Ep. 39 The NBA West Just Got Ugly: Power Shifts, Player Shade, And Playoff Chaos

When egos collide and underdogs rise, you know it’s Western Conference time. In this explosive episode of The Hood Report, the crew welcomes NBA vet Mark West for a raw, unfiltered debate on who’s climbing, who’s crashing, and who’s just capping. From AD’s durability drama to the Warriors’ shrinking window and OKC’s silent takeover, no narrative is safe — and no opinion is sugarcoated.

Expect sideline smoke, locker room-level insights, and predictions that’ll have you pressing rewind. Is Denver still dominant? Are the Rockets legit without VanVleet? And what’s really going on with Gobert’s big man badge? Tap in as the panel ranks 8 to 1 with zero chill — and lays out the real threats in the wild, wild West.



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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So put your motherfucking seatbelts on.

Speaker 2 (00:03):
It's the wild wild West we've got, and we've got
Mark West in the building.

Speaker 3 (00:09):
Welcome to the Hood Report, the spot where culture meets competition.

Speaker 1 (00:13):
And we spent real ship. What up though?

Speaker 2 (00:29):
And Welcome to the Hood Report, the spot where culture
meets competition and where we spit real ship. Sports, for sure,
is our focus, while culture guides and drives our discussions.
In the end, our focus is to ensure that you,
our audience, is both informed and entertained. And with that,

(00:53):
tonight we're talking the n b a Western Conference. We're
gonna preview the conference and we're gonna dive into the
NBA'SI the preview and we u some of the things
that we know about the West. Unlike the East, where
the East is subject to a lot of injuries, the
West is subject to a lot of changes where you

(01:15):
have potentially some super teams, some sleepers, and of course
we got an internal hopeful for the Suns.

Speaker 1 (01:23):
You know, we have one one guy we know, we know,
we know that is.

Speaker 4 (01:29):
From from the Nuggets to the Tea Wolves, the New
Lotok Rockets and the defending champion fund they're battling.

Speaker 2 (01:35):
For the top spot. And then you also have the
Warriors and Lakers trying to prove they're not washed. We're
breaking down every contender, pretender and chaos team in between.
So put your motherfucking seatbelts on. It's the wild Wild
West we've got and we've got Mark West in the building,

(01:59):
so you are already know the jokes are coming hotter
the pets in July. So real quick episode of the
Hood Report is brought to you by hood Gear, the
official lifestyle bran of the culture from the block to
the boardroom. Stay hooked, certified with premium street weear made

(02:23):
for the real ones. Tap in now at the hook
your shot dot Com to wrap your hood the right way.
So with that, hey today we're ready roll jents. Everybody
ready to roll.

Speaker 5 (02:35):
Ready, let's get it.

Speaker 2 (02:36):
Get this whip wild West on the way. Another of
the bullshit you gotta get out of the way. You know,
sponsors and all that ship. Now you get down to
We're here here for some sports. So here's what we
got today.

Speaker 4 (02:48):
Just as we did with the Eastern Conference, We're going
to do eight through five, high level, high love them
for those motherfuckers.

Speaker 1 (02:56):
Probably an't got a chance to win. Anyway, we're gon
high level. We're gonna give you insights.

Speaker 2 (02:59):
I think there's in the way the conference, there's a
movement in the eighth and five spot and potentially yet
something that could could break things up. And then from
there we're gonna go four through one and that's where
we're going to dive into details and give detailed explanation.
And you know what, tonight, our guests, our special guest

(03:21):
host who played in the n NBA seventeen seasons with
the Phoenix Sons.

Speaker 1 (03:28):
Mark West, you at first, baby, go ahead and run.
Let's do it. Let's do it all right? The spot,
all right?

Speaker 3 (03:37):
You know we're gonna contest the West all the way
down the line.

Speaker 1 (03:40):
Number one.

Speaker 3 (03:41):
I believe I have a feel that all of us
gonna agree. Who's gonna be the number one?

Speaker 1 (03:44):
See?

Speaker 3 (03:46):
Yeah, believe in the East. Last time we're doing the West.
I'm being shocked if somebody picked somebody other than who
I picked for number one.

Speaker 6 (03:56):
And okay, know what I mean, Miracles shouldn't happen. But anyway, okay,
let's go with number eight. I'm going with Golden State Warriors,
those State Okay, yah, my boy, Butler, you know what
I mean, he healthy now. So the only problem I
have with Golden State is they still want to play
small ball.

Speaker 3 (04:17):
That that issue I have with them. They and they
won championships doing that, but just go around. That's gonna
be too little. That's what I think.

Speaker 1 (04:27):
They're too little.

Speaker 3 (04:28):
So I put him at eight just because I mean,
they still got, you know, one of the best players
in NBA history playing for him, and he still got
you know, a lot, a lot of support, you know
what I mean, because you know, they still play defense.
Minga's gonna be better than he what he's been in
the past. I think he's going to be a bit They.

Speaker 1 (04:46):
Kind of fucked him though.

Speaker 3 (04:47):
They a small ball team, but they still got that
shooting and they still laced it up and put that
ball home.

Speaker 1 (04:53):
So I'm with them and coming over there.

Speaker 3 (04:56):
And if you if you know, you know, since Curry's
been there, they have played as a unit. They never
had that one guy that blah blah blah. They've always
played as a unit, and so they've always been a
factor because of that.

Speaker 1 (05:09):
Okay, Okay, So that's that's why that's.

Speaker 3 (05:11):
Why I got them at number eight. Number seven, I'm
going with San Antonio Spurs. A lot of people don't
have them in.

Speaker 1 (05:18):
To make it.

Speaker 3 (05:19):
But that big boy is no joke. Yeah, you got
to kick castle with him to help him out, you
know what I mean. So they got their d Aaron
Fox coming in. Hey, don't get that boy Fox. So
I win.

Speaker 1 (05:31):
I think that's gonna be an impact. Go ahead.

Speaker 3 (05:35):
So so I'm gonna go with them a number seven,
number six. And this was hard for me to put
them there in Minnesota.

Speaker 1 (05:43):
It was like, I.

Speaker 3 (05:46):
Really you know, and I like nasried and and if
Julius Randol is healthy or whatever, I mean, that's good.
But that big boy in the middle, I think some
of the other teams I'm gonna mention moving forward, they
got some big boys that are going to be a
problem for most teams in the West.

Speaker 1 (06:01):
You what big boy in the middle? Huh? You know
what big boy in the middle. I'm not something saying.

Speaker 3 (06:06):
Minnesota doesn't they got they got go Bear. He ain't
that guy. And I'm gonna fire you boys in the middle.
I thought, you love, So let's go to side the five.
You can talk big boys in the middle. You can't
wipers because they got carried. If you would picked I

(06:28):
said something about go beart. I can have you changed
your big man card? No, big I can explain. That's
why I got at number six and not God. I
got the Clippers coming, you know, if he's healthy. God
hope he's healthy. But they got they got the kid

(06:48):
Lopez and they got Zubi. Yeah, two big boys who
can play play, you know, like they get outside. I
hit the jump shot from the free throw lying down.
They money, you know, and they both play a little
bit of defense too, on both ends. So I really
like them. They got James Harden, you know, they got Chris.
I think I got Chris pauls.

Speaker 1 (07:07):
Now, you know whatever.

Speaker 3 (07:11):
But through the regular season, which we're talking about now, general,
you've got very good floor general. So I'm number five,
number four. I got the Lakers, number four at four, Yeah,
I got the Lakers. You got them moving up like
the Jeffersons. Boy, they got got Lebron. They got, they got,

(07:32):
they got, they got. They got Luca who could be
m v P. Luca got MVP talent. He probably not
gonna win the.

Speaker 7 (07:40):
M v P.

Speaker 1 (07:41):
He's not gonna win it, but he's gonna be in
the running.

Speaker 5 (07:44):
Yes, yes, sir, he's gonna.

Speaker 3 (07:46):
Be probably will not win. And as long as both sides,
you got a shot of dominating New Wes. He's healthy,
you got a shot because now they also got DeAndre Ayton.
So they got yeah, great centers. They're better because they're
playing with Lebron and they're better eat that. They're better

(08:11):
than they would be if they weren't playing with those
two guys of the season. Okay, so number three, number three,
And this was hard for me because I had him
at number two and I had to move him back
to number three.

