Ep. 69: Latest Injury News for Paul George, More NBA Headlines - 03/13/25

Sean Barnard and Sean Brace are joined by Sam Oshtry in this latest edition to talk about the latest injury news to Paul George, and more #NBA headlines.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Number one on your car radio preset hand the new
and improved iheard radio app WDA Yes and WD two
seven three D Philadelphia. I is Fox Sports Radio The Gambler.
It's a full court press on every topic. You're listening
to picks and roll right here on the Gambler.

Speaker 2 (00:21):
Let's do it five o'clock hour, picks and roll on
a Thursday. Shabre Sam Oustrey from the Score representing folks
over at DraftKings Sports Book. Sean Bernard joining uh Sean,
good afternoon, Welcome to the party. How we doing, my friend?

Speaker 3 (00:38):
Yeah, I can't complain a little bit disappointed about the
Cooper flag news, but you know, getting piled on with
some nice Paul George news done. Nothing like no other
good way to spend a Thursday than that there. But
I do have my all all decade college basketball team roster.

Speaker 4 (00:51):
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Speaker 2 (00:52):
It's two decades, two thousands, So you gotta go two thousand?

Speaker 1 (00:56):
Are you?

Speaker 2 (00:56):
Are you? Are you changing the game and going since
twenty ten than fifteen? No, I rephrased, I stuck with
the property. Okay, al right, So I initially.

Speaker 3 (01:06):
Popped on a little early here because I was going
to defend the Kevin Durant he's also on my team,
but then you ended up taking him too, right.

Speaker 2 (01:12):
Brace No, I took mellow. There's nothing to defend. He's
an amazing he was an amazing player at Texas. Number
two overall. Pick understood. There's some other guys out there
that accomplished a little bit more in a college uniform.
That's all. That's all. They were never better players than
Kad either. Hard to argue, yeah, hard to So go ahead,
you're start, you're starting five. Could you're starting five? Take

(01:32):
down my starting five? Or Sam Ostry started five which
essentially the same damn starting five.

Speaker 4 (01:38):
Yeah, I have some similarities here as well.

Speaker 3 (01:39):
A little disappointed that I also have Anthony Davis locking
things down at center. Four point seven blocks per game
he averaged in college, by the way, pretty insane stuff.
There also have Kevin Durant here. My backcourt here went
a little interesting. I'm going to John wall and Steph
Curry back here, John.

Speaker 2 (01:57):
J Jeah, John Waller.

Speaker 4 (02:00):
There it is there, It is all right the way.

Speaker 3 (02:02):
John wall an all time guy that if he came
up in the social media era, would be insane off
the charts, like.

Speaker 5 (02:08):
His his Dougie pre game, his whole routine at the
start of social media, about il what he be cashing
in on, like I feel like seeing the John wall
was on like Vine or something way back with like.

Speaker 6 (02:19):
I feel like that was the start of social media.

Speaker 3 (02:22):
Good stuff there, true, but he missed the Mark Man
if he was in today's stage. And then to round
out my starting five here, I'm going Dougie mcbuckets Doug
McDermott is my small forward.

Speaker 4 (02:31):
At a little extra shooting there.

Speaker 3 (02:32):
Gave a little thought to Marshall Henderson, gave some thought
to Jimmer Fordett as well. I want kind of a
college staple there, so locking in Doug McDermott, So no jj.

Speaker 2 (02:39):
Reddick or Mellow Reddick was on my mind. I wanted
to bring Reddick on. No Mellow for Shan Bernard though interesting, Yeah,
Mellow is consistently.

Speaker 4 (02:49):
Cross my mind.

Speaker 3 (02:49):
But I kind of view that more of a Kevin
Durant versus Carmela thing, and to me, I am much
more of a Kevin Durant guy, and that does go.
I mean, you can make the case from accomplishments from Mellow,
no doubt about it. What was off from Kevin Durant
in college. I don't know if we've got I've ever
seen from another play like that in college, the size,
the scale, all those things.

Speaker 4 (03:05):
And obviously he's tarning to who he is today. So
Kevin Durant was a lot for.

Speaker 6 (03:08):
This is more Brace's time.

Speaker 7 (03:09):
But Jay Williams, I feel like it's going completely under
the raidar obviously because the motorcycle AXI and he'd have
the NBA career and he's an analyst. Now some people
don't like him, but as a college player for a duke, oh,
he's unbelievable. Yeah, I mean he was phenomenal. So that
was kind of like before Shawn and I's time. But
he was twenty points a game in college.

Speaker 6 (03:27):
I think he was a winn An Award winner, right, Yeah,
he was two and two and he was a national
champion year before two thousand and one.

Speaker 2 (03:32):
He was fantastic. And those two teams are incredible and
a lot of fun to hate. Like that was the
big thing that I remember the most about those teams
was it was appointment television because you knew you were
going to hate them and a lot of people were
fans of them. Whatever. But for my money, Yeah, it
was always about hating them. All right, Let's get on
over to the world of the NBA, and last night

(03:52):
we had ourselves a pretty good matchup between the Boston
Celtics and the Oklahoma City thunder. Thund roll into Boston
down a big piece of their puzzle and they come
away with the victory as a two and a half
point dog.

Speaker 6 (04:07):
Shaan Bnardo'll start with you heading into the game.

Speaker 2 (04:11):
Were you ready to take away anything from that matchup?
Were you trying to gauge anything in that matchup? Obviously
a long way to go in eighty two games in
a season. March twelfth last night, but for my money,
I was trying to read into it a little bit more,
and I was like, you know what, I will take
away something if Oklahoma City can go in there and win,

(04:32):
of course down Williams and of course, you know, being
an underdog, how good Boston is at home. But as
the game ended, I took more away from Boston losing
that game and the way that they approach as far
as three point gunning a little bit more into that,
but enough of me. Blovi eighton your read on last
night's game was what.

Speaker 3 (04:51):
Yeah, to be honest, it wasn't one that the results
meant a ton to me here that I think it's
been a tough start for the Thunder. They had the
back to back against the Nuggets and neither of these
teams out the here. Jalen Williams is a huge loss
for that team. It changes the entire way that opposing
teams guard them. Just having a secondary creator on that
it really becomes dependent on shake Gildess Alexander creating everything
for the Thunder and those three point looks making her go,

(05:12):
making her missing is a huge impact on the game there.
So as far as like judgment on the wider scale
didn't read too much into last night, I also want
to put the bed a little bit of the frustrations
on the whistle that OKAC gets. The common math here
that I want to point out. Oklahoma City they attack
the basket man, they drive the ball, they score at
the rint Boston they took twenty five out of their

(05:33):
twenty five first shots in the game, twenty two of
them came from beyond the three point arc.

Speaker 2 (05:37):
There.

Speaker 3 (05:38):
You're not gonna get to the free throw line when
that's your shot selection there. Now, granted there's success in this.
We've seen Boston win a championship. Obviously, this is.

Speaker 4 (05:45):
What they're leaning into.

Speaker 3 (05:46):
But I've seen a lot, and this might be more
personal to me, as I've had one of my good
friends in the Celtics texting me complaining about the whistles
since last night.

Speaker 4 (05:53):
There.

Speaker 3 (05:53):
I don't buy into that as kind of an angle here.
I think it's just you're seeing the stylistic differences and
the results there. But I mean, these two teams are
the gold standard in each of their respective conferences. I
don't take a ton away from the specific result last night.
Other than that, I do think these two are the
two best teams in each of their conferences.

Speaker 6 (06:08):
Sam, did Okay, see impress you in that game last night?

Speaker 7 (06:10):
They did, because going in I really was thinking, all right, no,
Jalen Williams. There's not too much we can tell because,
as Sean and I talked about last week, the biggest
question mark Frost is how what version of Jala Williams
are gonna show up in the playoffs. The forty two
percent from the field version that showed up in that
MAVs series last year, or a better version where he's
more efficient, more aggressive, and he's making shots as the

(06:33):
secondary guy to give Shae some release relief. What I
took away from the Thunder is they don't even need
Jalen Williams to.

