October 25, 2025 • 43 mins
All lines provided by Hard Rock Bet.
Nick Wright breaks down his top contenders in the NFC following Week 7 of the NFL season. What did Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions prove in their decisive win over Baker Mayfield's Tampa Bay Buccaneers? How much trouble are the Bucs in after Mike Evans' injury? Next, Nick explains why he is bought in on Sam Darnold's Seattle Seahawks, why Jalen Hurts is going to have to carry the Philadelphia Eagles, and why it's over for Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders. Later, Nick reacts to Victor Wembanyama's dominant 40-point, 15 rebound performance in the San Antonio Spurs' 125-92 win over Anthony Davis, Cooper Flagg, and the Dallas Mavericks in their opening game of the NBA season. Is Wemby already the best player in the NBA over the Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic, Oklahoma City Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo, and other stars? Next, Nick reacts to Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers' opening night loss to Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors as well as Kevin Durant's Houston Rockets debut being spoiled by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Will KD have a fanbase to call home when he retires? #Volume
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Best of the Week for What's Right
with Nick Right the best takes and moments from this
week on the show. Enjoy.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
The Lions took care of the Bucks last night. As
we know, the Bucks are dealing with a bunch of injuries.
Mike Evans even went down in the game.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
So with that said, big deal.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Just real quick, let's talk about Mike Evans. One of
the coolest streaks in football history is done now. Mike Evans,
who it's eleven straight years of one thousand yards, came
into the league in twenty fourteen, had a thousand yards
receiving or more every single year and a fun I
(00:42):
mean his fourth year, Demons, he had one thousand and one,
his seventh year he had a thousand and six. Last
year he had one thousand and four and got it
on the final play of the season, and they were
trying to get it for him. It's it's so funny.
He's he's as I'm trying to get this exactly right.
(01:06):
Eleven straight years with one thousand yards four of those
five of those eleven he did not get to eleven hundred,
and then he had two eleven hundred yard seasons a
twelve hundred yard, a thirteen hundred yard, a fifteen hundred yard,
(01:26):
and you know, so he had one monster year with
the fifteen hundred before Brady got there. But he's just
been wildly consistent. It's now over and his seat. Depending
on how bad the collar bone break is, his season
could be over. You gotta hope he can be back
for the postseason. This is my Super Bowl pick. As
good as Abuka's been, they need Mike Evans back, so
(01:50):
that's important. And they, you know, the Bucks, to their credit,
dealt with all the injuries as well as any team
in football could have, and it was really important. They
got the you know, the win against the Seahawks, the
win against the Niners at the loss beating the Lions
(02:11):
would have really put them in the catbird seat in
the NFC. Losing they're still okay.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
And the Saints I feel like, yeah, still did it
pretty good, Like the defense kept them in the game.
Bigger just couldn't really get anything going.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
As far as the Lions team goes, that was a
great win, Demonsey. If they lose there, they've lost to
Green Bay and Tampa and they have three losses now.
Instead of that, they have the head to head tiebreaker
with Tampa and they're just a half game behind Green Bay,
so that's a great win for the Lions. My concern
(02:46):
would be this, does is it fair to you? Do
you think it's fair for me to say golf just
seems a little shakier this year. I know his numbers
have been great, but it just feels he doesn't feel
quite as crisp as last year. But Gibbs is unbelievable.
I mean, Gibbs is an unbelievable player. But that's my
(03:07):
they have My.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Other guy to me is ridiculous.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Bradholmes serves a ton of credit. They've drafted so well,
and he's taking unconventional positions for great players. I mean,
everybody killed the Gibbs pick. People didn't love the report
of his awesome. Gibbs is unbelievable, and he's always fresh
because they use Montgomery exactly. They have Gibbs is a
(03:37):
great football player. All right, what's your Packers follow up? Here?
Speaker 2 (03:41):
The four win Packers are somehow the one seed after
this game? Does that feel kind of weird? Through seven
weeks of football?
Speaker 1 (03:49):
It feels weird just from a record perspective, that there's
been seven weeks, they have four wins. They're the one
seed because they've had a bye and they have a tie,
and there's no other one loss team but the others.
It feels weird, is this. I don't feel like the
Packers have played great post Week one. I thought they
played amazing and Week one against Detroit and since then
(04:11):
they've just been okay. And so yeah, I mean, long season.
All right, let's get to the long night part of
last night, the late game.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
So the Seahawks moved to five and two after taking
care of the Texans who could not get it done
on offense. With that said, how seriously should we be
taking Seattle.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
I'm gonna take them seriously at this point. So I
think here's a take demonse. I'm curious how this lands
with everyone Seattle. The seriousness that folks some folks are demanding,
(04:51):
the level of seriousness that some folks are demanding. We
take the cults. I will take the Seahawks. I think
the Seahawks, I understand the culture. Six and one and
the Seahawks are five and two. I think the Seahawks
are a more sustainable team and a scarier postseason team
(05:15):
than Indy, because what the Seahawks have right now is
just a brilliant defensive coach with a defensive front that
is just annihilating people. Leonard Williams has been unreal all year,
a quarterback that's super confident, maybe a little too confident
(05:36):
at times in Darnold and I Jackson Smith and Jigba. Yeah,
is really making a case that he is the best
receiver in football, Like I still would have Jefferson and
Chase ahead of him, and you know he's right there
with Pooka. But every week he feels like he's the best.
(06:01):
Like that's just based on track record. He has been
absolutely phenomenal this season. So the Seahawks, that defense, that coach,
that receiver, that's a that's a real team now. And
(06:22):
by the way, like NFC West, demon's a Rams five
and two Niners five and two Seahawks five and two.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Holy smokes, you take that rite that right now? Plus
two seventy five.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
No, I no, I wouldn't. I would take the Rams. Still,
I would. I would still take the Rams. But I
don't think let me, I think the Seahawks should they're
undervalued at plus two seventy five. I think they're more
likely to win the division than San Francisco. Is I
(07:02):
know they lost to San Francisco head to head, but
the Seahawks now have a bye, Then they get the
Commanders in a game Jayden may Or may not play.
Then it's the Cardinals, then a huge game against the Rams,
and then they have the Titans. So they're staring at
(07:25):
very realistically being eight and three going into the stretch run.
So yeah, no, I'm taking the Seahawks very seriously.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Eagles gotta win twenty eight to twenty two over the Vikings.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Hertz had a perfect passer rating.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Aj Brown and DeVante Smith for combined for three hundred
plus yards and three touchdowns. Seemed like those are the
only two guys you're throwing two.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
YEA is a.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Concern, Yes, is a concern, quiet and down for Philly.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
It's got to And here's the thing, Demonse, I think
this is gonna be the way they have have to
win games, not him having a perfect passer rating like that.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
I thought that the Dogs.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Yes, I thought that was the best game Jalen Hurts
has ever played. Now it that sounds weird because he's
played awesome in one Super Bowl and really well in
another but if you removed the stakes of the Super Bowl,
if you just said, hey, watch this Jalen Hurts game,
(08:25):
all games have the same stakes. So to see what's
the best he's ever played, the best he's ever operated,
I thought it was Sunday. I also think Sunday kind
of adds to his big game quarterback rep because had
they lost that team spirally three straight losses so that
(08:49):
it wasn't a playoff game, but it felt like it
had more playoff implications than a regular regular season game.
