In the latest episode of Bully Ball, Rachel and Boogie are joined by the great, Isaiah Thomas, to break down all the latest. First, IT discusses being back in the NBA and explains what happened to the Suns. Plus, the trio breaks down the Timberwolves game 1 win over Denver and explains how each team can pull off the series victory. They also preview the Knicks/Pacers series and Dallas vs. OKC series. Will fatigue finally hit New York? Also, who will be the next Lakers coach and why Boogie says it should be LeBron.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Welcome to Bullyball, presented by DraftKings.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
I am Rachel Nichols as always, mister DeMarcus Cousins boogie
still in Taiwan, Greetings from across the seas here.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Good to see you.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Thanks right, and we are joined by the one, the only,
Isaiah Thomas.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Look, look, not the one and only, you know, there's
another one.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
You're the only one of you, my friend, That's what
I mean. Welcome.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
We're so happy to have you, and you are coming
off such a great, you know, a couple of months
of just you know, I think there was so much
joy around the league to see you back after how
hard you had worked and uh, you know, overcoming so
much injury stuff and all the other stuff that comes
along with once you fall out of the NBA. How
hard it is to get back in. Can you just
(00:59):
tell us a little of it, what it was like
for you, kind of having that finish line after you know,
running that marathon. As you've said for so.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Long, it was everything, Like you know, I just at
the end of the day, I just wanted to get.
Speaker 4 (01:12):
My foot back in the door.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
I just wanted to to to be where I belong,
where I feel like you know I deserve to be,
so I had to go through some hurdles. I had
to you know, run some laps on this marathon, but
at the end of the day, I just I just
stayed down.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
I believed in myself.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
You know, Phoenix gave me the opportunity to come in
and just you know, be a part of the culture,
be a part of a great organization.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
And I can't thank them enough.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
So you know, I'm I'm I'm happy with, you know
what what happened getting back in the NBA, but I
still want to showcase that I could be a part
of something and still play at a high level as well.
So super thankful, appreciative. The hard work definitely has paid
off to get back in, but you know I want
a little more as well.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Yeah, well, I think once you show people, hey, you know,
not just one day and day they re signed you,
they wanted you with them the whole rest of the way.
I have to assume right book that that's going to
make an impression on other teams.
Speaker 5 (02:08):
Absolutely, But I mean outside of that, like, I don't
think this guy gets enough credit for like his story
and like forget not forget, but excuse the part of
him you know, making the NBA, and you know the
legend that he created while.
Speaker 6 (02:26):
Being in there.
Speaker 5 (02:27):
Just the consistency, the grind, obviously, the slow ground, which
is your model, your logo, Bro, your inspiration to so
many around the world.
Speaker 6 (02:40):
Hightover I mean.
Speaker 5 (02:41):
Hard over height, all of those things, Bro, like just
to continue to fight this fight when it could have
been so easy for you to just you know, hang
it up, call it quits, or take your talents to
the other places, because there's so many other places to
go play basketball. But the consistency with your fight is
it's inspiring to so many people. And obviously it may
(03:03):
not just be about basketball. Your story could easily convince
the next person that's going through their.
Speaker 6 (03:09):
Own personal battles in life.
Speaker 5 (03:11):
So you know, I just obviously I want to give
you your flowers and your and your kudos in this
moment right now. But man, your story is amazing and
I just don't think you've gotten the real credit that
you deserve with the grind that you've really put into
this shit.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
So but look, I appreciate you all. You know, I
came in with you. I came in where you know,
the back was against the wall, and you've seen the
work each and every day, so we grew not only
as teammates but as friends. So I always got to
you know, I always tell people like I always give
you your flowers just because you started what's happening now, Like
we know, we know first and foremost who started the
(03:50):
big man that could be able to do everything and
play like a guard. So like you know, that doesn't
get talked about enough, like and that's I'm always got
the first and foremost give you your flowers on that,
because we wouldn't see the all all respect to every
big man that's playing right now, but we wouldn't see
the MBS. We wouldn't see the Jokers if it wasn't
(04:11):
for DeMarcus Cousins being able to to lay to lay
the ground for those guys to be able to do
the things that they do at a high level.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
So I appreciate you always giving me the love, but.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
I gotta I gotta give you the love back because
it's not always given because not only who you are,
but you're one of the best to ever play the game,
no matter what, no matter how it ended, no matter
what you went through, you know I seen it first
and foremost. How like I never seen a big like
you before, you know, And I always tell you that
though like I'm not, I'm not because we on this,
(04:45):
It's because it's real. And I'm always, you know, showcase
love and respect for you because I've seen it day
in and day out.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
I've seen I've seen how special a motherfucker is. Like
not not you know, talk like that like you.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
You got to give you your respect, you know, like
I always do that, so you know, it's all love
and respect on my end, And I appreciate you always
because you feel like, you know, we.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Ran the same race for so long.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
We got hurt around the same time we was fighting
to get back in and it just felt like we
wasn't given the respect that we ultimately deserved as we
was fighting for stuff that we shouldn't really had to
fight for. So you know, we'll talk about that at
a later day, but always give you your love and respect.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
For sure.
Speaker 6 (05:33):
I appreciate you. I love it always always.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
I wanted to kind of get your insight on Phoenix
as well. I t because you obviously were up close
with the organization that is in a pretty big transition moment.
I guess you know the roster has been the big
thing that we've been talking about. Buggie has been saying
since October this TV's point guard. So what did you
see in terms of that and the sort of the
(06:02):
things played out with that being such a sore spot
for them, you know as the series and as the
end of the regular season and playoffs went on.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
I think we just tried something that you know, really
hasn't been done before with not having a point guard. Now,
I think it just paid a toll on us, you know,
in a series where we played against a young, energetic,
physical team that kind of kind of knew like, Okay,
we're gonna pressure these guys the whole game to see
if they can last, Like see if guys can really
(06:31):
be able to make point guard plays and not necessarily
be saying just because I'm on the team, we need
to play a point guard. Even before you know, I
got on the squad, like from Afar, looking at the
Phoenix suns, I always felt like when it came to
the playoffs, that kind of would be a missing pleae
because you can't ultimately, you just can't play without a
point guard, even if it's you play a point guard
(06:53):
five to ten minutes each and every little half, like
that's enough. It was taking a toll on a guy
like Bradley Beial, It was taking a toll on a
guy like you know, Devin Booker and even Kevin Durant
at times, because it's just different things you got to
do when you're a point guard, bringing the ball up,
getting guys in position, Like I don't think they were ever.
(07:14):
You know, they ever, They've done that a lot throughout
their careers. So like when you go against a team
that pressured us full court, that made us bring the
ball up and get past half court at ten, you know,
at thirteen fourteen seconds on the shot clock, that's tough
for forty eight minutes. So I think it just it
just paid a toll on us. You know, like those
(07:36):
guys did a hell of a job. Coach put those
guys in position to do a hell of a job.
It was just, you know, we ran into a group
that had some really good energy that you know, a
guy like Anthony Edwards really showcased to the world that
he's here and he's here to stay. So it was
it was tough, but you know, we didn't match their energy.
We didn't match their energy throughout the series, and I
(07:57):
think that just paid a toll on us for sure.
Speaker 6 (07:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
I mean Book's been on it since being in the
season that this wasn't gonna work when it got to
the postseason to structure the team that way, and look,
we saw it, And now they're gonna have to make
some changes to the roster or something. If one of
the big guys ends up getting traded. Do you have
any insight into whether it would be a KD. I
(08:22):
can't see Devin Booker getting traded. Bradley Beal has a
no trade clause. It's complicated. They don't have a ton
of roster flexibility there. Do you have any thought about
what they could or should do going forward.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
I don't think they're gonna trade any of them.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
Like when it went well, like when we played well,
and those guys really played well, you've seen you've seen
what it could look like on a consistent basis. It
just was inconsistency at times. But those guys really rock
with each other, So I don't think. I think you
just got to figure out who you can put around
those guys to compliment their personalities, to compliment their game,
(08:59):
to make things a lot easier for those three guys
and then you move on from there because, like you said,
there's not a lot of options you can go to,
So you got to figure out how to make this
thing work for the next couple of years and how
to maximize you know, their abilities to win a championship.
And I think I think it could happen. I think
it's a great organization. You know, it was the first
(09:22):
year for a lot of things, figuring things out, and
I think you just got to you got to figure
out what's best for those three and maximize there the
opportunity you got for the years down the line, because
you know, you only got probably a two to three
year window in terms of playing at a high level
for a guy like Kevin Durant, not necessarily saying he
only got three years, but that window is not not
(09:44):
a five year window at all.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
So you you'll see what changes they make.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
You know, hopefully I'm around to be to be able to,
you know, make things easier for those guys. You know,
I'm I'm a definitely you know, have my two cents
and try to be around because it's definitely a a
good group of guys and a great organization to be
in for sure.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
And look, you mentioned Anthony Edwards and what it was
like playing against him book, did you expect the ant
experience to just carry right over to the Denver series
from what he was doing against Phoenix the way it did,
because I mean, he just was phenomenal again in Game one.
Speaker 5 (10:21):
Man, I love everything about this kid. The biggest thing
that stands out is the fact that he's twenty two
and his leadership skills are off the charts, Like I
just I don't feel like that can go unnoticed. And
the contagious good energy that he brings to the group,
the charisma, the personality, just everything that comes with this kid.
(10:46):
I really think this is his coming out moment, and
I think this is also where he's letting you know,
the world know, the league know that you know, I'm
taking this league Like this is now becoming his lead.
And I think the opportunity presented itself and he took
full advantage of the opportunity.
Speaker 6 (11:04):
So he's definitely a gain de fan in me.
Speaker 5 (11:09):
I think he has all the intangibles of carrying this
league and continuing.
Speaker 6 (11:14):
To make it a great lead.
Speaker 5 (11:16):
Like I said, the personality, the charisma, the great energy
is everything that that's that's that's.
Speaker 6 (11:23):
Needed for this league to move forward. And you know
the kid is shining.
Speaker 5 (11:28):
So he's living in the moment and the moment is
his right now.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Yeah, I T what do you think now?
Speaker 3 (11:35):
I mean, bog he said it like his energy is
amazing and he and he's doing it the right way,
Like he got personality. He knows what this opportunity is.
He knows the world is watching like like like, but
he said his leadership skills are not like a twenty
two year old would be. Like you could tell everybody
respects him on the floor, you could tell his coach.
Speaker 4 (11:57):
Has got his respect and he shows respect to his coaches.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Like that was big for what he said after game
one when they talked about what is Nick Norri to
you guys, he said, he's the same as Fincy, Like
he got the same voice as Finchy. We respect him
just like he's the head coach and that goes a
long way. Like he knows one thing I say, like
he's a humble kid, but he knows he's cold, like
(12:23):
he knows he's really good, Like he gives his props
to everybody else. If you look at his quotes you're
gonna tell you like I'm here, I'm I'm I'm.
Speaker 4 (12:31):
Here to kill all y'all.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
And I think that's an energy like we don't always
see like God shy away from that, and he's he's
taking full advantage of it. Like I always go off
if if I pay to see you play, like he's
one of the guys I'll pay. I'll pay my money
to go to play for sure.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
Yeah. I mean he's just so natural with it too, right,
the leadership side, the way he goes at it on
the court, it none of it feels fake. It's super authentic,
and I think that's what other guys, even on his team,
pick up on. I mean I was watching him with
Karl Anthony Towns after one of those games in the
series against you guys, and you know he's sitting up
there giving Carl a hard time on the podium in
(13:11):
front of everyone about you know, I think he just
was like, stop fucking failing, stop fouling, you know what's happening.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
And like, you know, that could potentially be pretty touchy.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
I mean it's like to transfer that to some of
the dynamics on other teams, Like if someone turned and
looked at Lebron, one of the young players up on
the podium, it was like, hey, l runs, don't mean
can you imagine like the cold list that would descend
over the room.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
And yet you have to tell.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
He just has that good energy with him mate to
where you can't even be like, damn, you're hating on
me right now. He's doing that at all times. You
could just tell. And from being in that series and
watching him, you could tell everybody rocks with him, like
he lets them talk to him, he lets them tell,
like he lets others get on him as well. So
(13:56):
he's not a guy that's just trying to get on
everybody else and think he's doing everything right. You can
tell he's the leader of that squad and everybody will
run through a wall for him for sure.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Yeah, And look, obviously he was the engine. He was
incredible in Game one, forty three points seven to twenty
nine from the floor. He's averaging nearly thirty a game
so far in the postseason. But when I look at
that matchup overall, the biggest thing that jumps out isn't
ant although obviously he jumps off the screen. It's that
this was a team built to beat the Denver Nuggets,
(14:28):
and you know, of course it was built by the
same guy. I mean, that's what's incredible is you had
a guy who was in Denver for I think about
a decade summer, give or take, and then he goes
to Minnesota. Right, Tim Conley goes to Minnesota and basically
builds the team to take down Denver. And I got
to give him credit too, because the rest of the
league wasn't as on point of Okay, no matter what
(14:51):
else we do, it's got to be a team that
can take on Nikolaiokch.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
Right.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
You saw Phoenix adding the positions they've adding, and the
big man was kind of almost thought but something a
piece they had to put in later. And all of
these big moves around the league over these past couple
of seasons haven't been as big man focused as Minnesota
was when they led the way with the Gobert trade,
which got a ton of criticism at the time, Right,
(15:15):
I mean, it was a ton to give up for
Rudy Gobert. It didn't work out in the first you know,
sort of half season that they had, and it was
sort of like, man, this was a colossal flub. This
was a failure, and guess what, they figured it out.