Speaker 1 (08:26):
After I saw that I had the Houston Rockets.

Speaker 3 (08:31):
They they got Durant, they got Sagoon, that that center,
that that boy ain't no joke, you know what I mean.
You got Aman Thompson, they got that. What's what's the other?
They got Aaron Holliday. I hope he can come back
and replace Van Fleet. I don't know if he can.
That that's the missing pieces that we got to see
what that point guard can do. Barr Smith, who's also

(08:53):
a very impactful player.

Speaker 1 (08:55):
I don't think. All right, So number with number two,
I number.

Speaker 3 (09:01):
Denver.

Speaker 1 (09:06):
Went got the other big boy, another big kid. I'm telling.

Speaker 3 (09:12):
A lot of these teams did that because they got
to deal with wein ben Yama, you know what I mean,
big boy down in San Antonio.

Speaker 1 (09:19):
So they went and stacked up.

Speaker 3 (09:20):
And some of them, some of them have their backup centers,
have been starting centers for a lot of franchises, and decent,
dec starting centers.

Speaker 1 (09:27):
And now the guys are backup.

Speaker 3 (09:28):
They playing Tanna and sometimes they playing these dudes together,
these two big boys together, because some of them are shooting.
I mean, you know, Jokic basically a point center. Yeah,
shooting three, shooting threes, posting up, making plays out of
the post. They giving it to him and whatever. They
even have Gordon bringing the ball up. I mean, it's
by committee. I mean, that's so crazy. And of course,

(09:50):
and of course number one, and I'm gonna be surprised.
I'm gonna see how many of y'all gonna come off
this morn and go somewhere a different direction, is okay,
see number one best point guard in the league right now.

Speaker 1 (10:03):
They got Jaylen Williams.

Speaker 3 (10:04):
And I know some of y'all, particularly one of y'all,
don't like check hold them, but.

Speaker 4 (10:12):
Step up, come on now, hey, hold you like anybody over.

Speaker 1 (10:20):
Big three And it's gonna put it. You may over sixteen.

Speaker 4 (10:22):
You got something good to say about roll like that?

Speaker 3 (10:27):
Just run you don't roll like that. Listen, listen, let's
see if go to state gonna be your number one.
We open up the feedback. What you have to say
about West? Listen?

Speaker 4 (10:38):
Well, first, the first thing I just want to I
would to pat him on his back because I thought
he's gonna go back to nineteen ninety three and throw
fittings on there.

Speaker 3 (10:46):
So I got, I got my son's don't be in
the playing. They ain't gonna be the hey them in
Memphis playing. No damn market.

Speaker 5 (10:58):
Downt it for that.

Speaker 1 (11:01):
But it could be gonna be the one team, the
one team. But the one team. I think you slide it.
I know it goes. They got a big injury at
the beginning of year, but I think that downs is
gonna be in that top eight.

Speaker 5 (11:14):
Yes, sir, yes, sir, don't I don't.

Speaker 1 (11:17):
Get Kyrie, they not.

Speaker 4 (11:19):
I don't know. I think picking up really pick up
for the Russell.

Speaker 3 (11:26):
I'm real, y'all want y'all sleeping the West is no
joke the West, and I want.

Speaker 1 (11:31):
To talk more about it.

Speaker 2 (11:32):
But hey, nim Hire's little brother they came from anxiet.
That boy is a real good watching.

Speaker 1 (11:37):
Yeah, you're gonna get You're gonna he's gonna be argue Russell.

Speaker 8 (11:45):
If Kyrie come back, yeah they yeah, yeah, four.

Speaker 9 (11:51):
Come back all day.

Speaker 3 (11:54):
The script a long way and they full of big Ben.
You didn't put him in there.

Speaker 1 (11:58):
They are come they are but who man, but don't
against this is pretty solid. Yeah, that's good.

Speaker 4 (12:08):
But the only con turn with Dallas is I would say,
is a d staying healthy.

Speaker 1 (12:15):
Healthy.

Speaker 4 (12:16):
But that's all of them, right, Yeah, that's all well, ay,
more than anybody else.

Speaker 1 (12:27):
He gets a hang toe a toe, Yeah he has
three games.

Speaker 3 (12:35):
It's been an issue for him throughout his career. So yeah,
I agree with you guys.

Speaker 1 (12:42):
I would not be surprised if they're in the playoffs.

Speaker 3 (12:45):
Yeah, but it would almost call somebody else on one
of these other eight.

Speaker 1 (12:53):
Hey, we all we all agree that it's injury. You know, basic.
This is going based on everybody play in the full season.

Speaker 4 (13:00):
Yeah, that's a perfect Hey, we got we got the
professional opinion.

Speaker 1 (13:05):
Now we're gonna move on to the amateur. Motherfucker. Canna
go to tweet tweet you next legas number one seed,
watch out here we go. Number number one, bro went first.
Number eight.

Speaker 8 (13:19):
Since we're talking about the Dallas Mavericks, I'm putting the
Dallas at number eight.

Speaker 3 (13:24):
When they picked up Russell.

Speaker 8 (13:25):
They picked up Russell, they got the they got the
great White Hope Cooper Fly Okay, Martin Clay Thompson, right,
d J.

Speaker 5 (13:38):
Washington.

Speaker 1 (13:39):
So I'm gonna put that's like almost like case he
having Hope that this boy loves.

Speaker 3 (13:55):
I got that.

Speaker 1 (13:57):
Okay, get up for fifteen points the game, as you.

Speaker 5 (13:59):
Know, yeah, okay, doing so. Number seven. Number seven, I
got the Warriors. I got the Wars at number seven.
The Warriors.

Speaker 8 (14:09):
When you when you got steph you're always in the game.
So I'm putting I'm putting them at number seven when
they picked them out hoof for too, so we'll see
Jimmy Butler.

Speaker 5 (14:21):
They got all of them, they got they got Hurt,
they got the brother Flash.

Speaker 1 (14:29):
Brothers, and then we go roasting. They got the real.

Speaker 5 (14:35):
Flash Brothers on the Warriors down.

Speaker 1 (14:39):
Okay, alright.

Speaker 8 (14:45):
Number six, I got the boys in the basement in
l A.

Speaker 1 (14:51):
The Clippers, Clippers.

Speaker 8 (14:56):
I got them Clippers number picks.

Speaker 1 (15:01):
You know.

Speaker 8 (15:02):
They they picked up they picked up Bill and then
they got John Collins, they got all them, they got
brook Lopez, they got everybody, Chris Paul. But in the playoffs, somehow, someway,
it always the playoffs.

Speaker 1 (15:19):
I know, regular season, we.

Speaker 5 (15:20):
Talked regular season, they gonna get They gonna get forty something,
forty five, forty six wins. That's okay, Okay, they.

Speaker 1 (15:28):
Get some wins, you know, in the basement for real.

Speaker 8 (15:31):
I put them at number six because you never know
them injuries with them old motherfuckers, they gonna get them.

Speaker 5 (15:37):
So I'm putting the putting them at number six. All right,
number five, Denver.

Speaker 4 (15:47):
Rabbit.

Speaker 1 (15:48):
Putt put number five. The Lakers will not be.

Speaker 5 (15:57):
Yes, go ahead, they did it last year. But anyway,
I got Denver.

Speaker 8 (16:03):
Well, you know they picked up they picked up Bruce
Brown and he coming back to Denver.

Speaker 1 (16:08):
Just put that in that. It made.

Speaker 10 (16:14):
Brooklyn yeah, Cam Johnson, Cam him him junior, Oh yeah,
picked up with Yeah, you being five and they're not
gonna get more wins than La.

Speaker 8 (16:31):
No, they're still gonna be in five. Okay, don't give
it that damn give a damn about that.

Speaker 1 (16:37):
It's got joker.

Speaker 8 (16:39):
Here we go, and well, it depends on what kind
of shape in the in the in the in the season.

Speaker 1 (16:45):
Number four, number number four. He just doesn't great.

Speaker 5 (16:53):
Minnesota.

Speaker 3 (17:03):
This you gonna get on hard because you got on
the dope hat.

Speaker 5 (17:10):
Minnesota. What man? You know the saying they got the
same squad from last year.

