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- [00:00]
Verizon Ad Voice
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- [00:31]
Ben
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- [01:10]
Commercial Announcer
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- [01:52]
Dave DeFore
Good morning and welcome to the NBA Daily for April 13, 2026. I'm Dave DeFore here with Zena Cata and Esperahenney. Coming up, the regular season is over, the playoffs are set and we're going to talk some play in action. And in addition to our bold predictions, Good morning everybody. What is up guys? Congratulations to you made it through another regular season. 82 games too many, clearly.
- [02:24]
Zena Cata
Yeah, it was a long season, but
- [02:25]
Ben
I like the horns. Can we do it?
- [02:27]
Dave DeFore
Yeah, you can hit the horns. Come on. Celebratory horns. 182 players were listed as out on Sunday. Guys, what are we doing here?
- [02:42]
Ben
How is that even possible?
- [02:43]
Dave DeFore
There's only 450 regular roster spots in the NBA.
- [02:47]
Zena Cata
I know. I kind of wish we could have this stat for previous seasons because I'm like, is that normal? Is that.
- [02:53]
Dave DeFore
I think last season was the mid-170s or so. By the way. Shout out to the the athletic and the entire NBA staff for their end of regular season Live blog. That was going all day long. There was every team played for some reason. All the games started at the same time. You didn't, they didn't stagger. I guess maybe the Masters, you know, Rory McElroy came back and won that.
- [03:19]
Ben
I mean, with 180 players missing, I'm glad it started all at the same time.
- [03:23]
Dave DeFore
Well, some of the games felt like they were just trying to sim to the end. We had, we had, honestly, we had some bad losses. The Cel Celtics played nobody. Shout out to Luca Garza, Baylor Shireman and Ron Harper Jr. They combined for 84 points and 25 rebounds and embarrassed the Orlando Magic, banishing the Magic to the eight seed and a play in trip to Philadelphia. Wow.
- [03:50]
Ben
Just.
- [03:50]
Zena Cata
By the way, it's important to note that the Magic were playing there, guys. So yes, that's the, that's the key part there.
- [03:58]
Ben
The Magic were fully healthy. They were fully trying in this game. Down the stretch, they had multiple opportunities to win. Jalen Suggs hit a very clutch three point shot on the other side of the floor. Luka Garza knocked down a clutch three point shot to tie it back up. Also, Paolo Bankero missed travel call on this baseline. Franz Wagner, ill advised three point shot. The offense collapsing as it usually does for this Orlando Magic team. All of the problems of this season just came down to like the last quarter for this Magic group. You know, I've, I've said this for a lot of teams this year. You know, teams will show you who they are. Believe them. We need to believe this is the Orlando Magic. This is just who they are. And yeah, they do have another game. We'll see what happens with that. But boy, was that just such a devastating way to quote, unquote, end your season.
- [04:58]
Dave DeFore
You know, on the other hand though, it was like kind of everything we've been saying about the Celtics this year. You know, Joe Missoula calling timeout, drawing up a play, trying to get a 2 for 1 at the end of the game and Luca Garza hits it. Right. I don't know, I don't know what else we could say. Missoula is going to be the coach of the year, whether he wants to be or not. Zena, we also had. You know, I want your opinion on this, because we went into the regular season finale, we look on the schedule, and you see Denver, San Antonio, and there's a chance up until a couple of weeks ago, this game might have mattered. Well, the only reason it mattered, really, was that Jokic played. He's now qualified for postseason awards, played the first half, but the Nuggets had a chance, if they lost the game, to become the 4 seed and play the Rockets in the first round instead of the Wolves through the 6 seed and the team that's kind of built to beat them. But the spurs, really, in my opinion, they fumbled, they played their guys. Except for Wemby, They. If they win this game, they have an easier path to the conference finals, and they lost it.
