WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.280 --> 00:00:03.439 Howard Beck. Happy Friday, my friend. Where do we find 2 00:00:03.439 --> 00:00:04.000 you right now? 3 00:00:05.440 --> 00:00:10.519 I happy for Eddie. I'm home in Brooklyn and preparing, 4 00:00:11.560 --> 00:00:15.160 bracing myself, gearing up to be at the Garden tomorrow 5 00:00:15.240 --> 00:00:17.519 night where your orange and Blue will be taking on 6 00:00:18.359 --> 00:00:20.120 what are the Red, White and blue? I think of 7 00:00:20.160 --> 00:00:20.760 the Pistons. 8 00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:24.199 So yeah, I'm excited, Yeah for sure. And this is 9 00:00:24.239 --> 00:00:25.480 a little bit of a throwback. 10 00:00:25.719 --> 00:00:27.760 And you have to be very old to remember when 11 00:00:27.800 --> 00:00:30.199 the Pistons and the next played for anything that mattered, 12 00:00:30.199 --> 00:00:31.879 because it's been really a long long time. 13 00:00:32.200 --> 00:00:33.840 But let's stay out east. Then we'll kind of make 14 00:00:33.840 --> 00:00:34.759 our way out this way. 15 00:00:34.799 --> 00:00:38.359 And if my black hat media magic, you know, if 16 00:00:38.399 --> 00:00:40.960 I'm able to, you know, conjure up some magic trick, 17 00:00:41.000 --> 00:00:42.960 maybe we'll talk about the Jazz, but I don't know. 18 00:00:43.000 --> 00:00:46.719 So let's start with best case scenario for a fifty 19 00:00:46.759 --> 00:00:47.399 one team. 20 00:00:47.719 --> 00:00:49.600 It feels like it has a lot of questions. 21 00:00:49.640 --> 00:00:51.679 I've heard a lot of people believe that Detroit can 22 00:00:51.719 --> 00:00:54.920 make this uncomfortable. So best case scenario for the Knicks, 23 00:00:54.920 --> 00:00:56.479 And what do you make of this round one matchup 24 00:00:56.520 --> 00:00:57.240 against Detroit? 25 00:00:59.039 --> 00:01:01.280 I think the Pistons chance. I don't think this is 26 00:01:01.320 --> 00:01:03.560 your average three to six matchup, and I think, you know, 27 00:01:03.799 --> 00:01:05.920 the biggest knock on the Pistons of the biggest doubt 28 00:01:05.959 --> 00:01:07.959 will be simply the fact that this team, in this 29 00:01:08.079 --> 00:01:11.640 construction of it, is making its first foray into the postseason. 30 00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:15.599 And you know, notably your your key players on that team, 31 00:01:16.439 --> 00:01:20.280 Kay Cunningham obviously, and Asar Thompson and many of the 32 00:01:20.319 --> 00:01:24.000 others are are young and new to this, and you 33 00:01:24.040 --> 00:01:26.400 never know how young players are going to adjust to 34 00:01:26.719 --> 00:01:29.879 or react to the spotlight. And the Knicks are a very, 35 00:01:30.040 --> 00:01:34.799 very playoff steeped team, So there's that. But the Pistons 36 00:01:34.799 --> 00:01:36.400 are tough as heck, and I think we've seen that 37 00:01:36.439 --> 00:01:39.560 all season. They have proven that over and over again. 38 00:01:40.040 --> 00:01:42.480 They are tough defensively, and I think they have the 39 00:01:42.480 --> 00:01:45.920 ability to make life tough on Jalen Brunson and to 40 00:01:45.959 --> 00:01:48.159 make the next work for this. I think this series 41 00:01:48.239 --> 00:01:50.079 could go the distance, but I do expect the next 42 00:01:50.079 --> 00:01:50.439 to win it. 43 00:01:51.239 --> 00:01:53.040 I will put on my red panda hat for a 44 00:01:53.079 --> 00:01:55.120 moment and balance some plates and try to bring a 45 00:01:55.200 --> 00:01:56.959 jazz topic in here. I'm not going to ask you 46 00:01:56.959 --> 00:01:59.000 about the jazz, but I will ask you about Detroit 47 00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:01.359 who a year ago Howard was the worst team in 48 00:02:01.400 --> 00:02:04.640 the NBA and the Jazz are the worst team in 49 00:02:04.680 --> 00:02:07.079 the NBA. We're waiting to see what the lottery brings. 50 00:02:07.079 --> 00:02:09.680 But Detroit, for all their troubles, actually fell to five. 51 00:02:10.159 --> 00:02:12.639 Now Kay got hurt and he's everything to them. So 52 00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:16.199 I just wondered, from your perspective and vantage point, since 53 00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:17.919 we're out here in Salt Lake in the midst of 54 00:02:17.960 --> 00:02:20.520 a very very long rebuild, what stands out most to 55 00:02:20.560 --> 00:02:23.400 you about the way Detroit has gone about this where 56 00:02:23.400 --> 00:02:25.800 they're back in the playoffs and very relevant and should 57 00:02:25.800 --> 00:02:26.759 be for a number of years. 