WEBVTT 1 00:00:22.199 --> 00:00:25.920 I keep a close watch on this heart of mine. 2 00:00:26.760 --> 00:00:30.079 I keep mynes wide open all the time. 3 00:00:30.800 --> 00:00:34.600 A Friday edition of The Drive, rolling along Porter Larson 4 00:00:34.679 --> 00:00:36.679 County Parks, filling in for Spence. 5 00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:38.560 He'll be back on Monday. 6 00:00:40.640 --> 00:00:45.000 Of course, he'll be back on a Monday recapping NBA Finals, 7 00:00:45.240 --> 00:00:48.320 and we will have a champion crowned. Oh a little 8 00:00:48.320 --> 00:00:52.000 over forty eight hours from right now, Game seven Indiana 9 00:00:52.039 --> 00:00:56.520 and Oklahoma City. Thanks to a Game six win the 10 00:00:56.520 --> 00:01:00.719 Indiana Pacers last night, Howard Beck joins us to discuss 11 00:01:00.799 --> 00:01:05.959 that and more and preview Game seven, Howard usually Spence 12 00:01:06.000 --> 00:01:11.000 brings you in with some hipster tune. I don't know 13 00:01:11.040 --> 00:01:13.760 that I've ever gotten your Johnny Cash take. I know 14 00:01:13.799 --> 00:01:16.280 it's not necessarily your lane, but I feel like you 15 00:01:16.319 --> 00:01:19.439 have good enough taste that you get it. 16 00:01:20.519 --> 00:01:24.159 I mean, listen, Johnny Cash is the original hipster, right right. So, 17 00:01:24.879 --> 00:01:27.079 And I was wearing black last night of the game, 18 00:01:27.159 --> 00:01:28.920 thinking that it was a close out, and we thought 19 00:01:28.959 --> 00:01:32.879 that was appropriate. But I and everybody else are idiots, 20 00:01:33.000 --> 00:01:35.159 and it was not a close out. And here we go. 21 00:01:35.200 --> 00:01:37.000 I'm on the way to the airport to go to 22 00:01:37.000 --> 00:01:40.319 Oklahoma City once more, this time through Charlotte. I think 23 00:01:40.400 --> 00:01:43.879 I have explored every airport hub in the country in 24 00:01:43.920 --> 00:01:45.760 the course of the last two and a half weeks 25 00:01:46.079 --> 00:01:49.400 bouncing between these cities. So yeah, where we go. Game seven. 26 00:01:49.480 --> 00:01:51.120 Well, now that you've done the Man in Black part, 27 00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:53.680 Game seven on Sunday, make sure you listen to in 28 00:01:53.719 --> 00:01:56.239 the morning Sunday morning, coming down, just on your way 29 00:01:56.280 --> 00:01:59.560 to the arena. Set the stage, set the vibes. Start 30 00:01:59.599 --> 00:02:01.200 with a good Johnny Cash tune. 31 00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:01.480 All right. 32 00:02:02.760 --> 00:02:08.719 Game six, the Pacers come in. Tyrese Halliburton questionable coming 33 00:02:08.759 --> 00:02:12.560 into tip off. Obviously, I think most of us, really 34 00:02:12.599 --> 00:02:15.840 anyone who has watched the Pacers this year, really expected 35 00:02:15.879 --> 00:02:18.960 Tyrese to play. The question was what was he going 36 00:02:19.000 --> 00:02:21.639 to give you after being clearly kind of hobbled in 37 00:02:21.639 --> 00:02:24.080 a Game five? Well, he was really good, and he 38 00:02:24.159 --> 00:02:26.439 was really good in a key moment in that second 39 00:02:26.520 --> 00:02:30.479 quarter that Indiana didn't look back from. What was What 40 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:33.680 was your full read on on Game seven, specifically around 41 00:02:33.719 --> 00:02:36.960 Tyrese Halliburton and the Pacers that refused to die. 42 00:02:37.879 --> 00:02:40.479 It's funny because in the course of any regular season, 43 00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:42.879 we always get these moments where somebody's hurt. It's a 44 00:02:42.919 --> 00:02:46.360 sprained ankle or tweaked their knee or whatever, and it's 45 00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:47.879 the kind of thing like, well, this he's going to 46 00:02:47.919 --> 00:02:49.400 be out for a week. But you know, if we 47 00:02:49.400 --> 00:02:51.360 were a game seven of the finals, you know he 48 00:02:51.400 --> 00:02:52.719 would play, you know what I mean? We get that 49 00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:55.159 a lot. And here we had like the exact version 50 00:02:55.199 --> 00:02:56.680 of this where it was like it's game six of 51 00:02:56.680 --> 00:03:00.879 the finals and elimination facing them, and it was the 52 