Nightcap Hour 1: Wemby Turns Into An ALIEN & DOMINATES Timberwolves + Knicks BOUNCE BACK vs Sixers in Game 2

Summary

Club Shay Shay – Nightcap Hour 1: Wemby Turns Into An ALIEN & DOMINATES Timberwolves + Knicks BOUNCE BACK vs Sixers in Game 2
Released: May 7, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of Nightcap, hosted by NFL Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe, features co-hosts Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, 7x NBA All-Star Joe Johnson (“Iso Joe”), and special guest Cedric “Cornbread” Maxwell, 1981 NBA Finals MVP. They react to major storylines from the 2026 NBA Playoff action: Victor Wembanyama (“Wemby”) and the San Antonio Spurs’ dominant Game 2 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the New York Knicks gutting out a clutch win over the Philadelphia 76ers to go up 2-0. The group breaks down strategy, performances, and the mental side of high-stakes playoff basketball, with signature banter and insightful player perspective.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Spurs Blow Out Timberwolves – The Wemby Effect

• Score & Context: Spurs defeat Timberwolves 133-95, tying the series.
• Wemby's Breakout:
  • Ochocinco compares the Spurs to a “wounded dog” ("You corner a wounded dog, hell, he gotta fight you" – Chad Johnson, 06:33) and credits Wemby as the catalyst for the team’s resurgence, citing his offensive aggression and adaptability (06:33).
  • The panel notes how Wemby's energy on both ends shifted the game. His presence opened up the floor for teammates, making the Spurs “almost unbeatable” when he scores (Shannon, 08:39).
  • Joe Johnson dubs Wemby “The Alien” and details how he gave Rudy Gobert fits by dragging him out into space, exploiting slow feet for mismatches (10:26).
  • Brad Hopkins puts Wemby’s generational impact into historical context: “We saw Steph Curry change the game. Now, this big damn seven footer, he changing everything in the game” (Brad Hopkins, 12:23).
• Team Dynamics:
  • The Spurs’ depth and ability for nearly every player to attack off the dribble is highlighted (Shannon, 19:17).
  • The panel discusses the importance of players knowing and accepting their roles ("Knowing your role is one thing. Accepting your role is something entirely different," Shannon, 26:29), using Cornet as an example of a player thriving in a supporting spot.
• Minnesota’s Challenge:
  • Rudy Gobert gets singled out as the series' major X-factor for Minnesota; the group debates his ability to respond to Wemby's versatility (“The only weak link is Rudy [Gobert],” Joe Johnson, 17:11).
  • Timberwolves’ disadvantage against the Spurs’ multi-pronged attack is emphasized.
• Mentality & Playoff Nerves:
  • Discussion about “stage fright” for younger teams in the playoffs, and how experience changes approach (07:59).
  • The group reflects on the unique pressure-cooker of playoff basketball and what makes certain players crave the big moments (see Memorable Quotes).

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2. “Pressure Makes Diamonds” – Mental Toughness in the Playoffs

• Deep dive into what separates stars from superstars in crunch time:
  • “Pressure bust pipes, buddy. You can think that you want it…but when the time comes, buddy…only a few select players…want to step up and take that position.” – Brad Hopkins (34:54)
  • Ochocinco: “You got some cats that'll look that moment right in the eye and be ready for it…But some guys…will run from that moment…So I, I understand what you're saying.” (35:29)
  • Shannon: “Can you be great when greatness is required?” (32:58)
• The group tells stories about teammates who shrunk under pressure (Kevin McHale, James Worthy) and those who embraced it, praising Wemby and Cade Cunningham’s late-game assertiveness.

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3. Series Outlook: Spurs vs Timberwolves

• Ochocinco expects the Timberwolves to rebound at home but worries about their health (Ant Man’s injury) and intensity (38:35).
• Brad Hopkins bets on the Spurs "winning by 20" in enemy territory, doubting Minnesota’s belief in themselves and praising Wemby's ability to “shut that arena down” (39:26).

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4. Knicks Edge Sixers in Game 2 – The Brunson & OG Show

• Game Recap: Knicks win 108-102 over the Sixers, behind clutch play from Jalen Brunson and another big night from OG Anunoby.
• Sixers Without Embiid:
  • Brief interruption as the group discusses Embiid’s constant absence: “We played nine games. The 76ers played nine games. He's missed four.” – Shannon (46:29)
  • The panel highlights how, without Embiid, the Sixers play with better spacing, more pace, and less predictability, with Maxey and Paul George being more aggressive (Chad Johnson, 48:45).
• Brunson’s Leadership:
  • Brad lauds Brunson for his leadership and toughness: “He is exactly what. He has the spirit in him. That dude right there is a leader…” (47:25)
  • Shannon calls out Brunson’s clutch gene: “When he needed to make shot after shot after shot in the last two minutes, they put the ball in his hand and he delivered.” (45:15)
• OG Anunoby’s Emergence:
  • “OG has been playing out of his damn mind…seemed like every time he shoot that going in…He makes winning plays, bro” – Ochocinco (62:11)
  • Shannon praises OG’s timely offense and critical defense, pointing out that his acquisition was aimed directly at matching up with Boston’s star wings (62:49).
• Playoff Adjustments & Coaching:
  • The differences in coaching strategy with or without Embiid; the Sixers are faster and more free-flowing minus their star center, but risk fatigue with a tight rotation (Chad Johnson & Shannon, 56:43).
  • Discussion of optimal usage for Embiid: Should Philly limit his minutes to keep him fresh late, or keep riding him? (55:45)
  • Ochocinco wants to see Embiid embrace a flexible, “Ant-Man off the bench” role—but Brad doubts a star’s temperament allows for that (55:45 to 56:43).
  • Panel critiques the Sixers’ reliance on late-game contested threes, arguing they missed opportunities to exploit the Knicks’ weak rim protection (Shannon, 50:00; Brad, 50:07).
• Clutch Performance & Series Prognosis:
  • Consensus that if the Sixers can’t steal Game 3 at home, “go get your damn broom” (Brad, 55:05).
  • Worries about Sixers’ fatigue and over-reliance on star power with short rotations (Shannon, 56:43).

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5. Sidebars: Celtics, Hawks, Warriors, and Playoff Identity

• Jalen Brown’s Future: The possibility of Jalen Brown being traded (for Giannis or otherwise) is floated, with Brad Hopkins calling Brown “a beast” and “the best two-way player right now in the game” (64:36).
• Steph Curry’s Window: Should Steph remain in Golden State, or seek a title elsewhere? (65:42)
• Atlanta Hawks’ Blowout Loss: The panel ridicules Atlanta’s 65-point blowout; Ochocinco and Brad go back and forth about team pride, with tongue-in-cheek comments about fighting and snacks (66:15-68:07).
• Modern NBA Runs: Reflection on how three-point barrages change leads instantly; losing control can turn a game into a blowout in minutes (Shannon, 69:02).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Wemby’s Ascendancy:
  • "The alien. Getting goddamn...Rudy ass out there in space. He's got him at his mercy." – Joe Johnson (10:49)
  • “That dude you talking about now, Wimby, he's a generational player…This big damn seven footer, he changed in everything in the game.” – Brad Hopkins (12:23)
  • “He doesn't even have to try in defense, is there...There are certain guys that even on a bad night, they gonna hit you for 28. Now you mess around and you piss them off...they gonna get 40. That’s Wimby.” – Shannon Sharpe (13:56)
• Playoff Pressure:
  • “Pressure bust pipes, buddy...only a few select players and women, men, whatever it is, boxers, whatever, want to step up and take that position.” – Brad Hopkins (34:54)
  • “Sometimes what we think are diamonds is just broken glass that’s been buried for 20 years.” – Shannon Sharpe (36:12)
• Accepting Roles:
  • "Knowing your role is one thing. Accepting your role is something entirely different." – Shannon Sharpe (26:29)
• Brunson’s Clutch DNA:
  • “When he needed to make shot after shot after shot in the last two minutes, they put the ball in his hand and he delivered.” – Shannon Sharpe (45:15)
• OG Anunoby’s Consistency:
  • “OG has been playing out of his damn mind…He just make winning plays, bro.” – Chad Ochocinco Johnson (62:11)
• Sixers Without Embiid:
  • “They're a way different team when they play without Embiid. There's more space, the pace is a lot faster and they're less predictable.” – Chad Ochocinco Johnson (48:45)

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Key Timestamps

• Spurs/TWolves Game 2 Reaction Start: 05:54

• Wemby’s Dominance & Evolution: 06:33 – 13:56

• Timberwolves Defensive Struggles: 16:28 – 18:15

• Role Acceptance & Team Chemistry: 25:26 – 29:51

• Mental Side of Playoff Basketball: 32:08 – 36:40

• Series Predictions (Spurs/TWolves): 38:15 – 40:28

• Knicks/Sixers Game 2 Overview: 45:14 – 47:25

• Paul George & Embiid Availability: 46:09 – 49:12

• Sixers Pace Without Embiid: 48:45 – 49:55

• Clutch Play and Knicks Depth: 61:11 – 62:49

• Debate on Jalen Brown and Celtics’ Future: 64:11 – 65:42

• Hawks Blowout Banter: 66:14 – 68:07

• NBA Runs & Three Point Barrages: 69:02 – 71:08

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Overall Tone & Takeaways

The conversation is irreverent, energetic, and highly candid, blending technical basketball insights with storytelling and real locker room perspective. The group elevates the discussion with humor and experience, dissecting not just what happened, but why, and what it portends for the upcoming games. Wemby’s rapid rise, Brunson’s ascendance as a clutch superstar, and the NBA’s ever-shifting strategies are explored through the eyes of players who’ve lived it.

