The NBA Contender Pie | Morning Shoot Around

Summary

The Athletic NBA Daily | Morning Shoot Around

Episode: "The NBA Contender Pie"

Date: March 25, 2026
Hosts: (Unattributed; likely Dave DuFour and co-host)

Overview

In this lively episode, the hosts break down the contenders for the 2026 NBA title by assigning each team a percentage of the hypothetical "Contender Pie." The goal is to spark an honest and entertaining debate about which NBA teams are true championship threats as the playoffs approach, revealing not just statistical arguments but also gut feelings and imaginative tests ("can you picture this player lifting the trophy?"). The conversation covers both the Eastern and Western Conferences, discusses regular season vs. playoff performance, analyzes key players and X-factors, and sprinkles in the irreverent, food-based banter the show's known for.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Introducing "Contender Pie" (03:08)

• Hosts propose making a pie chart to reflect actual belief in each team’s shot at the championship—a more nuanced take than the usual “contender/pretender” line.
• Casual, humorous start as hosts debate their favorite literal pies before diving into the metaphor.

Notable Quote

• “Maybe we think the Lakers are a contender, but maybe they're only a small sliver of the contender pie.” (03:13)

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2. Eastern Conference Contenders (07:53–22:26)

a. The Celtics As the Clear Favorite (08:08)

• Both hosts agree Boston is the “most serious” and “head and shoulders better than everybody else” in the East.
  • Celtics assigned 20% of the contender pie (08:42).

b. Evaluating Other East Teams

• Pistons: Seen as next best, but dependent on Cade Cunningham’s health and lack offensive diversity.
  • Assigned 10% after some debate (13:48, 17:29)
• Knicks & Cavs: Both considered unreliable; highs are high but trust is lacking. Assigned 5% each (17:29).
  • “I just don’t. I just have a hard time. Like, I do this championship test where you close your eyes. It's like, can I imagine Evan Mobley holding up that trophy? I have a hard time imagining it.” (17:43)
• Hornets: Young, streaky, limited experience, but hosts assign them a “shooter’s chance” of 1% (21:20).

c. Play-in Teams and Doubts

• Heat, Sixers, Magic, Raptors, Hawks largely dismissed as true threats.
  • Philadelphia accused of “a sneaky tank” with Embiid’s health uncertain (12:03–12:14).

d. Championship Intangibles

• Light-hearted “close your eyes and imagine X holding the trophy” test to clarify skepticism.
• E.g., can’t picture Tyler Herro or Lamelo Ball as Finals MVP.

---

3. Western Conference Contenders (22:41–58:12)

a. 1% Longshots

• Rockets, Clippers, Hornets: Each given a 1% “crazy things can happen” slice.
  • “Kawhi Leonard, who has been ridiculous. …You just can't count him out. He's a playoff performer.” (57:40)

b. Ranking the True Threats

Working List (Converging on This Order): (24:24)

• Thunder
• San Antonio Spurs
• Boston (as cross-conference comparison)
• Nuggets
• Wolves
• Lakers

c. Wolves & Nuggets (32:06–43:49)

• Wolves: Impressive but not favored in a match-up with Denver. Assigned 2% (32:26).
• Nuggets: Jokic’s brilliance keeps them relevant, but defensive slippage and health issues cause concern. Assigned 5-10%.
  • “This will be the ultimate test of can One guy win a title, and I just don't know if that's a thing anymore.” (46:17)

d. Lakers & Spurs (47:18–54:37)

• Lakers: Noted for strong clutch play and star power, but haunted by last year’s playoff flop. Assigned 10%.
• Spurs: Wembanyama seen as a possible Best Player in the League already. Major question is whether he can handle playoff minutes and physicality. Assigned 15%.

e. Thunder: The Favorites in the West (34:41–35:33, 55:59–56:04)

• Thunder lauded for improved depth (“way more guys”), development (Isaiah Joe, Jared McCain, A.J. Mitchell), and resilience.
• Both hosts agree they’re the “likely champs,” awarding them 25%—the largest Contender Pie slice.
  • “Yeah, I look, I think the Thunder. The Thunder are the likely champs.” (55:59)

f. Pie Recap (58:24)

• Final tally for “Contender Pie” (59:01):
  • Thunder: 25%
  • Celtics: 20%
  • Spurs, Lakers, Pistons, Nuggets: 10% each
  • Cavs, Knicks: 5% each
  • Wolves: 2%
  • Clippers, Rockets, Hornets: 1% each

g. “Vibes over Math”

• Hosts clarify their pie percentages are driven by instinct, not analytics:
  • “No math involved in this. It’s all vibes.” (59:03)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the “championship test”:
  “I do this championship test where you close your eyes. It’s like, can I imagine Evan Mobley holding up that trophy? I have a hard time imagining it.” (17:43)

• On the Thunder’s transformation:
  “This Thunder team is a lot different than they were last year for sure… They have way more guys.” (34:41)

• On Jokic’s single-handed chances:
  “This will be the ultimate test of can One guy win a title, and I just don't know if that's a thing anymore.” (46:17)

• On Wembanyama’s playoff intrigue:
  "Victor Wembanyama might already be the best player in the league...what he’s doing defensively is something that...breaks the eye test actually." (51:41)

• On the show's methodology:
  “No math involved in this. It’s all vibes.” (59:03)
  “We gotta do this...Just close your eyes. Can you imagine players holding the trophy?” (59:18)

• Final playful tally:
  “Thunder with 25%. Celtics with 20%. ... Clippers, Hornets and Rockets 1% chance to win the NBA title. No math involved in this. It’s all vibes.” (58:24–59:03)

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:08 – Intro to the "Contender Pie" concept
• 07:53 – Start of Eastern Conference breakdown
• 08:08 – Boston as the East’s favorite
• 13:48 – Pistons’ playoff viability discussion
• 17:43 – “Championship test”/pie re-adjustment
• 21:20 – Justifying Hornets’ 1% “shooter's chance”
• 22:41 – Start of Western Conference discussion
• 32:06 – Wolves-Nuggets matchup evaluation
• 34:41 – Thunder’s playoff readiness and depth
• 35:33 – Debating if Thunder might repeat
• 43:49 – Nuggets’ playoff path and Jokic’s value
• 51:41 – Wembanyama’s defense and Spurs’ ceiling
• 55:59 – Hosts agree Thunder are "likely champs"
• 58:24 – Contender Pie tally recap
• 59:03 – “All vibes, no math” clarified

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Tone & Banter Highlights

• Playful, irreverent food detour at the top (pumpkin vs. pecan pie; dietary preferences; silkworm cocoon stories).
• Sarcastic “boohoo” and self-deprecating asides.
• “Can you picture this guy holding a trophy?” as a running joke and informal evaluation.
• Warm interplay between hosts, mixing dry humor with thoughtful basketball analysis.

