Cavs Ready to Win it All? + Contender Draft | Slam N Jam

Summary

Podcast Summary: Cavs Ready to Win it All? + Contender Draft | Slam N Jam

Released on May 3, 2025 by The Athletic NBA Daily

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Introduction

In the latest episode of The Athletic NBA Daily titled "Cavs Ready to Win it All? + Contender Draft | Slam N Jam," hosts Andrew Schlecht and Alex Spears delve deep into the current NBA playoff landscape. Joined by Mike Zakarian from NBA bit on YouTube, the trio engages in insightful discussions, championship drafts, and engaging playoff trivia. Skipping the advertisements, the episode focuses on analyzing team performances, potential upsets, and future prospects as the playoffs intensify.

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Eastern Conference Playoffs

Timestamp: [02:25]

The conversation kicks off with an analysis of the Eastern Conference's second-round matchups. Andrew Schlecht highlights the anticipated Cavs-Celtics conference finals, questioning the likelihood of an upset:

Andrew Schlecht [04:00]: "An upset feels unlikely, but what would need to happen for the Pacers and Knicks to make these long series?"

Potential Upsets and Team Performances

Mike Zakarian (referred to as Justin in the transcript) expresses concerns about team injuries impacting playoff outcomes:

Justin [03:39]: "The Drew Holiday injury kind of lingering out there... Jaylen Brown already kind of limping around..."

Despite these challenges, Justin remains optimistic about the Pacers' performance, citing Tyler Herro's significant contributions:

Justin [04:27]: "Tyler Herro is still putting up big numbers and we saw guards be able to attack the backcourt of Cleveland."

Miami Heat's Struggles

Alex Spears shifts focus to the Miami Heat's disappointing playoff exits:

Alex Spears [04:55]: "It's tough, especially with Bam's contract. I feel like it would have to include Bam, and then at that point, like, what's left when Giannis arrives in Miami?"

The discussion underscores Miami's uncertain future without a clear path to contention, exacerbated by contract issues and key injuries.

Orlando Magic's Rebuilding Efforts

The Orlando Magic's need for proven offensive players is another focal point. Jeff Weltman's comments on the team's strategy indicate a reliance on trades to bolster their roster:

Andrew Schlecht [07:29]: "Jeff Weltman was interviewed this week and said what everyone else thinks, which is what we need is a proven shot making, proven offensive player..."

Justin debates potential trade targets, highlighting the complexity of fitting high-salary guards into the Magic's system:

Justin [08:18]: "Anthony Simons makes like 25 somewhere around there... I think he could beat out Corey Joseph for those minutes."

Detroit Pistons' Playoff Run

The Pistons' unexpected playoff performance sparks a conversation about team development and future strategies:

Justin [13:15]: "I love Cade. I think he's so fun and I think, like, if you were a Detroit fan at the beginning of the season, your hope was to just come away from this season knowing what you have with your young core..."

Andrew emphasizes the importance of allowing young players like Cade Cunningham to grow:

Andrew Schlecht [14:18]: "You just have to leave room for growth... I think they'll be fine."

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Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Trade Speculation

A heated segment discusses the Milwaukee Bucks' predicament amid Giannis Antetokounmpo's potential trade rumors:

Justin [19:57]: "I don't really see the path forward to Miami... I can't imagine it getting better, and I can't imagine, like, a way out of this."

Andrew references John Hollinger's perspective on trading Giannis, highlighting the franchise's challenges:

Andrew Schlecht [20:06]: "I'm with Hollinger. I don't see another way out unless you just want to ride this out."

The hosts debate the Bucks' limited options given their current roster and contractual obligations, questioning the feasibility of transitioning into a competitive post-Giannis era.

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Championship Draft

Timestamp: [24:48]

The episode features an engaging championship draft where hosts and guest Mike Zakarian select teams they believe will advance through the playoffs. Selections reflect confidence in teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors, while also considering potential upsets and dark horses.

Eastern Picks:

• Andrew Schlecht [27:53]: Picks the Oklahoma City Thunder as the number one contender, citing their readiness and lack of injuries.

  Andrew Schlecht: "They need to absolutely destroy whoever it is in game one. Like absolutely dismantle them and send a message..."

• Justin [29:55]: Chooses the Boston Celtics, expressing optimism despite concerns over injuries.

  Justin: "I feel pretty good with the Celtics... I think the matchup against Cleveland is going to be so, so fun."

Western Picks:

• Alex Spears [35:11]: Selects the Clippers to push their series against Denver to a Game 7, highlighting their defensive prowess.

  Alex Spears: "The Clippers seem like the more obvious bad matchup because they have those perimeter defenders."

• Justin [36:43]: Bets on Denver Nuggets, appreciating their unpredictability and star player Nikola Jokic.

  Justin: "I think I'm going to take Denver... They have a good five guys."

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Playoff Trivia

Timestamp: [44:13]

A lively trivia segment tests Mike Zakarian's knowledge on playoff statistics and historical performances. Questions range from records held by players like Manu Ginobili and James Harden to identifying active players with notable playoff achievements.

Notable Questions and Answers:

1. Most Playoff Games with 20+ Points Off the Bench:

   • Answer: Manu Ginobili (San Antonio Spurs) – Correct [46:43]

2. Active Player with a 2020 Playoff Game but Not a Hall of Famer:

   • Answer: Jonas Valančiūnas – Correct [50:53]

3. Player with the Most Playoff Wins (Non-Celtics) Over Five Playoffs:

   • Answer: PJ Tucker – Correct [64:18]

The segment showcases the depth of knowledge among hosts and guest, adding an entertaining layer to the episode.

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Conclusion

Wrapping up the episode, Andrew Schlecht encourages listeners to engage with the show by leaving five-star reviews on Apple Podcasts. The hosts express gratitude towards Mike Zakarian for his participation and insights, reinforcing the collaborative and informative nature of The Athletic NBA Daily.

Andrew Schlecht [65:53]: "Leave us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts and we will read it on the show."

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Key Takeaways:

• Cavs and Celtics are favorites for the Eastern Conference finals, though upsets by the Pacers or Knicks could occur under specific circumstances.
• Miami Heat faces uncertain future prospects without significant roster changes or strategic moves.
• Orlando Magic seeks proven offensive talent to enhance their playoff viability, debating potential trade options like Anthony Simons or Kobe White.
• Detroit Pistons demonstrated promising growth in their playoff run, emphasizing the importance of player development.
• Milwaukee Bucks grapples with Giannis Antetokounmpo's potential trade, highlighting challenges in maintaining competitiveness.
• Championship Draft reflects diverse perspectives on which teams are poised to advance, with selections influenced by team readiness and individual star power.
• Playoff Trivia underscores the extensive knowledge required to keep up with NBA playoff history and player achievements.

This episode provides a comprehensive analysis of the current NBA playoff scene, offering listeners a blend of strategic insights, team evaluations, and engaging interactive segments.

Transcript

[Andrew Schlecht]

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[Alex Spears]

As.

[Mike Zakarian]

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[Andrew Schlecht]

Welcome to the Saturday Slammin Jam here on the Athletic NBA Daily. On today's show, we're talking to Mike Zakarian about the NBA playoffs. We'll do another championship draft and we'll be doing some NBA play off trivia. With me, as always, is my good friend Alex Spears. And joining us from NBA bit on YouTube is my friend Mike Zakarian. Mike, what's up?

[Justin]

Hey guys, how we doing? We enjoying tonight's NBA action.

[Alex Spears]

It's a beautiful night.

[Andrew Schlecht]

It was, it was really fun. I like having the two games. I really enjoy having the two games, which is very fun. We are recording this late, late Thursday. So when you're listening to this on Saturday, you're confused about the two games that I'm talking about. There's just one game on on Friday, not talking about that, but we are going to talk about the, the Eastern Conference to start with. And so the second round of the Eastern Conference is set. Most people are already looking ahead to a Cavs Celtics conference finals. But I want to ask you the same question about both series. An upset feels unlikely, but what would need to happen for the Pacers and Knicks to make these long series?

