← Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective
Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective
Major Conference Semifinal Controversy + Previewing Two Massive Game 6’s
00:54:02
Hoop Collective: Major Conference Semifinal Controversy + Previewing Two Massive Game 6’s + 76ers’ Future Concerns & NBA Draft Combine Reactions
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- [00:00]
Brian Windhorst
No one goes to Hank's for spreadsheets. They go for a darn good pizza. Lately, though, the shop's been quiet, so Hank decides to bring back the $1 slice. He asks Copilot in Microsoft Excel to look at his sales and costs and help him see if he can afford it. Copilot shows Hank where the money's going
- [00:18]
Ben McMahon
and which little extras make the dollar slice work. Now Hanks has a line out the door. Hank makes the pizza, Copilot handles the spreadsheets.
- [00:27]
Brian Windhorst
Learn more@m365copilot.com work. Hello and welcome to the Hoop Collective podcast. We talk about the NBA, which we're doing on Thursday afternoon. Oh, sweet afternoon. No NBA games tonight. Spectacular. Joining us from Chicago at the NBA Draft combine and sitting in front of a sign if you're not watching on YouTube that says big Chicken. Which he is not because he's not afraid to make bold predictions, it's Tim Bontemps.
- [00:58]
Tim Bontemps
Hello everybody.
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Brian Windhorst
Joining us from Dallas, Texas, still relaxing, Ben McMahon.
- [01:02]
Ben McMahon
Howdy partners. I was going to say, I think Big Chicken is a great description for how Bon Temps approaches the job.
- [01:08]
Brian Windhorst
I don't think it lands. All right, so we had an interesting NBA game on Wednesday night and literally about five minutes before we started recording this, the NBA put out its last two minute report. It won't be fresh news by the time this podcast comes out, but it's fresh news to us in this moment. Let me just say, and I don't know how you feel about this bond temps, but I don't want a 22 game 5 when the series is 22 to be decided by a loose ball foul 70ft from the team's basket. Having said that, a foul is a foul and if I was a Detroit Pistons fan, I would be breathing fire about the way that the Pistons Cavs Game 5 ended on Wednesday night with a non call. The last two minute report that just came out not only said that that was the correct non call but that every call made by the officials in the last two minutes and overtime were correct calls. So I don't know what to say, but it was a high high stakes basketball game that saw a lot of drama and the Cavs had their first road win of the postseason. And if I was a Pistons fan, I would not be satisfied.
- [02:19]
Tim Bontemps
Yeah, I mean there's two different conversations to have about this game, right? One is that the Pistons absolutely choked it away and had a horrible fun the final three minutes of regulation and we're not much better in overtime and cavs managed to come back and win the game. The other conversation to have is this was very obviously a foul. Matt, the combine, there were a hundred people at the bar. I was sitting with Bobby Marks watching the game at every person in the bar said, oh my God, how did they not call a foul? It was very obvious like. And look, I covered an NCAA tournament game 15 years ago between Pitt and Butler. PIT was the number one team, I think in the tournament. They were playing Butler second year in a row. Butler would go on to play in the national title game in D.C. and Matt Howard got fouled 93ft from the basket after grabbing a free throw miss and he flung the ball down court and they called a foul because he got grabbed by the guy in pit and it was a foul. And it was not great that the game was ended on a free throw at basically at the buzzer rather than going to overtime. But a foul was committed. And look, the NBA can do whatever they want with the last two minute report and they can do whatever they want with a judgment call and say the Tony brothers didn't eat his whistle and obviously not call a foul that the whole world could see. And, and yeah, like it would have in a different way. It would have been unsatisfying. But we talk a lot about the refs and ironically we talk about. Jimmy Bickerstaff likes to complain about the refs more than he needs to most of the time. As we have talked about in the past, this is one time where you can pretty definitively say Tony Brothers cost Detroit the game. Because that foul would have been called with less than a second to go if Sar. Maybe our Sartanas misses both free throws, but at least we would have had a chance to do it. And by not calling that, you eliminate the chance for Detroit to win the game right there. And when that game went to overtime, I was pretty confident we was going to go on and win the game. Did. And again you can say, well, the Pistons shouldn't have blown that lead. Totally true. Pistons were terrible late. Kate Cunningham had bad turnovers again, they had bad process. They missed open shots. All that is true. At the end of the day though, that foul is called, it's three, two, Detroit going to game six. And I don't think anybody is sitting here saying, oh man, you know, they shouldn't have called that foul. They would have said, yeah, Jared Allen ran him over and tripped him and the way the game ended and it would have just. Everyone would have moved on. But you know, that's. That's the way it goes sometimes. And we'll see if the Pistons can respond in game six.
- [04:43]
Ben McMahon
I mean this is a case of like who are you going to believe? The last two minute reporter or your lion eyes? You know, like they included a video link like they always do with every play in the last two minute report. I haven't clicked on it. I don't know if they like doctored the footage, but it clearly it was a foul now and I'll be honest with you, I tuned in to J.B. bickerstaff's post game press conference expecting just belligerent, you know, I because he can breathe fire. He was very matter of fact about it. You know, he said, I mean it was a foul. Like it wasn't called. That's tough. He didn't rant and rave. I thought he was going to. And having said all that, the Pistons didn't deserve to be bailed out on a call. Like it wouldn't have been. It would have been a fair ending because it was a foul. It would not have been a just ending. That was a game the Pistons deserve to lose because of the way they completely melted down in the fourth quarter. The offense went just absolutely kaput. Jalen Duran was reduced to being a cheerleader. Honestly, the most impressive thing that Jalen Duran did last night was face the media post game. I mean we've seen a lot of players, a lot of young players in that kind of situation find a way to avoid the media. I'll give him credit for staying on Victor Wembanyama.
- [05:59]
Brian Windhorst
There was nothing preventing him from facing the media after he got ejected except for he just didn't do it right.
- [06:05]
Ben McMahon
And so I will, and I'm being dead serious. I'll give Jaylen Duran credit for standing up and being accountable when it's been a really rough go and he got the plug pulled on him for all of the fourth quarter and overtime. But the fact that the guy was supposed to be Cade Cunningham's co star is a complete non factor in this series is a massive concern now and a real complication this summer. So again, the Pistons absolutely earned a loss. But if the thing's called the way it should be called, they should have been bailed out by a bonehead foul on Jared Allen.
