The Best of The Dan Patrick Show

Summary

The Dan Patrick Show: The Best of The Dan Patrick Show

Date: May 19, 2026
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts and Dan Patrick Podcast Network

---

Episode Overview

This episode of "The Dan Patrick Show" focuses on a thrilling night in sports featuring a double-overtime NBA Conference Finals classic between the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder, the ascendance of Victor Wembanyama as perhaps the NBA’s best player, the rise of the young Spurs roster, and key storylines and matchups in the NBA and NHL playoffs. The episode features nuanced analysis, playful banter, and guest appearances from ESPN’s Steve Levy and NBA legend Reggie Miller, with insights on basketball, hockey, and a dash of pop culture.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Spurs vs. Thunder: A Playoff Classic

[02:13-16:24]

• Game Recap:
  • The Spurs defeat the Thunder 122-115 in double overtime, with Victor Wembanyama posting a historic 41 points and 24 rebounds — the first 40-20 performance in conference finals since Shaquille O’Neal.
  • Wembanyama’s game includes a dramatic logo three-pointer to send it to double overtime.
• Youngest Starting Lineup Ever:
  • The Spurs’ lineup has an average age just over 22; Dan Patrick compares this with the young Michigan Wolverines title team.
  • Dylan Harper shines with intangibles, including 7 steals: “The last time a rookie had seven steals in a playoff game: Maurice Cheeks in 1979.” [15:04]
• Book on Wemby’s Dominance:
  • Dan relays an NBA scout’s advice: the plan is to get Wemby “off his favorite places.” As one of a kind defensively and uniquely skilled at both ends, Wemby draws Bill Russell comparisons:

    “You’ve truly never seen this before. You’ve seen hybrids, but not anyone this great at this age, on this stage.” — Dan Patrick [06:54]

  • The Spurs are considered no longer "ahead of schedule"—they could win it all now.

2. Wembanyama: The NBA’s Best?

[05:18-14:18, 36:13-42:45]

• Is Wemby Underrated or the Best?

  “He’s the best player in basketball… When you look at the totality of his game, I think he’s the best in basketball.” — Dan Patrick [07:08]

  • Discusses Wemby’s impact on defense (comparable to Bill Russell), his offensive versatility, and his rare ability to dominate both ends; the only concern is health/injury.
  • DraftKings odds shift notably after the game, showing increased respect for the Spurs.

• Comparisons & Questions

  • Who would you take for the next 5 years: Jokic or Wemby? “No, Wemby, absolutely.” — Dan Patrick [10:58]
  • “There’s no one coming like him soon. There will be another SGA, but not another Wemby.” — Dan Patrick [11:36]

3. Thunder in Trouble?

[12:26-16:24]

• Physicality & Adjustments
  • Alex Caruso’s defense on Wemby highlighted, but ultimately “you can’t really stop Wemby.” [13:53]
  • Are the Thunder in trouble after dropping Game 1 at home? Panel consensus: “a lot” of trouble, given the Spurs’ youth and confidence:

    “I think they’re in a lot of trouble, seeing how that game unfolded.” — Todd [13:53]

  • However, “if the Spurs do win, it’ll take seven games.” — Dan Patrick [14:26]

4. Playoff Atmosphere and Other Matchups

[15:04-16:24, 42:45-47:31]

• Game Atmosphere

  • Dan and the crew revel in the double OT excitement: “If you weren’t rooting for anyone, it was hard not to keep watching. That’s what you want.” [15:19]
  • The crew notes that the rest of the conference finals may not live up to this series’ energy but caution against overreacting (March Madness parallels).

• Knicks, Cavaliers, and East Playoff Preview

  • Knicks have home-court; Cavaliers are tough off back-to-back Game 7s.
  • “Donovan Mitchell is made for big moments… The Knicks can’t take the Cavs for granted.” — Reggie Miller [43:26, 44:47]
  • Jalen Brunson’s mastery is attributed to his Kobe-like fundamentals and footwork, not raw athleticism:

    “He is the Kobe Bryant of point guards. His fundamentals and footwork are superb.” — Reggie Miller [46:22]

5. NHL Playoffs: Buffalo, Montreal, Carolina & More

[20:09-32:18] Interview with Steve Levy

• Buffalo and Montreal Fandom:
  • Steve Levy confesses his “soft spot” for Buffalo fans and their loyalty [20:24], while noting Canada isn’t united in NHL rooting interest.
• Carolina Hurricanes Analysis:
  • “Best team in the East… not sure if they have a Hall of Famer, but as a team, they’re great. Real home ice advantage.” — Steve Levy [22:06, 23:03]
• Colorado Avalanche Questions:
  • Uncertainty at goaltending and whether Cale Makar is at full strength.
• Mark Messier Stories:
  • Messier’s leadership and focus on “the little things”—embracing pressure.

    “If you’re afraid to speak about it, you probably can’t win it too.” — Steve Levy, recounting Messier’s philosophy [25:24]

• Greatest Captains and NHL Faces:
  • Messier as arguably the best captain in sports (“only one wore 'C' on the sweater”). Sidney Crosby and Ovechkin still current league ‘faces’, but Macklin Celebrini is a rising star. [27:24]

6. Wemby vs. Chet: The Next Great Rivalry?

[41:18-42:45]

• The panel (with Reggie Miller) calls for more direct defense:

  “At some point, it’s going to have to be them two… Chad is going to have to accept the challenge of playing longer minutes, not weak side help. That’s what we’re here to see.” [41:24]

  • Their rivalry goes back to youth basketball (AAU 17U, USA vs. France).

7. LeBron, the Lakers, and Building for the Future

[47:31-53:33]

• Lakers’ Crossroads
  • When do you ask LeBron about his future? “I think these conversations have been ongoing… The Lakers are going to build the roster around Luka.” — Reggie Miller [47:52]
  • Is bringing LeBron back for great numbers (21/7/7) worth possible mediocrity?