[Justin]

The Drew Holiday injury kind of lingering out there where I don't feel like we've gotten an update since that series has wrapped up with Orlando. I feel like that could actually cause some, some issues for Boston. And Jaylen Brown already kind of, you know, limping around a little bit and then lost a finger I think halfway through that series as well. So I, I think that could be something. But I actually like the Pacers. I, I think Halliburton, the, the way that you saw, even though, I mean, clearly they just took care of business against Miami. Right. But Tyler Hero is still putting up big numbers and we saw guards be able to attack the backcourt of Cleveland. So I think, I think Indy could be frisky. But I also think we're, I'm putting that energy out there so that we get a long series. But it does feel inevitable that it will be Cleveland and Boston.

[Alex Spears]

Well, let's talk about some of the teams that are no longer with us in the east playoffs. And starting with the team you just mentioned, the Miami Heat. So they won the fewest games They've won since 2015. It's their second straight first round exit in the 18 matchup. After finishing the play in again. How bad do you think Miami's situation is right now? They're not Phoenix. All right. We don't Think they're Phoenix, but do you see a clear path forward without a rebuild?

[Justin]

Do you know why I feel like it is kind of bad right now is that there's this whole conversation about Giannis maybe leaving Milwaukee, and I haven't heard anybody really say, what about Miami? And that makes me think it's kind of bad because I feel like that would be the first. That's anytime anybody wants to go anywhere, they're like, well, the Heat could be a pretty good spot there, don't you think? And I feel like we haven't really heard too much about that. So I don't know. I don't really see the path forward to Miami. I feel like they have, like, a lot of nice pieces there, but I don't know what, like, the right move would be that all of a sudden would vault them into the contender conversation.

[Alex Spears]

Yeah, it's tough, especially with Bam's contract. Like, I'm really torn, like, what you do, like, who. What team would that contract make sense for? Because when he's the top played player on your team, like, it's just. It's not going to work. Like, that's. That's not going to work long term. You talk about the Giannis, a Giannis trade, like, I feel like it would have to include Bam, and then at that point, like, what's left when. When Giannis arrives in Miami? So, yeah, I don't really know what they do either. It feels like they have one more year where they have to, like, get through some of these contracts with, like, Terry Roger, and then they can start making some decisions. But it might be another year of just trying to make the play in as the 10 seed. Getting into the 18 matchup, again, hard to see.

[Justin]

I know it's bad, too, because I was really talking myself into those Davion Mitchell minutes here down the stretch.

[Alex Spears]

Me, too.

[Justin]

David's a pretty nice piece, and he is. He was great. He was great. But I. That was the point of the. That we're not used to talking about Miami like that at this point in the season, I don't think.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yeah, it feels like we're heading back into the Dion Waiters era of the Miami Heat again.

[Alex Spears]

You know, you would love Andrew. That's right up your alley.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Personally, love it. I mean, look, there's a coffee mug. There's a coffee mug above my shoulder right now of Dion waders in a Miami Heat jersey. So it's actually, I'm very, very excited for the future of the Heat. Another team that said farewell this week was the Orlando Magic. The Magic's needs are maybe the most obvious in the league. The president of Basketball ops Jeff Weltman was interviewed this week and said what everyone else thinks, which is what we need is a proven shot making, proven offensive player, someone that is going to come in and help augment our weaknesses. As Weltman pointed out, future moves will likely need to involve trades. Do you have any favorite targets for the Orlando Magic?

[Justin]

I wonder if Orlando kind of has to wait till some of the bigger dominoes fall. Like I, I feel like we get a, get a good clear of what Memphis is doing this off season and if they' you know, not, not even job, but I, I don't know what they're going to do with ja, Triple J and Bane, but if one of those guys were to all of a sudden become available, I think that that would be a great fit. I know that Trey Young is the obvious one that gets talked about all the time, but I don't know if, if Trey would like that. I don't know if Orlando would like that. I don't know if that or for Orlando fans would like that. So I don't really know. I don't know who is the, the right fit or who would be like the right play making guard. I think if the Dame injury didn't happen, that could have been like an interesting conversation. But yeah, I don't know. Do you, have you guys like circled anybody that, that you're excited about that could make sense there.

[Alex Spears]

Well, it feels like they're pretty locked in. Like I can't imagine them trading one of Paulo Franz or Suggs. I mean like that, that would be a really aggressive trade. And yet if you're not trading those three guys and you look at what else is on the roster, you're talking about like Anthony Black. Okay. Might be interesting to some team. They do have a pretty juicy pick next year, which is the worst of the Wizards and Suns pick. So that's, that's pretty good. That sounded pretty good. So that's, that's a nice juicy pick. You know, they have Winnell Carter Jr. I don't know. So when I start looking at like those types of assets, I'm thinking someone like more on the level of like an Anthony Simons who you might be able to get at a little bit of a discount compared to if you're trading for Trey Young or someone like that.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Is that enough? Is Anthony Simons enough? I mean you've watched, you've watched him up close a lot. Yeah, but Is that. Is that. Is that enough for Orlando? You think? He's clearly better than like, most. Most guards on this Magic team, which is a pretty low bar.

[Justin]

Yeah.

[Alex Spears]

Yes.

[Andrew Schlecht]

But I think.

[Justin]

I think he could beat out Corey Joseph for those minutes.

[Alex Spears]

I mean, enough for. What, What. What do you.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Are you wanting to take the next step? Enough to take the next step for the Magic?

[Alex Spears]

I mean, honestly, if they'd just been healthy this season, I think they would have taken the next step. Like, I think they would have been a top six playoff team and we would have been talking about their season differently. But then they lose Suggs, they have to play Boston the first round. You kind of know it's going to be a first round exit. But if that had been like a 6, 3 matchup against the Knicks and they have Suggs, like, I think that's a lot more interesting. So it's possible that they kind of run it back and just bring in like, even lower tier guard than Anthony Simons.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Oh. Oh.

[Justin]

It was kind of nuts that they. They were holding on as strong as they were throughout the season with Paulo and Franz going down. Like, did we learn that Suggs is actually the best player on that team? Like when, like, as they lost Paulo, they lost Franz, they still kept winning games with Suggs out there. Suggs goes down, the other two come back, and then it was just like a nosedive there for. Yeah, for like six to eight weeks.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Ye. Just competent playmaking and like, the point, like, elite point of attack defense in this NBA is so important. And like, the Thunder have like, tripled down on that. And like, that's how they've become like, what they are defensively. And so I. I do think, like, he matters so much to what they're doing. And you could see Simons fitting next to him.

[Alex Spears]

I hate the thing with Simons.

[Andrew Schlecht]

He.

[Alex Spears]

He could fit is like, he's not a good defender. Okay, very bad. But if there was a team that could absorb that, you would think it'd be Orlando. But then I think about the Boston matchup and why that matchup is so problematic for the Celtics is that the Magic can switch everything. And the Celtics love to attack weak links. And so if you do have Simons on that team, how does it flip that Celtics matchup going forward? I don't know.

[Andrew Schlecht]

It's gonna. It's gonna hunt him.

[Alex Spears]

Yeah, they will definitely be hunting.

[Justin]

I mean, that's why.

[Alex Spears]

Right.

[Justin]

We saw Cole Anthony play, like. Cause he was playing meaningful minutes down the stretch. And then in that first round, they were like how about two to four minutes a game cold? That's what we got for you now because that's the second he get out there. They were. They were just going right at him.

[Alex Spears]

Yeah.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yeah. What about Kobe White? Would you rather have Kobe White or would you rather. I mean, what. I. I think I would like Kobe White a little bit better than Anthony Simons, but you could, you could talk me into either side of it.

[Alex Spears]

Contract alone. I mean, they're both expiring next year.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yeah.

[Alex Spears]

Kobe White makes 12.9 million.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yeah.

[Alex Spears]

And Anthony Simons makes like 25 somewhere around there. I don't know what those guys's extension numbers could potentially be. I mean, you're gonna have to pay them a lot of money going forward. But yeah, I could see it because there's. The Magic's roster is starting to get a little pricey. I mean, Franz is up for. His extension is going to kick in. So. Yeah, I don't know. They're one of the more interesting teams to me because it does feel like what we saw at the beginning of the season, like that was a really good team. And so if you can just tweak it a little bit and stay healthy for an entire season, I feel like it's not out of the realm of possibility. That's a home court advantage team next year.

