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- [00:02]
Dan LeBatard
This is what everyone's talking about.
- [00:05]
Nick Wright
Everything's on the table.
- [00:07]
Dan LeBatard
This is what champions come to take. This is what everyone came to see. No do overs, no second chances, no more Mr. Nice Guy. This is winner take all. And it's all happening now on the home of the NBA Finals. Don't miss it. June 3rd on ABC and the ESPN app.
- [00:30]
Nick Wright
This is the Dan Lebatar show with the Stu Guts podcast.
- [00:38]
Jeremy
This episode of the Dan LeBatard show is presented by DraftKings. DraftKings. The crown is yours.
- [00:43]
Tony
The 2026 NBA playoffs are the most watched playoffs in the last 28 years according to NBA PR. I don't know what's accurate there. I'm going to assume that with streaming and social media they can funk up all of the numbers there. But Nick Wright is very excited about the basketball. So who's to win this series? Nick?
- [01:04]
Nick Wright
The Knicks. The it's been nine days since we saw them play, which I think has, you know, quieted a bit of everyone's excitement about them. But the last time we saw them play they had just finished what was by a statistic, any statistical metric, the most dominant month of basketball in the history of the NBA playoffs. They, they, all they do is blow people out. Mitchell Robinson's right, Pinky notwithstanding, they are incredibly healthy, they're incredibly rested and they are one of the few teams that actually gave San Antonio real trouble this year. You add to that that San Antonio made it pretty clear, you know, they won their championship and celebrated as such a few days ago. I think the Knicks win tonight in steel home court and I think that you that the two month playoff slog for the spurs of a five game series than a six game series, than a seven game series and all these additional minutes which are already showing up greatly in Wimby's rebounding numbers if nowhere else he has he is wearing down. And I think you saw that at the end of the conference finals and and I think the Knicks are going to be the champions, which is interesting because we seamlessly transitioned as a collective in the media from the Thunder are going to be a dynasty to something I've never seen before, which is fretting about the spurs dynasty. Typically we at least wait till they win their first championship before we are preemptively anointing teams as dynasties. This one, we didn't seem to even wait for that.
- [02:55]
Tony
Nick.
- [02:55]
Jeremy
That's not fair though, is it? That they already won their championship. Like the spurs are allowed to be thrilled with a grueling seven game series Win on the road at the champs. Right.
- [03:07]
Nick Wright
No, they're certainly they're allowed to do whatever they want but in my analysis of it I think that was a cathartic emotional moment and you saw them react as such and I think that has a knock on effect to the finals and the Knicks maybe because it was a sweep, maybe because the Cavs flat quit, maybe because they weren't fight playing it on the road against the defending champs, they were very very business like in their, in the reaction to them winning their conference. And I think that actually has a potential impact I, that comp I would use I guess and this is a theoretical one but if I were a Buffalo Bills fan I would, I, I imagine if there is a day and there likely will be at one point where the Bills finally beat the Chiefs in the playoffs that the emotional toll of that would be bad for them in their next game. In that hypothetical they at least would have a week or two before the next game. The spurs had 90 hours and so I, you know, we'll see tonight. Now the last time the Knicks had a massive period of rest they came out in the first three and a half quarters of the next game and played terribly. They ended up, that was game one against the Cavs. They ended up furiously coming back down 22 in the final eight minutes. If they won't be able to do that against the spurs if they come out the way they did in game one of the conference finals. But I don't think they will.
- [04:46]
Amin Elhassan
So Nick, how do you explain San Antonio being a not a huge betting favorite but a fairly clear betting favorite.
