March 17, 2023 • 37 mins
Tyrese talks about the Sixers 6-game win streak, including the backstory on Joel Embiid's crazy game winner vs the TrailBlazers. He also lets his opinion be known on Embiid for the NBA MVP. Tyrese is joined by his friend and Cleveland Guard Darius Garland to talk about the game vs. the Cavs, the pressure of being a young player in the league, and the excitement about the upcoming playoffs. Tyrese and Darius also get into what it is like to adapt when a new star joins your team, like James Harden or Donovan Mitchell.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Diaries step back, Jay Spoon ties Maxie from beet Yo.
What's up, everybody, It's tires back here with Maxio on
(00:23):
the Mike Episode three. Um. This week we have a
very special guest for y'all. I promised y'all that I
would not talk the entire forty five minutes. I don't
have somebody else y'all can have another voice. But this
week we have from the twenty nineteen draft, number five
overall pick, point guard from the Cleveland Cavaliers, one time
(00:46):
All Star, Darius Garland him. Yes, my friend Darius Garland
known him for a long time. I think the first
time I played against him was I want to say
fifth or sixth grade. Yeah, that's a long time ago.
But we're gonna talk to him about the game that
we played last night, played against them, you know, like
certain games like that, Like that game means a lot
(01:06):
because they beat us once, we beat them once, their fourth,
we're third. They're trying to catch us, We're trying to
catch Boston. We beat them, we put them in our
review mirror. Now like they they're playing big time catch up.
We have to really have a drop off, not gonna
really have to drop off and like we own a tiebreaker,
so even if we you know what I'm saying, even
if they tie us, they still can't and they can't
(01:26):
jump us. So little things like that matter. And then
like psychologically, if we get the one tea, they have
to play them. That stuff matters. I didn't. I didn't
know how much that stuff matters. So I actually started
playing in the playoffs. But that stuff really matters. It's hard.
It's hard to beat the team when you psychologically don't
think you can beat them. We're in the season series
(01:47):
against the Calves and take their sixth straight game over
another big wins. Sorry Darius, how it goes in the NBA,
But I want to talk to him about how he's
dealt with the pressure. You know, he's been a top
five pick. You know I don't have that. I didn't
have that luxury, So talk to him about how he
dealt with the pressure of that. I want to do
a little bit of talking about his career so far.
You know, that would be pretty fun. But most importantly,
(02:09):
we're six and those as the podcast started, So let's
give it up for that round of applauged, round of
aplauge round uplause I want to talk about the last
few games, some big wins, some big moments, and but yeah,
we're gonna have a lot of fun in this episode,
and get ready for a fun one. First, I kind
of want to talk about the end of our road trip.
Like y'all know, we were on a five game road trip.
(02:31):
I think it was five games eight nights or five
games seven nights, something like that, very difficult stretch. We
ended up going four or one on the road trip,
which is amazing, having only lost to the Dallas Mavericks
when they you know, Luca had forty, Kyrie had forty.
Wasn't much we could really do about that one. But anyway,
so like I said, we're gonna talk about the t
(02:51):
Wolves game. That was the last game on this trip,
coming off a back to back, after we played Indiana.
You know, Indiana took us down to the wire, high
scoring game, I think, one of the craziest, fast, most
fast paced games that I've ever played in honestly, and
end up being like one forty seven, one forty three.
But we fly from this. This is tough that I've
(03:11):
been talk talk to y all about this, The things
that a lot of people don't know about the NBA.
We fly from Indiana all the way to Minneapolis, get
in at like two thirty three am, right, So on
a game like this where you have a back to back,
So today we go in and Jags and playing and
we still have to be competitive, still try to win
the game. Now my role has changed, you know, as
(03:32):
we've seen, I've been reinstarted back into the starting lineup
for the for the most part of the time being
and now all the ball most of the ball handling
duties are going to be on me because you know,
jays is in the primary and bar Hanler win when
he's in. But today that's that's my role. So I
think find ways to get people involved, make sure the
office runs smoothly, and still be the scoring threat that
(03:55):
I am. And I think we went really well. Pretty well. Um,
you know, we had to deal with Anthony Edwards and
for the most part we tried to slow him down.
I think the Anthony did a really good job on him.
House played defense on him a little bit, but all
in all, he scored thirty points. Because he's pretty good
at basketball, and we'll get into that. But it was fun, man.
You know, me and Joe Will has had this chemistry
(04:17):
kind of going back to last year when I was
the starting point guard and you know we didn't have
Ja yet league to tend to shoot screen and bed
Gol a trip on and I feel like I know
where he wants the ball. I know how he wants
to get the ball. I know how to Buias needs
(04:39):
the ball and how he needs to score and be
a part of the offense. So I was I was
very comfortable in this role. And you know, it's funny.
I hear a lot of people say Terres is in
the natural point guard, blah blah blah, and I get it,
and I'm score first point guard in this league. But
I played with the ball in my hands and point
guard all my life, so it wasn't that big of
a deal. But by'm line is we got the job done.
(05:00):
I tried to go out there and be aggressive. I
think Joel had forty points in three quarters. They kind
of made a little surge come back in the fourth quarter,
but uh, you know, coach Doc coming back in and
we kind of we kind of we the storm and
who was able to get some rest and got in
Minneapolis and finish that road trip four on one. I
(05:20):
think going on a road trip, being four on one,
it's like, you know, you go into it thinking, okay,
we've got two different sets of back to back, which
is crazy. So that's four games, and then you got
a tough game playing against the Indiana team who played
so free, and you know they're gonna come out and
play free. You're going into it wanting to be on
a winning side like three and two winning record. Four
(05:42):
on one is really great as well. You know you've
always wanted to go five and oh, but that's extremely
hard on a road trip like this. So four on one.
You know, on the flight back, like this wasn't a
lot of sleeping. No one's like really sleeping. Everybody's trying
to stay up so when they get home with their
family or whatever, they could you know, rest in So
that that was a good back. I think we play
some cards, laugh. You know, Jage has a lot of jokes,
(06:03):
as always Jordan. They ain't had jokes we did. Tucker
actually stayed up a little bit on this flight. You know,
he's getting old, so you know, him standing up and
laughing with us was pretty cool. But it was all
positive vibes, and I think that's what's really what's really
helping our team right now is our camaraderie and our chemistry.
It's so high that we know that each other did
we know that we have each other's back on the court,
(06:25):
and when you have that, it just it takes your
comfort level and your confidence in one another to another
level that that you're really going to need come playoff times.
We get home off this trip and thankfully we have
two days off. I mean the one day we land,
we land at three a m. Of course, we have
that entire day off, and then we do we come
(06:47):
in and have like a small practice, it's not a
real practice, but like a film and a walk through.
So we knew coming into the Blazers game it was
gonna be a tough game. You know, they manly live
coming in town. Anthony Simon's coming back off, and then
our old teammate Motiste Stible his first time coming back
to Philly, and you know, I'm proud of Matisse, man.
(07:08):
You know, he's a friend of mine that I've been
rooting for. He was a year before me getting drafted
the Sixers. He's really worked on his game, worked on
his shot, and I just want him to be successful. Man.
I want him to be happy. I want to be successful.
I think sometimes a reset is good for you, and
I think the reset has been good for him in
different type of scenery. And I'm just proud of him,
and I'm glad to see, you know, the Philly fans
(07:28):
pretty much welcomed him. They were no booze and they're
no hard feelings, and I think that was great for
him his confidence. So all in all, I'm happy for him.
Glad we beat them, though. Shout out to Joel Embiid.
He's good at basketball. I don't know how many times
I've said this on this podcast. I don't know how
many times I've said this in the media. He just
very good at basketball. Like a game where we're down twenty,
(07:51):
we fight all the way back. I know I had
I got fouled, made two free throws, cut it to one.
We get a huge stop, and then you know, most
of the time when you get to stop in your
down one, the coach lets you kind of play it out.
So we're going up playing out and I think j
lost the ball. Joel lost the ball. I was running
around trying to help them, and then a coach doc
(08:14):
scene that he immediately caught timeline, So that was a
great coaching move on his part called time drew up
a nice play. It's funny because the play was for
JH to throw it into Joel and then come off
and play like a two man game with me on
the opposite side. So to my man couldn't help. But
because James is so smart and he saw how they
(08:34):
were gonna play it, as soon as Joel caught the ball,
he just dove to the rim and got his man
out of that. So his man couldn't help. There could
be no double team. And now joege playing one on
one at the free throw line against Dirk, and we
like all matchups of Joel playing one on win. And
he know he made a big time shot, little Kobe
spin move fade away, and you know Joe was a
(08:55):
Kobe guy, so I know he posted on his Instagram
Kobe and I know he said it when he was
fading back. It gets not to the Florida whistle and
it comes to Joel five seconds ago, driving, spinning, but
(09:19):
a big time shot. I mean, he just like I said,
it's very good at basketball. We appreciate him. So we
beat the Blazers and next we have an off day
and then we play the Washington Wizards. Bradley Bill and
the Wizards. Kyle KU's mother porzingis another team that could
be dangerous. They can get hot, they can get comfortable,
and you know they could beat you at home. It's
(09:40):
a team that we struggle with the past two years.
