January 29, 2026 • 48 mins
With Seth sidelined by injury, Quinn Cook joins Tray as co-host to break down the Greatest NBA Duos of the 2000s and what truly separated the elite pairings from the rest.
The conversation dives into iconic partnerships like Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, and Dwyane Wade and Shaq, examining what made those duos dominant and why their chemistry translated into championships. Quinn also brings a personal lens to the discussion, reflecting on his own partnership with Tyus Jones at Duke, where the two formed one of the best backcourts in the country and capped their run with a National Championship in 2015. The episode wraps with Tray and Quinn ranking their Top 5 Greatest Duos of the 2000s and which tandem they’d most want to see dropped into today’s NBA.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
But I remember, like, Bro, he really scored thirteen and
thirty five seconds against like this caliber team. He's hitting
crazy shots, but as a hooper, like we've all been
there before.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
When you're getting that mode in that zone, like the
basket looks like the ocean.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
We are back. We are back with another episode of
g OT Greatest of Their Era. I'm your host, Trey Edwards,
and we are back with a special guests. He's going
to be hosting today. He's a two time NBA champion,
five year NBA BAT Collegiate All American, also won a
national title his senior year at Duke, where he led
(00:44):
the acc and free throw percentage eighty nine percent and
was second is scoring on his team with fifteen point
three points per game. Quinn QC. Cook, my god to
the show, my boy.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Man, pleasure, pleasure to be here with you, man, My honor,
my honor for sure.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Yeah, man. And you know right now Seth is out
with an injury. We're hoping that he gets better. So
Quinn wud be subbing in for a little bit, helping
on his episodes and also contributing some great memory, some
great stories. Can't wait to discuss the latest topic with him.
So we're just gonna jump right into it. Man. So
our topic this week is the greatest duos. I gotta
(01:24):
say duos because I have a funny accident. I'm saying
duals of the two thousands. This is gonna be a
great episode. Some of our heroes on there, and some
people Quinn have may have played against, you know, during
his NBA playing career. But I want to just start
this off with have you ever been partnered? Are you
considered yourself a part of a duo?
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Yeah, I would say my senior year with Tyus Jones.
Julie Opeford was the best player on the team, but
me and Tis, you know, we were considered the best
backcourt in the country. And I think you need a
strong backcourt, you know, in the tournament in March, you know,
you need guys to break presses, you need guys to
make fre throws at the end. And we always would
(02:08):
make sure a big fella, you know, would leave his
imprint on the game. But you know, most of the time,
like myself and Tires, we would close the game. So
they we came back from down maybe fifteen late against
North Carolina, and you know when Tyres was coming in.
I was a senior, he was a freshman, and I
had started the past couple of seasons. So they're like,
(02:30):
Tius is coming, they're going to take your spot, queens
a transfer, this and that.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
But coach was like, man, you're my captain. We need you.
So instead of you know, going against tires.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Like pumping heads, hating him, feeling the type of way
like I embraced them.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
We embraced each other and we made each other better.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
And you know, he was doing an interview at the
end of the game and I just grabbed him, like
punched him in his chest playfully and just like, man,
we're the best backcourt. And it went viral, and you know,
we regarded the best backcourt. So I save me and
times were a good duo.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
When it comes to chemistry and you're thinking about duos,
like how important is it off the court as much
as it on the court.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
For me, you know, being lucky to have played on
some great teams, I think that's the most important part.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Like obviously got to be a good player, you gotta
work hard, you have to practice, you have to.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
Get that chemistry, you got to push each other all
that stuff. But you know, the great teams that I've
been on, Like we hung out, you know, outside the court,
if it was coming over each other's houses, hanging out
each other's dorms in college, going to the movies, going
out to eat. When I got to the pros, going
out to dinners, just you know, playing video games, watching
just watching TV shows.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
I mean everything.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
I think that just you know, because if you can
hold each other accountable off the floor, you know, the
on the court is easy when you have that before.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
So I think that's crucial, is that chemistry off the court.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
All right, So we're gonna jump right into it. Man
for the NBA, and you grew up a Lakers, and man,
we got to kick it off with the you know,
Shaq and Kobe. So how important was Shaq and Kobe
to you watching? You know, these guys dominate the league
in the early two thousands.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Well, I was born a little too late for the
Michael Jordan Pippen era, so you know, all I.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Heard was Jordan Pippen, Jordan Pitten six rings.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
So you know, when I got to the age where
I kind of started to understand basketball, Like I remember,
you know, the Lakers winning in two thousand and My
dad was a big, big, big, big Laker fan, you know,
Showtime Days Magic. He was his favorite player, so I
was kind of born into it. So you know, whatever
team he was rooting for, I was rooting for. And
then like seeing Kobe and everybody was like, this is
(04:45):
the next Jordan, this is next Jordan. Well I heard
so much about Jordan, but I missed it. So this
is my Jordan, this is my favorite player. So I
was just you know, stuck to Kobe and then obviously
you know, it went through the big fella. So just
to see those guys win three cham ships in the row,
they kind of set the tone for the two thousand zone.
As a fan, it was great, but kind of see
(05:06):
their turmoil as well. And then you know, Shago get
one by itself obviously be way, but Shago get one and.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Then Kobe go get two.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
They just show how important they were and what they
mentioned basketball together.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
So you know, got to kick it off with those two.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Sure, yeah, absolutely, And in their run was fifteen and
one in the postseason in two thousand and one, second
only to the twenty seventeen Warriors, you know what I mean.
And as a champion, you can relate you won a
championship with both franchises. Like, what do you think and
you've played on some great teams, what do you think
(05:40):
goes into like a duo? You know what I mean
when you're a part of those teams, Like you're you're
a role player on the team, but then you know
there's two guys that are maybe the one the first
option in the second option. How important do they need
to be on for you guys to succeed on the
big stage.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
Yeah, they set the tone. They set the tone in
the locker room. They set the tone or the vibe
of the team. They set the tone on the bus,
like they.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Set the tone.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
I think all fifteen players, well all thirteen players are
looking at the top two guys and.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
If they go, we go? How we how they go?
Speaker 1 (06:18):
And like for me, like I think like with the
Lakers on the back end of my career, playing with
Lebron and Ad, it was a whole new team Lake Lebron,
Caruso and Cools and Rondo.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
But Rondo was kind of like he was in and out.
But like we had a.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
Whole new team. And I remember Bron and Ad came together,
it was like we'll do a mini camp in Vegas.
So like that set the tone right there, like we're
gonna go out to eat, We're gonna go out, we're
gonna hang out, we're gonna like vibe together.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Like this is before the season, before training camp.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
But it started with them too, and obviously they prepared
us to a championship. But like we always looked at
those two guys to kind of set the tone. So
they answer a question I think, you know, role players
get confidence from the stars. The rookies, the guys at
the end of the bench get confidence from the stars. So
coaches get confidence from the stars. So it starts with
the top two players on the team for sure.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
Yeah, absolutely, all right, standing in the division, Tim Duncan
and Tony Park. Now you can have a conversation and say, like,
you know, they're one of the most dominant, you know
duos to ever play in the year two thousands, you
know what I mean when you really think about championships
and you know how they were able to you know,
just have a chemistry, like it's the true identity is
(07:35):
plug and play. And you think about a certain Spurs
player when you think about these two, right, they're the
prime example. So when you're drafted, You're like, you got
to be a model player like these two, you know
what I'm saying. Still to this day, you know, Tony
Parker still has some of his DNA, you know in
the Spurs because they have you know, Wenby Now which
is also you know French. And then when you think
(07:57):
about Tim Duncan and David Robinson. So there's a certain
type of player that at this point are the d
n the Spurs, the Spurs. Way, how good was that
Spurs team? You know what I mean? You know watching
it the two thousands.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
Well, honestly I hated him just because they I felt
like they were the Lakers kryptonite.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
I felt like they played like quote unquote born basketball.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
But you know they didn't really. You're not getting the
Kobe's dunks. You're not getting the Shack Alleys. You know,
you're getting back to the basket, you know, triple threat
back to the basket with Tim Duncan. You're getting bank
shots with Tim Dunkan. You getting picking rolls and extra
extra to Bruce Bourne in the corner, skip pass to
bors dr men, You're getting real basketball. So like a
(08:41):
basketball savant at that age, I'm just a true fan,
like I'm just I want the Lakers store to go
eighty two and oher, I want to go fifteen to
o in the playoffs and win win the ring, right,
But the Spurs always gave us problems, and they started
with those two, started with Tony and then started with Tim.
Tim being the greatest power forever and uh, you know,
(09:02):
Tony being one of the best point guards ever. But
he was smaller, he played below the rim, which I
could relate to, and he was tough.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Man.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
I played against him in a playoffs first round twenty eighteen.
Obviously this is on his back end, and he was
he was.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
He was the quote unquote backup.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
I was the backup man, and he was getting at me.
One game he was getting at me.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Man, And I remember Steve was like, man, we got
to make an adjustment. Quinn can't guard Tony. I'm like, dang, man.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
He about to retire a minute. So I couldn't imagine
guarding him back in the day. So it was definitely fun.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
To play against him.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
Yeah, I could. I can only imagine, especially on the
back end, Like when you really think about Tony Parker
and how aggressive, like the thing is, No, you're reading
the scouting report and everybody, it's like he can only
go one way and think how still dominant he is,
you know, to get into the pain, throw his floater,
get the guys involved, still be one of the leading
scorers on the team. Very important. I used to always
(09:58):
call him the basketball time Brady. You know what I mean.
You get the players that that individually you really liked.
But then you think about Tony Parker if you wanted
to win a championship, him and Derek Fisher were great
leaders on the basketball court. So definitely definitely a dynamic duel.
So back to the Lakers, we got Kobe and got sold.
(10:19):
So this is you know, the second you mentioned Kobe
going to get two rings, and I actually seen a
comment right, and we I'm glad that this is the topic.
You know, most Paul Pierce was talking about how Powell
got sold is basically underrated. He doesn't get he doesn't
get acknowledged enough. Right when you talk about it, right,
(10:41):
you say, oh, Kobe got five rings. When we talk
about basketball is collective anyway, right, the whole team has
to contribute, whether you played or not. You're so important
in that scout scouting team you're so important in those practices.
You're so important, like you had such a major roll
in the playoffs against the Warriors, you know what I mean,
(11:02):
Like when when Steph was out, you know what I mean,
you got to think about how important each person plays.
So when you really think about, yes, Kobe won five,
but does Kobe get back to the playoffs? Does Kobe
make a deep run without having a legit big man
like Pole Gasol, you know what I mean? And I
feel sometimes he's kind of scrubbed out the story because
(11:23):
we pushed individual ego, you know, debates about who's the
goat and things of that nature. But these two are
the reason why the Lakers went back to back. You know,
at the end of this decade, watching this team versus
watching the Shack team, how did you know what's the
comparison as a Lakers fan, and and and and what
(11:46):
did you really like about them?
