← Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective
Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective
Knicks Stay Alive & Force Game 6, Thunder To Finals, Big Decisions For Minnesota
00:55:17
Hoop Collective: Knicks Stay Alive & Force Game 6, Thunder To Finals, Big Decisions For Minnesota
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- [00:02]
Damian Lillard
For the team ready to conquer the grandest stage, immortality awaits moments of sweat and sacrifice towards the composition of champions. An unforgettable journey is nearing its finale.
- [00:23]
Ben McMahon
Four more wins to take home the trophy.
- [00:25]
Damian Lillard
The NBA finals, presented by YouTube TV, begin June 5th on ABC.
- [00:36]
Tim Bontemps
Hello. Welcome to the Hoop Collective podcast. We talk about the NBA, which we are doing on early. Actually, we're just ahead of midnight on Thursday night. Oh, boy, didn't see that one coming. Joining us from Madison Square Garden where the Knicks stayed alive with an impressive performance against the Pacers in game five, forcing game six is Tim Bontemps.
- [00:58]
Brian Windhorst
It's another night to be thankful that it's me on the road and not McBan. So we get done, we get started earlier.
- [01:04]
Tim Bontemps
I have to say there's merit to that. Joining us from Dallas, Texas, where he's back home after the Western Conference finals concluded. I'm home too, although I got Bricktown. Behind me symbolically is Ben McMahon.
- [01:16]
Ben McMahon
Howdy, partners. It's a tipsy tiki for the folks watching on YouTube. Just over Wendy's right shoulder, I just.
- [01:22]
Tim Bontemps
Looked to see if, if you were there, I thought maybe you would, you just read like a live shot and you would just be there, just camped out.
- [01:30]
Ben McMahon
We can go through and I can show you all the different places that I've sat before. Listen, Bonten pure remarkably fast when you don't have to write a freaking word. Congratulations.
- [01:40]
Brian Windhorst
Hey, I listen, I wrote, I wrote several hundred words off this game, buddy. Just like the game itself, it was over. I was done with it before the game was over because, okay, this is a comprehensive Knicks performance when you don't.
- [01:51]
Ben McMahon
Have to write a post game word, you dork.
- [01:56]
Tim Bontemps
This is all gonna be over soon because we're gonna switch to the final schedule soon enough. But now the finals is not set because the Knicks were terrific from the outset. I felt they played like it was an elimination game. The Pacers played like it was Tuesday in January. And you felt that right away. And we'll, we'll get into the what, you know, the intricacies of it in a minute. Bond temps. But a powerful performance by the two all NBA players on the Knicks roster.
- [02:29]
Brian Windhorst
Yeah, I mean, look, the Knicks. This game was very reminiscent of game 5 of Knicks Celtics where the home team is down 3 1. They come out, they play a determined focus game show they want to keep their season going. The road team had a chance to close the series out, kind of lollipop their way through the game and sets up what is the most fun game to me, in a seven game series, outside of what obviously is a game seven, but when you have the underdog quote unquote in the series, in this case Indiana with a 32 lead at home, with a chance to close it out. And look, the Knicks to your point, the two stars of the team, Carl Towns has this knee contusion. It is. He's a game time decision. He was always going to play. And Jalen Brunson, who is. We talked a lot after game four about how he struggled defensively in the series. He made it clear he had to be better and he planned to be better and he was and he was excellent in this game. Obviously it was tremendous offensively, but I thought was much better on defense. And the Knicks in general just really set the tone from the opening tip. This is going to be a physical, hard fought game. They led wire to wire. The Pacers didn't really handle it. And I would argue that we are now looking at a situation where truly for the first time in either this playoff run or last year, the Indiana Pacers come into a playoff game with all the pressure on them. And I am very curious to see how they handled it because they frankly did not handle the moment very well today at all.
- [04:00]
Tim Bontemps
Yeah, I actually would say we'll get into this a little later. I would say I. Everything's on the table in this series. I feel like. I know that that sounds like a cop out answer, but I.
- [04:10]
Brian Windhorst
Well, I mean there's. There's hopefully three options on the table. The pace is what it's when it's seven or the paces when it's seven will happen. One of them will happen for sure.
- [04:21]
Tim Bontemps
It might be equal measure.
- [04:23]
Ben McMahon
Well, look, this series is so close. Like you go back to the game one collapse for the Knicks, come back for the Pacers. That's the difference in the series at this point. I mean if not for that, then the Knicks are heading to Indiana with a chance to close it out. But now they've. They're desperate. I do agree that the pressure for the first time in the series shifts to the Pacers. They don't want to go back to Madison Square Garden for game seven. And the Pacer, you know, the Pacers showed up like a team that had accomplished something already tonight. And the Knicks showed up like a team that was desperate, which obviously they were. But you know, I think you look at points in the paint, 60 to 34, that's the game. One team was in, you know, relentless attack mode and one team was kind of chilling.
- [05:14]
Brian Windhorst
More than kind of chilling. Chilling. And by the way, the Knicks have now outscored the Pacers by six points in the series. That's how close the series has been.
- [05:21]
Tim Bontemps
Through five games and regulation. Even more, I think. So, yeah. The pacers, they scored 130 points in game four. They had 94 tonight. 95, yeah.
- [05:32]
Brian Windhorst
First time in the playoffs they were under 100.
- [05:34]
Tim Bontemps
I mean, they scored 36 fewer points. I mean, so I, I think in game four they had like 10 or 11 turnovers. Tonight they had 20. We'll talk about Tyrese Halliburton here in a second, But Halliburton had 12 defensive rebounds in game four. He had two tonight. So we. Halliburton gets a defensive rebound. I'm not saying he pushed it all 12 times, but Halliburton gets a defensive rebound. It's. It kickstarts their offense because he throws ahead or plays very fast. So just, just in the turnover differential and the rebounding differential from Halliburton, they had roughly 20 fewer possessions that they had a chance to start quickly. If you're trying to, to calculate where the 36 point Meltoff came from route, we'll start right there. And I'll say this about Halliburton. Halliburton took seven shots. We'll see. I'll be interested to see. I'm doing get up and first take tomorrow. Stephen A. Is back. He took today off, so he'll be, he'll be raring to go. I'll be interested to see how much criticism Hal Burton gets for the dud game because Ant got roasted for 13 shots. Right. The other night. So Halliburton takes seven shots. Let me just say Halliburton has games like this. I think I looked it up. I think he's got 13 games this year where he scored single digit points.
- [06:58]
Ben McMahon
And what's the record in those games?
- [07:00]
Brian Windhorst
3 and 10.
