WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:03.279 All right, we are ninety minutes away ish from Nick's 2 00:00:03.319 --> 00:00:07.040 Celtics in Midtown Manhattan, New York. Tried to advance to 3 00:00:07.120 --> 00:00:10.839 their first Eastern Conference finals in twenty five years, where 4 00:00:10.880 --> 00:00:13.919 they last played the Indiana Pacers, who are awaiting the 5 00:00:13.919 --> 00:00:17.000 winner of this series. A Porter, were you awarded your 6 00:00:17.199 --> 00:00:20.480 weekly bonus by our textures? Were you you were giving 7 00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:22.839 the unanimous thumbs up that you deserve your weekly bonus? 8 00:00:22.879 --> 00:00:25.160 I was, so. We have people texting that have not 9 00:00:25.199 --> 00:00:26.120 listened to the show this week. 10 00:00:26.199 --> 00:00:28.000 I think so. I think that's the case here. 11 00:00:28.039 --> 00:00:30.800 Were there any dissenting votes? There was one that said, I, 12 00:00:30.879 --> 00:00:34.399 you know, maybe might need it. One said I deserve 13 00:00:34.439 --> 00:00:36.920 your bonus also, well, then he's not going to see 14 00:00:36.960 --> 00:00:38.560 Matt ry for going to play golf the Mountain. 15 00:00:38.600 --> 00:00:39.439 Dell. Yeah, he didn't. 16 00:00:39.479 --> 00:00:40.359 He didn't get chosen. 17 00:00:40.719 --> 00:00:44.159 It's a very exciting weekly bonus. It is an uncrustable sandwich. 18 00:00:44.200 --> 00:00:47.159 So porter will be rewarded for his hard work. Dave Mcammittiman, 19 00:00:47.240 --> 00:00:48.960 Friday afternoon, David, how are you, sir? 20 00:00:50.079 --> 00:00:51.520 I'm dooing wonderful. How are you guys? 21 00:00:51.600 --> 00:00:54.200 I'm good, I'm good. Are you a fan of Uncrustables? 22 00:00:54.240 --> 00:00:57.759 I've asked you this before, not that I'm. 23 00:00:57.640 --> 00:00:59.799 Aware of you asking me. Yeah, I am. Absolutely. 24 00:00:59.840 --> 00:01:03.039 They have them at Laker games actually in the uh 25 00:01:04.159 --> 00:01:07.280 like the fridge where they put the food for the 26 00:01:07.480 --> 00:01:10.359 people that can't eat whatever they're making in. 27 00:01:10.319 --> 00:01:10.799 The hot bar. 28 00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:14.680 However, you gotta go and grab one early because as 29 00:01:14.719 --> 00:01:18.599 soon as the Lakers dance team comes in, they descend 30 00:01:18.680 --> 00:01:22.000 upon that collection of the crustaballs like rabbit animals, and 31 00:01:22.040 --> 00:01:24.079 they clear it out. So if I come to the 32 00:01:24.159 --> 00:01:26.400 arena early, I'll grab one, put it to the side, 33 00:01:26.959 --> 00:01:30.079 having a little snack, usually postgame while I'm writing. But 34 00:01:30.120 --> 00:01:31.799 if I can't, if I don't beat the Laker girls 35 00:01:31.799 --> 00:01:33.599 there first, there's no chance to get the one. 36 00:01:33.680 --> 00:01:36.640 The biggest question is which flavor did the Lakers girls 37 00:01:36.640 --> 00:01:37.280 girls prefer. 38 00:01:37.480 --> 00:01:40.480 Is it grape, is it strawberry? What's what's the preference. 39 00:01:40.319 --> 00:01:42.359 So they clear it out of both. 40 00:01:43.239 --> 00:01:46.359 My preference is great. You know, my mom made Peter 41 00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:47.840 butter and zelly sandwich, just put it in our sack 42 00:01:47.920 --> 00:01:50.200 lunches growing up. It was never there was no other 43 00:01:50.760 --> 00:01:53.840 jelly flavor other than great. It was Concord great from Welch's. 44 00:01:53.879 --> 00:01:55.920 There's no other choice to get something else. 45 00:01:56.000 --> 00:01:56.599 This is true. 46 00:01:57.000 --> 00:01:59.439 So porter's weekly bonus if he does a good job 47 00:01:59.439 --> 00:02:01.400 as an uncred stable Sandwich. So I need to know 48 00:02:01.480 --> 00:02:04.359 did he communicate with you in a professional manner and 49 00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:05.439 did he call you on time? 50 00:02:07.200 --> 00:02:10.560 I would venture to say that he may deserve too 51 00:02:11.159 --> 00:02:12.680 excellent communication this week. 52 00:02:13.360 --> 00:02:14.439 Up that bonus. 