NBA Daily Mailbag | Morning Shoot Around

Summary

The Athletic NBA Daily – Morning Shoot Around

Episode: Do the Pistons rely on Cade Cunningham too much?
Date: March 4, 2026
Hosts: Dave DuFour, Zena Keita, Esfandiar (Es) Baraheni

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Episode Overview

This episode features a lively mailbag format, tackling a slate of listener questions spanning NBA nostalgia, playoff dreams, league rules, team-building philosophy, and the central question: are the Detroit Pistons leaning too hard on Cade Cunningham? The crew blends analysis, banter, and personal takes, providing context and debate on the hottest topics as the playoff picture forms with six weeks left in the regular season.

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Key Discussion Points

1. NBC Throwback NBA Broadcasts & Sports Nostalgia

Timestamp: 03:33 – 09:41

• All three hosts reminisce on the retro NBC NBA broadcasts, evoking nostalgia and reflecting on the differences in commentary and presentation styles.
  • "NBC presents the NBA as a sport, not as a drama, which is kind of what we've been used to. And it's been a pretty refreshing season." – Dave (06:59)
• Observations about how old school broadcasts focused more on explaining the game simply (shout to Doug Collins), and less on self-promotion among commentators.
• Reflection on the dangers of overindulging in nostalgia in sports culture.
  • "The only thing we have to hang our hat on is nostalgia. That is just... it's a path to disaster." – Dave (08:28)

2. Dream NBA Playoff Matchups 2026

Timestamp: 09:46 – 12:42

• The hosts share their dream playoff series:
  • Es: Denver vs. OKC ("Definitely Denver. OKC." 10:09)
  • Zena: OKC vs. San Antonio, or any mix of Denver/OKC/San Antonio, plus a rematch of Boston vs. New York.
  • Dave: A tongue-in-cheek suggestion of Detroit vs. Charlotte, and Cavs vs. Pistons for underdog showdowns.

3. Teams Managing Star Players’ Minutes/Tanking Discourse

Timestamp: 12:49 – 14:57

• How many games will (Trey Young? unclear from transcript, possibly typo for Tyus Jones or another Wiz player) play for the Wizards down the stretch is debated.
  • Consensus: “Under 10 games out of the final 21.” – Dave (13:22)
• Analysis around NBA fines for resting players and league push to keep teams from overtly tanking.

4. Awards Eligibility & The 65-Game Rule

Timestamp: 15:22 – 18:43

• Listener question: Should All-Star selections guarantee awards eligibility?
  • Dave: Argues it creates a two-tier system and suggests scrapping or reducing the 65-game rule.
  • "Shay should be the MVP this year. I think at this point… But it's in doubt not because of what he’s done. It's in doubt because he might not play an arbitrary number of games. I think that’s silly." – Dave (16:47)
  • Zena and Es agree: Voters can use discretion; the rule is largely for owners’ financial interests, not narrative or fairness.

5. Building from the Middle: Is Tanking the Only Way?

Timestamp: 19:27 – 22:23

• Question challenges the media’s tendency to ridicule “middle” teams who choose not to tank.
  • Dave: Supports giving middle teams a better shot at high picks to reward competitive franchises rather than just tankers.
  • Zena: Warns about unintended consequences, like incentivizing mid-tier teams to lose late-season games.
  • Es: NBA needs creative ways to help franchises lacking allure for free agents and unable to bottom out for the draft.

6. Lottery Reform and Incentivizing Competition

Timestamp: 22:38 – 27:08

• Zena and Es discuss theoretical lottery reforms, like split competitions post-All-Star, and “drafting” future picks for drama and engagement.
• Dave remains skeptical: “I just generally don’t need game theory in my sport.”

7. Adjustments Teams Must Make Before Playoffs

Timestamp: 28:43 – 40:43

• New York Knicks: Defense has improved, but consistency and back-to-backs are still a question. ("Now I just want to see consistency,” – Es, 29:19)
• Detroit Pistons:
  • Central question: Are they too Cade-reliant? ("They have to rely on Cade so much. It’s their identity." – Dave, 30:39)
  • Lack of a viable secondary option (besides Jalen Duren) and shooters hampers any roster adjustment.
• Houston Rockets:
  • Need to adjust their fourth quarter rotations, perhaps relying more on Reed Sheppard, less on Jabari Smith or Amen Thompson.
• Cleveland Cavaliers:
  • How much can Mobley and Allen play together in closing lineups?
  • Suggestion to split them, as Mobley's shooting isn't a reliable late-game threat.
  • Es: “James and Allen’s pick and roll is money." (39:24)

8. Pistons vs. Spurs: Who Has the Better 3–5 Year Outlook?

Timestamp: 41:00 – 44:52

• Spurs are the consensus pick due to Victor Wembanyama’s generational upside and their young, deep core.
  • Zena: “The crazy thing about Wemby is like he hasn’t even scratched the surface offensively as to what he can do… he’s still in the like playground, I’m in my sandbox type of thing." (42:06)
  • Dave: Notes Pistons may reach more Finals just due to weaker East.

9. Dirtiest Player & Enforcer in the NBA Today

Timestamp: 44:52 – 48:47

• Dort and Draymond Green mentioned for both roles; Isaiah Stewart ("Beef Stew") praised as a true enforcer who actually contributes on the court.
  • "He’s not a goon. He’s not like some hired gun. He’s just... Beef Stew can play." – Dave (48:24)

10. Thunder Title Hopes sans Jalen Williams (J-Dub)

Timestamp: 48:49 – 50:56

• "No, I do not think they can win without J-Dub." – Zena (49:13)
• Concerns over secondary scoring options and playoff defenses focusing on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

11. The All-Bald NBA Lineup

Timestamp: 51:14 – 53:07

• Tongue-in-cheek debate for the ultimate all-bald five: Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaq, Charles Barkley, Manu Ginobili.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the Pistons’ Cade Dependency:

  • "I look at Cade Cunningham as essentially a power running back in old school football – hey, you're gonna run the ball 30 times a game." – Dave (31:25)
  • “To me, Jalen Duren is not enough as a second option for Detroit when Cade is not playing well.” – Es (30:13)

• On Resting Players & League Image:

  • “At least play Trey Young (sic) at home… appease the people that have supported you and are your home base.” – Es (14:50)
  • “It’s one thing to construct a horrible team. It’s another thing to throw games.” – Dave (15:04)

• On the 65-Game Rule:

  • “You are basically saying, we do not trust you to sift through the data, sift through the numbers… discern which one has had a better season.” – Zena (17:48)
  • “It has everything to do with baking this in without overtly saying, 'Y’all need to be playing so we can make our money.’” – Es (18:25)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |--------------------------------------------|-------------| | NBC/nostalgia/throwback | 03:33–09:41 | | Dream playoff matchups | 09:46–12:42 | | Wizards/resting stars/tanking | 12:49–14:57 | | Awards eligibility/65-game rule | 15:22–18:43 | | Building from the middle/tanking | 19:27–22:23 | | Lottery reform/incentivizing competition | 22:38–27:08 | | Teams needing playoff adjustments | 28:43–40:43 | | Pistons v. Spurs – 3–5 year outlook | 41:00–44:52 | | Dirtiest player/enforcer in NBA | 44:52–48:47 | | Thunder title chances w/o Jalen Williams | 48:49–50:56 | | All-bald NBA lineup | 51:14–53:07 |

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Tone & Style

• Conversational & Playful: Even analytical segments are peppered with jokes and good-natured banter.
• Perspective-rich: Each host brings their own history and viewpoint (sometimes generational).
• Critical but Constructive: Critiques of league policy, tanking culture, and team-building are grounded in ideas for improvement, not just mockery.

