Tatum in NYC, MVP Questions, Best First-Round Matchups, and Kon Vs. Coop, With Tim Legler

[00:00] This episode is brought to you by NAS Energy. [00:03] Every ounce of dirt, sweat, and gears, every checkered flag and trophy raised, every lap, every race, every hard-fought place. [00:09] They're all jammed inside every can of NASA energy. [00:12] High performance energy for burning the midnight oil in the garage and pedal to the metal human horsepower for the streets. Go ahead. Crack open a can of NOS Energy and get after it. [00:24] . [00:29] The Bill Simmons Podcast brought to you by FanDuel. We're also brought to you by the Ringer Podcast Network, where we did a rewatchables live show in San Francisco last night. We did Basic Instinct. [00:40] I had an awesome time at the Tony Rempe Theater. Thanks to everybody who came out. A rollicking show. We are going to be running it on Monday's rewatchable feed. We did Basic Instinct, a movie that we did six years ago during... [00:52] It was like three weeks after COVID started and we did it on Zoom and we needed to redo it. We needed to do it in San Francisco because it's a great San Francisco movie. So that's coming. [01:02] Monday night coming up on this podcast, Tim Legler. [01:06] stops by to talk about favorite round one possible playoff matchups. [01:11] the MVP race, Joel Embiid going down. We spent time talking about the Portland Trailblazers for some reason, but I enjoyed it. And a whole bunch of... [01:19] of other NBA stuff heading into the final weekend of the season. Zach Lowe and I will be on [01:25] Live on Netflix. [01:26] Sunday night, we'll know all the playoff matchups by then.

[01:30] We have a little gimmick. [01:32] that we're going to do on Sunday night. You can watch us live on Netflix. It'll be after the Masters, not sure of the time yet. [01:37] I just watched Celtics, Knicks, [01:40] Interesting game. The Celtics... [01:43] Basically have the two seed locked up, but need either one more win or a Knicks loss, and they're in MSG. [01:50] And they scratched Jalen Brown this morning. [01:54] which is this new NBA tactic that's not that new. I forget who started this. [02:00] basically [02:02] Here's what I think the thinking was, because I don't think Jalen Brown, you could have arrested him tomorrow night. Like, if you really wanted to win this game tonight, you put everybody... [02:14] This is my guess. [02:16] I think Missoula and the Celtics, they're looking at this. If we have our full team with Tatum back... [02:22] And we go to MSG. [02:24] When we play the Knicks, they're trying to beat us. [02:26] And they beat us. [02:28] There's some sort of psychological edge that you combine that with what happened in the playoffs last year with the two comfort behind wins in the first two games in Boston. Tatum gets hurt in MSG. The Knicks beat the Celtics in the series. And a Knicks team that seems pretty confident against the Celtics in general, combined with them... [02:46] Beating the full Celtics team. [02:48] at MSG, is that worth it? [02:51] Or we could go the other way, bench Jalen, [02:54] play missing... [02:56] the guy who's a first-team Al-MBA guy this year, [02:59] And maybe we beat the Knicks anyway. And if we don't, we could just say, well, we didn't have Jalen. This seems like this new psychological warfare that teams do. So the Knicks won. They were celebrating like they won game seven of a playoff series. And if you're the Celtics, you're like, eh.

[03:14] We didn't have Jalen Brown. Derek White couldn't hit a shot. [03:17] Tatum was 7 for 22. And on the flip side, Josh Hart. [03:21] who had been reaching the point where it's like, are the Knicks just going to bench him? [03:26] In the fourth quarter of playoff games, we play other guys. He goes... [03:29] Five for seven from three, 26 points, which I think is the second highest total he's had this year. He had 15 points in the previous three games. Just one of those games. I think there's a bunch of lineup stuff that the Celtics – [03:42] are going to do against the Knicks when it actually gets to a playoff series. You saw Cade out there in crunch time always getting switched on Brunson. I think when we get to the playoffs, they're probably going to play Jason Tatum at the five with Jalen Brown with a shooter and two guards. The other thing, the only thing that I'm a little worried about with the Celtics is Derek White seems like he's running out of gas a little bit. He just couldn't make anything today. He was two for 10, 0 for 6 from three. He's played big minutes this year. He's had a big burden. [04:12] defensive teams. [04:14] And if I had arrested anybody in this game, I probably would have arrested him over Jalen Brown. Um, [04:20] So decent next win. I get it. It's not their fault that Jalen Brown didn't play. [04:25] And I'm sure they feel like they can hang with the Celtics. And Brunson, if they can just keep these games close in the end, there is basically Brunson against whoever has the ball in crunch time for the Celtics. The Knicks are going to feel good about it. I still... [04:39] would rather play Cleveland in round two than the Knicks. [04:43] which Tim Legler and I talk about in a second, but, uh,

[04:47] I just still think the Celtics have a better team. And my mind did not change. [04:52] The one thing that important that happened tonight was Tatum went back to MSG and they talked about it a lot, obviously. [05:00] Hard not to think about it. [05:02] Over and over again as this game was going on, especially in the second half, the TB angle, the Celtics were on the left side. [05:10] when you're watching on TV, the same spots that they were in when Tatum went down in MSG last May. There was a couple moments when he collided, he stumbled, the [05:21] You just get the PTSD flashback. He rebounded really well. He did not shoot well. I didn't think that was a particularly awesome Tatum game, but his presence was everywhere and he's rebounding. But I think they needed to get him over the hump with this. [05:36] And maybe that played into the Jalen Brown piece as well. Like let's, let's have Tatum. He's running the show. Let's get his feet wet in MSG again. We're back to the scene of the crime. Basically. It's a weird one. I remember Gordon Hayward. He got hurt in the first game of the, [05:52] season against Cleveland and Cleveland and then anytime he went back there you couldn't help but think about it all the time so they needed to get over the hump with that. Legs and I talk about Tatum when we're about to do this podcast but [06:03] a remarkable comeback athletically, [06:07] He looks basically where he was before. I still... [06:11] Today was a good example of this next team is... [06:16] kind of built to stop Tatum and Brown. And you could see all the wings that they could throw at him. And it was hard for him to find the right space and stuff like that.

[06:25] Um, [06:26] But the bottom line is I think they lose this game by 15 to 20 if Pritchard and Shireman don't just both start making threes. There's a point in the third quarter when it just seemed like [06:37] This game was going to get completely out of the hand, and then the Celtics started making threes. [06:42] When it gets to a playoff series, and if it is the Knicks, it's... [06:47] The Tatum-Brown combo becomes so much more important because it allows them to go small. It allows them to target whoever the non-Anonobi defender is. [06:56] And... [06:58] I just... This game did not change my mind. One good thing that happened there for the Celtics, Pritchard, who always sucks against the Knicks, I thought had a really good game. So we'll see. Look, MSG, a lot of demons at this point because of the Tatum injury last year and because of the playoff series. But... [07:14] It would be a great series. And I don't think heart would be... [07:20] doing um [07:21] Five for seven from three every game. No series would be my guess. [07:26] But congratulations to the Knicks fans. [07:29] All right, we're going to bring in Tim Legler, and we're going to talk basketball for 95 solid minutes. Buckle up. Let's take a break. Pearl Jam, and then Tim Legler. [07:42] The Bill Simmons Podcast is brought to you by FanDuel. [07:45] The NBA postseason is here and FanDuel knows the only thing better than watching your favorite team win. [07:50] is winning along with them. Fando, the best place to bet the teams, players, and plays during their playoff run.

[07:56] Build the same game parlay or try live betting and jump in after tip-off. Don't forget with FanDuel, you get paid instantly when you win. [08:03] Download the FanDuel Sportsbook app now. [08:05] and play your game. [08:06] 21 plus select states are 18 plus DC, Kentucky, or Wyoming. If you have a problem, call 1-800-GAMBLE or call [redacted phone] or visit ccpg.org slash chat in Connecticut. [08:43] Our friend Tim Legler is here. You heard him last night. Portland City. [08:46] San Antonio. We're going to talk about Portland because I think we both like Portland, but lots of stuff to discuss. We're doing this before the Thursday games. [08:55] The big story was Embiid is now out for the first round of the playoffs, it looks like. [09:00] This guy, it just, the injuries, this has become one of the most star-crossed stars [09:05] we've ever had. This is like entering Bill Walton kind of territory of, [09:11] One of the great players... [09:13] who just never got to where he could get to. [09:15] And I thought pretty much I was past the point of thinking anything with him would be incomprehensible. This is incomprehensible that I got this news today. I was flying back from the game I did. And actually, you're looking forward to doing this with you and kind of going over everything. And obviously, they've been playing pretty well of late. And you're looking at them and just as without question, the most interesting thing.

[09:40] team, [09:41] in the bottom half of any of these playoff brackets because of what they represent and who they have. And it's like, finally, it looks like they're actually going to head in to the postseason [09:52] not only with all three of their stars, like upright, but Paul George playing some of the best basketball he's played in five years. Yeah. And then this happens, but it may or may be think, first of all, [10:02] Can I ask you a question? Like, you know, you hear about it all the time, but do you know anybody personally who [10:08] that has had appendectomy, [10:12] Not anybody I have ever worked with. [10:14] Not anyone in my family and not any of my friends. [10:19] Me either. [10:20] I don't either. Actually, I, [10:23] they thought I had it. It's actually a pretty awesome story. I was doing post-game games. [10:29] SportsCenter pre and post [10:31] One of the Heat Spurs finals. I don't remember which year. It's game seven. Did they both go seven? [10:39] So it was the year that it went seven games. It was game seven. I did the pregame. [10:44] And I was, I was, I didn't have post game duties, just pregame. We had one segment left to do. And I felt, [10:51] the most intense burning pain I've ever felt. And right. Basically in my sternum. Yeah. And I started kind of sweating. Everybody was worried about me, but I'm like, no, no, we got one more, literally one more segment and I'm done for the season. Right. And so we, we did the sports center segment. [11:07] I basically finished, I collapsed [11:10] to the ground, went down to one knee. I could not walk anymore. It was only the first time I think in my life I've ever been on an ambulance. They put me in an ambulance from the Miami Heat Arena. I had to go to an emergency hospital. And it turned out it just was, it was not appendicitis. I don't even remember now. It's been so long ago what they diagnosed me with, but they treated me at the hospital. Within a couple of hours, I was feeling a lot better.

[11:35] I watched... [11:36] Game seven of that series on a cell phone with a producer. [11:41] who traveled with me in the ambulance, who held the phone in front of me, and we kind of watched the game together. And that's how I watched that game, that epic game. But... [11:50] So I thought I had it. I didn't have it. I've never known a person that's going through it, whether a family member, colleague, friend, or anything like you just said. So you hear about it all the time. You know it's a real thing, but it's like, are you kidding me? [12:03] of everything else this guy's dealt with. Now this happens now. What I didn't know, and I think you maybe cleared it up just now, I had no idea what's the time frame. [12:12] for something like this. It seems like minimum 18 days. [12:17] And sometimes it's even gone longer than that. So it's just, so if you start it right now, if you start the clock on 18 days, it's, [12:25] Maybe he could come back for like the last two games of a round one, but this is also somebody that has just, [12:31] He's played 38 games this year. He played 19 last year. He played 39 games. [12:36] in the 24 season. [12:37] He hasn't gotten up 500 games yet. [12:41] for the playoffs, 59 playoff games total, has never played more than 11 games in a playoff thing. And what you said before was the interesting piece of this, [12:52] As a Celtic fan, I'm watching this going... [12:55] 2-7, I do feel like the Celtics have owned Philly over the years, but I also kind of don't want to see the rejuvenated Paul George and be just being healthy for four weeks, but two of the weeks are against Boston. Some of the young legs they have, they have good coach. And this is 7-8-9-10 this year in both conferences, because like you said...

[13:17] You were at that San Antonio-Portland game, and you were saying before we got on how you like Portland. I feel the same way. I watch Portland. They're not going to beat OKC in a playoff series. [13:27] But they'll throw some punches. They're going to land some shots on your jaw. They have a guy, Abdi, at the end of games. I thought that Portland-Denver game was one of the most fascinating games I watched all year on Monday night. They just went toe-to-toe. They made like 24 threes. [13:42] They couldn't stop Obdi. He was going to his right over and over and over again. They can protect the rim. For an eight seed, that's a pretty good eight seed. [13:50] You know what it showed me, though, that game? Because I watched that game, too. And I've kind of fallen on the Portland bandwagon here over the last six weeks or so. They've become the team I like watching, my guilty pleasure team in the West. Yeah, me too. When they're on, it's kind of like how I feel about Charlotte in the East. I just enjoy watching them. They're just so fun. Charlotte's not even guilty anymore. Now Charlotte's just a pleasure. Yeah, you don't even have to feel guilty about it. They're mainstream pleasure now. Portland's the new guilty one. You don't have to secretly watch them. That's very true. [14:20] The Denver game and then the one that I called last night, [14:24] against San Antonio, who, by the way, didn't have Wemby, didn't have Stephon Castle, who's one of the elite perimeter defensive guards in the league. The difference between those two teams defensively, Denver and San Antonio, because nothing really came easy for Portland in this game. They had a couple of pockets at a time where they kind of looked like themselves in the regular season. But overall, there was just very little space to be had against the Spurs. And they didn't play as well as they can offensively. It was amazing.

