The Drop | Pacers Do It Again, Hali's Clutch Run & The Finals Demand More Pageantry

Summary

Podcast Summary: No Dunks – "The Drop | Pacers Do It Again, Hali's Clutch Run & The Finals Demand More Pageantry"

Release Date: June 6, 2025

Hosts: J. Skeets, Tas Melas, JD, and occasional insights from Trey Kerby and Ash.

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1. Introduction

The episode kicks off with a casual banter among the hosts, setting a relaxed tone before diving into the day's primary discussion. J. Skeets welcomes listeners from the "Classic Factory," highlighting their recent live coverage from the Oklahoma City (OKC) floor and sharing amusing anecdotes about interactions with NBA personalities, such as Kenny "the Jet" Smith.

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2. Game Analysis: Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

a. Pacers' Historic Comeback

The focal point of the episode is Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals between the underdog Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Pacers orchestrated a stunning late-game comeback, overcoming a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter to secure a narrow victory with a final score of 111-110.

• Tas Melas marvels at the "fourth shocking late comebacks," emphasizing Tyrese Halliburton's critical role:

  "[Halliburton] pulled off their fourth shocking late comeback of these playoffs. And Tyrese Halliburton once again the hero, hitting the game-winning jumper with 03 seconds left." ([04:11])

b. Key Players and Performances

• Tyrese Halliburton: Despite scoring only 14 points, Halliburton's clutch performances were pivotal. His game-winning shot in the finals mirrors his consistent late-game heroics throughout the playoffs.

• Andrew Nemhardt: Recognized as a silent hero, Nemhardt contributed significantly with three key assists and initiated pivotal runs that energized the Pacers:

  "He was, when it came down to it, 15 points down, nine and a half minutes left in that fourth quarter. He started it up... and he had three big assists to get them closer to the end there." ([06:00])

• Pascal Siakam: Siakam's defensive prowess was on display with a monstrous block and crucial offensive rebounds:

  "Pascal Siakam with that monstrous block and the put back with that minute left. Huge." ([14:24])

• Lou Dort: Delivered a standout defensive performance with a significant block in the final minutes, showcasing his transformative impact:

  "Lou Dort had a monstrous block with a minute plus left. So he was playing center. I had my girls watching that Lou Dort block over and over." ([07:38])

c. Coaching Decisions

Rick Carlisle, the Pacers' coach, made strategic lineup changes, notably opting to play smaller lineups during critical moments. This decision sparked discussions about defensive matchups and the Thunder's inability to rebound effectively, leading to Indiana's dominance in the final quarter.

• J. Skeets highlights Carlisle's timeout strategy:

  "I mean, credit to Carlisle and the Pacers for not calling the timeout. Yeah, let him do it again." ([05:34])

d. Defensive Plays and Turnovers

The Pacers' defense was relentless, capturing numerous turnovers and disrupting the Thunder's offensive flow. Despite accumulating 19 turnovers themselves in the first half, the Pacers managed to mitigate the impact by capitalizing on the Thunder's missed opportunities.

• Tas Melas notes the defensive intensity:

  "The Pacers did an incredible job just to get back their transition. Defense was awesome." ([10:09])

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3. Broadcast and Presentation

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around the perceived lack of pageantry in the NBA Finals broadcast by ABC. The hosts lament the absence of traditional Finals elements such as the Larry O’Brien Trophy decal on the court, player introductions, and anthem performances.

• J. Skeets criticizes the minimalistic broadcast approach:

  "Besides the little gold accents on the score bugs from ABC, you would have no clue that this is really an NBA Finals game." ([37:53])

• Tas Melas echoes the sentiment, advocating for visual enhancements to signify the Finals' importance:

  "Why don't we do that with... make the Oklahoma City Thunder logo, like, make it gold." ([40:48])

The hosts propose integrating virtual elements or subtle on-court decorations to boost the Finals' visual distinction, ensuring viewers recognize the event's significance without undermining broadcast aesthetics.

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4. Audience Interaction and Highlights

The episode features clips and social media interactions, including a notable moment where Tyrese Halliburton discusses the Pacers' relentless winning streak in clutch situations:

• J. Skeets shares Halliburton's on-air thoughts:

  "He's made the key shot in every one of the Pacers' four ridiculous comebacks this postseason." ([28:46])

Additionally, the hosts highlight a viral segment featuring Halliburton's fluctuating voice pitch during interviews, adding a humorous undertone to the analysis.

• Tas Melas reacts to Halliburton's voice changes:

  "It's like he's doing it on purpose at times because he's done it so many times." ([31:23])

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5. Rapid Fire Fun Segment

In the concluding segment, the hosts engage in a rapid-fire Q&A, discussing topics ranging from cartoon-inspired sneaker designs to pop culture references. Highlights include:

• Tas Melas suggests incorporating the Tasmanian Devil into sneaker designs for a playful boost:

  "Get the Tasmanian Devil on some shoes. Do they Exist. Maybe." ([62:24])

• Ash reminisces about classic cartoons like "Caillou" and contemplates their potential influence on future sneaker trends:

  "Maybe a Caillou shoe. I mean, I don't know." ([63:24])

The segment showcases the hosts' camaraderie and light-hearted banter, providing listeners with entertaining insights beyond the game's analysis.

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6. Conclusion

The episode wraps up with reflections on the Pacers' remarkable performance and anticipation for Game 2 of the Finals. The hosts invite listeners to share their thoughts on the series' trajectory and the broadcast's presentation, emphasizing the community aspect of their podcast.

• J. Skeets expresses excitement for the upcoming game:

  "We will all be back here in the Classic Factory on Monday to break down Game two." ([59:24])

• Tas Melas reinforces the Pacers' resilience and their status as a "team of destiny":

  "Who cares about small markets? Who cares that OKC is a small market and Indiana Indianapolis is a small market?" ([78:19])

Listeners are encouraged to engage with the podcast through ratings, reviews, and social media interactions, fostering a vibrant and interactive community.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Tas Melas ([04:12]): "It is unbelievable that each series now all four series, Halliburton has hit a shot in the last 1.3 seconds left."

• J. Skeets ([05:34]): "I mean, credit to Carlisle and the Pacers for not calling the timeout."

• Tas Melas ([07:00]): "He was in his bag."

• J. Skeets ([14:24]): "Pascal Siakam with that monstrous block and the put back with that minute left. Huge."

• J. Skeets ([32:22]): "Just unbelievable right now."

• Tas Melas ([37:53]): "It's a fair question. I don't know why."

• J. Skeets ([44:16]): "They got to do it. Congrats to baby number two."

• J. Skeets ([59:24]): "We will all be back here in the Classic Factory on Monday to break down Game two."

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Conclusion

This episode of No Dunks offers an in-depth analysis of a thrilling Game 1 in the NBA Finals, highlighting the Indiana Pacers' extraordinary comeback and the strategic brilliance of key players and coaches. Additionally, the hosts critique the broadcast's lack of traditional Finals excitement, blending insightful commentary with engaging humor and interactive segments. Whether you're a die-hard basketball fan or new to the podcast, this episode provides a comprehensive and entertaining overview of one of the season's most captivating matchups.

Transcript

[Tas Melas]

I'm not saying I'm obsessed with basketball, but my neighbors definitely know when there's a new doc on prime video because I yell at the TV like I'm coaching the team. And with Amazon Prime, I can always count on fast free delivery when ordering a mini hoop, ankle socks and three different headbands because style matters even when you're missing layups. Prime is my coach, my hype man, and my gear guy all in one. Whatever you're into, it's on Prime. Visit Amazon.com prime to get more out of whatever you're into.

[Trey Kerby]

As you've probably heard by now, we've teamed up with BetMGM. This season we'll be using BetMGM lines to make all of our picks and we'll have special offers for our listeners each week. If you haven't signed up for BETMGM yet, use bonus code theathletic and you'll get a one year subscription to the Athletic plus a to a 1500 dollars first bet offer on your first wager with BetMGM. Here's how it works. Download the BetMGM app and sign up using bonus code theathletic. Make your first deposit of at least ten dollars. Place your first bet on any game and claim your voucher for a one year subscription to the Athletic.

[JD]

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[Trey Kerby]

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[J. Skeets]

Yeah, not much. Just been chilling here with Rex. Look, Rex. Say hi.

[Tas Melas]

Say hi.

[J. Skeets]

Rex, look who it is.

[Ash]

It's your favorite person.

[J. Skeets]

Look, look, look. Yeah, buddy. Yeah. He misses you. He misses you. Good morning, sweet world, and welcome to the no Dunks podcast presented by Amazon Prime. It's Friday, June 6, 2025. This is the Drop. I'm J. Skeets here in the classic factory and alongside me, as always, Tas Melas.

[Tas Melas]

I gotta say, it wants to get it out of the way.

[J. Skeets]

Curtain Halliburton over yonder, making the magic happen. It's super producer JD Hello. There he is. Here we are. Big shouts to our guys, Trey and Ash, who went live last night from the OKC floor to give their immediate reaction to this crazy game that we're going to get into. TK even got dapped up midstream by Kenny the Jet Smith. Yeah, so this was a hilarious 20, 25 minute podcast the guys did after the game last night.

[Tas Melas]

It was great. It was great. We just watched it again. I still laugh every time I see Kenny see Trey. And it looks like Trey's getting back to work to talk about basketball. But Kenny comes in. Surprising that Kenny comes in for the dap.

[J. Skeets]

Remember when Kenny Smith hated us?

[Tas Melas]

I guess not.

[J. Skeets]

When we first got there.

[Tas Melas]

Then he loved us. Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Good stuff from Trey and Ash.

[Tas Melas]

I'm still waiting for my JBL speake.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, that was a great gift at that, partner.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, it was fun.

[J. Skeets]

If you haven't checked that podcast out, that video, go do so help the guys out. Did a great job going live last night, but it's our turn now to really dig into it. We'll get to some random notes. It's the drop. We'll have some rapid fire fun at the end. But the Pacers did it again. The underdog Indiana Pacers pulled off another stunning win last night, this time taking down the Thunder 111, 110 in game one of the 2025 finals. The Pacers trailed by as many as 15 points in the fourth quarter.

[Tas Melas]

Unbelievable.