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Well, when the tray went down, man, just I was
I knew we had to shot, Like I knew he
was back in the mix.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Kobe had went through his phase where he was struggling.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
We had time, Jonavic, we got filled back and trying
to figure it out. But once we got Pole, I
know we had a shot, and they clicked right away. Obviously,
his first season, you know, they lost to Boston and six,
but I knew the next couple of years, you know,
we was going to be in that championship mix when
(12:19):
Kobe was scoring all the points. You know, when Shaq left,
I don't think nobody saw the mass championship contended teams.
We just knew Kobe was gonna put up numbers and
we'll see what happens.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
Maybe they win the series, maybe not. But you know,
when when Pole got.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
There, like I think the basketball world knew the Lakers
is back in the mix. So I definitely, you know,
I'm not gonna say I feel away that he doesn't
get the flowers that he deserves.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
But as soon as he stepped for the LA, we
went to three straight finals, and uh, they clicked right away.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
I remember hearing stories and you I used to watch
like all like the Inside Access stuff that mic like
all that stuff, and he was just always talking about
how he felt Kevin Garnet punking Kevin Garnet punking that
eight series.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
So like those guys wouldn't wear green like nothing.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
The whole team was just like man we got to
get back here and obviously oh nine, and then getting
you know, back to the finals, beating Dwight in Orlando,
and then getting their revenge in twenty ten and playing
the Subjects again, which went you know, seven games, and
I remember watching that game and they wanted I ran
all across my neighborhood, like I felt like I won
(13:32):
a championship. I was like sixteen years old, but I
took it really really, really really serious. So yeah, I
don't think Pole gets is just due.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
But as soon as he.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
Got in Lakerland, you know, we went to three one two,
and uh, you know, he's definitely one of the greatest Lakers.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
Yeah, he definitely wasn't a slouch either. I mean, I
think obviously winning NBA Finals made his case a little
bit stronger for Hall of Fame, you know, but overall all,
like he was already a good player, you know what
I mean, to continued to develop with a very young
Memphis team before making that trade, and he was swapped
for his brother ironically even more crazy, and his brother
(14:11):
went back to go you know, play, So you know
what I mean, that's a whole that's a whole other thing.
That's pretty cool, but uh, they're They're definitely up there.
I'm interested to see what your top five is going
to be at the end of this episode, Dwayne Wade
and Shot. I really liked this team, even though they
were surrounded by so many veterans, you know what I mean.
They had Antoine Walker, they had Jason Williams, had Gary Payton,
(14:34):
Alonzo Mourning as a backup, you know what I mean,
James Posey, Damon Jones. Like the list went on with
that team, you know what I mean. Like as far
as contributors, Drell Wright my AAU teammate, you know what
I mean, Like, these guys were really fun. And I
remember being back home in Los Angeles being happy right
that the Lakers weren't going to be good. I was
(14:56):
the biggest Lakers hater in Los Angeles, Like, you know, like.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
They basically mean that's a tough thing to do.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
Well. I just was a Jordan guy. I watched Jordan
win it ninety one, then it kept going, kept going,
and ninety eight he decides to retire. I'm just like, okay,
what's next? Right? And I remember Kobe Burbay, like I
watched Kobe play at the Long Beach pyramid right now, Like, Yo,
Kobe's gonna be good. He was, he was, he was
(15:27):
all that in the bag of chips and even think
about it, right, but he was so alienated, right the
league was so older to a point that they were
just like and I should have probably been rooting for
him versus against him, but I just was just so
old NBA. So when he took the game, you know,
game tyme or game winning shot in Utah playoff series
(15:49):
and the airball I celebrated, I was just like, yeah,
you know, fake Michael Jordan, you know what I mean?
Like I was all into it. But the Lakers two
thousand to two thousand and three ruined high school for
me because they dominated. It made basketball boring for me.
Like I didn't watch any games because I'm like, they
gonna win. They dominated. It's no team that had better chemistry.
(16:13):
And I you know, my whole debate was they got
old Bulls players, So that was a I'm like, man, like,
how y'all gonna say he better? You know what I mean?
Like they're running the triangle, they got harder, they got
for his Grant, they got John Sally. The list just
kept going on, and I'm like, no, I'm just not
gonna switch this team. And I, you know, one of
my I was fortunate to stick around with the Bulls
(16:35):
as long as I could before I became NBA media.
But yeah, man, I was so happy when when Shaq
went to Miami and you know, Darrell was playing there,
and I wasn't like hoping they won, but I just
was glad that the Lakers were bad and Kobe still
was like you mentioned, he was fun to watch because
how he played and the numbers he was putting up.
(16:55):
But the teams are so bad. My favorite team is
actually the team of how All Shack got to Miami
when they got Koran Butler and the Chuckie Atkins. I
liked that team. I like that that that Lakers team.
You know what I'm saying. Kobe and Kobe and Karan
Butler were locked in, like they were locked in. I
(17:15):
was like, all right, this reminds me Eddie Jones and Kobe.
They gonna be on something. And then Chucky Atkins made
that comment and he got traded and it was you know,
it was just a whole different thing, but it was
it was interesting, you know what I mean. He made
a smart remark one time about Kobe and he was
out of there. But that Miami Miami Heat team basically
kicked off what we see in the heatles and Miami
(17:38):
Heat coacher moving forward. You know Pat Raley when Cowboy
and had everybody in there wearing knee braces in practice
and you know, just just changed the whole environment. Man.
But they're definitely up there, you know what I mean.
I feel like if you want to ring, you might
get a mention from me. But a lot of these
a lot of these these players we're talking about, are
(17:58):
they they've won something, you know what I mean, like
they're successful together. It's not any like participation trophy here.
And you mentioned Boston, KG and Paul Pierces. Now we
talk about the Big Three often in Rey Allen's no
slous Ray Allen wasn't old when he got there, but KG,
(18:19):
you know, going to Boston, it almost felt like a
cheap code, you know what I mean, two thousand and eight,
they get there, they're playing with you know, Paul Pierce
was already who he was, you know what I mean,
consecutive All Star just a closer, a pain in the side,
but couldn't get over that hump man when he played
against certain teams like the Detroit to the World and
(18:41):
you know, and and just really matched up. But how
good you know, watching from the other side and considering
these teams like your enemy, How good was KG and
Paul Pierce?
Speaker 1 (18:52):
I mean they were the standard. They were the standard.
I think we all knew, the world knew how good
of a player Paul was. He just needed a little
more help, you know what I'm saying, Like he just
needed a little more. Obviously KG winning an MVP award
being who he was wherever he went, you know, I
think it was going to shake up the NBA. So
(19:13):
for him to go to Boston, obviously with Ray still
in his prime, still playing on the high level, they
were the standard. That's the first quote unquote superteam of
my of my life that I could remember. So I
didn't like that that happened because like at the time,
like the Lakers Celtics is obviously the big rivalry, but
(19:35):
like I never really saw that rivalry. And then once
they got you know, those two guys along with Paul,
like I knew they would be in the mix as well,
but that put everybody on notice, Like I got to
get better. So Obviously the Lakers made that move to
try to compete with that, but they were the better
team that year. But those two guys, obviously KG being
you know, the force, being the best player, but like
(19:57):
Paul got you know, found z MVP.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
You know, Paul, it was a No. Top ten guy
as well.
Speaker 1 (20:02):
So I didn't I want, I'm not gonna say I
hated those guys because they were really good. And I
love Rondo like my dad loved Rondo. He loves past
first point guards. So to see the emergence of Rondo
was fun.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
And uh yeah, they got it done. They got it
done so and it started with K and Paul, So.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
Yeah, yeah, I mean credit to them, man. You know,
they represent sacrifice. It was literally the destroying of the ego. Yeah,
one one one sound, one band. Right. You got to
think about, uh, KG becoming the defensive anchor for that team,
you know what I mean, whenning Defensive Player of the Year,
you know what I mean, his first season with them.
And then also you know, Reyalen becoming like a third
(20:46):
a third guy, you know, which kicked off. You know,
Lebron and Chris Boss joined in Miami, you know what
I mean. And and understanding different roles, and hey, we
all can win in this. In this aspect, the ultimate
goal is a chanceampionship. The second goal is to be
consecutive All Stars and to get paid. You know what
I mean. If you can check off all three boxes,
(21:07):
you've done your job. And it starts with just checking
your ego at the door with one goal. But also,
I think what we witness with these Phoenix teams, these
Brooklyn Nets teams, teams of the past that have quote
unquote loaded up. It's not that they don't check the ego,
but everybody's so used to being the number one option
(21:28):
that it's harder than it seems. So it's more impressive
to win when you can kind of check it at
the door and be able to do it, you know
what I mean, Because you know, obviously everybody gave Brad
a hard time in Phoenix and he would be played hurt,
and you know, but also he's never been number two,
he's never been a number three. This is somebody who's
(21:49):
getting twenty five shot attempts a game, and now you're
telling them to go stand in the corner, or play
outside his position as a point guard, or just find it.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
You know what?
Speaker 3 (21:59):
I mean throughout throughout the rhythm of two other players
that are touching the ball just as much. So it's
it's definitely definitely a challenge Ben Wallace and another Laker
Killer team, you know what I mean, like.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
All the Laker Killers.
Speaker 3 (22:16):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, man, they made it fun. Man
at twenty fourteen, I think this is kind of interchangeable.
Speaker 2 (22:22):
Right.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
You got Ben Wallace as the defensive anchor and Chauncey
Phillips as you know, I mean, it's the floor general.
But then you also could you know, flip in and
say Rashie Wallace, you know, former All Star, and you
know Rip Hamilton who also was an All Star and
face of the franchise. Literally you know what I mean.
So when you think about how important these two were,
(22:42):
this is like the blue collar wind, you know what
I mean. Other NBA, like they beat that Karl Malone,
Gary Payton Lakers team, which almost reminds me of the
Dwight Howard Steve Nash Lakers team. Right, you get certain
players and their names are bigger than the actual chemistry,
you know what I mean, Like where you're like, man,
they cheating. That's the first thing people say when they
(23:03):
get like a great acquisition. They're cheating, but you gotta
play games. You get what I'm saying, Like, y'all wasn't guaranteed.
I mean, people probably came in thinking, Okay, y'all got
Kevin Durant, y'all got Stephan Curry, I got Draymond Green,
ya got Klay Thompson, you got Andre The list goes on.
(23:23):
Y'all gonna go undefeated. Now you got to target on
y'all back. But also Steph goes down, or a certain
person goes down, and God's got to step in. It's
not as easy, you know what I mean. So that's
that's the beauty of that pissed his team of you know,
the landsay Hunters of the world, the Elden Campbell's rest
in peace, you know what I mean, the dark old militants.