53 00:02:14.680 --> 00:02:17.280 Hey, we're working on a budget here, Dave. One uncrushable 54 00:02:17.319 --> 00:02:18.719 per week, buddy, is all you get? 55 00:02:19.479 --> 00:02:22.840 All right, Dave? The lottery is fixed. It is rigged. 56 00:02:23.199 --> 00:02:26.080 The NBA hates the Jazz and everybody hates salt Lake. 57 00:02:26.120 --> 00:02:31.960 Your reaction, Oh, man, I thought about it, you guys, 58 00:02:32.080 --> 00:02:32.960 almost immediately. 59 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:34.159 You know. 60 00:02:34.319 --> 00:02:39.000 First I was fielding text, you know, just the remarkable 61 00:02:39.120 --> 00:02:41.800 turn of events for the Mavericks. But yeah, my thoughts 62 00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:44.879 turned to the Utah franchise out listen. 63 00:02:45.000 --> 00:02:46.000 Obviously not rigged. 64 00:02:46.680 --> 00:02:51.360 As crazy as it may seem, life is stranger than fiction. 65 00:02:52.000 --> 00:02:56.159 So Kennedy had a. 66 00:02:54.960 --> 00:02:57.919 Secretary named Lincoln, Lincoln had the secretary named Kennedy, and 67 00:02:57.919 --> 00:02:59.719 they were assessaly one hundred years apart. 68 00:03:00.120 --> 00:03:02.280 That's crazy, right, That's actually crazy. 69 00:03:02.439 --> 00:03:05.199 What happened in the NBA draft lottery where even the 70 00:03:05.240 --> 00:03:08.479 teams with the best chance of ending up in the 71 00:03:08.479 --> 00:03:11.360 top three, only had what two teen percent chance of 72 00:03:11.400 --> 00:03:14.159 getting there, Like that still means eighty five percent chance 73 00:03:14.199 --> 00:03:17.360 you're not going to get those picks. We want to, 74 00:03:17.719 --> 00:03:20.879 you know, put a positive spin on it. Hey, maybe 75 00:03:20.919 --> 00:03:22.479 a j Devants is going to be a better player 76 00:03:22.479 --> 00:03:26.400 than Cooper Flag anyway, and jazz fans can get to 77 00:03:27.080 --> 00:03:29.400 know him watching them play in provo this year for 78 00:03:29.520 --> 00:03:33.000 BYU and I hope that the lottery works out for 79 00:03:33.039 --> 00:03:33.599 them next year. 80 00:03:34.439 --> 00:03:37.680 Yeah, And look, ultimately, you know me, I'm teasing to 81 00:03:37.719 --> 00:03:39.639 bring you in that way, but we do have a 82 00:03:39.680 --> 00:03:43.240 lot of very frustrated jazz fans in the market. And 83 00:03:43.319 --> 00:03:45.719 you know, Dave, the bottom line is the one team 84 00:03:45.960 --> 00:03:49.599 that could not win the lottery in order to dissuade 85 00:03:49.599 --> 00:03:52.879 folks from putting on their tinfoil hat won the lottery, right, Like, 86 00:03:52.960 --> 00:03:56.159 That's how that went down. So the fact that Dallas 87 00:03:56.199 --> 00:03:58.479 gets one, I think has a lot of people wondering, like, 88 00:03:58.560 --> 00:03:59.159 what's going on? 89 00:03:59.240 --> 00:04:05.759 You know, it's absolutely wild to comprehend, and I get it, 90 00:04:05.879 --> 00:04:11.000 I absolutely get it. However, it's just the way things went, 91 00:04:11.199 --> 00:04:17.560 and the NBA is not discouraged by the fallout, if 92 00:04:17.560 --> 00:04:20.160 you want to call it that or the speculation, because 93 00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:25.680 the real goal of the lottery was to discourage teams 94 00:04:25.680 --> 00:04:26.319 from tanking. 95 00:04:27.160 --> 00:04:30.639 And the two teams that I think you could. 96 00:04:30.439 --> 00:04:34.079 Say, we're not judging at all, but let's just be realistic. 97 00:04:34.079 --> 00:04:37.199 The two teams in the lottery that clearly tank this year. 98 00:04:37.279 --> 00:04:41.600 I guess there was three, right, so Charlotte, Washington, and Utah. 99 00:04:42.199 --> 00:04:45.240 None of those teams ended up with the top two picks. 100 00:04:45.360 --> 00:04:47.639 And that's kind of what the NBA wants to happen, 101 00:04:47.680 --> 00:04:50.959 because they don't want teams to do what Sam Panky 102 00:04:51.000 --> 00:04:53.800 and Philadelphia did and try to bring the system and 103 00:04:55.000 --> 00:04:57.519 basically set a blow towards to your fan base for 104 00:04:57.839 --> 00:05:00.439 half of the decade while you try to take advantage 105 00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:02.439 of the lottery talent. 