Speaker 8 (17:16):
You know they all right, but they number three, I
mean number four, but they ain't top three. They ain't
top three. Number three, the top three, number three, the Lakers.
I'm gonna put the la put the Lakers at three, don't.
I'm gonna put him at three. They were three last year.

(17:37):
List get that straight. Three this year. There was three last.

Speaker 5 (17:40):
Year with the big Lucas.

Speaker 1 (17:42):
With the big Lucas, they won't be got a little
Luca now faceous defense.

Speaker 8 (17:50):
Yeah, you got Marcus Smart. We got Mark Smart on
the side. Now let's get that straight. We got side.

Speaker 4 (17:56):
What they gotta do with hey where they don't regardless
slower guy?

Speaker 5 (18:02):
Yeah, yeah, they got the joker kill who got the
joking stopper? We got the joking stopper on our team?

Speaker 1 (18:08):
Now? Yeah, raise that's talking about you all right? Got
it about like three m v P Yeah.

Speaker 8 (18:28):
Yeah, yeah, okay, okay, number three, number two, we're gonna
do the Rockets. We're gonna do the Rockets. But it
was a big loss for the band fleet. That was
a big loss right off the back for the Rockets.

Speaker 1 (18:42):
Though, right I think he might be out for the year.

Speaker 8 (18:47):
I think, yeah, that's the year even lately. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
it's gonna be playoff time. That was a big loss
for the Rockets though. But I got I got him
a number two still. And you know number one is
that's that's under night. Okay, see okay, see number one.

Speaker 3 (19:06):
And.

Speaker 8 (19:09):
That's it right now, okay, okay, see number one. Okay,
see number one. Okay, see we're gonna opened up a feedback.

Speaker 1 (19:19):
Go ahead and hit it, go ahead. That's what you got.

Speaker 3 (19:22):
I can't believe you know the Golden State Warriors where
you have them?

Speaker 1 (19:27):
Yeah right, that's not too bad. I get, I give you,
give you a little bit of the spurs on here.
No spurs on my list. I don't understand that one,
because that dude like you funked up. You funked up
with the Lakers are number three. There's no word legas
number three.

Speaker 5 (19:45):
But last year there was last number three.

Speaker 1 (19:47):
It won't be this year's horrible.

Speaker 4 (19:49):
I'm not going I'm not gonna go, yes, Center where
this is real about it? West?

Speaker 1 (20:01):
Know how that motherfucker was here draft talking about Look,
let me help you out.

Speaker 3 (20:06):
Not only did we went to the finals with him, yes,
but the finals with him and you got rid of them?

Speaker 1 (20:14):
Huh you got rid of him after that?

Speaker 3 (20:15):
Why?

Speaker 1 (20:16):
I totally agree with that.

Speaker 3 (20:18):
I'm thinking, if he's the same player that we drafted
m h as far as skilled skill sets with with
with Luca there and Lebron there, they're going the better
play it.

Speaker 1 (20:31):
How about his headset? That's what I'm saying that.

Speaker 3 (20:35):
That's what I'm saying with with Luke and Lebron, particularly Lebron.

Speaker 5 (20:41):
Lebron.

Speaker 3 (20:42):
That's all I'm saying. This is what we went to
the finals with that guy?

Speaker 1 (20:48):
Yes, yes you did, and then PlayStation five came out. Yep,
he was.

Speaker 3 (20:56):
So you guys, you guys know this sometimes about the
influences around you to because that's the only reason he
was effective with us. We had Chris Paul got whatever
made play to a certain standard. I'm saying the same
thing may happen with Lebron James and if you know what,
standing that his skills allow him to Oh my god,

(21:21):
but look at did the same thing with Lively and Gaffred.

Speaker 5 (21:24):
He made them a household name.

Speaker 3 (21:27):
Neither one of them goa.

Speaker 1 (21:30):
He made them. He made them and and boothday. That's up.

Speaker 4 (21:40):
They block stats and steals that anybody be back before
we before we move on.

Speaker 1 (21:46):
Well well well, well, I mean, come on the leg
of that three, I mean, come on, come on. This
ship surely to be stopped.

Speaker 3 (21:56):
I didn't get.

Speaker 1 (21:58):
Take a step back, so you know I ain't in
love with the Lakers. Got to get number three.

Speaker 5 (22:06):
Got Marcus's.

Speaker 1 (22:11):
All, we're moving on, Martin. Let's go moving on, everybody.

Speaker 4 (22:18):
Let's let's let's that's number eight. Listen, number Phoenix Son's bullshit.
But they're gonna be better without the rant I that's
story by other day.

Speaker 1 (22:34):
Okay.

Speaker 4 (22:35):
At number eight, I'm going with the Dallas Mavericks, I think, yeah,
I gotta got yeah. I think if Kyrie was there,
they would be in my top four. But I got
them at eight. I mean they got they got a
lot of size. I think Cooper Flag went to the
perfect team because he don't have to be number one,

(22:57):
number two, whatever. They got players for that he can
his role. I mean, and he does a lot of things.
So I do think, yeah, that's a good place for him.

Speaker 3 (23:05):
You look at all them guys in his position that
he play in the West. Yeah, I mean the rookie
he don't be great. He don't get me wrong. Yeah,
guys areheaded playing ahead of him now, the veterans smoking
like a pack of cools, know.

Speaker 4 (23:19):
Yep, but with their size, like I said, and then
a D long as they d stays healthy. Hopefully I'm
hoping he says healthy. I think that was could be
a little bit better. But I got him an eight.
I guess at number seven, I'm I'm talking. I'm gonna,
I'm gonna Golden State.

Speaker 1 (23:37):
I just think that. I just think another year. Current
is getting older.

Speaker 4 (23:45):
They give me mother, But I'm not sure how that
works ode with them, because it didn't. It didn't seem
to work too well last year with Jimmy. I know
it was, I mean, it was a new thing coming on,
but I'm not sure how that's gonna work out.

Speaker 1 (23:58):
I just don't. So I just think I don't think
small ball gonna work in.

Speaker 4 (24:02):
That small ball, that small ball with all these teams
that that I'm talking about fast and that's what killed
them last year and that was gonna kill him this
year as well. So yeah, I mean, but I mean,
but you gotta put Curry in the in the tip eight,
so I mean, I will say that. So yeah, I
got at number seven, at number six, I'm going, my boy,

(24:24):
I'm sorry, Lebron. I'm going with the Legas at number six.

Speaker 1 (24:28):
Yeah, I'm going to Legers number six, six, yep, and number.

Speaker 4 (24:31):
I think they're gonna take another step this year from
last year, even though they picked up Ayden we was
a very good pick up.

Speaker 1 (24:38):
But I just think, you look, look, Lebron can't do
this forever.

Speaker 3 (24:41):
Man.

Speaker 4 (24:42):
I just think I mean, and I'm not saying this
is gonna be the year we're gonna step back, but I'm.

Speaker 1 (24:47):
Just saying this year twenty three man, yeah gonna be
that guy. But is gonna be a hell of a Robin.

Speaker 3 (24:55):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (24:55):
I mean, I still have faith in them, but I'm
just saying, I mean, eventually, I don't know what's gonna happen,
but he gonna go down a little.

Speaker 2 (25:02):
He got I think this team is best when he
when he's batman, So that's that's the problem. Yeah, then
the team is best when he's batman because the ball
will move, Luca. You make Luca batman. The ball will move,
so you you want your tweet that mother forget it,
and they don't. The ball ain't going nowhere else.

Speaker 1 (25:19):
He's still That's the truth. That's the true gaffer. And
all them got to the finals.

Speaker 3 (25:27):
They wouldn't look.

Speaker 5 (25:27):
It was looking. It was looking.

Speaker 1 (25:30):
I wouldn't look. I don't know.

Speaker 4 (25:32):
That's another day at the number number five. I'm at
number five. I'm gonna I'm gonna roll with Minnesota. I
think Minnesota is gonna be up there. But to me,
I think Go Bear is the one who who who
actually is holding this team back. They need to get
run Go Bear out of town and get somebody else

(25:53):
that can do something with the ball, because it's I
tell it. And then I mean, he's a good people
of the player. But every time I see.

Speaker 1 (26:01):
Hill, he ain't. He didn't killed. I'm just saying skates
and the pick and rolls.

Speaker 4 (26:06):
Yeah, when they put him up top and jo As
he can't ask the paint Joe, Joe.

