Local Hour: The Half Mental Health Day

Summary

The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz: "Local Hour: The Half Mental Health Day"

Date: November 12, 2025
Recording Location: Elser Hotel, Downtown Miami
Hosts & Regulars: Dan Le Batard, Stugotz, Chris Cote, Jeremy Taché, Amin Elhassan

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Episode Overview

In this spirited Local Hour, Dan, Stugotz, and the crew bask in the Miami Heat’s current high, tackle the contrasting vibes in the Golden State Warriors locker room, and humorously debate NBA load management and “half mental health days.” The episode is driven by heated, often comedic, banter on South Florida basketball enthusiasm, NBA player management, and the chemistry (and dysfunction) that shape team cultures. Listeners are treated to both in-depth sports commentary and the show’s signature offbeat camaraderie.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Miami Heat’s Meteoric Vibes, Heat Homers, and “Vice Night”

[01:33–06:30]

• Stugotz laments the lack of “tone softeners,” predicting an episode with maximum Heat homerism:

  "Do you know how hard it is for Mike to be the third most obnoxious person in any room?" – Stugotz, [03:09]

• The crew—especially Jeremy—are visibly (and audibly) elated by the Heat’s recent performance and the return of the “Vice Night” jerseys.
• The current high-point for Heat fans is underscored by the contrast to the Golden State Warriors’ struggles (“this might be the best night the Heat has ever felt…” – Stugotz, [03:36]).
• Dan pokes fun at the show’s own enthusiasm while noting Miami’s undefeated record at home.

Notable Quote

"What feels better this year? Warriors’ losses on the road or Heat wins?" — Stugotz, [04:26]

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2. Contrasting Locker Room Cultures: Miami vs. Golden State

[06:30–09:15]

• Jimmy Butler’s dissatisfaction with the Warriors’ lack of “fight” is highlighted—a theme the crew riffs on as a symptom of an aging contender:

  "Honestly, I think that the fight’s not always there." — Jimmy Butler (quoted by Dan), [06:30]

• The show contrasts Miami’s “Heat Culture” with Golden State’s sudden whimpers (“This is awfully early in the season for any of this to already be happening...so here’s Jimmy Butler after that game. Good luck with all of this, Golden State.” – Dan, [06:22])
• Andrew Wiggins praises Miami’s system and physical play, reinforcing the “hard place to win” narrative.
• Amin Elhassan and Jeremy double down on the Heat’s home strength and undefeated streak.

Notable Quote

"You know, even though having some guys out, we’re still able to do what we’re doing because of the system we’re in." — Andrew Wiggins, [08:44]

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3. NBA Rest, Load Management Debate & “The Half Mental Health Day”

[09:15–16:15]

• The crew debates the legitimacy and optics of star “rest days,” especially as Cleveland sits its stars (Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley) despite Miami hosting a multi-game set that should reduce travel and fatigue:

  "Why are people out for rest when the NBA...back to like the 1940s of travel?" — Dan, [10:09]

• Amin, with front office experience, sarcastically suggests stars could just play the second half as a “half work day,” spiraling into comedy about half-days and mental health:

  "Why can’t these players like Donovan Mitchell, like Evan Mobley, why can’t they just play a second half tonight?" — Amin, [13:05] "You ever take a half a mental health day?" — Jeremy, [14:28]

• The conversation pokes fun at fans' and analysts' misunderstanding of the demands of NBA play versus rec basketball, with Stugotz and Chris Cote drawing funny personal parallels.

Memorable Exchange

• Chris: "Imagine if we had half a work day and we all had to show up at like 4 o’clock in the afternoon. That makes no sense." [14:30]
• Dan: "One star gets the first half, the other star gets the second half. Mobley, you sit out the second." [14:35]

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4. Deep Dive: Team Chemistry, Leadership Styles, and Hidden Agendas

[21:24–31:58]

• Draymond Green acknowledges personal agendas in the NBA and the tricky balance of individual ambition versus collective goals:

  "Everyone has a personal agenda in this league, but you have to make those personal agendas work in the team confines." — Draymond Green (via Dan), [22:29]

• The crew explores Jimmy Butler’s leadership, which is both galvanizing and, at times, divisive:

  "Throughout the history of Jimmy Butler’s career, he finds a guy that he creates a cause around." — Dan, [25:54]

• Amin and Jeremy discuss how culture clashes happen and how Jimmy Butler’s confrontational style sometimes leaves teammates isolated, drawing parallels to other teams (Timberwolves, Bulls, current Warriors).
• Chris elaborates on adaptable coaching, using Steve Kerr’s management of Draymond versus other players as an example.
• Broad reflection on generational change in leadership and locker room dynamics.

Notable Quotes

"Do you go off on them and then just ignore them for the rest of time?...That’s not an effective strategy." — Chris, [29:24]
"Ultimately...effective leadership, it’s adjusting your leadership style to the person you’re dealing with." — Chris, [27:51]

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5. The Joy of Teamwork: Miami’s Vibes & the Buzzer Beater

[36:00–45:23]

• Miami’s team basketball is celebrated, with special attention to contributions from deep in the roster and the “140 points” offensive outburst. Jeremy’s sideline reporting and contagious enthusiasm are playfully roasted.
• Amin is moved by the Heat’s “real joy” after a buzzer-beater dunk—particularly by Andrew Wiggins’ and Norman Powell’s authentic reactions in the postgame tunnel:

  "There’s something wholesome about...you could tell that it’s real joy...he’s legitimately interested in what he’s watching and kind of the vibe." — Chris, [40:31–40:39]

• Discussion of the decisive final play, coaching responsibilities, and NBA “cardinal truths” about late-game defense (e.g. “switch everything” in short clock scenarios).
• The crew critiques Cleveland’s defensive breakdown and reflects on the importance of experience and situational awareness.

Notable Quotes

"Short clock situations, we switch everything. It doesn’t matter...switch everything." — Chris, [43:22]
"The idea that you would allow anything at the rim because you’re guarding against the possibility that any Heat player...can get a shot off in 4, 10 of a second. That’s a good shot." — Stugotz, [45:41]

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6. Humorous Banter & Inside Jokes

Throughout

• The recurring bit of everyone saying “hello” in the style of Chris or a dad joke.
• Mock-epic praise of Jeremy’s career trajectory (“You have got such a future as Mario Lopez in every hotel.” – Stugotz, [38:38])
• Playful ribbing of analysts who equate their own athletic aches to those of pros (Tiger Woods, NBA injuries).
• Amin and Stugotz exchange quips about NBA front office titles and resumes.
• End segment details the joy and contagiousness of Heat vibes after close games, cuddling that signature combination of (sometimes self-aware) South Florida arrogance and camaraderie.