And with Karl Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid,
I mean, what is that like for a guy like
Jokich to face all of that. He came out after
(15:37):
the game and said, the only thing I can think
of is to get another carbon copy of me, because
they just keep throwing guys and I don't have another
me to throw at them.
Speaker 5 (15:45):
It's actually mom blowing to me that is taking this
long to figure out the formula. Like the last championship
team that did this was the Lakers Bubble team three Bigs,
David Javel McGain, Dwight Howard, and the formula worked. I
spoke on this on an earlier episode of how After.
Speaker 6 (16:08):
Denver one, I thought, well, at one point this was
a copycat league, and.
Speaker 5 (16:14):
I thought that after Denver one, I just figured most
teams would now start to go big.
Speaker 6 (16:19):
They'll start to respect the big man a lot.
Speaker 5 (16:22):
More, since the current champion is a big man driven team.
For some reason, the league is still outdated to this
fucking small ball shit like it doesn't work anymore. Is outdated,
and it's oh, it does not work. So the fact
that we are seeing a three man a three man
(16:45):
big lineup where they can all alternate. They're all defend
him in different ways that it's different looks. It's gonna
be a challenge from the Kolokics. So I do think
this team is built to be Denver. I do think
Tim Conley understands. He knows what he building Denver, and
he also knows he knows the strengths that he built
(17:05):
in Denver. He also knows the weaknesses of Denver. He
also knows the weaknesses of Nicola Yogic. So he's using
that to his advantage and it's working. So I'll be
glad when the rest of the fucking NBA catches up
and realize you can't guard Nicola Jokic with a power
forward in a small It does not work.
Speaker 3 (17:30):
So you guys hit it over the head though, Like
he's built a team where at first everybody was everybody
was down in the Minnesota timber Woods. But he's built
it just just for this. And I think, you know,
the biggest thing I think they made them turn the
page is whether it was a conversation or not.
Speaker 4 (17:51):
They told Anthony.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
Edwards is the head honcho or this group I think
I think Karl Anthony Towns understands he's robbing and he's
fine with that. I think last year they were fighting
that they didn't know who was the head honcho of
the crew, and now that it's Anthony Edwards, and no
question about it, it makes everybody.
Speaker 4 (18:11):
Fall in line to what they got to do and
what they got to do at a high level.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
So I think you guys hit it over the head right.
You need bigs to stop a big like it's it's
a no brainer. Like you gotta throw the analytics out
the window. You gotta turn the computer off and throw
them numbers.
Speaker 6 (18:27):
Get the game.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
Exactly and have some bigs that can actually guard a
big and slow him down just a little bit. And
they got They got the formula, not knowing if they
gonna win the series, but they gonna make shit tough
for Nicola Jokics for sure.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Well, what do you guys think Denver can do because
obviously dropping the first one at home was not part
of the plan. So what do you think they can
do so they don't go down?
Speaker 1 (18:51):
Oh two?
Speaker 5 (18:53):
Well, I think I think it starts with Jamal Murray
obviously him scoring sixteen seventeen points in a game. Is
it gonna be enough to help this team win? We
know what Nicole Yoka is is gonna do. We know
we're getting thirty and ten, twenty eight and ten, whatever
the case. We know the numbers that are coming from
the coach. He has to have his Robin at least
(19:16):
give us twenty five to thirty for it the ever,
for it to be a real competitive, you know matchup.
So and obviously also with KCP, CASEP probably has one
of the most important matchups on the floor, the toughest
assignments on the floor with guardner Anthony Edwards, but we
got to have him make the shots on the other
end as well. So I'm pretty confident in saying I
(19:40):
think we'll get a big, a better showing from Jamal
Murray next game, but we're gonna need KCP to make
some shots as well.
Speaker 4 (19:50):
Yeah, yeah, I feel you on that too.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
I think overall, I think Denver will win win the
series with their championship experience, But if they go down
all too, that's gonna be too, especially at home. That's
that's gonna be tough. But like you said, Jamal Murray
has to be the twenty five to thirty point game
because this is what they're gonna do, or from me
seeing them play against us in the playoffs, Anthony Edwards
(20:13):
is gonna pick up full court. Alexander's gonna pick up
full court. Jamal Murray's CAF is not one hundred percent.
So over seven, over six seven games of you having
to play bring the ball up, you gotta to go
against Anthony Edwards every time down. You gotta go against
the energy and the physicality. Their mindset is like, we're
(20:35):
gonna wear him down because he's not one hundred percent.
So if we can have let him have mediocre games
and then slow Joker down just a little bit, we
got action that winning this because we have enough. But
I think Anthony Edwards has to be amazing every game,
and obviously he's twenty two, twenty two years old, but
in the playoffs, that's tough to continue to do each
(20:55):
and every game. So if he has an amazing, you know,
turn out every game, he's putting them in a great
position to beat the dependent champs.
Speaker 4 (21:03):
For sure.
Speaker 1 (21:04):
It's gonna be interesting, man.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
I mean, this could end up being the most high
quality series of the playoffs. Like just these teams are
both so good, and Minnesota's so hot right now, and
Denver obviously has shown us who they are. And these
West second round matchups are great. In the East and
the second round matchups are a little more lopsided, the
Knicks are heavily favored in the Indiana series. But Indiana,
(21:28):
you know, look, it was a beat up Bucks team
and they had some up and down moments. But they've
got pace, and they've got young players. And the Knicks
have fewer bodies, I think than they have or at
least the way Tibbs plays them. I do have to
read off the minutes, guys. For the last game that
the Knicks played against the Sixers, Game six and Nobe
forty five minutes, Hartenstein thirty minutes, Hartenstein, I should say
(21:54):
Hertenstein thirty minutes, Brunson forty four minutes, Josh Hart forty
six minutes, Dante DiVincenzo forty eight minutes. Crazy, and the
only real bench player that got run was Robinson eighteen minutes.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
McBride played nine. That was it.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
The other guys on the bench who were checked in
supposedly zero zero zero. I mean he's really going basically
sixty oh right, I mean at least he's consistent.
Speaker 4 (22:26):
At least what he does, you.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Know what you're going to get.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
I mean, do you guys think that that is going
to have a long term effect by the time they
get to the second round or do you feel like, Hey,
that unit, they're guys, they know what they're doing. They've
been conditioned to play that way the entire season, and
they're going to be consistent throughout this series and fatigue
is not a factor.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
What do you think, I tea.
Speaker 4 (22:50):
I think fatigue is a factor.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
Like, obviously they I believe they can get past the Pacers,
but it's not going to be easy.
Speaker 4 (22:56):
It's not going to be easy.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
If you can't play more than seven guys and you're
playing those heavy minutes, no matter who you are, it's
gonna take a toll on you. So I think like
they gotta be smart with this, especially with the pace
that Indiana comes with. Like if Indiana is playing well
in hidding shots and their pace doesn't slow down, like,
that's gonna be tough to keep up to playing forty
eight minutes, playing forty five minutes each and every game.
(23:21):
And I think at this point in the season, it's
hard to change up and go to your bench. Like,
guys don't even think they're getting in at this point,
so their minds might be already checked out. You know,
I'm not in the Knicks locker room, so I don't know.
But like being a player, if it's not being talks
about you getting in that game, you're already like, ah, dang,
I'm gonna just cheer my ass off. You know, I'm
(23:43):
gonna just I'm gonna just stay ready. But it's hard
to stay ready when you know guys are playing forty
five plus minutes. So I think it's gonna take a
toll on them. I'm not saying they're gonna lose a series,
but they gotta play exceptionally well, especially the guys like
brunt Sid. I mean especially guys like Heart even Chinz.
So those guys gotta play well. Brunton is gonna bring
(24:03):
his thirty because he get the opportunity and he's really good.
Speaker 4 (24:06):
But those other guys got.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
To be able to keep up with playing those heavy
minutes against different opponents.
Speaker 4 (24:13):
So we're gonna see.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
But this is a TIBs team that he's consistent with
how he coaches, So every team down the line that
he's been on plays these type of minutes, so you
who knows they could be ready?
Speaker 4 (24:25):
But the history history repeats itself with a TIBs.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
Team, like they always seem to die out later in
the later in the playoffs, whether they gotta Derek Rose
or they got a Brunson, they always seem to hit
a wall.
Speaker 4 (24:40):
Who knows that they're going to But it's going to
be tough to last Like that.
Speaker 5 (24:44):
I couldn't agree more, and he actually took the words
right out of my mouth. I mean, as big of
a fan as I am of this New York team,
as happy as I am for them to have the
success that they're having with this market, what it does
for the league, what it does for the brand, all
of those things. When it comes to TIBs in his teams,
has the formula worked yet and the answer is no,
(25:10):
So to expect different results, I mean, that's that's just
foolish thinking. Obviously, Brunson is the starters team. He's going
to produce on a nightly basis, But playing seven guys
playing them at this rate.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
Like he's basically playing six guys.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
Okay, Mitchell Robinson getting eighteen minutes is not playing seven
guys to in a regular basis to me, I mean, it's.
Speaker 1 (25:34):
Sorry, he's the sixth guy. Mitch is sorry. Robinson is
the sixth guy. He's the sixth guy. He's basically playing
six right.
Speaker 5 (25:43):
So it's going to be very, very hard to find
success with this formula.
Speaker 6 (25:49):
Guys are going to burn out.
Speaker 5 (25:51):
Guys are human, they're not robots like and like I said,
it's like I Tea said, history repeats itself like, we
haven't seen success with is formally yet, So it would
be foolish to think about the wise moving forward in
my opinion. But I am happy with the success of
the New York Knicks for sure.
Speaker 4 (26:10):
They got the league jumping, for sure.
Speaker 5 (26:13):
Exactly when when the Knicks are winning, When the Knicks
are successful, the league is successful.
Speaker 6 (26:17):
It's a fun.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
But I think the vibe in that building is insane.
And I do think that, by the way, gets you
a game in a playoff series, just just the sheer
force in a close game of that crowd and that
building and all the magic and history that's in there.
And then you were saying that you can tell it's
legit in Minnesota or in Oklahoma City. I think we
were talking before the show about how these guys play
(26:42):
for each other, and you can tell that it's you know,
everyone's crowded around at the interview or all of that.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
That's what's going on in New York right now.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
Like, the guys in New York are a team, and
obviously they have the base of three Villanova guys and
so they had a little team that came to become
to their team. But they are a team and they
want to play those minutes. I mean, what's funny is
they do these player polls. I think the athletic does them,
and TIBs for the whatever year in a row, was
the coach players would least like to play for. And
(27:10):
it's been several years that he's won that honor quote unquote,
and obviously that's because of the way he runs guys
into the ground. But the guys on the team right
now love playing for him and they will, you know,
go to the mat for Thibodeau. So like I you know,
they they found the right guys, they found the TIBs guys,
they found the guys who play well together.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
That organization is built. I think so well.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
I love this time of year because I don't think
front offices really get a ton of attention when people
are talking about the league and what makes team.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
Successful or not.
Speaker 2 (27:42):
And guess what we're seeing the teams with the good
front offices. We just talked about Tim Conley in Minnesota
and then what he built in Denver, and I think
Leon Rose has done a tremendous job in New York
with a team that had a crappy front office for
you know, sort of generation after generation, iteration of different
guys coming in and out. Just these are a team
(28:02):
of players that play well together, that play well for TIBs.
Not everybody is gonna survive in that environment. And he's
found the guys, and that front office has found the guys.
Speaker 1 (28:10):
So I love all of that.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
I'm curious to see if Indiana can give them a
little more of a run than people expect him. And
what do you guys make a Tyrese Halburton?
Speaker 5 (28:20):
I think I think Tyras is an incredible player. And
everything we just said about the Knicks, obviously I think
is factual statements. But when it comes to this series,
I do have the Knicks winning this series against the Pacers.
I just think they're going to outgrade this team all
(28:41):
the way through. But as far as Halliburton, I think
he's an incredible talent. I think he's a star in
this league. I think he's a franchise guy for the
Indiana Pacers. But as far as they're moving forward, I
just don't think there's enough there right now. I think
(29:03):
it's something to be talked about with the drop off
after all Star when it comes to Halliburn's production, I
think that's a conversation that has to be at why.
I mean, I think it's way more besides an ankle injury.
Me and I t both know, you know, you can Lenk.
An injury can linger, but with the ankle injuries, maybe
(29:25):
two weeks at most that it kind of affects you.
He's played all the way through since that injury. So
I think there is a conversation to be had about
the fall off in production. Like I said, I don't
have the exact answer, or really don't have an opinion
on why the falloff happened, but I think that's something
(29:47):
that you do have to pay attention to. It could
possibly be where teams are now scouting him in a
different way, or teams are actually really, you know, paying
attention to the way he plays a game, how he
leads the team, and those things can change. So I
think I think moving forward, the Knicks will win this series.
(30:07):
And I think this will be a huge offseason for
tyres with just player development, finding out how to better
himself as you know, the league guy for this franchise.
And obviously we obviously moving forward for this franchise to
have the success that they're looking for with him leading
(30:27):
the way, he's going to have to be a way
more productive guy. It can't be a seventeen to ten
guy we're looking for more so a twenty five twenty five. Yeah,
gotta be that for them to be So I think
moving into the off season, those are the you know,
those are the things he needs to work towards. Like
as far as becoming a better player, a franchise guy,
(30:48):
and like I said, moving this franchise in a successful way, Yeah,
you couldn't.