Speaker 1 (26:15):
Will be killing in the paint too.

Speaker 3 (26:16):
I just don't.

Speaker 1 (26:19):
Just don't like Go Bear. I think Go Bear is
holding him back.

Speaker 2 (26:22):
We didn't take Go Bear and put him in the
Retired Centers Club with you Mark, let him the couch.

Speaker 3 (26:28):
Is he is what he is. He's a defensive he ain't. Well,
that's that's why they ain't. Nobody buy them to get
twenty a night. He just that, Ain't that guy.

Speaker 1 (26:40):
I don't. I don't think I think the defense overrated.
I think people are on the rim. He's good, but.

Speaker 4 (26:47):
As a health defender, as a primary defender, no, As
a health defender.

Speaker 1 (26:51):
Yes, but yeah, but that mean most that's who they are. Yeah.
But what I'm saying when you get him one on
one with Joe for somebody may be killing month as Yeah, right, well, yeah,
a lot of dynamics.

Speaker 2 (27:11):
Defense is your thing, and you don't burn exhaust none
of your injury of offense, then you gotta go out
there and play.

Speaker 4 (27:16):
And you can't have jokes backing you under the basket,
right and then and then you're puttings reading him on
him and what you're singing found them down.

Speaker 1 (27:26):
But read like you can.

Speaker 7 (27:30):
You can.

Speaker 3 (27:31):
You can only help to container Elijah man. You ain't
stopping you not stopping him, right, I'm not saying that.
I'm just saying that they're players that are so gifted.
You can't stop them get hired for him.

Speaker 4 (27:50):
But I mean, what I know, but what I expect
no better do is not to get pushed up underath
the basket and Joe get lay up.

Speaker 1 (27:57):
That's what you No argument here is French, Come on, man,
come like all right.

Speaker 4 (28:13):
Number four is the best team in adlai and that's
them Clippers. He said, the best team in Adlaide is
gonna be yeah, one of the last as long as
they stay healthy. But I mean, and I mean, and
that's a big question mark because Kawhi you know, you
know he's he's in and now. But I will tell
you this, when Kawhi is there, they are the best

(28:36):
team in every year. Is he gonna play fifty this year?
I'm going the roster right now. It could be some changes.
It could be some changes, but right now about the
roster right now? Yeah, yeah, with him and with him
on it like they got they asked him pretty I mean,
they they pretty did. They're a deep team, but they's

(29:00):
gotta stay healthy and Kawhi gotta stay healthy.

Speaker 1 (29:02):
That's I mean, that's the.

Speaker 4 (29:04):
Key because when he's healthy, and when he's healthy, he's
one of the top five players in the league, no doubt.

Speaker 1 (29:12):
I don't know any question about that.

Speaker 5 (29:14):
Yeah, well.

Speaker 4 (29:18):
A top five player in both Yeah yeah, yeah, Joe
m B you know, no, no, no, no, no, no,
I ain't that bad.

Speaker 3 (29:28):
You know.

Speaker 1 (29:30):
He don't want championships.

Speaker 4 (29:31):
Please, he doesn't want champions and with other places one championhips,
So don't put him in the b in the same category.

Speaker 1 (29:37):
Now, let's go to but he ain't lately. He won
championships last year in different cities like Lebron.

Speaker 3 (29:49):
Last year, different cities.

Speaker 5 (29:54):
Yeah, we're gonna we're gonna check out of the tables
if you get paid.

Speaker 1 (30:02):
With bullshit at number three.

Speaker 4 (30:06):
At number three, I'm telling you, if if old Boy
wouldn't have got hurt, I'm telling you I might have
had them at the tops box because I think this year,
if he was healthy, I think Houston. I think Houston,
if if o Boy would have got hurt, because the
one the only thing that they were missing last year.
They were the number two seed last year without that
scoring that they that they needed and they got. When

(30:30):
you if like this, if you would have put Durant
on that team last year, I think they would. I
think they I'm saying with some time no time played
was a chemistry. They could be anybody and that's including Okay,
see without last year they played, they played very good defense.

(30:51):
Their leader is their coach, So they don't need Durrant
to go there to be no leader because I think
everybody know that Durant, he's not a leader like that.
But all they need the had to do is put
the ball in the basket. And that's one thing that
we know that Durant can do for sure. So I
got them a number three. I think they still gonna
made some noise. I mean, Van Fleet is a big
part of their I mean their team, but I think

(31:12):
they still gonna.

Speaker 1 (31:12):
Make some noise in the West. They're gonna be to
score off the natural offense and then forcing it to him.
They're gonna be good. At number two.

Speaker 4 (31:25):
I'm I'm going with the Denver Nuggets. There were there
were Nuggets made some very good pickups. They made some
very good pickups. I'll say that cam that cam and
picking up cam and didn't getting rid of old Port
on there talking about goofy ship. Yeah, they got they
were his as out of town and they picked up Camp.
That was to me, that was the biggest pick up
but then getting going back. Yeah, their defense is gonna

(31:47):
be better this year. Last year, Denver is gonna be
up there. This year they I mean, they took them
step back last year, but this year they're gonna be
up there. And my number two, for sure, they're gonna mean,
and they're gonna be You're gonna be pretty deep, very
deep teams. But yeah, I think, but I'm saying, you
give it a porter and then we're placing them with
Cam because he's a better all around player both sides

(32:08):
of the ball.

Speaker 1 (32:09):
There were nuggas gonna be there, then another one. I mean,
I didn't want to agree with.

Speaker 4 (32:16):
Mark on this one, but I mean, okay, see until
somebody nice the month and then what makes them so
special to me really is how young they are and
they won and they won when they were so young.
They're gonna be a tough out because now they even
got four confidences and to step up and the key

(32:39):
and he is though y'all know the kids, right is
the God damn chant over.

Speaker 1 (32:47):
You have to step up and the number one, See
you have to step up that number one. See hey
that God damn Chad.

Speaker 7 (32:52):
No.

Speaker 1 (32:52):
But Williams.

Speaker 4 (32:56):
Williams actually grew up the night talking about Williams.

Speaker 1 (33:01):
Grew up a lot, it is. That's why Williams.

Speaker 4 (33:06):
I think Williams was the key last year because he
grew up a lot year and he stepped up in
our big games.

Speaker 1 (33:13):
So yeah, that's my number one. Let's let's keep it moving,
let's go.

Speaker 2 (33:17):
But what I would tell you is this, Mark, Well,
I understand one championship when the last time there's a
repeat champion in the n b A, it's been a
long time.

Speaker 1 (33:23):
It's been a long time. It ain't gonna happen this
year either.

Speaker 4 (33:25):
Well, I'm just saying, I'm just saying, you're saying, because
motherfucker's like big boy ain't gonna step up.

Speaker 1 (33:34):
Home is gonna step up and be what he should be.
See said, you don't have them as your number one.

Speaker 5 (33:40):
I might not.

Speaker 1 (33:41):
I may not.

Speaker 3 (33:43):
They may not.

Speaker 4 (33:44):
They may not.

Speaker 1 (33:45):
I may not have you. I may I may not. Okay,
Hey she's wull tell baby she's we will win a
bunch of games.

Speaker 4 (33:53):
Bro.

Speaker 1 (33:54):
It was I'm not saying not going Yangs. What I'm
saying is everybody around him got better.

Speaker 3 (33:59):
I know is year.

Speaker 4 (34:02):
I know what that list right there was solid say
about that list that listens Denver, way too fucking high,
too high, way too high. Come on, Denver, I wouldn't
tell you the question.

Speaker 1 (34:19):
I just have a yeah question.

Speaker 3 (34:26):
Yeah, none of you don't have san Antonio nowhere on there?

Speaker 1 (34:31):
How is that possible? And the top eight?

Speaker 11 (34:33):
Yeah, I got them playing in mark they playing, Yeah,
we're not. We're not doing a play in.

Speaker 1 (34:46):
Talking about him?

Speaker 4 (34:47):
Who would The one question I got about san Antonio
is I'm I want to see how that works with
their in fix because I'm if you're about him, I mean,
he can score the basketball, this and that, But.

Speaker 3 (34:59):
I guess I guess for me. You guys believe way
more and and and and Cooper flag Who's going to
be a great player.