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Highlighted Timestamps

• [01:33] — Stugotz on Heat homerism and "tone softeners"
• [03:36] — “This might be the best night the Heat has ever felt.”
• [06:30] — Jimmy Butler on the Warriors: “Honestly, I think that the fight’s not always there.”
• [08:44] — Wiggins praising Miami’s system
• [10:09–14:28] — Extended, hilarious debate on NBA “rest,” back-to-backs, and mental health half-days
• [22:29] — Draymond Green on personal agendas in NBA locker rooms
• [25:54] — Dan on Jimmy Butler’s history of singling out teammates
• [27:51] — Chris on effective leadership styles
• [36:00] — Norman Powell sound on Heat’s collective faith and resilience
• [40:31–40:39] — The “real joy” of the Heat’s tunnel celebration after a buzzer beater
• [43:22] — Chris Cote’s cardinal truths for end-of-game NBA defense

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Tone & Takeaways

• The show is quintessential “Le Batard”: irreverent, clever, self-deprecating, and never shy to roast itself.
• Miami Heat pride is in full swing, given extra fuel by schadenfreude over Golden State’s troubles and a deep satisfaction in “team basketball.”
• The episode provides a nuanced look at how chemistry, leadership, and organizational culture manifest at both the macro (franchise) and micro (single play, single locker room) level.
• Load management is skewered for the disconnect between analytics and fan experience.
• Beneath the jokes, the hosts offer sharp, experienced insight into what separates fleeting joy from lasting team success—while never taking themselves, or their fandom, too seriously.

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Memorable Quotes

• Stugotz [03:09]: “Do you know how hard it is for Mike to be the third most obnoxious person in any room?”
• Dan [10:09]: “Why are people out for rest when the NBA...back to like the 1940s of travel?”
• Draymond Green (via Dan) [22:29]: “Everyone has a personal agenda in this league, but you have to make those personal agendas work in the team confines.”
• Chris [27:51]: “Ultimately...effective leadership, it’s adjusting your leadership style to the person you’re dealing with.”
• Chris [43:22]: “Short clock situations, we switch everything. It doesn’t matter...switch everything.”

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For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

• The episode is a must-listen for those who enjoy basketball breakdowns flavored with humor and real locker room insight.
• In classic Le Batard fashion, the crew celebrates Heat highs, roasts NBA “rest culture,” and muses on the complexities of team dynamics and leadership—all with laughter, inside jokes, and a deep love for the game.
• The “half mental health day” and “hello” running gags are signature moments.
• If you’re a Heat fan, this is the episode to mainline good vibes—and if you’re not, it’s worth enjoying the banter and perspective on what makes team culture matter.

Transcript

[Dan Le Batard]

Now's a good time to remember where tequila's story truly began. In 1795, Cuervo invented tequila. Cuervo, what are you doing here?

[Stugotz]

Cuervo? Anytime someone says Cuervo, I show up.

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, I do know that to be true. But even during ad reads like Cuervo, I think he could lay out especially for one of our great partners.

[Stugotz]

Sweet, delicious Cuervo.

[Dan Le Batard]

Since then, Cuervo has stayed true to its roots. The same family, the same land, the same passion.

[Stugotz]

Cuervo.

[Dan Le Batard]

So enjoy the tequila that started it all. Cuervo. Cuervo the tequila that invented tequila. Proximo. Cuervo.com Please drink responsibly.

[Stugotz]

Cuervo.

[Chris Cote]

This episode is brought to you by Netflix from the creator of Homeland. Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys star in the new Netflix series the Beast and Me as ruthless rivals whose shared darkness will set them on a collision course with fatal consequences.

[Dan Le Batard]

The Beast in Me is a riveting.

[Chris Cote]

Psychological cat and mouse story about guilt, justice and doubt. You will not want to miss this. The Beast in Me launches November 13, only on Netflix.

[Dan Le Batard]

This episode is brought to you by Disney. This Thanksgiving, Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde are back on the big screen. So grab your family and friends as Disney invites you to return to Zootopia for the Fur Nominal movie event of the holiday season. See all your favorite Zootopia characters, plus new favorites in the most paw some movie of the year.

[Jeremy]

Don't miss Disney Zootopia 2 when it.

[Dan Le Batard]

Hits theaters everywhere November 26th. Get your tickets now.

[Stugotz]

Chris, I need your help today because I've got, over the years, as a savvy, crafty veteran, over the years I've gotten little softeners on the tone. On my tone. You know, my dad or your dad, like, I gotta soften the tone around here. Miami's obnoxious, I'm obnoxious, I'm striding. And we don't have the tone softeners we need today. Given the general enthusiasm around the Heat, I don't think the nation is ready for Heat enthusiasm with Mike being the third place Heat homer around here. Third place Heat homer because Jeremy comes in and it's and it's not just because the Heat are exciting. It's also what's happening in Golden State that adds to all the soap opera stuff in that sport. But I don't want to get to it before I tell people that. You can't follow me around annoying me more by saying your father's hello because it's now stuck in your head completely. And you can't stop saying it, and it's annoying.

[Jeremy]

I must have said it 42 times yesterday.

[Stugotz]

And I think is Zaslo. Have you been afflicted with this, too? Somebody else was saying around here that they were also afflicted with it.

[Chris Cote]

Hello.

[Dan Le Batard]

Just beautiful.

[Stugotz]

That is the sound of your dad at his most right.

[Chris Cote]

Hello. Like the scene from Airplane. That guy thinks he's Ethel Merman.

[Amin Elhassan]

Hello.

[Stugotz]

He dragged it because that is what your dad has been doing to celebrate. I'm right about something. It's his happiest form of happiness.

[Amin Elhassan]

Hello.

[Stugotz]

So I need softeners like that today because Jeremy's obnoxious and Zaz is obnoxious. Do you know how hard it is for Mike to be the third most obnoxious person in any room?

[Chris Cote]

He's fighting right now. I got my money on Mike. He's a riser. He comes to play.

[Stugotz]

You guys are so excited about this Heat team, and it makes me think that tonight's game against the Cleveland Cavs, or what's left of them, parts of the Cavs that are not in Louisville.

[Amin Elhassan]

That bullshit don't even get me started.

[Stugotz]

This might be the best night that the Heat has ever felt. Just everything that's happening in Golden State combined with what Miami is feeling, not just this season. This might be the high point of Heat feelings around here.

[Chris Cote]

I.

[Dan Le Batard]

Even Jeremy is aware that tonight may very well be the peak of the Heat.

[Jeremy]

Don't forget the Vice Night jerseys coming back tonight.

[Stugotz]

So you don't want to see this. This is not what.

[Dan Le Batard]

They're back tonight.

[Stugotz]

And Zazlow might be more of a homer. He might be more of a homer. And I got the president of Heat Island. Amin is here, too. Like, do you realize it's fourth place? It's too early. I thought you'd been promoted to president. You're just mayor.

