The Pacers shocked the Thunder with a Game 3 win in front of a wild Indiana crowd—and Trysta breaks down everything that went right for Indy and everything that went wrong for OKC. From Haliburton’s brilliance to TJ McConnell and Benedict Mathurin’s impact, it was a total team takeover.
Then it’s onto Kevin Durant’s trade market: who might make a move, what it would take, and when he could be out of Phoenix. Plus, the Knicks continue to fumble their coaching search, getting turned down left and right.
To close it out, Trysta is joined by Kenny Caraway and Damien Barling from D-Lo & KC (ESPN 1320 Sacramento) to talk WNBA.
Subscribe to the Heat Check YouTube and follow Trysta here.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
On this episode, they heat check Are we serious? Game
three in the books, and to the shock of a
lot of people and myself, Indiana takes the lead in
the series two to one. With a pivotal Game four
coming up on Friday night. We will break it down
as well as getting just a little news from around
the league. We got some tea, including the debacle that
(00:23):
is the NIXT coaching search. Do me a favor, wiyat
drop that motherfucking beat that should be Rihanna.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
You're listening to the Hottest, the Hottest.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
It be a podcast out here.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
I said what I said, it's the heat check check checks.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Just what a game, what a game? Just stunning. This
OKAC thunder team is so good. They're so good defensively,
they turn you over. They're stifling, they're physical, They they
body you, they bully you. All they do is foul.
(01:03):
And I did not think that this Indiana Pacers team
could adjust, But here we are. They're the ones down
in the NBA Finals. Okase. He had a nine point
fourth quarter lead and they ended up losing by nine.
Who is responsible for this madness? First and foremost, we
gotta give the game ball to Ben Mathrin. He is
(01:25):
a roller coaster ride. I tell you what. Some games
you get good Ben, some days you get bad Ben.
And we got excellent Ben today. Twenty seven points, four rebounds,
one assist, but more importantly, nine for twelve from the field,
one block, two for three, two for three from three,
just athletically, a monster, super physical, got into the paint
(01:51):
at will, did whatever he wanted around all the okay
see defenders, got to the free throw line, made his
fucking free throws. That is what Cason Wallace, That's what
That's what Aaron Wiggins did last game. To a degree
a different way, but to a degree, that's what Alex
Crucie normally does. That's what Cason Wallace normally do. That's
just he was just so good, just so confident, so poised,
(02:14):
so under control. He helped that like that. If no
Ben Mathron, that don't win this game number one, then
we got Haliban Tyrese Haliburton with a little gimp and
he played excellent. Answered every critic. He had twenty two,
nine to one, but he could have had a lot more, really,
and he was getting it going early, super aggressive. He
(02:37):
did so many things that aren't going to show up
on the box score. He had three quarter go ahead passes,
hit ahead passes, finding the right man to break a
double team at crucial moments where they were trapping him
where it was a six or a four point game
with a few minutes left to go in the game,
following his own miss, and then out Shaye, who basically
(03:01):
did nothing off of his miss to pick up a
critical rebound, and Shay's over there doubled over pretty much
sucking wind. He just made so many good decisions, just
the big ball, step back, threes, contested, uncontested, the ability
(03:21):
to get the ball to Miles Turner as a role man,
the ability to get the ball to Pascal Siakam off
of screens. They just found space. Obi Toppin was also excellent.
Huge Obie game, a plus eighteen off the bench, which
is pretty insane when you win by nine. He was
four to eight from the field, but man, he had
(03:43):
in a couple possessions. He had a huge rebound, a
big put back dunk on that same possession, and then
a block. As OKC goes down to the court trying
to figure out a way to come back, and Okac
was visibly frustrated. He was just making life fucking awful
for them. You're not gonna out jump. Ain't no stoping
(04:06):
Obi topping, you just will not dunk champion Okay, Obi
top and jerseys are on the come up right now.
TJ McConnell. TJ McConnell also excellent. He was a plus
twelve in fifteen minutes. He had a miss tip over
to Nemhard for the bucket and then the pick on
(04:30):
the inbound for another easy layup when they were down
for now it's tied. Just just like that, just insane,
and that's the only like, that's the kind of steal
that only TJ McConnell makes. Then he makes like a
bajillion of those per year. Just a pesky guy. And
(04:50):
he he had some makes off the dribble. He had
some layups where you're like, okay, TJ McConnell, I see
you right now. So he was incredible. The bench as
a whole, you have to say, yeah, I know rule
players play better at home, but they played a lot
better at home, and Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe were
basically nowhere. The guys who in Game two were everywhere
(05:14):
for Okasee. The Pacers bench outscored okc's bench forty nine
to eighteen. That's the story right there, that's the game
right there. Shay got hounded the entire game, hounded by
nine different defenders. It felt like he was nine for
twenty and he didn't get his thirty points, which he
(05:36):
normally gets. He's been averaging thirty for three straight years
on fifty percent shooting. And he was very ordinary. And
he had a shot down the stretch that they needed
that he missed, and he missed badly, and it turned
into a Pacers rebound twenty four to eight and four,
and he was tired down the fourth Quarterboy, he did
not want any smoke. So they made Shay work for
(05:57):
everything in his body. Aaron Easmith found all about why
because he could, because it was like, I need to
get my body up into Shay this entire time. Check them,
push him, grab them, make it hard, make him work
on both sides of the ball. And that shit worked.
Chet was also looked good on paper, pretty bad honestly.
(06:20):
Put up twenty ten and two and it was just
not very good. He was zero for six from three.
He had a critical shot blocked a three block by
Miles Turner. Miles Turner, by the way, had some awesome
blocks down the stretch. It felt like the three blocks
that he had in the fourth quarter were all in
the same possession. It was like block, block, block, that's ours,
(06:42):
that's our game over, game over. So Chet wasn't good.
Jalen Williams, despite having twenty four points, missed a bunch
of free throws down the stretch that they could cut
into the lead, and that fucked him. It was bad.
Shay wasn't good. Chet wasn't good. Jalen Williams wasn't good.
Alex Cruscan was pretty good. He had some moments, and
(07:05):
despite the fact that Miles Turner was pretty disappointing, largely
throughout the whole game, he was a negative eight. The
only negative net rating on the team other than him
was Thomas Bryant, who was atrocious. Like just get him
out of here. Got cooked endlessly. They're like food that
he's food. He's food. Oh, by the way, before I
(07:25):
forget speaking of food. Tyrese Halliburton defensively excellent, came up
on screens, bodied his defenders, got critical steals into transition buckets.
He was there more than just serviceable. He was dare
I dare I say elite? Dare I say elite? But
(07:49):
again back to Myles, Turner came up late huge, Like
I said, he was the one had two massive blocks
on Chet to force the turnover at a time where
the Thunder could have cut the lead to one possession
with two minutes. In nineteen seconds, came up with five
blocks more either more or tied than the entire Thunder
team as a whole. Alex Cruso, I think I thought
(08:11):
Alex Crucer had a good game until I looked at
the box score and saw he was a negative fifteen
by far the worse on the Thunder. People will say, oh,
they got fucked because Alex Crusoe probably should have ended
up on the benefit being the beneficiary of a flagrant one,
but there was no wind up and there was no
follow through. Did grab his junk? Nie Smith doesn't qualify
(08:36):
as a flagrant once you only get two free throws,
you don't get the ball as well. That was huge.
That was huge, And Alex Cruso had to stop Matherin
and nobody was stopping Matherin. And that's crazy because Alex
Crusso is one of the best defenders in the league.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
On ball.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
So just an incredible, stunning game, a game that will
go down ash. Oh wow, Maybe we can believe in
this Pacers team. Maybe they have some more tricks up
their sleeve. Maybe they can get more physical than the Thunder.