And you know, Dan Burke kept saying this team keep
kicking off, but kicking He said it like five times
in the pre game. All Right, all right, DV, We're
gonna go out here, We're gonna compete, and uh, I
think we kind of start off a little bit slow,
but come halftime, you know, we locked in. Everybody kind
(10:00):
of bought in. And this is a total team after
a win, I mean, Joe led the charge with like
thirty five, of course, but like James had maybe nineteen.
I think Milk came out. The bench had ten, I
had eight or nine, Tobias with eleven. It was one
of those games where everybody contributes and it was fun
when them. I think the best part of the best
(10:20):
part of the night is James is in with the
bench unity the second unit, and they're going to run.
James makes a move, gets to against Monte Morris off
of them, step back, three in the corner, hits the
three looks at the bench. I'm standing up, I'm dancing.
I'm happy, reaches his arm out. We do our little
handshake things, and I'm dancing like I'm dancing up the
(10:47):
I'm dancing up the sideline with them. But uh, and
that's great, and that just shows the positive vibes that
we have this year. I felt like this is my
third year here, and I felt this team's togetherness is
at a time of high level and that's gonna really
show up in the playoffs. You know, Joel had thirty
five or thirty four and three quarters, like I just said,
(11:07):
and this MVP thing, I think he's kind of kicked
it into another gear. And I've seen him since my
rookie year, he's been on you know ten, but it
feels like this year and after the All Star break,
he just he took it up to another level to
where he's playing so well that he doesn't even have
to play, and then he has so much support around him,
(11:29):
but he's playing so well that he's he's just dominant.
Like I know, he's been dominant the last three years,
but like this year, it's just seemed like this last
week and the week and a half, however, I mean,
however long we've been back, just a break. He seemed
to like it has no flaws in this game. Man,
He's passing the ball or extremely wild at double teams
because like he's not turned the ball over as much.
(11:50):
He's shooting a three ball again. I got on him
gets Minnesota. I'm like, Brett Rudy is like all the
way in the paint when I drive, So I'm gonna
kick it out to you and you have a lot
of time to shoot it. Shoot the three, and you
know he hit four threes that game, and now you
know you got a double him in the post. He's
shooting over double teams, spinning out of double teams, blocking shot.
That's one of the best things I've seen him do.
(12:11):
Like when he's blocking shots. Defensively, it just takes our
team to a whole nother level because you got guys
pressing the ball, me pressing the ball to court, you
got wing defenders and Tobias and PJ and he got
melt and then like you can do it all that
that you finally get to the room and enjoy blocks.
It it's like, man, it's like demoralizing, and I just
feel like he doesn't he gonna say he doesn't care
(12:32):
about the NBA all he cares about his winning. But
he deserves it. I mean, he really does deserve it.
And um, you know, I hope he gets what he deserves.
He deserves to be All Star started. He ended up
getting at and we'll see how it goes. We'll see
how it goes. But you know, if I had a vote,
he'd definitely be getting mind for sure, most definitely. Um,
I feel like he's the NBP of the league. He's
the most valuable player, and he does a lot of
the basketball court that helps the six or shot down
(12:55):
to five. Wants to take step back three forty seven
for Joel. Time out. I have to talk about Joel.
Let's take a quick break. Coming up next, we have
conversations with Darius Garland from the Cleveland Cavaliers. Talk a
little trash about how we beat them last night. Have
a lot of fun. I'm talking about his career and
(13:18):
it'll be great. All right, y'all. MAXI on the mic.
We're back and we have this special guest. I'm gonna
let DG the PG aka Darius Garland introduced himself real quick,
(13:42):
what ver DG. So, bro, how are you feeling. I'm good, man,
I'm good. This is post Cleveland Cavaliers Philadelphia seventy six
Ers ESPN Wednesday night. Coming into the game, we knew
it was gonna be a big game. I know, y'all
did we did? You know? I know. Our mindset was like, look,
they're coming. You know, they've been they've been pushing. I
(14:04):
think we have the same amount of wins maybe or
something like that, close three to four. That was a
fun night. That was a funny game last night, right,
because you think it was funny game, right, Yeah, it
was super funny, super funny. It was good. It was crazy,
but it was It was a great battle on both
ends of the floor for sure. Here morning cross score
back the fire with a hand of the STA still
(14:27):
will stick it. Garlingus the foul I tell the recess.
All the time he challenged me. I try to challenge
him on both ends. So it's always a good battle
between us. It's good last and all funny games. But
when I had to go over the ball screen and
chase and I know, and you know, I know for
a fact, he about to shoot this floor and I
(14:47):
know I can't do nothing about it, and it still
goes in. I'm like, oh my god, what else was
to do? What you want me to do? I have
to chase over You're gonna shoot Garling, right, I gotta
I gotta stretch. Every time we played Philly, I know
reason about to poor speed downhill. I gotta stretch. I
gotta give my mind prepared for a long night to
(15:09):
vote both of us. Yeah, I was telling like I
was telling my uncle, like our moms, our parents, they
talk all the time, like we're talking on the court.
We laugh, dude, Like I know we're competed. We played hard,
like we guarded each other, but like this is my dog,
Like you know what I'm saying, this is my homies.
So it's like, anyways, let's get into it. Let's get
(15:30):
into it. Let's get into it. Um first. You know,
So I've been talking on this on the show. I've
been talking a lot about like mental health, dealing with
pressure of the NBA aspect. You and I have like
two different scenarios, you know what I'm saying. Like I
was a twenty first pick, you was a fifth pick.
How was it like, how'd you deal with like being
(15:51):
a top five pick in the draft, like after you know,
you didn't even finish you know what I'm saying, You
didn't even finish your whole college play, like with four
five games, five games in college. I know you have
it's like thirty no, no like that, but but so
how'd you do it that? Coming in? How'd you do
it that? Coming in? Um? My rookie year, it was
it was really tough because I was coming off my
(16:13):
meniscus tear um have five games un of my building college,
so a lot of people didn't really see me. I
had like a whole bunch of non conference game that
I played that really didn't matter. That was early on
in the season, so a lot of people didn't see me,
so they was just basing everything called high school. So
like when I came, I was basically high school to
the league. That's what it really felt like to me,
(16:35):
because I didn't have like a college season right right,
So my rookie year it was basically rehabbing and trying
to get my knee back right my whole rookie year,
and I really didn't feel like myself, So like all
that pressure was just on me just saying that I
was a buzz I remember at the end of the year,
people you said joke with me saying that I was
(16:55):
the worst playing in the league statistically, which is like
crazy because I wasn't really into the numbers. That's that's wicked.
It was the analytic was some analytical stuff, yeah, bro,
Like it was just everything statistic in the category was
I was liwly at the bottom of the barrel, bro literally,
so like I had that on my back. I don't
(17:17):
understand analytic, bro. It really changed the game. Like my
rookie year, I wasn't able to shoot no mid ranges
and coaches told me like either to the basket or
all threes. So like I'm people, I feel like that
takes away from what you do though, because like you know,
like you saying that, people think that's a bad shot
or lost art. But small guards like us like you
(17:39):
and I, that's good shots for us, you know what
I'm saying. If we work on it so much. I've
seen you work or on the end of gym uh
you know, on Instagram and then being in there with
you a little bit a little while ago. But but yeah,
I was gonna talk about that too, man like, because
you made a tweet and I'm you know, I'm one
of your biggest fans, like me and my my skill
development dude with the sixties, we like we watching all
(18:00):
the time, and like, uh, like you just said, like bro,
you was there was worse statistically whatever, all that analytical.
Then you come out to third year, you all start,
you know what I'm saying, like how how did that?
How did that play? Like how did you know? Did
you know your third year? Like all right, I'm gonna
turn it up like you like you flipped the switch
for sure, Like you know what I'm saying. Yeah, I
(18:21):
mean early on this season, I knew, like the end
of my second year, I had like a little good
little pace going on when I was just my trajectory
is just going up. So I knew the third year
I had to come in with a little bit of
so I had some motivation to come off of for sure.
