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- [00:00]
Je Skeets
This is an iHeart podcast.
- [00:02]
Lori Siegel
Guaranteed Human.
- [00:04]
Jay Shetty
Hey, I'm Jay Shetty, host of the On Purpose podcast. My latest episode is with Noah Kahn, the singer songwriter behind the multi platinum global hit Stick season and one of the biggest voices in music today talking
- [00:17]
Noah Kahn
about the mental illness stuff. It used to be this thing that I was ashamed of getting to talk about. This is not common for me right now. I need it more than ever.
- [00:28]
Jay Shetty
Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [00:35]
Lily Herman
Ready for a different take on Formula one. Look no further than no Grip, a new podcast tackling the culture of motor racing's most coveted series. Join me, Lily Herman, as we dive into the underexplored pockets of F1, including the astrology of the current grid, the story of the sport's most consequential driver strike, and plenty of other mishaps, scandals and sagas that have made Formula One a delightful decadent dumpster fire for more than 75 years. Listen to no Grip on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [01:05]
Charlamagne Tha God
Peace to the planet Charlamagne Tha God here. And listen. We are back. The Black Effect Podcast Festival is back in Atlanta on April 25th at Pullman Yard. Yeah, and the full lineup is nuts. We got the Grits and Eggs podcast, Deontay Kyle and Big Ice Cup Cat. We got Club 520 with Jeff Teague and the gang. Yeah, yeah, don't call me Mona will be there. Keep it positive, sweetie. With Crystal Renee. We got Reality with the King with Carlos King. And yes, drink champs will be in the building. Plus, you know we gonna have a lot of guests, so you need to join us. And we got the Black Effect Marketplace. The pitch, your podcast and everything you expect from the Black Effect Podcast Festival. Tickets are on sale right now. Go get yours@blackffect.com podcast festival. Don't play yourself. Okay, pull up.
- [01:55]
Lori Siegel
I'm Lori Siegel and this is Mostly Human, a tech podcast through a human lens. This week, an interview with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
- [02:03]
Sam Altman
I think society is going to decide that creators of AI products bear a tremendous amount of responsibility to the products we put out in the world.
- [02:10]
Lori Siegel
An in depth conversation with the man who's shaping our future.
- [02:14]
Sam Altman
My highest order bit is to not destroy the world with AI.
- [02:17]
Lori Siegel
Listen to Mostly Human on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite show.
- [02:32]
Je Skeets
Good morning, sweet world, and welcome to the no Dunks podcast presented by FanDuel It's Monday, April 6, 2026. I'm Je Skeets here in the Classic Factory, along with me, super producer jd. Hello. There he is. No Tas or Trey here for a majority of the week. Those boys and their families, they're on spring break. Where are they? Dominican Republic, the panhandle of Florida. But thankfully I got lots of friends and one of them joins me today thanks to the power of technology. He's the host of the NBA Bit podcast and Celtics Daily and a whole lot more, which I'm sure we'll get into with the daily fantasy sports angle. Mike Zakaria. What's up, Mike?
- [03:15]
Mike Zakarian
Let's go. What's going on, Skeets? Thanks for. Thanks for having me on. I honored to lead off what is like friend flex week for you. Yes, right. You get to showcase all of your friends.
- [03:25]
Je Skeets
That's right. I got a lot of friends, man. I got you. I got Ben Gulliver joining us on tomorrow's show. He'll be back. And then Eshua Kidd, the kid is in studio on Wednesday, so. And then I think Tas is back on Thursday, so. Yeah. I'm excited, though, to have you on. First time. I talk to you all the time. So it's weird than that. This is your first time on no Dunks. But before we get into winners and losers, because we're going to do a Monday staple here on no Dunks, I. I alluded to you do daily fantasy sports and you write about them and you play them and you went live last night. I suddenly get like a YouTube alert that the NBA bit, Zakarian's channel is live because somebody, I guess, you know, is having a sweat for a hundred thousand dollars in one of these daily daily fantasy sports games. Is that right?
- [04:09]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah. So our guy from the NBA Bit community, I figured if I wasn't going to win this contest, we should have somebody else do it. Okay. So it was. It's within underdog, and basically it's a best ball format where you, like, draft a team at the beginning of the year and then you just sit there and wait.
- [04:24]
Je Skeets
Okay.
- [04:25]
Mike Zakarian
And so last night he was sitting in, I believe it was ninth place as the last game of the night started, which was Rockets and Warriors.
- [04:32]
Je Skeets
Okay.
- [04:33]
Mike Zakarian
And he had Reed Shepherd, Amin Thompson and Kevin Durant going. So we, we fired up a live stream. We brought our guy Maddie on, and he, he won a hundred thousand dollars and was cool as a cucumber. Like, we kept trying to get him to react and it was like, yeah, man, yeah, it's pretty awesome, huh? Pretty awesome. And I'm like, I. My shirt would be off. I'd be like flying all over the place. So huge shouts to him. That was. It was really fun to see somebody who he had. We had been doing a lot of those drafts, like on Stream over the summer, so to see him to participate in those and then $100,000, it's crazy.
- [05:09]
Je Skeets
That's unbelievable. So he had all these Rockets guys that he just needed to come through with fantasy sport lines. Like, good lines.
- [05:15]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah, exactly. And it was. And it was funny because there were a couple of guys in front of him that would have like Kevin Durant, but they wouldn't have Reed shepherd or Amit Thompson, so. So every single thing. And then into the fourth quarter he had like a three or four point lead, but a turnover is a minus one. And so we, we were just like sweating. No turnovers the rest of the way after we got a lead.
- [05:36]
Je Skeets
I don't think I'd be able to that. Yeah, if he played it really cool like that, I'd be freaking out.
- [05:41]
Mike Zakarian
Believe it. I. I was more stressed out than he was, I think.
- [05:44]
Je Skeets
Well, that's awesome. Congrats to what you said. It was. Maddie.
- [05:47]
Mike Zakarian
Maddie, yeah, Maddie Harrison.
- [05:49]
Je Skeets
100,000, just like that. Drafted a bunch of Rockets. What a move. Well, the Rockets, I think, are going to come up here when we get into NBA weekend winners. But let's jump into it because, Mike, we have a ton to talk about and I know we'll get to the Lakers and Luca and Giannis versus the Bucks part 10,000. That's in losers, though. We'll start with winners here. The floor is yours. You're my. What was your big weekend winner for the NBA?
- [06:13]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah, maybe. Maybe. Recency bias. But Cooper flag scoring. What was it, 90? Was it 96? 96 points the entire weekend? 51 on Friday. 45 last night in the. In the win against the Lakers and 8 for 13 from 3 for the entire weekend. Like 33 from 57, like from the field and, and flipping the rookie of the year odds, right? He's now jumped ahead, jumped ahead of con, which kind of felt inevitable as the Mavericks decided like, hey, maybe we don't win basketball games down the stretch, but let's just give Cooper the ball as much as possible, right? But man, that he's. He looked incredible this weekend. Like, that's again, I know it's. It's both like up and down for Dallas right now, but God, just to fall into that and just see him absolutely Cook these last couple of weeks, but especially this weekend. And to do it while like LeBron was also going off in the first half and then you just kept seeing Cooper Flag's numbers go up in the second half and LeBron was like, I'm also 41, so maybe, maybe we'll chill out a little bit.
- [07:12]
Je Skeets
Yeah. Flag became the first teenager in NBA history to score 50 plus points in a game. That was the first game, like Mike said that was in a loss, but like unbelievable game. He's in the record books. He shot 63% in that game. And then as if that wasn't enough, he follows it up with the 45 point near triple double in the Mavericks win over the Lakers on Sunday. And what's your take on suddenly Flag flipping caniple in the Rookie of the year odds as the betting favorite? Like, if you had a vote, are you now going Cooper because of what he's done over the last couple of weeks, especially over the weekend, or is it more canipal because of what he's done all season?
- [07:49]
Mike Zakarian
I think I'd probably, I think I would be be swayed by the numbers. I feel like the Rookie of the year is usually just like you. You pump in some stats, you get it. And it's not even like that Con is not putting up stats, but right. Roles are so different where we're like Khan, we need you to do a very specific thing while we win basketball games. And the other side of it is we Cooper, you can do whatever you want as we lose basketball games. And like, I wonder if the roles were reversed, what would the output look like from con? But I think I am fine being swayed by it. I think the thing that I like the most is that we're treating the Rookie of the year dialogue a lot different than the MVP dialogue or I feel like we're not yelling at anybody if you move your vote around like we're doing in the MVP race right now. So it's just a good, good sign for Duke that both Cooper Flag and Khan have been awesome. But I do think I'd go Cooper, would you? What would you be doing here?
- [08:40]
Je Skeets
I don't know if I had a vote. I mean, it's tough. Like we just had the numbers up there for everybody on YouTube, I guess your more basic box score numbers. It's a positive for Cooper and then more of the, you know, efficiency and obviously the impact on winning games and the Hornets obviously being a good team that's going to lean towards caniple. Like, you know, the race the rookie of the race. It was like VJ Edgecomb was rookie of the year for like one game after he started the season. And then it felt like it was con canipples for the majority of the season. And then now maybe over the last couple of weeks, Cooper has taken the lead because he's putting up these huge numbers and Khan is like, he's struggling a little bit. But I say all that to like, I'm not holding that against him. Like, okay, he has, he's hit a little tiny part of the rookie wall. He's been lights out. He's one of the best three point shooters in the league. I think I go con, but I feel with rookie of the year more than most awards, voters, fans, whatever, they want to like, they want to like project this award. Do you know what I mean? They want to get it right for like 12 years from now and go, well, we gave it to Cooper. See, that was the right move because he's a better player. Because I don't think most people even now would be like, oh, Khan's going to be a better player than Cooper Flag in their NBA careers. I haven't heard a lot of that because that's seems silly with Cooper's age. But there is that thing where people like, okay, cons had a better season, but I want to be right ten years from now. Do you know what I mean?
- [10:07]
Mike Zakarian
I love, yeah, I love that idea that voters are like, I want to make sure I don't look like an idiot in a decade. Like, forget. I don't care who gets this award. Just don't make me look dumb. I don't want to be the guy that was voting for con where Cooper Flag is going to go down as like the fifth best player of all time. Right, Right. Or something like that.
- [10:23]
Je Skeets
Right.
- [10:24]
Mike Zakarian
That's funny.
- [10:25]
Je Skeets
But. And the other part you said how it's different than the MVP sort of battle. I think a part of that is these guys are rooks, so their stands have not built up the power and energy to go to bat for them yet. You know, we've got Jokic and even Wemby a couple years in sga. Obviously polarizing. There was Luca. The stands for those guys, I mean, like they're, they're final bosses, you know what I mean? These rookies, they're just. People are building up their, their standom. So I think that's the difference too.
