NBA Naughty or Nice List

Summary

No Dunks (iHeartPodcasts)

Episode: NBA Naughty or Nice List

Date: December 23, 2025
Hosts: JD Skeets, Tas Melis, Angel Diego (“Ash”)

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MAIN THEME:

"NBA Naughty or Nice List"
The crew celebrates the holidays with a festive, wide-ranging discussion on NBA headlines, team outlooks, and the spirit of the season—judging players, teams, and moments as “naughty” or “nice.” The show also previews the Christmas Day slate, debates trending taunts, discusses trade rumors, and shares basketball Christmas wishes.

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HIGHLIGHTS & KEY DISCUSSIONS

1. Retiring the “Too Small” Celebration

Segment Start: 02:19

• Incident: Thomas Bryant (Cavs) scores over Hornets’ rookie Con Knippel, hits the “too small” celebration, but trips and falls, sparking social media debate.
• Hosts’ Views:
  • Tas Melis (03:38):
    “He did fall down, but I am totally down on retiring the celebration…The fact that he fell actually adds to the moment… I want to see more of it.”
  • JD Skeets (05:26):
    “I’m thumbs up on retiring this... Too many kids do the too small celebration. You know, I watch a lot of 10-year-olds play basketball and they are pulling out the too small celebration all the time.”
  • Angel Diego (06:18):
    “I like a good too small... I’m famous for being in a pickup game and hitting a Tom and Jerry… That’s what I like to do.”
• Notable Twitter Take:
  @WeBallMurray: “Bryant took it to the next level. He was demonstrating that Con Knippel is so small that you could accidentally trip over him… That’s an NBA champion level taunt.”
  (Referencing: 04:33)

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2. Draymond Green and Steve Kerr's Sideline Rift & Warriors’ Outlook

Segment Start: 08:58

• Event: Draymond Green and Steve Kerr have an argument during a game, Draymond leaves the bench for the locker room, returns but doesn’t play again.
• Tas Melis (09:36):
  “I’m definitely up on it. You can’t show up your coach... He played a couple games off the bench last year… If he will be able to digest it all going forward is the question.”
• Team Impact: The Warriors win both games Draymond exits early; sparks debate if team is better off with him.
• Debate: Would the Warriors trade Draymond + Kaminga for Anthony Davis?
  • Tas (15:49): “Yeah, I would.”
  • Skeets (16:23): “The only question is, what’s your confidence level in AD playing?”
• Memorable moment:
  “It’s classic Draymond. It’s one thing to put up with his stuff when he’s contributing to a championship team. It’s a whole other thing when we’re struggling…” (JD Skeets, 13:17)

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3. Pelicans’ Sudden Surge & Play-In Hope

Segment Start: 20:06

• Topic: Pelicans win 5 straight, their best run since 2022. Zion thrives in new bench role.
• Tas: “Horizontal thumb. I can’t go thumbs up. I can’t go thumbs down… There’s still four and a half back and even a team in between them and the play-in.”
• Debate: Should Zion stay in his new role? Are the Pels building trade value or going for it?
• JD Skeets (23:51):
  “They can’t tank. There’s no point. That pick ain’t theirs. So… as the season goes on, we get into February, maybe these other teams start leaning toward the lottery. They [the Pelicans] won’t.”

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4. Celtics: Stand Pat or Make a ‘Win-Now’ Trade?

Segment Start: 27:58

• Context: Despite Jayson Tatum’s injury, the Celtics exceed expectations. Third in the East.
• Up/Down Report: Should Boston add a piece at the deadline?
  • Tas Melis (28:41):
    “I’m up on them doing it… but I’m down on it actually happening. I don’t think they have the proper players, proper money to go out to get a player like that.”
• Potential Targets: Flirtations with names like Anfernee Simons, big men, but realism about limited assets and money.
• JD Skeets (30:36):
  “Brad Stevens says the team is open… but there’s a lot of things that have to go right in a deal… Probably more likely tweaks on the fringes.”

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5. Snoop Dogg: Guest Analyst for Warriors-Clippers Game

Segment Start: 34:39

• Premise: Snoop joins Peacock’s NBA broadcast as analyst for second half of Warriors-Clippers on Jan 5.
• Hosts' Reaction:
  • Tas Melis (35:03):
    “Oh, yeah. Let’s do it. What I love about this is that this guy’s living the life. He only has to work for half a game.”
  • Angel Diego (37:14):
    “It’ll be pretty hilarious… It’s your boy, Big Snoop D-O-double-G coming down the court… It’ll be fun for a little bit, at least.”
  • JD Skeets (37:32):
    “Might be funny to hear the highlights of him. Don’t know if it’ll be as funny for an entire half. Maybe that’s why they’re only doing a half.”

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NOTABLE QUOTES / MEMORABLE MOMENTS

• On the “Too Small” Craze:
  “First off, you’re all small, so stop doing it to each other.” – JD Skeets (05:49)

• On Draymond’s Value to the Warriors:
  “The question is: are they better with him or without him? ... I think limited Draymond Green, not playing a ton of minutes, and then when he does those lazy passes… it’s definitely going the other team.” – Tas Melis (14:02)

• On Snoop Dogg as Broadcaster:
  “He doesn’t have to do a thing for the first half. This guy gets… to just watch film and show up.” – Tas Melis (35:12)

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TIMESTAMPED SEGMENTS FOR REFERENCE

• 02:19: Up/Down: Retiring the “Too Small” celebration
• 08:58: Up/Down: Draymond Green and Steve Kerr exchange; Draymond’s future
• 20:06: Up/Down: Pelicans’ play-in chances after win streak
• 27:58: Up/Down: Celtics’ trade deadline strategy
• 34:39: Up/Down: Snoop Dogg as Warriors-Clippers game analyst

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NBA NAUGHTY OR NICE: LISTS AND DEBATE

Naughty:

• Evan Mobley: “He hasn’t taken that next step. I don’t recognize the guy.” – Tas (42:11)
• Giannis Drama: “He didn’t squash anything” in Bucs trade rumors – Tas (48:16)

Nice:

• Value Contracts:
  • Shout-out to Bobby Marks’ “All Value Team” (51:25): Pat & Cam Spencer, A.J. Mitchell, Colin Gillespie, Neemias Queta, and more.
  • “All these guys make nothing… contributing to winning basketball at times.” – JD Skeets

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NBA CHRISTMAS DAY PREVIEW & POLL

Slate: (see 54:53)

• Cavs vs Knicks (incl. Dunk the Halls/Disney version)
• Spurs vs Thunder
• Mavericks vs Warriors
• Rockets vs Lakers
• Wolves vs Nuggets

Most Anticipated Game Picks:

• Tas: Spurs vs Thunder (“Top two in the West. I just want to see Wemby play, hoping he’s back.” – 55:01)
• Ash: Spurs/Thunder, then Warriors/Mavericks, then Lakers/Rockets (“I just really love watching Steph Curry play.” – 56:50)
• Skeets: Mavericks/Warriors (“I am a fan of the middle game... Klay’s only visit to San Francisco, maybe a throwback game for him.” – 58:31)

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CHRISTMAS WISH LISTS & FUN

• Tas:
  “My NBA Christmas wish list is that some of our commenters don’t come at me for Christmas… I care where Giannis plays!” (60:30)
• Ash:
  “I hope Steph Curry signs with Nike… I want some Steph Curry Nikes.” (63:21)
• Skeets:
  “Jalen Brunson to score 50 in Madison Square Garden as Knicks play their 50th Christmas Day game.” (65:04)
  “Let’s put some lights and garland around the backboard on Christmas! Why not?” (68:43)

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MISCELLANEOUS HIGHLIGHTS

• Snoop, Olympics, and Show Tie-Ins: Anticipating Snoop’s similar role for NBC Winter Olympics coverage, “His wintry take.” (37:59, 38:11)
• Christmas Lights Debate: White vs colored lights—team preferences discussed (69:25).

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WHOA BOY OF THE NIGHT

• Winner: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – 100th straight 20+ pt game (71:46)
• Sponsor: Lamar Scrotum. (“That’s his government name.” – JD Skeets)

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SUMMARY

This episode blends the hosts’ signature blend of NBA analysis, culture commentary, and holiday cheer. Through their “naughty or nice” lens, they judge everything from celebrations and player conduct, to franchise decision making and festive traditions. With sharp wit, they highlight the NBA’s biggest storylines—Draymond's drama, the Pelicans' play-in push, Christmas games to watch, and what they'd gift every fan (or themselves) for Christmas.

In the words of the No Dunks crew: “Embrace the day, people. Embrace the holidays.”
(80:31)

Transcript

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[Angel Diego]

What's up, everyone? This is Angel Diego and Jason and we're at gusto about podcast. Siemporciento Musica Regional Mexicana proves uno que auto chisme.

[Tas Melis]

Holiday season's here and the studio is feeling festive.

[JD Skeets]

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[Angel Diego]

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[JD Skeets]

Winter spice cranberry.

[Angel Diego]

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[JD Skeets]

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[Tas Melis]

Podcast listeners, this is absolutely for you.

[JD Skeets]

And over yonder, making the magic happen for the second day in a row, it's Eshua Kid. What's up? How y' all doing? Oh, Ash, we're so good. Because we have not one, but two monitors working today. You figured it out, my guy.

[Angel Diego]

Oh, yeah, we're cooking today, man. Yeah, we are cooking.

[JD Skeets]

Hello to everybody on YouTube. Hit the like button for ESH. Subscribe for ASH podcast listeners, five star ratings and reviews for ESH for the Holidays. Why not? Everybody's in a great mood. This is our final live show from the Classic Factory this week. We are going to have a Fun1 on December 26, the day after Christmas. But we'll be in the yard for that last one in the factory. Let's make it a good one, Melis. We're going to do it with the up down report. Hit it, Ash. The up down report. Thumbs up, thumbs down. Esh. Feel free to jump in with any of your answers as well. And we're gonna start with a funny one here. And I know we have the clip. Cavaliers big man Thomas Bryant had Hornets rookie Con Knippel on the block. So the big man went to work and he scored over Knippel. You just missed it there. That's okay. We'll show you again. And as he's going back down the floor, he hit the two small celebration but tripped and fell. And Twitter went nuts. And Worldwide Wob suggested we might have to retire the too small celebration. So that's the question in the up down report. Up or down tasks on retiring the too small celebration. Now that Thomas Bryant made a fool of himself.

[Tas Melis]

He did fall down, but I am totally down on retiring the celebration. Okay, take a small guy into the post and give it to him. Give it to him with a hook. Give it to him with a lefty hook. Thomas Bryant pulled out the lefty hook. The guy is right handed. He's not known for his postgame play. And he pulled it out.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah.

[Tas Melis]

I want to see more of it. And the fact that he fell actually adds to the moment. Yeah. Everybody enjoying it on Twitter? I got no problem with somebody falling over. Oh, it's hilarious.

[JD Skeets]

It literally looks like he trips on the half court line. There was an imaginary rope there.

[Tas Melis]

It is strange the way he just falls down. He doesn't slip on the floor. He's wearing those beautiful jerseys. I love the City Edition number one jersey. Number two court.

[JD Skeets]

I love the whole thing.

[Tas Melis]

I think it was great. And I like seeing big men pull out their hook shots. Again. That ain't even number one. His game. Not even isn't his strong hand. I love the whole thing.

[JD Skeets]

I did see a response to Worldwide WAB again who suggested we retire this cellie after that mishap. But this reply from We Ball Murray responded again to wab. You don't understand. Bryant took it to the next level. He was demonstrating that con caniple is so small that you could accidentally trip over him. That's an NBA champion level taunt. Right? Respect to the Nuggets legend.