- [07:01]
Ben McMahon
Exactly.
- [07:01]
Brian Windhorst
It's either 10 games and 3 and 7 or, or 13 games and 3 and 10.
- [07:05]
Ben McMahon
And again with him, it's not about the scoring. Like that record does indicate something. You know, he needs to score some, but you know, he's not going to have like he, you're not going to expect him to score 32 points on a, on a consistent basis. But it is about the aggressiveness. It is about the like making things happen. He didn't make a whole lot happening. He didn't turn it over again. But he, you know, six assists, only seven shots. It was a lackadaisical type of performance by him. And he sets the tone for the Pacers. It was a lackadaisical performance by their whole team.
- [07:38]
Tim Bontemps
Well, I felt, I felt that they pressured him up. They pressured him further up the court because one of the things that, you know, when you looked at the edits that were out there of his, of his baskets and assists the other night, it was shocking how easily he was able to get ahead of speed and.
- [07:56]
Brian Windhorst
Into the lane night and day on both sides.
- [08:00]
Tim Bontemps
Yeah. And so clearly the Knicks were like, let's, you know, in addition to not allowing the fast breaks, let's make him have to work to get into the lane. And I don't know. I don't know. I. I'm not ex and oe enough to be able to tell you the adjustments that they made, but I, I feel like just in general, defensively, they were just a little sharper and more connected, which is you'd expect in a situation like this.
- [08:23]
Brian Windhorst
Well, yeah, they were sharper, more connected, and most importantly, they were more physical. They just were the more physical team. And, and this, this series, we talked about it coming into the series, these two teams are diametrically opposite, right? The Knicks want to play slow, methodical, grinded out games. The Pacers wanted to be a track meet. And you saw in game four, the pace has turned it into a track meet. They turned the Knicks over, ran them out of the gym tonight. From the beginning of the game, the Knicks were like, this is going to be a slug fest in the paint, as you mentioned, McMahon, they were relentlessly getting in the paint. Aaron Neesmith, who was great in game four, also awful in this game. One for eight from the field, played 16 minutes, very ineffective. Ian Andrew Nemhardt. In the two games they've lost this series, I believe they are combined 8 for 33 from the field. They were 4 for 17. Yeah, 4 for 17 in game three, 4 for 16 in game five. And Miles Turner was awful. This has been a very bad Miles Turner series.
- [09:23]
Tim Bontemps
Yeah, he has not made much of an impact at all.
- [09:25]
Brian Windhorst
He has not made much of an impact at all. And like, look, like I said before, I am really fascinated to see how this Pacer team handles this game Saturday night because they, you know, this is the first time, other than Pascal Siakam, any of these guys have been in remotely this kind of situation before because, like I said, I, I know they played a Game 7 here at the Garden last year.
- [09:47]
Tim Bontemps
I don't know.
- [09:49]
Brian Windhorst
That game was over in the first quarter. OGN and OB, as we've joked about, tried to Jog up and down, couldn't move. Jalen Brunson, broken wrist. Julius Randall was hurt. Like Mitchell Robinson was out. The Knicks were completely decimated.
- [10:01]
Tim Bontemps
I remember after that game, Pascal Siakam kind of like half heartedly apologized. Not half heartedly, like half apologized.
- [10:09]
Brian Windhorst
Yeah.
- [10:10]
Tim Bontemps
Because they attacked OG Anunoby so relentlessly they had to pull him out of the game because it's his teammate. He won a championship. He felt bad.
- [10:17]
Brian Windhorst
Yeah, this, this just is not going to be that situation on Saturday. Like, all the pressure is on Indiana in this game. And it's a huge moment for Halliburton. Huge moment for the Pacers. Let's see how they handle it.
- [10:30]
Tim Bontemps
Yeah, they've been the finals in 25 years. You know, everybody talks about the Knicks. The Pacers haven't been there.
- [10:37]
Brian Windhorst
Right. Since they beat the Knicks in the conference finals the year after. And like this is very much like game five of Pacers. Knicks or Celtics? Knicks. And coming here for game six. Believe you were here for that game, Brian. The whole world was like, man, the Knicks had better win game six at home because if they got to go to Boston, they're going to lose. And I'm not saying the faces are going to lose if it goes to game seven, because these teams are very even. We've seen them obviously win a couple games here already. But let's see if they can have a similar performance to the one the Knicks did when they obviously came out were a little frenetic early. The Celtics let him get a lead and then they took off. The Knicks need to do what they did in game five again in game six and get a lead and slow the game down and start to really crank that pressure up on the Pacers and crank up the, the tension in the crowd in Indiana and then see how everybody handles that moment. Because it's going to be very, a very fun experience to sort of see in real time how everybody adjusts to that.
- [11:40]
Tim Bontemps
I feel like there, there also will be some, you know, so the Knicks probably feel like they've now can win that game and come home. Like the Knicks can feel like they have taken momentum. This wasn't a freak out, you know, this wasn't a game where, you know, somebody scored 57 points or there was.
- [11:59]
Brian Windhorst
Some one off or they, or somebody scored 20 points in the fourth quarter. Like in game three. Like the Knicks. The Knicks dominated this game from start to finish.
- [12:07]
Tim Bontemps
The Knicks can feel like they're. That they, you know, can duplicate this performance.
- [12:14]
Ben McMahon
Yeah, they can feel like they can duplicate this performance, I don't think that the Pacers are going to have that kind of a dud.
- [12:19]
Tim Bontemps
I agree, of course.
- [12:20]
Ben McMahon
You know, we've talked about my lack of belief in momentum from game to game in a playoff series. There are exceptions, but there wasn't any momentum when Oklahoma City got blown out by 42 in Game 3. That series is over after 45 games, and we'll be back in Bricktown next week. You know, I just. I think, look, give the Knicks credit. They came out and played the way they needed to play with their season on the line. But the Pacers came out and played like they were cool closing this thing out in Indiana, and they better do that.
- [12:55]
Tim Bontemps
Yeah, The Knicks were 8 of 29 on threes. It wasn't like they were unconscious.
- [12:59]
Ben McMahon
Shooting ball and Cat made a three. Cat only shot four. Every other shot Kat took was in the paint. Every other. Every bucket he had, aside from 13 was in the restricted area.
- [13:10]
Tim Bontemps
You know, I think he took 12 shots in the restricted area and he made eight of them.
- [13:14]
Ben McMahon
Yeah, yeah, that was in. In, you know, bully ball attack mode. Despite.