58 00:02:29.120 --> 00:02:34.199 That's a good question where to start there. I mean, look, 59 00:02:34.960 --> 00:02:37.919 the Pistons have been in the lottery for most of 60 00:02:37.960 --> 00:02:40.479 the last two decades, so I don't think we should 61 00:02:40.479 --> 00:02:44.319 look to Detroit as any model for anything. If we 62 00:02:44.360 --> 00:02:46.280 want to just take the last you know, four or 63 00:02:46.280 --> 00:02:48.080 five years and say, well, you know, how have they 64 00:02:48.159 --> 00:02:51.479 finally gotten their feet under them again? I mean, if 65 00:02:51.479 --> 00:02:53.039 you're in the lottery enough times and you get the 66 00:02:53.080 --> 00:02:54.759 number one pick at least once, which they did to 67 00:02:54.759 --> 00:02:58.400 get Kid, uh, cool, But you know a lot of times, 68 00:02:58.400 --> 00:03:00.560 like the Pistons have had pretty bad life lottery luck. 69 00:03:00.560 --> 00:03:04.319 They've they've slipped a lot of times, and so you know, 70 00:03:05.080 --> 00:03:08.039 if anything, there are a lesson in the lottery and 71 00:03:08.120 --> 00:03:11.439 being bad or tanking is not a panacea. It's no 72 00:03:11.520 --> 00:03:15.319 guarantee of anything. I think the most interesting wrinkle in 73 00:03:15.360 --> 00:03:18.560 their evolution of the last couple of years is and 74 00:03:18.599 --> 00:03:21.159 this is, of course, after flushing the front office a 75 00:03:21.199 --> 00:03:23.599 couple of times, flushing the coaching, you know, the head 76 00:03:23.599 --> 00:03:27.120 coach a couple of times, that the current group, led 77 00:03:27.159 --> 00:03:31.120 by Trajan Langdon, decided, you know what, we need some 78 00:03:31.199 --> 00:03:34.520 veterans in here with our young guys. And I was 79 00:03:34.520 --> 00:03:37.360 a skeptic, I'll be honest. I was like, I don't 80 00:03:37.439 --> 00:03:39.560 get why they're signing Tobias Harris to a big I 81 00:03:39.599 --> 00:03:41.280 don't know. It's only like a two year deal, I think. 82 00:03:41.280 --> 00:03:43.879 But I wasn't convinced last summer that that was the move. 83 00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:46.479 But they brought in Tobias Harris, and then they later 84 00:03:46.520 --> 00:03:48.840 brought in Dennis Shrewder, and they signed Malik Beasley, and 85 00:03:48.879 --> 00:03:51.680 they they traded away Quentin Grimes for Tim Hardaway Junior, 86 00:03:51.680 --> 00:03:54.400 another deal I did not agree with then and I 87 00:03:54.400 --> 00:03:57.159 still kind of don't agree with. And you know, bolstered 88 00:03:57.159 --> 00:03:59.719 by the fact that Quentin Grimes traded again from Dallas 89 00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:03.560 to Philly went off in Philly down the stretch. Didn't 90 00:04:03.599 --> 00:04:06.240 understand it. But I do think that bringing in some 91 00:04:06.280 --> 00:04:08.680 of these vets to put around the young guys has 92 00:04:08.680 --> 00:04:13.000 helped stabilize them. And obviously the hiring of JB. Bickerstaff 93 00:04:13.080 --> 00:04:17.920 fresh off of being five was a huge move for them. 94 00:04:18.279 --> 00:04:20.000 So I think some of this is just like, there's 95 00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:21.319 a little bit of luck and a little bit of 96 00:04:21.319 --> 00:04:23.319 patience and a little bit of you know, finding the 97 00:04:23.360 --> 00:04:24.959 right vets at the right time and the right coach 98 00:04:25.000 --> 00:04:25.639 at the right time. 99 00:04:26.720 --> 00:04:29.759 Okay, so tonight we have the Heat and the Hawks 100 00:04:29.920 --> 00:04:34.279 in Atlanta for the right to face the Calves. Can 101 00:04:34.319 --> 00:04:36.639 either of these two teams make Cleveland even kind of 102 00:04:36.720 --> 00:04:38.680 uncomfortable in a playoff series? 103 00:04:40.319 --> 00:04:42.839 Oh? Man, I wish I could pretend that they would. 