[14:54] time ending the game. They go up 12-14. Then it was 8. And you're like, okay, if Portland gets a couple stops here, this is going to get interesting. And they couldn't do that. Eventually, San Antonio, they get the win. [15:06] as they typically do. Portland wasn't their best, but [15:10] The one thing I'm thinking about watching that game, and I love Avdi, and we actually had a chance to sit with him in the green room before the game. I've never met him. He came in and did 15 minutes with us. It was probably maybe the best player interview we did all year. First of all, the guy's got an incredibly engaging, outgoing personality. He likes doing the interview process. He gave really insightful answers. We talked about his history in Maccabi and everything, and coming over here and being a young man and now going to Portland [15:40] in Washington. He took us through all that stuff. So I'm really pulling for this guy. But the one thing [15:46] He has to add, and it was so obvious to me in watching this game, he has to have a step-back jump shot. [15:54] He doesn't have one. [15:55] His game is [15:57] power and force downhill and he's really good at it and he gets to the line 10 times most nights he didn't get to the line in this game and it hurt their offense and he shoots these little floaters shots in the lane these little push shots and he really just overwhelms you physically because he's so damn strong and he comes at you so hard in the open floor great little euro at the end he could step around charges he does not have the ability to [16:21] to shoot a shot like into a step back off the dribble.

[16:25] in one-on-one coverage. And think about it. He's averaging 24 points a game. He's shooting 31% from the three on the season. It's like just good enough if he's got time and he's squared up that you still have to close out on him. Yeah. And that's what he wants because he'll go by you. [16:41] If he adds that, [16:43] It's a whole nother level. That's the way we're going to look at him because he's rebounding at like 8-9 a game. He's getting 6-7-8 assists most nights. He's efficient with his shooting. Very tough. He defends. He does it all. He just does not have... [16:59] an answer to [17:00] to being closely guarded if he can't get to the rim. If San Antonio does that about as well as any team in the league, they're not going to let you get to those spots. Still had a pretty good game production-wise, but it was glaring to me. I'm like, there were situations where it's like the ball got swung back to him, seven on the clock, six on the clock. He's at 28 feet. What do all the elite players in this league do? They go to a step-back jump shot, and he doesn't really have that. [17:30] where he will be a guy that everybody will look at as like, this guy's legitimately an all-league caliber player if he can add that. And, of course, the team's success has to come with it. [17:40] It's interesting, he was 13 for 21 in that game. [17:43] But I did notice what you said. [17:45] And against Denver, he was just able to just go right over and over again. He always... [17:50] Really good at this, putting you in and then getting to a spot. What you're talking about is what Jalen Brown added.

[17:57] where Jalen Brown had a lot of that, but he was a better three point shooter, but [18:01] He added like those two moves off of driving hard to the right where he could cross over now. [18:07] And then he's got that little turnaround thing he does, like the little moon ball turnaround. He does the jump stop, and then he spins back. He didn't have that last year. So he added two things that now, when he's going hard to the basket, teams have to figure out what to do. I think with the... [18:22] So what'd you think of Scoot last night? Because I have a lot of Scoot stock from a couple years ago, and he's been a little up and down, but there's... [18:29] There's moments with him, and defensively, there's been, I think... [18:32] I think some really interesting things for him. His shooting's still a little erratic, but it feels like they're trusting him more and more. What'd you see when you saw him in person? [18:40] Well, so first of all, and Richard and I, Richard Jefferson and I, a couple different times in the game, are like kind of elbowing each other and kind of because – [18:51] There were times that he demonstrated that, [18:53] like, [18:54] By a lot. [18:56] was like the most explosive athlete on the floor. And you're like, some of his burst up the floor. He had one play where he deflected a ball. It was coming right at us at the table where we sit. And there's like no way, number one, he's getting to this ball. And number two, there's no possible way he can stay on his feet and stay in bounds. And he did all of those things. He went all the way down to the ground. He put his right hand on the ground like a running back [19:20] And somehow, some way stayed inbounds at an impossible angle. And then he goes and he's got a defender, like had an angle on him to cut him off from getting a breakaway dunk, blew right past him and threw it down. And you look at the game, he's making some threes. And then he shoots back to back open look air ball threes from opposite corners. And you're like, man. And then he had, I said it on the air, two drives.

[19:47] that were unbelievably like lightning quick crossover explodes off his feet, gets to the rim to where like no one's going to jump. Like Luke Cornett was on the floor. He was like going to be late. So he didn't even jump. [20:00] And he tries to put some funky English on the ball, and it slams off the backboard. And then he missed a reverse layup under similar circumstances, uncontested, after this great move. [20:10] But then he made a couple threes after that. So his night was kind of like a mixed bag. He's definitely a better player than he was when he came into the league. He's actually had a pretty good run here shooting the basketball from three over the last month or so. [20:27] He didn't shoot it particularly well in this game, but [20:30] He is eye-popping, man, with his quickness and his burst and his raw athletic ability. Will his efficiency ever improve beyond a 41% shooter? I don't know, man. He's got to do it. This is three straight years. He's 41 and under. You've got to, at some point, get that thing up to 44%, 45% from the field. Cut down on some of the turnovers. Finish the shots I'm talking about. When you do all the work with your handle, show me some finesse at the rim. So he has more there. [21:00] so that's good. 22 years old. Bill, he's come a long way from where he was and a lot of people, I saw some stuff on social media last night, like after the game, like is it too early to call him a bust? And I'm saying yeah. He's definitely not a bust. [21:15] You can't call him that because he has a level of quickness and explosiveness from like a standstill position by you that's really exceptional for this league. And he's starting to shoot it better. He's so young.

[21:31] I don't think he'd ever really been taught the game very much before he got to the league. So some of his instincts even aren't super high level. That's getting better. No, I think he's got a chance to do some things because he's definitely improved dramatically in certain areas. I don't like his finishing stuff. [21:50] But I think that can get better with how good of an athlete he is. I don't think he's... [21:55] Like you mentioned that, that, [21:56] weird spin shot. Like, I just feel like he's not as good. Like where somebody like Rose and Westbrook, when those guys came in the league and you saw them go to the basket and [22:04] They were scoring. [22:06] And that's the kind of guy I thought he was going to be coming into the – [22:09] the draft. So did I. And the shot's all over the place. And that's the other thing that needs to get better. But [22:15] I think athletically he belongs in a lot of these games. And if I'm them, I at least feel like, yeah, I feel like I have something here and, [22:23] And they're giving him a chance. I felt like earlier in his career, it was almost like... [22:30] Sometimes coaching staffs, [22:33] And Splitter's done a really good job with this. Yeah. You have to look at a player. [22:39] Every team, if you're lucky, you got one or two guys that kind of do everything well. And they also get the green light to do anything they want because they're that good. Everybody else... [22:49] you sort of fall into a lane. You better do something exceptionally well. And good coaching staffs look at a guy and they don't always focus on what he's not doing that annoys you. Because guys get caught up in that trap and it's very difficult to get out of that. Because those flaws are going to surface almost every night. Whether it's your handles too loose or you just aren't a good enough passer and they get tipped and stolen.

[23:19] or whatever, shooting, whatever, they're going to surface. [23:22] Over time, hopefully you correct them. [23:25] The good coaching staff, they go, you know what? I got to live with that stuff because there's something else there. [23:31] that we need and we're going to value him for that and i feel like that's where they're at now with him and you're still going to have these nights with with really bad looking jump shots and he's going to turn the ball over to miss a couple driving layups going too fast at the rim [23:45] But then he's also going to have a five or six minute stretch, man, where he looks like so dynamic athletically that, [23:51] It gives your team something you don't really have otherwise at that spot. [23:56] You know, [23:57] I really wish he had spent a year in college and played football. [24:00] in some big games versus, I just felt like that was such a throwaway year, that last G League year. Because I look at, [24:06] Some bit like Castle. [24:08] Who? [24:09] He's turned into one of my favorite players in the league. But that year he had a UConn where they had a loaded team. [24:16] He didn't really have the ball that much, and he had to figure out how to do all these other things and be a glue guy and kind of step in when they needed him. [24:24] but was also in some really big games. And it was one of the reasons he dropped to four in the draft, because people are like, what is it? Can he be offensive enough? [24:32] Is there enough here? And he goes to San Antonio now. [24:35] he is who he is and [24:37] I know you have a vote, I have a vote. I'm more open about my vote than yours. But I think Castle's... [24:44] going to end up on my third team all-NBA. And I don't think he's going to make it. I don't think I'll be the only one, but I also don't think he's going to make it. But I thought he was one of the best players I saw this season, the non-centers. Like, just...

[24:56] Impactful. [24:57] the entire time he's out there, doesn't take a playoff, [25:01] relentless. I thought defensively, like he's in the running for first team all defense for me. I think he fills in a lot of spots for them. I think there's more there too. [25:10] But yes, with Scoot, I just wish he had had that extra year. Anyway, the Portland team, [25:17] There's a lot of defense, and I don't think that's like a walkover 1-8 matchup for OKC. OKC will beat them. [25:26] Yeah, they will. They will. And, you know, it's at the end of the day, Oklahoma City's defense will just wear you down and eventually you succumb to it. [25:37] And they demoralize you with their defensive pressure, the way that they convert any mistake you make into points the other way. It's demoralizing to you. This team also, when you put a lineup out there on the floor with Drew Holliday, Tumani Kamara, you can put Thibel out there. Now it's not the best shooting lineup. And even with Klingon and Robert Williams behind you, and Obdi really competes when he's playing the four spot. They can do things defensively too. [26:07] in three-point shooting. And it is a problem when you play teams like San Antonio and Oklahoma City who over-rotate on all penetration. And I've always compared it to when you put food into a fishbowl, if you looked at the lane from above, when the ball's dribbled into the lane, that's what it looks like against these teams. Piranhas, how they go to the fish food, right? That's what it looks like. And so as a result,

[26:31] That kickout pass, if you're good enough to make that without it getting tipped, and they're going to close out lightning fast, and they're going to get there, but you will get the shot. [26:40] you better make your share. And you're going to have to have these crazy shooting nights against them. And I just don't think Portland's capable of doing that. So they're fun. It's going to come to an end. But the good news is it's moving in the right direction. They've got a nice little mix of a couple of vets and a bunch of young dudes. I like watching play. I'm really impressed with the improvement of Tamani Kamara. I almost didn't recognize him offensively. I haven't seen him in person all year. But watching a guy in person is different than on TV. [27:10] and like the way he's hunting it and shooting threes early in the offense and like putting the ball on the floor and he's so great defensively they've got a real player in him and i didn't know if he was ever going to show this kind of growth offensively but he has and and and clingan's another guy how much dramatically he's improved his impact since he came into the league i just like their team it's a shame because they're going to run into some buzzsaw if they're able to escape [27:40] host Golden State in the 9-10. [27:42] And even if they win that game, you're going to have to go on the road and play Phoenix or the Clippers. [27:48] It's probably going to end there. If somehow they win two of those games, they get in. [27:53] And now you're going to go get Oklahoma City as your reward. A taste of the playoffs would be great. [27:58] But I don't think anybody would think [28:00] I don't know if they could even win a game in a series against Oklahoma City. At most one. But the good thing is it's another team that I like watching that's kind of in the mix now going into next year.

[28:12] I think they can beat the Clippers. [28:14] I just don't think the Clippers are big enough, you know, and that, and, [28:18] I was really impressed by how they went against Denver. Basically, they lost the game when Kamara fouled out of that game. [28:25] But what's happened to him over the course of the year? And I don't know. I just think the Clippers, as great as Kawhi's been, are pretty beatable. One last thing with Portland legs, really quick. [28:37] Yep. [28:38] I have been maintaining that I think this is a stealth Giannis team. [28:43] Hmm. [28:44] Because I don't, I think there's enough acrimony with the Milwaukee situation with Giannis at this point that, [28:51] They're just going to take the best trade now. I don't think it's going to be like, oh, Giannis told us he wanted to go to Miami, so we're going to figure out Miami because we want to do it. I think that's out the window. And Portland has – [29:03] two of their picks, maybe two swaps on one of their picks. I can't remember what it is, but they have their picks for three straight years. They have stuff to trade. [29:11] I could see him on this team. [29:13] You could really talk yourself into it pretty fast. I mean, there's some health stuff with Giannis that you'd have to be worried about. But I just feel like new owner. I said this to Zach the other day, new owner. [29:24] Um, [29:25] get the [29:26] foundation, some pics. I could just see them [29:30] getting frisky. That's an interesting one, man. I tell you what, I haven't put any thought into that. Like Giannis going out there, but... [29:37] I'm now picturing it. [29:39] I'm picturing him out there with his team. You can see it.

[29:43] And, and, [29:44] I think one thing that Tiago splittered when we talked to him before the game, he, by the way, he's, he's, he's, he was, he's great, man. He's a really interesting character. And, you know, he got, he got dealt a really difficult situation with what went down with Chauncey right at the beginning of the season. Now all of a sudden you get handed a team to coach that you weren't expecting to coach and be the head guy. Done a very good job. And you can, you can, it's a testament to how many guys have improved. [30:08] this year, a lot of that's coaching and putting guys in the right spots and valuing them and their communication with them and managing people. And he said, is there anything surprising you? He said, yeah, 80% of this job is managing people. It's not X's and O's. It's not how much you know. It's managing men, managing young men in some cases, that's managing a roster. He said, that's really what the job is. And that's where he had to learn on the fly. And he did it. But I'm thinking one thing he did say was, [30:37] they really, really desperately wanted to move the needle for this team this year. Like outside the play in was going to feel really empty. Even if it was like one game outside the play in, they had to get in to feel what this is going to be like, because they do like what they have in some of these young pieces. And so this was important to get in. And now, [30:59] We'll see. Look, they got a huge game Friday night. They play the Clippers. And I think that, what are they like? Is there a half game back? Yeah, they could jump on if they win that game. [31:08] Yeah, they win that game. They jump them. And now you get into the 7-8s. [31:12] Yeah, that's a little bit of a different scenario. Number one, you get two opportunities to win a game, but you also have an opportunity to get into the seven and play San Antonio and not Oklahoma City. And not that that would be easy by any means. By the way, Portland is the one that they beat them both. They beat each of them once this year. I think they're scary in that in that level. I think they're a scary team because of the way they play defense.

