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Je Skeets
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Taz
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Je Skeets
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Je Skeets
Good morning sweet world and welcome to the no Dunks podcast presented by FanDuel. It's Wednesday, May 27, 2026. I'm Je Skeets here on the Classic Factory and alongside me, as always, TASM podcast listeners.
Taz
This is for you.
Je Skeets
Next to him, it's my top shot hot boy, Trey Kirby. Ayo Ayo. And over yonder, right over there, making the magic happen, super producer JD Hello. There he is. Here we are. Hello to everybody on YouTube. Smash. Don't hit smash the like button. Subscribe if you haven't share the show Podcast listeners, five star ratings and reviews. You know the drill on today's show. Kenny Atkinson ain't going nowhere.
TK
Nowhere.
Je Skeets
Joe Missoula wins An award he doesn't even want. And we're going to hit the beach to answer a few of your NBA questions that you guys sent in. But first, the Thunder bounced back from their worst game of the season to take a 32 lead over the spurs in the Western Conference finals last night. Shay Gilders Alexander led the way with 32 points. Sort of a weird SGA game. While OKC's defense made life very difficult for Victor Wembanyama, who then skipped post game media availability.
Taz
You don't do that.
Je Skeets
Yeah. So a strange game. But in the end, Thunder win 127, 114 and they're gonna have two chances. Tasks to go to the NBA Finals.
Taz
Again, super strange game. You said the word Smash earlier. When you talk podcast, all I. And you pointed. All I could think about was flashing back to pregame yesterday with Keldon Johnson right in Wemby's face, trying to get him pumped up. Something going on there in terms of Wemby's health. Right. Because I mean, I'm definitely speculating, but Wemby doesn't need that. And then you come out and he just wasn't himself. He took two shots at the rim in the first half. Just two shots. I thought Chet took a shot right over him with four minutes left in the first quarter. Now, this is me being totally speculative, but earlier in the possession, Wemby put his hand to his mouth. He looked like a cough, like a something. And maybe I'm breaching the hurt or sick. Yeah, yeah. Well, yeah. More sickness than hurtness. That felt like. To me. But he just obviously wasn't right. You get three guys score 20 points on your team, you score 114 points and you still can't win. Defensively, they definitely weren't right themselves. Wouldn't be part of it against Shea Gilgis Alexander, who. Who got better as the game went on. But yeah, the whole thing. Obviously the Thunder depth was awesome. Just straight up awesome. The way they were able to produce. Eight guys had a bucket in that second quarter on their team. So they kept going. Yeah, the whole Wemby thing just threw them off. I think. I mean, he. He literally. I'm speculating, but he was in.
Je Skeets
He's in a daze or gassed or sick or something. I think everybody agree with you.
TK
He's a dud.
Je Skeets
Yeah, he's. He laid a nick.
Taz
Yeah.
Je Skeets
Playoff game of his career. His young career.
Taz
And physically I thought the Thunder were pretty good with him. I thought Jalen Williams minutes on the floor against him or Hartenstein Or Holmgren or two seven footers they threw at him. But yeah, he wasn't right. So I just wanted to start on that side. It didn't feel right.
TK
You have to start with Wemby, because this was the biggest takeaway from the game is what's going on with this guy. And then he ditches post game press conferences as well. Just weird stuff from Wemby all around. It's easy to forget at this point that this is his first time through the playoffs. So every game he's playing, you know, is the biggest game of his life. This is the first time he's had a playoff failure. This is the first time he's getting the media riled up by ditching out on his obligations. Like he had his first time getting too physical against the Timberwolves when he elbowed Nas Reed in the throat. Like he's going to go through these sort of growing pain type things. But I thought Jamal Crawford nailed it when he said the spurs are playing not with emotion, they're playing emotional. And I thought that described Wemby to.
Taz
To a tee.
TK
There was that moment in the first half when he just like goes out of his way to bump into Chet Holmgren. I'm like, wait a second. You're supposed to be in Chat's head, not the other way around. But it was the other way around. Last night it felt like Wemby was trying to insert himself into the game rather than assert himself in the game. It was like, anytime there's a little bit of a Spurs ride, like, all right, I'm taking a three, deal with it. I'm. I'm getting a shot up here. I'm trying to get my own offense going. He didn't seem to be playing a super team game. I didn't think last night. And just in general, it felt like the moment was a little bit too big to the spurs with me, they seemed to be living and dying with every single shot they took. And that's just not a way you can keep your head against a very experienced team like the thunder. A minus 8 for WY last night. It's the first time he's been a minus in a game that he finished since March 1st.
Je Skeets
Yeah.
TK
So this is his worst game in three months.
Taz
Yeah.
TK
And guess what? The spurs lost.
Taz
Yeah.
Je Skeets
Four, 15, six.
Taz
Game five on the road in the playoffs, if that means anything. But, yeah, the effort level wasn't there. Like that hom grin bull bucket shot over him. He didn't even jump for that one.
TK
A lot of guys Scored over him last night.
Taz
Yeah, they were taking it to him.
Je Skeets
He even got dunked on though. The basket did not count. Lurch at home.
Taz
You're not after the end of the shock lock. Yeah.
Je Skeets
Okay, so you're saying okay. Could be an illness. Obviously this is a first for him. Could it be at this point with how their schedule's gone here in the postseason, these very intense physical games, fatigue getting to him, either physically, even mentally a little bit at this point, or no, thank you, sir, to that.
Taz
Yeah, yeah, I mean, I guess you
Je Skeets
could say that about all of them. If we're being honest, this series, like this was an ugly ass game for a majority of us.
Taz
It's quite ugly.
Je Skeets
Sloppy to start, Sloppy in the second half. Yeah. Now a lot of it's credit to the defensive intensity from everybody out there. There's not a lot of like, oh, just go at that guy. I mean, everybody brings it. So yeah, it's taking a toll on them, I think Wemby included. But yeah, SGA started poorly, just like Wemby. But luckily for him, everybody else on the Thunder was contributing. Coming through. You know, Julian Champagne was doing his part for the spurs to keep him attached early. But let's go through some of the performances from OKC besides sga, who I'm sure we'll talk about a bit later. But Caruso, 22 points off the bench. I mean, four of his five midfield goals, three pointers.
TK
He would probably be the Conference Finals MVP if it was over after last night.
Je Skeets
Chet Holmgren, his best game of this series, I don't think That's a stretch. 16 points, 11 rebounds, played with some force. I loved in the second quarter when Chet demanded the ball. He went up and actually said, give me the damn ball, I'm going to drive by Luke Cornett. It was like, whoa, there you go. There's the chat hunger we sort of been waiting for. Isaiah Hartenstein, a monster. A big part of Ywambi obviously is kept in check too, along with Jalen Williams and Chet and everybody sort of helping out. 12 points, game high, 15 rebounds. And then Jared McCain thrown into the starting lineup. Would they say this is his 12th NBA start of his career? And here he is in a pivotal game five and he adds 20 points. I thought he had actually a brutal first half. He was like played off the floor, you know, he was obviously he's a trucker. He's going to take a shot, that's fine. But he was like getting exposed defensively. He had the rest of his teammates like Having to scramble to make up for his defensive mistakes. He comes off. But then in the second half, TK like, he started levitating there in the third quarter, and he was just unconscious.
TK
Yeah, the Thunder won the minutes when Shea was sitting and Wemby was playing. And it was mostly, I thought, because of Jared McCain, especially in the second half. But we were talking about things to look forward to in game five, and I said, who's the number two man? And they got four number two performances. Cause Chet really carried the team, especially in the first quarter when Shea was struggling. But I thought he played a pretty smart game. Like when you had a one on one, Shea would attack and try and get his shots. But I thought that he was also doing a really good job of putting Wemby into a ton of screen and roles and like inviting two on the ball. It's not necessarily a double team, but he's keeping his dribble alive. Keeping his dribble alive. Wemby has to come over, and then he gets the ball to somebody else. A lot of it was Hartenstein, A lot of it was Caruso. Those guys combined for 10 assists. They would just flip the ball to the other side of the court, and now McCain has a chance to attack. It was really, really smart the way they went at Wemby. Actually put him into a lot of actions and just kept the ball going side to side and using that big man outlet. That was really, really smart by Mark Dagnall to figure out a way to get them easy looks off of Shea actions. And then when he had the ball, he was able to score some in the second half. He got to the line a lot. I'm sure we're going to talk about the fouls for sure. But Caruso was special in this game. A total gamer. Like I said. I think he's probably the MVP for this team in this series so far, because the games he plays well, they're winning for the most part. And he's doing his part on the defensive end as well. You could just tell one team was more experienced. This was a huge moment for everybody. The home team, the more experienced team, got great production from all their role players. And almost all the stars from San Antonio had bad games. Castle played well. That's about it.
Je Skeets
Especially second half. Yeah.
Taz
Yeah. Caruso was fun. When he steps on that floor at home, it feels like he's a different guy in that he went right at Wemby. He had a turnaround on Fox. I mean, he just looks so, so good to make up for Jerry McCain's bad start, let's be quite honest. I mean, he went to the bench that first time, had two turnovers, no points. He looked like he was trying to get the offense started through him rather than just play within the offense. At first it was ugly. I said Lou Dort was going to have the first basket of this game. I thought it could happen. But Jerry. Jeremy McCain said, no, I'm just doing this. And then he turned it over because it was an ugly, ugly play there. But then that rubbed off on him. Caruso rubbed off on him. Chet just taking the opportunities when they were there. I've got a shorter guy on me. I think that wasn't a problem the first four games. Here's Den Vesel going to shoot over him. Here's Julian Champagne going to shoot over him. And then he started going at Wemby and scoring at Wemby. Wemmy didn't jump that one time. And then he literally dunked through Wemby after a shot clock expiration. So that was. That was great. But yeah, you're right in that Shay was smart in the way he went to Caruso or whoever when guys would either double when they kind of over were overwatched that the back line was. Had that third set of eyes on him. So use that skip pass to get it to Caruso or the. They kind of underguarded him. There was that time where Wemby was kind of in mid range. Didn't know, wasn't doubling hard. So he was able to get. Shea was able to give it to Hart and Shine. There's a lot of those.
TK
He did such a good job of engaging Wemby on the screen, like making Wemby have to guard him because then they can actually play four on three on the other side. It was just really, really savvy.
