Luka's MVP Case, Confident Cavs & Drafting Rising Stars Teams

Summary

No Dunks Podcast Summary: "Luka's MVP Case, Confident Cavs & Drafting Rising Stars Teams"

Date: January 27, 2026
Hosts: J. Skeets, Tas Melis, Trey Kirby, JD (Producer)
Podcast: No Dunks (iHeartPodcasts)

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Episode Overview

The No Dunks crew returns with another lively, detail-rich NBA conversation. On this episode, they debate Luka Doncic’s MVP case after a monster performance, examine whether the Cavaliers are a true contender following their hot streak, break down the Magic’s struggles, recap all the wildness from around the league the previous night, and cap things off with a fun Rising Stars Draft—No Dunks style. The crew’s trademark mix of stat nerdiness, personal anecdotes, and comedy abounds throughout.

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Key Discussions & Insights

Certified Classics & Opening Banter

(03:52–04:50)

• Hosts discuss a recently resurfaced 2009 music video they made, "Showin’ Love," which still resonates with fans.
• Baby Bird Eagle (Noah Eagle) calling "block wedgies" bledgies (block + wedgie), to much delight.
• Jokey debate: Should Grant Hill, who claimed never to have heard of a "block wedgie," relinquish part of his NBA credibility?

Luka Doncic’s MVP Case

(07:09–13:03)

• Luka’s Recent Performance:
  46 points (8-14 from deep), 11 assists, 7 rebounds in a dominant Lakers win over the Bulls.
• Odds & Context:
  Luka now sits +1000 for MVP on FanDuel, second only to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA).
• Tass (Down on Luka for MVP at 07:54):

  "Are they going to give it to Luka? I highly, highly doubt it."

  • SGA’s Thunder have won more games, he’s played more minutes, scored the most total points, and outpaces Luka in almost all advanced stats.
• Trey (Tentatively Up at 09:02):

  "I think this will be the highest finish of Luka's career in MVP voting ... He’s got the Lakers apparatus—that matters."

  • Notes Luka’s efficiency, being supported by the Lakers media market, and the clutch record.
• J. Skeets:
  Praises the variety in Luka’s game and highlights multiple spectacular passes and mismatches he exploited.
• Discussion Point:
  OKC’s Jalen Williams injury might impact their seeding and potentially MVP voting.

Cavs’ Confidence Level & Magic Struggles

(13:03–20:53)

• Donovan Mitchell Drops 45:
  The Cavaliers win four straight, now eight games over .500.
• Trey (Up on Cavs, But Doubtful for Playoffs at 13:33):

  "I don't actually believe that the Cavs are going to be a threat in the playoffs, but we shall see."

  • Cites regular season improvement but notes big questions about depth, health (Darius Garland), and having a true #2 scoring option.
• Tass:
  Points out both Garland’s ongoing injury issues and Mobley’s improvement (especially his left spin move).
• Magic Falling:
  Trey demotes Orlando in weekly power rankings—"Changes are needed. ... Their halfcourt offense is tough to watch. ... They just don’t have the right mix." (17:45)
• J. Skeets/Tass:
  Compare the Magic to the Raptors—a team needing “a little bit from everybody,” lacking in offensive cohesion and shooting. Speculate about possible trade deadline moves.

Noteworthy NBA Game Recaps

(24:49–33:30)

• Shengun Torches Grizzlies:
  33 points on 15-of-17 shooting, repeatedly spinning Santi Aldama. Scoffs at Memphis’ defensive effort. (25:17)
• Hornets Beat Sixers:
  Charlotte’s new, healthy starting lineup is “9-1.” LaMelo Ball praised for his improved, team-first approach.
  Trey:

  "This is kind of like idealized version of LaMelo Ball right here ... he's playing winning basketball right now, and I don't think that's something people ever say about LaMelo." (29:01)

• Halftime Entertainment:
  Hosts riff on arena halfcourt shot contests, including a Spurs fan whose banked-in, shot-clock-aided halfcourt shot stunned everyone.

Up/Down Report: NBA Headlines & Viral Moments

Mac McClung Skips the Dunk Contest

(34:17–37:44)

• Trey: "He’s done his part. ... Thank you for your service."
• Tass: “I am a little surprised… a little disappointed because I know he would participate and he would be good. ... Why not go out there and do it?” (35:02)
• Speculation: Is the league wanting new blood, or is McClung seeking to move beyond “dunker” status?

Rich Homie Flom Eats His Clippers Tweet

(38:42–42:38)

• Context: Clippers blogger Flom pledged to eat his tweet if LA went 15–3. They did—and he did! Paper consumption is discussed in unnecessarily great detail.
  Trey:

  "That's what Twitter is supposed to be about... making hilarious jokes that somehow make their way to the actual NBA." (40:46)

Benny the Bull Changes Jersey Number After Derrick Rose’s Retirement

(45:01–47:11)

• Hosts are both “down” on mascot Benny switching from #1 to #99, finding it illogical and lacking in fun.
• Trey:

  "He wore it first. ... 99 is a really weird choice." (45:25)

• Quick tangent celebrating Benny’s longevity and legacy as a mascot.

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Rising Stars Draft (No Dunks Style!)

(54:45–73:23, plus recap at end)

With the official Rising Stars teams set to be drafted later in the day, the guys run their own draft of the NBA’s top rookies & sophomores, plus a handful of G-Leaguers.

• Method: Each host drafts players for a three-team tournament, celebrating the format and poking fun at its quirks (short games, lots of highlights but little defense).
• Draft banter includes:
  • Is there really “no such thing as a Rising Stars snub”? (Trey says no.)
  • Should the league revert to the old Rookies vs. Sophomores event and reduce/eliminate G League spots?
  • Extended, hilarious struggle to remember last year’s Rising Stars MVP.
  • Assessments of each rookie and sophomore’s season so far, especially those with “highlight potential.”
• Notable selections: Cooper Flagg, Matas Buzelis, Con Knueppel, and others.
• Quips:
  • "I'm going all sophomores here. ... Only want highlights." – Trey (65:50)
  • “Let us know who drafted the best squad… and who you think goes 1, 2, 3!” – J. Skeets

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Luka MVP Race:
  Tass (08:30):

  "Are they going to give it to Luka? I highly, highly doubt it."
  Trey (09:02):
  "He’s got the Lakers apparatus—that matters."

• Cavs Real Talk:
  Trey (13:33):

  "I don't actually believe that the Cavs are going to be a threat in the playoffs, but we shall see."

• Magic Reality Check:
  Trey (17:45):

  "Changes are needed... Their halfcourt offense is tough to watch. ... They just don’t have the right mix."

• Hornets Resurgence:
  (29:01)

  "This is kind of like idealized version of LaMelo Ball right here ... he's playing winning basketball right now, and I don't think that's something people ever say about LaMelo."

• On Mac McClung:
  Trey (34:17):

  "He’s done his part. ... Thank you for your service." Tass (35:02):
  "A little disappointed because I know he would participate and he would be good."

• On Twitter Stunts:
  Trey (40:46):

  "That's what Twitter is supposed to be about... hilarious jokes that somehow make their way to the actual NBA."

• On Benny the Bull’s Number:
  Trey (45:25):

  "He wore it first. ... 99 is a really weird choice."

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Block Wedgie/Certified Classic banter – 03:52–04:50
• Luka MVP deep dive – 07:09–13:03
• Cavs, Magic, and power rankings – 13:03–20:53
• NBA Recap (Shengun, Hornets, etc.) – 24:49–33:30
• Up/Down (Mac McClung, eating tweets, Benny the Bull) – 34:17–47:11
• Rising Stars Draft (No Dunks) – 54:45–73:23

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Tone & Style Notes

• Loosely structured, lively, and self-aware.
• Genuine fandom mixed with sharp, often playful, analytic takes.
• Recurrent theme: “Classic” No Dunks attitude—debate, jokes, and deep knowledge without self-seriousness.
• Numerous call-outs to stream-teamers and listeners, making the episode feel like a community roundtable.

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Conclusion & Takeaways

A rich, fast-paced episode packed with NBA analysis, trivia, banter, and signature No Dunks fun. Standout takeaways include SGA’s stronghold on the MVP race despite Luka’s heroics, ongoing skepticism about Cleveland’s playoff legitimacy, a thorough Magic roast, embarrassment of riches among new NBA talent, and the importance of Twitter stunts and team mascots in the culture of modern basketball.

Next Episode Teaser: Listener questions galore and a deep dive into Tracy McGrady’s Rising Stars draft strategy!

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For more, stream the episode or check out No Dunks on YouTube and your favorite podcast app.

Transcript

[J. Skeets]

This is an iHeart podcast.

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[J. Skeets]

At committing to your workout, at showing up every day.

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[J. Skeets]

Good morning, sweet world, and welcome to the no Dunks podcast presented by FanDuel. It's Tuesday, January 27, 2026. I'm J. Skeets, back in the comfy but cold confines of the classic factory. And alongside me, as always, Tess Melis.

[Tass Melis]

Podcast listeners, this is for you.

[J. Skeets]

Next to him, it's my top shot hot boy, Trey Kirby. And over yonder, making the magic happen, super producer JD Hello. There he is. JD how you feeling, man?

[Trey Kirby]

You know, getting there. Getting there.

[J. Skeets]

Okay. Okay.

[Tass Melis]

All right.

[J. Skeets]

What's a cold snap without a cold? Yeah, I was thinking that. I was like, is that a good time to get sick when it's like the coldest we've had in a long time here in Atlanta or the worst time? I was really debating. I wasn't sure. Let us know. Get the poll going.

[Tass Melis]

Okay.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah. Thanks for joining us live on YouTube. Sorry for starting a little bit later than normal here. Hit the like button. Subscribe, podcast listeners. It's not starting late to you. Five star ratings and reviews. And we did it. We found another certified classic with help.

[Tass Melis]

That's pretty cool from Reddit.

[J. Skeets]

Our fans on no Dunks at Reddit found the show in Love music video that we recorded in 2009 showing love to every team in the NBA. And we posted it on our YouTube page. So podcast listeners, come on over. Make sure you subscribe too while you're here. And check out this banger. It still slaps and it's pretty funny.

[Tass Melis]

It's still good. I could be good in 2026.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, yeah, it holds up.

[Tass Melis]

Of course.

[J. Skeets]

I mean, that's classic music right there. It's timeless. The start of it is amazing. Just task. Oh, yeah, with a little piano coming in. Makes me laugh every time. So go check that out. We're on a hell of a run with the certified classics right now. We had the Like a Bosch Andrea Barnani 2012 All Star Campaign video and now show in Love. What's next?