    “Is that mission accomplished? That’s not good enough for the Lakers. They’re about winning championships.” — Dan Patrick [51:09]

  • Reggie advocates for LeBron’s experience but acknowledges the tough front-office choice.
• The Broader Sports Question
  • Parallels to NFL franchises grappling with when to move on from aging quarterbacks.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Victor Wembanyama’s Ascendance:

  “You’ve truly never seen this before ... there’s nobody that says, ‘well the next Wemby is coming along.’” — Dan Patrick [06:54, 11:36]

• On the playoff atmosphere:

  “That atmosphere—like, that's what you want ... It's hard to not watch.” — Dan Patrick [15:19]

• On Captaincy in sports:

  “Only one wore ‘C’ on the sweater or jersey—Messier. That’s, to me, arguably the greatest captain in all sports.” — Dan Patrick [26:33]

• On Mark Messier’s Winning Mentality:

  “If you’re afraid to speak about it, you probably can’t win it too.” — Steve Levy [25:24]

• On Spurs’ youth movement:

  “The lineup is the youngest in Conference Finals history ... and they don’t know what they don't know. That’s dangerous.” — Panel [03:32, 11:59]

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:13] Spurs-Thunder Game Breakdown and Wemby’s Historic Night
• [04:51] Victor Wembanyama’s Postgame Message
• [06:54] Wembanyama’s Unique Profile & Comparisons
• [10:58] Jokic vs. Wemby Debate
• [14:18] Are the Thunder in Trouble?
• [15:04] Dylan Harper's Record Rookie Performance
• [20:09] NHL Talk with Steve Levy
• [25:24] Inside Stories from Mark Messier
• [27:24] The Next NHL ‘Face’ After Crosby/Ovechkin
• [36:13] Reggie Miller Breaks Down Spurs-Thunder Series
• [41:18] Wemby vs. Chet: Time for a Showdown
• [43:18] Knicks, Cavs East Preview
• [47:31] LeBron’s Future and Lakers’ Direction

---

Final Thoughts

This episode captures the intersection of generational change and playoff intensity in both the NBA and NHL. Dan Patrick and guests blend analysis and humor while providing clarity on legacy, team-building, and the singular brilliance of athletes like Victor Wembanyama. The recurring question: When you witness "the next big thing," can you even compare it, or must you just sit back and enjoy the show?

Transcript

[Jonas Brothers]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Narrator/Podcast Trailer Voice]

Guaranteed Human man.

[Dan Patrick]

I'm mid morning about to hit the

[Paul]

day and I realize I'm out of toothpaste, coffee and yes even my favorite high protein snack. Life changes fast and I don't have time to run to the store. Well, Amazon has you covered from everyday essentials I planned for and stuff I forgot I needed. You can find everything in one place. Fast delivery, great prices, no hassle. The the next time life tries to catch you off guard, make Amazon the first place you go for all your everyday essentials and stay on track.

[Theodore]

Without missing a beat, I raised my glass to Miller Lite. They've been doing it for 50 years now. They are iconic. They are the original. They're legendary. That's why I reach for a Miller Lite and you should too. Legendary moments start with Miller Lite. Great taste. 96 calories. You can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. Go to millerlight.com Patrick for find delivery options near you. It's Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin 96 calories, 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces

[Paul]

during Memorial Day at Lowe's shop household must haves for less.

[Dan Patrick]

Save $80 on a Char Broil Performance

[Paul]

Series 4 Burner Grill to chef up something special plus get up to 45% off. Select major appliances to keep things fresh. Our best lineup is here at Lowe's Lowe's. We help you save valid through 527

[Dan Patrick]

while supplies last selection varies by location. See lowe's.com for details.

[Theodore]

Visit your nearby Lowes.

[Liberty Mutual Ad Voice]

Liberty Mutual customizes your car and home insurance. And now we're customizing this ad for your morning commute to wake you up, which could help your driving. Science says that stimulating the brain increases alertness. So here's a pop quiz. How many months have 28 days. What gets wetter as it dries? What has keys but can't open locks? If you don't want to hear the answers, turn off this Liberty mutual ad now. 12 months a towel piano. Enjoy being fully alert.

[Theodore]

Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty.

[Dan Patrick]

You are listening to the Dan Patrick show on Fox Sports Radio.

[Theodore]

The spurs surprise the thunder in double overtime 122 to 115 as Wemby goes for 41 points in that game. Also 24 rebounds. First player with a 4020 night in conference finals history since Shaquille O'. Neal. And you got to see a little bit of him on the defensive end. And you got to see a little bit of him on the offensive end and bringing back memories of Steph Curry with that pull up three. In fact, this is how it sounded as Wemby's trying to send this into a double overtime. Spurs got numbers. Hungry now behind the plate, five on four.

[Dan Patrick]

Webby's gonna pull a deep three. Oh my goodness. A logo shot.

[Theodore]

Mike Tirico, Reggie Miller on the call. NBC Peacock, which is where you can find this show. That was a great basketball game. That was what you want with a Western Conference or Eastern Conference finals. You, you get overtime, couple overtimes. We had hockey overtime as well. It was just a great night, back and forth. And okc, you know, allowed San Antonio to steal this one because you don't have de' Aaron Fox and okc. Now granted, SGA did not play well at all, but Alex Caruso played unbelievably well, certainly from 3 point range. Had 31 points and played some pretty good defense on Wemby in the fourth quarter. But this was all about Victor Wembanyama. And you start to look at this lineup and I was curious if I was going to match the San Antonio spurs with the national champion Michigan Wolverines. The spurs starting lineup is the youngest starting lineup in the history of a conference finals. Dylan Harper, who, wow, second half of the season been unbelievable, had seven steals last night. He's 20, Castle's 21, Vassals 25, Champagne is 24, Wemby's 22. The average age of the spurs starting lineup is 22 years. Two hundred and forty six days old. The average age of Michigan's title team, 21 and a half years of age. Stat of the day, brought to you by Panini America, the official trading cards of the program. After the game, Victor Wembanyama was asked about was a message sent last night,

[Narrator/Podcast Trailer Voice]

A big response tonight with your performance.

[Theodore]

If your performance tonight had a message

[Paul]

behind it, what would that message be? The message would be that we as a team are ready to go in any environment, in any place, against anybody.

[Dan Patrick]

Even though we still got a lot

[Paul]

to learn, our effort should be over anybody else's.

[Dan Patrick]

And tonight we were relentless.

[Theodore]

