Nightcap Hour 1: Cade Cunningham & Pistons SNEAK by SHORT-HANDED Thunder + Odds for NBA MVP have TIGHTENED + NBA sends DOCTORS to CHECK Lauri Markkanen

Summary

Nightcap Podcast Summary: Hour 1 – February 26, 2026

Theme/Overview
In this fast-paced, candid episode, Shannon Sharpe (Uncle Ocho), Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, and Joe Johnson dive into the NBA’s hottest stories, breaking down the Detroit Pistons’ win over the short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder, dissecting the tightening NBA MVP race, and analyzing the NBA’s new approach to injury verification with Lauri Markkanen. The conversation is laced with insider perspective, playful banter, and unfiltered takes that bring both expertise and entertainment.

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1. Pistons vs. Thunder: Detroit Survives, OKC Impresses Even Shorthanded

[02:36 - 14:54]

• The Pistons barely edge the heavily depleted Thunder 124-116. Despite OKC missing 5 out of 6 starters, the game is tight through the end—a testament to OKC’s depth and culture.
• Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren both shine: 29 points each, with Duren adding 15 rebounds and Cade 13 assists. Detroit shoots an impressive 54% from the field and dominates the boards.
• The hosts highlight the importance of efficiency and leadership from Cunningham:

  “If Cade Cunningham plays like this, they’re virtually unbeatable.” — Uncle Ocho [06:18] “He’s efficient, 13 assists, getting other guys involved… recipe for them to win.” — Joe Johnson [05:18]

• The Thunder’s plug-and-play philosophy gets respect:

  “Whoever plays, don’t come out there—they’re gonna give you that work… These are the hardest teams to play against.” — Joe Johnson [05:23]

• The panel critiques Tobias Harris’ lack of offensive aggression, questioning if he’s maximizing his role, especially while the team is short-handed.

  “He played 23 minutes. I need more than five attempts, bro.” — Joe Johnson [07:18] “He’s made 400 million and never been an All-Star or All-NBA selection… timing is everything.” — Uncle Ocho [09:04, 09:35]

Notable Segment:

• Detroit’s Championship Prospects:
  Both Joe Johnson and Uncle Ocho are bullish on Detroit’s chances if their stars sustain this level, but acknowledge Boston as a serious obstacle.

  “If Cade and Duren play like this… I’m putting my money on Detroit.” — Uncle Ocho [14:11]

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2. The MVP Race Gets Tight (Games Played Rule Impacts Jokic, SGA)

[22:08 - 28:39]

• New NBA rules on games played (max missed games) mean usual MVP favorites may not qualify:
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA) must play at least 16 of the last 22 to remain eligible.
  • Nikola Jokic will be ineligible if he misses more than two more games.
• This opens the door for emergent candidates like Cade Cunningham and Jaylen Brown if their teams finish strong.
• Jokic’s statistical dominance is undeniable:

  “He’s averaging 30, 13, and 11… he’s disgusting out there, bro.” — Joe Johnson [26:08, 25:48] “You’re gonna lose a numbers game to him.” — Uncle Ocho [25:43]

• Panel agrees that both team record and player stats will decide; if Detroit holds the best record, Cade could sway voters.

  “Best player on the best team… that’s how it works.” — Uncle Ocho [26:29]

• Rules incentivize stars to play:

  “When y’all want to load manage, you’re gonna load manage yourself out of an All-NBA selection or MVP.” — Uncle Ocho [28:17]

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3. NBA's Tougher Stance on Injury Claims: Lauri Markkanen Case

[33:15 - 36:22]

• NBA sends independent doctors to verify Lauri Markkanen’s injury, signaling a crackdown on questionable absences during tanking season.

  “The NBA say… we finished in our doctors down there to see what’s going on… this tank of stuff, man, it got out of hand.” — Joe Johnson [33:28]

• The hosts discuss the delicate balance between player-reported pain and league skepticism.
• NBA's move away from "protected" draft picks in response to manipulation:

  “NBA said, hell, no. Ain’t nothing protected.” — Uncle Ocho [35:05]

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4. Load Management, Old-School Tales, and the Athlete’s Grind

[28:39 - 36:22] [37:00 - 44:14]

• Sharpe and Johnson reflect on the physical toll of an 82-game season, the increasing technology in sneakers, and the “old days” with longer travel, minimal support, and less advanced recovery.

  “Six to eight months, every other day… it’s wear and tear on the body. But yeah, man, you really got to go out there and compete for what you want.” — Joe Johnson [29:10] “Them dudes playing in Chuck Taylors out there… everything is so much more advanced [now].” — Uncle Ocho [36:30]

• Hilarious anecdotes about shoe preferences:
  • Ocho prefers “feeling the floor” and minimal support (“I need to feel the floor… I don’t want nothing restricting my ankle,” [38:08])
  • Uncle Ocho and Joe debate shoe/tape philosophies, new shoes every game vs. well-worn favorites.

---

5. Anecdotes: Bumps, Breaks, and the Reality of Pro Sports

[44:30 - 52:54]

• The trio swap war stories on surgeries, injuries, and playing through pain—everything from orbital bone fractures to dislocated elbows.
• Highlights:
  • Joe Johnson describes breaking his face (18 screws, 3 plates) after a dunk gone wrong:

    “I was in bad shape… came back early, whole eye was bloodshot, had to wear that Batman mask, couldn’t breathe in it.” — Joe Johnson [48:47]

  • Uncle Ocho details a broken orbital from football and refusing pain meds for fear of side effects:

    “He said, ‘let’s file it down’. I said, ‘you know how painful that’ll be?’” — Uncle Ocho [48:05]

• The mix of laughter and empathy brings human perspective to the superstar athlete experience:

  “It’s like every play, it’s almost a career-[ending injury] and especially because the hip drop, that’s what got me, Ocho, taping my ankles…” — Uncle Ocho [42:34]

---

Memorable Quotes & Episode Timestamps

• “If Cade Cunningham plays like this, they’re virtually unbeatable.” — Uncle Ocho [06:18]
• “Whoever plays, don’t come out there—they’re gonna give you that work.” — Joe Johnson [05:23]
• “He’s made 400 million and never been an All-Star... it’s all about timing, timing, timing.” — Uncle Ocho [09:04, 09:35]
• “He’s averaging 30, 13, and 11… he’s disgusting out there, bro.” — Joe Johnson [26:08]
• “When y’all want to load manage, you’re gonna load manage yourself out of an MVP.” — Uncle Ocho [28:17]
• “The NBA say, we finished in our doctors down there… this tank of stuff, man, it got out of hand.” — Joe Johnson [33:28]

---

Key Takeaways

• Pistons look elite when their stars perform, but still show some vulnerabilities. The Thunder’s deep bench wins admiration.
• The MVP race is wide open due to new games-played rules; Jokic’s statistical output dazzles, but team finish will be critical.
• NBA enforces stricter policies to combat tanking and questionable injuries.
• Athlete stories provide real perspective on the sacrifices and grind of professional sports.
• The show’s unique blend of NBA expertise, player insight, and authentic locker room talk makes it a must-listen for basketball fans.

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This episode flows with a mix of sharp, informed basketball analysis and the camaraderie of three sports veterans—unfiltered, witty, and real. If you missed it, you’ll walk away caught up on NBA drama, player mentality, and why only fools sleep on Nightcap.