Speaker 2 (06:41):
Show up on a night to night basis because they
are so deep. Like that's the thing about about this
team is that their depth is incredible. There's gonna be
nights with Jaalen Williams doesn't have good games. You're gonna
have guys like Isaiah Joe, Cason Wallace. Those guys are
gonna give you fifteen to twenty points game. Aaron Wiggins
was horrible last night. He was zero for nine from
the field. He was zero points. He only played twenty minutes.

Speaker 7 (07:04):
He usually plays more and he's been phenomenal over the
last couple of months, but he was horrible last night
and only played twenty minutes because he was so unproductive.
He's going to have games in the playoffs where you
look up in a Game three or Game four and
he goes for all for twenty seven points.

Speaker 6 (07:17):
They are so deep, and of course chet Chet was
awesome last night.

Speaker 7 (07:20):
A big reason why they won last night is because
Chet and Isaiah Hartensten finally played really well together and
it was especially they played well together in those non
shame minutes because they won those non shame minutes, which
is huge and usually don't get that from the Thunder,
especially without Jalen Williams. What I came away with is
this Thunder team is more than fine with their depth.
Like even if Jalen Williams has bad games, they have

(07:41):
other guys like Chet, like Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, Lou
Dort was awesome last night.

Speaker 6 (07:45):
All these guys who are gonna pick them up, and.

Speaker 7 (07:47):
There's gonna be games where Jaalen Wims is awesome and
some other guys struggles. So I was looking at the
others in this matchup, and the others really impressed me.
Where It's like I've been saying all year, this Thunder
team is legit. They will be in the NBA Finals,
And this only reassured that from it or Caruso out
there as well, he's.

Speaker 6 (08:03):
Been great to that.

Speaker 7 (08:04):
Like they have so many different guys who could give
you ten to fifteen a night.

Speaker 6 (08:08):
Sean, Okay, see the best team in the NBA.

Speaker 4 (08:12):
Yeah, they are. They are. They're the most clear cut.

Speaker 3 (08:14):
They know their style, they know like their identity as
a basketball team, which I really respect and sort of
like to the depth conversation an exercise that I've been
doing them when watching like the way they match up
with teams, watch like a legitimate playoff team and think
how many of their players.

Speaker 4 (08:26):
Would actually crack the Thunder's rotation.

Speaker 3 (08:28):
That number is smaller than you'd think on a lot
of like real deal contenders there, like a team like
the Nuggets. You look around, like, is Jalen Pickett getting
any minutes on the Oklahoma City Thunder?

Speaker 4 (08:38):
Absolutely not.

Speaker 3 (08:38):
And that's a guy that's turned into like a legitimate
rotation guy for them. And you can kind of go
down the list do that exercise for each of these
teams there. So the depth is real, even guys like
Uzman Jang who doesn't even play for them, Like I
really like him as a talent. That's a guy that
if I'm another organization, you should be leaping at trying
to get their scraps here. But yeah, from top to bottom,
this team is deep. This team has talent, They know
who they are and they're not afraid of any any

(08:59):
challenge there.

Speaker 4 (09:00):
They walk on.

Speaker 3 (09:01):
They walk and take things on like right head first
and dive in and get the work there. So I
respect this Thunder team that's only increases in the season, progressed.

Speaker 7 (09:08):
And here's the thing about Shay is that we saw
against the Nuggets in that second game of the back
to back they were throwing guys at him right when
he crossed Hell yeah, just running guys at him, doubling him,
making guys beat him.

Speaker 2 (09:19):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (09:20):
But that's the thing about.

Speaker 7 (09:21):
It is that you were going to it's going to
come down to the others of the Thunder because they're
going to do everything to get the ball out of
Shay's hand.

Speaker 6 (09:27):
But he is so good at getting to his spots.

Speaker 2 (09:29):
It honestly reminds me a little bit like Kobe, where
it's like it doesn't matter if you've nail help, it
doesn't matter if you're throwing two or three guys at him.
He has spots that he wants to get to on
the floor and he will get there no matter what.
And he's so efficient at his spots, whether it's the elbow,
whether it's getting in the paint to feed in the paint,
a turn around jumper. With his great forwork, it doesn't
matter what you throwed him. He gets to his spots.

(09:51):
And that's what's so impressive.

Speaker 7 (09:52):
So you're gonna have to come up with different defensive
coverages to get the bowl out of his hands and
make the others beat you. But to our point, the others,
the Thunder of so much depth that the others.

Speaker 2 (10:02):
Will be yeah, right now on drafting sportsbook, Okay, see
plus one seventy Celtics plus two thirty. So a little
bit of shifting the odds after last night, trust I'm
gonna tell you on that six to one, the Cleveland
Cavaliers Lakers are at twelve to one at this point
in time. I looked it up, just wanted to see
those two matchups so far, Calves and Thunder both split
Thunder one one thirty four to one fourteen at home

(10:22):
January sixteenth, Caves won one twenty nine to one twenty
two and January eighth. I believe they had a streak
going in that one. If I'm not mistaken, Calves had
had two fifteen game winning streaks this season. Pretty significant there,
all right, Again, that was the big one, Sean. I
want to come back to you on this because I
already got Sam's taking. Sam, you can go ahead and
get your take in again here. But Earlier today, we

(10:45):
were talking about the three point valume. Look, I get it,
and it goes into like it's a it's a combination
of things because you're not gonna get the calls if
you shoot a ton of three point there's sixty plause,
but it isn't a winning method and specific when it
comes to seven game series, A lot has to do
with that question with who's your opponent. So I can't

(11:07):
really sit here and say anybody in the East is
going to give Boston some work. But at the same time,
if they're not making their three pointers, am I out
of line to say that, you know what? They're primed
for an upset versus a team like the Knicks versus
a team like the Magic Or is it just strictly
come down to you the Cavaliers no matter what, it's

(11:27):
going to be the Cavs and Celtics Eastern Conference Finals.

Speaker 3 (11:30):
Yeah, I mean the old phrase goes that you live
by the three, you die by the three. And while
there's truth in that, we also just watched the Celtics
team win a championship just last year. So like, while
I have concerns there, I guess what I won't get
won't let get overlooked here. They strap up defensively, man,
Like the Celtics team plays defense, and that's probably the difference.
Like I think a lot of times when we think
about these high volume three point teams, think of the

(11:51):
good Utah Jazz team back in the day, even a
team like the Houston Rockets who had all that success
built around James Harden that was basically him and a
bunch of spot up shooters.

Speaker 4 (11:59):
There.

Speaker 3 (11:59):
The met off the charts offensively, but then we saw
them go cold when it got to the playoffs. The
difference that I do think with the Celtics team is
they can win games purely on their defense, just being
better on that side of the floor and earning the
hard points there. And like when push comes to show,
if the shots really aren't falling, Jalen Brown and Jason
Tatum can do just fine attacking rim get into it.
They don't do it often, and they've really committed to this.

(12:20):
The math makes sense. Three points is more than two.
We kind of get how this all works. I don't
prefer it from a stylistic standpoint or a viewing experience here, but.

Speaker 4 (12:28):
The success speaks for itself.

Speaker 3 (12:29):
I do think they're dangerous, and it's not something that
like I would have a huge concern from it. If
you can hit enough of them, you're gonna win. And
I think that's probably how things end up going down.

Speaker 2 (12:37):
So just as simple as every team needs better three
point shooting, if that's the method to winning, why isn't
everybody shooting sixty plus three pointers.

Speaker 7 (12:43):
Well, that's what every team is trying to create, where
they have five guys on the floor who can shoot
the ball at all times, And like, that's why you
need a big who can shoot the three, And that's
why the Celtics are so dangerous with Chris Stabs.

Speaker 6 (12:53):
I got Al Horford, Joel Embiid.

Speaker 7 (12:55):
Yeah, we have actually have to be on the floor
to shoot threes, right, But.

Speaker 6 (13:01):
When three, yeah, we were ahead of our time.

