Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Picks and Roll handicapping the hardwood win Sixers insider Sean
Bernard and Sean Brace bringing.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
On in another edition of live Picks and Roll coming
your way here Sean Brace, Sean Bernard, all Things Sixers
from or covers with the all things Sixers for us
here in the Gambler who represents the squad over at
Draftings Sportsbook and did a great job over the weekend
as a team of course live and loud at the
(00:27):
Philly Show and we are rolling this week beautiful weather outside.
Of course, everybody's talking about what's taking place in the
world of football. But that's why we have this special
show by the name of Picks in Roll. Here Sean Bernard,
how we doing today, sir?
Speaker 3 (00:43):
You can't complain. We're coming off a nice night a
tanking in the Sixers world. Last night we got a
Sixers loss and win by the Raptors, win by the
Nets a big one tomorrow facing that Raptors team.
Speaker 4 (00:53):
So the vibes aren't too bad right now.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Yeah, So you know, the just paying me to come
to this realization last week when we were texting as
a group and I just was, oh, it was the
it was the booing of Paul George. Full disclosure yep,
the booing of Paul George at the WWE show on
Friday at the Wells Fargo Center.
Speaker 5 (01:15):
So that happens and the video hits the group.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
And not to say that I was really detailed in
it because I saw Paul George, but I watched it
another time and it was just a quick little zoom
out and I literally could not tell you who the
hell was in that picture.
Speaker 5 (01:32):
I had no idea.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
I know I knew Paul George obviously, but if you
gave me probably ten tries, I might I would have
got yabuseally, the other two I would not have got.
So we were talking about that and having some fun
with it, let's just.
Speaker 5 (01:46):
Put it that way.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
And I did say that I am embarrassed at how much,
how little, how little seventy six ers action.
Speaker 5 (01:55):
I have actually watched.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
This season fullest close, and I was thinking about it
because I was like, damn, how many how many games
did you actually watch this year?
Speaker 5 (02:04):
Shot? Now I'm a tune in guy.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
It's not to say that I haven't watched them play
at all, Like I'll tune in and with disgust, I'm
just like I'm out. I'm out, and that has started.
That started happening right around December. First week of December
was when really I just started getting so disgusted that
I could not watch a seventy six Ers game in total.
Speaker 5 (02:26):
And it pains me sexius. Six Ers are my number one.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
It's my favorite team, and it's just been so upsetting
this whole.
Speaker 5 (02:33):
Season to where we are.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
But you know, like literally, if I had to give
you a number, I would say probably right around the
ballpark of like full games I've watched this season.
Speaker 5 (02:47):
Seven six.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Yeah, Yeah, that's that tells you where I'm at right
now mentally with this franchise and and this season as
a whole. Again, like I said, I'll tune in, I'll
come home after I automatically switched to him.
Speaker 5 (03:02):
But it's just been so bad this season that it's
just been like get me, I gotta no. I got
other things to do with my time.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
That's literally what goes through my mind, you know, as
a parent, you know, just like I got other things
going on. I can't waste my time with this terrible
basketball team.
Speaker 5 (03:17):
And it sucks. But that's where we're at.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
I certainly understand the point of view there and it's interesting.
Did you see the Daryl Morey quotes making their rounds
from the Sloan Convention?
Speaker 5 (03:26):
Oh yeah, we have that written down.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
We were definitely gonna talk about let's dive into the
Sixers here.
Speaker 5 (03:30):
We do a little six or six or deep dives.
So everything on the table here.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
You know, he's up there talking at a podium, Like,
do you want my take on it?
Speaker 5 (03:39):
He's up there talking at a podium.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Yeah, Like Sixers fans are definitely miserable, you know, handed here,
I'm more miserable than I ever have been.
Speaker 5 (03:49):
But like leading up to this, was I upset last year? Yeah?
I was upset last year. It's frustrated. I was frustrated
the year before when it lost to Celtics two in
seven games. Like, yeah, Darryl, well this hasn't been fun.
What do you want? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (04:02):
And that's kind of the portion of it.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
I guess most people running with is the quote that
anger drives Sixers fans. And I think, to be honest,
like Daryl's missing the mark. I mean, I think on
the entire statement, he's missing the mark here. But you're
kind of playing a dangerous game with something far more
concerning than anger. If people are angry, that means they
still care and that should be viewed as a good
thing from a fan base. What I think the Sixers
(04:25):
are dangerously close to getting to the level at is
people just not having a care for the team, not
being locked in a way, And we're kind of there
with a lot of people, And I don't think Daryl
Morey in his brain kind of connects with how much
more harmful that is. And as far as like his
perception that fans were significantly more mad after the Celtics
loss versus the Knicks loss, I don't understand why it's
(04:46):
hard to comprehend. Like, to me, this isn't even like
a Philly sports thing. This is just a fandom thing.
Like think about the feeling that you had after viewing
both those series, that that Celtics series, while you were
one one more series deeper in the playoffs. There you
got played off your home court in Game seven as
Jason Tatum dropped fifty one points in Joel Embiid's face
and it looked like Joel Embid and James Harden quit
(05:06):
in that game.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
Then flash forward to last year.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Obviously they still didn't win against the next obviously that
was still a disappointment.
Speaker 4 (05:12):
But what did you see in that series?
Speaker 3 (05:14):
You saw the team fight, you saw the team battle,
You saw Joel Embiid on one leg still look like
the best player on the floor. For stretchers, there were
reasons for encouragement that I left that series feeling more
confident in the longer view that Okay, there could be
something of a pulse built around Joel Embiid with this team.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
That was not the case in that Boston series.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
So I don't understand, and it all circles back to,
like the analytical mindset that he've used basketball. That's this
entire premise of that conference really, But like, I don't
think if you can't see these things like that, you
can really accurately judge a basketball team moving forward. And
that's the first time that I really felt that way
about Aryl.
Speaker 5 (05:49):
Yeah, apathy, that's what it comes down to.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
When when a fan base turns into, you know, in
that direction that that is the worst thing possible. And
that's eventually where I'm at, Like I got other things
going on. I am frustrated, I'm miserable, I am I'm
wondering what will be.