(23:45):
Even though he didn't play that much. But you think
about it, how important guys were on those squads, Chris
Weber and Mike they didn't win. We finally got as
a team that didn't win, but they were thrown in
the Lakers side. I mean, Mike Bibby used to give
Derek Fisher the fits, respectfully. Chris Webber, I always felt
(24:06):
Chris Webber was always in a bad spot. When you
think about Chris Webber playing the power for position, the
West power for position is so stacked that sometimes he
would be on the bubble for the All Star team.
When I looked at Chris Webber's Hall of Fame numbers
and the things, I thought, Chris Webber was in the
(24:28):
All Star Game more than five times, you know what
I mean, Like you think about that, he's five times,
But you gotta think about who was there before. Yeah,
Belong Barkley, they got old, then you got Tim duncan Her,
you know what I'm saying, Like KG, like some some
(24:51):
are already scribbled in before the first preseason game. Some
of them scribbled in, You're gonna have to win. If
you don't win the popularity, you're gonna have the ball
like a mad man and take it all the way
over the top. That means your team healthy, You healthy,
and you done added something to your game that's getting
you over twenty and ten. And Mike Bibby and Chris
Weber just you know, obviously they only and they only
(25:14):
played three seasons together. It felt like it was a
little bit longer. But they could not get past the Lakers.
But Chris Weber and Mike Bibby definitely were respectfully very good,
you know what I mean, Like to this day, Sacramento
Sacramento King and talk about those teams, you know, to
this day, you know, I mean, they put it work
for real, but you just can't get over the Laker wall.
(25:35):
The Laker row is a very serious one even to
this day. Teams play against the Lakers and came, you know,
get past them. There's another team that didn't win the title,
Steve National March, donamar Man, that pick and roll between
them the seven seconds or less. These teams were so fun,
you know what I mean. Sean Marion I created as
(25:56):
one of the greatest undersized power for us, so this
game has ever seen, you know what I mean. He's
asked to do so many things, although not having an
attractive shot. How do you feel about those Phoenix teams
playing against your Lakers? You know what I mean, like
during that time as a Laker fan, because those were
very chippy. Yeah yeah, I feel like you gotta beat
(26:16):
Phoenix to get to San Antonio.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
Yeah yeah, facts, I think at that time I love
Steve Nash like I love Steve Nash like Steve Nash
is one of those guys that my dad you know,
made me watch, you know, made sure that I paid
attention to.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
It's like another smaller guard, another below the rim guy.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
But he's one two back to back MVPs, I mean,
obviously controlled the game, did everything, you know to keep
my Lakers from making a playoff run.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
I remember being up three to one when.
Speaker 1 (26:50):
Kobe hit that shot at the elbow and he did
this like I felt like I want a championship, But
I remember one more game. We got these guys and
slowly but surely, every quarter, every possession, Steve is just
making shots, you know, just hockey assists, assists, lobs. I mean,
(27:10):
I get goosebumps now still thinking about Tim Thomas banking
that three end in Game six, man like, and they
obviously Kobe had the Kobe second half in Game seven
against those guys. Tough, tough teams. I think I think
Duves was on that team. Jared Delly was on that team.
So he used to always talk about, you know, Steve's
(27:33):
preparation and just how skilled he was and the mark
stat his lives. I think his his scoring ability, his
mid range ability gets you know, just overshadowed about all
his highlight.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
Dumps, but he was a hell of a scorer man.
And those two they got a little my nerves for
that little stand that they had for sure.
Speaker 3 (27:54):
Yeah, yeah, that's that's also the series that Kobe didn't shoot. Yeah,
the petty the petty series, like where he was just
like all right, I ain't gonna take a shot, you
know what I mean? That was an interesting series, man,
But like, yeah, I love watching Phoenix play man, especially
when they had q Rich you know, and Tim Thomons
and Joe Johnson. Think about that, they had Joe Johnson,
(28:16):
q Rich, you know what I mean, they had Barbosa, Like, dude,
they were like that close. That's one of the teams
that should have made it, you know what I mean
when you really think about it, and there they're super respected.
Another one out. We're gonna go down to the South
to Houston. Tracy McGrady and y'all, y'all mean you know
(28:38):
what I mean? Like that that dude, I didn't expect
to like take off as much as it did. But
I think it benefited team Act the most because played
a lot of like individual basketball. His individual brand was
great in the Orlando Popular Jersey sometimes got the infamous
(29:01):
conversation is he better than Kobe? Because Kobe had to
play with Shaq, so he got a little bit highlighted
a little bit more. But when he got with y'all,
he finally had a strong supporter. You know, I mean
number two, which I don't even know who was one
or two in this because they both were all stars.
You know, y'all was a very you know, he didn't
(29:23):
back down. He was very effective. And you really think about,
you know, y'all's career being cut short because you know,
he dealt with foot injuries, but Tracy McGrady dealing with
back injuries where this team actually could have went, you
know what I mean, Like Tracy McGrady gets a rough
like rap because of his injuries and saying, hey, he
(29:46):
wasn't a winner, but like individually, his peers talked about
him to the highest and in these two actually changed
the trajectory of the Rockets. I mean, I'm a Steve
Francis Rockets guy. But and they got team act like
the Jerseys, the swag, just the thirteen you know, thirteen
(30:07):
points in eight seconds or something like that. Man, Like
it's just a lot of stuff that went on, you
know what I mean with with that that tandem.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
Yeah, that thirteen points and thirty five seconds. I guess
the spurs Like I remember recording that on a VHS
on a blank on a blank VCR I and I
end up falling asleep on the game.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
But I got commercials and everything I got, I.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
Got everything fast forward through the blah blah blah blah.
I remember just watching it obviously before YouTube and stuff,
but I remember, like, Bro, he really scored thirteen and
thirty five seconds against like this caliber team. He's hitting
crazy shots, but as a hooper, like we've all been
there before, when you're getting that mode and that zone,
like the basket was like the ocean. And obviously he
(30:55):
had a lot of his career, but to do that,
you know, on that stage there was a ten T game, Like, yeah,
that that duo was cool and y'all, Like obviously his
brand was just so big, but I think that kind
of overshadowed like as good as how good of a
player he was. Yeah, he got hurt, you know, frequently
in his career, but you know when he was when
(31:16):
he was one hundred man, like sha, I could tell
you like all the bigs tell you like, he was
a tough cover.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
So that was fun to watch. That was fun to
watch as well.
Speaker 3 (31:24):
I got a funny story about that that game. So
I'm actually at Boston versus Portland and I'm going to
the bathroom. This is how I even find out because
they got the games going and the scores and things
of their nature, and everybody's just paused and watching the screen.
So the reason why I even went to the game,
(31:45):
Gary Payton was the starting point guard for the Boston
Celtics and Damon Stottlemyer had finally got sent to the bench.
In Sebastian Telflair became the starting point guard for the
Portland trail Blazers. So that game's going on, I'm like,
I gotta go to the bathroom and tax doing this.
So I'm almost about to use the bathroom with myself,
and I'm watching this like in disbelief, just because you know,
(32:09):
like you're looking at like, oh, Houston's about to lose,
and they're like yo, and this is pre you know,
social media, so you know you looking at it like
in real time or it's a discussion or you might
catch ESPN later, man, But like that was that was
such a fun time man to watch Man, and so
(32:29):
many people was like, oh, whoa, this is this is
better than the Reggie Miller thing. But I think the
stakes were a little bit higher, h O.
Speaker 2 (32:36):
And it was in the garden too, so that takes
it to another level.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Spike, Yeah, yeah, but I was that was a crazy
game for sure.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
Uh We're gonna go to New Orleans with Chris Paul
and David West. I'm not sure how much you watched
this two thousand and eight squad, but like I really
really really rocked with this team, you know what I mean?
Uh Tyson, you know what I mean? The former to
megus Don. I supported him everywhere he went. But Chris Paul.
This is when CP would get dunks. This is when
(33:07):
CP was twenty and ten. This is when they were
having the greatest debate of all time, Chris Paul versus
Darren wood Williams. I was on the team Darren Williams.
But d West and Chris Paul them dudes, they were tough,
man like. They beat the Spurs like the you know
(33:29):
what I mean. Obviously they had to, you know, deal
with some injuries, but when they were you know, at
Paiga like Rod's little Butler, you know what I mean,
Like they asked squad man for real man.
Speaker 2 (33:42):
It was.
Speaker 3 (33:42):
It was really fun to watch speaking to Darren Williams.
We had Darren Williams and Carlos.
Speaker 2 (33:47):
Bo Utur shout out. Shout out to the Brotherhood, shout
out to the Brotherhood.
Speaker 3 (33:52):
The dude Brotherhood man booze man. That you know when
when Carlos Boozer left Cleveland, they didn't signing back and
he ends up going to Utah. They made Utah likable.
Yeah I was when you how you talk about the
Celtics and the other teams. I hated the Utah Jazz.
I got no ill will againsthim. Now you know what
(34:13):
I mean, I'm looking at it in a different lens.
But when they were playing some bulls teams, I didn't
understand it. I just was not feeling. They put Darren
Williams and Carlos Boozer and Ronnie Brewer and you know
what I mean, like AK forty seven, you know what
I mean, Like them teams was tough, man like. They
were really fun. And when you know Darren Williams is
(34:37):
coming down full court, full speed and he does a
stud of step and then bam and he gets to
the rack and he was duncan and he was using
his body like that was my favorite type of guards man.
And then Booze, you know what I mean, He had
a sweet fadeaway, He had great post game, he had
good hands, you know what I mean, and doing it
undersize and really cooking.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
Man.
Speaker 3 (34:57):
They was really like I felt like Utah had an
identity and not saying that they don't now man because
Keyante George is playing extremely well and Laurie Markining and
the rest of those young guys. But this team was
the last Jerry Jerry sloan team before they called Darren
Williams the coach killer man, and those dudes are you know,
if this was NBA gym, they would definitely be a
(35:20):
team that would be selected, you know what I mean
from the all right and the last one. I mean,
I called Q Rich and d Miles the Swag Champs
for a good reason, but Carmelo, Anthony Allan Iris the
hood swag Champs, dog Like they had everything going bro
(35:42):
like when they got the polyester navy blue jerseys and
Iriston got there because I couldn't believe they got Irishton
for one. But then just me not understanding the game
like I do now. I thought it was all I
thought that, you know, they cheating. That was one of
my things when they got there. But they they weren't
as good as they were. They scored a lot of points,
(36:04):
but they gave up a lot of points, man like.
And when you really think about they were fun on
video games.
Speaker 1 (36:10):
For me, Yeah, that was the culture. They were the
coature like d Miles and q Rich where the culture
during their time in l A. Like when a I
got with mellow like braids tattoos was.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
There, Like that was a crazy time. That was a
crazy time.
Speaker 1 (36:29):
Like it was like they was calling them the Thuggets.
