Ep. 66: The Lakers Are Luking Dangerous! - 03/04/25

Sean Brace and Sean Barnard talk #NBA as the #Lakers are looking pretty good! How about the rest of the NBA? Press play!

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Picks and Roll handicapping the hardwood with Sixers insiders Sean
Bernard and Sean Brace and.

Speaker 2 (00:06):
Where we go. Yes, indeed, Picks and Roll live for
you all things NBA with Sean Bernard, who does a
great job covering the NBA for us here on the
Gambler and of course you can find him over at
Draftings Sportsbook as well. I am Sean Brace. Sixers looked

(00:27):
good over the weekend. Let that one go pretty fast.
Oh we did have Mike Thrico on the call, so
that was pretty cool. But we will discuss the little
seventy six ers because I think now more than ever,
we need to start this. We need to start addressing
what will be the next step for this team, whether
or not will be Daryl Morey is that in their

(00:49):
best interest. So there will be Sixers conversation coming your way.
But it is all things NBA. We got a lot
to get to and Sean Bernard. Some interesting games taking
place last night, some injuries that nobody wants to see.
And I know it came down the pipe that it
was a torn acl for Kyrie, so he will be

(01:12):
officially done. I think that a lot of us were
kind of hopeful that was just going to be a
Bruis knee. Yeah, that's that wasn't good. So torn acl
He is now done for the season. Dallas Mavericks are
a Capital D disaster after trading Luca. We're gonna talk
about the Lakers. We're gonna talk about SGA, We're gonna spin,

(01:33):
We're gonna put the light on the Cleveland Cavaliers. We're
also gonna address some of the hottest teams since the
All Star Break. A lot to get to Shamannard, how
we do today?

Speaker 3 (01:41):
Man doing well? That was quite the intro.

Speaker 4 (01:43):
There so plenty to dive into, plenty to get excited about,
hype to jump into it. I do believe March is
the best sporting month in the entire calendar year. So
excited to wring that in the best event with March Madness,
no doubt about it. Greatest sporting event on the planet.
I know we're talking NBA to stick to that. So
very hype to get in deep wait wait.

Speaker 2 (02:00):
Wait, wait, they play NFL in the month of March.
I didn't know.

Speaker 3 (02:03):
That they have.

Speaker 4 (02:04):
March Madness pulls his weight right there. We got the
NBA heating up, we got NFL offseason.

Speaker 2 (02:09):
It's wait, yeah, all right, you know, did you happen
to see the numbers of how many people tuned in
for it? It'd be interesting. I want to know. I
want to look into how many people do watch March Madness.

Speaker 4 (02:21):
Well, well that'll be that's like Apple's oranges because there's
so many games type thing, you know what I mean, Like,
I don't know how you count that.

Speaker 2 (02:30):
Well they do some way, somehow, So we'll have to
look up that Nielsen rating and see exactly what those
numbers are. There's no doubt about it. Like, March is incredible.
I'm right there with you, but the NFL is just
a different monster. But we already know that. All right, Look,
we got our left to get to and before we
dive into some of the big picture, you know, conversations,

(02:52):
let's let's address Kyrie because that was very unfortunate and
with the news coming down, you know, like immediately when
that deal went down, there were a lot of people
out there, Sean that said, the right now, the right now,
the Dallas Mavericks are better off. The right now competing

(03:12):
for the championship this year, the Dallas Mavericks are better off.
I thought that was a little over the top. Again,
a lot of basketball to be played. You're making a change,
a pretty drastic one in the middle of the season.
That takes some time. I know that these guys are
really damn good at the end of the day, I
just still wasn't buying it. But nobody saw this coming.
Anthony Davis gets hurt. He's been pretty relatively healthy for

(03:35):
the last two seasons, so that was a tough break there.
And now Kyrie's done for the season. You got people
canceling season tickets. Nico just fire him chance left and right.
This could not have gone worse.

Speaker 4 (03:48):
Yeah, yeah, no, I first, first and foremost, I just
straight up like feel bad for Mavericks fans man, Like
I don't think I've seen and this going across all
sports here like as catastrophic of a season. Just like
think about like flashback months two months ago and we're
talking about the Mavericks still is like a Western Conference
contender that went to that almost like had a chance

(04:09):
of winning the NBA Championship last year and then to
fall so quickly is pretty crazy there.

Speaker 3 (04:13):
But definitely prayers up for Kyrie Irving.

Speaker 4 (04:15):
That was one last night that the second I saw
the way he went down, that kind of knew that
was an acl right away. Situation really tough because I
do still subscribe to the theory that like this Mavericks
team could be extremely good if fully healthy. But that's
the risk you take when you're build around Anthony Davis.
And frankly, like, for all the praise that I've given
to Kyrie here, like we've had a streak of good
luck as far as no sort of situations popping up

(04:37):
in his world, so very disappointing that obviously injuries aren't
gonna be what takes him off the floor here.

Speaker 3 (04:42):
It is going to be a mess of the season
that is only going to get worse.

Speaker 4 (04:44):
And by the way, get ready for that eight percent
increase in season tickets next year from Dallas Mavericks.

Speaker 2 (04:49):
Yeah, ridiculous, Steven put that out there. I don't who
knows what's going on in Dallas, but I do feel,
like you said, for Dallas Mavericks fans from the standpoint
of losing a guy like Luke out of nowhere, not
getting the return that you should have gotten. And then, oh,
by the way, Anthony Davis, as soon as you're able
to be like, hey, you know, he is pretty good.

(05:10):
He goes down and has been out for since the
trade essentially went down. He played a one game, correct,
it was the first half of the first game.

Speaker 3 (05:18):
Yeah, it didn't even make it through that full game.

Speaker 4 (05:19):
And he was incredible in that like two and a
half quarters that you got to see of him, man,
Like you could see and I thought of a cool
moment too, the Anthony Davis saying I'm here now talking
to the crowd, like it had the vibe of it,
but then you got the Anthony Davis experience and accelerated
right there that he can get to those high highs,
look that good. And then all of a sudden, the
injury pops right back up. And that's exactly what went

(05:39):
down down in Dallas in game one.

Speaker 2 (05:41):
Seven points for Kyrie. He left if they're playing just
nine minutes last night and did shoot the two free throws.
All of Kobe Bryant out there with the torn acl
Now that we know that that was the case, and
that was pretty cool. It made him both man tears
coming down his eyes. Man, I got goosebumps just talking
about it right now. It's tough. I like, I've always

(06:02):
liked ky Kyrie. You know, we went through that stretch
where the nonsense and you know, this world got turned
upside down with the pandemic, and that was a tough
pill to swallow. But ultimately everybody had a choice to
be to make for themselves. I respected it, and you know,
the other stuff doesn't really bother me. The world is
flat whatever. Who knows what people say and what they
really believe. But when it comes to Kyrie Irving the ballplayer,

(06:24):
that kid has been front and center for me since
he came out of Duke, the best handles in the game,
a superstar, a true superstar, and of course has hit
some big shots along the way. So as you said, man,
we're pulling for Kyrie. We are Team Kyrie here on
pix and Roll here all right, let's keep it moving.