[Tas Melis]

Wow.

[JD Skeets]

That is a hell of a take there from We Ball Murray. That is actually did it on purpose is what he's saying. It's one thing to do to the two small, but he's so small that you could accidentally trip over him. Which he did.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah. Wow. And you could actually score on him. Like on your ass.

[JD Skeets]

I guess so.

[Tas Melis]

I mean, if you're going, you're going for it. Take it to the next level, which is a lower level. I guess I'm good with it. Aren't you good with it?

[JD Skeets]

No, I'm thumbs up on retiring this. And here's why. Has nothing to do with Thomas Bryant falling. Because that was hilarious and would be maybe in the running for worst of the week if we were doing that this week. Too many kids do the too small celebration. You know, I watch a lot of sounds weird, but I have to watch a lot of 10 year olds play basketball and they are pulling out the too small celebration all the time on things that don't warrant saying too small.

[Tas Melis]

Right.

[JD Skeets]

First off, you're all small, so stop doing it to each other. But they'll like hit a three and they'll be like, oh, too small.

[Angel Diego]

I've never seen.

[JD Skeets]

Oh my God. All the time in the YMCA leagues that I'm, you know, coached or go and watch my godson play it. Oh, yeah, there's a lot of two smalls. And you're like, nope, you're doing nope. That doesn't make sense. You hit a three pointer like Steph Curry, you don't get to drop it too small on someone else. So that's the only reason I, I want to get rid of it. What about you, Ash, though?

[Angel Diego]

I mean, I don't know. Like, I like a good too small. I'm famous for being in a pickup game and hitting a Tom and Jerry. You know, I go into the post and I'm like, tom and Jerry. That's what I'd like to do. I think that's a little bit better than a too small. But I like too small. Why not?

[JD Skeets]

Wait, wait, wait, what's the celebrity?

[Tas Melis]

What's a Tom and Jerry celebration, though?

[Angel Diego]

No, it's not a celebration.

[JD Skeets]

It's kind of like, well, mouse in the house.

[Angel Diego]

Well, see, that's the good thing about Tom and Jerry, right? Because they both get on each other, right?

[JD Skeets]

Yeah.

[Angel Diego]

So if I'm posting up a smaller guy, I'm like, oh, Tom and Jerry. I'm telling them, mouse in the house, it's too small.

[JD Skeets]

Okay.

[Angel Diego]

But if I got somebody that I'm cooking, he's six, seven.

[JD Skeets]

Oh, I hear what you're saying.

[Tas Melis]

Right?

[Angel Diego]

Then I'm like, oh, now I'm Jerry, I'm cooking him. They never know what I'm talking about. But the guys, they know my teammates.

[JD Skeets]

They know I like it. So you'll literally audibly say Tom and Jerry.

[Angel Diego]

Oh, yeah, right. When we're checking up, I'll turn around.

[JD Skeets]

I'll hit him with one of these.

[Angel Diego]

Tom and Jerry. Tom and Jerry.

[JD Skeets]

Okay, I'll get that.

[Tas Melis]

That's very good.

[JD Skeets]

Oh, I might have to add that. So you're like if you cook a big tall guy on the outside or blow by him or whatever.

[Angel Diego]

Yeah, Little Jerry Mouse getting on Tom.

[Tas Melis]

And you mentioned six seven there on purpose because you like pulling out the six seven.

[Angel Diego]

You like. You lights the Easter egg. Huh? Six seven is taking over.

[Tas Melis]

Oh, yeah.

[Angel Diego]

The whole entire way.

[Tas Melis]

More than too small for kids.

[Angel Diego]

Look, look, the 67 is in 2K now. You hit a 3 and they'll hit the.

[JD Skeets]

No way.

[Angel Diego]

It's in 2K now. It's everywhere.

[JD Skeets]

Okay, wow. All right, well, let's hear from everybody on YouTube podcast listeners. Are we retiring the too small celebration after Thomas Bryant? As for the game, the Cavs did snap a three game losing streak. So they got a nice win there. Contributions from Mitchell and Garland and I thought Everybody did well.

[Tas Melis]

DeAndre Hunter.

[JD Skeets]

Hunter had to get popped in the face to wake him up.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, the broadcast was saying we've got a Willis Reed moment because he went to the locker room and came back. He had a great game.

[JD Skeets]

He did have a good game. Whole lot of three pointers in that game. 45 total three pointers made. Both teams hit over 23s between the Cavs and the Hornets. And Con Knippel became the fastest NBA player to hit 103 pointers. Just 29 games played. Do you know who he passed? Do you see who he passed?

[Tas Melis]

It was it from a couple of.

[JD Skeets]

Years ago, More than a couple years ago at this point. It was shocking to me.

[Tas Melis]

I don't know.

[JD Skeets]

It was a guy who became an all star. He might make another all star team, might play for the international team.

[Angel Diego]

Was it Lowry Markkanen?

[JD Skeets]

Yeah, that's right.

[Tas Melis]

Oh, wow.

[JD Skeets]

Surprising 41 games. I think it took Lowry Markkanen to hit 100 threes back in his Bulls days. Of course. Right? Yeah. He was on the Bulls to start and then now con knipple in 29 games at 100 plus.

[Tas Melis]

You want to hit threes, you play the Hornets. You go look at the high scoring games from this year. They're all playing the Hornets because they give up shots.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah. All right, moving on to our second one here. Warriors coach Steve Kerr and Draymond Green had a heated exchange, a tiff, whatever you want to call it. During an early third quarter timeout on Monday night, causing Draymond Green to leave the bench, head to the locker room. Now. He would make his way back to the bench, but he did not play in the final 20 minutes of a Warriors win. Pretty dominant win in the end. 120 to 97 over the magic. So, Tas up or down on Steve Kerr and the warriors benching, if you want to call it that. Draymond Green, after the argument with Steve Kerr, what do you think?

[Tas Melis]

Well, I'm definitely up on it. You can't show up your coach. And that's what was happening. And I would say this could have gotten even worse. Draymond Green walked quietly to the locker room. He did stay and do to do media after the game and talked about that. It's not going to linger because we're all about winning, and that's what I'm all about. So, no, this whole thing is not going to linger. It's not going to blow over. That being said, I want to see if that happens because he did have to get removed from the floor because he. Look, he was trying to do a little too much on the floor. He was actually having a good game offensively. He was, because he was coming off a play where no one else touched the ball. It was just him way at the top. Gravity was going towards Steph Curry, so he was able to take it all the way to the rim. And then after that, I think what Steve Kerr was upset about next play, there was a turnover where Draymond was doing the dribble handoff with Steph. He kind of got yanked by Desmond Bane. I don't know if Steve Kerr saw this, but he kind of got yanked by Desmond Bane and he didn't go get the pass from Steph Curry. And then the next play was even worse, where he was trying to do a little too much and he threw the ball from way up top. Turnover. That's the problem with Dre this year. He's got more turnovers than made buckets. That is a problem. Again, he was having a good offensive game. It's got the feeling of Klay Thompson at the end of the. The. His career with. Or his, you know, tenure with the Golden State warriors, where he's got to go to the bench at some point. He's got to play less. Even if Dre does start, he's got to play less. And that's where we are. And I think he understands that. And that's what he was saying post game. I do understand. I'm. I'm coming to that. Point. He played a couple games off the bench last year when they were trying the whole Jonathan Kaminga thing. It's if he will be able to digest it all going forward is the question. I don't know, but I think Steve Kerr has to put his foot down, and he did.

[JD Skeets]

So you liked sort of how it was handled. Unfortunate that we got the exchange or the heated argument, but like, Draymond sort of removed himself, cooled down a little bit, I guess a lot of people went back and checked on him, like, throughout the game.

[Tas Melis]

Apparently, he came back in the fourth quarter, according to Anthony Slater, he sat there again. He did media afterwards where he. He talked the right game. But it all depends on how you act in the future on the floor. And we know that Dre does get mad in it, but at the same time, he didn't blow up. You know, all the video is just really. It's just Kerr talking to Draymond. But because that's the best angle. Draymond doesn't get up and get all furious and blow up, and he walks away because he thinks that's the only way he can deal with it. So I think you can say that's a good thing to do in that instance. He didn't blow up again. You don't even see it there. And that's what happened. And he said, we've blown up at each other so many times.

[JD Skeets]

Right.

[Tas Melis]

That's what we do.

[JD Skeets]

Right, right, right.

[Tas Melis]

And we've heard that before with every team and in the history of every NBA game even. And I'm sure in every YMCA where you got kids doing a 6, 7, and you're too little, people will get mad at each other, but I think they handled it pretty well.

[JD Skeets]

Curse that after the game, we had it out a little bit. He made his decision to go back to the locker room to cool off. So, you know, reiterating like, I didn't tell him to go back or nobody said, get the hell out of here. He removed himself, probably because he was heated and upset.

[Tas Melis]

He said that's the only way he could deal with it.

[JD Skeets]

Been called out or whatever. That's all I'm going to say about it. Curse said, everything is private. And like you said, Draymond talked about it a little bit, too. The thing is, it gets the headlines because first off, it's the second game in a row that Green has prematurely left the game, departed the game, however you want to put it. Game before he got tossed, getting into it with Colin Gillespie. So he didn't play a whole lot in that one. And then this happens where he, you know, again removes himself more and then does not get put back into the game. But the warriors win both these games, so it actually, like, worked out for them. I mean, as soon as Draymond Green left this game, they are trailing after the turnover after curse, frustrated. And then what? Steph Curry went nuts. He hit, like, six straight shots. They pull away in the fourth quarter, so they get the victory again after getting that one against the Suns where he got ejected, too. It's got people going, you know, like, it's classic Draymond. Right. It's like, it's one thing to put up with his stuff when he's helping, contributing to a championship team. It's a whole other thing when we're struggling and he's playing poorly. All the turnovers, obviously not much of a threat to score, not that he ever was. So it's like, is he. Is he worth it? But you think overall, how he handled it was good. We'll just see how it goes now. Because sometimes Draymond does not let things lay dormant.

[Tas Melis]

Well, the qu.

[JD Skeets]

They'll make a bigger deal out of this.

[Tas Melis]

The question is, are they better with him or without him? That's. That's the question. Do you think they're actually better without Draymond Green? I don't at this point. I think limited Draymond Green. Yeah. Not playing a ton of minutes. Yeah. And then when he does those lazy passes where the Golden State warriors aren't catching it, it's all. It's definitely going to the other team.

[JD Skeets]

Sometimes get, like, it's the blessing and the curse of playing with Steph Curry, like, his entire career. Like, sometimes it looks like he's only looking for Steph Curry. You know what I mean?

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

And other teams know that, like, as you should always be looking for Steph Curry, but I think it's like, it does him a disservice at times and gets him into trouble with some of these turnovers. He sort of has blinders at times where it's like, only Curry can get the ball.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah. I don't think the problem is Steph. I think it's just.

[JD Skeets]

No, it's not Steph. I'm saying it's.

[Tas Melis]

No, no. The problem. The problem with him working with Steph. I don't think the problem is just him working with stuff. I think he just gets loosey goosey, and he's just almost, like, feeling like, you know, I'm a champ, I can do what I want. Where he's just too loose. And I think he knows that. And. And I think he knows that he can't be playing 35, 38 minutes anymore. But I don't know, going forward, if you don't want to just remove him. I don't think you just want to remove him from the equation. Yeah, they go on the run. They're 54, 26 the rest of the way. That was a heck of a run. Everybody working together. But I think he does help them get better. Their. Their attitude helps. Is elevated defensively with him on the floor.