Speaker 5 (06:06):
The fix in this offseason. I don't know if there
is one who's coming back.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
I'm worried about the growth of Tyreese Maxi after this season.
You know, there's a lot of things that go through
my mind from the Sixers brand standpoint, and unfortunately it
does revolve around one thing and it's just a product
on the floor right now, and it's bad.
Speaker 5 (06:26):
It's bad.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Last time I tuned in and I watched pretty much.
I'd say I watched three quarters, three and a half quarters,
whatever it was, and it's just laughing just watching this
game take place. And you're right, Sean, I guess we
need to all realize that this is a good thing.
Speaker 5 (06:41):
This is what we're in for now.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
It's the tank, it's it's finding ways to play these
games hard but coming up on the losing end. And
they did it to perfection last night to Atlanta Hawks,
team that's thirty one and thirty four, thirty one thirty five,
not a good team. Just like I don't know, man,
I look at some of the I guess that's more
than anything. And I was thinking about this too last
(07:04):
night with the Sixers. You know, I often say, we
always say that the league is better when the Lakers
are better. The league's better when the Knicks are better,
all right, Well we need to put the Sixers on
that level, man, Definitely from my perspective, because the league
is hurting this year from where I stand, and again,
it felt better when the Sixers and they haven't. They
(07:26):
have been a good basketball team four years since joellmb
They've been a good basketball team four years now. If
they got over to hump, No, we understand what's holding
them back, whatever, But there's something to be said about
how awful this year really has turned out. And I
got to give all the love in the world to
those people, those Sixers fans who were at that wrestling
(07:47):
event on Friday, and I love Philly. If somebody asked
me what I thought about Philly, I'm not going to the.
Speaker 5 (07:53):
Sixers Super Bowl parade. I'm not talking.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
About anything like when we do special events and people
come out, I'm not talking. No, I am going to
bring up. You know what I love about Philly is
we keep it real. We keep it real. You roll
in to a WWE event in your home arena and
you have been terrible this season, You come out there
on the jumbo tron, laugh and all that and.
Speaker 5 (08:14):
Geez, and you get booed. That's Philly. We rule, man,
we rule.
Speaker 4 (08:20):
Yeah, get right about that.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
And by the way, not to forget an Atlanta Hawks
team without Trey Young last night that they comfortably lost
to as well. Now you mentioned the tanking odds there.
It was a good night for the tank that the
Raptors and Nets each one the Sixers loss. Currently, looking
at it that these Sixers are tied with the Nets
for the six worst record in the league. They are
a half game ahead of the Toronto Raptors, who they
will face tomorrow night. I'm not saying that if somebody
(08:42):
happens to steal Quinton grimes passport as they start to
travel up to Toronto, it would be the worst thing
in the world. But this is a game that we're
gonna see an ugly amount of injury reports. I mean,
there's some nasty tanking gone around in the NBA right now.
The Utah Jazz, all these teams did. The Jazz injury
report was something the other night when they played the Sixers,
which unfortunately, the Sixers did find a way to win
that game.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
But they're not the only team in this mix here.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
It does really suck that there is this top six
protected aspect to the pick. I would feel very differently
if like the worst case scenario was them dropping down
to eight or nine or something like that. But the
reality that they straight up lose the pick does really
change the perception or the view that the Sixers should
be calculating things through. So tomorrow is basically a must lose.
Unfortunately the biggest game of the season for the Sixers team.
(09:24):
They do play the Raptors again on March thirtieth, so
keep that in mind as well.
Speaker 4 (09:27):
But yeah, I'm gonna be locked in on this matchup tomorrow.
Speaker 5 (09:30):
Should we do a breakdown for this game?
Speaker 2 (09:32):
Should we like we got to come up with something
special to wager around for this game tomorrow?
Speaker 5 (09:36):
We have?
Speaker 3 (09:36):
And by the way, like the Raptors trying to lose
even more egregiously than the Sixers. I mean, I watched
that game the other night, the one that Jamal sched
hit a game winner that was waved off for being
half a second late. They did not play any of
their starters in the final six minutes of that game.
They pulled their starters up four points with six minutes
to play. Jacoby Walter, who I love I like Jacoby Walter,
but a guy who has no business trying to attempt
(09:58):
game winners has hit a game winning for this team
over the past week. Here the Raptors are like embracing
the tank to an even fuller extent than the Sixers.
So it's gonna be a very interesting game tomorrow, for sure.
Speaker 5 (10:09):
It's hysterical.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Oh, by the way, as you brought up, both of
them found the ways to win games last night.
Speaker 5 (10:15):
We'll hit on.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Let's get in into last night's card if we can.
From We'll start with the Lakers and Nets. First game
without Lebron out there, Luca goes for a triple double
and they found a way to lose the game Brooklyn
one eleven to one. Towight, what are they doing in Brooklyn?
Come on, didn't they understand the assignment? There's a lot
to discuss, And of course the Lakers are top of
the list for everybody right now in the NBA with
(10:36):
what was taking place in the past few weeks. It's
essentially the trade. But now Lebron missing some extended period
of time, how critical or how crucial of an injury
is it to his groin? He says, they didn't hear
a pop, So that's good. He is going to miss
two weeks at minimum, I would assume, and they're there
are no rush like this is a different spot versus
(10:59):
years past where they were competing for a play in
spot or whatever it may be. They are in a
good spot right now. I think currently holding steadying the
three seed in the West, and it is tight, so
anything can change.
Speaker 5 (11:11):
But at the end of the day, they.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Don't have to rush Lebron back, correct like they could
wake this out CS when plays out all in all,
you make the playoffs. That's all you need to do.
