 02:04:25.960 --> 02:04:28.560 I do think you look at like Jared Allen and 2339 02:04:28.840 --> 02:04:32.800 Evan Mobley both are gentle giants. Can you have two 2340 02:04:32.840 --> 02:04:36.239 tental giants on your team or do you it's you know, 2341 02:04:36.279 --> 02:04:38.760 it's kind of hard to play two bigs in the 2342 02:04:38.760 --> 02:04:41.960 playoffs as it is. Do you split them up? All 2343 02:04:42.039 --> 02:04:45.239 these there's a handful of contenders that are looking for 2344 02:04:45.279 --> 02:04:48.159 a big that would you know, offer you up a 2345 02:04:48.199 --> 02:04:52.760 lot for someone like Jared Allen and then use those 2346 02:04:52.800 --> 02:04:56.239 assets that you get from that trade either to find 2347 02:04:56.439 --> 02:04:58.720 a guy with more of an edge or make that 2348 02:04:58.800 --> 02:05:02.079 trade about finding the guy morphine edge. I think it's 2349 02:05:02.119 --> 02:05:05.479 a tweak that they that they need, not like an 2350 02:05:05.479 --> 02:05:10.279 overhaul obviously. And then you talk about Indiana as they 2351 02:05:10.840 --> 02:05:13.640 sit in the catbird seat and watch the Knicks and 2352 02:05:14.039 --> 02:05:17.520 Celtics play things out, like they should feel confident about 2353 02:05:17.520 --> 02:05:19.479 their chance to make it back to the first and 2354 02:05:19.640 --> 02:05:21.439 mean a finals. Parison's Reggie Miller. 2355 02:05:21.840 --> 02:05:24.479 Moving over to a series that you covered covered well, 2356 02:05:24.600 --> 02:05:29.279 a really good piece about Anthony Edwards, you know, Minnesota, 2357 02:05:30.000 --> 02:05:33.319 and you and I talked about this after Okac kind 2358 02:05:33.319 --> 02:05:36.079 of established themselves as the best team in the West 2359 02:05:36.079 --> 02:05:38.520 with a historic net and with the way they were playing. 2360 02:05:38.560 --> 02:05:40.840 We would kind of revisit the topic every week, like 2361 02:05:41.399 --> 02:05:44.199 who is their peer out West? And seemed like every 2362 02:05:44.239 --> 02:05:46.920 week that would change. You know, the Golden State gets 2363 02:05:46.960 --> 02:05:49.640 Jimmy Butler, is it Jimmy Butler? Of course, the Lakers 2364 02:05:49.680 --> 02:05:52.760 get Luca Can the Lakers make okay See uncomfortable? But 2365 02:05:52.880 --> 02:05:54.760 over the final few weeks of the season, we did 2366 02:05:54.800 --> 02:05:58.399 start to hone in on Minnesota a little bit. Obviously, 2367 02:05:58.439 --> 02:06:00.680 the stept factor is the step factor, and we'll get 2368 02:06:00.680 --> 02:06:02.720 to Boston and New York in a minute. But as 2369 02:06:02.760 --> 02:06:06.520 connected as Boston looked in Game five without Tatum, Golden 2370 02:06:06.560 --> 02:06:10.000 State is just lost without stuff. They just are Spacing's 2371 02:06:10.000 --> 02:06:13.000 completely different. I was waiting to see playoff Jimmy. We 2372 02:06:13.079 --> 02:06:15.680 never really did. That's probably more of a credit to 2373 02:06:15.720 --> 02:06:18.640 Minnesota than anything, as in a diamond on Jimmy Butler. 2374 02:06:18.680 --> 02:06:21.039 But what did you make of just how easily it 2375 02:06:21.119 --> 02:06:23.680 seemed for Minnesota to take care of the Golden State 2376 02:06:23.720 --> 02:06:25.800 Warriors sans, of course Stephen Curry. 