- [06:40]
Tim Bontemps
The only other thing I'll say too is the two points to Cleveland scored before that were on a foul on Tobias Harris that Tony Brothers called on an Evan Mobley drive where there was about as much contact as there was on this Sar Thompson play with Jared Allen. And Evan Mobley didn't even lose the ball on the play. So again, if you're a Detroit Pistons fan, you're watching the last minute of the game, same end of the court, you would say, okay, you kind of hit Evan Mobley and you call a foul there, you knock over another guy, you don't call a foul there. I again, do not think Detroit should have been bailed out, but, well, at
- [07:13]
Brian Windhorst
least Evan Mobley is driving to the basket like, you know, in a scoring play. You know, it's. I think it's, it's. I don't think it's quite. Apples. Apples. But look, the Cavs were, you know, ESPN analytics said it was 97% the Pistons to win. I don't, I don't know about that. Let's just say it's 1 in 20, you know, something like that.
- [07:34]
Tim Bontemps
That would be 95%, so whatever. Sure.
- [07:37]
Brian Windhorst
It was a rare to be down nine on the road with less than three minutes to go.
- [07:42]
Tim Bontemps
It's hard to win that game and it's hard to lose that game.
- [07:44]
Brian Windhorst
Right. And by the way, to be down 9 and actually have a shot to win, that's really hard because you're down, you know, you're down three possessions and, you know, you would make that up and have a chance to win. That was the crazy set of circumstances. Whenever that happens, you need you, you know, the comeback team needs to play very well, which the Cavs did. Evan Mobley arguably made the biggest shot of his career. He made a three pointer from the top of the key without hesitation in a vital moment. That was a big thing for him,
- [08:14]
Ben McMahon
right after a big time drive and dunked by him.
- [08:17]
Brian Windhorst
Yes. And he also had a defensive play where he got a block, I think, in that sequence. So you have that and then you have, you know, Donovan Mitchell, he made a driving basket. He had been, I think, 0 for 8 in the second half, and he made a driving basket. Jared Allen had a putback. James Harden, I think, got to the foul line. But the point is, everybody in the Cavs side had a, had a pathway or had a piece of it. On the Detroit side, there were mistakes. You know, Tobias Harris missed a wide open shot. Dana Jenkins missed a wide open shot. Caris LeVert had the last possession for the Pistons, went in look like he tried to get fouled, ended up falling on his back and throwing up an airball. It takes all of those things, plus the call or non call to come back from nine points down with two and a half minutes left. And so It's a conglomeration of all of them. Let's talk about what's now going to, going to happen in this series because this will be coming out Friday. Friday night is game six. Okay? The, the home team, the Cavs have been undefeated at home in this postseason. And let's just be clear. The Pistons are 6 and 6 in the playoffs. The Cavs are 7 and 5. Neither of these teams is uninspiring a
- [09:22]
Tim Bontemps
run to the conference finals for either team as you could possibly have.
- [09:26]
Brian Windhorst
Well, for two teams that are top four seeds, you know, so that's why
- [09:29]
Tim Bontemps
I'd say it's uninspiring. Neither, neither team has impressed in either round.
- [09:33]
Brian Windhorst
Right. So let's just be clear that both of these teams are flawed. And I think this series could still go any which way. Okay? But the Pistons have clearly lost three games in a row. So J.B. bickerstaff, guys, has a couple of potential choices in front of him. Jalen Duran is giving him very little. And he played 25 minutes in game five. In those 25 minutes, he was minus 16 in a game that went to overtime. And he didn't play in overtime.
- [10:01]
Ben McMahon
So he didn't play in the fourth quarter. He got DeAndre Ayton.
- [10:04]
Brian Windhorst
He did. I think he actually came in for a rebound on a.
- [10:08]
Ben McMahon
He didn't play one second in the fourth quarter. He was going to come in and then he didn't.
- [10:11]
Tim Bontemps
He came in and stood at the free throw line and they made the free throw and they called time. That was the one time he was on the call.
- [10:17]
Brian Windhorst
So anyway, here's, here are his numbers in the series. He is, he is averaging nine points. He averaged over 20 during the regular season of 20 and 10. Guy he is shooting under 50%, 46%. He shot over 65% of the regular season, averaging just six rebounds, half of what he averaged. But more than any of his statistics, which are down, obviously. Cause his minutes are down. He's getting, he's getting beat back door. He's taking the wrong angles. He's getting beat for rebounds. And the other thing is, is that when J.B. bickerstaff has played Paul Reed, B ball Paul, he's been terrific. Paul Reed in 41 minutes in three games. He's 15 of 20 from the field and has had huge impact on energy plays. And to the point where Jamie Bickerstaff was asked, like, how come you don't play Paul Reed? How come you haven't been playing Paul Reed more? And he said that he thought that Paul plays better when he comes in and the Pistons are down because his energy changes the game. It's a fascinating concept, but, like, in an elimination game, you can't take a guy who's been your best big man and say, we're going to wait till we're down. And even Isaiah Stewart, he has not has as much minutes because he's had to get Paul Reed minutes. And so the question is this, what are you going to do with Jalen Duran?
- [11:46]
Ben McMahon
I don't believe in benching foundation players.
- [11:50]
Brian Windhorst
Agree.
- [11:51]
Ben McMahon
I don't believe in that. And this is a sink or swim moment for Jalen Durham for a ton of reasons. Um, obviously we've talked a lot about his negotiations coming up this summer. There was a sink or swim moment for him in game seven of the first round. Let's be honest.
- [12:08]
Tim Bontemps
He.
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Ben McMahon
He had a bad first round, and in game seven, he came through for him. He had 15 and 15. He was the player that we saw all season long. I challenge him. I say, hey, I'm sticking with you. We need you at your best. You know, we. We can't have you getting beat up and outplayed by two. Two. You know, the Cavs got two good bigs, but they're not guys who are known as enforcers. Like, we need you to be an enforcer. So I'm challenging them and I'm sticking with them. And I'm going to go. I'm going to go down. You know, there's an old saying of Texas high school football coach saying, dance with the. Dance with the one who brung you.
- [12:48]
Brian Windhorst
Yeah. No one outside Texas ever said that.
- [12:49]
Tim Bontemps
Yeah, I was going to say, well,
- [12:51]
Ben McMahon
listen, nobody, I guarantee it was made up by a Texas high school football coach. At least that's where I first heard it. Dance for the one who brought you.
- [12:58]
Tim Bontemps
Sure.
- [13:00]
Brian Windhorst
All right, never mind. I'm just gonna let that go.