Transcript

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[Liberty City Zone]

Foreign.

[Uncle Ocho]

Ladies and gentlemen, and thank you for joining us for another episode of Nightcap. Y' all know who I am. I'm your favorite unc and there's my partner and co host Liberty City Zone Bengals Ring of Fame honoree, a former Pro Bowler and an All Pro, that is Chad Ochocinko. Johnson and the third member of the Big Three joins us two nights a week, Monday and Wednesday. University of Arkansas alum, Little Rock, Arkansas native, a seven time NBA All Star and he was recently nominated for the Basketball hall of Fame. Here he is, ISO Joe Johnson. Joe, what it do man?

[Joe Johnson]

What's happening? What's happening fellas?

[Uncle Ocho]

Good. Please make sure you hit that subscribe button. Please make sure you hit the like button. And do us a favor, go subscribe to the Nightcap podcast feed wherever you get your podcast from. We would personally like to thank each and every one of you as always for your eyes, ears and your word of mouth. Thank you for making Nightcap what has become and because of you, we shall continue to grow. So again, thank you for your support and your continued support. Those looking to purchase a bottle of Shade by Laportier, head over to laportiercognac.com if it's unavailable in a state or city near you. It is a premium VSOP cognac. The best tasting, smoothest VSOP kayak on the market. Remember, it's two sizes. The OG, which is the 750 and we now we have the Junior, which is the 375. The same great quality, the same great taste, the same smoothness. The But I I implore you to guess what. Try it and compare it against other brands and you'll see our cognac is the best. Please drink responsibly and stay safe, guys. The Pistons beat the shorthanded Thunder by the score of 124 116. Jalen Duran had 29 points, 15 rebounds, K. Cunningham 29 points, 13 assists. The Thunder started the game without five of the six starters. Shay Gilgis nursing abdomen injury, Isaiah Hartenstein with a cabin, Chet with a back, AJ Mitchell with an abdomen and Jalen Williams a hamstring. The only, the only one of the six starters was Isaiah Joe and he left at halftime because of a bruised hip. The Thunder's a good team because when you can start a game without five, your six starters, Joe and that's the best team in the extra conference and you take them all the way down to the wire, that lets you know they are a very good team and it doesn't matter who's on the floor, they're going to compete. Joe, what did you like about what you saw? Because it seemed like they bounced back. Cade was was 11 of 16, three or five from three. Jaylen Duran, 12, six, 17, five or seven from the free throw line, they shot 54%, unlike the 38% that they shot the other day. Got on the boards there. Very good rebounding team. 59, 59 rebounds for them, only 37 for the OKC Thunder. So Joe, watching this game, what did you like about what you saw from the Pistons?

[Joe Johnson]

Oh, man, I thought the Pistons, they got off to a slow start, Uncle Oo. But for the most part, when we talk about Cade Cunningham and his MVP status, he has to play like this, Uncle Oo. You know what I mean? 11 for 16 from the field, you know, he's efficient, 13 assists, he's getting other guys involved. It's a recipe for them to win. If he's playing at a high level like this and for okc, it's plug and play, bro. It don't matter. Whoever plays don't come out there. They're going to give you that work. And these are the hardest teams to play against because Uncle Ocho, you really don't know who the real game plan is for. Yeah, you know, they got so many guys, if you look at, they got so many guys who got off tonight. McCain had 20, Big J Dub, he had 30, Wiggins had 20, Case and Wallace had 23. It's just so many guys they can beat you with, man. They fearless, they play hard, they compete at the highest level. So it don't matter who out there on the court for them, man, you're gonna get their best game for sure.

[Uncle Ocho]

Look, when you watch, you look at the Pistons, if you tell me Cade Cunningham, and I'm saying, you know, if he's gonna be somewhat, they're unbeatable if he plays like this. Ain't nobody needs to come beating them if he's gonna be this efficient shooting over 50% from the floor. They're not, they're not losing. They are not losing. And you get, like I said, Duran is going to give you what he gives you. He's going to give you somewhere 16 to 20 on a given night, probably double digit rebound, somewhere between 10 and 15 rebounds tonight, tonight he gave you 20, he gave you 29 and 15. But if Cade Cunningham plays like this, they're virtually unbeatable.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah, it's going to be hard, fellas. I mean he, he gotta, he, he's gotta put Duran in those positions to be successful as well by getting in the teeth of the defense.

[Liberty City Zone]

Right.

[Joe Johnson]

Ain't easy for everybody around them, you know. Ocho, you need more from Harris, man. Damn. What we gonna get from. Come on, man. Come on.

[Uncle Ocho]

You already. You already know. He can't do too much in witness protection. You can't blow his cover, Joe.

[Joe Johnson]

Look, he played 23 minutes. I need more than five attempts, bro. Like four points. That ain't gonna get it.

[Uncle Ocho]

Not.

[Joe Johnson]

Not because they shorthanded.

[Liberty City Zone]

Yeah.

[Joe Johnson]

They don't have an emotional leader, which is big, big Stewart. And you can tell he's missing, man.

[Uncle Ocho]

They.

[Joe Johnson]

You know, I thought. Don't get me wrong, I know OKC got some guys who can go off the bounce, but I think defensively they've kind of slacked a little bit.

[Liberty City Zone]

Hey, hey, Joe. Joe and Unc. Isn't there a pecking order when it comes to think about the situation? Right. Excuse me if I'm wrong. Correct me, actually, if I'm wrong. Think about Kaminga when he was with the warriors. Right? And him wanted to be the focal. Not the focal point, obviously. Wanting to put up just as many shots as Steph or wanting the offense to kind of run through him. You think Tobias Harris sees it that way and he's kind of gun shy, not wanting to shoot as many shots, making sure K. Cunningham is the one that, that, that does all the work.

[Joe Johnson]

No. Oo.

[Uncle Ocho]

He.

[Joe Johnson]

He got. He just got to assert himself. He has to be a little more assertive out there on the court. They're short handed, man. They. They got two guys who really leading them, but they gonna need a third guy who can consistently step up and make plays, give them some points. Anywhere from 12 to 18 points a night. They gonna need that from him, man. Four points. That's.

[Uncle Ocho]

It's.

[Liberty City Zone]

Yeah, but you. Hey, Joe, Joe.

[Uncle Ocho]

Uncle.

[Liberty City Zone]

You understand what I'm talking about? How Kaminga wanted to insert himself a little bit more offensively with the warriors, but it's, it's sort of a pecking order on being able to have that green light just to shoot at will.

[Uncle Ocho]

But that they don't really have any other than Cade. That's really the only guy that they have like that they. They running Duncan Robinson and herder off picks to try to get through.

[Liberty City Zone]

Right, right.

[Uncle Ocho]

To try to face the floor. But when you look at Tobias Harris, Joe, as you mentioned tonight, I mean, look at guys that coming off the bench. Play 17 minutes, got up seven shots. Ronald Holland, now he normally comes in, he's gonna get points up. He gonna get.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Uncle Ocho]

He was 4 or 9. You get Caris Lavert. Play 17 minutes, he's 3 or 6. And I agree with you, Joe, he needs to be a Little bit more aggressive. But I'm. I'm resigned to the fact this is what he is. Because I think the thing is the biggest mistake that we can make is continually expect something we. When he's already shown. Shown us what he is. He not changing Joe. He's made 400 million and I ain't gonna count his pockets, but he's made 400 million and never been an allstar in all NBA selection. So we can't. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Huh.

