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- [00:00]
Chris Vernon
You're listening to the Ringer NBA show, presented by FanDuel. America's number one sportsbook is the best place to bet on the NBA because not only does FanDuel have all your favorite player props, but now you can even check out stats and recent performance trends right in the app before you make your picks. Just download the FanDuel sportsbook app today to get in on the action. The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and help lines available and listen to the end of the episode for additional details. Must be 21 plus and present in select states. Gambling problem. Call 1-800- GAMBLER or visit rg-help.com.
- [00:42]
Raja Bell
This.
- [00:43]
Chris Vernon
Episode is brought to you by Buzzballs. Biggies ready to go. Cocktails that bring the party wherever you are. All their flavors are tasty, but you have to check out the big blue ball. Berry cherry limeade. Yeah, you heard that right. Big blue balls, big flavor, big fun. Big balls just dropped this season. Grab a pair with Buzzballs. Please drink responsibly. Available in spirit wine and malt ABV 15% Buzz Balls LLC.
- [01:11]
Logan Murdock
It's popping real one slogan. Murdoch here. Roger Bell there. Wow. First episode of the playoffs. Roger don't even want a pre pod talk. He want to get to the shits. Let's get to the shits, man. We're going to talk about the playoffs from last night. We're going to talk about getting a little preview. Don't put that in there because that was hella. That was leaving.
- [01:31]
Raja Bell
Leave it in.
- [01:32]
Logan Murdock
I was just showing my. That was a show. My delirium, bro. I'm tired. You gotta give people right now the little bam type of. I'm on. You wouldn't understand. Oh. Anyways. Nice.
- [01:44]
Raja Bell
That's too much.
- [01:45]
Logan Murdock
Okay. Speaking of la, let's go to the.
- [01:47]
Raja Bell
You want to give them. You want to give them what? You know, just enough, not too much. Right?
- [01:52]
Logan Murdock
Okay, well then, you know, you can play producer post pod and then you can tell them what to cut in and what was a little too much. We can just keep a balance. Does that work? No. No.
- [02:03]
Raja Bell
I got shit to do. Let's go. Keep it moving.
- [02:06]
Logan Murdock
All right, let's talk about all the. Let's talk about Kawhi Leonard last night. 39 points on, I believe like 12 of 19 shooting. It was.
- [02:15]
Raja Bell
Yeah.
- [02:16]
Logan Murdock
Was the best player on the floor. Played amazing defense. Got the right steal on. On yic. Down the stretch, hit big shots. Can you put into perspective how crazy of A game that is from a basketball player. We saw it as a fan. But could you really put this into perspective of how special this performance was?
- [02:34]
Raja Bell
Like, it was an incredible shooting performance. Let's just start there. I mean, some of the shots. Prime Kawhi, healthy Kawhi, vintage Kawhi is. It's a. It's a fascinating watch, man. Because some of the shots look so unorthodox and so difficult, but he routinely makes them. It's pretty crazy to watch. I mean, the leaner. I don't know if that was at the end of the half. I forget the quarters. Cause I watched, like, the little leaner where he's got somebody on his right side. It's a three, and he's got somebody closing from his left. And he just kind of leans through the two of them and shoots like a leaning three. That was a crazy shot. Right after the dunk missed in the fourth quarter that. You know, that big body in the paint where he's got Gordon. And Gordon did a really good job on him. And then he gets to that right shoulder and the ball is so high. Like, that ball is way extended above his head, and he's just like flicking his wrist. That's like Bob McAdoo type shit. Like, those are tough, tough shots. So the shooting performance in and of itself was incredible. You know, the way they do it. Which is. Which is, yeah, he has his time to be on the ball, but it's a real split between him having it, James Harden having it. It's really efficient. It's an efficient 39 or whatever he had. Not just in terms of field goal percentage, I would argue, but in terms of, like, touch time. It was pretty remarkable. It was an incredible. It was an incredible watch and incredible individual performance. Team wise. I mean, they just. They do a great job at keeping you in their wheelhouse in terms of pace. They keep you right where they want you. You know, a lot of that is based on the fact that they have these two incredible kind of ISO guys that they can play and pick and roll and. And have individual, like, gifts so that it naturally is going to slow the ball game down. But they just do a great job of controlling the tempo and keeping you in their wheelhouse. And, And. And last night, I thought it was interesting. You know, the. The coverage that I saw Denver, that I saw Denver in a lot was like. It was almost like a soft double. You know, this was. Even without a pick and roll, this was just like someone would be at the top of the key and they just start. The next closest defender would just start creeping, creeping, creeping, creeping. And now he's like in a double team. And the Clippers did an excellent job when that happened. You know, anywhere from slot to slot, which is like basically lane line extended on either, on either side of the court. So that's like in the middle of the court. They did a great job of short rolling. Zubac and Zubots was making great plays. So they'd hit him and then he'd make fantastic plays. Like that's a, that's a luxury in and of itself to have a big. That can kind of make plays like that. But poor man's Jokic, if you will, right? Like he's. You're just catching it and now we've got advantage numbers and so we're playing there. And then when it was on the weak side of the court and they couldn't get that short role, their weak side players didn't stand on the weak side. They flashed, whether that was to the basket or to the middle of the paint. And they just made Denver pay for the coverage. They tried to play him in all night long. It was a master class.
- [05:48]
Logan Murdock
Well, it's funny because as you're watching this, Riverside has a. Has a feature where I can go to another. Another tab and just watch highlights while you talk. So it was very, it was very. It was beautiful listening to you talk and just go through the game and I'm watching the highlights right now. It was like when I listened to rap music. Like when I listen to Onyx while I'm watching Giannis. I did a Kumbo. This was a little bit more. This was, this was. This was a little bit more. This is more beautiful. This was just listening to, just, just you just talk through the game. But one of the things that I continue to see is when you talk about the double teams and how they're trying to guard Kawhi, you're kind of in a catch 22, right? When you heard a playing against a player that is so good offensively in the way that he is, it's hard to double team because he. Because I'm looking at this with Steph, I'm in Houston right now. But like when you double team a guy, you're putting your own defense at a disadvantage. But also when you put him one on one, you can't do anything there because he's going to beat your one on one defender. But then when you put extra attention onto him, when you have a smart player like Kawhi, Jesus, this buzzer beater was ridiculous.
- [06:53]
Raja Bell
That was absurd, bro.
- [06:55]
Logan Murdock
Ridiculous. I'm sorry. They're still going. But what. It's so hard to do that you put. Because I think the Clippers have a, have trouble doing that as well, bringing the double team to Jokic. But when you have a guy like Kawhi who can, who is so smart with the basketball, it's really hard because they're trying to double team him. Not only when he comes off of the catch over the, the half court line, they're doing it in the post. Right. They're trying to, they're trying to double him when he's on the wing. They have nothing for him when they're trying to get with any defense that they're trying to get to. And it's ridiculous. It's crazy. And he's playing an OG game. It's not like he's playing a game where you are, you know what he's going to do. Me and you have talked about this on plenty of podcasts where the great ones, it doesn't matter what they do and how predictable they can be, you have nothing for it. And I felt like game two was a manifestation of that for Kawhi.