[J. Skeets]

But pulled off their fourth shocking late comeback of these playoffs. And Tyrese Halliburton once again the hero, hitting the game winning jumper with 03 seconds left. His deep deuce gave Indy its first and only lead of the entire game. They've done it again, Tass. And they're up one. Oh man.

[Tas Melas]

It is unbelievable that each series now all four series, Halliburton has hit a shot in the last 1.3 seconds left. In either the fourth quarter overtime to either tie it or win it. I'm glad he didn't do the choke thing like he happens to do. This is game one of the NBA Finals. Let's wait before the choke. But I do want to just watch it over and over and over because Kayson Wallace picked him up full court and he tracked him the entire way. And I like watching it from this opposite end of camera, this phantom view, because Kayson waltz is on him. But I think he sees Alex Caruso coming, so he kind of thinks he's hand handing him off to Alex Caruso. So he gives Halliburton an extra step there, extra bit of space as Halliburton season. He's like, okay, I'm rising and I'm hitting this shot. So I think there's a miscommunication there from this perspective because Casen Wallace, again, he was tracking him the entire way. He was in Halliburton's shorts until that spot where Caruso looks like it's your job now. But Caruso goes to box out and there's that extra little bit of space for Halberton to rise and hit the shot. What a freaking shot.

[J. Skeets]

I mean, credit to Carlisle and the Pacers for not calling the timeout. Yeah, let him do it again. Otherwise you probably got door on him, right?

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

And maybe he doesn't get that shot off. He did have the smaller Wallace on him. Hella big dude he is. Goes right all the time and obviously felt comfortable stepping into that jumper. But I hear your takeaway there from, like, what are we doing? Is Crusoe coming over to help? But yes, man, the stones on this guy. It's unbelievable.

[Tas Melas]

It is unbelievable how they got there in the end because as you said, it's 15 points with nine minutes left. Andrew Nemhardt was a hero in this game because even if you look at a stat line, a hero has 4 of 11, 14 points. But he was, when it came down to it, 15 point, 15 points down, nine and a half minutes left in that fourth quarter. He started it up. He went at Alex Caruso. Alex Caruso basically like hugs him. But somehow Nemhardt is able to finish through and get that bucket. And then he had big assist after big assist to go on a 122 run to bring the Pacers back in this game. Four threes by their bigs, two from Miles Turner, two from Obi Toppin, and Nemhardt had three big assists to get them closer to the end there. Even though one of those Miles Turner threes was a bank job. That was nuts. Bank job from, you know, the side. He's. He's sort of free throw line extended and shoots that ball. How. How does that bank in? And then Nemhard, with two minutes left, hits that three over Shea. That was amazing.

[J. Skeets]

He was in his bag.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, just through his legs. Through his legs, through his legs. And hits that shot over Shay to get them closer. And then we got dagna deciding to go extremely small the last 3 minutes and 24 seconds. They don't have a center out there. They pull out Chet Holmgren, and, you know, we can debate whether or not it was a smart move. Lou Dort had a monstrous block with a minute plus left. So he was playing center. I had my girls watching that Lou Dort block over and over and over again, because Lou Dort just goes straight up, this monstrous man straight up and is able to just hang out there, Hang in the air. Hang in the air, hang in the air. And then block the shot. That was beautiful.

[J. Skeets]

And then SGA scored on the other end. And that was one of what, a dozen times where you probably thought, oh, they got it right. They did it. Okay, so he's going to win this game. Good fight from the Pacers, but a little too late. Yeah, like, that was that. That one to me was like, okay, this one's finally over. They finally did it. But I thought that like 10 times in this game, like, oh, it's a wrap. Oh, it's a wrap.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Oh, it's a wrap. Oh, it's a wrap.

[Tas Melas]

How did these guys come back? I will say, though, Shade did have a bad minute 10 of the end of the game. His last minute 10 was.

[J. Skeets]

Was.

[Tas Melas]

Was bad. It. They're up three. He goes in. Pascal Siakam acting as center, blocks the shot, and then they go down the other way again. Pacers are down three points. Andrew Nemhardt tries to hit another shot. He misses. Shea is guarding Pascal Siakam. And Pascal Siakam says, all right, I'm going in for the offensive rebound. I'm the biggest guy on the floor, essentially. And Shea just looks kind of gassed as Pascal Siakam comes from the corner. And Shea just kind of throws his hands at him, doesn't box him out, and Pascal gets in there for the offensive rebound. So now it's a one point game.

[J. Skeets]

I'll add to that, though. You know, if you're going to miss a three pointer in the NBA, basically making an airball, because that one just. I mean, I know it wasn't technically an air ball, but it grazed the front of the rim.

[Tas Melas]

That's a good call.

[J. Skeets]

And fell to Siakam. So again, like, I'm not like defending sga. He def. Definitely look Gas should have had a body on him. But like, if you miss in the NBA, I swear to God, it's your best chance to get the board. Yeah, just miss it bad.

[Tas Melas]

That's how you get it.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, because obviously the defense is like ready for the board, ready for the bounce out a little bit more. But anyway, continue.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, no, it's, it's, it's hard to say. Shea had a bad Last minute and 10 because he had an awesome game and he just scored before that. But then here he goes the other way, gets blocked by Pascal, and then we're, we're up one here. What am I going to do? He kind of just has a one pass possession where he kind of just dribbles, dribbles, dribbles. Nemhardt cuts him off. So 7 seconds left. He says, all right, Jalen Williams, you do it. Jalen Williams misses. Luckily, OKC is able to get the ball back because of that challenge that Rick Carlisle had. Hey, I think Pascal Siakam was pushed by Case and Wallace. They give the Thunder the ball and then Shea is stopped by Andrew Nemhardt, Q Halliburton to come the other way after that miss. The guy's ridiculous. So it was. Yeah, you're right. How many times do you think, okay, so he's taking this thing. Okay, so he's taking this thing. Jalen Williams is yelling. He's screaming with 9:30 left as they go to the timeout. And then Andrew Nemhardt again started it. He started it. But all his guys topping Miles Turner, also from the mid range. Those guys just come through in the, in the fourth quarter.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah. After an abysmal first half.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Where I know we'll talk about this, but what 19 turnovers in the first half. Now, lucky for Indiana, some of them were dead ball variety. You know, it wasn't them going in the other way, but ones that were live balls. The Pacers did an incredible job just to get back their transition. Defense was awesome. Even if they were turning it over because OKC was not capitalizing when they were getting these steals. They were like missing threes or missing layups or turning it over themselves. Even happened a couple times. Like, you know, if we had told you coming into this, like, they're going to have basically 24, 25 turnovers, Dort's going to hit five threes SGA is going to have 38. Yeah, there's just no way you'd look me in the face and say that the Pacers still win. As miraculous as this run has been and they feel like the team of destiny. There's just no way. You would have if I had given you those numbers. No, I know, but like you said, that fight in, in the fourth quarter, I even think. I know he gets overlooked here. I thought Mathurin at the start of the fourth quarter played with some aggressiveness. He attacked the rim, he got some free throws, then he had another layup. Just like using his athleticism again. There were so many incidents where they just sort of like stayed within striking distance. And they were always in that, call it 8 to 15 point range. And in the NBA, that's not enough and definitely not enough against the Pacers. And they could never get over the hump. And the Thunder just like sort of started settling for threes. Wallace was shooting threes like you said, J Dub, and everybody was. Dort started missing in the fourth and then they went smaller and so then they weren't even grabbing offensive rebounds.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, you're right. Matheran played a part. There's no doubt. It is amazing that every single guy on this Pacers team comes through. He even did a decent job on Shea when he was guarding him like he did on Jalen Brunson in the last series. Ben Matheran of all people, like slowing people down. But it was miraculous in that fourth quarter, those stats where the Thunder over from three while the Pacers hit six.

[J. Skeets]

Threes, 6 for 10 in the fourth quarter from the Pacers. They hit 18 overall and the Thunder missed a bunch of them. But at one point in the fourth quarter, early in the fourth quarter, the graphic showed you at the bottom of the screen. It was like 11 to 10 or 12 to 11, like in three point shots made. So it was like, you know, it wasn't drastic.

[Tas Melas]

No.

[J. Skeets]

But then that fourth quarter when they hit six, some of them insane, like the banked in job, but others just from pure hustle. Like the one I keep coming back to is like Neesmith like attacked baseline. He got wrapped up by like two or three Thunder guys, but he just kept fighting and he wouldn't like give up the jump ball or get the steal. And that one got kicked out and I think that was a top in one that he banged on the side. Like huge, huge plays. And then like you said, Nemhardt had a lot of the other ones assisting those guys. You called the tasks Called a couple things right heading into this one. Pacers are probably going to be okay with the star in SGA getting his. Just try and take a take away. Everyone else check. And then you brought up. Watch the Pacers go through Nemhard a lot more. And they did. You know, Halliburton's a hero. No doubt coming through with that. But like they're not there without him.

[Tas Melas]

Oh, no.

[J. Skeets]

Obviously playmaking more. Doing the high pick and roll. Feeling it with that huge step back three over sga. Feeling it so much. He tried it again. That was sort of the airball that then lands in Siakam's lap. But yeah, yeah, you called that as well.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, I didn't. Didn't know that Pascal Siakam. I called the over 19 and a half points.

[J. Skeets]

Oh, that would hurt.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah. That Pascal was at 19. He didn't get that half point. I didn't know that the Thunder would be starting Case and Wallace and Pascal Siakam took advantage of that in a couple cross matchups to start this game because Pacers couldn't score. And I didn't know Halliburton would be thrown off. As you heard him on the audio track, he said, I mean I was. I was just kind of had the jitters and he wasn't right. And to see at the end of the game and to hear Andrew Nebhard was at his locker and did like three minutes of press of media and he was gone. He didn't have to do anything. Everybody's talking about Halliburton. Everybody talks about Haliburton and forgets about Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nemhardt. Pascal Siakam with that monstrous block and the put back with that minute left. Huge. Nemhardt, fourth quarter, huge. Ben Matheran coming through. Huge. Miles Turner coming through with two big threes and a mid range shot. Huge. I'll be topping.

[J. Skeets]

Who the heck saw that guy to basically match Dort? I mean, just to cancel him out. Yeah. And he looked shook.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, he was bad in the first half.