Speaker 4 (30:55):
Say it even better.
Speaker 3 (30:56):
Like I said, I got the Knicks as well. I
think they're just gonna be way more physical. They play
a little harder. Like obviously, if Tyrese has exceptional games,
I think they get one or two. But he has
to play, like Buoy said, he got to give you
thirty and twelve, Like he got to have those type
of games for them to have any type of action
(31:16):
at winning this series because they're kind of two totally
different teams, and I think that that that rubs well
on the Knicks more so the Pacers in this in
this series.
Speaker 4 (31:26):
So we'll see.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
But one thing I do think being on the USA
team this coming year this summer is gonna help Tyrese
have an exceptional year next year because you know how
that is, like it gives you that that confidence, it
gives you that you know you're one of the top
players in the world. So I think I think that's
gonna help him having a great year next year and
learn how to lead from guys that's done it in
(31:49):
the NBA for a long time. Being around those Lebron,
being around KD, being around those exceptional guys is only
gonna make him that much better.
Speaker 4 (31:59):
So I think next year is going to be yeah. Yeah,
So so it's going to be a big.
Speaker 3 (32:04):
Jump for him.
Speaker 4 (32:05):
But I don't think they have enough to beat the
Knicks in this series.
Speaker 3 (32:08):
But he's definitely the guy that leads that group, So
we'll see how it goes.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
Yeah, I love that idea about Tim USA for sure.
And hey, he's going to be around Aunt Edwards, so
you know he'll get some leadership there too.
Speaker 5 (32:23):
There you go.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
I want to talk to you guys about Dallas.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
Okay, see, that's the other series I think is going
to be like crazy competitive Dallas.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
You know, took care of the Clippers. We'll get to
them in a minute.
Speaker 2 (32:33):
But Kyrie, man, he he is doing everything you could
ever want him to do. Uh. His defense has been
like exceptional over these this first series. Uh, he's contributing
and the way the MAVs wanted him to when they
acquired him. He and Luca Legit really like each other,
(32:54):
you can just tell. And the way they talk to
each other about each other on the court, in the
locker room, when I'm around them, that's a real relationship
and that makes a big difference, I think.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
And then Luca, of course, I mean he's Luca, doncha.
Speaker 2 (33:06):
She's you know, averaging thirty a game, high usage, doing
all the things in all the areas he should. And
then on the other side, Okay, see, I mean we
know what a young, talented team they are, and Shae
Shay is just continuing to blow stuff up. Twenty seven
points per game in the playoffs and just dominant against
the Pelicans.
Speaker 1 (33:25):
It t where do you see the series going? What
do you think?
Speaker 4 (33:28):
I see this going six or seven?
Speaker 3 (33:30):
Like I got I got Dallas just because of the
experience of Kyrie Championship experience. Luca is who he is.
But you can't you can't count out Okay. See, like
they're well coached, Coach of the Year. They got guys,
like you said earlier, the guys that you just you
could tell they play for each other, not just with
each other, they genuinely like each other.
Speaker 4 (33:52):
And they remind me of a college team. Like their
energy reminds me.
Speaker 3 (33:56):
Of a college team in college sets, Like they run
their shit. They really run the ball movement, player movement.
They're really hard to guard, and you can tell they
have no ego. They gotta you never know, Shay might
be the MVP this year. Like they got somebody that
special exactly, they got somebody that special, and you can
(34:17):
see nobody cares about it, like on their team, like
everybody's in love with anybody's you know, success, and that
goes a long way. But you can't count out Dallas,
Like they really made the Clippers not look as special
as they really are. And you gotta tip your hat
off to a guy named Kyrie Irvin who was one
of the best players to play the game. You gotta
tip your hat off to Jason Kidd as well. He's
(34:39):
putting those guys in position to where you can't them.
You can't put two guys on each other of those guys.
So you gotta tip your hat off to the coaching
because it's going to be a battle with the coaching as.
Speaker 4 (34:50):
Well, not just on the floor with the players, but.
Speaker 3 (34:52):
It's going to be a battle with the coaches because
those are two hell of those are two great coaches
with great coaching staffs that put those guys in to
be who they are. So I'm I got Dallas winning
this series, but I got to going six or seven
guys for sure?
Speaker 6 (35:08):
What do you think that I'm going to complete opposite?
I can, okay see.
Speaker 5 (35:12):
Any series and the reasons, Okay, okay, it's not any
of the popular names. I'm the guy that I think
is going to stand out in this series is lou
Dort the way he defends I think obviously when it
comes to Luka Doncics like, I don't think there's a
human on this earth that can stop this guy. But
(35:35):
as far as containing them, as far as making the
game a little more difficult, a little harder for him,
I think lou Dort is a loot door, is a
guy that can make that happen, that could actually make
it a realistic thing. And when I look at these teams,
I just when it comes to Dallas, I see an
offensive team, a really really good offensive team. And when
(35:56):
I look at Okay See, I look at a really
really good offensive team and also a really really good
defensive team. So for me, is leaning towards Okay See.
Like I said, I think Lou Dort is gonna be
an X factor in this in this series, I do
agree with I t on the fact that it will
go to six or seven games. It won't be an
(36:17):
easy series for either team. But I just don't see
a guy on Dallas being able to contain Shay. I
don't see a guy on Dallas being able to contain
Jaylen Williams. And as far as lou Dort, I think
he can slow down Lucas somewhat. So I'm gonna go
with hell, okay see for this series.
Speaker 2 (36:37):
M all right, all right, we'll check we'll check back
in on both of those predictions. It's so funny I
watch Kyrie, and by the way, I'm not saying he's
defensive player of the Year, but he has ratcheted up
his defense considerably. The whole team has. And that's where
I think you're right. Jason Kidd gets a lot of credit.
Jkated to me one of my favorite people in the league,
(36:58):
like just his personality, the way he heats, chill and
runs things, and I think that he has been able
to pull the strings there in a way that again,
I think we need to give him more credit for that.
Speaker 1 (37:08):
But Kyrie in particular, I.
Speaker 2 (37:11):
Feel like it's just actual magic what he does around
the basket. I mean, he had that shot the other
day where he's like fallen down on the ground and
he throws it up and it goes exactly I mean,
it's not even it doesn't even bounce, it goes right
in the hoop and everything. Just from a guard perspective,
can you explain him at all around the hoop and
just how great he is and maybe one of the
(37:32):
maybe the best ever right in that particular way.
Speaker 3 (37:35):
Oh yeah, I mean I have him down as the
best ever. When when it comes to finishing around the hoop,
he has no weaknesses he has when it comes to
the offensive game, the offensive side of things, like if
he was six six sixty seven, he would look just
like Kobe Bryant, Like he has that type of game,
and his finishing skill is amazing with either hand, either foot.
Speaker 4 (37:57):
Like the things he does, you just.
Speaker 3 (37:59):
Be shaking your head, like, oh my, I don't even
think he knows the half the shit he's doing.
Speaker 4 (38:04):
Like when he gets in the pain, I think he's
just like, let me figure out what.
Speaker 3 (38:08):
I'm gonna do at that point in time, and then
it just happens so like and then to not even
talk about that the defensive side of the ball with Kyrie.
Ever since James Harden left Brooklyn and he played against
James Harden, you could tell he's had an energy against
James Harden that like, I know.
Speaker 4 (38:27):
All your moves.
Speaker 3 (38:28):
I'm gonna pressure you, I'm gonna pick you up full court,
I'm gonna be super physical with you. And I think,
like I watched that as a fan, like I watched
them two guys go at it, and his his intensity
on the defensive level has raised everybody's on the team
and like you know that boogie, Like when your best
player is playing full out defense and he may may
(38:50):
not even be known for that, it makes you feel
like you gotta.
Speaker 4 (38:53):
Do that as well.
Speaker 3 (38:54):
So I think choice, I think that's leadership as well,
Like that's championship pedigree.
Speaker 4 (39:00):
He's showing.
Speaker 3 (39:00):
Okay, if I'm dialing in on this end and I'm
not known for this, everybody else got to lock in
on this end. So you got to tip your hat
off to a guy, guy named Kyrie Irvin who's doing
exceptional things on offense but also raising the level of
competitiveness on defense as well. And it's that time of
year to do that. So I can't say enough good
(39:22):
things about Kyrie ierbt. He's he's one of the greats
in our league and it's going to go down as
one of the best guards they ever played this game.
Speaker 6 (39:30):
For sure, Top seventy five as well.
Speaker 4 (39:33):
Oh yeah, we mad you know, you know, the peers
know that. They just can I guess they do that.
We know it might be top fifty man like that
he is so exact.
Speaker 3 (39:45):
Peers know that though, like you know, he's that good
for sure.
Speaker 2 (39:51):
Well, look they'll do in top hundred in twenty five
years or whatever and take maybe twenty twenty on that one.
Speaker 1 (39:57):
He might make that one, so well, I'll see.
Speaker 2 (40:00):
I mean I asked him, you know, I was talking
to him during this Slipper series and I was asking
him about his defensive play and and and what kind
of caused him to ratchet it up. And he was like, well,
you know, teams that win championships play really tight defense.
I was like, yeah, you were on one of those teams.
Obviously that was a hallmark that Cavaliers team. And the
personal stuff doesn't hurt. As you point out the James
(40:22):
Harden stuff. You know, we've got that coming up in
the next series. You've got Jalen Brunson facing the coach
that didn't play him in a Game seven or barely
played him in a Game seven, and you know it
was part of the decision not to keep him in Dallas.
Speaker 1 (40:33):
So that shit matters, man. I know that.
Speaker 2 (40:35):
Y'all think about that when you take the court against
a guy that you know did or said something that
you don't like.
Speaker 4 (40:41):
It's all in there at all times. Time.
Speaker 2 (40:50):
We had a big change since we last saw each other.
Bug the Lakers did, in fact, dismiss Darvin Ham. We
certainly thought that was likely what was coming. We actually
dismissed the entire coaching staff, which surprised me only in
that Phil Handy, one of the assistants there has been
with Lebron since that Cavs title in twenty sixteen, and
(41:11):
it seemed to be a real favorite among the players.
He's just one of those assistant coaches that can kind
of relay the message or the rest of the coaching staff,
pull guys aside, tell them the truth without it feeling,
you know, like an attack or anything. So I'm interested
to see where Phil Handy goes. I was a little
surprised that he got let go, but maybe I don't know.
We'll see what happens there. Who do you think books
(41:32):
should should take over that team?
Speaker 1 (41:34):
What kind of coach would work there.
Speaker 5 (41:39):
At this point? At this point, just pull a Bill Ross,
Meg Lebron the head coach, and ride off in the
fucking sunset. Whatever the fuck happens happens. We spoke about
it a little bit off camera. You know, any coach
that takes this Lakers job, I t sitter, it's a
higher to five uhs.
Speaker 1 (42:03):
In general. Is that this specific roster or Lebron related.
What do you think it's I mean, they have been able.
Speaker 2 (42:11):
They haven't been able to find a real fit on
that team at the coaching spot since Phil Jackson left.
Speaker 6 (42:18):
I'm telling you, pull Bill Roe. That's that's.
Speaker 5 (42:22):
I can't think of another coach. J. J. Reddick, I've
seen his name. It would be you know, a first
time situation.
Speaker 6 (42:30):
So you know.
Speaker 5 (42:32):
That's that's a huge question mark. Kenny Atkinson doesn't really
move the needle.
Speaker 6 (42:39):
What was t Lou exactly? Why would you leave a
job with great security?
Speaker 5 (42:48):
You have an incredible relationship with the owner, like you
have a good job security, that's that's a big thing
in this league. So him, I don't see him want there.
Speaker 1 (43:05):
They are, they are, they're about to back up the bretructure.
Speaker 3 (43:07):
They're not gonna let like the only I feel like
the only option the Lakers would have if they were
to get.
Speaker 4 (43:15):
Another coach would be t lu because he's familiar with Brian.
Speaker 3 (43:18):
But like t Louton owes, you you don't you don't
go to the finals every years, Like he gotta get
fired too. So like it's a higher, higher job. It's
a tough job. Because Darvin Ham did what he was
supposed to do. They made it to the Western Conference Finals,
they got eliminated by the defending champions.
Speaker 4 (43:38):
This year, with the roster you have, realistically, what's he
gonna do? Like they won forty seven games, Like, it's
just tough.
Speaker 3 (43:48):
It's just tough. I don't know what option you're going
to next. Who's gonna do any that much better with
the roster you have. At the end of the day,
it's about the players you have in the building each
and every day, Like you can only do so much.
I bet Darvin Ham was a really good coach. I
bet the players related to him, respected him, like you
can talk to him like he was one of the
(44:10):
homies as well.
Speaker 4 (44:11):
Like that. That's a big thing in the league at
this point.
Speaker 3 (44:15):
In time, with these young guys and with a team
that has a Lebron James on the team. So I
don't really know what direction you go in, Like do
you get JJ Reddick a first time head coach, and
then when shit.
Speaker 4 (44:25):
Goes bad, what are you gonna do? Let him go
as well? Exactly.
Speaker 3 (44:30):
So it's a tough job. Like Darvinham had to take
the job. I feel like it was a lose, lose
situation for him in your first two years, you do
that like any other job, like you're probably keeping your
job right at the end of the day. So it's
a tough situation for him. I know he's a good
head coach. That coaching staff was really good as well.
(44:51):
So I don't know what direction Lakers go at this
point in Lebron's career. So like Buggy said, maybe you
got to do something that hasn't been done it's a long.
Speaker 4 (45:00):
Time ago, and named Lebron the head coach. You never know.