[31:35] Just for a one-gamer. It'd be fun. The other Giannis team... [31:39] that I've been looking at. I've been watching a lot of Atlanta movies. [31:43] Atlanta-Cleveland was a really good one last night, where Cleveland was up most of the game. [31:48] But Atlanta, you can never really put them away. And with their defense and how explosive some of their shooting is, all of a sudden they just make up 10 points right away. That was another Giannis team for me. [32:00] When I watch them, I'm just like, if you just put him in the Okonbu spot, [32:05] With the rest of the team I'm watching, that's a pretty frightening Eastern Conference team. And they have... [32:10] They have this New Orleans pick. They have some other assets that [32:13] They could probably make a trade, but I think the second best, I want to talk playoff series with you, like possible matchups. [32:20] The second best playoff matchup of all the matchups is Cleveland-Atlanta. [32:24] If you're just talking about basketball, [32:26] from a what could happen in this? Because the thing I noticed last night watching them, I don't feel like those teams are much different from a talent standpoint. [32:34] I think they're [32:36] Right there with each other. I was looking up the stats. Last 30. [32:40] Cleveland's 22 and eight, eighth net rating. Atlanta's 21 and nine, ninth net rating. Last 20, Atlanta's 16 and four, fourth net rating. Cleveland's 14 and six, 13th rating. So basically for almost half the season, [32:54] These teams are right around the same. And you could say with Cleveland, well, some guys have been missing, blah, blah, blah. But I don't know. I just think if they play, that feels like a game seven to me. That absolutely, of all of the ones I wrote down, felt the most like a seven-game series. If that were to be the matchup, that feels the most likely to be with some like –

[33:15] tight games. Some of the games in there would be really high scoring. I think others would be a little bit lower scoring. Some chokes. Teams blowing a seven point lead with two minutes left. I don't know which team. It could be either team. Both of them have the history of [33:31] coming back up or, you know, blowing a game. I had Atlanta. We had Atlanta-Detroit not long ago. Atlanta went in there and beat them. Right. And, man, oh, man, was I impressed with their team. Nikhil Alexander-Walker, Jalen Johnson, like what those two guys are doing. What Nikhil Alexander-Walker has turned himself into as a scorer, [33:52] is incredible to me. And that's why, you know, his name's going to be mentioned for most improved player and he deserves to be in that mix and he might win it. Because you're talking about a guy that was really just sort of labeled in this very narrow category of three and D, but mostly D. And it was like, go guard. [34:11] Picks guys up 75 feet when he was in Minnesota because he was playing like, you know, reserve minutes a lot of times. So you can do that. Go pick up 75 feet. And we all noticed it like, wow, this guy gets into you. [34:22] If he gave you double figures on a given night, total gravy. It's all about guarding. [34:27] He goes to Atlanta. Are you kidding me? The guy for the last month and a half has averaged almost 25 points a game, close to 50% three-point shooting. And he's getting them off at a high volume. There's no way anybody saw this as his ceiling as a scorer. [34:43] And when you take yourself from an absolute role player, very limited offensive responsibility, you're going to have a lot of time.

[34:51] to this, then absolutely you thrust yourself into that conversation as most improved player. And I wouldn't be shocked if he wins it. [34:57] Yeah, I had Dern for about 60 games. [35:01] To me, it's like, how does Alexander Walker not win this? He averaged... [35:05] 9.4 points a game last year. He's at 21 now. [35:08] And when you watch them, it's not just like he's getting hot from the corner. Like, they're running plays for him. They're flaring him off picks. Defenses are, like, shifting their defense to try to, like, shut him down. It's honestly like watching, like, Bradley Beal and the Wizards or something when Bradley Beal was good. Like, he's a real scorer that you have to account for. He's got the Luka mentality sometimes to the start of games, who have always joked is the only guy in the league that does a heat check on the first possession. [35:38] He's like that some nights now. He's getting up five, six, seven shots in the first quarter, like because he's carrying himself like a legit big time score because that's how he has operated. So they're a really fun, interesting team. That would be a great series if that's what we get. [35:55] I'm sure you're like me. I don't really fully understand the award. [35:59] I usually steer toward [36:02] improbable turnarounds from the year before versus like a young guy. [36:07] who's like, oh, you were a top five lottery pick and you're way better in your third year than you were last year. Like to me, that's not a most improved. [36:14] Um, [36:15] Duren's somebody that looks different to me. [36:17] Because I thought I knew what he was last year, but all the stuff, the physicality he's added...

[36:25] the durability, the night after night where I just feel like he sets the tone for who they are as a team comes from him and [36:33] to a lesser degree, Stewart, but he's just a badass. He's out of your era. You could see him getting in a shoving match with Anthony Mason and Alonzo Mourning. That's- [36:44] So he just brings that to them, and I think that matters. But Alexander Walker just becoming the guy we're watching is completely improbable. [36:52] Nobody would have predicted that last year. So, [36:55] I think he has to win it personally. Duran, real quick on Duran. Yeah, I saw some of it last year. Did not... [37:02] at any point come to the conclusion that this was his ceiling as a scorer and if he's gone here maybe there's even more another level for him offensively because the one thing he's doing that i didn't see last year his ability now to screen roll catch the ball on the short roll and then do something with it going toward the rim like avoiding guys and going in and shooting a shot that's pretty soft off the glass yeah i know he's going to beat you up and throw you around on the glass a little bit if he gets around the rim it's very difficult to stop him from getting [37:32] was all he did last year. Now, [37:34] It's like they can run more dynamic sets and trust that you can throw the ball to him on the move at 18 feet and he's going to do something with it. So for me, that's a big, big job. And actually, the other guy we were already talking about. [37:47] I think you have to give Avdi some look here because I know last year we saw it at the end of the year. [37:53] Yeah, but it was like a month and a half last year where he was doing this. That's the only thing. It was. But to me, that's why I'm kind of torn on him because at the same time, it's a small sample size. But you also say, yeah, but it was outrageous numbers. It was like 25, 26 at night for like six weeks. So you kind of got an idea. Okay, it's in there. But it's a big difference between averaging like 16 for a season and...

[38:18] And not really being the guy that's got to carry you every night to like, okay, now you're 24. And I guess what? You better be 24 every night. Like that's got to be your floor now. And on some nights it's 35 if that's what it takes. And then in addition to the other stuff that you're doing, filling up the stat sheet everywhere you look. [38:34] To me, he also probably deserves a look. But then you've got this other category of player like a Colin Gillespie or a – I think even Kata. I think even Kata deserves a little bit of attention. He's an impact player now for the Boston Celtics. And I watched him last year. I thought at best he's going to be like a third center. [38:52] that can play spot minutes. And what he's turned into, for them, he is an impact player on a team that's the two-seed in the Eastern Conference. So that's another category of player. Like, you don't even know what they are in the league to, oh, starting on a good team. That's a different look than, like, guys, okay, yeah, they're already pretty good players. In some cases, top ten picks. Yeah. But I had no idea that they were this good. So there's two ways, I guess, to break it down. [39:22] will determine it. [39:23] He was the next guy I was going to bring up to you because I think he's going to be third on my ballot. [39:27] He went from like [39:29] Afterthought, my daughter, who goes to some of the games, was her favorite player other than Tatum. She was always like, I don't understand why Kata doesn't play more. [39:38] It's like, well, he's backup center. Like he's not, how much is he going to play? Right. Four centers ahead of him. [39:44] He's... [39:45] First of all, it's like genuinely valuable now.

[39:49] Oh, yeah, like... [39:51] there's maybe two, three teams in the league that [39:54] you worry about with him going against them. But for the most part, like, [39:58] He's 12 and 10 every night. He protects the rim. The advanced metrics are out of control for him. [40:03] And I do feel like he's gotten better as the years gone along. Like he's got little drop steps now on the rim. So, but that goes back to your point. Like, can you be most improved if we basically didn't even hear from you last year? [40:16] Because Shireman's another one like that. Like, Shireman's a real asset for the Celtics. He didn't play at all last year. Does that mean he's... [40:23] To me, Alexander Walker is like the definition of the award. [40:26] I thought you were this... [40:28] And now you're doing this, and I didn't see that coming. We got to take a break. I want to talk about the playoff matchups. I want to talk about Cleveland, Atlanta, and Minnesota Denver. We'll do that in a second. [40:39] The Bill Simmons Podcast is presented by FanDuel. [40:43] The most prestigious tournament in golf. [40:45] It's happening in Augusta right now. You never know how it's going to go down, but FanDuel has your back with a special Mulligan bet back token during... [40:54] The event. [40:54] Ready to use right now. A bet back token turns any losing bet into a bonus bet for another try. [41:00] Now you've got protection to take that sleeper pick or... [41:03] Make a bold prediction. [41:06] You might remember I had Justin Rose. I think I had him 35 to one. That was my pick to win the... [41:11] masters and he had a good day one. [41:15] It's interesting. He's 15 to one to win the title now. I still like it. [41:19] Like he had a chance to be the leader today.

[41:22] And then in the last couple of holes, he... [41:25] You know, he had a par when he showed a birdie and then he had a bogey and, [41:28] I still like that just when I was 15 to 1. Anyway, anything can happen. Everyone deserves a second chance at glory. You can go to FanDuel.com. [41:36] dot com slash BS and claim your special mulligan bet back token. [41:42] for Augusta. [41:43] 21 plus select states are 18 plus DC, Kentucky, Wyoming. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fando.com. Gave them a problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. Call [redacted phone] or visit ccpg.org slash chat in Connecticut. [41:57] This episode is brought to you by LinkedIn Ads. Ever invested in something that seemed incredible at first, but didn't live up to the hype? Hmm, marketers know the feeling. [42:06] The impressions looked amazing, but when it doesn't create revenue. [42:09] It's a tough conversation with the CFO. [42:12] Instead, invest in results your CFO will love. [42:16] LinkedIn ads. [42:17] generates the highest ROAS, [42:20] of all major ad networks. So advertise on LinkedIn. [42:23] Spent $250, getting $250 credit. [42:27] Just go to linkedin.com slash Simmonsbill.com. [42:30] Terms and conditions apply. [42:33] Cavs Atlanta. So this is a big topic on my Celtics text threads, my Celtic fan threads. [42:40] Who do we want to play in round two? [42:42] Do you want to play Cleveland or do you want to play the Knicks? Like, we're taping this before the Knicks-Celtic game tonight. And the Knicks have... [42:49] They played the Celtics. They beat them last year. They have confidence. You hate playing a team that

[42:54] Feels like they can beat you. [42:56] They were kind of built to play the Celtics, and then you have... [42:59] Tatum going back to MSG and all the stuff that comes with that. [43:03] Just like, hey, a year ago, this was the worst moment of your life, and now we're back in this environment again. Cleveland is a team that, [43:11] is super confident against the Celtics. [43:14] they've had really good battles and Mitchell has always done well against Boston so is Struis like they have guys but [43:20] To me, that's an easier matchup, and this ties into Cleveland-Atlanta. [43:24] I don't think Cleveland's good enough defensively. [43:27] And I think you can get good shots against them. And when I look about the two matchups, I personally would rather play Cleveland. [43:34] As a Celtic fan, [43:35] Because I think we'd get good shots for two weeks. [43:38] Do you think Cleveland's defense gets better? What are you seeing? [43:42] I don't necessarily think that their defense is anything that you're looking at and saying that's going to win them some games in the playoffs. Or that is a defense that's equipped to where you're trying to figure out how you're going to operate against them in a series. We've got some teams like that in the West. I don't think that. And I actually feel that way a lot of nights I watch Boston. And I think Detroit actually also could be a defense that's that good. I don't feel that way about Cleveland. I think if Cleveland wins... [44:08] a series, it's going to be because their offense can be very explosive. And they've got, you know, obviously they've got two star guards. [44:17] And Mitchell is capable of going off at any time. They've got, [44:20] stable of three-point shooting around their best players. They added a point guard that can reward guys at a higher degree than Garland could. So they've kind of answered that. But...

[44:32] There is one thing with Cleveland that if I were the Celtics, I would probably look at them as well and say, that's probably a safer matchup is the, [44:42] You wonder with what's going on with them the last couple of years and not just that Cleveland team, but also you bring James Harden into the mix, who's had some playoff issues in the past. Oh, oh, yeah. They wonder what they would feel like if they fell behind in a series or if they started to have some moments where it was like slipping away a game that was a pivotal game. You don't you don't know how mentally, collectively they're going to handle that. [45:08] So I think if I'm Atlanta, I'm really excited about what you just said. [45:13] We can get these guys. [45:15] You have the heart and peace. You have the last couple of years. [45:19] Honestly, if LeBron looming as like, what's he going to do next year? [45:25] Is there a blowed up? Is Giannis looming? [45:28] That team, if it goes badly for them in round one or round two, [45:32] I'm prepared for anything, right? [45:34] Is there a single guy on that team you would bet your life is going to be on that team next year if they have an embarrassing round one or round two loss? [45:42] I'm ready for anything with them. And sometimes when you're a team and you hit that point, [45:47] and it's these playoff games where it's three minutes left, and you just blew an eight-point lead, and the crowd's going nuts. The off-the-court stuff can... [45:56] can kind of hang around like a black cloud, you know? I, so... [46:00] Look, it's a really, really good offensive team if you catch them on the right night.

