January 27, 2023 • 55 mins
On today’s show, Rohan is joined by Sports Illustrated senior writer Chris Mannix. They begin by discussing some of the week’s rivalry games, including Nets-Sixers and Warriors-Grizzlies. Topics include the future of Ben Simmons and if the Grizzlies would be favored in a playoff rematch against the Dubs. Then they break down Anthony Davis’s return and what it means for the Lakers. Finally, the duo go through their All-Star rosters and who should or should not make the team
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome back to another episode of Open Floor. I am
joined today by Sports Sports Illustrated senior writer. He is
no longer the NBA media's most eligible bachelor. Please welcome
Chris Mannix to the show. Mannix, how's it going. It
is nice to be back on the platform that I
(00:25):
built as the as the founder of Open Floor many
many years ago. It is nice to be back. Um,
you know, it's like coming home to roost. Right. No,
I was gonna I was gonna say it was your
Open Floor debut, but then I fact checked myself and
(00:46):
realized that was incorrect. Chris, you have many jobs, and
the one that I'm most jealous of is that you
get to do for to zone, like in ring interviews
after a big fight. That's like that was for years
I wanted that job, just to interview boxers right after
a fight. I think it's thrilling. What's the craziest thing
that's ever happened to you in the ring after a fight?
(01:09):
Probably it was several years ago and Tyson Fury, who
is the heavyweight champion, he was in New York to
face Steve Cunningham. And you know, Fury won that fight
by knockout and you know, in the post fight interview,
he wrestled the microphone away from me and started singing
(01:31):
like some Aerosmith song to the to the Madison Square
Garden crowd, which you know is goofy enough in and
of itself. But the bigger problem was that was a
fight that was airing on main network NBC and they've
got heart outs. So like I am kind of I
wouldn't say trying to get the mic back, but I'm
(01:54):
sort of looking at his handlers being like, hey, can
we can we get this from him? And they're looking
at me like what do you want us to do?
Is six nine pounds? Like there's there's no getting the
microphone away from So I remember getting a phone call
from Sam Flood, who runs NBC Sports still to this day, Um,
you know a great guy, and he says he said
(02:16):
to me, Chris, treat the microphone like you would treat
your child, and uh, I've always remembered that, and to
this day, no one has been able to pull the
microphone away from me since, yeah, I also would not
be trying to get into a fight with Tyson Fury
back to that microphone. I just have to ask for
all my love Island fans out there, Are we going
(02:38):
to get the Tommy Fury? Is it Jake Paul or
Logan Paul? Which is which one of them is the boxer?
Are you gonna get that fight Jake Paul Tommy Fury
seems very likely for the end of February. Tommy is
is a little unpredictable. He's backed out twice of Jake
Paul fights. But this is a fight that's either gonna
take place in the Middle East or in the UK.
(03:01):
Um So, I think it's it's probably eighty five percent
that we get Tommy Bury versus Jake Paul the next
couple of months. All Right, there we go. I appreciate it,
and uh open floor flans fans, please be prepared for
the return of the Love Island minute. The season's already
going on in the UK, should be hitting the US
pretty soon. But Chris, we got a lot of basketball
(03:22):
things to get to today. I want to touch on
some of the big things that happened in the NBA
on a pretty action packed Wednesday night of basketball. I
gotta say it was a lot of fun watching all
these games. I want to start with kind of the
two rivalry matchups we got rivalry week going on, and
we'll start with net Sixers. This was a really good game,
(03:44):
even without Kevin Durant. A lot of fun it was.
There was one stretch where Ben Simmons it was genuine
the most aggressive offense I've seen him play in literally years,
four or five drives to the hoop on four or
five possessions in a row, attacking mantras. Harold, I couldn't
believe what I was watching. Um, the Sixers end up
winning this game. Simmons does not play the last kind
(04:06):
of six minutes of the fourth quarter. You can still
see some of the issues of them playing him and
Nick Claxton together, and Claxton has been fantastic this season.
It was a good win for Philly, And you know,
I don't want to read too much into one regular
season game, but I did think it was interesting because
we've got the microcosm of the whole Simmons experience a
little passive in in the first half. You see this
(04:27):
back and forth with them bead which seems to wake
him up a little bit, but then he doesn't play
the fourth. You know, the trade deadlines coming up. I
don't think there's really any buzz around Simmons. But what
do you kind of think the nets long term plan
with him should be, because I think we've seen glimpses
of him be that distributor defender, aggressive guy this season
and other stretches where he's just not doing anything. What
(04:49):
do you kind of think their long term plan is right? Well,
you'd like to them to be able to bottle what
happened in the third quarter UM on Wednesday night. I mean,
he came out of the locker and halftime and looked
like the Ben Simmons we saw two or three years
ago and not the kind of broken version we've seen
over the last couple of years. I don't think that's possible.
I don't think you can. And that's in Jack von
knew it. That's why I didn't play Simmons down the
(05:11):
stretch in the fourth quarter, because, as you alluded to you,
you simply can't play Claxton and Simmons together in crunch
time minutes. Uh. They're both non free throw shooters, they're
both non scores. Though Claxton has has kind of become
what the Nets hoped Simmons would be in terms of
going to the basket and scoring at the rim. Um,
but it's it's pretty untenable to play them together, uh
(05:33):
down the stretch. I don't I don't think their long
term plan is to move him. I just think they're
gonna try to keep, you know, incrementally trying to revive him. Um.
You know, maybe it doesn't happen this year. It is
his first full year back, um, you know, coming off
that injury and all the issues he had in Philadelphia.
But I think they'll give it, you know, a couple
of years to see if you know, a full off season,
(05:54):
maybe with a new shooting coach, you know, more confidence
that gets him back to being the Ben Simmons of old.
I mean, it really told me a few years ago
that he was an all NBA talent, you know, you considered,
you know, one of the top defensive players in the NBA.
He's still his mid twenties. Like that player is still there. Um,
and I think the Nets are gonna be My understanding
is the Net's gonna be as patient as they possibly
(06:15):
can to to try to bring that out of him,
be it this year or in the years to come. Yeah,
it's very interesting, and I do wonder how much of
that has to do with the fact that he was
involved in such a high profile trade. He's not someone
that you can just very easily move on from and
move him for a couple of role players. Because of
the significance of that hard and trade for the franchise
(06:37):
and kind of how charged that time was for the
team emotionally, I think that if there's a big positive
to take away from that game for Brooklyn is you know,
it's the first time Simmons and Embide were going at
each other. And they were going at each other, I
mean Simmons, they were switching hard and Embid picking rolls.
Classon was picking up Hart and Simmons was switching on
to Embiide. I thought he held his own multiple times
(06:58):
against him Bid and em beat. He's not afraid to talk,
he's not afraid to get physical. And I thought the
fact that Simmons responded to that, even though again there
were times he'd catch the ball on the paint not
even look at the hoop, that seemed to wake him
up a little bit as opposed to, you know, push
him into a corner, which again I'm not gonna sit
here in play psychologists, but we've seen him multiple occasions
(07:21):
this here, I don't know if checkout is the right phrase,
but just kind of be so passive. And I think
the fact that the rivalry or whatever it was with
Embid kind of woke him up a little bit was
really promising to me. Um, And you, like you said,
can they bottle it? I'm not sure it's interesting to
me that you said, they're gonna take their time with this,
if only because you know, the Katie thing worked itself
(07:45):
out over the summer, there was never going to be
a realistic trade for them. But if I'm Sean Marks,
especially considering the relationship with Durant, how many things seemed
to pop up in Brooklyn, I don't know it I'd
be willing to be as patient as he is, Um,
especially because with Durant this year, they look every bit
(08:08):
as a championship contender. I think, you know, Boston is
separated itself itself, but I think outside of Boston there's
no clear cut number two, and I think Brooklyn can
certainly be that team when Durant is healthy. That doesn't
it surprise what doesn't it surprise you a bit that
they're willing to be patient. I mean, if you think
they could mean only because what are they gonna do,
Like there's no market for him right now, Like he's
(08:31):
a non shooting guy on a max contract, Like it's
I don't know who's lining up to go and get him.
I mean the kind of team that you know Ben
Simmons would need to go to. I mean like Golden State.
You know, I guess kind of jumps to mind because
of all the shooters they have out there. But you know,
you'd you'd not be just taking on Ben Simmons and
his contract, You'd be taking on whatever kind of baggage
(08:51):
he has going on right now. It's preventing him from
getting back to that level if he was playing at
an all NBA level and the Nets decided, look we
can't we like Claxton a lot, we can't play them together.
Let's try to get a dollar for dollar value back
in return that I could understand. But there isn't a
market for it right now. I don't know where you
would trade him that you would get anything of value
(09:14):
back right now. It's just not it's just not on
the table at the moment. Where do you land on
Joel embiid suck it celebration? Are you pro against nonplussed?
I mean, it's I feel the same way about that
as I do like the critics of Steph Steph Carry
getting ejected the other night for throwing his mouthpiece, Like
(09:35):
the NBA lays it out pretty clear that you know,
Joel Embiid, you're gonna get fined for doing that, just
like the Sam the Sam Cassell, you know Pat Dance, like,
you know they you're gonna you can't do that. You're
gonna get dinged pretty significantly for that same thing with
Steph Cary, Like you know what did I read Steph
Carry's three ejections have been related to piece, Like by
(09:55):
now at this point we can call it goofy and
he certainly wasn't throwing it at the referee. But it's
you know, the NBA officials like they give like seminars
on this stuff, Like they tell players, you know, pretty
clear you can't throw things into the crowd, like because
you know what happens if it's not a mouthpiece and
somebody gets hit. Like I'm not trying to be a
wet blanket here, but it's like you should know better
(10:18):
stop doing that and Ambid you know, I look, I
was a d X fan growing up to I know
what he was doing, but like he's gonna get ding
for that as well, because the NBA is not uh
not looking, we'll not look favorably on guys that are
directing people to their crotch area during celebrations. I just
want to say, I love it. I love that he's
(10:39):
willing to eat the fine. Um. I think it's very funny.
I also a big d X fan growing up. I'm
glad someone scaring on the legacy. Um. We again, I
keep mentioning this every week, and I know that you're
a loyal listener to the podcast, Chris, But we don't
talk about the Sixers enough and we're not gonna get
too deep into them I think today. But they've had
a crazy ten day stretch of West Coast trip. They
(11:03):
got a bunch of big wins. They get this one
against the Nets. They're starting to look like the team
we all thought they could be after the hard and trade.
Um do you think the You know, the Celtics have
Al Horford, who's probably I think the best defender of
Joel embiad in the NBA. UM, at least considering he's
(11:26):
the best guy who can defend embad and also not
kill you offensively, Like, it's very hard to find the
players who you can put on and be that also
were not just ruining your offense because you need bulk down.
Alford Alpert is so good at defending m BID that
the Sixers gave him a four year deal not to
defend Embead anymore. Right, but do you think do you
(11:47):
think Boston? I don't think Boston is afraid of anyone,
But who do you think Boston sees? Is? Maybe their
biggest competition in the East, Probably Milwaukee still, you know,
because the memory of last year's Conference semifinals is still fresh.
No Chris Middleton that series, they still needed a miraculous
Tatum performance in Game six and a winning Game seven
(12:07):
to advance, So they know how tough the Bucks are.
The box of the same team. You know, if Middleton,
who's now finally back on the floor, if you can
stay there, they're probably the most formidable opponent. I mean,
the Sixers are tough. But to your point, um, you know,
the Celtics have Horford, they have Robert Williams. Uh, they
still have Luke Cornett, who I constantly want to call
(12:29):
Tyler Zeller Like they've got you know, they've got some
depth there. They're still on the lookout too, before the
deadline for one more body, presumably because of the big
teams are gonna have to face in the postseason, so
they could add somebody else to that mix. So and
you look at the backcourt too, I mean, MAXI hardened,
they're great. But the Celtics they've got Marcus Smart, They've
got Charlon Brown, They've got Derek White. They have got
(12:51):
defenders that they can throw at these guys. So I
don't think Philadelphia makes them as nervous as maybe Milwaukee does,
because it was Milwaukee without Chris Middleton that had them
on the break of elimination um on the road in
Game six, and and that that is still something in
their brains. Yeah. I'n also be really interested to see
how Philly tries to guard a team like Boston in
(13:15):
the playoffs with all the depth they have on the wing,
especially if they play brogged In Tatum Brown together. I
think it's gonna be very difficult for a team like Philly.
Let's get into the second big National game from last night.
You alluded to this. The Warriors and Grizzlies, Man, they
just play really entertaining games, and somehow there's this discourse.