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For New Listeners

This episode is an excellent snapshot of late-season NBA discourse in 2026, blending X’s and O’s, policy, and culture. If you want a primer on current playoff narratives, team-building debates, and why the Pistons’ season is all about Cade, this is an episode worth your time.

Transcript

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[Xena Keda]

You are muted.

[Dave Dufour]

I am muted. Hey, good morning, everybody.

[Espera Henny]

How is it 2020. What's happening, man?

[Dave Dufour]

Good morning, Good afternoon. Welcome to the NBA Daily Morning Shoot around. I'm Dave Dufour, unmuted. Now here with Zena Kada and Espera Henny. Gonna do a little mailbag edition of the show. You know, kind of looking ahead, thinking about the playoffs. Only six weeks to go.

[Xena Keda]

Yeah.

[Dave Dufour]

Before we get to the questions, guys, something that we didn't hit on the show this morning. S. The. The NBC Throwback broadcast. The NBA on NBC. I mean, you guys. You guys didn't grow up with this necessarily. So I'm very curious about your opinion of it first. Like, did it. Did it mean anything to you guys?

[Xena Keda]

Yeah, I mean, like, it. I think, from the perspective. Well, I'll just give you my. My experience. I used to have NBA TV as a kid, and a lot of my base knowledge of basketball was like, I'm sick. Like, I am today. I. I'm off from school. So on a Tuesday, I'm watching Hakeem do a dream shake versus Throwback. Right.

[Dave Dufour]

The old NBA classics and stuff. That's exactly. I mean, ESPN classics used to be a big thing.

[Xena Keda]

Totally. That does not exist. I don't know if NBA TV does that anymore or if it's as accessible because cable no longer is a worthy platform. But ultimately, that was what allowed me to learn more and also watch those old NBC broadcasts.

[Espera Henny]

So.

[Xena Keda]

I know.

[Dave Dufour]

So you had a little bit of a through line.

[Xena Keda]

Yeah, totally. Yeah. So seeing that was just like, oh, I remember when I was a kid and I had that nostalgic feeling, you

[Espera Henny]

know, mine was more so just appreciation for the voices. Like, there is. I think there was and still is, but for sure, back then, an appreciation for, like, creamy voices, for voices that just felt very recognizable, but also like, home and very. Like, you're hanging out with the guys. And I think that Doug Collins and Mike Fratella, like, they. They have those kind of voices. Bob Costas, of course. Yeah, they were. He was our guy for years on NBC through the Olympics, through everything. So it just felt very recognizable.

[Dave Dufour]

And like, at home also, it's a different style. You know, I'll give my experience. I mean, look, I grew up with these guys calling the big games Mike Fratello, by the way, they gave him. You know, he did the telestrator, which they just don't really do on broadcast. And I thought that was pretty fun. You know, the czar of the telestrator. And you listen to Doug Collins. And even the way that they sort of call the game was different.

[Xena Keda]

Doug Collins is awesome.

[Dave Dufour]

Yeah, he's very. He's really good. I mean, you know, his pronunciation of Victor Weminyama, whatever, it's fine.

[Espera Henny]

He just kind of rolled through it.

[Dave Dufour]

Yeah, he was trying, but, like, it's. You know, he's trying to catch up. But I. I thought he was great. He added a lot to the. To the broadcast. And listening to these guys that I heard as a kid talk about Victor Womenyama in particular, because he's the future of the NBA. And the way that Doug Collins was describing him playing defense, I thought. I thought a lot of the people who are doing, you know, the color analyst job could probably learn from the way that he simplified talking about the game.

[Espera Henny]

That's what I felt as a person that does and wants to do more color. Analyzing it. It wasn't even just women. Yama. At one point, he broke down Carter Bryant's game and just talking about, like, how he plays with energy and, like, excitement, like. And it is that simple sometimes of what you bring to the floor. Yeah, I. I really like that they. There's an appreciation for effort and. But also being able to just like, break down how that translates into good basketball as well.

[Dave Dufour]

Yeah. And then there's the old school approach where it didn't feel like anyone was trying to get their stuff in.

[Xena Keda]

Right.

[Dave Dufour]

There was plenty of space for all three guys to breathe. You know, Bob Costas was really good. I thought it laying off when Mike Fratello and Doug. I don't know. It felt like a throwback sports broadcast. But that's actually the thing about the NBC coverage this year, like, which we've talked about on and off, is that NBC presents the NBA as a sport, not as a drama, which is kind of what we've been used to. And it's been a pretty refreshing season. I thought it was fun to do the throwback. I don't think they need to do it, you know, again, necessarily, because. Let's look forward. But anyway, I thought it was cool.

[Xena Keda]

I like the score bug. That was a cool ad. Great.

[Dave Dufour]

It's a little bit too big, right?

[Xena Keda]

It was too big. If they really wanted to do it, they would keep taking the score bug away because that was something that would annoy me as a kid. I'd be like, what is the Score and then it would just pop up halfway.

[Dave Dufour]

You guys have no idea what watching sports was like.

[Espera Henny]

Oh, you went through it, didn't you?

[Dave Dufour]

Yeah, go through it. And I mean, look, it was better in a lot of ways.

[Xena Keda]

Dude, it was. No, it was insane. I remember watching like a Lakers, Celtics game in the 80s on, on one of these hardwood classics and I'd be

[Dave Dufour]

like, what is the score? A lot of vibes out there, right? I don't need to know. I'm just watching the game. Why do I listen?

[Espera Henny]

They were trying to make, they were trying to make sure that you were paying attention back then. Okay. Nowadays it's like you could just look down, see it, keep it moving. But they were like, you need to lock in.

[Dave Dufour]

Well, they weren't there. There's not a lot of action on the court, right? Like, there's not a lot of movement. You didn't have to follow a mental score though.

[Xena Keda]

I like that.

[Dave Dufour]

That's right. I'm tell. Yeah, well, and then also the guys calling the game was just so much important to describing the action and you know, it's like, you know, leftover from radio. Anyway, hey, so we again, we decided to do a mailbag episode and we took questions from our discord. Don't forget, guys, we've got a Discord for now. The link is in the show description. Come and join us. We hang out, we, we talk hoops, people share clips. It's a pretty good place and what we're gonna do. Oh, so someone in the chat hit me. What happened to anti nostalgia, Dave? Okay, listen, I am anti nostalgia and I actually talked to S about this last night. It's true. Yeah, this was done pretty well. And if it's a one off, hey, it's a nice tribute. I have no problem with tributes. It's this thing where it's our own. The only thing we have to hang our hat on is nostalgia. That is just. It's a path to disaster. It's actually bad for your society if we want to get, you know, I don't want to get into philosophy on this, but it's bad for your society leads to nationalism long term. So anyway, yeah, the good old days, right? Anyway, so S is going to be our question master today because I can't seem to get discord pulled up right here in front of me. So S, what's the first question?