- [04:52]
Nick Wright
Yeah, listen, I think that the the betters in Vegas and it is a pretty significant favorite. Not, not overwhelming but massive. Not overwhelming or massive but significant. I think that the Knicks are just wildly underrated and that Vegas all year long has looked at the Western Conference finals as the championship. And to be clear or to be fair, going into the playoffs I thought the only team that would have a shot against anyone coming out of the west would have been the Celtics and they lost in round one. But it denies the reality of what the Knicks have been doing. It denies in my opinion the reality of the utter domination of of what we've seen for now almost two months of basketball from the Knicks. The Knicks are 2 CJ McCollum buzzer, not buzzer beaters but last seconds ish shots away from being undefeated this postseason. They have they win a month by where 10 of the 11 games they won by double digits three consecutive series they imposed their will on their opponent to such a degree that their opponent gave up in the elimination game. They beat the Cavs by 37 in their elimination game and it lowered their average margin of victory in elimination games this postseason it was 51 and then 40 and then 37. And so I just think right now, starter for starter, I think the Knicks have the better starting lineup. I think the spurs have, have the more reliable bench. But I also think it's a lot of youth there. So I, I, I have put my money where my mouth is on this one and we'll see how it works out. But I, I bet the Knicks to win the title a week and a half ago. Right now I think they're a plus 170, 160. I have them at plus 250 because I just liked how they looked against either the banged up Thunder or, or a Spurs team that I was at MSG in March where when they gave Wimby absolute fits, they were. There was about a six week period of the regular season where the spurs with wimy only lost one time and it was to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden when the Knicks basically dominated that game.
- [07:25]
Tony
Jeremy, can you go out to the whiteboard please and assemble for Nick and for us a list of which team here is more likable, more unlikable. I'd like some details on this as we head into a fairly anticipated NBA Finals. Can we play the sound of Tim Legler talking about Chet Holmgren? Because one of the things that Amin and others were saying is, well, the spurs don't have any playoff experience. Don't have any playoff experience. You know who did? Chet Holmgren. He's a champion. And what did he do with that playoff experience? He was more scared than I can recall an NBA player ever looking. And here's Tim Legler talking about that
- [08:05]
Tim Legler
because there is no denying he was shook. He was rattled. It affected the way he was processing the game and it completely took away his aggressiveness. He started to look like a guy that was afraid of failure. And when you start to play that way as a professional athlete, that's exactly what it's going to look like. You don't take chances anymore. You'd rather play it safe and disappear than to try and have it not work out. Drive at Wemby and have him block your shot, try to get there in time to stop Wembley at the rim and you get dunked on again. It's better not to try than to have that happen again. That's exactly what he looked like Nick,
- [08:49]
Tony
when was the last time that you can recall seeing a player that America knew was scared while they were playing an NBA basketball game?
- [08:58]
Nick Wright
Man, that's a great question. I don't. There. There have been moments where obviously Harden has looked, you know, like he was just not there and that the moment was too big. I don't remember a player that. An all NBA player, an all star, a guy on a max contract from the beginning of the series just being so psychologically beaten by his counterparty who see I, I think in Chat's mind hates him for no reason. Like I. This was not a war that Chat opted into. And if you're the Thunder, this is a terrifying turn of events because there is, if you bring Chat back, there is nothing that can give you confidence that, that this wouldn't happen again, short of, I guess, him dominating Wimby in a couple regular season matchups. Because this was not, this was not a player who, if, if you bring Chet back and he comes back next year and actually has a couple pounds of muscle on him and his defense, which is great, is even better and his shooting, which is very good, is even better, you will still. It will all feel meaningless against 28 other teams because he was excellent against 28 other teams all year. And I do worry the comp that I go to and this is, you know, for I guess the older people my age or older in the audience, the comp I go to is, is this series, could it be for Chep vs Wimby? Nick Anderson at the free throw line. Nick Anderson missed four free throws in a row to win Game 1 of the 95 Finals for the Orlando Magic. And the rest of his career was a bad free throw shooter. It was purely unequivocally mental. He never got over that moment. And if I were a team in the East, Chad Holmgren is potentially hyper valuable to me because it's like, well, even if Wimby just owns him, we'd have to get to the Finals in the same year they get to the Finals. Roll the dice with that. But any team in the West, I think Chet's value has plummeted because you do worry that, I mean, people said all, all week he, he didn't take any shots in the second half of Game 7. That's accurate but misleading. Check took two of the first three shots of the game. He made their first basket. He took zero shots in the final 45 minutes of that game. I've never seen anything like it.
- [11:56]
Tony
Tim McMahon says the idea it's time to Pull the plug on Chet Holmgren and okc. I can promise you this, Sam Presti will not be taking that advice. You don't believe Chet Holmgren will be with okc. You believe okc. What do you believe about okc?
