Local Hour: The McFlurry Machine Metaphor

Summary

The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Episode: Local Hour: The McFlurry Machine Metaphor
Release Date: April 2, 2025

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1. Game Analysis: Nuggets vs. Timberwolves

Jokic's Incredible Performance

The hosts dive deep into Nikola Jokic's astonishing performance in the double-overtime game between the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Jokic not only scored 61 points but also achieved a triple-double, showcasing his versatility and dominance on the court.

Dan Le Batard [02:43]:
"Jokic was unconscious, but I don't know... He's insane. All the shots in the paint look like their mistakes, but they always somehow go in. He's incredible."

Russell Westbrook’s Strategic Play

Russell Westbrook's temperate approach is highlighted, emphasizing his decision-making in crucial moments. The discussion focuses on Westbrook deferring to Jokic and his relentless motor, which often leads to pivotal plays.

Billy Gil [04:02]:
"Russell Westbrook smokes the layup rather than dribbling the ball out to get fouled up by one. But he doesn't give up. Russ always has motor."

2. NBA Playoffs: Stakes and Strategies

The conversation shifts to the significance of each game as the playoffs approach. Both the Nuggets and Timberwolves are under immense pressure to perform, with Denver chasing Houston for playoff seeding and Minnesota aiming to climb the standings tied with Memphis.

Stugotz [05:37]:
"Denver's chasing Houston for the two seat and the right to not play whoever's six, which is probably going to be the Warriors."

3. Tanking in the NBA: Problems and Potential Solutions

Current Tanking Issues

A significant portion of the episode addresses the contentious issue of tanking in the NBA. The hosts express frustration over teams that may be intentionally underperforming to secure better draft picks, citing the Philadelphia 76ers as a primary example.

Chris Cody [23:07]:
"The NBA is the league of Tankers, if there's such a thing. There's no other league where I feel like it makes more sense to tank than in NBA because the value of a player like that is so huge."

Proposed Solutions

The discussion explores various strategies to mitigate tanking, such as restructuring incentive systems to discourage teams from losing intentionally while still maintaining competitive integrity.

Stugotz [26:08]:
"The point isn't that the incentive to lose is too great. It's that it's not greater than the incentive to win."

Case Study: Philadelphia 76ers

The 76ers' strategy is scrutinized, especially their recent trades and player rotations that suggest a pivot towards securing draft assets rather than striving for immediate success.

Chris Cody [29:06]:
"The problem is, as you said, the incentive does not match, right? I think Philadelphia is a bad example because they are specifically in a weird spot where they wanted to win."

4. Player Spotlight: Aaron Gordon and His Evolution

Aaron Gordon's development is a focal point, with particular attention to his apparent improvement in shooting, contrasting with previous perceptions of his limitations.

Chris Cody [06:07]:
"I was shocked at how many big shots Aaron Gordon hit big threes. They pushed him as a number one in Orlando."

5. Team Dynamics and Roster Construction

Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves

The dynamics between star players and the overall team construction are analyzed, highlighting how teams balance talent and strategic planning to enhance their playoff prospects.

Stugotz [14:29]:
"They have a legitimate chance. Yes. Are there obstacles? Hell, yes, there are obstacles in that way."

Oklahoma City and the Role of Draft Picks

The interplay between maintaining draft picks and managing player salaries is discussed, shedding light on how teams like Oklahoma City navigate these challenges to build competitive rosters.

Stugotz [27:53]:
"They owe a pick to Oklahoma City. Do you know why they owe that pick?"

6. Lighthearted Banter and Anecdotes

Amidst the serious discussions, the hosts engage in humorous exchanges about everyday topics, such as malfunctioning McDonald’s McFlurry machines, adding a relatable and entertaining layer to the episode.

Stugotz [34:24]:
"Chris, you ever been to McDonald's and they told you the McFlurry machine wasn't working? Hate that."

7. Closing Thoughts on Tanking and Game Integrity

The episode concludes with a robust debate on whether tanking diminishes the quality of NBA games. The consensus leans towards the belief that tanking negatively impacts the sport, advocating for measures to ensure every game remains competitive and meaningful.

Chris Cody [35:49]:
"You're constructing the roster. You have games that are non-competitive that no one cares about."

Stugotz [35:02]:
"The only reason why people are talking about it this year is because there's a guy who's coming out that everyone is tantalizing over."

Notable Quotes with Attribution and Timestamps

• Dan Le Batard [02:43]:
  "Jokic was unconscious, but I don't know... He's insane. All the shots in the paint look like their mistakes, but they always somehow go in. He's incredible."

• Billy Gil [04:02]:
  "Russell Westbrook smokes the layup rather than dribbling the ball out to get fouled up by one. But he doesn't give up. Russ always has motor."

• Chris Cody [23:07]:
  "The NBA is the league of Tankers, if there's such a thing. There's no other league where I feel like it makes more sense to tank than in NBA because the value of a player like that is so huge."

• Stugotz [26:08]:
  "The point isn't that the incentive to lose is too great. It's that it's not greater than the incentive to win."

• Chris Cody [29:06]:
  "The problem is, as you said, the incentive does not match, right? I think Philadelphia is a bad example because they are specifically in a weird spot where they wanted to win."

• Stugotz [34:24]:
  "Chris, you ever been to McDonald's and they told you the McFlurry machine wasn't working? Hate that."

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Conclusion

In this episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, the hosts deliver a comprehensive analysis of current NBA dynamics, focusing on standout performances, the high stakes of playoff races, and the pervasive issue of tanking. Through engaging discussions, humorous anecdotes, and insightful commentary, Dan Le Batard and Stugotz provide listeners with a multifaceted perspective on the evolving landscape of professional basketball.

Transcript

[Dan Le Batard]

Now's a good time to remember where tequila's story truly began. In 1795, Cuervo invented tequila.

[Stugotz]

Cuervo.

[Dan Le Batard]

What are you doing here?

[Chris Cody]

Cuervo?

[Stugotz]

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.

[Chris Cody]

Cuervo.

[Dan Le Batard]

So enjoy the tequila that started it all.

[Chris Cody]

Cuervo.