For Fans:
Even if you missed the games, this episode provides key context and vivid analysis of trending playoff narratives, with wisdom that digs well beneath the box score.

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End of summary.

Transcript

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[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

N.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Good evening ladies and gentlemen and thank you for joining us for another episode of Nightcap. Y' all know who I am. I'm your favorite. There's my partner and co host, Liberty City's own, a former pro bowler and an all pro, the Bingo's ring of fame honoree. He's Chad Ochocinko Johnson. And the third member of the Big three, a seven time NBA all star, University of Arkansas alum from the Atlanta Hawks. That is ISO Joe Johnson. And joining us, our special guest tonight, the 1981 Finals MVP from UNC Charlotte, Cedric Cornbread Maxwell. Brad, thanks for joining us.

[Brad Hopkins]

Well guys, thank you for having me on. I, I, I said this a little bit earlier.

[Joe Johnson]

Shannon.

[Brad Hopkins]

God bless you. Now let the grave come here. Now we both, we both can't fool people no more. It's time for you to come on in. Joe. Joe. Look, Joe trying to scratch something. Joe. You can't scratch it then, baby.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

I got, I got a little something bread. I got a little something down there now. Yeah, that's Ocho trying to hide his Nah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, he just cut ears off. He can't grow no hair so he just let it go.

[Joe Johnson]

Listen, that's a good thing.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Please make sure you hit that subscribe button. Please make sure you hit the like button and go. Subscribe to the Nightcap podcast feed wherever you get your podcast from. We would like to thank each and every one of you for your support and your continued support because none of this is possible without you. Joe Ocho and myself would greatly, greatly like to thank you for helping us have the success that we've had thus far. Again, we had two shows. Both of our shows. Nightcap was number 10 this week. Nightcap was number 17. Two shows, Shay, Shay, Media in the top 20. And we can't thank you guys enough. Not just sports, two shows in the top 20 of all genres, of all the podcasts in The World on YouTube, Nightcap and Club Sh. Shay in the top 20. So thank you guys for that. Those looking to purchase a bottle of shade by Laportier, head over to laportierconjac.com if it's currently unavailable in a state or city or you, as you can see on your screen, comes in two sizes. We have the OG, which is the 750, but we have the Junior now, which is the 375. Same great quality, same great taste, same smoothness. Please Drake responsibly and stay safe. Well, the spurs look like the spurs tonight as they beat down the Minnesota Timberwolves 130, 133 to 95. They handed the Wood their largest postseason loss ever. Headed home, Minnesota's tied up, so they have to feel good. They got the first game. Greg Popovich reportedly be involved in this. Oh, he was reportedly involved in this film session after the Game one loss. Spurs beat rider Matthew Tynan reported. Joe, we gonna go to you first and then we go to you Bread. The spurs, how were they able to get on the track and make it look so easy tonight?

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Hey, when you think about it, fellas, it's like a wounded dog, bro. You corner a wounded dog, hell, he gotta fight you. He gotta bite back, you know, I think the spurs were wounded and they knew it. You know, by giving up game one, you could tell by the thrust that they play with today. Meaning I think Wimby is the catalyst. You know what I mean by him playing with force offensively, not just when he got the ball, but but when shots go up and he's able to get in there and initiate contact, get tip backs, get tip outs to where they get extra possessions, that works in their favor a lot. So I think with him understanding the game and how everybody's going to be physical with him, he's starting to adjust and I think as the playoffs goes along, he'll continue to adjust and get better. But I just thought the Spurs Wanted it more. The T. Wolves came. They did what they wanted to do. They did. They. They wanted to win one game, fellas, they got one game. Now they just got to take care of home.

[Brad Hopkins]

Well, I believe that one of the things that happened is that the spurs hadn't put their toes really in the water yet. Joe, you know how it is when you go into playoffs. You guys know how it is. You. You go one step and you go deeper, and then by the time you get deeper in the water, like, man, this is different. The spurs, the first couple times they play, you know, it's. It's a different environment. But as you go deeper in the playoffs, every shot, every rebound counts, and they weren't used to that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, they.

[Brad Hopkins]

They snapped back in, and they're just a better team. They're a better team right now than Minnesota. But because they're a young team, I think it was a little stage fright. You know, when you get up there, you know, I don't care who you are, you. We've all seen guys who are great players in this league kind of get there and they like, damn, Joe, here, you take this ball. I don't want to shoot this ball.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Yeah, yeah.

[Brad Hopkins]

So I think that Wemby has to take charge of his team, get them on his back. All those young players, because they're young, they have to get together and just play with force. If they play with force, they're going to win the basketball game. They're going to win that.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Absolutely.

[Brad Hopkins]

Absolutely.

[Shannon Sharpe]

When I look at this team, when I look at Minnesota, I think Wemby scoring in these playoffs is more important than his defense because they're a different team when he scores. Yeah, we've seen him get 15, 16 rebounds. We saw him. We saw him have a triple double with blocks and rebounds. But when he scores, they're different team. They're almost unbeatable.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Because now you get seven guys in double figure, everybody's shooting at a percentage. And now you have to worry about him. Now he's got. Because Rudy just can't let him shoot. Open, open threes.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Right.

[Brad Hopkins]

Just can't.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Right.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Because the other night, remember, he was over.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He didn't even come close to making one. You said he's gotta look, if Rudy don't leave him unattended, he's got to make three or four of those to make him come out and say, okay, you okay? You want to sit back there and think, I ain't gonna shoot it, I will shoot it. Make him come out. He's Gonna get his blocks. And even if he didn't get blocks, you saw a couple times guys had it and they short. I'm like, yeah, yeah, I know you're gonna. You about to throw it up out of here.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And I don't want that to happen. But I just thought the way, the way he played tonight, scoring the basketball early and he did a great job because I watched him warm up. You saw Bismarck Biyombo, he was pushing a. This is what you're going to face in the game. Yeah, they're not going to call this. Maybe they called it in the regular season, but they're not going to call this in the postseason. I thought he did a great job of anchoring himself down. I thought he did a great job of spinning off, getting to the rim. Ocho, you watched this game the other night. Minnesota win and they look good and they had a shot. Even the spurs, as bad as they played, still had a shot, Joe to win the game. D. Harper had a three point shot at the buzzer that would have won the game, but they blow him out tonight by 38oo. What did you like about what you saw from San Antonio? And now even though Minnesota tied it up, they going back home. They still home court. How do they consolidate it and make sure they get that first win back in Minnesota?

[Joe Johnson]

Listen, Wimy was a difference. Huh? Wimy was a difference. I thought. I thought the Wolves would have took the formula that they did in the first game and use it exactly the same way in this game. I think one of the few problems that he did have today is actually when the. I'm just calling it The. The alien. The alien. Getting goddamn. What's tall buddy name. Getting him out there and goddamn space.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Rudy Gobert.

[Joe Johnson]

Oh yeah, getting. Getting Rudy ass out there in space. Knowing for one he's.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He.

[Joe Johnson]

He got him at his mercy. And this. He went 0 for 8 last game. This game he was 2 for 7 from 3. But he had. He had what he had. Wimy had about goddamn 19 points. Hey, that. Hey, brother. Brother castle.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Yeah, boy.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey.

[Joe Johnson]

He got a middle edge over everybody. Boy. Hey, that's the way he play. He's so aggressive. He's so aggressive. So aggressive on defense. I. I wanted to be a little more cautious to get himself in foul trouble a little too soon.

[Brad Hopkins]

A little too soon.

[Joe Johnson]

Outside of that, man, them goddamn the spurs look like a completely different team. Up by 30 by 30. I'm like, what the hell? What the hell did the. What the hell did the. Did the Wolves not Do this game that they did the first game.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Yeah, the spurs didn't make shots that first game. Y' all know, man, it's a huge difference. You know, especially for young teams, if they make shots, they just play a little damn harder. This is how I go, bro. You know what I mean? And the spurs is still a very young team, and everything revolves around Wimby. I agree with you. When Wimby plays good like this, I think offensively it helps out because it opens up the floor a lot more and more, and he's a lot more dangerous, and you start to take your focus off some of those guys around him. And he's a hell of a playmaker, man, at 7 5, the way he handles the ball and passes and make plays. But defensively, if he locks in like this, plays with that aggression and that thrust that's. That is going to take to continue to advance, bro, they going to be dangerous. I think what's yet to be seen is how great can they be on the road?