104 00:04:43.040 --> 00:04:45.120 I wish I could sit here and give you the 105 00:04:45.600 --> 00:04:48.120 Pollyannish kind of like, hey, you know, anything can happen 106 00:04:48.120 --> 00:04:51.040 in a seven game series or what. Let's be honest. 107 00:04:51.279 --> 00:04:54.279 There is one major exception this season, and there have 108 00:04:54.399 --> 00:04:57.240 been some exceptions in recent seasons, and maybe more often 109 00:04:57.800 --> 00:04:59.600 than we used to in the past, but in general, 110 00:04:59.680 --> 00:05:02.639 the foll statement holds true. Seventh and eight seeds are 111 00:05:02.639 --> 00:05:06.399 cannon fodder in this league, and most first round series 112 00:05:06.439 --> 00:05:09.839 involving one eights and two sevens are are predictable and 113 00:05:09.879 --> 00:05:13.279 often dull. I'm not expecting much to change this year, 114 00:05:13.319 --> 00:05:17.160 other than, of course, the biggest you know outlier to that, 115 00:05:18.040 --> 00:05:19.920 which is the Warriors as a seventh seed, and you know, 116 00:05:19.920 --> 00:05:23.000 they were very, very very narrowly the seventh seed after 117 00:05:23.079 --> 00:05:25.600 losing on you know, Game eighty two, and the West 118 00:05:25.680 --> 00:05:27.720 is just that tough and that deep, and the Warriors, 119 00:05:28.160 --> 00:05:31.199 you know, if they'd had Jimmy Butler from day one, 120 00:05:31.240 --> 00:05:34.120 probably would not be, you know, the seventh seed today. 121 00:05:35.360 --> 00:05:37.720 As former team, the Heat who are playing tonight, who 122 00:05:37.800 --> 00:05:40.839 you asked about, don't have Jimmy Butler anymore, because that's 123 00:05:40.839 --> 00:05:42.560 how trades work. When you trade a guy, you don't 124 00:05:42.560 --> 00:05:46.120 have him, you have Andrew Wiggins instead. The Heat that 125 00:05:46.160 --> 00:05:48.079 we saw the last few years, you know, play their 126 00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:50.360 way out of the play in get to the finals, 127 00:05:50.720 --> 00:05:53.519 be this really tough out all the time. Like there's 128 00:05:53.600 --> 00:05:55.199 some of that still there, but a lot of that 129 00:05:55.319 --> 00:05:59.560 was Jimmy frankly, and you know, Tyler Hero has been 130 00:05:59.720 --> 00:06:02.199 really good for them. Bam out of Bio is still 131 00:06:02.199 --> 00:06:05.199 Bam out of Bayo. They're still tough, they still play defense, 132 00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:08.759 but they just don't have a lot of offense to 133 00:06:08.839 --> 00:06:10.439 speak of, and and a lot of you know, not 134 00:06:10.560 --> 00:06:13.000 enough ways to just put points on the border create 135 00:06:13.480 --> 00:06:18.920 open shots. And the Cavaliers are awesome. So no, I'm 136 00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:22.120 not expecting much out of that series. If it's if 137 00:06:22.160 --> 00:06:24.319 it's if it's the Heat, or if it's anybody, I 138 00:06:24.319 --> 00:06:25.120 don't care who it is. 139 00:06:25.199 --> 00:06:27.839 The Cavaliers are winning for stre Now, just let me 140 00:06:27.839 --> 00:06:30.240 follow up, because I'm taking copious notes so I can learn. 141 00:06:30.279 --> 00:06:33.680 So what you're saying is when a team trades a player, 142 00:06:34.480 --> 00:06:36.759 that player is no longer on that team. 143 00:06:37.079 --> 00:06:38.360 Did am I understanding that correctly? 144 00:06:39.399 --> 00:06:42.319 My vast research indicates that that is the case. 145 00:06:42.560 --> 00:06:44.600 Oh that is just gold on a Friday, Howard. I 146 00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:45.240 appreciate that. 147 00:06:45.639 --> 00:06:46.800 Uh, That's what I'm here for. 148 00:06:46.959 --> 00:06:49.079 I know you are, I know you are. 149 00:06:49.240 --> 00:06:52.120 I will kick the tires with Pacers bucks because the 150 00:06:52.120 --> 00:06:54.560 Pacers found a little something over the final six weeks 151 00:06:54.560 --> 00:06:57.439 of the season, and Milwaukee will be without Dame for 152 00:06:57.439 --> 00:07:00.680 at least one game. And look, I all always cringe 153 00:07:00.720 --> 00:07:02.480 when I hear a media member be like, Hey, I 154 00:07:02.519 --> 00:07:04.040 had a torn acl once. 155 00:07:04.120 --> 00:07:07.000 Here's what happened to me. But I will tell you 156 00:07:07.079 --> 00:07:09.040 that I had a blood clout once upon a time, 157 00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:10.399 and it SAPs your energy. 