Nightcap - Hour 1: Unc, Ocho, and Dwight Howard react to the Pacers beating the Knicks to advance to the Finals vs OKC!

Summary

Podcast Summary: Club Shay Shay – "Nightcap - Hour 1: Unc, Ocho, and Dwight Howard React to the Pacers Beating the Knicks to Advance to the Finals vs OKC!"

Release Date: June 1, 2025
Host: Shannon Sharpe
Guests: Chad Ochocinco Johnson (Unc/Ocho), NBA Legend Dwight Howard

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Introduction to the Finals Post-Game Analysis

In this episode of Club Shay Shay, hosted by NFL legend Shannon Sharpe, Unc/Ocho (Chad Ochocinco Johnson) and special guest Dwight Howard delve into the thrilling NBA postseason developments. The focus centers on the Indiana Pacers' victory over the New York Knicks, propelling them to the NBA Finals where they'll face the Oklahoma City Thunder (OKC).

Game Breakdown: Pacers vs. Knicks

Shannon Sharpe kicks off the discussion by highlighting the Pacers' impressive performance:

"The Indiana Pacers are going to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2005.7. They had seven guys in double figures. It was just too much for the Knicks."
(Timestamp: 02:18)

Key Player Performances:

• Pascal Siakam: Averaged 31 points with aggressive play, including 10 of 18 shooting and three 3-pointers.
• Tyrese Halliburton: Delivered a phenomenal game with 21 points, 13 assists, and sensational defense.

"Tyrese Halliburton had a phenomenal night again, 21 points, 13 assists, six rebounds."
(Timestamp: 09:49)

Team Depth and Strategy: The Pacers' depth was a pivotal factor, with seven players scoring in double figures, showcasing a "team by committee" approach.

"They are one of the deepest teams... they can play nine, ten guys every game and be successful."
(Timestamp: 06:04)

Turnovers and Defense: The Knicks struggled with turnovers and missed free throws, which the Pacers capitalized on through fast breaks and efficient scoring.

"They missed nine free throws and had over 18 turnovers, which the Pacers thrived on."
(Timestamp: 10:08)

Comparative Analysis of Pacers and OKC Thunder

As the Pacers prepare to face the OKC Thunder in the Finals, Shannon and Dwight compare the strengths and weaknesses of both teams.

Defense and Depth: Shannon emphasizes OKC's defensive prowess and depth:

"OKC has outstanding defense with six elite defenders... They have a little better defensively."
(Timestamp: 17:01)

Offensive Strategies: Dwight admires both teams' ability to execute and adjust strategies:

"Both of these teams can slow the pace down, they got great coaches, and they play up and down."
(Timestamp: 18:55)

Star Players and MVP Contenders: The conversation touches on MVP candidates, particularly Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Halliburton, debating their contributions and potential to lead their teams to victory.

Notable Insights and Predictions

Shannon Sharpe provides his perspective on the Finals matchup:

"I think OKC is a little deeper. I think they're a little better. This is going to be a better series than people think."
(Timestamp: 17:17)

Dwight Howard expresses optimism about the competitiveness of the Finals:

"This is going to be one of those finals that it's going to be really good because both of these teams are some real teams."
(Timestamp: 18:15)

Discussion on Defensive Legends and Player Comparisons

A significant segment features an in-depth comparison between Rudy Gobert and legendary defenders like Hakeem Olajuwon and Ben Wallace. The hosts debate Gobert's impact and effectiveness in the current NBA landscape.

"Is Rudy Gobert the best defensive player in NBA history? No."
(Timestamp: 62:58)

They conclude that while Gobert is exceptional, historical greats offer a different level of defensive versatility and dominance.

Final Predictions and Closing Remarks

Shannon and Dwight wrap up by forecasting an intense and competitive Finals series, appreciating the unique strengths each team brings to the table.

"This is going to be one of the best finals, man. It's going to be a good one."
(Timestamp: 29:03)

They express excitement for the upcoming games, anticipating memorable performances and fierce competition.

Conclusion

In this engaging episode of Club Shay Shay, Shannon Sharpe, Unc/Ocho, and Dwight Howard provide a comprehensive analysis of the Indiana Pacers' triumphant advance to the NBA Finals. Their insightful discussion covers player performances, team strategies, defensive evaluations, and predictive insights into the forthcoming Finals series against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Listeners gain a deeper understanding of the NBA landscape and the factors that could determine the championship outcome.

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Notable Quotes:

• Shannon Sharpe:

  "The Indiana Pacers are going to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2005.7. They had seven guys in double figures."
  (02:18)

• Dwight Howard:

  "This is going to be one of those finals that it's going to be really good because both of these teams are some real teams."
  (18:15)

• Shannon Sharpe:

  "He needs to execute time and time again. Shay got that mindset."
  (20:19)

---

Disclaimer: This summary focuses solely on the content discussions related to the NBA Finals. Advertisements, intros, outros, and non-relevant segments from the transcript have been omitted for clarity and conciseness.

Transcript

[Shannon Sharpe]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

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[Dwight Howard]

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[Unknown Speaker]

The volume.

[Shannon Sharpe]

We have our NBA Finals matchup. Indiana Pacers are going to the NBA finals for the first time since 2,125. 108. They had seven guys in double figures. It was just too much to flurry. The Knicks played well as long as they could, kept the game as close as they could, but it was just too much. They just have too much firepower for them. And they're going to the NBA Finals to face the OKC Thunder. Thanks to a 125, 108, 108 victory, they take care of the New York Knicks in eight games. In six games. Excuse me. Eight games. Damn, that would be something. In six games. Thank you for joining us for another episode of Nightcap. Y' all know me, I am your favorite unc. Shannon Sharpe, my partner and co host, Liberty City's own bingo ring of fame honoree, the Pro bowl of the all Pro, that's Chad Ochocinko Johnson. And joining us tonight to break down this game and look ahead to the NBA Finals. He's an NBA champion. He's an eight time all star, eight time all NBA selection, three time defensive player of the year. My homie from the crib. He's the last player to jump straight from high school and be selected number one overall in the 2004 draft from Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy. Here he is, ladies and gentlemen, Dwight Howard. Dwight, what's going on, bro?

[Dwight Howard]

What's up with it?

[Unknown Speaker]

I'm good. I'm good.

They do Dwight.

What, man?

[Shannon Sharpe]

I'm great. Please make sure y' all hit that like button. Please make sure you hit the subscribe button. And guys, go subscribe to the Nightcap podcast feed. Wherever you get your podcast from. We want to thank you, each and every one of our faithful and loyal subscribers that have been down with Ocho and I since day one. We cannot thank you enough because all the success that we've been able to enjoy is all because of you. Your eyes, your ears and word of mouth got the word out. That nightcap with Unken Ocho was the podcast you you needed to tune in from four. So we can't thank you enough. Thank you again from the bottom of my heart for all your support and continue support. Please make sure you check that out. Make sure you go check out Shea by La Portier. Now, if you cannot find Shayball Portier in a city or state near you, we're coming soon, trust me. But you can order it online. We'll ship it directly to your door. Please drink responsibly and stay safe. Check out Shay Shay Media, my company on all of its platforms and my clothing company, 84. With 84 being spelled out, that link is pinned in the chat. Supplies are limited and once they're gone, they're Gone. So please grab yours while supplies last. The Indiana Pacers have done it. They put seven guys. Oh, we talked about them being a team by committee. You never know. Pascal Siakam showed up and you look at the games in which he played extremely well. The games were not close. When he did not play well, the Knicks one and Tyrese Halliburton had a phenomenal night again. 21 points, 13 assists, six rebounds. You know, he turned, finally he turned the ball over. But he was great, was unbelievable. His defense was sensational. N Smith played well. I thought the, the difference in the ball game was guys and Dwight. I want to know what you think. I thought TB Thomas Bryant coming off the bench. Yeah, he had three big threes. Ocho, he blocked the shot. I mean his presence overtopped. He was all over the place and I thought they played well. Dwight, watching this game, what do you think? What was the major reason that the Pacers were able to win this series? They weren't favored in any of the series, but they end up winning and going to the NBA Finals and they make quick work of teams that were seasoned higher than them and was favored over them. Why were the Pacers able to win the series and make it look relatively easy in doing it?