[JD Skeets]

You think he still brings that enough? Yeah, that's the thing. Yeah. Yeah.

[Tas Melis]

That's the question.

[JD Skeets]

Here's what I saw. People wondering, would you trade Draymond Green and Jonathan Kaminga for Anthony Davis? Fear the warriors just from the Warrior side of things, whether or not the Mavs would do another part of the equation.

[Tas Melis]

Me? Yeah, I would.

[JD Skeets]

You would do that?

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

Okay, Well, I think that's a little telling. So you believe Draymond's good, but you think there's a huge upgrade there in Anthony Davis?

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, well, Anthony Davis is. Is where we're at the end of the careers for both these guys. I mean, and it's closer to Draymond's end than Anthony Davis's end. And Anthony Davis question if he'll play or not. But yeah, if. You know, you could put him on the floor, wouldn't you?

[JD Skeets]

100%.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

The only question is, like, what's your confidence level in AD playing? That's it. Because at this point in their careers. Yeah, the Warriors. The Warriors, I believe, would do that.

[Tas Melis]

But I think so.

[JD Skeets]

Well, I mean, I guess, you know, you got the heart and soul, and Draymond is sort of. He is important to the team. There is no doubt. But has it run its course? Have you should try something else. Can Jimmy Butler almost. Does he. Can he fill that vacuum enough, that type of spirit if Draymond's not on the team and you upgrade in a talent level offensively, maybe even defensively at this point with ad Yeah, I think it's something they would.

[Tas Melis]

They need a big. They need a big. Anthony Davis had a fantastic game yesterday. Absolutely. Ballin. Against his old team, the New Orleans Pelicans. So you trade short term period of Anthony Davis's end of his career for Draymond's. Yeah, yeah, we know Anthony Davis is a better offensive player. He's really good defensively. The question is, why on earth would Dallas do that? It's for Jonathan Kaminga. It's Taking a chance. A guy who's literally not even in the rotation for the Golden State warriors right now. So that's a puzzling part. Listen, for the Warriors, I think it's all about defense. It's for them, they're. They're happy that Pajemski is playing well again. I mean, Moses Moody, I don't know how long he can keep this going, but he looked freaking amazing to be able to have the. The dribble game, get into the lane, pump fake, get everybody in the air and. And score and spin and score. You don't see that very often. So they've got a lot of good things going. Will Richard's got to play more. Danthy Melton shot will start going down eventually. So they got some good things going. Al Horford, maybe the sciatica heels someday. So I wouldn't trade him yet. But if things continue like this, you have to sit him. I mean, you can't have him bickering at coach.

[JD Skeets]

So, look, these were big wins without Draymond there for, you know, a big chunk of it. In the first one, in the win over the Suns, that. That sort of revenge win over the Suns, and then. And then this one, like, if they lose these, either of these two games, like, first off, this Draymond Green story is even bigger. There's a whole lot more trade chatter, and it's like, oh, God, they're like, how many games below.500 at this point? Like, they're holding on to 500 with these victories. And, yeah, they were pretty special there. That run in the fourth quarter where they win by a ton.

[Tas Melis]

And they can. They started running and they started moving, and that was definitely something.

[JD Skeets]

That's great opportunities. Yeah. Guy Santos comes in, and it's like he's not filling up the box score, but you're playing a little differently.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, listen, some of these guys aren't going to be able to be playable in playoff games. Like G. Sandos, as much as he helps out and brings the energy there, there's a limit to what those guys can do. And that's why I'm sure they're looking at Jonathan Kaminga and hoping that he would be part of it. Like, they. They. They're limited right here and right now. It would be great to have Al Horford back. It's great to see Pods, who I think has a higher ceiling than a lot of these guys play the way he is. But that's why you probably just keep Dre around. You want to keep him around because he's got that attitude. That being said again, it could have been way worse postgame. You could have said, I'm a freaking four time champ. I could freaking do whatever I want out there. Again, he could have been way more of an a hole.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah, he downplayed it for the most part though. He did. He did sort of slip in something like, I didn't even have that bad a game. Like when it came to the turnovers.

[Tas Melis]

And stuff like that. When he has more buckets than turnovers. That's a good Draymond. He had four buckets and one turnover when he's got more turnovers than buckets this season. So that is scary. That is scary. When it comes to Dre, he's playing it again like Clay did at the end of his warriors tenders. He's saying the right thing and he hasn't gone to the bench yet like Clay did this season. That would be tough for him, I imagine. Yeah. So this is. This is not done. It's not done.

[JD Skeets]

I don't think would be another Draymond Green story.

[Tas Melis]

Probably I'd be stupid to say that we're not going to see Draymond get mad again. I mean, that would be. That would be. We're watching the same games for the last 14 years of Draymond's career. We know what's coming.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah. All right, next one here. Zion Williamson scored 24 points including 10 straight in the fourth queue to power the Pelicans to a 119, 113 victory over the Mavericks. He said AD did play well for Dallas. He did. But the Pelicans extended their season long win streak to five games. That's their longest winning streaks winning streak since 2022. That surprised me. So my question for you is up or down on the Pelicans playing chances after this great little run here, winning.

[Tas Melis]

Five straight, I'm going a horizontal thumb. I can't go thumbs up. I can't go thumbs down. Yeah, I'm not. I'm.

[JD Skeets]

You got that fence up your ass?

[Tas Melis]

No, that. I'm living in the truth. Listen, recency bias would say, oh, this team is in it. But listen, as much as that 10 play off play in spots are good for the game. And New Orleans can look at it and say, oh, we're almost there.

[JD Skeets]

They're four and a half.

[Tas Melis]

There's still four and a half back and there's even a team in between them and the play in the Dallas Mavericks who are going to get a Kyrie Irving back. I would be worried about and The Jazz, yeah, the Jazz are alive for sure. But there's just too many teams. There's too many parts moving that are working against them. That's the scary part. Adam Silver, great playing great. This team has hope that then they're way deeper in the Western Conference standings. Then you could say that about, for, for other teams. You can say that for other teams in years past. But like Portland is probably going to get a Drew Holiday back one day. Scoot Henderson has to play basketball eventually. He's. He's been out the whole time. Shaden Sharp looks freaking awesome. Phoenix, they announced that Jalen Green will be back, will be reevaluated in two to three weeks. So you could say, well, that guy, that guy's out. Maybe Phoenix drops out. But again Dallas is going to get a Kyrie Irving back. That being said, watching New Orleans, they're playing their best players again or not again. They're playing them in a new role with Derrick Queen. And now Zion Williamson is playing with Derrick Queen. Those two guys in the fourth quarter yesterday looked great. They're playing dribble handoff. Those two guys working together, they're super fun. They're on the same page. The numbers are great. Looking at the advanced stats, when those guys are playing, do you continue to.

[JD Skeets]

Bring Zion Williamson off the bench? Because this is working.

[Tas Melis]

It's wild. Yeah, for now for sure. It's such a different balance. It's, it's, it's odd because Jordan Pool, Zion Williamson coming off the bench together when these guys are paid a lot of money. But they closed really well in this game. Both those guys Pool had a bad game to start. This game was terrible. Fourth quarter, everything clicked all of a sudden.

[JD Skeets]

Some of the hardest I've seen Jordan Poole play in a while too.

[Tas Melis]

He was playing hard that one quarter for sure.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah, I mean, yes, okay, the start was rough, but I don't know if it is the whole situation coming off the bench, both him and Zion, like you're seeing some life from them. At the very least giving a damn. It was nice to hear the smoothie King center bump into. I don't know if you saw the crowd or watching this game. Few and far between this year. Obviously you get some winning basketball going. You've got the rookies that are promising. There was some life to that building. It was. A lot of people are always like, oh, it's quiet as a fricking church and all that. And it is from time we have our friends here in Atlanta, like, oh, we should go sit courtside in New Orleans giving these seats away way.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

But last night and these last couple, there is a vibe there now because they're playing hard basketball or, you know, competitive basketball.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

But, you know, I do wonder with the whole Zion of it all 10 of 14 last night, 24 and nine off the bench and like a stretch there down the. Like, he scored like five of the six possessions. Like, does this make it more likely they try and move them because they're building his trade value back up? Or now are you sticking with this and you have him in a weird question. I don't know what they did.

[Tas Melis]

Oh, so do you think that they can make the playoffs? Because you made it seem like I.

[JD Skeets]

Think they could because they can't tank. There's no point for them to tank. That pick ain't theirs. So there. As the season goes on, we get into February, we get into Mickey Mouse March, some of these other teams, maybe the Jazz, maybe the Mavericks, you never know. They might start leaning towards, okay, do we really need these wins? Maybe we don't want to be in a play in. Maybe we want to help our odds to get to a high lottery pick where they won't be doing that. So I think. I think it's possible they are four and a half back, but there is. It's still not even 26 yet.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, I think there's too many good teams in the way. That being said, yeah, they look better. James Borrego is coaching that a team that's playing harder in late game situations. I like the double that he went to for Anthony Davis, who was balling to start this game. And then the fourth quarter, they got the ball out of his hands. That worked. They also sent bodies at Klay Thompson, who had 20 points in the first half, zero in the second half. So that definitely helped. But a lot of it was, yeah, this effort by Jordan Poole and Zion Williamson. Jordan Poole took a charge, he had a steal. He made a couple threes there. So he had 10 points in. In that fourth quarter. He was balling and Zion on the other side. I mean, he had a perfect fourth quarter. Three for three from the field, four from four, four of four from the line, 10 points, three boards, two assists, zero turnovers. And this is two games after he sat in the fourth quarter versus Houston. He didn't play in that fourth quarter where James Brago said, no, we're. We're coming back. You're sitting. And so now he's played in a couple fourth quarters. He looks better, but I don't think you Just say, hey, this is your team. I think it's, it's working well. Gelling, Derek Queen and him. And then it was pool. It was Sadiq Bay and Trey Murphy, those five at the end because Herb Jones also was injured. Hopefully he comes back. But that lineup looked really good. I just don't think that they can overcome what they need to overcome. And yeah, you said Mickey Mouse March. I feel like December has a bit of a little, little run here where sometimes you can just beat teams right here, right during, during the holidays. Some teams don't show up. You look at it throughout the, throughout the entire NBA schedule. Sometimes you just get a W here or there. But yeah, five wins, it's, it's long. I mean they're, they're nearing that seven game winning streak that you said was in 2022. That was the longest winning streak of Willie Green's tenure as a head coach.

[JD Skeets]

That was near the end of that year.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, yeah. So maybe they can get there, but it's the West.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah.

[Tas Melis]

You dug yourself a hole. It's tough to come out of the thing.

[JD Skeets]

Have you. Is the, it was the hole too deep for you to climb out of starting 3 and 22, obviously 8 and 22 now after the five game win streak. But, but, but, but look, I come with some bias here because when we were doing our picks in the preseason, I had the Pelicans over because I was like, I believed if Zion and Trey Murphy and Herb Jones just played in half the games that they're like a pretty decent team with all the other pieces as well now, you know, like those guys are in and out of the lineup and it's still not perfect. And he said Herb Jones gets injured again. Jesus Murphy. But then you get something from these rooks in Queen and fears. I guess what I'm getting at is like all these teams you were listing in the play in race, either in or trying to get in, the Pelicans at times when they have their guys seem like a better team than most of these squads and that's not even shade against those other teams. I just, I guess I sort of believe in them when they're all out there.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

So, you know, look, they're going to make a go for it because they don't have any other option. Like I said, unless they somehow acquire a draft pick in a Zion trade where they get a lottery pick. Unlikely, I think of any note, at least they're going to go for wins here because why wouldn't you? Right.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah. I took the over two preseason they're looking better and it helps being here in Disney December as still with the 3037 called it in the stream team. It's a good name for it. We're gonna see some Disney action on Christmas day where we're gonna see an animated game.

