Welcome to Season Lucky Number 13

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is the Drive and Dish podcast, The Drive and.

Speaker 2 (00:07):
Welcome to you.

Speaker 3 (00:10):
To start it off, it's and just let's go.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
I guess it's technically official. The NBA season is here.
We got some preseason basketball happening and some massive overreactions
in my opinion, at least from the Philadelphia fan base.
But that's fine. We we they We just went through
a really rough stretch, so really grasping at anything to
bring some kind of enjoyment back to Philly sports. But

(00:38):
I'm sure we will talk about that. Unprompted at some
point on the episode.

Speaker 3 (00:41):
You were going to work yourself up, and then you
started the episode working yourself off.

Speaker 2 (00:45):
No, no, I just just referencing that I be warned.
At some point we will talk about it. It will happen.
But for the warm up, we wanted to talk about
the Kings a little bit, mainly from the side that
Russell Westbrook has been signed to the Kings and Kiga
Murray's getting some money. But let's start with Westbrook. He

(01:06):
agreed to a one year deal with the Kings for
the season. The contracts reportedly a VET minimum. Obviously, it's
more about the role Slash Fit Slash bring some veteran
presence to the team. You know, the numbers actually kind
of surprised me with Denver last year thirteen point three
points per game, six assists, and almost five rebounds in

(01:29):
seventy five games. So this will be his eighteenth season,
seventh NBA team, high profile veteran to the roster. I
think will help them at least build whatever they're trying
to build, which might be part of where this discussion goes.
But it's also not lost on me that Pep Bev

(01:50):
has weighed in on the rust thing, kind of talking
about it's crazy how the league and media has been
treating Westbrook because like, huge star NBA player goes out
like this essentially is what BEV was saying with a
lot more curse words. So he does cite or Pat

(02:13):
Bev did cite the Lakers season as like where Westbrook's
reputation might have been damaged. But clearly obviously with Denver,
I mean, thirteen point six assists and five rebounds still
in seventy five games is really good for an NBA
player and for what you would need out of Westbrook.

Speaker 3 (02:31):
No, I definitely agree with Pat Bev in the sense
that the Lakers situation is where Russ's biggest decline was
there because I mean even after like even when he
left OKC, you know, they went to Houston and it
worked well in the regular season, but it kind of
flamed out in the playoffs. And that's been the issue, right,
is that, Like Russ has been good for portions of
the regular season, but I mean even still with like

(02:54):
I remember that season with Washington where like he drugged
them to the playoffs as an eight seed and like
they kind of competed a little bit. So for a bit,
it felt like, right like those teams are overachieving, they
were punching above their weight level. Like when he went
back to that Lakers team, obviously with Lebron and ad
at the time, they had won a championship, Like they
kind of brought him into be that third guy and
it just didn't work. Like there's no way around it, it
didn't work. Now, do I think that the Lakers scapegoaded

(03:15):
Westbrook for a lot of problems too and made it
seem like he was the only issue. Yeah, for sure,
but he also was objectively bad when he was with
the Lakers, and I think that's where it's kind of
you know, he went to the Clippers and sort of
changed the narrative a little bit in same with Denver,
like he had some quality moments for them. The problem
is when you get deeper in the playoffs, like that's
where it's like, hey, you know, the Russ flaws start

(03:38):
to come back out. It's like is there a ceiling
when you employ Russell Westbrook? Now that gets us back
to Sacramento. So I texted my buddy Vince Silva. I mean,
he's been on the podcast before a shout out to
a big van and I just said, Vince, how do
you feel about this?

Speaker 1 (03:51):
And he just said and with no hesitation, he's like,
the Kangs are back. He goes, we are the Kangs again.
And now I was like, oh man, that broke my
heart a little bit.

Speaker 3 (04:00):
It's just it's a weird roster right now.

Speaker 1 (04:03):
There's no way around it.

Speaker 3 (04:04):
And I mean a part of me looks around and goes, well,
are they going to be trading half these guys in
February anyway? So like should we really get attached here
too much? But right like you have Westbrook and Schroeder.
Now who Russ you're assuming is coming off the bench again.
But like those are your guys running the show. And
then of course you know you've got some bonus. You've
got Zach Levine, You've got Damar Derozen. I mean, shoot,
you're gonna have Malik Monks. So here a little bit,

(04:27):
and it's just like, what is this roster doing? Like
what are we doing right now? You look around a
loaded Western conference. They didn't really have a great end
of the season last year. There's a bunch of memes
about them just running the Chicago bull squad from the
Eastern Conference back now in the West that never did
anything with the Rose and Levine and like, look, there
are multiple podcasts of me talking about loving that trade
for Levine last year, like I'm not gonna go rewrite

(04:49):
history all of a sudden, Like I thought that was
kind of the punch they needed, but it just didn't
work the way they we really wanted it to. And
all these guys now, including Russ, are super ball doin
it for the most part. So it's just kind of like,
are Schroeder and Russ's going to be able to run this?
Like is Russ going to defer a little bit here?
I mean it feels like he has since you know,
the Clippers stint. Really he's been able to do that

(05:10):
a little more. But yeah, I have no idea what
the Kings are doing other than it's just like, hey,
we're throwing everything at a chalkboard and seeing if it
can stick. I mean, I'm from just a purely basketball
fan perspective. I'm happy for Russ being back in the
league for his eighteenth year. Like, I don't think he's
bad enough to be out of the league. Like I
do agree with that to a little bit as well,
but right, like, I don't think Russ is going to

(05:32):
play huge roles still on teams that are about to
win anything. And I'm just like looking around at the
Kings and going every other team in the West fields
like it's gotten better or they're bottoming out, Like they're
just kind of stuck fighting for this play in position.
And I'm just not encouraged after what I saw last year.

Speaker 2 (05:51):
Yeah, we've come a real long way since the excitement
of the Beam team. Seriously, I looked it up, so
I think it was twenty two to twenty three seasons
when like the Beam things started. It went forty eight
and thirty four. They were third in the West, though,
and had a decent what was it, three games over
the Sons who were in fourth there. You know, you

(06:11):
take it to twenty three, twenty four, that's when they're
at the ten seed, but again they were forty six
and thirty six. That was just the West was crazy
that year. And then you take it to last year
and they're forty and forty two and the ninth seed.
So it's like the record wise has changed a little bit,
but it's really only a few games. I mean forty

(06:34):
eight from three years ago to forty here, which clearly
drops them all the way to like what you were saying,
playing games, but like obviously they've made a lot of
changes with the roster and the personnel, but you know,
I think when you look at it, it's still really
only an eight game swing over those three seasons. Now
where the vibes feel so terrible around the team, when

(06:58):
it's like, again, it's a game, you know, like, yes,
I get it, Like do we think they're competing with
the Rockets or Thunder or Nuggets like that? No, but
maybe some of the some of the moves, the reaction
was more, I guess too much of a knee jerk,
if that makes sense.

Speaker 3 (07:18):
Well, I think it's been a few things in response
to that that have shifted the vibes a little bit.
I think, for one, it's that they haven't really gone
any further in the playoffs.

Speaker 1 (07:27):
Like I think there was that expectation and.

Speaker 3 (07:28):
They beat the Warriors, Like I remember that was the
big Like, you know, you got eliminated by the Warriors
that first year.

Speaker 1 (07:33):
They were good.

Speaker 3 (07:33):
They come back the next year and they beat the Warriors,
but then they don't end up, you know, they don't
get any further in the playoffs, and you know, last
year you take a step back. I think the other thing, too,
is just that Darren fox saga hung over them for
a little bit. Yeah, Like Darren Fox wasn't signing the
max contract with them. It became pretty obvious by the
beginning of last year that wasn't going to happen on
top of him being hurt, so there was the double

(07:54):
whammy there, and so I think, yeah, that situation, how
it clouded a little bit until he ended up getting
moved to say Antonio, Like, I think that definitely messed
with the vibes there a little bit as well. But yeah,
I mean I don't fully disagree in the sense that
they're still kind of winning the same amount of games,
but you're but right, like these guys are all getting
older though, and it feels like they're running in place

(08:14):
like it I think Kings fans again when they're the
three seed a few years ago, like you were hoping,
it's like, hey, can we compete here consistently? Like can
we win, you know, make it to the second round
of the playoffs? Like we're not asking for much here
right now. So I think that's where a little bit
of the frustration is.

Speaker 2 (08:30):
Yeah, and again, like I said, they you know, it's
been a decline, right you look at the placement of
where they were. They were the third best team in
the West, and now they're they finished ninth two years later.
But again I think the like look between the lines
is it's only eight games. It's that's not a ton
of more losses or wins, like that's still in It's

(08:55):
still I guess, feasible for them to be good. But
I say that as if they didn't make changes or
it kept some of the players that were supposed to
still be there. It's a very weird vibe around the team,
and that almost leads into the Keegan Murray thing where
he obviously just signed a five year, one hundred and

(09:15):
forty million dollar rookie extension. He's currently recovering from a
what was it a UCL on his left thumb injury.

Speaker 1 (09:22):
Yeah, yep.

Speaker 2 (09:24):
But to that, I bring that all up to say
he's never been more than the fourth leading scorer on
the team obviously, you know, like DeRozan Levine, like guys
like that always above him. So do you feel like
it's an overpay? I don't, but it just continues the
confusion that feels like is around the Kings.

Speaker 3 (09:43):
To me, it's see, I don't have as much confusion
here just because he's one of their younger guys. Like
at the end of the day, he's twenty four years old.
Like he made the All Rookie team. He's shown you
definitive flashes. Like I agree, last season it did feel
like he took a step back instead of taking a
big step foward that I think you wanted. But like, look,
he's one of your homegrown guys I think of anything.

(10:04):
It's still just kind of jarring that, like this is
the normal rookie market now, because you're right, it's like
he and Murray's been good, and I still think there's
a lot of upside here. But it's not like, you know,
this has been a home run Rookie of the year
player either and he's getting these big numbers already. But yeah,
I mean it'll be interesting to see, like ideally he'd
get that three point up a little bit, like he's
still shooting around thirty four percent, Like I think that

(10:25):
would be, you know, the next big step for him.
He's been pretty good defensively for most of his career,
though again he took a step back a little bit
last season. It felt like, you know, he was negative
and defensive box plus minus. So I mean there's still
a lot of potential there. Like you said, you would
need him to ideally, like to see him score a little
bit more assert himself in the offense. But that kind
of goes back to my point of like this roster,

(10:48):
I mean, who other than the two guards, I mean,
Sibonis I'll give credit to is Like he's a pretty
good facilitator. Like I think he's not a guy who
you know, necessarily needs to score a zillion points every night.
But yeah, like we know who's all this roster. We
all know what like Levine and Tamar like to do.
So it's kind of interesting in that regard.

Speaker 2 (11:05):
Well, and and you know his his numbers, right, the
thirteen points five and a half rebounds, like you said,
thirty four thirty seven percent three point shooting. That said,
some comparison some players that compared to that would be
the four year, one hundred and twelve million dollars deal
that Trey Murphy got, or on the other side of

(11:26):
it would be the five year, one hundred and eighty
five million that Sandgun got for the Rockets. So it's like,
do we think he's in between those two?

Speaker 3 (11:37):
Yeah, kind of I feel like he's I mean, he's
a lot closer to Trey Murphy than Shangun Like I
think Shangoon's a baller like that.