At this point in time. You weren't getting the one
seed from OKC. But that was a weird loss last
night to the Brooklyn Nets, Luca playing a ton of
minutes triple double and they still came up short.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Yeah, I think there is still some aspects of these
guys settling in with Luka doncrits specifically that let's not
forget it's still very early in his Lakers tenure and
his return to the basketball court that he ne had
to shake off a ton of rus since Christmas being
the last time that he played due to that calf
injury that bothered him before he was traded there. But
as far as like the outlook for the Lakers, I
am in agreement with you that I don't think there's
a rusher this amount of pressure. I have seen a
(11:50):
decent amount of buzz about people like afraid they're gonna
drop to the fourth seed and then be on the
thunder side of the bracket. Obviously that's not ideal if
that happens, but I don't think you should be that
afraid of it. If you have to play the thunder,
which seems likely that does seem to be who the
West will go through at this current point there, I
don't mind getting it out of the way like around
early there. And in particular, like the biggest concern that
(12:11):
you should have with this Oklahoma City team is their youth,
is their inexperience, is not having these scar tissue of
deep playoff runs. That's what Luka Doncics and Lebron James
bring to the table, best man. So I'm not saying
that if it's a Thunder and Lakers series that I'm
picking the Lakers to win right now, but I do
give them a puncher's chance, and I wouldn't be straight
up petrified of that matchup in the way that some
other teams seem to be, so I wouldn't be that
(12:33):
caught up in the standings. You got a chance if
you got Lebron and Luca on the floor, and thence's
far more about continuing to build up the internal reps,
getting these guys on the same page, building out the
chemistry and style of play. So yeah, get Lebron healthy
is definitely the most important thing. And then whatever your
path is, get ready for battle when it happens.
Speaker 5 (12:49):
What is your takeaway from last night? What happened?
Speaker 2 (12:51):
I know, like you said, hey, look, still taking some
time to fill it out here, but you do have
a team.
Speaker 5 (12:55):
In the Brooklyn Nets that are waving the white flag.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
What exactly chance inspired last night for them to find
a way to win the game?
Speaker 5 (13:03):
One eleven one away?
Speaker 4 (13:04):
Yeah, I won't lie. It wasn't a game. I was
super locked in.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
I watched the entirety of the Sixers game, watched the
Nuggets and Thunder as well. Were the two that I
really had my eye on taking a peek at sort
of the stat sheets clear that the Nets got some
pretty impressive performance off the bench. Shout at the Tyrese
Martin Pennsylvania native fourteen points, three assists, three rebounds off
the bench in twenty seven minutes.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
Noah Clowney with nineteen points off the bench, three of
eight from three.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
Those aren't guys that you particularly expect to step up
there to handle Russell quiet night when they seem to
limited his minutes as well. So all these teams are
kind of playing the same stack their decks, but all
these guys are.
Speaker 4 (13:37):
Playing for their future career.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
So while organizations take that viewpoint of we're ready to lose,
this NETS team competes every single night. Man, they are
not a team that has thrown in the tael as
far as competing on the floor, and these guys have
things to play for. So I think it probably was
a bit of the Lakers took them a little lightly
and then Nets came out ready to play, and we
say with the results fell because of that.
Speaker 5 (13:57):
One eleven one eight final score.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Again, Brooklyn was a five and a half point home
a dog and no Lebron James out there. Luca did
go for a triple double, as we pointed out, now
just one quick one on Lebron James again having him
not back at this point in time, it's tough. But
is this something like I'll just put it to you
(14:19):
this way in the slack in our chat, Mark Henry
Junior said song as he's back healthy, ready to go
by playoffs, everything's fine. Is that how we should view this? Like,
I get it, that's really easy. That's that's an optimistic view.
Is it a realistic view? I wouldn't argue with Mark
and say he's wrong, but it did feel a little
(14:41):
off before me. I just feel like the if we're
talking about what we were last week, and that is
winning it all, man, that's that's a big ask for
a team that was just put together at the All
Star break, just trying to figure out who's who and
what's what, from coaching JJ on down to role players
of course, through Luca and Lebron playing through each other.
(15:02):
And then now all of a sudden, you're taking away
this two to three week chunk of games here, which
could very well take us right up. At best case scenario,
they'll have maybe three or four games left in the
month of April, when then you're asking yourself, is it
even worth playing these guys at this point in time?
Because everybody's asking that question. I know, seating will be
up in the air. But I don't know if I
(15:23):
view it as so easy as as long as he's
healthy and he's back by playoffs, everything's going to be okay.
Speaker 5 (15:28):
Where do you stand on that one?
Speaker 3 (15:29):
Yeah, I mean, history certainly tells us that when you
make a trade of this magnitude, that it takes more
than half a season to get on the same page.
That history does tell us that it takes more reps
and getting on the same page, building out chemistry, learning
how to play together. With that said, history also tells
us that a forty year old should not be an
All Star in one of the fifteen best players in
the NBA still in fifteen is probably a little bit
(15:49):
too high. There probably comfortably ten best players the way
Lebron James still is. Like, I think Lebron and Luca
are a caliber of I guess like NBA smart or
basketball smart that we really haven't seen before. Both those
guys are two of the most like brilliant IQs for
the game that we've seen in NBA history. So I
certainly give them more of a fair shot than I
would about most other players in this exact circumstance.
Speaker 4 (16:11):
So it's far from my deal.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
And I think in reality, when actually looking at this
Lakers team built out, it is next year that they're
going to be like the real deal contenders because they
still have things to adjust on the roster. The big
man position is just not good enough. Alex lenn is
pretty atrocious out there.
Speaker 5 (16:25):
Man.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
I don't think he can play like at all in
a playoff series, and that's gonna be a huge concern
I which the Mark Williamsdale went through, and I would
feel a lot differently about that there. So I think
this summer they'll have a real chance to build out
this roster as designed, and there'll be a little bit
more communication and building out all those things and these
guys getting on the same page. But you still got Luka,
doncic Lebron James. So I'm not fully rolling it out.
(16:45):
It feels unlikely, but I certainly give them a chance.
Speaker 4 (16:48):
All right.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
Yeah, again, we're talking about winning it all, and that
injury took the wind out of the sales, that's for sure,
you know, And specifically speaking from the standpoint of engagement
videos we were throwing up, of course topics on Sports Center.
Speaker 5 (17:05):
Yeah, everything was buzzing because Lebron and.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
The Lakers, and then unfortunately that unfolded the way to
theay that that did, and both of those guys got hurt.