Speaker 3 (36:36):
Man, it's a Thuggets era because they had Chris Anderson
Berdman like all tax Man and they were just really
locked in, man, but you had Anthony Carter as a
backup point, you know what I mean. Like they was
just doing it. But Sean Lennard used to wear his
headband to the side like they was really cooking.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
Man.
Speaker 3 (36:55):
It was. It was definitely a fun time and it
just takes me back to when I play these all.
The most of these players remind me of when I
played the video game heavy like NBA Live O five,
O six, you know what I mean, Like they were
strong tandem team that you really rocked with. Man Like,
I just think that's just like the funniest part man
that was. We're gonna take a quick break, but when
(37:16):
we come back, we're gonna give our top five greatest
duos two thousands. All right, man, we're back. Man, I
(37:37):
can't wait to hear this five. Man, we're done discuss
some great players, some Hall of famers, some some all stars,
some some real life contributors. Man to our to our
you know, our childhoods and our our our our past.
So I can't wait to hear man. I don't let
you kick it off man. As the guests, I'll go.
Speaker 1 (37:55):
I'll go Chauncey and Ben. Oh, that's like the underdog
champion that I remember.
Speaker 2 (38:02):
I remember and.
Speaker 1 (38:03):
Uh two thousand and four, everybody was saying that the
Western Conference Finals was the real finals. You know what
I'm saying, Nobody gave you know, Detroit a shot. So
I'll go, uh, Chauncey and Ben.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
Four.
Speaker 1 (38:17):
I mean, I'm sorry as five, I apologize. At four,
I will go d Wade and Shaq that was the
emergence the d Wade one of the best finals performances ever.
And obviously they still had the big feather down there
with a good team, with a great team around.
Speaker 2 (38:32):
Pat Riley coach.
Speaker 1 (38:33):
But I just think d Wade and Shaq was too
much just for the league at that point. So I'll
go then four, I gotta go Tim and Tony.
Speaker 2 (38:49):
Three. I gotta go Tim Tony three.
Speaker 1 (38:50):
A little little, little, little little biased but you know,
five championships man or you know for Tim four with
Tony So both have founds of the peas. Both you know, generational,
you know, talents, all stars. But they sacrificed for each other.
You know, they even sacrifice, you know in the back end,
you know, for Kawhi so. But but at the end
(39:14):
of the game, we knew we had the ball, Tony
had the ball.
Speaker 2 (39:17):
Tim made a click. So I'll go them. Three. Gotta
go Powell and Kobe, you.
Speaker 1 (39:24):
Know, just for selfish purposes at two to for for
a power to get to l A and just go
to three straight. You know, I just think that's big
Kobe learning how to win again, being selfless, not taking
as many shots, knowing he could average the thirty five,
thirty six, but toning it down, making you know, Power,
(39:46):
you know, an intricate part of Lamar the Fish. You know,
that whole team, Shannon Brown, that whole team that we had.
But it started with Power and and and Kobe, and
we saw Power grow up. Like like I said earlier,
you know, Power felt he got punked by KG.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
He didn't shot away more away from it. He accepted
the challenge.
Speaker 1 (40:05):
He looked like Howard in the I and O nine
and he looked at KG and Perking the eye and
ten so big shut out to Power Man and obviously
Cold my favorite player.
Speaker 2 (40:14):
So I'm always you know, you know, be be a
Kobe fanatic. So I'll go them at two. And obviously
we all know who number one is.
Speaker 1 (40:24):
Kobe and Shaq, the last three peat, one of the
best teams ever, you know, just their dominance, just for
them to.
Speaker 2 (40:34):
I think my favorite part of that of that run
was not the.
Speaker 1 (40:37):
Two thousand and one season when they obviously dominated when
fifteen to one lost the game to AI Game one,
but I remember them and because I entry you know,
like you know, when teams start to win and everybody
start to smell themselves, you know, all the players get
more commercials. You know, everybody gets more money. The road
players are walking in with with with more.
Speaker 2 (40:59):
Swagause everybody slacked. So it's very, very tough you to
stay in the league.
Speaker 1 (41:03):
Everybody's you know, biggest game, get everybody's best shot eighty
two times, so to go through that. But like I said,
my favorite moment was, you know, seeing them, you know,
going to Sacramento Game seven in the Western Conference Finals,
man and beating them, because like I said, everybody can
say it was tough for I mean it was easy
for the Lakers, you know one, so for them to
(41:26):
come back in two thousand and two and face that
kind of you know, those teams and then going to
sack being sacked on the road in game seven and
then obviously you know, sweeping the nets and in the finals.
Speaker 2 (41:41):
But you know, back to back to back three peat.
Man can't be beaten. So that's one number.
Speaker 3 (41:46):
One, okay, Man. We got some similarities, man, but not
too close. Man. So at number five, Man, I got
d Wade and Shaq. Like I said, I got so
much love for that old six squad.
Speaker 2 (41:58):
Man.
Speaker 3 (41:58):
A lot of my favorite players is on their and
from the you know, from the nineties, that that that
finally got their first one. Uh. You know, I got
to show love to the big three KG and Paul
Pierce at four, you know what I mean, that actually
was a good championship team. The only thing that annoys
me they talk about that championship like they won many
But that's a whole nother story. At three, I have,
(42:24):
uh Kobe and Pauga Sol. I think they have to
be you know, acknowledged. They want two rings back to back,
So I think that's pretty cool, you know what I
mean to to to talk about on their on their end,
you you expressed a lot on about that about how
important Kobe and Power were together. At number two, Tim
(42:46):
Duncan and Tony Parker, so you know, I had to
mix it up a little bit. And one they were
able to win four rings, you know what I mean.
Duncan has five, Tony you know, came in a little
later after, but they have four rings together. And then
obviously you got to highlight the three P. You got
to acknowledge the three P, the last three peat we've
seen in the game, man, Shaq and Kobe. So you
(43:07):
know that's my five all dogs on their all champions
You got to reward the winners, man, And and that's
how it's gonna go. Man. But overall, all fun teams.
Anybody can talk about these teams very passionately and take
one piece of their season and apply it to one
of the greatest highlights of you know, NBA history. Man,
(43:30):
So respect to all all players involved, or players that
we didn't mention, because again, one person that we did
not mention, that's kind of part of this whole uh
championship burst. Robert Lorry, Robert Rory needs to just be
acknowledged in general because he played a huge role in
(43:51):
a lot of these championships. You know, even though he's
not a part of the duel, he connects the dots
in so many ways. So we're gonna take an other
break when we come back. We're gonna do our favorite segment.
Born in the Wrong Era. All right, we're back. I'm
(44:19):
gonna kick this thing off. Man born in the Wrong Era,
man who I think can dominate into day's game. And
I gotta go with the easy answer of d Wade
and Shaq. Nobody stopping Shack, nobody stopping Young flash Man,
Superman flash Man. Like d Wade, he was getting to
the line, just like Shae Gilgris Alexander. He ain't gotta
(44:42):
take a lot of threes. He's just getting to doing
what he needed to do. And at that time, Shaq
was still unstoppable. I don't think a lot of people,
you know, can go inside out on that. And then
also we had to bring in their team. Their team
is solid. They got three point shooters, they got ball handlers,
they got depth getting foul trouble, Lonzo Mornings coming in,
got James Posey for defense. You got Damon Johnson three pointers. Yeah,
(45:06):
I mean Gary Payton, Jason Williams real right, Antoine Walker
to shame me on him, you know, style and charisma,
That sixteen would be perfect for this generation.
Speaker 2 (45:15):
Yeah, yeah, nah, that's a great answer. I'm gonna switch
it up a little bit. Man.
Speaker 1 (45:20):
I'm a uh, I'm gonna go with who I would
want to see right now. I think all everybody with
your name would be great, but I would want to
see Steve Francis and y'all who want to see I
would want to see franchise in y'all. I would want
to see, you know, how Steve would play today even
way more space can't touch him, so his handle today
(45:42):
would be even crazier with his athleticism and scornability as.
Speaker 2 (45:46):
From a crib, so I always got to rep the crib.
Speaker 1 (45:50):
And then y'all, man, like just seeing Winby out there
talering over everybody, like I would.
Speaker 2 (45:55):
Love to see a picture of this Winby.
Speaker 1 (45:57):
And y'all guard each other, Like I just that that
has to be in the Basketball Hall of Fame. But
uh yeah, man, y'all will be unstoppable. I feel like,
especially with like the traditional five, I wouldn't say it's faded,
but it's.
Speaker 3 (46:09):
Not like all the threes he'd be taken.
Speaker 2 (46:11):
Yeah, I mean he would have he would have to.
Speaker 1 (46:13):
He would have to adapt like like Lopez, like Brook Lopez,
like he was back to the basket.
Speaker 2 (46:19):
You know, traditional five now all shots of three. So
just to see y'all shooting three, I think that would
be pretty funny. So all those franchise, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (46:29):
Man, I can't go wrong with that. Man, this has
been a fun episode. Q Like I can't, I can't lie.
We've got to reflect on some of the you know,
nice basketball man, you know in the mix of fun competitiveness,
uh to you know, whether you want to say option one,
option to you can you know. I feel like this
(46:50):
is probably the most interchangeable topic, you know what I
mean when you think about these guys and discussions night
in and night out. One guy can have a great game,
another can have you know what I mean, similar to
what Jaylen Brown and Jason Tatum deal with, you know,
you know, on the night in thebation. So this is
definitely fun.
Speaker 1 (47:05):
Man.
Speaker 3 (47:06):
You know you sub it in. We might have you back.
We can't wait to have you back. You know what
I mean. You held it down, you know, shout outs,
shout outs to the brotherhood, Duke and all that, you
know what I mean, and my brotherhood, you know what
I mean, NHL family, So you know what I mean.
Where can they find you? QC on socials?
Speaker 1 (47:24):
Man, I'm on Instagram Q Cook three two three, Twitter,
Q Cook through two three, and I'm a TikTok guy.
I'm on TikTok with anything. I don't post on TikTok,
but I just watched I'm on TikTok all day.
Speaker 2 (47:35):
So all all platforms Q Cook three two three.
Speaker 3 (47:39):
Man, Yeah, you know where to find me at Trey
and at Travaann on social media and make sure you
follow at the Goat Pod. Leave us some comments, let
QC know how he did on his first guest seat
of the pod, Show him some love, make sure give
him a hard time about his.
Speaker 2 (47:56):
Five Please get me out, please because I will be
in a comments argument with y'all, so please need some congress.
Speaker 3 (48:11):
This has been a Unanimous Media original. Ghost was produced
by iHeart Podcasts and Unanimous Media. It was hosted by
me Travon Edwards and step Curry. Executive produced by Stephen
Curry and Eric Katon. Co executive producer Colenna Maria Cutton.
The executive producers at iHeart Podcasts are Sean Titone and
Jason English. This series was produced by Derek Jennings and
(48:34):
Peter Kutcher, co producer Kurt Ready. Original music by Jesse Woodard.