[Chris Cote]

No, I stepped down, famously, after a scandal.

[Stugotz]

The autocrat of Heat Island.

[Chris Cote]

I'm the Mom Dani of Heat island, though.

[Stugotz]

This is going to be obnoxious. Chris, you and I are going to be the reasonable ones. Like the Heat. What feels better this year? Warriors losses on the road or Heat wins because they're already sinking in Golden State. They already hate each other. Like, it doesn't usually leak out of the locker room this early in a season.

[Dan Le Batard]

I mean, if we're being real about stuff, you're barely qualified to talk about the Miami Heat. You told us all calm down about the Norm Powell trip.

[Stugotz]

That's not true.

[Dan Le Batard]

No.

[Chris Cote]

Yeah.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, you did.

[Chris Cote]

Yes.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah. You said, like, you wanted the franchise to do something, and Norm Powell is what satiates you.

[Chris Cote]

That's what you said.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's what you said.

[Chris Cote]

You said it like that, too.

[Amin Elhassan]

Should have listened to Greg. He knew that was a good trade. Hello.

[Dan Le Batard]

This is the Dan Levatar show with the Stugats podcast.

[Stugotz]

Basketball is back, Jack in Miami, and it's been a minute since this particular feeling was here, where you get caught up in the emotions of, oh, you got hope and a overachieving underdog over here that was down for a year when Jimmy Butler was here. And then on the other side of the country, you've got the Golden State Warriors. And it's early for those whimpers to be coming out of a champion locker room when Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green are in that locker room. And what you just saw happen last night, as if you didn't see it with the championship last year, is, holy shit. One of those teams is old and one of those teams is young. And OKC is dragging the entire league, winning most of its games that way, except for the first couple that they took to overtime. And Golden State, I don't think they got old fast, but that's what old looks like, and that is a feisty, stubborn champion. So let's just get to some of this sound. Okay, let's get first to Jimmy Butler sound. This is awfully early in the season for any of this to already be happening. So here's Jimmy Butler after that game. Good luck with all of this, Golden State.

[Dan Le Batard]

Honestly, I think that the fight's not always there.

[Chris Cote]

You know, we're not making shots.

[Dan Le Batard]

Give us an out to not guard, whatever.

[Chris Cote]

Why, whatever reason that may be, we got to fight no matter what.

[Dan Le Batard]

You know, I think most of that fighting I'm talking about is on the.

[Chris Cote]

Defense that can stop, and he's just.

[Dan Le Batard]

Not playing hard, just not doing what.

[Chris Cote]

It really takes away.

[Stugotz]

How do you get that? How do you get that fight back?

[Dan Le Batard]

I don't know how to figure it out. Ah, the loud ambient hum of all the data centers they're building in that state.

[Stugotz]

They've lost at Portland, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Sacramento, Denver and OKC. Their starters last night combined for 45 points. Their starters last night. So compare that with now. Andrew Wiggins, for you guys. Criticism of my heat analysis. I thought Andrew Wiggins was brought here to be something like what Norman Powell has been. That's what I thought was coming, was. I thought that he was. I thought when they traded for Andrew Wiggins.

[Chris Cote]

Andrew against Andrew.

[Dan Le Batard]

Andrew Wiggins, the. The Former number one pick Andrew, the Canadian. That one.

[Chris Cote]

The one that was in Minnesota with Kat.

[Dan Le Batard]

The one.

[Chris Cote]

The one that Glenn Taylor said I'll give you the max but you have to promise to play harder.

[Dan Le Batard]

Surely you can't be.

[Chris Cote]

You thought he was going to come here like guys, I won a championship. Listen to me here. Hey, I'll help you young guy. You thought that was.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's not who he is. He must be thinking of a different one. There is a Wiggin. Yeah, there is another. That one.

[Chris Cote]

Another Oklahoma City. And he won. He won a championship too. So may what he meant.

[Stugotz]

Maybe I thought Andrew Wiggins was coming here to be a number one scorer and grow into the role the way he players do when they get somewhere, come from somewhere as underachievers. Yes, I believed. Am I an idiot for believing that that's why they traded for him and how they traded for him.

[Amin Elhassan]

They may have. That may have been why they traded for him last year. But I think they quickly realized Andrew Wiggins as your top scoring option is awful. And this year when Andrew Wiggins is like your fourth or fifth option, I like that guy.

[Chris Cote]

That's not why they traded for Andrew Wiggins.

[Stugotz]

All right, so here's Andrew Wiggins. So you can compare vibes between locker rooms here we're going to go back and forth. Here's Andrew Wiggins talking about the heats locker room.

[Dan Le Batard]

You know, even though having some guys out, you know, we're still able to do what we're doing because of the system we're in and the guys are all just stepping up and you know, doing it all collectively. You know, the coaches are doing a great job getting us in position to, you know, be successful and all the guys come in with that mentality that this is going to be a hard place to win, you know, Heat basketball. We're going to be physical. This is going to be a hard fought game the whole game.

[Stugotz]

So we're already going to start with the culture talk again. Right?

[Amin Elhassan]

Hard place to right now. It's an impossible place to win.

[Jeremy]

Undefeated at home. That.

[Amin Elhassan]

That's an impossible place to win.

[Stugotz]

I want to get to tonight's game against the Cavs. What the Cavs are doing is offensive. This part of basketball is offensive. They've got a home and home that's not even at their home.

[Amin Elhassan]

Second leg of home and home and.

[Stugotz]

They'Re not playing their key players and Donovan Mitchell's in Louisville last night and all of that is just not great. That nobody's respect regular season that way. The Cavs know they're good. They know they're going to make the playoffs. This is as easy as you can make it. It's four days in Miami.

[Chris Cote]

You don't.

[Stugotz]

You don't have to fly anywhere. You could just play two games in Miami. There's no reason for Donovan Mitchell to sit out this game when he's flying to Louisville.

[Amin Elhassan]

It's not a back to back.

[Chris Cote]

I mean, he wants to watch his alma mater play. Come on, guys. What is this stick in the mud stuff you guys are doing? He'll be back.

[Dan Le Batard]

Here's the. Here's the entire list of people that are apparently out for Cleveland.

[Amin Elhassan]

I didn't even know this.

[Dan Le Batard]

Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell. Donovan Mitchell's out for rest.

[Stugotz]

Oh, God.

[Dan Le Batard]

Evan Mobley, out for rest.

[Chris Cote]

Oh, my God.

[Dan Le Batard]

Max Strus, injured with a foot injury. Jalen TYSON, Larry Nance Jr. Why are people. Why are people out for rest when the NBA has done this thing that we typically haven't seen in its history where it's back to like the 1940s of travel. We're in town, we're going to treat it like a baseball series. So we're going to mitigate the travel issues. So you don't actually have to be out due to rest because you're not.