[Dan Le Batard]

Cuervo, the tequila that invented tequila. Roximo. Cuervo.com Please drink responsibly.

[Chris Cody]

Cuervo. This is the Dan Levator show with the Stugats podcast. All right, we back for game three.

[Stugotz]

There we go.

[Chris Cody]

Little change to the starting lineup. Our man Hawkins is gone for the day. He might be back later in the week. He wasn't benched.

[Stugotz]

It's a little.

[Chris Cody]

It's a dmp. Well, the voice that you hear is the replacement for Hawk.

[Stugotz]

They called in the left hander.

[Chris Cody]

They called in the lefty.

[Stugotz]

Not even lefty. That's the crazy part.

[Chris Cody]

It is Mr. Elhassan the dream himself. You. You've been walking around with a lot of confidence around here.

[Stugotz]

Do you know that nickname?

[Chris Cody]

No. I mean, it's always a nickname. It rhymes. That's the right nickname to go.

[Stugotz]

That was my nickname when I worked for the Suns, man.

[Chris Cody]

Right? Yeah. I mean, the Dream, right?

[Amin Elhassan]

Yeah.

[Chris Cody]

I mean, that's it.

[Stugotz]

Or Dreamer. These dreamers.

[Chris Cody]

So we got Dreamer in here. No Mike Ryan today. Billy's back. Chris Cody, who's been the Rock. Big Red, the Rock is here. And the return of Smetty Wap. We also got my man Charlie, who at some point. So a couple of things we're gonna get into today. Charlie and I went on a gallivant last night with some friends. One of our friends was kidnapped. I heard a about a lunatic strength coach. That happened last night. What else happened last night, Charlie? That was crazy. We don't have to get into the story specifically, but we can tease them for later.

[Billy Gil]

I feel like you think less of me now.

[Stugotz]

Damn. No, no.

[Chris Cody]

I just got to know you more. Like multitudes, everybody has these stories.

[Stugotz]

Did Charlie have a Sam Rockwell and White Lotus type of night?

[Billy Gil]

No.

[Stugotz]

No. I don't know.

[David Sampson]

I heard that yesterday's show was a lot of sports talk. And I heard that the series is even right now. But yesterday' show was a run the ball day. Sort of like Ground and pound. Like, let's. Let's tie it up the. The ugly way.

[Stugotz]

Yeah.

[David Sampson]

And today is going to be like a. We're feeling good. We're going to kind of play our. Our style ball. Now, is that.

[Chris Cody]

Is that what I. I mean, we got to see what the defense gives us.

[David Sampson]

We're not desperate enough for a flea flicker. You can save that for maybe Thursday or Friday.

[Stugotz]

Started. You start the game off, let them.

[Chris Cody]

Know we got John Fantas coming on later in the show to talk to us about the tournament. So that's a run the ball situation. We got David Sampson, which is always fun. I love David Sampson. He makes me seem he's the best. But I think at some point we're going to get to Steph Curry hitting a ridiculous amount of threes. But I think we got to start with what Jokic did last night in double overtime, a 61 point triple double. He's insane. All the shots in the paint look like their mistakes, but they always somehow go in. He's incredible. The passing. And I was watching the highlights of that game this morning because it was on way too late for me, but Charlie was still up. He couldn't sleep because he's a yokish head.

[Billy Gil]

Yeah, I mean, got home and it was double overtime against the Timberwolves. Jokic was unconscious, but I don't know. I mean, I wonder what you think about this, too. Is the lead for you, Jokic, or Russell Westbrook, who we've talked about all year, temperate? Well, he's tempered his rust. He's deferred to Jokic in seemingly every big moment to the point where he's almost overpassing. And then with 17 seconds left, the Wolves turn it over. Russell Westbrook smokes the layup rather than dribbling the ball out to get fouled up by one. But he doesn't give up. Russ always has motor. And he fouls to kill Alexander Walker with 0.1 seconds left after complaining for a call.

[Stugotz]

I don't know if you guys saw the reverse angle after he smokes the layup, he just stands there and sits in it for a little bit as action is going. They're playing and he's just like, yeah, I might have just blown that game. And then he gets the idea like, I don't make up for this. And he runs. And the craziest part is watching the TNT broadcast when the foul happens. They're like, oh, my God, there's a foul on the buzzer. And they just centered in on Peyton Watson going Like this. And I was like, oh, Peyton, man. Like, come on, buddy, you gotta earn your spot. You can't make mistakes like that in the clutch. And then I showed the replay like that wasn't him. Why you guys focused on him? Cause he looked shocked. I'm sure everybody looked shocked on the team. Why you gonna focus on him?

[Chris Cody]

It was a cagey vet. The guy who's been there, been in all the moments. The guy who was accustomed to being blamed for teams coming short of their championship expectations. Well, obviously last night wasn't a championship moment. It felt like a playoff level game. It was one of the better games of the season so far with the. The Nuggets taking on the Wolves.

[Stugotz]

And I don't know if you know this. The playoffs have already started. Yeah, in the NBA, the playoffs have already started. All of these games have stakes. Every single game has stakes. And so there's no, well, we just get them next week or whatever. Like, everyone needs to win. Denver's chasing Houston for the two seat and the right to not play whoever's six, which is probably going to be the Warriors. And so this was an incredibly important game for them. At the same time for the Timberwolves, they're trying to move up and they're now tied with Memphis for 6, 7. They lose a tiebreaker. But everybody was playing for something, and that's what made that game so incredible and so compelling.

[Chris Cody]

Both those games, really, those games are particularly interesting and those guys are playing for something. There are some teams in the league that are playing to lose also. But I'm not going to get negative into tanking. At some point, I think I got to solve for tanking. We're going to get to that later. But I do appreciate the fact that we're at a point in the season where all the games matter and we're locked in. They're playing hard. You go double overtime. Steph is doing Steph things. And in that particular game, the thing that stood out to me was I was shocked at how many big shots Aaron Gordon hit big threes. And I was like, let me look up. Because that was always the thing on Aaron Gordon was like he couldn't be a number one in part because of his ability. Well, I mean, you looked at me like I was stupid. They pushed him as a number one in Orlando. Don't act like they did.

[Billy Gil]

He can't be a number two in a playoff team.

