September 14, 2023 • 44 mins
The guys were pleased to be joined by Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale on the latest episode. The trio discussed a disappointing ending to Team USA’s FIBA tourney performance before transitioning to the Southeast Division
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well we're back a team USA.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Winds up with a whole lot of nothing in the tournament. Yeah,
and uh, you know, we may have an Avenger style
team up of the league's top stars at the Olympics.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
Sounds like Tron.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Well now, I except prefer Paul Tron.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
We'll get into that and conclude our team by team
prediction series with the Southeastern Division with writer and podcaster
Dampa Valley.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
On today's episode, I'm Miles.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Ray and I'm Jack O'Brien, and this is.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Uh David. There you go, driving spinning Curry, a three
steph curry from downtown Again.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Guys, damp valume, you're right for bleacher for it. You
are the host of the fantastic Hardwood Knox podcasts.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Mostly known for having been on this podcast before as
a wonderful guest. Yes, thank you for returning.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Yes, thank you so much for blessing us, allowering yourself
to come onto our show.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
But yeah, how you been man?
Speaker 4 (01:17):
I have been great. Thank you guys so much for
having me back. It's always nice to be For you
to make the mistake twice of inviting me back to
this hey, yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
You know what they say, shame on you. Wait, fool
me twice.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Never mind, take it fooled again. You don't pool me again? Dan, Okay,
what's good man?
Speaker 3 (01:34):
You got you got a life sized group looming in
the background that I'm expecting to attack you at some
point during the course of this recording.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
It is yet to attack me and any recordings that
I've done, but that is obviously its sole purpose, and
that was clearly I must have when I was putting
together my office was I feel like that's very on
brand for for our podcast. Is just make sure that
there's a life size alien.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Yeah. Right, did you have this set up last time
when when we chatted?
Speaker 4 (02:03):
Not right, I made the super smart decision of buying
a house at the peak of the interest rates in
the peak of house just super smart financial people.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Know this is not a financial advice show, obvious.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Yeah, to quote Cola Skulla, my finances are none of
my business.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
And then you got Penny Hardaway and you get green
next Jersey back there.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
Yeah, so it's actually a t MA act magic jersey,
t Mac magic jersey. And then of course I was
one of the only people that ever liked the Knicks
having a Saint Patti's Day, Green and orange jersey with
Danilo Gallinari New York Knicks.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Wow, okay, back.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
I had a sign, but wow, you got man. I
gotta step my game up. I just have loose jerseys
on wire hangers.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
But hey, inspiration camera that someone bought it a garage
sale like ten years ago.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
That my wife was like, we should put this somewhere. Yeah,
that's that's a nice that's a nice set dressing. Anyway,
Should we just talk?
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Should we touch on Team USA before we get into
our preview here?
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Why not?
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Someone's gonna have to do it. Yeah, so what's our
excuse here? The excuse I keep here in those international
teams are playing together constantly, but like where are they?
Are they playing in like underground basketball tournaments? Is there
like a Mortal Kombat for basketball that's constantly happening and
we're they is just not not admitted to or yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
Dan, where are you? Where are you? Landing?
Speaker 2 (03:35):
On the hot takes about the Team USA coming up
with nothing at the Feeble World Cup.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
I hear, we don't take it seriously.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
We got to send our best or they need more
time to build some kind of consistency. What's your feeling
after that disappointing tournament.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
Yeah I can't. I don't want to say I can't
bring myself to care. But I'm not a fan of
like the making excuses of it all when it's if
you want to claim that we have the best basketball
talent in the world, then we should be winning these tournaments.
Speaker 5 (04:07):
And the other thing to me is.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
I it's hypocritical because I sit here and will critique
NBA players all the time and I'm not doing it.
But if we're gonna have stars come out and like
subtweet this or like have problems with how at fair like,
well then participate when it's not just like the actual Olympics.
I do probably think there's something to the team chemistry
aspect where when we're having these World Cup tournaments, like, yeah,
(04:30):
they're dealing with the same rosters. And I know JJ
Reddick pointed out that like some of these guys in
international play just turn into like Michael Jordan when they're
is go out of body. So I get it, but
it's like it's also kind of super ridiculously embarrassing. I
feel like, just I don't want to insult the talent
that actually won and shout out to you know, Germany
(04:52):
for winning it at all. But you're supposed to you
You're just supposed to have these guys. Even when we're
throwing out the what you're gonna call us the be roster,
there are still stars on there, and the fact that
they can't really co lace to me is like it's
I don't know, it's fair Like I said, I can't
care a lot about it, but it is fairly I
think surprising. But I do think you have to give
(05:12):
credit to the rest of the world for catching up
with their talent.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Yeah, a lot of people were like, what is this
the man in the high castle the US lost to Germany.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
I don't think a lot of people were saying that. Yeah,
every people like everybody said that, Yeah, a lot of
men in the high Castle references. I it's confounding, Like
as much as people want to say these are, this
is like not the best of the US has to offer.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
I think that roster.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Would win the NBA title this year, like or they'd
be favored to at least it's the the USA basketball
team like that. That roster is absolutely stacked. The Germany
basketball roster would be favored to be like how many
wins would they win in the NBA this year eighteen.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
I'll give them. I'll give them twenty eight, twenty five. Like,
I don't more.
Speaker 5 (06:06):
Think the Wizards, I think is just the that's the number.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
I think that's about right, Like I think they might
be even lower than that, because otherwise, like more of
these guys would be on NBA basketball teams. So like
I don't, I don't totally understand it, but it does seem. Yeah,
it's it's the having the experience of like everybody.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
So we lost to Germany.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
We also lost to Canada, who has three solid NBA players,
one great NBA player, two very good NBA players, the
great being Dylan Brooks obviously, yes, yes, yes, our new King,
the new Kobe. I think we can all agree on that.
(06:51):
Who dropped thirty nine points on the US. So I
guess in that case, we have a team like team
Canada is playing ball internationally at like these international FIBA
tournaments throughout the year, and then when NBA players can
come in, like the same three NBA players are coming
back and they know how to play with those guys,
(07:13):
So like that's that's the difference maker, right right.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
I I'm just I'm just looking also at Team Canada,
I'm like that Jamal Murray wasn't playing, Like what what
what is that Olympic team going to look like? Because
there's a lot of people who I think assume that
it's like, yeah, man, just get just get this Vultron
team together, and it's like it's a rap. But I
feel like there's such a there's an arrogance to it
all that like doesn't humble itself to be like we
have to play as a team. We can't just be
(07:40):
like we're the best ever so we can just like
sleep through this thing.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Yeah, Jamal Murray and Wiggins were not playing, right Canada
and they beat the USA. I yeah, it's interesting. I
don't I don't know necessarily, Like God, it does seem
to be of a larger piece with like it's hard
a harder thing to write about, a harder thing to quantify,
(08:06):
and so it gets underrated.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
But we are seeing.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
It now in international play and we're also seeing it
in the NBA that having the you know, experience of
playing together like seems to help the teams that have
stuck together for a little while, you know, like Denver,
like Milwaukee, like you know that as opposed to these
(08:32):
teams that are just trying to assemble like the greatest
net weight of talent per roster that it seems to matter,
like when you have some cohesion, when you have some experience,
that that stuff change changes things. That it works in
the NBA, It certainly works in international competition.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
So Dan, what do you think of? But what do
you think of this dream team that Lebron is saying
he's putting together? What KD, Steph he said he's already
got uh Draymond to buy in?
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Jason Tatum ad is is there?
Speaker 4 (09:09):
Like this is probably sack religious to say, but like,
is the best team gonna be?
Speaker 1 (09:14):
All right?
Speaker 4 (09:14):
Well, let's roll out like a super ancient Kevin Durant,
Steph Curry and Lebron Like, are we that after they're
going through an entire NBA season where some of those
guys might have played like a hundred games or whatever
it ends up being. So I like, yeah, on paper,
that looks fun, But I think Jack.
Speaker 5 (09:32):
Sort of alluded to this.
Speaker 4 (09:33):
What if they tried to like build and you could
still use stack talent, but what if you actually tried
to build a roster where the skill sets they don't
overlap and they kind of compliment one another and they
fill in for the gaps that you would have elsewhere.
And I think this version of the USA team, which
just frankly I watched very minimal of because I just
don't get excited about this particular tournament, is just like, Okay,
(09:53):
we can make fun of Jaron Jackson Junior's rebounding, but
here's this guy who's a big who defends a bunch
on the perimeter. So why didn't you so around him
with other smalls who were actually really good at rebounding?
Speaker 5 (10:04):
Like why why do we not approach building a roster?
Speaker 4 (10:06):
And you even said it was just like the net
sum of talent, Like why not approach this as an
actual roster building process to see like how we can
get Yeah, it'll still be stars, but how about stars
that compliment one another and fill all the gaps within
an entire game?
Speaker 3 (10:21):
Because Steve Kerr is dumb and bad, and I think
we can all agree it was Steve Cerr's fault. Let's
move along that that does seem He's getting a lot
of escape escapegoatage, yeah, which does not seem fair to me.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
But did some of it fall on Grant Hill?
Speaker 4 (10:39):
Then he come out and say like, we're not gonna
hold tryouts for this, like we're just gonna We're just
gonna trust that these guys are going. Like way back when,
I think I saw an excerpt going around that that's
what he had said about it.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
We're just gonna have a like a kind of off site,
a team off site and some trust falls and just
like kind of vibe it.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
Out the roster. Yeah, yeah, we love it all guards
just what ended up. Yeah, we love it, but the
vibes were great.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
But yeah, that.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Dylan Brooks quote is really something he said, Kobe Bryant
had to figure out how to create the Black Mamba.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
I guess that's my persona, the villain.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
Uh huh uh h yeah, Okay, I think those players
are equivalent.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
Miles your thoughts.
Speaker 5 (11:23):
I have.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
I honestly, I don't know if I can truly express
my heart at the moment. I'm so lost for words.
The most I can do is maybe Russell Westbrook reaction me.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
And be like, bro, what trip? Because where I'm at
with that he did put in work, though.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
He put on those boxing story is very interesting, you know,
him being like scapegoated in a way that I don't
think I've ever seen a player, like a major contributing
player to a team be scapegoaded and then leaves that team,
goes to another team in the offseason, like puts up
thirty nine on you. Yeah, against the US does one
(12:06):
of the just clowning ist just the the silliest thing
I've ever seen where he got kicked out of the
game and then went to the locker room and put
on boxing gloves.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
Do we know where those came from? The boxing glove?