Special thanks to Stephen Curry and Will Pearson. Goat is
a production of Unanimous Media and iHeart Podcasts. For more
podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or
wherever you get your podcasts.
But I remember, like, Bro, he really scored thirteen and
thirty five seconds against like this caliber team. He's hitting
crazy shots, but as a hooper, like we've all been
there before.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
When you're getting that mode in that zone, like the
basket looks like the ocean.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
We are back. We are back with another episode of
g OT Greatest of Their Era. I'm your host, Trey Edwards,
and we are back with a special guests. He's going
to be hosting today. He's a two time NBA champion,
five year NBA BAT Collegiate All American, also won a
national title his senior year at Duke, where he led
(00:44):
the acc and free throw percentage eighty nine percent and
was second is scoring on his team with fifteen point
three points per game. Quinn QC. Cook, my god to
the show, my boy.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Man, pleasure, pleasure to be here with you, man, My honor,
my honor for sure.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Yeah, man. And you know right now Seth is out
with an injury. We're hoping that he gets better. So
Quinn wud be subbing in for a little bit, helping
on his episodes and also contributing some great memory, some
great stories. Can't wait to discuss the latest topic with him.
So we're just gonna jump right into it. Man. So
our topic this week is the greatest duos. I gotta
(01:24):
say duos because I have a funny accident. I'm saying
duals of the two thousands. This is gonna be a
great episode. Some of our heroes on there, and some
people Quinn have may have played against, you know, during
his NBA playing career. But I want to just start
this off with have you ever been partnered? Are you
considered yourself a part of a duo?
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Yeah, I would say my senior year with Tyus Jones.
Julie Opeford was the best player on the team, but
me and Tis, you know, we were considered the best
backcourt in the country. And I think you need a
strong backcourt, you know, in the tournament in March, you know,
you need guys to break presses, you need guys to
make fre throws at the end. And we always would
(02:08):
make sure a big fella, you know, would leave his
imprint on the game. But you know, most of the time,
like myself and Tires, we would close the game. So
they we came back from down maybe fifteen late against
North Carolina, and you know when Tyres was coming in.
I was a senior, he was a freshman, and I
had started the past couple of seasons. So they're like,
(02:30):
Tius is coming, they're going to take your spot, queens
a transfer, this and that.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
But coach was like, man, you're my captain. We need you.
So instead of you know, going against tires.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Like pumping heads, hating him, feeling the type of way
like I embraced them.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
We embraced each other and we made each other better.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
And you know, he was doing an interview at the
end of the game and I just grabbed him, like
punched him in his chest playfully and just like, man,
we're the best backcourt. And it went viral, and you know,
we regarded the best backcourt. So I save me and
times were a good duo.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
When it comes to chemistry and you're thinking about duos,
like how important is it off the court as much
as it on the court.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
For me, you know, being lucky to have played on
some great teams, I think that's the most important part.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Like obviously got to be a good player, you gotta
work hard, you have to practice, you have to.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
Get that chemistry, you got to push each other all
that stuff. But you know, the great teams that I've
been on, Like we hung out, you know, outside the court,
if it was coming over each other's houses, hanging out
each other's dorms in college, going to the movies, going
out to eat. When I got to the pros, going
out to dinners, just you know, playing video games, watching
just watching TV shows.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
I mean everything.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
I think that just you know, because if you can
hold each other accountable off the floor, you know, the
on the court is easy when you have that before.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
So I think that's crucial, is that chemistry off the court.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
All right, So we're gonna jump right into it. Man
for the NBA, and you grew up a Lakers, and man,
we got to kick it off with the you know,
Shaq and Kobe. So how important was Shaq and Kobe
to you watching? You know, these guys dominate the league
in the early two thousands.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Well, I was born a little too late for the
Michael Jordan Pippen era, so you know, all I.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Heard was Jordan Pippen, Jordan Pitten six rings.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
So you know, when I got to the age where
I kind of started to understand basketball, Like I remember,
you know, the Lakers winning in two thousand and My
dad was a big, big, big, big Laker fan, you know,
Showtime Days Magic. He was his favorite player, so I
was kind of born into it. So you know, whatever
team he was rooting for, I was rooting for. And
then like seeing Kobe and everybody was like, this is
(04:45):
the next Jordan, this is next Jordan. Well I heard
so much about Jordan, but I missed it. So this
is my Jordan, this is my favorite player. So I
was just you know, stuck to Kobe and then obviously
you know, it went through the big fella. So just
to see those guys win three cham ships in the row,
they kind of set the tone for the two thousand zone.
As a fan, it was great, but kind of see
(05:06):
their turmoil as well. And then you know, Shago get
one by itself obviously be way, but Shago get one and.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Then Kobe go get two.
Speaker 1 (05:14):
They just show how important they were and what they
mentioned basketball together.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
So you know, got to kick it off with those two.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Sure, yeah, absolutely, And in their run was fifteen and
one in the postseason in two thousand and one, second
only to the twenty seventeen Warriors, you know what I mean.
And as a champion, you can relate you won a
championship with both franchises. Like, what do you think and
you've played on some great teams, what do you think
(05:40):
goes into like a duo? You know what I mean
when you're a part of those teams, Like you're you're
a role player on the team, but then you know
there's two guys that are maybe the one the first
option in the second option. How important do they need
to be on for you guys to succeed on the
big stage.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
Yeah, they set the tone. They set the tone in
the locker room. They set the tone or the vibe
of the team. They set the tone on the bus,
like they.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Set the tone.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
I think all fifteen players, well all thirteen players are
looking at the top two guys and.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
If they go, we go? How we how they go?
Speaker 1 (06:18):
And like for me, like I think like with the
Lakers on the back end of my career, playing with
Lebron and Ad, it was a whole new team Lake Lebron,
Caruso and Cools and Rondo.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
But Rondo was kind of like he was in and out.
But like we had a.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
Whole new team. And I remember Bron and Ad came together,
it was like we'll do a mini camp in Vegas.
So like that set the tone right there, like we're
gonna go out to eat, We're gonna go out, we're
gonna hang out, we're gonna like vibe together.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Like this is before the season, before training camp.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
But it started with them too, and obviously they prepared
us to a championship. But like we always looked at
those two guys to kind of set the tone. So
they answer a question I think, you know, role players
get confidence from the stars. The rookies, the guys at
the end of the bench get confidence from the stars. So
coaches get confidence from the stars. So it starts with
the top two players on the team for sure.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
Yeah, absolutely, all right, standing in the division, Tim Duncan
and Tony Park. Now you can have a conversation and say, like,
you know, they're one of the most dominant, you know
duos to ever play in the year two thousands, you
know what I mean when you really think about championships
and you know how they were able to you know,
just have a chemistry, like it's the true identity is
(07:35):
plug and play. And you think about a certain Spurs
player when you think about these two, right, they're the
prime example. So when you're drafted, You're like, you got
to be a model player like these two, you know
what I'm saying. Still to this day, you know, Tony
Parker still has some of his DNA, you know in
the Spurs because they have you know, Wenby Now which
is also you know French. And then when you think
(07:57):
about Tim Duncan and David Robinson. So there's a certain
type of player that at this point are the d
n the Spurs, the Spurs. Way, how good was that
Spurs team? You know what I mean? You know watching
it the two thousands.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
Well, honestly I hated him just because they I felt
like they were the Lakers kryptonite.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
I felt like they played like quote unquote born basketball.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
But you know they didn't really. You're not getting the
Kobe's dunks. You're not getting the Shack Alleys. You know,
you're getting back to the basket, you know, triple threat
back to the basket with Tim Duncan. You're getting bank
shots with Tim Dunkan. You getting picking rolls and extra
extra to Bruce Bourne in the corner, skip pass to
bors dr men, You're getting real basketball. So like a
(08:41):
basketball savant at that age, I'm just a true fan,
like I'm just I want the Lakers store to go
eighty two and oher, I want to go fifteen to
o in the playoffs and win win the ring, right,
But the Spurs always gave us problems, and they started
with those two, started with Tony and then started with Tim.
Tim being the greatest power forever and uh, you know,
(09:02):
Tony being one of the best point guards ever. But
he was smaller, he played below the rim, which I
could relate to, and he was tough.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
Man.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
I played against him in a playoffs first round twenty eighteen.
Obviously this is on his back end, and he was
he was.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
He was the quote unquote backup.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
I was the backup man, and he was getting at me.
One game he was getting at me.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Man, And I remember Steve was like, man, we got
to make an adjustment. Quinn can't guard Tony. I'm like, dang, man.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
He about to retire a minute. So I couldn't imagine
guarding him back in the day. So it was definitely fun.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
To play against him.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
Yeah, I could. I can only imagine, especially on the
back end, Like when you really think about Tony Parker
and how aggressive, like the thing is, No, you're reading
the scouting report and everybody, it's like he can only
go one way and think how still dominant he is,
you know, to get into the pain, throw his floater,
get the guys involved, still be one of the leading
scorers on the team. Very important. I used to always
(09:58):
call him the basketball time Brady. You know what I mean.
You get the players that that individually you really liked.
But then you think about Tony Parker if you wanted
to win a championship, him and Derek Fisher were great
leaders on the basketball court. So definitely definitely a dynamic duel.
So back to the Lakers, we got Kobe and got sold.
(10:19):
So this is you know, the second you mentioned Kobe
going to get two rings, and I actually seen a
comment right, and we I'm glad that this is the topic.
You know, most Paul Pierce was talking about how Powell
got sold is basically underrated. He doesn't get he doesn't
get acknowledged enough. Right when you talk about it, right,
(10:41):
you say, oh, Kobe got five rings. When we talk
about basketball is collective anyway, right, the whole team has
to contribute, whether you played or not. You're so important
in that scout scouting team you're so important in those practices.
You're so important, like you had such a major roll
in the playoffs against the Warriors, you know what I mean,
(11:02):
Like when when Steph was out, you know what I mean,
you got to think about how important each person plays.
So when you really think about, yes, Kobe won five,
but does Kobe get back to the playoffs? Does Kobe
make a deep run without having a legit big man
like Pole Gasol, you know what I mean? And I
feel sometimes he's kind of scrubbed out the story because
(11:23):
we pushed individual ego, you know, debates about who's the
goat and things of that nature. But these two are
the reason why the Lakers went back to back. You know,
at the end of this decade, watching this team versus
watching the Shack team, how did you know what's the
comparison as a Lakers fan, and and and and what
(11:46):
did you really like about them?
Speaker 1 (11:49):
Well, when the tray went down, man, just I was
I knew we had to shot, Like I knew he
was back in the mix.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Kobe had went through his phase where he was struggling.
Speaker 1 (11:59):
We had time, Jonavic, we got filled back and trying
to figure it out. But once we got Pole, I
know we had a shot, and they clicked right away. Obviously,
his first season, you know, they lost to Boston and six,
but I knew the next couple of years, you know,
we was going to be in that championship mix when
(12:19):
Kobe was scoring all the points. You know, when Shaq left,
I don't think nobody saw the mass championship contended teams.