- [12:10]
Nick Wright
I think that our bowing at the altar of regular season metrics has made us dumber than we should be. And that applies to how we evaluate their superstar player, who is a superstar and was awesome in game seven. And all these folks being like, oh, you guys complained about him all series, but you want to give him credit for game seven? Well, yeah, because all series he was missing shots and falling on the ground. And in game seven, he made shots and stayed upright. There would have been no complaints about Shea had he played the way he played in game seven throughout the rest of the series. But set that aside. That's not even my point. I think that Oklahoma City is an absolute. The way they are built is perfect to be a regular season juggernaut. Absolute juggernaut. And I think there's data to back this up and to be a good, but not great postseason team. Why would that be? Well, what are their biggest Strengths? They have 12 capable NBA players, all of whom are either dogged defenders, great defenders, or at least very capable defenders. Okay. In the regular season, that is a massive asset. You're. You are sometimes playing 12 guys your bench unit will play, plays big minutes, and will dominate the other team's bench unit. And if you are a defense, defense team, you are more likely, over the long course of a regular season, have teams just be like, you know what? This is a pain in the ass. We got another game in a couple days. We'll get them.
- [13:51]
Tony
It's a weird thing to say, though, Nick, given that they're the actual defending champions. The last time.
- [13:56]
Nick Wright
It's not that weird at all. But. It's not that weird at all. But they won't.
- [14:00]
Tony
Nick. They're not just a defending champion. They didn't have their second and third best player and lost in a game seven at home to the. To the. To the best.
- [14:07]
Nick Wright
What do you mean they didn't have their second and third best player?
- [14:09]
Tony
Ball handlers. Sorry. Ball handlers. Like.
- [14:12]
Nick Wright
Okay, well, that's the other thing. I thought you were saying Chet wasn't. Yeah, no, I wasn't trying to. Yeah, Butcher, I thought. I mean, Chet kind of wasn't there.
- [14:20]
Sid Rosenberg
Summer always hits different once a big game starts stacking up. Now you've got finals games on every other night. Baseball is rolling all week, racing on the weekends. And suddenly everybody's looking for an excuse to get together. The other night, a buddy texted me, we've got the game on, come through. I figured I'd stop by for maybe an hour. That was optimistic. Next thing you know, everybody's locked into the game and we're all part of the coaching staff. Somebody's yelling at the ref, somebody else is suddenly an expert on pitch strategy, and nobody's even pretending they're leaving early anymore. It's one of those nights where you take a sip of Miller Lite, look around and realize, yeah, this is exactly what summer is supposed to be. That's why Miller Lite is always part of these nights for me. It's clean, refreshing, easy to drink when it's hot outside, and perfect for long nights hanging with friends, watching games. An all American summer starts with an all American beer, Miller lite. 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. It's Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.
- [15:27]
Quint
So my style sort of changes depending on what time of year it is. Once we get to the summer here in South Florida, it's unbearably hot. I really. I call it oppressively hot, which means I'm constantly sweating. And it changes how I get dressed because you got about 12 seconds before you start regretting your outfit choices. So lately I really been trying to keep it a little more simple, light, breathable, comfortable, but still looking put together, because that's what I care about. And that's why I keep going back to Quint's. Their European linen shirts and pants are perfect for the summer, and they start at just 34 bucks. Their tees are soft, they're easy to wear. They've got lightweight cotton sweaters for the random nights where the AC is sort of freezing everywhere you go. And everything at Quint's is priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands because they work directly with ethical factories and cut out the middlemen. I picked up one of their European linen shirts in a sky blue color. I've actually even worn it on the show, and it's become one of those shirts that I keep reaching for without even thinking about it. So you should elevate your summer wardrobe and go to quince.com dan for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns now available in Canada too. That's Q U-I-N C-E.com dan for free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com dan Tony, you know that moment
- [16:47]
Sid Rosenberg
at a party or at a tailgate where everything just sort of clicks?
- [16:50]
Unknown Guest 1
I know it.
- [16:51]
Nick Wright
Well.
- [16:51]
Unknown Guest 1
It's usually when I show up, everybody goes crazy.
- [16:53]
Nick Wright
Yeah.
- [16:53]
Sid Rosenberg
You usually take all the credit for it, but it's because Tony usually walks in with Cuervo.
- [16:58]
Nick Wright
Walking like this. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [17:00]
Sid Rosenberg
Cuervo is a thing that turns hanging out into this is the night.
