March 15, 2024 • 46 mins
Welcome back to another week of The Truth Lounge with Paul Pierce and Jason Crowe. In episode 4, Paul reflects on his college basketball career playing at Kansas and his favorite NCAA March Madness moments. The guys also get into the NBA MVP conversation, potential first round playoff matchups, Lonzo Ball, and much more.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, all right, tournament time is here. NBA season
is booming. There's really nothing like basketball in March. Tons
of tournament games with high stakes and high drama, all
competing to cut down the nets as national champs, and
betting opportunities are endless. So shout out to our partners
(00:21):
at DraftKings who make a good time even better. Right now,
all new customers who bet five dollars will get one
hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets instantly. Want to
know what you can do with that one hundred and
fifty dollars in bonus bets. Stay in on the action
and use your bonus bets on Draft Kings same game
(00:42):
parlays for a shot at even a bigger payout. So
fill out your brackets and place your bets on who
you think will rise to the top. With DraftKings Sportsbook,
download DraftKings Sportsbook app and sign up using Cold Lounge
and bet just five on any wager and get one
(01:02):
hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets instantly with promo
code Lounge only at DraftKings Sportsbook. The crown is yours.
Let me get this grill together, Let me get this
grill together, baby, let's get it. Those some burgers on here.
It's March Madness. March Madness is cracking. Whoa, oh, there
(01:26):
you go talking about March Madness. We're gonna talk about
some of the greatest March Madness runs in the history
of the game. Who had the best run individually, some
of the great matchups in March Madness. Talk about my
experience in the NCAA tournament, my days at Kansas, some
of my favorite moments, and oh yeah, we coming down
the stretch of this NBA season. We're gonna talk about
(01:48):
some first round matchups that can get real interesting. Also,
it's a couple of teams, it's a couple of matchups
I want to see in the playoffs come this year.
We're gonna get to that and the Truth Loue tonight.
What's up, everybody, Welcome to the Truth Lounge. With March
Madness around the corner. We're gonna dive right into this
(02:10):
because that was always one of my favorite times of
the year, me going to Kansas and just but we're
gonna talk about my favorite matchups in the tournament, best
March Madness run. I mean, what's your what's your thought
as March madness approaches, though, what you what you think?
(02:31):
What's some of your great runs?
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Man?
Speaker 1 (02:33):
But you that you've been able to win?
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Me individual we're talking about individual players, matchup, talking about
teams and matchups.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
A just memories.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
I know what My first memory, my one of my
early memories, I should say, of basketball and love was
watching the Ficelamma Jama versus Georgetown. Watching that right there
and then watching Georgetown. That transition into me just falling
in love with u NLV. Yeah, UNLV, the UNLV squads
(03:04):
when they went and that's I think that's why it
became that little we Hate Duke campaign, right because that
year they.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Blew at that time to Duke was damn there like
Laker Celtics, right right. Everybody hated Duke. Everybody hated Celtics.
Everybody loved LV.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Unless she was really tied into one like one, unless
she was tied in the Duke. I feel like the
people love UNLV just cheering for him. But Duke was
a great, great program, great squad.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Still is to this day.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
But those are my early memories. What about you playing
in the tournament. That's the one thing that's like I
never played in the March Madness. What is what is
your favorite memory in March Madness? Because y'all have some ones,
but y'all just never got over the top.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Bro, I ain't got no favorite memories of Marsh Madness.
We got upset every year. We was never one see
favorite to it or at least go to the Dashlar Championship,
and we just couldn't get over the hum man. I
just show you how hard it's hard to win in
the tournament. You gotta be good and lucky. If you
got a bad day, it's sober, it's sober. But like
(04:13):
I mean, I was just like as a kid watching
them UNLV Duke, watching just so many get the great
tournament battles, so many great players, you know, my my favorite.
But just like before I even get to my situation,
like the people that inspired me though, I'm gonna tell
you because I didn't really watch a lot of NBA,
I used to watch college take college games. I mean,
I'm watching cats like Glenn Robinson, Big Dog Robinson, rand Hill,
(04:39):
Larry Johnson. I couldn't wait till they played in big
matchups and them as guys I really looked at at
this time of the year. One of my favorite games,
I mean, my favorite, my favorite riory was Duke UNLV.
I mean, I feel like NFV was Americas team because
they went remember they went undefeated that year and lost
(04:59):
to do but then they want to beat it dated
they first lost with the Duke.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
And talk about it because they're like, man, that game
was like heartbreaking. No, they talk about it. It's a rumor.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
This say's something I'm confirming, and I'm just saying people's like, man,
that game was fixed. There's no way you beat the
team by thirty the year before. Yeah, and then the
next year you lose. Good, No that was it was,
but you beat them by thirty. But I think they
grew up. I think they matured. Bobby heard those guys
(05:32):
and they came back to get it.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
Some of my you know what, somebody but saying all that.
As far as team matchups, man, to me, the best
n C Double a tournament run ever by player, it's
probably Kimba Walker bro. I ain't gonna never forget his run.
I mean, it was some good runs out here. It
(05:56):
was some good runs and I ain't gonna discredit. But
we're just gonna talk about the players. That I saw
my own odds because I don't I didn't see Luis
Sender and Bill Walden. I to see, you know, all
the guys play. I'm just talking about from from from
the time I started watching n C Double A basketball,
Kimba Walker, Mellow run them to just stick out at
(06:18):
the top.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
To me, though, Kimba Walker run was impressive because they
had to get into the tournament. I think they had
nine losses in the Big East Conference.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
And your best player five to eleven. Like when we
used to look at the guys who they runs, like
Christan Lander Grant, all these casts. They was big. You know,
this was a big man's game kind of steal. It
was still a big man game or a wing player
game at the time. But Kimba Walker run was so
spectacular from the Big East Tournament we're talking about, from
the Big East Tournament all the way through March. I
(06:48):
don't think nobody had a better run winning the conference tournament,
getting MVP and then going to the NC Double A tournament,
not even the favorite and winning that. So if you
can find figure out a better run in that from
an individual than Kimba Walker, I think he averaged like
twenty four twenty five a game. I don't know no
(07:08):
player in NCAA history that had a better run than hell.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
So what is yoe, Let's let's do a list.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
Give me your top five players that you watch. Like
we said, we're not gonna go name players we didn't see.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
It's funny to say that. Here it is. I had
it ready for you. It's funny that you said this
my top five players. And I wrote these downs ever
in college basketball? To me that I saw, Man, somebody
gonna be mad. But Grant Hill, Glenn Robinson was big Dog,
(07:44):
Larry Johnson, Christian Ladner, and Kimba Walker. Then it's my
five best college players just because it was because there's
is not that they were the best in college but
because of the fact of their run on top of
them b and great, you know what I'm saying. So
them it is like, you know, because I can easily
(08:04):
say shack and say some of these other guys or
but mellow, But I'm just saying these dudes were me.
This is it right here? What about you? Who who
you got? Who your top five greatest college players?
Speaker 3 (08:20):
I like I like Larry Johnson because I just felt
he was so dominant I feel he controlled the game,
but one of mine, it is definitely gonna be Alan
Iverson for me, just for me, just because the way
he came in and Georgetown being an interior team and
he just made it so exciting and he has so
many great games and so many great highlight players.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
He was like Musty TV. He was Musty TV.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
Ended up being a number one pick at the point.
That's really impactful when you think about that. He was
number one pick at the point guard our position, not
in the not in.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
The potential draft era. Still you're drafting on production.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
He wasn't drafting on potential like Kyrie was the number
one pick, but it was like people with his skills
set and it was like, okay, we could be projecting
him to be great, but it wasn't what he was.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Actually, he didn't have that kind of year. He only
played like eleven games.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
I'm yeah, that's right, kleven games.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
It was more like projection that good.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
I ain't never heard that one.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
But also I'm like the one and done guys too,
Like I'm not off the one and done guys because
people are gonna not remember how dominant Michael Beasley was
during his year putting Catcher State on his back.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Yeah, this is mine. I mean coming into the freshman y.
What's the numbers on him?
Speaker 1 (09:38):
I think he has twenty seven and twelve.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Yeah, him and KD.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
I remember him and KD was killing.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
So in my time, I'm gonna go with he Aver
was twenty six and twelve.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
As a freshman. He has a freshman in a modern era. Yeah,
so he came in.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Uh so that's Beasley Iverson?
Speaker 1 (09:59):
Who was Larry Johnson? Yeah? The who the third, and
who the fourth? And fifth?
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Give me? Uh give me Carmelo Carmelo because I like
his run and I like his These guys is one year.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
So you ain't giving it. You ain't giving like you
you've been watching college for a long time.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
Bros.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
Said, you watched the Five Slimmers gam and you ain't
got a key like.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
I didn't really my first year that was it was them.
They was dunk and all that.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
So I came in the game with them, but I
really was on Georgetown because the way they play, they
was pressing.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
They had to give a year was that.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
It's like eighty four, all right, so you was about
like eight years Okay, okay, he was my eight years.
You remember everything. I'm surprised you. I'm surprised you to say,
Luiel Cinder you like his run?
Speaker 3 (10:47):
Yeah, I got it up here, I got it, hey,
fact check me. Georgetown was Georgetown influential. So he brought
Georgetown back Georgetown.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Well, what I'm saying, give me your five.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
So I got a I got I'm going with the.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Young mellow Larry Johnson.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
Yeah, And I said, uh, I said, Larry Mellow, Larry
Johnson and Beasley Beasley.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Oh you got a big dog in there.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
Man, I'm gonna go ahead and go with I'm gonna
go ahead and go with grand Hill over later.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Yes, all right, that's your fine, that's that's that's what Later.
It was cold.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
He made tough shots. But to me, grand Hill he
just was a beast that year.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
That they left.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Man, I'm telling you, he moved to like the point four,
Ward takes a lot of his game.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
He moved to the point forward that year.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
It was like really dominant going down middle Duncan like
he can make every play on the basketball.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
Town Walker was called.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
He just he played for a super team like he did,
so he didn't get a change.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
That might be the only college super team that I
can think of outside of Like, you know, I don't
see the five Slimmer Jab. I know they have pros,
but super team.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
The Fab five, Oh, the Five five?
Speaker 1 (11:59):
All right, this which brings me to this most influential Damn,
we gotta throw them in there at the Fab Fi.
They're probably the most influential for me. It's UNLV or
Fab five as far as influence on on bliss, hooping,
playing college, wanting to go to college. They style and that's.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
What you say.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
That's where you gotta go back and look at Georgetown
because Georgetown influenced all them because they was that first
team that had the Nike deal. John Thompson had them
in the Nikes and they had the stylis.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
They ain't gonna never be like that again, I don't see.