[Justin]

No. Especially looking at the teams in front of them currently.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Right.

[Justin]

Like you, we saw what Milwaukee just did here and I know we'll talk about Knicks, Pistons, I'm sure at some point, but yeah, you're absolutely right. They're not. They're not that far away at all.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Being an Eastern Conference.

[Justin]

That's right.

[Alex Spears]

Yeah. It's really nice. The Pistons almost gave us a Game seven. It was so close. But in the end it was Jalen Brunson shaking a sar. Thompson ending Detroit season, hitting a three pointer. What are your thoughts on Kate Cunningham now? You've seen him in his first playoff series. Has your opinion changed on him at all and you know how the Pistons should build around him going forward?

[Justin]

No, I. I mean, I love Cade. I think he's so fun and I think, like, if you were a Detroit fan at the beginning of the season, I think your hope was to just come away from this season knowing what you have with your young core and Cade and Duran. And I know Ivy got hurt and that was an unfortunate injury, but Thompson as well, and I think you come away from this, you're like, man, you got. You played six playoff games, right? You played six playoff games. You honestly could have won five of them. It felt like they should have had a ton of wins in this playoff series. So I. I don't. They have to shake it up too aggressively, I think. Right. You find some shooting and maybe it's upgrading those spots of. I mean, Beasley was awesome this year, but, like, of the. Tim Hardaway Jr. I don't know what Dennis Schroeder looks like next year, and maybe Ivy is able to step into. To that role when he comes back healthy. And then Duran just continuing to evolve. Like, I don't think they have to shake it up too much. Like, Tobias Harris being like the wily vet that came in and all of a sudden just completely changed the narrative around Tobias Harris this postseason. It was wonderful. So I. Yeah, I wouldn't. I wouldn't shake it up too much, I don't think.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yeah, you also have to. You just have to leave room for growth, too, for these guys. Like, assar only played 23 minutes tonight, but had a really big impact. And if he could just get some semblance of an offensive game, you know, I mean, he. He's clearly an impact player that needs to play more. Yeah, there's. There's. And we didn't even see Beef Stew out there this whole series, which was kind of a bummer, you know, especially against the Knicks. And in a contentious series, the cameras always found him, but he didn't get to play. But, yeah, yeah, I'm. I'm kind of with you. I don't think that they need to do much, and I think that Cade, who's still a young player himself, is still evolving. And now they know, like, what it takes, you know, now they know what it takes in a playoff series, and I think that they'll. I think they'll be fine. And I think, like, that's a team. We talk about Orlando. Like, who. Who are you taking for the next three. Three seasons? Are you taking Detroit or you're taking Orlando?

[Alex Spears]

Take Orlando. Just because I feel like the Franz Paulo combo, we're still working out the fit, obviously, because of Franz is shooting. But those having those two guys versus Cade, plus whoever, you know, whether you want to say Ivy or Asar or Jalen Duran, I just like that core on the Magic better.

[Justin]

Yeah, I think that that's so interesting because I feel like Paulo and Kate probably have similar ceilings. But what Paulo gave the Celtics fits. I mean, in that he was. He was so good. He was so good. And like, again, if you're an Orlando fan. Yeah. You probably didn't have A shot in the series from the very begin, the beginning. But at least you're like, well, we got a guy that's going to show up in the playoffs. And so that I, yeah, I think I would lean Orlando too, but that's not even a knock. I think those. Both of those organizations are in, like, a great spot to continue to develop.

[Andrew Schlecht]

I'm taking Detroit.

[Alex Spears]

Really.

[Andrew Schlecht]

There's very, very fixable things. I think, like, the turnovers were a huge problem for the Pistons. Like, everything just screamed we're a young team that's just not quite ready yet. Like, you watch the end of that game and they just, just fumbled everything away at. At the end of that game. And it was just like, we're young and we're not ready to do this yet. It's just what it screamed the entire time. And Brunson was clearly ready to just snatch it away from them. But I think Kate is just like the exact kind of guard that you need. And I just think Orlando on offense is just way too clunky. Like, I just think you add one. You add Anthony Simons to that mix, and I just don't know that that is making the difference. I think, like, having a guy like Cade that can handle and pass and do everything for you, I'd rather have that guy than. Than almost any other young player in the Eastern Conference, to be honest.

[Alex Spears]

And so I think it's amazing that after four years of Troy Weaver, where we're coming out and you're taking the Detroit Pistons. That's pretty good.

[Andrew Schlecht]

That's pretty good. You gotta be feeling. You gotta be feeling good. As a Pistons fan, you know.

[Justin]

Yeah, you're feeling awesome. I watched this game tonight with my. With my good friend Justin, who is a diehard Pistons fan, and I've never seen someone take a playoff loss so well because, like, he's just. This is house money, baby. They get to go back to Detroit again. Like, he. It was wonderful.

[Alex Spears]

It actually reminded me they didn't really show the fans at the end of that game, but I was wondering if the fans were going to give like a standing ovation because it reminded me of that game that the Thunder had against the Lakers way back in the day when they were the eighth seed. It was their first playoffs. I think they lost in six, right?

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yeah, they lost.

[Alex Spears]

Same thing. Because they were at home. And the fans gave me a standing ovation because it was just like, this is awesome. Thank you for letting us watch some good basketball. And that's even more the case in Detroit after the four years they experienced.

[Andrew Schlecht]

But. But also they are. They're a storied franchise in a city that has experienced success. And while it's been a long time, I think it's good that if they didn't give us any ovation, it's probably good because, like, under fans at the time, it was like, we're just glad to be here. Everybody stand up. We're in the NBA. Everyone. Can you believe this? You know, like, that's how it felt. Okay, so finally we have the Milwaukee Bucks, who not only lost Damian Lillard to an Achilles tear, but we're now focused on the 24.7Giannis trade. Speculation the Athletics John Hollinger wrote about how trading Giannis was Milwaukee's best option. But a lot of Bucks fans make the argument that you usually only get a player of this caliber once in a lifetime. And so why would you voluntarily go into the post Giannis era? Assuming Giannis wants to stay, what would.

[Justin]

You do as the Bucks think about getting a new mascot or something, just something shiny to distract everybody? I think I would lean into entertainment. I'd invest into T shirt cannons. Get more of those. I think I would lean into the. This is. We're going to have a good experience here as we win 38 games a year, because I. I, like. I really don't know. I don't think there's any sort of move. It's not like Giannis is all of a sudden going to go from averaging like 30, 10 and 8 to 45, 25 and 20, like that. Is that what would need to happen for this team? Like, there's no roster moves. There's no draft picks. There's like. I don't know. I feel bad. I don't know what you do.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yeah. They have, like, several. What just feels like unmovable contracts. Like, not only Dame, but, like, Kyle Kuzma. We locked in, baby.

[Justin]

Man.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Like, who's taking that contract now? And, like, you can't even. Like, you don't have the assets to even get off of the contracts that you have. It is a very tricky situation. It is very, very tricky. I'm. I'm with Hollinger. Like, I don't. I don't see another way out unless you just want to ride this out. And Giannis is content. Like, Giannis has already said that he wants another title.

[Justin]

Yeah.

[Alex Spears]

Yeah.

[Andrew Schlecht]

And so how can you even get close to accomplishing that? When you look across and even you're in the Eastern Conference, man, Like, you can't even do it in the Eastern Conference. Yeah, I don't. I don't see. I don't see a path either. Whenever you're. Whenever you're relying on the players that they have on their roster right now, I just. I can't imagine it getting better, and I can't imagine, like, a way out of this.

[Justin]

I mean, Bucks fans were really in that post, in that last game, the elimination game. They're like, finally, Doc is starting Bobby Portis and Kevin Porter Jr. Finally making the move. Like, that's where we were at. And that's. That's not. That's. That's playing energy.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yeah, that is definitely playing energy. If Kevin Porter Jr. Is a part of your plan, your plan is toast.

[Justin]

Yeah, it's bad.