[Unknown Speaker]

I would say they're one of the deepest teams outside of OKC is why they, why they've been winning. They can go 1 through 10 or they can play the whole. Anybody from 1 through 10 they can play and go out there and be successful. So I think that's one of the biggest reasons why they offense. You know, you got Halle, he's going to give you buckets, he's going to get you assists. And Siaqua, man, he is the difference.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He was sensational again.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, he's the difference maker for me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And I thought he was aggressive. I thought both guys were aggressive tonight. Remember the other night, Ocho Halliburton was not aggressive. I think he had two shots at the half tonight. Tonight he was nine of 17, two or five from the three point line, one on one from the free throw line. Pascal Siakov, extremely aggressive. 10 of 18, three of five from the three point line, eight of 11 from the free throw line. He had 31 points. Niece Smith 10 points, Turner 11 points, Nemhard, 14 points. Halliburton as I mentioned, 21 and 13. And then you had Obie Toppin 25 minutes, he gave you 18. Thomas Bryant TV came in with 13 minutes, three or five from the floor, three or four from the three point line, two or two from the free throw line, 11 big points. And that was the difference in the series all series long. Oh, we talked about this, their bench because they're going to play nine, ten guys every game. It does not matter. See, Tim started trying to do that. He started going, dabbling into his bench a little bit more. McBride played all along and then they inserted Robinson Mitchell Robinson into the starting lineup and they brought Josh Hart off the bench. But you saw Landry Shammit get some extended minutes. We saw Darrell Wright get extended minutes. And so that's normally what we see. They normally play seven guys. Seven guys. But they started playing eight, nine guys. But it was not enough because their benches, they couldn't get the production to match what Indiana bench was giving you. Ocho, you watched this and I know you thought the Knicks was going to pull this thing off.

[Unknown Speaker]

I did, I did. Listen, I lost. I lost big money too, man. I lost big money. And hey, Dwight, that's what really hurt. That's what really hurt. You know, I had a bet with my old lady. I had a bet with my girl, man, and to me it's a shame because she ain't finna get paid either. But the Knicks.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I'm gonna get my money.

[Unknown Speaker]

Oh, anyway, now back to the games, right? I mean, listen, I was hur. Honestly, I wanted the Knicks to pull this off. Not just for, not just the basketball team, for the city, for everything. You know, New York has been through. I would love to see them be back in that position.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They ain't been through nothing.

[Unknown Speaker]

What you mean what the hell they've been through?

[Shannon Sharpe]

You gotta. Look, I would agree with you if you're talking about 2001. Huh.

[Unknown Speaker]

They ain't been there since the 70s I was rooting for and they ain't been there since Columbus.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Nah. You remember when they went there with Sprint or they lost to Tim Duncan and when 99.

[Dwight Howard]

99.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Dwight Howard]

No, with Patrick Ewing when he missed the finger rolled up. That was a 99.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That was, that's when the, the Indiana went that year. You remember, you remember they lost. Remember they lost to a Tim Duncan. Now I can look it up. 99. And then Indiana went the following year and got beat. Their eyes beat out by the Lakers. But they, they haven't won since 73. Okay, but they. 99, that's that, that, that's what I mean.

[Unknown Speaker]

Going is one. But actually, actually winning. But listen, tonight, Unk, man, listen, the Knicks, too many turnovers, yes, too many turnovers in order for them to have to win this game. Tonight, boy, Brunson and Cat would have had, would have had to have an out of out of body experience. They would have had anything to show.

I think Bronson was holding on to the basketball too much too long.

Hey, you know what they. I heard people talk about that earlier, but that's the way he's always running.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I thought he was gassed.

[Unknown Speaker]

It is, but he, he was tired himself out and then nobody else was getting shots up because he holding the ball and Cat was just trying to drive. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Hey, listen, not the Knicks missing free throws. They had what I think almost 18, 18 plus some, some turnovers.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They missed nine free throws. They were 17 to 26 from the free throw line. They missed free throw. Listen.

[Unknown Speaker]

And on top of, on top of. The Pacers thrive on fast break points and points off turnovers.

Yes, they do.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I mean you watch, you watch this game, guys. About four minutes left in the third quarter, Indiana turned up their defense and what was a six point lead, all of a sudden it went to double figures. And from that point on, that defense with a Nimhard KN Smith, the Obi Pascal, those guys were on it from that fourth, the last four minutes of the third quarter and through the, excuse me, the third quarter and then into the fourth quarter, their defense went to another level and they started turning them over. And all of a sudden what was a six point lead, it went to 15 like in the blink of an eye.

[Unknown Speaker]

Indiana, just like that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And that's. And on may baskets, I'm like, hold on, wait a minute, Dwight. I know you was watching this, Ocho. And you too, Ocho. The Knicks would make a basketball. They would pass the ball to Halle. He would get the ball ahead to Nemhard, I mean to Siakam a Euro step and lay it in. So basically from the time they take the ball out to the ball's in the basket in three seconds.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I'm like, bro, y' all can't on a main basket. You giving up a layup on the.

[Unknown Speaker]

Them boys tired.

[Dwight Howard]

They tired.

[Unknown Speaker]

They tired.

They ain't got no, they ain't got no leg.

They ready to come home.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey, because the thing was is that. Look, I knew after the first game that the Knicks were in trouble because you lost. And Jalen Brunson and Katt went crazy. Jalen Brunson had 43, Katt had 36, and you still lose. So what was the likelihood, Dwight, that Jalen Brunson was going to average 40 and Cat was going to average 30? That's what they would have had to do in order to win.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, it wasn't going to be that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And I just. I just didn't see that happening. Especially with the committee that the Pacers have they're going to get at. When they won, they had six guys in double figures every time, five to six guys. Now they have seven guys in double figures and it's hard to defend them because who's their go to guy? Is it Siakam? Is it. Is it Halle? Because we saw Aaron Neesmith come in in that game one and make six three pointers in the last five minutes of the ball game. We know nip, actually. And when you go back and think about it, Matheren really didn't play well this series. He's one of their better players, especially off the bench. And you got. He got in foul trouble, so it was really hard for him to get a rhythm. So there's only really two games in which he played really, really well. He's due to have a stretcher game, but I just thought the Knicks at the end, they just started to like turn the ball over and they make a basketball and Halle would get the ball. He get it ahead to Siakam and he eurostep and he laid it up or he just diving straight to the basket. I'm like, well, damn, y' all don't want to stop that. Y' all know on make or miss, they're looking to push tempo and that's what the problem is. And Tim, I might have did this too late. Dwight, let me know what you think. Because Tim, he grinds his guys down in the regular season and damn grind them down in the postseason. And when you play the first three games, first two games, and you got guys playing 44, 46, and they went to overtime playing all those minutes, it's hard. Once you start extending that series, it's going to get harder for them guys to have them legs because they going every other day.

[Dwight Howard]

Yes, you could tell they was tired.