[46:05] you would think they are a top three offense. They're a little like Denver in this way, where I feel like I can get good shots on Denver whenever I want. [46:13] But if you catch them on the right night, they look like the best offense in the league. You can feel that with Cleveland. [46:18] Oh, 100%. They have quarters sometimes where they'll drop a 40 on you. [46:23] And it's not really difficult because – [46:26] They pop that when they when they really, really get the ball hopping and they make quick, decisive reads off their initial ball screen and that ball then. [46:33] comes out of there quickly and there's still 14 seconds on the clock, they're going to make you chase it for two or three passes. And they're going to end up with a great shot. And I've seen them string together seven, eight shots in a row in a quarter, like it's nothing against good teams. For me, the entire reason I would be suspicious of them doing real damage in, in, you know, multiple series is because of the psychological effect. And are they tough enough to, [47:00] when they have to be tough enough. 2-2, [47:03] Everything's on the line. How tough are you going to be tonight? That's what you wonder about them. And look, they had a little bit of an excuse last year. [47:11] Because they were banged up. They were not healthy at the end of the year after a 64-win season. It's just bad luck to not be – everybody's there feeling good to represent what you were most of the season. They weren't. [47:24] That's fine. [47:25] Two years ago, they didn't have as much of it, and I don't feel like they've got one this year. To your point, if they lose in the first round, [47:33] Like, and you're talking about to a team like Atlanta, if they lose to Atlanta, which is this team that's came kind of arose out of nowhere the second half of the season. And that's who you lose to in the first round. Like, there's no telling what they might end up doing to this roster and just the way they view how they want to go forward. Because clearly, this isn't moving in the right direction. If that's what happens at minimum. I mean, really, they should be thinking conference finals at minimum.

[47:58] Anything else should feel unsatisfying to them. [48:02] But realistically, I, [48:04] where they ended up in a regular season, you know, maybe, maybe second round is where it's going to end, but they should be thinking conference finals, finals, and in their own house, [48:14] They should feel, I think, [48:16] really like unfulfilled if they don't get that far. But I think the rest of us are looking at them a little bit differently. Maybe second round will be their ceiling. [48:24] On Fando, they have that. [48:26] the odds for each round, like who can get to round two, stuff like that. [48:30] The Hawks are plus 280 to make it to round two. So that means they think this series is going to be around four to one, five to one favorites for Cleveland. [48:39] I would have a closer than that. [48:41] Now, [48:42] If I was betting my life on it, you'd pick Cleveland because they have more talent. But I think Atlanta can throw some haymakers on them. [48:49] The reason I don't like Atlanta in the series is because I think, weirdly, the key guy for the series for them is going to be Kaminga. [48:57] Because he... [48:58] he's that one guy off the bench that's the wild card guy. And if he's like the Kamingo like he was last night, [49:06] Then now they have a lot of stuff going on. I also like gay a lot. I think sometimes I wonder if that's their best... [49:13] lineup when he's out there with like their other best four guys. But when they, when Kamingo brings them something extra off the bench, um, [49:21] It's like this wave of dudes that can just create their own shots and their defense. I think they're a scary team. I don't think they're going to win three playoff rounds, but...

[49:31] I don't think this was an accident that they just put this 30-game stretch together. [49:36] I would be very surprised if those two teams played, if Atlanta didn't win at least two games in that series. [49:42] Yeah, so we both think seven. I wouldn't be totally shocked if it went seven. They're going to win at least two games, I believe. And maybe one of those games, Cleveland, their offense, because they can do this to people, catch fire and they get one 18, 20-point win. Yeah. But I think the other ones are going to have very meaningful fourth-quarter possessions because I was just – the C.J. McCollum effect is a real thing for them. They needed – [50:09] They needed somebody like that with a lot of playoff experience, handling the ball in big moments, organizing them, running a ball screen set or getting into an ISO late in the clock and getting something quality. They needed that to go around some of these younger guys that they're playing and that they've seen grow. They get up and down the floor. They run. They've got some big-time defenders on the perimeter. They can score. They've got a budding star player in Jalen Johnson. [50:39] I don't know he's going to average 30 like is he ready for that in a series in any six or seven game series I don't think he's quite ready for that now but maybe that's a year away. [50:49] Um, to me, very competitive series. I definitely would pick Cleveland to win that series, but I would be very surprised if that's a four game series, five game series. That would surprise me. The problem is you're going, there will be at least three, four games going in the last four minutes.

[51:05] And you've got McCollum against Mitchell, and I'm just... [51:09] I really like McCollum, but the problem, if he's your guy in the last three minutes, with some of the other guys that are in that conference, you know. Minnesota-Denver. [51:20] So I think I've said this to you. I think it's right now, Denver, OKC, San Antonio, not in that order. [51:27] and Boston. [51:28] And then we drop off to the next level of teams. I think those are the four teams that can win the title. [51:34] Right now, [51:35] And I don't really have anybody else in there, but... [51:38] We have not seen a healthy Minnesota team in a while. And it looks like they're going to be healthy for this Denver series season. [51:45] a team that they've had a lot of success against and a lot of confidence against [51:49] the last couple years. And if I'm Denver, [51:54] I'm like, fuck. [51:56] We got the three seed, but now we're... We could have played the Lakers or Houston, but now we're ending up with Minnesota, and Ant's coming back, and McDaniels is back, and... [52:05] here's go bear again and like what the hell how did this happen uh do you give minnesota a chance in that series [52:12] Yeah, because it is weird in that, like, [52:15] The reason, because the Lakers were playing great, Luka was playing great, they were rolling, [52:20] They looked like they were going to be the three seed at one point. Like, okay, they're going to get three, man. So you could go to four or five. You got... [52:27] Denver-Houston, I think they would have felt very good about that. And so they just keep playing, though, and they're winning, and their offense is humming like it typically does, and they got their guys back and all that.

[52:37] And then because of what happens to the Lakers, they get three anyway. They just fall into the three because the Lakers just continue to drop back. So now you're going to end up with this Minnesota series most likely. I do think that's how it's going to end up. And for Minnesota, they're not playing great coming in to the playoffs. It's just in terms of winning and momentum and feeling that feeling every night. Health is the most important thing for any of these teams, regardless of how you're playing going in. But it is nice to be in a little bit of a role. Minnesota really isn't. [53:07] They'd have to find that closing games, winning games, like in the heat of the playoffs against this team and figuring out a way to guard that team. It'd be tough. I mean, I think I definitely would favor Denver. I agree with you, by the way, the way you kind of rank those teams and just put them in boxes. I agree with you. So three teams in the West and Denver, I think for me at one point, wasn't they started to drop out of like my certainty of including them with Oklahoma City and San Antonio. And now they're back in that mix. [53:34] Those three teams. And I agree with you. Boston looks like the one team that could stand up to those teams. Yeah. Like in, at coming out of the East, like in legitimately play them tough enough and have enough on both ends of the floor to scare those teams. Um, [53:51] I would like Denver in that series. I know, you know, Minnesota, though, if you're going to get one team, [53:57] to play, that probably would be the team. Just because of your history with them and you have solved that equation before.

[54:07] And I think that would give you a little bit of confidence going into that series, even though the way Denver's playing right now offensively might not matter. Yeah, you'd have the confidence on D. [54:16] You have Minnesota's best guy will think he's the best guy in the series, even though if that's not necessarily true. He will think that. [54:23] Um, [54:25] Here's the thing. [54:27] And I haven't given up on Denver, and they've really tested me this year because I watch them a lot, as do you. [54:32] Um, [54:33] They still have another level to go up and they can flash it for like five minutes and [54:38] Gordon seems healthy to me finally. [54:41] When they really need to play defense, they can. Their problem is... [54:45] They don't play defense like that for a while. And then when they have to, they do. [54:50] When we get in the playoffs... [54:52] They're going to be fine. I worry about all the miles Murray put on this year as we get into having to play games. [54:59] eight to ten more weeks. He had a lot of minutes. I think they had nine overtime games. I was looking up some of the MVP stuff and [55:09] Jokic, I think, had [55:10] 25 games where he's played 37 plus minutes or more. It's just a team that, [55:15] Put a lot of miles in their two best guys, which scares me. [55:18] But Cam Johnson... [55:21] He finally is starting to look like Cam Johnson again. And that was the guy that I felt like was going to be weirdly their swing guy. [55:28] Because he's just going to be open at the end of these games if he's not making shots. Now he's making them. [55:34] I think they're really, really, really good. I think they can beat San Antonio. Like, I would probably pick Denver in a San Antonio series. I don't know where you stand on that.

[55:42] Too early. You want to see the first round. I do. I need to see the first round because there's just little things that matter to me. Even if you win a series, let's say Denver plays Minnesota and they just hypothetically, let's say they win that series 4-2, whatever. And there's a couple of guys for Denver. [56:01] that are not shooting well. They didn't shoot well in the series. And I'm thinking about what it's going to take against the San Antonio defense. So things like that really matter to me around the margins of your rotation. Who's playing 7, 8, and 9? Who are those guys? How are they playing? What kind of impact do they have? What's the matchup going to be? How much confidence going into round two does a coach still have in guys if they really couldn't make a shot for his series? Stuff like that can change the way I think. [56:31] based on how the first round goes. [56:34] I think that's fair. [56:35] My biggest hesitation with San Antonio is even what we saw the other night where Wimby got clipped. [56:41] and hurt his ribs and [56:43] He's at 1,839 minutes away. [56:47] He played... [56:49] 37 plus minutes five times this year. [56:53] You get to the playoffs... [56:56] your best guys are out there 38, 39, 40, 41. Like you can't fuck around. [57:02] I thought it was really telling in that overtime game against Joker when they had to kind of keep him out there for the and I just thought he looked gassed by the end of it because they basically they've been using him as like this pitcher on a pitch count all year.

[57:15] It's like you're through 90 pitches, you're, [57:17] Five, six innings, we're getting you out. Our bullpen's going to take it home. They just want him to have an awesome 29 to 30 every game. [57:25] I don't think the playoffs work that way. And I really wonder at his age – [57:30] He hasn't totally filled out yet. [57:33] to have to go every other night and really have to play 35 to 40 minutes a game. I don't know if he can do it and stay healthy. What do you think about that? That's a good point. And look, I know he's had some he's had success against both of those top teams and their defenses. But doing it over the course of a seven game series with that level of speed coming at you, you know, the number, the amount of traffic that they force you to play in. Right. And obviously everything's called a little bit differently. They're allowing more grabbing and holding and all of those things. [58:03] that, you know, and we'll get into the MVP talk too here in a second, but [58:09] The numbers on him as far as just total minutes played for the season, [58:13] If he were to win MVP, it's like, [58:16] The only two guys lower are like, you got to go back to Walton. [58:19] Right. In like 70, 70. Yeah. And Embiid. [58:22] I think Embiid the year he won it. Yeah. For just raw total number of minutes. So what you've put your body through, and there's two ways to look at it. In one way, it's like, okay, [58:34] Your legs are a little bit fresher than some other guys who played 75, 80 games and were playing 34 minutes, right? You get that little break with the injury. You come back rejuvenated from that. Your legs feel a lot different when you're out a month in January. And you come back early February. Your legs feel different. Like right now, Steph Curry's legs feel amazing. But unfortunately, it might be just too little too late what they're going to have to try to pull off. But he feels incredible. And he's showing the way he's moving. He's got so much energy.

[59:04] That also, the other downside to that is, [59:07] When you do now have to go play 35 to 40 minutes, because these are pivotal games in these series where you're going to have to leave them out there that long, the attrition of that, can the efficiency still stay the same against defenses this good with this much activity? The number of guys that are going to be in your lap the entire time. You're well-coached. You're going to make adjustments on how they want to hit you with different things than they did the game before. [59:37] Man, there's a reason why those two teams won 60 games and you're looking at them as the two favorites to win it. There's a reason. And it's mainly because of their defenses and how different they look than most teams in this league. [59:50] Yeah, that's, there was, I can't remember if it was last year or the year before, but Joker had so many miles on him. Remember his three point shot just went away as the playoffs went along because he started losing his legs. [1:00:00] I look at the way [1:00:03] SGA is at 2259 for minutes. [1:00:06] Like just ahead of Jokic. [1:00:08] But SGA... [1:00:10] I don't feel like they put a lot of miles on him during this season. There's a lot of fourth quarters you get to sit. Yeah. [1:00:16] He probably played less than 70 games. I don't even think he's at 70 yet. [1:00:19] And I feel like he'll probably be the freshest of... [1:00:23] All the superstars. You mentioned the Wemby Minutes. [1:00:25] He's 101st in total minutes in the league. [1:00:29] He's not even in the top 100. He's played less minutes than Zion. [1:00:33] Russell Westbrook and Sam Hauser.

[1:00:36] He's played 400 minutes more than Luke Cornett, his backup setter. [1:00:41] So, you know, we just don't know it. Meanwhile, Jokic, 35 plus minutes, 37 times. He's had 940 plus games. [1:00:49] This is, I think this is... [1:00:51] Part of the Jalen case for first team NBA to me, he's played 37 plus minutes 25 times. [1:00:57] This is a guy that not only is he out there, he's durable. He's playing big minutes. He's got, he leads the league and, uh, [1:01:03] I think he's second in driving to the rim. He's second in free throw attempts. He's just a physical force night after night. I do think that matters with some of this stuff. No, it does matter. I think, look, what you haven't had to do with Wemby, [1:01:21] because of their incredible depth. [1:01:24] is tax him [1:01:25] to that extent to win games. It's pretty incredible. I mean, you look at their team, I think three guys are averaging right about at 30 minutes, nobody more than 31. And you look, on any given night, he's got 11 guys that he can go to with confidence. And now even the way Carter Bryant's been playing, [1:01:44] And, you know, each he's another guy that you play on. Now, will he trust him in a place? He's so young. I don't know. I made it, you know, made a crack on the air. He made five out of six threes last night. And this is true. I look because I did the math on a piece of paper, like real quick. [1:01:59] He took his three-point percentage from 30 to 33 in one game. Wow. Like, at the end of the season, because he hasn't taken that many, but he's going to have to because they're not guarding him out there. He's a freak athlete, really good defender. But, like, that's another...