106 00:05:02.879 --> 00:05:05.160 You know, it's interesting your guy Tim Bond TAM's Timmy 107 00:05:05.199 --> 00:05:07.680 good time Bond tem says he's known around these parts. 108 00:05:08.680 --> 00:05:12.439 Sided a couple of front office sources celebrating the fact 109 00:05:12.519 --> 00:05:15.160 that the Jazz and the Wizard specifically did not get 110 00:05:15.160 --> 00:05:17.120 the number one overall pick. Do you feel like that's 111 00:05:17.560 --> 00:05:21.319 a consensus from teams around the league that actually are 112 00:05:21.439 --> 00:05:23.639 serious about winning when they're looking at teams that are 113 00:05:23.639 --> 00:05:26.360 clearly unserious about the endeavor that they're glad that that 114 00:05:26.480 --> 00:05:27.879 approach does not get rewarded. 115 00:05:29.319 --> 00:05:33.199 Yeah, I wouldn't speak to a consensus, but I can 116 00:05:33.279 --> 00:05:37.879 say that I spoke to a smattering of folks that 117 00:05:38.199 --> 00:05:39.199 look at it the same way. 118 00:05:39.639 --> 00:05:43.279 And but you know, listen that I can say this 119 00:05:43.399 --> 00:05:47.639 without revealing my sources. They aren't in that cycle of 120 00:05:47.839 --> 00:05:51.959 their team currently that the people that are sharing that opinion. 121 00:05:53.079 --> 00:05:56.279 It's easy to look your nose down on someone when 122 00:05:58.000 --> 00:06:01.879 you have the good fortune of being on a competitive 123 00:06:01.879 --> 00:06:04.959 team at the moment. But even the most competitive teams 124 00:06:05.000 --> 00:06:09.800 generally will go through some sort of downturn that I mean, listen, 125 00:06:10.079 --> 00:06:12.399 it's a reminder of the stakes. 126 00:06:12.319 --> 00:06:13.800 Of choosing to go that direction. 127 00:06:14.360 --> 00:06:18.360 And again, like the best case scenario when it comes 128 00:06:18.399 --> 00:06:25.160 to your percentage chances is like fifteen, just below eighteen percent, 129 00:06:25.199 --> 00:06:27.079 I think, is what you can. 130 00:06:27.000 --> 00:06:29.279 End up with. The Jazz end up with a fifth pick, 131 00:06:29.639 --> 00:06:33.800 their most likely pick they were going to get going 132 00:06:33.800 --> 00:06:37.040 into the lottery, and you know, the odds are published 133 00:06:37.079 --> 00:06:39.199 and there for everybody to see is that they were 134 00:06:39.240 --> 00:06:42.319 end up with a fifth pick. So like that was 135 00:06:43.120 --> 00:06:43.920 it actually was. 136 00:06:44.319 --> 00:06:49.360 It didn't buck the information that the team or the 137 00:06:49.360 --> 00:06:51.800 fan base had going into last week's lottery. 138 00:06:52.360 --> 00:06:52.920 One more thing. 139 00:06:52.959 --> 00:06:54.879 If Mike Pence did the right thing, would the Jazz 140 00:06:54.920 --> 00:06:56.079 have the number one overall pick? 141 00:06:58.519 --> 00:06:59.160 Next Crutch? 142 00:06:59.360 --> 00:07:00.600 I knew it. I knew it. 143 00:07:01.279 --> 00:07:03.240 I knew you wouldn't take the bait. I've tried for 144 00:07:03.360 --> 00:07:05.519 years and you won't do it. All Right, Dave, are 145 00:07:05.519 --> 00:07:08.480 you ready for my super crazy Jazz Spurs trade idea? 146 00:07:09.480 --> 00:07:10.240 Yeah? I love it. 147 00:07:10.399 --> 00:07:12.879 So san Antonio at two finds themselves in a really 148 00:07:12.920 --> 00:07:15.879 interesting spot because I think everybody feels like Dylan Harper 149 00:07:15.959 --> 00:07:17.920 is the second best prospect in the draft, But you 150 00:07:17.920 --> 00:07:21.920 look at san Antonio's roster and there's redundancy there if 151 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:25.560 they decide to go Dylan Harper. Now, look, the problem 152 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:28.160 with this trade scenario is there will be a lot 153 00:07:28.160 --> 00:07:30.240 of teams lined up to make an offer for two 154 00:07:30.279 --> 00:07:31.920 if san Antonio is willing to move it. 155 00:07:32.399 --> 