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- [00:00]
A
This episode is brought to you by McDonald's. Fill up like every day is game day with the under $3 menu at McDonald's. A sausage McMuffin for just a dollar fifty and when it's time for lunch, grab a McDouble for only $2.50. McValue gives players, fans and everyone in between more action for less. A sauce McMuffin is basically official breakfast of tip off day in my opinion. Get even more value with McValue. Only at McDonald's. Limited time only. Prices of participation may vary. Prices may be higher for delivery. Foreign. What's poppin? Real ones. Logan Murdoch here, Raja Bell and Howard Beck in a second. Real ones After Dark we get into your Friday slate, talk about the Lakers beating the Rockets. Man, what an embarrassment for the Houston Rockets. What a hard season that they've had. So we talk get into all of that. That's a little later in the show. But then we talk about Orlando, Detroit. Speaking of embarrassing, Orlando losing a must win game at home. Now they have to go back to Detroit to see if they can figure it out. Palomin Caro, what's going on with him? How's that working out? That's crazy work. Then we talk a little bit about Cleveland, Toronto. I think we know how this story is going to end, right? We know how the story is going to end in Cleveland. But you know Cleveland fans, they're new to James Harden and and Mitchell, experience as them as a tandem but they know what time it is. It's gonna be tough. And then we get into a little bit of our ruin of the week. Talk a little bit about Detroit and Minnesota and yeah, as we get here, you know what's next Tuesday show realm's mailbagmail.com realm smellback gmail.com realonesmailback gmail.com we got a lot of questions coming in right now. Make sure you get yours in so we can answer them right on the podcast. All right, I'm gonna go go to sleep now, so enjoy the show. Cliff Victoria Play the theme music the
- [01:54]
B
Ringer NBA show is brought to you by FanDuel. It's been a wild playoff run, but it's not over yet and FanDuel wants to bring you closer to the court to make more of all the action to come. FanDuel is the best place to bet
- [02:06]
C
teams, players and plays during the NBA postseason.
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B
Build a same game parlay for a shot at a bigger payout or try live betting and jump into the action after tip off. Download the FanDuel Sportsbook app now and play your game 21 plus select states and 18 plus DC, Kentucky or Wyoming. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER, call 1-888-78-9777 or visit ccpg.org ChatInCeneticUT.
- [02:41]
A
Popping from real ones. Logan Murdoch here. Raja Bill there. Hard for the Beck. Somewhere in these NBA streets, it is real ones. After dark. I am looking to my left because I am watching the end of the Lakers Rockets game. We're gonna get that to in a second. It is 79.58. All intents and purposes, the Lakers should win. But you know, we'll talk about that in a second. Everybody good? Before we get into the festivities. Raja, are you awake?
- [03:06]
B
I am awake. I'm barely awake, but I'm, I'm here.
- [03:10]
A
Oh yeah. Raja said we need to go on the pot right now, Howard, because it's. I might crash. So he might crash on this podcast.
- [03:17]
C
Tower.
- [03:18]
A
Who knows? Who knows?
- [03:19]
C
I mean, it's good to forewarn the listeners if there's suddenly like a snoring sound in the background. It's just Raj, it's fine.
- [03:27]
B
Everything's fine. All I know how to do is keep it a buck, man. At about. It was about 11:20 and I looked at the time, I'm like, man, this shit's not going to end till like maybe 12:30, man. It's a 25 point game.
- [03:42]
C
Well, the thing is, on a night like tonight where it's like, that's a blowout, we could just like start recording early. But then again, like, we just saw Orlando completely gag away like a 27 point lead. 24, whatever it was in the second half. So like I, I assume nothing anymore. The playoffs are bonkers, off the rails and anything is possible.
- [04:01]
A
So let's start there. Detroit Orlando V. While we're doing this, just keep a Raja cam just in case he falls asleep. So we can just keep that on throughout the whole entire podcast. If you start snoring, keep that in. Detroit, Orlando. Let's, let's, let's do the stats behind the collapse. Orlando went 45 minutes between made baskets, going scoreless from 8:46pm Eastern Time to 9:31pm Eastern Time. The Magic's 23 misses were the most by any playoff team this century. Orlando scored 19 total points in the second half and missed 27 of their 28 field goal attempts. Kate Cunningham, who was a monster, had 32 points, 10 rebounds and four steals. The first Piston since Isaiah Thomas to have the 30 and 10 elimination game. I'll start With Roger here. What does this say about the Pistons? What does this say about the Magic going forward as we go into a Game seven?
- [05:01]
B
What does it say about the Pistons? Well, the Pistons, I mean, finally, for a, For a good half of basketball, showed up defensively in a way. I mean, Orlando missed a lot of shots, but I think you saw when, when Detroit came out in the second half, third quarter early fourth, like their, their level of intensity on the defensive end of the court was, was significantly, you know, better than it was in the first half. What it says, what it. And they're going to need that. Like that. That's what they hung their hat on all year long. Like, that was kind of the, the blueprint to, to them being the number one seed in the, in the Eastern Conference. So without that and their limitations on, off about some of the things they have and that they're missing from a roster perspective in terms of shot creation and supplementation offensively to Cade, like, they have to be a good defensive team. They. They were that in the second half. So couple that with Orlando kind of getting funky and bogging down on their offense like they tend to do at times, and guys are missing shots. That's the way they have to play, though, moving forward to be successful. Game seven or, or, you know, if they were to win that, you know, advancing in the playoffs, as far as Orlando is concerned, you fucked up. Like, you fucked up. And I, look, I was sitting there and I do this all the time, so it's not really fair for me to say I felt that coming. But when teams hop out and they're smoking another team that way, the way, you know, the way Orlando was in that first half. And then I kind of looked at the halftime stats and I was like, you know, I was trying to find it. I was trying to find where it was, and it was hard for me to find. I was like, man, I don't think that's a good sign. I could not have predicted that. I did not see that come in the way it did. But I'm always leery of a team that hops out hot like that and, and, you know, goes into halftime, you just. It's human nature, man. You can come out and you can just really think that this one is going to be in the bag and that you're going to go back, you know, like that they're going to fold the tent and, and you're going to. It's just going to be over. And I feel like they did that a little bit. And if you're Orlando. You just missed a golden opportunity. You really fucked up because going back to Detroit, you know, I thought Orlando had a real opportunity to win this series. I said that early in the series and now I'm pretty sure Detroit's going to handle their business in game seven.
- [07:29]
A
Howard we watched Orlando throughout the season. The series basically series tell you in general what a team are throughout the season. It basically just confirms everything that you've seen through them the regular season. And in a weird way Howard, this series has basically confirmed everything we knew about the Magic. Am I wrong?