Which if you can get more physical than the Thunder,
(09:13):
you can win the fuck for the whole thing, you
can win the title. That's just period, because that's what
the Thunder are gonna do. They're gonna wear you down
by turn the turnover game, I thought the fact that
the that the Pacers did not have a turnover at
all in the second quarter helped them a lot. They
didn't have a turnover in the third quarter until about
six minutes left in that quarter. And remember they had
(09:36):
twenty turnovers in the first half in game one, so
that's also an important factor stat to give out. So
huge game for Tyres where he solidifies. Okay, yeah, I'm
not I'm not gonna go down without a fight, even
though I'm banged up. I'm just gonna continue to fight
and continue to fight and be aggressive. A lot of
(09:56):
pain point paint points for the Pacers. They had thirty
seven in Game two and fifty in Game three. That's crucial,
and that's what they're gonna need to do moving forward.
Make sure you get your feet into the paint, spray
out to shooters, keep moving the ball, keep moving without
the ball, and put your body into a Thunder player
(10:17):
all night long, like at your fucking job, because it
is so fascinating. Game four coming. Can't wait to hear
what the pundits have to say on this podcast. Has
the momentum swung? I mean, I tell you now, as
much as I believe in the Thunder, there's a little
pressure on the Thunder to not go down back to
OKC three to one. You just do not want to
do that. Just do not do not because even now
(10:40):
you go back to the Pacers down at best three
to two in this Indiana crowd where they're going absolutely
ape shit. You got Reggie Miller tucking in his hoodie?
Was that tucking in his hoodie and putting the jersey over?
Speaker 4 (10:52):
Did he did he forget to bring his clothes? Did
he forget to bring his clothes? Did someone bring his
clothes to him? After he arrived? He looked like he
came in a suit and was.
Speaker 5 (11:03):
Like, fuck, I should probably show out for my guys, babe,
can you bring me just to bring me like a
light sweatshirt and like bring me and just bring me
my jersey and he just tucks it into his tight
little jeans and his belt.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
It's gonna be amazing environment on Friday night. I cannot
wait to see what happens. Okay, see, get your shit together.
How's Mark Diagneau diagone gonna adjust? I'm sure there's gonna
be some things. People online are already mad at him
for making too many adjustments. It's like the anti Tom Tibbotau.
They're like, just do what works, Mark, Just do what Mark,
(11:36):
Just do what works. Game four, Friday night. Now for
a little news from around the league. The Kevin Durant
sweepstakes officially here and off the rails. They're out of control.
So we're gonna start with Brian Windhorse, who he says
is one hundred percent, one hundred percent convinced that Kevin
Durant will not start the season next year on the
(11:57):
Phoenix Suns. Fine, he says, Katie is definitely getting traded
this summer, and Sean's thinks he's getting traded prior to
the draft, which is drunk and all the chatter is
that they are working with Katie to find the best
possible phone for a home for him, and then someone
asks what the best possible home is for Kevin Durant,
and Kevin Durant said san Antonio. I spent a lot
(12:21):
of time on SPA track hours stupidly, like I wasted
so much time. I don't my cap expert, clearly because
I couldn't make the math math except for one team.
Tried Minnesota, can you move Rudy Gobert and then something
something like can you move You can't be one hundred
thousand dollars off with these second apron teams. The math
(12:43):
has to just be exact, which is crazy. So I
tried Minnesota. That didn't work. I had to bring a
third team in, maybe a fourth team in Brooklyn. That
didn't work. I tried the New York Knicks with Carl
Anthony Towns and some random guys you've never ever heard
of and Tyler Kohlik, and that didn't work. And san
(13:04):
Antonio works pretty much perfectly. Devin Vessell, Harrison Barnes and
the fourteenth do roll pick is an exact match exactly.
Trade works on both sides. Done and Dusted Spurs insiders.
I'm like, there's just no way, dog, Why why would
you want to expedite and pay a thirty seven year
old to what play? Kate Victor. He's already there, he's happy.
(13:28):
You're doing a lot of stuff. You got dearon Fox,
you got Steph Castle. You're about to get Ron Harper's kid, Dylan.
Why why must she do it? Maybe you can get
as Bailey. Okay, you ate yourself a wing. Why do
you need Kevin Rant? He says it's the worst kept
secret in the NBA. It's done. The deal is done.
Bill Simmons said it was done, and I didn't believe
him because he'd be on some bullshit. But Evan Townsend
(13:50):
says the deal is done, and I'm like, well, even
Townsend said the Dearren Fox deal was done, and he
told me Devin Fazelle was not in that deal, and
Devin Vesselle was not in that deal. So I believe
the local report. And for the people who say that's
not nearly enough for Kevin Durant, considering that they the
Phoenix Suns traded mckel bridges, Cam Johnson, Jay Crowder for
(14:12):
unprotected first round picks and a twenty twenty eight first
round pick swap to the Brooklyn Nets for him to that,
I say, yesterday's price ain't today's price. Kevin Durant is
a distressed asset. He is no longer the bell of
the ball. He is no longer just mere moments after
his little foot, his big foot was touching the line
(14:33):
where they could have won the title in Brooklyn. It's done.
He's old, he's been injury prone, and he doesn't seem
all that motivated. In Phoenix, we haven't seen a lot
of elite Kevin Durant outside of the Olympic setting. He's
thirty seven, coming off of an injury, and the demand
and he's making a shitload of money, like fifty three
(14:54):
million dollars a year, and dearon Fox is slated for
a massive extension as well, so I'm sure he'll love
to play there. I just don't know why it makes
sense for San Antonio. What's the rush? You know, what's
the rush? I did watch KD go on the odds
from one ten plus one ten, which is like just
basically even money a little bit better to minus one sixty,
(15:17):
which is like a somewhat significant swing in a single day.
So now he is the quote unquote overwhelming favorite to
land in San Antonio. He just needs like twenty eight
minutes a game. But just give him the ball and
crunch time. Their defense will get better, their perimeter offense
will get better. They're shooting, which has been abysmal, will
get much better. He's still a top ten player when
(15:38):
he's healthy. So we'll see what happens. We'll see how
it goes moving on. If you follow me on social
you know I am flaming the New York Nicks endlessly.
And I said on Rochester Radio two weeks ago, there's
just no way you fire a guy like Tibbs who's
(15:58):
gone this far into the playoffs without having some sort
of like deal in place, or at least somebody who's
interested that you're interested in in place. Turns out, turns
out they really didn't have a plan, and their plans
are slowly but truly falling like sand in between their fingers.
(16:21):
So they they first there was like a lot of
rumors that Jay Wright would be in the mix, right
because of the Villanova connection. Jay Wright former head coach
of Villanova. All these Villanova boys on the team, and
they were like the reports immediately were like, well, Leon
Rose knows Jay Wright on a personal level and they
have too much respect for him to even approach him
about the job because they know he's enjoying retirement. Oh man,
(16:44):
these guys are about some bullshit. Okay. So then it
was Jason Kidd and just didn't Jason Kidd just sign
an extension? Yes, yes he did, but apparently, as we
all kind of thought, Jason Kidd doesn't like Dallas a
lot right now because he just traded Luca. News was
initially sort of mixed or favorable. There was mutual interest,
(17:04):
and then crickets, then no news, and then another day
and that's like, well, that's probably not gonna happen, and
then just like that, the Knicks front office blinked again.
And then it was like, oh, Minnesota's Chris Finch, they're
interested in all right, that's and then Minnesota's like, no, no,
these are no, he's our coach, he's under contract, fuck you.
(17:26):
And then I was like emy Udoka, which I thought
would be a good look if you get him, but
Houston's like, this guy just saved our entire future. We're
not giving him to eat what no give us? Carl
Anthony Towns and maybe we'll give you emy Udoka if
finchery Udoka wanted the next job. I don't even know
if they'd have it. Honestly, I don't know. I'm not
(17:46):
giving you my fucking coach. No, So Jason Kidd apparently
the MAVs weren't spoken to about this, and they were like, hey,
we also are not giving our head coach. So then
it gets really good, gets quite funny or sad. Out
(18:08):
of nowhere, the Atlanta Hawks released their information that the
Knicks had reached out to them about Quinn Snyder. We're
talking about one, two, three, four, five current head coaches
that they've reached out now to now and a retired one. Oh,
we got a little party going on back there. So
no Quinn Snyder. Atlanta's like, fuck you, fuck off. And
(18:29):
then they reached around to Billy Donovan in Chicago. Billy
Donovan's not a good coach. Billy Donovan fucking sucks. Yeah.