And I'm thinking it ain't gonna never be a team
in college because of the way it is, the structured,
how guys is leaving early, that you're gonna see a
team that's just an influencial team and follow and get
behind them for some years. I mean, I can't even
think of no team that was just like I can't
even say, man, they're gonna be good next year because
(12:52):
if somebody played well, that players went to the league,
they go. So that was I think the nineties was
the best erar eighties, late eighties and nineties was probably
the best era for college basketball. So that's why we
got in this area. You got a lot of Cinderella
teams and that bracket feeling out that bracket, good luck, bro, good.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Luck, good luck. Well, you gotta really you know what
you gotta do. It is good luck.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
But now you gotta really do your research on these
teams because last year showed us that Florida.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Fau in San Diego State.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
Yeah, they in the final four, right right, and the
styles was contrasting. Now, so you have to really understand
these players and the transfer portal teams as oh, will
we see another team like those Kentucky teams where we
have five freshmen be able to play and get the
teams of the finals? Are three or four freshmen in
(13:48):
the lineup? Are the impact Like who's the last impactful freshman?
Speaker 1 (13:54):
Is?
Speaker 2 (13:54):
It? Is it Zion Zion for shots is crazy?
Speaker 1 (13:58):
And they had a round what was that run? They
lost early? They lost probably like sweet sixteen. Yeah, they
got popped. They lost the Taco fall.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
They was dominated with three freshmen if I'm.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Not yeah, yeah yeah, two three pros, three pros. Like
right now, right now today, I can't even think of
no no player or no team that I'm like. Houston
is nice, Kansas, you know, been up and down, but
like I think college is wide open. Has ever been
as it's ever been right now, Yukon is the favorite
(14:31):
and then and then see but I'm just saying, like
I can't even tell you one player off Yukon, like
who like, because I guess I don't know if it's
the national coverage or no.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
But that's how you win a high draft.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
That's how you win right now, right you may have
like a player, but they're not household names. The top
teams is going to have mature players that are probably
not household names, but they're great ball players. They understand
that the coach, they understand the system like Houston. Houston
is has been a dominant team for them to come
to the Big Twelve. They've been a smaller conference team. Yeah,
(15:06):
whatever conference they was in America, whatever that was. They
came to the Big twelve and they won the Big
Twelve over Kansas.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
So who is that Calvin Simpson.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
Calvin Simpson, Yeah, Sampson.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
Yeah, yeah. He was at Oklahoma Dawson College, Calvin Simpson,
So you know, he been in the game a long time,
been a great coach. Shout out to Calvin Simson. But
when I fell out my bracket, I always just put
Kansas winning it all, you know, I just.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
I'm probably never tell you this. I was heard when
Kansas beat Oklahoma. Is that eighty eight?
Speaker 1 (15:40):
When they won it all?
Speaker 2 (15:41):
Yeah, I was. Yeah. I love Mokie Blaylock and Stacey
King and Ricky Grace.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
History of that.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Yeah, we just the same.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
You started watching Search.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
It wasn't Presearch Traveler too, but I remember that because
Mokie Blaylock is one of my favorite players, like playing defense,
the way he played defensive, stole the ball. That's I
got that from him. I saw that from him right there.
I just always follow him. But I love when they
beat that team with Danny Manning. I was hot and
I never went like, so you so what made you
(16:15):
choose Kansas? Like we're from la Inglewood, damn City.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
Right there? You said you said it right there, you
said it right there. Well, maybe choose Kansas living in.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Inglewood, get you out the city.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
I need to get out of there now. I had
to get out of there. You know, only took like
two visits. So look, I go to USC you know
state's balls. Man, we'll even get his all in there.
I'm seeing with how they live in. They living cool,
they kicking in this, we smoke everywhere, they shoot nice.
I'm like, man, I ain't going there and see I
(16:50):
need to lock in. I'm like, it's too much kicking
it over here. I was like, you know, it was
all it was just too coos to hole you say,
LA had just won the national championship. Coach Harry was like, yeah,
you're gonna start. I'm thinking, like, damn, y'all just won
the national championship with freshman's horma start. So I didn't
feel like he was telling me the truth. And it
(17:12):
was just something. When I took my visit to Kansas,
bro it was just like nothing I've ever seen. Think
about it, like West Coast basketball, it ain't got that.
It ain't got that Midwest, on that East coast, they
not into it. It's just too much going on in
the West Coast because you can got you got the
top player in California over at Inglewood. Ain't nobody hardly
showing up. You got the Lakers down right here. Everybody
going to that game. You got you. It's just too
(17:33):
much to do. It's just too much to do. I
went to Kansas and we was the pro team. Everybody
showing up, sold out every night. They was chatting my
name at the game. I was like, oh, it was like,
I'm going here.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
So what's your gre So when you was at Kansas,
my I got a chance to go out there and
visit you. That was an amazing experience to go to
the game as Missouri. I drove down with the fans,
I had the fan experiences, drove down into Missouri.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
It was boring, right, I was in the whole game.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
It ain't no school in the country that's like Kansas
University for basketball. I've never seen this in my life.
I'm on campus. I'm thinking this is my first game.
Let's say, leading up to my first game, I'm going
to practice. It's kids out there and sleeping bags. It's
(18:23):
kids out there with tents, and I'm like, damn, the
game ain't till Friday. It's Monday. It's Monday. The game
ain't till Friday, and then they got this chance rock
chalk jay Hall, Ok, they go crazy. I don't think
(18:45):
I never lost the game at Kansas. I ain't never lost.
I think we were sixty and oh wow six Automatically
you ain't coming in the mar I don't know what
happened before me or after me, but I know I
left there with a sixty sixty game win streak, or
it might have been more. It was around fifty sixty
(19:08):
games for shuow.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
So what what was it a game or was it
a moment or was it like a certain period where
you knew you was ready for the leak? Because see,
you came out in the era where because now the league,
because that's what we're talking about. We were talking about
Iris and Kyrie, the transition to where we are today.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
In a.
Speaker 3 (19:29):
You get drafted for your potential. You didn't have that luxury.
You had to be ready to.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
Play with grown men. I mean when you stay, it
was kind of it was kind of like half and
half if you were a big man.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
No no, no, yeah, yeah, it was kind of half
and half because you gotta forget in ninety six kg
got drafted out of high school.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
If you're a big man, yeah, like Kobe changed.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
Ninety five kg, you got drafted high school. Kobe came in,
he wasn't a big man. What he was the first
grade after that, so it was half potential, half you ready.
And then the infux just came in with all these
high school was where it's like, all right, it's potential now,
but you definitely had to be ready. And that's why
I felt like I was ready. I felt like I
was ready. My sophomore year. I felt like I was ready.
(20:13):
But I was like, man, shoot, I'm gonna be one
of the top players if I come back. I had
a dream in my head. I was like I always
dream what I wanted to do. Man. I was like, man,
I could be the number one pick. Then I came
out the junior year, I was the number one oh pick.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
I thought, I thought you could have been a number
one pick at that time because it was the number
one pick was Michael OLIVERA Candy but.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
I didn't even hear I never even heard of Michael
Oliver Candy.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
And then the number two pick was Mike Baby. Yeah,
but just based on that, he was definitely covid. I
just think based on that you could have been but
also how much do you think, uh jacqu Vaughn graduation
and also Rayfel the friends getting hurt for a significant
part of the season.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
It gave you different roles, right because.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
You play some four, which I think the four helped
you get ready for the league because now you've got
to be physical and the way y'all system was Againsts.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
Was able to step out, posting them more.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
He was able to step out, show your game. And
then not having Jack Vaughn there the offense, he was
able to do more on the with the ball of
my development.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
Once them guys well, Raip was still there, but Jock
but missed a lot of games. He missed. He missed.
He missed about eight nine games because he broke his hand.
I remember, but I mean I was still having a
good year. But it didn't help me just understand, like,
all right, I have to do more, you know, because
a lot of people looked at me and just a score.
But I showed I could play defense, rebound pass because
(21:40):
I got more opportunity and I thought I was gonna
be I was up for National Player of the Year.
You know, I knew I probably wasn't get it because
Antoine Jamison at the time was he was dominating high
he was dominating at North Carolina and there was number
one all year long two. But junior year I thought
for sure I was so ready. Junior year coach Williams
was like, and you're not coming back pretty much he
(22:01):
put me as like, you're not coming back. And I
was the first player in the Roy Williams air to
ever leave really under him, I think I was. Yeah,
I'm pretty sure I was. Everybody usually stayed the senior
year because Jock stayed the senior year and the friends
stayed to senior year. They could have left junior year.
He was like, no, there's no need to come back.
(22:22):
And so you know, that was the cold college experience.
But we got upset every year. We lost one year
to Arizona like Bibbie. We lost one year to Syracuse
in the sweet sixteen.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
That's what I remember. Man dropped the ball.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
Yeah, and then we lost second round to Catino Mobley
and Tyson and little Tyson what what was his name, Wheeler?
Tyson Wheeler. Yeah, the left was unorthodox shooting threes and
so that was my college career. But Marsh Maddness is
always exciting, man, I'm excited for it this year. I'm
gonna get my bracket. Hopefully Kansas go for a deep player,
(22:58):
go for a deep tournament run, because I was at
the championship game a couple of years ago in New
Orleans where they won, you know, and it's nothing like
the tournament. So good luck to all the teams this year.
And I'm always excited for this time of the year.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
Your name, just your guys, Now, which guy in your
college players that you name? You name your top college players? Yeah,
so which one of those guys, if any, were you
trying to emulate the most when you was in high
school to say I want to play like this guy,
because we watched.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
A lot of Yeah, it was a lot of them, though,
it was it was a lot of them. It was
about five I'm gonna tall you five of them started
with Steve Smith Michigan State, Jimmy Jackson, Ohio.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
State, Jimmy Jackson, Jimmy.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Glenn Robinson, Glenn Big Dog Robinson, Perdue, Grant Hill at Duke.
Then was the dudes I watched closely. I taped all
their games. I'm like, man, because they was like the
small forwards. You know, as I got old, there was
a small forward. So Jimmy had the pull up game.
He was a handle you know. Grant Hill was the
point forward because my senior year, I became to point forward,
(24:04):
and so why Steve Smith point forward? When I'm watching
all of them and I'm emulating the things that they doing,
you know, handling the ball, distributed, having the all the
them was the guys I consider had all around game,
and I just tried to emulate. They post up, jumper inside, outside,
and so them four players right there, Uh it was
(24:26):
the guys I most tried to emulate. And I was
just like, man, shoot, they got it. They had it.
And all the players was all Americans. All of them
was top dogs at their school. So them as the
dudes always tried to emulate, you know, I like, uh,
one more in there, uh no, but that was pretty
much it. Big Dog, Grant Hill, Jimmy Jock, Jimmy Jackson,
(24:49):
Hoillo State, and uh who uh yeah, big Dog Steve Smith,
Steve Smith, Steve Smith Smith Mischi in State. So them
is the guys I was really trying to it worked.
I looked at the right guys and so well, shout
(25:09):
out to them cats man, y'all is an inspiration for me.
I appreciate y'all. But in saying that, moving forward, we
are winding down the NBA year and it's about to
get interested out here. Bro, I'm looking at the matchups.