Speaker 1 (45:04):
Well, look, I mean my big thing about fire the coach, which.
Speaker 2 (45:08):
You know, fan bases I think always go to fire
the coach, and it's obviously owners go to it too,
because it's easier.
Speaker 1 (45:13):
Than moving players around. Who are you getting instead?
Speaker 2 (45:17):
That has to be the answer, the question you ask
yourself and the answer you have to have before you
fire your head coach, because the guy who's in the
job right now at least has had a couple of
years experience working with these players, knowing what guys can do,
you know, getting used to the job with a first
time head coach, especially we saw right, we saw it
happen Adrian Griffin and and look You can go back
(45:38):
and forth every whether it was fair or not that
he got let go, but you talk to people inside
that organization and there were just some basic things that
head coaches do that he wasn't doing. Whether it was
communication with players, whether it was the way the rotations
were working, you know, pick and roll stuff that it
was just sort of like, oh, he needed time to
get in there, right, And we've seen that with coaches,
you know, Missoula and Boston at all. A lot of
(46:00):
criticism his first year because he needed to find his
way into the job. And Darvin has been in the
job now for a couple of years and he clearly
had lost at.
Speaker 1 (46:09):
Least part of the locker room.
Speaker 2 (46:10):
You know, Anthony Davis was pretty publicly critical of him
several points in the second half of the season, Lebron
James hopping up and down on the sideline, upset not
getting a challenge from his own bench and stuff. It
seemed like maybe they had to make the move because
that's what the stars wanted. But I don't know, man,
you had to have an idea of who you're going
to get next, and we're all sitting here being like,
(46:30):
I don't know this.
Speaker 1 (46:31):
Guy has shortcomings. This guy has shortcomings. I don't know
about this guy.
Speaker 2 (46:35):
Maybe they pull a rabbit out of their hat or
bug your idea goes forward. But I just I'm kind
of amazed to sort of have them make this move
without a clear direction of what they're going to do next.
And to me, Tyler was never a realistic option. The
Clippers were never going to let him walk to their
main rival across town.
Speaker 1 (46:55):
So I don't know what they're going to do.
Speaker 2 (46:56):
I don't know what the Clippers are going to do either, though, guys,
because it was another disappointing playoff exit. They're moving into
this new arena. They've got Kawhi Leonard locked up, but
Paul George did not sign an extension that was put
in front of him during the season the way Kawhi did,
and I always thought that was very interesting. And now
he's got this forty eight million dollar player option he
can opt into for next season and be fine, but
(47:18):
it's most likely he will opt out. And the question
is does he stay in LA where his family is.
I know that's really important to him. When Philadelphia comes
to drop a bag of money on his door at
twelve oh one, a free agency. When Orlando comes to
drop a bag of money on his door at free Agency.
Speaker 1 (47:34):
I don't know what do you guys think he should do?
But what would you do?
Speaker 6 (47:37):
Well?
Speaker 5 (47:38):
I don't feel that Orlando has a chance at all.
Philly is intriguing, obviously with the foundation they have there,
but Paul George being at this stage of his career,
He's in the later stages of his career. It's well
known he's an LA kid. We know the love that
he has for LA and one to be in LA.
(48:02):
I just don't see him making a move cross country
to the East. It just just doesn't make sense with
you know, as hard as he worked to get to LA,
it doesn't make sense for him to leave it now
at this stage of his career. It's obviously a red
flag or a flag in general, with the fact that
he hasn't signed an extension already. The only thing I
(48:25):
can think of is, you know that that team across
the street may be a threatened.
Speaker 2 (48:37):
You'd have to you'd have to clear so much roster
space and salary, cab space, and then you end up
a little bit the way Phoenix struggled a little bit
at times the season of being a top heavy team
with three guys and then not having the depth.
Speaker 1 (48:49):
That we know you need.
Speaker 2 (48:50):
I mean that's we go back to the Denver Minnesota series.
Minnesota's got more depth than never. That's part of how
they won Game one. Like you do need depth as
opposed to the top heavy team money wise, and you
know Lebron's gonna want his new contract this summer.
Speaker 1 (49:03):
I don't see PG going across the hallway, but I
don't know.
Speaker 2 (49:07):
I mean to me, the thing with Paul George is, yes,
he wants to stay in Los Angeles. He's talked so
much about being an LA kid. His mom had a
stroke a few years back, and she can come play
and see come see him play in LA, but she
can't really travel. So I know that's really significant. You know,
his kids have all their cousins here like all that stuff.
He does not have a title yet though, and I
(49:29):
know how badly he wants one. And the difference with
him and Kawhi Leonard is Kawhi Leonards won multiple times.
He's got two finals MVPs. If he never wins again,
his career not only will be set, but he personally
can know that he reached the highest height and I
don't know if with this Clippers team and with Kawhi
in the physical condition that he is in this stage
(49:49):
of his career, if it's realistic for Paul George to
sit here and go, Nope, we are I'm gonna stick
with it. We are gonna win a title. And look,
maybe all this posturing is just to get the Clippers
to pay him the MAX, because I don't think the
extension was reported as a MAX, and certainly I think
he will command them paying him the max to get
him to stay.
Speaker 1 (50:09):
But I don't know.
Speaker 2 (50:10):
Is there something appealing it about Philly with Joel Embiid
and Tyre Smaxy.
Speaker 4 (50:16):
I think it could be.
Speaker 3 (50:17):
But like Boogie said, like at this point in his career,
he probably comfortable in LA. The sunshine is good, that's home.
They moving into a new arena, so you're gonna you
gotta separate the Lakers and Clippers stuff. So I think
I think I think he stays in LA. They try
to figure it out. They give it a go because
they don't have too many options as well, Like going
(50:39):
to Philly would be good like on paper, but it's
like you really want to live in Philly like that, No,
disrespectful Phely, you know.
Speaker 2 (50:47):
Dispect the most disrespectful thing I've ever done.
Speaker 4 (50:50):
I mean living in la unless you like the whole weather,
like that's what I'm saying, Like I don't I don't
know the city of Philly like that.
Speaker 3 (50:58):
I'm saying in terms of like you got the decision
to be in some good weather, be home.
Speaker 4 (51:04):
I'm probably not dipping the crib.
Speaker 3 (51:06):
I'm probably not leaving a crib when when it's not
a guarantee that I'm gonna win the championship if I
go there, Like the teams are kind of like the
same type of team other than Joel and Kawhi Leonard,
then you got James Harden that could possibly come back.
I think I think he stays with the Clippers. They
run it back and see if they can make something
happy with women, make something happen with trying to be
(51:29):
a healthy squad and also going to Inglewood, Like that's
gonna be good energy for whoever's on that new team
to change things up. You'll feel like you're going to
a new organization or a new city with separating yourself
from the Lakers.
Speaker 4 (51:43):
So I think he stays with the Clippers.
Speaker 3 (51:45):
And they try to run it back and have that
window of winning the championship.
Speaker 4 (51:49):
You never know what's gonna happen.
Speaker 2 (51:51):
Yeah, I mean, look, that's a team with another you know,
they're an aggressive team. Steve Bomer's aggressive owner. They're going
to try to make moves this summer.
Speaker 1 (51:59):
You know. I think Kawhi and obviously PG if he signs.
Speaker 2 (52:04):
I think I think they've got a lot of other
roster flexibility unlike some of these other teams, so I
think they can make some adjustments.
Speaker 1 (52:11):
I think we will see a lot of guys moving
around the summer. I think Paul George is kind of
the most intriguing guy. But every player I talk to,
you guys are the same way, say, oh, he's not
gonna leave. So uh, I don't know. Maybe we're all
media people. We're just we just want action.
Speaker 3 (52:26):
We just want to get You got to at this
point in your career, like is.
Speaker 4 (52:31):
The weather good? Like good on the body?
Speaker 2 (52:34):
Like?
Speaker 3 (52:35):
I think that's a that's a big, big thing when
it comes to making decisions, and if you if you
ain't guaranteed no championship, it's like why move.
Speaker 5 (52:46):
I'm gonna take it a step further than that. Tea
I mean, why leave one situation that's similar to the
next possible. I mean, Kawhi is never really there for
the playoffs, and neither is Joe LMB. I mean, it's
not really a situation where the grass is necessarily greener
on the other side.
Speaker 2 (53:05):
So I would say so you'd get a different Joel
Embiid if Paul George was there, because part of the
problem with Joelle some of it's been random injuries, but
a lot of it too, has been just running out
of gas in the fourth quarter. You know, big men,
we know that's what happens, especially after you've been in
the league for ten years, that kind of thing. And
if a guy like Paul George was there to take
(53:27):
some of that pressure off and it wasn't just all
on Tyres Maxy, which as we saw at the end
of this last game. You know, he had some great
plays in Game six, but he couldn't be the guy
he was in Game five because it's just too hard,
as you've said I to do that back to back
to back to back to back. If you had a
PG in there, I think the pressure on Joel would
be different. I think Joelle could get the kind of
rest that he needs at the beginning of the fourth quarter,
(53:49):
which every time Nick Nurse tried to do that, you know,
the Knicks came in and ran up the score. So
I think you'd have a different Joel Embiid if Paul
was there, whereas Paul being in LA does not give
you a different Kawhi Leonard in terms of the injury stuff.
But I get it again, Yeah, y'all, y'all, y'all are
very sure of it. So I'm gonna I'm gonna go
with the guys who know right there.
Speaker 1 (54:11):
All right, but we got to introduce it to to
three stats. Two are true. One is a lie.
Speaker 2 (54:18):
This is a segment we do every week and Isaia,
I gotta be honest with you, Bookie and I are
not very good at it. I'm just gonna put that
out there.
Speaker 1 (54:28):
Producer Nate cooks up.
Speaker 2 (54:30):
He tries to stump us. He usually succeeds. I don't
think either of us have a very good track record.
But you're gonna save us.
Speaker 1 (54:36):
You are the one. I know it. You're gonna You're
gonna do it. So let's see. Two of these are true.
One is a lie. Uh, Timberwolves lead the league in scoring.
Speaker 2 (54:45):
During the playoffs. That's one stat. The Nuggets lead the
league and assists per game during the playoffs, and Brunson
leads the league in postseason scoring as an individual. So
those are three stats. Two of them are true, which
is a lie. I t am gonna let you go first.
Speaker 4 (55:01):
The liar is Minnesota. The other two or true.
Speaker 1 (55:04):
I think that was very certain, bug, he has certain.
Speaker 4 (55:09):
I just played against the Timber one.
Speaker 3 (55:11):
I don't think they would scored like that.
Speaker 4 (55:17):
Look, that's that's what I'm going with. The other two
is true. You picked that's true, right, yeah? And one
this fall?
Speaker 1 (55:23):
Yeah yeah, okay, all right, but what you got.
Speaker 5 (55:28):
I was actually gonna roll with the same answer, all right.
I mean, obviously we know how the Nuggets moved the basketball,
so that could definitely be a factual thing in Brunson
has been on a terror as far as scoring. But
I feel like I feel like we had this up
once before and I was wrong.
Speaker 1 (55:51):
Hm hmm, this is okay.
Speaker 6 (56:01):
Yeah, I'm gonna stick with the same answer. I'm gonna ro.
Speaker 2 (56:05):
Here's my question for producer Nate. Are you saying they
lead the league in scoring in terms of total points
or points per game? Okay, so he's saying points per game.
I was gonna say that would make it very easy
since it was only a four game series.
Speaker 1 (56:18):
I was trying for a loophole.
Speaker 2 (56:20):
Guys, I was smart the question, all right, I thought
it might be the Nuggets answer that to me is
the one that I'm not sure about. But I'm gonna
I'm just gonna go with the group. I'm gonna say
Timberwolves to producer Nate, are we all wrong?
Speaker 6 (56:32):
Or what?
Speaker 1 (56:33):
What do you got?
Speaker 3 (56:39):
Ha?
Speaker 1 (56:40):
I should have gone with my first instinct. Damn it?
All right?
Speaker 2 (56:47):
All right, So the Pacers lead by three more assists
a game than the Nuggets. Man, I'm influenced too easily
by the crowd.
Speaker 4 (56:57):
Right, damn yeah?
Speaker 1 (56:59):
You have you had.
Speaker 6 (57:04):
Wed?
Speaker 1 (57:09):
I love it, guys. I love the two of you together.
Speaker 2 (57:12):
It's so fun to have the Boogie and I T
Show revived.
Speaker 1 (57:15):
It's great. I love you all when who play together.
Speaker 2 (57:17):
I love it now, Isaiah, Seriously, we're so thrilled to
have you joining us more often. And I mean, I
can't wait to see what you can do in the
league next year, but for now, you're with us. So
you guys out there, you can catch all episodes of
bully Ball in the DraftKings Network. You can catch us
on the All the Smoke Productions YouTube channel. You can
find us wherever you get your podcast. Rate us, review us,
(57:37):
say nice things.
Speaker 1 (57:38):
We like that. We pay attention to the comments. It
t We'll see you soon.
Speaker 2 (57:43):
Nice to be back in Seattle, and boogie keep tearing
it up in Taiwan. He's in his playoffs, so you
got to playoffie before we go.
Speaker 4 (57:51):
He already knows what to do.
Speaker 3 (57:53):
He already knows what to do.
Speaker 4 (57:56):
Don't win it all.
Speaker 6 (57:59):
Absolutely, absolutely appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (58:02):
Yeah, I love it all right, guys, see you next week.
Speaker 2 (58:05):
All right.