They were. And once again, Dylan Harper is the guy to keep an eye on. It's. It's hard not to focus on Wemby for a variety of reasons. Dylan Harper is doing the intangibles and you need those guys. They didn't have de' Aaron Fox last night. Castle was another one of those intangible guys. Now he can surprise you and get 25 points, but. But he's there. Play defense and, you know, facilitate the offense. It's an interesting lineup. And I've backed off saying I thought that they were a year ahead of schedule. Who's to say what your schedule is? In their minds? We're like, we're here. Why don't we win this thing? You got the Knicks coming up tonight at home as they've been waiting for a little while as the Cavs come to town. So we'll talk about that as well. If you're curious about what last night did to the odds to win the championship. According to DraftKings, Thunder still plus 125. The spurs were plus 310 yesterday. Now they're plus 155. The Knicks plus 550 now plus 475. And the Cavaliers way down the list at plus 2000. All righty. Eight, seven, seven, three, DP show operators sitting by to take your calls. Dylan, poll question for the first hour of this program. Yeah, Dan, we got a couple off of the Spurs Thunder. Who would you rather see advance? Spurs are the Thunder. I would probably guess America would be rooting for the spurs because, you see, you're seeing something different. OKC is a great team. We know that. I just don't know if it's a hey, I'm a casual fan tune in factor. With Wemby, there's a tune in factor just because you're watching somebody that big with that kind of touch at one end and that kind of defensive presence at the other end. You know, Bill Russell might have been the greatest defender of all time, but he was six eight, six nine. This guy's seven four. And Bill Russell was limited on the offensive end. So Wemby can be Bill Russell, but then at the other end, there's really no comp for him because there have been a lot of great shooting big men. But he's also great inside. If he gets it inside back to the basket, it's unstoppable. So you're seeing something that you've truly never seen before. You've seen sort of a hybrid of this or portions of this, but you haven't seen anybody this great at this age and on this stage as well. What else do you have today, Dylan? Well, speaking of Victor Wembanyama, is Victor Wembanyama actually underrated? Yes. Somehow or properly rated? Well, I'm, I'm, I'm on record as saying he's the best player in basketball because if I'm going to look at the totality of his game, I think he's the best player in basketball. Now, can he get out of place? Does he let his emotions get to him sometimes? Like, I'm nitpicking here, but once he got somebody who could help position him. And. And this is what okc. This is the book on him talking to an NBA scout last night before the game. And I said, what's the book? And he said, you got to get him off his. His favorite places. Like, you know, I mean, it's no different than what they try to do with the greatest players. You know, they tried to do this with Jordan, get him off his mark where he's comfortable. They're trying to get to Wemby before Wemby gets to them, get him away from that spot there, because he's going to kill you there. If. If he gets you there, you're in no man's land. So that's sort of what's happening. And the physicality, it's every single time down the floor, he's going to get banged around. That's the book. You want to see if he'll react the way he did a week ago. Now, trying to hold your emotions at age 22, that's been the challenge. He had a moment last night without Alex Caruso where he lowers his shoulder into Caruso, knocks him down, and then falls on top of him. There's no need for that. They want you to do that. And it was just called a foul. I think they were looking to see if it was a flagrant, but you can't get in there and get baited. And he did last night. So that's really all you can do with him. Defensively, he can guard the perimeter and he can guard inside, and he can do that with two or three steps. It's remarkable, the athleticism that you're seeing with Victor at the age of 22. I've been a huge Joker fan. Nobody has been able to do what he does offensively, but Wemby is no. Nowhere near Joker offensively. But defensively, nobody is near him as well. And you're playing both ends of the floor. And it's rare when we focus on defense in the NBA. Normally it's in the playoffs during the regular season. I don't think anybody wants to see defense. They want to see scoring. You're going to win a championship because you can play defense. At some point, you have to play defense. And I think that's the difference with Wemby. I think he's the best player in the game now. You can dance around the as Stan Van Gundy said waste the most impactful. Okay, I. I think he's the best player in the game. Impactful because. And what does that mean? Are we talking semantics? The most. Is he the most valuable to his team? What would OKC with be without sga? Probably a playoff team. San Antonio would not be. But it's Fun to watch. OkC is still favored to win the series. It's one game. But when you're young and you. I mean, they're not aware of what they're supposed to be aware of. That's the danger of this. When you go, damn, we can win this thing. They should be thinking that. Yes, Dylan. So if you had to take one Jokic or Wemby, are you going Wemby for your team? Well, are we talking one year? Are we talking the next five years? Wemby's your next five. Oh, no, Wemby, Absolutely. Now, the only thing that I would worry about is injury. He had the blood clot, but I would be worried about injury if you said I could have SGA or Wemby for the next five years. I'm taking Wemby. Sga, wonderful player, played bad last night, but I have. I have something unique. There's nobody that says, well, the next Wemby is coming along. There'll be another sga, an unbelievable score. But it'll be a while before we go. You know, there was a player 10 years, 15 years ago, Victor Wembanyama, and he reminds me of him, that that's not happening anytime soon. Yeah, Paul.

[Jonas Brothers]

And there's just no questions about Wemby's game. But when you're watching last night, the physicality, they get into his lower back,

[Theodore]

you know, they can't go over the top of him.

[Jonas Brothers]

So Caruso, I think is 6 5, and he's just got that forearm in his lower back, pushing and pushing and waiting for help. It's. The physicality was out of hand in that fourth quarter.

[Theodore]

Yeah. You just have to. You have to be able to police it. That's going to be the key, is, do these officials allow? What do they allow? And we tend to allow a little bit more physicality when it comes to the playoffs. Any other poll questions we're considering for the first hour? We can keep it rolling with the Thunder series, Dan, if you'd like. How much trouble are they in after game one?

[Dan Patrick]

A little.

[Theodore]

A lot or none at all? I have to believe a little. I mean, nobody expected on a night when SGA gets his MVP award, that crowd in. Okc is unbelievable. Awesome. And you go in there and you don't have de' Aaron Fox and you end up winning in double overtime. Like you're making big shots in double overtime in overtime. And I think that's the impressive part because you would think a younger team, that atmosphere on the road, but they, they hung in there and that's all you can ask for with, with your team. And plus, as I've said, they, they tend to get more confident and emboldened like we can beat them. And Wemby loves going against Chad Holmgren. Loves, loves to torch him. Although Holmgren did have a great block shot on him late in the game. But they have a history here. Wemby relishes the opportunity to go against Jet Holmgren. Yes, Todd, I know it's, I guess

[Dan Patrick]

it's recency bias and it was just one game that just happened last night, but I think they're in a lot of trouble seeing how that game unfolded. I don't know what major adjustments you can make. We all agree you can't really stop Wemby. So taking game one on the road like that in double overtime that, you know, the spurs we were talking about in recent weeks how maybe they were a year away from getting to this point and there's no reason to think why the spurs can't win this series. And so I'm going to think that the Thunder in a lot of trouble.

[Theodore]

Okay. Are you taking the spurs to beat okc?

[Dan Patrick]

I wouldn't go high in the face

[Theodore]

worth worthwhile on that one.

[Dan Patrick]

But I think this, I think the spurs can win it. I know it's just one game and I think if the spurs do win, it would take seven games though.

[Theodore]

Yeah, well, the spurs can win it. I mean they're here, they won game one on the road. So I don't think anybody would be surprised if San Antonio won this series. I'm, you know, there's probably an element of, you know, shock but you know, if you watch the game and watch the team. But OKC is going to be ready to go on Wednesday night. Yeah, Paul, I almost feel bad for

[Liberty Mutual Ad Voice]

Alex Crusoe of OKC.

[Theodore]

32 points or 31 points.