00:03:00.960 --> 00:03:02.919 kind of thing where if this were the regular season, 53 00:03:02.960 --> 00:03:05.120 I think Tyre's Halliburton would have been out, you know, 54 00:03:05.319 --> 00:03:07.840 a few days a week, a couple weeks whatever, just 55 00:03:07.879 --> 00:03:11.080 to let it heal. And but you also knew, you 56 00:03:11.159 --> 00:03:12.759 knew he's going to try to play as long as 57 00:03:12.919 --> 00:03:16.400 the medical staff didn't tell him, no, you're you're at 58 00:03:16.479 --> 00:03:18.960 major risk. You also knew that because of the way 59 00:03:19.000 --> 00:03:21.840 the finals are structured these days, there's so much time 60 00:03:21.879 --> 00:03:24.280 in between that you can get the full not quite 61 00:03:24.280 --> 00:03:26.120 seventy two hours, but it was pretty close to three 62 00:03:26.199 --> 00:03:28.919 days of round the clock treatment, which it sounds like 63 00:03:29.080 --> 00:03:32.560 is what happened. And credit to the medical staff, and 64 00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:34.879 then credit to and training staff, and credit to Tyrese 65 00:03:34.919 --> 00:03:37.919 Haliburton for finding way through it. He did, look, I 66 00:03:37.960 --> 00:03:42.319 thought early on a little bit hobbled or just dragging 67 00:03:42.360 --> 00:03:44.199 it a little, and then it just seems like, whether 68 00:03:44.199 --> 00:03:48.120 it's adrenaline kicking in, whether it's just the muscles warming up, 69 00:03:48.280 --> 00:03:51.800 whatever it may be. After a while you forgot that 70 00:03:51.840 --> 00:03:53.919 he was allegedly hurt at all. And I don't mean 71 00:03:53.960 --> 00:03:56.120 to say allegedly like he's not, like he definitely is. 72 00:03:56.520 --> 00:03:59.680 But it passed out of your mind so quickly because 73 00:04:00.560 --> 00:04:03.080 he looked good, Like, you know, he hit that first three. 74 00:04:03.159 --> 00:04:05.360 It was like his first field goal since Game four 75 00:04:06.759 --> 00:04:09.039 and then Game five had been just so miserable for him. 76 00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:12.360 He looked in a much better rhythm. And maybe it's 77 00:04:12.360 --> 00:04:14.240 a little bit of it also just adjusting to the 78 00:04:14.240 --> 00:04:16.079 fact that, Okay, my cat's not going to feel one 79 00:04:16.120 --> 00:04:18.639 hundred percent. I got to find a way to still 80 00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:20.839 do what I do. But like you know, he was 81 00:04:20.839 --> 00:04:23.399 sprinting and diving on the floor, you know, close to 82 00:04:23.439 --> 00:04:26.279 diving out of bounds for a loose ball, and there 83 00:04:26.360 --> 00:04:29.319 was no hesitation there, and I thought all those were 84 00:04:29.319 --> 00:04:31.399 really good signs. And then yeah, he gets in a rhythm. 85 00:04:31.680 --> 00:04:33.759 And then the other thing is and Zach Low and 86 00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:35.920 I talked about this on his pod with the Ringer 87 00:04:36.040 --> 00:04:39.079 this morning, that you know, the way the Pacers are 88 00:04:39.079 --> 00:04:42.879 built is helpful in a sense in a case like this, 89 00:04:43.040 --> 00:04:46.160 because as important as Tyree's Haliburton is to them, as 90 00:04:46.160 --> 00:04:49.319 important as as Siakam is to them, this is not 91 00:04:49.360 --> 00:04:51.360 an iso ball team. This is not a give it 92 00:04:51.399 --> 00:04:52.920 to your star and get out of the way kind 93 00:04:52.959 --> 00:04:56.399 of team. This has always been, you know, there's their 94 00:04:56.480 --> 00:04:59.199 strength has been ball and player movement and getting in 95 00:04:59.199 --> 00:05:02.519 a rhythm and getting everybody going. And Tyres doesn't have 96 00:05:02.560 --> 00:05:04.319 to bring the ball up every time, he doesn't have 97 00:05:04.360 --> 00:05:07.199 to dominate the ball every time. That gives him room 98 00:05:07.399 --> 00:05:11.120 to kind of ease into the game while you know 99 00:05:10.920 --> 00:05:14.279 you Nemhart's handling or other guys are moving it around. 