[Trey Kirby]

Sounds like we got to get back in the studio and start recording some tracks.

[J. Skeets]

I think you're right.

[Trey Kirby]

We don't sing enough these days.

[Tass Melis]

You're right.

[J. Skeets]

No, we're too busy tracking wedgies. That's right. They keep coming fast and furious. Wedgie 38 and 39 last night, both block wedgies. And they almost happened at the exact same time. First one in Chicago, Jackson Hayes with an emphatic chase down from behind Block Wedgie on Josh Giddey and Like legit. I don't know, like 60 seconds later, maybe a minute or two later, Robert Williams III blocking Jordan Walsh. He also fouled them, but it stuck there long enough according to Baby Bird Eagle. So we're counting it.

[Tass Melis]

Baby Bird.

[J. Skeets]

Baby Bird, Noah Eagle. Yeah.

[Tass Melis]

That Jackson Hayes block was phenomenal.

[J. Skeets]

Oh, yeah, that was.

[Tass Melis]

Oh yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

It looked like giddy. Just set it next to the rim so that Jackson Hayes could wedge it in for him.

[J. Skeets]

I agree. I, I said, I tweeted last night, I'm going to be scoring that one quite high when it comes to ranking all the wedgies on the stack. Yeah, that's a good one.

[Tass Melis]

I was surprised. Take it to the other one. Sorry to go back and reference something very old, but to hear Grant Hill say he's never heard of a block wedgie. Your colleague on the inside stuff broadcast was our host on the starties. Wow. When we gave away the wedgie of the year to a block wedgie, you're talking Kristin Ludlow, Kristen Ludlow. Yeah, of course. Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Well, in Grant Hill's defense, I guess Noah Eagles has started calling it a bledgy, a block and a wedgie, which is great. We love it. Maybe that like Grant was a little confused.

[Tass Melis]

Right, okay, sure. Yeah, yeah. He's gonna brought up Kristen Ludlow saying a block wedge. We gave it to Dorian Finney Smith, who is. Who accepted the award.

[J. Skeets]

Oh, wow.

[Tass Melis]

It was a good day. 2017.

[J. Skeets]

Here's that.

[Tass Melis]

It said a block wedgie on the bottom of the screw. We got the lower third. We got the little banner if he was reading. If he's looking at the screen anyway. Bloody. Okay.

[J. Skeets]

Do you think Grant Hill still likes music?

[Tass Melis]

Yeah, absolutely.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, I agree.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

You imagine he didn't? That'd be breaking news. Grant Hill stops liking music.

[Trey Kirby]

Watch out, Tamia. He has to. Like, he has to.

[J. Skeets]

He has no choice. All right, let's recap some of last night's games and stories from yesterday in the up down report.

[Tass Melis]

Preparing your two piece. It's the Uptown Report.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, we're throwing thumbs this morning. I figured we'd get our body moving. Thumbs up or down? Try and stay warm.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. All right, first one here, Luka Doncic, 46 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds. Helped the Lakers cool off the hot Chicago bulls with the 129, 118 victory last night. LeBron did work early in this game. He had 20 of his 24 in the first half. Louisiana improved to three and one on this eight game road trip here. Eight game trip. According to Fanduel Luka is now a plus 1000 bet to win his first ever MVP. So he's second in the odds. SGA remains the favorite. Jokic is now off the board because he probably is not going to hit the games played quota. But are you up or down? Especially after last night's game and how they're playing right now on Luka Doncic. MVP chances, legit chances to win his first ever mvp.

[Tass Melis]

I picked the guy, but I'm still down.

[J. Skeets]

Okay.

[Tass Melis]

In comparison to Shay. There is no comparison. Shea's played 150 more minutes, made 100 more shots, made 150 more. Two specifically played in eight. Eight more games. His team has won nine more games. He scored the most points in the NBA. Even though Luca is leading in the per game. I can't. I can't. The hundred sports writers and broadcasters that vote for this thing at the end of the season, are they gonna look at Luca? Look at a team that's way below okc. I'm saying that because I believe that will still be the case. Are they going to give it to Luca? I highly, highly doubt it.

[J. Skeets]

Okay, so you're still staying down despite a monster.

[Tass Melis]

You missed a. He's missed eight games. I know that's not a ton in today's NBA, but, but, but you know, you know, it's something in comparison to Shea, I think. Just all those categories. Why. Why not give it to shape? Because he's won it before. That would be the only reason, I suppose. That doesn't make sense to me.

[J. Skeets]

That's happened before when it comes to MVP voting. Maybe won't be the case again.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah, usually not on a. On a one time winner.

[Tass Melis]

No, no.

[J. Skeets]

True, true.

[Tass Melis]

Right.

[J. Skeets]

What do you think, tk like up or down? One thumb up. I'm up a tiny bit.

[Trey Kirby]

Okay, I'm up because I think this be the highest finish of Luca's career in MVP voting. He finished third in 23:24. And like you said, right now he's second odds. A little bit ahead of Cade. I mean, I. I don't know. Toss up, I guess between Cade and Luka. Cade's team has outperformed Lucas as well, but they're in the easier conference.

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I don't know.

[Trey Kirby]

Luca though is leading the league in scoring points per game only. He's got the Lakers apparatus. That matters. Oh yeah, absolutely matters. And the Lakers do have a great clutch record. So you can say, look at this guy come through when his team needs it the most. He's oddly low though, on like clutch Points per game, mostly because when it comes down to it, teams are just going to double Luka Doncic and say, anybody else on the Lakers beat us. They have been good doing it. And I will say if he is allowed to go against Nikola Vucevic every single night, Luka will win the mvp. I'm always talking about. You can tell how hard Luka had to work during a game by how sweaty he looks. This guy was dry last night. He maybe got like a little glaze on his forehead in the fourth quarter, but like not the dripping hair. He didn't have sweat on his jersey. This was easy stuff. Just like put Vuch into a screen and roll sometimes like a double screen and just keep dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble, dribble.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

Whip a pass or score over the top. It was easy stuff for Luka against the Bulls last night, but I think Lucas had a great season. Anytime he makes some sort of an effort on the defensive end, it's getting clipped out. You know, they're going to put together a list of plays where Luke is trying on defense and the fact that he's got the Los Angeles media behind him, I think helps. Anytime you're on the Lakers, you get a little bit of a bump. So I think he will finish second.

[J. Skeets]

You think he's still make Eclipse? Maybe Cade Cunningham, like you said there, like in the two, three spot toss up. Yeah, that's good. I mean, he had the three ball dropping last night. That was the big part. Eight of 14 from deep. And this is one area this season he has struggled in terms of consistency, hitting a three, but knocked down eight of those. I love seeing Luka when he's operating around the free throw line too, like, just like he's a monster dude. I think maybe it's forgotten just because he. The way he plays out on the perimeter and sort of a point guard. He is huge. Like easily scoring over Kobe White when he matched on Herder, got buckets. Like just. It's so too small. They're too small for him. So I like, I like when he just like mixes it up with the three balls going a little inside work and then obviously he's one of the best playmakers. He had that beautiful baseline pass to. Was it Vanderbilt cutting in baseline on the. On the corner there?

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah, I think it was Vanderbilt.

[J. Skeets]

Like they threw a couple bulls at him in the corner and he just waited and waited and waited for who he wanted to cut underneath, flinged it under.

[Tass Melis]

He had so many good passes. He had a behind the back skip pass way out to Gabe Vincent, who had to, you know, one pat, one touch it to Rui Atromur because it wasn't the most perfect behind the back skip passes, but it was far. And then the classic Luka get underne ball fake, pump fake and another fake and then the pass out to the corner. That's a classic Luca. When he needs to get open, he used those two hands to push off IO Dasuma. Get off me, man. He was doing a great job. Although it was funny to hear him post game in the interview saying, all right, you're four games into your eight game trip. He rolled his eyes. He's ah, eight game trip. I don't like that. He didn't say a word, but his eyes said it all. He doesn't like being on the road, I guess, for that long. But I will say we all projected that OKC would probably win 70 games. Now they're not. Is there a chance that OKC falls back even further from where they are? Just like they felt from that 70 mark to now to a. Whatever it is, a 65 win mark, they're losing games. I think that the Jalen Williams injury is a factor that he hasn't been able to help out this season. I think it's more of a factor in the playoffs considering he has to get going to be the second best scorer on that OKC team. I know there's Chet and all that, but they depend on Jalen Williams to be their second best ball handler. So that's the worrisome part. And that may factor into mvp. Maybe.

[J. Skeets]

Maybe. All right, next one here. Donovan Mitchell scored 45 points as the Cavaliers beat the Magic 1, 1498. That's their fourth straight win. The run puts Cleveland a season best eight games over.500 at 28 and 20. So the up down question, and I could have gone negatively with the Magic side of things, like are you up or down on the Magic getting it together. But let's be positive. Pete's here. Up or down? Trey, when it comes to your confidence in the Cavaliers, with how they're playing right now and this run, I'm up.

[Trey Kirby]

Compared to early season, I'm down overall. I don't actually believe that the Cavs are going to be a threat in the playoffs, but we shall see. They've looked better though, on the entire season, 13 and 16 against teams that are. 500 or better. But in their last 11 games against 500 teams. They're eight and three. And that includes wins against the spurs, the Suns, the Timberwolves. You know, like they beat the Magic twice. They are technically a 500 team. I don't think it's all that impressive to beat the Magic at this point, though. However, the Cavs are 1 at 8 against the teams that are ahead of them in the Eastern Conference. 02 against Boston, 1 and 1 against Detroit. 02 against the Knicks. Oh, and 3 against Toronto. They're fourth in FanDuel Odds to win the Eastern Conference behind Detroit, New York and Boston. And that seems about right to me just because I've got massive questions about them in the playoffs. Their depth, their health, their toughness. Like who is their actual number two option out there. They've lost four to one in the second round the last two seasons in Cleveland after. I mean, they destroyed the Heat last year for sure, but they struggled against the Magic the year prior. You can also throw in the fact that Donovan Mitchell has never made a conference finals despite playing for two number one seeds. There are questions to be answered for the Cavs, but Donovan Mitchell's hooping right now. This guy dominated last night. 45, 4 and 4 for Mitchell. He's averaging 30 points per game, basically 29 and a half. It's a career high. Five rebounds, six assists. He's almost at 50, 40, 90 for the season. When he scores 30 or more, they're 17 and 8. The question is always going to be who can go along with Donovan Mitchell and can they actually defend? If the guy that's supposed to go along with him is Darius Garland, who didn't play last night. So I don't know. I. The Cavs are getting it together here. I think that's good, but I still don't know that I think this team is really going to do anything.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah, it's very similar to last year in the playoffs because their second best player in, Darius Garland, their other ball handler, is hurt again and that was a part of last year and what happened to them in the second round. He had off season big toe surgery on his left big toe and now he's got his right big toe that he's hurt. So he's got problems down there and that's. That's an issue. Now. I will say I'm up because Evan Mobley, I think looks his best that he's looked this season. I think he has got one move that he's getting to in that spin to his left. He gets into the lane, then Spins to his left and either goes over top of somebody or is able to pump and go past them if it's a big player like Wendell Carter Jr. So he is feeling better now. Those were mostly dunks that he had last night and those are. He's. He's taken the path when it's there. He doesn't really have that go to move that everyone expected coming into the season. But that spin, he's ready to plant that foot and do something with it. So that's better. But. But I do agree that who is going to be their second best player? Who is going to be their go to guy? They need Garland. And again both toes have been a problem. I just don't know if he's going to be on the floor. And so you can see it that they've got depth coming through in these young guys. In Jalen Tyson who's been frigging awesome. There's lots of guys coming through, but I don't know if they have guys you can depend on. I'm not sure.