[Liberty City Zone]

Bring that back.

[Joe Johnson]

Timing is everything. Timing is everything.

[Uncle Ocho]

Exactly. It's. It's all about timing. A restaurant is all about location in pro sports. It's all about timing, timing, timing.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah. Hey, he happened to be.

[Uncle Ocho]

The NBA was taken off and they had to give x max contract.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah.

[Uncle Ocho]

But when you look at, when you look at his play, like I said, a lot happened in Philly and you looked at. Because Ben Simmons was low hanging fruit. So he was just easy to reach up there and pick. But Tobias has, was a max contract guy too. And when Tobias Harris didn't show up, which was often, they blame Ben Simmons. Well, Ben Simmons is the all NBA guy. He's the all NB all defensive guy. He is the rookie of the year. But the guys on a max contract, I should expect him as Joe say to give me 12 to 16 on a given night. I don't think that's asking too much.

[Joe Johnson]

Nah, what I'm saying is fellas, I mean with five attempts, you know, I think he can get up more than that. I mean you look like you say unc. I know Holland, he come off the bench. He ready to get right to it. I think Tobias, he has opportunities where he can be aggressive. He just don't. And I think he gotta, he gotta step that up a little bit man for the Pistons to make this late surge.

[Uncle Ocho]

Because when you look at it, Joe, I mean Cade only got up 16 shots. Joe, you remember the other, the other night he was what, five or 20 and the night. And when he was at the Knicks, he got up 34 shots. So he only got up half the. He only, he got up less than half the shots that he put up three, two, three games ago. He got up far less shots than what he put up the other night. But when he's this efficient, they're gonna be virtually damn near impossible to be. Especially coming out of the East. If he gonna play like this adoring, gonna play like that. Now I'm expecting her to. You know, he's working his way back in. He only played eight Minutes, Joe. And only got up one shot and it was a three point shot. But we know the red rifle can get it going, he can get cooking. Yeah, gonna be running off a lot of picks. And they got Stewart and they got Durant and they got guys that can sit picks for him. But Cade Cunningham, he's. He's the engine. And when he's playing like this, when he's making shots, getting into the teeth of the defense and dropping the ball up to the Duran and he's getting dunks and layups.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah, yeah, they gotta, they got a nice squad, man, nice young squad too, because they got some guys capable that come off that bencho who, who can really get to it. I thought Reed, he's been playing well. Yeah, you got, you got Lavert Laverta come in here.

[Uncle Ocho]

Remember he's at Brooklyn before Kyrie and KD was hurt and he was dropping 30, 40 and got a 54. So. Yeah, hey, he's instant offense now.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah, yeah, they got some guys capable of helping them advance, but you know, I just want to see a little more of it. I thought they, I just thought, you know, obviously OKC going to compete. I just thought they should have had their way with them. Me personally, I mean, you ain't got no check, no J, no J, Will, no Shay. I, you know, I know them. A lot of times them are hard games to play, but you got to get them guys up out of there early.

[Uncle Ocho]

The longer you leave a team like this around, Joe, the more difficult it is to beat them because they're gonna start confidence. Ain't nobody expecting them to win anyway.

[Joe Johnson]

Right?

[Uncle Ocho]

When you leave it, Ocho, you know how it is. You got a. Yeah, a team. You have a team that, oh, we better than this team. We should beat them. And here you are, you look up in the fourth quarter and they still hanging around. Now you got him in your hands, but because they believe they can beat you, you didn't put them away in the first quarter. This first half, you didn't put them away in the third quarter. Now here we are with 8, 10 minutes in the ball game and it's a nip tuck ball game. It's three point win lead one way or another. Now you got hell on your hands the rest of the game. Yeah, and that's, and that's what you know, OKC thunder. But this tells me more. This tells me more about OKC than the Pistons. This tells me that they are a deep team. They are very. They play for one another and they're Very well coached team. Because ain't no way you're supposed to be without five of your six starters. And we know two of those guys are all NBA selections and one guy was the MVP last year. And you play them right, right down to the wire.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Plug and play, fellas. Them guys.

[Liberty City Zone]

Hey, hey. Joe and Uncle, I know we, I know we had the halfway point, but obviously after each. You, I'm assuming both of you have said that if Cade Cunningham plays the way he's playing right now, and he's as efficient as he was tonight, you see them coming out the East?

[Uncle Ocho]

Yeah, Hell yeah.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah, I do. Yeah.

[Liberty City Zone]

Well, hold on, hold on. Wait, wait a minute, wait a minute. We forgetting about Boston and how Boston is playing. So we just, we just forgetting Boston now?

[Uncle Ocho]

No, I ain't forgot about, but I think I, I, for me personally, I don't know what you think, Joe, but with K. Cunningham and Durham playing like this here, it looks like, look, anything can happen. The last, what, they got 22, 25 games left, Joe, so anything can happen. I think they got a six game lead. So you don't know, but it looks like they're going to be the number one seed. I just don't see a situation where Boston and now look the way JB is playing. But if you make me bet some money, that means something to you, to me. And if it's my money, it means something to you. To me. I'm putting my money on Detroit.

[Liberty City Zone]

Okay?

[Joe Johnson]

Hey, look, me too. And on another note, Uncle Ocho, both of these teams had 14 losses coming into today's game. That's why I say if you, Detroit man, go get these people up out of here so we can, you know what I mean? So we can continue on our way. Because we want home court advantage throughout the entire playoffs. You don't just want it throughout the Eastern Conference, you want it throughout the entire playoffs. That's going to make a huge difference.

[Uncle Ocho]

Yeah, and you saw it play out. I mean, they had the home court against the Nuggets and they won game seven. They had home court against Indiana and they won game seven. Now obviously Halberton got hurt. It been very interesting to see how the game plays out, had he been able to play the entirety of the ball game. But it happened, what it happened. Just looking up at what you call him, oo, He's made cash earning, he probably made 300 over $300 million at the end of 24, 25 season. And I think he has a two year deal for about 52 million. Tobias Harris. Oh my God. They got to pay somebody. But I think the thing is when you the Thunder, Joe, I don't think they expecting Jalen Williams to drop 30 on him. N. They didn't because he can shoot the three. Now for a big guy, I mean, you don't expect him, but that's what he, he'll hover around the three point line. Because I watched him play against the Lakers numerous times and hit five, six threes on them.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah, he, he from, he, he Arkansas Kid. He a Razorback. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, Plug and play. Look, he ain't, he ain't got no. He ain't looking over his shoulder. He know he gonna get all the minutes tonight. The man played 35.

[Uncle Ocho]

35 minute. He normally get like 15, 20.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah, he can play, he can play. And I think what, what helps is you see he was 5 for 10 for the 3. He can shoot the 3 and he

[Uncle Ocho]

could put it on the.

[Joe Johnson]

And he put on the floor and make some plays. So he a great piece man to that championship team. These dudes ain't stiff, just playing behind Chick Hungry and J Dub, you know these dudes.