[Chris Cody]

Don't act like they did try to trick us into being Aragor being number one.

[Stugotz]

They wasn't tricking us. They were doing the thing that you do, and you invite people over, and all you have is, like, this futon from Ikea. And we're like, yeah, I just got these. This new cushion right here, these new seat cushions just to spruce it up a little bit. And you're like, oh, wow. Yeah, that's really nice, man. It really brings color out. But, like, we all know, like, damn, bro, you broke. You broke. That was happening.

[Chris Cody]

I was setting this up to be a compliment to Aragorn. That's not what I meant. I set it up improperly.

[Greg Cote]

What kind of furniture is yic?

[Stugotz]

Oh, man, that's a sectional with the. With the USB plugs in them. O right.

[Chris Cody]

And cup holders.

[Stugotz]

And the cup holders. And that little, like, that pocket thing where I could put my remote control in.

[Greg Cote]

It's honestly doing too much, that couch.

[Stugotz]

What? Huh?

[Greg Cote]

I don't need it all. I don't need an outlet. I was.

[Dan Le Batard]

What?

[Stugotz]

Oh, man. You know how many times I have to reach over? I got to charge my phone. Hold on.

[Greg Cote]

Like, you guys aren't on the portable charger game.

[David Sampson]

I'm in the portable couch. In.

[Greg Cote]

I don't do the thing from the couch anymore. Those things are bad. Like a hazard. A month in, they're not even working anymore.

[Stugotz]

Oh, for real? I don't have one.

[Greg Cote]

I have a My couch.

[Stugotz]

So this is what.

[Greg Cote]

I had, like a charger thing plugged in and, like, I was into it. Then two months later, it just stopped working.

[Stugotz]

So this is what this is. This is really just you railing against the furniture salesman who bench over a barrel and show you.

[Greg Cote]

But I do like the portable charger. My wife is. My wife has like 50 of these things. So now, like, I rarely even use the wall chargers anymore. I just. I'm walking around with my portable charger, and then when I leave the house, I plug the portable charger.

[Stugotz]

You know what I don't like about the portable charger? I gotta charge it.

[Greg Cote]

Yeah.

[David Sampson]

I'm guessing Chris's wife does that.

[Greg Cote]

Yeah.

[Chris Cody]

You want a solar portable charger?

[Stugotz]

Yeah, I mean, just something like maybe like dynamic or something like kinetic energy.

[Chris Cody]

You could run. You could run down to see shake it up. Speaking of running, Taylor, he might get embarrassed today because I walked in this morning and that fool Taylor was imip. I don't know if you know about this. I mean, but yesterday, yeah, yesterday Taylor was out here popping a little. A little, Talking a little cash to me. Like he could beat me in a race. And I was like, I'm not trying to race because I don't want to get injured like my guy at the Hawks game. Yeah, I don't. I don't want to get injured like my guy at the Hawks game. But anyway, I walk in here, and Taylor looking at me like. Like I'm a. I'm a kid. Like, yeah, look, relax, Kelvin Sampson. You can't run with me. Chill out, Young Tay Tay. And then, so he's sizing me up. So I'm sizing him up. And I have even more confidence after I sized him up. Cause I didn't check out like, we saw his shoulders and arms. But today he was looking at me like he wanted to race me, so I. I had to check out the engine. Taylor ain't got no donk. He can't run. He ain't got no engine. He don't got no cakes. You can't fly if you ain't got no cakes. I'm sorry. This is uncomfortable. I don't mean to objectify you, Taylor, but I know this from when I was being scouted. The. The coaches and the scouts take your ass first. Yeah.

[Stugotz]

They said they start.

[Chris Cody]

I remember my dad.

[Stugotz]

Turn around, boy.

[Chris Cody]

My dad wasn't a very good athlete, but he obviously was very involved in me getting recruited. And I went to, like, my first combine when I was in a sophomore in high school, and the coaches were standing next to my dad, like, man, yeah. I mean, he's going to be a good player. He's explosive, and he got real nice hips. And I remember my dad was like, you know, what school you not going to? That one. He talking about how you got nice hips. I. No, dad, it means, like, I turn well or whatever. He was very confused.

[Stugotz]

No, no, no, Your dad was right. Anyone compliments my child's hips? Yeah, we're ending that conversation right then and there.

[Chris Cody]

I mean, that's a football thing you'll hear. If you listen to draft stuff, you hear a hip. I'm sure you hear even worse.

[Stugotz]

Here's the thing.

[Chris Cody]

What's the worst thing?

[Stugotz]

You know, here's the thing. 98% of the time, you're probably right. It was just a football remark. But then there's that 2%, right? Do you really want to risk that 2%? And then everyone will be like, well, the man did tell you he was calming the hips. And you were like, yeah, thanks. Instead of doing something. No, you can't take that. You cannot. It reminds me, I watched that docu series about all the things that were happening at Nickelodeon behind the scenes of those Poor children or whatever. And one of the kids, his dad was really kind of involved and it was like, no. Always picking him up, always on top of things. Then he ended up having a divorce and the mom was getting custody and the mom was fully into the Hollywood mom life and just dropping the kid off and leaving them be. And so years later, the scandal comes out. Man, these kids got, you know, messed with or whatever. And the dad is watching the news with his son and he's like, man, see, I'm glad I kept you away from all of them. Turned out his son was one of them. Yeah. So, like, you don't want to be that dad thinking like, oh, yeah, I did everything right.

[Chris Cody]

And then, yeah, my dad stood in the way. And I did not go there to school. Not because of that, but I think that it's. Part of it is that you. You're probably right. But I have been around football so much that some of the lingo in football is comfortable to me. I wonder what the basket. Because y'all ain't better than us.

[Stugotz]

Wait, did. Did you go? Was that Penn State or is it. That workout was.

[Chris Cody]

No, it was not.

[Stugotz]

That's a Sandusky joke, folks. That's right. That's how we doing it. Flea flicker. We started this game with a flea flicker.

[Chris Cody]

Oh, man.

[Stugotz]

The basketball equivalent.

[Chris Cody]

Yeah. Is there a basketball equivalent terminology? Because that was definitely. We talked about high hips, loose hips, nice hips. There's. But conversations always. But conversation. Football, because that's where your power is from.