[Brad Hopkins]

That dude you talking about now, Wimby, he's a generational player. And we have. We look at players and I've said this all my. My time around, we've seen the league change. We saw change with Wilt Chamberlain, and then we saw it change. Then we saw Steph Curry change the game. Now, this big damn seven footer, he changed in everything in the game. You talking about score? Yeah, it'd be good for him to score. But when you close the basket like that, I don't give a damn what you do when you. You make it so tough that every time you turn around, you, all you see is this guy. I'm sure if I was right now one of the Timberwolves, as I'm gonna say, like you osha, I see in that man my goddamn dreams right now. Every time I feel like he opened the door of my house, like, damn, he let me in. So I think that that's the thing when you talk about him score. But his mainstay needs to be, and continues to be that he is the defender that he is. Because Shannon, as you said, when he starts blocking shots and you start going to the hole, man, you.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You look, you're looking for him.

[Brad Hopkins]

And. And very seldom we've seen this in this league that a guy can play on both ends well, but he dominates as well as Elijah one. And I thought lajuan was the best I've ever seen and dominated.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I disagree with that.

[Brad Hopkins]

Yeah, he dominates even better than Elijah 1. I played with Elijah 1 year. But Elijah 1 dominated the game better than anybody. Wimpy is going to take that over. It's going to be crazy.

[Shannon Sharpe]

The reason why I said, because here's the thing. He doesn't even have to try in defense, is there. You know how some guys just have that. Like I don't even. I ain't even really trying to score the basketball. And they can score. Jordan could score in the sleep. Colby could score in the sleep. There are certain guys that even on a bad night, they gonna hit you for 28. Now you mess around and you piss them off and you look slow on your rotation, they gonna get 40 yellow. That's Wimby. Hello. He's going to alter shot. He's probably never going. I mean, think about it. He only played well. How many minutes he played tonight? He played 26 minutes. It had two blocks. If he plays 30, anything over 30 minutes, he's going to have three to four block shots. That's without even trying, just because he's 75 and some people going to be foolish enough. Oh, I ain't afraid of you.

[Joe Johnson]

What?

[Shannon Sharpe]

I still ain't afraid. Okay, maybe not. Hey, you take it. But. And when he scores, look at when he started to score, how the lane and how the basket opened up for everybody else. Yeah, Castle. Look at what Castle had. He was 6 and 10, 21 didn't shoot the ball very well, but Dearon Fox was 5 of 10. Champenny got hot in that third quarter

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

and started knocking down threes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He's 4, 6. So everybody, everybody got hot and the ball just. The floor just opens up. When Wimy does what he does offensively, they're. They're going to be a very, very hard team for the Timberwolf. And the Timberwolves gonna have to play damn near perfect. Yeah, they're gonna really have to play perfect because it's going to be hard because to stay in front of those guys and they got so many guys. The difference gonna have to be Drew Randall because he's the one that has the advantage.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Yeah. Hey, hey. I agree with you on that. I think, you know, obviously, will women be playing pretty good offensively. The other guy that's more importantly for San Antonio is Darren Fox, because he is one guy who has the ball a lot, but I know they got McDaniels on him, but he can create and make plays. And when he asserts himself like he did, I know he went 5 for 10, had 16 points, but that's better than going 3 for 14. You know, they need that efficiency from him, aka Ocho Castle, I don't necessarily worry about. I feel like his defense kind of thrives so much that it kind of gets him going offensively because he gets wide open shots, slashing, getting to the basket.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

He's so crafty. I just think San Antonio have so many guys that if all of them play well like they played tonight, which they ain't got to be great, just. Just play well, they always gonna have a great chance of winning versus a Minnesota, they gonna need somebody to explode every night for them to have a chance to win.

[Joe Johnson]

You know, when I. When I think about it too, Unc Joe and Brad and. And I look at this series, right? And Wimby being the one difference maker, obviously having a supporting chaos that can also play well. I think the person for the wolves that needs to make it happen every single night for this series to, To. To. To go in their favor would be the most ideal candidate that nobody else wants to be. And that would be Rudy Gobert.

[Brad Hopkins]

He has to be.

[Joe Johnson]

He has to. He has no choice but to be the difference maker and make it as difficult as he can for Wimby. I know. Listen, you don't want him down in the block. You have no choice but to press him on the perimeter. Even if you can't move. Somebody got to come help. Somebody got to do something. Hey, hey, hey, Joe. It's all about matchups, right?

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Who's the only weak link?

[Joe Johnson]

The only weak link is Rudy.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

The problem you had Ocho, Rudy Gobert and Win Benyama. They move totally different. Even though they both 7 footers. Wendy moved like a guard or a small forward. Hell, Rudy moved like a five man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, he moved like an old school, Big old school.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Hey, them slow feet don't eat, bro. You know what I mean? Like, for real. So I think that's challenging for Rudy to guard out there on the perimeter like that. Now, inside the paint, he could try to make it difficult.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

You know, but for the most part, he gonna be. He gonna be at a mismatch almost every game, man. Especially if we be making shots.

[Brad Hopkins]

Yeah, see, I believe you're. You're right because you look at the last series that we're in, and when he had to go against the Joker, he. He has a big size. The long arms. He can get up. Joker has slow feet.

[Joe Johnson]

Joe.

[Brad Hopkins]

Joe can feel like my feet right now. I'm stepping down.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

He can't jump over.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He ain't going no play.

[Brad Hopkins]

He ain't going biting. So rude. Didn't have to worry about that. But as when you start talking about Wimby, Wimy is like. Like the damn Road Runner.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You don't know.

[Brad Hopkins]

He's looking back. And the worst thing about. To me, Joe, is that when I think about Rudy essentially introduced this guy to the NBA.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, I don't like that.

[Brad Hopkins]

I don't. I don't like giving the guy my damn secrets. I don't believe in. When you play against the guy all the time you like, oh, okay, well, this is cool. Let's do this.

[Joe Johnson]

Let's do that.

[Brad Hopkins]

Then I meet you in a real game. Nah, man, I need to be able to elbow your ass. I need to make. I need to do something nasty to you. And I've seen both you guys. Oh, Joe, I've seen you. I've seen you play like that. And I've seen Joe. Joe, even as much as you like Paul Pierce, when you not Paul Boone, you got Paul Pierce for that crossover dribble and got him down to his damn knees. That.

[Joe Johnson]

Damn.

[Brad Hopkins]

That.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That supposed to be your boy.

[Brad Hopkins]

But.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But you.

[Brad Hopkins]

You went in it. So that's what I look at.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He has.

[Brad Hopkins]

He's giving him the. The keys to how to beat him. And that is unfair when you think about guys you have to play against.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah. If you look at San Antonio, they're one of the few teams. Every guy with the exceptional cornet that plays can attack you.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Every guy up other than cornet that plays can attack you.

[Joe Johnson]

Yes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And that's. That's a rarity that everybody that you see out there can put the ball on the floor and get to a rim. You look at Champagne, you looked at women. Yama. You look at Fox, Vassell Castle, you look at Harrison Barnes, you look at Keldon Johnson, you look at Dylan Harper. All of those guys go to sleep if you want to and see what happened.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And they're looking. Keldon Johnson was looking to get to the rim.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Other guy come in looking to get to the rim. They put a lot of pressure on you. You got to be constantly. You got to be on high alert every session.

[Brad Hopkins]

How did they get beat then the first game. How did San Antonio. How did San Antonio lose?

[Shannon Sharpe]

They shot the ball. They shot the ball.

[Joe Johnson]

They shot horrible, terrible.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Hold on.

[Joe Johnson]

Real bad.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

And I don't think they were desperate neither. I don't think they were desperate in game one. They came out just playing, you know, like young. Do they just. Oh, we just gonna come out. Come out here. And who I thought to tonight, you know, they put their Stamp.

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Redfin/T-Mobile Advertiser]

Harmony we're lost and kickoff's coming up. I don't want to miss the lineup. I'm gonna ask that man for directions. Hi there. We're trying to get to the stadium.

[Commercial Announcer]

Well, you're going to take a left at the old oak tree at this here road. Nah, I'm just kidding. Let me get my phone out.

[Redfin/T-Mobile Advertiser]

How is there signal out here?

[Commercial Announcer]

T Mobile and US Cellular are coming together so the network out here is huge. We get the same great signal as the city, saving a boatload with benefits. And there's a five year price guarantee too. Okay, here's the turn.

[Redfin/T-Mobile Advertiser]

Actually, can you pull up the way to a T Mobile store?