[Unknown Speaker]

You could tell. You can. If you watch Mitchell Robinson, when he got in the game, he started out with a great burst of energy. He'll have big moments, but then he'll start lagging behind on defense. He'll come in late on plays and stuff like that. So you can tell these guys didn't have no legs. So, man, Tim's gotta. I think he gotta start playing his bench a little bit more. I know he don't really.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He don't really like, really like players bench, but he was like that in Chicago. It Got him in trouble. He was like that in Minnesota. He liked that. He liked that in the Knicks. He grind those guys. I mean you only got so much in your legs. You grinding guys. You playing guys 39 and 40 minutes in the regular season.

[Unknown Speaker]

He tripped.

Nah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And then come playoff it's even more. Because you got to focus even more. So that burns even more energy out of it. And so now you playing concentrated minutes and you playing 40 plus minutes a night. Now I agree with you Dwight on that. He's going to have to play as he's going to have to trust. That's what it comes down to. Because you could throw guys in there. But he doesn't trust his bench. He trusted them for a handful of games and they, and they served him well. But, but tonight they just didn't have it. They just didn't have it tonight. And I thought that at the half, the game, the first half, the Knicks couldn't script it any better. We got a game. It's only a four point game. Both teams are in the 50. So if we extrapolate and double that up, that's 1,810. But they gonna get 67 in the second half.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, yeah. Indiana is one of those teams though that it don't matter. They could be down 20 points and come back and win the game. So it's like if you gonna beat them, you gotta put them away. You can't play with them.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They just, they found out game one firsthand.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They had them down by 14 in the fourth quarter, under five minutes. Look at this percentage. They shot 54% from the floor. They shot 52% from the three. They were 16 of 19 from the three point line. On the flip side, the Knicks were 48% from the floor, 28% from the three and 65% from the free throw line.

[Unknown Speaker]

There's only two people that could have helped the Knicks tonight and they might have had a chance. I don't know if they'd have won. They might have had a chance to win.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, the one, the one I'm thinking about, he didn't. I had never seen him play, never heard of him playing basketball. That was Jesus.

[Unknown Speaker]

I was about to say him.

[Dwight Howard]

I was thinking about to say that.

[Unknown Speaker]

I was about to say him too.

I was just about to say that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I, I don't see there ain't no mention in the Bible. You know, I'm not a scholar, a theologian or biblical scholar, but I don't know if I've seen any reference of him in basketball. So I guess, I guess you better. What you gonna take Jordan? Maybe Patrick Ewing, who else? Willis Reed, rest his soul. Clyde Frazier. I don't know.

[Unknown Speaker]

That goddamn. I mean Brunson didn't have have the game he needed to have in order for them to have a chance night nor neither did Cat but that got there. Nemhard Neilhardt did a hell of a job tonight man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh yeah they hound Nemhard and Nismith.

[Unknown Speaker]

He made it very difficult for Jalen Watson to really do anything.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Find any rhythm picking him up 94.

[Unknown Speaker]

Hey, they got a great team picking him up.

Oh man. So now I got a question for you, for you and Dwight. Now that we know who's in the finals now based on the matchup, the styles, the benches, who do we have winning and why? I'm just curious man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Ok I mean OKC has been the best team. They've been the best team all year. They've had the best player this year. They're deep just like like you said I mean both teams are going to play nine, 10 guys, right? But if I had to say defensively I think OKC is a little better defensively they got six guys. It starts with Dort and Jalen Williams and they come in with Wiggins and Wallace and Caruso, Isaiah Joe and they got those two big guys that can protect. They get after you. It's gonna be I, I think it's gonna be a better series than people think. Now look, I know everybody, Dwight, everybody wanted the Knicks they like man OKC in Indiana. Hey you should have told the Knicks to play better Ant man the Lakers if y' all want big market teams, the big market teams that was in the playoff, you should have did what you're supposed to do and then we wouldn't have had this problem. But we got what we got now but for me I think OKC is a little deeper. I think they're a little better.

[Unknown Speaker]

Dwight, who you got?

Well I can't Ocho. I got to do this event in a couple of days but we got to predict the winner. But what I will say is this. I like both of these teams in the finals like like said I think this is going to go one of this is going to be one of those finals that it's going to be really good because both of these teams are some real teams. They play, they bench, they got great coaches and they play up and down. They can slow the pace down. They got well you don't know who could be the go to guy for Indiana like hunk Said, but man, this is going to be a good fight.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And I think the thing is that look okc, you know who that guy is? It's Shay. He's going to get his shots. Jalen Williams has played really well the last two games. He's starting around in shape to look like the guy that was an all NBA selection, an all star. He's starting to look like that now. Shay has thrown. He's like, damn efficiency. I'm going to get my shots up. Either they gonna go in or you gonna foul. But I'm getting to the free throw line, right? But I am not gonna look back and say, man, I wasn't aggressive enough. He's aggressive as hell. And boy, Nece Smith, he thought he had his work cut out for him dealing with Jalen Brunson. Yeah, he got another guy. Oh yeah, that's a little bigger than Brunson. That's six foot. I mean, Brunson might be six, I'm being kind, maybe six one, but you're talking about a guy that's six, seven. He's the MVP and he exudes confidence. Now he belongs. And that's the thing when a guy wins the mvp, Dwight, there's something like when you won that defensive player of the year award. You like, I'm supposed to win this thing every year.

[Unknown Speaker]

Every year, Every year and that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And you have that mindset. Shay got that mindset. Now I'm an mvp. I kind of like people talking about me. I'm in OKC and they got to talk about us. Now because of what I've done, this is gonna be. Hey, nemhard niece Smith. Those guys got their hands full. They're gonna have to be on their best.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

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[Unknown Speaker]

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[Unknown Speaker]

They gonna make it, they gonna make it difficult for Shadow. I think they gonna pick him up full court just like they did Bronson.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You got to.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, you know, you know, you know. You know what's funny is I, I, I think most basketball enthusiasts, pundits, analysts like you guys that really know the game extremely well. I think most of you guys are picking the Thunder to win and I don't know why. Just inside for some reason I have a feeling that the Patriots are going to win because they seem to be the underdog in this situation.

In Every situation, they've been the underdog the whole time.

[Dwight Howard]

Exactly.

[Unknown Speaker]

And everybody's doing it again. Everybody's doing it regardless of who they're playing. They refuse to pick the Pacers for some reason. I don't know why.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I mean, I think the thing is, look, when you talk about OKC, they were the best team. They won 68 games. I mean the Western Conference was sold up so, so long ago. Yeah, they have one of the best players in the NBA to have a top five player in Shea. They, they play outstanding defense. They got, I'm talking about their wing guys with Caruso and Dort and Jalen, Williams and Car and Carson and Wiggins and Wallace, Isaiah, Joe. They got six, seven guys, Dwight, that can defend at an elite level. And you got Chet protecting the rim and you got a guy that's top three, top four and steals in shape. They get a lot of deflection. They do a great job of passing, playing pass lanes. They do a great job of helping, they do a great job of funneling and they know where they're vulnerable. We've got to make the Indiana player to have court set. We cannot let them get up and down. We're going to make them play. We're going to make you execute in a half court set. And if you execute time and time and time again. Hey, you know you like that transition, Dwight? Cause you want some easy baskets. Yeah, it gets hard to execute every single time down the floor and you gotta run set. It gets hard. But that's what OKC forces their opponents to do. I mean, you're gonna get some. I mean it's hard to steal somebody from getting zero points in transition, but they're gonna make it difficult. Tyrese Halliburton in the fourth quarter, 11 fourth quarter points. He had 21 total points, six rebounds, 13 assists, three, three steals. Hey, overrate that. Overrate that.