I know he coached that thunder team with Kevin, but like,
what come on, come on, he was a Florida head
coach in college and he hasn't done anything really since.
(18:50):
And Chicago was like, also, fuck you, Chicago. I don't
know why you want to keep Billy Donovan, but they
did oh for six plus the retired guy for seven,
and now people are saying Stephan Bondi is saying that
the Knicks are looking at Mike Brown or Luke Walton.
Luke Walton, I I'm gonna say this, with all due respect.
(19:13):
If I was a Knicks fan and I found out
after going to the Eastern Conference finals, and I was
one collapse away from going to the finals, and you
fire that coach and you hire Luke Walton's fucking ass,
I am looking for the largest amount of arsenic that
I can ingest and just end it like I cannot
(19:35):
go on. I'm selling all my nick shit. I'm either
moving to Costa Rica or I'm just done with living
the athletic, says Johnny Bryant, the Cavs assistant who got
passed over by the Suns. He's the current favorite. I've
also heard that via text, so I guess he's very good.
He's been well regarded in league circles. He has experience
(19:56):
with these players. So New York went for I'm riding
enjoy on the streets New York, and then all of
a sudden, Jim Dolan comes back. James Dolan comes back,
and he's on his bullshit and you have no idea
what's coming next. And just like that, your franchise goes
from full of promise to holy shit, this is really bad.
(20:17):
We will have all our attention on this coaching search.
And I really hope Johnny Bryant's the one. If he
is the one hired, I'm rooting for this next team.
But holy airball, Holy fucking air ball. Moving on, and
we end this. That's all the weak time that we
have for this portion, and we end this show with
a special treat a WNBA discussion with my guys Damian
(20:39):
Barling and Kenny Carroway on the WNBA. What do you got?
Speaker 6 (20:44):
Well, no, it's not about when football. I was gonna
ask who's gonna lose? First, the links of the Liberty,
That's what I was gonna ask.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
Why they such a great question? Why did they wait
for them to play until August? Why don't we get
to see them? Now?
Speaker 3 (21:00):
That's crazy, that's that's ridiculous. I didn't know that.
Speaker 6 (21:03):
Minnesota's nine to oh New York is eight and oh, I.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
Think the Lynks lose first, just because they were what
they were in a dogfight with the Wings at the
end of the third quarter last game without Page, They're
gonna the Liberty are so damn dominant. Their point differential
is twenty points. That's a twenty point point. That's ridiculous.
(21:26):
Tasha Clouds put them on another level. They went from
vander Sloot, who's basically on the precipice of retiring. I
think she's played her last WNBA game now.
Speaker 3 (21:36):
Yeah, she's gone the other day.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
And they add Tasha Cloud and I don't know how.
They don't even have everybody back yet. I don't even
think Phoebich is back yet. And Foebich is really good.
Speaker 7 (21:48):
That role that Natasha Cloud play, that's perfect for her
because you know, sometimes she may think like because she's
super skilled, like I got this, I got gonna handle this.
But being with Stuwie and being with an eSchool, it
kind of keeps her in life.
Speaker 8 (22:00):
What she had to be the one in Washington, she was.
Speaker 7 (22:04):
One two in Phoenix. Yeah, and now she can just
be a super talented role player and like swing games
when you know, oh, we've got Stuwie bottled up and
we've got Sabrina or Jock Ques bottled up.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
Oh here comes in.
Speaker 8 (22:18):
It's almost like unfair level.
Speaker 1 (22:19):
Of a.
Speaker 7 (22:21):
Yeah, so good, it's overqualified role player.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
My question to you as you as a certified bona
fide ACES fans, and they are really going downhill fast.
Speaker 8 (22:34):
I didn't like to see that they lost Valkyrie.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
I like that.
Speaker 8 (22:37):
I didn't think the Valkyries were going to win another game.
And they beat the Aces.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
One last night too. I'm gonna I might have to.
I might have to do a little eating crow of
these Valkyries. This uh Solon, she was undrafted. She's Solon's
little sister who plays in the NBA. Ridiculous. So their whole.
Speaker 6 (22:57):
Roster is either undrafted or push retirement. There's no in between.
They have the strangest roster construction in the entire league.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
I don't know what to make of it.
Speaker 8 (23:09):
And somehow they're out there winning.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
Games throughout their winning games, winning more than Dallas, winning
more than Connecticut, beating the Aces. But okay, so take
the prime peak Aces that you remember, whether that's the
Cannas Parker version or the year before that. How does
this Liberty team stack up to that ACES team?
Speaker 8 (23:27):
It's not even close. This Liberty team's way better.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
I agree.
Speaker 7 (23:33):
Before I like really started to dive into the WNBA,
I don't want to talk like I don't know. I'm
not overly familiar with like the Minnesota teams and Leslie
and Cannas, Parker Sparks, so I'm not over familiar this.
Speaker 6 (23:45):
Liberty teams like that, this was like the best team
I've ever seen in this league.
Speaker 7 (23:50):
And the and the Aces. The Aces the first year
they won the title, that team was crazy. When Jackie
was there, Chelsea was doing her thing. Kelsey obviously in Asia.
I think that's the That's the only other team I
could think of that was.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
That's what I'm saying. So that Aces team, I think
is still significantly worse than this team because Candice was
on her last leg, She's injured for most of the year,
Chelsea was starting to decline. Jackie hadn't yet ascended.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
I think she was just she had a couple of moments.
Speaker 6 (24:22):
Yeah, but they had no Tasha. They had no Tasha.
Tasha knowing nothing that can compare to her. Who can
She's a one at worse to two on every team
in the league.
Speaker 8 (24:36):
But she joined the Liberty.
Speaker 6 (24:39):
And by the way, there's the Minnesota Lynx again, just
like they were last year, going blow for blow with
what New York is doing in the stay and they are.
Speaker 1 (24:49):
Here's a little interesting nugget that you have to keep
your eye on. Why the hell did the Chicago Sky
trade their next year's for a Trump pick to the
Minnesota Link for the eleventh pick that turned into Hailey Vanlyth,
who we are now seeing with our own two eyes
is not ready for being in a w NBA player and
they're gonna probably have a top three pick. And now
(25:10):
the Links are going to have a top three pick.
They might even have a the number one pick. Well,
Jude's not she's not available until the year following U. No,
you have to be twenty two or a senior unless
they change the CBA. But they could get Lauren Bett's
if they need a center. They've got Olivia Miles right there.
(25:31):
I think the Wings will probably do anything that they
can to get Asy and Page on the same team.
But the fact that Minnesota is this good and they're
going to have a top three pick in next year's
draft is disgusting.
Speaker 3 (25:45):
Yeah, that's that's a problem.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
It's crazy. Another hot take is Rique in Page, it's
not happening next year. It's done. She's a free agent.
She's going somewhere else. We will not be together. Everything
that we thought about football, yep, one ball, one mind one.
It's almost like Paige should play off ball and and
Rique should be on ball because Page is more more
(26:10):
used to that. She's just not gonna take the reins
unless she has to. And Rika she's taking the reins
even if no one asked her to thirty thirty plus
shots a game.
Speaker 6 (26:20):
Page had a concussion this year, Like she just cleared protocol.
That doesn't I feel like that's not a thing we
follow in basketball very often.
Speaker 7 (26:27):
But she said, Rikia for games she missed something like that,
Like you.
Speaker 6 (26:33):
Said, that's not it's not a stat you follow, it's
not a protocol you follow in basketball very often.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
And then she got sick this last weekend. But someone
from Dallas just texted me today and said, don't believe
that Caitlin and Paige are as banged up as they
say they're waiting. They want to make sure to put
these two girls in the glass case until they face
each other. Because of ratings and the excite Page versus
(27:01):
Caitlyn I don't know if it's true. The Wings Fever
game is on the nineteenth, No, twenty seventh.