[J. Skeets]

Troy Kirby recently, well today I should say dropped Week 15 power rankings. Cavs a little up crack in the top 10. But the magic falling all the way to 21st TK with the little down arrow. And then you wrote and I want to get you to elaborate on this, the Magic, I'm out. So yeah, expand on that.

[Trey Kirby]

Changes are needed. I don't know what it's going to be. I mean Franz didn't play last night. You can't blame it on Palo and Franz though. Paolo was hooping and he had finished with 39, 37. Let me see, let me see. So I can actually accurately.

[Tass Melis]

The jump shot was going down.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah. But also like I'm listening to the broadcast and Brad Doherty's like, he reminds me of DeMar DeRozan. I was like, oh, DeMar DeRozan is good but he is a mid range player that hasn't had a whole bunch of playoff success. And that's not what Paulos should be. That's not what he should be as a player. A mid range trying to get to 19 footers doesn't make any sense at all. You look at their defense, I think they're maybe 15th on the year. But they're bottom 10 in fast break points allowed. Their bottom 10 in points in the paint. How does that even make sense? They've got giants out there.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

They can never be good on offense. I don't think it is ever going to happen with the coach they have and with the schemes that they're trying to run because one guy starts dribbling and nobody else is guarded. There's four other guys just waiting in the lane the entire time. Desmond Bain is the only threatening three point shooter. I just don't see this team as good enough offensively now that they've fallen off on the defensive end. They need to be a top five defensive team and they need to like hope to be 20th on the offensive end. I think they're 20th right now, which is like a great season for the Magic offensively, but they just don't have the right mix. They don't have the enough creativity. I don't think, I don't think they have enough playmaking. They just don't get anything from their perimeter guys outside of like scavenging points is what it feels like.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, their half court offense, it's tough to watch. I mean, even if Franz is there, if we're being completely honest, because it's like come over, they set a pick for one of their guys, Paolo or Franz, they get sort of a mismatch and then everybody just stands around and they just watch and it's like, all right, let's see what you guys can do. See if you can barrel your wear in there or get your shot. And it's like nobody's a three point threat. And you know, another rough game last night, 11 to 39. They can't like nobody can shoot really outside of Desmond Bain. He hasn't had a lights out of season, so it's tough. And I wonder will they, will they make a move here at the deadline as we get closer and closer and what is it?

[Tass Melis]

Yeah, I think it reminds me of the Raptors a little bit where they need a little bit from everybody. And if Franz is in there slashing, then you can hope. You can depend on Desmond Bain, Anthony Black and Jalen Suggs to do that as well. And I don't mention Palabon Caro because he should be able to do that and he should be able to pass, but he is more of a mid range type of guy. So yeah, they're just kind of relying on all those guys to contribute. I don't know why Franz went and played in Europe and then just all of a sudden couldn't play again. You know, the injury is bugging him. Maybe he should have just stayed out longer instead of having to play in his home country. That was strange. And this whole team is strange. Watching them without Franz. When Franz is in there, he is their motor to get all those other guys as I mentioned going to get more slashing because they don't have it. It is a jump shooting team.

[J. Skeets]

It feels like the baton has been passed between these two teams of like disappointing teams this year because it was Cleveland for a very long stretch. They sort of got it going now and they just handed it over to the Magic, like, all right, you're the new disappointing team here in the Eastern Conference because they should be better than this. It's like three years running where they had the exact same record. It was like, what was it? 23 and 21. They're now 23 and 22 after another loss last night. Like after big additions, obviously the big Desmond Bay move too. Part of an injury. Yes. But at a certain point it's like it's what they run. It's the personnel. It just doesn't make sense in today's modern NBA especially.

[Trey Kirby]

Oh yeah. Well, I don't think the Magic have had a good stretch this year.

[J. Skeets]

No. Well, right. I'm saying. I'm saying the Cavs were more disappointing. I think maybe just because of expectations. They were a 64 win maybe last year. Yeah, yeah.

[Tass Melis]

They weren't kicking ass. They were 14 and 10. That was their. Yeah, that was peak. Yeah, yeah, that's what it felt like. That was the front best. Franz run as the number one guy and then he got hurt and then it all fell apart.

[J. Skeets]

We'll see what they do. If they do anything.

[Trey Kirby]

It's hard for them to do anything.

[J. Skeets]

I know.

[Trey Kirby]

They traded everything for Desm Bane and it hasn't worked. They didn't change anything. They're like Desmond Bain, your KCP for us. And KCP had a down season when he was there for the.

[J. Skeets]

But at least he played defense.

[Trey Kirby]

At least he played defense. I don't know. They just need some. They need like an offensive coordinator because like literally just compare them to the Raptors. They move the ball like crazy. Guys are cutting everywhere. Compare them to the Charlotte Hornets. They play fast. They've got a lot of movement on the weak side. When Lamelo is doing something up at the top, the Magic, it's like, can you score one on one or can you draw people and maybe hit a wide open three pointer? That's the only question. Or like that's the only strategy they have offensively. So yeah, they need somebody who has ideas on the offensive end.

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[J. Skeets]

All right, let's take a quick 22nd time out here in the up down report because I want to show you the other games from last night and then we'll get back to the thumbs up and thumbs down. Here's the slate of games we had the Celtics winning at home against the Blazers. Big Hornets win. I'm sure we're going to talk about that in a second. Hawks beat the Pacers. That game was moved up. They scored a whole bunch of points. Lakers beat the Bulls, talked about that. Wolves got a little revenge over the warriors, but a bunch of guys didn't play in it. And the Rockets beat the Grizz tk. Any of those games you want to jump on?

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah. Alperen Chengun was hilarious last night. 33 points on 15 of 17 shooting. One of his misses was a three point grenade. So he basically went 15 for 16. He had one real miss last night and he looked absolutely offended to me that the Grizzlies decided to guard him with Santi Aldama. He went at him every single time and he hit him with the left to right spin move every single time. Santi had no clue. Why was Jaren Jackson Jr. Not guarding him? I mean, he got cooked too. But it was finally enough. Like Shengun had literally done four straight spin moves. It was hilarious on Santee. Alama at this point drew a foul on one, scored on the other three. So they're like, all right, we got to send out our defensive player of the year. Same move, same result.

[J. Skeets]

He bit for it too.

[Trey Kirby]

It was ridiculous. The Grizzlies have given up is kind of what it felt like to me. And Shangun was just special. Kevin Durant also had 33. This was a nice win for the Rockets. They turned it on the second half.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah, I don't think the Grizzlies have given up. I mean, they are leading this game by eight in the third quarter. But yeah, the defensive move was kind of weird. I don't, I don't get it. Aldaman knew it was coming. He knew that spin was Coming, but he got burned every single time. Yeah. As far as the Rockets go, it's funny, we never talked about Dorian Finney Smith, not for one second. He is, I think, even though he's not shooting well because he has been injured, is contributing more, and he looks like he's more part of the team. And we'll hopefully see Fred Van Vliet come back. I mean, it's almost February. Not a word about Fred Van Vliet. This is. This is an interesting part for the Rockets. Do they make a move to go get another ball handler? Because I don't see Fred being able to come back and just be Fred, because last year he wasn't. When he was out for a long period of time. I don't know if he's trying to be, you know, MJ in 95, trying to just come back and be like, I'm MJ. But this. That's. That's the unfortunate part for the Rockets. That's a good question. As for, like, those afternoon games you mentioned, the Hornets beating the Sixers, that Hornets starting lineup, they're now 9 and 1. When they start together. Lamello Conka Nipple. Brandon Knight, Miles Bridges.

[J. Skeets]

Damn it, man.

[Tass Melis]

I don't know why I call him.

[J. Skeets]

What is going on with this one? This one is strange to me.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah, I need a new name. I need a new, new name for him.

[Trey Kirby]

Brandon Miller's better than Brandon Knight has ever been.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. He's.

[Trey Kirby]

He's playing awesome right now.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah. And then Musa Diabate, he should be mentioned as well, because I think that's how they play defense. Is that guy switching everything but those other guys and Lamelo, especially not trying to be the Lamello we all know and trying to shoot. Every time he's playmaking, he's literally saying, okay, I'm playing really well. Is it just because it's before the trade deadline? I don't think so. I think he's just buying in to not being the guy at all times. So they moved it a ton. And. And Brandon Knight. Don't call me Brandon Miller. He had 30. I changed it up. I changed it up. I know it's Brandon Miller. Don't call me Brandon. But his. His shooting was. I mean, that was. They're obviously, they're healthy and they're playing really well together. That's the best part. This is the best time in Charlotte Hornets basketball history in the last five.

[J. Skeets]

Years and in a very long time.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah. They're 12 and 10, I think in their last 22 games and their offense is arguably the best in the league during this stretch. They outscored the Sixers 81 to 37 in the second and third quarters combined last night. There was no Joel Embiid, there was no Paul George, but there was a bunch of other guys playing for the Sixers and then Nikki said and the Hornets with this starting lineup, you had your eye on them for a while, TK and they're continuing to play. And the diabate part guy's like just everywhere. He is out there to not really worry about scoring or. He's obviously not a shooter. It's okay, we got enough of those. You do all the dirty work and he seems to be reveling in that.