I'm looking at the especially I got my eye on
the West, close eye on the West, because it can
(25:31):
be some real intriguing matchups. Now, out of all the matchups,
who would you be most like interested to see like
in a matchup, whether it be an individual player versus
individual player or team versus team, especially in that first round.
Because I'm looking at it, it's getting thick. It's getting thick.
You got it for me?
Speaker 3 (25:50):
This is now we're start in the West this year,
We're going to start to appreciate more and more to
play in. The playing is gonna be crazy because you
can have a scenario where you got Luca Lebron uh kd.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
I'm just saying potentially.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
Right now, Steph, right now, this is the matchup. This
the matchup. If everything started, you got the potential of
Golden State playing Lakers for playing uh. If Dallas keep
tricking off, it could be Golden State Dallas Luca. I
mean these matches at the bottom is.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
You know, the playing is critical.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
You in that nine ten spot is one game elimination.
It's like a tournament game. It's one game for it all.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
And this is where a guy like Steph, a Steph
versus Lebron matchup is critical.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
But that's one game. Yeah, the playoff series, you know,
I want to see I want to see this matchup
where Clippers versus Phoenix. I want to see that if
something happened to where Phoenix can somehow who up to
five and have a match up with Kawhi and KD
because that matchup was about to happen until uh, let's
(27:02):
see I think, uh Kevin Durant got hurt.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
Yeah, I think that's that's a great matchup in the
first one.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
I want to see that. But in the East, I
want Kawhi got hurt. Yeah, Kawhi got her. Yeah, that's
why Kawhi got her and missed and so we never
got a chance to really see that match up. But
in the East, I want to see Miami Boston first round.
I ain't gonna even lie. I want to get them
up out of here fast. Let's get them up out
(27:30):
of here. I don't want to hear nothing from them.
That's tough, man, Let's get them up out of here.
I want to see that. I want to see that
in the first round. We ain't ducking nothing. It's hard
to win. We ain't ducking nothing. It's hard to win.
And we ain't ducking that. And then whoever after that
(27:52):
we'll take, we'll take, we'll take, We'll take Cleveland in
the second round. Then we'll see Milwaukee.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
Yeah, that's that round. Who that Miami first round matchup is.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
We want that. We want let's get them out of
here early because we don't want Jimmy to start getting high.
You know, as the further he goes, the better you get.
We want to get them out of here fast before. Yeah,
that's what it seemed like with Buddy Man. He gets
his rhythm and you never know gav in Miami. But
that that's the two matchups I want to see, and
(28:25):
the first round.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
I think the first round works.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
You who you are, I'm gonna give you one of
this intriguing to me. It's probably not a popular one,
but I want to see the Clippers in New Orleans
in that first round at four. The way they started
they started right now.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
I think they're four or five because that's who it
is right now.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
I feel like that's just like a tricky matchup for
the Clippers.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
That's a tricky matchup for them.
Speaker 3 (28:50):
Yeah, because they're the favorite. You talk, people are talking
about the Clippers winning the championship. Then you come out
here and you got a match up where you got
deal with Zion and Ingram in the first round, and
then CJ. Mccullub can win you a game or two
if he's healthy. If he comes in healthy, he can
win you a game or two.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
How confident are you, Okay, see getting out the first round,
because they're gonna even have to see Dallas, Lakers, Golden State,
possibly Sacramento, could be Phoenix. You never know. They can slide. Oh,
this is all predication.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
Okay. See as Karen, they got the m v P
this year.
Speaker 1 (29:25):
Do you think they got the MVP.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
Yeah, I think they got Damn. He's ascended.
Speaker 3 (29:29):
Like to me, Yoga is still the best player by
by this much. This guy just did a great job
in a in a I'm about it.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
So you're saying it's a lock. You think it's a
lock for him right now?
Speaker 2 (29:41):
I don't think it's a lock. I just think that
it's close.
Speaker 1 (29:44):
They finished one or two or two or two. Nobody
had nobody the preseason. This is what I want to know.
What was there? What were they projected in the preseason?
You know what was they projected the thun the Thunder wins, wins.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
They got that.
Speaker 1 (30:05):
Now they got that, they had him Edgie playing, and
if they win the West, he's the MVP. That's what
I'm looking at.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
His consistency too, from the guard spot, he's the he's
the number one on the skeleton reporter every single night
and he comes in he's like, hey.
Speaker 1 (30:21):
They got that. They got a lot of good players
that fly under the ray are.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
But he's consistent. He scored thirty nights.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
So you think Jason Tatum don't got a shot.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
Now, No, I think he's in the mix. I think
this year is the year that.
Speaker 1 (30:37):
I mean, I think it was. Think it's kind of
like a big blow them losing the Denver on.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
National on national, and I just think it's hard to
make him the m v P this year.
Speaker 3 (30:47):
When Jalen Brown it's on your team and he's playing well,
and he's playing well, he's not playing bad.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
But he's playing like a top five league.
Speaker 2 (30:57):
Yeah, that's what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (30:58):
So you look at it what he's been doing stretches
throughout the season where he's looking like a top five player.
So I think that kind of minimizes Tatum. Where who's
the guy that's looking like an All Star caliber player
for a ten game stretch for OKC. You know, I
look at Yogas, you're the best player. But I say,
like Murray is there, So I think it's closed.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
But I just for this year for me?
Speaker 1 (31:19):
What about Luca Donkinson not in there?
Speaker 2 (31:22):
Lucas cold, but I don't have him as the most
I don't have him as most valuable because I think
that his team.
Speaker 1 (31:31):
If you take Luca off Dallas, they're not even a
playoff team period. Lucas Lucas, Luca.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
Is a top player in this league.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
Where he ranks, I don't know, but I think I
think his defensive I think his defensive inefficiency.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
It doesn't have him right now is an MVP because.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
They might they might not even make the playoffs. That's
a chance they don't make the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
No players. They play Steph Curry in the first round.
Speaker 1 (31:56):
So you got Shane Joker can still win it. Tatum
and and that's the that's the that's it right there,
that's the three. And I got and I got Jason
Tatum gotta do the win MVP right now the rest
of the season.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
It's not what he gotta do. Jellen, you gotta do
Jeylen Brown gotta turned an ankle or something. What do
you got another guy in the lineup you just said
playing top five basketball, so that it's out of his hands, because.
Speaker 3 (32:23):
Even if he scored forty, this guy's got the next night. Yeah,
so you don't have another guy. That's what I'm saying about.
Shot about Shay Gilgers. He's getting thirty every single night.
He's getting ready, I think, if I'm not mistaken, he
tied the record.
Speaker 2 (32:37):
So he tied KD for most thirty point games. And
it's still seventeen games to go, so he's going to
break that record. Think about that right now.
Speaker 1 (32:45):
It's here's the ad bro right now.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
Shane gild just yeah, he's too consistent.
Speaker 1 (32:50):
It's it's his MVP to lose, his MVP to lose.
What do Joker gotta do to win MVP?
Speaker 3 (32:59):
I mean Jokers, this Joker, I don't think is gonna
play his game. I don't think Joe can Jokers Is
still can win it because the people might not see it.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
I see it.
Speaker 3 (33:09):
The voting people may not see it for me. For me,
I just can't see. He's been too consistent. He's just
getting his numbers.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
He's shooting fifty every night. Joker, winn v P or
you still got shak I.
Speaker 2 (33:23):
Wouldn't be I wouldn't be mad for me. I got
shamed because of you. I'll be mad. Tum win, Yeah,
I'll be mad.
Speaker 1 (33:33):
The criteria the best record on the best team.
Speaker 3 (33:36):
No, you got another guy that can carry you through.
What I like about Yoker Joker is that Jamal Murray
went down for a lot of games and he's kept
that ship afloat. So I give him that same type
of deal that I'm giving, just what I.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
Said you taking because of the team.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
Yeah, you could.
Speaker 3 (33:55):
You could have an off night and this guy can
carry you if, like, if it's rare for five games,
so one night, maybe you got a team that can
carry you.
Speaker 2 (34:04):
If say, missed five games, who's doing this still win? No,
not five, They're gonna go one and four. Yes they
are without him, without that thirty.
Speaker 1 (34:13):
Without that thirty one point guy, they can still win
without him.
Speaker 2 (34:16):
Who scored thirty one points forty something.
Speaker 1 (34:18):
They got cats on there that can hoop the first
place because of one dude.
Speaker 2 (34:24):
No, but he is a consistent They can be inconsistent.
He can't.
Speaker 3 (34:28):
When you got Jalen Brown, nobody else gets what's their
second lead to score getting it's hit and miss one week.
Shid is doing good. Williams had great.
Speaker 2 (34:37):
Games this year.
Speaker 3 (34:37):
He's had thirty point games. But I'm saying they have contributed.
That's why they are top team. Like you said, But
if this guy is showing up every single night with
thirty every night back to back, he scored thirty, he's
about to listen what I told her about to break
Kevin Durant most thirty.
Speaker 2 (34:54):
Games in the Old K history.
Speaker 1 (34:56):
He got the strongest argument. He got the strongest argument.
The end VP him at Yeah, I gave it draft
plus six second.
Speaker 3 (35:06):
Yeah, he don't have enough. That's why I said I
wouldn't even mad if Yokis get it.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
Because Shay doesn't have enough primetime games this year. Nobody
he wasn't projected to do this, so he doesn't have
any prime time, how many times he's played has he
played on ABC at all? Willie? So he's not playing.
Speaker 1 (35:25):
Hard to say what it said that her games was
because I'm he getting thirty every night.
Speaker 2 (35:29):
He's had a lot of games where he's closed games out,
like in the fourth quarter.
Speaker 1 (35:34):
Versus Denver seven points. Stand though, this is who you
this is you know you look at matchups, you know,
just like everybody said, oh it's gonna be temper JT
to get MVP after the losing to Denver and uh,
he didn't play that good and Joker did this. But
about when Shape laid Denver seven.
Speaker 2 (35:53):
Points early early?
Speaker 1 (35:55):
He never scored under devil figures all year? Who except
for that game, Joker Shay, Yeah, seven points versus your commentation?
Speaker 2 (36:06):
What happened? What happened that game?
Speaker 1 (36:09):
Whatever?
Speaker 2 (36:09):
What game? What happened was the results?
Speaker 1 (36:11):
I don't remember.
Speaker 2 (36:15):
Exactly. He's the MVP.
Speaker 3 (36:17):
Well he plays bad, they lose, Yes, that's my that's
my argument. Then you gonna thank you you back me up,
the back up because you said he's scoring seven they
got blown out.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
There's no support for him consistently. He cannot miss a
week of work.
Speaker 1 (36:41):
Man. Some news that just came out. I ain't. We
ain't talk about it. But they said, uh, lonzoball is
uh he got on card activity okay. They they said
he could come back. A lot of people will saying
he ain't. He wasn't gonna play again. What you think
of that?