Speaker 2 (13:04):
Look at that. Yeah, And that's the thing, like a
guy like you, okay, just shooting almost forty three percent
from three, Like he's one of the best three point
shooters in the league. Let me push back though, and
just say, because I was one of those guys that
was hating Joel Embiad shooting threes. Now not to the
extent of those blowhards on our timeline, that gas everything up. No,
but when you are so dominant that you can't be
stopped down low on the block, like you know, that's

(13:25):
my point. And oh, by the way, I felt like
Joel embiid easy for me to say on the couch
a little bit of a cop out, right.

Speaker 6 (13:31):
Really easy just run the top of the three point line,
hang out there. But it also.

Speaker 7 (13:35):
Creates for other guys when you space the floor and
you're at the top of the key. It also he
became a much better passer, uh, like about two seasons
ago is really when you saw his assist numbers go up.
And that was partly because when you were operating from
the top of the key or the elbow, you have
cutters all around the floor. So I think there is
value in having your big stretch out in playoff moments

(13:56):
and in big, big moments when you need a bucket.
That's when you kind of him to operating the mid
post where he's just money getting to the basket or
hitting that ten to twelve foot jumper.

Speaker 2 (14:05):
All right, putting a bow on last night's Okay, see
buss is Celtics. Anything you want to add, Sam.

Speaker 7 (14:12):
Yeah, I'll just say the three point volume isn't a
problem for me. It's more that you're seeing regression from
from two players that they need, and that's number one,
Drew Holliday, who was a forty two percent three point
shooter last year and he's a thirty three percent three
point shooter this year.

Speaker 6 (14:26):
And Jalen Brown.

Speaker 7 (14:28):
And that's the biggest problem to me, is that you're
seeing a lot of regression from Jalen Brown. He's shooting
thirty one percent from three, which is down from thirty
five last year.

Speaker 2 (14:36):
That is significant.

Speaker 6 (14:37):
And the other thing is he's just not as as
efficient as a player.

Speaker 7 (14:39):
He's worst true shooting percentage in the last six seasons.
His usage rate is actually higher, but his points per
forty minutes are down. So when you have players that
you rely on not shooting the ball as well, that's
when the volume of three point shots becomes an issue.
And I talked about this earlier, but a lot of
it is Kristaps porzingis his absence, Like when he's not healthy,
you don't have that post press.

Speaker 6 (15:00):
It's their whole offense.

Speaker 7 (15:00):
They generate threes by getting getting the ball, getting in
the paint, and getting paint touches. Whether that's driver kick
where that's operating from the posts and post touches and
then kicking out.

Speaker 6 (15:10):
That's how they generate good threes.

Speaker 7 (15:11):
And they're not getting good threes because they're not getting
post touches and they don't have Chris Porzingis in there.
Al Horford's great at stretching the floor because he can
shoot the three ball, but he isn't the post presence
that Kristaps is. Christaps Porzingi is a post up from
him last year is one of the most efficient plays
in the entire NBA last year. You don't have that
this year. So the no Kristaps Porzingis is the biggest
thing for me. And I'm telling you, if Kristaps Porzingis

(15:33):
is not healthy first series against the Cavs, they're cooks.

Speaker 2 (15:36):
Yeah, I believe so too. I'm right there with you
on that one. All right, uh Shawan, anything more to
Adam Boston and okay, see before we move off.

Speaker 4 (15:43):
Yeah, the quick two things I'll throw in.

Speaker 3 (15:45):
I'm a little bit optimistic that the Drew Holliday shooting
resurgence could come. He has bat a little bit of
a pinky injury. Not the biggest thing of note or whatever,
but you know they can impact things, and Jalen Brown.
I've never felt this way about Jalen Brown, but there's
been games this year where I've thrown him into the
category of like, got stats but not the impact, and
that really has never been him. But there's been a
lot of games that I've watched that it's like that

(16:05):
didn't feel like a good Jalen Brown game at all,
And he still ends with twenty seven, eight and five
and you feel completely fine about it, but it is
something like to watch there, like Brown has never been
a guy on my radar for that, and I do
think this season like I've thrown him in that category
several times.

Speaker 2 (16:19):
We had Julian Lllo join us, of course Boston Celtic
fan draftking Zone, and he said that, you know, just joking,
but to a point, he's kind of serious. Isn't there
some truth in every joke? Isn't we just that's what
I said earlier?

Speaker 1 (16:33):
We did?

Speaker 6 (16:33):
I said that.

Speaker 2 (16:35):
Wasn't it?

Speaker 6 (16:36):
It was?

Speaker 2 (16:36):
It was Darryl Moury, Oh yeah, yeah right. Darren Moore
was serious when he said correct, But he did say
Jalen Brown he thinks could be too buff, too buff? Yeah, buff,
too buff?

Speaker 6 (16:46):
That's the first time because the Olympic snubbed. He was
just in the weight room, just in the weight room
getting help.

Speaker 4 (16:50):
Yeacked.

Speaker 2 (16:51):
All right, let's keep it moving over to a late
night edition of NBA Hopes last night in the Pacific Northwest.
Mike kelbridgees come on down three.

Speaker 1 (17:00):
Point four to go, Bridges holds the ball high nixt
two have one time out into heart after Bridges with
two three for the win, top of the key, got.

Speaker 2 (17:07):
It, got it, Michale Bridges the game winner at.

Speaker 6 (17:11):
The horn and the Knicks escape. Well, then over time
win in.

Speaker 2 (17:15):
Portland, Knicks four point favorites. Yes, come away with the win,
but do not cover. You know what they say, good
teams win, great teams cover. That's essentially what we're talking
about with the Knicks. I kid. Anyways, I think the
Knicks could be potentially great if if Sean Bernardo, I'll
start with you, because I know you're the number one

(17:35):
detractor on all things New York Knicks, which we welcome here.
And yeah, oh Truther, you know what, at the end
of the season, you might be right because I was
high on the Knicks. But let's just have this hypothetical
conversation I know, Sam, you got to take on this
with Sam Sean, I'm gonna start with you. If the
Knicks get that type of production from Mike Keel Bridges

(17:55):
and I know no Brunton out there, but at the
end of the day, thirty three points. That was the
hell of.

Speaker 6 (18:00):
A game by Michael Bridges, maybe his best one this season.

Speaker 2 (18:03):
If they get that type of production from Bridges and
even bring me down to twenty five, all right, what
are we talking about then? Because you gave up a
ton to get him in, you're starting five. He has
been a little bit disappointing this year, and it's easier
said than none to step in and all of a
sudden be the man. And you know, of course everything
that's going on, maybe they overvalued him a tad, But

(18:25):
if they can get that type of performance from Bridges
weekend or night in, night out, what are we talking
about them as far as the Knicks are concerned.

Speaker 3 (18:33):
Yeah, I mean Bridges I've been pretty critical of this year,
and like to be clear, it's not critical of Bridges himself.
It's been more of a Tom Fibodeaux thing. I've been
really frustrated with their lack of usage of him. That
you've essentially traded five first round picks to a guy
that you just have sit in the corner and shoot
spot up threes, and Bridges should be capable of more
than that. He's shown flashes of being capable of more
than that. Now, granted, do I think Mchal Bridges is
ever a player who lives up to the price tag

(18:55):
of five first round picks? Probably not to be perfect, honest,
I don't think he's that guy, but he's certainly a
helpful player on this next team. I would like to
see Thibodeau incorporate him a little bit more. I think
there's more that he can bring that they've kind of unlocked.
Jalen Brunson still obviously the guy that is going to
be the focal point, the main straw that stirs the
drink in that offense there, but I think Bridget should
have a larger role. So maybe this is a little

(19:15):
bit of a wake up call. Do we need to
get this guy going a little more? They obviously need
the offense from him in Brunton's absence as he recovers
from however long this ankle injury. It takes pretty scary
looking ankle injury to look to be honest, so hopefully
not too long there, but I don't know. Overall, I
still think that the Knicks are short on top end
talent Karl Anthony Towns. The defensive concerns are like popping
off the page when I watch.

Speaker 4 (19:35):
Him these days.