[1:02:12] 10, 12 minutes of raw athletic ability, if you want to throw them out there, nobody has to get overstressed on their team. Everybody's in the 20s. It's kind of incredible the way that they do it. [1:02:23] And so will he now have to do that? [1:02:27] Wemby does he have to get extended to 35, 37 minutes in these games when their depth and defense has been so good and overwhelming and their offense too. [1:02:37] They haven't really had to. And maybe in Mitch Johnson's mind, he's thinking, no, we're not going to have to do that because we're good enough to keep doing what we're doing. We just did it for a course of the season. We're very confident that we can operate the way we need to, particularly when your barometer is Oklahoma City. [1:02:53] And you've played so well against them. Like, what else do you really need to know? Like, that's the ultimate challenge. Can we play against that team? They've played really well against them. So maybe they don't feel like they have to change their formula up. And Wemby can stay playing 28 minutes, 30 minutes, you know, that kind of thing. [1:03:10] Cornette was a great signing. He was obviously a very valuable Celtic. [1:03:15] Carter Bryant, just really quick. Let's not spend more than 20 seconds on this. So you saw him in person last night. [1:03:22] It's a fucking big dude. [1:03:24] It's kind of shocking, right? It seems like he's like 6'10". [1:03:28] And he's thick already. [1:03:29] I think he might end up being like a stretch five in five years. I'm prepared for anything with that guy's career. [1:03:37] Bill, he was the only player. I called eight games in Vegas last summer. Yeah. He was the only player I saw that completely jumped off the page athletically in what I was looking at. He was in a completely different category. And I was like, wow, man, this guy. I actually said his future...

[1:03:57] You're looking at a guy that down the road is an all-league player. [1:04:02] one of those teams caliber defensive player. I believe he's going to get there because he is big. He's got, he's one of those guys that moves and runs and you don't hear his shoes. [1:04:12] Because he's so light on his feet. Yeah. And if he, if he, and it, by the way, his release looks so good. Like this great rotation. I love that. He stays with the shot. Yeah. [1:04:21] And look, he's not going to have a lot of five for six three-point shooting nights, but his future is very, very bright. And the fact that he's played more minutes literally in every month as the season's gone on, a little bit of a dip here in April. But prior to that, every month his minutes went up. It told you a lot on a team this good. [1:04:38] And how just thick and strong he is for a rookie. It makes no sense. [1:04:44] So, [1:04:46] Celtics, we'll do this quick and then we'll do MVP. Celtics 2-7. [1:04:52] Could be Orlando now. [1:04:53] Um, [1:04:54] Maybe Charlotte, we're going to see some moving around. [1:04:59] So they beat Orlando. The problem with Orlando is that will be a physical series. They're going to knock people around. They're going to try to street fight it, which I'm not too excited about. [1:05:11] Charlotte, on the other hand, [1:05:14] They bullied them a couple games ago. I thought Jalen, Charlotte was up 10 late in the third quarter, and the Celtics, the two wings, really... [1:05:23] I thought took over the game and bullied them a little bit. That's a winnable series too, which...

[1:05:29] As a basketball aficionado, [1:05:32] What Boston matchup is more exciting to you? Boston-Orlando or Boston-Charlotte? [1:05:39] Charlotte. [1:05:40] Whoever Charlotte plays. Me too. They could even get Detroit as a 1-8. [1:05:45] And with what went down earlier this year with the fight and all that. Yeah. You know, so even if you think, okay, there was a one-off event, there's no history there. It doesn't matter. That stuff absolutely is in the air. By the time you get to, you know, early game three, guys are already sick of each other. Like they got some guys that talk. You know, that to me could be like the most entertaining matchup we could get. It's Charlotte and anybody because – [1:06:12] of just how fun they are. And by the way, what they've done in their record for over half a season is so incredibly impressive because it's been both ends of the floor. The metrics are there on both ends. This isn't just a team that all of a sudden caught fire offensively, but they don't guard. They want to win games 135-130. They can do it another way. They just finally clicked. It all came together. They've got – and they helped themselves. Kobe White, that's a great pickup. [1:06:42] the middle. And then there's other four offensive players that they have in the starting lineup. They all look like they like each other. They're having fun. That, whoever they play, [1:06:52] That to me is like the one, you know, high seed, low seed matchup in the first round that you can't miss. You can't miss any of those games, whoever Charlotte's playing. So that's why for me, it's like I think your best bet is to try to avoid them. I mean, not that you can avoid them, but if you don't end up with them.

[1:07:09] I don't want to see them because you figure two games, they hit 20 plus threes. And God only knows in those games, there'll be one game where they're home and they're just awesome. [1:07:18] The Detroit I feel bad for because they're the one seed. [1:07:23] They're probably going to play somebody good. [1:07:26] And they're going to be shoehorning Cade back into this really without a ramp up and [1:07:31] I just, I've seen too many basketball seasons. No matter, it's like, oh, well, Kate will be back. They'll have him healthy and it's... [1:07:38] Okay, but you're shoehorning him into this team that's just been playing without him for five weeks. It always gets a little wonky, those first... [1:07:46] couple games. I feel like somebody could throw a haymaker at them right away. [1:07:50] You're talking about injecting a guy. I love the guy. And he would be, he'd be the, you know, if he ends up, [1:07:56] you know, [1:07:58] being a guy that, you know, I guess, is he going to fall short of the game? He's falling short. Yeah, it's not happening. He's going to fall short. So if he's not eligible, he would have been an all-league player. He would have been, you know, I don't know, he wouldn't have been necessarily as high up in MVP voting as some of these other guys, but you had to consider him as number one seed in the East in the year he had. But, [1:08:15] Here's the thing, to your point. [1:08:18] You're now taking a guy – [1:08:20] And you're basically re-infusing him into your offense. [1:08:24] And he takes seven more shots a night than everybody else on the team. [1:08:28] So you're talking about a guy that like from a usage standpoint, an importance to your offense standpoint, like you, [1:08:36] He's in that category with guys like Shea and Jokic to his team. Yeah. Like, what do you do without Cade Cunningham if you have to navigate the Eastern Conference playoffs? How are you going to settle games? Cade Cunningham is the guy that does that for them. And he takes a lot more shots. Like, hey, look at me. Look over here. I got this.

[1:08:56] And now he's, I don't know, it'll be... [1:08:58] It would be weird. Everybody's kind of settled into the new version of the Pistons without him and [1:09:03] Obviously, Cade comes back, it's his team again, but [1:09:06] You think any chance, you think there's any chance Detroit, Charlotte, first round Charlotte, [1:09:13] wins that series. [1:09:14] I do. [1:09:16] I do. I, I, [1:09:18] I wonder with Detroit, we've seen this over the years, [1:09:21] Um, [1:09:23] A team that's a really, really good regular season team, but then the playoffs when you have to do this, you can't, you're just still here. [1:09:30] Like Denver, we know, is here. And as soon as the playoff starts, they're going to go up. [1:09:36] I kind of think Detroit is who they are every game, which is fine. And by the way, it worked and they're going to win 60 games, but... [1:09:42] I think when I think of the Detroit-Charlotte matchup, isn't that the worst possible team for Detroit? [1:09:49] No question. Where they have like these two awesome wings. [1:09:52] and the weakness of your team is your wings, [1:09:55] And now I just... [1:09:57] I don't like that. I think that's one reason why I like the Celtics against Detroit too, is because I just think the wings are so much better than Detroit's wings. That's – [1:10:06] at some point it just becomes a real disadvantage. Well, what they're going to have to solve... [1:10:11] is... [1:10:12] You get into a series and game by game, [1:10:16] teams figure out even more ways to make sure the guys they want left open are left open. Right. And Detroit has a few of those guys. And they're guys that they have to play.

[1:10:27] Because that's their style. They get into people. They force turnovers and run. They get on the offensive glass. Like their wings crash from the wings in the opposite corners. But that's their formula. Get to the line. Get points in the paint. Well, if you're now playing a team... [1:10:44] That's well coached. And they do some of those things well. They secure their own defensive glass. They don't give up points in the paint. They don't turn the ball over. I just described Boston in a lot of ways. They don't do those things. And now you've got a guy like Missoula who's like, okay, let's look at this team. Pistons, okay, they play one game. Let's look at the film. Okay, here's how we can make sure that the ball gets funneled to certain places. And we're going to face guard Duncan Robinson. No help responsibility. He's not going to be part of this. [1:11:14] make 11 threes a night. [1:11:16] 11. They win games sometimes where they make seven, six. That's going to be hard against teams like Boston. [1:11:24] You get a team like Cleveland. You get some of these teams, Charlotte. You get some of these teams that are going to shoot 40, 45 threes, and it's going to be nice that they're going to make 15, 18, maybe 20. And you're making seven, eight, nine, 10. That is a lot to overcome. And so that's, to me, is the big challenge for them. How exposed is their lack of shooting once they get into a series? By the way, look, for Detroit, [1:11:52] I don't know if Charlotte could beat him or not. I know that would be a very scary series for them. It'd be one hell of a series. I don't fear as much Philly without a bead. I don't feel Orlando, fear Orlando for them. I don't fear Miami. So really you're talking about this is the one team. Yeah. If you're the one seed, you're the one seed.

[1:12:08] If that's the one team that ends up eight, that's just bad luck for you. Because I think those other three teams, I think you'll just do your thing, especially Philly without a bead, and you're going to be fine. Charlotte is a scarier team because of the way that they could just really just hit you with an onslaught of offense. The other thing with Detroit is just the lack of guys who can create their own shot in a half court. [1:12:32] And... [1:12:33] It's a lot of Tobias Harris, who I think has been really good for them this year. But it's like what you mentioned with Harden before in the playoffs. We've kind of seen Tobias Harris in the playoffs. [1:12:43] So that would worry me too. Last thing, and then we got to take a break. [1:12:48] I've just, we haven't, we talked about Tatum three weeks ago, the last time you were on [1:12:54] And we're doing this right before the Knicks game today, so I don't know what's happening in that game. [1:13:00] To me, he seems all the way back now. [1:13:04] And it's not even like, ah, he's 95% there. There's a couple of things missing. [1:13:10] I think he's back, like for real. And if anything, like he's added a couple of small things that I don't think he necessarily had in the same way last year. Like his rebounding and his passing is like slightly better. [1:13:24] And honestly, Legs, it's like one of the most amazing comebacks I can remember watching in real time. Even like thinking back to the first two games he had this year. [1:13:34] Versus where he is now, where it's just like he's back. [1:13:37] Did you ever in your wildest dreams think this would be how this played out?

[1:13:44] No, not at all. I mean, I, you know, I, I'm picturing him all that time when we're kind of waiting. I mean, it became more apparent he was going to try this. And it was kind of like. [1:13:55] better right away. [1:13:57] in a lot of ways, I was just kind of like, man, this guy's going to traffic and rebounding the ball. Yeah. Like, you know, you do something like that, like, you don't really want to be jumping around other people and mentally and pushing off to go get, you know, rebounds and stuff. So I was like, man, his rebounding was great. The offense, [1:14:15] Definitely looked like he was favoring how he was landing on drives. And as a result, it was affecting his concentration at the rim. And I thought, yeah, that's pretty normal. And guess what? That might not come back until next year because that is, that takes some time to shake that off where all of a sudden, [1:14:37] You find, and I just, and it's not the same injury. I was not the same level player, but then coming back from three torn ligaments in your knee at the same time, like I did, it missed 10 months. And I thought I was going to miss the entire next season. I came back in like February. Yeah. And I remember... [1:14:51] That game... [1:14:53] When it finally was like I was not thinking anymore about anything and I was just playing basketball, I thought that was going to be next year for Jason Tatum. Like you're going to have to live with it. And maybe it costs him in the playoffs because he's still going to be playing a lot, but he's not going to be himself. And maybe it costs you when the margins get so thin against these teams. Well, I got news for you, man. He's now last five games. He's right about 50, 40, 80 splits.