[Jonas Brothers]

He just on defense, the visual of

[Theodore]

him sitting there with his headband on

[Dan Patrick]

a foot shorter and he would have

[Theodore]

had one of those all time great nights of a player who's been a good player and tough player, but that would have been an all timer for him. Yeah, but Dylan Harper is the guy who in victory people are not going to realize how great he was. He had 24, 11 and seven steals. It's been, boy, the last time a rookie had seven steals in a playoff game, Maurice Cheeks in 1979. So, you know, it's an impressive performance, but it's going to take more than just Wemby. But that was fun last night. Those were big shots that were hit and the atmosphere, like that's what you want. That's where if you're watching a game and you don't, you're not rooting for anybody. It's hard to not continue to watch that game. I thought it was so much fun. Yeah. Dylan, this feels like primed for the final series to be a letdown in comparison to this one. Like, I feel like it's going to be hard to live up to this billing. I know. And we did this in March Madness with Michigan and Arizona and oh my gosh, it's going to be one of the great matchups of all time. Unfortunately, it's in the semifinals and then it turned out it wasn't a good game at all. I'm not going to go that far because I've covered enough of these where you go, that team doesn't have a chance. And then all of a sudden they end up winning a game and then they win another game. And then all of a sudden it's like, okay, now we got a series. Yes, Todd.

[Dan Patrick]

And we did it with Ram Seahawks. A lot of us felt that should be the Super Bowl.

[Theodore]

Good point.

[Dan Patrick]

Be sure to catch the live edition of the Dan Patrick show, weekdays at 9am Eastern, 6am Pacific on Fox Sports

[Theodore]

Radio in the iHeartRadio app.

[Dan Patrick]

Hey, it's Ben, host of the Fifth Hour with Ben Maller. Would mean a lot to have you join us on our weekly auditory journey. You're asking, what in God's name is the fifth hour? I'll tell you. It's a spin off of the Ben

[Theodore]

Ma Show, a cold hit overnights on fsr.

[Dan Patrick]

Why should you listen?

[Theodore]

Picture, if you will, a world where

[Dan Patrick]

we chat with captains of industry in media, sports and more every week. Explore some amazing facts about human nature and more. Listen to the fifth hour with Ben Mather on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast. If you work in university maintenance, Grainger

[Theodore]

considers you an MVP because your playbook

[Dan Patrick]

ensures your arena is always ready for tip off.

[Theodore]

And Grainger is your trusted partner, offering the products you need all in one

[Dan Patrick]

place, from H Vac and plumbing supplies

[Theodore]

to lighting and and all delivered with

[Dan Patrick]

plenty of time Left on the clock.

[Liberty Mutual Ad Voice]

So your team always gets the win.

[Theodore]

Call 1-800-granger. Visit grainger.com or just stop by Grainger

[Liberty Mutual Ad Voice]

for the ones who get it done.

[Jonas Brothers]

Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers. And guess what? We have some big news. What's the news, Nick?

[Theodore]

Huge news.

[Jonas Brothers]

We created our own podcast called hey Jonas.

[Dan Patrick]

We invented a podcast.

[Jonas Brothers]

Well, we didn't invent it, we just contributed to it. The first people to do podcasts. Pretty. Yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts, but this one's extra special. So how did we. How do we actually come up with the name hey Jonas? Guys, I honestly don't remember.

[Theodore]

I think it was on a call

[Jonas Brothers]

about what we should call it and,

[Theodore]

well, we were thinking.

[Jonas Brothers]

I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers. This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes, I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing a bit for the podcast where people could call in and say, hey Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, hey Jonas. And offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that. Guys, listen to hey Jonas on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it.

[Robert Smigel]

Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy not quite on Humor Me with Robert Smigel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you friends.

[Dan Patrick]

Funnier.

[Robert Smigel]

This week, my guests SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Sidel help an acapella band with their between songs banter.

[Theodore]

Where does your group perform?

[Dan Patrick]

We do some retirement homes.

[Robert Smigel]

Those people are starving for banter. Listen to Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Narrator/Podcast Trailer Voice]

Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect.

[Theodore]

We were God's chosen kingdom on earth.

[Narrator/Podcast Trailer Voice]

He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back.

[Timbo]

Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets meeting the president of Turkey.

[Narrator/Podcast Trailer Voice]

I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across.

[Timbo]

When Jacob met Levan, this went to a billion dollar fraud.

[Narrator/Podcast Trailer Voice]

But with two kings from entirely different worlds. Just how long can their empire survive?

[Liberty Mutual Ad Voice]

The largest tax investigation in American history.

[Narrator/Podcast Trailer Voice]

You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me, Jacob told Lavon.

[Timbo]

You're ruining my life.

[Narrator/Podcast Trailer Voice]

Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Theodore]

Steve Levy handled the studio hosting duties last night with Messier and Kevin Weeks, and Leaves is back on the program. Who should have we been rooting for last night?

[Dan Patrick]

So, me personally, I have a soft spot for Buffalo in my heart. Going to SUNY Oswego, upstate New York. All my buddies are Buffalo guys. And it's just. It's just a great sports market. I think it surprises people, the Buffalo Sabers, for the lack of success. They're always like, top two in local TV ratings for their hockey team. And even when the Bills weren't good, then when they were 500, like the state rich, old rich stadium was still filled. Every single, every single game. I just. I feel so badly for those people. Look, Montreal hasn't won in forever either, and it's great to have new blood. Original six, everybody knows the logo, but there's a part of me was really rooting for Buffalo, and they were the superior team last night. They deserved a better feat.

[Theodore]

Do you think Canada is rooting for Montreal?

[Dan Patrick]

No, it's not like that in that country. It's weird. I can't explain it. The Oilers make the cup, you know, final two years in a row. Everybody in the east can't stand them.

[Paul]

And.

[Dan Patrick]

And when Vancouver got in against Boston, Montreal and Toronto hate them. Like, they are not a united country when it comes to hockey, but the province of Quebec, the scene outside the arena there when they play is like no other in the NHL. And to be, you know, the last couple years, got to go to Edmonton with Messier, which is pretty cool walking around. And if Montreal could get back to the final, going there with PK would be pretty neat. And so, you know, I'm about the experience, Dan. I really root for the. The cities in which mess PK and I will have the best time. That's how I.

[Theodore]

Of course you do. How good is Carolina?

[Dan Patrick]

They're really good. They're. They're an interesting sort of odd team, Dan. Like, you know, they're the best team in the East. They were in the regular season. And people want to talk about the easiest path they've had. You know, Ottawa and Philadelphia and the Swedes, well, they earned it. That's the idea, right? That's how it's supposed to be. The regular season shouldn't matter. You're the best team in the East. You get the easiest path to the Cup. If you will. And so, but they don't have, this is really odd. Like they're a great team. They're a great collection of talent. I'm not sure they have any hall of Famers on the team. I'm not sure they have any superstars on the team. And the other teams remaining, you could make the art. The three other teams remaining all sort of do, you know, so it's odd. But collectively they are a great team. Rod Brindmore is a great coach and in a league where home ice advantage is virtually meaningless, I think Carolina has a real home ice advantage.