158 00:07:10.439 --> 00:07:12.519 I mean, it really does. I don't know what's what 159 00:07:12.600 --> 00:07:15.120 we can expect from Dame. He's going to be out 160 00:07:15.160 --> 00:07:17.160 Game one, but the rest of the series, like he 161 00:07:17.199 --> 00:07:18.639 is going to take a minute to get back to 162 00:07:18.680 --> 00:07:19.519 being full Damed. 163 00:07:19.800 --> 00:07:21.959 But Milwaukee is Milwaukee and they have Yiannis. 164 00:07:22.079 --> 00:07:23.959 So this seems to be a series that is a 165 00:07:23.959 --> 00:07:26.439 little more intriguing than the others that we've talked about. 166 00:07:26.480 --> 00:07:27.399 What do you think happens here? 167 00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:32.360 I'm very intrigued. I was intrigued before we knew what 168 00:07:32.439 --> 00:07:35.399 Dame's status was. But it's certainly great news for him 169 00:07:35.439 --> 00:07:37.920 and for the Bucks that he's on the mend, and 170 00:07:38.480 --> 00:07:40.000 it's great to hear I have not dealt with the 171 00:07:40.040 --> 00:07:43.199 blood clot, I have had a torn aco. So I 172 00:07:43.480 --> 00:07:47.199 don't know what you know he's to expect from here. 173 00:07:49.360 --> 00:07:51.399 I'm imagining that it's going to take several days for 174 00:07:51.480 --> 00:07:54.600 him to just get back into game shape, and whenever 175 00:07:54.639 --> 00:07:56.720 we see him appear in the series, we probably won't 176 00:07:56.720 --> 00:08:00.639 see you know, peak Dame Lillard. But I think that 177 00:08:00.839 --> 00:08:03.639 the Bucks were already you know, going to be facing 178 00:08:03.959 --> 00:08:05.920 a bit of an uphill battle here, like they have 179 00:08:06.040 --> 00:08:08.040 the best player in the series. And you know, one 180 00:08:08.040 --> 00:08:10.480 of our playoff axioms in the NBA is go with 181 00:08:10.519 --> 00:08:12.439 the team that has the best player, and that's clearly 182 00:08:12.560 --> 00:08:18.560 Yannis by quite a bit. However, everything else from two 183 00:08:18.639 --> 00:08:21.519 through whatever I think is in the Bucks favor, they've 184 00:08:21.560 --> 00:08:23.800 got us in the Pacers favor. I should say the 185 00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:28.279 Pacers have more depth there. It's interesting because they're not 186 00:08:28.680 --> 00:08:31.519 the prototypical like Championship contender where you've got like an 187 00:08:31.560 --> 00:08:35.159 absolute stud top five, top ten player. Tyres Haliburton will 188 00:08:35.159 --> 00:08:37.840 probably make all MBA. He was on my ballot, I think, 189 00:08:37.879 --> 00:08:41.240 on the third team, but he's not in that Yiannis tier. 190 00:08:41.879 --> 00:08:44.399 But they have Siakham and they've got em hard, and 191 00:08:44.399 --> 00:08:46.440 they've got Nie Smith, and they've got Miles Turner, and 192 00:08:46.480 --> 00:08:47.679 they just got a lot of really good, you know, 193 00:08:47.720 --> 00:08:50.120 teaching McCollum. They's got a lot of really good players 194 00:08:50.200 --> 00:08:52.320 who contribute and know their roles and play them to 195 00:08:52.320 --> 00:08:55.519 the hilt. And they've got a bit of a swagger 196 00:08:55.559 --> 00:08:57.399 about them and We saw that last year when they 197 00:08:57.440 --> 00:08:59.320 beat the Knicks and then you know, played a really 198 00:08:59.360 --> 00:09:03.519 tough series again the Celtics. I think the Pacers have 199 00:09:03.600 --> 00:09:07.960 the overall advantage here, you know, even if Dame is back, 200 00:09:08.120 --> 00:09:09.759 and even if Dame is at you know, back to 201 00:09:09.799 --> 00:09:10.440 one hundred percent. 