Speaker 2 (11:43):
Of course, that is like, yeah, that's what I'm saying.
In one hundred and eighty five, I mean, Murphy is
only you know, forty less than that is Trey.

Speaker 3 (11:52):
Murphy's a good player though, like if the Pelicans, I mean,
if you're talking about the Pelicans selling, like, Trey Murphy
is a guy who's still going.

Speaker 1 (11:57):
To get a lot of attention. Like I mean, again,
Ken m is twenty.

Speaker 3 (12:00):
Four years old now, I think, and this is something
that I think we're going to talk about as we
get into our season. Preview is like, hey, it is
kind of a young man's.

Speaker 1 (12:08):
League right now.

Speaker 3 (12:08):
Like I know, usually we're like, hey, maybe we need
some seasoning, But then you look back at Okay sees overall.

Speaker 1 (12:13):
Roster, it's like, no, those guys are all still.

Speaker 3 (12:14):
Pretty young and they're here now. Like, you know, I
don't want to get too much into that, like we think.
I like the Vets, of course stay at it last year,
and I think that was a huge part of them, namely,
you know, Alex Caruso and Isaiah Hartenstein namely, but you know, regardless, yeah,
I mean you're going to need him to prove something now,
Like I think this is a big upcoming year for
Keegan Murray, and I mean, who knows, maybe it takes

(12:37):
to the second half of the season to see a
little bit if they decide to be sellers, like he'll
obviously be asked to have a much bigger role. Then
I certainly don't seem like they're going to trade Keegan Murray.
That would feel kind of foolish right now, Like I
don't know if anything, that team needs to get younger
then get older at this point, so I don't know.
I mean, I'm still with you though anytime I see
the big number. But that's just the state of the
league right now.

Speaker 2 (12:58):
I think more than anything, that's the joke. Right as
long as you can make close to fifteen points per game,
you're gonna get paid. Like that's that's the move.

Speaker 3 (13:05):
So unless you're one of those weird restricted free agents,
I mean, who knows if if you're Jonathan Kaminga and
Quentin Rimes and Josh Giddy, you might not. And I
mean it's all to a varying extent. Some of them
got paid more than others.

Speaker 2 (13:15):
Well, and some of that comes back to the luxury
tax and where the team is, you know, in relations
to it. So that's always an interesting problem that certain
teams have to deal with.

Speaker 3 (13:25):
Yeah, I mean, no doubt about it. Like we said,
the cap is more difficult than ever. I mean, it's
certainly for I mean, shoot, you know, we'll again, we'll
talk about that a little bit more as we do
the season preview here. But you know, when you look
at Okay, see, like that's a team who you know
just has their championship and now all of a sudden,
we're up against the cap, like they are going to
have to make some of these decisions here sooner than later.

(13:47):
But you know, I digress. Either way, Welcome everybody to
the Drive and Dish NBA podcast. My name was Kevin Rafeuse,
joining me as always my co host Justin KU's art.

Speaker 2 (13:56):
In the locker room. Snuck to snuck to post my twit.
We're playing the Celtics tie ball game. At the half,
coach wants more toughness. I got a step.

Speaker 1 (14:06):
Oh my god, why do I forget? Who did I
remember this? This is? What is this like Charlie Villain
the Waibo? Yeah yeah, all.

Speaker 3 (14:12):
Right, dude, this was a big deal. Like this is
awesome because it was the first time.

Speaker 2 (14:15):
Like anybody agreed, Yeah, I remember it.

Speaker 1 (14:19):
I mean that's crazy like it is.

Speaker 3 (14:20):
I mean, you talk about all the all access that
these sports are starting to do now, like it is
like live from the halftime dot locker room is crazy.
I mean that's one of the bigger unwritten rules. I mean, yeah,
I totally get why the league is against I mean,
you want to talk about how quick this tip? You
want to talk about how toxic those second asked to
get guys starts piping each other after the first half.

Speaker 1 (14:38):
But yeah, that's a dude iconic one for sure.

Speaker 2 (14:42):
And what was even crazier is after that, Charlie finished
with the team high nineteen points in the Bucks beat
the Celtics.

Speaker 1 (14:49):
Listen, you said coach wanted more aggressiveness.

Speaker 2 (14:51):
They yeah, I got you. But apparently he did if
you remember, he did get in trouble afterwards.

Speaker 1 (14:57):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (14:57):
For on Twitter, that was like the early like Twitter
was still very much in its infancy back then.

Speaker 1 (15:04):
It was a lot more like fun back then too.

Speaker 2 (15:07):
Yeah. Now I just feel like it's the the algorithm
just feeds me stuff I do not care about. I
feel like I stay off Twitter so much now I'm
just like, yeah, over it.

Speaker 3 (15:16):
It's a lot. It's just a lot. It's a lot
of noise. I feel like I just.

Speaker 2 (15:20):
All I use all. I really used. This sounds so bad.
All I use Twitter for is when when sports broadcasts
won't show us the injury, I go back to find it.

Speaker 1 (15:31):
I can't. I still can do. I can't watch that.
So I mean, listen, I get it.

Speaker 2 (15:35):
But which one was there was a recent football one?
It might have been Tyreek Hill.

Speaker 1 (15:41):
Oh it was bad.

Speaker 2 (15:43):
It was him or someone else, but one happened and
I was immediately like, oh, that's broken, and the broadcasters
like didn't catch it. And then and then they went
to commercial and they came back and they're like, yeah,
we're not going to show that. And that's when I
was like, in that commercial break, I was like, no,
that's broken. I was like looking for the video to
be like, yeah, that's definitely like a messed up leg.

Speaker 3 (16:02):
I mean I think we talk about like, I mean,
bring up those injuries. I think I've told this story
on the podcast before, but I mean way back. I'm
talking like eight years ago. Whenever that happened. We lived
in like I still live in Jackson all the time.
I'm pretty sure we had gone out for the night, like.

Speaker 1 (16:15):
As the bod we had gone out for the night.

Speaker 3 (16:16):
And like had a Saturday night and you know, came
back and the tm USA scrimmage was on, and that's
when the Paul Georgian engine. Oh, and like I remember
watching it live and like he went down and of
course he hit the you know, he hit the baseline, yeah,
or he hit the bottom of the basket, and I
was like, Yo, that was like it because you didn't
quite grasp it live where you were just I was like, yo,

(16:36):
he like.

Speaker 1 (16:37):
Kind of hit that.

Speaker 3 (16:37):
I was like, that was that looked pretty brutal And dude,
there was that moment because I don't think commentators didn't
realize it either. I forget it was calling in that game,
but they kind of the same reactions. They go to
the replay and it was just the live reaction of
like oh, because like you started to see the players
reacting like I mean the scrimmage got canceled like that
was it was.

Speaker 1 (16:55):
It was done after that.

Speaker 3 (16:56):
But yeah, that was I mean there's a bunch a
couple now, I mean, especially with football too that you've
seen live and just the way that goes. But like,
but that Paul George one is is still probably the
worst or what Gordon Hayward was rough to on that
opening night when you got hurt, that was.

Speaker 2 (17:13):
Well and what I never understand and I've seen a
lot of people call out you know, broadcast for this
and and from somebody that kind of has to deal
with it at times, like I understand why you can't
but it's like, oh, cool, you won't show the injury.
But you're gonna show this guy like rolling around in pain,
sitting there getting carted onto it, you know what I mean,
Like you'll show that, but you won't show the injury.

(17:34):
Like I get it, because like what else are you
going to do?

Speaker 3 (17:36):
Yeah, but I don't want to see the injury. I
think there's a lot of people that don't want to
see the injury.

Speaker 1 (17:39):
Like I'm not one of these people.

Speaker 2 (17:41):
We stomach Yeah, no, I get it, like it.

Speaker 3 (17:43):
Like I'm sweenish with that for sure, Like even like
even like you have seeing stuff like that, Like I'll
watch it, but like, yeah, it kids, it's ugly.

Speaker 1 (17:51):
I don't want to see the replay of it. Like
I'm good if I see it live. It is what
it is. But like I don't want to see the injury.

Speaker 3 (17:56):
Like I'm one of those where I'm like you can
go find that on your own, like if it happen
on TV go look like I just I don't know,
it's not for me.

Speaker 2 (18:04):
Uh yeah, I've been. I've been. I've been watching JAG's
football for a few years, so nothing discussed me more
than that.

Speaker 1 (18:09):
So they're good this year.

Speaker 3 (18:12):
You can't even slanter them like that, well, I know
they a rough week with Seattle last week.

Speaker 2 (18:15):
You knew what was happening though, after a big win
against the Chiefs, you knew for fact there was going
to be like a comeback to Earth game where like
it was just gonna happen. I knew it was coming.
But but either way, Yeah, I'm with you. I'm just
always like, maybe we find something else to show than
like the field of players on their knees or like

(18:36):
waiting for this guy to get off the field so
that we can resume get Like it just feels weird.

Speaker 3 (18:41):
Just cut to the commentators, like, have the commentators do
a monologue, Like that's kind.

Speaker 1 (18:44):
Of where I'm at, Like, get it.

Speaker 2 (18:46):
This is what we pay you.

Speaker 3 (18:48):
Like actually, it's what you're here for. So yeah, like
it's a I guess treat it like it's a blowout.
It's the wrong war like phrasing there. But you know,
when you got you gotta take over. You gotta do
what you gotta do.

Speaker 1 (18:59):
All right. Yes, Season thirteen, welcome, we are back. We
are here.

Speaker 3 (19:03):
We're of course going to preview the entire regular season.
Gives some of our thoughts on some of the key
storylines coming up for the league. Here, we're gonna do
some balling and falling. Of course, another round of immaculate grid,
you know, Okay, see defending champions Do we think they're
going to repeat a lot of new faces and new
places At this point, I think I'm just going to
go for every generic preview term you could go for.
But no, either way, we have regular season basketball this week,

(19:27):
so we're excited to talk about that, like give our
official predictions of where we think people are going to
end up in a loaded Western Conference and in a
much more wide open Eastern Conference. So excited to have
real hoops back. Leave us review on iTunes, good bat,
or read them on the podcast. If you are not
an Apple user, Google Play, story Speakers, Spotify, tune in,
Amazon Music, player, FM, anywhere you can find a podcast,

(19:47):
you can find.

Speaker 2 (19:47):
Us, and you can find us on YouTube. Video version
of the podcast. Just search drive and dish NBA on
YouTube and you'll be able to subscribe and get updates
or notifications when new episodes are coming out.

Speaker 1 (20:01):
Now words more sponsors.

Speaker 2 (20:04):
So let's dive into the season preview. I guess let's
start with what everybody cares about the championship. Is it
just Okacs to lose. Do you feel like there's too
many contenders in the West for that to be the
case or are we seeing Okac again at the end

(20:25):
of the season putting up the trophy.

Speaker 3 (20:27):
No, I think there's definitely too many contenders in Western
Conference to make that the case. Now, I will say
that I think Okac, in what's been a league of
parody here over the last really not eight to nine
years now, where we've had different champions every year, I
think OKAC is probably in a better position to repeat
than a lot of other teams are simply because all

(20:48):
their younger core guys are locked in, they have veterans
right now.

Speaker 1 (20:52):
Now again they are up against the cap a little bit.