[J. Skeets]

That guy was throwing the ball out of bounds twice. Then he bobbled it.

[Tas Melas]

Sloppy topping.

[J. Skeets]

He looked scared. Sloppy topping. Yeah. And. But then obviously like a lot of them bounced back in the second half. Like they cleaned up the turnovers too in the second half.

[Tas Melas]

How do they do it? How do these Pacers do it? It is wild to think about how they only had a lead with only 0.3 seconds left. I can't help but start think of the 2011 Mavs and their run to the NBA championship and how they were not really favored in that first series. Just like the Pacers here in Milwaukee, Dallas wasn't really. Sorry, the Pacers versus Milwaukee. Some people took the Pacers, some people took Dallas over Portland in 2011, but then they were just underdog. Underdog. Underdog like the Pacers are to the Cavs, Nicks and Thunder here. And here they are.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Tas Melas]

Now the Thunder have been here before.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, two rounds ago.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, exactly. In game one against the Nuggets. It's not far fetched to see them come back, but, yeah, they gave up that fourth quarter lead and the Aaron Gordon game winner, so. So I still think they're the favorite, but I will be proven wrong, I'm sure. I mean, this is going to be a long series. And that's the beauty of it.

[J. Skeets]

It feels like Indiana has played in nine official clutch games this postseason. They've won eight of them. So they have a. Basically an 89% winning percentage in the clutch here in the postseason. So this is their recipe. Right? I mean, it's oddly get behind and then come back. But like, if the game is close, the confidence in all of these guys, especially when, you know, hey, if we're need two or three or whatever, we're just giving it to Haliburton. And we feel like he's going to hit it every single time. Because he basically is.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, he is.

[J. Skeets]

He's not missing any of these, like, huge shots. The Pacers are like reminding me of these videos you see online where it's like a guy on a moped or a guy on a motorbike, sometimes even like a quad bike, and they fall off and the bike goes on its side, but they refuse to take their hand off the handlebar and in doing so are just like pulling back on the throttle and the bike keeps going and they're dragging around and stuff like that. That's the Pacers.

[Tas Melas]

That's a good one.

[J. Skeets]

They don't let go of the damn handlebar. The difference is in those epic fail videos, the guy eventually crashes. Let's go. Whatever. The Pacers would be the equivalent. Like they jump back up on the bike, do a wheelie, pull over to the camera. We're like, yeah, I meant to do that. It's like, what? Like, let go. How do they not let go? They just hold on somehow, always holding on, somehow appearing to make it worse, but then like, come back. It's. It's special. It's special. They do legit feel. I know there's a lot of finals still to go here. You're right. Thunder probably still the favorites.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

But at a certain point, you just have to go like, how many more times can this happen where you're like, it's destiny, man.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

They are supposed to win this. Great job by the scriptwriters because this is pretty special, but what an awesome start to this finals. It gives it like so much juice.

[Tas Melas]

Oh, yeah, yeah. Good comparison right there. I mean, Halliburton had a 12 point game until that game waiting shot. It wasn't a spectacular Halliburton game. They. They allowed Andrew Nemhardt again. Kind of saved the day. But it was wild, you know, 9:42 left, down 15 to see the Pacers go on a 32, 16 run to end the game. And they scored 35 in that fourth quarter. They didn't even come close to 32 in the first three quarters. They just banged it home. The numbers are dumb. I'm looking at my sheet here. Like, The Thunder took 16 more shots.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, right, right. And we talked about that. Possessions, possessions, possessions. Whoever wins, that's winning the game. Well, that was wrong.

[Tas Melas]

Just came through. Just came through when it mattered because they hit six threes in the fourth quarter and the Thunder hit zero. And so they just couldn't get to the end. And maybe Shay is. Is gassed a little bit because he did have to score a lot. They did say to the Thunder, all right, Shay, go off and we'll take care of the other guys. But it felt like with Chet and the way he started and Jalen Williams, like two minutes into his first NBA Finals game, bringing the ball up and stepping into a three point shot and hitting it, you think, okay, if Shea is good and Chet is good with the way he started along with that Jalen 3, you think, oh, man, they're good.

[J. Skeets]

The problem was those guys didn't do a whole lot more after that. Chet and J Dub, except J dub started the fourth quarter. He was like 3 of 12 going into the fourth. And then he went 3 of 3. He had the big fast break dunk. Couple ones where he attacked inside, was snaking in there. And that's like. That was definitely one of the times I thought, okay, now he has really shown up here. Now this is going to be difficult for the Pacer. So, yeah, that was the one of 10 or 11 times where I thought, okay, he was winning, but I thought Chet, I mean, also, he didn't play a ton Chad Holmgren either.

[Tas Melas]

No. And that's a fair question. With 324 left Dagnaut. He goes back to those Thunder last year before Isaiah Hartenstein, when Chet Holmgren was hurt. They're playing a six, six guy at center. Essentially. They're tiny for the last three. 24 Again, Lou Dort comes with a huge block, but Pascal Siakam, the monster of anybody on the floor, he's the biggest guy. Comes through with the big offensive on both ends and the big block of Shea with minute seven seconds left. So I wonder. I wonder if that happens again.

[J. Skeets]

Were you surprised that Dagnal started Wallace for HARTENSTEIN in game one of the NBA Finals? When your team has won 80 games at this point, like, you are making the decision to switch it up before you've even played a minute. And like, even though we've seen him do similar things in the start of second halves. Yeah, I was amazed that he did that.

[Tas Melas]

Oh, yeah. Was. I was surprised too. I was surprised how the Thunder reacted positively. I mean, they were.

[J. Skeets]

Ball did work.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah. You know, Kayson Wallace has a big minus and he got the shot hit over him. Although I do think there was a miscommunication there. Yeah, I am surprised for sure. Well, you don't play one of your bigs, you win. And got Hartenstein to pair with Holmgren before the season. So we can't get out. Rebounded.

[J. Skeets]

Right.

[Tas Melas]

And it was a problem. It was a problem right at the end. I don't think Case and Wallace was the problem at all. But, I mean, the Spacers team, I guess, would have beaten any team. I don't know. Hartenstein came out and played awesome in his minutes.

[J. Skeets]

Oh, God, he had seven points, like right away when he checked in.

[Tas Melas]

He was so good.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah. I mean, and dang notes, like, reasoning was like, look, we did this during the regular season at times, you know, this isn't nothing really new to us. We like the matchup. We're going small again. It wasn't surprising they went small. It just maybe was like, what? Why right here in game one?

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, it is. Why start the game? It isn't surprising that Case and Wallace played 33 minutes and Hartenstein played 17 minutes. But you'd flip that and Hartenstein would start and play 17 minutes.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, that's. That was. Yes, it was surprising for sure.

[J. Skeets]

Do you think he goes back? Yeah.

[Tas Melas]

That's a weird.

[J. Skeets]

To Hardenstein starting.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Do you. Or do you look like you're like, oddly panicking even more? I don't know. I don't know what to think because RJ on the call is like, oh, the pace have already won here. Like in the mind game department. Like the Thunder are already switching it up because, you know, they are quote unquote worried about the starting lineup and whatever the matchup problem. Like, I don't know. I don't know how much truth there.

[Tas Melas]

Is to that, but it didn't seem like there was any truth to it.

[J. Skeets]

No.

[Tas Melas]

Thunder were playing great.

[J. Skeets]

19 turnovers in the first time.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, the Thunder were responding well. Although I think Richard Jefferson's argument here would make a lot more sense in game two.

[J. Skeets]

Well, yes.

[Tas Melas]

If they do flip game two or.

[J. Skeets]

Game three, it's like nobody blinks an eye.

[Tas Melas]

Right?

[J. Skeets]

It's that the fact that you did it in game one at home when you've won again 80 games at this point, you're 68 wins in the regular season and you're 12 up to this point, you're looking for four more. That's the weird part.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah. I don't know if they go back to the Hartenstein because he was, he was so good. As you said the points at setting picks. He's such a good screen flipper. You know, he's. It's a first season Isaiah Hartenstein, then he's Isaiah Hartnstein. He just flips. So I associate that with his name because I think he says Isaiah Hartenstein.

[J. Skeets]

I know. Anyway, I know I stay Hartenstein. You have you, I feel do go more Steen. And we've had this debate.

[Tas Melas]

Depends the day I Trey should ask him. Because Hartenstein came up to Trey if you didn't hear our last show and said, well, I used to watch you guys when I was young and he put his hand to the floor like easily.

[J. Skeets]

I used to watch you guys when I was a Hartenstein.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, exactly.

[J. Skeets]

Now I'm a Hartenstein.

[Tas Melas]

But he was awesome. He was so good. Yeah, he was. And there's lots of stats that don't show up in the box score. But Andrew Nemhard airball to three because Hartenstein was all up in his face getting out there to three pointers. Now I think part of that is because he was that sort of in a way it was good because he had all that energy not having to start the game. And I think he. He why he was able to contest shots like that, why he was able to blow by Thomas Bryant was because he came off the bench and was that spark. So I guess they stick with Casen Wallace because if there's any team to go small against, it is this Pacers team that isn't huge.

[J. Skeets]

But all that said the Pacers won the rebound battle last week.

[Tas Melas]

They did.

[J. Skeets]

That's big.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Especially in a game where you're going to turn it over on so many damn possessions, you're going to hopefully want to win at least the rebounding battle. Those guys were scrappy. What's the box score? It's like Siakam with 10 boards, Neesmith with 12 boards. Halliburton had 10 boards. So everybody obviously getting on the glass to give him a chance and give them those either second chances or to end a possession and get the stop.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah. So it wouldn't be surprising if they go either way. I guess it is the mental win for the Pacers if they do flip it again. Yeah, I suppose.

[J. Skeets]

Like, hey, they're, they're adapting to us. We know what we are, we know how we're going to play and we know how we're going to start this game. So I guess a little bit. But like you said, it's not like, it's not like Indiana was up at the end of the first quarter, but despite everything being turned over, they somehow were not down huge. Every time you were like, this game feels like, okay, sort of crushing them. And there was like, oh, it's an eight point game. It's a ten point game.

[Tas Melas]

Right.

[J. Skeets]

Never really out of it all that much.