We just knew Kobe was gonna put up numbers and
we'll see what happens.
Speaker 2 (12:31):
Maybe they win the series, maybe not. But you know,
when when Pole got.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
There, like I think the basketball world knew the Lakers
is back in the mix. So I definitely, you know,
I'm not gonna say I feel away that he doesn't
get the flowers that he deserves.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
But as soon as he stepped for the LA, we
went to three straight finals, and uh, they clicked right away.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
I remember hearing stories and you I used to watch
like all like the Inside Access stuff that mic like
all that stuff, and he was just always talking about
how he felt Kevin Garnet punking Kevin Garnet punking that
eight series.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
So like those guys wouldn't wear green like nothing.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
The whole team was just like man we got to
get back here and obviously oh nine, and then getting
you know, back to the finals, beating Dwight in Orlando,
and then getting their revenge in twenty ten and playing
the Subjects again, which went you know, seven games, and
I remember watching that game and they wanted I ran
all across my neighborhood, like I felt like I won
(13:32):
a championship. I was like sixteen years old, but I
took it really really, really really serious. So yeah, I
don't think Pole gets is just due.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
But as soon as he.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
Got in Lakerland, you know, we went to three one two,
and uh, you know, he's definitely one of the greatest Lakers.
Speaker 3 (13:49):
Yeah, he definitely wasn't a slouch either. I mean, I
think obviously winning NBA Finals made his case a little
bit stronger for Hall of Fame, you know, but overall all,
like he was already a good player, you know what
I mean, to continued to develop with a very young
Memphis team before making that trade, and he was swapped
for his brother ironically even more crazy, and his brother
(14:11):
went back to go you know, play, So you know
what I mean, that's a whole that's a whole other thing.
That's pretty cool, but uh, they're They're definitely up there.
I'm interested to see what your top five is going
to be at the end of this episode, Dwayne Wade
and Shot. I really liked this team, even though they
were surrounded by so many veterans, you know what I mean.
They had Antoine Walker, they had Jason Williams, had Gary Payton,
(14:34):
Alonzo Mourning as a backup, you know what I mean,
James Posey, Damon Jones. Like the list went on with
that team, you know what I mean. Like as far
as contributors, Drell Wright my AAU teammate, you know what
I mean, Like, these guys were really fun. And I
remember being back home in Los Angeles being happy right
that the Lakers weren't going to be good. I was
(14:56):
the biggest Lakers hater in Los Angeles, Like, you know, like.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
They basically mean that's a tough thing to do.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
Well. I just was a Jordan guy. I watched Jordan
win it ninety one, then it kept going, kept going,
and ninety eight he decides to retire. I'm just like, okay,
what's next? Right? And I remember Kobe Burbay, like I
watched Kobe play at the Long Beach pyramid right now, Like, Yo,
Kobe's gonna be good. He was, he was, he was
(15:27):
all that in the bag of chips and even think
about it, right, but he was so alienated, right the
league was so older to a point that they were
just like and I should have probably been rooting for
him versus against him, but I just was just so
old NBA. So when he took the game, you know,
game tyme or game winning shot in Utah playoff series
(15:49):
and the airball I celebrated, I was just like, yeah,
you know, fake Michael Jordan, you know what I mean?
Like I was all into it. But the Lakers two
thousand to two thousand and three ruined high school for
me because they dominated. It made basketball boring for me.
Like I didn't watch any games because I'm like, they
gonna win. They dominated. It's no team that had better chemistry.
(16:13):
And I you know, my whole debate was they got
old Bulls players, So that was a I'm like, man, like,
how y'all gonna say he better? You know what I mean?
Like they're running the triangle, they got harder, they got
for his Grant, they got John Sally. The list just
kept going on, and I'm like, no, I'm just not
gonna switch this team. And I, you know, one of
my I was fortunate to stick around with the Bulls
(16:35):
as long as I could before I became NBA media.
But yeah, man, I was so happy when when Shaq
went to Miami and you know, Darrell was playing there,
and I wasn't like hoping they won, but I just
was glad that the Lakers were bad and Kobe still
was like you mentioned, he was fun to watch because
how he played and the numbers he was putting up.
(16:55):
But the teams are so bad. My favorite team is
actually the team of how All Shack got to Miami
when they got Koran Butler and the Chuckie Atkins. I
liked that team. I like that that that Lakers team.
You know what I'm saying. Kobe and Kobe and Karan
Butler were locked in, like they were locked in. I
(17:15):
was like, all right, this reminds me Eddie Jones and Kobe.
They gonna be on something. And then Chucky Atkins made
that comment and he got traded and it was you know,
it was just a whole different thing, but it was
it was interesting, you know what I mean. He made
a smart remark one time about Kobe and he was
out of there. But that Miami Miami Heat team basically
kicked off what we see in the heatles and Miami
(17:38):
Heat coacher moving forward. You know Pat Raley when Cowboy
and had everybody in there wearing knee braces in practice
and you know, just just changed the whole environment. Man.
But they're definitely up there, you know what I mean.
I feel like if you want to ring, you might
get a mention from me. But a lot of these
a lot of these these players we're talking about, are
(17:58):
they they've won something, you know what I mean, like
they're successful together. It's not any like participation trophy here.
And you mentioned Boston, KG and Paul Pierces. Now we
talk about the Big Three often in Rey Allen's no
slous Ray Allen wasn't old when he got there, but KG,
(18:19):
you know, going to Boston, it almost felt like a
cheap code, you know what I mean, two thousand and eight,
they get there, they're playing with you know, Paul Pierce
was already who he was, you know what I mean,
consecutive All Star just a closer, a pain in the side,
but couldn't get over that hump man when he played
against certain teams like the Detroit to the World and
(18:41):
you know, and and just really matched up. But how
good you know, watching from the other side and considering
these teams like your enemy, How good was KG and
Paul Pierce?
Speaker 1 (18:52):
I mean they were the standard. They were the standard.
I think we all knew, the world knew how good
of a player Paul was. He just needed a little
more help, you know what I'm saying, Like he just
needed a little more. Obviously KG winning an MVP award
being who he was wherever he went, you know, I
think it was going to shake up the NBA. So
(19:13):
for him to go to Boston, obviously with Ray still
in his prime, still playing on the high level, they
were the standard. That's the first quote unquote superteam of
my of my life that I could remember. So I
didn't like that that happened because like at the time,
like the Lakers Celtics is obviously the big rivalry, but
(19:35):
like I never really saw that rivalry. And then once
they got you know, those two guys along with Paul,
like I knew they would be in the mix as well,
but that put everybody on notice, Like I got to
get better. So Obviously the Lakers made that move to
try to compete with that, but they were the better
team that year. But those two guys, obviously KG being
you know, the force, being the best player, but like
(19:57):
Paul got you know, found z MVP.
Speaker 2 (19:59):
You know, Paul, it was a No. Top ten guy
as well.
Speaker 1 (20:02):
So I didn't I want, I'm not gonna say I
hated those guys because they were really good. And I
love Rondo like my dad loved Rondo. He loves past
first point guards. So to see the emergence of Rondo
was fun.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
And uh yeah, they got it done. They got it
done so and it started with K and Paul, So.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
Yeah, yeah, I mean credit to them, man. You know,
they represent sacrifice. It was literally the destroying of the ego. Yeah,
one one one sound, one band. Right. You got to
think about, uh, KG becoming the defensive anchor for that team,
you know what I mean, whenning Defensive Player of the Year,
you know what I mean, his first season with them.
And then also you know, Reyalen becoming like a third
(20:46):
a third guy, you know, which kicked off. You know,
Lebron and Chris Boss joined in Miami, you know what
I mean. And and understanding different roles, and hey, we
all can win in this. In this aspect, the ultimate
goal is a chanceampionship. The second goal is to be
consecutive All Stars and to get paid. You know what
I mean. If you can check off all three boxes,
(21:07):
you've done your job. And it starts with just checking
your ego at the door with one goal. But also,
I think what we witness with these Phoenix teams, these
Brooklyn Nets teams, teams of the past that have quote
unquote loaded up. It's not that they don't check the ego,
but everybody's so used to being the number one option
(21:28):
that it's harder than it seems. So it's more impressive
to win when you can kind of check it at
the door and be able to do it, you know
what I mean, Because you know, obviously everybody gave Brad
a hard time in Phoenix and he would be played hurt,
and you know, but also he's never been number two,
he's never been a number three. This is somebody who's
(21:49):
getting twenty five shot attempts a game, and now you're
telling them to go stand in the corner, or play
outside his position as a point guard, or just find it.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
You know what?
Speaker 3 (21:59):
I mean throughout throughout the rhythm of two other players
that are touching the ball just as much. So it's
it's definitely definitely a challenge Ben Wallace and another Laker
Killer team, you know what I mean, like.
Speaker 2 (22:14):
All the Laker Killers.
Speaker 3 (22:16):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, man, they made it fun. Man
at twenty fourteen, I think this is kind of interchangeable.
Speaker 2 (22:22):
Right.
Speaker 3 (22:22):
You got Ben Wallace as the defensive anchor and Chauncey
Phillips as you know, I mean, it's the floor general.
But then you also could you know, flip in and
say Rashie Wallace, you know, former All Star, and you
know Rip Hamilton who also was an All Star and
face of the franchise. Literally you know what I mean.
So when you think about how important these two were,
(22:42):
this is like the blue collar wind, you know what
I mean. Other NBA, like they beat that Karl Malone,
Gary Payton Lakers team, which almost reminds me of the
Dwight Howard Steve Nash Lakers team. Right, you get certain
players and their names are bigger than the actual chemistry,
you know what I mean, Like where you're like, man,
they cheating. That's the first thing people say when they
(23:03):
get like a great acquisition. They're cheating, but you gotta
play games. You get what I'm saying, Like, y'all wasn't guaranteed.
I mean, people probably came in thinking, Okay, y'all got
Kevin Durant, y'all got Stephan Curry, I got Draymond Green,
ya got Klay Thompson, you got Andre The list goes on.
(23:23):
Y'all gonna go undefeated. Now you got to target on
y'all back. But also Steph goes down, or a certain
person goes down, and God's got to step in. It's
not as easy, you know what I mean. So that's
that's the beauty of that pissed his team of you know,
the landsay Hunters of the world, the Elden Campbell's rest
in peace, you know what I mean, the dark old militants.
(23:45):
Even though he didn't play that much. But you think
about it, how important guys were on those squads, Chris
Weber and Mike they didn't win. We finally got as
a team that didn't win, but they were thrown in
the Lakers side. I mean, Mike Bibby used to give
Derek Fisher the fits, respectfully. Chris Webber, I always felt
(24:06):
Chris Webber was always in a bad spot. When you
think about Chris Webber playing the power for position, the
West power for position is so stacked that sometimes he
would be on the bubble for the All Star team.