Speaker 3 (20:54):
Like some of these guys. Some of these younger guys
only get paid a little bit here. You know, we
mentioned earlier in the show the vets that they brought
in with Caruso and how well he played with Hertenstein,
how well he played like Hartenstein could very well be
a CAP casualty already this season, just with them being
so up against the second apron. And so I do
think again there need to They're gonna need to keep
drafting well with all these picks, and this is where

(21:16):
Pressey is gonna have to get creative. But yeah, it's
it's hard for me to look around the state of
the league and go, Okay, see, he's not in a
really good spot to repeat here right now. I think
the teams that will certainly give them some run a
little bit. I think Houston obviously, you know, post Vaan
Vleet injury, I think my positivity around Houston is down

(21:37):
a little bit.

Speaker 1 (21:37):
I'm interested to see what they do with kind.

Speaker 3 (21:39):
Of out chick guards position, but I love them pushing
in and getting Kevin Durant. Like I think that team
is deep. I'm still big on the Amen Thompson breakout train.
We mentioned Shannggoun and warm up jumpers, somebody I think
is a really good player as well. It just feels
like that team is deep. They're well coached with Ima Ludoka,
I think they're gonna be in a position to run
the other one in the Western Conference, and maybe even

(21:59):
post van leat injury, has a better chance.

Speaker 1 (22:01):
Now is Denver.

Speaker 3 (22:02):
I really like the moves that Denver made post MPG trade,
going out and getting Cam Johnson. I think Eric Gordon
was great for them last year, Like he's happy with
his deal currently, you still employ the best basketball player
on the planet in Nicola Jokic, Like, as long as
you keep Jamal Murray healthy. Because last year, right, it
was keep Murray healthy and it was keep Porter healthy.
But I think Porter had just large points of the

(22:22):
season where he wasn't as effective for them. Like I
feel like Denver has just improved on their depth a
little bit this year. It feels like that roster makes sense,
and I do I like their chances to get out here.

Speaker 1 (22:34):
And win this Western Conference again as well.

Speaker 2 (22:36):
I'm I'm with you. I think those are the teams,
at least in the West that will be able to
push them the most. I do think the easy answer
is saying, okay, see will repeat, But I think that
comes from what you were saying. They have easily the
best core in the NBA. They're still really young, so
like they're not even at their peak. And I guess

(22:58):
you look at the other teams, you look at Denver,
you look at I guess you can't really use it
with Houston, but like a lot of these teams have
plateaued or are are have gone. You know what I mean?
You follow a team projection and it looks like it
gets to a point and then it starts coming down.
I would say a lot of teams in the West.
I kind of feel that way about the Nuggets being

(23:19):
one of them, although they have made a lot of
adjustments o case, he's got a top five defense, which
I think is kind of wild because between that and
they're shooting and flexibility, they can go small ball on
you or they could go big which at like they
have a lot of different angles that they could throw
at you. They probably have the best young coach in

(23:41):
the NBA. I think that's probably an easy statement to
make these days. And I think the comments from SGA
about like it's a good start when asked about winning
last year, like it shows they're still hungry, which I
think is a big part of it because a lot
of times, like we just joked about with the Jags,
you get a big win, you kind of see this

(24:01):
like a sigh or a relaxation, if that makes sense,
And I don't think we're gonna get that here. And
to you, I think I think when you look at
all the other teams in the NBA, I think this
almost a lose to what you were talking about you
can find an easy flaw for each team as to

(24:22):
why they shouldn't. I don't think you have that with OKAC,
and I think that there's a huge, you know, sign
of of what's to come for this season. I think,
you know, there's a chance they have the Finals MVP.
They might even have the MVP this season again. They
might have Defensive Player of the Year. They might have
Coach of the Year like they we might have. They

(24:44):
might sweep a lot of awards this year too, depending
on how the team does. So I think the easy
move is to say the chalky move is to say
they win again, but they have more than most seasons
in the past. Are really legit. It hard to argue
against argument as to why they will.

Speaker 3 (25:04):
Well, this isn't just exclusive to Okay. See, I think
it's really the West as a whole. But whoever comes
out of the West is going to be a heavy
favorite over the East. Like I mean, I'm looking around
at the East, and we'll get into the East a
little more in a bit, but like you know how
I feel, I think the Knicks are the best team
in the East, and it's not even close to me.

Speaker 1 (25:20):
But then even with the Knicks.

Speaker 3 (25:22):
I don't look at the Knicks and go, okay, yeah,
they're way more like you said, there are flaws there
with that team, where with Okac, like you could argue
to me, the top three to four teams in the
Western Conference are better.

Speaker 1 (25:34):
Than anybody in the East.

Speaker 3 (25:36):
You're right, I mean, okay, see, I don't know if
there's anybody like maybe it's Chet. I guess if there's
somebody where we're like, hey, I maybe want to see
a little bit more. It felt like he was a
little bit of a meat on the bone by men.
I kind of felt that way about Jalen Williams, and
then he just was phenomenal the last two rounds in
the Western Conference final and then in the finals. I
think he's shaken a lot of that off with the
run that they had last year at SGAs SGA.

Speaker 1 (25:59):
We know what that is. But you're right, like it
just like.

Speaker 2 (26:03):
Do you think maybe that that that Chet, if that's
the weakness, do you think the best team to expose
that would be like a Minnesota Timberwolves that that always
are just like physical as all get out, and and
you know, Ant's just kind of this like monster that's
just going to keep attacking you, Like, would they be

(26:24):
a team that could maybe expose that with like Gobert
or something like that.

Speaker 3 (26:28):
Yeah, I get, I mean they certainly seems like they
have the personnel on the bodies with Gobert, with Reed.
I mean the other one is is the Clippers maybe
a little bit with Zubats Zubo has been playing phenomenal defensively.

Speaker 1 (26:40):
Yeah, you know, I.

Speaker 3 (26:42):
Don't know any Denver too with Jokich, Like I think
that that's the obvious one. I mean, Denver to me
probably presents I mean even last season when you look
at them going to seven games, like who pushed okay
see the most? Though I guess maybe that's a little
unfair to Indye, but yeah, I mean I think they
certainly have the personnel to match up a little bit there.
And I mean Indy did as well, Like I mean,
you look at the series that Miles Turner had, you

(27:05):
look at the success Siakam had. It's during some of
that finals as well. Like I don't know that that's
why I feel like, at least on a paper perspective,
but like even that sentence feels a little ridiculous. So
it's like chet Holmgren's their quote unquote weakness. It's like, no,
it's not really in the grand scheme of things. It's
just like that's if we're heavily knit.

Speaker 2 (27:21):
Well and how old is he too, like the he's
still career arc on the up, like for all we know,
he could solidify everything this season and now here we are,
you know, yeah, so yeah, it's I think this year
is easily okaysees to lose, but I think if they
win everything, I don't think anybody is going to be

(27:42):
very surprised.

Speaker 1 (27:43):
No, no, I don't think so either.

Speaker 3 (27:45):
Like I said, Houston and Denver to me probably pushed
them the most in the West and then kind of
that tier two in the Western Conference. Again assuming hell
for everybody, but that's where you have like the Clippers,
the Timberwolves, the Warriors, the Lakers, the Mavericks I think
can get their assuming health and assuming Cooper flag breaks
out the way that we're expecting him to, and everything

(28:07):
else up in that is kind of the up in
the air. I mean, the big question of like, you know,
who will be almost that breakout team, if you will
is I'm wondering if san Antonio, Like I think this
is the year where I want to see them start
to win something here a little bit like you go
out and get dearon Fox, like you ideally got Wemby back,
Like you know, we know it's all about potential, but
it's like even now with you know, you've got Dylan
Harper with a number two pick, You've got Stefan Castle

(28:29):
coming off the rookie of the year, Like it's.

Speaker 1 (28:32):
Time to start to win something, fell us.

Speaker 3 (28:33):
I know the end of the Wemby you know season
last year with blood clots, they only ended up winning
thirty four games. You know, I want to see them
bare minimum to me should be the play in But
I would like to see them be pushing closer for
that sixth seed.

Speaker 2 (28:46):
Honestly, Yeah, to me, it would be like what you
were saying, like the Wemby era really beginning for them.
Wemby comes out, he's you know, just absolutely locking it down.
We find get an idea of what this team will
look like with him and Fox like that would be
exciting to see. So yeah, I think we if they

(29:08):
can get themselves to like a top ten offense, top
five defense, I think their identity I think with Wemby
in general, is always going to be defense first, but
it'll be fun to watch because of his you know,
potential and just freak blocks that he's going to be getting.
But you know, it does leave a little bit of

(29:29):
question as to wondering what him and Fox will look like, uh,
you know, gelling together and I'd have to look up
their salary cap and what their flexibility would be for
some mid season or you know, a few months in. Hey,
we really need to address this kind of situation. What
adjustments they could make on that?

Speaker 1 (29:48):
Yeah, I mean, and they do they have it.

Speaker 3 (29:50):
They there's no doubt there's a glut of guards there
right now. And you do wonder if there's a little
bit of pressure with that with because going to get
the Iaron foxes kind of like a push the chips
in a little bit.

Speaker 1 (30:00):
It's like, hey, we're trying to win now.

Speaker 3 (30:01):
Like Aaron Fox is not you know, he's still a
young ger in the grand scheme of things, but like that,
he's not a guy who is twenty two years older.

Speaker 2 (30:08):
Well, no, he's ready to win. Yeah, he's ready to win.
And I think that's why they did it though. I
think they saw what they have with Wemby and go, okay,
we can start doing this, you know what I mean.

Speaker 3 (30:18):
Yeah, And so the question then is always, you know,
when you look at the standings, you go, okay, we
want san Antonio to get in the mix. It's like
who drops off? And I think the logical drop off
candidates in the West are Memphis now post has been
Baine trade, yeah, and Sacramento, which we talked about a
little bit earlier, Like I think Sacramento is a candidate
that's likely to get jumped here. Phoenix is still kind

(30:39):
of in a state of flux right now. You know,
Portland kind a decently surprising second half honestly, like they
were a little bit better then, but they're still kind
of improve it mode as well. The Pelicans, it feels like,
you know, the Pelicans, it doesn't feel like are going
in the right direction still. It feels like it's been
bad there. Utah obviously is tanking still, like trying to

(31:00):
get those higher picks now at this point. And so yeah,
I mean, to me, san Antonio needs to be one
of the teams to replace them and get in that
top ten like bare minimum.

Speaker 2 (31:10):
Yeah, no, I'm I'm I'm with you. I kind of
follow suit with teams that I think would fall out.
There's always one surprise. Do you do you think there
could be a team that we see as like should
be there but might surprise us as a falloff team.

Speaker 3 (31:26):
I mean, so the logical candidates just based off their
age and injury, or the Clippers and the Warriors, Like,
I mean, those squads really are like they're gonna be
the They're bucking the trend here a little bit and
saying we're going all in on our older corse, which
I mean, look, they were both great teams last season.
I mean, certainly post Jimmy Butler trade, the Warriors were
one of the better teams in the Western Conference. The

(31:47):
Clippers were in contention all year. Obviously in a really
loaded end of the season race. They fought a full
playoff series. I mean, you go out to Denver, you're
not really too upset about that. But yeah, either way,
I think those two just from the perspective.

Speaker 2 (32:07):
Well, and where are we on the Kawhi saga, because
that could be another part of this whole thing, you
know what I mean.