- [13:20]
Brian Windhorst
And again, when he's. He's aggressive. When he's aggressive, they are a much different team. A lot like Halberton. For the Pacers, when. When Carl is really aggressive and forceful offensively, the Knicks look a lot different. And he was that tonight. He was a monster inside. And again, like, you know, it was another rough milestone. A game like patience didn't play with any force. And they're gonna have to play a lot better at home. And again, they've got a whole court advantage. They're in the same spot again that Nick Celtics was. And they could very easily have another easy, comfortable win like they did in game four and could be a big party in Indianapolis. Wouldn't be a surprise at all.
- [13:58]
Tim Bontemps
I don't know what if this says something about the Pacers, it says something about the Knicks or it says something about the Cavs. Because in the last series, the Pacers were ahead three one went into Cleveland and absolutely annihilated the Cavs in that game. So they had been in this spot just last series and did hit the gas.
- [14:22]
Brian Windhorst
So look, the next. The next look, on the balance of the season, the Knicks are obviously not better than the Cavs, but the Cavs and Pacers played a similar style of basketball. Right. Both teams want to run up and down and shoot the ball. And so in that kind of a track meet situation, particularly where the Cavs didn't have the kind of athletes on the perimeter to really bother Paris Halberton. Like, second quarter of that game, Halberton had 15 points in two and a half minutes. Right. He just started banging threes from everywhere and totally game turned into an avalanche like the Knicks turned into a rock fight. And if game six is a rock fight, probably fit. Probably advantage Knicks, like we thought, coming into the series. So the question is, can Indiana dictate the terms of engagement like they did in Game four, like they did in Game two? And if they can, probably a big party over there in a couple days.
- [15:12]
Tim Bontemps
Jackson. I'm going to the stat that just. Jackson just put in the chat. I am. I'm announcing right now that I will be using this aggressively on television tomorrow. It's a great step. Jackson is this. Is this stats and info. This is a great step.
- [15:25]
Ben McMahon
You think Jackson looked it up himself?
- [15:28]
Tim Bontemps
I hadn't seen it. I was looking on our channel. I hadn't seen it. All right, so in game five tonight, the Pacers were 3 of 14 shooting with Jalen Brunson as the primary defender. That's 27% in game four. I'm sorry. In games one to four, they shot 27 of 40. 68%. And I'm not even sure how that's calculated because there were times. No, I know, but there were a lot of times in. In. In game four where I guess you could technically have said Brunson was the defender, but Halliburton left him in the.
- [16:04]
Ben McMahon
That tracking is imperfect. But that. That's an alarming contrast. That's a. Yes, massive. And it's an indication that Brunson realized, hey, I'm getting just bullseye targeted, hunted. And there's the desperation of the season being on the line, and there's pride and, you know.
- [16:23]
Brian Windhorst
Yep. He declared he was going to be better on defense, and he was better on defense. That doesn't turn him into, you know, the second coming Gary Payton, but he was better, and that's. That's what they needed.
- [16:35]
Ben McMahon
It won't stop the Pacers from trying to hunt him again.
- [16:38]
Tim Bontemps
No.
- [16:38]
Ben McMahon
6. But, hey, you know, let's see how he responds. Then again, let's see. I don't. Three or four. You know, he doesn't have to repeat that, but it can't be 68%. He can't be. Jackson's saying that he giving up buckets every.
- [16:52]
Tim Bontemps
Jackson's saying he gave. He gave a lot more effort getting over screens. With all due respect, any effort getting around screens in this game would have been better than he was how about.
- [17:01]
Brian Windhorst
Jackson firing in some basketball takes? Let's go. Jackson getting a little. Jackson getting a little aggressive here.
- [17:09]
Ben McMahon
Go on. The little Knicks Jack and pop on your video.
- [17:13]
Tim Bontemps
The wizard of Oz coming in from.
- [17:15]
Brian Windhorst
Behind the screen with some basketball thoughts.
- [17:16]
Ben McMahon
Yeah. Throwing that old starter jacket.
- [17:21]
Tim Bontemps
Yeah.
- [17:22]
Ben McMahon
So, by the way, another crazy Brunson stat. This is his 10th game this postseason with at least 30 points and five assists. He was one of only four guys to do that 10 times in a postseason. Wizard of the quiz. Anybody? Anybody? And now to present today's trivia question, the whiz of the quiz.
- [17:47]
Brian Windhorst
He's one of four guys to have 30 and one of four guys have 30 and 10.
- [17:53]
Ben McMahon
No. 30 points and five assists 10 times in a single postseason.
- [17:58]
Tim Bontemps
LeBron had to. LeBron had to.
- [18:00]
Ben McMahon
LeBron did it three times.
- [18:01]
Tim Bontemps
Yeah.
- [18:02]
Brian Windhorst
Staff.
- [18:03]
Ben McMahon
Nope. Magic Nope.
- [18:06]
Tim Bontemps
Yeah, Magic didn't put up 30 that often.
- [18:08]
Brian Windhorst
Yeah, true. 30. 10 times. Jordan.
- [18:11]
Ben McMahon
Jordan did it three times. And then somebody else.
- [18:14]
Brian Windhorst
Durant N. You got.
- [18:18]
Ben McMahon
You're on the track. You're on the right track with the city. Right track with the city.
- [18:23]
Tim Bontemps
Oh, Shay.
- [18:24]
Ben McMahon
Shay this year. Yeah.
- [18:25]
Tim Bontemps
Yeah.
- [18:25]
Brian Windhorst
Oh, Shay this year. Right.
- [18:27]
Tim Bontemps
Shay. Shay is having. We'll pivot to that series, man. Shay Shea is having a freaking killer, killer postseason.
- [18:34]
Ben McMahon
They got to a slow start.
- [18:36]
Tim Bontemps
Actually, he got off to a slow start. Yeah. It's his first two or three games. Yes. By his standards.
- [18:41]
Ben McMahon
Yeah. But we'll. We'll get to that. We'll get to the Little Thunders in a little bit.
- [18:46]
Brian Windhorst
He's closing well, just like the straw pole.
- [18:49]
Tim Bontemps
You know, we didn't mention that. That's probably why. That's probably. That's probably why he tossed that in there. That was just because I forgot.
- [18:57]
Brian Windhorst
Not because I only. I only mentioned it because Brian twice said to me, you know, want to talk about the straw pole on the pot? And he kept.
- [19:03]
Tim Bontemps
We're a little late now, but yeah, Mon.
- [19:05]
Ben McMahon
Timps was over there stretching his quads, trying to get the victory lap.
- [19:09]
Brian Windhorst
Hey, we talked about it in April. We knew where the boat was going to land and landed.