[Xena Keda]

Okay, so from H. Forlor Thorin, and honestly, I'm so sorry if, if I'm mispronouncing these hats. I, I have no No, I. I generally have no idea what the half.

[Dave Dufour]

Thor.

[Xena Keda]

No, no, no, not really. Anyways. Okay. What are your dream matchups for the playoffs?

[Dave Dufour]

Oh, okay. Give me one series. Yeah, One series that you guys want to see.

[Espera Henny]

Definitely. Denver. Okc.

[Xena Keda]

I was gonna say OKC San Antonio.

[Dave Dufour]

I mean, there's a chance we're getting both, right? Yeah, we should, Theoretically.

[Xena Keda]

Yeah.

[Dave Dufour]

Depends on the scene.

[Xena Keda]

We will at least get one of those.

[Dave Dufour]

Or we may get Denver San Antonio. Right? Yeah. Instead.

[Espera Henny]

Yeah. Okay.

[Xena Keda]

Which I would also be down for, I think. Denver, San Antonio, any combination of those three would be awesome.

[Dave Dufour]

And Minnesota, we haven't. Nobody's mentioned, but I feel like Minnesota against. I. I don't want to see Minnesota. Denver again, actually, because it feels Minnesota might have their number.

[Xena Keda]

Yeah. But also, I mean, does Minnesota have what it takes to be okc?

[Dave Dufour]

That's a question.

[Espera Henny]

Yeah.

[Dave Dufour]

Okay. So.

[Xena Keda]

Okay.

[Espera Henny]

We said we spent a lot in the West.

[Sponsor Announcer 3]

Yeah.

[Espera Henny]

On the East.

[Dave Dufour]

Well, my dream matchup in the. In the east is Detroit, Charlotte.

[Xena Keda]

Oh my God. That's.

[Dave Dufour]

That's a really good. So bad look.

[Espera Henny]

Detroit Harlot. Charlotte. Like, I like, especially after seeing the game without Donovan Mitchell. Cavs, Pistons. I. I like that matchup as well.

[Dave Dufour]

I like it.

[Espera Henny]

Last year we got to see New York, Detroit and you know, people still have questions about how that series ended. That would be a really good one to get back.

[Xena Keda]

I would, I would like a rematch of Boston, New York with Jason Tatum healthy. You know, I, I think that would be really interesting because of how that series played out last year. There's the theatrical element of Tatum coming back against the team that he tore his Achilles against and obviously how the Celtics blew that series in the first couple of games. Being up by like 20 in the first two games and then blowing them both. Like, I think that level of theatricism. Theatricism, theatric. Theatrical. I don't know, maybe just theater. That level of theater. Yes, that level of theater would be good for playoff baske basketball. Also, just to give them some love since they've played some pretty good games over the last couple games or last couple weeks. Cavs, Pistons. Let's see some cats.

[Espera Henny]

Yeah, that would be good.

[Dave Dufour]

Yeah, that'd be good. Pistons, Hornets, though. That's the one.

[Espera Henny]

Hornets, anyone?

[Dave Dufour]

It could be a five game series, but I think it'll be a fun five games.

[Xena Keda]

Yeah.

[Dave Dufour]

Yeah.

[Xena Keda]

Selfishly. Raptors, Nicks. Just so I can cover a game at Madison Square Garden, you know? Yeah, that would be fire.

[Sponsor Announcer 3]

Yeah.

[Xena Keda]

Okay. I got, I got another Question for you. Chris Mack says, how many games Trey will play to close out the wizard season?

[Dave Dufour]

Oh, you know what? I made a guess on this one. Let's. Let's say over. Under. How many games have left? They got 26.

[Xena Keda]

That's a great question, Dave. I should probably have had that answer available to you. Listen, they are 16 and 45 right

[Dave Dufour]

now, so they've got 21 games left.

[Espera Henny]

21 games.

[Xena Keda]

They've got 21.

[Dave Dufour]

I'm gonna say let's set the number at. At 10 and a half right in the middle. Set the over. Under ten and a half games. I'm going under. Yeah. Okay, so we're all under.

[Xena Keda]

I.

[Dave Dufour]

In the. In the chat.

[Xena Keda]

Rest every back to back.

[Dave Dufour]

We got 10 max. That's what I say. I say it's going to be at most 10 games. It feels to me like, I think that people started making phone calls after the Utah Jazz got fined. I think that the. The pushback on that. That we've heard from. I mean, Rick Carlisle pushing back on the Pacers getting fined. I. I think that the league probably made some phone calls and was like, hey, look what you're doing up here, like, it's just not going to fly. You've got to do it in a way that's, I don't know, at least more socially acceptable or something. So, you know, I. I wouldn't be surprised if some more of these guys that we thought might be on the shelf come back.

[Xena Keda]

Yeah. No. And at least play. Like the thing with that Jazz game against the Nuggets. No. Jaren Jackson Jr. Obviously, I don't believe Larry Markin played in that game either, but Keonte George was the guy playing. If you can sort of sift through your core players and play them kind of in intervals, you know, it's intervals.

[Espera Henny]

Not in the game, but within. Between games.

[Dave Dufour]

In between games. Yeah.

[Xena Keda]

Look, I'm just saying, as. As a person who has experienced the tank in a very marvelous way, there are ways to get around here, and you can. If you're the Wizards, you can rest your entire Young group one game while also having Trey Young and then bring your young group out.

[Dave Dufour]

At least play Trey Young at home. How about this? Sure.

[Espera Henny]

That's a really good point. Like, appease the people that have supported you and are your home base.

[Xena Keda]

It would be cool, at least, and

[Dave Dufour]

create rivalries when you don't play your good players in other cities so that the. The fans there can get mad at you. Hey, I'm wasting my money to watch the Wizards Yeah, yeah. Look, it's, you know, shout out to Lawrence Field in the chat. Also from the discord. It's one thing to construct a horrible team. That's right. It's another thing to throw games.

[Espera Henny]

That's right.

[Xena Keda]

Listen.

[Espera Henny]

That's right.

[Xena Keda]

All right. Okay. Ipod. Sean says don't know if this will make the stream. Well, congratulations, it's made.

[Dave Dufour]

Of course it was. Come on, that guy, he's insiders.

[Espera Henny]

There you go.

[Xena Keda]

What if the players that make the all star team stay eligible for end of season awards? So kind of a way to counteract.

[Dave Dufour]

Oh.

[Espera Henny]

Like no matter what.

[Xena Keda]

Yeah.