[Stugotz]

Yeah.

[Chris Cody]

And speed. There's like, yeah, he's got, he's got a good, good. But you can hear coaches say that.

[Greg Cote]

Same in baseball, like all the power from hitting. Yeah, baby, right here.

[Chris Cody]

There's no basketball equivalent. You guys are too evolved for that. You are the most progressive sport.

[Stugotz]

They say, yeah, well, you know, we don't objectify our players. Got a nice personality, that kid. That's what we say.

[Chris Cody]

A hard working fella.

[Stugotz]

Also got nice open hips.

[Chris Cody]

Open hips. Okay. So open isn't objectifying, do you believe? So watching Steph and the Warriors. Well, in the warriors is the right way to. To phrase it after last night. Steph went for 52, 10, 8 and 5 with 12 threes versus Memphis. I've been hesitant to accept the fact that Jimmy Butler has taken this team to being a legitimate title contender. But I have the dream here, a real NBA expert, to let me know, should I be serious, because I know they're better. I know they're not. They're going to be a tough Out. But I have a hard time convincing myself that they haven't. They actually have a chance to win another title this year. Should I be. Should I. Should I change my opinion on that?

[Stugotz]

They have a chance. Change your opinion if they have a chance.

[Chris Cody]

I mean, they obviously have a chance.

[Stugotz]

I mean, I'm not talking about like a mathematical chance. In the same way the Timberwolves have a chance of winning championship. They have a legitimate chance. Yes. Are there obstacles? Hell, yes, there are obstacles in that way. And chief among them is they don't have a lot of size, right? Like, they're playing Quinton Post, who before this season, no one even had heard that name before. They're playing Trace Jackson. Davis has fallen out of the rotation to some extent. Kevon Looney is 700 years old and yet somehow not 30.

[Chris Cody]

I don't believe he's got 700 year old knees.

[Stugotz]

It would appear old and young at the same time.

[Billy Gil]

Doesn't have open hips.

[Chris Cody]

No, them hips close early. His hips close early. They are not 24 hours.

[Stugotz]

Then, then. And then you got Draymond and Jimmy Butler playing undersized, pretty much. Which. They're all tough and they, you know, they. They bring some to the table, but at some point you run into someone who's just big and. And when you look at the Western Conference, that's it. Whether it's Jokic or, you know, Chet. Chet Holmgren and, And Isaiah Hartenstein or even someone like Shingoon, right? Like, you're gonna have problems. You're gonna have to see one of those guys on the ascent, maybe even multiple. And are they. You're saying, okay, my guys are tough enough and smart enough and experienced enough. Because a lot, A lot of people don't realize guys like Moses, Moody and Kaminga, like, they won a championship too. They've been around. I just. I don't know. I'm not. I don't know enough to say, oh, no, no, you're nuts. But also not like, yeah, man, put it all on the Warriors.

[Chris Cody]

This is so. One of the things about the NBA that people complain about is how the style of play has become a bit homogenous. But I can say when you look at the Western Conference, it does feel like there's some, like, eclectic roster constructions. That is kind of interesting to see those things clash. Like, from what the Timberwolves have to the Warriors. Like, is there a chance that the warriors could small ball their way past some of these teams? Because, like, that is always the hang up for the warriors. Or excuse me, not for the warriors, for the Timberwolves, or for a Gobert centered team is like, is he gonna get taken off the floor? The Thunder, I guess, like, Chet can run well enough and they're so damp.

[Stugotz]

The Thunder is the perfect team. It's like you talk about. You're right. There are a bunch of, like, every team I look in the west, like, yeah, what about this? What about that? Look at the Thunder. I'm like, nah, y'all got it, man. Like, I. I have no notes.

[Chris Cody]

I mean, the. The criticism, I guess, that I've heard about the Thunder and is, you could let me know if this is accurate or not. Is very reliant on one specific player who is also very reliant on the referees blowing the whistle in certain situations. Right.

[Stugotz]

I wouldn't say he's reliant. I think he plays a way that makes it very hard to guard him.

[Chris Cody]

Right.

[Stugotz]

Right. And either you're going to give up a shot that you don't feel comfortable giving up, or you're going to foul. Right? So. Well, it's not. But it always drives me insane when people are like, oh, the refs. Like, no, he's getting fouled.

[Chris Cody]

Right.

[Stugotz]

He's getting fouled because he plays at a pace. And if you think about all the guys that are great at drawing fouls, that are not, like Giannis, that are.

[Chris Cody]

Just because talking about sga, Alexander, Shay.

[Stugotz]

Gilliest, Alexander, James Harden, Luka Doncic, like Jalen Brunson, what do all those guys have in common? They're not like, one would think, oh, the guy that's blazingly quick and jumping over everybody. That's the guy that everyone fouls like. No, it's the guy that makes you play down at their pace. They know how to slow it down and stop and speed up in small windows, and that's what gets unruly defenders off balance and makes them foul. But, like, to me, it's not. It's not like, watch me fool the refs one more time. No, he's getting fouled and. And he's getting fouled because you have no recourse.

[Chris Cody]

Yeah. I mean, and I. I guess my point. You're right. I don't mean to. To say that he's like a foul grifter. Like, the fouls are genuine, but it is a part of his game. And the reason why that I've heard that, that should give me some concern is like, the refs don't call every game consistently.

[Stugotz]

Yeah.

[Chris Cody]

And then in the clutch, when you need those plays that the Refs tend to swallow their whistles in those situations and, or their wishes and they don't have like a true secondary like playmaker in a way that you would expect them like.

[Billy Gil]

Well, is that, isn't that the bigger question more than like Shay at this point? We expect it's going to be awesome in the playoffs, but the question is more Jalen Williams and Chet and if they're going to play really well consistently as a second and third.