- [19:13]
Tim Bontemps
So where did the. Where did the straw poll predict? Obviously, it predicted Shay, but what was the predicted margin of victory?
- [19:20]
Brian Windhorst
The straw pole had Seagulls, Alexander and Nicole jokic getting all 100 first and second place votes. And I'm pausing because I'm pulling it.
- [19:30]
Ben McMahon
Up.
- [19:32]
Tim Bontemps
Pretending like you have it right there.
- [19:33]
Brian Windhorst
No, I. I looked it up earlier for something else. Shay had Shea with 77 first place votes and Yokich with 23. The final tally had Shay with 71 and Yoka to 29 within the margin for error. Eight guys in order correct.
- [19:50]
Tim Bontemps
Oh, is that right? That's the first I heard of that.
- [19:52]
Ben McMahon
Well, in Bon Temp's just on a heater.
- [19:57]
Tim Bontemps
He do you see that look on his face just now? He's like, just so you know, I'm.
- [20:02]
Brian Windhorst
Not worried about that. I'm not worried about the 8. But it was good to have the the results be gratified again.
- [20:08]
Tim Bontemps
Well, I was not in doubt of it at all.
- [20:10]
Brian Windhorst
Oh, neither was I. This was good.
- [20:13]
Ben McMahon
No. And listen, he's backed it up with a postseason that Tim Bontem's taking the.
- [20:18]
Tim Bontemps
Suspense out of the MVP vote since 2017.
- [20:22]
Ben McMahon
There you go. More HOOP Collective podcast after this if.
- [20:27]
Tim Bontemps
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- [22:11]
Damian Lillard
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- [22:50]
Brian Windhorst
Well, the suspense was taken out of the Thunder Wolves game about three minutes in. I mean holy moly, that Mike Breen. I saw Mike Breen tonight. Mike Breen fan at msg. Rare moment for him. Got to see a Nick win and I was talking about his call in the game and how at one point in the second quarter he just said it's, he said essentially, I'm paraphrasing, I don't remember exactly how he put it, but you just don't see a performance like this in the conference finals. And to see the, the Thunder just completely dismantle and overwhelm the Timberwolves like that was unbelievable.
- [23:27]
Ben McMahon
All starts the defensive end when that defense is in its Hornets nest mode like good luck, good luck, good.
- [23:36]
Tim Bontemps
Julius Randall was in hell.
- [23:40]
Ben McMahon
Nas Reed, I mean the whole Wolves.
- [23:43]
Tim Bontemps
Team just kept falling down.
- [23:46]
Ben McMahon
Well, and like Shea said, Shay said, you know, we made it tough on the guys that we were supposed to make it tough on. Then he goes, well we made it tough on everybody. And it was true. I mean the, the, the freaking Timberwolves with their season on the line scored nine points in the first quarter and had more turnovers than buckets in the first half. And time this postseason that the Thunder opponents had more turnovers and buckets in a half.
- [24:16]
Brian Windhorst
Well, and the other thing about the Thunder too is that they are not afraid to leave open guys they're not as worried about. And you saw the beginning of that game like Dave McDaniels got several wide openen looks in the first quarter and he took them, didn't hesitate to take.
- [24:30]
Tim Bontemps
Him but he started like one of 13 or something like that.
- [24:34]
Ben McMahon
He was, he was 06 pretty early.
- [24:36]
Brian Windhorst
And, and if you get shots like that against this under team and you don't make them and they get out in open air like they did in that game. And the crowd is going and the. The athletes are flying around. I mean, it's. It becomes a tsunami really fast. And that was just unbelievable. Watch.
- [24:54]
Ben McMahon
Then Case and Wallace and Caruso check in.
- [24:57]
Tim Bontemps
Oh, my God.
- [24:57]
Ben McMahon
Most disruptive defensive players.
- [24:59]
Brian Windhorst
Yes.
- [25:00]
Ben McMahon
Oh, my goodness.
- [25:01]
Tim Bontemps
Caruso was unleashing hell.
- [25:05]
Ben McMahon
I mean, he's just. He's. He might be the best help defender in the league.
- [25:12]
Brian Windhorst
I would remove just the havoc that.
- [25:14]
Ben McMahon
He creates, and then he can't do.
- [25:16]
Brian Windhorst
It for 45 minutes in a game. But when he's on the court, Alex Caruso is just unbelievable.
- [25:21]
Ben McMahon
Yeah.
- [25:23]
Brian Windhorst
Which again makes the Josh Giddy trade again so terrible.
- [25:28]
Tim Bontemps
Well, look, look, there's so terrible, right?
- [25:31]
Ben McMahon
He was leaving the Bulls regardless. But yeah, can you squeeze a pick out of the guy who's got a money?
- [25:35]
Brian Windhorst
I mean, just get.
- [25:36]
Tim Bontemps
Get a kid. I'll like, look at what this guy.
- [25:38]
Brian Windhorst
Is doing for this Thunder team. I mean, my God, what. What are.
- [25:41]
Ben McMahon
Like, there wasn't a market for him. There was multiple teams. But I was talking to Dagonal and he basically said, hey, as good as he is on the ball, he's at his best. He's most disruptive when he can kind of rove or play. He compared it to dread.
- [26:00]
Tim Bontemps
The thing about it is, is it?
- [26:01]
Brian Windhorst
Yes. That's exactly what he's like.
- [26:03]
Tim Bontemps
It's so we've reached an era in the NBA where. Where teams switching is so commonplace, the teams just allow the switch. Even good defensive teams, the screen is set and they just allow the switch. And you're more managing what happens after the switch. The Thunder are like, no, gosh darn it. We ain't allowing the freaking switch so easily. So you got Dort, who just absolutely refuses. He comes over the top all the time. And then when Dort is tired, they sub in Caruso. And Caruso was like, okay, well, now you have to try to set a screen on me. I'm fresh.
- [26:39]
Ben McMahon
Casey Wallace might be their best on ball defender.
- [26:42]
Brian Windhorst
Yeah. In case. Wallace is awesome.
- [26:45]
Ben McMahon
Dort was fourth and defense player of the year voting. But Case and Wallace might be their best on ball defender. And yeah, I mean, you know, talking to Caruso, Wallace doesn't know what he's doing. Like, he doesn't know tendencies of opponents. He doesn't really know scouting reports yet. Like, Caruso is trying to teach him, like, all this nuance, and Wallace kind of looks at him like, what are you talking about, dude? Like, just wherever he goes, I'm gonna be there. And then if it puts the ball in front of me, I'm gonna rip it away like it is all this stuff.