In that game, Luca and Lebron were both stretching out.
It was a dot of a game. Celtics ended up
holding it down, and of course everything was focused Lebron, Lebron,
James and stephen A.
Speaker 5 (17:23):
Smith and all that nonsense which will continue.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
That's, you know, from Lebron's perspective, It's like, you know,
I'm sure LBJ felt good, right, I'm sure that felt
really good. But that was the wrong guy to do
it too, because he's just gonna milk this thing out.
Speaker 5 (17:37):
He's already doing like short videos out of it talking
about it.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Of course they had the one on one with him
and Richard Jefferson and stephen A's breaking it down. Everything's content.
So you gotta think about this. If you are somebody
out there, just an average Joe, and say you have
an issue with a neighbor, but that neighbor has a podcast,
I'm telling you right now, skip it. Don't don't even
bring it up to them, don't say anything to them,
just let them be, let them go. Because all it's
(18:03):
gonna do is turn into content. That's what these people do.
Speaker 5 (18:06):
So now that's content that's being discussed.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
It's like, oh my goodness, which, by the way, it
wasn't good for Lebron anyways.
Speaker 5 (18:12):
Period.
Speaker 3 (18:13):
Steven A Smith and Lebron James are two of the
biggest make it about me guys like ever that we
can think of, So having both them sort of involved
in this entire situation is hilarious to me. The whole
stephen A Smith breakdown of like, I didn't want to
have to talk about this, but because it went viral,
it just like makes me crack up. Yeah, man, like
you live for this, this is what you do exactly.
(18:33):
So it's very funny that, like this is a huge
talking point that it happened. Overall, I'm surprised that Lebron
did it and stepped to him in that way and
kind of in the middle of a game like that
I fourth quarter, Yeah, would not have guessed that ever,
so definitely took me a little bit by surprise. But
the whole thing to me is sort of a non story.
I would say, yep, that's exactly right, keeping it moving.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
Nobody cares about steven A nobody cares about Lebron at
this point time. He's hurt, So we'll see what happens.
What's up next for the late They are going through
a tough stretch here. I do know that because we
talked about that from the games coming up, all right,
So they're back in action on Thursday taking on a Bucks.
Then on Friday they got the Nuggets. Man, this sucks
(19:13):
because there those are gonna be some good games.
Speaker 4 (19:15):
Joki Fang too, he got hurt last night.
Speaker 3 (19:19):
No, he's playing through He's got issues in both his
elbows and his ankle right now, so he I mean,
he looked fairly fine last night from what I saw
of the game.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
Again, I was thirty five, eighteen and eight, Yeah, I'd
say so, yeah, Yeah he was.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
He had his thirty twenty twenty game the other night too.
Like he's still playing at a high level. But like
I will say, watching him, it does feel like he's
playing through a little something in pain, and he was
questionable until short he warmed up with the intent to
play last night. Obviously did end up suiting up, but
there is something that he's kind of fighting through. So
I wouldn't be shocked if when they get an opportunity
to he sits a couple games and then their future.
Speaker 5 (19:51):
It's that time of year.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
You know we're gonna go through it, and we'll talk
a little bit about possible playoff matchups that excite Sean
Bernard coming up here in a little bit. But staying
what took place, we only got four games to discuss
tonight in the association. Staying with what took place last night,
let's get on over to the Oklahoma City and the
Denver Nugget matchup, which was probably the best game.
Speaker 5 (20:12):
Of the of the night. Specifically, if you were on
the Denver Nuggets game being.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
Played in Oka, see nine point spread, nine point spread,
the thunder were favored by nine. You heard that correctly.
Twenty seven was the final score. My goodness, what was
the money line in this three forty?
Speaker 3 (20:30):
I want to say that's a kind of off off
head there, but I believe that was somewhere in that range.
Speaker 5 (20:35):
That's a hell of a poll sounds about right.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
But man, if you did bet that money line and
had Denver Nuggets going on the road and winning that game,
let me ask you, Sean from Afar, why was the
number so heavy at nine point spread?
Speaker 5 (20:47):
Here two teams. Denver.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Absolutely, if you're asking me right here, right now, I
would say absolutely. If they're going into h Murray and
Joker could very well come away with the victory nine
point spread.
Speaker 5 (20:57):
What am I missing?
Speaker 3 (20:58):
Yeah, So it's the back to back game that they
played on Sunday and then yesterday there it was pretty
convincing victory. I would say the Thunders win was more
convincing than even Denver's performance last night. So I think
that was kind of that after taste left in people's mouth.
And I did honestly think leading alto yesterday that there
was a legitimate chance that Jokic didn't play. Obviously ended
up suiting up and playing well, But I think that's
(21:18):
probably the biggest thing as far as line movement or
what the odds were said. He was listed as questionable
throughout the entire day. Was one of those like he's
gonna warm up and then we'll make a decision. So
I would guess that's probably the biggest factor there. But
pretty convincing victory by Denver. That was definitely a statement
win by them.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
You know, I just I got to give Jokers some
love here, man. You know, we've we've been down this road.
You know, as far as him versus embiid or winning
all these MVPs, does he do it flashy blah blah
blah whatever has been discussed. He's been in the league
just twenty fifteen, twenty sixteen. It's been a long damn
time now. He wasn't ripping the cover, you know, destroying
(21:54):
everybody in the early days there. But bottom line is
this guy eighty games is for season, seventy three, seventy five,
eighty seventy three, seventy two, seventy four, sixty nine, and
twenty two twenty three, seventy nine fifty nine so far
this season with probably what about eighteen seventeen games to
go for the rest of the league, I'm not sure
where Dunver's at. Dude, he deserves a lot of credit
(22:17):
and and you know that's a mentality, like you just suggested,
he could have very well sat last night, but they're
on the road, taken on Oklahoma City and has a
big damn victory for the Nuggets.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
Yeah. No, I certainly respect it.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
From Yokich's part, I do think he's playing the best
basketball of his career, which is pretty crazy to say,
considering like what he's done in past years, but I think,
like I've been very impressed by the version of and
we've seen this year that the first guy in a
history to have.