(06:45):
I want to go ahead and hit the rewind button
because I don't look. It got played on Friday, so
that kind of pushes it back with the weekend, and
of course everything else is taking place, you know, especially
these days, the new cycle. If it's not happening, if
it happened two hours ago, people are already off of it.
But Friday night we had a pretty significant game played

(07:09):
between the two top dogs in the East, between the
Calves and the Celtics. Now, the Calves were dogs in
this game. Game was being played in Boston. We're past
the All Star break, we are now into the area
of like, hey, look it's a long season, you're gonna
see some sluggish play. But ultimately I looked at that

(07:29):
game and I said, this is you're gonna get the
best effort here from both teams and the Celtics. As
I said, we're favored at home, rightfully, so the money,
as far as odds are concerned with the Celtics, they're
number one, and the Calves have had the best record.
I just was like scratching my head at that. But again,
we understand how that takes but why that takes place.

(07:52):
So on front, the Calves go down. Essentially, it was
like twenty five to three. Don't even know what the
number was, but it was twenty six to three. Snapping
of fingers, everybody was ripping their Cavaliers tickets up, unbelievable.
And then all they do is.

Speaker 3 (08:08):
Tell them to get out of here.

Speaker 2 (08:10):
Yeah, Jason Tatum telling them to get out of here.
Of Donovan or Mitchell looking over at him, going way, wait,
all right, well, we got a long way to go.
As often when it comes to of course, the NBA
talk to me in a fourth quarter. Anyways, at the
end of the first quarter, they did battle back, made
it somewhat of a game. It was thirty eight to
twenty six. And then all they did was win every

(08:32):
single quarter from that point on, including in the fourth
quarter where Cleveland outscored Boston twenty eight to eighteen. So,
with that being said, Sean Banard, when we talk about
that game on Friday, should we be making a little
bit more of a bigger deal about that final score?

(08:56):
And then when you take it over into the futures,
right from the standpoint, you look at the conference winner
at Boston minus one fifteen the Cleveland Cavaliers at plus
two ten just to win the East. Not really that
much shake up after that game. So when it comes
down to that game being played on Friday, what did

(09:16):
you learn? If anything?

Speaker 4 (09:18):
I think the Cleveland Cavaliers should be the favorites in
the Eastern Conference at this point. They just keep proving it,
they just keep winning, and they're really not getting the
respect because of it. They're fifty to ten on the season,
They're on another ten game winning streak, and that performance
was nothing to just brush off. That is a gritty,
come from behind fight that that team showed, and straight
up down the stretch of that game, Donovan Mitchell was

(09:39):
the best player on the floor, man. And if you
want to be Jason Tatum, if you want to be
Jaylen Brown, if you are these caliber of guys, that
just can't happen. But I was really impressed with how
unafraid Mitchell looked, the way that he was able to
deliver and take full control of that game. And I
really do believe that, like, if you were to line
up this matchup for these two teams to play ten
times right now, that the Cleveland Cavaliers are win at

(10:00):
least six of those. So I'm kind of surprised that
there has not been more shake up in the market.
I do think the Cavaliers should be the favorites. And
when kind of thinking about like the biggest flaws are
the biggest holes in the Celtics team, I do think
the hunger and the wear and tear on this body
are probably the two things that I'm watching out for.
Looking at this Calves team, there is a bit of
hunger that they have that I feel like the Celtics
aren't matching this year. Darius Garland is incredible man. He's

(10:21):
taken his game to another level this year. They also
showed the willingness to bench Jared Allen in clunch time
in that game. And we know kind of the concerns
with having the two bigs with Mobley and Allen, that's
been sort of the pushback on the Cavaliers to an extent,
they showed willingness to do that that this wasn't the
match of that. Jared Allen is effective, We're gonna shut
him down and he won't be in the closing lineup.
So I think the Cavaliers should be viewed as the

(10:41):
favorites in the East at this point, and I do
think the Celtics should be worried.

Speaker 2 (10:45):
WHOA, Yeah, I'm with you. That's where That's where I'm
looking at right now. And again, we are ways past
the opportunity to get unbelievable value or anything preseason. That's understood.
But when you look at the Calves to win the
East at plus two ten, yeah, it's a significant number
right there, and the Celtics at minus one fifteen, I

(11:06):
just feel like this could and again, this is really
easy to say this. This could go like two ways.
One where the Boston Celtics show up in playoff time
and they are the best team and they have a
whole nother gear. And then it could go the other
way where hey, look man, we've been undervalue in the
Cleveland Cavs all season long. That's going to continue until
they knocked them off into Eastern Conference Finals. I think

(11:28):
that that's a realistic possibility. They have some really good
pieces on that roster. They started putting it together last year.
This isn't a fluke in my mind. And you got
a guy like Mitchell who is a He's a beast
out there. He is a piece, create his own shot,
hit the three, get to the rack with ease, it
doesn't matter who's in a lane. Mitchell is insane. And

(11:50):
that game on Friday night was awesome.

Speaker 3 (11:53):
Yeah, no, it definitely was there. And they got like
loaded talent.

Speaker 4 (11:56):
Man, you look up and down that roster, like the
two bigs that we talked about there and even diving deeper,
guy like Ty Jerome has been terrific for this team.
Garland and Mitchell a terrific backcourt there that they are
really going for that. They have guys to sort of
answers at every single position that I'm looking for here.
So I kind of think that we haven't given enough
credit for the production that they have brought on this floor.
You can't just luck your way into being fifty in ten.

(12:17):
This team is good, they're talented, they're playing hard. I
love the way it all clicks, and I think I'm
gonna lean on that take once again that if this
game were to be played ten times in the playoffs,
this series between them, the Cavaliers are winning at least
six of those, So I'm kind of surprised at the
market at this point. I do think that it should
be closer to an even split, and if anything, the
Cavaliers have earned the right to be a favorite. The
only reason the Celtics get it is because they've done

(12:38):
it before, but everyone has to do it for a
first time at some point.

Speaker 3 (12:41):
I kind of think this could be the Cavs moment.

