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NBA #nba Basketball 🏀 All-Star/Mid-Season Review + Power Rankings #nbabasketball
23 Plays3 months ago
NBA #nba Basketball 🏀 All-Star/Mid-Season Review + Power Rankings #nbabasketball
Featuring Bobby G (YouTube @TheAudiblePodcast), Cal Lee & Warren Shaw (Baseline NBA Podcast on IG @NBA_Baseline) & Jay (YouTube @UnfairSports)
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BALL & BUDS 🏀 NBA Basketball All-Star/Midseason Review + 2nd Half Preview
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#sports #nba #nbabasketball #basketball #nbaallstar #nbaplayoffs #nbamvp
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Transcript
Introduction and Show Announcements
00:00:00
Speaker
You can't pretend, now get ready for the show.
00:00:16
Speaker
ah Yo, yo, yo, what up, friends? Welcome back to Ball and Buds. I know it feels like it's only been five minutes, and that's because it has. You just saw me on five minutes ago.
00:00:29
Speaker
So that being said, welcome everybody who was watching me on my solo show, the Professor Seminole Mente, featuring Hot Take Jake. Shout out to my brother. We will be having total evisceration starting next Tuesday, the 24th, 8 p.m. Eastern. It will be Hot Take Jake and myself yelling at each other over a bunch of sports and culture topics. So it should be a fun time.
00:00:49
Speaker
That being said, I'm joined by some wonderful guests from here there here this evening, as always bringing you the best basketball knowledge. First off ah with me ah pretty much on all the basketball shows, actually two y'all are perennial with me here. Bobby G from audible sports, the audible podcast on YouTube.
00:01:10
Speaker
Shout out my brother. go ahead and give all your channels, my friend. You said it, man. Audible Sports Podcast on YouTube. Also, GameTime216. Me and Big Mike from the Man Cave with All Cleveland Sports. And, yeah, you can catch us on YouTube. And think it's right there on the
Guest Introductions and Content Focus
00:01:24
Speaker
screen. socials at Audible underscore Bobby G on X, Instagram, and ah sometimes Facebook, even though i hate it.
00:01:31
Speaker
Even though you're never on Facebook. I'm never on Facebook. um And down on the bottom left below me, Jay from Unfair Sports. Look, man, I got to give a shout out to Jay because when I first and I will always tell this story because I'm forever grateful to him. When I first started out my podcasting journey, I went on Facebook groups and posted to anybody. i was like, hey, I want to somebody to give me some feedback on my first episode. It was on Hank Aaron. I was like, someone give me some feedback.
00:02:01
Speaker
um Let me know, you know, how you feel about this. And no one responded except Jay. And Jay took 20 minutes out of his day to listen to some nobody's podcast um and give me legit feedback and has stayed in contact with me and blessed me with his presence on my show. I am much appreciated and humbled and grateful. Jay, my brother.
00:02:23
Speaker
No, appreciate you having me, man. I'm looking forward to talking some ball. It's been a bit. Yeah, tell them where they can find you. Yeah, you can find me here on YouTube at Unfair Sports. We talk OU football, SEC, and college football in general. Find me at Locked On Sooners, part of Locked On Podcast Network. um And my other channel for Colorado is the Primetime CFB here on YouTube. So, yeah, I'm everywhere. now Always working.
00:02:44
Speaker
Oh, you're doing a little Dion prime time now, huh? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I got a pretty good big channel over there, man. I'll be talking prime in Colorado with a couple buddies. So, you know, all over the place. Keeps me in trouble. Let's put it that way. got to subscribe to that one. There we go. And finally, last but not least, he was on our last podcast.
00:03:02
Speaker
and NBA show. Newcomer to the Ball and Buzz roster, but nonetheless very, very knowledgeable and expert at the game of basketball. We may even be blessed by his partner Warren Shaw later, but this is Cal Lee from the Baseline NBA Podcast.
00:03:19
Speaker
Thank you, my brother, for coming on. As always, the professor, you know what I'm saying? Whenever you make the call, I'm ready. I'm ready. I'm ready to, you know what I'm saying? Do that overnight studying, right? Like cram session.
00:03:32
Speaker
That cram session. Yeah, man. but Next time I know to hit you up on email, though, because I was reaching out by by Twitter and by Instagram and I wasn't sure. So next time I'll let you know ah by email way ahead of time. Yeah, like Bobby G is like no Facebook. I'm like no Twitter. Okay. You know, but yeah, man, again, I'm i'm just honored, you know, privileged to have an opportunity to chop it up with you guys. Had a great time with y'all last time. Jay, you know, my first time rocking with you. So, ah you know, I know this is going to be a blast. And
00:04:06
Speaker
Yeah, man, the show is the Baseline and NBA podcast available on all the major platforms, part of the 19 Media Group family. So you can go to 19 Media Group on your YouTube channel. If you're not catching this here on the Ball and Buds, you can also catch this episode on 19 Media Group channels. You know, we wired and and LinkedIn locked in, right? and But if you you ever want to tap in and get at me, man, at GameFaceLee on the Twitter side, um you know, GameFaceLee on the Instagram handles as well
NBA Season Insights and Team Performances
00:04:33
Speaker
too, man. So ready to rock and roll.
00:04:35
Speaker
Yeah, no, please, everybody tap in with these gentlemen and their content and their channels, because honestly, when we work together at this streaming game, that's how it best goes, because if you subscribe to one of ours and you subscribe to all of ours and you start liking the videos, that's when more people can find these the great content that we're all trying to serve up. So, again, really appreciate everybody here. Let's kick this bad boy off. All right. Well, first half of the season is in the books.
00:05:03
Speaker
um We talked a little bit last time, gentlemen, about the – well, we talked a lot last time – about the Thunder. We talked ah about if they were going to be able to hold on. This was after the first 20 games of the season. So we talked about would they be able to, you know, even win 73 games at that point we talked about. Now we know the Thunder lost a little bit of luster this year, and also San Antonio has their number a little bit there. But they are at 42-14, technically leading the league in record, but Detroit leads in winning percentage.
00:05:41
Speaker
I believe is is what it was yesterday. But anyways, so that's the top two there in in terms of teams at the top. Other than that, we also had the All-Star game this past weekend. A lot of consternation about past All-Star games and the competitive and thereof. So we'll talk about that in just a second. but First of all, gentlemen, let's just start with our some first-half thoughts. Give me your your best first-half storyline. Bobby G., let's start with you.
00:06:08
Speaker
ah just the streak of disappointment. I know coming into the season, a lot of people thought the Eastern Conference is wide open. It still is wide open. But I think a lot of people are surprised by the way ah the quote-unquote big three would have been playing. You figured Detroit, Cleveland, and and New York had a leg up on everybody.
00:06:30
Speaker
But the way they've been playing, that just hasn't been the case. like To the point where... a hobbled Boston Celtics team is still the two seed. And they don't even have their best player who, oh, by the way, may be back for the playoffs. Let's go, JG!
00:06:46
Speaker
So i would that that would be, and especially me being, you know, a Cavs fan, highly disappointed way in the start ah to the season. So that's probably my biggest storyline outside of clearly the Spurs being more ready than most people thought they were.
00:07:01
Speaker
think most people had them as a dark horse. Well, well I... when you When you see the the hat that I have on, ah once you have ah so once you have a superstar, a bona fide, I know you don't like it, Bobby G, a bona fide number one, like Jalen Brown.
00:07:16
Speaker
and brown bring back i don't want to hear what you, I didn't i didn't i didn't ask what your opinion was on Jalen Brown. all right. When you bring a number one like Tatum and you put him with a number one like Brown, you got JT and JB championship, baby.
00:07:30
Speaker
Same day in the brown and went fourth for 20 and got beat by 30 by Detroit. It was an all-star game. It was an all-star game. Oh, I'm talking about Detroit. Detroit has had our number this year. Talk about that. Cal, what was your first half storyline?
00:07:45
Speaker
um I'm actually more surprised at how well the Detroit Pistons are playing. Look, I did have them pegged as being one of the top teams in the Western Conference, but to be right now with what, maybe quarter of games left to play, like, you know, maybe 30% left of the games left to play in a regular season, they arguably can walk walk away being the number one seed.
00:08:05
Speaker
which will allow them an opportunity to get out of the first round and then really have to deal with probably the teams that may kind of cause them problems in the seven game series. The one thing that I think really stands out more than anything is what you mentioned before about the San Antonio Spurs elevating themselves to probably being contenders to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
00:08:30
Speaker
The only question is is, will they have the experience? Will they have the ability to perform at a high level in a seven-game series? against the team as formidable as them. By all accounts, from a talent perspective, they can be better than the Lakers. They can be better than the Timberwolves.
00:08:47
Speaker
They can be better than the Nuggets. You know what i mean? Like, it's just a matter of whether or not they can mature themselves enough through the remainder of the games, position themselves well, and take advantage of having home court advantage. And that's the same questions you're going to probably ask about a team like the Detroit Pistons.
00:09:02
Speaker
Teams like the Knicks, teams like the Cavaliers, teams like the Nuggets, teams like the Minnesota Timberwolves, all we we're talking about them in the same breath as saying, OK, they're going to be fine when they get to the playoffs.
00:09:16
Speaker
But you can clearly see that each of those teams are severely flawed. And even when they go through their streaks and they look like, you know, world beaters for maybe a stretch of two, three weeks,
00:09:27
Speaker
They run into some buzzsaw competition and suddenly we have to come back to that same question. Are they good enough to get to the end? So, you know, that's why it's all wide open teams like the Sixers and teams like the Celtics, each of these teams respectively should be on down years suddenly have injected themselves in the conversation. So I'm just utterly like it's, it's completely wide open, both the Western conference and the Eastern conference.
00:09:53
Speaker
But I think the biggest surprise for me right now is the Detroit Pistons and the level of physicality and how they're playing. I think they're a team that's not to be reckoned with as long as they maintain the weight that and the style that they play and get better as they get towards the end of the regular season. If they do that, they could probably find themselves playing in the Eastern Conference Finals, which i don't think anybody expected.
00:10:15
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, no one expected that, and having a you know slightly higher than 750 winning percentage is pretty tremendous for a young team like that. Like you said, just like San Antonio, right, young. Yeah, they got De'Aaron Fox more experienced, but win the playoffs, ah Jay, that's when it really matters because the and you know be even though the Thunder is a fairly young team, and you would know being our expert Thunder,
00:10:37
Speaker
of ah ah whatever, content creator, I don't know, everything, fan, everything. um ah What do you think about your Thunder and what do you think about the Spurs possibly having their number and also what your top storyline?
00:10:52
Speaker
Yeah, so... on the spurs having their number i think that's funny because honestly i don't know if oklahoma city really plays them that hard like i don't know if they actually care when they play in that game as much now granted i'll say this wimby and chet that's good though when they finally when they match up against each other they care because those two hate each other that's like an old school grudge oh i love that's like an old school isaiah thomas i hate michael jordan type like they despise each other in a way that i i want to know the back story No one knows the backstory on this because no one's been able to share it.
00:11:25
Speaker
But man, it must be just Wimby walked in and say, hey, wait, there's another skinny dude that thinks he's more like me. Nah, we ain't having that. Like it's like skinny on skinny beef nonstop between those two. It the cracks me up every time I see. Because Wimby talks about he talks about he just he's don't like him. You want to go out there and you want to kill him. and i'm just like, dang, that's some that's some gangsta stuff right there. I love it. I love the competitiveness of Wimbyama. Right. But.
00:11:47
Speaker
From there, though, I don't know about them having their truly having their number because even last season, Minnesota was like, I think, 3-1 against the Thunder in the regular season. And everybody told me Minnesota was going to be able to run through and dominate them when we got to the playoffs. And then what did Oklahoma City do? You know, they went belt to ass and went ahead and closed that series out. So, I mean, I'm sitting there in the stands watching this. I'm like, dang, are we really up 30 right now against Anthony Edwards and a team that everyone told me? Was going to give OKC hell? Well, it looks like they didn't. And that's the one thing about the Thunder that I think that's impressed me the most is even as unhealthy as they've been, they've still been able to come out here at 42 and 14, just like last season. Doe hasn't played mostly. i think he's missed 30 games so far.
00:12:30
Speaker
He played most of the season. Chet missed a little bit of time. ah Hardenstein's missed some time again. That was similar you saw last year where they finished the year with 67 wins. You're like, dang, that's impressive that they're able to lock in like this, even with all these injuries in play. Now that Shea's out, we'll see. He should be back now post-All-Star break. But to me, they'll lock in later. They won't see the Spurs again until the playoffs. And the question is, what will the Spurs look like at that time? Wimby's still on a minutes restriction, and so we don't know what they look like. But storyline-wise, I love y'all's storylines. hit some very good points. Honestly, mine's is going to go a little different angle on this one. I'm trying figure out what the heck's going on with the Orlando Magic.
00:13:09
Speaker
So they made that trade over the summer for Desmond Banks. remember And all of us was like, you know, that's a pretty solid move. It should help Paolo Benquero be able to go out there really do... Wait, Paolo's only averaging 21.3 a game?
00:13:21
Speaker
Franz Wagner's also averaging 21.3? Okay, so wait, they're seventh in the East at 28.25, as mentioned. You've got injuries that's hurting everybody in the East. Well, Boston, for some reason, can just out-overcome theirs. Indiana can't, but Orlando still can't figure it out.
00:13:38
Speaker
I don't understand it. This feels like the biggest disappointment in the trade over the summer. Over all the trades of the summer, this has got to the biggest disappointment because I know they weren't expecting number seven seed. They were expecting at least a top four, and yeah, this is not this this ain't the business at all. Yes. No, that's a great point because you're right. All of us did hype up that trade in the offseason. I remember everybody was. and It was good. it every yeah should have been It should have been. It should have worked out. Can I throw something out real quick? No, no. You're very good.
00:14:08
Speaker
Jay, I completely agree with you. i don't I don't know whether or not I'm going to put this as much on the trade as I'm putting this as much on both Wagner and Boncaro have taken a step back this year.
00:14:22
Speaker
and you and And because if if you'd have told me what was preventing the Orlando Magic from being as competitive to the top tier teams last year, because remember the Celtics had to go six with them, right? yep Is the fact that they did not have perimeter shooting.
00:14:37
Speaker
They can't shoot the three. And if they thought that the only way that they were going to like the but the the sole reason, right? Okay, just give me Desmond Bain. Okay, well, Jalen Suggs, you know, he's been, oh he's been good.
00:14:52
Speaker
But, you know, he hasn't necessarily been great. And then, you know, obviously, he again, he stays injured, right? And you have to still wonder, is he a true point guard now for that type of talent that you have?
00:15:03
Speaker
I'm putting this, I'm not saying I'm blaming, but I'm putting this on Mosley and I'm putting this on how the Magic came to this conclusion about addressing the things that obviously did not allow them to advance further to where they are, where they need to be. Because even now, you could have made the argument for a team that's in seventh place, there was still something you could have done by the trade deadline.
00:15:27
Speaker
to improve this team offensively as obviously still lacking from why you made that trade for Desmond Bain and they didn't address it. You know what i'm saying? So like, again, it's ah it's it's really odd, but I'm actually putting more emphasis on Bain.
00:15:43
Speaker
I'm sorry, Bain, but I'm putting more emphasis on Boncaro because I don't know what's going on with Boncaro. I saw it this from the beginning of the year. As a matter of fact, the Magic would actually have a worse record if Desmond Bain wasn't as offensively aggressive as he's been for the Magic because of the disappearance to Boncaro. He is nothing near or close to i don't know if he's masking an injury or something happened, but he is definitely not playing like the person that I saw the second half of the season that everybody walking in pre preseason was saying he could possibly be an MVP candidate with the way that he was playing at the end of last season.
00:16:15
Speaker
think That's a good point. that's I agree with you there. it it It does not... It just don't feel like... They just don't feel like they're just there's just a complete team. Like you said, the thing they were missing was perimeter shooting, especially from the three. They could not do anything. Desmond Bain comes in, he's shooting 37% from three. Not too shabby, right? But it ain't ain't enough to to get them the dubs, it feels like. Or it's not enough it in the clutch moments. It's just...