202 00:09:12.120 --> 00:09:14.720 All right, let's move out west, and you know, let's 203 00:09:14.720 --> 00:09:17.799 start with the You reference the Warriors as the seventh seed, 204 00:09:18.399 --> 00:09:21.759 and you know, the the Warriors Grizzlies game was wildly 205 00:09:21.879 --> 00:09:25.440 entertaining and we had some real vintage steph fourth quarter moments, 206 00:09:25.480 --> 00:09:27.360 the you know, the triple pump, fake three and a 207 00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:29.639 couple of dagger threes, and Jimmy was Jimmy over the 208 00:09:29.639 --> 00:09:32.720 first three quarters. But Howard after, I don't know, after 209 00:09:32.799 --> 00:09:34.960 kind of dialing into that game, and I don't know 210 00:09:34.960 --> 00:09:37.120 how many people are really giving the Rockets very much, 211 00:09:37.600 --> 00:09:40.320 you know, very much, you know, attention or credit for 212 00:09:40.360 --> 00:09:43.480 what they've achieved all year. I don't think Golden State 213 00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:45.960 has the size of the length to deal with what 214 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:48.600 amy you Douk has in Houston. Now, you could make 215 00:09:48.639 --> 00:09:50.879 an argument that, you know, back to your point about 216 00:09:50.919 --> 00:09:54.240 the Pacers bocks, when the team clearly has the best player, 217 00:09:54.279 --> 00:09:56.399 you tend to side with that team, and you can 218 00:09:56.440 --> 00:09:59.000 make the argument that Golden State has the two best 219 00:09:59.000 --> 00:10:01.200 players in the series. And maybe it's not even an argument, 220 00:10:01.240 --> 00:10:03.840 maybe they just do. But I'm and Thompson is going 221 00:10:03.879 --> 00:10:06.840 to be stuck like glue to steath. And they've got 222 00:10:07.000 --> 00:10:09.759 Dylan Brooks, They've got a lot of tough wing defenders, 223 00:10:09.759 --> 00:10:11.639 and they've got size down load that I don't think 224 00:10:11.639 --> 00:10:14.200 Golden State does. So I've heard a lot of people say, 225 00:10:14.200 --> 00:10:16.279 even though it's seven to two, Golden State is going. 226 00:10:16.279 --> 00:10:16.879 To run through them. 227 00:10:16.919 --> 00:10:18.399 I don't know, man, I think this is going to 228 00:10:18.440 --> 00:10:20.960 be a dog fight, a bit of a rock fight. 229 00:10:21.440 --> 00:10:24.120 So Round one Warriors Rockets, what do you think. 230 00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:29.559 I love the fact that we have like this just 231 00:10:29.759 --> 00:10:34.919 clash of all these different axioms or cherished beliefs, right 232 00:10:35.039 --> 00:10:37.759 like Warriors of all the experience. The Rockets, it's their 233 00:10:37.759 --> 00:10:39.960 first playoff run with this group, and they've got a 234 00:10:39.960 --> 00:10:42.360 lot of youth. So we've got the youth versus experience thing. 235 00:10:42.919 --> 00:10:45.559 And we've got yeah, absolute legends you know with with 236 00:10:45.720 --> 00:10:48.720 Stephen Draymond and another you know stud with with Jimmy 237 00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:53.240 all of them very proven. But we also have to 238 00:10:53.279 --> 00:10:57.159 your point a size issue here, where the Rockets have 239 00:10:57.200 --> 00:11:02.559 the size advantage across the board. We also have a 240 00:11:02.559 --> 00:11:04.000 a little bit of a depth thing where I think 241 00:11:04.039 --> 00:11:05.559 I think the Rockets have a little bit better depth. 242 00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:09.080 But also there's a youth versus a veteran thing that's 243 00:11:09.120 --> 00:11:10.720 you know, forget the experience for a minute, but just 244 00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:14.519 youthful legs and you're on an every other day's schedule 245 00:11:14.639 --> 00:11:18.320 and you know, you know, Jimmy, Steph and Raymond are 246 00:11:18.440 --> 00:11:22.120 all in their mid to late thirties. I could they 247 00:11:22.159 --> 00:11:24.360 just wear down. So I think the Warriors have the 248 00:11:24.399 --> 00:11:27.559 advantage going in based on all the obvious things to 249 00:11:27.679 --> 00:11:31.039 do with playoff experience and know how and just you know, 250 00:11:31.120 --> 00:11:34.600 higher level of talent at the top end. But I 251 00:11:34.600 --> 00:11:36.679 think the depth and the youth of the Rockets is 252 00:11:36.720 --> 00:11:38.320 going in, their size is going to make it really 253 00:11:38.320 --> 00:11:39.840 difficult for them. And we saw that a couple of 254 00:11:39.879 --> 00:11:42.039 weeks ago when Men Thompson you know, kind of locked 255 00:11:42.120 --> 