- [27:11]
Brian Windhorst
It's absolutely unbelievable to watch them, watch them cook on defense. It's so much fun to watch. And then you go to the other end and you got the MVP of the league. Just getting wherever he wants, gets every time he shoots in the mid range is automatic. Like they're looks that serious strong too.
- [27:28]
Ben McMahon
So did you.
- [27:28]
Brian Windhorst
He's playing great. Yes, those guys are playing great. I mean, look, I thought in the fourth quarter of game five in the second round that the finals were decided barring catastrophe. And it sure as hell feels that way right now. Like this is a great series. I'm very excited to see how this game goes Saturday, but I was talking to a few people about it here. It's very hard. As good as these teams are and they're really good teams, they've had great seasons like that. Whoever wins the series is going to be a deserving Eastern Conference champion. And the gulf between them and what they're about to face, I mean, it is going to be, it's going to be potentially a historic credit to Nicole Jokic that that series went the full seven and went the way it did because, man, there, there looks like there's a cavernous golf between the Thunder.
- [28:17]
Tim Bontemps
I have a couple of sobering things.
- [28:18]
Ben McMahon
To say here, Mo, with the tipsy tiki in the background.
- [28:22]
Tim Bontemps
Thunder. The Thunder are 80 and 18 this year.
- [28:26]
Brian Windhorst
That's pretty good. It's pretty good.
- [28:29]
Tim Bontemps
And I'd also like to point out they went 29 and one against the Eastern Conference.
- [28:34]
Ben McMahon
Yeah. And Bon Temps was at the one.
- [28:37]
Tim Bontemps
Yes, they've never, they never let him live it down in Cleveland. And you know, look, there's disturbances in the Force starting to happen on the Giannis front and potentially on the KD front. And we're going to see some significant transactions, I believe in the next four or five weeks. But I just want to point something out. You could argue that the most relevant trade in 20, 23, 24 to the championship was Drew Holiday getting traded to the Celtics.
- [29:05]
Ben McMahon
Yeah.
- [29:05]
Tim Bontemps
And we'll see what happens with the Knicks. I mean, the Knicks could come back and win the series and Towns could be the key, the reason. But. Or Bridges. But you could argue that the most impactful trade regard with regards to the championship in the 2024, 25 season was Alex Caruso.
- [29:26]
Brian Windhorst
Oh, again, I don't think that's arguable either.
- [29:28]
Ben McMahon
Well, I mean, listen, never say.
- [29:29]
Tim Bontemps
Well, if towns goes for two, 40 point games. We'll have a different discussion.
- [29:33]
Ben McMahon
Bigger upsets have happened but Oklahoma City is clearly heavy favorites rolling into the finals with them.
- [29:40]
Tim Bontemps
But I'm just saying like you know, obviously there's a reason there's a lot of detention paid to star player trades. But.
- [29:45]
Ben McMahon
Right. Yeah. Great, great defensive impact role players help.
- [29:52]
Brian Windhorst
You in Drew Holiday and Alex Caruso are not. I would, I would also not quite call them role players. They might end up as role play. They might. I'm just saying that I agree with.
- [30:01]
Ben McMahon
You of a role player. He's an excellent role. He's averaged double figures once in his college and NBA career. One points per game. He's a role player.
- [30:12]
Brian Windhorst
I understand that. I'm more saying that like a role player. Saying he's a role player I think undersells his impact. He obviously is a. He obviously is a role player.
- [30:23]
Tim Bontemps
From that he's something more than a role player. It's something.
- [30:26]
Ben McMahon
He's a guy who. He's a. He's a role player. He's a high impact role player.
- [30:30]
Tim Bontemps
It's exactly what he finishes the games just like Drew Holiday finishes as a role player. Yeah.
- [30:35]
Ben McMahon
And Bon Tims, you of all people should have an appreciation for role players.
- [30:41]
Tim Bontemps
Jackson. I wish we could. The end of the season we could get a montage of. Of McMahon, you know, ripping on Bon Temps. It would be. It would be iconic.
- [30:50]
Ben McMahon
More Hoop Collective podcast after this.
- [30:54]
Tim Bontemps
When you're on a business trip, you know what goes completely off the rails? Your workout routine. Especially when you book a hotel that doesn't have a gym. So what ends up happening is you do a few push ups and sit ups in your room, run around the block or just skip it entirely. Lame. If you just stay at A La Quinta by Wyndham, you'll discover there's a fully equipped fitness center at every location. Now you can wake up and power your buys and tries right away or de stress with some cardio. The choice is yours. Tonight La Quinta. Tomorrow you shine. Book direct at lq. Com Vivid Seats is your ultimate destination for basketball and hockey this season. They make it easy for every fan to watch their favorite teams and players in action. Catch every one timer and buzzer, beating three live and in person from your favorite seat. Plus, every ticket is backed by a 100% buyer guarantee, giving you peace of mind with repurchase. As the official ticketing partner of ESPN, we're excited to offer you $20 off your first $200 ticket purchase with Code Hoop. That's Code hoop. So visit vividseats.com or download the app today. Vivid Seats. Experience it live. All right. I do want to talk about the Timberwolves. Went to the Timberwolves post game, and I don't. I was traveling today, So I don't 100 know how the Ant press conference was perceived. I know that the morning ESPN shows made a big deal of it, or made a deal of it. Maybe not a big deal. I was there for the whole thing. I actually thought Ant was. The sound bite that's out there is, you know, Ant saying, I'm excited, I'm excited, I'm not hurting. I think that's. I think he was prompted with that, with the question, are you heard?
- [32:30]
Brian Windhorst
Yes. I mean, Spears asked him about. I don't remember exactly the question, but essentially, how painful is it to lose like this? And he was like, it's not painful for me. It's going to be fine. I feel bad for Mike. Who was Mike Copy? He was sitting next to him.
- [32:42]
Tim Bontemps
And I want to be clear. Ant had empathy for Conley in that press conference.
- [32:47]
Ben McMahon
Right?
- [32:48]
Brian Windhorst
That was the whole point of. That was the whole point of his answer. He then gave a whole nother answer about trying to come back and win for Mike again next year.
- [32:54]
Tim Bontemps
I know, but that's not the way it was digested by many people.
- [32:57]
Brian Windhorst
Well, what if. What do people expect, Anthony Edwards to sit up there and like, have a. A bucket of tears next to him? Apparently anybody.
- [33:04]
Tim Bontemps
Apparently she's supposed to cut a vein.