- [07:47]
C
Yeah. Including the fact that they can't stay healthy because they could probably really use Franz Wagner right around now. I don't mean to make a lot of guys injuries but like that has been part of the Magics rep the last couple of years is like they either can't get out of their own way, they can't stay healthy or both at any given time. Paulow Man 4 for 24 I Dude, I cannot remember. I'm sure they're out there. Maybe our listeners will refresh my memory. I cannot remember the last time a player of his caliber, all star fringe, all NBA type candidate in a huge game, a game to eliminate your opponent. A game in which you could clinch their first playoff series victory in a gazillion years. The first one of his career. Four for 20. That's horrific. And over nine from three. They were forcing shots and this is the thing you ask about what it reveals or what it reminds us about their frailties. This has been a terrible three point shooting team, one of the worst in the NBA this season and that's been their problem the last couple of years. Among their problems it's been a team that doesn't have a lot of offensive creativity. And you saw it like even on there was one possession where it's like they got the offensive rebound at least once or twice and it still ended up resulting and resulting in like deep bane 3 point misses like that just can't be the offense in a game like this as you're watching a lead go from the 20s down to the teens down to single digits when you've got a chance to pull off one of the all time great upsets on your home court. Just there's, there's everything about it is horrific. And what a roller coaster this series has been, right? Like oh my God the Pistons are going to go down as one of the all time flameouts. A 60 win team, first seed that's going to go down to an eight seed. Oh well, it's all right. The Magic, they're, you know, they're not your average eight seed, right. They're a team that could have been a top four team this year if not for injuries, yada, yada. Jamal Mosley goes from on the firing line. Everybody thinking it's automatic. He's just gone to, oh, there's no way they can fire him now. To, oh, my God, they're going to possibly blow this series and we're going to come right back around to everybody's asses are on the line, you know, or to, to, to paraphrase Nikola Jokic, if this were in Serbia, everybody would be fired.
- [10:18]
A
Yeah, it's, it's the thing that, like Raja, we've talked about this throughout the podcast, throughout this season when we talk about the Magic, and I know me and Howard, all three of us has also always talked about this. But the thing about always frustrated me about the Magic and Paolo Benchero in particular is that he is the, look, the part All Star, right? He has the physical attributes. He even has the 45. He even talks shit like he is an all Star. But when it comes down to it, every time there was there needed to be a gamer on that team, it wasn't him. It was always Desmond Bain that was always bringing, that was bringing the energy suitable for a number one. And that therein lies the problem where Bane wasn't brought there to be a number one. That's Paolo's show. And when guys don't play the role that they are paid to play, this is what you get. Just this uneven performance. And he has a big contract. Paolo does, but he's going to have to be that number one guy as the years go by. And hopefully this is a learning experience. But that's continuing to be the frustration that I have had with him and I know this pod has had with him since he's been with the Magic and it just kind of manifested tonight.
- [11:30]
B
Well, I mean, I mean, some of that's fair. He's 23 years old, though. Like he's a baby, you know, like he's, he's 23 years old. He, for most of this series has been pretty good. Like, he's, he's, he's been really tough to handle at times. He played poorly tonight and it's fair when you are the guy for a team and you don't deliver in those moments for criticism to come your way. You guys have talked about it. I've talked at lengths about when we get into series like that as teams you need your stars to be stars and to play like that. So that's all fair. But I would just say, I think at 23 years old, you know, there are steps in your evolution as a player, and every great has gone through them. I don't know what his ceiling is. I don't know where he winds up in the conversation of greats. But I mean, just in terms of his evolution as a star, there are steps that people take to get there. So I'm going to kind of reserve judgment on that. I'm not going to throw him squarely under the bus. Although he did not play well tonight. And, you know, if. If the Orlando Magic are going to hang their hat on. On the Paolo Banquero. And you got to remember, though, like, you're missing, you know, him and Wagner, like, when he's got Wagner out there, it just changes the math. It changes what can happen. Now, I'm not saying if he was out there, Paolo shoots the ball better. But, you know, you. There are reasons why Detroit could do what they did defensively tonight, and Orlando struggled as mightily as they did offensively. And, you know, Howard alluded to their lack of health. But, like, not having your other guy out there is a big deal, right? Like, you're not playing with the true. Maybe one, two. You're playing with like, two. Is this fair? You're playing with, like, three, like, two. Two A's and a two B in Desmond Bane, like, when you're healthy, right? So, like, if you're missing one of your two A's, you know, you're gonna struggle a little bit. So, like, it's fair to criticize him, but, like, I'm gonna reserve judgment. He's a baby, you know? Gotta play better, though, for them to win. Gotta play better. No, I mean, you can't. You can't hide from that.
- [13:51]
A
Well, you know who is the baby and balled out was Kate Cunningham, who was 24 years old, stepped up to the challenge. What do you think of his game?
- [14:00]
B
No, he's. I mean, look, he's. He's. He's. He's a really, really tough cover man. Like, he. Nothing that Orlando could do with him. Anything of size and length is. Is not able to stay in front of him off the bounce. Anything that can stay in front of him off the bounce isn't long enough to contest when he gets to his midi pull up. And it was chicken tonight. So he puts you in a really tough spot as a defensive team. If you're not going to come at him with two people and get the ball out of his hands. If you are just going to let him get the switch and then get into his bag. It's just make or miss at that point. It's whether he's making them or missing him. He's hot or cold and you very, you have very little to do with that. I've talked about that. You know with guys like Kobe before, you know, and those all time greats scorers, you could do everything right and it may not matter. It's just whether they make or miss the shot. And he's like that when he gets it going. He is as he is a very, very, very tough cover from a skill perspective but especially from a size and skill perspective because he's a matchup nightmare.
- [15:07]
A
Yeah. And I mean how are they need him going forward?
- [15:10]
B
Right.
- [15:10]
A
Like it feels like Cade is, you know, he had the injury. It's funny to see him now because he has like the, the quarterback rib cage now. It's any all the quarterbacks. No, I haven't seen it on a basketball player I don't think ever. But he goes through, has the rib, the collapsed lung and he has to get himself back going. It feels like over the last two games. He's back now. Right. And this is the K that they have needed throughout this series to kind of carry them because during we've talked about that on this pod, he's just not there yet. They need Cade to carry him. Carry that team going forward for the foreseeable future.
- [15:48]
C
Yeah, I mean this is just a simple roster construction issue and the same one we've talked about all season. And so you, you pretty much know what you're going to get from Cade night and night out. Like yeah, he's going to have his bad nights too and struggle like young players do sometimes. And defenses know they can load up against him because there's not a lot of other guys on the team that can beat you. But he's the one thing you can count on, right? One of the best clutch players of the season. I can't remember where he finished in the clutch player of the year voting but he was seventh overall in clutch points, total clutch points in the regular season and he's among the leaders in the playoffs so far. Like you always, even in the games when he's had like a quiet first, you know, two, three quarters you can always count him coming through in the fourth. That was the case like all season if you watched them. And it's always a question for the Pistons of like okay, they just need one other guy. And it was Jalen Duran a lot during the regular season and it hasn't been him at all pretty much in this series. Tonight it was Tobias Harris. Like Tobias Harris of all guys like who? When they signed him a couple summers ago, it was kind of like, wait, what? They got this young team and they're like, looks like kind of an overpay and what are they doing? And you know the Pistons at the time, they basically, they had to get I think to the salary floor. So that was part of it. But also Tobias is like a really great vet to have and has this nice old school game where it's like you need a bucket. Just, you know, everything else is going wrong. Throw it to Tobias and he'll, he'll score something in the post. Like he was their best, second best scorer tonight and he was extraordinarily or extremely needed. Asar Thompson, you know, doesn't really have an offensive game as of yet. Jalen Duran is still developing and whatever's going on in this series is going on. Duncan Robinson, you know, developed over the years, but still more of a spot up shooter than anything else. And then, you know, Dennis Jenkins was just a breakout player this year, really young and you know, that's not the guy you're going to say, well, you know, we need somebody to bail us out. We need a co star. For Cade, it's going to be Dennis Jenkins, like so there's just a lot on his shoulders, Cade and that the fact that he keeps delivering when there really is no other outlet is just super impressive for a player at his stage.