- [07:55]
Raja Bell
Yeah, I mean that's certainly, you know, when you're shooting that level of field goal percentage against the defense that they were throwing at him. Yeah, I think that would fall into the category of, you know, you could do whatever you want to do defensively, but good offense is going to be good defense all the time. Right. And so, but I would, I would, I would just to add on to what you're saying, and what I was trying to say is like, they weren't just doing that to Kawhi, they were doing that to James Harden too. So like you were finding yourself most of the game in a 2 on 1 defensively up top, leaving a 4 on 3 offensively behind that. And so I don't begrudge you like trying that as a strategy. And I guess you could say, hey, the, you know, this is the tough thing in the course of a game as it's unfolding. We weren't talking about any real extended leads for either team here. This was a ball game. So as a coach, you might sit there, watch the strategy and say, look, it's, it's, it's. We've got them right where we want them. It was always going to be this kind of game. I don't think it's bad. What's the alternative? And, and you're right, I don't have the answer to that I'm sitting here playing Tuesday morning quarterback. But. But it just provided so many opportunities for other players.
- [09:05]
Logan Murdock
Yeah.
- [09:05]
Raja Bell
And I've referenced this a lot. When the spurs beat us, was that 07 maybe. And 08? No. Yeah, 07 and 08. Their strategy was to allow Steve or Amari to beat us. And in a lot of cases, it would be Amari. And he could get all the shots he wants, and it would feel good because he'd have 40 some points a game, but no one else could help him because they would stay home everywhere else. And you couldn't get the 15 from three different guys that was going to put you, you know, over the top mathematically. Right. When we played, you know, Dallas there, I. They usually wanted to try to make Steve beat you. So Steve would wind up with incredible numbers scoring the ball because of their coverage. But they would do their best to keep all of the rest of us kind of like, you know, just out of the game. They would just put a blanket over us. Right? We. We employed the strategy against Kobe from time to time. You know, in any strategy you employ against the best players in the world can't be done all night long. You gotta. You gotta use it timely. Right? But, like, from time to time, we double Kobe. And other times, they would just leave me out there on Kobe knowing I was gonna get cooked. Like, I was gonna do my best job, but I was gonna get cooked, like, 20 years later. I'd have to see myself on. On Instagram and Twitter all the time.
- [10:22]
Logan Murdock
Why they do that? I'm sorry. Why? I understand this is just what we live in, but hold on, hold on.
- [10:29]
Raja Bell
Let me finish the point.
- [10:30]
Logan Murdock
All right?
- [10:30]
Raja Bell
Let me finish the point, though. It was gonna be a lonely night for me. He was going to have some incredible tough buckets. Like, if you're. If you're being honest, those are tough fucking buckets he's hitting. But the fact is, everybody else is taken out of that game in a way that gives us the better chance to win, whether we do or not. You know, sometimes we did, sometimes we didn't, but that was the strategy. I just let him cook. Let him cook individually, one on one, and we won't let the three players score 20. That will supplement his point production.
- [10:59]
Logan Murdock
I. I want to answer that, and I also want to just say I don't care that they have the compilation of Roger getting cooked. Just stop tagging me in the. I wasn't there. I didn't do. Stop tagging me in the. Utah. Look at your man. Look at your mans. I've seen it for the last five years. I get it, I get it.
- [11:20]
Raja Bell
I really do. He was really good. Like, he was good. Christ, like, people are like, like.
- [11:25]
Logan Murdock
Anyways, hold on. I just wanted to. Yeah, he was good. He's Kobe Bryant. But stop tag. I'm just saying, stop tagging me. That's, that's you and Roger's business. No, here's the other thing.
- [11:36]
Raja Bell
Logan.
- [11:36]
Logan Murdock
No, I had a lot of point on that. I had a point on.
- [11:39]
Raja Bell
Go ahead, go ahead.
- [11:39]
Logan Murdock
I had a question. I had a question for you. From the point on that, you're talking about role players, right? And one thing that I continue to see more so with the Clippers because I, I'm just not. The Nugget supporting cast just hasn't been there and throughout the series. But what is it like for specifically the Clippers supporting cast when they're seeing guys, their star players make shots within the flow of the offense? They're not forcing shots or they're doing these things. They are, they are finding that they're finding their groove. What does that do for the role players, the Chris Duns, the Norm Pals? Norm Pals is a superstar role player, but a role player nonetheless. What does it do for their confidence? Specifically on the road in a place like Denver where you're seeing your lead dog score not because the, the off defense is necessarily letting them, but because he's getting his own within the flow of the offense, does that help everyone else out? When you see a guy like Kawhi say, no, get on my back. I got you.
- [12:38]
Raja Bell
Oh, well, yeah, I, I've talked about that before. Anytime you come into a hostile environment and you see your guy locked in the way Kawhi was locked in last night, it is going to put a battery in everybody's bag. Like people are going to be that. That is a comforting feeling when you see that. I would argue though that Norman Powell was like, like, you know, Norman Powell was struggling through most of last night and because of Denver's coverage, he was able to get like, you know, late in the game, he's just flashing from the weak side to the middle of the paint, catching it and hitting eight foot floaters. Look, I mean, those are still tough fucking shots. I'm not telling you I'd make them, but you're gifting a player of his caliber wide open shots. Like he's not having to work for those. All he's having to do is make a read, cut into space and then, and then finish with the Floater, which again, kudos to him for doing it. But, like, when you are in that coverage, you're making it easier on the role players. You're making my job easier. If you double Steve and Amari and that ball finds its way out of the double, because I'm going to get an open shot. Me or Leandro Barbosa are going to get an open shot without having to work. It's just going to be there. And so that's kind of what I'm saying, right? Like, sure, seeing Kawhi do it makes your job exponentially easier, but if you're going to send a. So not even an aggressive double, like, you're not even, like, smashing the ball, making the pass out of it hard. They're throwing bullshit little passes right behind your soft double. And they're playing four on three. Like, that's a recipe for role players to eat. If they could play the Nuggets.
- [14:17]
Logan Murdock
I feel like this series has been weird for the Nuggets, right, Because I had this on the, on the. On the GCAL or on the, on the docs talking about game one, right? And I was. I was ready to talk about, you know, Russell Westbrook, vindication game. We're back, baby. Ready to go. I was ready to rile you up for a rant, but honestly, he played.
- [14:39]
Raja Bell
He played good last night, too.
- [14:41]
Logan Murdock
You got your tea? Do you have your tea for the haters?
- [14:43]
Raja Bell
He played good last night, too. I'm just saying.
- [14:45]
Logan Murdock
Yeah, I mean, it was. He played good last night. He was a bit of a roller coaster in game one. I think you would agree with that. It was just. It was a lot of. A lot of emotions from. From Russ. Russ evoked fair. But. But the, the Clippers have been the better team throughout this series. And what does that go. What does that do for your psyche if you're Denver going back to Los Angeles where the Clippers have been, obviously the. What they have been down the stretch of the season, what they have been with Kawhi after the Kawhi performance. What position are the Nuggets in at this particular moment? Don't keep that in, Cliff. Keep the. Don't keep that in, but don't. Fuck. I'm just fucking up right now. But what, what position are the Nuggets in going back into Los Angeles at this particular moment?