Speaker 3 (19:35):
Man, he is just teams just circle him in pick
and roll coverage, and I think that's only get magnified
in the playoffs. So while I like respect them going
for it this past offseason, I kind of think they
pushed all their chips in for a team that's not
quite good enough. And that's sort of my read on
things from here. So maybe they prove me wrong. I
don't think that's probably gonna be the.

Speaker 2 (19:52):
You know, I'm with you, Sam, and you're right, like,
you can go all in, but you have to be
a slit of contender, right Like, if you're gonna make
a move like that, it can't be any doubt. And
I wasn't saying, oh, now that you got Bridges, oh
now you can compete with the Boston So I said
that they were going to be a tough out, but
I never had them in front of the Boston Celtics.

(20:15):
So if you're gonna make a move like that, I
think you need a little bit more in return. Again,
they obviously thought that they knew their team better than most.
I don't know, but Sam to you, you get that
type of production from Bridges? Are they contenders?

Speaker 1 (20:28):
Well?

Speaker 6 (20:28):
Did the The answer is yes?

Speaker 7 (20:30):
But can you get that type of production from Bridges
with Jalen Brunston?

Speaker 6 (20:34):
Which is the question.

Speaker 7 (20:35):
The funny part of this is that this came on
the heels of like the first real drama we've seen
with the Knicks in a couple of years, if you
want to call it that, where Michel Bridges yesterday morning
pretty much called out Fibbs to the press about how
many minutes he was playing his guys, which we see
a lot of fans, a lot of media speculate about

(20:55):
all the time. You have not heard any k mix
player call publicly that they had a problem with how
much Stibbs was playing until Bridges did, and Bridges said
he had a conversation with Pipps. Then Fibbs goes to
the podium before the game last night and pips says
that conversation never happened and passionately defended his minutes distribution
of that he has to play guys like Michael and

(21:16):
Og Morganes though right career, Yes, his whole career, that's obviously,
that's the thing with Phibbs, one hundred percent. That's been
the way his whole career. But now with the Knicks,
the Knicks have never Jalen Brunson and Josh hard have
always had just good attitudes about how much they play passionately.
He passionately defended his minutes distribution. Was like, they have

(21:38):
to play mckel bridge and Og. That's much because they're
matched up against the other best wing guys in the league,
like the Jason Tatums of the world. And she was
saying Jason, he was saying, Jaylen Brunson and carlnth Towns
aren't even top twenty in the minutes.

Speaker 6 (21:50):
But it was just interesting.

Speaker 7 (21:51):
This was the first real drama we've seen from the
Knicks in a couple of years, a team that was
used to be constantly filled with drama.

Speaker 6 (21:57):
Now on to the mckel bridges point.

Speaker 7 (21:59):
Mckail bridges been incredibly disappointing this season, like in every
by every metric, He's just been disappointing.

Speaker 6 (22:05):
From a defensive perspective, I think he hasn't been as good.

Speaker 7 (22:07):
He hasn't been as good as streak screen navigation, he
hasn't been as locked in usually matching up Og on
the other team's top wing er, top guy. But Michael
has still been disappointing three point shooting. Like the month
of February he shot thirty one percent from the field
from three. This month he was shooting twenty five percent
from three. He just hasn't been good. And it's because
exactly what Sawn is saying. It's all because he's just

(22:28):
relegated to the corner. Like their whole offense is just
the Jalen Brunson show and that works to an extent.
But guys like Michel Bridges, who is a good creator,
he proved he can't create for himself and others coming
downhill getting into his mid range spots. He's a great
finisher around the rim, he's a great turnaround game. A
guy like OG's fine just being relegated to the corner.

(22:49):
Mckail Bridges has more talents that went unlocked. So just
the Jalen Brunson and Karl anthonk Town show and that's
why mckel bridges a struggle. So I agree that's on
this staff to kind of try to figure out how he.

Speaker 6 (22:59):
Can get him more involved.

Speaker 7 (23:01):
And the Knicks won't reach their ceiling until they do
the next I'm out on them this year. They're not
a contender. It's Boston Cleveland as far as I'm concerned.

Speaker 4 (23:09):
But I even put Milwaukee above them.

Speaker 7 (23:11):
Yeah, I don't know about that sean. I don't know
about I don't know about Milwaukee. Why would you put
Milwaukee above the next sean.

Speaker 3 (23:18):
Because they have Giannis on to Koombo and Dame Lillard
playing better? Like Giannis is really the trump card here
is I know what I'm getting with Giannis. I know
this guy's a proven champion. I know he I know
what I'm getting on a night to night basis. I
don't fully feel this way about this next team. Like
I think they've had way more ups and downs this
year than they have really during this era of things.
And like to the mckal bridges point here, how good

(23:38):
is Michel Bridges?

Speaker 4 (23:39):
Really? Like he's a good player.

Speaker 3 (23:41):
Don't get me wrong, Do you think that dude ever
makes an All Star Game?

Speaker 4 (23:45):
No?

Speaker 7 (23:45):
But like no, but he's better than what they're utilizing
him for. Like he can play like remember like Luca.
Last year Kyrie came along, Lucas started playing a little
more off bulk. Kyrie had more of a role as
a secondary creator secondary score like mckel Bridges should have
more of a role as a secondary scoring creator and
put Jaylen Brunson off the ball. He is good enough

(24:05):
to be the second best I was ay third best player,
but second best perimeter, really oriented player on a team
that can make the finals.

Speaker 6 (24:13):
That's where I'm at with him.

Speaker 3 (24:16):
Yeah, I mean, I certainly agree to the point that
he's better than he's being used, and that like that's
like a pretty significant blemish on their team that you
have to find a way to unlock this guy that
you clearly made a high investment on to bring into
the franchise, so fully on board with it there. I
think I'm a little bit more of the contrarian on
how good mchal Bridges is that I think he's a
good basketball player, a legitimate high level starter, But I

(24:36):
think that's kind of it to be honest, that he's
a complimentary guy, not a top two or three player
on the team if you actually want championship asprations, I
sort of.

Speaker 7 (24:43):
Feel yeah, but that's the whole thing why they brought
him in. It's like he was never worth five picks
in a vacuum, but he was worth five picks because
you were bringing in with a guy like Jayleen Brunson,
Karnthone Towns and og like he. I do think he
can excel with this team if they use them more
as a secondary guy to Jalen Brunston and play Alow
a little more.

Speaker 6 (25:00):
Brunson off the ball.

Speaker 7 (25:01):
I think he's good enough to lift this like he
is a missing piece for this team where they can
make the championship in the next few years. He's not
that good. I don't think he's an all star level player.
I agree with you. I think he's good enough where
this this the Knicks will be in.

Speaker 6 (25:14):
The championship in the next three Wow.

Speaker 7 (25:16):
That's that was my final point. That was my final
point is I'm out on the Knicks this year. This
whole Knicks operation of getting mckail bridge is getting Karnthon Towns,
locking up o g, locking up Brunson.

Speaker 6 (25:25):
This was a long term play. It was about way
more than this year.

Speaker 7 (25:27):
This team, this core is locked in for the next
few years and I think they're going to build around
the margins. They need a good five because Karnthon Towns
can't play the five defense. They need more of a bench.
But I think this next team is locked in. I
think they're going to be successful. I don't have a
problem with this group.

Speaker 2 (25:43):
You know what, what else they need? Though, And I'm
a fan, but I think you've reached the ceiling with Tibbs.
I think you need a new coach in there. It's
it's just not happening. There's zero chance after this year,
no chance he has a I disagree. I could.

Speaker 3 (25:59):
I could have to be a pretty like like frustrating
or concerning playoff ex anything, anything.

Speaker 6 (26:05):
Is possible if they get a first round.

Speaker 7 (26:06):
Exit round exit guarantee you he's not going anywhere for
a long time unless it's an absolute disastrous exit number one.
Thibbs is a phenomenal relationship with with Leon Rose. Those
guys are very close friends. Second, Rick Brunson's on this staff.
Chris Brunson obviously has a good relationship with with Bibbs,
and that's why he put him on staff. Jay Wright,

(26:27):
Jalen Jalen. Brunston just took less for this franchise. I
was my firing a staff where his dad's on it.
All right, No, you're right, it's it's Thibbs isn't going.
There's a lot of erm I disagree with that. Because
it's the NBA, anything is possible, you get hired. This
is a different franchise. It's a family franchise. Trust the
South Jersey. Yeah, it's not the New York Do you

(26:47):
want to say this stuff?