[Stugotz]

I got J Dub, man, I can't believe you sitting here doubting, doubting J Dub, man, look, you're right. The game plan. The game plan, which is always my favorite thing about the NBA. It's the difference. The NBA and NFL. NFL, you guys have a game plan. It's like a secret. Don't let anyone know what the game plan is. It's a game plan. They're not gonna. Oh, my God, what are they doing? Oh, our heads are exploding. The NBA is like, yeah, hey, man, you want our game plan? Here it is, your opponent. Here, take it, take it, take a look at it. Now stop it. Try and stop it. Right, so the game plan is we're going to get the ball out of Shai's hand, we're going to throw two at him, we're going to make someone else beat us, we're going to see how much, if we can go to the well to J Dub again and again and again, him and Chet, how much they can continue to convert before it dissipates on them. Right. The reality is Shay Gilzies Alexander leads the league in scoring at like 33 points a game. Eight of those points come from the free throw line. So he's still scoring 25 a game. Not getting, not getting to the free throw line. Again, it's so easy to tell you just take Shay off the board and then what are you going to do? All right, go ahead. Yeah, there you go. Here you go. Here's my game plan. Now take him off the board.

[Chris Cody]

Yeah. No, it's. It's impossible to eliminate him. Similar to way that it's impossible to eliminate jokers. You just try to get him in situations where you're more comfortable or where you think he is not as comfortable.

[Stugotz]

It's why in the NBA, a much more successful tactic when you see these amazing offensive players is the opposite. Let him get whatever he wants, but nobody else breathes. Like, that's way more common because again, 60 points last night aside, the idea is that nobody can continue to do that over the course of 48 minutes. And also still be in the game and also still be able to defend and all those things.

[Chris Cody]

Folks, listen up.

[Greg Cote]

They're here and they're hot. Get ready because Jimmy John's is turning up the heat. After years of perfecting the cold sandwich, Toasted sandwiches are finally here. Try one of their three all new toasted creations. The Toasted Chicken Bacon Ranch All Natural Chicken Creamy Homestyle Ranch, Applewood Smoked bacon, Melted provolone, fresh veggies, all on a perfectly toasted French bread. Good God, does that sound delicious? Or the Toasted Roasted Beef and Cheddar Premium Roast Beef Melty Cheddar Creamy Horseradish sauce, crispy fried onions, fresh veggies, Golden Toasted French bread. It just keeps getting better. And the Toasted Ultimate Italian Salami Capacola Smoked ham, Applewood Smoked bacon, Melted provolone, Shredded Parmesan, Fresh veggies toasted to perfection. Or take your favorite Jimmy John classics like the number 9 Italian nightclub or the number 11 country club and get them toasted. Order now at jimmyjohn's.com on the Jimmy John's app or stop by your local Jimmy John's today.

[Amin Elhassan]

Hey, friends, it's Jerbear here and I'm.

[Stugotz]

Here to tell you all about Boost.

[Amin Elhassan]

Mobile, which is now a legit nationwide 5G network. So I must take a break from.

[Greg Cote]

The jokes here for a second and.

[Amin Elhassan]

Put on my serious voice, because I would never, ever joke about a 5G network that has invested billions building 5G towers across the country. Not even once. Not even if Mr. Boost Mobile himself asked me to. There is nothing funny about it. Boost Mobile is now a legit nationwide 5G network and also provides coverage across 99% of America. Seriously? Visit boostmobile.com or your nearest Boost Mobile store location to learn more. The Boost Mobile network, together with our roaming partners, covers 99% of the US population. 5G speeds not available in all areas.

[Dan Le Batard]

Weather is starting to warm up. Regular season starting to wind down. Games of consequence in sports starting to ramp up. I know what you're gonna need by your side. It's by my side already. Miller Lite Yeah, that's right. I'm making my springtime a Miller time. I'm making my sports time Miller Time Going to a car race Miller Time Gonna see some tennis Miller Time Gonna chill in the backyard with some friends and make some memories Miller Time. I love Miller Lite because it's got tastes that I know I can depend on. No games, no gimmicks. It's that simple, folks. It's Just a great beer for people who like beer. Miller Lite is brewed for taste. It hits different than the other light beers. It's got simple ingredients and at just 96 calories, 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces. Miller time is always a good time. The original light beer since 1975 and still the very best one. Miller Lite great taste. 96 calories. Go to millerlight.com dan to find delivery options near you. Or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. Tastes like Miller Time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, WI 96 calories, 3.2 carbs per 12 oz.

[Stugotz]

Don Levatard Amino Acid Stugats Amino Acid.

[Chris Cody]

This is the Don Levatard show with the stugats that that's why those players are so valuable. Which is why there's another story, the NBA that's kind of been percolating. We know how valuable those star players are, which is why the NBA is the league of Tankers, if there's such a thing. There's no other league where I feel like it makes more sense to tank than in NBA because the value of a player like that is so huge. And so there were a couple articles yesterday, one of which on ESPN about the league's initiatives to try to address tanking.

[Billy Gil]

The big one by Mike Vorkanoff on the Athletic where he started a four part series about ways to address tanking. Because it's not even saying that there's a the process Sixers are happening. It's just that earlier in the season, 15, 20 games less, we're seeing teams like the Sixers play like a Delaware 87ers roster.

[Chris Cody]

Can I run down the six roster? So Quentin Grimes is balling. He's the player, the name that you know. Then they got Lonnie Walker, the fourth, a den bona. Justin Edwards, Ricky Counsel, also fourth.

[Stugotz]

Yeah.

[Chris Cody]

To the fourth. Yeah.

[David Sampson]

Clyde mentioned that on the broadcast. But isn't. Isn't Lonnie Walker. His siblings are named Lonnie. Or is.

[Stugotz]

First of all, I am so like, I was like, why would you be. Oh yeah, that's right.

[David Sampson]

Because it's terrible. I don't want to talk about it.

[Stugotz]

You know, I do love Clyde.

[David Sampson]

That was his 80th birthday on Sunday.

[Stugotz]

Let me listen. That's how I did well on the sat. Verbal hand of God listening to Walt Clyde Frazier because he would say things serendipitous bounce on the left side. Like what does serendipitous mean? Oh, the Knicks are in their Shangri La and their Xanadu. I'm like, what's a Xanadu? How do you even spell it? All those words came up in my SAT verbal shout out to Wall Clyde Frazier. Okay.

[David Sampson]

It's not Lonnie Walker. I think it might be Ricky Counsel.

