Why the Lakers are a nightmare for the Thunder + MVPs in purgatory

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Athletic NBA Daily – “Why the Lakers are a Nightmare for the Thunder + MVPs in Purgatory”

Release Date: April 7, 2025
Hosts: Dave Duor, Zena Keita, Esfandiar Baraheni
Guest: John Wilmus (RealGM)

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Introduction

In this episode of The Athletic NBA Daily, host Dave Duor welcomes John Wilmus from RealGM to discuss the Los Angeles Lakers' dominant performance against the Oklahoma City Thunder and delve into the intriguing concept of "MVPs in purgatory." The conversation provides deep insights into team dynamics, player performances, and future playoff implications.

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Lakers vs. Thunder: A Dominant Display

The episode kicks off with an analysis of the Lakers' decisive victory over the Thunder, highlighted by an impressive shooting performance.

• Key Takeaways:

  • The Lakers matched and surpassed the Thunder's renowned physicality, effectively nullifying their traditional advantage.
  • Defensive strategies were pivotal, with the Lakers implementing effective switches and pre-rotating to block driving lanes.
  • John Wilmus aptly describes the Lakers' performance as “a tiny vision of … the Thunder's worst nightmare” (03:42).

• Notable Quotes:

  • John Wilmus: “It's a tiny vision of, of like the Thunder's worst nightmare.” (03:42)
  • Dave Duor: “They’re still going to win probably 68 or 67 games as a team but it is questionable time to have kind of your difficult moments.” (05:54)

• Player Performances:

  • Shea Gilgeous-Alexander delivered strong numbers but struggled to reach the free-throw line.
  • Jalen Williams faced criticism for not stepping up in crucial moments, highlighting a potential area of concern for the Thunder’s playoff readiness.

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Lakers' Strategic Brilliance and Team Synergy

The discussion transitions to the Lakers' strategic execution and the revitalization of key players.

• LeBron James' Evolution:

  • LeBron has experienced a resurgence, especially in his role as a playmaker, enhancing the team's offensive flexibility.
  • Dave Duor: “It has completely revitalized LeBron both ends, and him being a play finisher, I think, has just been huge.” (10:26)

• Playmaking Dynamics:

  • The integration of Austin Reeves as a secondary playmaker has allowed for varied offensive strategies, creating a balance between fast-paced plays and deliberate curveballs.
  • John Wilmus: “Austin Reeves is going to continue to get really, really good opportunities.” (10:44)

• Coaching and Preparation:

  • The Lakers’ coaching staff, led by JJ Redick, has been instrumental in preparing the team for high-stakes games.
  • Dave Duor: “JJ Redick has this team ready to play every single big game.” (11:23)

• Defensive Prowess:

  • With four big wings, including Luka Doncic and LeBron James, the Lakers exhibit strong defensive capabilities, particularly against dual threats.
  • John Wilmus: “In the Western Conference, there might not be any teams that they can guard both Luka and LeBron straight up.” (10:56)

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MVPs in Purgatory: Jokic and Giannis’ Dilemma

The conversation delves into the challenges faced by MVP-caliber players Jokic and Giannis, positioning them as "MVPs in purgatory."

• Nikola Jokic’s MVP Candidacy:

  • Jokic has been on a five-year streak of remarkable performances, making him a perennial MVP contender.
  • However, the Nuggets have faced unexpected struggles, raising questions about his MVP trajectory.
  • Dave Duor: “It's a narrative award… Shea is the story. The Oklahoma City Thunder are the story. Perfect award winner.” (16:28)

• Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Situation:

  • Giannis remains a dominant force for the Bucks, yet the team’s instability and potential trade scenarios cast a shadow over his MVP prospects.
  • John Wilmus: “They’re not going to run it back… I don’t see the path forward either.” (27:03)

• Playoff Implications:

  • The performance of these MVP candidates in the playoffs will be crucial in determining their legacy and the recognition they receive during the season.

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The Milwaukee Bucks: Stability vs. Uncertainty

The episode examines the Milwaukee Bucks' precarious situation, centered around Giannis Antetokounmpo and potential trade threats.