And he and here's the other piece of it. Sorry,
if you guys hear those sirens in the background. The
reason I think they're gonna need it is I just
(09:11):
don't think they're going to get a good Saquan year.
I don't think this is a slump. I think this
is who he is this season. Now. I want to
be very clear with what I'm saying. I am not
saying Saquon is washed. Washed means you're never gonna be
good again. What I'm saying is I think this is
(09:34):
going to be a down year from start to finish.
Right now. Demanse of the forty eight running backs who
have carried the ball the most this year, he's forty
seventh in yards per carry. He has no big runs,
he's you know, he's basically almost half the yards per
(09:56):
carry he was last year. And that to me is
a combination of the offensive line not being as good
and him being a little beat up from last season.
And so for Philly to win at a highlight, they're
not Their defense is worse than last year. Saquan is
nowhere close to what he was last year. Their path
(10:18):
is gonna be their super Bowl MVP quarterback throwing to
the stud receivers, like that's what it's got to be.
And we can throw up the Eagles schedule. They you know,
they have a brutal schedule all year, which is why
this game was so important. They think they now get
the Giants, and I'm very curious. We're talking more about
(10:38):
the Giants in a bit, how the Giants react to
that type of loss. But the Giants obviously just beat them,
and then they get their bye, and then it is
Green Bay, Detroit, Dallas, three really tough games, and so
they're going to have to win this way. And I
give Jalen a ton of credit. I thought he was
(10:59):
brilliant on Sunday and doing that, by the way, against
that defense that never allows deep passes. Uh the Flora's
defense I thought was really really good. All right, what
else you got here?
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Uh? So the touch push a little strange turn. Minnesota
did a strange little lineup. I think they got had
a guy on all fours.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
The guy lay down. The Chiefs tried this in the
Super Bowl with Chris Jones.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
Wherever it takes, We're going to do this.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
This just needs to go away. We've spent too much
time talking about the touch push on this show. It
this is even more. It's just not football play, and
it just is what it is. All right? What else
do we have on this game?
Speaker 3 (11:48):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Put your so put your tin foil hat on. What
do you think is going on with JJ McCarthy.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
I mean, he's hurt, right, but I I you know,
Greg Rosenthal keeps calling it a soft benching. I think
that's probably right, but at some point you got to
put him back out there. I also, I'm not trying
to I'm not trying to cause any b for anything.
(12:17):
But when I tell you guys, you guys remember, of
course you remember, But I'm gonna try to find it
real quick here it is I talk about the injury,
the injury report inflation that if they say escape major
injury is gonna be out this if they you know
(12:38):
that they always put the most optimistic glean on injuries.
I find this interesting. Schefter after a week two tweeted
Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy is expected to be sidelined two
(13:02):
to four weeks with a high ankle spring again. Schefter
tweeted right after the injury, JJ McCarthy is expected to
be sidelined two to four weeks with a high ankle spring. Okay,
(13:22):
Schefter Sunday morning said and tweeted. When JJ's McCarthy suffered
a high ankle spring, doctors expected it to be a
six week injury. Nothing has changed. It still looks like
a six week injury. Buddy, that's not what you told us,
(13:48):
So I don't see a third option here either. The
initial reporting is what most of these injury reports in
quotes are, which is overly optimistic for reasons I still
(14:09):
don't totally understand. Or something has changed, which is either
he's not recovering as well as they would like, or
it's the soft benching of Wentz's playing. Okay and we're
trying to win these games. I don't know. I do
(14:31):
know that I don't feel great about Adam Schefter reporting
it's a two to four week injury, and then Adam
Schefter on Sunday morning going on TV and tweeting doctors
always expected it to be a six week injury. Nothing
(14:52):
has changed. Something there does not line.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
Up all right.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
So c came back. He's adding to that Polton offense.
They are looking good. They beat the Commanders, by the way.
But you think the biggest story here is Jade Daniels,
who has kind of been a little injury.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
Prone since he said the league a little bit. So
far that's always been yours.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
Yeah, the hamstring is hard to blame on him being
so skinny. But fact of the matter is he's played
one of the third NFL seasons. He got knocked out
of a game with bruised or cracked ribs, he missed
time with a sprain knee, and now he's going to
miss time with a hamstring. That's three separate injuries twenty
games into his career. That's concerning. And I know the
(15:37):
Commanders are not ruling him out for this week. You
know who is though hard Rock bet that has the
Commanders as ten point dogs to the Chiefs, like the
Vegas is saying, we think that to Marcus Mariota game.
The other thing that the reason the Cowboys are who
(15:59):
the cow are demontse like they are gonna score at will,
and there are games that, I mean, they can beat
anyone because of that offense, and they can lose to
anyone because of that defense. They're gonna be fun to watch.
They're not trustworthy Dacks playing out of his mind thus far,
I have to give credit. I try to be fair.
You know, I've not been a George Pickens guy. He's
(16:21):
been awesome, so but the Cowboys to me are not
like a real They're a fun team. They're just a
different version of last year's Bengals. They can't do anything substantial,
but they can score a bunch of points and they're
fun to watch. The Commanders are in a different vote.
I think they're just done. They're three, Like, throw up
(16:43):
their schedule. They're three and four and the next three
are kans City, Seattle, Detroit. Yeah, like, I just think
it's over. Is that crazy?
Speaker 2 (16:58):
Yeah, I mean those next three are I'm looking good.
If the other games were maybe reversed. They're they're the
three they have after that, and then time.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
King City, Seattle, Detroit plus two left against Philly, and
you already have four losses. The Commanders the Cowboys think
they're still alive for the playoffs, and they are. I don't.
I don't think they're gonna be a playoff team. And
the Bears are still alive for the playoffs. You've lost
to the two teams that are fighting for the same
(17:28):
real estate as you. One of those wild Guard spots
him back to back weeks. I just think this is
a very disappointing, very disappointing first half of the year
for the Commanders. And I don't I don't see it
getting better. And I am worried about Jayden, and I
am worried about his inability to stay healthy. I also
(17:49):
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Speaker 3 (19:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
So, as you know, we don't usually get too deep
into basketball until Christmas, but we got to talk about
some things going on in the NBA. Wimby yesterday apparently
was crazy. I didn't catch this one, but I saw
the highlights. Is it possible that this guy is.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Already the best player in the league.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
I mean, here's the thing. Demon's no no shame in
not catching it live.
Speaker 3 (20:06):
I was watching VJ. Edgecomb welcome himself to the NBA.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
Oh you were watching? So you were watching a different game.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
Yeah, I was watching.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
Okay, Oh that's I thought. I assumed you meant you were.
Oh good for you, buddy.