[Amin Elhassan]

Traveling and it's not even back to back.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, there's a day in between. You're staying in the same city. And to avoid the. The wear and tear that the travel day will put on a superstar's body, Donovan Mitchell says, I'm going to travel to Louisville.

[Chris Cote]

So it is a back to back because tomorrow they go home to go play Toronto. So there's. These guys are sitting on the front end of this. Back to back is basically what they're doing.

[Amin Elhassan]

All right, that's fair. But still, we're 11 games into the season. I mean.

[Chris Cote]

Yeah, I mean, I don't think that the rest and recovery thing is dictated by where we are in the city season. They're doing all sorts of biometrics measurements to know about load, and you feel like it's working.

[Amin Elhassan]

Guys are always hurt. You feel like that's working?

[Chris Cote]

No, I mean, I don't know. I don't know. I don't know if that's the reason why guys are always hurt or not, but guys are hurt, so their job.

[Dan Le Batard]

Is you buy tickets to the stars, play basketball.

[Stugotz]

I don't understand.

[Dan Le Batard]

This is dumb. This. The league has gone out of its way to schedule games like this to mitigate this, and teams are not listening.

[Chris Cote]

But they're on a back to back. Your point would be right. If they didn't have a back to back.

[Dan Le Batard]

But the back to back is tomorrow.

[Chris Cote]

So they're gonna sit one of them. They already showed. Here's the thing. If I'm Cleveland and you're telling me, hey, there are people in the city of Miami who would love to see the Cavs play, right? And it's like, okay, do I sit them out in Toronto where like, hey, we're there. Or in Miami where they already saw me two, two nights ago? If you're going to make the decision, if you're going to do Sophie's choice, the second Miami night is the one that you. You kick to.

[Dan Le Batard]

The basketball players literally spend all their free time playing basketball like they play like eight games during the summer.

[Jeremy]

Let me.

[Dan Le Batard]

This is so dumb.

[Amin Elhassan]

Let me ask you something. I mean, since you're someone who worked in an NBA office before, it's a back to back. You're right. I didn't realize that a front office.

[Stugotz]

Not just an office. It wasn't. Well, at the beginning it was just an NBA office.

[Chris Cote]

It wasn't even an office at the beginning.

[Stugotz]

But okay, so outside the room, it's not just an NBA.

[Amin Elhassan]

Did I say just an office? I didn't say front office.

[Stugotz]

Well, that's. Look, I would be totally fine if a means credentials was just graphically once worked in an NBA office. Yes, I would think that that's the way we should.

[Amin Elhassan]

That was the means to the world. I apologize.

[Stugotz]

It was a front office eventually.

[Amin Elhassan]

That's disrespectful. I mean, it's, it's. You got a back to back. It's the first night of a back to back. Also the second leg of a home and home at Miami. But anyway, it's neither here nor there. Why can't these players like Donovan Mitchell, like Evan Mobley, why can't they just play a second half tonight?

[Chris Cote]

The second half of the game?

[Amin Elhassan]

Yeah, why not? It's back to back. So they don't want to play. You don't want to play a whole game here and a whole game there. So why don't they just play the second half tonight? 20 minutes.

[Jeremy]

Why don't the numbers get affected?

[Amin Elhassan]

There you go. There you go.

[Stugotz]

Well, but also it's not efficient in any way. And you're not resting your body that day. If you have to play half of an NBA game. Playing 20 minutes in an NBA game might not be as hard as 40 minutes, but it's good. You're not going To. It's not going to be a rest day. It's. It's a crate.

[Amin Elhassan]

It shouldn't be a rest day.

[Dan Le Batard]

You have work.

[Stugotz]

What you're saying is a lunacy idea. Your idea makes no sense to get a player actual rest. What sense? You made that.

[Amin Elhassan]

Why do they have to rest? It's a work day.

[Stugotz]

But you made that point as if you were coming down with a genius idea.

[Amin Elhassan]

I think it is a good idea.

[Dan Le Batard]

The rest. That's what the day off is for. Yeah.

[Amin Elhassan]

This is a work day.

[Dan Le Batard]

They had veterans day off. They had, they had the day off. That's so they get the rest from playing basketball. They got that yesterday.

[Amin Elhassan]

Out of the whole year, 82 nights are workdays. Every other night's a rest day. All of them. So I'm even giving you a situation where you know what? Because you have two work days in. Oh, God forbid people are two work days in a row. Because you have two work days in a row. Maybe you only play the second half of the game tonight. So you do a half a work day.

[Chris Cote]

Why the second half?

[Amin Elhassan]

Well, because you want to have your.

[Dan Le Batard]

Good players early, say early release day.

[Stugotz]

Yeah, he's doing half day. He's giving.

[Chris Cote]

Why the second half?

[Jeremy]

You ever take a half a mental health day?

[Dan Le Batard]

Do the first half.

[Chris Cote]

Imagine if we had half a work day and we all had to show up at like 4 o' clock in the afternoon. That makes no sense.

[Dan Le Batard]

One star gets the first half, the other star gets the second half. Mobley, you sit out the second.

[Amin Elhassan]

But Chris is right. Chris is right. That's why it doesn't happen.

[Dan Le Batard]

You were wrong.

[Amin Elhassan]

I'm very rob.

[Dan Le Batard]

Innovative.

[Stugotz]

What you're suggesting, I can't wait till.

[Amin Elhassan]

A league listens to this and they all do it and I'm sitting here with a big smile on my face. I'm not going to do I told you so. But it'll be a small business.

[Dan Le Batard]

I know that.

[Amin Elhassan]

I was innovative.

[Stugotz]

What you suggesting is patently ridiculous. Okay? The second half of an NBA game is a very vigorous physical activity. Yeah, and, and when you say players are only working 82 days, that's not true. Travel days are work days. Their work days around here, they're work days in companies.

[Amin Elhassan]

My God, who cares? You sit on a plane, you play poker.

[Dan Le Batard]

Vigorous, you. Everybody's played basketball. Let's stop acting like it's a five round ufc.

[Stugotz]

Oh, but you guys keep making the basketball. You've played like it's the basketball they play.

[Chris Cote]

Me, that's not the one I get.

[Dan Le Batard]

Way more tired when I play basketball than when they do.

[Amin Elhassan]

I'm so tired when.

[Stugotz]

I mean, did this the other day with Tiger woods, his back surgeries and back pain. He's like, I've got back pain.

[Chris Cote]

I'm like, I do.

[Stugotz]

But you think your back pain is the same as Tiger Woods's back pain?

[Chris Cote]

It's pretty bad.

[Stugotz]

It's probably similar. No. Are you guys crazy? Swinging a golf club that way for that many years and needing seven surgeries to correct things?

[Chris Cote]

No.

[Stugotz]

His pain is worse than yours.