[Tas Melas]

And they reacted extremely well to losing that Game 1 against the Denver Nuggets and bombed them by 43 in Game 2. But they didn't have to change their lineup at all. Right. They just, they just rolled that same lineup again. So you could see them rolling again with that same lineup. I'm not saying I'm obsessed with basketball, but my neighbors definitely know when there's a new doc on Prime Video because I yell at the TV like I'm coaching the team. And with Amazon Prime, I can always count on fast free delivery when ordering a mini hoop, ankle socks and three different headbands. Because style matters even when you're missing layups. Amazon Music. That's my pump up playlist for driveway dunks and imaginary crowd cheers. Prime is my coach, my hype man and, and my gear guy. All in one. Whatever you're into, it's on Prime. Visit Amazon.comprime to get more out of whatever you're into. Prime One membership, endless assists.

[Richard Jefferson]

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[Trey Kerby]

As you've probably heard by now, we've teamed up with BetMGM. This season we'll be using BetMGM lines to make all of our picks and we'll have special offers for our listeners each week. If you haven't signed up for BetMGM yet, use bonus code TheAthletic and you'll get a one year subscription to the Athletic plus up to a $1500. First bet offer on your first wager with BetMGM, here's how it works. Download the BetMGM app and sign up using bonus code TheAthletic. Make your first deposit of at least $10. Place your first bet on any game and claim your voucher for a one year subscription to the Athletic.

[JD]

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[Trey Kerby]

Don't forget, if you haven't signed up for BETMGM yet, use bonus code the Athletic and you'll get a one year subscription to the Athletic plus up to a fifteen hundred dollar first bet offer on your first wager.

[J. Skeets]

I loved SGA's quote after the game. He said it's a forty eight minute game. The Pacers teach you that lesson more than anybody else in the league the hard way. Facts right there. It's like they had them. I mean they had him for. What would you call it, I don't know, 40 minutes if not longer. Felt comfortable with it and then took their foot off the gas a little bit. And the Pacers do what they do. Here's a question for you. Is Halliburton currently having the greatest clutch playoff run in NBA history? Like when you go through it? Because despite only 14 points, he has made the key shot in every one of the Pacers four ridiculous comebacks this postseason. Game 5 versus the Bucs, Game 2 versus the Cavs, Game 1 versus the Knicks, and now Game 1 in the NBA Finals versus the Thunder.

[Tas Melas]

It sure feels that way.

[J. Skeets]

Right. Since the NBA play by play era. People are comparing it like because that comes in what? 96, 97. The play by play era. So you can't. Like we don't have like the, the clutch numbers for your Birds and your Magics and even a lot of your Jordans. Right? But Jordan, 98, clutch as hell. Robert Horry, 2002.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

A few LeBron's to pick from either. 07, 13, 18. I mean there's probably some other ones. 2011 Dirk to go back to that Mavericks miraculous run that they did. So it's right there is my point. It like has to be. I mean they go on to win the title as one of the biggest upsets of all time. As the only 4C to ever do it. Then, then hell, he might have to go to the top of the list. But right now he's just completely in the mix with these goats. Basically.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah. And it happened during the regular season too. The stat going around that he had. He was 12 of 14 on shots to tie or go ahead the final two minutes. How he, how he does it. Because the other guy's not possible. I know, I know. It doesn't make sense.

[J. Skeets]

They don't, don't. They don't go 12 of 14 in spans of the game in general, let alone in these high pressure moments when all the focus is on stopping him. But he just gets to his shot and you know, had the. You know, basically had the horseshoe up his ass in the one against the Knicks, no doubt, to get it to overtime. Yeah, like, that one's a little bit of luck. A lot of luck. Not that one. I mean, it banged home a little bit, but obviously comfortable getting to his spot.

[Tas Melas]

Like you said on the right, I want a little bit of an AI re edit of having Kayson Wallace all up in his face. Rather than take a step back to give him a little space before that shot, I would like to see. Obviously, it's all fake, so we won't be able to relive the actual moment that the ball is released from Tyrese Halberton's hands. But Casen Wallace unfortunately gave him that tiny bit of space. Whether or not it was a defensive flub with him and Caruso, he probably thought Caruso, the bigger guy, would be there to contest the shot. I can't. I wish. I wish we were in the locker room to find out what that mistake was, because I don't know if he.

[J. Skeets]

Makes the shot, I mean, you call it a mistake. I mean, you sort of just have to tip your cap to the guy.

[Tas Melas]

I'm tipping my cap, but if I'm playing. If I'm playing defense and I'm able to guard him from the moment he has the ball to all the way to the three point line, if I'm able to stick with him and then I just kind of take a little step back and give him space, I would never get. He would never give him space. Casey Wallace would never give him space.

[J. Skeets]

Halliburton was well aware of how much clock was left. I mean, he basically played it perfect right in. Get it, like playing it to the last possible second to shoot. I know there's 0.3 left once it goes in, but, like, when he releases it, you know, Wallace has to play. I'm like, he might drive. We've seen Halliburton go inside there. Now, you generally think he wants to do his little step back. He's done that a lot of times. But sort of down the stretch had a couple where he was attacking and scoring inside. So you got to play that. You don't have Chet out there. You don't have Hartenstein.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

So it's not like you got huge rim protection behind you. So I don't know. He was trying to, like, sort of back up a little bit. Well, what a shot.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Just unbelievable right now.

[Tas Melas]

He is unbelievable.

[J. Skeets]

It's nuts. I saw this from Sam Quinn at CBS Sports. No one else in the play by play era, including LeBron, has made at least one such shot. These Halliburton like shots in each of the four rounds across their entire careers. Because he has, as I went through there, he's done it in every single round. Halliburton has one of these nuts shots. Jordan did it, but he didn't complete his bingo card until the 97 NBA Finals. So Jordan eventually got one in every round, but it took him a long time. So the point is, Halliburton has done in a single postseason what it took Jordan to do in an entire career and what LeBron has not even, you know, actually accomplished in 22 NBA seasons. Basically. Basically game winner or clutch shot like that in the final couple seconds in every single round.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah. And the benefit is Halliburton being that sort of pure point guard type of player where he doesn't have to shoot every possession. He doesn't need 25 to 30 shots per game. The guy had a 14 point game and he had a game winner. And he's the hero because these are the Pacers, man. Yeah, he doesn't shoot all the time. So it is fun. It is fun. And that's the reason why I feel like he had every little ounce of energy that Shea didn't on the other side. I mean, Shea had to be sort of a hero the entire game and he had monstrous help at handling the ball.

[J. Skeets]

You slipped it in there at one point, that lane violation on the Siakam free throw attempt when he did clank two free throws. I mean, it is down the stretch here. All these points matter. And the second one, the officials come in and say, oh, no, no, no. Okay, season of the lane, we're going to reshoot that one. And he hit it. I mean, obviously ended up being a big point in a game you win. 111, 110. I thought it was a bit of a weird call because like it was like 10 guys, it felt like in the lane, like everybody was a violation.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

And even Breen was like, you can go weeks of watching the NBA and they'll never call that. So it's just strange that they did.

[Tas Melas]

Uh huh.

[J. Skeets]

I don't know if you had a take on it. You thought it was the right call.

[Tas Melas]

Well, maybe, maybe they had a makeup call. Because I think what I was referring to actually was when it was like 23 seconds left when the ball went out of bounds.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, that one.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah. And the ball went off of Pascal Siakam.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah. His back was on the ground when.

[Tas Melas]

He Touched it and Case and Wallace kind of pushed him. Yeah, but they didn't call Jason Wallace for the free or for the foul. So maybe that's a makeup call.

[J. Skeets]

Possibly.

[Tas Melas]

But I liked how they didn't call that. It's just the guys are gonna hit each other. And it definitely was off Pascal Siakam, although I love Pascal Siakam's face.

[J. Skeets]

Oh, that was good.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, that was great. So I like how they didn't make that call. And OKC had another shot, another opportunity. Like I just said, Shay gave it to Jalen the first time that eventually went out of bounds and she had another opportunity and missed. The guy was miraculous. But we all focus on the stuff that was late. I think throughout the game, all I was taking notes was Caruso's help block was freaking phenomenal. I mean, there's smart plays by like, Casen Wallace grabbing Haliburton's arm as he streaks the down the lane to try and get a pass. But because Case and Wallace yanked him, Halberton didn't get. There's just. I. It's. It's overshadowed all the great defensive plays that the Thunder made, especially Caruso. It goes. It goes on and on.

[J. Skeets]

That's like the beauty of these coaches playing so many guys. Yeah, I think it's like this high level defense or at least effort. Right. Because they just come in waves and they play so many guys. That's like. That starts to wane as the game goes on. When you have these coaches and we've seen teams that like play their guys 40, 45 minutes well, like, I mean, something's got to fall off. Like you're gonna lose some energy, especially you usually lose it on the defensive end first. But we don't really have that, Case, because so many guys are both really good defenders or at least give a damn and put an effort. And then like, everybody's sort of fresh when they keep coming in in these ways. Didn't we have Rick Carlisle did the old, like, hockey lineup switch?

[Tas Melas]

He did.

[J. Skeets]

Took five guys off. Five guys in. Let's go.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Jump over the boards.

[Tas Melas]

This is a team, man. And when you're going through all of Halliburton's game winners and how he's able to do it, you know, I go back to just who this guy is, and he was a number 12 pick and he wasn't the guy to take over. He wasn't going to be a superstar that needed to shoot all the time. And the way that Ricardo says five guys come on in in game One of the NBA Finals. And it works. I mean, the guys that he plays. Same for the other side on Dagnaut's side. I mean, they go deep as well.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Tas Melas]

A.J. mitchell.

[J. Skeets]

You called that, too. You're like, we're gonna see Mitchell. I'm like, are we? Yeah, we saw him early.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah. He didn't play all that. So they yanked him and he didn't come back, right? No.

[J. Skeets]

And we started the second quarter with two starters on the floor. That's sort of crazy when you think about it.

[Tas Melas]

From both teams.

[J. Skeets]

From both teams, of the 10 guys out there, only two of them were starters. It was Siakam and Jdub were the only guys out there at that point. Everybody else was from the bench.

[Tas Melas]

I thought we'd see more. Kenrich Williams. Why wasn't Mudflap out there?