Speaker 4 (58:05):
Appreciate y'all.
Speaker 6 (58:06):
Alright. Hmmm
Welcome to Bullyball, presented by DraftKings.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
I am Rachel Nichols as always, mister DeMarcus Cousins boogie
still in Taiwan, Greetings from across the seas here.
Speaker 1 (00:15):
Good to see you.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Thanks right, and we are joined by the one, the only,
Isaiah Thomas.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Look, look, not the one and only, you know, there's
another one.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
You're the only one of you, my friend, That's what
I mean. Welcome.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
We're so happy to have you, and you are coming
off such a great, you know, a couple of months
of just you know, I think there was so much
joy around the league to see you back after how
hard you had worked and uh, you know, overcoming so
much injury stuff and all the other stuff that comes
along with once you fall out of the NBA. How
hard it is to get back in. Can you just
(00:59):
tell us a little of it, what it was like
for you, kind of having that finish line after you know,
running that marathon. As you've said for so.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Long, it was everything, Like you know, I just at
the end of the day, I just wanted to get.
Speaker 4 (01:12):
My foot back in the door.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
I just wanted to to to be where I belong,
where I feel like you know I deserve to be,
so I had to go through some hurdles. I had
to you know, run some laps on this marathon, but
at the end of the day, I just I just
stayed down.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
I believed in myself.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
You know, Phoenix gave me the opportunity to come in
and just you know, be a part of the culture,
be a part of a great organization.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
And I can't thank them enough.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
So you know, I'm I'm I'm happy with, you know
what what happened getting back in the NBA, but I
still want to showcase that I could be a part
of something and still play at a high level as well.
So super thankful, appreciative. The hard work definitely has paid
off to get back in, but you know I want
a little more as well.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Yeah, well, I think once you show people, hey, you know,
not just one day and day they re signed you,
they wanted you with them the whole rest of the way.
I have to assume right book that that's going to
make an impression on other teams.
Speaker 5 (02:08):
Absolutely, But I mean outside of that, like, I don't
think this guy gets enough credit for like his story
and like forget not forget, but excuse the part of
him you know, making the NBA, and you know the
legend that he created while.
Speaker 6 (02:26):
Being in there.
Speaker 5 (02:27):
Just the consistency, the grind, obviously, the slow ground, which
is your model, your logo, Bro, your inspiration to so
many around the world.
Speaker 6 (02:40):
Hightover I mean.
Speaker 5 (02:41):
Hard over height, all of those things, Bro, like just
to continue to fight this fight when it could have
been so easy for you to just you know, hang
it up, call it quits, or take your talents to
the other places, because there's so many other places to
go play basketball. But the consistency with your fight is
it's inspiring to so many people. And obviously it may
(03:03):
not just be about basketball. Your story could easily convince
the next person that's going through their.
Speaker 6 (03:09):
Own personal battles in life.
Speaker 5 (03:11):
So you know, I just obviously I want to give
you your flowers and your and your kudos in this
moment right now. But man, your story is amazing and
I just don't think you've gotten the real credit that
you deserve with the grind that you've really put into
this shit.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
So but look, I appreciate you all. You know, I
came in with you. I came in where you know,
the back was against the wall, and you've seen the
work each and every day, so we grew not only
as teammates but as friends. So I always got to
you know, I always tell people like I always give
you your flowers just because you started what's happening now, Like
we know, we know first and foremost who started the
(03:50):
big man that could be able to do everything and
play like a guard. So like you know, that doesn't
get talked about enough, like and that's I'm always got
the first and foremost give you your flowers on that,
because we wouldn't see the all all respect to every
big man that's playing right now, but we wouldn't see
the MBS. We wouldn't see the Jokers if it wasn't
(04:11):
for DeMarcus Cousins being able to to lay to lay
the ground for those guys to be able to do
the things that they do at a high level.
Speaker 4 (04:19):
So I appreciate you always giving me the love, but.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
I gotta I gotta give you the love back because
it's not always given because not only who you are,
but you're one of the best to ever play the game,
no matter what, no matter how it ended, no matter
what you went through, you know I seen it first
and foremost. How like I never seen a big like
you before, you know, And I always tell you that
though like I'm not, I'm not because we on this,
(04:45):
It's because it's real. And I'm always, you know, showcase
love and respect for you because I've seen it day
in and day out.
Speaker 4 (04:52):
I've seen I've seen how special a motherfucker is. Like
not not you know, talk like that like you.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
You got to give you your respect, you know, like
I always do that, so you know, it's all love
and respect on my end, And I appreciate you always
because you feel like, you know, we.
Speaker 4 (05:11):
Ran the same race for so long.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
We got hurt around the same time we was fighting
to get back in and it just felt like we
wasn't given the respect that we ultimately deserved as we
was fighting for stuff that we shouldn't really had to
fight for. So you know, we'll talk about that at
a later day, but always give you your love and respect.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
For sure.
Speaker 6 (05:33):
I appreciate you. I love it always always.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
I wanted to kind of get your insight on Phoenix
as well. I t because you obviously were up close
with the organization that is in a pretty big transition moment.
I guess you know the roster has been the big
thing that we've been talking about. Buggie has been saying
since October this TV's point guard. So what did you
see in terms of that and the sort of the
(06:02):
things played out with that being such a sore spot
for them, you know as the series and as the
end of the regular season and playoffs went on.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
I think we just tried something that you know, really
hasn't been done before with not having a point guard. Now,
I think it just paid a toll on us, you know,
in a series where we played against a young, energetic,
physical team that kind of kind of knew like, Okay,
we're gonna pressure these guys the whole game to see
if they can last, Like see if guys can really
(06:31):
be able to make point guard plays and not necessarily
be saying just because I'm on the team, we need
to play a point guard. Even before you know, I
got on the squad, like from Afar, looking at the
Phoenix suns, I always felt like when it came to
the playoffs, that kind of would be a missing pleae
because you can't ultimately, you just can't play without a
point guard, even if it's you play a point guard
(06:53):
five to ten minutes each and every little half, like
that's enough. It was taking a toll on a guy
like Bradley Beial, It was taking a toll on a
guy like you know, Devin Booker and even Kevin Durant
at times, because it's just different things you got to
do when you're a point guard, bringing the ball up,
getting guys in position, Like I don't think they were ever.
(07:14):
You know, they ever, They've done that a lot throughout
their careers. So like when you go against a team
that pressured us full court, that made us bring the
ball up and get past half court at ten, you know,
at thirteen fourteen seconds on the shot clock, that's tough
for forty eight minutes. So I think it just it
just paid a toll on us. You know, like those
(07:36):
guys did a hell of a job. Coach put those
guys in position to do a hell of a job.
It was just, you know, we ran into a group
that had some really good energy that you know, a
guy like Anthony Edwards really showcased to the world that
he's here and he's here to stay. So it was
it was tough, but you know, we didn't match their energy.
We didn't match their energy throughout the series, and I
(07:57):
think that just paid a toll on us for sure.
Speaker 6 (07:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
I mean Book's been on it since being in the
season that this wasn't gonna work when it got to
the postseason to structure the team that way, and look,
we saw it, And now they're gonna have to make
some changes to the roster or something. If one of
the big guys ends up getting traded. Do you have
any insight into whether it would be a KD. I
(08:22):
can't see Devin Booker getting traded. Bradley Beal has a
no trade clause. It's complicated. They don't have a ton
of roster flexibility there. Do you have any thought about
what they could or should do going forward.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
I don't think they're gonna trade any of them.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
Like when it went well, like when we played well,
and those guys really played well, you've seen you've seen
what it could look like on a consistent basis. It
just was inconsistency at times. But those guys really rock
with each other, So I don't think. I think you
just got to figure out who you can put around
those guys to compliment their personalities, to compliment their game,
(08:59):
to make things a lot easier for those three guys
and then you move on from there because, like you said,
there's not a lot of options you can go to,
So you got to figure out how to make this
thing work for the next couple of years and how
to maximize you know, their abilities to win a championship.
And I think I think it could happen. I think
it's a great organization. You know, it was the first
(09:22):
year for a lot of things, figuring things out, and
I think you just got to you got to figure
out what's best for those three and maximize there the
opportunity you got for the years down the line, because
you know, you only got probably a two to three
year window in terms of playing at a high level
for a guy like Kevin Durant, not necessarily saying he
only got three years, but that window is not not
(09:44):
a five year window at all.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
So you you'll see what changes they make.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
You know, hopefully I'm around to be to be able to,
you know, make things easier for those guys. You know,
I'm I'm a definitely you know, have my two cents
and try to be around because it's definitely a a
good group of guys and a great organization to be
in for sure.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
And look, you mentioned Anthony Edwards and what it was
like playing against him book, did you expect the ant
experience to just carry right over to the Denver series
from what he was doing against Phoenix the way it did,
because I mean, he just was phenomenal again in Game one.
Speaker 5 (10:21):
Man, I love everything about this kid. The biggest thing
that stands out is the fact that he's twenty two
and his leadership skills are off the charts, Like I
just I don't feel like that can go unnoticed. And
the contagious good energy that he brings to the group,
the charisma, the personality, just everything that comes with this kid.
(10:46):
I really think this is his coming out moment, and
I think this is also where he's letting you know,
the world know, the league know that you know, I'm
taking this league Like this is now becoming his lead.
And I think the opportunity presented itself and he took
full advantage of the opportunity.
Speaker 6 (11:04):
So he's definitely a gain de fan in me.
Speaker 5 (11:09):
I think he has all the intangibles of carrying this
league and continuing.
Speaker 6 (11:14):
To make it a great lead.
Speaker 5 (11:16):
Like I said, the personality, the charisma, the great energy
is everything that that's that's that's.
Speaker 6 (11:23):
Needed for this league to move forward. And you know
the kid is shining.
Speaker 5 (11:28):
So he's living in the moment and the moment is
his right now.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
Yeah, I T what do you think now?
Speaker 3 (11:35):
I mean, bog he said it like his energy is
amazing and he and he's doing it the right way,
Like he got personality. He knows what this opportunity is.
He knows the world is watching like like like, but
he said his leadership skills are not like a twenty
two year old would be. Like you could tell everybody
respects him on the floor, you could tell his coach.
Speaker 4 (11:57):
Has got his respect and he shows respect to his coaches.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Like that was big for what he said after game
one when they talked about what is Nick Norri to
you guys, he said, he's the same as Fincy, Like
he got the same voice as Finchy. We respect him
just like he's the head coach and that goes a
long way. Like he knows one thing I say, like
he's a humble kid, but he knows he's cold, like
(12:23):
he knows he's really good, Like he gives his props
to everybody else. If you look at his quotes you're
gonna tell you like I'm here, I'm I'm I'm.
Speaker 4 (12:31):
Here to kill all y'all.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
And I think that's an energy like we don't always
see like God shy away from that, and he's he's
taking full advantage of it. Like I always go off
if if I pay to see you play, like he's
one of the guys I'll pay. I'll pay my money
to go to play for sure.
Speaker 4 (12:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
Yeah. I mean he's just so natural with it too, right,
the leadership side, the way he goes at it on
the court, it none of it feels fake. It's super authentic,
and I think that's what other guys, even on his team,
pick up on. I mean I was watching him with
Karl Anthony Towns after one of those games in the
series against you guys, and you know he's sitting up
there giving Carl a hard time on the podium in
(13:11):
front of everyone about you know, I think he just
was like, stop fucking failing, stop fouling, you know what's happening.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
And like, you know, that could potentially be pretty touchy.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
I mean it's like to transfer that to some of
the dynamics on other teams, Like if someone turned and
looked at Lebron, one of the young players up on
the podium, it was like, hey, l runs, don't mean
can you imagine like the cold list that would descend
over the room.
Speaker 1 (13:34):
And yet you have to tell.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
He just has that good energy with him mate to
where you can't even be like, damn, you're hating on
me right now. He's doing that at all times. You
could just tell. And from being in that series and
watching him, you could tell everybody rocks with him, like
he lets them talk to him, he lets them tell,
like he lets others get on him as well. So
(13:56):
he's not a guy that's just trying to get on
everybody else and think he's doing everything right. You can
tell he's the leader of that squad and everybody will
run through a wall for him for sure.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
Yeah, And look, obviously he was the engine. He was
incredible in Game one, forty three points seven to twenty
nine from the floor. He's averaging nearly thirty a game
so far in the postseason. But when I look at
that matchup overall, the biggest thing that jumps out isn't
ant although obviously he jumps off the screen. It's that
this was a team built to beat the Denver Nuggets,
(14:28):
and you know, of course it was built by the
same guy. I mean, that's what's incredible is you had
a guy who was in Denver for I think about
a decade summer, give or take, and then he goes
to Minnesota. Right, Tim Conley goes to Minnesota and basically
builds the team to take down Denver. And I got
to give him credit too, because the rest of the
league wasn't as on point of Okay, no matter what
(14:51):
else we do, it's got to be a team that
can take on Nikolaiokch.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
Right.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
You saw Phoenix adding the positions they've adding, and the
big man was kind of almost thought but something a
piece they had to put in later. And all of
these big moves around the league over these past couple
of seasons haven't been as big man focused as Minnesota
was when they led the way with the Gobert trade,
which got a ton of criticism at the time, Right,
(15:15):
I mean, it was a ton to give up for
Rudy Gobert. It didn't work out in the first you know,
sort of half season that they had, and it was
sort of like, man, this was a colossal flub. This
was a failure, and guess what, they figured it out.