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Conclusion

This episode is an engaging, opinion-driven, and sometimes whimsical snapshot of NBA title contention as seen by the hosts—melding statistical caution with a healthy dose of gut feeling. The “Contender Pie” offers a dynamic framework for discussing contenders’ strengths, flaws, and intangibles, culminating in a top-heavy forecast: Thunder and Celtics are the teams to beat, with several plausible but less convincing challengers and a handful of true longshots given token "vibes-based" hope.

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Recommended for:
Listeners who enjoy fun, accessible but insightful NBA talk blending analytics, locker-room wisdom, and creative tests of belief—and who don’t mind a food metaphor or three along the way.

Transcript

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[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

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[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

That's right.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Shout out to us for making that happen. Hope everybody's doing great on this Wednesday morning. We are here to talk some NBA, and I thought one thing we could do is, you know, people are always talking about, oh, this is a contender. That's a contender. We're gonna make a contender pie. Right.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

That shows one part sugar, one part. I mean, ball handling.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I just want to just show everybody what we really mean whenever we say this, okay? Because, like, maybe we think the Lakers are a contender, but maybe they're only a small sliver of the contender. Pie. I don't know. Speaking of Dave, your favorite kind of pie, man, you're going to.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

All right.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

You're going to say pumpkin.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Pumpkin. Yeah, I like pumpkin. Yeah, I like pumpkin.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

You like whipped cream?

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

No, I don't. You don't know? I'm not a whipped cream guy, but, like, every Thanksgiving growing up, I had my own pumpkin pie. That was.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I remember. I remember you telling me this before.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

But no, pumpkin, you don't do any whipped cream on it. Never did.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

No.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Dude.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah. What about you?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I like a pecan pie. Oh, you don't like it?

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I mean, I'm not a pecan guy. I'm from. I'm from the South. Right. So, like, the pecans would just be in everything.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. Which is good. No, it's not good.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

It's too much. It's too much.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Oh, come on.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I'm not like a. You know, don't put nuts and raisins in things you don't like raisins. Not in things that shouldn't have raisins. Like saying, like, you know, cinnamon, raisin bread. Great. Or if it's just eating raisins.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Sure. Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

But don't put it in, like, potato salad.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

What do you like in potato salad? Oh, potato salad. What about. What about chicken salad? Do you like with chicken salad?

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

With ra. I don't like chicken salad. No, I. Well, number one. Now, I don't eat chicken, but I'm not a mayonnaise guy.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Oh, yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

And raisins in chicken salad. I don't know, man.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

You don't like a little.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

You put raisins in tuna salad.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I don't know. I've never tried.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Okay, okay, I might.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I might. Now,

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

that's a.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

This. This is turn. This conversation turned disgusting really fast.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

It really Did. I mean, yeah. You're talking about.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I do like raisins.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

You put grapes in chicken salad.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. Yeah, definitely. It's good. It's good.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

You know, in the chat, they said I sound super picky. I'm not like a picky eater. I don't want a bunch of stuff just thrown together in a bowl.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

He's not picky. He's particular.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah, well, it's not. It's not even that. Like, I mean, I eat sardines and, you know, oyster. Right?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Like sardines.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I've eaten silkworm cocoon. It's delicious.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I've eaten silkworm cocoon. What does that even mean?

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah. When I lived in South Korea, it's. It's a popular street food.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Silk.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

And it's really good with a cold, light beer.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

But what is it? What is it? What does it taste like?

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

It's kind of nutty.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

A cocoon?

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah, it's like. It's the cocoon, right, that they come out of.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I mean, I know what a cocoon is. I've just never thought so.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

It's roasted and seasoned, and it's delicious. It's a little. It's a little gritty as far as, like, the texture goes.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Wow.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

It's almost a little bit sandy in your teeth, but tastes like you're. This is toasted almonds.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

This is a terrible sell right now.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

They're delicious.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

This is a terrible cell.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Scorpion. You know, scorpion on sticks. Gotta do that one.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

What the heck? No.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

No.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

No. Absolutely not.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Crunchy. The one thing. So I really want to. Deep fried tarantula. I. I like soft shell crabs, so I would like to try that. I think it's probably a pretty similar experience.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Fried tarantula.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah. I just don't know if, like, you know, in Southeast Asia, if they've got the King's Hawaiian rolls that I could put them on because, like, that's what you do with the soft shell. Crab, dude.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

No.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I mean, crab is one thing.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Maybe I am picky.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. I don't know what this is. This is not picky.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I like. I like food. I just don't. I'm not into mayonnaise.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

You know, Chris is right. You're sounding more like a lizard at this point. Yeah. Well, yeah. What is happening here?

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Maybe cold blooded. No. No.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

All right, we're gonna make a. I have a pie chart. We're just gonna make it shout out to Adobe because we're gonna make a pie chart of the contenders. Okay. And we're gonna kind of Go down the list of how much you would want to give each contender, what percentage you would want to give to each contender for this coming playoffs. Because we're. I mean, we're less than a month away from the playoffs, Dave.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

It's amazing. I mean, what is. 10 games left?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. Yeah. 10 games.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I'm so pumped.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. So let's start with the Eastern Conference. I just feel like maybe it might be a little bit easier in the East.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I mean, who. Which team do you find the most serious in the East?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I mean, it's got to be the Celtics.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

That's the only one. And even the Pistons at full strength, I think we all kind of agree they're not. This is not their year.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

For the playoffs. Right. Like, they need another guy at least.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. So how much would you give Boston?