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, not a lot for him.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, that was surprising.

[J. Skeets]

Any other, you know, game takeaways, Big picture takeaways? We'll get to random notes and have some things to say about the broadcast in particular.

[Tas Melas]

But, yeah, I can't wait. I mean, that's gonna take a while. So I think we should just go to that.

[J. Skeets]

I mean, yeah, we can go to that. Because obviously, we just hope these games are like this Game one. There'll be special man.

[Tas Melas]

There'll be some basketball talk even in these random notes. It's going to happen, baby.

[J. Skeets]

All right, J.D. let's do it. Random notes.

[Tas Melas]

Random.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah. I want to start by talking about the lack of finals pageantry with this broadcast. What is the NBA? What is ABC doing here? A lot of people on Twitter pointing out, and I think rightfully so, if you just turn this on and looked at it, besides the little gold accents on the score bugs from abc, you would have no clue that this is really an NBA Finals game. You wouldn't.

[Tas Melas]

That's a good point.

[J. Skeets]

There's the lob decal on the stanchion, which you can barely see.

[Tas Melas]

Yep.

[J. Skeets]

And that's sort of it. And I know they have, like, a patch on the back of their jerseys, but not on the front, because that's where we got to put the sponsors. This is weird. This is, like, really, really strange. Back in the day, of course, we had the big Larry o' Brien decal at center court. It looked awesome. I have no idea. We went. Why? We went away from this. We had it for, like, five or six years. Okay, it's gone. Were people slipping on it? Was that the issue? Okay, whatever. Then the league brought back. Remember that cool final script from back in the Day. Remember we used to have, like. They went to, like, really basic, ugly, generic ones. I was like, bring back that cool final script. So they did, and that was on the floor at times. That's nowhere to be seen. And then also on top of this, we're get no player intros, we get no anthem, we get no real hype videos. Again, it just feels like a Saturday night game on ABC in March. And that's not what they should be doing. It's really perplexing how much they just mail it in and how little they, like, lean into the. To the moment until, like, again, like, making this a really big deal, like a regular Monday Night Raw is Monday Night raw. Then watch WrestleMania, you know, within five seconds of watching it. Oh, this is special. This is the big game. Same thing with the Super Bowl. Why are we. Why are they doing this?

[Tas Melas]

It's a fair question. I don't know why. I don't know why they just don't put Larry o' Brien back at center court. It doesn't have to be a monster. It doesn't have to be somewhere. Well, I would put it as an extension if you want okc. In this instance, being the logo and being exactly like it was, all you kind of have to do is put Larry under it a little bit. Like, at least something there. It doesn't have to be huge.

[J. Skeets]

We don't even need it actually on the floor if we're so concerned about guy slipping. Put it in virtually for the millions of us watching.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, just. Just on center court in that line in between the logo and the sideline, like, under it.

[J. Skeets]

Of course. Yeah.

[Tas Melas]

Something.

[J. Skeets]

Put something.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Or. Or I was thinking even this is. Again, I like that ABC with the score bug. They lean into, like, the gold. Right. Okay. That at least is something, and it's a nice little touch. Why don't we do that with. If they don't want to put a giant lob decal, make the Oklahoma City Thunder logo, like, make it gold. Right.

[Tas Melas]

Like.

[J. Skeets]

Like lean into that. Do the same thing when we go to Indiana.

[Tas Melas]

Some gold accents.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Tas Melas]

Like, sure.

[J. Skeets]

Like, just give it something so we know that this is a little bit different. This is like the most important games of the year.

[Tas Melas]

You're right. It is odd that it's hiding on the stanchion. It's like it's kind of not there. You don't really see it. No, I. I saw it in our.

[J. Skeets]

I bet you people didn't even know it's on there.

[Tas Melas]

Oh, no, Yeah, I saw it in the Athletic slack. As it was happening and people were pointing it out, I saw our man Zach Harper pointing it out that it's on the stanchion. And I was watching. I said I didn't even notice that it was there. Totally. I guess the other. So there are two things. Yeah. Make it a little bit more glamorous. Make it a show. And it would be nice to have the intros. There's. There's no doubt.

[J. Skeets]

Exactly. I mean, NBC, they better give us the intro. I don't even know who's going to have the finals. I think maybe it still sticks with espn.

[Tas Melas]

I think so. Yeah. Because they're talking about Doris not being there next year. It must be espn. It's just so weird potentially not being there.

[J. Skeets]

The crowd is hyped.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah. Yeah. Like, that must be for commercials in that.

[J. Skeets]

Yes. Yeah. The answer is always going to be because we need more money from our commercials.

[Tas Melas]

And that's. And that's why watching the NBA app in Game arena is awesome, because you get to watch the atmosphere.

[J. Skeets]

Oh, yeah, you do.

[Tas Melas]

And some arenas are so good. I mean, whoever's controlling the audio, they just know how to pump it. Pump good music, and it's just fun.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Tas Melas]

You feel it. You feel it way more like you're sort of at a playoff game.

[J. Skeets]

It feels like a bigger deal. Yeah, it should, because it is.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

But again, you wouldn't really know that last night, watching it on. On abc. Like, I did. Like. Like the crowd. It's amazing.

[Tas Melas]

It is.

[J. Skeets]

But it's like nothing visually. Nothing of the hype. Nothing. Like, you just like, oh, this is just another game. That's not what we should be having. That's like, you're not selling your league very well, in my opinion.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah. Yeah. And you can't really hear the fans the same way as if you were in the building. You know, it's not the same. Although they have great fans. And that was the only. Why I'm bringing that up, because that was the only thing that makes you feel like, okay, they're standing up. These fans are awesome. Now, I try and make the sound as good as I can in my house. I put whatever little surround speakers I got, I'm there with my hands connecting this orange and red wire. But I want to hear it. I want to hear everything.

[J. Skeets]

Okay.

[Tas Melas]

And I want to turn it up, but a lot of the time it's not conveyed. It's just. It doesn't translate because sometimes the. The audio levels, you can't hear the. Yeah, but I just want to. Yeah. I would love to hear the intro sounds. The intro.

[J. Skeets]

And you want to hear. I want to be able to mute the TV and know it's an NBA Finals game.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

And you'd be hard pressed to do that last night.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah. Visually, the visual aid would be nice.

[J. Skeets]

And a lot of people pointing this out. I know our guy Mike Vorkanoff at the Athletic. I saw him tweet it. It's odd that the NBA put so much into making the NBA cup so distinct visually.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

That those games look more distinct than the NBA Finals.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah. I was. I was definitely thinking that as. As you said it, as you were talking about WrestleMania. Yeah. The fact that they make one sort of tournament thing.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah. It is word, though. The entire court is different. Why they don't do a little bit. A little bit different. Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Pissed me off.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, I get it, actually.

[J. Skeets]

J.D. come back to me. You were on me there for a second. Look at this hat. Shout out to CJ Toledano. This is the hat. Richard Jefferson was asking for this hat on Twitter last night. And for those that don't know.

[Tas Melas]

Was he?

[J. Skeets]

For you podcast listeners, put the Larry o' Brien trophy back on the finals court.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Hell yeah.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Follow through. Great hat.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah. We got the Larry o' Brien here in the studio. It was great.

[J. Skeets]

The actual trophy.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. The actual trophy. It's got. It's. There's a new version of it. Obviously, it's not just this shiny ball. You know, it's got the grooves on it. So much more fun. CJ told down was totally right. They got to do it. Congrats to baby number two. Yeah. What else is there? Say it's unfortunate that visually it's not there.

[J. Skeets]

Yes.

[Tas Melas]

I will say one basketball thing also that I was upset by Caruso hacked Pascal Siakam. Do you remember early on? And Caruso calling for the video. Let's see it. And the broadcaster saying, why is he calling for the video? Is a clear foul. But he did hit the ball first. I'm just wondering, am I seeing. Am I seeing the same thing as. Am I going nuts? They didn't mention for one second at all that Caruso did touch basketball. And then he hit.

[J. Skeets]

And then hit him.

[Tas Melas]

Siakam's forearms, which. Totally true. But RJ knows. Doris knows. Say something about hitting the ball. That's all I. That's all I wanted. That was a quick one there.

[J. Skeets]

This is a clip we have to play for you. It was making the rounds Halliburton on SportsCenter. Last night with SVP after the game. And we're going to play it sound up for Everybody here on YouTube and the podcast. Listeners, pay close attention to Halliburton's voice. Here's the thing is, like, we've had to win in so many different ways all year. We've had so many weird wins during the regular season, during the playoffs, so why would that change? Because we're here in the finals. It's not.

[Tas Melas]

It's not changing.

[J. Skeets]

So me and. We just keep staying at it and just keep believing, and, you know, that's the result we get. So this is something that's come up a million times before. This guy's, like, voice changing.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

While he's talking.

[Tas Melas]

It's amazing.

[J. Skeets]

And Karl Anthony Towns is a culprit with this as well. But this one is, like, one of the best ever, because he's talking about changing while his voice then changes.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, yeah.

[J. Skeets]

And goes completely different. And then sort of comes back to where it was.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah. That's when I jump over to my speakers and I say, oh, my speaker. My speakers are effed up.

[J. Skeets]

Danny, did you touch this? Halliburton's voice is going weird.

[Tas Melas]

Come on. It is crazy. It's like. Is he doing it? It feels like he's doing on purpose at times because he's done it so many times. But he can't be.

[J. Skeets]

No, I think it's just talking. It's just him. It's just. I don't. I don't even know if it's a tick. I wouldn't even call it that.

[Tas Melas]

No.

[J. Skeets]

Happens to him.

[Tas Melas]

This is great.

[J. Skeets]

I think Spike Eskin tweeted Halliburton's voice sounds like he's on a broken cassette player that keeps changing spe while you're playing it. Yeah, that's exactly right. So. So weird.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Another moment. Last night we got another Rick spit.

[Tas Melas]

Mm.

[J. Skeets]

We got a hell of a shot from the ABC crew with Rick. Watch this one. He's getting it ready. Getting the phlegm going. He's forming it. Where's my cup? Let me spit.

[Tas Melas]

Let me spit.

[J. Skeets]

Jesus Murphy.

[Ash]

I was expecting it to be more, to be honest, after all that.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah. The buildup.