Is that their training new Maybe he was gonna get kicked.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
He was like travels with those Yeah, right, travel That's so.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Like that's not a that's not a cool thing to
be like, I'm going to box you with these padded
boxing gloves. So it really is like prop comedy, like
is his whole thing, just like he's trying to be silly,
he's doing bits.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
I mean, Canadians are famously more hilarious than America.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
Yes, so good at prop comedy.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
This could be like some Nathan Fielder esque like four
d Irony like meta work that we're not quite catching on.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
Yeah, it is that like coming out immediately after him
being like yeah, I guess you're right. I am kind
of like Kobe Bryant is pretty funny.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
I do.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
I do respect that.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
My character is the villain. Uh yeah, well good, we
all need a brand stuff.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
Anyways, excited For for whatever reason, the Houston Rockets over
the course of the offseason have entered like the conversation
for me of like, I'm ritten, I really want to
see what they're going to be, like like there's a
big pickup and wins, like from what what Vegas is
predicting for them. Dylan Brooks is now very intriguing to me.
(13:36):
You know, I think they're gonna like gonna be one
of the best coached teams in the league this year.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
It's going to be interesting. Anyways.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Shout out to Dylan Brooks. Shout out to Germany, Canada,
whoever came in second. Serbia.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
Yeah, Serbia, you did it. You did it. We got nothing.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Do you guys still think I still think that US
team would be favored to win the end or the
NBA Championship this year.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
I mean, if everyone plays at their absolute best ever
that we've seen them, I could see that. I Mean,
I don't I like that idea, but I guess they're
I don't know, it's hard. It's hard to know. Playing
like I saw them play together, I'm like, I don't
know about that. But on paper again, on paper, that
looks pretty good.
Speaker 5 (14:23):
I'd be curious if they'd be favored. I think i'm too.
Speaker 4 (14:25):
There's like the stain of how they just played his
tattoos in my mind where I'm like, no, there's no
way they'd be favored.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
But right like that collection.
Speaker 4 (14:32):
Of talent top to bottom is probably the best top
to bottom talent that a team would have, right right right, all.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
Right, So shall we move into the Southeast Division and
look at someone what the over unders are here?
Speaker 1 (14:42):
And do some predictions?
Speaker 3 (14:43):
I think we should after we take a little break,
you know, I need, you know, Daddy needs his break,
his little enough time, has a little shoe, hunk shoe.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
There you go.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
You're exactly ninety seconds. Yeah, yeah, all right, tell me
when to go because I got hunk shoe this.
Speaker 1 (14:59):
Okay, forty go.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
Shoot and we're back.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
We're back, Oh Southeast, baby, Yeah, first one up the
Atlanta Hawks last year?
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Oh yeah, you want a forty one division team? Over
under predictions won the division year that everyone the division
everyone's been waiting for.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Yeah, and I'm glad Dan is here to help us
understand this is just a little bit better because half
of them like, what who is it?
Speaker 1 (15:38):
Okay? Is this good? Is this reasonable?
Speaker 2 (15:40):
But the Hawks last year forty one and forty one
obviously lost to the Celtics in the first round.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
They're saying this year they're gonna do a game and
a half better forty two and a half.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
Baby, I will say this division has my maybe the
most baffling under the like the furthest drop that I've
seen Vegas predict for reasons that aren't clear to me, right,
and that that's called a teaser. Yeah, because I'm not
telling you which team it is until we get to
this one. All right, it's the Hawks, now it's not
(16:10):
the Hawks. So yeah, Hawks predicted to go up a
game and a half from forty one forty one last
year to forty two and a half. They showed me
something against the Celtics a little bit. Quinn took Quinn
Snyder took over twenty one games left last season. I
don't know, I could see this, I could see this
being an over I don't I don't really have a
(16:31):
strong feeling either way, other than that when Trey is
playing well, he seems like they seem like they should
be so much better than five hundred, right, But I
don't know it gonna be interesting. What do you think, Dan?
Speaker 4 (16:47):
I could see a scenario where this team ends up
smashing this over just because do we think that Quinn
Snyder could be worth more than two wins? I absolutely
do him getting a training camp to go through with
this entire roster. The offense should be more balanced without
John Collins at least, but they also didn't do anything
(17:08):
to get a lot better this year. It was just
we're gonna get rid of John Collins and we're gonna
sign Wes Matthews and we have Patty Mills now. The
minutes without Trey Young when you played de Jontay Murray
were disastrous last year, and what have you done to
make those better? So they just still feel like they
have too many fatal flaws. But the top end talent,
(17:28):
like they're starting five last year was really effective for
the most part all season, and plugging Sadik Bay or
whoever they want to start in that spot of Collins,
I would still think that they're pretty good. But I
just feel like, I don't know, you look at this
team and it feels like they are maybe like a
wing or another combo forward short And are we going
(17:49):
to have any drop off from Clin Capella who's had
some weird fits and starts to the seasons. What are
you gonna make of the Onyka Conglu situation? Who looks
like is he ready to usurp Clin Capella? And based
off everything they've said, and this is the last wild
card that I'll focus on, is it seems like Jalen
Johnson is gona have a pretty big role this year,
and it's like you're banking a lot just between him
(18:10):
and Griffin and on Yakakung was sort of on this
internal development from last season without making any major additions.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
So could you be better? Sure?
Speaker 4 (18:19):
But I think that also leaves open the possibility because
of the lack of change in addition that you're actually worse.
And so it feels like they might have a lower
floor than many people would expect. But if you told
me they won forty seven games forty nine games, that
actually wouldn't shock.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
I think people have expected them to win that many
games the last two seasons. Like that kind of heading in.
People were like, all right, they might be really good
this year, and then, you know, after they made that.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
Deep playoff run, and then it.
Speaker 3 (18:48):
Never really came together for reasons that weren't clear really, like,
it's not like they lost anyone from the playoff run
to when they've been kind of mediocre for the past
two years. And yeah, so it's interesting they they've gone
with similar similar to the Celtics, where it's like this
mainstay of the team, we've gotten rid of them, and
(19:09):
we think that should really open things up. And it's like, yeah,
I guess it. I guess it could, but we'll see,
you know.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
Shall we switch it over to Florida? Sure, let's switch
it over to North or South? You want to go
to North or South Florida?
Speaker 1 (19:25):
Are they? I actually don't know which one. Orlando's Central? Yeah, yeah,
I go right, Orlando Central.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
Let's go South Floridaay, the one that's higher or lower
than Miami. Let's go to the one that's Miami bouncing
into the city where the heat is on.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
Yeah, let's do that one.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Welcome to Miami.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
They went forty four and thirty eight, lost of the Nuggets
in the finals. We saw that are there particularly go
four and a half games better forty eight and a half.
H Now, I think it's like when you see like
gay Vincent leave.
Speaker 1 (20:02):
Or like Max Struce.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
I think, on paper, I'm like, okay, so how do
they do four and a half games better? But I
know they weren't necessarily big factors in the regular season,
or Jimmy wasn't either, but as is Dame. The big
thing that we're kind of waiting for, like just to
see what happens there to begin to really make predictions.
Speaker 4 (20:20):
What do you think, Dan, if that forty eight and
a half, My guess would be that it's pricing in
that Damian Lillard is gonna end up with the heat,
because I don't see how this team will be deep
enough or healthy enough to win forty nine games if
they don't get Damian. I like, I jud like Kyle
Lowry's how old. Now, Yeah, we know what. Jimmy Butler
is gonna kind of pace himself during the regular season
(20:41):
and you lost, you know, gave Vincent Max streuce were
averaged to slightly above average NBA players, but like they're
just gone.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
You didn't get it.
Speaker 4 (20:49):
You didn't get anything for them, Like they're just gone,
So you don't even have those innings leaders. I think, look,
Josh Richardson really good pick up, but there's still some
just holes in the front court and they desperately need
shot creating and functional shooting around Bam and Jimmy, and
they just not only did they not edit, they actively
lost it.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
So far, Right, what do you what kind of season
do you think to duncan Robinson's gonna have?
Speaker 4 (21:11):
I mean, he really had a renaissance during the playoff, right,
so could I see him replacing a lot of what
Max Shrews did. Probably Robinson's the worst defender, but like,
is he Like is that Robinson renaissance worth five wins
compared to last year?
Speaker 2 (21:25):
Like?
Speaker 4 (21:25):
Absolutely not? So right now, I would think they're more like.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
Like, first all, I'm surprised.
Speaker 5 (21:30):
There's even a number for this at the moment. I'd
probably have like forty two or forty three for them.
Speaker 4 (21:36):
Yeah, just without Dame, Like if you again, if you
get Dame, let's have the conversation, Like, without Dame, could
do either of you two see them winning close to
fifty games?
Speaker 1 (21:44):
Is currently concocted?
Speaker 2 (21:46):
No, I Mean that's why I was like saying as
it is without Dame. I'm like, how are you doing
four and a half better? I'm like, at best you
kind of net out where you were.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
Yeah, but when you said the phrase Josh Richardson was
a really good pick up for them that made me
have a physical reaction. I feel like I've heard that
every every place that he's been for the past six years.
Speaker 4 (22:10):
He's on a minimum now at least, though, so it's
kind of hard to with on expectations.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
Yeah, right, yeah, this feels high to me if the
Dame thing isn't happening. It really feels like a lot
of the people who know things around the league are
just like, yeah, but Damn's gonna be there.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
Come on, like like this is a done deal. It's
just it's just we just.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
Need to wait for Portland to do the thing that
they've chosen not to do up to this point. It's like,
I don't I don't understand why it would happen if
it hasn't already. But people seem confident. They almost had
him on Miami in two k I feel like, so, oh.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
Yeah, there was that screen cap that Jabari was saying
was out there dameless already on the heap okay, but
so do they know.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
Something at two K sports already? Yeah, Apacea Vegas is
usually pretty smart about this stuff.
Speaker 4 (23:04):
So right, Look, Nikolaiovitch had a good World Cup, so
just like he's clearly going to be the difference in
the state. That's what people I got a kick out
of them for me, like, oh, look at how good
of a piece Nikolaiovich would be for Portland.
Speaker 5 (23:16):
Look at what he's doing in And so we've.
Speaker 4 (23:19):
Reached that point of the the negotiations where it's like
every little thing has to have this big impact on
how have.
Speaker 1 (23:25):
Any more picks? Like are they pretty light on picks
for the.