[Dwight Howard]

Hey, I think that's.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I don't know who voted. They said like 12 guys voted. I don't know who those 12 guys was. Overrate that.

[Unknown Speaker]

I think they need to take that out. I think that's disrespectful to the, all the players in the league to sit and vote against somebody that's your own. Like we a brotherhood, we're a fraternity. So it's like, I think that, you know, pushing that type of, you know, overrated player. Yeah, that kind of narrative is bad, man.

Hey, Dwight, honestly, me and uncle was talking about it when it came out and I'm thinking about, you know, when they, they Talk about players in the NFL when they, they do the, the top 50 or top 100 and I'm. As long as I played, I never ever voted for anything like that. So you played the game for a long time. At any point in your career, did you ever vote for players?

Nah, I do like we do the team stuff, like one of the best teammates and stuff like that, but not like on the courts. On the court.

That's why I think that stuff is made up by media. I don't, I don't really think. I don't think it's real.

And they.

Did they just say it's the players. Oh, the vote. They say the players said it, but I think it's nothing about the media. Uncle. I don't know.

I don't know why I don't like that.

Man. What's the name? Just lost, man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Caleb Plant.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He got knocked out.

[Unknown Speaker]

He went down. It just ended. Damn.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Guess what, guys?

[Unknown Speaker]

What happened?

[Shannon Sharpe]

The Eastern Conference Larry Bird winner is Pascal Siakam. Tyrese Halliburton was second in points, first in rebounds, first in assists, first in steals, first in stocks. He was tied with threes. Pascal Siakam received five first place votes. Tyrese Halliburton received four. Dwight Archburner of NBA.com had Halliburton. Tim Bontemps had Pascal Siakam. Jamal Collier had Tyrese Halliburton. In the after Star Reporter had Pascal Siakam. Katie George, ESPN Radio had Pascal Siakam. Fred Katz, the Athletic had Pascal Siakam. Reggie Miller, TNT past Tyrese Halliburton. Steve Popper, Newsday, Siaka, Joe Varden, the Athletic, Tyrese Halliburton, it could have.

[Unknown Speaker]

It could have gone either way.

[Shannon Sharpe]

If you go back and look, you look at the guy. I mean, those star.

[Unknown Speaker]

I mean both of those guys are so important to the, to the success of the team. Yeah, yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But you go back and you. What was that game one, Tyrese? I mean, that game, he had 39. Was it game two?

[Unknown Speaker]

That was Pascal.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. And then game four, he had another 30 point game, 36, and then tonight he had another 30 point game. But look, if they, if, if Halliburton had a one, I wouldn't have been disappointed. I'm not. I'm not. I mean, I can make a case. I can make a compelling argument for either guy. Somebody had to win and I'm glad they got. Because guess what happened. Glad you had it. Nine. Had nine people voted because if you had 10, you probably got a tie and then had to split the award. And nobody want those split awards, especially in today's game. But congratulations to Pascal Siako. I mean, but Halle came. But look at. Look at what Halle had on when he was in the tunnel. Now he looked like he was coming to play. I mean, you dress like this here, you have to look.

[Unknown Speaker]

He dressed like.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I saw a tweet. I think Ben Stiller said, hey, I see you packed to come back to New York. Look at Halle. Go Halley. Go Halle. Go Halley. Go Halle.

[Unknown Speaker]

That ain't number. That's a funeral outfit, huh?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. Hey, when he buried the mix.

[Unknown Speaker]

Damn, man. Hey, I'm a root for the paces. I'm rooting for the underdog. I'm rooting for the Pacers only because they close to Cincinnati right down the street.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I'm rooting for you to pay me my money.

[Unknown Speaker]

This is going to be one of the best finals, man. It's going to be a good one.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I mean, Halliburton was trying to pull a LeBron. He trying to. Or Jokic trying to lead his team and everything. I mean, he was second in points, he was first in rebounds. Assist still stocks first. And he was tied for threes. But Pascal, look, like I said, those games, I mean, game two, Pascal was huge. 39 big points. And then he followed that up in game four with, boom, a big. Another big night. And he followed up again, 31 points. And every time they tried to make a run, Pascal would make a play either with a rebound. It was a big two point shot or a three point shot. So I ain't mad at him. I mean, the man a. And plus, he's the guy who probably held that thing together because you know what I'm saying, Dwight, he has championship experience. He's on that 2019 Toronto team.

[Unknown Speaker]

I was just about to say that, man, he. He has been here before, you know, so he knows exactly what it takes to win. He has that experience. He has that championship pedigree. This is why he was highly sought after coming from coming to Toronto. So, man, just like I was saying before we got on, he went in there and said, listen, I'm the captain now. Hey, but I like, look at.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey, Irish, look at me. Yeah, he was. And you know, they. Look, they tried to give him a hard time. There was a reporter asking him, like, what happened in game five. He said they just played hard. It wasn't that we didn't play hard. They played hard. Somebody's gotta win. Yeah, I mean, and sometimes you can play your hardest, but it didn't look like they came out. Look, and the way the Knicks came out tonight, you can tell it was a sense of desperation. They were really, really desperate. Cause I don't want you celebrating. Look, I don't want you to celebrate at all, but I damn sure don't want you celebrating in my house. You're not finna throw no birthday party for somebody else at my house? Nah, take that thing down to the ymca, but you ain't celebrating here. So they got him back and you know, he's like, bro, I don't know where you're going with this. They just. Hey, hey, it happens. It's basketball. Sometimes the team plays, they play, you know, they get to lose balls. They make some shots. They played harder than we did. It's not that we didn't play hard. They played harder. Yeah. And now it'd be interesting to see what the, what the reporter have to say about Pascal performance tonight and being the Larry Bird, the Eastern Conference MVP of the Eastern Conference finals.

[Unknown Speaker]

That's so tough. Congrats to Pascal, man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, it was the guy, guys. It was the guy last year that got banned from covering Caitlin Clark.

[Unknown Speaker]

Doyle.

Yeah, he's doing that on purpose because.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He said something slick. He was something slick about. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, okay.

[Unknown Speaker]

He doing that on purpose. You know, he's true. He's purposely. He's. He's purposely create those moments. The same one, remember when Jim Rome purpose.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, dog, yeah.

[Unknown Speaker]

Say he doing his thing, so they.

They clip forming what they call it for me.

Yeah, yeah, no, he's purposely creating those moments.

[Shannon Sharpe]

The thing is, though, look, I didn't, I didn't, I didn't go to journalism school, but I know as a reporter you're not supposed to be a part of the story. Your job is to cover what you see, talk about what you saw, but never become a part of the story. And sometimes that happens, guys become a part of the story. And he tried to make himself a part of the story. Just like, look, Caitlin Clark doing that gesture to her boyfriend or whoever she was doing it to. Bro, why would you fix your mouth to add to my. If you, if you, if she did it, if he did it to you, why you do it? Would you do it back to her? Man, stop it. You. You never insert yourself in a situation like that. But I'm glad for Pascal. I'm happy that he played extremely well tonight. He's played extremely well in this series, but so did Tallery Saliburton. That's not to take anything away from Halle because Halle had nothing to hang his head about. I thought Halle was unbelievable. He's the captain. He's the captain. He steers everything. But hey, make sure everybody's in place. He's always. Hey, he gets that ball. His head is up. He looking to get an easy one and. But they win it tonight. The Indianapolis Pace, the Indian Pacers, Indiana Pacers are going to the NBA Finals. Dwight, Coach a. You ain't played the whole night. Coach. Hey, Dwight, go on and get in there. Go and get this last 15, 27.