[Ash]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

But, wow, this is like our third or fourth Rick Spitz.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, we're. We. We've been debating, you know, is he putting dip in there? Is. Is it a Kodiak? You know, what's going on there? But we did have one of our fans chime in.

[J. Skeets]

This is a thing that he does.

[Tas Melas]

This is a thing over the years, but he, the fan actually did the research.

[J. Skeets]

What?

[Tas Melas]

Yes.

[J. Skeets]

Okay.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

This is our new wedgie, is it?

[Tas Melas]

Literally. This. This is no joke. I have some info on the Rick Carlisle spitting situation for you. It's actually kind of uncanny that you all have started talking about this topic because my wife, a Pacers fan, and I have been on this beat for about a year.

[J. Skeets]

Okay.

[Tas Melas]

Last spring, for her birthday, we sat immediately behind the Pacers bench for a road game. Awesome experience. Best seats we've ever had to an NBA game. The sounds and insights of sitting down low are completely different. However, we both came away with one impression that we couldn't wait to talk about upon getting in the car. Rick is pretty mucusy, huh? The man is spitting, snorting, picking and wiping all came along.

[J. Skeets]

Wow.

[Tas Melas]

They changed his spit come his spit cup out at halftime. Other guys on the bench, like Miles are big into the candy and gums, but not Rick. He's all natural American phlegm. So yeah, spitting, snorting, picking and wiping.

[J. Skeets]

Apparently this is the thing. Yeah, it's just flem we've just come hip to. Yeah, this really is our new wedgie tracker dot com. We've had no wedgies for like 40 days. So now we just keep our eye on. On Rick spitting Rick's bit. And they keep showing us and that was the best one yet. Yeah, and it's nice. People are now like tweeting us immediately getting in on Instagram. Ah, Rick spit first quarter 620. Duly noted, sir. I saw. Thank you.

[Tas Melas]

We just showed that to you on YouTube but we won't show you. Is a man. Guess he works for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Has it having his credential on his chest. And you're not supposed to have your credential just showing anywhere.

[J. Skeets]

No, no. Trey was good last night and Ash.

[Tas Melas]

His name was Randy Hall. I could see it clearly. Randy. All right, listen, Randy, congrats. I. I wanted to see who it was and you could clearly see his name, the photo, the whole thing. It's just. But anyway, that's all. We won't show it to you here, but if you want to go back to the broadcast, you can check it out. But either way you're supposed to kind of put in your pocket. But what is a person to do? They want to get. They want to get.

[J. Skeets]

Drives me nuts this like. Okay, if you're on tv, make sure your. Your badge isn't showing. Who cares? What are people going to do? What. What are. What's going to happen? They're going to, like, be able to.

[Tas Melas]

Take a photo of it, copy it. Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

From my. From my YouTube or television screen and reproduce it. And then what changed my face to look like Randy Hall? Like, what? What? Well, yeah, your photo's on it.

[Tas Melas]

Listen, when you're 16.

[J. Skeets]

All right, McLovin.

[Tas Melas]

When you're 16 years old, I. I use my friend Vladimir's fake ID to get into bars or whatever. So it's a similar sort of thing. You get to see where Randy hall is able to go. It says all these letters, you know, cffgr, whatever. He can get into the back for press and all that kind of stuff. So, yeah, we always hear it at summer league. We always hear it throughout the finals. Our man Warren will say, hey, put that thing away. For whatever reason, I would like to.

[J. Skeets]

Think that security at Game 1 in the NBA Finals is a little tighter than Firkin on Yonge street, you know, or whatever sports bar you're trying to get into. Just a little. But maybe not, because they are. God, they're hardcore about. Yeah, you put that away. You put that away. Don't let them see that on tv.

[Tas Melas]

Maybe you need to have them out more because I've been watching again. I've been watching after the John Halliburton can't come court side. Had the flashback of Masai Ujiri getting pushed when he went to go celebrate the championship in 2019 by the officer. He pushed him and Masai didn't have the badge or the credential out. He had it kind of tucked away, so you had to pull it out and show it to him. So I don't know, maybe if the cop sees it, he doesn't push him. Whatever. Just. It's fine. It's totally fine. I don't see a problem with it either.

[Trey Kerby]

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[JD]

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[Trey Kerby]

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[JD]

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[Trey Kerby]

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[Tas Melas]

What I do see a problem with is they continuously play David Guetta's Bulletproof in okc. I do like watching the in game arena experience okay on my tv, but I'm tired of hearing nothing to lose. Fire away. They played a lot. It's like they played every game and I thought if they played in the fourth quarter like this is our. This is our anthem. If you're like we're going to win.

[J. Skeets]

This thing, maybe switch it up. I guess they have won a lot with it.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, no, it works. I'm tired of it.

[J. Skeets]

I don't know when we're going to find out the ratings for game one on how quickly they turn that around, but I was thinking in watching this game and how many people Are. And they should be, because holy crap, what a game. One that they should count Dogs watching the game. Yeah, this is a bit of a stoner thought for sure. But I was thinking, like, I was like, how many dogs are watching game one of the NBA Finals right now? Like, what? I don't even know what the number would be. I don't even know where to start. But anyway, Luna was. Well, I was good. Well, Luna was in the room while I was watching. Yeah, we have a photo here. She couldn't really care less about what.

[Tas Melas]

Was going on, but she's not even facing the team.

[J. Skeets]

I know. She was comfy, though, wasn't she?

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Using her bed as a pillow. The power move from sweet Luna. But anyway, somebody on the stream team. How many dogs do you think watched game one of the NBA? That's what I'm gonna do. When we get, like, oh, inevitably low ratings. I'm going to try and respond to every tweet I see with. Yeah, but how many dogs we're watching and just see what reaction you get to that.

[Ash]

I mean, Hazel's obsessed with balls, so.

[J. Skeets]

Right.

[Ash]

She watches. She'll actually watch. Yeah, yeah, she's into it.

[J. Skeets]

Okay, good.

[Tas Melas]

That's a good callback to the cold open as well. Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

I couldn't believe J.D. picked that. And then my final random note, random is, you know, we keep talking about the Pacers being like, this team of destiny, maybe like, holy crap, how do they keep doing this? These comebacks? How do they keep pulling out these victories? And I'm wondering if we had something to do with it. JD we did go to Paris.

[Ash]

We did.

[J. Skeets]

And we did see the Indiana Pacers play the San Antonio spurs twice. And I did wear a full Indiana Pacers get up full uniform during a game I played and where I just said a bunch of French words. And there's our guy on Mahimi there, still making me look like a small child.

[Tas Melas]

You still wear it, the shorts, a lot.

[J. Skeets]

I've. I'll. I'll admit to not wear the jersey, but I like the shorts.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Very comfortable. But I don't know, like, this was January, JD and this is when the Pacers, like, became the Pacers.

[Ash]

And they were the villains there.

[J. Skeets]

They were the villains there. And, you know, I won that game. I played in Team Pacers won in spite of Jan. In spite of Jan. Yeah.

[Ash]

Calling everything.

[J. Skeets]

Guy was. Yeah, really had it out for me.

[Tas Melas]

He was the ref, right?

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, he was the ref. I was getting a bad whistle, but we still won. Didn't Matter. And. Yeah, anyway, I'm just saying, hey, we have a small part in this. If they go on to win the title, I'm taking. I just like, like an invite to the parade is all I'm saying.

[Ash]

That's all. That's all we ask.

[J. Skeets]

I'll wear the full get up and people will think I'm TJ McConnell, as I get a lot of that from that photo. Anyway, you got anything else?

[Tas Melas]

No. Well, I will just say Lou Dort running through screens I find amazing because he doesn't even know what's coming sometimes. And he just was able to penetrate. He just. He's such a truck or transformer, whatever you want to call him. He's just so strong again. He doesn't see it coming, but he's able to go through it.

[J. Skeets]

But then sometimes just decides to like, take. Pretend like he was shot by a bullet.

[Tas Melas]

Yes.

[J. Skeets]

Fall over. That's the weirdest thing with him.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah. When he doesn't. When he doesn't know what's coming, he can't flop.

[J. Skeets]

Right. Right.

[Tas Melas]

But he's so strong and so able to go through it. So somebody should put those together. I think it's just fun to watch him again. Like, I don't know what's coming. I'm just running to the side. And he's so, so much like a truck or.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, a couple people got popped by picks last night. Benedict Matheran took one.

[Tas Melas]

He.

[J. Skeets]

Nobody called out that one. Yeah, he, like, hurt his shoulder. I think Caruso got laid out once. Like, you know, they were like high out there on the floor and people weren't talking enough. Maybe it's too loud with those damn fan clapper things. Couldn't hear each other say it. Left. Right, whatever. This guy's got crushed on a couple.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, I am surprised. Apparently they do turn up the volume in okc.

[J. Skeets]

I mean, turn up the volume.

[Tas Melas]

And audio wise, the. They just literally like a little bit of fan, you know, just audio. Just like, they turn up the volume. They just literally play.

[J. Skeets]

But you mean turn up the volume as in turn up the music or turn up like fake fans?

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, Fake fans, I'd say.

[J. Skeets]

Whoa.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

How do you know?

[Tas Melas]

Well. Well, it came through in the slack. I would. I do want to make sure it wasn't music that they turn up. But it came through on our athletic slack, that volume turned up, which. It doesn't seem like you would need it.

[J. Skeets]

No.

[Tas Melas]

At all in this. This arena. Well, I'm gonna double check as you bring in our next topic. I.

[J. Skeets]

Well, I Mean, I don't have anything else randomly or really from the game. I'm just hyped for Game two that Sunday night. We will all be back here in the Classic Factory on Monday to break down Game two. The guys are headed back from okc, so we won't have an immediate reaction pod on. On Sunday, and we'll see if, like, OKC can do what they've done many times in this postseason. They're 4no after losses, so they've always come back with a win they've averaged in those games, but a victory of like 20 and a half points. So they're usually beat downs. They come back, they haven't. You know, they lost consecutive games twice during the regular season. Like, they almost never do. So, you know, but it's a. It feels like sort of a must win. Not that they can't win on the road because they're really good, but, yeah, you know, it's that game two situation where you're down 1 0. And the Pacers have put a lot of teams already in this postseason in this position and a couple times taken a 20 lead. So can't wait for Sunday night.

