June 7, 2025 • 43 mins
On this episode of the Drive & Dish NBA Podcast, hosted by Kevin Rafuse (@rafusetolose) & Justin Cousart (@JustinContheAir), the guys start the show by diving into the Pacers game 1 win in the NBA Finals. More Haliburton madness as the Pacers come back from another double digit lead in the 4th quarter. How did they pull it off again & what did they learn as they battled back in the second half. For OKC, who do they need more out of and why we shouldn't be as worried about their mental about a Game 1 loss. Plus, they preview what to expect in Game 2. Some quick expansion talk as well before another round of Immaculate Grid, featuring a fitting NBA Finals theme. Listen to the show wherever you get your podcasts and watch the show on YouTube.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is the Drive and Dish podcast, The Drive Welcome
to you. To start it off, it's ken and let's go.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
I think it's safe to say, even without knowing the
first few quarters of Game one of the NBA Finals,
the Pacers are on one hell of a run to
prove quite literally everybody wrong, because wow, that game, Game one,
at least of the NBA Finals was phenomenal. And I
(00:37):
will fully admit I went to bed when they were
down like nineteen or whatever it was, because I was like, yeah,
they're cooked, it's over. And I woke up to see
the Pacers pulled it off by one point again. They're
like six and oho and one point decided games or
something like that. It was like I was like, damn,
they did it again, Like they seriously did it again.
(00:58):
And I missed it because I was fully down it.
I mean, you know, I told you I thought it
was Oka see Oka se uh Pacers Oka see Oka
see Finals over. That was that was my prediction quite literally,
first game was wrong.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Well, so I had the opposite experience. I actually just
because of bar prep and just you know, being busy
with that. The way my you know, scheduler kind of
broke out that day is I you know, I saw
the very beginning of it. I went back upstairs and
knock a few things out, and then you're right. I
kind of said, ah, man, okay, see's up big. They're
(01:32):
really you know, the Pacers have nineteen turnovers in the
first half. Again, let me emphasize that the Pacers had
nineteen turnovers in the first half. After you and I
last episode talked about how important that turnover battle was
going to be against the defense like Oklahoma City, but
I stayed up. I was like, you know what, let's
just like, let's watch the end of this game. Let's
see how it goes. You know, I just need something
(01:53):
to just take my mind off the books for a
little bit. And instead I had an absolute spiritual experience
watching Game one of the NBA Finals. It was just
straight cinema from start to finish. And I mean, look like,
I'm not gonna lie. And you know how high I've
been on Indie and how I said, I feel like
they made me look pretty smart in this playoff run.
(02:13):
I was like, I picked okay see in a competitive six.
But there was a little part of me that was
kind of worried going into this series where I was like,
oh man, okay, see might just like also like run
the gauntlet here and this just won't really be that entertaining.
Like more than anything, I just want an entertaining series.
I have no rooting dog in this fight. I just
(02:34):
want the best hoops possible. And let me tell you something,
we got it. Game one. It was phenomenal. I mean,
you're right, like Indiana, this is just like this is
three or four, this is the fourth time they've done this. Now,
like we're in a game that they probably had no
business winning, you know, going back to that clincher against Milwaukee,
the game two against the Cavs, Game one against the Knicks,
(02:56):
and now game one here, same sort of vibe as
the Knicks. Again, they didn't lead until that last Halle
shot of the game, like they were down this entire game,
justin and then to go in there like take the
life out of OKC hit a buzzer beater and you
know what, Listen, you knew it was gonna and a
few things just real like quick before we get into
(03:16):
all x's and o's. Obviously, I get Rick Carlisle a
ton of credit for not calling time out because they
had a time out left, and I think that would
have allowed OKAC to get into their defensive sets. You know,
when Caruso was playing a phenomenal game the way he was,
when lou Dort was playing a phenomenal game defensively the
way he always does. I think getting out trusting your
guys to get it done. And they're trusting again Hallie,
(03:37):
who is on one of the best individual clutch runs
we've seen from anybody ever, you know, trusted him to
make that shot and get in that situation. But again,
it's just like they're just relentless and they find ways
to hit these shots. I mean it's it's Miles Turner
hitting a three kind of falling that banks off the glass.
You know, it's a really tough three from Andrew Dempard,
(03:57):
who you know, you want to talk about the X
fact the MVP of the game, like give him a
game ball as well, like when the when the thunder
were really blitzen Haliburton. The fact that he was able
to take over more the primary primary ball handling rolls
like just phenomenal down the stretch. Again from a guy
who's been phenomenal down the stretch.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Yeah, I would take that, you know, the lead tracker
that you can go look at on NBA's website where
you know it'll, yeah, the colors change up and down
basically give percentages.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
It's like the stock market, like literally, like I know,
we saw who's falling in the stock market. This really
looks like a stock chart.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
If I'm the Pacers, I have that thing framed because, yeah,
they're at no point the Pacers have a lead except
for in the first quarter of the first few minutes
where it looks like it's tied, and then it just
slow tracks down. Okay, see until they get to that
fifteen point lead at the you know, pretty much beginning
of the fourth quarter, and then you just see it
(04:52):
slowly like the AT and T symbol upside down, just
slowly tracked back towards the Pacers. So so that's u
obviously a really cool feat on there, and a huge comeback. Obviously,
momentum has to be Pacers side. Now, just a few observations,
you know, I did find it surprising because something we
(05:12):
talked about last game is we thought we wanted to
see how the rebounds the rebound game ended up, and
it heavily favored the Pacers, which I think is worth mentioning.
I mean fifty six to thirty nine assists as well,
you know, twenty four assists to thirteen. But like you said,
the thunder had fourteen steals, the Piacers had twenty four
(05:35):
turnovers and still somehow figured out a way to win
that game. Their shooting percentage in that game specifically or
off the chart, it is worth mentioning. You brought this up.
You talked about Nemhard and some of the other guys
stepping up. It's like you look at the leading players
for each you know, of the four main stats that
everyone likes to look at, you don't see halle On
(05:56):
there at all. It's Pascal, Siakam, Nemhar, Miles, so so
like it's kind of surprising, but also not surprising because
that's what Hallie has been doing all all year essentially,
is he's a rounded player. He's never going to lead
the box. Well he does at times, but he's not
going to be the guy that like has to lead
(06:17):
the box or if you're clamping down on him, then
he he can just distribute it or even be a
distraction so that other guys like Nemhardt can kind of
shine where Pascal Siakam can go get his points.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
Yeah, I know, it's a balance, right, It's six different
players they had in double figures. You know, we haven't
even mentioned Obi topping off the bench shoe again. You know,
give him a game ball as well. Five of eight
from beyond the arc, multiple big shots in the fourth quarter,
and that's coming from him who he had a kind
of disasters start to that game, like if you have
bad fouls just you know, it didn't feel like he
was in any flow at all, you know, and that's
(06:49):
just like at some point you have to give, Like
this isn't by an accident, Like you don't just keep
winning these games, like it is like that mental belief,
that coolness under pressure, like that is an identity a
little bit, and it's become the Pacers identity because you're right, like,
I don't think anybody on Earth thought the Pacers are
winning this game other than the Pacers, and like, look,
that's all that mattered. They just kept going. They didn't
(07:11):
really get you know, like you said, all those turnovers
in the first half, you know, with dowharton Caruso everywhere
the way they were like you know, and it was
funny because when you go into this series, I think
the people that had Indie winning game one, it was
gonna be more along the lines of, oh, well, okay
see hasn't played here in a little bit. INDI's coming
fresh off a series, like they're just more in rhythm,
(07:33):
like okayc's gonna have to shake the rust off a
little bit. No, it wasn't really any of that at all, Like,
okay see came out the gate flying like they looked
like they were ready for the moment, and then you know, yeah,
I mean, look, there's no way around it's a heartbreaking loss.
Now to flip it back the other side and not
be too negative, we saw a similar situation round two.
You know, Denver has that late comeback. Aaron Gordon hits
(07:54):
a really tough shot to beat them in game one,
and the Thunder came out and they just absolutely blew
the door off them in game two. I am fully
I'm not saying they're gonna blow the doors off them,
but I am expecting the Thunder to bounce back here
and win game two. The interesting thing that you brought
up though, going back to that rebounding battle was like
one of the one of the decisions that we wondered
was whether okay SE was gonna go small at points
(08:16):
or whether okay C was gonna keep running this two
man big lineup that they had done for most of
the season. Like, I don't want to say moving Wallace
into the starting lineup was unexpected because they had ran
this lineup before. I think they had had this starting group,
you know, six times a year with Wallace and Dort
and SGA and Jalen Williams and Chet. But yeah, you're right,
when they get killed on the glass the way they did,
(08:37):
you know, they had pretty much staggered Chet in Hartenstein's minutes.
I do wonder if Mark Danielle goes back to that
bigger lineup because they got killed on the glass the
way they did. I mean, yeah, when you're looking at
what went wrong for the Thunder too, Yeah, Chet Holmgren
a pretty much disaster class in game one, he was
pretty terrible.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
Two for nine, you know, a six rebounds. That was
definitely one of the stats that kind of just popped
off the screen to me a little bit. Yeah, jayleb
Williams superbably.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Shoot that well from the field, which, like, again he's
been up and down. I don't want he'd horrible start
the playoffs, but he kind of turned it on in
the conference finals a little bit, like a little bit
up and down, even SGA. SGA had thirty eight points,
but like he's fourteen to thirty from the field. Like
it was kinda again, they were so close to winning,
and he did hit a big shot to put them
up five late. So like, you don't want to like
(09:30):
Sga is not the reason I'm thinking that they lost
that game, right, I don't want to sound like I'm
saying that, but it was like, yeah, there are a
few guys that were kind of off for the thunder
to me, which is disappointing when you have such a good,
you know, quality game from like Caruso and dort the way, at.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Least on the at least on the offensive side. The
things that stick out to me is like it looked
like Hartenstein was ready and the experience he essentially had
in the playoffs last year kind of got him there,
because i mean, nine rebounds, led the team in rebounds three.
You know, he's not the offensive guy that you need
him to be, especially on this team, but for five.
But then on the other side of it, you do
you look at Jalen Williams who was six for nineteen,
(10:06):
uh Wallace who was three for nine, and uh lou
Dort was a little more efficient five for ten. But
maybe even if you could get that a little more,
like you know, uh on the field goal side, though
the threes were phenomenal, So like, we'll take that.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
He's so good defensively too, man like lud dor we
know this is what he does. But like, dude, he
was phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
If you just get back to a little bit of
average on the Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren side, I
think you're back in there, you know. You you get
a few more points from Chet, like you know, we're
kind of used to Chet being around the ten a
little high.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Lost by one point, right, that's what I mean, were good?