- [06:00]
Zena Cata
Yeah. And you could see the whole argument for MVP for Jokic being made in the fact that when he did not play in the second half, which was predetermined, even before the game started, the spurs started making a run. They closed a pretty significant gap. I think at one point, the largest lead that Denver had was 23 points over the Spurs. They closed it to like eight at one point. And you're looking like, dang. The YIC differential is still a major factor for the Nuggets, but ultimately the spurs, they didn't do enough. They didn't have enough. I saw Carter Bryant really try to get things going towards the end of the game for them, but, like, it just. It did not end in a great fashion for a team that is supposed to be built robustly around the edges. Right. They're supposed to have the depth that's supposed to, you know, go through the west. And you just didn't see it. To be able to close out the game. They had the opportunity. When you know Jokic isn't coming back, you should have taken that game.
- [06:56]
Dave DeFore
But, you know, the game also, it makes an MVP case for Wemby if you want to. 62 points in the paint for the Nuggets. Right. Like Jokic and Valentunas just. Just dominated the Plumley. All right, look, the Plumley experiment's got to be over. I understand you're trying to just get. Get to the regular season, but I don't want to see him playing in the playoffs. Come on. We can't do this.
- [07:16]
Ben
I don't. I don't think so. You'll be okay. He's not going to play in the playoffs.
- [07:19]
Dave DeFore
Y.
- [07:20]
Zena Cata
We'll see him or Biz Mac.
- [07:22]
Dave DeFore
So okay, let's talk. Let's talk playoffs and play in here. We got Knicks, Hawks in the East, Cavs, Raptors. The those series are set. Obviously got to get through the play in Orlando at Philly. After the loss, Heat at Hornets. Hornets beat the Knicks on Sunday and so they locked up the nine seed in the West. We got Nuggets and Wolves. We got Lakers, Rockets, we got Blazers at suns in that 78 game. It's going to be in Phoenix and then warriors at Clippers, which we also had last day of the season. So guys, I'm going to ask just and we'll include the play in games here. What series or play in game do you think is going to have the most excitement?
- [08:04]
Commercial Announcer
Wow.
- [08:05]
Zena Cata
I think the Suns and Trailblazers for me, I mean we know the Trailblazers have had a really great season despite obviously not being in the top in the West. But when you think about who is in the top of the west and how competitive it is, it makes sense that the Trailblazer haven't had enough to be at the top. But Denny Abdia is having a breakout season. We love the athleticism that's in Portland and I think that is what gets me excited about them going up against Phoenix because Phoenix also has showcased their defense is so much fun to watch. They've got huge guys like Osogidaro, Ryan Dunn playing outside, being able to guard guards. We've seen Devin Booker come back and make a, I would say like, I mean he has his own, he had his little own little mini MVP run in the sense of how huge he is for leading this team's defense and how big he is for the energy that the the Phoenix Suns offer. I just think that there's an opportunity here for it's not a great shot for shot making, but it's a great opportunity for athleticism to play a part between these two teams. So I think they'll be the most
- [09:11]
Dave DeFore
exciting one S. What do you, what are you looking at?
- [09:13]
Ben
Yeah, maybe this is an easy one, but I have to say Round three of Denver Nuggets versus Minnesota Timberwolves. I mean they have been incredible playoff series in the past. We've seen how the Timberwolves have been able to guard Nicole Jokic and bother him and bother Jamal Murray, but they're also coming into this series a bit injured. There's questions about Anthony Edwards and his health. There's questions about Jada McDaniels and his health. The Timberwolves have kind of stumbled into the end of this regular season. And we just talked about how, you know, Denver has set themselves up for a hard path to the Western Conference finals or finals or however far they go. But I, I ultimately am kind of curious how they're going to look in the first round against a team that has pretty much had their number in the playoffs in the past. And if they can get over the hump with this new group that is obviously deeper, that has more options. With Jokic playing the way he is, with Murray playing the way he is, I just think it's going to be probably the best playoff series in round one for sure.