2377 02:06:27.239 --> 02:06:34.279 Yeah, I mean, listen, I think there was the. 2378 02:06:32.199 --> 02:06:36.600 Actual basketball blow to the Warriors of playing without Steph, 2379 02:06:36.720 --> 02:06:39.680 which is significant because even at the stage of his career, 2380 02:06:39.720 --> 02:06:42.000 you're talking about a guy who is going to draw 2381 02:06:42.039 --> 02:06:45.800 a double and triple team attentions. He's a great playmaker. 2382 02:06:46.199 --> 02:06:48.399 He can set other guys up, and he can just 2383 02:06:48.399 --> 02:06:50.479 shoot over the defense a lot of times. So that's 2384 02:06:50.560 --> 02:06:52.359 a major part of it. And I think it was 2385 02:06:52.800 --> 02:06:55.399 the mental blow of like they gave them their best 2386 02:06:55.439 --> 02:07:01.039 shot in Game three, didn't get it done, and like 2387 02:07:02.920 --> 02:07:05.640 they recognize at that moment that like even the task 2388 02:07:05.680 --> 02:07:08.279 of just trying to get to win one, to try 2389 02:07:08.319 --> 02:07:09.680 to extend the series, to get it to a game 2390 02:07:09.720 --> 02:07:13.079 six to step and comeback, was not going to really 2391 02:07:13.119 --> 02:07:18.680 be possible. On the Minnesota side of things, it's a 2392 02:07:18.760 --> 02:07:23.920 really good basketball team that is not unstoppable by any means. 2393 02:07:23.920 --> 02:07:26.560 When they had twenty one turnovers in that Game three, 2394 02:07:27.359 --> 02:07:29.720 you can't be croffing the ball up that many times 2395 02:07:29.760 --> 02:07:32.159 expected to win the playoff game, and even in the 2396 02:07:32.159 --> 02:07:34.359 close out Game five, it was a blowout and had 2397 02:07:34.399 --> 02:07:38.199 seven turnovers like that, that type of stuff is going 2398 02:07:38.279 --> 02:07:41.720 to hurt you as you get further along the ride 2399 02:07:41.720 --> 02:07:44.720 against the more disciplined team, and that's why their story 2400 02:07:44.760 --> 02:07:47.399 could end in the Western Conference Finals against Denver, Okay 2401 02:07:47.479 --> 02:07:49.960 see because I think both those teams that have a 2402 02:07:50.000 --> 02:07:53.000 little more structure to what they do. At the same time, 2403 02:07:53.119 --> 02:07:58.680 though they're deep, they're big, they're physical, they have a 2404 02:07:58.680 --> 02:08:00.760 little bit of the ship on their shoulder from them 2405 02:08:00.840 --> 02:08:04.079 flating out last year against the Mavericks and the conference finals, 2406 02:08:04.119 --> 02:08:07.479 And like, I think I'm kind of biased as I 2407 02:08:07.520 --> 02:08:09.720 evaluate them because I have covered. 2408 02:08:09.439 --> 02:08:11.760 Each of those games the last two rounds, Like. 2409 02:08:11.840 --> 02:08:14.880 They look really good, and I covered them last year 2410 02:08:14.880 --> 02:08:16.479 in the playoffs in the second round in the Conference 2411 02:08:16.479 --> 02:08:18.199 finals as well. There are a lot better than they 2412 02:08:18.199 --> 02:08:22.560 were last year. Julius Randall is playing the best basketball's career. 2413 02:08:22.840 --> 02:08:25.119 Jade McDaniels is a different player than he was last 2414 02:08:25.199 --> 02:08:28.199 year and last year he looked like shades of Scottie Pippen, 2415 02:08:28.680 --> 02:08:35.399 and Anthony Edwards is still the incredible singular talent that 2416 02:08:35.600 --> 02:08:39.159 is showing a little bit more recognition of defenses and 2417 02:08:39.239 --> 02:08:44.119 making the hockey assists and making himself harder to guard. 