[Chris Cote]

But what's that? When Chris says, oh, I wouldn't take $200 million for that, I'm like, I already have that. Give me the 200 million.

[Dan Le Batard]

Just. It's basketball. No, we've all played it. It's not. It's. It's not work day.

[Chris Cote]

This is the.

[Jeremy]

I have a suggestion. He plays the first in the fourth quarter.

[Chris Cote]

Okay, this is getting worse. Are you guys getting worse at this?

[Stugotz]

Guys, they don't show up in the. At the gym with a bag of fast food. They're there for three hours beforehand to.

[Amin Elhassan]

Get their bodies right for that ankle taped. Wow.

[Chris Cote]

Guys, basketball is backjack. Let's talk about some more positive things. Like, did any of you guys hear Marv Albert do the soliloquy before the games yesterday? Oh, dude. Then it was. It brought all the chills, but also made me incredibly sad because I could hear in marvelous. His voice. He's old now. And that was. I wasn't ready for that. Like, he looks fine, by the way. He looks great that he's in.

[Stugotz]

Is he not in his 80s?

[Chris Cote]

He's old.

[Amin Elhassan]

Definitely in his 80s.

[Chris Cote]

Yeah, he's definitely in his 80s. But his voice, Dan, his voice ultimately just wasn't what it used to be. Even just reading the monologue, it took him a little bit of effort and you could hear his voice strain. Yes. And the vow in your face. Facial and almost spectacular move by Dan Lebatard.

[Dan Le Batard]

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[Stugotz]

Don Leslie, how you love that catchphrase. Bad news for opposing teams in the triple air stall Smiles till the bloods are clutch again. Clutch again. Clutch again.

[Amin Elhassan]

This is the Dan Levatar show with the stugats.

[Stugotz]

He's 84.

[Chris Cote]

I mean, no, he's.

[Jeremy]

He was born during the Holocaust. That's how old he is.

[Chris Cote]

Oh, my gosh. Marvelous.

[Amin Elhassan]

You know, marvelous. That was a long time ago.

[Jeremy]

Not the Holocaust.

[Stugotz]

He. For him to be able to survive his scandal and get back in the game at 84 because NBC is trafficking.

[Chris Cote]

What scandal?

[Amin Elhassan]

That was a long time ago, too.

[Chris Cote]

What scandal? What are you talking about?

[Stugotz]

People can look it up on the Internet.

[Amin Elhassan]

Long time ago.

[Stugotz]

As I was saying earlier, before we got derailed by. By shaking our fist at load management, I paired Jimmy Butler against Andrew Wiggins. Now let me pair Draymond Green. I remind you before I play this Draymond Green sound. This was a quote from Jimmy butler less than 30 days ago. San Francisco Chronicle quote. All that noise and chaos paid off in a major way. Everything starts off great, but then, you know, someone has to be the bad guy and it gets to be me. I'm always the one doing something unbearable all of a sudden. But being here, they've only got one goal. Ain't no hidden agendas. End quote. So I think Draymond here speaks to the idea of perhaps not hidden agendas. But not everyone in Golden State has the same agenda. I think everybody was committed to winning and doing that any way possible.

[Chris Cote]

And right now.

[Stugotz]

It doesn't feel that way.

[Dan Le Batard]

I mean, is that personal agenda type stuff or like, you know, I mean, I guess. How would you kind of.

[Stugotz]

I think everyone has a personal agenda in this league, but you have to make those personal agenda work in the team confines. And if it doesn't work, then you kind of got to get rid of your agenda or. Or eventually the agenda is the cause of someone getting rid of you.

[Chris Cote]

This is actually a very intelligent quote about the dynamics of basketball and the NBA in particular. Right? Basketball is five people trying to do their own thing, but trying to do it within the framework of we do it together as a team.

[Stugotz]

And this particular person, say what you will about him, selfishly does all of the things no one else wants to do on a basketball court. So is no matter what you think of Draymond Green is speaking from a position of authority, of what it is it takes to. To be a good teammate when you are someone like him who once scored 32 points in a Game 7 of the Finals.

[Chris Cote]

Yeah, I think Draymond more than any player that has problems, that they always have a, you know, like, oh, he has a temper issue, whatever. He always plays the right way. Like his basketball decision making. He doesn't take dumb shots. He doesn't like make wild passes for the most part. He's pretty astute at keeping his temper separate from his basketball decision making. What he's talking about there is absolutely correct. Everybody in the NBA has an agenda. No one's out here walking out here like, I just want selflessness. Everyone's got some sort of goal, but the idea is how do we make it all work within the same framework. It's not communism, right, where we're just. Everyone is an equal robot. But it's also not a free for all kind of laissez faire free market economy where everyone's just doing whatever the hell they want. There is a level of kind of like capitalistic tendencies within a socialist framework when you talk about basketball. And so what he's saying there is sometimes you want to do things and they help us win, and sometimes you want to do things and these things detract from our winning. And the idea is to minimize that and maximize the.

[Stugotz]

He is an authority here. Correct? Like he's viewed as a bad messenger. Cuz he's got a temper problem, but he's an authority. They've won championships with him as the furnace and fuel of play basketball correctly.

[Chris Cote]

And this is gonna be a bad timing keeping people accountable to that, holding people accountable to that. Right? Cuz that's really what this is about, right? When they're talking, they're talking. First of all, we know these guys. They're not passive aggressive people. So I'm pretty sure whoever they're talking about, it's not like what me? Like they know.

[Stugotz]

Jeremy, Jeremy's looking at you sideways. Do you think that Jimmy is passive aggressive?

[Jeremy]

I mean, did you witness the last year?

[Stugotz]

I think he's aggressive aggressive.

[Chris Cote]

Jeremy, when Jimmy doesn't like somebody, does he keep it to himself?

[Jeremy]

He doesn't keep it to himself to them. So that's fair that he wouldn't be passive aggressive within the locker room. But it's the. I mean, it's what the, what the words are in front of the media certainly are to specifically influence things you could argue to an agenda.

[Chris Cote]

Certainly, certainly. But my point is this. Whoever they're talking about, yes, they're speaking in a passive aggressive tone to the media, but the person they're talking about about has already received this message directly.

[Jeremy]

That's right.

[Dan Le Batard]

Throughout the history, throughout. They're talking about Kaminga. Throughout the history of Jimmy Butler's career, he finds a guy that he creates a cause around. And that's the reason why that, that approach is why we're not right in Chicago. He and Wade went off to their side and Rondo rallied the young guys. And that was the schism in Minnesota. Wiggins and Cat, these young guys, they. He finds these people down here. When Lowry got on the team and those two isolated and he had a Tyler hero and God bless Kevin Love for being the tie that binds. He was and brought those guys together for a little run. But he felt he had his problems with Tyler and probably Bam a little bit. And now he's done it again. He's done it again. Duncan was also in that crew. That's why he loved Max. Truce. He was so effusive in his praise of Max Drew. He knew what he was doing. Let's turn the two white guys against one another. That's what he was doing. The thing about the white shooters about.