[Tas Melas]

Absolutely not. And OKC's fans will be bumping. Whether or not there's artificial sound or not, I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I don't want to spread that misinformation, but I do love OKC's fans. And I liked how Adam Silver actually, who did his. His pregame media session, talked about all these ratings. The whole, hey, are enough people watching? And how people say it to them on the street if they see Adam Silver, what's going on with the ratings? He says the goal is that market size essentially becomes irrelevant is the whole goal. And, you know, he looks at the way technological changes have changed the meaning of the differential from one city to another. Doesn't really matter. He says, yeah, there's 700,000 people in OKC, 900,000 people in Indianapolis, So not small markets. But even if there were another million people or so in a city, when you're talking to a global market and a sport like the NBA, when you're being followed by billions of people around the world, those incremental changes become pretty meaningless. Doesn't matter. That's what he's saying.

[J. Skeets]

In the end, stop asking Silver about ratings and start asking about, why don't we have the Larry o' Brien Trophy on the damn floor of the Finals? Start doing that, everybody. Yeah, well, get them to do it.

[Tas Melas]

The game is super popular and now that we're watching it streamed, he just feels like the game is getting bigger. Like it's getting bigger in Europe. Like when you're playing with Jan Mahimi and it really doesn't matter. But it does matter if you do know that it's the NBA Finals. Yeah, I do agree. A visual and some sort of find.

[J. Skeets]

One person that disagrees with this. Like, take that again. Everybody on Twitter was making last night, make us know it's the NBA Finals. Lean into it.

[Tas Melas]

I immediately.

[J. Skeets]

Fanfare. Glamour, pageantry.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, yeah. Does.

[J. Skeets]

I guess nobody's going to say, no, no, we don't want that. No, they're not.

[Tas Melas]

The soccer do it is would be the question because that's, that's what Adam Silver loves. But I guess, you know, when the World cup is happening, I would say.

[J. Skeets]

The World cup sort of goes over the top in terms of.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Their presentation for big, big games. Once you move on in the World Cup.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah. In soccer, Nash and leagues. I guess maybe it doesn't matter. It doesn't really matter. We're here. The NBA. It should be. We should. We should know. We should know. Larry's being played for. It's a great trophy. It was great to touch here in the, in the factory. Yeah, put it out there. Just put it out there.

[J. Skeets]

We're not asking for much here, Silver. Come on. All right, before we go, it is the drop. It is Friday, so let's have some rapid fire fun. I got the questions you guys will answer. I'll answer with you because there's only three of us here in studio today. First one. Earlier this week, Adidas unveiled the Harden Volume 9J Dub colorway. As you can see, JD is going to throw it up here. The kicks draw inspiration from Jalen Williams Favorite 90s cartoon, Pinky in the Brain. God, I loved that cartoon. It features a white upper contrasted by lucid lime and lucid pink. Quite the colors here. So my question for you guys, what other cartoon inspired sneakers would you like to see? Tess?

[Tas Melas]

Well, I'm going quite literal because the Tasmanian Devil is what I'm often called. Like, Silver's asked about ratings, I'm asked about the Tasmanian Devil or people, you know, collate my name with Tasmanian Devil. Why can't you just put Tasmanian Devil on the side of shoes? I think it would make me play harder. If I happen to look down and I see, whoa, that thing, that cartoon that's able to spin, I would play harder. So get the Tasmanian Devil on some shoes. Do they Exist. Maybe.

[J. Skeets]

I mean, I feel like they might have to.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, but they can. Look.

[J. Skeets]

Everything's been put on a shoe at this point, but I still like it. Yeah.

[Tas Melas]

And they can look cooler.

[J. Skeets]

Okay.

[Tas Melas]

Like the hardest.

[J. Skeets]

J Dubs, do you like those shoes, by the way? The colorway? They're, like, not his signature shoe. They are hardens, but they're like his pes.

[Tas Melas]

Like. Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Player exclusives.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, I think they look all right.

[J. Skeets]

I actually don't mind them. Pinky. Like, if I had shown you those, would you've been able to say, oh, those are pinky and the brain inspired?

[Ash]

Yeah, I'd say, like Buzz Lightyear.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But anyway, J.D. what other cartoon inspired sneakers would you like to see?

[Ash]

I mean, I was gonna say Thundercats, and then I googled Thundercats, and there's already a shoe.

[J. Skeets]

There's a.

[Ash]

There's every. There's a shoe for everything. But I love the red and black, like the logo. The Thundercats logo. Just the cat, you know? Yeah, it looks awesome. But then I thought, you know, I worked on a show called Caillou, and back in the day, when I was working on it, you know, I would say, oh, I work on a show called Caillou. And parents would be like, you son of a bitch. They hate that show. But now I say I work on. I worked on Caillou, and people are like, I love that show. I love that show growing up. You know, they're kids who are adults now. So maybe a Caillou shoe. I mean, I don't know.

[J. Skeets]

What does that even look like?

[Ash]

I mean, it's a sandal, really, because he's bald. Right. So you have your big toes sticking out, representing his head. But, you know, red, like, very primary colors. Like, red, blue. I think there's a yellow in there. He wears, like, a red shirt and blue shorts.

[J. Skeets]

Oh, this guy.

[Ash]

Yeah. Caillou.

[J. Skeets]

C, A, I, L, L, O, U.

[Ash]

Yes.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Ash]

French Canadian.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah. Okay. He's very colorful.

[Ash]

Yeah. Also had pink panther. You know, pink is great on a shoe, and I don't think there's a Pink Panther shoe.

[Tas Melas]

Well, that's shocking if there wasn't.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, I like that. I do like the Thundercats. I had that in my notes as well. Remember that clip we found a Sean Marion. How horny he was for he should have had some. But I'll go with, we need some Teenage Mutant Ninja pearls. Yaka Pearl needs his own shoe, and it needs to be Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle inspired. And I think he could really lean into it. Every quarter wears a different colorway.

[Ash]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

One orange from Michelangelo, Raphael red, Donatello purple, Leonardo blue. You know, whatever order you want to do it. But he could swap them in and out. Teenage Mutant Ninja Pearls. Alright, next one. Doris Burke's spot on ESPN's lead NBA broadcasting team is not guaranteed for next season, according to our own Andrew Marchand. ESPN executives will debate if they feel Doris Burke is better on a two person team as opposed to a three person team. So we'll see. My question though is when is having less of something a good idea?

[Tas Melas]

When you go to a buffet. Oh, yeah. I see all the trays and I think I'm gonna eat from all of them. And what I ended up doing every single time is I probably take from like half of them. I sit down and then I get up and I think, okay, time to get the other ones. But I'm too, I'm almost too full to actually do it.

[J. Skeets]

Oh, I thought you were gonna say you enjoyed the ones you had so much that you're like, well, I might as well just get more of that.

[Tas Melas]

Oh.

[J. Skeets]

Because I know I've done that too.

[Tas Melas]

Right? Yeah. I go both ways.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Tas Melas]

Sometimes I take too much of everything. Sometimes I just stop after that first one. Sometimes I will just get a dessert, call it a day. Lots of options.

[J. Skeets]

So you think there's just two?

[Tas Melas]

Oh, there are way too many. There's way too many.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah. It's hard. It's hard to take it all in. Yeah.

[Ash]

If the buffet is good, if it's a good buffet.

[Tas Melas]

Uh huh.

[Ash]

There's a lot of variety and a lot there. It's all good.

[J. Skeets]

But he's almost saying the opposite. It to him, a really good buffet has less options. I know it sounds contradictory, but maybe he's right. I sort of agree with you.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah. It all changes. It's all, it all depends on the place. But even still, not every trade, you're not gonna love every tray. Right.

[J. Skeets]

The problem is the buffet is like it has to have a million things because it wants to please everyone.

[Ash]

Exactly.

[J. Skeets]

But what we're asking for is just a personalized buffet.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, exactly. Which you can do. Which you can do. You just pick the foods you want.

[J. Skeets]

Yes. Sit down and don't worry about the other one.

[Tas Melas]

That's.

[Ash]

Yeah, that's.

[Tas Melas]

How do you do it?

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Ash]

I mean, the last buffet I was at, I had sushi and prime rib on my plate at the same time.

[J. Skeets]

Wow.

[Tas Melas]

Georgia, man.

[Ash]

This was in Mexico.

[Tas Melas]

Actually, I take it back. I feel like Atlanta is similar to that we do the fusion, you know, they try and they spread themselves a little too thin. Right, right. Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Remember the. I guess it was a breakfast buffet that we did in Vegas the one time.

[Ash]

How could I forget?

[J. Skeets]

And it was like, $80.

[Ash]

Yeah. And we didn't even finish because it was the day LeBron left the Cavs.

[J. Skeets]

Was it really?

[Ash]

Yeah, when we were all, like, got up and we left.

[J. Skeets]

Like, we basically had, like, one plate of just Nor. I remember I had a legit normal breakfast.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

And a couple pieces of bacon, some eggs, some toast.

[Ash]

Yep.

[J. Skeets]

And then we left.

[Ash]

And we left. Holy LeBron. I think he was leaving the cabs, Right? Was he going to.

[J. Skeets]

Or was he going to heat back?

[Ash]

Maybe he's going back to the castle.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. 2014.

[Ash]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[J. Skeets]

What was that place called? Had. It was like.

[Ash]

It was Cosmos.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah. It's still there, I think.

[Ash]

Oh, yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Who cares? Okay, J.D. when is having less of something a good idea?

[Ash]

Oh, you know, stories. You know, I mean, leave out of stories. Take out stuff. Leave things to the imagination. What comes to mind is the Russian guy in the Sopranos. Remember that episode where Paulie and Chris are chasing a Russian mobster?

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Ash]

Pine Barrens.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Ash]

They shoot him.

[J. Skeets]

That's like an iconic episode.

[Ash]

Yeah, yeah. And he disappears. Never explained. You think, oh, this guy's gonna come back. He worked for his salva. The Right.

[J. Skeets]

Right.

[Ash]

The other guy. The. The Russian version.

[J. Skeets]

There'll be repercussions to this.

[Ash]

Something's gonna happen. We just never found out. People debate to this day what happened to that guy.