Speaker 3 (20:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:20):
Yeah, that's a VJ. Edgecomb all time record for points
on you, and the Sixers won that game despite.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
Him being show and the almost got bad for VJ.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
With him missing those two free throws at the end
of the celticsense pulled through.
Speaker 3 (20:39):
That would have been a damn.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
That would have been a great win for them.
Speaker 3 (20:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
Yeah, And and Maxi, our guy Maxie had forty cooked,
but someone else had forty and he's a seven foot
five problem. So I I was a gog at what
(21:03):
I saw last night from Victor Winman Yama. So he
is the best defensive player in basketball. We knew that
was going to be the case. And he had three blocks,
but that doesn't really explain it because he just dissuaded
(21:24):
so much action because of his length that I don't
know what the advanced stat is for, like shots not
taken because you're scared this guy's gonna swat it into
the first row. But he crushes in that. So we
(21:44):
had So here's a good comp we had on the
show yesterday. A kim Olajuan all right, and A Keem
was never the best offensive player in the league. But
there was a two year period when Jordan was a
year and a half when Jordan was retired, and those
(22:07):
two years when a team was the best player in
the league because he was far and away the best
defensive player and those couple of years probably like the
fifth or sixth best offensive player, and those two things
can combine to make you the best player. He usually
(22:29):
goes in the other direction, the best player in the league.
Joker is far and away the best offensive player, and
then just for average defensive. Right, and you deal with it.
You know, it's very rare you get prime. I shouldn't
say it's very rare. It's just special prime Giannis prime,
(22:53):
Bron Prime Jordan, prime, Kobe Kawido. Also, I think was
never the offense. Yeah, I'm talking about a guy who
can win the scoring title while being the best defender
in the league. Right, it's only a handful of guys.
(23:16):
If Wimby's gonna give you forty let me let me
put it like this. Here's why it's so scary, Demanse
and I loved that he only took two threes, that
he is stronger, his handles better. I think Wimby. If
(23:37):
Wimby averages twenty five points a game, he might be
the best player in the league. Yeah, like that because
of what he is defensively, and if he's gonna put
up thirty. I'm sorry to Joker and I'm sorry to Shay,
(24:03):
but I just I I am. I'm ready to have
the conversation that this guy might just be the best,
like the best.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
Player in the league right in the beginning. Well, here's
what I was probably more on the injury side.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
It was two things. It was two things. One was
the injury stuff, which still anybody that size, it worries me.
But that's about it was my skepticism on Wimby. I
guess was here were the three different levels of it.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
I think it was him shooting too.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
Yes, So I didn't like the style he was playing.
To me, he was trying to be Durant, and it's like, bro,
you're a half foot taller than Durant, and Durant is
one of the greatest pure shooters ever. You're like the
So I didn't love that. The injury's potential concerned me
(24:59):
because literally every player in the history of the league
seven four are taller has dealt with injuries, and I
don't consider the blood clot an injury. I do, though,
I I'm gonna say it's really.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
Am I feel like that they're more prone to though,
just because they're larger guys.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
I was about to say that exact same thing. I
was like, maybe this is dumb, maybe a doctor's listening
is like, that's not how that works. But in my head,
that's how it works. It's like, I don't know, there's
more there's more air, you know, mileage for there to
be clots, like I don't know. But so that part
and then the other part was I just thought we
(25:38):
were setting him up to be a disappointment by saying
if he's not better than a Chema LaJuan, he's underachieved.
I'm like, geez, Louise Man, like he walks into the league,
and it's if you're not one of the ten greatest
players of all time, you've you have failed.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
With that said, I mean I kind of get it.
I mean, this is special. This is really really special,
and I don't know what you're gonna do with him,
and it does. He has become after one game Demanse
(26:31):
must watch every night and it makes.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
Me, at least with Len leaving, well yeah there's but.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
Yeah, but also and so a couple things. It makes
me take the Spurs seriously. I mean, they obviously didn't
even have Fox and they beat the third and well,
(27:11):
so that's the other piece of it. If you were
to ask me going into yesterday, okay, if you are,
if you can have any player in the league to
try to slow down Wimby on the defensive end, who
(27:35):
is your number one draft pick? It would have been
a d Like that's the other problem, Like the is
there anyone in the league demands a better in theory
equipped to deal.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
With Wimby on the Celtics? I think it's the last
name is Vet some something Vet.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
Okay, all right, you're I don't I don't know who
you're talking about, and you're being ridiculous. There is the
the I mean, maybe you're not. No, the I don't know.
Nobody's guarding the man? What nobody can guard him? He's
a freak of nature. Hold on, who are you talking about?
You're talking about okay, all right, yeah, okay, you were
(28:19):
being silly. Uh No, I'm just saying, like a d
is seven feet, can play on the perimeter, can play
down low. It has been one of the of his era. Yes,
and Wimby made him look silly. I don't so so,
Like who is the Spurs what's the Spurs next game?
(28:42):
So the Spurs next game is their next three games
are New Orleans, Brooklyn, Toronto. The hell is anybody gonna do?
Like who on New Orleans is gonna be like it's tray.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
It.
Speaker 1 (29:04):
I don't think New Orleans. I guess me, Si, I
don't know, man, this is so I do think. I
do think Demonde. It's on the board that he's the
best player in the league this year, and that would.
Speaker 2 (29:20):
Be mind is right too, Like, I just don't see
it's like he's going to do everything possible to stay afloat.
I see him taking care of his body, taking care
of himself and the off season.
Speaker 1 (29:32):
Oh yeah, we haven't had a guy be in the
argument for there's only been I just want to make
sure I get this right, the only no one since
(29:57):
Brown has He had a real argument that they were
the best player in the league in year three. Like
bron in year three was second in MVP voting, he
had a real argument. Tim Duncan in year three might
(30:17):
have been the best player in the league, but he
was a four year college player. Shack in year three
was I think, let me, I want to see if
I have this had an argument, he was second in
MVP voting and Jordan was retired, and they made the
(30:39):
finals but lost to a team those are best player
in the league argument by year three, it's just the
holy Grail of NBA guys, really, and this is this
(30:59):
is something else. This is really really something else. I'm
amazed by.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
It, and.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
I I I'm lost of words. I didn't understand what
I was watching last night. And we'll see how it continues.
Oh wow, what's the MVP odds?
Speaker 2 (31:31):
Yeah, so he climbed the top two in MVP odds
at plus two seventy five, and he was around plus
twelve hundred in the preseason. So do you see you
see after these three games him potentially being the favorite?
Speaker 3 (31:46):
I mean, I don't see.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
I mean maybe here's the thing. The thing is this,
I just in principle, if yesterday I could have gotten
a bet at twelve to one, I can't bet it
today at less than three to one.
Speaker 3 (32:02):
And there's a lot of those tickets out there.
Speaker 1 (32:04):
I feel like one tickets.