00:11:43.879 up Curry and had you know, Steph had one of 256 00:11:43.879 --> 00:11:47.960 his worst games we've seen in years. Can the Warriors 257 00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:49.559 do enough to get him off of him, to get 258 00:11:49.600 --> 00:11:51.200 and to keep Dylan Brooks and the rest of them 259 00:11:51.200 --> 00:11:55.320 off of him as well. That's a question. Can the Rockets, 260 00:11:55.320 --> 00:11:57.360 on the flip side of that, though, stick with their 261 00:11:57.720 --> 00:12:03.559 double big lineup of Shanngoon and Steven Adams or can 262 00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:06.600 the Warriors play those guys? Or you please play play 263 00:12:06.639 --> 00:12:10.519 Adams off the court because they're gonna be smaller and 264 00:12:10.600 --> 00:12:12.879 running up and down the court and trying to you know, 265 00:12:13.759 --> 00:12:17.879 Steven Adams away from the basket. There's a lot of 266 00:12:18.519 --> 00:12:21.240 cat and mouse and chess game that's gonna go on here. 267 00:12:21.279 --> 00:12:23.440 But I give the Warriors the slight edge. 268 00:12:24.200 --> 00:12:25.080 Okay, fair enough. 269 00:12:25.519 --> 00:12:27.600 Since I asked you, I have a feeling you're gonna 270 00:12:27.600 --> 00:12:28.480 give me the same answer. 271 00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:32.320 But maybe not, because you know, it's it's so wild. 272 00:12:32.840 --> 00:12:35.399 Regarding what's happened in Dallas this year, the wildest thing 273 00:12:35.440 --> 00:12:37.200 is simply they traded Luke at twenty five. 274 00:12:37.320 --> 00:12:39.480 Is a global superstar, a generational talent. 275 00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:43.799 But because of the kind of the ground swell of 276 00:12:43.799 --> 00:12:45.639 what the hell are you doing by doing that? We 277 00:12:45.679 --> 00:12:49.360 talk about Anthony Davis like he's Stromiles Swift and he's awesome, right, 278 00:12:49.440 --> 00:12:52.200 and like they don't have Kyrie And I'm not saying 279 00:12:52.279 --> 00:12:55.960 either of these teams, Memphis or Dallas certainly beats Oklahoma City, 280 00:12:56.000 --> 00:12:59.279 but out of the two, which team gives Okay, see 281 00:12:59.279 --> 00:13:01.159 at least a little bit pushback Round one. 282 00:13:02.919 --> 00:13:08.679 Wow, it's hard to stay in part because like the 283 00:13:08.840 --> 00:13:12.480 key to Memphis being the answer is John Morant, and 284 00:13:12.600 --> 00:13:15.600 Jah is still ailing right now, Like I don't even know, 285 00:13:15.759 --> 00:13:17.840 like I haven't seen the latest update, but you know, 286 00:13:17.879 --> 00:13:19.600 I think he got some kind of injection and like 287 00:13:19.879 --> 00:13:21.960 he didn't practice yentterday, Like is he gonna play it? 288 00:13:21.960 --> 00:13:25.120 I assume he'll play tonight, but you know, John Morant. First, 289 00:13:25.120 --> 00:13:26.639 the Grizzlies have to get past the mass and then 290 00:13:26.720 --> 00:13:28.879 Jahn Morant needs to be you know, close to one 291 00:13:28.919 --> 00:13:32.159 hundred percent by Sunday, which is probably not gonna happen. 292 00:13:33.240 --> 00:13:36.000 I don't trust what Dallas has, Like there's they don't 293 00:13:36.080 --> 00:13:38.440 They don't really have a point guard now, they don't 294 00:13:38.440 --> 00:13:40.519 have a lot of shot creation that they get their 295 00:13:40.559 --> 00:13:44.320 shot creation through mostly ball movement and just power. But 296 00:13:44.519 --> 00:13:47.000 you don't have without Kyrie. You don't have that off 297 00:13:47.000 --> 00:13:49.799 the bounced guy who can just penetrate a defense, break 298 00:13:49.799 --> 00:13:52.360 it down, force help and then get get you know, 299 00:13:52.559 --> 00:13:57.320 get guys in rotation. So I don't I don't trust 300 00:13:57.360 --> 00:14:00.600 the Mavericks top level talent right now, they don't have 301 00:14:00.639 --> 00:14:03.279 it they need. If you don't have Luca, then you 302 00:14:03.320 --> 00:14:06.039 needed Kyrie, and now you don't have Kyrie. They don't 303 00:14:06.039 --> 00:14:07.679 have Luca, by the way, because they traded him to 304 00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:09.559 the Lakers. And as we've established, once you do that 305 00:14:09.639 --> 00:14:10.159 no longer. 