[Chris Cody]

Oh, that I'll get on this. He's the fourth because he has other brothers. That. So it's not like.

[David Sampson]

It was, like, described as a George Foreman situation on the broadcast.

[Stugotz]

And together they.

[David Sampson]

Yes. Counsel's two older brothers are also named after his father, Ricky Counsel. Both Ricky Counsel 2 and Ricky Counsel 3 also played college basketball.

[Stugotz]

Wow. Together, they form pretty Ricky Grind with me.

[Chris Cody]

Our first show, we learned about, or we discussed a little bit about naming conventions in families.

[Stugotz]

Man, that one is. Hold on. That one. Leroy and G. Roy. Hold on, man.

[Chris Cody]

G. Roy's a great Maryland receiver.

[Stugotz]

Let me just say right now, there is nobody I want to see on the playground after I done called someone your mama. And then here come Leroy and G. Roy. What you say about my mama? Like, those are bullies, right? That's the name of twin bullies that come out. Leroy and G. Roy.

[Chris Cody]

They definitely seem like the characters from a 90s cartoon that were always causing havoc that the gang had to get.

[Stugotz]

And then they always refer to each other by their name. Ain't that right, Leroy?

[Chris Cody]

Hell, yeah. G. Roy.

[Stugotz]

Leroy and G. Roy are there.

[Chris Cody]

So we talked about this on my show a little bit yesterday, and I kind of fumbled into what I thought was a reasonable tanking solution. So I want to hear. I'll throw this to you. I think when we are talking about creating incentives, that's the problem, is the teams are incentivized. Like, the 76ers need to lose enough games so that they are in the bottom six, so they retain their draft pick. This not even. This is not just tanking for a draft pick. When you have these protected pick trades, which I think with OKC, the 76ers have a trade. They need to lose enough games just to keep their draft pick.

[Stugotz]

Yes.

[Chris Cody]

And so you want to create some sort of structure that eliminates the incentive to lose. But why that's not a full solve for tanking is because you also need to create some incentive to win. And because you could just be like, all right, we're out of this. All right? Being the worst doesn't get us a better chance. But why would I put my good play players out there if we're not going to make the playoffs? We have no chance they could get hurt.

[Stugotz]

Okay? So that you hit on exactly the point. The point isn't that the incentive to lose is too great. It's that it's not greater than the incentive to win. Right? And so I've heard things where like, yo, we should have a tournament of all the teams that don't make the playoffs, and then that's the team that gets the number one pick. I said, okay, so you basically just incentivize whoever's in the bottom of the playoff picture. Like, do I really want my head beaten in by the Cavs of the Thunder, or do I want to go get Cooper flat? So, like, if I'm the. If that were the rule right now, that's what I would accuse the Miami Heat of doing, of tanking so that they miss the playoffs so they can then go run roughshod on Washington and Charlotte and all those teams.

[Greg Cote]

I like this idea. Let's do this.

[Stugotz]

So the problem is, as you said, the incentive does not match, right? I think Philadelphia is a bad example because they are specifically in a weird spot where they wanted to win. They entered the season wanting to win games, wanting to win a championship. And even as late as maybe January, they were like, it could still happen, right, if we just get healthy at the right time. And then injuries just pretty much cut them off at the knees. On top of that, they owe a pick to Oklahoma City. Do you know why they owe that pick, by the way?

[Chris Cody]

No. Trey.

[Stugotz]

Well, yes. You know what? Good one.

[Greg Cote]

Dominique.

[Stugotz]

About five years ago, maybe a little bit more, the Sixers had Al Horford on their roster. They paid him a bunch of money and, like, it didn't work. This is a bad move. And they're like, we gotta get rid of him. Who could take this salary out of our hands? And Oklahoma City was like, I'll take it for a couple of picks. And that's what it is.

[Chris Cody]

And then he's.

[Stugotz]

And by the way, then OKC flipped him to Boston for some more picks.

[Chris Cody]

And he's still being productive. Playing too many minutes for somebody his age right now, but he's still being.

[Billy Gil]

Luke on the perimeter in big moments.

[Stugotz]

So where we're at here is, to me, I think we solved the problem five years ago. This shit was out of control. Like, All Star break. I'm tanking. All these teams were going heavy. Now because of the play in. You've extended the window of teams. I could do it. I could put a ton together. You know, what Miami did two years ago has now given the play in a Different meaning. It's like, hey, it's not just the right to get your head bashed in. Maybe it could be you. Right? So they have solved that for all. But, like, the four or five teams that are awful every year, which I think is kind of part of the process. Like, everyone needs bad teams.

[Chris Cody]

I mean, I'm fine. They're going to be bad teams. What I don't appreciate is when, like, I look at the 76ers and they're given DMP to Kelly Oubre, and it's like, play your best players, try to have your best. And even if it's just four teams, I feel like, at least. And I'm normally not one who. I'm going to defend the players most of the times. But I have found myself becoming a little bit more sympathetic and a lot more sympathetic to fans, where it's like, look, we got a whole damn season. This is my team. Y'all not even trying. And no, I'm serious.

[Stugotz]

I like the idea of you, like. Like, for years, Dominique is like, if them fans, man, just pay me my check. And then. And then, like, a couple years removed from retiring, like, is this what you guys have been witnessing? This whole.

[Chris Cody]

This is preposterous. It's not, because that's not what we do at football. So, like, I haven't had there's. And you can't create the same situation in football because 82 games means money. We're never going to go down to fewer games, because I think that would help in the situation.

[Stugotz]

It's none of that stuff, right? In football, it's a very simple system that creates that. It's not the scarcity of games, it's the scarcity of guaranteed dollars. Right? So everybody is kind of clawing at this pot of money, right?

[Chris Cody]

Whereas I would disagree with that, because I think the scarcity of guaranteed dollars may motivate the players, but that's not what motivates the teams. What motivates the teams is a couple different things. I think it's the complexity of the game, of football. Football is not a game where you can get one player in the same way that basketball. You get one player, it's worth it because that will turn your team around. I think football, we've never really seen that happen. It's so rare. And even all the great quarterbacks that we talk about the. I guess.

[Stugotz]

But Aaron Rodgers, he turned the jets.