[1:15:23] great ever since he came back. He might be a top 10 rebounder. [1:15:29] Like credible, his rebounding numbers. [1:15:31] Like he's 10 to 15 a game, like pretty consistently. [1:15:36] The, the, the stretch five piece of him. [1:15:42] In the playoffs, I wonder how much we're going to see. [1:15:46] Like, that might be their version of the lineup of Death, where they have Kato. The Death lineup, yeah, yeah. Because I... [1:15:53] They'll test Vucevic the last couple games here and see what they have. He looks too slow to me. I don't know if he's going to be playable in the playoffs. I think they'll keep. [1:16:02] Feeling it out. But my guess is when they get to the higher rounds, he's out. [1:16:06] which will leave Cato, [1:16:08] Garza maybe, but really Tatum? [1:16:10] doing a lot of stretch five stuff and they've thrown it out a few times and it's like, [1:16:16] Okay, because they can still rebound when he's the center. [1:16:20] Well, you look at the top teams, they're going to have to play. [1:16:23] if they were to employ that lineup. But it's not going to be something you're going to hit them with all night. But if they can selectively use it in games strategically, you look at Detroit, Cleveland, and the Knicks. [1:16:32] those three teams. And like you, you ask yourself, well, how hard is this going to be for them to guard? Extremely. [1:16:39] extremely extremely if you've got the next lineup that they want to play most of the night that's going to be very difficult for them to guard same with cleveland because they like to play two bigs a lot and that's going to be very difficult the ground coverage and playing guys off the dribble it's going to be hard even with a guy as versatile as mobley that's going to be hard for them to pull off and then so then you say what about the other end well they're going to

[1:17:02] Yeah, Cleveland, you could be susceptible in the offensive glass. Like that could be a problem. But they're so – Boston is so good at the details of the game, chipping on guys and getting between them in the basket and making them come over your back. And there's just the little details that it takes when you do play small to excel at that stuff. So I think the risk-reward – [1:17:27] is more reward for them. [1:17:29] And I think you are going to see that lineup sometimes. How much? We'll see. But I don't know that they're that worried about [1:17:35] getting beat up at the other end by playing a small lineup. [1:17:39] Mitchell Robinson would be the one guy that it might be a mistake against. Nobody's keeping him off the glass. Yeah, that's where you're going to need Caden in the series. All right. We're taking a break, and then I want to play the MVP game with you. [1:17:51] Welcome to Crunch Time presented by Tax Act, where we break down the NBA's final stretch and spotlight the players and teams feeling the heat before the playoffs and [1:17:59] Tax Act helps you handle the final stretch of tax season with tools that make sure you're [1:18:04] you maximize your refund and come out on top. [1:18:08] on April 15th. All right. [1:18:11] Who has the most pressure? [1:18:13] to perform. [1:18:15] in the playoffs. [1:18:16] I am looking at two teams. They're both in the Easter Conference and the other. [1:18:21] They both have pushed a lot of chips into this season. [1:18:24] The New York Knicks. [1:18:25] who traded all those picks for Mikael Bridges, basically built to compete and try to win a title right now.

[1:18:33] And if they don't win, we'll see. Are they a Giannis team over the summer? [1:18:37] And then Cleveland... [1:18:39] who was already all in, does the Harden for Garland trade, [1:18:43] has some playoff [1:18:46] kind of bad stuff that happened the last couple of years. And if that happens again, [1:18:50] Who knows with them? So I would say those two teams... [1:18:53] have the most pressure of anybody. That was Crunch Time presented by TaxAct, helping you beat the buzzer, maximize your returns, and hit a game winner during the final stretch. [1:19:04] of tax season. Visit taxact.com to learn more. [1:19:08] Conditions apply. [1:19:09] See taxact.com for details. [1:19:13] Did you know about one in three people with plaque psoriasis may also develop psoriatic arthritis, which causes joint pain, stiffness, and swelling? [1:19:22] Does this sound like you? [1:19:25] Listen to what it sounds like to be a million miles away. [1:19:55] Tell your doctor if you have an infection, flu-like symptoms, or if you need a vaccine. [1:20:01] Imagine being a million miles away. Explore what's possible. Ask your doctor about Trimphaya. Tap this ad to learn more about Trimphaya, including important safety information.

[1:20:14] Let's talk about Peyronie's disease, or PD. It's not widely talked about, and some men may feel reluctant to bring it up, [1:20:21] but it's more common than you'd think. [1:20:23] PD can happen when scar tissue builds up under the skin of the penis, causing a curve or the bump during an erection that for some men may lead to pain during intimacy and impact mental health. [1:20:33] A trusted urology specialist can help diagnose PD and walk you through your options, including non-surgical treatment. [1:20:39] visit TalkAboutPD.com. [1:20:43] All right, last thing. We're going to talk MVP. You're not going to tell us your vote because you're saving it. [1:20:48] But I have, this is something I started in the mid-2000s where I had little questions. [1:20:54] that [1:20:55] I tried to ask myself to set the MVP order in my head. And I did this, I think in the 06 season, I think was the first time I did this, which was [1:21:04] The year Kobe averaged 35 a game, and I think he finished fourth in MVP. Steve Nash won for the second straight year. [1:21:11] Um, Dirk was on a good Dallas team. [1:21:15] That ended up... [1:21:17] making the finals. And then young LeBron was in there too. And it was like, nobody kind of really knew who the MVP was. And I really thought it was Kobe. So I came up with these questions and I'm going to go through them with you. [1:21:29] Um, I've added a fifth question, which I did not have before, but anyway. [1:21:34] So, [1:21:36] We'll start here. We agree it's SGA, Joker, and Wemby. Those are the three. Luka's out. So we have three candidates for the MVP spot, right? Unless, listen, unless Luka, you know, they're talking about, right, trying to appeal because he missed two games for the birth of his daughter and all that. So unless they win that, which I don't know how that's going to play out, but that's what they're saying. They're trying to figure out a way to get some sort of an exception. You wouldn't vote him top three, would you?

[1:22:05] I think he, I think if he, I put it this way. [1:22:09] If Luca ends up being eligible, [1:22:12] I think then there's a four. There's four guys that you have to talk about. [1:22:17] That's how I would describe it. You can't dismiss him and say he's not in the top three, particularly with what he did over the last month of the season and how differently we viewed the Lakers as a result of that. I would say yes, he needs to be included in the top four. [1:22:31] Yeah, I've already said where I stood on this, Lex. He got 16 technicals, cost himself a game. Maybe he should learn his lesson. [1:22:39] that's fair absolutely maybe behave yourself better on the court luca [1:22:43] That is this man. That is very, very fair. There's no, I have no rebuttal to that at all. And I'm not certainly this isn't my campaign for Luca for MVP, but I am I am consider myself pretty like unbiased about this stuff. It is what it is to me. And I just think I think the way he played is his numbers. And then the big thing was, are the Lakers ever going to look legit? And they did it to me for so long. [1:23:13] his efficiency picked up that [1:23:16] Like, OK, I think he's played himself into the race, but, you know, he might not they might not make that exception for him anyway. And maybe it's a moot point. [1:23:23] I agree with you. I had him [1:23:26] When he got hurt, I had him 3A, 3B with Jokic. [1:23:29] And then Jokic went up. [1:23:31] And Luca went back down because he got hurt. All right. The MVP questions.

[1:23:37] Question number one. [1:23:38] If you replaced each MVP candidate with a decent player at his position for the entire season, [1:23:45] What would be the hypothetical effect of, [1:23:47] negatively. [1:23:49] on his team's record. So sometimes this question doesn't necessarily qualify. Usually, [1:23:55] If you feel like, oh, if you take this guy out, they would be 20 games worse. That's usually what we think. All right. So I'm going to give you the players. [1:24:03] SGA. [1:24:05] That team, OKC, 64 and 16. [1:24:09] Let's replace him with Brandon Posemski. [1:24:13] For the entire year. I didn't know you were going to do this. Yeah, yeah. No, I'm throwing the, yeah, I'm going specific at you. [1:24:19] Brandon Przempski is now... [1:24:22] in the SGA spot and probably a little more AJ Mitchell. [1:24:26] And everything else is the same. Jalen Williams still gets hurt. [1:24:29] You have all the other guys. It's the exact same season, but I've replaced SGA. [1:24:33] How many wins does OKC have? [1:24:37] With everything else on the... Everything is exactly the same. It went exactly as it did this season, including the lack of availability of Jalen Williams? Yes. [1:24:47] Okay. How many games would they win? [1:24:50] Oh my goodness, this is a tough one. Yeah, so figure A.J. Mitchell gets more of the SGA minutes in this hypothetical world, and Brandon Pajemski is probably off the bench. A.J. Mitchell is probably starting. [1:25:03] Man, oh, man. [1:25:05] 64 and 16 is the record right now.

[1:25:09] Thank you. [1:25:10] Thank you. [1:25:11] Mid 50s. [1:25:13] I had 53 and 29. [1:25:17] Okay, that's probably right. All right. Because I'm looking at it like, you know, they... [1:25:22] the way they play is so unique. Like they, they were, I believe they were eight and four without them. [1:25:27] when he didn't play at all. You didn't replace him with anybody. So you put a player like Pajemski in his, you know, [1:25:34] decent player, but [1:25:36] You look at that and the way that they defend... [1:25:39] But [1:25:40] Thank you. [1:25:41] Driving that offense. So that's why I said mid-50s. You said 53. We're about the same. I might give them a little bit. [1:25:49] a win or two more than you. [1:25:52] Wemby. [1:25:54] Pulling him out. I'm replacing him with a kangaroo from the Hawks. [1:25:58] That's who their center is. Now they have a center combo of, of a congru and, uh, [1:26:03] and Luke Cornett. [1:26:04] They are 61 and 19 right now. [1:26:07] What's their record if we make that switch? [1:26:12] Thank you. [1:26:15] They probably win. [1:26:18] 50. [1:26:20] Okay, I had 47. [1:26:22] At 47 and 35. Maybe you're right. So we'll put it somewhere in there. 47 to 50. I've been so impressed with... [1:26:30] with like that, that to me might be the best this year. [1:26:36] connected team in the league. [1:26:38] Oh, yeah. Talk about role acceptance.

[1:26:41] And just like the vibe around their team. It's kind of like exactly what we felt about Oklahoma City last year. I'm not saying Oklahoma City's lost that, but this feels like the version of that this season. So I just, I wouldn't put a much, much past them. I still think they could get to 50. [1:26:56] We replaced Nikola Jokic for the entire season. [1:27:01] With the kangaroo. [1:27:02] We'll use the same center. [1:27:04] We also have half a year for Aaron Gordon. [1:27:07] and some of the other stuff that happened. Right now, they're 52 and 28. [1:27:12] What's their record? [1:27:14] With the kangaroo. [1:27:16] I can't wait for your answer on this because I was surprised by my own answer. [1:27:21] 43 and 39. [1:27:23] Oh, wow. You went over 500. [1:27:26] Yeah, I think they could still be 500. [1:27:29] So I only have 35 Aaron Gordon games, Jamal Murray... [1:27:34] all the role players, and I don't have Jokic, and you still think they can get to 45? [1:27:40] Wow. [1:27:41] I said 43. I said 43. 43. I had 35 for that one. [1:27:46] In the West? That's too low. Night after night? [1:27:50] I think that's too low. [1:27:51] All right. Well, you, so you basically had everybody dropping off by 10 to 12 wins. So that, so question number one is out. [1:27:59] I do think Jokic... [1:28:01] Probably means the most to the three of the day-to-day success with all the stuff he does for them. [1:28:06] would be... [1:28:08] But I guess maybe you could say that with one bit too. All right. So that question's out.

[1:28:12] All right, this is a good one. [1:28:14] Question number two. [1:28:15] In a giant pickup game, [1:28:18] With every NBA player available and two knowledgeable fans forced to pick five-man teams, [1:28:23] and their lives depend on the game's outcome. [1:28:27] Who would be the first player picked based on how everyone played that year? [1:28:34] First player pick. My life depends on the game. You want to do first player picks for each team? No. First player pick. We get everybody in the league. I can take anybody and my life depends on the game. [1:28:46] Based on how they played this season only. [1:28:50] Well, for me, it's between Jokic and Shea. [1:28:57] And you said, wait, the key word, you said knowledgeable NBA fans? Yeah, we both qualify for that. No, no, those qualify us. [1:29:05] Because if you're just standing there on the eye test, and they don't know as much about the league as they need to, and you're looking at Wemby and Jokic and Shea, that's what I'm saying. True. [1:29:14] If you know the league, [1:29:19] I'd probably say Jokic. [1:29:20] I would as well. [1:29:23] I had Jokic. [1:29:25] Wemby third, but I'm too worried about [1:29:29] I need to fill the 17 other minutes that he's not playing. Jokic, I know I'm getting 40 minutes. [1:29:35] I can run and I can put any kind of team around him. [1:29:39] And he's been the most, I think...

[1:29:43] I think he's just been more consistent than Wemby. I think the biggest reason for me would be under that exact scenario, [1:29:50] is I'm looking at them and I'm going, okay, [1:29:54] With him being the first pick, [1:29:56] It doesn't really matter as much at that point what I end up with around them. Right. Because – [1:30:04] everybody's going to be able to play with him. [1:30:07] and do their thing and not just stand and spot up. They're going to be able to play and move and play basketball. And his just natural inclination for making guys better and reading the floor is like all fits, no matter who he plays with. [1:30:21] You just described why he probably should have been the MVP every year this decade, but we'll keep going. Question three. [1:30:29] So I had yokich as well, by the way. [1:30:31] Question three, if you're explaining your MVP pick to someone who has a favorite player in the race and your pick was a different player, [1:30:38] Well, he or she at least say something like, [1:30:40] I don't like your pick, but I at least see how you arrived at that choice. So I came up with this question in 2008. I thought, [1:30:48] I thought Kevin Garnett was the MVP. [1:30:50] Kobe ended up winning. [1:30:54] It was the one time I was a little too Homer-y. [1:30:57] Because I was watching so much Celtics, and the more you watch the same team, you're just like, oh, you don't understand all the stuff he does. And... [1:31:05] I don't think I got it right. I don't think I looked at it [1:31:08] Logically enough, because I think I overrated how much I was watching KG. KG was awesome, but that team was really good.