Speaker 2 (37:01):
Oh, man? You know what, as an athletes, you always
put yeah, we love him, man.
Speaker 3 (37:07):
I watched him play the first time we watched him play.
Anybody seeing him play any earlier, any footage of him.
The earliest footage of him playing high school basketball besides
his mom and pop's home film that they might have
is on YouTube of him playing in the Paul Pierce
Fall League. A boy the Anthony started that at Inglewood High,
the Paul Piers Fall League. And that's the first time
(37:29):
I saw him play. And this is my first experience
of Washington play right at Inglewood High. It was a
Paul Pierce folly.
Speaker 2 (37:36):
Name after you. They were playing a game. The guy
hits a three.
Speaker 3 (37:40):
They were playing I want to say Linde or somebody.
The guy hits a three on the other team with
like two seconds left, he takes it out, throws the
ball left of the court.
Speaker 2 (37:50):
They love. The other team loses the other team in
the three. It's two things that they was celebrated a
little bit, took it out through the lift of the court.
I know he was amazing because look the team.
Speaker 1 (38:00):
You think, how you think, I mean, what you think
of him coming back? And what do you see you
know from him moving forward? I mean, we ain't seen
him in about two years.
Speaker 3 (38:08):
It's hard to tell, you know, because he plays the game.
They've changed the way they play without him, and so
I don't know if he fits.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
There with Kobe White emerging right now, Yeah, because they penetrating.
I think the dude, if he come back, but he's
you know, just you know, some of some of the
stuff he had because before he got hurt, before he
went out, he was starting. I think I think he
was starting to come into his own. I think he
needed to get out of Chicago. I don't think, you know,
(38:37):
with the emergence of Kobe White.
Speaker 2 (38:39):
Is he a starting point guard?
Speaker 1 (38:41):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (38:42):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (38:43):
We got to see. You know, he gonna have a
whole summer to get his strength back. He started on
court activity, so he's gonna have about like six seven
months to get ready for next year. I just hope
he come back in full strength, so we can see
him because I think he's had an awesome story of
him and his brother for sure deal with injuries.
Speaker 2 (38:57):
And so you know, I want to see the whole Baulivan, Yeah,
he got the thing that that that that I'm most
concerned about. If I have any concern, it's not his offense,
it's him coming back.
Speaker 3 (39:12):
He was developing a reputation as defense being his strength
and his IQ of the game. When you usually when
you like this, can you come back and be that
stellar of defender at that position at the most one
of the most dangerous positions now where they're just coming
at you. It's a free flowing attack. It's not guys
running offense at that position like he is. It's not
(39:32):
a our players that are similar to him. Most of
these guys are coming at you, dearon Fox. These guys
coming to score. You know, even Austin Reeves and Deans
like team after team, Curry run around every team.
Speaker 2 (39:45):
These guys are coming to shay. These guys are coming
to score, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (39:50):
So just want to see if he can come back
with that athleticism and that defensive ability.
Speaker 2 (39:55):
That would be great for him.
Speaker 1 (39:57):
You know we're talking about stars matching up. I said
KD and Kawhi. I want to see that match up. Uh,
is there any matchup like star individual stars? You want
to see match up in the playoffs? Like, I don't
really see no match up in the East.
Speaker 2 (40:11):
I'm excited to see Shaye in the playoffs. But like
you mean, you mean Mono, like you see like if
KD match up with.
Speaker 1 (40:22):
I'm watching that series first. Yeah, they got to play
a seven game series each other.
Speaker 2 (40:28):
I don't know if we're gonna see that.
Speaker 1 (40:31):
I'm trying to think what about like Dallas, what about
Luca and Shane? That could be a match up.
Speaker 2 (40:35):
They're not gonna guard each other.
Speaker 1 (40:37):
They're not guarding each other.
Speaker 2 (40:38):
No, they're not gonna guard each other.
Speaker 1 (40:40):
Hurry and Shane.
Speaker 3 (40:42):
I don't I don't think they gonna guard. You can't guard.
You can't guard Shade with Curry, that's the nightmare.
Speaker 1 (40:48):
Damn it ain't no matter what about it.
Speaker 2 (40:50):
He's that good. He's your m v P.
Speaker 1 (40:51):
Oh.
Speaker 3 (40:51):
We could possibly see no, but I want to see
him in the playoffs versus Denver. I believe that they
have the best chance to be because they have the athletes,
the speed. They who's gonna guard yokis nobody, Nobody can
guard them. But what I'm saying is they have the
type of athletes to play the style. Because now with Minnesota,
(41:12):
they're they're gonna be down with no with no car
Anthony Towns. I can't believe them coming confidently into these matchups.
Speaker 2 (41:18):
They're gonna Drew.
Speaker 1 (41:22):
Actually, that's gonna happen too.
Speaker 2 (41:26):
That's the one.
Speaker 1 (41:27):
Drew and Dang got a match up. They gonna see
each other in the conference.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
Fine, you was over there, you yeah, you in my home?
Can you win without me?
Speaker 1 (41:36):
Is there anybody in the West that can be Denver
or give them what you said?
Speaker 2 (41:40):
Yeah? So what I'm saying, that's why I want to
see that matchup that can beat them.
Speaker 3 (41:45):
Yeah, yeah, because I think they got the guy that
for that can get you, that can get.
Speaker 2 (41:49):
You fourth quarter scoring the regular season. He can get
you fourth quarter scoring. To be Denver, you have to
outscore them in the fourth quarter.
Speaker 1 (42:00):
With Carl Anthony Towns, he's got a meniscus injury he's
dealing with. They say he's gonna be at at least
four weeks. So I think I'm righting off Minnesota. I
think they're gonna slide. I just don't see him coming
back and regaining that strength and just that quick turnaround
when everything's heating up. So when I look at him,
Minnesota is not gonna be a team.
Speaker 2 (42:18):
I'm really I feel sorry.
Speaker 1 (42:20):
I'm going to be concerned about They had a great year, Anthony,
thatwarth having a great year, and the part of it
is like you gotta be good, but you gotta be lucky.
And that's the one part you know that's unfortunate. And
now what about like Clippers. You don't think Clippers gotta
shot at Denver? I mean if I either look, I
think maybe the only one team I think Clippers the
(42:42):
only one that got the depth the Clippers on.
Speaker 2 (42:45):
The problem they have with Denver is that they want
to go small ball in the second and fourth quarters.
Speaker 1 (42:50):
They got bigs that can match up winning too.
Speaker 2 (42:52):
No, but that's not what how they want to play
in the second and fourth quarter.
Speaker 1 (42:55):
They'll keep Plumblee and Zubac out there.
Speaker 3 (42:58):
Nah, they want to go small. They want to go pile.
They want to go they want to go Norman Pole.
They want to go with that lineup because they had
they had Kawhi Garden Joker, I.
Speaker 1 (43:09):
Think you don't even have I think the thing about Denver.
Don't focus on stopping Joker like you're not stopping them,
focus on stopping everybody else. Don't let Jamal go off
at twenty thirty. Don't let Eric Gord give you that eighteen.
Speaker 2 (43:23):
You can't.
Speaker 3 (43:25):
That's why Joker is so good, because you're gonna focus
on stopping them, and he has the ball.
Speaker 1 (43:30):
I'm telling you you gotta make you gotta make Joker
a tim make him a score. We can live with that.
But when he dropping dimes off over here, Gordon Murray, Michael.
Speaker 2 (43:45):
Porter, JUNI, you're gonna do that too. That's the thing,
because when.
Speaker 1 (43:47):
These other dudes don't play well, you got a shot.
You got a better shot to beat them. When I
look up and his numbers is thirty six, fifteen and fifteen.
Speaker 3 (43:53):
You ain't got no shot.
Speaker 2 (43:54):
We got thirty six. I mean you didn't go ahead
and get forty.
Speaker 1 (43:57):
Now with five assists, we'll give you extra here, go
get just take away five of those assists. He gonna rebound,
he could score it, but don't let him pick you apart.
I think that's gotta be the blueprint. Let him, let
him post up if he gonna be at the high
post man, look, keep up on your man. We switch everything.
(44:17):
Don't give him no back doors, don't give him no flairs, make.
Speaker 2 (44:19):
Him go one on one.
Speaker 1 (44:22):
Don't help.
Speaker 2 (44:23):
We'll see. I'm sure that.
Speaker 1 (44:26):
Every other thing.
Speaker 2 (44:27):
It's hard to get.
Speaker 1 (44:28):
The digging you're getting, the paint, you get, the trapping.
Speaker 2 (44:31):
You look inside.
Speaker 1 (44:32):
Just man, face face man face face, guard your man.
Let him go. If he gets forty to fifty and
he don't get those ten eleven twelve assists, I think
you got a shot. Don't let Jamal Murray get off.
Don't let Michael Porter get off. Don't let Eric Gordon
get off, like like the most important piece is Murray,
(44:53):
because Murray can beat you. But if you let Michael,
if you say, Joker get fifty.
Speaker 2 (44:58):
You give him all that space on eat you a live.
Speaker 1 (45:00):
It's not space. We just gonna let him. We just
go one on one, no help.
Speaker 2 (45:03):
Yeah, but that's what I'm saying. That's no, that's all
that space he can wiggle. He's too crafty. You know,
we'll see.
Speaker 1 (45:08):
But that's that's that's the blueprint. I think nobody has
tried that I don't think, but I think that's the
blueprint and beat Denver. If you're gonna beat him in
the seven game seraison, you gotta make him a score.
Speaker 2 (45:19):
But there is no blueprint.
Speaker 1 (45:21):
I think nobody just said go out and get forty
and fifty every night. He's getting forty and fifty with
a twelve.
Speaker 2 (45:27):
Yeah. I don't think he really just wants to just
be a fifty points, That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (45:32):
So he just says I'd rather him do that now
of other guys ain't not getting the touches. They not
getting the shots the field for the game in the
field and getting the rhythm like keep them out of rhythm. Yeah,
that's that's the way you gotta go. Hey man, whether
you have it, thanks for joining another edition at the
Truth Lounge. Make sure y'all dropping the comments. Who do
(45:53):
y'all think is gonna win the NCAA Tournament? My picking
is Kansas Rock Child Jayhawk. Can you also shout out
the Draft Kings, all the smoke productions and I'll see
you baby. It's marsh madness, Let's get it.
All right, all right, tournament time is here. NBA season
is booming. There's really nothing like basketball in March. Tons
of tournament games with high stakes and high drama, all
competing to cut down the nets as national champs, and
betting opportunities are endless. So shout out to our partners
(00:21):
at DraftKings who make a good time even better. Right now,
all new customers who bet five dollars will get one
hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets instantly. Want to
know what you can do with that one hundred and
fifty dollars in bonus bets. Stay in on the action
and use your bonus bets on Draft Kings same game
(00:42):
parlays for a shot at even a bigger payout. So
fill out your brackets and place your bets on who
you think will rise to the top. With DraftKings Sportsbook,
download DraftKings Sportsbook app and sign up using Cold Lounge
and bet just five on any wager and get one
(01:02):
hundred and fifty dollars in bonus bets instantly with promo
code Lounge only at DraftKings Sportsbook. The crown is yours.