2418 02:08:44.239 --> 02:08:50.359 So I like I will most likely pick them, Like 2419 02:08:50.479 --> 02:08:53.119 if OKC was to win, I would say I think 2420 02:08:53.159 --> 02:08:56.199 I will I will pick them in the next round. 2421 02:08:56.239 --> 02:08:59.680 If Denver somehow beats. Okay, see, then you're probably talking 2422 02:08:59.680 --> 02:09:02.479 about the best player in basketball and Jokic thinking that 2423 02:09:02.800 --> 02:09:04.560 he has another chance to get a ring, and that 2424 02:09:04.600 --> 02:09:08.720 could be pretty tough. Plus Tendrille have the revenge factor 2425 02:09:08.760 --> 02:09:11.960 because they lost last year to the Wolves. 2426 02:09:12.000 --> 02:09:14.800 Which combo of cities would lead to the most whalen 2427 02:09:14.840 --> 02:09:17.439 and national teeth from media members that are mad that 2428 02:09:17.479 --> 02:09:19.039 they have to travel to both cities. 2429 02:09:22.960 --> 02:09:30.960 It's Indiana, okay, see, I do have some Royce young 2430 02:09:31.000 --> 02:09:34.479 as a friend of mine, and I've friends with some 2431 02:09:34.640 --> 02:09:38.439 folks on the Indiana staff, and I feel bad about 2432 02:09:38.479 --> 02:09:41.039 some of the texts I've already sent about that scenario 2433 02:09:41.279 --> 02:09:44.279 to some folks in the media. It's just one of 2434 02:09:44.319 --> 02:09:46.560 it is like, actually a huge part of it, I 2435 02:09:46.560 --> 02:09:50.039 should say. It's not the city themselves. It's literally both 2436 02:09:50.079 --> 02:09:52.760 of those cities I won't be able to fly direct to, 2437 02:09:53.079 --> 02:09:57.119 So you know, that's kind of tough. Every single flight 2438 02:09:57.159 --> 02:10:01.159 you're taken is a connecting flight for of two weeks. 2439 02:10:01.640 --> 02:10:02.680 It wears in you a little bit. 2440 02:10:02.760 --> 02:10:05.880 It does no, it does. I just always enjoy the 2441 02:10:07.039 --> 02:10:10.279 yearly airing of the grievances from media members that don't 2442 02:10:10.359 --> 02:10:13.439 enjoy travling to certain places. But anyway, all right, a 2443 02:10:13.520 --> 02:10:15.800 couple of things left before I set you loose. Let's 2444 02:10:16.079 --> 02:10:17.880 start out this way where we do have a game 2445 02:10:17.920 --> 02:10:21.760 seven on Sunday. Man, this has been such a fun series. 2446 02:10:21.840 --> 02:10:23.640 I don't know, man, I just feel like Denver's out 2447 02:10:23.640 --> 02:10:25.359 of gas and I just feel like Sunday could get 2448 02:10:25.439 --> 02:10:27.159 ugly for okay see, but I do not want to 2449 02:10:27.159 --> 02:10:29.520 bet against Nicola Jokic. What do you think happens Sunday 2450 02:10:29.560 --> 02:10:30.039 Game seven? 2451 02:10:30.119 --> 02:10:38.359 Dave, I'm leaning okay Seed just because Sik Tanner was 2452 02:10:38.439 --> 02:10:43.239 terrible in game six, and you figure he will. I 2453 02:10:43.279 --> 02:10:46.800 respect him as a player. He's knocking on the door 2454 02:10:46.800 --> 02:10:49.079 of his prime right now. He'll have the home crowd 2455 02:10:49.079 --> 02:10:52.920 behind him with something to prove. I think he'll have 2456 02:10:53.760 --> 02:10:57.239 a much better game. And you know, part of Denver 2457 02:10:57.319 --> 