[Jeremy]

Max is like Jimmy often does pick the right guys to be his guys. He wants the. The gamers. And Max is one of those guys.

[Amin Elhassan]

And I can tell the guy sucks.

[Jeremy]

Well, but that's part of it, right? Like there are personal relationships and then there are the guys that he singles out. He really like over here in Golden State. He loves Buddy Healed and he wanted to build up Buddy Healed. And I don't know whether or not that works out for them, but he, when he picks guys, it's with a specific reason of I think I can build you up over here. For that matter, he picked Nico Jovic because he wanted him to maximize what he had going on. But he definitely distanced himself from others. And when you're a leader of a team, you have to sink yourself into the human beings on your team to get the most out of them. That's what I think Bam was most frustrated with. When you look at the dynamics in that locker room.

[Stugotz]

Bam.

[Jeremy]

A guy who wants to sink himself into others. You see Khalil Ware have a bad game. Bam's in his ear, 20 rebounds the next night. And that's the type of leadership That I think is different. It doesn't mean he can't get the most out of his teammates. But it's different with Jimmy.

[Chris Cote]

And ultimately, when you talk about leadership, effective leadership, it's adjusting your leadership style to the person you're dealing with. Steve Kerr talks about this. He says, I coach Draymond different than I coach other people. Like with Draymond, at first, I was trying to be like the new age 21st century, hey, man, talk to me about your feelings. And he realized pretty quickly, from talking to Draymond and talking to Tom Izzo, no, Draymond just wants you to cuss him out and call him on his bullshit and be up in his face and scream and be like a domineering coach. That's what he responds to. But that doesn't mean Steve Kerr is going to coach Brandon Pajemski or Buddy Hield or Jonathan Kaminga the same way, because those guys have different receptors as far as the message. And it's on the leader to adjust it, because at the end of the day, it's not. The most important thing isn't that I get to communicate the way I want to. Most important thing is the. The message gets communicated.

[Stugotz]

The schisms. You guys talk about again and again what has happened with Jimmy Butler. We really celebrated old school around here. And you realize there's a generation of difference between. However it is that Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade were behaving in Chicago, or how Jimmy Butler interacted with younger people in Minnesota, or in the instance that we're talking about here, where you're singling out Kaminga. It's a generation of difference in attitude.

[Dan Le Batard]

I will say, though, I think he's right in the people that he's identifying in terms of people that are. Aren't necessarily doing the things necessary to help the team, even though his own actions, especially when they meet real adversity, kind of also work against the team's interest.

[Amin Elhassan]

Right?

[Chris Cote]

Like, so the idea is like, yes, he's never, like, misidentifying the guy who's not pulling their weight. But how do you get them to pull their weight? Do you go off on them and then just ignore them for the rest of time? Like, that's not an effective strategy. You're trying to build them up to get to that point. I think Karl Anthony Towns is an example of what he was in Minnesota. What he is now has grown. Players grow, players change. And Jimmy seems to have a way of kind of like, either here or there. And once you're on One side or the other. That's it.

[Stugotz]

Are you guys with me on the idea though, that we really celebrated 35 year old Jimmy Butler from a different time. Lumberjack guy when he was undressing 20 year old cat who was not yet a grown adult because he came out of Kentucky as a freshman and undressing isn't that bad. You understand what I'm saying though? Jimmy Butler with 13 years of difference is gonna what connection point with whatever Carl Anthony Towns is at that size, being the best shooter from the perimeter he's ever seen, While Jimmy's getting 16 free throws a game.

[Chris Cote]

Look, I'm like, like Jeremy said, it's. I'm not saying it's bad, right? Like I. And what. Especially in the context of Golden State, Draymond and any of those guys, when they do it, it's real. One of my favorite stories, I don't even remember if this was public or not, but when it's the kid in Philadelphia. Now I'm drawing a blank.

[Dan Le Batard]

Maxi McCain.

[Chris Cote]

No, no, no. The one that was in Golden State. Oubre. When Kelly Oubre was in Golden State and Clay was starting to come back and they were talking about, okay, so Kelly, you're gonna come off the bench. And Kelly started pounding, I'm not. I'm a starter. And they like. I think it was Clay that went. Someone went off on him in the locker room. Tell him, hey, man, you know what this place is? Do you know what we do here? Who are you to say I'm not coming off the bench? Andre Guadala, who was an all star, came off the bench for us. Who the hell are you? That's the type of locker room they are. They don't suffer the kind of. The immaturities of fools they will let you know immediately. And so what they're doing here, I'm not even certain. I'm not saying they're wrong. I'm not holding them accountable. The thing is, what we're. The only reason why we're talking about it here and why it's relevant to us is because that part of Jimmy, which can be useful at times, but other times destructive, was at the end of the time here just destructive, right? It was no longer useful.

[Dan Le Batard]

I think that the valid criticism of Jimmy is when he does identify that guy, he does very little, actually mend the fences. And it doesn't seem like there's really a path for the person that he's isolated in that way to work themselves back into the good graces.

[Chris Cote]

And then the juxtaposition of why we're talking about it specifically now is when you hear Wiggins and Norm Powell and all these guys talk and it's like, oh, this is. This feels amazing. But on some level, Jeremy, you know why it feels amazing? Because they appreciate it in a way that some other locker rooms. If you tried doing this kumbaya stuff, it would be taken for granted. And that's the problem in the NBA. You're always balancing, hey, we want people accountable, but also we don't want it to feel like a prisoner. But if you let it too loose, everyone's gonna do whatever they want.

[Jeremy]

The holidays really stress me out. I try to be a really good gift giver. And when you get toward this time of year, you keep thinking, oh, I have enough time. And overall, really, the holidays are stressful. But especially if you run a business, I see what you guys go through. It's like one minute you're planning a sale, next minute your website's crashing, your inventory's off and someone's dming you a discount code that expired in 2022. It's total chaos. That's why you need Shopify. It takes that holiday madness and turns it into Shopify powers millions of businesses. We're talking everyone from Mattel and Gymshark to the folks just getting started this Black Friday. You don't have to be a tech genius either. Shopify's got thousands of ready made templates, AI tools that write your product descriptions, even polish your photos and built in marketing tools to cut through the holiday noise. And that purple shop pay button, that's the secret sauce this Black Friday. Join the thousands of new entrepreneurs hearing for the first time with Shopify. Sign up for your free trial [e-mail] batard that's shopify.com batard B A T A R D. Go to shopify.com batard and make this Black Friday one to remember. What does Zyn give you? Not just smoke free nicotine satisfaction, but real freedom.

[Dan Le Batard]

Freedom to do what you love and.