[Uncle Ocho]

Yeah, he knows his minutes. Look, Hardenstein and check gonna get the line share of the minutes now as long as they don't get in foul trouble. Now Hardenstein has a propensity to getting in foul trouble, so he might get a few more minutes. But tonight he knew he was going to play in excess of 30 minutes. So now my mind is already fixing. I already know I'm gonna get me 30 tonight, Joe. I'm getting 30 minutes.

[Joe Johnson]

Hey, look, you know for sure you gonna get them attempts. You like if I. Somebody gotta get them now somebody in trouble.

[Uncle Ocho]

Yeah, yeah, somebody gotta get them. They got up 96 shot attempts, so it wasn't nobody bash with Joe, listen, that's a center.

[Joe Johnson]

He shot five for ten from three. That show center shooting ten threes.

[Uncle Ocho]

Damn.

[Joe Johnson]

I mean that says a lot, Uncle Ojo.

[Uncle Ocho]

And also seven to seven from the free throw line. So yeah, I know he only. He had 14 shot attempts, but that tells me he put the ball, he was able to put the ball on the floor and get some fouls because he was 7 to 7, 20 or 21 from the free throw line. This is, this is a good team. But I think the thing is, in order for them to go far. I agree with you, Joe. They're going to have to have that third option to give them consistent. Now we don't know. Look, it doesn't have to be Tobias. But they need a third option. Somebody that can consistently give them 16 to 20 points. Now, whether it comes from Tobias, where they come from, Duncan Robinson or Sir Thompson, I don't Ronald Holland. I don't care who it comes from. I know my two big guns are going to give me what my all stars. I write them down, Joe. My all star gonna give me somewhere. They're gonna probably k gonna give me somewhere. But like nine to 12 assists between the two of them, they'll give me maybe 18 to 20 rebounds. I don't wrote that down right. As long as they give me those, everybody else do what they're supposed to do, we gonna be great.

[Liberty City Zone]

Gucci. I mean, hey, listen. It's easy for us to say it, but listen and need those people and needing those players to show up when it matters most in the playoffs for them to actually have a chance if they haven't done it at any point during the season on a consistent basis, the chance of it happening when the games matter more. And it ain't gonna happen.

[Uncle Ocho]

No, I think, I think. But they got. But they got here, Ocho. I mean, if like, like Joe said, They 43 and 14, so. And I know we got the two guys and we talk. Look, that's the way it works on the team. You're gonna talk about your two best players more so than anything, right? Just like J J. J Dub and. And Shay gets all the credit. People don't really check. Chet was an all star. J Dub was an all Star last year. Chad is an all Star this year. They got guys. Lou, Dor, Isaiah, Joe, Wiggins, Wallace. They got guys. Oh, we ain't mentioned Caruso. The Caruso, he can knock down shots, put it on the floor. He can defend at a high level. All these guys can defend at an ex. At a extremely high level.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah, yeah, all of them. And they play extended defense. That's why they pick you up 94ft to weigh you down. And when they're four, four to get here, Ocho.

[Uncle Ocho]

Yeah, that's when we going to pull it.

[Joe Johnson]

We going to pull it when that fourth quarter get here. That's how they winning, bro. That's how they be winning. But Detroit is pretty much the same way they picked up. They, they. They've kind of mimicked that same model as far as extended defense weighing you down. And K, K enduring. Got to be special, bro. They got to be special every night. Uncle Joe.

[Uncle Ocho]

Joe, you look at the Thunder. They got McCain now. Remember how the kind of start he got off Last year in his rookie season.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah, he became.

[Uncle Ocho]

They got Edum. So now all of a sudden they don't need him. But he was. Hey. And so now you got another guy that can give you 20 because I don't know if people remember, he was doing tremendous before he got hurt last year. He was doing it.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah.

[Uncle Ocho]

So now you got another guy that can give you 20 in a spot.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah, yeah. They got some guys over there, Uncle Ocho, who can get to it now.

[Uncle Ocho]

Oh yeah.

[Joe Johnson]

I wonder. I wonder how bad Shay is injured or like how much longer he gonna be out. Uncle Ocho?

[Uncle Ocho]

Well, he can only whip six more games.

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[Uncle Ocho]

oh we go. Okay, let's do it with Joe. Let's go and get into that right now. Speaking of injured the odd though NBA regular season MVP has tightened in recent weeks with the two top betting favorites, SGA and Nicola Jokic, at risk of not qualifying for the award because of the NBA rule, tonight's was SGA's 11th missed game of the season. So he'll need to play at least 16 of the remaining 22 games this season to be eligible for the second consecutive MVP award. Jokic has already missed 16 games this season. He will be ineligible if he sits out two more games. That's why the race is tightening up because Jokic can only miss two games and and. And SGA needs to play 16 of the last 22. So now you see K. Cunningham, he's rising. You see jb he's rising. Because now your two favorites might not be in the situation Lucas is hovering around. We'll see how they finish. They're going to probably need to finish in the top four in order to get some serious consideration. Go ahead. Go ahead. Joe, what you thinking?

[Joe Johnson]

I think I don't got Yokesh missing no more games. He gonna be eligible yoke leading the league and rebound and assist. Second.

[Uncle Ocho]

He's second. Well, he's. Well, I think K was leading, but I think Kate is leading for the simple fact. Yeah. Played enough games yet, but with that withstanding. So he's what, seventh or eighth in scoring, ninth in scoring, first and rebound and second and assist.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah,

[Liberty City Zone]

you. He got another MVP coming this year. Or they gonna give it. They won't give it. Give it a cade.

[Joe Johnson]

I think it's gonna determine these last semi, 20 some games. Yeah.

[Uncle Ocho]

Yeah.

[Joe Johnson]

It's gonna determine a lot. I think as far as, like, the MVP race, obviously, we're gonna see who's gonna be able to finish, who's gonna be in line to even compete for it.

[Liberty City Zone]

Right.

[Joe Johnson]

But it's gonna come down. It's gonna probably come down to like the last week. I'm gonna be honest with y', all, man. These dudes playing some ball, and I'm ready to see shake it back. But I've been watching Jokic. I mean, he ridiculous still. He's still putting it down.

[Uncle Ocho]

He ridiculous, man. It can't be a numbers because if you gonna lose a numbers battle to it because the number is going to be so exemplary.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah.

[Uncle Ocho]

I mean, he's at what, like, I think he has 21, 22 triple doubles this season. He just passed Oscar Robinson. When it's all said and done, he's gonna catch. He's gonna. In the next two, three years. He's gonna pass in the next two years. He'll pass, Russ.

[Joe Johnson]

Oh, man, he.

[Uncle Ocho]

I mean, he.

[Audible Announcer]

He.

[Uncle Ocho]

I mean, like I said, the game

[Joe Johnson]

comes so easy to him, Joe.

[Uncle Ocho]

And it's not like it's a lot of strain on his body. He doesn't play above the rim. He got. He got a. A freak injury, which is his. Somebody fell into him and hyperextended his knee. But when you look at the numbers that he's. I mean, man, he ain't supposed to be doing this, and it makes it look so eat. Did you see the shot he just hit tonight? A One leg step out of bounds.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah.