- [10:15]
Dave DeFore
And look, the Wolves have been a little banged up, but at least they've got this week off. Hopefully that helps, you know, less travel. You know, you're going to be two, two nights in Denver, two nights in. In Minneapolis. So at least there's a little bit of that little edge, wear and tear that will be less. But the, this Wolves team throws haymakers. They step up in big moments. Like we talked about this all year. Every time there's a big game, it feels like they're ready for it. And so if Anthony Edwards is able to play and not be diminished, right, like, if the knee doesn't flare up, if it doesn't bother him, I think Jaden McDaniels might be okay. He, he, he ended the season to me pretty like, on a strong note. I thought playing the number of minutes that he was playing, they must have felt confident about him. I think it's just more, you know, spend a week kind of in the gym getting that rust off and, and he'll be good to go. But from a, from a matchup perspective, the Wolves just match up so perfectly with the Nuggets that, I mean, I just feel like this is going to go seven, to be clear.
- [11:14]
Zena Cata
I definitely thought you asked just for play in matchups.
- [11:17]
Ben
Oh, no, he said both.
- [11:20]
Dave DeFore
I said either one.
- [11:21]
Zena Cata
Yeah. I'm not. Of all of the matchups in Brown 1. I'm not thinking about Phoenix Suns vs
- [11:27]
Ben
hey, you could be a big Donovan cling person.
- [11:30]
Zena Cata
It could be. It could be. But that is absolutely not, I would say more than those that matchup.
- [11:35]
Dave DeFore
Yeah.
- [11:35]
Zena Cata
For me, whoever ends up playing Detroit, because this is our opportunity to see. Let's just ensure that Detroit is who we think they are. Especially if it ends up being Charlotte. As Charlotte ends up beating the Heat and they get the opportunity to get that eighth seed and get up, go up against Detroit, we know they're going to have to come up against the physical defense of Detroit, they're going to have to come up against, you know, just what we've seen all season long with Detroit and the Charlotte Hornets matchup, that they're just a little bit more calm and more poised in those positions. However, the Hornets are absolutely capable of running Detroit ragged by the end of that series. And I'm just shooting as the. Exactly the outside shooting the matchup there. In general, the numbers have always favored whoever can shoot more threes and the numbers have always favored who has more ISO creators and on paper, Charlotte does. And so if there's anyone that I'm really particularly curious about, it is that or more excited about, it's that matchup.
- [12:41]
Dave DeFore
Yeah. For me. Knicks Hawks. Look, the Hawks, we, you know, I know s doesn't believe in these guys, but we've, we've watched them play the Knicks really, really well this season. I think that again, their offense, the way that they can score, the point of attack defense that they can throw out there against Jalen Brunson, we just, we saw Jalen Brun have a Jalen Brunson type fourth quarter against him just, just recently. But I think that this is a pretty good matchup. I think the Knicks win it. I think it, it maybe even in five, but I do think it's a tough five if they do win it in five, but I see it going six.
- [13:15]
Ben
It's, it's also one of those things where it is 100% a harder matchup for the Knicks than the Raptors were. And that was what they were grappling with, grappling with today. It's like are, are they going to play the Raptors or they end up going to play in the Hawks? To your point about the Hawks point of attack defense between Dyson Daniels, Nikhil Alexander, Walker, there's just so many bodies that they could throw at Jalen Brunson to make things hard for them. And we've seen how this Knicks team can struggle against switch heavy defenses. The Hawks love to switch. They play one through five basically every single night. I, I agree. That's going to be a fascinating one. I wouldn't be surprised if that goes seven. I would not be shocked.
- [13:52]
Dave DeFore
Also, also, guys, we got Steph Curry versus Kawhi Leonard. Win or go home. Yeah, that on Wednesday night. That is going to be awesome. I, I think I'm going to try to go if I, if I can figure it out.
- [14:04]
Ben
We've got LeBron James versus Kevin Durant in a playoff series.
- [14:07]
Dave DeFore
Yeah, yeah, but okay. Win or go home. Single elimination in the NBA, we just don't get enough of that. So, yeah, that game is also going to be good. Any potential upsets here that you guys see, like in the first round, it. It feels. Feels like chalk to me. I mean, even right down to the play in games, I. I think I would favor the higher seeds in every single matchup.
- [14:29]
Zena Cata
And we're talking just first round because you just.
- [14:31]
Dave DeFore
Yeah, just the ones that we know.
- [14:32]
Commercial Announcer
Yeah.