Let me get this grill together, Let me get this
grill together, baby, let's get it. Those some burgers on here.
It's March Madness. March Madness is cracking. Whoa, oh, there
(01:26):
you go talking about March Madness. We're gonna talk about
some of the greatest March Madness runs in the history
of the game. Who had the best run individually, some
of the great matchups in March Madness. Talk about my
experience in the NCAA tournament, my days at Kansas, some
of my favorite moments, and oh yeah, we coming down
the stretch of this NBA season. We're gonna talk about
(01:48):
some first round matchups that can get real interesting. Also,
it's a couple of teams, it's a couple of matchups
I want to see in the playoffs come this year.
We're gonna get to that and the Truth Loue tonight.
What's up, everybody, Welcome to the Truth Lounge. With March
Madness around the corner. We're gonna dive right into this
(02:10):
because that was always one of my favorite times of
the year, me going to Kansas and just but we're
gonna talk about my favorite matchups in the tournament, best
March Madness run. I mean, what's your what's your thought
as March madness approaches, though, what you what you think?
(02:31):
What's some of your great runs?
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Man?
Speaker 1 (02:33):
But you that you've been able to win?
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Me individual we're talking about individual players, matchup, talking about
teams and matchups.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
A just memories.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
I know what My first memory, my one of my
early memories, I should say, of basketball and love was
watching the Ficelamma Jama versus Georgetown. Watching that right there
and then watching Georgetown. That transition into me just falling
in love with u NLV. Yeah, UNLV, the UNLV squads
(03:04):
when they went and that's I think that's why it
became that little we Hate Duke campaign, right because that
year they.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Blew at that time to Duke was damn there like
Laker Celtics, right right. Everybody hated Duke. Everybody hated Celtics.
Everybody loved LV.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Unless she was really tied into one like one, unless
she was tied in the Duke. I feel like the
people love UNLV just cheering for him. But Duke was
a great, great program, great squad.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Still is to this day.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
But those are my early memories. What about you playing
in the tournament. That's the one thing that's like I
never played in the March Madness. What is what is
your favorite memory in March Madness? Because y'all have some ones,
but y'all just never got over the top.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Bro, I ain't got no favorite memories of Marsh Madness.
We got upset every year. We was never one see
favorite to it or at least go to the Dashlar Championship,
and we just couldn't get over the hum man. I
just show you how hard it's hard to win in
the tournament. You gotta be good and lucky. If you
got a bad day, it's sober, it's sober. But like
(04:13):
I mean, I was just like as a kid watching
them UNLV Duke, watching just so many get the great
tournament battles, so many great players, you know, my my favorite.
But just like before I even get to my situation,
like the people that inspired me though, I'm gonna tell
you because I didn't really watch a lot of NBA,
I used to watch college take college games. I mean,
I'm watching cats like Glenn Robinson, Big Dog Robinson, rand Hill,
(04:39):
Larry Johnson. I couldn't wait till they played in big
matchups and them as guys I really looked at at
this time of the year. One of my favorite games,
I mean, my favorite, my favorite riory was Duke UNLV.
I mean, I feel like NFV was Americas team because
they went remember they went undefeated that year and lost
(04:59):
to do but then they want to beat it dated
they first lost with the Duke.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
And talk about it because they're like, man, that game
was like heartbreaking. No, they talk about it. It's a rumor.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
This say's something I'm confirming, and I'm just saying people's like, man,
that game was fixed. There's no way you beat the
team by thirty the year before. Yeah, and then the
next year you lose. Good, No that was it was,
but you beat them by thirty. But I think they
grew up. I think they matured. Bobby heard those guys
(05:32):
and they came back to get it.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
Some of my you know what, somebody but saying all that.
As far as team matchups, man, to me, the best
n C Double a tournament run ever by player, it's
probably Kimba Walker bro. I ain't gonna never forget his run.
I mean, it was some good runs out here. It
(05:56):
was some good runs and I ain't gonna discredit. But
we're just gonna talk about the players. That I saw
my own odds because I don't I didn't see Luis
Sender and Bill Walden. I to see, you know, all
the guys play. I'm just talking about from from from
the time I started watching n C Double A basketball,
Kimba Walker, Mellow run them to just stick out at
(06:18):
the top.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
To me, though, Kimba Walker run was impressive because they
had to get into the tournament. I think they had
nine losses in the Big East Conference.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
And your best player five to eleven. Like when we
used to look at the guys who they runs, like
Christan Lander Grant, all these casts. They was big. You know,
this was a big man's game kind of steal. It
was still a big man game or a wing player
game at the time. But Kimba Walker run was so
spectacular from the Big East Tournament we're talking about, from
the Big East Tournament all the way through March. I
(06:48):
don't think nobody had a better run winning the conference tournament,
getting MVP and then going to the NC Double A tournament,
not even the favorite and winning that. So if you
can find figure out a better run in that from
an individual than Kimba Walker, I think he averaged like
twenty four twenty five a game. I don't know no
(07:08):
player in NCAA history that had a better run than hell.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
So what is yoe, Let's let's do a list.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
Give me your top five players that you watch. Like
we said, we're not gonna go name players we didn't see.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
It's funny to say that. Here it is. I had
it ready for you. It's funny that you said this
my top five players. And I wrote these downs ever
in college basketball? To me that I saw, Man, somebody
gonna be mad. But Grant Hill, Glenn Robinson was big Dog,
(07:44):
Larry Johnson, Christian Ladner, and Kimba Walker. Then it's my
five best college players just because it was because there's
is not that they were the best in college but
because of the fact of their run on top of
them b and great, you know what I'm saying. So
them it is like, you know, because I can easily
(08:04):
say shack and say some of these other guys or
but mellow, But I'm just saying these dudes were me.
This is it right here? What about you? Who who
you got? Who your top five greatest college players?
Speaker 3 (08:20):
I like I like Larry Johnson because I just felt
he was so dominant I feel he controlled the game,
but one of mine, it is definitely gonna be Alan
Iverson for me, just for me, just because the way
he came in and Georgetown being an interior team and
he just made it so exciting and he has so
many great games and so many great highlight players.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
He was like Musty TV. He was Musty TV.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
Ended up being a number one pick at the point.
That's really impactful when you think about that. He was
number one pick at the point guard our position, not
in the not in.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
The potential draft era. Still you're drafting on production.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
He wasn't drafting on potential like Kyrie was the number
one pick, but it was like people with his skills
set and it was like, okay, we could be projecting
him to be great, but it wasn't what he was.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
Actually, he didn't have that kind of year. He only
played like eleven games.
Speaker 1 (09:12):
I'm yeah, that's right, kleven games.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
It was more like projection that good.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
I ain't never heard that one.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
But also I'm like the one and done guys too,
Like I'm not off the one and done guys because
people are gonna not remember how dominant Michael Beasley was
during his year putting Catcher State on his back.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Yeah, this is mine. I mean coming into the freshman y.
What's the numbers on him?
Speaker 1 (09:38):
I think he has twenty seven and twelve.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Yeah, him and KD.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
I remember him and KD was killing.
Speaker 2 (09:43):
So in my time, I'm gonna go with he Aver
was twenty six and twelve.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
As a freshman. He has a freshman in a modern era. Yeah,
so he came in.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
Uh so that's Beasley Iverson?
Speaker 1 (09:59):
Who was Larry Johnson? Yeah? The who the third, and
who the fourth? And fifth?
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Give me? Uh give me Carmelo Carmelo because I like
his run and I like his These guys is one year.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
So you ain't giving it. You ain't giving like you
you've been watching college for a long time.
Speaker 2 (10:18):
Bros.
Speaker 1 (10:19):
Said, you watched the Five Slimmers gam and you ain't
got a key like.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
I didn't really my first year that was it was them.
They was dunk and all that.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
So I came in the game with them, but I
really was on Georgetown because the way they play, they
was pressing.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
They had to give a year was that.
Speaker 1 (10:34):
It's like eighty four, all right, so you was about
like eight years Okay, okay, he was my eight years.
You remember everything. I'm surprised you. I'm surprised you to say,
Luiel Cinder you like his run?
Speaker 3 (10:47):
Yeah, I got it up here, I got it, hey,
fact check me. Georgetown was Georgetown influential. So he brought
Georgetown back Georgetown.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Well, what I'm saying, give me your five.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
So I got a I got I'm going with the.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
Young mellow Larry Johnson.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
Yeah, And I said, uh, I said, Larry Mellow, Larry
Johnson and Beasley Beasley.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Oh you got a big dog in there.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
Man, I'm gonna go ahead and go with I'm gonna
go ahead and go with grand Hill over later.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Yes, all right, that's your fine, that's that's that's what Later.
It was cold.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
He made tough shots. But to me, grand Hill he
just was a beast that year.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
That they left.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Man, I'm telling you, he moved to like the point four,
Ward takes a lot of his game.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
He moved to the point forward that year.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
It was like really dominant going down middle Duncan like
he can make every play on the basketball.
Speaker 1 (11:42):
Town Walker was called.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
He just he played for a super team like he did,
so he didn't get a change.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
That might be the only college super team that I
can think of outside of Like, you know, I don't
see the five Slimmer Jab. I know they have pros,
but super team.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
The Fab five, Oh, the Five five?
Speaker 1 (11:59):
All right, this which brings me to this most influential Damn,
we gotta throw them in there at the Fab Fi.
They're probably the most influential for me. It's UNLV or
Fab five as far as influence on on bliss, hooping,
playing college, wanting to go to college. They style and that's.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
What you say.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
That's where you gotta go back and look at Georgetown
because Georgetown influenced all them because they was that first
team that had the Nike deal. John Thompson had them
in the Nikes and they had the stylis.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
They ain't gonna never be like that again, I don't see.
And I'm thinking it ain't gonna never be a team
in college because of the way it is, the structured,
how guys is leaving early, that you're gonna see a
team that's just an influencial team and follow and get
behind them for some years. I mean, I can't even
think of no team that was just like I can't
even say, man, they're gonna be good next year because
(12:52):
if somebody played well, that players went to the league,
they go. So that was I think the nineties was
the best erar eighties, late eighties and nineties was probably
the best era for college basketball. So that's why we
got in this area. You got a lot of Cinderella
teams and that bracket feeling out that bracket, good luck, bro, good.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
Luck, good luck. Well, you gotta really you know what
you gotta do. It is good luck.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
But now you gotta really do your research on these
teams because last year showed us that Florida.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Fau in San Diego State.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
Yeah, they in the final four, right right, and the
styles was contrasting. Now, so you have to really understand
these players and the transfer portal teams as oh, will
we see another team like those Kentucky teams where we
have five freshmen be able to play and get the
teams of the finals? Are three or four freshmen in
(13:48):
the lineup? Are the impact Like who's the last impactful freshman?