Speaker 4 (23:29):
Next there's if they do, they have to renegotiate something
with the Thunder, but they can give up three first
round picks plus swaps, Like the offer isn't nothing. I
just don't know if Portland's trying to like I don't
know if YouTube. I'm assuming YouTube given some thought. This's like,
what is the team that's going to come and give
you more than let's just say the equivalent. I know
(23:49):
they don't want Tyler Hero, but Tyler Hero and three
first round picks and maybe a couple of swaps. The
heat trying to lowball this where it's like we'll give
you Tyler hero End a pick, because then that's obviously
a different discussion. But their offer, their best theoretical offer
to me, is at least a real offer. And I
don't know who necessarily would be right, but.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
Do we know how close or far we are still
with this whole deal? Like I think the last thing
I saw was like Sham's tweet and it's like, I mean,
he'll go to another team, but the second he's there,
Dame will want to be going to Miami.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
That sounds like a good deal for that team.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
I'm like, WHOA, Okay, that's pretty aggressive pr right there,
but doesn't like or is or is it an inevitability?
And is Portland going to be petty and be like
we're gonna hold you before so you can't go to
camp and then he.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
Doesn't help them?
Speaker 1 (24:42):
Right? I mean maybe it does, but it seems like
that hurts up.
Speaker 4 (24:46):
Do you guys buy that Dame wouldn't show up to
I think the report was he'd only show up to
camp in Portland or Miami and nowhere else, Like do
you buy that he's that type of like could he
do the Harden.
Speaker 5 (24:56):
I just can't buy it.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
If you'll like, he's not built like that, but yeah, yeah,
I feel like he would show up, but it's a
lot to risk for an NBA team, right because I
think I think the follow up was, I mean, he'll
go to another camp, but just no.
Speaker 1 (25:15):
He's not gonna like it.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
He'll be there, but his his whole mind will be
on getting to Miami the second he's there. So I
think that is a way of saying, like, look, he's
gonna do what he's obligated to do, but you don't
want him unless you know it's Miami.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
But hey, we shall see.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
Miami is also not the shocking under from this division.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
People.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
People are just on the edge of their See, I
can't about the nive that Miami and Atlanta were not
the surprising under for me.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
Okay, what about this next one? What about this next one?
Speaker 3 (25:50):
Is next the Orlando Magic. They are being predicted to
go up two and a half games from thirty four
and forty eight to thirty six and a half wins.
It's a little more light to me if we're if
we think Paolo is really gonna be that dude. This
(26:11):
is usually from rookie to second year is usually a
pretty big step up, and they have a lot of
fun young pieces around him. They signed Joe Ingles, they
drafted a couple of sixth and eleven pick like, those
are not insignificant talents to add.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
I don't know, but sure two and a half sounds
about right like that that feels that feels reasonable to
me that they would go up two and a half wins.
What's everybody feeling?
Speaker 1 (26:46):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
I feel like thirty five years anniversary maybe that I
always like an anniversary for a team, you know that anniversary?
Speaker 1 (26:55):
Yeah, yeah, wow. So I'm like, I think of like
how old I am, Like.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
Wow, I was, I were but a boy when they
entered the league. But yeah, like I mean, Paolo and
like Franz, they're all they seem like they keep evolving
in the proper direction. So I don't know, I mean, like,
pardon me. I get excited when I hear Magic fans
talk about the Magic and when I hear their enthusiasm,
like they could do more than two and a half games.
(27:20):
But I don't know, Dan, am I fully off on this?
Speaker 1 (27:22):
No? This one to me right now? Anyway?
Speaker 4 (27:24):
Feels like I don't know, if you guys remember last
year the Kings over under you looked at it and
you were like, that's way too low. They were at
like thirty five or something, and this kind of feels
like that. Where they played their defense was elite for
most of last year. I don't know if they have
enough like offensive juice in them yet, but as you
already mentioned Polo and Franz, they showed great growth throughout
the course of the season. I think Jalen Suggs actually
(27:46):
made some steps forward on that end as well. And
if you can just get enough extra shooting from Jet
Howard who they drafted, or Joe Angles, if he can
play like a real role, if Gary Harris is as good,
I worry about Anthony blacks fit a little bit just
because he can't shoot either. So there's a lot of
shooting question marks here, but on the defense, and then
just like sort of the talent alone when you look
(28:07):
at their top you know, five to six guys. I
know the East is pretty wide open, but this feels
like a team that should probably be flirting with like
in the thirty nine win range East, And so I'm
a little bit maybe I've listened to Magic fans too
much myself. Hype up this team because where was it?
Thirty six and a half? Thirty seven and a half
just feels low. Yeah, they love Franz, don't they down
(28:28):
there aggressively?
Speaker 1 (28:30):
So yeah, character and your boy Markel too, Jack.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Yeah, Markel is like the they they we we're all
rooting for Markel Man, We're all rooting for yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
So yeah, I could see that they're going to be
interesting to watch. Yeah, all right, they are not mine
surprising under. Up next, we have the Washington Wizards, who
last year won thirty five games five and forty seven,
didn't qualify for the postseason. This year, they are expected
(29:05):
to win twenty five and a half games. They're expected
to drop ten and a half and a half or
nine and a half, nine and a half. Man, it
was ten and a half before and then and then
it just went up one.
Speaker 1 (29:22):
Did it just change?
Speaker 3 (29:23):
This is my This is my shocking under. I don't
know why what has changed, other than everyone being like.
Speaker 1 (29:34):
Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (29:35):
These guys stake. It just feels like their fans just
kind of quit on them. They got Jordan Pool, they
lost Porzingis I guess Porzenis was pretty good last year,
Pool was not great last year, So maybe people are
just like his this is bad, bad, bad vibes here,
but ten wins. I'm not saying I would take the
(29:57):
over here necessarily, but it's a it's a big shift.
But who hurts people who who they brought in, like,
you know, an interesting piece and lost a piece that
like is not It's not like one of the top
twenty players in the league. It's not a ten win
swing on the surface. But what am I missing here?
Speaker 2 (30:17):
Dan?
Speaker 4 (30:18):
I mean, I think the two things are just like
you lose what were your two best players last year,
and then the other thing is and I would fall
into this camp. This feels like it's pricing in that
their new president of basketball Ops, Michael Winger, is not
going to let them hit the over on this. And
it's like Kyle Kuzma's deal feels like it was signed
just to be traded. Tias Jones, will he finish the season?
Speaker 1 (30:41):
There?
Speaker 4 (30:41):
Are you going to see them start to maybe if
they keep these guys shut them down in March or something.
And I think you also get into like, well, what
team in the East could they feasibly be better then,
and I think you kind of start to run out
of runway after Detroit and maybe Charlotte, who we've yet
to talk about in this vision. And I think that's
a big part of it, is that they're clearly starting over.
(31:03):
Twenty five is aggressive, and I think there were only
what were there two teams that only won fewer than twenty.
Speaker 1 (31:08):
Five last year or whatever it was.
Speaker 4 (31:09):
Yeah, but like this feels like a team that's gonna
do their darnedest to win fewer than twenty five games.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
Yeah, I guess that's true if they're tanking for whoever flag?
Speaker 2 (31:21):
Yeah, for flag, Like yo, man, just just get rid
of them, trade pool, give me the flag.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
Get get rid of them all, lose them all, all right? Yeah,
I can see that. It's Bill was Beal did play
a lot last season and they Yeah, all right, all right,
I'm I'm on board. Forget what I said about this
being a surprise and under.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
I think they're gonna stink harder.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
I think I'm under on the watch Charlotte Hornets. Yeah,
have you seen these guys? You heard about these guys.
I heard they're expecting to pick up four and a
half wins basically from the return of Lonzo. I mean
LaMelo the return of Lamello. But this is a thing
we were talking about, how we want them together.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
We're like they're always hurt. Yeah, I don't even know
if he's coming back, Like, oh right, LaMelo is.
Speaker 3 (32:13):
Melo is a different human being. He's very good. He's
a lot of fun. Actually, we'll say drafted Brandon Miller
passed on a chance to draft Scoot Henderson. This is
I think they will be haunted by that throughout this season.
(32:33):
But yeah, four and a half, Like going up to
thirty one and a half wins doesn't seem crazy to me.
Speaker 1 (32:38):
I could see it.
Speaker 4 (32:39):
Yeah, especially because you mentioned LaMelo missed a ton of
time last year, where he's played like thirty games or something. Yeah,
so if you get relatively good health from him, and
you get even like Cody Martin missed a bunch of
time last year, Mark Williams should be better. Brandon Miller
I think was the wrong pick, but like there's also
a chance that Brandon Miller is good.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
Yeah, just not right.
Speaker 4 (33:00):
And I think their defense improved a lot last year
under Steve Clifford. So like that feels just like better
health from LaMelo and you know, having maybe better health
like surrounding him, like that should be worth In the East,
I would think like four or five wins, especially when
you're working off such a little baseline. It's not like
we're saying they're going from thirty seven to thirty one.
Speaker 2 (33:20):
Yere right right, yeah, yeah, I mean, I like, I
love the confidence of like yeah, wait till wait till
b Miller got that Rookie of the Year.
Speaker 1 (33:30):
Though, are they feeling? Are they are? People?
Speaker 2 (33:33):
I mean I have I have, I know some some
well I know one Rabbit Charlotte fan in my circle
and they're like, trust me, we did we made the
right decision.
Speaker 3 (33:43):
People are always wrong, Like in the immediate aftermath, like
everyone was like Mathurin like what were they thinking. It's
just the people who the obvious mistakes in the draft
are don't always turn out to be the case. So
we'll see, Yeah, Keegan Murray was supposed to be like, well,
(34:04):
they're going to be looking back on that one and
oh wait, Keegan Murray is really good. Never mind, all right,
So there you have it. We have completed our team
by team run down. Oh, Who's who's going to be
good this year? Yeah, and you have it, the the
official facts of.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
You can take the take all of our picks to
the bank. Well not look like you said. This isn't
a financial advice podcast. B don't take it to the
bank literally, but you know, use it to.
Speaker 1 (34:39):
Take it to Las Vegas, and then you take your
winnings to the bank. Thank you, thank you, exactly.
Speaker 3 (34:43):
I still have Phoenix and Okay, see if either of
them wins.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
The title this year. You really went big on that one.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
I went big on Okay. See if Okay See wins
the championship this year? Am I in the money?
Speaker 5 (35:02):
What were their odds that you don't like?
Speaker 1 (35:04):
Twenty seven?
Speaker 5 (35:06):
I get it, I get it.
Speaker 1 (35:08):
Yeah, I think I know it was.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
I had just seen a chet in another Summer League
game for the first time in a year.