100 00:05:14.920 --> 00:05:17.519 And I think that benefited him and it benefited them. 101 00:05:17.560 --> 00:05:22.199 But all that said, Porter, I did not see a 102 00:05:22.199 --> 00:05:24.920 blowout in the pacers favor coming. I'm not surprised that 103 00:05:25.000 --> 00:05:28.399 they won, but the fact that they blew the Thunder 104 00:05:28.439 --> 00:05:29.879 out so easily was a bit of a. 105 00:05:29.800 --> 00:05:32.319 SHOCKERU Yeah, because to me, the Thunder had a chance 106 00:05:32.360 --> 00:05:34.279 to close this series out obviously, and they showed a 107 00:05:34.319 --> 00:05:37.480 really rough version of themselves, especially in that second quarter. 108 00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:40.240 The Pacers had a chance to grab full control of 109 00:05:40.240 --> 00:05:42.920 this series when they didn't show their best down the 110 00:05:42.959 --> 00:05:45.920 stretch in Game four. So, as you kind of diagnosed 111 00:05:45.920 --> 00:05:47.879 these two teams through six games, which team do you 112 00:05:47.920 --> 00:05:51.199 expect to handle the biggest moments better in Game seven? 113 00:05:52.319 --> 00:05:54.360 I mean, we've seen the best and worst of both 114 00:05:54.399 --> 00:05:58.600 of them, and so there's no one indication that's going 115 00:05:58.680 --> 00:06:00.759 to tell you, oh, this is how it should go. 116 00:06:00.800 --> 00:06:03.720 On Sunday, you lean towards the Thunder for being at 117 00:06:03.720 --> 00:06:06.399 home and their crowd is insane and intense, and it's 118 00:06:06.560 --> 00:06:08.040 I think it's allowed us to ren in the league. 119 00:06:08.040 --> 00:06:10.560 With all due respect to Indiana and everybody else and Indiana, 120 00:06:10.639 --> 00:06:13.959 the Pacers fans were incredible last night. But the Thunders 121 00:06:13.959 --> 00:06:16.519 the one arena where I've been recently where I feel 122 00:06:16.560 --> 00:06:20.439 like my head's just going to explode, and they never stop. 123 00:06:20.759 --> 00:06:24.920 It's not just loud occasionally, it's basically from beginning to 124 00:06:25.079 --> 00:06:27.480 end unless the Pacers take them out of it, which 125 00:06:27.519 --> 00:06:29.720 is going to be their goal obviously, So I would 126 00:06:29.759 --> 00:06:32.319 lean Thunder, but listen, I think by now we should 127 00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:35.279 realize not just in this series, but in this postseason, 128 00:06:35.920 --> 00:06:40.519 the Pacers can win anywhere they have been underestimated by 129 00:06:40.600 --> 00:06:44.879 all of us, myself included, multiple times. They are they're 130 00:06:45.000 --> 00:06:48.399 very steady. They never seem to get out of character 131 00:06:48.680 --> 00:06:51.160 or out of rhythm. Whereas the thunder last night, I 132 00:06:51.160 --> 00:06:53.360 think that's exactly what happened to them. Maybe the moment 133 00:06:53.399 --> 00:06:57.879 was too big. And you know, they are one of 134 00:06:57.920 --> 00:06:59.879 the youngest teams of all time to be in the finals, 135 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:01.600 and if they win, will be one of the youngest 136 00:07:01.600 --> 00:07:06.199 all time to win the championship. But they their demeanor 137 00:07:06.240 --> 00:07:08.879 belies that. You know, when they're on the podium, pregame, 138 00:07:08.879 --> 00:07:11.680 post game, between games, the way they are in the game, 139 00:07:11.759 --> 00:07:15.680 they very rarely seem rattled. They're very steady personalities. They're 140 00:07:15.680 --> 00:07:18.519 pretty sedate is almost too strong of a word, but 141 00:07:18.560 --> 00:07:21.959 they're really even keeled. Guys from Shade to Jenn Williams 142 00:07:22.160 --> 00:07:26.680 chat all of them and diagnote the coaches that way too. 143 00:07:26.839 --> 00:07:29.759 But it doesn't mean you can't get rattled inside. Shaye 144 00:07:29.879 --> 00:07:31.560 was the only one who admitted it last night. You know, 145 00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:33.160 the question was kind of posed to all of them. 146 00:07:33.319 --> 00:07:35.800 Did the fact that you knew what was waiting for you, 147 00:07:35.879 --> 00:07:37.920 that you know, the trophies in the house, the Champagne 148 00:07:37.920 --> 00:07:41.600 the beerer on ice and you know this, this moment 149 00:07:41.680 --> 00:07:44.680 is here. Do you think it's seeped in a little bit? 150 00:07:45.319 --> 00:07:48.000 Pretty much everybody denied that and said now and now 151 00:07:48.000 --> 00:07:50.560 the emotions weren't in the way, but Shay kind of 152 00:07:50.639 --> 00:07:53.040 let on that he thought that could have been the case. 153 00:07:53.079 --> 00:07:56.680 And then it reminds you, Oh, yeah, for all their steadiness, 154 00:07:56.720 --> 00:07:58.439 they are really young and this is their first time 155 00:07:58.480 --> 00:08:03.160 through and we'll see who's steadier on Sunday. 