[JD Skeets]

We're gonna see Donald Duck do the Too Small celebration.

[Angel Diego]

See, maybe we should call it Donald Duck December. You got Mickey Mouse March, Donald Duck December.

[JD Skeets]

There you go.

[Tas Melis]

Not bad. Not bad at all potentially.

[JD Skeets]

Any final thoughts there on the Pels or they want to keep going?

[Tas Melis]

No, we can keep going.

[JD Skeets]

Let's keep going. Jalen Brown scored 14 of his game high 31 points in the final quarter as the Celtics rallied from a 20 point second half deficit for a victory over the Pacers last night. So Boston 18 and 11, NBA's seventh best net rating. Way better than some of us thought they would be with no Jayson Tatum this year. So instead of chasing lottery balls, their third in the Eastern Conference task, Jason Tatum keeps telling people in the organization, hey, I'm coming back, I want to play this season. We'll see. But my question in the up down report is are you up or down on the Celtics making a win now move before the February 5th NBA trade deadline seeing as they are playing so well and maybe you can even upgrade the roster up or down on that idea?

[Tas Melis]

I'm up on them doing it. I think Brad Stevens is thinking about it, making calls about it, but I'm down on it actually happening. I don't think they have the proper players, proper money to go out to get a player like that. If you look at it, they're top guys. The big name contract or the big dollar contracts aren't going out. Tatum, Brown, Derrick White, even Peyton Pritchard. Do you get down to so there. There just isn't a lot of money to go out. Anthony Simons would be the one that could be dealt for a decent player. He makes $27 million. But is there somebody that another team would give up to help Boston's championship pedigree attitude run? Because I do think Brad Stevens is looking at and saying we want to build a championship team. I, I totally think that. I totally think that this keeps on going forward with Brown and Tatum as their guys. After trading Drew Holiday and Chris Das Bors, I think they're in such a good position to do that. I just don't know if they have the right money to go out. I think the trade exception that they have via the Kristaps porzingis trade, a $25 million trade exception sounds good. You can't bundle that with other contracts. It's a one contract only going for the trade exception. You can't, you know, add a, a number to that to be able to bring back more salary. You can't add a player to that and say, oh, we'll, we'll get a 40 million dollar player back. I just don't know if Anthony Simons for one of these guys is really going to work out. And you know, the Walsh, Keita Minot, Hugo Gonzalez growth is awesome. They don't make a lot of money. I don't see them going out. I see them keeping those guys right. So I don't see it really happening. But I'd love to be beside Brad Stevens making those calls, seeing what other teams have to offer. I think they'd be willing to, they want to build this thing and I don't think they fear anybody in the Eastern Conference. I think they really think they can hang with the Knicks or whoever and so they want to go for it.

[JD Skeets]

Brad Stevens says the team is open to the idea of improving the team to increase their short term chances of competing for a title. He said, quote, there's nothing holding us back necessarily from that. This is what he told reporters by way of CLNs. He added though, quote, there's a lot of things that have to go right in a deal and that the front office is still assessing this year's team. So even this great record and Jaylen Brown obviously showing that he can lead a team and these guys coming on and a lot of internal growth like you said, for some of these younger guys. I'm with you though. They're not really in a position outside of Anthony Simons, maybe Sam Houser's contract and then smaller deals. It's going to be around the fringes if they're making sort of move. Maybe it's a big to help out Keita and some of these other younger guys, but it's unlikely. I think you just like, this is a good problem to have. Like if they were terrible. We're not talking about this, right? We're saying like, okay, they're not making any upgrades at the deadline. Tatum, they're going to slow play that he probably won't even come back. So the fact that we're even having this conversation is amazing. And again speaks to Jaylen Brown leading this team and Joe Missoula's coaching, he's a psycho still and it works for this team. But I just don't think they don't have the money still to throw around. Yeah, they're under the second apron, but they're still 12.1 million above the luxury tax line. They want to avoid maybe the repeater tax. So they may want to actually still make the books a little bit better. Right. Getting off Simon's contract, maybe Hauser again, other things, they could do that and maybe not help the team on the floor, but maybe just bringing Jason Tatum back is enough too. I mean, like you said, I don't think they're afraid of anybody. No, they're not in the Eastern Conference like the Knicks would be tough with, with their bigs in Cat and Mitchell Robinson. That would be tough for the Celtics. That seems like a limitation for them. But you know, again, a good team with an identity, bringing back Tatum, it's dangerous. So we'll see.

[Tas Melis]

So I think in theory, because the Knicks would, would threaten them with their bigs, there's no doubt about that.

[JD Skeets]

The Knicks look like the team to beat.

[Tas Melis]

Oh, they are. They are for sure. I think the Celtics will be willing to get a big. Yeah, but you know, I'm, I'm not a. The financial guy when it comes to the NBA financials. I don't know what Brad Stevens looks at and says, oh, no, we, we can't, we can't add that because the whole purpose of trading Drew Holiday and Chris Taps for Zingas was to get under there. Yeah, get, get real low, help out those new owners, but also just build for the future. And it ain't just a short term thing. You know, they're, they're trying to pull off what the Okcs, the Spurs are doing. They're trying to slow play it. They ain't going all in, you know, pre flop. They're, they're. If they got a fold, they got to fold and they'll come out, they'll come out for the second, third, fourth, fifth hand. And so I don't know if there is, I mean, the Simons plus Hauser, not bad. You know, 35 miles. Yeah, maybe there is somebody out there. There is. I was looking at bigs. Is there a big out there for them?

[JD Skeets]

Who's on the list?

[Tas Melis]

I didn't, I didn't really come up with anybody that would help their championship right here, right now. Tradable bigs. It's not Draymond. Who is it? I mean, I didn't have anybody.

[JD Skeets]

They're not making a move for Anthony Davis by any means.

[Tas Melis]

No. Again, is. This is, it's a long term play.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah.

[Tas Melis]

And that's Why? I think Draymond for Anthony Davis. Draymond and Kaminga for Anthony Davis makes sense for the warriors because they want to win now. This is the end of Steph's tenure. This is the end of the season.

[JD Skeets]

This is what we're contemplating with the Celtics. And Brad Stevens has to decide, like, can we win now?

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

Can we? Making the right move here.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah. First, we don't know how well Tatum's going to play this year.

[JD Skeets]

No. And we don't even know if he is going to play. He can say all he wants is coming back.

[Tas Melis]

He's coming back.

[JD Skeets]

You're on record thinking Kyrie's coming back, Tatum's coming back.

[Tas Melis]

So I buy that. Yeah. We just. We just talked about the Pelicans. Dejounte Murray tore his Achilles, like, 11. That guy, 11 months ago. It's nearly 11 months ago. We haven't heard a thing about him. They have. They have parts to trade. But to. The Celtics have. No, the Celtics aren't going to get anything to help their championship team. I. They don't want a wing. They don't want an Herb Jones or Trey Murphy. I'm just trying to think of guys that would.

[JD Skeets]

Missy. Eve's Missy. Is he going to move the needle? Probably not. All right, final one here. Snoop Dogg will be a game analyst on Peacock's warriors vs Clippers game on Monday, January 5th. So Snoop is going to call the game's second half action from courtside with Terry Gannon and Reggie Miller. Tas, are you up or down on Snoop Dogg calling Warriors, Clippers on Peacock in the new year?

[Tas Melis]

Oh, yeah. Let's do it. Yeah. What I love about this is that this guy's living the life. He only has to work for half a game. He doesn't. He doesn't.

[JD Skeets]

That made me laugh so hard.

[Tas Melis]

He doesn't have to do a thing for the first half. This guy gets.

[JD Skeets]

Well, no, let me read you the press release because this also made me laugh. In order to prepare for calling live game action, Snoop will watch game film.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah. Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

He'll watch the Clippers and Warriors shoot arounds. He'll attend the production meetings, and he'll provide fans with his unique perspective on the game sitting courtside. And I guess he'll watch the first half and then put on the headset and tell you what he saw in the first half and then be on the call for the second half.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, I read that release.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah.

[Tas Melis]

He doesn't have to work. He has to watch film. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. He's Got to make sure he watches the tape. This guy can do whatever he wants. I'm sure he's going to help out with NBC's Olympics. He's going to do it.

[JD Skeets]

Oh, you can bet your ass he's doing that. That's why they're doing this.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah. To tie in.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah.

[Tas Melis]

Help out.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah. Hey, next month, I'll be talking to Mike Tirico every night during the Winter Olympics. Like, I think he has his own show in primetime or whatever. You know, there's an old segment at the very least.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, yeah.

[JD Skeets]

Where he talks about the Winter Olympics. And that's sort of funny to me.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

Because it's like, what does Snoop Dogg know about the Winter Olympics? He was obviously heavily involved in the Summer Olympics that we just had. And it was. I guess some people found it entertaining. I know he got a lot of press for it.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah. I mean, he just did a segment with Luka where it was him one on one with Luka. So maybe he knows more about the game now.

[JD Skeets]

Well, it's funny you say that. He's on a Warriors Clippers game. Snoop is a noted Lakers fan. In fact, I think there are many tweets where he shits on the Clippers. Like, he makes fun of them because he's a Lakers fan. Doesn't like the Clippers. Yeah, but he's on the call here.

[Tas Melis]

That's the right thing to do.

[JD Skeets]

Say something.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, he may say something, but the good thing that they have, they don't have him working extremely hard. He is the. The second analyst or the first. Whatever. He's working with Reggie as the analyst. He ain't calling the play by play. That's Terry Gannon's job. So it's not like he can eff it up and make it sound bad or doing a terrible job. You know what I mean? Yeah. Like, he's. He's an analyst that can help out and chime in, and he's obviously skilled on the mic. He can do what he wants.

[JD Skeets]

Okay. What do you think, Ash? Are you. You're a fan of Snoop gonna be on this call here?

[Angel Diego]

Yeah, I think it'll be pretty hilarious, you know, like, I think he's just gonna hop in there. It's your boy, Big Snoop D O, double G coming down the court. Steph Curry, step back with the three izzle oak. You know, I'm saying, like, I'm gonna be like. Yeah, that is what it is. It's just gonna be funny.

[Tas Melis]

Okay. Yeah, yeah.

[JD Skeets]

Might be funny to hear the highlights of him I don't know if it'll be as funny for an entire half. Maybe that's why they're only doing a half. Yeah, nobody wants to hear that for 48 minutes, for two hours, to be honest with you.

[Angel Diego]

I think he. He'll probably just say a couple words, and then it'll turn into an interview. You know, every time they have, like, a slowly call in a game, like, they'll say a couple things, and then it's just like, well, Snoop, what have you been up to lately? And then he'll say a couple of things, and then they'll get the call in the game. Like, it's just gonna be all over the place. So it'll. It'll. It'll be fun for a little bit, at least.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah. And just to confirm, in February, Snoop will provide the large US Primetime audience with his wintry take on what's happening in Northern Italy during the Winter Olympics. That's what it says in the press release. His wintry take.

[Angel Diego]

Did he do something with.

[JD Skeets]

Was it.

[Angel Diego]

Was it Kevin Hart?