Taz
Yeah. Yeah. I thought Wemby was just kind of caught, like, do I go double real hard or not? And other guys paid off. Yeah. That meant Harenstein, obviously, the. The playoffs of his career. I mean, he just looks like that outlet can be there at any time. Has Shea ever been more sad on the bench? Especially a game with he scores this many points. He was on the bench just not happy with himself. I mean, that's what it was. Yeah, he was just super upset with himself. And he said it post game. I mean, he didn't have a good game.
Je Skeets
No, that's what he had. The cra. The weirdest 32 and 9 game you're going to see. Like, I thought he actually Played poorly for stretches of it. But then, like you're saying, TK Also had a command of the game and a forced. Still on the game and sort of getting to the free throw line. And, you know, there was a bonus situation. We'll get into the officiating here in a second. But, yeah, a strange, strange game. And look, this was a missed opportunity for the spurs. And Wemby here, like, we haven't even said J Dub did not play. Sort of shocking, you know, he was questionable leading up. All throughout the day, we thought maybe he'll give it a go. We knew AJ Mitchell wasn't going to play. So they're down two guys. We saw what happened in game four. Like, oh, God, no. Second creator here. They're in trouble. You're going to hope for these guys to play better at home, the Carusos and Harnsteins, and you're hoping for ch. But still, this was a prime opportunity for the spurs, of course, to take control of this series. With those guys out now, I don't know if they're even going to return at all in this series. So this is may just be the lineups we see, but impressive stuff from everybody. And Mark Dangle pushing all the right buttons in these lineups. Take this five. Take the three two lead.
Taz
Yeah. Because Jeremy Kane scores 20 points on 19 shots. Not super efficient at all. But the guys that he pushed the buttons off the bench were perfect. Kenridge Williams.
Je Skeets
Williams, yeah, yeah.
Taz
Hit two threes and he limited his minutes this time in this game, just 11 minutes. But he splashed those threes really important.
Je Skeets
And he didn't play, by the way, in first two games of series. Played what, 90 seconds in game three and then played him a little in game four. And he was solid. We brought it up like, wow, Kendrick Williams was actually good. So he saw something there from him. Yeah, let's get a little more in this game five. And he obviously went to him earlier.
Taz
No Isaiah Joe. No, thank you. No Aaron Wiggins, who couldn't hit a shot in this series so far. I mean, Isaiah Joe played a minute, but not a lot. Yeah, garbage time there. So, yeah, the buttons. Perfect.
Je Skeets
Spurs might have had a chance to cut the deficit as we got into the second half, but Tony Brothers was on his bullshit there for a sequence here. He missed a couple calls in the final minute of that quarter. In the third, right tip and try by Luke Cornett with about 55 seconds to go, was knocked off the rim by Case and Wallace. Should have been a goaltending.
TK
Yep.
Taz
Is that on Tony, or is that on all of them?
Je Skeets
Yeah, it's on all. It's all the officiating. Tony Brothers is going to get my wrath here because people told me he's a tier one referee. The players told me he's a tier one official. No, he's not. He hasn't been for a very long time anyway, so he missed that. He thought we were playing feeble rules. As they said on the broadcast, that would be legal in. In the summer, but not for the NBA. And then on the spurs next possession, we had the out of bounds call that should have gone the spurs way. Replays clearly showed it went off Chet Holmgren's foot. The spurs tried to buy some time by doing the old fake sub move that coaches are now doing, where they have somebody pretend to come check in. So it, like, gives maybe the iPad guys a chance to relook at it or whatever. But then the refs even huddled up.
TK
Yep.
Je Skeets
All right. Tony, James, whoever the third one was, they all got together, and you're thinking, okay, maybe they'll get this one right? But then they stuck with the off WEMBY. And so Ms. Johnson was like, well, hold on here. We know that's off Chet. And he's like, trying to do the old let's challenge it. And he got ignored by James Capers on that one. James Capers. Like, I was too old. Maybe you couldn't hear him or something.
TK
He also didn't call a timeout.
Je Skeets
No.
TK
What you have to do.
Je Skeets
Yeah, yeah.
TK
He didn't follow the correct hand signal protocol. It's a T followed by a swirl. Not just a swirl. But he was also complaining, I guess, that after they huddled up, there should be like a. A challenge clock where I get 30 seconds to decide if I want a challenge. Because that usually happens.
Je Skeets
Yep.
TK
And they didn't give him that. So I thought. I thought Mitch didn't go about it the right way, but he still should have had the challenge honored.
Je Skeets
Yeah. And then insult to injury. Yeah. Mitch Johnson then gets slapped with a technical because he's arguing about all of this and he's fired up and he's like, what the hell are you doing, Tony? And Tony was the one that gave him the technical, I think probably should have. Tony, you guys screwed up that one. Maybe let him get it off his chest and try and look the other way. But anyway, look, they didn't decide the game, and there was a lot of free throws in this game. Like, it took a while to get to our first free throw. And Then it was like a free throw parade in the second quarter.
TK
70 free throws in total.
Taz
Wow. Oh, gosh.
Je Skeets
Yeah.
TK
If they were getting paid by the whistle, it was a good night.
Je Skeets
Yeah. But I mean, I don't think it favored one team more than the other at all. Like, I mean, there's a lot of free throws. Wemby shot a lot. SGA shot a lot. But this sequence was bad. It was. It was very bad for the officials.
Taz
Yeah, they took a lot of time to give Mitch Johnson a lot of time. Let's huddle. It didn't happen, obviously. I, I wanted to see a wave from the crowd. I mean, the only good time for a wave is during a video challenge. Well, there's nothing. What do you o. Would you rather watch Tony Brothers talk to James Capers? Talk to Mitch Johnson? No, thank you. Do something out there. They're talking. They gave him the opportunity to review it. It obviously went off. Chad's bigfoot. Yeah. I don't know what anyone was thinking about.
Je Skeets
Well, yeah, Johnson and his staff decided like, well, we're not going to use our challenge here because, oh, they are huddling up here. So they're probably. When you do see that, they generally somebody comes in and goes, guys, I think we got that one wrong. Just go the other way. And they did it. That was the weird part.
Taz
The technology is there for somebody from Secaucus, the league office, to call down and say it was off the foot. Don't even challenge us. Just. Just turn it around. We're smarter than that.
Je Skeets
Yeah.
TK
It was Ben Taylor. Ben Taylor was in Secaucus last night.
Taz
Oh, wow.
TK
They announced the replay.
Taz
Ref, I love that your guy James Capers was on the floor.
TK
Yeah, he was there. It was James.
Je Skeets
It was James.
TK
What'd you think about SGA taking 17 free throws?
Je Skeets
He fouled a lot. I mean, a lot of them were bonus situation type free throws.
TK
I. I agree. So there's obviously a compilation foul he drew out there. Nine fouls he drew. Two of them were on shooting, like actual shots.
Je Skeets
Yeah.
TK
One, Carter Bryant pushes him in back. The other one, Luke Cornett hits him in the face. All the other ones are like 30 or 40, sometimes 70ft away from the hoop. And to me, it was more like bonehead spurs than bad calls by the ref because, I mean, they're handsy, but they called it literally all night, which is why there's nine of them. And it was just the spurs being a little over aggressive, trying to be physical with sga. So I thought they were consistent. Maybe they're not consistent with the previous four games always. But it was the same call in the first quarter as it was in the fourth quarter. And that's what players and coaches always want.
Je Skeets
Yeah. Do you think this series in a whole after five games has like lived up to the hype? Like we got an incredible game one one for the ages. The double overtime and the big Wemby performance. But since then, like what's your feeling on this series? Because on one hand it's been awesome. Like the chess match, I think between the coaches and the changes and the role players stepping up on both sides. But then I'm like some of these games, you know, we had lack some dramatics and then like especially this game, 70 free throws like you said, 51 fouls, a whole bunch of turnovers. It's a tough one for. For me to like sort of decide like, has this really been good? I don't know. It hasn't been amazing.
TK
It's still the most entertaining series of the playoffs for me.
Je Skeets
Okay.
TK
But this is like the one I'm most excited about when it's on.
Je Skeets
Yeah, but Thunder spurs. Excuse me, Thunder Pacers was a better series.
TK
Oh, that was last year.
Je Skeets
Yeah. Yeah. I'm just saying. Well, people are. We were hyping this up and expecting an all time great. It's nowhere near that is my point.
Taz
We're not done. We're not done, but yeah, we're not done. Through five. Through five. Yeah, it peaked at the top or right at the beginning. And since we've had garbage time in several games, which is surprising long quarters with the free throws.
Je Skeets
Y.
Taz
So yeah, we're not peak. But obviously OKC Indiana went 7 and it peaked at the right time. We still got time. San Antonio has to win game six. I agree.
TK
For game seven.
Taz
No, it's not what I was going to say. But for. To. For it to be exciting at all, to be deemed exciting at all. Like a memorable series. Yeah. You know, it died off a little bit, sure.
Je Skeets
But it's just the way they're playing.
TK
Right.
Taz
Like.
TK
Like you don't remember Games 2, 5 and 6 from last year? No way. From the finals.
Taz
I think my point is it ends well. As long as it ends well is what I'm saying.
Je Skeets
Able viewing experience the basketball being played in that series. It was but this. And like again, I'm still enjoying this because this is a goddamn rock fight between these two teams and all of these athletes and how locked in defensively are. And it's very difficult to officiate these handsy and aggressive and all this. So I think you get an official crew like last night, it gets very bogged down for sure how they're going to call it. So it makes for a tough, a tougher watch. And yeah, we've lacked again, we've lacked close, real games at the end.
Taz
That's the problem. Yeah, that's the issue. We just need one big close one. And I say we got to go to seven for this to be a memorable series. I mean, you could have a wild end to game six and it. For it to be extremely memorable. We need that because we've had garbage time. We've had garbage a lot.
TK
We've had.
Taz
Yeah, that's.
Je Skeets
That's why I'm asking.
Taz
So.
Je Skeets
So yeah, there was a huge sequence around the halfway mark of the final period. When you look for all the crapping we're doing on the spurs here and Wemby laying an egg. They at times were in this game and I don't know about you guys, but I was going, oh my God, maybe are they going to actually steal this because they're hanging around here. It's like suddenly they got it to like eight points, right? Something like that. Fox actually hit a. Finally hit one of his rare shots on the night. Cut the lead to eight about halfway through the fourth. But then there was a big sequence. SGA found Hartenstein inside for a little five footer there. His little patented push shot. That was huge. And then SGA did a good job of challenging. I think it was Devin Vassell attacking on the left hand side. It was a layup attempt. You know, he probably could have hit it, should have hit it. But it was a good defensive challenge. I think it was SGA then they took the ball, they pushed it in transition and sga just led McCain perfectly into like a step in three on the break. Bang. Big what, you know, five point swing there. Even more if you add the Hartenstein bucket off of an SGA pass inside to him and that sort of like know pushed it a little too big and then they held on. But that was, you know, great defense there. And SGA knowing as soon as I give this ball to Jared McCain, he is letting it go and he's having a great second half. So that's the move. Yeah, so I just wrote that my notes.