02:10:59.439 winning in game six was Julian Straw that comes out 2458 02:10:59.479 --> 02:11:01.840 of nowhere as a game of his life. Like those 2459 02:11:01.880 --> 02:11:03.800 type of role players, they do that at home, they 2460 02:11:03.800 --> 02:11:07.960 don't do it on the road. So that's said, I mean, listen, 2461 02:11:08.079 --> 02:11:13.239 like I expect should be great. Aaron Gordon, we'll see. 2462 02:11:13.279 --> 02:11:16.680 You know, there was some talk about his calf bothering 2463 02:11:16.760 --> 02:11:20.000 him last game. He's another guy. Generally, I would say, 2464 02:11:20.039 --> 02:11:21.920 I know what I'm gonna get out of him. He's 2465 02:11:21.920 --> 02:11:24.039 going to be great. It's kind of like the swing 2466 02:11:24.079 --> 02:11:27.399 players Jamal Murray. Jamal Murray is capable of coming and 2467 02:11:27.479 --> 02:11:31.520 dropping thirty five and winning the game and making every 2468 02:11:31.560 --> 02:11:33.560 shot they need in the fourth quarter. Jaal Murray is 2469 02:11:33.600 --> 02:11:36.800 also capable of, you know, kind of having a game 2470 02:11:36.880 --> 02:11:40.199 where his shots off and that affects the type of 2471 02:11:40.520 --> 02:11:43.840 defensive energy brings on the other end. I just think, like, 2472 02:11:43.960 --> 02:11:48.560 okay see is more in line to have things go 2473 02:11:48.680 --> 02:11:52.920 their way to advance, So I'll go okay See. But 2474 02:11:53.279 --> 02:11:54.079 I certainly wouldn't be. 2475 02:11:54.079 --> 02:11:54.920 Surprised of Detember. 2476 02:11:55.399 --> 02:12:01.199 Finally, David, the unbiased media member basketball and Listen Me, 2477 02:12:01.880 --> 02:12:03.920 believes the New York Knick should win a close game 2478 02:12:03.920 --> 02:12:08.000 at home tonight in Mintown, Manhattan. The long suffering New 2479 02:12:08.079 --> 02:12:10.319 York Nick fan in me, as this team has let 2480 02:12:10.359 --> 02:12:12.640 me down multiple occasions since I was ten years old, 2481 02:12:12.680 --> 02:12:15.880 has visions of Charles Smith missing three layups and Patrick 2482 02:12:15.920 --> 02:12:19.159 Ewing missing a finger roll and John Starts shooting three 2483 02:12:19.199 --> 02:12:22.279 of eighteen and pat Riley refusing to just even take 2484 02:12:22.359 --> 02:12:25.920 Rolando Blackman off ice and I could keep going Anthony 2485 02:12:25.960 --> 02:12:28.439 Mason's inbound pass to Greg Anthony it was stolen by 2486 02:12:28.479 --> 02:12:31.399 Reggie Miller. As you can tell, it's been a rough 2487 02:12:31.520 --> 02:12:33.800 life for your boy, cheering for the team that's gonna 2488 02:12:33.840 --> 02:12:37.279 play for in an hour from right now. What happens 2489 02:12:37.279 --> 02:12:42.479 tonight at MSG? Do my Knicks finally get it done? 2490 02:12:43.039 --> 02:12:45.520 I'll say that they better get it done tonight. If 2491 02:12:45.520 --> 02:12:49.800 it seven, they're gonna win. I actually think they're gonna 2492 02:12:49.800 --> 02:12:54.600 do it. This is a very confident group. They will 2493 02:12:54.600 --> 02:12:59.560 have obviously have vans for Garden on fire. I think 2494 02:12:59.560 --> 02:13:03.680 they're gonna do like they they recognize that they wasted 2495 02:13:03.720 --> 02:13:06.840 the opportunity in Game five, but you got to give 2496 02:13:06.840 --> 02:13:10.560 credit to Boston again. They had guys