Big Game 7 Statements From Warriors & Nuggets + What To Watch For In Second Round

Summary

Podcast Summary: Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective Episode: Big Game 7 Statements From Warriors & Nuggets + What To Watch For In Second Round
Release Date: May 5, 2025

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1. Game 7 Showdown: Warriors vs. Rockets

Overview:
The episode kicks off with an in-depth analysis of the intense Game 7 matchup between the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets, held in Houston. The consensus among the hosts is that the Warriors secured a hard-fought victory, propelled by standout performances and strategic gameplay.

Key Highlights:

• Buddy Heald's Stellar Performance:
  Ramona Shelburne remarks, "Buddy Heald made nine three-pointers in this game, which by the way, I think was a Game 7 record" (03:01). His exceptional shooting was pivotal in the Warriors' triumph.

• Warriors' Defensive Prowess:
  Ben McMahon points out, "He [Draymond Green] was a plus 18 in 40 minutes and shot the ball pretty well tonight," highlighting Draymond Green's crucial role in disrupting the Rockets' offense (22:25).

• Rockets' Offensive Struggles:
  The hosts discuss the Rockets' inability to consistently score, noting, "They score 85, 106, 93, and tonight they score 89. They need a go-to guy" (04:59). This offensive fragility ultimately cost them the series.

• Strategic Coaching Decisions:
  Brian Windhorst critiques Steve Kerr's handling of the game, stating, "Steve Kerr pulls the plug early, like he doesn't care about the game," suggesting missed opportunities in managing the team's momentum (17:32).

Notable Quotes:

• Tim Bontemps: "What am I going to do? Drive up here and leave my car for like two weeks?" (01:12)
• Ben McMahon: "They are heading on a flight right now to Minnesota." (18:45)

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2. Second Round Insights: Rockets vs. Thunder

Overview:
Transitioning to the second-round battles, the conversation shifts to the Rockets' upcoming series against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The hosts evaluate the Rockets' current roster, potential trade moves, and the strategic adjustments needed for advancing further in the playoffs.

Key Highlights:

• Rockets' Young Talent and Trade Considerations:
  Ben McMahon emphasizes the need for the Rockets to "have internal discussions about what they might want to do in the trade market this summer," advocating for "some aggression" to acquire a reliable offensive engine (04:59).

• Kevin Durant Trade Speculations:
  The trio delves into the complexities surrounding a potential Kevin Durant trade, outlining the "Katie triangle" which includes Durant's willingness, the Suns' agreement, and contractual alignments (12:08). Ramona Shelburne adds, "Durant has a relationship with Ime Udoka. Durant, one of the greatest offensive players of all time" (08:30).

• Contractual Dynamics:
  Discussion around Devin Booker's contract reveals, "Devin Booker is due a two-year $150 million contract extension... He is 35 and will be 36 in August" (09:15). This underscores the financial strategies the Rockets must navigate.

Notable Quotes:

• Ben McMahon: "Shingoon's a nice player. He's not the next Jokic, he's the next Sabonis." (04:59)
• Ramona Shelburne: "On the record and off the record, making it clear that they do not want to acquire a player that does not match the age group of their team." (08:25)

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3. Nuggets vs. Clippers: A Gripping Game 7

Overview:
Ramona Shelburne and the team provide a comprehensive breakdown of the Game 7 between the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Clippers. The match was marked by strategic plays, standout performances, and critical injuries that influenced the outcome.

Key Highlights:

• Russell Westbrook's Impact:
  Tim Bontemps highlights Westbrook's explosive second quarter, stating, "He came out with his hair on fire in the second quarter. I think he had 10 points in that second quarter" (31:07). His aggressive gameplay was a turning point in the series.

• Injuries and Player Availability:
  The episode addresses key injuries, such as Ogmi Anunoby's hamstring issues and Donovan Mitchell's turf toe. Ramona mentions, "He ran out from the locker room and I was like this is either an elaborate joke or insane" regarding Anunoby's decision to play despite the injury (51:43).

• Nuggets' Team Depth and Role Players:
  The hosts commend the Nuggets' role players, stating, "Christian Brown was excellent," and "Michael Porter Jr. had a good Game 7," attributing the team's success to their collective effort (34:14; 52:25).

• Clippers' Defensive Challenges:
  Ramona critiques the Clippers' defense, noting, "They gave up 121 points and 19 threes," which was a decisive factor in their loss (58:14).

Notable Quotes:

• Ben McMahon: "The most relevant thing for the Knicks Celtics series was the Celtics put out their injury report on Sunday afternoon" (59:18)
• Tim Bontemps: "James Harden has shot under 30 in four consecutive Game Sevens, tied with..." (37:27)

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4. Team Strategies and Future Outlook

Overview:
The discussion moves towards strategic adjustments teams might need for the upcoming rounds, focusing on defensive improvements, player rotations, and potential playoff scenarios.

Key Highlights:

• Cavs' Defensive Overhaul:
  Ramona Shelburne emphasizes, "The Cavs need to get better on defense. They can't give up 120 points and 19 three-pointers," pointing out the necessity for tightening their defensive schemes (58:20).

• Storm Reporting and Injury Management:
  The hosts discuss the importance of injury management, especially with key players like Reed Shepherd and Darius Garland being questionable for upcoming games. Ramona states, "Reed Shepherd are a heck of a way to start a negotiation" (27:21).

• Draft Capital and Trade Strategies:
  Ben McMahon outlines the Rockets' robust draft capital, mentioning, "They've got that. They've also got 27 and 29 from the Suns," suggesting a strong position for potential trades (29:25).

Notable Quotes:

• Brian Windhorst: "They need to have internal conversations. I think they need to chit chat with some other teams." (05:59)
• Tim Bontemps: "The Thunder own their picks. They have one of their picks, I mean there's not, there's no reason for them to tank." (44:35)

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5. Player Performances and Contractual Insights

Overview:
Further analysis delves into individual player performances, contractual statuses, and how these factors influence team dynamics and future prospects.

Key Highlights:

• James Harden's Playoff Performance:
  The hosts scrutinize Harden's performance, noting his "minus 29" in the recent game and his role as an orchestrator for the Clippers' offense, stating, "The most important thing James Harden did for their offense this year was orchestrate and facilitate" (41:00).

• Devin Booker's Contractual Future:
  Ramona discusses Booker's impending contract extension, emphasizing his importance to the Suns and the financial implications for the Rockets, "Devin Booker is due a two-year $150 million contract extension... He is 35 and will be 36 in August" (09:15).

• Injury Impacts on Team Performance:
  The conversation highlights how injuries to key players like Ogmi Anunoby and Donovan Mitchell have affected their teams' performances, stressing the need for strategic adjustments and player health management (51:43; 54:01).

Notable Quotes:

• Ben McMahon: "Stephen Adams in particular, you got to manage him. He's missed a year and a half for a knee injury, but we saw how impactful he could be" (04:59)
• Ramona Shelburne: "Devin Booker not going anywhere. I don't care if they've got 75 first-round picks of the sun" (09:37)

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6. Closing Thoughts and Future Episodes

Overview:
The episode wraps up with light-hearted banter among the hosts, teasing upcoming discussions and encouraging listeners to stay tuned for future episodes that will continue to dissect playoff developments and team strategies.

Key Highlights:

• Upcoming Analyses:
  Brian Windhorst hints at covering the Knicks vs. Celtics series, especially focusing on injury reports and their implications (59:18).

• Personal Anecdotes and Fun Exchanges:
  The hosts share amusing moments about their travel experiences and personal stories, adding a relatable and entertaining layer to the podcast (60:25; 61:10).

Notable Quotes:

• Ben McMahon: "That's Brian Gregory's watch." (28:47)
• Ramona Shelburne: "What are we doing with this contract?" (44:23)

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Conclusion

This episode of Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective offers a comprehensive analysis of pivotal Game 7 matchups, evaluates team strategies for the second round, and delves into individual player performances and contractual considerations. Through engaging discussions and expert insights, the hosts provide listeners with a nuanced understanding of the current NBA playoff landscape and what to anticipate in the upcoming rounds.

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Note: All timestamps correspond to the moments within the podcast transcript where specific topics are discussed.

Transcript

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[Tim Bontemps]

Foreign.

[Brian Windhorst]

Welcome to the Hoop Collective podcast. We talk about the NBA, which we're.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Doing late on Sunday evening. Joining us from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where she's just in from covering Game 7 in Denver between the Clippers and Nuggets.

[Brian Windhorst]

To cover Round two between the Nuggets and Thunder, it's Ramona Shelburne. What's up, Ramona?

[Tim Bontemps]

How you doing, Brian? I landed in OKC and the whole town is decked out like flags and art everywhere. It's the whole town is. Is ready for the series.

[Brian Windhorst]

You know who else just landed in OKC?

[Tim Bontemps]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

He insists on flying from Dallas, 32 minute flight. It's Ben McMahon.

[Ben McMahon]

Howdy, partners. Listen, man, it's an every other day series. What am I going to do? Drive up here and leave my car for like two weeks?

[Brian Windhorst]

I don't care about it. I just like to tease you because it drives Bon Temps crazy.

[Ben McMahon]

Listen, Bontemps ain't going to pay for my family to go on vacation one of those airline miles either.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah, you got that right. Bontemps has his own family to worry about now, buddy.