- [13:02]
Tim Bontemps
We will let that go. Yeah. I mean, look, the Pistons need to really ramp up the play. Better adjustment. Cade Cunningham was much better in Game 5 than he was in the two games in Cleveland when he was very bad. I mean, I would still say that the two. You know, if Detroit loses this game or series, you're going to obviously look at the end of game five and you're going to look at the end of Game 3. When Kate Cunningham, a first team All NBA player and a top five MVP finisher this year, had three of the worst turnovers you're ever going to see in a critical 45 second stretch of the game. And frankly just cost his team, the game. Like if he doesn't make those turnovers, Detroit I think wins the game. They had all the momentum at that point and instead the game flipped back around the other way. They lose a Chance to go up 30 and the series probably would have been a sweep. Then like if they win that game, they go up 3 0. They could have just hammerlock the Cavs. Instead they let the Cavs off the mat. It's a game. Thinking back on it, it's a game that reminds me a lot of Bucs, Raptors Game 3 in 2019 in Toronto. That game went to overtime. Toronto ends up winning the game after Kyle Lowry fouled out down the stretch of the game and Milwaukee had a chance to go up 3 0. They let that game get away. The Raptors got back off the mat. They went four in a row. They closed the series out in six games. That's, I think what's going to happen here. And the Pistons are going to spend all summer kicking themselves over the end of game five and the end of game three when they very easily could have had the series close out in five. And instead now they're in a position where they can lose it in six.
- [14:32]
Brian Windhorst
Let's talk about Cade. He did have 39 points and he was really on his way because he was. He had made a couple of big shots earlier in the fourth quarter when the Pistons built that nine point lead. The game was, was, was. The Cavs had the lead and the Pistons jump up by nine and Cade led that. But he had six turnovers in game five. He's had 11 straight games with at least four turnovers. So basically the whole playoffs they played 12 with at least four. And when your offense doesn't have a massive margin for error, that's extremely painful. And then the other thing is, is that Kenny Atkinson and the Cavs defense have super duper ramped up their double teams of, of Cade Cunningham. That was basically how they got back in the game. They double teamed him on the perimeter and then played zone. Not, maybe not every possession, but I certainly saw multiple possessions. They played zone behind them and they. It's basically just daring the. I mean basically it's a triangle in two essentially with a two on him, right? Exactly like a triangle and two with a box in one mindset. And you know, the Pistons generated open shots out of it. It wasn't like he tried to. The one time he did try to beat it and he got off a halfway decent shot. He missed it, but he generated open shots out of but here's the stats. Games 1 through 3, the Cavs double teamed Cade 12 times in the three games. Four times a game, he was 4 of 10 shooting on those possessions. Shot. I'm sorry, their team was 4 of 10 on those possessions. Those 12 possessions, not great. The Cavs would probably take that. And that's probably why in the last two games they've double teamed him 33 times. And in on those possessions, they have generated 27 shots. 7 of 27, barf. And I believe they were O of 8 on the last nine double teams in the fourth quarter.
- [16:35]
Ben McMahon
Well, and some of it was just not like there were times they just missed clean looks out of it. There was also a lot of hesitation, A lot like, hey, somebody's going to have to shoot the ball type of possessions. Cade's last points in regulation, I don't. I have to look at overtime. His last points in regulation, though, it was 641 remaining and they'd never figured out how to score without he missed a few shots down the stretch. You know, part of this is like, Cade's got to find a way to come through as a closer. Whether that's, you know, creating a shot for somebody else or, you know, finding a way to get the ball back and be able to get a look for himself. You know, Duncan Robinson was really missed down that stretch just because, like, they have such little shooting on that roster. He missed the game with a lower back intuition. Danis Jenkins played well, but, you know, would have been nice to have Duncan Robinson spacing on the floor down a stretch. Now you could say, well, it would have given the Cavs a bullseye to go after, but that's going to be a painful film session to watch. Those last six and a half minutes of the fourth quarter for the Pistons.
- [17:46]
Brian Windhorst
Also the last three games, the three games the Cavs have won. And this is something that I thought jb, in retrospect, I thought that JB maybe could have gone after the. There have been times where I thought JB has gone after the referees this year where I was like, I don't know what that's accomplishing. Yeah, but on this one, he. And I'm not even talking about the call at the end of regulation. The Cavs have a hundred free throws in the last three games. The Pistons have 54. It's a 46 differential. And that's a tough situation in a three game spread. Now the Cavs are probably going to have more free throws than the Pistons on an average game because they have free Throw more free throw hunters and the Pistons play physical, but 46 is not going to get it done. And the other thing I'll point out, in addition to Duncan Robinson being a three point dominant player for the first three games and then being ineffective in game four and missing game five, Tobias Harris, who has been an absolute rock offensively for them last two games, 1 of 13 in the second half shooting. So the Pistons are going the wrong direction here and the question is going to be what is JB going to do to get them out of it? And it may just be as simply as challenging them. But you know, when you've lost three games in a row and you're the number one seed and you're facing elimination, you consider doing some stuff. Then again, they were down 3:1 the last series and won three games.
- [19:04]
Tim Bontemps
There's also just not a lot of buttons to push. Partly by design, Trajan Langdon didn't make any moves to make the team better at the trade deadline. And you know, I mean, at the time I did not love that because I do think there's a good chance this is Detroit's best chance to get through. And I think. I'm not saying they should have traded all their picks and blown everything up, but I do think sometimes there's sort of a assumption that you have infinite time. I know you like to say there's always time, Brian, but there's not actually.
- [19:35]
Brian Windhorst
Well, this actually is always time. You're down by nine with two and a half minutes.
- [19:38]
Tim Bontemps
But I mean, in the life cycle of a team on the Detroit side, like sometimes you think you're going to have six chances to break through and you don't.
- [19:48]
Brian Windhorst
That's true.
- [19:49]
Tim Bontemps
This might be the best chance to try has as a number one seed when they were relatively healthy all year, to break through and get all the way through even though they hadn't done it before. And you know, like Kobe White didn't get traded for very much. Think Kobe White would be helping the Pistons right now. Like it'd be a pretty welcome addition to their team. So, you know, look, we'll see what happens the rest of the series. But Sar Thompson, we had barely talked about him. He obviously is a terrific defensive player. The offensive problems are a real problem. The Cavs are just not guarding him. It's messing up a lot of what Detroit is doing. You mentioned the end of the game. It's as much not having Duncan Robinson out there as it is having a Sar Thompson out there where there's. They could just go at a Sar Thompson or go at him offensively and just say we're not going to cover you. We're going to play 4 on 5 on everybody else. So it's, it's a tough challenge but at the end of the day Detroit is going to need a fantastic Kate Cunningham game. He's got to be the best player on the court. And like you said earlier McMahon, JB has to go with Jalen Dern and say you are an all NBA player this year. You've frankly been the biggest disappointment in the whole playoffs by a country mile and you've got to be a lot better if we want our series, our season to continue because if you're not, they're not coming back from Cleveland like that's the only way they're going to get a game seven is if he looks like Jalen Dern.