Speaker 3 (32:12):
I mean, nothing is really in set Stone yet, Like
I mean, there's still a lot of investigation going on.
I mean, the League hasn't ruled down any discipline or
anything like that. Like, yes, that would certainly. I mean,
if they avoid Kawhi Leonards contract, that would really throw
a wrench into imagine.

Speaker 2 (32:28):
Could you imagine they avoid it somehow he ends up
on the rockets.

Speaker 1 (32:32):
If they find my god, why why the rockets.

Speaker 2 (32:36):
I'd just be the easiest one to throw them with
Katie and be able to contend against the thunder right away.

Speaker 1 (32:41):
Yeah, I mean that will be a while. I don't
even know.

Speaker 2 (32:43):
If well, I bet there would be some kind of
year punter. There's no way they would let him just
pop over to a team though, to what we were
just talking about. Could you imagine though, if he ended
up somehow through all this ended up back on the
Spurs with Wemby and and and Fox.

Speaker 3 (33:01):
Yeah, I mean that'd be that'd be wild. It feels
like that that bridge is pretty cooked.

Speaker 1 (33:05):
I mean it.

Speaker 3 (33:05):
Maybe you know, if Pop Gubbs comes down and gives
a blessing and says, hey, you know what, let's let's
make things right here. I guess, but yeah, that's a
that's a weird. Like I'm interested to see how that
relationship evolves as time goes by, but he's like, look,
at the end of the day, Kawhi Leonard, one defensive
player of the year and a ring in San Antonio.
Like his tenure was objectively successful. But you're right, like

(33:27):
he just got hurt that year against the Warriors when
Zaza stepped on him, and it was just like or
he stepped on Zaza, I guess, but whatever, yeah when
he was landing. But ever since then, yeah, like yeah,
it was off. I mean, there's no way or any
and he's the only guy, Like he's what broke that
like aura around the Spurs, if you will, like you're
you These Spurs are bringing their homegrown guys. It's like, yo,

(33:49):
you're a Spur for life. What do you mean you
want to leave.

Speaker 1 (33:51):
The pasture right now?

Speaker 2 (33:52):
That was crazy And then he went and won again
with you know, the Raptors, and but but the Raptors
at least there's been some rumors about stuff that he
was trying to get out of them and and so
like it's just a weird saga. And I do think Clippers,
to me, would be a candidate to see potentially fall.
But a lot of it hinges on whatever is found
from these these things. They're looking into.

Speaker 3 (34:15):
Toronto definitely likes him the most. And it's crazy because
like even that has a weird ending, like Kawhi Leonard
was essentially a mercenary, but like, look, it's a great mercenary.
Ten he brought him Ember one year you won the
title and he left, Like you win the title. It's
all good.

Speaker 1 (34:31):
But I think actually gave up.

Speaker 3 (34:32):
I mean, of course we know what the Rosen meant
to them at the time, Like that was a big,
you know, a big culture shock for them. That's still
one of the more shocking moves in at least our
tenure doing this.

Speaker 2 (34:43):
Was a baca on that team at the time with yeah, okay, yeah,
I remember that.

Speaker 3 (34:48):
Yeah, I mean that team was that twenty nineteen team
is really good in hindsight, Like you look at all
the raw all the guys they had between between og.

Speaker 2 (34:57):
Who was their center. He was good too.

Speaker 3 (34:59):
Now, oh, Val they had Valachunis. I think they traded Valanciunis.

Speaker 2 (35:05):
Okay, yeah, because.

Speaker 1 (35:07):
Mark Mark played well against.

Speaker 2 (35:08):
I forgot Mark was there.

Speaker 1 (35:10):
Geez yeah, Mark got uh marct his ring there. Yeah,
you see had two.

Speaker 3 (35:15):
I think he was actually I think he was on
that Lakers team that won again too.

Speaker 2 (35:18):
In the ball I'll find out.

Speaker 3 (35:21):
I mean, I know we won with Toronto. I'm interested
to see. I think he won with that Lakers team
that won in the Bubble.

Speaker 2 (35:28):
He has one twenty nineteen.

Speaker 1 (35:30):
Okay, all right, never mind?

Speaker 2 (35:31):
Yeah, does Marcus all have a ring he won with
the Yeah, he won with the Raptors.

Speaker 1 (35:36):
Yeah, okay, all right?

Speaker 2 (35:37):
Well and and fun fact, he had g n G
engraved on his Raptors ring as a tribute to the
grit and grind Grizzlies.

Speaker 1 (35:46):
Sick super cool.

Speaker 2 (35:48):
I mean, I didn't realize that.

Speaker 1 (35:49):
That's cool grind.

Speaker 2 (35:51):
Remember the remember the what he did? The what was
it he did? The Oh gosh, why can't I remember
his the fighter you have?

Speaker 1 (36:02):
Yeah, yeah, that was wild Chip. I loved using that
back in the day.

Speaker 2 (36:07):
But he hit a three, didn't he Wasn't that why
he did it? Yeah? Oh? Mark?

Speaker 1 (36:13):
All right?

Speaker 3 (36:14):
Eastern Conference. Uh, let's jump over there a little bit.
You know already already kind of mentioned that. I said,
I think the Knicks are the favorite here in terms
of regular season, Like I think the Calves are going
to be right there as well. But like we don't
need to rehash I feel about Cleveland, like Cleveland, you
got to do something in the playoffs for me to
believe in you guys again, I'm so disappointed after last
season and how they got chumped.

Speaker 2 (36:34):
By Indian Sorry not to fully only because I want
to dive into the into the East, but I have
a thought the major awards like MVP, Rookie Defensive Player,
are all those one in the West?

Speaker 1 (36:53):
Yeah? Probably?

Speaker 3 (36:55):
Yeah, I mean I don't know, Like I mean, Giannis
is still there in Milwaukee. Sure, he'll always be in contention.

Speaker 2 (37:02):
Well, but to me, it's like I bet if if, uh,
if the MAVs are gonna play as good as we
think we are, like Cooper Fly is gonna take home
Rookie but yeah, ah, like I really, m VP is
probably going west.

Speaker 1 (37:18):
Do you think Brunson can get MVP votes?

Speaker 2 (37:22):
Probably? But the argument then.

Speaker 3 (37:25):
The Knicks are good, like they're starting five is good.
And that's basically my argument is that he's surrounded by
a lot of quality guys, so like, well, if they
come one in the East, I feel like he'll he'll
be in the conversation.

Speaker 2 (37:35):
Yes, but I guess if SGA is there as well,
the argument will be SGA is first in the West
in a stronger West over Brunson who's first in the East,
and it's easier because of injuries and just the though
you just look at you know, it's very top heavy
on the West right now. I think that would be
the argument against him based off no stats, no, nothing

(37:57):
like that would be the first argument against him.

Speaker 3 (37:59):
Yeah, it's isn't going crazy scoring again. I think that'll
be the biggest thing. I mean, I think kill always
be in it. I think Luca will be in it probably.

Speaker 2 (38:10):
But again that's all West. It's like like, is Brunton
the only chance to bring one of those awards to
the or maybe if Cooper flags not playing well, you
know another rookie that was draft this year, but like.

Speaker 3 (38:25):
Not giving any m v P credit to after his
successful preseason debut last night, to former MVP Joel embiid,
he were not giving him any chance here.

Speaker 2 (38:34):
No. I did like his comments that'll be talking about
how people view him as not a top one hundred
player that was.

Speaker 3 (38:41):
Grant grantly and didn't have him on the top one hundred,
which is I do like, listen, I get it, I get.

Speaker 2 (38:47):
What you're trying to make.

Speaker 1 (38:49):
What are we talking about what.

Speaker 2 (38:51):
I get the point you're trying to make, But sir,
that is a bad take.

Speaker 3 (38:54):
Yeah, like we like we can rage bait a little bit,
but like you gott you could one, like we gotta
be serious a little bit.

Speaker 2 (39:00):
You want to start do you want to start a
in the podcast only joke, like in an inside joke
between you and me and our listeners, which is like
seven of us just making the most click baity TikTok
videos about sports pot like about the NBA. But what

(39:23):
we do is it's none of our thoughts. We literally
go into chat GPT and say, give us a clickbait,
rage bait video script and that's all we do. And
that is all the videos are, no context, just driving
dish NBA on TikTok, quick selfie recorded, read the script,
post it with no context, and we can't defend ourselves.

Speaker 3 (39:44):
Justin I love you to death. I might literally immolate
myself before I do that.

Speaker 1 (39:49):
I think you might.

Speaker 3 (39:49):
You might see me poor gasoline on myself and light
myself for that.

Speaker 2 (39:54):
I would have so much fun with that because people
we get so pissed off.

Speaker 3 (39:59):
I don't want to be a I want to pedal
anger and chat cheep, especially cha.

Speaker 2 (40:04):
Anger, but it would be NBA. It would be NBA talk.

Speaker 1 (40:08):
No, I don't want to know. I'm good man.

Speaker 2 (40:10):
Oh dude, fun.

Speaker 1 (40:12):
I don't have it in me.

Speaker 3 (40:13):
If you want let our rage bait, let our rage
bait happen naturally, don't have artificial intelligence generated.

Speaker 2 (40:20):
Oh my gosh, would be so fun though. I'm just saying,
just saying to the EMBIID thing though, do you think
there's no in between, because that's the vibe I get
with it, where it's either Embiid will be there and
he'll be amazing, or he won't be there because he'll
be injured. Could there be a world where he's there
and he's good but not MVP level Embiid, And that's

(40:43):
what I think we need out of him. I think
if he's trying to be m v P level, that's
where we'll get the injury. If he's just like, just
get it done. It doesn't have to be flashy, just
you know, be the leader of the team. Yes, he's
gonna score probably close to twenty twenty five points a
game and stuff like that, like, but be the facilitator
for this team and get everybody else involved. Like to me,

(41:08):
that's where we would succeed the most. Let him, let
him take his rest when he needs it, but but
still be out there and facilitate and lead the team.
I think there's a version of that, but it doesn't
feel that way online. It feels like it's MVP or bust.

Speaker 3 (41:21):
Well, that's the dream world, right, and the dream world
is that he's able to be he's he's able to
be healthy.

Speaker 1 (41:25):
You get even a little bit.

Speaker 3 (41:26):
That's where it's like it doesn't need to be MVP,
Like you understand, post all these injuries that like if
he can just give you, you know, four fifths of
his previous productivity and you know, you have some of
the young guys step up, right like VJ. Edgecombe breaks
out in his rookie year, and you know, Jared McCain
comes back healthy, and Tyrese Maxi continues to build on
what he's been doing, and like, you know, even some
of the other younger bigs like a Justin Edwards or

(41:48):
an a den bona breakout like that's your you know,
that's your dream scenario there, they'd have a lot more depth.
And that's before I even said anything about Paul George
and just hoping he gives you something at this point,
but it does certainly feel like it's just because it
was so bad last year, Like he just he didn't
look good at all, Like that's the problem, is that
he just didn't look remotely himself, like even when he

(42:10):
was playing, Like I mean I went to the game
in person, like not the last game he played was
against Brooklyn, but I went to the game against Boston
before that, and personally he just had no lift, Like
he just had no like there's no elevation when he
would get the ball on the post, like and especially defensively,
like he was getting torched like that was the more
alarming part is where I'm like, oh, he's not even
playing well defensively right right now, like that used to

(42:31):
usually be the fallback if nothing else. And so yeah,
I think it's I don't think it's it's quite as
up or down, but yeah, I mean, if embiid goes
through another season where he's not playing a lot, it
is gonna be hard to really rule against the narrative,
like I think with the Sixers, like the fan base
is so jaded at this point, like I do, I

(42:52):
feel like it's all house money again now to us with.