Taz
Yeah, those plays that were sort of designed for him instead of him just creating with Jared McCain like in that semi. Transition or transition, that was a big difference for Jared McCain, I thought as the game went on you know, he doesn't have to be. You're not the guy guy, you're not the creator guy guy. But as soon as the offense comes and it comes to you, then you're awesome.
TK
He's a great secondary piece for Shake El. Just Alexander because he can score when the ball's in his hands, but he's so active when the ball is away, like cutting and relocating and filling in on the right spots. And then he's just got the most awesome reputation right now where literally everybody who talks about him is like he's going to shoot it as soon as he touches it. And everybody thinks it's cool. A lot of guys would be called a ball hog in that situation, but they're like, nah, we love it. He stays aggressive.
Je Skeets
Yeah, it's sort of. They hits the. He's the one guy on that team that's like allowed to do it or they want to do it. And it does work because everybody else is a little more patient. Yeah, of course you're, you know, probing the defense, trying to get a better shot, make a good shot. Great. But not him. It's like, let it go. You see a crack of daylight, he lets it rip. Yeah, he's. He was awesome.
TK
And then on the other side, Harper and Fox, they're not right? No, they are definitely not. Fox has no touch right now. Midi is off, isn't finishing inside and then anytime he makes a shot, they get a close up of him running back down the court and he's grimacing. They've said he wouldn't play if this was during the regular season. I kind of believe it. Harper has no explosion. The guy is not seeking out contact the way he Was in games 1 and 2. Hasn't been in double digits since the adductor injury. So they are out there, but these guys are definitely hampered.
Taz
Yeah, Harper's really slow to get into his action at all. I mean, he's just really slow to move in. The handsy Thunder defense did some wonders on him. The case and Wallace deal the Caruso steel right up in Harper's space. So there's that. And you can definitely see Fox as well. So, yes, both those guys, the Fon Castle tried to make up for it and he was extremely good defensively on Shea. That one incredible steal. Now, he did get handsy himself, but yeah, they didn't have enough guys in Vassell. A bad game.
TK
Yeah, stinker.
Taz
So, yeah, they didn't have enough guys. But Champagne, the best game of his playoffs career. Yep, no doubt about that. Stefan Castle did enough and they needed a
TK
well for him.
Je Skeets
In this series, the shoulder and Chet's chest. Yeah, I was like, yeah, this guy's got a good nickname, you know. Kelvin Big Body Johnson. Putting it to use. Putting Chet in the stanchion.
Taz
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TK
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Je Skeets
Yeah, in the to start the second half there was another great OKC run. It was seven. Oh, I think a big part of that was the Jared McCain and they had bodies everywhere defensively. Like they really started the second half with some energy. That's when Wemby, he called the team together during that timeout. It looked really cool, like huddling them up and they're he's like giving barking out orders or whatever and you're like, okay, here we go. They know, they realize this obviously might be the game here. These next couple minutes might be the series. Anyway, they come out of the timeout and Fox throws it out of bounds. It was like, ooh, damn, that's not what you want to do right out of the timeout after Wemby was like trying to give his hype speech here. So yeah, Fox was bad, Basalt was bad and Harper, I'm with you. Bad. Probably injury related, no doubt from what we saw earlier. And also, you know, he's at this in this series. He looks like a 20 year old rookie. Yes, again, I do think it's part of the injury more than anything, but he looks the part of a 20 year old rookie in huge games, big stakes where he didn't for really the whole regular season, a lot of these series priors.
Taz
But you go home and things may change.
TK
Oh yeah, definitely.
Je Skeets
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Let's go on seven. Let's go on seven. We got Scott Foster on the phone. We got the extender here.
TK
I, I was checking the referee assignments. They're not out yet.
Je Skeets
Oh, okay.
TK
The WNBA ones are there.
Taz
What are your thoughts on Victor Wyama skipping media post game and whether or not he should be fined?
TK
He should be fine.
Je Skeets
He should absolutely be fine.
Taz
What is the precedent for every guy not doing it in the. Because forgive my brain but I don't remember if any guy gets fined immediately because some guys just don't do media. They literally will leave. Do they all get fined like I think they do?
Je Skeets
I, I mean I don't know for sure but I think, I think they actually do. You. It's maybe pretty infrequent I think. I mean it's the star guys we're talking about here too.
Taz
And yeah, we're not talking about Luke Cornell.
Je Skeets
Yeah, it's fun. You know, it's. This is a big story because he had a bad game. We're all debating what's wrong with him or is something wrong with them. And then the other part is he like was voted the most media friendly player in the game by the Professional Basketball Writers association. So it's like out of character for him to brush them off.
Taz
Yeah, but that's why it's acceptable because he was voted the best player with media. I don't know. At the same time I said he only took, you know, two shots by the rim in the first half but then he took more in the second half. So it's not like he if it's a sickness was that impeded him in any way from as the game went on. You know what I mean?
Je Skeets
Wouldn't you like to ask him those questions?
Taz
Yeah, sure.
Je Skeets
Yeah, I would. I'd like to ask him. Yeah. What happened out there? What the type of defense were you seeing or what's wrong with you? I guess you'd start with and then. Yeah, how about the shoulder bump to Chet and Jalen Williams getting into it with you and oh yeah, what did you whisper to your backup big men when they checked in on garbage time? Did you tell them to go, you know, lay out Jared McCain like that's what happened. Plumly just legit clocked McCain in the back. That was pretty ass dirty play that
Taz
Was a shot in the back. Yeah.
Je Skeets
And then Hardshine and Bio had words and all that, but that's fine.
TK
Bio smashed McCain too.
Je Skeets
Yeah, I guess he did.
TK
That was lost in translation.
Je Skeets
Yeah.
TK
What did he whisper?
Je Skeets
Well, okay, I'd like to ask him about it, so. Yeah, he deserves to be fined.
TK
I mean, I bet he'll apologize. I think he will, but he should be fine. He should. This is the biggest game. You're a star. You got to answer some questions.
Taz
Yeah.
TK
Those are the rules.
Je Skeets
Anything else from the actual sort of game here? I know we're talking about the post game media skip out, but anything else before we get to random notes?
TK
Yeah, Biombo, Plumly and Olenek played together.
Taz
Yeah.
TK
Plus one. I say run it out there.
Je Skeets
Come on, Mitch.
TK
Yep.
Je Skeets
With Wemby.
TK
Wemby at the point, Luke cornett at the 2, that's unstoppable. You wonder why they have five centers when you have Victor Wembanyama. This is why.
Je Skeets
They're saving it for game six, a must win game of the conference.
TK
You'll never guess what this is.
Taz
That's the second time they've done that in this series. That garbage lineup of a triple center.
Je Skeets
Well, yeah, because they have all five centers on the roster. They could maybe use actually another guard or two in place of some of those guys. I don't think you need that many.
Taz
Yeah. What about Lindy?
Je Skeets
Yeah.
Taz
Water there?
Je Skeets
I don't know.
Taz
His. His pregame dancing was on point.
Je Skeets
Why the big guys? I think we got our answer. Yeah, I think it was, go out there. They're still out there. Go lay somebody out.
TK
Go knock somebody down.
Je Skeets
Yeah.
TK
That was like Dexter Pittman to me. Remember that? Nailed who? Lance Stevenson against the Pacers.
Je Skeets
Right.
TK
They're like, sorry, you're expendable, man. Go hit somebody in the face. That's what they're there for.
Je Skeets
Literally.
TK
You said that's what Biombo is there for. To smash into Wemby.
Je Skeets
Yeah.
Taz
Yeah.
TK
But now they turned turn it loose on the opposition.
Taz
Yeah, that was just a practice smash, but they did in the game here. I was just glad that we didn't get a Kelly Olenek yanking of somebody's arm. Like he yanked Kevin Love's shoulder.
Je Skeets
No.
Taz
Way back when. And actually injured him.
Je Skeets
Kelly was fine.
TK
He didn't get whispered.
Je Skeets
He didn't get whis.
TK
We didn't see his socks.
Je Skeets
No.
TK
Wow.
Taz
No, no. Socks are not a story here in the Western Conference final. I mean, this is the second game he's played. Yeah, no, no, Sock talk.
Je Skeets
No sock talk.
TK
How about one last thing? I came up with a better name for when Wemby throws the ball off the glass to himself. He tried it a couple of times
Je Skeets
last night, but they're ready for it.
TK
He couldn't get to the rebound.
Je Skeets
Yeah.
TK
Should be called a French kiss.
Je Skeets
I like it.
TK
Yeah, that's better than when bound. Sorry, Jake.
Je Skeets
Yeah, again, when bound reads better than it sounds, for sure. The French kiss. I love it, but okay. And we're fine with other guys? Yeah, that's fine. Other guys can French kiss. Of course they can French kiss. Still as a heart content. All right, let's get into other random notes here from game five.
Taz
Random.
Je Skeets
Tas. You already mentioned this one. I. I did grab a screen grab of Keldon Johnson hyping up Wemby.
Taz
Oh.
Je Skeets
Pregame. I. I was hyped for it. You know, he got me all hyped. Maybe that's why we were so disappointed in. In Wemby's game five. But there was a shot of it. A lot of pointing at him, right?
Taz
Oh, yeah. Finger right in the chest.
Je Skeets
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Taz
But he did say, I wish you want to be able to hear what he has to say post game. I wanted to hear what Wemby had to say to Calvin Johnson. He said, like, two words to him as he poked him for 10 seconds. Finished it off with some, like, two words. Oh, I tried to do some lip reading. Yeah, no, no language. I lip read in French, got nothing from it. Tried English, got nothing from it. I don't know what the conversation was.
Je Skeets
We had a close up of Alex Caruso's upside down headband. That was a little story here for Mike Tirico and the guys. And there it is. And, you know, definitely upside down. But then they said his inspiration for it was from Rondo. And they showed us a photo of Caruso and Rondo on the Lakers. But I laughed because Rondo's headband was not upside down in said photo. So they couldn't find one. I mean, we knew Rondo did do it. I thought he got told not to do it.