156 00:08:02.920 --> 00:08:06.639 And you mentioned that steadiness. Man, if you go back 157 00:08:06.680 --> 00:08:12.360 to just post Christmas time, Indiana has been so consistent. 158 00:08:12.959 --> 00:08:15.240 And I know that is flown under the radar because 159 00:08:15.240 --> 00:08:17.839 they're in Indiana, they don't necessarily get a bunch of 160 00:08:17.879 --> 00:08:21.319 primetime games. But for the folks who we talked about 161 00:08:21.319 --> 00:08:23.720 this with Zach Harper and it'll be part of the 162 00:08:23.720 --> 00:08:26.800 conversation going forward. For the folks who think this is 163 00:08:26.800 --> 00:08:30.160 a little fluky, I think that's really just looking at 164 00:08:30.160 --> 00:08:31.839 like how some of the games have happened, some of 165 00:08:31.879 --> 00:08:34.360 the comebacks and whatnot, and not the body of work. 166 00:08:34.679 --> 00:08:36.919 And I think that's kind of a slight to Rick Carlisle, 167 00:08:38.200 --> 00:08:40.919 what is your impression of what he has done and 168 00:08:40.960 --> 00:08:44.279 how impressive. This run has been from an adjustment standpoint, 169 00:08:44.320 --> 00:08:47.600 from a scheme of standpoint, and of course, as you mentioned, 170 00:08:47.759 --> 00:08:51.399 it is the head coach's job to keep these guys steady. 171 00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:55.320 Yeah, and quick heads up. We are pulling into the airport, 172 00:08:55.399 --> 00:08:56.960 so I'll probably put you guys on a hold for 173 00:08:57.000 --> 00:08:58.279 just a second when we pull up to the curb 174 00:08:58.279 --> 00:09:02.879 in a minute. But when we can keep going. You know, 175 00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:07.159 Carlisle obviously has has you know, been here before, you know, 176 00:09:07.200 --> 00:09:10.000 won that championship with the Mavericks back in twenty eleven 177 00:09:10.440 --> 00:09:12.519 against the Heat and they were the underdog then too, 178 00:09:12.960 --> 00:09:14.759 uh by quite a bit. And and and if he 179 00:09:14.840 --> 00:09:18.159 pulls this off, he'll have been you know, uh, you know, 180 00:09:18.279 --> 00:09:20.720 the steward of two of the greatest uh uh you 181 00:09:20.759 --> 00:09:24.200 know upsets in the NBA Finals history. I think his 182 00:09:24.240 --> 00:09:26.960 experience is his experience, and then the evantage he has 183 00:09:27.000 --> 00:09:30.159 over Dagnault is you know, coming through a little. Dagnault's 184 00:09:30.159 --> 00:09:35.519 a great coach. But you know, Dagnault has has made 185 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:39.600 what look like in retrospect maybe I don't know, not 186 00:09:39.639 --> 00:09:43.240 panic changes, but just ill advised changes, you know, going 187 00:09:43.279 --> 00:09:45.360 away from the double bigs and then going back to 188 00:09:45.399 --> 00:09:48.559 them at times, and and then starting second halves with 189 00:09:48.639 --> 00:09:55.200 Caruso instead of Hartenstein, and and you know, not everything 190 00:09:55.240 --> 00:09:57.360 has really worked out that well. A lot of this 191 00:09:57.480 --> 00:09:59.679 just ends up being execution anyway, So it's hard to 192 00:09:59.679 --> 00:10:02.519 know how much of this is scheme. Do you think 193 00:10:02.519 --> 00:10:05.200 that Carlisle has mixed it up? You know, their coverages 194 00:10:05.279 --> 00:10:08.559 on Shame particular, and that has maybe thrown him off 195 00:10:08.600 --> 00:10:11.200 a little bit, And I think that is to Carlisle's credit. 196 00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:18.000 And I just think in general, the Pacers always seem ready. 197 00:10:18.559 --> 00:10:20.600 They may not, they might not win, but they always 198 00:10:20.639 --> 00:10:24.039 seem ready. And that's you know, that's that's you know, 199 00:10:24.399 --> 00:10:27.279 job one of the coach is have your guys in 200 00:10:27.320 --> 00:10:29.720 a position where they know what the plan is and 201 00:10:29.919 --> 00:10:33.240 hope they execute it well. And uh, you know, just 202 00:10:33.480 --> 00:10:36.519 you know, play play to their character. And the Pacers 203 00:10:36.519 --> 00:10:37.919 have been very consistent in that regard. 