[Tim Bontemps]

Yeah, happy mazel tov to baby Bontemps.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Yep.

[Brian Windhorst]

I'm in New York City where the Bontemps family is, but I don't have time to go see him right now. I got.

[Ben McMahon]

Oh, what a friend you are.

[Brian Windhorst]

I know. What am I going to say? With no uncle status bestowed to me.

[Tim Bontemps]

I will be sending food. That's what you do when people have a kid the first week, just send food. Nobody wants to see you.

[Brian Windhorst]

Well, McMahon's been reactivated after his hiatus with the Thunder getting ready to play again, but it's been nice. Timmy, that's it.

[Ben McMahon]

My boys team went 20 during my eight days off, so it was good. Good home trip.

[Brian Windhorst]

All right, so the Thunder aren't working for a couple days yet, but we had some work over the weekend and we start with the game seven that we just saw here on Sunday night. Golden State going in and winning Game seven in Houston.

[Ramona Shelburne]

It was very unpredictable.

[Brian Windhorst]

How this game would play out.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Certainly did not foresee Buddy healed having the game of his life.

[Brian Windhorst]

But if you're going to have yourself a game of your life, do it in a game seven on the road. That's what I always say and that's what happened here. There was a lot that went into this game, McMahon. I thought the Rockets showed their worst side, which was their, you know, they don't score, you know, they have a fragile offense and it went away. And I think the, you know, the.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Interesting thing IS they shot 41% in.

[Brian Windhorst]

The paint and the warriors played zone.

[Ramona Shelburne]

And Draymond was all over Shengoon, Sengun, El Peron.

[Brian Windhorst]

Shen Gu was 9 of 23, but.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Buddy Heald made nine three pointers in.

[Brian Windhorst]

This game, which by the way, I think was a game seven record. And the, the warriors made 18 three pointers, the Rockets took 18 three pointers. So while there's a lot of stuff going on, the Rockets inability to score.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Is the reason they were seen as a bit of a soft two seed. And even though I felt that they.

[Brian Windhorst]

Did a lot respectable in this series, it's what took them out.

[Ben McMahon]

Yeah, and look, this was what was predictable is that the Rockets muddy offense would be the reason that they're not getting to the second round. And look, nobody entered the season outside of Houston thinking the Rockets were going to be a 2 seed, that they were going to win 50 some odd games. By no means is this season of failure. This season was a huge, huge jump forward for the Rockets. But you look at the games that they lose in this series. They score 85, they score 106 and let's see, they score 93 and tonight they score 89. They need a go to guy. They need an offensive engine. They've got a ton of young talent. Fred Van Vliet has been exactly what they hoped he'd be as a vet. You know, Dylan Brooks for the, for the most part has too. But like they need a go to guy. They hope he's homegrown. But I, I think they, I, I know they're going to have internal discussions about what they might want to do in the trade market this summer. Man, I, I would encourage some aggression because like, and I get it, they don't want to give up young talent for short, short term fix. They don't want to make a move that would give them a 3% chance to win a championship. You know, it's got to be a double digit type of thing if you're giving up value. But Shingoon's a nice player. He's not the next joker, he's the next Sabonis. I don't think he can be your best player on a championship team. Jalen Green is a sometimes star. He had a 38 point game in the series and in the other six games he averaged single digits.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Let me tell you, the last four.

[Brian Windhorst]

Games of the series for Jalen Green.

[Ramona Shelburne]

2 of 7, 5 points, 3 of 10, 7 points. Oh, of 7, 2 points, 3 of.

[Brian Windhorst]

8, 8 points in game seven.

[Ben McMahon]

And I get, hey, he's young. You got to be patient. Anthony Edwards is young. Like he's. How many dominant playoff performances has that guy had? I just, there's a fine line between being patient and letting this group grow together and realizing, hey, you got, if you, if you're bold, you've got a chance to, to contend for a championship right now. And look, Amin, Thompson's going to be in Houston for a long, long time.

[Brian Windhorst]

He was really good tonight.

[Ben McMahon]

Don't ask about him.

[Brian Windhorst]

Seem like a man.

[Ramona Shelburne]

He might have tweaked his calf or.

[Brian Windhorst]

Had a, he had a, maybe a cramp in his calf that affected him down the stretch of the game. But amen Thompson was, I mean he, you couldn't ask more than more from him.

[Ben McMahon]

Yeah, he, he, he, he's a stud and he's untouchable. Other than that, I think, you know, they need to have, they will have internal conversations. I think they need to chit chat with some other teams.

[Tim Bontemps]

Timmy, a couple of years ago you covered a team called the Memphis Grizzlies who were the 2 seed out west and they were seen as the next big thing. Looked like their future was wide open. Going to contend for years to come. Young squad, great stars, felt like they had forever. That team is gone, the team is out, and then in the first round, you just watch them get swept, right?

[Ben McMahon]

Yep.

[Tim Bontemps]

And I feel like the Houston Rockets are in that same spot like they, they have. The world is their oyster, but they have to make the next right move. They also have to avoid any scandals and things like that to the Grizzlies, but they have to make, they have to make the next right move. And I don't know what that is.

[Ben McMahon]

You know, that Grizzlies comparison is really interesting for a variety of reasons. One, because when the Rockets looked at that Memphis team, they identified two role players as dudes who really drove winning. For those Grizzlies who haven't won much since these guys left town, Dylan Brooks and Steven Adams, you know, Stephen Adams in particular, you Got to manage him. He's missed a year and a half for, for a knee injury, but we saw, we were reminded how impactful he could be. But the, the other thing is the Grizzlies had the one thing, still have the one thing, the one major ingredient that the Rockets are missing, and that's a dude who you can give a the ball and say, hey, generate offense, get us a shot that, you know, the Rockets just don't have the J. Morant type of guy, the Giannis Anupo type of guy, the Kevin Durant type of guy, the Zion Williamson type of guy. I think you guys can probably figure.

[Tim Bontemps]

Out Devin Booker kind of guy.

[Ben McMahon]

Well, and I'm, I, I left Booker out because the Suns ain't trading him. Those are the guys. Like, I'm not saying they'll all be traded. I'm not saying.

[Tim Bontemps]

Doesn't mean we won't talk about trading, but they won't do it. I don't.

[Ben McMahon]

Those are all in the realm of possibility. And the Rockets went into these playoffs and, you know, and I wrote about this and Patrick Fatida, Eme Odoka, Rafael Stone are all on the record. Their hope is to have this be homegrown. Their hope is to keep this group together and let it grow. But they wanted the playoffs as an opportunity to evaluate, to get more data points. And to me, watching this series, the data points you in the direction of being aggressive, of being reasonably aggressive this summer.

[Ramona Shelburne]

All right?

[Brian Windhorst]

So I know that a lot of.

[Ramona Shelburne]

People are going to jump to the conclusion. Kevin Durant.

[Brian Windhorst]

Durant has a relationship with Ime Udoka. Durant, one of the greatest offensive players of all time.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Durant comes in, provides on the offense. If they had had Kevin Durant in.

[Brian Windhorst]

This game, maybe everything would be different. I'm not debating that he wouldn't be a good fit. But as McMahon said, the Rockets are.

[Ramona Shelburne]

On the record and off the record, making it clear that they do not want to acquire a player that does not match the age group of their team.

[Brian Windhorst]

And you know, the other thing about this. Kevin Durant makes $55 million, is on.

[Ramona Shelburne]

The last year of his contract, probably.

[Brian Windhorst]

Wants a contract extension.

[Ramona Shelburne]

I'm not sure that with where the Rockets are and who they have to.

[Brian Windhorst]

Pay, that that's the way that's the best expenditure of resources, both what it would take to get him and what it would take to pay him.

[Ramona Shelburne]

I'm not sure. I'm not saying no.

[Brian Windhorst]

I'm just saying I'm not sure when.

[Ramona Shelburne]

It comes to Devin Booker. Devin Booker is due a two. He not due. He is in position to ask for.

[Brian Windhorst]

A two year $150 million contract extension.

[Tim Bontemps]

I can do the math there. That's not hard.

[Ramona Shelburne]

If the Suns are willing to offer.

[Brian Windhorst]

It and Devin Booker is willing to.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Sign it, which I'm sure he would.

[Brian Windhorst]

I cannot believe he would.

[Tim Bontemps]

That's 75 million a year. Is that. Am I doing that math right?

[Brian Windhorst]

That's right.

[Ben McMahon]

You got it.

[Brian Windhorst]

Oh, he's not going anywhere. I don't care if they've got 75 first round picks of the sun.

[Ramona Shelburne]

They're not.

[Ben McMahon]

He's 10 toes down in Phoenix like Miller was important.

[Brian Windhorst]

So you know. By the way, I will say this.

[Ramona Shelburne]

It's got buried in the Friday news dump. James Jones was demoted.

[Brian Windhorst]

James Jones who built their championship finals reaching team and the Suns made Brian Gregory their general manager. I don't know Brian Gregory.

[Ben McMahon]

Not many in the NBA do.

[Brian Windhorst]

He was a head coach. He was a. He was an.

[Ramona Shelburne]

He was a college coach for over 30 years including Matt Ishbia.