- [14:33]
Zena Cata
Okay.
- [14:33]
Dave DeFore
I could see.
- [14:34]
Ben
I could see Philly beating Orlando, given what happened to Orlando just now and the way that their season is kind of crumbling underneath them.
- [14:44]
Dave DeFore
And it feels like an upset because Joel Embiid's not going to be playing. Right. Yeah.
- [14:48]
Ben
And like, I think, yeah, to your point, I know Philly's going to host, but ultimately everybody thinks Orlando is going to win that game. I. I wouldn't be surprised at Philly doing it.
- [15:00]
Zena Cata
It's so funny because you just laid out the Rockets Lakers game a little. I feel like the Rockets could. Could do it only because of the absence of Luka Doncic and Austin Reeves right now. But yeah, the athleticism could just get. I keep saying athleticism, but I just think it could make this.
- [15:16]
Dave DeFore
Already said it. Everybody wants to play the Lakers right now because they're looking like a wounded duck, basically. And I mean, you look at the Rockets, they. They have so much scoring, you know, I mean, I think, you know, they've got. What Kevin Durant can do is just well noted.
- [15:30]
Commercial Announcer
Who.
- [15:31]
Dave DeFore
Who's going to card kd? Yeah, for the Lakers.
- [15:34]
Ben
I'm not sure the answer for that
- [15:38]
Dave DeFore
zone all year, though. I. Because I do think that the zone will help them against the Rockets a little bit clogging up the lane. But I. I don't know. It's gonna be tough.
- [15:46]
Ben
I'm glad you brought that up because that's sort of my, you know, I guess, bold prediction here. If I had to.
- [15:52]
Dave DeFore
Save it. Save it for after the break. All right, guys, after the break, we're gonna see who has the easiest path in each conference to the finals. And we'll make our bold predictions.
- [16:05]
Commercial Announcer
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- [17:56]
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- [18:33]
Dave DeFore
I was looking at the seatings trying to figure out which team has the ideal path to the finals and again the spurs by losing against the Nuggets they really in my opinion they just made the path twice as hard. They've now got to beat the Nuggets and the Thunder. Feels like the Thunder guys are just, I mean look they they're the one seed wire to wire again. It feels like they've got also the easiest path out of the west too.
- [19:00]
Ben
Yeah, I I no doubt they have the easiest path. I I mean like they're going to play either Luka Doncic or the Lakers without Luka Doncic and without, you know, Austin Reaves, or they'll play Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets. And we've seen them beat the Rockets and we've seen them handle the Rockets. Even though the Rockets can provide some interesting matchup stuff to them, they're not going to play the Nuggets or the spurs until the conference finals. So that's two. I don't want to call them buys. They still got to win these games, but it's easy. Definitely the easiest path. And for good reason. Truthfully, they burned it right.
- [19:35]
Dave DeFore
Much, I mean, much tougher now that, I mean, or much easier now that they don't have to play the Nuggets potentially in the second round.
- [19:41]
Zena Cata
And that's the thing that I'm thinking about is the fact that whoever they get out of the Nuggets or the spurs is going to have to have gone through the heavyweight matchup between the two of those teams and then has to come meet okc. So you're going to get a team that has been gone through like they've gone through the ringer before they ever touch okc. And that in itself is like, thank you for doing my dirty work for you.
- [20:02]
Ben
Yeah, exactly.
- [20:03]
Dave DeFore
I mean, for real.
- [20:04]
Zena Cata
Yeah.
- [20:05]
Dave DeFore
What about in the East?
- [20:06]
Ben
I think, I think in the east, it's the 14 side of the bracket. So if you look at either Detroit or Cleveland, they have a pretty straight forward path to getting themselves to the conference finals. Because I do think the Cavs will handle the Raptors, depending on how long that series is. But I think it'll be a relatively short series. And then, you know, we just talked about the Hornets against the Pistons that might end up being.
- [20:30]
Dave DeFore
The Knicks have the toughest first round matches.
- [20:32]
Zena Cata
They do.