TK
Probably at this point he had.
Taz
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, he did.
Je Skeets
So I'm surprised. I mean, I mean, I do not care at all. I don't want Silver to come in and say, hey, flip the headband upside down or the right way.
Taz
Things have changed. Just because a guy gets fined for not seeing or not doing interviews post game or wearing an upside down headband or is told not to. Things have changed. Things have changed. But I think Wendy's not going to be fine.
Je Skeets
Can't wear it around your neck. Jalen Sug style.
TK
You can't.
Je Skeets
They told them to.
Taz
Yeah. Not allowed. Yeah, that's true.
Je Skeets
How about this video clip of Castle throwing the ball away? No doubt because he thought James Capers was playing for the San Antonio Spurs. And how can you blame them? I mean, they're. They're wearing, when you really think about it, sort of similar outfits, these spurs and officials. The black and silver or black and gray, I guess let's call it. And that's. I mean, that's what Castle thought. Right. Paper, sort of. Capers was open and he had to let it go out of bounds. I know. I'd love for him to catch it. You think James Capers is a bucket? Or ever was?
Taz
Yes.
Je Skeets
Wow. Yeah, I do.
TK
I think every ref at some point played basketball.
Je Skeets
Every single one? Yeah. A high percentage. I'm trying to think of, like, who did it.
TK
I mean, like, I'm gonna be a.
Taz
Who was the referee that played pickle ball? JD that actually played pickle ball with. Was it you or Rachel? Maybe we can ask him if he's played pickleball or basketball. I should say. What was his name?
TK
Jonathan Sterling.
Taz
Sterling. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Well, I haven't seen him in over two years, so maybe he's playing. Oh, we just. We just don't play it the why anymore. That's where he was.
Je Skeets
Okay. He's retired now, but did Joey Brothers play basketball?
TK
Who's Joey Brothers?
Je Skeets
I mean, Joey Crawford.
TK
Oh, Joey Crawford. Yeah.
Je Skeets
Like, at what level?
TK
Through high school.
Je Skeets
Okay. Okay. I thought you were more saying, you know, college, semi professional level. Everybody played in high school, I would assume. But I don't think Joey Crawford was making college basketball team.
Taz
What.
TK
What do you think that James Caper's favorite meal is?
Je Skeets
Capers.
Taz
Salmon and capers. Chicken and capers.
TK
Chicken and capers. Like a chicken piccata?
Taz
Yeah, exactly.
TK
Delicious. That's a lobster roll on Martha's Vineyard.
Je Skeets
Oh, nice.
TK
Fancy guy.
Je Skeets
Yeah. That guy didn't play basketball.
Taz
I thought, he's busy having dinner with Martha Stewart at Martha's Vineyard.
Je Skeets
Final.
Taz
She loves it there.
Je Skeets
Final clip. I don't know why they showed us this, but Cheryl Miller crushing an egg in her bicep.
Taz
Yeah, that was.
Je Skeets
This was so weird. I had to rewind it. I'm like, what did I miss for this setup? Or why we're seeing this? I mean, it was off a WNBA ad read, so that's why she's part of the wnba, NBC broadcast now. So that's why.
TK
Yeah, I mean I've seen the can you crack an egg on your bicep? Going around a lot on social media. Yeah, I watched a full Brooklyn Nets version of it once upon a time.
Je Skeets
Yeah.
TK
But why did we see this during game Conference finals.
Je Skeets
Oh yeah, that part. Strange.
TK
No reason.
Je Skeets
The Liberty. The Liberty were doing this.
TK
Okay.
Je Skeets
Challenge this test, whatever you want to call it.
Taz
Yeah, it's more of a test as have anything to do with the actual bicep. It's just the ability to hold it balanced in between your forearm and your bicep and crush it, is it not?
TK
I mean, your bicep doesn't generate enough pressure.
Je Skeets
Yeah, yeah. There.
Taz
Well, for the pressure. Yeah. I don't.
TK
There was a. There's a lot of nets that couldn't do it.
Je Skeets
Yeah, that's.
TK
I think like most of them.
Je Skeets
No, most of. Yeah, yeah. This by the way, is like a
TK
feather in Cheryl Miller's cat.
Je Skeets
But this idea is five years old. We were doing this five years ago in 2021. This cracking. Cracking an egg between your bicep when
Taz
you needed things to do.
Je Skeets
Yeah.
Taz
Pandemic.
Je Skeets
Yeah. When eggs. When eggs. Everybody was fine. Just wasting eggs.
TK
Yeah.
Taz
She also has a sweater on.
TK
That's a weird move.
Je Skeets
Cuz she.
Taz
So she pulls up the sweater, it's over the bicep. There's a lot more material to crush, I would say. But anyway,
Je Skeets
I did like to joking that he had an. An egg under the desk for Reggie to try. He made that joke.
Taz
Yeah, that was a good joke.
Je Skeets
Yeah, I was all right.
TK
I feel like Reggie was taking a lot of shots last night. Like when Jamal Crawford just brought up Tayshawn Prince blocking him from behind nowhere. That was pretty funny.
Taz
Yeah. Yeah. Reggie was blocking Jamal Crawford a lot in the shots on camera.
Je Skeets
Yeah, you're right.
Taz
Yeah. Just because the angle of the camera Reggie turned. You just saw Reggie's back to his.
TK
His right facing that way. So like when he was congratulating Mike Tirico on his Emmy, you couldn't see Jamal?
Je Skeets
Yeah, that's right. And that was a.
TK
That was a long handhold from Reggie to Mike. What else? The spurs, they didn't fly the nuns there.
Taz
No.
TK
But there was a bunch of guys that were dressed like nuns.
Taz
Okay.
TK
Not the same. As you can see, the result was not nearly the same.
Je Skeets
Oh, you're saying there were spurs fans?
TK
There were spurs fans dressed as nuns. Well, I don't know if they were spurs fans. I assume so.
Taz
Right.
TK
But there Was two men dressed as nuns.
Je Skeets
Okay.
TK
They were in black and white spurs, but also nun colors.
Je Skeets
Cuz I saw earlier in the day a bunch of OKC fans joking that they were going to maybe dresses nuts at the game.
TK
These men could have been OKC fans.
Je Skeets
Sure we did. They're wearing black and silver.
Taz
They're wearing black and silver.
Je Skeets
Well, maybe they're big James Capers fans.
Taz
They're dressed as referees fans.
TK
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Je Skeets
They remember what he played back in the day.
Taz
Should referees have to change their jerseys? If they look too similar to an
Je Skeets
NBA team, they should be bright neon.
Taz
Agreed.
TK
That's how I do it in soccer.
Je Skeets
Do it when, when that play happened I was like, it is a little weird. They're dressed very similar to the one team playing. Yeah, that's very strange. Change it.
Taz
They don't have alternate jerseys though.
Je Skeets
I want a city edition James Capers jersey.
Taz
He was a baller.
Je Skeets
Yeah, I guess so. That's what they tell me.
TK
I, I just found out he's James Capers Jr. His dad was also an NBA referee. This guy's been around the game his entire life.
Taz
Yeah. See when you said every guy has played, I assume like they've just walked onto the floor and actually just like shot around. So they've kind of like played. Okay.
Je Skeets
That's not how I was considering played. I want to know what's the percentage of NBA officials that have played. I think college is a fair level. Like I think that means you were of course, you know, not an elite, elite basketball player, but like high school then that seems like too low a bar to me. I'd love to know. I think it's high. I'm with you. I think it's very high. But also people that are referees are a little weird. Yeah. So that doesn't mean they played basketball. You know, again, I think Joey Brothers, I'm not convinced. Yeah, yeah.
Taz
It's like my, my homie Mike Nomi who referees hockey, you know, does some different stuff, but he's a great, great referee. Yeah, but did he play, did he play NHL professionally? How high do you have to play in the NHL? So in basketball I think it's similar. You can play in some league while you're in high school. I think that's different. Like a non high school league. That qualifies to me as actually playing basketball. Like my homie Mike know me played in a league other than high school hockey, which we had in Canada. So I think that, I think that qualifies.
Je Skeets
He wasn't a very Good hockey player.
Taz
No, of course. I mean, if you end up being a referee. James Capers wasn't a baller. Yeah, exactly.
TK
That's what I think, is that every single referee wanted to make the NBA okay. And this is how they did it.
Taz
Exactly.
TK
Because this is the way they could do it.
Taz
Yeah.
Je Skeets
I'm not sure I agree with that. Because officials are weird as man.
TK
That's true.
Je Skeets
What do you mean? They wanted to be caught cops. And they couldn't be cops, so they became officials. That's how I interpreted it anyway.
Taz
That's funny.
Je Skeets
Any other random notes? Yeah.
TK
While we're talking refs, I think it's very funny now that players complain for transition take files because it just ends up with a bunch of guys sticking their arms out like this. Like the Christ the Redeemer statue.
Je Skeets
Yeah. Yeah. But, you know, we did get one, right?
TK
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Taz
That was a weird one. I thought it was.
TK
Shay got the transition take file because I think Castle, his pocket. He filed him.
Taz
Right? And then he does. Then he does this signal, but he's in the paint almost.
Je Skeets
It was a weird position for it. I'm with you on that. We didn't talk about this earlier in the postseason, but I'm convinced. And maybe this is a thing and I just missed it. We now have, like, a universal sign for guys flopping, right?
TK
Yeah.
Je Skeets
Have you seen. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Taz
I thought.
Je Skeets
Yeah, they, like, sort of.
TK
It's. It's a hinge movement somehow.
Je Skeets
We never talked about it on the podcast. We, like, glossed over it, but, like, I was like, when did we decide that that was it? I was like, okay, we're going with that. But, yeah, you started seeing it a lot there in the first couple of series. I rem. I think it was in the first couple series.
TK
Anyway, they pick up on the signals quickly, and that's the way to signal your disappointment. You know, we've seen the finger.
Taz
They do the flop, they do the arms.
Je Skeets
Yeah.
TK
You don't see a lot of guys throw the charge.
Je Skeets
No.
TK
Like, to celebrate, maybe. Of course.
Taz
The travel.
Je Skeets
Yeah.
Taz
Yeah. There you go.
Je Skeets
Hey, what are you, an official? What level did you play basketball?
TK
I'm not good enough to make the NBA either. Sign me up.