- [18:03]
B
It's. Sorry, Logan, it's crazy. Look, I don't mean any disrespect, I am not second guessing, but in light of everything that you just said, we've talked about this at lengths on this pod. I don't think it's a secret to even just general basketball fans. There's not a lot of point production outside of him, especially in the series. Why the fuck would you keep letting him go at that? Why would you do that? I, I would approach game seven and he, I wouldn't even let him get shots off. I'd literally just send two people at him. Like, I'm not letting you shoot it. If the rest. Hey Jenkins, you got it.
- [18:47]
A
Tonight it's all, you gotta beat me.
- [18:49]
B
They have to beat me. I don't, I don't know what to tell you, but I'm not letting him. Like, I'm not like, even as a great player, if we're going to send two people at you. You got to get off of the ball, right? Like you know you got to get off of the ball and I'm going to make you do that over and over again. I can't figure out for the life of me how you going to sit there and watch him singularly kind of like Tobias Harris. Kudos. You shot 20 shots. If Tobias Harris is shooting 25 shots and beating you at this stage in his career. And I love Tobias. I'm a friend. Tobias is one of. A friend of mine. But God bless you, bro. Congrats.
- [19:23]
A
Yeah. Yeah. Guys want to make predictions. You guys want to move on to the next series?
- [19:29]
C
Do not ever want to make predictions. But I.
- [19:31]
A
Okay, no, we don't have to.
- [19:32]
C
All the, all, all the, all the, all the momentum is going the Pistons way and it's. And it's at home. So yeah, I feel like they've got this.
- [19:41]
B
Yeah. I think Orlando squandered just a golden opportunity, man. Like you just really had an op. Yeah. I'm with Howard.
- [19:50]
A
Cliff. Cliff on the PJ with the Cartier Buffs. Detroit Sunday, baby. This episode is brought to you by Amazon Prime. Ever find yourself scrambling to grab that special something for a last minute party, a spontaneous date, or even that impromptu game night at home? That's when prime, same day delivery swoops in. That essential item you thought you'd missed delivered the plan saved, the win secured. Because with prime, same game delivery, you can grab it and go before the moment passes you by.
- [20:17]
C
Same game delivery.
- [20:18]
A
It's on Prime. Visit Amazon.comprime to find millions of items delivered fast available in select areas. Terms apply. Cleveland. Toronto. Yeah, let's, let's.
- [20:28]
C
David, nobody wants to talk about Cleveland or Toronto.
- [20:32]
B
I mean, I want to talk about.
- [20:33]
A
Hey, hey, I want to talk about Toronto, but maybe not the Raptors. But I'm down to talk about Toronto. Man, I love this. Any, any, any analysis on the game.
- [20:42]
B
I don't have it. Like I'm going to bitch and complain just a little bit about how hard it is for me to get in and out of games again and really sit there and watch the games that we're supposed to be breaking down like right after they finish because I can't get in and out of the motherfuckers to watch all of them at the same time. It's really, really difficult. So, like, I'm sorry if that's just me, but that's the way I feel about that. I would just say this about Jurassic Park. It looks like possibly, and I don't mean to be hyperbolic here, but it might be the most lit NBA environment out there.
- [21:20]
A
Amen.
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B
Like, Toronto's a vibe in and of itself city. And also I played in some really cool playoff games in Toronto. That building is electric. But Jurassic park outside in the, in the pit looks like it's an incredible experience.
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C
And other.
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A
Do they have Jurassic park when you were playing?
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B
They can't, they can't replicate that, right, Howard?
- [21:39]
A
Like, no, they have one at the Chase Center. They have a. They have their version of it or whatever. And it's like courtyard and cheese and like lawn chairs. Don't worry, I'll save you a seat. It's okay.
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C
That is a typical East Bay bagging on San Francisco with the wine and cheese thing. That, that goes back before you were born. Like, that's.
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A
It's true.
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C
You're just busting out the East.
- [22:04]
A
It's true. Hey, I used to say that to all my Niner fan friends. Like, yeah, you guys like your wine and cheese. You're just clap like this.
- [22:11]
C
That was how Raider fans coped with the fact that the Niners actually just dominated 30 years.
- [22:16]
A
So here we go. I thought you weren't a fan of sports anymore. I thought you weren't a fan of sports. I thought you weren't a fan. Anyways, all you have to do is
- [22:25]
C
tap into my, like my Niner fandom from the 80s and all this comes rolling back. It's the only thing I got. It's the only thing I still care about. And it's like trapped like in my, in my 20 year old self. No, like the, the Bucks have done it with the Deer district, right. And it's just not doing outside the Garden.
- [22:42]
A
Now. Garden might be the same. The Garden might actually have. Have the similar. From what I've seen on television, I've been to Jurassic park. It's nothing like it. But the Knicks look like they, they can get rowdy over there. Anyway, back to the game. Back to the game. Roger, what did you think of the game?
- [22:57]
B
What, what I think of the game?
- [23:00]
A
Yeah.
- [23:00]
B
Like again, I'm gonna be. I'm gonna keep it a bean. Like I was trying to go back and forth from the game between both games, right? Like the Orlando, the, the, the. The Orlando Detroit of it all when the comeback started. And then I had to tap out and I got back to the Cleveland Toronto game. Like incredible, incredible shot down the stretch. A lot of loose possessions for Cleveland. Look again, cle. Cleveland. I would say this you got Brandon Ingram out. You know, albeit you're in. You're in Toronto, you would expect you would. There's a reason when James Harden came over, everybody, including me, gave them an opportunity to make some noise in the Eastern Conference. And this isn't throwing any shade at Toronto. Toronto's game. Toronto's got a bunch of long, athletic defensive pieces that, that. That just keep coming at you. They just keep coming at you in waves. That offense looks. I mean, it looks disjointed. It looks crazy at times. Scotty Barnes with the ball, he's just holding it. Then we're getting into something like, you know, it looks wild at times, but they keep coming at you in waves and their game, and there's something to be said for that. But I, I expected more out of Cleveland, if I'm being honest. Like, and especially, you know, especially in the space of bi. Being out like that. Like, I thought. I thought, you know, I thought they would have an opportunity to close that and they would close that, and they didn't. And, you know, I expect them to go home and probably close it out. But you put yourself in that situation. Game seven, you know, when you have opportunities to close it out and anything can happen. It's what I said about the Denver and, you know, kind of Minnesota series. You know, anything can happen when you should have. When you should have taken care of business and you did it.