Is it a rivalry? Is it not a rivalry? It's
(13:36):
a rivalry. Okay, this team's clearly don't like each other.
They get up for playing each other. That that should
be all it takes. Like we don't need to get
into this. But the playoffs and ship blah blah blah.
No, no no, no, the teams don't like each other, the
fans don't like each other. The games are very fun.
Another really good one last night, steph Curry, is you
alluded to getting objected late? So mad at Jordan's Pool
(13:58):
for taking an ill advice three ner that he throws
his mouth guard um, really encompassing the Jordan Pool experience.
Pool later hits the game winner on a nice batcut
on Zia Williams with a two seconds to go. Really
nice play by him. The Warriors get to win this
coming after they also beat Memphis on Christmas Day in
Golden State. That game obviously without Steph Um. You know,
(14:22):
the Grizzlies were really hot. They think they've now lost
a couple in a row. Uh, they were really hot
after that Christmas Day game. They finally had an extended
stretch of good health. Here you know, they rest guys
here and there, whatever. But Jaren Jackson filed out last night.
He's been healthy, bay in his back, although I think
still working his way into form a bit. There was
a play last night late in the fourth. I don't
(14:44):
know how you feel about Dylan Brooks. I generally really
like him, even though he's just so chaotic. But Jaw
gets a double, kicks it out to Brooks. He takes
a three that you really don't want him to take.
Golden State ends up winning this game by two. I'm
curious if the playoffs started right now, the grizz these
would be the two seed. Um. Would you pick the
(15:05):
Grizzlies in a playoff series over the Warriors? Um? And
I think the Warriors are still a mess, you know,
and I think they need and we've talked about this
on the crossover. I think they know they need, um,
another body. They've got to get somebody for that bench. Um.
You know, I'm all for the Jonathan cominga can solve
(15:25):
all probably you know idea, but that feels at two
pie in the sky for me. So they need one
more body there. But the Grizzlies look last night kind
of encapsulated and even they look, they lost on a
miracle shot at the end. Um. I'm not a miracle
shot per se, but like a last minute shot. Lost
by two points, so it was close, um. But last
(15:46):
night sort of highlighted some of their problems. The Grips
of the number one defensive team in the NBA, but
they are middle of the pack at defending the three.
And if you look at the numbers, the Warriors shot
what of three point ranks. They also don't shoot the
three particularly well in this game, they shott rather from
three point range. There are also a team that and
(16:08):
I think the numbers still reflect this. I was looking
it up last week. They they don't play in the
half court very much. They're a transition team and get
up and down and look, that's great in the regular season,
but you've got to be an efficient half court team
in the playoffs to win the highest level, and the
Warriors know how to do that. The Grizzlies have not
proven they can do that yet. So I'm not trying
(16:29):
to to clown the Grizzlies here, but they they've got
a couple of a couple of holes that I think
need to be addressed. And I don't think you need
to make a deal necessarily to address that. But you've
got to clean some of that up. You've got to
become a more efficient three point shooting team. You've got
to defend the three point shot better, and you've got
to prove you can be efficient in the half court.
(16:50):
These are just kind of unknowns about Memphis against Golden
sat and everybody else, really, because everybody kind of looks
at that one number defense efficiency number one in the NBA,
and I's great Jaren Jackson one of the best defensive
players in this league. But you know, more often than not,
you either have to be a great three point shooting
team or you gotta defend the three pointer really well.
And the Growths have been kind of middle of the
(17:12):
pack at that at both those areas all season long. Yeah,
Memphis is obviously fantastic on defense, but they're not the
kind of runaway defensive jugg or not that I think
you need to be to have their kind of offense.
And six Boston last year, Boston was exactly juggernaut defensive.
Boston in the second half of last season was like
(17:32):
one of the best teams we've seen stor century. Yeah,
it was, yeah, kind of shocking in some ways, like
that teams were able to push them in the playoffs
and they didn't win the finals. I mean, obviously they
had some injury stuff, but they were dominant Memphis. I
do think they need to make a move, like you
look at I'm just looking at their their top six
(17:52):
guys in minutes right now, Moran, Baine, Brooks, Adams, Triple
j Ties Jones. Love that top six in a playoff series.
Trust those guys, Tye Jones, He's not gonna get six
men buzz. Maybe he should, He's fantastic. But then you
start to look at conchar Al Dama, Zia Williams, Roddy Larivia, Larivia,
(18:14):
like who is going to be there? Seven eight guy
in a playoff series where it is going to matter
to some extent. You know who those guys are, and
I just don't know that I trust any of them.
You mentioned their their three point shooting can be mediocre.
There's some nights where they have like three point stat
(18:34):
lines it's like five of seventeen and it's like what
happened here? Like what basketball are they playing? And you know,
to their credit, they have jab who's so good at
getting to the rim. They get out in transition. They're
really good at that. But it worries me a little bit,
like you lose a guy even just like Kyle Anderson,
who's a steady vet who has playoff experience, Like is
(18:56):
Contra are gonna play in a playoff series? Are we
are we? Like? Are we rolling with Contar? He's not
a bad player, but are we trusting him? Are we
trusting all Dama? There in that Christmas Day game, Aldama
was just getting bullied by Draymond Green and this guy
like Draymond could have like beaten him with a club.
And I don't think Aldama was getting a foul call.
(19:19):
That was on Christmas. What do you think is gonna
happen in the playoffs when revs are swallowing the whistles?
I'm a little worried about. I mean, they have such
an enviable top five, top four, Steven Adams has been
so good for them, But I'm just a little worried
about some of these role players in a playoff series. No,
I think that's fair. Um. In as I'm making my
(19:40):
kind of list of tiers of teams that need to
be aggressive by a deal, Memphis in that top tier. UM,
because you look at the Western Conference and it's open.
I mean, the the number one seed like two months
ago was Utah, Like a month before that was the Pelicans.
Now you're looking at you know, Memphis and and all
the teams that are around them. Denver currently sitting at
(20:02):
the top. You know, the field's open right now. And
if you're the Grizzlies, you don't want to be one
role player short of getting to the finals like that
would be a disaster. That's why they you know, they're
a team that internally they don't like to do anything.
They just want to grow internally, keep their draft picks.
I understand why they hit on these draft picks. You know,
(20:23):
Desmond Bane was an excellent pick. I think Ziah Williamson
is going to pan out like all these guys. You
know a lot of these guys can play. So But
if you're Memphis and you've got your own stock pile
of draft picks, I think they still have an extra
pick the Warriors picked from was the Iguadala trade from
a couple of years ago. I think you've still got
one of those. If you've got a cash of picks
(20:44):
and you've got some semi interesting young players. Why aren't
you calling Danny Ainge in Utah and seeing if you
can extract Jordan Clarkson or Malik Beasley or one of
these shooters that I was talking about, someone that can
be the eighth man in that rotation and be a
presence from the outside. That just makes sense, Like you know,
but I mean, I get it. Dealing with Danny Ainge
is like going to the dentist without novacaine. But like
(21:06):
you've you've still got a You've still got to try
and pull one of those guys out of there. Maybe
you do call Detroit and say, what's it gonna take
to get boy On Bogdanovitch out of there? Maybe you
do call Dallas and see and say you give up
a first round pick to get Christian Wood out of there.
I mean, like, I think sitting on their hands would
be a mistake. I really do, because this is a
team that with one more player can at the least
(21:28):
at least get to the finals. And once you get there,
who knows, you know, who knows what can happen, who
knows what the matchup ultimately looks like. So they're they're
they're a team. I think that that is at least
one to watch and one I think should get aggressive
in the next couple of weeks. Now, this is maybe
me getting too hopeful or too caught up in kind
of the trade buzz, but you mentioned it. This feels
(21:49):
like the most wide open title race we've had, maybe
and I don't even know how long, the longest I
can remember, the most kind of wide open title chase
we have. There are a few teams that have all
their picks. Phoenix is one of them, Memphis is another one.
Should someone just give up three first round picks for
O G and Obe? Like I kind of think someone should.
(22:13):
And I know if it sounds crazy because he's not
a Donovan Mitchell type player. He's not a rooty I
mean whatever, we don't need to get into the collpart
trade again. But you know, he's not a superstar, but
he's just such a high floor player that is going
to help you so much in the playoffs. Like if
you traded again, I like Dylan Brooks. This seems better
(22:34):
with Dylan Brooks on the four. If you traded some
of these Dylan Brooks possessions for O G and Aobe possessions,
that could make a big difference. From Memphis, like Phoenix
could desperately use someone like him. Is it which is
it stupid for a team to pay that price or
is it opportunistic in a wide open season to say,
let's just go get this guy. I think about trades honestly,
like I think about movies, and in the sense that
(22:56):
you know they say about making movies, it's not how
much movie costs, how much movie makes. So it's not
how much a trade cost. It's what a trade does
for you. And you know, if Memphis goes out, for example,
to bring them back into the discussion, if they go
out and they deal three first round picks to get
o Giana Nobi, adding that kind of three and D
type of player uh to their mix, who is both young,
(23:16):
under contract for I think at least one more year,
and someone they could resign long term. That might be
worth the price, especially when you're probably talking about three
picks that are gonna be in the twenties for the
foreseeable future. Um, but you've got to be sure that
he's the missing link. And you've also got a call
Toronto's bluff a little bit. I mean, three first is
(23:38):
a big haul. It's like you said, it was that's
what Donovan Mitchell cost plus a player. Rudy Gobert was
four really five because Walker Kessler is really freaking good
and he missed the vote on him. Um, I just
you know, I I don't think you should be worried
if you think Anobi is the guy, and if you
think for the next five to six years he is
going to be a staple of your rotation and you're
(23:58):
gonna be a really good team. I wouldn't blink at
the asking price. But if he's not, Uh, that's a
steep price to pay for a guy that's probably not
ever going to be one of your top two guys,
definitely maybe not one of your top three guys in
your rotation. I'm very interested see what happens with him.
Everyone's talking about Toronto. It's not original thought, but man
(24:21):
oh man, there's so many seems that you just want
to parachute him in on and see how they look. Um.
I really kind of hope he gets to go to
a contender. Let's talk about the Los Angeles Lakers. Anthony
Davis returns last night. I thought it was a very
smart move took ease him in in a game against
the San Antonio Spurs and he was fantastic. I think
(24:41):
he only played what twenty four minutes, like twenty one
points a bunch of blocks. Um. You know, I was
working on that band at a bio story earliest year,
and periodically I like to check, you know, which are
the players doing the best in the restricted area, non paint,
restricted area the paint. I think Anthony Davis was shooting
like seventy eight point seven percent in the restricted area,
(25:02):
which is like even for the restricted area, absurd, And
so it was really nice to watch him last night.
You know, he took one three I think at three
was his first shot, but really get back into the
paint a ton. That's where he was having a ton
of success to start the season and looking like m
v P A D again, just dominating the rim on
both ends of the floor. Were you at the game?
(25:22):
What did you What did you make of his return?
I was at the game. I thought he was excellent.
He moved well. Um, it only took him merely a
couple of minutes to to kind of get his rhythm
back after got to the free throw line and that
first shot went in. I think he really got into it.
He had two blocks into the first quarter and and
really got got into the flow. So look, I he's
obviously a major difference maker for that team. You can
(25:45):
see the way he energizes them definitely defensively and even offensively.
His ability to kind of step out top of the key,
make shots, uh, get to the basket, creates second chance opportunities,
the whole thing. And look, when you have him in
the rotation, you can bump Thomas Bryant down, you can
bump Ruby Hashimura the new guy uh down like, so
(26:06):
it's it's valuable in that sense. My my, my concern,
as it will be every game, is is that foot
gonna hold up? And you saw, yeah he went down
the third quarter. I mean, Zach Collins came up underneath them.
Why Zach Collins was contesting a you know, forty eight footer,
I don't really understand, but um, Zach Collins came underneath him,
(26:28):
and immediately Anthony Davis grabbed his ankle. And you know,
it's kind of like a writer early phrase to say,
the entire arena gas, But I'm telling you, the entire
arena gasp. As Anthony Davis lay on the floor and
he didn't get up right away. But he did get up.
He was fine. But this injury, like it was an
injury they couldn't really define for weeks. It seemed like
(26:50):
where like, what is it? There's in another scan? How
many doctors are gonna look at it? There's a bone
spur there, there's a stress reaction there, Like there's a
lot of things that are scary when it comes two
big men and feet, which are generally problematic when they
get co mingled. So I look, if he's healthy, and
I think Hashi Mora is really good too, He's a
nice fit for that team. Uh they're a team that's
(27:13):
that that you have to keep your eye on. And
the next you know, a few months because healthy a
d healthy Lebron hatch him more a part of the rotation.