[Uncle Ocho]

And people like, oh, that's low. Y' all better go back and watch him when he played the Lakers in the playoffs and see how many times he hit that one leg. AD hit it on AD Several times. Hit it on Broad several times. That's his shot.

[Joe Johnson]

Hey, I'm Uncle. I'm on here looking K averaging 9.8 assists. Jokic averaging like 10.5, something like that.

[Uncle Ocho]

But had he played enough games to qualify?

[Joe Johnson]

Oh, you saying he ain't played enough games to qualify?

[Uncle Ocho]

If he played enough games, yeah, he go, yeah, he's averaging a triple double Joe again. So that's why I'm saying you can't. You can't. You're gonna lose a numbers game to him.

[Joe Johnson]

Right.

[Uncle Ocho]

Because you look at it, what is the average? 25, 25 what? 25, 12 and 10.

[Joe Johnson]

25, 13, 10. Yeah, he. He's disgusting out there, bro.

[Liberty City Zone]

What? What? Well, hell, at that rate, at that pace, so they basically might well give him the MVP now. It's only 20 something games to go.

[Uncle Ocho]

29. He's averaging basically 30, 13 and 11.

[Liberty City Zone]

Yeah, Joe, we might look into him now.

[Joe Johnson]

Joe, I'm saying, I'm saying, I'm saying where they gonna finish up at? Because winning is going. Honestly, he gonna probably be in the top five or six.

[Liberty City Zone]

Right.

[Joe Johnson]

But if you got Cade now finishing number, they got the best record throughout the entire league.

[Liberty City Zone]

Right.

[Joe Johnson]

A lot of it's gonna swing his way.

[Liberty City Zone]

Okay. Based on the record.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah.

[Uncle Ocho]

Cause they. A lot of times they look at best player on the best team. Who's the best player on the best team. Last year it was Shay. They had the best record and they were. They were clear. They were what, 10, 12 games clear of anybody in either conference.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah.

[Uncle Ocho]

So. But it's gonna. He's gonna be for the next three to four years. He's not falling out of the top three as far as top three fours. As far as MVP. He's going to be on the street like LeBron every year. LeBron either wanted. He was second or third. One. One. Second, second, second, third, fourth. Third, third, second, second. That's how Yoki's gonna be. He's just that good.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah.

[Uncle Ocho]

Now he has Murray. Murray, the playoff. Murray has showed up in the regular season.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah.

[Uncle Ocho]

Cause we know what that duo does in the postseason.

[Joe Johnson]

That pick and roll. I like the Watson kid, too. Ocho. They got over there. Was it Pat?

[Uncle Ocho]

W. Yeah. Yeah. He hurt right now, Joe. Yeah, he's hurt.

[Joe Johnson]

He was getting money over there.

[Uncle Ocho]

He's hurt. And they've been out without. Without Aaron going for a while. Like a month.

[Joe Johnson]

Oh, yeah. He should be.

[Liberty City Zone]

What's wrong with ag?

[Uncle Ocho]

Is it hamster?

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah. Hey, hamstring.

[Liberty City Zone]

You know that hamstring thing you do not want to play with? No, sir.

[Joe Johnson]

But they gonna be. They gonna be in the hunt, though. They. They get health at the right time. You know, everything about basketball is. You want to be clicking going into. Obviously, you know, the March and April. You want to be playing good basketball, man. Going to the playoffs.

[Uncle Ocho]

Yeah, yeah. But look, I get it, Joe. I understand why they implemented the rules, because you take. You got these. These. These streaming services and everybody playing max dollars, and it's a very important game, and the best player, they sitting out two, three players. They said, no, no, no, no. Okay, y'.

[Joe Johnson]

All.

[Uncle Ocho]

When y' all want to low manage, you're gonna low manage your ass out of a. An NBA. All NBA selection, all defensive selection and. And effing MVP or sixth man of the year. You're gonna. You're gonna. You're gonna load. Manage yourself out of that now all of a sudden, because slinging snot because. Oh, man, that everybody be what? Okay, play. Play.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah. Yeah, you got. Cause you, you, you. You gotta. Because you got guys oo. Who. Who will play a couple games, get their average up real. They sitting out the next two, three games. Well, look, you ain't never gonna be a hundred percent throughout the whole season. Everybody gonna have knickknacks. Everybody gonna be a little banged up. It's just throughout the duration of a season. Six to eight months, bro, like every other day. You know what I mean? Like, it just adds up. So it's wear and tear on the body. But yeah, man, you.

[Liberty City Zone]

You.

[Joe Johnson]

They've made it to where you really got to go out there and compete for what you want. Yeah, I like it.

[Uncle Ocho]

And you're right, Joe. I mean, and I think that you see that a lot more in baseball, especially with guys with a batting type, with a batting average. I don't want my. Yeah, I'm a couple of points in front of somebody, and I don't want to go over and drop my batting average if somebody passes.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah.

[Uncle Ocho]

So.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah.

[Uncle Ocho]

Cause that's what used to happen. Hey, look, you got a car. I think in the 20s and 30s, if you won the batting title, you got a car. When I got the lead, like, well, I'm good. I don't got me enough games here. I. You know.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah.

[Uncle Ocho]

Back there, the car probably only called like, maybe 1500 dollars o joke. But that was a lot of money back in the 20s. And 35,000.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah.

[Liberty City Zone]

Hey, listen, boy, it'd be a time if we, if we could get it like that again.

[Uncle Ocho]

But you get it like that again, you ain't gonna be making the money. You ain't going to be making the money. There's a reason why prices, wages went up, so. Because prices went up, I beat a home cost you 30,000. You ain't getting no. You can't even be in a down payment on the house for 30 grand. Hell, I mean, I remember my grandfather bought a brand new, I think Caprice classic back in 73, 74. That was like 2900. 3000.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah.

[Uncle Ocho]

Big 454.

[Joe Johnson]

Big boy.

[Uncle Ocho]

So. No, but I, but I agree. I, I think the thing is it's going to light a fire, put on the guys and, and get guys like, you know what this low, man. And plus, man, Joe, you making 60, 70 million. And you mean to tell me, you mean to tell me you be sitting out especially, especially national televised. You can't sit out no game that's a, a Saturday or a Joe that everybody's sitting around watching.

[Liberty City Zone]

Hey, what if, what if, what if players are really hurt though? What if something's really wrong and they really need to take that time?

[Uncle Ocho]

Well, you can't.

[Joe Johnson]

Okay, we can't sit out Saturday and

[Uncle Ocho]

Sunday, then play on Monday. Well, I can't play back to back, huh? Yeah, you want the season to go year round? Cause the only way that you're going to be able to get a lot of 82 games in is that if you have to have some back to backs. What you have, Joe, about seven, eight back to backs in the season?

[Joe Johnson]

Probably a little more than that, but. Yeah, yeah, man, listen, it was one year, Uncle Ocho. We had to play. You had to play three games and three nights back to back to back. Yeah, look, we played a back to back to back. We played three games, three nights and then last night we went into three overtimes. Oh, man. Got us a couple days off though.

[Uncle Ocho]

But you know, sometimes, Joe, back to back, they play the same team.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Uncle Ocho]

So that's easy, you know, but back then they didn't do that. You play back to back, you might play Atlanta, then you had to go down to Orlando or you had to go to Miami and play. But now sometimes they'll play a back to back and you play that same team back to back.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah, yeah, they've been doing it now.