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I think just by. If they're favorites in the East. Right. If that's what we're saying, then they get a big chunk just because if you make it to the finals, you got a shot.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. Yeah. Without a doubt.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I mean, is that. Do you start them at 20? Is that. Is that too high?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

We can start there. We can adjust. We can. We can re. Slice the pie along the way. I think that's okay. I think that's okay. I think that. That. I think that's a good starting point. I think that makes sense.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

This is a timely conversation because we do have Thunder Celtics tonight.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

We do have Thunder Celtics tonight.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Full strength.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. Yeah. We get to actually see what the Thunder look like after the ridiculous A.J. mitchell suspension, which I. I'm very disappointed that you guys didn't point out how ridiculous it was. It's crazy. It's crazy that he was suspended. It was crazy enough that he got thrown out of the game. Crazy that he was suspended. I mean, the guy didn't land a punch and got suspended.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I mean, I. Should it be landing a punch that gets you suspended?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

He didn't even swing. He didn't even swing. He just looked angry and moved in a direction

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

menacing. We'll. We'll come up with. With some kind of language for it.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Insane. Who's second in the east, in your opinion?

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

It's Cleveland or New York. And I don't know, man. I just. I don't really trust either of those teams necessarily.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I know.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I don't know. It's. It's. And it's weird because the. There's a chance that I think Cleveland right now has an easier route because they don't have to play Boston. Right. They may. They May wind up with getting the Pistons in the second round and we don't even know if Cade's gonna be there.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. So, yeah, it's hard, it's hard to know because there is a circumstance where he doesn't come back as quickly as they hope and then they make it bounced in round one. You know, like that could, that could happen.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Well, I mean, again, no one should want to play the Charlotte Hornets, period.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah, I, I'm curious to see what all of these teams look like come playoff time. You know, at least like some of the, the Pistons players have had playoff experience. Like the Hornets. I. They're red hot. They're really fun. I just don't know once you get to the playoffs what the execution looks like.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Sure, yeah, I wouldn't want to play them is what I mean. I don't even know. They may not win a more than a game. Yeah, I give them one. But I don't think it would be a lot of fun and I think it would be scary because of how hot they can get.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Would you, would you be more afraid of playing? Okay. How would you. And none of these teams are contenders and if. Sure, I won't. I won't allow these to enter the pie at all. It's like just not going to happen. But of the, the teams in the east that are in the play in, how would you rank the playing team? So Philly, Orlando, Charlotte, Miami. Of like the teams that Detroit should not want to play or Boston, I should not want to play.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I would probably go Orlando first just because they do have better players. I mean, just regardless of what they were doing right now. Orlando, Charlotte, Miami, Philly, Philly just. I just don't trust that Embiid is gonna, I mean, is he even gonna play at all this year?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I don't know. I have no idea.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Like, they feel like they're doing a sneaky tank.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Well, they, and they.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

It's not on purpose necessarily. Oh, it's, you know, they just had the injuries.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

They don't have their pick unless it falls into the top three.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

So I mean, that's what I mean. It's just, it doesn't make any sense. Like they, they just. The bottom fell out as soon as everybody got hurt. Are they just going to come back and, and be able to hit the gas? I just don't, I don't know.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah, I don't know either. Yeah, it's hard because like Orlando's been awful lately. Miami too, they're on a five game losing streak. The state of Florida.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Charlotte's so young. Right?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Like, they're young.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I think that like playoff time, you know, Paolo can score and like you said about Charlotte, it's just. What does that look like when you get to the playoffs and things get tighter?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

The Hornets have the fourth best point differential in the east, by the way. Better than Cleveland.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Their home court team next year.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Better than Cleveland.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

How about that?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

They could be. They definitely could be. Shout out to the Eastern Conference. They could be.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I mean, they have an easy schedule too.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. Yeah, I, I'm, I'm fascinated to see what happens there. But yeah, it's, it's gonna be, it's gonna be interesting. The, the east play in will actually be kind of fun, I think. I don't know if.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Oh, I think so too.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I don't know if the west plane will be fun. Let's say that Cade does come back healthy. That we, you know, we're just, we're hoping. Along with everybody in Detroit. What percentage would you give the Pistons? If we're giving the Celtics, 20, what do we give the Pistons?

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I think 15. Maybe. Maybe you give them slightly above. All right. We're going to be adjusting these down big time, but yeah, we're gonna like, they're slightly above with the. Whatever The Knicks and, and Cavs are just, you know, you give it to them based on regular season success. Yeah, but we know that they're going to run into the one problem in the playoffs that they just. Their offense is too reliant on Kate Cunningham and we, we haven't seen them kind of solve that problem. So I, I just, I think that a lot of this is, if I'm looking at the regular season, they are for sure right behind Boston. Yeah. As far as being playoff ready, like the defense itself is ready. But I know the problem that they're going to run into. Yeah, the Knicks. See the Knicks. I don't trust their defense.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Right.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I don't know how. Like Jalen Brunson.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I don't know that if I trust anything about the Knicks. They one of the most, least trustworthy good teams in the league because they're just, they have high highs and very low lows where you're just like, what is this team? I mean, there have been multiple times where that fan base has been just like giving up. Like, we got to blow. I can't wait to get to the offseason because I want to blow this team up, you know.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Kind of energy, so.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

But then they also blew out the, the spurs not that long ago.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I know, I know. Then you have your high the one

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

time that Wemby has lost in the last two months.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah, I know.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

And then from the chat here, Killian Gomez says Dennis Jenkins will be great in the playoffs. I, I actually, I think he's going to be good too. I just don't know if he's going to be enough to. To solve their problem. Right. Like, do they have enough shooting and does he add enough shooting?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Dude. I mean, last year, the playoffs are so hard. I think people underestimate it because even last year, one of the big questions going into the playoffs for the Thunder was can Jalen Williams be the second scorer for the Thunder?

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yep.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

It's like, come on, like. And he was. But it was a question. And like, I like Dennis Jenkins. It is, it is going to be different. Is different. There are guys that look awesome in the regular season that get to the playoffs and it's like, oh, they can't play. Like, they're done, like legitimate rotation guys that are really good.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Oh, I mean, you can look right now as things are getting tight and you can see the guys who, who can and can't go.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Hey, I, I like Noah Penda. I think he's going to be a good player. He absolutely can't play in that. Play in game. No, no, he can't play. He is just not ready.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Deer in the headlights, you know, this is what it will look like.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

And I always say I was because we were watching the Cavs and Magic last night, which was a very fun game. The Cat and the Cavs. When James Harden is playing the way he did in the first half of that game. That dude is so much fun.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. I mean, he, he's an outstanding player in the regular season and sometimes in the playoffs. What do you give the Cavs?