- [10:56]
Mike Zakarian
I like that. Yeah, we're allowed to have fun with it right now, but three years from now we're going to Start yelling.
- [11:01]
Je Skeets
Yeah, exactly. Exactly.
- [11:02]
Charlamagne Tha God
So.
- [11:03]
Je Skeets
Okay. Well, Mike, the carrying on the record. He's going Cooper flag. I guess I'll stand for. For Kahn. Still. We just had the Tim Bontemps straw poll for mvp, but he did Rookie two. Khan was running away with it. Now, this was before these two games. So is it closer? Yeah, I definitely think if you did the revote, if, if Bontemp sent the tweet again this morning, I think it's a lot closer than it was the first time you did it here. But at least we have a race to talk about.
- [11:31]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah. And Charlotte has a couple of big games coming up too. And so I. I wonder, you know, he hits a. He has a couple of nice performances. It probably flips. It flips right back again.
- [11:39]
Je Skeets
Yes. Yes. All right, well, let's go to my first winner of the weekend game of the year on Saturday. I feel very confident in saying that Spurs Nuggets went head to head. It was on Amazon Prime. They're going to write songs, Mike, about this WEMBY vs. Jokic matchup. What a game. Jokic 40 points, 13 assists, 8 rebounds. Hit one of the most insane shots you're ever going to see on a basketball floor. The Sombor Shuffle, if that's what it even was. It was like a super version of that. Over Wemby with a minute left in overtime. Crazy shot, but Wemby, 34 points, 18 boards, seven assists, five blocks. That'll help you out in DFS. And they lost for the third time in only 30 games. But this, this was awesome. I don't know if you caught this one live on Saturday afternoon or you watched later, but your thoughts on. On the Spurs Nuggets game there.
- [12:28]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah, that was awesome. I. I had a lot. I was supposed to get done Saturday afternoon and it just didn't get done because this game was just too good. I was just so locked into it. It was a lot of fun. It was also just a reminder based on what we had to watch on Friday night.
- [12:42]
Je Skeets
Yeah.
- [12:42]
Mike Zakarian
To then be gifted. This game was. Was awesome. And also reminder that like Denver, I know, you know, barely squeaking by the Jazz a couple of times last week and you know, have not been at full health. Still missing Peyton Watson and. And no dunks. Guest Spencer Jones all like can still get out there and. And win these types of games and they still have Jokic and that was with a subpar Jamal game too.
- [13:08]
Je Skeets
Yep.
- [13:08]
Mike Zakarian
And to still come away with the W there was. Was just huge. And because of that win, they might have Now, I know we'll talk about a little bit later, but it found themselves into the, the three seed in the west too. I think that's going to be such an important game in a. When we look back at it next week and the playoffs start to line up, but man, sign me up for a second round. Seven games of this. I'm. Oh, man, I'm in.
- [13:30]
Je Skeets
They can't stop each other. These two teams. Every time they've played, they score like over 130 points each. They like, they have, they just have no answer for slowing each other down. Aaron Gordon, I thought, looked incredible. He tied it at the end of regulation. That was obviously half a joke. It passed. Wemby went over to double cut right to the front of the rim. He found him, scored it, and then he forced Wembanyama into a very difficult shot at the end of regulation. You know, sort of bodied him a little bit. And Wemby fallen out of bounds, but Go go Gadget armed it still got the shot off. And I thought it was going to bounce in just the way it hit the rim and then the backboard, but it spit out. But all NBA podcast tweeted per tracking data, Aaron Gordon matched up on Wemby on 44 half court possessions, the second most possessions Wemby has been defended by a single defender in a game this season. Wemby only scored 12 points on those possessions where Aaron Gordon was defending him. So that's, that's something there. If they meet up in the second round, like you said, because he looked, that was the best AG had looked in a long time, obviously with all the injuries.
- [14:34]
Mike Zakarian
And I, I, if I recall correctly, Adelman before the game, or maybe the day before was like, yeah, we're going to be really monitoring Gordon's minutes moving forward. And then it was 41. I think he played 41 minutes in that. You're right, he looks good and on like, this is the first time we've seen Wemby play more than 30 minutes. I think in quite some time too, or considerably more than 30, which is, which is cool because we're going to see that in the postseason. I think, like, they like take the governor off, let him go. Right. But also, I mean, you could see that, like, not only were we seeing him play 30 minutes for the first time, Wemby was feeling it. Right. Like, he definitely looked and maybe, you know, credit Gordon for being up in him the whole time, but he did look, he looked a little tired there as we came down the stretch. And I mean Wemby looking tired is still an A player, but you could definitely see it a little. Right?
- [15:19]
Je Skeets
I would agree with that. It means obviously playing in altitude, too, which, if they match up, you're going to be playing in Denver and you'll have to get accustomed to that. But, yeah, a lot of people pointing that out like, okay, yeah, it's on one hand. We've said it on the show multiple times, man. Imagine when this guy's playing 40 minutes. Look at the numbers he'll put up. Yeah, but I guess the counter to that is. But he hasn't had to play or hasn't played in a lot of games where he goes 40 minutes. What's the conditioning like in the. In the jump from 30 to 40, especially when it gets more physical. Right. In the playoffs. So something to watch. But holy crap, was it fun. The Spurs, I thought, really blew a chance in overtime, too. I think it was Fox and Devin Vassell on a two on one fast break. Fox tried to throw an OOP to Vassell and it missed. But then the ball went right back to Fox and he had a little like, sort of floater attempt that he. That he missed. That would have tied the game at 133. So that was a big bucket. But what a game, man. I mean, I loved Van Gundy on the call. He just kept saying, this is awesome. This is phenomenal basketball.
- [16:19]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah, it felt like he was. He was. Everyone that was watching that game is like, oh, man, this is the best. This is the best. Yeah, that was great. I also thought, man, Castle going from like, starting the game on Jamal and then the second half just being like, hey, man, you want to pick up Jokic for a little bit? Like, just incredible what he can do defensively. And I mean, obviously Yoko still put up insane numbers in this one, but I'm such a huge Castle fan. I think for him to be doing this at this age, I again, this spurs seems just going to be so dangerous for so long.
- [16:48]
Je Skeets
I. I'm almost like, fearful. How many people have suddenly become die hard Castle fans because I'm included, too. I know Simmons is making a case. I heard on the podcast he might put him on his all, all NBA team. I was like, whoa, okay, hold on. I mean, there's a lot of guys obviously going to miss it because of the 65 game threshold. But I was like, holy crap. I thought, I love this guy. Bill Simmons really likes him, but he just, like, he plays so goddamn hard and he's like, got an attitude in the best Possible way you said Jamal Murray, bad game. I agree with that. But then classic Jamal, right? Like, makes all the big plays down the stretch with Jokic. I mean, the 1, 2 option that they run, even just him setting the tone, diving out of bounds in overtime, I thought was huge. Like, that was a defensive rebound that he just like dove into. Saved it. They come down, run the Yokic, 1, 2, Jokic scores. And you could see Jokic on the way back, like sort of checked in on Murray like, or whatever he said, like, that was all you, man. Like, what a save. So, you know, he hit the shots when it mattered or made the plays when it matters. I hope we get this. Like we kept talking about Thunder Spurs. Yes, that would be fun. But this as well. And this would be a second round in theory.
- [17:54]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah, this sign me up. So I.
- [17:55]
Je Skeets
The.
- [17:56]
Mike Zakarian
The second round of the playoffs. I mean, listen, I'm excited for the first round of the playoffs too, but the second round of the playoffs on like both. Both conferences are shaping up. It's just going to be. It's going to be awesome. I'm very excited.
- [18:05]
Je Skeets
My only other note from this, you know, showed some love to Stan Van being pumped. I thought Michael Grady was awesome on the call. I know he calls. It feels like every basketball game now across like three different platforms, but I just shouts, shouts to Grady. I thought he just called a great game. Like it was neat in the moment, was bringing the energy for the call and it delivered. So what a game. Yeah, go ahead.
- [18:27]
Mike Zakarian
No, I was just going to say the prime experience, just in general, I feel like they've crushed. I've really enjoyed watching games over there. I honestly just. All of the national broadcasts have been really good this year, but Prime. Prime's doing a really good job.
- [18:40]
Je Skeets
I'm enjoying it. Did you see the clip of Aaron Gordon with Taylor Rooks? I guess it was pregame, right? Was that pregame?
- [18:46]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah, I think it was pregame.
- [18:48]
Je Skeets
Yeah. Where he sort of. She said. What did she say? She said like, have a good game. And he said, you too, Taylor. He wasn't far removed from saying, I love you too, Taylor. Hey, look, he's. Everybody feels that way. I think so. I'm with you, Prime. The whole thing with. With Dirk and Haslam and Blake and Taylor running the show, it's really good product right now.
- [19:13]
Jay Shetty
Hey, I'm Jay Shetty, host of the On Purpose podcast. My latest episode is with Noah Khan, the singer songwriter behind the multi platinum global hit Stick season and one of the biggest voices in music today. Noah opens up about the pressure that followed his rapid success, his struggles with mental health and body image, and the fear of starting again after such a defining moment in his career.
- [19:35]
Noah Kahn
It's easy to look at somebody and be like, you, life must be so sick, man. You have no clue. Talking about the mental illness stuff, it used to be this thing that I was ashamed of. I'm just now trying to unwind this idea that I have to be unhealthy physically or in pain in some emotional way in my life to create good music. If someone says that I did a good job and like, yeah, I'm good, someone says that I suck, I'm like, I suck. Getting to talk about this is not common for me right now. I need it more than ever.
- [20:06]
Jay Shetty
Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [20:14]
Lily Herman
Ready for a different take on Formula one? Look no further than no Grip, a new podcast tackling the culture of motor racing's most coveted series. Join me, Lily Herman, as we dive into the underexplored pockets of F1, including the astrology of the current grid.
- [20:28]
Mike Zakarian
Lewis Hamilton, Capricorn Sun Cancer Moon. Wouldn't you know it, Michael Schumacher is also a Capricorn Sun Cancer Moon, the
- [20:35]
Lily Herman
story of the sport's most consequential driver. Strike. We have one man who, upon hearing that he was going to be fired, freaked out and apparently climbed out the window of the bathroom and was Daniel Ricardo's illustrious F1 career a success story, a cautionary tale, or some combination of both? He started getting all this attention and he maybe started to think, I'm bigger than this, I'm better. And plenty of other mishaps, scandals and sagas that have made Formula One a delightful, decadent dumpster fire for more than 75 years. Listen to no Grip on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [21:16]
Je Skeets
10.