For sure. Then early on this season, Colin got hurt ricky,
he was hurt with the torn acl so like I
(18:42):
was basically the only guard out there. I had to
ball in my hand at all the time. I was comfortable.
You look real comfortable, Yeah, super comfortable, like I was
out there really confident. Coach Bickerstaff. He made me just
super confident myself. He had confidence in me, so he
just gave me the keys to the car and just
let me drive it, bro. And that's all it was.
(19:03):
And that's that's why I'm at now. The level of
confidence or like the aspect of it is so like underrated, bro.
Like like when you when you a confident basketball player
is always a danger basketball. It don't matter how much
skilly guy I've ever thought about that, Like you could
be trying to leave somebody open. They hit two threes
and they feel like, look here, like they wanted them one. Now,
(19:24):
didn't gonna step back three. You feel me like exactly,
now you give somebody like you confidence. And I was like,
let's go to offer show you know what I'm saying. Yeah,
all the doors opening up when you had that confidence
in yourself. I believe, especially in this league, like when
you get that one opportunity, you gotta take it. And
when you get the confidence like all hell's breaking loose.
(19:44):
I believe for real. Seriously, Nah, We've been on the
We've been I've been on the ladder end of some
of these of these confident DG games. I was when
y'all when y'all played us this year, early in the year,
I was at home because if my foot was broke,
and I'm just watching, Like there's some shots you hit
on Like Paul, we switch it one through five and
(20:05):
Pei you play solid defense, you know guards, and you
just like hanging them back and forth. I'm like Dirdy
dished out sex assists looks for an offer. Girling going
to work, steps back down. That's just patting steps baby,
ain't then you can really do it like that p
read I mean it is. You just get a basketball.
(20:25):
When you see a couple of go through. Yeah, when
you see a couple of buckets go through, you know it.
The room looks super big out there. You can want
to pass by Mitchell to find Girling cut into the basket.
It's go time. It's go time. Another thing I want
to talk about though, like this would probably be more
than likely your first year in the office, like in
the playing game. You played in the playing game, but
(20:47):
this is gonna be your first year in the playoffs.
Like we're like, I know you're excited. I saw you
say something about it, but like it's a whole new
ball game that you bout the experience like you bout
I know you ready for it. What are you most
looking forward to like this? What's something that you're most
looking forward to about these playoffs? Man? Just the competitive nature.
I think like the playoffs should just bring a whole
(21:08):
another competitive spirit out of you, just like really meaningful
basketball at the show at the peak of the season,
Like everybody just ramping up right now, Like you can
see some of the physicality starting to pick up, Like
game plans are starting to get more strategic. So like
just honing in on the mental aspect of it, the
(21:29):
physicality of it, Like I can't I can't wait to
get in. It's what's your favorite thing about the office?
You've been in a couple of times now, bro, all Right,
So my rookie year, so we was during COVID when
I came in, so like we had like I think
it was like fifty percent capacity like the first three
or four games, and then we played game five Round one.
(21:51):
Game five at our crib was up three to one
against the Wizards. And it's the first time, my first time,
you know, you've been to like the sixth Arena, and
so it's my first time with one hundred percent capacity
in there in the playoffs. Close our game, and it's
like I'm bringing the ball up the court like in
the fourth because like I remember, Joe got hurt, so
I played like I don't know, I like twenty eight
(22:11):
minutes this game off the bench my rookie year. So
I'm bringing the ball up to court and like he
I can hear I can hear Doc streaming like the
play that he wants me to run, but like I
don't know what he's saying, Like it's so loud in there,
like this crowd being a frenzy. When we talked about
what gets the crowd going the bucket and transition to check,
how about a three pointer checks? As Westbrook response, it's
(22:33):
just like the intensity level of every single possession, bro
maxing he stuck a past a little pen. It's so crazy.
And then like when you play a team over and
over and over, it like but we played Toronto last
year in the playoffs after we had already we played
(22:55):
them two times in preseason, then we played them four
times in the regular season at six times, then we
played them six times in the people. We played in
the twelve times dog, so like by the end of
our sick of seeing Chris Bouchet crashed, Like bro, like
don't but it's like that's why I see why so
many like altercation in the playoffs. But you you literally
get you see these people every other day and you
(23:16):
like battling they run the same thing. At that point,
it's monoi mono, bro. It's like single posession basketball games.
Like the adjustments that are made in a playoff series
game by game, it's like ridiculous, Like we had Joelle
on on the big Fellaw that they had, then we
had Joel on Scotty Barn Joel on og Like it's
just so crazy how things switch up. Then one injury
(23:37):
can change your whole series or one play you know,
something that they find that the coaches find us working
changes the whole series. And like it's like I don't know,
but it's second to none, Like the whole world watching.
You know what I'm saying, The whole world's watched. There's
nothing else going on. It's just the playoffs, no March madness,
no football, you know what I'm saying, It's just hoops
and everybody's tuned in. But like it's pretty dope, man,
(24:00):
pretty dope. I like it. Man, I can't wait. Bro
Oh yeah, you're gonna be lit for show, You're gonna
be living for show. I can't wait. I got a
few more things for you. One more that's like on
my head now and I'm really thinking about because we
both kind of have to go through the same thing.
Like so last year, like I kind of started at
the point I started had the ball in my hands
a lot, and of course we have Joe Will but
(24:21):
like I was kind of making all the plays, making
our decisions. Then we make a trade and we bring JR.
Chin you know what I'm saying. So it's like now
I have to kind of still find a way to
be effective. But like you know, j J. You know
what I'm saying, he needs to ball in his hands
to be who he is, and you got to accept
that because he's like MVP. So it's like, how did
you like because you're still doing the same thing, Like
(24:43):
you're still hooping, like you know what I'm saying, You're
still putting up the numbers. And I think if you
maybe if you didn't get hurt, you're probably been an
All Star or you know what, missed the games to
the eye and all those things. You know how that goes.
But like you had all star numbers. You know what
I'm saying, how'd you like reconstructed a game your mindset
when when d bitch comes in? You know what I'm saying, Like,
how does that work? You know what I mean because
(25:04):
I know from firsthand experience that like it's hard. It's
hard and you but you love it because now you
have another guy that's going to help you get to
that get to the oldsmate goal. It's your pedals between
two and scoops make no straight Now he can get
buckets in the hurry. You said, but a quiet night
(25:24):
started fourth twelve. But that bucket doesn't ignite something because
that's a tough one. But like, how does it mentally?
How'd you like, you know, reconstructing your mind to to
hoop like that? No, it is tough when like he
first got here. I remember all through training camp, like
we were both sure trying to like really just feed
each other the ball, like you go score and then
(25:45):
he wants me to go score like on something, back
and forth. But now it's just starting to get like
a lot easier because we're starting to figure out like
where we want the ball, that trying to figure out
different ways how he can get going. Then I get going.
So we had like that same floor at the same
time most of the time in the games. But I
mean it's just definitely hard just hand like another guy
(26:07):
that just can really just go get it, bro, Like
don really just he just go gets it. Like he's
just a great score. Just it's a knack for score.
So like with me, you know me, bro, Like I
just love passing the ball for it for sure. So
like if I get a couple assists off him, get
a couple of lives off the chair, that evan like
(26:28):
my dad's complete bro, Like I love y'all. Just go
do y'all thing, and then I'll just found my openess whatever.
He played Boston on ESPN and that was one of
our early games and we both were like just really
in sync on both ends of the floor the secondary
defender and I think we both had like thirty or something.
(26:51):
We had like sixty five points like together. So that
was like one night that we really watched film will
really aren't clicking and seeing some actions that we really
can start going to late in games, and we can
both just kind of disfigure each other out and just
how the same mentality just go be aggressive at all times.
(27:11):
I don't know. And you know, it's cool to see
how like the league is changing like this positionless basketball,
like you able to play on like a guard like you,
a guard like me, guard like bitch Jade can play
on and off the ball and play off of each other.
And it's like, uh, I don't know, man, It's just
it's just really cool to see like they're like their
(27:31):
vets to us. They're still young in a sense, but
they're like, you know, vets to us, like kind of
have Like I think if Jad's like my big brother
man like him coming in. He came right in. He
told me like, bro, hey, nothing's gonna change. Bro, nothing changing.
I had the ball a little bit, but I still
want you to rock out. I still want you to
be aggressive. I'm here to grow your game. I'm not
here to you know what I'm saying. I'm not here
(27:53):
a stunt of girl. If I'm here a greater game now.