Speaker 2 (10:45):
I mean Chet's averaging fifteen a game, so you get
him even back to the average, like then, okay, this
isn't a thing, so so a little bit on that,
maybe Jalen Williams on the offensive side being more efficient
from the field goal to attempt's standpoint and three, I
mean twenty five percent for three and we're having a
different conversation here. But to that, I wonder if that's,
(11:05):
like to your point, do they try to go with
the double big man thing. You know, I noticed Tony
Bradley didn't play, and I know Bradley and Thomas Bryant
were the two that they were kind of using to
combat when teams go big. So it'll be interesting to
see if that's what ends up happening in Game two
or down the line a little bit more.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Yeah, I mean that, and I need again, it's just
gonna be about the mental to me, Like I go
back to that conference finals and like the Pacers just
they did they the Knicks were shell shocked after that.
It really did feel like they just took the wind
out of their sales. You know, same with Cleveland. I
mean Cleveland, granted it was a little more bleak because
it was an O two situation at that point when
(11:45):
that happened. You know, Okay, see it is, it's gonna be.
And we've seen moments, like I said, namely in that
Denver series. But you know, they got blown out by
forty plus points against Minnesota. I don't you know, I
still feel like they were in pretty good control of
that series. And even then you're one, so I don't
think you're quite hitting the button, but I mean, yeah,
this is gonna be a big test. If they go
down oh two, God forbid and you're going back to Indy,
(12:08):
where at that point you feel all you got to
do is steal one, given how well we played on
the road in the playoffs. Like the pressure is on
Oka see okay see is the team that has been
the best team in the league all year. That is
basically you know, trying to close this out and cap
their incredible season, one of the best seasons in NBA history. Like,
the Pacers very much know that they're the underdog in
(12:30):
this series, and there is a little bit when you
get to play loose with that. You know, you got
to see it there in Game one. I think that
feeds into the Hey, nobody expects us to win, so
like let's just go out and have some fun, you know.
And Halle's quote after the game, you know basketball is fun.
Winning is fun, right, So you know, I'm more importantly though,
I'm just excited again to see a competitive series so far.
(12:52):
You know, I'm hoping this carries over. I don't think,
okay see again to circle back is going to go
down oh two. I do think Okay is going to
win this game too. I would be surprised if they
won this game too by double digits, to be quite honest,
The question is gonna be when we get back to Indy. So,
you know, you get back to Indy, you know, can
the Pacers keep it up? Do we know that? It's
certainly the arena is gonna be raucous? Yeah, you know
(13:14):
they love that Okay See. Arena was loud too, Like
you gotta get that crowd a lot of credit. Even
when when it was close and it looked like the
Pacers are coming back, the crowd was still in it.
They were very much, but it was I think that's
why it was so weery. You know, well, I'll hit
that shot the life out of that arena. Don't see
that too often?
Speaker 2 (13:30):
If you yeah, game two will be what it is.
So I'm interested to see where that goes. But if
you lose game three by like to the if you're
Okay see and you lose Game three to the Pacers
by like a surprising amount or enough to really make
you worry, then then I am like, Okay, we might
have a problem here, and the Pacers may be taking
home the trophy. At that point. Yeah, I'm gonna hold
(13:52):
my reservation to make like any full on thought until
well Wednesday, the games at eight thirty. So let's say,
you know, well, obviously, so I'll make it on thy dude,
I'm too old to stay of that late these days.
I try. I'm trying, but uh so, so I'm almost
gonna wait till after game three. I think game three.
(14:13):
I know everyone says it so it's kind of cliche,
but I feel like after game three will really have
an idea of where this this this uh series is
gonna go.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
Yeah, one hundred percent. I mean, okay, see unless they're
down to oh if the ookasees down two? Oh, I
think I'm looking around and I'm going, if I'm Indy,
I gotta win one game in India three and four.
If it's one one, then obviously it's a little different
like India at the minimum has to split there. But
you're right if you're okay, see, even if you split
those games, I go, hey, it's a best of three series.
We've got two games at home. We got to feel
(14:44):
pretty good about that, and like those chances every single time.
But listen, man, who knows either way? Instant classic in
game one. You know, Pacers again give them credit four
and O's in game one. In these playoffs, they've really
come out and they've set the tone. But again for
ok Se, we've seen them come back for this too.
So I'm I don't think OKAC is going to be
to two shell shocked. I think they might. They're definitely rattled,
(15:06):
and they should be rattled after that Game one loss,
Like that's a pretty jarring collapse down the stretch, But
I trust them to come back and get this done.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
How do you feel about Van Pelt essentially admitting he
was wrong to.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
Halle about what Like I.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Doubted you, guys. I had all these notes for OKAC
and winning Game one, and so shout out to you
guys for winning the whole thing, But but I doubted you.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
No, I mean it will look at points in that game,
it was not really logical to think okay See was
going to win that game. I mean again, they led
for the large majority of that game. Like okay See
is the favorite in this series, like I think, and
it's tough man. The NBA is a change in like
and we'll see again. Who knows, Maybe the thunder go
out win the next four games. I don't think that's
(15:54):
going to happen. But there are a lot of people
like basketball historically, and you'll Scott been he's been doing
this for a long time. Like basketball we talk about
has been such a dynastics sport, like traditionally it is
the best team just wins every year. There aren't really
in many major upsets. I mean, when is the last
time we've truly had an upset in the NBA Finals?
(16:15):
And even then, you know, because the ones that come
to mine are like Toronto over the Warriors. But I
also go, yeah, Kadie wasn't there, like they were at
the end of their so like, I don't think that
was as big of an upset as people give a
credit for, especially when you go back and look at
that Raptors lineup. The only other one that comes to
mind is the Mavericks, which I honestly, you know, again
look at Rick Carlisle. Here we are again, the Mavericks
since twenty eleven. The Mavericks being the Heat was a
(16:37):
big time upset. But yeah, other than that, it's it's usually,
you know, the best team wins. Michael Jordan's Bulls team's
always won. Shack and Kobe won. Right down the line
the teams Lebron won the Spurs one.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
Like I guess, I guess. My point is more like
I don't need the reporters admitting when they're wrong, like
we know when they were wrong. I don't need these
guys on ESPN and everyone to be like, yeah, I
was wrong, and I know people try to call them
out for it, but it's like I don't need that,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
It makes it about you a little bit, and you're
right because they're right, like I don't. It's I don't
care about your take in the grand scheme of the things,
Like I you can be wrong, but you're right, Like,
don't make it a hole big unless you were, like
unless it was some big like campaign that you've been on,
like if Scott van Pelt had been on. Uh, I
don't think the Pacers are good campaign all year. I'm
(17:28):
sure you know. And then it's a little bit different. Yeah,
you know, I'm just wrong, my bad, But like I
don't think that's a like it's not a wrong take
to have thought that OKC was gonna win Game one
or win the NBA Finals, Like you and I both
picked the thunder like it's not a like I what
I think is that And again this is more not
(17:50):
just the Scott van Pelt but with the Greater League,
is that it's like, no, this Pacers team is way
better than catuals. Give them credit for like they have
an identity, They play really hard, they have the ultimate
belief in themselves. They've got nine or not nine, but
probably like six to seven guys. They could give you
double digits every night. Nine nine is probably a little
generous there. I don't know if Ben Shepherd's guaranteeing you
(18:12):
every you know, ten every night yet. But they're well
constructed and you know, and honestly, the big thing too
is again give Rick Carlile a lot of credit. Like
I thought, you know, legendary coaching no matter what for
that run in Dallas. But I thought last year he
was kind of a disaster honestly in the conference finals
where you know, you look back and the job he's
done this year like big, big time, hats off to him. Again,
(18:34):
we talked a little bit. You know, Actually I didn't
ask you this question. I asked the group chat this
Chase and I when we did the pod two episodes ago,
whose legacy. Do you think takes a bigger bump if
the Pacers won the title? Rick Carlisle or Pascal Siakam,
I think, I think, Wow, So you're against the majority
(18:57):
of this right now?
Speaker 2 (18:58):
Yeah, I think because I think it kind of gets
it sounds weird, but like I like TJ right for
my buddy who was in the huge Knicks fans, he
was sending me all these Sakam memes that were going
on after, you know, the Pacers beat the Knicks, and
so like, I use him because he's a very he's
a diehard Knicks fan, but he's a very casual NBA fan,
(19:18):
So I use him as like, Okayam's starting to become
like a thing that really is getting noticed by casual
fans as well. And I think a player will always
get more props in in these scenarios. So I guess
that's why I go Siakam.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Yeah, I mean it's because Halle's the number one guy
on the Pacers and so it's.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
Way but like you know what I mean, like is
probably gonna win, Like if it goes that way, like
it'd be willing to bet that he wins finals, MVP
or something like that.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
You know, no, I go back and forth there because
it was close, Like you're right, that conference finals MVP
that he won was decided by one vote, and I
don't think that was wrong, by the way, for the record,
but that's what I'm.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
Saying is like that very well could happen again if
the Pacers win and then it's like, well, now the
dudes the finals MVP. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
I think I've settled on Rick, and you're not wrong,
because I think Siakam becomes much more of a household name.
And at that point, when you've won with two different
squads and played such a major role on both of
those squads, like it should that should boost you into
just like hey, you are a winning player, guys. It
teams prove when you are around.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
There is something about again.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
Rick Carlisle winning two titles with two franchises like fourteen
years apart, only because like again, you go back to
twenty eleven when the MAVs win, and you look at
it now in twenty twenty five, the NBA is a
radically different league fem now twenty twenty five, Like obviously
the three point Revolution largely the biggest change, but like
there's a lot that's happened between now and then, So
(20:49):
like to win with two separate styles on two radically
different teams, and again for teams that kind of upset
the whole way. Like indeed, it would be one of
the most improbable finals runs ever if they win this championship.
I mean, I would argue they could very well be
number one of our lifetime if they do. Means, I
don't know, it's just a fun conversation.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
I think. You know, obviously he won with Toronto in
twenty nineteen. He wasn't the Finals MVP at that point,
But I bet there's a lot of casuals that don't
even realize that's the same person, if that makes sense, Like,
I don't think they realized. And then now he won
Most Improved in twenty nineteen. He's three time NBA All
Star Championship with Toronto. In this scenario, Championship with the
(21:35):
Pacers and potentially the Finals MVP and Eastern Conference Finals MVP.