- [21:17]
Jay Shetty
10 shots.
- [21:17]
Mike Zakarian
5. City hall building. A silver.40 cal handgun was recovered at the scene.
- [21:24]
Narrator (Rorschach Podcast)
From iHeart podcasts and Best Case Studios, this is Rorschach. Murder at City Hall.
- [21:30]
Charlamagne Tha God
How could this have happened in City Hall?
- [21:31]
Mike Zakarian
Somebody tell me that Jeffrey hood did it.
- [21:34]
Narrator (Rorschach Podcast)
July 2003. Councilman James E. Davis arrives at New York City hall with a guest. Both men are carrying concealed weapons, and in less than 30 minutes, both of them will be dead.
- [21:52]
Je Skeets
Everybody in the chambers ducks.
- [21:55]
Narrator (Rorschach Podcast)
A shocking public murder.
- [21:56]
Mike Zakarian
I scream, get down. Get down.
- [21:58]
Je Skeets
Those are shots. Those are shots.
- [22:00]
Mike Zakarian
Get down.
- [22:00]
Narrator (Rorschach Podcast)
A charismatic politician.
- [22:02]
Je Skeets
You know, he just bent the rules all the time man.
- [22:04]
Mike Zakarian
I still have a weapon and I could shoot you.
- [22:09]
Narrator (Rorschach Podcast)
And an outsider with a secret.
- [22:11]
Lily Herman
He alleged he was evicted to flat down.
- [22:14]
Mike Zakarian
That may or may not have been political. That may have been about sex.
- [22:18]
Narrator (Rorschach Podcast)
Listen to Rorschach Murder at City hall on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [22:29]
Lori Siegel
I'm Lori Siegel, and on Mostly Human, I go beyond the headlines with the people building our future. This week, an interview with one of the most influential figures in Silicon Valley, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
- [22:41]
Sam Altman
I think society is going to decide that creators of AI products bear a tremendous amount of responsibility to products we put out in the world.
- [22:47]
Lori Siegel
From power to parenthood, Kids, teenagers, I
- [22:51]
Sam Altman
think they will need a lot of guardrails around AI. This is such a powerful and such a new thing.
- [22:55]
Lori Siegel
From addiction to acceleration.
- [22:57]
Sam Altman
The world we live in is a competitive world and I don't think that's going to stop even if you did a lot of redistribution. You know, we have a deep desire to excel and be competitive and gain status and be useful to others. And it's a multiplayer game.
- [23:11]
Lori Siegel
What does the man who has extraordinary influence over our lives have to say about the weight of that responsibility? Find out on Mostly Human.
- [23:19]
Sam Altman
My highest order bit is to not destroy the world with AI.
- [23:22]
Lori Siegel
Listen to Mostly Human on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
- [23:31]
Je Skeets
All right, let's keep it going another round. Who you got for a winner?
- [23:34]
Mike Zakarian
Give me the Pistons, man. Pistons are a one seed here, you know, and I feel like all the dialogue too has been how like they were talking about the Cavs a lot lately and you know, that's setting up nice because they'll get the Pistons in the second round. They get to avoid Boston. Detroit has done nothing but just win this entire year. And it doesn't matter who's on the floor. Like I when Cade goes down, everybody's kind of looking at the schedule like, ah, Celtics, maybe even the Knicks could, could snag that one seed and they've just been like 13 and 4. I think without Cade this season. Jenkins has come out there. He's been averag like 17, 8 and 4 without Cade. Duran's been 22 and 11. Just like doesn't matter who they throw out there, they continue to win games. And I, I, I know people are like aligning themselves to just be like, well, you know, we get the Pistons in the second round, maybe we get a shot at moving forward. Or like we've just given it to the Celtics that they are the favorites to come out of the East. And I know the Celtics look awesome. Tatum looks incredible. But just what Detroit has done consistently has been awesome. I mean, obviously, it's gonna. We'll have to wait and see what Cade looks like, but when he comes back. But they just. I mean, to. To wrap up the one seed basically start to finish. Right. I think they started off 1 and 2 this year, and then after that have just kind of been held pole position the entire. The entire season. And I feel like we're not ready to give them credit yet, but they. They look awesome.
- [24:51]
Je Skeets
100% agree. I think. Which Tim was it? It was probably McMahon band McMahon on the. On the Wendy podcast today said Bickerstaff probably locked up coach of the year here with this stretch where Cade missed. Right? Like, I know Missoula's, you know, in the running, a couple other great coaches. It's always a to. It feels like there's like seven or eight guys you could maybe look at, but, like, I sort of agree with that. Like.
- [25:12]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah.
- [25:12]
Je Skeets
Oh, yeah. You, like. You took Cade an all NBA first team. All NBA. Really? Mvp, top five candidate. They took him out. We all panicked. Oh, no. Are they gonna be able to hold on or not? And they've just, like, kicked ass here. Like, they. And even their losses were close. I think they were overtime losses over this last little stretch. So competing in every game despite Cade not being there. I'm sort of. I'm on board there with Bickerstaff, I guess, getting the kiss of death. You don't want to win coach of the year anymore, do you?
- [25:39]
Mike Zakarian
That's true.
- [25:39]
Je Skeets
But.
- [25:39]
Mike Zakarian
That's true. It can't go to Missoula because he'll be. He'll just be so pissed.
- [25:44]
Je Skeets
He'd break it. Yeah, he'd smash it.
- [25:46]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah. He'd be so upset. But, yeah, I was looking at this in the stretch because I was. You know, the. The Hawks have gone on this run, but then if you, like, look at the schedule, it's like. Well, they did play the Nets, like, nine times. It feels like in this run, the Pistons in this run without Cade in this, like, 13 and. Or in this most recent one they've got. They've been the Wolves twice, the Sixers in there, the Raptors, the Lakers, when they had everybody. Y. I mean, these are like real wins. It's not like they're just rolling over tank teams. They're just showing up and they. They're so physical, and I. You know, the three Point shooting is going to be a question when they come into the postseason, but I, it might not matter if they're just beating, like physically beating everybody up the whole way through. But yeah, they've been, they've been fun. And I'm with you. Yeah, give, give. Bickerstaff needs to get coach of the year. Like, I know the other stories are great too. You're right. There's tons of candidates, but it's got to go to jb.
- [26:33]
Je Skeets
Yeah, I think so. And it sounded like you believe the P Pistons with Cater without, like they're winning a first round series. I don't want to put words in your mouth, but like, no matter who is the eight seed, you have confidence the Pistons are beating them. Is that right?
- [26:45]
Mike Zakarian
I, I think so. I, I have just stupid belief in Charlotte right now. And so there is a world that if, if Kate is not there, I think Charlotte could hang around with Detroit. But I think so. I, I, you know, I, I'm not ready to put a ton of faith in Philly yet until we see him stay healthy and State of Florida seems to have given up on basketball.
- [27:06]
Je Skeets
Yeah, this is true. And then like, okay, what if we get pissed? Because it's basically 1, 2, 3, 4 in the east. We sort of know it. Right. It's Pistons. Yes. They're locked up the first seed Celtics. I can't imagine they're falling out of the second spot. Looks like the Knicks are going to be third and then the Cavs fourth. If we get Pistons Cavs in a second round. Let's say Kate is back and I don't know, whatever percentage he's at 90% something. Where's Zakarian? Leading. Leaning there in a Pistons, Cavs sort of series.
- [27:34]
Mike Zakarian
I think, I think if Kate is close to healthy and Stu and Beef Stews back, Isaiah Stewart's back. Because I, I think that they'd need both of those bodies to deal with Allen and Mobley. But I don't know. I've had this take for a very long time that if you need a guy to score 30 points in a playoff loss, Donovan Mitchell is your guy. And so I, I think I'm taking Detroit over Cleveland. And I know everybody got very excited. They got James Harden, who famously does very well in the postseason. So I don't know. I'm still leaning. You give Detroit home court advantage. I think I would still lean Detroit coming out of that matchup. And if they get, if somehow Atlanta got past Cleveland too, I think I would still comfortably take Detroit there too.
- [28:11]
Je Skeets
Okay, yeah, that is true. The Hawks are hot, and maybe they could knock off the Cavs in a first round if they. If they stay in the fifth spot. All right, my next winner of the weekend, I'm going to give it to the Rockets because they spoiled Steph Curry's return. Classic Rockets. They nearly gave the game away, but they didn't. And they had a huge play down the stretch. And they ran a play. The Rockets actually ran a play. Yeah, it was Durant having the ball, but it wasn't handed to him from out of the inbounds. It went to Shen Goon to then find Durant, and it wasn't just like, given to him at mid court. They had Durant moving in action where the little shovel came from. Sengun. And then he went along the sidelines, Durant did, and Sengun flashed toward the basket. And because the warriors were so small, Durant found him easy bucket inside. They can do it, Mike. They can run a play at the end of a game. And KD obviously was big in the third quarter, but Shen Goon put them ahead, and then they held on and survived a Curry missed bomb. I thought Jabari Smith did a pretty damn good job moving his tootsies there out on the perimeter to make it as difficult as possible. Curry still got the shot off. It still nearly went. Even Duran after the game's like, yeah, I thought it was going in as soon as it left Curry sands. But they won, and they continue this win streak. And I think I'm like the last guy left on earth believing the Rockets can sort of make a special run in the postseason because they've let us down a lot here in the regular season. But any thoughts from that game and the Rockets getting the win?
- [29:37]
Mike Zakarian
Well, there's something beautiful about setting the bar to a place where we're like, they ran a play.
- [29:42]
Je Skeets
Yes.
- [29:42]
Mike Zakarian
Like, let's go. I. Things are, like, weirdly starting to fall for Houston right now, and I have not been. I thought they made a mistake by not making a move at the deadline of just kind of shove some guard depth. Like what. You see what IO's doing with Minnesota. Like, I thought that would have made a ton of sense in Houston, but whatever with the squad that they have, I do think some things are falling into place for them because of this Lakers situation, which we'll talk about, but it looks like the Lakers are going to fall to the four seed, and then all of a sudden, Houston, who everyone's like, oh, they're one and done for sure, might match up against the Lakers in the first round with a Luca Lakers, a Reeves list Lakers. And then all of a sudden Houston's looking at the. At a second round matchup against most likely OKC or whatever. But. But yeah, I mean, I don't know when they, when they look right, you know, they can defend very well. They can crash the glass. You've got KD who can make the crazy shots out there. Reed shepherd shown some flashes when he's not getting picked on. On the defensive end. So they look right. It's great. But then they like struggle to get past the Grizzlies and you're like, what. What the hell is this team? And I think it honestly comes back to what you were saying where it's like, can you we. Can we just run some plays in the last four minutes of the game? Can we design a play and run it?