[Dwight Howard]

Which team? If I'm on the Knicks.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You The Pacers.

[Dwight Howard]

Oh, if I'm on the team right now, yeah. Oh, he said go with 15 seconds left.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You're going to get that 15 out of. Go get that deep day.

[Unknown Speaker]

Hey, Howard.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey, Howard.

[Dwight Howard]

I would say, coach, you want me to go in or you want me to see what the crowd want? I might go in the crowd. Yeah. I go in the game in 15 seconds.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You gonna go get that last.

[Unknown Speaker]

Hey.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, that's like. Hey, they put you in for the kneel down? N. I'm good, I'm good.

[Unknown Speaker]

Nah, I'mma be kneeling on the sideline. That's about it.

[Dwight Howard]

If I'm on the mix, I'm out.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, so if you're on the winning team, you're gonna go to get the 15 seconds? I'm good.

[Dwight Howard]

I would say, coach, man, I'm be stubborn just like the rest of them had. You got up there teams, it's all.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, but hey, they try to put me in the knee. I said, coach, the next time I go take a knee, we gonna be saying the prayer inside the locker room. That's the next time I'm thinking, hey, man, dog, coach, I'm good. But I mean, hey, everybody. I mean, hold on. Everybody got in. Nah, you can't.

[Dwight Howard]

That's too late. You might as well keep them in for 15 seconds. Somebody. Somebody ain't playing all season. You gonna put them in for 15 seconds? They ain't even got in the game.

[Unknown Speaker]

That's a sign. That's disrespectful. What's the point?

[Shannon Sharpe]

They got you kick Daddy. PJ And Campaign was the only two that didn't get in for the mix. And Jackson and Bradley were the only two that didn't get in for the Pacers.

[Dwight Howard]

Yeah, well, I'm.

[Unknown Speaker]

Guess what?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey, I'm going in. Oh, you know what? I'm gonna go in. Cause 35 years from now, when I'm telling my grandkids they don't know. Hey, you know your papa got in there, hit it four, five quick points.

[Dwight Howard]

They gonna go back and look at the videos. Now they got it, now it's over with it.

[Unknown Speaker]

Hey, hold on.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You know your Popeye that got him a rebound? Hey, I grabbed me a rebound to get him to sis or something, right?

[Dwight Howard]

Tell them everything.

[Unknown Speaker]

Hey, do NBA player. Obviously NBA players have incentives and their contracts as well. You think maybe him going but that, that short amount of time might have triggered.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hell no, man.

[Unknown Speaker]

No, no.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They probably have incentives if you, if you win the play, if you win the playoff, if you go to the NBA Finals or something like that, you get an MVP award, defensive player of the year award like that. But not know if I get in the game and be. Nah, hell no.

[Unknown Speaker]

Unk. That's totally disrespectful. What logical reason is it to put.

Someone in a game with 15 seconds?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Man, let me get. Hey, let me get that burn. I've been practicing all this time. Let me get on in today.

[Dwight Howard]

You can't even. You can't even get lose.

[Shannon Sharpe]

The other.

[Dwight Howard]

Team just bring it to you.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But I need, I need 20 seconds to get, to get loose. You got 15 seconds. By the, by the, by the time I get stretched, the game gonna be over. Coach.

[Dwight Howard]

Man, I be so tight for real. I know. I was just saying, I go. I'd be so mad at the coach really trying to put me in the game with 15 seconds. I'm might take the ball and throw it in the stand. I know what you doing, Coach.

[Unknown Speaker]

Hey, going. Let me, Let me tell you. I. I don't know what's worse, but these might have to be the two worst things is for a coach to ask you to go in the game with 10 seconds or just a little bit of time on the clock or when you was a little kid, you got picked last in pe. Both. Both of them is equipped. That's.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That's. But here's the thing. There ain't no footage of me getting picked last. There ain't no footage of me getting big laugh. And while you're bull driving, there ain't no footage of me going in there with no 10 seconds on the clock doing no kneel down either. So I'm covered either way. But I mean some guys like, hey, I got at least I got in the game. But that used to be how it was when you growing up in little League. I mean everybody didn't play the full play all the minutes like you and I. Dwight done played. Now you Right. Sometimes kids just get the game. Hey, hey, son, go and get in.

[Unknown Speaker]

There and be happy. Be happy as hell, cuz that the.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Only way his uniform gonna get dirty on his. You go, go home with a clean uniform again.

[Dwight Howard]

Just happy to get out there, man. No, don't put your kid out there for 10 seconds, man. 15 seconds, it's over with. Don't let him sit on the sideline.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Check this out. The last two teams to trade Paul George are in the NBA finals. Indiana traded him for Victor Oladipo to okc. OKC traded him to the Clippers for Shay Gilgis. Dang, that. I mean, hey, that ain't a bad deal. That did all right.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, yeah, it's working out well. But listen, I'm gonna give you one. I'm gonna give you one in, in soccer terms. So PSG won Champions League today, right?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yep.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah. Not so long ago, PSG had three of what I would like to consider some of the, the best players in the world. At Messi, they had Neymar and they had Mbappe. For some reason. Mbappe leaves Messi's down here in Inter Miami, Neymar is at Santos right now, if I'm not mistaken, obviously after tearing and Saudi and obviously it's a new team, they got a young 19 year old, I don't know how to pronounce his last name. His French last name, Doe or Doy, something like that. And they just won Champions League today. But they couldn't even sniff a Champions.

[Shannon Sharpe]

League, obviously, with all that talent on there when they had Mbappe.

[Unknown Speaker]

And yeah, these ain't just no anybody, uncle. We talk about the creme de la creme when it comes to players, all on one team, right?

[Shannon Sharpe]

And they just, it happens like that.

[Unknown Speaker]

I, I don't, I don't, I, I understand.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You ask your question. How many ch. How many leagues you think, how many championships you think they'd have won if they'd have had Neymar, Ronaldo and Messi the same. Because they the same. Messi and Ronaldo basically do the same.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, a little bit.

Yeah, yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They're not gonna win. You gotta have. You gotta have. You gotta balance it out.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And that's, that's what psg, they have a balanced team. Yeah, Back, back to front. Anyway, I didn't, I didn't mean to bring soccer up, my bad.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But anyway, you see the Knicks fan, the Knicks fans already jinxed. They had game seven hats made. Y' all see. Can you. We got that up on the screen.

[Dwight Howard]

It might as well.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Let me get one of them. Yeah, I put another seven on it. Game 77.

[Dwight Howard]

Why didn't do that. Come on.

[Unknown Speaker]

Next.

[Dwight Howard]

That's crazy. Not a mix out, y' all.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Guess what? There'll be some third world country that gets some nice game selling hats. They'll get all the paraphernalia that was supposed to be for the Knicks, just like they got what was supposed to be for the the Chiefs had they won. That goes to third world countries. Somebody gonna get some nice World Series, the Yankees World Series gear from last year. Hey.

[Dwight Howard]

It ain't even gotta go to no third world country. Just give me a couple hats over here. I stay in the country. Let me get a couple of you talking about game.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You wear the game seven hat?

[Dwight Howard]

Yeah, I'm wear the game seven hat with an outfit. They be like, when you this go to game seven, be like, man, I don't remember. I just got the hat.

[Unknown Speaker]

73.

[Dwight Howard]

73.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That. That was the last game seven. 73. Yeah, exactly. Oh, man. Man, Spike probably sick.

[Dwight Howard]

He's so tight, he f to make a movie.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Stephen. Hey, my dog, Stephen A. I know he throwing up right now.