When I looked at Chris Webber's Hall of Fame numbers
and the things, I thought, Chris Webber was in the
(24:28):
All Star Game more than five times, you know what
I mean, Like you think about that, he's five times,
But you gotta think about who was there before. Yeah,
Belong Barkley, they got old, then you got Tim duncan Her,
you know what I'm saying, Like KG, like some some
(24:51):
are already scribbled in before the first preseason game. Some
of them scribbled in, You're gonna have to win. If
you don't win the popularity, you're gonna have the ball
like a mad man and take it all the way
over the top. That means your team healthy, You healthy,
and you done added something to your game that's getting
you over twenty and ten. And Mike Bibby and Chris
Weber just you know, obviously they only and they only
(25:14):
played three seasons together. It felt like it was a
little bit longer. But they could not get past the Lakers.
But Chris Weber and Mike Bibby definitely were respectfully very good,
you know what I mean, Like to this day, Sacramento
Sacramento King and talk about those teams, you know, to
this day, you know, I mean, they put it work
for real, but you just can't get over the Laker wall.
(25:35):
The Laker row is a very serious one even to
this day. Teams play against the Lakers and came, you know,
get past them. There's another team that didn't win the title,
Steve National March, donamar Man, that pick and roll between
them the seven seconds or less. These teams were so fun,
you know what I mean. Sean Marion I created as
(25:56):
one of the greatest undersized power for us, so this
game has ever seen, you know what I mean. He's
asked to do so many things, although not having an
attractive shot. How do you feel about those Phoenix teams
playing against your Lakers? You know what I mean, like
during that time as a Laker fan, because those were
very chippy. Yeah yeah, I feel like you gotta beat
(26:16):
Phoenix to get to San Antonio.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
Yeah yeah, facts, I think at that time I love
Steve Nash like I love Steve Nash like Steve Nash
is one of those guys that my dad you know,
made me watch, you know, made sure that I paid
attention to.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
It's like another smaller guard, another below the rim guy.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
But he's one two back to back MVPs, I mean,
obviously controlled the game, did everything, you know to keep
my Lakers from making a playoff run.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
I remember being up three to one when.
Speaker 1 (26:50):
Kobe hit that shot at the elbow and he did
this like I felt like I want a championship, But
I remember one more game. We got these guys and
slowly but surely, every quarter, every possession, Steve is just
making shots, you know, just hockey assists, assists, lobs. I mean,
(27:10):
I get goosebumps now still thinking about Tim Thomas banking
that three end in Game six, man like, and they
obviously Kobe had the Kobe second half in Game seven
against those guys. Tough, tough teams. I think I think
Duves was on that team. Jared Delly was on that team.
So he used to always talk about, you know, Steve's
(27:33):
preparation and just how skilled he was and the mark
stat his lives. I think his his scoring ability, his
mid range ability gets you know, just overshadowed about all
his highlight.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
Dumps, but he was a hell of a scorer man.
And those two they got a little my nerves for
that little stand that they had for sure.
Speaker 3 (27:54):
Yeah, yeah, that's that's also the series that Kobe didn't shoot. Yeah,
the petty the petty series, like where he was just
like all right, I ain't gonna take a shot, you
know what I mean? That was an interesting series, man,
But like, yeah, I love watching Phoenix play man, especially
when they had q Rich you know, and Tim Thomons
and Joe Johnson. Think about that, they had Joe Johnson,
(28:16):
q Rich, you know what I mean, they had Barbosa, Like, dude,
they were like that close. That's one of the teams
that should have made it, you know what I mean
when you really think about it, and there they're super respected.
Another one out. We're gonna go down to the South
to Houston. Tracy McGrady and y'all, y'all mean you know
(28:38):
what I mean? Like that that dude, I didn't expect
to like take off as much as it did. But
I think it benefited team Act the most because played
a lot of like individual basketball. His individual brand was
great in the Orlando Popular Jersey sometimes got the infamous
(29:01):
conversation is he better than Kobe? Because Kobe had to
play with Shaq, so he got a little bit highlighted
a little bit more. But when he got with y'all,
he finally had a strong supporter. You know, I mean
number two, which I don't even know who was one
or two in this because they both were all stars.
You know, y'all was a very you know, he didn't
(29:23):
back down. He was very effective. And you really think about,
you know, y'all's career being cut short because you know,
he dealt with foot injuries, but Tracy McGrady dealing with
back injuries where this team actually could have went, you
know what I mean, Like Tracy McGrady gets a rough
like rap because of his injuries and saying, hey, he
(29:46):
wasn't a winner, but like individually, his peers talked about
him to the highest and in these two actually changed
the trajectory of the Rockets. I mean, I'm a Steve
Francis Rockets guy. But and they got team act like
the Jerseys, the swag, just the thirteen you know, thirteen
(30:07):
points in eight seconds or something like that. Man, Like
it's just a lot of stuff that went on, you
know what I mean with with that that tandem.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
Yeah, that thirteen points and thirty five seconds. I guess
the spurs Like I remember recording that on a VHS
on a blank on a blank VCR I and I
end up falling asleep on the game.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
But I got commercials and everything I got, I.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
Got everything fast forward through the blah blah blah blah.
I remember just watching it obviously before YouTube and stuff,
but I remember, like, Bro, he really scored thirteen and
thirty five seconds against like this caliber team. He's hitting
crazy shots, but as a hooper, like we've all been
there before, when you're getting that mode and that zone,
like the basket was like the ocean. And obviously he
(30:55):
had a lot of his career, but to do that,
you know, on that stage there was a ten T game, Like, yeah,
that that duo was cool and y'all, Like obviously his
brand was just so big, but I think that kind
of overshadowed like as good as how good of a
player he was. Yeah, he got hurt, you know, frequently
in his career, but you know when he was when
(31:16):
he was one hundred man, like sha, I could tell
you like all the bigs tell you like, he was
a tough cover.
Speaker 2 (31:20):
So that was fun to watch. That was fun to
watch as well.
Speaker 3 (31:24):
I got a funny story about that that game. So
I'm actually at Boston versus Portland and I'm going to
the bathroom. This is how I even find out because
they got the games going and the scores and things
of their nature, and everybody's just paused and watching the screen.
So the reason why I even went to the game,
(31:45):
Gary Payton was the starting point guard for the Boston
Celtics and Damon Stottlemyer had finally got sent to the bench.
In Sebastian Telflair became the starting point guard for the
Portland trail Blazers. So that game's going on, I'm like,
I gotta go to the bathroom and tax doing this.
So I'm almost about to use the bathroom with myself,
and I'm watching this like in disbelief, just because you know,
(32:09):
like you're looking at like, oh, Houston's about to lose,
and they're like yo, and this is pre you know,
social media, so you know you looking at it like
in real time or it's a discussion or you might
catch ESPN later, man, But like that was that was
such a fun time man to watch Man, and so
(32:29):
many people was like, oh, whoa, this is this is
better than the Reggie Miller thing. But I think the
stakes were a little bit higher, h O.
Speaker 2 (32:36):
And it was in the garden too, so that takes
it to another level.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Spike, Yeah, yeah, but I was that was a crazy
game for sure.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
Uh We're gonna go to New Orleans with Chris Paul
and David West. I'm not sure how much you watched
this two thousand and eight squad, but like I really
really really rocked with this team, you know what I mean?
Uh Tyson, you know what I mean? The former to
megus Don. I supported him everywhere he went. But Chris Paul.
This is when CP would get dunks. This is when
(33:07):
CP was twenty and ten. This is when they were
having the greatest debate of all time, Chris Paul versus
Darren wood Williams. I was on the team Darren Williams.
But d West and Chris Paul them dudes, they were tough,
man like. They beat the Spurs like the you know
(33:29):
what I mean. Obviously they had to, you know, deal
with some injuries, but when they were you know, at
Paiga like Rod's little Butler, you know what I mean,
Like they asked squad man for real man.
Speaker 2 (33:42):
It was.
Speaker 3 (33:42):
It was really fun to watch speaking to Darren Williams.
We had Darren Williams and Carlos.
Speaker 2 (33:47):
Bo Utur shout out. Shout out to the Brotherhood, shout
out to the Brotherhood.
Speaker 3 (33:52):
The dude Brotherhood man booze man. That you know when
when Carlos Boozer left Cleveland, they didn't signing back and
he ends up going to Utah. They made Utah likable.
Yeah I was when you how you talk about the
Celtics and the other teams. I hated the Utah Jazz.
I got no ill will againsthim. Now you know what
(34:13):
I mean, I'm looking at it in a different lens.
But when they were playing some bulls teams, I didn't
understand it. I just was not feeling. They put Darren
Williams and Carlos Boozer and Ronnie Brewer and you know
what I mean, like AK forty seven, you know what
I mean, Like them teams was tough, man like. They
were really fun. And when you know Darren Williams is
(34:37):
coming down full court, full speed and he does a
stud of step and then bam and he gets to
the rack and he was duncan and he was using
his body like that was my favorite type of guards man.
And then Booze, you know what I mean, He had
a sweet fadeaway, He had great post game, he had
good hands, you know what I mean, and doing it
undersize and really cooking.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
Man.
Speaker 3 (34:57):
They was really like I felt like Utah had an
identity and not saying that they don't now man because
Keyante George is playing extremely well and Laurie Markining and
the rest of those young guys. But this team was
the last Jerry Jerry sloan team before they called Darren
Williams the coach killer man, and those dudes are you know,
if this was NBA gym, they would definitely be a
(35:20):
team that would be selected, you know what I mean
from the all right and the last one. I mean,
I called Q Rich and d Miles the Swag Champs
for a good reason, but Carmelo, Anthony Allan Iris the
hood swag Champs, dog Like they had everything going bro
(35:42):
like when they got the polyester navy blue jerseys and
Iriston got there because I couldn't believe they got Irishton
for one. But then just me not understanding the game
like I do now. I thought it was all I
thought that, you know, they cheating. That was one of
my things when they got there. But they they weren't
as good as they were. They scored a lot of points,
(36:04):
but they gave up a lot of points, man like.
And when you really think about they were fun on
video games.
Speaker 1 (36:10):
For me, Yeah, that was the culture. They were the
coature like d Miles and q Rich where the culture
during their time in l A. Like when a I
got with mellow like braids tattoos was.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
There, Like that was a crazy time. That was a
crazy time.
Speaker 1 (36:29):
Like it was like they was calling them the Thuggets.
Speaker 3 (36:36):
Man, it's a Thuggets era because they had Chris Anderson
Berdman like all tax Man and they were just really
locked in, man, but you had Anthony Carter as a
backup point, you know what I mean. Like they was
just doing it. But Sean Lennard used to wear his
headband to the side like they was really cooking.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
Man.