00:07:34.040 But they make the trade for Darren Fox. 156 00:07:34.079 --> 00:07:36.680 They have Stefan Castle, who's rookie of the Year, and 157 00:07:36.959 --> 00:07:40.199 the Jazz could very much use Dylan Dylan Harper. It 158 00:07:40.279 --> 00:07:42.920 fills a need and if he's as good as everybody says, 159 00:07:43.439 --> 00:07:47.000 do you think san Antonio entertains the notion of the 160 00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:53.360 Jazz sending five and Lowry Markeden in exchange for two fourteen, 161 00:07:54.319 --> 00:07:58.120 and then Keldon Johnson and Harrison Harrison Barnes to make 162 00:07:58.160 --> 00:08:02.160 the contracts match. Do you think anything, kind of generally speaking, 163 00:08:02.160 --> 00:08:05.759 in that direction, because we're hearing multiple ports that the 164 00:08:05.839 --> 00:08:08.079 Jazz will try to move up, but we know that 165 00:08:08.120 --> 00:08:10.720 one is off the table. After Tim McMahon reported that 166 00:08:11.079 --> 00:08:13.480 MAV's ownership said no, Nico, you can't trade it. 167 00:08:13.480 --> 00:08:15.560 We're keeping it. We're drafting Cooper flag. 168 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:16.959 Right. 169 00:08:17.480 --> 00:08:23.600 I actually really liked the idea, mostly because if you're 170 00:08:23.639 --> 00:08:29.199 going to go to with Harper the redundancy factor Castle 171 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:32.519 rookie of the year, you want to build there, and 172 00:08:33.080 --> 00:08:36.240 why wouldn't you want to build off of him versus 173 00:08:36.279 --> 00:08:39.120 like even if he was to continue his development with 174 00:08:39.960 --> 00:08:44.279 Harper There there's the idea of like second guessing in 175 00:08:44.279 --> 00:08:46.720 about your mind. Or let's say Harper does take off, 176 00:08:46.759 --> 00:08:49.840 and now you have a distressed asset in Castle because 177 00:08:50.240 --> 00:08:54.039 he's you know, starts wondering, you know how valued am I? 178 00:08:54.120 --> 00:08:58.000 You get to remove that scenario by looking to trade 179 00:08:58.000 --> 00:09:03.279 the pick. Obviously, getting two first rounders is valuable, and 180 00:09:03.879 --> 00:09:08.279 market In is a win now ready player and listen. 181 00:09:08.759 --> 00:09:11.120 I think a reminder of what we saw this year 182 00:09:11.120 --> 00:09:15.200 in the playoffs, not only of course Victor win Minama 183 00:09:15.240 --> 00:09:18.120 not being able to finish the season because of his 184 00:09:18.240 --> 00:09:23.440 blood cut condition, but Dame Lil goes down, Jason Tatum 185 00:09:23.480 --> 00:09:26.080 goes down, like if you if you feel like you 186 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:30.240 have any semblance of a shot at a championship, go 187 00:09:30.480 --> 00:09:35.240 for it. And a player like Lauren Markinen they obviously 188 00:09:35.240 --> 00:09:38.039 have a veteran dr Fox that they traded for. You 189 00:09:38.120 --> 00:09:40.200 got Wedby, you got Castle you can kill, and around 190 00:09:40.200 --> 00:09:44.360 the other role players like I think it's something that 191 00:09:44.679 --> 00:09:49.879 should be considered by lf In t Antonio if that. 192 00:09:49.879 --> 00:09:50.600 Was ever offered. 193 00:09:51.320 --> 00:09:53.480 So how much of the and you just named a 194 00:09:53.480 --> 00:09:57.480 few and Boston is an interesting situation to consider. 195 00:09:58.000 --> 00:09:59.399 And we'll get to the game in a moment. 196 00:09:59.519 --> 00:10:02.759 But even if Tatum stayed healthy, they were going to 197 00:10:02.799 --> 00:10:05.240 have some decisions to make with a new ownership group 198 00:10:05.679 --> 00:10:08.759 that probably did not do the luxury tax calculations until 199 00:10:08.759 --> 00:10:10.679 the papers were signed, and then they were like, wait, 200 00:10:10.759 --> 00:10:12.799 what it's going to cost me? What just to keep 201 00:10:12.840 --> 00:10:16.000 the roster? I mean, Bobby marks I think calculated it's 202 00:10:16.039 --> 00:10:19.000 a five hundred million dollar luxury tax bill. As this 203 00:10:19.159 --> 00:10:22.360 team continues to become expensive, So maybe they have a 204 00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:23.080 decision to make. 205 00:10:23.240 --> 00:10:25.600 Maybe it's Jalen Brown. I don't know. Tatum is going 206 00:10:25.639 --> 00:10:27.399 to be on the show for an entire year. 207 00:10:28.039 --> 00:10:32.399 The Shams report about Giannis, There's Phoenix and Durance. How 208 00:10:32.480 --> 00:10:36.679 real do you think this kind of alleged reported big 209 00:10:36.720 --> 00:10:40.240 time player movement in pro basketball will be this offseason? 