[Dwight Howard]

Hairline finna go way back now.

[Unknown Speaker]

Hey, you know, honestly, it's really nothing to feel that bad about.

[Shannon Sharpe]

It is when you get that close. You know how it is. Hey, when you. At least we got there, that don't work no more. Right, right, right, right.

[Unknown Speaker]

Listen, they'll be back next year. They're not gonna make it this far because the Heat is gonna be the Heat, but you know, he gonna be.

A whole new team.

No, no, no. Hey, and plus. And plus, the thing. Dwight ain't heard the news yet.

What's the news?

[Shannon Sharpe]

He talked about Giannis going to the.

[Unknown Speaker]

Heat and John Moran. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Dwight Howard]

But you gotta wait till after the playoffs anyway, so.

[Unknown Speaker]

Bingo, bingo. I listen, I done sat down with Mickey Harrison and Pat Riley and spokester.

[Dwight Howard]

So all of them coming.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's gonna be. I can't say nothing, but it's for the teams in the works to get this thing happening. Okay?

[Dwight Howard]

In the meantime, in between time, we got the big three basketball this summer.

[Unknown Speaker]

I'm playing in the big three this year.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So who your who on your team, Dwayne?

[Unknown Speaker]

What team you on?

[Shannon Sharpe]

La, right?

[Unknown Speaker]

La, right.

Okay, okay, okay.

Yes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, is you with Jeff Teague's on your team, right?

[Unknown Speaker]

Jeff Teague, Jordan Crawford, Wesley Johnson, Elijah Stewart. Yes, sir.

I like that.

I like that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, y' all need you gonna be shooting four pointers.

[Unknown Speaker]

Really? I'M gonna be. I'm trying to win. I'm trying to win, man. I'm trying to win, right?

[Shannon Sharpe]

You gotta get one four pointer. I mean, hey, just tell them for every fight. Fifth rebound, I'm shooting a four pointer.

[Unknown Speaker]

I like that, I like that. But I'm trying to win. I ain't trying to play around. And yeah, I'm trying to go ahead and win this big three we, Dwight.

When y' all season start?

June 14th.

Oh, y' all riding the corner.

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, man. Hey, O, you see them tickets? They wanted half a million dollar for courtside tickets for game seven.

[Dwight Howard]

That's crazy.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yep.

[Unknown Speaker]

Wait, they weren't even at the Garden though.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They were going to be back at the Garden.

[Unknown Speaker]

Oh, you saying oh, if they came back to game seven. Okay, that's understandable.

Hold up.

[Dwight Howard]

I hit a half a million.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Two tickets were half a million. Each ticket was 250,000 a piece.

[Unknown Speaker]

Now who could afford that?

[Shannon Sharpe]

A lot of people in New York.

[Unknown Speaker]

Time out, time out, time out, time out. Let's. Listen, I know we all got money, right? Let's just come back down.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I ain't got that kind of money.

[Unknown Speaker]

Okay?

[Shannon Sharpe]

For $500,000, I'm playing, I'm getting a jersey, I'm getting sneakers, I'm getting all the game.

[Dwight Howard]

But he just said, how many. He said, is it people who can afford those tickets? And we just saying, yeah, some people in New York that can afford their tickets.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hell yeah.

[Unknown Speaker]

Listen, who in the hell in this world, in this economy, right? Right, right now, right? Listen to me now. Stay with me. Can afford 500 grand to throw away? 500 grand, not throw away. You have to actually love the game of basketball to pay 20, $50,000 ticket for a 12 basketball game. And then you lose or you win. Either way it goes, you have to hope you win game seven. And he has five. $500,000.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey, but look here. New York City has more billionaires and millionaires than any other city in the world. So there are a lot of mofos that could afford $500,000.

[Unknown Speaker]

Hold on, hold on.

Huh?

New York has the most billionaires and millionaires.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yep.

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[Unknown Speaker]

The funny thing about it is the people that had that kind of wealth, that kind of wealth to say, oh, here's 500 grand. It ain't the Ones who are the millionaires?

No, they. The billionaires.

Bingo.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What was the game? 4. Them tickets in game 5 was like 70,000 a ticket for courtside wait at the guard. Yes.

[Unknown Speaker]

70,000 a piece.

Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah, but that's, that's.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And the closer you get this, and the closer you get to center court, the more expensive they are.

[Unknown Speaker]

Hey, center court right here. You see the TV back there? Right now I'm looking at that center court. It don't cost you nothing.

No, I'm tripping.

[Dwight Howard]

I'm not going to spend that much money on no basketball game.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Ojo, think about what the. Think about what people pay for the sweets at the Super Bowl. They paying a million, $2 million for.

[Unknown Speaker]

A suite you got. This is different though. The Super bowl is $1 billion.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Your team go lose. What happened? You paid $2 million. Your team lost.

[Unknown Speaker]

But hey, this is the whole point. The people in the super bowl aren't even the real fans.

Yeah, it's a big event.

That's a celebrity event. Yeah, they passed over corporate sponsors. They bringing in all the famous, the rich people. They can afford that. Those are couples.

[Shannon Sharpe]

No sweets. What billionaire, you know, a Knicks fan. He ain't got no Nick gear on. They just doing that just because they got money for. Hey, because a lot of times you go to an event like that. I was there. It's like you, when you paid that money to see Jordan hit that shot in Utah. You never know. Or I was there when some. When Barry Bonds broke the record. You pay all that money. A lot of times you pay for the opportunity. Say I was there.

[Unknown Speaker]

I was there. That's it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Creating. Creating memories. Creating memories. I can create memories without spending that kind of money.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, Half a million. I mean, half a million dollars. Oh, no. Like I said, for half a million, they can put me in the game. Somebody, some team is going to put me in the game.

[Unknown Speaker]

I'm going in the game myself. If I spend that much money, I'm.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Going just walk from the court.

[Unknown Speaker]

Hey, give me the ball, person.

If, if, if there's a game seven on.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Unknown Speaker]

And you know I would never spend that kind of money, but if I just did for, for whatever reason, and I would have to create content and I would become part of history because I'm going to streak the court. I'm a street the court. I'm going to run out there, slap the basketball.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Guess what? And then you ain't going to be able to see the whole game. They going to throw your ass out.

[Dwight Howard]

There.

[Unknown Speaker]

I just said if I'm going to spend that kind of money, I'm going to be a part of history. That's the whole.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That, that's the whole point. You'll be on camera. They get you on camera, they'll get you. They get you on camera. You, I mean, you spend that kind of money. You court side. I mean, look, and then they, they make sure the camera. They make sure the cameras get you. I mean, look, I. I saw Kylie Jenner and. And Chalamet. Chalamet. I saw, uh, Caitlin Clark and, uh, Boston. I saw Mike Epps. Did anybody. I mean, look, first of all, it ain't like Indiana. I mean, they got John Coogel Mellencamp, they got Mike Epps and they got Caitlin Clark. That's about it, man. Peyton live in Denver.

[Unknown Speaker]

I love it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I mean, it ain't like New York. It's not like la. In la. NBA Finals, you gonna see the who's who. They all coming out.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

From Denzel to. I'm talking about who. Big, big, big, big, big dogs. Yeah.

[Dwight Howard]

Oh, they finna come out of Indiana now it's up in Indiana, man.

[Unknown Speaker]

Come on, man.

[Dwight Howard]

It's up, man. Everybody's coming out.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Let me ask you a question. What stars you see in the Western Conference finals? That was at. That was at okc.

[Unknown Speaker]

Nobody.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Exactly. Exactly.