- [21:03]
Ben McMahon
Yeah, I, I don't know that JB needs to tell Jalen Dern how much of a disappointment he's been. I think Jaylen Dern's probably well aware of that.
- [21:13]
Tim Bontemps
Relax. Relax with the wording. Point is, the point is he's got to go at him and say we need you to be the guy you've been all season. Like where is a hundred percent we need you to play like that.
- [21:23]
Ben McMahon
I, I think he's got a, I think he's got to hype him up. But yes, I agree that, I agree that he's got to stick with him and he's got to figure out whatever it is he's got to figure out a way to get the Jalen Dern that we saw from October through mid April and not the guy that we've seen for the last almost month now. You know the one thing I'm going to disagree with you just on pilot on them for not making moves before the deadline and your point about, your point about Cody White, Kobe White, I like I. Okay, that's fair. But in terms of this being their, their one real swing at it, I can't agree with that when the face of their franchise is 24 years old.
- [22:06]
Tim Bontemps
Yeah, I'm not saying it is definitely but I'm not and I'm again I'm not saying they had to trade four first round picks for people but like there's a. I would assume who got traded to Minnesota for second round picks and Kobe White got traded to Charlotte for second round picks and they were involved by the way in the out of sumo trade. That's how that they were part of the trade. Like they could have gotten one of Those guys and not given up even a first and wouldn't have impacted any of their long term stuff and they would have had a guy who would fit with their team. They could have signed this summer and by the way would potentially be helping them maybe make the NBA finals this year. That's, that's all I'm saying. Like there are ways to middle it where they could have been more aggressive to make the team team better without sacrificing their future and by being the most patient possible and essentially just doing a rebuilding team kind of move to move up in the first round to take on money which is what they did in that trade. Like if they were going to lose in the first or second round of the playoffs especially you're going to look back on that and say that was a missed opportunity to make the team better and maybe they'll have a great run here where they go to the finals a bunch of times. But they now have to decide what to do with Jalen Durham, pay him this summer. And this has been a very concerning month on that front and you have to do the same thing with the SAR Thompson and it's been frankly a very concerning month on that front too because those two guys have shown that while they are talented players, if those are your three core players going forward, like that's going to be a challenge to get where you hope to go with Cade Cunningham.
- [23:37]
Ben McMahon
I don't think anything you said is unfair, but I've been comparing the Pistons situation all, you know, for several months now to the Thunder situation a couple years ago. And look, Sam Presti was criticized by some people, some people at our company even for not making a move to help the Thunder that season. That's when they made the Gordon Hayward trade which they thought they'd get something from him. He gave him nothing and, but they cleared some, some money. That's also when they facilitated the Mavericks acquisition for Daniel Gaffer. The Mavericks went out and got PJ Washington who really helped, I'm basically was critical in beating the Thunder, got Daniel Gafford with the Thunders pick and you know, Presti was criticized some and obviously what he did was he evaluated the roster, saw the holes, acted very aggressively that summer and you know, the rest is history that's being written right now. I'm not saying that the Pistons are the next dynasty. I'm saying I'm going to delay judgment on their front office's approach. Although what you're saying about being able to get guys who could help for not a major price that's fair.
- [24:47]
Brian Windhorst
By the way, the Cavs have have not made it to the Eastern conference finals without LeBron since 1992, so that would be a major accomplishment, obviously would be Donovan Mitchell's first ever visit. And you know, Kenny Atkinson, understanding the moment, immediately came out after the game and said that Game six was a must win for them. And I get why he said that.
- [25:07]
Ben McMahon
Who is your favorite player on the 92 Cavs?
- [25:10]
Brian Windhorst
Danny Ferry. They had some of my favorite Cavs ever. Mark Price, Larry Nance, Brad Dougherty More
- [25:19]
Ben McMahon
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- [26:29]
Brian Windhorst
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- [28:33]
Tim Bontemps
Right.
- [28:34]
Brian Windhorst
And I remember this. You said, you said they think they can win it. And I was, you know, I was, I was skeptical.
- [28:40]
Ben McMahon
Yeah, I mean them not making a move was doubling down of hey, we've got the guys right now who can win it.
- [28:46]
Tim Bontemps
We don't.
- [28:47]
Brian Windhorst
I am watching this roster.
- [28:48]
Tim Bontemps
Can I, can I gently push back a little bit? Let they, they played Portland in the first round and were down double digits in multiple games and they did come back in one. Just hold on. And they're playing a beaten up Minnesota team. Now listen, they, Victor was amazing in game five and played great coming off the suspension and they're up three two and I think they're going to win game six and close the series out. I'm only saying that to say that they are about to play a team that is 8 no in the playoffs and is steamrolling anybody and are the defending champ and they will be the.
- [29:24]
Brian Windhorst
And they will be appropriately favorable. What I'm saying is I'm stutter stepping because I'm watching the production.
- [29:30]
Tim Bontemps
Of course you're stutter stepping. Of course.
- [29:33]
Ben McMahon
Interruption brought to you by.
- [29:36]
Tim Bontemps
Well I just, I was just, I just couldn't help but laugh and I'm, you know I'm not going to make a prediction. Yes, we know you're not going to make a prediction prediction. You're going to Say everybody can win. So I just couldn't help but laugh.
- [29:46]
Brian Windhorst
All right, let me give you the numbers of how everybody on the spurs team is performing in this year. And by the way, I agree, Minnesota is banged up. They're also damn good.
- [29:56]
Tim Bontemps
Yes, Minnesota's great.
- [29:57]
Brian Windhorst
They are really experts at playoff series and playoff games and they are a hard team to kill.
- [30:03]
Tim Bontemps
Yep, the spurs did everything you would want them to do in game. Like we talked about the other day. They did everything you'd want them to do in that game five. That was an incredibly impressive performance. To re establish control of the series.
- [30:16]
Brian Windhorst
Victor's stats are a little bit down because he obviously only played a few minutes in game three.