Like dude, that's I think that's when people start to
connect and go, oh wait, he was on the rafters
with Kawhi, Like yeah, I think that's when people really
start to realize or remember Pascal Siakam and go, oh
my god, dude, this guy is like a baller.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
Yeah, yeah, no, for sure, without a doubt. I mean
and again a few years apart two, so just kind
of a little bit of a little bit of impressive
with that.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
By the way, by the way, before you go any further,
also be before being drafted by the Raptors, he played
in the du the D League. You got you're forgetting
the D League?
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Yeah, rip, dude.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Where where By the way, he won a championship and
was named finals m v P.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Yeah, dude, it's been so long that the D League
has been the G League now for so long, and
it's crazy because that they got that off and like
that became thing like the G League when they just
it's just a Gatorade sponsorship. Man developmental league made so
much sense, and I was like, I remember when that changed.
I'm like, oh, there's no way people actually start saying
G League. It won't stick around that long. And I
(22:45):
literally can't think of it anything else as other than
the G League now.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Reading it right there felt weird, like I was confused
for a second, like you know, like you're you're going
to the stat and you're like, wait, a second D
League doesn't sound right? What's wrong here? And I'm trying
to figure it out? But uh but yeah, man, I
mean you look at this run from Pascal Siakam. I
mean D League Champ twenty seventeen and finals MVP in
the D League. By twenty two, you're selected at the
(23:10):
NBA All Third Third Team. Twenty twenty, you're All NBA
Second Team. You obviously win with the Raptors. You get
three NBA All Star Nods, Most Improved Player, NBA Championship
potentially twice, and Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Like You're starting
to stack awards and I think that's when people really
(23:31):
start to notice on that.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
Yeah, no, I mean one hundred percent, I don't fully
disagree there. All right, Welcome backy with the Driving ISSH
NBA podcast. My name is Kevin raype Us, joining me
as always my co host Justin kouz Art.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
I will preface this, this is not a tweet. This
is a story post on Instagram. Great game, bro, I
love you to the moon and back. Now, grab a
cigarette and a towel. We made a sex tape Kim
Kardashian with env.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
Justin What what.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
If I told you this was a post between Michael
Beasley and Lance Stevenson, would you believe me?
Speaker 1 (24:11):
I have so many questions, and I don't know if
I want any of the answers to them.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
So I want to bring this up because there's something
going on. And this happened on June sixth. It was
on tncleague dot com. It's a new pay per view
event thing that people obviously can pay for. Right this
was the second one. This was Lance Stevenson versus Michael
Beasley for one hundred thousand dollars one on one basketball.
(24:40):
Oh and from all the clips I've seen, it was electric.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
I mean, okay, all right, Well that that has a
little bit more. Uh. I don't know why that's the
way they're getting attention for it, but you know, I'm
intrigued there a little bit. We always don't see these
guys go one on one.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
Well, and so that's what I wonder, like paper you
event two NBA, Well, they said NBA legends, let's let's
not throw around the horse legends, so willingly, let's calm down.
But two MVP, well, MVPs. Two NBA guys who obviously
are known for talking, their talk and pretty electric when
(25:21):
they're hyped go on a live stream and they're playing
one on one for one hundred thousand dollars. From what
I've heard, this this this new technology, this company that's
doing it, it's like a live streaming technology. Apparently a
lot of people are really like happy with it. So essentially,
(25:46):
what I'm wondering is if this slowly becomes more and
more popular and then obviously we could almost even go
into the longer content of like does the NBA take
notice and use this as an idea for the All
Star Game week type situation?
Speaker 1 (26:05):
Oh? I mean, I would love for them because the
w's done it, Like I would love for them to
do the one on one tournament. But those guys there
are you know, damn well with their egos, they are
not doing one on one because somebody's getting embarrassed. Like
that's the thing for whoever that looks good for one
of these All Stars is gonna be a subjective every
meme you can think of.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
Yep, but what have you brought in? What have you
brought in some guys that are either like you know,
like in a Lance Stevenson situation, like became casual fan legend,
in a way because of his lebron antics and and
stuff like that. Like, what if you bring in somebody, uh,
either recently retired or or something like that to do
(26:42):
a one on one game. Now, in this scenario, it
was forty bucks to watch, which is too much, But
you could pre order it for twenty.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
To watch Lance Stevenson and Michael Beasley play one on one.
You have lost your mind. Yeah, but y'all gotta y'all
gotta up it. Well, you gotta give me way more
than that if I'm playing forty What.
Speaker 2 (27:07):
If it's a one on one tournament, and and and
there's more names, more high profile names in intrigue.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
Potentially, Yeah, No, definitely I would be intrigued in a
one on one tournament for sure. I want sound like
I'm hating on the concept. I'm just saying, like, you
give me a little more than that.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
I've got some brainstorming to do. If it's gonna be
forty bucks, I need a little more than that. But yeah,
I think I don't know.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
Yeah, I need six seven events at least if we're
doing that.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
Like one of the most aggressive story posts play out.
Speaker 1 (27:37):
Yeah, I don't I don't know what's going on there.
We're gonna work. I'm gonna and my men in black.
You know, I need to little like wipe.
Speaker 2 (27:43):
That out of it again.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
Yeah, Yeah, we're gonna wonder. I don't know what's going
on there. Leaves the review on the iTunes could or
battle read them on the podcast. If you're not an
Apple user, Google Play, story Speaker, Spotify, tune in, Amazon Music, player, FM,
anywhere you can find a podcast.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
You can find us, Yes, and follow us on YouTube,
driving YouTube, driving dish, NBA. You can find us there.
Subscribe you'll get notifications when new episodes are coming out.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
Now word more sponsors.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
So what we're diving right into grid no?
Speaker 1 (28:14):
I mean yeah, yeah, we play some Grid here real quick. Yeah.
It's a little bit of a shorter episode. Yeah, I mean,
the only there's not really much going on headlines wise.
This is kind of as we alluded to at the
end of last episode. We're just gonna kind of talk
game one here a little bit. I mean, the only
like headlines I saw this week, Adam Silver is talking
(28:34):
expansion again a little bit. I feel like we've been
pretty I mean, look, I feel like if it's gonna
be in Seattle and it's gonna be in Vegas. Like,
if it's going to be the two teams, those will
be the two teams. It certainly sees seems like they've
teed that up Sonics coming back and then whatever in
Vegas and then oh Europe, my bad, excuse me. You
(28:56):
talked about Europe. He mentioned the potential and you know,
kind of doing something, you know, more formalized obviously, like
THEBA is huge over there, you know, kind of It's
tough though, because like I don't know with how successful
a lot of those clubs have been, Like I don't
know how you bring like Barcelona under the wing of
like the NBA, and maybe, I mean, if they put
a lot of sponsorship into it, but like I don't,
(29:18):
it's harder for me to see like a full G
League over there necessarily. I also think you're just gonna
have a harder time getting you know, I think it's
already borderline hard enough to get guys to play in
the G now, and that's with it in America, Like
you're gonna ship them over to Europe now, And don't
get me wrong, Like I think nothing wrong with going
to Europe, but a little different there. So I think
that still has a long way to go.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
And I just kind of feel like, I guess at
this point, I feel like this boy that cried Wolf
a little bit. I feel like after the end of
every season, we're talking expansion at some point, and it
seems like it's a serious conversation, and so like, I
just don't want to give it anything until we actually
get something, you know. Yeah, And it's just like We've
been down there wrote so many times now that I'm like,
(30:01):
all right, I'm over it. You guys, tell me when
when it's actually happening, and then I'll actually like look
into it a little more.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
No, Yeah, I mean the Knicks are there are a
few names are starting to pop up for the Knick's
head coach. One of them is Mike Malone, and one
of them is Jason Kidd. And one of those things
I like so much more than the other, trying to
probably kid out of Dallas. Would's so insane, Like firing
tips for Jason Kidd is just like why did you
fire tips at that point? Mike Malone, on the other hand, now, hello.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
Hang on, that's intriguing. Yeah, that.
Speaker 1 (30:35):
Might beyond to something there. And then I mean the
other one too, is Taylor Jenkins? Like again, God, its
same deal in Memphis, like late firing. I feel like
he didn't do a bad job there, Like I don't
really blame him for everything that went wrong.
Speaker 2 (30:46):
But no, but I'd probably go Malone over him.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
Oh yeah, Malone's got the title. Like Malone was great Sacramento.
He's great. I know that he's a little abrasive at
some point, but yeah, I mean otherwise, definitely it's been
I think that'd be a great hire for the Knicks.
But yes, let's play some emacular grid?
Speaker 2 (31:04):
Shall we immaculate grid is very plain today, but a
nod to the finals I think is probably why they
did this.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
Oh that's hey, that's fine. I mean it is kind
of fitting. Wow, Wow, you were a kidding Holy crap.
And they're not even any of the new categories. That's crazy.
All right. You can always again watch the immacular grids
on YouTube. Just search Driving Dish NBA podcast for our
podcast users. Yes, super Final themed This week, we have
(31:33):
our columns from left to right, the Oklahoma City Thunder
first round draft pick and Hall of Fame are rose
from top to bottom, the Indiana Pacers twenty points per
game and five thousand assists for their career. We kind
of speed ran it last week. I feel like, other,
do you want to speed run it this week? I
mean try and think.
Speaker 2 (31:53):
Like there's these I'll give you two people right off
the bat that I know X three that played for
OKAC and the Pacers. Paul George yep, DJ Augustine, don't buckets.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
Okay, so don't you mcbuggets I expected Paul George is
one of the obvious ones. There's two more super obvious ones.
The two more super obvious ones are Victor Oladipot and Deepo.
Speaker 2 (32:16):
I forgot about him. Yeah, so bonus as well. You're right,
I would think ola Depot would probably be ah.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
I think pg's won.
Speaker 2 (32:31):
I think I'm saying sneaky at OKC twenty points. Do
we think he did it? Though?
Speaker 1 (32:37):
Not in OKAC No, okay, he was behind Russ Like
I don't think. Yeah, I don't think he did it.
I don't trust it enough that he did it. Yeah,
CAC put it that way.
Speaker 2 (32:48):
I think DJ Augustine's probably all.
Speaker 1 (32:51):
About DJ Augustine. I'm super I'm super cool with DJ
Augustine as the guest.
Speaker 2 (32:56):
I like it.
Speaker 1 (32:57):
Yeah, wow, yeah, yeah, I don't think there's anyway Oladipot
had twenty.
Speaker 2 (33:03):
There, okay, see twenty points. I mean obviously the big
three right off the rip KD KD oh my gosh, Katie, James,
Carden and Russ. I was like, why can't I think
of their name is now? So that's obviously an easy one.
Speaker 1 (33:20):
I don't think Harden had twenty Okac not an okay?
See oh okay, it's called the bench. Okay, Russ one
hundred percent did and obviously Katie did too. The other obviously,
I mean Paul George. We just mentioned George. I think
Paul George definitely a twenty and oka.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
See do you think Chris Paul? Probably not?