[Theodore]

But then you have the abs as well and the scoring outburst that they've had. Compare. I know we're jumping ahead, but the abs to Carolina, very chalky.

[Dan Patrick]

You know, the two, the two top seeds there and that's, those are the easy choices to pick and that would be a, that would be a fascinating series. Look, I'm not sold on, on Colorado's goaltending. They've, they've flip flopped back and forth much like Buffalo did. And it's really, you know, Messier reminds us this all the time, like to this point, all the games, all the action. They're only halfway there. They're halfway, you know, you've still got to win two more series and so you know, Jared Bednar has some decisions to make and Wedgwood and Blackwood, we make fun of the last names and everything, the similarities there, but I'm not sure they know and, and maybe they can ride both guys but we'll have to see about that. So, but that has to be concerned and, and Cale McCarr doesn't look to be himself, Dan. And that's, you know, that's probably the biggest factor. All world bordering on all time defensemen when his career is done. I mean he's, he's got all the credentials to this point. If he has a long career, he'll be one of the all time greats in my opinion. And, but he didn't look right against Minnesota. They've had a lot of time off here. He was still okay. He was still pretty good. But he was dynamic. Cale McCarr who can really take over a game by himself. So I think the point is Colorado has some questions and I don't really have any questions about Carolina. You know, Freddie Anderson is the goaltender when he's been available, he's always been really, really good and he's good right now.

[Theodore]

Talking to Steve Levy. ESPN's coverage of the Western Conference finals starts Wednesday, 7:30 Eastern. With leaves. Mark Messier PK Subin Game 1 at 8 Eastern. Does Messier tell stories when you guys aren't on the air?

[Dan Patrick]

He's really good off the air too. Yeah, we have a good time. He's such a fascinating guy. Like the way he breaks it down, it's like it's not TV sexy. It's not sexy in our business, right, because it's the neutral zone face off, which you can't highlight. But in Messier's mind, that's what wins hockey games. It's the first pass out of the zone. The little things. It's not the flash and dash. And so Mark always pays such great attention to the detail and the stuff inside the dressing room to embrace the pressure. Buffalo, for example, last night, you know, they really struggled at home, so they tried to flip it. They stayed in a hotel at home, which a lot of teams don't do. Right. Early on in the playoffs, maybe the final. And Mess told the story that in 94, Mike Keenan offered the Rangers the same exact thing. And when they came back from Vancouver for Game 7 and Mess said, no, we, we want to be home, we want to get away from the rink. He said, as a group, we decided, I'm sure that was Messier deciding for the group. When you're, you know, the greatest living captain, all the sports, you get to make those decisions. And so that's his thing. Embrace the moment. If you're afraid to speak about it, you probably can't win it too, so. But it's cool to be around. I do pinch myself every once in a while. You know, I get a random text at 1am you're watching the Calgary power play here, and I'm like, I want to call my buddies. You know, Mark Messier is asking me if I'm watching the Flames power play, you know, in November, 1am so that's pretty cool.

[Theodore]

Better captain Messier or Derek Jeter?

[Dan Patrick]

Listen, only one of more C on their sweater or jersey if you'll mess them. That's to me again, arguably the greatest captain in all of sports. I gotta think he's the greatest captain in hockey. I'm gonna go Messi. I'm sure Gina did a great job too. But baseball and hockey captaincy seem to be very different. You don't see a lot of captain type activities in baseball. In hockey, it's a, it's a massive deal, as you know, especially, you know, in a place like New York. But he was the captain everywhere. He was the captain in Edmonton after Gretz left Even the captain in Vancouver for a short stint too.

[Theodore]

The face of the NHL, like we're talking about. Victor Wembanyama at age 22 is becoming the face of the NBA. Hockey has periodically had faces. Nobody quite like Gratz, but who is the face of the NHL like today

[Dan Patrick]

or you want to say in like five years from now, like, because today I think it's probably still Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, but in five years from now, maybe three. Macklin Celebrini, what he's done in San Jose. So he's over there at the. At the Worlds for Canada and he's wearing the captain C. And they added Sidney Crosby later and you know, celebrating. He's still got that on his sweater. So I think it's Macklin Celebrini. Been great for the league, Dan, what he's done, he's put San Jose back on the map kind of thing. The Sharks, really exciting, really fun to watch. And back in the day when you and I were growing up, Dan the Shark Tank was the place to be. Like, that might have been the loudest arena in the NHL.

[Theodore]

Mitch Marner's doing some fun things.

[Dan Patrick]

Yeah, don't say it too loud because they might hear you in Toronto and they are still very sensitive about what's going on there. Man. That they let him get away. Oh, I had a guy just blasting me on the radio up there. He counted. It was interesting. He said in the previous. Again, they bought a lot of categories. Right. To make their argument in the pre. In the last 25 games of Mitch Marner's Leafs career. But he's only counting games five, six and seven in the playoffs, Dan. And only goals, not points. All right, so there's a lot there. And he had just won in the 25 games. And of course now you know, if Vegas does anything, he could win the Con Smyth as a playoff mvp. Look, he didn't have the supporting cast. Vegas has supported him correctly. But definitely the heat or the media heat or public heat of playing being a local boy in Toronto as playing supposed to play in Las Vegas is, is very different. Despite that it's 101 degrees in Vegas.

[Theodore]

If Mark Messier and PK Subin fought. Who do you have today? Yeah,

[Dan Patrick]

be really close. 2 days ago. It's messier for sure. Because that PK will take her shirt off for no reason, by the way. He is very happy to do that.

[Paul]

And.

[Dan Patrick]

And pk, you know, every day is leg day and he's all bumped up all the time and tells you like the first? I'll be. Hey, pk, how you doing? He goes, I worked out today. I didn't ask you if you worked out today. You know, PK's in tremendous shape, but Mess gives you that stare. He crinkles up the far head, you know, and the eyebrows and I wouldn't want to mess with Mark Messier.

[Theodore]

No, it feels, it's weird how guys get labeled underrated and, and maybe we're, we're overrated by underrating people. It's like, you know, I, I always thought Kareem was underrated. You know, there's certain athletes that they did things. I don't think we really understood the context of what they did. And I always thought Messier was kind of in Wayne Gretzky's shadow. I mean, he played on one of the greatest teams of all time. I'd love for you to compare Edmonton when they had that dynasty to the Islanders dynasty. Better team, brought that up.