[Dave Dufour]

See now this, now you're creating a two tier system and we've got a class issue. And, and legitimately. Okay, look, if it needs to be one blanket set of rules, and I understand that the story of the season gets told through those awards and the 65 game rule is going to ruin that. You just got to throw out the 65 game rule. Yeah, that, that rule already was in place for voters, especially on the big awards. And it doesn't really matter as much. You know, look, all NBA, maybe you, you set 65 game rule, that's fine. But it doesn't need to happen for mvp, defensive player of the year like the big awards. Yeah, we do not need that. And unfortunately, as a way to appease owners, they, you know, the players association and the owners decided to shoot the league's narrative in the foot. I mean, I, I think that, you know, that was a huge mistake from day one. But there is no blanket fix. I think they've got to go to a negotiating table and get rid of the rule. I'll also say, like, Shay should be the MVP this year. I think at this point.

[Xena Keda]

Right.

[Dave Dufour]

Y.

[Xena Keda]

And he will be like, I think,

[Dave Dufour]

I think he's gonna be. He's gonna play the number of games. But it's in doubt not because of what he's done. It's in doubt because he might not play an arbitrary number of games. I think that's silly.

[Espera Henny]

Right. I think even. And if you're going to, if you're going to do it where for all NBA there is a 65 game rule and there's not one for the larger awards.

[Xena Keda]

Right.

[Espera Henny]

And the NBA is pushing back. Like we do have to have a threshold to meet it.

[Xena Keda]

Right.

[Espera Henny]

You can't just score 50 points in 20 games, get those wins and then sit out for the rest of the season. It's like, yes, you were incredibly valuable in that stretch of 20 games, but we need you to play More than

[Dave Dufour]

a fourth voters already did that. Right. Like no guy is winning the MVP playing 50 games. And no guy is like, we already were doing that when we were discussed this stuff. So they were solving for something in. In my opinion there Xena. Where. But the problem didn't exist.

[Espera Henny]

Yeah, I will say you need a number. I just think that they reduce it. Right. Like you don't have to have.

[Xena Keda]

I think also yeah, this is. This is invalidating your current system, like your governing body, which is the voters of these things. You are basically saying, we do not trust you to sift through the data, sift through the numbers, sift through watching basketball when a guy has played 67 games and another guy has played 63 games and discern which one has had a better season. So I think it's kind of telling on yourself. Truthfully. If you have a rule like this, I understand the owner aspect and guys have to play whatever, whatever. But I think that's, you know.

[Dave Dufour]

Right.

[Espera Henny]

1,000%. This has. To me, this has very little to do with voter ability or you know, to be able to like, as you mentioned, discern who's good or not based on the threshold of games. It has everything to do with baking this in without overtly saying, y' all need to be playing so we can make our money.

[Dave Dufour]

Oh, yeah, right.

[Espera Henny]

Like this is just a way to just bake this in quietly to be like, let me make sure I'm getting my return on my MVP caliber player. You want to get this award, you want to get those accolades that in your other outside marketing contracts gets you extra money, gets you extra benefits. Well, then I need to get my benefits back and I need to make sure and getting my money for, you know, our fans, et cetera, et cetera. So like this is. They're also telling them on themselves in that way too. Yes.

[Xena Keda]

Yep. Money makes sense. Yep. I totally agree with you. Okay, next question. Robo Jim. Robo Jim. Robo Robo Gym.

[Dave Dufour]

Robo man, it's tough. See, it's not so easy. I agree.

[Espera Henny]

No, you're right.

[Xena Keda]

You're right. I remember I made fun of you last time.

[Dave Dufour]

That's right.

[Xena Keda]

You're absolutely right.

[Dave Dufour]

Why do you think I have you asking questions?

[Xena Keda]

Robo Jim says can we stop trying to crap on teams that are building from the middle? I think too many people think the only way to win is to hard tank. Also, there's a difference between a team with older vets that is stuck on a treadmill versus a mostly young team trying to figure it out. That we being the royal we.

[Espera Henny]

Sure, yeah, I agree with that.

[Dave Dufour]

Yeah. I'm fine with the middle. I, I believe they're going to do lottery reform this summer. I hope they don't make it worse. But one of the things I would like to see is teams in the middle getting a shot at getting some of these high level draft picks.

[Espera Henny]

Yeah.

[Dave Dufour]

Because frankly, look, the Chicago Bulls, we can talk about how they've been mismanaged or whatever. That doesn't, that doesn't do anything for the average Chicago Bulls fan.

[Espera Henny]

Right.

[Dave Dufour]

They can't go and hire a better front office. Now, number one, they've got a great coach actually, who gets the most out of their players, but they don't have an avenue to get talent without tanking into the draft. And again, this is a team that's constantly stuck in the play in. Like we make fun of them, we make fun of Atlanta for being these, the play in perennials. Right. Jonas Valentunas, like lived in the play

[Xena Keda]

in for all time playing member. Yes.

[Dave Dufour]

Yeah. Okay. And we, we kind of pick on them, but like they're being competitive, they're doing the best with what they've got. So I just, I, I actually would love to see whatever happens, the teams in the middle get a shot at Cam Boozer or, you know, the next Cam Boozer or AJ Devons or whoever.

[Xena Keda]

I think, I think the thing that happens with that or the, the risk that you play out with that is that like more teams in the middle will try to lose games in March and in February. And how do you deincentivize that aspect? I. I don't know the answer to that, TR But I, I think it's something that you have to address because let's just say, like, for example, right, the Sixers don't have their pick this year, but let's say the Sixers had their pick. They are now on a losing streak. Joel Embiid is injured. Paul George is out for the next 25 games. Why wouldn't this incentivize them if they had their pick to just lose out the rest of the year, fall into the play in, get themselves a good shot at one of these high lottery picks, whether it's Kam Boozer, Darren Peterson, whoever. Because now you have Tyrese Maxey, you have BJ Edgecomb, you have one of these other centerpieces that you can add. I, I think that's the question with flattening the lottery odds. Truthfully, my opinion is you gotta unflatten the lottery odds. You got to make it so that like three or four teams have the best chance possible to get the number one pick. Everybody else is cooked. They can't tank to. To get it. Everybody, like there's maybe like three or four teams, the Wizards, the Nets, the Kings, whatever, that have a 25 chance of getting the best pick in the draft. Once they get that pick, they cannot go back into the top four of the draft that year after. Make it so that it's like in and out, you know, in and out. Get out of there and start rebuilding again.

[Dave Dufour]

The more complicated it gets to me, the more it's going to be abused or anytime you incentivize losing in any way, it's going to be bad. I don't know, Xena, look, we talked about this so much.

[Xena Keda]

Yeah, what's.

[Dave Dufour]

Yeah, what's your idea?

[Espera Henny]

So I don't know if I have an idea as much because I still try to figure this out. And the thing about it is, like, they're good. The NBA is going to bring in some really smart, nerdy guys to figure out a way to manipulate any type of system.

[Dave Dufour]

We have to learn some math, right?