[JD Skeets]

Kevin Hart. He definitely did. Yeah. Okay.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, he really.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah, he really sort of, like, latched on to the Olympics. He found a lane with the Olympics. Snoop did. He was everywhere during the Summer Olympics. Like we did that Summer Olympics podcast, me and Nora here from the Factory. I mean, he was everywhere, and, like, he was involved. I'll give him that. He wasn't half ass in the Olympics. He might be half ass in this game, but he wasn't doing that with the Olympics.

[Tas Melis]

Right.

[JD Skeets]

He actually worked.

[Tas Melis]

It felt like he was working with. Who was he doing shows with?

[JD Skeets]

Kevin Hart? He just said.

[Tas Melis]

Oh, it was hard. Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

Oh, maybe Keenan. Why does it feel like Keenan.

[Angel Diego]

Keenan was involved with something?

[JD Skeets]

I know.

[Angel Diego]

I don't know what it was.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, yeah. You know, he's done a lot of show. He's done the Martha Stewart show. He's done it all. He's clicking.

[JD Skeets]

Snoop likes a payday.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah. And. And it does make sense here. Like, you're. You're saying ash. Like, they just kind of go off and. And, you know, amble about this or that. And this may be a blowout in the second half. The Clippers getting spanked by the warriors, you know, so this is the perfect time to put them on.

[JD Skeets]

Okay. All right, let's hear if you're over Snoop or not. Thumbs up or thumbs down. Him calling Warriors Clippers. That's in early January. I said I think. What did I say? January 5th, I think. All right, we're going to take a Quick break. And when we come back, we got some Christmas questions for Tass and I to tackle. Don't go anywhere.

[Tas Melis]

The NBA doesn't take a day off around the holidays. The buckets, the buzzer beaters, they show up every day. And FanDuel's putting you in control for a couple days. You get to choose your reward, take your shot with a profit boost, play it cool with a no sweat bet, or get a little backup with a bet back token. What are you in the mood for? Play the way you like to play. And I know that may change, like for me over the season. I'm playing it slow with the no sweat bet, playing it tight, close to my vest. Around the holidays, I may feel bold. Unbutton my. The 1 button on my shirt. You know, just let's let it fly a little bit. Yeah, nice and loose. No matter how you play, FanDuel is giving you the power to choose your reward and own your game this NBA season. So make your pick, get in the game, and play it your way.

[JD Skeets]

All right, if you're just Joining us on YouTube, hit the like button. Subscribe podcast listeners, five star ratings and reviews. I also wanted to remind everyone that if you're getting a little frustrated, maybe you listen on Apple, maybe you listen on Spotify. You know, ads get inserted. We have an ad free option for the no dunks podcast. Join our substack page and you get it emailed to you every day. Ad free. So if you're like one of these people that I do see complaining, oh, there's too many ads. Too many ads.

[Tas Melis]

Oh, my free show has ads.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah, you can get it ad free. You gotta pay us. It's not a lot.

[Tas Melis]

No. $5 a month, right? No. Mid roll ads yesterday. It's crazy, huh?

[JD Skeets]

Are we sure?

[Tas Melis]

Yeah. Anyway, that's weird. It's just weird how it all works. We're all working it out here, but you gotta. You got an ad with just a pre and a post or a show with the pre and post ads.

[JD Skeets]

Well, see, the problem, like I'm seeing the comments on Spotify, people are one, yes, there are ads. Maybe way more than there used to be or there's more than there used to be. Okay, I understand that.

[Tas Melis]

That's the nature of podcasts.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah, we do have to make money. And two people missed the cold opens, which we've. I don't know if we said it on the air. I think we have, like, we had to get rid of the cold opens because we started getting like copyright issues for some of them on YouTube. So that was becoming a complication. You know, we share some weird video, some random video from Instagram or TikTok, and then suddenly we're getting like slapped with a copyright issue. So, like, that wasn't worth the headache, so we had to remove those. So I get it, I get it. But ad free, baby. It's the way to go. Substack link in the show notes. Okay, Christmas questions. Like I said, final show from the factory this week because Christmas is on Thursday. We've done a few of these questions before task. First one, who's on your NBA naughty or nice list?

[Tas Melis]

Well, Evan Mobley has been naughty in that he hasn't been himself. I just don't recognize that Mobley. I thought he would take that next step. You know, having his back every single year of his career and watching him grow has been fantastic. This year, he just ain't himself now. He's stepping out and shooting more threes. You can look at that as a good or bad thing. He's getting to the free throw line more, actually. You know, his free throw rate is very, very good. But his free throw percentage, not so good. The worst of his career. I just don't recognize the guy. I think he's not. He hasn't been as good defensively if you look at it. Eye test doesn't look all that good numbers wise. The defensive win shares down. I mean, his usage is down a little bit. He just ain't the same guy. He ain't finishing the way he used to finish. He hasn't taken that next level next step, I should say. Now the Cavs are a whole mess and I think that may have played a part into how Evan Mobley is playing. But naughty or nice, he ain't naughty himself. He seems like a very nice guy.

[JD Skeets]

He does.

[Tas Melis]

But the game, the game ain't the same. Something's going on there.

[JD Skeets]

And he of course has the one left calf strain. So he is going to be still missing a couple weeks here. Right? That was mid December and they said two to four weeks. Can't imagine we're seeing him before 2026.

[Tas Melis]

Right.

[JD Skeets]

Right into the New Year's when we'll see him back.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, teams have to play the calf injury slow. That's what they're doing out there these days. So they'll, they'll probably veer more towards like three, four weeks, I imagine.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah, it's, it's. There's no doubt that there's some disappointment there because last year the guy won defensive player of the year he was an all star, he made an all NBA team, obviously was on the all defensive team. I think he got. I think he garnered a few end of the ballot MVP votes if I remember correctly too. Yeah, like there's, there's the trajectory as a. Of a 23, 24 year old guy to keep going. I mean same thing if we're being honest. Source happened with Scotty Barnes too, right. He had the all star season. Everyone's like here we go. And then they sort of, they like both of them have like hit a little bit of a wall and maybe like oh they're really good players. Are they really, really great players that we sort of all thought or like hope they would be still verdicts out a bit maybe on both those guys. But yeah, it's, it's a disappointing year for him and the Cavs like you said, like sort of amazing that they are where they are right now in the Eastern Conference. 16 and 14, seventh. Like everybody thought they would be like a lock for the one or two seed.

[Tas Melis]

There's just. That's every game, every starting lineup they try and put out there ain't right. No.

[JD Skeets]

Who do you have on your nice list or do you have anything?

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, well to go to my nice list, I wanted to see. I wanted to get a full on deep dive into Janice de Gumpos press or his press conference that he did last week. We didn't talk about it really. Nobody talked about. He got to the mic while he was injured on December 18. I think he was standing up. I don't know if you saw him. He was wearing a puffy Nike jacket. He sat there for like 20, 25 minutes. Nobody really talked about it. And now the.

[JD Skeets]

Because he didn't say anything.

[Tas Melis]

Well, no, the one thing that was making headlines was basically he. He sort of implied that his agent does his own thing and that he. People were saying, well, he's passing it off to his agent. He may have requested a trade or wants a trade, but he's basically saying it's his agent who does it. And to quote him, he said he's his own man, he can talk who he wants to talk to. It's not something you can control. At the end of the day, I don't work for my agent, my agent works for me. I mean he really turned it, turned it around there for a second. Like hold on, hold on.

[JD Skeets]

He just said his agent works for him but I can't control him.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, like he can go.

[JD Skeets]

Which one is.

[Tas Melis]

He can go. Well, yeah, he He. He basically saying he's his own person. He can do. Go have talks now. Yanis could tell him, yeah, don't talk to anybody. Yeah. So that. So that.

[JD Skeets]

That's why I say it too much.

[Tas Melis]

That's why I had to deep dive and see, like, is he making requests by, you know, passing. Passing the buck on to Alex, Pun intended. Yeah. Alex Suratzis, his agent. You know, it was a deep dive. It was a deep 25 minutes. He didn't look super comfortable, but I feel like he thought, I gotta address the media a little bit. But there just wasn't a lot of headlines. I mean, he basically. He said a lot of things. I enjoyed it. He also said that he can't control his wife either. Every. Every. Every day, his wife Maria goes to Target, and he's. And he tells him. He tells her, you don't got to go to Target.

[JD Skeets]

Right, Right.

[Tas Melis]

But she goes, and I can't control her. She's her own person. So that was pretty funny. But then he, you know, he. That I believe then he dug into, you know, playing or being with the team. Right now, it's all about us making the extra pass, digging deep. Who are we making the extra pass? We're the winners. We got to dig deeper. He also said he's been approached by his teammates. I'm straight with them, whatever that might be. Someone asked me about. Now, he didn't say it was his teammate, but he said somebody was asking me about deleting my buck. Stuff from my media.

[JD Skeets]

Yes, okay, I remember that.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah. And he said, what does that even mean? What does that even mean? If I delete stuff from my accounts, I still have the championship banner. I still have the cup celebration or whatever. You know, he kind of passed that on as well, you know, So I was just wondering. I. I don't know. To wrap it all up, he basically said when reporter asked him, do you hope all the rumors end? He goes, do I hope it ends? Yes. Do I think it'll end? No. When people see cracks, they see opportunity to get in those cracks.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah. Okay.

[Tas Melis]

So he feels that people will apply pressure when his team isn't performing and the rumors are there. And he allows the rumors to. To be out there. So I guess he's saying, I guess we're not getting that good. So that you could easily interpret that as him saying, I'm leaving. So all that to say, he's. He's very nice. But as far as the naughty and nice list go, I'd say in this case, he didn't squash anything.

[JD Skeets]

He sounds like he made it worse, is what you're saying.

[Tas Melis]

I mean. Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

Or maybe he didn't, because we barely talked about it.

[Tas Melis]

Nobody talked about it at this point.

[JD Skeets]

Like, it just feels like they're sort of all mishandling this. Both him, maybe his representatives, and then the box, too.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

And maybe that's just me saying, what are we doing here? Like, eventually, you're going to be trading them.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah. The only thing that I get.

[JD Skeets]

Or you're asking for a trade request, but you're sort of not. But you are.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

So which one is it?

[Tas Melis]

So, like, yeah, he didn't squash anything. The only thing that made the headlines again was him saying, I don't control my agent. He has. It's his own job, but he also works for me. So, yeah, he could be leaving. He's going to play hard for these next couple months, I think. And it's. Again, I still believe he wants to be faithful for this team. But if they're. But, you know, if they're in 12th or 13th in the Eastern Conference, which there is a chance, you know, they're sitting here. And he knew.

[JD Skeets]

Right.

[Tas Melis]

He did mention verbatim that they're in 11th when he was doing this. You know, they're only two and a half out of the play in. So I still think he'll stick around if they can move up and not down down. Because right here, right now, without him, they come to play sometimes, but they're losing games.

[JD Skeets]

But you're also. You're basically saying. I'm putting words in your mouth. If they don't make a move before the deadline, then it's a wrap. Because you keep believing that. Like they should. They must. Yeah. For Yanis, sticking around Milwaukee long term.

[Tas Melis]

Long term.

[JD Skeets]

Because, you know, they don't have much to do it. But you're saying he has given them his word. I will be there for the season.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

And they owe it to him to obviously be as aggressive as you can without obviously completely screwing your future. That's what I've brought up before. It's like, at a certain point, you can't just keep trading away everything.

[Tas Melis]

They're pushing. Him and his agent are pushing, I believe the Bucks to make a trade to help their team right here, right now, to trade one of those tradable picks. They literally have one of their own tradable picks, and then we. One of their own picks is tradable.

[JD Skeets]

And so then we're like, is Zach lavine going to help the Milwaukee Bucks Right. Win a playoff series, let alone compete for a championship. The answer is probably no.