- [30:56]
Je Skeets
Yeah, they're going to be a weird team to try and like make a prediction when we get to the postseason on like you'll be able to con. Like, I know they'll be helped out if they play the Lakers who are missing guys. I mean that I think a lot of people will probably take Houston even despite maybe not being convinced all season long in them. But you know, any other matchup, it's like you could tell me the Rockets get swept and I'd be like, yeah, yeah, I could see that. Maybe competitive games, but swept. And then you know, obviously maybe could pull off an upset or beat some of these teams because they are good. They're top 10 on both sides of the ball. You do have Durant. Sengoon is still great. Reed's obviously found a more of a role here. You got Amin Thompson wreaking havoc on both ends like it's a good team. Udoka's been there in postseason runs with the Celtics and stuff. So they're just weird. It just like, what are you getting from night to night? But at least they're timing this well here to end the season. The win streak. Obviously some luck going their way with injuries to other teams and then maybe moving up. But. But you are right that it feels like it's going to be Denver 3, 4, 5, Lakers, Rockets. I don't know who will have home court there. And I think the Wolves are basically guaranteed to be the sixth seed at this point after losing a few games.
- [32:02]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah, yeah, I think that's right. I think. And you mentioned she had gone to it. He does feel like almost the poster child for the Rockets where like you catch Sengun on the Right. Night. And he's putting up like 28, 16 and 9 or something. And you're like, can anybody stop this guy?
- [32:16]
Je Skeets
Right.
- [32:17]
Mike Zakarian
And then you catch him on another night and he's just, just MIA 3 for 18 and. Yeah, yeah, right, right, exactly. So it is, it's, it is hard to, I think you put it well, like the range of outcomes on this Rockets team. Like if you told me they took Denver to seven games in the first round and like squeezed by, I'm like, yeah, of course, yeah. He told me they got swept by the Lucas Lakers, I'm like, yeah, sure, yeah, yeah.
- [32:37]
Je Skeets
Anything's on the table here for this Rockets team. All right, one more round of winners. Who you got?
- [32:42]
Mike Zakarian
We talked about the Hornets a little bit. They had a good weekend this weekend and I thought they had a really good W against, against Minnesota. I mean, they put like a beating on Minnesota. I know they were without Anthony Edwards, but they've got like, on paper, the games look tough down the stretch. They've got three games left. I believe it's the Knicks, the Celtics and the Pistons. But it could be at the point where like the Celtics are locked into the two seed. Detroit has already clinched the one seed light that we talked about. And then the Knicks have a big game tonight against the Hawks. And so the, the playoff seating could be kind of squared away. And I believe, I believe the way this works and I feel like Charlie Day meme from it's always Sunny trying to figure out what the seatings would look like. But I think if, if they win out, Philly will need to be. Because Philly's got two easy ish games. But then they have spurs in Houston. They would have to win one of those two games against San Antonio and Houston. But it's just what a story. Like even if they don't get to the six seed, I just can't believe we are in the last week of the reg season and we're saying the Charlotte Hornets might be out of the play in not because they're in the lottery, but because they're already locked in in a first round matchup. And I bet like if you had asked the teams that are in the top four right now, no one's excited to get Charlotte. I think they probably take the recent form of the Raptors. Anybody in Florida, any Philly? I mean, Philly does look dangerous, but you just don't know how healthy they're going to be. But yeah, the Charlotte story has just been a lot of fun and they're just a Fun team to watch.
- [34:09]
Je Skeets
Yeah, Lamello Ball had a massive game. That was that Wolves game, right. We scored 35. He was great. I saw something like Lamelo Ball for the first time in his career is finally a positive in the plus minus for his like entire career, which made me laugh. He's gotten there. Here. This, this tweet from Tim Reynolds blew my mind this morning about this east mess. Atlanta is number five in the east. Miami is number 10. Again, it's very unlikely, but they could switch spots by Sunday. So there are possible. And he said we did not say probable paths for Atlanta, Philadelphia, Toronto, Charlotte, Orlando and Miami to all finish 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th or 10th. So meaning like they, they could all still from 5 to 10 be in one of those spots which is pretty wild now. Not probable again, but like crazy or has happened and it, they could be bouncing around here. But you like of all those squads and I'm with you, the Hornets, the way they're playing right now and like this isn't a one week stretcher. This is a couple months now of like really solid Hornets basketball. They would, they feel like the. Them and the Hawks, I guess feel like the toughest outs right now from that bunch.
- [35:24]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah, I think so. I, I've been like slow to get on board with Atlanta, but they just keep, they just keep winning. And Nikhil Alexander Walker has been just amazing for the last like month now. So yeah, I'm with you. I think Atlanta, I think Charlotte and again Philly, when they look right, Philly looks incredible. But I just don't know. I just don't know what shape they're going to be in. But yeah, I think Charlotte's super dangerous. You mentioned the 5 through 10 things been nuts too because it's been this tight it feels like for two months.
- [35:50]
Je Skeets
Yeah.
- [35:51]
Mike Zakarian
Like no one is creating any sort of separation. Like you'll see Orlando win a couple games in a row and then they'll drop five. Same thing with Miami. They ripped off some W's and they, they lost some ground. So it's been, it's been a fun race. It's kept the east pretty fun. I'm excited. Again, any sort of. The fact that like we have no idea who's going to be five through 10 with just three or four games left is pretty wild.
- [36:12]
Je Skeets
Yeah, you're right. There was that stretch where Miami was winning, Orlando was winning. I thought like we all thought they were going to separate themselves sort of from the bunch and they didn't because then they would sweat on a losing Streak. And now they're at the back end of this thing and they. They're probably going to be playing. They might be playing a 9, 10 matchup. Florida state championship. I think McMahon called it. To see who goes to play, you know, in another chance to get in. I guess the Raptors, Sixers, could be Hawks, could be Hornets. Like, I don't think anybody has any confidence in those Florida teams right now at all.
- [36:45]
Mike Zakarian
No, no, no, no.
- [36:46]
Je Skeets
Yeah.
- [36:46]
Mike Zakarian
I mean, it's crazy to see it, but, like, Miami's just refusing to play defense. They're just like, they're protesting. They're not interested. So I. Yeah, I don't. I don't know. I don't. I don't have any faith in either of those. Those teams, and I don't like watching them either. They've been like, tough hangs. I was trying to catch some of the end of the Magic Pelicans game last night. I'm like, I don't want to do this. This is not. I don't want to time like this.
- [37:07]
Je Skeets
Jamal Mosley. It's just a matter of time before he is fired. I just wonder how quickly that's going to come after the season's over for them. Like, is it like next day type thing, or do they let it go for a little bit? We'll see.
- [37:19]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah. Halftime of the 910 game.
- [37:21]
Je Skeets
Yeah, maybe. Maybe. All right, so Hornets was your final winner. I got a few. Few winners here to sprinkle in before we take a break. 2026 Basketball hall of Fame class was announced over the weekend. We've talked about it like a million times by now, but Mike d' Antonio was also inducted. Felt like that went like, I don't know, under the radar a little bit. There was like, Amari, when in the NBA side of it, you know, it was Amari, Doc Rivers, who else am I forgetting? And then, well, Mike d'. Antonio. Another coach. Am I forgetting another player? No. WNBA people were obviously Parker Delladon. So d' Antoni and his mustache is in.
- [37:58]
Mike Zakarian
I'll expose myself right now just to help you make your point. Also, I should have phrased that differently. I won't expose myself right now. Wow. I. I am learning right now that Dan Tony got in. I did not. I missed that. I missed that.
- [38:12]
Je Skeets
Okay, see, that's why I brought it up. Like, I felt we, like I joked, we talk about this every couple months because it, like, whatever, however they do it, it's in the news. Like hall of Fame class. Hall of Fame class. They just like, stretch this Out.
- [38:23]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah.
- [38:24]
Je Skeets
There was no talking to Antoni, but there he is. He's in. Yeah. Good for him. Congrats, Mike. Jaime Hawkez Jr. Winner of the weekend. He scored a season high 32 points for Miami in Saturday's win over the Wizards. You know, he loved playing the Wizards. First it was bam. And it was Haquez. And Khalil Ware had a monster game before Hawkes Jr. Like, apparently like dashed to the airport to catch a commercial flight. That part, that little detail made me laugh. To Phoenix, where he watched his sister, who plays for ucla, defeat South Carolina for the women's national title.
- [38:56]
Mike Zakarian
So.
- [38:56]
Je Skeets
Jaime Hawkez Jr. What a weekend. That's the, that's the definition of a winner of the weekend. He played well, season high in a win, gets on the plane, goes and watches his alma mater and his sister win the Natty.
- [39:08]
Mike Zakarian
That's awesome. I love that. What a, what a weird run to like last year. I feel like, because he had a really solid rookie year, but it kind of disappeared a little bit last year. It was like barely even getting run. And he's been arguably like one of their most important players this season. Like, he, he drives that entire second unit. He's been. And I think if, I think if Miami was playing a little bit better, he'd probably be front running that six man of the year conversation. But the, the Keldon Johnson campaign has been strong.
- [39:35]
Je Skeets
It's an interesting point. Yeah, I, Yeah, he, he does come off the bench. I think he had one start, token start this season, but he has played well. It's gone under the radar just because maybe they're just sort of average. And there's a lot of other storylines and guys that have improved, like Nikhil Alexander, Walker, Mip. And I remember Hawkes Jr. Was like, he was getting a push for that early on at one point, but he's been good. Great weekend. And then finally Donovan Mitchell dropped two defenders on one play, which is rare. They looked like bowling pins falling over. Now they like forget who it was, but they stepped on the other teammate's foot, which took them both down. But like, the C's parted and then Mitchell, you got to finish the highlight and he hit the bucket. So as much as you hate Donovan Mitchell, Mike, it was a great highlight. Oh, look, I'm just saying.
- [40:19]
Mike Zakarian
I know I gotta make it. Do not hate Donovan Mitchell. I think Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell's awesome. I just. I feel like that happens a lot. The 30 points in a playoff. Yeah, look, and maybe not his fault, you know.