[Stugotz]

Choose your reward rewards. With Zinn rewards, you can redeem points for premium tech, outdoor gear and gift cards to your favorite retailers.

[Jeremy]

Find your Zinn and keep finding rewards.

[Stugotz]

That fit your [e-mail] rewards warning.

[Dan Le Batard]

This product contains nicotine.

[Stugotz]

Nicotine is an addictive chemical.

[Dan Le Batard]

This show is sponsored by Better Help. So these days are just getting shorter, right? It's dark at like 4:35 o' clock now and I swear it's messing with me. And that's when it hits you.

[Stugotz]

You.

[Dan Le Batard]

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[Chris Cote]

Don LeBatard.

[Stugotz]

Teammates can't shoot from three.

[Chris Cote]

Now they're gonna see a different Jimmy now.

[Stugotz]

He's, he's just, just playing nickel back in the locker room and st.

[Chris Cote]

And.

[Stugotz]

Show threes as they chase the nets for the six seed. These five words in his head scream, are we winning games? Yeah.

[Amin Elhassan]

This is the Dan Levatar show with the stugats. All I'm saying is the vibes in Golden State look like and the vibes here in Miami about to take it. Tonight's second half of that home and home. Everybody's having a good time. You see that real leader, Norman Powell. That's a leader right there. That's a leader.

[Stugotz]

Let's get to the Norman Powell sound. Norman Powell is making the vibes feel very good in a very weak east. That Celtics don't do. That Sixers game was fun last night, but that's what the top of that conference is going to look like. And Cleveland resting all its players to get to the postseason against the Knicks. But here's, you know, here's the Heat trying to announce to everybody, no, we're going to get into this game at the top of the east. We're going to do it with team basketball that scores 140 points a game even though they're setting all of nine picks because everyone's just running around hanging from the rafters, throwing the ball at the shot clock and letting Khalil Ware dunk it.

[Jeremy]

What does it say about this team that you get different contributions in different moments every single game.

[Chris Cote]

I mean it just shows how deep we are.

[Dan Le Batard]

You know, the way we play fast up temple style.

[Chris Cote]

You know, everybody's pulling in the right.

[Dan Le Batard]

Direction, everybody's cheering each other on.

[Chris Cote]

You know, some nights is going to be my night, some nights it's not going to be my night.

[Dan Le Batard]

But we're cheering everybody on.

[Chris Cote]

We're playing super hard.

[Dan Le Batard]

We're picking each other up, man. And we're believing in it. We're believing in the system, we're believing in one another. And it shows when a game like this, when you need tough minded resilience, physical. Physicality and belief and execution and we're.

[Chris Cote]

Able to do that down the street.

[Stugotz]

I can't believe we're going to get more annoying as a heat show that grading like the Jeremy arriving with the smile. I can hear the, the smile on his face.

[Jeremy]

You can hear. It's like Pablo. You can hear the smile.

[Stugotz]

You can hear the smile talking. And he's happier than Norman Powell.

[Dan Le Batard]

He's good on television. Stop going at Jeremy. There's a reason why he's won an Emmy and I would say that this first, you know about that Emmy has been more national in scope.

[Chris Cote]

He said two Emmys in the background.

[Jeremy]

And this is not just. Just on the broadcast as you can hear.

[Chris Cote]

This is to the arena.

[Jeremy]

What does it say about this team that you get different contributions in different moments every single game?

[Dan Le Batard]

I mean, great question. Hard hitting.

[Chris Cote]

Good question.

[Stugotz]

The side of his lips are attached to his eyebrows like I, I think he is smiling. He is speaking through a mouth that's not moving because the top of his lips are over his ears.

[Jeremy]

What does it say about this team that you get different contributions in different moments every single game?

[Chris Cote]

There's a leading question and then there's grabbing someone by their wrist and pulling them with you. Come here. Come here to this thing.

[Dan Le Batard]

I want. That's the job. Jeremy is as good as anyone at that job. Anyone is. It's really like a testament to how that skill does not translate on radio.

[Jeremy]

What does it say about this team?

[Stugotz]

He is so. What does it say about this team?

[Chris Cote]

Chris, you're not smiling enough. Happier. Damn it.

[Stugotz]

Happier about this team. You have got such a future as Mario Lopez in every hotel.

[Jeremy]

Oh, my God. Thank you. I hope so.

[Dan Le Batard]

That is the highest of the high praise.

[Jeremy]

But I would love to host a game show.

[Stugotz]

Put it on the poll at Le Batard show.

[Dan Le Batard]

Just deliver the game.

[Stugotz]

Is it really a hotel experience if Mario Lopez is in Shilling your movies. What does it say about this team on the television?

[Chris Cote]

Then real quick, you know what's going to happen? Like, five years from now, he's actually gonna have that job. And everyone's gonna say, remember when Jeremy was on the Levitard show? Yeah. I hated him then, and now I miss him. He's awesome.

[Stugotz]

We do it witty, like Whittingham, and exactly like Whittingham. You were genuinely moved. For those of you who do not know that Amin is a grizzled veteran. No more grizzled than he is today. After many years of battering in the NBA offices, worked in an NBA office that weren't in the front, and then finally getting to a front office. I would imagine your love of basketball is so giant that you often get moved by little acts of teamwork that you see or an organization working well. But even I was surprised to see how excited you were. Of all the excitable people here about the Heat. Just watching Wiggins watch his shot at a buzzer dunk, which you hardly ever see in the sport, to make the vibes feel even better around Miami because they beat what is one of the best teams, if not the best team in the east, at the buzzer, playing that way, scoring 140 points. Why were you moved by this? What? I have not seen this video.

[Chris Cote]

It's. I don't know. You know, it's weird, Dan. The things that resonate with me are so odd and varied. I don't even. Sense of pattern. It's just something wholesome about. Yeah.

[Amin Elhassan]

You could tell that it's real joy.

[Chris Cote]

It's real joy, but also a real, like, fascination. Yeah. With. Oh, let me see. The. I don't even know what happened.

[Amin Elhassan]

He's legitimately interested.

[Chris Cote]

He's interested in what he's watching and kind of the vibe. And then watch Norm pal at the end of this video. All right, walk me through that, man.

[Dan Le Batard]

Hell of a. Hell of a play by the coaches. Crazy pass by New York. Greatest Canadian of all time right here. Yeah.

[Chris Cote]

Let's go.

[Dan Le Batard]

Wig.

[Jeremy]

Shout out.

[Stugotz]

Funny man.

[Amin Elhassan]

Norman Powell loves to crash an interview.

[Jeremy]

He's a vibes guy.

[Chris Cote]

So the. To the listening audience, basically, it's Andrew Wiggins watching on the social media manager's phone the play that just happened. They're walking down the championship alley. Is that what it's called?