- [15:35]
Raja Bell
Let's just start. Anytime you lose one on your home floor, you're. You're. You're. As. You're. You're in a precarious situation because you know you've You've let that advantage go, right? So I would agree with you with. With my eyes that I think the Clippers have been the better team. I think they fumbled the bag to some degree in game one and then. And then got out of there with one last night. But I don't know if you're Denver, you necessarily feel like that. I, you know, I'm looking. It's relatively even the stat that's dictating these games is turnovers, right? It's what's dictated in the games. The Clippers had 20 in Game 1. They couldn't hold on, right? Last night, Denver had 20. Jokic almost quadruple doubled if you include turnovers, because he had seven of those and bad, timely turnovers. And it was just enough for Kawhi and company to get over the hump and beat you. So I could. I could in Denver's camp, wrap my mind around, hey, man, look, Kawhi played phenomenally at 39. We got a good effort from everybody else and minus like a weird missed dunk at a very inopportune time and a couple awful turnovers down the stretch. We pull that out, we're up 2 0. So it's just, you know, the mind. The mind game that is like playoff basketball and how your. How your psyche kind of rides the roller coaster from. From win to loss. The ebb and the flow that is the series is. Is really, really interesting. So I tend to agree with you. I think the Clippers have looked better. I think the Clippers have. They have more weapons like you talk about Kawhi, talk about James Harden, talk about, you know, Ifots, Zubas, Norman Powell. I think there are more things that you go to there, but I don't think it's been a huge. A huge difference in the series. I think the turnovers have swung both of those games.
- [17:25]
Logan Murdock
I think when I, When I see the Nuggets at this point, I'm just. It's. It's tough to watch them play around Jokic and this supporting cast and believe that they can close this one out. And it's been everything that we. This series has been everything that we thought it was going to be, but it's just really hard in the battle of supporting cast. I mean, Michael Porter Jr. Might be out in the next couple of. Did you see The Michael Porter Jr play?
- [17:53]
Raja Bell
Yeah, I did see that. He felt. He turned it over, fell, got up. I didn't see what happened.
- [17:57]
Logan Murdock
He's getting some smoke. Cliff, come on here real quick and discuss this smoke that he has been getting right now. I want to hear get Roger's opinion on this. What's the smoke that Michael Porter what's the smoke on the timeline that Michael Porter Jr. Is getting? And I want to see from Roger if it's warranted.
- [18:11]
Cliff
So the smoke that Michael Porter Jr. Is getting is that there was a play late in the fourth quarter. I don't remember the exact score, but he dove for. So I think he got a rebound, an important rebound doe for the ball. The turn the ball over when he was trying to make a pass on a fast break, the ball turns over to the Clippers. He stays on the ground because he got landed on like his shoulder got landed on. And it looked like pretty bad for like a second, but he got up and like got back into the plate. But the Clippers ended up scoring. And I think they ended up either taking the lead or getting like a three point lead and like a very, very terrible. Yeah, yeah, like a very, very crucial moment. And then the smoke he's getting is that, damn, like, bro, you could have got up, like, you did all that, like trying to fake for a call, you know, you was on the ground. Listen, I'm never one to criticize a player for getting hurt during a game, so I don't know how most people view that, but it looked kind of crazy when you looked. When you just rewatch it.
- [19:02]
Raja Bell
Well, I mean, in fairness, I haven't rewatched it. I did, I did see the play. It was one of those turnovers I was talking about. I thought he was kind of hustling, like, again, I haven't rewatched it, so I thought it was like, at least initially a genuine hustle. I would just say if you're a Clipper fan, I mean, not a Clipper fan. I'm sorry, a nugget fan. If you are supportive of what Nikola Jokic does in terms of flopping around the court, don't say shit to anybody else about diving on the ground. Don't do that. It's a terrible fucking look. All right, so like, I don't know. I'd have to rewatch it again. I am all for, you know, even, even my kids at the youth level. Get up, like, get up. I, I hate, like, pet peeve of mine is like, you're going to lie there and writhe in pain for two to three minutes. Cause the game to stop. Everybody's got to come out there and you sit out for one play and now you're back in the game. Get your ass up, but I didn't see it and I don't know, you know, I don't know what his injury was.
- [20:07]
Logan Murdock
I, they said he was doing the Pacquiao plank, but I don't think it was that bad. I don't think it was that bad.
- [20:12]
Cliff
He sold him out. They even put Rusbrook back in the game and he was having a good few couple minutes too. But they subbed him out because I.
- [20:19]
Raja Bell
Actually thought he hustled for that. I, I, I, I vaguely, I mean I don't have like total recall, but I vaguely remember the play like he was hustling. It was around half court or something. Right. Like, and, and it was like a. Yep.
- [20:29]
Cliff
Yeah.
- [20:30]
Raja Bell
Yeah. And so I thought he actually made a play and I think it was a dive. Whether he's hurt or not, I don't know.
- [20:35]
Logan Murdock
Yeah, we'll see what happens. Let's, let's change gears here to these. Go ahead.
- [20:40]
Raja Bell
No, let me just say this. I want to, I want to add on and put a bow on this one. The, the Nuggets have to. Well I talked about the Clips keeping you in their wheelhouse tempo related the Nuggets have to get it into the 1 16s, 1 20s, 120. Like that's their wheelhouse in terms of pace. Like you're talking about one of the highest scoring point per game team in the league and another team that wants to like slow and grind you down and work, work you out in the half court. And this series is going to live in who can control the tempo and who can get out and go. And you know, the Nuggets, amongst other things, like we talked about their defensive strategy and stuff like that. Like I'll leave that up to the people who make the big bucks. But I know this, you need to pick the pace up in a way that is more in your wheelhouse as a team for the course of this season than what's currently been shown in the first two games. Kudos to the Clippers, but you got to find a way to get up out of that.
- [21:30]
Logan Murdock
Yeah, I mean and all that saying said they're going back one one could be much worse based on the way they've played.
- [21:37]
Raja Bell
Yeah. Real Ones is brought to you by FanDuel. The NBA playoffs are finally here and if you think you know how it's all going to go down, then make those predictions pay off with FanDuel and their same game Parlay, profit boost. Just build your perfect parlay, activate the boost and lock in your bet if it hits. That's a bigger payout for you at no extra cost. So tonight lakers Minnesota in LA. I'm going to take LeBron on the over points, I'm going to take the Lakers to win and I'm going to take Nas Reed on the under points. Who big parlay for me tonight. Sound good? Well you can score an even bigger W because FanDuel's giving you a profit boost for all tonight's action. Don't just be a spectator this postseason. Head to FanDuel.com ringernba to download America's number one sportsbook and make every moment more with FanDuel. Official sports betting partner of the NBA must be 21 plus and present in select states or 18 and present in DC. Opt in required minimum 3 leg parlay required. Bonus issued is non withdrawable profit boost tokens Restrictions apply including any token expiration and max wager amount. See terms@sportsbook.fanduel.com Gambling problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit rg-help.com this episode.
- [22:49]
Chris Vernon
Is brought to you by Buzzballs. Biggies ready to go. Cocktails that bring the party wherever you are. All their flavors are tasty, but you have to check out the big Blue Ball Berry Cherry Limeade. Yeah, you heard that right. Big blue balls, big flavor, big fun. Big balls just dropped this season. Grab a pair with Buzzballs. Please drink responsibly. Available in spirit wine and Malt ABV 15% Buzzballs LLC. This episode is brought to you by Hyundai at the Hyundai Getaway Sales Event get deals so right it almost feels wrong. Now's the best time to get that Hyundai car or SUV you've always wanted. Like the bold and super stylish Elantra or or the Tucson with next level tech and safety features. Plus, every new Hyundai comes with America's best warranty and three years or 36,000 miles of limited complimentary maintenance. Don't think you can get away with all that? Think again. But don't wait. The Hyundai Getaway Sales Event is going on now. Visit your local Hyundai dealer today. It's a great day for a new Hyundai.