You know, if Westbrook can limit his off the deep
end plays to you know tu per game like they're
they're gonna be dangerous in the playoffs, but you know
it's game by game with Anthony Davis, he steps on
(27:34):
somebody's foot wrong, you know you're talking about some that
may require surgery. I mean surgery was discussed originally for
for this, uh, this foot injury. So it sounds like
it's happening in the off season. No matter what he's
even alluded to, We're gonna have to get the scare
the crap out of it. If if you're like the
Lakers and you're looking at free agents, like you know,
if he has I mean, foot surgeries are like they're real, Like,
(27:55):
you know, there are major ones. Obviously you don't want
to hear list. Frank you know, that's the new that's
a new word in the basketball lexicon. That is like
the new micro fracture. Yeah. Yeah, nobody wants to hear
that anymore. So. But yeah, I'm just there's a long
way to go in the regular season and a lot
of games be played, and I you know, I would
at the very least be deeply concerned about Davis's ability
(28:18):
to stay out there on the floor. Yeah, it's tough
because that's it's a little bit reductive, not even reductive,
like it's not fun to reduce the analysis token he
stay on the floor. But that really is what it
comes down to with a d and how good he is. Yeah,
we know how good he is when he plays. Uh
he I think looks the best since he's left New
(28:39):
Orleans this season. Uh, that's how good he was playing
earlier this year. I like what you said, like for
them to have a bench backcourt now that's Thomas Bryant
and Ruey Hotchi Burrows like legitimate considering where they were
to start the season. I think Dennis Shrewder has been
fantastic for the Lakers the last couple of weeks. Like
you know, they had that game against Miami a couple
of weeks ago where they want without lab on An
(29:00):
a d shooter was fantastic in that game. Um, he
was making plays late in that Memphis game, uh again
last night. Like he's just a very solid player for them,
and things are kind of settling into focus. And that's
even without Austin Reeves and Lonnie Walker. I think Walker
has been better for them than even I expected this year.
So they're in position, Like as much grief as we
(29:24):
give Lakers management, which they deserve for not putting a
team around Lebron that can compete, to see how close
they are with a team like the Warriors, for example,
and their ownership group, Like we had a story this
week in the Athletic they're not sure if Bob Myers
is going to be back. And now I'm looking at it, like,
(29:44):
are the Lakers relatively even that embarrassing when you see
what's going on with some of these other teams like
Golden State. So I'm I'm pleasantly surprised with where the
Lakers have ended up at this point in the season.
I think, if Lebron and a d stay healthy and
they're one more move away, I don't think things and
I think I think that move is coming to Like
I think, you know, this Hashi More deal foreshadowed at
(30:07):
least one more move because the Lakers, their cap space
next summer is now gone because you don't, you know,
whatever you think of second round picks, you don't trade
three of them to get a guy you're not going
to resign. And without Hashi More, they're at thirty four million.
That's close to max cap space um with him. You know,
even if he's at ten twelve million, he probably a
little bit more. Uh, you're gonna eat up half of that,
(30:28):
and you're talking about having only enough money to get
you know what Kelly Lennok is worth these days, you know.
So you know, I think because of that reality, I
think you're gonna see the Lakers far more aggressive in
the next couple of weeks looking at some of the
Utah guys, looking at Boyon Bogdanovitch, maybe there's somebody else
out there that's available, kind of waiving the white flag
(30:50):
on the idea that next summer they're going to be
able to go and get a marquee free agent like
Kyrie Irving to come play in l A And look,
that's you know, who knows how that's gonna work out
long term, but short term, it's gonna make me more dangerous.
You put Boyam Bandanovitch on that team, there are an
even more dangerous offensive team. And you saw Lebron last night.
I mean, he's been on the scoring binges of late,
(31:11):
but when he's surrounded by guys that can play like
Hashima and by Anthony Davis, he's passing the ball he's
given on leven assists in that game. He's not looking to,
you know, put up forty when on on any given night.
So you give him another weapon, that seam is gonna
be that much better and it's gonna be interesting to see.
I think it also opens up, like you said, they
(31:32):
do decide to move for us and attach those restaurant picks.
The idea that they can take back longer term. Salary
really opens up the idea for some of the moves
they can make. And I wonder if they'll try to
get involved with someone like Van Vleet or whoever it is.
It could be really interesting. I want to get to
All Star, but I just want to ask real quick.
I really really enjoyed those Nets Sixers games and the
(31:53):
Warriors Gizes games last night. Um, it was a ton
of fun. And we have like Nuggets Sixers come up
on Saturday, we have Laker Celtics coming up. I'm already
willing to call Rivalry Week a success. If anything, maybe
we need to make a bigger deal out of it
next year. I don't know, No, you're out on it.
Come on, Chris, Rivalry Week is stupid. Just just schedule
(32:15):
the game games like stop trying to make stop trying
to give greater meaning to meaningless regular season games. In
January February. Everybody knows what the NBA needs to do.
They need to cut down the number of games. Everybody
knows it, but nobody is willing to do it, and
nobody ever will because the revenue takes a cut with it,
so they can keep putting lipstick on a pig on
(32:37):
these January February games where you're doing rivalry week when
really that's what Christmas is for, right, Like Christmas Day
games are five games you're talking about that stupid mid
season tournament that's gonna have no consequence whatsoever, and and
you're you're still dealing with, you know, players being load
managed into the ground like it's it's crazy, and and
(32:58):
it's having a tangible effects on the quality of these games.
I mean, look at just Wednesday night. You should have
had a matchup between two fer two time m v
p s in nicolea Yokich and Ystad the Kumpo and
Denver was on the second of a back to back
in that game. Also, I just want to point out
it was a New Orleans to Milwaukee back to back,
(33:20):
which you almost never see, and a shout out to
all the Nuggets writers who had to get from New
Orleans to Milwaukee, which does not have a lot of
direct flights. One of the strangest back to backs I've
ever seen. I listen, I did love the games. I'm
the kind of person who still gets excited about regular
season matchups, and they were a lot of fun to watch.
(33:40):
You are right, you don't have to call it rather
like what what what? What is that? Like this is
a new rivalry between the Grizzlies and the Warriors, that's
for sure. But to me, you just do it on
Christmas Day like there's nothing. There's nothing the NBA can do,
Like they've done all they can do to make the
end of the season consequential by putting the two play
(34:02):
in games, flattening the lottery odds. That was brilliant, That
was well done by Adam Silver, well done by the
players Union. That gave meaning to what had been just
brutally bad games at the end of March and into April.
But there is no solution to fixing the problem of
January February games, none whatsoever. You are stuck with games
(34:26):
that people aren't going to watch at the level you
want them to be watching, and no amount of college
slogans and you know, mid season tournaments for the Oscar
Robertson Award or whatever the hell you're gonna call it,
like it's just not gonna work. It's it's there's no
solutioness problem other than cutting games, and we all know
(34:47):
they're not going to do it. Basically, I'm a mark
for a good marketing scheme. That's what happened. Uh, watching
the games anyway, they're not trying to get you there,
trying to get the casual fans. I'll see my mom
and dad cared about it at all. See if they
cared about rivalry. Week asked, how would you think of
NBA Rivo rude. I'll walk out the front door and
ask people the same thing. I will say. I'm with you.
(35:11):
It should be a fifty eight game regular season. That's
too small. That too small. Seventy two is fine, take
ten away. You eliminate all back to backs. So there
really is no excuse for load managing. Um. And by
the way you like look, games are separated by time zones,
of course, but how many times we had two games
on that we wanted to watch, like lost, Like all
(35:34):
the time? It happens, um, So you space is some
of these games that you don't have ten at night
or twelve and night. Maybe you have seven or night
eight or night. You know, but they're not going to
do it because nobody's giving any money back. And I
understand that it's it's it's money, although I think it's
get go line. How many ynots. Do you want a
jet ski behind or whatever that was. I think the
money conversation too, is I think it's a short term
(35:55):
hit for a long term game, but no one. No
one wants to be the guy take the short term hit,
nobody for the league ten years from now. We're recording
this on a Thursday. The All Star starters are going
to be announced tonight, and we each wrote you have
an actual ballot. I just have the fake one that
I get to pedal on Sports Illustrated dot com. But
we each made our All Star picks. You did the
(36:16):
Eastern Conference, I did the Western Conference. I want to
run through um are All Star picks and talk a
little bit about some of the guys. I think it
was a robust All Star field this year. There were
some really tough cuts. UM, So why don't you go first?
Or I I have your story pulled up if you
want me to run down all your All Star picks
(36:37):
if you don't remember them, but you know, there's definitely
a couple I think interesting decisions to be made about starters,
who's gonna be left out, etcetera. So do you want
me to run through your picks? Or you got them
pulled up, you can run through them. There. I'm all right,
there we go. I got all right. So in the
east front court, uh, there's really are guys for three spots.
(37:01):
You have embed Durant and Tatum. That means you're gonna
you're bringing your honest off the bench. And in the
backcourt you have Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brown. So I
guess I'll just throw it to you. You know, I
think Terris Halliburton is a guy people looking at as
a starter potentially. Obviously, you Honest, we're kind of the
deciding factors for you putting your honest and tires to
the bench, elevating guys like Jalen and I mean the
(37:23):
front court in the east was just an impossible decision
to make. Yeah, it was impossible. Um, look, I I
with the Honest. He's having a monster year statistically. Um,
the bucks are really good. One of the things that
stuck out to me when I was looking over some
(37:45):
of the numbers is the Raptor ranking for Janice, which
is not the end all be all, but it's five
eight kind of value rankings to to kind of boil
it down. And you had embiid Durant and Tatum in
the top five and those Raptor rankings, Janice was twenty six.
He was behind Franz Wagner in in that rankings. So
(38:09):
if you're looking for a differentiator, that was probably it.
As I said, I don't have any issue with somebody
that puts Janice on that team. The guy's averaging more
than thirty points. He's averaging what twelve rebounds second the
NBA and rebounding he's still one of the best defensive
players in the league. It's you know, you're you're choosing
from a bunch of gold bricks out there. Um, So
(38:30):
I don't have a problem with it. But those Raptor rankings.
You know when I was going through kind of my
numbers that that stuck out to me. Um, Haliburton Brown
kind of the same thing. Like Halle Burton is great.
You know, he's the NBA leading assist maker. Um, He's
he's changed that entire chase, the tire dynamic of Indiana.
(38:51):
They're they're not tempo team now like they were a
crawl and up team in the past. Now they're an
up tempo team. Um Brown, I guess I've just seen
a lot of Brown, and I've seen him grow even
more this year. You know, his numbers are fantastic, his
mid range game is fantastic. Um, he's three point shot
the last couple of years has not been what it
(39:13):
was I think two years ago, but it's still reasonably consistent.
He's still a very good defensive player. I just gave
him a slight edge on my ballot for for that reason.
But again, no no qualms with some of the votes,
Haliper And the only obvious one was Donovan Mitchell, Like
you know, NOBO for Mitchell, You've you've, you're should have vote. Uh,
it's funny about Jillen Brown. It's because Boston is such
(39:35):
a three point shooting heavy team that you just kind
of assume he's a huge part of that attack. But
you mentioned the mid range, like he's dominant from that area.
I think he's one of the best in the NBA
to five. Yeah, maybe the best this year. I guess you.
Duran's always gonna be there, but and absurd athlete, Like yeah,
when it comes to get into the rim finishing, he's
as good as it gets. And you know, like just
(39:56):
when you look at some of the numbers when Tatum
goes out like Brown plays like him like he puts
up thirty plus. So he's in a way, um, subjugating
himself way too for the betterment of the team. And
I think he deserves some credit for that. To plus,
the Celtics, the number one team in the NBA and
the number one team in the NBA in my mind,
deserves to have a couple of guys on that team.
(40:17):
I agree. Um, I just love the edge Jalon Brown
plays with every night. Man, it feels like he really
is mean today because because he credit like you know,
Jalen has been you know, irritated with me for one
reason the other for the better part of like the
last three years. Um, you know, because he's a look,
he's always in trade rumors like and you know, if
(40:38):
you're someone like me that's on TV all the time
and you're asked the question, would you trade Jalen Brown
for Anthony Davis? You will sound like an idiot if
you don't say yes. I would same thing as past summer,
would you trade Jalen Brown for uh Kevin Durant? Well,
quite frankly, I would you know? Would I still I
don't know, But it's like Durant's diminished himself this year.
(40:58):
So like he he just winds up in these trade rumors,
and you know, I can understand him being bothered by
it and bothered by the people that um that have
are forced to discuss them at at length. But it's
given him an edge, It's given him a chip, and
it's I think it's certainly been something along with the
(41:20):
loss in the finals, has driven him during the course
of this year. UM, let's talk a little bit about
some of the other picks. Obviously, be honest on the bench.