[Brian Windhorst]

He was an assistant coach at Michigan State when Matt Ishbia was on the team. He coached at Dayton and Georgia Tech. And one more mid major that I'm forgetting. Sorry I don't have his chapter in verse.

[Ramona Shelburne]

What I do know is that he.

[Brian Windhorst]

Joined their front office and had his.

[Ramona Shelburne]

First NBA job in June of 2024.

[Brian Windhorst]

So 11 months ago he, he has.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Been in the NBA for 11 months and he is now in charge.

[Brian Windhorst]

And by the way, it was clear the way it was. It hasn't been a press conference yet, but it was clear the way the.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Press conference or the press release was.

[Brian Windhorst]

Released that he is the head of basketball operations.

[Ramona Shelburne]

They, they made it clear he reports to Matt Ishbia. Josh Bartlestein, the CEO reports to Matt.

[Brian Windhorst]

Ishbia, not the other way around. So I assume he's the head of basketball operations.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Although I would say probably Matt Ishby is the head of basketball operations.

[Ben McMahon]

But, but ISHP is not studying film a college prospects and et cetera, et cetera. He's making the final decision.

[Brian Windhorst]

Right, but if they had a ton of draft picks, getting a college guy would be.

[Ramona Shelburne]

That would make some sense.

[Brian Windhorst]

What they need is an expert manager.

[Ben McMahon]

To make trades, especially significantly less experienced at the head of basketball operations.

[Brian Windhorst]

Okay. So I don't know what's gonna happen. We'll talk about that later. Let's talk.

[Ben McMahon]

Let's focus on the Rockets here. You. The Kevin Durant timeline thing is absolutely a good point and something that they, that the Rockets certainly have in mind. That does not mean that they are completely out on the possibility of kd. Now. It ain't gonna be. You're not. They're not sending the Suns some bonanza package for kd. The Sons aren't getting all their draft capital back. You know, the. The KD and you. And you nailed it. It is. There's two discussions there. What would they have to give up in a trade, and then what kind of financial commitment beyond next season would there be? I don't necessarily. I'm. I'm. I wouldn't be certain that Katie is going to demand a full max extension if he were to land in a contender.

[Brian Windhorst]

Right.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Well, I would just say.

[Brian Windhorst]

I've said this before. I'm going to. I'm going to start calling it the Katie triangle. For Katie trade to happen, you're going to need three layers of agreement, three corners of agreement. One, Katie is going to have to want to go to where they send.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Him because he is on the record saying he wants to have control over the end of his career.

[Ben McMahon]

And I think that's a check for Houston with Emir Doak and that team.

[Brian Windhorst]

Two, it's got to be a deal the Suns are willing to do.

[Ramona Shelburne]

They've got to agree to the trade. Right.

[Tim Bontemps]

That's a big one right there.

[Brian Windhorst]

Seems obvious, but I'm going to point that out. Three, there has to be an agreement on Katie's contractual situation going forward. So he's got to like the. Like. Like, he could tell the world, I want to be Houston Rocket more than.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Anything in the world.

[Brian Windhorst]

And if he wants too much money.

[Ramona Shelburne]

On an extension, that doesn't matter. You. You have to get alignment on all three of those.

[Ben McMahon]

And what the Rockets are really reluctant to do is something that would scrunch their timeline. They feel like they've got a chance to have a. By modern NBA standards, a very long Runway. And so, like, what young talent would be headed out in that deal? That. That's a critical, critical part of any discussion.

[Brian Windhorst]

We can talk about that. Yeah.

[Tim Bontemps]

We did this story at the. In the middle of the year when Kevin Durant was first. When. Well, when his first. When his name first came up in trade talks unbeknownst to him or on. On. On unrequited by him. And Suns wanted a lot like that was. That was part of the reason the deal didn't get done. Ultimately, I think it didn't get done because the warriors recognized Kevin didn't want to be there. Like, Kevin didn't want a reunion, but it was Also because the Suns asked for a lot for Kevin Durant. Some of that is because he's their only trade chip here. He's the only thing they're they're going to if they're willing to trade, right? I mean, outside of them changing course and trading Devin Booker, which I don't think is going to happen, he's the only thing they can get something back for, but also because of how much they gave up to get him, right?

[Brian Windhorst]

So I would just say Duran is also going to have to wait maybe to see what happens with Giannis.

[Ramona Shelburne]

I am not ruling out the Giannis.

[Brian Windhorst]

That comes out and says I want.

[Ramona Shelburne]

To be a buck forever and ever.

[Brian Windhorst]

But I would suspect that there he.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Will consider other options. And the KD teams, if they've got.

[Brian Windhorst]

Ammunition for kd, they may have ammunition.

[Ramona Shelburne]

For Giannis, and they're going to. My guess is they're going to want to wait.

[Brian Windhorst]

But here's what I think.

[Ramona Shelburne]

The Suns could look you in the eye and say we expect there to be robust interest in kd. I agree.

[Brian Windhorst]

I think a number of teams, including.

[Ramona Shelburne]

The Rockets, will call when the time comes. But remember the triangle. All right.

[Ben McMahon]

Also, by the way, including the team that the Rockets would have played if they had won Game 7, correct?

[Tim Bontemps]

The Minnesota Timberwolves.

[Brian Windhorst]

The Minnesota Timberwolves, which we'll talk about later.

[Ben McMahon]

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[Brian Windhorst]

I want to focus on the team that won. The Warriors.

[Ben McMahon]

Those guys, we never give them any attention. Let's, let's discuss.

[Brian Windhorst]

I just want to say the warriors have done it.

[Ramona Shelburne]

They have gotten themselves to the second round. By God, they've made it hard on themselves.

[Brian Windhorst]

They, they, they fumbled down the stretch of the season to fall into the play in.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Okay, they won.

[Brian Windhorst]

They take a 31 lead. I'm not sure what they did in game five. Steve Kerr pulls the plug early, like he doesn't care about the game.

[Ramona Shelburne]

The reserves get back in the game where the starters, you know, the hall.

[Brian Windhorst]

Of Fame guys could come back in.

[Ramona Shelburne]

And he just lets it go like it's a January game. And then when they lost Game six.

[Brian Windhorst]

I'm thinking, holy, like if they lose.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Game seven, this is going to be like a dark mark on the Steve Kerr resume.

[Brian Windhorst]

Like, bad. Because maybe they lose Game five anyway. But the attitudes towards Game five I felt was egregious and they let game six go. He should be giving Buddy, he held a special commendation tonight to, to bail him out.

[Ramona Shelburne]

And even if maybe it wasn't his decision, maybe it was an organizational decision.

[Brian Windhorst]

Ooh did I not like that. But okay.

[Ben McMahon]

Well, they, they also, they frankly just got their butts whooped physically in Game 5 and 6, and they mustered up enough to get out of the series, but, man, they are heading up. They're heading on a flight right now to Minnesota.

[Brian Windhorst]

You think they're leaving tonight? They might leave tomorrow.

[Ben McMahon]

I would, I would save.

[Tim Bontemps]

Kerr likes to stay over. He likes to get a good night's sleep.

[Ben McMahon]

Yeah, James Harden recommends some good spots for some of the fellas.

[Tim Bontemps]

Oh, I just got done with one of those Denver last night. I'm sure they.

[Brian Windhorst]

I'm sorry, what'd you just get done with? I just wanted clear.

[Tim Bontemps]

Just lost a game 7 in Denver last night and I'm sure.

[Ben McMahon]

Oh, no, I was talking about some of his favorite spots.

[Tim Bontemps]

I think he knows the spots wherever.

[Ben McMahon]

He might have recommended some does.

[Brian Windhorst]

You were just talking about James Harden, Game 7. It sounded like you were talking about how you what you did post game seven last night.

[Tim Bontemps]

Oh, I walked home to the Spring Hill Suites, which is near the arena. It was really thrilling.

[Brian Windhorst]

Well, don't tell everybody where you stay, Ramona. My God.

[Tim Bontemps]

That's okay.

[Ben McMahon]

Don't. Also, let's look. I'm not that Spring Hill Suites on the way back to Denver, by the way.

[Tim Bontemps]

Yeah. Well, listen, I will say this. Couple of things happen in Game 7 that I think are, that were unbelievable. Like, I don't know what they do with Jonathan Kaminga anymore.

[Brian Windhorst]

I mean, I think they've been saying that in, in their minds and internally for months now.

[Ben McMahon]

But, but shouldn't they have traded him at the deadline if this is what they're going to do in the playoffs?

[Tim Bontemps]

I mean, he got out there for how many minutes did he play?

[Brian Windhorst]

Wasn't a handful. He didn't. I think he was 0 of 4. Hold on, I'll get it for you. He played 7 minutes, 04, 1 rebound, 1 steal.

[Tim Bontemps]

Yeah, and, and just like it was a lifeline. We, you know, this was a series people were thinking he would match up with with, well, with the Rockets. He done well against them in the regular season. Maybe the, you know, this would be a redemptive series for him. Oh, my gosh. This is, I mean, it's borderline disaster.

[Ben McMahon]

I, I, I think there could be a role for him when Draymond inevitably gets himself suspended during these playoffs because he's well on his way.

[Tim Bontemps]

They are going to play Rudy Gobert.