- [40:29]
Je Skeets
No, no. But my final Winner, it's going to go to Tyrese Maxi because he played in his 65th game on Friday night, which could have significant financial implications. So in the scenario that Maxi is named to an all NBA team this year and I don't know why he wouldn't be because who's left? I mean like Cade gone, Anthony Edwards gone, Luca, I don't know. We're going to arbit for that one, but a lot of guys are going to be ineligible. And Maxi's been great too. I mean the guy's like fifth in the league in points per game. He's like fourth or fifth in total clutch points. Like when he plays, he's been awesome. So he'll make an all NBA team. Pretty confident in that. But he will then become eligible to sign a four year, $300 million supermax extension in the 27 off season. So the first year of that extension would be in 29:30. And I know what you're thinking, didn't this guy just sign a five year, $200 million plus extension with Philly? Yeah, he sort of did. It was July 2024 after he was named most improved player. But Bobby Marks notes that a player with seven or eight years of NBA service is super max eligible if they are named all NBA in the immediately preceding season or in two of the immediately preceding three seasons. So Maxi, do you, would you have him on an all NBA team? Mike?
- [41:51]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah, he's been awesome. He's been their best player. He's been their most consistent player. And I think if we can just, if we create like the clutch player of the year award, we should be able to do just like a most fun. A most fun player of the year. He's the best man. I love watching him play. It feels like he's the fastest person in the league. Seems like he's having a good time. That dunk on Bridges and then when against in that Hornets game and then when Bridges wouldn't like acknowledge him or something and he just started pointing at him and laughing, I was like, let's go. This is the best. I love him.
- [42:20]
Je Skeets
And since like sort of coming back to even nurse is like, I don't know, maybe they like demanded he do it. His minutes are actually reasonable right now for Maxi. He still leads the league in minutes per game. But you know, he's not in those 40, 40 plus minutes over those last little stretch. He's playing some like 35 minute games, 33 minute games. So Maxi here, he's just like this sort of surprised me this Bobby Marks like, holy crap. 4,300 million for Tyrese Maxey. That's an extension he'll be eligible to sign moving forward. That's a lot of money. So good for him.
- [42:52]
Mike Zakarian
Good for him.
- [42:53]
Je Skeets
Yeah. And this will be his first all NBA team. That sort of shocked, like, surprised me. He's made a couple all star teams, but hasn't made the all NBA team should make it this year. Okay, those are our winners. Let's take a quick break. When we come back, we'll talk Luca Giannis and other losers of the weekend. I am told that new FanDuel customers can still get up to $300 back in bonus bets every day for 10 days. If you're buying, bet loses. I mean, this must be the last day for this promo, but here's how it works. Place a tournament bet using the token. If it doesn't win, you'll get up to 300 back in bonus bets every single day. 10 straight days. Who do you like tonight, Mike, in the championship game, you like Yukon or Michigan?
- [43:31]
Mike Zakarian
I think if you win by what was it, a million in the final four game? I think I'm just going to keep riding with that team. Michigan, I'm going to take. I'm going to go the Michigan side. Yeah.
- [43:41]
Je Skeets
Go blue. Go blue. I think you're right. That was our pick in our no dunks bracket, by the way. We sit second. Wow. We sit second overall, but I don't think we can win. There's somebody else that has Michigan. They're just ahead of us. But best showing we've ever had for a bunch of guys that know nothing about college basketball. But that is or was 10 chances to play all tourney long from game props and money lines to spreads, totals, futures and more. You can even mix things things up with same game parlays for a shot at a bigger payout. FanDuel makes it easy to stay in the action day after day, so visit the FanDuel Sportsbook app today. FanDuel, it's time to dance. Or it was time to dance or we were dancing. Or we're going to have one more dance tonight.
- [44:22]
Mike Zakarian
One last dance.
- [44:23]
Je Skeets
That's it. That's it, Mike. That's why you're here. That's why you're an expert. One last dance, fanduel, baby. I mean, but then we're going to be dancing, obviously a whole bunch more after this. You get the point. Yeah. All right, so NBA weekend losers. Mike, the floor is yours. Who you want to start with?
- [44:39]
Mike Zakarian
I mean, we got to start with the, the team that's just losing obliques and, and, and hammies and whatever else, right? The Lakers, man. Yeah. Just. Just can't catch a break here. And I know they were like, the Lakers were taking a lot of flack with that, that Thunder game. Like, why was Luca even out there to start the second half? I feel like that's just what you do though, right when you're getting blown out. We're like, we'll give you one more rotation here to start the third quarter. We make some noise. Yeah, we'll see what happens. And then if you, if you did stays a 30 point deficit, you know, you have the rest of the night off. So I didn't think that was that crazy, but, man, to lose both. Luke, Luke, Luke. Is injury so bad that they were like, we will send you to another country for a little while and just see what happens? Right. That was the report this week.
- [45:23]
Je Skeets
He's going to Europe to get this thing checked out or another opinion, I guess, on how to fix it in quicker. What are they doing over there that we're not doing over here is my question.
- [45:33]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah, and it makes me like, really concerned either way. Like, if it works, I'm like, that makes me nervous. And if it doesn't work, I'm like, oh, this is really bad. And then the, the Reeves injury, I mean, they, they made it seem like he was just going to miss the end of the regular season, but to have him ready for the round one.
- [45:49]
Je Skeets
Right.
- [45:50]
Mike Zakarian
But it doesn't sound like he's going to be ready for round one based off of this. No, based on the timelines anyways that were, that were being outlined. So if, I mean, and then to drop a game to the Mavericks, who again, are not trying to win games right now, and all of a sudden slipping to the four seed, it just seemed like they had really figured things out. They were defending, Luca was playing at insane levels. And now it just, it kind of seems like that that moment has passed and it's a bummer. It's a bummer. I mean, that changes the postseason a little bit. I'm not a Laker fan, but it's more fun when they are. They are out there playing in the way that they are and you know, keep. Keep playoff Luke is a good time.
- [46:27]
Je Skeets
Sure.
- [46:27]
Mike Zakarian
And now it just. It seems like this is going to be. I don't know, is it. Is it just setting up for 41 year old LeBron James to put Deandre Ayton on his shoulders and get them into round two? But I. I don't know. I don't see it. How. How are you feeling about it?
- [46:40]
Je Skeets
Oh, man. Jesus. If LeBron. If LeBron can take a Rui Hachimura, Luke Canard, the Nard dog and Jake. Who? Who? I didn't say Jake Laravia, I guess to the. To a. To a playoff run here without Luca and Reeves, then maybe he is the Goat. Maybe it is setting up for that. But. But no, don't have a lot of confidence in them getting out of the first round now because Luca's injury. It's worth noting just how long other guys have been out with similar injuries. I mean, Peyton Watson recently missed 20 games over like 46 days because of the grade 2 right hamstring strain. And then he re aggravated it last week. J Dub, Jalen Williams, he missed 10 games over three weeks with a right hamstring strain. He returned re injured. That cost him another, what, 17 games or something. Aaron Gordon continually dealing with the hamstring injury. James Harden back in the day. Like even this idea, he goes to Europe and they pump him full of like, I don't know, horse steroids or something. He comes back, it's like it could re injure it. So I think that's somewhat of a concern too. It's like, I don't know, maybe. Maybe this is just unfortunately like a lost season now here at the end and you're just like, all right, you know, we look great now. He's out, Reese's out. Whatever you can do, LeBron. You know, don't kill yourself either, but we'll. We'll see you next year. Because I would. I would just be hesitant to even be rushing Luca back here.
- [48:07]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah, and it's one of the. If we thought that they had like a reasonable shot at taking down okc, then you know what, Maybe it's a different conversation. But are we really rushing Luca back to make sure that you lose in six in the second round? Like, is that, that, is that worth it for what the next couple of years are going to look like for. For the Lakers. So, yeah, I mean, listen, some good news. We might get some Bronnie James playoff minutes though, so we'll have some, some father son story lines. He was out there last night.
- [48:33]
Je Skeets
Yep.
- [48:34]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah, no, you're right. They're going to be relying on the triple double king. Luke Canard, I think that was right.
- [48:40]
Je Skeets
Yes.
- [48:41]
Mike Zakarian
He had like, yeah. Tens across the board or something last night. But yeah, I think the, The Lakers are in trouble. I think it's. I think it's Curtains.
- [48:49]
Je Skeets
Yeah. And now they're playing. Yeah. They're playing lineups that have never even played together. Suddenly now, like, even like that one, I went through it. LeBron, Kennard, Ayton, Rui, Jake, Laravia. They never played together this year. They started, and then second quarter, it's like, LeBron, Vanderbilt, Jackson, Hayes, Maxi, Kleba, Kobe, Bufkin, who we love here at no dunks because he was a Skyhawks guy. They hadn't played together, obviously, when I just said that. Yeah, this is. This is tough. This is.
- [49:16]
Noah Kahn
Yeah.
- [49:17]
Je Skeets
Unless miraculously, these guys come back. Even. Even, like, if you heard Reddick, he was like, you know, our whole thing now is we just got to extend the season to have maybe a chance of these guys coming back. Like, to me, I'm reading into that, it's like, well, obviously not the regular season. And like, maybe we gotta, like, pull off an upset or two in the postseason to maybe then have them return.
- [49:37]
Mike Zakarian
Maybe this would be a fun take by JJ Redick of being like, actually 82 regular season games. Games, not enough.
- [49:44]
Lily Herman
Wow.
- [49:44]
Mike Zakarian
Like extended. Forget. Yeah, forget bringing it back to 92. 72. We need 90.
- [49:48]
Je Skeets
We need 92 games. Yeah. More money for the owners. Yeah. More money for the arenas. That's great. All right, so Lakers. I don't. I don't think I. I don't have much else to add to that. Like, this is just. It's unfortunate, like you said, obviously removes Luca from potentially all NBA team. And of course, the MVP conversation, no matter where you had them, maybe you had them second, third, fourth. I don't think a lot of people had him winning. But. But do you. Do you think. You know, now these voters are going to just have to wait weeks here while we wait for arbitration to weigh in on whether him going for the birth of his child and missing two games, like, still keeps him in play. Like, that's where we're at with this nonsense.
- [50:26]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah. Does. Do. Does Adam Silver give us, like, a double feature? Do we get both the aspiration conclusion and all team, first team, all NBA announcements in, like, the same. In the same form letter, the form email that goes out? Is that when we're getting it?
- [50:41]
Je Skeets
Is it the same law firm, is the question, or do you have to get a whole other one pay for that? Yeah, I don't know, because I think Windhorse and them were talking about it, like. Yeah, usually you start to get these ballots pretty soon, and then there used to be a quick turnaround. It's like the season ended and it's like, get them in. You got 24 hours to get your votes in for all the awards and all NBA teams. But now with the 65 game threshold and like, like the willy or won't he play and stuff like that. Or will they count these games or not? Whatever. This could. I don't know, we could be sitting on these awards for a while here, depending on how long this takes.