306 00:14:10.840 --> 00:14:13.399 I'm adding the footnote to my earlier note. Thank you hour. 307 00:14:13.519 --> 00:14:17.480 Yeah, yeah for sure. So no, I don't trust these 308 00:14:17.519 --> 00:14:20.360 of these teams is going to give Oklahoma much of 309 00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:23.200 a challenge. But if it is the Grizzlies who emerge, 310 00:14:23.759 --> 00:14:27.279 I think that across the board, they're just better built 311 00:14:27.320 --> 00:14:30.480 because they didn't trade their superstar midseason. Right Like, we 312 00:14:30.559 --> 00:14:33.200 might have this conversation this time next year, and the 313 00:14:33.519 --> 00:14:35.840 Mavericks conversation might be very different, but right now they're 314 00:14:35.879 --> 00:14:38.600 a team that needs to take the offseason to kind 315 00:14:38.600 --> 00:14:39.480 of fix their roster. 316 00:14:40.240 --> 00:14:42.320 The four five and the three six man two really 317 00:14:42.360 --> 00:14:44.679 good teams are going home after round one. So let's 318 00:14:44.679 --> 00:14:46.879 go to Nugs Clips. And you know I talked to 319 00:14:46.919 --> 00:14:49.240 you about this last week. Whenever Kwi is healthy for 320 00:14:49.279 --> 00:14:52.159 an extended stretch, we're all reminded of oh yeah, that's right. 321 00:14:52.200 --> 00:14:55.000 He is still one of those guys and Jeff Van 322 00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:57.080 Gundhi giving a lot of credit our guy here on 323 00:14:57.120 --> 00:14:59.399 the show. It makes me sadly doesn't join us anymore. 324 00:14:59.440 --> 00:15:00.919 But I'm glad that he has a job. I wonder 325 00:15:00.919 --> 00:15:02.679 if he's going to get a head coaching job after 326 00:15:03.159 --> 00:15:05.159 how we You know, he's kind of been credited by 327 00:15:05.200 --> 00:15:07.679 helping Tylu with his defense. I'm not taking anything away 328 00:15:07.679 --> 00:15:10.720 from Tye, but Nuggets clips round one. Man. There's a 329 00:15:10.720 --> 00:15:13.360 lot on the line here because you know, Denver of 330 00:15:13.360 --> 00:15:15.440 course fired their head coach and Howard just so you know, 331 00:15:15.519 --> 00:15:17.519 when you fire a head coach, he no longer coaches 332 00:15:17.559 --> 00:15:21.840 the team. Uh So, Denver La clip, Denver La clips? 333 00:15:21.840 --> 00:15:22.679 How does this go down? 334 00:15:24.080 --> 00:15:27.360 We are just like giving out some like incredible wisdoms. Yes, 335 00:15:27.639 --> 00:15:29.960 like your audience, I hope they know how fortunate they are. 336 00:15:30.080 --> 00:15:33.799 Yeah they should. If they don't, they should. 337 00:15:34.679 --> 00:15:36.759 Nuggets Clippers like there is there's no such thing as 338 00:15:36.759 --> 00:15:38.559 an upset really in a four or five, especially when 339 00:15:38.559 --> 00:15:41.039 you've got an identical record. But to the extent that 340 00:15:41.080 --> 00:15:43.080 the Clippers are the lower seed, I think they're pulling 341 00:15:43.080 --> 00:15:49.279 the upset here. Upset in like quote marks, I really 342 00:15:49.720 --> 00:15:52.159 really really respect what the Clippers have been able to 343 00:15:52.200 --> 00:15:56.039 do this year like I was, and I'll admit this outright, 344 00:15:56.360 --> 00:15:59.759 I thought, Wait, you resigned Kawhi Leonard all this money, 345 00:15:59.759 --> 00:16:01.559 but you're letting Paul George walk. What are you doing? 346 00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:03.159 Like are you trying to contend or are you not 347 00:16:03.200 --> 00:16:05.679 trying to? Like what's going on here? Really you're relying 348 00:16:05.759 --> 00:16:09.159 on always hurt Kawhi Leonard and you know you never 349 00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:10.720 know what you're going to get from him, James Harden 350 00:16:10.759 --> 00:16:13.639 at this stage of his career, and oh, Norm pounds 351 00:16:13.679 --> 00:16:16.840 that there's some nice players here, but like, really, where 352 00:16:16.840 --> 00:16:18.679 are you guys going with all this? And oh here 353 00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:22.559 they are fifty wins. Incredible job by Tyler and as 354 00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:24.440 you point out by jeff Bean Gundy who joined the 355 00:16:24.480 --> 00:16:27.840 staff this year. Incredible job by James Harden holding it 356 00:16:27.879 --> 00:16:30.360 down until Kawhi Leonard got back. Incredible job by Kawhi 357 00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:34.360 Leonard becoming Kawhi Leonard again. And you know, being an 358 00:16:34.399 --> 00:16:36.759 interest an incredibly dominant player for the last couple of months. 