[1:31:15] They could survive him not being there for a game or two. I actually, if I had to do that again, I might actually vote for Chris Paul that year on the Pelicans. [1:31:24] I guess they were the New Orleans Hornets that year. [1:31:27] It was basically just him and David West and Tyson Chandler. And Chris Paul did everything. And he was just so fucking awesome that year. Anyway. [1:31:35] Um, [1:31:37] I think people would see the SGA case. [1:31:41] If you're explaining it, [1:31:44] I think they would see the Jokic case because you could go into like, hey, this guy's already won two MVPs. This is the best offensive year he's ever had. He's going to lead the league in rebounds and assists. He's going to be fourth or fifth in points. He does everything for them. He's actually gotten better. [1:32:00] from an efficiency, everything standpoint, than all the other years when he was already an all-time great. That's the case for him. And they're a three seed, which I think matters. The Wemby case, the minutes thing hurts it. [1:32:12] Um, [1:32:13] If you're explaining the Wemby case, would people at least see it? [1:32:19] Okay. [1:32:20] I love this question. [1:32:21] Thank you. [1:32:23] I'm going to start with just myself and knowing myself. And I do think I'm pretty good about, hey, man, let's debate it. Let's make our case. And it's an opinion at the end of the day. It's subjective. Just make valid points that make sense. And I'm going to hear you out. I'm going to think that's a well-played argument. And who knows who's right because it's just an opinion. I think I'm good about that. Sometimes I'll really dig in if I'm just like, no, you literally don't know what you're talking about. For the most part, I think I'm good about that. I will say this.

[1:32:52] When it comes to this topic, [1:32:54] And this isn't just the average NBA fan because those people clearly, like you're in the corner of some team or some player, good luck convincing them of anything other than their guy is the guy. That's impossible. That's like social media world. But I'm talking about, [1:33:10] even inside the industry. [1:33:12] The people that do this every day, they watch it, they break it down, they do it on TV, radio, they write about it, whatever it may be. It's your job to do it, to know it. [1:33:22] I'm finding it's almost becoming very almost like politics. [1:33:26] in this country now, except instead of two parties, there's like four parties. And like, you're not convincing someone [1:33:33] that's trying to make their case about one of these guys from you're just not doing it it feels like that [1:33:38] There's a lot less of that where you're kind of like listening. That's actually a really good point. You might not change your mind. [1:33:46] But you might say, hey, you know what? That's a really good argument. I hadn't really considered that. That's a good argument. That's probably the best case you could make for your guy. I still kind of like my guy, and here's why. I felt like it was more of that before. That's not what I'm sensing now. And just turn on any media outlet on the course of a day and just watch because this topic is so prevalent right now. Who's going to win MVP? It is going to be a really fascinating race to see how this plays out. My goodness, are people dug in on their guy. [1:34:13] And there is no other answer. [1:34:14] Other than their guys. So I actually disagree. So maybe I dump this question. [1:34:19] Maybe we're all just here. Well, just it's a great question, but maybe people don't even want to hear other arguments once they decide. No, I love the question, Bill, because that's how it should be.

[1:34:30] And I just don't feel like people are coming to the table to discuss this stuff. [1:34:36] with really an open mind. And again, look, let's be honest. If you made up your mind about something and you're an intelligent person, whether it's politics or sports, you know, debate about MVP or whatever the hell it is, the best dog breed. And you're a Jack Russell guy and I'm a golden retriever guy. You're coming to the table. It's very rare. [1:34:57] that you're going to be talked into changing your opinion, right? Because it's based on so many things. But at least... [1:35:04] You can, I guess... [1:35:07] Give the person... [1:35:09] more validity, [1:35:10] If they vote a different way, like that's valid. [1:35:14] That's how you feel. And you made a great argument. That's valid that you're doing that. I feel like more and more people just try to discredit you if you don't agree with them. And they try to tell you why you don't know what the hell you're talking about. And I feel like that is more prevalent than it's ever been. So I don't know that any of these conversations with people from different camps of these players, I don't know that you get anybody to really genuinely be like, well, yeah, you know what? Actually, I see where you're coming from. And, you know, if you vote that way, yeah, that's valid. [1:35:44] makes sense i don't know that people are doing that as much as they used to i feel like they're just dug in i know what i'm talking about you don't [1:35:51] And that feels like more of what the tone of it all is now. [1:35:55] It's funny because I feel that way about Rookie of the Year. [1:36:00] I can't believe Flag is favored.

[1:36:03] Versus Khan, who's the second best guy on a playoff team that's going to win like 46, 47 games. He's going to lead the league in threes. [1:36:13] I think he's the key to that team in a lot of ways because he's the only one that really moves. [1:36:18] And if he wasn't the one, the gravity that he brings when he moves around and how defenses react to him, you have to have it for... [1:36:26] for how they play. [1:36:27] And if you don't, it's just a bunch of guys standing around watching LaMelo dribble. [1:36:32] And then Flagg, who I think is, I love Flagg. He's fantastic. But he's doing this on a, basically a tanking lottery team that's going to win 25 games and now is trying to... [1:36:43] build their team around him trying to win the award. [1:36:47] And it's like, if you want to vote for that, fine. But I... [1:36:50] You have this situation of a rookie having like a historic season who's really important to a team that's been one of the best teams in the league for 45 games now. [1:36:59] And I don't understand how that's not rookie of the year because flag scores two more points a game. [1:37:04] It's just bizarre. [1:37:06] I'll tell you this, Conk Nipple has blown my mind with his ceiling as a player and his impact. You're 100% right, first of all, on how you described him with their team. He connects all of their... [1:37:19] Talent-based. [1:37:21] He connects it all because of his unique way of playing that fits with what they do. He's also more complete in other ways. And anytime you talk to Charles Leary, you just watch him. You see it. He can put it down. He can guard. He's a good rebounder. He rebounds. His mind for the game is off the charts. He makes great reads, very decisive. So he's a complete player, and he's also a prolific shooter.

[1:37:51] game... [1:37:52] I think I said this to you one other time, maybe it took Curry seven years in the league to make this many threes per game. Now the league has changed. Obviously, the volume is way up. But this record that Curry, whatever number is at when he's done, is... [1:38:04] that when he was breaking this record and surpassing 2000 and 3000 and now 4000, like you, you're like, oh, that's never going to be broken. [1:38:13] And then you get a guy right out of the gate. He's going to have 280. Yeah. [1:38:17] If this dude plays 18 years like some of these guys are playing now, hey, maybe he doesn't. I am shocked by... [1:38:24] How good he is, man. I really am. [1:38:26] By the way, it's not a rejection of flag. Unfortunately, he's on a bad team. We've had years like Tyreek Evans won on a bad team, put up stats. [1:38:37] And I don't think Flagg is a put-up stats kind of guy. One of the things I love about him is he's impactful on both ends. But unfortunately... [1:38:44] He's on a 25-win team. And if there's a better candidate... [1:38:48] I'm going to be full disclosure with you. I am... [1:38:51] I am, I think, more undecided about that award than any of them. [1:38:57] Interesting. Because flags. So here's why. [1:39:01] Everything you said about Kniepil is true, and I personally do, and I argue for this all the time. [1:39:06] When it comes to some of these awards, [1:39:08] I do think like impact [1:39:11] on a winning team should carry a lot of weight because the circumstances and the scrutiny are completely different on a nightly basis. [1:39:18] You're expecting to win. Like you've got more pressure on you in the fourth quarter. These shots matter. So it's contributing to something bigger than yourselves in a positive direction, right? So I do think it should matter. And that will be something that I absolutely will weigh heavily for Con Caniple.

[1:39:34] The one thing I will say about Cooper Flagg that is different to me, like Cooper Flagg's responsibility for their team to just operate. [1:39:43] is you can't compare that [1:39:45] with like what what can nipples has to do because you've got lamello ball there you've got a guy like miller you've got other guys that can initiate offense not that he doesn't too but he's like can kind of you know he fills in the open spots around that and he's great at that and will he become a guy that can be a table setter initiator i don't know maybe he's been so damn good this year who knows what his ceiling is but cooper flag like think about their team and i know that the look [1:40:15] So none of the, none of the games had stakes. There's nothing at play in the fourth quarters of these games. But the bottom line is that team couldn't even operate unless Cooper flag created it. Right. All season. So, so that level of responsibility, uh, [1:40:29] Stepping into the league as a teenager, [1:40:31] And having that level of responsibility, like, no, hey, listen, man, it's great. You can't just go out there and play and find your way in this league. We really need you to bring the ball up and start our offense and finish our offense. Can you do that, please? And also guard everybody for us. And play defense, yeah. Guard everybody on the floor. So that to me is like the – and I also think if you're talking about ceilings of the two players like five years from now, [1:40:56] No question. Flag has a chance to be a generational player. I agree. Totally. He's a franchise level player. This is why I love this stuff, though, because they hand out 100 votes.

[1:41:09] Everybody sees it differently. I personally see it as... [1:41:13] If you can be really good and actually impact [1:41:16] a winning team, [1:41:18] I'm just going to prioritize that more. Other people will be like, well, it's not Cooper's fault that he's on a bad team. [1:41:25] You're penalizing him. [1:41:26] It's not like he picked the team he's on. [1:41:29] And he's played great. So I get it. I just think for me, it's like a no-brainer. I would take Khan. [1:41:35] I have to be remiss without mentioning one more name. [1:41:41] If this guy went to a team. Nope. Oh, [1:41:45] If this guy went to a team... [1:41:47] that [1:41:48] Was a 27-win team. [1:41:51] And had the ball in his hip from day one. Hmm. [1:41:54] He would absolutely be in this conversation with these two guys. And that's Dylan Harper. [1:41:59] If Dylan Harper, I'm telling you, he's that good. This is a future star. Yes, I agree. If he went to a team where they just let him go, I think this year if he was on one of these teams that is inconsequential, [1:42:15] He probably, he might be 22 and eight. Like literally, you know, he has shot, he shot 59% from the field over his last 30 games. Wow. In 22 minutes a game. When, when like, it's just, it blows my mind. His three point shooting significantly better over, that's still his weakness. It's gotten better over the last six weeks or so, but 59% over 30 games.

[1:42:41] You can't keep the guy out of the lane. He's got great vision. He's built like a tank. I just, I'm sitting there watching this guy the other night. I've seen him four, four or five times in person this year. And I'm just watching him and I'm thinking he's on a team that's contending for a championship. He's still has cracked, cracked, [1:42:59] 22 minutes out of this rotation, they're perfectly comfortable with him being out there on the floor with Castle and Fox to get a blow. He's that good. And if he was on a team that let's let him go from day one, he'd be putting up such eye-popping numbers as a rookie that he would – who knows? Hell, he might be able to win the award. But he'd be right there in this conversation with these two guys. It reminds me of when McHale was on the Celtics his first year when the team just had so many guys. [1:43:28] He was playing like... [1:43:29] 20, 21 minutes a game. [1:43:31] But if he had just gone to another team, would have put up like 24 and 10 as a rookie. [1:43:36] I think this is a better situation for Harper being in this situation he's in, though. I would much rather have somebody... [1:43:43] Absolutely. In huge games, trying to come through. Because here's the thing. You're not talking about... He's played 38 games. He's got 40 DNPs. Yeah. And he plays seven minutes a night on the team that's contending. No, that is not better. No. But to be actually... [1:44:01] And he's played something like, I think it was something like 13 or 14 straight games. He's played over 20 minutes. He's averaging 22 for the year. He has a ton of responsibility and opportunities in the course of the game, but it's not riding on him. And most importantly, the culture...

[1:44:18] And the standard effort that this team is setting, that is so good for a young player. [1:44:25] To see it and to play consequential games right out of the gate and something really meaningful where, you know, there's a good chance this team is playing, you know, into the conference finals at least. And you're playing a lot. There's no doubt about it. That's absolutely better than any other scenario, really. You can handle it other than if you're, you know, you're starting on a team that's contending as a rookie, which is very rewarding. [1:44:47] Somewhere out there is a Chevy truck, and the person who drives it, well, that's a Chevy person. You probably know one, your buddy, your sister, ones who always show up. They're the first to rise, the last to leave. They always have that little extra something, and maybe you've got it too. Chevrolet, together let's drive. Visit chevy.com slash trucks to explore the lineup. [1:45:13] Chevrolet. [1:45:14] This episode is brought to you by Boar's Head. What if we told you the taste of deep fried turkey is now available at your local deli? Well, Boar's Head just did that. Bursting with flavor, perfectly seasoned with that indulgent taste that usually means planning your whole day around it. [1:45:28] presenting the Friars Turkey Breast only from Boar's Head. [1:45:32] Backyard tradition now available behind the counter. [1:45:35] Visit your local deli today. Discover the craftsmanship behind every bite. Boar's Head, committed to craft since 1905. [1:45:43] Rare. [1:45:43] Two more MVP questions. We sidetracked on Rookie of the Year. Question number four, I added this one.

[1:45:48] Is there some sort of durability minutes issue on off numbers red flag? [1:45:54] or fairly obvious flaw with any candidate that has to be dissected at least a little. [1:45:59] So this would be like when Jalen Brown had a candidacy. Jalen Brown would be the only one. But he was like the on-off stuff with him, which I actually think was pretty explainable because the way they used their bench, it was like this pack of pit bulls that would come in. [1:46:12] And I think it would really screw other teams up during the regular season. Regardless, he's not a candidate. So the minutes – But in that kind of year, I still wouldn't expect it to be what it is. It really is a weird moment. Yeah, it's really weird. For a guy that's had such a great year, it's really kind of strange. Because it's so different than the other three. Yeah. [1:46:31] So here, the minutes is the big thing. And I think the minutes disqualify Wemby, where he's just... [1:46:36] 400 plus minutes behind the other two guys. And I think it's just in a better situation playing the, you know, 29, 30 minutes game. All right. Last one. [1:46:46] Question five. This is a big one. [1:46:50] 10 years from now, who will be the first player from that season who pops into your head? [1:46:55] Every season belongs to someone to varying degrees. So this was mostly that. [1:47:00] The case for Kobe in 06... [1:47:02] When it was like, I can't really decide. It's like, you know what I'm going to remember 10 years from now? [1:47:06] Kobe scored 35 points a night and every night seemed to be a threat to score 80. [1:47:12] And... [1:47:13] Didn't seem necessarily even that happy. And the team had a weird vibe. And you go back and look at the roster and it was pretty awful.