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I. I think I put them behind.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Do you like the 10 for the Knicks or do you want.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I feel like maybe like we've maybe already started out too high.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

But with. I think that. I think Knicks and Cavs, I probably give them about the same.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

But the same chance wherever we wind up, you know, cutting the pie. I'm not sure. But.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. So I guess the question becomes now the east just has too, too many points here. It's kind of where we're at 100.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

We started too high.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

So should we go? I mean, I'm fine with leaving the Celtics at 20 just because I think that, that if they're healthy, that's the team. I'd be fine. I'd be Fine. To take the pistons down to 10, and then take the Knicks and Cavs down to five.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Okay.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Just because, like, I. I just don't. I just have a hard time. Like, I do this championship test where you close your eyes. It's like, can I imagine Evan Mobley holding up that trophy? I have a hard time imagining it. Can imagine James Harden holding the finals MVP trophy. I have a hard time imagining it. Same with Carl Anthony Towns. I just can't. I just can't. Like. And maybe this is my problem, that I don't have enough of an imagination. But that's.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I like that. I. I like that exercise. Let me see. Who's the. Who's the funniest player I can imagine holding. Holding up the. Larry o'. Brien.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I mean, I. It used to be Dion Ways.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Rudy Gobert, actually.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Oh, yeah. Can you imagine Rudy Gobert?

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I can actually. I think I can imagine.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Okay.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I. I think. I think that would be. That would be hilarious. That's the most hilarious outcome to me.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah, that is a funny one.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Is Rudy Gobert, NBA champion? He's so good, right? Like, I mean, he's gonna maybe win another defensive player of the year award. Probably not. I think Wendy's got it wrapped up.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. If Wimby. Yeah, definitely Wimby. I. I would. And I'll. I'll throw in my homer hat. I think Chet deserves it, too. With. I mean, the Thunder have the best defense by far. He's their most. He's been their most impactful defender. Yeah. DeAndre Aiden, NBA champ. Like, that's.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

That's.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

They disqualified themselves from the title when they signed him.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Oh, I. Man, I like that. I like that. See, that's what I do with the hall of Fame. Like, you know what I mean? Like, it's with the hall of Famer, like, you know. You know, when you saw one.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

That's exactly right. You know, Lamelo ball holding the. Larry o'. Brien.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Hey, shout out. Lamello Ball. Eastern Conference player of the week last week.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Hey, J.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

King is in shambles.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

He is. He's on the show tonight, too, by the way, which is great. Okay. Anybody else in the east that deserves a sliver? Is there anybody that deserves a 1%?

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah, I don't think so. I mean, I don't see how it's not just those 14. You know what I mean? Like, those four teams make it to the second round.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. I'm trying to imagine the east as.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

As jumbled up as. And crazy as it is is going to be. I think pretty Chalk outside of whatever happens with Detroit.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah, I think so, too. And even if something did, I mean, it was surprising. It wasn't. And maybe we would have had the Pacers at this time last year as a part of this conversation, but it was pretty surprising that the package. Pacers got there. Is there, Is there a team.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

You know what, though?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Surprise.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Every single. We picked them every round.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. I. I'm just curious, like, at. I mean, I don't think there's a surprise team in here. Like, I don't think the Raptors or the Hawks or any of those teams.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Raptors don't have the offense. Hawks, I don't think. I don't think had the defense. Yeah. Shout out to Mamu, but I, I just don't think Toronto's got enough again. I mean, I'm crazy. But Charlotte would be the only team that would possibly.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

In my opinion, have the firepower to just. We can do something crazy. Like Orlando's not consistent enough.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

No.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Charlotte has been incredibly consistent the last few months. And I don't want to sit and, you know, like, I don't think that they can win, but I could make an argument that sounds like, for all the reasons why, I don't know.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Give the Hornets a one right here.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

If we give the Hornets a 1% chance. Okay. I'm crazy. Yes. Give them a 1% chance. Is that the. That's the shooter's chance.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

But they also play defense. Charlotte's very good. I just think they're. They're two years early.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. Yeah, I think that's true. Okay.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

But it is fun to give them 1% and only give the Knicks and caps 5.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Hey, that's. That. That feels proportionate.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Sure.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Hey, they have five times the chance to make it to the finals and win the whole thing. Five times. Spoelstra. Do we give a spolstra 1%?

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I don't know. I don't think so with this team.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Okay.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I just don't see it. Hero and Norm Powell have not worked well together. Right. And if you can't play your two best offensive players at the same time, I think you're going to have a problem come playoff time.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

And they've had to play really fast to make this team work. And we all know that the playoffs are, are made. It's a grind for the slow game.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Like any, any kind of like, fast break, you know, get into your offense early. Stuff like that will go out the window. So. Yeah, I agree. Okay. Western Conference

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Tyler Hero, NBA champion. That's all you needed to know right there. And.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. Do you close your eyes and imagine Tyler hero with the finals MVP in one hand and the trophy in the other? Like, no. Larry OB in the other. No, sorry, you don't.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

It would be bam. It would be bam.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

You don't pass the. The finals test. Yeah. Even. Even with him just holding the Lario B and being the second best player on the team. I just don't see it. I just don't see it. Okay, so now we have. Okay, let's. Let's start with our 1 percenters. Do you give.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

What. What teams in the west do you give? 1% chance, man. Of making it happen, getting to the finals, winning the finals. Okay. We can give the Rockets a one.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Everybody else in the. The rest of the top five, I give a better chance.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Okay.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

The wet. The west is tougher. Like, I don't. I don't like Oklahoma City as good as they've been. They don't have a guaranteed path to me like I think the Celtics should. The Celtics, like, they are so head and shoulders better than everybody else right now. I. I don't know. I just don't. The west is tough.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. Because it's like how many teams. Like, I think you could throw Boston in with some of these contenders in the west, but how many teams do you have to go through in the west to get to another east team? If we were just like ranking exactly. Teams together, you know,

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Like, I think you probably go okc, San Antonio, Boston.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah, I think that's fair. Okc, San Antonio, Boston. And then I would probably go Nuggets.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yep.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

And then I would probably go Wolves.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Wolves, Lakers.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I would probably go Lakers. And then I would probably go Knicks or Cavs or Pistons.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I. Yeah. And I think if you. If you're. I probably lean Cavs first, then Nick's.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