[Alex Spears]

I just think the. The conversation is so interesting because I immediately, of course, go to the buck subreddit just because I want to see what fans are talking about. And I was. I was a little surprised, like, how universally Bucks fans are just like, no, you never. Do not trade Giannis under any. Assuming that he doesn't ask out. Because I think it's very easy as an outsider to just take, like, this logical brain approach, like, this is the only way things are going to work out. We have to collect some picks. This is our only good asset. That's the only way we can move forward. But it was kind of universal from among. Among the Bucs fans. Comments I was reading. And. And I get it because, yeah, if. If you could play that out, like, I. I think you. If you ask Mavs fans about, you know, the end, especially now, about the end of Dirk's career, like, yeah, it didn't work out, but now that you have Dirk as this, like, mav for life, like, that is a really special thing. And if Giannis did value that, in fact, there's a. Eric Karine for the Athletic wrote an article kind of about that, like, this decision, and what if they just decided, like, that is more important than chasing a ring and there is value in that. So I. I do think it's interesting. But, yeah, from, like, the outsider's perspective, it's like. Feels like now's the time. Like, what. What can you do?

[Justin]

I. I grew up in. In Massachusetts and. And grew up a Celtics fan, and I still really like Paul Pierce, even though he played for the Nets. You know, like, I feel like I said, I didn't be like, oh, man, he's on the Nets.

[Andrew Schlecht]

I hate Paul.

[Justin]

I still. You can still put a statue up. I'll still be okay with it. Even though he wasn't there the whole time. Now granted I have the hindsight of knowing that turned into Tatum and Brown and where they are now.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yeah.

[Justin]

But at the time still it was like okay, that was, that was wonderful.

[Andrew Schlecht]

But I mean that's a great example though. Like just because you can like restart your franchise on on stuff like that if you make the right trade but also if you're a Bucks fan. You know the history of the Bucks and the Luau cinder trade and they weren't able to get a player of that caliber until Giannis. Yeah and like is it is difficult like building in a small market is really difficult.

[Alex Spears]

And when you look at John Horse draft recent draft history, there weren't great picks but name your favorite wo rookie of the last half decade.

[Andrew Schlecht]

That's not a fun game. That sounds like a horrific trivia game that you would make me play.

[Alex Spears]

Now a better game is our NBA Championship draft.

[Andrew Schlecht]

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[Alex Spears]

As.

[Mike Zakarian]

We head into the playoffs, it's safe to assume there will be a few calls made by the refs that will be hard to accept. But you know what isn't hard to accept? Discover. Believe it or not, Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide. You heard that right, 99%. So make a good call for your wallet and get discovered. Based on the February 2024 Nielsen report. Learn more at discover.com creditcard Right now the Home Depot has spring deals under $20. So what are you working on? If you're planning on cooking out this season, head to the Home Depot so you can fire up the grill with deals on charcoal. Right now, get two 16 pound bags of Kingsford charcoal for only $17.88 was $19.98. Don't miss spring deals under $20 now through May 7th at the home Depot. Subject to availability valid on select items only.

[Alex Spears]

Critics are calling Thunderbolts one of the best Marvel movies of all time. It begins a powerful new era. That's what they talk about. Rolling Stone calls it thrilling.

[Justin]

I should have seen this coming.

[Alex Spears]

Funny and irreverent thank you.

[Justin]

We needed that.

[Alex Spears]

And it must be seen in IMAX. Marvel Studios Thunderbolts now playing. Rated PG13. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. 24 chefs. 24 culinary showdowns for 24 hours straight. Which chef will out cook, outpace, outlast the competition?

[Justin]

No chef escapes the clock.

[Alex Spears]

All new 24 and 24. Last chef standing. Sunday night at eight. See it first on Food Network. Stream next day on Max. That's your money saying it's time for a McDonald's run. Cause with new McValue at McDonald's you get more than you expect. Like buy a six piece McNuggets and add a McChicken for just a dollar. Your money says let's go get more than you expect. With new MC value, prices and participation may vary.

[Mike Zakarian]

Valid for item of equal or lesser value.

[Alex Spears]

We've been doing it three weeks now. This is our third week, third time. And if you're watching on YouTube, you can see the results of the past two weeks. Pretty fun to look at it. You know. The Lakers were taken in the round two both of the last two weeks. Out of the playoffs.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Now Timberwolves by me twice in round two by you.

[Alex Spears]

Kept me being fooled. Fooled again.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Fooled again.

[Alex Spears]

The Wolves didn't even make an appearance until last week. They were taken in the third round. Let's see about this. Now, Mike, because you're our guest. This is a snake draft. You get to decide which slot you would like to draft from. So if you're like really confident, you think you know who's going to win the championship, you would take the number one pick. But maybe you want to hedge and you want to be number three because then you get three and four. So it's up to you.

[Justin]

Yeah, I think, I think I'm gonna hedge. I'm gonna go third.

[Alex Spears]

Third. Okay.

[Justin]

Yeah.

[Alex Spears]

So looking over, it looks like, Andrew, you've never had the number one pick, which means you're going to get the number one pick this week. Who would you like to take?

[Andrew Schlecht]

I'll take the Thunder number one.

[Alex Spears]

The Thunder for.

[Andrew Schlecht]

They're not dealing, they're not dealing with any injuries right now. Yeah, that's true. Super rested like Boston is. They have slept in their own beds so many times in the last three weeks, it's been absurd. Yeah, they're, they're feeling good. They, they need to absolutely destroy whoever it is in game one. Like absolutely dismantle them and send a message with, with all this rest that they have. So, yeah, I feel very confident with the Thunder as the number one pick here.

[Alex Spears]

So that leaves me the option of taking Boston for the third week in a row.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yep.

[Alex Spears]

But I want to honor the fact that the Cavs are making me rethink things in this past week. Oh, the. The way in which they dismantled Miami. And I get it. It's Miami.

[Andrew Schlecht]

But yeah, we just talked about this. The team has no path.

[Alex Spears]

I know.

[Andrew Schlecht]

How could you beat a team that has no path?

[Alex Spears]

But if you're going to be impressive beating them, that's. That's how you would do it. That's it where you just leave, no questions.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Sure.

[Alex Spears]

And they're. They just look so good, especially offensively. They really look like they just cannot be stopped. So in honor of that, I'm switching it up this week because it's getting closer for me. And so I'm going Cleveland with my number two pick.

[Justin]

I was gonna say, if you want to talk about another well rested team. Their starters were playing like 28 minutes a game in the playoffs. They were treating that like it was a tune up. It was incredible. Well, I. I appreciate you allowing, as I already mentioned, my. My Celtics fandom of allowing Boston to fall all the way to.

[Alex Spears]

You're welcome.

[Justin]

So I will absolutely take Boston. My only concern is Drew Holiday and not to even like. Even with Drew Holiday a little dinged up, I feel like the takeaway from that Knick series was like, I can't see them winning more than a game in the second round. I just did not believe in. Brunson was awesome, but Carl Anthony Towns again had like, tempo. What's going on? We got get. Get cat the ball.

[Andrew Schlecht]

I don't know. That next seem is so weird. I do not trust them at all.

[Justin]

Yeah, it's like that. It's the opposite of the vibes they had last year, and it doesn't make sense. But anyways, yeah, so I feel pretty good with the Celtics. I think the.

[Andrew Schlecht]

That.

[Justin]

That matchup against Cleveland. I hope we do get it just because I think it's going to be so, so fun. Because I agree. I think Cleveland is legit. Even though people are still like, well.

[Andrew Schlecht]

We need to see him do it.

[Justin]

In the playoffs first. But I think that'll be a fun series. All right, I'll take Boston. And then listen, I'm just gonna. I'm gonna lean aggressively into the Anthony Edwards hype and I'm gonna take Minnesota here. Yeah. In the second round. I was. I was a. One of those dorks like Andrew who was taking the Lakers pretty confidently last Week. And I am, I am now true. A true believer. And they're. It's just fun. That's just a fun team to root for right now. So give me Minnesota. And I like the path. Whoever they get, whether it's Golden State or Houston, I, I like that the.

[Alex Spears]

Way up also say they've always played OKC very well. They have so many perimeter defenders to throw at Shea and Dub. And those games have always been exhausting to watch. And if it ends up as a conference finals, the Wolves and the Thunder, those are going to be some ugly games because I feel like every Wolf's Thunder game has been disgusting over the last two years. All right, so my second pick. You know what? I'm going to guarantee myself a conference finalist by taking the Indiana Pacers. So now Andrew, I'm guaranteed I get one of them. Okay. I've reached all the way to the conference finals already.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Okay.