And with Karl Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid,
I mean, what is that like for a guy like
Jokich to face all of that. He came out after
(15:37):
the game and said, the only thing I can think
of is to get another carbon copy of me, because
they just keep throwing guys and I don't have another
me to throw at them.
Speaker 5 (15:45):
It's actually mom blowing to me that is taking this
long to figure out the formula. Like the last championship
team that did this was the Lakers Bubble team three Bigs,
David Javel McGain, Dwight Howard, and the formula worked. I
spoke on this on an earlier episode of how After.
Speaker 6 (16:08):
Denver one, I thought, well, at one point this was
a copycat league, and.
Speaker 5 (16:14):
I thought that after Denver one, I just figured most
teams would now start to go big.
Speaker 6 (16:19):
They'll start to respect the big man a lot.
Speaker 5 (16:22):
More, since the current champion is a big man driven team.
For some reason, the league is still outdated to this
fucking small ball shit like it doesn't work anymore. Is outdated,
and it's oh, it does not work. So the fact
that we are seeing a three man a three man
(16:45):
big lineup where they can all alternate. They're all defend
him in different ways that it's different looks. It's gonna
be a challenge from the Kolokics. So I do think
this team is built to be Denver. I do think
Tim Conley understands. He knows what he building Denver, and
he also knows he knows the strengths that he built
(17:05):
in Denver. He also knows the weaknesses of Denver. He
also knows the weaknesses of Nicola Yogic. So he's using
that to his advantage and it's working. So I'll be
glad when the rest of the fucking NBA catches up
and realize you can't guard Nicola Jokic with a power
forward in a small It does not work.
Speaker 3 (17:30):
So you guys hit it over the head though, Like
he's built a team where at first everybody was everybody
was down in the Minnesota timber Woods. But he's built
it just just for this. And I think, you know,
the biggest thing I think they made them turn the
page is whether it was a conversation or not.
Speaker 4 (17:51):
They told Anthony.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
Edwards is the head honcho or this group I think
I think Karl Anthony Towns understands he's robbing and he's
fine with that. I think last year they were fighting
that they didn't know who was the head honcho of
the crew, and now that it's Anthony Edwards, and no
question about it, it makes everybody.
Speaker 4 (18:11):
Fall in line to what they got to do and
what they got to do at a high level.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
So I think you guys hit it over the head right.
You need bigs to stop a big like it's it's
a no brainer. Like you gotta throw the analytics out
the window. You gotta turn the computer off and throw
them numbers.
Speaker 6 (18:27):
Get the game.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
Exactly and have some bigs that can actually guard a
big and slow him down just a little bit. And
they got They got the formula, not knowing if they
gonna win the series, but they gonna make shit tough
for Nicola Jokics for sure.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Well, what do you guys think Denver can do because
obviously dropping the first one at home was not part
of the plan. So what do you think they can
do so they don't go down?
Speaker 1 (18:51):
Oh two?
Speaker 5 (18:53):
Well, I think I think it starts with Jamal Murray
obviously him scoring sixteen seventeen points in a game. Is
it gonna be enough to help this team win? We
know what Nicole Yoka is is gonna do. We know
we're getting thirty and ten, twenty eight and ten, whatever
the case. We know the numbers that are coming from
the coach. He has to have his Robin at least
(19:16):
give us twenty five to thirty for it the ever,
for it to be a real competitive, you know matchup.
So and obviously also with KCP, CASEP probably has one
of the most important matchups on the floor, the toughest
assignments on the floor with guardner Anthony Edwards, but we
got to have him make the shots on the other
end as well. So I'm pretty confident in saying I
(19:40):
think we'll get a big, a better showing from Jamal
Murray next game, but we're gonna need KCP to make
some shots as well.
Speaker 4 (19:50):
Yeah, yeah, I feel you on that too.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
I think overall, I think Denver will win win the
series with their championship experience, But if they go down
all too, that's gonna be too, especially at home. That's
that's gonna be tough. But like you said, Jamal Murray
has to be the twenty five to thirty point game
because this is what they're gonna do, or from me
seeing them play against us in the playoffs, Anthony Edwards
(20:13):
is gonna pick up full court. Alexander's gonna pick up
full court. Jamal Murray's CAF is not one hundred percent.
So over seven, over six seven games of you having
to play bring the ball up, you gotta to go
against Anthony Edwards every time down. You gotta go against
the energy and the physicality. Their mindset is like, we're
(20:35):
gonna wear him down because he's not one hundred percent.
So if we can have let him have mediocre games
and then slow Joker down just a little bit, we
got action that winning this because we have enough. But
I think Anthony Edwards has to be amazing every game,
and obviously he's twenty two, twenty two years old, but
in the playoffs, that's tough to continue to do each
(20:55):
and every game. So if he has an amazing, you know,
turn out every game, he's putting them in a great
position to beat the dependent champs.
Speaker 4 (21:03):
For sure.
Speaker 1 (21:04):
It's gonna be interesting, man.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
I mean, this could end up being the most high
quality series of the playoffs. Like just these teams are
both so good, and Minnesota's so hot right now, and
Denver obviously has shown us who they are. And these
West second round matchups are great. In the East and
the second round matchups are a little more lopsided, the
Knicks are heavily favored in the Indiana series. But Indiana,
(21:28):
you know, look, it was a beat up Bucks team
and they had some up and down moments. But they've
got pace, and they've got young players. And the Knicks
have fewer bodies, I think than they have or at
least the way Tibbs plays them. I do have to
read off the minutes, guys. For the last game that
the Knicks played against the Sixers, Game six and Nobe
forty five minutes, Hartenstein thirty minutes, Hartenstein, I should say
(21:54):
Hertenstein thirty minutes, Brunson forty four minutes, Josh Hart forty
six minutes, Dante DiVincenzo forty eight minutes. Crazy, and the
only real bench player that got run was Robinson eighteen minutes.
Speaker 1 (22:09):
McBride played nine. That was it.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
The other guys on the bench who were checked in
supposedly zero zero zero. I mean he's really going basically
sixty oh right, I mean at least he's consistent.
Speaker 4 (22:26):
At least what he does, you.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Know what you're going to get.
Speaker 2 (22:30):
I mean, do you guys think that that is going
to have a long term effect by the time they
get to the second round or do you feel like, Hey,
that unit, they're guys, they know what they're doing. They've
been conditioned to play that way the entire season, and
they're going to be consistent throughout this series and fatigue
is not a factor.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
What do you think, I tea.
Speaker 4 (22:50):
I think fatigue is a factor.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
Like, obviously they I believe they can get past the Pacers,
but it's not going to be easy.
Speaker 4 (22:56):
It's not going to be easy.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
If you can't play more than seven guys and you're
playing those heavy minutes, no matter who you are, it's
gonna take a toll on you. So I think like
they gotta be smart with this, especially with the pace
that Indiana comes with. Like if Indiana is playing well
in hidding shots and their pace doesn't slow down, like,
that's gonna be tough to keep up to playing forty
eight minutes, playing forty five minutes each and every game.
(23:21):
And I think at this point in the season, it's
hard to change up and go to your bench. Like,
guys don't even think they're getting in at this point,
so their minds might be already checked out. You know,
I'm not in the Knicks locker room, so I don't know.
But like being a player, if it's not being talks
about you getting in that game, you're already like, ah, dang,
I'm gonna just cheer my ass off. You know, I'm
(23:43):
gonna just I'm gonna just stay ready. But it's hard
to stay ready when you know guys are playing forty
five plus minutes. So I think it's gonna take a
toll on them. I'm not saying they're gonna lose a series,
but they gotta play exceptionally well, especially the guys like
brunt Sid. I mean especially guys like Heart even Chinz.
So those guys gotta play well. Brunton is gonna bring
(24:03):
his thirty because he get the opportunity and he's really good.
Speaker 4 (24:06):
But those other guys got.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
To be able to keep up with playing those heavy
minutes against different opponents.
Speaker 4 (24:13):
So we're gonna see.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
But this is a TIBs team that he's consistent with
how he coaches, So every team down the line that
he's been on plays these type of minutes, so you
who knows they could be ready?
Speaker 4 (24:25):
But the history history repeats itself with a TIBs.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
Team, like they always seem to die out later in
the later in the playoffs, whether they gotta Derek Rose
or they got a Brunson, they always seem to hit
a wall.
Speaker 4 (24:40):
Who knows that they're going to But it's going to
be tough to last Like that.
Speaker 5 (24:44):
I couldn't agree more, and he actually took the words
right out of my mouth. I mean, as big of
a fan as I am of this New York team,
as happy as I am for them to have the
success that they're having with this market, what it does
for the league, what it does for the brand, all
of those things. When it comes to TIBs in his teams,
has the formula worked yet and the answer is no,
(25:10):
So to expect different results, I mean, that's that's just
foolish thinking. Obviously, Brunson is the starters team. He's going
to produce on a nightly basis, But playing seven guys
playing them at this rate.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
Like he's basically playing six guys.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
Okay, Mitchell Robinson getting eighteen minutes is not playing seven
guys to in a regular basis to me, I mean, it's.
Speaker 1 (25:34):
Sorry, he's the sixth guy. Mitch is sorry. Robinson is
the sixth guy. He's the sixth guy. He's basically playing
six right.
Speaker 5 (25:43):
So it's going to be very, very hard to find
success with this formula.
Speaker 6 (25:49):
Guys are going to burn out.
Speaker 5 (25:51):
Guys are human, they're not robots like and like I said,
it's like I Tea said, history repeats itself like, we
haven't seen success with is formally yet, So it would
be foolish to think about the wise moving forward in
my opinion. But I am happy with the success of
the New York Knicks for sure.
Speaker 4 (26:10):
They got the league jumping, for sure.
Speaker 5 (26:13):
Exactly when when the Knicks are winning, When the Knicks
are successful, the league is successful.
Speaker 6 (26:17):
It's a fun.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
But I think the vibe in that building is insane.
And I do think that, by the way, gets you
a game in a playoff series, just just the sheer
force in a close game of that crowd and that
building and all the magic and history that's in there.
And then you were saying that you can tell it's
legit in Minnesota or in Oklahoma City. I think we
were talking before the show about how these guys play
(26:42):
for each other, and you can tell that it's you know,
everyone's crowded around at the interview or all of that.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
That's what's going on in New York right now.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
Like, the guys in New York are a team, and
obviously they have the base of three Villanova guys and
so they had a little team that came to become
to their team. But they are a team and they
want to play those minutes. I mean, what's funny is
they do these player polls. I think the athletic does them,
and TIBs for the whatever year in a row, was
the coach players would least like to play for. And
(27:10):
it's been several years that he's won that honor quote unquote,
and obviously that's because of the way he runs guys
into the ground. But the guys on the team right
now love playing for him and they will, you know,
go to the mat for Thibodeau. So like I you know,
they they found the right guys, they found the TIBs guys,
they found the guys who play well together.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
That organization is built. I think so well.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
I love this time of year because I don't think
front offices really get a ton of attention when people
are talking about the league and what makes team.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
Successful or not.
Speaker 2 (27:42):
And guess what we're seeing the teams with the good
front offices. We just talked about Tim Conley in Minnesota
and then what he built in Denver, and I think
Leon Rose has done a tremendous job in New York
with a team that had a crappy front office for
you know, sort of generation after generation, iteration of different
guys coming in and out. Just these are a team
(28:02):
of players that play well together, that play well for TIBs.
Not everybody is gonna survive in that environment. And he's
found the guys, and that front office has found the guys.
Speaker 1 (28:10):
So I love all of that.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
I'm curious to see if Indiana can give them a
little more of a run than people expect him. And
what do you guys make a Tyrese Halburton?
Speaker 5 (28:20):
I think I think Tyras is an incredible player. And
everything we just said about the Knicks, obviously I think
is factual statements. But when it comes to this series,
I do have the Knicks winning this series against the Pacers.
I just think they're going to outgrade this team all
(28:41):
the way through. But as far as Halliburton, I think
he's an incredible talent. I think he's a star in
this league. I think he's a franchise guy for the
Indiana Pacers. But as far as they're moving forward, I
just don't think there's enough there right now. I think
(29:03):
it's something to be talked about with the drop off
after all Star when it comes to Halliburn's production, I
think that's a conversation that has to be at why.
I mean, I think it's way more besides an ankle injury.
Me and I t both know, you know, you can Lenk.
An injury can linger, but with the ankle injuries, maybe
(29:25):
two weeks at most that it kind of affects you.
He's played all the way through since that injury. So
I think there is a conversation to be had about
the fall off in production. Like I said, I don't
have the exact answer, or really don't have an opinion
on why the falloff happened, but I think that's something
(29:47):
that you do have to pay attention to. It could
possibly be where teams are now scouting him in a
different way, or teams are actually really, you know, paying
attention to the way he plays a game, how he
leads the team, and those things can change. So I
think I think moving forward, the Knicks will win this series.
(30:07):
And I think this will be a huge offseason for
tyres with just player development, finding out how to better
himself as you know, the league guy for this franchise.
And obviously we obviously moving forward for this franchise to
have the success that they're looking for with him leading
(30:27):
the way, he's going to have to be a way
more productive guy. It can't be a seventeen to ten
guy we're looking for more so a twenty five twenty five. Yeah,
gotta be that for them to be So I think
moving into the off season, those are the you know,
those are the things he needs to work towards. Like
as far as becoming a better player, a franchise guy,
(30:48):
and like I said, moving this franchise in a successful way, Yeah,
you couldn't.
Speaker 4 (30:55):
Say it even better.