I just appreciated him for that because like he didn't
have to do that, you know what I'm saying. He
James hen't come in and exactly you can move pieces
around how you want to. Like he's came in and
and and being great for us, and you know, I
think you know Donvan has done the same for y'all
as well, Like you know, he's been in the playoffs,
so and he'll help y'all with that aspect too, help
with that aspect too. But yeah, he's definitely bringing in
(28:15):
that aspect, bro. Like even like close games with y'all
Boston and Milwaukee, like New York. I mean, he's we
always talking. We watched them together sometimes. And now it
was another thing when he first came in. He told me,
he was like, you built this from the ground up, bro,
like the facts. You've been here through the bads and
the goods, like the upbringing. So it's still your team.
(28:39):
He wants me to rock out. So it was like
that mutual agreement that we both wanted because we know
what's the ultimate goal list and we're trying to get there. No,
I respect that as long as as long as you know,
I gotta get through us. But it's okay, y'all. I
want y'all to will want y'all to succeed you for sure.
But y'all tough though, No, no, it's it's gonna be.
You know, the East right now is rocking. Let's just
(29:00):
keeping spade a space each right now, it's wrong like
I'm thinking sometimes like Toronto, like the heat, but he
was the one tea last year they like seventh or
eighth right now, like it's just right. It's really jumping
right now. So especially the top four seeds. I'm top
four seeds, like anytime you play that, you know, the
matchup like that, it is always close. Ain't no, nobody's
backing down from nobody. So the playoffs about to be
(29:22):
crazy though, I ain't even gonna lie about. Yeah, but yeah, bro,
like I ain't first there's nothing you stay in at
RFP house, right, that's like ruse, that's that's dope. Yeah,
I means your house is that's all yeah man, that's
cool man, y'all man, that's like how you how you
how you like your new house? How you how's coming
with you? What you got going in there? I see
(29:43):
stuff in the backguard whichever, you know, like some little pictures, paintings, stuff,
a little pool table. Man, It's it's nothing. Man, I'm
about to look for another crib and a little bit
though you hurt. I A'm at that. I am at that,
But now I got one more thing for you. I
got one more thing for so every every week, you know,
And I appreciate you getting on here too. This has
(30:03):
been actually real cool man. It's from really good though, Like,
appreciate you having me, Bro. I was telling them, like
you haven't having you on here, bro, like it's someone
that I know. You know what, y'all know it for
a long time. I don't know if you remember this.
I'm getting all. I don't know if you remember this,
but you played for we all can go? Right, Like yeah,
like young was that you Marvin Bagley? Yeah? So I was.
(30:24):
I was on the on the Sun's team. We were
We were terrible. It was terrible. I was terrible. I
was a little kid and like I think, Bro, like
y'all beat us by like fifty points. Bro. It was
so crazy, like and I'm just running around like, bro,
who are these people like this? Dude? You shoot it?
You shoot it from like deep. I'm like, Marvin Bagley,
(30:44):
dunt do on us. I'm like, bro, we have no chance,
y'all name was we all can go? But like we
left thinking that y'all was like too old. I'm like,
my mom, was we all too old? Everybody used to
say that, bro, but I'm like, they have to be old.
There's no way they could be this good at this
young age. You know what I'm saying. Like it was ridiculous.
But anyway, that's that's that's the point. Um. But no,
(31:07):
we um. Every every week at the end of the show,
I'll do something where I talked about what I was
thankful for for the last week and what I wanted
to get one percent better on at the week above.
It's sorry, I'm putting you on the spot here, but
do you have something that you could say that you
was thankful for, um from last week and something that
(31:30):
you want to get one percent better for the week
that's coming up. You put me on a spot. I apologize.
I probably should have told you that before, but it
wouldn't have been as fun, it wouldn't have been as genuine.
You feel me. That's true, that's true. That's true. One
thing I'm thankful for my parents came to Miami and
I spent some time with them, got some dinners, had
(31:52):
some good talks. Um. That's one thing I'm thankful for
just seeing my parents all the time, spending always good
quality family time. Yeah, that was that was really good.
And for travel we was on the road a lot
this past week, so thankful for that. What is something
that you want to get one percent better at in
the week that's coming up? So like I think mine
(32:16):
last week was something like I want to get better
at my faith? You know something, whatever you have in mine,
I mean, whatever you have about faith is a good one.
I liked that one. Yeah, that was what I thought.
I'm not gonna take care though that. That was a
great one. Oh, let's see, I'll say being organized, like
I guess, yeah, I feel you me and one percent
better me and organized, have my stuff in order. We're
(32:39):
going another long road trip, so just getting that in
line or just having everything set for the week. Yeah,
I'm gonna go with that one. Are you a last
minute packer or you packing it in advanced last minute packing?
Last minute two ampe? Oh yeah for sure. Yeah, I'm
pretty bad at that to no man. Yeah, I appreciate you, dog,
(33:02):
I appreciate you being on here, especially after that, you know,
playing last night. I know, still my brother for shore
always all love, I told her, I asked, Miss Felicia said,
I told my mom take this Felicia and tell her
that I'm about to mess it with her. I'm about
to come over for dinner, and she takes my mom
back out the game last tell he's not welcome to
come over dinner. Said cool man. I was like, man, look,
(33:24):
oh yeah, I went to you know, I went over
and checked out the house. You know what I'm saying.
I've made your house you feel you feel as soon
as I landed, Hey, yo, I'm checking in. Man, I'm here, like, hey,
make sure I'm good. I may not be leaving the hotel,
but I'm good. No, Man, it's cool, but no, man,
I appreciate you being on here. Man. All love man,
(33:45):
good luck though for real playoffs, maybe we'll see y'all.
That would be That would be epic. That crazy first round,
I mean first round, sacred d whatever round match up
you know, that would be. That would be epic. You know,
I know our parents would be sitting there side by side,
act like they don't like each other. For exact we
can have but it'll be all. It'll be all love. Man,
appreciate you, Appreciate you now. So appreciate you, bro. You no,
(34:08):
it's always great talking to DG Man DG to PG
from the Cleveland Cavaliers. It's like a brother to me, honestly,
and we got real close when I was training for
the draft. He gave me a lot of pointers, gave
me a lot of tips. You heard what he said
that he was thankful for, So you know that like
the family aspect that he has, you know, we have
the same type of family mode. Mom and dad are
(34:30):
always a support of always, they're always in the mix.
It's just crazy that my mom and his mom talk
every day as well, so they know how much we
loved them. And it's just good to have a moment.
I really appreciate him because he came on and he
was real. You know. He talked about the struggles that
he had early in his career. He talked about how
being down. The media put him down, saying that he
(34:51):
was like analytically or statistically the worst basketball player in
the NBA, but he persevered. And that's what the one
thing that we've really been talked about on this podcast,
how mental health and perseverance and all of that is
so much. It's so important, it's so important to find
who can help you through that. And that's another way
of saying him showing that his parents have helped them.
(35:14):
But yeah, that was great. That was great, man. I
appreciate them having that. But when we get back, I
would tell y'all what I am thankful for, and I
would tell y'all what I would like to get one
percent better for this upcoming week. And yeah, I appreciate
y'all for listening. Hey, I did my job. I promised
y'all that I wasn't gonna be the only one talking, Okay,
so I really hope y'all enjoyed it, and you know,
(35:36):
I see y'all after the break. All right, welcome back everyone.
It's time for y'all to hear what I am thankful
for and my plan on getting one percent better this week.
(35:58):
I'll start with saying I am extremely thankful for this
team and how we've bought through adversity because we started
out the season one and four, like everybody who's kind
of counting us out. Even after starting one and four,
we finally got into five hundred I think it was
like four and four, and then James gets hurt, so
(36:18):
then we figured out Joe will comes back, and then
I get hurt, and so now Joel is out there
by himself. Then Joe Will gets hurt, and now you
you know, we have to Buias and we have all
the rest of our guys melt shaking bag, all of
them start playing extremely well. Then you get Joel back,
then you get James back, and then I come back
in the mix, and it just feels like we've all
(36:40):
messed through all of that adversity. We've all messed into
this one team that stepping in the right direction come
playoff time, and that's what it's all about it and
I'm extremely thankful for that, and I'm thankful for everybody
being patient with us. And we've all farle caught our
groove and now we're scary. And how I want to
get one percent better than this week is we are
(37:02):
playing a road trip that we're coming up, a three
game trip of no regress. We only want to make progress.
We may lose or we may you know, we may
have a tough game, but we want to still be
step in the right direction with no slippage, because at
this time of the year, as long as we keep
playing the right way and using the right principles, I
(37:22):
feel like that's going to really help us come playoff time.