Speaker 1 (33:44):
Oh dude, that's so close. Man. He was great, but
I don't know if I trust him to score twenty.
But he was great there.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
Oh man, there's got to be another obvious, like a
bigger big man.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
Well, I mean the other one is SGA if you want, well,
I guess the question too. Just if we really want
to go back, we haven't mentioned any of the Sonics.
We could do the Sonics.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
Does it count for Sonics? Are we sure? Okay?
Speaker 1 (34:11):
The same franchise it better okay, because if you count
the Sonics, I mean you got you got. Ray Allen's
definitely had twenty. I think Sean Kemp probably had twenty.
Speaker 2 (34:21):
Do you want to do ray Allen at twenty then
so we can do like ray Allen at twenty and
then like a James Harden at five thousand assists?
Speaker 1 (34:30):
Yeah, that's fine, you know what I mean? Yeah, for sure?
Speaker 2 (34:33):
All right, so ray Allen there seven percent is huge assists.
Let's go Harden.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
Yeah, we go hard In there? Does Russell be the
number one answer? There?
Speaker 2 (34:45):
Is surprising that it's still that high, but yeah, Sabonis
was a first round pick, right.
Speaker 1 (34:53):
Uh yeah, I'm pretty sure he's a first round pick.
Speaker 2 (34:56):
So you could probably go Sabonis on that. For pacers.
Speaker 1 (35:00):
Yeah, I'm trying to think of somebody Chalky that they
drafted recently.
Speaker 2 (35:03):
That like Ola Depot would be an interesting well Depot there,
because yeah.
Speaker 1 (35:09):
Old Depot is definitely a first round pick. He was
number two. He probably would have all won if they'd
take Anthony Bennett was huge.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
Yep. Oh yeah, all right, so obviously.
Speaker 1 (35:21):
Old Deep would be a good first round twenty a
game per season two, he definitely was super.
Speaker 2 (35:24):
Low he would be low. He would be low for sure.
Speaker 1 (35:28):
God, I'm trying to think of like because you could
get there, this can be low for a lot of
for some of these twenty eight games per season and
first round pick. I mean, it's like it's anybody basically
ever thought of.
Speaker 2 (35:41):
Either of the Gasols.
Speaker 1 (35:44):
Yeah, Pal definitely had twenty a.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
Game that way. I know. I'm more thinking Mark Mark
was close to twenty. He had to have gotten close.
I just I'm not confident.
Speaker 1 (35:55):
I'm not either. I mean, it would have been with
the Griz.
Speaker 2 (35:58):
But yeah, that's what I mean, and the options.
Speaker 1 (36:01):
I don't trust Mark to get twenty.
Speaker 2 (36:03):
What about Connelly? What about Mike Connolly who was also
on that team.
Speaker 1 (36:07):
Mike, I kind of do trust to get twenty. I
feel like Mike, Mike is one of those players I
feel like we've done where it's like one of those
where it's like, man, he sneaks by. There are a
few players like this, Mike. I think it's it's like,
if it's gonna be twenty, it's gonna be like twenty
in change. But I do, for the record, think Mike
Conley had twenty a game at one.
Speaker 2 (36:23):
He was he was a first rounder right, like, I'm
not so let's.
Speaker 1 (36:27):
Go at top ten pick. Yeah, definitely to.
Speaker 2 (36:32):
Four zero four, I should say.
Speaker 1 (36:36):
There you go, like, yeah, Mike Conley was God. I
feel like he was like five or six maybe Mike
Conley draft pick four. He was four overall and was
so wow.
Speaker 2 (36:47):
Okay, all right, so first round draft pick five thousand
plus career assists is probably relatively easy.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
I'm just can you can you name real quick? I'm
gonna put you on the spot. Can you name the
three players that got drafted ahead of Mike Conley and
they're all good?
Speaker 2 (37:04):
What was there?
Speaker 1 (37:05):
Oh? Seven?
Speaker 2 (37:07):
Oh dude? No? Are they all still playing?
Speaker 1 (37:13):
Two of them are? Actually? One is not? Two of
them are?
Speaker 2 (37:19):
I have no idea.
Speaker 1 (37:20):
We mentioned we mentioned one of them a few times
in the squirt already and that should hopefully give it away. Uh,
Paul George, No, g was like twenty ten. I think yeah,
think thunder.
Speaker 2 (37:36):
Hard, Uh Westbrook, We'll go back further.
Speaker 1 (37:40):
But the other on Durant Durrant in the Durance two
in this draft. This is the Greg Oden draft. Greg
Oden was one, Durant was two. But this draft, though,
they just like Conley was four or excuse me. Durant
was two. Al Horford was three, so obviously great pick
there at three, Conley was four, great pick at four.
(38:00):
Our guy Jeff Green at five, Uncle Jeff, who's been
around so like, again, not all star, but it's been
in the league for quite a long time. And then
it starts to get a little like the next best
pick after that is like Joe Kim Noah was nine,
and it kind of falls off like a few guys
that were in the draft, like Thad Young, our boy
was in that draft. He was twelve. I was actually
(38:21):
a good pick for this draft. Good job sixers, all right,
he nailed that one. Marcusol's the marcusol is the value
pick at the draft. Marcus Aol went forty eighth this draft.
Actually you know seven wow, Okay, okay, but yeah, obviously
super loaded up front, and I mean Greg Odin again
obviously tragedy with all the injuries and stuff. But all right,
(38:42):
first round draft pick, five thousand career assists a lot
of options here. I don't really want to run through
all these.
Speaker 2 (38:49):
Do you think we go Westbrook? Off the fact that
I probably would be willing to put a lot of
money on there's that he's either used on other spots
where people didn't think about him here.
Speaker 1 (39:00):
Yeah, we can do it for that. For that reason,
I still think he'll be fairly high, but yeah, because
he will have definitely been used elsewhere.
Speaker 2 (39:07):
Okay, I think he is like this whole row here
could have been him. Yeah, would pull him that way,
you know.
Speaker 1 (39:15):
Yeah, I gotta get him in here somewhere, all right,
Pacers Hall of Fame. I mean, Reggie's the easy one. Yeah, yep,
I gotta be honest. It gets kind of tough after that.
Chris Mullen I think played for the Pacers like late
in his career. Yeah, and so he definitely would be one.
(39:36):
I don't think like I'm trying all those like Hall
of Fame, like all the all the guys on those
Pacers squads that were good in the early two thousands,
like they're in the Hall are very good, but they
didn't really make the finals like that. Yeah, God, I
feel like you gotta go like way back in the day.
I feel like if you're trying to get other pacers
that would be on this list.
Speaker 2 (39:56):
And that's where that's where I fully don't don't count
because I can't. I'm not gonna be able to help
with that.
Speaker 1 (40:06):
You know what, I have one. I have a boomer
and we got to use him because he's he's an
immacula Grid Darling and because he played for so many teams,
and I keep seeing him pop up and I'm excited
that I'm finally gonna get to use him for once.
Adrian Dantley played for the Pacers. Danty Yeah, d A
N T L E y. Adrian. He played. He's a
(40:27):
player in the seventies and the eighties. He played a bunch.
He's all fame, like genuinely, he's actually a jazz probably
most famous one.
Speaker 2 (40:33):
I'll still look him up. I got nothing on Danty.
Speaker 1 (40:36):
Yeah, Adrian Dantley is definitely Chris Mullen would have worked too.
I mean, we do Chris mullin Hall of Fame, twenty
game per season. I think he'll be pretty low. He
definitely has the game. Yeah, we do Chris Mullen.
Speaker 2 (40:49):
Mullin at point.
Speaker 1 (40:51):
He nice all right in Hall of Fame. Let's capital
off five thousand assists again, plenty of options here.
Speaker 2 (41:03):
Let's just go Kobe right, God.
Speaker 1 (41:06):
Oh my god, he has to write there's no way
he does that.
Speaker 2 (41:09):
Five k I will be like, I will take the loss.
If Kobe doesn't have five K that's fine.
Speaker 1 (41:15):
I try. He played for twenty years. He has to
be even by accident like Kobe's okay, thank god. Like,
but it's crazy that there's a split part of me
that was like I was legit kind of worried. P Yeah, sure,
all right, love that for us. All right, So the
most popular answers three seventeen first round draft. I mean, yeah,
that makes sense. Slow like that. That is probably ho
(41:37):
ies I've ever seen. All right, Uh, just can you
go back to the grid.
Speaker 2 (41:42):
Oh yeah, I'm sorry you can't. I was gonna go
look at the Yeah, I forgot you can see the
whole screen.
Speaker 1 (41:46):
All right. So our most popular answers this week, it
was Paul George for Pacers and Thunder, Tyree Saliburt and Pacers,
first round draft pick Reggie Miller Pacers Hall of Fame
twenty points a game per season for the Thunder, Kevin
Durant twenty and first round pick Lebron James twenty in
Hall of Fame, Michael Jordan Thunder five thousand career assists,
Russell Westbrook first round pick five thousand, career assists, Magic
(42:09):
Johnson and Hall of Fame, five thousand career assists John Stockton.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
Hard question was the OKC Pacers connection, which makes sense?
Speaker 1 (42:18):
Rest of leaser, I mean, first round is such a gimme, Like,
there's so many guys that you could have in the
first round. Our grid to run it back one last time.
The Pacers and Thunder DJ Augustine PACER's first round draft pick,
Victor Oladipot, Pacers Hall of Fame, Adrian Dantley Thunder twenty
a game per season, Ray Allen twenty game per season,
first round draft pick, Mike Conley twenty game and Hall
(42:39):
of Fame Chris Mullen Thunder, five thousand career assists, James
Harden five k assists and first round draft pick Russell
Westbrook and five thousand career assists in Hall of Fame
Kobe Bryant. Thank you everybody for listening to this episode
of Driving Dish NBA podcast. Appreciate you guys, as always
leaves review on iTunes, good or bad, or read them
on the podcast or yes we will them on the podcast. Sorry,
(43:01):
if you're not an Apple user. Anywhere you can find
a podcast, you can find us just real quick before
you plug the YouTube. We will be back regular Saturday
next week. That'll be a little more of a more
normal episode. We'll do balling and falling and all that,
and we'll be breaking down Games two, three, and four,
which will have happened by the time we record next week.
(43:21):
So stay tuned for that.
Speaker 2 (43:22):
Yep yep, And like we said, follow us on YouTube
for video versions of the podcast. You can watch along
as we do the Immaculate Grid Driving ish NBA. On YouTube,
you can subscribe. You'll get notifications when new episodes are
coming out. I think we've done my dance today, so
why don't we dance Wednesday?