Speaker 2 (12:43):
You know what's interesting is that, like I think, as
a whole, everybody is just downplaying the Calves, right, And
I bring it up because of, like I said, the
number one record in the NBA, Like you can't just
go ahead and glance past that, because like it's March
as you brought up, they're fifty and ten fifty intent

(13:05):
the Celtics are forty three and eighteen. I know the
Oklahoma City Thunder are fifteen eleven, so they're right there.
But still that is a great, great record and one
that I don't think a lot of people had. The
Cleveland Cavaliers, even the most diehard Calves fan out there,
I don't think had them at this point in time,
being fifteen eleven. Now, one thing I would say is
it's glaring to me is that Donovan Mitchell isn't even

(13:26):
in the top five for MVP. What do you stand
on that conversation? And again I'm not saying he deserves
to win it, but how is Donovan Mitchell not being
discussed like Jason Tatum, like Gianni's, like Lebron like Joker?
What am I missing there? Uh? Oh, we're having some

(13:52):
issues with the Wi fi here.

Speaker 3 (13:55):
There we go. I'm back in now.

Speaker 4 (13:56):
But as far as the Donovan Mitchell MVP conversation, here,
it is surprising that like there hasn't been more buzz
about this, Like we've seen a lot of in years
past that that gets talked about a lot. The best
player on the best team, that's basically an MVP candidate,
that there will be journalists and reporters that vote that direction.
There we haven't heard really any of that from Mitchell.
I guess my biggest thing would be, like when you
do a dive into the stats here, statistically in some

(14:18):
areas like he's taking a step back this year now. Granted,
I think he's played more winning basketball, that he's embraced
this team concept and that's a large reason why the
team is having their success. I think Garland's a guy
that you're seeing the more linear growth in his game,
which sort of distracts from it. Evan Mobley another guy
who throw in that category where he can directly see
the strives forward that he's taken from last year to now,
which I don't think you can really correlate with Mitchell,

(14:39):
but I'm in agreement with you. I do think that
he deserves a little more love than he's getting. I
think at this point it should be viewed as shake
Godos Alexander's award to lose, although there is beginning to
be a little bit of that. Nikola Jokic swing back,
which tends to happen at the stage of the season.

Speaker 2 (14:51):
Here.

Speaker 4 (14:51):
I still think SGA is going to be the guy,
but I do think Dona Mitchell should be in that
same mix.

Speaker 2 (14:57):
Seriously, you think that SG. He just scored fifty again
last night and it's fourth time and whatever amount of games.
It is like he's on a different level. Where is
this joker stuff coming from?

Speaker 4 (15:09):
I mean, Denver keeps playing well too, They've climbed, They're
right in that same mix for the West. They're now
in third place, thirty nine to twenty two, so a
half game or tied with the Lakers for the second seed.

Speaker 3 (15:19):
Really, they're just hits the stage in the season.

Speaker 4 (15:22):
Where I feel the jokic media forces working strongly, pointing
to the advanced numbers, looking at all these nobody else
is doing this. I feel those inner working starting to
develop a little bit in the NBA media world.

Speaker 3 (15:33):
I'll say that, all right.

Speaker 2 (15:34):
I like that. Yeah, Look, we're gonna talk about the
Denver Nuggets because Kendrick Perkins this morning said on Get
Up that they are not a contender. We'll discuss them
in just a second, all right, Moving off of the calves,
I'm right there with you. So just a plus on
this one one more time for the people that might
be just joining us right now. Plus two ten the
Calves to win the East. Is that a good bet

(15:55):
in your mind?

Speaker 4 (15:56):
I think that's a great bet at this point. I
don't the number is not gonna get lower. I think
it's miss priced as it currently is. That the Cavaliers
have played their way into being the rightful favorites in
the Eastern Conference. They're not getting that kind of love
in the market right now, So I say jump on
it now before that number changes.

Speaker 2 (16:10):
Seven game series played tomorrow, four in Boston, three in Cleveland.

Speaker 4 (16:15):
Who you got and for what it's worth here will
end up for in Cleveland for this series because it's
the way that things shake out.

Speaker 3 (16:22):
But either way, but that's not my question.

Speaker 2 (16:25):
My question is Boston has the home floor. Where are
you going?

Speaker 4 (16:29):
I think this is a seven game series between these
two teams, I really do. If it is in Boston,
with like the knowing what this team has done in
the past, I certainly can see the Celtics walking away
with that.

Speaker 3 (16:38):
But that's kind of why I.

Speaker 4 (16:39):
Think it's important that the Cavaliers have taken this foot
on the gas to get home court advantage with this,
I think it is a toss up. But like the
fact that I think it's that close is sort of
indicative of why I think there's value in the numbers
here that I think this should be sort of a
split between these two teams, not the Celtics looked at
as clear cut favorites. So I probably still lean Celtics
for your specific question there, but I do think it
is one that could go either way, And that's why

(17:00):
I lean into the Caves from a value perspective.

Speaker 2 (17:02):
I like that because that's just where I wanted to know. Yeah,
it's that close. We understand how good the Boston Celtics
really are, but this is going to be if it
is played, if they do meet up in the playoffs,
it's most likely going to be played in Cleveland, which
is a huge, huge deal to say the least. All right,
let's continue talking about contenders here on March to fourth.
Let's talk about the red hot Los Angeles Lakers. Seaman

(17:27):
six and two with Luca and they are luking dangerous.
Come on, man, I got a little something for the
uh snippet. As far as the tweet going out there,
the name of this episode. But they are looking dangerous.
They have won twelve of their last fourteen six straight,
second most over that span and the NBA as far

(17:48):
as the team is concerned for the most wins and
Lebron and Luca, it shouldn't come as a surprise that
they are obviously playing well together. We're talking about we
don't even need to go into it. We already know
it's understood. If it's not understood, you've been living underneath
the rock for the last two decades. But Luca and

(18:09):
Lebron are two amazing ballplayers and they figured it out
pretty quickly. Hey man, I'm not surprised by it. I
don't think you are. But what is the difference as
far as what they're getting production wise from the other players,
because look, Luca and Lebron aren't out there scoring fifty apiece,
they're getting everybody else involved. And I thought that this

(18:30):
is where they were going to take a little bit
of a hit because they didn't have the size down low.
So of course they're they're going to get exploited, exploited
on defense, and especially with Luke out there defending, he's
a little bit of a liability. But it seems like
they've been figuring that out. Also the fact that they
ended up giving up another piece and in this deal
with two to Dallas Mavericks, which was a pretty decent

(18:52):
piece there. So I thought for as a whole the
Lakers were going to take a hit from the other players.
It doesn't look like that at this point in time.
Is this something that you think will continue to carry?
Why have the other players figured it out pretty quickly,
just like Lebron and Luca have in your mind?