[Liberty City Zone]

Oh, Joe, I thought you meant Y'.

[Uncle Ocho]

All.

[Liberty City Zone]

Y' all played back to back, but had to fly different places.

[Uncle Ocho]

Yeah, they did.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah, we did. We had to play three different teams, three different cities. Yeah.

[Liberty City Zone]

I mean, it wasn't no east coast to west coast or West west coast to east coast, nothing like that.

[Uncle Ocho]

Not with the back to back.

[Liberty City Zone]

Okay.

[Uncle Ocho]

Okay. They have got to have it on the East Coast. So you might play.

[Liberty City Zone]

Okay.

[Uncle Ocho]

You might play the Knicks, Brooklyn and Toronto, something like that.

[Liberty City Zone]

That's not bad. That's not bad.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Liberty City Zone]

That's not bad. Okay. Okay.

[Uncle Ocho]

Or you play Atlanta, Orlando, Miami.

[Joe Johnson]

Right?

[Liberty City Zone]

Okay.

[Uncle Ocho]

You know, keep it close. No, they're not going to send you to Atlanta, and then you got to go to Portland, and then you got to play. You gotta play Phoenix or Houston or Dallas. They're not. They're not going to do it.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah. Nah, they ain't. They ain't gonna do us like that. But, boy, it's rough, though.

[Uncle Ocho]

They'll give you Dallas. They'll give you Houston.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Uncle Ocho]

Speaking of, the NBA is sending their own independent doctors to verify Laurie Markin's MRI from an injury into practice today, per NBA porter Tony Jones. Joe, is this what it's come to?

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah, because the NBA say, man, we ain't going. We ain't going. Matter of fact, we finished in our doctors down there to see what's going on with these dudes, because this ain't this tank of stuff, man. And it got out of hand. And I think that's what. That's what the NBA think. That's why they said we sending our own doctors down there to check on Lloyd Markham to see what's going on. Yeah, this would have come to.

[Uncle Ocho]

But the thing is, Joe, you know, your body. I mean, the doctor say you seem fine, but no, my ish hurt. So what do we do? What do we. What do we do, Joe? I mean, most guys. I mean, a lot of times, if it's something serious, they go get a second opinion. They don't never take the guy's first opinion. I mean, you got something going on, Joe. I don't know if you missed any time during the season, but if somebody said, well, Joe, you got this. You're like, you know what? Let me go grab that second opinion.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah, yeah, you go get a second opinion for sure. I guess this may be the second opinion. I don't know. But the NBA say they want to know. They. Hey, they starting to investigate a lot more, man. It's. It's been a lot going on. You see, they just Shut Jan Jackson down. He had to have surgery. He having searched. He has a surgery for something.

[Uncle Ocho]

Joe, you mean to tell me you're gonna trade all that, Give up all those picks for a guy that you got to have? They got to have surgery. Where they do that at? Think about what they gave up to get him. And now you get a couple games. Now he played a couple of games going off, and then the fourth quarter, you said him. Laurie Barkley was going up. Sit him in the fourth quarter. NBA said, man, y' all full of.

[Joe Johnson]

That's why they send them people down there. Yeah, we ain't. We ain't trying to hear all that. Yeah, yeah, we. We. We gonna be able to determine this here. But, hey, yeah.

[Uncle Ocho]

And you see, the NBA said, you know what? Ain't no more lottery protected. Y' all want to take. You do the game of the pigs. Let somebody land them top three picks. Somebody got it. Because, you know, top three protected, top five protected. NBA said, hell, no. Ain't nothing protected.

[Joe Johnson]

Listen, because I think. I think Utah can still. I think they can get the number one.

[Uncle Ocho]

Yeah, they can. And I believe if they get the number one pick, they're taking the bonza.

[Joe Johnson]

That's what I think. I think. Yeah. For whatever strange reason, I feel like he'll stay in Utah. Yeah. I don't know why. It's just

[Uncle Ocho]

so. I get it. I mean, and I. I think the thing is that when you play and it's like they're playing too many games. Well, damn. Okay. They'll too many. I'm sure the NBA won't have a problem cutting the game, but they want to cut that pay, too, so.

[Joe Johnson]

Because there you go.

[Uncle Ocho]

What the players want, Ocho, is that they want less game, but we still want to make 70, 80 million dollars. It may say, oh, no, hell, y'. All.

[Liberty City Zone]

Yeah.

[Uncle Ocho]

Yeah.

[Joe Johnson]

I don't think we need less games, man. It's been like this since as long

[Uncle Ocho]

as I can remember. 70s, as long as I remember. And I've been a lot longer than both of you. So as long as I can remember, Joe, they played 82 games.

[Joe Johnson]

Hey, listen, them dude. Them dude playing in Chuck Taylor's and in Converse out there,

[Uncle Ocho]

they didn't have the. Like Joe said, the shoe technology, the eating technology, the training technology, the medical equipment technology, the doctors. Everything is so much more advanced. So can you imagine? And like, if you look at track and field lotion when these guys were running these fast time with just regular shoes. Yeah, just imagine that they had those carbon fiber shoes and they had these mondo tracks like they got right now. Man, you say most about a man? Nine. Three.

[Liberty City Zone]

Yeah.

[Uncle Ocho]

Ain't no telling how far Jonathan that was with a jump. He jumped 60 and a half feet. Bob Beeman when he was 29. Two and a half an altitude in Mexico City. But they have no technology like they got now. And I'm not saying athletes, but when you combine athletes getting better and technology right alongside it, you got the perfect storm.

[Joe Johnson]

Yes, sir. Hey, look, I kept me a fresh pair of orthotics in my shoes. What?

[Uncle Ocho]

A pair of orthotics.

[Joe Johnson]

Orthotics. Okay. You had that Ojo?

[Liberty City Zone]

Here, I had them. Hey, hey, hey, hey, Joe. I had. Obviously I was a Reebok during that time. I had them take all the lining out my shoe. I had no support.

[Joe Johnson]

Why is that so?

[Liberty City Zone]

Basically because I need. I need to feel the floor. You know what I mean? Joe, you ever had on. You ever had on the track spike or like a waffle shoe? Yeah, that's what I wanted my cleats to feel like. I need to feel the floor every time I step and touch him. When it's time for me to break down. Yeah, I don't want no support. I don't want nothing restricting my ankle.

[Joe Johnson]

Damn.

[Liberty City Zone]

Yeah, it's weird. I. I gotta. I gotta feel the floor. I don't know, it's weird on getting

[Joe Johnson]

used to get taped like.

[Uncle Ocho]

Yeah, I got taped directly to my skin. My bad. Hell no, man. I look at these guys right now. I look at Adam, that man out there playing with. No, he playing out there with footage and. No, no tape. I say, what?

[Liberty City Zone]

Yeah, same, same. The only time I put on tape, Joe, it was more for like fashion. It wasn't, you know, it wasn't, you know, for my ankles or done it. It was just laid on there. Cuz I. I wanted to make sure everything was able to roll and be real smooth. It was. It was weird, Ojo.

[Joe Johnson]

I had to have some tape. I had to be taped at that pre wrap jumping. You can't feel.