- [24:53]
A
Hey, man, 14 shots from James Harden in the game that they can close it out is just. It's. It's criminal. It's criminal. And I, I said this. I know you guys were optimistic about the trade, but I just wasn't. I'm sorry. Like the, The. The. I get it. And I'm actually happy that they made a. The Cleveland Cavaliers actually made it strive to become something right? And strive. They saw that they were hitting the ceiling with Garland and they were like, let's flip him for James Harden. That is very admirable. But I've seen proof in the pudding with Mitchell and then we've all. And it's well documented with Harden as well that this is kind of what they do when it's times like this, right? They have a potent offense throughout the back stretch of the regular season, and somehow they can't figure out a zone out of nowhere. James Harden, playing for 17 years, he's one of the most prolific offensive forces we have ever, ever seen statistically. And man, only shot 14 shots, looked out of it. This is the second straight game that I have seen from him where he's just passive, right? Just won't get to his shots, won't actually do anything. I saw so many other guys get their shots. Evan Mobley had a really great game, right? But they got James Harden and Donovan Mitchell to be the guys at this particular point in the season. And they just couldn't do it against the zone like your NBA players. You guys supposed to be able to break a zone. This is the, the Raptors have played and I'm not trying to shade anything with the Raptors because the Raptors have played their ass off. They deserve to be here. This is what they're where they're supposed to be and they played their ass off. But if you're in an NBA and you can't master a zone over two games. I don't know what to tell you, Howard. I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. This is pretty embarrassing and we'll see what happens in Game 7. But if history is a guy, it's not going to look good for the team that employs James Harden.
- [26:46]
B
Yeah, he was, he was plus 11, though. He was like 16, nine and nine.
- [26:50]
A
But I, I saw that on the stat sheet. But I also watched the game, you
- [26:54]
C
know, also, also that's like you needed like 30 from him, not 16. Like it's, it's.
- [27:00]
B
Yeah, but like if you're going to do that, like donovan Mitchell is 11 for 26. Like I'm not, I'm not.
- [27:05]
A
I did, but I did include, I did include Donovan Mitchell. I said both of them to start my. My die.
- [27:10]
B
I'm just trying to be fair. Like you're, you're right. Like you get brought James Harden in to be more than that. But like
- [27:16]
C
it's not helping. The very well established, very well documented rep of James Harden is not delivering when the games matter most. Right on top of everything else. Defense like Jacoby Walter scored 24 points tonight, guys. Do you. Many times he scored 24 points in the regular season this year. Zero. That was his high for the entire season. He only scored above that, I think once last year, his first year with them. So like it's like this is. There's so many different ways this breaks down badly for them, not least of which was they had a lead. Granted it was only a one point lead, but they had a lead with whatever it was like 11 seconds left and couldn't even hold on to the ball. And then RJ Barrett gets that, you know, miracle. Tyrese Halliburton esque, you know, back.
- [28:11]
A
I Was going to say Kawhi 2.0, but like, you know, maybe it was too early.
- [28:14]
B
Sixers. Yeah.
- [28:16]
C
Kawhi's bounced around a bunch of times. This was more like Tyrese where it bounced up stupidly high and came straight back down. It didn't swish. It actually bounced off the rim again. But. But just once bounced, you know, and then still. Anyway, this is back to back years. We've got these crazy ass shots bouncing up, you know, seemingly in the air forever. Incredible shot. Incredible shot. Great win for the Raptors. I can't believe we've got three game sevens over the next two days. We don't know the. If the first or second seed in the east are even going to advance. By the way. That's never happened. I looked it up earlier tonight. I was starting curious. Like, we've seen, you know, eights upset ones and sevens upset twos, and it doesn't happen that often. So I was like, has it ever happened in the same year?
- [28:59]
A
2.
- [29:00]
C
It's never happened even across the conferences. So you see, we've never had a number one and a number two, one conference or both conferences go down in the same postseason. So that's at least on the table this weekend.
- [29:13]
A
We'll see what happens. Man. That's all I really got. I'm sorry. I'm just very disappointed and also like confirmation bias and all the things here. Guys want to talk Lakers.
- [29:26]
B
LeBron was great. Came out. Stamped it. No, he did. He came out and he was like. He was. He was. It's. That's unreal what he's doing. Like, he can't summon it every night. Like when you're in a seven game. I've said this before, like, it's hard for somebody at that age, especially on short rest, to. To. To dig down deep. And you might emotionally and mentally want to do it every night. Your body's just not going to respond like that once you get to a point. But, like, given a couple days rest, knowing that he's got to get something done, the way he came out tonight and just led the charge early, like, he was great.
- [30:08]
A
I don't know. It was funny because, like, going on 28.
- [30:10]
B
28.
- [30:11]
A
Yeah, especially. Especially after the. The. The. The end of game five where it looked like he had no legs, bro. Yeah, like, I don't. That was a three point attempt. It was before the re shepherd steal that will live in eternity. He shot a three and he hadn't. It looked like he was shooting a free throw because he just couldn't get up and then he had a day rest. And flying. The flight from LA to Houston is not a close flight by any stretch of the imagination. I think it's like four and a half. Even if you're flying private, like, it's, it's a, It's a long trip. And for him to summon that is so impressive. But I raja, from a basketball standpoint, though, how much of it is LeBron's brilliance versus just the utter incompetence of what the Rockets are right now?
- [31:03]
B
I mean, yeah, I think it's probably, you know, 60. Nah, probably 70, 30. Like, look, the Rockets. The Rockets showed their lack of veteran leadership and true star power tonight in this, in this scenario. Like, you could see that they were scrambling. Like, they, you know, they couldn't figure out how to get it together. They were throwing the ball all over the place. Like, Reed shepherd was, I think, over 8 at one point. Then he was 2 for 10. But some of the turnovers, like, you could see he was pressing, trying to do too much. No knock on him as a player, but, like, you know, you're, you're, you're asking him to do things at this point in his career that he shouldn't be responsible for in that way. And, like, that showed. But LeBron, you know, LeBron came out and was, was with it. Like, he, he came out, Rui was ready to play. And, you know, when I can't quantify it, I can't put it into words. It's hard. It's hard to say it in any other way when, when those role guys are looking on the road and you're coming out in a scenario like this, a game six, you've lost the last two, and you're, You're. You're pretty sure that you're ready to play and you know everybody's game, but you never really know how this game is going to unfold and that ball goes up and your star is not there to be a star. We have a problem. We have a fucking problem. But when you look over and you see your star, your goat saying, hey, fellas, I'm ready to rock and roll. Like, hop on, let's go. That puts everybody in a really safe space and in a relaxed environment to hoop in. And hooping is relaxed. Like, I talked to my, My, my, my son Ty about this shit. Like, hey, man, shooting and making shots, it. You have to have a relaxation about. You have to be relaxed. It's not a tense thing. The more tense you are, the higher the likelihood that that Shit doesn't go in the hoop, bro. You got to just relax and stroke. And so when LeBron comes out looking the way he did and was in an attack mode the way he was, it just puts everybody else in that relaxed, let's just hoop state of mind. And it unlocks your team in that way. And on the flip side of that, you know when Houston gets in a, in a tough spot in that way, and they don't have a KD or a Fred Van Vliet or just someone that's used to really man in the reins like that, you know, you could wind up having a situation like what they score 78 points tonight. Like, that's crazy. Like, what did, what did, what did Orlando score tonight? What was.