- [51:18]
Mike Zakarian
I know there's talk about like the 65 games and do we need to fix it? I think the answer is if arbitration needs to be had in order to find out a resolution of something, you need to change the rule. Like, I don't know if we need. Need lawyers to figure out who is first, second and third team all NBA. Like, I think there's your answer.
- [51:38]
Je Skeets
I did. Like, I think Simmons said somebody emailed in to his. To his podcast. Final game, Lakers Jazz just put. Just put Luca out there for 20 minutes. Like, don't move them. Just literally put them offensive end or even defensive end, just have them stand there for 20 minutes just to get the 65th game. That'd be a real, you know, spit in the eye of silver. I sort of like it. Like, here's a dumb rule here. We're just gonna like, do this and complete. Make a mockery of the game.
- [52:08]
Mike Zakarian
If they do that, Will Hardy should match Luca minutes with Kevin Love. Like, get Kevin Love out there for those 20 as well, because he's not allowed to play more than 10 minutes a night.
- [52:16]
Je Skeets
Yeah, I like it. I like it. So do it. Do it, jj. He might do it. All right. My big loser of the weekend is Bucks versus Giannis. I've called it volume 12. I don't know what this is, but I don't know. It went a different direction, I guess, over the weekend. The NBA is investigating the Bucks for their handling of the player participation policy and potential and consistent statements regarding the health of Giannis. Okay, let's try and clarify this. Giannis has informed the Bucks and the NBA he wants to play. I think he just wants to play with his brothers, if we're being completely honest. I think he's seeing them throw oops to each other and he's like, oh, that'd be cool. I'd like to do that with my bros, but the team will not medically clear him. Milwaukee says they told the league it doesn't believe Giannis is fully healthy and ready and that he even maybe wants to play because they're saying, look, we asked him go in these three on three scrimmages. Get your body right, get it going. And he's declining to do that. This is where the standstill is. And I think I. Like, I don't know. What's your opinion on this? Are you as over this as much as everybody else? Is this Bucky, honest relationship?
- [53:22]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah, just break up already. You know, I just. Just stop it. I. And I think if we didn't talk about this for the first half of the year, and if Giannis wasn't doing all these different interviews where he was saying, well, I want to be here forever, I think, or I want to, like, I want to compete for championship, so as long as we're doing that, I'll be here. I think if all of that didn't happen, people would be a little bit more sympathetic to Giannis being like, hey, man, I just want to get back on the court, all right? But instead, because we have done this all for months now, I think everybody's just like, man, come on, come on. And also, like, Giannis, if you are. If you want to stay in Milwaukee and you want to compete for championships, the best thing for you to do right now is to not play basketball, right? Like, go get a better asset in the draft and then either trade that or use it, whatever, to. To help build your team. But, I mean, it's just so clear now that it's over, and now we're just using third parties to share information, to be like, well, actually, he wouldn't show up to 3 on 3, so maybe he's not healthy, you know, like,
- [54:17]
Je Skeets
what are you doing? It does feel like Giannis is trying to act maybe like the good guy in all of this still, and it's not going maybe as he thought or planned. Like, he's trying to say this is all the Bucks fault. It just feels disingenuous, though, because everybody knows, or. I don't know, it feels like he does sort of want to be traded without saying trade me. And the Bucks are trying to be smart by not playing him here, either for lottery reasons or just for the very fact of, like. Like, yeah, we're going to trade you, man, but, like, we don't want you injured because you've had two calf strains, an adductor strain, a hyperextended knee. Like, we're just trying to keep you healthy here to then move you. And you could quiet all of this noise if you just said, I'm signing the extension. But he hasn't done that, and you're lucky. He doesn't have to. It's just people are over this. I'm with you. It's just.
- [55:06]
Mike Zakarian
We were just saying that we don't think Luca should rush back back if it's gonna cause, you know, more harm, and that's for the playoffs. So now we're saying, if Giannis. If there is concern that Giannis still is dealing with some stuff, why are we rushing him back to lose by 25 in a meaningless regular season game here at the end? Like, it just. And I know the. Like, yes, that is cool that you get to play basketball with your brothers. I don't know if that means we need to rush you back. Like, I. I don't know. I don't. I just. But you. I think you use the right word. Disingenuous. It does. It all feels. It feels like, orchestrated. Feels manipulative on both sides, too. I don't think, like, the Bucks ownership is clean in any of this. I just. It's just. Just go away. Just go get to another team now.
- [55:50]
Je Skeets
Yeah. And the whole thing isn't helped out by the fact that Giannis, when a microphone gets put in front of them, he just goes nuts and says, like, a lot. And where it feels like the Bucks and.
- [56:00]
Mike Zakarian
And.
- [56:00]
Je Skeets
And horse in the front office, like. Like crickets from them. So it's like, it's all Giannis saying, I don't know. I want to play. They won't let me play. I don't know. Yeah. Maybe they should be investigated. He's calling for another investigation. Man, these lawyers are laughing. That are working for the NBA. But then we hear nothing from the Bucks, and they're just like, I. They just must be like, please just end this season already.
- [56:21]
Narrator (Rorschach Podcast)
So.
- [56:22]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah. And I can't. I'm trying to think if there's another player and this isn't extreme. There. There's definitely examples of this when they actually did something terrible. But, like, a player that has lost as much goodwill in the season.
- [56:33]
Je Skeets
Yeah.
- [56:34]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah. Where it's almost like, I think, almost like a Kevin Hart, where Kevin Hart first came out on the scene, and it was like, oh, my God, this dude's amazing. Let's get this guy everywhere. And then he's 4,000 commercials in, like, one during one game. And we're like, I'd be okay if I never saw this man again.
- [56:50]
Je Skeets
Yeah.
- [56:50]
Mike Zakarian
And it does. That kind of feels like, what's happening? It's like, we've got just too much, dude. It's like we're drinking water through a fire hose. This is not fun. I don't like this. Just please go away. For a little while.
- [57:00]
Je Skeets
Yeah. My. The other part, too. I saw Zilla write about this this morning. The worst part about this ongoing Giannis trade saga is the lack of a catchy name for it. Carmelo Anthony had the melodrama. Dwight Howard gave us the Dwightmare. The options are meager this time around, though. I like this one that Ziller proposed. The Yawnness. Oh, good. Yeah. I was like, that's pretty good.
- [57:23]
Mike Zakarian
That's good.
- [57:23]
Je Skeets
I mean, it's like, not as catchy as those other ones, but it really encapsulates how we all feel about it. We're all just yawning at this. At this point.
- [57:30]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah. Intent. I don't know what to do.
- [57:34]
Je Skeets
Yes.
- [57:36]
Mike Zakarian
It's terrible.
- [57:37]
Je Skeets
I mean, it's a mouthful, but I see what you're doing.
- [57:40]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah.
- [57:40]
Je Skeets
Okay, okay, okay. We're trying. We're trying. Ziller.
- [57:43]
Jay Shetty
Hey, I'm Jay Shetty, host of the On Purpose podcast. My latest episode is with Noah Kahn, the singer songwriter behind the multi platinum global hit Stick season and one of the biggest voices in music today. Noah opens up about the pressure that followed his rapid success, his struggles with mental health and body image, and the fear of starting again after such a defining moment in his career.
- [58:05]
Noah Kahn
It's easy to look at somebody and be like, your life must be so sick, man. You have no clue. Talking about the mental illness stuff, it used to be this thing that I was ashamed of. I'm just now trying to unwind this idea that I have to be unhealthy physically or in pain in some emotional way in my life to create good music. If someone says that I did a good job, I'm like, yeah, I'm good. Someone says that I suck, I'm like, I suck. Getting to talk about this is not common for me right now.
- [58:33]
Je Skeets
I need it more than ever.
- [58:36]
Jay Shetty
Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [58:44]
Lily Herman
Ready for a different take on Formula one? Look no further than no Grip, a new podcast tackling the culture of motor racing's most coveted series. Join me, Lily Herman, as we dive into the underexplored pockets of F1, including the astrology of the current grid.
- [58:58]
Mike Zakarian
Lewis Hamilton, Capricorn Sun, Cancer Moon. Wouldn't you know it? Michael Schumacher is also a Capricorn Sun, Cancer Moon.
- [59:05]
Lily Herman
The story of the sport's most consequential driver. Strike. We have one man who, upon hearing that he was going to be fired, freaked out and apparently climbed out the window of the bathroom. And was Daniel Ricardo's illustrious F1 career a success story, a cautionary tale, or some combination of both? He started getting all this attention, and he maybe started to think, I'm bigger than this. I'm better. And plenty of other mishaps, scandals, and sagas that have made Formula One a delightful decadent dumpster fire for more than 75 years. Listen to no Grip on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [59:46]
Je Skeets
10.
- [59:46]
Charlamagne Tha God
10 shots.
- [59:47]
Mike Zakarian
5. City hall building. A silver.40 caliber and handgun was recovered at the scene.
- [59:53]
Narrator (Rorschach Podcast)
From iHeart podcasts and best Case Studios, this is Rorschach. Murder at City Hall.
- [59:59]
Charlamagne Tha God
How could this have happened in City Hall?
- [60:01]
Mike Zakarian
Somebody tell me that Jeffrey hill did it.
- [60:04]
Narrator (Rorschach Podcast)
July 2003. Councilman James E. Davis arrives at New York City hall with a guest. Both men are carrying concealed weapons, and in less than 30 minutes, both of them will be dead.
- [60:22]
Je Skeets
Everybody in the chambers abduct.
- [60:24]
Narrator (Rorschach Podcast)
A shocking public murder.
- [60:26]
Mike Zakarian
I scream, get down. Get down.
- [60:28]
Je Skeets
Those are shots. Those are shots.
- [60:29]
Mike Zakarian
Get down.
- [60:30]
Narrator (Rorschach Podcast)
A charismatic politician.
- [60:31]
Je Skeets
You know, he just bent the rules all the time, man.
- [60:34]
Mike Zakarian
I still have a weapon and I could shoot you.
- [60:39]
Narrator (Rorschach Podcast)
And an outsider with a secret.
- [60:41]
Lily Herman
He alleged he was in victim of lockdown.
- [60:44]
Mike Zakarian
That may or may not have been political. That may have been about sex.
- [60:48]
Narrator (Rorschach Podcast)
Listen to Rorschach murder at City hall on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [60:58]
Lori Siegel
I'm Lori Siegel, and on Mostly Human, I go beyond the headlines with the people building our future. This week, an interview with one of the most influential figures in Silicon Valley, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
- [61:11]
Sam Altman
I think society is going to decide that creators of AI products bear a tremendous amount of responsibility to products we put out in the world.