Je Skeets
Do you guys want to try and become NBA officials? Then we get on the same crew. Hate.
TK
Yeah, it'd be awesome. But we gotta act like we don't know each other.
Je Skeets
All right? Sure, sure.
Taz
Spurs assistant coach Corliss Williamson was shaking smelling salts. It looked exactly like smelling salts, but we never actually saw him put it up to his nostril pregame. I've never seen an assistant coach do smelling salts. And. And he didn't. But the guy was ready, man. Big Nasty was ready. He's just ready for this game. Assistant coaches do smelling salts.
TK
I'm.
Taz
I'm starting that rumor.
Je Skeets
Okay.
Taz
Because I didn't see it. But anyway, there'll be more on Corus Williamson later this show.
Je Skeets
Oh, good.
Taz
Just a random question.
Je Skeets
What a tease. Oh, yeah, right, right, right.
Taz
Mailbag question.
Je Skeets
I forgot about that one. Okay, let's take a break. When we come back, we'll talk some coaches news and then hit the beach. I don't want to alarm anyone, but we have at most nine NBA games left this postseason. Yeah, could be as low as 5, but at most 9. FanDuel is giving you better payouts on same game parlays all NBA playoffs. Long with more ways to build and more value every time you play. You can stack your picks your way for every game, every matchup and every moment. Yeah, Tas, I was locked in yesterday. Game five, you had Dort as the first scorer. And there was like. Well, of course Wemby won the tip.
Taz
Of course.
Je Skeets
Spurs had a chance. Gotta stop. And they came down.
Taz
Yeah, things were looking good, but Thunder
Je Skeets
didn't get it to dort.
Taz
No, McCain was. The ball stopped, but.
Je Skeets
But then it goes back the other way. Spurs don't score again. And then Dort had a chance. He got a look.
TK
First attempt from the corner.
Je Skeets
Yep. And unfortunately missed it. So parlay didn't hit. But man, was it exciting or what? Yeah, it was.
Taz
Thanks.
Je Skeets
I was really locked in from spreads to players points, to threes, to a whole bunch more. Build it all into one same game parlay and go for bigger payouts. So if you're betting same game parlays for this NBA postseason, again, possibly only nine games left. Bet them on FanDuel. More options, better payouts all NBA playoffs. Long head to FanDuel sportsbook app to get started, baby. FanDuel official partner of the NBA. Partner here of no dunks. Play your game.
TK
Who do you think is the favorite for first basket of game six?
Taz
It's got to be a spur WEMBY.
Je Skeets
Yeah, yeah.
TK
Plus 330 they need. Yeah, he's the favorite. SGA plus 650. Fox and Vesel as well at 650.
Je Skeets
You know what? I like a. I like a Vasel. Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure. I mean, the defense is going to be of course focused on Wemb. Bodies are going to come over there's going to be some.
Taz
And we got to stop. Shampeny just had the game of his career. Got to stop. Champagne?
Je Skeets
Sure, sure.
Taz
Splashing threes.
Je Skeets
All right, a little coach's corner here. The stupid Boston Celtics exceeded stupid expectations all season. And Joe Missoula was named the stupid coach of the year in recognition of their stupid success. Joey Maz beat out the other finalists for the award. Show you the voter breakdown here on YouTube. JB Bickerstaff and Mitch Johnson coming up in second and third in a fairly close total point vote. Joe Missoula with 80 more points than J.B. bickerstaff. Anyone shocked by this or what were your reactions to Joe Maula?
TK
See, that's the thing. My main reaction to this is like oh yeah, the regular season. Because it's been almost a month since the Celtics played basketball. The last time we saw him, Joey Maz was doing a ultimate you played yourself move starting Luca Garza and Ron Harper Jr. In a Game 7. Didn't make any sense.
Je Skeets
Right.
TK
But this is for the regular season and he deserved it for the regular season. You just got to flashback and remember all those years ago, those years ago,
Taz
great regular season, a really, really good regular season. The things that he did, did he earn it?
Je Skeets
Yeah, yeah.
Taz
Because you lose Jason Tatum. But still, I mean the guys that he developed like Namish Keita, barely had a role in this league, had barely started at all. Puts him as his starting center and was able to just get incredible defensive performance out of that guy. Turns into a fourth ranked defense in the whole league. Combined with the wings that he had Jordan Walsh in a role where you take the other team's best offensive player along with Baylor Shiren who had his best season was awesome. Hugo Gonzalez, Ugo. People get mad when I call him Hugo. It is Ugo. A 19 year old part of the rotation and you create an offense around Jalen Brown and only Jaylen Brown and you were able to execute the second best offense in the league. You're number one in turnovers. Yeah, I can understand why he gets it at 56 and 26.
Je Skeets
Yeah, yeah.
Taz
They had a better record than the New York Knicks.
Je Skeets
Yeah. Because this is that. Okay. More than most of the awards. It's like expectation based. Right. A lot of us myself for sure thought the Celtics were not going to be nearly this good. Maybe the gap year, maybe a more of a 500 team. Maybe not even in like the playoffs. Maybe more battling in the play in. So for them to exceed that and yeah have 56 wins, top five on both sides of the floor. They had the fifth best record in the league. That's impressive. That's impressive. But I think again, it's because of those maybe preseason expectations with the notatum and, oh, what are we going to get from this team? But you know, Jamie Bickerstaff did win 60 games. That's pretty impressive. And Mitch Johnson, with one of the youngest teams in the league winning 62, like, these guys are well deserved, I think. Finalists for sure. But you know, the Boston media mafia is going to vote for their guys too. Brad Stevens won Executive of the Year. Which one? So they're both just elite and they are. They had a great regular season. But it is weird the way they're handing out these awards. It's sort of silly. We should like get. We should get to them quicker.
TK
It should. There should not be an award announced after the first round. Like there's enough time. The first round lasts so long.
Je Skeets
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Taz
I mean, and now, now there's definitely enough time. But sometimes we want some headlines, that's why.
Je Skeets
Yeah, yeah, of course. Totally. Missoula did say, by the way, through statement, I didn't see any sort of like press conference for this. He didn't want this stupid award, as he said. I mean, that's why I was saying stupid, stupid, stupid, because he had called this a stupid.
Taz
It's not for you, Joe. The word's not for you.
Je Skeets
Well, he said this award belongs to our staff.
Taz
Yeah.
Je Skeets
Who are there for the guys every day. Their relentless work ethic improves our team daily. This award should be named Staff of the Year.
Taz
Sure.
Je Skeets
There you go.
Taz
Respect, respect, respect. And respect to the J.B. bicker staff in Detroit. They were good too.
Je Skeets
Staff of the Year. Yeah. You should definitely get it. Great point.
TK
Always gets both.
Taz
Just have me again. More votes for Jordan. Odd. I thought too far.
TK
I had more votes.
Taz
Had more votes in fifth. Too far. Down.
Je Skeets
Yeah. So it went. Missoula Bickerstaff, Mitch Johnson. I mean, those were your clear one, two threes. And then a big drop off to Charles Lee.
Taz
Big drop off.
Je Skeets
And then Jordan Ott of the Suns and then Mark Dagnalt. Those were the only three guys to get plus 10 total points. It goes 5, 3, 1, I think. And then you had Reddick, Splitter, Quinn Snyder, Kenny Atkinson, Tyrone, Lou and Darko got one lone third place vote. Pizza party for Darko.
Taz
I think those like a Tehran Lou vote. I think somebody just felt bad for the guy. Everything he had to go. Go through that this season. It's like A you did good fighting through all that Chris Paul stuff.
TK
Yeah.
Taz
Steve Ballmer stuff. Other stuff. What other stuff did they have?
TK
He's very close friends with Chauncey Billups and of course, the Kawhi Leonard of it all as well. Things hanging over there. I do think that, like every coach that got a vote deserved to at least get a vote.
Je Skeets
I sort of agree.
TK
Nice. Yeah, it's good to see Darko down there. Like, Tyu did have a good season. They started terrible and turned it around.
Je Skeets
You know, Quinn Snider obviously turning around.
TK
It's nice to see your name.
Je Skeets
Yep.
Taz
The only question I have about coaches who reviewed the. The only coach I question, Kenny.
TK
Kenny Atkinson.
Je Skeets
Well, yeah, we know how you feel about him. You thought he was supposed to be fired yesterday. I got bad news for you, man. They ain't going anywhere.
Taz
They didn't come close to expectations from the fourth seed. I mean, they were covered, but 52 and 30, you know.
Je Skeets
Well, let's talk about him a little bit more because the Cleveland Cavaliers plan to retain coach Kenny Atkinson even after the Knicks swept them on Monday night. Both Shams and the Athletics Joe Varden reported on this news. So there's going to be no major changes. Again, these are reports, but these guys are pretty locked in to the Cavs front office or their coaching staff. None is to be expected here. Um, sounds also like James Harden is going to be signing some sort of contract extension with them, and then it's TBD for the rest of the roster and maybe some of the other big names. But yeah, yesterday's podcast, I asked you guys, what's the one big move or one big decision the Cavs have to make? And you guys seemed in agreement. It's probably Ken Kenny Atkinson and maybe get a new leader in here, vocal leader. But they say no to that because
Taz
I think Donovan Mitchell really likes him. That's what I interpret it as.
Je Skeets
I agree.
Taz
Their top player likes this guy. He's coming back. Simple as that. Does that mean Mitchell signing an extension? I think they could wait on that. He does have a year plus the player option. They could. They could. Or do they just give him all that dollars? I.
TK
That one's up to Donovan Mitchell, I think. I think the Cavs will offer him the extension and say, do you want it? And he'll leave them hanging in the wind to decide whether or not. But I guess what the Cavs are doing is taking a July view of things rather than a May view. It's disappointing the way the season ended, but in like their exit interviews, they're like, hey, we went to the conference finals. That was the whole point. We went farther than we did last year.
Taz
Yeah, yeah. I do think Mitchell and Harden love playing together. I think Mitchell likes the ability to not have to handle the ball a ton. So there's that part and the fact that only played two months together and going into the off season they're, they're going to play again. I just thought somebody else who would motivate this team a little bit more would have a little bit more of that scrappiness to them because they have a different leader was the way that they would go because I don't think that they changed their roster at all. They're going to hope for some internal growth. Like I said, the Jalen Tyson, if he's their small forward and he's playing beside James Harden in Game 1, guarding Jalen Brunson, then it is different. It is different than Dean Wade out there not fighting over picks. So I guess that's what they're hoping for. But I thought there would be a little bit, a little bit of a change to their, their front, their, their staff period. And, and I thought it would be Kenny.