- [33:39]
A
They were in the 77. 77, I believe 79. 79. That's 79.
- [33:45]
C
93 in the year 2026.
- [33:48]
A
That's your bag. That's, that's your, that's your era, Raja.
- [33:51]
B
No, we 70s.
- [33:53]
A
I mean, you know, I saw some of those old Bulls playoff series where it was like 81 to 77. Howard, two straight years for the Houston Rockets where they're a young team, but they basically get beat, obviously because of lack of star pair. But honestly, for lack of a better word, they just got beat by vets.
- [34:17]
C
Right?
- [34:17]
A
Golden State full of vets who kind of teach them a lesson. Right. And at that point you can make the argument that they were ahead of schedule. This is a learning experience. This one felt a little different though. I don't know. What are the ramifications for Houston? Houston's off season starts right now. Durant wasn't there. They have a lot of questions that they have that they probably didn't think they were going to have going into the season. Even post Fred Vlan Vliet injury that now they have to answer for. Did they just say, I'm gonna go get Giannis? Like what do they do? I. I really don't know what they do because they're just in a weird space right now where they have pushed the button. They have to go win out for titles. Either they go all out or did they trade Duran? What do they do?
- [35:00]
C
Well, as we've discussed before, on the one hand they were all in because they went out and got a 37 year old superstar who, you know, was, you know, on in the stretch of his career. So it's all in for right now. But they also then lost Fred Van Vliet and didn't replace him. And then they lost Stephen Adams and so you know, under the circumstances, them losing a first round series without Kevin Durant, I could just write off to, well, you didn't have your best player. Your young guys weren't ready yet. That was the point of getting Kevin Durant was because Shangoon and Amen Thompson and Reed shepherd weren't ready yet. And now when you need him most in this playoff series, he's unavailable. So you could just write it off to say, well, you know, what if with a healthy Kevin Durant, maybe they're fine, maybe they win this series. In fact, I think there's a pretty good chance they win this series with the healthy Fred Van Vliet. Everything looks different. The whole season looks different for them. But that's not the case. That's not, that's not what happened. It's not. Those guys weren't there. And, you know, they're both late in their careers. Obviously Durant much more so than Fred Van Vliet. So with the reality that they have to grapple with now is, well, we can't expect this is going to be any better next year. Kevin Durant's going to be 38, I think, in September. So, you know, there's more likelihood of him missing games, not less. Is it time to try to move off Kevin Durant? What can you get for Kevin Durant at this stage? I don't, I don't. I'm not going to second guess the move to get him again. I don't think giving up Jalen Green and Dylan Brooks was a huge sacrifice to try to go all in for that moment. I just think that they messed it up when they didn't try to replace Fred Van Vliet. But now that this season has come and gone and it's time to reevaluate again, maybe the move is, you know what, let's lean into our core. Let's, let's see what we can get for Kevin Durant. Let's count on development from Amend Thompson and Alpern Shangoon and Reed shepherd. And, you know, Fred Van Vliet will be back. So you've got your veteran leadership and kind of just stability there in him and just patch it up around the edges. Like there's still a lot of upside to the guys you have. I just don't know that Another year of experimenting with straddling youth and veteran Durant's timeline with your young guys timeline. The amount of oxygen that, that, that KD takes up with, you know, his, his offense and his personality, maybe that's just not the right fit for this team at this stage.
- [37:33]
A
Yeah. And I mean, friend of the show, Tim McMahon had a report out that, that the Rockets brass all talked about Burner Gate and seemed to be fine, you know, and they all had all the whole locker room has out, but I just can't. And I'm not on McMahon's reporting. I'm sure that I know that they did it. I know he's on bar with that, but I just can't imagine, like, the young guys not having that in the back of their head about what Durant said or didn't say on that Burner account. And I say all that to say, if he does get traded, like, what is he right now? What is he like he said he gets traded to Minnesota. Maybe they make a, you know, maybe they finally say, hey, let's, let's, let's link him and ant up. That's a whole nother can of worms that's about to happen in Minnesota. If they don't over the next couple years. If, you know, you know. But I just don't know where, what he does at this point, I have no idea. I don't know about. Like, how can he.
- [38:35]
C
He.
- [38:36]
A
This was his chance to integrate into a locker room, not only integrate into a locker room, but lead a locker room at this stage of his career. And he didn't do a great job at that, that it wasn't a good job. I don't care how many smiles there is on the, on the bench during the postseason, it was not a good year for him. And the rest of the league sees this. And the rest of the league hears the whispers that you didn't like or were grumbling about your teammates since November, December and before the burner gate. And so who was going to want that on their team? That's something that he's, that he's going to have to grapple with. I just don't know because we're seeing over the last few years that the numbers are great. He looks great when he plays and he's healthy, but all the other stuff just isn't there, you know, and that's going to be. And when you're, you're 17, 18, it's different than when you're year 11 and 10. I just don't know what the answer to that is. I don't know what his future is. I have no reporting. I have no idea what the Rockets are going to do. I'm just going by what I see and what we have seen over this season. And it's just going to be a tough ask if you're a young team, to try to, you know, bring Kevin Durant into the fold after this season or, you know, maybe they run it back with him, I don't know. But he, it didn't, it wasn't a great year for him. That's, that's pretty much what I would have, like, is that fair? Am I. You guys always check me, but it feels like this wasn't a good year for him. If he's trying to, you know, make himself available for another team this summer.
- [40:10]
C
I'll, I'll just say, like, production wise, he was fantastic. Attendance wise, he was fantastic. Like, I think one of his healthiest seasons. Yeah, one of his healthiest seasons that at this stage of his career, to be that productive and play that many games. What did he have, like, 75, 77 somewhere in there? Like, he had a very good season, but, you know, marred at least a little bit by Burner Gate and then by just being hurt at the wrong time, you know, like, like, that's, it's no fault of his. But that's. To your point, Logan, like, that's what we're going to remember is, is the end. We're gonna, we're probably gonna remember two things. We like the, the fact that he actually had a really solid regular season, an outstanding regular season, in fact, is probably going to be, you know, third behind, you know, unfortunately, because of the times we're in Burnergate and not being available as they lost the first round series.
- [41:02]
B
Yeah, it's tough. I feel, I feel for him because, like, you know, you only get so many bites at the apple in, in terms of, like, like, I, I, I think it was last pod, you asked about, like, him and somebody else, and I was like, Kawhi. I was like, those guys are kind of mercenaries at this point, right? Like, if you're your team, it was
- [41:20]
A
Kawhi, KD and Giannis.