[Dan Patrick]

First of a. Mess is so modest when it comes to Grets. He defers to Wayne all the time. And again, Mess is a top five all time player, I think, I think he's still third in points and only because Jagger played till he was 50 or whatever. You know, those, those Oiler teams against the Islander team. So my four years in high school were the Islanders 4 Cup team. Of course, I was the only Ranger fan in high school, but that's a different story. That was an awful existence. The Islander teams were the best teams I ever saw because they could do everything. They could score at will and they could beat the crap out of you too. And still had the best clutch goalie of all time for my money, in Billy Smith. And of course the Islander dynasty was right before the Oilers dynasty. And it's a famous story that Mess tells and grets to the first year that last year before the Oilers won, they lost to the Islanders and the Oilers are walking out of Nassau Coliseum and they have to pass by the Islanders dressing room and the Islanders just won the cup and they saw the mess that the Islanders were physically. The pain, the blood, the bones. I mean that, that kind of stuff. And the Oilers to a man say to this day that they walked by and saw the cost, what it really takes physically and mentally to win and that, that lesson sort of stayed with them and that helped propel them to their run the following season.

[Theodore]

Good stuff leaves. Thanks for joining us as always.

[Dan Patrick]

Happy belated birthday, brother.

[Theodore]

Thank you. Your hair looks great too.

[Dan Patrick]

You know, it's different color than it used to be.

[Paul]

Dan.

[Theodore]

It's still there though. You have it though. It's okay if it changes colors. Yeah, I'll, I'll take it if. If it stays there instead of not having any but green, orange, whatever it is.

[Dan Patrick]

You got it. Thanks, buddy.

[Theodore]

That's Steve Levy of the mothership.

[Dan Patrick]

Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our [e-mail] and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to listen live.

[Jonas Brothers]

Hey, it's us, the Jonas Brothers. And guess what? We have some big news. What's the news?

[Theodore]

Huge news.

[Jonas Brothers]

We created our own podcast called hey Jonas.

[Dan Patrick]

We invented a podcast.

[Jonas Brothers]

Well, we didn't invent it.

[Theodore]

We.

[Jonas Brothers]

We just contributed to First People to do Podcasts. Pretty. Yeah, pretty wide range of podcasts, but this one's extra special. So how do we. How do we actually come up with the name hey Jonas? Guys, I honestly don't remember.

[Theodore]

I think it was on a call

[Jonas Brothers]

about what we should call it and,

[Theodore]

well, we were thinking.

[Jonas Brothers]

I'm originally calling it one of the early names of our band before Jonas Brothers. This is how you guys remember it going down? Yes, I have a very different memory of this. We were talking about a thing a

[Dan Patrick]

bit for the podcast where people could

[Jonas Brothers]

call in and say, hey Jonas. And then I wrote down on my little notepad, hey Jonas and offered it up as a potential title for the podcast. But thanks for remembering that. Guys, listen to hey Jonas on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it.

[Robert Smigel]

Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy not quite on Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week. My guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an acapella band with their between songs banter.

[Timbo]

Where does your group perform?

[Dan Patrick]

We do some retirement homes.

[Robert Smigel]

Those people are starving for banter. Listen to Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Narrator/Podcast Trailer Voice]

Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect.

[Theodore]

We were God's chosen kingdom on earth.

[Narrator/Podcast Trailer Voice]

He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back.

[Timbo]

Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of turkey.

[Narrator/Podcast Trailer Voice]

I'm Michelle McPhee and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across.

[Timbo]

When Jacob met Levan, this went to a billion dollar fraud.

[Narrator/Podcast Trailer Voice]

But with two kings from entirely different worlds. Just how long can their empire survive

[Liberty Mutual Ad Voice]

the largest tax investigation in American history.

[Narrator/Podcast Trailer Voice]

You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me?

[Timbo]

Jacob told Lavon. You're ruining my life.

[Narrator/Podcast Trailer Voice]

Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Timbo]

Last night, a blown call changed the game. This morning, the Internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source. The athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight reel. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports slice on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo, Slice, Life 12 and the TikTok Podcast Network.

[Theodore]

On TikTok, Reggie Miller on the call, Last night's opening game of the Western conference finals. And he was there with Mike Trico, Jamal Crawford, game two tomorrow night, tip off, 8:30 Eastern on NBC. And Peacock. I'm full of hyperbole this morning, Reg. Victor Wembanyama is the best player in the NBA.

[Paul]

You probably would be correct. Look, we are in the final four of our league, the conference final, and this is the matchup everyone's been wanting to see. You know, one versus two, two 62 plus win teams. All the hype that came into this. The spurs being successful versus the defending champs all season, winning four of five. You've got the MVP SGA accepting his second trophy. You've got the unanimous defensive player of the year, Victor Wembanyama. So, you know, two planets colliding towards one another, and you saw an epic game one.

[Theodore]

Okay, how do we not overreact to this? I. And you can look at it from both ways that OKC struggled against San Antonio during the regular season. Wemby Wellish relishes this matchup with Chet. SGA didn't play well. They, you know, Caruso played great and you know, so in all for not, Dylan Harper appears to be on the verge of being something as well. So talk me back down. You know, if I'm overreacting to what I saw in game one now, it doesn't mean OKC can't win the next four. I'm just saying from what I've seen and what I saw last night, this is going to be obviously an entertaining maybe seven game series.

[Timbo]

I'll start.

[Paul]

From the Thunder standpoint, it's one game and it's game one. Let's just flashback to last year's finals. Tyrese Halliburton hit a shot at the buzzer in game one. Pacers go up one nothing. The Thunder end up winning that series in seven. So you can't get too high, too low. You mentioned some of the highlights. Yes, SGA struggles. He did have 18 in the fourth, but a lot of those came from the free throw line. He was facing a wall, a wall of black jerseys. Everywhere he went, he struggled. I think the only bright spot offensively for the Thunder was Alex Caruso, a guy who comes off the bench. He had 30 points and eight threes. But the Thunder, they missed a lot of wide open shots, a lot of wide open threes. And that's kind of been on point of why they've been unsuccessful versus the spurs this year has been. They haven't been great from that three point line, which is one of their strengths. So if they can correct that, yes, game two could be a different story if FGA gets hot and some of those guys are making threes, like Aaron Wiggins came off the bench and missed three wide open three. So they've got to be more efficient in terms of shooting the basketball when they're going to double and triple team SGA and take the ball out his hands for the San Antonio side. We came in and did what we were supposed to do. We were shorthanded without the Aaron Fox, our point guard, who's probably arguably the second most important player on the team. And Dylan Harper, a rookie. A rookie inserted into the starting lineup and was as cool as the other side of the pillow. He was unbelievable. In moments down the stretch. His defense, if he was anticipating, I, I said he looked like Deion Sanders, you know, at free safety on a couple of those steals, he was superb. And of course, the highlight of the night, when I talk about this time of year, you're picking up casual fans now because you're this close to getting to the NBA Finals. So now your casual fans are saying, you know, I've heard of this Victor Wimbanyama. I've seen a game or two. But now you got a chance to see a full 48 minute game plus because it was a double overtime game and to see how special you and I have talked about this and I've said to you, every time you watch a game of his, you're going to see something that you've never seen before. And in transition, a 7 foot 4 dude, down 3, down 3, takes a 30 footer to tie the ball game. It's just unbelievable watching him play.