Speaker 1 (35:06):
Don't get me wrong, great player.

Speaker 7 (35:10):
Versus no, No, got the whole team Dallas. The best
player may be hurt, the best player may be hurt.

Speaker 1 (35:22):
Yeah, yeah, but they still have a team. Dallas.

Speaker 12 (35:27):
Player is because because they can run the offense through
a D and they can go big and run it,
run it that way, insist.

Speaker 4 (35:40):
I mean, it's Castle, Castle and Fox and big boy
go past that point line too.

Speaker 3 (35:52):
I'm hoping that maturity will kick in too, you know,
what I mean, he's he's going to be a.

Speaker 1 (35:58):
Better player than he was last year. You'm wrong one
or two, But you can't be out of shoes.

Speaker 3 (36:02):
Cooper Flags get here, He's gonna be a great player.

Speaker 1 (36:04):
I ain't.

Speaker 4 (36:08):
Over over over no, no, no, but but things like Dallas. No,
it wouldn't because of Cooper Flag, because Kyrie, because Kyrie hurt.

Speaker 1 (36:20):
Kyrie is hurt.

Speaker 3 (36:21):
But that they have picked up.

Speaker 1 (36:27):
I think that was gonna still being still.

Speaker 5 (36:30):
Got five, you still got russelled, You still got twenty
points a game. You still got rusted average twenty points
a game.

Speaker 3 (36:37):
Yeah, yeah, you're right, you get twenty points a game.

Speaker 1 (36:42):
To heard it fu first that boy and them heart
is gonna be nice with I like him. Argument is
nice album. I don't know about that. I know about
that argument all right. To see feedback from Mars.

Speaker 5 (36:58):
Not moving on que It was a great list.

Speaker 3 (37:01):
I shouldn't be.

Speaker 1 (37:05):
No feedback bro Be mass that was plus probably be
my probably be Yeah that God, you put me in
the middle because I can we can bounce this ship
out because one of two.

Speaker 5 (37:23):
Yeah, I was in the middle.

Speaker 3 (37:24):
That was I was.

Speaker 1 (37:27):
We needed to get that ship over with. That's why
you with with that's saying this. No, baby is up
to you. You go, yeah, he ain't go.

Speaker 3 (37:35):
Baby.

Speaker 12 (37:37):
Now, I gotta bring an honorable mention in here because
my boy West is on the show, and we gotta
bring mentally and and I'm gonna say that I am
totally agreeing with you, Mark when I when when you
say that, uh, Phoenix will be in the playoffs. So
let's give him a little honorable mention. Let's put him
at a nine.

Speaker 1 (37:56):
Let's put him. I got the headphones on your herds.
I about hit him. Any time.

Speaker 4 (38:02):
You got Devin Booker, you got a chance, baby, That's
what I'm talking about. Man haters.

Speaker 2 (38:08):
One, then you got you got that mouple to show
up for forty For twenty games in the average, get
thirty night, and then for the next sixty games you
get ten to night.

Speaker 4 (38:19):
And you know tonight they run the horse in the ground.
Ain't even know the horse with him. I don't talk
about Booker, I'm talking about his sack. Yeah, you get thirty. Yeah,
he had thirty five for twenty games, and for the
next other sixty games, you had like fifteen or ten,
no doubt, and a couple of goose eggs in there too.

Speaker 1 (38:43):
Damn you did the playoffs last year. We talked once
again talking regular season. All right, look.

Speaker 4 (38:55):
Different game, two different games, right, all right, let's go,
let's go. Number eight. Can't count them out. Yeah, they
play a bunch of small ball, but you can't count
them out. Somehow, some way. Every year this team is there.
Golden State, baby, Golden State smart, like you say, smart team.
They always figured out a way, you know what I'm saying.

(39:15):
No matter who they play against, they run, they they
game and always figure out a way. So we were
gonna keep gold State, Uh number seven, little little reach.
These these these bag of bones, got a hold it together,
and we're gonna go with Dallas if if they can,

(39:36):
if they can run the offense through the big guys
and a d can stay healthy, I believe that this
team can can can can use their guards as defensive
and and and you know, and and and and and
run the offense through the big man.

Speaker 1 (39:51):
I'm gonna keep them.

Speaker 12 (39:52):
Maybe Kyrie come back at the end of the season
and give us the sizzle, but UH got them a
number seven, Number.

Speaker 1 (39:57):
Six, they ain't. Kyrie is supposed to be back in
in January. February.

Speaker 4 (40:02):
Yeah, you know sometimes when you come off that, you
know how we'll see. We'll see he's all right his first.

Speaker 1 (40:06):
Year bag November in December.

Speaker 4 (40:10):
Yeah, I'm telling you they got some motherfuckers there. They
do they if they can they can stay healthy, I'm
telling you, yeah, they do. Number six.

Speaker 12 (40:21):
He going another juggernaut, bag of bones team that's gonna
you know, we're gonna excite you and then they gonna
piss you off during the season. And that's them Lakers.
You know, yes, they made moves, they have a better team,
but there are a lot of question marks. We got
to see how this defense is gonna work. You know,

(40:42):
I'm telling you if Luke, if Luke Case step up
his defense, this team ain't going nowhere. I don't care
if you put marcut smart. I don't care DeAndre Hey,
I don't care who the hell you put around. You
know what they do, It does not matter who he's checking.
That guy comes the fucking hot guy. Last year nas

(41:03):
Reeds Red ain't an offensive player, but you know what,
when he's checking me, we're gonna go at him.

Speaker 1 (41:08):
Whoever, whoever he's checking, they use him to go at him.
So yea, yeah, he's gonna be predicated on him. He
almost had the career most blowbidies in the playoffs and uh.

Speaker 3 (41:19):
In the history of the league.

Speaker 1 (41:20):
Ship Man and that bad ride that should be looking bad.

Speaker 5 (41:24):
You out there.

Speaker 1 (41:29):
You ain't bullshit. He might as well have the red car,
the red the red mack mark.

Speaker 5 (41:33):
I swear the guy that's They still want fifty games.

Speaker 1 (41:36):
You don't play D. You don't play D.

Speaker 5 (41:38):
They still want fifty games. Let's go, but it don't.

Speaker 1 (41:40):
It don't help you in the playoffs. If you won
fifty games, you're not the first round, all right?

Speaker 12 (41:49):
Moving along number five, Like you say, you know you
can never count this guy out. You know he ain't
the best defensive player in the world. But guess what,
they didn't put a defensive center with him. We're going
with Denver Denver.

Speaker 1 (42:01):
And number five. Yeah, yeah, number five.

Speaker 4 (42:07):
You might have sucked up right there, man, Yeah whatever, Yeah,
and then and then when your boy get group get
beat up by Caruso, he can't do ship Yeah, you know,
I got I got him where I got him, and
that's where they at.

Speaker 3 (42:24):
We go.

Speaker 1 (42:24):
We're gonna leave him there.

Speaker 12 (42:25):
Moving on number number four, Young Young Hot team showed
a lot. The only thing we' is that centerpiece, man,
that centerpiece. I'm telling you, man, when they when they
put that boy out there on the isolations, boy, that
boy looked like he looked like he looked like, you know,
he on some ice gates.

Speaker 1 (42:45):
And that's that boy, Rudy Gobert. So I'm playing. I'm
go Minnesota. I believe.

Speaker 12 (42:53):
I believe in my what's what's the brother's name? I
believe that man gonna step this game up randomly, yeah,
take his game up to the next level. I believe
those two guys will take their game to the next league,
but at next level with mile three and uh and
continue to move on from there, you know, and get
up there.

Speaker 4 (43:13):
You know.

Speaker 12 (43:13):
So I'm that's from my number fourteen, right number three.
There's a new team in l A tweety, I'm sorry,
I'm sorry. There's a new sheriff in town.

Speaker 5 (43:26):
One.

Speaker 4 (43:27):
Hey.

Speaker 12 (43:28):
Hey, regular season, they are stacked. They can afford to
have one of their big guys and can continue to
win games. And that's what we're going by here. You know,
whether I think about what they are in the playoffs
in their history, that's another thing. But during the regular season,
I do believe that this team will be able to

(43:49):
consistently win games, and and and and and be one
of the front runners in the division.