[Commercial Announcer]

America's best network just got bigger. Switch to T Mobile today and get built in benefits the other guys leave out. Plus our five year price guarantee. And now T Mobile is available at US Cellular stores in Hermiston. Best mobile network based on analysis by Ooklo spetest intelligence data second half of 2025 bigger network. The combination of T mobile's and US cellular's network footprints will enhance the T mobile network's coverage price guarantee on talk, text and data exclusions like taxes and fees apply. See t mobile.com for details. Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On public you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn into an investable index. With AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year. You can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors, llc. SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete Disclosures available at public.comDisclosures Are you

[Orderly Meds Advertiser]

trying to get weight loss support through telehealth? But it feels overwhelming and rushed? Check out orderlymeds.com now. Orderlymeds.com was built to be different. Here you connect with real doctors who take the time to understand your goals, review your eligibility, and guide you through a plan that's right for you. Orderly Meds provides access to proven GLP1 medications like semaglutide and Tirzepatide, including both name brand options and personalized compound versions when appropriate. So you have choices backed by clinical oversight, not guesswork. It's a simpler, more supportive telehealth experience designed around people who want clarity, care and confidence in their weight loss journey. And your medication is delivered directly to your home in discreet packaging so your experience stays private from start to finish. Do your research, ask the right questions, then visit orderlymeds.com podcast for an exclusive offer. Again, that's orderlymeds.com podcast. Individual results may vary. Not medical advice, eligibility required. See C site for details.

[Redfin/T-Mobile Advertiser]

Let's talk about modern home shopping. It's sort of become a fun side hobby, right? Scrolling listings at night, dreaming about kitchens you've never seen or backyards you haven't even stepped foot in. All from the comfort of pretty much anywhere. Redfin knows a lot of people like you want to own but are stuck in this browsing mode loop. That's where Redfin flips the script with listings that update within minutes and tours you can book right from the Redfin app, you can see your dream home the moment it appears. Now, liking a listing is easy, but actually landing it? That's where Redfin comes in. Redfin has over 2200 agents with local expertise, and Redfin agents close twice as many deals as other agents. That means they want to help you win, not just window shop. Redfin is built to help you go from just looking to wait. This could actually be home. So become the newest neighbor on the block. Visit redfin.com to start finding and start owning. That's redfin.com on the game from from

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

from the first quarter, meaning plan with aggression, playing like they didn't want to lose. That's how so for me, the first game. That's how they lost. They. Whether they took the Timberwolves for granted or not. But when you think about it, Cornette may not go at you, but in 13 minutes, you give me three blocks.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, yeah.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Hey, he ain't no slouch out there now.

[Shannon Sharpe]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

He's a vital part to what they do too. Because when Wim goes out and he's in. Yeah, he ain't no damn Wimby, but hell, he'll rim, protect the.

[Brad Hopkins]

He's the one protector and he's a scorer. He played with the Celtics a couple years ago and I got a chance to see him, talk to him. That's exactly what. He just wants to play his role. And Shannon, you say that about him. When he came in the league, he was a three point threat, but now he knows his damn job. He's like, he ain't coming.

[Joe Johnson]

He.

[Brad Hopkins]

Nope, I ain't shooting. I pass it over you hard.

[Shannon Sharpe]

3 roll to the basket.

[Brad Hopkins]

Know your damn role. So when guys know their roles in this league, that to me is so important. When you think about who you are as a player. If you are a scorer, you got to be a score. If you're a defender, you gotta defend the basketball. But when you start varying out to do that you ain't normally doing, then. Then you.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah.

[Brad Hopkins]

Oh, Terry, you just out there, you know, damn. They say you probably be making pancakes. Next thing I know, you, you damn making hot dogs. Make my pancakes.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Brad, you said something very interesting. You say, know your role. Knowing your role is one thing. Accepting your role is something entirely different. Because there are a lot of guys that, you know, all of a sudden we hiring cashiers and tellers. And that guy want to be the CEO. He want to be the chief loan officer. Yeah, that ain't what we hired you to do. Yeah, we got people for those roles. We need you to feel so. Knowing your role.

[Brad Hopkins]

And let me ask you this. I'm gonna ask Ocho, this Ocho, who is it? Is it more the players that get a guy in this role or is it the coach? Which one would you think?

[Joe Johnson]

I say it's more. It's more the players. I mean, it's more the players. The. The player define whatever role they, they, they, they. They can do. You know, once you. Once you show that in practice, you know, then therefore the coach has no. No choice but to put you at said role. Unless the person in front of you is that much better. Like that much special. That is different. But you set the role on what you can and can't do. And that all start in practice. But you know, sometimes, hey, hey, excuse me if I'm wrong, but you can come in there thinking, you know, I'm scoring 20, 30 tonight. And you get in practice and, and you, you look like dog water. I mean, it is what it is.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But Brad, you know, the thing is, is that everybody, we've seen guys in practice like, damn. And then he get to the game. I want you to do what you was doing in practice. That's what I need you to do right now.

[Joe Johnson]

But they can't.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You see how you put it on a one, two and you to the basket, yeah. One, two, pull up. Whatever you did in practice, whatever you ate that morning before you came to practice and did that.

[Brad Hopkins]

But that's why they call some of those guys practice players. You see a guy you play against all the time, Larry Bird, all the guys I knew back then, we'd have someone behind you and this guy's scoring like hell and then you look at him going, I know goddamn well you ain't gonna shoot it in the game. You, you gonna pass the damn ball. You ain't even looking. You scared to pee out there. You, you, you don't know what you got to do.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

So.

[Brad Hopkins]

So I think that's the difference. When you think about players, of who they are and what they do, you know, of knowing roles, I think players sometimes define their roles, their, their fellow players roles better than them because players, Yo, Joe, you've gone to players before and said, man, you need to, you need to give me damn 10 rebounds tonight or, you know, you need block box that boxes out right now or something. So I think it runs especially if you have veteran players. And that's why I think, I think Darren Fox is so smart. And that's the guy I think to me is the key because he's a veteran player who is holding the ball and is commanding their attention, right?

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

And he don't over exert himself neither. You know what I mean? Meaning, excuse me. He could come out. He was a, he was a. He could come out and probably, you know, go at his man a lot more than what he's doing. But he plays great within that system, keeping everybody involved because what, what there's one thing that we know, young guys, when they feel involved and feel a part of it, they play a little extra harder, man. You know what I mean? Now, there will be games and there will be times coming down the stretch, but, well, Fox going to have to come through, especially on the Road because in those situations, and that's why I say he's the second most valuable guy for the spurs if he plays well. Because they gonna need his ass on the road to come through late game. Watch it's gonna.

[Brad Hopkins]

Didn't Michael do that though? Didn't Michael Jordan do that? He made sure that everybody else was involved in the game early so that you know later in the game that now I'm not afraid to touch the ball. And that's one of the things I look at different. I didn't see that when Kobe played. Kobe was like, it's, it's about me. You, that's, you got follow me here. Don't be trying to do nothing else. But Michael, Michael set people up.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But you need veteran players for that. Because if you think, you think about who hit the big shot, Steve Kerr, John Paxton, now you're asking young players. Joe coming in first, second year in the league and LeBron passed him the ball, Steph Curry passed them the ball. Or one of these proven veteran players they like. No, bro, I thought I was, I thought I was just want to be on the team with you. You supposed to shoot that shot. Don't give me that ball. I, I, I, no, that a

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

football.

[Shannon Sharpe]

More times than not, the quarterback's gonna

[Brad Hopkins]

go to the back to you pass it to them. You they get, they catch it and they throwing it back to you before they.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Oh wa, oh yeah. Oh yeah. When they get late game, it'll show. It'll show who won and who don't you hey, hey, hey. You got guys, they try to get as far as hell away from, from that ball as they can. Yeah, I'mma go way over the corner.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, I've been in the huddle. Hey, you open? No, I ain't open. Go watch the film. He wide ass open, bro. I thought you said you was open. We could have threw you the ball. What you mean you weren't open? Every, because everybody doesn't, everybody thinks they want that pressure. They want the pressure if they make the play. But if they don't make the play, that criticism that's going to come from the fans, the criticism of your teammates looking at you sideways, knowing you had an opportunity. Everybody can't handle a drop pass, that change of possession or drop pass. And all of a sudden you don't convert. And now all of a sudden you lose the ball game. You don't. Everybody can't handle that. Everybody thinks they can handle it. Oh man, I've been a big time player all my life. Yeah, but you've made those plays. Now you get on the biggest of stages and you don't make that play. Do you still have the wherewithal? Do you still have the intestinal fortitude to overcome a drop, overcome assignment in the most crucial of situations? Everybody can't handle those situations.

[Brad Hopkins]

Here's the thing that really happens in a basketball game and a football. In all these games, in a basketball game in particular, if you, if you're a player, you can hide from the ball. If you are offensive player, you can act like this. You can grab the guy and say, I'm being covered. Some guys do that. I've seen it on the tape. Guy like you're supposed to be, oh, no, he done grabbed the other guy and ran behind him so he can't get the ball. So you can, you can be on the floor. Greatness to me is I, I saw it with Larry Bird. The greatness that he, he wanted the ball. Magic wanted the ball.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Jordan.