00:16:41
Speaker
i Yeah, it's so tough you um just disappointingpoint so disappointing. Yeah, it's disappointing. And Jay just to give you a little clarity on your Chet Wimby thing. ah The first time they played was in 2021 in a Nike. It was at World.
00:16:57
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Check out MVP when we had 32 blocks in the tournament. check got mvp wendy had thirty two blocks in the tournament They hate each other ever since, baby. I love it. I love the beef there, dawg. You might be salty about not getting that MVP. Salty. Just knuckle up every time they see each other, dawg. I love it. We don't get that very often. We don't get that type of just disdain. But that's also, you know, he's a French fry, so you kind of get that from, know, French folk.
00:17:23
Speaker
A little weird. love that. I love that. And I love another guest joining us right now from also the Baseline NBA podcast. Warren Shaw, let me get him. Oh, what happened here? Where are we doing it? Oh, what happened? Oh, I see what's going on. We need the old fiver.
00:17:41
Speaker
Oh, I see. It didn't update it. Okay. Well, hold on. what One second, Warren. I almost had you. Give me one second. I got to fix this real quick. He's a slippery fellow, man. You know what I'm saying?
00:17:56
Speaker
It's my fault. Y'all go ahead and keep talking while I bring him in.
NBA Rivalries and Player Dynamics
00:17:59
Speaker
Keep going. Yeah, that's definitely funny to see the beef between those two, man. It just, it warms my heart watching. I mean, Anthony Edwards is similar in the way that he plays on the court with an attitude of, want to cook everybody while at the same time being cool. know, I'm cool with y'all when we off the court or whatnot, but I want to destroy y'all. And you saw that in the All-Star game, which was actually impressed in watching how competitive they were. But
00:18:28
Speaker
i was actually listening to Bomani Jones talk about this the other day. And the one thing he pointed out is is that that like everything began and end with the competitive competitiveness of that game was through Wimby. As much as I like to give props to our guy, Anthony Edwards, for also being a you know pretty much a lunatic out there in the court too, Wimby was the one that had forced it mainly because he can go out there, like you like you mentioned, Bobby, he had 33 swats in that ah that Nike Elite, right? you Who wants to get their shot swatted in the All-Star game? Who wants to be embarrassed in public by everybody? but And that's exactly what Wimby planned on doing the whole time. but You saw Kevin Durant. Kevin Durant was looking out over his shoulder the whole time. Like, where Wimby at?
00:19:09
Speaker
but ah But I don't know. I can't. I ah still got to keep it 50-50. Like, Wimby's attitude, but because he had a mean mug, right? Because he got a shit because he's a Frenchman. He got to show. Like, Ant-Man is killing you with a smile on his face, bro. he hit you with this cooking with joy and laughing he's cooking with joy i love that ah yeah i gotta give it a 50 50 like when we did it with the mug and did it with the performance there you go hey and we are uh joyful to have warren shaw joining us what's up brother how you doing today
00:19:44
Speaker
Man, apologies for my tardiness, but great to have a conversation with y'all boys. I've been trying to tune in on my drive back here as I was a getting some food for the wife, but it seems like you guys have rocking and rolling, man.
00:19:54
Speaker
Really excited to join y'all. And now we appreciate you coming on. You can as well find Warren at the NBA Baseline Podcast with Kyle Lee. Also, 19 Media Group on YouTube as well. So y'all catch them, gentlemen, there. Amazing basketball talk. So, Warren, we were just talking about our first half storylines, and we kind of got ah sidetracked on a few different themes there. One was the Thunders.
00:20:16
Speaker
Lack of dominance, non not getting that, you know, 73 wins we talked about before. Another was the Orlando Magic and their failures thus far, not living up to the promise of their, you know, four-headed monster. We also talked about, shoot, I'm blanking on the other team now.
00:20:35
Speaker
The Celtics. They're terrible. Well, the Celtics. We didn't talk about them yet. Anyways, and by the way, there's three Celtics fans on this show, buddy, so you better calm down. The two gentlemen at the bottom are both Celtics fans as well. so Warren, what was your first half storyline? Any thoughts on any of that?
00:20:53
Speaker
Oh, Detroit. ah another two Yeah, I mean, I think to to maybe make it a little bit different from what y'all have already discussed, I may be a little surprised. and i don't know if it's a storyline, but it's kind of caught me off guard. I think it's the competency of the Sixers, especially with the way they started the season.
00:21:08
Speaker
Joel was looking like like a hobble dude, like he was, you know, a head towards medical retirement. But what Vijay Edgecombe has been able to do, you know, in the first, you know, he's obviously the third candidate for rookie of the year. Tyrese continues to take another step in that. Nick Nurse has that team figuring it out. Like, and it's kind of like patchwork, but they're there. And Cal and I i talked on our show was like well, do we trust it? Like, can we, should we trust it? And you want to be super skeptical.
00:21:34
Speaker
and i and And I still am. bla at the end of the day, if you were to tell me um they somehow made a run in the Eastern Conference, as long as Embiid is healthy. And I was kind of joking, kind of tongue in cheek. Paul George, the suspension, obviously, you know not for the greatest of reasons, but he still now he gets a rest 25 more games and not due to injury.
00:21:53
Speaker
So he comes back jogger yes you know towards the end of the season. Like the Sixers, to me, have a certain level of competency that I don't think any Eastern Conference team is like, yeah, I can't wait to sign up for that matchup if they get into the playoffs, because Embiid can be the most dominating player in the series. Like he he can be, again, always the caveat if healthy. So that's been, i think, one of the biggest surprises for me this NBA season.
00:22:17
Speaker
I mean, that's that's a very, very good point. And, I mean, a lot of the talk is, can Embiid actually stay healthy enough, like you said, for that playoff run? And so in Philadelphia, they're really they're really concerned if that's going to actually happen because of the fact that, you know, we we just never know with him. We never know if he's going to be healthy any day of the week.
00:22:36
Speaker
um And, you know, without the the the load management anymore, or at least trying to combat it, yeah. which we'll talk about later with like MVP awards and Jokic having, if he misses one more, he's out of the MVP. So that's something that maybe needs to be discussed in terms of maybe forcing players to play when they shouldn't, although I don't think you should be playing for an award, but I do agree with you. Um,
00:22:59
Speaker
Except the championship. But I do agree with you. i I think that, ah you know, they are a threat or could be in the playoffs at full speed and healthy. But again, they would need everybody back, including Embiid and George and obviously Maxie playing a high level. I do want to go back just to ah because the the Pistons are really what I i keep coming back to.
00:23:20
Speaker
um I mean, again, no one really thought that they were going to do this. And really the only major change was was bringing in, which is a major change, bringing in J.B. Bickerstaff, installing some toughness and some defensive mentality um into them.
00:23:35
Speaker
ah You know, they have the best neck rating um in the East and second best in the NBA. They have the ah fifth best offensive rating in the East, 10th best in the and NBA. They have the best defensive rating in the East and the second best.
00:23:48
Speaker
in the NBA. So when you're looking at their team, they're very highly rated in all of the most important efficiency categories. And that really, the you talked about it earlier, Kyle, so we'll start with you here. You talked about how their lack of shooting and their three-point shooting is what would be their demise, if anything. Did you have more thoughts on that?
00:24:10
Speaker
Well, I mean, this, again, it comes down to, and and this is just my personal belief, If you can get yourself right going into the playoffs offensively towards the end, but you already have your defensive principles intact.
00:24:30
Speaker
Fair. you increase your chances of getting to the finals. right When we start to question whether or not a team is capable of stopping the other team is when you have to wonder, are they going to be good enough to get to the to their conference finals?
00:24:47
Speaker
We do this with the Cavaliers. We do this with the Knicks. We do this even with the Sixers. This sounds like the Seattle Seahawks that just won the Super Bowl. That's what it sounds like. And I say this because last year, we didn't have to worry about that when we were talking about the Oklahoma City Thunder because defensively, by the metrics, they were playing at a very high level defensively. The only question was whether or not they were going to get it together offensively. And you saw what the outcome of that became, right? It's hard to argue when you have the MVP of the league doing MVP-like things when your offense isn't working for you on a night-in, night-out basis.
00:25:25
Speaker
What you're seeing here with the Detroit, and here's where I'm correlating all of this, what you're seeing with the Detroit Pistons is You actually have a team that is defensive first, but they know and they feel like they have an MVP on their side with Cade Cunningham.
00:25:41
Speaker
And they feel like if he continues to take those steps, SGA-like type steps, because of his ability to score, his ability to elevate his teammates, get them in positions to score, they may feel like they can figure this out as they get closer to the playoffs. Yeah.
00:25:58
Speaker
that could be a one leg up for a team like the Detroit Pistons. The one thing that will work against them, again, is the maturity aspect of it because they haven't gotten that far. They haven't been able to get out of the first round.
00:26:12
Speaker
They're a team that wants to play like a team like the New York Knicks. On paper, the Knicks look like a better team. But if you have a team that plays with the physicality the Detroit Pistons have and you start forcing the Knicks to play outside of what they're normally playing,
00:26:27
Speaker
that's when a team like the Pistons does what teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder do, right? So that that's the reason why I'm like really surprised because I think when we were talking about this before, Sean mentioned this about the Sixers, about whether or not we believe it's real or it's fake. The reason why we feel like, oh, it could be very much real is because in the playoffs, the greatest matchup nightmare for any of the teams in the Eastern Conference is anyone who has to play against Joel Embiid if he's 100%.
00:26:53
Speaker
He is arguably the best player and the best matchup nightmare against anyone because can't stop him when he's on it. But when he's hobbled, he's not 100%. You get what I'm saying? But the only team that could probably give him problems would be a team like the Detroit Pistons because up and down that lineup, they have players that can offer the physicality to wear a guy like Joel Embiid out.
00:27:17
Speaker
where a guy like Carl Anthony Towns out. You what saying? None of the other teams really have that. And so to me, to see that kind of ascension from the Detroit Pistons, I'm saying that should be like two years down the road, and they're already doing it a year removed from what they showed you last year.
00:27:32
Speaker
Mm-hmm. And that's a good thing. Do favor. Yeah, go ahead. Cal, close your eyes. I'm trying to. Really, really, really picture the Detroit Pistons. Really picture them. Now open your eyes and tell me what you really see.
00:27:47
Speaker
I see a team that's going to be a problem for everybody, period. I see the Cleveland Cavaliers three seasons ago.
00:27:55
Speaker
J.B. Bickerstaff, we were in the exact same position. We were the exact same team. We were tough. We got two guys down there that could do, yeah, they could take this. They could do everything. And when we get to the playoffs, J.B. Bickerstaff turns into a pumpkin.
00:28:07
Speaker
I'm not worried about the roster. I'm worried about the sideline in Detroit. So you're worried about the guy calling the shots? Yeah. His problem ain't getting it. We're at the exact same position. what hey We were in the play-in. Then we went from the play-in, we went to the end. Then we went from end to we went top four in the East.
00:28:25
Speaker
Exact same path. Exact same path as the business. is They're just the Cavs from three years ago. So I can't be a believer in JB until I see it in postseason. I'm cracking up. I'm going to hold you to that, Bobby. I'm going to hold you to that.
00:28:39
Speaker
Hey, okay I'm going to hold JD to that. We're going to circle back around, come towards the playoffs. If and when... that should happen or occur.
00:28:51
Speaker
I think though you learn from, I think you learn from, from your, from your mistakes at some point, at some point, because to your point, if it doesn't happen with this roster that he's working with, then it's just never going to happen with JB Bickerstaff. And I'm not saying this, I'm not saying this because Sean knows, because we actually were fortunate enough to have him on the show.
00:29:13
Speaker
and be able to talk with him and get an understanding of his coaching style and what his belief is and and what he sees, his lens and things of that nature. And that's that's removed from the experiences he's already been to.
00:29:25
Speaker
And I think going through what he went through in Cleveland has allowed him to understand where he has to, again, make those type of adjustments. And it's hard to do it when you you're working with a roster that may look like they may be good or great. And then you're trying to make them even be better than that. And they don't live up to it.
00:29:43
Speaker
It's a completely different scenario situation where you're working basically ground up with these guys. And I think the Pistons understand that. And where, where to your point, it's going to be on Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, and those guys, Duncan Robinson, Tobias Harris, they got to make JB Bickerstaff better, right? and Like they got to go out and execute at that level.
00:30:05
Speaker
And we'll see if whether or not that does or doesn't happen, because to your point, if the Cleveland Cavaliers were the type of team that JB Bickerstaff had access to that are similar, then there's no question they should be able to at least get to the conference finals. So if they're not doing it, I'm wondering if part of that also is whether or not those guys really want it that badly.
00:30:24
Speaker
Because, and I'm not going to try to put it on your Cavs, but we're going to be asking the same question about the Cavaliers and Atkinson two years two years removed, and you just made a big trade in getting a guy like James Harden,
00:30:35
Speaker
who I think is a mercurial talent, but to me is doubling down exactly on what the Cavs believe is going to be necessary for them to even hang with with the way that the teams are set up in the Eastern Conference right now to give them the best advantage and the pathway forward for them to get to the conference finals.
00:30:50
Speaker
Absolutely. i would just I was just, I was, that's tremendous analysis. I was cracking up because you were like, close your eyes and tell me what you see. You remember ah Cool Runnings?
00:31:03
Speaker
oh i was out there more I was going more for, for was was sort what's my guy? All right, all right, all right. oh mad yeah yeah a Picture a little girl.
00:31:14
Speaker
No, no, that's not good right now. It's not good right now. This is not climate to be picturing little girls, bro. No, this is not. We'll just gloss past that and pretend like we didn't hear anything. I see a bad mother sucker that won't give up nothing. Anyways, no, but for real, look, the Pistons, just to kind of give some more context to this, here's some more sports professor stats, against 500 or better teams, 29-3 in clutch games, 18-3 in games decided by double digits. So if they can get a lead on you and at least hold that lead, they can usually win in the clutch as well. But again, I think the three-pointer,
00:32:00
Speaker
is going to hurt them come playoff time. They are great in the post, really good at offensive rebounding, but I really do think that that will come back to bite them not being able to have a ah consistent three-point threat.
00:32:13
Speaker
um Anybody else? can see it. I'll just say, I mean, they had a herder and I don't know how much one guy can do and how many minutes he's going to play, but that that's their answer to that. And they didn't want to make a bigger move at the deadline. As many people say, hey, you need to go get MPJ, you go get Laurie Markkinen or whatever. And those were high, high priced guys.
00:32:33
Speaker
And then could also disrupt what appears to be a really solid locker room, I think, at this stage, right? Like this group has kind of a collegial feel, so to speak. Cade is playing the best basketball of his career, his young career, but best offensive rating, but also his best defensive rating.
00:32:47
Speaker
know, like, whatever you say about the All-Star game, here he boxes some shots. I was like, all right, Cade. Like, so even even in that, like, he's he's competitive in a way that not a lot of people are giving him the the the immense level of credit for. That's a big factor. But I do think, you know, what they're hoping to get from Herter is that answer to that. Like, can we get the three point shooting on the cheap? And we'll see if they cheap themselves out of the NBA a championship by not going, getting somebody that was a little bit more established.
00:33:11
Speaker
Well, look, you're not going to hear. Oh, hold on. Go ahead, Jake. Oh, no, no, go ahead. You good. No, no, no. I was just going to make a quip about my alma mater. So you can go ahead. I wasn't going add anything about you. No, no. I'll just, just, just, just piggyback on that, man. It, I,
00:33:27
Speaker
know what? Nah, I'm good. I don't know. I honestly don't know what to even think about the Pistons as far as, I think Bobby pointed out, well, it's the, I mean, they look like the Cavs last year. The Cavs was dominant. They've beaten the crap out of everybody. And then when it got to the most important part of the year,
00:33:44
Speaker
They disappeared. Like, I was wondering if my thunder was going to be that way. What was that two years ago after, you know, they got knocked off by Dallas. i was like, all right, are we going be the team that makes it, gets the one seed, cooks most of the season, and then get in the playoffs and just fizzle away?