Speaker 8 (27:10):
Oh man' oh no that's July.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
Yeah, June twenty seventh.
Speaker 8 (27:15):
Oh that's because that like, like Caitlyn is nearing the
point where she should be able to return, isn't she.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
Yeah, she's ramped back with the team. Yeah, I don't.
Speaker 8 (27:25):
I don't think you can hold her house.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
No, you cannot.
Speaker 3 (27:30):
And they can't win no games without her, damn near.
Speaker 8 (27:32):
Oh they won one the other day.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
Yeah, they play the Dream and I don't. I don't
love that for them. I don't love that matchup. Sneaky,
sneaky good Britney Grinder. Here's a funny little side note
I put. I was texting somebody about Brittany Grinder today
being in her renaissance, and my phone auto corrected to
Britney Grinder. Oh well, I was like, damn, iPhone, don't
(28:00):
do it like that.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
Geez oh.
Speaker 6 (28:03):
You know it's like an algorithm, right, clearly, clearly that
textas that word has made it to your your text,
you know, undercovered, like you know, the Dream have been
to the finals a whole bunch of times.
Speaker 8 (28:19):
If I remember correctly.
Speaker 6 (28:21):
Atlanta's been to the finals at least at least three times,
and I think the stat is they've never won a game.
Speaker 8 (28:31):
I need to I believe. I believe that. I believe
the number is three times.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
Yeah, thirteen and they lost all three each time, getting swept, got.
Speaker 6 (28:45):
Swept by Seattle, swept by Minnesota, swept by Minnesota. Again,
that's crazy. Where was I at now that I'm looking
at it. They haven't won very many playoff games? Well, no,
I guess you got to win to get there. But yeah,
they got They've been swept by Detroit Man, They've been
swept a lot. They haven't had too many competitive series.
(29:06):
Swept by Dallas, swept by New York Man.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
That's tough.
Speaker 6 (29:11):
But yeah, I've been to the w NBA Finals three
times and have not won a game yet. I don't
think the better question, you know, the better question might
be this New York team versus those Minnesota teams.
Speaker 8 (29:25):
Brunson Maya, Lindsey Simone.
Speaker 6 (29:31):
That might be the real comp with this New York
Liberty team, even more so than the Aces.
Speaker 3 (29:36):
It might be those.
Speaker 6 (29:38):
Remember those teams, So those those teams were those teams
were brutal, They got Maya.
Speaker 8 (29:46):
They got Maya.
Speaker 6 (29:47):
That first year, Simone had this really weird I don't
I don't remember what the injury was, but she had
to go through a full like procedure that I think
involved a hysterectomy, like it was something like.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
It took her out.
Speaker 8 (30:01):
She came back.
Speaker 6 (30:02):
When she came back, she obviously was a shell of herself.
Had the whole off season. Next year Maya's second year,
she was Simona Augustus again, and it was over.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
Says that the athletic athleticism and versatility Liberty get the
edge because of Stewie Yanescu Jones and Cloud. Clutch pedigree
goes to the Links. Four championships, deptin scheme go to
the Liberty five out offense with Cloud facilitating health impact.
(30:36):
Liberty's injuries could swing momentum where the Lynks would have
the edge. But the most Liberty are the perhaps the
most complete, most versatile team sense the more led Links
good call.
Speaker 6 (30:51):
Okay, Maya's got the Kobe treatment. She's got one w
NBA MVP, Yes, wild four championships, five all first teams,
God knows how many championships overseas, nothing but gold medals,
two time Prep Player of the Year, Maya Maya, like
(31:12):
like you talk, the crazy thing is Maya. You could
make the argument Maya is the greatest women's basketball player
we've ever seen. You could also make the argument that
Maya is the greatest What if yes, she didn't focus
her attention on significantly bigger issues. She's thirty five years
old right now. She doesn't play the game any van
(31:35):
one hundred and seven. Yeah, she's one hundred and seven.
Speaker 7 (31:40):
Well, while we're here, I gotta ask TK, I guess
ask you to name. What'd you think about our girl,
Sobali's criticism of the schedule.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
That's how you say her last name, right, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
I think she's right, man. I like that these w
players are popping off. I like that she's saying, Hey,
this is not responsible for you to have us on
this many back to backs. And we saw that with
the fever last year where they had such a tough,
brutal beginning of the year where everyone thought that they
were trash vomit and it was really just because they
were facing all the best teams back to back to back,
(32:15):
and like the first month of the season was brutal
all the way up until really the Olympic break. So
I think I think Kathy Engelbert has been taking some
body blows. Really, I don't. I don't think that the
players lover. I think the way that she came out
with the New York Skyline dress made it seem like
(32:35):
they wanted the Liberty to win. That was a tough look.
And you also have not to It's different, different point,
but same sort of situation. You also have the FISA
Collier being like, it'd be a real shame if we
had to hold out next year.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
Yeah, yeah, what do you think the answer is though
to some of that, because I know they've got with
the WNBA, they're adding more teams and they I don't know,
maybe they don't have like a certain amount of time
they got to play the games.
Speaker 7 (33:05):
But it doesn't seem like you can extend the season
like on the calendar. This is going to be even
more of an issue probably next.
Speaker 3 (33:12):
Year, right.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
I don't know that they're going to change the schedule
amount of games next year, but I think you could
extend it out longer. I don't think earlier or later
go later. I think it has to go later because
you're college.
Speaker 8 (33:27):
Yeah, college, yeah, but you're running into a problem there.
Speaker 3 (33:31):
That's football you're in.
Speaker 8 (33:34):
You're in football longer and you're flirting with the start
of I mean, you have pre.
Speaker 1 (33:39):
Season games and it's very tough, and.
Speaker 6 (33:41):
Then you then every I can't remember what they do
to four years, you have to navigate the Olympics, and.
Speaker 1 (33:48):
Then I think you would change it also to maybe
days where there is no NFL or college like you
play on Wednesdays and that's tough. Now you know.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
You can challenge the action.
Speaker 6 (34:02):
That's what you can challenge when Roger Goodell goes, all right, guys,
Wednesday games just like Christmas, We're taking over Wednesdays, boys exactly.
Uh Hi, Mama Creek, by the way, you know, Mama
Mama's always it's good Mama Creek.
Speaker 1 (34:20):
Mama's got a little bit of don't mean to break
a hip of violation, but she's got a little kidney
kidney infection going out. So give your give your prayers
and wishes and antibiotics to Mama Creek.
Speaker 6 (34:30):
We're going, we're going, we're going, we're gonna get mama
better and we're gonna get her microwave. Because we learned
that Mama Creik doesn't have a microwave. So we're gonna
get her. She don't want one, doesn't want one, You
don't want to just.
Speaker 1 (34:43):
Never had one, never had a dishwasher.
Speaker 8 (34:46):
No, she ain't about that life, Keith said.
Speaker 7 (34:48):
Those are the type of women that are going by
the wayside. You need to bring him back to cook
no more.
Speaker 8 (34:56):
Well, that's all Mama Creek does is cook. That is cook.
She's cooking up TK cook the internet.
Speaker 1 (35:04):
Yep, steaking up, steaking vegetables tonight.
Speaker 8 (35:07):
No, there you go, go, there you go, all right, TK.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
We take.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
Game wares coming people special episode on Friday night for
you on a weekend. That's all the time that we
have for this episode of the Heat Check. Many thanks
to d Lo and Casey for the WNBA talk. Go
listen to them on thirteen twenty ESPN wherever you get
your podcasts. Come back Saturday for an all new episode,
and check out the feed for past episodes which would
come at you unexpectedly, like Ben Matheren with a twenty
(35:37):
seven piece on your dome. Dude, was awesome. Do not
forget to follow the Heat Check. Tell your friends, download, subscribe,
make sure you call somebody if maybe if you just
divorced and your friends don't know from back in high school,
just let them know, Hey, I got air conditioning now
and I also am single, ready to mingle. Follow us
on TikTok at the heat check at just tofic on Twitter,
(35:58):
Instagram and threads. This new social media platform where host
every day and a lot and post a lot every day.