The thing about the wool, you know, the wolves making a couple conference finals in a row. They haven't been healthy here the last few, you know, few weeks of the season.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Oh, boohoo. They've. They. They been healthier than almost every team in the league. No, no, no.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I. I mean, I'm saying I'm. I'm wondering what things are going to look like for them.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah, I.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

They've had a couple of long runs and they.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

They have.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

And they've also breaking down.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah, they've. Oh, I see. You're talking about it in the other direction.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah. Yeah. I'm sorry.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I retract my boohoo. I retract my Boohoo. Okay. Yeah. I. I don't. I don't know. I. I like that Wolves team.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

If they're healthy though, they're such. They're big game players.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. I don't like them against the Thunder. I like them against almost everybody else, though.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Do you like them against the Spurs?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I just like that they have experience. I just think that any team that has playoff experience that knows what the grind is like, we'll have a chance against San Antonio. Any. Any team in the top five. I'll say that we'll have a, we'll have a shot against San Antonio. We. We have just seen Ant, but we were having like the Jordan conversation about Ant.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

A couple years ago.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Still. No, no, still. We're still having it actually. I mean, again, I think back to that, the. The finish of that OKC game where he had the block on Shea.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

The step back three and then the Steel.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

To seal the deal. Yeah. Like that guy. I mean, that was as Michael Jordan of a sequence as anybody's had since Michael Jordan.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. I mean, was pretty amazing. Yeah, the. They would get San Antonio, would get the. The winners of Lakers Rockets right now.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah. I mean, the Lakers would be very interesting against San Antonio.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Just the execution of Luca and LeBron and.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yep.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I would pick that experience. I would pick San Antonio to win the series still. But I think that would be. They would get pushed.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

The Lakers struggle a lot with those fast guards and with San Antonio, they've got just a limitless supply of them. Yeah, I think that that would be. It would wind up being too much. I. I just don't know how the Lakers defense would have the, the legs to hold up.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah, Yeah. I think they would struggle against those guys also. Some of their young guards though, are very, very young players. So I'd be interested to see just what they look like in the playoffs.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Getting Nuggets Wolves in the first round like right now, like if the playoff started today. Yeah, that's the first round matchup. I mean, that's right there. That cuts into their chances.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Whereas in the east, you know, the Cab, the Cavs get Toronto or Atlanta.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I know. Yeah. This is why, like, some people are like, watch out for the Eastern Conference. It's so much better. It's like they're. It's like maybe better through 10, the

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

top four, I think. Yeah.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

But boy, like, do you honestly trust like some of these teams? If you moved the. The Wolves, the Nuggets, the Lakers, the Rockets. I don't know about the Rockets. But if you moved Lakers, Nuggets, Wolves to the east, would you pick them to win it? Because if you would, then you're telling me that the east isn't as, as loaded as you say it is, right? Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

So all this being said, I, I think percentage wise. What about, what about the Clippers before we, before we get to the, to the top real quick? What about the Clippers? Someone in the chat mentioned the Kawhi Leonard 1%.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I mean, he's a monster. Do we believe in that team? Like, do we believe.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Okay. If they're the seven seed.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

And they get the Spurs.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I don't know.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I'm, I'm okay giving them a 1%. I'm okay with that. I think.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Could you see a world where the Clippers upset the spurs as a 7C?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah, I think it's possible. They're, they're, they're such a weird team. I don't have a really good feel for, for who they are at this point because they change so much at the deadline. But could something crazy happen where Kawhi Leonard is the best player in that series?

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Is it. What if he's the best player in the NBA for the entire playoffs?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I don't think that team has enough to get through. I don't think they could beat the Nuggets. I don't think they could beat the Thunder. I don't think they could. I think it would be. If they played the Lakers. I think it would be really tough. I just don't think the team itself is equipped to. Right. I really, I really don't think they can be San Antonio either. But I'll give them a 1% chance.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I don't know. We'll see. That would be a fun series.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. That would be a great first round series. It'd be a great test.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

For San Antonio. Okay, what, what are we giving the. The Wolves here?

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[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

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[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

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[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

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[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

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[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

If it's all right. So if it's Wolves Nuggets, you, you think the, the Nuggets lose or do you think. What do you, what do you think happens in a Wolves Nugget series?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I think the Nuggets win.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

You think the Nuggets win? Okay, so I do. We give the wolves a 3% chance.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Let's make it 2. Just so that we have 5 right here.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Okay.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah, I, I think it's gonna be really tough for them to get all the way through. Yeah, I think it's going to be really, really tough for the Wolves to make it all the way through again.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

It's tough for every team in the West. Even the Thunder are not going to have an easy time.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

No. Although, like we just haven't seen, I think that this Thunder starting lineup has played six games together this year. They'll play their seventh tonight and they still have the best record in the NBA. They're 57 and 15. They got 10 games left. So we just need to see what they're capable of. Because you add this is something that I don't feel people are focusing enough on is like this Thunder team is a lot different than they were last year for sure. You had A.J. mitchell, who's one of their most important players on the team, who did not. He played one game in the playoffs in the finals that he shouldn't have played shout out to Mark Degnal for just throwing him in there. In game one. You add Jared McCain, which in theory allows you to play these like they've been doing, these three man lineups, plus two bigs or a big and another wing where it's AJ McCain and Isaiah Joe along with. They've had Hartenstein and Chet. They've had Chet and Caruso, They've had Chet and Cason. They've had Hart and Cason like, kind of. Kind of thrown in there. I imagine that they will use J Dub with those lineups as well. And like, they. It's a combination that allows them to find really easy shots, which they did not have that combination last year. It was just like a lot more of, hey, Alex Caruso, save us while, you know, while Shea sits and like J Dub with his wrist, you know, throughout the entire playoffs, he was. He was hit or miss. He really wasn't that good until we got to the end of the Nuggets series because he had to, like, learn how to read, how to shoot again. And so, like, there are just. There are aspects of this Thunder team that are just a lot different than the one that won the title.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

They have way more guys. Way more guys.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. Aaron Wiggins may not play in the playoffs. As much as I love wigs, I. I don't know if he'll play a whole lot in the playoffs because if McCain can keep hitting shots like he has been, like, that's just a. It's. It's a weapon they haven't had.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Not a single. They've never had a guy who could come off screens like that. Yeah.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah, he's special.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