[Brad Hopkins]

Them dudes won't run away from the ball. But I've seen a lot of times in games where I've seen great players get in position with that. Man, I don't want that ball.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Man.

[Brad Hopkins]

Don't give me the. I know I'm getting paid to get. I don't want that damn ball. Not, not right now.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But can you be great when greatness is required? Because we've seen guys hit sh. Joe. Oo We've seen guys. Look at the guys making one hand catches at the first. Like, oh, boy, you catch right there. O good. He doing like this here, taking it off his shoe tops. Now we get in the fourth quarter, we need it. Ball hit him. Damn, bro, you just took one of your shoe tops from 25 yards away, not about 10 yards away. And you, damn, you throw the ball up. Wait, what are you doing? Are you a juggler?

[Brad Hopkins]

Are you a juggling?

[Shannon Sharpe]

That's what they be doing. I'm like, bro, hey, hey, Brad. Joe. I used to tell him, you still only get one catch. I don't give a damn how many times you bobbling and catching. That's still one catch.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So you bobbling three, four, five times. That ain't five catches, bro. That's one catch.

[Brad Hopkins]

Yeah.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Hey, hey, look at it when you think about it, hell, them first three damn quarters, it ain't no damn pressure out there at all.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Exactly.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Pressure. That pressure coming at four quarter under five minutes. A minute left on the clock. It's a neck and neck game and we need a big play. Big scar. I know exactly what you talking.

[Joe Johnson]

Hey, hey, hey, Uncle Joe. And bread is only a select few that are built mentally for those, for those moments. I mean, every, Every sport, basketball, basketball, baseball, football, it doesn't matter what it is. It's all about moments. And there are select few or certain players that can live with having wins and losses on their shoulders.

[Brad Hopkins]

Yeah, you know, name a player. And this is, this is pretty good. I'm a name a player because he's one of my favorite teammates. It was Kevin McHale. Kevin McKinnon, one of the greatest players ever to play the game. We were watching a tape one time, it was after the game was over and he had missed some free throws. We looked at his damn knees and his knees to buck him. And when he was getting ready to shoot the free throw, what the hell? And you can ask him today, he'll laugh if you ever see him anytime.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But.

[Brad Hopkins]

But that day, he didn't want it. He didn't want it. He's one of the greatest players ever to play the game. So I don't care who you are. I always say this pressure bus pipes, buddy. Okay, you can, you can think that you want it, you can act like you want it, but when the time comes, buddy, as, as Ocho is saying, only a few select players and women, men, whatever it is, boxers, whatever, want to step up and take that position.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Hey, hey, Brad. Yeah, pressure does bust pipes, but it also make dying.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, baby.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

You got some cats. You got some cats that'll look that moment right in the eye and be ready for it. Whether we can practice it a thousand damn times on in the backyard of our house as kids, you know, count it down. 5, 4, 3. Putting yourself, putting yourself under that type of pressure. Yeah, it's different when you got 30, 40, 000 fans screaming. But some guys, man, they're very comfortable in those situations. And you can tell, for instance, when I watch the Pistons play, you go look at Cade, bro.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey, hey. When he gets thick, hey.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Running to the ball, hey, give me the ball. Get your ass out the way. You know what I mean? I. I enjoy watching stuff like that because you see so many guys who are great and they will run from that moment. You know what I mean? So I, I understand what you're saying.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But you know, sometimes that what look, what we think of diamonds is just broken glass that's been buried for about 20 years. When you get up and watch and you wash all that dirt off your bread, guys, there ain't nothing but a piece of broken down glass that's been buried for 20, 30 years. That's all it is. We understand that pressure make diamonds, but sometimes you ain't dug up nothing but a piece of broken glass, and you have to see it for your damn self.

[Brad Hopkins]

There was no one, nothing. But the Pepsi bottle down there was broken. All.

[Shannon Sharpe]

That's all it was, fellas. That's all it was. And I think the thing is, is that in pro sports, especially like basketball and football, you so wide open, it's there for everybody to see. So if I throw you the ball and you drop it in a crucial situation, who we blaming it on, right? The ball hit you in the hands. Oh, yeah, Brad, you got the shot right there and you go into the basket and then you dribble the ball out of bounds. You do something. You do something crazy with. Everybody don't want to take that shot. They want to take it. If it goes in. Yes. They hold it up there. Yeah, but that ball come up short or you air ball it. Now all of a sudden, people looking at you crazy. Now you might shine.

[Brad Hopkins]

Yeah, I saw. I saw my man. One of them, a guy I went against and loved him to death. Well, I hate him, actually. James Worthy. James Worthy threw the ball. They were. The Lakers were at two games to one, game to nothing. They had the ball. They gave it to James in the back court, and he didn't want to get fouled, so he threw the ball up. Gerald Henderson stole it. James Worthy later on said, hey, I didn't want that ball. I didn't want to get fouled. One of the top players to ever play the game. So, you know, as much as I hate him, but he. I still got to give him his credit. Although he played with the Fakers, I still got to give him his credit, as you know, he was. But that particular time, he didn't want that ball. He didn't. He did not want it. And. And that's the thing about great players. Greatness. Moments will always elevate and you will know who you are as a player.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Yes, sir.

[Shannon Sharpe]

So what you. Who you like, Joey, who you like for game three? You like the Timberwolves going back home to be in their building crowds gonna be crazy. They did what they wanted to do. It had been great to get two games, but you got one. You stole. You snatched home court. Now can you consolidate it? Game three to really put the pressure on this young spurs team.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Yeah, I like the Timberwolves going back home. Game three, man, you like I always tell y', all. And Bridge, you notice in the NBA, bro. It's a fine line between winning and losing, especially in the postseason. One minute you can feel like you got it under control, the next day, a minute you like, damn. It's hard for us to even get a win. We got to try to find a way to get a win. So I'm not going to put too much on this win from the Spurs. I just thought they were the more desperate team. But I think it's going to be some trying times going to Minnesota trying to get a win. It's hard playing in that arena, bro. And if Minnesota can some way somehow miraculously get a little more healthier before game three, because that's their biggest. That's the biggest thing for Minnesota. Ant man ain't healthy here. You can see that IO tried to get. He gave it a go. But, man, you got to get these guys. They got to get healthy. But I think regardless of that, it's going to be hard for them spurs to win.

[Brad Hopkins]

I go. I'm going the opposite way. I'm thinking the spurs go in that game and they. They win that game by 20 in their third game. And the reason I say that is because I just don't believe in Minnesota. I don't think they believe in themselves enough right now. At the end of the day, when you're playing games and that you keep them close, that to me is a sign of who you are. But when you let go of the rope and you just happy to get back home. And I think Ant man is one of the greatest players out there. He got a nice important cast, some of the guys out there, but I just think that WIMBY comes in, he's going to shut that arena down, and especially for that third game. And it's critical that Minnesota gets out early and gets that crowd involved. If they don't get that crowd involved. And we saw that. You saw that when Luca went there and took the heart and soul out of that building that he. He just. I mean, who is that? I think it was Snoop Dogg sitting

[Shannon Sharpe]

on the front row.

[Brad Hopkins]

He was. Luca was talking to Snoop, talking to anybody around there, and took the heart. And Minnesota sometimes doesn't fight like that. And. And they're gonna have to do. I admit it, I'm a control freak. Luckily, the folks at WIX get it. That's why they created WIX Harmony. It's an AI website builder for people just like me. It lets you create any type of website super fast, but stay in control of every detail. You can even choose whether to use AI or click and edit things yourself until your website actually feels like you. Try it for [e-mail] Harmony that's wix.com Harmony

[Redfin/T-Mobile Advertiser]

we're lost and kickoff's coming up. I don't want to miss the lineup. I'm going to ask that man for directions. Hi there. We're trying to get to the stadium.

[Commercial Announcer]

Well, you're going to take a left at the old oak tree at this here road. Nah, I'm just kidding. Let me get my phone out.

[Redfin/T-Mobile Advertiser]

How is there signal out here?

[Commercial Announcer]

T Mobile and US Cellular are coming together so the network out here is huge. We get the same great signal as the city, saving a boatload with benefits. And there's a five year price guarantee too. Okay, here's the turn actually, can you

[Redfin/T-Mobile Advertiser]

pull up the way to a T Mobile store?

[Commercial Announcer]

America's best network just got bigger. Switch to T Mobile today and get built in benefits the other guys leave out. Plus our five year price guarantee. And now T Mobile is available at U S Cellular stores in hermiston Best Mobile Network Based on analysis by Ooklo Speed test intelligence data second half of 2025 bigger network the combination of T Mobile's and US Cellular's network footprints will enhance the T Mobile network's coverage price guarantee on talk text and data exclusions like taxes and fees apply. See t mobile.com for details. Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On public you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index. With AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens the thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S P500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Investment Advisors llc. SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures [e-mail] disclosures.