• Team Dynamics:

  • The Bucks made significant moves, including acquiring Damian Lillard, which has added complexity to their coaching and team structure.
  • Dave Duor: “The path to improving that team… you don’t have an MPJ contract to move.” (25:07)

• Giannis’s Future:

  • Despite longstanding rumors, Giannis remains committed, bolstered by his business ventures and integral role in the Bucks’ success.
  • John Wilmus: “If, if the Nuggets just fail to produce in the playoffs… it could be time for Coach Malone to be on the hot seat.” (17:11)

• Potential Trade Scenarios:

  • Speculation arises about possible trades involving Giannis, though his centrality to the Bucks’ brand and success makes this unlikely.
  • John Wilmus: “This simply wouldn’t happen without Giannis.” (26:12)

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Bold Predictions and Final Thoughts

As the episode wraps up, Dave and John share their bold predictions for the NBA playoffs.

• John Wilmus’s Prediction:

  • John Wilmus: “It's going to be a lot more of a fight for them [Thunder] than it has looked like all season. They have as good of a shot as anyone in the West.” (09:36)

• Dave Duor’s Take:

  • Expresses confidence in the Lakers' ability to continue their strong performance and highlights the strategic depth they've built.
  • Dave Duor: “I like it a lot.” (27:28)

• Playoff Insights:

  • The hosts emphasize the importance of team dynamics, player performances, and strategic coaching in determining playoff outcomes.
  • Encourages listeners to follow John’s insights on RealGM for more in-depth analysis.

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Conclusion

In this insightful episode, The Athletic NBA Daily provides a comprehensive analysis of the Lakers' imposing presence against the Thunder and explores the precarious positions of MVP contenders Jokic and Giannis. The discussion underscores the significance of strategic playmaking, team cohesion, and individual performances in shaping the NBA's playoff landscape. Listeners are left with a deeper understanding of the current season's dynamics and what to anticipate as teams vie for championship glory.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• John Wilmus: “It's a tiny vision of, of like the Thunder's worst nightmare.” (03:42)
• John Wilmus: “They’re still going to win probably 68 or 67 games as a team but it is questionable time to have kind of your difficult moments.” (05:54)
• Dave Duor: “JJ Redick has this team ready to play every single big game.” (11:23)
• Dave Duor: “It's a narrative award… Shea is the story. The Oklahoma City Thunder are the story. Perfect award winner.” (16:28)
• John Wilmus: “They’re not going to run it back… I don’t see the path forward either.” (27:03)
• John Wilmus: “This simply wouldn’t happen without Giannis.” (26:12)
• John Wilmus: “It's going to be a lot more of a fight for them [Thunder] than it has looked like all season. They have as good of a shot as anyone in the West.” (09:36)
• Dave Duor: “I like it a lot.” (27:28)

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For more detailed analysis and updates, visit RealGM and stay tuned to The Athletic's award-winning NBA Daily episodes.

Transcript

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[Dave Duor]

Good morning and welcome to the NBA Daily. Coming up, John Wilmus from Real GM is here. We're going to talk about the Lakers dominating the Thunder and a couple of MVPs in purgatory as we head to the playoffs. Good morning everybody. Good morning, John. John Wilmus, my good buddy who writes over at Real gm filling in for Xena and S. Who are both off. I mean Xena is not even off to be honest with you. I mean she's working like Women's National Championship game which she's probably recording like right now. John, thanks for joining me. We just got done watching the Los Angeles Lakers handily beat the Oklahoma City Thunder thanks to an amazing shooting performance. I mean they. I'm pretty sure they just hit another three pointer in post game that they're going to count. What's your big takeaway? I think that this is know this is game one. They've got a. A another matchup Tuesday night. So it's a back to back for them. What's your big takeaway from round one of the new look? Lakers versus the Thunder.

[John Wilmus]

It's a tiny vision of, of like the Thunder's worst nightmare. Right. Where you've been kind of wondering all season long if they're sort of playoff level. Intensity would cease to be an advantage once we get closer to and then into the playoffs. Right. And obviously your mvp, likely MVP Shea Gilgames Alexander had a productive day. Yeah, let me pull up the numbers on that. But I believe he was very productive from the field. Yeah, he 12 for 23 but he didn't get to the free throw line at all. So. And then nobody else on the, on the team clicked offensively. They created an okay amount of turnovers too like they usually do. But the Lakers just sort of meeting and actually surpassing their intensity level is maybe something that you kind of worried about all season long with the Thunder.