[Chris Cody]

Around exactly 3, 6, full 360, case in point. And I think it's because of the complexity, the case of the Complexity of football is the reason why so many times we're like, we know this team's going to be good. We know that. And you can't do it. You have to build up. The teams that are consistently good, are teams that build up that type of culture and are good continuously. I don't think that if you remove guaranteed contracts from basketball that you would get a better product because the teams would still be incentivized to create DMPs or to tell some. Some guy who's never really been that good to go out there and get his numbers and they lose. You have to remove that incentive.

[Stugotz]

So there's. There's a couple of things, right? Number one is the players like the teams when they play these guys. So let's use Philadelphia as an example, right? I don't know of any fan who's like, I bought tickets to Sixers, Knicks, and then I found out Kelly Oubre was a dnp. How dare they? Like, the number of guys who actually that move the needle on that of like, I don't feel like I'm getting my money's worth is rather limited.

[Billy Gil]

I think that's like the backwards way of looking at that, though, because it's not about Kelly Oubre. It's the fact that if you're a Sixers fan and you get to see Jokic once a year when he comes to Philly or Giannis, and it's when those guys, like, we're playing a dog water Philly team that's playing their G League players. You know what, Giannis, we're going to give you the night off.

[Stugotz]

Yeah. I mean, like, again, I don't think that, for instance, the Bucks have that luxury or any of those teams.

[Billy Gil]

Giannis might not have been the best.

[Stugotz]

But I'm just saying, like, look up and down all the standards, I don't think that matters. Like Cleveland. Oh, they don't have to play that. Yes, they do, because they're tracing the number one overall seed. They want a home court advantage in the Finals. Right. Denver, they're chasing two in Houston. Houston trying to keep Denver off their back. Lakers trying to move up to two or three. Warriors trying to stay out of seven, eight, nine. Like every single team every night at this point has a reason to play their guys. Other than if it's a back to back, it becomes a mitigated risk. Right. So from that standpoint, from the other standpoint, if I'm the Sixers, it's part of it. Sure. It fits in with like, yeah, we want to lose These games. But the other part of it is, why am I going to play Kelly Oubre? Who. I know who he is. I know what he's about. How do I figure out if Ricky Counsel is really good or not? Right? The number of guys. So Miami did this for years with Kendrick Nunn, with Duncan Robinson, with Haywood Heisman. These are all guys who actually got called up the year before, right at the end of the year, and they're like, all right, let's see what we got here. Let's see what we got here. And then they come back and the next year, like, this guy's in rotation. I never heard of him. Yeah, he's been here. But like you, you didn't realize it.

[Chris Cody]

So I think the we. I don't think we need to argue whether it's a problem or not. The perception is out there, and whether you're playing, that's a problem. No, no, no.

[Stugotz]

That's. If you want to talk about what the NBA's problem is, is that we.

[Chris Cody]

Allow perception, but it's not. That's trying to pretend as if it's only perception.

[Stugotz]

It is.

[Chris Cody]

It's also fact. Teams. Come on. I mean, teams aren't tanking.

[Stugotz]

It's not a problem, though.

[Chris Cody]

It is a problem.

[Stugotz]

Why is it a problem?

[Chris Cody]

Because the game that we got last night, the games where we get, where people are trying, are a better product. The idea that it's okay to have some. Some distributors of your product say, you know what, we are going to continuously, purposely put out a trash version of the product stinks. That's not a good precedent to set. And as the precedent has been set, that's not a good culture to indulge.

[Stugotz]

Chris, you ever been to McDonald's and they told you the McFlurry machine wasn't working? Hate that.

[Greg Cote]

Every time you go to McDonald's.

[Chris Cody]

I'm not sure what that.

[Stugotz]

So what's some McDonald's don't have a working McFlurry machine.

[Chris Cody]

So we still.

[Stugotz]

Do we boycott the McDonald's?

[Greg Cote]

Nah, we still eat.

[Stugotz]

We still eat, man. We still go. Okay, give me a two cheeseburger meal and some nuggets on the side. Maybe that $5 meal that comes with all this stuff in there. I really like McDonald's. That's such backwards.

[Chris Cody]

That's such backwards thinking to me.

[Stugotz]

No, it's backwards thinking.

[Chris Cody]

It is back. So hold on.

[Greg Cote]

Everyone's backwards.

[Chris Cody]

Can I ask you a question? Would you like. Would you like the NBA better if no one tanked? If everyone tried their Hardest.

[Stugotz]

I don't think it would make a difference.

[Chris Cody]

Okay.

[Stugotz]

Like, I don't think it would make a difference.

[Chris Cody]

It absolutely would.

[Stugotz]

I don't think Washington is playing all its guys. Do you care?

[Chris Cody]

No. I think that people, Teams construct their or organizations construct teams based on the fact that they are incentivized to be terrible. I think we will be looking at a different NBA. I think we all accept that the NBA is more talented than it's ever been. But we know that some teams are like, you know what we need to be really bad right now? We construct the roster. That way we bench players and we have games that are non competitive that no one cares about. And I, I guess I wanted to get into some of the solves for tanking, but I somehow found the one man in America who thinks that tank is not a. Not an issue. I think even the league, even Adam Silver wants them to stop tanking. But you're like, nah, it's cool. I think we don't need McFlurries.

[Stugotz]

We're doing 2019 sports talk right now. Like, it's not an issue. And the only reason why people are talking about it this year because I don't remember anybody opening their mouth even halfway to talk about this. The only reason why it's this year is because there's a guy who's coming out that everyone is tantalizing over. And when you got a guy like that, everyone is going to look at every single action as see, they're tanking for flag again, like, no, it's just sometimes this is cyclical and bad teams are just bad. And whether they play a player who wouldn't start on 30 NBA teams or not does not change the product. Right. The other thing you're assuming, Mr. I love the players is you're saying that like, who the hell are these guys, man? There might be another guy coming in, one of these guys who's playing, getting that time.

[Chris Cody]

Agreed. There might be a guy in there. That doesn't mean that you should intentionally break the McFlurry machine. What are we talking about? Everybody loves McFlurry. So you like, who cares? You don't need a McFlurry.