[Brian Windhorst]

I mean, that's, these are both good points. I don't want to focus on this, but as a Separate aside, Draymond was.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Called for his fourth technical of the.

[Brian Windhorst]

First round last Sunday.

[Ben McMahon]

Seven playoffs.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Seventh technical, you're allowed six.

[Brian Windhorst]

Okay, seventh technical, you're suspended.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Also, he has two flagrant foul.

[Brian Windhorst]

Two flagrant fouls, that's two points.

[Ramona Shelburne]

You get one point each for a flagrant one.

[Brian Windhorst]

Two points for a flagrant two and four points, you're allowed three on the.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Fourth point you are suspended. And keep in mind, as all warriors.

[Brian Windhorst]

Fans will tell you, flagrant fouls can.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Be retroactively applied or upgraded.

[Ben McMahon]

And here, here comes Monsoer Gobert as.

[Brian Windhorst]

Remember he said, here comes Gobert. So like, keep that in mind.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Keep that in mind.

[Ben McMahon]

Also, you know, ant's gonna be ready to chit chat.

[Tim Bontemps]

You know, one of the things that came out post game of this warriors of this warriors game seven is that Draymond apparently called a team meeting after. Right. It was the night before game seven and kind of took accountability for the way he lost control of his emotions and the way he, he, you know, picked up, you know, those texts in, in game five and six. And you know, okay, I, I've seen that movie before where he, he owns it, he moves on. I mean, I guess he owned it and still got a tech in game.

[Ben McMahon]

Well then he smacks Fred Van V in the face for really no good reason to get a t the game. He's.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah, I mean, I guess he didn't.

[Ramona Shelburne]

What he apologized for was pouting.

[Brian Windhorst]

He said, I spent two days embarrassed at what I gave to the game, what I gave to the world.

[Ramona Shelburne]

I've been dying since the last game ended to get on the floor and prove who I am.

[Ben McMahon]

Well, I'll tell you this, he definitely reminded people why he's a four time champion, why he impacted winning so much.

[Brian Windhorst]

He was all over Shangun.

[Ben McMahon]

Dude, Jackson just gave us the numbers. The Rockets were 3 of 17 when contested by Draymond in game seven. That's 2 of 8 by Alpi. When Shingoon got the ball on the block, they sure as hell were not sending a double. Like, you want to post up Draymond? Good luck to you, buddy. And some of those were pretty ugly. He was a plus 18 and 40 minutes. Actually shot the ball pretty well tonight, which is not the. Well, at least scored 16.

[Brian Windhorst]

I will say this, by the way, Steph Curry, in this game, he didn't. He had one basket in the first half.

[Ramona Shelburne]

People were wondering like, oh my gosh.

[Brian Windhorst]

What about the thumb?

[Ramona Shelburne]

He ended up four of 10 on.

[Brian Windhorst]

Threes, which is like not great, but certainly good.

[Ben McMahon]

I'll take 40% on high.

[Brian Windhorst]

He's like a career 43% shooter. But. And over the last three games, he shot in 8 of 20, shooting 40% over the last three or four games. But here's whatever you want to say about the thumb. And you know, I don't know, but he had 10 rebounds, seven assists, seven assists.

[Ben McMahon]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

Two blocks, two steals, two turnovers. When, when he has as many steal, when he has, when he has twice.

[Ramona Shelburne]

As many stocks as he does turnovers.

[Brian Windhorst]

You know, he's focused and he was focused on this game. And Jimmy Butler also had 20 points.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Eight rebounds, seven assists.

[Brian Windhorst]

Like he delivered a quality one. Including in the fourth quarter when they.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Were losing control and they were sort of going scoreless for while he made three straight baskets.

[Brian Windhorst]

You know, the warriors, the Rockets did not play well, but the warriors had a, I mean, Buddy healed. You know, he had a classic game, but you know, the warriors did a lot, right?

[Ben McMahon]

The warriors, three future hall of Famers all showed up in Game 7. And then Buddy healed was a massive, massive bonus. I mean, 33 points on 15 shots.

[Brian Windhorst]

I will, I will say this. So the warriors have done themselves no.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Favors in exhausting themselves both getting in.

[Brian Windhorst]

The play, in going to seven games here. And now the six seeded Timberwolves wake up with home court advantage. Oh yeah, and we just saw the.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Timberwolves bully the Lakers with their size advantage. And they have, the warriors have a major size disadvantage. They have more depth than the Lakers.

[Brian Windhorst]

You won't be seeing Steve Kerr playing.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Five guys for a whole half.

[Ben McMahon]

Well, I tell you what though, they went they not five and a half, but all of their starters played 37 minutes or more. And Buddy Hill played 37. The rest of them played what's 40s?

[Brian Windhorst]

What's the rule, by the way? What's the rule?

[Ben McMahon]

What's the play? Eight, trust seven.

[Brian Windhorst]

That's right.

[Ben McMahon]

And then it goes. And they played, they basically played seven today.

[Ramona Shelburne]

The way, the way this goes is not in game one or whatever. When the chips are down, you play eight and trust seven. And frankly, sometimes you play seven and trust six.

[Brian Windhorst]

Not to say that a ninth man doesn't stick those little tippy toes on the court. And that's what happened.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Quentin Post played three minutes, they got.

[Brian Windhorst]

Him the hell out of there.

[Ramona Shelburne]

He played Moses Moody and Kavon Looney 11 minutes each. That was his seven.

[Brian Windhorst]

And he trusted six. He really trusted. The only guy he really trusted was.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Looney, who had four rebounds.

[Tim Bontemps]

He always trusts Looney.

[Ben McMahon]

And they need, they're Going to need.

[Brian Windhorst]

Looney the next round.

[Ben McMahon]

Yeah, they needed Looney's physicality after Stephen Adams, the old caveman, just beat the crap out of him. Games five and six, Stephen. They finally were able to counter Stephen Adams in this game. This. He was a minus 9 in this game after he entered this, plus 53 in the series.

[Brian Windhorst]

By the way, how many players did the Rockets play in this game?

[Ben McMahon]

Rocks played eight.

[Brian Windhorst]

How many they trust?

[Ben McMahon]

Seven. And interestingly, Jabari Smith Jr. As he heads into restricted free agency, was the, was the eighth man, only played 12 minutes.

[Brian Windhorst]

Right.

[Ben McMahon]

It's fascinating. Like Jaylen Green played 30 minutes. It's fascinating to me that there wasn't a, a tighter leash on him. I guess they're just so limited in terms of, of offensive creation, but he didn't create a lot of offense. You know, the other thing, eight points on eight shots and one assist.

[Tim Bontemps]

The other thing that the Rockets have to decide on is Fred Van Vliet. They owe him $44 million.

[Ben McMahon]

But the decision, I'm just telling you the decision there is what is keeping him for three or four years. Look like, in terms of, like, they might, they might pick up the team option. And if they do, don't look at that as, oh, my God, they're. They think Fred Van vliet's still worth 44 and a half million. Think of it as, okay, that's year one of probably a three or four year deal. Even if it's not like officially structured like that. It's, hey, Fred, we're giving you this balloon payment now. We're going to work out something that'll be a much lower number for the next few years.

[Brian Windhorst]

But they, by the way, Jackson has a stat force.

[Ramona Shelburne]

97% of the warriors points came from their starters.

[Ben McMahon]

Yeah, but again, Fred Van Vliet is critical to them. He's critical to, like the leadership, the toughness, the culture. He'll be on the Rockets next year unless something shocking McMahon one year from.

[Brian Windhorst]

Now, the Rockets are in a game seven, first round, second round, whatever. Is Reed shepherd in the rotation where.

[Tim Bontemps]

I was going, that, you know, what.

[Brian Windhorst]

Rotation or on another team?

[Ben McMahon]

Well, what I will tell you is great question and people, power brokers with the Rockets have told me they think Reed shepherd might be the most capable, gifted offensive player on the roster. They point out, look, that's not saying much, okay?

[Brian Windhorst]

But I'm making a joke.

[Ben McMahon]

The fact, the, the fact he's DNPCD in, in playoff games and for, you know, a lot of the season does not mean that their hopes for him have been diminished at all. Again, they've, they've mentioned the Steve Nash comparison to me and not even so much style of play, but just small guard needs time to adapt to the size and athleticism in the NBA. Might not play a lot early on, but they think he's got a really, really bright future now. Doesn't mean he. Doesn't mean he wouldn't be included in a trade if something comes along one.

[Brian Windhorst]

Week from Monday, May 12th on ESPN.

[Ramona Shelburne]

It might even be on ABC.

[Brian Windhorst]

I can't remember Cooper Flag Lottery the.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Houston rockets have a 17% chance of.

[Brian Windhorst]

Ending up in the top four.

[Tim Bontemps]

Goodness.

[Brian Windhorst]

A 4% chance of winning the Cooper Flag Sweepstakes, courtesy of the Phoenix Suns via the Brooklyn Nets.

[Ben McMahon]

Never would happen on Brian Gregory's watch.

[Brian Windhorst]

And well, Brian Gregory's never made a bad trade. This I can Jackson just looked it up. That pick, even if it just stays right where it's at, which is 9th.

[Ramona Shelburne]

And Reed shepherd are a heck of a way to start a negotiation.