[Espera Henny]

So my thing is, like, I'm hearing what you're saying, Dave, on being in, like, finding a way for the teams that are in the middle to get a chance to be at in the mix for a top draft pick. And as you were saying that, I was just processing and thinking, like, what goes into getting a team in winning position. You get a cornerstone player or franchise player, or you do that through the draft, or you get that through free agency. And then you think about, okay, the teams are kind of like in the middle that are struggling to get free agents that are struggling to be, you know, destination spots. It sucks because it's like, you can't get a free agent because you're not necessarily in a great city or, you know, a great location, and you don't necessarily have someone on your team that someone would want to come play for, right? And then with that, your team's probably not making enough money to make it a super, I don't know, resources, benefits, all the things, you know, available to you type of destination spot. And so nothing about you is attractive. So then that means the NBA needs to step in and make you attractive, right? For either free agents or, you know, finding a way to get your spot up in the draft situation. So that's where I'm like, I get what S is saying of putting these middling teams that are kind of like, in this cyclical manner of we're doing just enough. We're fighting, we're trying to. But we're never going to be enough to get a big time free agent. And we're not, because we're trying. We're never going to be bad enough to get a big time draft pick. So I like this idea of the NBA stepping in and looking at towards the end of the season who has been making the most effort to try to win, but they're just not capable of it because the talent is average. And we talked about this on the Athletic show with John Hollinger and there's a great article right now on the Athletic where our writers came up with a ton of different ideas. There were two I really liked and one of them was basically after All Star Break. I don't know if this was Fembusini or whoever wrote it, but basically after All Star Break, you split up the league. So the top playoff teams, they play against each other and they're working for the playoffs. Everyone else at the bottom of the, the basically everyone like playing down is now competing against each other to try and get a better spot in the draft. That, that is interesting to me now. You're now competing to make sure that you're not bad enough to drop to the bottom. You're just trying to win as many games. Etc. The other thing that was interesting, John Hollander brought up this idea of drafting your future draft pick. You talked about NBC not making it a drama, taking out the theater of it. This would be drama. Imagine in the summer, at some point, all 30 teams come together and they say basically if I'm like, I don't know the Bulls and I look at the Kings and I go, I want your draft pick for next year or wherever your record is or like where you're going to end up. I want to, I want your position because I basically think that you are going to suck enough, right? That I want that position. And imagine the drama it would have of those two teams meeting up during the season, right. And wanting to play for that position. And the other team, the Kings, for example, being like, I want to prove you wrong. I want to get up, I want to move up in this situation. I want to make sure that you don't get that. I thought it was fun. It's not, it's not a realistic idea. But it, once again, it's what you're talking about s of like, how do you not incentivize losing? Both of these ideas force you to then be in a situation of like, whether you Were losing or not. You're like, okay, now we can't lose. We have to do something. Either one, to prove another team wrong and not allow them to get your pick, or two, to get yourself, you know, in a better position in the draft. Period. So I, I don't know what the answer is, but I like those ideas in terms in general.

[Dave Dufour]

I just generally don't need game theory in my sport. Right. Like, that just isn't something that's interesting to me. Like the behind the scenes stuff is whatever. I just want to watch good basketball games and competitive basketball games. To, to me, if your team is trying, that shouldn't count against you somehow.

[Espera Henny]

Yeah.

[Dave Dufour]

At getting better. But the Chicago Bulls also, by the way, this is one of the. And maybe it doesn't come up nearly enough because they've been bad now for so long. But they had Michael Jordan. They were. Did they? They were. I don't know if you know this, but they used to be a big deal right around the world. I mean, we talk about the Lakers now like this. The, the Chicago Bulls should have been a draw. Chicago's a fantastic city. I know, right? You know, it's cold in the winter, but it's a great city. Guys want to go to New York. I cannot believe that they don't want to go to Chicago.

[Espera Henny]

And it's because what's happening with Miami.

[Dave Dufour]

Bad ownership.

[Espera Henny]

Look at what's happening with Miami. And Miami was way more recent, right?

[Dave Dufour]

Yeah, but Miami's got a different thing. Miami's got a different thing. Whether culture, the heat culture is also an issue.

[Xena Keda]

Michael Jordan, the actor.

[Dave Dufour]

Yeah, yeah. Michael Jordan. We need a Michael C. Jordan. That's. That's all I gotta say. No, but the Chicago Bulls really just fumbled this entire thing. It's been, you know, it just. Bad ownership. Right. The, the greatest. Shout out to Danny LaRue. The greatest competitive advantage in sports is good ownership because, you know, you just take your hands off and let the guys who know what they're doing do

[Espera Henny]

it, by the way.

[Xena Keda]

Yeah. So we actually had a comment replying to that question. Albasa from the chat said, no, we should keep ridiculing the middle class. Anyways. Philippe, what teams need to make the biggest adjustment.

[Espera Henny]

I was gonna say, I was like, that feels.

[Dave Dufour]

Yeah.

[Xena Keda]

Philippe says what teams need to make the biggest adjustments, not injury dependent to how they are currently playing to maximize their chances to have success in the playoffs. I think that's a really interesting question.

[Espera Henny]

Oh, what teams need to. It's kind of hard. I was going to say, like I'm thinking of particularly New York, but New York has won 15 of their last 19 and they have kept 10 of those teams to under 100 points.

[Xena Keda]

They're playing better.

[Espera Henny]

They are playing better. Defense would have been the number one thing I would have recommended for them. And now I just want to see consistency and I think it's a, it's a perfect setup for tonight's game. Even though it's a back to back and they just went through the Raptors that are not easy team. Dave and I were talking about this before the recording started. I am curious to see what happens on this back to back thinking, how do they get through the adversity of having gone through the Raptors coming up against the Thunder, will they still be able to lock out a win? How will they do on defense when they're a little bit more fatigued where offense isn't clicking as much? We know that when their offense is good, their defense is better.

[Xena Keda]

So. Yeah.

[Espera Henny]

Yeah. I don't know.

[Xena Keda]

I'm trying to think of I have a

[Dave Dufour]

team. You know, we called this stream.

[Espera Henny]

What do we call it?

[Dave Dufour]

Do the Pistons rely on Cade Cunningham?

[Espera Henny]

Oh, that's another one. I mean, we've talked, I've told you guys this. They don't have enough. To me, Jalen Duran is not enough as a second option for Detroit when Cade is not playing well.

[Xena Keda]

But I wonder if there is any adjustment that they could make to, to. Because like the question was about adjustments. Right, right. And I, I, the, the roster is set up in such a way that like they have to rely on Cade so much.

[Dave Dufour]

It's their identity.

[Xena Keda]

Yeah. To your point, Xena, the next option is Jalen Duran and then it's Tobias Harris and Asar and Duncan Robinson and those guys. And you're like, you don't have. This is the, this is the thing with the Pistons and, and like I'm, I'm thinking about this right now as well. But you know, the easiest blueprint for them to like look at is the Thunder team last year. Right. Crazy defense led by this heliocentric guard who can score and obviously created a bunch. But the big difference between the Thunder last year and this Pistons team is having a Jalen Williams who was all NBA last year, all defense last year. Like you don't have that player now. You might be able to argue Jalen Duran has become that. I just don't think like having a big man be your second off.