step up. Like 2497 02:13:10.680 --> 02:13:15.520 we're talking about Strawther for Denver at home, right, Cornett's 2498 02:13:15.560 --> 02:13:17.399 not going to have that game on the road. If 2499 02:13:17.439 --> 02:13:18.319 he does, God bless him. 2500 02:13:18.319 --> 02:13:18.760 But he's not. 2501 02:13:19.359 --> 02:13:22.039 And so I think we get And then Nick's also 2502 02:13:22.079 --> 02:13:25.920 recognized like last year they probably should have been in 2503 02:13:25.920 --> 02:13:28.479 the conference finals. It's not for everybody get injured at 2504 02:13:28.520 --> 02:13:30.439 the same time, like right now, they have house on 2505 02:13:30.479 --> 02:13:34.319 their side. So I say go New York, Go New York, 2506 02:13:34.359 --> 02:13:39.640 go and and hopefully. You know, when we're talking about travel, hopefully, 2507 02:13:39.640 --> 02:13:41.119 I'm going to New York for the NA Final. 2508 02:13:42.199 --> 02:13:44.000 You know what, now, I'm jering for the Pacers just 2509 02:13:44.000 --> 02:13:47.720 so you have to go to Indiana. I'm just playing, Dave. 2510 02:13:47.760 --> 02:13:49.880 Always a pleasure, my friend. Enjoy the games and have. 2511 02:13:49.840 --> 02:13:51.960 A great weekend, all right, Yeah, tell you too. 2512 02:13:52.039 --> 02:13:52.600 Thanks us H. 2513 02:13:52.760 --> 02:13:55.720 Dave McManamon covers the NBA for ESPN. You can see 2514 02:13:55.760 --> 02:13:58.039 him on all their TV coverage and then writes about 2515 02:13:58.079 --> 02:14:01.399 a myriad of different things at mc ten is where 2516 02:14:01.399 --> 02:14:04.079 you find Dave on Twitter. Stop spot today courtesy of 2517 02:14:04.119 --> 02:14:07.520 our friends at the Daybreak Home and Garden Show right 2518 02:14:07.560 --> 02:14:10.000 around the corner. May the sixteenth through the eighteenth. It's 2519 02:14:10.039 --> 02:14:13.439 at the ballpark at America First Square, one one one 2520 02:14:13.520 --> 02:14:16.960 Ballpark Drive in South Jordan. Check out the website, which 2521 02:14:17.000 --> 02:14:19.720 is the best homeshow dot com. So listen up, homeowners. 2522 02:14:19.720 --> 02:14:21.720 Spring is in the air, and the birds are chirping 2523 02:14:21.760 --> 02:14:24.720 and the flowers are blooming. Is your home and backyard 2524 02:14:24.720 --> 02:14:27.319 sanctuary ready to enjoy the coming season. We'll go check 2525 02:14:27.359 --> 02:14:30.119 out the new Daybreak Home and Garden Show coming to 2526 02:14:30.159 --> 02:14:32.800 the ballpark at America First Square May the sixteenth through 2527 02:14:32.800 --> 02:14:35.079 the eighteenth. The new show will have something for every 2528 02:14:35.159 --> 02:14:39.000 member of the family. Vendors galore, home garden and patio, 2529 02:14:39.079 --> 02:14:42.279 free games for the kids, free day seminars and hourly prizes. 2530 02:14:42.960 --> 02:14:45.479 Come toward the exciting new tiny home from Boxable, and 2531 02:14:45.520 --> 02:14:48.199 tour the new Bees Ballpark. All vendor booths are indoors 2532 02:14:48.199 --> 02:14:51.039 so the weather will not be an issue. Get your 2533 02:14:51.039 --> 02:14:54.119 tickets now. This will be the most exciting, fun educational 2534 02:14:54.119 --> 02:14:57.159 home show ever and it's in daybreak. Get tickets and 2535 02:14:57.199 --> 02:15:00.479 information at the Best home show dot com. Answered by 2536 02:15:00.479 --> 