Speaker 3 (32:07):
Let's yeah, I feel like there's a lot of those
out there.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
Oh yeah, And I would have told you. I would
have told you one day ago. Those are dumb tickets
just because I would have said, you know this coming
off injury, feeling well, he's coming off an injury. He
might not play enough games. And it's so hard to
win MVP if you're not a top three seed and
you know how many games are the Spurs really gonna win.
(32:33):
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(33:14):
dot Com. Terms of course do apply, all right, demons,
Let's get to the actual opening eye of the NBA
two nights ago with a classic and a concerning game.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
A couple of nights ago, we got to see how
Katie's looking with those rockets against the Thunder. They ended
up not being able to pull out the wind and
doublet Lakers face Golden State. Golden State came out victorious.
But you've seen down on both of those teams.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
Why is that?
Speaker 1 (33:45):
Yeah, so let's we'll do Lakers Warriors, then we'll do
Rockets Thunder. Okay, So I watched the Lakers and Luca
was obviously awesome, and I was like, yeah, so when
(34:08):
Lebron comes back, you know what they need from Lebron
for him to be their best perimeter defender. And that
seems like a bad process for a guy who's gonna
be forty one in year twenty three, because I look
(34:30):
at the Lakers roster and I'm like, well, they don't
have a ton of shooting and they don't really have
any defense. Not sure how that's going to work in
the modern NBA, even with a guy as great as Luca,
and even when Bron comes back, so that I just
(34:53):
think it's a for the modern league and oddly constructed roster.
It's very like this is about Luca, not about Bron.
It's very clear how to win with Luca get shooters
and defenders and let him handle the entirety of the
rest of the offense. It feels like the Lakers have
(35:15):
none of that. And it's just like Jared Vanderbilt guard
everyone Marcus Smart, God love him, is just not even
close to the same guy. And so it also reminds
you what a yeoman's effort Anthony Davis was making on
that side of the ball, kind of carrying the entirety
(35:37):
of that defense. So it just it was I just
think that that is a really clumsily put together roster.
And you know that I was not as high as
some on Oh this will be the year DeAndre Ayton
(35:58):
takes it serious. I don't think that guy is a
winning player, and I so and I was also bummed.
This was a crazy stat I had, uh yesterday, What
(36:20):
what is the marquee date demands on the NBA regular
season calendar? Historically like the holiday where a lot of
people look at it kind of the start of the season.
Speaker 3 (36:35):
That Christmas.
Speaker 1 (36:36):
Yeah, Christmas. The NFL's kind of tried to steal their corner,
but the NBA made Christmas their holiday. So for the
NBA in the regular season, there's opening Night, which is
a big, you know, celebration, the unofficial opening night Christmas,
and then there's obviously the postseason. Lebron James teams prior
(37:02):
to two days ago had played in in his career
three hundred and thirty two opening nights, Christmases and playoff games,
and Lebron James had played in all three hundred and
(37:22):
thirty two of them. He had never missed any of
his two hundred and eighty two career playoff games, any
of his twenty two opening nights, or any of the
eighteen it's actually nineteen Christmas Day games. And you might say,
(37:44):
if you're doing the math in your head, that adds
up to three hundred and thirty three. But that's because
one of the COVID year's opening night was Christmas. He's
never missed a marquee moment in his career and then
he missed this one. It's like it was another piece
of evidence of man, it's not a lot of time
left here. Yeah, it's just a bummer, you know what
(38:07):
I mean? Just a bummer, uh in that regard and
so and the other bummer is he's he's not gonna
fix what's wrong with the Lakers. So I think when
you have Luca, you're going to be Luca guarant should
guarantee a healthy Luca should guarantee you a playoff spot.
(38:30):
Luca plus Brown plus Austin Reeves plus what should be
a pretty sharp coach in uh Reddick should make you frisky.
But I don't think that roster is well rounded enough.
On the Warriors, I just think they're too old and
(38:51):
the they don't have a a you know right now,
Lakers Warriors. I don't even think it's a debate. The
best player between the two teams is Luca, and he's
ten years younger than Steph. So I just don't think
the Warriors have the legs for hunting him. Yeah, I
(39:15):
just yeah, So I just think the Warriors that was
a good win for them. I just don't take them
real serious as a contender. Now to the Rockets Thunder.
Something you wanted to.
Speaker 2 (39:27):
Say, uh oh, yeah, you didn't You didn't like the
Wait did you want me to get into that. You
didn't like how the fans reacted to Kevin Durant. Yes,
so coming back to okay, see.
Speaker 1 (39:38):
Is that so much that I didn't like it?
Speaker 2 (39:41):
And they cheered Steven Adams right, before it was that
there at the same time.
Speaker 1 (39:46):
So here's my question, Man, is Durant going to finish
unless they win the title in Houston? Is he going
to be the first all time great player to retire
(40:08):
without a home? Like if you if if if you
say bron it's the the Calves and Cleveland will love
him forever. You know, Lakers some yes, some know, Miami
(40:30):
mostly yes, some know, but the Calves, like will love
him forever. Jordan obviously, it's the Bulls, Kareem obviously it's
the Lakers. Magic is the Lakers, Duncan is the Spurs.
Those guys are one team guys. But you know, Kobe
is Lakers. But even the guys who moved like Kevin
(40:51):
Garnett has two cities that adore him Minnesota Minneapolis with
the Timberwolves and the Celtics. Barkley he's not an all
time again, no, but I mean he's a great player.
Ro I'm talking about like top top. You know, Berkley
is still beloved in Phoenix. D Wade is obviously always
(41:16):
going to be beloved in uh Miami. Moses Malone is
beloved in Philly. If Oklahoma City Demons after winning a
title is still mad at Durant. When he retires, where
(41:41):
does he go and get universal love? It doesn't feel
like it's Golden State. It's certainly not Phoenix or Brooklyn.
And Oklahoma City's booing him like.
Speaker 3 (41:57):
I think they love him.
Speaker 2 (41:59):
I think they're just you know, they're they're bowling, they're
talking their mess. I think, I honestly think that when
he retires that he'll he'll get love from Okay. See,
I don't know if they think of it, but I don't.
I don't know, but yeah, they did just win a.
Speaker 3 (42:12):
Title like the other crazy he left.
Speaker 1 (42:14):
Nine years as they booed Durrant on ring night, you
guys want a title.
Speaker 3 (42:21):
Like Durant did a lot for y'all. Durrant did a
did a lot for y'all while he was there.
Speaker 1 (42:25):
I think he I think he deserves a statue there
like so that that did make me sad, and I
don't think And by the way, he didn't demand a trade.
He didn't blow your team up. He didn't quit on anybody.
He hit free agency and left.
Speaker 3 (42:42):
Like wouldn't Harden the first one to go home?
Speaker 1 (42:45):
But no, they traded away hardened hard Harden was like.
Speaker 3 (42:50):
An he couldn't get his contracts figure, but.
Speaker 1 (42:53):
That was he didn't want and so that you know
the but they love Russ. It's just I don't know.