[Dave Dufour]

Yeah, you need a wing or you need another guard and they just don't they just don't have that guy on the roster. I actually, it's funny, I think they're more like the Knicks a couple seasons ago. When you look at the way that Jalen Brunson took, took so much of the offensive load. I mean, I look at Kate Cunningham is essentially a power running back in old school football and it's hey, you're gonna, you're gonna run the ball 30 times a game. You know, we watch him. I mean, he, what was he, he's had some of the worst shooting performances of anyone this season. And it's because the shot diet is rough. You know, again, go back to the football analogy. Like he's, he doesn't have a good offensive line outside there. He's just got to make stuff happen. They, they have one shooter on the court at most. When he's out there on the court, they, that's their biggest issue is it's secondary creation is a problem for them and it's going to be a problem in the playoffs. But the bigger, more glaring one is shooting. And so there is no adjustment for them on the roster. So I, I do I s, I think that you're, you're correct there.

[Espera Henny]

I got an adjustment. When you're ready, go.

[Dave Dufour]

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[Espera Henny]

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[Dave Dufour]

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[Espera Henny]

And I'm trying to find the lineup data right now.

[Xena Keda]

I'm really curious which team because I have a team in mind right now. I'm curious what team Houston's got to

[Espera Henny]

change their fourth quarter.

[Dave Dufour]

Boom. Exactly.

[Xena Keda]

There we go. That was the exact same team.

[Espera Henny]

I was thinking that, that they, I don't know if they need to wait to bring KD in terms of like starting the fourth quarter versus wait a few minutes before you bring him in. Their fourth quarter falls apart and they don't quite have enough energy at the end of them. They need like a in games off the bench spark to happen within the fourth quarter and I would, I, I'm, I'm curious. That's what I'm trying to find out.

[Dave Dufour]

Who. Well, they needed a guard at the deadline and, and this was. They did you know Colin Sexton was sitting out there? They could, it could have maybe been in on Anthony Simons. I mean there, there are guys out there that could have helped them coming off the bench. But this I don't know. The Fred Van Vliet injury has essentially cast a shadow in this entire season.

[Xena Keda]

Yeah, it.

[Dave Dufour]

It has.

[Xena Keda]

I, I think they need to rely on Reed shepherd more. Like. I think they need to close with Reed more and for. To. To give them credit, they have been doing that more recently, but they just need to rely on him more because he is such a good release.

[Dave Dufour]

You're choosing Reed over Amen.

[Xena Keda]

I'm choosing Reed over probably Jabari.

[Dave Dufour]

I think that's. Oh, I disagree with that because I like his rim protection. I think, I mean, we need a

[Xena Keda]

men's defense at the point of attack a little bit more than Jabari's.

[Dave Dufour]

I think you need his shooting. I think you need Jabari shooting. Yeah, that's fair.

[Xena Keda]

Yeah, I agree. This is the problem with the Thompson Twins. Like we. This same thing applies to SAR in Detroit. It's like they are so important to the defensive infrastructure of both of their teams, but you can sag off of them and basically put play four on five on offense. And I just.

[Dave Dufour]

They're not big enough. It's not like Giannis. Yeah. When they, when teams will sag off Giannis and, And dare him to shoot. Giannis is going to the hoop and those guys, it's just going to be a different thing. They're gonna have a sea of arms, you know, meeting them and the creativity involved to, to have a non shooter and, and really he's not really like a great ball handler either. So it's not like this is a. You know, you can't take a man and have him just get two feet in the paint and create chaos. It doesn't really work, especially with this, with this team. Shangun creates a little bit of an issue too. Just because the spaces that a men needs to operate in is where you kind of want Shingoon working. So I, I just, you know, again, it's been a problem for him all year. I think that that's, That's a good call, Tina. I gotta. I got one for you guys. Cleveland.

[Xena Keda]

Okay.

[Dave Dufour]

I think that they've got to figure out the. How. How much can they go Mobley Allen together down the stretch of games?

[Xena Keda]

I don't think they can go Mobley Allen at these, like a close game in the clutch. I mean, we talked about this a little bit, Dave, last night.

[Dave Dufour]

Yeah.

[Xena Keda]

But I really like. You saw it in one of their games against. I believe it was either Detroit or someone else where they were just leaving Evan Mobley wide open.

[Dave Dufour]

Yep.

[Xena Keda]

And he's not shooting well enough for that to be the case. And he's. He's like, of course, kind of similar to what we just talked about with the SAR and Amen. He's not going to be barreling his way to the basket when there's four defenders in the paint. I just.

[Dave Dufour]

He pump fakes out of too many shots.

[Xena Keda]

Yeah.

[Dave Dufour]

And. And the thing is they've got other guys. I think that they can slide it. And this is a crazy conversation to have right now about Evan Mobley because I, I didn't expect to be here, but to, to me, their, their best. Well, four of their best five guys is going to be Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Jared Allen and Jalen Tyson.

[Xena Keda]

Why not. Can I ask you a question? Why not flip Mobley and. And Allen like have it be Mobley, Jalen Tyson, Sam Merrill, James Harden, Donovan Mitchell instead of Allen with those guys?

[Dave Dufour]

I, I don't know, man. I think I just trust Allen's. I just rem defense and rebounding and pick and roll work better.

[Espera Henny]

That's my, the last part for me, James and Allen's pick and roll is money.

[Xena Keda]

That's really good.

[Espera Henny]

Like you can cash in on that. And right now it's just not the same consistency that I'm seeing out of Evan Mobley in that role. We're not even seeing the Evan Mobley, Jared Allen connection as much as we are. Like we were at the top of the year. So it's, it's. Yeah, I feel like we don't necessarily need them on the floor together. It was great to see the two headed snake come together and just make it incredibly difficult for defenses to have to pick and choose. But right now they've been choosing and they've been choosing more. So Jared Allen is more of a threat to us than Evan Mobley at the top of the key. And when that happens, it's incredibly hard for Evan Mobley to capitalize on that high, low situation, which we. I don't even know. Like, I feel like I remember the commentary earlier in the season to be like, oh, Evan Mobley shooting outside. But it was more so corners less than the top of the key. And so yeah, that's a good adjustment. I would, I would probably split them up as well. And you get different looks.

[Dave Dufour]

Right?

[Espera Henny]

Right. Like you get different looks when you have them in. Yes. You have a little bit more of a traditional in out game and a bit more traditional pick and roll game, which is great. Let Donovan come off those. James Harden come off those. Let those, let them cook when he's in the game and then have a more agile game when Evan Mobley's in.

[Dave Dufour]

Oh, And I think with Mobley, he can give you a little bit of a switchier defense. Exactly.

[Espera Henny]

That's right.

[Dave Dufour]

Yeah.

[Xena Keda]

It's a big postseason for Kenny Atkinson. I think it's a big postseason for getting Atkinson. Okay, Bear. Son. And I'm not mispronouncing that. I really do think his. At their son.

[Dave Dufour]

Son as in like a star?