[Tas Melis]

He would help. You know, you go back, you go back and forth because they do play hard defensive. They need somebody, they need a bucket. Kuzma ain't that bucket. I love Ryan Rollins, but it's going to be hard to depend on him. Game in and game out. Miles Turner ain't that bucket. They need a bucket. While I think on the defensive end, they're a little bit more comfortable with who they are. So that ain't good. I mean, they're just not good.

[JD Skeets]

No, they're not. Especially without Giannis on my nice list. I really focused on the nice part here. Bobby Marks at espn, he dropped his NBA all value team yesterday, which I thought was fun. These are like difference makers who are outplaying their contracts. And he had like stipulations. It was basically like, cannot make more than $3 million in a season. Can't be signed to a first or second round exception. So like no Cooper flag, no wembanyama, or you can't have more than six years of NBA experience. So it's like all these guys, a lot of two way guys that have been converted into like small contracts that are contributing. It's just a fun list. I mean, the Spencer brothers, top of the list, both of them.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

Pat Spencer with the Warriors. You see Jimmy Butler wearing his lacrosse jersey?

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

That was pretty wild.

[Tas Melis]

That's pretty cool.

[JD Skeets]

How the hell do you get that? That's not something you can buy on Amazon. No, like you have to reach out to.

[Tas Melis]

He's got to reach out.

[JD Skeets]

Spencer or the Spencer family. Hey, can you send me one of his old jerseys or do you reach out to the university maybe? I guess he could do that.

[Tas Melis]

Pat's got an agent.

[JD Skeets]

Okay. His agent knows, so he goes behind. He has to go behind Pat's back. Can't ask Pat Spencer. Hey, man, can I get a lacrosse jersey and then show up wearing it? I don't think.

[Tas Melis]

Right, right.

[JD Skeets]

You got to go to the agent, go to the family, go to the university. Anyway, he's been awesome. As Bobby said, All value team captain, maybe Pat Spencer. The warriors are like + 8.1 points per 100 possessions when Pat Spencer's been on the floor here. And this is a guy that makes. He makes like $600,000.

[Tas Melis]

That's like lacrosse money.

[JD Skeets]

That's lacrosse money right there. So he's a two way guy. Cam Spencer, his brother, obviously great on the Grizzlies too. He makes 2.5 million he's rich compared to his brother, but he's played great too. I would assume we're going to see him in the three point contest. This came up. The guy's shooting like 50% from deep. Be fun to get him in there. Hell, put both of them in. Let the Spencer brothers. Put the Spencer brother bros in there. Put the Curry brother bros in there too. So he's on an awesome deal. And then his other names, like A.J. mitchell with the Thunder, he makes $3 million.

[Angel Diego]

That's it.

[JD Skeets]

Colin Gillespie, your guy, you love him. He makes 2.4 million. Really good for the Suns this year. Keita with the Celtics. They picked him up off the scrap heap. Dominic Barlow, Spencer Jones, Jacques Landau, like these type of guys. Ryan Nemhardt, Brandon Williams, Vik Creche Mamu, Julian Champagne, Javante Green and Dennis Jenkins. I'll get them all in there for you. But anyway, it was a fun article because it's like, oh yeah, these guys make nothing. And we've talked about a lot of these guys contributing to winning basketball at times.

[Tas Melis]

I was there at that 152, 150 win for the Chicago Bulls over the Atlanta Hawks. Vite grace. He can drop some shots. These guys have. A lot of them have grown. Javante Green is absolutely incredible for the Detroit Pistons. They are getting lots of value out of every dollar they pay him. That guy has been awesome. That hammer he threw down after the steal. Yeah, those are good names.

[JD Skeets]

Three of those names, by the way. College Park Skyhawks, right? Dominic Barlow for sure.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

Vick Kreche for sure. And Brandon Williams. I saw Brandon Williams play here in Atlanta or in College park by the airport. I'm on record. I have an IG post that says this guy's a bucket man. This guy should be in the league. I was like a scout out there sitting courtside at a G League game. And he's played well, obviously, you know, like there was an opportunity there and then Ryan Nemhardt has now taken some of that opportunity as well. But yeah, he's in the league. Deserving player. All those guys. All right, next one here. Christmas angled question. Five games on Christmas Day. Once again, 18th year in a row we got five games on. So as long as we've been doing this show, there's always been five games on Christmas Day. We'll remind everyone what the schedule is. We got cavs nicks at 12pm Eastern. That one you can also catch on Dunk the Halls, the animated version with Mickey Mouse and all his friends. Then at 2:30, Spurs Thunder, hello. Mavericks, warriors at 5, Rockets, Lakers at 8. Wolves, Nuggets. Is your nightcap for the true sickos. If you've managed to watch all five on the East coast at least that's at 10:30. My question, Tas. Ash, I want to hear your answer as well. Which Christmas Day game are you most excited for?

[Tas Melis]

I'm going with the spurs and Thunder. I really hope that Wemby will be playing because it sure seems like he's not playing tonight.

[JD Skeets]

I know they play tonight.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, they're playing essentially a back to back two game set here over three days. He's questionable because they are preserving him tonight, but I assume maybe that he'll be back for Christmas. And I want to see how the Thunder play the spurs in so many different ways after the losing to them in the NBA Cup. You know, they're going to try and pull Wemby out. They're going to try and shoot the three ball a little bit better. They're going to do lots of things for Shay to get better looks while Wemby is out there to get into space more. So that whole thing now I'm hoping that this Wemby absence is just one night because I do think he's not playing tonight.

[JD Skeets]

He'll play.

[Tas Melis]

He'll play on Christmas. I feel like he will unless something.

[JD Skeets]

But the word happens tonight.

[Tas Melis]

The worrisome part is his head coach, Mitch Johnson basically said he's not playing because of his quote unique anatomy and situation. You know, that's what the whole the organization is saying. They're taking it day by day. They're doing the ultimate slow play here. They want to manage it carefully. So you never know. So I don't know. I'm just trying to talk into existence. I'd like to see Victor Wenming on the floor.

[JD Skeets]

Oh yeah, for sure. I mean OKC right now, 26 and 3. They got a back on the winning side last night against the Grizzlies. And then The spurs are 21 and 7. So these are the top two teams in the Western Conference. Spurs are tied with the Nuggets right now for second in the West. So that one I think a lot of people would pick. It's really spicy. If the spurs beat the Thunder again tonight.

[Tas Melis]

Absolutely.

[JD Skeets]

Wemby or not. Because then you're like, ooh, that is the kryptonite for okc. And then we get it again on Christmas. So that's an obvious one. I like that one. What about you, Ash? Is there another game or are you going with that? One too.

[Angel Diego]

Yeah, I really like the, the Spurs Thunder one. I think that's my number one game for the day too. Then after that I, I really, I really love watching Steph Curry play. I mean like Steph Curry is sure my current favorite player in the league. So the warriors game maybe. So just like the. To continue with my list here, I'll just go ahead and name them out. Honestly, the Lakers and Rockets, I'm excited for that one too. I just think that I wish the Rockets were playing the Nuggets on Christmas Day because they've been so good here recently. I wish that was the, the Christmas Day game. But the Lakers Rockets could be really good. Seeing LeBron, Luka, KD Shingoon, I think that's going to be pretty fun. So those are, those are my top three, probably in that order. And they, the other ones are, you know, if I'm up at 10:30, I'll probably be watching Stranger Things, you know, by the nighttime, so.

[JD Skeets]

Well, those are like two hours long, aren't they, these episodes?

[Angel Diego]

No, they're only an hour. The two hour one is the finale. I'll be going to the theater to watch.

[JD Skeets]

Oh my God, really?

[Angel Diego]

I'm locked in.

[JD Skeets]

Okay, Locked in. All right. You invect them, man. I'll tell you who wishes they weren't playing on Christmas. LeBron. You see his comments?

[Tas Melis]

I listened to them.

[JD Skeets]

It's like, I'm over this shit. Yeah, I'm too old. I'm literally too old. I want to be with my. But no, you're playing again on Christmas, man. For what? How many years has this guy played on Christmas? It's gotta be 20 plus. I don't know, I don't have it in front of me, but it's a hell of a lot of games.

[Tas Melis]

I liked it. I liked. Because the reporter asked him, like, what are you looking forward to on Christmas? He goes, what? Can you reword that? Like, what do you mean? Do you mean like how excited am I to play basketball? Or what would I rather be doing? Because I'd rather be with my family. I liked it. I liked him rewording the reporter. It was, it was great stuff.

[JD Skeets]

I'm excited for Mavericks warriors too, for a couple of reasons, Ash. One, I am a fan of the middle game. The 5pm Eastern start for us, for us people on the east coast, you know, like I'll be watching a lot of them. Of course, the later ones, you maybe start to be a little basketballed out. You're a little tired from all the eating and all the drinking and stuff like that. But like that 5pm one. Yeah. Maybe dinner time, but I don't know. I don't have many. I don't have big plans this year. I'm not going anywhere this year, so I'll be locked in on that one. I like that. Cooper Flag will be the youngest player to play on Christmas since LeBron in 2003. Just turned 19. And then Klay Thompson, this is his one visit to San Francisco this regular season. So you got that little story, too. And what's fun about that is in 2024, Steph tied the Christmas record with eight made threes. He scored 38 points in that game. That'd be fun if Clay goes back and has an awesome game. It was like a throwback game where Clay can't miss threes. Maybe ties Curry, maybe even tries to beat that record. That'd be awesome. Oh, that's excited for that one. Even though they're not the best teams of the bunch here. But it's a pretty good slate.

[Tas Melis]

It is. And that's a good call.

[JD Skeets]

Wolves Nuggets at the end.

[Tas Melis]

That's a good call. And Clay, because he's also picking it up. He's playing better.

[JD Skeets]

He's playing better.

[Tas Melis]

He just dropped 20 in the first half.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah.

[Tas Melis]

Against the Pelicans.

[Angel Diego]

By the way, LeBron has been in 19 Christmases.

[JD Skeets]

This will be his 20th. Oh, this will be his 20th.

[Angel Diego]

This will be his 20th.

[Tas Melis]

Wow.

[JD Skeets]

So he missed a couple.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

23 years, right? 24 years. What's he keep track anymore?

[Tas Melis]

This is season 23. So he missed three, huh? Well, I guess one was a pandemic. Known pandemic. No. Well, how did he miss three? One? He was hurt.

[JD Skeets]

Rookie, probably.

[Tas Melis]

I thought you said he was the youngest player.

[Angel Diego]

No. Yeah, he played in the rookie.

[JD Skeets]

I did say that. You're right.

[Angel Diego]

He played.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah. Because that was before he turned 19.

[JD Skeets]

Did they not have a LeBron team on a Christmas Day slate?

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, he's hurt just one year with the Lakers, right? Or no, he got hurt after Christmas. How did he miss three? Crazy.

[JD Skeets]

Let's do a deep dive. Final question here. What's on your NBA Christmas wish list? You can go anywhere you want with this.

[Tas Melis]

My NBA Christmas wish list is that some of our commenters don't come at me for Christmas.

[JD Skeets]

Oh, wow.

[Tas Melis]

In the future.

[JD Skeets]

Z Russ getting put on blast.

[Tas Melis]

Well, this is just me. Was. I was just talking about Giannis. I was trying to get to the bottom of Giannis's press conference. Z Russ mentioned. Why does Task care about Giannis being on the buck so badly? Listen, he's one of the best players in the National Basketball association.

[JD Skeets]

Of all time. Yeah, he's just.