[Orderly Meds Advertiser]

Are you trying to get weight loss support through telehealth? But it feels overwhelming and rushed. Check out orderlymeds.com now. Orderlymeds.com was built to be different. Here you connect with real doctors who take the time to understand your goals, review your eligibility, and guide you through a plan that's right for you. Orderly Meds for provides access to proven GLP1 medications like semaglutide and Tirzepatide, including both name brand options and personalized compound versions when appropriate. So you have choices backed by clinical oversight, not guesswork. It's a simpler, more supportive telehealth experience designed around people who want clarity, care and confidence in their weight loss journey. And your medication is delivered directly to your home in discreet packaging so your experience stays private it from start to finish. Do your research, ask the right questions, then visit orderlymeds.com podcast for an exclusive offer. Again, that's orderlymeds.com podcast. Individual results may vary. Not medical advice, eligibility required. See Cite for details.

[Redfin/T-Mobile Advertiser]

Let's talk about modern home shopping. It's sort of become a fun side hobby, right Scrolling listings at night, dreaming about kitchens you've never seen or backyards you haven't even stepped back foot in. All from the comfort of pretty much anywhere. Redfin knows a lot of people like you want to own but are stuck in this browsing mode loop. That's where Redfin flips the script with listings that update within minutes and tours you can book right from the Redfin app. You can see your dream home the moment it appears. Now, liking a listing is easy, but actually landing it? That's where Redfin comes in. Redfin has over 2,200 agents with local expertise and Redfin agents close twice as many deals as other agents. That means they want to help you win, not just window shop. Redfin is built to help you go from just looking to wait. This could actually be home. So become the newest neighbor on the block. Visit redfin.com to start finding and start owning. That's redfin.com that this time.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

The Knicks take a two nothing lead over the boss of. A 108102 victory. Jalen Brunson was Jaylen Brunson when he needed to be Jaylen brunson They had three guys with at least 20 points. OG Ananobi is still playing unbelievable basketball. He had 24 points, Cat had to with a double double 20 and 10. Mikel Bridges had 189 of 13 from the floor and Jalen Brunson struggled with his shot. But when he needed to be great, when he needed to make shot after shot after shot in the last two minutes, they put the ball in his hand and he delivered.

[Brad Hopkins]

Ocho.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, hold on. Let's see. Paul, George, Andrew Drummond, Kelly Oubre, Tyrese Maxey, Edgecombe. I'm listening to somebody who you missing? Paul, George, Andrew. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Joe Johnson]

And B. And B was hurt.

[Brad Hopkins]

His knee.

[Joe Johnson]

Oh, yeah. He wasn't available. I know. I know. We talked about that. We talked about that. We know. I understand. I told you how special he was when he did play. That was my feedback right now.

[Shannon Sharpe]

We played nine games. The 76ers played nine games. He's missed four.

[Brad Hopkins]

Okay.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

In the postseason.

[Joe Johnson]

Hey, let's stay on. Hey, hold on. Let's stay on track and let's focus.

[Brad Hopkins]

Go ahead.

[Joe Johnson]

Let me get you together. Hey, hey, hey, hey, Joe.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Yeah.

[Joe Johnson]

Cause you. You was with UNC 2. Talk about cat couldn't do nothing with goddamn Andre Drummond and goddamn Embiid, so we gave him bead that worked the first game. And then he had Drum in this game. Boy, what Cat look like tonight? Joe?

[Shannon Sharpe]

He look good.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

O. Joe. Hey, I can't hear you say he looked good, brother.

[Joe Johnson]

Matter of fact, he didn't live by the three.

[Brad Hopkins]

He.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

He hit one of them.

[Joe Johnson]

He was one for one from three. But we got his points at Joe in the what?

[Shannon Sharpe]

And. And shot nine free throws.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah. Hey, how do you get to the free throw line? By doing what?

[Shannon Sharpe]

He being aggressive.

[Joe Johnson]

Thank you.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Huh?

[Joe Johnson]

I told you I talked to Cat before this goddamn series. I told him, you heard what Uncle Joe said. Go out there and show them boys you could do it.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

What?

[Joe Johnson]

You hear me? Don't let him make it one dimensional. And he's showing you he could do it. Yeah.

[Brad Hopkins]

You guys. You guys forgetting something here? Mr. Big had himself that guy. I would hate to buy him a hat. But Brunson, God damn, he coming. He started throwing their head around and hitting you. You know, they always get people for throwing their elbows and stuff that would lean his head into more people than I seen, you know, in a long time. But he gets it done. And I'm just. I'm amazed. You know, you think about trades, how Dallas missed out and they had him and Luca in the back court together and decided to make a decision and let that boy go to New York. And he is exactly what. He has the spirit in him. He. That dude right there is a leader. That. That's the leader again. When he plays that way, everybody else follows suit. Man, we can talk about cat. Cat can do what he wants to do. But I'm, I was, I really picked Philly. I thought Philly would play much better because I thought Embiid, the way they played against the Celtics. And when Paul George got back in that, that machine and went back about 10 years, I thought that the 76 is going to give them a fifth.

[Joe Johnson]

And hold on, Brett, don't, don't feel bad. Cause them two right there, hold on right there by your side. They pick Philly too.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Hey, hold on, hold on.

[Joe Johnson]

They pick Philly too.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

When you look at it, they are, they are a way different team when they play without Embiid. There's more space, the pace is a lot faster and they're less predictable. Yes, Maxi. Maxi is the head of the snake by him putting pressure on that defense, attacking in the pick and roll. See, when Embiid is there, the lane is always clocked. Cause his big ass ain't really. He ain't leaving the paint unless he said in the pick and roll. Cause he want the ball every time.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Y' all know it.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Yes, sir, I know it. So he ain't, he ain't sacrificing just to be on the three to where Max can have these lanes, where Edge could have these lanes. And I also think without him be playing the psyche of the guys, especially Paul George, you know, they know they have to assert themselves a lot earlier in the game. If you see Paul George came out cooking with Greece. He wasn't playing tonight. You know what I mean? Like he was getting right to it. I just think they're less predictable like this. They're a lot faster and the game seems a lot more fun for those guys without Embiid. Now I'm not saying they better without him be, but I'm just saying they played games to where they look pretty damn good. Look, I mean hell, they ain't lose by 30. They were winning at the end of the third quarter, fellas, going into the fourth quarter.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, they were winning late in the ball game until I thought they started taking some ill advised threes.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

They got tired.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I didn't think, I didn't think those threes that they were taking, Joe. I didn't think they were necessary. I thought they could have got a better shot than what they were getting.

[Brad Hopkins]

Yeah, you're right because the Knicks didn't have any rim protectors. There's no boxing.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Nope.

[Brad Hopkins]

Nobody was at the rim. So you should have been attacking if you were the 76ers attacking the rim. And, and they didn't do it. You played into the hands of what the Knicks are. And now that the Knicks have got you down 20 and they're going to your building, man, it's gonna be rough because you're gonna have. You have Ocho and everybody else gonna be sitting in the damn front row and really yelling, damn, Nick fans, boy. I mean, some of the most arrogant asses I've been seeing. They could. They come to your building, man, and they gonna turn your building out. So if you're the 76s, you better make sure Embiid is there. You get him on the box and let him be and we can talk about it. But when he's dominant, he's the horse in there. Then everything else, to me, you might not get as many shots. But boy, he was so dominant against the Celtics that I had damn nightmares over there.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I wanted to come.

[Brad Hopkins]

I wanted to come off the damn bench and guard him. And I ain't played in the damn 30 years.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Let me add him bread. What if you had. What if you only got an opportunity to eat? If Joel Embiid played in an NBA game, people gonna thank you on that zempic. You'll be skinny in the mood.

[Joe Johnson]

Hey, but. But even. Even with that, right? Even Joe, if you look at the 76ers today and you look at them offensively and how free flowing everybody was free flowing up and down in transition, not having to wait, lane not clogged up, Maxi and PG willing to. Willing to assert themselves whenever they wanted to because they didn't have to facilitate Timb. But then look about it when Embiid does play and how he can dominate the game down in the paint. You can pick and choose when you want to go as far as PG and goddamn Maxi goes. But then today, today you got no presence down there. You have no offensive threat in drumming, because that's not what he does.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I think. I think the thing is though, Ocho, if you look at game one, Joe and I thought they went to be too early too often.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And it threw everybody off kilter right now. Yeah. It had been great to have him in a situation tonight. So now we don't have to force threes. We got a big guy down on the box. On the box. And now if you have to come help, he can kick and get you a wide open three. I thought they was taking threes with hands in their face.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I mean, yeah, Paul George had it going. And I think the thing is, what happens is sometimes is that you make a three or you make a couple of threes early. Joe and Brad, is that you think the three gonna be that late in the ball game? And so you take some unnecessarily. Yeah, that's. That's the problem. And see, my thing is, and I've never said that Joel Embiid wasn't great, but it's going to be hard to win a championship with him because you don't know how available he's going to be and how often he'll be available. Because here it is again tonight. You're like, oh, man, we got an opportunity to get this back. Joel Embiid is out with multiple injuries.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Yeah, yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

OG Left this game late in the ball game. Joe.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Brett, OG Left. He gonna be huge if he can. He got. If he can't play. Now that swings back because he's been unbelievable. He's been their second best player.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Hey.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

And then when you think about it, if. If I think if. If Embiid is gonna be out, you know, these guys, I'm not sure if he's gonna come back for Game 3 or not. But I like drumming. I love boner coming off the bench. Fellas. The energy and effort that he plays with.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yes.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

You know, even if a few times he got beat, he had two blocks, he coming from behind, fly swatting, that thing. You hear me?