He makes their offense way more dynamic. I mean, last year we were. We were constantly worried about the bottom falling out of their shooting, and it did at times. And I don't think you have to worry about that.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

It absolutely did in the playoffs.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Their top three guys were. Were horrific.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

So this pretty good question here from Killian Gomez in the chat. Can we agree that if nothing weird happens, OKC looks like the first repeat champion in a while? Yeah, I think so.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I think in full health for sure. I mean, you know, but this is always. It's always the question of the. Of the playoffs.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah, I. It looks like it. We'll just have to see. Also, Boston looks like it at this point last year too, you know.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Sure.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

So we just.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

And you know, the thing about Boston that I think we just. The Porzingis question mark last year.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

You know, we never had a clear answer on that.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

And, and that was, that was the biggest factor for them going into the playoffs. They never, they didn't have a big man rotation. So I think if we had known that, you know, there was not going to be any Porzingis at all, we might, we might not have felt, felt as strongly. I think this year. You know, that's the, the reason I feel so strong about Boston is Keda has been amazing. They seem to have this, this much deeper team. I mean, it's, it's the same blueprint as the Thunder, right?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah, they're good. They just have a lot of inexperienced players.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Sure.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

And I'm really.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

They haven't. I think they have enough organizational experience. You know, Missoula won a title. Jalen Brown, Jason Tatum, Derrick White. I think that you've got enough experience that the young guys aren't going to really be in spots where they have to do much, if that makes sense. Like their top five, I think is going to be excellent come playoff time.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. It's just. Who, who can you trust in some of these minutes? Like, I think Derrick White, Jalen Brown, Pritchard Tatum. Yes, Kata. I mean, I, I want to believe that he can just replicate this in the playoffs, and I think he probably can. But we haven't seen it.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Sure.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

You know, like, we haven't seen Baylor, Scheireman, Jordan Walsh, Hugo Gonzalez, Garza. We haven't seen any of these guys play playoff minutes. You know, like, it's just a lot of guys that haven't been there and that, that if I were to be concerned about one thing with the Celtics, that would be. The one thing I'd be concerned with is like some of these guys, some. Or all these guys will turn into pumpkins. Right. We get to the playoffs, who's going

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

to be the pumpkin player for the Thunder?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I mean, it was Isaiah Joe last year. Like, he just, he. You can look at his percentages and it looked good, but he was not the same guy. He could not get the same shots. Now they've made a huge emphasis on getting him different kinds of threes this year. And you know, that's, that's been a big deal. I mean, we don't know what A.J. mitchell looks like in the playoffs. We don't, we don't know the answer that. We don't know what Jared McCain looks like in the playoffs. You know, good thing for them is, like, Aaron Wiggins did have really good games last year. Like, if they know they can go to that well, one of the things that's gone very under the radar is that Lou Dort has not had a good season.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Awful.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

It's not been a good season for Lou, and he's gotten less and less minutes as the season's gone on. And so I do wonder about him, if they can, if he can get it together. I mean, he's playing his lowest minute total per game since his rookie season. And some of that is like, the Thunder have a ton of talent, but some of that is like, they, they have not been able to close with him because he's not been able to execute, you know, at the level that he's known for. But he's also one of those guys that, you know, is not going to go anywhere, you know, come playoff time. Like, he, he's always stepped up come playoff time. And so I think that they'll continue to go to that. Well, at least to a degree. So, but yeah, they don't have quite as many players. And Isaiah Joe is just a much better player this year than he was last year. Like, it's, it's, it's not particularly close. He's been awesome.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

All right, so we, we have the Wolves at five, and I guess that means, I mean, you give the Nuggets a better shot. Do you put them at 10?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

We have the wolves at 2.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Oh, 2%. Sorry, sorry. So Nuggets, like, you know, you put them at 5%.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I would give the nuggets like, 10%. I think the Nuggets are really good.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I just think, I mean, this was supposed to be the, the best team Jokic had had, right?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah, it is supposed to be that. Now, you look at the results here, you look at the spirit of the team. Some of the losses that they've had are just kind of gross. And so, like, what do we think about this team? Is like a sincere question. I, I don't know. What, what are your thoughts? Because, like, I, I, I still think this team and, and maybe this is a problem for, for everybody that watches Jokic, but, like, I think that as long as he's upright, everybody's going to give him a chance. Even in you look at the way that they played, it's like, yeah, they have not been that good. This has not been a, a title contending team. If we just went by the rule of thumb that a lot of, like, teams use and a lot of, like, people that work for teams use, where you have to have like a plus six differential to be a contender. It's only okc, San Antonio in the West. That's it. And then it's Detroit, Boston, New York. That's it. That's the list. But the NBA doesn't always work that way. Right. But I think I still just kind of believe in the Nuggets.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah. Well, I mean, the health stuff this year was real for them.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

And they're just getting healthy. I also think that there's been a little bit of can we get to the playoffs at times for this team. Jokic. Jokic has not played defense very much at all this year. And part of that is he knows, like, I mean, and everybody knows how important he is. He can't pick up six fouls. They can't win without him.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. No.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

And so the. The risk is, you know, and I. I kind of. And I understand. And it's. It is a long regular season. Right. He'd rather pull the ball out of the net and run and just get the points back at the other end. But come playoff time, like, that's just not there. And so, you know, I don't know. Is it a. Jokic lost a step and can't do the stuff that he used to do defensively because he used to at least be. You know, we can split hairs about this, but he was not a negative defender when they won the title. Like, he was not a negative defender.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

And he has been all season long, just not any good.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah, it's true.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

But it. Again, it's get to the playoffs, you know, and he's putting up these ridiculous numbers, but he touches the ball so much that at this point, I'm kind of just numb to the numbers.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

They don't mean anything. And I. I think that. I don't know, this team is. And this is actually, you know, again, killing Gomez, just killing us in the chat here. Regular season matters a lot, and the Nuggets haven't had a real regular season. I, I actually. This is exactly my problem. I just don't. We haven't seen him at full strength. I don't feel like Jokic, as good as he's been on the offensive end. I just do not feel like he's got any juice on the defensive end. And I. I just. The west is too good.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. Yeah. So I just.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I have some. I have some real problems seeing them. Like, how are they gonna beat the Thunder?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I think it will be a lot harder than it was last year. Yeah, I think it will be a lot. A lot harder than it was last year. One, because the Thunder have the personnel that's a different personnel like we discussed earlier.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yep.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