Speaker 2 (35:15):
I was like, man, he's tall and very smooth, but
this is going the right way.
Speaker 3 (35:22):
Yeah, we'll see he's going on the right way. I
don't think it's going that way that fast. But yeah,
it's a it'll be a fun one. It's a team
that I'm excited to watch, and I'll be even more
excited to watch them because I got.
Speaker 2 (35:33):
A little ticket in my wallet broken dream. Can't she
Let's take a break, should.
Speaker 1 (35:39):
We Yeah, let's do it. We'll be right back. We'll
be back by.
Speaker 3 (35:54):
And we're back, and we're back, and we're back.
Speaker 1 (35:58):
I'm sundowning, all right. Is it time? It's time, It's time, Jali, Yeah,
it's time.
Speaker 2 (36:06):
Now for the fourth quarter rapid fire round of Questions,
Dan Favel, you are not a stranger to this segment.
You answered correctly most of the questions last time, if
I recall, but here it is is the fastest question
answer segment in podcasting history. We're gonna ask you a question.
Don't think too hard, just react respond, give us an
answer right back. Don't let Jack or I drag this
(36:28):
segment on. This up to you to say, hey, get
it together, keep this thing moving. Is the fourth quarter
round of rapid fire questions. So are you ready to
have fa Valley to enter?
Speaker 5 (36:37):
I'm probably not ready, but let's do it.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
Okay, I love the confidence.
Speaker 3 (36:40):
Are ready Ryan start the law?
Speaker 1 (36:47):
Here we go. Do you want to go first or
go first? I'll go first.
Speaker 3 (36:50):
That's great, Thank you so much for offering. You can
take two players from all the history to create your
Mad Boosey's Edition. NBA jam team. Which two players are
you taking?
Speaker 5 (37:04):
I'm taking Glenn Rice and Glenn Rice.
Speaker 1 (37:09):
Glenn Rice.
Speaker 3 (37:10):
I love that Glenn Rice. Yeah, favorite Steph.
Speaker 1 (37:15):
Glenn Rice, justies.
Speaker 5 (37:17):
I used to go on fire with Glenn Rice a lot,
one of my favorite players.
Speaker 1 (37:20):
NBA Jam player. Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah exactly, and jam
player I don't actually don't remember. You can probably don't
from half more than that. Yeah, put the cheeks on,
you know obviously.
Speaker 2 (37:33):
Yeah, like Ja Bryce Sa shout out to the two
thousand Lakers with the dual ankle braces.
Speaker 1 (37:37):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (37:37):
I was always rid of like, Glenn are you okay?
But look he's just doing doing what he has to
do to stay out there. Dan, what is your absolute
boldest predictions, oldest for the upcoming NBA season. I'm talking
about like, put your whole put your integrity on the
line right now with a while. Wow, that reckless take
go good.
Speaker 1 (37:58):
Pelicans are gonna make the Western Conference line. Wow, you're consistent.
That was your pick last year? Bro? Was it?
Speaker 3 (38:05):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (38:05):
You were going hard for the Pelas.
Speaker 2 (38:07):
I remember, and afterwards you kind of I was like, well,
damn kind of convinced me with his pells confidence.
Speaker 3 (38:13):
But I put a lot of money up on that
man lost a lot of money.
Speaker 1 (38:20):
Hey send me that group behind you.
Speaker 5 (38:23):
Didn't we premise it that this wasn't financial advice?
Speaker 1 (38:25):
Yeah, I guess that you should have known. You should
have known.
Speaker 3 (38:28):
No, I don't leave anything that Miles says.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
But like, yeah, I mean so again this year, what
we're seeing, we're seeing Zion healthy, We're seeing Bingie healthy.
Speaker 5 (38:38):
Right, I mean Trey Murphy's already injured.
Speaker 2 (38:40):
That doesn't I know? Well that's big? So can I ask?
This is Trey Murphy the third a little bit redundant.
Speaker 1 (38:47):
Like as a player on this team or no.
Speaker 2 (38:49):
Name, his name being Tray is trade like people get
Trey as like as a nickname if you are the third?
Speaker 4 (38:56):
Right, Yeah, there's also I don't know if you guys
been in Collis like New Orleans. Fans don't like when
you call him Trey Murphy the third.
Speaker 2 (39:02):
I know I've never because I never see it. It's
always Trey Murphy. But then when you look at other
reports like Trey Murphy. Ai, is that what they would
have us call him?
Speaker 1 (39:13):
Trey Murphy? AYII? Yeah? Is that what it is? Yeah?
Fans say, yai yai Yai yai. I don't know anyway,
Mama call him the third. I'm gonna call him the third.
Thank you, Jabari. But yeah, I mean like, so this
is this is it this, it's this year. It wasn't
last year. It's this year.
Speaker 4 (39:33):
It could have I mean if Zion was healthy. I
mean that's that's a big if. At this point, I'm saying,
what if Ben Simmons had a jumper, what if Zion
was healthy? But like they were near the top, they
were second in the West, like leading into the new year.
Speaker 1 (39:45):
Yeah, it's legit.
Speaker 5 (39:47):
I still think.
Speaker 4 (39:50):
That's like the only team that I'm prepared to say, Oh,
they're definitely better than New Orleans.
Speaker 1 (39:55):
Okay, I like that. I like that. I like that.
Speaker 4 (39:58):
Props though, remembering what I saidlast year, because I clearly
didn't remember what I said last year.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
No, it's god, that was Jabari because we were talking
because we're trying to remember the last time you're on
and they were like, oh right, Dan was going hard
for the Pels. And that's when I remember too, because
I think that was that was the beginning of me
getting on that boom bus cycle again.
Speaker 1 (40:15):
We're like, this is this year, this year, Yep.
Speaker 3 (40:18):
The beginning of me writing your name on a list
of people who have wronged me.
Speaker 2 (40:24):
Yeah, then he prank calls you it puts lipstick on
after you resolved.
Speaker 3 (40:27):
Your is the who's the best player you've ever witnessed
in person?
Speaker 1 (40:31):
And what did you see them do?
Speaker 4 (40:32):
Uh? It was Kevin rant was in person. And it
was when he was on the thunder.
Speaker 2 (40:37):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (40:38):
He was playing the Knicks and they went into overtime
and he hit some Truly, I was sitting behind the basket.
He hit some of the most ridiculous jumpers I've ever
seen in my entire life. Like the nixt weren't good then,
so it's not like they were defending him with peak level,
but his ability and control just when he's spinning and
turning with the ball and the rain that he had
(41:00):
on it. And I was like, not an old man
like I am now at the time, I'm marveled at
what he was doing in in person. I think as
you get older and go to more games, do you
become numb to some of the stuff Like that was
just like it was a revelatory moment watching him go
to work.
Speaker 2 (41:17):
But Okay, I got to ask you this one and please, Dan,
we got to keep this moving. Like I appreciate that
answer is very thorough, but sometimes we're about speed and
not quality.
Speaker 1 (41:26):
Yeah, okay, we're about quantity.
Speaker 3 (41:28):
So that's too poetic, too good an answer.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
Yeah, when he said revelatory, I was like, this guy's
a poet and don't he know it?
Speaker 5 (41:34):
But that's not the best play I ever saw was
the Neil Gallinari.
Speaker 3 (41:38):
And because he was wearing his blue or his green,
Saint Patty's Dan Jersey, Dampa Valley.
Speaker 2 (41:45):
If you could have any player's skill set for a day,
Who's whose is it and what skill set is it?
And we do add the caveat that it's in your body,
whatever condition to your body is. So if you think
you're gonna get you know, just Matt boost these and
be taking change off the top of the backboard.
Speaker 1 (42:02):
Can your body handle coming around in earth? Yeah? So
they take that into mind, or if you're willing to
risk it all, take it into mind. As the saying
take it into mind.
Speaker 6 (42:13):
I want Steph Curry's handles. Then Steph Curry's handles. We've
heard Shooter's handles. Wow, okay, you said no elaboration. I
want Steph Curry's handles.
Speaker 1 (42:23):
Okay, well this time I do want you to elaborate why, because.
Speaker 4 (42:28):
The way my body is built like it would do
more for me if I could actually be elusive and
rather than just chucking up threes where I would probably
easily get blocked. Even if I had Steph Curry's touch
and range, my shot would easily get blocked.
Speaker 2 (42:40):
Right, And Dan, like I said, we have to keep
this second, you know, and I appreciate that answer, But
that was a setup.
Speaker 3 (42:46):
All right, Dan, you can place any former New York
great on next year's roster. Which former grade are you
adding to the mix?
Speaker 1 (42:54):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (42:55):
Man, I uh just throw Prime Patrick Ewing?
Speaker 1 (43:02):
Prime Ewing? Thanks years, Nick, Yeah, yeah, I would love that, man.
And what is it about Prime Patrick Ewing?
Speaker 5 (43:09):
We got to keep this moving, so I don't care.
Speaker 2 (43:12):
I like that, Which brings us to our next question
and the most important question of all, Dan fora Valley,
Jack or Miles.
Speaker 1 (43:19):
Both right, Okay, we'll take that. We'll take that. We'll
take that, we'll split them. That's okay, we'll do that.
We'll do that. Oh well, Dan for Valley, thank you
so much for joining us on.
Speaker 2 (43:30):
Miles and Jack got Matt boost teas man, where can
people find.
Speaker 1 (43:33):
You and follow you and read you and all that
and support you? How do they do that?
Speaker 4 (43:37):
They can follow me on any social media app at
dan FA Valley fav A l E. And they should
consider checking out the Hardwood Knox podcast spelled like it sounds.
It's an NBA pod and if you like sub mediocre
basketball takes and bad jokes, it's the podcast for you.
Speaker 3 (43:53):
All right, amazing. You can find us on Twitter. I'm
at Jack Underscore. O'Brien Miles is currently indisposed. He's at
Miles of Gray and you can hit us hashtag mad
Boosties for show links and updates. Also shout out to
our listeners of the week at dan be tweeting and
(44:14):
at side show James.
Speaker 1 (44:16):
Shout out to y'all. Thanks thanks for listening. Give us
a rating review.
Speaker 3 (44:20):
If the rating is five stars, of course, if it's
less than that, keep listening and then listen to your heart.
That is going to do it for this week's episode.
We are back next week with more NBA action and
we love it. It's fantastic.
Speaker 1 (44:37):
Yeah,
Well we're back a team USA.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Winds up with a whole lot of nothing in the tournament. Yeah,
and uh, you know, we may have an Avenger style
team up of the league's top stars at the Olympics.