Speaker 1 (43:40):
See the star side?
Speaker 2 (43:41):
Okay you are? I think they can
This is the Drive and Dish podcast, The Drive Welcome
to you. To start it off, it's ken and let's go.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
I think it's safe to say, even without knowing the
first few quarters of Game one of the NBA Finals,
the Pacers are on one hell of a run to
prove quite literally everybody wrong, because wow, that game, Game one,
at least of the NBA Finals was phenomenal. And I
(00:37):
will fully admit I went to bed when they were
down like nineteen or whatever it was, because I was like, yeah,
they're cooked, it's over. And I woke up to see
the Pacers pulled it off by one point again. They're
like six and oho and one point decided games or
something like that. It was like I was like, damn,
they did it again, Like they seriously did it again.
(00:58):
And I missed it because I was fully down it.
I mean, you know, I told you I thought it
was Oka see Oka se uh Pacers Oka see Oka
see Finals over. That was that was my prediction quite literally,
first game was wrong.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Well, so I had the opposite experience. I actually just
because of bar prep and just you know, being busy
with that. The way my you know, scheduler kind of
broke out that day is I you know, I saw
the very beginning of it. I went back upstairs and
knock a few things out, and then you're right. I
kind of said, ah, man, okay, see's up big. They're
(01:32):
really you know, the Pacers have nineteen turnovers in the
first half. Again, let me emphasize that the Pacers had
nineteen turnovers in the first half. After you and I
last episode talked about how important that turnover battle was
going to be against the defense like Oklahoma City, but
I stayed up. I was like, you know what, let's
just like, let's watch the end of this game. Let's
see how it goes. You know, I just need something
(01:53):
to just take my mind off the books for a
little bit. And instead I had an absolute spiritual experience
watching Game one of the NBA Finals. It was just
straight cinema from start to finish. And I mean, look like,
I'm not gonna lie. And you know how high I've
been on Indie and how I said, I feel like
they made me look pretty smart in this playoff run.
(02:13):
I was like, I picked okay see in a competitive six.
But there was a little part of me that was
kind of worried going into this series where I was like,
oh man, okay, see might just like also like run
the gauntlet here and this just won't really be that entertaining.
Like more than anything, I just want an entertaining series.
I have no rooting dog in this fight. I just
(02:34):
want the best hoops possible. And let me tell you something,
we got it. Game one. It was phenomenal. I mean,
you're right, like Indiana, this is just like this is
three or four, this is the fourth time they've done this. Now,
like we're in a game that they probably had no
business winning, you know, going back to that clincher against Milwaukee,
the game two against the Cavs, Game one against the Knicks,
(02:56):
and now game one here, same sort of vibe as
the Knicks. Again, they didn't lead until that last Halle
shot of the game, like they were down this entire game,
justin and then to go in there like take the
life out of OKC hit a buzzer beater and you
know what, Listen, you knew it was gonna and a
few things just real like quick before we get into
(03:16):
all x's and o's. Obviously, I get Rick Carlisle a
ton of credit for not calling time out because they
had a time out left, and I think that would
have allowed OKAC to get into their defensive sets. You know,
when Caruso was playing a phenomenal game the way he was,
when lou Dort was playing a phenomenal game defensively the
way he always does. I think getting out trusting your
guys to get it done. And they're trusting again Hallie,
(03:37):
who is on one of the best individual clutch runs
we've seen from anybody ever, you know, trusted him to
make that shot and get in that situation. But again,
it's just like they're just relentless and they find ways
to hit these shots. I mean it's it's Miles Turner
hitting a three kind of falling that banks off the glass.
You know, it's a really tough three from Andrew Dempard,
(03:57):
who you know, you want to talk about the X
fact the MVP of the game, like give him a
game ball as well, like when the when the thunder
were really blitzen Haliburton. The fact that he was able
to take over more the primary primary ball handling rolls
like just phenomenal down the stretch. Again from a guy
who's been phenomenal down the stretch.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
Yeah, I would take that, you know, the lead tracker
that you can go look at on NBA's website where
you know it'll, yeah, the colors change up and down
basically give percentages.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
It's like the stock market, like literally, like I know,
we saw who's falling in the stock market. This really
looks like a stock chart.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
If I'm the Pacers, I have that thing framed because, yeah,
they're at no point the Pacers have a lead except
for in the first quarter of the first few minutes
where it looks like it's tied, and then it just
slow tracks down. Okay, see until they get to that
fifteen point lead at the you know, pretty much beginning
of the fourth quarter, and then you just see it
(04:52):
slowly like the AT and T symbol upside down, just
slowly tracked back towards the Pacers. So so that's u
obviously a really cool feat on there, and a huge comeback. Obviously,
momentum has to be Pacers side. Now, just a few observations,
you know, I did find it surprising because something we
(05:12):
talked about last game is we thought we wanted to
see how the rebounds the rebound game ended up, and
it heavily favored the Pacers, which I think is worth mentioning.
I mean fifty six to thirty nine assists as well,
you know, twenty four assists to thirteen. But like you said,
the thunder had fourteen steals, the Piacers had twenty four
(05:35):
turnovers and still somehow figured out a way to win
that game. Their shooting percentage in that game specifically or
off the chart, it is worth mentioning. You brought this up.
You talked about Nemhard and some of the other guys
stepping up. It's like you look at the leading players
for each you know, of the four main stats that
everyone likes to look at, you don't see halle On
(05:56):
there at all. It's Pascal, Siakam, Nemhar, Miles, so so
like it's kind of surprising, but also not surprising because
that's what Hallie has been doing all all year essentially,
is he's a rounded player. He's never going to lead
the box. Well he does at times, but he's not
going to be the guy that like has to lead
(06:17):
the box or if you're clamping down on him, then
he he can just distribute it or even be a
distraction so that other guys like Nemhardt can kind of
shine where Pascal Siakam can go get his points.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
Yeah, I know, it's a balance, right, It's six different
players they had in double figures. You know, we haven't
even mentioned Obi topping off the bench shoe again. You know,
give him a game ball as well. Five of eight
from beyond the arc, multiple big shots in the fourth quarter,
and that's coming from him who he had a kind
of disasters start to that game, like if you have
bad fouls just you know, it didn't feel like he
was in any flow at all, you know, and that's
(06:49):
just like at some point you have to give, Like
this isn't by an accident, Like you don't just keep
winning these games, like it is like that mental belief,
that coolness under pressure, like that is an identity a
little bit, and it's become the Pacers identity because you're right, like,
I don't think anybody on Earth thought the Pacers are
winning this game other than the Pacers, and like, look,
that's all that mattered. They just kept going. They didn't
(07:11):
really get you know, like you said, all those turnovers
in the first half, you know, with dowharton Caruso everywhere
the way they were like you know, and it was
funny because when you go into this series, I think
the people that had Indie winning game one, it was
gonna be more along the lines of, oh, well, okay
see hasn't played here in a little bit. INDI's coming
fresh off a series, like they're just more in rhythm,
(07:33):
like okayc's gonna have to shake the rust off a
little bit. No, it wasn't really any of that at all, Like,
okay see came out the gate flying like they looked
like they were ready for the moment, and then you know, yeah,
I mean, look, there's no way around it's a heartbreaking loss.
Now to flip it back the other side and not
be too negative, we saw a similar situation round two.
You know, Denver has that late comeback. Aaron Gordon hits
(07:54):
a really tough shot to beat them in game one,
and the Thunder came out and they just absolutely blew
the door off them in game two. I am fully
I'm not saying they're gonna blow the doors off them,
but I am expecting the Thunder to bounce back here
and win game two. The interesting thing that you brought
up though, going back to that rebounding battle was like
one of the one of the decisions that we wondered
was whether okay SE was gonna go small at points
(08:16):
or whether okay C was gonna keep running this two
man big lineup that they had done for most of
the season. Like, I don't want to say moving Wallace
into the starting lineup was unexpected because they had ran
this lineup before. I think they had had this starting group,
you know, six times a year with Wallace and Dort
and SGA and Jalen Williams and Chet. But yeah, you're right,
when they get killed on the glass the way they did,
(08:37):
you know, they had pretty much staggered Chet in Hartenstein's minutes.
I do wonder if Mark Danielle goes back to that
bigger lineup because they got killed on the glass the
way they did. I mean, yeah, when you're looking at
what went wrong for the Thunder too, Yeah, Chet Holmgren
a pretty much disaster class in game one, he was
pretty terrible.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
Two for nine, you know, a six rebounds. That was
definitely one of the stats that kind of just popped
off the screen to me a little bit. Yeah, jayleb
Williams superbably.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Shoot that well from the field, which, like, again he's
been up and down. I don't want he'd horrible start
the playoffs, but he kind of turned it on in
the conference finals a little bit, like a little bit
up and down, even SGA. SGA had thirty eight points,
but like he's fourteen to thirty from the field. Like
it was kinda again, they were so close to winning,
and he did hit a big shot to put them
up five late. So like, you don't want to like
(09:30):
Sga is not the reason I'm thinking that they lost
that game, right, I don't want to sound like I'm
saying that, but it was like, yeah, there are a
few guys that were kind of off for the thunder
to me, which is disappointing when you have such a good,
you know, quality game from like Caruso and dort the way, at.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Least on the at least on the offensive side. The
things that stick out to me is like it looked
like Hartenstein was ready and the experience he essentially had
in the playoffs last year kind of got him there,
because i mean, nine rebounds, led the team in rebounds three.
You know, he's not the offensive guy that you need
him to be, especially on this team, but for five.
But then on the other side of it, you do
you look at Jalen Williams who was six for nineteen,
(10:06):
uh Wallace who was three for nine, and uh lou
Dort was a little more efficient five for ten. But
maybe even if you could get that a little more,
like you know, uh on the field goal side, though
the threes were phenomenal, So like, we'll take that.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
He's so good defensively too, man like lud dor we
know this is what he does. But like, dude, he
was phenomenal.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
If you just get back to a little bit of
average on the Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren side, I
think you're back in there, you know. You you get
a few more points from Chet, like you know, we're
kind of used to Chet being around the ten a
little high.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Lost by one point, right, that's what I mean, were good?
Speaker 2 (10:45):
I mean Chet's averaging fifteen a game, so you get
him even back to the average, like then, okay, this
isn't a thing, so so a little bit on that,
maybe Jalen Williams on the offensive side being more efficient
from the field goal to attempt's standpoint and three, I
mean twenty five percent for three and we're having a
different conversation here. But to that, I wonder if that's,
(11:05):
like to your point, do they try to go with
the double big man thing. You know, I noticed Tony
Bradley didn't play, and I know Bradley and Thomas Bryant
were the two that they were kind of using to
combat when teams go big. So it'll be interesting to
see if that's what ends up happening in Game two
or down the line a little bit more.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Yeah, I mean that, and I need again, it's just
gonna be about the mental to me, Like I go
back to that conference finals and like the Pacers just
they did they the Knicks were shell shocked after that.
