Hour 3: Myron's Best Picture - Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron

Summary

Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron Episode: Hour 3: Myron's Best Picture Release Date: March 2, 2025

Introduction

In this episode of Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron, hosts Matt Jones and Myron Medcalf dive deep into the current landscape of the NBA playoffs, offering insightful analysis on key matchups and championship contenders. The discussion is enriched by the participation of Clinton Azubuike, a former Kentucky Wildcat and ESPN Radio NBA analyst, who provides expert perspectives on team performances and playoff predictions.

NBA Playoffs Analysis

Timestamp: [00:32] – [08:50]

Playoff Predictions and Key Matchups

Matt kicks off the discussion by introducing Clinton Azubuike, whom he humorously refers to as "former Kentucky Wildcat Kina, a bookie ESPN Radio NBA analyst." The conversation centers around Matt's premise that there are four teams with a genuine chance to win the NBA title. He challenges Clinton to validate his four-team theory.

Clinton’s Four Contenders

Clinton concurs with Matt's assessment, naming the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Denver Nuggets as the top contenders. He states at [01:19], "Go with the Cavs for sure. The Celtics, the Thunder, the Nugget."

Styles of Play: Celtics vs. Nuggets

The discussion delves into the contrasting playing styles of the Celtics and Nuggets. Clinton explains at [02:03], “The Nuggets love their paintings and never one of the pay points. Obviously, the Celtics love their threes. They're number one in three-point attempts.” He highlights how these stylistic differences could determine the outcome of their playoff series, emphasizing the Celtics' reliance on three-point shooting versus the Nuggets' strong defense and versatile offense.

Health and Adjustments

At [04:06], Clinton addresses potential obstacles for the Celtics, noting, “If they're not healthy, that could be a big thing.” He praises the Celtics for managing player health and making strategic adjustments, which were evident in their previous matchup against the Cavaliers. Clinton underscores the importance of these factors in the Celtics' ability to defend their championship title.

Discussion on the Lakers and Western Contenders

Matt brings up the Los Angeles Lakers, questioning why Clinton did not include them in his top four despite their recent defensive improvements and LeBron James' scoring streak. Clinton responds at [06:35], acknowledging the Lakers as dangerous but questions whether Luka Doncic has fully regained his scoring touch. He also mentions other Western contenders like the Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks, emphasizing the depth and competitiveness of both conferences.

Championship Logistics

Clinton concludes his analysis by reflecting on the difficulty of winning the championship in the current competitive environment: “Whoever wins it, man, this is going to be a hard spot championship win for whoever is able to go all the way and do it” ([07:50]).

NCAA Basketball Predictions

Timestamp: [16:09] – [22:32]

Big Ten Showdowns

The hosts transition to NCAA basketball, discussing pivotal Big Ten matchups. Matt predicts a victory for Michigan State over Wisconsin, despite recognizing Wisconsin's impressive performance against Illinois. Clinton supports this view, emphasizing Michigan State's home advantage and overall team strength.

Illinois vs. Michigan

In the Illinois vs. Michigan game, both hosts agree that Michigan has the edge due to their unique team composition, including their seven-footers and versatile players like Vlad Golden and Danny Wolf. Clinton mentions at [17:18], “Give me Michigan to win this,” highlighting Michigan's potential to make noise in the NCAA tournament.

Women’s Basketball: Kentucky vs. South Carolina

The conversation shifts to the women's Big Ten game between Kentucky Wildcats and South Carolina. Matt predicts a win for South Carolina, citing their home advantage and the formidable coaching of Dawn Staley. Clinton echoes this sentiment, commending South Carolina's robustness and potential to secure the SEC crown despite Kentucky's strong performance.

Fun Segments and Banter

Timestamp: [09:07] – [24:40]

Music Preferences and Generational Differences

A lighthearted segment ensues as Matt and Myron discuss music preferences across generations. Matt introduces "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers as a quintessential song for younger audiences, contrasting it with classics like "Don't Stop Believing" and "Livin' on a Prayer," which represent their own generation's favorites. Clinton humorously remarks at [14:25], “This is what y'all play at your… which I'll play at the wedding and at your high school reunions.”

Best Picture Predictions

As the podcast progresses, the trio engages in predicting the winners for the Best Picture category. With a list of nominees including A Complete Unknown, Amelia Perez, Conclave Nickel, Boys, I'm Still Here, The Substance, Dune Part 2, Wicked Anora, and The Brutalist, Matt favors Wicked Anora, while Clinton tentatively supports the same. Their playful banter highlights the subjective nature of award predictions, ultimately leaving the outcome open and engaging for listeners.