[Liberty City Zone]

You can't feel nothing, Joe.

[Joe Johnson]

I need to be secure.

[Uncle Ocho]

I'm. I'm. Boy, my ankle, my. Hey, my ankle bone be on the ground. I was a hard planter. I took out, right? I'm. And you talking about. I'm not like you, Ocho under 200, that's 230 getting moving and having to stop on the dime. Oh no.

[Liberty City Zone]

Right, right, right, right, right.

[Joe Johnson]

Oh yeah, I forgot Ocho a little dude, he wouldn't understand.

[Liberty City Zone]

No, Joe, Joe, don't, don't do that. Joe. I had a little size of him when I was playing. Hey, Joe, if you take my cleat, right? If you take my cleat, you could, you could bend it like this.

[Uncle Ocho]

Oh, no.

[Joe Johnson]

Oh no.

[Liberty City Zone]

You can fold it, but if it felt just like a track shoe. I just had a cleat bottom on, on the, on the bottom.

[Joe Johnson]

Nope, man.

[Uncle Ocho]

Joe, I had, I had mole skin, you know, one of those strips that you put up there like that. And then I had the mole skin taped around directly to my skin.

[Joe Johnson]

That's what I had. Hey, listen, I needed mine to feel secure. Telling you, man, listen, I ain't play, boy. I used to get heavy tape.

[Uncle Ocho]

I didn't get it like that for practice. Now, you know, I just go out there with pre wrap and regular tape right when it came down, right? I go out there for warm ups with directly like, like practice tape. As soon as I come back in it, I take that off. All right, let's get it. Yeah.

[Liberty City Zone]

Yeah. I don't understand how people, I don't understand how people wear ankle braces on. They, they put, they, they tape up their shoe, then they put on the ankle brace, then they put their shoe on.

[Uncle Ocho]

That's lying.

[Liberty City Zone]

Everything, everything, everything is restricted. I'm like, like, what are you doing? It made no sense to me, but it made people comfortable.

[Uncle Ocho]

Lyman tape up all that stuff because you know them linemen they have on, they have on high tops. You know they have. But, but they do, but they have the, they have rubber bottom shoes on you. They don't do studs. Most linemen don't do studs, right? We have. I played with Zim. He's the only offensive lineman I've ever seen wear low tops. Real.

[Liberty City Zone]

I'd never seen the officer like that.

[Uncle Ocho]

And no spat.

[Joe Johnson]

Is it meant, Is it mandatory to wear knee braces?

[Uncle Ocho]

If you align college, most guys, if you wear a knee brace, you've had a knee injury. Like you look at Brady. Tom Brady. I'm. Excuse me, Tom Brady. Peyton Manning. John. John played his career. John never had an acl. He tore his ACL in high school and they removed it. So he didn't have an ACL at all.

[Joe Johnson]

Damn.

[Uncle Ocho]

When I first got there, he didn't used to practice with a brace. No, as a matter of fact, he really did. He didn't practice with a brace. He only played in the brace, but he practiced without it. But most of the time, Joe, if somebody's had especially lineman, offensive lineman, they'll, they'll they'll continue to wear it. Quarterbacks will wear it. Tom Brady, once he tore his knee. I don't think Brady ever took the knee brace off. Peyton, you know, got guys like that. Yeah. I mean, I could imagine a, a skill position player playing with a big old dun joy on.

[Joe Johnson]

Nah, I couldn't. But I noticed a lot of them lineman dudes, I know they be. Because they always getting rolled up.

[Uncle Ocho]

Exactly. I think in college it might be mandatory. Most college teams have all their offensive linemen wear knee braces because of that. What you said Joe to get rolled up on. But yeah, nah, damn. But no. I don't know how y' all do it. I'll be looking at, I'll be looking at them guys in amazement. With no tape, I'm like, man, that must be real.

[Joe Johnson]

I do too.

[Uncle Ocho]

I could do it in football. Hey, hey, hey.

[Joe Johnson]

I be thinking the same thing. Because in football especially the way they be tackling the receivers, the ones who be out there with them little no show socks on, I'd be like, man, how this dude. It's like every play, it's almost a

[Uncle Ocho]

career and they play bad. And especially because the hip drop, that's what, that's what, that's what got me, Ocho, taping my ankles like that. Cause guys were hip dropping you.

[Liberty City Zone]

Yeah.

[Uncle Ocho]

And see, back then, they didn't call it a high ankle sprain, they just called it an ankle sprain. And so you're like, man, this thing taking forever to heal.

[Liberty City Zone]

This ain't no typical ever to heal.

[Uncle Ocho]

Yeah, I never rolled my ankle like most people roll their ankle over the top. Roll it like that. Yeah, I rolled mine in because I got, I got dragged down from behind Ocho like that. There's.

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[Joe Johnson]

well,

[Uncle Ocho]

that must have been real nice to be able to run no tape. Oo.

[Liberty City Zone]

Huh.

[Uncle Ocho]

That must have been real nice.

[Liberty City Zone]

Hey, and that. You know what? Honestly, for me to be able to do that, playing at that level, as quick and as fast as I was, it all had to do. When I was little, running around with no shoes on, I could not play throw up tackle in the street. You know, you play freeze, you're in a car coming, you know.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah.

[Liberty City Zone]

I always either had on socks or I had on no shoes. So I need, I. I need. I needed to be able to feel the floor even once I made it. It's weird, but.

[Uncle Ocho]

But you didn't. But you see. But you played in molded bottoms. You didn't play in studs though, did you?

[Liberty City Zone]

Oh, yeah, Mode. I don't play no studs. Even when we played the Steelers. Even we played the Steelers. Remember how the Steelers purposely had that bad feel for as. As an advantage to them? I still, I still wore. I still. Yeah, still wear Mode. I never slip. Never slip. I'm all. I'm always over. What's the word I'm looking for? Yeah, always. And I never. Yeah, I never extended. I never extended.

[Uncle Ocho]

Or playing. Oh, you playing on your inside foot and slip like, bro, you know, it's wet out here. You trying to play it like you trying to speed cut like it's dry. Yeah, man, Drop your hips and get up. Put that way the guy start skating. Put the back of the foot down. Ocho, I said, man, but my first, my first. I think My first, like 10 years, Ocho, I wore molded and then I went to the. The speed tds.

[Liberty City Zone]

Speed tds. Okay. Okay.

[Uncle Ocho]

What actually called tempo bottles.

[Liberty City Zone]

Yeah, I know. Yeah, I know. Nice boy.

[Joe Johnson]

Hey. Hey. So how often did y' all go through, like, different shoes?

[Uncle Ocho]

Every week.

[Joe Johnson]

You play a new pair every game?

[Uncle Ocho]

Yeah, every week. So what I would do, what I would do is that I would wear a new pair of shoes on Friday to get them broken in, and then I would play in them. Then I would practice in those Wednesday and Thursday, break out a new pair for Friday playing Those on. On. On. On Sunday.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah, I. I like. I like new shoes. I. I hate it when my shoes broke in. Oh, hell, I play so much. I probably played. I probably played in a new pair of shoes like, every three games on OJo because I. I hate it when they got too broken and too loose. I like my shoe to be snug tight.

[Uncle Ocho]

Okay, I see.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah.