Dog stuff too, not just sports, And we'll see you
next time.
On this episode, they heat check Are we serious? Game
three in the books, and to the shock of a
lot of people and myself, Indiana takes the lead in
the series two to one. With a pivotal Game four
coming up on Friday night. We will break it down
as well as getting just a little news from around
the league. We got some tea, including the debacle that
(00:23):
is the NIXT coaching search. Do me a favor, wiyat
drop that motherfucking beat that should be Rihanna.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
You're listening to the Hottest, the Hottest.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
It be a podcast out here.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
I said what I said, it's the heat check check checks.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Just what a game, what a game? Just stunning. This
OKAC thunder team is so good. They're so good defensively,
they turn you over. They're stifling, they're physical, They they
body you, they bully you. All they do is foul.
(01:03):
And I did not think that this Indiana Pacers team
could adjust, But here we are. They're the ones down
in the NBA Finals. Okase. He had a nine point
fourth quarter lead and they ended up losing by nine.
Who is responsible for this madness? First and foremost, we
gotta give the game ball to Ben Mathrin. He is
(01:25):
a roller coaster ride. I tell you what. Some games
you get good Ben, some days you get bad Ben.
And we got excellent Ben today. Twenty seven points, four rebounds,
one assist, but more importantly, nine for twelve from the field,
one block, two for three, two for three from three,
just athletically, a monster, super physical, got into the paint
(01:51):
at will, did whatever he wanted around all the okay
see defenders, got to the free throw line, made his
fucking free throws. That is what Cason Wallace, That's what
That's what Aaron Wiggins did last game. To a degree
a different way, but to a degree, that's what Alex
Crucie normally does. That's what Cason Wallace normally do. That's
just he was just so good, just so confident, so poised,
(02:14):
so under control. He helped that like that. If no
Ben Mathron, that don't win this game number one, then
we got Haliban Tyrese Haliburton with a little gimp and
he played excellent. Answered every critic. He had twenty two,
nine to one, but he could have had a lot more, really,
and he was getting it going early, super aggressive. He
(02:37):
did so many things that aren't going to show up
on the box score. He had three quarter go ahead passes,
hit ahead passes, finding the right man to break a
double team at crucial moments where they were trapping him
where it was a six or a four point game
with a few minutes left to go in the game,
following his own miss, and then out Shaye, who basically
(03:01):
did nothing off of his miss to pick up a
critical rebound, and Shay's over there doubled over pretty much
sucking wind. He just made so many good decisions, just
the big ball, step back, threes, contested, uncontested, the ability
(03:21):
to get the ball to Miles Turner as a role man,
the ability to get the ball to Pascal Siakam off
of screens. They just found space. Obi Toppin was also excellent.
Huge Obie game, a plus eighteen off the bench, which
is pretty insane when you win by nine. He was
four to eight from the field, but man, he had
(03:43):
in a couple possessions. He had a huge rebound, a
big put back dunk on that same possession, and then
a block. As OKC goes down to the court trying
to figure out a way to come back, and Okac
was visibly frustrated. He was just making life fucking awful
for them. You're not gonna out jump. Ain't no stoping
(04:06):
Obi topping, you just will not dunk champion Okay, Obi
top and jerseys are on the come up right now.
TJ McConnell. TJ McConnell also excellent. He was a plus
twelve in fifteen minutes. He had a miss tip over
to Nemhard for the bucket and then the pick on
(04:30):
the inbound for another easy layup when they were down
for now it's tied. Just just like that, just insane,
and that's the only like, that's the kind of steal
that only TJ McConnell makes. Then he makes like a
bajillion of those per year. Just a pesky guy. And
(04:50):
he he had some makes off the dribble. He had
some layups where you're like, okay, TJ McConnell, I see
you right now. So he was incredible. The bench as
a whole, you have to say, yeah, I know rule
players play better at home, but they played a lot
better at home, and Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe were
basically nowhere. The guys who in Game two were everywhere
(05:14):
for Okasee. The Pacers bench outscored okc's bench forty nine
to eighteen. That's the story right there, that's the game
right there. Shay got hounded the entire game, hounded by
nine different defenders. It felt like he was nine for
twenty and he didn't get his thirty points, which he
(05:36):
normally gets. He's been averaging thirty for three straight years
on fifty percent shooting. And he was very ordinary. And
he had a shot down the stretch that they needed
that he missed, and he missed badly, and it turned
into a Pacers rebound twenty four to eight and four,
and he was tired down the fourth Quarterboy, he did
not want any smoke. So they made Shay work for
(05:57):
everything in his body. Aaron Easmith found all about why
because he could, because it was like, I need to
get my body up into Shay this entire time. Check them,
push him, grab them, make it hard, make him work
on both sides of the ball. And that shit worked.
Chet was also looked good on paper, pretty bad honestly.
(06:20):
Put up twenty ten and two and it was just
not very good. He was zero for six from three.
He had a critical shot blocked a three block by
Miles Turner. Miles Turner, by the way, had some awesome
blocks down the stretch. It felt like the three blocks
that he had in the fourth quarter were all in
the same possession. It was like block, block, block, that's ours,
(06:42):
that's our game over, game over. So Chet wasn't good.
Jalen Williams, despite having twenty four points, missed a bunch
of free throws down the stretch that they could cut
into the lead, and that fucked him. It was bad.
Shay wasn't good. Chet wasn't good. Jalen Williams wasn't good.
Alex Cruscan was pretty good. He had some moments, and
(07:05):
despite the fact that Miles Turner was pretty disappointing, largely
throughout the whole game, he was a negative eight. The
only negative net rating on the team other than him
was Thomas Bryant, who was atrocious. Like just get him
out of here. Got cooked endlessly. They're like food that
he's food. He's food. Oh, by the way, before I
(07:25):
forget speaking of food. Tyrese Halliburton defensively excellent, came up
on screens, bodied his defenders, got critical steals into transition buckets.
He was there more than just serviceable. He was dare
I dare I say elite? Dare I say elite? But
(07:49):
again back to Myles, Turner came up late huge, Like
I said, he was the one had two massive blocks
on Chet to force the turnover at a time where
the Thunder could have cut the lead to one possession
with two minutes. In nineteen seconds, came up with five
blocks more either more or tied than the entire Thunder
team as a whole. Alex Cruso, I think I thought
(08:11):
Alex Crucer had a good game until I looked at
the box score and saw he was a negative fifteen
by far the worse on the Thunder. People will say, oh,
they got fucked because Alex Crusoe probably should have ended
up on the benefit being the beneficiary of a flagrant one,
but there was no wind up and there was no
follow through. Did grab his junk? Nie Smith doesn't qualify
(08:36):
as a flagrant once you only get two free throws,
you don't get the ball as well. That was huge.
That was huge, And Alex Cruso had to stop Matherin
and nobody was stopping Matherin. And that's crazy because Alex
Crusso is one of the best defenders in the league.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
On ball.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
So just an incredible, stunning game, a game that will
go down ash. Oh wow, Maybe we can believe in
this Pacers team. Maybe they have some more tricks up
their sleeve. Maybe they can get more physical than the Thunder.
Which if you can get more physical than the Thunder,
(09:13):
you can win the fuck for the whole thing, you
can win the title. That's just period, because that's what
the Thunder are gonna do. They're gonna wear you down
by turn the turnover game, I thought the fact that
the that the Pacers did not have a turnover at
all in the second quarter helped them a lot. They
didn't have a turnover in the third quarter until about
six minutes left in that quarter. And remember they had
(09:36):
twenty turnovers in the first half in game one, so
that's also an important factor stat to give out. So
huge game for Tyres where he solidifies. Okay, yeah, I'm
not I'm not gonna go down without a fight, even
though I'm banged up. I'm just gonna continue to fight
and continue to fight and be aggressive. A lot of
(09:56):
pain point paint points for the Pacers. They had thirty
seven in Game two and fifty in Game three. That's crucial,
and that's what they're gonna need to do moving forward.