Speaker 4 (19:08):
Yeah, it's certainly happening quicker than I could have expected
with that. Like I did obviously believe these guys would
figure it out. It feels like it. Things are clicking
right away. And as far as the biggest surprise as
a whole, defensively, this team is miles better than I
think anyone could have expected that. That was the biggest concern,
Like can they build up? They've been second in defensive
ratings since the Luka dancicch trade. That is ridiculous stuff. Now,
a large portion of that I would directly point to

(19:30):
is just Lebron James, like honestly trying harder defensively and
competing on that into the floor in a way that
I don't think he fully did for the larger part
of the first half of the season, but the other
guys are bought into that. We're seeing these different lineups
that JJ Reddick is staggering. He's been kind of really
pushing this emphasis of like kind of almost putting Austin
Reeves in this same conversation with Luca and Lebron James

(19:50):
that when those three are on the floor together, you're
not gonna be able to throw like a premier perimeter
defender on all three of those guys. Somebody's gonna get
a positive matchup. And those are things that we want
to bloyd and also do want to give a little
bit more love to JJ Reddick here. This team looks
prepared every single night. Man, this team has a clear
game plan. I know that Nuggets game is the one
that has like the headlines for the way they had
a clear plan of attack for shutting down to Kola Jokic.

(20:13):
And by the way, that's like a really noteworthy one
when thinking about this potential path through the playoffs and
how things could shape up, that that very well could
be a hurdle they need to clear. But Reddick has
this team absolutely locked in, dialed in with the defensive
game plan and just delivering on both sides of the ball.
So Lebron James and Luka Doncic to the highest Q,
highest IQ basketball players probably ever.

Speaker 3 (20:33):
To have them on the floor together and.

Speaker 4 (20:34):
The other guys figuring things out, it's booths allen out
there in Los Angeles right now.

Speaker 2 (20:38):
Starting next week, the Lakers will have six games and
eight days, including a pair with the Nuggets and Bucks
and one against the Phoenix Suns. Then in the final
five games there are two with OKC, one with the Rockets,
and then the Doncic heading to Dallas for that game.
So that's a much anticipated game that everybody's ready to

(20:59):
focus on. But bottom line is this Lakers team looks
for real. What's the ceiling? Sean Binar, where are you
willing to go with the LA Lakers at this point
in time on March fourth?

Speaker 4 (21:10):
I think that there's a chance that they could win
the West, I really do, And I think there's I'll
put it this way, the take that I've really kind
of been I guess ironing up here. I think one
of the Lakers or the Golden State Warriors will be
in the Western Conference Finals, but I think it would
be one of those kind of old school teams that
are still kicking around against the Oklahoma City Thunder is
my prediction there now. Granted, just purely lining them up

(21:31):
from basketball, the Thunder are still a far better team
than this Lakers team specifically, but there's always that threat
of when you have Luka Doncicchin Lebron James on the
same floor, that you have a chance, and they absolutely
do in that series.

Speaker 3 (21:43):
I need to see a little more before I'm.

Speaker 4 (21:44):
All the way bought back in or all the way
believing that this could be the case. But I do
think the Lakers have a real deal chance of winning
the Western Conference.

Speaker 2 (21:51):
All right, Well we're talking about contenders here. I'm with
you on that one. I think the Lakers, And it's
one of those bets right now where look, you know
you're gonna get that shoved down your throat, which is
fine because they're playing well. It's the Lakers. We understand
how that works. And they added Luca one of the
best players of all time in his short span of
his career so far, and they're just continuing to win

(22:14):
and they're putting it together again. Draftings sportsbook where we're
getting odds from the Lakers now down to plus six
point fifty. That continues to come down. I think last
week when we were discussing this, it was around seven
seven fifty, so plus six fifty still hold him steady
around that mark Nuggets six to one and the Oklahoma
City Thunder at minus one twenty five to win the West. Yeah,

(22:35):
that is a big, big, big difference there as far
as Okac is concerned. Again, that is just to win
the West. So that's probably the slice of pie that
I would be being more willing to bet again to
win it all man, that would just be an insane
run for the Lakers if they were able to do that.
Fifteen to one at this point in time. I think

(22:56):
last week they were at seventeen to one. So Calves
are six six hundred to win to win the title,
Celtics plus two twenty OKC plus one seventy five and
then as I said, a jump up to the Lakers
at fifteen to one, Nuggets sixteen to one, Warriors sixteen
to one, and then we'll stop there because we don't
need to talk about the New York Knicks and that conversation.

(23:16):
To win at all. All right, Yeah, for the Lakers,
I'm right there. I just think that that's a good
bet to have, a fun wager to have. And you know,
for the people that are Antyler Bron, that's fine. Knocked
yourself out. But if you're not, then I think that
there's value there and having that ticket in your pocket.
As you said, they very well could play themselves into

(23:37):
a Western Conference finals. And if that's the case, watch out.
It's gonna be tough stopping both of those players in
a seven game series. I think they're gonna be able
to do it enough. I don't want to be a
prisoner in the moment, man, But I am been super
impressed with the Lakers, and it's fun to watch. It's
fun to tune in, and for my money, even when
Anthony Davis is playing his best, I still I look

(24:01):
at this and I just think there's another level to
this Lakers team versus when AD was on it. Am
I wrong on that one? No?

Speaker 3 (24:08):
I think you're absolutely right.

Speaker 4 (24:09):
I think that's the design of this trade, to be honest, Like,
we're seeing Lebron James rejuvenated in a way that I
think it's been years since we've really seen this the
way he's flying around the court, the way he's defending,
just the energy that he's bringing on the court out there,
feels like Lebron has gained like a purpose to an extent,
and to be perfectly honest, that's what I thought. Like
the whole purpose of him going to this Lakers team
and bringing in Anthony Davis, that was sort of the

(24:30):
shift that was supposed to happen, is Lebron James would
pass the baton to Anthony Davis and he could continue
on as the face of the franchise. To just call
it what it is, that wasn't quite the guy that
Anthony Davis is. His basketball player, terrific player, no doubt
about it, one of the best in the league.

Speaker 3 (24:44):
But he's not Lukadancic.

Speaker 4 (24:46):
Luka Dancich is now prepared to be this next face
of the potential NBA, not just face the Lakers and
it's Lebron James. It's directly like, show him the ropes
in that category here. So I love like the rejuvenation
from Lebron James. Lukadancic is a guy who thinks gonna
be totally capable of carrying that a time. The way
that it's designed, and it's gonna be really cool to
watch this play out, not just this season, over the

(25:06):
next couple of years.