The Thunder are also much better equipped to handle his own defense, which they weren't. They did not handle it very well last year.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Also you think about game one and the miracle it took for the Nuggets to win that game where Aaron Gordon hits that shot in transition. You know, from off the pass from Russell Westbrook. You know, Chet missed the free throws, they get the ball. I mean it, it, it felt like one of those games like we've, we've seen these games before where like a team has a big enough lead, they play the free throw game and the team that's in the lead usually wins.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yep.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

And it's like 4% of the time the other team like plays the free throw game good enough to win the game. And then I'll get stood in game, in game one of that series. And you just wonder like if that shot misses and the Thunder win game one, the Thunder win game two, then like, are we talking about like a five game series here? We're talking about a six game series. But like that, that game changed a lot of things and it like changed the spirit of the Nuggets because a lot of people forget and I know.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Oh yeah.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

People don't like me for hating on Russell Westbrook, but all the Russell Westbrook stuff was about to boil over.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

It did boil over. It boiled over in the Clipper series. You want to talk. Aaron Gordon had two shots.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

That saved their season. He did essentially.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

He did that.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Put back dunk against the Clippers.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Listen, that locker room was about to literally explode.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I know.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

After what was a game, Game four or something or game three.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

In, in la. I mean, look, Aaron Gordon, that's a, that's a playoff player.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

He saved them twice from, from the team just imploding. And it was, it was a. It was about to hit another level until AG hit that shot.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

And it kind of like got them a life raft through that series.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

All this to say, by the way, Jokic is still basically the best player in the world. We'd have to split hairs to figure that out.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yogic is still Yogic. Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Win another title.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah. And that would be. Man, that would be fun to watch because however it happens, it is not going to be a conventional way because this team is just has not checked the boxes that we normally see from a champion.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

No, no. They don't hardly check any of them except for they have Nicola Jokic.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

That's it. This will be the ultimate test of can One guy win a title, and I just don't know if that's a thing anymore.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. Even. Even the Cam Johnson stuff, I mean, it is not. It is not been. Been great.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Jamal Murray's been awesome this season.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

He has. That's another reason why you should feel optimistic if you're a Nuggets fan.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Is. Is Jamal. Okay. We have 45 more points to hand out before we get to 100. And we have some good teams in the west to talk about. Really. We're down to Lakers, Spurs, Thunder. And how many points do we assign of the 45 or how do we redistribute even from there? We.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

We gave the Nuggets 10%.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. Should we give them five?

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Maybe. Maybe five? I.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Or.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Or the Lakers 10?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Okay.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I think if I was splitting these last three, I would say, like, Lakers, because I, I feel like the Lakers get out of the first round. You know, they're lining up to get. To get the Rockets.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. If. If that, if that holds. That's extremely favorable.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah. And then, you know, again, the, the west is just tougher. So even like the Thunder, I don't give them more than 20% chance.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

And then I, I think I would do spurs at 15. I would give them a slightly better chance than the Lakers, but they're, they're likely gonna have to play the Lakers in the second round. And like we've talked about for the last, you know, month, month and a half, the way that the Lakers are playing, the way Luca's playing, if they can keep games close, what are they now, 22? 8 in. In clutch games? I mean, they lost to the Pistons the other night. That was a tough one.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

But, yeah, yeah, they've. They've. They've been good in the clutch. I. I don't know. I don't know what to do with how bad they were in the playoffs last year. What do you do with that?

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Do you believe in Deandre Ayton? I can't. I can't even say it without laughing.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I know that's. That's a problem.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Marcus. Marcus Smart has been really good this year.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Right.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

So they're, they're inside.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

He has. Yes.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Their zone defense has been excellent.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Okay.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Right.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

And I think that if they're playing the spurs, that is, you know, look, the spurs, sometimes their shooting's questionable.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah, it is. I mean, it definitely has been. If that's the thing that's going to bite them, it's gonna be. It's certainly going to be their shooting, their outside Shooting. Yeah, because they're, They're. They're certainly inconsistent. And it's not like the Lakers are, like, so much better either, though.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Sure. Yeah.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Like, they, they rely a lot on what Canard can do. And the volume isn't there, which is why he's always been kind of a overrated player in a lot of ways.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

But it's the. It is the only reason, by the way, because Luke Kennard can be a pick and roll ball handler. He's a good passer. He holds up in defense. If that dude. If we could just get like, could, Could Lou Dort spend some time with him and just say, hey, man, look at how much I shoot.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Just don't have a.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

This could be your life.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah, that. That ship has sailed long ago. Can you name the players that shoot over 40% for the Lakers this season? From three.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Man. Do they have any.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

They do. They do. They technically.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Is Laravia over 40.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

They technically, technically have four. No, Laravia has not been great. He's only 32.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Okay. I was like, I. I don't. Off the top of my head. No, I can't.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Bronnie James, shout out.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Okay.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Drew Timmy has in 21 games on limited volume. Rui Hachimura is the real. Is a real one.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Okay. I guess I didn't realize Rui was over 40.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

43.8 and then canard 44.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Wow. That's excellent. Yeah, Rui has turned into a very good role player.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah, he's nice. The, the, the bad thing about Rui for this specific Lakers team is he defends the same position that LeBron and Lucas defend. And, like, that's why those lineups with him have not been great. So it's just tricky. It's just really tricky.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

But yeah, the Lakers, I don't know, they've been really good. They did this same thing last year, Right. The same thing last year where they were really awesome down the stretch of the season, everybody was like, you don't want to play LeBron and Luka. No, you don't want to play LeBron and Luca. And then they get to the playoffs, they just get waxed.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Sounds like a Dave voice there. I don't know. Kind of taking that one personally. I've been saying that for a few weeks.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Listen, the same, Same song, second verse.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

All right. Can we talk about the Spurs?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Okay. Because they really might win the title.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

They could.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Victor Womenyama might already be the best player in the league. I mean, he might be.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

He might be.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I know. I know that when we do this, we tend to just bias toward the offensive end and I don't, I don't want to over index towards the defensive end, but what he's doing defensively is something that like we can't really. It doesn't show up in a box score. The. It, it breaks the eye test actually. And so I, I just think when you have this guy who is like this Leviathan on one side.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Come playoff time when it's going to be. The majority of. It's going to be half court possessions and you've got this guy roaming the. That's going to be. I think that that's going to be hard for a lot of teams to overcome.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. Will he play the minutes in the playoffs?