[Tas Melis]

He's just great. I mean, of all time, like, overall, period, everywhere. Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

I just want to know, top 25 player of all time. Is that crazy? No.

[Tas Melis]

Anyways, if he's going to play somewhere else, I care. And I was surprised, you know, I wasn't trying to pull a Pablo Torre and do a deep dive and try and understand every single word, every single verb, every single syllable that he was saying.

[JD Skeets]

Did you watch the whole. But I went into 25 minute thing? Yeah, of course I did.

[Tas Melis]

Why not?

[JD Skeets]

You need to see help.

[Tas Melis]

Why?

[JD Skeets]

Because he wasted 20 to 25 minutes.

[Tas Melis]

Why? When you watch NBA games, you can do some things on the side. Let's be completely honest.

[JD Skeets]

It's true.

[Tas Melis]

We're going to watch every lot of downtime.

[JD Skeets]

You tell me it's the fastest sport, but you can watch a whole press conference.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah. Anyway. Anyway, we want to know where, where and if he's going anywhere. I'd like to think having shook his hand multiple times, I might know what's going on in his brain. I absolutely don't.

[JD Skeets]

You have a connection to him, though, because of your Greek roots. You can say that. I think that's totally fair.

[Tas Melis]

Sure. Yeah. I haven't sold Chachis on. On the streets like he did. No. He had a tougher. Anyway, you want your wish for people.

[JD Skeets]

To stop coming at you about Giannis.

[Tas Melis]

I do like that. I. It is totally.

[JD Skeets]

I mean, you are the Giannis defender or the idea that he. Maybe you're a little naive. People think to him wanting to stay.

[Tas Melis]

In Milwaukee for this season. Yeah, that's. That's. I'm not saying he's never going to be dealt, but been very clear. I'm. I'm sticking with it. He's sticking with the Bucks. Will they lose? Yeah, they're not going to win the championship.

[JD Skeets]

But that was a part of your argument. That did you in a little bit. You were like, you were big enough Kuzma, you were big enough Kevin Porter Jr. Like they were going to matter when Giannis got injured. And you're still trying to convince. Oh, yeah, they're going to be there.

[Tas Melis]

They matter.

[JD Skeets]

Everybody was like, I don't know, man.

[Tas Melis]

Well, mat. They matter in terms of him thinking they're going to be good this season. They do. They do. And they haven't. They haven't proved to be excellent. Yeah. Well, that's why a Zach LaVine would help? Because the coup thinks he's a little too fantastic offensively. And Zach would take that off his plate. I mean, they're throwing Kuzma at anybody on the perimeter. You. You go guard the best players on the perimeter from 30ft from the bucket. And Kuz is. Has difficulty rolling with that. Anyway, we're done.

[JD Skeets]

Okay. What about you, Ash? Do you have a Christmas wish list here? An NBA Christmas wish list?

[Angel Diego]

One of the things on the list is that I hope Steph Curry signs with Nike. I just really want him to come back to Nike as a sneak free agent just because I want some Steph Curry Nikes. I would love to get some.

[JD Skeets]

Did you ever wear his Under Armour shoes or. No?

[Angel Diego]

I had maybe the first pair, like, when they came out. My girlfriend at the time bought me some. I wore them maybe five times, and I just was like, I can't get. You know, and I try to get away from high tops. That's really what it is. Like, I wear a lot of Kobe's where Sabrina's now GT cut like in that family. So I just need Steph Curry to come on back to Nike. Come on back to the light side so we can get some good curry Nikes.

[JD Skeets]

Have you been enjoying this Curry shoe show, for the lack of a better word, where he's like, showing up to the arena in obviously all these different kicks and even, like, warming up in them, playing in them. Like, he's had. I know he had T Max on.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

Maybe last night. Yeah. Booker's obviously. I mean, he's done a lot. You like this?

[Angel Diego]

I really do love it. I love it so much that I'm way too excited about it. I pitched it to my boss at the Athletic, and then I had to work on this story for like, two weeks.

[JD Skeets]

Really?

[Angel Diego]

With a video? Yeah. With old Jason Jones at the other shout out.

[JD Skeets]

I mean, that's a smart idea.

[Angel Diego]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

People love shoes.

[Angel Diego]

Dude, I'm way too into it. I'm loving, like, how he said the other night he's playing against Devin Booker. He's like, yeah, I tried to beat him with his shoes on. I saw an interview with Anthony Edwards, and Anthony Edwards is like, I snuck my phone on the bench because I wore Curry's in high school. Like, we were Under Armour. He's like, I had my phone. I snuck it. Just like, I'm seeing a celebrity. He's wearing my shoes. I had to get a picture. We're not supposed to have our phones on the bench, but I just. It's a cool story.

[Tas Melis]

I love it.

[Angel Diego]

How he's trying to pay homage to every single legend or people that he's looked up to or people that he's just, you know, trying to pay respect to. He wore the KGS last week.

[Tas Melis]

Did you ever wear the Anthony Edwards or.

[Angel Diego]

No, no, no.

[Tas Melis]

They look nice.

[Angel Diego]

I'm not an Adidas guy. That's the problem.

[Tas Melis]

That's the problem.

[Angel Diego]

I'm strictly. I really only wear Nikes, man. So I need stuff created.

[JD Skeets]

Come on back. Okay. All right. There you go. That's on Ash's Christmas wish list. I like that one. Mine for actual NBA Christmas Day, My wish list. I'd like to see Jalen Brunson score 50 points in Madison Square Garden as the knicks play their 50th Christmas Day game. Knicks are always playing on Christmas. I love that. I love that tradition. Yeah, he just had the 47. Let's go for 50. He could. If he does. And this is a little trivia question for you guys, can you tell me first off, the last player to score 50 on Christmas Day. It wasn't that long ago. And then any other guys to score 50 in a Christmas Day game? There are four total that have done it.

[Tas Melis]

Bernard King, 60.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah, that's right. So that was the record before Carmelo got it right. For the Knicks there in Madison Square.

[Tas Melis]

In Madison Square Garden. Yeah. So there's three more that have scored 50 on Christmas Day.

[JD Skeets]

Two oldies but hall of Fame classic names. And then a very. A superstar player in today's game. I don't remember him doing this in 2023.

[Tas Melis]

I'll give you the year 23, huh?

[JD Skeets]

Yeah.

[Tas Melis]

A superstar in today's game.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah. Don't overthink it.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah. It's not. Jump. Not.

[Angel Diego]

I want to say Luca.

[JD Skeets]

Luca.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

Luca went 50. I'm 23. Yeah.

[Tas Melis]

Huh?

[JD Skeets]

I know. Why don't I remember this game?

[Tas Melis]

I don't remember that game.

[JD Skeets]

Good call, Luca. And then the oldies scored 59 points in 1961. Don't overthink it.

[Tas Melis]

Not Wilt.

[JD Skeets]

There you go. And this is the toughest one. But you should always say this guy's name when we talk about scoring records. For sure. What else can I. Alex English? No, but that's good. But white guy. We know his son, Rick Barry. Rick Barry scored 50 in 1966. So not a lot of guys have done it.

[Tas Melis]

Not a lot of white guys, that's for sure. You mentioned two, right?

[JD Skeets]

Two white guys. What are you talking about? Half the guys that have done it have Been white man half. Can Jalen Brunson do it or can somebody do it? Somebody go off. Somebody go off on Christmas. That'd be fun. I mean, Wemby had a. He scored 42 last year, didn't he? Is that last year?

[Tas Melis]

He's only played in one.

[JD Skeets]

I think so. I swear. Wemby had a monster game.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, he had a. He had a monster game. Was it 42?

[JD Skeets]

I think so.

[Angel Diego]

Were the spurs in that? Did they play the Knicks last year?

[JD Skeets]

Yeah, I thought so.

[Angel Diego]

The Disney game.

[Tas Melis]

That was the Disney game.

[JD Skeets]

Oh, okay.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

Am I crazy or did he not have 50 or 42?

[Tas Melis]

He had a monster line. I thought it was more of a monster. Like, oh, this guy could have gone a five by. I'm checking five by 10. Or, you know, 42 and 18.

[JD Skeets]

Four assists, four blocks in his Christmas Day debut.

[Tas Melis]

Oh, my God. Yeah. That's why he was.

[JD Skeets]

Well, it's easy when you're playing goofy and they don't play any defense jokes.

[Angel Diego]

Just real quick. Yeah. LeBron, he played in 2003 in his rookie year. Didn't play another one until 2007. There's our answer.

[Tas Melis]

Oh, he didn't play four prizes because they weren't playing.

[JD Skeets]

They wouldn't have been playing five games either. So there were less games.

[Angel Diego]

Yeah, there you go. So it goes from 2003 to 2007, and then all the way from 2007.

[Tas Melis]

To now to today. Wow.

[JD Skeets]

Here's what else I'd like to see, though. Christmas Day wish list. Let's put some lights and garland around the backboard. Why not?

[Angel Diego]

That's an amazing idea. Actually.

[JD Skeets]

They look badass and I don't think it would affect them at all.

[Tas Melis]

No, not really.

[JD Skeets]

I mean, maybe the lights, but, like, it's not like they're. So. They're the best shooters in the world. Best players in the world. I don't think it's gonna do anything. I think that would look so cool, or at least like on the stanchion or the shock lock or something. That would be so awesome looking. I think we should have, like, elves running around the lower bowl, like, just going everywhere. And I mean, if you, like, throw Christmas trees out there in the corners or by the bench or maybe even under the stanchion. Hell, put them in the middle of the court, make them play around it. Go nuts.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

Okay. You like this idea?

[Angel Diego]

I love the idea.

[JD Skeets]

Okay. Like the garland and the lights.

[Angel Diego]

That's great. Flashing lights, though, or the.

[JD Skeets]

They stay still. Well, let me ask you, what's Your household. Are you. Are you a white lights? Like, classy, if you want to call it that. Or are you a colorful light guy when it comes to Christmas?

[Angel Diego]

Well, you guys, you've met my wife. Yeah. It's very, very white light in there, for sure.

[JD Skeets]

Okay.

[Angel Diego]

I prefer the colorful lights.

[JD Skeets]

I don't want to.

[Angel Diego]

Yeah, but she's like, no, that's ugly.

[JD Skeets]

I. I read this huge article about the problem with the color lights nowadays is like, the light bulbs are different than they used to be back when we were young. And like, they were different types. They gave off like a warmer glow, and now they're one of the most common lights. What are they?

[Tas Melis]

What's the LED lights?

[JD Skeets]

Yeah. Yes, yes, exactly. And they just don't have the same glow and feel to it. You can still buy those old incandescent light bulbs, I guess. Is that what they were? But I'm with you, Ash. We're white lights everywhere in the household because it looks nice, but I miss those colors.

[Angel Diego]

Oh, me too.

[JD Skeets]

But we do have the tree that comes like pre lit that you can change.

[Angel Diego]

Okay.

[JD Skeets]

Sort of.

[Tas Melis]

Cool.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah, yeah. So it's like, there's like. Yeah, yeah. There's like white setting, there's colored setting, there's flashing setting and all this stuff. Yeah.

[Angel Diego]

She wouldn't let me. Like, like I'm flashing a blinking a little bit quicker. She's like, no, you know, they kind of stay on or if they do, they're like the real slow ones.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah.

[Angel Diego]

Like, come on, let's have some fun. It's Christmas.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah. Yeah. Same with Nora. She doesn't like them flashes. Like, you only put those on when you're having a party.

[Angel Diego]

Oh, brother.