Speaker 2 (25:08):
All right, talking about contenders right here with Sean Bernard,
Picks and Roll coming to you live. Let's talk about
the Milwaukee Bucks and then, excuse me, we'll get to
the East in just a second. Let's stay with the West.
I apologize Denver Nuggets. Back over to the Nuggets here,
and they have now lost against the Lakers on February
twenty second, they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks on February

(25:30):
twenty seventh, and they just lost on Monday, No, today's
Tuesday on Sunday versus the Boston Celtics in Boston one
ten two, one oh three, where there were five point
dogs in that one. So I have to ask you,
as I said, Kendrick Perkins said today that he feels
that they are not a contender. And now there are
people out there floating out this idea that JJ Reddick

(25:54):
has found. He has found the remedy to defeat the
d Troy or the Denver Nuggets, and it's spacing and
it's double teaming, Joker and a lot and forcing the
Denver Nuggets to shoot threes, and that's all well and good.
That's easier said than done. Everybody's got a plan until
you get punched in their mouth, right, But is there

(26:15):
something there in your mind that's making you a little
reluctant to wager on the Denver Nuggets, to push the
Denver Nuggets as a championship contender or do you think
that's you know, that's blasphemy. Leave me alone with that.
The Nuggets are damn good. They won a championship, they
had that championship mentality. Oh, by the way, Joker is
still one of the best in the game. Maybe they're
not as good when they won the NBA championship, but

(26:37):
this is still a championship contender. Where do you stand
on that one?

Speaker 3 (26:40):
Yeah, I think that's all mostly fair.

Speaker 4 (26:42):
I certainly feel better about the Denver Nuggets right now
than I did about them earlier on in the season.
I think we've seen Jamal Murray look like Jamal Murray again.
Aaron Gordon has been in and out due to injuries,
but he shot the ball really well this year. Seeing
some growth, and guys like Christian Brawn, who's been straight
up excellent for this Denver team of late here, so
Nicole Yak still one of the best players in the planet.
As much as I personally have praise JJ Reddick and

(27:03):
this game plan that was created, I don't think that's
something that is the cure all for shutting this guy down.
And frankly, I think if you give that look to
him a little too often there he will find ways
to beat it. So I don't think that they are
solved in the way it's being presented. I wouldn't put
Denver in that same tier of Like if I was
to label the clear cut championship contenders, to me that
there's like a top three of it is the Boston Celtics,

(27:24):
It's the Cleveland Cavaliers, sin's the Oklahoma City Thunder. I
think that is the very clear top three teams with
a chance to win a championship. But I probably would
Denver in forth right below that with that next spot there.
So I think they're probably not in that top top
upper echelon of contenders, but they're still right in that mix,
and I definitely am not counting them out for winning
a championship this year.

Speaker 2 (27:42):
Where's that coming from? What are you know? Why are
people again? It's a long season. We know that, but
is there something real with that conversational piece about hey, look,
if you want to stop the Denver Nuggets, this is
what you need to do. Again, not every team has
the personnel to make those play make those adjustments, of
course defensively against Joker. But where are we at with

(28:04):
that conversation? Is am because it hit me out of nowhere?

Speaker 4 (28:08):
Yeah, I don't think it's anything overly like creative to
be honest, Like the Sixers did this to an effect
when they guarded Yokic, which basically the tactic is that
you want to put a guy like basically face guarding him,
and it's better to have a little bit smaller and
more physical defender like PJ. Tucker was the guy for
the Sixers. The Lakers kind of rotated a bunch of
guys that played this role. Vanderbilt certainly did his thing.
There was a lot of guys that sort of rotated in.

(28:29):
But you pick him up ninety four feet, you have
a guy doublin and then you constantly you have a
guy face guarding and constantly guy sort of shadowing there.
So when you think about Nicola Jokic, what he's most
dangerous at He can do everything on a basketball court,
there's no doubt about it. But when he's picking you
apart as a playmaker, that's when they're at their most
dangerous as an offense. So what that's really preventing is
the opportunities for him to have looks and really be

(28:50):
the guy that is delivering those passes for somebody else
to beat you. Was more of the tactic. It's almost
like cutting him out of the offense. And he's still
finished with a triple double in that game, by the way,
so it's not like you completely shut him down and
let him do nothing. But that's sort of the tactic
there is to limit his opportunities as a passer. It's
definitely effective. You can make it happen, but I mean,
they're seven to three in their past ten. Jamal Murray
has played far better basketball. Blade I'm not worried about

(29:12):
this Nuggets team, So I don't feel the sense of
panic that some people are sort of projecting it as.

Speaker 2 (29:17):
Yeah, there's an article right now on cbssports dot com
Nuggets played by poor spacing and loss of Celtics, and
it's an issue that will define Denver season, Denver championships
hopes rest on an iffy three point shooting.

Speaker 4 (29:31):
Yeah, I mean, they're not as good as they were
the championship year. I'll say that for sure, But I
kind of think the rest of the NBA isn't either
to an extent that there are vulnerabilities and a lot
of these teams you are missing the you know, Kentavious Colwell, Popes,
the Bruce Browns, the guys that were there and are
earned quite a paycheck for the role that they played
on their team. But I'm a believer in guys like
Christian Brown, Peyton Watson that can step up and play

(29:53):
their role there. So I honestly am not as worried.
I'm kind of I'm surprised by this kind of growth
and concern with the Nuggets here. I still think they're
a very good basketball team, should be mentioned as a
team that has a chance to win, and I think
that's ultimately how things will play out. So people can
press the panic button now, I'm gonna relax on this
one for the time being.

Speaker 2 (30:10):
All Right, once again, draft Kings Sportsbook, where we're gonna
numbers from. You can get the Denver Nuggets, as I said,
to win the West at six to one to win
it all as far as the championship, get that parade
up there in Denver and a second title for the
Nuggets and Joker and company. At this point in time,
you get the Nuggets at sixteen to one. All right, now,
let's get on over to the East. Let's talk about

(30:31):
the Milwaukee Bucks. And I'm bringing up the Bucks for
two reasons. Number one, they're five and one sin see
All Star Break, one of the top five six teams
in the game over that span. And oh, by the way,
they already have a banner Shamanard. Yeah, they won the
end season tournament. This is a team that didn't smoke
the cigars. This is a team that skipped the champagne

(30:52):
and said, ah, we ain't satisfied with winning the end
season tournament. We want the big one. So of course
they have the mental make up, they have the players
in Jannison Dame, they're putting it together. Doc is the coach.
So I'm looking at it a little bit as far
as side eye is concerned. But we're talking about a
Milwaukee Bucks team right now beating the Wolves, MAVs on

(31:13):
the road, Nuggets, Clippers, and Heat Yannis. As I said,
pretty damn good. Uh, But where are the Nuggets in
your mind and of course what they're able to do
as far as the trade deadline is concerned, Gang Kuzma,
where are we at right now with the with the
Milwaukee Bucks as far as the East is concerned in
your mind?