Bam Siakum, you have your backcourt reserves. How about Jimmy
if I if I love bam Off, I almost love
bam Off. You would have like cried if I lived
like you. You're your Your Eastern carmage ballot is probably
Bam Tyler, hero In, Jimmy Butler, all the starting lineup.
(41:43):
Don't forget Heywood high Smith my wild card pick, Haywood
hide Smith, your backcourt reserves, Haliburton and Jimmy Butler, your
wild cards, Jalen Brunson and Trey Young. Um, did you
give serious considering to Julius Randall? I mean the numbers
are there, Um, I think some Knicks fans would say
(42:05):
he's having a better season than Bam. I I don't
think I agree, but um, I mean Bam is still
I think a top five defender in the NBA, even
if he's not getting the t p O I buzz.
This problem was like game is the problems games at
one point, right, like he had missed some games? Yeah? Yeah, Like,
but I think he's I think I wrote this like
he's up to the enough games where it doesn't matter
(42:25):
where it's not as consequential. But who was kind of
the toughest guy for you to leave out? And I
mean even Trey Young? You mentioned this. The team has
been disappointing, his shooting has been disappointing. He's come along lately.
The numbers are there, Um who was kind of the
toughest cut for you in the East? I think there
were two. It was Julius Randall and I really just
went with, you know, one of the Knicks and and
(42:47):
Randall has had a tremendous bounce back year. His numbers
aren't quite what they were two years ago, but they're
significantly better than last season. He is a driving force
for that team offensively. But Jalen Brunson has come in
there and and a breath of fresh air. Like his
numbers are up as well, he's in the mid twenties.
It's scoring, he's playmaking, he's defending better than he has
I think in years past. And I do think, you know,
(43:10):
Randall's success this year in part can be attribute to
the presence of Jalen Brunson. I think Jalen Brunson being
there and taking some of the load off has you know,
allowed Randall to do some of the things that he's doing.
So that was a tough call. I knew I was
gonna go with a nick in that spot. I just
went with the other nick Um and not there. Uh
for me, he was Trey Younger Kyrie Um and like,
(43:32):
Trey young is so black this year, like it's just uninspiring.
That team stinks, like, you know, I don't know what
the direction is. But Trey is still putting up numbers.
He's still like hovering in the neighbored of thirty points
per game, and he's still one of the most dangerous
offensive players in the league. So yeah, I I I
(43:55):
weighed that against Kyrie, who has been great for for stretches,
but he did have that, you know, beginning of the
season that was dysfunctional. The Nets have tailed off with
Durant the lineup, um, and that gave Trey Young a
slight edge. But neither one of those guys is really
inspiring choices for that that proverbial final final playoff spot,
(44:16):
I was just choosing the guy that was it was
a little bit more inspiring perhaps than in this at
the stage of the season. Yeah, I don't have an
issue with keeping Kyrie Irving out of the All Star
Game this year. I mean, listen, he's quote unquote stay
out of trouble however you want to describe it recently,
and he's been playing all right. But I'm okay with
(44:38):
Trey Young there, and I'd be okay with Randall there. Um. Yeah, Like,
but there were, genuinely, I think some really tough cuts
to make this year. I'll run through my West starters
real quick, which I think are fairly straightforward. I'd Yokich,
Lebron and some bonus in my front court. For the backcourt,
I went with Steph Curry and Luca don Chech. I
think Steph is maybe the quote unquote controversial pick there. Yeah,
(45:00):
I mean between I'm curious who did you have on
your ballot between or in the west Backcors, I think
you got to be a lock. Yeah, Lucas a lock. Um.
John Morant was my choice there. And again winning factors
into that as well. I mean, jah Um has been
as healthy I think as Steph this year, and the
Grizzlies have been really good, and he's the driving force
(45:21):
behind He's the number one guy on that team. So yeah,
that was it was close. Um, you know, the tougher
one was probably and I had Sibonis as well in
that third forward spot. Um. If Zion had played more games,
he you know, probably would have locked that in because
his team was winning and he was putting up incredible numbers.
But he's missed too much time and the and the
(45:42):
Pelicans have kind of fallen off. Sibonis, I think he's
probably gonna have the worst numbers of anybody, like in
the All Star Game. Um, he's under twenty points per game.
But he's a playmaker, he's a rebounder, and he's a
big reason Sacramento is the most surprising team in the NBA.
Uh right now, He'll probably be the last guy picked
when it comes to selecting these guys, Um, because I
(46:03):
don't know if defense or not defensive rebounding and you know,
elbow playmaking is value to the All Star Game. But uh,
he he deserves to me, I think he deserved that
starting spot. I agree. Cleaning the Glass has Sacramento with
the one two point three offensive rating with Sibonus on
the floor, one of the best offenses ever fifty eight
wind paced with him on the floor. He's been fantastic thumb,
(46:28):
and he's doing that because if he goes out and
has surgeries or has to sit out, it's like three
to six weeks and that could cost him positioning. The
freaking guys playing with a broken thumb. Yeah, he's been
truly fantastic, and that that third All NBA spot for
center after Embiid and Yo Kich, Sabonus a g and damn,
it's gonna be fascinating to see what happens there. Um.
(46:50):
I went with Steph and my in my piece only
because his numbers are just so close to his m
v P two sixteen MVP season. Then I'm like, what
are we doing? Like I gotta put him in, But
I think you know, Jas Shakil just Alexander they were
all good picks there. The front court reserves. I think
this is also where it gets interesting because I have
lowry marking in who I think has been fantastic games
(47:13):
in Utah. I'm okay with putting him in there. He
has the number. I went with Zion and a D. Also,
people are gonna think gonna make injury arguments for them,
but I feel like they've just been so good when
they're on the floor that you can't leave them out.
You can't. I don't know how you can put a
D in there, Like I didn't fill out a full
ballot obviously for the coaches picked the reserves, but has
(47:36):
been out since December. Man like, yeah, he's gonna play,
you know he now he's back, he's gonna play the
next couple of weeks. Headed in I'm with you, like,
it's just you know, But then it's like, who do
you want there in the front court? Um, because I
wouldn't say it gets bleak, but it weirdly gets like
(47:58):
I picked I'll get to Aaron Gordon in a second.
You know, my backcourt reserves pretty obvious. John Shay, let
me put it this one. For my wild cards, I
went with Dame and Aaron Gordon. I mean, I think
Devin Booker has a great case, Paul George has a
good case. Um Lillard just had the most efficient sixty
point game ever. I know the Blazers have been sliding
the last few weeks, but I think Damien has been fantastic. Okay,
(48:22):
So I'm in the locker room, the Nuggets locker room
at Staples Center a couple of weeks ago, chatting with
Aaron Gordon talking about his All Star case, and there
were conversations wrapping up, and I'm just kind of just
as a throwaway, I'm like, do people still come up
to you about your dunk contest? He's like yeah, it's
really annoying. And I was like, I was like, so,
you wish they'd stopped. And he's like, yes, I wish
(48:43):
people would stop bringing it up. Unprompted, he just goes,
if I'm in the All Star Game, I'll do the
dunk contest. I was like a serious He's like yeah,
And I was like, you know people are gonna run
crazy with this quote, right, and You're just like yeah,
doubles down on it. And I was like that for me,
frankly enough, I'm like, that's what it takes together. Aaron
Gordon in the dunk contest. Let's do the right thing
(49:03):
and put him in the All Star Game. You mentioned
that Boston has two guys. Denver's now separated themselves a
little bit in the West there in the number one seed.
I'm okay with them getting two guys, but they just
the problem with the West is so many of the
top guys I mentioned PG Book A D A lot
of injuries make it kind of a weird situation on
who to put it. Yeah, I wouldn't put a D in.
(49:28):
I mean, he's great, but it's been over a month,
like a month and a half since he's been out
like that just too much. It's like Jaren Jackson Jr. Probably,
um my front court would probably be marketing. I think
belongs in there. I would put Zion in there, and
(49:50):
I would put Aaron Gordon in there. I mean yeah, Look,
I saw Denver the other night too. We were both
at at Staples and talking to some of their front
office guys, Like, you know, they can't rave enough about
his impact defensively, like that, this is the player that
everything they hope they acquired from Orlando. A couple of
years ago. This is the guy. Um, so I would
(50:12):
I would give him, give him that slot. And if
he's gonna dunk, great, although I think the Duncan has
become stupid. I don't even watch um. You know Sha Guilds.
Alexander has to be an all star, like that's a
mortal luck. The guy's like effortlessly putting up thirty and
a half these days, like it's it's unbelievable. So I
put him on that list. Um. You know, I guess
(50:37):
Lillard for sure. You know he saw him put up
sixty on Wednesday night. You know that's that's ridiculous. Does
d Aaron Fox make it like he's that was that
was the toughest cut for me, and I wonder if
it went out too long. McCollum is I think a
legitimate candidate there because of his impact. I'm not given
(50:58):
to Anthony Edwards because men soda stinks. Jaren Jackson Jr.
Paul George never plays, Kauai never plays. You know, I
don't Jim Grant, No, no, no, that's to me. It's like,
you know, Fox and McCollum are kind of that last
that last spot, and you know, I gotta go either way.
(51:20):
I go with it way. Darren Fox has such a
good bounce back year from last year. Mccollins is just
a big impact, especially with brandon Ingram being out for
as long as he was. You know, it's a coin
flip to me. Fox was definitely the toughest cut for me.
I do think the Kings have been an incredibly charming
story and I'm not trying to denigrate it in any way.
(51:40):
Do they need to all Stars? I don't know that
I need them to have to all Stars as exciting
as they've been. It's also brandon Ingram. Pepe my brother
keeps texting me about like Zion and being like, are
the Pelicans gonna regret this? Is he always gonna be hurt?
Like he's played more than brandon Ingram this season. Um,
before we get out of here, when I ask what
(52:01):
do you think about the NBA finally moving the draft
two right before the game, I'm I'm again another thing
I'm very excited about. It's good. Um, it makes things
a little more interesting. Um, although like you're you're talking
to the wrong crowd here, Like I'm not even staying,
I'm not even staying for the game. On Sunday like
(52:22):
I'm getting in Thursday. I'm gonna talk to we need
to talk to. I'm gonna see what I need to see.
I'll go to the Availabilities to work on some things
I'm working on, and then Sunday morning, goodbye. I'll see
you later. I don't need to sit in the upper
you know levels of the newly renamed Delta Center. Two
watch at All Star Game. I'm good. I mean for fans. Look,
(52:44):
it's great watching guys pick their teams, you know right there,
it's fun. I think the NBA has done a nice
job and you know, using gimmicks to make things a
little more fun. But I just I don't care. Um,
like all started me is a nice break, Like give
me a little bit of a break before the real
games pick up again. Um yeah, all fair points. My
(53:08):
only addition would be it needs to be a snake draft.
That's why Lebron's teams win every year because he gets
the first pick. Like, who, come on, we all everyone's
playing fantasy sports all the time, etcetera. It's got to
be a snake draft. Chris, I don't know if you
want to text that to Adam Silver right now, but
just let him know immediately that it should be a
(53:31):
snake draft. And this legitimately bothers me because people something
people who love to run with on there. It's a
lebron Is six snow is an All Star captain, and
I'm like, make it a damn snake draft. It's too
easy for him. I don't think the selection of the
players has anything to do with the outcome of the game.
I don't. I think it's I think it's like who
(53:52):
cares the most and who went out in Parks City
the night before, Like that's that? That is Yeah, you
you are way over think of the All Star Game.
I met know, I really am, But I do think
this one for the only adjustment I would make it.
I've said this for years now, is eliminate the skills
competition and make a King of the Court tournament because
(54:13):
if you, like I think NBA players, top NBA players
would love the distinction of being known as the best
one on one player in the NBA. It is a
one on one league now, So if you make a
one on one tournament, I think you will get more
stars then you will get for skills, certainly more stars
than the dunk contest. Um and I think you will
create better television on Saturday Night. That's very interesting and
(54:37):
I wonder if the players would go for it because
there's like an embarrassment factor, but it's high risk hig reward.
I mean the idea of literally, let's get ten all
stars lined up on the court and it's like they're
allan Iverson Trophy, the Allen Iverson Trophy. All right, I'm
I'm liking what you're putting down here, Chris Um. Well,
(54:57):
that will do it for this episod soode of open floor, Chris.