[Tas Melas]

Oh, there's enough.

[J. Skeets]

And you like that.

[Ash]

I like it. They did that a lot in the Sopranos. Just sometimes things don't get explained. You gotta live with it. The ending. Everybody's, like, wondering what happened with the ending. I love the ending because we're still talking about it.

[Tas Melas]

Right?

[J. Skeets]

Yeah. But what about, like, polar bears on the island and Lost? I mean, it's like, what the hell's going on?

[Ash]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

And, like, never explained. From what I can remember with the old Dharma Initiative.

[Ash]

It's a great point, but also the Lost was a great ride. Now you're right, you know, I mean, ultimately, who gives a. About the polar bears? It was weird and cool.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, you're right.

[Ash]

It's like, why? What is it doing there? I don't know.

[J. Skeets]

Gets the people going. When you were saying stories, I literally thought you meant of instead. Instagram stories.

[Tas Melas]

Oh, man.

[Ash]

Oh, yeah. That was good.

[J. Skeets]

I thought you were like, yeah, everybody that has, like, when I go to your page, and it's got, like, the tiniest little dots because there's, like, a hundred stories. Like, also is true. Yeah.

[Tas Melas]

Not mo. Vernie stories. Less Vernie stories.

[J. Skeets]

He's been pretty quiet. Yeah. Great answers. My answer for this is when. When is having less something a good idea? Generally, songs on an album.

[Ash]

Okay.

[J. Skeets]

You like most albums, no matter how great an album is.

[Ash]

I agree.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah. You got, like, two or three that.

[Ash]

You don't need a double album. Get out of here.

[J. Skeets]

No, no, no, no. I want an album. I want it between 50 minutes and 100. An hour 10. And I want. You know what's. Honestly, I do want a sub. Hour.

[Ash]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Album. And I want. You know, what's 12 songs.

[Ash]

Okay.

[J. Skeets]

Max.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, I'm with you.

[Ash]

I would say ten.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah, exactly.

[Ash]

You know what?

[J. Skeets]

Twelve Too many. Eight. Wow. Yeah.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Cut the fat.

[Tas Melas]

Wow.

[Ash]

And maximum three minutes each song.

[J. Skeets]

Oh, yeah. Most songs. There are some you can make an.

[Tas Melas]

Exception for, but, yeah, you're a real Matt Austin just trimming the fat. But I'm with you. Yeah. When you said 50 minutes to an hour. 10 too long.

[J. Skeets]

Yeah.

[Tas Melas]

You're just shortening.

[J. Skeets]

50 minutes, I think, is a really nice sweet spot if it's a good album, of course. But there's so many that it's like, long. Doesn't need to be. Yeah. All right, final one here. We had a viral video yesterday on TikTok, which was hilarious timing because I was, like, just saying, hey, we're not doing well on TikTok. But Trey asking other Thunder players to finish chet Holmgren's phrase 54 from Trey Ball is. And then he was asking all the guys to finish it. The answer is Odie shooting hang poles, of course, hit over 250,000 on the tiki talks. So we're back, baby. Back in the algorithm, all we had to do is speak to the younger generation, you know, speaking this weird language. 54 from Trey Ball is Odie shooting hang poles. So off of that, I want to know, what's a slang word or phrase tas. That we should try to incorporate in our next social video, Keep the numbers flowing on TikTok.

[Tas Melas]

Well, this is how the video is produced. I go around asking people, what's 43 plus 24? And then they do the math and they say 67. And everybody is doing this thing where it looks like they're juggling.

[J. Skeets]

I forgot to look this up.

[Tas Melas]

I don't. I said this the other day. I still don't totally understand, but it has something to do with the. The answer. The answer is the 67 has to do with Lamelo's 43 card. Like, the number of the four of the card is 43. And I don't.

[J. Skeets]

I don't know what card.

[Tas Melas]

Panini card. Oh, I think. I don't know. This could. This could be a Google Gemini lying to me here, but I think that's what it is. But. Or maybe not, because people. Because people answer 67. And then the. The questioner. The interviewer just blows up. He's like, aha. And does the juggling motion. I still don't know exactly what it means, but it could. It could mean Lamelo something something, because he's also 6 7. I don't know.

[J. Skeets]

Okay.

[Tas Melas]

Who knows, man?

[J. Skeets]

Numerology or something.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, that's a tough one. But people love it. Derek. Derek Rose got asked. He did it.

[J. Skeets]

He knew it.

[Tas Melas]

No, he did.

[J. Skeets]

Oh. Because he's just answering the.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, people doing the math.

[J. Skeets]

But what is. What does he do when everybody starts juggling? And what does he do? Just go, what are you doing?

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Oh, okay.

[Tas Melas]

And then the guy. The. The interviewer will say, yeah, the 67. And I still don't know the answer.

[Ash]

Wait, so, okay, so you're just tricking somebody into saying 67.

[Tas Melas]

Correct.

[Ash]

And then it's like, ah, in your face.

[Tas Melas]

Yes. Yes.

[Ash]

Juggle, juggle, juggle.

[Tas Melas]

Yes. Because 67 as a reference is something.

[J. Skeets]

Right? Which we're not.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. Google doesn't do it. The proper answer. Really? The Google Gemini. Not an ad because I'm. Because I'm bad. But it says something about Lamello. Who knows?

[J. Skeets]

Okay, I love it. We'll try it in our next one. JD what do you got, man? You got young kids.

[Ash]

Yeah, but I'm the oldest guy in the neighborhood. Like, look, I went on to. I asked my friend Chad. GPT.

[Tas Melas]

Hey, Chad.

[J. Skeets]

And Chad was a neighbor.

[Ash]

Yeah. No, no, he's my friend who helps me out with this kind of stuff. But he gave me 10 phrases, all right, That I don't trust because I know all of them. You know what I mean? Like, I should not know any of these if it's going to be a. An actual slang that kids are using today.

[J. Skeets]

Right?

[Ash]

Like Delulu Rizz. No cap mid slaps. It's giving that touch grass skibidi. That was, like, we know all year ago. Exactly.

[J. Skeets]

That's the thing. Even Chad hasn't been able to keep up with the lingo of the kids. The kids already Moved on from these.

[Tas Melas]

I know.

[Ash]

And Chad is so young. Like, what, two years old, baby. Yeah. I don't know. So I'm gonna just pick the one that I like the most right now, and it's dulu.

[J. Skeets]

Okay.

[Ash]

And I know how old I sound right now, and I hate it. It's very cringe. It's giving old. I can't handle it. So, yeah, I'm gonna say dulu and let's just move on.

[J. Skeets]

Okay. Yeah, I felt this way as well. I went. I. I did the whole list too. I'm trying to find one like that. I had no clue what it was, and it was. It was. It was difficult to find one. But I do like the saying eight and left no crumbs.

[Ash]

Oh, yeah, me too.

[J. Skeets]

I just like it. I like it. I feel like we can at least maybe even get away with that one. So maybe that will make an appearance in the next one. 8 and left no crumbs. That's what you just did on this podcast Task.

[Tas Melas]

I wish. But that is a good one to.

[J. Skeets]

Bring it back to the buffet. I mean, where I leave a lot of crumbs at a buffet. Way more than crumbs.

[Tas Melas]

That's frowned upon. That's frowned upon.

[J. Skeets]

What, in the buffet world? Yeah, I'm sorry. This is the whole point. Let me taste test that. Oop, do not like cares. Leave it on the plate, throw it out.

[Tas Melas]

Are you taking it home where you're.

[J. Skeets]

Packing it for yourself if I dislike it? No, but I. Hey, look, you know me. I. I don't like a lot of food on a plate in general. Like, I. I am, like, turned off by eating when there's just, like, too much food when it's a pie. Thanksgiving, not a great day for me because you see insane plates. People load it up. I'm a go back. I'm a go back for more. You've seen this as well. Yeah. That's a market.

[Ash]

So hold on. You're going back for more, like, new items, or are you getting a little bit of everything?

[J. Skeets]

I'm like, oh, this looks good. I might try this. But I also, I have to admit, I like the things I like. So I'm going to go with my staples. But my point is I'm going small plates, little portions. I'll go back. I'll get up. I'll go back. Hell, I'll use the same plate. Don't do that. They never want you doing that.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah, yeah.

[J. Skeets]

What up with that? It's got to be, like, a sanitary reason. Yeah, but it's like it's fine. I'll just use the same plate. Right?

[Tas Melas]

Me too, me too. I'm a same plate guy. But they don't want you using their putting it on your plate.

[J. Skeets]

I get it, I get it.

[Ash]

It sense I guess.

[Tas Melas]

Anyway, yeah, we're. Yeah, yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Ayton left so many crumbs at the buffet. That's it works too, right?

[Ash]

Totally.

[J. Skeets]

When you do a horrible job. I.

[Ash]

You just got in there and got out. You left a lot of crumbs but you still ate so that's a good thing.

[J. Skeets]

Still full. All right, let's call it there. Dear Lord. That was rapid fire. Not so rapid, but hopefully that was another classic edition here of the podcast. You tell us, did we eat and leave no crumbs? Do so by hitting the like button by subscribing by leaving us a five star rating and review. What an awesome game last night. What a start to the NBA finals. Let's hear your thoughts on it. Let's hear you how think this series is going to go now. You know, have you con. Have you flipped? Do you think the Pacers can do maybe the impossible as big, big underdogs and win this thing or two? Do you think Thunder will take back control and you know, still win it in whatever 5, 6 or 7? Let's hear from you. Let's hear other things maybe we missed and let's get your opinions on the presentation from ABC NBA when it comes to the finals. Interested to hear people's takes on that as well?

[Tas Melas]

Absolutely.

[J. Skeets]

Until Monday morning when we'll be here in the classic factory to talk about game two. Clipper Bros. You heard it here first. Have a great time. Turn up. Love you guys. Awesome.

[Tas Melas]

Thanks for joining us. And remember the playoffs have just been spectacular. Who cares about small markets? Who cares that OKC is a small market and Indiana Indianapolis is a small market?

[J. Skeets]

Who cares, man. To quote Halliburton man, basketball is fun.

[Tas Melas]

Yeah.

[J. Skeets]

Brace the weekend people.

[Trey Kerby]

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