- [41:22]
B
Yeah, like, Giannis, probably. I don't, I, in retrospect, probably I wouldn't put Giannis in that category. But the other two kind of mercenaries, hey, we think we're this piece away from really being something and having an opportunity to contend. And so, like, we'll take a swing at that and maybe put ourselves in a tough situation, you know, to get a look at it. But you only get so many swings at that as a player, and if you're not producing, and I don't mean, like, statistically because, like, he had great numbers and stuff, but I mean, producing in Terms of the outcome being what people expected it to be when they brought you in there. You only get so many bites at that apple before people say, well, even a Kevin Durant, like. And it sounds crazy, but, like, you know, you remember AI, like, there, There. There comes a time where you. You get so many bites at the apple with teams, and then they're like, yeah, I mean, it's going to score a lot of points, but, like, for whatever reason, it's. And, And I, I'm not saying definitively that this is where they're at, but, like, I feel for him in this way because, you know, I was still in the league when Chuck was going through it, and I played with Chuck, and. And, you know, you just. You could still produce points and score and look like, you know, a semblance of what you were, but, like, teams just don't get the return on investment that they think they should get when they bring you in there. And when that starts happening, like, those opportunities don't come around the same way they did before. I don't know when that time comes, but I've just. I've seen it with multiple guys as they get into the twilight of their career, and they're really still producers in that way, but, like, they're not bringing. They're not bringing the championship or the Eastern or Western Conference finals with the production, you know?
- [43:12]
A
Yeah, two more years and $90 million left on his contract. That's gonna. I mean, that. What's up, Power?
- [43:19]
C
No, I was just thinking, like, I'm trying not to be absurd about this, about trying to find places. I've been, like, thinking the last couple minutes, like, where you would send him back when he was, like, considering all of his options before he left Oklahoma. And there was this real push where it was like, can we get him to come home to Washington? And I'm. I'm only being slightly facetious here. They've already gone in all in on Anthony Davis and Trey Young. Like, why not? You already hit the pedal. You've already decided it's time to, like, invest in, like, you know, veteran stars with, you know.
- [43:50]
A
Well, you know, who didn't want to go to DC for all them years? Kevin Durant didn't ever wanted to go home. I don't know if that's changed now,
- [43:58]
C
but, yeah, we live in absurdity. This episode is brought to you by Ferrero. Soccer's international tournament is here, and Ferrero is going all in. Enter for your shot at a range of prizes just by buying your favorites, like Tic Tac Fresh Mints. Cool, minty and simple. Or Halo top ice cream loaded with
- [44:17]
B
crave worthy mix ins in every bite and half the calories of leading competitors.
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C
Go all in. Buy any two Ferrero brands and you could win $1,000,000. Official rules apply.
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B
Learn more at goallinandwin.com
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C
this episode is
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A
brought to you by Spectrum Business.
- [44:36]
C
Fast, reliable Internet means everything for your business and even this podcast. That's why I trust Spectrum Business. They keep companies of all sizes connected with Internet, advanced wi, fi, phone, tv, mobile services plus 24. 7 US based support. Millions of business owners already trust Spectrum business. So visit spectrum.combusiness to learn more. Restrictions apply. Services not available in all areas. Good times, Logan, is all I'm saying.
- [45:04]
A
We do. We do. Okay, let's, let's. Let's go to happier times. Before we get out of here. We got two more happy things. The Sixers forced the Game seven. Raja, your Sixers. Howard's gonna be there. What's going on? How do you feel?
- [45:21]
B
I mean, I mean, how do I feel? I'm not, I'm not a. Again, I'm not a fan of any team, so.
- [45:26]
A
Oh, my God, bro.
- [45:27]
B
I'm not like Sixers Sons. Like, I'm just a fan. I've. I've let the emotion go from only the Bobcats.
- [45:34]
C
He only cares about the Bobcats.
- [45:35]
B
That's it. Only. Only Charlotte.
- [45:37]
A
Don't actually, don't disrespect because I just came from a place and I will reveal later. But they love you there, Raja.
- [45:43]
B
No, and I love. I love them. I love them too. It's just hard for me to be a fan of any particular team. I'll be there next week, by the way. I'm out there.
- [45:54]
A
They won't. They're in Cancun. They're gone anyways.
- [46:00]
B
I'll be there at their practice facility. They won't. What was I going to say about the Sixers? Well, Joe, the Joel embiid of it all, again, say what you want, but
- [46:12]
A
he shut us the up. He should be the fuck up.
- [46:15]
B
He. He's a. He's a problem that, that Boston doesn't necessarily have an answer for in terms of just, you know, personnel. If they're, if they're not. If they're not going to make threes and they're just hell bent on. On shooting them and, and that's the way they play and that's been their identity. And if you're not going to take advantage of Joel in those drop coverages, the way that they're playing him when he's on the floor and he looks like he can't move at all, and you're not making those threes, and you're not adjusting to not making those threes, you're in for more. You're in for a fight, and they're in one right now. And look, I don't know what's going on with Jason Tatum. I've heard the. I've heard the.
- [46:57]
A
You know, the team leg was a little stiff.
- [47:00]
B
Minor. It's not good.
- [47:04]
A
I thought about you. When I saw that press conference, I thought about you.
- [47:08]
B
Look, there's no part of me that wants once anything to happen, but that's not good. Let's. Let's just understand that, like, I hope it's as minor as they're saying it is, but it's just. It's just not good. And, you know, like, hope that is fine, but it's something to watch, right? Because when you don't have your legs the way you're supposed to have them, the way that manifests itself for a player like Jason Tatum is like, anything from range isn't usually going to be, like, firing on all cylinders. You won't be shooting the percentages that you're used to shooting. It's hard to do that with lower leg injuries when you're dealing with stuff like that. And so, again, that all plays into what I'm saying about the way they want to play offensively. So I hope he's okay, but that's something to keep an eye on. And I. And, like, I'm holding my fucking breath because I told you guys, I know we make light of it and joke about it, but I'm just holding my breath. I want, win, lose or draw, get out of this year's playoffs without any injury. That's all I care for. For him. I really don't give a shit.
- [48:10]
C
Amen.
- [48:10]
A
If they lose. If they lose Game seven, Raja, it probably wasn't worth it to bring him back, right?