I'm sure we'll be We're looking forward to hearing about
your party stories from Park City. We'll have to check
in on that crossover episode Good to be Back, Good
to Be Back. It's like it's like Paul Pierce signing
a one day contract with Boston Good to be Back
at the franchise that I found it right here, go
(55:18):
that's how it's the Chris Mannix Bilt Um. That'll do
it for today's episode. Please keep your emails coming open
for mail at gmail dot com until next week. Continue
to enjoy the NBAC Whoa Whoa
Welcome back to another episode of Open Floor. I am
joined today by Sports Sports Illustrated senior writer. He is
no longer the NBA media's most eligible bachelor. Please welcome
Chris Mannix to the show. Mannix, how's it going. It
is nice to be back on the platform that I
(00:25):
built as the as the founder of Open Floor many
many years ago. It is nice to be back. Um,
you know, it's like coming home to roost. Right. No,
I was gonna I was gonna say it was your
Open Floor debut, but then I fact checked myself and
(00:46):
realized that was incorrect. Chris, you have many jobs, and
the one that I'm most jealous of is that you
get to do for to zone, like in ring interviews
after a big fight. That's like that was for years
I wanted that job, just to interview boxers right after
a fight. I think it's thrilling. What's the craziest thing
that's ever happened to you in the ring after a fight?
(01:09):
Probably it was several years ago and Tyson Fury, who
is the heavyweight champion, he was in New York to
face Steve Cunningham. And you know, Fury won that fight
by knockout and you know, in the post fight interview,
he wrestled the microphone away from me and started singing
(01:31):
like some Aerosmith song to the to the Madison Square
Garden crowd, which you know is goofy enough in and
of itself. But the bigger problem was that was a
fight that was airing on main network NBC and they've
got heart outs. So like I am kind of I
wouldn't say trying to get the mic back, but I'm
(01:54):
sort of looking at his handlers being like, hey, can
we can we get this from him? And they're looking
at me like what do you want us to do?
Is six nine pounds? Like there's there's no getting the
microphone away from So I remember getting a phone call
from Sam Flood, who runs NBC Sports still to this day, Um,
you know a great guy, and he says he said
(02:16):
to me, Chris, treat the microphone like you would treat
your child, and uh, I've always remembered that, and to
this day, no one has been able to pull the
microphone away from me since, yeah, I also would not
be trying to get into a fight with Tyson Fury
back to that microphone. I just have to ask for
all my love Island fans out there, Are we going
(02:38):
to get the Tommy Fury? Is it Jake Paul or
Logan Paul? Which is which one of them is the boxer?
Are you gonna get that fight Jake Paul Tommy Fury
seems very likely for the end of February. Tommy is
is a little unpredictable. He's backed out twice of Jake
Paul fights. But this is a fight that's either gonna
take place in the Middle East or in the UK.
(03:01):
Um So, I think it's it's probably eighty five percent
that we get Tommy Bury versus Jake Paul the next
couple of months. All Right, there we go. I appreciate it,
and uh open floor flans fans, please be prepared for
the return of the Love Island minute. The season's already
going on in the UK, should be hitting the US
pretty soon. But Chris, we got a lot of basketball
(03:22):
things to get to today. I want to touch on
some of the big things that happened in the NBA
on a pretty action packed Wednesday night of basketball. I
gotta say it was a lot of fun watching all
these games. I want to start with kind of the
two rivalry matchups we got rivalry week going on, and
we'll start with net Sixers. This was a really good game,
(03:44):
even without Kevin Durant. A lot of fun it was.
There was one stretch where Ben Simmons it was genuine
the most aggressive offense I've seen him play in literally years,
four or five drives to the hoop on four or
five possessions in a row, attacking mantras. Harold, I couldn't
believe what I was watching. Um, the Sixers end up
winning this game. Simmons does not play the last kind
(04:06):
of six minutes of the fourth quarter. You can still
see some of the issues of them playing him and
Nick Claxton together, and Claxton has been fantastic this season.
It was a good win for Philly, And you know,
I don't want to read too much into one regular
season game, but I did think it was interesting because
we've got the microcosm of the whole Simmons experience a
little passive in in the first half. You see this
(04:27):
back and forth with them bead which seems to wake
him up a little bit, but then he doesn't play
the fourth. You know, the trade deadlines coming up. I
don't think there's really any buzz around Simmons. But what
do you kind of think the nets long term plan
with him should be, because I think we've seen glimpses
of him be that distributor defender, aggressive guy this season
and other stretches where he's just not doing anything. What
(04:49):
do you kind of think their long term plan is right? Well,
you'd like to them to be able to bottle what
happened in the third quarter UM on Wednesday night. I mean,
he came out of the locker and halftime and looked
like the Ben Simmons we saw two or three years
ago and not the kind of broken version we've seen
over the last couple of years. I don't think that's possible.
I don't think you can. And that's in Jack von
knew it. That's why I didn't play Simmons down the
(05:11):
stretch in the fourth quarter, because, as you alluded to you,
you simply can't play Claxton and Simmons together in crunch
time minutes. Uh. They're both non free throw shooters, they're
both non scores. Though Claxton has has kind of become
what the Nets hoped Simmons would be in terms of
going to the basket and scoring at the rim. Um,
but it's it's pretty untenable to play them together, uh
(05:33):
down the stretch. I don't I don't think their long
term plan is to move him. I just think they're
gonna try to keep, you know, incrementally trying to revive him. Um.
You know, maybe it doesn't happen this year. It is
his first full year back, um, you know, coming off
that injury and all the issues he had in Philadelphia.
But I think they'll give it, you know, a couple
of years to see if you know, a full off season,
(05:54):
maybe with a new shooting coach, you know, more confidence
that gets him back to being the Ben Simmons of old.
I mean, it really told me a few years ago
that he was an all NBA talent, you know, you considered,
you know, one of the top defensive players in the NBA.
He's still his mid twenties. Like that player is still there. Um,
and I think the Nets are gonna be My understanding
is the Net's gonna be as patient as they possibly
(06:15):
can to to try to bring that out of him,
be it this year or in the years to come. Yeah,
it's very interesting, and I do wonder how much of
that has to do with the fact that he was
involved in such a high profile trade. He's not someone
that you can just very easily move on from and
move him for a couple of role players. Because of
the significance of that hard and trade for the franchise
(06:37):
and kind of how charged that time was for the
team emotionally, I think that if there's a big positive
to take away from that game for Brooklyn is you know,
it's the first time Simmons and Embide were going at
each other. And they were going at each other, I
mean Simmons, they were switching hard and Embid picking rolls.
Classon was picking up Hart and Simmons was switching on
to Embiide. I thought he held his own multiple times
(06:58):
against him Bid and em beat. He's not afraid to talk,
he's not afraid to get physical. And I thought the
fact that Simmons responded to that, even though again there
were times he'd catch the ball on the paint not
even look at the hoop, that seemed to wake him
up a little bit as opposed to, you know, push
him into a corner, which again I'm not gonna sit
here in play psychologists, but we've seen him multiple occasions
(07:21):
this here, I don't know if checkout is the right phrase,
but just kind of be so passive. And I think
the fact that the rivalry or whatever it was with
Embid kind of woke him up a little bit was
really promising to me. Um, And you, like you said,
can they bottle it? I'm not sure it's interesting to
me that you said, they're gonna take their time with this,
if only because you know, the Katie thing worked itself
(07:45):
out over the summer, there was never going to be
a realistic trade for them. But if I'm Sean Marks,
especially considering the relationship with Durant, how many things seemed
to pop up in Brooklyn, I don't know it I'd
be willing to be as patient as he is, Um,
especially because with Durant this year, they look every bit
(08:08):
as a championship contender. I think, you know, Boston is
separated itself itself, but I think outside of Boston there's
no clear cut number two, and I think Brooklyn can
certainly be that team when Durant is healthy. That doesn't
it surprise what doesn't it surprise you a bit that
they're willing to be patient. I mean, if you think
they could mean only because what are they gonna do,
Like there's no market for him right now, Like he's
(08:31):
a non shooting guy on a max contract, Like it's
I don't know who's lining up to go and get him.
I mean the kind of team that you know Ben
Simmons would need to go to. I mean like Golden State.
You know, I guess kind of jumps to mind because
of all the shooters they have out there. But you know,
you'd you'd not be just taking on Ben Simmons and
his contract, You'd be taking on whatever kind of baggage
(08:51):
he has going on right now. It's preventing him from
getting back to that level if he was playing at
an all NBA level and the Nets decided, look we
can't we like Claxton a lot, we can't play them together.
Let's try to get a dollar for dollar value back
in return that I could understand. But there isn't a
market for it right now. I don't know where you
would trade him that you would get anything of value
(09:14):
back right now. It's just not it's just not on
the table at the moment. Where do you land on
Joel embiid suck it celebration? Are you pro against nonplussed?
I mean, it's I feel the same way about that
as I do like the critics of Steph Steph Carry
getting ejected the other night for throwing his mouthpiece, Like
(09:35):
the NBA lays it out pretty clear that you know,
Joel Embiid, you're gonna get fined for doing that, just
like the Sam the Sam Cassell, you know Pat Dance, like,
you know they you're gonna you can't do that. You're
gonna get dinged pretty significantly for that same thing with
Steph Cary, Like you know what did I read Steph
Carry's three ejections have been related to piece, Like by
(09:55):
now at this point we can call it goofy and
he certainly wasn't throwing it at the referee. But it's
you know, the NBA officials like they give like seminars
on this stuff, Like they tell players, you know, pretty
clear you can't throw things into the crowd, like because
you know what happens if it's not a mouthpiece and
somebody gets hit. Like I'm not trying to be a
wet blanket here, but it's like you should know better
(10:18):
stop doing that and Ambid you know, I look, I
was a d X fan growing up to I know
what he was doing, but like he's gonna get ding
for that as well, because the NBA is not uh
not looking, we'll not look favorably on guys that are
directing people to their crotch area during celebrations. I just
want to say, I love it. I love that he's
(10:39):
willing to eat the fine. Um. I think it's very funny.
I also a big d X fan growing up. I'm
glad someone scaring on the legacy. Um. We again, I
keep mentioning this every week, and I know that you're
a loyal listener to the podcast, Chris, But we don't
talk about the Sixers enough and we're not gonna get
too deep into them I think today. But they've had
a crazy ten day stretch of West Coast trip. They
(11:03):
got a bunch of big wins. They get this one
against the Nets. They're starting to look like the team
we all thought they could be after the hard and trade.
Um do you think the You know, the Celtics have
Al Horford, who's probably I think the best defender of
Joel embiad in the NBA. UM, at least considering he's
(11:26):
the best guy who can defend embad and also not
kill you offensively, Like, it's very hard to find the
players who you can put on and be that also
were not just ruining your offense because you need bulk down.
Alford Alpert is so good at defending m BID that
the Sixers gave him a four year deal not to
defend Embead anymore. Right, but do you think do you
(11:47):
think Boston? I don't think Boston is afraid of anyone,
But who do you think Boston sees? Is? Maybe their
biggest competition in the East, Probably Milwaukee still, you know,
because the memory of last year's Conference semifinals is still fresh.
No Chris Middleton that series, they still needed a miraculous
Tatum performance in Game six and a winning Game seven
(12:07):
to advance, So they know how tough the Bucks are.
The box of the same team. You know, if Middleton,
who's now finally back on the floor, if you can
stay there, they're probably the most formidable opponent. I mean,
the Sixers are tough. But to your point, um, you know,
the Celtics have Horford, they have Robert Williams. Uh, they
still have Luke Cornett, who I constantly want to call
(12:29):
Tyler Zeller Like they've got you know, they've got some
depth there. They're still on the lookout too, before the
deadline for one more body, presumably because of the big
teams are gonna have to face in the postseason, so
they could add somebody else to that mix. So and
you look at the backcourt too, I mean, MAXI hardened,
they're great. But the Celtics they've got Marcus Smart, They've
got Charlon Brown, They've got Derek White. They have got
(12:51):
defenders that they can throw at these guys. So I
don't think Philadelphia makes them as nervous as maybe Milwaukee does,
because it was Milwaukee without Chris Middleton that had them
on the break of elimination um on the road in
Game six, and and that that is still something in
their brains. Yeah. I'n also be really interested to see
how Philly tries to guard a team like Boston in
(13:15):
the playoffs with all the depth they have on the wing,
especially if they play brogged In Tatum Brown together. I
think it's gonna be very difficult for a team like Philly.
Let's get into the second big National game from last night.
You alluded to this. The Warriors and Grizzlies, Man, they
just play really entertaining games, and somehow there's this discourse.
Is it a rivalry? Is it not a rivalry? It's
(13:36):
a rivalry. Okay, this team's clearly don't like each other.
They get up for playing each other. That that should
be all it takes. Like we don't need to get
into this. But the playoffs and ship blah blah blah.
No, no no, no, the teams don't like each other, the
fans don't like each other. The games are very fun.