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yep.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Starting the fast break. I love the. The high pace that Philly plays with. My only problem is, I think they. They. They got it going so good the first three quarters that when they got late in the stretch, they were tired. Uncle. You know, Uncle Ojo and Brie, I thought they all got a little tired and fatigued, which is why they settled for a lot of them bad shots that ultimately, you know, got him.

[Brad Hopkins]

See, that's what Joel and B gives you. The ability that when you need a basket, he can get his big ass on that damn post. And now he draws attention. Against the Celtics during this series, he played. He. They were going to him. He was making correct reads. He was passing off Oubre had dunks. He played like a master in that. And maybe because the Celtics didn't want competing that way, but I thought. And. And we talk about the. The game. See, if you are a coach and you just beat the Celtics the way you did by Joel Embiid, you ain't changing what you did. You gonna go and see if you can put Embiid on the box and see if he can get going. But we know in the NBA and also football, all These other sports, the series change from game to game because it's all about matchups. And if you don't change your matchups, you. This. I mean you. If they don't win this third game in Philly.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, yeah. Yeah.

[Brad Hopkins]

Get your damn. Go get.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Go get your damn broom.

[Brad Hopkins]

Some play, Ocho. We'll be down there sweeping because that. That's gonna be over quick.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Hey, think about this, though. When you think about Embiid, can he play the role ant Man's playing? Do y' all think he can play that role coming off the bench? Yeah. Come listen. Listen, Ocho, I mean, damn, you already hurt. You know, you. You only gonna give us real limited minutes. I'm talking about effective minutes. Come out, play limited minutes off the bench. And in the fourth, when we really need you, maybe you got a little something in the tank. It takes a different type of guy, a different type of star bro, to be able to do what ant man is doing coming off that bench. Accepting that role and not overdoing it. That's all I'm saying.

[Brad Hopkins]

Yeah, but think about when you get a drilling B, when he warms up. You guys know right now, if you warm up with a damn horse, you let him go over there and sit down, he gonna be cold as hell. You can't expect him to start going well in the third and fourth quarter. So when it sound like that warms up, it's like they. They were saying to me, oh, well, do you think that when Jason Tatum comes back, you're gonna bring him off the bench? I said, no, he done warmed up. He warmed up and did all these drills and all this stuff. Yeah, you put them in the game and let him play Joel and be the same way. Now, what you can do, Joe, I think you start him and then you start limiting those minutes and you take them down some and then you have him more fresh for the fourth quarter. I would like to do that, but I don't think he's gonna be able to. To get. Get started, be cold, and then come off and then get some things going in the fourth quarter. I don't think he can do that. Nah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I mean, you look at Philly, they only played eight guys. PG play 43 minutes. Ubere 40 minutes. Maxi 47 minutes. Edge come 40 minutes. So I can see Joe at the end of the game, them legs heavy.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

The game was playing was. Was up. At first, the game was up and down, and then it kind of slowed down and. But the problem is, if we get embiid, y' all know the first four or five touches, y' all know where the ball going. He gonna touch it.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Yeah, yeah, but.

[Brad Hopkins]

But you gonna stop him, though. That's the thing. Are you gonna stop it?

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Well, the thing. The thing, Brie, it ain't even about stopping him because it's just gonna kind of. It's gonna clog up the paint or it's gonna have everybody else around them kind of stale. They don't play with that same type of enthusiasm when they have to like that. Hey, hey. When the coach drop in the huddle, first three, four plays going to be. Hey, hey, guys just out there, they ain't even. You know what I mean? It's. It's a big difference, bro. Hey, but look, I like the kid Barlow who came off the bench for Philly, the big guy. I thought he played great.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

And I like Boner. It ain't like they ain't got big. Hell, you got drumming, too. But I just think with Embiid, man, you can't bog him down with 35.

[Brad Hopkins]

Yeah, that. That's.

[Joe Johnson]

That's.

[Brad Hopkins]

That's really the key, that you cannot make him play for you. If you can make him play someplace around 25 minutes, 28 minutes, I think that's when you get the maximum from him. Anything over that, I think Joel and B. And because, look, he's been out of basketball. He's been away for. For the longest time.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Yeah.

[Brad Hopkins]

I'm shocked that he came back and was able to play, because I. We've all had. I had a hernia operation. They told me not to laugh, not to move, don't do for too much. And I'm like. And I was like, they. He had this operation, and he's playing the NBA game. I was shocked to see him out there and to be as effective as he was. I was shocked. I was shocked.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And think about how many minutes he had to play in that Celtics game. They redlined him. He played 40 plus. They didn't have no choice. And then to flip it around and a day later, when you've been out, the amount of time that he's been out, and you know his conditioning. And see, that's when guys get hurt. When you get fatigued, that's when guys get hurt.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Yeah. Yeah. That's why I say you got to find a way to kind of minimize his minutes. Now, his ass ain't gonna be happy. Cause y' all know the stars in this league, they don't like sitting down. You know, they. They don't. They don't like when you cut their minutes, especially if they kind of got a little back and forth with somebody on the other team, you know what I mean? So, yes, he ain't gonna be. He ain't gonna be fine with just playing in three four minute spurs here. He gonna be pissed off. But you gonna need that bro, to keep him fresh in that fourth quarter versus, you know, bogging him down. And then when you get to the fourth, you wonder why he tired, why he walking down the court. I just think without him on the floor, man, the energy and the pace is so much more faster for the sixes. And you can tell the guys really enjoy playing that way. Hell, the game fun. We all touching the ball, penetrate, kick, pop, popping and hopping around the horn. We all shooting three. Yeah, it's fun like that versus coming down every damn trip Bread, you know, damn, we just throwing it down at a big fella. Hope he pass it out here to me.

[Brad Hopkins]

I mean, I mean, I'll ask you guys a question. And Jalen Brown talked about it. He put it on this podcast. He said. He said Joel Embiid is one of the best players in the NBA. But he said he's a damn flopper. And I was like, yeah, because every time he gets around the hole, I ain't never seen a big guy go down that many times. I don't give them who it is. I ain't never seen him. I mean, a guy who weigh half his weight, he come and bump into Joel and be trolling B. Just go flying backwards, man. So they need. And the NBA already said, hey, we're gonna find you for flopping.

[Shannon Sharpe]

They ain't playing. Oh, wow.

[Brad Hopkins]

Thank you, Shannon. Thank you. Thank you. So you're saying the refereeing changes during

[Joe Johnson]

the playoffs? Yeah, they, they, they let him play.

[Brad Hopkins]

It ain't happening.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Oh, yeah, but I thought, I thought the Knicks. Look when OG was great all night, Mikhail Bridges made some big shots. But you know what it is, is Brunson they gonna put. And I thought, I thought Edgecombe did a great job. He had 26 points, Joe. But it took him 21 shots.

[Brad Hopkins]

21 shots again, I can live with Joe.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I can live with that. I can lit. I can live with that, man. Taking 21 shots to get 26 points. Yeah. Now you would like to see him. Okay, you will get 26. Let's get to 26 before the last two minutes. Because I don't need you to get four, six of those points in the last two minutes of the ball game.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Right.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Because that's when that's when he kills you. You've done a great job on this, man, the entire night.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

I agree.

[Shannon Sharpe]

When he got to have a basket, when he got to make a play, he gonna draw the contact or get to the line or you gonna put the ball in the hoop. It's really that simple. There. There's a region. Didn't he win the clutch award this year or did Shay won it? But I think he won it last year. I think Shay might have won it.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But that's why he's always in the running for clutch, clutch player. Because the last five minutes of the ball game, when the ball game is close, he way to get the ball in the, in the basket.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

He gonna accept that challenge, and he gonna take on that challenge. And for me, man, the Knicks probably, obviously they third most important player or one of the most, is OG Bro.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

OG has been playing out of his damn mind out of it this entire postseason. I mean, I'm not gonna lie. It seemed like every time he shoot that going in, you know what I mean? And he just make winning plays, bro. He makes winning. He play hard as on defense and offensively, he got enough to where he could get you 25 a night in, in the postseason. 2020 to 25 a night. And he's been doing that on a consistent basis. The way he's been shooting the three pointer, obviously he was two for seven tonight, but he's been shooting over 50% from three fellas.

[Brad Hopkins]

Yep.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Like, the man is playing out of his mind, bro.