[JD Skeets]

I was like, I live every day like it's a party, so come on. All right, let's hear. We should get a poll going on that. The white lights or the Chris or the colored lights? What about you? What's your household or what do you prefer?

[Tas Melis]

I guess they're both. I mean, there's both white and colored.

[JD Skeets]

Okay, guys.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, Both. Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

Do you have a favor, though? Just a tree. On a tree.

[Tas Melis]

Oh, on a tree. I like the. The cheesiness of multiple colors.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

Okay.

[Tas Melis]

I mean, it is. I understand what Courtney is saying.

[JD Skeets]

Nice looking. I mean, I think that's what we, like, we veered too far into, like, it has to look nice.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

What happened to it looking like.

[Tas Melis]

That's what it's about.

[JD Skeets]

Crap.

[Tas Melis]

That's what it's about.

[JD Skeets]

Part of the fun.

[Tas Melis]

I think people just want a glam tree.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

All right. Well, boy Lovely of the Night is sponsored by a man named Lamar Scrotum. So. Whoa, boy. The knife is scro. Boy of the night.

[Tas Melis]

That's his natural. That's his actual name.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah, it's his government name. Lamar Scrotum. And it is Shay Gilgeous Alexander. He gets your screw. Boy of the night scored 31 points in a win versus Memphis last night. 31 points, that's Shay's thing. Made 11 of 20 shots, grabbed 10 boards, had eight assists, four steals. And if you like this type of stuff, it was SGA's 100th consecutive game with at least 20 points, adding to the second longest streak in NBA history. The man is consistent. Does everything in his life consistent, doesn't he? His quote, paraphrasing his quote. Once upon a time.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

So, yeah. Will he beat Wilt's streak of whatever it was? What is like 140, 120?

[Tas Melis]

I don't remember.

[JD Skeets]

It's a lot more, but he could. I don't see why he wouldn't.

[Tas Melis]

He's going to tonight. You think Christmas, then Christmas. He's gonna do it again.

[JD Skeets]

Maybe he'll go for 50 on Christmas. That'd be fun. All right, so congrats to Lamar Scrotum on sponsoring Will.

[Tas Melis]

Boy, the next congratulations screw. Yeah, we've got more coming. They're lined up.

[JD Skeets]

Damn.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah, for the next. For the next few shows. People want their Whoa, boy.

[JD Skeets]

Okay, so what about Friday? I mean, I'm jumping on jumping on a podcast in the yard. Yeah, I'll do one. Okay, so who's. Okay, Don't. Don't tell me. You let me know in a slack.

[Tas Melis]

It's a double. It's a double ender.

[JD Skeets]

Excuse me?

[Tas Melis]

It's two people.

[JD Skeets]

You can't go from Lamar Scrotum and then say double ender.

[Tas Melis]

Dude, you can say a lot of things these days.

[JD Skeets]

Okay, well, this is great to hear, man. I'm gonna be to afford a second Christmas tree. Yeah. White Christmas tree and a colored Christmas tree. This would be great, man. Love those old lights. I'm getting the old lights. Okay. Pick them tonight. Tuesday's game. Where are we going? Tasks. There are a million games on tonight.

[Tas Melis]

Gotta go. OKC versus the Spurs. You threw this line in there. Six and a half. Okay. Seer by favor by six and a half. So they get on by seven or more.

[JD Skeets]

It was last night. I don't know if it's changed.

[Tas Melis]

I was looking at the exact same time as you. I saw it. 7.

[JD Skeets]

Oh, yeah, that's what I saw. So I had to. I just decided one way or the other. The half. Yeah.

[Tas Melis]

Is it. Did you go lower? Cuz you had OKC and you want to win by.

[JD Skeets]

I think I did it first and then I was like. And then I went, okay, see, no, I let. I let Trey decide first who he wanted to take.

[Tas Melis]

I thought maybe we were logging in from different states. You know how you can. We're in different states. Maybe the lines are in different states. Probably not, but I thought it was.

[JD Skeets]

Seven when I saw it too.

[Tas Melis]

So they're obviously want some revenge for their second loss of the NBA season, but really felt like their first loss because the first loss was against the Portland Trailblazers in a back to back situation. So here they go. And that's why you and I think our OKC will make up for that one. But Trey's comfortable taking the Spurs.

[JD Skeets]

You get the point. OKC played last night too, but we.

[Tas Melis]

Don'T have a Wemby. It's questionable.

[JD Skeets]

Again know, man, he's playing 40 minutes. Like they are keeping them still around that 20 minute mark.

[Tas Melis]

Yeah. But now with all these. This talk about teams have to come out and put it out there. Whether or not. No, it's not a rule. It's absolutely not a rule. But here we are, Mitch Johnson saying he's. They're. They're living under this idea that he is, quote, he's got this unique anatomy and situation.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah, he's seven foot five. It's pretty unique. You don't see it around a lot, Mitch. Jesus.

[Tas Melis]

Well, that's why they're playing it extremely slowly.

[JD Skeets]

Hey, speaking of shoes, to go back to shoes. I did see Wemby on Friday, Friday night. We talked about on Monday's pod. Nora came with me. She did not like Wemby's shoes. He was wearing green shoes on Friday night here in Atlanta.

[Tas Melis]

I didn't know.

[JD Skeets]

And they do look like, like, obviously the guy's got giant feet. He's seven foot five. But like, maybe because he's so skinny, they look like cinder blocks on his feet. The shoes look huge, but like not just long, they just look clunky. She's like, what? Like, how does he move in those? I don't know if you saw the master, I think.

[Angel Diego]

Yeah. Women's shoes always look weird. You ever see him though? Like he's running around the court. It looks like his entire ankle touches the ground. You know what I mean?

[JD Skeets]

Yeah.

[Angel Diego]

You ever see these? Like when he moves, it doesn't look like his shoes are tied tight.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah, yeah, that's what Nora was saying.

[Angel Diego]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

It's like she's just like he's wearing his slippers or something. Yeah, that's exactly what you said.

[Angel Diego]

That's, that's. I think he's going to get hurt, man. He's going to freaking. His entire leg is going to roll over, dude.

[Tas Melis]

He's flexible, but that's why his ankle is super flexible.

[JD Skeets]

He's like dull. Zim from Street Fighter. Bendy. I think that's his. That's his superpower. But yeah, it looks wild. Those green ones. I didn't like how the green ones looked. Yeah, I guess he's a Nike guy obviously, right?

[Angel Diego]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

The alien doesn't have his own shoe though, does he?

[Angel Diego]

Not yet. He's still in peace. But he's getting a shoe soon, apparently.

[JD Skeets]

Oh, he is.

[Angel Diego]

They, they started having like prototypes like last year. You remember they had this like spaceship looking shoe. It was really weird looking, but they were like, hey, this might be what.

[JD Skeets]

I thought that was just. I didn't think it was real in the sense that they were gonna make them.

[Angel Diego]

Yeah.

[JD Skeets]

I think tough for a big guy to sell shoes too.

[Angel Diego]

Maybe not in today's game.

[Tas Melis]

Right?

[Angel Diego]

Like, why? Just because, like, everybody's wearing low tops anyways or mid tops. And I mean, one of the biggest selling shoes over the past year or so has been from a WNBA player. So, like, you know, Asia Wilson too, like, she's starting to sell her own shoes as well. So maybe when Wimby comes out. Everybody loves Wimby. I think with Nike backing them. That's just a, Another, Another wrinkle in it.

[JD Skeets]

I see what you're saying. It's not like back in the day, like, like even Shaq shoes, like, those things were huge, right? Like. Like. Cause like, they're built for him. They're built for a big man. But people don't want to play in those. Like, obviously kids don't really. I don't know how they did. I'm sure he sold a ton of shoes, but not like, actually as much as you would think. But Giannis did sell a lot of shoes. Yeah, I played in Giannis for a long time.

[Angel Diego]

You see Greek freaks all the time at the gym. And then like, what is Wimby wearing there? Like the GT jump or something like that?

[JD Skeets]

Yeah.

[Angel Diego]

So, I mean, that GT line, if they just streamline that straight into Wimby shoe, he's going to have a really cool logo with the alien.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah.

[Angel Diego]

I just, I feel like, it'd be one of the top selling shoes for sure.

[JD Skeets]

Okay, okay.

[Tas Melis]

Jokic's shooting so well at all. I mean, I don't know the numbers. He's also, like, he doesn't care.

[JD Skeets]

Brand is like 361.

[Angel Diego]

Yeah, 361.

[Tas Melis]

It's all about endorsing it. He doesn't. He doesn't care.

[JD Skeets]

It is generally tough for a big guy to market shoes, to sell shoes. I think they figured that one out. All right, that's tonight's game. Oh, do you want to show the old League Pass?

[Tas Melis]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. We've got a great deal on a League Pass subscription. It's only 79.99, and we're just pushing it. Not because we're looking to make money. We're looking to get you a good experience out there because League pass has improved.

[JD Skeets]

Yeah.

[Tas Melis]

Don't take it from us. Take it from a guy who's watched basketball even longer than us and had to deal with League Pass. Our man Kelly [e-mail] this is how he described League Pass. He's got nothing to do with this deal, but he said League Pass works wonderfully. The resume feature finally installed. I love that. Yeah, go. Come back and just click resume. Jump right back in. Fewer dropouts, the continuing coverage of Little League halftime basketball events, and the gleaming introduction of every hype team in the NBA.

[JD Skeets]

It's great.

[Tas Melis]

So you. There's a QR code if you're watching on our YouTube page, and we'll. We'll throw out the link on YouTube.

[JD Skeets]

And X. Kelly's not wrong. And you're not wrong about Kelly. That guy's watched more League Pass than probably anybody, dare I say in the world. Maybe on the short list, probably.

[Tas Melis]

It's gotten better this year. There's no doubt. There's no doubt.

[JD Skeets]

But that guy was watching League Pass before people even knew what League Pass was. I remember Kelly. Been around for a long time. All right, that's today's show. Last one. Like I said, here in the classic factory. So everyone have a safe and happy holidays. Esh. Appreciate you joining us these last two days. I know we're gonna see you again next week because JD's gone for obviously, a little bit longer. So we'll see you on Monday and Tuesday. Actually, you might be in the yard with me on Friday, right? Is that the plan?

[Angel Diego]

Yeah, I might. I might show up in there. I pop in.

[JD Skeets]

All right. Bring your takes, man.

[Tas Melis]

All right.

[JD Skeets]

I know you'll be watching the dunk, the Halls production. Your kids like it, right?

[Angel Diego]

Yeah, we'll watch it again. Hopefully we get some more hilarious moments like last year, but we'll definitely be watching at least the first half.

[JD Skeets]

Okay. All right, so Ash and myself on Friday and everybody again, happy holidays. And we'll either see on Friday or we'll see you here for the Classic Factory on Monday. Until then, corporate bro. You heard it here first. Have a great time. Turn up. Love you guys.

[Tas Melis]

Awesome. Thanks for joining us. And remember Jesse Mermis of the Phoenix Suns coaching staff assistant coach? He's the coolest coach in the league. Book it.

[JD Skeets]

Embrace the day, people. Embrace the holidays.

[Angel Diego]

What's up everyone? This is Angel Diego and Jason and we're at Wishta. About Podcast.

[Tas Melis]

Holiday season's here and the studio is feeling festive.

[JD Skeets]

We got the tracks, the exclusives, Yes's Bright Winter Spice Cranberry Bien Frio.

[Angel Diego]

That refreshing cranberry flavor hits just right. A seasonal favorite but limited time only, so don't sleep on it to keep your fiestas festive. Adarle Flo Frio Conspira Winter Spice Cranberry.

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[JD Skeets]

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