It really did feel like they just took the wind
out of their sales. You know, same with Cleveland. I
mean Cleveland, granted it was a little more bleak because
it was an O two situation at that point when
(11:45):
that happened. You know, Okay, see it is, it's gonna be.
And we've seen moments, like I said, namely in that
Denver series. But you know, they got blown out by
forty plus points against Minnesota. I don't you know, I
still feel like they were in pretty good control of
that series. And even then you're one, so I don't
think you're quite hitting the button, but I mean, yeah,
this is gonna be a big test. If they go
down oh two, God forbid and you're going back to Indy,
(12:08):
where at that point you feel all you got to
do is steal one, given how well we played on
the road in the playoffs. Like the pressure is on
Oka see okay see is the team that has been
the best team in the league all year. That is
basically you know, trying to close this out and cap
their incredible season, one of the best seasons in NBA history. Like,
the Pacers very much know that they're the underdog in
(12:30):
this series, and there is a little bit when you
get to play loose with that. You know, you got
to see it there in Game one. I think that
feeds into the Hey, nobody expects us to win, so
like let's just go out and have some fun, you know.
And Halle's quote after the game, you know basketball is fun.
Winning is fun, right, So you know, I'm more importantly though,
I'm just excited again to see a competitive series so far.
(12:52):
You know, I'm hoping this carries over. I don't think,
okay see again to circle back is going to go
down oh two. I do think Okay is going to
win this game too. I would be surprised if they
won this game too by double digits, to be quite honest,
The question is gonna be when we get back to Indy. So,
you know, you get back to Indy, you know, can
the Pacers keep it up? Do we know that? It's
certainly the arena is gonna be raucous? Yeah, you know
(13:14):
they love that Okay See. Arena was loud too, Like
you gotta get that crowd a lot of credit. Even
when when it was close and it looked like the
Pacers are coming back, the crowd was still in it.
They were very much, but it was I think that's
why it was so weery. You know, well, I'll hit
that shot the life out of that arena. Don't see
that too often?
Speaker 2 (13:30):
If you yeah, game two will be what it is.
So I'm interested to see where that goes. But if
you lose game three by like to the if you're
Okay see and you lose Game three to the Pacers
by like a surprising amount or enough to really make
you worry, then then I am like, Okay, we might
have a problem here, and the Pacers may be taking
home the trophy. At that point. Yeah, I'm gonna hold
(13:52):
my reservation to make like any full on thought until
well Wednesday, the games at eight thirty. So let's say,
you know, well, obviously, so I'll make it on thy dude,
I'm too old to stay of that late these days.
I try. I'm trying, but uh so, so I'm almost
gonna wait till after game three. I think game three.
(14:13):
I know everyone says it so it's kind of cliche,
but I feel like after game three will really have
an idea of where this this this uh series is
gonna go.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
Yeah, one hundred percent. I mean, okay, see unless they're
down to oh if the ookasees down two? Oh, I
think I'm looking around and I'm going, if I'm Indy,
I gotta win one game in India three and four.
If it's one one, then obviously it's a little different
like India at the minimum has to split there. But
you're right if you're okay, see, even if you split
those games, I go, hey, it's a best of three series.
We've got two games at home. We got to feel
(14:44):
pretty good about that, and like those chances every single time.
But listen, man, who knows either way? Instant classic in
game one. You know, Pacers again give them credit four
and O's in game one. In these playoffs, they've really
come out and they've set the tone. But again for
ok Se, we've seen them come back for this too.
So I'm I don't think OKAC is going to be
to two shell shocked. I think they might. They're definitely rattled,
(15:06):
and they should be rattled after that Game one loss,
Like that's a pretty jarring collapse down the stretch, But
I trust them to come back and get this done.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
How do you feel about Van Pelt essentially admitting he
was wrong to.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
Halle about what Like I.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Doubted you, guys. I had all these notes for OKAC
and winning Game one, and so shout out to you
guys for winning the whole thing, But but I doubted you.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
No, I mean it will look at points in that game,
it was not really logical to think okay See was
going to win that game. I mean again, they led
for the large majority of that game. Like okay See
is the favorite in this series, like I think, and
it's tough man. The NBA is a change in like
and we'll see again. Who knows, Maybe the thunder go
out win the next four games. I don't think that's
(15:54):
going to happen. But there are a lot of people
like basketball historically, and you'll Scott been he's been doing
this for a long time. Like basketball we talk about
has been such a dynastics sport, like traditionally it is
the best team just wins every year. There aren't really
in many major upsets. I mean, when is the last
time we've truly had an upset in the NBA Finals?
(16:15):
And even then, you know, because the ones that come
to mine are like Toronto over the Warriors. But I
also go, yeah, Kadie wasn't there, like they were at
the end of their so like, I don't think that
was as big of an upset as people give a
credit for, especially when you go back and look at
that Raptors lineup. The only other one that comes to
mind is the Mavericks, which I honestly, you know, again
look at Rick Carlisle. Here we are again, the Mavericks
since twenty eleven. The Mavericks being the Heat was a
(16:37):
big time upset. But yeah, other than that, it's it's usually,
you know, the best team wins. Michael Jordan's Bulls team's
always won. Shack and Kobe won. Right down the line
the teams Lebron won the Spurs one.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
Like I guess, I guess. My point is more like
I don't need the reporters admitting when they're wrong, like
we know when they were wrong. I don't need these
guys on ESPN and everyone to be like, yeah, I
was wrong, and I know people try to call them
out for it, but it's like I don't need that,
you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
It makes it about you a little bit, and you're
right because they're right, like I don't. It's I don't
care about your take in the grand scheme of the things,
Like I you can be wrong, but you're right, Like,
don't make it a hole big unless you were, like
unless it was some big like campaign that you've been on,
like if Scott van Pelt had been on. Uh, I
don't think the Pacers are good campaign all year. I'm
(17:28):
sure you know. And then it's a little bit different. Yeah,
you know, I'm just wrong, my bad, But like I
don't think that's a like it's not a wrong take
to have thought that OKC was gonna win Game one
or win the NBA Finals, Like you and I both
picked the thunder like it's not a like I what
I think is that And again this is more not
(17:50):
just the Scott van Pelt but with the Greater League,
is that it's like, no, this Pacers team is way
better than catuals. Give them credit for like they have
an identity, They play really hard, they have the ultimate
belief in themselves. They've got nine or not nine, but
probably like six to seven guys. They could give you
double digits every night. Nine nine is probably a little
generous there. I don't know if Ben Shepherd's guaranteeing you
(18:12):
every you know, ten every night yet. But they're well
constructed and you know, and honestly, the big thing too
is again give Rick Carlile a lot of credit. Like
I thought, you know, legendary coaching no matter what for
that run in Dallas. But I thought last year he
was kind of a disaster honestly in the conference finals
where you know, you look back and the job he's
done this year like big, big time, hats off to him. Again,
(18:34):
we talked a little bit. You know, Actually I didn't
ask you this question. I asked the group chat this
Chase and I when we did the pod two episodes ago,
whose legacy. Do you think takes a bigger bump if
the Pacers won the title? Rick Carlisle or Pascal Siakam,
I think, I think, Wow, So you're against the majority
(18:57):
of this right now?
Speaker 2 (18:58):
Yeah, I think because I think it kind of gets
it sounds weird, but like I like TJ right for
my buddy who was in the huge Knicks fans, he
was sending me all these Sakam memes that were going
on after, you know, the Pacers beat the Knicks, and
so like, I use him because he's a very he's
a diehard Knicks fan, but he's a very casual NBA fan,
(19:18):
So I use him as like, Okayam's starting to become
like a thing that really is getting noticed by casual
fans as well. And I think a player will always
get more props in in these scenarios. So I guess
that's why I go Siakam.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
Yeah, I mean it's because Halle's the number one guy
on the Pacers and so it's.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
Way but like you know what I mean, like is
probably gonna win, Like if it goes that way, like
it'd be willing to bet that he wins finals, MVP
or something like that.
Speaker 1 (19:49):
You know, no, I go back and forth there because
it was close, Like you're right, that conference finals MVP
that he won was decided by one vote, and I
don't think that was wrong, by the way, for the record,
but that's what I'm.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
Saying is like that very well could happen again if
the Pacers win and then it's like, well, now the
dudes the finals MVP. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
I think I've settled on Rick, and you're not wrong,
because I think Siakam becomes much more of a household name.
And at that point, when you've won with two different
squads and played such a major role on both of
those squads, like it should that should boost you into
just like hey, you are a winning player, guys. It
teams prove when you are around.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
There is something about again.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
Rick Carlisle winning two titles with two franchises like fourteen
years apart, only because like again, you go back to
twenty eleven when the MAVs win, and you look at
it now in twenty twenty five, the NBA is a
radically different league fem now twenty twenty five, Like obviously
the three point Revolution largely the biggest change, but like
there's a lot that's happened between now and then, So
(20:49):
like to win with two separate styles on two radically
different teams, and again for teams that kind of upset
the whole way. Like indeed, it would be one of
the most improbable finals runs ever if they win this championship.
I mean, I would argue they could very well be
number one of our lifetime if they do. Means, I
don't know, it's just a fun conversation.
Speaker 2 (21:10):
I think. You know, obviously he won with Toronto in
twenty nineteen. He wasn't the Finals MVP at that point,
But I bet there's a lot of casuals that don't
even realize that's the same person, if that makes sense, Like,
I don't think they realized. And then now he won
Most Improved in twenty nineteen. He's three time NBA All
Star Championship with Toronto. In this scenario, Championship with the
(21:35):
Pacers and potentially the Finals MVP and Eastern Conference Finals MVP.
Like dude, that's I think that's when people start to
connect and go, oh wait, he was on the rafters
with Kawhi, Like yeah, I think that's when people really
start to realize or remember Pascal Siakam and go, oh
my god, dude, this guy is like a baller.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
Yeah, yeah, no, for sure, without a doubt. I mean
and again a few years apart two, so just kind
of a little bit of a little bit of impressive
with that.
Speaker 2 (22:04):
By the way, by the way, before you go any further,
also be before being drafted by the Raptors, he played
in the du the D League. You got you're forgetting
the D League?
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Yeah, rip, dude.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Where where By the way, he won a championship and
was named finals m v P.