Speaker 1 (13:54):
Is?
Speaker 2 (13:54):
It? Is it Zion Zion for shots is crazy?
Speaker 1 (13:58):
And they had a round what was that run? They
lost early? They lost probably like sweet sixteen. Yeah, they
got popped. They lost the Taco fall.
Speaker 2 (14:07):
They was dominated with three freshmen if I'm.
Speaker 1 (14:09):
Not yeah, yeah yeah, two three pros, three pros. Like
right now, right now today, I can't even think of
no no player or no team that I'm like. Houston
is nice, Kansas, you know, been up and down, but
like I think college is wide open. Has ever been
as it's ever been right now, Yukon is the favorite
(14:31):
and then and then see but I'm just saying, like
I can't even tell you one player off Yukon, like
who like, because I guess I don't know if it's
the national coverage or no.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
But that's how you win a high draft.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
That's how you win right now, right you may have
like a player, but they're not household names. The top
teams is going to have mature players that are probably
not household names, but they're great ball players. They understand
that the coach, they understand the system like Houston. Houston
is has been a dominant team for them to come
to the Big Twelve. They've been a smaller conference team. Yeah,
(15:06):
whatever conference they was in America, whatever that was. They
came to the Big twelve and they won the Big
Twelve over Kansas.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
So who is that Calvin Simpson.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
Calvin Simpson, Yeah, Sampson.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
Yeah, yeah. He was at Oklahoma Dawson College, Calvin Simpson,
So you know, he been in the game a long time,
been a great coach. Shout out to Calvin Simson. But
when I fell out my bracket, I always just put
Kansas winning it all, you know, I just.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
I'm probably never tell you this. I was heard when
Kansas beat Oklahoma. Is that eighty eight?
Speaker 1 (15:40):
When they won it all?
Speaker 2 (15:41):
Yeah, I was. Yeah. I love Mokie Blaylock and Stacey
King and Ricky Grace.
Speaker 1 (15:48):
History of that.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
Yeah, we just the same.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
You started watching Search.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
It wasn't Presearch Traveler too, but I remember that because
Mokie Blaylock is one of my favorite players, like playing defense,
the way he played defensive, stole the ball. That's I
got that from him. I saw that from him right there.
I just always follow him. But I love when they
beat that team with Danny Manning. I was hot and
I never went like, so you so what made you
(16:15):
choose Kansas? Like we're from la Inglewood, damn City.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
Right there? You said you said it right there, you
said it right there. Well, maybe choose Kansas living in.
Speaker 2 (16:27):
Inglewood, get you out the city.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
I need to get out of there now. I had
to get out of there. You know, only took like
two visits. So look, I go to USC you know
state's balls. Man, we'll even get his all in there.
I'm seeing with how they live in. They living cool,
they kicking in this, we smoke everywhere, they shoot nice.
I'm like, man, I ain't going there and see I
(16:50):
need to lock in. I'm like, it's too much kicking
it over here. I was like, you know, it was
all it was just too coos to hole you say,
LA had just won the national championship. Coach Harry was like, yeah,
you're gonna start. I'm thinking, like, damn, y'all just won
the national championship with freshman's horma start. So I didn't
feel like he was telling me the truth. And it
(17:12):
was just something. When I took my visit to Kansas,
bro it was just like nothing I've ever seen. Think
about it, like West Coast basketball, it ain't got that.
It ain't got that Midwest, on that East coast, they
not into it. It's just too much going on in
the West Coast because you can got you got the
top player in California over at Inglewood. Ain't nobody hardly
showing up. You got the Lakers down right here. Everybody
going to that game. You got you. It's just too
(17:33):
much to do. It's just too much to do. I
went to Kansas and we was the pro team. Everybody
showing up, sold out every night. They was chatting my
name at the game. I was like, oh, it was like,
I'm going here.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
So what's your gre So when you was at Kansas,
my I got a chance to go out there and
visit you. That was an amazing experience to go to
the game as Missouri. I drove down with the fans,
I had the fan experiences, drove down into Missouri.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
It was boring, right, I was in the whole game.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
It ain't no school in the country that's like Kansas
University for basketball. I've never seen this in my life.
I'm on campus. I'm thinking this is my first game.
Let's say, leading up to my first game, I'm going
to practice. It's kids out there and sleeping bags. It's
(18:23):
kids out there with tents, and I'm like, damn, the
game ain't till Friday. It's Monday. It's Monday. The game
ain't till Friday, and then they got this chance rock
chalk jay Hall, Ok, they go crazy. I don't think
(18:45):
I never lost the game at Kansas. I ain't never lost.
I think we were sixty and oh wow six Automatically
you ain't coming in the mar I don't know what
happened before me or after me, but I know I
left there with a sixty sixty game win streak, or
it might have been more. It was around fifty sixty
(19:08):
games for shuow.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
So what what was it a game or was it
a moment or was it like a certain period where
you knew you was ready for the leak? Because see,
you came out in the era where because now the league,
because that's what we're talking about. We were talking about
Iris and Kyrie, the transition to where we are today.
Speaker 2 (19:26):
In a.
Speaker 3 (19:29):
You get drafted for your potential. You didn't have that luxury.
You had to be ready to.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
Play with grown men. I mean when you stay, it
was kind of it was kind of like half and
half if you were a big man.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
No no, no, yeah, yeah, it was kind of half
and half because you gotta forget in ninety six kg
got drafted out of high school.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
If you're a big man, yeah, like Kobe changed.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
Ninety five kg, you got drafted high school. Kobe came in,
he wasn't a big man. What he was the first
grade after that, so it was half potential, half you ready.
And then the infux just came in with all these
high school was where it's like, all right, it's potential now,
but you definitely had to be ready. And that's why
I felt like I was ready. I felt like I
was ready. My sophomore year. I felt like I was ready.
(20:13):
But I was like, man, shoot, I'm gonna be one
of the top players if I come back. I had
a dream in my head. I was like I always
dream what I wanted to do. Man. I was like, man,
I could be the number one pick. Then I came
out the junior year, I was the number one oh pick.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
I thought, I thought you could have been a number
one pick at that time because it was the number
one pick was Michael OLIVERA Candy but.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
I didn't even hear I never even heard of Michael
Oliver Candy.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
And then the number two pick was Mike Baby. Yeah,
but just based on that, he was definitely covid. I
just think based on that you could have been but
also how much do you think, uh jacqu Vaughn graduation
and also Rayfel the friends getting hurt for a significant
part of the season.
Speaker 2 (20:59):
It gave you different roles, right because.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
You play some four, which I think the four helped
you get ready for the league because now you've got
to be physical and the way y'all system was Againsts.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
Was able to step out, posting them more.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
He was able to step out, show your game. And
then not having Jack Vaughn there the offense, he was
able to do more on the with the ball of
my development.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
Once them guys well, Raip was still there, but Jock
but missed a lot of games. He missed. He missed.
He missed about eight nine games because he broke his hand.
I remember, but I mean I was still having a
good year. But it didn't help me just understand, like,
all right, I have to do more, you know, because
a lot of people looked at me and just a score.
But I showed I could play defense, rebound pass because
(21:40):
I got more opportunity and I thought I was gonna
be I was up for National Player of the Year.
You know, I knew I probably wasn't get it because
Antoine Jamison at the time was he was dominating high
he was dominating at North Carolina and there was number
one all year long two. But junior year I thought
for sure I was so ready. Junior year coach Williams
was like, and you're not coming back pretty much he
(22:01):
put me as like, you're not coming back. And I
was the first player in the Roy Williams air to
ever leave really under him, I think I was. Yeah,
I'm pretty sure I was. Everybody usually stayed the senior
year because Jock stayed the senior year and the friends
stayed to senior year. They could have left junior year.
He was like, no, there's no need to come back.
(22:22):
And so you know, that was the cold college experience.
But we got upset every year. We lost one year
to Arizona like Bibbie. We lost one year to Syracuse
in the sweet sixteen.
Speaker 2 (22:32):
That's what I remember. Man dropped the ball.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
Yeah, and then we lost second round to Catino Mobley
and Tyson and little Tyson what what was his name, Wheeler?
Tyson Wheeler. Yeah, the left was unorthodox shooting threes and
so that was my college career. But Marsh Maddness is
always exciting, man, I'm excited for it this year. I'm
gonna get my bracket. Hopefully Kansas go for a deep player,
(22:58):
go for a deep tournament run, because I was at
the championship game a couple of years ago in New
Orleans where they won, you know, and it's nothing like
the tournament. So good luck to all the teams this year.
And I'm always excited for this time of the year.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
Your name, just your guys, Now, which guy in your
college players that you name? You name your top college players? Yeah,
so which one of those guys, if any, were you
trying to emulate the most when you was in high
school to say I want to play like this guy,
because we watched.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
A lot of Yeah, it was a lot of them, though,
it was it was a lot of them. It was
about five I'm gonna tall you five of them started
with Steve Smith Michigan State, Jimmy Jackson, Ohio.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
State, Jimmy Jackson, Jimmy.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Glenn Robinson, Glenn Big Dog Robinson, Perdue, Grant Hill at Duke.
Then was the dudes I watched closely. I taped all
their games. I'm like, man, because they was like the
small forwards. You know, as I got old, there was
a small forward. So Jimmy had the pull up game.
He was a handle you know. Grant Hill was the
point forward because my senior year, I became to point forward,
(24:04):
and so why Steve Smith point forward? When I'm watching
all of them and I'm emulating the things that they doing,
you know, handling the ball, distributed, having the all the
them was the guys I consider had all around game,
and I just tried to emulate. They post up, jumper inside, outside,
and so them four players right there, Uh it was
(24:26):
the guys I most tried to emulate. And I was
just like, man, shoot, they got it. They had it.
And all the players was all Americans. All of them
was top dogs at their school. So them as the
dudes always tried to emulate, you know, I like, uh,
one more in there, uh no, but that was pretty
much it. Big Dog, Grant Hill, Jimmy Jock, Jimmy Jackson,
(24:49):
Hoillo State, and uh who uh yeah, big Dog Steve Smith,
Steve Smith, Steve Smith Smith Mischi in State. So them
is the guys I was really trying to it worked.
I looked at the right guys and so well, shout
(25:09):
out to them cats man, y'all is an inspiration for me.
I appreciate y'all. But in saying that, moving forward, we
are winding down the NBA year and it's about to
get interested out here. Bro, I'm looking at the matchups.
I'm looking at the especially I got my eye on
the West, close eye on the West, because it can
(25:31):
be some real intriguing matchups. Now, out of all the matchups,
who would you be most like interested to see like
in a matchup, whether it be an individual player versus
individual player or team versus team, especially in that first round.
Because I'm looking at it, it's getting thick. It's getting thick.
You got it for me?