[Alex Spears]

And who would you like to take, Andrew? You get two picks.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Two picks. Let's see. I'll take. I'll take Denver.

[Alex Spears]

Now you're going to take both sides of the game seven or you. Are you saying you favor Denver in Game 7 as the home team?

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yeah.

[Alex Spears]

Is that you'd pick?

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yeah. They got Jokic. They got. They got altitude.

[Alex Spears]

Come on. What about Nicholas Batum?

[Andrew Schlecht]

I just wonder if old man Batum can do that ever again. Is the thing. I thought after that game was over, he was incredible. He was so good. But I don't know. You got. When you have James Harden on one side and then Jokic on the other, I don't know. I just lean Eileen Jokic.

[Justin]

Let me ask you this though. If we find out they're wearing those 5280, jerseys again, did you. Will that change? Your pick is the worst. We gotta, we gotta do the same. How? Milwaukee's investing in T shirt cannons and, and mascots. We need Denver to re examine some. Some cities.

[Andrew Schlecht]

They were, they were amazing in those jerseys the other day. So I don't know. Yeah, I actually, actually would double down. Maybe I would take them number one. Honestly, if I knew they were going to wear them again for my second pick, it would be logical to take the Clippers here. But I won't use logic. I'm going to take the Golden State Warriors.

[Alex Spears]

Okay.

[Andrew Schlecht]

I don't feel good about it, but they just feel, a lot of times it is felt at times like they were dead. But then they continue to just. They continue to just like become this like zombie version of themselves and they just win basketball games. So I don't know. I'm just not betting against that whole infrastructure that they have in, in Golden State.

[Alex Spears]

Yeah, I feel similar with them as I feel about Denver where at some point in these series I'm just like this, these teams are so thin. Like how is this going to work out? But then they still win. So I don't know.

[Justin]

Denver and Golden State 2 are two teams where like the game before has no impact on the game after it. Like you could see two very different perform. Like, I don't like, I'm not worried about Golden State getting smoked by Houston in that most recent game. Like I, they'll wash it off. They'll be fine.

[Alex Spears]

Well, thank you, Andrew. I'll go ahead and take the Clippers, who I am now favoring in game seven.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Well, thank you.

[Alex Spears]

Well, thank you. And Mike, you get the great choice of choosing between the Houston Rockets or the New York Knicks. So you just said could only win a game in the second round.

[Justin]

This is, this is how, this is how strongly I feel against the Knicks is that I'm going to take the team that's not even in the second round yet. I'm going to take the Houston Rockets over the Knicks.

[Alex Spears]

Okay.

[Justin]

I'm betting on upside here. Like I, I feel like if the Rockets make it to the second round, then I'm, I'm playing your game theory. I'll have at least a shot at a Western Conference finals. And I could have done the same thing with the Knicks, but it won't happen.

[Alex Spears]

Okay, so that's the end of the third week, the ME Championship draft. Andrew, you have okc, Denver, Gold State. I have Cleveland, Indiana Clippers and Mike has Boston, Minnesota, Houston. Now we move on to the Western Conference. So the Clippers, they pushed their series with Denver to a Game 7 on Thursday night, beat the Nuggets 111 to 105. Which, which of those teams do you think has the best shot against OKC in the second round?

[Justin]

I. That's, that's such a great question. I still think Eileen Denver. I almost feel like Clip. The Clippers are the better team, but I just, I feel like the Denver Nuggets are so unpredictable. They're probably hard to game plan around just because like you never know. What like are you going to get the one armed Michael Porter Jr game where he knocks down like six or seven threes? Christian Brown all of a sudden found his three point shot tonight. Like the. Jamal Murray can drop 40 at any given time and you don't have to worry about the random James Harden game where he only takes like seven shots in the game. So I think, I think Denver, but I don't feel strongly about it. I think both of these teams are the two scariest teams for okc, but I also think OKC is just very, very good and we'll. And we'll get through.

[Alex Spears]

Yeah, I feel like Denver could most easily replicate the Maverick series where it's Luca passing open to wide open shooters who you don't really trust, but all of a sudden they're hitting their. I could see that happening. I could see Russ hitting, you know, like three of five from three point land against the Thunder and just being super annoying because. Yeah, I kind of agree. Like the Clippers seem like the more obvious bad matchup because they have those perimeter defenders. They have so many more. Their defense is just worlds better than the Nuggets and they have so many more guys they could throw at Shea end up. But yeah, the way the Nuggets have been playing these last couple games, even, even tonight, I was just like, man, they're so hard to kill.

[Justin]

They're so hard to die. Right. It felt like that game was over three or four different times and then all of a sudden a quick 6, 0 run.

[Alex Spears]

So. So who are you picking in game seven? Would you. You sounds like you would favor the Nuggets.

[Justin]

Yeah, I think, I think I'm going to take Denver.

[Andrew Schlecht]

They're good. That's a good basketball team. Yeah, hot. Got a good five guys.

[Justin]

Good five guys.

[Andrew Schlecht]

That's right. So recording before Friday night's game between the warriors and Rockets, the winner of that series will meet the Minnesota Timberwolves, who beat the Lakers in five. How much of the Wolves domination in round one was the specific matchup with the Lakers versus the Wolves maybe being a lot better than people thought coming into the playoffs?

[Justin]

Yeah, I think, I think they're probably just a lot, a lot better than I, at least for me personally, than I was giving them credit for. I, I thought this was going to be a tough matchup for them and I know it was going to be like if the, if the Wolves can play big enough and just, just out big the Lakers, then maybe that's how they get through. But they really only did that one time and those might be like they were just better than him in almost every facet of the game. So I, I do, I think I, I just me personally underrated them and again, listen, I, I took them high in that draft. I'm, I'm all in on the Timberwolves.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Now, what do you think, Al?

[Alex Spears]

Yeah, I. I mean, the Julius Randle thing in particular, even though I told myself, like, this whole narrative about Julius Randall being terrible in the playoffs, it's based on such a small sample, and part of that sample. We knew he was injured. We knew he was injured, and yet it just became such a popular narrative that you just assumed going into the playoffs he was going to be bad. But his style of bully ball was so terrifying in that series. And I'm looking ahead to future potential opponents like him playing that bully ball against the Golden State Warriors. Like, yeah, I could see that working against the Warriors. And so I am starting to, like, drastically change my ceiling for this Wolves team because it does feel like everything is just coalescing at the. At the perfect time.

[Andrew Schlecht]

One of.

[Justin]

One of the things that I noticed in that Lakers series was very rarely was someone taking a shot where you're like, oh, he's probably. Probably shouldn't be taking that shot. Like, it seems like they have very clear roles and an understanding of what their role is, and I think that is very important when it comes to playoff runs. And, like, you know, Russ, for all the great things and sometimes frustrating things he does. Like, you never kind of know what you're going to get from Russ, which is, like, part of his charm. I don't feel like you're getting that with Minnesota. You're like, you know, Nas is going to be out there and he's going to stretch the floor. You, Alexander Walker, can go out there and just, like, be a dog defensively. You know, Dante DiVincenzo is going to have a ton of confidence in everything he does. But I. I think that that was something I don't think I had pinpointed until watching that Lakers series.

[Alex Spears]

Yeah. Comparing it to the Lakers, Nuggets, warriors, like, they have eight guys you trust, and none of those other teams can say that. Like, I feel great about DiVincenzo, NA and NAS. Like, that's an amazing bench for the playoffs.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yeah. Yeah, that's a very normal playoff rotation, which a lot of these teams don't have. It's just. It's just funny to watch some of these teams that just don't. They have nobody that they can go to. And the Lakers were that way. And, like, they had. They had. They had one fastball, and the. The Wolves showed pretty quickly that they knew how to hit the fastball, and it was over. Like, that's over. Like, then, like, what do you do? Like, we'll just try it again, you know, let's try it more is what J.J. tried to do. You know, in the last couple of games, like, there was. There was nothing that they could do just because they could not match up with them. And so I do wonder what it looks like in round two with a team that could perhaps match up with them a little bit better and has more than really four or five guys that they trust. So, yeah, I do wonder. I do think a lot of it was matchup specific for. For them. I. I do think the Wolves are very good, and they showed. I think they had, like, the fourth best net rating in. In the league this season, but I don't know. They also have inconsistencies, and they also had just moments down the stretch of games in the regular season where they would just completely let go of the rope. And so I just. I'm. I'm curious to see them play a team that's a little bit more prepared and has a little bit more, you know, going in their favor.