210 00:10:42.799 --> 00:10:44.080 Well, I'll start with Boston. 211 00:10:45.360 --> 00:10:47.320 You pay a premium to get them six point one 212 00:10:47.399 --> 00:10:51.320 billion dollars. Yeah, I think the number that Bobby reported 213 00:10:51.440 --> 00:10:53.919 is just under five hundred million, which is a wild 214 00:10:54.960 --> 00:10:58.720 additional expense to take on in an annual basis. 215 00:11:00.480 --> 00:11:01.879 Normally, when you see. 216 00:11:01.720 --> 00:11:03.960 People extend themselves to make a purchase like that, they 217 00:11:03.960 --> 00:11:08.720 want to start recouping their investment. Drew Holliday has two 218 00:11:08.759 --> 00:11:12.039 years left on this deal. Chrisferzingis is an expiring contract. 219 00:11:12.240 --> 00:11:15.919 I expect them both to be moved absolutely one hundred percent. 220 00:11:16.559 --> 00:11:21.600 Because of one the redundancy factor of Christops. They've been 221 00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:23.879 able to win when he's missed time this year because 222 00:11:23.879 --> 00:11:26.879 of that strange viral and affection, but more so because 223 00:11:27.639 --> 00:11:30.559 they Why would you pay that much money for a 224 00:11:30.600 --> 00:11:34.360 team that will be by default in a rebuild mode 225 00:11:34.399 --> 00:11:38.399 next year, with Jason Tatum surely to miss pretty much 226 00:11:38.440 --> 00:11:42.639 the entire year with his recovery, and then the question 227 00:11:42.840 --> 00:11:46.559 becomes Jalen Brown at this stage of his career, does 228 00:11:46.600 --> 00:11:50.720 he want to commit a year for a team that 229 00:11:50.960 --> 00:11:55.200 is getting rid of assets and has its best player 230 00:11:55.279 --> 00:11:57.440 or second best player depending on how you viewed Jalen 231 00:11:57.480 --> 00:11:58.879 Brown out for the year. 232 00:11:59.600 --> 00:12:01.799 Does this caused him to say. 233 00:12:01.559 --> 00:12:04.440 You know what, this is probably my time to go 234 00:12:04.720 --> 00:12:09.120 pursue what else is out there for me and I 235 00:12:09.120 --> 00:12:11.720 would like to be moved. And then when you start 236 00:12:11.759 --> 00:12:15.720 to see those type of dominoes fall, that's when it 237 00:12:15.799 --> 00:12:19.159 becomes a crazy summer because you're like, Okay, Boston's going 238 00:12:19.200 --> 00:12:20.240 to be moving two players. 239 00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:22.879 That's interesting, Chris SUPs and Drew Holliday. And Drew Holiday 240 00:12:22.879 --> 00:12:24.159 has proven to be a. 241 00:12:24.120 --> 00:12:26.720 Difference maker for two different teams now in terms of 242 00:12:26.720 --> 00:12:29.279 being a championship level team. 243 00:12:29.600 --> 00:12:32.080 That's interesting in itself. But then if it becomes. 244 00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:35.000 Okay, Jalen Brown wants out, and then if Nasachcoopo wants 245 00:12:35.000 --> 00:12:38.399 out and Kevin Durant wants out, now you're talking about like. 246 00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:42.080 Three or four franchise changing players. 