- [17:04]
Unknown Guest 1
It has that effect on people.
- [17:05]
Sid Rosenberg
It does. You usually take the credit for it. But again, it's the Cuervo effect. It's like that moment in a big game where everyone in the crowd just starts standing up, hooting and hollering. Keep it Cuervo.
- [17:17]
Unknown Guest 1
Cuervo, baby.
- [17:19]
Amin Elhassan
Don LeBatard the elephant went into a 711 and bought a pack of cigarettes. But my question to Ron is this.
- [17:26]
Nick Wright
Stugats.
- [17:27]
Tony
That joke didn't really land the way you wanted it to, did it? We all just stared at it.
- [17:32]
Nick Wright
This is the Dan Levatar show with the stugats. So, okay, let me give the evidence for it and then I'll respond to that rebuttal. By the way, they didn't have Jalen Williams all year and it didn't matter. And AJ Mitchell makes the same amount of money as Bronnie. The idea that A.J. mitchell is now all of a sudden he's a good player, but that, oh, how are you going to win without AJ Mitchell? They didn't. He was their third. They. Okay, but I, let me, let me make my actual point with the evidence of it three years ago or two years ago, pardon me, this team was the number one seed, a regular season juggernaut, and in round two got clocked by a made on the fly at the trade deadline Dallas Mavericks team that, aside from Kyrie Irving, also had very little playoff experience and no championship experience. And at a rookie starting center two years ago, they played well below their seed. Last year they were a, what was it, 68 win, absolute juggernaut. And they went to game seven in round two and game seven down at halftime in the NBA Finals. This year they were a 64 win, 65 win, regular season juggernaut. And they lost in the conference finals. They. And if we want to play the. Yeah, but they didn't have J Dub game, that's fine. Give them this championship and take away last year's win in Game 7 against the Nuggets. Aaron Gordon's walking around on one hamstring and Tyrese Halliburton's out for the game. So I think that if we want to say injuries cost him this year, then you got to play the game of did injuries give it to him last year. They are an excellent team, but they are. The historical comps that we were getting were Jordan's Bulls. Just like the regular season, historical comps we were getting for Shea was Michael Jordan. And the reason I know that's wrong is because every single person who was presenting those comps would do it apologetically. They would be like, listen, I'm not saying Shay is Michael Jordan, but here's the numbers. I'm not saying this Thunder team is the greatest team of all time, but here's the numbers. And my point is they just like some teams, we see it all the time in reverse and nobody has a hard time accepting it. That the Shaq Kobe Lakers near the end or the 2018 warriors the second year with Durant or the 20. What year would that have been? 2017 Cleveland Cavaliers. That the teams that are in third gear in the regular season and have an extra playoff gear, everyone accepts that that's a thing in the NBA. What I'm saying is I think the Thunder might be a bit of the inverse of that. That their regular season makes them appear to be a historically great team. And in the playoffs they are a very, very good team. They were being comped to the greatest teams ever and Shea was being comped to the greatest greatest players ever. And what I'm saying is they have a hell of a lot more in common with the champion 2021 Milwaukee Bucks or the champion 2023 Denver Nuggets. Teams that, that have won all time great top 25 player, but not inner, inner circle hall of Famer like all time legend, I should say not top 10, not top 8 all time guy. No other superstars on the roster, but a nice supporting cast that won a championship. And that's awesome. Yeah, but, but I.
- [21:31]
Tony
It's a good argument. No, no, it's a good, it is a good argument. You're formulating but they're like one ball handler away from being the defending champs like twice the back to back champions they in a game seven. I know that that's not what happened in game seven, but they got, they got, they got.
- [21:50]
Nick Wright
This is, this is where you, you and I will just disagree on some of this stuff. You're focused on the fact that game seven was somewhat close late. You know the other thing an all time great team might do not get the shit kicked out of him in game six.
- [22:08]
Tony
Oh, no, but that, no, but, no but there would been no close games in these playoffs. All the games are like this. Like whoever wins is going to win by a lot because there are no
- [22:16]
Nick Wright
all time great teams. You are correct.
- [22:19]
Tony
They ran into Wimy Nick. They ran into a guy that we all know plays basketball differently than anyone we've ever seen.
- [22:26]
Nick Wright
Wimby was not special in game seven.