00:33:59
Speaker
And the the fact that they were able to get that one seed being as injured as they were most of the season, right? Hardenstein comes, you sign him as a free agent, and he loses about 40 games. Hmm.
00:34:11
Speaker
It feels like at least. So it's about 30 or something. But he hurt his thumb. He's out. Chet's gone 50. And you're like, all right, well, this shouldn't happen. But then they put up all the numbers and they play such a good, deep, unselfish brand of ball, even with Shea still leading things. and They still get that And you're like, all right, when they the playoffs hit, they actually show up and show out. And so, like, I'm wanting to see if the Pistons can do that themselves. If with the way the team is playing, if they can just maintain that ball all the way to the playoffs and then give me something past the furt that passed a second round.
00:34:46
Speaker
Like, first round, you better beat the eighth seed, right? Especially if you get that number one. Who's that who's the 8th seed right now in the NBA? ah Let me see. I had it pulled up just now. me he That's terrifying, right? i mean, what's playing? You still got the Hawks as well as the the Hornets, who, by the way,
00:35:04
Speaker
the Hornets are very fun to watch right now. lowke And I don't know how they they did that, but you know, I'm actually impressed that, you know, the minute that Michael Jordan basically sells a majority share, the team is fun to watch again. um i need them to figure out a way to ah keep that up though. That's kind of be the most important thing. But but besides that,
00:35:22
Speaker
Pistons should still be able to take that first round. That next round is going to be the question. Can they get past the Cavs right now? Would they be able to pass the Raptors? Cavs picking up James Harden to add with Donovan Mitchell. It's an interesting combo, but can they maintain that spot then also get past the second round?
Michael Jordan's Ownership and Team Management
00:35:44
Speaker
That is, to me, the biggest thing for the Pistons. is I need to see what they look like.
00:35:48
Speaker
after the second round of the playoffs. They can make it the Eastern Conference Finals. I think they got a chance to make it to the finals. Okay. And I'll never be one to, as a Celtics fan, my favorite player ever was Larry Bird.
00:36:00
Speaker
Doesn't mean you have to be Larry Bird if you're a Celtics I'm just saying. um So I will never be upset at a shot, random shot at Michael Jordan. But I just, I don't think MJ deserved That random shot you just gave him as he just Yeah, he deserved a straight. What are you talking about? mean, he just won the Daytona 500. Hey, I'm proud of him. That's dope. He got that Daytona 500 and his Charlotte Hornets have sucked the entire time he's owned them. No, but you're right. Con Caneple is is as added to that team. Go ahead.
00:36:26
Speaker
Yeah, please. Anybody want to say. No, I was just going to hop in real quick. Yeah, remember the preseason show? I told you all about Con Caneple. mm-hmm con can nipple you did you did what's his middle name does anybody know man it it better not be something something crazy i don't know let me see what were you gonna say um i was gonna tell you that if this now does i like that it doesn't emphatically tell you that the mystique of michael jordan right
00:37:02
Speaker
You know how like we talk about the greatness of Michael Jordan and how he you know revolutionized the business of basketball and everything like that. There are some people even within their greatness,
00:37:13
Speaker
I don't think they truly, there were certain aspects to the game of basketball that I think he appreciated and enjoyed. It brought him a lot of what he has, but you can clearly tell that he did not want to be a part of that.
00:37:26
Speaker
I think he felt like he had to be a part of it. It felt natural to him with the way that he's he's wired and he's built, but that never brought him joy. You know what I'm saying? that I don't think him owning the the Hornets ever brought him joy.
00:37:40
Speaker
I think it was a part of something that is attached to the legacy of Jumpman 23, Jordan Brand, and everything like that. And he goes and he he he he invests in NASCAR.
00:37:52
Speaker
You know what I'm saying? If he were to go and invest in golf with Tiger Woods, you'd see joy in his face. You'd probably see him being more involved and more in tune to things. And guess what?
00:38:04
Speaker
That is okay. That is okay. You know what i mean? Like we can always be in a space where we don't have to absolutely love something just because we're in it.
00:38:15
Speaker
You what mean? And i mean, we'll talk about that because I know we're going to talk about the all-star weekend. great figure But that to me is part of the, you know, the conversations that people tend to have. And it's just so easy to just lump a person in there that if if something fails, it meant like, oh, they were never good at that. And they should have never been good at it.
00:38:35
Speaker
They tried it, it didn't work. And as long as they come to grips with that, I'm fine with them walking away from it and going doing things that is more in what they're aligned with, more than what they're passionate about.
00:38:47
Speaker
Same thing with Derek Jeter. Remember, Brad Doherty, you know I'm saying? Great center. Yep. You know, when you get to a certain point, you've you've given everything you've had to the sport. and Now you can go put your passions and everything else. And he was doing NASCAR.
00:39:01
Speaker
And then he comes back and he does, you know, a color analysis talking about the game of basketball. But he doesn't have to go and own a team. He doesn't have to go in. You know what saying? Like, there's just certain spaces. And I find that just very interesting because I'm happy for Michael Jordan.
00:39:16
Speaker
Something that always told me that he wanted to be involved in other endeavors than what the and NBA was demanding of him and what he was giving to the and NBA. So I'm glad that he is away from that part of it.
00:39:27
Speaker
And maybe because of that, to your point, Jay, is why we're now seeing the the Hornets operating in a different space. Like, finally... It's being put in the hands of people that really want to be about the business of building up a franchise and a team and a system and doing certain things that may take a little bit longer to get to, but eventually it may actually bear fruit for what we want to see, which is a successful basketball team with sustainable winning success.
00:39:52
Speaker
I get a different perspective. not The only pushback I would give you, so I agree with a lot of what you said. the only pushback I would give you, I don't think he had the mentality for it. I think that's what it was. Because remember, he broke up his friendship, a great friendship with Charles Barkley because he told the truth.
00:40:05
Speaker
Michael Jordan likes to surround himself with yes men, not necessarily people who can complete the task at hand. And I think that was a downfall of his ownership tenure with the Charlotte Hornets, trying to hire just people who, who quote unquote, have your back.
00:40:21
Speaker
versus hiring somebody, hire a GM who can do the job, my guy. Like, ah I mean, again, go back to to when he came back with the Wizards, right? First thing he did is hire the coach he can play for.
00:40:33
Speaker
Bro, it's not about you. It's about the team. I think that was more of his downfall and than you know than that. But I can definitely get what you what you're saying.
00:40:45
Speaker
Yeah, no, it makes sense. I mean, they're all valid reasons. I mean, obviously, if you don't have the joy that you can put into into something, you know, if you've given 20 years, 30 years of your career to something, I mean, yeah, you probably want to switch it up at that point and do something new. know what mean? Like, yeah, I want to go fishing and and and well go play golf or whatever. Even if I suck like Charles Barkley, I still want to go spend all my time playing golf. You know what I mean? So. Shout out to everybody tuning in.
00:41:12
Speaker
Tyler McDowell. Love the combo, fellas. Go Suns. Hey, appreciate you. Suns are playing above their head this year. Gentlemen, any thoughts on the Suns this year? Look what happens when you get a real point guard.
00:41:26
Speaker
Yeah. Shocker. Shocker. I'm going to, you know, Tyler's Tyler's one of our dudes from 19. So shout out to our guy. Big take, hot take tie. And let's go for me, i don't think it's controversial, but it's not getting a lot of publicity.
00:41:41
Speaker
I think Jordan O's coach of the year. I mean, because this Suns team, they have no business. You're right, though. Being here, and I was like, who's Jordan? And while it's it's dope to see JB Bickerstaff getting love, it's dope to see my guy Joe Mazzulla get love, because everyone thought the Celtics going to in the tanker as well, too.
00:42:00
Speaker
But who saw the Suns with this? Like, nobody except for Matt Ishpia and the Suns saw themselves in this space. So I don't understand. Like, Jordan, yeah, he's maybe third for coach of the year.
00:42:11
Speaker
Nobody knew who he was. How is he not coach of the year right now. You know what I mean? Pretty solidly going to end up in a playoff spot in the Western Conference. To me, the job he's done out there has been frigging phenomenal.
00:42:24
Speaker
Dylan Brooks, ultimate culture setter yet again. While, again, you don't have to love him, but where he goes, there are results, and they may be short-lived. It might be two years now. all time for Dylan to get up out here again. Got to go. Yeah, he's that proverbial. You love him on your team for a few years, but once he's got to go somewhere else, and then when you play him, no, don't want to play this much. Yeah.
00:42:43
Speaker
and So I'm rocking with Phoenix, man. They've they've turned my ah my thoughts about them ah around in a major way. But Jordan, not specifically. I just I can't say enough about the job that he's done as a coach. We had them we had them pegged as among one of the worst teams going into this year.
00:42:58
Speaker
Like they there were going to be a lottery team. And they've still done this without Jalen Green. He plays him for like three games all year. like smit I don't even think anyone remembered he was a part of the trade.
00:43:10
Speaker
That's like, there is I mean, Drea, man. That's a very good point. Drea might remember, but nobody else remembers that you got moved. know what I'm saying?
00:43:20
Speaker
So, you know, which tells you how locked in. and But i we did mention this too, though, Shaw. Hey. but what is it called? Bad guy, Luca or bad Luca.
00:43:33
Speaker
Hey, what, do what about de Dev, Dev, Devon, the devil. Okay. Devon, the devil is back and I'm loving every, every aspect of that kind of person.
00:43:44
Speaker
So if it's because of Dylan Brooks, that's bringing that part of it out of them, horns and all pitchfork and all, Hey, I'm about that life with Devin Booker, man, because when he's like that, man, my man loves to cook and he loves to. And that's the kind of competitiveness that the Suns have been lacking last few years.
All-Star Game Format and Player Engagement
00:44:01
Speaker
I really ever since Chris Paul departed during their championship run, I've like Devin Booker has never been the same since that as far as his mentality is at this level of aggressiveness.
00:44:13
Speaker
We're seeing that back again, man. and um'm and um' And I'm happy to see that because the Suns are a better team to watch when he's in that kind of mode. Yeah, but it's not only that. And the last thing I'll say real quick is they have, I would say, the coach of the year. And they also have a candidate for you know um most improved player in Colin Gillespie.
00:44:29
Speaker
Like you don't realize what he's doing now at that at that two guard position as not just a shooter, but as a pseudo play creator can rebound it a little bit as well, too. And he's and there's trying defensively. He's not locked down, but he's trying. And those are things out there that then in Phoenix, like you just couldn't necessarily have seen, in essence, kind of coming from them. So two guys who are up for potential NBA you know season awards out there in Phoenix, not saying that they're going to win, but they're in the conversation.
00:44:55
Speaker
And that's just not something I think anybody saw coming at all. Yeah, I mean, no I think pretty much everybody thought they were going to be pretty sorry, probably get a lottery. and that dev and But look, ah Devin Booker, he got his team back.
00:45:07
Speaker
It's his team now. and No more of the Bradley Beals and the Kevin Durant and the so on. It's nope. It is me, myself, and I, and I'm going to ball out as hard as I can to make sure that we win some games. And so, hey, when you take it into your own control and take it in your own hands, I can't even be mad at that.
00:45:25
Speaker
So shout out to Devin Booker and and and the Suns out there. Let's move it into a couple other things that we do got talk about. The All-Star Game. We appreciate everybody watching, by the way. You are All-Stars for watching. Make sure you tap into everybody here. Jay at Unfair Sports, Bobby at the Audible Podcast, and Warren and Cal at Baseline NBA Podcast on IG, and as well at Ball and Buds. We are on millions, by the way. Yes, millions.co for everyone watching. You're like, what's that? If you are an interviewer or you are a content creator or you are an athlete and you want to do more interviews or be interviewed um or do shows like these, millions.co is your spot.
00:46:04
Speaker
It is free to join. you don't have to pay anything. They help you out with merch. They help you out with with reaching different people. If you're an athlete, they pair you with interviewers. I've interviewed a bunch of athletes myself because they have paired me with them. something And I've reached people that I would have never talked to before and made some really good networking connections. So shout out to millions.co where I met ah Warren at and how we was able to get Warren and Cal on here. They are on millions.co as well. So shout out to the millions crew. Had to give a shout out to them. We appreciate that. No, that was not an ad. That was just me trying to be nice because, you know, they're hosting us today. So we appreciate y'all tuning in. All right.
00:46:40
Speaker
The all-star game was this weekend. Obviously a lot of talk about how bad the all-star game has been in the past 10, 20 years. um Since, you know, we used to have back in the early nineties when I remember it was really good. But anyways,
00:46:56
Speaker
They play harder. We can say that. I know I was talking to Hot Take Jake. It's funny. They have a Hot Take tie. We got Hot Take Jake. I was talking to him, and he's a was a Spurs fan. So Wimba Myama was talking about how he was, you know, and we talked about this earlier, getting them to play a little harder. So I think it was more of the generational kind of gap thing that made them play harder than necessarily – USA versus the world, especially because the world was from all over the world and not from one country. But needless to say, um there were ah there were different reasons that made this work. um So we'll start with you, ah Jay. What was your thoughts on this? ah Do you think it was a a significant improvement? Do you think that will help them to get you know people to start watching in the future? Because it was still pretty dead when you looked inside the Intuit Dome. I saw the videos.
00:47:45
Speaker
Go ahead. the game itself was fantastic. Like we had talked about kind of before, like shout out to Victor Wimbyama, you know, being the giant human being that he is, he made everybody play ball. Like the one thing he was basically, he's basically said he wanted it to be more competitive and he was going to be the one man to do it. And,
00:48:02
Speaker
honestly unless you're like 6 10 and above and the ability to swat every single shot that comes your way you can do that and that's what he did people had to play hard because they knew that he was going to come up behind him and swat that thing out of the state the most embarrassing thing you can have happen to at the all-star game getting your shot blocked over and over and over and over and over and over and over again as Marshawn Lynch would say word to him. You don't want that to happen to you. And we basically did that, man. He he pushed everybody to play ball and actually compete. I like the format.
00:48:35
Speaker
reminds me of the old format they did where they used to have each quarter count as an actual game or whatnot but this time they had three teams so made it even more interesting breaking them up so to me i think that that's a good format to keep everybody competitive it's it's tough to do it because at this point we're learning more and more every day that The regular season is getting a little too long based upon the wear and tear that these athletes are putting on themselves at a young age. We're we're not like old school era, man. I remember who was it? um Very good point.
00:49:06
Speaker
It was like Bill Russell. And I think I even will Chamberlain even mentioned it like back in the day when they play ball. When the summertime hit, they didn't touch a ball. They chill. They sit on a butts.
00:49:17
Speaker
They relaxed. They didn't do anything. And that's not what they do nowadays. They they're playing ball somewhere like pickup ball is different than organized ball. We all know that, right? The the strain you put on your body in organized games is way different than it is just doing some pickup ball and loosely playing around.
00:49:36
Speaker
They're playing for real ball. Then you got the Olympics and then the FIBA every two and two years in between. it's it's They're playing way more ball than they should. And then at a young age, they're training too hard. They need to cut back and just play and not focus on just you know doing all those drills. So off my soapbox, I enjoyed it. I want to see more of this. Give me more of the competitive, just having fun playing ball type of playoff all-star games.
00:50:04
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, it was definitely more competitive. And I think that that did help the four different games rotating round Robin ah that they had. Warren, I'm going to come to you. ah But I also think that it helped that they didn't have music in between the quarters, right? They kept the flow of the game going as much as possible. What were your thoughts?
00:50:27
Speaker
don't know if I just froze, but the very good the notion of like the mini games – The notion of the mini games is what really seemed to work for the players, right? Because this has become such a product about entertainment, brand activations, and more so the business and the partying of All-Star Weekend.
00:50:47
Speaker
And that's why by the time Sunday comes, these dudes, like, they don't get an F. Like, yo, get me out of here. Right? Was a two years ago? Yoko, she was like, yo, I'm on the tarmac already. Like, like I'm gone. So...