Another really good one last night, steph Curry, is you
alluded to getting objected late? So mad at Jordan's Pool
(13:58):
for taking an ill advice three ner that he throws
his mouth guard um, really encompassing the Jordan Pool experience.
Pool later hits the game winner on a nice batcut
on Zia Williams with a two seconds to go. Really
nice play by him. The Warriors get to win this
coming after they also beat Memphis on Christmas Day in
Golden State. That game obviously without Steph Um. You know,
(14:22):
the Grizzlies were really hot. They think they've now lost
a couple in a row. Uh, they were really hot
after that Christmas Day game. They finally had an extended
stretch of good health. Here you know, they rest guys
here and there, whatever. But Jaren Jackson filed out last night.
He's been healthy, bay in his back, although I think
still working his way into form a bit. There was
a play last night late in the fourth. I don't
(14:44):
know how you feel about Dylan Brooks. I generally really
like him, even though he's just so chaotic. But Jaw
gets a double, kicks it out to Brooks. He takes
a three that you really don't want him to take.
Golden State ends up winning this game by two. I'm
curious if the playoffs started right now, the grizz these
would be the two seed. Um. Would you pick the
(15:05):
Grizzlies in a playoff series over the Warriors? Um? And
I think the Warriors are still a mess, you know,
and I think they need and we've talked about this
on the crossover. I think they know they need, um,
another body. They've got to get somebody for that bench. Um.
You know, I'm all for the Jonathan cominga can solve
(15:25):
all probably you know idea, but that feels at two
pie in the sky for me. So they need one
more body there. But the Grizzlies look last night kind
of encapsulated and even they look, they lost on a
miracle shot at the end. Um. I'm not a miracle
shot per se, but like a last minute shot. Lost
by two points, so it was close, um. But last
(15:46):
night sort of highlighted some of their problems. The Grips
of the number one defensive team in the NBA, but
they are middle of the pack at defending the three.
And if you look at the numbers, the Warriors shot
what of three point ranks. They also don't shoot the
three particularly well in this game, they shott rather from
three point range. There are also a team that and
(16:08):
I think the numbers still reflect this. I was looking
it up last week. They they don't play in the
half court very much. They're a transition team and get
up and down and look, that's great in the regular season,
but you've got to be an efficient half court team
in the playoffs to win the highest level, and the
Warriors know how to do that. The Grizzlies have not
proven they can do that yet. So I'm not trying
(16:29):
to to clown the Grizzlies here, but they they've got
a couple of a couple of holes that I think
need to be addressed. And I don't think you need
to make a deal necessarily to address that. But you've
got to clean some of that up. You've got to
become a more efficient three point shooting team. You've got
to defend the three point shot better, and you've got
to prove you can be efficient in the half court.
(16:50):
These are just kind of unknowns about Memphis against Golden
sat and everybody else, really, because everybody kind of looks
at that one number defense efficiency number one in the NBA,
and I's great Jaren Jackson one of the best defensive
players in this league. But you know, more often than not,
you either have to be a great three point shooting
team or you gotta defend the three pointer really well.
And the Growths have been kind of middle of the
(17:12):
pack at that at both those areas all season long. Yeah,
Memphis is obviously fantastic on defense, but they're not the
kind of runaway defensive jugg or not that I think
you need to be to have their kind of offense.
And six Boston last year, Boston was exactly juggernaut defensive.
Boston in the second half of last season was like
(17:32):
one of the best teams we've seen stor century. Yeah,
it was, yeah, kind of shocking in some ways, like
that teams were able to push them in the playoffs
and they didn't win the finals. I mean, obviously they
had some injury stuff, but they were dominant Memphis. I
do think they need to make a move, like you
look at I'm just looking at their their top six
(17:52):
guys in minutes right now, Moran, Baine, Brooks, Adams, Triple
j Ties Jones. Love that top six in a playoff series.
Trust those guys, Tye Jones, He's not gonna get six
men buzz. Maybe he should, He's fantastic. But then you
start to look at conchar Al Dama, Zia Williams, Roddy Larivia, Larivia,
(18:14):
like who is going to be there? Seven eight guy
in a playoff series where it is going to matter
to some extent. You know who those guys are, and
I just don't know that I trust any of them.
You mentioned their their three point shooting can be mediocre.
There's some nights where they have like three point stat
(18:34):
lines it's like five of seventeen and it's like what
happened here? Like what basketball are they playing? And you know,
to their credit, they have jab who's so good at
getting to the rim. They get out in transition. They're
really good at that. But it worries me a little bit,
like you lose a guy even just like Kyle Anderson,
who's a steady vet who has playoff experience, Like is
(18:56):
Contra are gonna play in a playoff series? Are we
are we? Like? Are we rolling with Contar? He's not
a bad player, but are we trusting him? Are we
trusting all Dama? There in that Christmas Day game, Aldama
was just getting bullied by Draymond Green and this guy
like Draymond could have like beaten him with a club.
And I don't think Aldama was getting a foul call.
(19:19):
That was on Christmas. What do you think is gonna
happen in the playoffs when revs are swallowing the whistles?
I'm a little worried about. I mean, they have such
an enviable top five, top four, Steven Adams has been
so good for them, But I'm just a little worried
about some of these role players in a playoff series. No,
I think that's fair. Um. In as I'm making my
(19:40):
kind of list of tiers of teams that need to
be aggressive by a deal, Memphis in that top tier. UM,
because you look at the Western Conference and it's open.
I mean, the the number one seed like two months
ago was Utah, Like a month before that was the Pelicans.
Now you're looking at you know, Memphis and and all
the teams that are around them. Denver currently sitting at
(20:02):
the top. You know, the field's open right now. And
if you're the Grizzlies, you don't want to be one
role player short of getting to the finals like that
would be a disaster. That's why they you know, they're
a team that internally they don't like to do anything.
They just want to grow internally, keep their draft picks.
I understand why they hit on these draft picks. You know,
(20:23):
Desmond Bane was an excellent pick. I think Ziah Williamson
is going to pan out like all these guys. You
know a lot of these guys can play. So But
if you're Memphis and you've got your own stock pile
of draft picks, I think they still have an extra
pick the Warriors picked from was the Iguadala trade from
a couple of years ago. I think you've still got
one of those. If you've got a cash of picks
(20:44):
and you've got some semi interesting young players. Why aren't
you calling Danny Ainge in Utah and seeing if you
can extract Jordan Clarkson or Malik Beasley or one of
these shooters that I was talking about, someone that can
be the eighth man in that rotation and be a
presence from the outside. That just makes sense, Like you know,
but I mean, I get it. Dealing with Danny Ainge
is like going to the dentist without novacaine. But like
(21:06):
you've you've still got a You've still got to try
and pull one of those guys out of there. Maybe
you do call Detroit and say, what's it gonna take
to get boy On Bogdanovitch out of there? Maybe you
do call Dallas and see and say you give up
a first round pick to get Christian Wood out of there.
I mean, like, I think sitting on their hands would
be a mistake. I really do, because this is a
team that with one more player can at the least
(21:28):
at least get to the finals. And once you get there,
who knows, you know, who knows what can happen, who
knows what the matchup ultimately looks like. So they're they're
they're a team. I think that that is at least
one to watch and one I think should get aggressive
in the next couple of weeks. Now, this is maybe
me getting too hopeful or too caught up in kind
of the trade buzz, but you mentioned it. This feels
(21:49):
like the most wide open title race we've had, maybe
and I don't even know how long, the longest I
can remember, the most kind of wide open title chase
we have. There are a few teams that have all
their picks. Phoenix is one of them, Memphis is another one.
Should someone just give up three first round picks for
O G and Obe? Like I kind of think someone should.
(22:13):
And I know if it sounds crazy because he's not
a Donovan Mitchell type player. He's not a rooty I
mean whatever, we don't need to get into the collpart
trade again. But you know, he's not a superstar, but
he's just such a high floor player that is going
to help you so much in the playoffs. Like if
you traded again, I like Dylan Brooks. This seems better
(22:34):
with Dylan Brooks on the four. If you traded some
of these Dylan Brooks possessions for O G and Aobe possessions,
that could make a big difference. From Memphis, like Phoenix
could desperately use someone like him. Is it which is
it stupid for a team to pay that price or
is it opportunistic in a wide open season to say,
let's just go get this guy. I think about trades honestly,
like I think about movies, and in the sense that
(22:56):
you know they say about making movies, it's not how
much movie costs, how much movie makes. So it's not
how much a trade cost. It's what a trade does
for you. And you know, if Memphis goes out, for example,
to bring them back into the discussion, if they go
out and they deal three first round picks to get
o Giana Nobi, adding that kind of three and D
type of player uh to their mix, who is both young,
(23:16):
under contract for I think at least one more year,
and someone they could resign long term. That might be
worth the price, especially when you're probably talking about three
picks that are gonna be in the twenties for the
foreseeable future. Um, but you've got to be sure that
he's the missing link. And you've also got a call
Toronto's bluff a little bit. I mean, three first is
(23:38):
a big haul. It's like you said, it was that's
what Donovan Mitchell cost plus a player. Rudy Gobert was
four really five because Walker Kessler is really freaking good
and he missed the vote on him. Um, I just
you know, I I don't think you should be worried
if you think Anobi is the guy, and if you
think for the next five to six years he is
going to be a staple of your rotation and you're
(23:58):
gonna be a really good team. I wouldn't blink at
the asking price. But if he's not, Uh, that's a
steep price to pay for a guy that's probably not
ever going to be one of your top two guys,
definitely maybe not one of your top three guys in
your rotation. I'm very interested see what happens with him.
Everyone's talking about Toronto. It's not original thought, but man
(24:21):
oh man, there's so many seems that you just want
to parachute him in on and see how they look. Um.
I really kind of hope he gets to go to
a contender. Let's talk about the Los Angeles Lakers. Anthony
Davis returns last night. I thought it was a very
smart move took ease him in in a game against
the San Antonio Spurs and he was fantastic. I think
(24:41):
he only played what twenty four minutes, like twenty one
points a bunch of blocks. Um. You know, I was
working on that band at a bio story earliest year,
and periodically I like to check, you know, which are
the players doing the best in the restricted area, non paint,
restricted area the paint. I think Anthony Davis was shooting
like seventy eight point seven percent in the restricted area,
(25:02):
which is like even for the restricted area, absurd, And
so it was really nice to watch him last night.
You know, he took one three I think at three
was his first shot, but really get back into the
paint a ton. That's where he was having a ton
of success to start the season and looking like m
v P A D again, just dominating the rim on
both ends of the floor. Were you at the game?
(25:22):
What did you What did you make of his return?
I was at the game. I thought he was excellent.
He moved well. Um, it only took him merely a
couple of minutes to to kind of get his rhythm
back after got to the free throw line and that
first shot went in. I think he really got into it.
He had two blocks into the first quarter and and
really got got into the flow. So look, I he's
obviously a major difference maker for that team. You can
(25:45):
see the way he energizes them definitely defensively and even offensively.
His ability to kind of step out top of the key,
make shots, uh, get to the basket, creates second chance opportunities,
the whole thing. And look, when you have him in
the rotation, you can bump Thomas Bryant down, you can
bump Ruby Hashimura the new guy uh down like, so
(26:06):
it's it's valuable in that sense. My my, my concern,
as it will be every game, is is that foot
gonna hold up? And you saw, yeah he went down
the third quarter. I mean, Zach Collins came up underneath them.
Why Zach Collins was contesting a you know, forty eight footer,
I don't really understand, but um, Zach Collins came underneath him,
(26:28):
and immediately Anthony Davis grabbed his ankle. And you know,
it's kind of like a writer early phrase to say,
the entire arena gas, But I'm telling you, the entire
arena gasp. As Anthony Davis lay on the floor and
he didn't get up right away. But he did get up.
He was fine. But this injury, like it was an
injury they couldn't really define for weeks. It seemed like
(26:50):
where like, what is it? There's in another scan? How
many doctors are gonna look at it? There's a bone
spur there, there's a stress reaction there, Like there's a
lot of things that are scary when it comes two
big men and feet, which are generally problematic when they
get co mingled. So I look, if he's healthy, and
I think Hashi Mora is really good too, He's a
nice fit for that team. Uh they're a team that's
(27:13):
that that you have to keep your eye on. And
the next you know, a few months because healthy a
d healthy Lebron hatch him more a part of the rotation.