Make sure you get your feet into the paint, spray
out to shooters, keep moving the ball, keep moving without
the ball, and put your body into a Thunder player
(10:17):
all night long, like at your fucking job, because it
is so fascinating. Game four coming. Can't wait to hear
what the pundits have to say on this podcast. Has
the momentum swung? I mean, I tell you now, as
much as I believe in the Thunder, there's a little
pressure on the Thunder to not go down back to
OKC three to one. You just do not want to
do that. Just do not do not because even now
(10:40):
you go back to the Pacers down at best three
to two in this Indiana crowd where they're going absolutely
ape shit. You got Reggie Miller tucking in his hoodie?
Was that tucking in his hoodie and putting the jersey over?
Speaker 4 (10:52):
Did he did he forget to bring his clothes? Did
he forget to bring his clothes? Did someone bring his
clothes to him? After he arrived? He looked like he
came in a suit and was.
Speaker 5 (11:03):
Like, fuck, I should probably show out for my guys, babe,
can you bring me just to bring me like a
light sweatshirt and like bring me and just bring me
my jersey and he just tucks it into his tight
little jeans and his belt.
Speaker 1 (11:15):
It's gonna be amazing environment on Friday night. I cannot
wait to see what happens. Okay, see, get your shit together.
How's Mark Diagneau diagone gonna adjust? I'm sure there's gonna
be some things. People online are already mad at him
for making too many adjustments. It's like the anti Tom Tibbotau.
They're like, just do what works, Mark, Just do what Mark,
(11:36):
Just do what works. Game four, Friday night. Now for
a little news from around the league. The Kevin Durant
sweepstakes officially here and off the rails. They're out of control.
So we're gonna start with Brian Windhorse, who he says
is one hundred percent, one hundred percent convinced that Kevin
Durant will not start the season next year on the
(11:57):
Phoenix Suns. Fine, he says, Katie is definitely getting traded
this summer, and Sean's thinks he's getting traded prior to
the draft, which is drunk and all the chatter is
that they are working with Katie to find the best
possible phone for a home for him, and then someone
asks what the best possible home is for Kevin Durant,
and Kevin Durant said san Antonio. I spent a lot
(12:21):
of time on SPA track hours stupidly, like I wasted
so much time. I don't my cap expert, clearly because
I couldn't make the math math except for one team.
Tried Minnesota, can you move Rudy Gobert and then something
something like can you move You can't be one hundred
thousand dollars off with these second apron teams. The math
(12:43):
has to just be exact, which is crazy. So I
tried Minnesota. That didn't work. I had to bring a
third team in, maybe a fourth team in Brooklyn. That
didn't work. I tried the New York Knicks with Carl
Anthony Towns and some random guys you've never ever heard
of and Tyler Kohlik, and that didn't work. And san
(13:04):
Antonio works pretty much perfectly. Devin Vessell, Harrison Barnes and
the fourteenth do roll pick is an exact match exactly.
Trade works on both sides. Done and Dusted Spurs insiders.
I'm like, there's just no way, dog, Why why would
you want to expedite and pay a thirty seven year
old to what play? Kate Victor. He's already there, he's happy.
(13:28):
You're doing a lot of stuff. You got dearon Fox,
you got Steph Castle. You're about to get Ron Harper's kid, Dylan.
Why why must she do it? Maybe you can get
as Bailey. Okay, you ate yourself a wing. Why do
you need Kevin Rant? He says it's the worst kept
secret in the NBA. It's done. The deal is done.
Bill Simmons said it was done, and I didn't believe
him because he'd be on some bullshit. But Evan Townsend
(13:50):
says the deal is done, and I'm like, well, even
Townsend said the Dearren Fox deal was done, and he
told me Devin Fazelle was not in that deal, and
Devin Vesselle was not in that deal. So I believe
the local report. And for the people who say that's
not nearly enough for Kevin Durant, considering that they the
Phoenix Suns traded mckel bridges, Cam Johnson, Jay Crowder for
(14:12):
unprotected first round picks and a twenty twenty eight first
round pick swap to the Brooklyn Nets for him to that,
I say, yesterday's price ain't today's price. Kevin Durant is
a distressed asset. He is no longer the bell of
the ball. He is no longer just mere moments after
his little foot, his big foot was touching the line
(14:33):
where they could have won the title in Brooklyn. It's done.
He's old, he's been injury prone, and he doesn't seem
all that motivated. In Phoenix, we haven't seen a lot
of elite Kevin Durant outside of the Olympic setting. He's
thirty seven, coming off of an injury, and the demand
and he's making a shitload of money, like fifty three
(14:54):
million dollars a year, and dearon Fox is slated for
a massive extension as well, so I'm sure he'll love
to play there. I just don't know why it makes
sense for San Antonio. What's the rush? You know, what's
the rush? I did watch KD go on the odds
from one ten plus one ten, which is like just
basically even money a little bit better to minus one sixty,
(15:17):
which is like a somewhat significant swing in a single day.
So now he is the quote unquote overwhelming favorite to
land in San Antonio. He just needs like twenty eight
minutes a game. But just give him the ball and
crunch time. Their defense will get better, their perimeter offense
will get better. They're shooting, which has been abysmal, will
get much better. He's still a top ten player when
(15:38):
he's healthy. So we'll see what happens. We'll see how
it goes moving on. If you follow me on social
you know I am flaming the New York Nicks endlessly.
And I said on Rochester Radio two weeks ago, there's
just no way you fire a guy like Tibbs who's
(15:58):
gone this far into the playoffs without having some sort
of like deal in place, or at least somebody who's
interested that you're interested in in place. Turns out, turns
out they really didn't have a plan, and their plans
are slowly but truly falling like sand in between their fingers.
(16:21):
So they they first there was like a lot of
rumors that Jay Wright would be in the mix, right
because of the Villanova connection. Jay Wright former head coach
of Villanova. All these Villanova boys on the team, and
they were like the reports immediately were like, well, Leon
Rose knows Jay Wright on a personal level and they
have too much respect for him to even approach him
about the job because they know he's enjoying retirement. Oh man,
(16:44):
these guys are about some bullshit. Okay. So then it
was Jason Kidd and just didn't Jason Kidd just sign
an extension? Yes, yes he did, but apparently, as we
all kind of thought, Jason Kidd doesn't like Dallas a
lot right now because he just traded Luca. News was
initially sort of mixed or favorable. There was mutual interest,
(17:04):
and then crickets, then no news, and then another day
and that's like, well, that's probably not gonna happen, and
then just like that, the Knicks front office blinked again.
And then it was like, oh, Minnesota's Chris Finch, they're
interested in all right, that's and then Minnesota's like, no, no,
these are no, he's our coach, he's under contract, fuck you.
(17:26):
And then I was like emy Udoka, which I thought
would be a good look if you get him, but
Houston's like, this guy just saved our entire future. We're
not giving him to eat what no give us? Carl
Anthony Towns and maybe we'll give you emy Udoka if
finchery Udoka wanted the next job. I don't even know
if they'd have it. Honestly, I don't know. I'm not
(17:46):
giving you my fucking coach. No, So Jason Kidd apparently
the MAVs weren't spoken to about this, and they were like, hey,
we also are not giving our head coach. So then
it gets really good, gets quite funny or sad. Out
(18:08):
of nowhere, the Atlanta Hawks released their information that the
Knicks had reached out to them about Quinn Snyder. We're
talking about one, two, three, four, five current head coaches
that they've reached out now to now and a retired one. Oh,
we got a little party going on back there. So
no Quinn Snyder. Atlanta's like, fuck you, fuck off. And
(18:29):
then they reached around to Billy Donovan in Chicago. Billy
Donovan's not a good coach. Billy Donovan fucking sucks. Yeah.
I know he coached that thunder team with Kevin, but like,
what come on, come on, he was a Florida head
coach in college and he hasn't done anything really since.