204 00:10:38.240 --> 00:10:40.200 No matter what happens coming up Sunday night, you get 205 00:10:40.200 --> 00:10:42.000 the sense these teams are going to be right up 206 00:10:42.000 --> 00:10:44.279 there for years to come, with the way that they've 207 00:10:44.360 --> 00:10:46.759 organized themselves, the way they structure the roster, the way 208 00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:50.320 they operate as an organization, and when you look at 209 00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:50.960 the future of this. 210 00:10:51.000 --> 00:10:55.559 League, Yeah, well, I mean, let's talk about the Thunder first. 211 00:10:55.559 --> 00:10:57.600 Like we know, we've talked about how young they are. 212 00:10:57.639 --> 00:11:01.039 We know that Sam Presty has you know, assembled, you know, 213 00:11:01.120 --> 00:11:03.360 one of the biggest war chests of draft picks in history. 214 00:11:03.399 --> 00:11:06.519 And so to win the championship potentially, or even if 215 00:11:06.519 --> 00:11:08.720 they don't, just to be in the finals and then 216 00:11:08.720 --> 00:11:10.720 come out of it where you also have you know, 217 00:11:10.759 --> 00:11:13.840 this is an incredible American poe. Oh yeah, this is 218 00:11:13.840 --> 00:11:20.120 good here. Okay, okay, okay, sorry. You know they're they're 219 00:11:20.120 --> 00:11:22.559 they're well positioned to adjust. And the thing is, you know, 220 00:11:22.759 --> 00:11:24.480 we're in this era with you know, the Second Apron 221 00:11:24.480 --> 00:11:27.840 and all these harsh penalties under the salary cap. So 222 00:11:27.960 --> 00:11:29.919 what you really need is flexibility because you want to 223 00:11:29.960 --> 00:11:32.120 be able to keep your stars together as long as possible. 224 00:11:32.639 --> 00:11:34.559 To do that, you might have to shed role players 225 00:11:34.559 --> 00:11:36.919 at times. We've seen that with Denver and Milwaukee and 226 00:11:36.919 --> 00:11:39.360 other teams in recent years where they got, you know, 227 00:11:39.639 --> 00:11:41.759 won a championship or got to the finals and then 228 00:11:42.279 --> 00:11:44.679 you can't keep it together. The Thunder have a better 229 00:11:44.759 --> 00:11:48.440 chance than most because of the flexibility that that Presty 230 00:11:48.519 --> 00:11:52.480 has created. The Pacers not quite as much, but still 231 00:11:52.879 --> 00:11:55.159 you know their core is young, and you know was 232 00:11:55.200 --> 00:11:57.559 still affordable with regard to the cap. I think both 233 00:11:57.600 --> 00:11:59.960 of these teams, yes, should be together for a while. 234 00:12:00.159 --> 00:12:02.320 But it's just in today's NBA it's hard to assume 235 00:12:02.360 --> 00:12:05.559 anything beyond a couple of years because the system is 236 00:12:05.600 --> 00:12:09.600 set up to make you give up players once they become, 237 00:12:10.679 --> 00:12:14.080 you know, valued enough to be a little more expensive, 238 00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:16.159 and then you're up against all these different limits and 239 00:12:16.200 --> 00:12:18.960 the next thing, you know, to let a guy walk. 240 00:12:19.320 --> 00:12:22.279 And so you don't want to make too grand of 241 00:12:22.279 --> 00:12:25.679 a prediction. We will have a seventh champion in seven 242 00:12:25.759 --> 00:12:27.679 years and we're in an era without dynasties, and there 243 00:12:27.679 --> 00:12:30.559 are reasons for that that are structural. But yes, the 244 00:12:30.639 --> 00:12:33.519 hope would be based on what we've seen with these 245 00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:35.159 teams and the way they're structured, they should be around 246 00:12:35.200 --> 00:12:35.519 for a bit. 247 00:12:35.720 --> 00:12:38.639 You mentioned that structural aspect too, and I mean it 248 00:12:38.639 --> 00:12:40.759 has a lot to do with Adam Silver's tenure at 249 00:12:40.799 --> 00:12:44.759 the NBA, and you know how much that correlates. I 250 00:12:45.000 --> 00:12:47.639 think you could you could parse in between that, But 251 00:12:48.279 --> 00:12:53.200 I do wonder, Howard, what you think might change that, 252 00:12:53.360 --> 00:12:58.399 not necessarily that structure, but what organization. Maybe it is okay. See, 253 00:12:59.080 --> 00:13:02.600 maybe it's a team in a bigger market that is 254 00:13:02.639 --> 00:13:07.200 able to accumulate the way Okase did. Somehow, how is 255 00:13:08.080 --> 00:13:11.639 a dynasty going to be able to break through in 256 00:13:11.720 --> 00:13:15.120 an era where there clearly is a structure in place. 