Speaker 4 (22:40):
A thirty twenty twenty game.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
He had two triple doubles over the span of a
game that he punched his first triple double with about
ten minutes remaining in the third quarter, and then for
the remainder of that game had over ten points, over
ten rebounds, and over ten assist still in just less
than a half. That's pretty insane stuff that he is
producing there. I do give him props for you know,
taking on slaying the drag and beaten OKC there. I
will note for a little bit of defense ve OKC
(23:03):
for this specifically, it was a stinker from chet Holgrin
last night, which I think is one of the concerns
that they should have heading into postseason. And Jayalen Williams
did suffer a hip injury that ruled him out right
before halftime there, so I hope missed the entirety of
the second half. So a couple factors that you hope
don't aren't the issue in the long haul there. But
I mean, we see what Denver can still bring to
the table there and pretty I think they needed this one.
(23:25):
As far as we're writing the same mix, this Oklahoma
City team should be viewed as the gold standard that
I think they kind of are right now.
Speaker 2 (23:31):
What's their starting five? Like in your mind? You know, look,
Russ is still starting for them. He's catching thirty two minutes,
thirty plus minutes.
Speaker 5 (23:38):
To start here.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Murray is the real deal when he can play like
he did last night, finished with thirty four Porter Junior,
what's your outlook on him? As far as somebody that
hasn't been paying attention to the Denver Nuggets all season long,
where are we at right now from the starting five?
And then even take it further with the rotation, because
that was one thing when they had that championship caliber
squad and they had a deep roster, a great bench,
(24:02):
you know, that was one thing that they had somebody
for a specific role. They had three point shooting, depth
on defense, so on and so forth. Where are we
at right now from the roster perspective?
Speaker 3 (24:12):
Yeah, So the first thing I note, Aaron Gordon was
out last night for Denver. He got hurt in that
first game with a calf injury against this Thunder team.
He's a guy that absolutely will be in that starting
lineup when he's back. I do think it's likely that
Russ has kind of regressed to a bench roll when
everything's said and done. He's been sort of in and
out this year, and to his credit, he's been very
excellent for this team throughout the year. Provided a nice
spark of energy his cutting off Jokic. His willingness as
(24:33):
a cutter has increased in this specific setting that I've
seen at any other point in him in his career,
and he's been committed defensively. So I think Russ is
going to be a huge part of this team. Still,
they definitely treated last night like a playoff game. They
only played eight guys total. Shout out to our guy
Jalen Pickett out of Penn State, who's turned into a
guy for them as far as a rotation piece.
Speaker 4 (24:50):
Also will give some love to Christian Brown.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Played thirty six minutes last night fourteen points, five rebounds,
five assists. He's this guy who has kind of accelerated
on that same path that we've seen these guys get
snatched up, the Bruce Browns, the Kentavious Caldwell popes that
Christian Brown is that now arch type of guy. And
as far as Michael Porter Junior in specific here, I
do think he's been pretty excellent this year. That's a
guy that hasn't got as much love as I think
he deserves. Jamal Murray, I was pretty concerned about him
(25:14):
early on in the year that he did not have
that same look about him.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
He looks back.
Speaker 3 (25:18):
We're seeing just the movement, the way that he can
create space, beating guys off the dribble. It's at a
level that certainly was not seen in the Olympics this
summer or at the start of this season.
Speaker 4 (25:26):
So it does absolutely change the ceiling that this team's back.
Speaker 3 (25:28):
So as far as directly answer your question for the
starting five, my guess would be Nicola Jokich, Michael Porter Junior,
Aaron Gordon, Jamal Murray, and Christian Brown when all things
are said and done, there but they got a lot
a little more versatility than I think and I initially
expected this year.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
All Right, a couple of ways we could take this conversation.
First and foremost, SGA and Joker going head to head
last night, MVP. I didn't think it was up for
grabs with eighteen seventeen games to go in the regular season,
I still don't believe it's up for grabs.
Speaker 5 (25:56):
Shan Bnard, do you think this award is up for grabs?
Speaker 4 (25:59):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (25:59):
I think it's shake Gildas Alexanders, and I think it's deserved. Here,
I will note like the first match up between these games,
out of the two performances, so for we're gonna split
it into kind of four performances here. So Jokich in
the first game, Yoaks in the second game, Sga in
the first, SGA in the second, Esja in the first
game was by far the most impressive to me out
of its entire stretch.
Speaker 4 (26:16):
Hit three threes was all over the place, and.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
Defensively, like I get, we're kind of getting into the
same angle, and it's sort of funny if viewing it
from as far as we have this Joelle Embiid versus
Nicola Jokic, now it's Shaye versus Jokic, and it's the
same playbook that Shay's a better defender, Shae's a free
throw merchant. Shaye does all this like it's the same
exact debates, just different players here. But I think you
got to reward a guy for taking these strives forward.
He's leading the league in scoring, He's on the best
(26:38):
team in the NBA that has been there from start
to finish, gets the job done on both ends of
the floor, and a guy that I'm very impressed that
Shay was even able to elevate to this caliber as
a player. I think he deserves his flowers, even though,
as I said, I do think is playing the best
pass awl of his career.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
Yeah, there's there's some funny slants that I'm reading, and man,
they love to kick some dirt on Jojo for that
MVP that he won that year. And it's so frustrating because, man,
we know how much he deserved that award. And I
remember what I was saying then, and I had no issues.
I thought Embiid deserved the award, but I realized what
(27:13):
he was up against, and I thought that there was
going to be a lot of people that were willing
and ready to give it to Joker again. And I
know that Joker was deserving, and I could sit here
and tell you that Joker is deserving this year, but
Sga is the MVP. Joell Ebie was the MVP of
that season. Joker was deserving.
Speaker 5 (27:30):
I'm not here to deny.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
That, but I hate when people say that Joel Embiid
it was a participation MVP that season, because it was not.
And if you're going to say those things about SGA
and what he's doing this year, you're not paying.
Speaker 5 (27:43):
Attention, that's all.
Speaker 3 (27:44):
And by the way, and Beiid would have won it
last year if he didn't get hurt as well. He
was on track for his second one. There no doubt
about it. You think there's a question.