That made me sad. Okase, he's obviously awesome. I think
Durant will be better than he was Opening night, Dort
gives a lot of people trouble and Shingoon man watch
(43:14):
out for Shingoon. Uh, I mean, Shingoon looks great and
shout out to Wilds on that. I still I feel
like the Fred van Vliet injury for the Rockets is
really tough, but I really do like that team, and
I think Durant's gonna be excellent. Daniel says maybe Seattle
will claim Durant when they get a team. I don't know.
(43:36):
I hope so just made me sad and maybe it
shouldn't have, but it just made me sad.
Welcome to the Best of the Week for What's Right
with Nick Right the best takes and moments from this
week on the show. Enjoy.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
The Lions took care of the Bucks last night. As
we know, the Bucks are dealing with a bunch of injuries.
Mike Evans even went down in the game.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
So with that said, big deal.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Just real quick, let's talk about Mike Evans. One of
the coolest streaks in football history is done now. Mike Evans,
who it's eleven straight years of one thousand yards, came
into the league in twenty fourteen, had a thousand yards
receiving or more every single year and a fun I
(00:42):
mean his fourth year, Demons, he had one thousand and one,
his seventh year he had a thousand and six. Last
year he had one thousand and four and got it
on the final play of the season, and they were
trying to get it for him. It's it's so funny.
He's he's as I'm trying to get this exactly right.
(01:06):
Eleven straight years with one thousand yards four of those
five of those eleven he did not get to eleven hundred,
and then he had two eleven hundred yard seasons a
twelve hundred yard, a thirteen hundred yard, a fifteen hundred yard,
(01:26):
and you know, so he had one monster year with
the fifteen hundred before Brady got there. But he's just
been wildly consistent. It's now over and his seat. Depending
on how bad the collar bone break is, his season
could be over. You gotta hope he can be back
for the postseason. This is my Super Bowl pick. As
good as Abuka's been, they need Mike Evans back, so
(01:50):
that's important. And they, you know, the Bucks, to their credit,
dealt with all the injuries as well as any team
in football could have, and it was really important. They
got the you know, the win against the Seahawks, the
win against the Niners at the loss beating the Lions
(02:11):
would have really put them in the catbird seat in
the NFC. Losing they're still okay.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
And the Saints I feel like, yeah, still did it
pretty good, Like the defense kept them in the game.
Bigger just couldn't really get anything going.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
As far as the Lions team goes, that was a
great win, Demonsey. If they lose there, they've lost to
Green Bay and Tampa and they have three losses now.
Instead of that, they have the head to head tiebreaker
with Tampa and they're just a half game behind Green Bay,
so that's a great win for the Lions. My concern
(02:46):
would be this, does is it fair to you? Do
you think it's fair for me to say golf just
seems a little shakier this year. I know his numbers
have been great, but it just feels he doesn't feel
quite as crisp as last year. But Gibbs is unbelievable.
I mean, Gibbs is an unbelievable player. But that's my
(03:07):
they have My.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
Other guy to me is ridiculous.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Bradholmes serves a ton of credit. They've drafted so well,
and he's taking unconventional positions for great players. I mean,
everybody killed the Gibbs pick. People didn't love the report
of his awesome. Gibbs is unbelievable, and he's always fresh
because they use Montgomery exactly. They have Gibbs is a
(03:37):
great football player. All right, what's your Packers follow up? Here?
Speaker 2 (03:41):
The four win Packers are somehow the one seed after
this game? Does that feel kind of weird? Through seven
weeks of football?
Speaker 1 (03:49):
It feels weird just from a record perspective, that there's
been seven weeks, they have four wins. They're the one
seed because they've had a bye and they have a tie,
and there's no other one loss team but the others.
It feels weird, is this. I don't feel like the
Packers have played great post Week one. I thought they
played amazing and Week one against Detroit and since then
(04:11):
they've just been okay. And so yeah, I mean, long season.
All right, let's get to the long night part of
last night, the late game.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
So the Seahawks moved to five and two after taking
care of the Texans who could not get it done
on offense. With that said, how seriously should we be
taking Seattle.
Speaker 1 (04:31):
I'm gonna take them seriously at this point. So I
think here's a take demonse. I'm curious how this lands
with everyone Seattle. The seriousness that folks some folks are demanding,
(04:51):
the level of seriousness that some folks are demanding. We
take the cults. I will take the Seahawks. I think
the Seahawks, I understand the culture. Six and one and
the Seahawks are five and two. I think the Seahawks
are a more sustainable team and a scarier postseason team
(05:15):
than Indy, because what the Seahawks have right now is
just a brilliant defensive coach with a defensive front that
is just annihilating people. Leonard Williams has been unreal all year,
a quarterback that's super confident, maybe a little too confident
(05:36):
at times in Darnold and I Jackson Smith and Jigba. Yeah,
is really making a case that he is the best
receiver in football, Like I still would have Jefferson and
Chase ahead of him, and you know he's right there
with Pooka. But every week he feels like he's the best.
(06:01):
Like that's just based on track record. He has been
absolutely phenomenal this season. So the Seahawks, that defense, that coach,
that receiver, that's a that's a real team now. And
(06:22):
by the way, like NFC West, demon's a Rams five
and two Niners five and two Seahawks five and two.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Holy smokes, you take that rite that right now? Plus
two seventy five.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
No, I no, I wouldn't. I would take the Rams. Still,
I would. I would still take the Rams. But I
don't think let me, I think the Seahawks should they're
undervalued at plus two seventy five. I think they're more
likely to win the division than San Francisco. Is I
(07:02):
know they lost to San Francisco head to head, but
the Seahawks now have a bye, Then they get the
Commanders in a game Jayden may Or may not play.
Then it's the Cardinals, then a huge game against the Rams,
and then they have the Titans. So they're staring at
(07:25):
very realistically being eight and three going into the stretch run.
So yeah, no, I'm taking the Seahawks very seriously.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Eagles gotta win twenty eight to twenty two over the Vikings.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
Hertz had a perfect passer rating.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Aj Brown and DeVante Smith for combined for three hundred
plus yards and three touchdowns. Seemed like those are the
only two guys you're throwing two.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
YEA is a.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Concern, Yes, is a concern, quiet and down for Philly.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
It's got to And here's the thing, Demonse, I think
this is gonna be the way they have have to
win games, not him having a perfect passer rating like that.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
I thought that the Dogs.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Yes, I thought that was the best game Jalen Hurts
has ever played. Now it that sounds weird because he's
played awesome in one Super Bowl and really well in
another but if you removed the stakes of the Super Bowl,
if you just said, hey, watch this Jalen Hurts game,
(08:25):
all games have the same stakes. So to see what's
the best he's ever played, the best he's ever operated,
I thought it was Sunday. I also think Sunday kind
of adds to his big game quarterback rep because had
they lost that team spirally three straight losses so that
(08:49):
it wasn't a playoff game, but it felt like it
had more playoff implications than a regular regular season game.
And he and here's the other piece of it. Sorry,
if you guys hear those sirens in the background. The
reason I think they're gonna need it is I just
(09:11):
don't think they're going to get a good Saquan year.