Speaker 2 (42:54):
Joel, I you're gonna hate me. I just put in
a prompt say give me a sixty second script with
NBA hot take as to why Joel Embiid will be
this season's MVP. Please discredit SGA as much as possible.

(43:15):
Should I read it? Should I see what it says?
All right, here's what he said, hot take time. Joel
Embiid is about to steal back the MVP, And yeah,
I said, steal it back from SGA. SGA season was nice, smooth,
mid range clutch moments. But Okase is fun to watch.
But let's be real. It was a perfect storm and
he only got it because of a healthy roster, which

(43:36):
will not happen this year. And Beid's gonna be on
revenge mode. He's about to drop thirty five or fourteen
y anchoring a top three defense when he's locked in
something SGA Yiannis not even your Joker could could do. There,
you go, that's it.

Speaker 3 (43:54):
I mean they are really like you talk about the
wild card in like the Eastern Copference. They kind of
are a little bit because there is a world where
it's like they're healthy and if everything goes right, Yeah,
you could see him competing with the top of this conference.
I am not a firm believer that that's going to happen,
but like there are worlds with this team where they compete.

(44:14):
I have a hard time putting them again over over
the Knicks, over Cleveland, over Orlando. I still feel better
about Orlando this year. I think even Detroit a little
bit like Detroit. We'll see what they do again, but
after last year, the momentum was going in the right direction.
You know, Milwaukee, it's all Yannis. Still I'm not as
optimistic about that. We know what it is with Boston
and Indy without missing Tatum and Halliburton, like so, they're

(44:36):
already just kind of you know, they're not going to
fall off a cliff, but there's definitely gonna be a
little bit of a regression there.

Speaker 2 (44:42):
So, uh, I told you I was going to tell
you this when we were on when we were off
the mic, but I saved it to say it on
the mic so I could get your initial reaction first.
This also suggests that I used Drake's song eight Am
in Charlotte as the in instrumental for under Me. So
if you could go back and listen to that, that

(45:03):
hot take with that imagined under That's that's what this one. Okay, No,
but what I think. And I know Chase hates that
I say this, but I brought it up to him
a few times, and now I just tell them in
the hall because I know it bothers them. If the
Sixers are healthy, uh huh healthy m hm, they will
have a better record than the Magic.

Speaker 1 (45:25):
Yeah. I don't mean if they're healthy.

Speaker 2 (45:27):
I know, I know, I know.

Speaker 1 (45:29):
If they're fully healthy, that's just such a huge caveat.

Speaker 2 (45:32):
And that's why I.

Speaker 3 (45:33):
Think they absolutely could be right around the Orlando Magic
if they're fully healthy.

Speaker 1 (45:37):
I don't think that's ridiculous.

Speaker 3 (45:38):
It's just I have much more faith in the Magic
being healthy than I which is saying something because the
Magic is doubt with a ton of injuries themselves. But
like I do, I have way more faith in the
Magic being healthier than I do with the Sixers teams healthier.

Speaker 2 (45:49):
Okay, So I got another question for you, because it's
just an observation I have. I think the Orlando Magic
are the only team that went five hundred last year.

Speaker 1 (45:59):
It looks like that, dot yeah, yeah, dot yeah.

Speaker 2 (46:04):
What's more likely more wins or more losses this season, no.

Speaker 3 (46:08):
More wins, definitely more when they Tradefferent Desmond made like that,
that's a push the Chips in now move.

Speaker 1 (46:13):
I like what Orlando's up to. I think they're gonna
get it done.

Speaker 2 (46:16):
But how many more wins do you think that gets them?
Does it get them to forty four, forty eight, fifty?

Speaker 1 (46:22):
I think they're pushing. I think they're pushing forty eight
or fifty.

Speaker 2 (46:25):
Okay, Okay, I'm in.

Speaker 1 (46:27):
I think they're I think they're near the top of
the conference this year.

Speaker 3 (46:29):
I don't think they're like winning sixty four like Cleveland
did last year.

Speaker 2 (46:32):
But put it this put it this way, fifty would
be one win less than what the Knicks did last year,
So that would be really good vibes for the Orlando Magic.

Speaker 3 (46:40):
I think I think they're there, Like I really, I
don't think like you could talk me into them being
better than anyone right this second, probably not named New York.

Speaker 1 (46:48):
I still think the Knicks are a little bit better.

Speaker 3 (46:50):
But like you talk me in Orlando over the Caves,
you can talk to me in Orlando over the Pistons,
Orlando over the you know, name a team in the
Eastern Conference you can talk me over.

Speaker 2 (46:58):
Yeah, Bucks really after that Pacers, like you said, with
the injuries, like it's just not a thing this year.

Speaker 3 (47:06):
So yeah, the sleeper team I have too that I
think could could break out here a little bit is Atlanta.

Speaker 1 (47:12):
I really like the moves in Atlanta's made.

Speaker 3 (47:14):
Like I'm interested to see how Trey Young looks, but
like they just got a lot of guys who can defend,
and I feel like that'll, you know, be able to
take a lot of that because like we know what
it is with Trey Young being the defensive liability at
this point, I think it takes a lot off them.
Like it just feels like they leaned into shooting in
defense and I'm kind of here for it. It feels
like they've got a roster that makes sense for the
first time in a bit.

Speaker 2 (47:35):
Well, and and I want to ask you with with
the two teams we see dropping right, Celtics Pacers, they're
not going to be where they are. Do you think
they're still in the playoffs though? Yeah, definitely because is
so weak. Yeah, they'll drop from two to four. But
like if they're way out, I guess my point is
if they're way out, who's coming in because I don't

(47:57):
really feel like Bulls, Raptors, Nets. I mean, Sixers would
be one. If healthy, they would pop in. But like
Hornet's Wizards, Nets, Raptors, Bulls, he.

Speaker 3 (48:08):
You know, like Jimmy looks believed, like Chicago is always
finds a way to be there. But you could see
them sneaking out, like the only the only team I
see jumping in that wasn't in last year, the Sixers,
Like I think Toronto's gonna stink. I think Brooklyn's gonna stink.
Charlotte and Washington are probably gonna stink. So yeah, I
mean who drops like Miami or Chicago probably, I don't

(48:31):
think Indie. I mean Indy did lose Miles Turner two,
so maybe they're a sneaky like regression, heavier regression year
like Boston still has Jalen like and and Boston has
losto guys too, like with I mean with KP gone
now without Horford gone, with Drew Holliday gone.

Speaker 2 (48:48):
Both teams feel like they understand what this season or
this year is going to be. Like you both get
the vibe from Pacers and Celtics this year is an
off year for us. We're just gonna let it be
what it be. Let's get a you know, let's let's regroup,
get everybody healthy, get another pick in and and go
from there.

Speaker 3 (49:05):
I feel like, if you're the Knicks, the Calves, the
Bucks in Theory, the Pistons, the Magic and the Sixers,
you should be like looking around and.

Speaker 2 (49:13):
Going, Yo, how can we go?

Speaker 1 (49:15):
Why not? Like? Why not? Seriously? Like the Eastern Conference
is that wide open right now?

Speaker 3 (49:19):
And I and I say, and by what I said
at the beginning of the episode is like I think
whoever's coming out West is winning, but either.

Speaker 2 (49:25):
Way because I don't feel I mean, if if you're
telling me it's Calves, Bucks, Pistons, Magic, Sixers, do I
missay one Nick's out of out of the East. I
don't think that's beating thunder Rockets, Nuggets or maybe even
Timberwolves or Warrior. Like I don't feel good against any

(49:46):
of them, if that makes sense for different for different reasons,
but I don't feel good against any of them. I
am get curious to see where the Lakers land this year,
if they still do uh, you know, a third seed
in because I feel like we've kind of written them
off a little bit, just not to bring it back
to the West, but I feel like we haven't talked

(50:07):
about that much. And they were fifty and thirty two
last year and looked pretty good at least once Luca
got in there and things started working out for them.
But I just don't know what to expect from the
Lakers this year, which will also kind of lead a
little bit into our balling and falling in a way,
because like this year more than ever, and I know

(50:29):
we talk about this every single time, but this year,
more than ever, there does feel like a little bit
of like, oh, Lebron might actually be done, like he
might be be ready to hang it up, or.

Speaker 3 (50:37):
Be they're building around Luca, like the transition, And that
was the big story of Summerline to me is it's
like we're transitioning to like we're making our decisions based
around Luca. We're not doing it based around Lebron anymore.
That's probably the first time a franchise has done that
in Lebron's career.

Speaker 2 (50:50):
And I guess my point is more like Lebron's been
saying things and doing things that are leaning towards like, oh,
you just don't care anymore, or like you're towards the
end of this, Like I feel like we're getting to
that point.

Speaker 3 (51:02):
Yeah, yeah, now one hundred percent and I mean yeah,
like yo, let's just transition.

Speaker 1 (51:07):
I gets right into it. Who's balling? Who's balling?

Speaker 3 (51:09):
Our NBA version of the stock market, we always like
start with the good before the bad, justin I'll start
with you this week.

Speaker 2 (51:15):
Who was balling balling for me is the Knicks and
the Raptors. Because this lawsuit from twenty twenty three involving
theft of thousands of confidential confidential files, apparently it is
just going to go away. They're gonna dismiss it. Nobody
cares anymore if you don't. The Knicks filed a lawsuit

(51:36):
in twenty three of August seeking more than ten million
dollars in damages, alleging that the Raptors poached a member
of the knickt staff who worked with them from twenty
twenty to twenty twenty three in order for him to
provide information. I guess that means that it's just gonna
go away. So I don't like, it's a whole lot

(51:58):
of nothing. Okay, cool, it's dismissed.

Speaker 1 (52:01):
It's fully over and like, well, so is this voluntarily dismissed.

Speaker 2 (52:05):
So yeah, voluntarily dismissed.

Speaker 3 (52:07):
Okay, yeah, then hey you can't really argue with that
when the party takes themselves out of it.

Speaker 2 (52:11):
Well, I guess that's my point. It was like, so
what was the what was the point of this? Just
to more put them on blasts for potentially doing this,
like why would you why would you file a lawsuit
and then voluntary dismiss it because.

Speaker 3 (52:22):
You just realize you don't have a good case, Like
you thought you might have a case, and maybe you
don't after you do discovery. Like they're the type of
organizations who have a little bit of fun, so they
can be kind of flexible with that.

Speaker 2 (52:33):
Let's go down this line.

Speaker 3 (52:34):
Yeah, like breaking news. Finally, a lawsuit is expensive, especially
if it goes for a long time even but.

Speaker 2 (52:40):
I guess that's my point. If you're trying to win
ten million and you file a lawsuit in twenty twenty
three and we're now in twenty twenty five, Like how
much did you spend on that to not get ten million?

Speaker 1 (52:49):
A lot?

Speaker 3 (52:50):
They probably spend a lot of money for a lot
of nothing, like you know, all right, lord knows they're
hiring big attorneys.

Speaker 1 (52:56):
If they're repping him.

Speaker 2 (52:57):
Oh yeah for sure.

Speaker 1 (52:59):
Yeah about it all right? Balling from me.