Speaker 3 (25:50):
This is now we're start in the West this year,
We're going to start to appreciate more and more to
play in. The playing is gonna be crazy because you
can have a scenario where you got Luca Lebron uh kd.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
I'm just saying potentially.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
Right now, Steph, right now, this is the matchup. This
the matchup. If everything started, you got the potential of
Golden State playing Lakers for playing uh. If Dallas keep
tricking off, it could be Golden State Dallas Luca. I
mean these matches at the bottom is.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
You know, the playing is critical.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
You in that nine ten spot is one game elimination.
It's like a tournament game. It's one game for it all.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
And this is where a guy like Steph, a Steph
versus Lebron matchup is critical.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
But that's one game. Yeah, the playoff series, you know,
I want to see I want to see this matchup
where Clippers versus Phoenix. I want to see that if
something happened to where Phoenix can somehow who up to
five and have a match up with Kawhi and KD
because that matchup was about to happen until uh, let's
(27:02):
see I think, uh Kevin Durant got hurt.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
Yeah, I think that's that's a great matchup in the
first one.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
I want to see that. But in the East, I
want Kawhi got hurt. Yeah, Kawhi got her. Yeah, that's
why Kawhi got her and missed and so we never
got a chance to really see that match up. But
in the East, I want to see Miami Boston first round.
I ain't gonna even lie. I want to get them
up out of here fast. Let's get them up out
(27:30):
of here. I don't want to hear nothing from them.
That's tough, man, Let's get them up out of here.
I want to see that. I want to see that
in the first round. We ain't ducking nothing. It's hard
to win. We ain't ducking nothing. It's hard to win.
And we ain't ducking that. And then whoever after that
(27:52):
we'll take, we'll take, we'll take, We'll take Cleveland in
the second round. Then we'll see Milwaukee.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
Yeah, that's that round. Who that Miami first round matchup is.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
We want that. We want let's get them out of
here early because we don't want Jimmy to start getting high.
You know, as the further he goes, the better you get.
We want to get them out of here fast before. Yeah,
that's what it seemed like with Buddy Man. He gets
his rhythm and you never know gav in Miami. But
that that's the two matchups I want to see, and
(28:25):
the first round.
Speaker 2 (28:26):
I think the first round works.
Speaker 3 (28:29):
You who you are, I'm gonna give you one of
this intriguing to me. It's probably not a popular one,
but I want to see the Clippers in New Orleans
in that first round at four. The way they started
they started right now.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
I think they're four or five because that's who it
is right now.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
I feel like that's just like a tricky matchup for
the Clippers.
Speaker 1 (28:48):
That's a tricky matchup for them.
Speaker 3 (28:50):
Yeah, because they're the favorite. You talk, people are talking
about the Clippers winning the championship. Then you come out
here and you got a match up where you got
deal with Zion and Ingram in the first round, and
then CJ. Mccullub can win you a game or two
if he's healthy. If he comes in healthy, he can
win you a game or two.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
How confident are you, Okay, see getting out the first round,
because they're gonna even have to see Dallas, Lakers, Golden State,
possibly Sacramento, could be Phoenix. You never know. They can slide. Oh,
this is all predication.
Speaker 2 (29:22):
Okay. See as Karen, they got the m v P
this year.
Speaker 1 (29:25):
Do you think they got the MVP.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
Yeah, I think they got Damn. He's ascended.
Speaker 3 (29:29):
Like to me, Yoga is still the best player by
by this much. This guy just did a great job
in a in a I'm about it.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
So you're saying it's a lock. You think it's a
lock for him right now?
Speaker 2 (29:41):
I don't think it's a lock. I just think that
it's close.
Speaker 1 (29:44):
They finished one or two or two or two. Nobody
had nobody the preseason. This is what I want to know.
What was there? What were they projected in the preseason?
You know what was they projected the thun the Thunder wins, wins.
Speaker 2 (30:04):
They got that.
Speaker 1 (30:05):
Now they got that, they had him Edgie playing, and
if they win the West, he's the MVP. That's what
I'm looking at.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
His consistency too, from the guard spot, he's the he's
the number one on the skeleton reporter every single night
and he comes in he's like, hey.
Speaker 1 (30:21):
They got that. They got a lot of good players
that fly under the ray are.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
But he's consistent. He scored thirty nights.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
So you think Jason Tatum don't got a shot.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
Now, No, I think he's in the mix. I think
this year is the year that.
Speaker 1 (30:37):
I mean, I think it was. Think it's kind of
like a big blow them losing the Denver on.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
National on national, and I just think it's hard to
make him the m v P this year.
Speaker 3 (30:47):
When Jalen Brown it's on your team and he's playing well,
and he's playing well, he's not playing bad.
Speaker 1 (30:54):
But he's playing like a top five league.
Speaker 2 (30:57):
Yeah, that's what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (30:58):
So you look at it what he's been doing stretches
throughout the season where he's looking like a top five player.
So I think that kind of minimizes Tatum. Where who's
the guy that's looking like an All Star caliber player
for a ten game stretch for OKC. You know, I
look at Yogas, you're the best player. But I say,
like Murray is there, So I think it's closed.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
But I just for this year for me?
Speaker 1 (31:19):
What about Luca Donkinson not in there?
Speaker 2 (31:22):
Lucas cold, but I don't have him as the most
I don't have him as most valuable because I think
that his team.
Speaker 1 (31:31):
If you take Luca off Dallas, they're not even a
playoff team period. Lucas Lucas, Luca.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
Is a top player in this league.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
Where he ranks, I don't know, but I think I
think his defensive I think his defensive inefficiency.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
It doesn't have him right now is an MVP because.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
They might they might not even make the playoffs. That's
a chance they don't make the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
No players. They play Steph Curry in the first round.
Speaker 1 (31:56):
So you got Shane Joker can still win it. Tatum
and and that's the that's the that's it right there,
that's the three. And I got and I got Jason
Tatum gotta do the win MVP right now the rest
of the season.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
It's not what he gotta do. Jellen, you gotta do
Jeylen Brown gotta turned an ankle or something. What do
you got another guy in the lineup you just said
playing top five basketball, so that it's out of his hands, because.
Speaker 3 (32:23):
Even if he scored forty, this guy's got the next night. Yeah,
so you don't have another guy. That's what I'm saying about.
Shot about Shay Gilgers. He's getting thirty every single night.
He's getting ready, I think, if I'm not mistaken, he
tied the record.
Speaker 2 (32:37):
So he tied KD for most thirty point games. And
it's still seventeen games to go, so he's going to
break that record. Think about that right now.
Speaker 1 (32:45):
It's here's the ad bro right now.
Speaker 2 (32:47):
Shane gild just yeah, he's too consistent.
Speaker 1 (32:50):
It's it's his MVP to lose, his MVP to lose.
What do Joker gotta do to win MVP?
Speaker 3 (32:59):
I mean Jokers, this Joker, I don't think is gonna
play his game. I don't think Joe can Jokers Is
still can win it because the people might not see it.
Speaker 2 (33:08):
I see it.
Speaker 3 (33:09):
The voting people may not see it for me. For me,
I just can't see. He's been too consistent. He's just
getting his numbers.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
He's shooting fifty every night. Joker, winn v P or
you still got shak I.
Speaker 2 (33:23):
Wouldn't be I wouldn't be mad for me. I got
shamed because of you. I'll be mad. Tum win, Yeah,
I'll be mad.
Speaker 1 (33:33):
The criteria the best record on the best team.
Speaker 3 (33:36):
No, you got another guy that can carry you through.
What I like about Yoker Joker is that Jamal Murray
went down for a lot of games and he's kept
that ship afloat. So I give him that same type
of deal that I'm giving, just what I.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
Said you taking because of the team.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
Yeah, you could.
Speaker 3 (33:55):
You could have an off night and this guy can
carry you if, like, if it's rare for five games,
so one night, maybe you got a team that can
carry you.
Speaker 2 (34:04):
If say, missed five games, who's doing this still win? No,
not five, They're gonna go one and four. Yes they
are without him, without that thirty.
Speaker 1 (34:13):
Without that thirty one point guy, they can still win
without him.
Speaker 2 (34:16):
Who scored thirty one points forty something.
Speaker 1 (34:18):
They got cats on there that can hoop the first
place because of one dude.
Speaker 2 (34:24):
No, but he is a consistent They can be inconsistent.
He can't.
Speaker 3 (34:28):
When you got Jalen Brown, nobody else gets what's their
second lead to score getting it's hit and miss one week.
Shid is doing good. Williams had great.
Speaker 2 (34:37):
Games this year.
Speaker 3 (34:37):
He's had thirty point games. But I'm saying they have contributed.
That's why they are top team. Like you said, But
if this guy is showing up every single night with
thirty every night back to back, he scored thirty, he's
about to listen what I told her about to break
Kevin Durant most thirty.
Speaker 2 (34:54):
Games in the Old K history.
Speaker 1 (34:56):
He got the strongest argument. He got the strongest argument.
The end VP him at Yeah, I gave it draft
plus six second.
Speaker 3 (35:06):
Yeah, he don't have enough. That's why I said I
wouldn't even mad if Yokis get it.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
Because Shay doesn't have enough primetime games this year. Nobody
he wasn't projected to do this, so he doesn't have
any prime time, how many times he's played has he
played on ABC at all? Willie? So he's not playing.
Speaker 1 (35:25):
Hard to say what it said that her games was
because I'm he getting thirty every night.
Speaker 2 (35:29):
He's had a lot of games where he's closed games out,
like in the fourth quarter.
Speaker 1 (35:34):
Versus Denver seven points. Stand though, this is who you
this is you know you look at matchups, you know,
just like everybody said, oh it's gonna be temper JT
to get MVP after the losing to Denver and uh,
he didn't play that good and Joker did this. But
about when Shape laid Denver seven.
Speaker 2 (35:53):
Points early early?
Speaker 1 (35:55):
He never scored under devil figures all year? Who except
for that game, Joker Shay, Yeah, seven points versus your commentation?
Speaker 2 (36:06):
What happened? What happened that game?
Speaker 1 (36:09):
Whatever?
Speaker 2 (36:09):
What game? What happened was the results?
Speaker 1 (36:11):
I don't remember.
Speaker 2 (36:15):
Exactly. He's the MVP.
Speaker 3 (36:17):
Well he plays bad, they lose, Yes, that's my that's
my argument. Then you gonna thank you you back me up,
the back up because you said he's scoring seven they
got blown out.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
There's no support for him consistently. He cannot miss a
week of work.
Speaker 1 (36:41):
Man. Some news that just came out. I ain't. We
ain't talk about it. But they said, uh, lonzoball is
uh he got on card activity okay. They they said
he could come back. A lot of people will saying
he ain't. He wasn't gonna play again. What you think
of that?
Speaker 2 (37:01):
Oh, man? You know what, as an athletes, you always
put yeah, we love him, man.
Speaker 3 (37:07):
I watched him play the first time we watched him play.
Anybody seeing him play any earlier, any footage of him.