- [33:06]
Ben McMahon
Open and talk about what a failure he is. Listen, he is. He's 23 years old. He's been in the conference finals back to back times. Now, it doesn't. Doesn't guarantee he'll ever be back on that stage. But I like his odds.
- [33:19]
Tim Bontemps
Yeah.
- [33:20]
Ben McMahon
Of course, one thing. If he said, hey, like, we're good, man, we'll be fine. But no, what do you say? He said, I'm going to work harder than anybody this summer. Like, he's not. He's not like up there fat and happy.
- [33:32]
Brian Windhorst
Yeah, I happen to be watching it live. It's just very. I mean, the whole tenor of his answer was, yeah, I'm young guy, I'll be okay. I feel bad for my vet who I want to win a title for which, like, I. Sure. I don't know. It's why I don't even want to discuss it more than that.
- [33:45]
Tim Bontemps
Look, I think Ant, there are times that you can pluck out both on the court and off. Or Ant shows he can still add some maturity.
- [33:55]
Ben McMahon
Oh, for sure.
- [33:55]
Tim Bontemps
But I honestly think that Ant is thoughtful and deep. Much thought. More thoughtful and deep than, than it, than it.
- [34:04]
Brian Windhorst
Yeah. Look, here's, here's all we have to say about Anthony Edwards. Edwards is a fantastic player. He's probably Now a top 10 player in the league. Somewhere in that conversation you could argue He's a top 10 player. He might not be, but he's in the, in the discussion. And if he wants to get where he hopes to go, he's got to make meaningful improvements. He's got to make the roster too. Well, sure, they obviously have to get better because they've got this behemoth they have to try to get past and we'll see if they can. But Anthony Edwards in particular has got to become a much better playmaker. He's got to become a much more overall complete player. He's got to be a more focused player. All of which is fine. Like he's a phenomenal player. This is what happens. It's happened to every player in the history of the sport, basically, except for Magic Johnson. Like you have to get in the playoffs and have some failure and have some success and get better and improve and like he's, he's great. And you know, it's, it's going to be, you know, let's see what he looks like next year after a full off season to work on his game and not play with Team USA and be able to get his body right and be ready to go. And, you know, I expect him to be awfully good again next year. And it is going to be an interesting offseason for the Minnesota Timberwolves who have some real key free agents to deal with.
- [35:19]
Tim Bontemps
And by the way, I think that he has worked very hard on his game.
- [35:22]
Brian Windhorst
Of course he is. He's awesome. Yeah.
- [35:24]
Ben McMahon
He don't have that kind of high volume three point shooter.
- [35:27]
Tim Bontemps
Exactly. And let me just say something about it.
- [35:29]
Ben McMahon
He didn't arrive in the league. He's like a, an elite shooter. That's work.
- [35:34]
Tim Bontemps
Let me just say something about Ant that I think is helpful to understand when you watch him and hear him communicate. And this I learned from reading Chris Hein of the Star Tribune's book called Ant. You have to understand, and I talked to Chris about this when he came on the pod to talk about Ant when he was a young teenager, lost his mother and grandmother in like a 14 month span to cancer. They both died of cancer in 14 months. And I don't want to say he was homeless, like not on the street, but he didn't have a solid place that he could call home. He was living with siblings, he was living with friends, and the, you know, basketball was obviously an escape, but basically he made it through that with basketball, video games and a positive attitude. And so Ant has dealt. And I wouldn't claim that I've known him his whole life, but I haven't a significant amount of time around him. The last two summers with Team USA and these couple of playoff runs where I've covered the wolves, I think Ant, a lot of times is like, always is like, I'm going to stay upbeat. My defense mechanism is going to be to stay upbeat. And I can't relate to what he went through as a teenager. But just know that about him, that Ant's reaction and how he's dealt with some of the hardest parts of his life is to stay upbeat.
- [36:53]
Ben McMahon
Well, look, and is not without his flaws, but we're not going to sit here and question his competitiveness because he said he's exactly the 23.
- [37:01]
Brian Windhorst
Yeah, I don't. I think we can move on from the.
- [37:03]
Tim Bontemps
I know, I understand. I'm just talking about Ant in general, not just about his press conference.
- [37:08]
Brian Windhorst
Let's.
- [37:08]
Tim Bontemps
Let's.
- [37:09]
Brian Windhorst
Sure.
- [37:09]
Tim Bontemps
All right.
- [37:10]
Brian Windhorst
Let's talk about the Wells off season, which is pretty interesting.
- [37:12]
Tim Bontemps
I'll hold on. So Chris Finch said something very interesting and I also think candid. When it was over, Finch had a very good press conference. It was happening during the trophy presentation, so I'm not sure how much anybody saw with Finch. Finch was talking about, you know, really in relation to Mike Conley, who was near the end of his career, um, just how difficult it is to get back to where they are. And he's like, there's going to be 13 or so teams in the west next year who think that they're going to be able to do this exact thing. I mean, actually, I think he said 15 and I'm going to edit him to 13 because I don't really suspect the Jazz and maybe, maybe the Blazers think that they can do it, but I don't. I'm not going to put the Blazers there yet. But the other 13 teams, you know, pending what happens with the Pelicans and other stuff, like, are probably going to come into next season thinking they can make the top six. And Finch said we could not. We. He said, you8 team could have a really good season in the west next year and finish 42 and 40. Yeah, I thought that was relevant. And especially when, if I were Giannis, I thought, thinking about my situation but also relevant to the challenges that the Wolves have in front of them because remember, they did finish six. Now I know the difference between six and third or whatever. It's always one or two games. It's not like they were. But distant. But still this team finished sixth. And so yeah, they have, they have the free agents. We've talked about it for a while. Julius Randall, Nas Reed, Nikhil Alexander, Walker, who by the way was, that was his last game as a Timberwolf. Like not a great way. He was terrific in their victory in game three or game three and in.
- [38:59]
Ben McMahon
Game four he had a great game. But yeah, he was. It was a rough road series for him and all the role players, really.
- [39:07]
Tim Bontemps
Yeah. So. But a couple of things I would say about the Wolves. Number one, they gotta make sure their general manager is taken care of. Their president, Tim Connolly has an opt out in his contract that he built in last year that he, he has because the team sale didn't close. And so he rolled it over and he is a free agent to be. He's just as much of a free agent to be as Julius Randall, who's going to opt out of his player option, I expect. And so they got a. The new ownership, Mark Laurie and Alex Rodriguez got to lock him down. I assume that they will, but I'm just saying that he's not locked down. The second thing is, and I know that this is typical revisionist stuff, and so I acknowledge that it's not revisionist, but you know, post hindsight trade deadline discussion, which always gets a little hazy, it became clear to me in talking to the parties involved just how serious the Wolves were about trying to trade for Kevin Durant at the trade deadline. Now, at the time, the Wolves were not playing their best basketball. They subsequently finished the season, I think 18 and 5 and got to the Western Conference finals. So I don't want to make it imply that their mindset is that they're still where it was in February.