257 00:13:15.320 --> 00:13:18.320 As you mentioned, there's gonna be a seventh NBA championship 258 00:13:18.440 --> 00:13:21.320 in the last seven years. A lot of people like 259 00:13:21.399 --> 00:13:27.360 that that you know, parody. It's not characteristic of the NBA, 260 00:13:27.519 --> 00:13:30.440 even when you go back years past. It was the Celtics, 261 00:13:30.480 --> 00:13:34.759 it was the Lakers. There were dynasties all over until 262 00:13:34.759 --> 00:13:37.240 the last decade. And I wonder if you think that 263 00:13:37.279 --> 00:13:40.080 there's any sort of window to reverse that. 264 00:13:41.080 --> 00:13:42.960 This may be a permanent state of affairs. I mean, 265 00:13:43.039 --> 00:13:45.279 you never say never, and you never say permanent in 266 00:13:45.320 --> 00:13:47.440 this league, but I mean it is set up in 267 00:13:47.480 --> 00:13:50.919 a way that is harder to navigate than any system 268 00:13:50.960 --> 00:13:53.279 the NBA has ever had. And this is sort of 269 00:13:53.279 --> 00:13:55.799 what Adam Silver has wanted and what the league has wanted, 270 00:13:55.879 --> 00:13:59.200 where a team like you know, the Warriors, or even 271 00:13:59.200 --> 00:14:01.159 the Clippers, though they never won the championship, those are 272 00:14:01.159 --> 00:14:03.799 the two teams that really, you know, kind of got 273 00:14:03.840 --> 00:14:06.399 under the skin of all the other owners where they 274 00:14:06.399 --> 00:14:09.000 were spending hundreds of millions in luxury taxes because the 275 00:14:09.240 --> 00:14:11.919 money was not an issue for them. They're you know, 276 00:14:11.960 --> 00:14:15.000 billionaire owners who didn't mind losing money if it meant winning, 277 00:14:15.039 --> 00:14:17.159 if it meant assembling as much talent as they could. 278 00:14:17.440 --> 00:14:19.559 And the rest of the league is, you know, basically 279 00:14:19.559 --> 00:14:21.639 said that's not what we want. We want talent to 280 00:14:21.639 --> 00:14:23.879 be more evenly distributed. We don't want any one team 281 00:14:23.919 --> 00:14:27.440 to be able to commandeer you know, two, three four 282 00:14:27.519 --> 00:14:31.919 max guys. And so the penalties now are beyond just 283 00:14:32.039 --> 00:14:34.840 luxury taxes. It's you lose the ability to make trades, 284 00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:37.960 you lose cap exceptions, you lose all these other flexibility 285 00:14:38.879 --> 00:14:41.840 tools that are really necessary, especially if you have injuries 286 00:14:41.960 --> 00:14:44.399 or if a guy you know leaves for some reason 287 00:14:44.440 --> 00:14:46.600 but you're still way over the cap. They've made it 288 00:14:46.679 --> 00:14:50.440 almost impossible if you go beyond certain thresholds to keep 289 00:14:50.879 --> 00:14:53.320 a team functional. And we're seeing that with Phoenix, and 290 00:14:53.360 --> 00:14:55.200 that's why they're going to be trading Kevin Durant and 291 00:14:55.240 --> 00:14:57.399 why they would trade Bradley Beale if they could, and 292 00:14:57.440 --> 00:15:00.240 why they should trade Devin Booker frankly, because they're they're 293 00:15:00.279 --> 00:15:04.399 going nowhere regardless. So I don't know if a dynasty 294 00:15:04.440 --> 00:15:06.519 is actually possible, Like some team's going to have to 295 00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:09.919 actually prove it to us and defy this system somewhere 296 00:15:09.919 --> 00:15:12.600 along the way. And maybe that will be Oklahoma, maybe 297 00:15:12.600 --> 00:15:14.600 it'll be Indiana for all we know, maybe it'll be 298 00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:18.960 some other team that we can't see coming. But the 299 00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:21.799 second your guys are talented enough to earn max contracts, 300 00:15:22.039 --> 00:15:25.159 you're on the clock. Because once you have two guys 301 00:15:25.200 --> 00:15:29.840 making Max, it's really hard to keep