Speaker 3 (53:02):
This week is season two of Starting five on Netflix
is back. So we got five different players this go around,
and this will all be based around last season, so
a little bit of a recap. But we got Jalen Brown,
we got Kevin Durant, we got SGA, we got Tyrese Haliburt,
and we got James Harden. It'll be There are two

(53:22):
clips that I've seen so far. One of them was
KD talking about when Charles Barkley was talking about whether
he was the driver of the bus on all those
like Warriors teams, so Katie reacts to that a little bit.
I saw a clip from Harden too that said he's
like real comfortable who he is. He's like, I got
a girlfriend, and then the interviewer asking him season love
and he's like, I want to do this show.

Speaker 1 (53:40):
What are we talking about right now? Which is electric?

Speaker 3 (53:43):
I mean Netflix certainly didn't script it up this way too,
but just you know the way the season ended, Like
you've got SGA winning the title, which they got lucky
with that in season one too with Jason Tatum, but
then you got Halliburton too, so you get you know,
you just unfortunately have to relive that playoff series and
how that ends depending what side of the coin you're
on there. But you can't really get much better than

(54:05):
that in terms of like a drama perspective and the
players you were having for that, Like it just kind
of worked out that way. I gotta be honest, full disclosure.
I thought the first season of the show was kind
of eh and it had big names, like season one
it was it was Lebron, it was Jimmy Butler, it
was Anthony Edwards, like it was the Bonus, and it
was Jason Tatum, and it of course culminates with Jason

(54:26):
Tatum winning the title. I don't know like it had moments,
but and I've liked a lot of these like Netflix,
like you know, for Formula one Drive to Survive, for example,
I love it. I don't know a thing about F
one and I am completely locked in now, like I
love every second of it. I haven't seen the Tennis one.
I know people like that obviously. I know you you

(54:47):
talked about full swing here a little bit with.

Speaker 2 (54:48):
The PGA and all that Nicole with Rory and just
how vulnerable they are. Yeah, it's it's cool. I haven't
watched any of the Starting Five, to be completely honest,
but it definitely intrigues me enough to want to go
see season two now, especially just to see Sga and
Hallie's story arcs of how we know it's gonna go.

(55:13):
I'm curious as to who you think should be for see.
I know we're getting ahead of ourselves, but for season three, right,
we're going into the season that they would be recording
this for So who are some players that you think
we should or they should be focusing on. So we're
going so it would be for this season, so it
would be season three of Starting five, right. It wouldn't

(55:34):
happen till next year, but we're going into this season,
so it's almost like who's got a good narrative around
them that they could play off of them? To me,
one obvious one would be Luca. If you don't capitalize
on revenge tour Luca like or Skinny Luca like, you
gotta capitalize on that. That makes a lot of sense
to me.

Speaker 1 (55:50):
I think Luca would be great.

Speaker 3 (55:51):
On the counterpoint, I'd love to see like Anthony Davis
in Dallas, Yeah, yeah, or somebody like that, like or
even like a Klay Thompson type deal.

Speaker 1 (56:00):
It's been the league for a long time.

Speaker 2 (56:01):
Could you do like a Cooper Flag first season? You
still would get that team potentially, Yeah, new player getting
figured out? You do Luca on the other side of
that trade.

Speaker 3 (56:11):
I mean, Wenby was gonna be my like other than Luca,
like young guy orts, Like if you get Wemby in there,
that's a coup ideally as they start getting good, I mean, yeah,
any Steph would be great, Like I think Steph would
would have the legend status. My sneaky one is Devin Booker,
which is just because like Phoenix is in a weird
spot right now. Yeah, and I think Booker's been good
and in the league for a long time. He brings

(56:31):
a lot of respect, So I could see him on this.

Speaker 2 (56:36):
Could you do? Would it be? It would be a
weird storyline. But what if you did Dame like recovery, Yeah,
back back in the back in the home team, you
know what I mean? Like that would be kind of fun. Oh,
Clay would be good too with making this stallion Actually yeah, no,
I did that just clicked. Oh my god, that'd be hilarious.
Runston would probably be good too, Yeah, runs And I'm

(57:01):
trying to think if there's anybody else that kind of wood,
it might be like a sneaky like.

Speaker 3 (57:07):
I'm trying to from a star wise, I mean, yeah.

Speaker 2 (57:10):
Well yeah, because you have to go star, right, Like
you can't not do a star.

Speaker 3 (57:13):
You go somebody who's on the border line, because like
that's what I liked out season one is like you
got Sabonis in there where it's like Sabonis is an
All Star, Like, don't get me wrong, like he's very good,
But I don't think Demanta Sabonis is a household name
the way that like Lebron James is, and you know,
Jason Tatum is now and.

Speaker 2 (57:30):
Personally, so some people are commenting on here that Miles
Turner would be good, and honestly, the dude just does
so much other random stuff that no one post deadline.

Speaker 3 (57:40):
I mean, you want to talk about going from India
to Milwaukee, like there's some real bad blood there, like
that would be kind of intriguing.

Speaker 2 (57:45):
Oh, someone wrote Trey Young would be interesting, especially with
the Hawks potentially being good like or or not being
good and then probably traded like that could be the
other part of it.

Speaker 1 (57:54):
Like, yeah, Trey Young would be good.

Speaker 3 (57:56):
I mean kind of those borderline guys like I think
Ky Cunningham coming off a big year for him would
be good. They certainly have options. I'd love to see
them do a ten Day guy, but I don't think
that'll ever happen.

Speaker 2 (58:08):
Yeah, because that's too like you know, like, uh, you
know who'd be interesting if you couldn't do because you
already did s G A, so you would do someone
else do like do like Chet or or someone else
on that team, so you can still get that. Would
it be boring? Though? Like Jokish would be boring? You know,
he doesn't he does not want to do that. There's

(58:28):
he would not want to do it, but he would
not want to.

Speaker 1 (58:32):
Do any of that, like the whole time.

Speaker 2 (58:35):
That's fair.

Speaker 1 (58:36):
That's fair, All right, who's boring for you? This week?

Speaker 2 (58:41):
We're on fall Sorry I got way off topic. Falling
for me is Lebron with the non retirement teaser for
the Hennessy commercial, because we all saw that coming from
a mile away, like no chance that was happening, and
so like literally we saw the and I texted you,
I said, he's either retiring or this is an advertisement

(59:03):
and people are gonna be pissed. And guess what people
were pissed. He's being sued by somebody, so saying that
is uh okay.

Speaker 1 (59:10):
First off, that lawsuit is garbage, Like who want to lawsuits?

Speaker 3 (59:13):
Starting, he dismissed, like, it's not my fault that you
went out and dumped a bunch of money on the
last season of the game because you thought.

Speaker 1 (59:18):
Lebron might retire like that.

Speaker 3 (59:20):
You know, that's the potential of a risk when you
take that, Like, that's completely on you, buddy, for making
the wrong decision. I also agree with this following, just
because it's like, yo, come on, man, you build this,
you build it. It's the decision, Like, don't cheap in
the decision like that, Like Lebron, you're Lebron, Like don't
we listen? And I and I listen. I enjoy a
glass of Hennessy once in a while. I'm not gonna lie,
but like, come on, come on, man, don't cheap in

(59:41):
the decision like that.

Speaker 2 (59:43):
Okay, two things, And I'm curious as to how much
he got paid for that endorsement a ton. Second, I've
never had hennessy. I've never tasted Hennessy.

Speaker 1 (59:55):
I send you a little video.

Speaker 3 (59:56):
Yeah, I guess you can't drink it any more unfortunately,
you know the shout out to his dog. But our
guy Nicky football and Nick Renowitz like I, he was
the same way where you never had Hennessy. And so
we did a glass of right before I left Orlando,
and it was you know, it's just a funny video.
The next time I see you, hand to God, I
will buy you a shot of Hennessy. It's not like

(01:00:19):
it's not because it's not whiskey. It's kangyak. Obviously it's
kind of in that same family. It does really well
with like Red Bull.

Speaker 2 (01:00:29):
But does it like does it like I guess, I
guess what I'm trying to figure out is is it
smooth or does it actually burn on the way down?

Speaker 3 (01:00:38):
I think it's smooth, and so that's the thing is
like I don't like again, there's also tears of it too,
so like if you get the upper tier Hennessy, then
it's probably a lot smoother, But I don't think it's
like like I'm trying to think of something that was
just like straight gasoline going down, like their upper levels
are good, but like Johnny Walker Red for example, Bro,
I might as well just like let a match in.

Speaker 2 (01:01:00):
Put that down my throat at that right right right.

Speaker 3 (01:01:03):
Where like Hennessy's not quite that like brutal.

Speaker 2 (01:01:08):
So it's not public how much he made for his
Hennessy commercial. However, it is a part of his reported
twenty twenty five endorsement deals that have earned him close
to eighty five million this year. So somewhere in that
number is his Henny deal. So yeah for him, man,
But also don't tease us like that ever again, or

(01:01:30):
we will never watch that Lakers game.

Speaker 1 (01:01:33):
Man. I just I mean, and it's it'll happen one
of these days. It's gonna help. Yeah, But like that's
gonna be.

Speaker 2 (01:01:37):
But he's but he's but he's throwing these fake outs
out there, so half the time we're not going to
know if it's true or not.

Speaker 3 (01:01:42):
Yeah, I don't know either way. Like that's gonna be.
That's gonna be such a weird year, all right, my
fallen for me. I was gonna do Jade and Ivy
because he's out four weeks, but then I forgot about
the one other major thing that happened this week, and
that's what we got to say, a happy trails. It's
less of a fallen but I guess more of a
happy trails to Malcolm Rogden, who announced his retirement Rookie

(01:02:03):
of the Year in twenty sixteen seventeen, of course with Milwaukee,
the sixth Man of the Year when he played for Boston.
In twenty twenty two and twenty three, he played for
the Bucks Pacers, Celtics, Trailblazers, and most recently with the
Washington Wizards.

Speaker 1 (01:02:17):
Last season.

Speaker 3 (01:02:17):
He played twenty four games career high twenty one points
with Indy in twenty twenty.

Speaker 1 (01:02:23):
Twenty twenty one. Yeah, like we said, never never.

Speaker 3 (01:02:27):
An All star here, but definitely a good role player
for a while. Obviously an excellent rookie year. It kind
of doubled a lot of injuries, unfortunately. I feel like
that kind of hampered the back half of his career.
But you know, shehouton Malcolm Brogden. I get it's crazy.
I mean, yeah, nine year NBA career kind of shorter
than I expected to be honest, but here we are.

Speaker 2 (01:02:46):
Well that's what I was gonna say. The dude's only
thirty two, he's younger than us, and he's retiring. I
was kind of when you said it, I was like, wait,
he was retired, Like I had to go look it
up because I was like, he's living the dream. Just
I could be honest. He my guy, like, oh my work,
Are you retired at thirty two? Dude? Must be nice?
But yeah, I mean, geez, good for him. It's still

(01:03:08):
kind of in shocked myself, but happy to see, you know,
him able to hang it up or be happy or
please with what he accomplished. I mean I would in
terms of indie years, his twenty twenty one season would
be the one that would probably be highlighted as one
of his better scoring ones. Had twenty one points per year.