00:50:59
Speaker
This notion here seemed to make a lot more sense, breaking it up into these mini games where, yeah, maybe it was a little campy in terms of the Team USA World thing. Cal and I talked about that. Didn't realize they were trying to tie it into the to the Olympics because NBC was a broadcast partner. Like, oh, my third eye wasn't open on that. But cool. I get you. But either way, it's... But it seemed to work, right? And if you can get them to feel like, hey, we don't need to do too much so that we can give what we need to give like in these like mini spurts, and that makes sense, right? And at some point, maybe they need to add maybe a couple more players in that too because of all the injury replacements. So the world team didn't have everybody that they needed with no SGA and Luka and Jokic both being a little bit hobbled in the first four minutes in that first game. hey There's other ways that you can try to bring other stars into it.
00:51:44
Speaker
But i I was satisfied with it. I told Cal on our show recently, he say what were you expecting? It's like, I was expecting a four and I probably got about a seven and a half, which makes me just like feel that much more better about it. and i had really, really low expectations and I was beginning not to care. So like, I don't really care to complain about it as much because i was right, well, this isn't really for me, but they brought me back in a little bit. So i'm interested to see what they do next year.
00:52:07
Speaker
I do agree with that. Uh, was better than previous years and it definitely was something that, um, I actually enjoyed watching instead of previous years where I, you know, kind of tuned it out and just added on in the background, uh, sort of thing.
00:52:20
Speaker
um but obviously people are not going to be happy. Well, a lot of people just won't be happy in general with this whole competition, but, um,
00:52:32
Speaker
unless we are able to consistently do this. And we saw with the Elam ending a few years ago that we had something that could have been promising and then they just gave up on it. So it's not even guaranteed that they'll continue this. Adam Silver could always just scratch it next year for all we know. But for now, I agree. I think it was definitely better than what we've seen the past few years. Kyle, do you agree?
00:52:54
Speaker
It was better. um i don't i don't think it i don't think it's going to solve you know, the issue or the problem, because I think the problem is still, you know, manifested in whether or not the players want to do it.
00:53:06
Speaker
Simple as that. You know, that I was talking about this. We talked about this on our on our last episode that it's amazing when you can get the players to buy in. Once they they decide they want to compete, then you get a better product of of on the basketball court, period.
00:53:22
Speaker
um I agree that it needed to be shorter. that that you know I think trying to mimic what they do through a regular season to suddenly start doing in in an all-star game setting situation, i think it it takes away from that. And I think we've been getting away from that for years now.
00:53:40
Speaker
You know, when guys have already been doing this now for 82 games, they don't want to come here for a weekend and then have to do that just because we're playing against, you know, a collective super team against us. That's just not what's appealing to this current generation.
00:53:53
Speaker
So I think breaking it up. to shorter games. You know what i'm saying? I don't even care if they're playing a game of 21. What it comes down to is what ah what is what is motivating them to compete?
00:54:04
Speaker
And I think when you hear a guy like Wimby say, hey, I'm to ball you up. When you hear guys like Kate Cunningham say, I'm going ball you up. Then all of a sudden, some of the older heads and some of the guys who probably didn't take All-Star seriously in previous years, now they don't want to get embarrassed on the basketball court. They don't want to get one-upped because that hurts their brand activation. So it's interesting, again, how, you know, again, everyone's leaning on the concept and everything. I just think it comes down to
00:54:34
Speaker
Do they want to compete or they not want to compete? And ultimately, if you don't see the players buying into competing, then you should not have an all-star game, period. Like move on from it or put guys in there that do want to compete.
00:54:48
Speaker
i don't care if you even and I don't care if you ship guys from college basketball. Use use McDonald All-Americans for that spot to go and compete if they're going to go and compete because you're going to see a good a better product than struggling to get guys who are already getting paid to go out there and do something they just don't want to do.
00:55:05
Speaker
there's good There's no incentive for them to do it. and There's no amount of money. It just comes down to whether or not they want to do it. You can't bring McDonald's home. No, I was going to say there's probably some liability issues there. The league would lose their effing minds. You got some 18-year-olds out here beating some grown-ass men. The versa. The grown-ass men just elbow. Dusty Rhodes elbow drop on there. I'm out here, bro. That's wild.
00:55:31
Speaker
But you know what, though, Shaw? that's funny that is That is, again, that is the business of the NBA speaking to why it won't work. You see what I'm saying? So if that's not going to be, if there's not going to be a solution to that, you're coming back to the very essence of, well, I'm paying...
00:55:48
Speaker
And our brand is paying these guys millions of dollars. And the least that they can do is come out here and act like they want to play. And that's what i'm saying. if if you're if you don't If you don't want to come out and play, why are we forcing that product? And then what makes it worse is that you're asking the networks to try to dress it up.
00:56:05
Speaker
You can't dress this up. You know I'm saying? You can clearly see people are spending... millions of dollars right and i'm not talking about the people that are at the the front row down on the ground i'm talking about the people that are out there in the nosebleed seats there are people that are flying in from all different places spending all kinds of money where where i would agree with you though is like it you know against not to make this too nerdy so to speak especially from the business side but it would need to really be like a three to five year phase out because of the contracts that have ever been signed with the broadcast partners. So NBC is already positioned. I read something earlier today. The league is like, hey, the idea of can we do something like on rival that and add that into Saturday night, right? Can we add a one on one or a two on two tournament to add some juice to what's kind of going on there? Because we know the dunk contest and that's it's kind of fading out.
00:56:54
Speaker
But if the the crux, you know what mean, the coup de grace the weekend is supposed to be what happens on Sunday. It has to be with the main stars, you know, of the league. Or if you're getting rid of it, that has to be like, hey, in 2032, we will no longer do the All-Star game so that the broadcast partners are like, all right, now we know how to soften the blow financially for what our expectations are. But again, i understand where you're... what you're saying, but getting people to care is like, it's such a very, very nuanced process. Cause we've heard years like, oh, they're going to care this year. And then then, then they, you know, they lay there and lay the neck and then this year, all of a sudden when we yammed on somebody from the opening and tip is like, oh, we balling. Okay. so So, so we ball and balling. We play we fall in ball and balling. Oh, okay. do that
00:57:38
Speaker
I think what I'm, what I'm alluding to is the NBA has taken over and continues to take over on the perception of what they think is appeasing or is going to be attractive for people to watch.
00:57:53
Speaker
And I don't know whether or not they're really actually listening or buying into what players actually want to see as a level of if I'm going out there to play, it's under these circumstances, right? Like, in other words, if guys are saying, hey, I want to play three on three.
00:58:08
Speaker
right, then why is it so difficult not to establish something that will allow them to go out there and play on a three on three type atmosphere? I'm just using it as an example. i'm not saying it's it's the actual thing. And I think that's where the disconnect is. They're still trying to do it in the confines of playing five on five team basketball. And that's the reason why I'm alluding to the fact that These guys are already doing that through the regular season. And now suddenly we're asking them to go do this on this weekend where they're really not supposed to be doing anything. And they're really not trying to injure anybody. So where's the incentive for them to actually go out and compete and play?
00:58:42
Speaker
Right. I think if they're going to do it, they want to do it under the circumstances that uniquely fit where they are with how they want to play basketball. And that's where the current generation is. so So the NBA is doing one thing.
00:58:54
Speaker
And right now you see kids, they're still out there that are playing blacktop basketball. You see them playing three on three. You see them buying into what the WNBA is doing with unrivaled. Like there are other facets to how the game of a game of basketball is being played. And basketball players are going out there and supporting all of those endeavors and efforts. It's helping their brand activation.
00:59:12
Speaker
So you come back to NBA All-Star Weekend. And they're not doing anything or showing anything that's in connection with what these other styles of basketball is being reflected in display.
00:59:23
Speaker
So that to me is part of why I'm like, you got to do something different. And it's amazing that if the guys are going to want to compete, you don't have to ask much for them or you don't have to juice them up to do it. If it's just something that they want to do, they're going to go and do it. But there's nothing that's being prevented. It's just being laid out there for them. I feel like in a way for them to be able to act on that.
00:59:42
Speaker
That's just me. That's just my opinion. had but the think is And I wanted to ask kind of like the group this question because when we set the tone for like a singular game, that doesn't really mean anything along in the long run, right?
00:59:55
Speaker
right And then there's the notion, like, i don't know if you all saw when um ah Rich was talking about Bill Simmons, not Bill Simmons, Ben Simmons earlier in the year, right? And was like, I'm trying to figure out how many certified hoopers do we really have in the league right now versus guys like, hey, I want the bag. I want the glam and the glory.
01:00:17
Speaker
versus guys like, no, I only care about the regular season, right? Where like a KD might say, no, whatever, like he's he's considered one of like the real real hoopers. And now Wendy's kind of come in that space. I'm gonna compete no matter what the competition is.
01:00:29
Speaker
I don't know if the, the the general consensus of the league is built like that. I think we are kind of like the the the players themselves might even be like a little passive or casual, so to speak, and only care about certain aspects of the game. And NBA All-Star is just not one of those
Future NBA Leaders and Branding Challenges
01:00:45
Speaker
things. you know Especially when you talk about Luka and Joker, who are the premier of their premier in terms of talent, but they could get two F's about what's going on at any All-Star weekend.
01:00:53
Speaker
Again, i don't know, Bob, you were going to talk. So do you have any thoughts on that? And you know obviously finish whatever thoughts you were going say the before. Oh, yeah, i got some thoughts. Tell these dudes to get over yourself. i I mean, Cal, you alluded this. Right, where's the pride? These guys, like, when they were kids, guess what they did? They watched the All-Star. Yes, that's what I was going to say. It was a place to do it. This ain't pop up over the last five years. The NBA All-Star game has been around since the 70s.
01:01:18
Speaker
Like, it's it's it's not a – it's a privilege. Right? Like, it's what you do. It's not a want to decide to play. It's what you do. You're you're chosen because you you are the elite at your profession for that year.
01:01:33
Speaker
Like, if you don't want to do it, sit the hell down. Say I'm hurt and I can't play and let somebody else play who can't. yep and And to your point of saying that if the players decide, i think they decided, and I think we all saw it.
01:01:46
Speaker
Because what you saw was a bunch of guys who do have that mentality of I'm just here because I'm supposed be here. just here so I don't get fined. They got mopped up by 30 points. I'm sure.
01:01:58
Speaker
Because them young boys wanted to be there and they wanted to show out. They was pissed that you beat me by two points 15 minutes ago. yeah And they came out and said, oh, no, it's not happening again.
01:02:09
Speaker
So I think we're we are literally watching the changing of the guard. We saw the future of the and NBA. People, we've been having this debate ah for the last couple of years. Is it Ant? Ja was in there, but he he took his hat out of the ring. Is it Wimby? Who's the face of the league?
01:02:24
Speaker
Well, these two dudes stepped up and they answered the call. they's saying, we're taking lead. And you saw everybody else follow their lead. Like, and it was like, oh, like you said, we plan, plan.
01:02:36
Speaker
When them old heads saw that, yeah, you ain't gonna come out here and embarrass me. And you saw all LeBron step up, saw Kawhi step up, saw Katie step up until they just got too old. And, that you know, they didn't have enough juice for them young boys. It is what it is. It's life.
01:02:48
Speaker
Father time is undefeated. but And that's a great segue, though. I appreciate you doing that. Who is the face of the NBA? Yeah. Is it the Ant-Man? Is it the alien? I mean, what are we talking about? Because you had LeBron, obviously was the face.
01:03:04
Speaker
No doubt about it for the past few years. Yeah. also had Durant as a secondary, you know, Robin to Batman sort of character. and I hate saying that cause i love Durant because he's from my DMV. But, um, ah You have LeBron, and then now you're switching into the time where, like you said, who really wanted it?
01:03:19
Speaker
um Everybody was really shy. Tatum was shy, never really wanted it, didn't talk about it. Morant, like you said, just took his hat of ring because his just negative behavior, not they're not going to put somebody on the face of the league that's doing stuff like that. Wemba Yama and Luka I was worried about because they don't speak English. And do you have to have an English face of the league? Or can you do like they did in the interview? I think Malika Andrews it was asked, should Ant-Man, should there be a United States face and a world face of the league? And then you would have Ant-Man and Alien both being a face of the NBA. Anybody's thoughts?
01:03:53
Speaker
Face of the league right now is, I mean –
01:03:58
Speaker
It's Jokic. I mean, but the problem with the face of the league, though, thing is, too, nobody wants it. Nobody wants to. Heavy is the crown, right? like that That's like one of those things. they don't they don't Nobody wants to wear that mantle.
01:04:13
Speaker
ah They don't want to deal with all the scrutiny that comes with it They don't want to be the one to have to speak out to everything. Not everybody's a diplomat like LeBron, Chris Paul, those type of players. Mm-hmm. that's where the challenge comes in of finding someone that wants to actually be the, uh, the quote unquote face. And so in this scenario, man, I think their biggest challenge is figuring out what the heck is like, like who, who wants to to hold that mantle. And I don't think anybody does. I mean, it's it's kind of one of those you're just kind of given Anthony Edwards has told you, man I'm trying to play ball KD same way.
01:04:46
Speaker
Like I'm just here to play ball. I'm ah only here. So i don't get fined mainly because just want to play ball. Mm-hmm. they're and I don't think they're gonna be able to establish a face of the league. Like if if there's one, if anything, it's most likely going to be Wimby because he's the most outspoken out of anybody out there. He's the only one that's willing to talk yeah and criticize the league, criticize everything and really speak his mind. So, I mean, truth be told, that's the biggest challenge.
01:05:12
Speaker
Who really wants to do that? If anything, I'm i'm probably going to give it to the alien and he's probably should not have it this early. it's To me, it's way too early for him to even have that mantle. I'm so glad you said that. I'm looking at the list of the top 10 MVP candidates, according to NBA.com right now, as going into the break.
01:05:29
Speaker
And listen to these 10 people, gentlemen, and you tell me what the common theme of most of these people is. SGA, Jokic, Doncic, he's probably one of the outliers in this argument, Cunningham, Wembom Yama, Brown,
01:05:43
Speaker
ah Donovan's definitely not in this necessarily in here. But Anthony Edwards, Jalen Brunson, and Kawhi Leonard. Is there any common theme anybody can see there?
01:05:55
Speaker
A lot of them are quiet. A lot of them just don't talk. They don't talk. They don't talk in the media. They don't talk in way they don't talk at all. it's g I mean, SGA does after-game interviews, and then that that's it. Jokic, you want to play. You want to go play with his horse. He don't want you talking to him about nothing else. He don't care about talking about basketball. Luka, he'll talk because he just talk all damn day. Cade Cunningham, I don't even know what his voice sounds like. with Victor Wemba and Yama, yeah, he'll talk. We just talked about that. Jalen Brown, don't talk. He's one of my favorite players. He don't talk.
01:06:22
Speaker
Donovan Mitchell, I'm not a Cavs fan, but I think he talks a lot. Anthony Edwards, jovial talking. Jalen Brunson, don't hear a peep out of him. Kawhi Leonard, we all know, don't say a damn word. So, you know, I'm saying Jalen Brown does talk. Like, he's probably the most outspoken of them all. he's You know, he's a speaker, right? he But he's more in terms of an activist sort of like... Right, right. But that but that kind of goes into that label, right? like But the problem, too, to go with that is it's the over...
01:06:49
Speaker
um what's the best way to say this? It's the the over, quote-unquote, professionalism of amateur athletes, right? We we basically over-PR them, over-PC them in everything they do to where they're they're basically trying to all build brands of themselves, thinking that they are the brand immediately. And...
01:07:09
Speaker
I can understand that in a way, but in my personal opinion, some of the better brands are the people that are super outspoken and just just that are just dumb. We just kind of enjoy those people, right? Like those are the people you thoroughly enjoy watching. Sometimes you root for them in a ways like I don't know what is about that idiot. I love them. I just want to root for that. I i want to i want to. Make sure that I want to see them be successful. We don't get that anymore. We don't get many personalities.