[Xena Keda]

No. Or. Okay, so Cub, perhaps. Which team has the better medium term, three to five year outlook, the Pistons or the Spurs?

[Dave Dufour]

I mean, that one pretty, pretty easy.

[Xena Keda]

I agree. It's pretty easy. It's interesting to me that this is a conversation. I wonder if this person is a Pistons fan.

[Dave Dufour]

I will say that. You know what though? The Pistons have a. The Pistons have a shot to make more finals appearances in the next three to five years because they're in the East.

[Xena Keda]

Yeah, yeah, of course.

[Dave Dufour]

Okay.

[Espera Henny]

Yeah.

[Dave Dufour]

But the Spurs. But okay, so Wemby might not. He's not the best player in the world yet. You know, Wemby's not the best player in the world yet, but he pretty, pretty clearly is going to be. He may already be the most impactful player in the NBA, period. Defensively, the way that he impacts every single possession he's on the court defensively and then on the offensive end. I mean, look, we. You can't leave him unguarded and he'll go stand in the corner. Yeah. And he's wide open.

[Xena Keda]

You know, the crazy thing about Wemby is like he hasn't even scratched the surface offensively as to what he can do. He's still in the like playground, I'm in my sandbox type of thing of trying to figure out what he can do, whether it's the mid range game to start the season where. Whether it was getting to the hoop, whether it's a three point shot. Like, I just feel like he still doesn't necessarily know what kind of offensive player he wants to be on any given night, which is crazy. Like it still feels like Bambi, you know, like he still runs like that, but he just is an incredible defender already. And yeah, I think it's the Spurs. I also think it's the spurs because Dylan Harper.

[Dave Dufour]

Yeah, yeah.

[Xena Keda]

Like he's.

[Dave Dufour]

I, I don't. Yeah. Steph Castle. Name of God. Like we've got, we could just name off guys Steph Castle. I didn't know he was going to be this good.

[Xena Keda]

Yeah, I mean, look, all respect to Jalen Duran who has turned himself into an all star and is going to get paid like it this summer. I think Asar is very, very talented defensively. Just talked about some of his flaws. Ron Holland is a really fun guy to watch. Good role player. I think maybe he'll develop into something else. Do any of those guys give you the same excitement as a Dylan Harper? I don't necessarily think so, no. No. Okay.

[Espera Henny]

Their bets in a way that I think the spurs don't necessarily like. Don't get me wrong, dear. And Fox has been great for them and leads them. Harrison Barnes has been great. But we've seen them close out games with the cell Harper. Total Castle Wemby on the floor. That's huge. That's massive.

[Dave Dufour]

Oh, hey, by the way, good, good shout from, from the YouTube chat. There's eight guys in San Antonio averaging 10 points a game.

[Xena Keda]

Yeah, that's crazy. That's absolutely nuts. Hey, I'll adjust this question a little bit. Who has the better chance to make it to the NBA Finals this year? The spurs or the Pistons? Is it just obviously the Pistons?

[Dave Dufour]

I think it's the Pistons just because it's a little bit easier. Although I, I just don't. It's not as easy as it was in October.

[Xena Keda]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Espera Henny]

Yeah. The Cavs new got way better.

[Dave Dufour]

The Celtics have looked so good. This, there's look in my head, this Celtics team, I would put them slightly above last year's team. I like this team. I think they're a little bit more dynamic athletically. Nimayas Keda has been great for them. You know the, the guys that they've got coming off the bench, these like high activity big wings. They didn't have this, this athleticism last year. And so in a lot of ways, yeah, they've got, they've got something happening there. I just think, yeah, it's gonna be. It's much tougher now than it looked in October. But yeah, I think I would say the Pistons have a better shot this season.

[Xena Keda]

N. Stinson says who is the current dirtiest player in the NBA?

[Dave Dufour]

Also we got a lot of Thunder fans that listen to this podcast, right? Fred Lightly, guys.

[Xena Keda]

Also, who is the current best in enforcer in the NBA? I'm just gonna go ahead and say enforcer. I'm gonna say Isaiah.

[Dave Dufour]

I really thought you were just gonna go for it. Yeah, Isaiah Stewart's a good one.

[Xena Keda]

What did you think? I was gonna.

[Dave Dufour]

I thought you were just. I thought you were just gonna drop the dork bomb on us.

[Xena Keda]

No, no. I don't know who actually is the dirty. Because like everybody is gonna say Lou Dort. But I, I Feel like there has to be a dirtier player in the end the NBA, man.

[Dave Dufour]

It depends on who you ask, right?

[Espera Henny]

Do you want an accumulation of history?

[Dave Dufour]

Like, yeah, Draymond Green has, you know, some. What we would call dirty incidents.

[Xena Keda]

Chest.

[Dave Dufour]

I have a hard time with the term dirty player. No dirty plays, certainly.

[Espera Henny]

I think that's what. Maybe that's why, like, I'm. I'm hesitant to go forward with that.

[Dave Dufour]

That.

[Espera Henny]

Because it's kind of like saying like, you're a bad communicator, period, versus you communicated poorly in that moment.

[Dave Dufour]

Yeah.

[Espera Henny]

It's like, I don't know if you're a dirty player in general. Like, I don't think you achieved your NBA success from being dirty, but yeah, you probably executed some dirty plays.

[Dave Dufour]

Yeah, but look, Lou Dort had a highlight reel.

[Espera Henny]

I know someone made and I has a highlight reel. Green has a highlight reel.

[Dave Dufour]

Right. The thing is that. And this is a great. Another. Another great shout out from the YouTube chat. It's Dort purely because the Thunder matches are always relevant. He's always in front of people's eyes. So yeah, he is. Maybe now he's maybe taken Draymond Green's throne as the most high price.

[Espera Henny]

Well, because the warriors used to be the team that was always being watched.

[Dave Dufour]

Right. As. As the Thunder have. Have become NBA villains in record time, by the way. Which, you know, kind of crazy how fast people have turned on them. I. I do think, yeah, it's. It's got to be like.

[Xena Keda]

I will also say from watching a team that has no enforcers and no dirty players in the Toronto Raptors, it's actually kind of frustrating to have a team that just like withers away when they're confronted.

[Dave Dufour]

The Cleveland Cavaliers.

[Xena Keda]

Yeah.

[Dave Dufour]

This problem for total years.

[Xena Keda]

Like you actually, I would. I would like a Dylan Brooks on this Raptors.

[Dave Dufour]

Dylan Brooks makes a difference.

[Xena Keda]

Just because, like, you need someone who's not gonna take stuff, you know, like, it just that I think that's really important for the NBA, especially currently where, like, physicality plays a role, you know? But yeah, not to the point where your fights are happening.

[Espera Henny]

Like, you know, they are. You don't even need that player playing. Like, look at the Pacers. You don't need them to be active. They just need to be in the ecosystem.

[Xena Keda]

Yeah. Just someone to set the tone. Just someone to say, hey, I mean, listen.

[Dave Dufour]

But Beef Stew for sure, I. I think is the. He's the best enforcer because he actually shows up. He's not a holding back guy. Right.