Engaging with Live Sports Picks

In the segment where they pick winners for various games, Matt confidently selects the Boston Celtics over the Denver Nuggets, asserting at [21:41], “I'll take the Celtics to win it home.” Clinton backs this choice, emphasizing the Celtics’ motivation to redeem their recent loss to Cleveland and dominate their home court.

Notable Quotes

Matt Jones at [02:03]: "The Nuggets love their paintings and never one of the pay points. Obviously, the Celtics love their threes. They're number one in three-point attempts."
Clinton Azubuike at [04:06]: "If they're not healthy, that could be a big thing. No such thing. It's no Drew Holiday tonight."
Matt Jones at [06:08]: "You didn't mention the Lakers. They are number crazy. They're the number one defense since January 15th, which I don't understand how that's possible."
Clinton Azubuike at [18:15]: "South Carolina isn’t South Carolina this year, but still good enough to win a championship. Give me Dawn Staley in South Carolina."
Kina Azubuike at [20:22]: "I love how, like, we still make decisions off coin flips. Like, you know, we're like, 185 years into being. Let’s flip a coin."

Conclusion

In this engaging episode of Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron, listeners are treated to a comprehensive analysis of the NBA playoffs, insightful NCAA basketball predictions, and entertaining discussions that bridge sports with cultural elements like music. Clinton Azubuike's expert opinions complement the hosts' viewpoints, providing a well-rounded perspective on the competitive sports landscape. The episode balances serious sports talk with lighthearted banter, making it a must-listen for sports enthusiasts seeking both depth and entertainment.

Listen to the Show

Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron airs live every Sunday morning at 10 AM Eastern on ESPN Radio, available through the ESPN app and Sirius XM channel 80. Join Matt and Myron each week for the latest in sports analysis, predictions, and entertaining conversations.

Transcript

Matt (0:00)

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Myron (0:19)

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Matt (0:32)

Myon the podcast morning here on ESPN Radio presented by Progressive Insurance. The Nuggets and the Celtics coming up at 12:30 Eastern on ESPN radio right here and the ESPN app. One of the announcers that will be on that game is former Kentucky Wildcat Kina, a bookie ESPN Radio NBA analyst. That's how I'm going to introduce him from now on. I know he played in the NBA and he's with. He does. But you know, former Wildcat Kalena, every year I always say this. When the NBA playoffs start, there's four teams that can win the title. That's it. We like to talk about the others, but there are four. Clinton, I want you to grant me my premise that I'm correct, that there are four. If there are four, who would your four be? That you would say the title will come from one of these teams.

Clinton Azubuike (1:19)

Interesting. Go with the Cavs for sure. The Celtics, the Thunder, the Nugget.

Matt (1:28)

That's four. Okay. So that two of those.

Clinton Azubuike (1:31)

I think you might be right. I think that's it. There's some other teams that like could surprise people like that that wouldn't be like so far off in terms of having a small chance to win. But those are the teams that have the biggest chance to win in NBA championship. I'll say you're right.

Matt (1:48)

So if those are four, you got two of them playing tonight. Now, I know the Celtics don't have Porzingis, but I mean this is two of the best are playing this afternoon. This is two of the best teams, two of the four teams that can win the title. How do you think? What are you looking for today?

Clinton Azubuike (2:03)

I'm just excited about the contrast in styles because the Nuggets love their paintings and never one of the pay points. Obviously the Celtics love their threes. They're number one in three point attempts. Like who dictates the tempo of the game, who can impose their will, their style on their opponent. You think about the pace of the game. The Celtics kind of like to play a little slower at times. The Nuggets get up and down. They love to run. Christian Brown is getting fast breakpoints. He's first in league and fast breakpoints. Tied with Giannis, I believe. And Russell Westbrook loves to push it. You know, Jokic will trail and do his thing. They go through him. The Nuggets play with a pass. A lot of times the Celtics are going ISO. So it's, it's a huge contrast. And for the Nuggets, it's like, okay, we're just going to come in and play our style the first time around. When the Celtics won it, the, the Nuggets did a great job defending the three ball and taking away threes, but then it opened up the paint for the Celtics and they did a great job of just having a nice balance in their offense. So that's the biggest thing for me. It's the battle of the two seeds. But then they play totally different. Almost everything or a lot of the key areas they're totally opposite in. And what style wins out. Is it going to be a bunch of threes? Are they going to be able to take away the threes? The Nuggets can take away the threes and have it open up something else, like how does it work? And then obviously you got to think about how do you get stops. If you're the Nuggets defensively dealing with Tatum and Jalen Brown, you know they're going to come in super aggressive after a really tough loss to the Cavaliers. So the Celtics have lost two in a row. The Nuggets come in, probably feel a little better after a nice win. First Detroit.