- [22:29]
Tony
He wasn't game one. He was in game one. The other the only close game in the series. He was in game one.
- [22:35]
Nick Wright
He was unbelievable. And an all time great team would overcome that. They are a really good team, but I don't think they are some. I don't think all of a sudden the thunder, it's like, all right, this is a blip. And now. No, because they, the, they are the. We are in the second apron world. We are in the O. Clay Bennett has a history of not wanting to pay a super high tax bill. Hartenstein's got a team option. Dort's got a team option. I think Chet, I personally, if I were them, would rattle the cage on. If Chad is the centerpiece of a Giannis trade, what does that do? I just. We. How many years in a row are we going to say the team that just won is just gonna keep winning and then they don't even make it back to the finals before we recognize what. Whether you want to say it's what LeBron did for a decade or what Steph and the warriors did for half a decade, the reason those things happened was because LeBron at that point, step at that point and the teams around him are simply drastically better than any of these teams we're seeing right now. Now Wimby might enter that pantheon. But what is so mystifying to me is not only are no one learning seemingly from the mistakes of oh, who's going to stop the Nuggets? Who's going to stop the Bucks? Obviously the Celtics are just going to keep winning. They've hacked basketball. I don't know how many times I heard on this show and others. Oh, the Celt, the math, the Celtics and math it. Grab out your TI82s. They can't, can't be beaten. And then in the. It's like, no, actually the flip side of the math is they blow more 20 point leads than any team in playoff history. But it's neither here nor there. And now we're not even waiting to do it with the Spurs. They haven't even. They have won nothing. And we're like, well, I mean maybe try to compete in 2032 because it's, it's just over now and I don't even think they're going to win this championship. So I, and I'd be, and it is critical for the spurs, oddly they do win this championship because again, folks that care at all about the what's happened in the history of this league saw Akeem Olajuwon in his second year with the Rockets shock the Los Angeles Lakers in the conference finals and make the NBA finals. Of course they're going to be there every year, doesn't make it back for eight years and in the middle has a trade demand. 22 year old LeBron James shocked the Detroit Pistons in the conference finals, makes the finals. Well, of course they're going to be there for the next decade. He didn't make it back to the finals with Cleveland until he left Cleveland. We have seen guys make like Giannis was. What was Giannis 24. Was Yan's 25 when they won? Well, of course they're going to be back. They haven't been close. Joker. Well, of course they're going to be back. They have not been close. Every single time you can win a championship might be the last time that group of guys can win a championship. I get it. It's all going to be different this time. This time it's different. Just the, this time with the spurs, it's different.
- [25:49]
Tony
The distinction I'm simply making with you, and I'll get off this in a second, is that you're saying that Denver and Milwaukee never got close again. And I'm saying OKC just got close again.
- [26:01]
Nick Wright
They just ran into winning the championship.
- [26:04]
Tony
Nick.
- [26:05]
Nick Wright
No they didn't.
- [26:06]
Tony
Nick.
- [26:06]
Nick Wright
They didn't.
- [26:07]
Tony
Nick.
- [26:07]
Nick Wright
They're, they're going to finish. I mean what Denver and Milwaukee both got to game sevens of round two and you're saying that's not close. But games you're saying it's not close.
- [26:19]
Tony
You're saying it's not close.
- [26:21]
Nick Wright
No, I, I, I thought you were agreeing with me on that. True. Yeah, I just, you know what I think is I hear, I listen, I'm, I'm a Neanderthal, I'm a weird guy. I guess. I don't think any team that didn't play for the championship was close to winning the championship. I think in order to be close to winning the championship, you have to play for it. I, I guess I'm an idiot. I'm just a dumb, okay, no, just game close were the, how close was lamelo this year, the playing game away.
- [26:50]
Tony
Yeah, it's totally the same thing.
- [26:51]
Nick Wright
A play in, game away.
- [26:52]
Tony
You're absolutely right. You got me. I put my sword down. It's the same thing. No, no, you're right. You're right. Lamelo and Wemby, same thing. Yeah.
- [27:01]
Nick Wright
No. How far do we want to take it, Nick?
- [27:04]
Tony
It's game seven of. They were about to play for the championship in the fourth quarter and Hartenstein and. And it got decided by Hartenstein and Cornett at the rim.
- [27:14]
Nick Wright
No, it didn't. No, it didn't. It was.