Speaker 4 (31:32):
Shopping art, Yeah, I think they're in sort of a
similar spot to the Denver Nuggets that I would not
throw them in that same category of the Celtics or Cavaliers.
There's probably a little bit larger gap between those two
teams and then the rest of the conference in the East,
and is the case in the West there, but I
would throw them right in that next mix if you
were you told me a team in the Eastern Conference
is gonna win the NBA Championship.

Speaker 3 (31:51):
That isn't the Celtics or Cavaliers. I do think it
will be the Milwaukee Bucks.

Speaker 4 (31:55):
There, I can't rule out Yanis, who still can just
take over a game on any given night, be the
most physically commanding and talented player on the floor, and
he's done that for stretchers this season. I think it's
been a pretty nice resurgence from Damian Lillard. Certainly not
the prime version that we saw out there in Portland,
but still a guy that can get the job done
and can get red hot from beyond the arc. I've
been encouraged by what I've seen from Brook Lopez of
the season has progressed.

Speaker 3 (32:16):
It feels like he.

Speaker 4 (32:16):
Almost is loosened up a little bit, that he's starts again.
A guy that's clearly in the advanced or age of
his career, but he is showing a little bit more
mobility on that side of the floor. Kyle Kuzma, I
think has been excellent for this team, providing a little
bit of a spark. He picked up an ankle sprains
a little disappointing there, but not something that's going to
keep him out long term. He's unlikely to play this week,
it looks like, but could be back as soon as

(32:37):
next or nothing.

Speaker 3 (32:38):
That's a massive concern there.

Speaker 4 (32:39):
I think that's a nice sort of X factor piece
that they can have a guy that can create some offense.
As much as Chris Middleton was excellent during his time
with that franchise, I do think that there was some
new energy that need to be injected, and I think
they did that.

Speaker 3 (32:52):
So I think the Bucks are a good team.

Speaker 4 (32:53):
I do tip the Cap and respect Giannis and give
them a chance just based on that. They haven't been perfect.
They've had their ups and downs this year, but a
team that I had my eye on, and I'm not
counting out completely.

Speaker 2 (33:03):
Seven game series revers the Cleveland Cavaliers starts tomorrow, four
in Milwaukee, three in Cleveland, where you.

Speaker 3 (33:08):
At four to two Cleveland, I would still say that.

Speaker 2 (33:12):
Okay, seven game series against the Boston Celtics starts tomorrow,
four in Milwaukee, three in Boston.

Speaker 4 (33:19):
Four in Milwaukee, three in Boston. I probably still think
it's four to two Celtics. I do think the Celtics
and Caps are a tier above the Bucks.

Speaker 2 (33:26):
All right, great stuff. Again, we're talking all things contenders
at this point in time. Picks and rolls. Still a
little ways to go until we get into the month
of April where we heat things up as far as
playoffs are concerned. That brutal final week of the season.
I hate the last week. Yeah, as good as March is,
that last week of the NBA regular season is brutal.

(33:48):
But that's all right. We've still got some ways to go,
and some of these teams are starting to separate themselves
and again DraftKings Sportsboo where we're getting our numbers from. Forre,
the Milwaukee Bucks, they are fifteen to one to represent
the East Conference and to win it all. At this
point in time, the Milwaukee Bucks are forty five to one. Shot.

Speaker 3 (34:11):
It's a bigger number than I want to guessed.

Speaker 2 (34:14):
Nothing there for you. Forty five to one, nothing there
for you at sixteen to one to win the East.

Speaker 4 (34:19):
Yeah, that's better value than I would have predicted blindly
guessing the odds there. I probably would have guessed them
like I don't even know what, like closer to the
Lakers range to be perfectly honest, like the plus six
fifty plus seven hundred would have been my guest there.
But interesting. So yeah, if you're a Bucks believer, I
the doc rivers like hatred in me and unbelief that
he will get the job done. The biggest stage holds
me back from being all in on it. And I mean, like,

(34:41):
there are still some concerns on this team. I don't
love their perimeter defense still. I think they're a little
bit of a team that you don't know what you're
getting on an every night basis. So I have more
concerns about this Bucks team than going all in and
saying this is the value compared to teams like the
Calves or the Nuggets there. So I'll keep off it
a full taken all in there, but I don't hate
it if that's the directually you want to go.

Speaker 2 (35:00):
All right, Sean Minard before we get into tonight's card,
and there's a lot of action to get to. We're
not gonna go every over every game, but we have
to squeeze in some seventy six ers conversation and see
if we can go ahead and start predicting the future
right now as we are alive. Of course, the news
that comes down over the weekend with JEWELLMB being shut

(35:21):
down for the season, nobody wants to see it, but
at the end of the day, it's the best news possible.
It should have happened a long time ago, played in
nineteen games. This year just a disaster across the board
our you know, it's not even at this point in time.
We're up in the air with how they're going to
approach getting Joelle Embiid healthy next year. I don't even

(35:42):
want to go into that discussion right now, if you
don't mind, because I think we're all in agreement that
it doesn't look good for the big man and where
we're at right now, like next year, I don't know
if you can go into a season. And again there's
so many things that need to be answered, like Joell
Embiid is the guy, like we we depend on Joel Embiid.

(36:03):
Our season depends on Joel Embiid. So we don't know
what's next for him. Right we're talking about breaking bones
to heal. We're talking about new ways to to to
get things right for him, which is never we're in
Andrew Bynum territory officially in my mind, but putting.

Speaker 3 (36:18):
That let's not go that far. We won't go that
far yet.

Speaker 2 (36:20):
And buying him is the first time that they started
making up ways to heal him. And that was like
they're gonna go over across season Germany and they're gonna
start mixing chromosomes and look it up, look it up.

Speaker 3 (36:32):
It was the first time.

Speaker 2 (36:34):
And now you're telling me a surgery where we're gonna be.

Speaker 4 (36:36):
Breaking a bone. I don't be two bones for that.
I don't think there's any credence to that. And I
will know that was the inquiry that reported that also
happen to be the same reporter that Joe Yeah may
or may not have been suspended for shoving earlier this year.
From everything that I've heard, and I'm actually very excited.
I got an interview with the doctor later today to
talk a little bit more in depth about the actual
options that Joelle could have in front of him. But

(36:58):
that does not seem to be anything that would make
sense there is on the table. Brian Stutter, I believes
the YouTube guy's name, who does a really nice job
breaking this stuff down, was pretty like confused reading that
report there. So I don't think that they're going to
be in breaking legs territory, but none. Nonetheless, not the
most positive outlook as a whole here and.