[Justin]

But, like, a center, like, plays a.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Team with a center, plays a team that plays a guy that plays the position of center. It would be. It'd be nice to see them play a team like that. What would you be more interested in watching Amin Thompson trying to guard Anthony Edwards or the Wolves trying to figure out Steph Curry?

[Justin]

Man, I. I love watching Ahmed Thompson. I think I want to see Amin Thompson and then it's like at least four more games of Dylan Brooks maybe doing something weird. Like, I. I think that's. That's true. Of course we want to see Steph as much as possible. I think that's the easy answer, but I want to. I'm here for the Amen Thompson, the Amin Thompson Journey.

[Alex Spears]

I love. I love the Thompson Twins so much. Like, watching that game tonight, I know he got, like, the last shot was bad with. But that play right before that where he just, like, bodied up Jalen Brunson on the perimeter, didn't use his hands, like, at all until he absolutely needed to. Those dudes are just so good.

[Justin]

There was, like. There was like, a couple of possessions in a row where they. They kept trying to set some screens up top, and he just was, like, almost like a worm. Like, it was just kind of slivering in front of them like he was just refusing to be picked. I've never seen a defender do that. He was. Yeah, he's so. He's so. And that again, only going to get better. Both of those dudes like this. We're like, the early stages of this.

[Alex Spears]

So Back to the Lakers. They're heading in the off season. The focus once again is on acquiring a center. After the Mark Williams trade fell through. Do you feel that this Lakers roster is one center away from being a top tier contender in the west, or do you still have significant questions about the rest of the roster?

[Justin]

A significant contender, I think is Interesting choice of free. I don't. I think we're all going to learn again that OKC is very, very, very good. And I think that the. Where the Thunder are right now, it's going to be more than a center for the roster. The Lakers have to all of a sudden compete with a team like that. And I just. And that's not like, I don't want that to be like slanderous to like what LeBron or Luka are doing. I just. They're not there. They're not. They played five guys, so, yeah, if they get a center, they can play six. Like, they just don't have. I don't think they're as close as maybe we all thought they were a couple of weeks ago. And again, that could, that could change if all of a sudden Luca comes in, in crazy shape and returns to form. But I don't know. I mean, like, what is the center that they could get that like Walker Kessler and we're like, are they in one seat? Like, I don't know if that. If that's going to do it, you know?

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yeah. The muscle watch for Luca is going to be unbelievable this summer. Like, when August rolls around, we start seeing photos of Luca, people are going to freak out one way or the other. It's going to be great.

[Justin]

Move over, Ben Simmons. You're no longer. You're no longer the main gym watch in the. In August, it's down.

[Andrew Schlecht]

I mean, jj, set it up, set, set this up to be the ultimate muscle watch.

[Alex Spears]

Like, he really has, just by his comments. Are you talking about.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yeah, no, I'm very much looking forward to it now because he was clearly. I mean, he didn't ever mention Luca by name.

[Alex Spears]

Right.

[Andrew Schlecht]

But he was clearly talking about Luca. Like, who else is going to talk. Who is he talking about? He's not talking about Jared Vanderbil.

[Justin]

You know, I would love though, if Jordan Goodwin heard that and was like, he's talking about me, baby.

[Andrew Schlecht]

He's gotta be talking about me. Gabe Vincent's like, man, I really gotta get in shape, you know. No, it's, it's. It's clear who this was about. And yeah, can cannot wait for muscle watch already.

[Justin]

Do you think there is a center that. Or like that that all of a sudden changes it for them? Or is it more of just kind of working around the edges like a rotation center, but not like a. A. A game changing play like player?

[Alex Spears]

I mean, Derek Lesley would be very nice.

[Justin]

Gafford.

[Alex Spears]

Yeah. I mean, they knocked some kind of.

[Andrew Schlecht]

That. Well, can they, like, honestly, they need.

[Alex Spears]

Some kind of bob threat.

[Andrew Schlecht]

If that happened, I would lose it. If they're like, you know what? Derek Lively for Gabe Vincent and Jared Vanderbilt. Defense wins championships.

[Alex Spears]

And the other first that they somehow didn't get in the trade.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yeah, I could not. I just cannot do it.

[Alex Spears]

All right, Mike, it's time to play Andrew versus the Beat, our weekly trivia show where Andrew goes head to head with a beat writer. Now, Mike, how this works. I've come up with eight questions. All these questions that I've come up with this week are all about. They're all related to the first round of the playoffs in some way. Okay, so there's eight questions. You'll give me a number between one and eight will correspond to a question. If you get it right, you'll get at least two points. If you get it wrong, Andrew have a chance to steal for one. And then we'll go back and forth until all the questions have been asked and answered. So to start us off, Mike, I just need a number between one and eight.

[Justin]

All right, let's do three.

[Alex Spears]

Question number three. During game five against the Clippers, Russell Westbrook had his first playoff game, scoring 20 plus points off the bench. Who holds the NBA record for most playoff games with 20 plus points off the bench?

[Justin]

Manu Ginobly would be my guess from the San Antonio Spurs.

[Alex Spears]

Thank you for the clarification. Yes, that is correct. I didn't want to get him confused with another manufacturer. Yeah, see, see, some of them are easy sometimes, you know, that's. That's not. That's not too tough, right?

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yeah.

[Justin]

Well, I will say from the receiving end, everything feels tough. Like, I'm just. I'm overthinking it immediately. Like, there's no way that's what it is. Yeah.

[Alex Spears]

I will say Kevin McHale was close. I think it was like 27 games to 24 games, but it was Manu. Okay, Andrew, board is yours. Oh, wait. I don't know why I marked out five. It's. It was three.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Do you think there will ever be another player like Manu ever.

[Alex Spears]

That will. That. Is that good, willing to come off the bench?

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yeah.

[Alex Spears]

We thought James Harden was that guy.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yeah, the Thunder tried to do that with.

[Alex Spears]

Tried their damnedest.

[Justin]

I don't think it's quite the same, but I think Peyton Pritchard could get there in 20 point scores if he stays off the bench. But not the same level of impact of a player. Want to clarify that? But as like a trivia answer. I could see that happening.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yeah.

[Alex Spears]

Andrew, focus. Choose a number.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Number one.

[Alex Spears]

Sorry, question number one. In game five, the Minnesota Timberwolf shot 14.9% from three on 47 attempts. Over the last decade, which two NBA teams have shot under 20% six times each in the playoffs? And you get one point per correct answer. So last decade, they each had six games where they shot under 20% from three.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Wow. Six games. So many games under 20% from three.

[Alex Spears]

That's a lot of games.

[Andrew Schlecht]

The last decade. That's where it's.

[Alex Spears]

Yeah, it goes back to 2015, 16.

[Andrew Schlecht]

2015, 16. My brain just immediately goes to Houston. But the last decade, though, I don't know Houston.

[Alex Spears]

Andrew, that is incorrect. Mike, you have a chance to steal.

[Justin]

All right, I. How about the Philadelphia 76ers?

[Andrew Schlecht]

That feels right.

[Alex Spears]

Well, it feels wrong to me, Andrew, because it's wrong.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Oh, no.

[Alex Spears]

I will say that was the hardest question. The two. Now, Andrew, you're going to kick yourself because when you start thinking about it, Oklahoma City Thunder, those. Okay, three years, they had some terrible playoff games.

[Andrew Schlecht]

You're talking about playoff P. I'm talking.

[Alex Spears]

About playoff P. Yeah, I am. And the other team. Close.

[Justin]

Just the wrong P team, I was thinking.

[Andrew Schlecht]

That's right.

[Alex Spears]

And the other one is the Miami Heat, which, like, sort of makes sense because they've played a lot of playoff games. But on the other hand, part of that run from the eighth seed was because they were shooting so well.