[Theodore]

But I wonder what we would be saying if he missed that shot and they lost. Because when he pulled up, I went, oh my God. And. And then you make it. It's one of those, oh my God. Oh, okay. But if he doesn't make it, then we're going to be, I think, questioning. Well, I don't want to go too deep question.

[Paul]

I thought it was a, it was a good look at that particular time. At that moment of the game. You're down three closing moments of overtime and you step right into it in flow. It wasn't forced, was it deep? Yes. But we've seen him make deep threes before. I, I just love that he didn't blink. He didn't think about it. It was catch, shoot, high ball game.

[Theodore]

Why don't they put Holmgren on him? Can Chet play him straight up?

[Paul]

Thank you, Theodore. At some point in this series, it's going to have to be them too. I applaud what Caruso is doing. I applaud J Dub. And that's how they. Someone had success with him the last couple years. Not this season, but the last couple years putting a smaller defender underneath him. But I think during the middle of the game and Jamal kind of mentioned this, it's like he's got to Remember he is 7 4, right? So when you've got Caruso, you've got J Dub guarding you, just throw it high. No one else in that building can go get that other than maybe Chad. And we saw in that one play, I believe it was the end of the first overtime. Weak side help. Who is one of the best weak side help defenders in our game? Chad Holgram. I think at some point during this series there's going to have to be more time of its chat versus Wimy and that's what we're here to see because these two have a history dating back to AAU 17 and under basketball games, USA versus France. And I want to see it. Chad is going to have to take take and accept the challenge of playing longer minutes, not weak side help. He's going to have to take the illness of playing when B1 on one.

[Theodore]

Talking to Reggie Miller on the call last night. Coming up Wednesday, It'll be game two in this series. The tip off will be 8:30 Eastern on NBC and Peacock Cavaliers, Knicks tonight. Cavaliers come rolling in after a, you know, slug fest with Detroit. Knicks have been waiting. Knicks getting healthier home court advantage. And this kind of feels like the Knicks know what the feeling is like because last year all you got to do is get by Indiana and we're going to the finals.

[Paul]

Yeah.

[Theodore]

Okay, so what is, what does New York do or have to remember going into this series tonight?

[Paul]

I think watching game one last night of that spurs versus Thunder. Remember the Thunder had been off nine days leading up into game one, whereas the spurs were coming off that six game, very physical series versus Minnesota. So if you're in New York number one, you can't take Cleveland for granted. This is the whole rest versus rust and you've got to come out the start of the game because I felt the Thunder kind of eased into the game and San Antonio took control of game one. Even though the Thunder came back, they tied it and they took the lead. I never felt that San Antonio was ever out of it. They had control of the game for 48 plus minutes, double overtime. That the Knicks cannot ease into the game because the Cavs are coming off two grueling game sevens. One versus Toronto and one versus Detroit. And the Cavs think about this, they've gone against two of the best defending teams in the playoffs. Toronto, great defending team and we know about Detroit, one of the top defending teams and beat them. So they cannot take the Cavs for granted. The Cavs have some great weapons, they have size and Jared Allen, Evan Mobley, and I'm telling you this, Donovan Mitchell, he has made for big moments. I know he's, he hasn't proved or shown it in the playoffs, but this guy is built for big moments. And James Harden has to be more consistent. If he's consistent in this series, this could be a long series for the Knicks. But having said all that, I think the Knicks are destined. They are destined to make it to the finals just after that game three big win in Atlanta. This has been along with the Thunder, the best team and their defense and the way they're playing through Cap, I just think the Knicks are destined right now.

[Theodore]

And it's strange when you're standing next to Mitchell or Brunson and you realize that they're not taller than you. I'm talking about me. Like they're not tall guys, but they're so good. And I'd really love to see Brunson against Wemby in a NBA Finals because he does all of his damage sort of in that area and all of a sudden, you know, you got Wendy lurking there, which, which would be great. But those guys ability, that, that's where you tell somebody, watch those guys, watch Brunson and tell me how he does what he does, because I don't think he's particularly fast. Good handle, quick, nice shot. But he's not a big guy. But he somehow this is the amazing part of basketball where you watch a guy and you go, I don't know how he does it. And he's in that category.

[Paul]

Theodore, I'm going to tell you how he does it. He is the master. I'll put it to you like this. He is the Kobe Bryant of point guards. And why I say that his fundamentals and footwork are superb. Superb. He will. He understands angles and when he uses his footwork, when he does get into the paint, he keeps the defense off balance. He is great in the mid range. He can kill you from three point. And he's a pretty honorable passer as well. So his footwork, that's what makes him so efficient. And Donovan Mitchell has size. He's bigger than Jalen Brunson. So that's why he can finish amongst the bigs when he gets into the paint. He also is a great three point shooter. He's been in the three point competition the last four or five years. So you know, he's very capable of getting hot from downtown. This is why this is going to be a fun matchup again. I still have the Knicks, but they, they better not take the Cavs for granted. That's all I'm going to say. You cannot take this team for granted.

[Theodore]

The. If you ran the Lakers, at what point do you have to engage with LeBron to figure out what direction are we going? Because you want to be respectful. But you also, you're running a business here. This isn't about being friends. It's about you got a decision, we got a decision. When can you ask for an answer from LeBron?

[Paul]

I, I think they've had probably preliminary conversations. I'm sure Rich Ball has had conversations with Rob Polinka and LeBron. I think these conversations have been ongoing. I think they were going on during the season. Look, I think LeBron knows they are not going to build this next year's roster around him. They're going to build around Luca and they're going to figure out, look, are we going to open up the bag and give it to AR, Austin Reeves? And I think LeBron understands that. But guess what? LeBron has options too, right? He doesn't have to to stay with the Lakers. If, if he wants to, sure, great. But he will have other suitors. Will it be what he the number he's expecting? I don't know. But the Lakers are going to build the roster around Luka and trust me, they've had conversations with LeBron personally and I'm sure with Rich Paul. Again, I'm not privy to any of this, but you just assume that they've had an open dialogue about what's going to happen going forward.

[Theodore]

I mentioned if I was the Steelers, I would have moved on from Aaron Rodgers because at some point I have to figure out what's the next five years or seven years at that position, not the next year. And they're over unders eight and a half wins. So he didn't really move the needle here. And with LeBron, I can get him for another year and it might be a 217 and 7 season, which is nice. But you're in the west. The spurs and OKC are great. They're better than you. And I just wonder I would move on from LeBron because I have to start to figure out what does this team look like for the next five years. And I might not be a popular opinion, but I, I just see where the Steelers have been kicking this can down the road reg for a while now, still trying to find Ben Roethlisberger. And The Lakers, with LeBron, as great as he is and even as he was in the postseason, what is our future here? He got Luca, Austin, Reeves, you're bringing him back. You don't want, you know, your center position, you got to figure that out as well, some depth here. So would you move on from LeBron? Any part of you?