[Stugotz]

But the arena has exploded. Andrew Wiggins is. Is coming off of what will be one of the greatest feelings of his to make that shot at the buzzer.

[Chris Cote]

Yes. And so he's watching it. Haquez is coming in saying, oh, greatest Canadian of all time. And then you hear Norm Powell literally kind of just crash the interview, jump up on him. It's such a great moment of joy and also like a reflection of what just happened. Whereas usually, Dan, when you ask guys, it's a very dead kind of answer, like, yeah, well, you know, coach drew up a great play and, you know, Mitchell set a great back screen and I just tried to make a play at the rim him. Instead it's like, no, this is acknowledging, oh, that was cool. And his teammates are all happy for him.

[Amin Elhassan]

The league MVP is Canadian.

[Chris Cote]

And, well.

[Dan Le Batard]

He called him the greatest Canadian ever. That, well, the best player in the league is Canadian. It's not.

[Stugotz]

It's not Andrew Wiggins. He's right about that.

[Chris Cote]

That's why he brought him in.

[Jeremy]

Is Maple Jordan.

[Stugotz]

So the bad nickname, the idea that. That feeling. Right. I don't imagine there are many like it. And I wanted to get a means analysis on this because I was confused even as Jeremy was talking about it yesterday. It couldn't have been that the Cavs assistant coaches didn't know what they were doing at the end of that game.

[Amin Elhassan]

It seemed like it.

[Chris Cote]

No, but.

[Stugotz]

But I'm, I'm, I'm asking, I mean, from somebody who understands how much work goes into winning these little games in the tiniest of margins. There are very few things that coaches have control over once they're all control freak. And there's very little control you have once the basketball is out there because things happen. Okay? These control freaks know that they control very little, but the time they most control it is out of a timeout. Right out of a timeout. Defensively, 4, 10 of a second. This is, to me, the easiest of things. Like, you just. You can't botch it like that. It looked like the assistants didn't know what they were doing with Kenny Atkinson ejected. It can't be that, right?

[Chris Cote]

I'm not going to put it on the coaching staff at all because this is not a young team. This is not a juvenile team. These guys are vets. They played in playoffs. They played a playoff series. They've been deep in the playoffs. There are certain things that happen on that play that are NBA cardinal truths. I don't need to tell you, you're in the NBA. You've been here long enough. You should know. Number one, short clock situations. We switch everything. We switch everything. We switch everything. It doesn't matter. Oh, it wasn't that much of a Screen doesn't matter. Switch everything. Number two, time in school, a two pointer beats you. A three pointer beats you as well. But a two pointer beats you. So we don't want to give up the easy thing. Right? Which is what? At the rim. So when you get hit with that back screen, Number one, you didn't switch. Number two, you didn't dip. Was it almost a moving pick? Oh, it was an awful pick.

[Amin Elhassan]

Like, I've seen that called before.

[Jeremy]

I've seen that call.

[Chris Cote]

He slid, tackled. He looked like a soccer player out there. No, it was. It was an awful pick.

[Amin Elhassan]

Did they call that in, like the. The women's championship? Right, right.

[Chris Cote]

So. So that's. So that's one they don't switch to. No one dips to protect the rim. But then number three, and this one. Evan Mobley, you're the defensive player of the year. KYP is an NBA saying. It stands for know your personnel. Right. You're guarding Jaime haquez, a career 31% three point shooter who's shooting 27% from three this season. There's 0.4 seconds left. And by the way, not the quickest release in the world. Who cares? I hope they pass it to him. Even if hakus is shooting 39% from three this season, his release is so slow, there's no chance he gets it off in point four.

[Amin Elhassan]

They should have been so okay with giving up a three point.

[Chris Cote]

As soon as Hawkeye starts to go out to the corner, Moby's gonna be like, bye, bye. I'm gonna stay right here in the paint. Yep, I'm gonna stay right here in the paint. And so to me, that's not. Conversations that the assistant coaches should have to go through. Now, had they gone through it, maybe guys would have remembered better, but it's like, no Sam Merrill, no Evan Mobley. You guys should know better. That's an execution thing.

[Amin Elhassan]

Why would you have a six foot four guy, Donovan Mitchell, guarding the inbounds pass? How does that help? You're playing four and five there.

[Chris Cote]

I mean, look. You know what's funny? I always think about why don't they put the biggest guy. Or you talk about turn his back and just play. Because you don't. You don't want a clean look. You don't want a clean look, but also you.

[Amin Elhassan]

But a 6 foot 4 guy's a clean look.

[Stugotz]

There's no such. I mean, I mean, look, I honestly, honestly do not think that in that situation there is any chance that anyone can physically get a good shot off in 4/10 of a second. Anybody on earth? Maybe Steph Curry. But four tenths of a second from any spot on the court. The idea that you would allow anything at the rim because you're guarding against the possibility that any Heat player who has ever played, maybe Ray Allen, can get a shot off in 4, 10 of a second. That's a good shot.

[Chris Cote]

410 of a second is definitely enough time to get off a shot. If you have a release that's quick, doesn't have to be Ray Allen, Steph Curry quick, but just relatively quick. So, for instance, Norm Powell, who is the dummy in the. The not dummy. Excuse me, why you call him that? The decoy. I'm sorry? The decoy of the play, Right? They ran elevator doors. So he's zipper cutting up. And when he comes out, the idea is that, like, oh, they're going to give it to Norm Powell, because Norm Powell does have a quick enough release. Except for the fact it's a tied game. Why would Norm Powell be shooting from 24ft when it's a tied game? We're trying to get something that's a point, a score, anywhere, shout out to zaz a score, right? So that's another thing where you as a player, you've just got to know, oh, he's going up, like, all right, man. Valle con Dios. I'm not going to be worried about him. 24ft versus someone at the basket.

[Stugotz]

Did the Heat feel this good at the end of the game? Hello. Did Wiggins feel this good after the game? Hello? Did the greatest of the Canadian basketball players feel this good after the game?

[Chris Cote]

Hello.

[Dan Le Batard]

I sure did.

[Stugotz]

Yeah. Well, we know that we can hear the smile on your face.

[Chris Cote]

Hello.

[Stugotz]

Disgusting.

[Dan Le Batard]

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[Stugotz]

Cuervo. Anytime someone says Cuervo, I show up.

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, I do know that to be true. But even during ad reads like Cuervo, I think you could lay out, especially.

[Stugotz]

For one of our great partners, sweet, delicious Cuervo.

[Dan Le Batard]

Since then, Cuervo has stayed true to its roots. The same family, the same land, the same passion.

[Stugotz]

Cuervo.

[Dan Le Batard]

So enjoy the tequila that started it all. Cuervo. Cuervo, the tequila that invented tequila. Roximo. Cuervo.com, please drink responsibly.

[Stugotz]

Cuervo.