02:15:04.640 a friends at Bullfrog Spots. Do I allow myself to 2537 02:15:04.680 --> 02:15:08.000 get excited? Do I allow myself to approach tonight with 2538 02:15:08.079 --> 02:15:14.880 some optimism? I was listing the moments of holy bleep 2539 02:15:15.319 --> 02:15:18.319 over my course of cheering for this damn basketball team 2540 02:15:18.359 --> 02:15:21.479 since I was ten years old. Charles Smith misses three 2541 02:15:21.560 --> 02:15:25.840 layups against the Bulls. It was not a foul. Let's see. 2542 02:15:25.880 --> 02:15:29.760 Anthony Mason basically throws it to Reggie Miller who scores 2543 02:15:29.760 --> 02:15:32.640 eight points in zero point four seconds or whatever it was. 2544 02:15:33.760 --> 02:15:36.439 Patrick Ewing misses the finger roll against the Pacers. John 2545 02:15:36.479 --> 02:15:39.119 Starks cannot shoot straight against the Rockets in the finals. 2546 02:15:39.159 --> 02:15:43.199 I could keep going I feel like we're doing I 2547 02:15:43.239 --> 02:15:45.319 feel like Lady Luck is on our side tonight. I 2548 02:15:45.319 --> 02:15:47.000 feel like the New York Knicks get it done in 2549 02:15:47.039 --> 02:15:49.880 a close game at Madison Square Garden. 2550 02:15:50.359 --> 02:15:53.319 And I feel like it's meant to be that the 2551 02:15:53.359 --> 02:15:56.520 Pacers await us in the conference finals. I feel like, 2552 02:15:56.960 --> 02:15:59.720 and listen, this is stuff that isn't real. Let's be 2553 02:15:59.760 --> 02:16:05.159 clear when it comes to sports, like coincidences, momentum, these 2554 02:16:05.159 --> 02:16:08.520 are these are things that you can't really find. It's 2555 02:16:08.520 --> 02:16:11.640 not real, it's not tangible. But it just feels like 2556 02:16:11.720 --> 02:16:15.319 we're doing It feels like the Pacers being there is 2557 02:16:16.520 --> 02:16:18.880 part of it. It feels like getting over the Celtics 2558 02:16:19.279 --> 02:16:22.680 is part of it. And yeah, man, it's been a 2559 02:16:22.800 --> 02:16:23.880 long long time. 2560 02:16:23.920 --> 02:16:24.640 I go back to. 2561 02:16:26.439 --> 02:16:29.479 The one year the Knicks were the one year the 2562 02:16:29.560 --> 02:16:33.360 Knicks were good during my vandom, when we should have 2563 02:16:33.360 --> 02:16:37.159 beat the Pacers in a playoff series, and if you 2564 02:16:37.239 --> 02:16:39.760 remember Spence, there was a foul call on him on 2565 02:16:39.799 --> 02:16:44.840 Shumpert where he literally like maybe got a hair on 2566 02:16:44.879 --> 02:16:47.799 the elbow of either Danny Granger or Paul George and 2567 02:16:47.840 --> 02:16:50.559 it changed the series, man. And then there was another 2568 02:16:50.600 --> 02:16:52.600 one where there was no call on a j r 2569 02:16:52.639 --> 02:16:55.879 Smith Jumper. We'll we'll maybe leave that for the folks 2570 02:16:55.879 --> 02:16:58.680 who want to go and revisit it on YouTube, but 2571 02:16:58.760 --> 02:17:01.120 it is left a sour taste in my mouth since 2572 02:17:01.159 --> 02:17:05.239 that game against the Indiana Pacers, and I just I 2573 02:17:05.239 --> 02:17:07.200 want to get back there. I want to get back 2574 02:17:07.239 --> 02:17:09.479 to a place where we could have some fun. The 2575 02:17:09.520 --> 02:17:11.959 Eastern Conference Finals would certainly be that. 2576 02:17:12.360 --> 02:17:14.799 Also a big game on the hockey side of things, 2577 02:17:14.840 --> 02:17:17.159 The Maple Leaves will try to eat it up against 2578 02:17:17.159 --> 02:17:20.079 the Panthers. That game is in Sunrise, Florida will try 2579 02:17:20.120 --> 02:17:22.760 to advance to the Conference finals. They lead that series 2580 02:17:22.760 --> 02:17:25.639 three to two. Here's some NH out on our station. 