(01:03:29):
He got a six man with Boston, so maybe he would.
I wonder if he would be open as to what
he would see as his most successful year, you know
what I mean, because like he won six man in
twenty two to twenty three, but in twenty twenty one,
it was when you were more I guess efficient, scoring

(01:03:49):
more do putting more points on the board. Like I
wonder where he would he would think his best year
is at that point? Yep, Yeah, you didn't start any
games for Boston, but obviously played sixty seven of them.
He was still doing about twenty six minutes.

Speaker 3 (01:04:05):
Six of the year, Like that's a super successful year
for him. But then you know, then unfortunately the other
side of that, as he ended up being the guy
that gets traded for Drew Holiday and so you know,
they go out and win the title that year. I
don't know, Yeah, I thought maybe the Knicks because like again,
chance to go to the finals. He thought, maybe you'd
stick around there, But you know, can't really can't really
argue with that contrasts.

Speaker 2 (01:04:23):
There well and if if you know, obviously it comes
back to mental too. If you're just done, you're done.
So yeah, for sure, I get that for sure.

Speaker 3 (01:04:30):
Yeah, all right, let's switch gears a little bit, should
play some immaculate grid.

Speaker 2 (01:04:34):
Sure you know, share my scream, right.

Speaker 3 (01:04:37):
And so for the podcast listeners, of course, you can
always watch our immaculate grids on YouTube. Just start driving
to the NBA podcast. But for those who are listening
our columns this week from left to right, just can
you go back instead of your talking points? I appreciate
the research as always my brother ya see, but yeah,
all right, so from left to right we have the

(01:04:59):
column we had the Sixers. We got the Pistons, and
we got ten thousand career rebounds. Our rose from top
to bottom. We got the Celtics, we got the Magic,
and we got one block per game for season justin Unfortunately,
I don't think there's any Elford Payton connects here for
you this week. He did not have ten thousand rebounds.
He did play for the Magic.

Speaker 2 (01:05:18):
I don't think he played for the Pistons, which would
really be our only shot at that one. So I
do believe Michael Carter Williams ended up on the Magic though.
Did he ends up there for a second, So that
would be a low key potential one we could use
for the Sixers Magic. Obviously Vooch works there too, Dwight Howard,

(01:05:39):
So we got a few there.

Speaker 3 (01:05:40):
So yeah, the few, I mean, Jonathan Simmons is another
random one. I feel like we used him there before.
But Jonathan Simmons went to the Magic after he played
for US. Yeah, man, I'm trying to I did. I'm
trying to remember if Alfa Rukamino ever played for US.
I thought he might have for a second.

Speaker 2 (01:05:58):
Wasn't not Turklu did Iliasova ever play for the Magic?

Speaker 1 (01:06:07):
I want to say he did, but I'm not one
hundred percent would be a good one. Really, I feel
like he did early kind of.

Speaker 2 (01:06:15):
I don't, I don't. I mean, I know Heliusova.

Speaker 3 (01:06:18):
Would be a good one. He was definitely on the Sixers.

Speaker 1 (01:06:20):
He would.

Speaker 3 (01:06:22):
God, that's gross. I want to do that. I'm super
down for that. Actually pretty play from the Magic. Yeah,
I think that'll be lower. I think that'll even be
lower than mc W potentially.

Speaker 2 (01:06:30):
How does he spell it? I there? Yeah, okay, okay, yeah,
point savage, yeah, okay.

Speaker 3 (01:06:39):
Because he's on the Sixers like half a season. Yeah,
and then yeah, he was on Orlando pretty early.

Speaker 2 (01:06:46):
She went to the Bucks after us, right, we traded
him in the off season to the Bus.

Speaker 3 (01:06:51):
I don't remember what I mean, I know he was
on the but he started his career with the Bucks.

Speaker 1 (01:06:54):
He's the Bucks.

Speaker 2 (01:06:55):
Sure he went back to the Buck. I think he
went to the Bucks after us.

Speaker 1 (01:06:58):
He did at some point. I don't remember when, to
be honest.

Speaker 2 (01:07:02):
But now I have a weird question. Did Mario Harzonia
end up with the Pistons after the Magic?

Speaker 1 (01:07:10):
I want to say he did.

Speaker 2 (01:07:12):
I know he like he did too. I know he
went to two other places. I just it's either the
Rockets or the Pistons. I thought he went to one
or the other. I just can't remember which one he
went to.

Speaker 1 (01:07:22):
The Knicks confirmed. I know he went to the Knicks.

Speaker 2 (01:07:24):
Yes, he did go That was right after Orlando.

Speaker 3 (01:07:27):
Right, I don't know about the other one. It might
have been Detroit. It might not have been. Guys that
I know confirmed that will work for Orlando and Detroit
are Tobias Harris.

Speaker 1 (01:07:40):
Oh, definitely. Does.

Speaker 3 (01:07:43):
I feel like there's a big Oh, Grand Hill. Grand
Hill is a big one. He'll be a lot there.

Speaker 2 (01:07:48):
Never ended up with the Pistons right.

Speaker 3 (01:07:50):
Now, the Pistons, I don't think any of their guys.

Speaker 1 (01:07:56):
Now sham it or like who else shams Shaman?

Speaker 2 (01:08:02):
Yeah, geez, can It didn't Isaiah can didn't he Did
he ever play for the Uh?

Speaker 1 (01:08:13):
Dude, I don't know.

Speaker 2 (01:08:15):
Did he ever play for the Magic? I feel like,
didn't we trade him to the Pistons after that?

Speaker 1 (01:08:19):
I don't know who? I don't I remember he played
for the Bulls and he played for the Suns, and
he paid for the Sixers.

Speaker 3 (01:08:27):
And that's about where I lost track of Isaiah Cannon.
I think I'm trying to think of, like those weird
in between years of the Magic, so like when they
weren't quite too good, but they were something I think of,
like like not Booch, but I'm thinking of like the
DJ Augustine types.

Speaker 2 (01:08:44):
Yeah, who was who was the one that was next
to Boch there?

Speaker 1 (01:08:53):
I mean not well they I guess they had the
Biambo for a little bit.

Speaker 2 (01:08:56):
Bambo's definitely not no, and like a Baka and who
else was around there?

Speaker 1 (01:09:02):
A Boka was never on Detroit?

Speaker 2 (01:09:04):
No, what about other like point guards, Alfred Payton, you
had Ola Depot.

Speaker 3 (01:09:15):
I don't know what we got to dj olgst Dude,
come on, we gotta go DJ there J had a
game winner one.

Speaker 2 (01:09:19):
Time in the playoffs with the Pistons.

Speaker 3 (01:09:21):
Or with the Magic against the I forget a team
they were playing. They were super like not favored. It
was the first round game they won Game one. We
were in Orlando. We almost cleared a bar out because
you were celebrating so hard, and I was like, wow,
no one really cares about this in this neighborhood right now.
That's crazy. Yeah, it was electric, all right. I can't
believe he got two percent. Honestly, I'm stunned by that,

(01:09:42):
like like maybe he was on the Magic for a
little bit, Like I think he was on the Pistons
that long. All right, Celtics and Pistons. Blake Griffin weirdly works.
I think that'll be high.

Speaker 2 (01:09:57):
Did uh Drummond end up? I mean I know Drummond
will work for Sixers.

Speaker 1 (01:10:05):
No, he won't.

Speaker 2 (01:10:09):
Yeah, Celtics is the hold up there.

Speaker 1 (01:10:12):
Sixers and Celtics.

Speaker 3 (01:10:13):
I got a bunch, dude. I mean, Horford is the
obvious one. I don't want to use that. Drew Holliday works,
He's also pretty obvious. Yeah, My sneaky, disgusting one for
Sixers in Celtics is Chris Humphries.

Speaker 2 (01:10:29):
Oh my god, Chris Humphries.

Speaker 3 (01:10:32):
I mean he definitely unless he they said, I mean
unless he didn't suit up for us, but like he
was for sure on our roster at one point. Marcus
Morris also works there.

Speaker 2 (01:10:43):
Morris would work. Yeah, I mean, I'm down to try Humphries.
I don't remember him on the Sixers, but I'm down
to give it a go if you're confident on it.

Speaker 1 (01:10:58):
Yeah, I'm sure he played for Boston. He played for
the Sixers. He was on the roster at one point,
what about.

Speaker 2 (01:11:08):
All Spencer Spencer Hall? Who did he play for?

Speaker 1 (01:11:18):
I don't know.

Speaker 3 (01:11:18):
If he did, I would use Spencer Haw's dude, are
you kidding me?

Speaker 2 (01:11:24):
He was?

Speaker 1 (01:11:24):
All right?

Speaker 3 (01:11:24):
I gotta look that up now. Now, Oh my god,
that's so annoying.

Speaker 1 (01:11:28):
He must Did he not play a game for us.

Speaker 2 (01:11:30):
For some phrase? Maybe I don't remember him?

Speaker 1 (01:11:34):
Bro?

Speaker 3 (01:11:34):
His basketball reference pictures him in his Sixers jersey.

Speaker 1 (01:11:38):
Are you kidding me? Wait a minute? Why am I
there are pictures of him online playing in a game?

Speaker 2 (01:11:45):
Is he.

Speaker 1 (01:11:49):
Hang on? All right?

Speaker 3 (01:11:49):
I gotta figure Oh, they said, wait a minute, he was.
Oh that's so lame. He only suited up in preseason. Dude,
that is brutal.

Speaker 1 (01:11:59):
Oh my god, this all right? Well, oh dude, that's.

Speaker 2 (01:12:04):
Damn Okay, Well there we go.

Speaker 3 (01:12:07):
Do you want to use I mean, we can use
Olytic for Celtics and uh Celtics and Pistons.

Speaker 2 (01:12:12):
He's he definitely works there, right.

Speaker 3 (01:12:14):
Definitely, Yeah, I am one hundred percent he works there.

Speaker 2 (01:12:18):
Yeah. Yeah, the four percent.

Speaker 3 (01:12:21):
Kellylyn, I'm surprised that's low only because Olynics like kind
of a basketball or immaculate grid Darling. I feel like
he shows up in a lot of places, all right,
I mean the rest of these are ten k rebounds
of one blocks per game?

Speaker 2 (01:12:33):
Oh yeah yeah, and I guess we'll just let six
or Celtics be empty. Is that the one we want
to let be empty? Now?

Speaker 3 (01:12:39):
I mean unless we want to just like sacrifice one
block per game ten thousand. I mean there there are
nine so many people, yeah, I mean pretty much everyone
that has ten thousands.

Speaker 2 (01:12:48):
I guess. I guess my thinking at that point is,
if we're going for lower percentage because there's so many
options with ten thousand and one block, we should fill
that one over Celtics six years. Well, we just got it.

Speaker 1 (01:12:59):
We got to keep are one wrong. It is what
it is, Like we knew ones.

Speaker 3 (01:13:02):
I just got a little like damn, it turns out
Chris Humphrey, he's only played for the Sixers in preseason. Like,
I just I learned something today, all right, Boston ten
k rebounds. Bill Russell's the obvious one. Robert Parrish is
there for sure. I think he has ten k. God
big guys they had recently. I'm trying to think like
Perzingis doesn't have ten k. I don't think Warford.

Speaker 2 (01:13:24):
Yeah, maybe he's.

Speaker 1 (01:13:26):
Got Al's got a lot, but I don't know if
he has ten k.

Speaker 2 (01:13:31):
Who else did they potentially bring in that lit a bunch.