Je Skeets
Kenny does have three seasons remaining on his contract. You know, this plays a part in some of these decisions at times too. So you know, he's been there for what, two years now, signed the five year deal. So he's not even halfway through the thing. Not that, not that that stopped obviously,
Taz
but this, but this team has the highest payroll in the NBA and so I'm sure. Dan. Don't call me Dave Gilbert.
Je Skeets
I'll call you Dave when I want to.
Taz
Gilbert. Yeah, plays that is, is a part. I know there's some guys that they will let a guy go even if he has four years left on his contract. But yeah, some.
Je Skeets
Well, they're gonna let a credit go, they're gonna let a coach go when as you guys have talked about here, your star player or players on your team, dislike said coach or tuned them out or have moved on, don't give a about. And that doesn't seem to be the case here as you guys went through like both, especially in their exit interviews. Mitchell, Harden, all of them that I saw, like nobody was saying, yeah, yeah, we don't like Kenny or like even alluding to like all the things he did wrong. And this is the thing. Like that guy's got to take some blame for some of the group's failures here in the postseason.
Taz
Yep.
Je Skeets
In addition to the players. But like they were 13 and 14 in the playoffs. And yeah, they've had a lot of 50 win seasons here, but like. And yeah, they got to the next step, but they did not even win a game at said step. So, you know, I didn't think it was impressive work by him. Impressive coaching by him. No.
TK
8 and 10 in the playoffs.
Je Skeets
Oh, well, I meant 13, 14 in his career, I guess, as opposed to the Cavs.
TK
At the very least, he goes into the next season on the hot seat. I have to imagine, like a slow start like they had this year. You're going to be looking sideways at Kenny Atkinson, but a couple of things I think are in play here. The extension for sure is probably part of it. The team did advance farther than they wanted to go. They did have a huge change at the trade deadline, swapping Garland for Harden and Tass, you kind of mentioned it. Like, who were they going to replace him with? Like, what's a name out there that you think, oh, this is a championship winning coach. Michael Malone's in college. He won a championship. Billy Donovan's available. He never won a championship. Tom Thibodeau, they let go of him and the Knicks went further. So there's just not a name out there that you can do better for. Kenny, who's a guy that, like, you're saying Skeets, Donovan. Mitchell's like, yeah, he's a player coach. It wasn't his fault we lost. They went out of their way, I thought, to protect Kenny Atkinson.
Taz
Yeah. A lot of other rosters, you look at them and say, the young guy can do it, you know, in a modern day NBA. But I don't think this roster is designed for that. They want an oldie. And so you mentioned some of the oldies that could replace him. They don't. There's not. Is there really one? They're not. They're not going Borrego. I mean, they're not going that direction. You mentioned them on a hot seat. I think if, if they do get off to a hot start or they're not playing together, then I think the guy in the associate head coach seat, Johnny Bryant, just takes that. I mean, just moves over. Because I think Donna Mitchell has a connection with him. TBD on that one. But yes, the fact that Kenny Atkinson is signed through 29, I totally. That totally skipped my mind. That's.
TK
That's a lot of dollars.
Je Skeets
Yeah, it is. Kenny for sure. When we get to our September, well, let's call it October preseason shows, and one of the questions is, yeah, which coach is on the hot seat here, he'll probably be at the top of the list. Yeah, he'll be at least in the top three. So, yeah, they're gonna have to get off to a strong start and. And then, sure, yeah, then they're off and running and see if they can, like these other teams in them in the Eastern Conference before them, take the next step to the Finals, like all these squads before them did. As we went through the Knicks and the Pacers, the.
Taz
What, Heat and Celtics, I was just. I'm just surprised that the roster, again, it's got to be internal because they're not changing it. Well, I mean, LeBron ain't coming.
Je Skeets
Oh, okay. But maybe they're changing it with one of the bigs being shipped out, be it. Be it Mobley or Jared Allen. I think that's very feasible. Possible.
Taz
Just seems odd to me. And who are you counting on? You're counting so much on one of those guys when you trade the other one out to be a rock beside Donovan Mitchell and James Harden.
Je Skeets
No, but it would be a trade of, like, one good guy out for two solid guys to help, you know, put around our defensive liability guards in Harden and Mitchell, I think. Yeah.
Taz
Yeah. You know, that's what it was like.
Je Skeets
No team desperately needs more of like an OG or. Or like an Eric Gordon or like, that nature of a player more than the Cavs. Like, they need that.
Taz
Absolutely.
Je Skeets
And they've tried. They thought, you know, maybe they thought DeAndre Hunter was going to be that. That. Nope. They've had other guys in this slot.
TK
A lot of guys.
Je Skeets
Yeah. And they can't find it. And that's. Those are tough guys to actually find in this league. There's very valuable guys, that's for sure, that don't kill you offensively and then are just, like, lockdown defenders.
Taz
Jalen Tyson's working on that shot right now.
Je Skeets
Jeez, man.
Taz
I mean, what else are you going to do? You got a dean. I love Max, but to put in. To put in so many minutes. I don't know. He seems the guy missed, like, five months of the season, too. He came back in March. Right. I mean, so it could be that as well.
Je Skeets
Yep.
Taz
Amazon Pharmacy presents painful thoughts.
Je Skeets
It's been a long, bumpy road dealing with yet another bladder infection and driving
Taz
to the pharmacy to pick up meds.
Je Skeets
I went over a pothole and a little pee came out. So now I get to stand in line with pee pee pants.
Taz
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TK
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Je Skeets
All right, let's hit the beach and answer a few of your questions. You got the buzz, I got the rockets. You got the nuts, I got the chocolates. We got that chit chat down pat, blah, blah, blah. You got that certain special Genesis qua. Let's go to the beach, baby. All right, we're on the beach. Thanks for sending in your questions. No Dunks Inc. That's inc.mail.com. if you want to email them in, you can drop them in the YouTube comments. You can tweet them in Odunks Inc. As well. First one starts, oddly. Hey, Bill, I believe you want the Bill Simmons email account. This one, I don't know. Did Bill forward this to us? He didn't want this one.
Taz
No, this was straight from Nathan.
Je Skeets
Okay. Hey, Bill, it starts. I hope he sent this to Simmons too. So in the 90s, some players were labeled tweeners. Corliss Williamson. There you go, Taz. Big Nasty. For example, watching the Knicks fast break a series sweep, is Evan Mobley, the modern day tweener, not big enough for center? Too big for the four. Love you guys. Go Nick's. Cheers. That's from Nathan, who is just sending this email to every NBA podcaster in the game. Somebody's got to answer it. Hey, Bill. We will. Yeah. What do you think, TK Start with you. Your thoughts on Is Mobley the modern day tweener?
TK
I think his player archetype is one of the modern day players out there, but I don't think it's a size thing. 6 foot 11 is tall enough to be a center. He's taller than Jared Allen, £215. Heavy enough to be a center. Yeah, he's heavier than Chad Holmgren, who plays center a lot, though he plays power forward. Yeah, it's more the game. And that brings me to the kind of player this is. 7 footers who don't rebound. That makes you a tweener. Okay, he's one. Jaren Jackson Jr. Is one. Lowry Markkanen is one. Guys that are, like, big enough to play center, but they don't play big enough to play center. So for Mobley, it's one of two things. Get your weight up or get your three point up, and then you fall into either one, you become a legitimate stretch five, or you become just a five.
Taz
Yeah, I think there are fewer and fewer tweeners in today's game because everybody's more skilled.
Je Skeets
You know, I would definitely agree with that.
Taz
There's, you know, Grant Williams, he's a tweener in today's NBA, but there just aren't many of them because everybody's just got enough skills. And Evan Mobley, he's not too big to be a four. As Nathan, you wrote to Bill, because he can defend three pointers all the way to the rim. I mean, he. He can guard like a three. He can guard like a three in that. He can guard everywhere on the floor, but also he can guard at the rim. I mean, you. We saw in the Knick series, he also was good enough to bring the ball up the floor. It was. Josh Hart was giving it to him in the backcourt. Like, Evan Mobley was a guy who, you know, couldn't dribble like a center who couldn't dribble. And he brought it up. It was awesome. But, yeah, he can't finish as a fight. You know, he doesn't have the. The ability to score as a five. But I appreciate it. I appreciate the email, but he's not caught in between, I don't think.
Je Skeets
Well, this is funny. We've done this show for a very long time. We're at years plus now. And when we started, correct me if I'm wrong, tweener was more seen as, like, a negative term, a dirty word.
Taz
Absolutely.
Je Skeets
It had more of a negative connotation because of what you guys are saying. You're sort of caught in between positions. But now, and it has gone away a little bit, it's like. It's almost like a positive in a weird way, because it means, like, you're positionally flexible and you can play sort of a couple positions. You're more of the Swiss army knife type of guy. So it is funny how it has changed and it's, like, adapted in my mind at least. And since we started doing it, because we just don't say it as much as we used to say it a lot. Used to come up a lot about, oh, that guy's a tweener. And even, like, not just a big, like, forward center. Like a lot of, like, two threes or like, point guard, shooting guards, like, of like a smaller shooting guard. Like, we would bring it up a lot there. It feels like it's sort of gone away a bit. I think a big part of it is everybody's just way more skilled. There's so much more crossover between positions.
TK
Yes. Like, we're talking about, is Mobley one of two big positions? Is he the 4 or the 5? That's sort of a tweener. But real tweeners are like, are you a guard or a wing? Are you a wing or a big. And now that, like, people just know, like, Mobley's not a wing. Everybody can agree on that. He's either a stretch big or a five.
Je Skeets
Yeah.
TK
Which is he?
Je Skeets
Yeah, that's right. That's right. It's like. And this is again, I'm using as a positive attribute. A positive attribute. Attribute, attribute. I know I was saying it wrong. I said it just twice. Scotty Barnes, to me, is a like, a guy that is like, he's a 6, 8. Like, what is he? Because he's a 68 power forward that plays center, can play 3, 4, or 5, and also is the point guard at times. So like, to like, I'm, again, that's like the Swiss army knife sort of guy, can do a bit of everything.
Taz
Yeah. That's why.
Je Skeets
That's how I look at it.
Taz
That's why Evan Mobley is one of those guys, too. I mean, it's different.
Je Skeets
I don't like, he. I don't think he is.