[Paul]

It's difficult because you just mentioned a few numbers. 21, 7 and 7. Where else are you going to get that from? And again, yeah, maybe you could trade for someone or you could use that salary and go out and acquire someone. I think if you're the Steelers, you bring back Aaron Rodgers because you want the quarterbacks behind him to see, okay, this is how we prepare in the film room, in the weight room. And I think if you're the lakers, you see LeBron, how he's taking care of his body for 20 plus years, how he approaches the game, his mindset, those things Trinkle down to the rest of the team. And when your best player is Luca and he's been injury riddled over the last couple seasons, maybe having LeBron and how he takes care of his body and his regiment, maybe that can help your best player. I think those will be some of the things that they think about going forward in terms of LeBron.

[Theodore]

Yeah, but you, your goal is not to make the playoffs. That's not the Steelers. I mean, you want to win, you know, that's the thing. Does Aaron Rodgers, you know, help bigger picture of winning a Super bowl and probably not. He's obviously first Battle hall of Famer. You're not winning a title. I don't think with this Laker lineup going into next season, even if everybody's healthy, you're going to make the playoffs and maybe you bow out in the second round. Is that mission accomplished?

[Paul]

Okay, so then who are you going to, are you going to go out and get Giannis?

[Theodore]

Well, I would be, I would know

[Paul]

who are you going to get that is going to give you 217 and 7 and help you win a championship a year from now?

[Theodore]

Okay, but I have to think about the next five years. You're only thinking about next year with LeBron. And while I said he's going to give me those numbers, I'm going to have the same result next year. Is that good enough for the lakers?

[Paul]

Well, if LeBron's not on the team and you don't bring in a five star recruit or acquire that type of free agent, you're going to be in the same boat. Whereas you could have had a bird in the hand at 21, 7 and 7. And before Luca got hurt and before AR got hurt in that game here in OKC, wasn't the Lakers one of the hottest teams down the stretch heading into the playoffs with those three guys,

[Theodore]

they're not better than the spurs or okc.

[Paul]

They're not, but they were one of the, they were one of the top teams.

[Theodore]

I know, but is that good enough for the Lakers? They're about winning championships.

[Paul]

Then you're, then you need to go out and get like fga.

[Theodore]

You need to go get wimpy.

[Paul]

I mean that's the case. You need to go get one of those type of.

[Theodore]

I know there's, I know there's no one to get that's going to replace LeBron, but I can spend that $60 million elsewhere and I got to build I got to fill out a roster. OKC is deep. San Antonio is deep. The Lakers are not deep. And that. That's. Maybe it's setting yourself up for a year from now or two years. Never mind. We can talk about.

[Paul]

They have every right to do that. But just. Just so you know, LeBron has options, too. He can go somewhere else, too.

[Theodore]

Thank you, Reg.

[Paul]

I love you.

[Theodore]

Theodore, by the way, what are you doing in OKC today? What do you do on your day off? You're a Hall of Famer. You're Reggie Miller. What are you going to be doing?

[Paul]

I'm heading to the gym to get onto the peloton bike. Because the training never stops for me, for my cycling, my other passion. So I'll go work out, and then I'm going to go have a nice steak with our dear leader. Michael Tirico, Jamal Crawford, Zora Stevenson, Ashley Shaman. Where we are all going as a team?

[Dan Patrick]

Dinner.

[Paul]

Something that you and I would do. I would. I would take you seaton my dad to eat. That's what team does. Team building, bonding. Yeah, but.

[Theodore]

Yeah, but didn't we go to dinner? And we never made you pay.

[Paul]

You never.

[Theodore]

I didn't pay. Are you sure?

[Paul]

I did not pay.

[Dan Patrick]

You had those alligator arms.

[Theodore]

No way. No, no, no. You showed up in your Bentley, remember?

[Paul]

Dinner was paid for. Did you pay for it? Dinner was paid for.

[Theodore]

I don't remember. I think I said because you pulled up in a Bentley that you should.

[Paul]

In Indiana. In Indiana, when you roll, you don't pay for anything. Or.

[Theodore]

You know that when you. I was in an Uber.

[Paul]

Anything.

[Theodore]

I was in an Uber and you were in a Bentley,

[Paul]

which I no longer have right now. So what?

[Theodore]

Go on. You sold the Bentley.

[Paul]

It was nice. You know how long ago that was? What, you think I'm gonna hold on to that? How long ago was that?

[Theodore]

It's a Bentley.

[Paul]

No. Time to move on. Got three kids. I got a minivan. I've gone from a Bentley to a minivan.

[Theodore]

Damn. Damn. How the mighty have fallen. Thank you, Reg. Tell. Tell the boys I said hello.

[Paul]

You got it. Appreciate you, Theodore.

[Liberty Mutual Ad Voice]

Liberty Mutual customizes your car and home insurance. And now we're customizing this ad for your morning commute to wake you up, which could help your driving. Science says that stimulating the brain increases alertness. So here's a pop quiz. How many months have 28 days? What gets wetter as it dries? What has keys but can't open? Locks? If you don't want to hear the answers, turn off this Liberty Mutual ad. Now 12 months. A towel piano. Enjoy being fully alert.

[Theodore]

Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty.

[Jonas Brothers]

Hey guys, it's us, the Jonas Brothers.

[Theodore]

I'm Joe. I'm Kevin.

[Jonas Brothers]

And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called hey Jonas.

[Dan Patrick]

We invented a podcast.

[Jonas Brothers]

Well, we didn't invent it, we just contributed to it. First people to do podcasts.

[Dan Patrick]

We get to ask other people questions.

[Theodore]

Cause we're sick and tired of being asked questions.

[Jonas Brothers]

Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it, but you know, tired and sick. Tired and sick. Listen to hey Jonas on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it.

[Robert Smigel]

Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy not quite on Humor Me with Robert Smigel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier this week. My guests, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an acapella band with their between songs banter.

[Theodore]

Where does your group perform?

[Dan Patrick]

We do some retirement homes.

[Robert Smigel]

Those people are starving for banter. Listen to Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Narrator/Podcast Trailer Voice]

Hey, I'm Diana Maria Riva and on my new podcast, How Hard Can It Be? I call on my Gen X squad from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate midlife's most fun, fantastic bs, unfiltered conversations from night sweats to fupas to scheduling sex. Wait, what sex? Is it just me or does every woman my age want to look at Pinterest instead of having sex? Sometimes they say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to try. So let's get blunt with laughs, tears or tears of laughter. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Theodore]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Narrator/Podcast Trailer Voice]

Guaranteed Human.