I don't think this is a slump. I think this
is who he is this season. Now. I want to
be very clear with what I'm saying. I am not
saying Saquon is washed. Washed means you're never gonna be
good again. What I'm saying is I think this is
(09:34):
going to be a down year from start to finish.
Right now. Demanse of the forty eight running backs who
have carried the ball the most this year, he's forty
seventh in yards per carry. He has no big runs,
he's you know, he's basically almost half the yards per
(09:56):
carry he was last year. And that to me is
a combination of the offensive line not being as good
and him being a little beat up from last season.
And so for Philly to win at a highlight, they're
not Their defense is worse than last year. Saquan is
nowhere close to what he was last year. Their path
(10:18):
is gonna be their super Bowl MVP quarterback throwing to
the stud receivers, like that's what it's got to be.
And we can throw up the Eagles schedule. They you know,
they have a brutal schedule all year, which is why
this game was so important. They think they now get
the Giants, and I'm very curious. We're talking more about
(10:38):
the Giants in a bit, how the Giants react to
that type of loss. But the Giants obviously just beat them,
and then they get their bye, and then it is
Green Bay, Detroit, Dallas, three really tough games, and so
they're going to have to win this way. And I
give Jalen a ton of credit. I thought he was
(10:59):
brilliant on Sunday and doing that, by the way, against
that defense that never allows deep passes. Uh the Flora's
defense I thought was really really good. All right, what
else you got here?
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Uh? So the touch push a little strange turn. Minnesota
did a strange little lineup. I think they got had
a guy on all fours.
Speaker 1 (11:22):
The guy lay down. The Chiefs tried this in the
Super Bowl with Chris Jones.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
Wherever it takes, We're going to do this.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
This just needs to go away. We've spent too much
time talking about the touch push on this show. It
this is even more. It's just not football play, and
it just is what it is. All right? What else
do we have on this game?
Speaker 3 (11:48):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (11:49):
Put your so put your tin foil hat on. What
do you think is going on with JJ McCarthy.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
I mean, he's hurt, right, but I I you know,
Greg Rosenthal keeps calling it a soft benching. I think
that's probably right, but at some point you got to
put him back out there. I also, I'm not trying
to I'm not trying to cause any b for anything.
(12:17):
But when I tell you guys, you guys remember, of
course you remember, But I'm gonna try to find it
real quick here it is I talk about the injury,
the injury report inflation that if they say escape major
injury is gonna be out this if they you know
(12:38):
that they always put the most optimistic glean on injuries.
I find this interesting. Schefter after a week two tweeted
Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy is expected to be sidelined two
(13:02):
to four weeks with a high ankle spring again. Schefter
tweeted right after the injury, JJ McCarthy is expected to
be sidelined two to four weeks with a high ankle spring. Okay,
(13:22):
Schefter Sunday morning said and tweeted. When JJ's McCarthy suffered
a high ankle spring, doctors expected it to be a
six week injury. Nothing has changed. It still looks like
a six week injury. Buddy, that's not what you told us,
(13:48):
So I don't see a third option here either. The
initial reporting is what most of these injury reports in
quotes are, which is overly optimistic for reasons I still
(14:09):
don't totally understand. Or something has changed, which is either
he's not recovering as well as they would like, or
it's the soft benching of Wentz's playing. Okay and we're
trying to win these games. I don't know. I do
(14:31):
know that I don't feel great about Adam Schefter reporting
it's a two to four week injury, and then Adam
Schefter on Sunday morning going on TV and tweeting doctors
always expected it to be a six week injury. Nothing
(14:52):
has changed. Something there does not line.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
Up all right.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
So c came back. He's adding to that Polton offense.
They are looking good. They beat the Commanders, by the way.
But you think the biggest story here is Jade Daniels,
who has kind of been a little injury.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
Prone since he said the league a little bit. So
far that's always been yours.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
Yeah, the hamstring is hard to blame on him being
so skinny. But fact of the matter is he's played
one of the third NFL seasons. He got knocked out
of a game with bruised or cracked ribs, he missed
time with a sprain knee, and now he's going to
miss time with a hamstring. That's three separate injuries twenty
games into his career. That's concerning. And I know the
(15:37):
Commanders are not ruling him out for this week. You
know who is though hard Rock bet that has the
Commanders as ten point dogs to the Chiefs, like the
Vegas is saying, we think that to Marcus Mariota game.
The other thing that the reason the Cowboys are who
(15:59):
the cow are demontse like they are gonna score at will,
and there are games that, I mean, they can beat
anyone because of that offense, and they can lose to
anyone because of that defense. They're gonna be fun to watch.
They're not trustworthy Dacks playing out of his mind thus far,
I have to give credit. I try to be fair.
You know, I've not been a George Pickens guy. He's
(16:21):
been awesome, so but the Cowboys to me are not
like a real They're a fun team. They're just a
different version of last year's Bengals. They can't do anything substantial,
but they can score a bunch of points and they're
fun to watch. The Commanders are in a different vote.
I think they're just done. They're three, Like, throw up
(16:43):
their schedule. They're three and four and the next three
are kans City, Seattle, Detroit. Yeah, like, I just think
it's over. Is that crazy?
Speaker 2 (16:58):
Yeah, I mean those next three are I'm looking good.
If the other games were maybe reversed. They're they're the
three they have after that, and then time.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
King City, Seattle, Detroit plus two left against Philly, and
you already have four losses. The Commanders the Cowboys think
they're still alive for the playoffs, and they are. I don't.
I don't think they're gonna be a playoff team. And
the Bears are still alive for the playoffs. You've lost
to the two teams that are fighting for the same
(17:28):
real estate as you. One of those wild Guard spots
him back to back weeks. I just think this is
a very disappointing, very disappointing first half of the year
for the Commanders. And I don't I don't see it
getting better. And I am worried about Jayden, and I
am worried about his inability to stay healthy. I also
(17:49):
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Speaker 3 (19:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
So, as you know, we don't usually get too deep
into basketball until Christmas, but we got to talk about
some things going on in the NBA. Wimby yesterday apparently
was crazy. I didn't catch this one, but I saw
the highlights. Is it possible that this guy is.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
Already the best player in the league.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
I mean, here's the thing. Demon's no no shame in
not catching it live.
Speaker 3 (20:06):
I was watching VJ. Edgecomb welcome himself to the NBA.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
Oh you were watching? So you were watching a different game.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
Yeah, I was watching.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
Okay, Oh that's I thought. I assumed you meant you were.
Oh good for you, buddy.
Speaker 3 (20:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:20):
Yeah, that's a VJ. Edgecomb all time record for points
on you, and the Sixers won that game despite.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
Him being show and the almost got bad for VJ.
Speaker 2 (20:36):
With him missing those two free throws at the end
of the celticsense pulled through.
Speaker 3 (20:39):
That would have been a damn.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
That would have been a great win for them.