Speaker 3 (30:56):
Like I said, I got the Knicks as well. I
think they're just gonna be way more physical. They play
a little harder. Like obviously, if Tyrese has exceptional games,
I think they get one or two. But he has
to play, like Buoy said, he got to give you
thirty and twelve, Like he got to have those type
of games for them to have any type of action
(31:16):
at winning this series because they're kind of two totally
different teams, and I think that that that rubs well
on the Knicks more so the Pacers in this in
this series.
Speaker 4 (31:26):
So we'll see.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
But one thing I do think being on the USA
team this coming year this summer is gonna help Tyrese
have an exceptional year next year because you know how
that is, like it gives you that that confidence, it
gives you that you know you're one of the top
players in the world. So I think I think that's
gonna help him having a great year next year and
learn how to lead from guys that's done it in
(31:49):
the NBA for a long time. Being around those Lebron,
being around KD, being around those exceptional guys is only
gonna make him that much better.
Speaker 4 (31:59):
So I think next year is going to be yeah. Yeah,
So so it's going to be a big.
Speaker 3 (32:04):
Jump for him.
Speaker 4 (32:05):
But I don't think they have enough to beat the
Knicks in this series.
Speaker 3 (32:08):
But he's definitely the guy that leads that group, So
we'll see how it goes.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
Yeah, I love that idea about Tim USA for sure.
And hey, he's going to be around Aunt Edwards, so
you know he'll get some leadership there too.
Speaker 5 (32:23):
There you go.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
I want to talk to you guys about Dallas.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
Okay, see, that's the other series I think is going
to be like crazy competitive Dallas.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
You know, took care of the Clippers. We'll get to
them in a minute.
Speaker 2 (32:33):
But Kyrie, man, he he is doing everything you could
ever want him to do. Uh. His defense has been
like exceptional over these this first series. Uh, he's contributing
and the way the MAVs wanted him to when they
acquired him. He and Luca Legit really like each other,
(32:54):
you can just tell. And the way they talk to
each other about each other on the court, in the
locker room, when I'm around them, that's a real relationship
and that makes a big difference, I think.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
And then Luca, of course, I mean he's Luca, doncha.
Speaker 2 (33:06):
She's you know, averaging thirty a game, high usage, doing
all the things in all the areas he should. And
then on the other side, Okay, see, I mean we
know what a young, talented team they are, and Shae
Shay is just continuing to blow stuff up. Twenty seven
points per game in the playoffs and just dominant against
the Pelicans.
Speaker 1 (33:25):
It t where do you see the series going? What
do you think?
Speaker 4 (33:28):
I see this going six or seven?
Speaker 3 (33:30):
Like I got I got Dallas just because of the
experience of Kyrie Championship experience. Luca is who he is.
But you can't you can't count out Okay. See, like
they're well coached, Coach of the Year. They got guys,
like you said earlier, the guys that you just you
could tell they play for each other, not just with
each other, they genuinely like each other.
Speaker 4 (33:52):
And they remind me of a college team. Like their
energy reminds me.
Speaker 3 (33:56):
Of a college team in college sets, Like they run
their shit. They really run the ball movement, player movement.
They're really hard to guard, and you can tell they
have no ego. They gotta you never know, Shay might
be the MVP this year. Like they got somebody that
special exactly, they got somebody that special, and you can
(34:17):
see nobody cares about it, like on their team, like
everybody's in love with anybody's you know, success, and that
goes a long way. But you can't count out Dallas,
Like they really made the Clippers not look as special
as they really are. And you gotta tip your hat
off to a guy named Kyrie Irvin who was one
of the best players to play the game. You gotta
tip your hat off to Jason Kidd as well. He's
(34:39):
putting those guys in position to where you can't them.
You can't put two guys on each other of those guys.
So you gotta tip your hat off to the coaching
because it's going to be a battle with the coaching as.
Speaker 4 (34:50):
Well, not just on the floor with the players, but.
Speaker 3 (34:52):
It's going to be a battle with the coaches because
those are two hell of those are two great coaches
with great coaching staffs that put those guys in to
be who they are. So I'm I got Dallas winning
this series, but I got to going six or seven
guys for sure?
Speaker 6 (35:08):
What do you think that I'm going to complete opposite?
I can, okay see.
Speaker 5 (35:12):
Any series and the reasons, Okay, okay, it's not any
of the popular names. I'm the guy that I think
is going to stand out in this series is lou
Dort the way he defends I think obviously when it
comes to Luka Doncics like, I don't think there's a
human on this earth that can stop this guy. But
(35:35):
as far as containing them, as far as making the
game a little more difficult, a little harder for him,
I think lou Dort is a loot door, is a
guy that can make that happen, that could actually make
it a realistic thing. And when I look at these teams,
I just when it comes to Dallas, I see an
offensive team, a really really good offensive team. And when
(35:56):
I look at Okay See, I look at a really
really good offensive team and also a really really good
defensive team. So for me, is leaning towards Okay See.
Like I said, I think Lou Dort is gonna be
an X factor in this in this series, I do
agree with I t on the fact that it will
go to six or seven games. It won't be an
(36:17):
easy series for either team. But I just don't see
a guy on Dallas being able to contain Shay. I
don't see a guy on Dallas being able to contain
Jaylen Williams. And as far as lou Dort, I think
he can slow down Lucas somewhat. So I'm gonna go
with hell, okay see for this series.
Speaker 2 (36:37):
M all right, all right, we'll check we'll check back
in on both of those predictions. It's so funny I
watch Kyrie, and by the way, I'm not saying he's
defensive player of the Year, but he has ratcheted up
his defense considerably. The whole team has. And that's where
I think you're right. Jason Kidd gets a lot of credit.
Jkated to me one of my favorite people in the league,
(36:58):
like just his personality, the way he heats, chill and
runs things, and I think that he has been able
to pull the strings there in a way that again,
I think we need to give him more credit for that.
Speaker 1 (37:08):
But Kyrie in particular, I.
Speaker 2 (37:11):
Feel like it's just actual magic what he does around
the basket. I mean, he had that shot the other
day where he's like fallen down on the ground and
he throws it up and it goes exactly I mean,
it's not even it doesn't even bounce, it goes right
in the hoop and everything. Just from a guard perspective,
can you explain him at all around the hoop and
just how great he is and maybe one of the
(37:32):
maybe the best ever right in that particular way.
Speaker 3 (37:35):
Oh yeah, I mean I have him down as the
best ever. When when it comes to finishing around the hoop,
he has no weaknesses he has when it comes to
the offensive game, the offensive side of things, like if
he was six six sixty seven, he would look just
like Kobe Bryant, Like he has that type of game,
and his finishing skill is amazing with either hand, either foot.
Speaker 4 (37:57):
Like the things he does, you just.
Speaker 3 (37:59):
Be shaking your head, like, oh my, I don't even
think he knows the half the shit he's doing.
Speaker 4 (38:04):
Like when he gets in the pain, I think he's
just like, let me figure out what.
Speaker 3 (38:08):
I'm gonna do at that point in time, and then
it just happens so like and then to not even
talk about that the defensive side of the ball with Kyrie.
Ever since James Harden left Brooklyn and he played against
James Harden, you could tell he's had an energy against
James Harden that like, I know.
Speaker 4 (38:27):
All your moves.
Speaker 3 (38:28):
I'm gonna pressure you, I'm gonna pick you up full court,
I'm gonna be super physical with you. And I think,
like I watched that as a fan, like I watched
them two guys go at it, and his his intensity
on the defensive level has raised everybody's on the team
and like you know that boogie, Like when your best
player is playing full out defense and he may may
(38:50):
not even be known for that, it makes you feel
like you gotta.
Speaker 4 (38:53):
Do that as well.
Speaker 3 (38:54):
So I think choice, I think that's leadership as well,
Like that's championship pedigree.
Speaker 4 (39:00):
He's showing.
Speaker 3 (39:00):
Okay, if I'm dialing in on this end and I'm
not known for this, everybody else got to lock in
on this end. So you got to tip your hat
off to a guy, guy named Kyrie Irvin who's doing
exceptional things on offense but also raising the level of
competitiveness on defense as well. And it's that time of
year to do that. So I can't say enough good
(39:22):
things about Kyrie ierbt. He's he's one of the greats
in our league and it's going to go down as
one of the best guards they ever played this game.
Speaker 6 (39:30):
For sure, Top seventy five as well.
Speaker 4 (39:33):
Oh yeah, we mad you know, you know, the peers
know that. They just can I guess they do that.
We know it might be top fifty man like that
he is so exact.
Speaker 3 (39:45):
Peers know that though, like you know, he's that good
for sure.
Speaker 2 (39:51):
Well, look they'll do in top hundred in twenty five
years or whatever and take maybe twenty twenty on that one.
Speaker 1 (39:57):
He might make that one, so well, I'll see.
Speaker 2 (40:00):
I mean I asked him, you know, I was talking
to him during this Slipper series and I was asking
him about his defensive play and and and what kind
of caused him to ratchet it up. And he was like, well,
you know, teams that win championships play really tight defense.
I was like, yeah, you were on one of those teams.
Obviously that was a hallmark that Cavaliers team. And the
personal stuff doesn't hurt. As you point out the James
(40:22):
Harden stuff. You know, we've got that coming up in
the next series. You've got Jalen Brunson facing the coach
that didn't play him in a Game seven or barely
played him in a Game seven, and you know it
was part of the decision not to keep him in Dallas.
Speaker 1 (40:33):
So that shit matters, man. I know that.
Speaker 2 (40:35):
Y'all think about that when you take the court against
a guy that you know did or said something that
you don't like.
Speaker 4 (40:41):
It's all in there at all times. Time.
Speaker 2 (40:50):
We had a big change since we last saw each other.
Bug the Lakers did, in fact, dismiss Darvin Ham. We
certainly thought that was likely what was coming. We actually
dismissed the entire coaching staff, which surprised me only in
that Phil Handy, one of the assistants there has been
with Lebron since that Cavs title in twenty sixteen, and
(41:11):
it seemed to be a real favorite among the players.
He's just one of those assistant coaches that can kind
of relay the message or the rest of the coaching staff,
pull guys aside, tell them the truth without it feeling,
you know, like an attack or anything. So I'm interested
to see where Phil Handy goes. I was a little
surprised that he got let go, but maybe I don't know.
We'll see what happens there. Who do you think books
(41:32):
should should take over that team?
Speaker 1 (41:34):
What kind of coach would work there.
Speaker 5 (41:39):
At this point? At this point, just pull a Bill Ross,
Meg Lebron the head coach, and ride off in the
fucking sunset. Whatever the fuck happens happens. We spoke about
it a little bit off camera. You know, any coach
that takes this Lakers job, I t sitter, it's a
higher to five uhs.
Speaker 1 (42:03):
In general. Is that this specific roster or Lebron related.
What do you think it's I mean, they have been able.
Speaker 2 (42:11):
They haven't been able to find a real fit on
that team at the coaching spot since Phil Jackson left.
Speaker 6 (42:18):
I'm telling you, pull Bill Roe. That's that's.
Speaker 5 (42:22):
I can't think of another coach. J. J. Reddick, I've
seen his name. It would be you know, a first
time situation.
Speaker 6 (42:30):
So you know.
Speaker 5 (42:32):
That's that's a huge question mark. Kenny Atkinson doesn't really
move the needle.
Speaker 6 (42:39):
What was t Lou exactly? Why would you leave a
job with great security?
Speaker 5 (42:48):
You have an incredible relationship with the owner, like you
have a good job security, that's that's a big thing
in this league. So him, I don't see him want there.
Speaker 1 (43:05):
They are, they are, they're about to back up the bretructure.
Speaker 3 (43:07):
They're not gonna let like the only I feel like
the only option the Lakers would have if they were
to get.
Speaker 4 (43:15):
Another coach would be t lu because he's familiar with Brian.
Speaker 3 (43:18):
But like t Louton owes, you you don't you don't
go to the finals every years, Like he gotta get
fired too. So like it's a higher, higher job. It's
a tough job. Because Darvin Ham did what he was
supposed to do. They made it to the Western Conference Finals,
they got eliminated by the defending champions.
Speaker 4 (43:38):
This year, with the roster you have, realistically, what's he
gonna do? Like they won forty seven games, Like, it's
just tough.
Speaker 3 (43:48):
It's just tough. I don't know what option you're going
to next. Who's gonna do any that much better with
the roster you have. At the end of the day,
it's about the players you have in the building each
and every day, Like you can only do so much.
I bet Darvin Ham was a really good coach. I
bet the players related to him, respected him, like you
can talk to him like he was one of the
(44:10):
homies as well.
Speaker 4 (44:11):
Like that. That's a big thing in the league at
this point.
Speaker 3 (44:15):
In time, with these young guys and with a team
that has a Lebron James on the team. So I
don't really know what direction you go in, Like do
you get JJ Reddick a first time head coach, and
then when shit.
Speaker 4 (44:25):
Goes bad, what are you gonna do? Let him go
as well? Exactly.
Speaker 3 (44:30):
So it's a tough job. Like Darvinham had to take
the job. I feel like it was a lose, lose
situation for him in your first two years, you do
that like any other job, like you're probably keeping your
job right at the end of the day. So it's
a tough situation for him. I know he's a good
head coach. That coaching staff was really good as well.
(44:51):
So I don't know what direction Lakers go at this
point in Lebron's career. So like Buggy said, maybe you
got to do something that hasn't been done it's a long.
Speaker 4 (45:00):
Time ago, and named Lebron the head coach. You never know.
Speaker 1 (45:04):
Well, look, I mean my big thing about fire the coach, which.