- [27:16]
Dan LeBatard
It was.
- [27:17]
Nick Wright
It was a six point game.
- [27:18]
Tony
Let's go out to the whiteboard now. We gotta get Nick out of here. He's the host of FS1's First Things First. What's Right with Nick Wright is the name of the podcast. Game one of the NBA Finals starts tonight. Jeremy, go ahead and include Nick on your conversation. Who is more likable, the Knicks or the Spurs?
- [27:33]
Quint
We're trying to figure that out right now. And I will be taking making suggestions from everyone here. What I have so far, just the basics. What makes the Knicks likable? You got Jalen Brunson. You got no Finals.
- [27:44]
Tony
Can you write smaller, please? Can you write even smaller, please?
- [27:48]
Nick Wright
You did great there. Good job, Jeremy. We can all. Why'd you even write it, bro? You could have just said it if it's not gonna be legible. So this is a disaster. So can I just answer this? The Knicks are the more likable team by far. There's nothing not to like about the Knicks right now.
- [28:10]
Jeremy
What do you agree with on that list there, Nick?
- [28:13]
Nick Wright
What? I mean, I'm. I sold on. Let me get closer
- [28:20]
Amin Elhassan
Miami so you can see it.
- [28:22]
Nick Wright
I mean, I don't know the next. The Knicks best player didn't cold cock an opponent and then skip out on media after the worst game.
- [28:33]
Jeremy
Is that on the list, Jeremy?
- [28:35]
Nick Wright
He says he said one too much since 99. I mean, I. This is.
- [28:43]
Tony
You can't read anything. We'll come back to Jeremy.
- [28:46]
Sid Rosenberg
He was setting that up for 30 minutes.
- [28:48]
Tony
Come back to Jeremy in a second. See. See if we can find a magnifying glass.
- [28:54]
Nick Wright
See, that would work. Hey, Jeremy, guess what? We know what you're writing now.
- [28:59]
Tony
You know why?
- [29:00]
Nick Wright
Because it's not in size 10 aerial font. Give me a break.
- [29:07]
Tony
Let's play for Nick Wright. A means assessment of. We came so gloriously close to Nick Wright at the sports espys having to hand Pablo Torre some sort of Emmy and it didn't happen. And there have been some accusations that you went rogue and didn't read what was on the card and just took Pablo's name.
- [29:28]
Nick Wright
Yeah, go find that out.
- [29:30]
Tony
Let's, let's hear from Amin though, on what he thought. And this is going to be insulting to Nick because his, his wife is his stylist and she' very good at it.
- [29:39]
Nick Wright
But here is dare him.
- [29:41]
Tony
Well, unfortunately, he's been dared. And here he goes.
- [29:45]
Unknown Guest 2
Top five things Nick Wright looks like. You'll love this, dad.
- [29:48]
Unknown Guest 3
Willy Wonka.
- [29:49]
Tony
He looks like he's in Hamilton, Oli.
- [29:52]
Unknown Guest 2
He looks like Willy Wonka. The harder years.
- [29:56]
Tony
This is an amazing picture of Nick Wright. How have I not seen this?
- [30:02]
Unknown Guest 2
Number five? Because you don't follow me on Twitter or Instagram or anything else. Number five, he looks like one of those AI reimaginings of a live action grimace. That's Grimace from McDonald's if you don't know.
- [30:15]
Jeremy
As opposed to Grimace the attorney.
- [30:18]
Tony
Yeah.
- [30:19]
Unknown Guest 2
Number four, he looks like he's got an interview with the vampire in Detroit. Number three, he looks like a failed magician hired for a company retreat in Reno. Number two, he looks like the same failed magician in Reno has another gig across town as a prince impersonator. And the number one thing Nick Wright looked like on the sports Emmys night in his outfit is he looks like he's threatening to blow up Gotham if the Batman does not reveal his true identity.
- [30:54]
Tony
I mean, I'm sorry, I did not know you were there, so I will ask these questions honestly. Were you with Pablo? Did we come? Did Metal Arc Media come inches from Nick Wright having to hand Pablo a sports Emmy?
- [31:08]
Unknown Guest 2
Dan, you know me. I have a podcast called Basketball Illuminati where we keep our third eye open. There is a very strong conspiracy theory that we had a La La Land moonlight situation where Nick Wright just read somebody else's name out of spite so that we wouldn't win.