Speaker 2 (26:48):
When Jay Wright retired, I said the only thing he
will come back for is to coach to New York.
This is before Nova players entered the mix here with
the Knicks. I said that Jay Wright would have interest
to going to the NBA and only coaching.

Speaker 6 (27:01):
At the Garden. Why over the Sixeries? That's it? Why
over the sixes?

Speaker 2 (27:04):
Why would you want to come to your backyard? And
there's nothing more magical than MSG. I've heard him speak
about that. Of obviously, we know why biggies torment all that.
So I just always had that feeling that if you're
ever going to get Jay Wright out of retirement, it
would be to coach the NBA. He would be able
to check that box and he would go do it
with the New York Knicks. Now, then you add to

(27:25):
the mix brunts and all his boys getting in there.
I'm telling you, I'd make that phone call. I don't
think Jay's ever coming out of retirement done. I think
he's staying with with the media role and of course
enjoying the Jersey shore in the summers. But man, it
would be intriguing to make that phone call. And I
don't know. I think that you're getting your your mass

(27:45):
production with TIBs and we'll see how it ends. Again.
They could make a run. He's the conference funds. You're
not firing him, but would you be in agreement they
come up small, they come up short in the playoffs,
anything as possible with the Knicks.

Speaker 7 (27:57):
Yes, No, because because I'm.

Speaker 6 (28:01):
Telling you a statue, I'm not saying I'm not saying
it's right wrong.

Speaker 7 (28:06):
I'm just telling you this franchise, it would it would
have to be disastrous situation for this franchise and and
the relationships that the inner workings go on there that
they would fire Thibbs.

Speaker 6 (28:15):
It's not happening. Here's a fun one. If that is.

Speaker 7 (28:18):
I just thought of in my head that it has
nothing to do with what we're talking about, right, But
I want to hear both your take. Shawn's imagine if
Dan Hurley was coaching the Lakers right now, interesting, yeah.

Speaker 3 (28:29):
Disaster, Yeah, no, it would be. I think he made
the right call not leaving. I can't even imagine him
trying to coach Lebron, James and Lucy Man like seriously,
and he.

Speaker 2 (28:39):
Was front runner.

Speaker 6 (28:41):
Yeah, he turned it.

Speaker 2 (28:42):
She but she came out and said it just this
this week on the NBR where she said because she
was asked about JJ Reddick and how things are going,
and she's just like, look, you know, when we approached
both of them, we had this idea. With Dan Hurley,
he chose to go this way, so we had to
go to a different direction. And she said, point blank,
JJ was sex get in line. And I think that
they hit a home run with JJ. I'm not so

(29:04):
sure it works out with Hurley.

Speaker 7 (29:06):
Imagine Hurley trying to coach Luca, getting in his face.
He's not a guy you get in his.

Speaker 2 (29:10):
Face, well even Lebron before You know what's funny, because
sixty minutes did that hit or did that piece with
Dan Hurley on Sunday? That dude has a meditation room
in his house.

Speaker 6 (29:20):
What a freak?

Speaker 2 (29:21):
What a sick cup. He says he starts his day
every day with it.

Speaker 4 (29:25):
Did you see that twice a day?

Speaker 3 (29:28):
Because dude, that dude like he's gotten far more intolerable
to me this year than you're.

Speaker 2 (29:32):
Oh, oh, I'm so with that. That's what two championships
will do to you.

Speaker 4 (29:35):
I hear you.

Speaker 7 (29:36):
Yeah, I'm out on Dan Hurley just from a personality standpoint.
But that clip in that sixteen minutes interview, he was
they asked him or he said, he does he's useless
at home. He does nothing at home and his wife said,
his wife will ask him to take out the trash.
And he says, do you think Jay Wright takes out
the trash?

Speaker 4 (29:52):
Stop?

Speaker 2 (29:53):
I didn't see that.

Speaker 6 (29:55):
And then and then Jay Wright was in studio and
they asked him. He was like, of course I take.

Speaker 2 (29:58):
Out jays Man, like I always thought, like, imagine not
be responding to your wife like like like you're like, oh,
can you take out that You're in trouble with your
wife right now?

Speaker 6 (30:07):
But can you take out the tress? And you're just
like the Steve A. Smith take out the dress? Scott
man Pelt, did he go out the dress?

Speaker 2 (30:13):
Just taking out the trash is the easiest thing poss Right,
That's how I'm gonna say on that one. It is
funny because you think about those days of Jay Wright
and with all the chat room dumb stuff that was
put up. My only take about Jay Wright is he's
too damn Like there's gotta be some sort he must
kick puppies in his spare time or something like, he's
he's too perfect. But no, having the opportunity to meet him,

(30:35):
having the opportunity to interview him, we've been with Villanova,
He's still is heavily involved. No, that that's the real
damn deal. Like he is that good of a dude man,
and you know he's kicking ass to taking names for
CBS Sports. So sky's the limit continuing for for Jay Wright.

Speaker 6 (30:49):
All right, back over to the NBA and we got
a lot to discuss.

Speaker 2 (30:54):
Let's do it. Sixers tankathon last night, Shan Binar. Things
worked out well for the Sixers.

Speaker 3 (30:58):
Correct, Yeah, this is what I was locked into during
that primarily text.

Speaker 2 (31:03):
What is going on right now? What go ahead? Though?

Speaker 4 (31:06):
Jared Roaden baby shout out to the Raptors.

Speaker 2 (31:09):
Well again, Sixers had a goal in mind, lose the game,
be competitive. Quinton Grimes hell of a score by the Sixers.
H If Grimes wasn't on this roster, what would have
been last night's final score?

Speaker 3 (31:21):
I mean, with that being said, there, like the Raptors,
a far more egregious example of tanking in my mind
here when sitting Emmanuel quickly R. J. Batty, you can
go down the list of all these like legitimate NBA
players and they're just you know, casually resting. And for
what it's worth, the NBA rule is purely like centered
around all star caliber players. So where these investigations get
triggered is the word that is being thrown around here

(31:42):
that only happens when it's a star player, like the
Jazz got fined because Laura Markinin fits in that category
loosely barely and because he's a player on that list. Here,
the Raptors are basically like skating through Scott Free here,
while the Sixers are investigating seemingly weakly at this point,
including as recently as today announce that there was another
about Tyreese Maxi and Paul Geordan. But yeah, I mean,

(32:03):
the bottom line is are goals have been well off
the table for the Sixers for quite some time here
I am happy they now control their destiny at the
bottom of that those lottery odds there. So it was
a success last night, losing to the Raptors and about
as dill of a game as you possibly cold imagine.

Speaker 2 (32:18):
Yeah, yeah, it's really tough to tune in and watch
anything Sixers related. But just let you know, say im
right now on drafting sportsbook team drafted by for Cooper Flag,
the Philadelphia seventy six Ers are ten to one, only
five teams in front of them at this point in time.
Where are you at on the Cooper Flag odds to
the seventy six Ers any chance?

Speaker 6 (32:38):
What am I supposed to say?

Speaker 7 (32:39):
I mean, it's the Zerio, It's the Philadelphia seventy six
Ers that we're talking about.

Speaker 2 (32:44):
Yea, you're relying on ping punk balls. How bad can
the Sixers be?

Speaker 3 (32:47):
Though?

Speaker 2 (32:47):
After it's all set and done this year.

Speaker 4 (32:49):
Nine point chance of that first pick right now?

Speaker 2 (32:52):
Wow, that is crazy.

Speaker 7 (32:55):
And just to bring people up the imagine if they
got that, like, imagine if they got the number one
pick in the draft.

Speaker 6 (33:00):
Wizards Flag is coming to town.