Speaker 5 (43:54):
You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 4 (43:55):
Okay, number two, I'm too everybody, look at this is
this is a big one, number two, number two.

Speaker 12 (44:08):
This team stacked up. Even though they lost one of
their point guards, they're still a good team. They picked
up they picked up the rant. Anytime you pick up
the rant, you're always in the game. They were already
beat a team that could probably win a championship without
the rant.

Speaker 1 (44:27):
Now that they have him, they put them. They put
them over the top. That's Houston baby.

Speaker 5 (44:32):
Up there.

Speaker 3 (44:33):
Number two, like.

Speaker 1 (44:36):
And uh, you know, and that number one.

Speaker 4 (44:39):
Hey, tweety, I ain't gonna lie to you tweet the
talk last year. Last year, brother, we all laughed at you.
We laughed at you when you said, okay, see, we said,
what the fuck you talking about? Coming off that bullshit? Hey,
they won a championship.

Speaker 1 (44:58):
He had a team. Get man, it's Flowers. I'm not
gonna miss the boat because because he had the laker
at the same time. So like, what the what do
you think?

Speaker 4 (45:09):
Ain't no flowers here? He was from Okay, see in
front of the whole time, the whole time, motherfucker we started.
We didn't start the podcast.

Speaker 1 (45:23):
To march in the season. Out of the four of
us walk out of here. He was, you know how, little.

Speaker 12 (45:37):
Flowers, I'm not gonna miss the boat on this team
this year. This team is young as hell. They they
could use uh, they could. They could lose their number
one guy for ten games this season. It's still be
okay because this team is young and full of and
full of comes.

Speaker 3 (45:56):
Almost was down for a little while they were still winning.

Speaker 1 (45:59):
You'll remember that. That shows you the gilt for a
little deep they can't This team is deep. They can
lose with that game is still just be okay. This
team is deep.

Speaker 2 (46:18):
They'll lose seven of them all right. In the New West,
they lose seven those games.

Speaker 1 (46:23):
The West has changed, you're right about. But you going
on everybody being healthy in the West. See all these
names over here. Your comment.

Speaker 2 (46:31):
I'm responding to your comment that they missed the games.
I'm responding that you threw out. So I'm responding to that.

Speaker 1 (46:37):
Ahead.

Speaker 3 (46:38):
That's it.

Speaker 1 (46:38):
That's open fire. Feedback ahead and.

Speaker 4 (46:42):
Go fire like a motherfucker because you had different at
number five. I don't know what the hell you're talking about.
Different is not gonna be number five. They're gonna be
one of the time in the West. Gonna be one
of the time teas in the West. I think you
sleeping on Denver. They're gonna be one of the time
teas in the West. That's the only part of my
guy with your list, I got probably with a number five.

Speaker 2 (47:00):
Okay, all right, all right, I think different number five,
and I think that was for me. Downs is too long.
I think that is gonna be better than with most
of y'all get credit.

Speaker 1 (47:08):
For I got that. They're gonna be higher on my list.

Speaker 5 (47:11):
I think that that was for real. And I got
the Lakers. You've got the Legers way too high.

Speaker 1 (47:17):
I think twitch good good, yea ye, suld number numbers.

Speaker 4 (47:29):
They may make that six be the player against Hey,
Laker's got the rest players and everything to get to
the playoffs.

Speaker 1 (47:39):
Man, six is a good spot for that. They're gonna
be the play Come on, allright, here we go.

Speaker 4 (47:43):
Here we got last, but not certainly not least.

Speaker 2 (47:48):
I'm about to go ahead run this ship. I'm gonna
take them the knowledge talk, I talk knowledge.

Speaker 1 (47:54):
Yeah, here we go.

Speaker 2 (47:55):
Honorable mentioned nineteen number nineteen coming in, I think gonna
be number nine. I think he'll be much improved. I
think they got a season with their players to get
back together. I think the San Antonian Spurs is gonna
be number nine team actually Spurs number nine.

Speaker 3 (48:11):
I think.

Speaker 4 (48:12):
I think it counts heavily on the growth of Castle.
He's gotta grow. Harper gott to fit in and do
his thing, but Harper is a bad boy. And then
I think win get off the three point nine. I
think they're number nine. But your point guard, the point
guy that would run the show, and we don't know
for sure how he gonna play with with with with

(48:34):
Win with.

Speaker 2 (48:36):
He's played high level basketball and in high level moments,
so I don't even worry about Fox.

Speaker 1 (48:41):
It's like Coulna be dog. He gonna do what he do.

Speaker 2 (48:43):
Number eight. This team getting up there in years, but
still got some ballers. I think they took what they
had last year and they've gotten smaller. So I think
Golden State makes it. But I think they're in the
number eight seed. I look at look at them, look
at the rasketball. That's what I got a problem.

Speaker 4 (49:00):
I think the thing they gotta get is the Anthony
Milton's gotta be better. I mean, gott to come in
and be healthy. He's coming back from injury. Last year,
Horford Horford got is on tell end of it. So
I think the Horford for for for the Horford out
and h in and then they got rid of what's
what's the role player they at the center last year.

(49:21):
I think that's a bad match, bad match for him.
I think Horford, I don't know how much he got
left in the tank. So I think they need Milton
to step up. I think they gotta get growth out
of Pazingis.

Speaker 2 (49:34):
They got to get a little more growth out of
They gotta get some some value out of Seth Curry
bringing him in, So I think other people got to
step up in in order for them.

Speaker 1 (49:43):
To be take something load from Curry and from Jimmy Butler.
Them too motherfuckers old. So they gonna do it, but
the ain't gonna be doing it for all eighty two games.

Speaker 2 (49:51):
So number eight team, I have the Golden State Warriors
number seven, another team that's longer than the tooth, or
at least they got a player that's long in the tooth,
and I think they got question marks with the new center.
They brought in, they got some some other people. I
think Smart wouldn't It wouldn't smart last year. So I
think the Lakers. You know, I gotta put the Lakers

(50:12):
with the question marks Lebron out for the first month
of the season and maybe even more right because they're
gonna try to protect them for the long haul, so
Lebron might be longer than that. So I think that
I had the Lakers in a challenge situation. I think
Luca being fit is a good deal.

Speaker 4 (50:29):
I think he's got to get his ass a three
point line because he he at times gets caught up
on the three point line.

Speaker 2 (50:33):
You gotta do more. And I think they need to
not settle for putting them on in Luke's hands and
have everybody to watch them. Yeah, so I think you
got to move the ball. You know what they need
to be Luke got Luke got moved the ball my
number sixteen. This team made some nice additions. I think

(50:54):
it's gonna take them. There's a couple of teams that
I mentioned. I think it's going to take them some
time to get their pieces, to get other and get
people on the same page, to get chemistry.

Speaker 1 (51:02):
So this team, I think is is a good team,
but I think they asked some chemistry to work out.

Speaker 2 (51:06):
But some of the pieces that they added by adding
last year, they had John Collins, they got Brook Lopez
coming in, they got some of the steady guys, but
then they got b Bradley b on once. Yeah, I'm
curious with how Bill fits in this Clipper Clipper situation.
So I had the Clippers number six. I think they
got some work to do. I think to Ron lu
is the guy to make that ship happen. But I

(51:27):
think the Clippers are going to spend It was.

Speaker 3 (51:30):
Really efficient coming off the get.

Speaker 1 (51:33):
Off the bench. So he started, He's starting there giving
off the bench.

Speaker 3 (51:37):
I'm thinking he's gonna come off the bench. Yeah, I'm
interested to see that he might start, but off the bench.
Even players he played off the bench. He played off
the bench last year.

Speaker 1 (51:47):
Good.

Speaker 4 (51:48):
Yeah, he was one of the most efficient players that
don't give him credit better he played with playing with
that Clibber team with hired.

Speaker 1 (51:56):
Better off the bench. Yeah, because they need that kind
of scoring coming off and then you know he's that
go to off. Yeah. I agree with that.

Speaker 2 (52:04):
They uh yeah, they lost him from last year. They
lost him on came up with last year and and
we've done that, bitch right. He went to Miami, so
power with the Miamis and any another gunner, so that'd
be that'd be a bill and get his shots all right.
Number five, I think this team, I think some of
y'all slept on. I don't think anybody put him as
high as I've put him. But I just like what

(52:26):
they what they've done, even in replacing the one injury star.
I think from the standpoint, I think Clay got another year.