Speaker 2 (45:08):
You know, fan bases I think always go to fire
the coach, and it's obviously owners go to it too,
because it's easier.
Speaker 1 (45:13):
Than moving players around. Who are you getting instead?
Speaker 2 (45:17):
That has to be the answer, the question you ask
yourself and the answer you have to have before you
fire your head coach, because the guy who's in the
job right now at least has had a couple of
years experience working with these players, knowing what guys can do,
you know, getting used to the job with a first
time head coach, especially we saw right, we saw it
happen Adrian Griffin and and look You can go back
(45:38):
and forth every whether it was fair or not that
he got let go, but you talk to people inside
that organization and there were just some basic things that
head coaches do that he wasn't doing. Whether it was
communication with players, whether it was the way the rotations
were working, you know, pick and roll stuff that it
was just sort of like, oh, he needed time to
get in there, right, And we've seen that with coaches,
you know, Missoula and Boston at all. A lot of
(46:00):
criticism his first year because he needed to find his
way into the job. And Darvin has been in the
job now for a couple of years and he clearly
had lost at.
Speaker 1 (46:09):
Least part of the locker room.
Speaker 2 (46:10):
You know, Anthony Davis was pretty publicly critical of him
several points in the second half of the season, Lebron
James hopping up and down on the sideline, upset not
getting a challenge from his own bench and stuff. It
seemed like maybe they had to make the move because
that's what the stars wanted. But I don't know, man,
you had to have an idea of who you're going
to get next, and we're all sitting here being like,
(46:30):
I don't know this.
Speaker 1 (46:31):
Guy has shortcomings. This guy has shortcomings. I don't know
about this guy.
Speaker 2 (46:35):
Maybe they pull a rabbit out of their hat or
bug your idea goes forward. But I just I'm kind
of amazed to sort of have them make this move
without a clear direction of what they're going to do next.
And to me, Tyler was never a realistic option. The
Clippers were never going to let him walk to their
main rival across town.
Speaker 1 (46:55):
So I don't know what they're going to do.
Speaker 2 (46:56):
I don't know what the Clippers are going to do either, though, guys,
because it was another disappointing playoff exit. They're moving into
this new arena. They've got Kawhi Leonard locked up, but
Paul George did not sign an extension that was put
in front of him during the season the way Kawhi did,
and I always thought that was very interesting. And now
he's got this forty eight million dollar player option he
can opt into for next season and be fine, but
(47:18):
it's most likely he will opt out. And the question
is does he stay in LA where his family is.
I know that's really important to him. When Philadelphia comes
to drop a bag of money on his door at
twelve oh one, a free agency. When Orlando comes to
drop a bag of money on his door at free Agency.
Speaker 1 (47:34):
I don't know what do you guys think he should do?
But what would you do?
Speaker 6 (47:37):
Well?
Speaker 5 (47:38):
I don't feel that Orlando has a chance at all.
Philly is intriguing, obviously with the foundation they have there,
but Paul George being at this stage of his career,
He's in the later stages of his career. It's well
known he's an LA kid. We know the love that
he has for LA and one to be in LA.
(48:02):
I just don't see him making a move cross country
to the East. It just just doesn't make sense with
you know, as hard as he worked to get to LA,
it doesn't make sense for him to leave it now
at this stage of his career. It's obviously a red
flag or a flag in general, with the fact that
he hasn't signed an extension already. The only thing I
(48:25):
can think of is, you know that that team across
the street may be a threatened.
Speaker 2 (48:37):
You'd have to you'd have to clear so much roster
space and salary, cab space, and then you end up
a little bit the way Phoenix struggled a little bit
at times the season of being a top heavy team
with three guys and then not having the depth.
Speaker 1 (48:49):
That we know you need.
Speaker 2 (48:50):
I mean that's we go back to the Denver Minnesota series.
Minnesota's got more depth than never. That's part of how
they won Game one. Like you do need depth as
opposed to the top heavy team money wise, and you
know Lebron's gonna want his new contract this summer.
Speaker 1 (49:03):
I don't see PG going across the hallway, but I
don't know.
Speaker 2 (49:07):
I mean to me, the thing with Paul George is, yes,
he wants to stay in Los Angeles. He's talked so
much about being an LA kid. His mom had a
stroke a few years back, and she can come play
and see come see him play in LA, but she
can't really travel. So I know that's really significant. You know,
his kids have all their cousins here like all that stuff.
He does not have a title yet though, and I
(49:29):
know how badly he wants one. And the difference with
him and Kawhi Leonard is Kawhi Leonards won multiple times.
He's got two finals MVPs. If he never wins again,
his career not only will be set, but he personally
can know that he reached the highest height and I
don't know if with this Clippers team and with Kawhi
in the physical condition that he is in this stage
(49:49):
of his career, if it's realistic for Paul George to
sit here and go, Nope, we are I'm gonna stick
with it. We are gonna win a title. And look,
maybe all this posturing is just to get the Clippers
to pay him the MAX, because I don't think the
extension was reported as a MAX, and certainly I think
he will command them paying him the max to get
him to stay.
Speaker 1 (50:09):
But I don't know.
Speaker 2 (50:10):
Is there something appealing it about Philly with Joel Embiid
and Tyre Smaxy.
Speaker 4 (50:16):
I think it could be.
Speaker 3 (50:17):
But like Boogie said, like at this point in his career,
he probably comfortable in LA. The sunshine is good, that's home.
They moving into a new arena, so you're gonna you
gotta separate the Lakers and Clippers stuff. So I think
I think I think he stays in LA. They try
to figure it out. They give it a go because
they don't have too many options as well, Like going
(50:39):
to Philly would be good like on paper, but it's
like you really want to live in Philly like that, No,
disrespectful Phely, you know.
Speaker 2 (50:47):
Dispect the most disrespectful thing I've ever done.
Speaker 4 (50:50):
I mean living in la unless you like the whole weather,
like that's what I'm saying, Like I don't I don't
know the city of Philly like that.
Speaker 3 (50:58):
I'm saying in terms of like you got the decision
to be in some good weather, be home.
Speaker 4 (51:04):
I'm probably not dipping the crib.
Speaker 3 (51:06):
I'm probably not leaving a crib when when it's not
a guarantee that I'm gonna win the championship if I
go there, Like the teams are kind of like the
same type of team other than Joel and Kawhi Leonard,
then you got James Harden that could possibly come back.
I think I think he stays with the Clippers. They
run it back and see if they can make something
happy with women, make something happen with trying to be
(51:29):
a healthy squad and also going to Inglewood, Like that's
gonna be good energy for whoever's on that new team
to change things up. You'll feel like you're going to
a new organization or a new city with separating yourself
from the Lakers.
Speaker 4 (51:43):
So I think he stays with the Clippers.
Speaker 3 (51:45):
And they try to run it back and have that
window of winning the championship.
Speaker 4 (51:49):
You never know what's gonna happen.
Speaker 2 (51:51):
Yeah, I mean, look, that's a team with another you know,
they're an aggressive team. Steve Bomer's aggressive owner. They're going
to try to make moves this summer.
Speaker 1 (51:59):
You know. I think Kawhi and obviously PG if he signs.
Speaker 2 (52:04):
I think I think they've got a lot of other
roster flexibility unlike some of these other teams, so I
think they can make some adjustments.
Speaker 1 (52:11):
I think we will see a lot of guys moving
around the summer. I think Paul George is kind of
the most intriguing guy. But every player I talk to,
you guys are the same way, say, oh, he's not
gonna leave. So uh, I don't know. Maybe we're all
media people. We're just we just want action.
Speaker 3 (52:26):
We just want to get You got to at this
point in your career, like is.
Speaker 4 (52:31):
The weather good? Like good on the body?
Speaker 2 (52:34):
Like?
Speaker 3 (52:35):
I think that's a that's a big, big thing when
it comes to making decisions, and if you if you
ain't guaranteed no championship, it's like why move.
Speaker 5 (52:46):
I'm gonna take it a step further than that. Tea
I mean, why leave one situation that's similar to the
next possible. I mean, Kawhi is never really there for
the playoffs, and neither is Joe LMB. I mean, it's
not really a situation where the grass is necessarily greener
on the other side.
Speaker 2 (53:05):
So I would say so you'd get a different Joel
Embiid if Paul George was there, because part of the
problem with Joelle some of it's been random injuries, but
a lot of it too, has been just running out
of gas in the fourth quarter. You know, big men,
we know that's what happens, especially after you've been in
the league for ten years, that kind of thing. And
if a guy like Paul George was there to take
(53:27):
some of that pressure off and it wasn't just all
on Tyres Maxy, which as we saw at the end
of this last game. You know, he had some great
plays in Game six, but he couldn't be the guy
he was in Game five because it's just too hard,
as you've said I to do that back to back
to back to back to back. If you had a
PG in there, I think the pressure on Joel would
be different. I think Joelle could get the kind of
rest that he needs at the beginning of the fourth quarter,
(53:49):
which every time Nick Nurse tried to do that, you know,
the Knicks came in and ran up the score. So
I think you'd have a different Joel Embiid if Paul
was there, whereas Paul being in LA does not give
you a different Kawhi Leonard in terms of the injury stuff.
But I get it again, Yeah, y'all, y'all, y'all are
very sure of it. So I'm gonna I'm gonna go
with the guys who know right there.
Speaker 1 (54:11):
All right, but we got to introduce it to to
three stats. Two are true. One is a lie.
Speaker 2 (54:18):
This is a segment we do every week and Isaia,
I gotta be honest with you, Bookie and I are
not very good at it. I'm just gonna put that
out there.
Speaker 1 (54:28):
Producer Nate cooks up.
Speaker 2 (54:30):
He tries to stump us. He usually succeeds. I don't
think either of us have a very good track record.
But you're gonna save us.
Speaker 1 (54:36):
You are the one. I know it. You're gonna You're
gonna do it. So let's see. Two of these are true.
One is a lie. Uh, Timberwolves lead the league in scoring.
Speaker 2 (54:45):
During the playoffs. That's one stat. The Nuggets lead the
league and assists per game during the playoffs, and Brunson
leads the league in postseason scoring as an individual. So
those are three stats. Two of them are true, which
is a lie. I t am gonna let you go first.
Speaker 4 (55:01):
The liar is Minnesota. The other two or true.
Speaker 1 (55:04):
I think that was very certain, bug, he has certain.
Speaker 4 (55:09):
I just played against the Timber one.
Speaker 3 (55:11):
I don't think they would scored like that.
Speaker 4 (55:17):
Look, that's that's what I'm going with. The other two
is true. You picked that's true, right, yeah? And one
this fall?
Speaker 1 (55:23):
Yeah yeah, okay, all right, but what you got.
Speaker 5 (55:28):
I was actually gonna roll with the same answer, all right.
I mean, obviously we know how the Nuggets moved the basketball,
so that could definitely be a factual thing in Brunson
has been on a terror as far as scoring. But
I feel like I feel like we had this up
once before and I was wrong.
Speaker 1 (55:51):
Hm hmm, this is okay.
Speaker 6 (56:01):
Yeah, I'm gonna stick with the same answer. I'm gonna ro.
Speaker 2 (56:05):
Here's my question for producer Nate. Are you saying they
lead the league in scoring in terms of total points
or points per game? Okay, so he's saying points per game.
I was gonna say that would make it very easy
since it was only a four game series.
Speaker 1 (56:18):
I was trying for a loophole.
Speaker 2 (56:20):
Guys, I was smart the question, all right, I thought
it might be the Nuggets answer that to me is
the one that I'm not sure about. But I'm gonna
I'm just gonna go with the group. I'm gonna say
Timberwolves to producer Nate, are we all wrong?
Speaker 6 (56:32):
Or what?
Speaker 1 (56:33):
What do you got?
Speaker 3 (56:39):
Ha?
Speaker 1 (56:40):
I should have gone with my first instinct. Damn it?
All right?
Speaker 2 (56:47):
All right, So the Pacers lead by three more assists
a game than the Nuggets. Man, I'm influenced too easily
by the crowd.
Speaker 4 (56:57):
Right, damn yeah?
Speaker 1 (56:59):
You have you had.
Speaker 6 (57:04):
Wed?
Speaker 1 (57:09):
I love it, guys. I love the two of you together.
Speaker 2 (57:12):
It's so fun to have the Boogie and I T
Show revived.
Speaker 1 (57:15):
It's great. I love you all when who play together.
Speaker 2 (57:17):
I love it now, Isaiah, Seriously, we're so thrilled to
have you joining us more often. And I mean, I
can't wait to see what you can do in the
league next year, but for now, you're with us. So
you guys out there, you can catch all episodes of
bully Ball in the DraftKings Network. You can catch us
on the All the Smoke Productions YouTube channel. You can
find us wherever you get your podcast. Rate us, review us,
(57:37):
say nice things.
Speaker 1 (57:38):
We like that. We pay attention to the comments. It
t We'll see you soon.
Speaker 2 (57:43):
Nice to be back in Seattle, and boogie keep tearing
it up in Taiwan. He's in his playoffs, so you
got to playoffie before we go.
Speaker 4 (57:51):
He already knows what to do.
Speaker 3 (57:53):
He already knows what to do.
Speaker 4 (57:56):
Don't win it all.
Speaker 6 (57:59):
Absolutely, absolutely appreciate you.
Speaker 1 (58:02):
Yeah, I love it all right, guys, see you next week.
Speaker 2 (58:05):
All right.
Speaker 4 (58:05):
Appreciate y'all.
Speaker 6 (58:06):
Alright. Hmmm
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