Speaker 3 (00:14):
Sounds like Tron.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Well now, I except prefer Paul Tron.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
We'll get into that and conclude our team by team
prediction series with the Southeastern Division with writer and podcaster
Dampa Valley.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
On today's episode, I'm Miles.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Ray and I'm Jack O'Brien, and this is.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Uh David. There you go, driving spinning Curry, a three
steph curry from downtown Again.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Guys, damp valume, you're right for bleacher for it. You
are the host of the fantastic Hardwood Knox podcasts.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Mostly known for having been on this podcast before as
a wonderful guest. Yes, thank you for returning.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Yes, thank you so much for blessing us, allowering yourself
to come onto our show.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
But yeah, how you been man?
Speaker 4 (01:17):
I have been great. Thank you guys so much for
having me back. It's always nice to be For you
to make the mistake twice of inviting me back to
this hey, yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
You know what they say, shame on you. Wait, fool
me twice.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Never mind, take it fooled again. You don't pool me again? Dan, Okay,
what's good man?
Speaker 3 (01:34):
You got you got a life sized group looming in
the background that I'm expecting to attack you at some
point during the course of this recording.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
It is yet to attack me and any recordings that
I've done, but that is obviously its sole purpose, and
that was clearly I must have when I was putting
together my office was I feel like that's very on
brand for for our podcast. Is just make sure that
there's a life size alien.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Yeah. Right, did you have this set up last time
when when we chatted?
Speaker 4 (02:03):
Not right, I made the super smart decision of buying
a house at the peak of the interest rates in
the peak of house just super smart financial people.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Know this is not a financial advice show, obvious.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Yeah, to quote Cola Skulla, my finances are none of
my business.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
And then you got Penny Hardaway and you get green
next Jersey back there.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
Yeah, so it's actually a t MA act magic jersey,
t Mac magic jersey. And then of course I was
one of the only people that ever liked the Knicks
having a Saint Patti's Day, Green and orange jersey with
Danilo Gallinari New York Knicks.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Wow, okay, back.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
I had a sign, but wow, you got man. I
gotta step my game up. I just have loose jerseys
on wire hangers.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
But hey, inspiration camera that someone bought it a garage
sale like ten years ago.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
That my wife was like, we should put this somewhere. Yeah,
that's that's a nice that's a nice set dressing. Anyway,
Should we just talk?
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Should we touch on Team USA before we get into
our preview here?
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Why not?
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Someone's gonna have to do it. Yeah, so what's our
excuse here? The excuse I keep here in those international
teams are playing together constantly, but like where are they?
Are they playing in like underground basketball tournaments? Is there
like a Mortal Kombat for basketball that's constantly happening and
we're they is just not not admitted to or yeah.
Speaker 1 (03:34):
Dan, where are you? Where are you? Landing?
Speaker 2 (03:35):
On the hot takes about the Team USA coming up
with nothing at the Feeble World Cup.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
I hear, we don't take it seriously.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
We got to send our best or they need more
time to build some kind of consistency. What's your feeling
after that disappointing tournament.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
Yeah I can't. I don't want to say I can't
bring myself to care. But I'm not a fan of
like the making excuses of it all when it's if
you want to claim that we have the best basketball
talent in the world, then we should be winning these tournaments.
Speaker 5 (04:07):
And the other thing to me is.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
I it's hypocritical because I sit here and will critique
NBA players all the time and I'm not doing it.
But if we're gonna have stars come out and like
subtweet this or like have problems with how at fair like,
well then participate when it's not just like the actual Olympics.
I do probably think there's something to the team chemistry
aspect where when we're having these World Cup tournaments, like, yeah,
(04:30):
they're dealing with the same rosters. And I know JJ
Reddick pointed out that like some of these guys in
international play just turn into like Michael Jordan when they're
is go out of body. So I get it, but
it's like it's also kind of super ridiculously embarrassing. I
feel like, just I don't want to insult the talent
that actually won and shout out to you know, Germany
(04:52):
for winning it at all. But you're supposed to you
You're just supposed to have these guys. Even when we're
throwing out the what you're gonna call us the be roster,
there are still stars on there, and the fact that
they can't really co lace to me is like it's
I don't know, it's fair Like I said, I can't
care a lot about it, but it is fairly I
think surprising. But I do think you have to give
(05:12):
credit to the rest of the world for catching up
with their talent.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Yeah, a lot of people were like, what is this
the man in the high castle the US lost to Germany.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
I don't think a lot of people were saying that. Yeah,
every people like everybody said that, Yeah, a lot of
men in the high Castle references. I it's confounding, Like
as much as people want to say these are, this
is like not the best of the US has to offer.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
I think that roster.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Would win the NBA title this year, like or they'd
be favored to at least it's the the USA basketball
team like that. That roster is absolutely stacked. The Germany
basketball roster would be favored to be like how many
wins would they win in the NBA this year eighteen.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
I'll give them. I'll give them twenty eight, twenty five. Like,
I don't more.
Speaker 5 (06:06):
Think the Wizards, I think is just the that's the number.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
I think that's about right, Like I think they might
be even lower than that, because otherwise, like more of
these guys would be on NBA basketball teams. So like
I don't, I don't totally understand it, but it does seem. Yeah,
it's it's the having the experience of like everybody.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
So we lost to Germany.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
We also lost to Canada, who has three solid NBA players,
one great NBA player, two very good NBA players, the
great being Dylan Brooks obviously, yes, yes, yes, our new King,
the new Kobe. I think we can all agree on that.
(06:51):
Who dropped thirty nine points on the US. So I
guess in that case, we have a team like team
Canada is playing ball internationally at like these international FIBA
tournaments throughout the year, and then when NBA players can
come in, like the same three NBA players are coming
back and they know how to play with those guys,
(07:13):
So like that's that's the difference maker, right right.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
I I'm just I'm just looking also at Team Canada,
I'm like that Jamal Murray wasn't playing, Like what what
what is that Olympic team going to look like? Because
there's a lot of people who I think assume that
it's like, yeah, man, just get just get this Vultron
team together, and it's like it's a rap. But I
feel like there's such a there's an arrogance to it
all that like doesn't humble itself to be like we
have to play as a team. We can't just be
(07:40):
like we're the best ever so we can just like
sleep through this thing.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Yeah, Jamal Murray and Wiggins were not playing, right Canada
and they beat the USA. I yeah, it's interesting. I
don't I don't know necessarily, Like God, it does seem
to be of a larger piece with like it's hard
a harder thing to write about, a harder thing to quantify,
(08:06):
and so it gets underrated.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
But we are seeing.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
It now in international play and we're also seeing it
in the NBA that having the you know, experience of
playing together like seems to help the teams that have
stuck together for a little while, you know, like Denver,
like Milwaukee, like you know that as opposed to these
(08:32):
teams that are just trying to assemble like the greatest
net weight of talent per roster that it seems to matter,
like when you have some cohesion, when you have some experience,
that that stuff change changes things. That it works in
the NBA, It certainly works in international competition.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
So Dan, what do you think of? But what do
you think of this dream team that Lebron is saying
he's putting together? What KD, Steph he said he's already
got uh Draymond to buy in?
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Jason Tatum ad is is there?
Speaker 4 (09:09):
Like this is probably sack religious to say, but like,
is the best team gonna be?
Speaker 1 (09:14):
All right?
Speaker 4 (09:14):
Well, let's roll out like a super ancient Kevin Durant,
Steph Curry and Lebron Like, are we that after they're
going through an entire NBA season where some of those
guys might have played like a hundred games or whatever
it ends up being. So I like, yeah, on paper,
that looks fun, But I think Jack.
Speaker 5 (09:32):
Sort of alluded to this.
Speaker 4 (09:33):
What if they tried to like build and you could
still use stack talent, but what if you actually tried
to build a roster where the skill sets they don't
overlap and they kind of compliment one another and they
fill in for the gaps that you would have elsewhere.
And I think this version of the USA team, which
just frankly I watched very minimal of because I just
don't get excited about this particular tournament, is just like, Okay,
(09:53):
we can make fun of Jaron Jackson Junior's rebounding, but
here's this guy who's a big who defends a bunch
on the perimeter. So why didn't you so around him
with other smalls who were actually really good at rebounding?
Speaker 5 (10:04):
Like why why do we not approach building a roster?
Speaker 4 (10:06):
And you even said it was just like the net
sum of talent, Like why not approach this as an
actual roster building process to see like how we can
get Yeah, it'll still be stars, but how about stars
that compliment one another and fill all the gaps within
an entire game?
Speaker 3 (10:21):
Because Steve Kerr is dumb and bad, and I think
we can all agree it was Steve Cerr's fault. Let's
move along that that does seem He's getting a lot
of escape escapegoatage, yeah, which does not seem fair to me.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
But did some of it fall on Grant Hill?
Speaker 4 (10:39):
Then he come out and say like, we're not gonna
hold tryouts for this, like we're just gonna We're just
gonna trust that these guys are going. Like way back when,
I think I saw an excerpt going around that that's
what he had said about it.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
We're just gonna have a like a kind of off site,
a team off site and some trust falls and just
like kind of vibe it.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
Out the roster. Yeah, yeah, we love it all guards
just what ended up. Yeah, we love it, but the
vibes were great.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
But yeah, that.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Dylan Brooks quote is really something he said, Kobe Bryant
had to figure out how to create the Black Mamba.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
I guess that's my persona, the villain.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
Uh huh uh h yeah, Okay, I think those players
are equivalent.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
Miles your thoughts.
Speaker 5 (11:23):
I have.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
I honestly, I don't know if I can truly express
my heart at the moment. I'm so lost for words.
The most I can do is maybe Russell Westbrook reaction me.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
And be like, bro, what trip? Because where I'm at
with that he did put in work, though.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
He put on those boxing story is very interesting, you know,
him being like scapegoated in a way that I don't
think I've ever seen a player, like a major contributing
player to a team be scapegoaded and then leaves that team,
goes to another team in the offseason, like puts up
thirty nine on you. Yeah, against the US does one
(12:06):
of the just clowning ist just the the silliest thing
I've ever seen where he got kicked out of the
game and then went to the locker room and put
on boxing gloves.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
Do we know where those came from? The boxing glove?
Is that their training new Maybe he was gonna get kicked.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
He was like travels with those Yeah, right, travel That's so.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Like that's not a that's not a cool thing to
be like, I'm going to box you with these padded
boxing gloves. So it really is like prop comedy, like
is his whole thing, just like he's trying to be silly,
he's doing bits.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
I mean, Canadians are famously more hilarious than America.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
Yes, so good at prop comedy.