247 00:12:42.080 --> 00:12:45.240 On the market, and yeah, that can lead to all 248 00:12:45.279 --> 00:12:48.080 sorts of chaos beyond it. So I do think that 249 00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:52.279 we have a potential for a pretty busy summer with 250 00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:54.039 the landscape to lead changing a bit. 251 00:12:54.600 --> 00:12:57.240 All right, moving on to you know, the playoffs, because 252 00:12:57.279 --> 00:12:59.840 they're going on. I'm gonna ask you about a couple 253 00:12:59.879 --> 00:13:03.240 of teams that already have stamped their ticket to the 254 00:13:03.240 --> 00:13:05.840 conference finals. Then we'll get to the action tonight and 255 00:13:05.879 --> 00:13:09.399 over the weekend. Let's start out east where Indiana just 256 00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:11.759 and you know, it was really interesting listening to Kenny 257 00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:14.639 Atkinson after the game that you know, sealed the deal 258 00:13:14.639 --> 00:13:17.279 for Indiana. He basically acknowledged, like they're better than we 259 00:13:17.320 --> 00:13:21.720 are right now, and they've got Indiana has so many 260 00:13:21.799 --> 00:13:24.759 like wings that want to fight, you Like Benedict Matherin 261 00:13:24.840 --> 00:13:27.720 wants to fight everybody, so does Niee Smith Nemhard. 262 00:13:28.039 --> 00:13:30.120 I mean, they're going to be a tough out for anybody. 263 00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:33.399 What stood out most about the way the Pacers dispatched 264 00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:36.000 to the Calves, Yeah. 265 00:13:35.799 --> 00:13:41.000 I mean they controlled that series. And listen, you can 266 00:13:41.039 --> 00:13:45.279 say there was un apportunate circumstances with Darius Carland and 267 00:13:45.679 --> 00:13:50.679 Evan Mobley DeAndre Hunter all missing time. Of course, I'm 268 00:13:50.679 --> 00:13:51.519 not so sure though. 269 00:13:51.720 --> 00:13:54.080 Had they been healthy the entire series, they would have 270 00:13:54.279 --> 00:13:55.120 beat the Pacers. 271 00:13:55.320 --> 00:13:58.240 That the Pacers played with morm edge, they played with 272 00:13:58.320 --> 00:14:03.000 certainly more off defensive organization, and then they have wings. 273 00:14:02.639 --> 00:14:04.159 That get into you. 274 00:14:03.679 --> 00:14:09.240 And Kendrick Perkins, my friend and colleague you know, did 275 00:14:09.639 --> 00:14:12.919 a hit earlier this week basically saying that the Calves 276 00:14:12.960 --> 00:14:16.200 weren't tough enough, and sometimes like that's hyperbolic and that 277 00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:17.480 doesn't really tell the story. 278 00:14:17.519 --> 00:14:19.240 But I do think that's part. 279 00:14:19.159 --> 00:14:23.679 Of what this Calves team was missing, is there's not 280 00:14:23.799 --> 00:14:24.519 enough grit there. 281 00:14:25.399 --> 00:14:28.840 You have basically a bunch of nice guys and. 282 00:14:29.279 --> 00:14:32.440 You need some sort of mix to that group of 283 00:14:32.639 --> 00:14:35.759 guys who want to mix it up or guys who 284 00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:36.600 you know. 285 00:14:36.720 --> 00:14:39.840 Are going to player than the other team. 286 00:14:40.159 --> 00:14:45.120 And I don't think that's means that this Caves team 287 00:14:45.320 --> 00:14:49.039 should be dismantled, but yeah, I do think you look 288 00:14:49.080 --> 00:14:53.799 at like Jared Allen and Evan Mobley both are gentle giants. 289 00:14:54.559 --> 00:14:56.720 Can you have two gentle giants on your team or 290 00:14:57.120 --> 00:14:58.480 do you it's you. 291 00:14:58.480 --> 00:15:01.000 Know, it's kind of hard to play two bigs in 292 00:15:01.039 --> 00:15:02.039 the playoffs as it is. 293 00:15:02.399 --> 00:15:03.360 Do you split them up? 294 00:15:04.120 --> 00:15:07.440 All these there's a handful of contenders that are looking 295 00:15:07.480 --> 00:15:10.240 for a big that would you know, offer you up 296 00:15:10.360 --> 00:15:13.919 a lot for someone like Jared Allen and then use 297 00:15:14.840 --> 00:15:17.440 those assets that you get from that trade either to 298 00:15:18.039 --> 00:15:20.919 find a guy with more of an edge or make 299 00:15:20.960 --> 00:15:23.159 that trade about finding the guy with more of an edge. 300 00:15:23.759 --> 00:15:26.919 I think it's a tweak that they are that they need, 301 00:15:27.320 --> 00:15:31.240 not like an overhaul obviously. And then you're talking about 302 00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:34.720 Indiana as they sit in the catbird seat and watch 303 00:15:35.279 --> 00:15:38.799 the Knicks and Celtics play things out, like they should 304 00:15:38.799 --> 00:15:40.960 feel confident about their chance to make it back to 305 00:15:41.000 --> 00:15:43.759 the first and me a finals. Parison's Reggie Miller. 