[Dwight Howard]

No, I said it's like Chris Tucker.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Same thing with Minnesota. Who they got? I mean, unless you're going to bring out Jetta, you gonna break out Jenna. I mean, like Demarcus is New York and it's la. It is what it is. Dubai, you know, it is what it is.

[Unknown Speaker]

You're right.

That is true.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Now Atlanta, now you gonna see a. Now Atlanta, you know, hey, they gonna have. From Boosie to baby to a D.C. i mean, everybody, everybody that somebody, Usher gonna be at the game.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But other places just don't have them. This doesn't have. They don't have it like that. Indiana look. And that's not a knock. But I mean, there's not a whole lot of celebs that live in the Midwest. They just don't.

[Unknown Speaker]

Hey, you know, the LA that we. When you think about la, it's different. We talk about the elites.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Unknown Speaker]

About the A list.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Unknown Speaker]

The whole.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You would see who. Yeah, you would see Hov and Beyonce @ a. At a Knicks. If it was in la, you see them, you would see that level of celebrity. You'll see probably a Drake something you. You see like that. But man, I ain't going no I ain't going no Indiana. No okc.

[Unknown Speaker]

Y' all tripping. I like. I like both Indiana and okc.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, I'm going to Indiana just to go to Country Kitchen. I'm gonna get the fried catfish.

[Unknown Speaker]

What you know about Country Kitchen, man?

[Shannon Sharpe]

I know Cynthia. I go there all the time. I got my picture on the wall. They done drew me in. I'm a regular.

[Unknown Speaker]

I pitch you up there at Country Kitchen, too. Now I know about it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I'm a regular Country Kitchen. They already know what I'm gonna get. I'm gonna get. Get some of everything.

[Unknown Speaker]

I ain't been that in a minute, man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Man. Yeah, well, every time. There's not been one time I've been to Indy that I haven't gone by.

[Unknown Speaker]

Have you been to St. Elmo's? I have, yeah. Yeah, that horseradish for that thing caught me.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I don't like that horseradish. It put my nose. Yeah, yeah, I'm good with that. The Minnesota Timberwolves are reportedly looking to trade for an Alpha and are expected to pursue Kevin Durant. Per Amico Hoops, the Timberwolves need another Alpha next to Edwards to win it all, which is why my. Why sources told Hoops Wire that Minnesota is expected to pursue Durant in a trade again this offseason. They tried to get him at the trade deadline, but KD made it abundantly clear he doesn't want to leave. You know, it's a lot that comes along here. Hey, let's get a training camp. It's what you think, Dwight. Do they have the pieces in order to pull it off? I don't know. Considering what they gave up to get Gobert, I don't know if they got the pieces. I mean, what you. I mean, all you got is Jaden McDaniels and Julius Reynolds is a free agent.

[Unknown Speaker]

Man, that's a. Yeah. Ooh, dude, that's tough. I'm just trying to think about Nikhil Alexander Walker.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I think he's a free agent. So I'm just trying to see. The thing is, all that sounds good in theory. Now we're looking at it. Dwight Nocho. We're looking at it like, team to team.

[Unknown Speaker]

Now.

[Shannon Sharpe]

If we get two, three, four teams involved now, maybe somebody can swing something, but. Yeah, but I'm not in the business of helping you guys. I'm not in the business of having.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, I'm looking at. I think that'll really help ants development by having kd. I think they just need some more. Shoot. I don't know.

[Shannon Sharpe]

KD will be 37 at the start of the season.

[Dwight Howard]

Right?

[Shannon Sharpe]

People ain't giving up a whole lot of guy for a guy that's 37 that has an injury history, KD is phenomenal. He's a first ballot hall of Famer. He's our greatest men's Olympic basketball player. He's an mvp. He's a Finals mvp. No one is questioning his, his resume. But the fact of the matter is he's about to be 37 and he has an injury history. That is not conjecture, that's not innuendo, that's not speculations. That those are facts.

[Unknown Speaker]

You know what? Even with the injury history, based on who it is, I think they would overlook it. Same reason.

Like that's what Phoenix did.

Hey, small example, Dwight. And nah, look at the Steelers. Hell, Aaron Rodgers has the injury history. But look at his resume. Look at his accurate.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But I ain't got to give up. All I got to do is pay his salary. I ain't got to give up nothing to get him. It'd be a whole different thing if I got to give up three first rounders and a second round and a third.

[Unknown Speaker]

Okay, okay.

All right.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And so that's the thing. And see you look at, think about it. Look at what, what When Minnesota gave up to get Rudy Gobert. Look at what the Knicks gave up to get Mikayl Bridges.

[Unknown Speaker]

Right?

[Shannon Sharpe]

And people automatically think, but Kevin. But because of KD's age and his injury history, I mean Mikael Bridges hadn't missed a game in what, five, six years.

[Unknown Speaker]

True.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I was shocked that Minnesota gave up what they gave up to get Gobert because he's a one in player. He can only play the defensive end. And you can't play him in the fourth quarter unless you play in the Lakers. And the Lakers don't have a big. So you can leave his ass out there to Rome. But other than that, you go back and study. Go back and look at Rudy Gobert when he was in Utah. Go back and look at Rudy Gobert, not pride of this year. Look at him in the fourth quarter, he on the bench. I'm not giving up five first rounder for a guy that I can't play the entirety of the game.

[Unknown Speaker]

Right, that's true. I mean, but then you gotta think too like the reason why they keeping him is because he got those four defensive players player of the year awards. So during the regular season.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But damn, Dwight, I can't play him in the fourth quarter when I need a defensive player of the year on the court.

[Unknown Speaker]

You're right. But I'm just thinking how the team is going to look at it like, man, I'm producing the best defensive player that we've seen in history as far as awards go and stuff like that. And people can say that as people who watch and play, but let's just look at. He has that award four times. The impact that he's having on the floor. Regardless of what I'm saying, AD should have got it. AD should have got it this year.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Last year.

[Unknown Speaker]

Last year, man. But Rudy's impact might not show up.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Or Wemby or Wimby.

[Unknown Speaker]

I did.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Wimby let the league and block shots and played 40 something games.

[Unknown Speaker]

Now that's who I had picked, who should have won it last year. I think this.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay, okay, I won't fight you then.

[Unknown Speaker]

That's why I had picked. I just think that his presence is why they keep, keep him around. He's 7 2. I mean, come on, just think about it. 7 2. You can't teach height, you can't teach size. He can get up block size.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Tell me how I teach him to stay on the court in the fourth quarter. Tell me how I teach that.

[Unknown Speaker]

And he's a liability on defense in the fourth.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And the thing is, Dwight, he's not an own ball defender. He's a help defender. I'm not saying, I'm not giving up no 4 first round picks for no help defender. He's a help defender. He's not an own ball defender. He doesn't do good and they put his ass in the pick and roll. He can't move side to side. Guys get him going side to side, they get him going downhill. He's not like what you and Ben Wallace. When I think of guys, Draymond. When I look at guys that not only can they help, but they can defend on the ball. That's not what Rudy is.

[Unknown Speaker]

I think he's got better though.

[Dwight Howard]

If you go back and look at a couple years ago to where he.

[Unknown Speaker]

Played Luca this year in the playoffs, he was able to play him one on one a little bit better. They allowed him to actually play one on one defense. So I have been somebody who's always been saying like, man, it's crazy Rudy keep. You know, I don't see like his defensive like passion, but I could see that he's gotten better over the years with his defensive presence. It's just not. I don't think it's in. I don't think it's him, you know what I'm saying? Like he gots to get on the offensive end. I think he gotta get.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Unknown Speaker]

He gotta get something going.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Like at least he don't get, I mean, 10 points. Look, I get it. If he was giving me, let's just say for the sake of argument, Dwight, he was giving me 15.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He was giving me 15 and 13.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Those two and a half, three block shots a game. You got me then you good? Got me.