Speaker 2 (37:15):
Where I stand is if we have to break legs,
just retire, just give it up, don't. I don't even
want to see the big man go through that stuff.
But all right, let's just pretend that the news is
not good for Joel Embiid and next year he's too
missed as a significant portion of the season and oh,
by the way, you just can't bank on him. What
is the approach for this franchise? Immediately when this season

(37:38):
goes final, where are we at because like, is it
as simple as firing Darryl Moray getting new vision in here?
Is it as simple keeping Darryl Mory in here? Is
there any changes that this team can make? I believe
that there are. Again each season in the NBA especially,
it surprises me some of these deals that teams get

(37:58):
out of make moves. So we'll put you know, we
got to believe in that one. So having some fun
with that discussion here and the in the in the
Sixers can make some some moves for you in this offseason.
What is your first approach, what's your first step? Where
are we at right now if the offseason started today?

Speaker 4 (38:17):
Yeah, whenever a season goes off the rails to a
level that this one has for the Sixers, that somebody
has to catch the responsibility or the blame for that.
That there's never a just bad luck. Let's try again,
somebody has to catch the heat. I personally viewed most
of the seasons that Nick Nurse was going to be
the guy that that was my expectation that you throw
a little band aid fix bringing a new coach. And
don't get me wrong, look with the Cleveland Cavaliers right now,

(38:39):
you've seen teams that have had massive success from year
to year, where you put bringing a new coach, new
vision and the outlooks completely different. The report leading up
before Saturday's game of Joel Embiid having to go directly
to Josh Harris before he was shut down for his
knee surgery, that is pretty damning from the standpoint of
Daryl Morey in my mind because what that says here,
and I understand he gets quite a bit of heat

(38:59):
from this in the city of Philadelphia, and I get
completely why. As Josh Harris owns the Washington Commanders, owns
the New Jersey Devils as well as the Philadelphia seventy
six Ers, what he is as an owner is a
hands off owner that he've used it as I'm going
to pay the right guys to do their job and
take full control of the situation. With Daryl Moray being
clearly one of these guys that represents the Sixers there
and makes a bunch of big decisions for the franchise.

(39:21):
When you have to go above that guy's ahead and
talk directly to Josh Harris, it does feel to me
that that something is not quite aligned, I would say,
within the organization with that, so I that was Saturday
when that report service was the first time that I
had some real doubts that Daryl Moury might not be
back next year.

Speaker 3 (39:36):
Who knows what decision they make.

Speaker 4 (39:38):
And frankly, I think how this season ends really is
going to impact things. If this isn't free fall, that
they're in the lottery odds, and I think that's the
better direction for the franchise, to be perfectly honest, that
probably results in these kind of conversations we're talking about
now if this team does show a spark that is
able to get into the plan. While like in the
long run this is probably worse for the Sixers, I
do think in the short term that the safe people jobs,

(40:00):
and I think, like when we get into this tanking conversation,
organizations certainly tank, but players and coaches cannot that. Those
are guys that have to buckle it up, have to try,
have to give everything they have on the floor and
give a chance to win because their future is as
stake as well.

Speaker 3 (40:13):
So there are a lot of moving parts of this.

Speaker 4 (40:15):
I do think ultimately that it is trending towards Darryl
Mory being fired and pretty surprised that we are in
this spot based on Again, I have a hard time
being that critical of him because I supported a lot
of what he did leading up to this year. And
like I get, somebody has to catch the blame. But
it's not Darrell's fault that Jowell's need falling apart. It's
not Daryl's fault from the injury luck and I guess
to an extent, you can push back and say it
is because that's these guys' history.

Speaker 3 (40:36):
But I don't know. I do feel like it is
trending that way, and I'm surprised to feel that way.

Speaker 2 (40:41):
Yeah, there was a report from Steven A and he
is somewhat connected in the world of the NBA. There's
no denying that, and especially with his boy Magic Johnson,
and that's where it came from. He put it right
out there on television. I was just laughing about that.
Josh Harris, of course partners as far as the commanders
are concerned. So he did say that from what he hurt,

(41:02):
hears that Darryl Moory was the one pushing for the
contract extension and this wasn't anybody else at that point
in time that said that you well and b deserved
the contract. Now who knows what's true and what's not.
That's stephen A. That's his take regardless. Like you said,
this season has been just one of the worst seasons

(41:25):
in seventy six Ers franchise history twenty one and thirty nine.
Putting the record to the side, because I'm sure they
had plenty of worse seasons than that, but just a
little bit of expectation. Season was over as soon as
it started, and to be honest with you, has not
been enjoyable at all, except for Saturday night when they
actually did play with the damn because they were on
national television and played. Yeah, Quentin Grimes exactly played very well.

(41:49):
All right. So as far as the opportunity to make
some moves, make some changes with a new general manager,
that's probably not going to happen, right Like I would
feel better if Darryl Morey was in and for the
upcoming season because I think, like, Okay, hey, he's still here.
He knows he needs to make moves right here right now,

(42:11):
versus a new general manager coming in going all right,
I gotta see what's here and what's what, Like you're
just gonna take a little bit more time. He's gonna
know that things need to be changed, but I just
don't know if that's the right move, right direction again,
just spitballing. Where do you stand on that one? As
far as what's the first move and do you think

(42:31):
it will be a little easier for a new general
manager or Daryl Morey?

Speaker 4 (42:35):
Yeah, I mean, and I do sit in the camp
of like while I'm reading the tea leaves here, I
don't think Darryl Morriy should be fired and I would
prefer him to be back with the franchise. He hasn't been perfect,
but if you do think when you just gauge out
the finality of all the moves that have been made,
he has been a net positive for this organization. So
I do think you gotta for the same things that
you want to take points off at the top of
this roster. You gotta give him credit for drafting Jared McCain,

(42:56):
for adding guys like Gashan Yabuseli, bringing Lonnie over. There's
things that are good that he's done to this, trading
for Quentin Grimes, all these type of things. As far
as the moving forward from here, the Jewell and Beat
injury factor is going to be that X factor in
that conversation that we don't know what exactly those conversations are. Well,
what I think people are kind of under selling here,
Jad McCain comes back next year, and that should be

(43:17):
the full focus of Like who is Jad.

Speaker 3 (43:19):
McCain as a basketball player?

Speaker 4 (43:21):
Is a Jad McCain and Tyrese Maxi backcourt something that
is sustainable? Is that something that could be the future
of the Sixers franchise. So the biggest question that I
expect to be addressed and really investigated on the court
for what these guys can really do is what is
the ceiling for a guy like Jad McCain. And I
don't think it's that far of elap to say that
he could potentially be a borderline star in the NBA.
So that's the guy that I really have my eye on.

(43:42):
And what I think the biggest I guess evaluation period
should be next year.