306 00:15:44.159 --> 00:15:46.799 Moving over to a series that you covered covered well, 307 00:15:46.919 --> 00:15:51.600 a really good piece about Anthony Edwards. You know, Minnesota 308 00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:55.639 and you and I talked about this after OKAC kind 309 00:15:55.639 --> 00:15:58.399 of established themselves as the best team in the West 310 00:15:58.399 --> 00:16:00.840 with a historic net and with the way they were playing, 311 00:16:00.879 --> 00:16:03.159 we would kind of revisit the topic every week, like 312 00:16:03.720 --> 00:16:06.559 who is their peer out West? And seemed like every 313 00:16:06.559 --> 00:16:09.200 week that would change. You know, the Golden State gets 314 00:16:09.279 --> 00:16:10.840 Jimmy Butler? Is it Jimmy Butler? 315 00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:11.399 Of course? 316 00:16:11.480 --> 00:16:14.559 The Lakers get Luca Can the Lakers make Okay See uncomfortable. 317 00:16:15.000 --> 00:16:16.840 But over the final few weeks of the season, we 318 00:16:16.879 --> 00:16:20.720 did start to hone in on Minnesota a little bit. Obviously, 319 00:16:20.759 --> 00:16:23.000 the Steph factor is the Steph factor, and we'll get 320 00:16:23.000 --> 00:16:24.120 to Boston and New. 321 00:16:24.039 --> 00:16:24.679 York at a minute. 322 00:16:24.759 --> 00:16:27.720 But as connected as Boston looked in Game five without Tatum, 323 00:16:28.519 --> 00:16:30.879 Golden State is just lost without Steph. They just are 324 00:16:31.799 --> 00:16:35.240 Spacing's completely different. I was waiting to see playoff, Jimmy. 325 00:16:35.240 --> 00:16:37.919 We never really did. That's probably more of a credit 326 00:16:37.960 --> 00:16:40.960 to Minnesota than anything, as in a diamond on Jimmy Butler, 327 00:16:41.000 --> 00:16:43.360 But what did you make of just how easily it 328 00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:46.000 seemed for Minnesota to take care of the Golden State 329 00:16:46.039 --> 00:16:48.120 Warriors sands of course Stephen Curry. 330 00:16:49.559 --> 00:16:50.600 Yeah, I mean, listen. 331 00:16:51.240 --> 00:16:57.000 I think there was the actual basketball blow to the 332 00:16:57.039 --> 00:17:00.919 Warriors of playing without Steph, which is significant because even 333 00:17:00.919 --> 00:17:02.799 at this stage of his career, you're talking about a 334 00:17:02.840 --> 00:17:05.240 guy who is going to draw a double and triple 335 00:17:05.279 --> 00:17:09.480 team attention. He's a great playmaker. He can set other 336 00:17:09.519 --> 00:17:11.680 guys up, and he can just shoot over the defense 337 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:13.720 a lot of times, So that's a major part of it. 338 00:17:13.799 --> 00:17:16.000 And then I think it was the mental blow of 339 00:17:16.119 --> 00:17:19.599 like they gave them their best shot in Game three, 340 00:17:20.240 --> 00:17:26.240 didn't get it done, and like they recognized at that 341 00:17:26.279 --> 00:17:28.599 moment that like even the task of just trying to 342 00:17:28.640 --> 00:17:31.359 get to win one, to try to extend the series, 343 00:17:31.359 --> 00:17:33.119 to get it to a game six to stephan comeback 344 00:17:33.839 --> 00:17:38.279 was not going to really be possible. On the Minnesota 345 00:17:38.359 --> 00:17:43.359 side of things, it's a really good basketball team that 346 00:17:43.920 --> 00:17:47.039 is that unstoppable by any means, But they had twenty 347 00:17:47.079 --> 00:17:48.880 one turnovers in that Game three. 