- [23:55]
Howard Beck
This episode is brought to you by. Indeed, a successful season starts with picking the right players for your team.
- [24:00]
Logan Murdock
If I were picking a team, I'd.
- [24:01]
Howard Beck
Pick some of the greatest players of all time. Maybe I get Kareem at the 5. Maybe I get Tim Duncan at the 4, LeBron at the 3, Jordan at the 2 and Kobe at the 1. Or maybe I would get Steph at the 1. Step at the 1 will be pretty cool Too. If you want to hire the best players for your business and quickly, you need Indeed. Their sponsor jobs help you stand out and reach relevant candidates faster. Plus, with Indeed sponsored jobs, there are no monthly subscriptions, no long term contracts, and you pay for the results. There's no need to wait any longer. Speed up your hiring right now with Indeed. Listeners of this show will get a 75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility@ Indeed.com RingerMBA that's Indeed.com RingerMBA right now. And support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Indeed.comringermba Terms and conditions apply. Hiring Indeed is all you need.
- [24:51]
Logan Murdock
This episode of Clutch Plays is brought to you by Amazon Business, where we're going to talk about the Clutch play of Cade Cunningham and but first, first we are going to talk about the apology that Raja is owed to Cliff. Presented by Amazon.
- [25:06]
Raja Bell
Cliff. Cliff. I don't mix words. I'm sorry. Oh, shit. I think that my affinity for friend of the show Ben Stiller and how hot you came in at him in regards to your series prediction had me a little offended for him. I got a little like, you know what I mean? Like that, that was a month ago. Yeah, we're not friends. Like, I mean, but like I, I feel like I'm Ben's friend and the way, the way you came at him, I felt like I had to have his back. Having said that, having said that, Detroit should be up 20 right now. And, and I could see what you were saying. Like it was not. I called it. I think I said it. Don't make a mockery out of this. And I apologize for that because you were hitting the nail more squarely on the head than I was.
- [25:57]
Cliff
You my man. All I gotta say is two words. Detroit basketball, bro.
- [26:03]
Logan Murdock
You got your buffs on, you got your Cliff.
- [26:06]
Cliff
I got my buffs on. I got my bus, I got my buffs in the room, bro. I'm at my Cartier frames too. I got the baggy jeans from back in the day. My, my puffer jacket, you know what I'm saying? About to go to 10 mile.
- [26:17]
Logan Murdock
You got the headband on. You got your headband on.
- [26:21]
Cliff
Maybe. Yeah, maybe, you know, I mean, might go to 8, 8 mile, 9 mile, 10 mile, whatever mile we going to. I'm saying shout out to Detroit, man. Me? Yeah. I got to check in with Trick Trick next time I go up there, man.
- [26:32]
Logan Murdock
You got to tap in with Trick Trick if you're going to be wearing all that shit. You got to tap in for sure. Off the plane, you might be able to get away with right. Off the plane, you might be able to get away with on the drive from Detroit airport to Detroit proper, because the fucking drive is so long. But check in anyway.
- [26:48]
Cliff
Check it for sure.
- [26:50]
Logan Murdock
This is. I think this series has been all about the word poise, Raja, because, I mean, this has just been a story of poise and lack thereof. Because if the. If the Pistons have poison the first in game one, they win that in a landslide, then you saw Cade, who is just. I love seeing a player mature in front of your eyes. It's just a beautiful thing to see. You see the dunk. The Pistons, where do you see them right now? Are they where they should be in this series relative to how they've played? Or could it have gone another way?
- [27:26]
Raja Bell
I mean, another one of these series, right. Like, they're all going to kind of be the same. I think if you're on either side, you would have a. A The picture that you paint for your locker room and your organization is going to be just the opposite of the other one, right? Yeah. Detroit could easily be up 2. Oh. That's why I apologize to Cliff. Like, I could see a world. Like, I didn't see that world coming in where you were down two. Oh. If you were the Knicks going to Detroit and that chaos that. That. That building's going to be, I just didn't see that. That's why I. Lightweight kind of joke. Like, don't make a mockery of it. But it very easily could be that if you're the Knicks, you're saying to yourself, like, last night, we were right there. Like, we, you know, they were a young team. The areas that we thought that they might struggle in, which was closing out, and the experience that's lacking in those areas in the playoffs particularly, showed their head in game one, and we were able to do what we were supposed to do. And then in game two, we just kind of fumbled the bag. Cause it was there for us to have it. And so, like, you could really construct an argument on either side of that. What I see from Detroit is just a team that's like an attack mode. Like, they're. They are in attack mode. They are getting downhill. That was reflected in the. In the calls last night and the free throw discrepancy. I know Knicks fans would probably want, you know, some of the calls that Brunson didn't get. I would argue he's out there kind of flopping around a lot, too. Um, don't get me wrong, like, there, look, I can appreciate it. I did it. I did it as well as a defender. But it's very hard for a ref to determine when, when that's genuine and when it's not, right? So it puts the ref in a tough spot sometimes. But because Detroit was at the rim, I mean, at the rim, not, not mid ease, you know, not, not, not post fades. Even though they were doing all of that, they were also aggressively seeking the rim. And you typically get rewarded for that very physical game. Detroit is here for all the shits. Like, they're, they're here for that. They, they are the amount of bodies that were flying around the floor last night. If you watched it with Knicks players getting up, looking at the refs like, yo, what the fuck? Like, that suggests that the Detroit Pistons are there to physically compete, right? Cabe Cunningham is, is a problem. I mean, he's been all year. He's just, He's a problem. Like when you, when you get him out in space and let him create, he is, he is in the top percentile of people in the league with the ball in his hands. Getting a bucket. Tobias Harris has been a problem for them on the switch. You know, they're, they're, they're really taking advantage of that in a way that, that provides a nice supplementation to what, to what Cade can do. Like, it just gives you enough. And then generally speaking, if you'll allow me to go to the Knicks, like if your stars, and we talked about this in the playoffs, I pencil stars in. I pencil them in for what they do, then it becomes, do I get the support? Well, if you're going to tell me you got a night where Cat shoots 11 shots, you know, he can't figure out, or the Knicks can't figure out how to get him into positions, because Detroit did a masterful job of coming at him from different, you know, coming at him with doubles from different places. Like, they had the Knicks confused. And so Brunson did his thing, but I didn't get anything from Cat, and nobody else really went off. We got a problem.