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

That, that's the question. Right. Can he, can he play 40 minutes?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

I don't know the answer to that. No MVP, no MVP has ever averaged less than 30 minutes a game either. Which he's doing right now.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I mean his impact in the, in the minutes he plays. I mean it. I know that's kind of like.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. I mean I would never underrate his impact. It is crazy.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

He also plays for the spurs, by the way, which you know, they've always managed minutes this way.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. I mean it's so.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

He has. This season. He has. I knew he had a 39. Well, it's basically a 40 minute game against. But that was early on against Miami and then he had that 39 minute game against Detroit a few weeks ago.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. He's played seven times. He's played over 35 minutes in a game this season. So I'm just, I'm just really curious like that. That would be like the one thing I assume he will play.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

That many minutes. But what does that look like for him?

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Because the team he only followed that 38 minute or 39 minutes against Detroit, they had it back to back. He played 21 minutes the next night.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. Yeah. I'm just really curious to see how he holds up over the course of a seven game series where teams get to game plan, they get to zero in on him. They're going to beat up on him. Like they're going. I mean I talked to Thunder players after the game that they, the games that they played. I'm like, what's the strategy? It's like we just exhaust him.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

You know what though? Okay. But if you look at their path. I'm glad you brought this up because if you look at their path, they're not going to be playing. I mean if they get the Clippers. I think the Clippers will be physical because it's a lot of veterans, right?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

But it's not physical like the Thunder. It's different. And if they play the Lakers, like, the Lakers are not a physical team at all. I. I don't think that that's a concern. And so you really just. It's the Thunder that you worry about. It's seven games against the Thunder. Can he hold up?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah, it's a. It's a unanswered question. And I know that they beat them in the regular season, but go look through the history of the playoffs and the regular season and how it translates to the playoffs. It's not always one to one.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah, for sure. So, man, can we just start the playoffs like tomorrow?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

We have five points to assign still. Dave, we do get out of here. Yes. We're at 95 points right now. Where would you like to put these? Would you like to give anybody.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I think I probably. You know What? Give another 5% to the thunder.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

You know what you've been to tell me twice.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Because if we. We did the thing with them, they haven't done it before, right? Yeah, we did that. You gotta say they just did it. They deserve some maybe extra, you know, like trust.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. And they are the deepest team of any of these.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Absolutely.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Aaron Wiggins would play for every single one of these teams that are. That are a part of this contender pie.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

He may not for imagine how good Aaron Wiggins would be playing next to Jokic.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

He would be great. Because he cuts well. Yeah, he cuts really, really well. He would be amazing in Denver. He'd play a lot for them. Yeah, he would play. I mean, a lot for them.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Tim Hardaway Jr. Having such a crazy season.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Right.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Like I look at that. Yeah.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah, it's true.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah, I look, I think the Thunder. The Thunder are the likely champs.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah, I think that's true. I mean, I think they're like the betting favorite and. And all of that. So. Yeah, certainly I'm trying to give them a different color, so which you can.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I guess what we're saying is that tonight Thunder Celtics is an NBA Finals preview.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah, yeah, we do. It is. Finals preview is said too much on the NBA Daily, but this is actually it.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Well, listen, technically, until teams start getting eliminated, every game is a finals preview.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

That is not true.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

We want to be pedantic. Potential finals preview. As long as it's east versus West.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

As long as it's east west and they're in the top 10. Potential Finals preview. Miami Heat versus the Phoenix Suns.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Hey, you never know. The Tyler hero. NBA champion. Oh, Dylan Brooks would be such a. Imagine Dylan Brooks on the podium with Adam Silver with a shirt with his own face on it

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

after he beats the spurs in round one. Is that what you're saying?

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah. Oh, man.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

One percent chance thrown at the. The Suns here.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

I don't think so. I don't think so. I think the 1%ers that, you know, it's. It's the. The Hornets who have just been kind of crazy. And I'm crazy about the Hornets.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Kawhi Leonard, who has been ridiculous.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yep.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

And you. You just can't count him out. He's a playoff performer.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yep.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

And then what was the other one?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Rockets.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Rockets. Because Kevin Durant.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

And that's the only reason. With the Rockets.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. Although Katie has not been at around one and what feels like a very

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

long time since he left the warriors or. No, I mean, Brooke, they got it with the Nets.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. Once with the Nets.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

But that's a lot of. That's. That's some teams ago.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

So I don't know. Let us know what you think about the contender. Pie. What. What flavor is this?

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Pie and that.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Do you like this?

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

That pie looks disgusting.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Do you like.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Just gonna throw that out there?

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Do you like the slices? The way that this is sliced out for you? Let us know what you think. If you're listening to the show, the teams, I'll count them down. Starting from the team with the best chance. Thunder with 25%. Celtics with 20%. Then we have some 10 teams. We have the Lakers, Spurs, Pistons and Nuggets with 10%. Then we have the Cavs and Knicks with 5%. We have the Wolves with 2%. And then we give the Clippers, Hornets and Rockets 1% chance to win the NBA title. So let us know what you think. Hope everybody.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

Very important disclaimer.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

No math involved in this. Is all vibes.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Yeah. This is very. A very vibesy. I mean, everybody heard my. My test where I just closed my eyes and imagine if a player can hold the trophy.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

It's so good.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

It's. It's a real thing.

[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

We gotta do this. Like, this might have to be the way that we predict the playoffs when we get there. Just close your eyes.

[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

Close your eyes. Can you imagine players holding the trophy? It's like. I can imagine Wimby holding the trophy. I can imagine Jokic holding the trophy. I can imagine. We've seen Jalen Brown and. And Tatum holding the trophy. Luca, I could see Luca holding the trophy. I could see that. I could definitely see that. Jalen Green Sorry buddy. All right. I hope everybody's doing great. Appreciate you guys tuning in with us on this edition of the Morning. Shoot around and we will talk to you guys again tomorrow.

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[NBA Daily Co-host (possibly named Dave)]

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[NBA Daily Host (possibly a lead host)]

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