- [20:34]
Ben
And then the Knicks and Celtics have to play each other in round two, which is an. That could be the quote unquote conference finals, if you will, for this whole thing.
- [20:41]
Zena Cata
So, and I think it's interesting because the Pistons, like, when you look at some of like Thunder and Lakers on the other side of the Western Conference, you're looking more so at who they're matching up against and the flaws of those opponents as opposed to with the Pistons. I feel like you would say you would think, you know, I think based off of their resume for the regular season, they should have the easiest path. But you're looking at the flaws they have that don't pan well in the playoffs, that the, the fact that they don't have a great half court offense. The fact that they don't have multiple ISO creators, the fact that they don't have enough three point shooting, those are the things you're looking at more so than their opponents. I don't know how much physicality and really great chemistry can carry them into the playoffs, but I'm. I'm more so looking at like.
- [21:30]
Ben
So maybe it is the Cavs. Maybe the Cavs have the easiest.
- [21:33]
Zena Cata
I feel like the Cavs have it easier. Yeah. Path. That's why I'm like kind of looking at the Pistons like. And if the Celtics get past a
- [21:40]
Dave DeFore
little foreshadowing I think from Xena.
- [21:44]
Zena Cata
Okay, let's keep going.
- [21:45]
Dave DeFore
Yeah. Okay. Let's make our bold predictions. I'll go ahead and go first because mine is a little bit tongue in cheek. But the Trailblazers have some very interesting decisions to make this week. Okay. If they make it out of the play in, they lose their first round draft pick. They do. Yeah. And so my bold prediction is that the Trailblazers are going to tank their way out of the play in and into the lottery. There you go. And love that they. There is no way they are not going to make the playoffs and lose that bite at the apple. That's it.
- [22:22]
Zena Cata
It would be so silly. It would be so dumb. I'm not.
- [22:25]
Dave DeFore
I disagree. I think you should try to win the basketball games that you're playing in.
- [22:29]
Zena Cata
I mean I. No matter what, I agree with that part. But I'm just saying that losing your pick completely, like, especially for a young team in this draft.
- [22:39]
Ben
Yeah, in this draft.
- [22:41]
Zena Cata
In any other year I'd be like, eh, you know, I'm with you Dave, but like to lose your pick completely in this draft would be.
- [22:47]
Dave DeFore
Now look, I don't know what tanking means for a play in team. Right. Like they could legitimately just lose. Okay. I'm not saying that they're purposely going to go out. Okay. Like Denny Advia is not going to play. Jeremy Grant probably not going to play.
- [22:59]
Ben
He hasn't played in years.
- [23:00]
Dave DeFore
Right. He doesn't play in April, guys. But I just, I just watch that because I just don't think there's any chance that they make it out of the play.
- [23:09]
Ben
That's really, that's a nice one. I like that because you could just look at it afterwards and be like, see? Told you guys. Blazes.
- [23:16]
Dave DeFore
Look at that. Told you guys. Yeah, go ahead and launch the investigation now. Yeah, go ahead. All right, Xena, give us your bold prediction.
- [23:26]
Zena Cata
Oh, I don't know how bold this is, but it might be for fans over in Michigan. I think Detroit is going to have an early exit in the second round. And it's really. For all the things that, as you mentioned before, Dave, that I've kind of foreshadowed, the math ain't mathing with this Pistons team right now. And I. I get it, I get it. They have been so dominant, top of the Eastern Conference, so many wins this year. I mean, they hit 60. That's amazing.
- [23:51]
Dave DeFore
Wins.
- [23:52]
Zena Cata
That's huge. But. But I don't know if they have enough. Once the game slows down in the playoffs, when defenses can really lock in on Cade Cunningham, who's also coming back from a collapse long and you're thinking about exhausting him in extended minutes, what is that going to look like when you do have to give him rest? Is Jalen Duran enough for you? Is that enough creation for you? I don't. I don't see it. I don't see where additional offense. Now, Dennis Jenkins has been amazing, and he's had, you know, big pop games where he's come out and just absolutely blown us all away. But again, this is the playoffs.
- [24:33]
Dave DeFore
The.