Speaker 3 (20:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
Yeah, And and Maxi, our guy Maxie had forty cooked,
but someone else had forty and he's a seven foot
five problem. So I I was a gog at what
(21:03):
I saw last night from Victor Winman Yama. So he
is the best defensive player in basketball. We knew that
was going to be the case. And he had three blocks,
but that doesn't really explain it because he just dissuaded
(21:24):
so much action because of his length that I don't
know what the advanced stat is for, like shots not
taken because you're scared this guy's gonna swat it into
the first row. But he crushes in that. So we
(21:44):
had So here's a good comp we had on the
show yesterday. A kim Olajuan all right, and A Keem
was never the best offensive player in the league. But
there was a two year period when Jordan was a
year and a half when Jordan was retired, and those
(22:07):
two years when a team was the best player in
the league because he was far and away the best
defensive player and those couple of years probably like the
fifth or sixth best offensive player, and those two things
can combine to make you the best player. He usually
(22:29):
goes in the other direction, the best player in the league.
Joker is far and away the best offensive player, and
then just for average defensive. Right, and you deal with it.
You know, it's very rare you get prime. I shouldn't
say it's very rare. It's just special prime Giannis prime,
(22:53):
Bron Prime Jordan, prime, Kobe Kawido. Also, I think was
never the offense. Yeah, I'm talking about a guy who
can win the scoring title while being the best defender
in the league. Right, it's only a handful of guys.
(23:16):
If Wimby's gonna give you forty let me let me
put it like this. Here's why it's so scary, Demanse
and I loved that he only took two threes, that
he is stronger, his handles better. I think Wimby. If
(23:37):
Wimby averages twenty five points a game, he might be
the best player in the league. Yeah, like that because
of what he is defensively, and if he's gonna put
up thirty. I'm sorry to Joker and I'm sorry to Shay,
(24:03):
but I just I I am. I'm ready to have
the conversation that this guy might just be the best,
like the best.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
Player in the league right in the beginning. Well, here's
what I was probably more on the injury side.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
It was two things. It was two things. One was
the injury stuff, which still anybody that size, it worries me.
But that's about it was my skepticism on Wimby. I
guess was here were the three different levels of it.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
I think it was him shooting too.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
Yes, So I didn't like the style he was playing.
To me, he was trying to be Durant, and it's like, bro,
you're a half foot taller than Durant, and Durant is
one of the greatest pure shooters ever. You're like the
So I didn't love that. The injury's potential concerned me
(24:59):
because literally every player in the history of the league
seven four are taller has dealt with injuries, and I
don't consider the blood clot an injury. I do, though,
I I'm gonna say it's really.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
Am I feel like that they're more prone to though,
just because they're larger guys.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
I was about to say that exact same thing. I
was like, maybe this is dumb, maybe a doctor's listening
is like, that's not how that works. But in my head,
that's how it works. It's like, I don't know, there's
more there's more air, you know, mileage for there to
be clots, like I don't know. But so that part
and then the other part was I just thought we
(25:38):
were setting him up to be a disappointment by saying
if he's not better than a Chema LaJuan, he's underachieved.
I'm like, geez, Louise Man, like he walks into the league,
and it's if you're not one of the ten greatest
players of all time, you've you have failed.
Speaker 3 (26:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
With that said, I mean I kind of get it.
I mean, this is special. This is really really special,
and I don't know what you're gonna do with him,
and it does. He has become after one game Demanse
(26:31):
must watch every night and it makes.
Speaker 2 (26:39):
Me, at least with Len leaving, well yeah there's but.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
Yeah, but also and so a couple things. It makes
me take the Spurs seriously. I mean, they obviously didn't
even have Fox and they beat the third and well,
(27:11):
so that's the other piece of it. If you were
to ask me going into yesterday, okay, if you are,
if you can have any player in the league to
try to slow down Wimby on the defensive end, who
(27:35):
is your number one draft pick? It would have been
a d Like that's the other problem, Like the is
there anyone in the league demands a better in theory
equipped to deal.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
With Wimby on the Celtics? I think it's the last
name is Vet some something Vet.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
Okay, all right, you're I don't I don't know who
you're talking about, and you're being ridiculous. There is the
the I mean, maybe you're not. No, the I don't know.
Nobody's guarding the man? What nobody can guard him? He's
a freak of nature. Hold on, who are you talking about?
You're talking about okay, all right, yeah, okay, you were
(28:19):
being silly. Uh No, I'm just saying, like a d
is seven feet, can play on the perimeter, can play
down low. It has been one of the of his era. Yes,
and Wimby made him look silly. I don't so so,
Like who is the Spurs what's the Spurs next game?
(28:42):
So the Spurs next game is their next three games
are New Orleans, Brooklyn, Toronto. The hell is anybody gonna do?
Like who on New Orleans is gonna be like it's tray.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
It.
Speaker 1 (29:04):
I don't think New Orleans. I guess me, Si, I
don't know, man, this is so I do think. I
do think Demonde. It's on the board that he's the
best player in the league this year, and that would.
Speaker 2 (29:20):
Be mind is right too, Like, I just don't see
it's like he's going to do everything possible to stay afloat.
I see him taking care of his body, taking care
of himself and the off season.
Speaker 1 (29:32):
Oh yeah, we haven't had a guy be in the
argument for there's only been I just want to make
sure I get this right, the only no one since
(29:57):
Brown has He had a real argument that they were
the best player in the league in year three. Like
bron in year three was second in MVP voting, he
had a real argument. Tim Duncan in year three might
(30:17):
have been the best player in the league, but he
was a four year college player. Shack in year three
was I think, let me, I want to see if
I have this had an argument, he was second in
MVP voting and Jordan was retired, and they made the
(30:39):
finals but lost to a team those are best player
in the league argument by year three, it's just the
holy Grail of NBA guys, really, and this is this
(30:59):
is something else. This is really really something else. I'm
amazed by.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
It, and.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
I I I'm lost of words. I didn't understand what
I was watching last night. And we'll see how it continues.
Oh wow, what's the MVP odds?
Speaker 2 (31:31):
Yeah, so he climbed the top two in MVP odds
at plus two seventy five, and he was around plus
twelve hundred in the preseason. So do you see you
see after these three games him potentially being the favorite?
Speaker 3 (31:46):
I mean, I don't see.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
I mean maybe here's the thing. The thing is this,
I just in principle, if yesterday I could have gotten
a bet at twelve to one, I can't bet it
today at less than three to one.
Speaker 3 (32:02):
And there's a lot of those tickets out there.
Speaker 1 (32:04):
I feel like one tickets.
Speaker 3 (32:07):
Let's yeah, I feel like there's a lot of those
out there.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
Oh yeah, And I would have told you. I would
have told you one day ago. Those are dumb tickets
just because I would have said, you know this coming
off injury, feeling well, he's coming off an injury. He
might not play enough games. And it's so hard to
win MVP if you're not a top three seed and
you know how many games are the Spurs really gonna win.
(32:33):
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(33:14):
dot Com. Terms of course do apply, all right, demons,
Let's get to the actual opening eye of the NBA
two nights ago with a classic and a concerning game.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
A couple of nights ago, we got to see how
Katie's looking with those rockets against the Thunder. They ended
up not being able to pull out the wind and
doublet Lakers face Golden State. Golden State came out victorious.