[Dave Duor]

Yeah, listen, the Thunder have a reputation for being extremely physical. And I thought that the Lakers, whatever their game plan was, was on point number one. They came out just as physical as a Thunder. I thought they, they kind of raised the level of what a foul call was going to be pretty early on, which was. Which is good because usually I think the Thunder does this to other team teams and by matching that intensity I think it really. They punched the Thunder in the mouth a little bit. And it helps that look, they wound up going 22 of 40 from three. So we can throw the results out to a certain degree because that is an aberrational shooting performance. But there were big takeaways I thought on the defensive end in the Half court the way that the Lakers were both willing to switch a big Jackson Hayes out onto Shay Gildas Alexander and then they were pre rotating behind the action to, to cut off the driving lanes. And, and part of that is that's what took away some of the free throws for, for Shea because there was just no one coming in with bad fouls. I thought that the discipline that the Lakers showed again, they, they seem like the a vet the veteran team that they are.

[John Wilmus]

Yeah, the mouth, the mouth punchers got mouth punched, right?

[Dave Duor]

Yeah, yeah.

[John Wilmus]

We knew it was going to happen at some point. Right. I'm not going to worry too much.

[Dave Duor]

They're.

[John Wilmus]

They're still going to win probably 68 or 67 games or team but it is questionable time to have kind of your, your difficult moment. Right. The playoffs were about to start and the fear coming into this season with the Thunder was that they were going to be too shade dependent offensively. Still. That was their problem in the playoffs last year. They never really showed themselves not to be very shade dependent offensively. Their defense has just been so overwhelming that having Shea score a lot and then killing teams with their defense has been enough to win that many games. But who's in a step up and be also a really good scorer against playoff defenses? We still don't really see the answer to that question.

[Dave Duor]

This was supposed to be Jalen Williams, his time to shine. He puts up 16 points in the game 4 of 14 from the field. You just really didn't feel him. And it reminds me a little bit of last year in the playoffs. Right. They went down the stretch of last season and they do this down the stretch of games a little bit back and forth where hey Shay, you're going until they turn that water off. And now Jalen, you go while they're, while the defense is just keyed in on Shea not touching the ball. And again that's what we saw. Only Jalen Williams wasn't able to raise the level of play. I mean, I just don't know. You know, again, this is, this is a title contender. I think they're the favorites in the West. I'm not going to take away too much from this one, but you know, I'm going to put you on the spot to make a bold take off this game. And if I was going to do it, I would say Jalen Williams has to step up if this team is going to not just win the finals, but make it to the finals. I mean the playoffs in the west, it's so much closer than it Maybe looks with the standings and I know, like, Oklahoma City has had just an incredible run. The playoffs just being a different beast. You need that second guy to be able to get a bucket.

[John Wilmus]

Yeah. I actually thought that maybe Holmgren could have been that second guy. At the very beginning of the season, he was just cooking off offensively. But then, of course, he got hurt and was out for a couple months. Two, three months.

[Dave Duor]

Yeah.

[John Wilmus]

And came back and, you know, he's been great, but he. He didn't really pick up where he left off in terms of that chef stuff from the beginning of the season where it looked like he really had some extra juice going on. So that could be. That could still happen. He still could become a more, you know, number two type scorer. But with Williams. Yeah, I mean, we just. We just still haven't seen it in big games. So I. I'm just waiting for it, I guess.

[Dave Duor]

Okay, so if I. If I'm putting you on the spot. Bold take for the Thunder coming out of this game.

[John Wilmus]

Bold take. Oh, they're too young. They can't do it is my bold take.

[Dave Duor]

Right.

[John Wilmus]

But my real thought is that, you know, they. Over the course of a seven game series and they just. They just keep on coming. Right. I'm sure you watch that final four between Duke and Houston last night.

[Dave Duor]

Right. And Houston, I'll be honest here, turned it off with two minutes left. Duke up 64.55. I was like, oh, this is done.

[John Wilmus]

So. So. No, it wasn't. It was not done.

[Dave Duor]

Yeah.

[John Wilmus]

But what Houston did over the course of that one game is something that I still kind of see the Thunder doing over the course of most series that they're in. I do think it looks like here's my maybe bold and correct take. It's going to be a lot more of a fight for them than it has looked like all season. I still kind of think that they're gonna most likely win. They're gonna be most likely to win every fight they get in, including in the finals, in my opinion. But, yeah, it does look like it's going to be a lot more of a struggle.