- [40:25]
Ben McMahon
That would have been an extraordinary, complicated series of deals to be.
- [40:29]
Tim Bontemps
Which is why they couldn't do it.
- [40:31]
Ben McMahon
Right.
- [40:31]
Tim Bontemps
But the point is this wasn't just like, well, we're not doing anything on trade deadline day. There were machination. You know, they, they made some sort of progress. The getting it done was impossible. They're two, they're two second apron teams. But after these guys opt out, the Wolves will not be a second apron team. Now they would have to maybe sign and trade. Whatever. I'm just, I'm not arguing that Durant's going to end up in Minnesota. I'm just saying that there was a point and you know, if you look at Tim Connolly, he made the big Go Bear trademark. He made the big, you know, trading Cat for Julius Randall and DiVincenzo trade he likes to make.
- [41:09]
Ben McMahon
He's showing that going back to Aaron Gordon in Denver.
- [41:13]
Tim Bontemps
That was a great trade that yeah. Arguably the, the key piece to put them into a championship.
- [41:19]
Ben McMahon
It was definitely the final piece. It just was delayed by Murray's knee injury.
- [41:23]
Tim Bontemps
Right. So I would just say yes, it's possible as we've talked about that they will resign Randall and Reed and maybe say goodbye to. Naw. But I also want to say that I got the coach talking about how jammed and tight the west is and you might have to be. You might have to have a great season to finish over 500. And I got evidence that the president, assuming he resigns, is going to maybe go big game hunting. That's what I would say about the Wolf spot ups. Go ahead.
- [41:51]
Brian Windhorst
Yeah, I mean I think that, I mean sure. I would say the more relevant thing is they've got three pretty important free agents to figure out between Julius Randall, Nas Reed and Nikhil Alexander Walker. And I don't think they can really afford to lose any of them. I'm not sure they're going to keep them all. But Alexander Walker is awfully good and I think it's sort of just been assumed that if they lose any of those guys, they're going to lose him. But I mean if he's not on their team next year, I think that's a real blow. And like you said, like you said, you're talking about this team is already, as we sit here right now, the Wolves aren't good enough. So if they're the Wolves right now, minus one of those guys next year.
- [42:33]
Tim Bontemps
Or that's the second apron in action.
- [42:35]
Ben McMahon
Well, but you know what is.
- [42:36]
Brian Windhorst
But I'm just saying like that's, it's, you know.
- [42:39]
Tim Bontemps
Well, they're hoping that Terence Shannon Jr.
- [42:42]
Ben McMahon
Right. I was gonna say sure. Who did show something in the series when he got his chance. Like he showed a lot.
- [42:48]
Tim Bontemps
They don't play the same type of way. But you know, if you're looking for additional player.
- [42:53]
Brian Windhorst
No, sure. I mean that's. It's just something to think about. Like it's like. Yeah, it's the whole point of the second apron. It's what the league is designed to do right now. But we spent all this time talking about how this team isn't good enough and they've got some key players that are up that they have to figure out on and they are expensive. And if they want to make any trades like this, they're going to have to move a bunch of guys to do it. Like, you know, and they could very quickly, if they do that, be in a scenario not too dissimilar than the one that the team Kevin Durant currently on is in. So it's, you know, it's. It's a very difficult challenge to try to level up from where they are, which is making the conference finals back to back years. And it's only made more difficult because when you look across the floor, the team they are playing is better than them, deeper than them, has more assets than them, has a longer Runway than them, despite the fact that they have Anthony Edwards on their team. That is a very. You want to talk about sobering thoughts? That is a very sobering thought.
- [43:52]
Ben McMahon
Yeah. The Thunder have the best player in that. In that series, and probably, I'm going to say three and four. And then if we're going to rank out like the top 15, they might have like eight or nine of. Of those.
- [44:06]
Brian Windhorst
Just leave it at that. Just leave it at that. They have the best player. They have the better. They have the better depth, and they have far more resources to get better going forward. That is, if you're trying to catch them, good luck.
- [44:18]
Ben McMahon
Although I think their resources are going to be used more to manage payroll than to.
- [44:23]
Brian Windhorst
I'm just saying. However, I'm not saying. I'm not saying they're turning them into star players. They just. They have infinite resources from a draft standpoint. They've got infinite depth. They've got the MVP of the league, and they're the youngest team to make the final since the 77 Blazers. Like, they got a lot going on.
- [44:42]
Ben McMahon
And they're the only team or one of four teams in NBA history is. Jackson's thrown in here to have 80 wins going into the Finals. You go Back to the 15, 16 warriors and a couple of Jordan Bulls teams. Yeah, like, it's, it's. This is a juggernaut.
- [44:56]
Tim Bontemps
And they're also not paying the luxury tax yet.
- [45:01]
Ben McMahon
I mean, that's.
- [45:02]
Tim Bontemps
I know, I know, but like, it's, it's been a. I'm trying to think of the last team that won the title that didn't pay the tax.
- [45:10]
Brian Windhorst
I believe it was when the Lakers won in the bubble. I believe the first year with LeBron and AD but it rarely. It rarely happens. And look, here's the other thing, I'll say 10 years ago when the Thunder were last in this position, Sam Presti had spent years preparing to pay heavy luxury tax bills in the future with the Big three as they aged in right, obviously Kevin Durant left, they went and got Paul George that Carmelo Anthony, etc. But the Thunder with that Carmelo Anthony, Paul George, Russell Westbrook team paid a boatload of money in luxury tax. And I can promise you this is not, I have not talked to Sam about this, but I covered the league for a long time. I've known Sam Presti for a long time. I have no doubt that the Thunder have spent the past couple of years or several years preparing for a future where they're going to be a very expensive team. So the idea that they're going to, oh, we're just going to. They're going to trade away all the star players going to get the second April, they're not going to be able to afford it. I feel pretty comfortable saying the Thunder will be prepared to have this team be a team in this sort of situation for a very long time.
- [46:22]
Tim Bontemps
They learned a lot of lessons, which they would admit, maybe not on the record, but they would admit they learned a lot of lessons from that. And they had bad luck. Durant lost the one year to the foot injury. Westbrook hurt his knee. Of course, you know they traded James Harden when they couldn't agree to a contract after his third season.