[Ben McMahon]

The the Rockets do not lack ammunition. They've got that. They've also got 27 and 29 from the Suns. They've got the Mavs 29, which was a is a hell of a lot more valuable now than it was when they acquired it from Brooklyn over the summer. And they've got most of their own picks moving forward, and they still have a 27 swap from the Nets. The Rockets are loaded with draft capital.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Okay, there was another Game seven over the weekend. Ramona, you were there in Denver. You covered that series.

[Brian Windhorst]

The Nuggets have won a lot of.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Humongous games for the last three or.

[Brian Windhorst]

Four years, but last time they played.

[Ramona Shelburne]

A Game seven at home, they lost.

[Brian Windhorst]

They won this one.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Your thoughts on that series, having been.

[Brian Windhorst]

There for all the games?

[Tim Bontemps]

Oh, man, it was a. It was a fun series. There were times when I thought both teams were cooked. Like after the Nuggets Lost Games 2 and 3, it was a somber locker room. Michael Porter Jr. Square shoulders falling off Aaron Gordon's calf is can't jump and he's, you know, I mean, it just seemed like Denver was done and then they turned it around. They just, they found something. And same thing happened with the Clippers. You thought they were done and they found something over and over. Kawhi James Harden. There was Vita Zubac with, with a star. Turn it, turn in a couple of those games. But in game seven, Brian Tim Bond. Tim McMahon. I almost called you Bond times. Oh, sorry. Russell Westbrook was the difference in Game seven it is. It was something to behold because this man played for the Clippers last year after game one when he had that virtuoso, you know, fourth quarter, he's grabbing all the offensive rebounds and the. And the putbacks and the threes and all that. He just came out with his hair on fire in the second quarter. I think he had 10 points in that second quarter. They scored. Outscored him 37 to 21. So it was a totally lopsided quarter, and the game was never closed after that. And I kept thinking, wow, the Clippers look like they ran out of gas. They just. They don't have any energy. And you know who. Who would have helped a little.

[Ben McMahon]

Little jolt of energy? Russ.

[Tim Bontemps]

Yeah, I mean, it was as good as. As good as Denver played. Aaron Gordon had 22, and Christian Brown, I thought, had a. Had a really good game. That was his best game of the series. He. That was sort of his personal game that he wanted to avenge. Game seven last year. I think that jolt of energy Russ gave him in the second quarter and third quarter really was the difference. And how that played out.

[Ben McMahon]

Well, hey, Russ wanted to come on home to Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweeping down the plains and where Russ's jersey is going to hang in the Raptors, baby. He's going to come back. He's going to look on up and say, right next to Nick Collison, that's where you can put me. They'll reenact. They'll have the old White Men can't jump. Remember when they were the White Men can't jump duo for Halloween?

[Tim Bontemps]

Yeah.

[Ben McMahon]

Right up there in the rafter.

[Tim Bontemps]

Side.

[Brian Windhorst]

Side.

[Ben McMahon]

And. And so, you know, they love Russ in Oklahoma. They always will. And we'll see if that can survive him as. As a. As an opponent in a.

[Tim Bontemps]

All the teams that know Russ well do the same thing. They. They dare him to shoot. Right. I wrote a whole story about this last night. They gave him nine feet on average, whenever he was shooting the ball. That is the second highest amount of distance that you've given anyone's. Given people on three pointers ever since they were keeping the stat. You know, the guy who actually had the most was Chris Dunn in the same series.

[Ben McMahon]

Worked out a lot better with him.

[Tim Bontemps]

Yeah, but they gave Russ room.

[Ramona Shelburne]

They didn't guard.

[Tim Bontemps]

They literally just did not guard him on three pointers. He took offense to it. He wouldn't say that out loud, but when I teed him up for game seven and I said, well, did you take offense to how they guarded you. And he said, well, what did I shoot in this series?

[Ramona Shelburne]

Russ loves taking offense to things.

[Brian Windhorst]

I'm sure he takes offense to everything.

[Ben McMahon]

Oh, yeah, but what did he shoot in this series?

[Tim Bontemps]

42%. He shot better in this series than Steph Curry shot.

[Ben McMahon]

Yeah. Now, it will be fascinating to see. Does OKC defend him the same way, which, by the way, it is playing the percentages now.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah.

[Ben McMahon]

OKC got blasted playing the percentages on PJ Washington last year in very similar fashion and Derrick Jones Jr. As well, to a certain extent, in the. In the second round series. But if. If you're. I mean, it. It is a. It's a reasonable approach. It's a regional reasonable game plan. Like you, you'd much rather pay more attention to Jamal Murray and obviously to Joker, but I think you have to have flexibility with those game plans. If the guy's knocking down shots and if he's in a groove and he's got his confidence going now, the flip side of that is, okay, if Russ has confidence, the, you know, the percentages might catch up to him and he might just shoot him out of it, I think so.

[Brian Windhorst]

Jokic, by his standards, did not play well in Games 5, 6 and 7. Some of that was Zubots. Some of it was other stuff.

[Ramona Shelburne]

To me, the seed the series was.

[Brian Windhorst]

Tipped not just by Westbrook, but by just in general, the Nuggets role players.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Christian Brown was excellent.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah, I don't know if you want.

[Ramona Shelburne]

To call Aaron Gordon a role player. He was awesome in the series.

[Tim Bontemps]

More than a role player.

[Ben McMahon]

He's what I call a complimentary star player.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Even Peyton Watson was good in game seven.

[Brian Windhorst]

Michael Porter Jr. I think, had a good game seven like their role players, which is vital for the Nuggets.

[Ramona Shelburne]

That was big.

[Brian Windhorst]

The other thing is, if I'm the Clippers, I'm sick to my stomach because now they did not deserve to win Game four. You know, that was the.

[Tim Bontemps]

Aaron Gordon.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

So the Nuggets were up, what, 20.

[Ramona Shelburne]

In the fourth quarter?

[Tim Bontemps]

Yeah. They blew the game.

[Ramona Shelburne]

And so Gordon gets the incredible dunk.

[Brian Windhorst]

Otherwise it goes to overtime. I don't know.

[Ramona Shelburne]

The Clippers had the momentum.

[Brian Windhorst]

Maybe they win. The correct team won. Having said that, you lose at the buzzer. And in my view, they could have. They were in control.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Not in control, but they certainly could have won game one. So they get to game seven knowing that they lose to 50, 50 games.

[Brian Windhorst]

Game one and game four, just. You can't do that. You can't do that.

[Ramona Shelburne]

As the under the underdog whatever the lesser seed.

[Brian Windhorst]

So I'm sick to my stomach about that if I'm the Clippers.

[Tim Bontemps]

It's also hard because they because Kawhi Leonard was healthy.

[Brian Windhorst]

Brian I know. And he played well. Let me ask you this time he's.

[Tim Bontemps]

Got to the end of the season being healthy since he's been there. I mean it's hard. It was hard to watch more Hoop.

[Ben McMahon]

Collective podcast after this if you want.

[Brian Windhorst]

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There are over 1,500 Harbor Freight stores in the U.S. so come see for yourself. Whatever you do, do it for less at Harbor Freight. When you're on a business trip, you know what goes completely off the rails?

[Ramona Shelburne]

Your workout routine. Especially when you book a hotel that.

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Doesn'T have a gym. So what ends up happening is you do a few pushups and sit ups in your room.

[Ramona Shelburne]

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[Ramona Shelburne]

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[Ramona Shelburne]

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@Mintmobile.Com Switch upfront payment of $45 for 3 month plan equivalent to 15 per month required intro rate first 3 months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees, extra fee, full [e-mail] Ramona let me ask you this. If you have a pie chart for how game seven went, okay, Were you assigning blame to James Harden? He was 2 of 8. I know and you know he had 10 assists. Okay, 13 assists. You know that game that he played.

[Ramona Shelburne]

In Boston a couple years ago?

[Brian Windhorst]

His last game is a 76er. You know, a lot went poorly in that game.

[Ramona Shelburne]

They lost that series in game six, not game seven. But like people circled how he went like, was like minus 29 or minus 30.

[Ben McMahon]

Yeah, minus 29 in this one.

[Brian Windhorst]

Minus 29.

[Ben McMahon]

So not the worst, not the worst. Plus minus, not the second worst. Plus, minus. Oh, I think, yeah, normal pal is minus 31. Kawhi was minus 33 and 33 minutes.

[Tim Bontemps]

I didn't catch that one.

[Brian Windhorst]

So that's, so that's what I'm saying. Ramona, how much blame is being.

[Ramona Shelburne]

I mean, he's getting.

[Tim Bontemps]

I, I don't think it was all James Harden's fault. I know he's getting crushed because he has the history.

[Brian Windhorst]

James Nuggets role players played great. That wasn't.