- [31:25]
Tony
Wow, that can't be a real conspiracy.
- [31:29]
Unknown Guest 2
Why not?
- [31:31]
Tony
That would be great work from the Joker. Not a single smile or even a smirk. There wasn't a muscle that moved on Nick Wright's face during any of that.
- [31:40]
Nick Wright
No, I don't. I'm not. You know this, this would be listening to a mean and you give fashion tips to me that it would be like you listening to some, you know, someone who's 50 years sober. Tell you what's the best tequila. Not interested in either of your guys opinions on it. And I'm surprised to mean. I'm glad you guys showed him mean. The picture because I did see him in person but the eyes were so glassy and cocktail hour. I didn't know if he knew what color I was wearing. I will say this, I was prepared and I assumed I would be handing Pablo or what's the what's skullduggery? Matt Sullivan, the guy who does all the work. I thought I'd probably give him the actual Emmy but regardless I don't know that because I saw the group photo after that was a small. That's a small theater Fox. You know first things first which was nominated we had five tickets total. Meadowlark brought 30 folks to watch. I guess they did see History of the first time ever a show has been double nominated in the same category and yet shockingly the prestige journalism actually won. Like who could have seen that one? You mean east E60. Wait till next year. Wait till the Emmys get a hold of the O's episode. Oh man, could be triple nominated. Good to see you guys. That suit, by the way I got married in so you all can go to hell.
- [33:23]
Tony
See you later Nick. Nice to see you as always, sir.
- [33:26]
Unknown Guest 1
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- [33:49]
Quint
It's beautiful.
- [33:50]
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- [34:30]
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- [35:40]
Sid Rosenberg
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DraftKings Announcer
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- [36:42]
Amin Elhassan
I want to address Tony and all men who would wear that shirt in public.
- [36:47]
Nick Wright
Stugats don't do it. This is the Don lebatar Show with the Stugats.
- [36:56]
Sid Rosenberg
Sid Rosenberg liked the suit.
- [36:58]
Tony
Yeah, I was gonna. I have.
- [37:00]
Unknown Guest 1
So did Crown Royal.
- [37:01]
Tony
I have Sid Rosenberg in queue so that you guys can see. I was gonna play Nick, but he wanted his dismount and he wanted to get out of here the way that he wanted to get out of here. But I was left reeling by the realization that this is the color that Sid Rosenberg was going for. I do believe that Mike Ryan has this correct when he says that Sid Rosenberg is trying to get to maximum tan, and that's the reason that he is the color that he is here. Can you guys put that on the screen for me so that we can see the shade of purple that Sid Rosenberg is
- [37:43]
Nick Wright
ridiculous.
- [37:44]
Tony
Well, but, Chris, we put up an assortment of pictures next to Sid Rosenberg yesterday. Of Hellboy, of Grimace. None of them were as purple as Sid Rosenberg. People who were wearing costumes, people who were wearing makeup and were painting their skin, People who are famously purple, and characters that are famously purple. None of them as purple as Sid Rosenberg. It. That can't be natural. Correct. That has to be somewhere that he was incubating. And he fell asleep in a hermetically sealed tube that has just a bunch of ultraviolet rays that are meant to make him the color violet. Correct. Like, that's.
- [38:24]
Amin Elhassan
If I was that shade, I would not leave the house, let alone go on tv. Seriously, he looks so unhealthy and so ridiculous. I still can't believe it's real.
- [38:36]
Tony
Now we're too close. One of the things that was funny about Nick Wright not taking style advice from me and Amin. How about Sid Rosenberg taking health advice from somebody who came to the microphone after coughing for the last 10 seconds before it is that we went to him.
- [38:53]
Amin Elhassan
At least I'm not purple.
- [38:54]
Tony
Well, you were. While you were coughing, though, you were having trouble breathing. You don't know what color you turn when you start laughing and coughing.
- [39:02]
Amin Elhassan
I know.
- [39:02]
Tony
And this. This is. Honest to God, I don't know that we have a lot around here. Or on the Greg Cody show, featuring Greg Cody. That is funnier than some form of. Greg Cody starts laughing. And I see in his son's eyes, sometimes he just speaks it. Here come the coughs. Like there.