- [48:18]
B
I don't. Look, I'm. I don't rehash all of that. I'm. I. I'm sitting here telling you, and I. And I would say this again, anything short of winning a championship, and it was not worth the risk. Because, like, again, what did the whole. What did Boston as a city collectively do when that man had to go to the locker room and he wasn't playing? What did everybody do? Yeah, straight panic and holding your fucking breath. And so if you're going to be in that mode Anytime. Something like, it's just not. It wasn't. And he's been great. I will. I will acknowledge that and say, like, better than I thought he would be and all of that. And I don't even want to get into, like, whether it was worth it or not, although I just did. I just really hope that he gets out of these playoffs, whether it's in the next game or they go all the way to the finals, just get out of them and don't sustain any other kind of injury. And that's all I'm hoping for,
- [49:15]
C
so. Because the off day, and they don't always practice, so there wasn't a full media availability, but Missoula did a conference call, I guess, with reporters, and he said that Tatum's gonna play. The Celtics sent out their injury report. There's. He's not on it. So all expectation is that Jason Tatum will be in the starting lineup Saturday night. You know, look, Achilles or no Achilles, you know, whatever was going on with his other leg, and this was his good leg, not the. Not the Achilles leg. Stiffness happens sometimes. Dehydration, whatever. Like, stuff could happen. Like, it may or may not be related. And of course, there's gonna be a little bit of a panic. We're all gonna gasp a little bit and go like, oh, I hope it's nothing serious. Given what he's been through and given how quickly he came back, I totally get all that. I think as long as he. I'll. I'll set a different bar here than Raja. I think as long as he just doesn't get injured in any serious way in these. In this postseason, it was worth it. I don't think it's a finals or bust thing or a championship or busting to then say it was worth the risk. What's worth the risk is coming back and not being injured again and performing at a high level and helping your team get a lot farther than anybody thought it could go. And right now that's in jeopardy because they might blow this first round series. Um, but I don't. I don't think you retroactively say, well, then they. Then he shouldn't have been back. I don't. I don't know. I just. I can't see it that way. I get it, Rajiv. I don't. I can't see it that way. I do think that, you know, it's interesting to, you know, our perceptions of the Celtics. We went from gap year, you know, because Tatum is out, and they jettisoned all these. These Veterans to get their, their cap sheets in order to. Holy crap. Some of these guys are actually really good or at least more than serviceable. And look, Peyton Pritchard took another step and Derrick White's taken on more responsibility. Nemi's Cato. What, what the heck? Where did he come from? You know, guy that was cast aside by the Sacramento Kings and now he's, he's like, you know, been, been fantastic for them. Baylor, Scheireman, all these guys. Missoula coaching his butt off. Jaylen Brown playing his ass off like an mvp. And then this happens. And again, like I want to, I want to reset this a little bit. So yes, if the Celtics lose this tomorrow night or this will be tonight, by the time anybody listens to this, if the Celtics loses Game 7, there's going to be a lot of repercussions to this in the way that we talk about them, in the way that team is perceived. There's, there's a lot.
- [51:44]
B
Jalen Brown.
- [51:46]
C
Yeah, but I do think, especially when it's back to back years, right? Because like even before Tatum went down in that game, like the Knicks were going to win that series, like they'd already blown back to back 20 point leads in games. Like there's a lot. They're, they're, they're. This team ever since the championship has just had a difficult time getting out of its own way. The, one of the themes of this first round of this postseason across the board in the NBA is that if you are not the Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio spurs, the gap between you and your opponent ain't that big. Like we have two elite teams. I thought there were three. I'm taking Boston out of it. There are two elite teams and they're in Oklahoma City and San Antonio. That's it. Everybody else and like, easy to say now because it's what we have just seen. But yeah, I'm, I'm, I'm doing the hindsight thing and I've been talking to scouts around the league and games that I've been attending the last couple of weeks and everybody kind of agrees there's just a very, very small gap between 2 and 7, 3 and 6, 4 and 5 has always been kind of a coin flip series. But what we saw over the course of the last two weeks in this first round with, you know, the Timberwolves down, multiple players still pulling off the upset as a six over the third seed Nuggets, what we saw at least momentarily with the Hawks winning a couple of games, taking a lead in that series before they completely crap the bed last night. What we've seen with Orlando and Detroit, what we've seen with Boston and Philly, and also just the seating is not reflecting the true strength of teams. Orlando, you know, with the beginning of the season, we never would have put. If, in fact, if you went back to October and you looked at where odds makers or pundits, whoever ranked these teams, Orlando would have been ranked higher than Detroit. Nobody thought Detroit was going to be a top four seed, much less the number one seed. Everybody, most people thought Orlando would be somewhere in the top four or five. Philly. It's just a typical Philly thing, right? Joel Embiid's in. They look great. Joel Embiid's out. They look, you know, sometimes they look great. Anyway, Terry Smacks, he looks awesome. Paul George looks great. Paul George is out for 25 games because of a drug suspension. Paul George comes back. He looks great again. Joel Embiid's out with appendicitis. Oh, Joel Embiid's back. Like, the strength of these teams and the records in the regular season and their seedings almost feel irrelevant. But the gap, I'm just saying, the gap, unless you are Oklahoma or San Antonio, the gap between any two teams in any of these series is not what it used to be in the past. And so there's a volatility baked in that we're seeing play out in real time. And I, And I say that to say, like, if Boston goes down, yes, they will have blown the series in, oh, so many ways. But I actually think on paper, like, the Sixers have Joel Embiid, who, when healthy, is still a badass Maxi and Edgecomb, maybe the most explosive backcourt in the NBA. Paul George, better than everybody thinks he is at this stage of his career. And they're focused too much on the contract. Like, there's a lot of fucking talent there.
- [54:46]
B
Uber ain't playing well.
- [54:48]
C
Yeah.
- [54:48]
A
So, yeah, you know, see what happens. Don't let Philly win. Get to the finals. That's their championship. They'll put on. I'll put a banner up real quick. Jada McDaniels is my real one of the week. So let's use that to talk about Minnesota beating Denver, and you guys can get to your real one of the week. Jada McDaniel seems like an all Roger Bell team. He looks like he's on the team. He looks like he's. He's. You could take him any day of the week. He looks like a Roger Bell dude,
- [55:21]
B
listen, I was taking Ty to a workout today and he said, I love Jayden McDaniel. Like, that's so. He speaks to a lot of people, me included. Yeah. Like, just, you know, unapologetically kind of him. Not afraid to say what's on his mind. But what I, you know, so fascinating. Like, I don't know. Look, I don't. I. I know how this is going to come off, and I don't mean it to, but I'm going to say it anyway. Like, Anthony Edwards is fantastic. This happens all the time in the NBA, right? Like, where a guy is like, you get an Anthony Edwards who rightfully so, is like the face of your franchise and everything runs through him and he's. And he's got the ball and, and they're doing their thing. And like, you know, then you have, like, young players that given an opportunity, like, like, I didn't know he had
- [56:16]
A
all of that, you know, who did know that.
- [56:23]
B
No. Yeah, but like, and this isn't any knock on hand at all, but, like, I, I mean, I was watching some of his shocker. I know he's a really good player. Like, I've watched him play a bunch of times. But going from. Going from like this kind of sidekick role or the hey, I'm gonna set you up and you knock it down. Roll to like, hey, yo, the ball's in your hand. Go create consistently over the course of an entire game and then bring that fucking game home for us.
- [56:50]
A
Roll.
- [56:51]
B
That is a huge step. And not everyone can step into that the way he did. I was, I was just really impressed. Super young. Like, they've. Yeah, that was pretty cool to watch. That was pretty cool to watch. And that was one of those things I told you, like, Denver wasn't playing with his food. Denver was the food.