Speaker 2 (43:48):
All Right. I don't think anybody's going to be picturing
championships in a parade down Broad Street next year regardless.
But there's just no way that we can deal with
another season like that like this, And like I said,
for just from a seventy six or s fan perspective,
it paying me to tune in it paying me to watch,

(44:10):
and that's just like, we can't have that. We cannot
have that. We're too proud of a franchise to be
just like man, really like I feel like, you know,
we're an expansion team. It's how ugly it is right now.
Oh but good news is Paul George is not podcasts anymore.
So that's a good thing.

Speaker 4 (44:28):
Yeah, you know, got to take it. Got in pursuit
of the championship. You didn't hear the man?

Speaker 2 (44:33):
Is he trolling us with that? Was he trolling?

Speaker 3 (44:35):
I can't.

Speaker 4 (44:36):
Honestly, I've yet to get a full read on Paul George.
My gut feeling is this is what tells me is
he's trying really hard to like do the Philadelphia stuff
and he just doesn't quite get it. That's kind of
my feeling on things that I do think that there's
effort from him to try and fit in, to try
and you know, have the optics of what Philly fans want,
and it just doesn't fully connect with him for what

(44:56):
it is. This is a different atmosphere and a different
culture than he's been a part of it the other
time in his life. He is a West Coast Kid,
went to Fresno State, played with the Clippers, played for
the Thunder. The Indiana Pacers has probably been like the
most diehard friend base that he's played in front of
to this point. So it's a different experience than he's getting.
I think he's trying to do like the fit in
and it just isn't quite connecting it the way that

(45:16):
we're all hoping here is sort of my rate on
things he back next year, I think. So it would
be very funny if he requested a trade this summer.
I'll say that that would be very funny. And I
don't think that there's a zero percent chance of that.
I do think it's more likely than not that, like,
as much as fans are gonna hate to hear this,
that it is going to be a little bit of
run it back and see what happens. Now with that said, here,

(45:36):
we're already hearing the Kevin Durant trade rumors and all this.
So Paul George's contract and him as basketball player could
certainly come into play this summer. I'm not taking that
off the table, But if you were to pin me
down and say more likely or not, I would say
it probably like eighty percent chance Paul George is a
Sixer next year.

Speaker 2 (45:52):
It is intriguing, man. You start talking about these guys
in the final couple of years that they have left
in the league. And I know that players are playing
a little bit longer in life, stretching out their careers.
But if I'm Paul George, I'm looking, I'm saying I
don't see this team compete next year, and maybe it's
in my best interest to get out of here right here,
right now. It's easier said than done.

Speaker 4 (46:13):
But but to that point, though, you know what my
comment to Paul George on that outlook would be, look
in the mirror, man, because you were brought here to
be a part of this team.

Speaker 3 (46:22):
You were then brought here to be a part of
the turnaround.

Speaker 4 (46:25):
And I understand, like he can't control Jowell and Beide's
injury stuff, and like that's the root of why the
season has been gone.

Speaker 3 (46:30):
Off the rails.

Speaker 4 (46:31):
You were supposed to be a part of that solution
that the sixer team can survive the nights where Jewell
does not play, that you can be the co star
to Tyrese. Maxine hasn't even been that, so I could
certainly see his mind getting there. I do think that
would be a pretty extreme lack of accountability for his
role and everything.

Speaker 3 (46:47):
There kind of.

Speaker 2 (46:49):
Fits in though, right, like that guy that said at
the middle of February, when the road has just been dismantled,
literally there's nowhere else to go. The road has come
to an end. He's like, ah, you know what, now
I'm gonna stop podcasting because it's time to lock in
and set it with a straight face.

Speaker 3 (47:08):
Like That's why.

Speaker 2 (47:09):
I just I don't believe that he's serious. I think
in this day and age, when everybody's a troll and
we continue to reward these trolls. Shout out to Casey
Anthony who just reaped pop pop back on the timeline
about that, Yeah, how about that Casey Anthony. We're gonna
make her famous now, just complete garbage. Anyways, We're rewarding
trolls left and right these days, and I just was like,

(47:32):
he's trolling us, right, he has to be trolling us,
but whatever. Anyways, all right, seventy six ers conversation over
and done quickly on this will close up shop Big
NBA card tonight shot it out first of all, the
viewing pleasure talk to me as a fan, what's the
one game that we should be paying attention to the
most tonight?

Speaker 4 (47:53):
I'm personally here it will be the Toronto Raptors versus
Orlando Magic.

Speaker 3 (47:56):
That I'm written on the Toronto.

Speaker 4 (47:58):
Rafters night in and night out every night looking for
these lottery odds here, and I do think tonight is
one that they have a chance to win. This Magic
team has been brutal of late. They're in the bottom
three in net rating, defensive rating, offensive rating. That the
worst three point shooting team in the league. Really have
took a cliff I have this second half of the season.
They're seven and a half point favorites over the Raptors.
I do think the Raptors cover that and I think

(48:19):
they have a pretty good chance of winning out right there.
So that is the game that I personally will have
my eye on. As far as their general NBA fan,
the Clippers Suns would be a fun one I'm probably
gonna still point to. I'll go to the Warriors Knicks
is probably the top game to watch from a neutral
viewing perspective that this Warriors team is a blast to watch.
Once again, the Knicks still have some questions that they're answering,

(48:40):
but they will buckle up in battle. So that'll probably
be the best game on the slate tonight.

Speaker 2 (48:44):
All right, one play that you have from a DraftKings
this evening where you looking.

Speaker 4 (48:49):
Yeah, I'd be Raptors plus seven and a half here
that I do think the magic struggles are real. If
this Toronto team has been playing better basketball that they're young,
they're hungry, they compete every single night. I think this
stays at least a game, and I do think that
they're dogs on the plus two forty on the money line.
So rooting on the Raptors tonight, both Morley and with
the DraftKings account there nice.

Speaker 2 (49:07):
I'm looking at the Bucks seven point favorites on the
road against Atlanta. Atlanta with a tough win last night
at the Buzzer, now back home, quick turnaround. That's a
big juicy number there. Seven. I think that's for a reason.
So give me the Bucks at seven forty pm minus
to seven on the road. We didn't even get an
opportunity to crap on the Knicks. We'll save that for
next time. And of course plenty to discuss in the

(49:30):
world of the NBA. Shaan Bernard All things NBA for
us here on the Gambler does a great job. Be
sure to follow him if you don't already, on all
Things Socials and catch all his content over at DK
network dot com. Shan Bernard, thank you very much, hey,
and if you missed anything, please check us out f
FOXPHL Gambler dot com.

Speaker 1 (49:52):
The pix and Roll podcast can be found on FOXPHL
Gambler dot com.