[Andrew Schlecht]

I know.

[Alex Spears]

All right, so still two, zip. Mike, you have control the board. Five is still available. I've recircled it.

[Justin]

You know what? I'll take five just to. Just to make things.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Just to end this awkward situation.

[Alex Spears]

Okay. In game five against the Lakers, Rudy Gobert had 27 points and 24 rebounds. The other active players who have recorded a 2020 game with rebounds in the playoffs are all hall of Famers or hall of Fame blocks, let's say, except one. Okay, so it's Jokic, Giannis, AD, LeBron. All those guys have had a 2020 game in the playoffs. Who is the active player that will not be making the hall of Fame, but did have a 2020 game in the playoffs?

[Justin]

Oh, wait. And, oh, and he said so confidently. Will not make the hall of Fame.

[Alex Spears]

I'm pretty confident. I should. I should check just to make sure.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yeah.

[Justin]

No, no, no. Oh, man. I. I so confidently was. The second he started, this was like. It's. It's Nicola Vukovic. Vuchovic.

[Alex Spears]

Okay. I just checked hall of Fame probability on basketball reference. 0.0%.

[Justin]

Man. Yeah, I wanted to go Vuch here, but now not. And I mean, not that I'm. Just to be clear too, I'm not being like, vuch is a Hall of Famer. That's not what I'm doing.

[Alex Spears]

But.

[Justin]

But with the confidence that you said he wasn't, I'm. Now I'm like, oh, like, did. Did Drummond get one? Like, back in the day?

[Andrew Schlecht]

Drummond is a great guess.

[Justin]

Yeah. All right. He made the playoffs a couple of times, right? Or was it one year? Blake, let's just do Drummond. Let's do Drummond because it's fun. And who knew that Andre Drummond's name would get mentioned on this podcast, you know?

[Alex Spears]

Well, Mike, the way I'm going to tell you you're wrong is that Andre Drummond's hall of Fame probability is 1.7%.

[Justin]

That means Vuch's has to be higher.

[Alex Spears]

All right, Andrew, you have any guesses?

[Andrew Schlecht]

I do have a guess. Okay, what about Jonas Valanchunas?

[Alex Spears]

Okay, so first of all, Vucevich hall of fame probability 0.9%.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Wow.

[Justin]

Okay.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Truman's in there with the. Gotta be the numbers.

[Alex Spears]

The correct answer was Jonas Valentunas. Congrats, Andrew.

[Justin]

Well done. Wow, that was impressive. That was good.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Pull.

[Alex Spears]

Beast.

[Justin]

He is a beast.

[Alex Spears]

Okay, Andrew, I've controlled the board.

[Andrew Schlecht]

I'll go number two.

[Alex Spears]

Question number two. Okay, this is a fun one. James Harden has played in 172 playoff games in his career. In what percentage of those games did Harden score 15 or fewer points? Now, before you answer, you get to choose who answers first. So you can make Mike give a percentage and then you go higher or lower. Or you could choose the percentage and make Mike go higher. Lower. If you let Mike answer though, and he gets it exactly correct, he would get a bonus point.

[Andrew Schlecht]

I'm going to guess the percentage.

[Alex Spears]

Okay.

[Andrew Schlecht]

I first need to percentage grapple with what is a reasonable percentage.

[Justin]

That's what I didn't do.

[Alex Spears]

The percentage of playoff games at James Harden has scored 15 or fewer points.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Wow. The percentage. Okay, so this includes a lot of games in Oklahoma City where he did come off the bench. I guess it was only one year. Never mind. No, no, that's not true. No, that Was several years. That was three years.

[Alex Spears]

And if you're a hardened lover. I came up with this question after game five. You had a great game. Game six.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yeah.

[Alex Spears]

28, six and eight. Congrats. That was one of the games.

[Andrew Schlecht]

27%.

[Alex Spears]

Okay, Mike. Wow. Andrew has set the bar at 27% of James Harden's games, playoff games, James Harden's games, that he has scored 15 or fewer points. Would you like to go higher or lower?

[Justin]

I so badly want it to be higher. I'll be honest. I was thinking I was going to guess, like, if I had to pick a number, I was going to say like 14 or 15%. I was like, in that range. That's a. I want it to be higher than 27. Just for comedy. I'm going to say lower, though. I'm going to say lower.

[Alex Spears]

Andrew, you were within 2 percentage points.

[Justin]

Wow.

[Alex Spears]

The correct answer is 25%. Mike gets the point, man. Quarter of his games.

[Justin]

So many more than I thought it.

[Alex Spears]

Was going to be.

[Justin]

Wow.

[Alex Spears]

Andrew, obviously you're a James Harden hater. You. You were. Did you have to lower your number? Were you originally thinking like 40%?

[Andrew Schlecht]

No, no, no. I was thinking. I was thinking more like Mike, to start with, that it would be like 15ish percent. But I don't know why I went with the 7, though. That was my mistake.

[Justin]

Is my pick.

[Alex Spears]

Yes.

[Justin]

Mike, go ahead and take six.

[Alex Spears]

Question number six. There are two NBA franchises whose last playoff win came prior to the existence of the COVID 19 virus. Who are they? So you get one point per correct answer. So the last time these teams won, COVID 19 wasn't a thing.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yet.

[Alex Spears]

Who are those teams?

[Andrew Schlecht]

Wow.

[Justin]

It's really only two teams.

[Alex Spears]

I know. Isn't that crazy?

[Andrew Schlecht]

Won a game? Is that what you said?

[Alex Spears]

Yeah. Won a playoff game. But it's only two teams. 20. The other 28 teams all did it.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Man.

[Justin]

Now, God, Covid has just messed with my brain for, like, time. Like, I. When was Russ on the Wizards and did they win a game? You know, that's. That's what my brain's doing right now.

[Andrew Schlecht]

It's a great question.

[Justin]

Yeah, I am gonna. Oh, I. It's gotta. It's gotta be the Wizards. Have to be one of them. I'm gonna say the Wizards.

[Alex Spears]

Okay. I'm gonna tell you right off the bat.

[Justin]

Oh, wrong.

[Alex Spears]

That is wrong. Because they did. They won one game in the 21 playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers with Russ on the team.

[Justin]

Right?

[Alex Spears]

They won game four. That's right. Should I read I knew Russ was.

[Justin]

On the team the last time they won one. I just could not figure out what year that was.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Wow.

[Alex Spears]

Oh, Russ had a 19, 21 and 14 in that game on three of 19 shootings.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yo.

[Alex Spears]

What a good wrestling. Okay, Andrew, you could skill steal two points here. You can get this right.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Hornets is one.

[Alex Spears]

Hornet's always an answer.

[Andrew Schlecht]

It's always, always a good crutch there for teams that lose.

[Alex Spears]

Other guess.

[Andrew Schlecht]

This be. This guess is going to feel really stupid if it's not right, but I think this might be San Antonio.

[Alex Spears]

Andrew, it's why I chose this question, because I didn't think your brain would let you choose the Spurs. But yes, it is the San Antonio Spurs.

[Justin]

Very impressive.

[Alex Spears]

Which means we have a tie game with two questions left. Andrew. Wait, is it.

[Andrew Schlecht]

I'll take. Yeah, I'll take four.

[Alex Spears]

Oh, there's three questions left. That's why.

[Justin]

Yeah.

[Alex Spears]

Confused. Okay.

[Justin]

Good thing we have the sheet.

[Alex Spears]

Nicola Jokic recorded his 21st, actually. Did he tonight? Did he have a triple double tonight? Would that be his 26? He did not. He did not. Okay. Jokic has 21 career playoff triple doubles. Okay. He recorded number 21 during game five of the no Clipper series. That puts him third all time for most playoff triple doubles. We're going to name the other nine players in the top 10. So how this works is Andrew will give me a name, then Mike will give me a name, and we'll go back and forth until one of you stumbles. So These are top ten playoff triple doubles.

[Andrew Schlecht]

LeBron James.

[Alex Spears]

He is number two on the list. Mike.

[Justin]

Magic Johnson.

[Alex Spears]

He's number one on the list. Andrew, for us, he's number. Well, actually, now he's fourth on the list.