01:07:35
Speaker
Everybody is very much bland as possible. And that is by design, by the over PRification of how we treat athletes in general. that That's what takes away from the NBA.
01:07:47
Speaker
Right. The NBA. Is it misconception that the face of the league has to be that? Like, LeBron was there, but that's LeBron. name either Name me the Michael Jordan quote about anything.
01:08:00
Speaker
That's fine, but... Republicans wear shoes, too. I mean, he is No, he didn't... Michael Jordan didn't speak up about anything. Kobe was the face of the league. He didn't speak up about anything. So why are we expecting this next person who's the face of the league to speak? No, your job as the face of the league is... We just need to have a Magic Johnson year in. Yes, just promote the game of basketball. That's it.
01:08:21
Speaker
I think a lot of them feel like they have to. And that's kind of where that that piece comes in. Like, I agree with you. Like, I don't think they should. I think their focal point should be... you like hoping yeah Put up numbers. like SGA could be that, but of course, that's again, he's not American. That's usually the complaint. or We don't have the American face. you you The American face that they're going to want to have is going to be Cooper Flagg. He's the one that's going to be the one that's going be pushed to the front of the line over the next few years. Don't get it twisted. He will be because he can hoop and he's a white boy. so you get you get that that that That last part. is that It's that diversity double double whammy. The latter and is really what we're looking at there. But he's a baller. As long as he goes out there and puts up numbers, no one gives us no one cares. But that's where the challenge comes in. it's You got to find somebody that wants to understand that they're goingnna the pressure is going to be on their back to always to always perform.
01:09:17
Speaker
And that performance isn't only on the court, which is the most annoying thing about it. Yeah. All right. Kyle Warren, did y'all both get in? I don't know if y'all got your opinion on that.
01:09:32
Speaker
was Was that you pointing? What was that? his I think he's pointing at you. In the meantime, let's give a shout out. Corbin Owens tuning in. We shout you out, brother. Appreciate you for tuning in. Make sure you tap in all the channels. Also says, I'm a big Lakers fan. Can you talk about them? We will in just a moment. they Give us a few minutes to finish this up and we'll talk him about it. He said they stink. Don't do that to the man while he's tuned into it. um At least say that afterwards. Kyle, who is your face of the NBA or what do you think about this?
01:09:59
Speaker
I believe the NBA is kind of like he, man, many faces, man. Ooh, many faces. You know, it was easier maybe 10, 15 years ago because you utterly had a dominant player, dominant figure.
01:10:13
Speaker
um But I think because the NBA has ah it's evolved in different spaces and because it's globalized, it's now has to embrace those different faces.
01:10:26
Speaker
You know, just in the same breath that we're talking about LeBron James, right? who was more outspoken and because he was holding the mantle as a young school kid coming in and doing great things in the NBA on the same side, Steph Curry, by all accounts revolutionized shooting the three point. But when you actually sat down and had interviews with him, he wasn't always outspoken.
01:10:50
Speaker
He was about as about as down to earth as you could, but he had lineage because his dad played in the NBA and he was able to surpass And he was able to, you know, elevate the baby face, you know, baby face assassin and then paired up with Clay Thompson elevated the Splash Brothers. He created a dynasty with the Golden State Warriors. And that's it again, he becomes the face of the league and he takes a different route to getting to that point. I think we're seeing the same thing here when we're talking about Ant-Man and when we're talking about Wemben Yama.
01:11:22
Speaker
And I think the one thing that's going to probably help define the elevated talk about face of the league is how dominant these two guys or anyone else for that matter are in this particular era.
01:11:37
Speaker
So I'm not even just let's remember a couple of years ago we were trying to make Joel Embiid the freaking face the league. The facts, Mr. Right. Now you could probably make the argument with Tyrese Maxey and the type of player that he is. We forgot about Tyrese Maxey. And the fields that he has, like with New Balance and, you know, what he could possibly do with the Philadelphia 76ers. Can you imagine, right, like if he were to get the Philadelphia 76ers to the finals and they were to win – an NBA championship and let's say Joel Embiid is not you know 100% Joel Embiid like it's Tyrese Maxey that goes out there and wills them and helps them win an NBA championship you know he's going to get catapulted into a different atmosphere about how he's looked at in the NBA you know what mean he has he has a pathway to that
01:12:25
Speaker
You do the same thing with Kay Cunningham. You can probably do the same thing with ah ah with Devin Booker, right? There are guys who have opportunities. There are guys who have opportunities to be able to do that. And that's something that was hard-pressed, I think, ah years ago because it was always, you know, the big three.
01:12:44
Speaker
It was always the big four or something like that. It's never expanded where there's, you know, a plethora of different ways that you can become the face of the league in the and NBA and not even win a championship to do it.
01:12:56
Speaker
it'll be interesting to see who actually gets to that you know to that that podium first but i i can't say i'm gonna pick either ant-man alien or anybody else because the nba right now is not structured in that kind of way where being the face of the league is only one road or one pathway to doing it i think next to now just completely wide open okay Well, hey, mean, Warren, did you have an opinion on that? You want to give your thoughts on Yeah, but I'm super nerdy, man. And it's just like there's no money in it because at the end of the day the contracts are too big.
01:13:30
Speaker
their Their brand endorsements are too big, so why take on the pressure of being air-cold face the league? But when Ant-Man gets touched into it, it's because he's got a big personality, I think, as my guy was saying, right? Like, you want to hear him, you want to hear him.
01:13:42
Speaker
But arguably, I'm going to use your thing, close your eyes. is Can Ant-Man be the best player? Is he the best player in basketball? He can be. He can be? yeah So as long as SGA is still doing what he's doing. he think I think he could be, sure. i think He can pass.
01:13:58
Speaker
Okay. I don't think he has that level. that level I think he's always going to be in the MVP conversation. Okay. Wow. i and That's not a knock. you know like saying I mean, it sounds like a knock if you're saying he's not as good as SGA. I think he's proven that already.
01:14:14
Speaker
that's crazy work so great where he he put the timberwolves where they are by himself you switch him and sga the oklahoma homeless city thunder are still champions if you put sga on the timberwolves they are still the second round exit so i think i don't i don't know about that i don't i don't think that's true that is sga is not carrying julius randall to a championship bro keep it keep it above i but i'm i'm I'm not as high on Ant, I think, as others are in general. And it's not to say that i'm not high on it right?
01:14:43
Speaker
I think it's like, will he always be in the top five conversation? Absolutely. He's an immense talent with an immense personality and he can galvanize a group. And that there's something to say about that as well, too, because he has almost single-handedly willed the Wolves to two conference finals. I will give him that.
01:14:59
Speaker
But I think as long as SGA and Joker are around and I don't know how long those things are in place, he's always going to be swimming upstream on think on those things. And does he ultimately reach the peak of his proverbial powers before he can take the proverbial mantle?
01:15:12
Speaker
And does the face of league need to be the best player in the yeah NBA? And I don't know that that's where we are based on seeing the sense some of the things that Khaled said. Because the game the game is so global and those global guys don't care about trying to grow the game per se in the traditional way that maybe Jordan had to back in those days. But there was also money in it for Jordan at that time. That is not in the same kind of breath that some of these players are going to have to deal with right now because I don't need that back. I'm getting 50, 60 million dollars now. I'm getting 100 million dollars from my sneaker deal.
01:15:45
Speaker
I'm working with whatever bet MGM or whatever the case would be. I got money coming in from every which way. I don't need this added pressure for me to go out there and say, hey, put me on every single poster and whatever the case would be. And that's to say they don't care about the game. They don't care about like little kids and everything like that.
01:16:00
Speaker
But there's so much into that that has nothing to do with basketball when it comes to the face of the league that these players are just not interested in because theyre they want to be worried about their own brand, let alone the the brand of the league, so to speak.
01:16:12
Speaker
And I'll get off my soapbox. No, I mean, that is something that you need to worry about when you are debating whether or not you're going to take on face of the league. You got to know if you want to take on that pressure because you do have to be squeaky clean at all times or at least out of public view, um not getting caught being doing anything scandalous or anything like that. So, it is I mean, look. It's hard for for many, ah a regular person, but especially a person who is traveling all the time, is um is going to be a privy to more of the temptations in life than many of us may be privy to, um maybe more distractions, so on and so forth, as we all know.
01:16:54
Speaker
That professional athlete. Hey, Professor, yeah i will since you were going to bring up about talking about the Lakers, let me ask you this question. I'll ask the panel this question. Do you think that Luka Doncic is currently the face of the NBA or is is ah is a part of that conversation to be the face of the NBA?
01:17:14
Speaker
Or is it by de facto that he's playing as a Los Angeles Laker that he is catapulted into being part of the conversation of being in the face of the and NBA? it's kind of like the same thing when we talk about if you're part if you're playing with the dallas if you're part of the dallas cowboys are you naturally one of the best players because you're wearing that star on your helmet or is it that you're automatically in that conversation because you have the star on your helmet and you can get away with not performing at a high level or a level that is depicting of saying that you're among one of the best players simply because you're a part of a brand that has superseded even the popularity of what game or sport that you're participating or playing in because i can tell you i have been a luka donkic fan and sean knows this i love luka donkic i've said this guy should have been mvp i don't know how many times But he has shown me that he is not ready to be the MVP. But more importantly, he's shown me that it may not be the most important thing to him.
01:18:16
Speaker
Because had that been the case, he'd have been the MVP already. But he has not done the things that have that has put him in that position that has allowed him to win that. That doesn't mean that he's still now among one of the best players in the game of basketball.
01:18:30
Speaker
But now he has extended his runway because he's playing for a storied franchise, right? And the pressure of him having to be great as a Los Angeles Laker is going to matter a hell of a lot more than him being worried about being the face of the NBA.
01:18:46
Speaker
But the great part about this is if you were to ask anyone outside of Adam Silver's conscience, ah when they conspiratorially traded A.D. for Luca after Adam Silver was in the back rooms of Nico Harrison having a couple bottles of whiskey and apparently... coming up with this trade to make sure Luka represented l L.A. so they had a face.
01:19:07
Speaker
Yeah, that's exactly what the NBA wanted. That's the whole reason they placed his damn ass there. That's the whole reason Cooper flags in in Dallas to hedge in case J.T. don't want to be more than quiet and get off the office and be the face of the NBA for for the Celtics. So, look, man, dad don't even get me on my soapbox. That's complete.
01:19:26
Speaker
oh Stupid trade. treat No, no. It was clearly a conspiracy. It was clearly driven by Adam Silver, just like when David Stern got rest his soul, made sure Tim Duncan didn't go to the Celtics, made sure that Patrick Ewing went to the Knicks. I can go on and on and on about the NBA conspiracies. And you're right. They did try to put him in that position. And he's not going to take it like Morant. He's just going to fumble it as usual. he don't speak good enough English anyway, so i don't want to hear him Anyways, let me get off my soapbox. Anybody else?
01:19:56
Speaker
I think Luka had a path to that, and Kyrie Irving let him down. Because if Kyrie Irving would have played a better finals, they would have won that finals, that would been Luka's path right there. I mean, but that's why you don't trade him away, because he took you to the conference finals. You don't trade him the first No, I'm saying his path also ended because of that situation. No, I got you here. Right.
01:20:16
Speaker
That situation kind of muddled up his
NBA Conspiracies and Tanking Issues
01:20:20
Speaker
path. And, I mean, Kale's right. His game... is face of the league worthy, is MVP worthy. He just needs the accolades, right? And so it's up on, it's up to the Lakers to decide if he gets those a accolades. All right, cool. all right, well, let's move it on. We got a little bit more to talk about. First of all, just a really quick sports professor giving you your ratings here. The NBA peaked at 9.8 million viewers, which was 87, oh no,
01:20:53
Speaker
fortyev 80% increase over last year, um which I don't know what that is. 87% over last year. So, um well, $10 million. I guess that would be $2.3 million. So it was about $2.5 million last year. So obviously they did something right. And obviously people are tuning in to see some of these players. um Now, was the dunk contest good? No, they need to get rid of that crap.
01:21:17
Speaker
Because, look, my thing with the dunk contest is that If you don't have people that can, well, the the first thing is we've ran out of dunks. How many dunks can you come up with? Right. I watched the dunk band contest with which is like all the, you know, ah ballers who maybe you don't know about. And Jordan Klingon is there and he does this scorpion dunk where he goes backwards under the rim and. That's the best dunk you could do right now that anybody could do, unless someone who could flip over the rim and and dunk. um So, like, they just need to get rid of that because it was it was boring even with the energy of the young kids this year.
01:21:54
Speaker
Any thoughts on that?
01:21:58
Speaker
No, Sean, you start. Yeah.
01:22:03
Speaker
after No, I just wanted to know if anybody had thought. That was my thought on it. I'm just like, what are we doing right now? I'm with you. Get rid of it, man. Let's get a 1v1 tournament in there. 1v1, that's what I want to see. The unrivaled 1v1 was awesome. I watched a lot of that because it was awesome.
01:22:20
Speaker
Horse. Let's get a horse in there. Give me guys and a game of horse. he's that horse yeah At least one-on-one is a little more competitive than the horse. mean, if it's no, the fun you get through. Steph Curry, before the All-Star game, hit a shot from the NBC announce table.
01:22:36
Speaker
like way like He did. i saw the video of it. He can hit a shot from anywhere. so what is that I know. I'm saying. Let's let's get some horse guns. They'll have fun with it. don'll make it They'll make it 2K-like. All right. right Well, there you go Horse it is. Once I can finish this background, I'll get us back to looking right, but I don't know how to fix this background right now. This is Jordan versus Bird off the scoreboard, off the table. you know There you go. All right, cool. So let me ah let's go ahead and bring up the next one while I get while figure out why this banner is not working.
01:23:05
Speaker
Tanking. Tanking was the big talk of the weekend. up So obviously lots of teams here that have already pretty much given in. We know, I mean, the Wizards traded for AD and Trey and then completely just sat them out, what looks like to be for the rest of the year, most likely. um You have all these other teams that aren't really trying hard.
01:23:27
Speaker
I count about 11 in the standings that have pretty much given up or softed. given up. So what are your thoughts on tanking? Is there any way to fix this problem? Obviously, you have the things that the MLB has done with their luxury tax and taking away draft picks. You have what they've started to do with the second apron and other things in terms of signing people in the and NBA. So are there any thoughts there? We'll go ahead and start with you, Warren.
01:23:53
Speaker
We haven't started with you yet. So what are your thoughts on tanking? I mean, we we did a deep dive on it, right? And then as we record here today, we're doing your show, Sacramento announces like half their team is not going to play the rest of season. and Levine is out for the rest of the year. Sabonis is now out for the rest of the year, but they were already bad.
01:24:11
Speaker
And so I think in so in assessing Adam Silver's talks and conversation at this conference at this press conference, There's a middle ground that needs to be had, but we haven't found it just yet. Sacramento did not want to have 12 wins at this at this point of the year. Like that's not what they set out to do.
01:24:27
Speaker
They are just, they're bad basketball team. They're just bad. And so now they are not tanking, but they're bad. So where's the line from that versus a team that is now intentionally like subbing their season?
01:24:39
Speaker
I don't know, and I guess maybe I have to really go back to some the games. I don't think Indiana was trying to tank to begin the year, but then 10 games in, they were like, we're pretty trash.
01:24:50
Speaker
You know what? So we're going to bail one on it as well. And so then it like it just becomes like this trend as different teams come to their realizations. We knew Washington coming to the year like they knew what it was. Like they were ah absolutely tanking from from from the outset.
01:25:06
Speaker
Utah maybe to a lesser degree and then Kessler got hurt and so forth and so forth. But there's nuance to this, right? The Pelicans are terrible. But I'm telling you, they did not expect to be this bad.
01:25:17
Speaker
Because what it did, it didn't serve them because they gave up their draft pick to Atlanta. So why would they want to get this back? So there's just so many things that are happening right now. And as teams realize, like, you know what, we have no chance of saving a proverbial season.