[Trey Kirby]

So yeah, his speed is good. 12 points last night, 6 of 7 shooting. He had four dunks doing this running up and down. The Moose Celebration. Very cool. I love to see a low level player with his own signature celebration. Twelve dunks on the night for the Hornets, including six for Ryan Kalkbrenner. He had one that was like an alley oop and barely tipped it in. And Eric Collins says to Dell Curry, are they gonna give him a dunk for that? And Dell says, yeah. He goes. Eric Collins goes, heck yeah. I thought that was so funny. Miller though. 30 points last night, six of eight. Eight from three scored 20 or more in seven straight games. They're plus five points per 100 possessions with LaMelo, Miller and Con can Nipple on the floor. They fall to minus 10 points per 100 possessions when it's just Kanipple and Miller. Lamelo is good and he is helping the team win. You're right. His usage is down, his assist percentage is up. He gets off the ball, he's making better decisions. He still makes a lot of dumb decisions. If it's a clutch game, he's probably going to take a bad three pointer at some point. But he's grown up a little bit. Yeah, the talent around him has gotten better. He's trusting him more and it's making everybody on the team better. So this is kind of like idealized version of LaMelo Ball right here. He can still get better for sure. He can still get smarter about the way he plays, but he's playing winning basketball right now and I don't think that's something people ever say about Lamelo.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah, yeah, that's a good stretch. It's a good stretch. As far as the, the Moose celebration, I mean, the Bucks do it from time to time. Not very rarely. Miles Turner will pull it out. Giannis has pulled it out, out. Who should have it? Who should own just because his name is Musa Diabate.

[J. Skeets]

Well, Greg Monroe should have it, but no longer.

[Trey Kirby]

He's never dunked.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Tass Melis]

That was his first three of the season last night as well. Was it Miles?

[Trey Kirby]

They didn't give him a three for that. Had a foot on the line. Oh, he was celebrating like crazy. He was along too, unfortunately.

[Tass Melis]

Oh, Plumly was even celebrating with him. Like, wow, you can shoot, man. That's cool. Did we hold before we move on? Do we like their halftime thing of basically fans is a line of fans. I guess because they bumped up this game from a night game to. To an afternoon. They didn't have the same halftime show.

[J. Skeets]

There's been a lot of weird halftime performances because of all the moving around of start times and stuff. But.

[Tass Melis]

So it was just like 10 fans line up. You get to have half court shots. Essentially. They knew each one's name. They came out, they had a little drum roll and then they took one and only one.

[J. Skeets]

One hit.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Banker Only a thousand bucks though.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah. All they have.

[J. Skeets]

That's it.

[Trey Kirby]

It's like, that's a low payout.

[J. Skeets]

A low payout matinee game.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah. Did you guys see gets lower?

[J. Skeets]

I forgot to bring it up on yesterday's podcast. Did you guys see the spurs guy that hit the half court shot? It went off the shot clock.

[Tass Melis]

Oh, wow.

[Trey Kirby]

Like, it hit shot clock first. That kid doesn't make any sense to me.

[J. Skeets]

He did it hit the shot clock first.

[Tass Melis]

I must have thrown it to the moon and then.

[J. Skeets]

But it literally dropped in and like Jordan pulls like his like face is like, holy crap. That was his.

[Trey Kirby]

I'm gonna try that.

[J. Skeets]

It's like, cool. Yeah.

[Tass Melis]

Should they count that if it hits the shot clock?

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, it goes in. It goes in. I mean you're lucky as hell, but yes. Should give you more money.

[Tass Melis]

But you wouldn't. You wouldn't count that.

[Trey Kirby]

If an NBA watch.

[Tass Melis]

If a player.

[J. Skeets]

No, I guess it would be technically out for an NBA.

[Tass Melis]

I think so. I think so.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah, yeah, I think so. It was not to get all Joe Borgia, but that's why they're wearing the headsets now.

[J. Skeets]

They're watch half court shots during the halftime performance. Joe Borges like call it off. No thousand dollars for him. But it was great to see the Hornets playing well right now. I just like always get terrified when we ever do notice the Hornets are doing something great. Especially Brandon Miller comes to mind because we've done this before where he had a really nice Stretch and then he inevitably gets hurt. So, like, I don't want to look at it. I don't want to talk about it. But Hornets fans, good fan base. They haven't done a lot of winning, obviously. So they're, they're getting back. I mean, they're still obviously well below.500, but sniffing a play in. I think there are three and a half. Maybe back, something like that. Maybe three.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

Hawks got a win yesterday as well. So three and a half for the Hornets. But Dyson Daniels did make his first three pointer since December 14th.

[J. Skeets]

Hey, everybody was on fire.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah. And he took three of them. He doesn't usually take that many.

[Trey Kirby]

That's a lot.

[Tass Melis]

And you could see though, the one went in, but the form is he just, he fades back a little bit on the shot. It's just an odd form. Why isn't our man Lee Ellis out there guiding him? But the fact that he took three shots, he made one of them, I guess that's positive.

[J. Skeets]

Step in the right direction.

[Tass Melis]

But the dunk that he had, that was big.

[J. Skeets]

All right, back to the up down report. There will be no return of the Mac. You guys like music? That's a music reference. Mac McClung, the three time defending NBA dunk contest champion, will not participate in the event next month in LA. McClung told an interviewer over the weekend that he would not compete this year and he added in an expo so that he will release the dunks we came up with after the contest. We will see the dunks that maybe he would have done if he was in there, but he's not going to do it. I guess. His father also said, yeah, Max taking this one off. So I want to start with Trey here because Trey's had a lot of opinions in the past on Mack McClung and the dunk contest. Up or down on Mack McClung. You know, sitting this one out here.

[Trey Kirby]

He'S done his part. Thank you to Mac McClung for coming and being at least entertaining in the dunk contest. Though I did laugh when he was saying that he hasn't prepped for a fourth contract for a fourth contest. And also it's kind of odd that he's not in it since this was his first year having a standard NBA contract. I'm like, okay, you're really an NBA player now. Not that he's played a ton.

[Tass Melis]

No.

[Trey Kirby]

But at least he got a standard NBA contract. But I did see, And I think ESPN's right up, that he doesn't like being known as Only a dunker. Nobody does. But this guy is certainly known as only a dunker. So thank you for your service.

[J. Skeets]

What do you think, Tass? Are you up or down? Are you Sad that Mack McClung isn't back here to. To, you know, defend his title three years in a row running?

[Tass Melis]

Considering how good he's been, I am a little surprised be. And a little disappointed because I know he would participate and he would be good. I understand he doesn't want to be known as a dunker. I get that.

[J. Skeets]

Too late.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah, it's a real Zach Levine, Vince Carter, even scenario. Everybody doesn't want to be a dunker, even though you're an incredible dunker. But I would have liked to seen him. And. And it. It's obvious that he had. He's literally has been prepping them as. As, you know, saying the last few weeks. So what is. What's. What's the deal? Why not go out there and do it if you've literally been practicing? You're. You're confident enough in them that you're going to release them. Them afterwards? Like, he's going to release some sort of video. This is what I had planned, but I didn't pull it out. It's just a little surprising.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, it is.

[Tass Melis]

I mean, he's. He's G league in it right now. I couldn't believe to see that he had played on five NBA teams. Literally played five on five NBA teams.

[J. Skeets]

He played in nine games.

[Tass Melis]

Nine games. He got it. He's got five jerseys. They were quick runs with each team. I'm just a little surprised.

[Trey Kirby]

He's a Windy City Bull right now, I believe.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah, he is a bull.

[J. Skeets]

I also made note that you brought up Trey. It's funny. This is the one year he's not going in it because he did have an actual contract with the Pacers there. He only played like three games, but he did have his first ever standard NBA contract that he signed back in the late October. But I'm also thumbs up on this. I do wonder, this whole thing, he's like, I have the dunks and all that. Is it possible that the league was like, all right, let's try and get some, like, new guys in here, new blood in here. Maybe that's good sign that some guys have said yes. I don't know. And that they allowed Mac McClung to, like, almost say, like, I'm electing to not go in it. I have no idea if that's true or not, because also, the league probably would want him in because he has a good show and he has put on a pretty good performance the last three. Three years running. So I don't know. But.

[Tass Melis]

So you mean that there's so many other guys that have taken slots?

[J. Skeets]

It's just a little odd that.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Like, I'm just wondering, is the NBA like, okay, let's. We've had a great run of Mack McClung and now let's get some new guys in here. And then Mack, you can say you're not going in.

[Trey Kirby]

We'll allow you to bow.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah. And then maybe if you want to come back next year, we'll do that. But anyway, we'll see. I did see online on social media Chuck Millan, the official dunk coach of the NBA. I think he helped Mac McClung win those three titles. If I remember correctly, he was spending time in San Antonio. Saw him in the gym. Does that mean Castle is going to give it a go again? Somebody else on that team?

[Trey Kirby]

Carter Bryant, maybe?

[J. Skeets]

Maybe so. That'd be fun.

[Odoo Advertiser]

Yep.

[J. Skeets]

He was in San Antonio, so you got to assume somebody was from the. From the squad is going to at least compete again. So we'll see.

[Trey Kirby]

Number one guy I want in the dunk contest this year, Bronny James.

[Tass Melis]

Interesting.

[J. Skeets]

Interesting.

[Trey Kirby]

I saw him do an East Bay recently. Him and LeBron going back to back. Father and son going between the legs.

[J. Skeets]

Legs.

[Trey Kirby]

They're in LA. I mean, he's like, similar to Mac McClung. He is on the edge of G League and NBA. He's a good athlete.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

This could be like a good. People have always wanted to see LeBron James in the dunk contest.

[J. Skeets]

Wow.

[Trey Kirby]

Let's give it to him. LeBron James Jr. But still, you know, that's how they sell it.

[J. Skeets]

LeBron James and the dunk on his.

[Tass Melis]

Little tiny, little junior Michael B. Jordan. Yeah, the old LeBron would probably. Probably. He'll give him some passes. That's for sure. He'll be there.

[Trey Kirby]

Sure.

[Tass Melis]

That's a good one. I like the idea of. Of trying to get some small guys in there, some shorter guys to. To take over Mac McClunk. I think Malik Monk should do it. I know he's older. He's older.

[Trey Kirby]

Nice.

[Tass Melis]

He's a great dunker, but he's a great dunker.

[J. Skeets]

He looks cool when he dunks.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

All right, next one here. Trey mentioned this on Monday's pod. Rich homie Flom, a blogger who covers the LA Clippers. He wrote on X a few weeks ago, if The Clippers go 15 and three in any stretch this season, I will print and eat this tweet while the clippers have gone 153 since. And true to his word, Flom printed the tweet and ate it on the podcast last night. That was just a short clip of a guy taking a piece of paper and putting it in his mouth and swallowing it. But it was a longer show. He spaced it out over the length of the show. Yeah, it was like 30 minutes plus him taking down pieces of paper. So I'll start with you Tass up or down on Rich Homie Flom eating his clippers tweet.