[1:47:21] Um, [1:47:22] But watching him night after night just pick teams apart, destroy them, and do whatever he wanted, I'm going to remember that first. [1:47:31] What's first for you this year as we headed to the final weekend? [1:47:35] It'll definitely be Wemby. [1:47:37] I had the same. There's no question about it because, okay, look at the year that Shea's had. Incredible. Basically, carbon copy last year, but even more efficient. So even better somehow. Jokic, incredible again. I mean, what he did last year was so historic, and he's basically topped it in a lot of ways. But you've seen it. [1:47:56] Yeah. You've seen it over and over again. [1:47:59] And you kind of, I'm not saying that you're almost numb to it at all because we're still amazed by it every night, but you've seen it repeatedly. What Wemby, right out of the gate, [1:48:10] Remember the Dallas game? [1:48:12] when he had 40 and he had that reverse dunk where he caught the ball on the right side of the lane, diving to the rim and, [1:48:20] got fouled, [1:48:21] And then didn't take another dribble and dunk the ball behind his head on the opposite side of the ramp. Do you remember that play? And like the next day was this viral video clip of him. And that was like, what, game two? Yeah. Yeah. [1:48:35] Maybe game one, it was like right at the first week of the season. And that for me... [1:48:39] kind of set the tone to answer a question like this. 10 years from now, particularly what is probably to come over the next nine after this, this is like, okay, never quite seen this before. Even though these other guys are statistically doing things that are superior to,

[1:48:59] to what he's doing, certainly offensively, it doesn't matter, it's the look of it and how different it is, and how different it is on both ends. And you've never seen anything quite like it, and on top of it, [1:49:11] If this is a decade of Spurs excellence where they win some and the years they don't, they're right there. And it's another one of those runs. You're going to remember this as the beginning of that. And this is they got there way faster than anybody thought they could. So for me, that's an easy one to answer. Ten years from now, you're going to talk about this as like the Wemby year when the Spurs first became a contender with him. [1:49:35] I had the same. I wrote down the Wemby Arrival, almost like it's like a movie. Yeah, that's it. [1:49:41] But yeah, that's what we'll remember, like, [1:49:43] Also, he was the best player I saw in person this year, and I saw everybody. [1:49:47] That doesn't mean he's the MVP, but just watching him... [1:49:52] patrol the defensive end and then all the stuff he was doing offensively and watching how [1:49:58] I always like to watch, and I think football is good for this too, with wide receivers or [1:50:04] running backs or whatever, when defenses just are reacting to everything somebody's doing, [1:50:10] Um, [1:50:11] And with him, it's just, you could just see everybody's just constantly, where is he? [1:50:15] You have five players in the court and all of them are like, wait, they have the ball. It's like, where is he? Is he there? Is it safe? And then when he's on offense, it's like, [1:50:25] What are we going to do? Oh, no, he might post up. And they're just constantly tiptoeing around.

[1:50:31] I had for number two for this Joker being Apex Joker. [1:50:36] I do feel like this is the best version of him that we've had. Yeah. Yeah. And then SGA – [1:50:42] The crunch time stuff, I think, was pretty special with him. I actually think all three of these guys... [1:50:47] had a case for like, here's why you should remember me. SGA kind of became a villain this year. [1:50:54] So if I was going to think about it through the context of him, I'd be like, oh, yeah, that was the year when everybody kind of got tired of OKC. [1:51:01] They got pissed about the foul baiting. [1:51:04] SGA seemed to feed off it, became this awesome crunch time guy. [1:51:08] So all of them have a case. So, all right, well, we did five questions and now I'm more confused than ever who the MVP is. [1:51:15] I think that's where it landed. It's brutal, man. And these are all tough, man. Coach of the year is going to be tough. I think rookie of the year, like I said, for me, that's as close as it gets. And ultimately, I don't even know when the time comes to start writing these names down, what will be the thing that moves the needle in that direction for me? Because I think it's that tight. MVP, the all-league teams, I think I got a pretty good grasp of those. I mean, guys being eliminated from contention helped in some ways. You know what I mean? Eliminates some confusion. [1:51:45] Rip on those all defense. I think first team, I'm in pretty good shape. Like beyond that, I think you got to start diving into it a little bit deeper. I got to do a little bit deeper dive on that. What else? Six man of the year. [1:51:57] Got a pretty good feel for that. Pretty lame category this year for the six man.

[1:52:02] It's disappointing. You're just talking yourself into multiple candidates. [1:52:06] Um, [1:52:08] Yeah, I'm the same as you. I have a pretty good handle. [1:52:11] My only thing, we can end on this. [1:52:14] as a traditionalist, [1:52:17] I still like having a big man on each of my own NBA teams. [1:52:22] Because I think it's... [1:52:24] I know they gave us the option to just go nuts and basically make it a – [1:52:29] I don't care if this team would never make sense in real life as a basketball team. This would be my team. I just value the history and especially with big men. [1:52:37] how hard it was to pick centers, even like the Jokic and Bedeer we had a couple years ago that started this stupid thing to begin with. [1:52:45] I just think it should be [1:52:47] You should have a big... [1:52:50] You should have a wing and you should have a guard and then two other spots. But I feel like those three are necessities. So like for me, I'm going to have Jalen Dern in either second or 13, probably second and Chet. [1:53:02] third team. [1:53:04] I'm going to have Wemby and Jokic together on the first team because I do think they could play together. Because Jokic is like, I don't even know what position he is. [1:53:11] Are you a traditionalist or do you just put your five guys together? [1:53:15] I'm more of a traditionalist, I think. I think it's probably the era I come from, my age. It's how you view... [1:53:23] the composition of a basketball team. Yeah. You know, and I guess so, but it is, it's fine. It's not like it's something I, it's not some, you know, hill I'm going to die on. I'm okay with it. It's the way the game looks now.

[1:53:36] A lot of nights, thank God, we still do have some bigs that do a lot of damage that stay in the forefront of the conversation. So we're not just only talking about guards and wings. There are still bigs doing some great things in this league. It's just to where the league has gone. Some of it is what it is. But yes, for me. [1:53:53] When you think of like [1:53:55] You go back at all those years following the league before I was even in the league. You're growing up high school and college, and you love the NBA. And those all-NBA teams would come out. And that's what it looked like, man. And every one of those teams had a center on it. And it was cool, man. And that's how you view a basketball team. One guy in the middle, two guys in the backcourt, and a couple of wings. That's typically what it is. But I'm okay that they've gone in this direction. You know the irony of this? [1:54:20] I feel like centers are more valuable than they've, [1:54:23] probably been in a long time, right? Because there's so many of them. It's made a comeback. Yeah. It's made a comeback. I don't think you could win the title now. Like, [1:54:31] It'd be really interesting the 2015-16 Warriors season. [1:54:35] You know, they still had Bogut and they still had the ability to get a little bigger. But the lineup of death with Draymond, I don't know if that lineup works in the same way now. [1:54:44] I just think he would have been overpowered by... [1:54:47] by certain players that we just didn't have in 2015 and 16. [1:54:51] You know what I mean? Oh, no, there's no question about it. Yeah, that's I totally agree with that. There are more guys now that could do damage down there. And it's not necessarily the traditional way that it was in the 80s and 90s when there were more guys that you threw the ball into with their back to the basket on the block with one guy on them. Like that's what the league looked like in the 90s when I played and I played on teams like that was the priority. I'm throwing the ball to Chris Webber on the block, Jawan Howard, George Mirasan, Rashid.

[1:55:21] trusted me. I wasn't going to turn it over. I was able to get it into the post. Even if they were wrestling down there, I was really good at that. Never turned it over. And then I would run through to the other side and you stand on the, on the wing, the opposite wing and just wait, I think on a double team and now it's going to be my turn to shoot. Like that's kind of what offenses did. Um, and every team kind of played that way. Even when you played, like I'd play hall of famers, like Clyde Draxler, it was like, ah, man, this guy's a load. But at the same time, there's going to be about a four minute stretch where he's going to throw the ball into Hakeem, [1:55:51] in a row and Reggie Miller is going to throw the ball to Rick Smiths and the guys on the Knicks are going to throw the ball to Patrick. And like, that's what it looked like. Alonzo morning in Miami, Dan Marley, you're going to throw the ball in there. You know, just so it was kind of like that. Like you're going to, you're going to, you know, you're going to play a certain way around if Marley was on those teams, but whoever the heat wings were, but it was, that's what it, that's what it looked like. The ball was going down there and you played out of that. [1:56:18] Now there are guys that do damage in the paint. There's bigs, but it looks different. They're more mobile. They're moving around. They're facing up first at the start of the possession and then rolling. They step out and shoot the three. I'm watching Klingon last night who is just a monstrous human being, and he's developed such a nice three-point shot. They're not going to guard him. Why not? How about Andre Drummond? Andre Drummond's shooting threes now once that started happening. Yeah. [1:56:43] Yeah, yeah, drama guy that big, right? And he likes the corners. It's funny to me, man. But there are bigs across the league now that are doing great things. And at one point, it looked like, man, we're going to make this extinct. Like, it's not even going to exist. No, it's so bad. I really think they should change it and make it like –

[1:57:02] One big, one wing, one guard, and then the other two spots are open. Like, at least... [1:57:07] Because there's no basketball team that's just like playing a bunch of small guys. Even a team like the Hawks that is... [1:57:14] They've been able to go a little smaller, but they still have either gay or a kangaroo out there. [1:57:20] whenever they need to. And Klingon's a good example. There's a bunch of Klingon-type guys... [1:57:26] around the league now. You know, like, [1:57:28] Celtics have Cata. You go on through and there's a bunch of guys that can put a back at 12-8. Even Portland, the two-headed monster. Those guys, Robert Williams and Klingen, are averaging 18 points in 17 rebounds a game. And three blocks between the two of them. So you're good. They play about 42 minutes, I think, combined. So you get starters minutes out of these two guys. And then they go small because they don't ever play together. And 18 and 17 in three blocks – [1:57:54] Yeah, they'll take that. And one of them can shoot. Yeah, we're good. [1:57:58] Before we go, have you decided who you want Washington to pick with the seventh NFL draft pick? [1:58:04] No, no, I have not yet. I'm nervous right now. I'm nervous. I haven't decided. I do think that they're talking about the running back from Notre Dame as being a guy that maybe they go because we have no running backs now. I mean, they've added some, but basically they got rid of all the running backs. They had one on the roster and they were out of a shot white, which I thought was a nice pickup. But they're saying that that may be what they target because most of what they did in free agency was spent defensively.

[1:58:34] That's amazing because some people think he's the best guy in the draft. [1:58:38] So you get that guy put him at Daniels? I know. You know how it is with running backs? [1:58:42] Remember when we had Alfred Morris, like his first three years in the NFL, and then that was it. Then you're gone. That's all you got. That's all you got. So running backs, I get it. I mean, it's important. But at the same time, it's like, you know, you don't know how many years those guys are even going to have. But I've read the same things that you have. And I didn't see him. I didn't watch him a lot. But I'm reading the same things that he would be an ideal pick and lucky to get him if he's available at that pick. Yeah. I personally would never take a running back in the top 10. [1:59:12] just because of [1:59:14] I just feel like you can, it's almost like how I'd never pay $30 million a year for a center that wasn't like an all-NBA center. [1:59:21] Otherwise, I'm just going to try to cheat and patch guys together and do Luke Cornett for $[redacted address] versus paying Perl $30 million a year. I'm not doing that. [1:59:33] I'm not using my cap for that when I can get somebody else to wear it cheaper. All right, legs. [1:59:38] We will, so what's today's date, April? [1:59:40] April 9th. So we'll see you near the I know you'll pop on Zach's pod at some point during the beginning of the playoffs. And we'll see you probably near the end of round one on this on this feed. Perfect, man. I got one more game on Sunday to close out the regular season. Unfortunately, it's probably not going to mean anything. Denver, San Antonio. It might mean something to Denver. It is what it is. And then. [2:00:04] Play-in is handled by the other networks. So we're not with that. And then so you'll see me again. Like my first playoff game with this group, with Mike Green and Richard Jefferson, will be Saturday. Looks like Saturday the 18th, whatever that primetime Saturday evening game is going to be. So I just cannot wait, man, to get going. And then it's going to be two or three a week, I guess. Do you know what conference you do or you just bounce around? Yeah.

[2:00:29] No, you're going to bounce around the first two rounds for sure. We'll get the West Coast covered probably. If Luka had stayed healthy and if he's playing, it almost guaranteed you're going to see some Lakers. But it's different now because it's not just like us and Turner. You've got now three different entities kind of. And so it's going to be different how they divvy up these games and who gets what. And then obviously these markets like Boston, New York are big markets. They're going to have very meaningful games. We're going to bounce around. [2:00:59] have the Eastern Conference Finals this year. So once we get to that point, we will call every one of those games and then every one of the finals games, obviously. [2:01:08] Would love nothing more than to take you to dinner in Boston during the Eastern Conference Finals. So I hope we can make that happen. Oh, I'll take you up on that. That would be phenomenal. I hope my team is there. Legs, great to see you. Safe travels this weekend. Thank you. [2:01:20] Thanks, Bill. All right. Thanks to Tim Legler. Thanks to Gahal and Eduardo as well. Don't forget Rewatchables is coming Monday night. Basic Instinct. We did it live in San Francisco. We had an absolutely awesome time. It was great to... [2:01:35] Great to see everybody. [2:01:38] Zach Lowe and I are coming on. Not sure the exact time yet, but we're coming on live on Netflix. It'll be after the Masters, probably early Sunday evening, Eastern time. So be ready for us. Very excited. Great sports weekend ahead. Enjoy the weekend. See you Sunday.

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