(18:50):
And Chicago was like, also, fuck you, Chicago. I don't
know why you want to keep Billy Donovan, but they
did oh for six plus the retired guy for seven,
and now people are saying Stephan Bondi is saying that
the Knicks are looking at Mike Brown or Luke Walton.
Luke Walton, I I'm gonna say this, with all due respect.
(19:13):
If I was a Knicks fan and I found out
after going to the Eastern Conference finals, and I was
one collapse away from going to the finals, and you
fire that coach and you hire Luke Walton's fucking ass,
I am looking for the largest amount of arsenic that
I can ingest and just end it like I cannot
(19:35):
go on. I'm selling all my nick shit. I'm either
moving to Costa Rica or I'm just done with living
the athletic, says Johnny Bryant, the Cavs assistant who got
passed over by the Suns. He's the current favorite. I've
also heard that via text, so I guess he's very good.
He's been well regarded in league circles. He has experience
(19:56):
with these players. So New York went for I'm riding
enjoy on the streets New York, and then all of
a sudden, Jim Dolan comes back. James Dolan comes back,
and he's on his bullshit and you have no idea
what's coming next. And just like that, your franchise goes
from full of promise to holy shit, this is really bad.
(20:17):
We will have all our attention on this coaching search.
And I really hope Johnny Bryant's the one. If he
is the one hired, I'm rooting for this next team.
But holy airball, Holy fucking air ball. Moving on, and
we end this. That's all the weak time that we
have for this portion, and we end this show with
a special treat a WNBA discussion with my guys Damian
(20:39):
Barling and Kenny Carroway on the WNBA. What do you got?
Speaker 6 (20:44):
Well, no, it's not about when football. I was gonna
ask who's gonna lose? First, the links of the Liberty,
That's what I was gonna ask.
Speaker 1 (20:52):
Why they such a great question? Why did they wait
for them to play until August? Why don't we get
to see them? Now?
Speaker 3 (21:00):
That's crazy, that's that's ridiculous. I didn't know that.
Speaker 6 (21:03):
Minnesota's nine to oh New York is eight and oh, I.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
Think the Lynks lose first, just because they were what
they were in a dogfight with the Wings at the
end of the third quarter last game without Page, They're
gonna the Liberty are so damn dominant. Their point differential
is twenty points. That's a twenty point point. That's ridiculous.
(21:26):
Tasha Clouds put them on another level. They went from
vander Sloot, who's basically on the precipice of retiring. I
think she's played her last WNBA game now.
Speaker 3 (21:36):
Yeah, she's gone the other day.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
And they add Tasha Cloud and I don't know how.
They don't even have everybody back yet. I don't even
think Phoebich is back yet. And Foebich is really good.
Speaker 7 (21:48):
That role that Natasha Cloud play, that's perfect for her
because you know, sometimes she may think like because she's
super skilled, like I got this, I got gonna handle this.
But being with Stuwie and being with an eSchool, it
kind of keeps her in life.
Speaker 8 (22:00):
What she had to be the one in Washington, she was.
Speaker 7 (22:04):
One two in Phoenix. Yeah, and now she can just
be a super talented role player and like swing games
when you know, oh, we've got Stuwie bottled up and
we've got Sabrina or Jock Ques bottled up.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
Oh here comes in.
Speaker 8 (22:18):
It's almost like unfair level.
Speaker 1 (22:19):
Of a.
Speaker 7 (22:21):
Yeah, so good, it's overqualified role player.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
My question to you as you as a certified bona
fide ACES fans, and they are really going downhill fast.
Speaker 8 (22:34):
I didn't like to see that they lost Valkyrie.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
I like that.
Speaker 8 (22:37):
I didn't think the Valkyries were going to win another game.
And they beat the Aces.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
One last night too. I'm gonna I might have to.
I might have to do a little eating crow of
these Valkyries. This uh Solon, she was undrafted. She's Solon's
little sister who plays in the NBA. Ridiculous. So their whole.
Speaker 6 (22:57):
Roster is either undrafted or push retirement. There's no in between.
They have the strangest roster construction in the entire league.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
I don't know what to make of it.
Speaker 8 (23:09):
And somehow they're out there winning.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
Games throughout their winning games, winning more than Dallas, winning
more than Connecticut, beating the Aces. But okay, so take
the prime peak Aces that you remember, whether that's the
Cannas Parker version or the year before that. How does
this Liberty team stack up to that ACES team?
Speaker 8 (23:27):
It's not even close. This Liberty team's way better.
Speaker 1 (23:32):
I agree.
Speaker 7 (23:33):
Before I like really started to dive into the WNBA,
I don't want to talk like I don't know. I'm
not overly familiar with like the Minnesota teams and Leslie
and Cannas, Parker Sparks, so I'm not over familiar this.
Speaker 6 (23:45):
Liberty teams like that, this was like the best team
I've ever seen in this league.
Speaker 7 (23:50):
And the and the Aces. The Aces the first year
they won the title, that team was crazy. When Jackie
was there, Chelsea was doing her thing. Kelsey obviously in Asia.
I think that's the That's the only other team I
could think of that was.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
That's what I'm saying. So that Aces team, I think
is still significantly worse than this team because Candice was
on her last leg, She's injured for most of the year,
Chelsea was starting to decline. Jackie hadn't yet ascended.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
I think she was just she had a couple of moments.
Speaker 6 (24:22):
Yeah, but they had no Tasha. They had no Tasha.
Tasha knowing nothing that can compare to her. Who can
She's a one at worse to two on every team
in the league.
Speaker 8 (24:36):
But she joined the Liberty.
Speaker 6 (24:39):
And by the way, there's the Minnesota Lynx again, just
like they were last year, going blow for blow with
what New York is doing in the stay and they are.
Speaker 1 (24:49):
Here's a little interesting nugget that you have to keep
your eye on. Why the hell did the Chicago Sky
trade their next year's for a Trump pick to the
Minnesota Link for the eleventh pick that turned into Hailey Vanlyth,
who we are now seeing with our own two eyes
is not ready for being in a w NBA player and
they're gonna probably have a top three pick. And now
(25:10):
the Links are going to have a top three pick.
They might even have a the number one pick. Well,
Jude's not she's not available until the year following U. No,
you have to be twenty two or a senior unless
they change the CBA. But they could get Lauren Bett's
if they need a center. They've got Olivia Miles right there.
(25:31):
I think the Wings will probably do anything that they
can to get Asy and Page on the same team.
But the fact that Minnesota is this good and they're
going to have a top three pick in next year's
draft is disgusting.
Speaker 3 (25:45):
Yeah, that's that's a problem.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
It's crazy. Another hot take is Rique in Page, it's
not happening next year. It's done. She's a free agent.
She's going somewhere else. We will not be together. Everything
that we thought about football, yep, one ball, one mind one.
It's almost like Paige should play off ball and and
Rique should be on ball because Page is more more
(26:10):
used to that. She's just not gonna take the reins
unless she has to. And Rika she's taking the reins
even if no one asked her to thirty thirty plus
shots a game.
Speaker 6 (26:20):
Page had a concussion this year, Like she just cleared protocol.
That doesn't I feel like that's not a thing we
follow in basketball very often.
Speaker 7 (26:27):
But she said, Rikia for games she missed something like that,
Like you.
Speaker 6 (26:33):
Said, that's not it's not a stat you follow, it's
not a protocol you follow in basketball very often.
Speaker 1 (26:40):
And then she got sick this last weekend. But someone
from Dallas just texted me today and said, don't believe
that Caitlin and Paige are as banged up as they
say they're waiting. They want to make sure to put
these two girls in the glass case until they face
each other. Because of ratings and the excite Page versus
(27:01):
Caitlyn I don't know if it's true. The Wings Fever
game is on the nineteenth, No, twenty seventh.
Speaker 8 (27:10):
Oh man' oh no that's July.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
Yeah, June twenty seventh.
Speaker 8 (27:15):
Oh that's because that like, like Caitlyn is nearing the
point where she should be able to return, isn't she.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
Yeah, she's ramped back with the team. Yeah, I don't.