- [24:33]
Zena Cata
The tape is different, the scouts are different. They're just so much more locked in. And that's where I'm just like, I don't know. When you go up against the. The Cavs, especially in the second round, Donovan Mitchell's gonna go off and we know what James Harden's capable of.
- [24:48]
Ben
Thought you were predicting a Raptors Western Eastern Conference finals run.
- [24:52]
Dave DeFore
No, listen, the p. The Pistons are going to have to prove that they can score in the half court.
- [24:56]
Zena Cata
Correct.
- [24:57]
Dave DeFore
And I am pretty certain that the Cavs will be able to.
- [25:00]
Zena Cata
Right.
- [25:01]
Dave DeFore
I don't know what. Cavs may have some defensive breakdowns. I do believe that the Cavs are going to score in the half court come playoff time. So I. I'm. I might be with. You know, I mean, the Cavs, they've been better in my opinion.
- [25:13]
Zena Cata
Come on.
- [25:14]
Dave DeFore
They just look like they're going to be more reliable in the playoffs.
- [25:17]
Zena Cata
The water's warm, Dave. Come on in.
- [25:19]
Ben
It's a bold prediction, but it's not one that would shock me. So it's like a fine line of this. This feels right, but it's also. It's all facts. Zena's cooking. Okay. I kind of alluded to this earlier, too. Believe teams when they show you who they are. The Houston Rockets have shown us who they are a lot this season. A lot Clutch woes, fourth quarter collapses, bad losses. And they are going to face a team that runs a ton of zone. The Houston Rockets this season have seen the third most zone in the NBA behind the Detroit Pistons that Xena just brought up and the Oklahoma City Thunder. They are 26th in terms of zone efficiency in the NBA. They are terrible at scoring against the zone. And The Lakers, with J.J. redick at the helm have been running a lot of zone lately. I think they're going to do that. They're going to force Houston to shoot. Of course Kevin Durant will have a great series. He's had a great season for the Rockets. He's had to do so much for them. But I just do not see how the Rockets score. And I am very, very curious how they're going to be able to break this zone. So I know no Luca, I know no Austin Reeves, but I actually think there's a chance the Lakers will win the series. In fact, my bold prediction is the Lakers will win this.
- [26:41]
Dave DeFore
LeBron can beat the Rockets. I think LeBron can beat the Rockets. I feel the same way. I've felt this way all year about the Rockets. And when they lost Stephen Adams, obviously I felt way worse about them. They also have a guy in Reed shepherd that they need to play for the offense who is absolutely going to get picked on on the other end, 100%.
- [27:04]
Ben
I mean, look, this is a big DeAndre Ayton series. He needs to be good against Alper and Shangoon and I think that's a valid thing. And they will need shot making. The Lakers will from the likes of Rui Hachimura and Marcus Smart. But I don't know, I just, I could see that being. We could be. It could be like 3, 2 in that series with the Lakers with a chance to move on to the next round.
- [27:25]
Dave DeFore
Yeah, be cool. LeBron's got his like legacy patch jersey now for some reason. You know, let's. Let's add to that legacy. LeBron wins. Wins the first round series without Austin Reeves and Luka.
- [27:37]
Ben
Give him a ring.
- [27:38]
Dave DeFore
I don't know. The banner legend hang the banner would be amazing. You guys, let's. Let's make our Finals predictions. Who, who's going to meet in the finals? Who's going to win? Zena put you on the spot.
- [27:51]
Zena Cata
Okay, so earlier this season I already said that I thought Boston was going to make it to the finals and I'm still with that. I think that they are clicking on all cylinders just at the right time, got Jayson Tatum back into the mix. We saw what the bench could do in the midst of everyone shutting their players down on Sunday. And I think Joe Missoula is, you know, a genius at the helm. So, yes, on the eastern side of things, Boston Western side of things, Andrew Schleicht looking around my shoulder, he's not here. Okay, cool, cool, cool. I think the spurs are going to make it to the finals against the Celtics. And that's. It's for all of the reasons that we've been talking about, but the number one being that they have a freaking alien on their roster. And the things that he does to make people not want to shoot, make people not want to get off the bench when the coach calls their name to get into the game. That is what Victor Munyama is capable of. He just completely alters everything you think you want to do out on the floor. And then thanks to S. And his wonderful little video essay that I saw on the Athletic, which, by the way, I hope all of you guys have been reading and seeing, I now know how significantly better when Minyama is when he's got these guards around him and De' Aaron Fox and Stefan Castle and Dylan Harper Jr. So thank you, S, for teaching me this. This is what actually cemented my thought that the San Antonio is going to make it to the finals. And boom, there you have it, Dave. That's what I think.