[Stugotz]

No, my point is this is the McFlurry machine is not working in some McDonald's. That doesn't make you stop going to the McDonald's.

[Chris Cody]

But if you are the McDonald's with a bad McFlurry machine, you think their sales go down. You want to go. If you want a McFlurry, you'd go to.

[Greg Cote]

You might discover another item, though. There could be other items.

[Chris Cody]

This is horse poop. Speaking of the NBA in people who are not performing that well, there's a guy in Atlanta who was. We were talking yesterday a bit about how I was not going to race Taylor because I didn't want to get injured. This is a. This is. So I was talking trash to Taylor, but then I saw this video pop up on my socials and now I'm no longer sure that I want to embarrass Taylor in a race today.

[Stugotz]

This is the partner.

[Greg Cote]

Was this guy tanking? Is the real question.

[David Sampson]

Hit tac.

[Chris Cody]

Go.

[David Sampson]

Oh, that's a blown out knee, right?

[Stugotz]

Oh, no. Hold on. Let's make sure my guy is good.

[Greg Cote]

The announcer.

[Stugotz]

Oh, man.

[Greg Cote]

Other guy just continuing to perform his bag man.

[Chris Cody]

It's not really a. That's.

[Stugotz]

His name is bagman at this point.

[David Sampson]

Was that bad sportsmanship to keep playing?

[Stugotz]

Hell no.

[David Sampson]

You don't think they would have just get.

[Greg Cote]

What was the prize on this for the audio audience? There's two people competing. They're doing the thing where they have to go make a layup and then they can come back and play tic tac toe. And one guy tears his ACL and is just laying down and the other guy continues playing.

[Chris Cody]

We're not sure what any tours acl are we Allegedly.

[Stugotz]

But here's the thing. Thing. He goes to check on him and she turns and looks at the camera, goes, yikes. Like she's working on the office or something. What are you doing? Like you got a vamp. You got a vamp that whole time. You got to be like, hey, man, hope you're doing all right. We're going to get you take care of with the.

[David Sampson]

This is her fault.

[Stugotz]

I mean, who did I say it's your fault?

[Chris Cody]

You're finding.

[David Sampson]

You're finding fault in her being like, oh, no, I don't know what to do. Never happened before.

[Stugotz]

You got a microphone on. You got to keep talking cop. Keep feeling. You can't just look at the camera.

[Billy Gil]

Go like, are we a defender of tanking? Hater of women. I mean, the dream.

[Greg Cote]

I mean, do we know he's actually hurt or is that like, I'm embarrassed.

[Chris Cody]

So let me lay down and pretend I have a serious.

[Stugotz]

Wow, this is wild. Another reason why you keep vamping. You make him prove it. Go ahead, stand up.

[Greg Cote]

She goes, let's make sure my guy is good.

[Chris Cody]

What.

[Greg Cote]

What could she possibly have done wrong here?

[Stugotz]

The part where. Where she's just silent and the guy goes to Go check on the the other guy. And she's like, oops, dang. Is also not vamping, by the way. Dang. Dang.

[Chris Cody]

I mean, it's an in game thing.

[Stugotz]

It's not on television.

[Greg Cote]

60 seconds, they gotta go.

[Stugotz]

There's 20. Hold on. In Atlanta. There's 12,000 people in that building.

[Greg Cote]

That guy's fine.

[Chris Cody]

I, I, I guess maybe you should have some protocol. It's like, it's not a crazy thing. It's not like the building got hit by meteor. Like we got old people trying to do sporting events. In her mind, she could be like, maybe, possibly. What do I do if somebody blows out a knee and then it happens?

[Stugotz]

You remember the Dark Knight Rises? Remember that scene Hyde's ward is running and the whole field blows up?

[David Sampson]

I remember.

[Stugotz]

There you go. Now, what you haven't seen is the director's cut in which the in arena announcer keeps going. Keeps going. That isn't Amin was right.

[David Sampson]

And that in stadium announcer was a man.

[Stugotz]

That's it.

[Chris Cody]

Yeah. I just was happy that it wasn't Amin embarrassing himself playing basketball.

[Dan Le Batard]

Weather is starting to warm up. Regular season starting to wind down. Games of consequence in sports starting to ramp up. I know what you're gonna need by your side. It's by my side already. Miller Lite. Yeah, that's right. I'm making my springtime a Miller Time. I'm making my sports time. Miller Time. Going to a car race. Miller Time. Gonna see some tennis. Miller Time. Gonna chill in the backyard with some friends and make some memories. Miller time. I love Miller Lite because it's got taste that I know I can depend on. No games, no gimmicks. It's that simple, folks. It's just a great beer. For people who like beer. Miller Lite is brewed for taste. It hits different than the other light beers. It's got simple ingredients, and at just 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces, Miller Time is always a good time. The original light beer since 1975 and still the very best one. Miller Lite. Great taste. 96 calories. Go to millerlight.com dan to find delivery options near you. Or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. Tastes like Miller Time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 96 calories, 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces. Hey, audience, you know it's that time of year where everyone is debating who the number one pick is going to be. Well, let me tell you something that is undebatable. Who the world's number one vodka is. That is Smirnoff. And as fun as it is to debate whether or not the team with the number one pick goes past Russia, wide, receiver, quarterback, one thing that we all know is we're going with Smirnoff as our number one vodka pick. Isn't that right, Dano?

[Stugotz]

Smirnoff rules.

[Dan Le Batard]

Smirnoff rules. So while you're over there hosting your draft parties, you know one thing in particular you need. Well, there's two things that you absolutely need. The draft on tv, that's a must. But number two, what is it? Dano Smirnoff. Do you like Dano?

[Stugotz]

Support the people who support us. Smirnoff supports us. I like Smirnoff. I don't like Dano.

[Dan Le Batard]

And thanks to Smirnoff, God Bless Football is doing their first ever watch along livestream in front of a live audience in Nashville, Tennessee. Join God Bless Football during round one of the draft on the Levittard Show YouTube channel on April 24th. More details to come. Please drink responsibly. Smirnoff number 21 vodka distilled from grain, 40% alcohol by volume. The Smirnoff Company, New York, New York. Please do not share with anyone under legal drinking age.

[Stugotz]

Woohoo.