[Espera Henny]

He's a willing participant.

[Dave Dufour]

He came off the bench with ice on his knees, man. Like, he is ready. So.

[Xena Keda]

Dude, he's also, like, he's. He's actually also good at basketball.

[Espera Henny]

That's.

[Xena Keda]

I think that's an important thing about an enforcement. Like, he actually is a very good basketball.

[Dave Dufour]

He's not a goon.

[Xena Keda]

No, he's not. He's not like some hired gun. He's just.

[Dave Dufour]

And hockey used to have these guys. They weren't very good. They couldn't really skate, but they could fight.

[Xena Keda]

Yeah.

[Dave Dufour]

And. And NBA used to have these guys, but no beef stew can play. He also. And there's a. There's a chilling effect that comes with having a guy like that on your team. You're gonna. You're gonna shut down the other team's physicality pretty quick. That guy starts getting a little heated.

[Espera Henny]

Yeah.

[Xena Keda]

Okay. DK42 Group Tech sent this one in the morning. Can the Thunder. Will the Thunder win the title without J Dub? Assuming all other players are back and healthy. I'll just answer this quickly. No, I do not think they can win without J Dub. I. I mean, for the very same reasons I just said about the Pistons and not having a valid second option.

[Espera Henny]

Right.

[Xena Keda]

I do not. Especially in the Western Conference.

[Dave Dufour]

A.J. mitchell and Jared McCain.

[Xena Keda]

It's fun.

[Espera Henny]

Yeah. That doesn't give you any boost or anything? Yeah.

[Sponsor Announcer 3]

Yeah.

[Xena Keda]

Look, I. I like it. The shop making makes sense. It's cool. I. You still need someone who can drive to the hoop and get a bucket. And if you wall off sga, what are your other options? I just. I don't know. I say no. I don't think they can.

[Espera Henny]

I've just seen the systems work so well for that.

[Xena Keda]

It's a great system. I agree. I don't deny that.

[Espera Henny]

And by the way, if they do

[Xena Keda]

win, I will eat crow, bro. Because that. That is. That would be one of the most impressive championship runs I've ever seen. If they win without their second best

[Espera Henny]

player, I kind of feel like they could. I just feel like they have enough weapons. And they also not only have enough weapons, I think they have a coach in a system that can adjust. And they've been doing it all season long. Literally all season long. Yeah. I don't know. That's a tough.

[Dave Dufour]

They're gonna. They're gonna be playing teams that can guard.

[Xena Keda]

They face the first without Jalen Williams. They are. They're cooked.

[Dave Dufour]

They're cooked. Maybe even with them, but they're cooked without him for sure. They're gonna be Able to throw two at Shea anytime they want. I. I think I'm with you, man. If. If J Dub can't come back and contribute and be healthy, I think that's a big problem for them.

[Xena Keda]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Espera Henny]

Okay. I'm open to having my mind regular.

[Dave Dufour]

The regular season is just such a different beast and like you grind wins as a. A good deep team in the regular season. Once you get to the playoffs, Shay is gonna have such a hard time, so.

[Espera Henny]

We even saw it last year. You're right. You're absolutely right.

[Dave Dufour]

Yeah.

[Espera Henny]

I do think they need. They need Jaylen Williams.

[Dave Dufour]

Yeah.

[Xena Keda]

Yeah.

[Dave Dufour]

All right, let's do one more, and then let's wrap.

[Xena Keda]

Yeah. So this one. This is funny. We can end off on this. Kamore Kemore. Kemmer. I don't know. Been watching some Celtics lineups and thinking again, what's the greatest five man? An all bald lineup.

[Dave Dufour]

Oh, yeah.

[Xena Keda]

With positions.

[Espera Henny]

Oh, you're. You got to start this off, Dave.

[Dave Dufour]

Yeah, well, Michael Jordan.

[Espera Henny]

Michael Jordan.

[Dave Dufour]

Yep.

[Espera Henny]

Is on that.

[Dave Dufour]

Kobe.

[Xena Keda]

Kobe doesn't count Kobe.

[Dave Dufour]

I mean, I don't think he was bald.

[Xena Keda]

I think he was bald by choice.

[Dave Dufour]

Okay. But no, no, no.

[Espera Henny]

Was not bald by choice.

[Dave Dufour]

Is Michael. Michael was bald by choice early. Yeah, but, like, you know, all right, if Kobe's bald, then yeah, Kobe's in there.

[Xena Keda]

Okay, so Kareem is.

[Dave Dufour]

Kareem's the center. Yeah.

[Xena Keda]

I just want to do Manu because Manu, you know, I feel like he was bald late. He was the quintessential count.

[Dave Dufour]

You think about him as bald. I see. That makes me so old.

[Xena Keda]

Well, yeah, I know he had hair in 2002, man, but like, the balls.

[Espera Henny]

What are we talking about? I missed bubbly. Oh, well, see, here's the thing. Here's the thing. Now the question is becoming, who's the all time five man went bald because their hairline was thinning? Conversation.

[Dave Dufour]

Okay. But there's not a lot of people

[Xena Keda]

shout out to my guy. Jalen Suggs. Thank you very much. We're proud of you, bro.

[Espera Henny]

Derek White. Yeah.

[Dave Dufour]

I mean, yeah, but he's not on the all time list. We got Michael Jordan. We got Kareem.

[Xena Keda]

Manu.

[Dave Dufour]

Shaq.

[Espera Henny]

Shaq for sure.

[Xena Keda]

Yeah. Shaq counts. Yeah. Yeah.

[Dave Dufour]

Dennis Scott,

[Sponsor Announcer 1]

man.

[Xena Keda]

I'm telling you.

[Dave Dufour]

Yeah. Charles Barkley. There we go. Thank you. There you go, K dog. You guys are hating on YouTube. Charles Barkley. Manu Ginobi, one of the greatest players to ever play in the NBA and would have been a top 12 player all time if he didn't come he's

[Xena Keda]

a top six bald player all time time.

[Dave Dufour]

I I'm fine with that. I'm down with that.

[Xena Keda]

I appreciate it. Thank you.

[Dave Dufour]

Yeah. Steph, shave your head, man. Come on, join the club. You look like my twin.

[Espera Henny]

He's good. All right.

[Dave Dufour]

Yeah. Yeah. All right guys, that's gonna do it

[Xena Keda]

for we should do a top five bald podcasters at some

[Espera Henny]

I know who's my number one pick.

[Xena Keda]

Yeah, same.

[Dave Dufour]

All right, pandering. Thank you guys for hanging out with us. If you're listening to the show, don't forget we do this stream every Wednesday morning Pacific Time 9:00am 12 Eastern. So I guess you know, lunchtime on the east coast. Give us a five star review wherever you listen to podcasts and like and subscribe over on YouTube. We'll be back tomorrow with another episode of the NBA Daily. Thanks for hanging out with us. For Xena, Keda and Esperahenny, I'm Dave Dufour. This has been the morning shoot around.

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[Espera Henny]

Hablas espanol?

[Dave Dufour]

Parle italiano.

[Xena Keda]

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