[Tim Bontemps]

Christian Brown was picking him up full court for, you know, they started doing that in a. I think it was about game four when they started really defending hard and differently and it took Ty Lue a little too long to adjust to it. I thought they were, you know, people were begging Tyloo, please get Chris Dunn off the court. They're not guarding him. James has no space, especially when Christian Brown is picking him up full court. They're just getting the ball out of his hands. And, and he is the system, right? I mean, he's self proclaimed. And when, when you make it hard for him to do anything when you, when he doesn't have space to operate, it was hard. And I, I thought James gave him a great game six. He scored. He played 47 of a possible 48 minutes. I caught him on the podium yawning a couple times, you know, that game. And, and you could tell he goes, yeah, I'm tired, but you know where I'm in good shape. I'm going to play. And I, I was thinking to myself, listen, they're going to Denver in less than 48 hours. That I know by game seven, altitude's not supposed to affect you, but I think it does. And the Clippers just do. They just seem tired and they needed some energy. They did have a guy that used to give him energy, named Russell Westbrook, but they got my back to that. But I don't want to put it all on James. I think this was on. I think in some ways it was really good coaching by David Adelman. I think you got to give him a shout out. Rookie, rookie coach, interim head coach there. He actually has more playoff wins now than he has regular season wins after winning the series.

[Ramona Shelburne]

That's got to be a record, right?

[Tim Bontemps]

Yeah, it's gotta be A record.

[Brian Windhorst]

It's gotta be a lot to get there.

[Tim Bontemps]

But he made good adjustments throughout. They, they went to this zone defense a lot in, in the last couple of games. They, they gave the Clippers a lot of different looks. And I don't. Ty took it on himself. After James had a poor game in Game 5, he said, no, that one's on me. I didn't do enough to get him good looks. That's when they finally took Chris Dunn out of. Out of the game. I mean, Chris Dunn started, but they, they, they put in Nicholas Batum. In this game, Ty still seemed reluctant to start Batum. He started Derrick Jones Jr. In the last game, but there was, there was. They just couldn't solve that for James. And in his glory days in Houston, I think it wouldn't have mattered. He could. He could deal with it, but that's that. This is, this is the story that always happens, right, Tim? He plays so much. He carries such a big load. He is the system that by the end it all kind of breaks down. It's tired.

[Ben McMahon]

Well, and. But he's like, he's not Houston. James Harden, he is. He's a different player since then. And he is a run the show orchestrator type of point guard, more so than a scorer at this point in his career. And he ran the show. 13 assists and two turnovers. You know, when he had, when he had, like, he had some games this year, I just looked it up there, six and three, when he had at least 13 assists and, and some of those wins. He was four of 15 in one of those games. He's three of nine in another one. He was actually three nine and two more of those, you know, seven of 18. And my point is, like, the most important thing James Harden did for their offense this year was orchestrate and facilitate.

[Tim Bontemps]

Yep.

[Ben McMahon]

So, yeah, you know, you can add this to the list of poor shooting performances for Harden and absolutely critical shots who. Jackson gives us devastating. This is Jackson. James Harden has shot under 30 in four consecutive game. Sevens tied with. Man, these are. Do we want to tie with Dan Marley, who's got a nice little restaurant in downtown Phoenix? Can't. Can't. Can't visit in the playoffs anymore. But it's a nice spot. Yeah. Greg Kite.

[Brian Windhorst]

That's the first time Greg Kite has been mentioned.

[Ben McMahon]

Isn't that Hot Rod Hunley for the longest?

[Brian Windhorst]

Not Rod Hunley.

[Ben McMahon]

Oh, it's Ron. No, it's Hot Rod.

[Tim Bontemps]

It's Hot Rod.

[Ben McMahon]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

And he's saying it was a typo. Hey, We've been doing this podcast for 10 years, McMahon. This is the first time Greg Kite's name has ever been mentioned.

[Ben McMahon]

Yeah, Celtic.

[Brian Windhorst]

Great.

[Tim Bontemps]

There we go. I don't know, Brian. I'll ask you the same question. How much of this is on, is on Harden? I just think we, we all, we all get into our narratives and fall.

[Brian Windhorst]

Back on it some. But look, I'm, I'm, you know, I'm.

[Ramona Shelburne]

In New York because before I go.

[Brian Windhorst]

To Boston tomorrow, I'm going to do the morning shows. I'm going to do get up and first take.

[Ben McMahon]

Oh, big deal.

[Brian Windhorst]

And you know that that is going to be a topic.

[Tim Bontemps]

Oh, yeah.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Because of these stats and they can.

[Brian Windhorst]

Show these graphics and they, you know, they want to.

[Ramona Shelburne]

There's going to be a desire to.

[Brian Windhorst]

Pin it on Harden, and he was part of the pie.

[Tim Bontemps]

Yes, but slice a big one.

[Ben McMahon]

You know, Kawhi Leonard gets a slice. Ty Lu gets a slice after the Batum lineup works so well. You went away from it, you know.

[Tim Bontemps]

Like, listen, it ain't 10 points in that last game. Didn't do much. You know, I, Look, I, I. James Harden, kind of. I thought he had a redemptive year this year in Los Angeles. I thought he, you know, if, if you're looking at who, who netted out from that exchange with Philadelphia and the Clippers, LA made out pretty darn good. And, and if we could go back to the Sliding Doors moment where they choose not to give him the big extension and instead give that money to Paul George. I don't know. Do we did that. Was that the right choice? Like, based off.

[Brian Windhorst]

Not right now. Oh, I thought you talked about the.

[Ben McMahon]

Clippers made the right choice.

[Tim Bontemps]

No, I'm talking about the Sixers. Like, I mean, you know, I mean, if we go back to these moments and how the last few years have gone for James and the Sixers and the Clippers and all that.

[Ben McMahon]

James was not going to be the Sixers savior either. Let's just make that clear. With everything that went wrong, Harden has.

[Brian Windhorst]

A $36 million player option. I assume he's not picking that up.

[Ramona Shelburne]

He'll want to do a New deal.

[Brian Windhorst]

He's 30. Is he 35?

[Tim Bontemps]

4. 35.

[Brian Windhorst]

He is 35.

[Ramona Shelburne]

He'll be, he'll be 36 in August.

[Tim Bontemps]

August. He's a Leo. Yeah, we talked about that the other day.

[Brian Windhorst]

You and James talked about him being a Leo.

[Tim Bontemps]

Yeah, he was asking.

[Brian Windhorst]

How did you feel about that sort of Navajo motif that he had on after game six. Did you talk about that? As well.

[Tim Bontemps]

No, he, he didn't, he didn't get too deep into that. But we were talking about him being a Leo and I do see Leo qualities in him.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Yeah, you're over my head now.

[Brian Windhorst]

Dear McMahon.

[Ramona Shelburne]

What are you doing with this contract?

[Ben McMahon]

You know what I'm. If you're not keeping James, you got to entertain shop in Kawhi.

[Brian Windhorst]

Ramona, what are we doing with this.

[Ben McMahon]

Contract if I'm James or from the Clippers.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Clippers.

[Tim Bontemps]

James wants to be there.

[Brian Windhorst]

He's going to be.

[Tim Bontemps]

Wants to be there. I'm. I'm doing another one and one or two and one. Whatever. Whatever short term deal looks about like what he's making. I give him another couple of years.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah, I would agree with you.

[Tim Bontemps]

They don't have their pick for like forever. I mean I'm the, the, the Thunder own their picks. They, they. There's. Billy has one. One of their. I mean it's, there's not, there's, there's no reason for them to tank. And I still, I don't think you have much value in Kawhi I. As good as he was right now. How are you trading.

[Brian Windhorst]

This is the modern NBA. You can't, you can't have a $50.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Million player on your books who.

[Ben McMahon]

As a part time guy, as I have.

[Brian Windhorst]

Said right now, I don't know the official number of quote unquote MAX players in the league.

[Tim Bontemps]

Yeah.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Whatever the number is, it's going to.

[Brian Windhorst]

Be reduced by my guess is 60 in the next three years. And by the way, Kawhi is not.

[Ramona Shelburne]

A Max player anymore.

[Brian Windhorst]

He took slightly less than the max. He's close.

[Ben McMahon]

And Harden was well under the max. If Harden's in that range again, he had a very good year. Yes, hard was worth his salary.

[Brian Windhorst]

And then so no, they're going to.

[Ramona Shelburne]

They'Re going to resign him.

[Brian Windhorst]

The question is how much and how long. And I think, I think Ramona's point on 11 is probably maybe where you'd.

[Tim Bontemps]

Want to land at 1 and 12 and 1, something like that. But I. Ryan, what they've done, what they made an organizational decision to do is stay competitive, have a good team. If you fill that intuit dome, you know, get enough fans who will get on a charter plane that Steve Ballmer.

[Brian Windhorst]

You know what, Ramona, I, I know you.

[Ramona Shelburne]

I saw you tweeting all about this.

[Brian Windhorst]

This group 100 fans and they created like a quasi wall at the Pepsi center or Ballerina. Sorry, I know you so badly wanted to write about that. And the Clip.

[Tim Bontemps]

I so did.

[Brian Windhorst]

I had the clippers lost by 30. I know.

[Tim Bontemps]

And those works. Those. You know. First of all, can I say two things? I will it short because I know this is not what we should be talking about right now, but the. All those guys, they had these amazing seats. How did they get these seats?

[Brian Windhorst]

Well, it helps when your owner is.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Worth 120 billion or whatever.

[Tim Bontemps]

I know, but. But if I'm a season ticket holder for the Nuggets, I'm mad at people who sold their seats. This happens in LA all the time.

[Brian Windhorst]

What if. What if a guy worth 100 billion.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Came and said, how much, how much.