01:25:30
Speaker
So now it's time to cut bait, sit our guys, and let's see if we can if we can get these draft picks. And I think to some degree, while you can say whatever you want about Commissioner Silver, there's ah there's a through line there that I think now as we you were latching on to, it's like, oh, everyone's tanking.
01:25:47
Speaker
That's not the case for every one of those teams. It wasn't what their goal was to begin the season, you know, say maybe one or two. Now you see maybe nine or 11 saying, oh, now it's that time. Because they even Dallas now, Kyrie Irving's out for the year. All right, no chance of him coming back. So they're going in the tanker.
01:26:02
Speaker
Will we see Cooper flag play plus minutes for the rest of the season? That remains to be seen because he had a little scare and didn't play an all-star weekend as well. To me, it is a big it is a big, big issue, but you have to like take it not necessarily in this bubble, but in its sectionality of the season of like why it's happening for that. right I think Brooklyn's another team is like probably from the beginning of the year, they knew we knew they weren't going to be good.
01:26:26
Speaker
But there's just so much nuance to it there. And I honestly have a fix because every time the league does anything, they create unintended consequences. for oh Big facts. And that's to say that you don't try to fix the problem. right But I think every fix, there's going to be something like, oh, well, we didn't think about that. Now look what they've done. Now we got to address this and you can continue to kind of mess with it until you think you you have it right.
01:26:53
Speaker
But I think every three to five years, we're going to have same version of this problem. Well, I mean, look, they recently fined the Jazz $500,000 for keeping Markkanen and Jared Jackson Jr. out of the fourth quarter in consecutive games to try to lose those games, which is funny because they actually won one accidentally. um the They fined the Pacers $100,000 for keeping Pascal Siakam out of a game, ah but these fines are not doing anything because these fines are like a drop in the in the bucket for these teams that have billions of dollars. um you Again, you look at the – Cal, you look at the MLB, you look at ah you know what they did with taking away draft picks. In the MLB, if you ah go over the luxury tax a certain amount, you get your first-round draft pick taken away or you lose 10 spots until – and then you to get it taken away. So maybe we get into the thing where, okay –
01:27:39
Speaker
if you If we know you're – obviously you can't prove, but you know when teams are tanking. If you're tanking, all right, the first time we catch you, you get your second-round draft pick taken away. The second time you get caught, you get your first-round draft pick taken away. Something like that. Maybe change the way the lottery is weighted. Some people have even said something crazy like abolish the draft completely.
01:27:59
Speaker
What are your thoughts?
01:28:03
Speaker
Oh, you're a mute, brother.
01:28:09
Speaker
yeah I was pantomiming for you guys. Yeah, look, this is what happens when you've, you know, when you've injected sports gambling, you know, me you know into this space. um and And there's nothing you can do about that.
01:28:25
Speaker
You know what I'm saying? I mean, there's just nothing you can do about that. um I agree with y'all. Like, I don't know if there's going to necessarily be like any particular kind of fix. um I think part of the problem as well, too, is that the despair, like the, the, the gap between teams that are good and teams that are just really bad. i think there's, there are too many teams in that, in that threshold as it pertains to the and NBA and it's, you know, it sucks.
01:28:58
Speaker
I think the NBA has to stay, NBA has to start really looking into within itself and stop looking at what the NFL does and what MLB does. because their markets are not set up the way that the and NBA's market is set up.
01:29:13
Speaker
And it's much more glaring and it's much more um outspoken because now the media is now injected itself by labeling this thing called tanking.
01:29:25
Speaker
When a part of this conversation really has to be at, look at how the organizations have managed and operated over the last few years to get to this point. has it been that they've really been tanking or has it been that this this organization is just ran bad, right? They don't have b people making sound b their their agenda and their b not about going out to win baske It's about getting people to buy in to whatever sports team, professional sports team that is injected in their city, in their area. Like there's other hidden agendas that are impacting the decisions to what we're seeing now play out for the remainder of this basketball season.
01:30:07
Speaker
Right. And some of that is not going to get unfolded until we get to the end of the year where I think it becomes a problem is how we're evaluating, how we're evaluating and valuing the draft picks.
01:30:18
Speaker
Right. And so that to me, I think is what's going to be the bigger question, because if you're Adam Silva, remember you only have two rounds, right? This is not the NFL where you got like six or seven rounds of players and you're putting together like a complete team, ah almost like a roster.
01:30:34
Speaker
You're only getting to select two guys. And then mainly most of the guys that you probably will get, you're, you're doing on tryouts and two-way contracts. you're pulling them from G leagues and things of that nature. So you're not really even giving yourself an opportunity for us to really evaluate the the plethora of talent that is available to some of these teams.
01:30:52
Speaker
And so unless you're lottery, everything else is just like the only time that we've talked about these guys, whether they are mid round or end or whatever the case may be is because of who they're,
01:31:03
Speaker
who they've been drafted by after you actually see them go out and play. There's no pathway to to to to seeing them. And the NBA has to do a better job of that. They have to make a decision on how they value the draft.
01:31:15
Speaker
And in doing that, it will also help them better evaluate how teams are operating to be worthy of being a lottery draft. You know what saying? Like, are they actually competing or are they just playing to tank to to to be qualified to say, I'm going to be a part of that, you know, that, that, that, that lottery draft class and stuff like that.
01:31:35
Speaker
There's a lot of no one decision, no one move that the NBA is going to make is going to is going to clearly fix this problem. What they have to do is they have to properly define what is it perceived as tanking. Because to Shaw's point, there are three examples of teams that are not exhibiting the the role or the mode of tanking. Yet they're being lumped into this conversation, which is exacerbating the field of the neptitudes.
01:32:01
Speaker
of of of of the ah the of the competitiveness that's happening right now between the play in in the teams that are not even going to be in it right at this particular point which is what you don't want you literally want almost all the teams somewhere along the line mathematically still in contention and not being counted out where we're already talking about them ta exactly That's exactly right. You want teams that are going to be in until the end. And I know they tried to do the play-in for that reason. And, I mean, look, it helped a little bit for a while. But still, teams are going to tank if they inherently believe that that is going to improve their chances to get this –
01:32:36
Speaker
draft changing player that you talked about you know the cooper flag the you know the the luca the the wimby whoever um so yeah yeah i think draft picks needs to be part of the punishment maybe the way you weigh the lottery bobby maybe you start to let more teams in the lottery maybe it's just like the the teams that or maybe you even shrink it a little bit what are your thoughts Nope. I got the fix right here. oh you go you got to want You're going to want to clip this. I mentioned this earlier on GameTime216. Here it is. First thing I'm doing is I'm getting rid of this freaking pick protection. What is that? If you trade your pick, you trade your pick.
01:33:10
Speaker
You don't get to protect anything. okay if If you want to pay the cost to get a certain player, pay that cost. I like that. The next thing I'm doing, the the people that are paying the ultimate price is us, the fans, right? Because no matter what happens, no matter how good or bad your team is, ah if you want to take your kid to it to enjoy a game, is it's going to cost you, right?
01:33:28
Speaker
So here's what we're going to do. The average number of wins for teams who barely make the playoffs or barely miss the playoffs is usually between 40 to about 35 wins, right? So that's going be my zero number.
01:33:40
Speaker
From 40 to 35, I'm going to put a zero. Why? Because if you win less than 35 games the next season, you have to decrease your ticket prices by 10%. If you win less than games starting drive from From 35 to 25. I heard this one. If you win less than that, less than less than that number, you have to decrease your ticket prices by 20 percent the following season. Oh, and if you win less than 15 games, you have to decrease your ticket prices by 30 percent the next season. Oh, and guess what? Every subsequent year after that, that you don't win, get the zero mark.
01:34:16
Speaker
We're going to tack on 3% to your decrease the next season. Oh, how do you get out of this penalty? You have to be above that zero, either at or above the zero number two seasons in a row. We're to make these freaking owners reinvest in their people.
01:34:30
Speaker
Hey, Steve Ballmer, stop trying to pay Kawhi under the table. Pay your damn training staff so Kawhi can actually be on the team. Reinvest the money in your team. Y'all didn't become billionaires by accident. You reinvested it smart way. Reinvest in your basketball teams.
01:34:43
Speaker
Reinvest in general managers who can do the job. Reinvest in coaches who can coach the team. Reinvest reinvest in the G League teams that you own to develop your future talent.
01:34:54
Speaker
And you won't have to worry about it. That's how I fixed it. Because obviously they don't have a a problem taking money, right? All these teams are getting fined for playing, including, you forgot to mention, my Cavs. We actually got fined twice. okay And we definitely aren't trying to tank.
01:35:09
Speaker
um so yeah then but and and then you know hit him where counts yeah either that'll wake everybody up i mean yeah i don't know that the that the owners would necessarily agree to that stipulation but in theory just do in theory it would work yeah uh in theory well no but you bring you know i've heard that idea of an excellent point in that again you know what we saw 10 15 you know 20 years ago when David Stern was there wasn't as egregious as what we're currently seeing and I'm not saying that to to to to to say that I'm I'm trying to diss Adam Silver right what I'm saying is is that he he has to be um a little bit more fervent and he has to you know if he believes in the brand
01:36:01
Speaker
he believes in the shield of the and NBA, he has got to figure out a way to protect it. And protecting it is not necessarily by just going out and just finding people. Protecting it is actually establishing a line saying, i I do have like, I have control of this. And as much as I know that I work for you, you have to work for me, right? You have to work with me, right? Like I can't continue to go out to the world and sell the idea of expanding the NBA when we're struggling with only 25 teams looking like they want to compete.
01:36:34
Speaker
And I got to deal with another five or six teams here that every year year, year out, they're not, you're not even trying to compete, but you're, you're, you're making, you're charging prices and you're making money almost equivalent to that of some of those larger markets that are continually competitive and are continually to elevating the brand of what you want me to go and sell out, you know, so globally.
01:36:57
Speaker
and that doesn't make any sense. so yeah I agree with you. I think that if it comes down to doing something like that, that and it motivates them to to help kind of put them in a different space and how they're operating.
01:37:10
Speaker
I'm all for that. You know what I'm saying? But I don't think you continue to incentivize the idea that what they're doing is not going to further exacerbate the idea of what tanking is because now we're getting lost in what that perception is. And the minute that that happens, you almost make everything a validation to assume that it's tanking when it's really not.
01:37:31
Speaker
And then you'd have no wiggle room for any solutions that you're going to offer to the table to fix the problem or not even fix the problem but improve the circumstances of the problem yeah i i just gotta say i mean i think in theory the idea makes a a lot of sense but what happens to the team who just they got injured and so they're bad because everybody got hurt and they sucked like i mean that's that's memphis to some degree i mean they're probably also somewhat poorly ran and then maybe the some of the players they selected You know, a la job weren't maybe the the best long term fits, but they didn't know that going in.
01:38:05
Speaker
But if, yeah, you just get bit by the injury blood like the Sixers or whatever the case would be. And now you're you're a bad team unintentionally. And so now if you can't get better as a result of some of those penalties. That's what i'm saying. Each thing is going to have some unintended consequence or you're going to end up penalizing somebody who maybe doesn't deserve to be penalized. And again, as I look through this through this list of all 30 teams, only three of them really came into the season. We know they they had no no no hope of trying to be competitive.
01:38:34
Speaker
Utah, Brooklyn, and Washington. Everybody else, at least... saw themselves trying to be doing something this year and the season has kind of shifted for them where hey now it's time to kind of cut beat yeah but i'm sorry like that happens that's life that's that's sports like And at the end of the day, it's going to balance out because your misfortune is going to lead to the fortune of another team, hey, maybe getting up out of that that penalty situation, right?
01:38:59
Speaker
And then guess what? Next year, you'll be back on your feet, right? Everybody be healthy. let's Let's go at it again. And I do it. This is what all about providing that that competitiveness. mia Look at the Boston Celtics. i was I was just about to say that. I agree with both of you because I originally would have agreed with Warren's point, but then I'm thinking to the Celtics versus Indiana, which one team just completely gave up, but the other team didn't. Indiana didn't have to give up like that. You still got Pascal Siakam. You can't be that bad of a team with Pascal Siakam. I mean, you can't. you could like The thing about Indiana was Nembhard, Nembhard, Nembhard was hurt to begin the year. And then Matherin like messed up his shoulder after dropping 30. And then all of a sudden he missed like the the next 12 games. So it derailed their season. Siakam alone, even in the Eastern Conference, wasn't enough to kind of keep keep them afloat. You know what I mean? And McConnell was hurt. It will happen. Yeah, will happen. But what did they do in the offseason?
01:39:52
Speaker
You let one of your best players walk. So I can't feel sorry. turner ah yeah yeah um you mean But you mean, tell me my my turn wouldn't make a difference on the roster right now.
01:40:04
Speaker
My turn is not. or is not good mom comes um He wouldn't make a difference on his roster right now I think he was good on the Pacers. I think he brought it good he was good on the Pacers with Halliburton.
01:40:15
Speaker
Okay, that's true. They traded him because they didn't have like, I don't know. We will have to agree to disagree there. I would you rather have my Turner or Jay Huff?
01:40:28
Speaker
That's not even a question. But would you want to pay? Do you want to pay? What would you pay miles Turner? What Milwaukee's paying? A lot of money Would you want to lose million dollars in Say that again.
01:40:40
Speaker
Would you want to lose $5 million dollars in ticket sales or pay this dude so you can make $30 million dollars in ticket sales? I think I would rather rebuild my roster and let Miles Turner walk in the way they did. Look at you. think he's happy with their investment And that's my point. These are the choices you're going to have to make.
01:40:56
Speaker
Like, I'm not going feel sorry for you when the choice is up to you. You do what you want to do. You got two
Retirement and Legacy of NBA Legends
01:41:01
Speaker
years to turn it around. that's all That's all my rules would be. You can have that exact mindset. You got two years to turn it around.
01:41:10
Speaker
Good luck to you. Well, I mean, there's going to be a lot of... See? what born but I'm just saying that's wild. That's i' even things what you best When you're messing and you're dipping in people's pockets, like they they they feel a a quicker duty to respond.
01:41:26
Speaker
So that's the so much merit. yeah But unfortunately, the people who are being dipped into, being us the fans, we can't respond.
01:41:36
Speaker
All right. Well, hey, that was a very spirited conversation. I can't wait to see what happens. They're going have to come up with something because tanking is only going to get worse if not cut off. um And again, it's not the same as other sports, like you said, but there are things they can take from other sports um in terms of even like, I keep going back to Major League Baseball luxury tax and how you lose draft positions for spending too much like the Dodgers and the Mets. So maybe you could do some inverse of that.
01:42:03
Speaker
Anyways, um don't want to keep everybody here too late because know, ah you know, especially Warren got some things to do. So let's get into our last couple topics here. NBA Chris Paul, what an unceremonious retirement. Went back to l L.A., was not able to recreate the, you know, the days of Lob City or anything like that. But he really meant a lot to that franchise. Not only that, he is a first ballot Hall of Famer in the NBA, even without a championship. um You can say he's a top five point guard.
01:42:33
Speaker
possibly of all time. You can say he was possibly a top 10 generational player of his or player in his generation, um maybe top 15. So we'll start with you, Bobby. a lot of consternation here from people about the way he was released. The unceremonious way it happened, not only in L.A., but then in Toronto, although at least Toronto's trying to give him another shot. He is not going to take that shot. He is instead going to retire.
01:43:00
Speaker
um You know, he was the the point God was his nickname. He will be one of only three players with 20,000 points, 10,000 assists and 2,000 steals joining LeBron and Russell Westbrook. Shout out to my UCLA brother. Bobby G, what are your thoughts?
01:43:16
Speaker
It's just sad, like for someone so accomplished. and And like say, he's one of the greatest to ever play the game, one of the top 75 greatest players. It's just sad. And it's the NBA, we got to do better because this is not the first time we go see how Carmelo Anthony went out. We see how Allen Iverson went out.