Speaker 2 (12:49):
This could be like some Nathan Fielder esque like four
d Irony like meta work that we're not quite catching on.
Speaker 3 (12:55):
Yeah, it is that like coming out immediately after him
being like yeah, I guess you're right. I am kind
of like Kobe Bryant is pretty funny.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
I do.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
I do respect that.
Speaker 2 (13:06):
My character is the villain. Uh yeah, well good, we
all need a brand stuff.
Speaker 1 (13:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
Anyways, excited For for whatever reason, the Houston Rockets over
the course of the offseason have entered like the conversation
for me of like, I'm ritten, I really want to
see what they're going to be, like like there's a
big pickup and wins, like from what what Vegas is
predicting for them. Dylan Brooks is now very intriguing to me.
(13:36):
You know, I think they're gonna like gonna be one
of the best coached teams in the league this year.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
It's going to be interesting. Anyways.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Shout out to Dylan Brooks. Shout out to Germany, Canada,
whoever came in second. Serbia.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
Yeah, Serbia, you did it. You did it. We got nothing.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Do you guys still think I still think that US
team would be favored to win the end or the
NBA Championship this year.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
I mean, if everyone plays at their absolute best ever
that we've seen them, I could see that. I Mean,
I don't I like that idea, but I guess they're
I don't know, it's hard. It's hard to know. Playing
like I saw them play together, I'm like, I don't
know about that. But on paper again, on paper, that
looks pretty good.
Speaker 5 (14:23):
I'd be curious if they'd be favored. I think i'm too.
Speaker 4 (14:25):
There's like the stain of how they just played his
tattoos in my mind where I'm like, no, there's no
way they'd be favored.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
But right like that collection.
Speaker 4 (14:32):
Of talent top to bottom is probably the best top
to bottom talent that a team would have, right right right, all.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
Right, So shall we move into the Southeast Division and
look at someone what the over unders are here?
Speaker 1 (14:42):
And do some predictions?
Speaker 3 (14:43):
I think we should after we take a little break,
you know, I need, you know, Daddy needs his break,
his little enough time, has a little shoe, hunk shoe.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
There you go.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
You're exactly ninety seconds. Yeah, yeah, all right, tell me
when to go because I got hunk shoe this.
Speaker 1 (14:59):
Okay, forty go.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
Shoot and we're back.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
We're back, Oh Southeast, baby, Yeah, first one up the
Atlanta Hawks last year?
Speaker 3 (15:23):
Oh yeah, you want a forty one division team? Over
under predictions won the division year that everyone the division
everyone's been waiting for.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Yeah, and I'm glad Dan is here to help us
understand this is just a little bit better because half
of them like, what who is it?
Speaker 1 (15:38):
Okay? Is this good? Is this reasonable?
Speaker 2 (15:40):
But the Hawks last year forty one and forty one
obviously lost to the Celtics in the first round.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
They're saying this year they're gonna do a game and
a half better forty two and a half.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
Baby, I will say this division has my maybe the
most baffling under the like the furthest drop that I've
seen Vegas predict for reasons that aren't clear to me, right,
and that that's called a teaser. Yeah, because I'm not
telling you which team it is until we get to
this one. All right, it's the Hawks, now it's not
(16:10):
the Hawks. So yeah, Hawks predicted to go up a
game and a half from forty one forty one last
year to forty two and a half. They showed me
something against the Celtics a little bit. Quinn took Quinn
Snyder took over twenty one games left last season. I
don't know, I could see this, I could see this
being an over I don't I don't really have a
(16:31):
strong feeling either way, other than that when Trey is
playing well, he seems like they seem like they should
be so much better than five hundred, right, But I
don't know it gonna be interesting. What do you think, Dan?
Speaker 4 (16:47):
I could see a scenario where this team ends up
smashing this over just because do we think that Quinn
Snyder could be worth more than two wins? I absolutely
do him getting a training camp to go through with
this entire roster. The offense should be more balanced without
John Collins at least, but they also didn't do anything
(17:08):
to get a lot better this year. It was just
we're gonna get rid of John Collins and we're gonna
sign Wes Matthews and we have Patty Mills now. The
minutes without Trey Young when you played de Jontay Murray
were disastrous last year, and what have you done to
make those better? So they just still feel like they
have too many fatal flaws. But the top end talent,
(17:28):
like they're starting five last year was really effective for
the most part all season, and plugging Sadik Bay or
whoever they want to start in that spot of Collins,
I would still think that they're pretty good. But I
just feel like, I don't know, you look at this
team and it feels like they are maybe like a
wing or another combo forward short And are we going
(17:49):
to have any drop off from Clin Capella who's had
some weird fits and starts to the seasons. What are
you gonna make of the Onyka Conglu situation? Who looks
like is he ready to usurp Clin Capella? And based
off everything they've said, and this is the last wild
card that I'll focus on, is it seems like Jalen
Johnson is gona have a pretty big role this year,
and it's like you're banking a lot just between him
(18:10):
and Griffin and on Yakakung was sort of on this
internal development from last season without making any major additions.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
So could you be better? Sure?
Speaker 4 (18:19):
But I think that also leaves open the possibility because
of the lack of change in addition that you're actually worse.
And so it feels like they might have a lower
floor than many people would expect. But if you told
me they won forty seven games forty nine games, that
actually wouldn't shock.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
I think people have expected them to win that many
games the last two seasons. Like that kind of heading in.
People were like, all right, they might be really good
this year, and then, you know, after they made that.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
Deep playoff run, and then it.
Speaker 3 (18:48):
Never really came together for reasons that weren't clear really, like,
it's not like they lost anyone from the playoff run
to when they've been kind of mediocre for the past
two years. And yeah, so it's interesting they they've gone
with similar similar to the Celtics, where it's like this
mainstay of the team, we've gotten rid of them, and
(19:09):
we think that should really open things up. And it's like, yeah,
I guess it. I guess it could, but we'll see,
you know.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
Shall we switch it over to Florida? Sure, let's switch
it over to North or South? You want to go
to North or South Florida?
Speaker 1 (19:25):
Are they? I actually don't know which one. Orlando's Central? Yeah, yeah,
I go right, Orlando Central.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
Let's go South Floridaay, the one that's higher or lower
than Miami. Let's go to the one that's Miami bouncing
into the city where the heat is on.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
Yeah, let's do that one.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Welcome to Miami.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
They went forty four and thirty eight, lost of the Nuggets
in the finals. We saw that are there particularly go
four and a half games better forty eight and a half.
H Now, I think it's like when you see like
gay Vincent leave.
Speaker 1 (20:02):
Or like Max Struce.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
I think, on paper, I'm like, okay, so how do
they do four and a half games better? But I
know they weren't necessarily big factors in the regular season,
or Jimmy wasn't either, but as is Dame. The big
thing that we're kind of waiting for, like just to
see what happens there to begin to really make predictions.
Speaker 4 (20:20):
What do you think, Dan, if that forty eight and
a half, My guess would be that it's pricing in
that Damian Lillard is gonna end up with the heat,
because I don't see how this team will be deep
enough or healthy enough to win forty nine games if
they don't get Damian. I like, I jud like Kyle
Lowry's how old. Now, Yeah, we know what. Jimmy Butler
is gonna kind of pace himself during the regular season
(20:41):
and you lost, you know, gave Vincent Max streuce were
averaged to slightly above average NBA players, but like they're
just gone.
Speaker 1 (20:48):
You didn't get it.
Speaker 4 (20:49):
You didn't get anything for them, Like they're just gone,
So you don't even have those innings leaders. I think, look,
Josh Richardson really good pick up, but there's still some
just holes in the front court and they desperately need
shot creating and functional shooting around Bam and Jimmy, and
they just not only did they not edit, they actively
lost it.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
So far, Right, what do you what kind of season
do you think to duncan Robinson's gonna have?
Speaker 4 (21:11):
I mean, he really had a renaissance during the playoff, right,
so could I see him replacing a lot of what
Max Shrews did. Probably Robinson's the worst defender, but like,
is he Like is that Robinson renaissance worth five wins
compared to last year?
Speaker 2 (21:25):
Like?
Speaker 4 (21:25):
Absolutely not? So right now, I would think they're more like.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
Like, first all, I'm surprised.
Speaker 5 (21:30):
There's even a number for this at the moment. I'd
probably have like forty two or forty three for them.
Speaker 4 (21:36):
Yeah, just without Dame, Like if you again, if you
get Dame, let's have the conversation, Like, without Dame, could
do either of you two see them winning close to
fifty games?
Speaker 1 (21:44):
Is currently concocted?
Speaker 2 (21:46):
No, I Mean that's why I was like saying as
it is without Dame. I'm like, how are you doing
four and a half better? I'm like, at best you
kind of net out where you were.
Speaker 3 (21:54):
Yeah, but when you said the phrase Josh Richardson was
a really good pick up for them that made me
have a physical reaction. I feel like I've heard that
every every place that he's been for the past six years.
Speaker 4 (22:10):
He's on a minimum now at least, though, so it's
kind of hard to with on expectations.
Speaker 3 (22:13):
Yeah, right, yeah, this feels high to me if the
Dame thing isn't happening. It really feels like a lot
of the people who know things around the league are
just like, yeah, but Damn's gonna be there.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
Come on, like like this is a done deal. It's
just it's just we just.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
Need to wait for Portland to do the thing that
they've chosen not to do up to this point. It's like,
I don't I don't understand why it would happen if
it hasn't already. But people seem confident. They almost had
him on Miami in two k I feel like, so, oh.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
Yeah, there was that screen cap that Jabari was saying
was out there dameless already on the heap okay, but
so do they know.
Speaker 1 (22:57):
Something at two K sports already? Yeah, Apacea Vegas is
usually pretty smart about this stuff.
Speaker 4 (23:04):
So right, Look, Nikolaiovitch had a good World Cup, so
just like he's clearly going to be the difference in
the state. That's what people I got a kick out
of them for me, like, oh, look at how good
of a piece Nikolaiovich would be for Portland.
Speaker 5 (23:16):
Look at what he's doing in And so we've.
Speaker 4 (23:19):
Reached that point of the the negotiations where it's like
every little thing has to have this big impact on
how have.
Speaker 1 (23:25):
Any more picks? Like are they pretty light on picks
for the.