Speaker 1 (52:35):
He's gonna be better. I think the key is is
a d gotta his as gotta be healthy. I think
he's got to be healthy.

Speaker 4 (52:41):
But I like the move to go get Russell and
replacement of of Kyrie until he comes back.

Speaker 2 (52:46):
And I'm gonna I told you y'all sleep on the
boy and the heart them heart. You watched him in
the in the rookie ship and in the preseason. They've
been high on him, so I think them heart coming in.
I think he's gonna be a baller for them. I
think allowed flag to come in slowly. You got and
and the thing that they're big. I think their defense,
their defense is gonna be stifling. You're not gonna be

(53:08):
a score when you got yeah, yeah, and like sixteen,
like he likes sixteen Tom Chambers.

Speaker 1 (53:21):
Yeah, he plays a big D anyway close to that.
He's gonna be a hell of a play. He plays
Tom Chambers like he is the problem.

Speaker 3 (53:32):
I think.

Speaker 2 (53:32):
I think Dallas is gonna be the best defensive team,
probably one of the best defense, not the best, but
one of the best defensive in the league. They're gonna
be hard to score them, and they're gonna be a
hell of a rebounding team. So I think that gafford
a d situation, lively off the bench. And then you
got flag who's six downs sixteen Yeah, yeah, I think
I think they got a good thing. Yeah they watched

(53:54):
six eight, right, they got the motherfucker's gonna be They're
gonna be big.

Speaker 1 (53:57):
They can get people problems. So I got them a
number number five, number four.

Speaker 4 (54:01):
I think this team slight slided down from where they
were last year, but if you remember last year in
the Western Conference, the difference between number two and number
eight was like two and a half three games, so
not a big space.

Speaker 1 (54:13):
I think it's gonna be similar to that again this year.

Speaker 2 (54:14):
We're coming down to the end last couple of days
before you had all those spots figured out.

Speaker 1 (54:19):
This team, I think.

Speaker 2 (54:22):
Them they're count I think there's two people that they
need to step up in order to be able to
do it. And I think that's Uh Shining and I
think Dylion ham So, I think Dyllian Might of Kentucky
and then Randy Shanning. They gotta gotta play them. They
gotta get valued because actually the playoffs, I think they
shortened Shane because Shanna was making a difference when he's

(54:42):
coming in. They didn't play them so and I think
they need to as much as possible. They need to
have Rudy Ass play less minutes. This year, Rudy Less
had these boys play more. And I think that was
the thing that was very positive that that all off
season at Man worked on his mid reign as opposed
to the three. That's that's what the feedback he got

(55:03):
from Michael Jordan was to work develop his mid range
as opposed to just the three. Last year he was
shooting ten threes a game while he made almost forty
percent of thirty point five percent shooting him and he
actually made the most threes of everybody. A guy with
his skill set. Can't get stuck out shooting threes when
you can do so much more havoc if I take
them out to the back. So number four, you know,

(55:25):
it remains to be seen. I want to see what
Rando does. Get his ass up three point line.

Speaker 3 (55:30):
He was down, he was down.

Speaker 1 (55:32):
From where he was in New York.

Speaker 4 (55:33):
He's only average four point six three point three point
game last year.

Speaker 2 (55:38):
But I want to see him pounding. I want to
see Atmeg going to the basket. And I want to
see shinning and dellinghow getting more planning time. And I
think they have a chance to maybe even move out
of the number four spot.

Speaker 5 (55:48):
I got what did they pick up anybody?

Speaker 3 (55:50):
Oh?

Speaker 5 (55:51):
Off season they stand packed.

Speaker 1 (55:55):
They lost.

Speaker 5 (55:58):
Oh that was big.

Speaker 1 (55:59):
That was a big hurt too.

Speaker 5 (56:01):
That was they lose Alexander.

Speaker 1 (56:02):
Yeah, they got guys hurt too.

Speaker 2 (56:04):
But I think that them having a core, I think
they'll be they'll be good. But they gotta they gotta
get dellian Ham and they gotta get Shining. Those are
the two big pieces. It's gonna be like, they'll be
like new guys. They didn't play them a lot last year.
Number three teams Number three, I think this team is
gonna take. It's gonna take them a little bit of
time to get their their things all situated, get their

(56:27):
chemistry together. But I do think they have a chance
to be to go up as highest number two and
and challenge for number one because I really liked what
they did. I mean, you went and picked up you
talk about another team is gonna be big. You got
Clint Cappella, You got Drian Finney Smith, who's who was
the thirty nine and a half percent three point shooter
two but.

Speaker 1 (56:46):
Played mad d you have.

Speaker 2 (56:50):
Then if we gotta hurt obviousitely, you know you picked
up Durant, so Durant is a motherfucker man that those
points are gonna be invaluable.

Speaker 1 (56:56):
And I think the thing that you gotta see for
them to prepare themselves out of three and maybe even
be two, because I think they can.

Speaker 2 (57:02):
Get two is Jabari Smith got to grow this year.
Thompson gotta grow. You got to see big things from him.
And then sam Gean san Gean, they said he worked
on his low post. That's what he needs to work on,
a low post. His low post boves were suspect. So
I want to see what those three players do. So
goes those three players, so goes some of the trajectory

(57:25):
for them. My number two team, and it's what I
had to struggle with because I think they're gonna be battling.
They're gonna be a battle between that team I just
mentioned at number three, my number two, my number one,
but my number two team made great additions.

Speaker 4 (57:42):
I think they're just probably a cut below number one.
They just talk the regular season. But I think Denver Nuggets,
I have them the number two seed. I think that
valentiunis at number two seed, I mean at the number
two center as a backup center.

Speaker 2 (57:54):
I think he's a good pick up for them. I
think getting Bruce Brown, they should never let Bruce Brown
go that was stupid. I think Tim Hardaway Junior was
a good pick up. That's another three.

Speaker 4 (58:04):
Point shooter, high thirty point shooter, and more than anything
that Cam Johnson moved as a motherfucking a killer movie.

Speaker 2 (58:12):
Cam Johnson is the real deal. So I think those
those additions. I think they got to see the next
level of growth from from Bron. Bron's gotta grow for them.
I think Peyton Watson, I think they need him to grow.
And then you got the guys Strater that was coming
out of the Benson last year. I think those three guys,
you guys see more from them.

Speaker 1 (58:33):
They helped lift the team. But I think that they
made nobody did probably better.

Speaker 2 (58:37):
Besides Houston and Denver were probably the two best teams
as far as they picked up.

Speaker 1 (58:41):
An offseason editions. And then number one, I think, I
mean to beat the chap you got to beat the champ.

Speaker 2 (58:46):
So you know, while I got my reservations about Homering,
which some people don't like, but I don't give a fuck.

Speaker 1 (58:55):
I will say this.

Speaker 2 (58:56):
I will say this has a number three options. I
think he's good, but he's gotta grow. The big Williams
with the big move in reagion why they won championship
last year. Williams, Yeah, Williams and Shaye won't be enough
this year. I think at home, we gotta stuck his
game up along with the bench guys doing. They came back,

(59:17):
and I think they gotta fit Hargenstein in a little
bit better. I thought the playoffs they didn't. They didn't
get enough out of hargin Stein. I think he has
quite a bit of upside to be a given. But
but I think the big guy The focus on this
year for them is check Homer gotta be there. He's
got to step up and be a more solid and
consistent number three.

Speaker 4 (59:33):
And they're number one seed. The close out to Sea.
That's the list feedback, your feedback. Minnesota is too high
for me, Yeah, Minnesota is too high.

Speaker 1 (59:44):
I just think number fourty too high.

Speaker 5 (59:46):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (59:47):
Yeah, the West got better.

Speaker 3 (59:56):
No no, no, no no.

Speaker 5 (59:57):
When they lose people, they lose, they lost out.

Speaker 4 (01:00:02):
And what I'll tell you, Shannon is a more athletic
and a better player than than Alexander. But they're gonna
play him that that's a question because because because I
don't know why you didn't play the bashing of the
playoffs when he came up on the bench and he
was aggressive, but but then you started playing them.

Speaker 1 (01:00:22):
I don't get that. And and then the thing about add.