You know, sometimes you have games where the ball just
just and go in, and those are games you have
to rely on your defense for allowing your trunch, for
allowing others. And that's what I want us to do
on this trip. Stay together, stay positive, and do the
best that we could possibly can and keep stepping in
the same direction. But yeah, that's it. Thanks for listening
to Max you on the mic, Please rate, review, and subscribe,
(37:45):
and I will see y'all next week for episode four.
Maxie Out
Diaries step back, Jay Spoon ties Maxie from beet Yo.
What's up, everybody, It's tires back here with Maxio on
(00:23):
the Mike Episode three. Um. This week we have a
very special guest for y'all. I promised y'all that I
would not talk the entire forty five minutes. I don't
have somebody else y'all can have another voice. But this
week we have from the twenty nineteen draft, number five
overall pick, point guard from the Cleveland Cavaliers, one time
(00:46):
All Star, Darius Garland him. Yes, my friend Darius Garland
known him for a long time. I think the first
time I played against him was I want to say
fifth or sixth grade. Yeah, that's a long time ago.
But we're gonna talk to him about the game that
we played last night, played against them, you know, like
certain games like that, Like that game means a lot
(01:06):
because they beat us once, we beat them once, their fourth,
we're third. They're trying to catch us, We're trying to
catch Boston. We beat them, we put them in our
review mirror. Now like they they're playing big time catch up.
We have to really have a drop off, not gonna
really have to drop off and like we own a tiebreaker,
so even if we you know what I'm saying, even
if they tie us, they still can't and they can't
(01:26):
jump us. So little things like that matter. And then
like psychologically, if we get the one tea, they have
to play them. That stuff matters. I didn't. I didn't
know how much that stuff matters. So I actually started
playing in the playoffs. But that stuff really matters. It's hard.
It's hard to beat the team when you psychologically don't
think you can beat them. We're in the season series
(01:47):
against the Calves and take their sixth straight game over
another big wins. Sorry Darius, how it goes in the NBA,
But I want to talk to him about how he's
dealt with the pressure. You know, he's been a top
five pick. You know I don't have that. I didn't
have that luxury, So talk to him about how he
dealt with the pressure of that. I want to do
a little bit of talking about his career so far.
You know, that would be pretty fun. But most importantly,
(02:09):
we're six and those as the podcast started, So let's
give it up for that round of applauged, round of
aplauge round uplause I want to talk about the last
few games, some big wins, some big moments, and but yeah,
we're gonna have a lot of fun in this episode,
and get ready for a fun one. First, I kind
of want to talk about the end of our road trip.
Like y'all know, we were on a five game road trip.
(02:31):
I think it was five games eight nights or five
games seven nights, something like that, very difficult stretch. We
ended up going four or one on the road trip,
which is amazing, having only lost to the Dallas Mavericks
when they you know, Luca had forty, Kyrie had forty.
Wasn't much we could really do about that one. But anyway,
so like I said, we're gonna talk about the t
(02:51):
Wolves game. That was the last game on this trip,
coming off a back to back, after we played Indiana.
You know, Indiana took us down to the wire, high
scoring game, I think, one of the craziest, fast, most
fast paced games that I've ever played in honestly, and
end up being like one forty seven, one forty three.
But we fly from this. This is tough that I've
(03:11):
been talk talk to y all about this, The things
that a lot of people don't know about the NBA.
We fly from Indiana all the way to Minneapolis, get
in at like two thirty three am, right, So on
a game like this where you have a back to back,
So today we go in and Jags and playing and
we still have to be competitive, still try to win
the game. Now my role has changed, you know, as
(03:32):
we've seen, I've been reinstarted back into the starting lineup
for the for the most part of the time being
and now all the ball most of the ball handling
duties are going to be on me because you know,
jays is in the primary and bar Hanler win when
he's in. But today that's that's my role. So I
think find ways to get people involved, make sure the
office runs smoothly, and still be the scoring threat that
(03:55):
I am. And I think we went really well. Pretty well. Um,
you know, we had to deal with Anthony Edwards and
for the most part we tried to slow him down.
I think the Anthony did a really good job on him.
House played defense on him a little bit, but all
in all, he scored thirty points. Because he's pretty good
at basketball, and we'll get into that. But it was fun, man.
You know, me and Joe Will has had this chemistry
(04:17):
kind of going back to last year when I was
the starting point guard and you know we didn't have
Ja yet league to tend to shoot screen and bed
Gol a trip on and I feel like I know
where he wants the ball. I know how he wants
to get the ball. I know how to Buias needs
(04:39):
the ball and how he needs to score and be
a part of the offense. So I was I was
very comfortable in this role. And you know, it's funny.
I hear a lot of people say Terres is in
the natural point guard, blah blah blah, and I get it,
and I'm score first point guard in this league. But
I played with the ball in my hands and point
guard all my life, so it wasn't that big of
a deal. But by'm line is we got the job done.
(05:00):
I tried to go out there and be aggressive. I
think Joel had forty points in three quarters. They kind
of made a little surge come back in the fourth quarter,
but uh, you know, coach Doc coming back in and
we kind of we kind of we the storm and
who was able to get some rest and got in
Minneapolis and finish that road trip four on one. I
(05:20):
think going on a road trip, being four on one,
it's like, you know, you go into it thinking, okay,
we've got two different sets of back to back, which
is crazy. So that's four games, and then you got
a tough game playing against the Indiana team who played
so free, and you know they're gonna come out and
play free. You're going into it wanting to be on
a winning side like three and two winning record. Four
(05:42):
on one is really great as well. You know you've
always wanted to go five and oh, but that's extremely
hard on a road trip like this. So four on one.
You know, on the flight back, like this wasn't a
lot of sleeping. No one's like really sleeping. Everybody's trying
to stay up so when they get home with their
family or whatever, they could you know, rest in So
that that was a good back. I think we play
some cards, laugh. You know, Jage has a lot of jokes,
(06:03):
as always Jordan. They ain't had jokes we did. Tucker
actually stayed up a little bit on this flight. You know,
he's getting old, so you know, him standing up and
laughing with us was pretty cool. But it was all
positive vibes, and I think that's what's really what's really
helping our team right now is our camaraderie and our chemistry.
It's so high that we know that each other did
we know that we have each other's back on the court,
(06:25):
and when you have that, it just it takes your
comfort level and your confidence in one another to another
level that that you're really going to need come playoff times.
We get home off this trip and thankfully we have
two days off. I mean the one day we land,
we land at three a m. Of course, we have
that entire day off, and then we do we come
(06:47):
in and have like a small practice, it's not a
real practice, but like a film and a walk through.
So we knew coming into the Blazers game it was
gonna be a tough game. You know, they manly live
coming in town. Anthony Simon's coming back off, and then
our old teammate Motiste Stible his first time coming back
to Philly, and you know, I'm proud of Matisse, man.
(07:08):
You know, he's a friend of mine that I've been
rooting for. He was a year before me getting drafted
the Sixers. He's really worked on his game, worked on
his shot, and I just want him to be successful. Man.
I want him to be happy. I want to be successful.
I think sometimes a reset is good for you, and
I think the reset has been good for him in
different type of scenery. And I'm just proud of him,
and I'm glad to see, you know, the Philly fans
(07:28):
pretty much welcomed him. They were no booze and they're
no hard feelings, and I think that was great for
him his confidence. So all in all, I'm happy for him.
Glad we beat them, though. Shout out to Joel Embiid.
He's good at basketball. I don't know how many times
I've said this on this podcast. I don't know how
many times I've said this in the media. He just
very good at basketball. Like a game where we're down twenty,
(07:51):
we fight all the way back. I know I had
I got fouled, made two free throws, cut it to one.
We get a huge stop, and then you know, most
of the time when you get to stop in your
down one, the coach lets you kind of play it out.
So we're going up playing out and I think j
lost the ball. Joel lost the ball. I was running
around trying to help them, and then a coach doc
(08:14):
scene that he immediately caught timeline, So that was a
great coaching move on his part called time drew up
a nice play. It's funny because the play was for
JH to throw it into Joel and then come off
and play like a two man game with me on
the opposite side. So to my man couldn't help. But
because James is so smart and he saw how they
(08:34):
were gonna play it, as soon as Joel caught the ball,
he just dove to the rim and got his man
out of that. So his man couldn't help. There could
be no double team. And now joege playing one on
one at the free throw line against Dirk, and we
like all matchups of Joel playing one on win. And
he know he made a big time shot, little Kobe
spin move fade away, and you know Joe was a
(08:55):
Kobe guy, so I know he posted on his Instagram
Kobe and I know he said it when he was
fading back. It gets not to the Florida whistle and
it comes to Joel five seconds ago, driving, spinning, but
(09:19):
a big time shot. I mean, he just like I said,
it's very good at basketball. We appreciate him. So we
beat the Blazers and next we have an off day
and then we play the Washington Wizards. Bradley Bill and
the Wizards. Kyle KU's mother porzingis another team that could
be dangerous. They can get hot, they can get comfortable,
and you know they could beat you at home. It's
(09:40):
a team that we struggle with the past two years.