01:43:36
Speaker
right? is We got to do better by our greats, man. ah these These guys need to be celebrated, it's especially if you want the game to grow. is You ask these guys to be ambassadors even after they're done. and you know Let's give them the the red carpet and the flyers on the way out.
01:43:53
Speaker
I completely agree. Cal? I mean, it just it it hurts the Clippers they have a lot hell of a lot more than it hurts Chris Paul. that's just That's just, there's no getting around it.
01:44:03
Speaker
you know and and I've seen, like I you know I think Chris Paul just recently you know was on um Carmelo's 7 p.m. in Brooklyn podcast, and you know he was kind of speaking to what happened or what occurred, giving his side of the story.
01:44:19
Speaker
you know, the Clippers doing their spin or whatever, it doesn't, it doesn't absolve the fact that, you know, this is one of the few opportunities in a few times that I think the NBA could have stepped in and had had done something about this as well too. And again, these are the type of misses that I'm talking about. um ah You know, I'm not going to put a blame on any one particular thing, but I'm just saying that if you're the NBA, you got to be cognizant of these things um because I think it's going to have long-term effects ah with how young players now perceive what they, you know, when their time comes and they're ready to call it quits, they could just easily and some, know, unceremoniously walk away from something. Don't give an explanation to nothing.
01:44:58
Speaker
At the end of the day, the NBA has to be the one that has to take it on the face. You really want that, especially for guys as, as, as storied as Chris Paul, you know, without winning a championship.
01:45:10
Speaker
Um, so Yeah, it's it's an unfortunate circumstance. I still think that, you know, at the end of the day, no one's going to take and anything away from his legacy and what he's done. Every team that he's been a part of, he's actually, they become they were better, right, teams, whether it's only for a year, or two years, or whatever the case may be. Oh, my God, yeah. He improved you every exception of what just happened here with the Los Angeles Clippers, right? So that's something that the Clippers really can't sweep under the rug. Like, they can't they can't get away from that.
01:45:38
Speaker
it actually puts more of an emphasis on what the Clippers are clearly lacking. And, you know, that's just unfortunate. But i listen, Chris Paul, if he's good, you know, he's doing his thing, more power to him. And, you know, we'll wait and see what the next chapter is going to look like for the l LA Clippers.
01:45:56
Speaker
I can't believe – am completely with you. I cannot believe the way that he has been treated. in one of like like you Like we've all said, one of the greatest players, one of the 75 greatest players in the NBA, Warren, and just for him just to be – and to another point, Cal, you mentioned it. They had no problem stepping in.
01:46:15
Speaker
to deny him getting traded ah to the back to the Lakers when they had the control of the Hornets, did they? They had no problem stepping in then when it was Chris Paul, but now all of a sudden we can't try to help our man out when he's giving so much to the league. What are we talking about? Warren.
01:46:30
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, it's it's tough to to watch that, you know, somebody who's meant so much to the game and and cares about the league in the way that he has. Even his advocacy for HBCUs and trying to bring that that highlight to how the league is also being highlighted and bringing that that level of player to the league as well.
01:46:47
Speaker
and But in some ways, he's gone on his own on his own terms now. I'm sad from the
NBA Finals Predictions and Player Performances
01:46:53
Speaker
LA side where... i felt like they should have worked harder you know once they said hey we're gonna really you're no longer gonna be with the team work harder to find him a spot and i don't know we don't we're not we're not in the front office right but from the alice outside looking and it doesn't appear that they did a lot to try to get that situation try that much to make it right and then trade deadline hey we'll send you to toronto and then toronto was like hey we'll waive you so cal and i talked about like we thought we knew he's gonna get away from toronto but thought he would
01:47:18
Speaker
air quote, chase the ring. And we would all be good with it right? Like, watch the CP3, go get it. You know, you do what you do. You've done so much with the game. You have no problem if you want to ring chase and whether that be with an OKC or whatever team.
01:47:30
Speaker
But he he decided, like, listen, like, this is enough. And like I said, if he's at peace, with air quote it going this direction because I think a team would have picked him up. But he's saying now he doesn't want to be bothered with the chase and he's content with his career.
01:47:44
Speaker
And either way, he's done a lot. First Ballet Hall of Famer everywhere he goes, like he's he's had a positive impact and a lot of people respect Chris Ball. And there's a lot of people saying the exact things we're saying here on the show right now it is like, hey, mean we we wish it were different for him.
01:47:58
Speaker
But he said it's enough. And so I got to tip my captain for a great career. ah I just want to, Bobby, were going to say something? oh No, but I'll throw a good question. you got Do you guys think he has a future as a coach?
01:48:13
Speaker
That's interesting. i if i was If I were Chris Paul, from the way I and like have watched him and seen him, I could probably see him coaching college. I don't think I don't think i see him coaching the NBA.
01:48:28
Speaker
um and And here, and actually I appreciate you bringing that up, Bobby, because I wanna make this point. and i'm And I'm saying this because I don't wanna be disrespectful, but I'm saying it because I wanna keep it 100. For the players that are out there that are like, ah you know, you know, like most of those interviews that you're seeing, I'm not calling out any one specific person. I know that there have been some athletes or former players or former teammates who have spoken to, you know, the type of person Chris Paul is and everything like that.
01:48:55
Speaker
I would say to you is if this helps you look like you're an NBA insider, the only thing that it's shown me is that he lasted in the league a lot longer than you did. And there's a reason why.
01:49:09
Speaker
You Obviously, his resume reflects and resembles something that you never achieve. i I cannot stand when I see certain players get out there saying, oh, well, you know, he's the kind of guy that goes talking behind and does this, that, and the third or whatever the case may be. And you're not actually there. You're not in the circumstance and the situation. You're still not even competing right now.
01:49:29
Speaker
you are analyzing and you're critiquing what a person's actions were that led to the circumstances of what we're talking about right now. And that just aggravates me more than anything, because to me, what it gives off that impression is, is that he has always been that person as if to say the guy never evolved as if to say the guy never showed us what he was when he first came into the league and what he's transitioned to even at towards the end of his career.
01:49:55
Speaker
in the league. And I just want to make sure that that ah that that part of it is being emphasized as well, too, because that to me also elevates the conversation about where Chris Paul wants to be with this. and and and um And I'm adding on to what Shaw was talking about a moment ago in the sense that maybe he's good with the fact that I don't need to be a part of this atmosphere of where the and NBA is and how players and teams and operate in that particular space. And I got to sit here and navigate through this at 40 something years old.
01:50:23
Speaker
It's like, that's not that's not where my energy needs to be. And I feel like if that's good and you can walk away from that, and I respect him a hell of a lot more than than than going through the aches and pains of trying to- Yeah, don't put up with that shit. just you You wouldn't be good with, you know what i mean? So, yeah.
01:50:42
Speaker
No, don't put up with that. Don't let yourself, who, like you said, put and and put in such a great career and gave so much back to the game. Don't let them put you through the ringer trying to make them happy. Nah, man, go out. You've done – there's nothing more for you to accomplish except win a championship, which, again, like you said, no one would have been mad, and no one would be mad. Hey, you still got a couple months must to go home, rest, and come back for the end-of-the-year signings that you could possibly get picked up on ah on a team that might need you.
01:51:08
Speaker
um So, yeah, no, i appreciate that. So, that being said, let's go ahead and get into those updated picks. Our updated and NBA finals and MVP picks before we get out of here. You know, we like to do these on every show, no matter where we are, just to see where we are along the line. So, um again, your top contenders right now. We talked about the Pistons. We talked about the Thunder. We talked about the Spurs. You also got the Knicks, Celtics, Cavs, Nuggets, Rockets, um and the Lakers and Timberwolves rounding out the top 10 in terms of rankings.
01:51:37
Speaker
standings in terms of win-loss records. Also in the MVP, SGA is NBA.com number one right now, Jokic at number two, Doncic three, Cunningham four, Wemba Yama five.
01:51:49
Speaker
So we'll go around the horn. Warren, we'll start with you. Give us your updated finals and MVP picks, please. Oh, man, I haven't given this too much thought. That's okay. We'll do it again later. You know, we probably talk again. Asking me here today on February 18th at almost 11 o'clock Eastern time, I'm going to I'm going to go with Cavs and Thunder. Oh, still going with the Cavs. Okay, wow. Let's go. oh I understand they got to prove it.
01:52:18
Speaker
I do, and i'm I'm very hesitant in that. But right now, I i think the fit on paper seems to work. I think Harden is going to unlock Mobley in a way that we've been all really waiting for, like kind of that that second, third level, or whatever the case may be. And Donovan is playing an amazing season that is like kind of going underrated to some degree, and that I'm not quite sure why. Jalen Tyson is hooping, hooping. So they found a lot of great pieces and and I think Harden is going to be able to acquiesce. And Donovan is a guy who can take some of the pressure off of Harden's air quote failures in the playoffs. So I like Cleveland, although I think the Knicks are probably still a better constructed team because they have the continuity, but they're so Jekyll and Hyde, it gives me a little bit of pause. And i'm very concerned about Tatum coming back in Boston. Like I know y'all were talking about that before I got on, so won't rehash any of that. So that's why I'm picking Cleveland in the East.
01:53:11
Speaker
And I think OKC went all of sudden and done to still the best team in the Western Conference, despite the overtures by the Spurs and the fun and and the Nuggets, you know, right there. That's the way I got there. So, yeah, that's my finals. video You need me to do MVP now or we'll come back to that?
01:53:23
Speaker
ah Yeah, you know, what we'll come back to that because I actually want to keep keep with the finals talk real quick. Cal, what you got? I picked the Cavaliers to make it out of the East.
01:53:33
Speaker
um I'm hesitant, but I'm still going to go with it. and Obviously, they pushed their chips all in by getting Harden. So yeah um that doesn't mean that i I don't think that the Pistons and the Knicks are not you know looking over their shoulder. And I think it's going come down to the matchups, um you know the the playoff matchups that take place between the first round and in the semifinals to you know to kind of prove my point.
01:53:59
Speaker
As far as the West, I had the Timberwolves picked to finally get to the NBA finals hey because I believed that this was going to be the year that Anthony Edwards was going to take a step forward and be in the MVP conversation.
01:54:13
Speaker
And I guess in the very, what, maybe the first 10 games, it kind of showed a little bit, but that he's tapered off. I know he was kind of in and out of the lineup a couple of times as well, too. I just don't see the team good enough um to be able to rock with where the Thunder is.
01:54:26
Speaker
I think when the Thunder comes fully healthy, they're just too deep of a team. And there's not too many teams really in the in the Western Conference that going to be able to deal with them. So I think it's going to be the Cavs and the Thunder in the NBA.
01:54:37
Speaker
Yeah, it's funny because you and Warren's explanations just changed my mind on one of my picks. Bobby, go ahead. now Now I don't want to jinx it. I mean, these two gentlemen have made fine choices. You want to jinx your house, Steve? All right, go ahead and pick the Celtics then. Just say the Celtics are going to It makes you feel better. It's like, I'm good with that.
01:55:01
Speaker
But ah in the West, I'm actually going to go with the Spurs. OK. All right. I believe ah these little nitnoy nagging injuries at SGA and Jay Williams and, ah you know, the other guys on the Thunder are dealing with.
01:55:15
Speaker
I watched the same thing. This is kind of how the cap season went last year. We were playing great. We had a little couple injuries. You're like, OK, we'll be good in the playoffs. I think in the playoffs, those little nitinoid injuries are going be the things that that are their downfall, for not necessarily their play. And I think the Spurs are i would clearly good enough to capitalize on it because they've been a thorn and in the thunderside all season.
01:55:38
Speaker
yeah ah That's a good explanation. In the East, I'm going to go with the winner. of the Pistons-Cavs series. okay all right I believe these two teams will meet. I'm not going to say what round. I don't think it matters what round.
01:55:55
Speaker
It won't be the first. It'll either be the semis or the conference finals. Whoever wins that series, I believe, will represent the East. with bothen guy I think, I mean, James Harden, he's had his playoff balls, but it's it's the gang, and rent gang right? ah James Harden's thing is he can get past the second round. Donovan's thing is he can't.
01:56:16
Speaker
James Harden's thing is he doesn't show up playoffs. Well, Donovan has no problem showing up. He just can't get past. That yin and yang, and i I agree, I think he's going to unlock a new level and in Evan.
01:56:29
Speaker
And I think an improved Jalen Tyson. And the other moves we made um went under the radar, Keon Ellis. So we finally have a defender, a perimeter defender that we can put on a Jalen Brunson. We can put on a Jalen Brown or or Jason Tatum if if he's there, or a K, you know, so.
01:56:46
Speaker
Yeah. Now, man, ah so all three of you have factored in to my decisions changing here. I pick everybody knows I picked up. look picked I picked up.
01:57:01
Speaker
Nick, excuse me, to start the season ah versus the Thunder. I'm going to stay with the Thunder. Look, y'all know me. If you know my NBA talk, I always talk about net ratings and how important that is. how how How good are you in your offensive and defensive net ratings? And when you look at the top contenders, there are four teams in the top 10 of offensive and defensive ratings. That's the Spurs.
01:57:22
Speaker
That's the Thunder. That's the Celtics. And that's the Timberwolves. Yeah. I think, as Cal said, the Knicks are a little, or maybe it was Warren, I apologize, I don't know who said this, the Knicks were a little up and down, a little Jekyll and Hyde-ish, right? um Cavaliers, you're right, 12 of 14 since they got Harden, or 12 and 2 since they picked him up, so he's been a pickup. I thought he was going to be exactly what they needed in terms of another score. um can that Can that hold up? Can they finally get over the hump sort of thing? I want to be a homer and pick my Celtics. I do because Jalen Brown is a superstar. He is a number one. You could get JT back, have two number ones, win a championship. If he does come back healthy, I would call a championship but back. But I want to see what happens first with JT mixing in with Vucevic because I thought that that was a great pickup.
01:58:09
Speaker
for the Celtics, but he hasn't meshed just yet with the rest of the team as well as I thought he would. So that's something I would want to look at too. So I am going to keep the Thunder and I am going to go to the Cavs instead of the Knicks. I'm updating my pick to the Cavs.
01:58:24
Speaker
I believe that with this pickup of Harden um that they can they can go ahead and hold it. I just don't think the Knicks – I really did have a promise for them. But now seeing how good the Celtics are playing and with Harden coming to the Cavaliers, I think both of those teams are better than the Knicks. So I'm going go for now as my updated pick, Cavs and Thunder. And before we get you out of here, because I have to because I got two Celtics fans, NBA, should Jason Tatum return?
01:58:50
Speaker
Yes or no? Bobby, we'll start with you, the non-Celtics fan. What do you think? No. No? don't No. don't Wait till next year. Yeah, we've seen what happened to Klay. tried to come back. or or He got hurt during his rehab, and we saw what happened to KD trying to come back to you early. So, nah. Okay.
01:59:06
Speaker
All right. Warren? it's It's a no for me, dude. What? Oh, you're hurting my heart. You're hurting my heart. So I'm going to say some that's going to be a little controversial, so to speak. And to me, Tatum and Brown have a certain level of confidence that almost borders on clout chasing. Like it really does. Because Tatum, I think he's he's searching for a certain level of respect and people have forgotten about him in a long way. Because remember, it was going to be Tatum. see lee it's going to be He's going to be MVP and multiple MVPs and
01:59:39
Speaker
We're not talking about those things anymore. So now he can be the first guy to come back from the surgery in X amount of time and potentially lead his team to a a storied playoff run on a storied franchise. there's ah There's a certain level of confidence that he has in the player that I admire.
01:59:56
Speaker
But also it's like, do you really need to do that? Like, does that really is it really worth it? And I'm not sure there. So that's a long-winded way of saying, like, I don't think he should come back, but I know he is.
02:00:07
Speaker
But now you've just told me, and in my thinking, that we have another NBA conspiracy and they're to have a James Tatum, Willis Reed-like emergence in the finals to help us win, like Forgy did a couple of years ago. I was there for that game, by the way, game one of the finals. It was amazing. I was sitting right next to the Celtics. bench. it was tremendous. Kyle, what you got?