[Dave Duor]

All right, well, so let's swing it to the Lakers side of this. Number one, if. If you're a Mavericks fan, just turn it off. Just turn off the podcast. Go do something else. Luka Doncic really changes things for them. Number one, it has completely revitalized LeBron both ends, and him being a play finisher, I think, has just been huge. We've been hitting this for weeks now on that, but The Austin Reeves component of this and what it has done for him, where he's essentially become the second playmaker, but to a different degree than he was behind LeBron when LeBron was the primary guy. Like, it really does feel like oftentimes Luca is handing the keys to Austin Reeves for multiple possessions in a row, and I really think that that's allowed them to have, like, it's a fastball and then a bit of a curveball with Luca. I don't know how you feel about it.

[John Wilmus]

Yeah. I just don't think that in the Western Conference, there might not be any teams that they can guard both Luca and LeBron straight up. Just. I mean, how many teams have two guys. Right, right. That can. One can guard LeBron, one can guard Luka, maybe the Celtics. That's kind of it, though, right?

[Dave Duor]

Yeah.

[John Wilmus]

So, I mean, Austin Reeves is going to continue to get really, really good opportunities. He obviously knows what to do with them. Right. The Luca thing was.

[Dave Duor]

It looked great today.

[John Wilmus]

It didn't look so great against the warriors on Friday. And, you know, you see Lakers fans start to realize that this is more of a roller coaster with Luka than maybe they thought at first. But, you know, when it works, it works. It's. It's unbelievable. Nobody. I mean, when was the last time we saw two guys together with this level of creativity and size?

[Dave Duor]

It's just maybe never. I mean, maybe never legitimately. Maybe never. I mean, and with the fun thing for me, you know, when you see a guy like LeBron and you. You can see that he's actually having fun offensively. He looks re. Energized in a. In a way, as this facilitator, which is funny because we've been talking so much about his play finishing. But I do think, like, him being able to get the hot, like, to be the middleman and to get the assist instead of be the hockey assist guy, I think is. I don't know. He seems to have woken up quite a bit in that role. Bold takeaway for the Lakers, for me, is JJ Redick has this team ready to play every single big game. Every big game, they come out with a game plan that is. It is very clear what they're trying to accomplish. And I think that nine times out of 10, like, they're getting it done. I got to. I got to tip the cap because I was one of the people that was. I was skeptical. Guys come in. You know, he was a player and a good player, but he was coming off, never coaching. I think he coached like Middle school basketball or something like that. And they put a really good staff together around him. And, man, I mean, they've just been doing a great job.

[John Wilmus]

He's got them doing homework, right? Yeah, they're. They have to do homework, right. They don't have anybody in the middle, and that is a weakness that they can often cover up. They do have big wings. They've got like four big wings. Right. With Luka and Lebron and Rui and Finney Smith. Right. And you can rebound pretty well with that, but ultimately you want something in the middle and there's only so much homework you can do to. To cover over that. But, like, they're going to do every bit of homework that they have to do, right? Yeah. I don't think there was enough homework for them to deal with. Steph Curry just getting isolated on Luca and going right to the rack and having no center to deal with on Friday night. I don't think there was enough homework you could do to. To solve that problem.

[Dave Duor]

Yeah, definitely.

[John Wilmus]

Against a less experienced team like the Thunder, maybe they'll face the Rockets. Right? Even the Wolves are significantly less experienced than Lakers. They could just homework their way through it.

[Dave Duor]

Yeah. Guys, stick around after the break. John and I are going to go a little bit deep on Giannis and Jokic and the seasons that they're in and the purgatory that faces them this summer.

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[Dave Duor]

In any other season. If the Nuggets or The Bucs were the 1 seed in their conference, Giannis or Jokic would be the front runners for MVP with the numbers that they're putting up this year. I mean, Jokic is now on a five year run of having the best season ever for anyone five years in a row. I mean, he could have just won every single MVP award. Obviously this year it feels like it's Shay's award to lose and I actually agree with that. I like the idea of best player on the best team and especially because you can't argue against Shay's numbers. It's not like he's, you know, putting up 23 a game or something like that. I mean he's putting up legitimate MVP numbers. He is going to win the MVP and I think rightfully, and I think.

[John Wilmus]

Shay is an identity maker. I think that they follow his lead and they play in a very specific.