Speaker 5 (27:52):
Did you say if he didn't get hurt?
Speaker 4 (27:54):
Sure?
Speaker 5 (27:54):
Yeah, okay, I was wondering if that's okay. Sorry, we
must have broke up.
Speaker 4 (27:59):
I mean his story. Yeah, it usually excellent.
Speaker 3 (28:04):
Seasons if you don't got a little Jonathan Kaminga falling
the knee.
Speaker 4 (28:07):
There we are talking about his second MVP award.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
Yeah, if it wasn't something else, sure, I'm with you.
Speaker 5 (28:14):
Yeah, you're right. I love Jojoe.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
But you know, you know, it was funny the other
day when we pulled up with our NBA Draft of
the playoff conversation, like, if you could pick one player
right now to have for the upcoming NBA draft run
who would it be?
Speaker 5 (28:29):
And I just wanted.
Speaker 2 (28:31):
To do the exercise because I wanted to see where
Lebron James was at the age of forty and pulled
up the stats from last year, and in six games,
Joel embiid led to charge points per game entire league.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
Yeah, entire league in points per game in the playoffs
last year, get fifty in a playoff game.
Speaker 4 (28:49):
But like, let's that's kind of what I pushed back on, like.
Speaker 3 (28:52):
The like I obviously like we see the situation which
you all this year like as worst case scenarios it
could be. I think it's a little bit like unfair
to view it as like you could have predicted this.
Like sure, he was not moving the way that we expected,
that was not the one hundred percent version of himself
in the playoffs, But I was encouraged by the version
of joellebe that showed up him scoring fifty points in
(29:13):
the playoff, him looking like the best guy on the floor,
four stretches, and obviously there were scares as well, him
going down holding at ny. All these type of conversations
are all like relevant, but like there was the peaks
that we still saw from him as recently as last playoffs.
So I get it. It's worst case scenario that we're
currently faced with. It's just unfortunate how the cards have fallen.
Speaker 5 (29:32):
Absolutely no, And no one's gonna sit here and say
like I saw this happening. No you didn't.
Speaker 2 (29:38):
If you're going to sit here and say that, hey, look,
it was always a roll of the dice with big men,
i'd have no. I can't argue with you on that one.
But the big thing for me was like I just
did not feel comfortable saying that he can get through
a season healthy, right, just it's just tough, and you know,
maybe it might be a little something that keeps him
out for two to three weeks, and that's a good thing,
(29:59):
but it just felt like the whole team takes a
hit when.
Speaker 5 (30:03):
Somebody like that.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
And that's another thing that goes over Lebron James like
it's new and it's just like man like it's not
this doesn't pick up basketball down at the courts, like
this is a real deal league and we're making a
little too easy. There's so many things that go into
making a team competitive, especially to win a championship.
Speaker 5 (30:21):
And if we're.
Speaker 2 (30:22):
Talking about the Sixers, winn An NBA Championship and you're
removing the centerpiece of that for at least three weeks minimum.
I just never felt comfortable in that in that conversation,
and then Sean it never.
Speaker 5 (30:33):
It was terrible the way the season started, right like.
Speaker 4 (30:36):
Oh yeah, oh he's who knows.
Speaker 5 (30:38):
We don't know he's gonna be missing.
Speaker 4 (30:40):
We just don't know what happened regardless.
Speaker 2 (30:45):
All right, yeah, let's let's keep talking about the league itself.
Speaker 3 (30:50):
As repackage your Lakers question, reframe it real quick. So
we saw Luka Doncic carry it outs Mavericks team to
the NBA Finals last year, be the best player on
the floor, be an absolute killer. Is this Lakers roster
better than last year's Dallas Mavericks roster around him?
Speaker 5 (31:11):
I don't think so, Okay, what do you say?
Speaker 4 (31:15):
I lean, yes, I'm not locked in on the take.
Speaker 5 (31:17):
I mean, wa, Lebron Lebron Kyrie. Did they cance each other? Okay? Sure?
Speaker 2 (31:22):
No?
Speaker 5 (31:23):
No, no, no, no Lebron, Yeah, Lebron is Lebron. No,
no denying. And this is a conversation that we need
to hit the rewind.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
But before he gets hurt, Sure, let's bring let's bring
it back to before he played against the Boss of Celtics.
Speaker 4 (31:36):
All right, Austin Reeves.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
I'll give I'll give man Dallas team was good though
I thought around him, I thought they had some size,
they played well.
Speaker 5 (31:47):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
I I think I'm giving the edge slightly to the Lakers.
Speaker 5 (31:52):
Slightly to the Lakers.
Speaker 4 (31:54):
You're right, And that's kind of why I give him
a puncher's chance this year.
Speaker 3 (31:57):
Is like, like Luca is that, Like, let's not forget
that when this dude is at his best, I think,
like a clear cut top five player in the NBA,
like and no debates about it, top five player in
the NBA, and that guy can show up like whenever,
Like that dude could is kind of I don't think
we've really seen him yet in the Lakers' uniform be
the full force, but the flashes are there and if
he flips it. So I wanted to kind of angle
(32:20):
it that way from the playoff perspective, because I do
think you can make a pretty convincing case that this
roster has a chance from the postseason. If Luga Doncic
is the dude that we've seen him be for stretches,
Lakers could be make some noise for sure.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
Yeah, I just felt like they had more size, better defensively,
if I'm could say that about the Dallas Mavericks last year.
But if you had to give me the hedge on
who would I prefer from?
Speaker 5 (32:42):
Derek Jones, PJ.
Speaker 2 (32:44):
Washington, Derek Lively, Dante ex Him getting some crazy minutes there,
Tim Hardaway Junior. Wow, Man, they ran like deep deep
the Dallas Mavericks last year. I'll probably give a slight
edge to the Lakers.
Speaker 5 (33:00):
I'm with you on that one. All right fully healthy
as well. Let's keep it moving here as far as
the NBA Association again, Jamal Murray's playing really well.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
The Denver Nuggets right here, right now as we pull
up the standings currently in the two spot forty two
and twenty three. Again, Thunder are gonna be the one seed,
no denying that. What are we on the lookout for
now is the Nuggets. Will they be the overall two
seed when the playoffs start in about a month or
so from now?