Speaker 2 (33:01):
Wizards are thirteen and fifteen fifty one, Hornets are sixteen
and forty nine. Sixers are twenty two and forty three,
tied with the Nets Raptors immediately in front of them.
That's on the east side of things. Over to the
west you got the Jazz of fifteen and fifty one,
Pelicans eighteen and forty eight.

Speaker 6 (33:17):
They're right in the thick of it. They're right in
the thick of it. Wow, that is crazy, you know what.

Speaker 3 (33:21):
By the way, to the same like skepticism that we
hold as like the Sixers will never get it, they're
cursed all this thing. How do you think Charlotte Hornets
fans feelazz.

Speaker 6 (33:30):
There's no way, there's no horrible organization. I don't think
the Hornets are cursed.

Speaker 2 (33:35):
There is no way the Wizards fans are saying we're
going to get Cooper Flagg. No way. Everyone's being skeptical
because it's it's it would be a miracle and not
a miracle, but it would be a huge deal.

Speaker 6 (33:46):
For whoever gets them.

Speaker 7 (33:47):
I will say Daryl Morey is definitely at that Sloan conference,
or was at that Sloane conference, you know, planning a
little exit strategy. A lot of a lot of big
people there probably planning a little bit of an exit strategy.
If they got that number one pick in Cooper Flag,
you got Darren locked back into this team.

Speaker 2 (34:01):
Yeah, you're right about that.

Speaker 6 (34:03):
Sean Bernard, take us through.

Speaker 2 (34:05):
What's the latest breaking news as far as the Sixers
are concerned. But there are being investigated number one and
in Paul George's rumored to be shutting it down officially.

Speaker 3 (34:14):
Yeah, the most notable news with this is there's now
a knee injury that's being regarded with Paul George too.
So we've heard groin, we've heard the pinky issue these
that for quite some time. The knee is sort of
new to be popping up, so it sounds like there's
a chance he needs surgery. We haven't really got too
much beyond that. Basically, the writing is on the wall
that his season will be shut down. Also, some whispers
from Sam Amico, who has hit or miss on some

(34:35):
of these reports here, that they will be shopping Paul
George and intend to trade them this offseason. I'm sure
Darryl Maury will evaluate the market there. I don't think
I would quite see a team jumping at the chance
to take that one hundred and fifty million remaining on
his deal. A little more than that actually, so we'll
see what happens to this offseason. I do think we've
seen the last of Paul George for the regular season,
and ultimately, like there's no reason he should be stepping

(34:57):
back on the floor based on how the season has goed.
So more or less a non story to me, but
just kind of more annoying loose ends of the six
are being investigated and Paul George not being out.

Speaker 6 (35:05):
What is the NBA's deal.

Speaker 7 (35:06):
Why do they care if the Sixers are taking at
this point not playing the guys, Like why do they
even need to investigate this?

Speaker 2 (35:11):
Because it's a league deal, right, like where you can't
have one team getting away with it.

Speaker 7 (35:16):
Now it's all just hush hush, like all these teams.
It's a month, barely a month left in the season.
It's just a hush hush thing like, yeah, we're not
going to play our guys. We're obviously positioning ourselves for
as good of a draft pick as we can get.

Speaker 6 (35:27):
Like who cares as a league but as a kid.

Speaker 2 (35:29):
Ticket holder that can't be right As a fan of
the league, It's like, yeah, well but people are going
to say that.

Speaker 7 (35:37):
I think if you're a season thicket order, you'd rather
that outcome. That means you're a big fan, you'd rather
that at this point of the season, you'd rather the
outcome that they get the best pick possible. I think
that that is a fans perspective, right.

Speaker 2 (35:48):
That's a season ticket older though, sure, but there are
plenty of season ticket holders that just want to be entertained.
And I spend a ton of money to get these tickets,
and now all of a sudden, the product you're rolling
out there is Clinton Grimes and four other guys that
I have no idea who they are.

Speaker 3 (36:01):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (36:01):
I play hard, Yeah they do.

Speaker 7 (36:03):
They play harder than the Sixers when the whole team
was there.

Speaker 2 (36:05):
There's no argument there. You're right about that shout out
of den Bona, man, be good. I understand the league's
perspective on it. I don't think it's right. I don't
think what they're doing is bulletproof, but I do understand
why they are, like, hey man, this can't be happening,
especially like as blatant as it is, Like MAXI.

Speaker 6 (36:24):
Is that the big red flag at this point in time, Sean.

Speaker 3 (36:27):
I don't think I think Maxi's legitimately hurt right now,
that fact injury he picked up that that looked like
one that'll keep you out a couple games when he
went down sort of in a heap, grabbing at that.
And by the way, this is after the fact in
which is announced he's shooting with three fingers, playing for
a hand injury, which so like to me, I don't
think MAXI is like a deliberate tanking.

Speaker 4 (36:43):
I think the dude is literally hurt right now. Sort
of the pushback there.

Speaker 3 (36:46):
And I also note like with basketball specifically, we see
this magnified so much more than any single sport because
one player makes a difference so much more than any
single sport.

Speaker 4 (36:55):
Here that whatever team.

Speaker 3 (36:57):
Lance cooper flag, whether it is the Jazz, whether it
is the Whole, whether it is the Wizards, that team
is automatically relevant next year. Like that changes your entire
trajectory of a franchise. So while I get the NBA's
stance on it, you're never gonna stop teams from doing
this because it isn't their best interest. So I get
it from like the the you know, an optic standpoint
that they want this to stop here, but you're kind
of fighting a losing battle in my mind, and I

(37:19):
honestly think there's even an argument to me that it
just makes things worse, calling us to attention constantly that
we're investigating, that we're finding this team finding the Jazz
one hundred thousand, like it just kind of is what
it is, And I think we kind of got all
got to accept.

Speaker 7 (37:30):
That it's for the league to stick their arms down
and be like, we're stopping tanking, like like you know,
you're not anyone can make up an injury if they
if you're just gonna say, oh, we're gonna investigate this,
We're just gonna make up an injury because guys are
all banged up to an extent, so you can pretty
easily make up oh my groin, oh my need, and
the doctors can evaluate them and say they're out.

Speaker 6 (37:49):
Like it's pretty easy to make up an injury at
that point.

Speaker 7 (37:51):
So you're not really gonna get anywhere bye bye by
investigating these guys, even though they did find the Jazz
because they were just blatantly sitting out Laurie Markenen. But
still you can make up injuries and get away with this.
So it's just I don't know why the league needs
to like act like some some big bad bully like
they're stopping, they're stopping this tanking efforts.

Speaker 6 (38:09):
It's let it happen, all right, keep it a moving.

Speaker 2 (38:12):
Let's get on over to tonight's card quickly though, if
we could about last night, just want to say your
boy had Trey Young and you guys haven't even thanked
me on that nice part. Thank you four hundred and
twenty nine and bonus bets and king of the court
over there at Jasking Sports Book. Yep, Trey Young was
called out in the Daily Ticket yesterday and a great

(38:33):
hit came a loaded court. It was a loaded card.
That number. The total was ridiculous. The other total last
night did that go over?

Speaker 3 (38:40):
Uh my Jared Roading ticket was hot for a while,
but it didn't didn't come through for me.

Speaker 2 (38:45):
The other Yeah, two forty eight stayed under total score there.
It was damn it, I said last night because the
last time that the Memphis Grizzlies and Utah Jazz played
it was two forty eight as well. It stayed way
under the total. And the same thing last night on fifteen, uh,
two thirty seven to forty eight. So again I just
felt like that that was an underplay. I didn't get
them all right. Didn't get them all right last night,

(39:07):
but we will highlight some of the wins there as
far as last night's card is concerned. All right, now,
let's go ahead and take a look at some of
the numbers that we have on DraftKings Sports Book for tonight.
I want to start with the Lakers. Sam, I'm gonna
start with you. What are you looking at as far
as just a fans perspective, hitting the fast forward button futures?
What what are you trying to take away from the
Lakers at this point in time without Lebron in the mix?

(39:30):
What's something that you will be paying attention to tonight?
They're taking on the Milwaukee Bucks in Milwaukee. There's seven
point dogs your expectation.