You know, if Westbrook can limit his off the deep
end plays to you know tu per game like they're
they're gonna be dangerous in the playoffs, but you know
it's game by game with Anthony Davis, he steps on
(27:34):
somebody's foot wrong, you know you're talking about some that
may require surgery. I mean surgery was discussed originally for
for this, uh, this foot injury. So it sounds like
it's happening in the off season. No matter what he's
even alluded to, We're gonna have to get the scare
the crap out of it. If if you're like the
Lakers and you're looking at free agents, like you know,
if he has I mean, foot surgeries are like they're real, Like,
(27:55):
you know, there are major ones. Obviously you don't want
to hear list. Frank you know, that's the new that's
a new word in the basketball lexicon. That is like
the new micro fracture. Yeah. Yeah, nobody wants to hear
that anymore. So. But yeah, I'm just there's a long
way to go in the regular season and a lot
of games be played, and I you know, I would
at the very least be deeply concerned about Davis's ability
(28:18):
to stay out there on the floor. Yeah, it's tough
because that's it's a little bit reductive, not even reductive,
like it's not fun to reduce the analysis token he
stay on the floor. But that really is what it
comes down to with a d and how good he is. Yeah,
we know how good he is when he plays. Uh
he I think looks the best since he's left New
(28:39):
Orleans this season. Uh, that's how good he was playing
earlier this year. I like what you said, like for
them to have a bench backcourt now that's Thomas Bryant
and Ruey Hotchi Burrows like legitimate considering where they were
to start the season. I think Dennis Shrewder has been
fantastic for the Lakers the last couple of weeks. Like
you know, they had that game against Miami a couple
of weeks ago where they want without lab on An
(29:00):
a d shooter was fantastic in that game. Um, he
was making plays late in that Memphis game, uh again
last night. Like he's just a very solid player for them,
and things are kind of settling into focus. And that's
even without Austin Reeves and Lonnie Walker. I think Walker
has been better for them than even I expected this year.
So they're in position, Like as much grief as we
(29:24):
give Lakers management, which they deserve for not putting a
team around Lebron that can compete, to see how close
they are with a team like the Warriors, for example,
and their ownership group, Like we had a story this
week in the Athletic they're not sure if Bob Myers
is going to be back. And now I'm looking at it, like,
(29:44):
are the Lakers relatively even that embarrassing when you see
what's going on with some of these other teams like
Golden State. So I'm I'm pleasantly surprised with where the
Lakers have ended up at this point in the season.
I think, if Lebron and a d stay healthy and
they're one more move away, I don't think things and
I think I think that move is coming to Like
I think, you know, this Hashi More deal foreshadowed at
(30:07):
least one more move because the Lakers, their cap space
next summer is now gone because you don't, you know,
whatever you think of second round picks, you don't trade
three of them to get a guy you're not going
to resign. And without Hashi More, they're at thirty four million.
That's close to max cap space um with him. You know,
even if he's at ten twelve million, he probably a
little bit more. Uh, you're gonna eat up half of that,
(30:28):
and you're talking about having only enough money to get
you know what Kelly Lennok is worth these days, you know.
So you know, I think because of that reality, I
think you're gonna see the Lakers far more aggressive in
the next couple of weeks looking at some of the
Utah guys, looking at Boyon Bogdanovitch, maybe there's somebody else
out there that's available, kind of waiving the white flag
(30:50):
on the idea that next summer they're going to be
able to go and get a marquee free agent like
Kyrie Irving to come play in l A And look,
that's you know, who knows how that's gonna work out
long term, but short term, it's gonna make me more dangerous.
You put Boyam Bandanovitch on that team, there are an
even more dangerous offensive team. And you saw Lebron last night.
I mean, he's been on the scoring binges of late,
(31:11):
but when he's surrounded by guys that can play like
Hashima and by Anthony Davis, he's passing the ball he's
given on leven assists in that game. He's not looking to,
you know, put up forty when on on any given night.
So you give him another weapon, that seam is gonna
be that much better and it's gonna be interesting to see.
I think it also opens up, like you said, they
(31:32):
do decide to move for us and attach those restaurant picks.
The idea that they can take back longer term. Salary
really opens up the idea for some of the moves
they can make. And I wonder if they'll try to
get involved with someone like Van Vleet or whoever it is.
It could be really interesting. I want to get to
All Star, but I just want to ask real quick.
I really really enjoyed those Nets Sixers games and the
(31:53):
Warriors Gizes games last night. Um, it was a ton
of fun. And we have like Nuggets Sixers come up
on Saturday, we have Laker Celtics coming up. I'm already
willing to call Rivalry Week a success. If anything, maybe
we need to make a bigger deal out of it
next year. I don't know, No, you're out on it.
Come on, Chris, Rivalry Week is stupid. Just just schedule
(32:15):
the game games like stop trying to make stop trying
to give greater meaning to meaningless regular season games. In
January February. Everybody knows what the NBA needs to do.
They need to cut down the number of games. Everybody
knows it, but nobody is willing to do it, and
nobody ever will because the revenue takes a cut with it,
so they can keep putting lipstick on a pig on
(32:37):
these January February games where you're doing rivalry week when
really that's what Christmas is for, right, Like Christmas Day
games are five games you're talking about that stupid mid
season tournament that's gonna have no consequence whatsoever, and and
you're you're still dealing with, you know, players being load
managed into the ground like it's it's crazy, and and
(32:58):
it's having a tangible effects on the quality of these games.
I mean, look at just Wednesday night. You should have
had a matchup between two fer two time m v
p s in nicolea Yokich and Ystad the Kumpo and
Denver was on the second of a back to back
in that game. Also, I just want to point out
it was a New Orleans to Milwaukee back to back,
(33:20):
which you almost never see, and a shout out to
all the Nuggets writers who had to get from New
Orleans to Milwaukee, which does not have a lot of
direct flights. One of the strangest back to backs I've
ever seen. I listen, I did love the games. I'm
the kind of person who still gets excited about regular
season matchups, and they were a lot of fun to watch.
(33:40):
You are right, you don't have to call it rather
like what what what? What is that? Like this is
a new rivalry between the Grizzlies and the Warriors, that's
for sure. But to me, you just do it on
Christmas Day like there's nothing. There's nothing the NBA can do,
Like they've done all they can do to make the
end of the season consequential by putting the two play
(34:02):
in games, flattening the lottery odds. That was brilliant, That
was well done by Adam Silver, well done by the
players Union. That gave meaning to what had been just
brutally bad games at the end of March and into April.
But there is no solution to fixing the problem of
January February games, none whatsoever. You are stuck with games
(34:26):
that people aren't going to watch at the level you
want them to be watching, and no amount of college
slogans and you know, mid season tournaments for the Oscar
Robertson Award or whatever the hell you're gonna call it,
like it's just not gonna work. It's it's there's no
solutioness problem other than cutting games, and we all know
(34:47):
they're not going to do it. Basically, I'm a mark
for a good marketing scheme. That's what happened. Uh, watching
the games anyway, they're not trying to get you there,
trying to get the casual fans. I'll see my mom
and dad cared about it at all. See if they
cared about rivalry. Week asked, how would you think of
NBA Rivo rude. I'll walk out the front door and
ask people the same thing. I will say. I'm with you.
(35:11):
It should be a fifty eight game regular season. That's
too small. That too small. Seventy two is fine, take
ten away. You eliminate all back to backs. So there
really is no excuse for load managing. Um. And by
the way you like look, games are separated by time zones,
of course, but how many times we had two games
on that we wanted to watch, like lost, Like all
(35:34):
the time? It happens, um, So you space is some
of these games that you don't have ten at night
or twelve and night. Maybe you have seven or night
eight or night. You know, but they're not going to
do it because nobody's giving any money back. And I
understand that it's it's it's money, although I think it's
get go line. How many ynots. Do you want a
jet ski behind or whatever that was. I think the
money conversation too, is I think it's a short term
(35:55):
hit for a long term game, but no one. No
one wants to be the guy take the short term hit,
nobody for the league ten years from now. We're recording
this on a Thursday. The All Star starters are going
to be announced tonight, and we each wrote you have
an actual ballot. I just have the fake one that
I get to pedal on Sports Illustrated dot com. But
we each made our All Star picks. You did the
(36:16):
Eastern Conference, I did the Western Conference. I want to
run through um are All Star picks and talk a
little bit about some of the guys. I think it
was a robust All Star field this year. There were
some really tough cuts. UM, So why don't you go first?
Or I I have your story pulled up if you
want me to run down all your All Star picks
(36:37):
if you don't remember them, but you know, there's definitely
a couple I think interesting decisions to be made about starters,
who's gonna be left out, etcetera. So do you want
me to run through your picks? Or you got them
pulled up, you can run through them. There. I'm all right,
there we go. I got all right. So in the
east front court, uh, there's really are guys for three spots.
(37:01):
You have embed Durant and Tatum. That means you're gonna
you're bringing your honest off the bench. And in the
backcourt you have Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brown. So I
guess I'll just throw it to you. You know, I
think Terris Halliburton is a guy people looking at as
a starter potentially. Obviously, you Honest, we're kind of the
deciding factors for you putting your honest and tires to
the bench, elevating guys like Jalen and I mean the
(37:23):
front court in the east was just an impossible decision
to make. Yeah, it was impossible. Um, look, I I
with the Honest. He's having a monster year statistically. Um,
the bucks are really good. One of the things that
stuck out to me when I was looking over some
(37:45):
of the numbers is the Raptor ranking for Janice, which
is not the end all be all, but it's five
eight kind of value rankings to to kind of boil
it down. And you had embiid Durant and Tatum in
the top five and those Raptor rankings, Janice was twenty six.
He was behind Franz Wagner in in that rankings. So
(38:09):
if you're looking for a differentiator, that was probably it.
As I said, I don't have any issue with somebody
that puts Janice on that team. The guy's averaging more
than thirty points. He's averaging what twelve rebounds second the
NBA and rebounding he's still one of the best defensive
players in the league. It's you know, you're you're choosing
from a bunch of gold bricks out there. Um, So
(38:30):
I don't have a problem with it. But those Raptor rankings.
You know when I was going through kind of my
numbers that that stuck out to me. Um, Haliburton Brown
kind of the same thing. Like Halle Burton is great.
You know, he's the NBA leading assist maker. Um, He's
he's changed that entire chase, the tire dynamic of Indiana.
(38:51):
They're they're not tempo team now like they were a
crawl and up team in the past. Now they're an
up tempo team. Um Brown, I guess I've just seen
a lot of Brown, and I've seen him grow even
more this year. You know, his numbers are fantastic, his
mid range game is fantastic. Um, he's three point shot
the last couple of years has not been what it
(39:13):
was I think two years ago, but it's still reasonably consistent.
He's still a very good defensive player. I just gave
him a slight edge on my ballot for for that reason.
But again, no no qualms with some of the votes,
Haliper And the only obvious one was Donovan Mitchell, Like
you know, NOBO for Mitchell, You've you've, you're should have vote. Uh,
it's funny about Jillen Brown. It's because Boston is such
(39:35):
a three point shooting heavy team that you just kind
of assume he's a huge part of that attack. But
you mentioned the mid range, like he's dominant from that area.
I think he's one of the best in the NBA
to five. Yeah, maybe the best this year. I guess you.
Duran's always gonna be there, but and absurd athlete, Like yeah,
when it comes to get into the rim finishing, he's
as good as it gets. And you know, like just
(39:56):
when you look at some of the numbers when Tatum
goes out like Brown plays like him like he puts
up thirty plus. So he's in a way, um, subjugating
himself way too for the betterment of the team. And
I think he deserves some credit for that. To plus,
the Celtics, the number one team in the NBA and
the number one team in the NBA in my mind,
deserves to have a couple of guys on that team.
(40:17):
I agree. Um, I just love the edge Jalon Brown
plays with every night. Man, it feels like he really
is mean today because because he credit like you know,
Jalen has been you know, irritated with me for one
reason the other for the better part of like the
last three years. Um, you know, because he's a look,
he's always in trade rumors like and you know, if
(40:38):
you're someone like me that's on TV all the time
and you're asked the question, would you trade Jalen Brown
for Anthony Davis? You will sound like an idiot if
you don't say yes. I would same thing as past summer,
would you trade Jalen Brown for uh Kevin Durant? Well,
quite frankly, I would you know? Would I still I
don't know, But it's like Durant's diminished himself this year.
(40:58):
So like he he just winds up in these trade rumors,
and you know, I can understand him being bothered by
it and bothered by the people that um that have
are forced to discuss them at at length. But it's
given him an edge, It's given him a chip, and
it's I think it's certainly been something along with the
(41:20):
loss in the finals, has driven him during the course
of this year. UM, let's talk a little bit about
some of the other picks. Obviously, be honest on the bench.
Bam Siakum, you have your backcourt reserves. How about Jimmy
if I if I love bam Off, I almost love
bam Off. You would have like cried if I lived
like you. You're your Your Eastern carmage ballot is probably
Bam Tyler, hero In, Jimmy Butler, all the starting lineup.