[Tass Melis]

Absolutely. Up, up. Respect to Rich Homie Flom for doing it. Eating an 8 by 11 piece of paper. It sounds like if he ate it for 35 minutes. I only watched the clip. I only tuned in. He has a podcast, but I didn't watch all 35. I thought, he's eating it. He ripped some off and he ate it. But it sounds like he ate a whole piece of bacon.

[J. Skeets]

I don't know if it was the entire sheet, but it was a good part of the tweet. Have you printed it off and then maybe cut it out? Yeah, I don't think it was the whole, whole sheet.

[Tass Melis]

I'm up on it. Because he didn't put it in a mixer. He didn't make it part of a drink, as I know.

[J. Skeets]

I love the shrug after eating it.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah. Just going with it, though. Like, he didn't. Didn't put water on it. That seems like a dry piece of paper.

[J. Skeets]

He had some sort of sauce or water. He had. Yeah, he had something. I think he said he was going.

[Trey Kirby]

To use soy sauce.

[Tass Melis]

I don't know.

[Trey Kirby]

If he ended up using soy sauce.

[Tass Melis]

Dipping in something, I'm happy for him.

[J. Skeets]

Okay.

[Tass Melis]

You're giving it his.

[J. Skeets]

All right.

[Tass Melis]

It sure feels man of his word.

[J. Skeets]

What do you think, TK Thumbs up or something?

[Trey Kirby]

Nailed it, Skeets. He's a man of his word. He did it and he said it was going to be anticlimactic, and it was. He told the truth the entire time, piece by piece. Smart for the tummy.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

Not as good for content.

[J. Skeets]

No.

[Trey Kirby]

Eat it all at once. Yep.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah. Just made.

[Trey Kirby]

That's how we would have done it. Let's be honest here. That's how we would have done it. You wouldn't have torn it into small pieces to make it more easily digested. You just would have chonked it on down. But this is what Twitter is supposed to be about.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

Not supposed to be about fighting with each other. It's supposed to be about making hilarious jokes that somehow make their way to the actual NBA. Like we said, people were chanting, eat that tweet during the game. The Clippers played like, that is a. That's like a 2012 era Twitter kind of stunt, and I love to see it.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah. And the Clippers were asked about a bunch of their players. John Collins said, get your fiber in, man. Make sure you take care of that. Jim Jackson, the analyst on Clippers broadcast, said, put it in some water. Ty Lu said, yeah, get it. Print it for him. Let him know that this is happening. You had the Kawhi Leonard thing say he shouldn't do it. I don't think that's healthy or whatever. He said. So everybody getting in on it? Everybody getting the Twitter. Love the Twitter tweets.

[J. Skeets]

For the record, Flom now says the clippers will finish 45 and 37.

[Trey Kirby]

Cool.

[J. Skeets]

Though I don't think he put anything on it. Okay. Just so you know.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

He said, I'm not eating any more of this. Understandable. I didn't realize when we first started talking about this that the clippers started their 15 and three run. The day he tweeted that.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

It was like, the next day you're eating right now.

[J. Skeets]

I know.

[Trey Kirby]

That's pretty funny.

[J. Skeets]

That's. Yeah. It is wild that he went. Somebody said it yesterday. Like, he went.

[Trey Kirby]

The.

[J. Skeets]

The Clippers went. The exact record that he tweeted. Like, it is weird. Like, 15 and 3 is sort of an odd thing to say. Sure. If they ever go 15 and 3 this year over an 18 game stretch, I'll eat this tweet. Like, it's just so strange. It's like Bill Simmons doing this type of weird numbers. All right, let me give you the top 17 plays. But they did it. And yeah, it was pretty funny.

[Tass Melis]

It was funny.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Tass Melis]

Ty Lue was told that that's what the original tweet was. He said what? Exactly. Fifteen and three. That's amazing.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Tass Melis]

I like how Tyler doesn't believe everything on the Internet. He questioned that. He said what? I appreciate that.

[J. Skeets]

Just some stats about the Clippers trying to get into the playoffs here. After starting 6 and 21, I saw this going around. Of the 121 teams that started an NBA season with a record of 6 and 21 or worse, only 2 actually reached the postseason that year. They are a very memorable team. The 52, 53 Baltimore Bullets.

[Tass Melis]

Oh, yeah. Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Listen to this. They finished 16 and 54. They made the playoffs. Yeah.

[Tass Melis]

Yep.

[J. Skeets]

That's when they finished fourth in a five team division in a year when eight of the NBA's 10 teams made the postseason. You think it's bad now? You think we have too many teams making the postseason now. Look at that year. 52, 53.

[Tass Melis]

Is that the east or what's the division called?

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, they were. Yeah, whatever it was called, they were in that side.

[Tass Melis]

I thought the Jamal Magloire era of the NBA, you know, early 2000s was bad in the east, but that's.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, no, go back to the 50s. It's true. I looked it up.

[Trey Kirby]

The team, the names they have on this.

[J. Skeets]

All right, give me some Baltimore Bullets from.

[Trey Kirby]

Well, their leading scorer was Fred Scolari.

[Tass Melis]

Okay.

[Trey Kirby]

Scores a lot. 14 points per game. But I definitely like Bob Pretty.

[J. Skeets]

Okay.

[Trey Kirby]

Ray Lump and Dick Bunt. Had to take a breath, bro, to say Dick Bunt. Only four points per game for Dick Bunt.

[J. Skeets]

Ray Lump over to Dick bunt. Oh, that's two. The other team to finish that stat. 84, 85 Cleveland Cavaliers. And this is a more normal record. 36 and 46. They finished. But that got him in to the postseason. So down year, I guess there in the east as well. So the Clippers are trying to do, you know, pretty rarefied air here. To start 6 and 21 and to actually make the postseason, it would be pretty shocking. And it's like the chances are pretty high right now with these other teams falling off. I mean, that's the thing. Will it count if they make the play in? No. Shouldn't. Right? They got to get into the postseason. But you know, when. A couple games, maybe they do.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah, there's some jokes in there. The first team that Chris Paul ever played on that was started 6 and 21 has entered the play in or has entered the postseason or whatever because the Chris Paul era was part of the. The negative side of things. But also Kawhi Leonard just coming alive and being, you know, one of the best players in the game. The last while he's been incredible.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, it's aspirational. Final one. We had some breaking news at halftime in Chicago last night. With Derrick Rose's jersey being retired over the weekend, Benny the Bull has officially changed his uniform from number one to number 99. Trey up or down on Benny the Bull changing his uni to number 99.

[Trey Kirby]

I hate to say it. I'm down. Yes. I hate to say it. Why? He wore it first.

[J. Skeets]

Yes. He's a Hall of Famer.

[Trey Kirby]

He's a Hall of Famer. They should have retired it for both of them. And I also think 99 is a really weird choice.

[J. Skeets]

I agree.

[Trey Kirby]

66 for the year it started. That would have made sense.

[J. Skeets]

Okay.

[Trey Kirby]

Would look weird on a basketball uniform. Six for six titles, 96 for the 72 and Tantine. Like, I think there are other choices.

[J. Skeets]

Zero even. Maybe.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah. I mean, Kobe White is wearing it, so maybe that's a little weird, but I think he should have kept one.

[Tass Melis]

He's not a player. Yeah. You can wear it. Yeah. Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

You're down on this. It doesn't. I mean, it doesn't look right. I'm with you. I don't like it. I don't like my dummy bull.

[Trey Kirby]

99.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Tass Melis]

Right. And he did it first. I. I was watching in the first quarter, there was a break in play, and they teased this. They had a little blanket over whatever cover over it. And they said, all right, we're here. We are. We're going to reveal the number that Bull is going to wear. Here he goes. Here we go. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Went. Wait till halftime. They uncovered it and said, wait till halftime. Yeah, they got me, too. I was waiting for it. I was waiting for a number. But, yeah, Benny has been there longer than Derek Rose.

[J. Skeets]

Oh, forever. Yeah.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah. As Todd said. Todd was on the mic, the in game arena guy, he said he's been there for what, 20, 20 something? 24 or something.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah. I think 2004 is when they came.

[J. Skeets]

Out with this version of Ben.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah. But it's not the same person inside. So you kind of lied to us, Todd. Either way. Yeah. The one's better. Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

It's almost like I sort of like him still rocking the one. Because then you're reminded of Derrick Rose even.

[Trey Kirby]

Exactly.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah. There was quite a bit of backlash to this. So I wonder if they'll actually go back to 1. 99.

[Tass Melis]

Did they give a reason for 99? Like, other, like, because Trey brings up a good point. You know, something. Six, I think for the titles.

[J. Skeets]

Benny the Bull loves hockey.

[Trey Kirby]

For the Great one.

[J. Skeets]

No, I don't think they did. But unless I missed it, it. They're just like a number that nobody would wear. I guess they're like, okay, they haven't.

[Trey Kirby]

Had a lot of guys in the 90s.

[J. Skeets]

That's true.

[Trey Kirby]

Drew Gooden wore 90. Rodman Rodman wore 91. I think that's it.

[J. Skeets]

Is that it? Yeah.

[Tass Melis]

Speaking of hockey, you know how a broadcaster gets all the assignments of saying things about the opposing team? Eric Collins of the Hornets said something about Quentin grimes of the 76ers. I didn't know that his brother plays in the NHL.

[J. Skeets]

I didn't know.

[Tass Melis]

And that's the first brothers. First pair of brothers that has played in the NBA and the NHL. Period. Full stop, huh?

[J. Skeets]

Now we've had a father son.

[Tass Melis]

We've had a father son.

[J. Skeets]

Popeye Jones.

[Tass Melis]

Popeye. Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

High draft pick. Wow, that's. I did not know Grimes.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah, I didn't know he had a father. Yeah, it's his name is Tyler Myers. They share the same mom and that's it. Tyler Myers played in the NHL for a long time. He's still playing.

[J. Skeets]

Oh, who does he play for?

[Tass Melis]

I think he plays for the Canucks. Oh yeah, up north.

[J. Skeets]

Tyler Myers.

[Tass Melis]

Tyler Myers.

[J. Skeets]

All right, that's the up down report. Let's hear from you guys in the stream team and you podcast listeners up or down, Especially on that last one. Do you have strong opinions about Benny the Bull changing his uniform number to 99? We're going to take a break and when we come back, we're going to draft the rising stars team Teams.

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[J. Skeets]

Hey, this is US Olympic gold medalist Tara Davis Woodhull.

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[J. Skeets]

Oh yeah, you can pick the coin.