The earliest footage of him playing high school basketball besides
his mom and pop's home film that they might have
is on YouTube of him playing in the Paul Pierce
Fall League. A boy the Anthony started that at Inglewood High,
the Paul Piers Fall League. And that's the first time
(37:29):
I saw him play. And this is my first experience
of Washington play right at Inglewood High. It was a
Paul Pierce folly.
Speaker 2 (37:36):
Name after you. They were playing a game. The guy
hits a three.
Speaker 3 (37:40):
They were playing I want to say Linde or somebody.
The guy hits a three on the other team with
like two seconds left, he takes it out, throws the
ball left of the court.
Speaker 2 (37:50):
They love. The other team loses the other team in
the three. It's two things that they was celebrated a
little bit, took it out through the lift of the court.
I know he was amazing because look the team.
Speaker 1 (38:00):
You think, how you think, I mean, what you think
of him coming back? And what do you see you
know from him moving forward? I mean, we ain't seen
him in about two years.
Speaker 3 (38:08):
It's hard to tell, you know, because he plays the game.
They've changed the way they play without him, and so
I don't know if he fits.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
There with Kobe White emerging right now, Yeah, because they penetrating.
I think the dude, if he come back, but he's
you know, just you know, some of some of the
stuff he had because before he got hurt, before he
went out, he was starting. I think I think he
was starting to come into his own. I think he
needed to get out of Chicago. I don't think, you know,
(38:37):
with the emergence of Kobe White.
Speaker 2 (38:39):
Is he a starting point guard?
Speaker 1 (38:41):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (38:42):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (38:43):
We got to see. You know, he gonna have a
whole summer to get his strength back. He started on
court activity, so he's gonna have about like six seven
months to get ready for next year. I just hope
he come back in full strength, so we can see
him because I think he's had an awesome story of
him and his brother for sure deal with injuries.
Speaker 2 (38:57):
And so you know, I want to see the whole Baulivan, Yeah,
he got the thing that that that that I'm most
concerned about. If I have any concern, it's not his offense,
it's him coming back.
Speaker 3 (39:12):
He was developing a reputation as defense being his strength
and his IQ of the game. When you usually when
you like this, can you come back and be that
stellar of defender at that position at the most one
of the most dangerous positions now where they're just coming
at you. It's a free flowing attack. It's not guys
running offense at that position like he is. It's not
(39:32):
a our players that are similar to him. Most of
these guys are coming at you, dearon Fox. These guys
coming to score. You know, even Austin Reeves and Deans
like team after team, Curry run around every team.
Speaker 2 (39:45):
These guys are coming to shay. These guys are coming
to score, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (39:50):
So just want to see if he can come back
with that athleticism and that defensive ability.
Speaker 2 (39:55):
That would be great for him.
Speaker 1 (39:57):
You know we're talking about stars matching up. I said
KD and Kawhi. I want to see that match up. Uh,
is there any matchup like star individual stars? You want
to see match up in the playoffs? Like, I don't
really see no match up in the East.
Speaker 2 (40:11):
I'm excited to see Shaye in the playoffs. But like
you mean, you mean Mono, like you see like if
KD match up with.
Speaker 1 (40:22):
I'm watching that series first. Yeah, they got to play
a seven game series each other.
Speaker 2 (40:28):
I don't know if we're gonna see that.
Speaker 1 (40:31):
I'm trying to think what about like Dallas, what about
Luca and Shane? That could be a match up.
Speaker 2 (40:35):
They're not gonna guard each other.
Speaker 1 (40:37):
They're not guarding each other.
Speaker 2 (40:38):
No, they're not gonna guard each other.
Speaker 1 (40:40):
Hurry and Shane.
Speaker 3 (40:42):
I don't I don't think they gonna guard. You can't guard.
You can't guard Shade with Curry, that's the nightmare.
Speaker 1 (40:48):
Damn it ain't no matter what about it.
Speaker 2 (40:50):
He's that good. He's your m v P.
Speaker 1 (40:51):
Oh.
Speaker 3 (40:51):
We could possibly see no, but I want to see
him in the playoffs versus Denver. I believe that they
have the best chance to be because they have the athletes,
the speed. They who's gonna guard yokis nobody, Nobody can
guard them. But what I'm saying is they have the
type of athletes to play the style. Because now with Minnesota,
(41:12):
they're they're gonna be down with no with no car
Anthony Towns. I can't believe them coming confidently into these matchups.
Speaker 2 (41:18):
They're gonna Drew.
Speaker 1 (41:22):
Actually, that's gonna happen too.
Speaker 2 (41:26):
That's the one.
Speaker 1 (41:27):
Drew and Dang got a match up. They gonna see
each other in the conference.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
Fine, you was over there, you yeah, you in my home?
Can you win without me?
Speaker 1 (41:36):
Is there anybody in the West that can be Denver
or give them what you said?
Speaker 2 (41:40):
Yeah? So what I'm saying, that's why I want to
see that matchup that can beat them.
Speaker 3 (41:45):
Yeah, yeah, because I think they got the guy that
for that can get you, that can get.
Speaker 2 (41:49):
You fourth quarter scoring the regular season. He can get
you fourth quarter scoring. To be Denver, you have to
outscore them in the fourth quarter.
Speaker 1 (42:00):
With Carl Anthony Towns, he's got a meniscus injury he's
dealing with. They say he's gonna be at at least
four weeks. So I think I'm righting off Minnesota. I
think they're gonna slide. I just don't see him coming
back and regaining that strength and just that quick turnaround
when everything's heating up. So when I look at him,
Minnesota is not gonna be a team.
Speaker 2 (42:18):
I'm really I feel sorry.
Speaker 1 (42:20):
I'm going to be concerned about They had a great year, Anthony,
thatwarth having a great year, and the part of it
is like you gotta be good, but you gotta be lucky.
And that's the one part you know that's unfortunate. And
now what about like Clippers. You don't think Clippers gotta
shot at Denver? I mean if I either look, I
think maybe the only one team I think Clippers the
(42:42):
only one that got the depth the Clippers on.
Speaker 2 (42:45):
The problem they have with Denver is that they want
to go small ball in the second and fourth quarters.
Speaker 1 (42:50):
They got bigs that can match up winning too.
Speaker 2 (42:52):
No, but that's not what how they want to play
in the second and fourth quarter.
Speaker 1 (42:55):
They'll keep Plumblee and Zubac out there.
Speaker 3 (42:58):
Nah, they want to go small. They want to go pile.
They want to go they want to go Norman Pole.
They want to go with that lineup because they had
they had Kawhi Garden Joker, I.
Speaker 1 (43:09):
Think you don't even have I think the thing about Denver.
Don't focus on stopping Joker like you're not stopping them,
focus on stopping everybody else. Don't let Jamal go off
at twenty thirty. Don't let Eric Gord give you that eighteen.
Speaker 2 (43:23):
You can't.
Speaker 3 (43:25):
That's why Joker is so good, because you're gonna focus
on stopping them, and he has the ball.
Speaker 1 (43:30):
I'm telling you you gotta make you gotta make Joker
a tim make him a score. We can live with that.
But when he dropping dimes off over here, Gordon Murray, Michael.
Speaker 2 (43:45):
Porter, JUNI, you're gonna do that too. That's the thing,
because when.
Speaker 1 (43:47):
These other dudes don't play well, you got a shot.
You got a better shot to beat them. When I
look up and his numbers is thirty six, fifteen and fifteen.
Speaker 3 (43:53):
You ain't got no shot.
Speaker 2 (43:54):
We got thirty six. I mean you didn't go ahead
and get forty.
Speaker 1 (43:57):
Now with five assists, we'll give you extra here, go
get just take away five of those assists. He gonna rebound,
he could score it, but don't let him pick you apart.
I think that's gotta be the blueprint. Let him, let
him post up if he gonna be at the high
post man, look, keep up on your man. We switch everything.
(44:17):
Don't give him no back doors, don't give him no flairs, make.
Speaker 2 (44:19):
Him go one on one.
Speaker 1 (44:22):
Don't help.
Speaker 2 (44:23):
We'll see. I'm sure that.
Speaker 1 (44:26):
Every other thing.
Speaker 2 (44:27):
It's hard to get.
Speaker 1 (44:28):
The digging you're getting, the paint, you get, the trapping.
Speaker 2 (44:31):
You look inside.
Speaker 1 (44:32):
Just man, face face man face face, guard your man.
Let him go. If he gets forty to fifty and
he don't get those ten eleven twelve assists, I think
you got a shot. Don't let Jamal Murray get off.
Don't let Michael Porter get off. Don't let Eric Gordon
get off, like like the most important piece is Murray,
(44:53):
because Murray can beat you. But if you let Michael,
if you say, Joker get fifty.
Speaker 2 (44:58):
You give him all that space on eat you a live.
Speaker 1 (45:00):
It's not space. We just gonna let him. We just
go one on one, no help.
Speaker 2 (45:03):
Yeah, but that's what I'm saying. That's no, that's all
that space he can wiggle. He's too crafty. You know,
we'll see.
Speaker 1 (45:08):
But that's that's that's the blueprint. I think nobody has
tried that I don't think, but I think that's the
blueprint and beat Denver. If you're gonna beat him in
the seven game seraison, you gotta make him a score.
Speaker 2 (45:19):
But there is no blueprint.
Speaker 1 (45:21):
I think nobody just said go out and get forty
and fifty every night. He's getting forty and fifty with
a twelve.
Speaker 2 (45:27):
Yeah. I don't think he really just wants to just
be a fifty points, That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (45:32):
So he just says I'd rather him do that now
of other guys ain't not getting the touches. They not
getting the shots the field for the game in the
field and getting the rhythm like keep them out of rhythm. Yeah,
that's that's the way you gotta go. Hey man, whether
you have it, thanks for joining another edition at the
Truth Lounge. Make sure y'all dropping the comments. Who do
(45:53):
y'all think is gonna win the NCAA Tournament? My picking
is Kansas Rock Child Jayhawk. Can you also shout out
the Draft Kings, all the smoke productions and I'll see
you baby. It's marsh madness, Let's get it.
Popular Podcasts
Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes present: Aubrey O’Day, Covering the Diddy Trial
Introducing… Aubrey O’Day Diddy’s former protege, television personality, platinum selling music artist, Danity Kane alum Aubrey O’Day joins veteran journalists Amy Robach and TJ Holmes to provide a unique perspective on the trial that has captivated the attention of the nation. Join them throughout the trial as they discuss, debate, and dissect every detail, every aspect of the proceedings. Aubrey will offer her opinions and expertise, as only she is qualified to do given her first-hand knowledge. From her days on Making the Band, as she emerged as the breakout star, the truth of the situation would be the opposite of the glitz and glamour. Listen throughout every minute of the trial, for this exclusive coverage. Amy Robach and TJ Holmes present Aubrey O’Day, Covering the Diddy Trial, an iHeartRadio podcast.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy And Charlamagne Tha God!