And you know, Dan Burke kept saying this team keep
kicking off, but kicking He said it like five times
in the pre game. All Right, all right, DV, We're
gonna go out here, We're gonna compete, and uh, I
think we kind of start off a little bit slow,
but come halftime, you know, we locked in. Everybody kind
(10:00):
of bought in. And this is a total team after
a win, I mean, Joe led the charge with like
thirty five, of course, but like James had maybe nineteen.
I think Milk came out. The bench had ten, I
had eight or nine, Tobias with eleven. It was one
of those games where everybody contributes and it was fun
when them. I think the best part of the best
(10:20):
part of the night is James is in with the
bench unity the second unit, and they're going to run.
James makes a move, gets to against Monte Morris off
of them, step back, three in the corner, hits the
three looks at the bench. I'm standing up, I'm dancing.
I'm happy, reaches his arm out. We do our little
handshake things, and I'm dancing like I'm dancing up the
(10:47):
I'm dancing up the sideline with them. But uh, and
that's great, and that just shows the positive vibes that
we have this year. I felt like this is my
third year here, and I felt this team's togetherness is
at a time of high level and that's gonna really
show up in the playoffs. You know, Joel had thirty
five or thirty four and three quarters, like I just said,
(11:07):
and this MVP thing, I think he's kind of kicked
it into another gear. And I've seen him since my
rookie year, he's been on you know ten, but it
feels like this year and after the All Star break,
he just he took it up to another level to
where he's playing so well that he doesn't even have
to play, and then he has so much support around him,
(11:29):
but he's playing so well that he's he's just dominant.
Like I know, he's been dominant the last three years,
but like this year, it's just seemed like this last
week and the week and a half, however, I mean,
however long we've been back, just a break. He seemed
to like it has no flaws in this game. Man,
He's passing the ball or extremely wild at double teams
because like he's not turned the ball over as much.
(11:50):
He's shooting a three ball again. I got on him
gets Minnesota. I'm like, Brett Rudy is like all the
way in the paint when I drive, So I'm gonna
kick it out to you and you have a lot
of time to shoot it. Shoot the three, and you
know he hit four threes that game, and now you
know you got a double him in the post. He's
shooting over double teams, spinning out of double teams, blocking shot.
That's one of the best things I've seen him do.
(12:11):
Like when he's blocking shots. Defensively, it just takes our
team to a whole nother level because you got guys
pressing the ball, me pressing the ball to court, you
got wing defenders and Tobias and PJ and he got
melt and then like you can do it all that
that you finally get to the room and enjoy blocks.
It it's like, man, it's like demoralizing, and I just
feel like he doesn't he gonna say he doesn't care
(12:32):
about the NBA all he cares about his winning. But
he deserves it. I mean, he really does deserve it.
And um, you know, I hope he gets what he deserves.
He deserves to be All Star started. He ended up
getting at and we'll see how it goes. We'll see
how it goes. But you know, if I had a vote,
he'd definitely be getting mind for sure, most definitely. Um,
I feel like he's the NBP of the league. He's
the most valuable player, and he does a lot of
the basketball court that helps the six or shot down
(12:55):
to five. Wants to take step back three forty seven
for Joel. Time out. I have to talk about Joel.
Let's take a quick break. Coming up next, we have
conversations with Darius Garland from the Cleveland Cavaliers. Talk a
little trash about how we beat them last night. Have
a lot of fun. I'm talking about his career and
(13:18):
it'll be great. All right, y'all. MAXI on the mic.
We're back and we have this special guest. I'm gonna
let DG the PG aka Darius Garland introduced himself real quick,
(13:42):
what ver DG. So, bro, how are you feeling. I'm good, man,
I'm good. This is post Cleveland Cavaliers Philadelphia seventy six
Ers ESPN Wednesday night. Coming into the game, we knew
it was gonna be a big game. I know, y'all
did we did? You know? I know. Our mindset was like, look,
they're coming. You know, they've been they've been pushing. I
(14:04):
think we have the same amount of wins maybe or
something like that, close three to four. That was a
fun night. That was a funny game last night, right,
because you think it was funny game, right, Yeah, it
was super funny, super funny. It was good. It was crazy,
but it was It was a great battle on both
ends of the floor for sure. Here morning cross score
back the fire with a hand of the STA still
(14:27):
will stick it. Garlingus the foul I tell the recess.
All the time he challenged me. I try to challenge
him on both ends. So it's always a good battle
between us. It's good last and all funny games. But
when I had to go over the ball screen and
chase and I know, and you know, I know for
a fact, he about to shoot this floor and I
(14:47):
know I can't do nothing about it, and it still
goes in. I'm like, oh my god, what else was
to do? What you want me to do? I have
to chase over You're gonna shoot Garling, right, I gotta
I gotta stretch. Every time we played Philly, I know
reason about to poor speed downhill. I gotta stretch. I
gotta give my mind prepared for a long night to
(15:09):
vote both of us. Yeah, I was telling like I
was telling my uncle, like our moms, our parents, they
talk all the time, like we're talking on the court.
We laugh, dude, Like I know we're competed. We played hard,
like we guarded each other, but like this is my dog,
Like you know what I'm saying, this is my homies.
So it's like, anyways, let's get into it. Let's get
(15:30):
into it. Let's get into it. Um first. You know,
So I've been talking on this on the show. I've
been talking a lot about like mental health, dealing with
pressure of the NBA aspect. You and I have like
two different scenarios, you know what I'm saying. Like I
was a twenty first pick, you was a fifth pick.
How was it like, how'd you deal with like being
(15:51):
a top five pick in the draft, like after you know,
you didn't even finish you know what I'm saying, You
didn't even finish your whole college play, like with four
five games, five games in college. I know you have
it's like thirty no, no like that, but but so
how'd you do it that? Coming in? How'd you do
it that? Coming in? Um? My rookie year, it was
it was really tough because I was coming off my
(16:13):
meniscus tear um have five games un of my building college,
so a lot of people didn't really see me. I
had like a whole bunch of non conference game that
I played that really didn't matter. That was early on
in the season, so a lot of people didn't see me,
so they was just basing everything called high school. So
like when I came, I was basically high school to
the league. That's what it really felt like to me,
(16:35):
because I didn't have like a college season right right,
So my rookie year it was basically rehabbing and trying
to get my knee back right my whole rookie year,
and I really didn't feel like myself, So like all
that pressure was just on me just saying that I
was a buzz I remember at the end of the year,
people you said joke with me saying that I was
(16:55):
the worst playing in the league statistically, which is like
crazy because I wasn't really into the numbers. That's that's wicked.
It was the analytic was some analytical stuff, yeah, bro,
Like it was just everything statistic in the category was
I was liwly at the bottom of the barrel, bro literally,
so like I had that on my back. I don't
(17:17):
understand analytic, bro. It really changed the game. Like my
rookie year, I wasn't able to shoot no mid ranges
and coaches told me like either to the basket or
all threes. So like I'm people, I feel like that
takes away from what you do though, because like you know,
like you saying that, people think that's a bad shot
or lost art. But small guards like us like you
(17:39):
and I, that's good shots for us, you know what
I'm saying. If we work on it so much. I've
seen you work or on the end of gym uh
you know, on Instagram and then being in there with
you a little bit a little while ago. But but yeah,
I was gonna talk about that too, man like, because
you made a tweet and I'm you know, I'm one
of your biggest fans, like me and my my skill
development dude with the sixties, we like we watching all
(18:00):
the time, and like, uh, like you just said, like bro,
you was there was worse statistically whatever, all that analytical.
Then you come out to third year, you all start,
you know what I'm saying, like how how did that?
How did that play? Like how did you know? Did
you know your third year? Like all right, I'm gonna
turn it up like you like you flipped the switch
for sure, Like you know what I'm saying. Yeah, I
(18:21):
mean early on this season, I knew, like the end
of my second year, I had like a little good
little pace going on when I was just my trajectory
is just going up. So I knew the third year
I had to come in with a little bit of
so I had some motivation to come off of for sure.
For sure. Then early on this season, Colin got hurt ricky,
he was hurt with the torn acl so like I
(18:42):
was basically the only guard out there. I had to
ball in my hand at all the time. I was comfortable.