- [57:11]
A
Denver was the food, man.
- [57:13]
B
Denver was the Denver.
- [57:14]
A
Where does Denver go from here, Howard?
- [57:21]
C
This is tough because, like, their, their salary cap sheets are just, like, out of control. And by the way, speaking of real ones, I'll just do this. As long as we're, like, interweaving our Denver Minnesota commentary with real one of the week, Michael Porter Jr. Might be real one of the week. I never thought in my entire lifetime I'd be shouting at Michael Porter Jr. He's already done the maybe they shouldn't have traded me routine. I'm not on board with Michael Porter Jr. On just about anything else he's ever said on any podcast anywhere at any time ever. So let's be clear about that. But I Love the fact that he, like, went right to it. Like the 24 hours didn't even go by and he's like, yep, shouldn't have.
- [58:09]
A
It's all.
- [58:09]
C
He doesn't happen if I'm still on that team.
- [58:12]
A
It's all he has, you know, he's got at this point. It's just.
- [58:18]
C
I love it. I just. You just. He just couldn't wait to go there. It was like, howard, are you petty?
- [58:24]
A
Are you pet?
- [58:25]
C
No, I just. I just love that he said that.
- [58:27]
A
Does that make me petty? He respects petty. You may not be petty.
- [58:30]
B
That's real. Yeah, he's real for that. That's on his mind. It's on his heart.
- [58:33]
C
The real one of the week segment. I'm just saying he's real. I don't have to agree with him. This thing's funny.
- [58:37]
A
Okay,
- [58:39]
C
so look, Jokic, despite what happened in this series, is still one of the first, second, third best players in the world. Wherever you want to rank him. I don't care to get into it. They're fine. Jamal Murray had an outstanding season. He had like. I only worry about the reason we have, like, the Giannis discord, the discourse the last couple of years is because we're like, who. Who's his co star? Where's his support? I don't worry about that. With Denver in general, yes, they just fucking gagged this series, but we know they've got one of the greatest players in the NBA and a really strong co star in Jamal Murray. And the problem is Aaron Gordon can't stay healthy. It's one hamstring or the other that's always, you know, in play. Peyton Watson became a really important player for them and then wasn't available in this series at all. And he's a free agent to boot. And I don't know if they've got the ability to keep him, given where their salary cap is. And the rest of the supporting cast is like, yeah, okay, like, it. It's fine. But I just. I just don't know if there's enough there. All that said, back to the volatility and the parody. We are just in a time of insane parity, which brings insane volatility. And you can have a team that you look at looks great on paper, like Denver does, has all the requisite boxes checked, top five player check, costar check. You know, strong enough supporting cast, and they still lose in the first round, and it looks like a complete catastrophe. And, you know, if, you know, a couple things go in the other direction and Guys stay healthy, and they're onto the second round, and we're not saying, okay, the world's burning. So I don't know. I don't. I don't suspect there's going to be major changes in the off season there. The core will remain the core, but, you know, they clearly have some work to do around the edges.
- [60:34]
A
Who's ruining the league, Rosin?
- [60:37]
B
LeBron James. What's he, 40? Is he 41? Is that. What, is that how old he is?
- [60:43]
C
41?
- [60:44]
A
Yeah, man.
- [60:44]
B
Like, he just won. He just won a playoff series without. I mean, I guess he had. He had Austin for the last two games, but basically without his without, with
- [60:54]
A
Luke Canard and Marcus Smart just figuring it out.
- [60:57]
B
Yeah, I mean, that's, That's. That's like. I don't remember what years he came into the league, but that's that old Cleveland shit right, where he's like, yo, like, we'll.
- [61:04]
A
I'll.
- [61:05]
B
I'll take whoever you got, put him out here with me, and we'll get through playoff series. And while he won't do that to the finals at this age with that group, he still did it through round one, and he came out tonight and stamped it with a great performance. So I give him real one of the week.
- [61:19]
C
He had 28, 7 and 8, Team
- [61:23]
A
Hyde on the road.
- [61:25]
B
Yeah, bro.
- [61:26]
C
Like, there are guys in this league in their prime who will never put up that line in a. In a closeout playoff game. It's just there's. We've run out of ways.
- [61:37]
A
You did it on 2k with me a couple of times, Roger. I really appreciate that.
- [61:41]
B
Brian Never had no 28, 7 and 8 ever, bro. Like, that's to your point, Howard. That's fucking crazy, man. Like, I am. I'm talking about regular season game. Don't even get into playoffs. That's crazy.
- [61:55]
A
Yeah. You know what? I feel bad for probably just bearing this because I'm just tired, but feel bad for Jonathan Kaminga, bro. Feel bad for him.
- [62:04]
C
Why would we bring Jonathan to this conversation?
- [62:07]
B
Yeah, I just feel bad one in the morning, bro.
- [62:12]
A
That's where we're at right now. We're at right now. I just feel bad for him, man. Howard says he's not petty, but put a stat in there that maybe just feels. Put a stat in the group chat. This made me feel sad. It's made me feel sad recently.
- [62:26]
C
I think it was Raja.
- [62:27]
A
We had the. This was last night. He put a stat in there that he was. Had the worst plus minus, like in a century or something like that.
- [62:34]
C
Again, it's something.
- [62:34]
A
But I've got Howard.
- [62:36]
B
I gotta go back and look at your. Well, you got some beef with Jonathan Kaminga. I'm just trying to go look at the files, bro.
- [62:46]
A
It made me think. The man has a player option. Player option? Excuse me. The man has a team option in a couple of months, and it's not getting picked up. It's looking bad for him, man. And it's a. It's a case of when keeping it Real goes wrong. And I feel bad. Doesn't matter what Roger said. Doesn't matter what Howard said. Just gotta get a better agent, man. All right, that's. It's been another edition of Real Ones.
- [63:19]
C
The last minute of the pot, and now it's coming as agents getting thrown under the bus. This is what happens at 1am what
- [63:25]
A
happens at 1am when you're. When you're two glasses of rose in and you know, I got Roger got a little bourbon in his system. That's what happens. All right, it's been another edition of Real Ones. Make sure you tap in with us on Tuesday. Realwithsmailback gmail.com real onesmailtagmail.com realwoodsmailt gmail.com this has been Real Ones with Raja Logan and back. We will see you guys on Tuesday. Ah, all the shits. Bye. Must be 21 years and older and present in select states. For Kansas, an affiliation with Kansas Star Casino, or 18 and older and present in D.C. kentucky or Wyoming. Gambling problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER or 1-800-MY RESET. Call 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org backslash chatinconnecticut or visit mdgamblinghelp.org In Maryland, Hope is here. Visit gamblinghelpma.org or call 1-800-327-5050 for 24. 7 support in Massachusetts or call 1-877-HOPE NY or text Hopeny in New York. For Louisiana, call 1.
- [64:33]
B
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Save your spot now at Carrington Edu Events.
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For information on program outcomes, visit carrington.
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Edu Sci. Some follow the noise. Bloomberg follows the money.
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Because behind every headline is a bottom
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