- [30:23]
Ben McMahon
Oh, this is just a series of playoffs.
- [30:26]
Brian Windhorst
This is just for this series.
- [30:27]
Ben McMahon
Okay, okay.
- [30:29]
Brian Windhorst
Because I was told that Portland's no good. Just teasing Bot Thames. Just relax.
- [30:34]
Ben McMahon
Learning fun.
- [30:36]
Brian Windhorst
Wembanyama is averaging 20 points, 13 rebounds, four blocks, shooting 51%. Stefan Castle, 18 points, six assists, five rebounds, shooting 51%. Darren Fox, 17 points, four rebounds. Not shooting that great, especially from three, but still 17 a game. Dylan Harper, rookie, 15 points, six rebounds. God, does he rebound for a guard. God, does he go to the basket and look to rebound? Shooting 54%. Again, not so good from three point range. We talked about the first three point range. I'm still going. Devin Vassell, 13 points, four rebounds, three assists, 44%.
- [31:17]
Tim Bontemps
Yes. They have good players that are scoring points. Yes.
- [31:21]
Brian Windhorst
Kelton Johnson, 11.2 points off the bench, four rebounds, 50% from the field. Are you hearing these numbers? Julian Shampeny, 11 points, six rebounds, shooting 43%, 34% from three. Oh my God, they keep coming. I haven't even talked about Harrison Barnes, Luke Cornett yet, who aren't even scoring that well, but play important roles. I mean, what a team. What a team.
- [31:48]
Tim Bontemps
They're a great team. Yes, they are. They're a very good team. I, I was only. The only thing I was trying to do before was like, I think all season long, I'm not saying we have really been doing this, but I think all season long people have been trying to find ways to say the Thunder aren't actually all that good. And that's not what I'm doing.
- [32:09]
Brian Windhorst
I'm not talking about the Thunder at all.
- [32:12]
Tim Bontemps
I would say, I would say, I would say you are slightly like, they should be the prohibitive favorites to win this series.
- [32:19]
Ben McMahon
Okay. But you cannot look, which isn't a
- [32:22]
Tim Bontemps
knock on the spurs either.
- [32:24]
Ben McMahon
You can't get on a step ladder and Look Victor women Yama in the eye and tell him that the Thunder should be prohibited favorites. Now you could be right.
- [32:31]
Tim Bontemps
Victor is a different thing.
- [32:32]
Ben McMahon
What I'm telling you is this. The spurs are an extremely talented team that will walk into the Paycom center with absolutely zero fear of their opponent
- [32:45]
Tim Bontemps
and they shouldn't have any fear.
- [32:47]
Ben McMahon
Now they've got to finish Minnesota off and I agree with Wendy, Anthony Edwards is one of the most ruthless competitors in the league. Hopefully the extra day helps both of his knees because he didn't have a good knee right now and hopefully we get a hell of a game six.
- [33:02]
Tim Bontemps
But should I think the spurs are winning this game on Friday. So that's where I'm at on the spurs too. I think the spurs are great.
- [33:09]
Ben McMahon
I mean it's a three two series and their two wins have both been blowouts. They're the better team and they will walk into Bricktown believing that they are the better team. So I think it's going to be a heck of a series.
- [33:21]
Tim Bontemps
I think it's going to be a great series. I just think.
- [33:23]
Brian Windhorst
Well, it's not. Oh, by the way, I'm not counting the wolves out yet. I'm just.
- [33:27]
Ben McMahon
We've left some wiggle room.
- [33:29]
Tim Bontemps
But yes, but I look, I think the spurs are great. They've had a phenomenal season. They've been better than I think anybody, even including with the spurs, could have possibly imagined. The way the season's gone, they've been unbelievable and I think it's going to be an awesome series. I just also think that the way the Thunder have played and the way they've been set up coming into this series, like to me, I don't think it's a coin flip series. Doesn't mean the spurs can't win. The spurs can win. They show they could this season. They've got a singular force the likes of which we really haven't ever seen before. But I'm going to go into it personally thinking that the defending champions are clear favorites and should win and it's going to be incredible to watch and I can't wait to see it. And if the spurs do win it, which they certainly can, I agree with both of you on that. Then if they're healthy, we could be set up for the next decade where they rip off more than five. Like that's the kind of thing we're looking at.
- [34:26]
Ben McMahon
Mike Wright, Michael C for country, right, Our San Antonio correspondent and I think you guys are friends with him. I'm certainly not, but he is Refusing to barbecue during the finals. He promotes himself as, like, you know, a pit master, but he is refusing to. To host a barbecue during the finals. I offered to have Bontems pay for it since Bon Tims owes me dinner because of a Spurs bet. But Mike is being an ungracious host. I just wanted to get that out there.
- [35:02]
Brian Windhorst
Well, first off, he. During the finals, like, how do. Are you. That's an assumption that San Antonio is going to be in the finals.
- [35:09]
Ben McMahon
I said, if it gets to that point.
- [35:12]
Brian Windhorst
I see.
- [35:12]
Ben McMahon
But he is preemptively refusing because he
- [35:15]
Brian Windhorst
doesn't want our company or what's the story there?
- [35:17]
Tim Bontemps
Probably gonna do it and just not epic man around. That's what I would guess.
- [35:23]
Ben McMahon
I'm hosting in Oklahoma City at the Goat and the Tips.
- [35:27]
Tim Bontemps
Oh, you're not. You're not hosting anything.
- [35:29]
Ben McMahon
Yes, I am. Okay, I've got stuff set up. I've already. I've got.
- [35:33]
Brian Windhorst
Who's hosting in Minneapolis. I just want to. I just want to give fair time. That's the upper Midwest. I think. That's my territory. I'll. I'll volunteer. I'll volunteer to host in Minneapolis. All right. I just. Obviously, the spurs still need to get one more victory and to set that matchup up.
- [35:54]
Ben McMahon
Does the rule of five apply to barbecues, or is there a barbecue exception?
- [35:58]
Brian Windhorst
No, there's a barbecue exception because, you know, you're at someone's house typically, and you're all a sort of, you know, you. You're not sitting with 15 people probably. You're probably sitting at a group of five table.
- [36:09]
Tim Bontemps
Okay.
- [36:09]
Brian Windhorst
Something like that.
- [36:10]
Ben McMahon
There's a rule of five within the barbecue.