- [29:20]
Ben
Yeah, man. I like that. I like that she backed it up with some S Video talk. That was that cooked. She cooked. Okay.
- [29:29]
Dave DeFore
Don't you love when someone quotes your own work to you?
- [29:33]
Commercial Announcer
Thank you.
- [29:33]
Ben
That was great, man. I can't believe I'm going to go against my own video now. So I'm going to take the Celtics. I agree with you. I think the Celtics are the team to come out of the East. I wouldn't be surprised, truthfully, if they end up winning the entire championship. I think they can beat some of these Western Conference teams. I think they have been really competitive in the games that they've played against the Thunder and the spurs and obviously the Nuggets, even though there have been some injuries back and forth. Okay, the west is a little bit more difficult. I find it hard for OKC to repeat. I just think it's really hard to repeat in the NBA and I'm not sure that they can do it. Maybe they can. I'm glad to be wrong wearing a Canada soccer jersey number, but I'm going to. I'm going to take the Denver Nuggets. I think the Nuggets are going to Beat the Spurs. I think experience is a factor. We have never seen a young team as young as the spurs be able to make it to the finals and win a championship. I think experience will matter in a Nugget series versus the Spurs. We saw it in a couple of those games that they played. I ultimately think the Nuggets will beat the Spurs. They will beat the Thunder. They will have the hardest playoff path possible. But that will galvanize them to beat the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.
- [30:54]
Dave DeFore
You know, I don't like that we all think Boston is making the finals. You know what I mean?
- [31:00]
Ben
It's like, oh, something's gonna go wrong.
- [31:02]
Dave DeFore
Yeah, our group chat group thing maybe is hitting us, but they do feel like the best team in the East. They felt that way for a while and Jason Tatum being added to the mix has just improved their ceiling in my opinion. So yeah, I think Boston, it's a no brainer. And I gotta double down on this guys. On that Saturday night in Vegas, NBA cup when I watched the spurs beat the Thunder, I said I think this team can win the title this year. I only feel more strongly that they can win the title this year. We just saw what Victor Womenyama has done for the last two and a half months and it's been unparalleled in NBA history what he's doing.
- [31:39]
Ben
It would be unprecedented for them to win also. Like it would be one of the most, I guess shock, not even shocking.
- [31:47]
Dave DeFore
And I think, I think we live in unprecedented times unfortunately. But fortunately for us Victor women, Yama is, you know, creates a lot of joy around this unprecedented moment. I think the spurs not only are going to make the finals, I think they're going to beat the Celtics and win the title. And I don't know where we go from here if that happens.
- [32:08]
Ben
Wow. Two spurs versus the Nuggets. The Thunder fans are going to destroy.
- [32:15]
Dave DeFore
We are going to hear about this in the Discord, guys. Don't forget, join us for the playoffs in the Discord. The link is in the show notes. Come and hang out with us. We're having a good time watching games. It's a good group of people, you know, making. Making pretty good jokes actually. Especially on a. On a day like yesterday. That's going to do it for the show, folks. Thank you guys for hanging out with us all season long. We're excited for the playoffs. Obviously we're going to keep doing things the way we do them. So hang out with us for that. For Xena Keda and Esperahenny I'm Dave Dufour and this is Ben the NBA Daily thanks for waking up with us. Thanks for listening. Make sure you hit the subscribe or follow button so you never miss an episode. If you enjoyed it, drop a like, leave a rating or let us know in the comments. Thank you guys for waking up with us.
- [33:12]
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