- [30:41]
Logan Murdock
That's the thing with. That's the thing with Cat, right? Where he can disappear in that way. Right? And that's one of those things that sometimes you saw in Minnesota, whether it be him getting into foul trouble, whether it. Him being just maybe just being too much of a number two in that way, where he's just kind of like giving, okay, Anthony Edwards, go cook. And there'll be times where you need him to get his own shot. And I think that that's one of the things that I was concerned when the trade went down. Not to say that the Knicks didn't win the trade. Not to say that he hasn't been fantastic in New York, but when you are going to be a true bonafide number two, you got to be a fucking number two, right? You have to do that specifically on this type of team. And I feel like Cat and his later years in Minnesota is probably. I wouldn't say devolved, but he's kind of turned into maybe a really, really good three, maybe a really, really good role player, where I think that he. Much more is needed from him in this. In a winning way, in this type of context. And I think that that's something that I really want to see more from him is be that bonafide number two. You know how to do it, because you've been a number one before, maybe, albeit the team wasn't great when you were number one, but, you know, the responsibilities at hand right now. And I think that's something that I really want to see from Cat, especially when Brunson. When Brunson is. Can only do so much in a playoff context, right? Because he is a guy. That is not to say he doesn't score a lot, but dude needs help, and I think Kat needs to step up his game because of that. And that's something that's concerning for me, because he does ebb and flow in a postseason setting.
- [32:26]
Raja Bell
That's. That's fair. And, like, yeah, the jury's out on whether he can consistently be that dude. I would guess this is simple math, though, for me. Like, Jalen Brunson plays great. Kate Cunningham plays great. They're both over 30, right. The rest of your team, like, if you have a secondary star, that is your advantage, right? Because theoretically, like. Like. Like New York has the better second star, Right, Cat?
- [32:50]
Logan Murdock
Yep.
- [32:51]
Raja Bell
So if he's not doing that, and we're saying Detroit's other four plays the same as your other four. This is simple math. Then it comes down to the benches, and the Knicks bench gave you eight. One of those was a fluky bank shot. And the Detroit Pistons, led by Dennis Schroeder's 20, gave you 35. Yeah, that's math, dude. Like, that's not any, like, proprietary, like, solution that I came up with for basketball. It's fucking math. If your number two's not doing his job, and. And. And you got two number ones doing their job, the other four of the starters are going to Relatively cancel each other out because my theoretically number two, who's better than yours doesn't give me that production, then my bench better be good. And they haven't. They weren't good last night.
- [33:38]
Logan Murdock
One of the things that I'm. One of the things because of that I am really concerned about though, is going back to Detroit, though, Raja, where Detroit hasn't had. I don't. They haven't had a postseason game in what, 17 years. Right. Which is crazy to think about. Since 08, they're going to be rocking and rolling and they're going to be a six man and probably carry that team to at least one of the blowout wins I would expect in either games 3 and 4. That being said, with the Knicks of what I just. We're just talking about how do you navigate in an environment like that where it's going to be nuts, it's going to be on a different level. You have to split one of those games. It seems like a very tall task.
- [34:18]
Raja Bell
Oh, it's going to be a very daunting task for them that Detroit. I mean, you know, it's been a decade plus since I've been in Detroit, but always a very passionate, like, rowdy fan base. Like, you know, I don't know that they're Philly in terms of like how they get after you, because that's pretty unique. But they're close. Like, they get, they get after you. So that building is going to be crazy. The level of play is going to be incredible. I would imagine that. It just seems like they want this series to be a physical series. So I think it's going to continue in that, in that, in that kind of tone. You just have to be ready. If you're the Knicks, ideally you come out and you punch them in the mouth early. That's best case scenario. Logan, we come out, we hit you, we're up 14 to 5 and we're keeping this cushion that never really allows like that fan base to get going in a way that is detrimental to us as a team. Right. Like, we're just, we're on top of you, smothering you every time you make a little run. We're just going to push it back to a comfortable lead. Right? Like those are the ones that really hurt the fans. You know, that's the one that sucks the air out of the building. You know, we get on top of you early and we just keep the distance. Like we never let you get it to three. We're always keeping it around six, seven, eight. Like Those are just like a wet blanket on the flame of a crowd. But we can never get going. Every time we want to get going, we can't get going. And eventually they'll tap out. But. But like you, that's what you have to do. If you're the Knicks, I would imagine that what is going to happen is the Pistons come out and punch the Knicks in the mouth, and that's their job. But so then if you're the Knicks, you got to be in bunker mentality, man. They're shelling us right now. We got to get low, cover up, protect. And then, you know, once they got to reload, you know, we got to come out and hit them with our arsenal. And it's just, you know, that's the mindset, right? Like, hopefully we come out and do our job. If we don't, let's weather that storm, and let's be ready to counter punch.
- [36:34]
Logan Murdock
Yeah, it's tough on that. It's tough when you're going back to a team or going back to a city with the energy that Detroit is going to have. Counterpoint, though, and I saw this up in Houston right now, and I saw this with the Rockets, where you do get that first punch and you don't land anymore afterwards, right? And you don't land anymore afterwards until it's too late. Just because the difference in. We go back to poise, just in the difference in experience level. Now, I'm not saying it necessarily for the Knicks, because I feel like while the Knicks have had postseason experience, they haven't had dominant postseason experience where they know each other enough to be able to get into certain sets when everything is a mind in an arena. I don't believe that. I'm just saying in playing Devil's Advocate, sponsored by Roger Bell and Amazon, that it could go another way. You know, that would be the. The way that the. The. If the Knicks just weather the first five minutes, and maybe it's only. Instead of being 23 to 5, maybe it's 13 to 5, right? And they could just get back in their bag, slow it down, take the crowd out of the game, which is gonna be a hard thing to do in Detroit because they're gonna be. It's gonna be popping. You're gonna be seeing Saba, baby. You're gonna be seeing everybody. Gonna be seeing Big Sean, front row. It's gonna be a movie. But Cliff came back on.
- [37:59]
Cliff
Did I say something outside of Baby, Baby Face Ray?
- [38:02]
Logan Murdock
You know what I mean?
- [38:03]
Cliff
It's not a drill. Come on, man.
- [38:04]
Logan Murdock
It's not a drill. Shout out to the homies. Trick. Trick is probably going to get some tickets, but it's going to be popping up there, right?
- [38:11]
Raja Bell
I don't know any of them.
- [38:14]
Logan Murdock
Okay, Actually, trust me, Rod, trust me.
- [38:16]
Cliff
Your son knows all them. You definitely know these for sure.
- [38:18]
Logan Murdock
And they all sound the same to you. Literally shout out peasy. But it's going to be popping, so we'll see.