[Liberty City Zone]

Okay.

[iHeart Podcast Awards Announcer]

Yeah.

[Uncle Ocho]

I was gonna say you play a new pair of shoes, but. But I think Jordan played a new pair of shoes every game.

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Uncle Ocho]

Damn, man. You know, our new shoe. Brand new shoes hurt your feet, you know, Shot saying, like, brand new shoes. Yeah. Hey, you remember when you was a kid, Joey? Shoes too small, you hitting the bottom with your heel trying to get them toes, kick them heels. Oh, yeah, but I. I bet. I hate that. I hate that.

[Joe Johnson]

That's how I got that. That's how I got this old hammer toe I got from one and two little shoes.

[Uncle Ocho]

Yeah.

[Liberty City Zone]

You know, you can go get a little surgery for that too, now.

[Joe Johnson]

No, I ain't heard man play. I don't. It took me through my whole professional career. Ain't no need

[Uncle Ocho]

no surgery unless you have to. Surgery? Cosmetic surgery.

[Joe Johnson]

Oh, no. All right. Hey, look, I don't know how many times y' all ever been under that knife, but I done been under it quite a few times. It ain't pretty.

[Liberty City Zone]

I ain't never been. I ain't never been under that, Joe. That's probably why I'm suggesting it. My bad.

[Uncle Ocho]

Hey, bad. Look at.

[Joe Johnson]

I had.

[Uncle Ocho]

Broke my collarbone and it almost broke the skin. So I got a knot right here. We can file it down. I said, man, do you know how painful that'll be? The file, file, bone down. I said. Ain't bother nobody. Always hurt.

[Joe Johnson]

Right? Right.

[Uncle Ocho]

And if I don't, I don't really walk around. I ain't at the beach. I ain't walking around with no shirt off. Ain't nobody gonna notice it, Right? When I do a photo, they just switch it to the opposite side. So if I'm facing this side, they'll take the bone and put it on this side so you won't even notice it. Damn.

[Liberty City Zone]

Okay. I see what you mean. Okay.

[Joe Johnson]

Okay. Yeah, man, one of that knife ain't no joke, boy. I got 18 screw, three plates in my face, man.

[Uncle Ocho]

Oh, yeah.

[Joe Johnson]

I'm breaking my orbital.

[Liberty City Zone]

Damn. Well, you got elbow, Joe.

[Joe Johnson]

I went up to dunk the ball and. And stack House tried to block it, and he kind of bodied me and I slipped off the rim, hit face First.

[Uncle Ocho]

Ah. I saw that guy happen to a guy in. In high school. He tried to dunk the ball and the guy undercut him, and the first thing was hit was this.

[Joe Johnson]

Oh, yeah, yeah.

[Uncle Ocho]

I was.

[Joe Johnson]

I was in bad shape. I was in bad shape.

[Liberty City Zone]

How much time you had? I had to miss.

[Joe Johnson]

Joe, we was in the playoffs this first round. It was the first round of the second round of the playoffs. And that was the. That was the first game. Damn, man. I missed. I missed the rest of that series. I think we beat him in six, right. I was out about two weeks, and that was early. I came back early. Whole eye with bloodshot red, you know, just from the surgery and all that. Right, right, right. It took a minute for their redness to get out my eye.

[Liberty City Zone]

Hey, you had the mad. You had the mask on.

[Joe Johnson]

Yes, I had the mask. I had to wear. Still got the mask. I said, still got it, Batman. Joe, whatever I'm talking about, you can't breathe in.

[Uncle Ocho]

You could.

[Joe Johnson]

That was back in 2005. You couldn't breathe with that mask on.

[Uncle Ocho]

I had to have a thing.

[Joe Johnson]

You had to wear one up.

[Uncle Ocho]

I was blocked. I was blocking down. Doing a combo block. Power block or 16 power. I never forget it. Lineman come around, pulling fist, go right through my face mask. Bop.

[Joe Johnson]

Damn.

[Uncle Ocho]

Fractured my orbital. Yep.

[Joe Johnson]

I don't know about you, but mine. That one hurt, man.

[Uncle Ocho]

Hey, I remember I was laying on there, I had my face hand like this here. I was like, oh, man.

[Joe Johnson]

And Greek, my head hurt.

[Uncle Ocho]

Steve Antelopes, we call him Greek, though, he got sharpie.

[Liberty City Zone]

What's wrong?

[Uncle Ocho]

I said, Greek. It just felt like my face exploded.

[Joe Johnson]

Ah.

[Uncle Ocho]

So he said. He said, let's, you know, hey, can you get up? I said, yeah, but I don't want to. Hey, listen, man, that thing was hurt. No, Joe. So they got me that X rated. Had a complete blowout. The floor. Cause your assets in a socket. The whole floor.

[Liberty City Zone]

Yeah.

[Joe Johnson]

Oh, I know. I was in pain. Boy. I'm telling. I would tell them, give me morphine. Give me something. Y' all gotta give me something.

[Uncle Ocho]

I didn't want nothing. I. I don't. I don't do the pain medicine because the pain medicine have you constipated.

[Joe Johnson]

Oh, go ahead. My. My head. Listen, listen. I came down, hit my head on the floor. So I don't know if it was from that.

[Uncle Ocho]

Yeah, probably.

[Joe Johnson]

Head was ringing so bad.

[Liberty City Zone]

Yeah, yeah.

[Joe Johnson]

And you know, like once that. Once something like that happened, they don't want you to fall asleep.

[Liberty City Zone]

Yeah, yeah. They keep.

[Joe Johnson]

They keep you out that would just

[Uncle Ocho]

say, you know, you okay? Don't fall asleep. I said, man, as soon as I get home, I'm going to bed. I think. I think my orbital. I think my orbital was more. More. More painful. But I don't know, maybe I dislocated my elbow, too, because you see how my elbow bend like this? It bit like that the other way, so it's bending like this. It bent like that the other way.

[Joe Johnson]

Damn.

[Liberty City Zone]

Damn.

[Uncle Ocho]

What the hell happened? Tried to catch up, try to catch a pass, and Romo had my arm. I couldn't get my arm through, so he. I landed. He landed on top of me and bent it up.

[Liberty City Zone]

Ah.

[Uncle Ocho]

God said, too.

[Joe Johnson]

I had elbow surgery. I had elbow surgery, too. I had elbow surgery, too. I had three. I had three chipped bones in my socket. I woke up one morning, my arm was stuck like this here. I couldn't. I couldn't open.

[Uncle Ocho]

Oh, you had loose parties. You had loose bodies in there, huh?

[Joe Johnson]

Oh, man. Yeah. Dr. Andrew got me right over there in Alabama.

[Uncle Ocho]

Yeah, he died in Mobile. Of Montgomery, I think. Birmingham.

[Joe Johnson]

Birmingham. Yeah, I think so.

[Liberty City Zone]

God damn, y'. All. Hey, y' all been on the table like the. Like the little operation, you know? Remember the.

[Uncle Ocho]

A little game?

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah, yeah.

[Liberty City Zone]

Remember operation?

[Joe Johnson]

Yeah.

[Liberty City Zone]

Oh, but y' all had everything done.

[Uncle Ocho]

What?

[Joe Johnson]

Man, speaking of.