Speaker 1 (22:24):
Yeah, dude, it's been so long that the D League
has been the G League now for so long, and
it's crazy because that they got that off and like
that became thing like the G League when they just
it's just a Gatorade sponsorship. Man developmental league made so
much sense, and I was like, I remember when that changed.
I'm like, oh, there's no way people actually start saying
G League. It won't stick around that long. And I
(22:45):
literally can't think of it anything else as other than
the G League now.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
Reading it right there felt weird, like I was confused
for a second, like you know, like you're you're going
to the stat and you're like, wait, a second D
League doesn't sound right? What's wrong here? And I'm trying
to figure it out? But uh but yeah, man, I
mean you look at this run from Pascal Siakam. I
mean D League Champ twenty seventeen and finals MVP in
the D League. By twenty two, you're selected at the
(23:10):
NBA All Third Third Team. Twenty twenty, you're All NBA
Second Team. You obviously win with the Raptors. You get
three NBA All Star Nods, Most Improved Player, NBA Championship
potentially twice, and Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Like You're starting
to stack awards and I think that's when people really
(23:31):
start to notice on that.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
Yeah, no, I mean one hundred percent, I don't fully
disagree there. All right, Welcome backy with the Driving ISSH
NBA podcast. My name is Kevin raype Us, joining me
as always my co host Justin kouz Art.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
I will preface this, this is not a tweet. This
is a story post on Instagram. Great game, bro, I
love you to the moon and back. Now, grab a
cigarette and a towel. We made a sex tape Kim
Kardashian with env.
Speaker 1 (23:59):
Justin What what.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
If I told you this was a post between Michael
Beasley and Lance Stevenson, would you believe me?
Speaker 1 (24:11):
I have so many questions, and I don't know if
I want any of the answers to them.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
So I want to bring this up because there's something
going on. And this happened on June sixth. It was
on tncleague dot com. It's a new pay per view
event thing that people obviously can pay for. Right this
was the second one. This was Lance Stevenson versus Michael
Beasley for one hundred thousand dollars one on one basketball.
(24:40):
Oh and from all the clips I've seen, it was electric.
Speaker 1 (24:44):
I mean, okay, all right, Well that that has a
little bit more. Uh. I don't know why that's the
way they're getting attention for it, but you know, I'm
intrigued there a little bit. We always don't see these
guys go one on one.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
Well, and so that's what I wonder, like paper you
event two NBA, Well, they said NBA legends, let's let's
not throw around the horse legends, so willingly, let's calm down.
But two MVP, well, MVPs. Two NBA guys who obviously
are known for talking, their talk and pretty electric when
(25:21):
they're hyped go on a live stream and they're playing
one on one for one hundred thousand dollars. From what
I've heard, this this this new technology, this company that's
doing it, it's like a live streaming technology. Apparently a
lot of people are really like happy with it. So essentially,
(25:46):
what I'm wondering is if this slowly becomes more and
more popular and then obviously we could almost even go
into the longer content of like does the NBA take
notice and use this as an idea for the All
Star Game week type situation?
Speaker 1 (26:05):
Oh? I mean, I would love for them because the
w's done it, Like I would love for them to
do the one on one tournament. But those guys there
are you know, damn well with their egos, they are
not doing one on one because somebody's getting embarrassed. Like
that's the thing for whoever that looks good for one
of these All Stars is gonna be a subjective every
meme you can think of.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
Yep, but what have you brought in? What have you
brought in some guys that are either like you know,
like in a Lance Stevenson situation, like became casual fan legend,
in a way because of his lebron antics and and
stuff like that. Like, what if you bring in somebody, uh,
either recently retired or or something like that to do
(26:42):
a one on one game. Now, in this scenario, it
was forty bucks to watch, which is too much, But
you could pre order it for twenty.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
To watch Lance Stevenson and Michael Beasley play one on one.
You have lost your mind. Yeah, but y'all gotta y'all
gotta up it. Well, you gotta give me way more
than that if I'm playing forty What.
Speaker 2 (27:07):
If it's a one on one tournament, and and and
there's more names, more high profile names in intrigue.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
Potentially, Yeah, No, definitely I would be intrigued in a
one on one tournament for sure. I want sound like
I'm hating on the concept. I'm just saying, like, you
give me a little more than that.
Speaker 2 (27:23):
I've got some brainstorming to do. If it's gonna be
forty bucks, I need a little more than that. But yeah,
I think I don't know.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
Yeah, I need six seven events at least if we're
doing that.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
Like one of the most aggressive story posts play out.
Speaker 1 (27:37):
Yeah, I don't I don't know what's going on there.
We're gonna work. I'm gonna and my men in black.
You know, I need to little like wipe.
Speaker 2 (27:43):
That out of it again.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
Yeah, Yeah, we're gonna wonder. I don't know what's going
on there. Leaves the review on the iTunes could or
battle read them on the podcast. If you're not an
Apple user, Google Play, story Speaker, Spotify, tune in, Amazon Music, player, FM,
anywhere you can find a podcast.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
You can find us, Yes, and follow us on YouTube,
driving YouTube, driving dish, NBA. You can find us there.
Subscribe you'll get notifications when new episodes are coming out.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
Now word more sponsors.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
So what we're diving right into grid no?
Speaker 1 (28:14):
I mean yeah, yeah, we play some Grid here real quick. Yeah.
It's a little bit of a shorter episode. Yeah, I mean,
the only there's not really much going on headlines wise.
This is kind of as we alluded to at the
end of last episode. We're just gonna kind of talk
game one here a little bit. I mean, the only
like headlines I saw this week, Adam Silver is talking
(28:34):
expansion again a little bit. I feel like we've been
pretty I mean, look, I feel like if it's gonna
be in Seattle and it's gonna be in Vegas. Like,
if it's going to be the two teams, those will
be the two teams. It certainly sees seems like they've
teed that up Sonics coming back and then whatever in
Vegas and then oh Europe, my bad, excuse me. You
(28:56):
talked about Europe. He mentioned the potential and you know,
kind of doing something, you know, more formalized obviously, like
THEBA is huge over there, you know, kind of It's
tough though, because like I don't know with how successful
a lot of those clubs have been, Like I don't
know how you bring like Barcelona under the wing of
like the NBA, and maybe, I mean, if they put
a lot of sponsorship into it, but like I don't,
(29:18):
it's harder for me to see like a full G
League over there necessarily. I also think you're just gonna
have a harder time getting you know, I think it's
already borderline hard enough to get guys to play in
the G now, and that's with it in America, Like
you're gonna ship them over to Europe now, And don't
get me wrong, Like I think nothing wrong with going
to Europe, but a little different there. So I think
that still has a long way to go.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
And I just kind of feel like, I guess at
this point, I feel like this boy that cried Wolf
a little bit. I feel like after the end of
every season, we're talking expansion at some point, and it
seems like it's a serious conversation, and so like, I
just don't want to give it anything until we actually
get something, you know. Yeah, And it's just like We've
been down there wrote so many times now that I'm like,
(30:01):
all right, I'm over it. You guys, tell me when
when it's actually happening, and then I'll actually like look
into it a little more.
Speaker 1 (30:08):
No, Yeah, I mean the Knicks are there are a
few names are starting to pop up for the Knick's
head coach. One of them is Mike Malone, and one
of them is Jason Kidd. And one of those things
I like so much more than the other, trying to
probably kid out of Dallas. Would's so insane, Like firing
tips for Jason Kidd is just like why did you
fire tips at that point? Mike Malone, on the other hand, now, hello.
Speaker 2 (30:32):
Hang on, that's intriguing. Yeah, that.
Speaker 1 (30:35):
Might beyond to something there. And then I mean the
other one too, is Taylor Jenkins? Like again, God, its
same deal in Memphis, like late firing. I feel like
he didn't do a bad job there, Like I don't
really blame him for everything that went wrong.
Speaker 2 (30:46):
But no, but I'd probably go Malone over him.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
Oh yeah, Malone's got the title. Like Malone was great Sacramento.
He's great. I know that he's a little abrasive at
some point, but yeah, I mean otherwise, definitely it's been
I think that'd be a great hire for the Knicks.
But yes, let's play some emacular grid?
Speaker 2 (31:04):
Shall we immaculate grid is very plain today, but a
nod to the finals I think is probably why they
did this.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
Oh that's hey, that's fine. I mean it is kind
of fitting. Wow, Wow, you were a kidding Holy crap.
And they're not even any of the new categories. That's crazy.
All right. You can always again watch the immacular grids
on YouTube. Just search Driving Dish NBA podcast for our
podcast users. Yes, super Final themed This week, we have
(31:33):
our columns from left to right, the Oklahoma City Thunder
first round draft pick and Hall of Fame are rose
from top to bottom, the Indiana Pacers twenty points per
game and five thousand assists for their career. We kind
of speed ran it last week. I feel like, other,
do you want to speed run it this week? I
mean try and think.
Speaker 2 (31:53):
Like there's these I'll give you two people right off
the bat that I know X three that played for
OKAC and the Pacers. Paul George yep, DJ Augustine, don't buckets.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
Okay, so don't you mcbuggets I expected Paul George is
one of the obvious ones. There's two more super obvious ones.
The two more super obvious ones are Victor Oladipot and Deepo.
Speaker 2 (32:16):
I forgot about him. Yeah, so bonus as well. You're right,
I would think ola Depot would probably be ah.
Speaker 1 (32:29):
I think pg's won.
Speaker 2 (32:31):
I think I'm saying sneaky at OKC twenty points. Do
we think he did it? Though?
Speaker 1 (32:37):
Not in OKAC No, okay, he was behind Russ Like
I don't think. Yeah, I don't think he did it.
I don't trust it enough that he did it. Yeah,
CAC put it that way.
Speaker 2 (32:48):
I think DJ Augustine's probably all.
Speaker 1 (32:51):
About DJ Augustine. I'm super I'm super cool with DJ
Augustine as the guest.
Speaker 2 (32:56):
I like it.
Speaker 1 (32:57):
Yeah, wow, yeah, yeah, I don't think there's anyway Oladipot
had twenty.
Speaker 2 (33:03):
There, okay, see twenty points. I mean obviously the big
three right off the rip KD KD oh my gosh, Katie, James,
Carden and Russ. I was like, why can't I think
of their name is now? So that's obviously an easy one.
Speaker 1 (33:20):
I don't think Harden had twenty Okac not an okay?
See oh okay, it's called the bench. Okay, Russ one
hundred percent did and obviously Katie did too. The other obviously,
I mean Paul George. We just mentioned George. I think
Paul George definitely a twenty and oka.
Speaker 2 (33:38):
See do you think Chris Paul? Probably not?