348 00:17:49.640 --> 00:17:51.440 You can't be proffing the ball. 349 00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:53.319 Up that many times expected to win the playoff game, 350 00:17:53.359 --> 00:17:55.759 and even in the closeout Game five, it was a 351 00:17:55.759 --> 00:17:59.640 blowout and had seven turnovers like that, that type of 352 00:17:59.680 --> 00:18:03.039 stuff is going to hurt you as you get further 353 00:18:03.319 --> 00:18:06.160 along the ride against the more disciplined team. And that's 354 00:18:06.200 --> 00:18:08.680 why their story could end in the Western Conference Finals 355 00:18:08.680 --> 00:18:09.839 against Denver, OKC. 356 00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:11.279 Because I think. 357 00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:13.400 Both those teams that have a little more structure to 358 00:18:13.440 --> 00:18:16.759 what they do. At the same time, though they're deep, 359 00:18:17.480 --> 00:18:21.480 they're big, they're physical, they have a little bit of 360 00:18:21.480 --> 00:18:24.039 the ship on their shoulder from them flaming out last 361 00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:27.440 year against the Mavericks and the conference finals, and like 362 00:18:27.640 --> 00:18:30.400 I think I'm kind of biased as I evaluate them 363 00:18:30.440 --> 00:18:33.000 because I have covered each of their games the last 364 00:18:33.000 --> 00:18:36.599 two rounds like they look really good, and I covered 365 00:18:36.599 --> 00:18:38.279 them last year in the playoffs in the second round 366 00:18:38.319 --> 00:18:40.000 in the conference finals as well. There are a lot 367 00:18:40.039 --> 00:18:43.680 better than they were last year. Julius Randall is playing 368 00:18:43.720 --> 00:18:46.759 the best basketball's career. Jade McDaniels is a different player 369 00:18:46.759 --> 00:18:49.160 than he was last year, and last year he looked 370 00:18:49.240 --> 00:18:52.640 like shade of Scottie Pippen, and Anthony Edwards is still 371 00:18:52.720 --> 00:18:58.960 the incredible singular talent that is showing a little bit 372 00:18:58.960 --> 00:19:02.640 more wrecking condition of defenses and making the hockey assists 373 00:19:03.799 --> 00:19:08.880 and making himself harder to guard. So I like, I 374 00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:14.000 will most likely pick them. If Okay see what's to win, 375 00:19:14.039 --> 00:19:16.440 I would say I think I will I will pick 376 00:19:16.519 --> 00:19:17.960 them in. 377 00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:18.519 The next round. 378 00:19:18.559 --> 00:19:22.039 If Denver somehow beats Okay see, then you're probably talking 379 00:19:22.039 --> 00:19:24.799 about the best player in basketball and Jokic thinking that 380 00:19:25.119 --> 00:19:26.880 he has another chance to get a ring and that 381 00:19:26.920 --> 00:19:31.039 could be pretty tough. Plus tenverll have the revenge factor 382 00:19:31.079 --> 00:19:34.519 because they lost last year to the Wolves. 383 00:19:34.319 --> 00:19:37.119 Which combo of cities would lead to the most whalien 384 00:19:37.160 --> 00:19:39.759 and national teeth from media members that are mad that 385 00:19:39.799 --> 00:19:41.359 they have to travel to both cities. 386 00:19:45.279 --> 00:19:49.480 It's it's Indiana, okay. See. 387 00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:54.279 I do have some Race young as a friend of mine, 388 00:19:54.359 --> 00:19:58.799 and I'm friends with some folks on the Indiana staff, 389 00:19:59.000 --> 00:20:01.799 and I feel bad about some of the texts I've 390 00:20:01.799 --> 00:20:05.240 already sent about that scenario to some folks in the media. 391 00:20:05.359 --> 00:20:08.400 It's just one of it is like, actually a huge 392 00:20:08.440 --> 00:20:09.359 part of it, I should say. 393 00:20:09.400 --> 00:20:10.880 It's not the city themselves. 394 00:20:11.319 --> 00:20:14.279 It's literally both of those cities I won't be able 395 00:20:14.319 --> 00:20:15.079 to fly direct to. 396 00:20:15.400 --> 00:20:18.200 So you know, that's kind of tough. 397 00:20:18.680 --> 00:20:22.079 Every single flight you're taking is a connecting flight for 398 00:20:22.200 --> 00:20:23.480 duration of two weeks. 399 00:20:23.960 --> 00:20:25.000 It wears in you a little bit. 400 00:20:25.079 --> 00:20:26.119 It does, no, it does. 401 00:20:26.400 --> 00:20:31.480