Speaker 3 (01:13:34):
Of like who are the other big I mean Parish
was during the bird era? Yeah, Bill is Bill, Like
I think that goes without saying. I'm trying to like
even on their teams. Oh, I mean, I mean Kevin
Garnett too. Kevin Garnett definitely gotta have ten k.

Speaker 2 (01:13:46):
Garnet's gotta have it. Yeah, I bet Garnett's pretty high.

Speaker 3 (01:13:51):
We could do Garnet for ten k rebounds in a
block a game.

Speaker 2 (01:13:56):
Oh, that'd be a good one. You want to do
that Garnett down here?

Speaker 3 (01:13:58):
Yeah, I'm good with that because it'll be it'll be
lower there. I think, Wow, you higher than expected?

Speaker 1 (01:14:05):
All right, we can do we can.

Speaker 2 (01:14:07):
Do vouch for seventy six ers. One block.

Speaker 1 (01:14:12):
He had to have had it, right, He had.

Speaker 2 (01:14:14):
To have because he'll be used mostly for sixers magic.

Speaker 1 (01:14:17):
No, I know, it's just he only played one season
for US.

Speaker 2 (01:14:19):
I don't want it to be like, come on, he
had to have had a block.

Speaker 3 (01:14:26):
If he played for US any longer than one season,
I'd be like one hundred.

Speaker 2 (01:14:30):
Percent alright, alright, I'll move come back to it.

Speaker 1 (01:14:33):
I'm trying six ers.

Speaker 3 (01:14:35):
There's a lot I feel like we can like see
like I'm trying, like I'm thinking of like the THEO
rat lifts of the world, like THEO rat Lift. Definitely
had a block again season.

Speaker 2 (01:14:44):
Ben Simmons had to have had it right.

Speaker 3 (01:14:48):
Maybe actually he had to have disgusting god, you know,
I feel like he did too.

Speaker 1 (01:14:54):
Yeah, he was close. I mean if he didn't, he
was close that or.

Speaker 2 (01:14:59):
Like Nerlins know well, or use any of the Blake
first round picks that we just were never able to use.

Speaker 3 (01:15:05):
Yeah, I don't know if Okafor did nelsoud be about them?
I mean, Neuralins had to move with us like he
was getting starting minutes in.

Speaker 2 (01:15:11):
Twenty fourteen, so it was oga For. But but I
don't see oga For as a defensive guy as much.

Speaker 1 (01:15:17):
So No, I like, I like Neuralins more to Neuralins.

Speaker 2 (01:15:21):
Nerlins know well, hell yeah nice.

Speaker 3 (01:15:25):
Yeah, that's definitely no no doubt there. All right, Detroit
a block a game per season. I mean the obvious
one is Ben Wallace.

Speaker 2 (01:15:31):
I feel like I don't we think Blake Griffin got it. Yeah,
probably is forty points whatever he was doing.

Speaker 1 (01:15:39):
That, dude, I'm telling you his best season.

Speaker 3 (01:15:42):
Yeah, Detroit probably, I bet they all like kind of
went empty, you know.

Speaker 2 (01:15:45):
But I bet we could do Blake there and it
would be fair.

Speaker 3 (01:15:48):
But the one that with Blake though, was Blake is
not a big block guy.

Speaker 2 (01:15:51):
No, but I just feel like off of just playing
those many minutes, he might be close.

Speaker 1 (01:15:55):
Yeah, but like.

Speaker 2 (01:15:58):
Who else? No, who was there was another like uh,
bigger name that ended up there for a stint.

Speaker 1 (01:16:06):
That probably that was a center.

Speaker 2 (01:16:08):
Mmm, I don't know if he was a center or not.
I'm trying to remember. There was definitely another player that
was like a decent name that was on the Pistons
for a second.

Speaker 1 (01:16:19):
Talk about Drummond, right, No, but he would definitely work.
I mean, well that's what I mean, like drum drumming
for sure work.

Speaker 2 (01:16:25):
Drummond would definitely work there. No, it's hmmm, maybe it'll
come to me. I'll keep thinking about it.

Speaker 3 (01:16:40):
I mean, if we want to pivot to ten k
rebounds quick Boston again, back to we use Garnett. I
don't think there's anybody else besides Like, I truly like,
I think I'm stumped beyond Bill and Robert Parrish, Like there,
it's it's.

Speaker 1 (01:16:55):
Gonna be chalky. But I don't know I have anybody else.

Speaker 2 (01:16:59):
Well, we could discuss leaving that blank and filling six
or Celtics then, which might have a lower percentage if
we think it'll be lower.

Speaker 3 (01:17:08):
You want to you want to low percentage? Just f
you because I'm mad at that category two that I
know works for Sixers and Celtics.

Speaker 1 (01:17:14):
Gregman Roe, Oh, Greg.

Speaker 3 (01:17:18):
And he definitely played real minutes with us.

Speaker 2 (01:17:20):
And he played six point six. That's a good one. Yeah,
all right, Pistons one block, Magic thousand or ten thousand rebounds?

Speaker 3 (01:17:30):
I mean the Magic have two obvious ones in shack
and white, like those are the two.

Speaker 1 (01:17:34):
Gimme.

Speaker 3 (01:17:35):
I don't know if they have anybody else who has
ten k rebounds honestly, like all their centers.

Speaker 2 (01:17:41):
Okay, hold on, did Gord tot no, no way get ten?

Speaker 3 (01:17:48):
He played starting minutes to get tend doesn't has to
have ten, no way, I don't think he has no. Dude,
if Al Horford doesn't have.

Speaker 1 (01:17:58):
Ten, I don't think have ten. And maybe I'm wrong there.

Speaker 3 (01:18:00):
But like Al Warford doesn't have ten k rebounds?

Speaker 1 (01:18:03):
Oh man, God, now you gotta be thinking about it.

Speaker 2 (01:18:12):
He gets so many rebounds.

Speaker 3 (01:18:14):
Only because that's that's literally the only other guess I
got shack.

Speaker 2 (01:18:18):
And they'll be Chalky. I mean, I'm down to go
Chalky if you think if you don't want to, we
can do.

Speaker 1 (01:18:23):
We can do.

Speaker 3 (01:18:23):
But we already lost one. So I'm feeling way more
froggy at this point. So like I'm doun to do vooch.

Speaker 2 (01:18:32):
He does have it sick.

Speaker 3 (01:18:38):
All right, Piston's block a game or Celtics ten k rebounds.

Speaker 2 (01:18:43):
Piston's block a game, can't Okay? I wish this player
would come to me.

Speaker 3 (01:18:47):
What about like Isaiah Stewart, like somebody newer, younger, you
know what I mean?

Speaker 2 (01:18:52):
Oh, like Cad. Do you think Kate?

Speaker 1 (01:18:54):
No, I don't think.

Speaker 3 (01:18:55):
Kate has a block of game, But I'm saying, like
I think Isaiah Stewart does.

Speaker 1 (01:18:59):
Yeah, I feel like he'd be.

Speaker 2 (01:19:00):
Who's a Yeah, who's their other defensive guy? Not Stuart?
Is Stuart who I'm thinking of? No? Who else they
have that made a name for himself in the playoffs.

Speaker 3 (01:19:11):
I know, I know you're thinking of, and I'm blanking
on it right now. Let me pull up the roster
hang on.

Speaker 2 (01:19:23):
Maybe it was Stuart, but no, Ron Holland. Holland's who
I'm thinking of. Okay, yeah, but.

Speaker 1 (01:19:29):
Stuart's like i'd be down. I'd be down to Isaiah
Stewart there.

Speaker 2 (01:19:32):
I think it'll be low Stuart. Yeah, is that there is? Yep, yeah, yep,
that was it. There we go missed one.

Speaker 3 (01:19:44):
He got Oh wow, okay, nice. Well that is lower
than I expected. All right, so you only show the
most popular answers right now.

Speaker 1 (01:19:54):
I mean that that's on me. I gotta own that one.

Speaker 2 (01:19:57):
Chris later, we'll take our loss.

Speaker 1 (01:20:00):
Oh yeah, we don't need overtime.

Speaker 2 (01:20:02):
Overtime Scross Svin worked for ten thousand.

Speaker 1 (01:20:05):
Yeah, i'd be interested.

Speaker 3 (01:20:06):
I mean, like I said, I only know that I
played for there too.

Speaker 2 (01:20:09):
No, Sha Garnett, Howard.

Speaker 1 (01:20:13):
We got Garnett, we got Parish, we got Saul.

Speaker 2 (01:20:17):
Never went there, Ken Rodman Oakley, Nope, uns be me.

Speaker 1 (01:20:29):
Ten k but Bill Walt was there.

Speaker 2 (01:20:31):
Oh yeah, well and here we can go down. So
here's now there's Voot. Yeah, there is. Zach Randolph has
over ten that. I think we knew that. Actually, Ben Wallace,
Tyson Chandler, I don't think any of those right.

Speaker 3 (01:20:45):
No, yeah, Bill Walm only had forty nine hundred. He
like injuries.

Speaker 2 (01:20:48):
That's why bridges. There's no one blow red interesting Sean Marion. Okay,
all right, back off.

Speaker 1 (01:21:00):
This, all right? So yeah, let's uh.

Speaker 3 (01:21:03):
Most popular answers for each category of Celtics and Sixers.
Al Horford for Celtics and Pistons, Blake Griffin for Celtics,
ten k rebounds, Bill Russell for Sixers and Magic, Markel Foltz.

Speaker 1 (01:21:13):
Wow, we even mentioned Markel. It's crazy for Magic and Pistons.

Speaker 3 (01:21:17):
Grand Hill for Magic, ten k shack for Sixers, one
blocking game per season, Joel Embiid for Pistons one blocking
game per season, Ben Wallace and for one blocking game
per season, ten k rebounds like Chema Lajah want shout out.

Speaker 1 (01:21:28):
To the dream, all right, love him? Get some love
one here, all right?

Speaker 2 (01:21:32):
Connect was Magic Pistons.

Speaker 3 (01:21:35):
Yeah, I kind of believe that after grand Hill that
gets their name.

Speaker 2 (01:21:39):
Yeah. Oh, I guess if I pull it over here,
maybe it won't mess you up.

Speaker 3 (01:21:43):
All right, most popular or our answers on this grid. Unfortunately,
we do have the miss there that Chris Humphries with
the Sixers and and Celtics cost us. We did get
that with Greg Monroe for Celtics and Pistons, Kelly Olynyk
for Celtics ten k rebounds. That's what we ended up
sacrificing for Sixers and Magic ars On Elias Sova from
Magic and Pistons, DJ Augustine for Magic ten k rebounds,

(01:22:04):
Nicola Bitch for six Ers one blocking game per season,
Neurlin's a Well for Piston's blocking game per season, Isaiah
Stewart and for one block of game ten thousand rebounds
Kevin Garnett. Thank you everybody for listening this episode of
Driving Dish NBA podcast. Appreciate you guys as always leave
us a review. Wherever you get your podcasts, good or bad,
we will read them and yeah, find us on your

(01:22:25):
feeds there.

Speaker 2 (01:22:26):
And you can follow us on YouTube. Just hit up
Driving Dish NBA on YouTube. You can subscribe. You'll get
new notifications when new episodes are coming out. I think
you've gone on my dancer today, so I want to
dance Wednesday.

Speaker 1 (01:22:40):
See your star side.

Speaker 2 (01:22:42):
Okay you are? I think they get

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