- [61:17]
Lori Siegel
From power to parenthood, kids, teenagers, I
- [61:21]
Sam Altman
think they will need a lot of guardrails around AI. This is such a powerful and such
- [61:24]
Lori Siegel
a new thing, from addiction to acceleration.
- [61:27]
Sam Altman
The world we live in is a competitive world, and I don't think that's going to stop even if you did a lot of redistribution. You know, we have a deep desire to excel and be competitive and gain status and be useful to others. And it's a multiplayer game.
- [61:41]
Lori Siegel
What does the man who has extraordinary influence over our lives have to say about the weight of that responsibility? Find out on Mostly Human.
- [61:49]
Sam Altman
My highest order bit is to not destroy the world with AI.
- [61:52]
Lori Siegel
Listen to Mostly Human on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
- [62:01]
Je Skeets
All right, one more Round of losers where you want to go, go.
- [62:04]
Mike Zakarian
I just. The Philly one over the weekend was kind of funny. I. For those that are being introduced to me for the first time, I hate April Fool's Day. I think it's terrible. It's just lying. It's not jokes. You're just lying. So the injury report comes out for the Philly game that was on April 1st, and Embiid is. Is out.
- [62:22]
Je Skeets
Yeah.
- [62:22]
Mike Zakarian
And it was like, I think a back to back and it kind of made sense that he wasn't going to play. And then he tweets out like, oh, this must be April Fools or whatever. And then I. I thought he was just. Just joking a little bit. But then he's. He's talked to. I don't know if it was after the game or after practice or something and addresses it a little bit about how he was held out and he was like, yeah, I wasn't feeling well, but I also wasn't feeling well in the other game that I played and I was feeling better that day. And these are important games and I want to be out there. But I guess in name Drops Mori being like that, Daryl Morey is the one making these decisions of if I can play or they won't allow me to play. So I just. With the vibe starting to get back in Philly, somehow Daryl Morey seems to be the only guy collecting Ls over there. Whether it's from the McCain trade or now the best player on the team or maybe second best shout out Tyrese Maxey, but the leader of the team anyways, just being like, what are you doing While they're in the midst of this playoff push, also trying to get out of the play in. I don't know. I just. I thought it was. I was surprised to hear him name dropped. I. I don't know. What did you think of that? Well, look.
- [63:27]
Je Skeets
Yeah. When you prop this as a loser, I was like, hold on, what did he do? Or what was said? Or what did Mori do? And so I did the deep dive, obviously yesterday and like, trying to catch up with this story and maybe like, what's going on? And, you know, reading the tea leaves, I saw Spike Eskin, who obviously follows the Sixers closely with his podcast the rights to Ricky Sanchez. Like, he thinks it's just one of these things. Like, almost. The Sixers are tired of the Embiid, like, will he or won't he? And like, it's got the team and the organization burned a couple times with, like, having to announce when Guys are playing how much they're gonna play, that type of thing where it's actually cost them money. So they were like, oh, he's sick. Okay, then just rule him out. You know what I mean? Like, to cover their asses in a way. But then Embiid flips it around, like, well, you know, I wasn't feeling good. I had tummy problems, I had the poops, but I'm okay to go. Like, it's just, like, it's such a mess. It's so silly. But I understand if that is what happened. And this was like, Spike's breakdown. You can go check it out on Twitter. He went into great detail. And I won't, like, try and regurgitated here, but, like, I thought it made sense what he was saying. But, like, Giannis and the Bucks and maybe here, Sixers within beat. It's like, where is the communication at all between the player and these teams? Sometimes, like, yeah, that's what's weird.
- [64:44]
Mike Zakarian
Right? And I just think. And, I mean, I guess I could have included Embiid as the loser, too, because I. I think, like, to not understand. And again, I'm from the outside, so what do I know? But, like, to not understand the moment that you're in where you're like, man, Paul George is back. He looks incredible. Max, he's healthy again. You. You, Joel, Embiid are healthy again. Yeah, we're winning some games. We're going to play up Bush. We don't need to do this, man. No, like, we don't. This is not helpful. I also thought there was one thing that I. I caught in the second viewing of the. The clip of him be talking about it, where he does slip in that he did not sleep well the night before and missed morning shoot around.
- [65:22]
Je Skeets
Yeah.
- [65:23]
Mike Zakarian
And I was like, yeah, okay. This kind of makes sense that they ruled you out then, man. And I think it was a game that was against the W, and they're probably like, we can. A Dembona can take care of the Wizards down low. We'll be fine. But, yeah, it's just like, read the. Read the room here, guys. You're where things are. Things are looking up.
- [65:39]
Je Skeets
Yes. Like, know that when you say you're pissed off, that's gonna be a headline, man. Like. Like when you just say that. That you're pissed off. That. And you were, like, left out of the decision whether you're gonna play or not. Like, it's gonna be a story, and you're gonna, like, draw a lot of attention to your team. Like, you said that is like trying to get into the playoffs. Trying obviously get in the play in standings or whatever. And you're playing okay, and guys come back. It's like, yeah, read the room. Good way to put it. But again, I guess at its core it's like, what are you guys doing? Talk to each other here? Is there so little like respect or faith in each other? Maybe that is the case. Weird. Just ultimately weird that they're coming up here as a loser of the weekend when they shouldn't be really. I mean, I know they lost one, but so strange. Final one for me. The National Blowout association on Friday night. You already alluded to this, Mike. Friday's NBA games were decided by an average of 24.4 points per game. So that is the largest average margin of victory on a day with at least eight games in NBA history. The closest game was the Kings beating the Pelicans by four. Shout out to Dylan Cardwell. Great defense down the stretch. The other eight games all decided by double digits and most of them by like 25, 30. Like there may have been a 40 point blowout in there. So just a bad look for the NBA on Friday night. Tim Reynolds, another great tweet. There have been two days in NBA history spanning 80 years where at least nine games were played with an average margin of victory being at least 24 points. Only two such days, 80 years. One was Friday night, April 3rd. The other was last Sunday, March 29th. So we've had two just nights on the NBA calendar because of matchups because half the teams in the league suck and are like trying to maybe lean into still being bad. Obviously we have some good teams in this league and we just had all these blowouts and you know, people were, you won't believe this, Mike. People were overreacting on Twitter about this and how washed the NBA was because of this. I mean, I rolled my eyes at it. It's not good, don't get me wrong. But, but okay, like what I said on Saturday with the Spurs Nuggets game is like, where were all those people bitching and moaning about Friday night's games that I guarantee they weren't watching?
- [67:54]
Mike Zakarian
Right.
- [67:55]
Je Skeets
Where are they now saying, wow, this is such a great game. Good bounce back, you know, there's nowhere to be heard. So. But it did look bad. Yeah.
- [68:03]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah. On Friday morning I was looking at the schedule and was seeing that like every spread looked like it was a, like a college football weekend.
- [68:09]
Je Skeets
Yes.
- [68:10]
Mike Zakarian
And I was like, oh, you know what I'm going to do Tonight I'm going to go out to dinner with. Then I put the, I didn't, I put the phone on silent. Didn't, didn't look at anything because I knew on Saturday I was going to clear out and watch Spurs Nuggets. So I did. That's how we have to approach this. We get to the last two weeks of the regular season and we have a bunch of teams who have absolutely nothing to play for except for maybe losing. They just, you know, turn the phone off. Go, go watch a movie, get outside.
- [68:36]
Je Skeets
That's right.
- [68:36]
Mike Zakarian
Touch some grass.
- [68:37]
Je Skeets
Touch some grass. That's right. Yeah. A lot of people were comparing it to a non conference college hoop slate in November with those big spreads and just the teams we're playing. It's weird that Reynolds tweet that. It's happened a couple times here over the last week but yeah, I wouldn't overreact too much. This. We get weird results, weird player performances all the time in these April games. This is why like these fantasy sports leagues that you're in and competing and like they don't. They wrap up usually earlier than the actual season.
- [69:07]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah. Yeah. They tend to try to, to. I mean yeah, in all sports they do it in all sports where they try to, they try to finish it before like so many teams have, have nothing to play for. It has been kind of funny just like learning people's names because they're like like a Lucas Williamson or Williamson Lucas. I don't like there's just like random people playing and it's not random. They worked really hard to be in the spot that they're random to me that are playing like 20 like we had a 40 plus minute game from Leaky Black over the weekend. Like you just, it's just everybody's getting
- [69:37]
Je Skeets
a time to shine the Grizzlies right now. The guys, they are rolling out note it is unbelievable. It was something like a two way guy and then four like 10 day guys. They had 13 names on the injury reserve list. It's crazy that team, their.
- [69:52]
Mike Zakarian
Their injury report is a CBS receipt now where it's just like dude you got Taj Gibson's out there. Ty Jerome is only allowed to play like nine minutes a week or something. Like I, it's. It is wild what Memphis is doing out there. The Memphis got. God bless the people of Memphis. Man, this is, this is a tough hang. A tough hang this year.
- [70:10]
Je Skeets
I was kicking myself on Friday night though too. I was like before the game started because I'm looking at the matchups I'm going, holy crap, this looks like it could be bad. And it was. I was gonna tweet tonight. Feels like the perfect night now. I was gonna say for somebody to score 60 plus points. I just thought it was gonna happen. I was gonna tweet it, and I just. I don't know. I got. I was doing something else. I forgot to tweet it. Nobody got to 60, but that was the Cooper night. So I was like, oh, man, I would have been on it. I would have called it basically, or close. Like a big, big scoring performance. That was an eddie. Went for 51, but I left it in the drafts, man. So, yeah, deleted. Yeah.
- [70:47]
Mike Zakarian
What could have been. What could have been?
- [70:48]
Je Skeets
What could have been. People would have been talking about it, man. It would have been really a lot of good engagement on that tweet. All right, so that's our winners and losers. You tell us who we missed in the stream team, as you, I'm sure, are right now or in the comments. But let's go to wobble of the night. No sponsor. Unless somebody did sponsor in the stream team before the show or while I was talking. I don't see it. So. No, I don't think so. Okay, well.
- [71:15]
Mike Zakarian
Well, you know what?
- [71:15]
Je Skeets
NBA bit just sponsored this.
- [71:17]
Mike Zakarian
Wow. Huge. Yeah.
- [71:18]
Je Skeets
And the link is in the show notes. I already put it there. So go check out Mike's generally daily podcast. You do a great job. It's actually the perfect lead in to no dunks. I always have it on in the drive into the factory where you're live and you're going over the box scores and big storylines, sort of what we do. So good work on that.