- [46:40]
Ben McMahon
Right.
- [46:41]
Tim Bontemps
This is Chet and Jalen Williams third seasons. I, you want to bet they get these dudes into contracts?
- [46:46]
Ben McMahon
I would anticipate those guys are going to be in OKC for a long time to come. And look, if you're going to be a luxury tax team, be a luxury tax team is playing into late May and June on a regular basis and be a luxury tax team that is having an arena built for you, a brand new arena built for you. Yeah.
- [47:04]
Tim Bontemps
By the way, can I just. I've spent a lot of time obviously this year in, in what's it called, Paycom center. Did a great job with that arena.
- [47:15]
Ben McMahon
I'll say this. It's, it's full and it's loud.
- [47:18]
Tim Bontemps
They're replacing it obviously because it's not.
- [47:21]
Ben McMahon
Doesn't have the modern bells and whistles.
- [47:23]
Tim Bontemps
I understand. It's a great arena. I'm telling you. It's a great arena.
- [47:26]
Ben McMahon
It's a great atmosphere.
- [47:28]
Tim Bontemps
Yeah. You know, there's, there's some arenas that are older that have had renovations done and they're still not great arenas. And you're like, boy, they, they went cheap on that. And you know, it looks a little bit nicer, but it's not a great arena. This arena. You know, they've got a great arena. That is a terrific show place.
- [47:46]
Brian Windhorst
So I would say it's a top three place to watch a game in the league with Boston here at Madison Square Garden and Oklahoma City. In terms of atmosphere.
- [47:54]
Tim Bontemps
Let me think about that. I don't, I don't disagree with you.
- [47:59]
Brian Windhorst
I'm excited. I haven't been at a, at a Thunder playoff game since Game 6 in 2016. I am in Oklahoma City. I am very excited to experience that atmosphere again.
- [48:09]
Tim Bontemps
Yesterday was the anniversary of that. We were running the, we were running the, the highlights on various platforms on espn. I'm sure the Thunder did not appreciate it, but Clay I'm sure did.
- [48:21]
Ben McMahon
Thompson, not Bennett.
- [48:22]
Tim Bontemps
But it'll be a terrific place to have the finals.
- [48:27]
Brian Windhorst
Oh, it's going to be awesome.
- [48:29]
Tim Bontemps
A little tough to get in and out of there, but whatever. Had to fly dramatically out of, out of the way today.
- [48:37]
Ben McMahon
Okay, now we're getting windy travel updates. Okay.
- [48:40]
Tim Bontemps
Yeah. Yeah. Okay.
- [48:43]
Ben McMahon
Jump home. Plane went up, plane went down and there was. Right, right in my front door.
- [48:48]
Tim Bontemps
You just finished that first cocktail that.
- [48:50]
Brian Windhorst
Drive one time and said, nope, can't do it Again.
- [48:54]
Ben McMahon
A little under the weather. Again, a little under the weather. Just sipping on some water. Also, I'm not a cocktail guy. Surveys Solomon Day.
- [49:01]
Tim Bontemps
That is right. All right, well, when we talk to you again, maybe we'll know the finals match up.
- [49:08]
Ben McMahon
Maybe.
- [49:09]
Tim Bontemps
Or maybe we won't. I ain't taking anything off the table. You can mock me for taking.
- [49:15]
Brian Windhorst
Yes, again. Again, Brian, with you that the either the Knicks or the Pacers could win. Game six are on the table. It's a 50, 50 proposition. There's a game seven.
- [49:28]
Tim Bontemps
I, I think coming into today the, The Knicks were 30 to 1 to win the championship. Okay, that's different. But you know, what were the Pacers? I mean, you know, I'm just telling you, I think it's, I think it's closer to even than you would think.
- [49:39]
Ben McMahon
I don't think we're going to find Wendy like the roulette tables in Vegas.
- [49:44]
Tim Bontemps
No, I don't feel pretty confident about that. Oh, that's right. Just in case you missed it, third Annual Hoop Collective live show in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand, Brad Garrett's Comedy Club July 12 Saturday, July 12 During Summer League 6pm I received some, some mocking today from some people for the 6pm start time. Look where Are you coming? What's that?
- [50:10]
Ben McMahon
We are your pregame.
- [50:12]
Tim Bontemps
Yes, of course. You come to that and then you go out to Vegas and gamble. I'm not, you know, this is not a midnight show. Bon Temps isn't showing any leg. All right, hoopl eventbrite.com for tickets and information.
- [50:25]
Ben McMahon
I, I think some league. I know it's, you know, I know, Wendy, it's, it's a chore to get you to, to work at that point of the year, but I do think you're not kidding. I think it's the perfect time for us to have this because listen, you, you do it like the hardcore NBA fans flock to summer league. And it's not like the in season tournament where people don't know who's going to be there. Everyone's, every team's going to be there. So I think this is going to be a. I think this has a chance to be something that sticks on an annual basis.
- [50:55]
Tim Bontemps
Oh, really?
- [50:55]
Ben McMahon
I think this could be a whole event for the collective, I would say.
- [50:59]
Tim Bontemps
All right, well, to negotiate that, sir.
- [51:02]
Ben McMahon
But for the right price.
- [51:05]
Tim Bontemps
Yeah. All right. Thank you to Jackson for not sleeping in the playoffs. Thank you to Bontemps for staying up late and going home and changing diapers. Thank you to McMahon fighting through a cold by taking a 35 minute flight from Oklahoma City to Dallas. Thank you for watching listening to the HOPP Collective. I said we would talk to you next week. Um, I was totally out of sorts of what day it was. Bontemps is now trying to talk me into doing the podcast Saturday night after.
- [51:33]
Brian Windhorst
Be clear. To be clear, this is a Jackson idea, not a me idea. This is a Jackson idea.
- [51:38]
Tim Bontemps
I didn't say it was your idea. I said you were trying to talk me into it.
- [51:42]
Brian Windhorst
Just so think the people are going to want a live reaction to Game 6 in Indianapolis.
- [51:47]
Tim Bontemps
All right, well, we may have the podcast post on Sunday. Now that I've said it, I've kind of talked, I've kind of painted myself into the corner.
- [51:53]
Ben McMahon
Or we may not one of those two will be true.
- [51:56]
Brian Windhorst
Like everything else, it's all up in the air. You'll never know. It's on the table.
- [52:02]
Tim Bontemps
As Jackson says, it's on the table. Well done.
- [52:05]
Ben McMahon
And with that, adios, amigos.