- [38:27]
Raja Bell
It is. It is. And, and you know, I would, I would argue, though, that I think New York, because even last night they were in a tough spot, like Detroit was handling that and the Knicks really scrapped and clawed and got back and tied that game up like, and Detroit shows again their, their inexperience and, and overall immaturity. And I don't mean that in terms of like a negative. They're just not mature in these situations yet. And so that showed again last night. So I do think that New York can go into a building, you know, even the playoff series they've been in last year and stuff like that. There's some battles, there's some, there's some gut amount. We found a way to win these games when the deck was stacked against us type of moments with, with this Knicks kind of core roster. And so I think that they'll be okay in a, in a hostile environment, figuring out how to play through an early hiccup. I think they could be okay there, but they have to figure out Tibbs or whoever does their offense, like, I don't know the internal structure of that organization who does what, but you have to move cat, like they're making it. All right, bear with me. When I want to double team you as a defensive team and I want to double team your best player, I need the space and time to do that. Meaning the further you are away from the basket, the easier it is for me to get out there, you know, and, and, and double team you right now. That does make the pass and the floor behind us more spread out and more open, so it makes more, more room for my three guys to have to guard. But I can get there and stop the primary guy from scoring. I can make him pass the ball. Yeah, if, if you're the offense and you're saying, all right, look, but I need this guy to score. I can't have him just passing out because I don't have the weaponry behind him. I need him to score, then you can't have him out on the perimeter. It's a dead play. Even if he gets in his bag and he can beat his man, they are so committed to closing those lanes down on Cat. That's dead. So don't have him out there, right? Unless. Unless you're running some really good shit where he's ghosting pick and rolls and it's slipping into his threes. Like, don't give him the ball out there and think that that's where he's going to work on his ice, right? And, you know, I would move him around. I get him on the elbow a little bit. I get him in the middle, like, on the nail, middle of the free throw line where they used to work Paul Pierce all the time. That's a really hard place for doubles to come from. We don't know what side it's coming from. A lot of times double teams are predicated on like. Like where you are on the floor and where that double is going to come from. Is it coming from low? Is it coming from high? Is it coming from weak side, right? But when you put the ball right in the middle of the floor, well, everybody's weak side now. Like, where. Where is it coming from? Like, that's a good place to get a guy that wants to ice the ball. Get him there a little bit. This is gonna fall to the coaching staff. Let him touch it there a little bit. The Clippers game last night, I think this went. This flew under the radar for a lot of people. We talked about how dedicated Denver was to doubling right. Not unlike. Not unlike Detroit was with the Knicks, but coming out of a late timeout. And T Lou's as good as anyone with this. They run some action and they get. They get Kawhi on the right elbow, right? He's on the right elbow, and he's got James Harden in that right corner. So Brown cannot help on that. Now, the double can come from the middle, which it did. But Kawhi just took one two dribbles to his right and raised up and knocked it down. Because you anchored that defender to the corner by putting a shooter there. So again, you get Brunson in that right corner, you get Cat on that right elbow, you know the double's got to come from his left. It cannot come from Brunson. Let him work to his right hand. You're creating opportunities that make the double a lot harder for them to. To. To. To execute as a defense if they're Detroit, but you got to help him out.
- [42:21]
Logan Murdock
So on. On the flip side, how does Detroit now attack Cat defensively when they're going back? What are you trying to see on that? On the other side of that matchup.
- [42:33]
Raja Bell
Well, I mean, I'm of the camp that I'm going to keep doing it until you prove that it doesn't work. So if I'm Detroit, I'm executing the exact same game plan I executed last night. Like we're going to. They had, they came from. Again, I just told you. Like typically, you know, an NBA team would be like, hey, we're doubling from the nail or we're coming from low, weak side. Like, doubling from the nail means balls on the right side of the court. Whatever defender is closest to midline on the court, around the free throw line, that guy's going to come down and double, right? So when that ball gets sprayed back to the top, the, the closest guy on the weak side rotates up. The second guy out of the corner is going to rotate up to the wing. And then one of those two defenders, probably the most athletic that we're on the double is going to sprint out to the corner like we're in a rotation in the NBA. Now, you see sometimes that guy on the, on the mid post on the right hand side. If he gets deep, they'll send. If they don't think the corner player is very good, they'll send the low guy from the weak side to go get him and they'll rotate backwards in essence of what I just said. So like there are different ways to do it. You typically see kind of like a steady diet of something throughout the course of a game. I thought Detroit did a good job of, of coming from different places. Like one time they were coming from the top, the next time they came from the bottom. Cat couldn't really figure out what was happening. Yeah, but that's why you got to help him as a coach.
- [43:55]
Logan Murdock
Yeah, we'll see what happens, man. Hold on, Raja. The last second three pointer. That's the kind of play that defines winners. And when it comes to business, Amazon business is your clutch performer with fast access to essential supplies and flexible purchasing options. They're even there when you need them the most so you can tackle unexpected demands and keep your business in the game. Visit business.Amazon.com to learn more. Let's play a little game of how concerned are you? I'm gonna give you a few scenarios and I want you to give your concern level. This is just a, I'm just trolling at this point, but the Grizzlies going into game two against the Thunder, what are your concern levels as a Grizzlies fan? And so they just to this just be a Do they just go home? Are we going to. Do they even just play any more basketball after the game one? What is your concern level?
- [44:56]
Raja Bell
That was.
- [44:57]
Logan Murdock
If you're a Grizzlies fan.
- [44:58]
Raja Bell
That was embarrassing. That was embarrassing. That was embarrassing. Like, really embarrassing. My concern level is at a 10. I fully expect them to come out and compete. Like, I don't think this is a lay down.
- [45:08]
Logan Murdock
John Morant said that it was. That would never happen again, and I don't believe him.
- [45:13]
Raja Bell
I believe him. How? When has that ever happened? I mean, was that. That's a top five all time loss in playoff history. Like, it'd be hard to replicate that.
- [45:24]
Logan Murdock
Maybe they lose by 15 in game two.
- [45:27]
Raja Bell
Yeah, but I could see them getting handily be. Don't get me wrong, Logan. I agree with you. Like, I don't know that they. They just get rolled over like they did. I was walking through, you know, I was in the gym with my son in Atlanta this weekend and I happened to get back for. For like. Like, I was walking through the. No, where was I? Oh, I was in the airport. I was walking through the airport and I stopped at a bar on my way to the gate to take a look, and I looked at that and I, you know, I now have to wear readers to, like, read, but I'm good at distances, right? Like, I looked at that TV at a distance and I. And it kind of fucked me up because I was like, man, I got to put my glasses on. That shit can't be right. Yeah, I'm like, oh, no, you do. Oh, you saw that, right?
- [46:04]
Logan Murdock
Wait, Raja, are you. Are you with the readers? Are you like, all the way up? Are you at the complete wash level where they're at the bottom nose? Like, they're not at the bottom of your nose yet?
- [46:15]
Raja Bell
Nah, this is much clearer for me. But I will hit you with like, I will hit you with like, you know, if somebody's talking to me, I'll be over the top like that for sure.
- [46:22]
Logan Murdock
Okay.
- [46:23]
Raja Bell
But they're not on my nose. Yeah. Be very concerned if you're a Memphis Grizzlies, though. That was. That's ugly. You're going to get. You're going to get beat pretty handily. You just like, I'd like to see you compete.
- [46:33]
Logan Murdock
Which sucks because, I mean, if they were going to put out this performance, they could have just not gone to the playoffs altogether and kept their first round pick that is now going to the Washington Wizards. Damn. Crazy Bucks Pacers. Damian Lillard, I think he's questionable going Into Game two, but, like, a good, questionable. It seems like he's on the path to coming back. The Bucks supporting cast in game one was. If you were Milwaukee Bucks, what is your concern level going into game two?
- [47:06]
Raja Bell
Yeah, probably an eight. I'm really. I'm really concerned. Maybe seven. You know, like, I think you could argue getting Dame back, you know, is going to alleviate some of that. But I'd also tell you, you know, could be a little hiccup in his first game back. Like, I don't know. Probably. I. Yeah, probably a seven. I don't know. I don't have a great feel on that one.
- [47:32]
Logan Murdock
Yeah, it's pretty. The first. It was the. The way that game flowed was, you know, when a star just tries to put his imprint on a game and it just doesn't work. It just felt like that with Giannis, right? Like, it felt like the first maybe three or four possessions, he was like, I am going to dominate this game. And then the Pacers like, all right, bro, relax. Yeah, he'll be okay. He'll be home soon. Relax. Lakers Timberwolves. One of the more impressive performances, Game one performances in this year's playoffs was the Timberwolves in game one. Just a balanced performance. Everything that we asked of and. And wanted to see of Ant, we saw from Ant in game one. The poise, the patience, and the great play from the supporting cast. If you were the Lakers going into Game two, what is your concern? Level?