[Dave Duor]

Way and I think it is a narrative award. Right. More so baseball man. I always go back to the season that A Rod won the MVP on a 50 win team. That is a bad idea if you're trying to tell the story of the season with the award. And I think that's what the MVP should do. So Shea is the story. The Oklahoma City Thunder are the story. Perfect award winner. But for both Giannis and Jokic, I, I think that this is an important playoff run. I mean, you know Jokic, we saw them just have disappointment the last couple seasons since they won this. This season has not gone to plan for them. I think it's been more of a struggle than a lot of us expected, especially considering we felt like they were at full health. You describe this to me as MVPs in purgatory. What happens if the Nuggets just fail to produce in the playoffs? And what does that even mean? Like, do they have to make the conference finals? Or if they don't make the finals, is that a failure? Like, where would you put the bar?

[John Wilmus]

Yeah, I'm not sure. I think with their loss to the Timberwolves last year, it ultimately looked relatively valiant. It was a seven game series. They were uniquely equipped to deal with Jokic with three bigs they could throw at him. Right. Just kind of had to throw your hands up to a certain extent. There were things maybe they could have done differently. I know we talked about them not playing Peyton Watson enough in that series where you really needed athleticism. And I expect him to play a lot in whatever matchups they have in the playoffs this year. Right. But if they go out sad, if they don't look very competitive against anyone, that could be time for maybe Coach Malone to be on the hot seat, maybe a big trade to happen. I know Michael Porter Jr. Has always been that big contract that you could potentially move for some kind of different look. I don't really know. I don't see Jokic as a guy who's going to agitate just because we've literally never even gotten a hint of that. Right. Who knows what he really thinks? He's a pretty private guy, but we've just, we just have no hint of that. So I don't see him going anywhere necessarily. But do you have to adjust the team around him? If it doesn't go well these playoffs, then like, yeah, probably. I will say that their record is a lot better when Aaron Gordon plays and he's missed like 30 or 40 games or something this season. So it might just be kind of an Illusion. They, if, if Gordon is healthy for the playoffs, he's shooting threes better than he ever has. They might just be awesome and, and maybe they won't win, they won't win the championship, but they're not going to go out sad.

[Dave Duor]

Well, it's going to be matchup dependent, you know, and just, I mean, I think that the styles make fights thing for the NBA right now, especially in the Western Conference. It's, that's how it's all going to shake out. If the Oklahoma City Thunder ran into the Nuggets early, like a second round, I don't love that matchup for OKC because of Jokic and what he's able to do. Yeah. So I do think that they've got a, they've got as good of a shot as anyone in the West. I still put OKC first, but it's more the fallout if they don't perform in the playoffs. I think the MPJ contract situation is actually the one to key on because of the new CBA and the restrictions that are on teams that are in the position the Nuggets are in to build. They would have to essentially move on from him to just get a couple of extra pieces because depth is really the big limiting factor for them. It's not the high end talent they have that. It's what happens when Jamal Murray is out or has to go on the bench, you know. And what's amazing is Christian Brown, when we came to the season, we were thinking about him as potential weak link and he's been excellent this year. It's more, yeah, what happens when you have to go to the bench. And you know, that brings me to the Russell Westbrook question. When we get to the playoffs, we saw the other night and, and Russ, he, it's you live by Russ, you die by Russ sometimes. And we saw the way that the end of that, that Timberwolves game went the other night. What happens in the playoffs when a rust situation arises, you know, is, is Michael Malone willing to bench him to go to, you know, Christian Brown or, or you know, Peyton Watson or whatever? I mean, do you think that, that he would be able to do that or, or do you think he sticks with Russell?

[John Wilmus]

Michael Mullen likes to play veterans, so that is a concern there. Right. Maybe he'll just go with Russ because Ross is a veteran. Again, he didn't play, he didn't really play Watson very much against the Timberwolves last year when they badly needed his athleticism. Right. You know, who's been very good Lately. Finally, Jalen Pickett. Yeah, Pickett needs to play in the playoffs, and really, Russ just shouldn't close games is how I feel about it. It's just such a long track record of exploding in these high pressure moments. And the ideal scenario with Westbrook and the Nuggets kind of has mostly happened, actually. He's really helped them through, like guys sitting out and helping them pick up their intensity level as a team that's been there, done that. Right. And he has really helped them a lot all season long. But now that we're getting closer to the playoffs, you're starting to see the other side of the coin. And, yeah, Mike Malone does need to be prepared to maybe pull the plug.