Taz
He can do everything on the floor other than score as a big. As a center, you know, like, he can't do that, but sometimes he can't. Sometimes he can.
TK
I know him and Harden had a nice connection when Allen was out and Mobley shot, like, 70.
Taz
Yeah. And that's why they may try trade Jared Allen, I guess. But then you're asking a lot of him either way.
TK
You're paying him a ton, man.
Taz
Yeah.
Je Skeets
He should be awesome. Thank you.
Taz
Yeah, yeah, yeah. And that's why it was weird that Kenny came back. Kenny thought he was gonna turn him into a superstar.
TK
True.
Taz
Last off season, that's what he said. He expected him to be a take another step, and it didn't happen, obviously, but. Yeah, I hear you. I just think we don't even talk about really, like, the three, the four, the five anymore. No, it's just, you know, guards, wings and bigs. Yeah, exactly. It's not. There's no Lonnie Baxter anymore. There's just. There's no Gary Trent anymore, you know. You know, those guys are gone. But anyways, I hope everybody got their Corliss Williamson news. K O r m e 22 in the stream team said, I'm here for the Corliss Williamson news. Hope you got it.
Je Skeets
I loved Corliss.
Taz
He was good. But he was. Was he a tweener?
Je Skeets
Oh, yeah. Like, yeah, because he was not that tall. Right. He's like.
TK
Right.
Taz
He's sort of like 6, 7.
Je Skeets
Yeah, he's 6 7, but played a lot better. Bigger, I guess, or could. Yeah, I mean, he didn't have the playmaking abilities like Draymond Green, but that guy's six six and. Yep, he's a center. I mean, really, for at least his team.
TK
He is, I guess, is Corliss Williamson. Is he just 1990s Julius Randall, kinda like you're big and strong and that's how you score.
Taz
Yeah, yeah. Julius could shoot Julius.
Je Skeets
I was gonna say Julius is better than Corliss Williamson. Corlos Williamson, like, peaked at college. Really. I mean, had a fine NBA career.
TK
Six man.
Je Skeets
And he, he. Oh, he did win. Six man. Wow.
Taz
He did. Yeah.
Je Skeets
That's pretty impressive. He won a title. I mean. Yeah, yeah.
Taz
Now he's doing smell insults on the spurs bench.
TK
Yeah, it all leads back to smelling eventually.
Taz
Next question here. What's up? No dunks Crew not bill. The Knicks have a chance to win both the NBA title and NBA cup in the same season. I feel like this hardly gets talked about in European football. Winning the domestic double is a huge thing, remembered by fan bases forever. But what should this feat be called in the NBA? And is the NBA cup finally shaping up to be the best predictor for an NBA Finals appearance? I didn't read that right. And is the NBA cup final shaping up to be the best predictor for an NBA Finals appearance? See the Pacers from last year, the Knicks, and potentially the spurs this year. That's from Martin in Berlin, Germany. So what should this be called?
Je Skeets
Okay, I've got one suggestion. All right, hear me out here. The double, as they do call it in, in football or soccer, the NBA cup and the NBA Finals or the NBA championship. One is one in the winter, one is one in the summer. The silver solstice.
TK
Okay, okay.
Je Skeets
The solstices. Right. We got Jim.
TK
I'm familiar with the solstices.
Je Skeets
Well, and then silver, because this is Adam Silver's baby. And it just sounds fun. Yeah. So that's what I want to call this.
TK
Nice.
Taz
Yeah, I like alliteration.
Je Skeets
Yeah, yeah, Exactly.
Taz
Exactly.
Je Skeets
That or Vegas Larry.
TK
The Vegas Larry. I had Emmy and Larry because it's the Emirates. NBA Cup. Cup and ball. One's a ball. That's good if you get them both. Does the Larry fit in top of the Emmy? I don't think so.
Je Skeets
I don't think so.
TK
It seems like the ball is much bigger than the cup, but.
Je Skeets
Yeah, I mean, I might though.
TK
Golden double is a. Sounds like something you would order at McDonald's. But also a very standard way of addressing this sort of thing. Would you consider yourself a dynasty if you win two championships in one season?
Taz
No way. No.
TK
No. Nobody's ever done it before.
Je Skeets
No.
Taz
Hasn't been done.
Je Skeets
No. This will be big. This will be big if the. The Knicks can pull this off.
TK
At the very least, cup curse is over. Feel free to use that champagne room. Our guy Keith is always lamenting. He's setting up these beautiful champagne rooms. And then nobody wants to celebrate after winning the NBA cup because the Lakers and the Bucks fell short of expectations the first two years. So nobody wants to party in that room. And I'm saying you can party in that room.
Je Skeets
Party off, man. You're in Vegas.
TK
Totally.
Je Skeets
You want the cup?
TK
Put it on your head. Act silly. Yeah, no, silly with the cup.
Je Skeets
And don't worry about the immediate fall off that your team is inevitably going to have for the weeks following. Yeah, it's January. No one gives a shit. Yeah, just, you know, get back on the same page as the season goes on and start clicking like the Knicks are. Okay, There's a lot of suggestions there. I like cup and ball. You said Emmy and Larry. I said Vegas Larry.
Taz
Oh, yeah. I didn't throw mine in.
Je Skeets
Yeah. What do you got?
Taz
Because there's the Vegas connection, which this will never be done, but because I think, number one, the NBA wants to get away from the Las Vegas thing. They may not even be in Vegas in the future, but I think the double down is a possibility. Double down, you know, scambling and double down. A double under. Now that's just the ability to skip rope and jump over it twice and jump once and have a double under.
Je Skeets
That's a double under.
Taz
Yeah. It's not great, but we could have players, you know, doing promotional videos and seeing if they could do that as they go into the championships. That'll never happen.
TK
We could do that.
Taz
Yeah, we could do that. Let's do that or the double door. Let's get Tim Robinson involved. I think you should leave.
Je Skeets
Goes both ways.
Taz
It goes both ways.
Je Skeets
You open one way, NBA cup, open the other way. NBA championship.
Taz
Just, you know, you can get it. Those cheesy videos that happen. Like the logo for the NBA cup pops up, you open it the other way.
Je Skeets
Goes both ways.
Taz
There's the Larry O.
TK
All right. Beanzo says the Solomon sweep. I don't think Victor Solomon designed.
Je Skeets
No, we don't think he did. That's too bad.
TK
We can't let him get his hands on the layer.
Je Skeets
Do not let him touch it.
TK
We already love the Solomon sweep, though, if he did.
Je Skeets
All right, final question here. What's up, guys? Huge fan. Been listening for nearly a decade now. We know Chet Holmgren is a good player. All star, all defensive player, top three draft pick, key contributor on a top team in the league. However, when he faces off against the spurs and Victor Weminyama, he seems to shrink and drastically struggle. So this was sent in before game 5. Much better in game 5. Wemby has been very vocal both on and off the court about his feelings when facing off against Chet. Here's the question. What are some other times you've seen players try to gain the mental edge in a matchup? That's from Corey in San Antonio. Anyone got anything?
Taz
I always love referring to Kevin Garnett versus Tim Duncan. Kevin Garnett known for trying to get in some under somebody's skin by being extremely vocal. But Tim wouldn't say a thing. And that would agitate Kevin Garnett. As he said post, post career, like that would just piss him off. And so he would just stop. But then Tim would start pulling out like the. The two word phrases like teeny tiny. They wouldn't even call it a sentence. He would just say nice try and then just keep on going. And that really pissed off. Good one. And he didn't say it as soft as that. But Michael Jackson. Yeah, his voice got so much higher.
TK
That would be a hilarious response though.
Je Skeets
Too. All right, so the KG and Duncan sort of mental battle.
Taz
Yeah.
Je Skeets
What do you got, TK?
TK
I instantly flashed back to the 1996 NBA Finals Bulls versus Sonics. The Bulls had Dennis Rodman, obviously an irritant. So the Sonics thought they were going to get into his head by sending Frank Brikowski out there just to rough up Rodman. And Rodman knew what was happening. And you can see him like staring down Frank Burkowski and just baiting him into flagrant files. And technicals. Frank Burkowski got kicked out of Game one and Game three and Rodman played like an awesome series in this one. So that was it for me. Trying to get the mental edge and
Je Skeets
having it completely backfired. Great stuff. Thank you, Corey. Thank you. Who do we have there? Martin and Nathan. We're sending his email to everybody. Can't wait to hear Zach Lowe get that one too. I love it. Lovelight of the Night sponsored by Matthew Grammar Adams. Matthew writes in. This is not a Matty O. I'm shocked here. This is a Matthew. Matty G. A Matty G. A Matthew writes in. TAS was listing off all the different podcast services people listen to, no dunks on. And I heard a what the hell is a Deezer? All right, that was said. Fair question. I'm a Deezer customer and I switched to Deezer from Spotify because I got sick of Spotify pushing and probably creating a bunch of crap AI music in their crap system generated playlists. Listen, I'm an AI guy. I like how he says this both for work and at home, but keep the beep boop clanker shit out of my music. Deezer promises not to recommend or generate any AI music, and so far it seems like that promise is true. So what a fantastic way to sponsor Whoa boy here to build up the Deezer fans and maybe crap on Spotify a little bit. And then. PS For a man that has never been wrong about anything ever. JD doesn't speak enough. Every time he speaks, I give him an amen. So There you go, J.D.
Taz
wow.
Je Skeets
More thoughts. Do you have thoughts on Deezer?
Taz
I'm in. Absolutely.
Je Skeets
Yeah. You don't want the beep boop clanker shit in your music. Yeah, I don't do that.
Taz
I don't do the, the, the. The. The Spotify generated playlists or Apple music. Yeah, as I said before, I am a serious satellite guy.
Je Skeets
Yeah, people were a little radio people were a little concerned. I saw, ironically, in the Spotify comments about how much you're paying for Sirius XM radio. Oh, yeah, you're paying way too much. Apparently.
Taz
I pulled that note number out of my ass. I actually don't know how much it is. I mean, Spotify. Spotify is more.
Je Skeets
Yeah, I know. Other people.
Taz
Yeah, monthly. It's. Anyways, whatever. I gotta look at my finance. My finance. I have one finance. Serious satellite radio. It's great to get a Deezer. We also got a. A tuning in from Media Monkey, which is another. That's from Kyler on Substack. Said he's listening to the media monkey.
Je Skeets
Why? I just want to know why. Like, I'm just more. You know, what's the. What's their big thing? What are they doing differently?