[Unknown Speaker]

Pick and roll. Seal the small in the painting.

[Dwight Howard]

He don't even have to look at the rim. He can go up and dunk it backwards. I'm dead serious. Like, he's.

[Unknown Speaker]

Bro.

[Dwight Howard]

I'm 6 11, 6 10, 6 11.

[Unknown Speaker]

So every time I wanted to dunk, I tried to jump my highest, my hardest so I could clear the rim and dunk hard.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He said it too.

[Dwight Howard]

He ain't got to jump that high. All he got to do is be.

[Unknown Speaker]

Close to the rim.

[Dwight Howard]

So he getting this pick and roll action. He go seal the big. He gotta be another option in their offense.

[Unknown Speaker]

That's the one thing that I think is messing up Minnesota is he's not an option on the offensive end, so he becomes a liability. And I think later on in my career, that's what it was with me. You know, I was great for the defensive side, but I think a lot of times offensively teams wanted to space the floor and I was not a floor spacer.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And he had his lowest points since 2015. 16.

[Unknown Speaker]

How many?

[Shannon Sharpe]

He averaged 12 points a game. That's the lowest he averaged since 2015. 16. That's the second. He had the second fewest rebounds since 2017. 18. So what we, again, what we talking about? Not Dwight. I mean, think about it. He's not the own ball defender and his points and rebound are coming down.

[Unknown Speaker]

I'm going to just say it like this. When you get on that island with these boys, with these young men in the NBA, it's hard, man. You get deep up in that water.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What big man been dunked on more than Rudy?

[Unknown Speaker]

Nobody.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Exactly, exactly.

[Unknown Speaker]

But look. No, that's good.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Everybody got opposed to with Rudy. He trining.

[Dwight Howard]

At least he trying.

[Unknown Speaker]

Hey, he gonna, he gonna challenge everybody, man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I don't play out. Hey, hey, Dwight. I don't play 40. I don't play 40 million for effort. I pay 40 million for results.

[Dwight Howard]

But guess how he can back it up?

[Unknown Speaker]

He got four defensive players a year awards. He got it.

[Shannon Sharpe]

We can't. Let me ask you a question. If we were, if we were to take a vote and we asked and we Asked the players or we asked writers who gonna say Rudy Gobert is the best defensive player in NBA history, even though he and Big Ben got the most defensive player. Who's gonna say Rudy's the best?

[Unknown Speaker]

But this.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Is he a better. Is he a better defensive player than Akeem Elijah won? It's a simple yes or no.

[Unknown Speaker]

No. No. I didn't think so.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Okay. But I mean, Dwight say it.

[Unknown Speaker]

Don't quote me. I'm just thinking. I'm just thinking both ways. Like, all right, so the Rudy is a team defender, help defense. Hakeem could play all positions, play defense.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Against everybody own ball.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, but the rules is different back then the court. This was. Is extended now than it was, than it was, than it was back in the day. So I'm kind of looking at it from both sides. Like, I want to give Rudy some credit because he got four defensive player of the year awards. Like, regardless of how we want to put it, slice it, you still got four of them. They can't take this. YouTube awards you got and all them awards you got, everything you got back there, you earned it, right? No matter what anybody say, you did it. That's what I'm saying about Rudy. I can't. I only got three. He got four.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So you got them all back to back. They got tired of getting to you, Dwight. They got tired of giving to you.

[Unknown Speaker]

They get tired of giving it to him.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He French.

[Unknown Speaker]

He must have. Was talking another language, man, I should.

[Dwight Howard]

Have learned another language and I was.

[Unknown Speaker]

In the lead, man.

[Dwight Howard]

I would have got another war, man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey, they got, they got, they got. But, but you, you're right. But can you imagine with Olajuwon with his, with his, with his, with his foot, with his footwork, if he had to play, how many points he would average? Because they. Everybody had bigs back then. Everybody. And you had two of them.

[Unknown Speaker]

Yeah, four.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So you going to. He going against David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, Rick Smith, Mark Eaton, I mean, Robert Parrish, McKay. I mean, everybody had. I mean, it was true. It was the big. And everybody played inside out. Not everybody played outside in.

[Unknown Speaker]

And it's so far out that like, if you a traditional being like Rudy, it exposes the type of big you are. He's. He's a traditional type of big. So he started.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He'd have been better in the 80s and 90s.

[Unknown Speaker]

Think about it. He started playing in my era. So he's used to the bigs being the four and fives is a six, 10, six, 11. And everybody's in the paint he's used to being able to tag and get back to a big. That's rolling now. It's pick and roll. It's pick and pop. So when he trying to get back into a pick, they throw it out to his man. He's spotting up 4, 3. That's tough for him. So.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, that's Yoki.

[Unknown Speaker]

That's a beat. Yeah. Yeah, that's pretty tough for him.

[Dwight Howard]

But, yeah, I just say he got four. He got four. And he trying.

[Unknown Speaker]

He trying. He boxing during the summer.

[Dwight Howard]

He trying to get his footwork right. I just think his shoes too big. He wears size 24ft too big.

[Shannon Sharpe]

What side he wear.

[Unknown Speaker]

Size 24. His shoes be so tight. Shoestrings tight as hell.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That's why he can't play defense. Hey, and plus he got a knee brace on. Yeah, I think he tear his knee at some point, so it's hard.

[Dwight Howard]

I'm sorry, I don't know if we can say that word, but the big old knee braces, they be in the way. He can't even move.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, he can't move.

[Dwight Howard]

They gonna pop. He look like a lineman out there.

[Unknown Speaker]

With them knee braces on. He tripped.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Dwight, let me ask you this. Giannis had. Do you think you picking the. I'm picking you. You got Dwight Howard, you're the starting center, and you get KD or you get Giannis, you can't have them both. You get one or the other in the product. Yes.

[Unknown Speaker]

Ooh, that's so tough. That's a good one. That's a good one. But I'm going kd. KD inside out. Attack me and Katie inside out. That three level scores. Yeah, I'm gonna get. I'm gonna get. Guys, that foul took her early and running the flow. Good points in the paint.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Soon you easy bucket because they gonna have to get. And then you gonna dump it down to you and you gonna dunk on them.

[Unknown Speaker]

I'm doing that, but I'm getting easy buckets, easy fouls early. So now you can't foul kd so he can get to any shot he want to get to. Now the fourth quarter, we picking our poison. We get into a drop. He played a 3 drop 35. He catch it in the mid post. I'mma come send him a screen. He come off that, he got his jump shot to the rim while he got me on the lob. It's over with three shooters in the corner.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Dwight, let me ask you a question. If you had played with Luka, and you know Luka loved the lob threat.

[Unknown Speaker]

Oh my God. Oh my God. Crazy. It's probably like Jason Kidd. Yes, when I was playing Olympics. Jason Kidd, big time point guard, can see over everybody. Would have been crazy. Would have been crazy. The volume.

[Jenny Garth]

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[Shannon Sharpe]

We finally switched to T Mobile because with them we can be connected here and there.

[Unknown Speaker]

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[Shannon Sharpe]

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[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Shannon Sharpe]

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[Shannon Sharpe]

See details@t mobile.com you have a long.

[Jenny Garth]

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[Shannon Sharpe]

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[Shannon Sharpe]

This is an iHeart podcast.