Speaker 4 (33:26):
I think probably.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
I think the Lakers probably would have if Lebron was healthy.
But with that all kind of that context being important now,
I do think Denver keeps themselves afloat and locks up.
Speaker 4 (33:35):
That two seed.
Speaker 3 (33:35):
Here will be very interesting to see the Oklahoma City
versus Denver series if that's what we end up getting there.
Clearly like that's what eliminated them last year, them not
having the answer for interior defense there. Isaiah Heartenstein has
been pretty excellent for this Thunder team, so I do
think the outlook changes there. But yeah, Denver does feel
like like they're still around. Guys, Let's not forget about
(33:55):
the team that won a championship not too long ago,
that has the best player in the world still. So yeah,
Denver looks like they might be peaking at the right time.
That is a team that I'm taking far more seriously
than I initially was at the start of the season.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
All Right, let's talk about the Golden State Warriors, winners
of five straight triple double Jimmy Butler out there were
we at with when we start talking about the Golden
State Warriors right here on March the eleventh, sean because
look another thing, you pull up the standings Warriors thirty
seven to twenty eight. They should be in the playoffs.
Great bet by Sam giving us that what that number
(34:28):
was a couple of weeks ago. I think that was
even before the trade deadline, if I'm not mistaken. So
that team is playing really well, But do we see
them rising and eventually getting a top four seed where
they're currently in the sixth seed? Rockets three games in
front of them, Grizzley's four games in front of the Warriors.
Where we at when we start talking about the Golden
State Warriors ceiling as far as playoff.
Speaker 5 (34:49):
Seating is concerned.
Speaker 3 (34:50):
Yeah, now twelve and one in games that Jimmy Butler
has suited up for them, which is pretty ridiculous stuff there.
I don't think we probably see them climb much further
than they are. I think it's more like not that
they probably cling on to that six seed. But to
be honest, I would view that as a win. To
get out of the plane entirely, to have a full
scale playoff seed and just be able to sit there
should be a perfectly viewed outcome. And if they do
get a matchup like the Grizzlies or like the Rockets,
(35:12):
which I think is certainly possible when we add the
context of litt Lebron injury and the Lakers potentially losing,
I probably would pick the Warriors in a series against
either one of those teams. So I'm not rolling this
team out on the season. I do think that they
end up like a full scale playoff team and escape
the plane, but probably don't view them taking too many
strides forward up the standings outside of the sixth seed there.
Speaker 2 (35:32):
I believe they are at home currently right now, with
six games over the next twelve days, so they're nice rested,
ready to go, and a lot of home games, home environment,
home cooking, Jimmy Butler could go, you know, make its
way through the city. A lot to learn out there
in the Bay Area. But man, it is crazy to
see what they're able to do with Jimmy Butler right now,
(35:54):
winning and everything is all right in the Bay at
this point in time. Again, though, it's when it comes
to seeding that's where I'm at. I just don't know
how high they can get. And if we're talking about
a championship team matchup, sure, I could see them beating
a team in the.
Speaker 5 (36:07):
Playoffs, upsetting all that.
Speaker 2 (36:09):
But seven game series against Oka, see who you got?
Speaker 4 (36:13):
Okay, see for sure?
Speaker 5 (36:14):
Seven game series against Denver Nuggets.
Speaker 3 (36:16):
Who you got Denver? Probably? But yeah, Denver stuff, Okay.
Speaker 5 (36:22):
That's where I'm at as well.
Speaker 2 (36:23):
It's it's just tough to pick against those two teams
right now, but if anybody can do it, it's the Warriors.
Speaker 4 (36:29):
And Steph looks like Steph again.
Speaker 3 (36:30):
I like, that's probably the bigger takeaway to me than
what Jimmy Butler's specifically is bringing. I mean, there are
flashes like I watched the game against the Pistons, who
by the way, have been excellent late of one of
the more positive teams in the NBA in the recent stretch.
That was a game that went down to the wire,
and there was one of these plays this was very
funny from a Sixers perspective a well, but the way
the ball swung around and ended up they shut down
Steph Curry ended up Jimmy Butler taking Tobias Harris off
(36:52):
the dribble and just a little pull up jumper and
then him kind of shrugging his shoulders talking down the core.
Speaker 4 (36:57):
And that's just something that they didn't have before.
Speaker 3 (36:59):
Like Andrew Wiggins isn't doing that, Like Moses Moody isn't
doing that.
Speaker 4 (37:02):
Jonathan Kaminga isn't doing that.
Speaker 3 (37:04):
So just having a guy like Jimmy Butler, who can
step in and take those shots, make those moments. It
feels like the entire Warriors roster has sort of just
slotted into the roles far better now that Butler is
a part of the picture. And I think Curry is
like back in the level that we've been seen in
a couple of years, having another ballhandler that he can playoff,
move off ball, all those type of things. So it
just all makes a lot more basketball sense the way
(37:24):
the rosters are now put together with Jimmy Butler as
a part of this team.
Speaker 5 (37:27):
Oh, it's all good. Everybody's happy out there.
Speaker 2 (37:29):
I thought you're going to say, a finish with Buddy
Held hitting for three from Mount Downtown, That's what I
thought you were gonna say.
Speaker 3 (37:35):
Yeah, those moments happened to Buddy's a perplexing basketball player, man,
he really is.
Speaker 5 (37:40):
It's a six or stench, that's what happens.
Speaker 2 (37:43):
Come over here and you forget how to shoot, and
next thing you know, things are going side and I
can We'll keep it moving all right again, Sham Bindar
with us here, PIX and Roll. Let's talk real quick
about tonight's games. Brooklyn and Cleveland. Eighteen point spread Calves
eighteen point favorites at home against Brooklyn.
Speaker 5 (38:00):
Are we giving eighteen tonight? Sean? And I I need
to pick in this game.