[Dave Duor]

Yeah. Let's swing it over to the Bucks, because the Bucks, this situation is a little bit different. They made a big move to bring in Damian Lillard last year. Obviously, they wind up having to make a coaching change. Look, if you go to Doc Rivers, you've had some problems and Doc has not been able to solve them. Now we go into the playoffs, we don't know yet if Damian Lillard is going to be available. My guess is probably not just given the gravity of, you know, what he's dealing with. It does feel as if this situation is much more tenuous than what you have with Jokic and Denver. There has been talk for years around Giannis potentially leaving, and he has never given an inclination that. That he would want to do that, but, man, it just feels like now Middleton's gone. It's a whole new coaching stat. You know, everyone's there. It's probably. We're probably in the twilight for Brook Lopez in Milwaukee. It just. I would be very nervous if I was a Bucks fan heading into this playoffs because if it's a first round out, I would. I would be very worried Giannis would. Would push that button.

[John Wilmus]

Yeah. I mean, the smoke has been there forever. Right. Recently, he actually opened a fitness brand store with his brothers called Anta Takun Bros. And the store, the flagship store, is across the street from the stadium. And this is the kind of thing that Bucks fans are like reading the tea leaves with. Right. They're like, oh, he won't leave now because he just did that. Right. The fact that you have to even think that way and have had to for years. Right. Means that, you know, something really could happen. At the same time, we haven't seen healthy playoff Giannis in three years. It's crazy. That's. That, that's true. It's not like he's Some sort of perpetually injured player, either. He's just gotten hurt at the wrong time three years in a row.

[Guest Speaker]

Right.

[John Wilmus]

And he's looking pretty incredible and pretty healthy right now. So despite everything that is going wrong with the Bucs and everything that they haven't really done, right, he's a guy who could win a series on his own. So I'm just excited to see him in the playoffs again. But, yeah, if it doesn't go well and they don't look good, I mean, I don't see how you can just run it back. That just doesn't.

[Dave Duor]

Well, the path to improving that team, I mean, they don't have an MPJ contract to move, you know, and Damian Lillard there.

[John Wilmus]

And he moved Chris.

[Dave Duor]

That's right. And Damian Lillard is kind of old. Giannis. I mean, next year's his year, age 31 season, you know, not getting any younger. And so I had this thought. If OKC were to, I don't know, let's say the worst case scenario, they lose in the first round, right. What if OKC backs up the truck to Milwaukee and they say, hey, here's a bunch of stuff. I don't know, maybe it's Chet Jalen picks. I'm not sure what it would take. If you're the Bucks, you have to start thinking that way, right? Because at this point, this team, I think you've gotten as much as you can possibly get out of them. You have to start thinking about what's next and whether that's with Giannis or without Giannis. I mean, I'm assuming their. Their preference is with him. But, you know, what if. What if they get one of these overwhelming offers this summer? I mean, what. What kind of a haul does John Giannis bring in?

[John Wilmus]

Yeah, I mean, it's. It's almost impossible to fathom because if you go to a game in Milwaukee, it's a relatively new stadium, and there's a whole business district around it, including his new apparel store. And you have to realize, like, this would not exist if it was not for him. Like, there was not enough interest in the Bucks for them to get public funding for all this stuff and to build a whole business district around this new stadium. Like, this simply wouldn't happen without Giannis.

[Guest Speaker]

Right.

[John Wilmus]

So for him to ever not be there is pretty difficult to fathom. But, I mean, again, if it. If it doesn't go well, like, I don't. Yeah, I don't. I don't see the path forward either. I don't think that you're going to get a lot for a Dame Lillard trade at this point. Right. So if you really, really want the team to be good again anytime soon, you do have to consider that. Of course.

[Dave Duor]

Yeah. Give me a, give me a bold prediction for the playoffs. I know you've got one in you. Who do you have, like a surprise championship winner?

[John Wilmus]

I don't have a surprise championship winner, but like I said about Giannis, I think he could win a series on his own if they, you know, no Dame Lillard, Bucks, Knicks, Bucks win. That's my bold prediction.

[Dave Duor]

I like it. I like it a lot.

[John Wilmus]

John Willis going to guard.

[Dave Duor]

How are they going to guard Giannis? I don't know. It's a good question. Guys. Go and read John over Real gm. It's my homepage. It's the best place to pick up the the quick news. Between that and the athletic, it got everything covered. That's going to do it for today's show, folks. Thank you, John, for hanging out with me. I am Dave Duor and this has been the NBA Daily. Thanks for waking up with us.