Speaker 1 (33:44):
Oh dude, that's so close. Man. He was great, but
I don't know if I trust him to score twenty.
But he was great there.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
Oh man, there's got to be another obvious, like a
bigger big man.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
Well, I mean the other one is SGA if you want, well,
I guess the question too. Just if we really want
to go back, we haven't mentioned any of the Sonics.
We could do the Sonics.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
Does it count for Sonics? Are we sure? Okay?
Speaker 1 (34:11):
The same franchise it better okay, because if you count
the Sonics, I mean you got you got. Ray Allen's
definitely had twenty. I think Sean Kemp probably had twenty.
Speaker 2 (34:21):
Do you want to do ray Allen at twenty then
so we can do like ray Allen at twenty and
then like a James Harden at five thousand assists?
Speaker 1 (34:30):
Yeah, that's fine, you know what I mean? Yeah, for sure?
Speaker 2 (34:33):
All right, so ray Allen there seven percent is huge assists.
Let's go Harden.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
Yeah, we go hard In there? Does Russell be the
number one answer? There?
Speaker 2 (34:45):
Is surprising that it's still that high, but yeah, Sabonis
was a first round pick, right.
Speaker 1 (34:53):
Uh yeah, I'm pretty sure he's a first round pick.
Speaker 2 (34:56):
So you could probably go Sabonis on that. For pacers.
Speaker 1 (35:00):
Yeah, I'm trying to think of somebody Chalky that they
drafted recently.
Speaker 2 (35:03):
That like Ola Depot would be an interesting well Depot there,
because yeah.
Speaker 1 (35:09):
Old Depot is definitely a first round pick. He was
number two. He probably would have all won if they'd
take Anthony Bennett was huge.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
Yep. Oh yeah, all right, so obviously.
Speaker 1 (35:21):
Old Deep would be a good first round twenty a
game per season two, he definitely was super.
Speaker 2 (35:24):
Low he would be low. He would be low for sure.
Speaker 1 (35:28):
God, I'm trying to think of like because you could
get there, this can be low for a lot of
for some of these twenty eight games per season and
first round pick. I mean, it's like it's anybody basically
ever thought of.
Speaker 2 (35:41):
Either of the Gasols.
Speaker 1 (35:44):
Yeah, Pal definitely had twenty a.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
Game that way. I know. I'm more thinking Mark Mark
was close to twenty. He had to have gotten close.
I just I'm not confident.
Speaker 1 (35:55):
I'm not either. I mean, it would have been with
the Griz.
Speaker 2 (35:58):
But yeah, that's what I mean, and the options.
Speaker 1 (36:01):
I don't trust Mark to get twenty.
Speaker 2 (36:03):
What about Connelly? What about Mike Connolly who was also
on that team.
Speaker 1 (36:07):
Mike, I kind of do trust to get twenty. I
feel like Mike, Mike is one of those players I
feel like we've done where it's like one of those
where it's like, man, he sneaks by. There are a
few players like this, Mike. I think it's it's like,
if it's gonna be twenty, it's gonna be like twenty
in change. But I do, for the record, think Mike
Conley had twenty a game at one.
Speaker 2 (36:23):
He was he was a first rounder right, like, I'm
not so let's.
Speaker 1 (36:27):
Go at top ten pick. Yeah, definitely to.
Speaker 2 (36:32):
Four zero four, I should say.
Speaker 1 (36:36):
There you go, like, yeah, Mike Conley was God. I
feel like he was like five or six maybe Mike
Conley draft pick four. He was four overall and was
so wow.
Speaker 2 (36:47):
Okay, all right, so first round draft pick five thousand
plus career assists is probably relatively easy.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
I'm just can you can you name real quick? I'm
gonna put you on the spot. Can you name the
three players that got drafted ahead of Mike Conley and
they're all good?
Speaker 2 (37:04):
What was there?
Speaker 1 (37:05):
Oh? Seven?
Speaker 2 (37:07):
Oh dude? No? Are they all still playing?
Speaker 1 (37:13):
Two of them are? Actually? One is not? Two of
them are?
Speaker 2 (37:19):
I have no idea.
Speaker 1 (37:20):
We mentioned we mentioned one of them a few times
in the squirt already and that should hopefully give it away. Uh,
Paul George, No, g was like twenty ten. I think yeah,
think thunder.
Speaker 2 (37:36):
Hard, Uh Westbrook, We'll go back further.
Speaker 1 (37:40):
But the other on Durant Durrant in the Durance two
in this draft. This is the Greg Oden draft. Greg
Oden was one, Durant was two. But this draft, though,
they just like Conley was four or excuse me. Durant
was two. Al Horford was three, so obviously great pick
there at three, Conley was four, great pick at four.
(38:00):
Our guy Jeff Green at five, Uncle Jeff, who's been
around so like, again, not all star, but it's been
in the league for quite a long time. And then
it starts to get a little like the next best
pick after that is like Joe Kim Noah was nine,
and it kind of falls off like a few guys
that were in the draft, like Thad Young, our boy
was in that draft. He was twelve. I was actually
(38:21):
a good pick for this draft. Good job sixers, all right,
he nailed that one. Marcusol's the marcusol is the value
pick at the draft. Marcus Aol went forty eighth this draft.
Actually you know seven wow, Okay, okay, but yeah, obviously
super loaded up front, and I mean Greg Odin again
obviously tragedy with all the injuries and stuff. But all right,
(38:42):
first round draft pick, five thousand career assists a lot
of options here. I don't really want to run through
all these.
Speaker 2 (38:49):
Do you think we go Westbrook? Off the fact that
I probably would be willing to put a lot of
money on there's that he's either used on other spots
where people didn't think about him here.
Speaker 1 (39:00):
Yeah, we can do it for that. For that reason,
I still think he'll be fairly high, but yeah, because
he will have definitely been used elsewhere.
Speaker 2 (39:07):
Okay, I think he is like this whole row here
could have been him. Yeah, would pull him that way,
you know.
Speaker 1 (39:15):
Yeah, I gotta get him in here somewhere, all right,
Pacers Hall of Fame. I mean, Reggie's the easy one. Yeah, yep,
I gotta be honest. It gets kind of tough after that.
Chris Mullen I think played for the Pacers like late
in his career. Yeah, and so he definitely would be one.
(39:36):
I don't think like I'm trying all those like Hall
of Fame, like all the all the guys on those
Pacers squads that were good in the early two thousands,
like they're in the Hall are very good, but they
didn't really make the finals like that. Yeah, God, I
feel like you gotta go like way back in the day.
I feel like if you're trying to get other pacers
that would be on this list.
Speaker 2 (39:56):
And that's where that's where I fully don't don't count
because I can't. I'm not gonna be able to help
with that.
Speaker 1 (40:06):
You know what, I have one. I have a boomer
and we got to use him because he's he's an
immacula Grid Darling and because he played for so many teams,
and I keep seeing him pop up and I'm excited
that I'm finally gonna get to use him for once.
Adrian Dantley played for the Pacers. Danty Yeah, d A
N T L E y. Adrian. He played. He's a
(40:27):
player in the seventies and the eighties. He played a bunch.
He's all fame, like genuinely, he's actually a jazz probably
most famous one.
Speaker 2 (40:33):
I'll still look him up. I got nothing on Danty.
Speaker 1 (40:36):
Yeah, Adrian Dantley is definitely Chris Mullen would have worked too.
I mean, we do Chris mullin Hall of Fame, twenty
game per season. I think he'll be pretty low. He
definitely has the game. Yeah, we do Chris Mullen.
Speaker 2 (40:49):
Mullin at point.
Speaker 1 (40:51):
He nice all right in Hall of Fame. Let's capital
off five thousand assists again, plenty of options here.
Speaker 2 (41:03):
Let's just go Kobe right, God.
Speaker 1 (41:06):
Oh my god, he has to write there's no way
he does that.
Speaker 2 (41:09):
Five k I will be like, I will take the loss.
If Kobe doesn't have five K that's fine.
Speaker 1 (41:15):
I try. He played for twenty years. He has to
be even by accident like Kobe's okay, thank god. Like,
but it's crazy that there's a split part of me
that was like I was legit kind of worried. P Yeah, sure,
all right, love that for us. All right, So the
most popular answers three seventeen first round draft. I mean, yeah,
that makes sense. Slow like that. That is probably ho
(41:37):
ies I've ever seen. All right, Uh, just can you
go back to the grid.
Speaker 2 (41:42):
Oh yeah, I'm sorry you can't. I was gonna go
look at the Yeah, I forgot you can see the
whole screen.
Speaker 1 (41:46):
All right. So our most popular answers this week, it
was Paul George for Pacers and Thunder, Tyree Saliburt and Pacers,
first round draft pick Reggie Miller Pacers Hall of Fame
twenty points a game per season for the Thunder, Kevin
Durant twenty and first round pick Lebron James twenty in
Hall of Fame, Michael Jordan Thunder five thousand career assists,
Russell Westbrook first round pick five thousand, career assists, Magic
(42:09):
Johnson and Hall of Fame, five thousand career assists John Stockton.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
Hard question was the OKC Pacers connection, which makes sense?
Speaker 1 (42:18):
Rest of leaser, I mean, first round is such a gimme, Like,
there's so many guys that you could have in the
first round. Our grid to run it back one last time.
The Pacers and Thunder DJ Augustine PACER's first round draft pick,
Victor Oladipot, Pacers Hall of Fame, Adrian Dantley Thunder twenty
a game per season, Ray Allen twenty game per season,
first round draft pick, Mike Conley twenty game and Hall
(42:39):
of Fame Chris Mullen Thunder, five thousand career assists, James
Harden five k assists and first round draft pick Russell
Westbrook and five thousand career assists in Hall of Fame
Kobe Bryant. Thank you everybody for listening to this episode
of Driving Dish NBA podcast. Appreciate you guys, as always
leaves review on iTunes, good or bad, or read them
on the podcast or yes we will them on the podcast. Sorry,
(43:01):
if you're not an Apple user. Anywhere you can find
a podcast, you can find us just real quick before
you plug the YouTube. We will be back regular Saturday
next week. That'll be a little more of a more
normal episode. We'll do balling and falling and all that,
and we'll be breaking down Games two, three, and four,
which will have happened by the time we record next week.
(43:21):
So stay tuned for that.
Speaker 2 (43:22):
Yep yep, And like we said, follow us on YouTube
for video versions of the podcast. You can watch along
as we do the Immaculate Grid Driving ish NBA. On YouTube,
you can subscribe. You'll get notifications when new episodes are
coming out. I think we've done my dance today, so
why don't we dance Wednesday?
Speaker 1 (43:40):
See the star side?
Speaker 2 (43:41):
Okay you are? I think they can
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