[Trey Kirby]

To sauce minus 104 for both sides. It's going to be tails though.

[J. Skeets]

Guaranteed. They're calling tails.

[Trey Kirby]

Going to be tails.

[J. Skeets]

Wow.

[Trey Kirby]

This is the year for tails. You also pick the color of the Gatorade. Current favorite, orange plus 220 followed by yellow SL green. You know like lemon lime. Yeah, Blue Purple, clear, sl water or red?

[Sponsor Announcer]

Pink.

[Trey Kirby]

Red.

[Tass Melis]

Oh, wow.

[Trey Kirby]

I mean, I do like to see orange.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah. You're a fan of the color orange?

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah. But favorite Gatorade flavor would be yellow slash green.

[J. Skeets]

I'm a purple guy.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah. That's why I was thinking yellow is going to be the color. Okay.

[Trey Kirby]

Traditional.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

Our father's Gatorade. After the super bowl, the season's over. Did you know that?

[Tass Melis]

Yes.

[Trey Kirby]

After the super bowl, the season's over and football is officially done. It's the last call for football and FanDuel, an official sportsbook partner of Super Bowl 60. Visit FanDuel.com podcast to get started.

[J. Skeets]

Where is Super Bowl 60 taking place?

[Tass Melis]

California.

[J. Skeets]

Santa Clara.

[Tass Melis]

Is that right? I don't know. I know it's in the state of California.

[J. Skeets]

Okay. Okay. So it's gonna be warm. This is why I'm asking. Because I'm freezing cold right now. I'm so cold. I'm just dreaming of a Levi Stadium. Levi Stadium, where is that? Santa Clara. That's right.

[Trey Kirby]

Bring your jeans, Beans.

[Tass Melis]

I imagine the stadium will be closed either way. It's not going to be played outdoors.

[J. Skeets]

Oh, is it a dome?

[Tass Melis]

Oh, no, it's not, actually.

[J. Skeets]

No.

[Tass Melis]

I just. I just had a. I just had a googly. Yeah, you never know.

[Trey Kirby]

I just had a googly. We asked earlier in the show, is it good to be sick when it's cold? 62% of people voted no.

[Tass Melis]

No.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, but I disagree.

[Trey Kirby]

Would you. Would you rather be sick when it's warm?

[J. Skeets]

No way.

[Tass Melis]

Exactly.

[Trey Kirby]

But I mean, you know, maybe people are just voting for no sickness, period here. Maybe I didn't phrase it perfectly.

[J. Skeets]

So, J.D.

[Trey Kirby]

You would rather be sick when it's cold?

[Tass Melis]

This is the best time to be sick.

[J. Skeets]

Okay. Okay.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah. Because I'm not. I don't have to go out anywhere. Yeah, that's what I'm saying.

[Tass Melis]

After this, I'm just gonna wrap up, hit the couch.

[J. Skeets]

Right, right. Okay. That's my point too. Okay, guys, if you're just joining us, hit the like button. Subscribe the 2026 Castrol Rising Stars were announced last night on Peacock. The annual showcase will once again feature a mini tournament with four teams in three games, spotlighting the league's top rookies and second year standouts and some G leaguers. The selected NBA players will be drafted onto three teams tonight on Peacock. That's when they're doing it. That's when they're doing their draft. But we don't need to wait. We can do it first before we get to deciding on the order and how we're going to draft these. I was reminded that a couple years ago, we spent five minutes playing Beyblades to decide who would draft number one. It is so goddamn funny, us trying to play Beyblades here at the desk. I was laughing my ass up. You couldn't. DAs could not get this damn thing to work. And when you finally did on your last. Last rip it, it missed the arena and went flying in the studio. Anyway, it was very funny, and I pulled it off. I think in the end, I think I had the number one pick. But we're not doing it again this year. Oh, I know.

[Tass Melis]

Oh, yeah. Those were fun, actually.

[J. Skeets]

It had to have been the worst five minutes of podcasting of all time. We're not at our mics. We're, like, yelling, like, so crazy fun.

[Tass Melis]

For us, not for the listener, but podcast listeners. That wasn't for you.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, that one was not for you. But I thought. I don't care. I'm gonna draft third, but I want to decide between you guys who gets the first pick in our Rising Stars draft.

[Tass Melis]

I think you got the best pick third. You're snaking it, right?

[J. Skeets]

No, we didn't Snake, though, the last year time we did this, so we don't need to snake. I don't care.

[Tass Melis]

Who cares?

[J. Skeets]

This is literally just filling a block, man.

[Tass Melis]

I'm so locked in. I watched NBA TV do this last night.

[J. Skeets]

Oh, did they?

[Tass Melis]

They did, yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Was it.

[Tass Melis]

We're gonna do it better.

[J. Skeets]

Okay. We're gonna do it better.

[Odoo Advertiser]

Okay.

[J. Skeets]

But here's how we're gonna decide, and I want to sort of. If you guys are good at it, I want to go back and forth until somebody cannot name a name. Here's how we're deciding the number one pick in our Rising Stars draft. You guys need to name any player from last year's Rising Stars winning team. Okay. Okay. I'm gonna let you go first. I think there's one very obvious answer, but, I mean, this is the Rising Stars, and nobody remembers, so. Very obvious answer or jump in. You know what? If you know a guy from the Rising Stars winning team last year, say it.

[Tass Melis]

Oh, it wasn't. Oh, gosh. I want. When you say very obvious, well, there's.

[J. Skeets]

An mvp, so maybe you remembered the mvp.

[Tass Melis]

Well, I was thinking it was the rookie of the Year last year, but it wasn't overall for the whole season, but I guess it wasn't. Well, say the name wasn't Stephon Castle.

[J. Skeets]

It was. Okay.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah. Okay.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah. You got one name now, Trey. You have one chance here to keep this going or Tassel get the number one pick.

[Trey Kirby]

Reed Shepherd.

[J. Skeets]

No.

[Tass Melis]

Sorry.

[J. Skeets]

Good guess it was Castle. Mvp. Dalton Connect. Keonte, George Ryan Dunn, Zach Edey, Jalen Wells and Trace Jackson Davis. That was your winning team last year?

[Trey Kirby]

Yes.

[J. Skeets]

The final score, 25 to 14.

[Tass Melis]

It's a tournament.

[J. Skeets]

I fucking hate seeing that tournament. That's the one thing I hate about these tournaments. To 25. So stupid looking. Oh, the guy won MVP. Scored 8 points. I hate it. I don't know what it is. I hate it.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah. That's why this tournament style is not ideal for these rosters. It would be great to go back to the rookies versus sophomores in this case.

[J. Skeets]

Yes. Especially in this case. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. All right, well, let's show you the rising stars pool here, podcast listeners. I'm not going to read all the names, but we will say all these guys because we're going to draft them all. But there they are. We have 10 rookies, we have 11 sophomores. Again, we're going to have three teams here. These will be drafted into squads. And then there will be the G League team. We'll show you that in a second. I'll say the most notable missing name. I mean, it's sort of pretty crazy if you're a Hawks fan, man. Zachary Reese Sachet not on this now. He's injured right now, so maybe that played a part. He's been out for like three weeks here. I think he's missed some time. But number one pick last year, not on it. Yeah, not good.

[Tass Melis]

Ace Bailey not being on there either.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah. No Jazz rookie I thought was a bit surprising in Ace Bailey or Walton.

[Tass Melis]

Clayton Jr. Or any sophomore they got. They have three sophomores not on here.

[Trey Kirby]

Yep.

[J. Skeets]

And then three. The only other one. The only other one, like no. Caleb Love, who's had a really good year for the Blazers. Now he's like. He's an old rookie. He's like one of these 24 year old rookies. But they had to draw the line somewhere on the G League team, I guess. Well, I don't think he's played in the G. I don't think he has. Young has. And we'll show him later.

[Tass Melis]

Two way guy. I thought he would, but maybe not.

[J. Skeets]

You have famously said before, though, Trey, there are no snubs when it comes to the rising stars pool. That's right. And so even if we name some guys that maybe could have made it. Tough luck, you're saying?

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah, tough luck. Get better for next year.

[J. Skeets]

There you go. Yeah, there you go.

[Trey Kirby]

Where's Noah Sen? Where is. He Played one second this year.

[J. Skeets]

You caught me for a second. I was like, get out of here, man. All right, all right. So, Tas, you got the number one pick. We don't need to snake. Let's just go 1, 2, 3. 1, 2, 3. Perfectly making our way around the table. So I think this is a little interesting where you go. Cuz there's like what, three, maybe four guys you could convince yourself are deserving of a number one pick here in the Rising Stars.

[Tass Melis]

It is an interesting one. I'm going with a guy's name who we've said a billion times, it's Cooper Flag time. I would like to see him be prideful and try and win this thing. Is he already done a little too much this season where this game doesn't mean a ton to him? You know, like, does he. Does he care about this game? That's the question.

[J. Skeets]

God.

[Tass Melis]

I think. I think he should. I think he. Well, the game. I shouldn't say. Does he care about this game? Does he care about these games?

[J. Skeets]

Tournament.

[Tass Melis]

You have to play several games.

[Trey Kirby]

Play several games.

[Tass Melis]

I guess it's just two. It's two, right?

[J. Skeets]

Yeah. Is it just two? I think you're right.

[Tass Melis]

I think it is too unlike what happens on Sunday, which is a little round robin thing where you play three games. If you're the. If you get to the final.

[J. Skeets]

No, you're right. This one is just. There's two semifinals games and then there's the finals. Anyway, they played a 40, I think in the semifinals they played at 25, so not several.

[Tass Melis]

Several does not count as two. Good luck to Cooper Flag.

[J. Skeets]

Okay, number one pick.

[Trey Kirby]

I thought several was seven.

[J. Skeets]

Nice Survivor, ref.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

I might.

[Trey Kirby]

I might take Jinsky here.

[J. Skeets]

Oh, Jesus. Okay. Trey Kirby, who do you got? My guy.

[Trey Kirby]

I'm taking the only three time rising star on the board. Matas Buelles.

[J. Skeets]

Oh, wow.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah. He played for the G League.

[J. Skeets]

Ignite.

[Trey Kirby]

He had a game winner in a Rising Stars tournament game. He's got the experience Montes Bouzel is. You're on my team.

[J. Skeets]

Okay. Good pick. Good pick. Sure.

[Trey Kirby]

Are there better players?

[J. Skeets]

Maybe.

[Trey Kirby]

Look, nobody's played as much as him.