Speaker 8 (27:25):
I don't think you can hold her house.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
No, you cannot.
Speaker 3 (27:30):
And they can't win no games without her, damn near.
Speaker 8 (27:32):
Oh they won one the other day.
Speaker 1 (27:35):
Yeah, they play the Dream and I don't. I don't
love that for them. I don't love that matchup. Sneaky,
sneaky good Britney Grinder. Here's a funny little side note
I put. I was texting somebody about Brittany Grinder today
being in her renaissance, and my phone auto corrected to
Britney Grinder. Oh well, I was like, damn, iPhone, don't
(28:00):
do it like that.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
Geez oh.
Speaker 6 (28:03):
You know it's like an algorithm, right, clearly, clearly that
textas that word has made it to your your text,
you know, undercovered, like you know, the Dream have been
to the finals a whole bunch of times.
Speaker 8 (28:19):
If I remember correctly.
Speaker 6 (28:21):
Atlanta's been to the finals at least at least three times,
and I think the stat is they've never won a game.
Speaker 8 (28:31):
I need to I believe. I believe that. I believe
the number is three times.
Speaker 1 (28:37):
Yeah, thirteen and they lost all three each time, getting swept, got.
Speaker 6 (28:45):
Swept by Seattle, swept by Minnesota, swept by Minnesota. Again,
that's crazy. Where was I at now that I'm looking
at it. They haven't won very many playoff games? Well, no,
I guess you got to win to get there. But yeah,
they got They've been swept by Detroit Man, They've been
swept a lot. They haven't had too many competitive series.
(29:06):
Swept by Dallas, swept by New York Man.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
That's tough.
Speaker 6 (29:11):
But yeah, I've been to the w NBA Finals three
times and have not won a game yet. I don't
think the better question, you know, the better question might
be this New York team versus those Minnesota teams.
Speaker 8 (29:25):
Brunson Maya, Lindsey Simone.
Speaker 6 (29:31):
That might be the real comp with this New York
Liberty team, even more so than the Aces.
Speaker 3 (29:36):
It might be those.
Speaker 6 (29:38):
Remember those teams, So those those teams were those teams
were brutal, They got Maya.
Speaker 8 (29:46):
They got Maya.
Speaker 6 (29:47):
That first year, Simone had this really weird I don't
I don't remember what the injury was, but she had
to go through a full like procedure that I think
involved a hysterectomy, like it was something like.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
It took her out.
Speaker 8 (30:01):
She came back.
Speaker 6 (30:02):
When she came back, she obviously was a shell of herself.
Had the whole off season. Next year Maya's second year,
she was Simona Augustus again, and it was over.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
Says that the athletic athleticism and versatility Liberty get the
edge because of Stewie Yanescu Jones and Cloud. Clutch pedigree
goes to the Links. Four championships, deptin scheme go to
the Liberty five out offense with Cloud facilitating health impact.
(30:36):
Liberty's injuries could swing momentum where the Lynks would have
the edge. But the most Liberty are the perhaps the
most complete, most versatile team sense the more led Links
good call.
Speaker 6 (30:51):
Okay, Maya's got the Kobe treatment. She's got one w
NBA MVP, Yes, wild four championships, five all first teams,
God knows how many championships overseas, nothing but gold medals,
two time Prep Player of the Year, Maya Maya, like
(31:12):
like you talk, the crazy thing is Maya. You could
make the argument Maya is the greatest women's basketball player
we've ever seen. You could also make the argument that
Maya is the greatest What if yes, she didn't focus
her attention on significantly bigger issues. She's thirty five years
old right now. She doesn't play the game any van
(31:35):
one hundred and seven. Yeah, she's one hundred and seven.
Speaker 7 (31:40):
Well, while we're here, I gotta ask TK, I guess
ask you to name. What'd you think about our girl,
Sobali's criticism of the schedule.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
That's how you say her last name, right, Yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:51):
I think she's right, man. I like that these w
players are popping off. I like that she's saying, Hey,
this is not responsible for you to have us on
this many back to backs. And we saw that with
the fever last year where they had such a tough,
brutal beginning of the year where everyone thought that they
were trash vomit and it was really just because they
were facing all the best teams back to back to back,
(32:15):
and like the first month of the season was brutal
all the way up until really the Olympic break. So
I think I think Kathy Engelbert has been taking some
body blows. Really, I don't. I don't think that the
players lover. I think the way that she came out
with the New York Skyline dress made it seem like
(32:35):
they wanted the Liberty to win. That was a tough look.
And you also have not to It's different, different point,
but same sort of situation. You also have the FISA
Collier being like, it'd be a real shame if we
had to hold out next year.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
Yeah, yeah, what do you think the answer is though
to some of that, because I know they've got with
the WNBA, they're adding more teams and they I don't know,
maybe they don't have like a certain amount of time
they got to play the games.
Speaker 7 (33:05):
But it doesn't seem like you can extend the season
like on the calendar. This is going to be even
more of an issue probably next.
Speaker 3 (33:12):
Year, right.
Speaker 1 (33:13):
I don't know that they're going to change the schedule
amount of games next year, but I think you could
extend it out longer. I don't think earlier or later
go later. I think it has to go later because
you're college.
Speaker 8 (33:27):
Yeah, college, yeah, but you're running into a problem there.
Speaker 3 (33:31):
That's football you're in.
Speaker 8 (33:34):
You're in football longer and you're flirting with the start
of I mean, you have pre.
Speaker 1 (33:39):
Season games and it's very tough, and.
Speaker 6 (33:41):
Then you then every I can't remember what they do
to four years, you have to navigate the Olympics, and.
Speaker 1 (33:48):
Then I think you would change it also to maybe
days where there is no NFL or college like you
play on Wednesdays and that's tough. Now you know.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
You can challenge the action.
Speaker 6 (34:02):
That's what you can challenge when Roger Goodell goes, all right, guys,
Wednesday games just like Christmas, We're taking over Wednesdays, boys exactly.
Uh Hi, Mama Creek, by the way, you know, Mama
Mama's always it's good Mama Creek.
Speaker 1 (34:20):
Mama's got a little bit of don't mean to break
a hip of violation, but she's got a little kidney
kidney infection going out. So give your give your prayers
and wishes and antibiotics to Mama Creek.
Speaker 6 (34:30):
We're going, we're going, we're going, we're gonna get mama
better and we're gonna get her microwave. Because we learned
that Mama Creik doesn't have a microwave. So we're gonna
get her. She don't want one, doesn't want one, You
don't want to just.
Speaker 1 (34:43):
Never had one, never had a dishwasher.
Speaker 8 (34:46):
No, she ain't about that life, Keith said.
Speaker 7 (34:48):
Those are the type of women that are going by
the wayside. You need to bring him back to cook
no more.
Speaker 8 (34:56):
Well, that's all Mama Creek does is cook. That is cook.
She's cooking up TK cook the internet.
Speaker 1 (35:04):
Yep, steaking up, steaking vegetables tonight.
Speaker 8 (35:07):
No, there you go, go, there you go, all right, TK.
Speaker 3 (35:09):
We take.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
Game wares coming people special episode on Friday night for
you on a weekend. That's all the time that we
have for this episode of the Heat Check. Many thanks
to d Lo and Casey for the WNBA talk. Go
listen to them on thirteen twenty ESPN wherever you get
your podcasts. Come back Saturday for an all new episode,
and check out the feed for past episodes which would
come at you unexpectedly, like Ben Matheren with a twenty
(35:37):
seven piece on your dome. Dude, was awesome. Do not
forget to follow the Heat Check. Tell your friends, download, subscribe,
make sure you call somebody if maybe if you just
divorced and your friends don't know from back in high school,
just let them know, Hey, I got air conditioning now
and I also am single, ready to mingle. Follow us
on TikTok at the heat check at just tofic on Twitter,
(35:58):
Instagram and threads. This new social media platform where host
every day and a lot and post a lot every day.
Dog stuff too, not just sports, And we'll see you
next time.
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