[Tim Bontemps]

Did he pay on the secondary? Like this is a game seven and you just sold your seats to some. To the opposing team of fans and they were all in the same block and I, and I saw a bunch of the normal season ticket holders sitting there and they were pissed.

[Ben McMahon]

Well, hell, they were like blacked out. It's probably blacked out on local tv. They probably didn't get to watch the damn thing.

[Brian Windhorst]

I know.

[Tim Bontemps]

I mean, but, but okay, so the Rams do this all the time. This is another cronky team. And this. The 49ers come to town and there's a big fan base in LA and Rams season ticket holders always sell their seats to the 49er fans who just want to. And it's. It's become like an issue in L. A. Like everyone gets mad if you sell your seats, like you're not a true fan. But that was game seven, Brian. How did they. How did they do? And okay, so, so money their hats on, and they got on a charter plane and then they had to fly home right after the game with a 30 point loss.

[Ben McMahon]

Only 19.

[Brian Windhorst]

That, that, that ride out to the Denver.

[Tim Bontemps]

I don't even know what the final score was.

[Brian Windhorst]

That right out to the Denver Airport.

[Tim Bontemps]

God.

[Ben McMahon]

Oh, that was a tough one. My God. Might as well drive them as far as that is.

[Tim Bontemps]

Who. Which plane was quieter? The Clippers team plane or the, the swell the walls charter?

[Ben McMahon]

Well, that depends. I know the bomb recovered airfare and the tickets and now all. Did he cover the. The alcohol bill? I'm sure if he did, then I bet charter is loud as hell. Yeah, man, if, you know, if you're. If you're one of those yahoos who have signs and you know, like wear funny hats and bombers paying for your booze. Come on now.

[Tim Bontemps]

Yeah, those hats were blocking the view of those Nuggets fans in the section. Oh, man.

[Brian Windhorst]

All right, we'll talk about Your series when it arrives that you guys are at. But first calves corner.

[Tim Bontemps]

There it is.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Cav's corner.

[Ben McMahon]

The Pacers careful turning that corner. Got a sore toe.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah, the cat.

[Ramona Shelburne]

The Pacers were absolutely awesome in game one.

[Brian Windhorst]

They win by nine. I will just say to you, and I'm not saying this just now, I've.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Been saying this for a while, that.

[Brian Windhorst]

Internally the Cavs were wary of the Pacers for weeks when the Pacers made that late season because remember there was.

[Ramona Shelburne]

A while, there was a while there.

[Brian Windhorst]

Where the Pistons, Pacers and Bucs were all sort of tied and the Pacers made that late season push.

[Ramona Shelburne]

They finished 14 and four to get the four seed. When that was apparent, when that was.

[Brian Windhorst]

Come becoming apparent, the Cavs were giving them the side eye because that's a quasi bad matchup for the Cavs. I mean they won 64 games. There isn't a team like you know.

[Ramona Shelburne]

That they feel like they're a quote.

[Brian Windhorst]

Unquote bad matchup against, but it's a more uncomfortable matchup.

[Ramona Shelburne]

They also lost both games to the Pacers at home this year. Now one of the games was meaningless.

[Brian Windhorst]

It was the last game of the season. But you know, the Pacers had come.

[Ramona Shelburne]

In there and won or maybe it.

[Brian Windhorst]

Was the second to last game, whatever it was so then. But the Pacers just played great. And you know, part of what happened.

[Ramona Shelburne]

In this game was that the Pacers.

[Brian Windhorst]

Were just killing it from three point range.

[Ramona Shelburne]

They made 19 of 36 threes.

[Brian Windhorst]

That's 53%. The Cavs only had nine threes.

[Ramona Shelburne]

That was the fewest three pointers they made in a game all season. So they get outscored by 30.

[Ben McMahon]

It's hard to overcome.

[Brian Windhorst]

This is a team that by the way, I think made 20 more threes.

[Ramona Shelburne]

In the last round than the than.

[Brian Windhorst]

The Heat and led the league in three point. Well, maybe they finished top three in three point percentage. So they got scored by 30 at the line. So there's just great shot making. But I'm going to say that part. But part of it was the Cavs weren't guarding the three well and yes.

[Ben McMahon]

But how the hell did Andrew Nimhard shoot 29% from 3 this year? The guy, I mean he is a playoff killer and he hit a couple of huge ones down the stretch and one of them he was damn sure guarded on. I mean this guy has made, you know, he had the one in against the Knicks last year, the game. Well that one and a couple huge ones this game.

[Brian Windhorst]

He, that one he against the Knicks last year, which kind of changed the.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Course of the whole series. It might not have mattered again because Jalen Brunson broke his hand or whatever.

[Brian Windhorst]

In the game seven and Ogm Noby was you know, running around like he had a dump in his drawers because his hamstring was so effed.

[Ben McMahon]

But wow, this is post midnight windy baby.

[Brian Windhorst]

Wow.

[Ben McMahon]

The dump in his drawers was that, that was a, a shout out to the Bond Timps family because they've got some dump dumping diapers right now.

[Brian Windhorst]

I, I to this day cannot believe that OG Anunoby was allowed to play in game seven.

[Ramona Shelburne]

He ran out from, from the, from.

[Brian Windhorst]

The locker room and I was like this is either an elaborate joke or insane.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Not a joke, an elaborate ruse.

[Brian Windhorst]

In other words, like he either either.

[Ramona Shelburne]

He actually could move better or they never intended on playing him when he actually played. And like was like, was like shuffling.

[Brian Windhorst]

I was like what are they doing?

[Ben McMahon]

Willis Reed.

[Brian Windhorst]

It was not that shot that he hit. He bobbled it. He caught the ball. He bobbled it and like like shot.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Put it up there and made it.

[Ben McMahon]

You want to hear a nut stat? I mentioned he shot 29 from three this year. Nim hard 51 of 175 in last year's playoffs and this year's playoffs. He's 45 of 88 from three point range. The man is shooting 51 plus percent from three career in playoffs. This dude is a big time playoff gamer who is knocking down shots, making plays and quite often guarding the other team's best perimeter player. He's a stud.

[Brian Windhorst]

He's a very valuable player. The Pacers have two excellent bigs in Miles Turner and Pascal Siakam and they have a multitude of excellent wings, but specifically the guys they starred Aaron Neesmith and Nemhardt.

[Ramona Shelburne]

And look, the Pacers just had a shot making game.

[Brian Windhorst]

Halliburton was a terrific playmaking at 13 assists and just one turnover. That's Halliburton at his absolute best. He also was 9 of 15. But you know his efficiency shooting go comes and goes.

[Ramona Shelburne]

It's when he's got that super awesome.

[Brian Windhorst]

Assist to turnover ratio, you know, he's.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Doing, he's going great.

[Ben McMahon]

Well and, and, and Donovan Mitchell needed his sidekick. Darius Garland. Yeah. You know, missed this game due to a toe and you know, they asked Rick Carlisle, you know, well what's that change if Garland misses this game? They asked him pregame and Carlisle bas. I'm like look, let's not kid ourselves. He's playing now. He didn't, you Know there wasn't just a precaution.

[Brian Windhorst]

Surprised. He, he, he, he practiced on Friday.

[Tim Bontemps]

It's a big toe, right?

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah.

[Ramona Shelburne]

A left big toe toe spring, you.

[Brian Windhorst]

Know, it's turf toe essentially.

[Tim Bontemps]

This, this not good.

[Ramona Shelburne]

So, so he, he had the injury late in the regular season. He missed three of the last four.

[Brian Windhorst]

Games, but it was hard to tell because they had everything clinched.

[Ramona Shelburne]

He comes out and plays games one and two of the Miami series and.

[Brian Windhorst]

Averages 20 something points on 50% shooting, doesn't show any ill effects of it.

[Ramona Shelburne]

And then finishes game two. That game comes all the way down to it.

[Brian Windhorst]

That was the closest game of the series.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Finishes game two, does the post game.

[Brian Windhorst]

Interview, doesn't show any ill effects.

[Ramona Shelburne]

And all of a sudden he pops up as questionable on their injury report the next day. And now he's out three straight games.

[Brian Windhorst]

In almost two weeks. And so he practiced on Friday and.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Then they listed him as questionable on Saturday.

[Brian Windhorst]

But, but you're thinking, but he practiced.

[Ben McMahon]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

You know, so like if he practiced like that indicates that they've cleared him and then pregame he's ruled out. So like I don't know, I mean.

[Ben McMahon]

Whether he's out or even if he's limited, that is huge. Because one of the great advantages that the Cavs have had all year if is they've got two big time dynamic dribble creating guards. They've always got one of them out there. A lot of times they got them both out there. Donovan Mitchell today, 13 of 30 from the floor, one of 11 from three. One of the great things that happened for him this year was the burden on him was, was eased. And if Darius Garland's not out there, he's got a, he's really the one guy who can generate shots. And you know, man, Jackson, you're on fire today. I mean really, it's Stats Williams and you're his plagiarized. Yeah, but Donovan Mitchell teams are one in five in his career when he takes 30 plus shots in a playoff game.

[Ramona Shelburne]

They're also two and seven when he takes at least 11 three pointers.

[Brian Windhorst]

That dates back to his Utah days where when the going got tough in Utah, he just started hoisting threes.