2581 02:17:25.799 --> 02:17:28.079 You can hear the Nicks and the Celtics on the fan. 2582 02:17:28.680 --> 02:17:30.360 So let's get out of here and watch some playoff 2583 02:17:30.399 --> 02:17:32.920 action tonight. Porter What comes our way on a Monday 2584 02:17:33.239 --> 02:17:34.399 edition of the show. 2585 02:17:34.280 --> 02:17:36.440 And you mentioned earlier on the show you talked a 2586 02:17:36.479 --> 02:17:39.399 little bit about Bobby Mark's piece. I think it was 2587 02:17:39.399 --> 02:17:42.639 in the Dave mcminimon interview. Bobby will stop by the 2588 02:17:42.680 --> 02:17:46.440 program on a Monday talking NBA Draft, NBA Draft combine, 2589 02:17:46.600 --> 02:17:49.520 and of course the offseason ahead, maybe some playoffs as well. 2590 02:17:49.879 --> 02:17:53.840 Tom Haberstrow doubles up on the NBA Daily Assist. We 2591 02:17:53.920 --> 02:17:57.440 will recap the RSL weekend that was. Of course, they 2592 02:17:57.440 --> 02:18:00.639 are in action against their rival Colorado, so we'll have 2593 02:18:00.680 --> 02:18:02.920 a standout from the real Salt Lake weekend. And then 2594 02:18:02.959 --> 02:18:06.639 Tony Parks is visiting once again. We've got some stuff 2595 02:18:06.680 --> 02:18:09.120 going on with the Bees next week. We'll tease when 2596 02:18:09.159 --> 02:18:12.079 he gets here. So two weeks in a row, we're 2597 02:18:12.120 --> 02:18:12.959 blessed with his presence. 2598 02:18:12.959 --> 02:18:14.680 All right, there you go, we'll say good I special 2599 02:18:14.719 --> 02:18:18.879 thank you today to Howard Beck, Craig Bowler, Jack Paul Pugmeyer, 2600 02:18:19.040 --> 02:18:22.879 Brian Dunseth, and Dave mcminnimon. Very busy show with a 2601 02:18:22.879 --> 02:18:25.799 lot of stuff that you guys can find online if 2602 02:18:25.799 --> 02:18:28.159 you missed it in real time. So go to our website. 2603 02:18:28.200 --> 02:18:31.799 It's ESPN seven hundred sports dot com, download our mobile app, 2604 02:18:31.840 --> 02:18:34.280 take us on the go, best and easiest way to 2605 02:18:34.360 --> 02:18:36.719 listen to the station. Then finally, for what we do 2606 02:18:36.840 --> 02:18:39.040 in our space, our podcast page is where to go. 2607 02:18:39.559 --> 02:18:41.879 It's called The Drive with Spence check its It's available 2608 02:18:41.959 --> 02:18:44.760 wherever you get your show. Subscribe, rate reviews, saying nice 2609 02:18:44.760 --> 02:18:46.920 things in our comments, and give us all the stars. 2610 02:18:46.959 --> 02:18:49.440 It actually helps out for porter. I'm Spence Saga and 2611 02:18:49.479 --> 02:18:51.440 I have a great Friday evening and have a great weekend. 2612 02:18:51.520 --> 02:18:53.440 Begod to yourself and Begod to each other. We'll talk 2613 02:18:53.399 --> 02:18:54.680 to you on the Monday show. Is always going to 2614 02:18:54.719 --> 02:18:57.760 find it right here on ESPN seven hundred ninety two 2615 02:18:57.760 --> 02:18:59.799 and FM. We are proud to be part of Utah's 2616 02:19:00.239 --> 02:19:01.639 ESPN Radio network.