Speaker 4 (23:29):
Next there's if they do, they have to renegotiate something
with the Thunder, but they can give up three first
round picks plus swaps, Like the offer isn't nothing. I
just don't know if Portland's trying to like I don't
know if YouTube. I'm assuming YouTube given some thought. This's like,
what is the team that's going to come and give
you more than let's just say the equivalent. I know
(23:49):
they don't want Tyler Hero, but Tyler Hero and three
first round picks and maybe a couple of swaps. The
heat trying to lowball this where it's like we'll give
you Tyler hero End a pick, because then that's obviously
a different discussion. But their offer, their best theoretical offer
to me, is at least a real offer. And I
don't know who necessarily would be right, but.
Speaker 2 (24:11):
Do we know how close or far we are still
with this whole deal? Like I think the last thing
I saw was like Sham's tweet and it's like, I mean,
he'll go to another team, but the second he's there,
Dame will want to be going to Miami.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
That sounds like a good deal for that team.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
I'm like, WHOA, Okay, that's pretty aggressive pr right there,
but doesn't like or is or is it an inevitability?
And is Portland going to be petty and be like
we're gonna hold you before so you can't go to
camp and then he.
Speaker 3 (24:40):
Doesn't help them?
Speaker 1 (24:42):
Right? I mean maybe it does, but it seems like
that hurts up.
Speaker 4 (24:46):
Do you guys buy that Dame wouldn't show up to
I think the report was he'd only show up to
camp in Portland or Miami and nowhere else, Like do
you buy that he's that type of like could he
do the Harden.
Speaker 5 (24:56):
I just can't buy it.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
If you'll like, he's not built like that, but yeah, yeah,
I feel like he would show up, but it's a
lot to risk for an NBA team, right because I
think I think the follow up was, I mean, he'll
go to another camp, but just no.
Speaker 1 (25:15):
He's not gonna like it.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
He'll be there, but his his whole mind will be
on getting to Miami the second he's there. So I
think that is a way of saying, like, look, he's
gonna do what he's obligated to do, but you don't
want him unless you know it's Miami.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
But hey, we shall see.
Speaker 3 (25:32):
Miami is also not the shocking under from this division.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
People.
Speaker 3 (25:39):
People are just on the edge of their See, I
can't about the nive that Miami and Atlanta were not
the surprising under for me.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
Okay, what about this next one? What about this next one?
Speaker 3 (25:50):
Is next the Orlando Magic. They are being predicted to
go up two and a half games from thirty four
and forty eight to thirty six and a half wins.
It's a little more light to me if we're if
we think Paolo is really gonna be that dude. This
(26:11):
is usually from rookie to second year is usually a
pretty big step up, and they have a lot of
fun young pieces around him. They signed Joe Ingles, they
drafted a couple of sixth and eleven pick like, those
are not insignificant talents to add.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
I don't know, but sure two and a half sounds
about right like that that feels that feels reasonable to
me that they would go up two and a half wins.
What's everybody feeling?
Speaker 1 (26:46):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
I feel like thirty five years anniversary maybe that I
always like an anniversary for a team, you know that anniversary?
Speaker 1 (26:55):
Yeah, yeah, wow. So I'm like, I think of like
how old I am, Like.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
Wow, I was, I were but a boy when they
entered the league. But yeah, like I mean, Paolo and
like Franz, they're all they seem like they keep evolving
in the proper direction. So I don't know, I mean, like,
pardon me. I get excited when I hear Magic fans
talk about the Magic and when I hear their enthusiasm,
like they could do more than two and a half games.
(27:20):
But I don't know, Dan, am I fully off on this?
Speaker 1 (27:22):
No? This one to me right now? Anyway?
Speaker 4 (27:24):
Feels like I don't know, if you guys remember last
year the Kings over under you looked at it and
you were like, that's way too low. They were at
like thirty five or something, and this kind of feels
like that. Where they played their defense was elite for
most of last year. I don't know if they have
enough like offensive juice in them yet, but as you
already mentioned Polo and Franz, they showed great growth throughout
the course of the season. I think Jalen Suggs actually
(27:46):
made some steps forward on that end as well. And
if you can just get enough extra shooting from Jet
Howard who they drafted, or Joe Angles, if he can
play like a real role, if Gary Harris is as good,
I worry about Anthony blacks fit a little bit just
because he can't shoot either. So there's a lot of
shooting question marks here, but on the defense, and then
just like sort of the talent alone when you look
(28:07):
at their top you know, five to six guys. I
know the East is pretty wide open, but this feels
like a team that should probably be flirting with like
in the thirty nine win range East, And so I'm
a little bit maybe I've listened to Magic fans too
much myself. Hype up this team because where was it?
Thirty six and a half? Thirty seven and a half
just feels low. Yeah, they love Franz, don't they down
(28:28):
there aggressively?
Speaker 1 (28:30):
So yeah, character and your boy Markel too, Jack.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
Yeah, Markel is like the they they we we're all
rooting for Markel Man, We're all rooting for yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
So yeah, I could see that they're going to be
interesting to watch. Yeah, all right, they are not mine
surprising under. Up next, we have the Washington Wizards, who
last year won thirty five games five and forty seven,
didn't qualify for the postseason. This year, they are expected
(29:05):
to win twenty five and a half games. They're expected
to drop ten and a half and a half or
nine and a half, nine and a half. Man, it
was ten and a half before and then and then
it just went up one.
Speaker 1 (29:22):
Did it just change?
Speaker 3 (29:23):
This is my This is my shocking under. I don't
know why what has changed, other than everyone being like.
Speaker 1 (29:34):
Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (29:35):
These guys stake. It just feels like their fans just
kind of quit on them. They got Jordan Pool, they
lost Porzingis I guess Porzenis was pretty good last year,
Pool was not great last year, So maybe people are
just like his this is bad, bad, bad vibes here,
but ten wins. I'm not saying I would take the
(29:57):
over here necessarily, but it's a it's a big shift.
But who hurts people who who they brought in, like,
you know, an interesting piece and lost a piece that
like is not It's not like one of the top
twenty players in the league. It's not a ten win
swing on the surface. But what am I missing here?
Speaker 2 (30:17):
Dan?
Speaker 4 (30:18):
I mean, I think the two things are just like
you lose what were your two best players last year,
and then the other thing is and I would fall
into this camp. This feels like it's pricing in that
their new president of basketball Ops, Michael Winger, is not
going to let them hit the over on this. And
it's like Kyle Kuzma's deal feels like it was signed
just to be traded. Tias Jones, will he finish the season?
Speaker 1 (30:41):
There?
Speaker 4 (30:41):
Are you going to see them start to maybe if
they keep these guys shut them down in March or something.
And I think you also get into like, well, what
team in the East could they feasibly be better then,
and I think you kind of start to run out
of runway after Detroit and maybe Charlotte, who we've yet
to talk about in this vision. And I think that's
a big part of it, is that they're clearly starting over.
(31:03):
Twenty five is aggressive, and I think there were only
what were there two teams that only won fewer than twenty.
Speaker 1 (31:08):
Five last year or whatever it was.
Speaker 4 (31:09):
Yeah, but like this feels like a team that's gonna
do their darnedest to win fewer than twenty five games.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
Yeah, I guess that's true if they're tanking for whoever flag?
Speaker 2 (31:21):
Yeah, for flag, Like yo, man, just just get rid
of them, trade pool, give me the flag.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
Get get rid of them all, lose them all, all right? Yeah,
I can see that. It's Bill was Beal did play
a lot last season and they Yeah, all right, all right,
I'm I'm on board. Forget what I said about this
being a surprise and under.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
I think they're gonna stink harder.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
I think I'm under on the watch Charlotte Hornets. Yeah,
have you seen these guys? You heard about these guys.
I heard they're expecting to pick up four and a
half wins basically from the return of Lonzo. I mean
LaMelo the return of Lamello. But this is a thing
we were talking about, how we want them together.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
We're like they're always hurt. Yeah, I don't even know
if he's coming back, Like, oh right, LaMelo is.
Speaker 3 (32:13):
Melo is a different human being. He's very good. He's
a lot of fun. Actually, we'll say drafted Brandon Miller
passed on a chance to draft Scoot Henderson. This is
I think they will be haunted by that throughout this season.
(32:33):
But yeah, four and a half, Like going up to
thirty one and a half wins doesn't seem crazy to me.
Speaker 1 (32:38):
I could see it.
Speaker 4 (32:39):
Yeah, especially because you mentioned LaMelo missed a ton of
time last year, where he's played like thirty games or something. Yeah,
so if you get relatively good health from him, and
you get even like Cody Martin missed a bunch of
time last year, Mark Williams should be better. Brandon Miller
I think was the wrong pick, but like there's also
a chance that Brandon Miller is good.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
Yeah, just not right.
Speaker 4 (33:00):
And I think their defense improved a lot last year
under Steve Clifford. So like that feels just like better
health from LaMelo and you know, having maybe better health
like surrounding him, like that should be worth In the East,
I would think like four or five wins, especially when
you're working off such a little baseline. It's not like
we're saying they're going from thirty seven to thirty one.
Speaker 2 (33:20):
Yere right right, yeah, yeah, I mean, I like, I
love the confidence of like yeah, wait till wait till
b Miller got that Rookie of the Year.
Speaker 1 (33:30):
Though, are they feeling? Are they are? People?
Speaker 2 (33:33):
I mean I have I have, I know some some
well I know one Rabbit Charlotte fan in my circle
and they're like, trust me, we did we made the
right decision.
Speaker 3 (33:43):
People are always wrong, Like in the immediate aftermath, like
everyone was like Mathurin like what were they thinking. It's
just the people who the obvious mistakes in the draft
are don't always turn out to be the case. So
we'll see, Yeah, Keegan Murray was supposed to be like, well,
(34:04):
they're going to be looking back on that one and
oh wait, Keegan Murray is really good. Never mind, all right,
So there you have it. We have completed our team
by team run down. Oh, Who's who's going to be
good this year? Yeah, and you have it, the the
official facts of.
Speaker 2 (34:27):
You can take the take all of our picks to
the bank. Well not look like you said. This isn't
a financial advice podcast. B don't take it to the
bank literally, but you know, use it to.
Speaker 1 (34:39):
Take it to Las Vegas, and then you take your
winnings to the bank. Thank you, thank you, exactly.
Speaker 3 (34:43):
I still have Phoenix and Okay, see if either of
them wins.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
The title this year. You really went big on that one.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
I went big on Okay. See if Okay See wins
the championship this year? Am I in the money?
Speaker 5 (35:02):
What were their odds that you don't like?
Speaker 1 (35:04):
Twenty seven?
Speaker 5 (35:06):
I get it, I get it.