- [36:13]
Brian Windhorst
I mean, I think it sort of implies. I think. I think it sort of just sort of sets itself up. Okay, but I mean, when you're a guest at someone's house, you don't set the rules right. I mean, you know, if he sets the table for 15, then that's what you'll do. You accept the invitation. You accept those situations. All right, Bontemps, you are at the draft combine. Oh, somebody's a big fan.
- [36:38]
Ben McMahon
They're aggressive on the loudspeaker over there. What's going on there, Bontemps?
- [36:43]
Tim Bontemps
Just random people walking by yelling, they're in an arena.
- [36:46]
Brian Windhorst
Do you have any reporting on the rooms of the interview rooms, Bontemps?
- [36:50]
Tim Bontemps
Yeah, a buddy of mine told me Toronto's room was the best.
- [36:53]
Ben McMahon
Oh, do you have any deets?
- [36:54]
Tim Bontemps
Listening to the podcast? No, he just said to tell. He said to tell you that Toronto's room was the best. I said, okay. So that was the.
- [37:04]
Brian Windhorst
Does he work for Toronto?
- [37:05]
Tim Bontemps
No, he works for the NBA. Works for the NBA. Saw all the rooms, said Toronto's room is the best room.
- [37:10]
Brian Windhorst
Okay. We need to do any reporting on it. Okay, listen, that's, that's more than we had before now.
- [37:14]
Tim Bontemps
That's right.
- [37:15]
Brian Windhorst
We know we can follow up. I just want to know what you're seeing and hearing there at the draft combine.
- [37:20]
Tim Bontemps
I mean, the main stuff that's been going on, obviously, you know, there's workouts the last few days or just a couple of scrimmages, but the main things we talked about is the draft lottery reform for like a wider, wider league perspective. And the expectation is the three to one proposal that Chimes wrote about a couple of weeks ago is going to pass in a couple of weeks when the league votes on it. So that will be. There's some smaller details of it that need to get ironed out. How many ping, how many teams get ping pong balls in the play in, you know, what is the percentage? Everybody has some of the rules over traded picks will be interesting to see where they land. Like what happens if there's a team three years in a row that's in the top five and then the third year the other team has their pick, where does the pick land, etc. But ultimately that's going to pass because Adam Silver wants it to pass and there's going to be changes. As he has said publicly, there's going to be changes. So that's been the main thing going on that way. And then otherwise, you know, I don't think it's a slam dunk that AJ DeBance is the number one pick. I think our guy Jeremy Wu has been saying all week that it's an open thing with him and Darren Peterson, which it has been for the most part all season. Will Dawkins and Michael Winger have the next 40ish days to figure out who they're going to pick? So we'll see where they land on that and then otherwise, you know, biggest news of the week obviously is the Sixers moving on from Daryl Morey and what's going to happen there?
- [38:55]
Ben McMahon
More Hoop Collective podcast after this.
- [38:59]
Brian Windhorst
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Ben McMahon
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Brian Windhorst
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Ben McMahon
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Brian Windhorst
This episode is brought to you by State Farm. You know, those friends who support your preference for podcasts over music on road trips? That's the energy State Farm brings to insurance. With over 19,000 local agents, they help you find the coverage that fits your
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Tim Bontemps
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Brian Windhorst
worrying about insurance and more time enjoying the ride. Download the State Farm app or go online@statefarm.com like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. So on Thursday, Bob Myers, our former colleague at espn, spent a lot of time with Bob last season, and Josh Harris, the governor of the Philly 76ers, had a news conference, press conference, I want to call it, to discuss changing out their lead executive. And I just read some of it. Bon Temps. I'm not sure if you actually saw it, but I didn't watch it.
- [40:57]
Tim Bontemps
But I read through the trencher your
- [40:59]
Brian Windhorst
key takeaways as being our central Philly correspondent there.
- [41:03]
Tim Bontemps
It didn't really have any huge takeaways for me. I mean, Bob Myers is great at giving a presser and being very friendly to everybody and sort of keeping everything close to the vest, which is what I'd say he did. I mean, he said everything you would expect him to say in this presser, you know, wants to hire somebody who's going to be collaborative and communicative and be a good guy to work with. And, you know, they got asked. Yeah, exactly. They got asked about, you know, Josh Harris got asked about paying the tax. He said, of course we'll pay the tax. Bob said that?
- [41:35]
Ben McMahon
Yeah.
- [41:35]
Brian Windhorst
That's interesting to point out because, you know, the Jared McCain trade has been a big topic of conversation for the last couple of months. You know, when the trade happened, the
- [41:45]
Tim Bontemps
Jared McCain trade is why Darrell got fired. Ultimately, I think, like, I think it was the straw that broke the camel's back in Philly. Like, yes, they lost in the second round, but the trade combined with Darrell's press conference when he said he sold high, and that became a sound bite that's been talked about for three months, I think played a part in him not having a job anymore.
- [42:04]
Brian Windhorst
As you pointed out that. That that trade also got the Sixers out of the tax. And it was the fourth consecutive year that the Sixers made moves, not necessarily at the deadline, but made moves to get out of the tax. And to the point where when the Sixers were approaching the trade deadline before the McCain trade, Joel Embiid went on the record and openly said, well, the last few years we've been dodging the tax. And then they did it again. And so Josh Harris saying that the team has the clearance to go into the tax is interesting considering that they very clearly have been operating like a team that doesn't have clearance to go into the tax. And the reason that is interesting is because to me, the interesting thing that Bob Myers said, and Bob Myers is the president of the sport. The. What's the name of the Harris Blitzer Group?
- [42:53]
Tim Bontemps
Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment. I believe that's what it's called.
- [42:56]
Brian Windhorst
HBS, that is Washington Commanders, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Devils, some soccer clubs.
- [43:04]
Tim Bontemps
Crystal Palace.
- [43:05]
Brian Windhorst
Crystal Palace. Delaware Blue Hens. Delaware Blue Hens, yes.
- [43:09]
Tim Bontemps
Okay, not the Delaware Blue Hens is the college. That's the.
- [43:13]
Brian Windhorst
Oh,
- [43:15]
Tim Bontemps
Wilmington Blue Coats, I believe is what, the G League team?
- [43:17]
Brian Windhorst
No, it's the. That's not it. Whatever. Their G League teams, what are they?
- [43:22]
Ben McMahon
The Blue Coats?
- [43:23]
Tim Bontemps
That's what I just said. Oh, yeah. All right.
- [43:26]
Brian Windhorst
Anyway, sorry, I was trying to make a joke. Anyway, he is overseeing that. He will not be overseeing the 76ers, although he technically is the boy.