You look real comfortable, Yeah, super comfortable, like I was
out there really confident. Coach Bickerstaff. He made me just
super confident myself. He had confidence in me, so he
just gave me the keys to the car and just
let me drive it, bro. And that's all it was.
(19:03):
And that's that's why I'm at now. The level of
confidence or like the aspect of it is so like underrated, bro.
Like like when you when you a confident basketball player
is always a danger basketball. It don't matter how much
skilly guy I've ever thought about that, Like you could
be trying to leave somebody open. They hit two threes
and they feel like, look here, like they wanted them one. Now,
(19:24):
didn't gonna step back three. You feel me like exactly,
now you give somebody like you confidence. And I was like,
let's go to offer show you know what I'm saying. Yeah,
all the doors opening up when you had that confidence
in yourself. I believe, especially in this league, like when
you get that one opportunity, you gotta take it. And
when you get the confidence like all hell's breaking loose.
(19:44):
I believe for real. Seriously, Nah, We've been on the
We've been I've been on the ladder end of some
of these of these confident DG games. I was when
y'all when y'all played us this year, early in the year,
I was at home because if my foot was broke,
and I'm just watching, Like there's some shots you hit
on Like Paul, we switch it one through five and
(20:05):
Pei you play solid defense, you know guards, and you
just like hanging them back and forth. I'm like Dirdy
dished out sex assists looks for an offer. Girling going
to work, steps back down. That's just patting steps baby,
ain't then you can really do it like that p
read I mean it is. You just get a basketball.
(20:25):
When you see a couple of go through. Yeah, when
you see a couple of buckets go through, you know it.
The room looks super big out there. You can want
to pass by Mitchell to find Girling cut into the basket.
It's go time. It's go time. Another thing I want
to talk about though, like this would probably be more
than likely your first year in the office, like in
the playing game. You played in the playing game, but
(20:47):
this is gonna be your first year in the playoffs.
Like we're like, I know you're excited. I saw you
say something about it, but like it's a whole new
ball game that you bout the experience like you bout
I know you ready for it. What are you most
looking forward to like this? What's something that you're most
looking forward to about these playoffs? Man? Just the competitive nature.
I think like the playoffs should just bring a whole
(21:08):
another competitive spirit out of you, just like really meaningful
basketball at the show at the peak of the season,
Like everybody just ramping up right now, Like you can
see some of the physicality starting to pick up, Like
game plans are starting to get more strategic. So like
just honing in on the mental aspect of it, the
(21:29):
physicality of it, Like I can't I can't wait to
get in. It's what's your favorite thing about the office?
You've been in a couple of times now, bro, all Right,
So my rookie year, so we was during COVID when
I came in, so like we had like I think
it was like fifty percent capacity like the first three
or four games, and then we played game five Round one.
(21:51):
Game five at our crib was up three to one
against the Wizards. And it's the first time, my first time,
you know, you've been to like the sixth Arena, and
so it's my first time with one hundred percent capacity
in there in the playoffs. Close our game, and it's
like I'm bringing the ball up the court like in
the fourth because like I remember, Joe got hurt, so
I played like I don't know, I like twenty eight
(22:11):
minutes this game off the bench my rookie year. So
I'm bringing the ball up to court and like he
I can hear I can hear Doc streaming like the
play that he wants me to run, but like I
don't know what he's saying, Like it's so loud in there,
like this crowd being a frenzy. When we talked about
what gets the crowd going the bucket and transition to check,
how about a three pointer checks? As Westbrook response, it's
(22:33):
just like the intensity level of every single possession, bro
maxing he stuck a past a little pen. It's so crazy.
And then like when you play a team over and
over and over, it like but we played Toronto last
year in the playoffs after we had already we played
(22:55):
them two times in preseason, then we played them four
times in the regular season at six times, then we
played them six times in the people. We played in
the twelve times dog, so like by the end of
our sick of seeing Chris Bouchet crashed, Like bro, like
don't but it's like that's why I see why so
many like altercation in the playoffs. But you you literally
get you see these people every other day and you
(23:16):
like battling they run the same thing. At that point,
it's monoi mono, bro. It's like single posession basketball games.
Like the adjustments that are made in a playoff series
game by game, it's like ridiculous, Like we had Joelle
on on the big Fellaw that they had, then we
had Joel on Scotty Barn Joel on og Like it's
just so crazy how things switch up. Then one injury
(23:37):
can change your whole series or one play you know,
something that they find that the coaches find us working
changes the whole series. And like it's like I don't know,
but it's second to none, Like the whole world watching.
You know what I'm saying, The whole world's watched. There's
nothing else going on. It's just the playoffs, no March madness,
no football, you know what I'm saying, It's just hoops
and everybody's tuned in. But like it's pretty dope, man,
(24:00):
pretty dope. I like it. Man, I can't wait. Bro
Oh yeah, you're gonna be lit for show, You're gonna
be living for show. I can't wait. I got a
few more things for you. One more that's like on
my head now and I'm really thinking about because we
both kind of have to go through the same thing.
Like so last year, like I kind of started at
the point I started had the ball in my hands
a lot, and of course we have Joe Will but
(24:21):
like I was kind of making all the plays, making
our decisions. Then we make a trade and we bring JR.
Chin you know what I'm saying. So it's like now
I have to kind of still find a way to
be effective. But like you know, j J. You know
what I'm saying, he needs to ball in his hands
to be who he is, and you got to accept
that because he's like MVP. So it's like, how did
you like because you're still doing the same thing, Like
(24:43):
you're still hooping, like you know what I'm saying, You're
still putting up the numbers. And I think if you
maybe if you didn't get hurt, you're probably been an
All Star or you know what, missed the games to
the eye and all those things. You know how that goes.
But like you had all star numbers. You know what
I'm saying, how'd you like reconstructed a game your mindset
when when d bitch comes in? You know what I'm saying, Like,
how does that work? You know what I mean because
(25:04):
I know from firsthand experience that like it's hard. It's
hard and you but you love it because now you
have another guy that's going to help you get to
that get to the oldsmate goal. It's your pedals between
two and scoops make no straight Now he can get
buckets in the hurry. You said, but a quiet night
(25:24):
started fourth twelve. But that bucket doesn't ignite something because
that's a tough one. But like, how does it mentally?
How'd you like, you know, reconstructing your mind to to
hoop like that? No, it is tough when like he
first got here. I remember all through training camp, like
we were both sure trying to like really just feed
each other the ball, like you go score and then
(25:45):
he wants me to go score like on something, back
and forth. But now it's just starting to get like
a lot easier because we're starting to figure out like
where we want the ball, that trying to figure out
different ways how he can get going. Then I get going.
So we had like that same floor at the same
time most of the time in the games. But I
mean it's just definitely hard just hand like another guy
(26:07):
that just can really just go get it, bro, Like
don really just he just go gets it. Like he's
just a great score. Just it's a knack for score.
So like with me, you know me, bro, Like I
just love passing the ball for it for sure. So
like if I get a couple assists off him, get
a couple of lives off the chair, that evan like
(26:28):
my dad's complete bro, Like I love y'all. Just go
do y'all thing, and then I'll just found my openess whatever.
He played Boston on ESPN and that was one of
our early games and we both were like just really
in sync on both ends of the floor the secondary
defender and I think we both had like thirty or something.
(26:51):
We had like sixty five points like together. So that
was like one night that we really watched film will
really aren't clicking and seeing some actions that we really
can start going to late in games, and we can
both just kind of disfigure each other out and just
how the same mentality just go be aggressive at all times.
(27:11):
I don't know. And you know, it's cool to see
how like the league is changing like this positionless basketball,
like you able to play on like a guard like you,
a guard like me, guard like bitch Jade can play
on and off the ball and play off of each other.
And it's like, uh, I don't know, man, It's just
it's just really cool to see like they're like their
(27:31):
vets to us. They're still young in a sense, but
they're like, you know, vets to us, like kind of
have Like I think if Jad's like my big brother
man like him coming in. He came right in. He
told me like, bro, hey, nothing's gonna change. Bro, nothing changing.
I had the ball a little bit, but I still
want you to rock out. I still want you to
be aggressive. I'm here to grow your game. I'm not
here to you know what I'm saying. I'm not here
(27:53):
a stunt of girl. If I'm here a greater game now.
I just appreciated him for that because like he didn't
have to do that, you know what I'm saying. He
James hen't come in and exactly you can move pieces
around how you want to. Like he's came in and
and and being great for us, and you know, I
think you know Donvan has done the same for y'all
as well, Like you know, he's been in the playoffs,
so and he'll help y'all with that aspect too, help
with that aspect too. But yeah, he's definitely bringing in
(28:15):
that aspect, bro. Like even like close games with y'all
Boston and Milwaukee, like New York. I mean, he's we
always talking. We watched them together sometimes. And now it
was another thing when he first came in. He told me,
he was like, you built this from the ground up, bro,
like the facts. You've been here through the bads and
the goods, like the upbringing. So it's still your team.