- [48:34]
Raja Bell
Yeah, it's at a nine only because, you know, when you lose home court advantage in Game 1, that's a scary spot because I'm playing with house money now in game two and house money and freedom, especially with the kind of personality that Ant is and that. That Minnesota can be. Is a little. Is a little scary. Like, he's one of those dudes that might just catch. Like, he played great, but he didn't hit you with that. With that. Hey, I can't. Like, it wasn't that kind of game. Right. And so he could have that. And if that happens in game two and you've given up game one, you are in a 02 hole. So I got to be really concerned if I'm the Lakers. You. You. You have to win tonight. You have to win tonight. But this was. Look again, Logan Luka played great scoring the ball. You know, the assist numbers weren't there, which suggests that the role players and the other people, you know, didn't give him much support. And I told you coming into these playoffs that if the. If the others weren't going to support then you needed Luka to be Great, you needed LeBron to be great, and you needed Austin Reaves to be great. LeBron was just okay. Austin Reaves wasn't very good. You're going to lose that game. You're going to lose that game. Now, if you told me LeBron was okay and Austin Reeves wasn't great, and then we got 30 some points or 35 points from the bench, you know, that's different. But you got 13 and the wolves got 43. The wolves. The wolves were very. The wolves. Look, 40, 44, 32 points in the paint. 25 to 6. Fast break points. The. The Wolves were on top of them. The Wolves. The Wolves did what I was saying the Knicks need to do.
- [50:23]
Logan Murdock
Yeah.
- [50:24]
Raja Bell
Which is allow me to. Allow me to bring out one of my. My sons. Because both of them, their teams do this. Walk in your trap, take over your trap.
- [50:33]
Logan Murdock
Cliff, Cliff, did you hear this? Did you hear this millennial ass saying from. From Raja that.
- [50:40]
Raja Bell
I hear that. I hear that at games all the time. When they go to somebody else's field and win. Right. That's what they did.
- [50:45]
Logan Murdock
Took the Gen Z rise in the building. What was that saying again?
- [50:50]
Cliff
Recipes. Recipes. Bankroll, man. But yeah, I like that, Raj. That was nice.
- [50:53]
Raja Bell
Yeah, but no, I mean, like, it's not mine. I had to steal that from my young bucks, who, obviously.
- [50:57]
Logan Murdock
Why? And Roz in the building.
- [50:59]
Raja Bell
Bank Bank Z. Bank Z. Is that it?
- [51:01]
Logan Murdock
Is that it?
- [51:02]
Cliff
Bankroll fresh, man. Rest in peace.
- [51:03]
Raja Bell
Bankroll fresh. Two chains.
- [51:05]
Cliff
Two chains. Yeah, sorry.
- [51:07]
Raja Bell
But you can dig what I'm saying, though. Like, this shit is mine. Like, we're gonna. We're gonna stamp it from the jump and we're just gonna stay on top. And. And that was the attitude that they had. And so the Lakers are gonna have to figure it out. LeBron is gonna have to imprint a little bit more. I mean, obviously he's LeBron. Like, this is. I mean, he knows he's done this. Finding the balance between him and Luca, and for him to be effective enough offensively and have enough of an impact on the game is. And Luka still be. Luka is a sweet spot that they have to find. And then, you know, Austin Reeves has been that guy, but let's say he isn't all the way. You're going to need other folks, bro. You need other folks. And generally speaking, they got. They got to contain the ball. Logan, if you can't guard at the point of attack, you. You're in trouble, dog.
- [51:55]
Logan Murdock
Yeah, One of the things that is kind of been. It's not, it's annoying to watch, but I know it's growing pains. But ever since Lucas got on the floor, there have been games where LeBron has been indecisive on like how to enter a game. Right. Or how to imprint, put his imprint on a game usually. And what you would want to see is him started from the beginning and just mash on fools, first five minutes, get it. But there's been games where it's, and you've seen it in the playoffs now where he kind of tries to feel his way into a game and maybe he'll, he'll start over 5. I think he finished like 5 of 13 or something like that. But you want to see him.
- [52:37]
Raja Bell
He was okay.
- [52:38]
Logan Murdock
Yeah, but you want it in a game like that where you have to have it, you kind of want, you want his aggressiveness to be there.
- [52:44]
Raja Bell
I know, I agree with you. I'm sorry for cutting you off. I was just saying he wasn't bad, but I agree with you 100%. Like, you, like, he's got to find the balance. And that's always, that's always been the, the, that's always been the question for me in regards to like what this team was going to ultimately be was, was how quickly could those two. I mean, it's not rocket science. How quickly could they figure out that balance of you, me, me, you. We both have done enough. It took LeBron and D. Wade a while to do that. It took Kyrie and LeBron a while to do that. And you know, we've seen some really good Luka LeBron moments so far. But, you know, unfortunately in the playoffs, it's not like the regular season where like, you could string it together for, for two and then it's not there for two, but then it's brilliant. Like, you have to string them together and so, you know. Yeah, that's what he's got to figure out. If I'm him, I'm coming out this game and I'm going to be the aggressive one.
- [53:42]
Logan Murdock
Yeah.
- [53:43]
Raja Bell
You know what I'm saying, Logan? Like, I'm going to start this shit and then, and then we'll. Luca, you play off me a little bit and then if I need to cede it to you because you get to like smoking hot at some point, I'll do that. But I'm going to go ahead and get myself established.
- [53:58]
Logan Murdock
Hey, I want that a little bit. Just because, I mean, Luca is the number one option on this team and rightfully so. But he also looks up to LeBron, right? And he will defer to LeBron if need be. And he doesn't have a problem doing that. And I think LeBron is one of the rare people that Luke is like, okay, go get yours if you need it. And so I just kind of want to see that a little bit more in game two. Last one. Let's go to Houston, where I'm at right now. The Rockets. The Rockets just lost game one. It was a really good old school. I felt like it was in a time machine in 1996 or some shit. It was like 60 to, to like 69 in the fourth quarter. And I'm like, what? Where am I right now? The Rockets made a furious run after being down double digits, came back lost because, you know, Jimmy Butler and Steph down the stretch. What's your concern level if you're the Rockets?
- [54:51]
Raja Bell
Yeah, this is going to come off weird, but yeah, probably an eight. I mean, if I'm the Rockets, I mean, probably an 8. I mean there's a part of me that would, that says a 4 also, like, because I mean, Steph was great, Jimmy was great. We, we physically like body like there, there's a world where I could say, hey, look man, this is going to take its toll. Yeah, like we didn't win game one, but it's going to take its toll. Just stay with it, you know what I mean? Let's just pummel them on the glass, beat the shit out of them everywhere they go, guys stick with it. We're not going to win game. Like there's a world where I can convince myself that, that they're there. I have to apologize probably to, to Golden State. I do this to them all the time. They probably fall victim to this from, from a lot of people is you just forget how good they are defensively.
- [55:43]
Logan Murdock
Yeah.