- [43:35]
Ben McMahon
I don't buy that.
- [43:37]
Tim Bontemps
I do. Josh. Bob Myers is not going to be running the 76ers. Not.
- [43:42]
Ben McMahon
Not on a day to day basis, but it sounds like.
- [43:45]
Tim Bontemps
Not going to be living in Philadelphia. Yeah. So be involved.
- [43:48]
Ben McMahon
Sounds like he's going to be running the team on a remote basis.
- [43:50]
Tim Bontemps
Well, he's. He's not going to do any of
- [43:52]
Ben McMahon
the day to day stuff, but he's going to be the primary basketball decision maker.
- [43:56]
Tim Bontemps
I don't know if I would take that away from what he said. Personally, I don't think he's going to be the primary basketball decision maker.
- [44:02]
Ben McMahon
You think the person he Hires is going to have a lot of autonomy.
- [44:06]
Brian Windhorst
Yes, I do too.
- [44:08]
Tim Bontemps
Well, and I mean, I guess it depends on who he hires. I mean, if he hires someone that is very young or inexperienced in the job, I would guess he'll be more involved than if he hired someone like Daryl Morey who's done the job for a long time. I don't know who they're going to hire, but I think Bob is what I can. What I feel pretty confident in saying is Bob Myers has no interest in being the GM of an NBA team. And Bob Myers took this job because it's not being the GM of an NBA team. And he is involved with commanders and he is involved with all this other stuff. And while he certainly will be involved with the basketball team and by the way, has been around the basketball team at different points all season this year in the background, I don't think he's going to be coming in and saying, I'm the one deciding things. I think he's going to hire somebody and they're going to have the ability to do the job.
- [45:01]
Brian Windhorst
Well. I would just say that his first acts working with Harris Blitzer was when he consulted on the hiring of the commander's general manager and head coach, which the team ended up turning things around and making the playoffs the first year after that. And that was when he then got the big giant job for an enormous compensation package to run all of them. So he has, I believe he just
- [45:27]
Tim Bontemps
hired the Devils GM too and was involved in that.
- [45:30]
Brian Windhorst
Okay, there you go. I just learned the Devils needed a new gm.
- [45:33]
Ben McMahon
Can I ask a combine related question that we.
- [45:36]
Brian Windhorst
Hold on. I'm not done with Myers yet. One of the things that he said today is that depth in the NBA. And I agree with this totally, that depth may be more important than ever. And I just raffled off the spurs depth and how important it is.
- [45:49]
Tim Bontemps
Well, he got asked, can you still win with 3 max players? And he said, it's unclear, basically.
- [45:54]
Ben McMahon
Well, okay, certainly is on max players and depth.
- [45:57]
Tim Bontemps
So yes, sure. Yes. That's if you have, if you have. If you, if you're Oklahoma City, you can have three max players. Most other teams can't.
- [46:05]
Brian Windhorst
Well, here's the thing. They're not trading Tyrese Maxey. Okay. And their other two max players. I don't see how they're trading. I mean, they could trade Joel Embiid literally for nothing.
- [46:14]
Ben McMahon
They probably have to attach picks to both of those, to either one of those guys.
- [46:19]
Tim Bontemps
Listen, this was the most interesting. I gotta find it now, of course, but the most interesting thing that was said today was in relation to this topic when Bob got asked about, like, how do you basically go from having, having, you know, these really good play, you have these two young guards, you have these two old, expensive players who are injured. How do you sort of figure out the way to kind of divide or to bridge that gap? He said, that is the question. If I had the answer to that question, I'd actually just do it. If I. And I would. I look forward to partnering with leadership to get that answer. But you're asking the right question. But it's a question I think everybody is asking and it is obvious. But, like, that is the whole existential problem in Philly. They have these two young guards that are incredibly exciting and they've got $110 million this year and 110 plus million dollars next year and two guys in their mid 30s who are hurt all the time. And it's very hard to square those two things and build a team that's really good enough to actually break through. Which is why it is a very interesting job because you have this talent, but you're in a market where there's super high expectations. Ownership has not exactly proven it's willing to spend as much money as they say they are. And there's not a clear path to having this thing look a lot different for at least another year till Paul George is an expiring deal. Right. Probably another two. So, you know, it's, it's, it's going to be really interesting to see how
- [47:45]
Brian Windhorst
these can be purchased at ww.
- [47:47]
Tim Bontemps
And you're coming off a Game four when, you know, the place was invaded by a ton of Knicks fans when they got.
- [47:53]
Brian Windhorst
Having said that, as I've talked to people in the last two or three days since Daryl was moved on, people talk about how dynamic that backcourt is and they're like, man, I would love to have to be able to build a team around those two guys. It's really exciting. I'd love to have that job. And I'm like, okay, but how are you going to build it?
- [48:08]
Ben McMahon
Right. Exactly.
- [48:09]
Brian Windhorst
If you got an idea, call Bob, because Bob would like to.
- [48:12]
Tim Bontemps
If you could start out with those two guys in a blank slate, yeah, that'd be incredible. Like to start from there. But it's, it's far from a blank slate. And it's, you know, it's, it's a very complicated. I mean, it's a fascinating job. It's a very complicated job, but it's not an easy job.
- [48:28]
Brian Windhorst
What did you have about the combine, McMahon?
- [48:31]
Ben McMahon
I just want to so Ohm had a great story behind the scenes story with all the Wizards folks, you know, from the, I don't know what, 24, 48 hours of them winning the lottery and you know, Will Dawkins, Michael Winger in that story and in the press conferences they've done, they've been, they've at least been publicly open to considering trading that pick. And you know, I Bon Tim's, you know, you being on the ground in Chicago, I just wonder, is there a lot of chatter about that? Is that something that people are taking seriously or is that being being kind of perceived as lip service?
- [49:09]
Tim Bontemps
You know the Utah Jazz, Tim?
- [49:11]
Ben McMahon
Yeah, I do.
- [49:13]
Tim Bontemps
I know the Utah Jazz. I have a pretty good sense of where the Utah Jazz are at. Where do you think the Utah Jazz are on at at on that in
- [49:20]
Ben McMahon
terms of wanting to trade up?
- [49:22]
Tim Bontemps
Well, I mean, that's what the, that's been the, that the, the, if you're talking about like what is the scuttlebutt about what will happen in the draft, I mean, you're talking around it, but the scuttlebutt around the draft is would Ryan Smith, who's a prominent BYU guy, want to make sure he gets AJ Devance on his team? That's what you're asking. So the question is, would the, would the Utah Jazz be willing to pay a premium to move up to number one to make sure they can get AJ DeBance? Because that's really all you're talking about.