[J. Skeets]

He's good. He's good. I will. I thought maybe. I thought maybe this guy potential that he would go number one. And that is Concanipple. Yep, the Hornets rook. Who's obviously mad efficient who in these type of games when it's not a lot of defense Being played and just fire up threes. Who's a better three point shirt than this guy? Guy from these rosters? I don't think anybody. So I'll take. I'll take con. I'm a conhead.

[Tass Melis]

All right, so we're not snaking.

[Trey Kirby]

No.

[J. Skeets]

We're not sneaking back to you. Back to.

[Tass Melis]

Good, good. Because now I get to take a guy who played high school basketball with Cooper flag. Derek Queen.

[Trey Kirby]

Wow.

[J. Skeets]

I like this.

[Tass Melis]

Two years together and, you know, he could be in the conversation for Rookie of the Year. He's not going to win Rookie of the Year, but he's very, very good. A big man who could pass and shoot it. He's gonna be fun to play with. Derrick Queen.

[J. Skeets]

Okay. Derek Queen off the board. This is, like, fun here. Like, four guys selected already, three of them rookies. And a lot of people were pointing out when you looked at the rookie selections, it's like all lottery picks.

[Trey Kirby]

Yes.

[J. Skeets]

And then you look at the sophomores, and it's like a lot more of, like, second rounders and late first round picks and stuff like that. Speaks to the draft, obviously, big time. But, TK you got your fifth pick here overall, reigning Rookie of the Year.

[Trey Kirby]

Reigning rising stars, mvp. I gotta go.

[J. Skeets]

Stefan Castle.

[Tass Melis]

It's a good pick.

[Trey Kirby]

I got to, mister.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, you got to. You got the old guys.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah, I got the old guys building a defensive backbone with Boozelis and Castle trying to hold teams to 14.

[J. Skeets]

All right, who am I pairing with? Con Knippel. I'm sticking with a rook. Give me. Give me Vijay Edgecombe of the Philadelphia 76ers.

[Tass Melis]

Nice.

[J. Skeets]

Probably third on most people's list of Rookie of the Year race when it goes Khan or Cooper. One, two, and then. And then vj. So I got two rooks, two exciting rooks.

[Trey Kirby]

Very nice.

[J. Skeets]

Back to you, Tass.

[Tass Melis]

Where do I go? I'm gonna go with Dylan Harper. Because if we're looking at tweets and just everything going around while this game is happening, him going against his brother Ron Harper Jr. Who plays for the G League team, might get some clicks. So I'm doing everything I can. I'm playing every sort of direction here. Give me Dylan Harper.

[J. Skeets]

Okay, Trey, I need some shooting on my team.

[Trey Kirby]

I got Boozelis and Castle, so I'll go with Reed Shepherd.

[J. Skeets]

Oh, wow.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah, I'm going all sophomores here.

[J. Skeets]

Reed shepherd, his second time playing in this as well. He was a G Leaguer last year.

[Trey Kirby]

It was only on for the G League.

[J. Skeets]

He did not make the rookie team. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yep. They snuck him in there like they've done with a couple of guys this year. Chip on his shoulder, Yong and Yannick.

[Odoo Advertiser]

Yep.

[J. Skeets]

All right. Reed shepherd got some shooting. Yeah, he could. He could fill it up in this game, too. That's a good pick. All right, back to me. Ooh. He's a little banged up right now. Will he be back in time? Because I'm taking a homer pick here. Yeah, I'm with you, Tess. Give me Colin Murray Boyles little playmaking from my big two here to go with my shooters and my high flyer. And Vijay. So I got three rookies building a straight rookie team.

[Tass Melis]

I think that means he will be back, considering they put him on this list. Yeah. So that's a good sign. All right. All right. Who we go with? Who's coming to play with Cooper? Flag, Derek Queen and Dylan Harper. There's plenty of options here on the board. I'm going to take Cam Spencer. I know he'll be ready to play.

[Trey Kirby]

Wow.

[Tass Melis]

If there's anything that may be lacking in these games, sometimes it's a little fireball, a little heart. And I know Cam Spencer's gonna bring that.

[J. Skeets]

He's got a heart.

[Tass Melis]

Oh, yeah. A winner, some would call him. He's on my team.

[J. Skeets]

Okay, back to you, Trey. Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

Schumann is here on the stream team. He's advocating for somebody to try and get all the UConn guys on the same team. But now those hopes are dashed as Castle and Spencer have been separated. Oh, too bad. Bad could go cling in here.

[J. Skeets]

That'd be nice.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

He is low on my draft. Yeah, he doesn't all look like dirty work guys. I don't want them. Yeah, I only want highlights. And for that reason, it's a toss up. Give me Jeremiah.

[Tass Melis]

Fierce Jeremiah.

[Trey Kirby]

Don't be surprised if he has the best highlights coming out of the Rising Stars draft. Crazy handle. He could do some.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

Kyrie Irving on Brandon Knight sort of stuff.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Odoo Advertiser]

Yep.

[J. Skeets]

I like that. I like that. Okay, back to me here. My fourth pick. I got Khan, VJ and cmb. I'm gonna take my first sophomore. Would he be there another round? Probably. Is he one of the better players on this list? I think so. Give me A.J. mitchell. Yeah, I'm taking Mitchell. You can get some buckets in this game. He's off the board. Back to you, Tasmilis.

[Tass Melis]

I'm gonna stick with the sophomores. Cause I think this guy gets a little bit just underrated. Keyshawn George, 7. A great season. 15 1/2 points, 6 boards, 5 assists. Fairly efficient. It's like AJ Mitchell numbers. Keyshawn George. You can do it all.

[J. Skeets]

Okay, Trey. I gotta do it.

[Trey Kirby]

Following my draft board, trying to get buckets. Trey Johnson. Welcome to Trey's team.

[J. Skeets]

Oh, Trey has to draft a trade.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

I got no big guys yet, but I don't care. I got a lot of guys who like to score points. That's all that matters.

[J. Skeets]

There are only two rookies left. Coward and Joman of the Brooklyn Nets. I was thinking, with Jaegor, tonight's actual draft, he's going to be there for a long time because I think they're going to be terrified to try and say his name. I don't know. Something telling me.

[Trey Kirby]

About Junas situation.

[J. Skeets]

But do I want a big here or will a big make it around? Oh, no. There's three bigs left. I'll be fine. I'm taking Cedric Coward.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah. It's a good one.

[Trey Kirby]

Nice one.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah. So one rookie remaining. TAS in Igor.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah. He's not mine. Somebody else can have it.

[J. Skeets]

I think he could be fun in these games, too.

[Tass Melis]

Wow.

[J. Skeets]

These are.

[Tass Melis]

You know what? I'm going large. Give me Khalil. Where?

[Trey Kirby]

Going large.

[J. Skeets]

Oh, man. Okay. I wanted one. Okay. I was happy that there was three really big guys left.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah, there is three very big guys.

[J. Skeets]

And you took.

[Odoo Advertiser]

Sorry.

[J. Skeets]

You took Khalil Ware.

[Tass Melis]

Thank you. Yeah. Yeah. It's hard to keep track of all these guys.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah. Khalil Ware was my sixth man of the year pick in the preseason, by the way.

[Trey Kirby]

Whoops.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

I think he's had a disappointing season all around.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

People are like, ooh, could he be the new Wemby? Could he be the new Anthony Davis? What if he's the new Christian Wood?

[J. Skeets]

How dare you?

[Trey Kirby]

Something to think about.

[J. Skeets]

Spolster also doesn't. I mean, even admitted. Yeah. Like, I'm sort of messing with his minutes a little too much. Like, he'd play well and then he'd bury him. It was strange, but he's in this game. All right, Trey, who you got?

[Trey Kirby]

I got two bigs on my board.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

Sar and clinging. Who to choose.

[J. Skeets]

I'll take the other one.

[Trey Kirby]

So whoever you leaving me, you're getting cling and I'm taking sar.

[J. Skeets]

All right.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Cling Kong.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah, I'm just. I'm just guessing a sar highlight is cooler than a cling and highlight.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, you're probably right.

[Tass Melis]

I think that's a given.

[J. Skeets]

You're probably right. You're probably right. But I'm Happy with clinging to to to fall late Here. Get my big. I need my one big. All right, back to you, Tess. After a saw and clinging her off the list.

[Tass Melis]

So do we want a versatile guy in Jalen Tyson who plays hard or a guy who plays really hard defensively in Jalen Wells or Egor Jamin because it's a fun name for some to say. I'll take Tyson. Give me long, give me some length.

[J. Skeets]

So you're taking Jalen Tyson?

[Tass Melis]

Yep.

[Trey Kirby]

Okay, two Jalens left. The bottom three wouldn't happen in the actual all star draft, I don't think.

[J. Skeets]

All right, Trey, talk it out. Your final two guys left on the board. Board here.

[Trey Kirby]

I told you, I'm going for all highlights and I think Jagor Joman is more highlight worthy than Jalen Wells. So give me the eager demon.

[J. Skeets]

Okay, the last rookie selected, that leaves Jalen Wells for me. And if everybody was keeping track of their team, we can recap them quickly. Task you had the the number one pick. So go ahead, Cooper.

[Tass Melis]

Flag.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Tass Melis]

Is going to be playing with his high school teammate Dare Queen, as well as Dylan Harper, Cam Spencer, Keyshawn George, Jalen Tyson and Khalil Ware.

[J. Skeets]

Okay, T.K.

[Trey Kirby]

Hold on. I'm highlighting everything because I've got Matas Bouzela, Stefan Castle, Reed Shepherd, Jeremiah Fears, Trey Johnson, Alex Saar and Jaegor Joman.

[J. Skeets]

Definitely a smaller team, but you're highlights heavy.

[Trey Kirby]

That's all I care about. I got a very skinny team as well. I don't know if there's anybody on my team over £200. Boozelis, Castle, Shepherd, Fierce, Johnson, Saar and Joey.

[J. Skeets]

Well, you do have a very skinny team. Stinks. You're going to be pushed around by my team here.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah, I mean star's probably over 200 pounds on account of bones, but barely. He still probably wears like a 28 waist jeans. Yeah, it's like a 28 by 40.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, I'm going to body your team, man. Listen, that's this squad. I got Con canipple as my number one pick. VJ Edgecomb, Colin Murray, Boyles, AJ Mitchell, Cedric Coward, Donovan Klingon and Jalen Wells. So there it is. Let us know who drafted the best squad and really who you think we'll go 1, 2, 3. I think that's the exciting part with this one. Fourth team will feature G league players. As I said earlier. Here's that squad for everybody joining us on YouTube. I'm not reading all the names. Happy to see Elijah Martin there.

[Tass Melis]

Oh, yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Raptors 905.

[Tass Melis]

Young Hansen playing for the G League team.