[Ben McMahon]

Yeah.

[Brian Windhorst]

And where he. There was one playoff year where he averaged I think 10 threes a game. That was bad. Yeah.

[Ben McMahon]

So he can absolutely be your go to guy. He needs a big time sidekick though.

[Tim Bontemps]

I mean there's a guy named Evan Mobley who wanted to, I mean I just, I just think the Cavs have such a. They need to slow this game down. They need to rely on their other guys here. Just because like, like, I know what you're saying, but Indiana wants to play fast. They want to get up and down. They want to have their guards, they want to running and shoot the ball. Cleveland just needs to play at their pace. They need to use their.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Ultimately, this game was a story about what happened on defense to give up 121 points and 19 threes. That's why they lost.

[Tim Bontemps]

Yeah.

[Ramona Shelburne]

You can focus on Garland not being.

[Brian Windhorst]

There and that's fine. And you know, you got ty Jerome.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Going 8 of 20 and Donovan going 13 to 30.

[Brian Windhorst]

You don't want 50 shots from those two guys. That just, that that's not good basketball. Especially when your big guys who were.

[Ramona Shelburne]

So Mobley was 9 of 13 in this game. Jared Allen was 6 of 7. So they have 20 shots and Jerome and Mitchell have 50. That ratio. Yeah.

[Ben McMahon]

But again, those guys need stuff created for them.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Right. But they didn't lose on offense.

[Brian Windhorst]

They lost on defense. Here's something else.

[Ramona Shelburne]

So the Cavs like to switch with their bigs because they've got such great athlete bigs.

[Brian Windhorst]

Donovan or Jared Allen's an excellent defender and Evan Mobley's defensive player of the year.

[Ramona Shelburne]

When Tyrese Halliburton was switched on to.

[Brian Windhorst]

Jared Allen, he was six of eight.

[Ben McMahon]

So he eight beautiful dance into a step back three. That was big time down the stretch.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah. You're going to kind of let him have that shot. Yeah. So I do think there was some just shot variance. The other thing is the Pacers don't. The Pacers are experienced team. Like these guys have conference last year. Yeah, these guys have, have come back in series before. Like they've won big road games. I mean, they run a road game.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Seven last year in the Garden.

[Brian Windhorst]

Like, you know, that's.

[Ramona Shelburne]

So Garland's availability going forward is a big, big thing now.

[Brian Windhorst]

But again, I, I don't think that was the whole story.

[Tim Bontemps]

Turf toe is usually isn't. I, I, I'm not used to it in basketball. I feel like that's a football injury that happens.

[Ben McMahon]

I mean, it, it happens. Like Desmond Bane is, is, yeah, he, he missed a lot of time a few years back and he's still wearing those LeBron 20s because it's the only shoe that can, you know, be modified in the way and kind of work for what he needs to have with his toe.

[Brian Windhorst]

Well, I would say that Steph's thumb will not get better. It's not like he's going to Be okay in three weeks like that need, that might even need surgery. And turf toe is not going to go away.

[Ramona Shelburne]

You might be able to mitigate it. It might improve, but turf toe takes.

[Brian Windhorst]

A long time to fully heal.

[Ben McMahon]

Yeah, so.

[Brian Windhorst]

But by the way, this is the playoffs. People play through injuries and stuff.

[Ramona Shelburne]

This is what happens.

[Brian Windhorst]

So the Cavs need to get better on defense. You know, they can't give up 120.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Points and 19 three pointers.

[Brian Windhorst]

They, they went through stretches this year. One of their weak spots was not getting out three point shooters. And so the Pacers totally took advantage of that. And so now we got, we, we got ourselves a series.

[Ben McMahon]

So I mean you, like you said, those are those we got the game sevens. We got the game one. I think that we can, you know, we, we, we'll convene again after some of these other series get started.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah, you guys are there. We'll see. I, I don't, I don't know. The Nuggets. I wouldn't be surprised if the Nuggets just took the loss in game one and moved on. Now that I've said it, they'll probably win. But.

[Ben McMahon]

Well, I'll say this, the whole rest versus rust argument.

[Tim Bontemps]

Yeah.

[Ben McMahon]

The last time the Tim or the Thunder were coming off a nice long rest and the other team had a quick turnaround, they smoked the Grizzlies by 51. So I think the Thunder know how to use a week off to, to get themselves ready to roll. And the Nuggets are coming off a bloodbath of a series.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Probably the most relevant thing for the Knicks Celtics series was the Celtics put out their injury report on Sunday afternoon.

[Brian Windhorst]

And it was blank.

[Ben McMahon]

That's encouraging.

[Ramona Shelburne]

That means Drew Holiday back from the hamstring. That's no Jaylen Brown on that injury report.

[Brian Windhorst]

Nothing with Porzingis. The Celtics are healthy. They are a buh. So.

[Ben McMahon]

Well, and Drew Holiday is huge in that series for quite obvious reasons because the Knicks have a guard that they rely on to basically generate everything for them offensively as well as great.

[Brian Windhorst]

And we spent a lot of time talking about the Jalen 3 to, to.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Bury the Pistons a couple days ago.

[Tim Bontemps]

Oh my God.

[Ramona Shelburne]

I was not encouraged by the way.

[Brian Windhorst]

That series ended for the Knicks. Maybe I should be. I'm like, I'm seeing a lot of.

[Ramona Shelburne]

People, people that I trust. They're like, oh, this could go six or seven.

[Brian Windhorst]

And I'm like, the Knicks good to.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Six, they've done great.

[Ben McMahon]

But I, I'm, I don't disagree with.

[Tim Bontemps]

You if I When we have to do our picks. I, I wanted to say Celtics and five, but I think I said, I think I put six just out of respect.

[Ben McMahon]

Because you're nice.

[Tim Bontemps]

Yeah, I just. Because I, you know, sometimes Brunson has a game like that. I feel like there's a Carl Towns game in here.

[Brian Windhorst]

You, you would think, but there's a game.

[Tim Bontemps]

There's a game where cat goes off. Maybe they get one or two. I don't know. I don't know. I'm trying to think of how they get two.

[Brian Windhorst]

I don't know. We'll see. All right. The get up conference calls in a few hours.

[Ben McMahon]

Oh, goodness. Sleep update. Gotta love them. Gotta love them.

[Ramona Shelburne]

I prepare for that. All right, thank you.

[Tim Bontemps]

That bed does not look like you have slept in it yet.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Of course not.

[Brian Windhorst]

I just checked in, like minutes before we started this.

[Ben McMahon]

Do you have to redo your hair in the morning or can you, like, kind of protect that thing overnight?

[Brian Windhorst]

So one of our colleagues.

[Ramona Shelburne]

I won't say who. One of our colleagues has provided me.

[Brian Windhorst]

With some new product.

[Ben McMahon]

Oh, yeah. Wait, I thought you had, like, a lifetime supply from the old place.

[Brian Windhorst]

No, I told you I got that wrong.

[Ben McMahon]

Oh, I.

[Brian Windhorst]

Or I, I, I ordered the wrong.

[Ramona Shelburne]

They asked me, what did you like.

[Brian Windhorst]

What would you want?

[Ramona Shelburne]

And I ordered.

[Brian Windhorst]

I told them the wrong thing.

[Ramona Shelburne]

No, this new product that one of our colleagues is.

[Brian Windhorst]

And I have brought the new product with me. So let's see how it does tomorrow.

[Ramona Shelburne]

Tonight and tomorrow there's new.

[Ben McMahon]

Listen, I'm in the market for some new clippers. If one of these companies.

[Tim Bontemps]

I can cut your hair.

[Ben McMahon]

I cut my own.

[Brian Windhorst]

To be clear, our colleague gave me the name.

[Ramona Shelburne]

He didn't buy.

[Brian Windhorst]

Shouldn't even say he.

[Ramona Shelburne]

They didn't buy. I bought the material.

[Brian Windhorst]

But yeah, which other.

[Ben McMahon]

Oh, it was probably, oh, mom's got that fancy hair.

[Ramona Shelburne]

I didn't say it was for hair.

[Brian Windhorst]

I didn't say it was for hair.

[Tim Bontemps]

All right, this is mysterious.

[Ben McMahon]

What is this? Is this like the underboob commercial where they're spraying stuff like butt boob? Like, have you seen that commercial?

[Tim Bontemps]

Are you trying to get. Are you.

[Brian Windhorst]

Yeah.

[Ben McMahon]

It airs on all these games. There's this commercial for. It's like deodorant, but they're spraying it, like in your. In their crotch and their butt cracks and their under boobs.

[Brian Windhorst]

It is not. It is not a deodorant.

[Ramona Shelburne]

All right, thank you to McMahon. Thank you to Ramona.

[Brian Windhorst]

Thank you to Jackson, our producer. Thank you for watching. Listening to the who collective. We'll talk to you in a couple days.

[Ben McMahon]

Adios, amigos.

[Travel Texas Voice]

Calling all sightseers and selfie takers. Welcome to Texas, where a day at our hiking trails will lead to a lifetime of memories and family road trips become family legends where thrill seekers make a splash into spring fed pools and picky eaters will clean their plates. This is your invitation to visit Texas and see it for yourself. Visit traveltexas.com and plan your family's trip today. Let's Texas.