Speaker 1 (35:08):
Yeah, I think I know it was.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
I had just seen a chet in another Summer League
game for the first time in a year.
Speaker 2 (35:15):
I was like, man, he's tall and very smooth, but
this is going the right way.
Speaker 3 (35:22):
Yeah, we'll see he's going on the right way. I
don't think it's going that way that fast. But yeah,
it's a it'll be a fun one. It's a team
that I'm excited to watch, and I'll be even more
excited to watch them because I got.
Speaker 2 (35:33):
A little ticket in my wallet broken dream. Can't she
Let's take a break, should.
Speaker 1 (35:39):
We Yeah, let's do it. We'll be right back. We'll
be back by.
Speaker 3 (35:54):
And we're back, and we're back, and we're back.
Speaker 1 (35:58):
I'm sundowning, all right. Is it time? It's time, It's time, Jali, Yeah,
it's time.
Speaker 2 (36:06):
Now for the fourth quarter rapid fire round of Questions,
Dan Favel, you are not a stranger to this segment.
You answered correctly most of the questions last time, if
I recall, but here it is is the fastest question
answer segment in podcasting history. We're gonna ask you a question.
Don't think too hard, just react respond, give us an
answer right back. Don't let Jack or I drag this
(36:28):
segment on. This up to you to say, hey, get
it together, keep this thing moving. Is the fourth quarter
round of rapid fire questions. So are you ready to
have fa Valley to enter?
Speaker 5 (36:37):
I'm probably not ready, but let's do it.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
Okay, I love the confidence.
Speaker 3 (36:40):
Are ready Ryan start the law?
Speaker 1 (36:47):
Here we go. Do you want to go first or
go first? I'll go first.
Speaker 3 (36:50):
That's great, Thank you so much for offering. You can
take two players from all the history to create your
Mad Boosey's Edition. NBA jam team. Which two players are
you taking?
Speaker 5 (37:04):
I'm taking Glenn Rice and Glenn Rice.
Speaker 1 (37:09):
Glenn Rice.
Speaker 3 (37:10):
I love that Glenn Rice. Yeah, favorite Steph.
Speaker 1 (37:15):
Glenn Rice, justies.
Speaker 5 (37:17):
I used to go on fire with Glenn Rice a lot,
one of my favorite players.
Speaker 1 (37:20):
NBA Jam player. Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah exactly, and jam
player I don't actually don't remember. You can probably don't
from half more than that. Yeah, put the cheeks on,
you know obviously.
Speaker 2 (37:33):
Yeah, like Ja Bryce Sa shout out to the two
thousand Lakers with the dual ankle braces.
Speaker 1 (37:37):
You know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (37:37):
I was always rid of like, Glenn are you okay?
But look he's just doing doing what he has to
do to stay out there. Dan, what is your absolute
boldest predictions, oldest for the upcoming NBA season. I'm talking
about like, put your whole put your integrity on the
line right now with a while. Wow, that reckless take
go good.
Speaker 1 (37:58):
Pelicans are gonna make the Western Conference line. Wow, you're consistent.
That was your pick last year? Bro? Was it?
Speaker 3 (38:05):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (38:05):
You were going hard for the Pelas.
Speaker 2 (38:07):
I remember, and afterwards you kind of I was like, well,
damn kind of convinced me with his pells confidence.
Speaker 3 (38:13):
But I put a lot of money up on that
man lost a lot of money.
Speaker 1 (38:20):
Hey send me that group behind you.
Speaker 5 (38:23):
Didn't we premise it that this wasn't financial advice?
Speaker 1 (38:25):
Yeah, I guess that you should have known. You should
have known.
Speaker 3 (38:28):
No, I don't leave anything that Miles says.
Speaker 2 (38:31):
But like, yeah, I mean so again this year, what
we're seeing, we're seeing Zion healthy, We're seeing Bingie healthy.
Speaker 5 (38:38):
Right, I mean Trey Murphy's already injured.
Speaker 2 (38:40):
That doesn't I know? Well that's big? So can I ask?
This is Trey Murphy the third a little bit redundant.
Speaker 1 (38:47):
Like as a player on this team or no.
Speaker 2 (38:49):
Name, his name being Tray is trade like people get
Trey as like as a nickname if you are the third?
Speaker 4 (38:56):
Right, Yeah, there's also I don't know if you guys
been in Collis like New Orleans. Fans don't like when
you call him Trey Murphy the third.
Speaker 2 (39:02):
I know I've never because I never see it. It's
always Trey Murphy. But then when you look at other
reports like Trey Murphy. Ai, is that what they would
have us call him?
Speaker 1 (39:13):
Trey Murphy? AYII? Yeah? Is that what it is? Yeah?
Fans say, yai yai Yai yai. I don't know anyway,
Mama call him the third. I'm gonna call him the third.
Thank you, Jabari. But yeah, I mean like, so this
is this is it this, it's this year. It wasn't
last year. It's this year.
Speaker 4 (39:33):
It could have I mean if Zion was healthy. I
mean that's that's a big if. At this point, I'm saying,
what if Ben Simmons had a jumper, what if Zion
was healthy? But like they were near the top, they
were second in the West, like leading into the new year.
Speaker 1 (39:45):
Yeah, it's legit.
Speaker 5 (39:47):
I still think.
Speaker 4 (39:50):
That's like the only team that I'm prepared to say, Oh,
they're definitely better than New Orleans.
Speaker 1 (39:55):
Okay, I like that. I like that. I like that.
Speaker 4 (39:58):
Props though, remembering what I saidlast year, because I clearly
didn't remember what I said last year.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
No, it's god, that was Jabari because we were talking
because we're trying to remember the last time you're on
and they were like, oh right, Dan was going hard
for the Pels. And that's when I remember too, because
I think that was that was the beginning of me
getting on that boom bus cycle again.
Speaker 1 (40:15):
We're like, this is this year, this year, Yep.
Speaker 3 (40:18):
The beginning of me writing your name on a list
of people who have wronged me.
Speaker 2 (40:24):
Yeah, then he prank calls you it puts lipstick on
after you resolved.
Speaker 3 (40:27):
Your is the who's the best player you've ever witnessed
in person?
Speaker 1 (40:31):
And what did you see them do?
Speaker 4 (40:32):
Uh? It was Kevin rant was in person. And it
was when he was on the thunder.
Speaker 2 (40:37):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (40:38):
He was playing the Knicks and they went into overtime
and he hit some Truly, I was sitting behind the basket.
He hit some of the most ridiculous jumpers I've ever
seen in my entire life. Like the nixt weren't good then,
so it's not like they were defending him with peak level,
but his ability and control just when he's spinning and
turning with the ball and the rain that he had
(41:00):
on it. And I was like, not an old man
like I am now at the time, I'm marveled at
what he was doing in in person. I think as
you get older and go to more games, do you
become numb to some of the stuff Like that was
just like it was a revelatory moment watching him go
to work.
Speaker 2 (41:17):
But Okay, I got to ask you this one and please, Dan,
we got to keep this moving. Like I appreciate that
answer is very thorough, but sometimes we're about speed and
not quality.
Speaker 1 (41:26):
Yeah, okay, we're about quantity.
Speaker 3 (41:28):
So that's too poetic, too good an answer.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
Yeah, when he said revelatory, I was like, this guy's
a poet and don't he know it?
Speaker 5 (41:34):
But that's not the best play I ever saw was
the Neil Gallinari.
Speaker 3 (41:38):
And because he was wearing his blue or his green,
Saint Patty's Dan Jersey, Dampa Valley.
Speaker 2 (41:45):
If you could have any player's skill set for a day,
Who's whose is it and what skill set is it?
And we do add the caveat that it's in your body,
whatever condition to your body is. So if you think
you're gonna get you know, just Matt boost these and
be taking change off the top of the backboard.
Speaker 1 (42:02):
Can your body handle coming around in earth? Yeah? So
they take that into mind, or if you're willing to
risk it all, take it into mind. As the saying
take it into mind.
Speaker 6 (42:13):
I want Steph Curry's handles. Then Steph Curry's handles. We've
heard Shooter's handles. Wow, okay, you said no elaboration. I
want Steph Curry's handles.
Speaker 1 (42:23):
Okay, well this time I do want you to elaborate why, because.
Speaker 4 (42:28):
The way my body is built like it would do
more for me if I could actually be elusive and
rather than just chucking up threes where I would probably
easily get blocked. Even if I had Steph Curry's touch
and range, my shot would easily get blocked.
Speaker 2 (42:40):
Right, And Dan, like I said, we have to keep
this second, you know, and I appreciate that answer, But
that was a setup.
Speaker 3 (42:46):
All right, Dan, you can place any former New York
great on next year's roster. Which former grade are you
adding to the mix?
Speaker 1 (42:54):
Oh?
Speaker 5 (42:55):
Man, I uh just throw Prime Patrick Ewing?
Speaker 1 (43:02):
Prime Ewing? Thanks years, Nick, Yeah, yeah, I would love that, man.
And what is it about Prime Patrick Ewing?
Speaker 5 (43:09):
We got to keep this moving, so I don't care.
Speaker 2 (43:12):
I like that, Which brings us to our next question
and the most important question of all, Dan fora Valley,
Jack or Miles.
Speaker 1 (43:19):
Both right, Okay, we'll take that. We'll take that. We'll
take that, we'll split them. That's okay, we'll do that.
We'll do that. Oh well, Dan for Valley, thank you
so much for joining us on.
Speaker 2 (43:30):
Miles and Jack got Matt boost teas man, where can
people find.
Speaker 1 (43:33):
You and follow you and read you and all that
and support you? How do they do that?
Speaker 4 (43:37):
They can follow me on any social media app at
dan FA Valley fav A l E. And they should
consider checking out the Hardwood Knox podcast spelled like it sounds.
It's an NBA pod and if you like sub mediocre
basketball takes and bad jokes, it's the podcast for you.
Speaker 3 (43:53):
All right, amazing. You can find us on Twitter. I'm
at Jack Underscore. O'Brien Miles is currently indisposed. He's at
Miles of Gray and you can hit us hashtag mad
Boosties for show links and updates. Also shout out to
our listeners of the week at dan be tweeting and
(44:14):
at side show James.
Speaker 1 (44:16):
Shout out to y'all. Thanks thanks for listening. Give us
a rating review.
Speaker 3 (44:20):
If the rating is five stars, of course, if it's
less than that, keep listening and then listen to your heart.
That is going to do it for this week's episode.
We are back next week with more NBA action and
we love it. It's fantastic.
Speaker 1 (44:37):
Yeah,
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