But you've seen down on both of those teams.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
Why is that?
Speaker 1 (33:45):
Yeah, so let's we'll do Lakers Warriors, then we'll do
Rockets Thunder. Okay, So I watched the Lakers and Luca
was obviously awesome, and I was like, yeah, so when
(34:08):
Lebron comes back, you know what they need from Lebron
for him to be their best perimeter defender. And that
seems like a bad process for a guy who's gonna
be forty one in year twenty three, because I look
(34:30):
at the Lakers roster and I'm like, well, they don't
have a ton of shooting and they don't really have
any defense. Not sure how that's going to work in
the modern NBA, even with a guy as great as Luca,
and even when Bron comes back, so that I just
(34:53):
think it's a for the modern league and oddly constructed roster.
It's very like this is about Luca, not about Bron.
It's very clear how to win with Luca get shooters
and defenders and let him handle the entirety of the
rest of the offense. It feels like the Lakers have
(35:15):
none of that. And it's just like Jared Vanderbilt guard
everyone Marcus Smart, God love him, is just not even
close to the same guy. And so it also reminds
you what a yeoman's effort Anthony Davis was making on
that side of the ball, kind of carrying the entirety
(35:37):
of that defense. So it just it was I just
think that that is a really clumsily put together roster.
And you know that I was not as high as
some on Oh this will be the year DeAndre Ayton
(35:58):
takes it serious. I don't think that guy is a
winning player, and I so and I was also bummed.
This was a crazy stat I had, uh yesterday, What
(36:20):
what is the marquee date demands on the NBA regular
season calendar? Historically like the holiday where a lot of
people look at it kind of the start of the season.
Speaker 3 (36:35):
That Christmas.
Speaker 1 (36:36):
Yeah, Christmas. The NFL's kind of tried to steal their corner,
but the NBA made Christmas their holiday. So for the
NBA in the regular season, there's opening Night, which is
a big, you know, celebration, the unofficial opening night Christmas,
and then there's obviously the postseason. Lebron James teams prior
(37:02):
to two days ago had played in in his career
three hundred and thirty two opening nights, Christmases and playoff games,
and Lebron James had played in all three hundred and
(37:22):
thirty two of them. He had never missed any of
his two hundred and eighty two career playoff games, any
of his twenty two opening nights, or any of the
eighteen it's actually nineteen Christmas Day games. And you might say,
(37:44):
if you're doing the math in your head, that adds
up to three hundred and thirty three. But that's because
one of the COVID year's opening night was Christmas. He's
never missed a marquee moment in his career and then
he missed this one. It's like it was another piece
of evidence of man, it's not a lot of time
left here. Yeah, it's just a bummer, you know what
(38:07):
I mean? Just a bummer, uh in that regard and
so and the other bummer is he's he's not gonna
fix what's wrong with the Lakers. So I think when
you have Luca, you're going to be Luca guarant should
guarantee a healthy Luca should guarantee you a playoff spot.
(38:30):
Luca plus Brown plus Austin Reeves plus what should be
a pretty sharp coach in uh Reddick should make you frisky.
But I don't think that roster is well rounded enough.
On the Warriors, I just think they're too old and
(38:51):
the they don't have a a you know right now,
Lakers Warriors. I don't even think it's a debate. The
best player between the two teams is Luca, and he's
ten years younger than Steph. So I just don't think
the Warriors have the legs for hunting him. Yeah, I
(39:15):
just yeah, So I just think the Warriors that was
a good win for them. I just don't take them
real serious as a contender. Now to the Rockets Thunder.
Something you wanted to.
Speaker 2 (39:27):
Say, uh oh, yeah, you didn't You didn't like the
Wait did you want me to get into that. You
didn't like how the fans reacted to Kevin Durant. Yes,
so coming back to okay, see.
Speaker 1 (39:38):
Is that so much that I didn't like it?
Speaker 2 (39:41):
And they cheered Steven Adams right, before it was that
there at the same time.
Speaker 1 (39:46):
So here's my question, Man, is Durant going to finish
unless they win the title in Houston? Is he going
to be the first all time great player to retire
(40:08):
without a home? Like if you if if if you
say bron it's the the Calves and Cleveland will love
him forever. You know, Lakers some yes, some know, Miami
(40:30):
mostly yes, some know, but the Calves, like will love
him forever. Jordan obviously, it's the Bulls, Kareem obviously it's
the Lakers. Magic is the Lakers, Duncan is the Spurs.
Those guys are one team guys. But you know, Kobe
is Lakers. But even the guys who moved like Kevin
(40:51):
Garnett has two cities that adore him Minnesota Minneapolis with
the Timberwolves and the Celtics. Barkley he's not an all
time again, no, but I mean he's a great player.
Ro I'm talking about like top top. You know, Berkley
is still beloved in Phoenix. D Wade is obviously always
(41:16):
going to be beloved in uh Miami. Moses Malone is
beloved in Philly. If Oklahoma City Demons after winning a
title is still mad at Durant. When he retires, where
(41:41):
does he go and get universal love? It doesn't feel
like it's Golden State. It's certainly not Phoenix or Brooklyn.
And Oklahoma City's booing him like.
Speaker 3 (41:57):
I think they love him.
Speaker 2 (41:59):
I think they're just you know, they're they're bowling, they're
talking their mess. I think, I honestly think that when
he retires that he'll he'll get love from Okay. See,
I don't know if they think of it, but I don't.
I don't know, but yeah, they did just win a.
Speaker 3 (42:12):
Title like the other crazy he left.
Speaker 1 (42:14):
Nine years as they booed Durrant on ring night, you
guys want a title.
Speaker 3 (42:21):
Like Durant did a lot for y'all. Durrant did a
did a lot for y'all while he was there.
Speaker 1 (42:25):
I think he I think he deserves a statue there
like so that that did make me sad, and I
don't think And by the way, he didn't demand a trade.
He didn't blow your team up. He didn't quit on anybody.
He hit free agency and left.
Speaker 3 (42:42):
Like wouldn't Harden the first one to go home?
Speaker 1 (42:45):
But no, they traded away hardened hard Harden was like.
Speaker 3 (42:50):
An he couldn't get his contracts figure, but.
Speaker 1 (42:53):
That was he didn't want and so that you know
the but they love Russ. It's just I don't know.
That made me sad. Okase, he's obviously awesome. I think
Durant will be better than he was Opening night, Dort
gives a lot of people trouble and Shingoon man watch
(43:14):
out for Shingoon. Uh, I mean, Shingoon looks great and
shout out to Wilds on that. I still I feel
like the Fred van Vliet injury for the Rockets is
really tough, but I really do like that team, and
I think Durant's gonna be excellent. Daniel says maybe Seattle
will claim Durant when they get a team. I don't know.
(43:36):
I hope so just made me sad and maybe it
shouldn't have, but it just made me sad.
Host
Nick Wright
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