(41:43):
Don't forget Heywood high Smith my wild card pick, Haywood
hide Smith, your backcourt reserves, Haliburton and Jimmy Butler, your
wild cards, Jalen Brunson and Trey Young. Um, did you
give serious considering to Julius Randall? I mean the numbers
are there, Um, I think some Knicks fans would say
(42:05):
he's having a better season than Bam. I I don't
think I agree, but um, I mean Bam is still
I think a top five defender in the NBA, even
if he's not getting the t p O I buzz.
This problem was like game is the problems games at
one point, right, like he had missed some games? Yeah? Yeah, Like,
but I think he's I think I wrote this like
he's up to the enough games where it doesn't matter
(42:25):
where it's not as consequential. But who was kind of
the toughest guy for you to leave out? And I
mean even Trey Young? You mentioned this. The team has
been disappointing, his shooting has been disappointing. He's come along lately.
The numbers are there, Um who was kind of the
toughest cut for you in the East? I think there
were two. It was Julius Randall and I really just
went with, you know, one of the Knicks and and
(42:47):
Randall has had a tremendous bounce back year. His numbers
aren't quite what they were two years ago, but they're
significantly better than last season. He is a driving force
for that team offensively. But Jalen Brunson has come in
there and and a breath of fresh air. Like his
numbers are up as well, he's in the mid twenties.
It's scoring, he's playmaking, he's defending better than he has
I think in years past. And I do think, you know,
(43:10):
Randall's success this year in part can be attribute to
the presence of Jalen Brunson. I think Jalen Brunson being
there and taking some of the load off has you know,
allowed Randall to do some of the things that he's doing.
So that was a tough call. I knew I was
gonna go with a nick in that spot. I just
went with the other nick Um and not there. Uh
for me, he was Trey Younger Kyrie Um and like,
(43:32):
Trey young is so black this year, like it's just uninspiring.
That team stinks, like, you know, I don't know what
the direction is. But Trey is still putting up numbers.
He's still like hovering in the neighbored of thirty points
per game, and he's still one of the most dangerous
offensive players in the league. So yeah, I I I
(43:55):
weighed that against Kyrie, who has been great for for stretches,
but he did have that, you know, beginning of the
season that was dysfunctional. The Nets have tailed off with
Durant the lineup, um, and that gave Trey Young a
slight edge. But neither one of those guys is really
inspiring choices for that that proverbial final final playoff spot,
(44:16):
I was just choosing the guy that was it was
a little bit more inspiring perhaps than in this at
the stage of the season. Yeah, I don't have an
issue with keeping Kyrie Irving out of the All Star
Game this year. I mean, listen, he's quote unquote stay
out of trouble however you want to describe it recently,
and he's been playing all right. But I'm okay with
(44:38):
Trey Young there, and I'd be okay with Randall there. Um. Yeah, Like,
but there were, genuinely, I think some really tough cuts
to make this year. I'll run through my West starters
real quick, which I think are fairly straightforward. I'd Yokich,
Lebron and some bonus in my front court. For the backcourt,
I went with Steph Curry and Luca don Chech. I
think Steph is maybe the quote unquote controversial pick there. Yeah,
(45:00):
I mean between I'm curious who did you have on
your ballot between or in the west Backcors, I think
you got to be a lock. Yeah, Lucas a lock. Um.
John Morant was my choice there. And again winning factors
into that as well. I mean, jah Um has been
as healthy I think as Steph this year, and the
Grizzlies have been really good, and he's the driving force
(45:21):
behind He's the number one guy on that team. So yeah,
that was it was close. Um, you know, the tougher
one was probably and I had Sibonis as well in
that third forward spot. Um. If Zion had played more games,
he you know, probably would have locked that in because
his team was winning and he was putting up incredible numbers.
But he's missed too much time and the and the
(45:42):
Pelicans have kind of fallen off. Sibonis, I think he's
probably gonna have the worst numbers of anybody, like in
the All Star Game. Um, he's under twenty points per game.
But he's a playmaker, he's a rebounder, and he's a
big reason Sacramento is the most surprising team in the NBA.
Uh right now, He'll probably be the last guy picked
when it comes to selecting these guys, Um, because I
(46:03):
don't know if defense or not defensive rebounding and you know,
elbow playmaking is value to the All Star Game. But uh,
he he deserves to me, I think he deserved that
starting spot. I agree. Cleaning the Glass has Sacramento with
the one two point three offensive rating with Sibonus on
the floor, one of the best offenses ever fifty eight
wind paced with him on the floor. He's been fantastic thumb,
(46:28):
and he's doing that because if he goes out and
has surgeries or has to sit out, it's like three
to six weeks and that could cost him positioning. The
freaking guys playing with a broken thumb. Yeah, he's been
truly fantastic, and that that third All NBA spot for
center after Embiid and Yo Kich, Sabonus a g and damn,
it's gonna be fascinating to see what happens there. Um.
(46:50):
I went with Steph and my in my piece only
because his numbers are just so close to his m
v P two sixteen MVP season. Then I'm like, what
are we doing? Like I gotta put him in, But
I think you know, Jas Shakil just Alexander they were
all good picks there. The front court reserves. I think
this is also where it gets interesting because I have
lowry marking in who I think has been fantastic games
(47:13):
in Utah. I'm okay with putting him in there. He
has the number. I went with Zion and a D. Also,
people are gonna think gonna make injury arguments for them,
but I feel like they've just been so good when
they're on the floor that you can't leave them out.
You can't. I don't know how you can put a
D in there, Like I didn't fill out a full
ballot obviously for the coaches picked the reserves, but has
(47:36):
been out since December. Man like, yeah, he's gonna play,
you know he now he's back, he's gonna play the
next couple of weeks. Headed in I'm with you, like,
it's just you know, But then it's like, who do
you want there in the front court? Um, because I
wouldn't say it gets bleak, but it weirdly gets like
(47:58):
I picked I'll get to Aaron Gordon in a second.
You know, my backcourt reserves pretty obvious. John Shay, let
me put it this one. For my wild cards, I
went with Dame and Aaron Gordon. I mean, I think
Devin Booker has a great case, Paul George has a
good case. Um Lillard just had the most efficient sixty
point game ever. I know the Blazers have been sliding
the last few weeks, but I think Damien has been fantastic. Okay,
(48:22):
So I'm in the locker room, the Nuggets locker room
at Staples Center a couple of weeks ago, chatting with
Aaron Gordon talking about his All Star case, and there
were conversations wrapping up, and I'm just kind of just
as a throwaway, I'm like, do people still come up
to you about your dunk contest? He's like yeah, it's
really annoying. And I was like, I was like, so,
you wish they'd stopped. And he's like, yes, I wish
(48:43):
people would stop bringing it up. Unprompted, he just goes,
if I'm in the All Star Game, I'll do the
dunk contest. I was like a serious He's like yeah,
And I was like, you know people are gonna run
crazy with this quote, right, and You're just like yeah,
doubles down on it. And I was like that for me,
frankly enough, I'm like, that's what it takes together. Aaron
Gordon in the dunk contest. Let's do the right thing
(49:03):
and put him in the All Star Game. You mentioned
that Boston has two guys. Denver's now separated themselves a
little bit in the West there in the number one seed.
I'm okay with them getting two guys, but they just
the problem with the West is so many of the
top guys I mentioned PG Book A D A lot
of injuries make it kind of a weird situation on
who to put it. Yeah, I wouldn't put a D in.
(49:28):
I mean, he's great, but it's been over a month,
like a month and a half since he's been out
like that just too much. It's like Jaren Jackson Jr. Probably,
um my front court would probably be marketing. I think
belongs in there. I would put Zion in there, and
(49:50):
I would put Aaron Gordon in there. I mean yeah, Look,
I saw Denver the other night too. We were both
at at Staples and talking to some of their front
office guys, Like, you know, they can't rave enough about
his impact defensively, like that, this is the player that
everything they hope they acquired from Orlando. A couple of
years ago. This is the guy. Um, so I would
(50:12):
I would give him, give him that slot. And if
he's gonna dunk, great, although I think the Duncan has
become stupid. I don't even watch um. You know Sha Guilds.
Alexander has to be an all star, like that's a
mortal luck. The guy's like effortlessly putting up thirty and
a half these days, like it's it's unbelievable. So I
put him on that list. Um. You know, I guess
(50:37):
Lillard for sure. You know he saw him put up
sixty on Wednesday night. You know that's that's ridiculous. Does
d Aaron Fox make it like he's that was that
was the toughest cut for me, and I wonder if
it went out too long. McCollum is I think a
legitimate candidate there because of his impact. I'm not given
(50:58):
to Anthony Edwards because men soda stinks. Jaren Jackson Jr.
Paul George never plays, Kauai never plays. You know, I
don't Jim Grant, No, no, no, that's to me. It's like,
you know, Fox and McCollum are kind of that last
that last spot, and you know, I gotta go either way.
(51:20):
I go with it way. Darren Fox has such a
good bounce back year from last year. Mccollins is just
a big impact, especially with brandon Ingram being out for
as long as he was. You know, it's a coin
flip to me. Fox was definitely the toughest cut for me.
I do think the Kings have been an incredibly charming
story and I'm not trying to denigrate it in any way.
(51:40):
Do they need to all Stars? I don't know that
I need them to have to all Stars as exciting
as they've been. It's also brandon Ingram. Pepe my brother
keeps texting me about like Zion and being like, are
the Pelicans gonna regret this? Is he always gonna be hurt?
Like he's played more than brandon Ingram this season. Um,
before we get out of here, when I ask what
(52:01):
do you think about the NBA finally moving the draft
two right before the game, I'm I'm again another thing
I'm very excited about. It's good. Um, it makes things
a little more interesting. Um, although like you're you're talking
to the wrong crowd here, Like I'm not even staying,
I'm not even staying for the game. On Sunday like
(52:22):
I'm getting in Thursday. I'm gonna talk to we need
to talk to. I'm gonna see what I need to see.
I'll go to the Availabilities to work on some things
I'm working on, and then Sunday morning, goodbye. I'll see
you later. I don't need to sit in the upper
you know levels of the newly renamed Delta Center. Two
watch at All Star Game. I'm good. I mean for fans. Look,
(52:44):
it's great watching guys pick their teams, you know right there,
it's fun. I think the NBA has done a nice
job and you know, using gimmicks to make things a
little more fun. But I just I don't care. Um,
like all started me is a nice break, Like give
me a little bit of a break before the real
games pick up again. Um yeah, all fair points. My
(53:08):
only addition would be it needs to be a snake draft.
That's why Lebron's teams win every year because he gets
the first pick. Like, who, come on, we all everyone's
playing fantasy sports all the time, etcetera. It's got to
be a snake draft. Chris, I don't know if you
want to text that to Adam Silver right now, but
just let him know immediately that it should be a
(53:31):
snake draft. And this legitimately bothers me because people something
people who love to run with on there. It's a
lebron Is six snow is an All Star captain, and
I'm like, make it a damn snake draft. It's too
easy for him. I don't think the selection of the
players has anything to do with the outcome of the game.
I don't. I think it's I think it's like who
(53:52):
cares the most and who went out in Parks City
the night before, Like that's that? That is Yeah, you
you are way over think of the All Star Game.
I met know, I really am, But I do think
this one for the only adjustment I would make it.
I've said this for years now, is eliminate the skills
competition and make a King of the Court tournament because
(54:13):
if you, like I think NBA players, top NBA players
would love the distinction of being known as the best
one on one player in the NBA. It is a
one on one league now, So if you make a
one on one tournament, I think you will get more
stars then you will get for skills, certainly more stars
than the dunk contest. Um and I think you will
create better television on Saturday Night. That's very interesting and
(54:37):
I wonder if the players would go for it because
there's like an embarrassment factor, but it's high risk hig reward.
I mean the idea of literally, let's get ten all
stars lined up on the court and it's like they're
allan Iverson Trophy, the Allen Iverson Trophy. All right, I'm
I'm liking what you're putting down here, Chris Um. Well,
(54:57):
that will do it for this episod soode of open floor, Chris.
I'm sure we'll be We're looking forward to hearing about
your party stories from Park City. We'll have to check
in on that crossover episode Good to be Back, Good
to Be Back. It's like it's like Paul Pierce signing
a one day contract with Boston Good to be Back
at the franchise that I found it right here, go
(55:18):
that's how it's the Chris Mannix Bilt Um. That'll do
it for today's episode. Please keep your emails coming open
for mail at gmail dot com until next week. Continue
to enjoy the NBAC Whoa Whoa
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