359 00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:38.679 The only reason not to believe in the Clippers right now. 360 00:16:38.679 --> 00:16:41.000 And they've had one of the best every like every 361 00:16:41.039 --> 00:16:43.639 metric you can cite for the last six seven eight weeks. 362 00:16:43.919 --> 00:16:46.279 The Clippers are are right up there with the best 363 00:16:46.279 --> 00:16:48.120 teams in the league, and the only reason to doubt 364 00:16:48.159 --> 00:16:50.519 them would be if you don't trust Kawhi to stay 365 00:16:50.519 --> 00:16:54.480 healthy through a series, which fair understandable, We've seen that 366 00:16:54.799 --> 00:16:57.679 play many times, or if you don't trust James Harden 367 00:16:57.679 --> 00:16:59.360 to come through in the clutch, which again fair, we've 368 00:16:59.360 --> 00:17:01.799 seen that play many times. But he doesn't have to 369 00:17:01.799 --> 00:17:04.680 be their leading scorer in this case, because they've got 370 00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:07.599 Kawhi Leonard, and they've got Norm Powell and Ivika Zubac 371 00:17:07.640 --> 00:17:10.799 has had a great season and is one of the 372 00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:15.000 few centers who can at least make Jokic work. And 373 00:17:15.039 --> 00:17:17.119 the Nuggets are in a weird place. I mean, they, 374 00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:19.279 as we know, just fire their GM and coach and 375 00:17:19.319 --> 00:17:21.359 one fell swoop with days ago in the regular season, 376 00:17:21.400 --> 00:17:24.680 one of the stranger things we've seen, and so I 377 00:17:24.720 --> 00:17:26.119 feel like there's still a little bit of a cloud 378 00:17:26.119 --> 00:17:28.759 over them, though they did finish strong under Dave Battleman. 379 00:17:29.880 --> 00:17:31.519 I cannot believe I'm going to ask you this, but 380 00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:34.160 I will because this year in the NBA, a lot 381 00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:37.359 of paradigms have been shifted and changed. If Denver loses 382 00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:41.599 Round one, is there any way that Nikola Jokic decides 383 00:17:41.640 --> 00:17:44.200 that he needs another place to play? And is there 384 00:17:44.200 --> 00:17:46.920 any way that, like it would have to be a mandate, 385 00:17:46.920 --> 00:17:48.519 it would have to be you have to trade me. 386 00:17:48.599 --> 00:17:51.920 But hey, we saw Luka traded and if I'm Nikola Jokic, 387 00:17:52.359 --> 00:17:54.079 I'm looking around. I'm like, did I'm the best in 388 00:17:54.119 --> 00:17:56.200 the world at this and you need to do more 389 00:17:56.720 --> 00:17:59.000 to take advantage of me before I'm thirty two to 390 00:17:59.079 --> 00:18:02.319 thirty three years old? If they lose round one? What 391 00:18:02.359 --> 00:18:04.000 does the offseason look like in Denver? 392 00:18:06.519 --> 00:18:08.680 In this league, It's always fair to ask that question. 393 00:18:11.160 --> 00:18:13.039 There's a part of me that says, like, Eh, like, 394 00:18:13.279 --> 00:18:15.559 we can't get ahead of ourselves. Let's not get crazy. 395 00:18:15.640 --> 00:18:17.839 Let's not stir it up too much on the Jokics front, 396 00:18:18.359 --> 00:18:21.599 especially given the Jokic doesn't seem to be wired that way, 397 00:18:21.599 --> 00:18:25.000 that he's not that kind of personality, right, He's not 398 00:18:25.079 --> 00:18:27.920 one running around making demands. He's a pretty low maintenance superstar. 399 00:18:28.960 --> 00:18:32.000 And I don't expect it. As bad as things have 400 00:18:32.039 --> 00:18:34.319 gotten there, or as shaky as things have been, I 401 00:18:34.359 --> 00:18:37.960