a lot of 302 00:15:29.879 --> 00:15:33.000 like even high level role players around them. Every single 303 00:15:33.000 --> 00:15:36.279 player wherever their station is a MAX guy, a low 304 00:15:36.320 --> 00:15:39.440 max guy. If you've drafted well and you've developed well, 305 00:15:39.480 --> 00:15:41.519 they're going to increase their value. And when they increase 306 00:15:41.559 --> 00:15:43.600 their value, they're going to want more money. And if 307 00:15:43.639 --> 00:15:46.000 you're spending that money on them, means you now hit 308 00:15:46.039 --> 00:15:48.399 the first apron and the second apron you have to 309 00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:50.639 then make tough decisions and shed them. That's just the 310 00:15:50.679 --> 00:15:54.919 way the system is set up. And you know, I 311 00:15:55.480 --> 00:15:59.159 don't know what that will mean for continuity overall, but 312 00:15:59.320 --> 00:16:00.960 you know, after the nug it's how hard it's been 313 00:16:01.000 --> 00:16:02.840 to sustain since they won their championship. 314 00:16:03.320 --> 00:16:06.240 It is tough, and I've loved this series, the Carlisle impact, 315 00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:10.080 the stars, the star role players, and the back and forth. 316 00:16:10.320 --> 00:16:12.080 If there was a key role player that you think 317 00:16:12.159 --> 00:16:14.240 is going to make the biggest difference coming up Sunday, 318 00:16:14.240 --> 00:16:14.879 who would you pick? 319 00:16:17.679 --> 00:16:18.960 Which player makes the biggest difference? 320 00:16:19.159 --> 00:16:21.559 A star role player, not necessarily star, but a star 321 00:16:21.720 --> 00:16:23.960 role player out of had that second tier in that 322 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:24.639 group again. 323 00:16:24.559 --> 00:16:28.159 Yeah, yeah, I don't know. I mean we saw, like, 324 00:16:28.200 --> 00:16:29.679 you know, Nie Smith had a couple of big shots 325 00:16:29.720 --> 00:16:31.519 last night. He's been kind of quiet for a bit. 326 00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:33.879 You could see a n Smith game or an M. 327 00:16:33.879 --> 00:16:36.320 Hark game on the Indiana side, on the thunder side 328 00:16:36.360 --> 00:16:38.000 of it. I mean, Chet Holmgren hasn't had a great 329 00:16:38.039 --> 00:16:39.679 series yet, but you know, they don't really look to 330 00:16:39.759 --> 00:16:42.120 him as a scorer anyway. But you wonder if there's 331 00:16:42.200 --> 00:16:45.840 like you know, an Aaron Wiggins game coming or an 332 00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:50.240 House Caruso game coming either This could go any number 333 00:16:50.759 --> 00:16:55.519 of ways. I as with the outcome. I wouldn't hazard 334 00:16:56.159 --> 00:16:58.080 a guess. I got guys that got time for like 335 00:16:58.120 --> 00:17:00.919 maybe one more before I got a jump, Well. 336 00:17:00.600 --> 00:17:03.279 Howard, I guess. Then we'll get your read on on 337 00:17:03.440 --> 00:17:08.000 game seven. Listen I think everything about this series points 338 00:17:08.039 --> 00:17:12.799 to your head choosing Oklahoma City because of the roster, 339 00:17:12.920 --> 00:17:15.400 because of the home court, because of all of the above. 340 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:19.519 But for me, there's still a feeling. They're still feeling 341 00:17:19.559 --> 00:17:21.720 deep down inside, even though my head's telling me no, 342 00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:23.960 that the Pacers are going to win this damn game. 343 00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:26.839 And that's something I can't get away from. It's something 344 00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:30.559 I said before Game six, and it's here we are, 345 00:17:30.799 --> 00:17:34.039 Game seven. Howard, your thoughts going into this one. 346 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:39.839 The Thunder have an incredible record at home, and they have, 347 00:17:40.079 --> 00:17:44.440 you know, you know, rarely lost consecutive games. You know, 348 00:17:44.759 --> 00:17:47.480 the logical things point to them winning it. But I 349 00:17:47.519 --> 00:17:50.440 hear you there's a I feel like there's a sense 350 00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:53.079 now