02:00:29
Speaker
No. No! Wow! Three of them. Yeah. yeah but it just it's It's just not a good it's it's not a good look for the Celtics right now. I think this is the kind of season that Jalen Brown needed This is the kind of season Joe Missoula needed. It's the kind of season Peyton Pritchard and all of these guys, Sam Hauser.
02:00:50
Speaker
true They needed this type of season. I think the storyline with the Celtics, especially since they won a championship, was how dependent they are on Jason Tatum being, quote, unquote, MVP guy.
02:01:02
Speaker
And I think Jalen Brown, him, and, you know, I'll i'll do the i'll do the inverse conversation of the clout chasing part to Shaw's points. Galen Brown wins NBA Finals MVP, and yet he's still not being, you know, touted. He's still not being given the the respect that I think even he believed was necessary because he plays next to a great player like Jason Tatum, right? He gets the super max deal first, right?
02:01:31
Speaker
And he's still not getting that level of respect. He gets that, that deal. And they're just like questioning whether or not the Celtics should have, they felt like he was, they were forced to do it because they won the championship, right? In spite of him being the great player that he is. I think this season has validated how great of a player that he is. And I think they need to see it through.
02:01:50
Speaker
Now, I'm not saying, know, that that that Jason Tatum should have to come back. I'm just saying that like, I don't want him to come back because to the point, one injury, but also two, the Celtics as a team, I think it's helping them that when he does come back, the expectations that we have will fall a lot better in line with what you now see, what this team is capable of showing you than the dependency of having Jason Tatum had he been prior to you know, his injury.
02:02:20
Speaker
mo mar you jump I just, I wanted to say this one thing because what, what made me say what I said was watching all star weekend and that NBC has been doing a documentary on his comeback.
02:02:30
Speaker
Oh yeah. I didn't see that. yeah like Okay. All right. Like, you know what I mean? Like, they have like they've been diametrically opposed in a lot of ways tatum and brown they've been pitted against each other and they both are fighting and swimming upstream when it comes to that level of respect and notoriety and then tatum off the championship and then the olympic thing with steve kerr like there's just been a lot of like slights and digs at them as individuals yeah that kind of keep the proverbial chip on their shoulder at all times that might also cloud their judgment as as they're trying to get rid of that chip you know and i mean, to kind of prove themselves. And I just don't think this is the methodology that needs to be done for Tatum, especially as an my as an NBA champion now.
02:03:09
Speaker
But I think cooler heads are not going to prevail, especially when I saw that, you know, there's a doc coming out on this whole thing. Yeah, I didn't see the doc, but I completely agree. I think Tatum should come back for health reasons. No, obviously no one should come back early from any sort of catastrophic injury, such as an achilles ACL or other things.
02:03:29
Speaker
Hey Shaw, does this remind you of ah of another scenario similar? may not The numbers may not match up to it, but it does kind of remind you of what happened with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.
02:03:39
Speaker
when glen Clay Thompson was on his ascension and yeah Steph Curry was suffering the ankle injuries and stuff and Clay Thompson basically had to had to you know take ownership, leadership of the team you know for for an extended period of time.
02:03:53
Speaker
it's just like it It just feels like it's such a struggle with two great players that they just can't have their own lane of greatness. you know, without having to usurp another person if they're playing on the same team. It feels like, you know, I know we don't do that, right? the real heads, we don't do that.
02:04:10
Speaker
But the fans choose to to to put them in that kind of space at times, which is, you know, kind of, it sucks because we're talking about it because of someone's injury. And now that we have an opportunity to see how great a player truly is because he doesn't have those other elements that may have quieted down or tempered it down.
02:04:30
Speaker
It's like, we're saying, okay, when he comes back, right? Like everything should be all good or there'll be this great team. And no, that's not always guaranteed. Like just because Tatum comes back here, doesn't mean that he's going to instantly make this Celtics an even better team. Yes. He'll make them better.
02:04:45
Speaker
Right? Of course, like who he is and what he is. But that doesn't mean that the chemistry will be is the same. It doesn't mean that like the flow of how this team operates and how Joe and how Missoula works with the the the roster is going to feel the same.
02:04:59
Speaker
All of that. And you're talking about trying to do that with like 20 games left in the season before playoffs. Like I don't see where that makes any kind of sense. It's like we said on the show, right? I think with JT, it's not just, hey, he's a great scorer on Playmaker. It's also he's ah he's been a a good defender.
02:05:14
Speaker
And I'm concerned about his ability to defend at that level kind of coming back or the strain going to put on himself to try to make so the Celtics an elite level contender. Right. That's why it just doesn't seem like it's it's ultimately worth it. But I think, you you know, you're bringing up great points there.
02:05:29
Speaker
You know, and Clay never got to run a whole season by himself, like the way that Jalen has. like he's never had that level of stretch where they got to do that. So he could be a number one. He never got to do it. Right. John Brown is doing that right now. And I think to Tatum's credit,
02:05:42
Speaker
he did at least it was reported that he said like yeah i'm i'm trying to think about do i come back and do i mess up the chemistry if i do but i think he's probably saying you know what i'll find a way to figure this out and elevate this team and that's why i think again they're saying march 1st is when we'll probably see jt back so you know watch throw okay well i i wouldn't do that early i would wait till i would wait till the playoffs were away I got a question because you guys are, yeah you know, you sell these guys and actually cow. It's interesting that you brought that comparison. I got one that's a little closer to home.
02:06:14
Speaker
Do you think his absence is putting a battery in the back of not only Jalen Brown, but like the core, the core guys? Mm like Kyrie's injury did when they were young.
02:06:24
Speaker
Remember, they were the best team in the league. Kyrie goes down. goes down. They continue through the playoffs, made this run to the Eastern Conference Finals without him. And that next season, it was kind of like, well, I really need you, bro. And I think that kind of started the ascension of the locker room per se, where you know, between those guys and Kyrie. You think, that and not to say that it'll cause friction, but you just think the the core guys just getting that batter in back like, you know,
02:06:54
Speaker
o think it's a little bit of a JT. Listen, JT and JB have really done a great job. I honestly am saying this. I'm not trying to manufacture you know hyper or or drama or nothing but they really have done a great job of tempering down where the the media has this tendency to try to create that division between them you know i'm saying of of giving oxygen to the idea that they can't play with each other right and i'm not even talking about before them winning the champions i'm talking about even after them winning the championship like like I brought up before about Jalen Brown getting that super max extension. I understand that he was here first, but listen, the Celtics could have dog walked that whole situation as well too, which in essence could have been dissing Jalen Brown at the expense of JT. So I know that JT had to be on board with, Hey, you do whatever you got to do for us to keep this team together, which is exactly what Brad Stevens had done with, you know, the, the, with laying out what he's done as far as playing out the kind of contract like that. So that tells me that their relationship is good. And I think to your point, Bobby, that is a learn. That's an extension of learning the experiences they dealt with with what happened to Kyrie Irving during in their early part of their career.
02:08:21
Speaker
You're muted, Omar.
02:08:24
Speaker
Thank you, brother. appreciate you. Since I am too quick on the draw, I went straight to JT because I was so excited about your answers, and now I'm not anymore because you all said no. So I'm just going to say bring him back Willis-Reed style. Maybe second round of the playoffs, start working mine a little bit, we play him 20, 15 minutes a game here and there, see what he can do. But, no, I know the pertinent – Way to do it is to let him rest and let him fully recover. Obviously don't want to see what could be, you know, the best, one of the best players. yeah He already is one of the best players of Celtics, but one of the greatest ever, you know. He can borrow Paul Pierce's wheelchair.
02:08:56
Speaker
You know what? you ever smirched the great name of Paul Anthony Pierce, I will come to this screen. What the? All right. I forgot the MVP picks. MVP picks real quick. Let's get the boys out of here.
02:09:07
Speaker
Who we got? Cal, we'll start with you. Good.
02:09:13
Speaker
ah I think it's going to wind up being Jokic. I don't know what the extent of the injury is going to be for Shea Gilgis, but if he continues to meet the misextended time and Jokic is, you know, he stays on for the remainder of the year, I think, you know,
02:09:28
Speaker
The numbers that Jokic has put up again, it' just you know it's made them neck and neck. That doesn't mean that Cade and Wimminyama don't have an inside track to it. I think the only way that happens, though, is that the Pistons have to wind up having the best record in the NBA.
02:09:41
Speaker
um And he's to have to put up some phenomenal numbers during that stretch. I don't know what the schedule looks like that would validate that for them. I'd have to look at that. But right now, I just think it's going to wind up being Jokic if SGA doesn't return.
02:09:55
Speaker
And if unfortunately Jokic misses one more game, though, he's not eligible due to the new rules of 65 games. since He missed all those games earlier. so Well, then then the the idea would be is that Jokic tells him he doesn't care, but the Nuggets are going to need him to be a part of every single one of those games in order to for them to hold serve. And the bigger issue is what if Jokic and SGA were both to get hurt and miss all those games and not hit 65 games? Now you're just eliminating your best players from the awards that they should possibly win because maybe they had an injury for 18 games.
02:10:26
Speaker
But that just tells you how amazing their season has been because they're doing it with in in less the amount of time that most of these guys need a whole season for them to put the kind of numbers that they're putting up. like Basically, they're saying, I'm putting up these numbers and I can take time off.
02:10:40
Speaker
yeah You know what I'm saying? true i call I'll come back with 10 games left and let me know whether or not I got to put up them same numbers in order to validate my my my just my MVP decision.
02:10:50
Speaker
And, I mean, Jokic is putting up another triple-double. Warren, who you got? Yeah, i'm I'm so technical. i think I think the games thing is going to come into play. I really do.
02:11:01
Speaker
So if it wasn't about that, Jokic and SGA are obviously the front runners, but I think they're not going to play enough games. I think the league entering is pretty significant for SGA. He might come back and like, hey, I'm available, but not, you know what mean? Like do one of those just so that he's he can get the award.
02:11:18
Speaker
But if... if those things do happen then i'd say kate probably has has the inside track because he probably will lead his team to the eastern conference um uh number one scene in the eastern conference and it would just make a lot of sense for him to be there there's some weird stuff going on i think with the jalen brown thing especially now team comes back so then that might detract from him as well too so i'm gonna go with cade assuming sga and yokich are not eligible And i I'm an analyst, so I love that you did that. that That's great. um But let's say that they are both out. um
02:11:49
Speaker
You do look at like a Cunningham or a Wemba and Yama or even a Brown, players that may be able to lead their team to that number one seed, Bobby G. I'm going with Wimby, man.
02:12:00
Speaker
Okay. Just looking ahead at the Spurs schedule, you got three maet matchups potentially against the Joker where he can really put some put some votes in the back. You're done with the Thunder. Don't got to see them. And the Spurs really – the Spurs have a path to where they can overtake the Thunder ah for the number four over you know number one seed and potentially best record in the NBA. I was going to go between Cade and Wimby, but the Pistons coming out of the break, they have an opportunity opportunity to fall back to the rest of the pack. They played the Cavs twice, they played the Knicks twice. so They got some tough games like within the next couple of weeks where they can fall back down to earth. So i think Cade will slip. And I agree 100%. I think the games play thing will come into play.
02:12:47
Speaker
I'll play devil's advocate though, Bobby. That could actually elevate Kay Cunningham's opportunity to win the MVP if he has great performances against those teams. They could. If they don't win those games, they've got to win. To your point, if they take L's and they fall back to the pack, then yeah, it's hard not to then give it to Weminyama because of that.
02:13:10
Speaker
Yeah, again, the game game eligibility thing is really going mess things up year in and year out with injuries happening so often in the NBA. So if SGA is able to play the requisite amount of games, which I don't know if he will or not, like I don't know the extent of injury like Warren said, but if he is, I'll pick SGA to go back to back. But i'm I'm with Warren. I just don't see, I mean, if Jokic is already on that bubble, I don't see how he can play every game the rest of the year. I mean, he could. But I mean, not if you're injured and you want to be healthy for the playoffs. It's just not pertinent. I'm going to go. And yeah, Wemba Yama.
02:13:42
Speaker
I'm going go Wemba Yama as well. I'm going to say that the somehow the Spurs come back um and and and get the number one seed in the West. And Wemba Myama takes his first and MVP. I like that, Bubba. Yeah, and Wemba can only miss three more games before he gets it. shit. Okay, never mind. I take that back, scratch that, Wemba's out.
02:14:03
Speaker
I am going with Jalen Brown, baby. Hasn't missed a game all year. Number one player on the best team in the world. Your 18-time NBA champion. Wendy's such a great pick, though. I would talk with you, too. But he's played 40 games. They have 28 left, so he's got to play 25 more games. Remember, he hasn't missed a game since he's been on this minutes for sure. He's only been playing like 20 minutes a game.
02:14:25
Speaker
And that's probably even more impressive. The prescription tells me you need a prescription for a reason, which means that you're injured. Yeah, but he's putting up freaking, what did he do now? I mean, look, he's an alien. No one's going to argue the numbers. This man is like something I've never seen before. And this stream was like something I've never seen before.
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02:15:12
Speaker
Make sure you please subscribe. Hit that like button, whether watching now or on the replay. It helps out everybody here in the algorithm. All those channels get boosted up. for every like. So I see we got about 30 some odd people still left for the stream. I need everybody hit that like button right now. Hit that like, hit that love if you can. If you're driving, don't worry about it. And let's go ahead and sign out and get everybody's socials. Bobby G, tell them where they can find you.
02:15:36
Speaker
Hey, at audible underscore Bobby G, IG and x And of course, Game Time 216 on YouTube. Also, Audible Sports Podcast on YouTube. All right. Warren, I hope your ah hope your significant other ah feels much better.
02:15:50
Speaker
Appreciate you. appreciate that love, fellas. Yeah, for sure. You can follow me at the Warren Shaw on Instagram and X. And obviously following the great Baseline NBA podcast with my guy here, Kyle Lee.
02:16:01
Speaker
uh, NBA underscore baseline on Instagram, or just follow the 19 media group. We can find all of our content on our platform. And there you go. I'll put it up there for everybody. Those are your, uh, your YouTube as audible podcast, NBA baseline on IG unfair sports everywhere.
02:16:17
Speaker
Uh, Cal, any extra things you got there? No, man. Just, uh, again, just great to be on board with you guys. And, you know, as always, man, um, check out all them buds, uh, you know, check out my man, Bobby G. you know check out the 19 media group.
02:16:33
Speaker
You know what I'm saying? Everybody it's in the podcasting space, man has got something, you know, to, to provide, to, to, to elevate the mind, you know what I'm saying? Especially for black history month, shout out, you know, to all of the, um,
02:16:47
Speaker
you know, the Trailblazers, the history makers. I know recently we just lost Reverend Jesse Jackson. yep um But, you know, again, ah the things that he did and the things that his, um you know, mentors and the predecessors have done have given us an opportunity for us to have this kind of space. And so i just want to make sure I give a proper shout outs, you know, to the Trailblazers and those that are out there continuing to speak truth to power and continuing to help educate us to make sure that we're in a good space of knowing our history so that we can move forward to the future.
02:17:22
Speaker
Man, what how poignant, how well said. Thank you so much for that, Cal. I did a tribute to Jesse Jackson on my show earlier. Never give up. Never surrender. rise up against the odds, he told us, and for good reason, because a lot of people out here aren't just gifted life.
02:17:40
Speaker
Not everybody's just handed silver spoons. A lot of things we got to work through, a lot of discrepancies and minorities especially have to deal with a lot of um you know different things in in the world. i'm not going to go through all of them but obviously you know what they are. so Shout out to everybody working that good work and and and causing that good trouble, as John Lewis would say. May he rest in peace as well. Shout out to my brothers here. I appreciate it so much. We will have them back here in a few weeks. We're going to do another NBA show. I will also be doing a March Madness show before then. So look forward to everybody. Make sure you subscribe to Ball & Buds. Hit that like button. We appreciate it. Until next time, holla 5,000.
02:18:14
Speaker
Balls & Buds by my side of the crowd.