[Shannon Sharpe]

I, I. And I thought, I thought, like, when the Sixers had an opportunity to really open it up, he make a three.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Yeah, he get up, he get go.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He get go. He go into the basket and he finishes at the rim. And I was like, well, damn, Philly. I like Philly. Oh, Philly about to go up. They get a basket here, they're going to go up nine, 10, maybe even 11 points. And all of a sudden, OG come down, he hit a three. All of a sudden he make an outstanding defensive play, and they could go down and score on the other end, he's been playing winning basketball. That's what they got him for. They got him in New York because they wanted to deal with those twins up in Boston, J.T. and J.B. yeah. They said we got to have somebody that has the physicality, has the quickness to stay with them and can maybe offset. Now, he ain't gonna outscore. He probably ain't gonna outscore J.T. because we know J.T. can go get 50. We saw him in a game seven. Go get 51. So we know he can put the ball in the bucket. And now JB has taken even another step. Probably, probably gonna be looking to get his own team. Bread.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

He might well come on back. He might well come on home then.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Hey, Brad, you know how that goes. Brad, you know how that go. You get a little taste of playing. Hey, it's your team. You get as many shots as you want. You get to shoot it whenever you want. Bad. Hey, I've been the MVP running. They ain't never put me no MVP running. Bread. Hey, they say I want to top. Oh, I want the top ten players. Oh, okay. I like. I like where that sound. Brad, hold on.

[Joe Johnson]

Hey, can you still be that? If you lead a team that you own now, you gotta understand, as great as you are, is because your supporting cast is there too, that.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Well, he, he, he.

[Brad Hopkins]

He car. He carried these guys. He carried them. He carried them.

[Shannon Sharpe]

He.

[Brad Hopkins]

He is the MVP finals already. He was almost. He was one of the top, top seven guys in the NBA this year.

[Joe Johnson]

In the NBA.

[Brad Hopkins]

I don't think the Celtics were. Are going to want to do that. I keep hearing about, well, maybe they make a trade and to get Giannis, you know, send, you know him to Milwaukee and you get Giannis with jt. Jalen Brown is a beast, man. He is amazing. He's a. He's an intellectually smart player. He is probably the best. He. He said it. I'm one of the. I'm the best two way player right now in the game. And when he defends like that. This is how bad it was in, in Boston. Boston that was so bad that they had JB Garden embiid on the post. What the hell y' all doing? I'll weigh you about, about £75. So you asking a lot of that dude and you wanted him to carry the weight, but I don't know. It's gonna be interesting to see what happens with all these teams right now with all these different players that we talk about. And I mean, even to the point where I think about the Steph Curry, does he finish right now in Golden State? If you go to State, we look at all these great players, he ain't got no chance to win it in Golden State right now.

[Shannon Sharpe]

No, no, no, no, no.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Do you.

[Brad Hopkins]

Wait, do you waste these last three years, three, four years by him staying where he's at or do you make a move right now and. And Joe, please don't tell me about them Atlanta Hawks down there after what they.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Come on.

[Brad Hopkins]

I never seen the. I ain't never seen a first grade team play like that.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Bread, Bread, Bread, come on, Br. You gotta chill. Listen, if you mean to tell me we can go get Jalen Brown and bring him on home. You mean it? I bet you that. I bet that won't happen no more.

[Joe Johnson]

He gonna get you all over there.

[Brad Hopkins]

How did they get beat by. Damn. 65 points without somebody fighting. I didn't understand that.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

We. Hey, hey, hey. We try to start a fight. You see, we had Big Rock.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Yeah, they tried to start one and

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

they had Big Robinson in the full nelson here. Everybody put him to sleep.

[Brad Hopkins]

You can't put nobody in the full nelson after you down by six, 60. You can't.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You got.

[Brad Hopkins]

I never seen. I'm looking at the scores going, I saw 50 something to 14. Next thing I know, there was 70 something. And then I looked at the half, I'm like, they only scored 30. They had 39 points and the Knicks had. Damn, 96. I was like, are they still playing out there or is it just. What the hell happened down there? I got to get on Dominique's ass. When I see him, he's always talking noise to me. Yeah, these Atlanta Hogs, man, them damn Hogs, man, them all nothing but some scarecrows at the end of the day.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Oh, man, come on, come on.

[Brad Hopkins]

Yo, you saw the game. You saw the game.

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

What am I, am I.

[Brad Hopkins]

Am I missing something? Am I telling you something?

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

Nah, we. We were bad, Bread. We were bad. We were bad.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You know when that thing go bad, and sometimes, especially in basketball, when that thing start, when that one push and a 10 point lead goes to 25, and the next thing you know, you look up is 45, it's over.

[Brad Hopkins]

It was that damn 65. You don't go. It'll go from 10 to 65 like that, 20 to 30, but you don't go from damn 10 to 65.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Bread, the score was 51:19. So what you gonna do about that?

[Brad Hopkins]

You.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You think you coming back on 5119 and scoring 83 to 36, that and

[Chad Ochocinco Johnson]

a half,

[Shannon Sharpe]

man, you might as well get you a hot dog, some popcorn

[Brad Hopkins]

and just get full and relax.

[Shannon Sharpe]

You. You might as well just get in the locker room, say, hey, man, go

[Brad Hopkins]

get me a couple hot dogs, man, get my. My bags right now so we can get on up out of here. That was, that was. That was the most disappointing thing I've seen so far this year. And I thought the Hawks Were going to play well against the Knicks, at least push them. But when they lost that game like that, I mean, it was. That was crazy.

[Shannon Sharpe]

Well, look, I. I didn't think they get beat like that. But if you notice the games that they won, they would nip and took. The games that the Knicks won, they were by 20. You remember when they went back for games, they went back for game five and the Knicks blew them out by 30. Yeah, they come back home and they get beat by 50. But you remember in game one, they got beat bad.

[Brad Hopkins]

Yeah, I gave you that, Shannon, but I'm still trying to do that damn math that you gave me a minute ago. You down by 10 and then you're down 60. Don't work like that, man.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But you know what the thing is, Brad? You know the NBA is about runs. And now with that three point shot, you get down 10 and the next thing you know, you down 19. Because they don't hit three threes in a row on you. Now you was down 10. Now you down 19. You. You look it up and now you turn the ball over because you're trying to do something. And before you know it, that thing, it don't take long. Brad, you remember these games and. And now with the team, the three point shot, Brad, when y' all got a team down 20 points, this team wasn't coming back. You get down 20, 25 points in the first quarter, you next day, you know you tied at the half. These guys shoot that three ball. So. Well, yeah, if you shooting the three ball well, but if you're not shooting it well, and you get down by 10, 15, you about to get blown

[Joe Johnson]

out, it's gonna be. It's gonna be hell out of the building.

[Shannon Sharpe]

And that's what happened to y'. All. Cuz, y'. All. I don't understand. I'm trying to figure out y' all had a chance to take the lead with a two. Why the hell y' all shoot five straight six straight threes late in that ball game like that?

[Brad Hopkins]

Well, I'll answer that, Shannon, because that's who they are. That's their identity. You don't change. You. It's like if you go to. If you go to the prom, Shannon, and you take this one pretty girl, but you see another girl over there and you try to go get her ass. And then your girlfriend found out that you, you were on her. Then next thing you know, you going home. You know you on your hand with Mr. Fist. That's where you're going back. Because you you there ain't no more happening. But they were.

[Shannon Sharpe]

But the girl I brought, she wasn't acting right though. Brad, what you want me to do?

[Brad Hopkins]

But they were.

[Shannon Sharpe]

The three wasn't falling, so you better go take you some tools.

[Brad Hopkins]

They are a three boy shooting team. The only person that they had that could go to the hoop at that particular time. When was Jalen Brown when you didn't have. When you missed Jason Tatum. Jason Tatum was huge because Jason Tatum had enough size to kind of get to the free throw line. That's why he kept taking the threes. And, and I, I was. Look, Peyton, would you live. I think I could live with Peyton Pritchard shooting the three all by himself in the corner. And, and he just missed it. So it just. I'm dumbfounded because I still think the Celtics should be playing right now. The Knicks. So I'm. I'm really sick about all that.

[Shannon Sharpe]

This game tonight was unbelievable. It had 25 lead changes, the most in a playoff game in 11 years. He had 14 ties and neither team led by more than seven points tonight. It came down to the end and this is what you want to see. Hopefully we get some games like this tomorrow. Ain't no guarantee, but the Knicks were. And this is what the Knicks does. The Knicks get you in a close ball game and they put the ball in one of the best clutch players that's in the NBA. And he finished.

[Brad Hopkins]

Wait a minute. You think that I gotta make sure I get this straight. You think that the Lakers, the fakers gonna get close to OKC tomorrow? Is that what you say?

[Shannon Sharpe]

I said, oh, probably not considering Shay. This was the first game that Shay had. He scored under 20 in a year and they still lost by 18. I'm not, I'm not the most confident man.

[Brad Hopkins]

No,

[Shannon Sharpe]

I'm not the most confident man. What's up, cousin?

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