the Pacers there's this kind of magic to them, 351 00:17:53.519 --> 00:17:55.920 and you know, you know, it doesn't matter, you know, 352 00:17:56.000 --> 00:17:58.119 what the talent ledger looks like, or what the depth 353 00:17:58.160 --> 00:18:01.160 looks like, or what Haliburton's calf looks like. They just 354 00:18:01.160 --> 00:18:04.119 always seem to be able to pull it out. I 355 00:18:04.119 --> 00:18:07.440 don't know. I mean, honestly, guys, it's a coinslip. Zachlo 356 00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:09.519 and I talked about this on the pod today. I 357 00:18:09.519 --> 00:18:12.440 think he ended up picking the Thunder by four. I said, 358 00:18:12.440 --> 00:18:14.000 I thought the thunder maybe by a little bit more 359 00:18:14.039 --> 00:18:15.839 than that, Like they'll they'll have a four point lead 360 00:18:15.839 --> 00:18:17.920 and expanded the last couple of minutes. But like we're 361 00:18:17.960 --> 00:18:21.279 just we're guessing. I mean, but let's be honest. Where 362 00:18:21.319 --> 00:18:23.839 we're at seven for a reason, I don't know. I'm 363 00:18:23.839 --> 00:18:25.359 just gonna sit back and enjoy it and then try 364 00:18:25.359 --> 00:18:27.799 to write something semi cohering for Monday morning. 365 00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:30.319 Well, let us know where they can. Let the folks 366 00:18:30.359 --> 00:18:32.279 know where they can find that. I know you're at 367 00:18:32.279 --> 00:18:34.319 the Ringer doing all the stuff. Let the folks know 368 00:18:34.359 --> 00:18:37.279 where they can find your content at Howard Beck of 369 00:18:37.319 --> 00:18:41.680 course on Blue Sky mostly at the moment, but folks 370 00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:44.359 want to find your stuff on Game seven or the 371 00:18:44.400 --> 00:18:47.200 recap laid up yeap at the. 372 00:18:47.240 --> 00:18:50.359 Ringer dot com. Something will be up Monday morning, and 373 00:18:50.519 --> 00:18:52.519 on the Real Ones podcast, which I will be back 374 00:18:52.559 --> 00:18:55.960 doing probably on Tuesday to wrap this all up. And 375 00:18:56.039 --> 00:18:58.960 of course yes at Howard Beck on Blue Sky and 376 00:18:59.000 --> 00:18:59.680 only Blue Sky. 377 00:19:00.039 --> 00:19:03.440 Appreciated Howard Beck. We'll talk to you next week. Thanks 378 00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:05.480 for Let's take care Howard Beck. 379 00:19:05.559 --> 00:19:08.000 Of course, of the Ringer, he mentioned the Real Ones podcast. 380 00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:10.480 That's what Roger Bell if you guys haven't listened to 381 00:19:10.519 --> 00:19:13.279 former jazz man, Oh yeah, you knew Rasja pretty well. 382 00:19:13.200 --> 00:19:16.240 Rajah Bell Ring the Bell. I loved Roger was a 383 00:19:16.240 --> 00:19:18.240 good dude and I connected pretty well. 384 00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:22.799 Yeah, Howard does a pretty regular podcast with Rosa and 385 00:19:23.319 --> 00:19:25.599 it's a it's a fun show. He does really good work. 386 00:19:25.640 --> 00:19:30.440 I mentioned earlier, I've been reading Howard. Obviously the podcast 387 00:19:30.480 --> 00:19:34.000 stuff wasn't around when I was a young tyke, but 388 00:19:34.039 --> 00:19:36.559 I've been reading the words of Howard Beck since I 389 00:19:36.680 --> 00:19:41.200 was probably like seven or eight years old. So cool 390 00:19:41.240 --> 00:19:43.359 to always chat with him, talking to MBA. 391 00:19:43.400 --> 00:19:45.680 So the one thing going into this game seven that 392 00:19:45.720 --> 00:19:48.119 I know we're going to hear it's on and I 393 00:19:48.240 --> 00:19:53.799 couldn't disagree more is the this team has more pressure. 394 00:19:54.039 --> 00:19:55.799 Why Why is Marv Albert saying it? 395 00:19:56.000 --> 00:19:58.039 I don't know why Marv wou'd say it. Yeah, but anyway, 396 00:19:58.079 --> 00:20:01.160 they'll come on, don't keep doing it. Team has more 397 00:20:01.400 --> 00:20:08.240 pressure from downtown at the Broadway Media studios in downtown. 398 00:20:08.359 --> 00:20:12.640 Now the the they'll do that all the time, a 399 00:20:12.680 --> 00:20:14.519 ton of media will do that. Well, this tvash all 400 00:20:14.559 --> 00:20:16.839 the pressure, all the pressure's on them. That's not true. 401 00:20:17.160 --> 00:20:19.200