Speaker 3 (36:55):
It was. It was definitely a fun time and it
just takes me back to when I play these all.
The most of these players remind me of when I
played the video game heavy like NBA Live O five,
O six, you know what I mean, Like they were
strong tandem team that you really rocked with. Man Like,
I just think that's just like the funniest part man
that was. We're gonna take a quick break, but when
(37:16):
we come back, we're gonna give our top five greatest
duos two thousands. All right, man, we're back. Man, I
(37:37):
can't wait to hear this five. Man, we're done discuss
some great players, some Hall of famers, some some all stars,
some some real life contributors. Man to our to our
you know, our childhoods and our our our our past.
So I can't wait to hear man. I don't let
you kick it off man. As the guests, I'll go.
Speaker 1 (37:55):
I'll go Chauncey and Ben. Oh, that's like the underdog
champion that I remember.
Speaker 2 (38:02):
I remember and.
Speaker 1 (38:03):
Uh two thousand and four, everybody was saying that the
Western Conference Finals was the real finals. You know what
I'm saying, Nobody gave you know, Detroit a shot. So
I'll go, uh, Chauncey and Ben.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
Four.
Speaker 1 (38:17):
I mean, I'm sorry as five, I apologize. At four,
I will go d Wade and Shaq that was the
emergence the d Wade one of the best finals performances ever.
And obviously they still had the big feather down there
with a good team, with a great team around.
Speaker 2 (38:32):
Pat Riley coach.
Speaker 1 (38:33):
But I just think d Wade and Shaq was too
much just for the league at that point. So I'll
go then four, I gotta go Tim and Tony.
Speaker 2 (38:49):
Three. I gotta go Tim Tony three.
Speaker 1 (38:50):
A little little, little, little little biased but you know,
five championships man or you know for Tim four with
Tony So both have founds of the peas. Both you know, generational,
you know, talents, all stars. But they sacrificed for each other.
You know, they even sacrifice, you know in the back end,
you know, for Kawhi so. But but at the end
(39:14):
of the game, we knew we had the ball, Tony
had the ball.
Speaker 2 (39:17):
Tim made a click. So I'll go them. Three. Gotta
go Powell and Kobe, you.
Speaker 1 (39:24):
Know, just for selfish purposes at two to for for
a power to get to l A and just go
to three straight. You know, I just think that's big
Kobe learning how to win again, being selfless, not taking
as many shots, knowing he could average the thirty five,
thirty six, but toning it down, making you know, Power,
(39:46):
you know, an intricate part of Lamar the Fish. You know,
that whole team, Shannon Brown, that whole team that we had.
But it started with Power and and and Kobe, and
we saw Power grow up. Like like I said earlier,
you know, Power felt he got punked by KG.
Speaker 2 (40:02):
He didn't shot away more away from it. He accepted
the challenge.
Speaker 1 (40:05):
He looked like Howard in the I and O nine
and he looked at KG and Perking the eye and
ten so big shut out to Power Man and obviously
Cold my favorite player.
Speaker 2 (40:14):
So I'm always you know, you know, be be a
Kobe fanatic. So I'll go them at two. And obviously
we all know who number one is.
Speaker 1 (40:24):
Kobe and Shaq, the last three peat, one of the
best teams ever, you know, just their dominance, just for
them to.
Speaker 2 (40:34):
I think my favorite part of that of that run
was not the.
Speaker 1 (40:37):
Two thousand and one season when they obviously dominated when
fifteen to one lost the game to AI Game one,
but I remember them and because I entry you know,
like you know, when teams start to win and everybody
start to smell themselves, you know, all the players get
more commercials. You know, everybody gets more money. The road
players are walking in with with with more.
Speaker 2 (40:59):
Swagause everybody slacked. So it's very, very tough you to
stay in the league.
Speaker 1 (41:03):
Everybody's you know, biggest game, get everybody's best shot eighty
two times, so to go through that. But like I said,
my favorite moment was, you know, seeing them, you know,
going to Sacramento Game seven in the Western Conference Finals,
man and beating them, because like I said, everybody can
say it was tough for I mean it was easy
for the Lakers, you know one, so for them to
(41:26):
come back in two thousand and two and face that
kind of you know, those teams and then going to
sack being sacked on the road in game seven and
then obviously you know, sweeping the nets and in the finals.
Speaker 2 (41:41):
But you know, back to back to back three peat.
Man can't be beaten. So that's one number.
Speaker 3 (41:46):
One, okay, Man. We got some similarities, man, but not
too close. Man. So at number five, Man, I got
d Wade and Shaq. Like I said, I got so
much love for that old six squad.
Speaker 2 (41:58):
Man.
Speaker 3 (41:58):
A lot of my favorite players is on their and
from the you know, from the nineties, that that that
finally got their first one. Uh. You know, I got
to show love to the big three KG and Paul
Pierce at four, you know what I mean, that actually
was a good championship team. The only thing that annoys
me they talk about that championship like they won many
But that's a whole nother story. At three, I have,
(42:24):
uh Kobe and Pauga Sol. I think they have to
be you know, acknowledged. They want two rings back to back,
So I think that's pretty cool, you know what I
mean to to to talk about on their on their end,
you you expressed a lot on about that about how
important Kobe and Power were together. At number two, Tim
(42:46):
Duncan and Tony Parker, so you know, I had to
mix it up a little bit. And one they were
able to win four rings, you know what I mean.
Duncan has five, Tony you know, came in a little
later after, but they have four rings together. And then
obviously you got to highlight the three P. You got
to acknowledge the three P, the last three peat we've
seen in the game, man, Shaq and Kobe. So you
(43:07):
know that's my five all dogs on their all champions
You got to reward the winners, man, And and that's
how it's gonna go. Man. But overall, all fun teams.
Anybody can talk about these teams very passionately and take
one piece of their season and apply it to one
of the greatest highlights of you know, NBA history. Man,
(43:30):
So respect to all all players involved, or players that
we didn't mention, because again, one person that we did
not mention, that's kind of part of this whole uh
championship burst. Robert Lorry, Robert Rory needs to just be
acknowledged in general because he played a huge role in
(43:51):
a lot of these championships. You know, even though he's
not a part of the duel, he connects the dots
in so many ways. So we're gonna take an other
break when we come back. We're gonna do our favorite segment.
Born in the Wrong Era. All right, we're back. I'm
(44:19):
gonna kick this thing off. Man born in the Wrong Era,
man who I think can dominate into day's game. And
I gotta go with the easy answer of d Wade
and Shaq. Nobody stopping Shack, nobody stopping Young flash Man,
Superman flash Man. Like d Wade, he was getting to
the line, just like Shae Gilgris Alexander. He ain't gotta
(44:42):
take a lot of threes. He's just getting to doing
what he needed to do. And at that time, Shaq
was still unstoppable. I don't think a lot of people,
you know, can go inside out on that. And then
also we had to bring in their team. Their team
is solid. They got three point shooters, they got ball handlers,
they got depth getting foul trouble, Lonzo Mornings coming in,
got James Posey for defense. You got Damon Johnson three pointers. Yeah,
(45:06):
I mean Gary Payton, Jason Williams real right, Antoine Walker
to shame me on him, you know, style and charisma,
That sixteen would be perfect for this generation.
Speaker 2 (45:15):
Yeah, yeah, nah, that's a great answer. I'm gonna switch
it up a little bit. Man.
Speaker 1 (45:20):
I'm a uh, I'm gonna go with who I would
want to see right now. I think all everybody with
your name would be great, but I would want to
see Steve Francis and y'all who want to see I
would want to see franchise in y'all. I would want
to see, you know, how Steve would play today even
way more space can't touch him, so his handle today
(45:42):
would be even crazier with his athleticism and scornability as.
Speaker 2 (45:46):
From a crib, so I always got to rep the crib.
Speaker 1 (45:50):
And then y'all, man, like just seeing Winby out there
talering over everybody, like I would.
Speaker 2 (45:55):
Love to see a picture of this Winby.
Speaker 1 (45:57):
And y'all guard each other, Like I just that that
has to be in the Basketball Hall of Fame. But
uh yeah, man, y'all will be unstoppable. I feel like,
especially with like the traditional five, I wouldn't say it's faded,
but it's.
Speaker 3 (46:09):
Not like all the threes he'd be taken.
Speaker 2 (46:11):
Yeah, I mean he would have he would have to.
Speaker 1 (46:13):
He would have to adapt like like Lopez, like Brook Lopez,
like he was back to the basket.
Speaker 2 (46:19):
You know, traditional five now all shots of three. So
just to see y'all shooting three, I think that would
be pretty funny. So all those franchise, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (46:29):
Man, I can't go wrong with that. Man, this has
been a fun episode. Q Like I can't, I can't lie.
We've got to reflect on some of the you know,
nice basketball man, you know in the mix of fun competitiveness,
uh to you know, whether you want to say option one,
option to you can you know. I feel like this
(46:50):
is probably the most interchangeable topic, you know what I
mean when you think about these guys and discussions night
in and night out. One guy can have a great game,
another can have you know what I mean, similar to
what Jaylen Brown and Jason Tatum deal with, you know,
you know, on the night in thebation. So this is
definitely fun.
Speaker 1 (47:05):
Man.
Speaker 3 (47:06):
You know you sub it in. We might have you back.
We can't wait to have you back. You know what
I mean. You held it down, you know, shout outs,
shout outs to the brotherhood, Duke and all that, you
know what I mean, and my brotherhood, you know what
I mean, NHL family, So you know what I mean.
Where can they find you? QC on socials?
Speaker 1 (47:24):
Man, I'm on Instagram Q Cook three two three, Twitter,
Q Cook through two three, and I'm a TikTok guy.
I'm on TikTok with anything. I don't post on TikTok,
but I just watched I'm on TikTok all day.
Speaker 2 (47:35):
So all all platforms Q Cook three two three.
Speaker 3 (47:39):
Man, Yeah, you know where to find me at Trey
and at Travaann on social media and make sure you
follow at the Goat Pod. Leave us some comments, let
QC know how he did on his first guest seat
of the pod, Show him some love, make sure give
him a hard time about his.
Speaker 2 (47:56):
Five Please get me out, please because I will be
in a comments argument with y'all, so please need some congress.
Speaker 3 (48:11):
This has been a Unanimous Media original. Ghost was produced
by iHeart Podcasts and Unanimous Media. It was hosted by
me Travon Edwards and step Curry. Executive produced by Stephen
Curry and Eric Katon. Co executive producer Colenna Maria Cutton.
The executive producers at iHeart Podcasts are Sean Titone and
Jason English. This series was produced by Derek Jennings and
(48:34):
Peter Kutcher, co producer Kurt Ready. Original music by Jesse Woodard.
Special thanks to Stephen Curry and Will Pearson. Goat is
a production of Unanimous Media and iHeart Podcasts. For more
podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or
wherever you get your podcasts.
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