- [39:22]
Nick Wright
You can tell it's got.
- [39:23]
Tony
There's a cadence to it. When he starts laughing, particularly at something that he's done, it's. It's you. It's not something. It's not usually something we've done. It's something that is a reference to him. He will start laughing so much that he coughs. Don't get so far away from the microphone. You're further than you've ever been.
- [39:41]
Amin Elhassan
I'm back on roids, so my coughing should be taken care of in the next week or so. Fabulous. What can I tell you?
- [39:55]
Tony
Is Jeremy okay?
- [39:57]
Unknown Guest 3
He said he fixed it. Yeah.
- [39:58]
Nick Wright
I think he's ready for another update.
- [40:00]
Sid Rosenberg
Staging himself.
- [40:01]
Tony
All right, Because Jeremy took a beating in that last segment. The writing was way too small. I don't know why he decided to write it that small. None of us could see anything that was on board. Left so much board. He was there for a half hour.
- [40:14]
Sid Rosenberg
Hey, that's not a nice thing to say about him.
- [40:16]
Quint
Fixed it.
- [40:17]
Dan LeBatard
Come on.
- [40:18]
Tony
Oh, for the love of God. Now it's even smaller. All right, Jeremy, go ahead and take us through what it is that people are feeling about the Spurs.
- [40:26]
Quint
So, as is obvious, as you can see clearly right here, what makes the Knicks likable is Jalen Brunson and the fact that they haven't won since 1999. Now, on the unlikable category, it's Knicks fans themselves. The fact that they're the Knicks and that Dan likes them too much. So as is made really clear, right, because they're likable. Because they're like, no, you like them too much because you're a Knicks fan. Then the spurs, we can make it abundantly clear right here. As you can see right here in parentheses, I think Wemby is likable, right? But over here, Tony thinks Wemby is unlikable. And then they beat Oklahoma City, and they've won too much since 1999. So, guys, I'm willing to take other options. It's why I left a little bit of room on the board, so that we could add a few more here. I was a little bit concerned that this would be a bit too big. But as they say, it's not the size of the boat, it's the motion of the ocean.
- [41:26]
Tony
Do they say that You've left so much board, so many board.
- [41:33]
Quint
I'm good at this. I've won Emmys. Just saying.
- [41:37]
Tony
Yeah, thank you for that.
- [41:39]
Quint
I believe the color of this jacket,
- [41:41]
Tony
that it is rare.
- [41:43]
Quint
Let me just interrupt you real quick. You guys all are claiming, you know, your Pulitzer or whatever, winning award yourself. That's all I'm saying. I'll see you guys later.
- [41:51]
Amin Elhassan
Wow.
- [41:54]
Quint
Shots fired. Wow.
- [41:57]
Tony
The question of which team is more likable. I don't have a lot of what I'm about to say. You say to you, in terms of seeing what we're going to see tonight, which is the team that is obviously more likable to me, obvious without a question, is not the team that America is rooting for, I believe San Antonio, because of the star, because of our love of the star. Because he's a novelty, because he's a freak because he's kind of representing everything the NBA would want represented. Cares deeply, is sort of impeccable with his public postures, represents spectacularly well, whether you're selling basketballs or sneakers or the sport of basketball. I believe that New York is the owner of the most lovable team that franchise has ever had of any kind. And yet they're not as lovable as the other guys in the eyes of America. So they get to have the double. The combination that all fans want, which is, I really love these guys and their grittiness. And nobody believes in us like they've got. They've got that. Which it makes it. It makes it already, to me, the most special Knicks team that there's been since the one that won the title in 19. 1973. And I just think America's on the other side of this where they don't agree with what I just said.
- [43:22]
Jeremy
Oh, you think so? You think most of the country, not talking from a gambling perspective, you think most of the country is rooting for San Antonio?
- [43:29]
Tony
I think most of the country may
- [43:29]
Jeremy
be rooting for New York. I think people are getting swept up. It's the big city, it's flashy. You got the celebrities. They haven't won in forever. I think most of the country might be rooting for New York.
- [43:39]
Amin Elhassan
How can you not root for the franchise that hasn't won anything in more than half a century? Everybody can relate.
- [43:47]
Nick Wright
This is a new and unimproved Dan Levitar show with the Stugarts gamble on by DraftKings.