Speaker 6 (39:36):
Scenarios, Yeah, not a lot.

Speaker 7 (39:37):
There's really nothing you're gonna learn from the Lakers when
they're playing without Lebron. They're playing without a center because
Jackson Hayes is out, Chamoria is out. Sure you can
call Alex Lenna center. He's barely an NBA center. As
far as I'm concerned, We've got Luca.

Speaker 6 (39:49):
Darget She's one of the best players of all We
can't learn something from that.

Speaker 7 (39:52):
I was gonna say, but like whenas lucas phenomenal and
he'll do his thing, but when he's playing without other guys, he's.

Speaker 6 (39:59):
Gonna be on the court with constantly.

Speaker 7 (40:00):
When they actually make their playoff push, it's really you're
not going to learn much from it. But I will
say is I want to see Luca get his footing
back and kind of getting more of a rhythm because
he's not shooting the ball well at all as a Laker,
and he's also not getting to the rim as much.
Really this entire season, he's not getting to the rim
as much, So I want to kind of just see
him get a rhythm, bag play Luca Doncic's game, what

(40:21):
he's great at. Maybe that helio centric basketball you can
even play more of without Lebron and without some of
these other guys.

Speaker 6 (40:27):
So I want to I want to just see Luca
become Luca.

Speaker 7 (40:30):
Again, because he's been really good, but he hasn't been
Luca Doncic yet as a Laker, So I think this
is a good opportunity when Lebron's out to kind of
kind of regain his rhythm because they're not This isn't
the complete team, so there's not a lot I'm looking at,
but it's really.

Speaker 2 (40:43):
It's more from a Luca perspective, Box minus seven or
Lakers plus seven.

Speaker 7 (40:46):
Sam, if I had to go one way, I would
go Lakers plus seven. I wouldn't touch this, oh, but
I would go Lakers plus seven. Giannis is questionable, Damian Lillard,
I believe is questionable. Man, So you don't know exactly
if those guys are gonna play.

Speaker 2 (41:01):
Wait, wait, but just let me ask you. Let's just
stop on that for a second. Is that not a
problem for the league, Like we're talking about the tanking
and now you're like.

Speaker 6 (41:09):
A tanking thing.

Speaker 4 (41:10):
But that's a probably questionable like every game.

Speaker 2 (41:14):
Yeah, and now Dames Dame's not like like as a fan,
but it's like those guys who are dealing with injuries,
it is supposed to be this thing they want to think.

Speaker 7 (41:25):
They actually actually it could be in a way because
they should want to be in that four or five matchup,
really the four seed, because they don't want to play
Boss in the second round. They'd rather play the Calves.
Who's going to be the one seed. It looks like,
so maybe maybe it is a little bit of that.
They're just kind of positioning themselves for that four seed
or that four or five range where they're at right now.

Speaker 6 (41:43):
But I like those guys have been questionable every game.
I don't really see it as as a problem.

Speaker 2 (41:47):
All right, I take I stand down on that one,
Shan your thoughts Night's game.

Speaker 3 (41:52):
Yeah, I mean, obviously we're not getting the complete picture here,
and I think, to be honest, we're really seeing the
shortcomings as like a roster without Lebron, Like when you
think about a Luca Danci centric team, how clearly defined
that style is in the personnel surrounding him. That's what
we're missing on this Lakers team. That will get corrected
when they have a proper offseason, all that type of thing.
But I do think it's a bit of a tough
watch right now in the short term here. I'll also

(42:12):
turn up the heat a little bit on your boy,
Dalton connect Brace bit a tough watch, especially lately, and
I think J. J. Reddick's sort of losing trust and
on so he's kind of become this one dimensional just
shooter and hasn't been good enough as a shooter either.
So it wouldn't shock me if push comes to shove
when we get to playoff time. If that's a guy
that doesn't even really crack the rotation for this Lakers team.
But I have had my eye on that also throwing

(42:32):
a quick prop bet here, do love Kyle Kuzma over
six and a half rebound US Lakers team, extremely vulnerable
on the boards. I like the pop that Kuzma provides
to this this Bocks team. He actually is a guy
that has far exceeded my expectations after the trade deadline
for what he's bringing there, really high level rebounder and
a guy who's averaging six point three on the season.
I think he has a pretty strong performance on the
boards tonight. So I'll throw that prop back.

Speaker 2 (42:53):
You know what, though, I'm gonna push back both daln
Connect and Kuzma thirteen and a half on DraftKings. I'm
taking dalm Connect go over to thirteen and a half.
I see you, Sean Bernard, I see you. Don Connects
can respond.

Speaker 7 (43:05):
This is a guy that was traded, like they literally
traded him, and he was on a flight.

Speaker 6 (43:10):
He already landed in sharp college player.

Speaker 7 (43:14):
How are you supposed to he was good to start
this year, and how are you supposed to come back
when like you know this franchise didn't want you, and
they shipped them off. And I was at that Sixers
Lakers game, which is yes, of course, but I was
at that Sixers Lakers game, which, by the way, was
the start was the genesis of the whole Bronni Stephen
a Lebron thing, because that was the game Bronni played
where he was a disaster again.

Speaker 6 (43:35):
Again he was.

Speaker 7 (43:37):
Yeah, he was horrible, a couple of turnovers, targeted defensively,
but I was at that game and darn connect was
not good in that game either, and Reddick was furious
with him, yelling at him coming out of timeouts, and
it was kind of like this Lakers team is, and
they started playing him less. This Lakers team was not
happy with him. Then they trade him and then he
has to come all the way back. He's had some
good games since he came back, but it's still like

(43:57):
it's hard possession.

Speaker 2 (43:58):
He's in interesting stuff, all right. As far as tonight's
game props, Sam, anything for you in this game, No,
no props for me, Luca, Just to let everyone know,
as far as points are concerned, thirty one and a
half without Lebron out there, Giannis a twenty nine and
a half, Dame twenty four and a half, Austin Reees
twenty three and a half, and so on. DraftKings sportsbook

(44:18):
where we're getting our numbers from all right, keeping a movement.
As far as tonight's card is concerned, we have two
Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors. They're at six and
a half. And let's show some love for Zion who's
playing great. Love love watching him out there as well.
Orlando playoff team Pelicans not so much. But the Pelicans
are two point dogs at home. Something tell me about

(44:38):
that number there, Pelicans tonight, Sean, I'll start.

Speaker 4 (44:41):
With you here all over the Pelicans tonight. Love them
on the plus one ten there.

Speaker 3 (44:45):
This Orlando Magic team has been a really tough watch
for me lately, and it's it really sucks because they're
a team that seemed to be taking that next step
look really strong at the start of the season. They're
the worst three point shooting team in the NBA and
you got to go back over a decade to find
a team that is shooting as bad of a percentage
as a team as they are. By the way, for
all the LaMelo ball critiques, Pala bancare even worse true

(45:07):
shooting percentage on about the same usage rate there, which
is pretty concerning stuff for that.

Speaker 6 (45:11):
Who you taking who you taking?

Speaker 3 (45:14):
Plo is a better player, but I do think the
point still resides there with you got to get more
out of this guy if you're going to be a
winning franchise, And the same applies to both these guys.
But I didn't have those kind of concerns with Palo,
and now I sort of do. So I don't like
at all how this Magic team has looked. I do
think Zion Williamson is gonna be the best player on
the Florida night. I'm rooting for the Pelicans on an
every night basis for a lottery standings at this point,
so I think they get a win tonight. I do

(45:36):
think they can take down the to Orlando team. And
I'm hammering the panic button if I'm Magic fan right now?

Speaker 7 (45:41):
All right, Sam, Yeah, it's tough because the Magic have
dealt with so many injuries. Obviously, Paulo was out for
a stretch then and France was out for a stretch.

Speaker 6 (45:48):
Those guys finally came back together.

Speaker 7 (45:50):
Franz was playing great without Paulo, Paulo was playing great
with Frantz in the beginning at Chillon.

Speaker 6 (45:55):
Suggs has been out for a while now.