Speaker 4 (01:00:26):
That three point line even though he hit that forty,
But to me, that's what cost him because the whole
game changes when he's aggressive.

Speaker 1 (01:00:34):
It going to the basket, because you let the defense
off the hook when you're taking.

Speaker 4 (01:00:38):
Them threes, and you can get to the basket and
you can open up so much stuff for the whole team.
If you're being aggressive, it's going to the basket, even
though he was hitting them. But to me, that messed
the team up because he's the one guy that opens
up everything for them. Yeah, I think the other thing
they got to do as you get to the playoffs,
you saw this as a deficiency for them is you

(01:00:59):
saw Red and uh and what's his name and Lefty.

Speaker 2 (01:01:06):
Randa Randa. It was handling the ball too much. I
think that's where you gotta play dolling Ham and you
gotta play Shannon Moore. Let them handle the ball because okay.

Speaker 1 (01:01:15):
See was just killing that.

Speaker 2 (01:01:16):
So I think that's one of the developments they have
to make this year. But I think the continuity, I
think they're gonna they're gonna be good. I think they're
gonna be number four.

Speaker 3 (01:01:23):
I'm gonna Minnesota, Minnesota. I think four is a little high.
But the reason for me is that Anthony Edwards is
an incredible basketball player. It's like John Moran is an
incredible basketball player. But for whatever reason, they're missing a
leadership quality when your best player has to be one
of your best leaders so that it becomes a game

(01:01:45):
of we not just me, because me, he gonna get forward.
He can do whatever he wants on the court anytime
you but figuring whatever reason, he's not getting that from
the wee part of it, where we can where we
can beat anybody, But a lot of that comes from
the leadership. That's the same thing down in Memphis with
John Morant. He about himself, you know what I mean.

(01:02:06):
He has games where you could see him doing it
later in their phenomena. I mean, but Desmond Baines took
over that role more than job John Moran.

Speaker 1 (01:02:15):
Now, have anybody in that role in Minnesota. Nobody leadership perspective,
he's not yet. He's not that. Yeah, that's the thing
that's missing. That's the thing.

Speaker 5 (01:02:27):
That's what they got. Mike Conley. But Mike Conley he
getting old too, he gets too.

Speaker 9 (01:02:32):
Yeah, he didn't, says they had before he did have
that influence. They were really, really, really good. Yeah a
couple of years ago. Yeah, yes, all right, Hey, that's
that's what he now.

Speaker 4 (01:02:44):
One last question before we jump off, is there any
team that you didn't include in your top eight that
you think could be a breakthrough team that could that
could get into that topic?

Speaker 1 (01:02:53):
Go ahead on Wes. What did you go first?

Speaker 3 (01:02:54):
Well, I didn't have Dallas and uh, that was that
was a travesty because.

Speaker 1 (01:03:02):
Man, I just either one of them.

Speaker 3 (01:03:04):
It's a toss up and all the people all are
betting against Wimby not to make the playoffs.

Speaker 1 (01:03:10):
No, no, we're talking about the top eight.

Speaker 3 (01:03:15):
But with that said, but with that said, I didn't
have Dallas in there, and guy, you guys gave me
a very strong argument for Dallas to be in there.

Speaker 1 (01:03:25):
So you funked up on that one. Mark, That's where
you funked up on that one.

Speaker 3 (01:03:31):
I'm going with the Spurs and.

Speaker 1 (01:03:33):
I have downs in there. That was the fun up.

Speaker 4 (01:03:35):
That was I'm going that was that was a misjustice. Man,
I still don't believe in the Spurs.

Speaker 1 (01:03:40):
That's what you say. Believe player, I.

Speaker 4 (01:03:46):
Got to see I'm telling you to me. It's about
Fox and how you go play with the big boy
and Castle. Fox is a Fox is a shoot first,
boy guard he first.

Speaker 1 (01:03:56):
Yeah, so he going to he got to get that
up to I mean to be boy I mean it
wouldn't be I get to as something que Line. I believe.

Speaker 8 (01:04:05):
I believe in the team that he came from more
than the Spurs. As far as thoughts.

Speaker 1 (01:04:12):
The second Hey, flipped that team up, that team up
before I'll put.

Speaker 5 (01:04:19):
Them before team team.

Speaker 1 (01:04:22):
So that's your team that that's your team that you
think you put through into.

Speaker 3 (01:04:25):
The the one that I would you know, I'm with
you guys on that argument hundred percent.

Speaker 1 (01:04:34):
Who who's your team.

Speaker 3 (01:04:39):
Here?

Speaker 1 (01:04:39):
You're mute, you're mute, you got on mute?

Speaker 12 (01:04:47):
Yeah, my bad, bad, It's gotta be san Antonio. Man,
it's gotta be. It's gotta be san Antonio. You know,
that was the team on the fence. For me, it's
the team I immediately when you guys started talking like
Mark and he put it even now, I was like, damn, damn,
I wish I had found a way. But then you
look at your list and it's really hard to put
him in.

Speaker 1 (01:05:08):
What's just stuff? The West? The West is the mine
is it is Memphis.

Speaker 4 (01:05:15):
I'm telling you when now, like I say, like you
mentioned Jimmy, right, he's not the best leader because he
he could have the dunk stuff off the floor and
it's that.

Speaker 1 (01:05:23):
But I will say this, when he's on the floor,
they are the top team there. They are a top eighteen.

Speaker 4 (01:05:32):
Last year they messed up because he well he's been
for twenty five games because he was just mended.

Speaker 1 (01:05:36):
Then he came back and they was actually playing real good.
But they don't have to burn. I didn't like mans
with them. I'm telling I like, I like Pope, Pope,
I like I like a couple of people. I mean,
they had to he kept that team in line.

Speaker 4 (01:05:53):
But I'm telling you when when Giant's healthy and he's
on the floor, members is a top eighteen in the West.

Speaker 1 (01:06:00):
I'm I'm telling you as a player, there's no doubt
he is. Like Edwards. They are some of the best
players in the league. Yeah, but they don't bring it.
They don't.

Speaker 5 (01:06:09):
It's a team sport, bro I promise Sacrament gonna be
their top eight down.

Speaker 3 (01:06:16):
That team.

Speaker 8 (01:06:18):
They won forty eight games last year.

Speaker 5 (01:06:21):
I'm telling you that, just saying last year.

Speaker 4 (01:06:25):
They're gonna be bottom mate this year, I ain't got
no faith in them, so I said, was said, we
already we already know that. I've already said mine. San
Antonio was a team that I think is going to
be the team that I got the nice spot that
could break into the eighth spot.

Speaker 1 (01:06:45):
And they do, They're gonna knock down either the Lakers or.

Speaker 5 (01:06:49):
They don't do that. Don't do that.

Speaker 2 (01:06:51):
The Warriors give their spot. If san Antonio is better
than what than what we expect him to be.

Speaker 5 (01:06:56):
So ain't gonna happen?

Speaker 1 (01:06:58):
Wow, Hey, we so we've hit it heavy today. We
hit it already.

Speaker 4 (01:07:02):
We're gonna come back to our mid season checkpoint, one
of the chances new teams and new combinations at work.

Speaker 2 (01:07:10):
We're gonna come back. We're gonna have a discussion. We're
gonna see, you know where the cream rises and and
and lands. What I said, one of you guys said,
we'll see, but we'll hold our too other account of
I have the list we can we're got to put
together and then we're gonna we're gonna go from there
and see how we land.

Speaker 1 (01:07:24):
So with that, we're gonna close us out like we
always do. Tweety you go ahead and.

Speaker 5 (01:07:28):
Then a baby like and subscribe to Report five.

Speaker 1 (01:07:32):
That's right, Hey, Mark West.

Speaker 4 (01:07:34):
We appreciate you Wes coming on always with your friend
of the Hood Report forever.

Speaker 7 (01:07:41):
Man.

Speaker 2 (01:07:42):
Your insight is great and allows us to be able
to get a different view in different lands from somebody
that that did it at the highest level.

Speaker 1 (01:07:49):
So hey, we appreciate you that much.

Speaker 3 (01:07:50):
Love appreciate, appreciate, appreciate it.

Speaker 5 (01:07:53):
Thank you, Appreciate it right

Speaker 2 (01:07:56):
Shout out to shout out to everybody, Shout out to
ALLUR listeners, Shout out to you the trait