- [49:49]
Ben McMahon
Yeah. Would Danny Ainge be willing to be on the wrong side of a value proposition?
- [49:54]
Tim Bontemps
And the answer to that I feel very confidently in saying, is no. And I would refer back to the last time the number one pick was traded, which is Danny Ainge going from one to three and drafted Jason Tatum and getting another pick in return to allow the Sixers to move up from three to one to draft Markel Fonts? So I don't, I don't think that Danny Ainge and Austin Ainge, his son and the rest of the Jazz front office will be doing anything remotely like that this year. I think if AJ Debanta goes first to Washington, I think they'll take the next guy on the board whoever they like. And if he doesn't go first to Washington and they take Darren Peterson, I think the Jazz will take AJ DeBancer with the second pick and they'll be very happy either way. That's what I would say.
- [50:40]
Ben McMahon
The vast majority of the People I've talked to think there's a tier of two at the top. Are you hearing a lot of varying opinions on that?
- [50:49]
Tim Bontemps
I like how McMahon's just taken over your podcast, Brian.
- [50:51]
Ben McMahon
I'm just asking.
- [50:52]
Brian Windhorst
I'm. I'm not a draft guy, man. I'm learning myself.
- [50:56]
Tim Bontemps
I would say generally there's a tier of four at the top with AJ DeBancer, Darren Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson. I would say generally it's two and two. I think there are some people who have Wilson and Boozer maybe higher. Obviously, Peterson had an interesting year from a health standpoint, so there's some questions about him from that standpoint. And there's different questions about all four of those guys, but they're all really good. And then there's a. There's a cutoff at 4, and then from about 5 to 10, there's a bunch of freshmen who are in another tier, which are the five guards. Mikel Brown from Louisville, Darius, Darius Acuff from Arkansas, Keaton Wagner from Illinois, Braden Burry's from Arizona, Kingston Flemings from Houston, and then Nate A. Met, who's a big rangy wing from Tennessee. That's probably the top 10 in the draft. So, you know, that's where we, like we talked about the other day with the Clippers. Like, will the Clippers take another guard at five when they've got Darius Garland? Would they consider moving Darius Garland? Like, what would they do? The Nets obviously drafted a bunch of ball handlers last year. Are they going to take another guard at six? They do something else. So there's a bunch of stuff in there that's interesting. But yeah, like those top four teams that moved up seems very likely they'll take their four guys. And I have no actual reporting knowledge of this, but I feel pretty confident that if Cameron Boozer's on the board at number three, he will not be going past Zach Kliman and the Memphis Grizzlies, who have typically drafted off the model. And Cameron Boozer basically broke all the models this year and would be a perfect fit with Zach Eady.
- [52:28]
Ben McMahon
Kleiman likes Duke guys.
- [52:30]
Tim Bontemps
He is a dookie. He is a dookie, but he also be a great fit with Zach Eady. I mean, it would make a lot of sense on a lot of levels. So. But yeah, I mean, it's going to be. It's going to be an interesting draft and there's a lot of moving parts and it's going to be a lot of stuff floating around for the next 40 days or so.
- [52:46]
Brian Windhorst
You know, the sentiment that I have heard is that Washington is sending out the message that they're willing to deal, but that the, if they do a deal, people think it will most likely not be with Utah. But of course there's a long time between now and then.
- [53:01]
Tim Bontemps
I feel pretty confident the wizard is going to pick somebody number one and that's what's going to be.
- [53:05]
Ben McMahon
There were some. Oh, how do I want to say this. Feathers ruffled in Salt Lake City about perceived shenanigans with, with Ace Bailey in the pre draft process last year that they thought maybe there was some shenanigans with the, the Wizards who signed a two way player named Sharif Cooper, who's Omar Cooper's son. Anyways. So I don't, I don't know if those guys are going out to lunch or anything.
- [53:36]
Brian Windhorst
By the way, in terms of the history of the number one pick being traded, if you remove Andrew Wiggins who was traded in August as part of the Kevin Love thing, it wasn't traded on, you know, in and around the draft. Well, I'm just. It was traded. You know, I just want to.
- [53:51]
Tim Bontemps
No, but I know what you mean. Yeah.
- [53:53]
Brian Windhorst
Since 1980 it's happened four times.
- [53:57]
Ben McMahon
Okay. Weber.
- [54:00]
Brian Windhorst
Yes. 1993, Weber for penny Hardaway.
- [54:03]
Ben McMahon
Okay. You mentioned Tatum. What were the other ones?
- [54:06]
Brian Windhorst
Well, Markel Fultz for Tatum and then the other one. 1980 Joe Barry Carroll was traded from the Pistons of the warriors and in 1986 the 76ers traded Brad Dougherty to the Cavs.
- [54:21]
Ben McMahon
Ah. In a cost cutting move. If I, if I, somebody brought that up recently.
- [54:27]
Tim Bontemps
They did multiple crazy cost cutting moves that year at the draft. That was one of them.
- [54:32]
Brian Windhorst
So anyway, my, you know, every year there is some level discussion about the number one pick being traded. It is quite rare for it to happen.
- [54:42]
Tim Bontemps
And after Washington spent years trying to be in a position to have the number one pick in this kind of draft, I feel pretty confident they're going to take somebody at number one. And I, I don't think it's. Like I said, I don't think it's a slam dunk that it's the Bansa. My guess is that it will be him, but I could see it going either way and it'll be interesting to see how the process shakes out.
- [55:03]
Brian Windhorst
Absolutely. All right, we're going to call it early tonight because it's very rare, this situation. Thank you very much to our producers. Miles Tucker. Mark and Jackson got through tonight. I know. Well, it's. We do it at a reasonable hour. We get some people on the feet. Thank you very much to McMahon and Bontemps. Thank you very much for watching listening to the Hoop Collective. We'll talk to you later this week.
- [55:29]
Ben McMahon
Adios, amigos.
- [55:41]
Brian Windhorst
Business owners. You know Sundays drive traffic and NFL Sunday ticket makes them drive more. Get every live out of market Sunday
- [55:47]
Tim Bontemps
afternoon game at your venue.
- [55:48]
Brian Windhorst
And right now through June 30, you can get 15% off and up to six free streaming devices exclusively through EverPass. One platform, every location, every Sunday, limited time offer subject to terms and conditions.