[Justin]

That was going to be my next one.

[Alex Spears]

Now it gets fun.

[Justin]

Listen, technically, you can get to a triple double with only scoring 15 points. How about James Harden?

[Alex Spears]

James Harden. Not on the list.

[Andrew Schlecht]

God.

[Alex Spears]

Andrew, you have any other names?

[Andrew Schlecht]

Jason Kidd.

[Alex Spears]

He was next on the list. Number five, Bird. Any other names? Keep going.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Bird.

[Alex Spears]

Bird. Next on the list. Oh, my gosh. Next on the list. Andrew, you've done four in a row. Westbrook, Kid Bird, Rondo. Can you get the final three? You won't, but it'd be cool.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Welt.

[Alex Spears]

It will. Is number 10. Now you just need 8 and 9. You don't even get extra points for this. This is just. This is showing off.

[Justin]

Yeah, it's pretty cool.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Luca.

[Alex Spears]

Luca. Number nine, Andrew, can you get the final name?

[Andrew Schlecht]

My gosh.

[Alex Spears]

He's at 10 in his career And.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Coey didn't do it, did he?

[Alex Spears]

Oh, sorry, Andrew. You got that wrong. Which means I can't give you any points. It was Draymond.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Jimmy Draymond. Oh, Draymond. Now that makes sense.

[Alex Spears]

It does make sense, but it. It's hard when they don't score a lot of points to think of.

[Justin]

I would have never gotten a Draymond.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yeah, I'm thinking about point guards mostly.

[Alex Spears]

Okay, Mike, you're down by two, but you have control of the board. Two questions left.

[Justin]

All right, let's do it. Seven.

[Alex Spears]

Question number seven. Gary Trent Jr. And Jamal Murray both had games with eight plus three pointers this week. Gary Trent Jr. Actually, two of them. That's crazy. There are five players whose teams are still in the playoffs as of Thursday night and who have had a playoff game in their career where they hit eight plus three pointers. Now the question is, who are they? You can get five points on this question, but I'm so confident you won't that I'm giving you the chance to get five points. So teams currently in the playoffs and they just had to have a game in their career. It doesn't have to be this year game of their career where they had eight plus three pointers.

[Justin]

Okay. All right. I'm just going to keep saying James Harden until I get one, right?

[Alex Spears]

No, no way.

[Andrew Schlecht]

No, it's. This is in the playoffs.

[Alex Spears]

Yes. You have to do it for sure in the playoffs.

[Justin]

Sixers.

[Alex Spears]

And your team has to be in the playoffs right now.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Donovan Mitchell.

[Alex Spears]

That is Juan Andrew.

[Justin]

Yeah, I should have started there.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Jamal Murray.

[Alex Spears]

That is incorrect. Andrew.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Really?

[Alex Spears]

Because he was in the question. I literally read his name.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Dang it. I'm just thinking, I'm just like locked in on eight threes.

[Justin]

Can I. Can I throw one out there?

[Alex Spears]

Yeah, sure.

[Justin]

I. We can't get points, but I was excited for this poll. Did Bogey get there? Did Bogdan do that with it?

[Alex Spears]

Did not. So you guys didn't even fall in my trap. The entire reason I asked this question is because Steph hasn't done it. And I thought for sure you would say Steph first.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yeah, I would have gotten there. I would have gotten around to that one.

[Alex Spears]

The other names one was this year. Jalen Green did it this year.

[Justin]

Never got crazy.

[Alex Spears]

Fred Van Vliet, his teammate also has done it. Dante, even Chenzo, who we talked about previously, has done it. And Mike, a Boston Celtic did it.

[Justin]

Derek White, Derrick White once.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yeah, I remember that now.

[Justin]

Wow.

[Alex Spears]

Okay, final question. Andrew, you get first dips. Going back to the 2020-21 playoffs. So the last five playoffs including this season, which player has won the most playoff games who is not a Boston Celtic?

[Andrew Schlecht]

Say it one more time.

[Alex Spears]

I saw you were excited there for a second.

[Justin]

I got this.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Say it one more time.

[Alex Spears]

Okay. Going back last five playoffs including this season, which player has won the most playoff games who is not a Boston Celtic?

[Andrew Schlecht]

Wow. Last five. This is tricky. You gotta think about the long playoff runs. But the five is tough because there were. There's a couple guys I'm thinking of that like they didn't even make the playoffs some years. So this is. I don't know. I think about Jimmy. Jimmy Butler. How about Jimmy Butler?

[Alex Spears]

Andrew, that is incorrect. Mike, you have a chance to steal, man.

[Justin]

That was going to be my guess. Did this person have a good game tonight?

[Alex Spears]

I am not telling you that.

[Justin]

I just feel like Nick B. Has always been in the playoffs. He's just always around.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Yeah.

[Alex Spears]

Is that your guess?

[Justin]

Yeah. Just because it's. It's late.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Give me Batum.

[Alex Spears]

Also incorrect. Would you believe someone who has more playoff wins over the last five seasons than Jimmy Butler? You ready for this campaign? That's not even the answer. I'm just letting you know.

[Justin]

Oh wow.

[Alex Spears]

That's one of the people has more than Jimmy Butler because. Wow. Phoenix.

[Justin]

No.

[Alex Spears]

The correct answer which I. You would have if you had gotten it. I would have been so impressed. Because you just don't even think of this guy right now. PJ Tucker is the answer.

[Justin]

Come on.

[Alex Spears]

34 wins.

[Justin]

Wow.

[Alex Spears]

He is seventh on the list among active players. Technically active players. I know he doesn't play.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Does he even have double digit points in those games?

[Alex Spears]

I'll look at his combined right now. Combined? How dare you, Andrew. He had nine of those 34 double digits. Okay.

[Justin]

Wow.

[Alex Spears]

Okay now hold on now. Six of those zero points.

[Justin]

Wow. So Batum wasn't up there, huh?

[Alex Spears]

He wasn't. You know. Let me control f see if I can find him. There he is. 79th. 79th.

[Andrew Schlecht]

So close.

[Alex Spears]

Right? A tied with Xavier Tillman senior.

[Justin]

Oh hey.

[Alex Spears]

There you go.

[Justin]

He's still in.

[Alex Spears]

The Celtics also tied with Naz Reed and Carl Anthony Towns. Although Towns got one more tonight.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Tillman Senior. The way that we all say his name.

[Alex Spears]

That's how it's listed here.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Mike, thanks so much for coming on the show. Go check out NBA bit on YouTube. Anything else that you want to plug before we go?

[Justin]

No. Go check out the. Yeah. NBA bit. We're over on playback two under the NBA bit. Name if you want to come watch some playoff hoops. But thank you guys for having me on. Big fans of you guys and been listening for a while. So it was. It was fun to come on and embarrass myself during trivia.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Thanks for coming on, Mike. Hey, and you can leave us a five star review on Apple Podcasts and we will read it on the show. Just like this one from SF Slim. Your show is still the best with your weekly deep dive with various teams, beat writers and great trivia. Oh, I read this one last week. I'm not doing this one. I'm cutting this. This is the guy telling us that the Clippers are the surprise team. But this is. Wait, this is a. Is this the same one though? Maybe it won't cut this.

[Justin]

This should be the whole read. Keep all this.

[Andrew Schlecht]

This is the whole thing. Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. I think this is another person telling you that.

[Alex Spears]

There's a different person telling me.

[Andrew Schlecht]

I think it is.

[Alex Spears]

Okay, can I defend myself for one second? Because Andrew, I went back. Me and Andrew have a different podcast called down to Dunk. We do over Unders at the beginning of the season. I went back to my original Word document where we talked about the Clippers. Do you know where they're over under was at that time? 40 and a half.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Oh, really?

[Alex Spears]

But it is true that if you go to Basketball Reference now, which is what I use when I'm looking at past teams, it is 35 and a half. That's a huge.

[Andrew Schlecht]

Nope, I was wrong. Still the same one. You know what, thanks for leaving that five star review. Still really appreciate it. Leave us a five star review. We'll read it on the podcast. We might even read it two weeks in a row. Hope you guys have a great weekend. We'll talk to you guys again next week.