Taz
I don't know. Instead of a good day, sweet world. That starts with a woo.
Je Skeets
Okay.
Taz
Every one of our podcast. I don't know.
Je Skeets
You think they just. So.
Taz
Yeah, they insert monkey noises, I guess.
TK
Okay, Okay. I would support that use of AI. We just put a monkey noise in every podcast.
Je Skeets
All right.
TK
I do like that people are coming out of the woodwork, finally getting to see their plot. Podcast platform. Getting some love.
Taz
Yes.
Je Skeets
Yes. We respect and appreciate all of you. That's wherever you download and listen to us. Yes, Caesar. Okay. Whoa, boy. Whoa, monkey of the night. SGA. That's your Whoa, boy. Game high, 32 points. Look, he hit a lot of free throws. 16, 17. He was just seven and 19 from the field. Nine assists, two boards, two steals, one block. 37 minutes played as we started this podcast and breaking down the game. It's a. It's a weird game. It's like, it was good, but it wasn't. But it's also sort of what you want from your superstar when his shot isn't falling and when the jumper. I mean, he just kept missing those, you know, not all of them, but a lot thought of, like, his patent got to his spot. Rise up.
Taz
Yeah.
Je Skeets
Hit in the back of the room. He just could not get the touch going. He made Wembley still had an impact.
Taz
He also made Wemby sort of drop on that baseline.
Je Skeets
Oh, did he ever.
Taz
Yeah, near.
Je Skeets
That hand nearly touched earth.
Taz
Yeah.
Je Skeets
But it just didn't. But I was a. Hell. That was a hell of a play. That's one of his beautiful buckets. So. Yeah, anyway, he gets well, boy, it was. You know, obviously McCain had a good game. Cruise had a good game, but I think overall the nine assists is. The nine assists and some defense, too. 37 minutes played for SGA. All right, we'll call it there. No game on tonight. The hell are we gonna do tomorrow?
TK
We got who we got in the NHL. Habs versus Hurricanes.
Je Skeets
Okay, Habs versus Habs are up, right?
TK
No, they're down two games to one for Carolina, but it's in Montreal.
Je Skeets
Okay. This is a must win.
TK
Must win.
Je Skeets
Must win for the Hats.
TK
Gotta do it.
Taz
Gotta do it. Nah, you can come back from 3:1 in hockey.
TK
That's true.
Je Skeets
It's true. Test. But, you know, you don't want.
TK
They've come back from three. Zero, I think right Yeah, I think so.
Taz
Yeah.
TK
That's weird to like be watching a game and they're like only four teams have come back from three zero. That's not very many, but more than zero.
Taz
Yeah.
Je Skeets
Which we still are somehow incredibly at in basketball. That is. I don't know. It's weird. Yeah. It's more weird that like a team hasn't gone up 30 and then like a drastic injury has taken out out somebody like a superstar player and then. And they rally. Yeah, but how many times has a team even forced the game? Seven. It's very few.
Taz
We just had a. The Miami, Boston one.
Je Skeets
Yeah, yeah, it was a couple years ago. A couple we've had. There's been a couple. You're right.
Taz
Five rare. That high?
TK
I don't know.
Je Skeets
I think it is. I think it is. Anyway, anyway, we'll figure out something to talk about. Send your questions in. We'll be here at 10am Eastern to talk about the NBA news and maybe hit the beach and whatever other fun we get into. And then we'll, of course, we'll have on Friday game six of the Western Conference finals to break down. Appreciate you joining us. Hit the like button. Subscribe five star ratings and reviews. And yeah, leave your comments on whatever podcast platform you're allowed to these days. Spotify? Yes. Deezer? No idea.
TK
Check the D's or comments.
Je Skeets
Sense Media Monkey. What is it called?
Taz
Yeah, no more monkey sounds because somebody in the Stream team said tasks. That noise made my dog bark right after the monkey. Then that's living room TV dash F1J that said that. So maybe we're on living room speakers. I don't know. Maybe I'm connecting a lot of things. That would be loud. It'd be a loud monkey for a dog.
Je Skeets
They have great hearing, though.
Taz
Yeah, that's a good point. He could be in the bedroom here in the living room tv.
Je Skeets
So the number one thing they do not tell you before you get a dog is how many commercials and television shows just have dogs barking in them.
TK
That's a great point.
Je Skeets
Unbelievable.
Taz
Really?
Je Skeets
Yes. At least the TV I'm watching, there's a lot of dogs. Well, I mean, we just started a rewatch of the leftovers and in the first season there's a lot of dogs barking dogs. And it's. I gotta be ready with the mute button now because, like, Luna just like, whoa. And she like, just wants to get into the tv anyway. Just be careful out there. If you're gonna get a dog, just. It's gonna change. There's Television viewing habits. Yeah, yeah. There is commercials. You'll just. It'll blow your mind. How many commercials have a dog.
TK
People love dogs.
Je Skeets
Yeah. That's why they love. Yeah.
Taz
Never a problem for yams.
Je Skeets
Oh, good. Yeah, good.
TK
And then she went deaf, so.
Je Skeets
Oh, that helps.
TK
Then she really didn't care.
Je Skeets
Yeah. It's so weird. Like, Luna does not care about fireworks, which is good. That's great. Which some dogs freak out.
Taz
Oh, yeah.
Je Skeets
But yeah. A dog on a tv barking away. She's interested. She can't figure it out. She's like, it's there. How do I get to it? Like, she'll just go right up to it. Yeah. Okay. Clipper Bros. You heard it here first.
TK
Have a great time. Turn up.
Je Skeets
Love you guys.
TK
Awesome.
Taz
Thanks for joining us. And remember, everything in moderation, especially figs. Too many figs will do something.
TK
Too many figs.
Taz
Too many figs.
Je Skeets
You've had too many yesterday.
Taz
Yeah.
TK
Oh, I was wondering if you're going to pull out this bag of crunch you got here.
Je Skeets
Yeah. Show it to them. Show it to the crowd.
TK
People love it when you spawn an item.
Je Skeets
Yeah, that's what they call it. He just brings the weirdest, like just
Taz
a lazy lunch person. So I'll just grab something rather than a full lunch. And these are stale. You don't want these.
Je Skeets
Oh, I totally.
Taz
Crunch. You're good.
Je Skeets
See, see with you though. With you, we can't be sure that that's what's in that bag.
Taz
Yeah.
Je Skeets
Cuz you many times. Like, we'll just have something else in the bag.
Taz
Absolutely.
Je Skeets
Yeah.
Taz
Might be a fig because I had too many yesterday so can eat through the them today.
Je Skeets
Catalina Crunch.
TK
Catalina Crunch.
Je Skeets
This is protein cereal.
Taz
That's what a fig will do to you.
Je Skeets
Hey, can I offer you in a. In a. In a high protein meat stick?
Taz
Jalen Brunson loves Catalina Crunch, actually. Wow.
Je Skeets
Really?
Taz
Yeah. He sponsored these because.
Je Skeets
Still crunchy.
TK
It's crunchy.
Je Skeets
It's just not pretty. Daisy.
Taz
Yeah, they're good. Excellent source of fiber. Just like figs.
Je Skeets
Hold on. Dogs are going to be freaking out here in this. Dogs hate chewing. Dogs hate chewing. Brace the day, people.
Taz
The first thing I did today, I had a coffee and I wasn't happy with it. I couldn't even get through the cup. I bought a bad bean and I always buy good beans. That's when I turned to an alternative option. An ultra pouch. What's that? An Ultra pouch is a pouch with zero caffeine and zero nicotine plant powered pouches designed to sharpen your mind and lift your energy. What exactly is in Ultra pouches, you might ask? Well, Infinity px, a cleaner, smoother energy boost than caffeine. The primary metabolic byproduct product of caffeine L Theanine, an amino acid, alpha GPC, a nootropic for enhanced mental processing and vitamin B6 and B12. That's it. Just put it in your mouth, let it dissolve. Clinically proven elements that provide immediate focus and smooth energy that lasts one to two hours. I definitely like it as an afternoon option instead of coffee. You know, having to worry about caffeine in you all night. No caffeine spikes here. I'll keep them in my gym bag for that extra push needed before a workout. Give me some of that icy and fresh winter green flavor. Ultra is the ultimate guilt free pouch delivering instant focus and mental clarity without nicotine or caffeine. New customers can use Code no dunks to get 15% off@takeultra.com that's takeultra.com for 15% off with code no Ducks. After you purchase, they will ask you where you heard about them. Please support our show and tell them our show sent you.
TK
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Je Skeets
This is an I Heart podcast.
Taz
Guaranteed human.
This lively episode recaps a pivotal Game 5 in the Western Conference Finals, where the Oklahoma City Thunder took a 3-2 lead over the San Antonio Spurs. The crew dives into Victor Wembanyama’s struggles, his controversial postgame media decision, and a breakdown of key Thunder performances. They also discuss Joe Mazzulla winning Coach of the Year, tackle interesting listener questions (including the "tweener" debate), and sprinkle in NBA culture banter, referee lore, and some memorable off-the-court moments.
[02:48-03:31]
[03:31-07:07]
[07:11-08:18]
[08:18-10:57]
[09:26-12:38]
[14:58-17:38]
[17:20-17:33]
[19:33-21:54]
[22:15-24:41]
[31:17-33:11]
[35:39-44:34]
[86:00-88:40]
[48:54-52:47]
[54:16-61:44]
[66:37-71:28]
[73:46-77:11]
[77:47-79:18]
"He wasn't himself. He took two shots at the rim in the first half. Just two shots. I thought Chet took a shot right over him... Wemby put his hand to his mouth – looked like a cough..."
– Taz, 03:31
"It's easy to forget at this point that this is his first time through the playoffs. Every game he's playing is the biggest game of his life."
– TK, 05:21
"Caruso, 22 points off the bench... he would probably be the Conference Finals MVP if it was over after last night."
– TK, 08:18
"Joe Mazzulla did say, by the way, through statement, he didn't want this stupid award..."
– Skeets, 52:19
"Sloppy to start, sloppy in the second half... it's taking a toll on them, I think, Wemby included."
– Skeets, 07:40
If you missed the live show, this episode is the ultimate catch-up on Thunder-Spurs Game 5 drama, the evolving story around Wemby, and where things stand in the coaching carousel. The No Dunks crew delivers signature analysis—both cutting-edge and comedic—on the NBA’s present and future, with time for nostalgia, listener mail, and unforgettable tangents.