[J. Skeets]

Yep. The Rip City remix. I always forget that their. That's their G League name. It's a good name. Yeah, they, you know, I love how they snuck in a couple of those, those rooks there because they've just been down in the G League like they did with Reed Shepherd.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

I think it's time to go back to all rookies and sophomores.

[Tass Melis]

Oh yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

They launched this G League playing in the Rising Stars because they were doing G League ignite at the time and as a way to like get eyeballs on these guys who were supposed to come and be stars in the NBA. G League ignite has gone away. I would like, I'd rather see recess than like 26 year old guys.

[J. Skeets]

I agree.

[Tass Melis]

Yep. Yeah. Yeah. And the G League wasn't a. Just as much of an established thing overall back then either with every single team having a G League team. You know, they were trying to promote minor basketball league as a minor basketball league. Every team has one now. So it's very different. It's a different time. That's it.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm with you. I wish we just went back to. We don't even need to draft like 12 sophomores and 12 race. Just make it 10 and 10. Sure. Keep it simple like that. And then like play one game and like we get to see the guys more too. Like in this scenario like these games, you're gonna see like a guy for like two minutes. Like you know, true. Maybe gets in the earlier game a little bit more. But it's pretty damn quick sometimes depending on how fast the game goes. Cause they're playing to a final score. But we have hall of Famers Carmelo Anthony, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady Brady. They will serve as the honorary coaches for the Rising Stars mini tournament. And then Austin Rivers will coach the GLA team. And I know what you're wondering. Did Austin Rivers play ever play in the G League?

[Tass Melis]

That's what we're wondering.

[J. Skeets]

We don't think so.

[Tass Melis]

We don't think so.

[J. Skeets]

But he is a broadcaster on Peacock and he will have the honor of coaching the G League team which did make the finals last year. They did win the first round game. But Melo, Vince and Tracy are going to be trusting drafting tonight. So that's at 7:00 o'clock. I think tonight on Peacock. Peacock. Peacock.

[Trey Kirby]

I think that's going to be the first episode of Cousins. Vince and Tracy will have Carmelo on to talk about how they broke down their draft boards.

[J. Skeets]

Probably collab.

[Trey Kirby]

Whatever Mello's podcast is called. It's got a time in it.

[J. Skeets]

7Pm in Brooklyn. Yep. I think is what it is.

[Trey Kirby]

I think you're right.

[J. Skeets]

I will say small part I am excited about All Star Weekend this year is that it's like it is on NBC and Peacock like. Which is a huge change because we've had decades of All Star Weekend being on Turner Sports. I think that's like a little something a little different.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

To look forward to. But I was like a little surprised last night how little fanfare there was in announcing the teams. I was expecting a little bit more, but it was basically what we just did. Showed you the graphic and they talked a little bit about who would go number one. But then. And then. But then I realized, well, they're doing the draft tonight, so that'll be like played up a little bit more. So we'll find out who they pick tonight and how much it matches up with our squads that we did here. All right. Well, by the night sponsored by Disco Godfather. It's been watching since the condo party room days. Going way back to my old condo. He thanked us for the last 20 years. He did this a while ago when he sponsored it. So thank you, Disco Godfather.

[Tass Melis]

Thank you, Disco Godfather.

[J. Skeets]

A musical theme here today. And Luka gets the. Whoa, boy. Though there was a couple in the running. Shen Gun, like you said, barely missed and Donovan Mitchell was a monster. But Luka poured in a game high 46 points. He shot 15:25 from the field. He had eight threes, also had 12 assists and seven rebounds in the victory as he goes.

[Sponsor Announcer]

Whoa.

[Trey Kirby]

I thought he was saying bone dry maybe.

[J. Skeets]

Yes, yes. Not sweating.

[Trey Kirby]

Papery there.

[J. Skeets]

Not sweating at all. Okay. Pick em. I'm eight and nine. Task nine and eight, Trey. Ten and seven. Final week of January, I have completely fallen apart. I had a great record. I think I was 8 and 3 or 8 and 4 at one point. I'm on a slide right now, man. I need this task. What's the game?

[Tass Melis]

I thought tonight's most interesting line was the Nuggets hosting the Pistons and getting six and a half points. So if you're taking the Pistons, you got them by seven or more. Nuggets can lose by six or fewer. They've got a ton of injuries. And that's why I think you guys are comfortable taking those Pistons going to Detroit. Excuse me, going to Denver and winning this game.

[J. Skeets]

Am I right by saying Jamal Murray is questionable?

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah. Gordon is out.

[Tass Melis]

Right. Is he? Okay, so I think so. That was the.

[Trey Kirby]

That was the one for me. But that's still a big line.

[Tass Melis]

He is out. I just checked. He's out. Christian Brown's out. Jokic obviously out. Cam Johnson out. Jamal Murray looks like questionable.

[J. Skeets]

I saw.

[Tass Melis]

He was. He was probable at some point. I guess he could be questionable. Peyton Watson also may not play. Jonas Chunas may not play.

[Odoo Advertiser]

Jesus.

[Tass Melis]

Well, here I'm getting jamal murray Probable 1 hour ago. So I believe you, Payne Watson and Jonas Valchunas likely will play. Those are on the probable list according to the Nuggets. I do believe. Believe them. So, you know, there we go.

[J. Skeets]

I do believe.

[Tass Melis]

I. I have to. I have to confirm. This is the Internet. Who knows? But this was the Nuggets Twitter account. I do believe the Nuggets.

[J. Skeets]

Okay, good.

[Tass Melis]

They're legitimate ex.

[J. Skeets]

All right, well, you have Denver, so you better believe.

[Tass Melis]

Yeah, yeah.

[J. Skeets]

But you got a lot of points to play with, train. I need the Pistons to win by seven or more on the road. And I really need this. I need this to tie. Tie up our records with TAS here again because I am in the hole. Not good. That's today's no Dunks podcast. Thanks for joining us live on YouTube. Thanks for watching later. Thanks for listening. Five star ratings and reviews. We're back tomorrow. I'll throw it out there. We might want to hit the beach. It's so cold in here. Try and warm it up. Should we take some questions? It's a good idea from the fans.

[Tass Melis]

Let's do it. Yeah. We've got some bank to. Got some good ones. Because let's be completely honest here. The slate of games ain't that sexy.

[J. Skeets]

It's not good. I haven't even checked. I gotta be honest.

[Trey Kirby]

Sexy beach time, huh?

[J. Skeets]

No. What? I mean, we obviously have Pistons and Nuggets, but a lot of guys, we got Buck, Sixers, Kings, Knicks. Yeah. Blazers, Wizards, Pelicans, Thunder, Net, Suns, Clippers, Jazz. TAS is right. Oh, yeah. That's a rough one.

[Tass Melis]

Is there a good one in there? That's a rough. Yeah, I think the Nuggets, Pistons might be. Because how well, the Nuggets are playing without their guys.

[J. Skeets]

But we might.

[Tass Melis]

They don't have their guys.

[J. Skeets]

We might talk for 15 minutes about Tracy McGrady. How he drafted his rising stars to.

[Trey Kirby]

Break down the draft.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

Yeah. Winners and losers. Got a couple of poll skis to check in on here. Skeets, you got the most votes for best rising stars team. 47%. 29 for test, 24 for me.

[J. Skeets]

Okay.

[Trey Kirby]

And then I rephrase this question. Best weather to be sick, cold or hot? 82% say cold.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Trey Kirby]

18% say hot. Some are arguing that you get healthy quicker when it's hot. I maybe that's true.

[J. Skeets]

I sort of agree with that. I always get sick. I get sick in the summer. That's when I generally get sick because.

[Trey Kirby]

Of the like, the temperature changes, I'm.

[J. Skeets]

Convinced from going hot to cold, hot to cold, hot to cold. So I'm more of a summer get the, get the, the cold. But yeah, I'd rather it now. J.D. come here. Cough on me. Yeah, cough in my mouth. New pickup.

[Trey Kirby]

It's a weird one.

[J. Skeets]

I like it. I'll do it. All right guys, thanks for joining us. We'll see you tomorrow and get your beat stepping questions in. I know we have a few, but why not try and solicit some more? Drop them in the YouTube comments or tweet at this ad. Not dunk sink till tomorrow. Clipper bros. You heard it here first.

[Trey Kirby]

Have a great time. Turn up. Love you guys. Awesome.

[Tass Melis]

Thanks for joining us. And remember when you said that Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady's podcast made debut? I guess their cousin's podcast. I had a good laugh because watching NBA TVs broadcast yesterday of their draft of the the rookie sophomore game, I heard that Cedric Coward is related to an NBA media member and they're, you know, air quotes cousins. This NBA media member is first cousins with this player's dad that he just found out when he was drafted or something.

[J. Skeets]

Who?

[Tass Melis]

You guys don't know? You hardcores don't know this? Why would you know? Yeah, good guess.

[Trey Kirby]

Chris Haynes.

[J. Skeets]

Oh, that's a good guess.

[Trey Kirby]

Thank you.

[J. Skeets]

NBA TV should have given it away too. Yeah, nice. I should have went with that.

[Tass Melis]

Cool, cool story, bro.

[J. Skeets]

Very cool story.

[Trey Kirby]

That's a good story.

[J. Skeets]

Race the day people.

[Trey Kirby]

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[Tass Melis]

At cvs, it matters that we're not just in your community, but that we're part of it. It matters that we're here for you when you need us, day or night. And we want everyone to feel welcomed and rewarded. It matters that CVS is here to fill your prescription and here to fill your craving for a tasty and yeah, healthy snack. At cvs, we're proud to serve your community because we believe where you get your medicine matters. So Visit [e-mail] or just come by our store. We can't wait to meet you. Store hours vary by location. This is Julian Edelman from Dudes on Dudes with Gronk and Jewels. Sunday mornings I've got my game day ritual, Coffee, Lucky socks and now New Morning Uncrustable Sandwiches.

[J. Skeets]

It's all about that 12 gram protein boost with the new Uncrustables Bright Eyed.

[Trey Kirby]

Berry or Up and Apple flavors.

[Tass Melis]

Bright Eye Berries got a feisty receiver.

[Trey Kirby]

Energy up an apple.

[J. Skeets]

Your classic do it all tight end.

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Soft, pillowy, packed with protein and easy enough for Gronk to grab from the freezer.

[Trey Kirby]

Whether you're on the couch, driving to the tailgate or heading to the locker.

[J. Skeets]

Room, new Morning Uncrustable Sandwiches are the MVP of snacks.

[Tass Melis]

Your new Sunday kickoff ritual starts here with New Morning Uncrustable sandwiches packed with.

[J. Skeets]

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