Speaker 7 (45:58):
They just dealt with so many injuries where it's really
hard to evalate this team. He's in the beginning of
the year. I loved where this team is trending. But
Seawn's right there. They are just a difficult watch. They
can't shoot the ball at all. And you thought Contavius
Coldwell Pope with help with that. You thought Franz Wagner
would improve as a three point shooter, and he has
a little bit, but not a whole lot. Polo still
isn't the three point shooter you want him to be.
So it's really this team just they have to become

(46:20):
a better shooting team. And Jalen Suggs was a better
shooter this year than he has been throughout his most
of his career, but it's still like this team has
to become a three point shooting team. I'm with Sean
that I like the Pelicans a lot. They're playing really well,
and look, this Pelicans team is like they're still talented,
like still CJ. McCollum, Trey Murphy, obviously, Zion Jordan Hawkins

(46:40):
is playing a decent amount for them.

Speaker 6 (46:42):
This Pelicans team is pretty good.

Speaker 7 (46:44):
The record is so bad because they were just killed
with injuries the first three months of the season season. Yeah, exactly,
and he hasn't He's out the entire year, so they've
just been killed with injuries. They're better than their record says.
So I like the Pelicans too. In this game. I
also think that we have a big CJ. McCollum game.

Speaker 6 (47:01):
A big CJ. McCollum game.

Speaker 7 (47:03):
I think it's points for at eighteen eighteen and a
half right now, I go over on that all right.

Speaker 3 (47:08):
Real quick to set the full stage for how bad
of a shooting team they are. As a team, the
Orlando Magic are shooting thirty point seven percent from three
this season. The next worst is the Washington Wizards, who
are shooting thirty three point three percent, some of Moost
three whole percentage points higher. For the record here, the
league average from all players across the league is thirty
five point eight percent from three this season. When you

(47:28):
look at the Magic roster, their best three point shooter
is Moe Wagner, who's out for the season with a
torn acl At thirty six percent, Their next best healthy
player is Cole Anthony at thirty four point nine percent.
You run down the list here, we're talking about Palo
shooting thirty one point seven, Jalen Suggs thirty one point four,
Kntavious Powell Pope who was brought in here to be
the shooter, thirty one point one percent, Franz Wagner thirty

(47:49):
point three percent. That's just not good enough if you're
trying to be a high level basketball team. And the
KCP signing I did kind of think would.

Speaker 4 (47:56):
Help her work.

Speaker 3 (47:57):
So it is a little disappointing in that regard, but yeah,
they're just not good enough as a shooting team.

Speaker 7 (48:00):
The front thing is really disappointing too, because they gave
him a huge extension last summer, and part of is
you wanted him to become better three point shooter. The
first two years of his career he was run a
thirty five thirty six to three point shooter. Horrible last
year at twenty eight percent, and then he was better
to start the season.

Speaker 6 (48:15):
This year is way better.

Speaker 7 (48:16):
It was around the mid mid thirties, gets injured, comes back,
and it's really just dropped since then. Now obviously he's
at thirty percent as a shooter. For him to take
the next step, he has to becoming a not an elite,
but a good, a reliable three point shooter, and the
Magic are banking on that because they just gave m
a huge extension.

Speaker 2 (48:34):
All right, let's close up shop on this one again.
Kings and Warriors. Tonight, Warriors, they need your attention if
you haven't been paying attention to them. Twelve and once
since Jimmy Butler has joined them. I saw people in
Phoenix losing their minds going, so you should have traded
for Jimmy Butler. Would would the Suns have turned it
around with Jimmy Butler? Shamanard, No, this Sun there that's

(48:55):
sunk costs.

Speaker 3 (48:56):
The financial analyst and me would assess there, I don't
think that there's a really turning around that franchise.

Speaker 4 (49:01):
It will be very interesting what the conclusion of things.

Speaker 3 (49:04):
And by the way, I will know the Phoenix Suns
in Philadelphia seventy six Yers was still the same title.

Speaker 2 (49:08):
Odds somehow, Yeah, I would say. That's my point to
Sixers fans is just take a look. You think we've
got a bad imagine if you're the Phoenix Suns rolling
that roster.

Speaker 6 (49:17):
Bradley Beale contract with a no trade claw.

Speaker 2 (49:19):
Yeah, all right, so we'll close up shop with this
one six and a half Once again Warriors and Kings
Kings in the running for a playoff spot. Of course,
the Warriors continue to win a ballgamest twelve to one
since they added Jimmy Butler here tonight, Curry twenty eight,
twenty six and a half, Jimmy Butler nineteen and a half,
Sam Austria, I'll start with you all play on the
game and who do you have your eyes on as

(49:40):
far as a player perspective.

Speaker 6 (49:41):
Yeah, I like Jimmy Butler rebounds.

Speaker 7 (49:43):
I think this is a good opportunity for the Warriors
to kind of dominate the class again against the Kings,
and I like Jimmy Butler over six rebounds. In terms
of the game number I would I don't know if
I would touch the six and a half. I definitely
think the Warriors are gonna win, but I don't know
if I would touch it. The Warriors are playing great
bowl think that we've talked about this entire ride where
Jimmy Butler seamlessly fits in playing alongside Steph Curry, and

(50:06):
part of that is because Steph Curry now was so
much relief and he's playing the best basketball of his career,
is playing more off ball. He can operate with Jimmy
Butler as a cutter. Jaymond Green's playing great alongside Jimmy Butler.
The whole operation works for those guys. And now they
have Jonathan kaminga back too, So that's a lot of
non shooting on the floor that we're going to see

(50:26):
in the playoffs. We'll see how those rotations pan out.
But this Jimmy Butler thing works. It just made sense
from a basketball perspective, even though they paid him a
ton of money for the next couple of years. I
liked how Steph Curry's been playing, but I like Jimmy
Butler over rebounds tonight.

Speaker 4 (50:41):
I like it.

Speaker 3 (50:42):
I do like the Warriors minus six and a half.
My favorite player prop would actually be Zach Levine over
twenty one and a half points there. I kind of
like this little rejuvenation that we're seeing from Leavin a
little bit. They need scoring and he's providing it and
is kind of this you could have had me type
tour that he's going on. I think he brings that
right to Golden State and has a pretty strong performance tonight.
It is good getting Jonathan kaminga back. They need to
find a way to see how all these puzzle pieces

(51:03):
fit together. So good to actually get a look at that.
But I do think ultimately that there is no real
trouble for the Warriors tonight, and they do cover that
minus six and a half.

Speaker 2 (51:10):
All right, excellent stuff across the board. Sam Ostrie can
fight him on all things. Socials read him at the
score dot com. Shambernard, same thing. Socials read them over
at DK network. Right, DK Network, I got it, It's
true a blank on that one of the Nation network.
Julian Edli gave you a nice plug too, saying, you
guys are working hard on all things college basketball at

(51:32):
this point in time, So get on over there and
get all those Sean's content from college troops and the NBA.
Another edition of picks and Roll in the books. Everybody,
good luck on those plays and one winner sham Banard
for tonight Brooklyn.

Speaker 3 (51:46):
Nets moneyline who but no Josh Getty, no Lonzo Ball
for the Bulls. The Bulls are a pretty vulnerable team
on the best of circumstances, and the Nets are playing hard,
So sign me up for the plus one and ten
on that as well.

Speaker 6 (51:57):
Sam, It's college basketball season.

Speaker 7 (52:00):
I'm not betting the NBM watching every night, but I'm
not betting. I'm giving you too. I'm giving you two.
It's Philly teams. Temple minus three and a half, Villanova
plus six and a half. Ride the hometown teams.

Speaker 2 (52:11):
I like that. I'm gonna take the Pelicans plus two
at home against the Magic. Give me the two points.
I'll take the points at home. I think they come
out on top with the victory in New Orleans.

Speaker 6 (52:20):
All right, that's gonna do it for us.

Speaker 2 (52:21):
Coming up next, Bending the Edge McLay and b talking
all things offense and defensive line. Yeah, out of college football,
talking about the prospects coming up for the upcoming NFL Draft. Everybody,
have yourself wonderful night. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Bending
the Edge is next, BA