- [55:44]
Raja Bell
You know what I mean? Like, and, and you know, so I, I probably. They're, they're multiple time world champions. You got Jimmy and Steph. You should be really worried if you're Houston. And, and I think Houston, what we've talked about Houston. The way we've characterized Houston all year long as a team is basically, you know what you see they need sengun is great if, if their defensive ability is, is great. They held them to 95. Like what. I'm taking that every time. You tell me coming into the game, hey, bro, you don't know the outcome, but the other team has 95 points. Sign me up. Yeah, sign me up for that. Need more Jalen Green, you need. So my point was, Sengun is great. Yes, you do. But what you ultimately need is a guy. A guy?
- [56:30]
Logan Murdock
Yes.
- [56:31]
Raja Bell
You need a guy to go with that group. A bucket getter, a guy, a creator. The dude I talk about in the playoffs all the time. Hey, saddle on my back, homies. We're out of here.
- [56:41]
Logan Murdock
Yep. No, but. So I think your instinct, though, was right with the Rockets, just based on seeing them. There was a sense in the fourth quarter that the warriors were like, fuck it, we're just going to go all out because we need this game more than the Rockets need this game just because of the legs and how tired they were. The Houston Rockets are the most athletic team in the series, and there are times when the warriors look a little old. I think, like, especially when they. They were up, I think, like 20 something points, and the Rockets, just, by sheer brute force, just. Just got themselves back into the game. I think this game, too, is going to be a. I'm just going to say, I think it's going to be a blowout for the Rockets, I think, just for that simple reason. Right. Like, there are times when a veteran team where you just need to go get a game, and that was the game that the. The warriors went and go. Went and got because there was no if they put their best punch. And that's the funny thing about the postseason, where things can shift from a shot, from a possession, from everything to, oh, we're feeling good, to, we're not feeling so good if a lot of those shots don't go in. In the fourth quarter, we're having a totally different conversation about this series because of the way that the Rockets have had the warriors on their toes. So I think that you're in the right. Your instinct was right going into game two of. They just. I think the warriors escaped Game one as much as they want it.
- [58:12]
Raja Bell
I. Yeah, I kind of feel that. And for all the reasons you said, way more important for them to get it the longer the series goes. Obviously, I think in terms of overall, like, stamina and health and everything, it favors Houston. And I do. I really do believe there's a world where they're like, guys, you know, again, it's like bodywork in a fight. You know, it's not sexy. We're. We're. You know, we're scoring, we're scoring, but just keep working the body, bro. Like, by the sixth round, he's going to be in trouble. And so you could totally see a scenario in Game two where, you know, if it's if it's reachable, if it's an attainable win for Golden State, they rock all the way through it and try to win it. Because if you're that close to it, why. Why not go ahead and get it right? But if it's. If it gets a little wonky and a little out of hand, you. I could see a scenario where your starters play like 2/3 of what they normally play.
- [59:10]
Logan Murdock
Yeah.
- [59:10]
Raja Bell
Or like 3/4 of what they normally play. Just sit them down and say, fuck it, we got one. Let's. Let's bank the rest and then go home and try to hold serve there.
- [59:18]
Logan Murdock
Yeah. And I. And remember I said to start the series, there was going to be. No matter what Golden State does or no matter what Houston does, they're going to get. It's going to be just a fucking war. And you could see the ramifications of that after game one. Like, the warriors were beat up like they were. They got their ass kicked. Steph in general got his ass whooped. And that's going to be every game, especially with a Udoka like team. I think this. I kept going back and forth in game one watching I was like, oh, this is going to be a short series versus. Nah, this is going to be in for the long haul. And I'm leaning towards this is going to be here for the long haul. Because while I think that the warriors have more weapons down the stretch, I think that the Houston Rocket strategies should be just to wear them down. Just. Just wear them down. Continue to make this a long series and just see what you can do on the back stretch of this and go from there. So we'll see what happens. Concern level for me is about a five for Houston.
- [60:21]
Raja Bell
Okay. I mean, the good thing that they have going for them. If you're like the worst card you could have drawn if you were the Rockets, was the schedule, right?
- [60:28]
Logan Murdock
Yeah.
- [60:29]
Raja Bell
Like, do you give them all of that rest? Like we. We beat the shit out of him and then you gift them the Wednesday game.
- [60:35]
Logan Murdock
Yeah. Yeah. It's. It's been great. The time off here in Houston was great. I just want to say Houston's a lovely city. I love Houston. Houston's great. I. Not only am I in Houston, I was in Houston during Easter Sunday. Oh, the pageantry was beautiful. Just I seen. Because, you know, you don't really see this in California like this anymore. But the. I'm not going to say older women because I'm not, you know, that, you know, there's a connotation of that. But, like, you know, the church ladies had the hats. Had the hats popping. And, you know, it's different in the south, right? It was a beautiful display, and it's. I just love Houston, the vibe. I love everything about Houston except for the motherfucking humidity. Jesus. Felt like I have a blanket off. It is April 22nd, ladies and gentlemen. It is way too damn early to have all this damn humidity. All right, I'm in the fucking. It's just like a. Put her on a coat.
- [61:29]
Raja Bell
Jesus.
- [61:30]
Logan Murdock
That's all I got to say. But it was. Been a great. It's been a great trip. Saw Bun B. The other day. That was pretty cool.
- [61:36]
Raja Bell
All right.
- [61:38]
Logan Murdock
Yeah, it's been great. The fans really come out. Like, I don't know how Houston was for you when. When you played, but, like, it's a really good crowd out here. They really, like, they really love their teams out here in Houston and Texas. So it's been. Been good, man. I love it out here. And I'm all that to say. I love the time off. I love this. You know, really get into the city and. And see what it's like.
- [61:59]
Raja Bell
Yeah, I feel you. Great town, great sports town. Always had a good time in Houston.
- [62:03]
Logan Murdock
Yeah. Yeah. And we always have a good time here on real ones. That's Tuesday vibes. Tuesday vibes. Me and Rah Rah. We will see you guys on Friday with Howard Mother effing Beck. I will be back at home in the home conference Vines, and I won't be out here doing my best Raja impression. Just doing it from the hotel. Just hoping for the best with the video quality, dog. It's nuts. It's nuts when you gotta just, like.
- [62:32]
Raja Bell
Guess you got a much nicer room than I had by the looks of it. So kudos.
- [62:37]
Logan Murdock
Yo. My lighting is popping. I'm not gonna lie. My light is out here popping. I feel really great right now. Skin looks great. We out here vibing. Shout out to all the affiliates, out to everybody out here out of shits. We got. See you guys on Friday. Before we go. Real onesmailbag gmail.com real onesmailbag gmail. Com real onesmailbag gmail.Com we'll be answering your questions on Friday as we do every time Howard Beck is on the program. See you on Friday. Ah. All the shits by Raja, by Cliff, by Victoria. All the shits. Bye.
- [63:16]
Raja Bell
Foreign.
- [63:21]
Logan Murdock
Years and older and present in select states for Kansas and affiliation with Kansas Star Casino or 18 and older and present in D.C. gambling problem. Call 1-800- GAMBLER or visit rghelp.com, call 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.orgchinconnecticut or visit mdgamblinghelp.org In Maryland, Hope is here. Visit gamblinghelplinema.org or call 1-800-327-5050 for 24. 7 support in Massachusetts or call 1-87-7-8, Hope NY or text Hope NY in New York.