Speaker 3 (38:04):
Probably, to be honest, I do lean towards them covering
the eighteen second night to be back back for this
Brooklyn team coming off of victory last night, which are
pretty rare for them and something that they're not particularly
shooting for at this point in the game. So I
think that there probably is some rested bodies that Cleveland's
still kind of keeping the foot on the gas. And
I mean, I'm a Cleveland believer. I know I've stuck
my neck out there a little bit. I think they
(38:25):
do deserve to be the favorites in the East. I
think they take care of business pretty easily tonight, and
we get some old school load management on that end
where Donovan Mitchell doesn't need a step foot on the
floor in the fourth quarter.
Speaker 2 (38:34):
Yeah, I think we really got to start to be
concerned with Porzingis's health.
Speaker 5 (38:37):
The latest stuff came out he dressed the.
Speaker 2 (38:39):
Fans yesterday via tweet viral something going on inside his body,
and he's been dealing with some viral illness that we
haven't been able to fully identify yet.
Speaker 5 (38:49):
Yeah, that's not good Sean, and he is a big
piece to the championship puzzle for them.
Speaker 3 (38:54):
Yeah, did see him out there warming up before the
previous game. He looked fine to me by my eyes.
And again this was just kind of a Twitter video
seeing him running around, shoot shots, all those type of things.
Did see a shout out to Noah dezzel as I
believe her name, an excellent Celtics reporter who does a
lot of great work up there. She was saying how
he was still like coughing of a fit in the
locker room in the brief stretch where he was in
there before the game. So clearly he's not himself. I mean,
(39:17):
this Celtics team team can absolutely like hold down the
fort while he gets whatever he needs to get right.
But he is a big part of this team and
they're gonna need him for a playoff perspective. We saw
what a difference maker he was last year, even though
it was in limited opportunities because of the injuries that
he dealt with. So it's sort of the story of
kristavs Porzingis throughout his career. But it is unfortunate that
this is the case there and for Boston to reach
their peak and defend this title. I do think that
(39:39):
he needs to be on the floor. So something to
watch for sure.
Speaker 2 (39:42):
Wizards found a way to win a game last night.
They're fourteen and a half point dogs on the road
in Detroit.
Speaker 5 (39:46):
Where are you going?
Speaker 3 (39:47):
Yeah, I've been pretty hyped up about this Detroit team lately.
To be honest, I think that they need to take
care of business. Fourteen feels like a little fourteen and
a half feels like a little bit of a lot there,
so I might buy into the plus fourteen and a
half and give Washington a sort of a Hunters chance.
Marcus Smart has those boys playing hard down there in Washington,
and pretty funny to see him even on that team,
But he's raised the level for the version of them
(40:08):
we see on a night to night basis, so they're
not just a pushover.
Speaker 4 (40:11):
I still like Detroit.
Speaker 3 (40:11):
I don't think they'll love any chance of actually losing
this game, but I'll give a little respect to Marcus
Smart that he finds a way to get that team to.
Speaker 2 (40:18):
Cover the best rivalry in sports last year, Bucks and Pacers.
They are going had to head tonight. Two point spread
Bucks on the road in Indiana.
Speaker 3 (40:26):
Yeah, both teams who've turned down are turned around. Their
view from the start of the season that both started
on a pretty rough stretch and now look like they
are playing their way into the teams they are.
Speaker 4 (40:35):
Supposed to be.
Speaker 3 (40:36):
I probably lean towards Milwaukee, who are two point favorites
on it covering that there, I'm a little bit more
believer in what they're doing. I mean, Giannis is still
the elite level guy, another top five player in the NBA,
and a guy that I think has gotten a little
bit forgotten in these hierarchy talks or rankings talks, that
he's still that dude. Damian Lillard has been better this year,
still not the prime version of himself, but I think
there's more holes in this Indiana team.
Speaker 4 (40:57):
Pascal siakam a little bit up and down.
Speaker 3 (40:59):
Tyrese Halibert even more up and down than him there,
So I have my more doubts about Indiana.
Speaker 4 (41:03):
All lock in with Milwaukee tonight, all.
Speaker 2 (41:05):
Right, And I was going to bring up a Ben
Simmons conversation, but it seems like Ben his availability is
now an issue once again.
Speaker 5 (41:13):
Huh funny how that acts? Right? Yeah, it's funny.
Speaker 2 (41:16):
All right, final game here, let's go ahead and hit it.
Clippers and the Pelicans Sha Bernard for the final game
on the DraftKings cards.
Speaker 5 (41:24):
Seven and a half points spread Clippers on the road
in New Orleans.
Speaker 3 (41:27):
Yeah, surprise the number is not bigger. To be honest,
I know it is a back to back against the Kings.
There's no Ben Simmons, Norman Pale still out. I kind
of expected there to be another injury. I've seen Norman
Pal's been out for a little bit with that hamstring injury.
Speaker 5 (41:38):
There.
Speaker 3 (41:39):
This New Orleans team, I mean, Zion Williamson is back
like he's a guy who looks like like a legitimate
All Star. They're being very careful limiting his minutes for
both reasons to protect him individually and to limit the
team's success there. But he has been the best player
on the floor when he has when he's been available
for several games now. So with that all being said,
I still think James Harden can do enough to carry
this team to a victory here. Minus seven and a
(42:00):
half feels like a bit of a lot based on
how Zion is playing, So I'll lock in for the
Pelicans to cover.
Speaker 4 (42:05):
But do you think the Clippers win this game out right?
All right?
Speaker 2 (42:07):
Four plays cover a little of everything. Caught you up
on the All Things NBA Thursday. We'll get sam Ostri
in the mix. We'll go three wide again. Look for
us on the Gambler. Great hit last week, and we
will have plenty more over the next few weeks. We're
less than a month away from the NBA regular season
coming to a close. Thank you Lord, Thank you, please
(42:29):
in this six er season as fast as possible for
Shan Bnard. Be sure to follow him on All Things
Socials and check out all of his content over at
dknetwork dot com.
Speaker 5 (42:39):
Great job, Sean, enjoy the games. Everybody will talk to
you tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (42:43):
The Picks and Roll podcast can be found on FOXPHL
Gambler dot com