(28:39):
He wants me to rock out. So it was like
that mutual agreement that we both wanted because we know
what's the ultimate goal list and we're trying to get there. No,
I respect that as long as as long as you know,
I gotta get through us. But it's okay, y'all. I
want y'all to will want y'all to succeed you for sure.
But y'all tough though, No, no, it's it's gonna be.
You know, the East right now is rocking. Let's just
(29:00):
keeping spade a space each right now, it's wrong like
I'm thinking sometimes like Toronto, like the heat, but he
was the one tea last year they like seventh or
eighth right now, like it's just right. It's really jumping
right now. So especially the top four seeds. I'm top
four seeds, like anytime you play that, you know, the
matchup like that, it is always close. Ain't no, nobody's
backing down from nobody. So the playoffs about to be
(29:22):
crazy though, I ain't even gonna lie about. Yeah, but yeah, bro,
like I ain't first there's nothing you stay in at
RFP house, right, that's like ruse, that's that's dope. Yeah,
I means your house is that's all yeah man, that's
cool man, y'all man, that's like how you how you
how you like your new house? How you how's coming
with you? What you got going in there? I see
(29:43):
stuff in the backguard whichever, you know, like some little pictures, paintings, stuff,
a little pool table. Man, It's it's nothing. Man, I'm
about to look for another crib and a little bit
though you hurt. I A'm at that. I am at that,
But now I got one more thing for you. I
got one more thing for so every every week, you know,
And I appreciate you getting on here too. This has
(30:03):
been actually real cool man. It's from really good though, Like,
appreciate you having me, Bro. I was telling them, like
you haven't having you on here, bro, like it's someone
that I know. You know what, y'all know it for
a long time. I don't know if you remember this.
I'm getting all. I don't know if you remember this,
but you played for we all can go? Right, Like yeah,
like young was that you Marvin Bagley? Yeah? So I was.
(30:24):
I was on the on the Sun's team. We were
We were terrible. It was terrible. I was terrible. I
was a little kid and like I think, Bro, like
y'all beat us by like fifty points. Bro. It was
so crazy, like and I'm just running around like, bro,
who are these people like this? Dude? You shoot it?
You shoot it from like deep. I'm like, Marvin Bagley,
(30:44):
dunt do on us. I'm like, bro, we have no chance,
y'all name was we all can go? But like we
left thinking that y'all was like too old. I'm like,
my mom, was we all too old? Everybody used to
say that, bro, but I'm like, they have to be old.
There's no way they could be this good at this
young age. You know what I'm saying. Like it was ridiculous.
But anyway, that's that's that's the point. Um. But no,
(31:07):
we um. Every every week at the end of the show,
I'll do something where I talked about what I was
thankful for for the last week and what I wanted
to get one percent better on at the week above.
It's sorry, I'm putting you on the spot here, but
do you have something that you could say that you
was thankful for, um from last week and something that
(31:30):
you want to get one percent better for the week
that's coming up. You put me on a spot. I apologize.
I probably should have told you that before, but it
wouldn't have been as fun, it wouldn't have been as genuine.
You feel me. That's true, that's true. That's true. One
thing I'm thankful for my parents came to Miami and
I spent some time with them, got some dinners, had
(31:52):
some good talks. Um. That's one thing I'm thankful for
just seeing my parents all the time, spending always good
quality family time. Yeah, that was that was really good.
And for travel we was on the road a lot
this past week, so thankful for that. What is something
that you want to get one percent better at in
the week that's coming up? So like I think mine
(32:16):
last week was something like I want to get better
at my faith? You know something, whatever you have in mine,
I mean, whatever you have about faith is a good one.
I liked that one. Yeah, that was what I thought.
I'm not gonna take care though that. That was a
great one. Oh, let's see, I'll say being organized, like
I guess, yeah, I feel you me and one percent
better me and organized, have my stuff in order. We're
(32:39):
going another long road trip, so just getting that in
line or just having everything set for the week. Yeah,
I'm gonna go with that one. Are you a last
minute packer or you packing it in advanced last minute packing?
Last minute two ampe? Oh yeah for sure. Yeah, I'm
pretty bad at that to no man. Yeah, I appreciate you, dog,
(33:02):
I appreciate you being on here, especially after that, you know,
playing last night. I know, still my brother for shore
always all love, I told her, I asked, Miss Felicia said,
I told my mom take this Felicia and tell her
that I'm about to mess it with her. I'm about
to come over for dinner, and she takes my mom
back out the game last tell he's not welcome to
come over dinner. Said cool man. I was like, man, look,
(33:24):
oh yeah, I went to you know, I went over
and checked out the house. You know what I'm saying.
I've made your house you feel you feel as soon
as I landed, Hey, yo, I'm checking in. Man, I'm here, like, hey,
make sure I'm good. I may not be leaving the hotel,
but I'm good. No, Man, it's cool, but no, man,
I appreciate you being on here. Man. All love man,
(33:45):
good luck though for real playoffs, maybe we'll see y'all.
That would be That would be epic. That crazy first round,
I mean first round, sacred d whatever round match up
you know, that would be. That would be epic. You know,
I know our parents would be sitting there side by side,
act like they don't like each other. For exact we
can have but it'll be all. It'll be all love. Man,
appreciate you, Appreciate you now. So appreciate you, bro. You no,
(34:08):
it's always great talking to DG Man DG to PG
from the Cleveland Cavaliers. It's like a brother to me, honestly,
and we got real close when I was training for
the draft. He gave me a lot of pointers, gave
me a lot of tips. You heard what he said
that he was thankful for, So you know that like
the family aspect that he has, you know, we have
the same type of family mode. Mom and dad are
(34:30):
always a support of always, they're always in the mix.
It's just crazy that my mom and his mom talk
every day as well, so they know how much we
loved them. And it's just good to have a moment.
I really appreciate him because he came on and he
was real. You know. He talked about the struggles that
he had early in his career. He talked about how
being down. The media put him down, saying that he
(34:51):
was like analytically or statistically the worst basketball player in
the NBA, but he persevered. And that's what the one
thing that we've really been talked about on this podcast,
how mental health and perseverance and all of that is
so much. It's so important, it's so important to find
who can help you through that. And that's another way
of saying him showing that his parents have helped them.
(35:14):
But yeah, that was great. That was great, man. I
appreciate them having that. But when we get back, I
would tell y'all what I am thankful for, and I
would tell y'all what I would like to get one
percent better for this upcoming week. And yeah, I appreciate
y'all for listening. Hey, I did my job. I promised
y'all that I wasn't gonna be the only one talking, Okay,
so I really hope y'all enjoyed it, and you know,
(35:36):
I see y'all after the break. All right, welcome back everyone.
It's time for y'all to hear what I am thankful
for and my plan on getting one percent better this week.
(35:58):
I'll start with saying I am extremely thankful for this
team and how we've bought through adversity because we started
out the season one and four, like everybody who's kind
of counting us out. Even after starting one and four,
we finally got into five hundred I think it was
like four and four, and then James gets hurt, so
(36:18):
then we figured out Joe will comes back, and then
I get hurt, and so now Joel is out there
by himself. Then Joe Will gets hurt, and now you
you know, we have to Buias and we have all
the rest of our guys melt shaking bag, all of
them start playing extremely well. Then you get Joel back,
then you get James back, and then I come back
in the mix, and it just feels like we've all
(36:40):
messed through all of that adversity. We've all messed into
this one team that stepping in the right direction come
playoff time, and that's what it's all about it and
I'm extremely thankful for that, and I'm thankful for everybody
being patient with us. And we've all farle caught our
groove and now we're scary. And how I want to
get one percent better than this week is we are
(37:02):
playing a road trip that we're coming up, a three
game trip of no regress. We only want to make progress.
We may lose or we may you know, we may
have a tough game, but we want to still be
step in the right direction with no slippage, because at
this time of the year, as long as we keep
playing the right way and using the right principles, I
(37:22):
feel like that's going to really help us come playoff time.
You know, sometimes you have games where the ball just
just and go in, and those are games you have
to rely on your defense for allowing your trunch, for
allowing others. And that's what I want us to do
on this trip. Stay together, stay positive, and do the
best that we could possibly can and keep stepping in
the same direction. But yeah, that's it. Thanks for listening
to Max you on the mic, Please rate, review, and subscribe,
(37:45):
and I will see y'all next week for episode four.
Maxie Out
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