- [71:35]
Mike Zakarian
An honor to be an opener for the headliner.
- [71:38]
Je Skeets
Yeah, well, hey, look, look. And then you're getting a free sponsorship here for. Oh, boy. Tas is going to be pissed. Oh, Tass is going to be livid. You might get an invoice. You might get an invoice.
- [71:49]
Mike Zakarian
I was going to say, I wish I had the YouTube stream up right now, but I was nervous about hearing the voice in the background. I was going to get ready to go ahead and sponsor it in real time.
- [71:57]
Je Skeets
Oh, wow. No, no, you save your. You save your YouTube bucks. This one's on us. All right, so. Oh, boy of the night. Cooper Flag. 45 points, 14 to 27 shooting, 15 to 17 at the line. 8 boards, 9 assists, 1 block, 2 steals in 39 minutes. Fourth time, Flag has scored at least 40 points as a rookie, so he is ending the season here on a sizzling note. Has he done enough to steal the rookie of the year back from Con caniple his former Duke teammate? We'll find. Find out. I was gonna find. I was gonna say we'll find out soon enough, but who knows how long those ballots are gonna sit there with voters with the whole Luca situation of it all. But Cooper, Coop Dog gets it, so congrats to him. National championship game on tonight, 8:50pm Eastern on TBS, TNT, True TV, HBO. Max, you already said you like Michigan in this one because they are rolling. They are putting up a lot of
- [72:49]
Mike Zakarian
points, I think so. I think I'm at the point too, where I'm. I just can't. Can't support Dan Hurley. I think there's just too many antics for the coach that I'm like, it's too much about you right now, man. So I think I'm just out. I think I'm just going. I'm going. Michigan. We saw the Fab Five get back together.
- [73:05]
Je Skeets
Yeah, let's.
- [73:05]
Mike Zakarian
Give me. Give me the Wolverines.
- [73:06]
Je Skeets
So the Fab Five were like. They were doing a broadcast. I saw an alt cast, I guess, as you would call it. Yeah. Yeah.
- [73:14]
Mike Zakarian
Do you know what? So funny you say that. I was. I was watching the last bit, I believe, of Magic Pelicans last night, and it was brought up. Up. And the. The bro. The main. The main broadcaster for the Pelicans made sure to be like, yes, I believe it was an alt cast. Like, was not giving him the credit for, like, it being a full broadcast. Like, made sure to correct. Which I loved. It was.
- [73:35]
Je Skeets
It was.
- [73:36]
Mike Zakarian
It was great.
- [73:37]
Je Skeets
I saw. I think it was Lefko, Adam Lefko, our guy with the Fab Five. Because I think they did. They did. Obviously, the game in the middle of the screen, taking up a lot of screen, and then three guys down the left, three guys down the right. Because the Fab Five and then left go. So three on each side.
- [73:52]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah, I love that. Just glad they're back together.
- [73:54]
Je Skeets
Yeah, I was happy to see them. So hopefully this game is entertaining. I mean, that's really what we're hopeful. Hopeful for. As a casual college fan, that's all I want. But UConn could win a third title in four seasons here if they do it again. And Michigan seeking their first title since 1989 and the big tension, first since 2000.
- [74:15]
Mike Zakarian
Wow.
- [74:16]
Je Skeets
So always a fascinating thing to me as a Canadian, people caring about the conferences don't care. Wow.
- [74:23]
Mike Zakarian
It used to be a big. I, like, I was. When I was growing up I like a big, Big east fan. Like, that was a big deal.
- [74:30]
Je Skeets
So weird to me.
- [74:32]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah. It was just like, region, baby. It's regional.
- [74:35]
Charlamagne Tha God
Yeah.
- [74:35]
Je Skeets
But now. But now it's all. It doesn't matter because they're all playing and they're all over place. The. The place now.
- [74:39]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah, it's garbage now. Once the. The. I was like, I followed Boston College because that was like the only team in the Northeast or in Massachusetts that would pretend to be good at sports.
- [74:48]
Je Skeets
Right.
- [74:48]
Mike Zakarian
And they. They switched from the Big east to the. The Atlanta. No, the aac. Oh, my gosh.
- [74:55]
Je Skeets
Acc. Yeah.
- [74:56]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah. And I was like, once they did that, I was like, come on.
- [74:58]
Je Skeets
Yeah.
- [74:58]
Mike Zakarian
What are we doing? I want to fight New Hampshire. That again. I don't want to. I don't want to deal with down
- [75:03]
Je Skeets
south, but imagine we did this in the NBA. Like, I'm obviously a Raptors fan. They're going to lose. I've been saying it all season long. They're probably just now going to lose in the play and. Because they're back there. But as soon as they're out of the playoff running, I'm like, hey, let's go Atlantic Division, baby. Come on, Celtics. Come on, Knicks. You got a rep for the division. That's my squads. Like, what? No, the opposite. I'm going to cheer against them. I don't. You know, that's so funny to me.
- [75:30]
Mike Zakarian
Yeah, that is true. I guess I've never thought about it because, like, if the Knicks got eliminated and let's say the Nets are on a playoff run, it's not like the Knicks fans are like, well, we're going to rep our city, baby.
- [75:39]
Je Skeets
Oh, so strange. College sports are just. They're really strange, especially as a foreign Canadian when I came down here, but. Well, hopefully we get a good game. Anything else you want to plug, Mike, before we let you go? Really appreciate you joining me and, and, and sticking to the Monday schedule. I put you in a tough spot. It wasn't just questions and answers. It was winners, losers.
- [75:59]
Mike Zakarian
No, this is great. This is great. It was. Listen, I've been. I've told you this in person before, but I've been just a huge fan of you guys for a very long time now. So for the opportunity to come hang out and do this has been. Been a lot of fun. So I appreciate you. You asking. And yeah, I, I was sweating it out a little bit with this being winners and losers. Like there did I, like yesterday a little. Little flop sweat while I was trying to be like, all right, what Are we gonna do?
- [76:22]
Je Skeets
Hey, I saw, I saw you in the document though, adding stuff. I was, yeah, I was like, yeah,
- [76:27]
Mike Zakarian
mostly just staring at it for a while. It's a lot of looking. A lot of looking for a while. But no, this is. This has been great. And yeah, if you enjoyed any of this.
- [76:35]
Je Skeets
Yeah.
- [76:35]
Mike Zakarian
Do the NBA bit Monday through Friday at 9am 9am live on YouTube. 9am live on YouTube. And it's a lot of this. It's a lot of yelling. It's a lot of yelling.
- [76:45]
Je Skeets
Well, you have the drops though, too,
- [76:47]
Mike Zakarian
which we do have some drops if you want.
- [76:49]
Je Skeets
What's your favorite drop report?
- [76:50]
Mike Zakarian
Door Report is probably my favorite one. Yeah, the door report. The door report is a banger. And then PJ Washington, like, I just, I, I'll have the first one we did too. So I'll have a soft spot for that for a long time.
- [77:04]
Je Skeets
Well, check out those bits on NBA bit. That link is in the show. Not do me a solid. Do it for Mike. Hit the like button. Subscribe to no dunks. Then go do that for NBA bit. I'll be back tomorrow with Ben Gulliver, who is a Michigan fan. So he's either going to be on cloud nine because blue wins. Go blue or the opposite. His team loses. We'll get. We might get cranky Ben Gulliver, which I didn't. I don't even know if it's possible. So. Wow. Yeah.
- [77:29]
Mike Zakarian
Hopefully he shares mean Dan Hurley thoughts if that does. Yeah, I'll be tuning in.
- [77:34]
Je Skeets
I'm sure he will. So join us tomorrow for that at 10:00am Eastern. Mike, think of a quote to sign us off because I will say, clipper Bros, you heard it here first.
- [77:44]
Mike Zakarian
Have a great time. Turn up. Love you guys.
- [77:46]
Charlamagne Tha God
Awesome.
- [77:48]
Mike Zakarian
Hug a friend. Just go hug a friend.
- [77:51]
Je Skeets
Short and sweet, Mike. I like it. Appreciate it, man. We'll talk soon. Embrace the day, people.
- [77:59]
Jay Shetty
Hey, I'm Jay Shetty, host of the On Purpose podcast. My latest episode is with Noah Khan, the singer songwriter behind the multi platinum global hit stick season and one of the biggest voices in music today.
- [78:12]
Noah Kahn
Talking about the mental illness stuff. It used to be this thing that I was ashamed of getting to talk about. This is not common for me right now. I need it more than ever.
- [78:23]
Jay Shetty
Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts ready for
- [78:30]
Lily Herman
a different take on Formula one. Look no further than no Grip, a new podcast tackling the culture of motor racing's most coveted series. Join me Lily Herman as we dive into the underexplored pockets of F1, including the astrology of the current grid, the story of the sport's most consequential driver strike, and plenty of other mishaps, scandals and sagas that have made Formula One a delightful decadent dumpster fire for more than 75 years. Listen to no Grip on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
- [79:00]
Charlamagne Tha God
Peace to the planet. Charlamagne Tha God here. And listen. We are back. The Black Effect Podcast Festival is back in Atlanta on April 25th at Pullman, Y', yeah. And the full lineup is nuts. We got the Grits and Eggs podcast, Deontay Kyle and Big Ice Cup Cat. We got Club 520 with Jeff Teague in the gang. Don't call me White Girl. Mona will be there. Keep it positive, sweetie. With Crystal Renee. We got Reality with the King with Carlos King. And yes, drink champs will be in the building.
- [79:29]
Mike Zakarian
Okay.
- [79:30]
Charlamagne Tha God
Plus, you know we're gonna have a lot of guests, so you need to join us. And we got the Black Effect Marketplace to pitch your podcast and everything you expect from the Black Effect Podcast Festival. Tickets are on sale right now. Go get yours@blackffect.com podcast festival. Don't play yourself. Okay, pull up.
- [79:50]
Lori Siegel
I'm Lori Siegel and this is Mostly Human, A tech podcast through a human lens. This week, an interview with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
- [79:58]
Sam Altman
I think society is going to decide that creators of AI products bear a tremendous amount of responsibility to the products we put out in the world.
- [80:05]
Lori Siegel
An in depth conversation with the man who's shaping our future.
- [80:09]
Sam Altman
My highest order bit is to not destroy the world with AI.
- [80:12]
Lori Siegel
Listen to Mostly Human on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
- [80:21]
Je Skeets
This is an iHeart podcast.
- [80:23]
Lori Siegel
Guaranteed Human.